The Sermon Seasons of Change by Brad Price
Jul 11, 2010
Seasons of Change (31:06)
Referenced Scriptures: Matthew 9:2; Matthew 14:27; Matthew 24:6; John 14:1; John 14:27; Luke 12:7
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So what must we do in seasons of change?
Be prepared to move, to do something different
Go in the power of the Holy Spirit
We must not be afraid
The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Matthew 9:2
2) Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you."
Matthew 14:27
27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying "Cheer up! I AM! Don‘t be afraid."
Matthew 24:6
6) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren‘t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
John 14:1
1) "Don‘t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
John 14:27
27) Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don‘t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
Luke 12:7
7) But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don‘t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
The WEB Bible is provided by Public Domain.
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This is a machine transcript of the sermon. It won't be completely accurate of what's said in the sermon.
So what brand region morning church early today. Well, you just might want to be. Amen. Last week 's lawyer debater on vacation. Anyhow, last week I spoke it. Remember to talk about books. The book that I was reading Stephanie was actually reading it. But then I grabbed a way to her and was reading it myself. A book called fearless by Maximo Cato and I was describing to you in a chapter called the caffeinated light word he was saying one of life. We talked about last week. Remember, what if life was like one of those fancy coffee shop that you can go into in order, your latte or your cappuccino or espresso, however you want with no recent people like order, but Stephen, I would like black coffee right. Yes, but what if people could order life the way they wanted the way the order of their error. Their coffees we talked about when we said give me a was to me at all extra hot cup of adventure at the dangers with two shots of good health or. I wanted to create a decaf brew of longevity with a sprinkle of fertility and go heavy on the agility without disability of all the one I'll go with a grande day run it, and were due it used for large happy latte with a dollop of love sprinkled with a Caribbean retirement. So for those of you who like the beach was not covered in oil record in retirement but we said that would be a popular coffee shop right almost as popular as the sheets coffee counter six thirty in the morning during the week, but we said oftentimes wife gives us novices a bad thing for me to see you understand life gives us a hazelnut with nondairy creamer and Splenda. One. All we wanted was a cup of black coffee. Life is full of changes. Life is full of transitions in as for altercations. We sent down the ladder out of the house or over for somebody else, more people might move up through the system. The change is always constant, you know, we learned, but then signs the last when you're in high school. James is a constant thing. Some changes are welcome. Other changes are not and we said, what's next, and we want to John the fourteenth chapter, and I started in a like verse fifteen think it was. We talked about Jesus with his disciples scenario being, you know, the Last Supper, Jesus said I'm going away now if the disciples really paid attention it probably would've caught on to other clues that Jesus gave the fact things really change. They spent the past three years site with Jesus all time on sure they were recognized. That was part of their AMI was only ask you who you are, how do you respond to me what you say when one would be blast you who are you, maybe sometimes we give our all our our occupation. Perhaps you know. Will say either the director, the leader drywall guy am not much of that, though more like drywall board drywall guy, but the update will oftentimes define themselves by their occupation right. You know, doctor, lawyer on this and that these guys associated with Jesus on one of Jesus writing, guys. Any of John the beloved below. Notice Jesus favorite, but I don't think Johnny is that, as in like can see you know, John used it tongue-in-cheek in the Gospel of John, referring to himself as the disciple Jesus loved but never actually stamped his name on the anomalies with their association had been with Jesus. For these past three years that some sure where they found their identity, but imagine her shock when they find out things are changing. We said it's Thursday what is the celebration yell and they were optimistic communicating through the good, the triumphal entry people recognizing gene. They bought people recognizing Jesus for who he really was. But they were having more more opportunities. Jesus known as the hope for the everyday sort of now in Jerusalem and are making plans. They talk about is the first in the kingdom discussed on Jesus radiant with it. They were envisioning Israel restored former glory, so that all is great, wonderful, positive ideas of what they felt was where life was going not a vision. Perhaps we always have a positive vision for our lives are headed. A lot of times we have a vision where we would like to see life go right is always go down that path. Note new is that hazelnut coffee again. Jesus later on I'm going away and they were stunned. Avon Psalmist said. And in inverse live of chapter fourteen. Jesus said, you know where I'm going. Thomas said no, we don't know Lord, we have no idea where you're going to how can we know the way they were just handed rickshaw and a big change. We read from Ecclesiastes is a time for everything under the sun and you do what I