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I’m going to invite you to Ezekiel chapter one, where we’re going to be at together today, Ezekiel chapter one, as we end this series together called This Matters to me, which is also a website location. If you’re interested in checking out, if you want some more information for what we’re going to share today, because we’re at a juncture for our church, that is an important place in our history as we think about not only what we need right now, but also the future of ABC. And so we’re going to look at Ezekiel chapter one. I’m going to talk a little bit about this. This is the last time we’re going to be in this together. And then we’re going to we’re going to move into the Book of Psalms starting next week. So if you want to bring your Bible for the book of Psalms, we’re going to spend six weeks, six weeks in the Book of Psalms together as we get to the conclusion of this matters to me today, let me pray for us, and then we’ll dive into God’s Word. God, we just want to rest in your presence this morning, I just God, how beautiful it is for the soul. On a day like today, in the middle of a desert, to just have your gracious hand of of rain and and God. This a day like today. It’s just soothing to the heart. To. To the soul and God. To just pray that as we gather in your word, that.
That time in your word together would be that for us as well. That we would seek your face, that we would know you through your truth, God. That you would continue to do a work in us. I thank you for the beautiful story that’s just been written here at ABC. And seeing hearts continue to know you and grow in you as you’ve nurtured a family together, a community to seek your face, to encourage one another. And I just pray, as we leave this place today, that we would be a people compelled by your goodness in our life to continue to live for your glory, to bless others. And so, God, we thank you for time together and we ask it all in, in Jesus name, Amen. As we conclude our. This Matters to Me campaign, I’m going to give us a invitation here in the end of how to participate in this together as a church, but we’ve recognized over these last few weeks that we’re at a critical juncture for us as ABC as we think about our next steps. And and part of the reason we’re thinking about our next steps is one, we have a pressing need right now. But but also we need to think bigger for our future. And, you know, I’ve told you over the last couple of weeks, one of the pressing needs that we see really every Sunday when we gather is how limited our space has become.
You know, usually on a rainy day like today, sometimes people are a little bit more encouraged to not venture out. You know, so we’re not as pressed today as maybe some of the other days. But but I have seen I’ve told you in being up here on stage and getting ready to share messages where I even watch people walking on a Sunday morning and just not comfortable with a cramped space and and trying to find a spot to sit and and feeling like that’s too much of a challenge. And so they just walk right back out and and with that we just see there’s there’s just missed opportunities for what God desires to do in people. And if that’s been you, even even today, you felt a little bit pressed. Thank you for enduring with us for the sake of of the gospel, to the glory of God as we encourage one another. You know, as as a church, we want to be a community that continues to bless people and serve people and, and and to do what God’s called us to do. But but realizing where we are, we’ve we’ve recognized as a church for for a few years that we need to do things to take that next step. And if you’ve been a part of ABC’s history, you know, we’ve seen God be faithful to us in every step of our journey.
And he’s done a beautiful work. And and every time we get to a place like this, it’s this moment of pausing before the Lord and just saying, God, what, what, what, what can you do to help us? And as I say, pause. I realize that pause is sometimes a little prolonged pause and just seeking God’s face and his direction. And and we can say throughout our history, God has been faithful over and over again that he has been good to us. I mean, even when we got this facility moving into it, we started off with one service and and we were really all together in the beginning, beginning our our kids to the adults. And then we kind of got cramped and we’re like, okay, let’s let’s start our services with our kids in the classrooms. And and we did. And it gave us more space. And then we kind of pressed more into that. We’re like, okay, we need two services now. And and then we moved to three services. And Lord be with Tyler and Laura because I told them in the beginning, hey, we’ll just do this for a minute, guys. Just hold on and we’ll we’ll just move to the next space. And we’re already a year into three services, so they they were kind and gracious. You know, as we think about, there’s a lot of volunteer work that goes into that, especially for our, our musicians.
And, and as a pastor, three services. There’s, there’s, there’s just some stuff that goes into that. Right. But we like to as much as possible all to be together under one roof, encouraging one another in the Lord and and seeking God together. We want people to develop deeper community here as we serve Jesus. And and so part of figuring out how to do that is to create a, a bigger space for us to, to have. And and we’ve seen God with each step of our journey. This is the sixth location we’ve been in that God has been faithful over and over again to us, and now we’re looking to the future not just for now, but also the next generation, generations to come. Like I think about my not only my kids, but I want them to have a place to be able to know the Lord well. But my grandkids and great grandkids, who knows how long the longevity of my family will be in this area. But but as long as I have opportunity, just just providing that space to think about future generations. I mean, Utah needs that. Utah needs believers that take their relationship with Christ seriously. And they’re and they’re willing to do things for the next generation for for their neighbors, for their friends, the to see the the presence of God made known as we seek the biblical Jesus together. I mean, you think about this facility that we’re in.
