FREE.CHURCH - FREE CHURCH OAK PARK
FREE.CHURCH - FREE CHURCH OAK PARK
I Will Always Be...A Bringer II // Pastor Chuck Colegrove // October 27th, 2024
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What's up? Free Church man you look good. You sound good today, and what a powerful time in God's presence. I don't think it's done yet, but I just want to celebrate something incredible. Last week we closed out Freeway 301 for our monthly session of the freeway.
Speaker 2:We had 20 graduates.
Speaker 1:I'm going to read off these names. Try to get them right Alejandro Bajruman. Christian Sandoval, donna Marie Martin, dylan Zinke.
Speaker 2:Ada.
Speaker 1:Ramirez, abba Tejada, jenny D'Souza, jessica Page, judith Rodriguez, kayla Vasquez, kaya Kane, mckinty Hayes-Harden, marco Markovic, matthew Rodriguez, nicole Heron, Julio Hereta, rebaik, tanya Reyes, thomas Damian, adonis Fernandez and Zoe Zinke. Come on everybody. Congratulations, congratulations everyone. So good, so good, so good. We had a great time. In fact, we have another round of the freeway coming, starting November 10th. So if you've not done the freeway and want to get on the path to membership and making a difference, join us for November 10th after service. The first one, freeway 101, is a little. We serve a light snack, a little continental type snack, and then 201 is the following week and we serve another snack again, and then 301, we serve you a great lunch and we close it out with all of our team joining us for that one. So incredible man, it is a great time to be at Free Church, so excited in this house, it's like gotta wake up early on.
Speaker 1:Sunday and get to church as fast as we can. There's an excitement in the air. It's the fall season, a little crisp weather. Get some sweaters out. I saw like jeans Sunday. Today Everybody's got jeans on. Feel like fall. So, man, I'm ready to preach God's word. Are you ready to receive it today? Here we go.
Speaker 1:The year was 2004. And we were living in Houston at the time, Ursh and I, and just the two bigger E's, Ethan and Elliot. We did not know that we were going to have twins yet, so it was just a family of four. But my friend gave me a call and he was like hey, I want you to know. He's a lifelong friend.
Speaker 1:We grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, together. He came to my dad's church, His family came. We were probably like nine, ten years old, and so we were just man. We became great friends. We would ride our bikes all over the city together and just man. We would ride from one side of town to the other side of town to go swimming or to play basketball or whatever we could do when we were young enough before we could drive. We were just on our bikes, and then we spent so much time together and then our paths kind of went separate ways as he went off to college on the East Coast and Roshan and I got married and moved to Texas and so. But we stayed connected, close friends, and he called. He said he's a couple years older than I was and we were already married, but he was single at the time and he was like Chuck, you're never going to believe it, I'm getting married. I'm like awesome, that's great, John.
Speaker 2:Finally and so and then he was like and we're gonna get married in Italy. I was like that's amazing.
Speaker 1:Oh, it could be even better. That is incredible. And he said and I want you to go with us. And I was like wow that's a really big ask.
Speaker 2:And then he was like and then he's like, but I'm gonna pay for it.
Speaker 1:I was like we're going you like to ask me twice, and we went and did part of the ceremony. It was beautiful, it was a wonderful time. It was one of those trips of a lifetime.
Speaker 1:But it really was this idea of like man for him to think about us and to bring us along on that trip was incredible to us. It's the year I learned you never know what you're missing if you're not bringing. You never know what you're missing if you're not bringing. So turn to your neighbor and say I will always be a bringer. And to the other one you've been ignoring all service long. Just lean over to them and say you look so good today.
Speaker 1:So last week I started this message of I will always be a bringer, and we got through the first half of it. I didn't get to the fun part of it, which is today, but just for recap, we talked a little bit about just kind of the idea of like really solid foundation of being a follower of Jesus, and if I were to give you like this is what I think would be your best bet to experience the best out of church life and to really experience all that God has to do in you and through you and for his glory, but as a part of the church, this is what I'd say. I would encourage you you should attend weekly, you should support faithfully, join a small group, even serve on a team, and finally invite others consistently, invite others consistently again and again and and and that little phrase could just be called. When you invite people consistently, you become a bringer.
Speaker 2:You're bringing people with you on the journey I don't think this life of following jesus was ever meant to be lived alone on your own.
Speaker 1:I know you're on your own journey, but there I think there's always somebody who should be following you, that there's. There should always be somebody that you're on your own journey but, I, think there's always somebody who should be following you, that there should always be somebody that you're bringing along. Jesus brought along quite a few. I mean, he picked out 12 right at the beginning to bring along with him, and they even got to see some of the things that no one else got to see.
Speaker 1:And I just wonder sometimes in this life if we get so caught up in our own self, that we forget that it really isn't all about us. In fact, I think that's why that song that we just sang what a God, what a God hits differently.
