For A Time We Cannot See

hi my name is Michael Davidson and here's what's going on at abundant life may in August is our next men's huddle where we'll unpack what it means to be a godly courageous man in today's world through engaging stories expert teaching unscripted interviews and personal insights this study calls every man to become bold leaders in their own lives marriages churches and communities plan to join the men of a LCF community with this exciting series on Saturdays August 25th through November 10th and the cost is $25 in September we've got some exciting events planned starting with an evening with Tim Keller hosted by transforming the bay with Christ pastor Tim a pastor and New York Times bestselling author speaks about the church as an unstoppable force and shares his views on what a radical Christian community looks like join us on Thursday September 6th from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the ALCS sanctuary for this unique event tickets are $20 on September 23rd we launched two classes Jesus among secular God's and the art of parenting living in the various high tech center of the world we are often confronted with questions about science versus religion in Jesus among secular gods Valerie Saunders art director of evangelism uses a video chat workshop format to help us prepare to challenge the isms of modern belief including world and views and present compelling evidence for revealed absolute truth as found in in Jesus this six week class helps seekers to explore claims of Christ and will provide Christians with knowledge to articulate why they believe Jesus stands tall of all all other gods the cost is $25 includes child care with pre-registration also on September 23rd the art of parenting developed by family life today helps parents feel confident in building a foundation for their children in four key areas identity character relationships and mission this eight-week DVD small group curriculum based on Psalm 127 4 features insights and decades of expertise that Dennis and Barbara Rainey gleaned from ministry and raising six children facilitated by Zeke and Marie Harvey who will explore the following topics the goal of parenting forming character applying discipline building relationships understanding identity nurturing identity preparing for mission and the power of family the cost is $40 per couple which includes child care with pre-registration space is limited to 24 couples are you new to abundant life are you interested in learning more about our story dreams and values and then a welcoming environment with no pressure to join if so our guest orientation lunch is just the place for you find out what we're all about on Sunday September 9th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the chapel and speaking of values going is one of ALCS core values as born-again believers God commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations Matthew 28:19 in order to prepare you to go we invite you to participate in one of four trains being offered each Sunday in August from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. another great opportunity to go and bring the hope of Jesus to people in need is the Johnny and Friends Bay Area Walk and Royan on September 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto join us for this one-of-a-kind fundraising event all of the money raised will bring Christ centered encouragement and practical support to special need families in the community you can sign up from August 17th through September 15th at Johnny and Friends org slash Bay Area now are you ready for some fun what about ALCS annual church picnic make plans to join the a LCF community for our most popular event of the year and be part of a great afternoon of fellowship fun food and games this year's event will take place on Sunday September 16th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at rings to a park in Mountain View and if you're available to help out please come to our volunteer meeting on Sunday August 12 from 12 to 12:30 p.m. to sign up for any of the upcoming events and classes go to LC f net / signups or the aoc FM to stay connected with everything else EF check out the website app by weekly emails newsletter social media and remember at al CF our goal is to make a difference in your life so you can make a difference in the lives of the people in your sphere of influence or as we like to say around here abundant life exists to make a better you for a better world so father would you speak to us now from your word God we sense your presence is in this place so father God would you walk the aisles as your work goes forth would you encourage us would you uplift us would you challenge us would you confront us but ultimately Lord God would you change us save someone's soul add to your church in Jesus name we pray you may be seated if you have your Bibles please meet me in Ruth chapter 4 if you're new with us we've been on a journey through the Book of Ruth Ruth has four chapters and each week we've been looking at a chapter in the narrative the story of Ruth and today is the final installment on our four-part walk through the Book of Ruth as you're turning there a couple of things men's huddle we are going to kick off our our study called stepping up it's a family life study led by my mentor Dennis rainy man if you haven't done so already please sign up and you need to know if you can't afford to go so many men have actually given so much extra money that we've got scholarships for just about any man who has yet to sign up so there's no excuse join us this coming Saturday at 8:30 a.m. we'll have you out by 10 a.m. also want to encourage you and two weeks is our annual church picnic it's going to be a fun time we always have great food and then we a little Spades action going on last year my team won and if you lose to me the your name gets put in the bulletin in the newsletter having lost if you win no one will know about it and then also for those of you