Embracing God's Call: Transforming Lives for His Glory

### Summary

Today, we celebrated the testimonies of our volunteers and the incredible work God is doing through them. We also announced our upcoming baptism service, a significant event where individuals publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and it's a powerful outward expression of an inward transformation.

We continued our series on "The Whosoever," based on John 3:16, emphasizing that God's love and salvation are available to everyone, regardless of their past or present circumstances. We explored the idea that God has a need for the whosoever—not because He lacks anything, but because He has uniquely equipped each person with gifts and talents for His glory. This was illustrated through the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where He needed a colt, symbolizing that God often uses ordinary things and people for extraordinary purposes.

We also delved into the story of Saul, who later became Paul. Despite his past as a persecutor of Christians, God had a deliberate plan for him. Saul's transformation on the road to Damascus and his subsequent ministry highlight that God can use anyone, no matter their past, for His divine purposes. This serves as a reminder that we should not judge others based on their past but see them as potential instruments of God's work.

The message concluded with a call to action: to recognize the unique gifts and talents God has placed in each of us and to use them for His kingdom. We were reminded that our purpose is not just to get saved and go to church but to actively participate in God's work by sharing the gospel and showing His love to others.

### Key Takeaways

1. **God's Love is Inclusive**: John 3:16 reminds us that God's love is for everyone, the "whosoever." This means that no one is beyond the reach of His grace and salvation. We are called to share this inclusive love with everyone we meet, recognizing that each person is a potential recipient of God's transformative power. [46:24]

2. **Unique Gifts for God's Glory**: Each of us is uniquely equipped with gifts and talents that God has placed in us from birth. These are not just for our benefit but for His glory. When we surrender our lives to Him, He can use these gifts in ways we never imagined, impacting others and advancing His kingdom. [54:58]

3. **Transformation Through Encounter**: The story of Saul's conversion to Paul illustrates that a genuine encounter with Jesus can radically transform a person's life. No matter how far someone seems from God, He can turn their life around and use them mightily for His purposes. This encourages us to never give up on anyone. [01:06:29]

4. **Purpose Beyond Salvation**: Our journey doesn't end at salvation. We are called to get to work, using our gifts and talents to serve others and spread the gospel. This involves active participation in God's mission, recognizing that we are His hands and feet in the world. [01:21:02]

5. **Seeing Potential in Others**: Like Ananias, we may struggle to see the potential in those with a troubled past. However, God sees beyond their history and has a plan for their future. We are called to look at others through God's eyes, recognizing their potential and helping them discover their purpose in Him. [01:14:13]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[43:38] - Announcement: Baptisms
[45:00] - Welcoming First-Time Visitors
[46:24] - Prayer and Introduction
[48:07] - Series Recap: The Whosoever
[49:48] - God’s Need for the Whosoever
[51:29] - Illustration: The Louvre Museum
[53:06] - The Wedding at Cana Painting
[54:58] - God’s Gifts and Talents
[57:14] - Ephesians 2:10
[59:05] - Jeremiah 1:4-5
[01:01:01] - Genesis 1:27
[01:02:55] - Purpose and Value in God
[01:04:29] - Unique Abilities for God’s Glory
[01:06:29] - Saul’s Conversion
[01:10:13] - Saul’s Background and Gifts
[01:12:16] - God’s Deliberate Choice
[01:14:13] - Ananias’ Obedience
[01:15:58] - Saul’s Mission to Jews and Gentiles
[01:17:45] - Paul’s Impact and Legacy
[01:19:08] - Paul’s Testimony to Timothy
[01:21:02] - Call to Action: Get to Work
[01:22:51] - God’s Need for the Whosoever
[01:24:47] - Personal Testimony: Pastor’s Father
[01:28:30] - Prayer and Closing Remarks
[01:30:15] - Offering and Giving
[01:33:47] - Instructions for Giving
[01:37:30] - Invitation to Accept Christ
[01:40:38] - Final Announcements and Dismissal

### Bible Reading
1. **John 3:16** - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
2. **Acts 9:1-19** - The conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus.
3. **Ephesians 2:10** - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

### Observation Questions
1. What does John 3:16 say about the scope of God's love and who it is for?
2. Describe the transformation that Saul experienced on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). What was his mission before and after this encounter?
3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what are we created for, and when were these works prepared for us?

### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the inclusivity of God's love in John 3:16 challenge our views on who can receive salvation? [46:24]
2. In what ways does Saul's story in Acts 9 demonstrate that no one is beyond God's transformative power? [01:06:29]
3. How does understanding that we are God's handiwork, as stated in Ephesians 2:10, affect our perception of our own purpose and value? [57:14]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on John 3:16. How can you actively share the inclusive love of God with someone in your life this week? [46:24]
2. Think about Saul's transformation. Is there someone in your life who seems far from God? How can you be an Ananias to them, helping them see their potential in Christ? [01:14:13]
3. Ephesians 2:10 speaks of good works prepared in advance for us. What unique gifts or talents do you have that you can use to serve others and advance God's kingdom? [54:58]
4. The sermon emphasized that our journey doesn't end at salvation but involves active participation in God's work. What specific steps can you take to get more involved in your church or community to share the gospel and show God's love? [01:21:02]
5. How can you change your perspective to see the potential in others, especially those with a troubled past, and help them discover their purpose in God? [01:14:13]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt judged by your past. How did it affect you, and how can you ensure you don't do the same to others? [01:14:13]
7. Identify one person in your life who is curious about faith. How can you engage them in a spiritual conversation this week, sharing the transformative power of Jesus? [01:06:29]

