❓ What do these grades mean?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This ministry's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
🧐 Overview
Theological Verdict & Summary
Sermon Summary: Are you running on empty? This sermon challenges believers to examine their spiritual reserves, using the story of Joseph and the Parable of the Ten Virgins to urge a life of active, Spirit-filled readiness for Christ's return.
Pastoral Analysis: The sermon offers strong practical exhortations regarding work, family, and civic engagement, grounded in the life of Joseph. However, the theological foundation is compromised by a synergistic view of salvation and sanctification. The pastor teaches that believers can 'run out' of the Holy Spirit and lose their eschatological readiness through neglect, shifting the focus from God's sovereign preservation to human maintenance of spiritual 'oil.' While the call to holiness is valid, the mechanism described undermines the security of the believer.
Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — This congregation holds to orthodox truth but dangerously blends it with worldly philosophies and subjective spiritual experiences. The teaching elevates human effort and charismatic vitality over the sufficiency of Christ's finished work, creating a hybrid theology that compromises the clarity of the Gospel.
Big Idea: Knowing your eternal destination empowers you to live faithfully in the present by serving your community, valuing your family, and casting vision for the future without becoming comfortable in this world. [00:07:09 ▶️ 📄]
🎨 The Visual Metaphor
The overflowing oil signifies the Holy Spirit's limitless provision, empowering believers to serve faithfully without relying on worldly comfort. This metaphor illustrates that spiritual readiness demands deep, intentional preparation rather than fleeting good intentions.
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
- Primary Text: Hebrews 11:22
- Usage Classification: Expository with Strong Application
- Text-to-Talk Ratio: Moderate
- Pulpit Decorum: ⚠️ CAUTION - The pastor uses some coarse language ('idol people') and makes subjective authority claims ('I'm telling you how to run your business') that may undermine the humble tone of pastoral teaching.
✝️ Christological Focus: Indirect/Implicit
"Christ is mentioned as the one to whom believers surrender, but the sermon focuses heavily on human effort and spiritual maintenance rather than Christ's active role in preserving the believer."
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 6 | Referenced: 5 | Alluded: 4
Passages Read Aloud:
-
Hebrews 11:22
[00:05:16 ▶️ 📄]
"by faith Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. And then this is the thing. He even commanded them to take his bones with them"
-
2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
[00:14:08 ▶️ 📄]
"We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and get to work. and earn your own living and then he says as for the rest of you dear brothers and sisters never get tired of doing good"
-
Genesis 50:24-25
[00:24:18 ▶️ 📄]
"Soon I will die, Joseph told his brothers, but surely God will come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back into the land that he solemnly promised to give Abraham to Isaac and Jacob."
Key References: Genesis 50, Hebrews 11, 2 Thessalonians 3, Ephesians 4, Matthew 25
💧 Liturgy & Sacraments
Altar Call / Invitation Observed: Yes
- Theological Conditions: Settle where you are going when you die, Make Jesus your Lord and Savior, Surrender your heart and life to Jesus, Forgiveness of sin, Belief and confession that Jesus is Lord
- Sinner's Prayer: "Dear Jesus, I surrender. Say, Dear Jesus, I come to the cross and I ask you, Lord, to forgive me. of all of my sin and I ask you Jesus to come into my life come into my heart and help me to live wide awake to the love of God and fully alive to my purpose it's in Jesus name in Jesus name and everybody said amen" 00:36:07 ▶️ 📄
- Coercive Pressure: "Please don't walk out of this auditorium. Please don't click off of this live stream. I'm not trying to scare you, but the Bible teaches that we are not promised tomorrow. The Bible says today is the day of salvation. So if you hear His voice, hearken your heart today." [00:35:02 ▶️ 📄]
🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery
Word Count: 4,583 words
📌 Key Topics Addressed
-
Eternal Perspective vs. Earthly Reality
[00:07:28 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts Egypt (earth/temporary residence) with Canaan (heaven/final destination), arguing that Joseph's faith was defined by his awareness of where he was going, not just his earthly successes. -
Idleness and Social Media
[00:12:08 ▶️ 📄]
> Using 2 Thessalonians, the pastor critiques 'idle people' who meddle in others' business and spend time in comment sections rather than working, labeling this behavior as idolatrous. -
Active Service in the City
[00:15:11 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor introduces the concept of serving 'the gates of our city,' balancing the belief that earth is temporary with the biblical command to work, raise families, and serve in one's community. -
The Four Layers of Purpose
[00:16:04 ▶️ 📄]
> An overview of the church's teaching framework: Jesus at the center, followed by the Ecclesia (church gathering), spiritual giftings (APEST), and service in the city. -
The Four Layers of Purpose
[00:16:12 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor outlines a theological framework where Jesus is the center, followed by the Ecclesia (church gathering), the APEST giftings (Apostolic, Prophetic, Evangelistic, Shepherding, Teaching), and finally serving in the 'gates' of the city. -
Political Engagement and Voting
[00:18:40 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor urges the congregation to vote in local elections (Clerk of Court, School Board) to influence culture, citing specific local issues like locker room policies and the importance of the Clerk of Court's appointment power. -
Family and Parenting
[00:21:35 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor encourages investing in family relationships through ordinary, inexpensive moments rather than expensive spectacles, citing Joseph's multi-generational family as a model. -
Eternal Perspective vs. Earthly Comfort
[00:28:10 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts 'Egypt' (the temporary world) with eternity, arguing that anxiety stems from not knowing one's eternal destination, and believers should not seek comfort in a world they are merely passing through. -
Spiritual Readiness (The Ten Bridesmaids)
[00:29:38 ▶️ 📄]
> Using the parable of the ten bridesmaids, the pastor argues that mere religious ritual or belief is insufficient; one must have 'oil' (current spiritual vitality) to be ready for Jesus' return. -
The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
[00:29:38 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor recounts the story of the ten bridesmaids, distinguishing between the wise who had enough oil and the foolish who ran out, using it as a framework for the sermon. -
The Return of Jesus
[00:30:38 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor identifies the parable's core subject as the Second Coming, noting that the foolish bridesmaids missed it not due to lack of belief, but lack of preparedness. -
Church Ritual vs. Spiritual Readiness
[00:30:55 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that attending church services (Sunday or Friday) does not equate to spiritual readiness; one must have the 'oil' currently present. -
The Holy Spirit as Oil
[00:31:21 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor interprets the 'oil' in the parable as a representation of the ongoing power and presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. -
Ongoing Belief and Salvation
[00:31:39 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor clarifies that while salvation is by belief, it is not just a one-time historical act but an ongoing reliance on the Holy Spirit's power.
