Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] This picture hangs on my office wall.
[00:00:04] Technically, it's three pictures. So these three pictures hang on my office wall. I chose it. When we planted this church two years ago, we were brand new and it felt like every single decision was critical.
[00:00:20] Every choice we made would shape the future of this church.
[00:00:25] So I needed this picture to point me back to. To what's true.
[00:00:29] We are part of something much bigger.
[00:00:32] God is God and God is good.
[00:00:35] And God is in control.
[00:00:39] You might know that the rings inside a tree tell the tree's age. A tree with 83 rings would be how many years old?
[00:00:49] 83.
[00:00:51] So a lot happened in those 83 years. But it all worked out according to God's plan. And these rings tell stories, right? Their width and their color are tales of thriving or statements of suffering.
[00:01:06] A wide ring with a lot of growth was a wet year. A dark scar is a wound from a wildfire.
[00:01:14] It really is intriguing.
[00:01:22] Thank you.
[00:01:24] So this picture reminds me that our church is young and growing, but we are built on the foundation of the eternal God and the future is in his hands.
[00:01:36] But I look at this and I see a timeline of the church. Like right here. This is the beginning of the New Testament church.
[00:01:43] And then this is the first service of Dover Baptist Church on this property in 1865.
[00:01:51] Same property.
[00:01:53] Here is the beginning of Grace Community Church, its first service in a home in Tyler.
[00:02:00] This is 2024 when Pastor James Anderson, who just read our scripture, by the way, if you don't know Pastor James, you are missing out.
[00:02:09] You need to know him.
[00:02:11] So this is when Pastor Anderson was the pastor of Dover Baptist Church here. And he led their to gift this property and facility to Grace for what would become Grace Community Church's Dover campus.
[00:02:26] Amen indeed. Yes. Thank you. And here we are today.
[00:02:31] That means I predict this world will end in the year. Nah, I'm not.
[00:02:36] I'm not going there.
[00:02:38] We are going to have a dot race around the tree though.
[00:02:42] But these rings tell stories, right? They are tales of thriving and statements of suffering. There's growth and there are wounds.
[00:02:52] And through it all, God worked everything according to his plan.
[00:02:56] So let's pray.
[00:02:58] God, thank you that you are good and faithful and kind and merciful and able to do infinitely more than we might ask or think.
[00:03:12] Thank you for what you are doing here this morning.
[00:03:16] God, we give you our hearts, our attention.
[00:03:19] Have your way, spirit. Preach a better sermon than I will.
[00:03:23] For the glory of your name, Jesus. Amen. Here are some of this week's news headlines. High military tensions between the US And Iran.
[00:03:33] Russia and Ukraine are still at war.
[00:03:36] A drone strike in south Sudan killed 153 people. Civil unrest and protest in France. LeBron's wearing a Sixers jersey.
[00:03:46] Prices are high. Ebola is spreading. AI is unpredictable. Justice seems subjective.
[00:03:53] When we look at the state of our world, A question rises to the top of the sludge. And the question we ask is, God, where are you?
[00:04:04] Where are you in war and pain and fear? When we're surrounded by tragedy and chaos, we ask God, where are you?
[00:04:12] Where were you in Van Zandt county this week?
[00:04:17] Where are you in marriages that are collapsing?
[00:04:22] Where are you when our children won't speak to us?
[00:04:25] Where are you when I lost my job? Where are you when the thing that defined me has been taken away? God, where are you?
[00:04:33] And our text today in Ephesians gives us an answer. God is here in and among his people, the church.
[00:04:42] God is here, working everything according to his plan. That's what our study of Ephesians shows us over and over. Everything works out according to God's plan. Under the authority of Christ, everything works out.
[00:04:55] We look at the news and we see some big problems, and they are met by a bigger God.
[00:05:01] Our world is falling apart.
[00:05:04] God's plan was in place before that world was even made.
[00:05:08] So if you're using a Bible from the back, we're on page 705. If you don't have a Bible, I mean it, please take one. They are there for you. So page 705, Ephesians 2.
[00:05:19] First, we're going to look at verses 11 and 13.
