Living Under Authority

Open up your Bibles. First Peter, chapter two. First Peter, Chapter two. As we continue this series, the story takes root. It's such an honor to be back.

I think this is my fourth time to be here at Southbridge Fellowship, but it's been a while since I was with you. Last time I was with you, it was like 2018. 2019. And I think y' all met in another place before then. That's where I preached.

Was it a theater or something like that? I can't remember. And anyways, my family was on a journey up to the foreign country of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Go Steelers. Right.

And we were headed up there to plant churches. And before that, we were in New Orleans for 13 years, planting churches, serving the Lord there. And last three years, God called us to Charlotte, North Carolina. And so it's great to be back in the Carolinas. I don't know how this is going to go.

Go heels. All right. I knew that was going to be some mixed reactions around here, but nonetheless, it's so awesome. Hey, look, I know some of you don't know who I am. My whole family's South African.

I was born in America in the city of New Orleans, and then I moved to the Carolinas for high school and college. So I'm a Cajun, African American, redneck. That's who I am. I can relate to just about anybody. My wife and I have been married 22 years, Annabeth and I, and love my honey bun.

And we're really excited because this next week we're headed to the glory that is North Myrtle beach with my in loves, and we're about to have some fun. One of my sons, I got three boys and a daughter, Bolt Mac Burke. We gave them easy one syllable yelling names, my three boys. I got a rising senior, rising sophomore, twin boys. And one of those twins is here.

But he was like, dad, I ain't coming to two services. So he's back in the back somewhere. And I love Burke. He's my lacrosse player, football player. It's so awesome that he let me beat him in golf on the way here yesterday.

And then I got a princess and her name's Carolina McCall. And I gave her a longer name because I like her more and I knew I would enjoy her more. She's so beautiful. Looks just like her daddy. It's unbelievable.

But it's an honor to be here. Listen, I love your pastor so much. He's been such a great friend to me. I pray I've been a great friend to him and him and his Family, you guys are blessed and it's an honor to step into this amazing series. Week one, you guys considered why your trials are never meaningless.

Week two, don't forget who you really are. Week three, grow up. What real spiritual maturity is. Today I've entitled our message Living under Authority. What a message for Father's Day.

Dr. Scott gave me permission if I wanted to preach all the way through to First Peter, chapter four. And I started to study all this and I was like, man, I just can't get past this next section in your series. I think it's such a powerful section for Father's Day. Plus, if I would have preached all the way to chapter four, we would have had to order some lunch because I would have preached for three days. Okay, so let's look at this text together.

First Peter, chapter two. We're going to look at verse 13 through 21st. Break it down and then wrap up verse 21 through 25 at the end.

God's word says, submit yourselves for the Lord's sake. Whose sake? The Lord's. To every human authority, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

Live as free people. Everybody say free. But do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil. Live as God's slaves or servants. Show proper respect to everyone.

Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor and all the men on Father's Day go hoo. Y' all didn't do that with me. All the men go, okay, there we go.

We'll work that. Verse 18. Slaves, in reverent fear of God, submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?

But if you suffer for doing good, everybody say doing good and you endure it. This is commendable before God. This is the word of the Lord. Alright, the story takes root Series. Any Peter fans in the house?

I love Peter. I mean, he's probably my favorite guy in all of scripture. Why? It just gives me hope God can use morons like me. I'm just being real.

I mean, when I read about Peter footing his mouth right, I'll save you Jesus cuts the dude's ear off. I think Peter's a heavy fellow. I like to eat. My nickname in college was Fat Rob. And like, I like to eat.

Peter is a heavy fellow. You want me to tell you why? I'm gonna back this up? In scripture, it says the tomb was empty. Peter took off running to the empty tomb first, but John beat him there.

So he's just, you know, he's just a heavy fella, you know, I know back in the day, man, he just. He loved that catfish Po boy miracle that fed thousands. Okay? He had a couple in his back pocket. I'm not going to charge you for that.