🖼️ Illustrations & Stories
-
Sermon Illustration
[00:01:53 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his friend Brandon testifying to his long-standing 'OCD' traits, using it as a humorous introduction to his own personality before transitioning to the sermon text. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:02:18 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses the analogy of the 'Hall of Fame' in baseball and football to explain the 'Hall of Faith' in Hebrews 11, noting that while many are named in scripture, only a few are listed, and he questions what characteristics qualify Joseph for that list. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:11:27 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor references the historical context of the church in Thessalonica, where believers became so convinced of Christ's imminent return that they quit their jobs, sat on hillsides staring at the sky, and meddled in others' business, serving as a cautionary tale against idleness. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:24:58 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his wife taping a purple crayon to their refrigerator because he dislikes magnets and clutter, using it as a metaphor for 'dreaming big' and releasing 'purple crayon dreams' that are out-of-this-world. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:19:58 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor references a local county commissioner who is a Christian woman of prayer, using her to highlight the importance of Christian involvement in local governance. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:29:38 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor tells the biblical story of the ten bridesmaids (Matthew 25), distinguishing between the wise and foolish not by belief, but by the presence of 'oil' (spiritual readiness) when the bridegroom arrives. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:29:38 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor tells the biblical story of the ten bridesmaids (five wise, five foolish) who waited for the bridegroom. The wise ones had enough oil to keep their lamps burning until he arrived, while the foolish ones had oil but ran out, causing them to miss his return. The pastor uses this to illustrate that church attendees can be unready if their spiritual 'oil' (Holy Spirit's power) runs out.
🚀 Calls to Action (Application)
-
Pastoral Charge
[00:08:30 ▶️ 📄]
> Turn to a neighbor and verbally declare knowledge of one's eternal destination. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:13:45 ▶️ 📄]
> Avoid participating in social media comment sections and refuse to be idle. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:14:08 ▶️ 📄]
> Settle down, get to work, and earn one's own living. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:20:39 ▶️ 📄]
> Attend the 2026 Cabarrus County candidate forum for Clerk of Courts and School Board on Thursday, February 5th at 6:30 p.m. at West Cabarrus High School. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:21:22 ▶️ 📄]
> Run for local political office (school board, county commissioners). -
Pastoral Charge
[00:32:29 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor commands the congregation to bow their heads and close their eyes, likely to transition into prayer or a moment of reflection.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Compromised / Weak
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel Presentation | ❌ FAIL | The Gospel Engine is compromised. The sermon relies on exhortations to human effort ('don't let the oil run out') rather than anchoring obedience in Christ's finished work. The 'Expository Pardon' is insufficient because the core application (maintaining spiritual oil) is presented as a condition for readiness, effectively turning the Gospel into a system of self-maintenance. |
| Soteriology | ⚠️ WEAK | The teaching implies that believers can lose their salvation or eschatological readiness through human neglect ('running out of oil'), contradicting the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints and the eternal security of the believer. |
| Bibliology | ✅ PASS | The sermon engages with Scripture, though the hermeneutical application of 'oil' is disputed. The use of Joseph and Matthew 25 is structurally sound, even if the theological conclusion is skewed. |
| Hermeneutic | ⚠️ WEAK | The interpretation of 'oil' in Matthew 25 as a quantifiable resource that can be depleted by human effort is a strained exegesis that ignores the broader biblical symbolism of oil as God's abundant, inexhaustible provision and the Holy Spirit's permanent indwelling. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | The sermon acknowledges God's sovereignty and the reality of Christ's return, but the practical outworking of God's power is mischaracterized as dependent on human maintenance. |
| Sacramentology | ⚠️ WEAK | The sermon dismisses corporate worship and rituals as mere 'showing up' without the 'oil,' potentially undermining the biblical view of the church as a means of grace. |
| Confessional Depth | ❌ FAIL | The sermon lacks depth in explaining the nature of the Holy Spirit's indwelling and the biblical doctrine of perseverance, relying instead on subjective experience and charismatic terminology. |
⚙️ The Gospel Engine (Confessional Distinctives)
❌ The Law And Wrath: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Total Depravity And Inability: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Active Obedience Of Christ: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ The Cross And Atonement: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ Commendations
Practical Application | Civic and Family Engagement
The pastor effectively applies the life of Joseph to encourage believers to engage in their communities, work diligently, and prioritize family, providing a robust counter-cultural witness.
Exhortation to Holiness | Warning Against Nominalism
The call to avoid 'idle' living and to ensure genuine spiritual vitality rather than mere religious ritual is a necessary and biblically supported exhortation.
Vision Casting | Eternal Perspective
The sermon successfully encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective, viewing their current earthly lives as temporary and their ultimate home as heaven.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟠 The Error of Depletable Grace (Synergistic Sanctification)
Root Cause: Synergism: The Error of Human Cooperation in Salvation, suggesting that human effort contributes to the preservation of salvation.
"The problem wasn't belief the problem was they ran out of oil and they missed the return. ... Don't let the oil run out. What is the oil representative of? It's representative of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Is the power of the Holy Spirit operating currently in your life?" [00:30:35 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit is a 'seal' and 'guarantee' of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14), not a fuel tank that can be emptied. True believers are kept by God's power, not their own ability to 'refuel' (Jude 1:24).