who've been coming but you want to hear more about the vision and values of our church the story of abundant life please meet us next Sunday at noon right after service in the fellowship hall one hour we'll have a lunch provided for you child care for your kids if you have kids and we would just like to walk through what life at abundant life looks like also we've got evangelism Sunday is coming up next Sunday pick up one of these cards several of these cards we're gonna actually be going out and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in our community and God doesn't want us to just have Church he wants us to be the church amen I got one clap I got one clap on that so we've got a wonderful card for you pick up several of those and then we'll be sending some teams out next week route chapter 4 pick me up in verse 1 now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there and behold the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came by so Boaz said turn aside friends sit down here and he turned aside and sat down and he took 10 min of the elders of the city and said sit down here so they sat down then he said to the Redeemer Naomi who has come back from the country of Moab is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative elimi lek so I thought I'd tell you it of it and say buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people if you'll redeem it redeem it but if you will not tell me that I may know for there is no one besides you to redeem it and I come after you bless you and he said I will redeem it then Boaz said the day you buy the field I love it this is talk about a disclaimer in your contract the day you buy the field from the land of Naomi you also acquire ruth the moabite the widow of the dead in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance then the redeemer said now I can't do it I cannot redeem it for myself lest I impair my own inheritance take my right of redemption yourself where I cannot redeem it now this was the custom in former times and Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging to confirm a transaction the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other and this was the manner of a testing in Israel so when the Redeemer said to Boaz buy it for yourself he drew off his sandal then Boaz said to the elders and all the people you are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to al emilich and all that belonged to chili on and Mei Lan also ruth the moabite the widow of Mahlon i have bought to be my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gait of his native place you are witnesses this day than all the people who were at the gate and the elder said we are witnesses may the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah who together built up the house of Israel may you act worthily in Ephrata and be renowned in Bethlehem and may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman so Boaz verse 13 took Ruth and she became his wife and he went into her and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son then women said to Naomi blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a redeemer and may his name be renowned in Israel he shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age your daughter-in-law who loves you is more to you than seven sons has given birth to him then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap lap and became his nurse literally the Hebrew word for nurse it's its foster mom and the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying a son has been born to Naomi they named him Obed he was the father of Jesse the father of David now these are the generations of Perez Perez fathered hezron hezron fathered RAAM RAAM father demented AB man reading the Old Testament will lengthen your vocabulary a minute AB father nahshon nahshon father Salman Salman father Boaz bow has fathered Obed Obed father Jesse and Jesse fathered David the word of the Lord thanks be to God many of you all know our story we moved here from New York City but prior to that we had asked the Lord to send us to the toughest place in the country to plant a multi-ethnic church I just felt like the two big institutions of segregation still today is the Greek system on the college campus and the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the 11 o'clock hours dr. King would say is the most segregated hour of the week and so I would just read the Bible and I'd be like man God Jesus when he talks about heaven he's like man people gonna be there from every nation tribe and tongue Heaven's gonna be multi-ethnic why and that happening here on earth I don't want to have to wait until I died to experience it I'd actually like to begin to experience that right now so we asked the Lord to send us through the toughest place in the country to do it it was Memphis Tennessee for a whole host of reasons and for 12 years we labored from 26 people in living room to over several thousand who ended up coming was about half white half black it was just a beautiful thing to witness and it was a it was a great time on many levels we bought a great house that we loved I think we had like almost 4,000 square feet we paid like five bucks for it was just absolutely amazing and it was just just an incredible time there finally God calls us from there to go to New York City our last day at the house my kids wanted to do something in our house the house they've grown up in that was incredibly exciting slightly illegal but I went ahead let him do it they they wouldn't take a sharpie and go to some obscure places in the house and they just simply wrote the words Quinton was here Myles was here Jaden was here still waiting on that phone call haven't gotten it just yet but it's just interesting that my kids wanted to leave a mark and this place that had so many memories in this place where they had logged so many meals so many times of experiences laughter crying when they left they didn't just want to leave they wanted