I mean, it’s really every time I walk in this building, maybe not every time, but most of the time I walk into this building just thinking about how God was so good to us to provide this space. I mean, we prayed for a couple of years for this particular building. We ran circles around it and prayed for. We were literally I did I did run circles around it for my home. And and then we we would pause here as a church and pray for it. And when we didn’t even own it. Right. And it took two years and and then finally the bank that had repossessed this property, it was a bar since like the 50s, but the bank that had repossessed it called us one day. And we’re like, they told us, we feel so bad selling this to anyone else. We’re just going to help you get this building. And they did. And we got it a at a great and incredible deal. Right. And and we’re able to move into this. And it’s been a wonderful home for us. And as as we just think about those next steps, we said for us as a church that ABC has grown every year that we’ve existed. And it’s just been a beautiful thing to see how God’s story has been written in the hearts of people as they found redemption in Christ, new life in Christ. And and one of the things I’ve loved about our growth, you’ll notice it’s not like you know anything flashy here, because our church, we’re not about being a flashy church or just this entertaining church.
We definitely don’t want to be a boring church because what the work that God does in us is, is a beautiful work. And so it’s worth celebrating, right? That’s not that’s not something that you just want to just fall asleep on. This is something that’s worthy of rejoicing in. But but through that, just developing deeper community and and and growing and we’re always asking the question, how can we do it better? Not not because we want to get bigger, but because we want to just continue to be healthy. And as we’ve grown as a church, we’ve realized, man, we’ve got to make a plan for for more space. And so we we started a couple of years ago. I tortured Lincoln and Brenton. I don’t know if Lincoln’s in here or not, but Brenton is a we tortured, I did, I tortured them I’m sorry, but I am more embarrassed than I. I would throw him in my car. I’m like, we’re going to drive around this area every busy road, and we just got to find some land for our future or something, right? Like just something. And and so I would just go up to houses and just start knocking on doors like, sell us your property.
Please work with us. And and that’s where I embarrass him, because, like, I was a little bit more bold than I wanted to be, but. But I’m like, I’m looking at this area and I’m realizing man land is like, disappearing. If we don’t do something, there’s not going to be anything left. So. So we just want to secure something for the future. And so how can we do this? And we drove around and finally we got to the point where one day we sent out 70 letters in our city to to landowners. And we’re like, please just work with us. And the next day a person showed up. And, you know, I don’t want to get into the details of all this, but they had been just trying to seek what to do with their piece of property. And, and they they came to us and said, I just want to work with you guys because you’ve done so much in the city the way that you’ve cared for people. And I’ve seen it and I just want to be kind. And so we got an evaluation of the property and the person selling it to us for, for definitely less than the value, the valuation. So they’re very kind to us in that way. And so we came to you guys and they were willing to work with us that we could so we could raise the money to buy the building. Like it wasn’t something that needed us to do immediately, but they gave us a little bit of runway to do that.
And so looking at this, we we realized this was a great spot for us, a great opportunity. It seemed like God was orchestrating some things. So we also recognize this was going to be a pretty big climb. And so we wanted to break this up into three phases because it could get overwhelming to us. So that’s what we did. And so this fall we started off with step one, which was to secure the land for our future. And it’s not a mystery where this is. This is 710 West Main Street. We have four acres of property there. And so we were able to put a down payment to secure this land for us. And then we wanted to move to step two. So that’s what we’re doing today, which is to pay off this property, which will give us more strength to borrow. And as we think about building and open up more opportunities for grants for, for property. And so we’re seeking to raise $1 million right now in this campaign to pay off this land so that we can move to step three, which is to build a bigger facility. We’ve talked to some architects and engineers. They put this sample for us together and what that could look like, it’s going to be able to provide us a bigger worship space, more educational space, bigger space to to teach our, our, our children a bigger opportunity for fellowship.
