How Not to Miss a God Moment - Scotty Gibbons

Jesus came so lost people could be saved. This church is not a cruise ship where we lay by the pool. This is a battleship and for 23 years we've been on mission for Jesus. For 23 years we've been worshipping Jesus, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, reaching lost people, baptizing people, helping people know God and grow in God, discover a purpose and make a difference. We've been on the mission of Jesus. For one reason, to see more changed lives. Welcome to People's Church everyone. We welcome you to stand to your feet. Let's worship the Lord together. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. There's a praise that we release. There's an anthem of the free. When you know that you've been rescued from, worship fills your lungs. It's the sound of the redeemed. Come on lift your voice, lift your hands. You've been forgiven, brought into the land of the living. There is freedom in this house. Lift your voice if he's been faithful. Shout it out, tell him you're grateful. There is freedom in this house. There's a grave where we used to be. Before grace changed everything. If you know that you've been born again, come on say amen. It's the sound of the redeemed. Lift your hands. You've been forgiven, brought into the land of the living. There is freedom in this house. Lift your voice if he's been faithful. Shout it out, tell him you're grateful. There is freedom in this house. See the chains on the floor. Prison doors open wide. All our hope is restored. What was dead brought back to life. See the chains on the floor. Prison doors open wide. All our hope is restored.

What was dead brought back to life. Lift your hands. You've been forgiven, brought into the land of the living. There is freedom in this house. Lift your voice if he's been faithful. Shout it out, tell him you're grateful. There is freedom in this house. Sing hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. There is freedom in this house. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. There is freedom in this house. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We've lost the reality. There's nobody like our God. Thank you Jesus. Oh yeah. I count on one thing. In the waiting, the same God that never fails, He will not fail me now, He won't fail me now. In the waiting, the same God who's never late, He's working all things out, He's working all things out. Oh, yes, I will lift you high in the lowest valley, yes, I will bless your name, oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy, all my days, oh, yes, I will. Oh, yes, I will lift you high in the lowest valley, yes, I will bless your name, oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy, all my days, oh, yes, I will.

Oh, yes, I will lift you high in the lowest valley, yes, I will bless your name, oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy, all my days, oh, yes, I will. Oh, yes, I will lift you high in the lowest valley, yes, I will bless your name, oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy, all my days, oh, yes, I will. For all my days, oh, yes, I will. I choose to praise, to glorify, glorify the name of all things that nothing can stand against. I choose to praise, to glorify, glorify the name of all things that nothing can stand against. I choose to praise, to glorify, glorify the name of all things that nothing can stand against. I choose to praise, to glorify, glorify the name of all things that nothing can stand against. Oh, yes, I will lift you high in the lowest valley, yes, I will bless your name, oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy, all my days, oh, yes, I will. For all my days, oh, yes, I will. For all my days, oh, yes, I will. I'd like to invite our prayer team to come forward at this time. We're a church that believes in the power of prayer, and if you would like prayer today, all you have to do is step out of your seat, come forward, your needs matter to God. So as we sing this next song, come on, let's pray together. This is a house of worship, this is a place of praise, where every demon trembles when we proclaim your name. This is a house of healing, our hearts are full of faith. You have our full attention, you have the final say. Come alive in the name of Jesus, come alive in the name of Jesus. This is a house of miracles, we bring everything to the feet of God. Jesus, everything in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles, yeah, oh, this is a house of miracles There's resurrection power, your blood runs through our veins Your kingdom of triumphs over even the boldest grave Come alive in the name of Jesus, come alive in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles We bring everything to the feet of Jesus, everything in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles Come alive, say, come alive in the name of Jesus, come alive in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles We bring everything to the feet of Jesus, everything in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles

I still believe you're moving, I still believe you're speaking, God, I believe you're working All things for good, I fix my eyes on heaven, God, I receive your vision God, I believe you're working, all things for good I still believe you're moving, I still believe you're speaking, God, I believe you're working All things for good, I fix my eyes on heaven, God, I receive your vision God, I believe you're working, all things for good Come alive in the name of Jesus, come alive in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles We bring everything to the feet of Jesus, everything in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles Come alive in the name of Jesus, come alive in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles We bring everything to the feet of Jesus, everything in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles We say come alive in the name of Jesus, come alive in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles We bring everything to the feet of Jesus, everything in the name of Jesus, this is a house of miracles Oh, we give you worship Jesus, thank you for what you're doing right now We thank you God that you're still healing, you're still changing lives Lord, have your way today You do everything on purpose I can feel your spirit stirring I've been praying, you've been working You're working it all for good So fan the flame and keep it burning You're refining in the furnace All the waiting will be worth it ♪ Worth it, cause you're working it all for good ♪ ♪ Miracle after miracle, open door after open door ♪ ♪ Here it comes, so get ready for another one ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way ♪ ♪ Miracle after miracle, open door after open door ♪ ♪ Here it comes, so get ready for another one ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way ♪ ♪ Oh, another one is on the way ♪

