He's the God of THIS city!

You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are

For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here

You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings
You Are

You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Where glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for you and love for you
In this city

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here
- Chris Tomlin lyrics to "God of this City"

Austin Stone- Sunday, February 17

Please click the above link to listen to the sermon from this past Sunday. It will change your life.

I've been meaning to write this blog ALL week but am just now getting to sit down and write out my thoughts. This past Sunday at the Stone was one of the most challenging sermons I've ever heard. Truthfully, I've heard "better", but I'm not sure if I've been impacted by any previous ones the way that I was on Sunday. The Austin Stone is definitely not a seeker-friendly church. It's a church that preaches the truth, no matter how hard it is to hear. Week in and week out, that's the heart behind the church and it's elders. Quite frankly, that's why I stand behind them. And this is why....

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Matt preached on the verse above, and reminded us that the Word of God is not always easy to hear, but that because we are a church that teaches the bible expositionally, we will go verse by verse, not skipping over any part regardless of how it might make you feel. The jist of the sermon on Sunday was realizing that a lot of people love God, but a lot of people aren't living on mission for God. The Austin Stone's heart is to be a missional church but that can't happen until we each become missional people. A missional person is someone who lives day in and day out on mission for the Lord, not just loving God. Hear me on this, you do have to love God, however you have to be on mission for Him. On mission to preach His name to the ends of the earth. On mission to love those that are hard to love, to tell others the truth that you've found in Christ, to minister to the least of these. If you are doing one, and not the other, I believe that you're missing part of what God desires for our lives to look like. On judgment day, this is what the Lord says:

"All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ' was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."
Matthew 25:32-36

God's heart is pretty clear in that passage of what He wants our life to look like. Austin, Tx is a place that has many people who are hungry and thirsty (but not in a food type of way). Hungry for more than a life of fame, riches, and popularity. They are hungry to be filled, and as Christians our mission is to tell them that the only thing that will ultimately fill them is Christ, the King of Glory. Austin is known as a dark city. A city that doesn't have the reputation of knowing Christ. How can this be? How can 4,000 (yes, four thousand) people walk in and out of the doors of the Austin Stone Community Church, and not change this city. I'll tell you why... there are a lot of great Christians at my church, but I'm just not sure if there are a lot of people who live their life on a mission for the Lord. (myself included). John 14:12 states that, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Christ says that we will do GREATER works than even He did. How incredible is that? I believe that if we truly truly believe what that verse is saying that we could change this city to be a God-fearing city. I believe that because God is the God of this city, and Greater works are still to be done in this city. God isn't done with this city, and neither am I.

amen.

Godspeed.

Love.Faith.Hope

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leticia ana
i john 3:18