Day 1: God's Love is for Everyone

God's love is inclusive and extends to everyone, regardless of their past or present circumstances. John 3:16 emphasizes that God's love and salvation are available to "whosoever" believes in Him. This means that no one is beyond the reach of His grace and transformative power. As believers, we are called to share this inclusive love with everyone we meet, recognizing that each person is a potential recipient of God's transformative power. This understanding should shape how we interact with others, seeing them through the lens of God's boundless love and grace. [46:24]

Romans 5:8 (ESV): "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who seems far from God. How can you show them God's inclusive love today?


Day 2: Unique Gifts for God's Glory

Each of us is uniquely equipped with gifts and talents that God has placed in us from birth. These gifts are not just for our benefit but for His glory. When we surrender our lives to Him, He can use these gifts in ways we never imagined, impacting others and advancing His kingdom. This calls for a deep reflection on the talents and abilities we possess and how we can use them to serve others and glorify God. Recognizing that our gifts are part of God's plan for us can inspire us to step out in faith and make a difference in the world. [54:58]

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

Reflection: What unique gifts and talents has God given you? How can you use them to serve others and glorify Him this week?


Day 3: Transformation Through Encounter

The story of Saul's conversion to Paul illustrates that a genuine encounter with Jesus can radically transform a person's life. Despite Saul's past as a persecutor of Christians, God had a deliberate plan for him. Saul's transformation on the road to Damascus and his subsequent ministry highlight that God can use anyone, no matter their past, for His divine purposes. This serves as a powerful reminder that we should never give up on anyone, no matter how far they seem from God. Instead, we should pray for their transformation and believe in God's power to change lives. [01:06:29]

Acts 9:15 (ESV): "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.'"

Reflection: Is there someone in your life who you think is beyond God's reach? How can you pray for their transformation and believe in God's power to change their life?


Day 4: Purpose Beyond Salvation

Our journey doesn't end at salvation. We are called to get to work, using our gifts and talents to serve others and spread the gospel. This involves active participation in God's mission, recognizing that we are His hands and feet in the world. Our purpose is not just to get saved and go to church but to actively participate in God's work by sharing the gospel and showing His love to others. This understanding should motivate us to live out our faith in practical ways, making a tangible difference in the lives of those around us. [01:21:02]

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Reflection: What is one specific way you can actively participate in God's mission this week? How can you use your gifts to serve others and spread the gospel?


Day 5: Seeing Potential in Others

Like Ananias, we may struggle to see the potential in those with a troubled past. However, God sees beyond their history and has a plan for their future. We are called to look at others through God's eyes, recognizing their potential and helping them discover their purpose in Him. This requires us to set aside our judgments and biases and to see people as God sees them. By doing so, we can become instruments of God's grace and help others realize their God-given potential. [01:14:13]

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'"

Reflection: Think of someone you have judged based on their past. How can you begin to see them through God's eyes and help them discover their potential in Him?

Well, you done preached it right there. I can sit down now. You did it right there.

Oh, we praise God for our testimonies and the stories of our volunteers here and what God is doing. And it's amazing. You know, you never know what God's doing. You never know what God's doing. You never know what God is doing where you are and how God will have you impacting the lives of other people. And you have, you have no idea. Are you just going and doing whatever it is that God's called you to do?

And now we have Ms. Ruth here, and she is a light to our guest services team. And I'm excited about it. So I just have one announcement for you this week. And that is next week is baptisms. And we are excited about that here at church. Yes. We'll be celebrating it next week. And we have some people who have signed up, but I just want to let you know, if you haven't signed up and you're interested in getting baptized, please, please, please still sign up at the QR code on the seat pocket in front of you, or you can sign up outside at the Team Limitless table.

We are excited about what God is doing in the hearts of people. What is baptism? It's that opportunity that you have to really, really go public with your faith. It's the outward declaration of the inward confirmation. You have said, "Hey, I want to make, or I have made Jesus Christ the Lord of my life." And I'm going public through baptism, the symbolic expression of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—going down into the water old and coming up brand new.

So that's going to be next Sunday, and we want to invite you to participate. And we're excited about that.

And obviously, my other announcement, my wife did a great job already. Just make sure y'all are here tonight. All right? Let's make sure that you're here tonight.

Um, I'm ready to dive into our message. Um, before I do that, because I keep forgetting, I want to welcome our first-time visitors. If you are here and this is your very first time, welcome. We are excited that you're here. Come on. Yeah. Yeah. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. We are excited that you're here.

We know that you could be anywhere else on a Sunday morning, but we actually believe that God brought you here for a specific purpose. We don't believe that you're here by accident. I know you thought you woke up this morning, put your makeup on, got your hair right, and said, "I'm going to church this morning. I'm going to check it in." But guess what? God had been preparing your heart. God had been preparing your conversations. He had been clearing your calendar. He had been preparing your calendar to make sure that you made it here today.

