This week I started a new series at Two Rivers Church here in Nashville.

I will be consulting with them throughout the month of December and will be preaching each week. My message series is "re:new."

I prayed hard about how to start my series because I want to be a help to them. The challenges at Two Rivers have been national news. (I won't link to the stories because I don't know that is particularly helpful.) The church has gone from thousands to hundreds in attendance and is facing some big financial challenges. But, they are a good church wanting to move ahead with their ministry. And, God is in control and has a plan.

They have asked me to help them and I am hoping I can be an encouragement along the way. And, let me also ask you to pray for the church. And, if you need a church home, this would be a great place to see God do great things!

So, I wanted to start my series by pointing to Jesus and calling for a God-centered renewal. And, yes, I sang a little bit at the beginning of the message(!), so please forgive me for that. It was spur of the moment and Donna, my wife, said that was my A.D.D. kicking in and they better get used to it!

Here is the video of the message. My full notes are below the video.

re:new- Renewed Focus on God from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.

Here are my notes:

"This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you--you of little faith? So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters m eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God n o and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

"Don't be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8).

1. God-Ordered Priority

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Matthew 6:33)

Seek FIRST

"But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:31-32).

Your priority indicates your trust.

This is why you tithe from your first fruits.
This is why you have no other gods before me.
This is why God wants first place.

To trust Him and put Him first take a holy naivete and a supernatural trust.

Two of them like it when I throw them in the air. One of them hated it. Why? The first two looked me right in the eye and knew I would catch them. The youngest had two older sisters, so there was not way she was going to be fooled again.

They looked at their father and trusted me. We have to do that same... but that means letting go, dying to some things, and holding on to Jesus.

Death to self:

"I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:31).

Death to vision:

"I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him" (John 12:24-26).

2. God-Centered Agenda

a. Seek His Kingdom

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Matthew 6:33).

"While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, 'Lord, don't You care l that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.' The Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her'" (Luke 10:38-41).

b. Seek His Righteousness

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Matthew 6:33).

God does not want to use a "great church," he wants to use a "holy church."

A "holy church" serves the poor and hurting, pronounces a gospel of reconciliation, and lives holy lives because it is true religion.

"Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:27).

3. God-Promised Provision

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you."

God does not love a building, he loves a people.
God does not call a program, he calls a people.
God has chosen the church--and that's you. Ephesians 3:10.

But, he wants a people that trust Him naively.

"As He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves. But He was sleeping. So the disciples came and woke Him up, saying, 'Lord, save us We're going to die!' But He said to them, 'Why are you fearful, you of little faith?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm" (Matthew 8:23-26).

We all have to choose fear or faith.

People never change until the pain of staying the same grows greater than the pain of change.