♪ Rushing wind and living water ♪ ♪ You're the God of signs and God of wonders ♪ ♪ If you're willing, what can stop it? ♪ ♪ Cause you're working it all for good ♪ ♪ Yes, you're working it all for good ♪ ♪ Miracle after miracle, open door after open door ♪ ♪ Here it comes, so get ready for another one ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way ♪ ♪ Miracle after miracle, open door after open door ♪ ♪ So here it comes, so get ready for another one ♪ ♪ So get ready for another one ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way ♪ ♪ Another one, another one, another one is on the way ♪ ♪ Another one, another one, another one is on the way ♪ ♪ Oh, another one is on the way ♪ Come on, we sing it! Hallelujah! ♪ And he told the sun when to rise And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the storm to be still And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the sea where to swim And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the walls when to fall And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the shades when to break And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the bones come alive And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the storm we're on the way And he did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he told the grave let him go And it did, he really can ♪ ♪ And he can, and he can, and he can And he can, and he can, and he can ♪ ♪ And he can, and he can, and he can And he can, and he can, and he can ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way Miracle after miracle ♪ ♪ Over door after over door Here it come, so be ready for another one ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way Miracle after miracle ♪

♪ Over door after over door Here it come, so be ready for another one ♪ ♪ And if it's all to change, when to grow And they did, he will again ♪ ♪ And if it's all to fall, come alive And they did, he will again ♪ ♪ And if it's all to start, run away And they did, he will again ♪ ♪ And if it's all to play, let em go And they did, he will again ♪ ♪ And again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, yeah ♪ ♪ And again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, yeah ♪ ♪ Cause another one is on the way ♪ Come on, let's worship the Lord today. Another one is on the way. We thank you, Jesus. Father, we come before you right now, God, and whatever we may be facing, whatever we may be going through, Father, we know that another one is on the way. Father, we know that you're working on our behalf, and we thank you, and we pray this in the name of Jesus, and everybody said, amen. Amen, amen, let's celebrate the Lord one more time. Well, People's Church, before you're seated, we are a friendly church. So why don't you turn to somebody to your left or to your right, take the next 30 seconds and welcome them to People's Church. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, welcome to People's Church. My name is Josh and I'm an associate pastor here at the Oklahoma city campus. And whether you're joining us online or in-person, we are family. And I want to say a big welcome to all of our first time guests. Will you help me welcome them today? People's Church, I love how you are changing lives all around the world through supporting missionaries and organizations and ministries as you are supporting them through your giving. And one of those missionaries that you support is the Sears family who are missionaries to the Brazilian Amazon. Check out this video. Hi, we're Josh and Lisa Sears, along with Kai and Asher, and we are your missionaries to the Brazilian Amazon. I want to say thank you so much for being a part of our tribe and helping us to reach the Amazon rainforest of Northern Brazil. We serve in the state of Amazonas, which is the largest state in Brazil, three times the size of Texas. And there are thousands, over 10,000 communities all throughout the rainforest. The majority of rich have yet to be reached with the gospel. 80% have zero church presence in their community. And that is our focus. So what we do is going into these communities up and down the river on the

boat for days at a time, serving into these communities, bringing the gospel through children's ministry, youth ministry. We use compassion efforts for basic food needs, clean water, but also through storytelling, gospel storytelling to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in these communities that have had to even hear about Jesus. So thank you so much for being a part of that. Thank you for praying for us, for being invested in what God is doing in the rainforest and continue to pray for us and pray for more workers. We need more people, a part of our jungle team. Thank you so much. Well, let's thank God for what he's doing in Brazil. People's Church, thank you for giving so that people, their needs can be met and the gospel can help people to come to know Jesus in the remote places of Brazil. Your giving, your tithing, and your giving to Dream Builders is helping bring the gospel all around the world so that people can come to know Jesus. Heaven is being filled week after week after week with people of all nations because of your generosity. Father, we thank you so much for what you're doing in Brazil. Father, thank you that we are a part of making a difference there. God, we pray that you would continue to use this year's family in a mighty way in Brazil. We thank you and we pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Hello, everybody. I'm glad to be at God's house today. Come on, put your hands together if you love your church. I want to welcome all of our campuses as well as those who are watching online. My name is Scotty Gibbons. I'm the lead pastor here at People's Church.

