[00:00:00] Speaker A: You're listening to the message podcast of High Ridge Church, Longview, where our vision is to help you know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and ultimately make a difference. We are so glad that you're here, and we pray that this message impacts your life as you apply the spiritual truths from God's word in practical ways. Let's listen in.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: Hello, High Ridge family.
Don't panic. It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be fine. You'll make it through, I promise. I'll be. I'll be nice. It's good to be with you today.
For those of you who may not know, and for those of you watching online, my name's Bill Leckie. I serve as one of the elders here at High Ridge Longview, and it is always my privilege and pleasure when Pastor Tim asked me to bring a message. One of the reasons that he asked me to bring a message today is that he and Tina are in High at High Ridge, Graham, Texas, ministering there this weekend. And so our thoughts and prayers go out to them. I know that they're being blessed by his presence, and it's great to be with you. So in the spirit of Pastor Tim, I want to also thank you for being a generous people, and your generosity allows us to do things such as this past Wednesday evening, we had a joint service here with Pathway Church, also a church here in Longview. There, our youth student ministries came together. They had a worship time together, and more importantly, I think they had time of prayer together. They separated into groups praying over our city, and to me, that is an incredible, incredible thing, that we have partnerships and we are not competing with churches. We're cooperating. We want to see the Lord move in our city, and we are so excited about that. Again, thank you. It's your generosity that allows us to do these types of events.
Oh, man, what a good day. I'm glad you decided to come. If you're wondering, you know, this morning early, I walked outside and I said, my goodness, the oven is on preheat.
Somebody put a bowl of water in that sucker. It's humid, right? Those of you watching online, if you're not familiar, it gets humid around here, but it is just on preheat. It won't go to full bake for another month or so, but we're headed there.
I want to bring a message to you this morning that kind of follows what we did last week, and that is we celebrated the resurrection Jesus Christ. What a momentous event and what a wonderful celebration time we had. But the scripture that I want you to look at this morning is Acts 1:9, 11, and this is about 40 something days later.
In theological terms, we refer to this as the ascension. This is when Jesus goes back to the Father after having spent time with the disciples after the resurrection. In fact, let's just read the scripture now. When he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?
Really?
Did you just see what we saw?
Yeah. Hope they come. Let's. We'll give them a little grace, right? A little space. They just watched something amazing. But in essence, the angels were interrupting to remind them of something important. This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. Can we pray together? Father, I want to thank you for your word. And we thank you for the Holy Spirit today who will be our guide, our instructor in truth. Thank you that the Holy Spirit can take the truths of your word and apply them to our lives in a way that we cannot. And we thank you for that today. In Jesus name. Amen.
Amen. Well, you know, it's important as we set the stage of what just happened, the emotional roller coaster that these disciples have been on. They spent three years with Jesus and then he was crucified. He was put to death. And the emotions that had to flood into their lives. And we know they struggled, they scattered, and there was disappointment, disillusionment, and obviously grief.
But then on Sunday, he rises from the dead. Elation. Oh my goodness, the total opposite end of the spectrum emotionally. And then for around 40 days or so, he walks with them. And it's like good times, old times. We're back doing what we're here to do, and then he leaves spectacularly. I mean, he does it in spectacular fashion, but he leaves.
And they're standing there, you know, in their mind, they're thinking what just happened?
And they stepped smack dab into what I call the meantime.
They were. Now, in the meantime, between his ascension and his return, that's what the angels want him to know. In essence, what the angels were saying. Hey, hey, hey, hey.
There's stuff to do, there's stuff to do. And I want to share with you some things here this morning that I think apply to all of us as believers. It applies to all of us as we gather together as Believers, and we say, you know, we can draw from the scripture.
Deborah and I booked flights to Scotland early this year. I've been trying to get to Scotland for the better part of my adult life.
Every seemed like every time we would schedule it, a kid was going to get married that year or we had grandchildren born, something, something would always happen. We were going in 2020 and that didn't work.
