Keep The Faith (Watch Night 2020) / Dr. Charles Montgomery Jr.

[Laughter] [Music] do [Music] do [Music] do [Music] [Laughter] [Music] do [Music] do [Music] do [Music] so [Music] do [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] do [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] do [Music] do [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] hey vineyard columbus welcome to our watch night service my name is adrian ash and i am the assistant pastor for our singles ministry and i am so excited that you are tuning in to be here a little bit early with us today because that means that you get to get a little bit of a behind-the-scenes tour of what our production looks like when we are getting ready for our services i wanted to do that tonight because watch night is one of my favorite services there is no service like it in regards to the energy and the worship that we have when we come together to bring in the new year and we need to praise bringing in this year and saying bye to 20. am i right and although it's one of my favorite services i am going to miss that energy and being together over here in the sanctuary together and i know that you guys are probably feeling the same way but our staff has worked really really hard with making this to be a great service and it's just put together so beautifully and the worship is so amazing still and i thought you guys might like to see a little bit of what that looks like okay had to get my mask on so i could be safe and if you are new to vineyard columbus we are going into one of the rooms that we use a lot it's um a multi multi-purpose room we call it and it's just a room that we do a lot of events and services in and it's where we've been recording all of our services so worship is rehearsing right now so we get to get a little sneak peek of media sound and of worship and what that looks like all right [Music] this is nick and janine as they rehearse and then there's craig he's our pastor worship pastor on the keys [Music] this is our sound in media making sure that everything is going right [Music] this is drew hi drew this is madison she's making sure everything sounds smells it works good [Music] it's great right oh you can see them on the screen there [Music] [Music] wants me to go talk to the band okay so there's our worship say hi guys there's our worship team there's our worship pastor in the bed say hi are you guys excited for tonight all right guys [Music] so i hope that gets you a little excited for what is going to come tonight so this is a service that it's going to feel a little different but we can definitely in or wherever space we're going to be at we know that god used to show up here with us every new year's eve in the sanctuary and we know that he's going to show up wherever you are tonight for new year's eve as we bring in the new year together so let's go and get our praise on hey so if you are just now joining us we want to welcome you to our watch night service this is one of my favorite services that we have throughout the year if you've ever been to one of our watch night services you know that there's nothing else like it the energy in the room the worship and the praise it is so much fun now i get that we are not going to be able to have that same kind of vibe that we've had before because we're online right but i promise that this is going to be a great service if you have been to one of our services before do me a favor hop over to the chat just write in like what you've liked before when you've come to our watch night services or what you're actually looking forward for towards tonight now or you can just say hi you can just say hi we have pastors we have leaders that are there that they want to be able to talk to you and connect with you and just say hi to you as well so go ahead and do that now this is your first time with us not just for our watch night service but ever with vineyard columbus we are so excited to have you here and we also want to connect with you it's really easy to do just get your phone you're going to text hi to 98977 that's it just hi to 98977 you're going to get a link you can click on that you're going to get a connect card i want to ask you to fill that card out one because we want to be able to get in contact with you and connect with you but also for every first time visitor card we receive we make a five dollar donation in your name to one of four organizations in our city that really reach out and help people that are in need of help in our city so if you fill that card out you get to say hi to us and you get to help people in our community so thank you for that in advance now if this is your first watch night service with us in general you may be a member here but you've never been to a watch night service or maybe you've never even heard of a watch night service before i want to talk to you a little bit about that and the significance of this service now this is a service that has went on for centuries actually it started in the 18th century churches would gather together and they would have vigils and they would think about the year that had just passed and contemplate on the year ahead but in the 19th century watch night took on a new significance especially in the black community because on december 31 1862 black people in this country whether or not they were free or still slaves gathered together in churches and in their homes and they did this with anticipating the next day january 1st 1863 because on this day the emancipation proclamation was going