Beyond Sunday: Guide for ALL people
Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.
God invites all peoples/nations to walk with Him. From God, and in Jesus, we are offered life. We hope for all people to come, follow Jesus and receive new life. Will I accept this invitation to follow Jesus and will I extend the invitation to those around me?
Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.
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00:00:02 [Music] Hey guys, welcome to another episode of Beyond Sunday where we desire to take the conversation deeper and uh we have Aaron joining us. Aaron preached at C3 and uh Shay was given the word but you guys had family camp so a little different rhythm. Uh but before we dive into the conversation, check out this video. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] All right, guys. Welcome back. Uh again, as we said that Aaron was preaching at C3 and Shay at uh family camp. And so what was the um what was the big idea,
00:01:21 Aaron, in the scriptures? Um so we were in Revelation um a little bit but also in first Peter um and John and basically looking at how God is the guide for all people um and that also leads us into transformation. Um we're invited to see our lives be transformed by relationship with the Lord and and how that can influence everything. Yeah. Yeah. Uh it was beautifully delivered. I I was able to to listen to it um and watch it uh from afar. But um yeah, I I loved even the progression, Erin, of you
00:02:03 know, before uh before preaching this, you were traveling in in in Thailand and visiting visiting friends. And there was the thought even prior to going that like, oh, you know, um God is the guide for all people, for all nations. and sort of even what uh John lays out in Revelation and that um even in the midst of of that and even planning for this message, God was u maybe steering you in in maybe even a a broader sense if you could say broader of like for all nations in the whole world, God was even
00:02:39 like well also in your backyard of of uh like people who what was the what was the statement you made in in in the sermon was like you don't have to be likable for God to be the savior, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I stole that from your notes actually. Um so, thanks for that. That was helpful. Uh we were kind of in a different uh we were in Psalm 67. Uh and then actually Isaiah 40, which wasn't part of the lectionary um reading for this week, but uh it's something that I've been uh meditating
00:03:12 on for a couple weeks now, and it just was hitting um because we were at camp and so we were outside in creation. And so, uh, still the idea that, uh, he's a god for all people and and kind of your your concept, Erin, of like, uh, maybe it's easier for us to think about him being a god for like all these nations out here, um, but knowing that he's he's also a god for, uh, the people right around us that we may or may not like or uh, enjoy being around or whatever. But the the thing I think that that hit for
00:03:43 me and maybe just being at camp was um I don't know in in creation I'm reminded of how big God is and that still uh as big and magnificent and incredible as God is, he's a God for all people. Um and and so whether I need to remember that he's for me or that I need to remember that he's for those around me. Um, and Psalm 67 also, um, yeah, just kind of has that refrain like he's for all the nations, but it also calls out like to praise and to and when we praise, um, there's something about it helps people know that he's for them
00:04:16 also. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. So, um the the different setting being at camp and being out in creation, um I'm uh like that that God this is a God who meets us in in all the places. Yeah. You you guys are actually in a different rhythm. I mean, it's an annual rhythm, but it's not a a weekly rhythm. Yeah. Well, and I the reminder of so you guys both know because we've been in this group together uh of pastors doing some of the different practices of Jesus, but I was a year ago in the same camp as
00:04:54 when we had started practicing solitude, which I'm uh way better at now, but a year ago I love your favorite. No, you love it. It's still not my favorite. It's still not my favorite thing. A year ago really wasn't my favorite thing. And the first time I ever like actually tried to practice solitude was at this camp and I thought I was like 20 minutes in and I was like, "Okay, I did pretty good." And it was literally only four minutes. So I was talking about it was so bad. But but the progression like on
00:05:22 your way to being a monk. Yeah. That's it was so rough. Um, but the progression over the last year, it's still not my favorite thing, but I have come to realize, especially if I can be out in creation, um, that there's just something about spending time with God in that way, um, where I'm quiet and I get to, uh, I don't know, just sense him or hear him. Um, and so in that that idea, I don't know, Isaiah 40, the language all throughout Isaiah 40, um, of just like how incredibly powerful and great God is, and yet he's still a God
