Sunday Morning Worship Service July 26, 2026 | 11:00am

I love you.

I love you.

I love you, Lord, today, all because you care for me in such a special way. That's why I praise you, Lord. I lift you up. I magnify your name, and that's why my heart is filled with praise. Is that anybody this morning? Is your heart filled with praise? Anybody? Anybody? My heart, God, my mind, my soul belongs to you, you, you, you. You paid the price just for me way back on Calvary. And yes, I praise you, God. I lift you up. I magnify your name. That's why my heart is filled with praise. That's a good place to lift your hands. That's why my heart is filled with praise. Oh, that's why. My heart is filled with praise. If there's a praise in your heart, this is a good place to put it out. This is a good place to let it out. Somebody, anybody, let me see you clap your hands. It's a good day to praise. The sun is shining. We call this— this is barbecue season. This is picnic weather. I call it theme park weather. It's a good time to ride some rides, enjoy the sun. We also biblically see the summer as a time of harvest, a time to Sit back and observe the grace of God. You're reaping that that you've sown in the fall. You're reaping harvest now. I believe that the Lord is doing something wonderful in my life. I don't always understand the plan. Sometimes it's even a little frustrating, but I do believe I understand now is a time of harvest. If nothing else, just because the ground is dry, it's nice and warm. I can take a nice little walk. Take a jog if I want to. I want to celebrate God's goodness towards me, His grace towards me, what I know He's doing now, what I believe He's gonna do for me. If anybody believes the Lord is gonna do that that you've been praying for, can you just wave your hands for me? Can you just wave your hands for me? Oh, not that many believers. We got some believers over here. Amen. God is gonna do what I prayed for. He's gonna do what I asked for. And so I sing this song. Sing a song of testimony as a result. God is doing something wonderful in me. God is doing something wonderful in me. It's something awesome and incredible. Only he will get the glory. God is doing something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God is doing something wonderful in me. Now somebody applaud the Lord by clapping your hands. Praise team, sing that part for me. Say God is doing something wonderful. Is that you? Is that you?

God is doing something wonderful in me.

Something awesome, man. Yeah. God bless you, Dr. Smithley. God is doing something incredible and awesome. Yeah. Right here, right here. Let me see you clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands. If the Lord has given you new life, say, God. God is doing something wonderful. Yeah, God is doing something wonderful in me. Something wonderful.

He's something awesome.

Hey, yeah, God is doing something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God is doing something right here. Let me see you clap your hands. Come on, everybody clap your hands if you know the Lord is doing God is doing something wonderful. God is doing something wonderful in me. Say yeah, that only he will get the glory. God is doing something wonderful.

Hey, hey, hey!

Oh, everybody clap your hands. Come on, everybody clap. Some of y'all starting to get it. You're starting to get it. We gonna sing it again.

God is doing something wonderful.

God is doing something wonderful in me.

Something wonderful in me.

Something awesome, man. Thank you, God. Thank you. That only he will gain the glory.

God is doing something wonderful.

Incredible and awesome. Incredible and awesome. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Now everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands. If the Lord is doing it for you, God is doing. We're gonna sing that till y'all testify it with us. Here's the tongue twister: something awesome and incredible that only he will get the glory. Something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God, and then you put a hand praise on it. Let me see you clap your hands. Come on, let me see you clap your hands. If you really love the Lord, let me see you clap. Oh, everybody clap your hands. Come on, everybody clap your hands if the Lord is breaking you through. One more time. God is doing something wonderful. He's washing me from the inside out.

Something awesome and incredible. Only he would get the glory.

God is doing something wonderful. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Now we're about to celebrate with our candidates for baptism, but first Everybody clap your hands. Come on, everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands. Let me see you clap your hands.

Celebrating two people giving their lives over to Christ. Somebody give God praise. So wake up, friendship.

Wake up.

This is the day the Lord has made, and we choose to rejoice in it. We invite you to come. Forward today to celebrate these candidates.

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!

And let's sing that one more time.

God is doing something wonderful in me. Yes, he is.

God is doing something wonderful in me. Something awesome and incredible, but only he will get the glory. God is doing something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God is doing something wonderful in me.

Everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands if you really love the Lord. Everybody clap your hands. Say everybody clap your hands.

Everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands.

Introducing Brother Aiden Taylor. Based upon your confession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord, we baptize you today in the name of the one that loves In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, be baptized.

Hallelujah! Come on, come on, say everybody clap. Come on, come on. Hey, oh, sing it again. Everybody clap your hands if you really love the Lord.

Hey.

Introducing Tevin Thompson. Based upon your profession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord, we baptize you today in the name of the one that loves you. In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, be baptized.

Everybody, everybody, everybody.

Come on, everybody standing. Come on, we're gonna celebrate today.

Everybody up, everybody up.

We're gonna celebrate today.

Come on. Everybody clap your hands. Do it again. Say everybody clap.

Everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands.

Everybody clap your hands.

Repeat after me. Say so wonderful.

So wonderful.

So beautiful.

Oh yeah, so marvelous. God is doing it on the inside of me. So wonderful. Hey, so beautiful and so marvelous. Yeah, God is doing it on the inside of me. Do it again, do it again. God is God is doing it on the inside of me. Praise Him anyway, praise Him anyway. God is doing it on the inside of me. Come on, y'all. Say, God is doing it on the inside of me. God is doing it on the inside. God is doing it on the inside. Say, so wonderful. Testify. So beautiful.

He is so marvelous.

God is doing it on the inside of me. Yes, sir. God is doing it on the inside of me. And it's the very reason why I praise Him.

Yeah.

Say, God is doing it on the inside of me. He is doing it on the inside of me. God is doing it on the inside of me. Sing it, sing it, sing it like you love Him. Somebody help me testify of his goodness. Somebody testify of his grace right here. Here we go now, and everybody clap your hands. Everybody clap your hands. Come on, say if you love him, say hey. If he's good, then say hey. If he's great, say hey. Everybody clap your hands. Well, I got another one.

Listen, say this with me.

All things Things are working for my good. Help me say all.

All things are working for my good.

Let's start in unison. Team, team, unison. All things are working for my good. Everybody say hey.

All things are working for my good.

I want y'all to sing that. Do it again.

All things are working for my good.

Say all things are working for my good. One second, Grace. Your turn. Say all things. That's the easy part.

Do it again.

Say, oh, y'all got it. Y'all got all things.

My baritones hang on.

Y'all can sing it low. Say, all things are working for me. Come on, say, all things, all things working for my good. Everything the Lord has for me, what God has for me, is for me. It is all things Oh, now say this. Say, he's intentional. He's intentional. He's intentional. He's intentional. Help me say, he's intentional. Yeah, he's intentional. He's intentional. He's intentional. He's intentional. Sing it again.

He's intentional.

Yeah, he's intentional. He's intentional. His word is he can't think an idle thought. Every time he moves, every way he moves, in the way that he loves, in the way that he blesses me, he's intentional. Something awesome and incredible.

Incredible and awesome.

Sing it one more time. Encourage yourself. Meditate to yourself. Whoa! Put your hand over your heart and sing this one. Whoa! Something awesome and incredible. Only He will get the glory. God is doing something. Something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God is doing something wonderful in me. Talk— you're talking about yourself. You talk about yourself. Sing it again. Something awesome and incredible. Only he will get the glory. Put your hand over your heart and sing this. God is doing something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God is doing something wonderful in me. Sing that part again.

Something awesome.

Something awesome. That only He will get the glory. God is doing— God is doing something wonderful, incredible, and awesome. God is doing something wonderful in me. Put a hand praise on it if you believe what Hallelujah! Our God is so faithful. Our God is so holy. That's why we sing about what he's doing, because we believe he will do it. Because he's— because he's holy, because he's faithful, because he's righteous. Things that he said in his word, I believe. Things that he said when I was down in prayer, I believe. Any believers out there, just give me a wave or give the Lord a wave. Believers out there, believers, just give the Lord a wave. Wave in here as we celebrate the holiness and righteousness of our God. Song says, I call you holy, your name is holy, you are so holy to me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I call you holy, your name is holy, holy you are and holy you'll be. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like this one has a kind of unique clap to it. You gotta clap like this, like this, right here. Stay right there, man. I don't see no folks clapping. Do it. Put your hands together. Come on. There we go. We getting there. Tambourines. There we go. All right. Praise team, join in with it. Say, I call you holy.

