Hillsong Church - Thorns and Tares

[Applause] well one of the jobs everybody this morning give us a wave [Music] believe who [Music] music chases Seba mercy the kitchen me in myself [Music] [Music] his prayers to the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] this [Music] well it's um [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it's everybody doing well well I'm glad to be in the house of the love this morning who else is glad oh I like that that's good Oh freezin crazy stay [Music] everybody humans to come with Jesus [Music] me he said to me [Music] interesting [Music] injustice to the entrance [Music] sighs [Music] you see together [Music] [Music] watch as you leave this [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the other in the finisher [Music] how away for moments when I'm still in your presence all the noise dies down both speak to me now you have all my attention I will linger listen I can't miss at me good boy Dino my heart was more of you my heart was something you saw I [Music] surrender it's a living thing being dumb [Music] my desire is to know you deep I will open up again throw my fears into the one I am dead before [Music] Oh [Music] you the firing you like ooh believe me you lie there is no hesitation [Music] in your love and affection sweetest of all is what I my heart my something [Music] so we're dead No [Music] through my feet [Music] [Music] I hope it up my heart - you know so - what are we you can come on can we declare this this morning but Jesus have your way [Music] about her [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] to myself except put their hands together let's make some noise a holy No [Music] we're just about to along with the rest of our church around the country and in a barley join with hundreds of kingdom builders and in the Hunter Valley with passes and Brian or Bobby so when you turn your attention to the screens and let's join with them this morning King forever I love them I love well a big height of a whole church all around the country every state except South Australia barley Fiji online campus streaming what else do we do anyways a lot of people watching on right now I hope the worship wherever you are has been incredible we're at a an incredible Kingdom Builders retreat what a fantastic bunch I [Applause] about 700 people who are absolutely committed to the Lord Jesus Christ and in the future of that church and lead by example with their incredible giving just like many of you do so everyone everywhere else wherever you are we won't be able to hear you potentially but why don't you give this group a great big clap Nick's hoping right now everyone's coming oh I'm excited we're gonna have a great day in the house of God today you know the cool thing about coming up here and having church up here now we got a packed room but for me of Bobby Bobby and I excuse me we only have to go to church once this morning usually by now I'm in the second service and have a third service I might start having a retreat and the Hunter Valley every single week and with everyone all across the church wherever you are I'm sure there's prayer requests wherever you are we're gonna pray together I believe God answers prayer we're grateful to serve a God who answers prayer and so wherever you are could I encourage you to put your hand towards these prayer requests or potentially wherever you guys are put them towards the prayer requests there and let's pray together Nathaniel isn't Nathaniel able to speak better Nathaniel from the hills Campus why don't you pray for all these prayer requests come on right across the church why don't we put our heads towards them when we start a storm heaven what do we start to lift our voice when are we start to believe that Jesus can turn situations around we thank you more than we 7 miracle-working God Father we thank you for every single one of these needs but we thank you that it's a miracle in the waiting but we thank you that we serve a miracle working God father for the most desperate of situations Lord to the very smallest of situations murderer God who cares your loving Heavenly Father and we pray in Jesus name more than you and he'll we're healing is needed that you would provide we're providing provision is needed father I pray the miracles mother right now even in hospital beds would be your people's portion we thank you for it in Jesus name Amen amen amen amen amen well I'm sure across the whole church this praise reports and thank God for the praise reports the good stories of answered prayer we're get a whole lot here someone thanking God for their baby boy successful surgery and recovery thank God for them someone else thanking God for restoration and their family and in their relationships and they're just so excited about that someone praising God we've been able to go and visit their family after a long long time and lots of other praise reports here as well so that's all good that's all good take a moment say hi to someone tell them how much you appreciate them that'll be fantastic [Music] [Music] [Music] alright alright alright brilliant hard to get this cupry here just stop chatting well let's be seated shall we we just sent them all down so let me just explain a little bit about our week hey can someone go and tell all those people there that churches on that there's thousands of thousands of people watching on it's been like this all the time sometimes when you're mourning Church around the place like people say quick hello and but here you just can't quiet them down it's incredible could someone tell those guys over there the church is on we've had a week of retreats we had our staff retreat during the week which is incredible incredible time Holy Spirit moved the sense of team and unity and lienarde was incredible it's been the same this weekend with Kingdom Buddhist retreat and the weather maybe it's the same wherever you guys are has been absolutely perfect this week but we've been praying for rain we really have and we're blessed in our church with all your amazing team we have one of the best is gonna lead us all everywhere around our offerings for and out giving and that is donna crouch come on [Applause] good morning Church as right as we get ready to bring our offering this morning right across the church if you are new or visiting this morning you're welcome to be involved but we also don't want you to feel under any pressure so don't feel awkward you're welcome to let this moment pass by but for church you can see how to give on the screens and if you'd like to take this moment to start to get your giving ready that would be great and as you do that let me share a few verses for you it's on the screens from John chapter 15 verses 4 & 5 and Jesus said this he said live in me everybody say live great he said live in me and make your home in me just as I do in you in the same way that a branch can't be grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me I am the vine and you are the branches when you're joined with me and I with you the relationship intimate and organic the harvest is sure to be abundant separated you can't produce a thing and here we are in the Hunter Valley and everywhere that we're around we see these grape vines and the the vines are lovely but the important thing is the the actual vine and their woody things and last year we were in Jordan and in Israel and we got to see these ancient vines and in Jordan we got to see vines that were fit up to 