[00:05:22] And they show us that God is here because there is no distance between people and God.
[00:05:30] We once were far from God, separated by an immeasurable abyss. But then, verse 13, yes, once you are far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
[00:05:43] It's faith in Jesus that spans the distance between people and God.
[00:05:50] That alone.
[00:05:52] Before we go any further, there's a word used a lot in these verses, Gentiles. That's not a word I use a whole lot. So just to clear up what. What's meant by that, let's do a little history.
[00:06:03] In the Old Testament, the left side of the Bible, the beginning, God chose a man named Abraham to be the father of his chosen people, the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel was divided into 12 tribes. One of them was named Judah. That was shortened to the word we know as Jew.
[00:06:18] Eventually, a Jew was anyone whose heritage is traced back to the nation of Israel.
[00:06:25] So anyone who's not Jewish with a connection way back to Abraham is called a Gentile.
[00:06:31] So safe to assume most everyone in this room is a Gentile. So the letter was written to a church where there were people from God's chosen people, the nation of Israel, and people outside of that.
[00:06:43] We're going to see that the blood of Christ unites us. So when you hear Gentile, it's saying you Dover today also.
[00:06:50] So verse 11, don't forget that you Gentiles, we used to be outsiders.
[00:06:57] You were called uncircumcised heathens spicy by the Jews.
[00:07:04] They were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies, not their hearts.
[00:07:11] So that says closing the distance between people and God requires a total change of heart.
[00:07:20] Jesus put an exclamation point on this one time when he was challenged by Pharisees. Pharisees were religious leaders who, they wanted to pursue God by following rules more than imitating his love and mercy. But they challenged Jesus. And these interactions are so fun to watch. Like, you gotta read these stories and imagine being there.
[00:07:39] Imagine these guys who just wanted to follow rules and wanted everybody to be perfect and follow their rules. And then there was Jesus, who is Jesus, who is so kind and full of grace, but he also calls balls and strikes.
[00:07:54] So here's a conversation Matthew recorded. Jesus said, what sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law, and you Pharisees, hypocrites.
[00:08:04] For you're so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you're filthy, full of greed and self indulgence, you blind Pharisee. First wash the inside of the cup, then the outside will become clean too.
[00:08:21] He said, your heart has to change, and that is what spans and closes the distance between us. And God is letting Jesus change you from the inside out.
[00:08:34] Okay, back to Ephesians 2.
[00:08:37] The end of verse 12 shows us what happens when that distance is closed, when Jesus radically changes us.
[00:08:44] Before you knew Jesus, you lived in this world without God and without hope.
[00:08:51] Now that you have a relationship with Jesus, he has restored you to God.
[00:08:55] You have hope.
[00:08:58] If you have God, you have hope. And there is no disclaimer that says, except if you've done this, except if you're going through this. If you have God, you have hope even in your struggles.
[00:09:11] Back in the Old Testament, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. And he said, I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good, not for disaster.
[00:09:22] To give you a future and a hope.
[00:09:25] If you Have God, you have hope.
[00:09:29] And here's the best part about this. The verse before this one gives some context to the situation and makes this promise even more beautiful.
[00:09:38] This is what the Lord says.
[00:09:40] You will be in Babylon, not a good place.
[00:09:44] You will be in Babylon for 70 years, but then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised.
[00:09:53] This promise was delivered to people in their suffering, in their hurting, in their pain.
[00:10:01] God said, yes, you are in it, and I see you. And I will come and I will fulfill all my promises. I will work everything together for your good.
[00:10:11] For those who love God, this promise is extended.
[00:10:15] These people have been forced out of their home, out of their country, and hope was not something they grabbed when they ran out of their house.
[00:10:24] So God said, I am your hope.
[00:10:28] I am your hope, and I will come into your suffering and work everything out for your good according to my plan.
[00:10:35] And Ephesians tells us this hope only comes into our life through the blood of Jesus. Verse 13. You have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
[00:10:46] Say it again. Only the blood of Jesus spans the distance between us and God.
[00:10:51] Everyone, everyone who trusts Jesus as Savior is forgiven and saved and restored to God.