🟠 The Error of Conditional Perseverance
Root Cause: Arminianism: The Error of Conditional Security, suggesting that salvation can be lost through human failure or neglect.
"The problem wasn't belief the problem was they ran out of oil and they missed the return. This parable is about the return of Jesus. They missed the return of Jesus. Not because they didn't believe in Jesus. They believed in Jesus." [00:30:35 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Jesus says, 'I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch out of my hand' (John 10:28). Perseverance is a result of God's preserving grace, not a condition we must maintain to keep God from abandoning us.
🟠 The Error of Ritual Dismissal (Nominalism Trap)
Root Cause: Ritualism: The Error of Externalism, suggesting that external acts or words can effect internal spiritual change.
"Dear Jesus, I surrender. Say, Dear Jesus, I come to the cross and I ask you, Lord, to forgive me. of all of my sin and I ask you Jesus to come into my heart and help me to live wide awake to the love of God and fully alive to my purpose it's in Jesus name in Jesus name and everybody said amen" [00:36:07 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Salvation is by grace through faith alone, not by works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5). Rituals without faith are empty; faith without ritual is incomplete, but the ritual itself does not save.
🟠 The Error of Mandatory Charisma (NAR Influence)
Root Cause: New Apostolic Reformation: The Error of Apostolic Restorationism, suggesting that modern prophetic gifts are essential for the church's current maturity.
"We need all of the prophetic. We need all of His gifts. We need all of everything that He has for us." [00:32:09 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: The Holy Spirit distributes gifts as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). No single gift is required for a believer to live a fully obedient and mature Christian life. We are complete in Christ.
🟡 Gospel Engine Omission (Expository Pardon)
Root Cause: Moralism: The Error of Ethical Improvement, suggesting that Christian living is primarily about improving one's behavior rather than responding to the Gospel.
"I want to invest in something that has eternity. I want to serve eternal purposes. I want to serve my eternal God." [00:28:37 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Our hope and power for service come from the Gospel of Christ, not from our own resolve or vision-casting (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
🟡 The Error of Subjective Readiness (Dismissal of Means of Grace)
Root Cause: Subjectivism: The Error of Internalism, suggesting that only internal experience matters, and external means of grace are irrelevant or dangerous.
"don't let the devil fool you for a moment that just because you go through the ritual and show up on a Sunday or even show up on a Friday the only thing that makes you ready is you've got oil currently" [00:31:01 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: God has ordained the regular gathering of the church, the preaching of the Word, and the sacraments as the external means through which the Holy Spirit ordinarily cultivates faith and sanctification (Hebrews 10:24-25).
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
Come on, if you love Jesus in the house today, can you give him a shout of praise in this place?
[00:00:08] We love you, Lord.
[00:00:10] We bless you, Lord, with everything that we have.
[00:00:14] In Jesus' name, amen, amen.
[00:00:17] Give somebody a high-five.
[00:00:19] High-five somebody in your living room.
[00:00:21] Give somebody a virtual high-five.
[00:00:23] Throw it in the chat.
[00:00:27] Amen, amen.
[00:00:29] We can go ahead and be seated.
[00:00:31] Pastor Bill mentioned it but make sure that you are here on Wednesday night we want to we want to do that prophetic activation training listen some of you are new to multiply and you've had a prophetic gifting all your life you just didn't know what it was you walk into rooms and you sense things and people have told you you're weird you're not weird that's actually the prophetic gifting within you some of you have dreams you've had dreams since you were eight years old that seemed significant and you didn't know what to do with it
[00:01:01] We want to call that out.
[00:01:03] That's the prophetic gifting within you.
[00:01:05] We want to pour into you.
[00:01:06] We want to mentor that.
[00:01:07] We want to train that.
[00:01:09] And then Pastor Chris, come on.
[00:01:11] How many of you appreciate the ministry of Pastor Chris?
[00:01:13] He was one of our speakers at Revival Nights.
[00:01:17] And so he's going to be here.
[00:01:19] Bring somebody with you at 645 this Wednesday.
[00:01:22] It is a powerful, powerful time.
[00:01:25] and then we want to welcome this isn't often that I get to do this but because of all the snow and the weather and everything we've got our Lake Norman family that's joining us online come on Concord can you say hey to Lake Norman we love you guys so much as we continue we want to continue our Elevate series our Elevate series and we're going to be in Genesis and right right right over here on my ex
[00:01:53] Because I am that OCD.
[00:01:55] Thank you.
[00:01:56] Brandon's known me a long time.
[00:01:57] He's testifying that when he's walking off.
[00:02:00] He's like, it's more than you know.
[00:02:01] He's got stories.
[00:02:02] You can see him afterwards.
[00:02:05] We're going to be in the book of Genesis 50 and then in Hebrews chapter 11.
[00:02:11] Genesis 50 and Hebrews chapter 11.
[00:02:14] We're looking at Joseph.
[00:02:18] verse 22 in Hebrews chapter 11 so this is the this is the hall of faith the hall of faith the hall of fame in baseball and football especially recently has been getting a lot of press who got in who didn't get in and this but this is the hall this is the hall I'm gonna reserve comments on on those we're just gonna go to the Bible
[00:02:44] but Hebrews chapter 11 and there's about 3,000 people named in all of scripture plus all of the unnamed crowds but but there's only there's less than 20 that that have made this list and so what we're doing is we're leaning in and we're saying God what is it about the characteristics of these men and women of faith that can not just that we can learn from but that we can receive an impartation from
[00:03:11] that can ignite our faith that if just if the hall of faith is still being written if heaven's pen is still active I want on that list I want this church on that list I want to not only know the stories of history of faith but I want to live a life of faith can you say amen and so we're looking at Joseph
[00:03:33] and Joseph most of these people in the hall of faith they only get about one or two lines a couple Abraham gets a gets a paragraph and there's there's a couple to get a couple sentences but most of them just get one or two lines and so I started thinking about that and I started thinking about the life of Joseph Joseph had an amazing life Joseph takes up a large portion of the book of Genesis and so I was wondering like
[00:03:58] What is it about Joseph's life that is going to make it into the hall of faith?