1500 years old and still producing fruit and Jesus said I'm the vine and if we're people that don't stay attached to him we're like this branch you know we're just wither and this isn't a grapevine obviously and life on our own can be a very very fragile ecosystem and Jesus didn't say visit the vine who said stay in me abide in me and when we abide in him and we stay connected to him were attached to a very different economy and a very robust ecosystem a heavenly ecosystem and a very prophetic way of living and I want to encourage you this morning as we heard last night that the kingdom builders return here that we were attached to a very good father and he loves us and will provide for us today so don't be discouraged by what's going on on the outside he said you're gonna produce fruit it's all going to be okay he said what's going on is just a little bit of pruning stay attached to the vine amen so let's defy the odds let's hang in there and let's without giving this morning honor him because we are in the vine so this morning Lord we're giving because we absolutely love you and we honor you and we want you to reach people Lord so as we honor you with our first in a fineness Lord would you bless this and we know that Lord you are just going to continue to supply our households and all that is needed father because you are good and you can't help but do good and we just love you amen amen and as our host service this morning look to the screens for everything coming up Thank You Church you can do what you're expecting him to do I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me so I'm going to do this in Jesus name I gotta take a step I'm gonna build a house I'm gonna see the kingdom expand I'm gonna promote the gospel of Jesus Christ I'm gonna send it all around the world it's not a question of asking yourself am I good before God am i pleasing the photo is a question of is cheese's bleating before God because as he is so are we Hillsong conference 2019 [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] highest pastor louie giglio so thrilled to be back at Hillsong conference 2019 this year's conference is for you God has something in mind for you and for everybody you know so get your crew together go to Hillsong conference comm all the details are there get registered get booked Ana I can't wait to see you there [Music] [Applause] this is for everyone however there you go there's always something happening to some church and I'm so excited about the season that we are in right now it's hard for the house season our half of the house giving and offering is literally only three Sundays or weekends away and I'm gonna believe for another miracle I'm gonna believe that God is gonna stir the hearts of people there's going to be a spirit of sacrifice that people would do but they've never done before and I pray everybody will think about your part in that offering and if we have a spirit of sacrifice across the entire church you watch the miracle that God will do it's not about just a few people being involved it's about our church who are passionate about the Lord who love for the song Church and want to see our vision fulfilled I just heard that we've officially signed now and are in the process with the Council of starting a brand-new 24/7 facility in Macquarie North Ryde type area right here that Macquarie shopping center in Sydney so that's amazing where well the process also in the council in the Gold Coast of seen a brand new campus building those are both leased facilities they're leased facilities but just as an example we started a new campus in Melbourne East as many of you know just a few months ago and it's been incredible to see already the impact of having a place that we can call home and it looks really grown by hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people across the day since that campus was over sir let's all be thinking about our part we're going to believe to see more happen in city care more happen to vision rescue more having today 21 more having a pre-emptive love more having a Hillsong effort for Africa foundation to be able to contribute more than ever before and so we got faith we got faith to believe that in know them we got faith to believe we're going to find somewhere for our church to call home in Central Melbourne and we're gonna start contributing and giving in to that just like we did years ago in the hills campus we didn't have it but we started giving them faith to it's there's a whole lot of things we're gonna be doing and again if I could just say thank you to all our kingdom builders here what a blessing you are and thank you to every other person who gives whether it's a Widow's mite or whether God puts it on your heart to get a incredible amount altum Utley we give before God and we're blessed we have the opportunity if your hails great news for you the Train the Train it opens today yeah at the end of our garden at the end of the lawn out front we got a train station the trains coming by all the time is going to make it easy for a lot of people including our Hillsong students he'll son college students to get to church that's pretty incredible six weeks anyone tell me what happens in six weeks haha what a time it's gonna be a packed what's it called Ice Arena kudos change his name every year the things schizophrenic so or whatever it's got multiple personalities what's that called yeah anyway I got a few personalities myself anyway it's gonna be an amazing time here so louie giglio talking about it he's one of our guests and again I'm believing for a record from our own church more people register for conference than any year before so it's great momentum momentum month that's that's what we are in right now live in the lead-up to conference we're gonna have a month where we've got lots of special guests tonight across the church I'm about to announce or rather introduce Pastor Mark Geragos and what a blessing mark has been here entered a staff retreat and our church is gonna be blessed our church is going to be blessed but Pastor Mark very nice but we actually have tonight the start of our kingdom builders were a sorry-assed out of air per minute month and you watch you watch God's going to be great thing it's gonna be a revival night tonight I hope some of you guys or anybody can everyone who can including here let's do what we can to be back at church tonight wherever we are and have an incredible revival 9 amen so I talked about how for the House floor I've got there but I can't get back out Hey and so we've got a special approach really on all seats across the church about half of the house take it home read it have a good look at it it's fantastic and we also have an annual report which will be handing out at the doors after church so fantastic fantastic I think we should all stand to our feet again everywhere across the church I hope this works that we're switching to the hills campus every in a worship God one more time before we introduce Pastor Mark Geragos said come on it's all worship together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] well I'm so loved as I said hanging out with pastor matt baer against his wife the Jemima was also here during the week for our staff retreat and this guy is awesome I love him he's a humble guy he's a incredible incredible speaker in my mind gives a great little revelation when he speaks past a Kingdom City Church Kingdom City Church its global just like this churches they've got