to be signed and black people that were enslaved were going to be freed this is a tradition that has been happening in the black church for over 150 years and it is a service that we are so excited that we get to do here in our multicultural church one of the things that i think is even more significant about watch night this year because we know as i said before it's a time where we come together we worship god we think back on how the year has been and we're anticipating what god is going to do in the future but we know that this year has been rough y'all right 2020 has been filled with fear and doubt death sickness so much loss and pain and we're coming together tonight thinking about all of that stuff right so as we do that i wanna i wanna ask you to do something i want you to take a moment and think back to december where you can't think back but think to the people sitting together december 31st 1862. think of these people who were enslaved who had been stripped of their heritage who had been beaten killed families ripped and torn apart all the loss they had experienced and yet they came together on this night not just looking forward to the next year but to thank god for what he had been to them for how he had been there for them and how he had brought them through and how he was going to deliver them into the next year and that is what i want us to be thinking about tonight that's the energy i want us to have tonight that no matter how hard 2020 was for us that we can come together tonight think about how god was with us through every low and every high of 2020 knowing and expecting that he's going to do the exact same thing for us in 2021. so tonight let's come together let's praise god with everything we have this is not a service we're just sitting on your couch y'all this is getting up praising thanking god raise your hand shout dance whatever it looks like we are going to come in with expectation for what god is gonna have for us for next year so let's get started with some praise [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] hallelujah [Music] louder and louder [Music] is louder i'm gonna sing the little louder [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] will arise [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Music] oh [Music] shining like the sun in the dark of the night [Music] start to ignite [Music] there's a wildfire there's a wildfire [Music] [Music] is [Music] in my heart [Music] wildfire [Music] i know [Music] love is a fire [Music] [Music] [Music] is there's a wildfire [Music] is [Music] shingles [Music] [Music] he has overcome [Music] i will not [Music] and i am free in jesus name [Music] oh [Music] we will not be ashamed [Music] [Music] i [Music] him in jesus name [Music] wow god is fighting for us that cannot be shaken in the name of [Music] jesus [Music] shouted [Music] of the lord rise among us let the praises of our king rise among us to let it rise [Music] rise among us to let it rise [Music] [Music] oh [Music] let the joy of our king rise among us [Music] right [Music] let it rise [Music] rise among us let the joy of our king rise among us let our eyes let the songs of the lord rise among us let the songs of the lord rise among us let the joy of our kings rise among us [Music] uh [Music] [Music] is [Music] they want to stand [Music] there [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] here [Music] and if our god is [Music] [Music] [Music] again [Music] other our god our god god is stronger god you are higher than any others [Music] okay so how about that worship that was amazing a virtual choir all year so i'm like so hyped that that happened right now i only got it done right i finally got it done it was great right guys so we're going to continue our worship we're going to do that through our offering and i am so excited about this offering story because it's about you guys and the generosity that you have done throughout this year even though it was such a hard year that's right and julie and i wanted to be here to thank you church because you have been amazing in 2020 on top of giving your normal ties and offerings and on top of giving to the story continues you have stepped up this year earlier in the year we invited you to give to a covid relief fund and church you gave over four hundred and eighty thousand dollars amazing which is amazing incredible generosity that our church has shown and through that church we've been able to connect with 480 families so far and 145 families we've been able to give direct financial assistance to for rent relief or mortgage relief or to help with utilities or food so it's been incredible and and that fund is going to continue in the new year to continue to serve and help those as we recover uh through kovid so thank you church yeah thanks and we've also been able to help some churches right you know when you think about the pandemic and it impacted and affected everybody right but the african-american community really got impacted by the pandemic on top of it for 2020 we were faced again with the battle of racial injustice and that's something that i love about our church vineyard columbus is that we always have a heart for racial justice right and where that not just we have a heart for but that we are always looking to be a part of the solution that's right absolutely and one of the ways that we were able to be a small part of a solution during a year with a lot of problems was also through the covid relief offering because of your generosity we were able to come alongside