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- [00:00]
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Hey, Social fam. Just before we get into the message, today, we want to share something exciting. We are currently standing outside the former Look Theater, a building that we believe God is calling us to make the permanent home for Social Dallas.
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Yes. And to make this dream a reality, we need to raise $1.8 million by February to close on the space. This is more than a building, y'all. It's a place where lives will be changed and Jesus will be lifted up.
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If Social has been a blessing to you, would you consider partnering with us? You can visit socialdallas.com give or you can text the word. Look to 833-300-5264 to learn more. Thanks for being a part of what God is doing through Social Dallas. Now let's jump into the message.
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Do you see what we've got? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship. Deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He is actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn. And he won't quit until it's all clear.
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God himself is fire, as you hear.
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You sound good.
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So concerned.
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Can y'all believe it?
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We only have one more Sunday to read that verse. Next Sunday, and it is Social family Christmas. We're debuting our film, so make sure your face is in the place. Cause you know your boy. I'm in the film. 10:00am Anyway, it's not about me. Hey. It's about this moment right here. I wish I had some confetti. I wish I had a bullhorn. Cause today I get the privilege of introducing not just a phenomenal leader, not just a pastor, but. But a friend of mine. Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. Is in the building, y'all. Him and his wife Dawn Cherie, have been friends to Taylor and I for years. They lead a phenomenal church in Miami, but it is making impact around the world, y'all. This is his first time here at Social Dallas, but it will not be his last. You know how we do. I need you to make some noise. Put your hands together for pastor Rich Wilkerson, Jr. Come on, Social.
- [02:26]
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Hallelujah. Anybody grateful to be in God's house on a Sunday morning? It is so good to be here. Better as one day in God's house than a thousand elsewhere. And today, I'm just blown away. This is so, so beautiful to see what the Lord is doing right here at Social Dallas. What an honor. What a privilege it is to be here. I kind of feel like as I was just here in worship, that moment when The Queen of Sheba shows up to Solomon and she sees his kingdom and she said, yo, they didn't tell me the half of this. What God is doing here is sacred. It is special. Come on. Anybody grateful for your church? Make a little bit of noise. Do me a favor, high five a few people around you and just say, you, you look better than I remember. That's what worship will do. Change your attitude. Amazing. Hallelujah. Dallas, Texas. Y'all are three years old and you guys are like doing church in an arena. This is something I've never seen before. And let me just say that this beautiful, beautiful move of God, it doesn't just happen by happenstance. No, this really is the fruit of a couple's labor of their faithfulness. Is anybody thankful for Pastor Robert and Taylor Madu Em Bounds, the great Christian scholar? He said at this, he says the church is looking for a method, but God is looking for a man. And I really believe that you have been given just, I think two of the finest leaders on the planet right now. Robert and Taylor Mado are world class. And maybe you're new to social, maybe you're new to this church. I would encourage you come back because I've been saying it for years. I'm not new to this, but Robert Madu, I think, is the greatest preacher of my generation. Anybody love your pastor? Come on. Can you put your hands together and thank God to them? We go back like 15 years, and so I know we've never met before, but we're not just bffs, we are fffs. Do you know what an FFF is? That's a. That's a faithful friend. That. That's a friend that is with you in trials and in challenges, and that's who they are. My name is Rich. If we've never met before, I come from Miami, Florida. That's where Jesus lives, if you haven't heard. He's got a condo on the beach. And my wife Dawn Sri and I, we lead a church called Vu Church. My wife, she sends her. She sends her greetings. We've been married for 18 years, y'all. Glory to God. And we are kind of in a miracle season back home right now. I think we've got a photo of my family. I want you to see my family. Wow. This picture was taken on Friday because that oldest boy, his name is Wyatt Wesley Wilkerson. And then my second born, his name is Wild Wesley Wilkerson. And then my favorite child is my daughter. Her name is Waylon Wesley Wilkerson. And if you can believe this. We went on a journey of infertility for eight years. Eight years, we could not have kids. Then all of a sudden, God, who does the impossible, he started giving us children. And we thought we were done. But on my 40th birthday, God said, surprise. And 11 days ago, my wife gave birth to our fourth child. That's Wolfgang Wesley Wilkerson. And so they all send their greetings, and he is a newborn in the house. Someone was like, why'd you name your kid Wolf? I was like, well, number one, it always gives you an opportunity to howl whenever you want. Come on, Social death. If that doesn't make a party better, I don't know what will. But Wolf is the symbol of the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was the 12th son of Israel. And the word of the Lord for the tribe of Benjamin is that they would devour in the morning and divide at night. And I really believe that we are raising up a warrior in the Wilkerson house. Wolfgang Wesley Wilkerson. Don't you love preachers? We gotta make everything be an alliteration. All of my kids are WWW. We just call them World Wide