love these first two verses of chapter three Subaru recommitting out for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven time to be born in a time to die the time to plan a time to harvest the time to kill in a time to heal a time to tear down and a time to build up a time to cry a time to laugh at times agree& dance a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away a time to search and the time to quit searching. A time him time to throw away his time to tear times and then there's the time to be quiet and a time to speak a time to love a time to hate a time for war and a time for peace. We said, God dishes life on earth, honest, really in much the same way that God manages this creation that he has seasons talked about seeing that picture of fall with little broken that nothing we haven't later on somewhere else, but some was that we know we did winner Europeans rests. We need rest two okay with a spring and we talked about the changes that come with life and in all listings on the move along here, but we said what if what if this time, Your Honor, is preparing us for our next time in heaven. Okay and we read from second grade is four seventeen. These troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing 's hard to imagine some of the cares that we face in this world, becoming like nothing when were in the middle of heartbreak discouragement and disappointment Del, you name it, it's hard to imagine but the Bible says it were just crazy enough, but we got a believe it struggles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all these things seem like nothing so change now that the review. This is where I wanted to go to this morning. What do we need to do in seasons of change do you change a few things, I will highlight this morning is this. First, we need to be prepared to move. I spoke on Elijah back in number one was late winter or early spring when her last time pastors when I preached him. Elijah had to relocate to get his provision and of all things. He got his provision from a flock of ravens right. I think it was that the brook of care, but Elijah, who so there are times in seasons of change that we have to be prepared to move to change a lot saying literally in alpaca house, sell it that happens in life to, but we need to do something different. Are you ready to get ourselves into a new location, a better mindset, if you will, to receive what God has for us whether we like it or not, change happens and changes coming in line. It's a place for the disciples of the Last Supper. They fell apart. If you remember what happened in the in the coming few days when Jesus was tortured and crucified some denied Jesus. Some ran away some head but we said in John the fourteenth chapter. Jesus promised that another is coming, Jesus, that if I'm going away another is coming. The Holy Spirit and the disciples eventually allow this truth sink into their lives, and these disciples were eventually able to put themselves in a place where Jesus could reinstate them and show them grace and mercy and reinvigorate them, and before Jesus ascended into heaven, he encouraged them to be prepared for the Holy Spirit and so we see in the book of acts, but they were a bit put themselves in a place they went to look him him to change her attitude had to change your mindset. Elijah had to change his mindset under run all right, but it's a location to get God 's provision. These disciples placed themselves in an area in an upper room, but they waited on. Bobby waited for God 's provision. They didn't struggle to get and strive to get it done themselves, but they trusted and waited for God. And when the power the Holy Spirit came when they were dwelling in unity, they were filled in the kingdom of God through the church was so establish a strongly to the point where we see the thousands in different days were added to the kingdom of God. John grew up here, the capable speaker Peter denied Jesus denied knowing became visible person in the power of the Holy Spirit was able to confess faith in Jesus Christ and how about other people. Big crowds. Secondly, we need to do this we have to go in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wasn't shooting blindly in the dark when he set on leaving, but I'm sending another. It wasn't shooting wildly in the dark when he said that we would do even greater things. The disciples experienced the power of God 's Holy Spirit moving among the people, and we know from the word of God that were the spirit of the Lord is, there is one freedom. Last Sunday was administered Fourth of July and we had a few things in the video clip and went haywire, but one thing I wanted to stress. Last week was, in my opinion. This is Brad 's opinion on think a mountain left field here. I think our founding fathers of this nation felt and knew the presence of God 's Holy Spirit. Now we might not say them in the way that Pentecostals might power and the presence of a Holy Spirit. But you know, every man and every woman receives the Holy Spirit as salvation is the Holy Spirit. He carries the salvation to us, but I think they said because, in the presence of God spirit. We knows freedom and the Declaration of Independence, they declared freedom for no everyone everyone for all humans. They said all are created equal by their maker talk about moments of change in the third election of our nation 's history of George Washington was was president and voted in basically uncontested for his first two terms and said that's it, I'm done. It's time to retire and go away and set a precedent. John Adams ran for the office of president afterward. Adams would been watched his vice president, Adams and Jessica Jefferson, excuse me both ran for the presidency in the third election of the nation and it was a hotly contested election ballots from the state of Georgia