campuses everywhere they are basically going to beat us to the moon to have a campus there I have campuses everywhere it's really funny because it kind of started in kuala lumper but now with some purse and a whole lot of other countries in place around the world mark and and tomorrow they're beautiful people and I want us across the entire church to get them a huge welcome as pastor ma touch the pre [Music] good morning everybody how are we all and before you take your seats can we give a big hand to everybody that's joining us right now online in the channel Church of the air in all our cities everywhere barley perth darwin noosa brisbane Gold Coast Newcastle Northern Beaches Macquarie North Shore Bondi City in a West Maryland's Villawood Greater Western Sydney Southwest willow young Melbourne City East West Greater Western Hobart a long long system 32 campuses 91 services and the moon is yet to come everybody there might be people on there right now joining us and we welcome you to everybody from the moon we're glad you're with us as well let's pray can we do that if you're new by the way in any location this is a great Church to call home if you're looking find a home and this is as good as you can ever find anywhere on the planet but if you are a regular you've been a not irregular you're a regular this is your church and you love the Lord I give you full permission to be passionate and set yourself free from the boundaries of anybody that would seek to impose their restriction on you and so right now let's pray Almighty God we thank you Lord you are Almighty God you are you a maker of heaven and earth god we thank you that because with you all things are possible and yet without you we can do nothing father in the middle of that incredible spectrum we choose the former that because you're in this place you're omnipresent you're with everybody that's even online right now that's logged on clicked on right now every location every service father I thank you your omnipotent and that his word would be seed that lands on good soil we declare that every heart is receptive to absorb the nutrients of your word that we wouldn't just have something to talk about something would change in our hearts that use fruits in our life in the weeks months and decades to come thank you God for momentum thank you for a revival thank you for all that you're staring all that you're doing we dare to dream that we would leave different to which we came thank you Father for the person on our left and I write the people all around us we thank you God that you would have your way have your say in Jesus name we pray and everyone with faith shouted amen amen fantastic you may be seated and we totally remiss to not honor Pastor Brian Bobby they never asked for it but they are heroes they are legends and the impact they've had if you're new and you've just been on this journey this church that is now almost 36 years old has not just impacted the world which I know you're conscious of but the problem is sometimes when you grow up in something you're not aware of the total magnitude of impact that it is having and if you're not aware I can't do it justice but the impact is one thing the influence is another but the inspiration will never be measured because people like me who you're trying to still look at me and work out what I am I'll help you out in a minute but but this church and this leadership has truly changed the planet so can you give a big hand to all the leadership of Hillsong Church to globally and all that every volunteer every leader everyone in the kids ministry every one of the carpark everyone the hospitality every volunteer who carries the heart and soul of this house globally it is truly a man of God you looking at me and trying to work out where my accent my skin color reconcile no I haven't had fake tan I am born in Singapore grew up in Malaysia Indian origin but ozzie citizen for 30 years so I was too Aussie to be Asian into Asian to be Ozzy and half of the people watching right now said you know I'm talking to you there's pretty much everybody I grew up with identity issues because I didn't know whether I didn't know what I was in and I fit everywhere but I belong nowhere I'll belong everywhere but I fit nowhere I couldn't couldn't work anybody else can relate to that right you too yeah there we go if things couldn't get more complicated it did I got married and that's not the complication the complication is that my that is a complication sometimes but in my case no complication at all which is probably watching online right now honey she's born in New Zealand she's raised in the Philippines sounds like an American but she's half Aussie half Kiwi there's tension right there just within herself and DNA tests have shown she's a lot of other things as well and but she's beautiful she's beautiful she's full of beauty she's amazing and so really identity issues married identity issues and we had two boys don't ask me what they are or where they're from but they're real and they're beautiful ZQ mark and Caleb David I love them dearly they're very handsome and I'm a very blessed man ten and seven and so proud of them they're literally they're wholehearted wholeheartedly good wholeheartedly bad just depends on which direction they're facing but they give their everything to all that they do and parents here in the room would understand that moment a month I don't know if you're ready for what God is about to do or what God is staring but I am really thrilled I'm really excited to be here and but I have found in trying to find momentum and trying to pick up momentum and in any area of our life if you want to use the metaphor of a walk with God we talked about walking with God I'm not sure where we're going but we're walking we're moving we're walking this idea of a walk over a long time as we try and pick up speed pick up pace in the walk of life I have found that the pebble in your shoe in the long run will be far more damage to your walk than the boulder in your path there is no comparison as to which is bigger the pebble or the boulder but the issue is not the size of the obstacle it's where it's located excess baggage in your hand when you travel will cost you dollars but excess baggage in your heart will cost you far more than money and that's why revival is not a meeting it's not an event it starts in here that's why so much of what God has to say has to do with the heart because at the end of the day momentum you know you if we try and live or run or scale the challenges of life better before all of us in different areas of life and we still have little things on the inside that have stopped and slowed and we realized a simple walk hurts but you can run up a hill if your pebble free so to speak Jesus told a lot of stories and most of them were agricultural and nature because that was the language of the day and people related and the one he told that he said was the most important that if you don't get this you're not going to get any of them is the parable of the seed and the sower and he and in a nutshell this is how it goes a man scatters seed it lands on four different soils and the four different soils are the four different conditions of a heart they're right now everybody who's listening we land in one of these four categories number one pavement which is basically rock solid impossible to get anything through and you could have the greatest preacher the greatest leader the greatest move the greatest