00:05:55 for me, um, and and for everyone around me. And I don't know, there's just something about the contrast there, like, okay, so he's a God for me, but when you recognize how mighty and magnificent and whatever, like it just I don't know, it hits different. Yeah. Yeah. And Aaron, what's um maybe was there something that landed for you or even you weren't able to get to um in in your sermon or message that God is still speaking to you? Not necessarily Chyros, but um just is there is there something
00:06:26 that that was in there that um maybe didn't make the message or sermon uh but still God still speaking? Yeah. Um it was cool. Cool. I went to coffee with somebody yesterday and as we were talking a little bit about a lot of different things. Um just coming back to the ways that um uh I it's probably partly because we've been in this um formation kind of conversation for a while and recognizing the ways that like our relationship with the Lord um influences our relationship with the Lord, I guess, if that makes
00:07:01 sense. Um and so thinking about like okay if we have um the time that we're practicing or like the people that we're um seeking to be um that leads to transformation. So if like we're choosing to dig deeper into relationship um something happens when you're when you're in relationship with people um and same is true when we're in relationship with the Lord. Um but just thinking about the for all people um and how um one of my textbooks that I was reading for school was talking about how um we get to glorify God by being who we are
00:07:40 like who we were created to be by being authentically ourselves. Um and so thinking about like okay so I can be authentically myself and that gets to help bring the glory to the Lord. Um and so choosing to live a life transformed. God is for all people that should lead me to transformation. That transformation then gets to help um bring glory to God to show all people and it kind of is just this cycle that just kind of gets to repeat itself. Yeah. So that that's popped up multiple times. Yeah. Yeah. And that so that's funny because
00:08:20 we um that same kind of like a cycle or progression um for me that was hitting was like this this big incredible God um who is for all people which means he's for me uh and then that should make me praise and thank him. We um so at Camp Always and I don't I don't know I guess this is in other spaces too but it's funny to me because at camp always it's like the space to for everyone to show like uh whatever new food or snack they've tried. So, right, every time you're around the fire, it's like, "Oh
00:08:50 my gosh, I got these. Have you had them? You have to try it." And people are doing this the whole time. Yes. All sorts of different things, right? Um, and so that idea of like when we've tasted something or experienced something that's really good, we cannot wait to share it, right? And so, uh, whether it's a restaurant or, you know, something new that we've done or something we've eaten or whatever. And so that when I when we read Psalm 67, that's the piece that hits for me of like um if you've tasted and seen how
00:09:19 good the Lord is and in his uh majesty and his might and how incredible he is, he's still for you. Um then I should want to share that. And not not even necessarily I don't know uh when we talk about like sharing God with people and evangelism, we get I don't know weirded out about it, but that idea of like just going to tell you how God's been good to me. Um, I'm just going to give God thanks and praise and let that be the testament and the testimony. Um, and and I had read this thing that talked about
00:09:47 it. Uh, like we we are not called to be like a stagnant body of water when we receive blessing. So, we're standing in front of a lake. So, like not supposed to be like a lake where we just get God's blessing and hold it in, but like a river where the blessing is just like coming uh in and through us and pouring out. And that idea of like if I choose to meditate on how incredibly good God is and the fact that he is still for me, then I should just thanksgiving should just pour out of me to the everyone
00:10:17 that's around me, all people that are around me. Um, and I don't know, there's something about that that makes that feel easier, too. Like, uh, I don't know. uh I don't have to convince or um you also don't have to set up a different time or or uh schedule it out or plan it out. It can be just an everyday um a kind of life uh circumstance that we yeah it's just the way I show up. We find ourselves in God God pours himself into us and and through us and it's those around us. On the way up here, I was listening to the
00:10:52 everyday disciple and he was reading the like a diary of sorts or like a planner, a schedule um of this um it was this this husband, father um uh and and like here's what my here's what my life looked like. Here's what my schedule looked like. uh and and listening to more of that and and some insights that were were coming to his mind is like just doing normal stuff and then like had a conversation with my coworker today who asked me about Jesus and he keeps asking and he keeps wanting to know like why does my family live like