And honestly, here at Limitless, we're just excited to be a part of the process and excited to see what God is going to do in your life. Can we welcome our first-time visitors this morning? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Do me a favor. You'll see the QR code on the seat pocket in front of you. Just point your camera to that, and it will pop up to our visitor card. If you would fill that out for us, we would love to put a gift card in front of you. So if you would fill that out for us, we would love to put a gift in your hand, say hello to you, or I would love to see you after service. I am going to be at the table outside our Team Limitless table. I would just love to meet you, to say hello, to hear your story, and to find out how your experience was. Please, please, please. I'll be out there. Don't make me wait. Don't make me stand out there by myself. Come say hello to me. I would love to do that.

All right, let's dive into our word.

Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for what you want to do in this place. God, we know that your word is already anointed. So we ask that you would anoint our ears to be able to hear what you're saying, that you would anoint our hearts to be able to receive the word that you're speaking, not just in our sermon, but what are you saying individually to each and every one of us? What is the message for us today? God, we are here, and we are ready to receive it. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

So we've been in a series called "The Whosoever," and we've talked about this idea of a whosoever. We said, based off of John 3:16, the scripture, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him would not perish, but have everlasting life."

This idea of the whosoever, the person who has yet to come to Jesus, the person who doesn't know about his love, who doesn't know about his grace. We call that the whosoever. No matter where they are, no matter what season of life they're in, no matter what's going on, they are the person who God loves.

Week one, we talked about the hope that's available for the unbeliever, the hope that's available for that person. We talked about the hope that's available for the unbeliever, and that hope is found in Jesus. The fact that they can have a relationship with Jesus, that they can spend eternity with him, but not just that, have an opportunity to live this life with him—the hope for the whosoever.

Week two, we talked about the desire that God has for the whosoever, that God desires them. Not just a desire like you have for food, but he has a longing for food. He has a longing to be with them, to be in relationship with them, that he would leave the 99, we talked about, and go and find him, that he would do whatever it takes to bring that person to him. God has a desire for the whosoever.

And this week, I want to highlight the need for the whosoever. God has a need for the whosoever. In the sense that he is lacking in any way, because God has never lacked and he never will lack, but he has a need for the whosoever. There is something unique that he has placed in each and every one of us from birth, regardless of who we are. And when we make a decision to make him Lord, he is able to use that thing that he created us with for his glory.

And in the sense that he is lacking in any way, because God has never lacked and he never will lack, but he has a need for the whosoever. And in using that, people get an opportunity to see God like they never have before. God has a need for the talents, for the gifts, for the attributes of you, of I, and the whosoever to partner in the work of the kingdom of God.

Luke chapter 19, verse 31 says, "If anyone asks you..." Wait, before I do that, let me give you a little history. All right. So we hear, Jesus is here. It's a lot going on. Jesus is about to make his entry back into Jerusalem. It's something that had been prophesied ahead of time. And this big thing was about to take place. And through the scriptures, it talks about how he's going to come in, in this triumphant entry. But God needs something in order to do that.

So actually, if we back up to verse 30, Jesus says, "Go into the village in front of you where you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever sat. That was prophetic. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you," verse 31 says, "Why you are untying it, you shall say this: the Lord has need of it." The Lord has need of it.

Pasquina, the Lord don't need nothing. Okay, cool. Here you go. The Lord has need of it.

Last year, I had this opportunity, two opportunities. One great opportunity I had was I got to celebrate 10 years married to my beautiful wife. Celebrated our anniversary. And we took a trip, crossed the water. We went to Paris and ate some crepes and some bread and some pastries and some great food. But I also got a chance to go to the Louvre Museum.

I'm a big fan of creativity. I'm a big fan of art. I know I am an artist. And so I like looking at how people express themselves creatively, even outside of music. Went there, and I got a chance to see some amazing things. I saw some amazing paintings. I got to see the Mona Lisa, and I saw it, and people were clamoring to look at this little painting of this person. I got to see another one. It was a really big one. It was really beautiful. It's called the Coronation of Napoleon. I got to see some sculptures. One of them was the great sphinx that I got to see. And the other one was called the winged victory. It's this person, and she ain't got no arms, but she got wings. And she's like standing really bold or whatever. And it was really, it was, you know, it was crazy the way that they were able to put these pieces together.

But the one thing that blew, that took my breath away, I got to see the portrait called the Wedding at Cana. Okay. Paolo Veronese. Okay. This painting took my breath away. It was painted in the 1500s, and it depicts Jesus's first miracle as he turns water into wine. And this was not a regular painting. This painting is 21 feet tall and 32 feet wide. It's a huge painting.

And as I begin to look at this painting, I had heard the story so many times. I read the story so many times. I preached the story so many times, but in seeing this painting, it did something different. I'm able to see the people. And each time I look at the painting, there's someone different that I'm looking at. And there's so many things that are going on, and I'm looking at this, and I'm realizing the impact that Jesus had in this moment. I'm realizing the amount of people that are there, the vastness of this party, what it meant, and how Jesus played a significant factor in this moment.

And for a minute, I'm looking at this painting, and I'm like, "You did that. That is crazy." And never in my imagination could I have fathomed something like this happening, something this big happening. And there in the middle, as Jesus would have it, as they portrayed this, he's right there in the center of it all. It's right there. It's right there. It's right there. It's right there. It's his very first miracle. He's at the center of it all.