I call you holy.

For your name is holy.

For your name is holy.

You are so holy to me. You are so holy to me. And you've shown it over and over again, God. I call you holy. I call you holy. For your name is holy. Your ways are holy. Holy you are, and holy forever you will be.

Now say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

We also call him faithful. I call you faithful. For your name is faithful, God. You are so faithful. You answer every prayer. You always there, God. Your name is faithful. Faithful you are. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We also call him mighty. Say, I call you mighty God.

Mighty God.

The name of the Lord is mighty and a strong tower. The Bible says the righteous run within and are safe. I'm covered by the name of our God.

Your name is mighty, mighty you are.

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We also call him healer. I call you healer, say.

I call you healer.

Your name is healer, God.

Your name is healer.

You've healed me over and over again.

You're a healer too.

Some call him Jehovah Rapha. That means the God that healeth me. Your name is healer.

Your name is healer.

Healer you are.

Confirm it, affirm it, declare it. Yeah. Now say, I call you all that. Your name is all that and more. God, you have been all that and more. You are everything I need. Yeah. All that you are. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Here we go. I call you all that. I call you all that. Tell him, tell him, tell him. God, you have been all that and more.

You have been all that to me.

He's everything I need. Whoa, God. All that you are. Hey, clap your hands and say, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. One more, one more. Say, I call you righteous. We serve a righteous God that meets every promise. Yes, amen. You are so righteous to me. Your name, righteous you are. Say yeah.

Sing it again.

Say yeah.

Lift your hand and say yeah.

Clap your hands and say yeah. God, you are. You are mighty. You're worthy. You are holy. Yes, he is. Declare it. Confirm it. What is it? Say it. Is he worthy? Is he faithful? Is he great? Is he mighty? Is he ruler? Jehovah Rapha. Is he healer? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody clap your hands. Clap your hands, all ye people. Lift up Whether you got the words or not, if you got words, put those hands together. One second, Christy. Can y'all sing this part back to me? Say, great and mighty is our God. Say that. Great and mighty is our God. Got a choir over here. Great and mighty is our God. Great and mighty is our God. You sing it. Now say, great and holy is our God.

You sing it.

Say, great and worthy is our God.

Say, great and mighty is our God.

Say this: Nobody like the Lord. That's our belief. Sing it again. Nobody like the Lord. Nobody in earth, nobody in heaven. Nobody like the Lord. No one can do what he can do. Nobody like the Lord. Let's testify that again. Great and mighty is our God.

Great and mighty is our God.

Say, great and mighty is our God.

Yeah. Great and mighty is our God.

Say, great and mighty is our God. Say, great and mighty. One more time. Say, nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. There is nobody like him. None can stand beside him. Who is like the Lord? There's nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. You won't find forever, not in eternity. You will find nobody like the Lord. Nobody like the Lord. Say, holy you are. Say, holy you are. Say, faithful you are, God. Faithful you are. Because you're there, I'll say faithful you are. Faithful you are. Now say righteous you are. Righteous you are. And say mighty you are, God. Mighty you are. Say, worthy, worthy, worthy.

Worthy you are.

Say, worthy you are, oh God. Here we go. If you know it, say, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Every promise, every word, every need. Yeah, it is so. It is done. Amen.

So it is.

It is so. Yeah, you are faithful. Yeah, you are great. Yeah, you're great. Yeah, I will worship. I will lift you. I declare you great. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Put those hands together in here. Hallelujah. Lord, we love you. We praise you. We give you glory. We owe you praise for all the things that you've already done. Even before the very foundation of the earth was laid, you had already shown me love. You Lord, you crafted my soul. Lord, you made me. You know me. You know what I need. Lord, you know my faults are far off. My needs are far off. You are faithful.

You are great in spite of me.

In spite of my wrong. In spite of my sin. In spite of my doubt. You still deserve the glory. So I say, say, holy you are, God.

Holy you are, God.

And say, righteous you are. Righteous you are, God. Say mighty you are, God.

Whoa!

Now say I call you all that. You've proven it over and again, over and over and over again. You owe me nothing, God, but once again you've been faithful, righteous, just. All that you are. One more time. Say, "I call you all that." I call you all that.

Your name is all that. You have been all that to me. I call you all that. Your name is all that. All that you are and all that you.

If you're grateful for God, it's exactly who God says he is. Come on, take a moment, give God great praise in this place. If you're grateful for a God who is exactly who he says he is— some of y'all need to wake up. I said, if you are grateful for a God who is exactly who he says he is, that if you call him healer, he's a healer. If you call him restorer, he's a restorer. If you call him great, God is great.

Come on.

If you call him good, God is good. Anybody grateful that you serve a God who does not lie, whose character does not change, who is consistent in season and out of season? Well, we're gonna sing that one more time. You came to worship, to worship God, not to spectate. So where the worshipers wake up today, and we're gonna give you a chance to worship because we're gonna call him holy. Somebody say holy. Holy. We're gonna call him righteous. Somebody say righteous.

If somebody— he—

we're gonna call him healer. Somebody say healer. So if you came to honor a worship— a redeeming, healing, righteous God, rise up and worship. Let's sing that one more time.

Someone say, I call you holy. There. I call you holy. Everybody say holy. You are so holy to me. You are so holy. Stop right there. Stop right there. Stop. Praise the holy God right there. Everybody praise a holy God.

Wake up!

Come on! We just called him holy, and everybody's sitting on him. We're gonna say it again, and we're gonna honor a holy God. I want the worshipers one more time. I call you. I call you holy. Stop!

Now praise a holy God.

Come on! One more time. Ready? One, two. I I call I I call you holy. Keep going. Your name is holy. You are so holy to me. I call you holy. Your name is holy. Holy you are. Yeah, holy, holy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Every side of the day, if you love him, say yeah. If he's great, say yeah. If he's mighty, shout it, yeah, yeah. Now say faithful you are. Sing it, y'all. Faithful you are.

Yeah, say faithful You are faithful.

You are say mighty. You are mighty, mighty, mighty. Say it again. Mighty.

You are mighty.

Now say presence. You are yeah. He's a very present help in the time of need. He is there whenever I call him, whenever I need him. Omni presence. You are presence.

God, we honor you because of who you are. We thank you that when you said you are one thing, you do it. We thank you that when you tell us you'll do something, you do it. And we honor you today that as we go deeper into our worship experience, that we'll see the areas you're calling us to match your character. Thank you for raising a bar, and thank you for giving us grace to get there. And so, Father, as we honor your holy As we honor your righteousness, as we honor your presence, we give you thanks and praise that you are a consistent, righteous, healing, redeeming God. And as you raise the bar on us, we thank you that you've raised the bar and taught us how to get there. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Somebody take 10 seconds to give a holy God, a righteous God, a redeeming God, a great God, a great praise. This is the day the Lord has made, and we choose to rejoice and be glad in it. You may be seated, even in the presence of the Lord. We're so grateful you're here today. My name is Justin. I am privileged to serve here as the pastor. If you are here for the very first time, you're not a member of our church, you're a guest here, would you please stand so we can tell you how amazing you are? Any first-time guests? We see you, brother. Any first-time guests? We see you, sister. God bless you. We see you, brother.

God bless you.

We see you. We see you. Remain standing, friendship. Give it up for all of our first-time guests here this morning.

Amen.

Remain standing if you would. First-time guests, we're so grateful that you're present with us. We believe that everybody's welcome. Nobody's perfect. Anything's possible. On the screen is a QR code and a place you can text. And if you scan that, we you'll get a text back. Like we said, we are better than your ex. We text you back. Amen. And so if you text in there the word hello to 707-510-4150. We have a special gift to give you as you exit worship, just to say thank you for joining us. And at the end of our worship service, if baptism or new membership is your next step, we offer that opportunity as well. We would love to move from guest to family. Friendship, give it up for all of our first-time guests here this morning.

Amen.

Now the rest of y'all, let's stand. Let's say our vision statement on who we are. Everybody standing. Let's say our vision mission statement before we greet everybody, so we tell everyone, tell the world and ourselves who we are, what we do, and how we do it. And say it together, ready? We are a community of Christ-led liberators who love Jesus, heal people, serve Eleo, and build community. Everybody say love.