Right? Right. So anyway, we booked those tickets and you know what? The moment we booked the tickets, we stepped smack dab into the meantime. Right. We don't know now what all kinds of things could happen between then and the end of September.
Questions. Right, questions. What's the weather going to be like? I mean, are we going to have the right clothing to go over there? It's different over there, I've been told.
Right. What about Global Affairs? What could be happening? What about the economy? What could I have no control over any of that?
Right. All of us spend time in the meantime. I mean, that's just all there is to it. In fact, I want this statement to come up on the screen because it's important for us to understand.
A great deal of our lives are spent the meantime between the highlights of life. We spend a lot of time between those things.
But in the midst of that, it's important for us to also recognize this statement. Seasons come and go for us. All highs and lows happen in life. But it is how we navigate in the meantime that shapes our experiences and often influences our outcomes.
How we live in the meantime matters. I want to give you three quick things. It's timeless truths for all of us as believers, especially those of us who come together. We're part of this community of faith.
Number one.
We have a mission to accomplish in the meantime. We know he's coming, he's returning, and one day, if we pass before then, we're going to be with Him. But in the meantime, it's important to remind myself that we do have a mission. Accomplish. Acts 1:8 says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
Basically, Jesus, right before leaving, says, here's your mission.
Be witnesses. You're going to be witnesses to me everywhere.
Now, depending on how you were raised or what your background is. That word, be a witness or go. Witnessing or witness might strike fear in your heart.
Right? Because back in my day growing up, we used to have, on Tuesday evenings, we called it church visitation.
That Meant we were going to come together, have a meal. They were going to hand us the names of prospects.
That just sounds so weird saying that, but gave us the names of prospects, and we were supposed to go out there. These people we've never met before. And basically, we're cold calling folks, right?
We're going out, knocking on the door, let them know, hey, want to invite you to church. Can we talk to you about Jesus? Nothing weird about that.
Culture shifted. Culture's changed. And if you're honest, when you see folks that are still doing that coming in your neighborhood, if you happen to catch sight of them, I know what you do.
Blinds closed, lights go off.
It's uncomfortable. It can be weird. But here's the thing. I want to just clarify. Here's what a witness is. This is going to come on the screen. A witness is someone that can testify of what they've seen, what they've heard, and what they've experienced firsthand.
Here, let me put it to you another way. It's your story with Jesus in it. It's what Jesus has done in your life, and he promised the Holy Spirit to come so that we would have the ability to continually experience Jesus at work in our lives firsthand and from those experiences as he's moved in our lives. By the way, that's warts and all.
Because his forgiveness and his grace and his mercy and his kindness are just as important as his purposes and. And his plans and his promises, and it's the summation of them all that paint the true picture of who he is.
You know, it's important. Here's the thing. A witness not only does it, there's a second part to it. In fact, Matthew 22, verses 37 through 40 said this. Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is, like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
It's a big deal. So it's not just, we're going to tell the story. We're going to validate the story with how we live with the people that we encounter.
Well, that's. That's a lot of pressure, Bill.
You mean we got to. We got to walk the talk? Is that what you tell me?
Yeah.
Yeah. Here's the thing. It's our mission to show them. And here's the thing. This will come up on the screen. How we live our lives either confirms Our message or casts doubt on its validity.
It's kind of heavy in a way, especially when you have issues like I do with traffic and don't look at me with that tone of voice. I know what you're saying. Here's the thing. Or I'm pulling into Sam's parking lot.
Nobody else.
That's Mad Max and Thunderdome right there, baby. Just. You got to have your head on a swivel. Pulling into Sam's parking lot. It's crazy. People don't know what they're doing, and I'm just right there stuck with them. So I have to be reminded that it's important how I behave and how I live. Here's the second thing. We have a message to announce.
Notice I chose the word announce. I didn't say pronounce.