three churches here in columbus african american churches who were struggling because of the impact of covid on their situations now we all know that church is a really important part of our communities but historically black churches have been the cornerstone of their communities and so we're so grateful to you that your giving allowed us to not only bless folks in and around vineyard columbus but also other congregations in our city doing the good work that god has before them so thank you so much every time that you give it just gets multiplied in and through our ministry but not only in and through our ministry but really around our city around our state and around our world so we are so grateful for the ways that you have responded this year um just a reminder you have a few minutes left to give in 2020 if you want if you want some more giving to count to this year you need a text to give in the next probably half hour or so as long as that's received before midnight it will count towards 2020 on your taxes and like i said you can as always tonight text to give there's also a couple of other ways to give those are going to come up on a slide right now let's pray for our offering yeah would you pray with us father i thank you so much that vineyard columbus has demonstrated your generosity and i thank you lord that as we come to you this new year's eve that we come to the one who is so generous that you gave your very self to us lord and i pray lord for us that as we give this year that you would give us faith to give away lord what you have given to us and i pray a blessing on each one in our church who steps out in faith to give this year and this new year's eve would you bless each one and bless this offering for the sake of your kingdom in jesus name amen amen amen good evening my name is lady kimberly montgomery and i am from east campus this evening i am going to read to you the scripture to prepare you for the sermon i am coming from matthew 28 verses 16 through 20. the disciples traveled to galilee to the mountain where jesus had directed them when they saw him they worshiped but some doubted it then jesus came near and said to them all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit teaching them to observe everything i have commanded you and remember i am with you always to the end of the age [Music] thing for um to do your head is moving right now you are still showing up at the dome of heavy lazarus [Music] come is again you can do all things you can do all things [Music] no you never lost everything's possible by the power of the holy ghost a new wind is blowing right now breaking my heart of stone turning over every very home and my walls are all crashing [Music] through down [Applause] [Music] i know [Music] lost a man yeah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] can [Music] [Music] i know [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] the year was 1849 narramenta mindy ross was running for her life running through the rush harbors of the south in search of freedom freedom not just from her overseer not just from an individual but an institution an institution called slavery that sentenced those twice kissed by the african son to the incarcerating idea that they were three-fifths of a person not a full person but in the words of ibrahim kandi stamped from the beginning as somebody else's property but mindy knew god had created her for more so she escaped by following the underground railroad to freedom reaching the free state of the commonwealth of pennsylvania this future underground railroad conductor's next thoughts were of her family i was free she recalled but there was no one to welcome me into the land of freedom i was a stranger in a strange land my home as i knew it was back down in maryland because my father my mother my brothers and sisters and my friends were there so mindy dedicated the next decade of her life to rescuing her family from bondage between 1850 and 1860 she returned to maryland some 14 times helping around 70 people including her brothers her parents and denise all trying to escape from the vice grip of slavery to embark upon a new life during the journey there were many dangers toils and snares difficulties and trials along the way perhaps the greatest being the trial of faith that she and others faced and as a teenage girl menti was caught in a violent disagreement between another slave who was also trying to escape at the behest of a peddler of human flesh otherwise known as the overseer the overseer trying to prevent the other slaves escape threw a two-pound weight across the room but missed and instead struck minty's head knocking her to the ground as a slave to a system of inequality she did not qualify for adequate health care consequently changing the course of her life forever so much so as she was leading slaves to freedom through the brush arbors of the south there were times she'd fall asleep which was a casualty of being knocked down and while she was down there those around her did not know what to do they were facing an unprecedented circumstance an unexpected turn of events and an uncertain future if you will where would they find the fortitude to keep going toward the promised land the proverbial substance of things they had hoped for and the evidence of a freedom they had yet to see how could they keep going how could they keep the faith that was the question not just for them back then but it's a question before us right now in this unprecedented time and in a year we've had an unexpected turn