song the greatest any and nothing will take because really the best seed will bounce on pavement nothing will grow if a hat is that rock hard I don't believe there's anybody today here or online watching this in that space so you wouldn't be leaning in then the next one which is obviously better but still not great it's called stony ground where the seed went in and something happened Bible says immediately received the word with joy but then really there was no depth nothing worse than being someone who comes to church but we don't we like the depth of heart to allow what God is saying to actually take root enough to bring fruit and then we go to the level and the third soil is the one that really fascinates me the third soil is I believe good soil but it's called thorny ground and the story the third soil is it's good soil it's getting progressively better and the soil here is rich enough that the seed goes in it takes root and the plant begins to grow we'll come back to this the fourth soil is the good one thirty sixty and a hundredfold and it's brilliant soil because everything God says actually produces life and fruit you come and you find yourself flourishing in every area now there's a little discrepancy between the third and the fourth because let's read it let's read in Matthew chapter thirteen two verses he he explains the meaning of this parable which he doesn't do for many others it's because he didn't want to leave it up to us to get it wrong and he says about the third soil Matthew 13 now he received seed among the thorns someone say thorns not your neighbor say thorn don't know Geneva is fine is he who hears the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becomes unfruitful but he who received seed on the ground on the good ground is he who hears the word understands it who indeed bears fruit some produces one hundredfold 60 fold and thirty now let's just for a second third soil good soil fourth soil good soil why does the fourth soil get to thirty sixty and a hundredfold but this one doesn't see that the problem with the third soil is not the soil because the soil is good because the seed is growing the plant is working the problem with the third soil is not what's growing it's what else is growing thorns are also growing in the same patch how many realized thorns and weeds will probably grow faster in good soil which is really interesting because you can have a soft hard to garden do you know a soft heart which is what brings life and fruit is often easier offended thorns can grow and soft hard to you know in the problem with the soft heart is it's it's wonderful for the good things to grow but if so really in in essence if you really get to the bottom of it the difference the dead soil and the fourth soil is gardening this is thorn free soil but the soil is the same but the principle of gardening of saying God I'm just whatever this thing is coming to my heart I'm just getting rid of it I'm getting rid of it I'm getting rid of it so that it will not choke the good and the God that is growing in me gardening it's only the gardener's right now who are clapping because personally I hate gardening I love gardeners gardeners love me because it's people like me that means there's a profession called gardening otherwise every husband would have to do the gardening I don't know about what you do with your agriculture in your own house but when it comes to your heart gardening is essential everyone say gardening is good gardening is good look at the neighbor you prefer say gardening is good you don't have a neighbor talk to yourself it's sometimes the best way to get an intelligent conversation you know we know proverbs forces guards your heart God you have four out of it flow the issues now well that word god I used to think men I can't put a soldier in front of it and no one's getting me in my heart that's it that's it it's never gonna happen to me that's not God that's not a guard at had that's an isolated heart that's not what it means to guard your heart puts you know we we put boundaries but they're really wolves and let's not regard heart that's a lonely heart that's an isolated heart the word guard Lord saw the original the Hebrew actually means to tend your heart one of the words for tend is Gabon so really that verse which we've all known and heard if you've been around church life is in your heart or God in your heart third soil guy-girl God in your heart removed the things tend your heart so that what is sown can grow to thirty sixty and a hundredfold tend that which is going on gardening is good everyone area gardening is good say I love gardening and then Jesus tells another parable straight on the back of that Matthew 13:24 230 another agricultural parable he put forward to them saying the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares ta re s someone say tears tears tears among the wheat went his way but when the grain had sprouted produced crop then the tares then the tares also appeared so the servants of the owner came and said to him sir did you not sow good seed in your field how then does it have tears he said an enemy the bad guy the devil the enemy has done this the servant said to him do you want us to go and do some gardening because the enemy did it right so we'll do some gardening but he said no lest while you gather up the tares you also operate the wheat with them let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of the harvest I'll say to the Reapers first gather together the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn if you're confused it means you've been listening everyone say gardening is bad I have multiple personalities too apparently you know the first parable gardening is the difference between coming to church every week and seeing no fruit because they're thorns that kill what God is doing and 30 60 100 fold and yet literally the next verse he tells a parable where gardening is prohibited the servants even ask the question do we should we do some gardening get rid of this enemy stuff no well here's the point apparently gardening is vital but we need to understand the difference between the tares in our life and the thorns in our life because we're supposed to be ruthless with the thorns but leave the tear alone how do I know what a tear is and how what a thorn is what's what is the essential difference but we need to know the difference because we're supposed to treat them totally differently tares are the people tares are the people who appear in your life thorns are the issues which appear in your heart leave the tear alone but the thorn make sure we deal with them the tares are what people do to you the thorns are the effect of that insight you leave the tear alone deal with the thought the tear grows around you the thorn grows within you the tears the guy who pulled the trigger the thorn is the actual bullet and you can chase after the tear but it's the thorn that needs to be dealt with the tears not my responsibility of thorn is the tear the tear is the seen things in my life the thorns are often the unseen things in my life because they're internal and because they're on internal we tend to ignore that and we tend to focus on the scene and the tears are ultimately not apparently the problem if it still sounds a little theoretical it's about to get real so buckle up and receive this no nudging no winking no glaring and no accusing here we go the Dare is the family member I didn't say which one the family member