Speaker 2:It's because it reminds us it's not about us.
Speaker 1:If the only place I would get is to your feet, Jesus, then I've made it far enough. Like it's not about me.
Speaker 2:If I don't hear one other word, I've already heard enough from one word from you.
Speaker 1:And so it's not about us, and I think we have to get past the point of when we come into this space, it definitely is all about the Lord, not about us, but it's also about others, this space it definitely is all about the lord not about us, but it's also about others, so it's a hard.
Speaker 2:It's a hard context to kind of live in this space of like.
Speaker 1:We want it to be about us, but it's really about everybody else, and that's why some of you who've been here for the longest time you've heard the same the year was story several times but that story is not for you it's for somebody else that's not heard it yet and, honestly, to come up with 50 something, the year was sometimes a challenge over 10 years, 12 years of doing this. There's a challenge to come up with. A new year was every year. I don't like to do like current year story, so I got to go back and I have to sometimes use the same story of him and go back to 1980s. It always shocks you when I do it.
Speaker 2:So I want to skip ahead to the scripture.
Speaker 1:If you follow along in the notes, I want to skip ahead to the book of Luke, chapter 14. And let's skip ahead to verse. I think it's verse 15, if you will, I left off because Jesus 15, if you will, I left off because Jesus had told a parable. Remember that he was at a gathering. It was a. It was a gathering for lunch and discussion.
Speaker 1:And there's everybody at the table, and then there's this whole group of people around the table that are watching and listening and you know it's, it's sometimes you can liken it to like everybody.
Speaker 2:When we're in the house of God, there's people serving there's people in great. Like making Sunday happen and we get to come in.
Speaker 1:And just lift our hands and worship. And so this is what happens in the story. I'll just tell you the parable again, so you know. Then the master told his servant Go out to the roads. Oh no, let's go, skip ahead, you need to find.
Speaker 2:Did I put Luke 14 and 15 in there or no Verse 16. Did I put it in?
Speaker 1:there If I did tell me no. No, I did not. Okay so let's go to verse 23. Then the master told his servant go out to the roads and the country lanes and compel them to come in so that my house will be full, all right. So I'm going to just set the story of the parable that Jesus told. Jesus told the parable and he said go out and fill this table with people, because I want this house to be full.
Speaker 1:And I'm going to have this gathering, this dinner, and so his servants went out, the master's servants went out and invited people in, and some had excuses. Remember we talked about there were three excuses there were possessions, there were, uh, passions and there were people, and those were excuses that would stop you from experiencing a chance to be at the seat or at the table or in the room to see what was happening, and and so we talked about that. But then I want to just lean into this space of being a bringer, because remember, last week we talked about that.
Speaker 1:But then I want to just lean into this space of being a bringer Because, remember, last week we talked about Jesus wants the house to be full. Jesus wants the house to be full.
Speaker 2:We don't necessarily like the house to be full.
Speaker 1:Because when we see an empty seat, we see it as a comfort level. It's like, oh, I'm going to sit in the empty row because I have some elbow room. But Jesus wants the house to be full and he's like we need to fill this place, and so he sets up the idea for how we are to get people to come with us. And so this is what he says to the servants he says number one go quickly into the streets and the alleys of the town.
Speaker 2:So, to be a bringer number one, you have to go out quickly. Everybody say go out quickly.
Speaker 1:When Jesus says go out quickly, he's saying go with the sense of urgency. Go with the sense of urgency because tomorrow is not promised. Now, if you've been around church life at all, I grew up, I was born on Sunday and church the next Sunday Didn't miss a Sunday. Growing up Doesn't make me better than anybody else, but for the context of what I'm about to say, it will help you understand. Every Sunday it was preached to us Jesus is coming back and when the altar call came on Sunday night it would be like you better get your life right now, because Monday is not promised.
Speaker 2:And I would be like first one in the altar. Listen, I'm not going to miss out.
Speaker 1:If Jesus comes Monday, I want to be ready. We're not promised. There needs to be a sense of urgency, because tomorrow is not promised. The scripture says in Matthew that there will be wars in the end days. There will be wars and rumors of wars.
Speaker 2:It says that nation will turn against nation there will be all kinds of storms. Life is going to all kind of storms, life is going to be out of control.
Speaker 1:And another passage it says as in the days of Noah, will be the time that I return again, so you don't have to look very close to see. These have to be the last days, and we need to have a sense of urgency about getting the people who are close to us but far from God in the house, to experience what he wants to do.
Speaker 2:So you have to go out quickly.
Speaker 1:Number two Go out compassionately. And he says this in verse 21. He says go out to the roads and the country lanes and compel. Compel the lame and the lost and anyone who doesn't look like they should even belong, invite them, get them, bring them in. So we should go out compassionately, meaning we should go out indiscriminately, or we should go out with prejudice.