00:11:27 this? what what's what's um what's here that we're living that he's like looking at and um interested in and and he keeps asking and so he writes that as a part of you know just these cool opportunities and conversations that come about because he's there right God's working right and desires for his kingdom to come and break in and and in those ways and how he's reflecting is what I was listening to of just recognizing I'm God's placed me here and God's in me and speaking through me and here's an opportunity in just everyday
00:12:00 life, right? Yeah. Yeah. another of the textbooks um that I'm reading for school because school is just all consuming you know um but it was talking about healing um from like traumatic experiences and it had a quote from somebody um that basically was talking about how um people who survived like horrific traumatic I think in the context it was talking about it was talking about uh concentration camps in World War II um there was just this sense of like we have to tell the story we have to tell
00:12:32 what's happening and um like where we're um like we survived. We have to honor the stories. Um and so what you guys are saying is kind of reminding me of that of like we there's just something in us is like hey here's this thing and it just gets to be an outflow and um an overflow of like what's existing. but also then the ways that that can also bring healing. And we've talked about it a lot um just privately and in like friendship and stuff is how much um or I I say it pretty regularly and I've heard it from
00:13:08 other people is um like what's born in the dark dies in the light and how there's this sense of like be like it's the guide for all people who is going to provide um just a sense of belonging. And there's also the risk of like, hey, am I going to let this outflow be for all people? Like, am I going to let it be something that other people get to experience? Um, yeah. Like, as we navigate whatever we're going through, whether it's celebrating in the joys or if it's like the really hard things, are
00:13:41 we going to let it be something that then gets to point back and bring glory to God? Yeah, it's good. All right. As we uh head to the close of this uh podcast episode, uh what would you say is your chyros from uh this Sunday and where is God leading you? Um mine's kind of silly. Um so I mentioned I mentioned in the sermon about how Princess Diaries is one of my all-time favorite Yeah, you did. Um and so for the link for the whole rundown, do you know it already? No. Uh, so does she choose to be the princess ape? Wait,
00:14:19 you have to watch the movie. Yeah, you've never seen it. No, just tell me. No, that's stupid. Um, but think about I'm not watching this. Tell me what happens. No, I'm not going to tell you. Um but thinking about how like we um so two two aspects pieces of it is a how much like God's goodness can be seen and recognized like we can recognize the ways that God is trying to teach things like through um everyday stuff. So like thinking about how um like I didn't come up with that connection. I feel like
00:14:52 that was from the Lord even though yes it is one of my favorite movies. Um but the idea of like how this image of holiness um can come through even in a teen girl movie about a girl becoming like being honed into being a princess. So thinking about the ways like okay where am I where am I seeing God in culture and like in the world and in the things that I'm surrounded. Um but then also tied to that like what is the process that I'm going through? What are the things that I'm showing up to to give my life and be honed by? um like
00:15:25 how how do I keep showing up in the little things day by day to be who I want to be um when I think about who I'll be at 70 years old. How about you? Uh for me, I think what what is is still hitting and kind of was hitting as even as I was uh sharing is that uh if God is a God for if he's a guide, a God for all people um then that means he is for me also. And there's something I don't know sometimes we have to start there. Um and I just that's kind of what I offered at the end uh was like I don't know I don't
00:16:04 know what part of this is for you today. like I don't know what God's saying to you. Maybe you just need to know how incredible God is. Um maybe you need to know that he is for the people around you and maybe there's someone or some people specifically. Um but maybe you also need to know that he's for you. And so that's just been kind of sitting because I I think this idea of like if it's out of the overflow of the goodness of God that I've experienced and if that uh if that creates an overflow of
00:16:32 thanksgiving and praise out of me um that says something to the people around me about who God is, then it actually has to start with me believing that he's for me. Um and that was even a that that's even a little bit of an echo in this whole solitude practice over the last year. There was a point uh where I felt like God was telling me like, hey, you you do not have a regular uh rhythm of reminding yourself of your identity. Um like who I say you are. And so part of uh what has grown into solitude for
00:17:02 me is like I start the morning stepping outside um like very first thing I do in the morning outside and and have uh this I don't know conversation, this affirmation of like here's who God says that I am. Um, and there's something just I don't know reminding myself like here's how God sees me uh before the rest of the world gets to step in uh and tell me all of the other things that that I think I am. Um and so starting with that like uh he's a god, he's a guide for me. Um and I that is that means there's always something to praise