who hurt you with their outburst the thorn is the unforgiveness growing in your heart every time you see them the tear won't kill you but the thorn will the tear is the work colleague whose behavior constantly undermines you but the thorn is the resentment every time you go into the office the thorn will kill you that resentment will kill you the tear won't kill you the tear is the guy who burgled your house when you came to church okay not a good example I apologize it sort of makes my point the thorn is the fact that you now have fear every time you leave your house that fear over time will kill you more than the one-off incident the tear is this big decision you got to make that's hanging in the balance but the thorn is the anxiety that's robbing your sleep because you don't know which way to go that anxiety will rob you in the long run far more than the decision you make the terror is that friend who badmouth you behind your back and the thorn is now the lack of trust that is crept into your friendships that lack of trust will rob you in the long run far more than the friend who bad man's do you once the tear is the person who flatted you and you felt amazing and the thorn is the pride growing in your heart going well yeah it's awesome because you think it's you and not God that pride will kill you more than the flattery the terror is that church member from the last Church who who who spoke abusively with you but the thorn is now the cynical view of church-going Christians that is just now your norm that the tear might be the sick person you prayed for because someone talked about healing and they didn't get healed they got worse in fact they died but the thorn is now the unbelief and the reluctance to ever pray for the sick anymore because of what happened let that happen to me I remember season where I was I was working as a lawyer for 5 years I was a lawyer for five years and then I will to Ministry and then after three years I had an encounter with God that was really significant by the way if you don't know God he's real he's his personal he's involved he's not just sovereign and far away he's the real he I didn't know that to be true but when I had an encounter with God it was very personal very private but it was very significant it changed my life forever and it literally set me on a course one of the things I do out there pray for the sick people in hospitals and in the end and the journey of that led me to seeing God do some amazing things in people's lives and I remember one day we were praying for someone in our church and she could not have kids polycystic ovaries and they tried everything and then the whole church leaned in and faith church was quite small back in the day and we let you know we laid hands and and she got she got remarkably healed eight weeks later she was eight weeks pregnant to her husband rang me and said are you're not gonna believe it she's 8 weeks pregnant I'm like good on your very acting on the word and secondly for believing God or whatever it's awkward messy but anyway we're all celebrating because a miracle happened five months into her pregnancy complications arose and she lost the baby and our whole church cuz we went on the journey as a church because it was again a small congregation everyone knew everyone and it was a bit devastating and I was sort of married God everyone was Mele God that was that's like giving us hope and then take it away been easy if nothing happened and and you know what that they she was totally healed I'm ashamed of having more children it's a good ending but what I don't tell people is for the next two and a half years I didn't pray for sick people why because we dealt with the tear but when we don't deal with the Thorn the thorn will ultimately kill our journey the tear is that spouse who doesn't understand the load you carry the thorn is the internal determination to not share your heart as a result and that thorn will kill your marriage not the tear the terrorists that leader who handled your situation badly but the thorn is now your resistance toward leadership the time be the good riding you've had in your life everything's comfortable The Thorn is now entitlement it's growing in because you think this is just normal and everything should be like this all the time the tear could be sometimes the lack of hardship and the thorn is now the lack of hunger the lack of hunger will actually kill you more than the lack of hardship the tear is the parent the tear is whoever the tear is the person who left you but the thorn is the joy that left you the tear has left but if the joy leaves the joy of the Lord is your strength terror is the season you went through but the thorn is the pain that went through you plenty of examples we can keep going but we'll stop there now before everybody gets depressed a great way to start momentum month here's the point the devil has one simple strategy divert our attention from the thorn and get mad at the tear you bad tear you horrible tear how dare you you know we get so tear centric we don't just get tears that we even have prayer for the tear we get in groups of two or three now I believe God tells us to move mountains and and that the obstacles in our paths should be praying in two we should believe for a resolution and a change but how many realized that at the end of the day you could get all the tears gone you could even change tears you could trade tears but you could still accumulate thorns and that's why you could leave job you could leave relationship you leave church you can leave situation and you just run from a tear that's affecting you but because the phone is on dealt with we've got a baggage of thorns that we're walking around with and the enemy's going keep going keep changing keep doing whatever you're doing and the pebbles in our shoe are gathering up and so the smallest hurdle hard for the house feels like a hurdle for my house because it's like there's windows pimples in your shoe it's not easy and and and you know I know by now you're thinking man I've got a tear terrible life I got tears all around me family work Church everybody but before you get too sad about your life thinking of all the tears everyone's making mental list of all the tears just remember you are a tear on someone else's list yeah you're welcome for that thank you very much that's all ladies and gentlemen that'll do that's not being harsh I'm not talking about terrors in eternity just for a second think of it this way like you know we like to think we are wait and everyone else is tear and on and God has called me to live with these people listen you're dead too on someone else's list right now you should be happy because I just told them to leave you alone I'm the biggest tear in my wife's life and God said honey leave him alone with the remote leave him alone look we all wait some moments tear some other moments weep on one day tear on the next row anyway we're wheat with a little bit of tear or tear with a little bit of wheat either way you know we all have moments we could we could be wheat in the service and tear in the foyer you know when you dated them they were wheat now imagine remember this whole sermon just look straight ahead when you interviewed them you know I've done a bunch of interviews when you interview people for a job always we turn up oh I'm perfect I'm awesome I'm what's your penny' weaknesses yeah I have my attention to detail is so high I tend to get things right too often it's