Good morning everyone!
I want to begin by saying today, You Matter!
And I also want you to know, that I'll be saying it a lot this year,
next year, and as long as our Lord allows me the honor and privilege of being His messenger and your pastor.
You can trust that when you invite your friends and family to church, or to check out our website, that we are going to be saying to them “You Matter.”
We’re going to be doing everything we can from the moment view the home page or the moment that they
walk through the front door of this church until they get in their car
and go home to say to them, You Matter.
"For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
Acts 2:39
That promise that God made through the Apostle Peter was that every single person on the planet mattered.
They mattered so much that He wanted to fill them with His Holy Spirit if only they would receive it.
And because you matter to God, you matter to me, you matter to us!
I am praying for His providence and blessing in your life. I am in faith believing, looking for and expecting amazing things to begin to happen in your life.
Today, I would like to appropriately call today's message:
“They matter.”
I'm Talking today, about the every day, ordinary, average individuals that come in contact with each and every day..
The ones next-door to us
The ones we work with
The ones we work for
The ones we go to school with
The ones we see in the grocery store or at the mall
The ones we encounter every day at the gas station, the gym, and the restaurant.
No matter where we go on this entire planet, we are going to encounter someone!
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
At the time I was writing this sermon, according to the live World Pop Clock, there were approximately
7,693,000,000 people on the planet
Go ahead click the link above and see for yourself!
And if you scroll down there are some other interesting, shocking facts as well..
Can you take a guess how many of those over 7 billion people, those "other people" we are commanded to love? To disciple?
That's right! ALL of them..
If I said the phrase, or if I recited the "10 commandments", most all of us should know what I’m talking about, am I right?
The 10 Commandments
1. You shall have no other gods before Me. - God
2. You shall not make idols. - God
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. God
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. - God
5. Honor your father and your mother. - Others
6. You shall not murder. - Others
7. You shall not commit adultery. - Others
8. You shall not steal. - Others
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. - Others
10. You shall not covet. - Others
Now, out of then, how many were concerning God?
Very good! The first 4 commandments have to do with your relationship with God.
How many are about others? Anyone?
Well, let me speak up then and say it's the next SIX!
The next 6 commandments have to do with "Them."
And why does any of you think that is?
Because it hard to:
lie to or about them,
steal from them
covet what they have
And murder them
When you love them.
This is why Jesus told us to love our neighbor as our self!
And here is a few more from the Pastor Brian's amplified version;
It's also hard to judge them and condemn them, when you love them as yourself?
How many of you sitting here today, at this moment, judge your thoughts, words and behaviors and condemn your actions as much as you do those of others? Go ahead, raise your hands..
One! That's nice.. well, I have to say, at least you're being honest.
Can I just say this:
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some stuff in my life that I need God’s forgiveness for.
I’ve got some stuff in my past, that I’m not proud of.
I’ve got some stuff in my past that were it not for His amazing grace… there’s no chance in this world that I’m going to make it to Heaven.
The fact is, you're in the majority!
People just don't judge themselves by the same standards they do others!
The fact is that Jesus knew that you won’t have any problem with six of the 10 commandments if you love others and value them enough to say “They Matter.”
"The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein."
Psalms 24:1
Humor me for a moment, let's just imagine what the conversation that was going on in Heaven just before that little baby boy was born in Bethlehem?
The angels are asking God,
"Why do you want to go down there?
Why would you want to become flesh
Don’t you know they are going to reject you?
Don’t you know they are going to despise you?
Don’t you know they are going to kill you?
To which God replied – “Yes, I do know all of that but I’m going down there anyway…”
Angels – “Why?”
God – “Because they matter!”
One day, Jesus and His disciples are walking along and He tells them, “I must go to Samaria.”
Why would you want to go there?
Those people aren’t even Jewish
They don’t worship the way we worship
No Jews ever go to Samaria, in fact, they walk miles out of the way to keep from going there.
Why go to Samaria Jesus?
Jesus said “Because they matter!”
There’s a little woman there with a lot of stuff going on in her life and she matters.
There may be some of us that have written some people off. But understand, God has not written them off.
They may irritate you
They may get on your nerves
They may be hurting you
You may even want to hate them, but as a Christian…
You're called to LOVE them!
Anyone remember the story of Jesus and His disciples in the Upper Room, just before His crucifixion? I think we all do...
Do you also remember that Jesus fed his Judas
The one who was about to sell Him out.
The one who was going to introduce the killing frenzy.
Jesus sat next to him at His last supper
Judas was not someone Jesus pushed aside.
Judas was someone who Jesus said, “Sit next to me”.
So, I guess my question for all of you is:
Are you a mature enough Christian, a follower of Jesus, to sit with, and feed your Judas'?
Who sees where I am going with this?
Apparently Jesus' Judas matter to Him!
Shouldn't yours?
"And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit of God is saying to them – Come!
What are we doing that is agreement with what the Spirit is saying and doing in people’s lives?
"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Matthew 18:18
Of all the things I am sure of, there are a few things of which I am not,
I’m not sure we realize the power of our prayers.
I’m not sure we understand all that God wants to do with our witness.
I wonder if we’ve claimed a soul, just one soul, for the Kingdom this week. This month? This year?
In closing, I'll leave you all with one final thought:
Revelation 22:17 says
"And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."
Who are they?
Where are they coming to?
Where are they coming from?
And which of those among us, will LOVE them and RECEIVE them, and ACCEPT them?
Just as Jesus Christ did you and I?
#YouMatterIMatterTheyMatter
Brian Monzon Ministries