were highly contested and even to the point where the rules back then were that John Adams had to count the ballots in front of the Senate, he had accounted himself and you want. When he came to the ballots from the state of Virginia. John Adams thought implies for a red light almost to the point of several minutes went and sat down to give Thomas Jefferson a chance to speak up and say that you testing balance, Jefferson never, never support and Jefferson was quoted as saying. I will be exact for down here, but Jefferson said he did not want to attempt to render country apart for the sake of the balance from West Virginia are from George excuse me and yelled four years later there was another season of change. Four years later, Thomas Jefferson won the election and John Adams being a Federalist Thomas Jefferson being a Republican and Federalists hated Republicans. Republicans and Federalists. That was very bad blood between the two groups and it was on election which there were few things which they said could have been argued or contested John Adams left the city of Washington DC before Thomas Jefferson 's inauguration in order to not cause trouble and not cause strife moments of change moments of change at all assured with you a quote of a probable coven reading called patriots guide to American history and in the author Schweiker says this. It goes without saying, of course, that most of these men talking about the, the writers and signers of the declaration of independence. Most of these men were steeped in the traditions and teachings of Christianity. Almost half the signers of the Declaration of Independence has some form of seminary training or degree. John Adams certainly and somewhat derogatorily viewed by his contemporaries as the most pious of the early revolutionaries claimed that the revolution, Adam said connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government Christianity and John Adams, Sam, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, said that it restored to the sovereign. S he said, to whom all men ought to be obedient. They didn't see any separation, a division between your faith and between the Declaration of Independence. Our founding fathers had a vision of a new nation born on this continent in which all men were equal, not born to higher states, and they wrestled even in the writing of the Declaration of Independence, even in the very beginning of our writing. The articles of Confederation is her call try to tackle the problem of slavery in United States and try to address it then, but were unable to because it was such a divisive issue. It would've destroyed everything at that point, but left it till later, but there was a hot argument over that. But there were scholars who say any winger taught in classes are murdering its audit in history classes in high school. This edit colonial America were not people of faith, and I've heard this process run out. They say only that only twenty percent of the colonial population was church population, but here's the thing. We'd understand there were three major denominations, President and Claudio America Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians okay and this time there were very fast rising groups. John Wesley 's Methodists were rising in popularity, and so were Baptists, okay, they were not counted point where these three major denominations. This time. Once he stated families asking for protection against itinerant Methodist and Baptist ministers. They want to the state to get them show the way and to have that made illegal silly guys couldn't come through and preach salvation. Okay. Competition was very fierce with God was alive to God was well in colonial America got was very quite popular. So anyhow, on sarin with ministry stuff yell it says the Declaration of Independence. We hold these truths be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, and it's worth noting that Jefferson in writing the Declaration of Independence recognize that humans were created by a supreme being, and that all rights existed only in such a context. Okay, so those were times a big change. We have tons of our allies bringing here today. We had signs in our lives were we doing these moments of change and the first thing I wanted emphasizes this. We must not be afraid when it comes to moments of change. Okay, we cannot afford to be afraid or written story I came across March third nineteen forty three in the city of London, England. At age seventeen in the evening bomb raid sirens screamed over the city. Everyone looked into the air. Everything stopped antiaircraft artillery launched salvos into the air. People began to scream. Some threw themselves to the ground. Some in this because of the error and sirens going off. Everybody looked for any planes in the sky with the fact that they didn't see any didn't stop the increasing hysteria so people ran to an underground station called that no green. It was a bomb shelter whereby this time more than five hundred citizens had taken refuge in the next ten minutes, fifteen hundred more people crammed into the shelter but trouble began when a crush of people reach the stairwell entrance at the same time a woman carrying her baby lost her footing on one of the nineteen steps uneven steps that led down from the street and when she stumbled it interrupted the flow, causing a domino effect of people tumbling on top of her within seconds hundreds of terrified people thrown together powered up like laundry in a basket because ovarian sirens going off. Then things got worse because people got there late thought they were being kept out on purpose so they pushed in a push in the crowd, Korean, the terror lasted for less than fifteen minutes. This is a horrible story. It's a four hours to disentangle. I read the bodies in the end one hundred seventy