Hope Church LV Sermons
The Heart of Hope: Kingdom Expansion
To really know somebody, you've got to get to know their heart. It's not enough just to know somebody on the outside and know a few things about somebody, to really know somebody. You need to know them on the inside. As a family of faith, a few weekends ago, we took a big next step on the journey for us in moving into a permanent home. And we really sensed the Lord leading us as we took this step of having our own family after 11 years of permanent campus that could be our home. We really sensed the Lord leading us to walk through a series where we do just that. We just share our heart. It's really who we are as a family of faith. It's our DNA. If you cut us, it's what we bleed. It's our passion. It's our values. We call it the heart of hope. We did this for a couple of reasons. Number one, because we felt like, as the Lord was leading us, that as a family of faith, we've taken this step together, that it's very important for us to remember who we are. You can take a step like this and move into a new campus and have a new place and kind of take a deep breath and sit back and kind of forget where you came from. And we felt like it was very important for us as a fellowship to just remind ourselves and think again about why we exist and who we are and what drives us and motivates us. But the second reason we felt this was very important is because we've had a lot of new people visit with us over these opening weeks and we just felt like the best thing we could do for you is just tell you who we are. This is who we are as a fellowship. This is what motivates us. And I gave you a statement the opening weekend we began this series that simply said, values drive our decisions and decisions shape our lives. Every one of us, every individual and every family really have a set of values. Now some have them written out like we do as a church and stated in a formal way. But either informally or formally, every one of us has a set of values that drives and motivates every decision in our lives. And ultimately our lives are a collection of those decisions being played out on a day in and day out basis. As a church family there are a certain set of values that we found in Scripture. And it's these very values that drive who we are as a fellowship. They drive our decisions, they motivate us, they move us to action. They're four of them and we've been unpacking them and I want to just quickly review and give you the ones we've already covered. Number one, we looked at the value of God dependence. I want you to read this definition of God dependence off the screen with me. You ready? Here we go. One, two, three. Apart from Him we can do nothing. Through Him we can do all things. Here's what we understand. We're desperate for God. We need Him. More than we need a building, more than we even need breath in our bodies. We need God as a family of faith, as individuals, we understand we are desperate for God. The second value we looked at last weekend is simply entitled Generous Living. I want you to read this definition off the screen with me. One, two, three. We live life ready to make a difference in the lives of others. If you were here last weekend you remember this, right? We're to live with everything we have, our time, our resources, our gifts, our abilities. We're to live with everything we have on our fingertips, holding it loosely ready to make a difference in the lives of other people. That's one of the values we have as a church. We want to make a difference in our city. We want to make a difference in our country. We want to make a difference in the world. So we hold everything we have as a fellowship. One of the reasons we're 11 years in before we have our own permanent campus is because we live like this. We want to make a difference in the lives of other people. A third value is something we call real relationships. I want you to read this definition with me off the screen. Following Jesus is all about relationships. Now, this value unpacks the biblical reality that Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is not a system of do's and don'ts, rights and wrongs. Do the best you can and hope for the best in the end. Christianity at its very core is an intimate love relationship with God, where through the spirit of God we are born again through the gospel to a personal relationship with God, and then everything in my life is lived out of the overflow of intimacy with God. And the Bible goes on to say that not only is Christianity first and foremost about a relationship with God, but then that relationship spills into our fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But beyond that, it overflows into our relationships with people that don't know God at all, so that we can lead them to Christ. We can make Christ known to them. So following Jesus is about a relationship with God, but it's also about a relationship with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. But it's also about a relationship with people that don't know God, where we're engaging them intentionally with the gospel to lead them to the truth of living their lives out of the overflow of intimacy with God. Now, this value is so important to us as a fellowship. About every four or five years, we take seven weeks and we unpack this simple truth that following Jesus is all about relationships. We call it the life of a Jesus follower. After Easter, we're going to begin this series where we're just going to walk through this