Web for short. I am so excited today to preach to you, and I really believe that the Lord has given me a word for social, and I just. I stand in amazement. I'm slow to start today because sometimes when you're on holy ground, you need to tread lightly, and that really is what God is doing here. He's doing something so, so special. And I've had the opportunity to travel all over the world and see the church at large. And I just don't want you to take for granted how sacred this moment is, how beautiful it is. You guys in 28 days have given a million dollars. Would you give yourselves a big round of applause? At Vue Church, we believe in Social Dallas. And whenever we see good soil, remember this principle. Seed is cheap. Soil is expensive. In Miami, you buy the land. And when I see good soil, I want to be a part of it. And we can't close the entire gap at Vue Church, but we brought today an offering. We got $50,000 towards Social Dallas. And so I just wanted to give this to somebody. We didn't come empty handed today. We came to partner. We came to, come on, let's give God glory today. We believe. How many believe we're going to close this gap? It's funny, because you might not know us, but we've been knowing you for a long time. And the man who just came and grabbed that check, that's my friend Eve and Eve and Dawn, I did their wedding. And Miami is not really, like, you know, known for churches. We got like five Christians in Miami and two of our best came and helped you guys plant this church. And we feel like we are partnered with this church and we feel like we're in it with you guys heart and soul, and we want to see this goal completed. I want to encourage you even today. I'm not going to preach like I'm a guest. I'm going to preach and say all the things that maybe pastor Robert wishes he could say today. Because if you don't like it, I won't be here next week. But let's be bold in this hour. If not you, then who? And if not now, then when? Luke chapter 24 is my text today. And I'm gonna preach this thing like I feel it. They told me there's not another service, so we're gonna go for about two hours. Are the cowboys playing today? Can we pray for the. Oh, we don't like the Cowboys. Oh, we love them. Okay. I don't know. Splitting a church, I thought that would be low hanging fruit. Luke, chapter 24. We're going to start in verse 44. Thank you, Jesus. This is what the scripture says. Jesus said to them. This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms. Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the scriptures once again. I just think that you go to a great church that every week as pastor Robert opens up the text, he shows and reveals Jesus and he told them, this is what is written. The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. And repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses, social Dallas. And I'm going to send you what my father has promised. But stay in the city until you've been clothed with power from on high. When he led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and then he blessed them with his hands. And while he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple praising God. I want to take this text today and I want to preach from the subject hand in hand. Hand in hand. And would you pray with me? Lord, we thank you so much for your word. God, we thank you that today it's alive. It's active. It's sharper than any double edged sword today. God, we believe that we have inherited an unshakable kingdom. And so right now, today, Lord, we stand on your promises. We believe, God, that you are doing something in us so you can do something through us. God, we believe the best is yet to come for Dallas, and we believe the best is yet to come for this great church. Lord, speak to us today. Let us leave here seeing Jesus in a fresh way. Let us leave transformed. Let us leave, Lord, making an impact that you've called us to make. We love you, we praise you. And if you agree with that prayer, all of God's people said, all of God's people said, if you love Jesus, make a little bit of noise. Hallelujah. All right, how many of you out there, you would say, I want to see social continue to have a fresh move of God take place. Where are you at? Just wave at me. Just wave at me. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. How many of you want to see this church move forward? From grace to grace, strength to strength. Come on. Glory to glory. How many of you want to see us build this building? Come on, somebody. Can I get a little bit of faith in this room? Okay. If we all agree with that, which I think we do, there is a key principle that you must learn. And this principle, you can use it all over your life. And here's the principle. You cannot steward that which you don't seek to understand. You cannot steward that which you don't seek to understand. I could show you this in all areas of your life. For instance, your finances, right? If you don't seek to understand finance, you'll never be able to steward your finances. If you don't seek to understand diet and nutrition, you're never, ever going to be able to take care of this body. Some of you right now, some of you fellas out there, if you don't seek to understand that girl, you're not gonna be able to manage that marriage. All the ladies said amen out there. Come on, come on. Because in reality, we have to understand why something is working. If you don't know why something's working when it's working, you won't know how to fix it when it breaks. I like the fact that you call your church social, man. Because when we say yes to Jesus, we say yes to being social. And if you're gonna be in a community like this, you have to make it the principle of your life. I'm gonna seek to understand before I seek to be Understood? And this whole thing that you're looking at didn't just happen. Nothing just happens. We are seeing a revival breakout right here in this church. But these are the words of Jesus. Matthew, chapter 9, verse 37. He says, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers. Somebody say workers. But the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest that he might send forth workers. I don't know if you caught it, but he just gave you the equation. He just gave you the recipe to revival. I meet so many people that say, I want a