always weeds in the interview just the day after the preventive probation has lapsed that the tears turn up we all have this and here's why I'm trying to say this because tears are not the problem the effect of the tear often is the problem God says leave the man why would God say leave the tear alone when the servants go master an enemy did this shouldn't we get rid of it and he just leave the tear alone it's not that he's endorsing the tear he's endorsing the situation because God allows in his wisdom what he could prevent by his power and I don't know why he does it I don't know why I don't think he even endorses everything necessarily but he's allowed life and the free will of a broken world to continue to function and he says leave the tear alone what he's really after other thorns that are killing 30 60 and 100 Volkers God has more for you there's momentum in your life there's a future revival in the earth starts in here but really it cannot start on us where thorn free and so why does he say leave the chair alone why because no tear in your life can rob your destiny think of Joseph Joseph has a terrible family I mean his family you think your family is bad they sell him into slavery that's a terrible family terrible siblings then he goes works for Potiphar terrible boss part of his wife she's a tear as well she literally tears his clothes she's trying to she's a real tear then he goes into prison he's got inmates for tears they forget him and he still ends up from going from the prison to the palace why because he's a man with God's heart on him and all the tears in his life did not could not and will not stop his destiny like kill could not will not and will not stop your destiny either you look at David David the shepherd boy he's literally they have Israel Idol or whatever it is and he's left out of the auditions all the other brothers are lined up so I was like not as well Samuels like there's one more there's one more they find him it's like terrible family terror all that he can I blame this boss you think your boss is bad his boss threw Spears at him I don't mean 2019 emotional Spears no I mean real Spears is his boss is it hair his dad is a tear his wife doesn't like his dancing style that's a terrible wife he rescues for Edmund I don't like him literally he's got tears around his whole life and yet he becomes the man after God's own heart because all the tears around you in your history will not affect your destiny but what is it about David he said create in me a clean heart Oh God I know he wrote a few songs about killed him in law but really he was focused about search him here God know my heart see this any wicked way in me that's the man who says God I want to live thorn free no matter all the tears that you place around me all the season circumstances and people will not change my future and the challenge is to not ignore see the enemy's plan is very simple he's mad today because you know what he's just mad that you aware that because you've got mad at the tail you're praying for the tail you you're dealing with the tear and all the wild a thorn grows unchecked Judas be careful there's a thorn growing and if you don't deal with that it's gonna it's called phone call greet Judas it will kill you eventually if you don't deal with it James John be careful there's a thorn growing there call I'm awesome and it's all about me and and so Jesus stops in Luke 9 and there's a bit of gardening and and pulls it out and they are self corrected so here's the thing how do we know how do we know where the issue is do you know Jemima and i as pastor I was referencing we live between two countries for the last decade our church has been blessed in so many ways but really the challenge for us has been sort of every three months we live in Perth and then kale or even shorter sometimes and we do stints taking our two boys and we love our life it's it's it we're blessed but there are times it gets a little tough and one day on one of the since many years ago we moved from Perth to KL we just landed in KL unpacked got ready for the next int and I got a call from my PA and we loved her very much and she's awesome but she was crying on the phone she's like you're home well what what have you done you know the keys your keys I'm like yeah my keys yeah house Church everything's only got stolen I got it got stolen how do you know the second-hand car that we've gotten someone broke in and stole the keys I'm like oh I'm thinking oh man I gotta change the house locks are gonna change but here I'm in another country I got to change you know please oh that's gonna be a long that's not the worst part that's not the worst part I could feel the thorns rising and I'm like what's the well oh look the short version is we have to deal with a bunch of stuff police report insurance changed the locks and we're sitting there and we're not like have we done the right thing here here we are Malaysia and now we're all of this to deal with by the way she's still on staff everything's okay she she she's in a different role and a more gift oriented role and we love a deal is she's actually one of our best favorite people in the world but you know here's the strange thing that happened two months later I'm finding myself hesitant and I'm not making decisions I'm finding myself indecisive I can't decide where to go for lunch or what to do the smaller like what do you wish we didn't know and yet this whole journey for 13 years our church is now just turning in into its 13th year it's become a teenager I told our leaders 13 years I want growth spurt no body odor no hormones no attitude that's the teenage years of Kingdom City but but but but really we've had all sorts of challenges and dramas and we have by the way being tremendously inspired by this church Hillsong is a global phenomenon that has changed the world and you do not realize what you're a pod hope I want to encourage you always stay grateful for what God has done because this is truly a move of God that is not just impacted but is inspired so many around the globe we hesitant we can't make decisions and we realized what had happened see we dealt with the tears the police the insurance the staff member the situation the locks that but what we hadn't dealt with was what was really growing unchecked and within two months we could feel like there were thorns it's like I'm feeling fearful I'm feeling hesitant and then one day we had a chat more like you know that's what's happened and we said we prayed almost this physical act of saying God you take this out of us take this thorn out of us and you know what the cutting edge returned it was all of a sudden we got faith again we can dream again we can believe again see all of a sudden when the thorns are removed thirty sixty and a hundredfold come you're wondering well I'm just gonna get rid of that tear I'm gonna move that time I'm gonna migrate from that day I'm going to change that time and God says leave the town alone I've got revival I've got momentum I've got future girl fruitfulness believe the terror bless the tear on my soul bless the time oh my so I just stop worrying about the tape I'm not saying live with the time I'm not saying you know oppressive hardship get away from that but just make sure you're not just getting away from the situation you're checking your heart like David clean my heart created me a clean heart do you know we've had that by the way the tears never stop here's a good news you're gonna