And in that moment, I began to see even more clearly who Jesus was in that moment. I began to more clearly recognize him in the midst of everything that was going on. And I said, "Imagine this, this painter was given a gift by God when he was born. And he was so gifted at the age of 35, he was commissioned by a Catholic church to paint this painting in 1563 that would help me see Jesus more clearly in 2023, 461 years later."

A gift that was given to someone at their birth to draw an image that would help me see Jesus clearer 400 years later. What am I saying? God has a need for the whosoever. He has a need for the whosoever. There are things that he has given them. There are things that he has put in them ahead of time that he wants to use so that he might get the glory. He has a need for them.

Ephesians 2 says it like this. It says, "For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works." Look at this, "which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them." Which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them. Before we knew who he was. Before we ever acknowledged his existence. Before we stepped foot in a church. Before we heard the stories. Before we walked in his, before any of that ever happened, he created works and he prepared them for us to do.

But that is contrary to what the world says, right? The world says, "Hey, when he talks, when they're talking about the unbeliever, they're talking about people, they say, you know what? We don't, this world has no hope. This world has no meaning. There's nothing significant about us." But God says, "No, you are chosen." God says, "Not only are you chosen, but you are desired. Not only are you desired, but you are beautifully and wonderfully made."

The world says, "You know that thing that's different about you that you don't like? Yeah, you should hide that. You should hide that so that you can fit in with everybody else around you, right? You don't want to stand out because that's something to be ashamed of. The thing that makes you unique, that's something to be ashamed of." But that's what the world says. God says, "No, you were made to stand out. That thing that actually makes you unique that you're trying to hide, I actually put that on the inside of you to make you who you are."

The world tells you that our existence is a cosmic accident, that you have no purpose, you have no value. God says, "No, you were created with purpose from birth, and I have need of you. I have need of you."

How do you know that, pastor? You sound like you're just talking. Well, I'll take it to the book, because that's what we do here at Limitless. Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 4 says, "Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you.'" That word consecrated means set apart or separated you from everyone else. He says, "I knew you, and before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

See, he didn't just decide it when we decide. He don't decide when we decide. "All right, God, I'm going to serve you now." "Oh, well, here, let me give you some gifts, talents, and abilities so you can walk this out." No, no, no, no, no. That's not how God operates. He says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. I put it in your parents so that it would make its way to you, so that when you were born, it would already be in you, so that when you came to me, then I would be able to use it for my glory."

He said, "Before you, you late to the party, if anything. You late. You late."

Genesis 1, verse 27 says, "So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them."

Okay, so if I am made in the image of God, and God has purpose, God has value, then that means I have purpose, and I have value. Why? Because I'm created in the image of God. The enemy will say, "I have no purpose." I'm made in the image of God. God is a purposeful being. That means I have purpose. The enemy will say, "You have no value." But I'm made in the image of God. God is a God of value, which means I have value.

He says, "You're made in his image." So the things that he is, you are, because you're made in his image. And through you, they will see him.

Okay. I got two boys. Okay. You know how I know they mine? Because you can look at them. I didn't, I don't need a test. There is nowhere that I will be able, I could be in a room full of strangers, and I could have my son stand next to me and say nothing. Somebody will walk up to me and say, "Oh, that's your son." Why? Because he bears my image. He looks like me.

And guess what? If you stand next to me, you're not my son. You're not my son. You're not my son. You're not my son. If you stay around him long enough, he acts like me. Why? Because he is made in my image. Everything that I am is who he is. It was handed down to him. It was given to him by me from the womb.

This is what God is saying. When we're out here talking to people, when we're having conversations with people, when you're telling people about Jesus or not, depending on whether they're not, hallelujah. When we're supposed to be out here telling people about Jesus, this is what we have to know, that there is a purpose on their life. There is a destiny on their life. There are things that God placed in them at birth that he desires to use for his glory, and your job is to introduce them to Jesus.

Your job is to introduce them, to introduce the whosoever to the reason that he is. And that's what we have to do. We have to introduce them to Jesus. They got what they got. Your job is to introduce them to Jesus, because the things that they have are not for no reason. You think you smart just because you smart? That is, you think you cute just because? No. You thought you figured out eyebrows and makeup and hair and outfits just because? No. There is a plan and a purpose that God had. It ain't just for you. I know you thought it was. It's not just for you. It's for you. It's for you. It's for you. It's for you.

There's a plan. There's a purpose. There are abilities. There are things that God has placed in you. If you have an exceptional athletic ability, it is not for no reason. If you're really, really intelligent, it's not for no reason. If you're crazy constructive and you can construct things with your hands or you can hear things and produce those things, it's not for no purpose.

You know somebody who's really inquisitive, Shayla? Somebody who's really, really inquisitive. And they want to know all the answers and the whys and the behind and who and if it is and then why and then what and then where. Why do they have those abilities? Or somebody who loves speaking, who loves talking? They just talk so much. They just got a gift of talking.

Or somebody who just has a passion for justice. Somebody who has a gift of hospitality. Why do they have those things? It's because God has equipped us uniquely. You, I, and even the unbeliever. He has equipped them for something that he desires to do. And that goes from the best person that you can think of right down to the worst person that you can think of.

That person that you can't stand. The one who you believe is beyond his grace. That's gone too far. That's done too much. That they can't come to Jesus. That they can't be used by him. From the best to the worst person, God says, "I have need of them."

Because you may have forgot when you were a whosoever, but I have it, and I have need of them. Yeah. I have need of them.