three men, women and children died at the entrance to a small air raid shelter, no bombs ever fell. Not a single fuse a lot of fire killed anyone, but fear. Fear is what killed Monday we cannot be afraid in times of change, fear, love the stampede beer lovers sleepless nights, your love to put us in absolute needless worry. What was the physical pastor quoted ninety nine percent of the things we fear never happen. So far we have to go to weaken the next. Be afraid. Note from the page in the newspaper there something to be afraid of the radio dial. There's something to be afraid of change the channel on the television. There's something to be afraid of according to the media world is one scary place and we should suspect the campaign to keep it that way. Fear sells papers yourself programming to hear that these are now think of every crazy new story that you hear some reason to be here coming up the frightening truth about sitting still in a church pew for an hour and a half on Sunday morning. You know how coffee affects your IQ, which are my pictures of what you could do to avoid the danger. What you may not know this dangerous about putting mustard on your hot dog are all these things always crazy news stories. Face it, we should be afraid of this guy, Frank Ferretti, I did some research and the use of the year by the media. In one account the number of times the phrase at risk was used in British newspapers in nineteen ninety four, the phrase to the words at risk showed up two thousand thirty seven times, but with ninety four million in nineteen ninety five, that number had doubled in increase in half in nineteen ninety six as for four years here, two thousand and eight years thousand in British newspapers, the phrases at risk was praying more than eighteen thousand times. Now the danger in the world actually increase nine times six years I've only dealt that writers everywhere you go global warming asteroids stars you know the infection that can be taken care with them well ask wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, eggs, does it ever saw. This is the first time since World War II that parents expect light for the next generation to be worse than it was for them. People used to think that their children's lives, and I'm a friend I knew the words. I knew the words. I fear for what country my children. They live in okay I have been affected by even the life expectancy has doubled in the United States and disease research is an all-time high. We would think that the bubonic plague was raging in the streets I ran across a enough Bob Garfield, a reporter tract health articles in major publications, and this is what Bob Garfield said. I found out he said, according to publications in order for kinds of violence fifty nine million Americans have heart disease and fifty three million Americans suffer from migraine headaches twenty five million Americans have osteoporosis, sixteen million people struggle with obesity three million have cancer two million have severe brain disorders that apparently all the things the added up five hundred forty three million Americans should consider themselves to be seriously ill. That's very troubling, especially since there's only two hundred and sixty six million people in America, he said, either as a society we are doing or somebody is seriously- okay on numbers. There is a stampede of fear going past our doors a million times a day blazing fast our computer screens blazing through our phones going across our television screens in splatter on the place pages of our newspapers, but we can't afford to get caught up in a stampede of your friends because here is what harms. Fear is what kills people. We need as Christians to be the calming voice telling people not to fear, not to be overwhelmed by danger we can't fear change. They just changes that take place. Whether we like it or not we can be afraid of it. We need to trust that our Savior, who said he will take care of us, no matter what happens we need to be marked by the fact that we are influenced by a different voice God 's voice. Yes, our difference in this world absolutely wheedled knowledge threats that exist, but we cannot afford to be defined by threats. Our founding fathers were free to very real danger they had. It's basically essentially by the king. They were marked for death, because the court George thinks reason they were afraid of real danger, but they were convinced this, but they were hearing God 's voice and that people were truly created to be free by their maker. Not born as a subject to somebody else. Courage is one of us encourages fear of instead of prayers for it who said that the courage we need to be people of courage. Courage is not panic courage praise courage is not bemoaning the ills that are following me courage believes courage is not language language excuse me in fear, courage listens to the voice of God 's Holy Spirit. So I asked versus Bella share with you. It's good news okay, not beer, not scary. It's got to be all right and Morgan be okay, but when change takes place, we must be able to move encouraged because the other guys taken care of his liberal latte cup makes sense from last week. I remember anyhow, Matthew, chapter nine verse two bits here. Why the sins are forgiven. Matthew fourteen twenty seven p.m. to share Jesus said is I don't be afraid. Matthew twenty four verse six one reports coming of wars and rumors wars keep your bag and don't panic. That's the message Bible translation John chapter fourteen verse one is my grandmother always said to us. Let not your heart be troubled. John fourteen twenty seven. Don't let your hearts be troubled or freight twelve seven is here. Then Jesus said because you are of more value than many sparrows and also in Luke twelve seven. Don't be afraid. Stand with me, which is changed. We