Honored to bring the word today and would ask you to pray for Pastor Herbert and Tiffany as they are on spring break with their family. One of the things I love so much about Pastor Herbert and Tiffany is that for one, they're some of the hardest working people I know and I say that sincerely. So devoted, so committed, work so hard, so diligently as pastors and yet wise enough to know you got to take care of yourself and get a breather, have some downtime. I'm so glad that they walk in wisdom. I don't know about you, but I want our pastor to be around here for years and years and years to come. Do you feel the same way? Can we thank the Lord? Lord, for our pastors today, just put your hands together. We love Pastor Herbert and Tiffany. Well, today we kick off a brand new series called Come and See. One moment changes everything. You often hear people who are followers of Christ say, when I came to know Jesus, everything changed for me. Just by a show of hands at all of our campuses, how many of you would say that's your story? When you accepted Jesus, it changed everything. Come on, wave at me. Come on, if you're watching online, just type in the chat, that's me right there. Yeah, it changes everything. For me, it was when I was 14 years old. I would have said that I believed in God, but it was when I was 14 that through just the way God used a simple conversation to capture my heart, to capture my attention.

And I would say without a doubt, it changed everything. I went from simply believing that there was a God or believing that the Bible was true to where it became personal for me. And it changed me from the inside out. And what I would say is from that moment on, I haven't been perfect since then, but I know one thing is true is that from that moment on, I've tried to do everything that I could to tell as many people as possible about the change that took place in me, because I wanna not only personally experience it, but I wanna bring others to come and see how an encounter with God can change everything. For me, that was my story. God changed my heart and I wanna spend the rest of my days telling everybody about Him. And that's very similar to a story that we read about in John chapter one. This is a story we're gonna look at just for the next couple of weeks as we lead up to Easter, but it tells the story specific about several people, but specifically about a guy named Andrew that we're gonna look at. Andrew met Jesus and it changed everything for him. And he and others had been waiting for the Messiah or the anointed one or the savior to come and save them. So as a part of their waiting, they were watching, they were looking forward to the arrival of the Messiah. As they're awaiting, there was this one prophet,

maybe you've heard the name before, John the Baptist. He was a prophet who was saying, the Messiah is coming. He will be here soon. John was paving the way for the arrival of the Messiah. And when you come to John chapter one, we find where John the Baptist, that prophet made a shocking statement. Instead of saying, he's coming, he will be here soon. John the Baptist, he stops and he sees Jesus and he declares the Messiah is now here. Look at it, John chapter one, verse 35. It says, the next day, John, John the Baptist was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, look, the lamb of God. This was huge. He had been telling them to get ready, get ready, get ready. But now he says, look, there he is. And it says in verse 40, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother was one of the two who heard what John had said, and listen at these simple words, and who had followed Jesus. Scripture uses just a few simple words to describe a transformation, a life change, a drastic, dramatic shift for Andrew. You remember what it was like for you when you stepped out of darkness and into light. You remember for you what it was like when you stepped out of bondage and into freedom that comes in Christ.

You remember for you when you went from that place of going, I don't know what happens to me after I die, or I hope that I go to heaven after I die. And when you stepped into that assurance that Romans eight talks about, and to where you know that you know that after life on this earth ends, you will spend eternity forever in heaven. You remember what that was like for you. For Andrew, that whole experience is summed up this way. Andrew heard that Jesus was the Messiah, and so he followed him. We're gonna be looking at Andrew today, as I mentioned over the next couple of weeks leading up to Easter, we're gonna see how Andrew responded to the change that happened on the inside of him when he encountered Jesus. Because it's a. model for you and for me, for all of us, of what happens when we become followers of Jesus. Now, verses 41 and 42 are key verses for this series. Let's look at these two verses together. It says, the first thing, somebody say the first thing. Come on, all of our campuses, shout the first thing. It says, the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, we have found the Messiah, that is the Christ. And it says in verse 42, and he brought him to Jesus. Oh, those two verses are so full of so much inside