to leave their their mark in a sense that's all of us all of us are leasing time on God's green earth in the house that is that it that is this world and theirs will come a time when God's gonna say give me back my breath we shall behold him face to face where we don't own anything we're leasing Jobe says it this way naked I came into this world and naked I shall return I've done a whole lot of funerals in my life I've seen a whole lot of crazy things I've never seen a u-haul truck at a gravesite those shoes you just had to have ain't going with you that outfit those golf clubs that ain't going with you that life insurance policy that you left behind might get spent on the next dude naked you came into this world and naked you shall return but I think there is something innate to all of humanity no matter where you may be on the spiritual spectrum all of us in our own way want to write Brian was here Cory was here Trevor was here we all want to leave our mark we we all want to leave a legacy and that what the rapper jay-z talks about on his latest album he's literally got a got a song a track titled legacy in which he's talking about the things that he wants to leave behind and I wouldn't necessarily call him a Christian it just speaks to this thing big he talked about it when he talked about in one of his songs and he's got to get his daughter this college grand so she won't need no man I'm out on the deep end today I'm quoting Big Ang and I may not have a church semaj when it's all said and done they might vote me up out of here we all want to leave our mark that's why you're going to work and you're working so hard and saving money and trying to figure out ways to facilitate your kids dreams you you you've got the life insurance probably that's what you're doing you you you want to leave your mark and in a sense you're right and wanting to do that in fact the Bible says I I think it's a great verse every kid should be able to quote to their dads proverbs 13:20 to a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children I sent it to my dad all the time and always in by saying are you a good man there's something to be said for wanting to leave our mark this morning I want to talk to you about legacy this this thing in us that innately says we don't we don't want to just appear one day and disappear not not having left any as the as the poet said footprints in the sand we we want to leave some marks we we want to be able to say that that we were here and that that we influence humanity for good but when we talk about legacy you've got to understand that the length of your legacy is in direct proportion to your vision of time I'll give it to you again the length of your legacy is in direct proportion to your vision or world view of time what do I mean by that if you think that this life is all there is then the chances of you leaving a legacy that will that will impact generations to come for eternity is nil in fact it was the great literary figure Fyodor Dostoyevsky who said it this way he says without God in the future life everything is permitted one can do anything what is dust is key sang he's saying fundamentally Brian if you think that this life is all there is then why not just turn this life into one big hedonistic party have all the sex you want drink as much as you want spend money any way you want if this life is all there is that's your vision of life it's a small vision in fact if you just span the spectrum of world history in fact I won't go any further than the 20th century it is interesting that those who have had the most destructive impact on humanity were those who actually subscribe to a worldview that says this world is all there is that a small vision we're here with the great CS Lewis said on the flip side one of my favorite CS Lewis quotes he says if you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next it is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this what you think about eternity matters we all have a worldview so if you think this life is all there is why not as the guy the rich landowner says eat drink and be merry just cupid shuffle your way into the grade to the left let me stop biggie jay-z cupid shuffle but if you actually believe it this life is not all there is that I'm gonna have to give an account to a God who created me who loved me who gave His only Son to die on the cross for me then that has profound implications for how I navigate marriage how I treat my wife how I steward money there's one word that sums up Ruth chapter four I want you to write it in your notes app or in the margin of your Bible it is the word legacy chapter one the word was paying Chapter two the word was Providence chapter three the word was faith chapter four the word is legacy think about it here's Ruth this this immigrant who's going through a lot of pain and suffering she's from this backwoods place called Fresno I mean Moab email me at Pastor Gary at I'll see if that met and what happens she gets worked into the lineage of not just David but I got a bombshell for you according to Matthew chapter one she gets worked into the lineage of Jesus she is the least likely of candidates how does she get in there grace what because she made the best choices it was all the grace of God now this encourages me because God specializes in taking unlikely candidates from backwoods places from the wrong sides of the track and if he can do it with Ruth he can do it with me and he can do it for you this is a profound story I don't care what your mama did I don't care what your daddy did I don't care what they said about you God can work something special in your life you can create a legacy he can do something amazing I want to point out to you today three things about legacy first we come to chapter 1 and excuse me chapter 4 and you got to understand that chapter 4 is right on the heels of a very true maduk seen in chapter 3 here is Ruth she's again an immigrant she's a widow she struggled with infertility she