Acts chapter nine. And I'm going to start at chapter one. I mean, verse one. Acts chapter nine, verse one. Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, and relentless in his search for believers, went to the high priest, asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women that were belonging to the way, there were believers or followers of Jesus, the Messiah, men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them to them bound with chains to Jerusalem.

As he approached Damascus, and suddenly, as he traveled, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him, displaying the glory and majesty of Christ. And he fell to the ground and heard a voice from heaven saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing me?" And Saul says, "Who are you, Lord?" And he answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

The men who were traveling with him were terrified, and they stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus, and he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

Now in Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he answered, "Here I am." I am the Lord. I am the Lord. I am the Lord. I am the Lord. I am the Lord. And the Lord said, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying there. And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him so that he might regain sight."

But Ananias answered, "Lord. So I know you're busy, probably got a lot going on, and you probably got bigger things to deal with while you were away. This guy right here, he not the one. So let me give you a little update on what's happening with this guy that you want me to go out to."

Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many people about this man. I have heard from many people about this man, especially how much suffering and evil he has brought on your people, saints, God's people at Jerusalem and here in Damascus. He has authority from the high priest to put in chains all who call on your name, confessing you as Savior."

But the Lord said to him, "For this man is a deliberately chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and the kings and the sons of Israel."

Saul. Saul. Saul who vigorously persecuted Christians, who had a passion and a desire to murder Christians, who got a warrant from the king to arrest any Christian, any party, any person who claimed to be a follower of the way, bind them in chains and drag them. He was known everywhere for how horrible he treated Christians. This is who the Lord told Ananias to go to.

But here's what else we know about Saul. Upon reading scripture, upon studying about this time period, who this person was, here's what else we know about Saul. Saul had, he was considered, or he was called a Jew of Jews. He was what we call an elite Jew. Okay. He was called an elite Jew. And so much that he was learning and leading faster than anyone his age and those people who were older than him.

Okay. So that means he was well learned. He was well versed in the Torah. He was well versed in the law. He was well versed in all of these things, which means, guess what else? He's really, really smart. Saul was very intelligent. Okay. So not only was he leading and learning faster, not only was he a Jew of Jews, not only was he very intelligent, guess what? Saul was also very well spoken. He was very well spoken in order to go back and forth and to have conversations with people of high authority. You must be a person that can speak well.

So not only that, he also learned and spoke several different languages. We know of at least four languages that Saul spoke. And this was Saul, and this was his life before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. This was before he came to Christ. This was before he wrote one letter of the Bible, before he planted one church, before he was smart, before he was intelligent, before he was well-spoken, before he was versed.

But something happened when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. The Lord says he was a deliberately chosen instrument of mine. He said, "Look, Ananias, you know all that stuff you don't like about him? Oh, I'm about to, I'm about to, Lord, you don't understand. He is, he's vigorous. He won't, he won't give up." "Yeah, I'm going to use that." "Oh yeah, I'm going to use that." "You don't understand, God. He, he's so passionate and he just wants to kill you." "Yeah, I'm going to use that passion. I'm about to turn that thing upside down."

Yeah. Yeah. He placed these gifts in Saul before he knew him. When he met him, he had an opportunity to turn. God had a need of Saul. And while Saul was out being a whosoever of whosoever, God in his foreknowledge already equipped him with every gift, every talent, every ability that he would need to do the good works that he predestined to do beforehand.

And Ananias did what some of us sometimes have done and will do if we're not careful. Ananias could only see Saul for who he was. Ananias could only see Saul for what he had done. Ananias could only see Saul for what he said. He says, "I have heard, I've heard what about him." He could only see Saul for what people had said about him. "I've heard from many people about this." That's all he could see. He could only see his past. He could only see the thing that he was walking through. That's all he could see. He could only see his reputation, his bad attitude.

But God saw this whosoever and said, "I have need of him. He is a deliberately chosen instrument of mine." And as we continue to pursue the whosoever's in our lives, we have to understand when we encounter them, that it is way bigger than who they are. It is way bigger than their past. It is way bigger than what they are in.

We have to be the light of Christ to the unbelievers. We have a responsibility to show the love of God to the whosoever because we have no idea who God has deliberately chosen to be an instrument of his and how vital it is that they come in contact with the love of God and the message of the gospel of Jesus.

Saul, in the very next verse, verse 17, Ananias left and entered the house of Saul. He took the kai denial of the gospel and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who has appeared to you on the road as you came to Damascus has sent me to you." Why has he sent me to you? "So you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Why? Why did he send me to you so that you might regain your sight? Why is it necessary that you be filled with the Holy Spirit? Oh, in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles. Y'all wasn't excited about that. Let me explain to you what that means.

So the scriptures, the disciples preach Jesus to the Jews. Jesus was a Jew. He was a savior of the Jews. They ain't think about nobody else, just the Jews. The disciples are vigorously trying to tell the Jews about Jesus. They ain't think about nobody else, just the Jews.

Then Saul comes, and he is anointed not to just preach Jesus to the Jews. This word Gentile means anybody that ain't a Jew. Saul has come, and Saul has now been anointed to not just preach Jesus to these elite few, but to let everyone in the known world know that Jesus is there for them as well. And salvation is accepted. And salvation is here for them as well.