[00:10:59] And the blood of Christ is the only bridge.
[00:11:02] Let me show you this. I was in Zambia recently. Man, they've got a sweet flag. Not as great as the stars and stripes, but it's cool.
[00:11:10] I was there a month ago on a mission trip and. Wait, hold off on that. Hold off.
[00:11:15] I was there a month ago on a mission trip. We had a few hours to rest and adjust to the time difference, but instead of doing that, we went to see one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.
[00:11:27] Ooh. Ah.
[00:11:30] Side note, I'll never get over how lazy the naming of this is.
[00:11:35] What should we call this? Falling water?
[00:11:39] Falling water Waterfall.
[00:11:43] Another side note, this is a baboon eating trash at the waterfall. I just thought that was funny.
[00:11:51] So here's the point we're getting to. This is a picture of our team crossing a bridge.
[00:11:55] It connects two peaks that are separated by this bridge. But what you can't see here, if you were on that bridge and you look down, water falling out of that waterfall is angrily boiling and churning underneath it. It's roaring out of that waterfall underneath this.
[00:12:14] There is no getting from peak to peak without that bridge. It is not happening, period.
[00:12:21] That's what the blood of Christ does. It bridges the distance between us and God, and there is no other way.
[00:12:29] Another beautiful thing it does. It closes the distance between us between followers of Jesus.
[00:12:36] Verse 14. Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people, when in his body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
[00:12:52] The death of Jesus ended division.
[00:12:56] And when he was resurrected, we were reconciled.
[00:13:00] The blood of Jesus ends division between believers. And this is a truth that we want to see here at Grace Dover.
[00:13:11] There's no division between believers, so there should be no division here. Not everyone should look like you.
[00:13:17] I'm speaking to everyone.
[00:13:21] Not everybody should think and act and look and vote and smell like you.
[00:13:27] You can even be a Broncos fan.
[00:13:38] I mean, really. I saw on the news last night a story about a fundraiser for families who were hurting.
[00:13:46] And they gotta be asking God, where are you? And God rolled up in the form of Big Jim.
[00:13:52] And he said on the news, there is no division.
[00:13:55] Doesn't matter your creed or your race. When there's tragedy, we're united, my brother. You're the church.
[00:14:02] That's who we're called to be.
[00:14:05] There is no division. There's no separation.
[00:14:09] The death of Jesus was the end of division. It should not be here. James 2:1. My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
[00:14:21] If you treat someone differently because they're not just like you, how can you even claim to have faith?
[00:14:28] Ephesians 2:16. Our hostility towards each other was put to death.
[00:14:34] The body of Jesus was torn apart so that the church could be united.
[00:14:38] So there should be no division here.
[00:14:42] Amen. Hallelujah. Yes, we agree.
[00:14:46] When that division is destroyed. Verse 20. Together we are his house.
[00:14:53] Not this building is God's house. We are his house. On Sunday, when you roll out of the parking lot or off the grass, that is when the church leaves this place, when the doors are locked and it goes out into a hurting world.
[00:15:11] Speaking of driving, have you driven in Dallas on 6:35 recently or in the last 30 years?
[00:15:17] Either way, it's under construction.
[00:15:20] Always has been, always will be.
[00:15:23] It is a road that's functional. It's also being made better.
[00:15:27] We're God's house. And verse 22, you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives. You are God's house, and you are becoming God's house. You both are.
[00:15:40] And you are being made.
[00:15:42] Here's the hard question.
[00:15:44] As you are being made, what is shaping you?
[00:15:48] What are the everyday choices you're making that's forming who you're becoming?
[00:15:53] What are you becoming?
[00:15:57] What if you ask the people close to you?
[00:16:01] What if you looked at your Internet history?
[00:16:05] What if you checked your bank account or your calendar?
[00:16:10] What if you tried to find your Bible?
[00:16:13] What are you watching?
[00:16:15] Who are you listening to? What are you becoming? And do you like it?
[00:16:19] Are you proud of who you're becoming?
[00:16:23] I'm not trying to pick on you. I mean, I ask myself these questions all week.
