Why You Need A New Perspective

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "Why You Need A New Perspective"

Podcast: Church of the Highlands – Sunday Messages – Audio
Date: March 22, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode, delivered by Pastor Dino Rizzo, centers on embracing a new, hope-filled perspective in the midst of life's challenges. Using Romans 8:18–25 as a foundational text, the message encourages listeners to persevere through suffering by seeing beyond present groaning to the promised future glory in Christ. Through humor, personal stories, and scriptural insight, Pastor Dino offers practical ways to live "between groaning and glory" with faith, endurance, and eager expectation.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Impact of Invitation and Community

• Opening Remarks & The Power of Invitation ([01:05]):

  • Pastor Dino reflects on recent stories of life change due to personal invitations, especially leading into the Easter season.
  • Emphasizes the importance of caring enough to invite people, particularly during a spiritually receptive time.

• Notable Quote:

  • “I'm not the same person I was a year ago. Come on, somebody. We're believing that it's going to happen a lot throughout Easter at every location.” (Lawson's testimony, [01:56])

2. Romans: The Heartbeat of the Gospel

• Romans as Foundational ([02:32]):

  • The book of Romans is described as the "heartbeat of the gospel," with Romans 8 at its center.
  • Pastor Dino shares his personal journey teaching these chapters and how revisiting Romans 8 has brought new revelation.

• Notable Quote:

  • “If the Bible had a real heartbeat, which it kind of does... Romans would be where you would check the pulse.” ([02:32])

3. Wrestling with the Text: Suffering and Glory

• Pastor Dino’s Confession ([03:47]):

  • He admits to having not lingered in Romans 8:18–25 before and describes wrestling with its meaning.
  • Acknowledges the passage's challenge but testifies to receiving illumination from God while studying it.

• Reading Romans 8:18–25 Aloud ([05:51]):

  • Emphasizes the idea that present suffering pales compared to the coming glory ("cannot be compared").
  • Highlights the recurring words: suffering, groaning, hope, eager expectation, and redemption.

4. Living with Hope in Groaning

• Paul’s Realism and Hope ([09:16]):

  • Paul does not deny present suffering or the world's decay but points believers to the hope of future glory.
  • Suffering is real and present, but it does not define us—our identity is rooted in the coming glory.

• Notable Quote:

  • “I am not defined by the groaning. I am defined by the glory. God Almighty, the glory that I have received in salvation.” ([09:36])

5. The Danger of a Stuck Perspective

• How the Enemy Traps Us ([11:52]):

  • Dino warns that the Devil’s tactic is to make us believe “now is forever,” leading to hopelessness if not countered by faith.
  • Urges listeners to “declutter” thoughts and stay anchored in hope, rather than living permanently in suffering and frustration.

• Notable Quote:

  • “One of the chief ways the devil... ruins and traps us, is to get us to believe and then get us to live... that this is all there is, that now is forever.” ([11:52])

6. The “Sad Cowboy” Metaphor and Greek Word Study

• Humorous Analogy ([14:29]):

  • Pastor Dino uses the image of a “sad cowboy” slumped in the saddle to depict living weighed down by suffering.
  • Contrasts this with Paul’s call to eager expectation.

• Greek Word “Apokaradokia” ([16:12]):

  • Explains the Greek for “eager expectation” means to “crane your neck”—looking up and ahead, not down.
  • Encourages adopting a posture of expectancy.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Faith is craning your neck in the midst of a battle, scanning your horizon, knowing that grace, mercy, healing, restoration, his redemption” ([17:21])
  • “No sad cowboy, you got to get up out your saddle.” ([17:50])

7. Application: Living Between Groaning and Glory

• Three Practical Points ([21:54]):

  • Hold On to God: ([21:54])

    • Don't be defined by what you’re going through now; look toward God’s promises.
    • Encourage lifting your head above immediate troubles through worship and prayer.

  • See Opportunity in Obstacles: ([24:12])

    • Hope reframes pain as potential for purpose and ministry to others.
    • Shares the story of Micah McKelvin, who turned personal tragedy into a global ministry.

  • Perspective: ([26:57])

    • Hope changes how we interpret suffering—“not abandoned, but anchored.”
    • Our lens of hope lets us see trials as chances to impact others.

  • Endurance: ([27:43])

    • We can endure present groaning because our King of glory will come for us.
    • The episode wraps with a call to endure in hope, not just survive suffering.