revival. Well, then go to Jesus's words, because he tells you the equation. It's prayer plus work equals revival. Pray like it depends on God. And then work like. Like it depends on you. In fact, you're going to help me. This room. This side, you say pray. Say it again. This side, you say work. I need some Pentecostals. This side say pray. This side, Revival. Pray work. Come on, somebody give God some praise. Revival. Like I just do that for 30 minutes, you know, is prayer plus work, which equals revival. Social. Dallas, you got 99 problems, but harvest isn't one. You don't have a harvest problem. At times, we have a hands problem. Eugene Peterson said it this way. He said, on your knees and pray for harvest hands. Because if we want to see this thing continue, if we want to understand why is this working, it's working because there's praying hands and there's helping hands. It's very important that we understand this today, because a harvest without a hand is a waste. Think about the power of hands. I mean, your hands can do so many different things when they're diligent, when they're focused. You can repair a heart. That's what a surgeon does. You can hold a baby, you can build a house, you can defend a nation. You can care for the broken. But the question is, have you put your hands to work? My little kids right now are learning the piano. And so we've been listening to Beethoven at the house. I want to be very, very clear. We're listening to Beethoven. And when I was younger, I was playing the piano, and I learned one of Beethoven's pieces called Fear Elise. And so I sat down the other day, I said, oh, I can still play this thing. But, man, my hands have been undisciplined. They have been untrained. I got the same 88 keys as Beethoven, but my hands have not been busy at work. I wonder how many of us in this room. There's harvest all around us. But we have never Stepped out to reap the harvest. We've never actually stepped out and gathered it in, celebrated it, put our hands to work. People don't understand this. Planting takes work, but reaping takes work. Like the reaping takes work. And if you don't reap the harvest, it will rot. You could be honest. Some of us, we can look at our life. It's not that you never had fruit in your life that wasn't ripe. It's that you didn't reap it in time. Like. Like. It's one thing to get a job. That takes work. Keeping a job. Keeping a job takes work. It's one thing to get in shape. I've gotten in shape many times. It's the staying in shape, getting married, that takes work. He who finds a wife, that's a verb, bro. You can't just stand there and put out the vibe. You can't just DM her to find out if she's wife. You gotta actually walk across the room and say, hi, nice to meet you. But getting married is one thing. Staying married, come on. Where are some people who've got some. Some years under their belt staying married? That's the real work right there. Making a baby, take some work. Some of y'all love that work too much. Having a baby takes work. But raising a child, releasing a child, finding a church takes work. But staying planted in the house of God so that you might flourish, come on. That's the real work. Anybody out there got some harvest hands? If you got some harvest hands and you're ready to work, clap those harvest hands. Give God some praise. It's prayer plus work which equals harvest. And I love this text in Luke chapter 24, because a lot is happening. But let me just try to set the stage a little bit and put the text into context. This passage of scripture is known as the Ascension of Christ. And Jesus is getting ready to ascend. But before he does, he shows up and he reveals himself to the disciples. And as he reveals himself to the disciples, he is going to commission them to do work. Oh, yeah, you have work to do. What is the work of a Christian? The work of a Christian number one is to believe in Jesus. And then the work of the Christian is to go and make disciples. Why are we trying to build a building? Why are we commissioning you to give an offering? It's because we're trying to obey what Jesus told us to do. But notice how Jesus commissions them. He commissions them by lifting his hands and then laying his hands, and he sends them out what's powerful about this moment is he ascends to heaven. He is in heaven today. And maybe you're wondering, where is Jesus? Some people say Jesus lives in my heart. But. But the Christian doctrine is known as the session of Christ. The session of Christ. The session of Christ tells us that today Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. Do you know why he's seated at the right hand of the Father? He's seated because on the cross he declared it is finished. His work is finished, but our work is just beginning. He's sitting down so that we can run our race of faith. Come on. Anybody believe there's work to do. There's work to do. And this passage is powerful because what Jesus is saying is. He's saying, I'm going to partner with my church. Hand in hand. I want to partner with you. Social Dallas, hand in hand. Do you know who you are partnered with? I could talk to you about the power of your hands, but I didn't think I would waste all of our time today talking about your hands. How about we talk about his hands? Because the hand of God. Can anybody just testify for a moment that if it was not for the hand of God, where would you be? God's hand is described all throughout the Scriptures. I like how it says in Psalm 139, even there, your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast. I like the fact that he says, even there. Where is there? There is anywhere, anywhere you find yourself in this life, whether you make your bed on the mountaintops or you find yourself deep down in the valley, everywhere that you go, God's hand can reach you. God' can meet you. Anybody grateful for the hand of God, even there, Isaiah said it this way. He said, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God's hand is powerful, but it's purposeful. God's hand is strong, but it's very, very personal. On Thanksgiving Day, or I should say the day before Thanksgiving, I took my two older sons to a friend's house. And my oldest boy, his name is Wyatt, he's six years of age. And then his little brother, he's five years of age. His name is Wild. And my kids are really good, but