I'm just being transparent all week. I've been like man. What do you want me to talk about today? And I normally don't I normally don't struggle with that But I was being challenged this week and then I began to pray last night to just stop everything And I said god I need direction.
I need to get out of this feeling. I need to figure out what's happening and He laid a message on my heart a couple weeks ago about value So today we're gonna talk about value value Come on church. Good morning. There we go.
I'm gonna need some help this morning, okay? All I need one person. I'll find you where you at right? When I find you and if I lock eyes on you, I'm sorry.
Yes, it's you and I we're preaching together today But I titled this Graded then created graded then created Because today I hope leaving here you understand the value of your lives and then more so I hope you understand and start to see the value and Others and I'm in the sports y'all Sports cards is my thing. I love sports and I had this dream I was telling pastor Fred a couple weeks ago. I had this dream and I don't dream my wife dreams I don't dream I don't remember any of my dreams and if I do I would think I wasn't saved if I told you some of them because they're loud but What was interesting that I had this dream that got took me into this operation and there was this process of grading going on and I was like what's happening because I know I'm like I'm really on this kick with sports cards again and You take them you send them in to a company called PSA and I grade them and then they send it back and that's where you get the real value And I'm kind of watching this operation and I'm trying to figure out what's going on What am I supposed to see in this whole thing? And then I began to realize that I'm looking at now.
These are people right? These aren't cards. These are people and I'm looking at people being graded I don't listen people being graded by God and I want to tell you something He wasn't throwing any of them out Like he's stamping tens on all of them like a pristine 10 is the highest you can go and he's just yep Yeah, it's not even it's like it's nothing. It's right.
It's not where and I'm just looking at it And then I saw some people I'm just gonna be honest. I saw some people that I knew I Didn't have very high grades on them y'all Don't beat me up. Am I only one is gonna be honest today. I'm gonna sit here and act like you don't have people Come on now, and I'm looking at him and like getting really look at him.
He just pass him through I'm like wow this is super interesting because I'm putting grades on people I believe this is for me and for the church for the body for our eyes that open up to see what we're really supposed to be as believers And walking on this planet to draw people closer to him You aren't convinced that's what we're supposed to be doing right amen But he checked my heart and saying like you're great. You're grading people Not by my standards You're not seeing them the way that I created them. You're not seeing the purpose that is gonna be for them Can I just be real real? I know there's a lot of people that graded me that I wouldn't be standing here today If it was based off their great system, amen So I'm just trying to be real and I believe what God was really showing me is that we got a we got a throw out this worldly Grading system of people and we got to start looking to his way and what he says He created us all in his likeness and his image amen book male and female and I don't know about you But I have to just imagine his image is perfect so What if we begin to start to look through the eyes the lens of love the lens of Christ and look at people and you know I think we'll begin to see we'll be in to see what their purpose is what they're gonna be We're gonna be able to start really looking and seeing and helping people get to places in their life They're full potential in Christ because we are aligned with Christ and all we're doing is reflecting What he is and what he sees See we're not giving our own great system.
We're taking his because we trust him believe in it I'm not the one to question that But unfortunately we have and I think it's a big reason While we have a lot of things we have today division division bitterness a bunch of unforgiveness much all these things because we're looking at people for what they did and And for some reason we like to forget what he did and so today I really want to help us guys I want to help us begin to look at people and love them value them Know that whatever it is there are ten. I don't care what you think they are Your your grading system doesn't listen. I'm not looking at that one. I'm looking at his That says he died for all people and so today I want to help us start to look at a Start to look through the lens of Christ and to stop looking at people and actually listen Value in ourselves too because I don't believe that you can look out with a value without understanding how much your values Amen So graded then created Because the world is created then graded But in fusions one force says where he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in the site In love everyone say in love like you understand that he like he graded you a tan before he created you like Only one person's like mmm.
That's awesome I mean if you grab a hold of that one truth you should walk through this life not not allowing anything to beat you up I forget you down that the one that created you graded you already a ten. How can you who had no parts of creating me degrade me? I'm just gonna stay over here. This side of sleep sale.
Come on. I'll stay alright with y'all all day Okay, you guys are just gonna have to start coming to this I want you to start agreeing now But come on Let's go to the concept of value definition value is the regard that something is held to deserve It's importance worth or usefulness Like I said the PSA gradings PSA grading cards based on condition rarity I like this one demand to determine their value God's unlike PSA God's valuation is a sorry of us. It's not based on external factors But on his love and purpose for us His love and purpose for us not not external Already love already a ten already purposed It's sound purpose. No, no, listen.