[00:04:04] Verse 22 starts that it was by faith that Joseph, and don't put it on the screen yet, but I just started filling in that blank myself, like by faith Joseph had a dream.
[00:04:15] Or maybe by faith Joseph kept a hold of that dream when his father and his brothers didn't believe in him.
[00:04:22] Or maybe it was the line by faith that Joseph survived that pit and being sold into slavery by his brothers.
[00:04:30] That by faith Joseph learned to stay strong and to flee from sexual temptation.
[00:04:38] By faith Joseph remained strong in prison when he was falsely accused.
[00:04:43] By faith Joseph interpreted the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer.
[00:04:47] By faith Joseph remained steadfast when he was lied to and forgotten about.
[00:04:51] Like you could go on and on, right?
[00:04:54] There's so many amazing things about Joseph's life.
[00:04:58] But none of those made it.
[00:05:02] None of them.
[00:05:03] In fact, it's a really interesting line that made it that when you go through the life and I've preached series on Joseph, but I've never preached this line.
[00:05:16] It says, by faith, Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt.
[00:05:27] And then this is the thing.
[00:05:30] He even commanded them to take his bones with them
[00:05:35] when he left we'll get to the phrase in Genesis chapter 50 later but in Genesis chapter 50 Joseph says bury this is my title bury my bones
[00:05:49] Bury my bones.
[00:05:50] That's what made it in the hall of faith.
[00:05:54] And I was confused.
[00:05:56] Why not the dreams?
[00:05:58] Why not the faithfulness?
[00:05:59] Why not the fleeing?
[00:06:00] Why not the forgiveness?
[00:06:02] Why did we go all the way to the end of Joseph's life when he was about to die and one phrase that he uttered on his deathbed, bury my bones.
[00:06:12] What was it about that line?
[00:06:16] And then this is the thought that came to me.
[00:06:19] Joseph knew where he was going all of his life Joseph knew his final destination and because Joseph knew his final destination that's how he could live faithfully through everything else
[00:06:39] because when he was in the pit the pit wasn't his destination he knew where he was going and when he was being falsely betrayed and thrown out of potiphar's house potiphar's house was a good job for a season but he knew where he was going it wasn't his final destination and when he was in prison he could survive being in prison and being falsely accused because joseph knew where he was going church if you know where you're going
[00:07:09] If you know where you're going, that is a key to faith.
[00:07:16] That's how you can get through days.
[00:07:19] That's how you can get through seasons of disappointment.
[00:07:22] This wasn't an end of life declaration.
[00:07:25] It was an all is life declaration.
[00:07:28] See, Egypt is a representation of this earth, but Canaan, the Promised Land, is a representation of heaven.
[00:07:36] What Joseph was saying is, Egypt may be my address, but it's not my permanent residence.
[00:07:43] I'm just a visitor here.
[00:07:45] I work in Egypt.
[00:07:47] I raise my family in Egypt.
[00:07:49] I serve in Egypt, but I'm not going to take on Egypt's values.
[00:07:53] I'm not going to serve Egypt's gods.
[00:07:56] I wonder if he was by faith looking forward to when Peter would write these words that we are temporary residents and foreigners in this land.
[00:08:06] That the Apostle Paul wrote, we are citizens of heaven.
[00:08:09] where the Lord Jesus Christ lives and we eagerly await for him to return as our Savior.
[00:08:16] I hope you don't mind church if I preach a little bit old-fashioned on a Friday night and remind you that this is not your home.
[00:08:27] We're citizens of a different kingdom.
[00:08:30] I need somebody to turn to your neighbor and tell them, I know where I'm going.
[00:08:35] I know where I'm going.
[00:08:37] You might be going back to your neighborhood.
[00:08:39] You might be going back to bed after this service, but that's not your final destination.
[00:08:46] You might be going to a job this week where the boss doesn't appreciate you.
[00:08:50] You might be going to a college class that doesn't seem to make sense in light of your final destiny.
[00:08:56] You might be going to ask for a favor, an extension on your mortgage because you can't pay your bill.
[00:09:03] But that's not your final destination.
[00:09:06] You have a home Jesus said I go ahead of you and I am preparing a place before you and if I am going then I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna get you come on I need to preach this to somebody I need your faith to rise I know where I'm going I know where I'm going tell your neighbor bury my bones tell them but not tonight
[00:09:39] If you haven't noticed, this world has gone crazy.
[00:09:48] It's nuts out there.
[00:09:53] But that's not your address.
[00:09:56] I may not know what to do, but I know where I'm going.
[00:10:01] I may not even know who my friends are, but I know where I'm going.
[00:10:07] I may not know what tomorrow holds,
[00:10:10] But I know where I'm going.
[00:10:11] I'm pressed but not crushed.
[00:10:14] I'm perplexed but not in despair.
[00:10:16] I'm persecuted not abandoned.
[00:10:19] I'm struck down but not destroyed.
[00:10:21] I know where I'm going.
[00:10:25] So if we know that, how do we live like it?
[00:10:29] Now let's take Hebrews 11 and let's go to Genesis chapter 50.
[00:10:34] And you're going to think, when I start reading Genesis 50, you're going to think that you're listening to a bipolar preacher.
[00:10:45] Pastor, you just told me this is Egypt.
[00:10:47] You just told me this is temporary.
[00:10:50] You just told me this isn't my permanent residence.
[00:10:53] You just told me that I can make it through everything.
[00:10:55] And it's all true.