have a tear filled life you're not a terrible life everyone for the rest of your life it'll be a terrible but you know what it can be a thorn free life it could be a thorn free life why because tears are not the problem no take and stop your destiny we've had restraining orders fought against us from people we've never met do you know a restraining order will keep the wrong person away but it may not keep the fear away and in everything we do let's bring our hearts to garden and I close with with this maybe the worship team come join us what happens is when you when you sick of thorns by the way now we have fake lawn in our house we have fake lon praise God for fake Lord fake lawn fake plants you didn't I didn't know there was such a thing but we have fake stones fake fruit or anything real in the house is me Jemima and the two boys everything else is fake bake bake bake but they use fake law and fake plans fake everything now but and fake is easier like like like like Donna held up their branch I don't know if those fake or not but you know if it's fake it can live detached fake Christians can live detached from God and we can come to church and be fair Hey awesome awesome fake house like marriage could not be fake very good and you know what because fake loans easy it's impressive from afar but nothing real grows and that's the challenge you know when I did have real lon ah it was a project once a year I did gardening once a year I go to Bunnings buy everything chainsaws everything and I'd be like ok Jesus help me cut this crust that I have to bear help me it was the worst couple of days of my life until I discovered faith long fake lawns fine but fate people fake hearts that's not good and and you know it was a major traumatic experience where's Ida colleague on her staff he's a great girl one of my good friends he loves gardening but he never seems to do any his cabin is pristine but it's real but he I reckon he cuts his lawn with nail clippers just to keep them level he's the kind of guy when hail comes he'll run catch it chuck it over the fence before it affects us but he's just amazing and yet he never seems to have these projects that I have why cuz he does a little bit of gardening daily that's the same with our hearts if we just did a little bit of gardening daily it's a lot less traumatic simple simple surrender daily beats intense exorcism annually I mean if you need an intense exorcism to kick-start the process by all means go for it there's someone in your location who will I don't know all the best but here's the thing here's the reality we're living with God says you don't need to go to everybody John 15:1 this verse is staggering Jesus says I am the vine we heard it earlier you are the branch and this part I never really paid attention to until this became real to me my father is the gardener Wow we have a divine gardener I now have huge respect mrs. on God my Savior God my healer God my provider God my author God my leader God my everything but God my God nur I'd never heard a sermon on God being my gardener because it just sounded like not God but that is who he is and yet when we stay plugged into the vine it's like supernatural anesthetic that God is not a butcher he's a surgeon he's a God man when he's cutting and he's pruning he's really just saying if you give me full access I will remove even the thorns you can't remove yourself you tried counseling you tried time you tried change you tried everything but just let me have a moment see if the humility that's his God have your way in this place he right now I'm actually believing that God wants to touch many many lives right now so right now bring your focus into this space where you can say father have your way in my life be the gardener in my heart have your way garden and you know if every day what if over the next few weeks we said God deal with the thorns all of a sudden hard for the house feels exciting all of a sudden conference feels amazing all of a sudden all that God has in store for us feels like a man why what changed not the tears the thorns what father is the gardener you know Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that you and I wouldn't have to wear them he tied our growth to the tears around us and we had some fun with that but he never expected you to live with thorns because he took them on I wonder if we get old Stan come on come well let's well stand all around this place right now just for a few moments the most important part is about to happen so just hold for a minute because you leave with beery if you don't stay for this part everybody online everybody in every location this is the part where it becomes real this is the part where you don't leave with just another thought but you leave changed because on the other side at this moment who knows what God can do let's dare to dream that if we would just surrender to the surgeon to a father who's the divine gardener he could come and he could actually start to have his way you know one of the reasons I love worship so much it's just a beautiful space in an atmosphere in which God can come in right now some of you recognize maybe wow the tears were there but really it's the pawns that have killed my fruit and yet God I believe today can restore things in a supernatural way I have faith right now to join with the multiplied many that that literally will stand in faith and no matter where you're at I want to encourage you to give the gardener access right now give the gardener access maybe you're here today and you and really the decision is not just access to the gardener but access to the Savior because once he's your Savior he moves in and once he's your Savior in your Lord he puts on the gardening gloves and he can go to work but maybe you're here today and while every eyes closed every head is bowed in every service in every location and you are conscious of the fact that man may be my decision mark is to give my heart to God maybe before I ask him to be my guide now I need to ask him to be my Savior I need to ask you to be my Lord and you're raised in a Christian home maybe you've never had any grid or reference for this but I want to encourage you that this loving community globally locally online exists as a family none of us have it together we're all imperfect people helping other imperfect people follow a perfect God so there's no stones there's no judgment but right now I'm believing that there are many people right now who want to receive Christ as their Lord as their Savior he died and rose again and that is our God that is who he is and he wore the crown of thorns but before he becomes the gardener he needs to be your Savior he needs to be your Lord and while every believers in prayer while every head is bowed every eyes closed mine is wide open because I want to know who I'm including and in every service right now come on let's dare to dream that there are many who are right now in darkness who will come to light many who are facing death will come to life and father we thank you right now for hearts to be wide open if you know that you just need to surrender your heart to God you need to give your heart to God you need to make a decision to follow Jesus maybe you once did but you need to recommit right now this is your moment this is your time and so if that's you if that's you I want you the count of three right now all across this place and in every location even online I just want you as a sign of surrender not just well what