biblical reality of following Jesus is all about relationships and we're going to unpack. We're going to take two weekends and we're going to unpack each of these three spheres of relationships, the primary one being my love relationship with God, but then we're going to talk about those others. The fourth value is the one we're going to look at this morning. It's called kingdom expansion. I want you to read this definition with me off the screen. You ready? One, two, three. We seek to join in God's activity in Las Vegas, the West, and the world, the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? It's a term that we've heard before. It's a term if you've been around Christianity for any length of time at all, you know the phrase the kingdom of God, but what is it? Let me give you a definition of the kingdom of God. It's God's sovereign activity in the world, resulting in people being in right relationship with himself. The kingdom of God is the big picture. It's the big picture of what God is doing all over the world. God is alive and at work in the world, and God's activity is resulting on a global scale in people being in right relationship with himself. All over the world, people are being born again into a living, vibrant relationship with God, and the Bible says in the book of Revelation that the end of all this is one day around the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation chapter 5, there will be the kingdom of God made up of men and women from every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation. Now you think we've had a nice time of worship this morning? You wait till we get around the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ with every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation, all cultures coming together to worship and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, it is going to be glorious. Now that's what God is doing in the world. God is establishing his kingdom, and one day will reign with him forever and ever and ever. Now the concept of the kingdom of God is one I've got to be honest with you. Until God called my family to Las Vegas, I had not given much attention to. I hadn't studied it a lot. I didn't really understand it, but over the last 11 years of my life living here in Las Vegas, there's not a subject that God has done more in my own heart to teach me. There is not something that I am more passionate about, and I'll just go ahead and be honest with you, all right? You're in trouble this morning. Let me tell you why. You're the 11 o'clock service. You know what that means? There's not another one after you. See, I kind of got handcuffs and all the other services because there's another one coming out, but I don't have handcuffs in this service, right? Because you can just stay until six or seven o'clock tonight. Yeah, that's not enough. Yeah, not everybody shares your passion, but my point is what I want to talk to you about today is something that God has done in my life that I love to talk about. The subject of the kingdom of God is referenced over 100 times in 16 different books of the New Testament. Now, if God says something once, it's important, amen? I mean, God doesn't have to repeat Himself in the Bible for us to go, "Wow, I need to pay attention to that." I mean, God puts it in the Bible one time, we need to pay attention to it. But 100 times in 16 different books, that's two-thirds of the books of the New Testament, He references the subject of the kingdom of God, I think it's something He wants us to pay attention to. Let me give you just three examples of how this subject is mentioned in the New Testament. The first one, and I want to give you with each of these a word to connect this verse to. Here's the first word. It's the word passion. In the references, Luke chapter 4 and verse 43, look at it on the screen. This is Jesus speaking, and listen to what He says, "I," what's the next word? Say it again. It's a very important word in the Greek language, it's a word that means it is necessary. This is absolutely important. Jesus says, "I must," He's describing something that is the passion of His life. He said, "I must," He didn't say, "I might." He didn't say, "Maybe," He said, "I must preach the kingdom of God." "For I was sent for this purpose." Here Jesus is describing the very passion of His life. Now, if it was the passion of Jesus, and Jesus now lives in me, what is to now be the passion of my life, the kingdom of God. Another reference, and here's the word I want you to hear. It's the word priority. Matthew chapter 6, verse 33, probably the most famous verse about the kingdom of God. It's one of most people that have been Christians for any length of time can quote, "Seek," what's the second word? First, "Seek," verse. Notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say second, third, fifth, it doesn't say, "Put it in your top ten." And another thing that's important to note here is in the Greek structure, this phrase, "Seek first" is in the imperative, meaning it's a command, meaning Jesus is not laying some options on the table for us to consider and pray about. Jesus said, "Seek first," the what? Kingdom of God, "Seek first." Now, just in the first, there are over a hundred of these references in the New Testament. Just in the first two, we've not even begun to scratch the surface. And in the first two, we understand that it is to be the passion of my life and the number one priority that everything else in my life revolves around. Every