Love.

Everybody say heal.

Heal.

Everybody say serve.

Serve.

Everyone say build.

Build.

That's who we are, what we do, and how we do it. One of the things we love to do is greet one another. Take a moment, go find a few people, tell them God loves you, and so do I. Greet somebody with the love of the Lord and tell them that this morning.

This is a place where everybody's welcome. Nobody's perfect.

Good morning.

Anything's possible. This is a place where everybody's welcome. Nobody's perfect. Anything's possible. This is a place where everybody's welcome. Nobody's perfect. Anything's possible. This is the place where miracles happen. Nobody's perfect. Anything's possible. You're in the right place. You're in the right place. You're in the right place. You're in the right way. You're in the right way. You're in the right way. You're in the right way. You're in the right way.

Amen.

Amen.

You may be seated all over the building.

Amen.

Amen. Now, did everybody get a hug this morning? Everybody get a hug this morning? Everybody get a hug? Amen. Are you happy in the Lord today? Are you happy in the Lord? Put those blessed hands together. Today we celebrate because 2 people said yes to Jesus and demonstrated it publicly. Would you help me welcome those 2 who said yes to Jesus? Come on, come on, help me celebrate! Come on, help me celebrate! Come on, help me celebrate! Help me celebrate!

Amen!

Congratulations! Congratulations! We have a certificate for you. Ah, can't open it. Certifies that you were baptized today, the year of our Lord 2026, day of the year of our Lord 2026. Congratulations to you, congratulations, God bless you. Certifies that you were baptized today, the 26th day of July, year of our Lord 2026. God bless you, God bless you, God bless you.

Amen.

Amen. If you're here today and if baptism is your next step, we'll do it again Amen. On the 4th Sunday of August. We do it every 4th Sunday. And if baptism, if saying yes to Jesus publicly because of the time you spent with him privately, is your next step, we'd love to participate in that moment of life with you as well. My name is Justin. I'm privileged to serve here. I'm glad that you've given us some of your time on Sunday, but not just us, you've given God some of your time publicly to talk about your faith and dive deeper into who Jesus is. We have a number of things that are going on here at Friendship. A couple will be mentioned to you in the announcements. I do want to emphasize a few things. First of all, on Tuesday, all of our seniors, I want to have lunch with you this Tuesday at 11 o'clock. And so we'll have some fun on Tuesday at 11 here in the fellowship hall. I think Renee just told me we're gonna have meat and potatoes.

Amen.

And so we'll have some fun to eat. Amen. So we're gonna have some fun on Tuesday. And I put at the bottom, IDs will be checked, because some of y'all be trying. And so we're gonna do this with the young adults too. Young adults, we're gonna start checking We're checking IDs this year, and seniors, we're checking IDs too. If you don't know, let's see, who the Five Heartbeats are, you can't come. If you don't know who the Temptations are, you can't come. If you can't do at least one step of the Temptations, you can't come. If you know who Glorilla is, you can't come. All of that, right? If you know who Drake is, you can't come. You millennials, if you know all of that, you can't come. If you ever carried a boombox on your shoulder, you were too old by that time to carry a boombox. You can't come. But if you know what it meant to treat her like a lady before the Temptations talked about it, you can come.

Amen.

If you know what it means to open up a door and get on the right side of the street, you can come. So we want you to see there on Tuesday. I'm just being— it's funny that I'm being serious and funny at the same time. But we want you to be there. Singers, I want to have fun with you and talk to you on Tuesday. Deacons, those of you who can make it on Wednesday, we'll meet. And then as well online at night as well. Um, beyond that, there's, um, let's see, next Sunday Next Sunday we have our back-to-school giveaway. Amen. Our back-to-school giveaway next Sunday. Here's what we need. We're gonna need some things from everyone. We want some travel pieces, tissue, travel deodorant, travel hand sanitizer. If you want to bring it with you throughout the week or bring it on next Sunday, we're gonna give away to—

we're gonna—

the same way we do for our food pantry, the kids are gonna be able to shop in their own way for the items they need. But we want to— we want to bless those who come to church. Amen, somebody.

Amen.

Amen. Say it again. We want to bless those who come to church. Amen, somebody. And so, uh, we would love for you to, to bring those items to church. We have a number of items. We just want to make sure we have an abundance because we want to make sure that anytime throughout the school year that our kids need anything, they know they can always come ask their church. Amen, somebody. So we want to have items that not only we can give away on Sunday but have items we can give away across the school year. The rest is emphasized in our announcements. Theo, take We need some volunteers for Theo Tech. Here's what's really cool about Theo Tech: Bloomberg Tech is coming to Theo Tech, which is kind of cool. Amen. And so we're gonna have Amy Chang and her whole podcast people here. So we need some volunteers, y'all. This thing is getting way bigger than I thought it was gonna be because the hand of the Lord is on it. And so I need some folk to help me welcome— we got some millionaires showing up. So if your business needs to be blessed, we got folk who got money coming.

Amen.

And so how they found out about Theo Tech, I don't know. Because the hand of God is on it. So I need somebody to help me. Amen, somebody! With these folk coming in, and so I'm really excited. But if you're willing to sign up to volunteer any day, any time, sign up at the back. We want to definitely have some fun at Theo Tech this year. All right, it's giving time in the house of our Lord. It's giving time in the house of our Lord. Your giving allows us to make all things possible in in the world. While God has given us vision, we also need provision and your generosity. Is the provision for it. And so the things that we do, the ways that the things that God is calling us to do have to be funded some sort of way. And so the work we do internally and the work we do externally is funded by your generosity. And so I'm not gonna manipulate you, ain't gonna close no doors, ain't no lines. Very simply put, if God's been good, give. If God hasn't been good, don't. I believe all of us have a testimony the Lord's been good. Amen, somebody. And so we're gonna speak intentionally on tithing on next Sunday as we continue our journey in Malachi. I guarantee you it's not the way that many of us have been taught, because the way that it's contextually given is a lot different than the ways that we've done it to rate— to make budget. So this plea right here for giving is literally budget. I'm not gonna lie, we want you to give faithfully because God is calling us to do something bigger than ourselves, and your giving makes sure that we not only meet the needs of our church but meet the needs of our community.

Amen.

And so your giving can be done online. You can scan the QR code, text in, uh, use the email address there. You can tap to give. You can give in crypto. I mean, there's a lot of ways you can give. We receive it, steward it well. You can even give in stock, which is kind of cool. We receive it, we steward it so that we might build the body of Christ. We have a Titheless Covenant. We say here every week, our Titheless Covenant binds us in contract with the word of God, believing that when we do what God says, God's going to do what he says. Would you stand with us all the building, and let's say our tithers covenant together as we get ready to give liberally unto the Lord. Repeat after me. Say, I'm a giver. I'm a cheerful giver. My tithe is a catalyst. It will transform communities. I hold wild mercy in my hands. It will show love generously. It will heal people immediately. It will transform Vallejo. Prophetically, I anticipate with awe how God will blow my mind with abundant harvest. I am ready right now to give, to trust, and to receive. In Jesus' name. Father, thank you for the gift and the giver. Use these gifts to do the work you've called us to and make it easy We thank you for every person who is trusting you with your finances. We give— we ask for the wisdom to steward it well, that we might make known on earth what you've already written in heaven. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Everybody said amen. You may be seated. Our announcements are going to play, we're going to sing, and we'll continue our journey in the book of Malachi this morning. God bless you.