Sometimes we get confused and we think we have to tell everybody how bad they are. And we have to tell them that they're going to hell unless they believe they got to turn or they're going to burn. Is that true? Yeah. Is it good news? No.
No, it's not good news. Will there be a judgment? Yes. Will we all give an account? Yes.
Is it my job to pronounce that on people? No, not my job. You know what my job is? My job is to announce the good news. In fact, I put it this way. Our message is the good news of redemption and restoration that's available to all who believe. It's one thing for us to have a message, but how we say it matters? Have you ever heard someone look at you and say, it's not what you said, it's how you said it?
Anybody?
That's never fun. That's never a fun conversation. Well, it's not what you said. Well, what I said was right.
Yeah, but how you said it was wrong.
Right. And we can fall into this trap. We need to pay attention and be aware. This is why we need the Holy Spirit in our lives to help us. You ever heard this phrase when somebody did something that was kind of out of whack? They didn't read the room, the mat. You say something like, they did not understand the assignment, or maybe they did exactly what needed to be done in this situation. They just say, yeah, they understood the assignment. I wonder what the world is saying about us.
I wonder if the people we encounter at work and at school and in the community, are they saying that we didn't understand the assignment, or are they nodding and saying, yeah, they got it. They understood. That's an important question for us to consider.
You know, this statement is going to come on screen as well. Our assignment is to invite others to know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and make a difference. Does that sound familiar to anybody in here?
Well, if it doesn't, when you go out, just look up on the wall.
Our assignment is to invite people into a relationship with God so that they can get free of the things hindering them from fulfilling God's purpose in their life and that they can discover that purpose and ultimately live a life of meaning and making a difference.
That's the message.
Here's the third thing. We have the means to achieve both.
Jesus did not give us an assignment without making provision for us. And he said, I'm going to send the Holy Spirit and he's going to empower you and enable you to accomplish the mission and announce the message.
He's the one that's going to empower and enable you. His presence in our lives is so key. It's so important for us to recognize that he was coming to enable, teach, guide and comfort them and they were going to need his presence. Read the book of Acts and just watch them take next step after next step after next step. How they were led by the Holy Spirit and God used them powerfully.
The same is true for us. I put it this way. The power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives enables us to fulfill the mission, announce the message, and ultimately live a life of significance and fulfillment.
Now sometimes in church we, we say things and we tell you things and then we don't give you any practical thing to follow it up. That happens. Well, we don't want to do that today. We try really hard not to do that here at High Ridge. We want you to have some practical things that you can follow up with. This, in fact, Acts 2:44, 47 takes place after they went to the upper room. The Holy Spirit fell. The day of Pentecost had come and people were starting to become converts to Jesus. They were becoming followers of Christ. Peter's preached a message. People have responded. And then we get to these scriptures.
Now all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
The next steps of the followers of Christ give us some practical things. Here's the first one.
Meet With God.
I see you. I see you looking at me. That's so simple, Bill.
It's so simple. Why are you being so simple?
Because we need simple. And we often omit the simple things looking for the complicated things. And the complicated things never help.
They don't help meet with God. In fact, that's the first thing the disciples did when Jesus ascended. They went to the upper room and they prayed together and they waited for the Holy Spirit to make himself known to them.
They met with God. And According to Acts 2, verse 44, 47, they continued to do this. They continued to meet with God.
Isn't it amazing how the most important thing we can do in a season that we're in in the meantime or that's uncertain is often the last thing that we resort to?
Isn't that crazy?
It's like we have to be in critical mass before we go. I guess we're going to have to pray or we're going to have to get serious with God. Now, really. Here's the thing. We joke about it. Sometimes we'll say. Sometimes somebody will say, well, let's pray. And somebody will say, has it come to that?
Has it come to that? Yeah, yeah, it's always at that. It's always at that. Prayer should never be a last resort. Meeting with God should never be our last resort. It should be our first priority.