decision in my life is to circle around this idea of God's global activity birthing a kingdom where people are coming to know Him all over the world. Now, before we go any further, and I don't want you to answer out loud, how do you measure up to just the first two of a hundred references? Is it the passion of your life? Is it the number one priority in your life? Let me give you a third word, purpose, purpose. If you were to ask me for most of my Christian life, Vance, what is the book of Acts about? I would have said that the book of Acts in the New Testament is about the local New Testament church. That's where the church was born in Acts chapter 2. It's about churches being planted. It's about the growth of the New Testament church and local expression in the communities. Did you know that's not the main subject of the book of Acts? Let me show it to you. Acts chapter 1 verse 3. I want to show you the book ends in the book of Acts. Here's the first one. Acts 1, 3. Listen what it says. The Bible says to these he also presented himself alive after suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of 40 days and speaking of the things concerning. Be what? Kingdom of God. Here's the point. Jesus died. He rose again from the dead. For 40 days he made appearances to his disciples. The Bible says for 40 days he only talked about one thing. Now I don't know how you'd respond if I invited you to come listen to me preach 40 straight days in a row. I don't even know if you'd show up period for 40 straight days. But if I told you up front, hey, 40 straight days I want you to come hear me preach and I'm going to preach the same sermon every day for 40 days. Not only that, let's go to dinner after the service and I'm going to repeat it again. Jesus for 40 days only talked about one thing. It's almost as if he didn't want him to miss this. The last two verses of the book of Acts, Acts chapter 28 verses 30 and 31. Listen to what the Bible says. And he, this is talking about Paul, the great missionary, stayed two full years in his own rented quarters. Now don't imagine Paul in a condo on the beach, that's not what this is describing. This is actually describing Paul in, excuse me, in house arrest in Rome facing execution by being beheaded. So Paul's under house arrest in Rome for two years in his own house. The Bible says he was welcoming all who came to him, many, anybody got with an earshot of Paul? Paul said, hey, come here. Sit down. Glad you're here. And the Bible says he was preaching to them what? The kingdom of God. The book of Acts opens with Jesus for 40 days only talking about one thing. The book of Acts closes with Paul for two years only talking about one thing. Here's what that taught me. You know why the local New Testament church exists? The local church exists to teach people about King Jesus. To disciple them in kingdom living which is that radical way of life that is following Jesus. And then we exist as a launching pad for the expansion of God's kingdom to the ends of the earth. God birthed our church and when he did so he had the nations on his heart it was never just about us. What Paul and what the book of Acts is teaching us here is that the church was born its purpose is the kingdom of God. The local church will not be here forever. We're temporary. We simply exist. Hope after his church is not going to be in heaven on some corners somewhere. What's in heaven is the kingdom of God. We're a temporary tool born by the Father given birth to by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God. To teach people about King Jesus, disciple them in kingdom living and then launch and send them out for the expansion of God's kingdom to the ends of the earth. Now if all that is true, this passion and priority and purpose, if all that's true about the kingdom, then how do we as a church engage and join in God's kingdom activity? Well take your Bible quickly and turn to Philippians chapter 4. I want to read a text of scripture that is an amazing example of one local church and they're engaging in God's global activity. Philippians 4, we're going to begin reading in verse 15. Here's what it says, "You yourselves also know Philippians that at the first preaching of the gospel after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone. For even in Thessalonica, you send a gift more than once for my needs, not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the prophet which increases to your account. But I've received everything in full and have an abundance. I'm amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma and acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father, be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Let me just quickly give you three big picture truths about the kingdom of God out of these verses and we're done. Here's the first one, God's kingdom is alive with activity. God's kingdom is alive with activity. Did you hear what Paul said? Paul's writing to this church in Philippi and here's what he says, "You Philippians, you know at the first preaching of the gospel." Now the word first preaching there is a Greek word that literally means the beginning. Let me give you the back story on this group of people. We don't have time to look at it this morning. You can read it on your own, but in Acts chapter 16 and chapter 17 you can read the story of Paul being used by God to plant the church in Philippi. Paul planted this church just like the Lord used some of us to come here and be involved in planting this church. God