Welcome to Friendship, where we believe everybody is Everybody is welcome, nobody is perfect, and anything is possible. Welcome home. And to all of our guests, a special welcome to you. You are in a community of Christ-centered people. We are better today because you are here. Please connect with us. You can connect immediately by texting the phrase hello to 707-510-4150. And once you get a message back, show that message to our connection team for free gift after worship. Next Sunday, August 2nd, right after 11:00 service, we are hosting our back-to-school giveaway. Every student who worships with us that morning walks away blessed. To make that happen, we need supplies this week. Write these down: mechanical pencils, pencil bags or pouches, not boxes, colored pencils and crayons, backpacks, travel-size items like deodorant, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, and Bring them any day this week or bring them with you next Sunday morning. Drop them at the connection table. Every bag we fill is a student who starts the year knowing somebody has them covered. August 5th through 7th is Theo Tech in Napa. 3 days on faith and technology, and I want friendship in the room. Go to theotech.com/napa and use the code word friendship at checkout. That drops you off at the hotel. Drops your ticket price to $99. Register this week. We also need experience agents for Theo Tech. That's our word for volunteers. If you want to serve, sign up in the narthex today on your way out. We need hands to make this thing run. Sunday, August 9th, we're taking the whole church to Napa. One service, 10 a.m. at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center, 2277 Napa Valley. Valley Highway. There is no service here in Vallejo that morning. Everybody is in Napa. The theme is Western, so pull out your boots, your hat, your best denim, and come worship with us. Every member, one service, one room. Mark your calendars. Small groups are back the week of August 10th. Head over to friendshipvalley.org to sign up and jump into the amazing community of Christian fellowship and love that makes this church home. And along with all our current groups, we've got 3 brand new ones we hope you'll check out. First is Friendship 101. This one's for anyone who's joined the church over the past year or 2, and for anybody who wants to grow deeper in their understanding of the Christian faith. Wednesdays at 7 PM. Next, to all our working professionals, consider joining the Kingdom Professionals Network, or KPN for This is where friendship professionals come together to learn how to navigate the workplace while walking boldly in their faith. And last but not least, we're going on-site with the Kingdom Overcomers at the House of Acts. Every Monday from 6 to 7, we'll be hosting a small group right there for the residents. That means with over 11 groups to choose from, some in person and some online, there really is something for everyone. So don't wait, visit friendshipvaleo.org/groups and find your group today.

Friendship, it's, uh, church picnic time, so let's come out and have some fun. Steve Green.

Yes, come on, have some fun, some fellowship. Let's see, we gonna play some games, some schoolyard games, my favorite. Let's see, kickball, uh, maybe dodgeball. You talking about tetherball? What's, what's y'all foursquare game like? What's your foursquare? Anyway, anyway, now I heard I wasn't able to make it, make it, but last time we played kickball, did Next Gen lose?

Yeah.

Okay, okay, we gotta right that wrong. Okay, tell you what, Next Gen, I got you.

I'm with you.

I'm on Next Gen team. You, you on Next Gen team next time?

Yeah.

All right, we gonna, we gonna right that wrong. Okay, kickball, Next Gen, y'all gonna get the dub, I guarantee it. That being said, that was for you, Praise Team. Um, it's gonna be food, fun, fellowship. Let's do some karaoke Yeah, I just made karaoke a verb. Might even make it a contest, right? See, maybe some of y'all should be leading praise and worship. All right, we're gonna find out, but it's gonna be a good day. It's barbecue season, right? We out in the sun. Let's do it, let's do it.

Yes sir, and it will be able.

Okay, so man, it's gonna be a blast. I mean, if y'all— I might have to be a judge, depends on how much barbecue, barbecue I could run around with in my stomach. That I digress though.

When will this be Uh, the event will be on August 30th, so the last Sunday of August.

Next Gen Sunday in August, after the 11 AM service? Yes, sir, after 11 AM Sunday, uh, Next Gen Sunday. And whereabouts?

It will be here at Friendship.

Right, right here on these grounds?

Yep, back here.

The best church in Vallejo? Yes, sir, right here at the best church in Vallejo. You heard it first.

Well, it's gonna be an amazing It's gonna be an amazing, wonderful time. We're gonna have a lot of fun. I can't wait to see you guys there.

See your face in the place.

Well, that's all that's coming down your street. As you can tell, here at Friendship, we love, heal, serve, and build. If you need to contact the church, please be sure to call 707-648-2005 or email us at hello@friendshipvalejo.org. All our church information online at our website. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Like and subscribe on YouTube. Give someone a hug this week. Now let's jump back into worship.

Hallelujah.

Holy Spirit.

Save me.

Holy Spirit.

We worship you.

We worship you. We worship you. We worship you. Into this place, we bless you. Honor, adore you. We worship you. We worship you into this place. Holy, Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit. We worship you. We welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome you into this place. We worship, honor, and adore you. Honor, adore you. We welcome We welcome you. We welcome you. Said, we welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome you into this place. Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit. We welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome. We welcome. We welcome you into into this place, and we bless you, honor and adore you, honor adore you. We welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome you into this place.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! From the rising of the sun till the going. Down of the same. From the rising of the sun until the going down, Lord, we'll fill this place, fill this temple with your glory this day. This day, I pray, we humbly bow before your name. We are nothing. We are nothing from the rising of the sun. Lord, fill us, fill us in glory this day. This day, I pray, we humbly bow before you. For you, Lord, we are nothing. We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless your name. Your name. We bless your name, God. We humbly bow before you, Lord, now. We bless your name. Your name.

Your name.

We bless your name. Your name. We bless you all day. We humbly bow before you. We say thank you, Lord. We say thank you, Lord. We say thank you, Lord. We bless you.

We bless you.

We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless you for the good and the bad times, for making a When there was no way to be found, we bless you, we praise you, we honor you today. We thank you, Lord, over and over and over again. Thank you for keeping me in the hardest times of my life. I say thank you, Lord. I say thank you, Lord. I say thank you, Lord. We bless you. We bless your name. We bless your name. We bless your name. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We bless you. We bless you. We bless you, Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. We welcome you. We welcome you. Say we welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome you. Yes, we do. Into this place. We bless you. Honor and adore you. Honor and adore you. We welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome, we welcome, we welcome. We welcome you. We welcome him to this place. Hallelujah! Yes, Lord!

Yes, Lord!

Father, we're grateful that when we invite you, you remind us you're here. And so, Father, the very things that we've been seeking clarity on, may your presence not only give us the answer but the guidance to steward what we ask for well. We bless your name, we honor your name, and we thank you that your name and your actions match. We honor you for who you are. It's in Jesus' name. Somebody give God great praise all across this room. Um, I want to mention one thing about the announcements. Stephen Green and Ujamaa did a great job. I love them on camera. Stephen Green and Ujamaa did a great job, and they talked about our picnic coming up, and I just want to remind So we got a kickball tournament because last year, Next Gen, y'all didn't know what y'all were doing. And so we gonna— y'all gonna redeem yourselves this year. But then also we have a barbecue cookout that day. And so all of y'all who talk about you know how to cook, get ready to lose. That's all I can tell you because we want all of you to cook on that day. And so if you got— we'll do the sides. We have the sides. But if you say you got ribs that everybody like or whatever. I got ribs. Come and show everybody that you got ribs everybody like, whatever, and you out here talking all this game. Now I got dino ribs, I got beef ribs that gonna kill all y'all. But for the rest of y'all that say y'all got some chicken and some ribs or pork, you know, gonna kill a cow, kill a pig, let's have some fun on August 30th. And so real grill masters know that you don't do it at home and come here, you gonna bring that grill to the church. Amen. And so we opening the space up at 5 AM. Now I'm beat you here because my ribs are going to take all night, but we going to be here to cook all day, build some community. So for all the grill masters in the room, if your husband, your son, your wife, whatever is a grill master, have them come out, have some fun. You can sign up out back, whatever your meat of choice is. We want you to make at least for 20 people, and, uh, please bring— come out, bring it out, and we want to have some fun grilling out. We'll have a whole judging, so it's going to be like a real-life Cutthroat Kitchen. You going to have to be judged for it. We going to tell you how I'm gonna tell you right now. So I'm gonna tell you, so we're gonna be great this season, but it's gonna be a whole lot of fun. And then, uh, we'll have all our kickball, karaoke, all of that on the 30th. And so you just want to have some fun on the 30th. So please be sure that if you want to grill out with us to sign up in the back of the church. All right, anybody ready for the word of God? You ready for the word of God? All right, grab your Bibles. Malachi chapter 2. Grab your Bibles. Malachi chapter 2. Stand with me in honor of God's word and let's jump into the word of God today, Malachi chapter 2. And we're gonna continue— we're ending chapter 2 today, we're jumping into the beginning of chapter 3, and we'll continue that on next week.

Amen.