That was for free this morning. But I love Peter. Peter's the author of this book. And in this book, First Peter and then there's Second Peter. It only contains about eight chapters.

We find Peter's plea with the church. It's a man who's been leading the way, who's been preaching, who's been pouring into the church, who's been advancing the kingdom, a guy who risks it all, and he ought to relate to a guy that has to ask more for forgiveness than permission. That's most of my life. This is a guy who took ground and he didn't have a whole lot of time to wait and just write. He was preaching.

So probably what happens. You can read about it all the way. In 1st Peter 5:12, Peter mentioned Silvanus probably. Silvanus was kind of a scribe that came alongside Peter as he's just yapping, right? It's kind of like the journey that me and Scott went through to get our doctorate.

Okay. Scott helped me pass. I helped him keep his sanity and we had fun along the way. Okay. That was our yin and yang through our doctoral studies.

And here Peter, though, is probably one who doesn't want to write a lot. Pens, some very important things inspired by the Holy Spirit. What does he teach about the basic overview of first and Second Peter is following Jesus faithfully in a hostile world because your living hope is found in Christ alone.

I guess we'll just read this good story because we can't relate to any of this today because it's so easy to follow Jesus today. That theme kind of dominates both first and Second Peter. And you find themes like standing firm in suffering, living holy lives, submitting to God, ordained authority, remembering Christ's example, watch out for false teachers. Live in light of Christ's rise. I just.

I love first and Second Peter. Keep soaking in it. Keep learning, Keep studying it. Keep walking through it. Now, this is definitely A message for everyone.

When Peter wrote this, he wrote this to everyone. But is it okay? Especially ladies in the house? Can I pick on the men today? Can I go at the men?

Can I hear an amen, ladies? Okay, there we go. I got permission. I gotta make sure Mama's okay with that. This is gonna be a special message to fathers and to men.

There were a whole row of in the first service, young adults. I think they're in college, and they were just feeding on this. None of whom are married yet, have kids yet. And I love that they listened to this message. And so I want this message to be for everyone, but I want to kind of lock in, you know, I love my dad.

I'm more of a mama's boy than I am a daddy's boy. I'll be honest. Dad. Eh? But mama, you know, she's the queen, and I love her so much.

But I do love my dad. My dad, faithful preacher of God's word, been a pastor, an evangelist, professor, and he served faithfully the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina, for over 30 years and retired. He doesn't call it retirement, though. It's reassignment. He's never been busier in all his life than right now, preaching all over.

And had the great privilege of being Dr. Billy Graham's pastor and co leading that funeral as we celebrated Dr. Billy's life. But before my dad was a pastor. Okay, we're gonna get real. He was a tank commander in the South African army, and he was a rugby and cricket coach. I don't care if this is politically correct or not, okay?

Y' all can send your emails to Scott. I got whooped as a kid, okay? And my dad, I mean, he believed in spankings, okay? We got big time discipline or whatever you want to call it, love or discipline or whatever, right? And my dad, he was like the master at the compliment sandwich.

So, like, when he went in for his discipline roll. I love you, son. You're my oldest son. I believe in you. You're such a great son.

I'd be like, oh, yeah? And then here would come the whooping or the correction. Don't do this ever. Better fix this. Have y' all ever heard, this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you?

Bunch of garbage.

And then, you know, after whatever it was, he'd end with, but you're a champion, son. You're gonna fight the good fight. You're gonna do all this. And I, you know, would go away feeling good about myself, but with a little pain.

It's kind of what it's gonna take to be a godly father.

It's gonna take feeling good, but a little pain.

Correction.

Overcoming bad habits. Fighting the good fight. Finishing the race. Standing up in a hostile world. So, Dad, I want to talk to you.

I want to show you here in this text, what a godly father understands. Write this down. Number one. First of all, we see that a godly father understands ultimate authority. See, some of you men are not taking notes.