[00:10:57] And, say and.
[00:11:00] well let's read Genesis chapter 50 number number one is this we'll get we'll get to Genesis in just a moment we still need to plan like Jesus isn't coming back for a thousand years so let me before I go to Joseph in Genesis let me take you back to Thessalonica because Paul was writing this letter to the church in Thessalonia
[00:11:27] and they had become so convinced they they went to a Friday service and their preacher whipped them into a frenzy and they said I know where I'm going so I'm not going to work on Monday that's what they said so they all quit their jobs and went up on a hillside and just started staring at the sky started meddling in each other's business started gossiping started being
[00:11:52] Isn't it crazy how the things 2,000 years ago don't relate to today at all?
[00:11:58] Listen to what Paul says.
[00:12:01] This is 2 Thessalonians chapter 3.
[00:12:04] He says, hey y'all, my translation.
[00:12:08] Hey y'all, I hear that some of you are living idle lives.
[00:12:12] Say idle.
[00:12:14] Not I-D-O-L, I-D-L-E.
[00:12:19] I haven't heard this preached on in a while.
[00:12:21] I'm going to preach this a little bit tonight.
[00:12:25] We hear that some of you are living idle lives.
[00:12:29] Spending all your time on social media.
[00:12:31] Oh wait, Paul didn't say that.
[00:12:38] Can I help you?
[00:12:39] I want to inspire you.
[00:12:43] I want to help you.
[00:12:45] Stay out of the comment section.
[00:12:54] I just freed somebody in this house.
[00:12:58] That's where all the idle people spend their time.
[00:13:03] We've got nothing better to do.
[00:13:05] Not raising their kids, telling somebody else how to raise their kids.
[00:13:10] In the comments section, haven't been to church in 12 years, but they're gonna tell every preacher in the county how to preach, tell you how to live, tell you how to run their business.
[00:13:22] I'm telling you how to run your business.
[00:13:25] Paul has some strong words.
[00:13:27] The Bible calls those idle people.
[00:13:30] Idol people.
[00:13:32] They don't have a life.
[00:13:34] So they're in the comment section.
[00:13:36] Even if you're scrolling, stay out of the comment section.
[00:13:40] Even if you're posting, stay out of the comment section.
[00:13:43] Tell your neighbors, stay out.
[00:13:45] Stay out.
[00:13:47] It's all the idol people hanging out there.
[00:13:49] Nothing better to do.
[00:13:52] Refusing to work.
[00:13:55] I'm back to the Bible now.
[00:13:58] And meddling.
[00:14:00] That's a good Southern word.
[00:14:02] Meddling.
[00:14:04] Meddling in other people's business.
[00:14:06] This is what Paul said 2,000 years ago.
[00:14:08] And then he says this, We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and get to work.
[00:14:20] and earn your own living and then he says as for the rest of you dear brothers and sisters never get tired of doing good it's interesting to me that Paul connects your weariness with trying to do good with
[00:14:35] I want to preach to you.
[00:14:41] Don't let the idle people wear you out.
[00:14:44] Don't let the idle people get you weary.
[00:14:47] Don't let the idle people get you discouraged.
[00:14:50] Don't you dare ever, ever live your life according to idle people that want to tell other people how to live and they're not doing it themselves.
[00:15:01] You be encouraged tonight.
[00:15:03] Never get tired of doing good.
[00:15:05] What kind of good?
[00:15:06] Now let's go to Genesis chapter 50.
[00:15:09] Let me give you these three things.
[00:15:11] Number one, serve your city.
[00:15:17] serve your city pastor but you told me this is Egypt and I'm not in Egypt and this isn't my home but listen to what Joseph did even though Joseph said bury my bones even though Joseph said heaven is my home even though Joseph said as soon as I get the chance I'm out of here he also said this so Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt and Joseph lived
[00:15:45] to be the age of 110.
[00:15:47] That's the tension that we live in.
[00:15:52] Heaven is your ultimate destination, but your work does matter.
[00:15:58] Your education does matter.
[00:16:00] Your family does matter.
[00:16:04] One of the things that we often go back to at Multiply Church and we teach through is this idea of the four layers of purpose, the four layers of purpose.
[00:16:12] And I'm just gonna give you a quick overview.
[00:16:15] Circle up on the screen but at the four layers of purpose we teach that Jesus is always the center of our lives Jesus has to be the center we don't get to give the center to Jesus and we don't get to give it to Jesus and our spouse Jesus and our kids Jesus no it's Jesus at the center and then out of Jesus we are all called to be part of the ecclesia and the Old Testament
[00:16:40] It's Moed in the New Testament.
[00:16:42] It's Ecclesia.
[00:16:43] They both mean the same thing, the gathering of the called.
[00:16:45] So you can't be a part of the church if you're not gathering with other believers.
[00:16:49] That's just what the Bible teaches.
[00:16:51] So Jesus at the center, we're all called to be part of the church.
[00:16:56] But then in Ephesians 4, the Bible teaches that we all, Paul uses that word time and time again in Ephesians chapter 4.
[00:17:02] You may have heard it taught differently, but I encourage you to go back and read what Paul is actually saying.
[00:17:07] We all have
[00:17:08] Apostolic, Prophetic, and so that's what that acronym APEST Apostolic, Prophetic, Evangelistic, Shepherding, and Teaching, Giftings So Apostles, the Apostolic are innovators and entrepreneurs Prophetic, seers and reformers Evangelistic, storytellers and gatherers Teachers are learners and guides and shepherds are caretakers and healers But then we are to connect We don't just serve once a week in the church
[00:17:37] We serve the rest of our days in what we call the gates of our city.
[00:17:43] So in business and in government and in media and in entertainment, education, family, and healthcare.
[00:17:50] Those are the major areas of influence of our culture and our society.
[00:17:56] So each one of you carries an Ephesians 4 gifting, Apostolic, Prophetic, Evangelistic, Shepherding, and Teaching.