Ananias had every reason to be afraid and to not do what God had called him to do. But instead, he chose to be obedient. And as a result of his obedience, Saul, who later became Paul, went on to preach the gospel to the rest of the known world for the next 35 years. And then, guess what?

God, see this thing that we're reading? He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament. That one, yeah, that guy who was the worst of the worst? That one who Ananias didn't want to deal with? That one who was trying to murder Christians and do all that? Went on to write two-thirds of the New Testament and preach the gospel to the rest of the known world.

What am I saying? We don't know the end story of the whosoever. We don't know what God has for the person that he's called us to evangelize to. We don't know who, what God has called them to do. It could be the next Paul to Saul. It could be the next evangelist. It could be the next Billy Graham. We have no idea who God has called us to tell about the grace of Jesus Christ.

Regardless of who they are, we are called to the whosoever because the whosoever is who Christ came for. Amen. That's why he was here.

I know some of y'all don't remember because y'all good now. Y'all like, "I got my Jesus, and I'm fine with my Jesus, and I'm gonna keep my Jesus to myself." But you need to understand and remember that he came for the whosoever.

Paul said this. He's talking to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1. He says, "I thank Jesus. I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has given me the strength and considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service, even though I was once a blasphemer and I was a persecutor and I was a violent man. He says, 'I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.'"

Here we go right here. "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst." He says, "I already know. You ain't gotta tell me. I know that Christ came to save the sinner. I know that he came to save those who are in the muck. Those are who are in the deepest pit. I know that he came to save those with attitude problems. Those who are suffering from addiction. Those who have put their life in the deepest pit. I know that he came to save sinners. Why? Because I am the worst of the worst, and he came to save me."

Each and every whosoever is God's handiwork, and he created each and every one with purpose and intention no matter where they are, no matter who they are. And while we may look at them in sin, while we may look at them in ruin and see no value, no hope, no purpose, God sees an image bearer of his son.

And not only that, here's the thing, he looks at the things he has prepared beforehand, the good works he has prepared beforehand for them to accomplish. See, we think that it's get saved, love Jesus, go to church. Get saved, love Jesus, go to church. And you may be looking around like, "What's wrong with that?"

I'm about to help you. It's not just get saved, love Jesus, go to church. It's get saved, love Jesus, go to church, and get to work. There is stuff, there are things, there are people who need to know the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ. They need to know how he pulled you out of the pit, how he took you from depression, how he took you from what you were struggling with, how he turned your mourning into dancing, how he took you from where you were and brought you into the marvelous light.

So no, it's not get saved, love Jesus, and go to church. It's get saved, love Jesus, go to church, get to work, get out and tell somebody of the day and night difference that he made in your life. God has need of the whosoever. God has need of the whosoever. There is an ultimate plan, and it is that all would come to Christ, and that each whosoever who has been uniquely equipped to participate in that good work.

You have been uniquely equipped. When you see them, you should smile, be like, "Oh, you don't even know what God has for you. Oh yeah, he's going to turn that attitude upside down. He's going to use that thing. He's going to use it for your glory." God has need of them. Each and every gift, every talent, every attribute has been placed there so God can be seen through them.

His gifts and talents have been distributed to all. And when someone says, "I'm going to give that gift, God, I give you everything, whatever you want to do with my life," he then is able to put his super on your natural, and then amazing things can happen through the use of that gift, that talent, that ability that he placed in you from birth for the kingdom of God.

You got to understand what it is that God has for us, but not just us. What God has for each and every person that we come in contact with. You may not like how they look, but guess what? They're an image bearer. You may not like how they think, but guess what? They're an image bearer. You may not like how they dress. Guess what? Still an image bearer. And they have been uniquely equipped to what God has called them to do.

You ever think that it may not be about you? You ever think that it may not be about your preference and what you like? Maybe it's about that God has uniquely positioned them to reach somebody you can't reach. You can't say out, say amen. God has uniquely positioned them, and he gave them this thing from birth. He gave them this thing from birth.

God has uniquely positioned them, and he gave them this thing from birth that he would put in them and give them the ability to see Christ through them. Think about this, and I see this in my life and in the life of others. I think about my dad, and dad tells the story when he preaches. He talks about how he used to be, hallelujah, and how he used to move and the things that he walked through in life.

And I'm thinking about this story. I'm thinking about how he, you know, had a desire to get money, and he needed and he desired it, and he made some mistakes. And all the while, as he's searching, as he's doing these things, God is still putting stuff in him. As he's younger, God is placing things in him, even him thinking that, "You know what? There's no way that I can be used." God says, "No, I have need of you. No, I'm not gonna let you die in a car accident that is gonna rip your face open because I have need of you. I have need of you."

Well, what do you need me for? "Oh, you don't even know. You have no idea. But even when you think it, I've been placing things in you. You know, you know, you know, you know, you know that stutter that you got? I'ma heal that because I need you to say something. I need you to say what you mean."

"You need me to say so? I got something that I need you. I am going to make you a spokesperson for me to my people."

"Oh God, how? How am I going to?" "You don't worry about how. Just watch me."

How he begins, how he comes in contact, and he has a moment with Jesus, and he tells a story of how he came to Jesus. And the first day he came to Jesus, he begins preaching, preaching, preaching a message. And as the years go by, God continues to use him. And before you know it, he's at church, and he's preaching, and he's learning about God. And then he moves, and he becomes an assistant pastor. And before you know it, 40 years has gone by where he has been boldly proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ.