And I'm going to pick on you. You want to take notes because right now you're obsessed. You're like, is Scottie Scheffler going to hunt down Wyndham Clark today to win the U.S. open? And you're not hearing a dang thing that I'm saying? Write down some notes.

You need it on Tuesday, you need it on Wednesday. Plus, I'm gonna give you a little trick. Cause some of y' all are new to church. When you take notes in church, you look holier than everyone else. And that's the point of church.

I'm just trying to help you out, okay? It's okay to laugh in church. Ultimate authority. Godly fathers understand ultimate authority. Look at it.

Verse 13. Submit yourselves. For who? The Lord's sake? We're going to get a bunch of what here?

But the what here is never supposed to be executed without a focus first on the who.

The strength of a godly father is not found in how much authority he possesses, but in how faithfully he lives under the authority of God. When we think about Father's Day, I don't know about you, but I think about leadership. I think about my two grandfathers. I think about the many men in my life, coaches, and different things that have come alongside to lead me in my life. We celebrate fathers who provide and protect and teach and lead.

Those things matter. But Peter here begins in an unexpected place. He doesn't begin with authority. He. He begins with living under authority.

And that's countercultural to what the world's telling us. Our culture tells us that freedom means nobody tells us what to do. Peter teaches that true freedom is found when Jesus becomes Lord of everything. You do everything. Every decision.

Number two. A godly father doesn't just understand ultimate authority. He understands just submission. Just submission. Okay?

So for the Lord's sake, so we all are called to follow Christ. Now here is a command from Christ inspired holy word of God, commanding us to submit to others. Who are the others? Look at it. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake, to every human authority.

Whether to the emperor supreme authority, or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong, to commend those who do right. For it is God's will. Oh, Pastor, what's the will of God for my life? Oh, here it is. For it is God's will that by doing good, you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

True leadership begins with submission. It begins with submission, especially to the human authority that God designed and has placed in your life. All right, so check this, because we're gonna talk about it. Hope y' all are ready to get real. Peter here is writing to Christians living under Roman rule.

At the time. This was not a perfect government. This was not a Christian nation.

This was eventually the government. Who under the emperor, would blame a major fire on Christians and unleash hell on Christians in persecution? I think through the power of the Holy Spirit, God is, through Peter, giving the church a message to prepare them for even more persecution that's about to come.

So wouldn't you think that Peter would say, resist and fight and stand up and. No. Peter says, submit. Submit. He says, be subject.

Notice why? Not because the government's always right, not because leaders are always wise. For the Lord's sake.

So going back to my dad's experience, I'm working out counseling sessions right now. Okay. You know, when I really whined at something my dad would say or ask me to do, his line was always, what seems to be your problem? Some of you are like, your dad's so mean. He's not.

He's actually one of the greatest encouragers I've ever met. I think it's amazing. And I share this everywhere because I like bragging on my dad that God gave Dr. Billy Graham, one of the world's greatest evangelists, one of the world's greatest encouragers to help him finish his race. Okay. But my dad encouraged me and challenged me.

What seems to be your problem? At some level, you're like, I don't know if I want to do this. That political candidate that won that election ain't part of my tribe. I'm not cementin'. Not doing this.

I'm not doing that. I'm not going to honor. Take it up with God.

We do this for the Lord's sake. This is the word of God. For the Lord's sake, We submit ourselves to human authority that God puts in place. Okay? And so let's stop there, because I'm going to talk about then what happens when the.

The authority pushes us to do things that God doesn't want us to do. We're gonna look at it. Cause I believe there's a whole other game there. But it never leaves. Whether in persecution or prosperity, our focus is the Lord.

Y' all with me? Good times, bad times. Some of you are, like, so happy because the way America is right now, I'm just telling you, and I'm not trying to be like a doomsday guy. I. I don't think it's gonna get easier for Christians to worship Jesus in the future.