It's something that we need to do. In fact, I put it this way. In a culture that gets. If it gets on the calendar, it gets done here. Listen to this. Meeting with God daily is important enough to warrant space on your calendar.
I have things blocked out on my calendar. I've found it in my own life. If it gets on the calendar, I tend to get it done.
So I put meet with God on my calendar.
It's the first thing on my calendar because I know if I can take some time. Now, when I say that, I don't mean I'm going to read some scripture. I probably will. I will. I'm going to pray over some things. I will. But I'm going to get still and know that he is God in my life.
I want to meet my day knowing an increased awareness that God is with me and that I can hear his voice and he can lead me and he can order my steps throughout my day.
It is important for us to meet with God. Here's put this on the screen. Meeting with God daily is where we build our relationship with him and we reminded of his goodness and that he's faithful. Those two things are Important because in uncertain times, when we're not sure what's going on, we're in between.
Maybe we're in between a diagnosis and a prescription. Maybe we're in between a job interview and a job. Maybe we're in between in other areas of our life and it's uncertain. Meeting with God reminds us of his goodness and that he's faithful, and it gives us stability even when we don't know the outcome.
It's important. Number two, get connected.
They connected relationally with one another. It was important for them to come together and meet together because they encouraged one another. They shared food together, they spent time. You know, the real pitfall in meantime seasons, it's isolation.
Isolation is a real danger.
We cut ourselves off from others, that we're going to struggle, and the struggle is going to get amplified.
Back in 2020, I had to become intentional about staying in touch with people and staying connected with people. It was important for me personally, but also for my business at the time. And I had to keep those contacts that I needed those connections, but I had to be intentional about it. Rather than sitting back waiting for someone to call me, I would call them.
Rather than waiting for a text from someone else, I would text them.
I became intentional. I've remained that way since you got to understand 2020. For me, I'd been practicing for 2020 my entire life.
I don't have to leave my house.
I don't have to engage with people.
I'm in.
I'm in. Bill, you're an extrovert. No, I'm not. All the tests tell you no, I'm not. No, I'm not. I am not. But I engage with people because people are worth it.
People are worth it.
I said it this way. Isolation leads to unhealthy thought processes and poor decisions about ourselves and others.
Groups are important.
Our culture is different than the first century, but that's one of the reasons we're intentional and we provide groups because it's a way for us to connect and share life together.
Now, I was a senior pastor for many years, and it was hard for me to be real involved in groups because if I showed up at a group, everyone would clam up, not say anything, and want to look and see. What do you say, Pastor? Right. But I'm not a senior pastor anymore. In fact, I just attend. I'm one of the elders, but I get to go to groups now, and I'm just one of y'all, and I like it.
There are people in this room that I wouldn't know unless we'd gone to group together.
I've spent more time in groups in the last four and a half years than all my years in ministry previous.
And it's been amazing. It's awesome. It's not always easy or comfortable, but man, is it good.
And it helps me. I need others perspective. I need to hear what other people are going through. It helps balance me. It keeps me from getting into tunnel vision and thinking I know the way and this is the way we're all going to do it.
Not that any of you would ever think that, but you do.
Here's the reality. We were designed for community in order to thrive in life.
Don't be isolated.
Don't be isolated. Make connections. I'm intentional every week. There's two or three meetings every week that I have just to get with someone to talk with them and to hear from them. Let them speak into my life for me to encourage them. It's important.
Here's a third one, equally important. Guard Unity.
Now, we don't always know what unity means. We sometimes think that unity means unison, but that's not what it means.
Paul uses the example of the human body with all of its varying parts and functions. But it's one body.
If my hand suddenly decides that it's going to act on its own and it's not going to pay attention to the rest of the body, it's not going to obey the thoughts coming from the brain or the nerves. It is just doing what it wants to do. It just does what it wants to do.