there's a couple areas that we're a little bit behind in. I haven't taught them how to ride a bike yet. That's on me, not on them. And we were at my friend's house in the front yard, and his daughter is about two years older than my oldest son. And she came out on this big pink bike, no training wheels, riding around. And as soon as Wyatt saw this, this was all the motivation he needed. He had never seen a girl on a bike without training wheels. He said, dad, I want to go. He said, all right, bro. This guy got on the bike, and on his first try, he rode. My son is a prodigy. I was blown away. But then his little brother Wild, who actually is Wild, he goes, dad, I want to try. We said, okay, man. And so we put Wild on this big pink bike, which was way too big for him. And he got on the bike, and then I got behind him, and I was holding the seat, and I started to push him, and I let him go. And as soon as I let him go, his mother walked outside. And when his mother walked outside, Wild said, mom, I'm riding a bike. Which was true, but equally as true was his dad running behind that bike with his hand just in case he was about to fall. I felt like I needed to remind some people in this house, you might be coasting, you might be cruising, you might be doing really good right now, but you would not be where you are without the hand of God, who has never let you fall. He has never let you veer off. Anybody thank for the righteous right hand of God. It's his hand that's kept me that when I swerve, he brings me back. When I fall, he catches me. It is the hand of God. And you and I, we are partnered with God, hand in hand. You need to know who we are in partnership with. This is not just us against the world. This is not just us up against the night. No. We've got the king of kings and the Lord of Lords. Some years ago, I was in Paris with my wife and just trying to do Paris stuff. I said, girl, I'm taking you out on a date. She said, where are you taking my side? There's this really kind of hot, cool new restaurant. I want to take you out. I said, get dressed up. I got us. We show up to the restaurant, and when we get there, there was a line out the door. So I walked up, you know, like, what's up? You know, And I said, table for two. They said, do you have a reservation? I said. I said, no, they'll. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You can't come in. I said, okay, well, you know, we're from America, and, you know, I got my wife all dressed up. We really want to just. We want. We want to come in to the Restaurant. Just. Just small table. No, no, no, no, you cannot. And then, you know, I pulled out, like, a $20 bill. Like, come on, let's go. You know, they're like, no, no, no, you can't. You can't. And I had to kind of go do the walk of shame back to my wife. You know, I'm like, hey, babe. You know, I know I talked to Big Game, but, you know, I don't got it like that. And let's go find a McDonald's or something. And so we sit out on the curb. True story. She's in her stilettos in a nice dress, and I'm there. And as I'm sitting there, this little dog, if you can believe it, starts coming up, and he starts jumping on my leg. He starts biting up my pants. I'm like, what in the world? This little Yorkie. Ark, ark, ark. I'm like, what is this dog doing? I look back, and this leash is. This dog's attached to this leash. And there's this big Parisian gentleman there who's older, and he looks at me and goes, oh, buddy. Oh. And true story. He starts putting his hand on my face. He's like, oh. And that's a weird thing when you're a guy, like, you know, like, yes. You know, he's. Oh. Oh, you're so cute. I'm like, okay, yeah, whatever. He said, are you eating here tonight? I said, well, you know, I wanted to, but, you know, there's a line out the door, and we couldn't get in. We don't have a reservation. He said, oh, nonsense. You come with me. I said, no, you don't understand. I can't get in because we don't have a reservation. He says, nonsense. You come with me. I own the place. Do you know how different you walk? It's like Holy Ghost swag comes up on you. I said, girl, grab your purse. We're walking in with the owner. We start walking in, and there's that hostess. No, no, no, no. I said, we, we, we, we, we, we. Come on, somebody. I'm trying to remind you today that as we step out into the harvest field, we're walking in with the owner. Come on and give him praise. Yes, yes, yes, yes, and amen. Do you know whose hand you are holding? We are holding the hand of God. And today, I just. I want to remind some people, as we are in this season of generosity, as we are building his church here in Dallas, as we are obeying the words of Jesus, the last words he gives us before he ascends, his work is finished. Because now he's partnering with us in the earth to be his hands and feet. And he says, I want to partner with you, social Dallas, hand in hand. And maybe today you just need a reminder of whose hand you are holding. The first thing I see about Jesus hands, everyone, put your ones up. Put one up. Like this one, one, one. His hands create. Someone say, create the hands of Jesus. They create. John, chapter one, verse three says, through him, all things were made. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. It is important to note that Jesus hands are the hands of the Creator. They form the heavens, the earth, and humanity itself. His hands shaped us with purpose and care. The psalmist so eloquently put it. He said, for you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know that full well. Some of y'all gotta be careful, because the way you talk about yourself, you're not just criticizing you, you're criticizing the hands that formed you. God doesn't make junk. Do not discount that which God has already placed value on. Last week in Miami, it's known as Art Basel Week. Hundreds of thousands of people, they show up on our little city. Billions of dollars of art are exchanged. And I've always really loved fine art. I love going and looking at a painting. And, you know, you can go and look at a painting and you can derive or create meaning from it, but it's always fascinating when you speak to the artist about the painting. What do you mean by it? Because every piece of art requires an artist. All of design has a designer, and every bit of creation has a