8. Worship and Declaration of Hope

• Story of Edward Mote & Hymn ([29:05]):

  • Shares the background of the hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less,” written amidst hardship, and how its words have lasting power for life and death.
  • Congregational singing anchors the teaching in worship, reinforcing the message of hope.

• Notable Quote by Edward Mote (quoted by Dino, [30:38]):

  • “These words we proclaim, these words we preach, these words we pray, these words we sing... they live well, but they will live well on the other side, because this is not all there is.”

9. Invitation to New Beginnings

• Altar call ([34:31]):
  • Dino offers a prayer for salvation, inviting those feeling adrift to anchor themselves in Christ.
  • Concludes with celebration for new decisions for Christ.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Romans would be where you would check the pulse [of the Bible].” – Pastor Dino ([02:32])
• “You cannot separate what you’re dealing with now from what God is going to do later.” – Pastor Dino ([10:03])
• “Our groanings be groaning, and it’s final.” – Pastor Dino ([12:50])
• “I ride different. I’m about to stretch my neck. It’s literally the word craning your neck.” – Pastor Dino ([16:51])
• “We’re living in between this groaning... and glory.” – Pastor Dino ([20:58])
• “You’re not abandoned, you are anchored.” – Pastor Dino ([26:54])
• “My anchor holds within the veil.” – Edward Mote, quoted in song ([29:51])

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Important Timestamps

• 01:56 – Lawson's testimony: “I’m not the same person I was a year ago.”
• 03:47–04:47 – Pastor Dino explains his confession about seldom studying these verses and wrestling with the text.
• 05:51–09:42 – Reading and unpacking Romans 8:18–25, emphasizing present suffering versus future glory.
• 11:52–12:50 – Warning against getting stuck in a hopeless mindset.
• 14:29–17:50 – “Sad cowboy” story and explanation of “apokaradokia,” eager expectation.
• 21:54–28:58 – Four practical points for living between groaning and glory.
• 29:05–30:59 – Story and singing of “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.”
• 34:31–36:31 – Invitation to Christ and prayer for salvation.

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Summary Flow

• Pastor Dino opens with encouragement, emphasizing community invitations and the power of Easter.
• He shares his personal process of studying scripture, focusing on Romans 8:18–25.
• Pastor Dino explores the tension between present suffering and future glory, using metaphors and original Greek meaning to illustrate eager expectation.
• Practical advice given: Hold on to God, see obstacles as opportunities, maintain hopeful perspective, and endure with faith.
• The congregation sings, anchoring the lesson in worship and historic Christian hope.
• Listeners are invited to respond to Christ, ending the message in hope and celebration.

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This episode is filled with warmth, humor, and scriptural depth. Pastor Dino's call is to recalibrate perspective—lifting our eyes from present troubles to coming glory, and living empowered by hope in Christ.

Transcript

[A]

Sam.

[B]

Hey, Great to see you. Church of the Highlands. How many is excited to be in church today?

[C]

Clap your hands.

[B]

Wanna welcome all those who have joined us at one of our campuses. We love you so much and thank God for those that are watching online today. Maybe you're watching On Demand during the week. I know that's a great experience. And then also we just wanna say to those that are at the correctional facility or maybe at the juvenile facility, there's about 2,000 who watch that every week.

[C]

We.

[B]

We love you. You're some of our favorite people. You're our family.

[D]

Can we clap our hands?

[B]

Grantsville for all those who have joined us. Loved hearing from Pastor Mark as he got us ready for that story. And I think it's just a reflection on the impact that an invite can do. I love the opportunity that we got to hear Casey's invite to Joseph and Lawson and the impact of that. That's why we plan on being a part of our Easter services. And we're praying for those and. And then we have this amazing opportunity for this personal invite where you can invite those around you. God, I think that just shows that we care. And so many people's hearts, they're open during this time of the Passion Week, the resurrection season. So we wanna make sure that we do everything we can to get you the resources that you need. Someone stopped me a little while ago and said, hey, when are the services? I said, you go on the app and you can find out about services and location and all these different things out in the commons and we're gonna have a great time with that. I love the quote that Lawson said

[D]

about what God has done in her life.