Malachi is writing to the priests and he's communicating some things God is saying. We don't believe Malachi was a person. Those of you who didn't join us our first week, we don't believe that Malachi was actually a person. We believe the word messenger— we'll see actually later in this text— was a representation of the prophets of that time. The book of Malachi could have been written by Ezra, Nehemiah. We don't know exactly who wrote it, but that's why these words are so to the point. And I believe as they hit the priests, they should hit us as well. Malachi 2, beginning at verse 17, says these words: You've wearied the Lord with your words. How have you wearied— how have we wearied him, you ask? By saying, all who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord and he's pleased with them. Or, where is the God of justice? I will send my My messenger who will prepare the way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you're seeking will come into his temple. The messenger of the covenant whom you desire will come, says the Lord Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. He'll purify the Levites and refine them as gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings and righteous And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in the days gone by, as in former years. So I'll come and put you on trial then, and I'll be quick to testify against the sorcerers and the adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice. But don't fear me, says the Lord Almighty. Let's pray together. God, open our eyes Open our eyes that we might see you, our ears that we might hear you, and break our hearts as we learn to love you. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Everybody said amen.

Amen.

You may be seated. Each one of these sermons in Malachi put a title on it based upon what they asked God. And so this week I want to wrestle with this thought, maybe a prayer you prayed to God. God, do you see what's going on down here? God, do you see what's going going on down here.

Right.

Our New York Times article was supposed to run this morning, and I got an email yesterday from the writer saying that the article had to be paused and pushed back until later this week because some stuff went down with the current president. The Correspondents' Dinner, war in Iran, he got up at the Correspondents' Dinner and made sexual innuendos. There was a whole investigation that just got released on him and the Epstein files that no one seemed to let get released as he gets ready to try to run for a 3rd presidential campaign. And he got the nerve at this correspondence center to say, to tell the person who just won an award that you are fake news because you don't agree with me, you need to be happy anyway. And that was just Friday night. Because then Sunday morning, in between this, we got the last 2 days the United States conducted 13th consecutive night of bombing Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is still a war zone. This ceasefire agreement that was supposed to be signed earlier this month still hasn't, still hasn't been enacted while our Secretary of Defense is out here working out with the military and can't lift 135 pounds. The Secretary of Iran was killed by the US. Israeli fought back in February. Thousands of people are dead. And when the reporters ask what the exit strategy was, it said, and I'm quoting, the military exit is keeping it the way we're going, the way we are, and we can even make it a heavier dose. More? Because I don't know about you, but I'm tired of how expensive gas is.

Yes.

But this was supposed to be over. I'm tired of how expensive eggs are. I'm tired of how expensive meat is. I'm tired of 4 things at Target cost me $100 when 4 things at Target used to cost me $25. And this is nationwide. Nationwide, because let's not talk about Vallejo, where three elementary schools are closing in a district that just came out of 21 years of state receivership. California is facing a $5.6 billion shortfall of payments to public schools statewide, and then the story of data centers coming into disenfranchised communities is a new form of redlining. While we're still waiting on jobs from the last time somebody promised us jobs in our community, while fentanyl is still running rampant, houselessness is on the street, the city budget is in six. million-dollar shortfall. We have businesses leaving weekly, people leaving, losing their homes monthly. Revenue is declining. And in the middle of all of that, maybe you've been like me in your car on the way home. God, do you see what's going on down here? Because God, we got more weed stores than fresh food. Come on, talk to me. We got more liquor stores than we got apples available for our people. God, do you see what's happening down in this country. And I love it that God does not dismiss us in this text. He engages us. But I don't think we like where he starts his engagement, because I think so often we want God to clean up the neighborhood, but we don't want God to touch your house.

Right.

God says, I'll do justice. Oh, verse 5 and 6 is very clear. He says, I'll be swift. Before I get there, I need to make sure you're not on the list When I check it off. In the text, we've done 6 weeks in. God's answered the love question. God's answered the worship question. God's done the leadership question. God's done the commitment question. And then we get to the answer that the questioners were never prepared for. He answers it, and here he starts differently. Now remember where we are. The exile's over. Cyrus gave a decree. The people came home. The temple is rebuilt. The walls are back up. Everything the prophets and God said was What's going to happen, happen. They are standing in the land of the promise. The temple is restored. The covenant's intact. And in the midst of God having a brand new covenant with them, the economy is brutal. The Persian Empire controls everything. Tax collectors are taxing people like crazy. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening. Land is being consolidated until the wealthy and the people who care for the vulnerable are exploiting the people they're supposed to be caring for. And I'm not talking about America, I'm talking about ancient Persia. And this glorious restoration that Ezekiel promised, this glorious restoration that Isaiah promised, the overwhelming presence of God is there. It's just not coming out in a way where the righteous seem to be prospering. Everywhere they look, it seems that the wicked are more successful than those who are following God. The people who are cutting corners, that are breaking covenant, that are exploiting workers, they look like they're living pretty good. But yet here we are praying and fasting and we barely making it. This is the world the book of Malachi is written to. So that's why they're mad at God. So chapter 1, they ask God, God, you tell us you love us, how have you loved us? Chapter 2, God, you're telling us our worship's not good enough, how have we defiled you? Chapter 2, God, you're telling us that now our prayers are wearying your ears, how are we wearying you? And God says the way that you're wearying me is you keep thinking I don't see everything, that my inaction is you thinking I've approved what the wicked are doing. God has been addressing them this entire book by telling them, your worship is messed up, your leadership is corrupt, your covenants you keep breaking. And as God keeps bringing this out, he begins to challenge us on how we try to check God. This whole text is they think they found something on God, and God says, look in the mirror. So how do we get there? We'll look at the text. I got 3 movements of the text. You have your Bibles, look at verse number 2, verse 17. Here's the first movement, the first movement of where we talk about God. Do you see what's going down down here? Number 1, verse 17 teaches us this: we pray for justice outward. We pray for justice outward. Look at verse 17. You weary the Lord with your words. You ask, how have we wearied you? By saying, all who do good— all who do evil are good in in your eyes and you're pleased with them, or where is the God of justice? The word weary there is very interesting. It's the word to exhaust. It is that God is saying, you are annoying me by consistently making a habit of telling me that I love evil people. God is saying, all you are coming to me, your prayers are not focused on growth or maturity. Your prayers are focused on one thing. You think I love evil people so much. much. Imagine their prayers, your prayers consistently being the same thing. But maybe for some of you, that is what it is. Your prayer life is all about your boss and not about yourself. Your prayer life is all about the people around you and not about yourself. And what are they saying? God is saying, the reason you are bothering me is you are just as evil as the people doing evil. Just because you got priest in front of your name does not take the fact that you have defiled my place every time you go, because sometimes the loudest cries for justice are actually attempts to avoid your own accountability. The question is legitimate. The Psalms— the psalters asked it in the Book of Psalms. Habakkuk asked it. Jeremiah asked in the Book of Lamentations. And God's saying, when I'm standing in suffering witnessing a world where the math ain't mathing, God is saying the difference between Lamentations and Habakkuk and the Psalms when they prayed these prayers is they were actually faithful.

Yeah.

God says the difference is you have been misusing my temple for your own selfish benefit. God rebukes their assumptions and tells them, your question is legitimate, you're just a really terrible human being. They assumed that just because they came to church that God was on their side, and God is saying, hold up, you're not on my side, and I'm not going— I'm gonna hold you accountable to your title because your focus is on other people when God says you got to focus on you. Because everybody likes accountability until accountability calls your number. I'm gonna say that again. Everybody likes everyone to be held accountable until accountability calls your name. So God says you have the right question but the wrong starting place. Be careful asking God to turn on the light in your world because he might expose the roaches in your closet.

Yeah.