We might get a kitchen, like, I shouldn’t say, might like that’s like my my wife’s making sure this that we will have a kitchen as a church because it’s if you’ve been here long enough, you know, it’s a, it’s a, a pressing thing for us. But but even beyond that, we, we have dreams of how God can use our space and continue to grow on this property for our future. And so it’s just a beautiful thing that God has done in us and through us. And as we think about these steps together, we’ll get to step three and down the road that we’ll be able to build this, this facility. But but as we look at this, one of the things I want to remind us of as we’ve gone through this, this mini series together these last three weeks is guys, our goal has never been about a building, Right. Certainly buildings are important. They have a place. But our primary goal has never been about a building. Buildings are a tool, and the God’s given us all different resources. And the goal has never been about the resource, but rather asking the question, how can you leverage the resource God gives you for his glory? And we’re at a place in life where we recognize we need a bigger tool to continue to do what God has called us to do.
Very thankful for what we have, and we have maximized this space in a beautiful way. But we’re also thinking, but, but there’s there’s a future to ABC, and our best days are in front of us. And so, God, how can you use that? Because what drives ultimately drives this. The building is in the end of itself. That’s not the goal. The goal is to be a healthy church. And as we continue to be a healthy community in the Lord, God grows that. And we’ve talked about what does what does that target look like for us as ABC. And I told you really it’s founded on two ideas in Scripture, the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. And we don’t we don’t design the the mission of God’s church. Jesus did that. Jesus clearly told us what it was, and it’s found in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, the Great Commission is to go in this world and make disciples. God desires to be made known and to transform our lives in him. That’s what a disciple means. A fully devoted follower of Christ. God desires for us to make disciples, followers of Jesus, that they could know him and walk with him and have the hope of eternity with him all the days of their life. That’s that’s God’s desire for us, that the work he’s done in us, he wants to do through us, that you would be a devoted follower of Jesus and and that we could do this together, collectively as a community to make an impact for him.
You know, we we say things as a church like ABC exists for a purpose greater than itself. We exist to give ourselves away for the glory of God to the benefit of others that we want to do for one, what we wish he could do for everyone, like a church can’t make an impact everywhere, but we can make an impact somewhere in the first place. We should start thinking about where we can make an impact is in our own backyard. How can you how can you use us and stir us to, to to move collectively to, to, to make a difference in this world? So this the Great Commission. But there’s also the great commandment which is to love God and love others. And it says this to us, God cares about what we believe, and God also cares about the way we behave, because to be right, but in the wrong way is to still be wrong. And one of the greatest ways you can show your love for the Lord is how you love the people around you that you think about what the fruit of the spirit is. That God, the Spirit of God, indwells the people of God. And in Galatians five he gives you the fruit of the spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, all of the fruit of the spirit.
If you pay attention to it. Those are all relational words. And so what it’s teaching us is that if God is truly impacting my life, the evidence of that will be seen in the way I treat people. And get this it’s not just treating people that are easy to love. It’s also treating people that are difficult to love. It’s just the way I interact with people that I stand nothing to gain from. How am I just the hands and feet of Christ wherever I go? And when you think about the idea of a gathering place, it’s like, how can we create a space to invite people in to belong and then just love them well in Jesus? It doesn’t mean we forsake this truth. We certainly stand on truth. But but also we don’t see the truth as a tool to bludgeon people over the head with, but rather serve them that they can come to know the Jesus that we know, too. And so. So what does that look like for us as a community? When we think about building? We we certainly want to aim towards that. We want to we want to expand that. But but along the journey, we will never lose sight of the fact that in order to be healthy, the, the, the building itself is not the goal. The goal is to be faithful followers of Jesus, a healthy community enriched in the depth of our relationship with Christ and then the way that we live it out in this world.
Now, when I think about that kind of journey, I realize for us right now as a church in this campaign, this is the biggest step of faith that we have taken together as a community. Like when I look at the idea of raising $1 million from a from a pastor’s point of view, that’s a lot. That’s for me. I’m just like, we’re it’s monopoly money, right? Like, I just, I look at that and think, Lord, how is that possible? But but God has been doing incredible things in us from the beginning, right? And so unless we put a target out there, we’re never going to hit it. But just having the the opportunity to shoot for it, just to dream in the Lord and what we can do together. Like we’re not doing this because we get our identity off buildings. Or let me just say, we shouldn’t get our identity off buildings. We get our identity from Jesus and the purpose which he has called us to. And we don’t, we don’t, we don’t. This is not saying to the world, look how great we are or we need this. We can feel important or special. This is saying, look, we need more space for people to be able to walk with him and grow in him, and to nurture his disciples in Christ and to create a spot for deeper fellowship.