creator. And if you want to know why you're here on this earth, you can't just derive your own truth from what you feel, what your friends say. No, you got to go and talk to the One who created you. You got to go and speak to the One who formed you and shaped you. He put a purpose on your life. Everyone in this room. You were born on purpose, for a purpose. And what we don't always realize is that we are the hands that do God's work. But watch this. We are also the work of God's hands. This is what Ephesians says. Ephesians chapter two says this way. He says, we are God's handiwork. Another translation says that we are God's masterpiece created. Listen to this. In Christ Jesus, to do good, what's the word to do what you were created to work. You were created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. And what you got to really understand today is that it's not just good works that you're meant to do, it's actually God works that you're meant to do. And the only way you will find out the God work that you were created for is you have to go to the hands of a creator. He's the author, perfecter and finisher of our life. He happens to have his name. His name is Jesus. Anybody grateful for the name of Jesus? His hands don't just create. Put your twos up. Put your twos up. His hands heal. His hands heal. I don't know who came in today sick in your body, but I want to encourage you in a God who does not change, a God who's still working even right now. All throughout the Bible, you see that there is some sort of supernatural power released through the laying on of hands. James, the brother of Jesus, he would say to us, if anyone is sick among you, call the elders of the church. We did it this morning here at Social Dallas, and lay hands on the sick and anoint them with oil. And the prayers of a righteous man will be made well. The Apostle Paul, he writes and says to young Timothy, I long to stir up the gift that's on the inside of you, which you got by me laying my hands on you. Everywhere you turn in the Gospels, you will see Jesus laying his hands on sick people. And as he lays his hands, sick people are made well. One famous story is found in Matthew chapter 8. A man who has leprosy. Leprosy is a disease in that time period that was not just a physical ailment, but it also created you to be a social outcast. Leprosy would attack your nervous system and at your limbs, and limbs could actually begin to deteriorate and fall off. But it's a contagious disease. And so with it. The law at that time was that if you had leprosy, you had to announce to people, I am unclean. Maybe today you didn't walk in announcing that you're unclean, but you've walked into this house and you feel deep in your soul, I'm unclean. I do not belong here. I love the story in Matthew chapter 8. Because this man who has leprosy, he doesn't announce himself as unclean to Jesus, but rather his desperation turns to faith in Jesus. He says, lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean. He falls on his knees and says, lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean. I felt like telling someone today, don't waste your pain. I felt like preaching to somebody who's growing in this season. Do not discard your trial. Don't throw away this season of suffering. Because any hardship that turns to desperation and faith in Jesus is actually not a curse, but rather it is a gift God is refining you. CS Lewis says that God, he whispers to us in our pleasures, but he shouts at us in our pain. Here's this man, he falls at Jesus feet and says, lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean. If you're willing, God, I know you're able. God, I know you can. My question is, will you make me clean? And look at what the Bible says. This right here is Matthew, chapter 8, verse 3. Jesus reached out his. Jesus reached out his. He reached out his hand and touched the man. He says, I am willing. He said, be clean. And immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. I like it because in one movement Jesus lets you know I'm not just the God who can. I'm not just the God who's able, but I am the God who is willing to heal your sick body. Somebody thank God today that we serve a God who's not just able, but he's willing. It's not just that he creates, not just that he heals. Get your threes up, get your threes up. It's that he provides. Someone say provides. Jesus hands are full of provision. His hands are full of provision. Maybe the most famous story is the story found in Matthew chapter 14, where Jesus is preaching to a great crowd of people. Some 5,000 people are there in attendance. And as he's teaching and preaching, the disciples, they come up to him and they say, yo Jesus, you probably should send the people away because they look hungry. Which always makes me laugh because are the people hungry or are the disciples hungry? You got to be careful when God starts moving because some people become meal minded instead of mission minded. Sometimes we can get so fixed on what I need that we forget about the work that he's called us to do. And I wouldn't make much of a point of it except for the fact that I see the disciples do this in other places. John chapter four is that famous story where there's a Samaritan woman who's gone out to the well because she doesn't want to be seen by anybody. And there she is drawing water. And Jesus, who's just so Social shows up and he's talking to a woman that society would say, you can't talk with her, you can't mingle with her. And she's like, do you, do you want some water? He's like, yo, if you knew who you're talking to, you'd be asking me for water. Because you've been married four, five times, you're with a sixth man and it turns out you're thirsty. You, you're real thirsty, girl. But if you knew you were talking to the seventh man, seven is the number of completion. It's God's number. You would ask me for a drink of water. Because when I give you a drink, you will never thirst again. Here comes the disciples. They show up and they see Jesus speaking to this woman. And at first they probably don't like the fact that he's talking to this woman. But they also, they get real concerned. Master, have you eaten any food? Look at this. This is John, chapter 4, verse 32. But Jesus said to them, I have food to eat that you know nothing about, which is such