[B]

She said this. I'm not the same person I was a year ago. Come on, somebody. We're believing that it's going to happen a lot throughout Easter at every location. Believing. Believing. I just love that this has been a phenomenal series. I mean, I needed it. Who does not need the idea that I'm stuck in my life? I need the power of God or I'm lonely. And I know we've needed all of that. And I love these first 17 verses as we've talked about adoption. I love this series in Romans. Someone once said this. I pulled this out of a quote and I thought it was kind of cool that they said this about the book of Romans, that if the Bible

[D]

had a real heartbeat, which it kind of does. I love that Romans would be where you would check the pulse.

[C]

I just love that right at.

[D]

Romans would be where you Would check the pulse.

[C]

It's the heartbeat of the gospel.

[D]

And I think Romans 8 is right

[B]

in the middle of all that. Anytime I hear the term Romans 8, I go back to the first time I was able to teach the Bible. When I was about 20 years old, after getting ready to go to Bible college. I had a leader of our small group, and he was in the Air National Guard. And he was deployed or went into service for about six weeks.

[D]

Can we give a shout out to

[B]

all the men and women that serve? Come on, show your love. All the servicemen and women. And he was in the Air National Guard.

[D]

So he went off and he said, hey, why don't you take the group

[B]

for about six weeks? And it was my first time to

[D]

really teach the Bible in a small

[B]

group setting like that, in a teaching mode. And so I was able to teach Romans 6, 7, and 8. And I learned so much about my

[D]

own life, and I love that I'm back at Romans 8. I can be honest with you.

[B]

We're gonna dive into Romans 8. We've looked at those first 70 verses. I'm gonna take 18 to 25, and

[D]

I've gotta do some confession. I just gotta.

[B]

I gotta tell you something.

[D]

I can't go any further till I

[B]

let you know about something is that I have never really lingered much in those verses.

[D]

I mean, confession is good for the soul.

[B]

I needed to get this off of my chest. I've just never spent a lot of time in Romans 8, verse 18 to 25.

[D]

I was always reading verse 18 to 25 to get to verse 25 and

[B]

30, which we'll talk about next week.

[D]

But I've never spent any time there. I just. But I'll tell you what, it's interesting to read it. Some of the wordings can catch you. And so when I was given this assignment, I've been wrestling with it. I mean, I'm talking about big wrestling. I'm talking about Andre the Giant wrestling. I'm talking about Dusty Rhodes. You don't know nothing about atomic elbow wrestling. I've been wrestling with the text because of just some of the wording, some of the understanding. Just what is Paul trying to say to us in what's going on in our life?

[C]

As I've read this over and over

[B]

again, But I'll tell you what, about

[C]

two weeks ago, the light came on. Glory to God. It's like, oh, I see it. The revelation, the illumination of God's spirit

[D]

showed me how this makes so much sense coming out of all the encouragement of adoption and now Paul talks about, here's where we're living and here's what we're living to.

[B]

So I want to read verse 18 to 25. And I know Pastor Chris. He talks about how he studies and he's got a candle and some worship music and he's in a study. And Pastor Mark has shared with me

[C]

some of the brilliance of his methodology

[B]

of diving into Scripture. And I just love every time he speaks.

[D]

But I'll tell you, when I'm struggling

[B]

and wrestling with a text, I go

[D]

out in my backyard and I'm a walker. And so I take my Bible and I go in my backyard and I read out loud and I just say, oh, Lord, help this Italian.

[C]

Glory to God. Italian man need a little help today.

[D]

And so I'm gonna read it to

[B]

you like I read it in my

[C]

backyard where God began to speak to me about what it says to you and I about our lives. Romans 8, 18, 25. For I consider that the suffering, interesting suffering. There's a lot of suffering today. I got some friends that are suffering. I know people close to me that are suffering. But I consider that the suffering of this present time.

[B]

Some of us right now are in

[C]

a present time suffering. Sometimes it's real time.

[D]

Are not worthy to be compared with

[C]

the glory which shall be revealed. Oh, wait a minute. I may be suffering, but Paul is

[D]

saying that you cannot compare the suffering that you're going through right now to the coming glory. Oh, that's good news. And it's just not some vague coming glory. It's just not some out there coming

[C]

glory, coming glory revealed in us. It's in me for the earnest expectation. That's a key Greek word of the creation. Eagerly important word. Waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subject to fertility or frustration.

[D]

Not willing, but because of him who.

[B]

Who subjected it in hope.

[D]

So everything we see in the world

[B]

and everything that I see going on

[D]

around me, there can still be hope.