I know, like when we get up and leave and we’re going to walk through this hallways, like, if I don’t end my sermon fast enough like the other people are going to be showing up, and then it’s going to we’re just going to get in a logjam, and you’re going to feel a little pressed in that space to want to fellowship. But but those times of connecting with one another are critical to to our own relationship as a community together, diving deeper in our health with Jesus. And so we need those things. We need those opportunities to enrich our relationship in Christ together. And so, to be honest, every time we’ve looked at an opportunity like this for me, I can tell you they have not been easy. In fact, my wife will tell you if you just ask her. What’s been the hardest time you’ve ever had in ministry? We don’t. We don’t even have to think more than more than a blip to know what that is. It was when we bought this building. We. I remember the first day we bought this building and some of you heard this story. I am up in the rafters welding with another member of our church and just dripping sweat and these overall things. So I don’t get metal dripping on me. And, and someone comes in that looked homeless.
I don’t know that they were or not, but they just had that that vibe about them that might be judging them a little too hard there. But but they came in like that, and then they just asked, do you have any money? And here I am, like dangling from a ceiling, dripping in sweat. And even if I could reach a wall, I already knew an answer. I’m a pastor like I like they’re probably not dude like, but he comes in and asks, and and this is day one. We own the building. And this place was, if you had seen it day one, you might say to yourself, wow, that was a big step of faith because that looked like everything was going to cave in at any moment. We bought this thing. And and so this guy comes in and empty for a few years and it’s leaking in the roof, and and he asks us for some money, and I just tell him, buddy, I don’t like. I’m busy right now. I don’t have anything. And he just looks at me and goes, fine. I don’t even know why he bought this stupid place. You should just tear it down. And I’m like, at that moment, I kind of just look around and realize the work in front of us. I’m like, yeah, what did we do? Like, right. It’s just this song, man. But but I can tell you why we did it in the moment.
It felt difficult, but but the reason we did it was because there was a dream. I think God put in our heart of knowing that one day they’re going to be faces coming through this door, that God’s story of redemption is going to continue to be told in their life. And we don’t know who they are yet. But, God, it’s going to be beautiful. And that’s what the Lord’s done over and over again, seeing families deepen in Christ together. And that’s what we’re looking forward to. God, how can you continue to do this? But when when you take a step like this, like we just I just want to say to all of us this morning, these, these kind of steps aren’t easy. And so there’s this part where you you pause and you just ask, Lord, do we have what it takes? Like, where do we find the strength for something like this? And Ezekiel chapter one, this is what we’re going to talk about today is finding strength for, for for challenges that arise in our lives. Like how how do we navigate those things? And I’m going to give us four thoughts related to this. Almost, almost one of the title of this How to Corrie ten boom this sucker. Because like if you know anything about Corrie ten boom, she was a lady. Who was she and her sister were they were taken into concentration camp during the Holocaust and her sister passed away in a concentration camp.
Corrie ten boom survived, but she went on from that to start a ministry to help people heal from from what they experienced in the concentration camp and not just the survivors in the concentration camp, but also the soldiers that were responsible for putting people in the concentration camp. I mean, could you imagine that you lose your sister in a concentration camp, and then you turn around and minister to the very people responsible for killing her? I mean, how do you find that kind of strength? And we’re going to look at a few quotes from her. But Ezekiel chapter one I want us to look at this. And I’m going to I’m going to just give me a little bit longer before I read in this passage. Let me give you point number one in your notes. It’s to say this in order to find that strength, we need to do, number one, acknowledge the challenge before the Lord. Acknowledge the challenge before the Lord. And here’s why. It’s because we don’t want to mistake a challenge for the end, or when it comes to to challenges in our life. Rather, we want to see challenges as opportunities for Jesus to do something great. And so in order to to get to that spot, we’ve got to recognize as people, when we go through challenges, there’s a few ways that sometimes we tend to respond.
One is we can get discouraged and quit, or the other is we. We get so anxious about it, we kind of take a step ahead of the Holy Spirit, like we almost become the Holy Spirit to force things to happen. And we don’t want to do either of those things. Right. We don’t we don’t want to build ourselves with with panic and bulldoze people. And we don’t want to quit on just because of challenges before us and what God might do through that. And and the Lord has an interesting way of navigating his people through challenging times. And when you think about it, God has this way of of allowing his people to to just sit in broken places. Not not because he wants to make it hard for you. And God has this, this way of allowing his people to sit in broken places. One because we find our contentment in Christ. But two he does this stirring in our heart to respond. It’s it’s a beautiful thing when you think about it, that God has made you unique from any other creature in this world. He’s made you in his image and being made in his image. He’s saying to you and me that he has really created you to be his response into the brokenness of this world. That if you want to see where God really moves, look to his people because he does this stirring in our heart to to be that response.
