I have a simple message for this church, for us, for you and for me as we kick off this New Year! Last year, in seeking what the Lord would have for us as a church, He gave me the word and the command to rest. Now that doesn’t mean stop doing anything, resting in the Lord has really very little to do with the physical realm…but rather, what we do, what we are doing and what we will do, we must do it while resting in the Lord! Do it His way…be confident in His Word and come what may, stay close to Jesus, let Him uphold you, and stay the course!

Jesus said in Matthew 11, and you can turn there if you’d like, verses 28 – 30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you WILL find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I look back on 2016 here at this church and I think about 52 sets of Sunday services. 3 Services here in this building every Sunday (including Freedom Church). Services at Morning Star. Services at Caley Ridge. Services at Juniper Village. Mid-week services every week. Over 300 services in total this past year. 300+ Bible studies! (Not counting the multiple Bible studies for kiddos each week) And today, we are as excited to teach the Bible as the first Sunday we opened the doors at Campus Middle School! Why? That’s exhausting! 300 Bible studies, 300 services in a year! So much work! So much burden…not so…not if you are at rest, man…

I think about Vacation Bible School, the C4 Church Campout, Family Fall Festival, Thanksgiving, Financial Peace University, Men’s Breakfast, Women’s Study, LOIS, The Christmas Play, Church Cleaning on every Tuesday and every Thursday! Monthly trips to U-Turn for Christ in Colorado Springs. Prayer Nights. Casa Barrios. AMPED Youth Group Meetings EVERY week! And even an educational Co-op! And all these things, done with joy, love, energy, passion and worship. How? Resting in the Lord. The secret of it all, the payoff of it all, each and every activity bringing each and every person resting in the Lord, closer to the Lord, each and every time…and the result…energizer bunny effect man.

We’ve grown up, you see. For the first couple of years at the Middle School we had one Sunday morning service and it was grand! A tiny sound board…school lunch room chairs that Chin would put out in perfect rows…about 20 bottles of water, a 30 cup coffee machine and a handful of donuts. Our church activities outside of Sunday morning consisted entirely of hanging out…sharing life…loving the Lord, loving eachother…

Mid-week kicked off and we soon had our own space…Freedom Church kicked off…Uturn ministry kicked off…Men’s Breakfast kicked off…Women’s Study kicked off…new sound board…new cushioned chairs we bought in bulk from Lowes…we were learning so much, growing up…and then this past year…professional investments in technological infrastructure. Worldwide broadcasting. Our staff swelling to 14 people!!! And there are at least 10 others actively leading a major ministry in this church!

And folks ask me quite often, “How on earth do you do it all?” I don’t, man! The Lord does it all! How? We rest in Him! It’s not all gravy…this resting bit, mind you…that also means that when it comes to folks that aren’t fans, we have to rest in the Lord then to…We don’t budge. We don’t compromise. We don’t deviate…we hold to the Word of God…we stay our purpose and hope on His name and we cling to our little strength…and we have seen plenty of folks go…even this year…and that’s ok…we rest. That is what we were told to do in 2016…that’s what we’ve done.

In searching the heart of the Lord for this coming year, what His command to us is, I received from Him a great lesson and a clear directive. First, you can’t stop resting. You’ve come to Me, you’ve taken My yoke, you’ve resolved that My yoke will be the only one you’ll carry…you’ve found rest, now abide in it…as you move forward, fold into your character, your DNA what you’ve learned this past year…but in addition to what you’ve learned in terms of rest, what I want you to learn this year is FRESH!

I was like, “Great, lay it on me!” He’s like, “No son, that’s it…fresh!” I was like, “huh?” He was like…face palm. HA! Every day My mercies are new for you. Every day I have fashioned a new sun rise, a new sun set and a new set of breaths for you. Every day I show you different, original, unusual, youthful…I want you this year to rest and yet, be fresh…

And my mind kicked up, “Now this is a story all about how….,” HA. And we laughed…and then talked some more…The natural response of a body that has received rest is what…to be refreshed…a fresh start…freshness in the work…and this will be our focus for 2017. What does it mean? Well, we have to find that out…but here’s what we talked about as a staff at our end of year staff meeting already…

If there is not an aroma of freshness in the work of what you’re doing…big – step – back. Should we continue? Should we change? Should we rotate leadership? Do we need new leadership…new staff, staff rotations? First and foremost our walk with the Lord must be simple. We’re just Christians…nothing more…there is nothing more…we are simply children of God through the supernatural and sufficient atonement provided by Jesus our Savior! Second and secondmost, our ministry to each other…as a staff…as a leadership team…as a church…(and this is applicable to you in your marriage, or your family, or your roomies, or your workplaces), our ministry and love and encouragement and psychotic teammenship MUST be ULTRA strong! Because if we know not how to love each other then we’ve no shot at fresh…and we have certainly lost rest…

Crazy ideas are the goal! Mistakes are the lessons! Don’t avoid them and don’t be so discouraged…target them! Integrate ministries, flex each other’s giftings and talents to strengthen what God has called each of us to...Explore technology…how can we do automated signups? How can we collaborate and connect better using tools right at our fingertips…take the work out of it wherever possible! And keep it light man…watch that yoke…if it gets heavy, it’s not His. And never forget the eternal importance of what you’re in…these are the direction, not the end-state…we don’t know yet what God has in store…but one thing He does have for us…a fresh year and a year of freshness!

So where do we start? Where do I start, where does this church start, folks where should you start? Well, the Bible tells us…one place…one Greek word used only once in all of scripture…found only in one statement yet in this one word, in one sentence, in one passage, in one book…within it is packed the entirety of how to begin in terms of a fresh walk, a fresh work, a fresh life in the Lord…turn with me as we conclude to Acts Chapter 3. Let’s read together verses 1 through 20a.

Here is where it begins…turn from that which is not of the Lord. There’s a biblical word for that, repent. Be converted…epistropho in the Greek…convert your heart and life, make a decision to come back to God…accept His yoke, take on His ways…repent from yours, turn to His, that your sins may be blotted out…no longer heavy, no longer darkening your eyes or your days for that matter, SO THAT TIMES OF REFRESHING may come from the presence of the Lord. That’s the thing…here is where it starts…to rest in Him, to live in the freshness of the constant newness of life…to be in His presence man, you and I must repent of sin!

God, I’m sorry! I’ve done this my way and it’s so heavy. The stress, the fear, the anxiety, the pain…I repent…I turn to you…all of it…I want your way…even now your sins are being blotted out…think blots, blood blots, man…they’re gone when you do this…and the Lord is drawing near to you because you’re drawing near to Him…

This word “presence” is also translated “face.” God’s desire is for you to live face to face with Him. In ministry, in life…sins blotted out…refreshed heart…repentant spirit…and this is where we begin 2017…in the face of the Lord, with again, just like on day one at Campus Middle School…Jesus Christ sent to us…if that’s you, if that’s how you want to begin 2017, stand…I have one more word for you and then we begin this year…

• God is not through with you. His work is only begun. (Philippians 1:6)
• You that place your hope in the Lord will renew in strength! You will soar on wings like eagles; you will run and not grow weary; you will walk and not faint! (Isaiah 40:31)
• Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid nor discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go! (Joshua 1:9)
• Cast your cares on the Lord and He will refresh you; He will never let the righteous be shaken! (Psalm 55:22)
• God is working all things together for your good because you set your heart to love Him and to walk according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
• In response to these things, what then should we proclaim…just this…God is for you, who can stand against? (Romans 8:31)
• And now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
• And finally, as we close…and surge together into a FRESH year…The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord life up His countenance upon you, and give you (rest, and give you freshness, and give you) peace!