a bar in and of itself. Because all of us, we need to pack food for the journey that we come and we get fed here. But if this is the only time you're eating, you're going to get malnourished really quick. If you're going to get out there and be a part of the harvest and partner with God, you need to have some food stored up for those rainy days. And then he said to disciples to the disciples, said to each other, could someone have brought him food? And Jesus said, my food, watch this. My food. Said Jesus is to do the will of him who sent me. Watch this. And to finish his work. Jesus is always talking about work. Sometimes I'll be at the office and I'll, you know, be working and I won't eat. And so my wife, who's just a great wife, she'll go, baby, baby, you gotta eat. Or she'll send some to Team Rich. You gotta eat. And these days I just go, what would Jesus do? No, I'm really grateful they want me to eat. But how many of you know that when you have a holy mission? I can't be meal minded. I got to be mission minded. My eyes are focused on the harvest. The harvest is ripe. We got to go out and we got to reap it. Because there's many that do not know Jesus and we have to see them saved. I love it because they're back. In Matthew 14 they say, Jesus, the people look hungry. Are they hungry? Are you hungry? And this is what Jesus says. You give them something to eat. Jesus, what do you mean, give them something to eat? Yeah, feed them. Well, we don't have anything. You have nothing. Well, we have something. What do you have? Five loaves and two fish. All we got is a meal. See, this is a vision season here at Social Dallas. We're ending the year in expectation so we can start the next year in execution. And when we start talking about vision, we're not talking about what we see with natural eyes. We're closing our eyes. We're reminding our heart that we don't walk by sight. Come on, somebody. We walk by faith. Come on. Anybody got some vision in this house? Vision doesn't say I'm missing something. Vision starts with what I have. What do you got? All we got is a meal. All we got is five loaves and two fish. You have something, you have to work what you have. If you'll give what you have, God can multiply it. Here's the real challenge. Jesus says, all you got is five loaves and two fish. You want to talk about cancel culture? Because if this went out in the world today, Jesus certainly would have been canceled. What do you guys have? Five loaves, two fish. Give it to me. What? Yeah, give me the little that you have. There's some people in this room today that you haven't given towards the look offering because you're saying, oh, it's not very much. All I have is an extra hundred dollars. All I have is an extra $500. Don't you know that you build a great church not on equal amounts, but on equal sacrifice, that every person would bring what they have. God, you can have my meal. And Jesus says, give it to me. And as he gets it, what does he do? He takes the five loaves and he takes the two fish and he holds it in his hand. Let me read it to you, because you don't believe me. Matthew 14:19. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves with his hands. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. Because when I give what I have to the Master's hands, the blessing of multiplication takes place in his hands. And it's not that they just fed the people. Go back and study the story. The Bible says there was 12 baskets left over. And you thought your mama made up leftovers at Thanksgiving? No, Jesus is Telling us that my hands are hands of provision. That when I start blessing you, I am not just the God of enough, but I am the God of more than enough. I am the God of overflow. I am the God that says there will be leftovers. Come on, somebody, clap your harvest hands. If you believe in a God of provision, his hands create. His hands heal. His hands provide. Put your fours up. Put your fours up. His hands save. His hands save. His hands save. Matthew 14. They feed 5,000 people. And then Jesus commands his disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side. What's amazing about this moment is as the disciples get into the boat headed to the other side, Jesus, he goes alone to pray. Because how do you get a revival? It's prayer plus work. And you can never, ever substitute being around God with being alone with God. You have to be alone with God. You have to get into God's presence. And if Jesus, the word made flesh that creates, heals and provides, if he has to take time in the prayer closet, what makes us think that we can sustain, that we can build his church without prayer? The disciples, they get in the boat and if you know the story, they obey Jesus, but they are led into a storm, which is a word for somebody. Because some of you right now, you're in a storm and you think it's because of disobedience. It could be because you are in the will of God. Maybe the rain's falling, the wind is blowing because you've done exactly what God told you to to do. I know this much that 2025 for you as a church is going to be a season of harvest. But it will also be a season of opposition. Why? Because the bigger the vision, the bigger the opposition. You think the enemy likes you filling a Sunday in December in an arena? You don't think they're paying attention to that? Know that when we step out, there's going to be a headwind. And the Bible says, these guys are out in this storm and it's a bad storm. They're freaking out. Thank God for Jesus. He sees them down in that storm and the Bible says he starts walking on the water to them, and let it be a word for you. Some of us, we get impressed with him walking on water. No, he'll walk over anything to get to you. He'll walk over that divorce, he'll walk right over the bankruptcy, the addiction, he can walk on top of that. The abuse, he can walk on top the failure. He'll walk right over that to get to You. The story is not about walking on water. The story is about a God who will do whatever it takes to save you. He walks out. And the disciples, they see Jesus, but they don't know it's Jesus. They don't know salvation is there. They freak out. They say it's a ghost, which makes me laugh. Because the only thing worse than being in a storm is having a ghost in your storm. Jesus shows up. Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid. But we're gonna drown. Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid. We live in a world right now that's full of fear, full of anxiety, full of oppression. And so many of us, we spend our whole life trying to take control. But Jesus doesn't say, take control. He says, take courage. Because we're doing this thing hand in hand. Courage is in your hand. Control is in God's hand. Come on. Anybody believe in a God who holds the whole world in his hands? Take courage. Doesn't say, have courage. It's something I have to reach for. It's something I have to work for. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the willingness to face our fears. And somehow Peter gets the bright idea. Lord, if that's really you, tell me to come to you out on the water. And here comes the gospel in one word. Jesus, in the middle of a storm in the dark night, with one word, he shouts back at Peter, and he shouts it to you. Come, whoever you are, whatever you've walked in here with, come to me. All you who are weary and heavy burden, I will give you rest. I am the God that when you could not get to me, I came to you. Anybody grateful for grace, come to me. Here comes Peter, takes this big step of faith, and my man starts walking on water. Some of y'all need to be encouraged because Peter is jacked up. My man had a cussing problem. He cut a man's ear off. Some of you like, I don't think I could be used by God. He used Peter to build his church. I'm not sure if you guys would let Peter lead a small group here at Social Dallas. Jesus said, upon this rock, Peter, upon the. I'm gonna build my church. Because God doesn't look to your present condition. God doesn't look to your past performance. No, he speaks to your future potential. He says, I can use you. Come, come, come, come. The Bible says that Peter's walking on water. But then, if you know the story, Peter starts to look at the wind and the waves. Look, look. What are you Looking at. Because when you looked at the wind and waves, you can't even see wind. Some of y'all are drowning right now because you're focused on invisible stuff. You're sinking because you're focused on a catastrophic future that hasn't even happened yet. And Jesus is saying, peter, the water's liquid, but my word is solid. As he begins to sing. Matthew 14, verse 31. Immediately, Jesus reached out his. Jesus reached out his. He reached out his hand and caught him. He said, you of little faith. He said, why did you doubt Jesus? Hand saves you. That when you step out in faith from time to time, you will begin to sink. But trust that there is a good God, that as soon as you begin to sink, his hand will always be reached out to save you. I don't know if it's just the eternal optimist in me, but I read this text, and some people, they'll preach this whole text talking about great faith, big faith. And I think we should have great faith. I think we should have big faith. But does anyone notice that Peter walked on water with little faith? Because it's not the size of your faith that matters. It's the size of your God. It's never been about the strength of your faith. It's always been about the object of your faith. If you would get faith the size of a mustard seed. Come on. The faith of a size of a mustard seed, it can move a mountain. Is there anybody in the room today who's come in with some faith? Make some noise. His hands create. His hands heal. His hands provide. His hands save. Come on, get your fives up. Oh, five fingers to make a hand. His hands were pierced. And when his hands were pierced, guess what he was saying? I got five on it. I got you. I love you. I love this idea that his hands were pierced. Because as we get ready to close today, I want to try to encourage you about who you are walking with, who you are building with, that you know the owner, you know the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. Jesus is not merely the God who offers you lip service. He is the God who bled and died for you. For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life. For all have sinned and fallen short. Jesus was born to die, and he came to this earth in the form of a man. And then he went to a cross as the substitution for your sins. Sometimes people say, I'm so grateful for Jesus, he died for me. That's true. Ish. It's better than that. He didn't just die for you. He died as you. He paid the entire price. They stretched him wide and they hung him high. And you should obey Jesus because he's God. But you should trust Jesus because he loves you. The cross is not some symbol you wear around your neck. The cross is a statement from heaven to earth that God loves you so much that he traded places with you. That he died, that he bled, that he was pierced on your behalf. Is there anybody grateful for the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ? And In Luke chapter 24, Jesus, he lifts his hands and he lays his hands, and he sends them out into the harvest. And he says, you're my church, and I want to work with you hand in hand. But what's interesting is if you just back up just a little bit in the text. Luke chapter 24, verse 36. It's an interesting moment because the disciples, well, they thought they had lost. In fact, they thought they had been defeated. They thought the goal was not fulfilled. They thought the prize had been lost because the Son of God can't be killed in messiahs. They don't die. And so maybe Jesus wasn't who he said he was. They thought the story was over and anxiety and fear was all throughout the camp. And Jesus shows up In Luke chapter 24, verse 36, just a few verses above what we read. And while they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them. And what does he say? He says, peace be with you. They were startled and frightened. Watch this, thinking they saw a ghost. These dudes have a real ghost fear. And he said to them, why are you troubled? And why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. Touch me and see. A ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. And when he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still did not believe it, because of joy and amazement, he asked them, this is so good to me. Do you have anything here to eat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. I like it because Jesus has already been to the cross. He's already