and we'll break it down over the next couple of weeks. But for today, I want us to keep moving in this passage and then I'll come back in just a minute to verse 41. But now picking back up with the verse 43. It says, the next day, Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, follow me. Verse 44, Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and he told him, we found the one Moses wrote about in the law and about one whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. So whenever he had his follow me moment with Jesus, it so radically changed him. He could not keep it to himself. He had to go and find Nathanael. Do you see the pattern here? When someone has an encounter with Christ, they go and help others to have an encounter with Christ. It's the way it's supposed to work. But I love this next verse because it keeps it so real. Look at this, Nathanael wasn't quick to jump on the bandwagon. He wasn't so sure, he wasn't so convinced. Look at what it says in verse 46. Nazareth, can anything good come from there? Nathanael asked. I love this because Philip says to him, hey, we've been waiting for something to change us. We've been waiting to fill us with hope.

We've been waiting for someone to rescue us. We have found the Messiah. Nathanael said, Nazareth? You're saying he came from Nazareth? Can anything good come from there? And yet I love Philip's response because he didn't try to fight him. He wasn't offended by Nathanael's questions. He wasn't bothered by his skepticism. He didn't try and debate him. He wasn't looking for a fight. I love these words. Look at what Philip said. Simply this, come and see. Come on, of all of our campus, won't you turn to your neighbor right now and say, come and see what Jesus did in me. Go ahead and say that. Come and see what Jesus did in me. Philip was like Andrew. They were both so excited. They were both so fired up about their encounter with Jesus. They could not keep it to themselves. And here's why. Because found people will go and find people. People who've had an encounter with Jesus cannot help but introduce others so that they can have their encounter with Jesus. So let's jump back now to our key verses

and learn from Andrew what that looks like. We're gonna break it down, make it super practical on what it looks like to find people and share hope. The first thing that we see from Andrew, let this work in your life, let it apply to you, is number one, when you find Jesus, number one, you live with an urgency. You live with an urgency. It says back in verse 41, it says, the first thing, come on, shout first thing. The first thing Andrew did after his encounter was to find his brother Simon and tell him we found the Messiah. That is the Christ. This is the way God intends for it to work. This is the plan of God for your life and mine when we experience Jesus. As a matter of fact, this is how Jesus sums up his own mission, his own purpose for coming to earth. He didn't leave any question. He didn't leave any doubt as to why he left heaven to come to earth. Look at what he says in Luke 19 verse 10. It says, for the son of man came to seek and save the lost. He left heaven to come to earth to seek and save the lost. And as Christians, before we leave earth to go to heaven, Our mission is to seek and to save the lost.

The reason you and I are still here right now is because God wants us to tell somebody else, come and see what he did in me. Have you ever thought about how cool it would have been if right after you prayed to accept Jesus, you just went straight to heaven? Is it just me? Have you ever thought about how cool that would have been? I know that's a little bit different. That's a little, maybe you haven't, I've thought about that. How cool would it have been if you just prayed and you said, in Jesus' name, amen. And you were just in heaven. I don't know about y'all, but I would have signed up for that. I mean, that would have been my preference, church. I would have loved it. But instead, when I said, in Jesus' name, amen, and I opened my eyes, I'm still here. You're still here. And the reason you and I are still here is because he wants to take what Jesus has now done inside of us and tell the people around us, come and see what Jesus did in me. The reason your heart is still beating today is not so that you can make another dollar, so you can simply get another job or buy a nicer home or enjoy another day on planet earth.

The reason your heart is still beating as a follower of Jesus is because he wants you to reach one more person while there's still time. Can you say amen to that? Before sending back to heaven, Jesus made our mission unmistakably clear. Listen to what he says in Matthew chapter 28, verse 19. He says, therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I've commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Before he left, he said to his followers, go, spend the rest of your earthly days doing everything that you can to reach as many people as you can. Church family, evaluate your heart. Is that your mission? Is that what you're all about? How often do you find yourself just waking up and living with a sense of urgency that says, God has given me another day today. There must be somebody today. He's wanting me to share hope with. We have one assignment, one mission, one job, one purpose and it's to seek and save the lost and it's urgent. John chapter nine, verse four says, we must quickly carry out the tasks