And the grace of it all is that it did not begin when he said yes. It begins so long before that, that God was working, that God was moving, that God was putting things on the internet, and he said yes, and he said yes, and he said yes, and he said yes, and he said yes inside of him that he was preparing his surroundings, that he was preparing who he was gonna marry, hallelujah, he was preparing where he was gonna live, he was preparing everything around him.

Why? Because he said, "Oh, I'm gonna use that one. Yeah, I'm gonna use that one. I have need of him." God has need of you. God has need of me. He has need of your gifts. He has need of your talents. He has need of your abilities. But he has a need for those that are not sitting in these seats.

A lot of times we focus on getting here, and we focus on the people who are in here, and we focus on loving the people who are in here. But there are over 70,000, 60,000 people outside of these doors right now that need to know that they are uniquely equipped and gifted, that they are desired, and that God has a need.

I thank you for your word today. I thank you for what you've done and what you continue to do in the lives of your people. Thank you for speaking to us today, God. I thank you because you're reminding us of your desire for evangelism, your desire for us to go out and preach the good news to all nations, declaring your praises, declaring your goodness, telling of the day and night difference that you've made in our life, that people would come to know you, that people would come to know your love for them, how you sent your son to die for them, the desire that you have for them, the hope that you have for them, and the need that you have for them.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God, for sending your son on our behalf. Thank you for equipping us and loving us even before we knew who you are. And so today, as we go forward, God, it is my prayer, it is our desire that you would continue to open the doors that we would be able to minister salvation to your people, that we wouldn't be worried about what to say or how we will look, but that we, the Holy Spirit, would be on the inside of us and speak through us.

God, thank you for affirming in us that just the way that you made us, that you made us, that you made us, that you made us, that you made us, that you made us, you haven't asked us to change a thing. Just the way that you made us is how you equipped us to minister your grace.

Thank you, God. Thank you for Saul and his testimony that speaks to us now, two thousand plus years later. Thank you for charging us to go to the whosoever, from the best all the way down to the worst. We are going to do it. We honor you. We praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.

I'm going to have our offering team come forward at this time. And just when I think about this story and I think about just God's faithfulness in our life, this is what emboldens me to want to give. So I'm like, "God, how good are you that you will put something in me ahead of time with the possibility that I would never come to you? But you love me so much that you still put it in me. You still put the gift in me. You still put the talent in me. You still put the ability in me. And by your grace, I am here."

So that's what says, "God, I gotta say thank you. How can I say thank you?" Today, I get an opportunity to say thank you in my giving. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for picking me up out of the worst place.

And I'm going to have our offering team come forward at this time. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for the ability that you've given me. Thank you for the job that you've given me. Thank you for the breath of life that you've given me. Thank you for the protection that you've given me. God, thank you, thank you, thank you.

So I pray today that that is your heart when you give. The Bible talks about how God loves a cheerful giver. And what do I have to be cheerful about? It is this: that he sent his son for you, that he equipped you, that he desires you, and that he is in need of you.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for this opportunity that we have received to now give. Thank you, God. What is it that you would have us to give today? Would you place on our hearts what you would have us to give, that we wouldn't give out of habit, that we wouldn't give just because somebody asked us to or told us to, but that you would have us to give, that we wouldn't give out of that. We would give cheerfully, that we would give out of a gratitude of all that you have done for us as an opportunity to say thank you, Jesus.

God, you are so good. Speak to us right now in these next few moments. What would you have us to give? Speak to our hearts, God, right now, right now, Jesus, right now, Jesus.

God, I believe you have spoken to us, and we make a decision to move on to the next step, that we have to make a decision to move out of obedience and out of a love for you, God, to sow into vision, to sow into what you have called us to do and the work that you've called us to do here at Limitless Church.

We love you. We thank you for this opportunity. Would you bless our seed today, God? We believe Limitless is good ground. We command that seed to go and grow. Thank you for those who give out of obedience, those who give out of the plenty, those who give out of the little that they have today, God. Those who don't have it but have a desire to give, would you bless them as well?

Together, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, God, the harvest in their life. Thank you for it, God. We honor you with our gifts today. As we have received, we now give. As freely as we have received, now we freely give in Jesus' name.

If you're here for the very first time, there's a QR code on a seat pocket in front of you to give. There's a bucket that will go by. If you're watching online, you can text the word "give" to 833-879-0161, or you can go to limitlesswoodland.com to give.

Do me a favor. As you are giving, when that bucket passes you, would you stand? We're going to worship, and then I have one more thing, and we'll dismiss quickly.

While you guys are standing, if you are here today, you have never made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, I want to offer you this opportunity. Please, Jesus Christ, the Lord of your life. I want to offer you this opportunity.

If you're going to give me fresh new life just like I did, then denkke Facebook. Then denkke Facebook.

We would love to pray with you. You say, "What does this mean?" If you've made that decision, "I want to make Jesus Lord." That is the first thing. You said, "I recognize that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I recognize where my life is, and I need Jesus."

That's you today. Then the first step is already done. You believe. Now comes confession, and we want to help you. We want to walk you through that. We just want to pray with you and give you an opportunity to confess him as Lord.