died. He's already resurrected. And now he shows up. Peace. Y'all got anything to eat? I'm hungry. I could use a meal because I completed my mission. But now your mission begins. And how does he produce confidence in them? He shows them his hands. But these hands are important because these hands were pierced. Now, the hands bear scars. This is important because scars tell a story. And Jesus with just the lifting of his pierced hands that are no longer bleeding. He is announcing to his disciples, and he's announcing to his church. I have a story to tell. And my story is not just one of survival, but my story is one of overcoming. I've conquered death, hell, and the grave. And you got nothing to be afraid of. You're partnering with me. Hold my hand. Social. They were pierced, and they tell a story of victory. Thanksgiving Day in my house. It's three things. God, family, football. How about them Cowboys? I need faith, bro. Believe it or not, I actually watched the Cowboys game, and it was a crazy game, man. I sat with my boy Wyatt, and we're like. Like you would have thought. I was, like, a part of the team. I was afraid. I was interced. Come on. And the Cowboys ended up winning. We. We. I mean, honestly, we gave glory to God and we prayed for our sister church right here. Social. It was funny because the next day, I went to another Thanksgiving party on that Friday, and I sat down with a group of guys, and as I'm sitting there with these guys, I'm like, man, how about football? You always. I said, you guys watched that. That Cowboys game yesterday? They're like, yeah, man. That Cowboys game was crazy. Oh, my God, it was crazy. I cannot believe that. They beat Washington right there at the end of the fourth quarter. I was like, it was crazy. And then my guy said, rich, no, they played the Giants yesterday. And I'm a man of God. I was like, get thee behind me, Satan. Okay? No. I was like, what do you mean? I'm like, no, no, bro. I watched the game yesterday with my son. They beat the Washington Commanders. We watched the game. He looked at me. He said, no, bro. Yesterday. On Thursday, they played the Giants. The Sunday prior, they played Washington. He said, you are watching a rerun. Do you know how dumb you feel to give that much energy, to have that much anxiety, that much fear, that much worry, that much celebration? And the winner has already been decided. I came to preach to somebody here in Dallas, Texas. The winner has already been decided. You might fall down. You might find yourself with your back up against a wall. But I know how the end of the story goes. My Savior rules and reigns in victory. All the days ordained for you were written in his book before one of them came to be. We know the winner. We know the story. Christ is seated. Victory. Somebody give God a shout of praise in this house. Hey, give him praise. Give him glory. Today. When you know the outcome, when you know how the story ends, you don't have to fear. You can walk in peace. Because his hands were pierced. His hands were pierced hand in hand. I've been preaching to you about the hands of Jesus. But I wonder, what does this mean for your hands? Because truly, hands that believe will meet hands that create, hands that reach will meet hands that heal. Listen to me. Hands that give will always meet hands that provide. Hands that surrender will always meet hands that save. And hands that pray will always encounter hands that were pierced. Anybody thankful that today we are partnered up with Jesus Christ? Come on and give him praise all over the room. Just gonna ask that you would stand to your feet all over this place. Hand in hand. God, I'm walking with you hand in hand. Your heads are bowed, your eyes are closed. I don't know who is here today and I don't know what you're going through, but I know that Jesus is alive. I know that he's building his church. And before we can even partner with him, we have to receive and accept him with your heads bowed and your eyes closed. Today, I wonder, do you know this God? This God who loves you, this God who has a plan for you, this God who bled and died for you, this God who bears on his body the marks of his love and his sacrifice. Scripture says, yet to all who received him believed in his name, Jesus didn't give a look offering, he gave his life. And today you can't pay your way into heaven. You can't tithe your way into heaven. You can't write a check and walk on streets of gold. No. This is the free gift of grace. We're saved by grace through faith. Today God loves you. He loves you so much just the way that you are. But he loves you too much to let stay the way that you are. And today I'm gonna invite you just for a moment, if you're here today, say, I want to. I want to commit my life to Jesus. Or maybe some of you are like, yo, I've been running from Jesus today. I want to fall into his arms of grace and I want to grab hands with him. If that's you, on the count of three, would you be bold and would you lift your hand? The only reason why you can lift your hand is because he already stretched. His hands are already. But on the count of you, if that's you, would you be bold? Would you lift your head up high enough and long enough just so I can see it? And I'm gonna pray the prayer of salvation with you. I love this church. We've been praying for you all week. This is why this church was created. That those who are far from God could be made close to God. Praying and working. Praying and working. Praying and working. Hands are starting to go. Ready? 1. The Bible says today's the day of salvation. Don't look at your neighbor. Forget about your neighbor. It's between you and Jesus. 2. If that's you, just lift your hand right now. This is your moment. This is your hour. Ready? One, two, three. If that's you, lift it up. That's me. That's me. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Social can we all just lift our hands towards heaven? Can we just pray this simple prayer? Say, dear Jesus, today, Lord, I give you my life. I surrender all that I am over to you. Would you hold me in your hands? I believe and I confess that you are the God of the universe. Today I choose to follow you. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me In Jesus name. Everybody said, come on. Can we just go ahead and give those people a big round of applause?