Speaker 2:We don't have to prejudge who can come to church and who can't come to church. We are just given the drive the command to go out, so we go out quickly.
Speaker 1:We go out compassionately. We see the people that need Jesus the most, and they don't have to look like us and they don't have to act like us, they don't have to dress like us. And they don't have to talk like us and they don't have to act like us. They don't have to dress like us and they don't have to talk like us. In fact, sometimes it's a little bit more fun when people who are sinful come into this house so that the lord can lead their lives.
Speaker 1:So they become sinless and it's like sometimes we need people around us who are a little rough on the edges, to remind us where we used to be.
Speaker 1:Like I wonder, sometimes we forget where Jesus brought me from my parents used to sing this song if you'd see where Jesus brought me from to where I am today, then you would know the reason why I love him. So it's my desire to live for God, but listen, we don't need to go alone. And I wonder how many times we walk past the person. So it's my desire to live for God, but listen, we don't need to go alone. And I wonder how many times we walk past the person in the office space or in the marketplace or on the street.
Speaker 1:And all they know in their heart, crying out if anybody would see me. If anybody might recognize me, if anybody might know me. And it just takes one invite, one ask. That would change a life forever. So we need to go out quickly, we need to go out compassionately. The third one we need to go out consistently, we need to go out consistently he says go out into the country lanes and the roads.
Speaker 2:and this was after he had gone out the servant had gone out and invited people in and the master recognized around the table that there was still room around the table and so he sent it back out.
Speaker 1:He said go out again we'll make more room, we'll put in more seats, we'll add more services, we'll make more room, we'll put in more seats, we'll add more services, we'll get more food. Whatever we have to do, there will always be room. So go out consistently, meaning go out again and again, invite again and again. So we go out quickly, we go out compassionately, we go out quickly, we go out compassionately, we go out consistently. And then, finally, we go out and compel them Luke 14, 23,. Compel them to come in so that my house may be full, compel them. You know, it's interesting to me the Greek word where we get the word compel from, means to constrain to drive or to threaten by way of force.
Speaker 1:So essentially what the master was saying to the servants was go ahead and kidnap them.
Speaker 2:Kidnap them.
Speaker 1:And bring them in.
Speaker 2:And so for next week, big Ask Sunday if any of you have a band just pull up, open that door, compel them, compel them no, please don't do that not liberal not somebody said too late not liberal, but this is, this is what I want you to know, it's because jesus is trying to tell the people in the room that had excuses, that people in the room that were trying to get the best seat in the house.
Speaker 2:People in the room that were trying to be around the best people he was trying to show them that it's really not, uh it's not about what they really want most out of the situation. It's about who else can be in the room to experience what is going to be experienced.
Speaker 1:And so we need to go out quickly, we go out compassionately, we go out consistently and we compel them to come, and this is why I think it's so important that you get these into you and that this would be as, as we close out this, I will always be serious. We get to this space of like I. It's not that I will always be a bringer. I have to be a bringer Because, because this is why, because heaven is real.
Speaker 2:And our mission is to populate heaven, but hell is real as well.
Speaker 1:And hell is raging a battle against us and I know, when you read in the back of this book, that we win, but we win through the power of Jesus and I would tell you that. I don't want to be up by myself when we win. So we need to go out quickly, compassionately, consistently and compel them to come in, and last week we sent out a digital invite and you can use that to send to people and friends, and this week we have little invite cards, and by little I mean little, they're like you got to look at them.
Speaker 1:But, we did it on purpose, because we want it to be easy for you to have and you just basically you're just going to go out and you're going to start compelling people and you're going to start like hey listen let's go, we have something happening. We have some duck boys. I want to encourage you to take a handful of these five or ten and use these full of these five or ten and use these and pack, pack a punch when you go in to invite people.
Speaker 2:Next sunday is probably one of the most important sundays of the year, it's big ass sunday and we don't do big ass sunday in order to have the biggest crowd.
Speaker 1:we do it in order to see the greatest movement of people from where they are to where God wants them, and the biggest step from people who have not made a decision to follow Jesus to follow Jesus. And I was thinking about this whole idea of going out and why it's so important. It's because your story matters.
Speaker 1:Your story matters. In fact, if Free Church really is a home for every story, people need to hear your story, and so I would encourage you. However, you do this invite. If you use social media like, get your story out there, let people know. Condense it to like two minutes or less and tell people your story because people, you, you will be amazed. People think you've always had it all together.
Speaker 1:People think you never lose your temper. People think you're always on time. People think you just got in, they are wow, and they don't know that you have a past. They don't know that you struggled. They don't know that you have a past. They don't know that you struggled. They don't know that you have a history, but that that history is his story from now on. And I just wonder, I wonder what would happen if every one of us would wake up with the desire to be a bringer, and what might happen next sunday as we gather, and then we have to say, man, we'll have to add another service, we'll have to add another service.