Secondly, if you're here today and you've made him Lord of your life, but you haven't been living like it. Say, "I made him Lord, but I just haven't been walking in that direction." I want to recommit my life to Jesus. Then we want to offer you that opportunity as well. We would love to pray with you.

Or lastly, if you're here today, you say, "Hey, I just need somebody to pray with me. I'm believing God for some things. Some things have happened. Some things are happening. And I just need somebody to stand in agreement with me in faith, in prayer." Then we want to do that as well.

And please, again, next week we're celebrating baptisms. And if you make that decision today to make Jesus Lord of your life, go ahead and sign up for baptisms. Let's go ahead and make that thing official.

God has need of you. And today is the first day in the rest of your life with God. Am I saying that it will be perfect, that it will be easy? No, actually, I'm saying the exact opposite. This life is hard. This life is a test. We see all the things that's going on in life. But how much better is a test when the teacher is on your side, when the teacher is helping you?

So if any of those things apply to you, we would love to hear from you. We would love to pray with you today. We want to see you guys tonight here at six, if you can make it for worship and prayer. We're excited about what God is going to do next week. Join with us, invite your family, invite your friends to witness baptism with you.

But most importantly, I hope you take this message, that it sits on your heart. I hope it aggravates you all week long. I hope you can't get my voice out of your head all week long. That you will see somebody, you'll be like, "Hey, you know Jesus?" "Yeah, okay, I'll just check it. I just want to make sure." "You don't? Oh, come on, come on, come on, let me talk to you real quick."

No, no, no, I'm going nowhere. I'm going nowhere now. You've been here. Let me tell you about something. And tell them about the day and night difference that Jesus has made in your life. God has need for you, but he also has need for them.

Love you guys. Can't wait to see you this evening. God bless, and don't forget, live what? Have a good day.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What is baptism? It's that opportunity that you have to really, really go public with your faith. It's the outward declaration of the inward confirmation. You have said, Hey, I want to make, or I have made Jesus Christ, the Lord of my life. And I'm going public through baptism, the symbolic expression of the, of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ going down into the water old and coming up brand new." [43:38] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "We know that you could be anywhere else on a Sunday morning, but we actually believe that God brought you here for a specific purpose. We don't believe that you're here by accident. I know you thought you woke up this morning, put your makeup on, got your hair right and said, I'm going to church this morning. I'm going to check it in. But guess what? God had been preparing your heart. God had been preparing your conversations. He had been clearing your calendar. He had been preparing your calendar to make sure that you made it here today." [45:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "The world tells you that our existence is a cosmic accident, that you have no purpose, you have no value. God says, no, you were created with purpose from birth, and I have need of you. I have need of you. How do you know that, pastor? You sound like you're just talking. Well, I'll take it to the book, because that's what we do here at Limitless. Jeremiah chapter 1. Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 4 says, now the word of the Lord came to me saying, before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you." [59:05] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "When we're out here talking to people, when we're having conversations with people, when you're telling people about Jesus or not, depending on whether they're not, hallelujah. When we're supposed to be out here telling people about Jesus, this is what we have to know, that there is a purpose on their life. There is a destiny on their life. There are things that God placed in them at birth that he desires to use for his glory, and your job is to introduce them to Jesus." [01:02:55] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "We don't know the end story of the whosoever. We don't know what God has for the person that he's called us to. To evangelize to. We don't know who, what God has called them to do. It could be the next Paul to Saul. It could be the next evangelist. It could be the next Billy Graham. We have no idea who God has called us to tell about the grace of Jesus Christ. Regardless of who they are, we are called to the whosoever because the whosoever is who Christ came for." [01:17:45] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




### Quotes for Members

1. "God has a need for the whosoever. In the sense that he is lacking in any way, because God has never lacked and he never will lack, but he has a need for the whosoever. There is something unique that he has placed in each and every one of us from birth, regardless of who we are. And when we make a decision to make him Lord, he is able to use that thing that he created us with for his glory." [48:07] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "Each and every whosoever is God's handiwork and he created each and every one with purpose and intention no matter where they are, no matter who they are and while we may look at them in sin, while we may look at them in ruin and see no value, no hope, no purpose, God sees an image bearer of his son. And not only that, here's the thing, he looks at the things he has prepared beforehand, the good works he has prepared beforehand for them to accomplish." [01:21:02] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "It's not just get saved, love Jesus, go to church. It's get saved, love Jesus, go to church and get to work. There is stuff, there are things, there are people who need to know the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ. They need to know how he pulled you out of the pit, how he took you from depression, how he took you from what you were struggling with, how he turned your mourning into dancing, how he took you from where you were and brought you into the marvelous light." [01:21:02] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "God has need of you. God has need of me. He has need of your gifts. He has need of your talents. He has need of your abilities but he has a need for those that are not sitting in these seats. Lot of times we focus on getting here and we focus on the people who are in here and we focus on loving the people who are in here but there are over 70 60 000 people outside of these doors right now that need to know that they are uniquely equipped and gifted that they are desired and that god has a need." [01:28:30] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "God has uniquely positioned them, and he gave them this thing from birth. He gave them this thing from birth. God has uniquely positioned them, and he gave them this thing from birth that he would put in them and give them the ability to see christ through them think about this and i see this in my life and in the life of others i think about my dad and dad tells the story when he preaches he talks about how he used to be hallelujah and how he used to move and the things that he walked through in life." [01:24:47] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)