of events that's challenged our faith how do we keep going how do we keep the faith i'm charles montgomery jr and this is keeping the faith watch [Music] night [Music] aramenta minty ross better known as harriet tubman we last saw had been knocked down by something unexpected an unexpected unanticipated and an unprecedented circumstance of life permit me to ask you have you ever been knocked down by the circumstances of life if you've lived through 2020 then you know a little bit of what that's like for this year has been filled with the unexpected the unanticipated unprecedented circumstances that have not only knocked us down but has turned our world upside down collectively leaving a lot of us not knowing what to do just this year we've dealt with everything from the death of kobe bryant to corona from brush fires and floods endured the effects of an economy struggling and struggle with images of those just trying to survive who could forget george floyd asphyxiated on the asphalt saying i can't breathe the image took our breath away and we lament it not just at his name but the names of others like ahmad brianna taylor elijah mccain just to name a few it took our breath away as we witnessed around the world civil unrest from places like australia and africa berlin and brazil europe and yes this country we call the united states even in the heartland of columbus ohio it took our breath away and it became evident that we live in a society that is divided the country of red states and blue states as opposed to the united states a sovereign nation centered on the idea of freedom it was freedom that was in the mind of the disciples as they meandered up that mountain in galilee the synoptic gospels and acts paint a portrait of this plot of this possibility particularly in acts 1 verse 6 where the disciples asked jesus lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of israel because it was freedom that was on the mind of every first century jew freedom from under the thumb of roman occupation it was believed that jesus this brown-skinned palestinian jew would lead them to freedom after all they had witnessed his power over both element and in the earth how he made water blush and turn into wine heal the sick and give sight to the blind and even raise the dead to life but now the one who had raised others up had been struck down crucified on a cross and the disciples themselves are now at a crossroads not knowing what to do but there was a rumor going around that the one who had been struck down had had risen again in word on the street as they were to meet him on this mountain in galilee disciples were there based on a word you might even say they came based on a word or because of a word hoping to hear a word perhaps i'm preaching to somebody tonight who's logged onto this worship service longing to hear a word maybe like these disciples you find yourself at a crossroads or approaching a precipice in life and after all you've been through this year you've come to worship silently wondering is there a word is there a word when there seemingly is no end to this virus is there a word when when i've lost a loved one and my heart is broken is there a word when i can't go back to school or or be with my friends is there a word when the church is not the church gathered but the church is the church scattered and and we and we we because we have yet to physically meet together is there a word when i'm faltering in my faith and on the brink of losing my faith is there a word well let me remind you that just last week we celebrated christmas of how the word became flesh and dwelt among us suggesting that we don't serve a god who is afar off but we serve a god who who draws near to us when we worship that's why the psalmist says god inhabits the praises of his people that's what these disciples discover as they make their way up the mountain here in matthew 28 they see jesus the word of god made flesh in their midst and not only do they see the word but they hear the word jesus shows up and gives these disciples who are challenged by their faith a word that speaks to their faith he says in so many words this is not the time to be stunted by your doubts nor is it the time to run from responsibility it's not a time to falter in your faith no this is prime time for you to keep the faith what do you mean pastor when you say keep the faith well you must understand first of all what faith is you see faith my friends is not a characteristic faith is not a personality trait faith is not a sanctified degree you put on your wall faith is not even the possession that you have faith is not a word that sits in your vocabulary because you're a member of the vineyard church no faith even though it is a noun best operates as a verb because if faith is anything it is that that requires action faith is that which moves you and motivates you faith unsettles you and shakes you faith causes you to stand up and do something faith is not just something that you talk about faith is something that when you really have it it pushes you and it urges you and it forces you not to become complacent in places that god has not called you but faith calls you to stand up on your feet and make a movement in life i think our senior pastor captures it beautifully when he says faith is simply right foot left foot it's the hoot spa inside of you to step into your purpose in spite of your problems and into your destiny in spite of your disappointment and into your future in spite of your fears the holy spirit is telling me i'm