Speaker 2:Because there will always be room at the table There'll always be room.
Speaker 1:So I want to encourage you to get these cards and go out and compel people by force if necessary. I think there's probably only one time that you can do that and that's when your kids are younger and you just pick them up and put them in a seatbelt and drive to church. That's about the only time that you can compel with force. But let me just say, I just want to encourage you as we, as we go into this week, to go into this week and with your eyes open and with your heart engaged and just say Holy Spirit, lead me to the right people. And I want to invite people and if you invited them last year, invite them again this year. If you invited them last week, invite them again this week.
Speaker 1:And really, just let's lean in and let's just see what God might do through us and in us as we get our story out there, through us and in us, as we get our story out there. And I know like hey, we. I mean this is a different message and it's a condensed version because it's part two and part two is shorter than part one. But listen, I think it's that important for me to take one Sunday and talk about the necessity of us doing this with the people that we can bring.
Speaker 2:It'll make a difference, and this is what I'm going to tell you.
Speaker 1:So I'm about to do this in the service, but for right now I'm going to tell you when I'm closing the service next week and it's time to ask. If anybody Wants to make a decision to follow Jesus, then I this is what I'll do. I'll say, okay, every eye closed, every hand bowed, just like I do every week. I'm going to do this in a few minutes and when I do that, I'm going to give you the permission If you bring somebody with you. If you don't bring anybody, you got to close your eyes and you got to pray. But if you bring somebody with you, you can close your eyes as an example to the person you brought. But then I give you the permission, when I get to two, to just peek out of one eye. And when I say three, let me see that hand. When you see your friend raise their hand, it will change your life about being a bringer. And so if you bring somebody, you can do that.
Speaker 1:If you don't bring somebody, you got to close your eyes all the whole time you got to trust me when I say I see that hand, that really is a hand as a hand. But I just I want to tell you that because I want you to get something inside of you that shows you the power of your story and your willingness to do what Jesus commands us to do to go out into the streets and just fill this house, not because Free Church needs to have a certain number, but I will tell you that every number represents a story, and every seat number represents a story, and every seat filled represents a victory, and and every it represents a family for generations following jesus. So I want to just encourage you to do that. I'm going to ask you to close your eyes right now and bow your heads and I think, just in the power of this service, I think through the worship time, the Holy Spirit actually already did all the work and prepared for this moment. But maybe you're in this room and you're here and you've never made a decision to follow Jesus. Or maybe, if you were to be honest with yourself and say you know, really I made a decision to follow Jesus before, but my path has really not been the path of following Jesus. And if? If that's the case, then this is the perfect time just To once again make a declaration that he is the Lord and Savior of your life.
Speaker 1:What, what does that all mean? Well, it starts by believing you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross. And what does that all mean? Well, it starts by believing you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and he was beaten. He was put in a tomb and the whole world went dark and it seemed like the enemy had won. But man, little did they know Three days later that stone would roll away and Jesus would rise again, conquering death, hell and the grave. And he did that for you also, to be able to conquer sin. And actually I've always said that sin is really not what we do. It's where we are, it's the place of our life, and sin is the gap between us and God. And when Jesus came and stretched his arms on the cross, he bridged that gap between us and our Heavenly Father and he made a way. And Romans tells us Paul writes that if you believe in your heart, so when you believe that Jesus died and rose again on the third day for you, when you believe that in your heart, if you confess it with your mouth, you'll be saved. It's just that simple.
Speaker 1:And if that's you in this room, you've never made a decision to follow Jesus. I just want to compel you today to make that decision. It will be the best decision you've ever made. The thing is, we're all on this journey, from where we are to where God wants us. We're at different steps along the way, but the best step is the first step, and that's to make a declaration for him to be your Lord and Savior.
Speaker 1:And if that's you in this room, I'm going to count to three and I want you to raise your hand and just say that's me, pc. I want to begin to follow Jesus. Are you ready? One I've been praying for this moment all week long. Our prayer team's been praying for this moment all week long. Two you know in your heart, if tomorrow which is not promised the Lord came back, where would you spend eternity? With the Lord? Or would you spend eternity With the Lord, or would you be separated forever from Him? Today's your chance to get it right.
Speaker 1:Three let me see your hands all over this room. Thank you for that hand. Wow, thank you for that hand. Thank you for that hand. Thank you for that hand. Thank you, thank you for that hand. Come on church. Let's all pray this prayer together. Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me. Thank you for dying on the cross For my sins so I can know my heavenly father. I confess you are my lord and savior. I turn from my own ways and I follow your ways, and I know that I'll never be the same with you in my life. In Jesus name, we pray Amen.