[C]

Because creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage. They see a lot of bondage of corruption. Wow. Decaying corruption.

[D]

I feel like the world is decaying and corrupting.

[C]

And to the glorious liberty of the children of God, there's coming a liberation. I've been liberated now in Christ, but there is coming a redemptive liberation. I need to remember that in my life. Verse 22. For we know that the whole creation groans. I hear you labors with birth pain. Mm, mm. Together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan. Yes, I see the world groaning, but sometimes I'm groaning. Within ourselves eagerly. There's that Greek word again.

[D]

Waiting for.

[C]

For the adoption, the redemption of our body.

[D]

For we are saved in this hope. But hope that is seen is not hope for. Why does one still hope for what he sees? Total sense. But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. For we are saved in this hope.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

I know the world is groaning.

[D]

I know the world is kind of crazy right now.

[C]

Hardly watch. The news hardly explained it to my kids.

[D]

But in the middle of it all, Paul is saying, yes, there is groaning.

[C]

But I have this hope because of the coming glory. I'm not defined by the groaning. I am defined by the glory. God Almighty, the glory that I have received in salvation.

[D]

Wow.

[C]

Can you believe all of some of us have gotten saved?

[D]

How many are like the least likely

[C]

person to be saved other than me in the room? But there's a coming glory. You cannot separate what you're dealing with now from what God is going to do later. And constantly we're in this separation. I'll add on this scripture, which I think makes a lot of sense to us. 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

[D]

For our light affliction. Paul says it's just a light affliction. The suffering, the groaning. What you're going through, I know it's real, but it's really a light affliction, which is. But for a moment. It's only for a moment. Worketh for us a far more exceeding

[C]

eternal weight of glory. Can I have a good amen for God's Word? I love these scriptures. Yes, there's an adoption that we've talked

[D]

about, but there's a reality of life

[C]

that we deal with.

[D]

And Paul is talking in real. Talking in real time. I'm going through a lot. The church is going through a lot.

[B]

People are going through a lot.

[D]

And if you're not careful, you can get stuck in that and you could just live right there. But I've got to be able to look for the glory and look for the promise and look for the adoption and look for the redemption and look for the grace and mercy that is right there for me. And I may not be experiencing all of it right now because of this crazy world that we live in and people all around us and stuff that we deal with. But I know because I'm not experiencing all of it, it doesn't mean that it's not coming for me. There comes a Moment where you have to realize that. That this is not all there is.

[B]

I'll be honest with you, and I've

[D]

watched this in my own life, that

[B]

one of the chief ways, the devil,

[C]

the enemy, the liar, the deceiver of our soul, ruins and traps us, is

[D]

to get us to believe and then get us to live. And then get you and I to have this outlook that this is all there is, that now is forever.

[C]

Let that sit for a second.

[D]

That right now, what you're facing, the storm, the suffering, the questions, the doubt, the unbelief, the pressure, the stress, that right now it's forever. And if you get locked in that and you don't declutter, that, as Romans 8 is helping us to declutter those thoughts, declutter those fears. If you don't declutter that, then guess what? You live life with no hope. And then you only live in the words of suffering, frustration, bondage, corruption, worry, groaning, pain, issue. How many of us, sometimes our issues have issues.

[C]

Our groanings be groaning, and it's final.

[D]

So when I was reading all this,

[C]

this is where the light bulb came on.

[D]

Paul is fully acknowledging, and this is

[C]

important, Paul is acknowledging the state of decay, despair, sin and death.

[D]

Yes, it's here and it is happening. But I'm not gonna live in that. I am not gonna live in that state of hopelessness. I am not gonna live as Paul the pessimist. No, no, no, no, no, no. And here's where it turns. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to know that in God Almighty. That God Almighty says to me that I see this, but I see beyond this. Therefore, I have hope now.

[C]

I love old Westerns. I love an old Western movie. Oh, don't really love the new ones, old Westerns. I love it. When I was reading this, I started thinking about them.

[D]

I love the John Wayne era. Oh, don't let me talk to you about that. Triple threat. Fort Apache, Rio Grande, she Wore a Yellow Ribbon. That's a triple threat of old Westerns right there.

[C]

Triple threat. Give me some John Wayne. What's up? About to be a horse soldier. Back up.