[00:18:04] to step in and serve your city and I just want to encourage you keep doing good.
[00:18:11] Keep doing good.
[00:18:12] I want to apply this just real specifically.
[00:18:16] A couple of times a year I emphasize this and I think it's important to emphasize because this is something that's going to come and go and half our county is not even going to know it and it's going to be gone but it's really important.
[00:18:33] So if you'll put that circle back up there, this is what we teach about engaging the gate of government.
[00:18:40] So government is never at the center.
[00:18:42] We're not the political church where we preach politics.
[00:18:45] We preach Jesus.
[00:18:47] But because we love Jesus, we feel like we are responsible, not we feel like.
[00:18:52] The Bible says that we are to take Jesus into every sphere, and one of those spheres is the gate of government.
[00:18:59] So let me just quickly say this.
[00:19:02] There are
[00:19:03] Primary elections coming up in Cabarrus County.
[00:19:06] This applies to you as well, Lake Norman.
[00:19:09] But there are school board elections primaries and the clerk of court election primaries.
[00:19:16] And here's what you need to know.
[00:19:17] Whoever wins this primary for the clerk of court wins because they're running unopposed.
[00:19:23] And it matters.
[00:19:24] You say, I didn't even know there was a clerk of court.
[00:19:26] What's a clerk of courts?
[00:19:30] research it I don't have time to go into it but it's an extremely important position and they appoint a bunch of other positions that control a lot of things in this county you need to make sure that you vote for the clerk of courts also you need to make sure you vote for school board I was talking with one of our amazing county commissioners she's an amazing Christian woman amazing woman of prayer
[00:19:58] And she was telling me this afternoon about schools in our county that are allowing boys in girls' locker rooms.
[00:20:07] Not in Charlotte, not in Seattle, in Cabarrus County.
[00:20:12] This is happening in, if you don't vote, that's on you.
[00:20:15] If you're not educated, that's on you.
[00:20:20] So how do you get educated?
[00:20:22] We're going to give you one opportunity.
[00:20:24] This is the opportunity that I found.
[00:20:26] So there's a 2026 Cabarrus County candidate forum for Clerk of Courts and Cabarrus County School Board.
[00:20:33] It's this Thursday, February the 5th at 6.30 p.m. at West Cabarrus High School.
[00:20:39] I would encourage Multiply Church, show up.
[00:20:42] If you can't show up, send a representative.
[00:20:46] Because our church literally can make the difference in this county.
[00:20:52] We just did our, I know it's snow weekend, you wouldn't know it,
[00:20:56] But there are approximately 4,600 people that call Multiply Church home.
[00:21:02] Glory to God.
[00:21:06] Church, that'll shift an election.
[00:21:08] That'll shift a local election.
[00:21:11] Please be informed why it matters.
[00:21:15] It matters.
[00:21:15] Joseph said, Egypt isn't my home, but he served in a powerful political position in Egypt.
[00:21:22] We need more men and women of God to run for school board.
[00:21:25] We need men and women of God to be county commissioners.
[00:21:28] We need all of that.
[00:21:30] It matters.
[00:21:31] It matters.
[00:21:32] Here's the second thing.
[00:21:35] Even though we're burying our bones someplace else, family matters.
[00:21:40] Family really matters.
[00:21:42] Spend time with your family.
[00:21:44] Verse 23 says this.
[00:21:45] He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of his children.
[00:21:52] of Manasseh's son, Mechir, whom he claimed as his own.
[00:21:59] I find it interesting.
[00:22:01] We don't know a lot there, but there was a grandson that it seems like Joseph brought into his house.
[00:22:09] This isn't in my notes.
[00:22:11] I wonder, grandparents, if you're maybe raising a child that you didn't expect to raise.
[00:22:16] That's a God assignment in your life.
[00:22:19] I bless you.
[00:22:20] I bless you with that assignment.
[00:22:23] But family matters.
[00:22:26] And so weddings matter.
[00:22:27] Birthday parties matter.
[00:22:30] Going sledding with your kids.
[00:22:32] Matt, I got my sled in my truck.
[00:22:37] I'm going looking for a hill.
[00:22:39] Like, let's go.
[00:22:42] But this is what I want to encourage you.
[00:22:45] Parents, I want to de-stress some of this.
[00:22:49] There's so much pressure
[00:22:51] On parents to make every birthday like Disney World and spend all this money and like they're two.
[00:23:02] They won't even thank you.
[00:23:05] They won't even, I look, you know, you'll show them pictures ten years later.
[00:23:09] They don't even remember it.
[00:23:11] there's so much so much pressure you're spending so much money to impress your two-year-olds friends parents that you don't even like they're coming to your house eating your cake you won't see them in five years parents i want to take some pressure off your kids are going to remember just the ordinary everyday moments
[00:23:40] They're going to remember kitchens and backyards.
[00:23:43] That's what they're going to remember.
[00:23:45] Don't feel like you've got to make everything spectacular.
[00:23:48] Don't feel like you've got to swipe a credit card to go on vacation.
[00:23:52] Just spend time together.
[00:23:53] Eat some meals together.
[00:23:54] Play in the backyard together.
[00:23:56] Go sled riding together.
[00:23:58] Build a fire together.
[00:23:59] Just do the inexpensive things.
[00:24:02] But family matters.
[00:24:03] Spend time with your family.
[00:24:05] Here's the final thing.
[00:24:06] Cast vision for the future.
[00:24:09] Cast vision for the future.
[00:24:11] Even though we are burying our bones in a distant land we need to cast vision for the future.
[00:24:16] Verse 24 says this,
[00:24:18] Soon I will die, Joseph told his brothers, but surely God will come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt.
[00:24:24] He will bring you back into the land that he solemnly promised to give Abraham to Isaac and Jacob.
[00:24:32] Even when Joseph was on his deathbed, what was he doing?
