The Demographics of God's City: Willing, Ordinary, Worshipers, Generations

If our faith only survives as long as we do, then it was never anchored in the Lord. It was anchored in us. And we ought to endeavor no matter what stage of life we are in, to constantly be pouring into the next generation and to be gleaning from the one above us. And that can begin at whatever age. If you're in middle or high school, you can do that for elementary school kids, preschool kids. If you're a senior adult, I know a lot of families here are in the throes of being a young family, and they need to see that somebody made it through and how they did it still loving Jesus. [00:57:37] (37 seconds)  #GenerationalFaith

This was a sacrifice to come live in a city that was largely centered on supporting the duties of the temple and travelers who would be coming in throughout the year. Their living there was a sacrifice so that others might be able to come, know, and worship God. This is the correlation for us. When we look at those whom God calls throughout scripture, it's always the willing. It's not always the people who are the most well known. It's not always the people who have the greatest, you know, skills. It's not always the people who are the wealthiest or the most powerful. He calls the willing, and then he does the rest. [00:40:15] (42 seconds)  #GodCallsTheWilling

I prayed a moment ago that as we approach God's word, sometimes I'll pray this that, God, I'm gonna I'm gonna say yes before I even know what you ask. Like, is that the posture of our hearts? Where I am willing no matter what he tells me to do, to move, to serve, to give of myself, to give my things, to follow where he leads, to sacrifice, to humble myself, am I willing? You gotta be ready to prioritize what God says and what God wants about what of what you say and what you want, to say yes to him. [00:42:57] (36 seconds)  #SayYesToGod

Because no matter what our title is at our job, no matter what acronyms go after our name and our email signature, none of us are bigwigs in our own right in the kingdom of God. In God's city, apart from Jesus, I'm pretty ordinary. I'm just another sin riddled, prideful, weak in my own strength, clumsy human being apart from Jesus. But these are the kind of people, praise God, that Jesus came for. [00:47:09] (29 seconds)  #OrdinarySavedByGrace

When we look at the demographics in Nehemiah eleven and twelve and we look at the rest of scripture, we see it is filled with the willing. Not because of how great they are, but because it's an act of surrender and trusting the Lord. Modeled by the one who was willing to go to a cross in the same Jerusalem willingly for us to provide an invitation for you and I today. Are you willing? Do you have a willing posture in your heart? [00:42:27] (30 seconds)  #WillingToFollow

So our Lord Jesus is not building a city full of banks and pizza places, bricks and mortar, roads and houses. He's building a city full of people, willing people. So the question to you is, are you willing? And I don't know what I'm saying for you to be willing to do, but are you willing to do whatever God calls you to do? Are you willing to lay down your pride? Are you willing to lay down your opinions? Are you willing to lay down your own glory to take up whatever he says? Knowing that he takes the ordinary and does extraordinary things. [01:00:29] (36 seconds)  #LayDownAndFollow

And when he looks there, he doesn't see our credentials, accolades, bank accounts, or titles. He sees someone made in the image of God that he wants to have a relationship with despite their brokenness, despite their imperfection, and their ordinary benign nature. He sees someone that he desires to have that relationship with so much that he would give his son for. Not because of how great we are, but because of the vastness of his love. This is what shows off his power the best. [00:47:45] (35 seconds)  #LovedDespiteBrokenness

So if you consider yourself another ordinary person on the canvas of USA demographics, welcome to the demographic of ordinary people saved by an extraordinary God and invited to dwell in his city forever. Welcome home. [00:48:30] (17 seconds)  #WelcomeHomeToGodsCity