Lowering the Loudness. Amplify Grace: Experiencing His Goodness through the busy, and in our rest.

Chris Haro

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Lowering the Loudness. Amplify Grace: Experiencing God through the busy, and in our rest.

SLIDE 1

** THANK THE WORSHIP AND PRODUCTION TEAMS

** WELCOME EVERYONE THERE - EVERYONE ONLINE

I feel blessed and honored, to be able to know, and to share, to speak and to reflect the mighty God we serve.

I can’t help but do it… because he has transformed me to a state of being that can’t help but speak the name Jesus.

I am grateful that God moved in the hearts, minds and spirits of people many years ago to not just transform their lives, and in turn transformed my life by sharing their love of God to me… and to you.

Because let’s face it, our transformed lives, means a transformation opportunity for someone we know in our lives to experience God through us.

ROMANS SLIDE

Romans 10:14 (ESV)

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

it is clear in this passage that Jesus called his disciples to go and share his gospel, his word, his way, his grace to this world that needs to desperately hear it, and to see the example of a life changed by God’s grace.

God calls us to go, and make disciples. Not just the pastors and leaders of the church. All of us who are his disciples, his children. He has a plan for you, and for me to help people to see… and to hear him in this world that is getting harder to hear God’s voice, and to see him.

So how do we take this verse in Romans and not think of the busy that comes with it? We are already busy in our lives. Some have jobs, school, family, ministry, or sometimes all of the above happening all at the same time.

** SHARE MY PERSONAL STORY ON BUSY WITH WORK, SCHOOL, MINISTRY AND SPRINKLINGS OF REST

God is going to send us out. He is going to give us all work to do. He is going to give us a chance to let people hear and see him through our lives, into this world that is blaring ungodliness, hate, fear, anxiety, separation, intolerance.

he will then give us an opportunity ourselves to turn down the loud responses we get. To take us from the busy, and into a moment to focus on him. To rest. We must take time to rest. Rest is an important part of our lives and in our ministry.

There are times for us to go, push hard, move forward, fulfill the call. Equally important is the times to retreat, to take a moment to pause, reflect, and then… to respond.

Today we are going to do just that.

We are going to pause to have a moment to hear what God is saying to us today.

We are going to reflect on God’s word, and the importance of resting in the presence of God.

We will then we will head back, back into our lives: our work, our families, our schools, whatever the Lord has called you to do.

** LET’S PRAY

Author Brene Brown says that when we pause and refuse to automatically hit that "dig-deep" button, it doesn't mean that we don't find a way to eventually get back on track and push on toward our goals. It means we care for ourselves enough to take some time to reflect and rejuvenate.

Has anyone ever forgotten how to breathe?

I don’t mean that literally

I mean this in a sense of life movement. being so busy, that some say they have to find a way to come up for air.

When we find these moments to breathe in a very busy life, it seems foreign.

I know that I have been there. I know that some days still, I find myself there, and when I get glimpses of rest, to breathe and to reflect, I stop just long enough to see Him in my life. I feel him more, and I can reflect on the things he has been doing for me through the busy.

SHARE THE STORY OF WORKING AT THE NATIONAL PARKS:

Share Grand Canyon Photo (SLIDE 2)

Share White Water Rafting photo - Share the story of the photo (SLIDE 3)

God calls us to go out. To do what he calls us to do… he also will give us moments to retreat, to reflect, and to rest in him.

MARK SLIDE

Mark 6:30–32 (ESV)

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS VERSE:

The disciples were busy! They had just spent time, through instruction of Jesus to go to the towns and villages

They are now reporting back, all gathering together, gathering around Jesus, to report back all they had done.

Healing the sick

casting out demons

They then went to rest for a while after the work they had done, and reporting what had happened.

It was a moment for them to share with Jesus what they experienced

Jesus displayed the concern he has for ALL his disciples. He knows our capacity.

Psalm 103:14 ESV

For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Paul describes it this way: 2 Corinthians 4:7

2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

We invest our time and effort to the Lord’s will, work, purpose in our lives. But we are just the clay pots.

WE NEED TIME TO WORK, AND WE NEED TIME TO REST.

Author and Pastor Vance Havner said it well: “If you do not come apart and rest, you will come apart.”

What is shared in Mark 6 is more than just about taking a break or taking a vacation from time-to-time.

- It is a reminder that in the midst of the Lord’s call and work for us, he will give us space and time to rest.

So How does this Apply to living in God’s Grace? And how does this lifestyle, reflect Him?

What does God’s Grace do for us?

Grace gives us a new life which is not condemned by God. Through God's grace we are forgiven, transforming our thinking, resulting in the renewal of our mind and heart. Through grace we live the kind of life that God would like every one of His children to experience.

We are in need more than ever, to see a commitment to this call to come every single Sunday morning to rest, reflect and celebrate the week we just had, and what God was doing through us, and for us.

Share pasta dinner night

I have been thinking and praying a lot lately on one thing God has been calling me to do lately:

GO AND PREACH, TEACH AND LEAD THROUGH EXAMPLE THE GRACE OF GOD TO THE MISFITS.

Who are the misfits?

Misfits are people like me.

I felt rejected as a child

I never quite fit in as a teenager.

I have always struggled with fitting in, and with hearing the vicious words of this world poisoning the minds of people to believe that they don’t belong in the church, and the church doesn’t accept you.

In Mark we see that Jesus calls his disciples, to teach and preach, and through the call amazing things happened. We see the examples of the movement of God.

WHY???

Not because Jesus was doing it directly and telling the disciples “get out of my way I’ll just do it,” he was using his disciples. His believers. His children to go, calling them to go and share what they experienced in Jesus.

To go and help those needing help.

To go and accept those who are rejected.

To Go and to heal in the name of Jesus.

To go and love on those you come across because they are loved by God just as you are.

without judgement

without terms

without conditions

but with the knowledge of the power of a mighty God and through his grace, we are saved.

CHURCH: We experience God, His love, His grace, His miracles, His purpose for us every single day.

Some days are just harder to see because of the busy.

This is why you are here. To take time to pause. To listen, to rest in Him.

SHARE MR. FRED ROGERS REFLECTION TECHNIQUE

** GUIDE THEM IN A TIME OF REST AND REFLECTION. (ANNE ON PIANO)

(Don’t Forget Those Online)

SLIDE 4

Have them sit in silence before the Lord. Reflect on the last few days, weeks and months. What has God been doing for you, and through you? What is God saying to you?