assigned us by the one who sent us for the night is coming and then no one can work. There's an urgency. Maybe you remember the story happened back in 2018. Captured the world's attention of those teenage boys on the Thailand soccer team. 12 young boys and their coach and they were out on a hike and exploring a cave. And as they got about a mile and a half deep into the cave, they found themselves trapped because of torrential downpours where the rain was coming down so fast and the rivers and streams began to converge in the spots and the cracks throughout the cave and it filled up to where they were trapped. Can you imagine that? 18 days it took for them to be rescued. The whole world was watching. And when I've watched this and I've watched a documentary on it, I just watched all of the urgency, all of the focus as rescuers from across countries all over the world came together and they were strategizing and they were planning how are we gonna do this rescue? It was both daring and dangerous. And yet, you know what? If you see footage of this, you see that everybody involved was locked in. Everybody had a job to do. Everybody had, you know what you don't see?

You don't see people just kind of strolling, kind of goofing around, kind of doing nothing, kind of checking their social media and taking selfies. You don't see any of that, why? Because they had an assignment. There was a mission, there was a goal. All that was on their mind is to do what they were there to do and rescue those teenage boys and their coach. I think about how often I lose sight of the urgency of the mission. I lose sight of the fact that the only reason I'm here, just like the only reason the rescuers were there is because they were on assignment. And I can get caught up in the busyness of life. I can get caught up in all of the chaos all of the activities and I can go through a day. I can go through two days sometimes. I can go through three days and I haven't paid attention. or live with an urgency and says, Oh God, use me today to tell one more person come and see what he's done inside of me. We cannot allow anything to keep us from the one thing that is the reason why we're still here. The clock is ticking, the window is closing. We need to reach people while we can. This Easter season, let's live with an urgency. Here's the second thing that we see from Andrew's story and from his life, number two is this. You gotta go to who you know, go to who you know.

Notice the first person Andrew went to to tell after his encounter with Jesus. It says, the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon. It didn't say that he went to a street corner and started preaching. It didn't say that he joined a traveling ministry team and started singing and giving altar calls. It said that he went straight to his brother and that's a great place for you and I to start. Statistically speaking, hear this today, over 85% of people who come to know Jesus do so through the witness or the invitation, the sharing of the gospel from a close friend or family member. Over 85% of people who come to know Christ do so through a friend or a family member sharing Christ with them. Not a Christian TV show, although God uses that. Not a billboard with a scripture, although God uses that. It's primarily through relationships. Come on, at all of our campuses, how many of you had a mom or a dad or a family member or a friend who was the one who told you about Jesus? Wave at me right now if that's you. Come on, wave at me all over, all of our campuses. The vast majority of us, that's the way it works. Think about your friends and your family who don't know Jesus yet.

And when you hear the Great Commission, before you think about going into all of the world, just step back and look and say, am I going into all of my world? Am I saying to those in my world, come and see what Jesus did in me? Your friends at work, your friends at school, saying with your words, saying with your life, there's a heaven to be enjoyed, there's a hell to be avoided, this counts. Time is short, eternity is long. But through relationship, we're showing them the love of Christ. Through relationship, we're building a bridge to their heart, why? So that they can encounter his love like you have, like I have. This Easter season could be the encounter that your friends and family members have been needing. What if you and I do our parts to invite them to come and see? Let me give you this third thing. We see this here in his story, we see it in our own lives, that God will give us opportunities to share the good news with others. Number three is watch for divine appointments. Watch for them, pay attention to them. God will bring you and me opportunities if we'll just watch for them.

As you go through your day, have your eyes open for people who are in need, people who are hurting, people who are going through a difficulty. And when you see them in that place of pain, you know that when somebody is going through something difficult, they're looking for encouragement, they're looking for hope. It's so natural. Pain and problems are prime opportunities to share hope with people. Now it can be a little more difficult when someone feels like everything's just going great. They can be fooled into thinking that they don't need God. Maybe job is going great. Maybe in the moment family's going great. Maybe in the moment they're doing great with money. And so they can think, man, I've got it going on. But when someone is in pain, when someone's going through difficulty, they're extremely aware of how much they need help. When someone is going through a tough season, see that. Be there. Don't miss the moment. They're going through a divorce, walk with them. They're grieving a loss, let God use you to help them bring experiences comfort. The truth is without Christ,