preaching to somebody tonight who's fearful to step into 2021 because of the challenges you've experienced in 2020 can i help you faith says i will not be held hostage by my past but i'm going to keep going and the reason why you can keep going is not because of what you've been through but because of the one who's been keeping you would you say would you just encourage somebody in the chat right now and say keep the faith that's what jesus tells his disciples that's what he's telling you and i tonight keep the faith what i love about jesus vineyard columbus is that he tells us when to keep the faith why to keep the faith and how to keep the faith i want to briefly touch on all three and i'll be out of your way when shall we keep the faith jesus says keep the faith even when you have doubts that are unresolved i think this is a reveling word but let's be honest we're living in a time where most of us if not all of us have doubts because there are just some things we don't know we don't know how long we'll be in this situation we still don't know all the ways this virus is spread we don't know when we'll all gain access to the vaccine we don't know when these kids are physically going back to school there are some things collectively we just don't know and when you are unsure of how a scenario will work out you may find yourself dealing with doubt i don't care how saved and sanctified and filled with the holy spirit you may be there will be seasons when all of us at least on this side of life's river will deal with doubt here's how i know because even the disciples the one closest to jesus all of them dealt with doubt it's right there in the text verse 17. when they saw him which is jesus they worshipped him but some doubt it and a curious question to consider is what were they doubting we must recognize it according to the methane text the resurrection for them is still a rumor and they have yet to see the resurrected christ for themselves suggesting there are some who are questioning is it really him i'm not just talking about the text i'm talking to somebody right now that's questioning the whereabouts of god and the existence of god because of what you had to go through this year can i be real tonight if you live long enough there will be seasons in your life where so much in your life is turned upside down that you don't know what's right side up translation you don't know what to believe because doubt like a cloud obscures your view of the truth but watch how the son of god breaks through the clouds of their doubt the text says that jesus comes near it's almost as if he's saying i want to assure you that it's really me you see one of the dangers of doubt is it can cause you to question the reality of god's presence in your life but can i help somebody in spite of what you've been through and what you may be going through right now i want to assure you that god is with you you know how i know that god is with you because you're here listening to me right now let me show you what i mean notice in the text where the disciples are they are there on top of the mountain somebody's saying pastor what's the significance of that well you must not know about climbing mountains there are rough sides coming up the mountain there are some jagged edges coming up the mountain there are some twists and turns coming up the mountain you can encourage you can encounter beasts of prey coming up the mountain but they still made their way to the top of the mountain let me connect the dots if you're listening to me you have made it to the top of the mountain of 2020. and let's be honest 2020 was rough and there were some jagged edges and some twists and turns and some of you endured some satanic attacks yet you still made it to december 31st and friends do you know how you made it it's because the same reason jesus tells the disciples they made it he tells them in the next verse he says all authority has been given unto me in heaven and in earth meaning this when i sent for you to come my word has authority over any and everything that tried to prevent you from getting here you hit a rough patch but my words said it would not stop you you had some hard times but my word said it would not hinder you you may have been exposed to corona but the virus didn't kill you your job may have been affected or even eliminated but there's still food on your table you made your way up the mountain not because you pulled yourself up by your own bootstraps but because god was with you every step of the way is there anybody listening to me who can testify that when i look back over my life and see all that i have come through that there's no doubt in my mind that it had to be nobody but god i think i ought to tell you after all you've come through you ought to say you can't make me doubt him i know too much about him because look at how far you've come this year we used to sing this song in my church growing up that said we've come this far by faith and then we'd add this tag line leaning on the lord my brothers and sisters i'm here to tell you don't doubt him god's done too much brush it too far and here you are standing on the mountaintop of 2020 and on the brink of 2021 so there ought to be no question in your mind can god help me make it next year in fact let me drop this on you before i move to the next emphasis of the text before we get to 2021 i need you to do me a solid and switch your language from doubting language to faith-filled language you see doubt says can god but faith says sense god doubt says can god protect