Just does what it wants to do. We call that a disorder. Something's wrong because that's not the way the body is. Is designed. Now I can't stop.
That's weird.
Some of you wanted to do it. I saw you.
The scripture tells us that they continue daily in one accord. That's not a vehicle.
Means they were in unity.
They were unified in purpose. They were unified in what their plan was to follow through the next steps that Jesus had. Having been a musician in previous life, I like the thought of a symphony.
The symphony has many different instruments. They make different sounds and tonal qualities. And you have the woodwinds and you have the brass and you have the percussion. You have all these things and the flutes and all this stuff. They all make different tonal things and they play harmonies together. But here's what keeps it from being chaos. They're playing the same song in the same key and the same time signature. And each are playing their part.
Unity, not unison.
Unity but here's the key. We often have to fight for unity.
But it's worth it.
It's worth it because Psalm 133, verses 1 through 3, says this. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious oil upon the head running down on the beard, and the beard of Aaron running down on the edge of his garments. It's like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord commanded the blessing. Life evermore. There is a commanded blessing when we walk in unity.
That's powerful. That's why I enjoy so much how we work with other churches in our city. We walk together in unity. God commands a blessing.
Let's just sum it up this way. Unity is not the same as unison. We can each have our roles and our strengths, but we're one body.
Sometimes we have to fight for it. But sometimes, for whatever reason, I don't agree with all y'all.
And for some reason, some of y'all don't agree with me or don't like me or wish I was behaving different or just would just not come anymore. It happens. It's human. The thought does not create. Doesn't have to lead to the act, right?
But we're human. Like, that guy's annoying me right now.
Well, don't point. That's rude.
Don't do that.
But we can have our differences, but we can fight for that unity. And we can be the unique people God made us and share unity and purpose and his plan together. And it's a beautiful thing. And God commands a blessing on it. Here's the fourth one. Be generous.
Be generous. The tendency when we're in these in between moments and things are uncertain and we're not sure how the outcome's going to play out, we tend to start holding things.
We can hoard stuff. Rather, we get a little stingy. Now, you immediately are thinking of money, but I'm not. I'm thinking about your time. I'm thinking about your talents and abilities. I'm thinking about your willingness to serve, to show up, volunteer your finances, too.
But it's easy for us to get stingy in these times and seasons. But you know what we saw in Acts 2? They were so committed to a spirit of generosity that they would sell stuff.
Hey, somebody's got a need. Well, I've got this. I can sell this. God just give this to you. They took care of one another. They were generous towards one another.
Here's an important warning. Uncertainty is a playground for a poverty spirit. But generosity defeats it.
Generosity defeats it.
Here's another statement. Generosity, with our time, talents, gifts and finances positions us to flourish in the meantime seasons and prepares us for the next season's highlights and challenges.
Would you bow your heads with me and close your eyes? Let's ask the Holy Spirit today to apply these scriptures and these thoughts to our heart in whatever area we may need. You're watching online. Would you just take a moment? Ask the Lord Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me?
All of us as believers are living in the meantime between his ascension and his return, but also all of us maybe finding ourselves in the meantime in other situations in our life. Maybe we're in a waiting season. Something is uncertain, we don't know yet between the highlights of life, the meantime.
If you think you're living right now, you would say, bill, that's me, I'm right now in a meantime season. There's some uncertainty and maybe a little fear, a little trepidation for what may happen between now and the next thing. If that's you this morning, would you just lift your hand all around this room? Yeah, I think that's where I'm at. I'm in one of those seasons. Bill. Thank you. Thank you. Well, Lord, I pray right now for all of us who are listening here in this room and those who are listening online.
I pray, Father, that we would make the choice today to say we're going to meet with God.
We're not going to leave ourselves to our own ways of figuring it out, our own thought processes. Lord, we're asking you to help us, to meet with you, to stay connected, to guard unity and to continue to be generous.
Lord, would you meet us right where we are today and help us we ask in Jesus name.