need to be prepared prepared to move ourselves either to a different frame of mind or different location when change takes place. We also said secondly, we must not want. We must excuse me, we must build our Holy Spirit. We need to move in the power of the Holy Spirit in third reset. We cannot afford to be afraid, but have courage. Jesus said he is with us in every circumstance. Jesus told his disciples. Yes, I'm going to heaven but I am sending another just like me and you will do greater things than these. Jesus said, will be afraid. It's been a be okay. Change is good to take place in life that we are to be all right friends So what brand region morning church early today. Well, you just might want to be. Amen. Last week 's lawyer debater on vacation. Anyhow, last week I spoke it. Remember to talk about books. The book that I was reading Stephanie was actually reading it. But then I grabbed a way to her and was reading it myself. A book called fearless by Maximo Cato and I was describing to you in a chapter called the caffeinated light word he was saying one of life. We talked about last week. Remember, what if life was like one of those fancy coffee shop that you can go into in order, your latte or your cappuccino or espresso, however you want with no recent people like order, but Stephen, I would like black coffee right. Yes, but what if people could order life the way they wanted the way the order of their error. Their coffees we talked about when we said give me a was to me at all extra hot cup of adventure at the dangers with two shots of good health or. I wanted to create a decaf brew of longevity with a sprinkle of fertility and go heavy on the agility without disability of all the one I'll go with a grande day run it, and were due it used for large happy latte with a dollop of love sprinkled with a Caribbean retirement. So for those of you who like the beach was not covered in oil record in retirement but we said that would be a popular coffee shop right almost as popular as the sheets coffee counter six thirty in the morning during the week, but we said oftentimes wife gives us novices a bad thing for me to see you understand life gives us a hazelnut with nondairy creamer and Splenda. One. All we wanted was a cup of black coffee. Life is full of changes. Life is full of transitions in as for altercations. We sent down the ladder out of the house or over for somebody else, more people might move up through the system. The change is always constant, you know, we learned, but then signs the last when you're in high school. James is a constant thing. Some changes are welcome. Other changes are not and we said, what's next, and we want to John the fourteenth chapter, and I started in a like verse fifteen think it was. We talked about Jesus with his disciples scenario being, you know, the Last Supper, Jesus said I'm going away now if the disciples really paid attention it probably would've caught on to other clues that Jesus gave the fact things really change. They spent the past three years site with Jesus all time on sure they were recognized. That was part of their AMI was only ask you who you are, how do you respond to me what you say when one would be blast you who are you, maybe sometimes we give our all our our occupation. Perhaps you know. Will say either the director, the leader drywall guy am not much of that, though more like drywall board drywall guy, but the update will oftentimes define themselves by their occupation right. You know, doctor, lawyer on this and that these guys associated with Jesus on one of Jesus writing, guys. Any of John the beloved below. Notice Jesus favorite, but I don't think Johnny is that, as in like can see you know, John used it tongue-in-cheek in the Gospel of John, referring to himself as the disciple Jesus loved but never actually stamped his name on the anomalies with their association had been with Jesus. For these past three years that some sure where they found their identity, but imagine her shock when they find out things are changing. We said it's Thursday what is the celebration yell and they were optimistic communicating through the good, the triumphal entry people recognizing gene. They bought people recognizing Jesus for who he really was. But they were having more more opportunities. Jesus known as the hope for the everyday sort of now in Jerusalem and are making plans. They talk about is the first in the kingdom discussed on Jesus radiant with it. They were envisioning Israel restored former glory, so that all is great, wonderful, positive ideas of what they felt was where life was going not a vision. Perhaps we always have a positive vision for our lives are headed. A lot of times we have a vision where we would like to see life go right is always go down that path. Note new is that hazelnut coffee again. Jesus later on I'm going away and they were stunned. Avon Psalmist said. And in inverse live of chapter fourteen. Jesus said, you know where I'm going. Thomas said no, we don't know Lord, we have no idea where you're going to how can we know the way they were just handed rickshaw and a big change. We read from Ecclesiastes is a time for everything under the sun and you do what I love these first two verses of chapter three Subaru recommitting out for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven time to be born in a time to die the time to plan a time to harvest the time to kill in a time to heal a time to tear down and a time to build up a time to cry a time to laugh at times agree& dance a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away a time to search and the time to quit searching. A time him time to throw away his time to tear times and then there's the time to be quiet and a time to speak a time to love a time to hate a time for war and a time for peace. We said, God dishes life