didn't have any kids she she hitches her wagon to Naomi she says where where you go I'll go your God will be my god I'm with you ride or die she comes from Moab now to Bethlehem she's on the brink of starvation chapter 2 she she ends up going to work she's um she's gleaning in a field picking up the scraps again the image here is a homeless person with their cart picking up aluminum cans it's subsistence existence that is what she does and in the Providence of God she comes across Boaz chapter three in a real crazy way Naomi tells her to put on her wedding dress hop into the bed with Boaz propose marriage to him Boaz says I'm willing to do it but I got to tell you there's a caveat there's a redeemer who is closer than I so I've got to see if if he wants to redeem you first if he doesn't I've got your back now the curtain lifts on chapter 4 it is a scene that is filled with tension Boaz is standing at the gate the gate is is kind of where the city's Town Hall would be it was where you made all of the decisions here is Boaz standing at the gate that's where the entrepreneurs would go in and out of and he sees the Redeemer who is closer in line than he and he says turn aside friend that he makes a proposal to you to him there's Naomi a relative of ours he says and she's got a plot of land that's available he's thinking real estate wonderful he's his bud disclaimer the day you redeem it you've got to take along with you Naomi and Ruth and you've got to verse five perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance we don't understand this today but but but God was very concerned that that no family would ever have their name blotted out that no family would ever die out and so God actually stipulated in his word that if there was a person like a Naomi or Ruth who was childless that the next of kin his job on top of raising his own family was to start a family with this woman who was unable because of the man who had now died that she was married to to have kids you now had a responsibility to impregnate her and extend her life this is called the kinsman redeemer this man says thanks but no thanks I'm not gonna do it now one of the things you should have felt reading through Ruth chapter 4 there's a whole lot of names there's Ruth there's Naomi there's Boaz names we're familiar with then it ends with a whole bunch of names many of us have never heard of before there's Perez and a minute dab and Ram and Salman and so on and so forth but there's one name that's missing a name that no one knows we never know the name of the person who was supposed to be her redeemer his name is blotted out commentators tell us that is no accident they tell us that the reason we don't know his name is because of his disobedience to the Word of God they say the reason why his name forever will never be known is because he chose convenience over obedience to the Word of God I get it I understand brother you've got your own family you've you've got all these responsibilities it's financially tough I get it and to take on another family and to care for and to provide for them may may put you almost over the edge but but where's your faith so you think the first thing we learn about legacy is that legacy demands obedience there is no lasting legacy unless there is faithful obedience to the Word of God is this not what Jesus is saying in Matthew chapter 7 as he is reaching his crescendo Sermon on the Mount Jesus says look at it with me everyone who hears these words of mine watch it and does them and does them and does them obedience will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock and the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock and everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do not does not do them that would be disobedience will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rains fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell and great was the fall of it please notice now toss us in here for free that obedience to God's Word does not incubate you from the storms of life both the obedient and the disobedient encountered storms some of you all are wondering why is all this going on in my life why am i encountering all this pain what have I done wrong the answer could very well be you've done nothing wrong it's called living in a broken world obedient and disobedient people alike encounter storms but notice at the end of the storm one has a legacy it's still standing and one has nothing to show for it what makes a person endure the storm is faithful obedience in implementation of the Word of God in their lives [Applause] sometimes storms are like proverbial stress tests God just wants to lift up the hood of our lives and expose what's really there sometimes God says the only way you can really know if your faith is authentic and genuine is to go through something because storms lay us bare they show us are we following Christ for the benefits package or are we following him because he's worthy if you want a legacy it's obedience obedience obedience obedience obedience to the Word of God I like the USC football Trojans I got one amen I know this is dangerous is this pac-12 country I shouldn't say that but I like them I kind of fell in love with him in the early 2000s I mean that's when they had Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart and man they were something to behold 2004 they win the national championship they beat a team in the Orange Bowl and banners went up great celebration it was wonderful and then years later the NCAA found out that that one of their primary weapons one of their best players had been living in disobedience and violations of the rules the NC double-a did they came back around to that 2004 team and they made them vacate all their wins pull the banners down vacate their championships and now if you were to step on USC's campus it's almost as if 14 years later 2004 never existed why disobedience this is exactly what Jesus is saying Brian when you live in disobedience