So what's Southbridge Fellowship gonna look like if it's illegal for us to gather here today?

So we better be ready. And no matter where we're at, it's all for the Lord, for the Lord's sake. And the Lord has designed some specific things. Listen, one preacher I listened to this week, he talked about the principles of submission in this text. The particulars of submission, the purpose of submission, the practice of submission.

There was a ton of alliteration, and I love it because I'm a recovering Southern Baptist. And he talked about how in submission, there's an upward, inward, outward. We first go to God. Okay, God, here's this human authority.

What do you say? You with me? Because our citizenship is ultimately in heaven. Secondly, God speaks to our heart. When you go to God, he touches your heart.

Some of you are giving church a try for the first time today. Go to God. He's gonna touch your heart. He's gonna touch your heart. I promise you.

He did mine. He touched my heart. What Jesus has done for me, he can do the same for you. Then, out of a changed heart, out of a touched heart, now we act too many times. Right now, it doesn't matter what it is, especially, okay, let's get away from politics.

Your boss, the man.

Too many times, you're going outward. First, you're just reacting in your flesh. What is God telling you? Then when God speaks to you, what's he doing in you? And how many?

All believe sometimes God has to work in you before he works through you. Are we connecting the dots here? So this is what we're looking at here. You know, it's so important for us to recognize because our citizenship is in heaven. Taking more time with this point than any others, we are called to submit to an earthly authority until they make you not submit to a heavenly authority.

So let me put it another way. If it was illegal for us to preach today, I'm still preaching.

Can I give you an example from our boy Peter? Alright. This came to me this morning at about 1:30, because at the hotel I was staying at, I didn't get a, you know, flyer put on my door or anything. My next door neighbors at the hotel decided to throw a party. So there was a party in Raleigh last night at about 1:30, I just want you to know.

So I got up and look, this has happened the last like three times I preached at other churches. So I think there's a warfare thing. And I just take it to the Lord in prayer. I get out my Bible. There was stuff that honestly was going on that I didn't want my son to hear.

So I'm praying God's protection over his ears, putting out sound machines, all this kind of stuff. And I'm not surprised by it because Satan would love for me to not preach to you today. But I'm like, in the text, I'm like, all right, I'm in a warfare, let's go. It's Father's Day, right? Don't be a sissy, Rob, get in the game.

And God brought me to Acts 4. So you might want to flip there real quick because Peter actually has an example. In Acts chapter four, Peter and John are brought before the council, which is a mix of religious and Roman, okay? And they're brought before the council. They're kind of working together.

This is the government. And why are they brought together? Brought before the council and because Peter and John are used by God to heal a crippled man. And so look, in Acts, chapter four, I promise you, we're going to beat the Presbyterians to lunch, okay? Acts, chapter 4, verse 1, it says, and as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, the Sadducees came upon them greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

And it says, and they arrested them, put them in custody till the next day, for it was already evening. And don't y' all love verse four while they're in jail? Because you can't stop, won't stop. The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ and his church. It says thousands get saved.

Alright, so go down to verse five. The next day, here's all the authority, the rulers, the elders, the scribes gathered together in Jerusalem and Annas, the high priest Caiaphas, John, Alexander and all who are the high priestly family? When they had set them in the midst, they inquired, by what power or what name did you do this? Then Peter rises up. I love Peter, but it says, filled with the Holy Spirit, is this Peter?

This is the Spirit of God working through Peter, Peter has done upward, inward, and now outward to where actually the overflow of what he's doing right now is not him, it's God. So, dad, how are you doing with that quick tempered? I diagnosed something for you. Go upward, go for a walk, talk to God, let him touch your heart and then come back and yeah, you got to be a dad. You got to deal with that boss.

You got to handle what's going on. There's things for us to get aggravated by, especially as Christians, but I love this. He basically is like, hey, if we're being examined today for what happened, know this. It's because of Jesus. Unashamed, unapologetic proclamation of Jesus.