[D]

But when I was reading this, and in the context of what it's saying in some of the Greek words, here's what I started seeing. And you know this.

[B]

I don't know if you've ever seen

[D]

these scenes where you see that defeated sad cowboy. He's just a sad cowboy. Lost his wagon, got kicked out of Dodge. Can't find his dog. Deflated. Oh, bent down, oh, moping. Oh, weary. Ain't got no water, Ain't got no home, Ain't got no song. I'm just down in my saddle. And Paul's giving us the image of in this world. We just down in our saddle. Let me hear some of that sad cowboy music. Just down in my saddle.

[E]

Can't, Baba. I can't. What is photo pageant? Ain't got nobody out here. We're them little dogies. Long rider, pale long rider.

[D]

Nobody likes me.

[E]

I like nobody. Been shot, been run out of town.

[D]

Just sad.

[B]

Y' all don't know about a sad cowboy music.

[D]

Paul says that's the world we live in. It's that sad cowboy song. But guess what? I'm not living that way. Because in those verses in 1825, about 160 words.

[C]

But there's a word changes everything. I'll give you. It's in the Greek. Here's the word in the Greek. Apocado. Apocado Apocado du chia. He says it about three times, refers to it.

[D]

Apocado du chia. I see the world, but I see apocado du chia. I feel like I'm at Taziki's ordering a dip.

[C]

Can I have some more of that avocado duquilla? Love to dip that. The spicy kind of. That makes me laugh. That word actually means eager expectation with a stance.

[D]

It actually means head up, neck out, eyes forward.

[C]

That's what the word means.

[D]

So Paul is saying I can't live as it said. No, no, I'm not living like that. I ride different. I'm about to stretch my neck. I mean literally, it's like, it's literally the word craning your neck. You ever crane your neck?

[C]

This is called craning your neck. I'm craning my neck right now. What am I doing?

[D]

I'm looking for something that's next. I'm scanning the horizon. Faith is craning your neck in the midst of a battle, scanning your horizon, knowing that grace, mercy, healing, restoration, his redemption. No sad cowboy, you got to get

[E]

up out your saddle.

[D]

Everybody down in the saddle.

[C]

Well, I need me some hope filled cowboy music.

[D]

It's like a scout scanning the horizon, looking what'? That's in the Bible, Skip looking. Come on, somebody. We live in our life down in our saddle.

[E]

You got to get up out of

[D]

that saddle of depression, up out of that saddle of being weary. Up out of that saddle of worry,

[E]

up out of that saddle of corruption,

[D]

of sin and death.

[E]

You got to get up in that saddle of faith and hope.

[D]

Come on, turn to the person next to you. Just crane your neck at them.

[C]

Crane my neck at you when your marriage is hurting. Crane your neck toward God Almighty when you feel lonely. Crane your neck to a small group when you don't understand God's voice or God's will. Crane your neck to growth, track for life. Eager expectation. Paul made that decision. Paul is saying, as a believer, you can ride different. You can get up in hope, get up in glory, get up in Christ, get up in what God has. You know why? Because we're riding to life, not to death.

[D]

I'm not living my life to death. I'm living my life to life. I'm not living my life to the end. I'm living my life to the next beginning of eternity. You have to see it differently. Yeah, my body may be hurting and not everything's going well. Paul said there's gonna be some groaning and there's just gonna be some things that are taking place. But I can't get all up in

[E]

that

[D]

because there's something greater in me. I'm in Christ. And I know you ever see.

[C]

You ever talking about, man, I'm up in it. You don't even know. We up in right now. We all up in it. You ever had anybody tell you, man, you're in it right now? Lord have mercy. Praying for you. Back off me. I may be in it, but he's in me. Christ in me. The hope of glory. So you say, dino, bring me some application. And that's so important. We've heard that all three weeks, and nobody does that better than Pastor Mark.

[B]

And so I want to come alongside of that.

[C]

So I want to talk for a few minutes on how to live between the groaning and. And the glory, because that's where we're all living.

[D]

We're living in between this groaning. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

[C]

And glory.

[D]

And we're not being defined. Don't let. Don't be defined just by groaning. Don't let yourself get caught up there. But we're not all the way in the glory yet. We're waiting on our redemption. Oh, come on. The Hebrew writer says, I'm looking for a city. I'm not in the permanent city right now. I'm looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. This earth is not all there is. And when we live like it, it's a recipe for groaning. So I wrote down a couple things

[C]

just to help you, give you some handles. Maybe this will be a blessing. Apocalypse just Wanted to say that again. How to live in between groaning and glory.