[00:24:36] He was casting vision.
[00:24:38] Come on kids, you've got this.
[00:24:40] You've got a calling on your life.
[00:24:41] Grandkids, you've got a calling on your life.
[00:24:43] Keep walking out faithfully your mission in life.
[00:24:47] Keep serving God faithfully.
[00:24:50] One of my favorite things over the past couple weeks is I keep getting these stories and I keep getting these text messages and they have purple crayons in them.
[00:24:58] people are emailing me they're drawing keep sending them to me I love it I love seeing these I can't tell you the whole story yet but I'll tell you the miracles in the works and it's about to be sealed but I was at a meeting and somebody was was telling me um that their their wife took their
[00:25:16] He said, I'm not a magnet person.
[00:25:20] I don't want artwork on my refrigerator.
[00:25:22] I don't want a messy refrigerator.
[00:25:24] These new refrigerators, you can't even stick things to them anyways, can you?
[00:25:28] But he sent me a picture of it.
[00:25:30] He's got his refrigerator, and he's got his purple crayon.
[00:25:34] His wife taped that purple crayon up into the refrigerator.
[00:25:37] And she said, I got it.
[00:25:38] And I can't tell you her promise, but she said, I'm praying.
[00:25:42] I'm dreaming into that.
[00:25:43] Keep dreaming big.
[00:25:46] Dreaming big.
[00:25:47] I release purple crayon dreams.
[00:25:50] I release dreams in this house that are so big, that are so crazy, that are so expensive, that are so ridiculous, that are so out of this world.
[00:26:01] I need to release an out-of-this-world dream because your dream is not of this world.
[00:26:06] It's of His world.
[00:26:08] A Canaan-sized dream.
[00:26:10] A Promised Land-sized dream.
[00:26:13] In Jesus' name.
[00:26:15] Now here's the two things.
[00:26:17] Let me bring it full circle.
[00:26:19] We've got to live our lives and plan and dream like Jesus isn't coming back for a thousand years, but we need to be ready like he's coming back today.
[00:26:31] Be ready like he's coming back today.
[00:26:34] Somebody, I can't take credit for this line, but somebody told me this today.
[00:26:40] They said, Pastor, if people were half as concerned
[00:26:45] about getting ready for Jesus' return as they are about preparing for the quarter-inch of snow that we're going to get.
[00:27:00] People are watching at home.
[00:27:01] You probably have eight inches.
[00:27:02] Watch God be like, huh?
[00:27:04] Seven inches, Steve.
[00:27:06] Seven inches.
[00:27:07] Seven inches.
[00:27:13] a lot of your let me let me back up not a lot some people's fear I don't want to give more worry anxiety to if you're already a believer there's a different route if you're not a believer let me preface it if you're not yet a believer if you're if you're scrolling through Facebook and you don't even know who this multiply church is and you're watching some guy just just stay with me like one one more minute
[00:27:40] Some of you are experiencing fear and worry and anxiety in your life and you think it's tied to a temporary circumstance.
[00:27:48] It's not.
[00:27:49] It's actually tied to the fact that you don't know where you're going when you're going to die.
[00:27:54] Because once you settle that, once you settle that you know where you're going to spend eternity, though your problems might persist, they become very temporary.
[00:28:07] Now let me preach this to believers.
[00:28:10] Some of us are worried too much about Egypt.
[00:28:15] Some of you are stressed out because you're trying to make Egypt too comfortable.
[00:28:19] Egypt was never supposed to be comfortable to begin with.
[00:28:22] We're going to serve our city, but don't get comfortable in Egypt.
[00:28:28] Don't spend all your time and all your money and all your energy trying to make Egypt good because you're not going to be here anyways.
[00:28:37] I want to invest in something that has eternity.
[00:28:40] I want to serve eternal purposes.
[00:28:42] I want to serve my eternal God.
[00:28:44] And so once you settle eternity that I know
[00:28:48] I know where I'm going then when people mock me I wish they wouldn't but I still know where I'm going though they come against me I still know where I'm going though the mortgage is coming I still know where I'm going it's not that the problems aren't real it's just that in the scope of all eternity
[00:29:09] they begin to shrink because we put them in the light of an eternal God with eternal resources with eternal life that he has for all of our all of our lives Matthew 25 and I'll close with this story I'm not gonna read it I'm just gonna tell it Jesus tells a story of ten bridesmaids
[00:29:38] Five of them were wise and five of them were foolish.
[00:29:42] And what happened was they were getting ready for the bridegroom to come and they all had lamps and they all had oil in their lamps.
[00:29:51] And some of the bridegrooms, the five wise ones, brought enough oil.
[00:29:57] They brought enough oil.
[00:29:58] The Holy Spirit's gonna preach this message to somebody and I'm not even gonna have to interpret it.
[00:30:02] The Holy Spirit's gonna just start speaking to you right now.
[00:30:07] some of them had enough oil to remain burning until the bridegroom came back and some of them who used to have oil they did have oil they believed that the bridegroom was going to return the problem wasn't belief the problem was they ran out of oil and they missed
[00:30:34] The return.
[00:30:35] This parable is about the return of Jesus.
[00:30:38] They missed the return of Jesus.
[00:30:40] Not because they didn't believe in Jesus.
[00:30:42] They believed in Jesus.
[00:30:44] They actually believed that he was going to return.
[00:30:47] If they didn't believe he wasn't going to return, they would have went to some other party.
[00:30:51] So they were standing.
[00:30:52] These were church people is what I'm trying to say.
[00:30:55] These were people that show up every Sunday in church, but they're not ready.
[00:31:01] but they're not ready and don't let the devil fool you for a moment that just because you go through the ritual and show up on a Sunday or even show up on a Friday the only thing that makes you ready is you've got oil currently
[00:31:18] Don't let the oil run out.
[00:31:19] What is the oil representative of?
[00:31:21] It's representative of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.