You get to be the hands and feet of Jesus. That’s why in first Peter chapter two, he refers to you as royal priests. Priests are representatives of God. Anyone who knows Jesus, the Spirit of God dwells in you, and therefore you are commissioned and called into this world to represent God and the things that you do, especially seen in the way that you treat people, how you serve for the glory of God to the benefit of others. And so as I deepen my relationship with the Lord, the Lord stirs my heart in the midst of brokenness to see the great hand of God move. Challenges for me are not the end, but opportunity to see how God wants to work. Now, now, let me give it to you in a, in just a maybe a specific way, more than just a building. Like sometimes God does this stirring in our hearts that I find as people we can often mistake it. And what I mean is, as a pastor, this, by the way, this is I’m thinking of no one specific in here. This is I’ll just use this as an example from another church where I had experienced this or saw this firsthand, where people will have this stirring in their heart towards a brokenness, and they want a response, right? And their response to that response is to go tell a ministry leader or a pastor that, hey, you need to do that.
You know, create this ministry and get people to do it and go do that. And maybe, maybe that is something the church might be led to do. But more often than not, can I just tell you that maybe God’s doing the stirring in your heart to be that response? And sometimes when we feel that in our lives, we think to ourselves, oh, well, you got to start a ministry. I got to get everybody else involved in this. And we, we think, well, a whole team needs to be here. And and truth be told, what we need to do is just take a step forward and do something. It doesn’t mean that there can’t be a ministry. I’m not saying that. But what I’m saying to us is, man, if God stirring your heart for something, just think about how the Lord might use you in that. And part of the way that that journey begins for us is just acknowledging it before God. God, here’s where I am. I mean, you see this? You see this over and over again in Scripture. I call this a holy discontentment. You think about a holy discontent. You need to be careful with a word like that, because sometimes we can run ahead of the Lord and try to make things happen. But when we talk about holy discontentment, what we mean is a spirit inspired dissatisfaction. Where where we’re looking to to God in this.
And we’re not, like pointing the blame at someone else. Like just coming with a bunch of problems. Here’s all the problems. Now you have to go solve it. But but rather asking God like in acknowledging this Lord, how how can I be a part of this? Because I’m seeing this. My heart stirred in this. And and so, Lord, I just want to I just want to see this beautiful story work itself out, not to just sit in the challenge and be in the problem. And I’m thankful it came to my attention. God. But but more than that, God, how are you stirring my heart right now, in this moment, to see that? And and so when you think about the the idea of holy discontentment, it becomes a sinful discontentment when, when, when it stems from a selfish one, like, I just want to do this and I, I just I want to be the Holy Spirit. I want to manipulate them to, to change. And I had this lack of trust God and really you providing in this. So so I’m going to run ahead of you and I’m going to just force it. Nobody likes that. So so God rather than rather than get to that place quickly, I just want to acknowledge it. Like when you read stories like the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah chapter one Nehemiah has got this beautiful part where he’s praying before the Lord.
He, he. If you read the book of Nehemiah chapter one, Nehemiah finds out his people back in Israel. He’s he’s not in that land, but he finds his people are just facing adversity because they went back to build a temple, but they have no wall around the city to protect them. And Nehemiah is just broken, and it stirs his heart and that brokenness to the point. He goes and talks to his King, and a place where he is distraught. And in Nehemiah’s day, you don’t go before a king with that kind of posture. You need to be celebratory or happy, like to go before a king broken. The king couldn’t just order your execution on the spot so at great risk to himself for the benefit of the others, Nehemiah takes that risk before the Lord, and then he goes before the king, and he ultimately leverages his position to serve the people to rebuild that wall. He even joins on that journey, or even the apostle Paul in Philippians three he says this verse 12, not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. And Jesus, in the sermon on the Mount, even said this in in Matthew five verse six, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. I mean, Jesus is saying, there’s this stirring in my soul, for in the brokenness of life to see the beauty of who Christ is made known.