everybody is carrying that emptiness on the inside that only Jesus can feel. Everyone will at times have that moment of awareness that no matter how great things are going for me, I know that it's not all that it was cracked up to be. So they can try and mask that pain with money or mask it with business success, or they can try and cover it up with status or other forms of empty success. Hear this, everybody has pain come knocking. Everybody has to go, oh no, they've got it together. Oh no, they have it all going on. I'm telling you, everybody has that emptiness without Jesus. Matthew 9, verse 35 says that Jesus went through all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Listen to verse 36, when he saw the crowds, look at what it says, he had compassion on them. Why did he see the crowds and have compassion on them? It says, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into his fields. Have you ever thought about that passage? You ever thought about that story where Jesus is there and he looks out and he sees the crowds

and it says that when he sees the crowds, he had compassion on them. Something triggered in his heart, something stirred him, something moved. It says that he saw that they were helpless and harassed like sheep without a shepherd. How do you look out at people and see that they are helpless and harassed? How do you look out at people and think, boy, they just look like sheep without a shepherd. You know what you have to do is that you gotta learn to look past the surface. You've gotta learn to look past the mask. How many of you are tracking with me today? You know what I'm saying? See, Jesus was able to see the heart of the issue. On the outside, everybody at work was like, oh, I've got it going on. Oh, I'm great. Neighbors wanna act like, no, my marriage is awesome. I don't know what your problem is. Oh no, we're doing great over here in our house. Jesus looks past all that and he sees the heart of the issue. They're helpless, harassed like sheep without a shepherd. What if in this Easter season, we renewed our commitment to live with such urgency and the opportunities that God brings our way. We're watching for ways to build relationship, to have natural conversations. And when God opens the door, we step through it.

Instead of looking at it going, no, they probably don't wanna know the Lord. No, they probably don't wanna come to Easter. You know, we look at some people and we think they're so lost. You're like, man, I don't even think Jesus could save them. You know, you think about that sometimes. You look and say, they're so mean. He's so angry. She's so foul. There's no way they'd ever look past the mask. Look past the surface. What you'll find is a lot of times when people are lashing out, a lot of times when they're blowing up, a lot of times when they're spewing out, is they're trying to cover up something that's going on on the inside. Jesus looked at them and he saw these people have a need. When you're watching for God to open doors of opportunity, you'll look past the mask to see that this is who Jesus has brought your way. Don't give up on them. Let God use you to share his love. Just look for some natural ways. Pay attention to the normal conversations. Listen, it does not have to be strange. You don't have to make it weird. As a matter of fact, can I appeal to you? Please don't make it weird.

How many of you admit we have enough weird Christians as it is? We don't need another one, right? The world just turned off because we're weird. Somebody comes in and says, hey, is that seat safe? You go, don't worry about the seat. Are you safe? No, don't do something like that. Don't be weird. Just be life-giving, be natural. Watch for the opportunities that come your way. And when they are there, be ready. 2 Timothy 4, two says, preach the word of God urgently at all times whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it's convenient and when it's not. 1 Peter 3, 15 says, be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks you why you're living the way you are and always with the utmost courtesy. You're not trying to argue. You're not trying to fight. You're not trying to debate. You're just watching for moments of opportunity and you stay there. You step into it so you can tell somebody, come and see what he's done in me. One of my favorite stories of this is actually a story from Pastor Herbert's life.

He'll go to coffee shops. And get work done write some of his sermons there in coffee shops But he's always watching for opportunities that that God may be giving him and so he'll just be courteous He'll just be polite and talking with workers and one day he was talking with a with a barista at the coffee shop And and just being kind and getting to know part of her story This barista's name was Corbin and and as he started interacting through multiple conversations Discovered she didn't have a church Pastor Herbert invited her to come to People's Church She ended up coming She ended up getting involved in the life of the church just through natural conversation watching for divine appointments Some of you know the story others if you have not met Corbin yet But today even on this Sunday Corbin is leading worship as the worship pastor at the Midwest City campus Come on in not a fun story Of how God can just use you listen God can work that way in you and through you As a matter of fact, I'm gonna ask it to all of our campuses for you to take There's an index card in the seat back in front of you Would you just take that card and hold it just for a minute just in the seat back in front of you look around and Find that index card at all of our campuses. Just grab it. Here's the question that I have for you today If you were gonna write down a name and and we would ask that you only write the first name Because we're gonna collect these cards on your way out at each of our campuses And we're going to pray over these names with you during this Easter season Our staffs gonna be praying some of our prayer teams will be praying and we're gonna pray that God would give you divine opportunities to share Jesus With that friend with that family member that co-worker That classmate and so I just want you to take that card and take just a moment And if there would be somebody like Andrew did the first thing he did I've got to go and I've got to find my brother Simon I got to go and find him. Oh Philip was changed. He had an encounter with Jesus. Oh, I've got to go find Nathaniel I've got to go and tell him God if he has changed your life You've had an encounter with Jesus. Who is it now that he's gonna use you to say to them come and see