00:17:38 and be thankful for. And out of that then I get to show up differently and and tell people he's for them too. Yeah. Well, that resonates. Yeah, Erin, yesterday's our yesterday conversation yesterday that resonates. Yeah. Um, yeah, there I would say there's a lot um for me of a chyros that God's inviting me into and and to respond. Um, one of them is maybe an echo from uh I I was um visiting another church on Sunday and um there with my family and u but an echo between Aaron um your your message and the one that I
00:18:18 was was there in person listening to was this um uh and maybe it's calling even calling back to more of of like hearing hearing the shepherd's voice and like God a God is is a God for all people and he and he calls out to us and he uh has offered his son to the to the world and and to me um his life um for the life of the world and the the message on Sunday was using a lot of um animal uh imagery like are you a buffalo or a bison or are you a chicken um like a buffalo uh if there's a predator prey and and they're
00:19:00 not running away from it, but they're like they they encircle the weakest and they put their backsides outward, right? And so just for to protect um and they put the weakest in the middle, the young ones, the older ones that aren't moving as well, they put them in the middle. A chicken a chicken will peck the weakest. If there's a prey nearby, a predator, they'll peck the weakest and kind of like offer it as a sacrifice to to the predator. Yeah. It's like, are you a buffalo? or you a chicken. Um, but the other part of
00:19:32 that that resonated is the um like we're also we're we're called to be sheep. We are sheep. We're we're sheep. Um God is our shepherd. Jesus is our is our good shepherd. Um but as uh like pastors, as undersheperds, as it says in the New Testament, um we're like sheep dogs who still listen to the commands of the shepherd. Uh but in those commands, helping the flock get to good pasture, helping the flock get to where the shepherd is guiding and leading. Uh really just reiterating, echoing the um the master's commands or calls for the
00:20:12 for the where the where the flock is going to go, but also a protector of the flock and helping it to keep it. And in that way I was um and he he made this statement the pastor made the statement of like um if you don't believe me um surrender yourself to ministry and immediately you'll know what I'm talking about. And in my in my soul deep within I was like oh feel I feel that so deeply but you know not in a burdensome way but like oh this yes this I still desire to hear the voice of the shepherd. I still
00:20:49 want to hear him because there is something God is calling me to um and and and instruction commands his voice right and and I want to be attuned to that um and and for purposes of the in this in my life the call and it's like am I hearing am I hearing God in the kind of way that go that this is a God for all people or am I hearing that in such a way like this is a God for me? It's both it is and that's the that's the chyros for me. It's both. But I have there can be a tendency within me and maybe just it's the human nature and the
00:21:26 flesh within that no it's just for me just for me. Thank you God. Um but but it's both. It's it's for me. Yes. And it's also for for the flock for all people that God is calling um calling them back to himself. So there's a school bell. Do we have a Do we have a a It's just the actual bell, but they probably Do you have a Could you hear the school bell? No, you just sound dumb. There is a school bell. And typically that's like Is there a Hebrew or Greek word you want to offer? Not this time. Okay. He's just hearing stuff
00:21:57 now. Well, we did say chyros. So, that is a Greek word for Okay. So, you got it this time. Nice. Um, but I do want to um just one of the books that I'm reading for school that I would like to recommend um just because it feels like this whole conversation has been echoing um the chapter that I had to read this week which is convenient. Um but Aba's Child by Brennan Manning, if y'all haven't read it yet, there solid. Um it Yeah. and just the ways that like this week we were reading a chapter that was talking
00:22:30 about um just a lot of identity and um being the beloved and so the idea of just like sitting in who you were created to be. So good good stuff. Good word. Well, we put that we'll put that in the the show notes description. We don't have show notes. You feel fancy when you say that in the description. Are you going to link it on Amazon? Uh, he's just going to write a child and then they can do the work. Yeah. Yes. But good good recommendation. That's a good one. It's a good one. Yeah. All right, guys. Thanks for being with us on
00:23:03 this episode and uh we hope your conversations are going beyond Sunday and you're hearing from God and responding to him faithfully and obediently as God is uh calling out to us. So, I pray we pray you're hearing uh his voice and uh responding. So, have a blessed week. Take care. [Music]