[00:31:26] Is the power of the Holy Spirit operating currently in your life?
[00:31:29] Yes, salvation is only by believing and confessing that Jesus is Lord.
[00:31:35] But it's not just a one-time act.
[00:31:37] Belief is not just a historical act.
[00:31:39] It is a current act that I gotta keep on believing.
[00:31:42] That I gotta keep on believing.
[00:31:44] I'm not saying you don't have moments of doubt.
[00:31:46] I'm not saying you don't have moments of unbelief.
[00:31:49] I'm not saying you don't have moments where you do the wrong thing.
[00:31:52] But there is an ongoing reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit.
[00:31:58] By the way, you can't live without oil in 2026.
[00:32:02] You can't live without oil.
[00:32:04] We need oil.
[00:32:05] We need all of the Holy Spirit.
[00:32:07] We need all of His power.
[00:32:09] We need all of the prophetic.
[00:32:10] We need all of His gifts.
[00:32:12] We need all of everything that He has for us.
[00:32:16] My question is, do you know where you're going?
[00:32:23] Do you know where I feel urgency in the house tonight?
[00:32:27] I feel urgency in the house tonight.
[00:32:29] I feel urgency online this morning.
[00:32:32] Would you bow your heads and close your eyes all across this place?
[00:32:36] Eternity is in the balance right now.
[00:32:39] Please hold steady right where you're at.
[00:32:41] Everybody just hold steady right where you're at.
[00:32:43] Eternity is in the balance.
[00:32:45] Do you know where you're going with heads bowed and eyes closed you would say pastor I don't know I'm not sure if heaven will be would be my home I don't know that I have made Jesus my Lord and Savior you can make that decision right here right now I don't want you to hesitate I'm gonna count to three when I get to three if you don't know if you're not sure I want you to lift your hand high I want you to settle this right here right now one
[00:33:12] Pastor, I'm not sure.
[00:33:14] Two, Pastor, I want to give my life to Jesus.
[00:33:17] Three, if that's you, lift your hand high all across this auditorium.
[00:33:20] Throw it in the chat.
[00:33:21] I got you.
[00:33:22] You can put your hands down.
[00:33:25] How many of you would join those and say something like this?
[00:33:33] Pastor, I feel like I'm running out of oil.
[00:33:35] I feel like I'm running low.
[00:33:40] I don't know what's causing you to run low on oil I don't know if it's pressure I don't know if it's other people I don't know if it's idle people and they're draining you and they're draining you and all their chatter is draining you I don't know what's draining your oil but if you need
[00:33:56] If you just need to refuel with some oil, I just want you to stand all across this house.
[00:34:00] Just go ahead and stand.
[00:34:02] Come on, there's an unlimited supply of heaven.
[00:34:05] Maybe you've been serving Jesus all your life, but you would say, Pastor, I need some fresh oil.
[00:34:10] I need some fresh oil in this house.
[00:34:12] Just begin to lift your hand and say,
[00:34:15] The power of the Holy Spirit, fall fresh on me.
[00:34:18] Fall fresh on me.
[00:34:19] Can we stand, all of us across this place, can we join with those and say, God, pour out your power.
[00:34:26] Pour out your presence.
[00:34:30] The Holy Spirit's waiting on somebody.
[00:34:34] The Holy Spirit's waiting on somebody.
[00:34:36] With heads bowed and eyes closed, you've got everybody else fooled, sir, and you almost have yourself fooled.
[00:34:46] But you are not sure where you're going.
[00:34:51] You're going through the motions, but you haven't fully surrendered your heart and your life to Jesus.
[00:34:59] Please don't walk out of this auditorium.
[00:35:02] Please don't click off of this live stream.
[00:35:05] I'm not trying to scare you, but the Bible teaches that we are not promised tomorrow.
[00:35:12] The Bible says today is the day of salvation.
[00:35:16] So if you hear His voice, hearken your heart today.
[00:35:21] With heads bowed, with eyes closed, all across this house, who would be so bold as to say, Pastor, I need to settle this.
[00:35:31] I need to know today that Jesus is my Lord and Savior and that heaven is my home.
[00:35:40] If that's you, boldly lift your hand.
[00:35:43] Boldly lift your hand to heaven.
[00:35:45] Boldly lift your hand to heaven.
[00:35:47] Boldly.
[00:35:49] In Jesus' name.
[00:35:51] In Jesus' name.
[00:35:53] Thank you, Lord.
[00:35:54] Thank you, Lord.
[00:35:55] As I pray this prayer out loud, I'm going to ask everybody in the house to repeat it after me and join their faith with those who are going from death to life today.
[00:36:06] Come on, let's all pray together.
[00:36:07] Say, Dear Jesus, I surrender.
[00:36:11] Say, Dear Jesus, I come to the cross and I ask you, Lord, to forgive me.
[00:36:18] of all of my sin and I ask you Jesus to come into my life come into my heart and help me to live wide awake to the love of God and fully alive to my purpose it's in Jesus name in Jesus name and everybody said amen come on church let's celebrate tonight amen
[00:36:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Thank you so much for joining us today.
[00:36:48] I hope this time of worship and the Word encourages your heart and reminds you that you are deeply loved.
[00:36:53] My name is Noemi and it truly means so much that you chose to worship with us online.
[00:36:58] You're not here by accident.
[00:36:59] We believe God meets us right where we are.
[00:37:02] And if today you made a decision to follow Jesus, please know we are celebrating with you.
[00:37:07] That is the most important decision you could ever make and we would be honored to walk alongside you as you take your next steps in faith.
[00:37:14] One simple way to stay connected is by downloading the Multiply Concord app and tapping on next steps.
[00:37:20] There you'll find encouragement, helpful resources, and a church family ready to support you and pray with you as you continue this journey.
[00:37:27] Thank you again for being with us today and we look forward to connecting with you soon.