used Paul to go to Philippi and Acts chapter 16 and 17 tells that story. Paul goes to Philippi and meets a woman named Lydia who's a business owner. He leads Lydia to faith in Jesus Christ, shares the gospel with Lydia's family. Her whole family gives her life to Christ and they start a church that meets in Lydia's house. Before long, they're still sharing the gospel and a young slave girl that was demon possessed gives her life to Christ as born again. She comes into that fellowship. That doesn't sit too good with some people in town so they throw Paul and Silas in jail. You can't keep them quiet in jail. They wind up leading the jailer and his whole family to faith in Christ. So here's this new church in Philippi with Lydia and her family a business owner, a former demon possessed slave girl and a jailer in his family. Not exactly a who's list, but it was the nucleus of this brand new church in Philippi. They began to meet together, they began to worship together, they began to experience God together, they began to meet one another's needs, they were having dynamic times of fellowship. All was great, but Paul says, "Hey Philippians, you know, that wasn't the end. That was the beginning." You see, in our culture, often we see this as the goal. We think the goal of the church is to establish itself and build its ministries and get a building. And if we're not careful as a family of faith, we take a step like moving into a facility like this, we can go, "Phew, man. We finally made it. Mission accomplished. Job." Well done. No. What Paul says is this is not the finish line. This is the starting line. And when God births the church, He births the church to join in the big picture of what He's doing in our city and around the world, both locally and globally. Let me give you some examples, because God is alive and at work all over the world. Listen, we are living in the greatest days in the history of Christianity to be alive. There are more people coming to faith today in Jesus Christ on a daily basis around the world than at any other single time in human history. You totally missed what I just said. Do I need to come down here and say it? Listen, there are more people coming to faith. Oh, I'm messing the camera guys up. I'm freaking them out. There are more people coming to faith in Jesus Christ today around the world on a daily basis than at any other single time in human history. Listen, don't miss this. In all of the history of the world, when God could have made you alive and God could have birthed this church and brought you into it, in all the history of the world, God in His sovereignty by His grace has birthed us and brought us into existence to join in His activity in the time of the greatest global harvest in the history of Christianity. Now let me give you some examples in China. Did you know that today in China, 30,000 people trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Hang on, whoa, whoa, whoa, I hope, I hope one weekend, if 30,000 people walk in here, down these isles, give their heart and life to Jesus Christ, we don't go, praise the Lord. Little golf clap for Jesus. I said today, 30,000 people were born again in the country of China, that is a country that last week took a missionary who was a friend of someone on our staff team and banned them from returning back to the country because of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And a country like that today, 30,000 people were born again into the kingdom of God. Listen, how do I know that happened today? Let me tell you how I know it happened because right now it's happening every day in the country of China. Every day in China, let me give you an example. The Hinnan province in China is the third largest population base in the country of China, which is a country of a billion people. And the Hinnan province alone in the last eight years, they've gone from less than one million Christians in the Hinnan province to now over five million Christians in that one province in China. The gospel, the gospel has been so rapidly exploding in the country of China that in 2004, there was a church planting movement that was birthing 1,700 new churches per month. Now, listen, we as a church family are excited that God's given us the privilege in our first 10 years to plant 16 new churches out of our fellowship in 10 years. I said in China, there was a church planting movement that was planting 1,700 new churches per month. Listen, in the Middle East, since 1979, more Iranians have come to faith in Jesus Christ since 1979 than in the previous 1,000 years combined. Now, think about that. Those of you that were alive and old enough to understand all that was going on in Iran concert and all that stuff, 1979, since 1979, more Iranians have come to Christ than in the previous 1,000 years come and listen, you don't hear that on any of the cable news networks, right? They're not talking about that, but that's what God's doing in the Middle East on the continent of Africa in 1900, 100 years ago on the continent of Africa, there were less than 9 million Christians on the entire continent of Africa. 