on earth, honest, really in much the same way that God manages this creation that he has seasons talked about seeing that picture of fall with little broken that nothing we haven't later on somewhere else, but some was that we know we did winner Europeans rests. We need rest two okay with a spring and we talked about the changes that come with life and in all listings on the move along here, but we said what if what if this time, Your Honor, is preparing us for our next time in heaven. Okay and we read from second grade is four seventeen. These troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing 's hard to imagine some of the cares that we face in this world, becoming like nothing when were in the middle of heartbreak discouragement and disappointment Del, you name it, it's hard to imagine but the Bible says it were just crazy enough, but we got a believe it struggles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all these things seem like nothing so change now that the review. This is where I wanted to go to this morning. What do we need to do in seasons of change do you change a few things, I will highlight this morning is this. First, we need to be prepared to move. I spoke on Elijah back in number one was late winter or early spring when her last time pastors when I preached him. Elijah had to relocate to get his provision and of all things. He got his provision from a flock of ravens right. I think it was that the brook of care, but Elijah, who so there are times in seasons of change that we have to be prepared to move to change a lot saying literally in alpaca house, sell it that happens in life to, but we need to do something different. Are you ready to get ourselves into a new location, a better mindset, if you will, to receive what God has for us whether we like it or not, change happens and changes coming in line. It's a place for the disciples of the Last Supper. They fell apart. If you remember what happened in the in the coming few days when Jesus was tortured and crucified some denied Jesus. Some ran away some head but we said in John the fourteenth chapter. Jesus promised that another is coming, Jesus, that if I'm going away another is coming. The Holy Spirit and the disciples eventually allow this truth sink into their lives, and these disciples were eventually able to put themselves in a place where Jesus could reinstate them and show them grace and mercy and reinvigorate them, and before Jesus ascended into heaven, he encouraged them to be prepared for the Holy Spirit and so we see in the book of acts, but they were a bit put themselves in a place they went to look him him to change her attitude had to change your mindset. Elijah had to change his mindset under run all right, but it's a location to get God 's provision. These disciples placed themselves in an area in an upper room, but they waited on. Bobby waited for God 's provision. They didn't struggle to get and strive to get it done themselves, but they trusted and waited for God. And when the power the Holy Spirit came when they were dwelling in unity, they were filled in the kingdom of God through the church was so establish a strongly to the point where we see the thousands in different days were added to the kingdom of God. John grew up here, the capable speaker Peter denied Jesus denied knowing became visible person in the power of the Holy Spirit was able to confess faith in Jesus Christ and how about other people. Big crowds. Secondly, we need to do this we have to go in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wasn't shooting blindly in the dark when he set on leaving, but I'm sending another. It wasn't shooting wildly in the dark when he said that we would do even greater things. The disciples experienced the power of God 's Holy Spirit moving among the people, and we know from the word of God that were the spirit of the Lord is, there is one freedom. Last Sunday was administered Fourth of July and we had a few things in the video clip and went haywire, but one thing I wanted to stress. Last week was, in my opinion. This is Brad 's opinion on think a mountain left field here. I think our founding fathers of this nation felt and knew the presence of God 's Holy Spirit. Now we might not say them in the way that Pentecostals might power and the presence of a Holy Spirit. But you know, every man and every woman receives the Holy Spirit as salvation is the Holy Spirit. He carries the salvation to us, but I think they said because, in the presence of God spirit. We knows freedom and the Declaration of Independence, they declared freedom for no everyone everyone for all humans. They said all are created equal by their maker talk about moments of change in the third election of our nation 's history of George Washington was was president and voted in basically uncontested for his first two terms and said that's it, I'm done. It's time to retire and go away and set a precedent. John Adams ran for the office of president afterward. Adams would been watched his vice president, Adams and Jessica Jefferson, excuse me both ran for the presidency in the third election of the nation and it was a hotly contested election ballots from the state of Georgia were highly contested and even to the point where the rules back then were that John Adams had to count the ballots in front of the Senate, he had accounted himself and you want. When he came to the ballots from the state of Virginia. John Adams thought implies for a red light almost to the point of several minutes went and sat down to give Thomas Jefferson a chance to speak up and say that you testing balance, Jefferson never, never support and Jefferson was quoted as saying. I will be exact for down here, but Jefferson said he did not want to attempt to render country apart for the sake of the balance from West Virginia are