Look at verse 12. There's salvation in no one else. For there's no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved. And so look down at verse 18. So they called them and they charged Peter and John not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John stand up to the authorities and answer them. Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. And it says. And when they had heard, when they had further threatened them, so they're still attacking, they let them go, finding no way to punish them.

I think this is powerful and I pray maybe one day you'll stand with your pastor if it gets this difficult because of the people. For all the people were praising God for what had happened.

It was too big of a movement.

Just submission.

A godly father understands just submission. All right, number three, True freedom. We're going to go a lot faster. Get ready. True Freedom, verse 16.

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil. Live as God's servants or God's slaves. It's one of the great paradoxes of Christianity, isn't it? We're being told to be servants, to be slaves. Peter says, you're free, yet you are bondage.

You are servants. Many men spend their entire lives chasing a freedom that will never satisfy. I've been in the NFL. I have the great privilege in a couple months to be a part of Drew Brees hall of Fame weekend and be up there. And I mean, I've hung out with that guy.

He has everything this world has to offer. He'll be the first to tell you, nothing in this world satisfies like Jesus. Jesus and freedom. According to the world's definition, nobody Tells me what to do. I follow my own feelings.

I make my own rules. I answer only to myself. The Gospel's definition of freedom is I die to Jesus. My life has purpose. My identity is secure.

I am free. Free from sin, death and hell. Anyone want to praise Jesus and thank him for true freedom? Next is lasting impact. Okay, this is the gladiator verse.

Dad in the house. You never memorized the verse? Memorize this verse. Okay, verse 17. Show proper respect to everyone.

Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor. I love how the ESV puts it. Honor everyone.

Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Let's break those down. Honor everyone.

Show proper respect to everyone. Why? Every person bears God's image. Even those who don't think like you, act like you, look like you. Every person.

Even when they throw stones at you. Every person. Every worker, every neighbor, every co worker, every stranger. Next. Love the brotherhood.

Love the family of believers. A godly family values God's family. He understands that faith is not just personal, just me and Jesus. Me and Jesus. No, it's communal.

And guys, I'm telling you, especially in the social media world right now, we are missing out on so many opportunities to display, for the Lord's sake, the gospel of Jesus. Because as a family, we're fighting each other. We're celebrating when pastors fall, we're attacking other denominations. We're trying to be better than the church next door. How dumb is that?

It's a terrible witness as I've planted churches now in three different cities. Like, there's a lot of people, they don't have a problem with Jesus. They have problems with those who say they love Jesus but are fighting with other followers of Jesus. The world that's far from God says, why do I want to be a part of your tribe? Y' all don't even like each other.

I'll stay over here. At least we're united around our dislikes.

Love the brotherhood. What did Jesus say by this? You'll know my disciples. If you have love for one another, that one another is not the lost world. That's family.

That's a fellow brother and sister in Christ. Next. Fear God. Hope you all know this is not like, ah, fear. This is reverent bowing.

This is fearing God. Okay, I'm gonna man you up, men. When's the last time in worship that was such a powerful time of worship Today you're just overcome. Like, I'm all about trying to lead people to lift up hands. And there needs to be that expression sometimes, man, the words that I'm singing and the thought I'm thinking about, you know, like, bless God.

When my hands are empty. Bless God. I mean, it just started to hit me and I got low.

I didn't get, oh, yeah, I got low. Like, I'm just humbled. Fearing God. We're not fearing people. We're not fearing circumstances, culture, failure.

Fearing God. We have a reverence for God in every decision.

Every decision. So some of you men, as you're leading your families right now, you're on the brink of a career change. Are you teaching your family that God makes the decision, not you?

You're trying to guide your child? My oldest son right now is being recruited by colleges and lacrosse and all this kind of stuff. Am I teaching my son right now that it's not his decision? It's about fearing God. It's his decision.