I ain't scared of none of y'all. They ask God, where's the God of justice? What are you going to do to the government? And God says, you haven't looked at how filthy your own house is. Because the people making the complaint are the same people in chapter 1 and 2. You, God says, have defiled offerings. You have broken in covenant. So justice is going to come, but I need to make sure that by the time justice gets here, that the devil can't call your name. If you're telling me you're in covenant with me, you've got to live like you spent some time with God. That's the problem with so many Christians nowadays. We have the title Christian, but you haven't spent time with him. So when Satan comes, he can find dirt on you because it hasn't been covered by the blood of Jesus. There are people in this room who have been genuinely wronged Don't get me wrong, I ain't talking to you right now. I'm talking to those of you who are looking for confirmation for your sin, calling it just justice. Because sometimes your loudest calls for justice are you trying to avoid God calling out the places you need to grow. That's to say, we want justice outward, but God says, here's how justice starts. Look at verses 1 through 4. Got the second movement of the text. God always begins justice inward. Look at verses 1 through 4. He says, I'm gonna send my messenger, I'll prepare— who prepare the way for me. And suddenly the Lord you're seeking will come into his temple. The messenger of the covenant whom you desire will come, says the Lord. God says the messenger is coming. God is going to answer God's own way. God's gonna do what God wants to do in God's own way. God said, I'm gonna come after Babylon, I'm gonna come after Rome, I'm gonna come after the oppressors. But before I go after Babylon, Rome, Persia, and the oppressors, the first place I'm going to check is the church. We forget this part about the second coming of Jesus. We sit here and think that God is gonna come back for a government, that God's gonna come back for Europe, God's gonna come back for France, God's gonna come back for Trump. Let me tell you something so clear: God is coming back for his bride first. You are so consumed about what's going on in City Hall that you forget that God is not going to show up at City Hall. He's gonna show up at church. Come on, talk to me. And the way that God's going to show up is by saying, I need to purge my church first because you are out here worshiping politicians, but you forget the impact I gave. I didn't die for politics, I died for the church. I ain't scared of none of y'all. Jesus ain't coming back for America's government. He's coming back for a church without a spot or a wrinkle. And who is he sending? A messenger messenger to call us out so that when Jesus comes, he'll call your name. Jesus Christ. I'm gonna stay there for a second, that we got to be so ready that when Jesus blows the trumpet, you actually hear it. And I am so scared about the amount of churches that if Jesus were to come back today would be full after he went back to heaven. That's why we're so consumed about the world, we're so consumed about the government, you forget that Jesus is coming back for his bride. I'll prove it to you in the scriptures. Ephesians 5, Jesus coming back for a church without a spot or wrinkle. 2 Peter chapter 3, that the church might be found without spot or blemish. Revelation chapter 19, that the church must make herself ready in expediency. Revelation 22, when the New Jerusalem descends, it'll come as a bride for her husband. That God is coming back for a church, and it's on our responsibility to make sure the church is clean enough for his presence. So what is God going to do to get his church ready for his presence? He says, I'm going to sit like a refiner's fire and purify you so that when I come, it'll be good enough for my presence. Oh my God. Verse number 2, so who can endure his coming, and who can stand when he appears? What God is saying— we have to remember, church, that the glory of God is not a bunch of goosebumps. The glory of God is so vast that the glory of God deserves us to yield our authority. That's why he says, so who can stand when God's glory shows up? Nobody.

Nobody.

why Paul says in Philippians, at the name of Jesus, every knee is going to bow, every tongue is going to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord above all, in all, and through all. That Malachi is writing to us and telling us, who can endure the coming of the Lord? No one. So what are we going to do to make sure you can handle when Jesus comes? None of us are worthy of his presence. So here's what God does. to get us ready for his presence. And he will sit like a refiner's fire, like a launderer's soap. That God loves you so much, he wants you in his presence, and he is going to remove anything in you that is not welcome in his presence, so that when Satan wants to raise a story about you, he can't. Find it.

Find it.

I'm talking so good, y'all ain't getting it. So he shall sit like a refiner's fire and purify the Levites. How long does he sit at the fire? Until the silver reflects the maker.

Hallelujah.

And he shall sit. Now I'm talking to people in the room that what God is doing in terms of starting justice inward, that God God is saying, I'm putting you into the fire to burn out the things that are not welcome in my presence so that I will have no excuse but to call your name. Oh my God. God loves you so much, he will refine you until he sees himself on you. And the process does not end until the reflection is clear. And he shall sit. God does not leave you until you get finished. And I'm talking to people in the building who are in the middle of what seems like the worst time of your life. God is burning your ego off of you.

Amen.

God is burning pride off of you. God is burning your insecurities off of you. God is burning everything off of you that is not well Welcome in his presence, because the devil wants you to be ashes. God wants you to be refined, and God will use the same fire. God, and he shall sit and purify you. Some of the greatest seasons of your life are the seasons where God sits and watches you burn.

burn.

And he burns the silver until every impurity comes out of the silver.

Why?

Because God wants us to have a reflection of him in it, so that when the world looks at you, they can't say anything about you, cuz you spent time being burned with God. So you want God to change the city so bad, you want God to change everybody else so bad. Let me tell you what God does first. God says, before I change the city, I'm gonna change the church. So don't get mad at fights in the city. Well, you don't talk to people when you leave out of church. Come on, talk to me. Don't get mad at things, potholes in the city. Well, you ain't tithing in church. No, because before God changes that, he's gonna change us. And maybe the reason Vallejo was so jacked up, because our churches are just as bad. The city is just a reflection of its church. Oh my God. That God says, if I can't get my bride right, why Why am I gonna bless the fruit when the bride ain't listening to me? Oh my God. That— it's a downstream of problems that come from a polluted source. If the Levites are polluted, we are sending a downstream of pollution. So that's why schools are closing, 'cause the church ain't together. That's why places are closing, 'cause the church ain't together. But if God's people come together, God says, I'll change the city, but I'm gonna start with my church. Because the purifying and refiner's fire does not start at City Hall, it starts in the church.

Amen.

I ain't scared of none of y'all. It don't start in the White House, it starts in God's house. And the more we get complicit with sin is the more that we have a polluted worship that goes into a convoluted world. So what do we do? We'll look at verses 3 through 5. Why does God do all of this? Why does God care enough to purify his people. You ought to thank God for God purifying you. Here's move-in 3, verses 5 and 6. God purifies his people because he loves his people.

Yes.

That's the whole text. God says, I'm gonna put you on trial. Here's how you exempt yourself from this trial. When you let God purify you, he removes the stuff that gets you out of his presence. When he purifies— look at verse 5. I will testify against the sorcerers, the adulterers, and the perjurers, those who defraud the labors of wages, who oppress the widows, the fatherless, and deprive foreigners among you but don't fear you. God says every name on this list deserves to be judged. Wage theft is on the list. Workers that are robbed by God— robbed by people employing them. God says, I see every sin and I name it and I'll judge it, but it's not your responsibility to judge it. What the word in the Hebrew is so interesting about is that whenever we decide to judge other people. Let me tell you what the Hebrew word there is. Whenever you decide to judge someone, you are literally kicking God off the throne, putting yourself on the throne, and telling God he doesn't know how to do his job. Okay, God says, so when all you have to do is let me purify you, I'll do the judgment. Because if you judge, you've got sin that'll make decisions. If I judge— come on, talk to me— I have given grace and judgment in my decision-making. Because if they exploit immigrants, I'll judge them. If you oppress the widow and the orphan, I'll judge them. Perjury's on— God says, I don't forget those who have been broken by a system that is built to harm them. But he says, here's what I'll do first. I'll purify you first, then I'll injustice, because God always sends fire before he sends a fix. He'll purify the priests, and then he'll defend the workers. He'll clean the offering, and then he'll stand for the widows. He'll renovate the sanctuary, and then he'll go to the streets. But if you don't accept that God will purify you when the testimony comes against you, you will have something to be blamed for. Purified people become instruments of justice. That's why the fire falls on the church first before he checks the oppressors. I can't call out a government if I haven't spent time with God to make sure that he's purified me to be strong enough that when they try to find fault in my church, they can't find it.

All right, Pastor.

Mm-hmm.

The reason that people can find fault in churches, things we've even dealt with recently, is because we haven't been praying. The fire falls on the priests to check the city. So what happens at the altar eventually happens in the city, but the condition of the sanctuary is a reflection of the condition of society. So while God says, you don't fear me, God is saying, the reason some of you are going to be judged by me is because you don't respect me. You're more concerned about what the government will say about you than you are about my presence. Because that's why the Proverbs writer came back and said, the beginning— the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That when you respect God, you are opening your heart to be wiser than you've ever thought. Why should we do this? Why does this all matter? We'll look at verses number 6. I'm finished. God says, the reason you ought to want this, the reason you ought to want my purification, the reason you ought to want to be in my presence, the reason you ought to want to be blameless in my presence, the reason you ought to want to The reason you ought to want to do all this work is verse number 6, 'cause I, the Lord, don't change.