100 years later, today in 2010, there were over 470 million Christians on the continent of Africa. The gospel is exploding. I don't know if you're familiar with the term Al Jazeera Broadcasting Network. The Al Jazeera Broadcasting Network is one of the largest broadcasting companies in the Middle East. They are used predominantly by radical Islam, militant Islamic leaders to spread the propaganda of radical Islam throughout that part of the world. Al Jazeera Television recently did an interview with an Islamic Sheik from Libya named Ahmed al-Qatani. This is not a Christian, this is not a Christian organization. It's a radical Islamic broadcasting company doing an interview with an Islamic Sheik about what's happening on the continent of Africa because they're so upset about it. Listen to what he said, and I quote, "In Africa, every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity, and every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity." They were doing this interview because they were afraid if they don't say something soon that will not be a Muslim left in all of the continent of Africa. God is alive and it worked all over the world. Now listen, you and I are not just members of a church. We are citizens of a kingdom, and God has birthed our fellowship for such a time as this to join in the greatest global harvest in the history of the world. God's kingdom is alive with activity. Number two, God's kingdom is full of opportunity. The Bible tells us in chapter four of Philippians, Paul says, "No church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but you alone the word shared, there's an interesting word." It's a Greek word that if you know any Greek at all, this is the Greek word you know. It's the word "coinenea." A lot of Bible study groups call themselves the "coinenea class," or the "coinenea Bible study," because "coinenea" is a word that translates into English with the word "fellowship." Now, when we think fellowship, we think Bible study, donuts, coffee pot, casseroles, right, that's fellowship. But the word "fellowship" means something a whole lot more than that. It means to share in the life of another. You see, real Christian fellowship is not just trading cups of coffee. Real Christian fellowship is getting involved, sharing in the life of another person. Paul uses that word to describe how this church engaged in God's activity through him. Paul was a missionary. Paul was traveling all over the known world preaching the gospel and planting churches, and Paul said, "There's not another church on the list that joined in with me like you did." They shared in what God was doing. Listen, a moment ago, I shared with you these statistics of what's going on globally around the world. Did you know that everywhere I named as a church, we're engaged? We're working in Southeast Asia. We're working in North and Southern Africa. We're working in the Middle East, trying to see the gospel translated into the language of a people that have never had access to the gospel before in their language. By being a part of this fellowship together, we are joining in the big picture of what God's doing globally. But it's one thing to be a part of a church that is engaging. It's something else for you as a member, as a part of this fellowship, to be actively engaged in what God is doing locally and globally. You say, "Well, how can I get involved?" Well, let me give you a few ways here real quick. There's a lot we could give. I'm going to limit it to just a few. Number one, you can faithfully pray. You can join in what God's doing through the vehicle of prayer. This church in Philippi was a praying church. They prayed for Paul. They interceded for Paul. The Philippians tells us that. The book of Acts tells us that. They prayed for Paul. You can join in what God's doing by praying. Today when you leave the service out in the lobby, there are going to be a lot of these tables set up that represent ministries locally and globally that we're partnered with engaging our city and the nations for His glory. Many of those tables have got information you can pick up and you can begin to pray. Let me ask you a question. I don't want you to answer it out loud, but I want you to be honest. When's the last time you prayed for something besides you? Lord, I need my bills paid. Lord, I need a new job. God, I need you to fix my marriage. Lord, I need you to do this in my life. God, I need you to heal me of this disease. Lord, I need to raise. God, I need my stocks to go back up. Lord, would you make sure I get my car fixed? God, would you leave me to this direct? God, would you do this? Would you do this? Would you do that? You know what Jesus said? Jesus said, "If you seek first my kingdom, I'll take care of all the rest of that." We're bringing the wrong requests. He said, "I got that. If you'll just seek first the kingdom, you can join in what God's doing by praying that this prayer really makes a difference." Oh, absolutely it does. More than I can even understand theologically. How many of you know what one city in the world contains 10 of the 11 largest Christian churches in the world? Anybody know? Somebody in every service has known where it was. There's one city. Who knows it? Somebody say it out loud. That's it. Seoul, Korea. Seoul, Korea has 10 of the 11 largest Christian churches in the world in one city. Now, when I say large church, I mean large church. I'm talking about one of their churches averages 750,000 people a week. They have a 65,000-seat arena. They do 12 weekend services, Pastor David Cho there in Seoul, Korea. You know what that makes us a nice little Sunday school class, right? 