from George excuse me and yelled four years later there was another season of change. Four years later, Thomas Jefferson won the election and John Adams being a Federalist Thomas Jefferson being a Republican and Federalists hated Republicans. Republicans and Federalists. That was very bad blood between the two groups and it was on election which there were few things which they said could have been argued or contested John Adams left the city of Washington DC before Thomas Jefferson 's inauguration in order to not cause trouble and not cause strife moments of change moments of change at all assured with you a quote of a probable coven reading called patriots guide to American history and in the author Schweiker says this. It goes without saying, of course, that most of these men talking about the, the writers and signers of the declaration of independence. Most of these men were steeped in the traditions and teachings of Christianity. Almost half the signers of the Declaration of Independence has some form of seminary training or degree. John Adams certainly and somewhat derogatorily viewed by his contemporaries as the most pious of the early revolutionaries claimed that the revolution, Adam said connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government Christianity and John Adams, Sam, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, said that it restored to the sovereign. S he said, to whom all men ought to be obedient. They didn't see any separation, a division between your faith and between the Declaration of Independence. Our founding fathers had a vision of a new nation born on this continent in which all men were equal, not born to higher states, and they wrestled even in the writing of the Declaration of Independence, even in the very beginning of our writing. The articles of Confederation is her call try to tackle the problem of slavery in United States and try to address it then, but were unable to because it was such a divisive issue. It would've destroyed everything at that point, but left it till later, but there was a hot argument over that. But there were scholars who say any winger taught in classes are murdering its audit in history classes in high school. This edit colonial America were not people of faith, and I've heard this process run out. They say only that only twenty percent of the colonial population was church population, but here's the thing. We'd understand there were three major denominations, President and Claudio America Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians okay and this time there were very fast rising groups. John Wesley 's Methodists were rising in popularity, and so were Baptists, okay, they were not counted point where these three major denominations. This time. Once he stated families asking for protection against itinerant Methodist and Baptist ministers. They want to the state to get them show the way and to have that made illegal silly guys couldn't come through and preach salvation. Okay. Competition was very fierce with God was alive to God was well in colonial America got was very quite popular. So anyhow, on sarin with ministry stuff yell it says the Declaration of Independence. We hold these truths be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, and it's worth noting that Jefferson in writing the Declaration of Independence recognize that humans were created by a supreme being, and that all rights existed only in such a context. Okay, so those were times a big change. We have tons of our allies bringing here today. We had signs in our lives were we doing these moments of change and the first thing I wanted emphasizes this. We must not be afraid when it comes to moments of change. Okay, we cannot afford to be afraid or written story I came across March third nineteen forty three in the city of London, England. At age seventeen in the evening bomb raid sirens screamed over the city. Everyone looked into the air. Everything stopped antiaircraft artillery launched salvos into the air. People began to scream. Some threw themselves to the ground. Some in this because of the error and sirens going off. Everybody looked for any planes in the sky with the fact that they didn't see any didn't stop the increasing hysteria so people ran to an underground station called that no green. It was a bomb shelter whereby this time more than five hundred citizens had taken refuge in the next ten minutes, fifteen hundred more people crammed into the shelter but trouble began when a crush of people reach the stairwell entrance at the same time a woman carrying her baby lost her footing on one of the nineteen steps uneven steps that led down from the street and when she stumbled it interrupted the flow, causing a domino effect of people tumbling on top of her within seconds hundreds of terrified people thrown together powered up like laundry in a basket because ovarian sirens going off. Then things got worse because people got there late thought they were being kept out on purpose so they pushed in a push in the crowd, Korean, the terror lasted for less than fifteen minutes. This is a horrible story. It's a four hours to disentangle. I read the bodies in the end one hundred seventy three men, women and children died at the entrance to a small air raid shelter, no bombs ever fell. Not a single fuse a lot of fire killed anyone, but fear. Fear is what killed Monday we cannot be afraid in times of change, fear, love the stampede beer lovers sleepless nights, your love to put us in absolute needless worry. What was the physical pastor quoted ninety nine percent of the things we fear never happen. So far we have to go to weaken the next. Be afraid. Note from the page in the newspaper there something to be afraid of the radio dial. There's something to be afraid of change the channel on the television. There's