[D]

Number one, holding onto God, you got

[C]

to hold on to God. Pastor Mark talked about that last week. If you didn't get that installment, he dialed in on that.

[D]

I'm not just going to live in

[B]

the here and now. Paul is saying there's things happening in

[D]

the here and now. I'm hurting in the here and now. I'm doubtful in the here and now. All those things are reality. But I'm not just going to live in the here and now. Living in the now and later.

[C]

That's a whole different way to see life.

[D]

Not just here and now. I'm in the now, but I'm also looking for the later. Because I know that God is the author and finisher of my faith. And I know that today. It's a hard day today. But hope says there's a tomorrow.

[C]

Come on, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar tomorrow. I don't know the song, but it has something to do with a red headed person. Tomorrow, tomorrow.

[D]

Why?

[C]

Cause this is not the whole story. I'm not just living for all of this, you know, to be honest with you. You know what happens to me? This is only me.

[D]

I get caught up in what is

[C]

right in front of me. Just what I'm dealing with right now.

[D]

And I get so caught up into that. And I'm a passionate person. So I get caught up in this right now.

[B]

I get a little fired up.

[D]

I get frustrated, I can get angry, I get impatient. I could be a little. And I get caught up right here. But I've got to remember, I've got to lift my head above the here and now. And I've got to lift up my head in worship. I've got to lift up my head in prayer. I've got to lift up my head into the scripture. I can't be so down in my saddle. Just what I'm dealing with and the people and the pain and the stuff and the strength, I gotta lift up. Why? Because he is the lifter of my head.

[C]

Look up.

[D]

Thy redemption draweth near.

[C]

I can't just live with what's in front of me. Gotta get beyond that. Here's the other how to live between groaning and glory is opportunity. I think you have to see it as an opportunity.

[D]

I know I'm going through. This is an obstacle, but if I

[C]

have hope, then it's an opportunity.

[D]

You ever hear, hey, turn your pain into purpose?

[C]

That's a cute little statement and I love it. But it's hard sometimes when you lose

[D]

your job and bad things happen, and

[B]

things happen where you don't make. It doesn't make sense to you as

[C]

a 10th grader or as a junior

[D]

in college, or as a single mom or as a senior adult, whatever it is, whatever that.

[C]

It's just.

[D]

I know that's a great thought, but literally it is that, yeah, there's obstacles, but in God, in hope. I know that this obstacle can be an opportunity for. For me to be a blessing to someone else, because if I get through what I'm going through, I can help somebody else get through what they're going through. Because my life is not defined in what I'm going through. My life is defined in what I'm in and what's in me.

[C]

I've got a good friend, Micah McKelvin. Micah, young man, body surfer on the west coast, had an accident. Paralyzed. In that moment, God spoke to him and said, you, life is a vapor. We ride past these incredible ministries that

[B]

he has started that touch the whole world.

[C]

West Africa, Haiti, all across the 1040 window.

[B]

He started these thrift shops where he

[D]

takes that resource and he empowers communities

[B]

and helps those with reduced opportunities and

[D]

spreads the gospel all over the world. So he took that obstacle, and now

[C]

it became an opportunity.

[D]

And you and I, because of the faithfulness of your tithe and offering and the integrity of this church, all these years under Pastor Chris and the stewardship of Pastor Mark and our trustees, we sow into vapor. And it's amazing. The what it was an obstacle that now is a gospel opportunity. I said, micah, show me what happened last year.

[C]

Look at this. Those numbers are amazing. But here's what's amazing in hope. Every number is a name. Every name is a story, and every story is a hope multiplier, a reflection of your generosity. Can we give God the glory for the impact that's taking place? Opportunity. And then the other way that we are able to kind of live our life and keep living between groaning and glory is perspective. I know there's pain. I know there's a lot going on. But can I encourage you that you're

[D]

not abandoned, you are anchored.

[B]

I saw this quote that I thought

[C]

really framed up what it means to live in the perspective of hope in the middle of stuff. That hope changes perspective. Why? Because it changes the interpretation. It changes your lens.

[D]

Because I'm interpreting this storm, this now problem, this light affliction. I interpret it different

[C]

that God Almighty could use it. Hmm. I could maybe make a difference. I could share that story. Maybe I could Use it with someone

[D]

that I talked to this week.