me but faith says since god's protecting me that since god's protected me and since god has delivered me and since god has made away from me and since god has blessed me i am going to keep the faith even when i have doubts that are unresolved but here's why you keep the faith watch this because disciples have a responsibility to whom god has entrusted and that responsibility is to represent the kingdom and spread the gospel of jesus christ throughout the world and let me just pause parenthetically say that's what we're committed to do here at vineyard columbus in fact our very mission is to be communities of disciples who love one another and partner with christ to heal the world and does not our world and our nation need healing you see i don't believe i'm alone tonight when i confess that there were days this year when i awoke it seemed like there was a brooding sense of darkness sweeping over the land almost making it unbearable to watch the news i found myself bracing for the next instance of emboldened evil of lies and isms and hatred and bigotry and supremacy and and violence and and vulgarity to sweep over our land but hear me in a time when darkness and division are sweeping over the land what god desires and demands the most is for disciples to live their faith out loud that is to take their responsibility seriously and again that responsibility is to represent the kingdom and spread the gospel or the good news of jesus christ my friend rich velodes in his book the deeply formed life says it like this surely the gospel is good news but good news about what it is my conviction the gospel at its core is not merely the good news of the story and victory of jesus but the gospel has specific purposes for the healing of our world and friends one of the purposes is for you and i to partner with christ to help heal the world here's what i know any partnership worth its salt clarifies the responsibilities of all parties that's what jesus is doing in matthew 28 he makes clear the responsibilities of our partnership he says first of all it involves going and verse 19 he says all power is given unto me therefore go why does he say go well if you're a good bible student you already know that earlier in matthew jesus calls his disciples and subsequently us the salt and the light of the world let me tell you why that's important because it takes just a little bit of each one to change something if you're in a dark room one little light can change the environment that food ain't right just a dash of salt can change it in fact i don't know who knows this but but salt has the ability to take something bitter and actually make it sweet if you're old school you know if you have some watermelon just put a little dash of salt on it it'll change it from bitter to sweet okay most of us ate eating watermelon in december so let me see if i can come at you this way starbucks disciples and coffee connoisseurs they tell me if you get coffee that's a little bitter you can put a dash of salt in it and watch the flavor change that's what jesus is trying to convey to the disciples that just a little bit of you can change the world a little bit of you that's bold with your faith and lets the world know you're a born-again believer in jesus christ and serious about the message of jesus can change an environment it can change your home it can change your job and a critical mass of christians who take their responsibility seriously can change the world my word to somebody in 2021 is to get going but not only does it involve us going it also involves making jesus says you go and make disciples the weak word he uses is mafe to you all which can be translated as keep on making can't you just see the call to faith in action jesus tells his community of disciples to keep on keeping on keep on baptizing and watch this he says and you do this to the nations i don't know about you but again that's one of the things i love about vineyard columbus that that when you attend here you're going to see the ethnos you're going to see the nations over 120 countries are represented here and attend here and and worship here and here we haven't just been worshipping we've also been baptizing baptizing the nations that's what i love about the leadership of this church their heart for the nations and i saw their faith in action during this covet season when we could not meet in the facility they said we've got to figure out a way to be creative and keep on baptizing so one of our pastors opened up the pool of his home and pastor julia showed up and we kept on baptizing and by the way if you've never been baptized and want to be baptized as a public profession of your faith in jesus christ i ask them to drop a link in the chat and you can click that link and sign up to be baptized and our commitment is to creatively figure out a way to get it done because that's what our senior pastor has taught us not just by his visionary teaching but by his visionary example that's why we partnered with world vision this year and handed out food at our campuses and with convoy of hope and handed out thousands of supplies to our surrounding community and people of all ethnicities were reached because we were being taught by visionary leadership to model what the kingdom looks like now you may or may not be among the leadership of our church but listen you still have a role in teaching and modeling for the world what the kingdom looks like look what jesus says he says teach them everything i have commanded you well what is the greatest command let's