And if you would go ahead right now and just write down the first name You say what if I have two go ahead and write them both down If you have three you go ahead and write them all three down. We're gonna be praying over these cards Take just a moment all of our campuses You can write those down if you're watching online you could just write down a first name just in the chat Just write it right there and I want us to take a moment right now and I'm gonna lead you in a prayer and We're gonna believe that as we pray and that as we intercede God's gonna begin preparing their heart. He's gonna begin to prepare Opportunities and put things in place to where you can step into a divine appointment and listen This could be a supernatural miraculous life-changing Easter season in that person's life simply because you had the courage to say Come and see. Lord we pray right now in Jesus name over every single one of these names Written on these cards. I pray Lord for those who have written the names that they would step up and say if you can use Anything Lord you can use me And they'll determine and purpose even right now that in this Easter season you can use them To invite their friends to experience you I pray that their souls will be saved their lives will be changed in the strong name of Jesus With heads still bowed and eyes still closed I want to pray one other prayer and it could be that for you if you were just gut level honest You'd have to admit your name should be the name that's on the card. I mean, you know where you are in your relationship with God and if you're honest, you'd have to admit it's not good Maybe you've never prayed a prayer in all of your life Maybe in the past you had been Somebody who would attend church, but maybe you can't even fully explain why you're here the day You just you came but you know that you're away from God and you need to surrender your life to Christ I'm gonna pray today and If you need to have your sins forgiven If you want to ask Jesus to be the king of your life If you want God to come into your heart and live if you want to spend eternity in heaven Instead of hell, this is your moment This is your chance. No matter where you've been no matter what you've done. No matter how many mistakes you've made

Today, I want you to know you can come and see You can have your life changed from the inside out if you just have the courage to reach out and say God, that's me I need you if that's you when I count to three I want you to lift up your hand and I'm gonna lead you at a prayer all of our campuses you want to commit or recommit your life to Christ one two Three just shoot your hand up right now Awesome. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord Anybody else, before we pray, slip up your hand and say, that's me, I wanna commit or recommit my life to Christ. If you lifted your hand, I want you to pray this prayer, mean it with all of your heart. Say, dear God, thank you for your grace and your mercy. Today is the day that I surrender my life to you. I ask you to come into my heart. I ask you to change me from the inside out. Today is the day I want Jesus to be my Lord. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus' name we pray it. And everybody said, amen. Let's thank the Lord for that. I'll turn it back to our host at each of the campuses. Amen, amen, amen. If everyone would remain seated, nobody moving around. Wasn't that an incredible word from Pastor Scotty? It was so good. Life change is a miracle, and God wants to continue to do miracles. God wants to do a miracle in your life. Maybe you need a miracle in your finances.

Maybe you need a miracle in your relationships. Maybe you need a miracle in your health. God wants to do a miracle in your life. And maybe you know somebody. You know somebody at work, a coworker, a friend, or a neighbor who needs a miracle. Let's do this right now. Let's stand across this room, and let's take the next couple of moments. Let's worship God and sing miracle after miracle, and believe God to do miracles in our lives. ♪ Miracle after miracle ♪ Hofdator after Hofdator ♪ Here it comes So get ready for another one ♪ Cause another one is on the way ♪ Miracle after miracle ♪ Hofdator after Hofdator ♪ Here it comes So get ready for another one ♪ Cause another one is on the way We're believing for miracles in our lives, amen. Amen, we are. Hey, we say this every single Sunday. We say that we're family. Come on, will you say it with me? We're what? We're family. Have a great Sunday. We'll see you next week.

♪ Miracle after miracle ♪ Hofdator after Hofdator ♪ Here it comes