And so that story starts for us to find that strength to by acknowledging it. The challenge before the Lord and looking at Ezekiel, chapter one Ezekiel. The story starts off like this in the 30th year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the canal. Now looking at this, this is a pretty interesting statement. You might think, how is this taking this before the Lord. But I want you to know if you know anything about the story of Ezekiel. Ezekiel has found himself carried into captivity by the Babylonians. He he has witnessed friends, family killed in that, in that capturing of Israel from the by the Babylonians. And then some of them taken as slaves into exile into Babylon. And Ezekiel finds himself as one of those people. And here he is on the side of this river. And when theologians look at this, commentaries, look at this. And Ezekiel saying, in the 30th year they asked 30th year of what? And the general response is this. It is the 30th year of his life. It’s his birthday. And here he is at a time where we might celebrate life. And rather than celebrating, he’s lamenting. But it actually goes even deeper than that, that when you look at the life of Ezekiel, what you discover is Ezekiel was a priest, and in Israel, a priest didn’t take their position to serve the people until their 30th birthday.
And Ezekiel is recognizing he’s now been in exile for almost three years, and he’s recognizing that things aren’t as they should be. Rather than being back in Israel, in Jerusalem, serving in the temple, here he is in exile, lamenting the things aren’t the way they should be. So Ezekiel is acknowledging his his challenge before the Lord. He’s got this holy discontentment. He sees brokenness. He’s lamenting in his sorrow. So that point number two, he could seek God’s presence. He could seek God’s presence. And this is critical, too. So we can recognize brokenness and we can come before God. But but here’s what we need when we recognize that brokenness is to say, God, here’s what I’m seeing, Lord, but teach me your heart in this God. Help me to understand what it is that you’re seeing in this situation. Because if I’m going to take a step in this, I’m going to respond in this, Lord, I don’t want to do this in my strength. I don’t want to respond according to Nathaniel or Ezekiel. I don’t want to respond according to Ezekiel’s desire. But God, I want your desire to be my be my heart. I want my heart to align with your heart. So, God, help me to understand what what it is that you desire in this circumstance. Because I know how our people have responded, and I know the consequence we’ve received because of that.
We’re a people who’ve rebelled, who’ve been disobedient. And and because of that, now we’ve been taken into captivity and and God, this feels just broken. And and God, I want to know where you are in this. So I know how to step in this, because more than anything, we don’t want to continue to follow that path of disobedience. God, we want to follow that path with you. That’s what got us where we are. And when you think about taking challenges in your own life, finding strength for those challenges. Let’s let’s just be honest sometimes, sometimes we’re in a situation because, well, I’ve made some stupid decisions. And when we make those kind of decisions, we might wrestle with the idea, like, God, How can you love me in this? God? Do you love me in this? Sometimes when we make those decisions, we feel like we have alienated ourselves from God. And God’s going to love other people, but he don’t have time for me anymore because, well, how could he love me based on what I did? And we’re wrestling with the gospel in that. Like we need to know the heart of God. Like when Jesus says things, it’s finished, paid in full. Your guilt and shame covered. The sufficiency of Christ is important for us to know. And this is this is what Ezekiel’s wrestling wrestling with is understanding this in the Lord.
Or sometimes it’s not because of anything we’ve done, but we just find ourselves in a situation where it’s just we know this is not this is not the fullness of Christ. There’s there’s some brokenness here, this there’s a way that gospel can answer this. There’s a way some healing and hearts can happen. And so God is leading me in this, not not because of anything wrong I’ve done, but he’s given me a place to be a part of experiencing how he’s going to respond. I love that about challenging seasons. It’s like we get to the goal eventually as we remain faithful. But more than anything in these moments, it’s realizing that goal is big and it’s going to take an even bigger God. And so I get to just come before God and just learn about the the wealth of who he is and, and deepen my own relationship with the Lord in this journey. Yes, I get to help people in the process. That’s wonderful. But I also recognize God deepens me in these moments. So. So we seek God’s presence and here’s what he sees. He says the heavens were open. I saw a vision of God. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, and the land of the Chaldeans, and the canal and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud with brightness around it, and the the fire flashing forth continually in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.
Here’s what Ezekiel is saying is like if you asked Ezekiel, where, where would you go to experience God? Ezekiel would say, All in Jerusalem. Of course, in the temple where the Shekinah glory, the presence of God is made known. That’s where we as God’s people are called to be. But but then Ezekiel, Ezekiel as a priest, he would then follow it up with, but I can’t. I’m not near God. And here I am in an exile. But all of a sudden, here’s what he discovers in the midst of his problem. God has never left him. God’s right there in the midst of the mess in exile. God has followed him as he sees this picture of of a of a heavenly temple. And this this is indicative of what we’ve seen in the book of Revelation. We study together. This is indicative of if you read Exodus 19, when Moses went up on the mountain and Mount Sinai in the presence of God, this is what Ezekiel is seeing, the powerful presence of God, that God hasn’t abandoned his people in mistake. If anything, it’s the people that continue to abandon God like that’s that’s who we are at any moment. God could have given up on us. But. But God continues to be a God who desires to be made known.