difference will that make it'll make a big difference God stretched out his arms wide and died so that you would have an opportunity in a moment like this to stretch up your hands and live and that is who he is that is how God is and if that's you right now one I want you to raise your hand and just acknowledge your need for God he will listen he's right there and he knows you too if that's you don't hesitate three lift your hand all over this place in every service in every location there are hands in this room but there are hands in every room right now and every pastor and every leader even online raise your hand towards God because he's real and he's interested he's intimate and I want us all to pray this prayer together repeat my words but originate them in your heart and let the whole church pray let's all pray together Bible says if you believe in your heart confess with your mouth you will be saved let's pray say dear Lord Jesus I'm sorry for my sin please forgive me come into my heart and change me from the inside out help me to follow you all the days of my life I believe and declare that I am forgiven that I am accepted that I am clean that I am your child in Jesus mighty name amen amen amen come on let the church rejoice right now father for every heart that was open in that moment I thank you you are able to invade that space and so right now church globally I know all of us need gardening all of us need a divine gardener Bible says a heart as wicked sometimes we don't even know where the stuff goes on I don't know what's stopping me maybe you're a 30-fold and God has 60 fold for you maybe you're at 60 fold in Gardez hundred fold for you or maybe your heart is so soft and you just want something to break over your life I don't know what it is but he's the gardener so right now as the team began to lead us in worship I just want you if you're saying you know what I'm a candidate for divine gardening right where you I just raise your hands towards heaven right now come on we need a hunger and a vulnerability in our walk with God if he's gonna move he will knock on the door but if you don't open up nothing happens don't leave the same way you came let God in this woman change something [Music] lesson [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I'm very guess you did it again tears and thorns and fun a wonderful message how well communicated and delivered it we love you in our church in fact I think we're going to adopt you yeah we're going to adopt you and well I love everywhere all across the church everyone to be seated but listen as you're seated as your seen it across the church but let's remember we've got Bibles to give to every person who raised your hand to make a choice for Jesus when you go out into the foyer wherever you are there be people holding up Bibles it's a gift from Hillsong Church it looks like listen we would love to give you one or maybe someone spotted you there in the service to pass you a Bible and I'm prior frames the rest of your life in Jesus name so thank God for that can we thank Pastor Mark Geragos for so great so great well looking forward to being back home tonight looking forward to the church tonight it's going to be an amazing night but we got a couple of things to do before we leave say is Pastor Mark said let's just wait a few more moments what I first want to do is man I can't believe how much that guy has put into our church this week to our staff and to our pastors and to our kingdom builders and now today across the whole church I'm excited by men amongst us tonight and Pastor Mark Farragut's are speaking and I don't think anyone would one of us that it's going to be an incredible night and like I said we're believing for the Holy Spirit I think it'll be great Jesus bless mark and jemima back again really so into their lives so we're gonna give you a chance to give obviously it's up to you but you can use the forms again and if that's what you want to do and give all the normal ways but we're gonna receive I love offering I'm gonna give me a moment to get ready for that a real quick moment to get ready for that has life in Brisbane how's life in loser how's life on the Gold Coast housewife in Newcastle certainly the best place Victoria Tasmania perth western australia valleys Suva wherever else we are father I thank you again for faithful people who are whales so in the ministry and so into life and Lord as we give this live offering I pray that it will be a tremendous blessing in Jesus name Amen come on let's pass those containers around everywhere you guys are and it's received that special building [Music] you watch the screens please we're a fantastic half of the house video to shave to get you ready for all this ahead when everyone's gathered we can talk about that it's a beautiful sight good Italian kids to remember the sky [Music] but if we all equally carry the sacrifice there we'll see the start and your morsel whatever that is as long as it's sacrificial is very important in us doing what we're called to do this is a big moment for a church we started we started the church obviously at the end of 1983 in the beginning of 1984 but we started raising finance for for this day in 1989 so that's seven years already so you know this is an important thing it's not just you know a little thing I think it's something that we should really be excited about and just really be caring together the name of Jesus may we as a church family carry this vision together Lord may we be prepared to serve together and may we see on this very site thousands of people and the days to come to the Jesus Christ so we see many people receive healings and miracles and answers Lord may this be a tremendous bastion for the purposes of God in the nation of Australia in the name of Jesus amen amen [Applause] and that you showed a picture future 3500 seat auditorium so that was next door to what we were are being then and I was like really intentional about that sign to keep people looking further forward and in a sense that vision that we had all those years ago it just hasn't changed the house wasn't always what it is today just like a central Brisbane and after need city campus though it always thought they were to die but this principles of sacrifice and giving and they were there then and they're still there now how the hell people could never overestimate just how critical it is and has been for the vision of that church facilities Boise has moved in our visions forward in Australia being able to reach more people and of course that's released us in turn more reach globally in multifaceted ways from campuses to social justice but it really has been the essence it's been the starting point for everything would be noble to do father we thank you you bless your people and you keep them lord I thank you your cause you like to shine upon them your face Lord is filled with your grace in your favor lord I thank you that we get to do this great adventure this great face life serving Jesus Christ we trust you with every detail in the days and weeks to come have your way Lord we pray in Jesus name everybody across the church said together amen amen amen you be blessed you have a great day [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oisin tuna [Music]

Channel: Hillsong Church

Views: 41,295

Rating: 4.8665018 out of 5

Keywords: jesus, hillsong, praise, worship, Mark Varughese

Id: OzABzpgOxC8

Length: 90min 43sec (5443 seconds)

Published: Sat May 25 2019