you will be like this man his name has been vacated vanish sorry I asked you today what foundation are you building your life on I hear the words of Joshua when he says choose you this day whom you will serve but as for being my house I'm building my house not on what I think is right not on what the culture says but on the timeless truth of the word of God legacy demands obedience secondly legacy demands selflessness again verses five and six here is Boaz he makes the proposition out of deep integrity he says look you've got an opportunity here and quite frankly this man says thanks but no thanks again I want you to think of it I I kind of get him and let's let's not judge him let's not be so quick to just dismiss him if we're in his situation here he is raising a family and then he's got to start another one I understand how he's feeling but then Boaz steps in there he very well may already have his family kids he's an older man maybe even grandkids and he says since she won't do it I'll do it and while we don't know that man's name we know Boaz his name and why do we know Boaz his name because he was utterly selfless he says I'll make the sacrifice I'll take on the extra responsibility I'll pay the price I'll just I'll just add to it I'll work more hours if I have to whatever it takes Ruth I've got you covered selflessness sacrifice this is the stuff of legacy many of us have read Jim Collins his classic book good to great it's a great business book it's a great leadership book he talks about level five leaders and what sets level five leaders apart from every other kind of leader humility selflessness the ability to to absolutely positively be humble in the words of Kendrick Lamar to round out the hip hop trio be humble be humble if you just take a peak in biblical history in world history some of the greatest leaders were the most humble humble humble humble people listen I listen I'm not here to to castigate our president Donald Trump but any objectivity will say he's not the most humble person in the world got one clap on that I'm not attacking his policy I'm not attacking personally but great leaders are humble great leaders aren't in it for power for prestige to make their name great great leaders see the bigger picture and they're all about making it great for others if I have to lay down my life in the process that's what I'll do Peter James and John they quit their jobs to follow Jesus think of the selflessness their levi's the tax collector who's later named Matthew he quits his job to follow Jesus Jesus Christ think of his selflessness dies on a cross for our sins who was in in very essence God think of the selflessness they're thinking now if Harriet Tubman think of her selflessness here's a woman she's living below the mason-dixon line as a slave she breaks away she finds her freedom but she doesn't get up north and freedom and pretty much sits back on easy street and say I got mine now you get yours no dozens of times she puts her life on the line because she's not thinking ultimately of herself she's thinking of the greater good of her people selfless selfless selfless she deserves to have her picture on a twenty dollar bill selflessness some of you all let me save you 150 bucks an hour in counseling because you're going through a bad marriage right now try humility tried dying to yourself selflessness pastor give me something practical give me something practical I can do I want to focus in on parents now let me just give you I'm really concerned about families let me just give you something practical there's a guy and in church history's name is Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards is called America's foremost theologian him and his wife Sarah they have 11 children back in the 1700s Jonathan and his wife Sarah decided to make a practice that every single day listen they would pray for each of their kids on through the fifth generation daily pray for their kids their grandkids great-grandkids great-great grandkids great-great great-great grandkids daily 150 years after they died someone actually wondered what happened to their seed here's what they discovered look at it with me Jonathan and Sarah Edwards that Union produced one u.s. vice president one Dean of a law school one Dean of a medical school three US senators three governors three mayors 13 college presidents 30 judges 60 doctors 65 professors 75 military officers 80 public office holders 100 lawyers 100 clergy 285 college graduates most were Christians who served and deeply loved the Lord you might call it coincidence I call it Providence Providence born out of a selflessness I'm here to tell you that all that I've accomplished in my own life I'm not that smart I'm not that gifted I'm not that able I am writing the prayers of my parents my dad once told me you need to know son there hasn't been a single day of your life in which I failed to pray for you I am covered by the prayers of my parents selfless selfless finally legacy now in demands obedience and selflessness but but as we're going down these paths here's what'll happen we'll catch greatness along the way I want us to turn our attention as we close to a list of names beginning in verse 18 we don't get this we're Americans living in the 21st century most of our homes I'm probably sure if I were to walk into your house I'm not going to see a written out genealogy in your home but genealogies were frequent and antiquity and to give you a little bit of a of a teaching into how the ancients thought whenever the ancients saw a genealogy a list of generations a list of names watch it they always paid attention to the first name and the last name because these two names would tell you everything you wanted to know about that person here's Ruth her genealogy as she's engrafted into the people of God through her union with Boaz and the first name that you see in verse 18 is a guy by the name of Perez Perez is the son of the union with Tamar and Judah Perez was in his mama's womb alongside