[B]

Maybe I could use it as the Easter invite.

[C]

Maybe the perspective of what I've walked through, that's what that family did. It's amazing. Joseph and Lawson, they just changed their interpretation of what they were going through, and now it's interpreted through the gospel. Now the impact. Look for someone this week that maybe because of what you've walked through, you can help them. And then you. You see them now through a different lens. Amen. And then the last one is enduring. I think that's important. I think it's important that if you're going to get through from glory to groaning, you're going to learn how you're going to have to endure. And you know why we can endure the groaning? Because we know that there's the King of glory coming to get us. You know, when I've read this over and over again, and I've been studying this for about six weeks, and there's a song that I keep singing, it's been like a declaration. Going to sing it here in a minute. We'll sing it and then I'll close. Don't leave during the song. Don't leave during the close. Hold tight.

[D]

But I love this song.

[B]

It's a song that combines some of the wording

[C]

that was written by Edward Mote in 1834 as a young man, 20 years old, he wrote this. He wrote some of this song. It's been revised into another song. He had just given his life to

[D]

Christ and his whole world was falling

[B]

apart and things were crazy.

[C]

He gave his life to Christ and

[D]

he's 20 years old, walking to work

[B]

as a cabinet maker in 1834.

[D]

And he writes these words, walking to work. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame

[C]

but wholly lean on Jesus name When

[D]

darkness veils its lovely face I rest

[C]

on his unchanging grace and every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil. Edward became a pastor when he was dying at 77. He said to those gathered around his bed, those words that I wrote, those words that we sang, I want you to hear this. They have lived well, but they will be dying well, too. Lord have mercy. These words we proclaim, these words we preach these words we pray. These words we sing.

[D]

Oh, church, they live well,

[C]

but they will live well on the other side, because this is not all there is. Jesse, sing those words. Let's sing this. Come on, let's declare it. Make it a declaration. Church.

[F]

Then Jesus blood, Righteousness thank you Lord. I dare not trust the sweetest rain but holy trust in Jesus name in Christ alone the cornerstone we made strong in the Savior's love through the storm he is Lord Lord of Lord I

[B]

love the second verse. Come on, let's sing this out.

[F]

When darkness seeks to hide his faith

[D]

and yes it will I rest on

[F]

his unchanging grace

[A]

in every high and stormy gale yes it will. Hold it will hold My anchor holds within the grave. Cornerstone we made strong in the Savior's love through the storm he is Lord He's Lord of. In Christ O cornerstone we common strong in the Savior's love through the storm he is Lord He's Lord of all oh sing. When darkness seeks to hide his face when darkness seems to hide his face When I rest on his unchanging grace in every eye and storm begin My anchor holds within the val In Christ alone Cornerstone we made strong in the Savior's love through the storm he is Lord he's the Lord of all.

[D]

Oh Glory to God. Glory to God.

[A]

Glory to God.

[G]

Our king is coming. Our king is coming. Our king is coming. Our king is coming. Clap your hands if you believe that Jesus is returning.

[B]

Oh God is good.

[C]

Father, we thank you for the presence of adoption and for the strength of hope in Christ. We place our hope now and later in you. In Jesus name. Can you be seated right where you are real quick? I just want to get give those that want to say yes to Jesus. No moving around, every head bowed, every eye closed. I'm invite our campus pastors on stage right now with me. With every head bowed, every eye closed. Dino, I feel like I'm drowning. I have no anchor. Nothing's holding. I am afloat. You have described me. I'm here to tell you that Jesus Christ is your anchor. Went to the cross. Spirit of adoption can be yours when we whisper the name of Jesus. If you're here today and you say Dino, I need a new beginning and a fresh start in Jesus. I need to accept him as my savior. With every head bowed, every eye closed. I'm asking you right now right where you are going to embarrass you. But I want to connect with you. Say Dino, that's me. If that's you, can you raise your hand? Hands are going up all across Grants Mill. If you raised your hand, if you didn't. But you feel afloat, you feel drifting the drift. Pray this prayer from your heart. Say Jesus, forgive me of my sins. I believe you died and you rose again. And I ask you to be my savior and be my Lord.

[D]

Be my everything right now

[C]

and be my coming king in Jesus name. Amen. Let's clap our hands for all those who made a decision.