[00:16:29] Here's the thing. If you feel convicted and need to make some changes, what a great resource you have because you Gentiles are being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his spirit.
[00:16:40] The spirit of the living God is in you.
[00:16:45] You're not doing it alone. He is a prayer away and he's happy to help you. And you could start by praying the prayer. I've experienced the most life transformation from God. Would you change my heart?
[00:16:57] Not my actions, not my behaviors? Would you change my heart? This prayer has radically changed my life.
[00:17:05] It is the only reason I'm here today. If you would have known me 10 years ago and I would have said, I'm going to be your pastor, you would have laughed and stepped away so you didn't get hit by lightning.
[00:17:14] I remember I prayed that for a season. I have a route that I run, and in one place I'd pray for two of my friends and their families and their ministries. And then I would pray right after that. God, would you change my heart?
[00:17:24] And then a time after, I was talking to Christy about something and I told her something, and she was just staring at me and I was like, do I have something on my face? Is my hair growing back?
[00:17:35] She was like, no. You just told me that happened, and I was waiting for you to react like you normally do.
[00:17:40] She said, something's changing.
[00:17:42] I said, oh, yeah, I've been asking God to do that.
[00:17:45] If you pray that he will do it, just say, God, would you change my my heart?
[00:17:51] And if you're wrestling with what you're becoming, you're in good company.
[00:17:56] Dover Baptist Church had its first service here on this same property in 1865, on this same verse.
[00:18:03] Ephesians 2:22, 1865, they wrestled with the same things.
[00:18:10] They were gathered that day. They were God's house. They were wrestling with who they were becoming.
[00:18:16] They walked in with their own struggles, and their pastor reminded them, God is here in and among his church.
[00:18:24] And then many years later, on Monday, February 8, 2010, Dover Baptist Church was destroyed by fire.
[00:18:30] It was one of 10 East Texas churches that was Burned down a string of arsons.
[00:18:36] While the pastor and several of the congregants were watching their church burn, I imagined a question that that was stirring among them was, God, where are you?
[00:18:47] Where are you?
[00:18:50] A month later, God answered that question, and he roared into the Dover parking lot on a Harley.
[00:18:55] Dozens of volunteers with the Christian Motorcycle association came to help Dover clean up and rebuild.
[00:19:02] One of the volunteers, Joe Rhodes, said, I firmly believe God can turn all things to good, and that's what he's doing here that'll preach.
[00:19:11] God was working everything out.
[00:19:13] Dover was rebuilt three times its original size.
[00:19:19] One of the members said, we're making it big enough so we can have a lot of young people, and this will be something for them after we're gone.
[00:19:26] Dover has a history of looking beyond themselves, having vision for the future.
[00:19:32] During one of our first meetings, Pastor Anderson said, I didn't understand why they rebuilt such a big church.
[00:19:39] But he said, I see now it's for this.
[00:19:45] Also. Those young people did show up. They're just. They're right down the hallway together. We are his house.
[00:19:52] Built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, and the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
[00:19:58] So fire can destroy buildings, but it can't break the foundation of God's dwelling place.
[00:20:04] This building is not the church.
[00:20:06] You are God's church.
[00:20:10] You are God's house, and the spirit of God is in you. And Jesus holds it all together.
[00:20:15] When it feels like it's falling apart, Jesus is holding it together.
[00:20:20] If your heart today is broken into a thousand pieces, Jesus is holding them together.
[00:20:26] When you ask God, where are you?
[00:20:30] God is here, in and among his people, the church, using his church to work everything out according to his plan.
[00:20:39] Amen.
[00:20:40] I'm going to invite the worship team up.
[00:20:44] I'm just going to give us a moment just to reflect on this. If there's somewhere in your life that you're asking God, where are you?
[00:20:53] Just bring that to him.
[00:20:56] You can be asking that in doubt, in fear, in anger, in hope.
[00:21:02] Whatever it is, he meets you there. So, God, would you hear our prayers?
[00:21:10] God, would you speak to us?
[00:21:14] Maybe somebody just needs to be reminded today that you see them.
[00:21:18] But in this moment, would you hear our prayers?