Yes.

So you are not consumed. Okay, that's the whole gospel in one verse. God says, my character does not change. That's why you're not dead. Okay, the unchanging hand of God is the ground of grace in your life. God could have changed on you a long time ago. time ago. But God says, here's how much I love you. Everything that's not welcome in my presence, I'll burn off of you.

Yes.

The fact that God still bothers with you and he knows what's in you 'cause he made you ought to make you grateful. Because if God wanted to destroy you, he wouldn't waste time refining you. The fire of God says God loves you so so much that while I know what's in you can destroy you, I'm gonna sit and make you better.

Yes.

'Cause he doesn't change. His grace doesn't change. His mercy doesn't change. His love doesn't change. His consistency is the reason your inconsistency didn't kill you. God's character is stronger than everything that you keep changing. That God's unchanging character is better than your inconsistent, constantly changing character. 'Cause if God was finished with you, he wouldn't keep working on you. If God was finished with you, he wouldn't keep refining you. And the fact that God is still working on you is a reason you ought to give God praise, because God is claiming you when you've got a record that should make him take his hand off you. And he shall sit and refine you. No, this season of your life is not meant to kill you. This season of your life is God loving you so much That refuse to let you go into the world where anybody can find a blemish on you. And he shall sit. He'll stay there until you look like him. He'll stay there until he sees his face on you. He'll stay there until your life begins to reflect him. And he shall sit. He'll take all your questions. He'll take all your ego. He'll take all your pride. And God says, I don't change so I can change you. So what does this mean, Pastor Justin? I think we've become professional spectators of everybody else's sanctification. We know where everybody else needs to change, but you don't want to look at your own life. Come on, talk to me. You know everybody else needs to pray because you not. You know everybody else's marriage needs to be fixed because you won't deal with yours. You got all the answers to everybody else's kids, but your kids are running you crazy. Because we become professional spectators at everybody else getting better without being accountable to your own life. And so God comes along in this text and holds up a mirror. Mm-mm, I am not a vending machine to put a prayer in and get a praise out. That's right, God. I'm not a prayer vending machine where you put a prayer in and get some justice out. I am not here to listen to you to take action against the people you don't like. God carries mirrors, not a gun.

I was having questions.

The question of this text is, are you praying for justice thinking you're exempt from it? I'm talking to people in a hard place. God is answering the question to injustice with his people because you are the vehicle of justice in the world, but a polluted instrument cannot carry a pure message. It's easy for me to get up here and tell you about how bad the government is and preach against the culture. It's harder to repent against the mirror, how you participate in the very systems you're talking about dismantling. You cannot ask God to use your hands when you refuse God access to your heart.

Yeah.

I'm gonna say that again. You cannot ask God to use your hands when you refuse God access to your heart. Justice starts with you, and God starts with his people because it flows downstream. God has trusted you with the title of child of God, and a purified church is the most powerful movement in a city. But if God wants to— if the devil wants to kill a city, the first place he's gonna start is the church.

Yeah.

Because— but the world, if God wants to fix a city, the first place he starts is the church. And the world gets a better witness when God gets a better church. So how do we get there? Let me give you 2 things. I'm in my seat. So that's the movements of the text. So what do we do with this? How do— what are our next steps? Let me give you these 2 principles. I'm done. Number one, I want you to welcome the fire in your life. I want you to welcome the fire in your life. Most of the time when people get into hard seasons, this is the question I get. It's always like, God, why has this happened to me? Why does God hate me? Why Why is God not like me? Maybe it's a different question. Instead of asking, why is this happening to you? It's, God, what are you pulling out of me?

Yes.

What pieces of you have you gotten so comfortable with? What parts of your story, what parts, the worst parts of you, have you just thrown away in a closet that you need God to burn off so you can't get back to it? That shift in posture changes everything. When it's no longer, God, you hate me 'cause this thing is hard, but God, thank you that you're taking my pride away. Mm-hmm.

Okay, all right.

When it's not, God, you hate me 'cause this is hard, but God, thank you that you're killing my ego. Thank you that you're destroying my insecurities. Thank you that you are stealing my excuses. Thank you that you are not letting me stay in survival mode. Thank you that you are making me grow. It changes everything. What is God producing out of you? Every fire has a product. What is God trying to get out of you? What is it that you were getting— what is it that when things get hard for you, you run to? Like, you run to— it's comfortable for you. And for many of us in the room, it's sex, it's weed, it's alcohol, it's your pride, it's your ego, it's your resources, your connections. It's all these things. And God says, I send fire to make sure you can't go back there.

Amen.

What fire are you running from that God says, I'm trying to produce a better you out of this? What fire are you mad at God about that God's trying to produce a better you out of this? Welcome the fire of God in your life because the fire of God will get a better you because God knows what he wants to do with you.

Yes.

Number 2, once you welcome the fire, you got to walk out your witness. You got to walk out your witness. I grew up in a church. We used to go out and give out tracts and put stuff on doors thinking that that was being a witness, and really that was just a big— it was just a marketing campaign because we couldn't afford a billboard. Like, when you think about how we talk about witnessing for churches, we act as if witnessing is marketing. It's a part of it, but it's not— that's not all it is. Hanging up billboards and tracts and telling people they're going to hell and all this type of stuff, it's just a good marketing campaign. Walking out your witness is this: you have a job and you take God to your job in ways that your job cannot get rid of you because you prayed about it before you took God there. That's when you think about the fish symbol. The fish symbol was an act of witness and resistance. What the people would do is they would go into the ground. The fish symbol came from this, that when they were persecuting and killing Christians, they would take their foot, put it into the sand, and draw a line. A son of a person, if they knew Jesus, if they knew about the way, they would connect the line, and where the fish was pointing was directing you to where the nearest church was. It was an act of resistance. They said, no matter where we go, we're going to make sure that even if at the risk of death, I'm going to make sure that somebody knows I spent time with Jesus.

Yes.

For many of us, your witness stops the moment you leave our parking lot. Matter of fact, for some of you, you haven't prayed with anybody in the room. If I ask you to pray with someone, you find a way to get out of here on time. Last week, we asked people to pray with one another and y'all made a beeline to the door. How are we going to say we're going to walk our witness out in the world, but you don't even want to embrace the people you come to church with. No, come on, talk to me. I don't care, you're gonna be weird. Like, Pastor Matt, I'm not mad. We can't call ourselves Christians out there where you're not doing it in here. This is the safest place you can be in, but you can't pray with your neighbor? You can't hug the people you go to church with? Come on, talk back to me. You walk by people you go to church with? We all struggling, and you got the nerve to not cover their struggle? But you say you're a Christian and I pray for everybody. No, you don't, because you can't pray for people that are broken just like you. Come on, talk back to me, somebody. You have people that are teaching your children in children's church. When's the last time you prayed for your child's teacher? But no, you're waiting for something to go wrong so you can find an excuse to not come back to church again? No, come on, talk to me. When's the last time you prayed for your small group leader? No, you show up to small groups to fight. No, when's the— you can't— some of you had an agenda when you came to church today that you got some— you going to say to somebody in the parking lot.

Yeah. You—

some of you came to church for the very first time. You came to church and you're looking for a reason to not come back to church. You did. Some of you came to church, you're here a bunch of— you're here for 2 years and you're looking for a reason not to because you got another agenda, and God comes along. Here's what I'm telling you, God is onto all of your agendas. He's killing it because the only agenda he has is how to reach the masses. What did I do? Men of everywhere. For an answer, Jesus gave the key. He said, wherever you go, lift me. I'll draw and I'll protect you for everywhere you go. Your neighborhood needs your witness. Yes. Your coworkers need your witness.

Yes.