And he’s the one. Even though that we rebel against him, even though we put up idols in our life, even though we elevate ourselves above God, God does not give up on us. He continues to pursue us and offer his life for us that we could find freedom in him. And this is what’s happening in the life of Ezekiel. That his heart would be aligned with. Ezekiel is so that. Number three, let me give you this next point. He would trust God’s character. He would learn to trust God’s character. I mean, you see in verse 18 it says this, this is kind of an interesting verse. Let me tell you this before I read it. And when you read this chapter, what you discover is there’s these angels around God’s throne and they’re foreheaded angels, which is really bizarre. But on one side, the face of a man, one side the face of a lion, one side the face of an ox, and one side the face of an eagle. And these are representative of of really God’s power over everything, over all the land, because humanity is called to rule the land. The lion is the king of the jungle. The ox is the king of the farmland. The Eagle is the king of the sky. Here they are around God’s throne. It’s representing God’s presence everywhere. And not only do you see the power of his presence, you see that God is in all things.
And saying, saying to us in verse 18, and the rims were tall, and the rims of all for talking about the angels were full of eyes all around, and saying, not only does God have the power, but God also sees everything. His presence is there, and so there’s nothing hidden from him. He’s saying to Ezekiel, even though you feel like a foreigner in a foreign land and you’re in exile, God’s power and God’s presence is still with you. And so in that, Ezekiel is learning to trust in the character of God. Corrie ten boom said it like this if you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within you, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at God, you’ll be at rest. And that’s where the strength comes from. God. I want to reflect your heart because in your heart, that’s where true strength is found. Here’s the struggle. God, give me your presence. Teach me your heart. Lord, let me lean into your strength as I see what it is you desire for, for us and through us. And and then it goes on and says this as he’s learning about the character of God above the expanse over their heads that were the likeness of a throne, and the appearance like sapphire, and seated above the likeness of a throne was the likeness with a human appearance, like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud of the day and of reign, so that with the appearance of the brightness all around, such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
I mean, here’s what Ezekiel is seeing. Is God ruling on his throne, the power of God, the presence of God, the character of God. He hasn’t given up on us. He’s ruling and he’s reigning. And therefore Ezekiel learns he can trust Corrie ten Boom to give you another quote like this in order to realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of a storm. Because let’s just be honest with us this morning. If we talk about our own relationship with Jesus tends to be some of us have a harder head than others, and some of the things that get us to turn to the Lord are the stupid things that we’ve done in the past. And you come to this place of brokenness, stuck in a rock and a hard place, and you realize, man, what am I doing? And your soul begins to long for more. There’s got to be a greater purpose than just the mundane of what I’m living for. And in the stress of that, we start to test the anchor who is God? Corrie ten boom said it like this. Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to an unknown God or to a known God.
Excuse me. And this is what it’s saying to you is like, because you think about tomorrow. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own and you don’t even know what tomorrow holds, let alone the rest of your life. But you know who holds tomorrow. And he’s trustworthy and he’s good. And so rather than worry about tomorrow, why not lean into the one that holds it in his hand? It’s the the the character of God becomes critical for us, and one of the illustrations I find in life that draws us out more than any other is, is if you ever read the book the The Hiding Place, it tells about her story. And going into a concentration camp with her sister Betsy. And in the concentration camp, they were taken into their dormitory. And when they get into the dormitory Corrie looks to her sister Betsy and says, how can we live here? This place is infested with fleas, and she’s all distraught over what’s going to happen to them. And and now they’re in a room and they’re expected to sleep in. The place is infested with fleas. And Corrie’s sister Betsy says he turns to the Lord immediately and says, God, show us what to do here, what can we do here? And then she immediately looks back to her sister and says, that’s it. And God tells us to rejoice in all things, right? Be thankful in all things.