Some of you are like, when do I get to decide? Never.

And you know it. I know you're mad at me, dude. All your plans never work out.

His ways are greater than our ways. Lastly, honor the emperor, the king. Respect authority, even when you disagree, even when it's difficult.

Let's display this respect and this honor of those who are in charge. This can be your boss. This can be the president. This can be your mayor. Do you know, I want to add, like, I wish he would have added one thing because, you know, Peter needs my help and the Holy Spirit, like, all these, like, quick points I would have added because it's all encompassing.

My dad says this line all the time. It's inextricably intertwined. Prayer. Like, I can promise you this, no matter what's happening, God has commanded you as a believer to pray. Prayer is where the action is.

John Wesley says, so. Go read just in case you're troubled by this. Well, I'm not praying for that political guy. You better pray in first Timothy, chapter two. I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all people, all people for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly, dignified in every way.

This is good, and it's pleasing in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Picture in your mind the worst enemy to the gospel in the world. And yes, I get it. America, let's get to war. All these things, man, I'm glad Paul wasn't killed.

I'm glad Jesus saved Paul, who at the time was the greatest antagonist to the gospel of Jesus, who after meeting Jesus, he met UFC fighter Jesus, by the way, went about on mission for Christ, spreading the love of Jesus. Let's pray. All right, let's keep going. Gracious suffering. Y' all know this.

I know your pastors preach this, but it talks about the context of slaves, servants, and in reverent fear of God, submit yourselves to masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. It's commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. So he's setting up the church. Hey, you're gonna stand up for Jesus and go to jail. And he's won.

What did we read in Acts? I mean, used by God to heal man. Crippled from birth. And he's in jail. He didn't woe as me.

I'm confessing on this Father's Day. I am a sissy. I go to jail for Jesus. Help send food. Get me out of here.

Bail me out. He's there. Fearless. It's about Jesus. You can't preach Jesus.

I can't help it. That's him and I love here. He sent us up. That no matter if it's good times or bad, but especially blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, the words of Jesus, we must understand Gracious suffering.

I don't normally preach out of the niv. I preach out of the esv, the excellent standard version. And this is the niv. I grew up reading the niv, and even in my early days of college called a ministry I pulled from my home office. This is my ordination Bible.

I need you all to call me this from here on out. It says on the front cover, Reverend Rob Wilton. Okay. You can add bishop if you'd like. To the Reverend Bishop Rob Wilton.

Okay. But in it I opened up, and on the very front cover is a bunch of names, signatures.

I'm about to go to the beach with my in loves. One of those signatures in there is my father in law who passed away from cancer about 10 years ago.

And I'm just telling you, gracious suffering, he's the model of that for that man went through a long battle with cancer praising Jesus in that storm.

And you can too, because there's nothing more powerful than when everything in your world's falling apart and you're still lifting high the name of Jesus. I texted that to my mother in love this morning, and I said I get to preach on a Bible that Bruce signed. I hope this church is ready Because I'm fired up. Thank you. For your husband.

For my father in love. I think he's in heaven, smiling down on all of us, serving Jesus. Lastly, faithful endurance. Finishing to the end, verse 20. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?

But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. We've talked about this. But fathers endure hardship with faithfulness, unseen sacrifice. God sees what others don't. Faithful fatherhood is measured by obedience.

Listen to me, not applause.

Y' all know Jesus would not be invited to our megachurch conferences. He pushed the crowds away. Oh, what a loser. He's doing some things wrong.

Men. Obedience, not applause.

Middle school wasn't the only time you had peer pressure.

Right now, you're the only man at work lifting high the name of Jesus. Obedience, not applause. Well, how are we going to do this? I mean, this is some intense stuff. All ultimate authority, just submission, true freedom, lasting impact, gracious suffering, faithful endurance.

Well, what I want to do is I want to give you a 10 step process on how you're going to be able to do this. And I've written a book called the Ten Step Process on how to do this, written by me and Peter. Good luck. How is this possible? The Gospel.