750,000 people in one church. When I understood that 10 of the 11 largest Christian churches in the world were in Seoul, Korea, I started investigating Seoul, Korea. I wanted to know what's going on there. Let me tell you what I found out. In the last 30 years, they've started 30,000 new churches in South Korea. Now to give you some box to put that in, we partner as a church with the Southern Baptist Convention. It's the largest evangelical denomination in the world. Our denomination is 150 years old and we have 45,000 churches. In the last 30 years, they've started 30,000 churches in South Korea. South Korea has held the largest baptismal services since the day of Pentecost. They have the largest theological colleges, seminaries, and universities in the world. And they send more missionaries out of South Korea to reach the peoples of the earth than any other nation on planet earth except the United States of America. And the only reason we outnumber them is because we're six and a half times their size and population base. I said, "Lord, why South Korea?" Let me tell you what I found out. Years ago, 40 Christians gathered at the Myong Song Presbyterian Church in Seoul, South Korea and said, "We're going to meet every morning at 5 a.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year, and we're going to ask God to change our city, our country, and the world." Rain, shine, sleet, snow, didn't matter, 365 days a year, 5 a.m., these 40 Christians came together. Today, 30 years later, at three services, at 4, 5 and 6 a.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year, over 15,000 people gathered at the Myong Song Church to pray for God to change their city, their country, and the world. Can you really be involved in what God's doing by praying? Well, the next time you bump into somebody from South Korea, you just ask them. You do your own historical and economic study on the difference in what's happened in South Korea and North Korea in the last 30 years, and you begin to understand the biblical principles of redemption and lift and how the gospel totally transforms a culture, and you will see the power of prayer. There was a strategy coordinator who worked in the country of China among an unreached people group that saw an explosive movement of the gospel. Listen what he said. He said, "The single most important ingredient to any movement of God among an unreached people group is prayer." You can pray. Number two, you can personally go. Paul tells us here in verse 18 about a man named Epaphroditus. He says, "I have received from Epaphroditus what you have sent." Who is Epaphroditus? Well, it's very important that you know because you're going to bump into him in heaven, and he's going to say, "Did you like what they wrote about me in the Bible?" And you're going to be like, "Oh, I don't know who you are, man." Let me tell you who Epaphroditus was. He was just a regular guy who lived in the city of Philippi. And somebody in that church in Lydia's house shared the gospel with Epaphroditus. And Epaphroditus gave his life to Christ, began to worship in that fellowship in Lydia's house, began to be discipled there, began to serve there, began to use his gifts there. He would come every week, they'd pray together, they'd rejoice, they'd celebrate. And then one day the church took an offering and said, "We want to send this offering to go work with Paul. We want to send somebody to take this offering, to give it to Paul, and then we want them to serve with Paul in his ministry for a season and join in what God's doing." And they said, "Anybody willing to go?" Epaphroditus said, "I'm no pastor. I've never been trained in seminary, but I'll go." You say, "Pastor, how do you know that?" So look back one page in your Bible to chapter two of Philippians verse 25, listen what it says. Paul writes and he says, "I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus." Now how do we know Epaphroditus made it back to the church at Philippi? Because he's the one that brought the letter you're reading. Epaphroditus took an offering to Paul and then Paul sent him back with this letter to give to the church at Philippi. This letter in Philippians is really a big thank you letter from Paul thanking the church at Philippi for joining in what God was doing through his life. So Epaphroditus comes bringing this letter from Paul, listen what Paul describes him as. "I'm sending you Epaphroditus, my brother, my fellow worker, my fellow soldier, who is also your messenger." The word messenger means one commissioned and sent out. Your messenger and minister to me, here's what Paul said, " Epaphroditus has been serving with me. He's joining in the Word. He's a fellow soldier, but before he was with me, he came from you. You commissioned him and you sent him out." Let me tell you who Epaphroditus was. He was the first recorded short-term missionary in history. He went on a short-term trip. I don't know if it was a week, six weeks, six months. But he put his yes on the table and said, "I'll go." You want everyone of you need to do, if you're a Christian and you call this your church home, you know what you need to do? You need to get a passport. You say, "Why?" So that you're ready? If the Lord nudges your heart and says, "Go, you're ready." You see, there are a lot of us willing to go and planning to stay. We need to be planning to go and willing to stay. As a church family, last weekend, we had our membership dinner. We had about 140 people come to our membership gathering there, new folks trying to become new members of our fellowship, exploring, asking questions, a great time. I told them the same thing I've told you if you were ever in one of our membership classes. Here's what I said. I said, "If you join hope and call it your home, we're going