First Thessalonians 518. And of course we said, how in the world can we be thankful for the fleas? And she just thinks it’s such a bizarre thing that her sister would even say that and quote that Bible verse. I mean, yeah, it fits in most things, but come on, in a flea infested room. How are you going to be thankful for that? And then she begins to realize that the soldiers also know it’s a flea infested room. And because of that, no soldier goes into that room. And now it’s given them the opportunity to read the Word of God together without fear of threat, to the point where they’re able to start a Bible study with the ladies in that room to seek hope in Jesus together. That those fleas became this blessing in disguise. What they thought was a challenge became an opportunity for people to find peace in Christ. Now God has this beautiful way of using those challenges in our lives, which gives me this last point. Respond in faith. Respond. Respond in faith. Challenges are beautiful opportunities to see the great, the great hand of God at work. And really, what we’re talking about today is how to wait on the Lord. I mean, if you want to know how to wait on the Lord, it’s these four points. Waiting on the Lord is is not this passive resignation? We’re like, okay, God, you just take care of it.
Here I am. Right. It’s it’s learning the heart of God and then taking a step with him on the journey. And sometimes the mountain may look high to us, but all we need to look at is the Lord and just say, okay, God, I just want to take that step with you. I want to acknowledge the challenge. I want to seek your presence, my heart, with your heart. I want to trust in your character. You’re good, and I just want to respond, God, because I want to be a part of this. I want to see how how you’re going to work this out, because I know you’re a good God, and I know your desires that you would be made known. And I know you want to work through your people. This is where your miracle takes place. But, God, how do I join in on that? And you see how this ends in Ezekiel, the very last verse, the last phrase there, Ezekiel says, and when I saw it, I fell on my face and I heard the voice of one speaking. It’s just recognizing that opportunity. And when I see it, I don’t want to let it pass me by. I just want to join in that. As followers of Jesus, we’ve talked about this together, that we all we in different seasons have this this place of of what it looks like to follow Jesus. Look, the truth of God does not change, but the method and how we follow God.
It adapts in different seasons of life and and for you to be here today, like there have been believers before you that have been faithful to Jesus, that have given you the opportunity to know him and for us. Now we have the opportunity to take our season and say, Lord, how can you use this? And let me just close with this. I want to give us an opportunity to gather. This is the last time that I’m going to share this in this message, because this is we’re ending this today. And here’s the reason is we don’t want to, you know, beat you over the head with with this need and guilt people into responding. That’s not the way we operate as a church. We just want to give an invitation and saying, look, we’re at a place now where we have an opportunity to build a building and do you want to be a part of that? And here’s how you consider it. You don’t let the moment pass you by, but rather you consider are you willing to make a sacrifice for not only the sake of where we are as a church, but for future generations? And we’re asking you to think about it in terms of 12 months. However, these next 12 months, we’ve said as a church we need to raise $1 million. And I know it’s a lot, but let me just say, in our church, we have a little over 200 families that make us up, right.
If if every family was willing to give a little over $4,000, I think it’s $4,250 because we’ve already raised over 100,000, then we would hit that goal. And I know in saying that, some of us are like, oh, I could do that. And others are like, well, that’s way too much. I’m not even like, I don’t have a feel like I have a penny right now. So, so just giving a penny feels like a sacrifice. Let me let me just tell you that’s okay. If you’re new here, I don’t want you to feel any any obligation to give. And if you’re part of ABC, I want you to see a joyful opportunity to give. Thinking about how God has done a beautiful work and continues to do a beautiful work. And we just want to be a part of that. And so the next 12 months, just asking, asking yourself, Lord, what what could we give as a family that might even be a place to stretch us and thinking about being a part of this community. And if it’s $5, praise God it’s $5. But I want you to know, next week I’m just going to show on the screen where we’re at in pledges and giving and how many people have pledged. And even if it’s just $5, you get to be a part of the number of people that have pledged where we can look at and say collectively, and God’s people are in this, and we want to be a part of this, and maybe $5 is just something like saying, and I’m just going to lift up in prayer, because that’s just where I am in life right now to to do that, you can fill this out and drop it in the offering box on your way out as a way of acknowledging.
Or you can use this QR code and do it online, but it will give us an opportunity just to see how God is moving in our church to towards this goal together over the next 12 months to to hit this target and we’ll just see. God. What how are you going to work? We just want to see how God is going to move and rejoice in that together next week, in the months ahead, we’re not going to come back and say, well, what’s wrong? I’ll give like, we got a generous church that loves Jesus. And so as we as we hit these milestones, we’re just going to celebrate it. Like we’re going to remind you each month. We’ll say, hey, just a reminder, we’re in this campaign and and we want to celebrate where we are. But but we want to we want to do this joyfully as a community. God, you’ve got us in a place to respond. And how are you going to lead?