his twin brother the Bible says that as his mother is giving birth to twins that it was actually Perez his brother who sticks his arm out first midwives take a scarlet thread and they tie it around his fist his wrist too to denote that he was coming out first and then all of a sudden he just withdraws that arm Perez then pokes his head out and he comes out first the midwives are shocked fact he's called because his name means bursting forth you need to understand that to the Jew that if you could trace your lineage directly to Perez that was high-dollar it was it was a statement of being first-class it was a statement of being cut above here's this little country girl Ruth who gets in grafted into the people of God and in her direct lineage this mullah bite immigrant who wrestled with infertility for years is connected to first-class Perez the last name on the list is her great-grandson David he is seen as the greatest King ever and the nation of Israel he is esteemed so much that when Jesus comes he is oftentimes called the son of David here is this Moabite girl connected this commoner to Perez first class and her great-grandson is the greatest King ever this Saint go head girl this is go ahead God for nothing but God can pull this off several years ago we were amazed that Kate Middleton gets married to Prince William in fact if you saw the wedding as I did early the morning I was there to support my wife maybe but if you if you watch that wedding one of the things you saw is how shocked people were that Prince William would marry Kate Middleton she didn't come from royal or noble stock in fact she was seen as an everyday average commoner in fact that that wedding the announcer said today a commoner becomes royalty that's Ruth that's us commoners who by the grace of Jesus Christ become royalty but it gets gooder as we in Matthew chapter 1 in the genealogy of Jesus Matthew is writing out the genealogy of Jesus and look at what he says and Salman the father of Boaz by Rahab and Boaz the father of Obed by ruth and obed the father of Jesse I got a stop right here and say this do you not notice who Boaz is mama is his mama is Ruth its Rahab do you not understand who she is in Joshua chapter 2 Rahab is a prostitute she is a what does God do in genealogies and antiquity sexist societies you would never put a woman in a genealogy but God by the power of the Holy Spirit tells Matthew I want you to write down this woman's name write down a prostitute Rahab watch it and he includes a prostitute in the lineage of Jesus the message is that when it comes to Jesus it doesn't matter what choices you've made what good choices what bad choices it doesn't matter what sins you've made in his direct line is a and such were some of us some of us are right now in the middle of affairs some of us right now are in the middle of lies some of us right now are filing for bankruptcy but if God can include a in his lineage he can include you as the spiritual progeny of His Son Jesus Christ so I don't have time for arrogant legalistic Christians looking at each other and how did you get up in here and I can't believe you're doing this and look at her she's holding hands with another woman and look at him and he's gay and look at that and look at that look at it's interesting God doesn't put your mess out on Front Street so what does he do he said no no let's open up the closets for everyone to see that's right my son Jesus his great great great great great great grand whatever it was a specially learned that one in Sunday school did you and God says put it in public record cuz you ain't got your stuff together either so in the lineage of Jesus or worthy moral people like Boaz and flat-out immoral people like Rahab and that's what the Church of Jesus Christ should look like I don't want to be a part of a church that doesn't make room for both Boaz and Rahab I don't want to be a part of that this church will make room for Boaz's and it will make room for Rahab's and if you are uncomfortable going to church with Rahab then you should denounce your faith in Jesus because your spiritual great-great-great great-great-great great-great-great great-great grand mama was a so God forgive us as the team comes God forgive us of our legalism we need to be reminded of some things don't you see God takes God takes Ruth by His grace by His grace there's nothing she did to deserve it any of you watch the show The Voice I love that television show here you have contestants trying to get a contract and what they do episode one they come out on a stage with four people with their backs turned to them and they sing hoping to sound good enough so that some one of these judges with their backs turned will hit the button and turn around and say I want you they hope their performance is good enough to say please accept me that is not how God rolls God says I know you can't sing God says I know you are a hot mess and when you come out on stage my back ain't gonna be turned to you I'm gonna be facing you with arms wide open you ain't got an audition for me you ain't gotta perform for me you ain't got to put on airs for me if I can take Rahab and I can take Ruth do you know who else is included Bathsheba if you read Matthew one Bathsheba is in there an adulteress oh the lineage of Jesus is made up with a whole bunch of messed up folk last time I checked that's all of us messed up at my church we Sato up from the flow up that's us we're out of here we're out of here this is a Grace place this is a come as you are space this is a space that welcomes everybody no matter where you may be in your journey we welcome you but there's a warning label when you come to Christ as you are he's gonna love you and he's gonna meet you right where you are but warning you fool around with Christ he ain't gonna leave you as you are he's gonna change you and he's gonna straighten you out would you come III want now I want now our prayer team and pastors and elders if they could just come down front fan fan the