to do everything we can to talk you into leaving." I say it kind of joking, but kind of not. You know why? Because Pastor Rick Warren said it this way, "The success of a church is not measured by its seeding capacity, but by its sending capacity." You see, God birthed our church, and we have a passion to see people sent out of our fellowship this morning in our service, Bill and Sandy Steemner. You guys right here wave at us. Bill and Sandy Steemner right here, Bill came to Christ in our fellowship a number of years ago, met his wife Sandy in our fellowship, and they were married. God called them. We commissioned them out a couple of years ago now. They've been serving in Central America with an organization training, thousands of pastors on a national scale through seven different countries there. They're pouring into people that are seeing thousands of people. Let me tell you where they were a few years ago, sitting right where you're sitting. And God's spoken. God called them. We've sent them out. We now have people serving in Southern Africa, working to feed malnourished children. We have people teaching kids in Central and Southeast Asia where we've sent some people to go and invest their lives pouring into the lives of children. We've sent over 300 people out of our fellowship to go be involved in planting other churches in the western United States. Why? Because God raised us up to be about the expansion of his kingdom. And one of the ways you can get involved is by personally going. Let me give you a third way. You can generously give. And I'm not going to talk much about this because we talked about it last weekend. But really this whole text of Scripture in Philippians 4 is about this offering that these people gave. And if you were here last weekend, you heard me read that text out of 2 Corinthians about the church that gave out of their poverty. Let me tell you what church it was. It was the church at Philippi. It was this church. This is that church in Macedonia that gave sacrificially that Paul was describing. You see they understood that giving is not giving to a church. It's giving through a church as an investment in God's activity to expand his kingdom to the end. And here's one of the things I love. I love the opportunity to give here at Hope. My family loves the privilege of being able to live generously and give through this fellowship. Why? Because when you give at Hope, you are giving to a church that gets it and is investing in the kingdom of God. Now Paul closes this by telling us a couple of things. Number one, when we begin to live this way, when we begin to live generously, we begin to live praying for the nations. We begin to live with our yes on the table, ready to go and serve and be involved locally and globally Paul says, "Man, we please the Lord." Listen to how he says it. He says, "I've received everything from Epaphroditus and it's a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God." My beautiful wife is in this service. She's sitting over here. My wife is a baker. She can bake anything that's carbohydrate. I mean if it's a roll, a muffin, a biscuit, cornbread cakes, I mean she can bake it and I don't mean just kind of bake it, I mean bake it. She can bake. One of the great joys of my life is coming home after a long dead office and I crack open that door and those days when she's been baking, it's just like Tuesday or Wednesday night of this week she'd been baking some stuff and I came through the door and it just hit me. I mean I hadn't got the door open good and it was like the scent of heaven, just filling my nostrils and my son Elijah sitting right here, Elijah was sitting on the couch and I looked at him and I said, "Son, you find a woman that can bake like that, you propose on the spot." Here's what the text says. When you and I begin to live kingdom to our Father, it smells good, it's pleasing to him and then the text says, "You cannot out give him." That's verse 19. I mean we all love Philippians 419, right? And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches and glory and Christ Jesus. I mean we could spend all day unpacking those prepositional phrases according to his riches. I'm glad I said his not mine, his riches, in glory, in Christ Jesus. Let me tell you the important truth you need to know about Philippians 419. It's not for everybody, it's conditional. It's not a blank check written to every Christian that says, "Hey, you ever got a need, God will meet it." That's not what it says. And you're headed for disappointment, frustration and disillusionment, if that's what you think it says. It's not what it says. Let me tell you what it says. You seek first the kingdom, you get involved by praying and giving and going. You become a people, you become a family, you become a church, you become an individual that's living first, this kingdom principle and here's what Jesus said, "I got the rest. Don't you worry about it." The last thing I'll say to you is this, God's kingdom is exclusive in its glory. Paul closes this text by saying, "Now to our God and Father." He's written this whole letter thanking this church, celebrating, praising them for their involvement, investment in the kingdom, but he closes it like this, "Hey, it's not about you. Now to our God and Father, be the glory, forever and ever, Amen." The Psalmist said it this way, "God blesses us that all the ends of the earth may fear Him at hope we value joining in God's activity." In Las Vegas, the West and the world as who we are. [BLANK_AUDIO]