go back to bible school first of all it involves loving god but jesus says the second is like unto it it's loving our neighbor as ourselves in other words jesus tells this community of disciples that they and we have a responsibility to love because ultimately the gospel is not just about community but it's about creating god's new family in fact jesus tells his disciples this is how the world knows that you belong to me by your love for one another and that love watch this transcends our differences let me just take two of these disciples to illustrate this truth before i move to the final emphasis of the text let's take matthew since we're studying his book and for a moment let's put beside him simon says the zela matthew worked for the government but simon hated the government matthew was a tax collector but simon was a tax protester matthew collected revenue for the romans simon was a rebel against the romans matthew was wealthy simon was working class matthew made a living trying to take advantage of people like simon and simon made a living trying to gain justice because of people like matthew but somehow they were woven together and brought together by jesus's kingdom ethic of love here's my point this is the essence of the new family jesus is creating a family who loves one another across the barriers of politics and economics and age and ethnicity gender and race this is the gospel witness of the kingdom and god is calling for representatives to press that out in this polarized world i know we live in a chaotic world but i also believe this church is in a chiropractic moment a moment where god has uniquely positioned us to be a witness to the world and in these moments one of the challenges of our church is that we must come to terms with the global and national tensions that exist especially when these tensions find their way into our community it goes without saying if there are challenges on the world stage chances are we feel them here at vineyard columbus right here in our church community we've got black lives matter activists and all lives matters advocates we've got conservatives and liberals people with differing views related to the current state of political life we've got people who see everything through a lens of racism and sexism and every other ism and others who don't know what all the fuss is all about yet god and god's wisdom has brought us together and if we can grow together and draw upon the powerful truths of the nature of the gospel in our context a gospel that calls us to see the human dignity in one another and the fact that all of us are made in the image of god brothers and sisters we can be a witness to the world but i've got another question pastor how do we do that i need to let you know we can't do this by ourselves because left to our own devices will be just as frustrated and fragmented as the rest of the world but i hear faith speaking up tonight saying fortunately we don't have to do this by ourselves because by faith we have a contractual relationship that's signed in the blood of our partner and that partner is the resurrected christ that's what he reminds us in verse 20. he says remember i am with you always even unto the end of the age that means he's not just with the disciples then but he's with our community of disciples right now and by faith if we can connect with our partner then we have the ability to help change the world you see if you have a faith-filled person you can have a faith-filled family if you have a faith-filled person with a faith-filled family then you can have a faith-filled house if you have a faith-filled person with a faith-filled family and a faith-filled house then we can have some faith-filled neighborhoods if we have some faith-filled persons with faith-filled families and faith-filled houses from faith-filled neighborhoods we can have some faith-filled cities if we have some faith-filled persons with faith-filled families and faith-filled houses from faith-built neighborhoods and faith-filled cities and we can have some faith-filled states if we have some faith-filled persons with faith-filled families and faith-filled houses from faith-filled neighborhoods and faith-filled cities of faith and faith-filled states we can have a faith-filled country if we have some faith-filled persons with faith-filled families and faith-filled houses from faith-filled neighborhoods and faith-filled cities of faith-filled states and from faith-filled countries we can have a faith-filled world if we have a faith-filled world that's filled with faith-filled countries of faith-filled states of faith-filled cities of faith-filled neighborhoods of faith-filled homes of faith-filled families and you know somebody listening to me right now was committed to keep the faith that's what we learn from these disciples and that's what we learned from harriet tubman herself when she was knocked down by an unfair circumstance in life people around her couldn't see or understand what was going on and harriet would later say i'll tell you what was going on i was connecting with god it was by faith that i got the direction of where i needed to go you see friends i don't know everything that's going on in your life maybe you've had a financial setback back maybe you've had your heart broken maybe you're upset because you're alone tonight and you can't celebrate the new year with others because you're sheltering in place maybe you're trying to resist that bad habit or addiction because you feel depressed and disconnected on new year's eve i