front this is this is communion Sunday and I need you to multitask with me this is the last thing we're gonna do today [Music] we're gonna come and partake communion focus on Ruth's progeny little baby boy named Jesus and in just a few moments when I invite you to come I want you to come if you're on the inside of a section come around to the inside if you're on the outside just file around to the outside we've got tables in the back tables down front if you are physically unable to come raise your hand in the air and somebody will meet you right where you are and serve you but as we're coming some of you you're here today and you're saying I'm rehab [Music] I'm Bathsheba I'm in a spot right now that I shouldn't be in maybe you'd call yourself a Christian you've just ventured out in far country and you just want somebody to pray for you maybe you're here today and you're saying I'm not a follower of Jesus and I'm just telling you I just sense that I need to give my life to Christ we've got people down front who would love to pray with you and show you how you can make a decision my wife and I made years ago that will change your life that mean the storms won't come they'll come you'll have some with you someone who can hold you up in the middle of this storm hi my name is Michael Davidson and here's what's going on and abundant life may in August is our next men's huddle where we'll unpack what it means to be a godly courageous man in today's world through engaging stories expert teaching unscripted interviews and personal insights this study calls every man to become bold leaders in their own lives marriages churches and commune plan to join the men of a LCF community with this exciting series on Saturdays August 25th through November 10 and the cost is $25 in September we've got some exciting events planned starting with an evening with Tim Keller hosted by transforming the bay with Christ pastor Tim a pastor and New York Times bestselling author speaks about the church as an unstoppable force and shares his views on what a radical Christian community looks like join us on Thursday September 6th from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the ALCS sanctuary for this unique event tickets are $20 on September 23rd we launched two classes Jesus among secular God's and the art of parenting living in the Bay Area's high tech center of the world we are often confronted with questions about science versus religion in Jesus among secular gods Valerie Saunders our director of evangelism uses a video chat workshop format to help us prepare to challenge the isms of modern belief including world religions and views and present compelling evidence for revealed absolute truth as founded in Jesus this six week class helps seekers to explore claims of Christ and will provide Christians with knowledge to articulate why they believe Jesus stands tall of all all other gods the cost is $25 includes child care with pre-registration also on September 23rd the art of parenting developed by Family Life today helps parents feel confident and building a foundation for their children in four key areas identity character relationships and mission this eight-week DVD small group curriculum based on Psalm 127 4 features insights and decades of expertise that Dennis and Barbara Rainey gleaned from ministry and raising six children facilitated by Zeke and Marie Harvey who will explore the following topics the goal of parenting forming character applying discipline building relationships understanding identity nurturing identity preparing for mission and the power of family the cost is $40 per couple which includes child care with free registration space is limited to 24 couples are you new to abundant life are you interested in learning more about our story dreams and values and then a welcoming environment with no pressure to join if so our guest orientation lunch is just the place for you find out what we're all about on Sunday September 9th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the chapel and speaking of values going is one of ALCS more values as born-again believers God commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations Matthew 28:19 in order to prepare you to go we invite you to participate in one of four trains being offered each Sunday in August from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. another great opportunity to go and bring the hope of Jesus to people in need is the Johnny and Friends Bay Area walk Android on September 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto join us for this one-of-a-kind fundraising event all of the money raised will bring christ-centered encouragement and practical support to special need families in the community you can sign up from August 17th through September 15th at Johnny and Friends org slash Bay Area now are you ready for some fun what about ALCS annual church picnic make plans to join the ALC F community for our most popular event of the year and be part of a great afternoon of fellowship fun food and games this year's event will take place on Sunday September 16th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at rings to a party in Mountain View and if you're available to help out please come to our volunteer meeting on Sunday August 12th from 12 to 12:30 p.m. to sign up for any of the upcoming events and classes go to ALC f net / signups or the a lcff to stay connected with everything a LCF check out the website app by weekly emails newsletter social media and remember at al CF our goal is to make a difference in your life so you can make a difference in the lives of the people in your sphere of influence or as we like to say around here abundant life exists to make a better you for a better world [Music]

Channel: Abundant Life Christian Fellowship

Views: 1,965

Rating: 4.8000002 out of 5

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Id: q7KGqfRjtvU

Length: 57min 11sec (3431 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 02 2018