I love that after all these things. Look with me first Peter, chapter 2, verse 21. Peter points us to Jesus. To this you were called. Why?

Because Christ suffered for you. Anyone say thank you, Jesus? Jesus paid it all right, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate.

When he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. Just submission. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed, for you were like sheep, God going astray.

But now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Amen. How is this possible? Dad? How's this possible?

Not you, it's Jesus. The Gospel is not you can and you will. The gospel is you can't. But Jesus did. And because Jesus did, now you can and you will.

To all the dads in the house right now, just take a deep breath.

Because you can't do it.

The Gospel is in the business of doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Why? So that when you are enduring hardship and people say look at that man. Enduring hardship. You ain't walking around. Oh, yeah, I went to Enduring Hardship Seminary, and I got a PhD in enduring hardship.

And look at these muscles. No, it's to God be the glory. Great things. Not me. Has done great things.

He has done.

Men in the house. Look at me. I think God's about to put some of you men in an impossible situation for you.

And your first reaction is going to be, I don't know if I can do it. And Jesus is going to say yes.

Because God is not interested in giving you assignments on this side of heaven where. Where you get the glory. God is interested in you stepping into a faithful obedience to God. My wife preaches this to me. I told her I was up all night because of this party that.

Were y' all invited to that party? I wasn't invited. This party that happened last night. And so I'm like, baby Rob, God doesn't need your ability today. He needs your availability.

So look on the screen behind me. Will you surrender to Christ today? All right, look at me. Because some of you are giving church a try for the first time. I just want to set everyone at ease.

If you're new to church today, on Father's Day, raise your hand in the house if you're a sinner. This church just had a unanimous vote. All those in favor, welcome. What you'll find in this room are not a bunch of people who strut, but who bow. And we're thankful for grace.

For salvation comes to you by grace, through faith in Christ alone. Now Christ calls you to surrender. Confess with your mouth. Jesus is Lord. Believe in your heart.

God raised Jesus from the dead. You will be saved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. You're like, no, not me, Pastor. You don't know what I did.

You don't know where I've been. I went to seminary. Everyone means everyone. No exceptions. God's grace is great.

It's greater than anything in your past. Will you give your life to Jesus? Will you repent and trust in him as your Lord and Savior today? All right, I'm gonna say it a different way, men. Some of you are trying to live for Jesus without Jesus, and you can't.

It's time to surrender. I don't care. You grow up in that church. That church didn't save you. I don't care if Mama told you about Jesus.

Mama doesn't save you. Only Jesus saves. Repent number two, though. Follow Jesus. All right?

Jesus says, you want to be one of my Disciples, you're saved. You want to be one of my disciples? Deny yourself, which is surrender. Take up your cross, which is sacrifice. You ain't going to lay out at Myrtle beach when you take up a cross, you're a walking dead person.

That sacrifice, follow me, that's submission. Every day. We die daily, Lord. What's your assignment for me today? When I pray every morning, it's praise.

Confession, intercession, commission, praise. He's worthy of my praise no matter what, no matter how I'm feeling. Even when I got woken up by a party last night, when I praise him, it leads me to confess. Because when I think about how great he is, I realize how not so great I am. So I confess my sins.

He's faithful and just to forgive me of my sins. And then I want to get focus off of me. Because prayer is not just for me. I intercede, I pray for others, I lift up others. And it's usually around that time I stand up for commission.

Because my closing time with Jesus was never meant to be. Just Kumbaya, me and Jesus, it was time for an assignment. Because on this side of heaven, we ain't in heaven. It's time to be on mission for Jesus to proclaim his name to the ends of the earth. And so maybe it was someone I prayed for, a co worker, a situation.

Now I've been given a divine appointment to go and serve Him. Follow, but don't ever thirdly, stop abiding in Jesus. Abide in Jesus.