don't know but there is something i do know by faith you can connect with god and he'll not only help you to handle what's happening right now but he can give you the fortitude to navigate the unforeseen circumstances of life so if you're listening to me right now and you want to connect with god or maybe you've never connected with god you can do that right now all you got to do is put in the chat i want to connect i know one of our online hosts will help you to make a connection with god or do me a favor and just text the word connect to 98977 and we will personally follow up with you what better time than right now to connect with a god who is sovereign and can help you handle any situation you're facing in any circumstance you'll encounter in this new year our praise and worship team is going to come back and sing about our sovereign god as you take the time to connect with god god bless you and happy new year [Music] there aren't even words to describe just how great you [Music] [Music] there just isn't anything that you can't do [Music] lord i've seen your work before so i'll trust you all the more because [Music] problems and every situation there is [Music] a wave of your hand can command the seas to hold their peace if you can handle the seas i know that you can handle all my needs so i will put everything [Music] into your capable hands i don't have to know the plan because [Music] god [Music] is he is able to do [Music] he has the victory because [Music] god [Music] god [Music] [Music] well that is the end of our service that was really good yes it was really good make sure that you share this with other people on your social media platforms so that other people can celebrate and worship going into 2021 as well now if you are someone who when pastor charles was talking about connecting with the lord if this is if this is you if this was your first time that you decided to walk closer with the lord to give your life to him or if you're someone who decided that you just want to have a closer relationship with him we have a gift just for you we have a devotional called learning to walk with jesus it's a short devotional that's just going to help you walk through those beginning stages of your relationship with the lord so you can go to the link that's down there below on the screen click that and it'll show you how you can get that book also pastor charles when he was talking about connection of course the lord is the most important connection that we want you to have but we also want you to connect with the church there's a variety of ways that we're going to talk about the first one we're going to i'm going to talk about is singles ministry because why would i not talk about singles ministry right so our singles ministry has a lot of events that are going on we have events that are just for fun that we're getting to really grow in our community and we have events that we're doing that are helping us grow as individuals and in our walk with the lord so you can just go to the link that is below on the screen and find out how you can get connected to that truly and there's all sorts of different kinds of communities that you can get involved with here at vineyard columbus from singles to men's women's stuff for young people stuff for couples the easiest way to get connected with us actually is to connect with our small groups ministry we've got hundreds of small groups that meet around our city that would love to get to know you and make some space for you you can click on the link on the slide and it's going to direct you to some information about that and help us reach out to you to let you know how to get more involved that's right and i want to invite you to this weekend we're having services and the way we're doing that over the next three weeks is going to be a little bit different than the way we normally do it we are having three weekends of celebration for our senior leadership transition and starting this weekend we won't be having services on saturday night just for three weekends don't worry we'll be back but on sunday morning join us at nine o'clock and 10 30 for these special transition services and also we are planning to reopen in the new year and so i want to encourage you go check out this webpage find out the latest on how you can join us hopefully on january 17th and the last thing is i would love to pray a benediction for you over our 2021 it would be good for us to pray for that and just a reminder at any time if you would like to reach out for personal prayer you can text the number at 989-777 just use the word pray and someone from our community will reach out to you to pray for you personally but here we are let's all pray together let me let me pray you can open your hands if you're comfortable here we are as we enter in a new year i pray grace and peace over you for 2021 lord i pray for our church community all those within the sound of my voice god that we would be led by your presence that we would be filled by your spirit that we would be empowered by your grace and your love and your justice lord would you meet people where they are father and would you draw them nearer to you for christ's sake amen amen [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Vineyard Columbus

Views: 1,721

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: church, vineyard columbus, vineyard, watch night, New Year's Eve, Service, worship, Keep The Faith, Faith

Id: Qiq2WEtdKdU

Length: 94min 55sec (5695 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 31 2020