something to be afraid of according to the media world is one scary place and we should suspect the campaign to keep it that way. Fear sells papers yourself programming to hear that these are now think of every crazy new story that you hear some reason to be here coming up the frightening truth about sitting still in a church pew for an hour and a half on Sunday morning. You know how coffee affects your IQ, which are my pictures of what you could do to avoid the danger. What you may not know this dangerous about putting mustard on your hot dog are all these things always crazy news stories. Face it, we should be afraid of this guy, Frank Ferretti, I did some research and the use of the year by the media. In one account the number of times the phrase at risk was used in British newspapers in nineteen ninety four, the phrase to the words at risk showed up two thousand thirty seven times, but with ninety four million in nineteen ninety five, that number had doubled in increase in half in nineteen ninety six as for four years here, two thousand and eight years thousand in British newspapers, the phrases at risk was praying more than eighteen thousand times. Now the danger in the world actually increase nine times six years I've only dealt that writers everywhere you go global warming asteroids stars you know the infection that can be taken care with them well ask wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, eggs, does it ever saw. This is the first time since World War II that parents expect light for the next generation to be worse than it was for them. People used to think that their children's lives, and I'm a friend I knew the words. I knew the words. I fear for what country my children. They live in okay I have been affected by even the life expectancy has doubled in the United States and disease research is an all-time high. We would think that the bubonic plague was raging in the streets I ran across a enough Bob Garfield, a reporter tract health articles in major publications, and this is what Bob Garfield said. I found out he said, according to publications in order for kinds of violence fifty nine million Americans have heart disease and fifty three million Americans suffer from migraine headaches twenty five million Americans have osteoporosis, sixteen million people struggle with obesity three million have cancer two million have severe brain disorders that apparently all the things the added up five hundred forty three million Americans should consider themselves to be seriously ill. That's very troubling, especially since there's only two hundred and sixty six million people in America, he said, either as a society we are doing or somebody is seriously- okay on numbers. There is a stampede of fear going past our doors a million times a day blazing fast our computer screens blazing through our phones going across our television screens in splatter on the place pages of our newspapers, but we can't afford to get caught up in a stampede of your friends because here is what harms. Fear is what kills people. We need as Christians to be the calming voice telling people not to fear, not to be overwhelmed by danger we can't fear change. They just changes that take place. Whether we like it or not we can be afraid of it. We need to trust that our Savior, who said he will take care of us, no matter what happens we need to be marked by the fact that we are influenced by a different voice God 's voice. Yes, our difference in this world absolutely wheedled knowledge threats that exist, but we cannot afford to be defined by threats. Our founding fathers were free to very real danger they had. It's basically essentially by the king. They were marked for death, because the court George thinks reason they were afraid of real danger, but they were convinced this, but they were hearing God 's voice and that people were truly created to be free by their maker. Not born as a subject to somebody else. Courage is one of us encourages fear of instead of prayers for it who said that the courage we need to be people of courage. Courage is not panic courage praise courage is not bemoaning the ills that are following me courage believes courage is not language language excuse me in fear, courage listens to the voice of God 's Holy Spirit. So I asked versus Bella share with you. It's good news okay, not beer, not scary. It's got to be all right and Morgan be okay, but when change takes place, we must be able to move encouraged because the other guys taken care of his liberal latte cup makes sense from last week. I remember anyhow, Matthew, chapter nine verse two bits here. Why the sins are forgiven. Matthew fourteen twenty seven p.m. to share Jesus said is I don't be afraid. Matthew twenty four verse six one reports coming of wars and rumors wars keep your bag and don't panic. That's the message Bible translation John chapter fourteen verse one is my grandmother always said to us. Let not your heart be troubled. John fourteen twenty seven. Don't let your hearts be troubled or freight twelve seven is here. Then Jesus said because you are of more value than many sparrows and also in Luke twelve seven. Don't be afraid. Stand with me, which is changed. We need to be prepared prepared to move ourselves either to a different frame of mind or different location when change takes place. We also said secondly, we must not want. We must excuse me, we must build our Holy Spirit. We need to move in the power of the Holy Spirit in third reset. We cannot afford to be afraid, but have courage. Jesus said he is with us in every circumstance. Jesus told his disciples. Yes, I'm going to heaven but I am sending another just like me and you will do greater things than these. Jesus said, will be afraid. It's been a be okay. Change is good to take place in life that we are to be all right friends