He's the vine, we are the branches. Apart from him, we can do nothing. Southbridge Fellowship. Look, you're about as old as the church I planted in New Orleans. It could be real easy for this church at this stage of its life to start saying, we got it, God.

Look at our building.

Look at our programs. We got it, God.

We're going to start telling you God, because now we are no longer stewards. We're owners of this Be Careful church. This ain't not one of y' all's church, for the Lord's sake.

And so we submit to the Lord. We abide in him. And we ask him daily. Because apart from him, we can do nothing. Lord, what are you calling us to next?

We're going to stay locked in with you because we ain't got no power. We are ones who are living under authority as the team comes up to lead us in worship. Right now, I want to pray. Do you want to? The most powerful things.

Go and check it out later this afternoon on your own in Acts chapter Four, Peter and John have to report back to the church. Hey, we're out of jail, but just want you to know they're not letting us talk about Jesus.

You might go to jail, too. So you'd think, well, Pastor, let's make sure we go pull everything off online. Let's be careful. We don't want to go to jail. You know what the believers do?

They unite together and they pray.

They pray. So, dad, right now, I'm just talking to you. Dad, nobody knows this, but your home is a mess.

And your home's a mess because the enemy has been coming in to distract. And there's temptations, and there's real life happening right now. Your first step upward.

Why don't you lead your family in prayer?

The most powerful thing you could lead your family to do. It might be for the first time ever. This morning, I was so blessed. I was a little tired at the nine. I'll be honest.

I think I quoted the book of Habakkuk like, three times. It wasn't in my notes. Okay. But my sweet son, rising sophomore. He prayed one of the most powerful prayers over his dad before he preached this morning.

And I'm telling you, I just felt the spirit of God just lift off the fog because I had a mission.

Dad. Pray Church. I don't know what's going on. Southbridge Fellowship. I don't know what's.

But are we having more meetings to talk about what God should do for us than times of prayer asking God to tell us what to do?

This is where I want to go a little bit longer to make you wait behind the Presbyterians for lunch.

I mean, what are we doing?

This life is not our home. This world is not our own.

All to him we surrender. And I know in this room are some godly men and women of God. This ain't me. The Holy Spirit, through His word, has spoken to you, and there's been affirmation. Can we just not beat ourselves up?

Anybody want to just thank the Lord that you've been able to do some of these things in. In the Gospel of Jesus. Can we all just. I'm raising my hand, too. Can we thank the Lord that he's done for us what we could not do for ourselves?

I know there's victories here.

I know there's victories here. I know there's wins for the kingdom here. But we can't stop. Won't stop.

What I heard in that hotel last night. We can't stop. We won't stop. There are people who need Jesus so Let's live under the authority of King Jesus. Stand with me, church.

Come on. We're gonna sing and we're gonna close out. I get it. If you gotta go, we're gonna sing one more song.

And could we. In this moment. Yes. I want to see hands lifted up. I just feel like there's such a presence of God right now.

Okay. I feel low.

God gives grace to the humble. He opposes the proud. I feel low right now. I'm with you. Okay.

I'm gonna just get off the stage. Who cares? I'm with you here. We're all pointed to Jesus here, so whatever that looks like for you. Maybe you want to sit back down.

You want to come up front? I'm going to give you just like a minute or so to get low. What does that look like for you? And then I'll pray.

Lord Jesus, we are humbled and thankful in your presence.

And we are a people in the power of the gospel, because we can't do this.

We are a people committed in the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God the Father, to be one who lives under your authority.

No matter the assignment, no matter the risk, no matter the sacrifice, we surrender to you.

We follow you. We abide in you, King Jesus.

And we commit in advance that no matter what you have in store for us today at lunch, this week, this next year, individually, as small groups and as a church, we commit that no matter what happens, we will give you all honor and praise and glory, for you are the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. We love you and we worship you in Jesus name. Amen.