Maybe you're listening online or here in the room and you heard me talk about this relationship with Jesus and how that his plans and purposes and this morning we've sang about he has good plans for us and we've talked about it. And you, you might think to yourself, bill, I'm kind of familiar with church, but I can't say I have a personal relationship with Jesus, but I would like to.
Or maybe you don't have anything, you don't know anything about church and you just happen to be listening today and we're here because someone invited you or you're watching online because you stumbled across us, but you'd say, that sounds like something I need. I'm going to invite you to pray a simple prayer with Me.
It's not a magic formula. It's just a guide. What matters is if you believe it and you're sincere about it. When you pray these words, it's a simple prayer, and you can just say it out loud, whisper it, or just in your head, but it goes like this. Lord Jesus, I desire a relationship with you.
I believe that you're the son of God.
I believe that you came and died on the cross for my sins and the sins of the world.
I believe you rose again, conquering death, so that I could have a new life.
And I believe you're coming again.
I ask you to forgive me of my sin.
Come into my life.
Save me.
I want to live for you from this day forward.
Come and take control of my life in Jesus name. Friend, if you prayed that prayer with me just now, first of all, I'm so proud of you.
An amazing decision.
Scripture says the angels of heaven are actually rejoicing right now because you prayed that prayer.
There's a number appearing on the screen behind me. We have some resources that we'd like to make available to you that will help you know what just happened in your heart and what your next steps might be.
There's also a QR code. You could scan that if it's easier. But we would ask you to just text me. Text us here at. I pray just all one word. I prayed to 844-HRCTXT.
And you'll be given some resources that Pastor Tim prepared just for you, and they'll be helpful to you. We're so glad if that was you today and you said, bill, I did that.
I prayed that prayer.
I prayed with you, and I meant it. Would you just lift your hand wherever you might be in the room? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Awesome.
Well, High Ridge family, would you stand here? We had four people in this service pray the prayer. We're so excited about that. We had two in the first service, so that's exciting as well. We're so glad that you chose to be with us here. I'm going to invite our elders and their wives forward to be available to you for prayer. If you have a prayer for any need, it could be related to the message today or something completely unrelated. They'll be here to pray with you. Don't ever skip a chance. If you need prayer to ask for it. And here we go. We got guys and ladies right here ready to do that for you. And as they're coming up, I want to remind men, Beast feast is coming.
We can almost hear the thunder and hooves of the food we're going to eat.
It's going to be fun, it's going to be good. But don't miss out because we we sell out every year and we don't have room for everybody who might want to come. And other churches from other places have started coming as well. So things fill up quick. Want to encourage you to it's Friday, May 16th. There's a QR code out in the lobby where you'll see the kayaks out there. You can just scan that, go right to it. Let me encourage you, buy your tickets. Don't wait till the last minute. It's going to be a great, great time. And women, just pray them in, just pray for them. Don't nag them, don't tell them because they'll bow up at you. Don't do that. Just pray them in. Say sic em Holy Ghost. Get them.
Let's pray together. Let me bless you as we go out today. Father, thank you so much for your goodness, your faithfulness that all the in between times in our life. You are right there with us and we're grateful. So Lord, today I just pray a blessing over my friends, every family and household represented here, those watching online. Lord, I pray that they they'd go out with a new understanding of the power of the presence of the living God in Jesus name, Amen. God bless you. I hope you have a wonderful week.
[00:35:21] Speaker A: Thank you so much for listening in today. Our prayer is that you are encour, encouraged and strengthened by the message. If you haven't done so yet, be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review wherever you're listening. If you want to be a part of our online community, connect with us through Facebook or Instagram with the handle hyridgelv or you can check out our
[email protected] lastly, if this ministry has impacted your life and you'd like to support its work, visit highridgelv.com give we appreciate your support and we're believing with you today for God's best in your life. Have an incredible week and we will see you next time.