Your marriage needs your witness. The meeting rooms you go into need your witness, and you know this, so why don't You do it. We want justice, but you won't give God honor. Your witness doesn't need to stop in church. This is the place where God refines you. Your witness is needed in your home. Justice happens when transformed people go into broken spaces and refuse to leave it broken. Did you pray for your kids' teacher? Did you pray for the superintendent of our schools? Do you pray for our mayor? Do you pray for our city manager? Do you pray for our president? Do you pray for our governor? No, we want them all fired, but you ain't praying for the replacement. Oh my God. We want everybody to lose their job, but you ain't thinking about the replacement. So when the replacement comes, you want them to lose too. God says no.

Broken—

when witnesses show up because of what God has done in your life, you know that if God can fix me, he can fix City Hall.

Yes.

Oh, come on now. If God can deal with you, Come on, he can fix City Hall too, because you know how messed up you are and ain't nowhere near how bad ours— come on, talk to me, somebody. If God can fix your crooked self, surely God can fix the city. Because if he dealt with you and your cussing, fussing, non-praying self and still blessed you, can you imagine what 20 of us can do? Can you imagine what 100 of us can do? Can you imagine what 1,000 of us could do to a city? That if transformed people trust the change of God, oh, what a peace of God we would experience! That God would do something crazy in our city when we yield our hearts to God. If God can fix you, he can fill some potholes.

Yes!

Oh my God, if God can fix you, he can do more than Costco. Come on, talk to me. If God can fix you, he can do more than than a data center. Come on, he can do more than a casino. He can do more than a hotel. He can build better schools. Come on, somebody! If God can fix you, he can build better community centers. If God can fix you, he can make sure that everybody in our city does not go hungry. If God can fix you, he can take people off the street. Come on, talk to me! He can take people back in homes. If God can deal with you, he can deal with Vallejo. But you've got to be a witness of what God has done in your life. You got to be a witness of the power that God has in your life. God deserves the witness that he did. God deserves to be told on. God deserves to be bragged about. All the things that God has done in your life, he deserves for you to talk about him.

Yes.

Come on, he deserves for you to brag about him. He deserves for you to tell your story. He deserves for you to tell the truth on God. You can talk about and spill tea on everybody else, but maybe every once in a while you spill some tea on Jesus. Every once in a while you talk about how good God is, because your job deserves your testimony. God did not bring you out of everything you've gone through for you to be silent about what he's done. So we try, we do everything strong so many places, but maybe what God is doing in this season of our lives is maybe you stop bringing God the leftover pieces of you. Maybe as God purifies you, you say, God, I, I want to be a better me. God, you deserve a better me. You deserve a better wife out of me. You deserve a better husband out of me. God gets a better you when you stop getting comfortable with the worst versions of yourself. The world gets better when the world gets disciples. The city gets better when the city gets disciples, and better disciples produce better worship, and better worship Produces a better sound. A better sound produces a better source. And a better source produces a better flow. And a better flow sends justice into our community and peace into our community and hope into our community and love into our community. The justice of God does not start with you firing people. The justice of God starts with your heart being open to God's presence in every area of your life. So I ain't got no altar call. for you. I got a question for those of you who feel like you're in the worst season of your life, to begin to thank God that you're in the fire. Thank God that God is burning some stuff off of you that's not welcome in his presence.

Yes.

You're asking God to fix them, but maybe, God, fix me. Fix my pride so it don't talk for me. Fix my anger so it stops making decisions for me. Fix my self-righteousness so it stops telling me how perfect I am. God, fix my fear so I stop getting com— fix my anxiety so I stop worshiping false narratives. Fix my bitterness so I stop making decisions out of a hardened heart. God, fix my unforgiveness so I stop worshiping other people's demise. God, do you see what's going on down here? God says, I do. I see you, and I need to get a better you. So burn away all those pieces that aren't welcome and welcome in mercy and peace, that you might be a witness in the world you're praying about. Every head is bowed, every eye is closed, asking the Holy Spirit one question. Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me? For some of you in the room, the question that God is asking you is a question of your heart. Where's your heart? Some of you, God is challenging you on the places he's burning things out of you. So God wants to have a moment with you. I want to give that moment to you.

May he It's just me and you. I feel so lost 'cause I don't know what to do. Now what if I choose the wrong thing to do? I'm so afraid.

I'm afraid.

Afraid of disappointing you. So I need to talk to you and ask you for your guidance, especially today when my life is so cloudy. Guide me until I'm sure. I open up my heart. Oh yeah, my hopes and dreams are fading fast. And I'm all burnt out, and I don't think my strength's gonna last. So I'm crying out, crying out to you, Lord, 'cause I know that you're the only one who is able to pull me through. Lord, I know that you're the only one who is able to pull me through. I know I need to talk to you and ask you for your guidance, especially today when my life gets so cloudy. Guide me until I'm sure. I open up.

Oh yes.

So show me how to do things your way. Don't let me make the same mistake over and over again. Over again. Your will be done, and I'll be the one to make sure that it's carried out. And in me, I don't want any doubt. That's why, Lord, I need to talk to you. And Ask you for your guidance, especially this day. When my life gets so cloudy, guide me until I'm sure. I open up my heart. Yes, I do. Yes, I do. If you're here today, we're gonna pray in a second.

And if you have not said yes to Jesus, if your life were to end today, you don't know if there's a heaven and there's a hell. And if you're saying today, I have not publicly said yes to Jesus, we offer that opportunity when everyone stands in a second for you to walk down the aisle so that we might celebrate you. Scripture says that whenever someone says yes to him, God begins to dance in heaven. And so today is the day for you to let— give God an excuse to dance. We ask that if that's you, you admit in your heart Christ Jesus, you believe Jesus Christ is Lord, and you confess today that you want Jesus in your soul. And today we offer the opportunity of baptism, and we want you to come forward. If you're here today and you don't have a church home, or you are jumping from church to church, you don't—

I'm here.

not growing where you are going. A place of accountability is where God has the church. We want to be a great source of peace for our community that flows into every area of our world.

Amen.

And so if you want to be a part of that movement today, we offer that opportunity for you. So I'm going to pray in a second. I'll ask everyone to stand, and if baptism or if new membership is your next step, we invite you to be a part of our church today. Father, today we thank you that your word is true.

Amen.

As we make decisions for the future of our lives, as we make decisions on how we live out your word, may we be a witness because of what you've done in our lives. Thank you for what you've done. Thank you that you have something still yet to do. And Father, thank you for using us in the process. For those, God, who are saying yes to you today, we thank you for trusting us with new souls. For those of you, God, who are— you are trusting to be a part of our church family, we thank you Thank you that you're trusting us with people to expand this territory, that we might be an environment that sends great flowing honor into our community. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Everybody said amen.

Amen.

Stand with us all over the building. If baptism is your next step, if new membership is your next step, come this way. We want to celebrate you and we want to honor God for you. So baptism is your next step, come. If you want to text it, you can. If those of you online that want to text as well, you text Yes, Jesus. Yes, Jesus. We'll engage with you. Our next baptism is the 4th Sunday of August. We welcome you. New membership is your opportunity.

Come.

If baptism is, we come as well. We're gonna sing and we'll wait for you.

My heart, guide me on to love you.

The doors of the church are open. We wait for you.

Though no one comes, Israel does not lose.

That was her reward. If you love the Lord and are not ashamed of it, give God great praise all over this building. May you leave out of here knowing that the fire of God is God's great way of showing you he loves you. God is making sure that Satan can never find anything on you. We are creatures of sin, shaped in iniquity, but because of the blood of Jesus, he— we are redeemed and set free. And so may you enjoy May you pray the fire. May you welcome the fire. And when God sees himself on you, go tell the world about what Jesus did for you. Here's what I want you to do. Last week I asked you to pray with one another. This week I want you to do this: take a moment and find someone and tell them something God is doing good in your life. Take a moment and— don't tell them he woke you up, started you on your way. Oh, don't tell them that. Stop that. What is something amazing God has done in your life? and take a moment to walk out your witness by sharing the goodness of God. And after you share with someone, don't just beeline out. Some of y'all ran out before y'all prayed with anybody last week. Take a moment, celebrate Jesus with somebody else, and then you consider yourselves dismissed. So go ahead, share with someone around you what's something good God is doing in your life. Before you leave out, share it, take it out. God bless you, have a wonderful week. God bless you. God bless you.

Jesus, you're with me. That's why I know I need to talk to you. That's why, oh, lift up my heart. Lord, I know I need to talk to you. That's why.