I'm purpose. Say it come on church. I'm purpose like we got to believe this thing There's a disconnect there because soon as someone's like me and they there are three people grab that and it's like Well my values down how? How if you know that the one that created you already graded you attend?
How can you allow that to affect you? So this this is the greatest football player to ever play Barry Sanders, right? Fred tried to convince me in there He's like you know this is Saunders, right? I said get out of here So this this card is graded see they put it in a nice little little case when you send them off They get graded and then they send them back.
I'm looking at the card. I'm like yeah, I mean this thing's it Nice corners are nice all that comes back in eight. I'm like what how in the world? But how many know I don't know the process of grading.
I don't know what all they're looking for I'm looking I'm looking forward to look a certain way, but they obviously seem something I didn't make it an eight and out of ten because I think it should be a ten So what I want to help us today is a focus on the things that God looks at but before we do that We cannot do this without understanding the purpose of why Jesus was sent So we're gonna go to John 3 16 got your Bible turn there. I'm gonna go ahead and start reading This is how much God and this is the message translation. This is how much God loved the world. He gave his son his one and only son and this is why I say this is why So that no one need be destroyed by believing in him anyone can have a whole and lasting life God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his son merely to point an accusing finger telling the world how bad it was He came to help to put the world right again anyone anyone who trusts in him is Equitted anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it and why?
Because of that person's failure to believe in the one of a con son of God when introduced to him Can someone say amen? So the motivation of sending the son was all out of love did you catch an air? Why though he didn't come to point the finger? It was not a love it was all to set things right.
I really hope that guy There's a lot in today, but I really hope leaving here guys. You're gonna get that love started it Love is love of the motivation Love is everything that carries it out and love is the ultimate focus That if we can grasp that then our whole life should be led by love and we should see through a lens of love And then we will start valuing ourselves and others the way that Christ did and that's all out of love Through love and that's our purpose to walk through this this planet loving others drawing them closer to Christ And at the end of the day, that's the goal That's the gospel everything to me is all out of love and then in first John four nine the message translation says this My beloved friends let us continue to love each other since love comes from God Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God the person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God Because God is love say God is love. Okay. It's not he just don't he don't love.
He is love Right you grasp that like he's love and it says This is how God showed his love for us God sent his only son into the world so we might live through him And you say that say live through him So he's motivated by love and then what was the purpose so that we might live through him right? You guys understand from the start and what we're supposed to be getting to because by the end of this guys We're walking out of here looking through love. I'm telling you you're gonna start seeing people different The value of people are just gonna jump off the charts to you. You're gonna make oh my gosh There are ten like oh my gosh there are ten you know what you do when you find a ten psa ten We I'm trying to get my hands all over that right?
I'm like yes Yes, and we should start getting more excited about others the Bible tells us so much to love others And I want us to begin to get into this church to see the value in others not just overlook them Not not great them off of the worldly system to start saying I don't corners will bend up or here I'll give you one even better. You know what one of the best things what I you notice what I said This is Barry Sanders. I don't let you know right off the top his name And how many times do we do that based off of somebody's name? We great them different this side over here.
Come on talk to me somebody based on somebody's name. Well instantly There are three right now. Maybe we'll regret them later God said there are ten and if you're gonna follow me you're gonna focus on me You're gonna live your life through me Then what you receive from me should be reflecting out of your life and Regardless of what you may think or how you may feel if I call him a ten you don't get to ungrate him You don't get to give him another grade Come on. Listen if this is a good point I'll preach all to myself today God Thank you for this message because people don't want to be honest with themselves to realize that we don't look through the lens of Christ all the time We get in our feelings We allow emotions Circumstance situations to distract us when all the while if we can see through the lens of Christ We would not only just come out the other side growing and better, but we'd pull them with us Sometimes we just want to get out without anybody It says through him.
This is the kind of love we are talking about Not that we once upon a time love God But that he loved us and sent his son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and then the damage they've done to our relationship with God me and Fred were establishing this a kind of foundation in there this morning and This is I believe this I believe that him paying for sin and all that is great But that's all secondary Because when I read the word it says that it's all because of love that he sent us on That love was meant to be the first thing established and the only thing that established is love And yeah, he paid for a sentence that's right, but that's out of love you see what I'm saying like all this stuff works from love He demonstrated it and his love is unconditional I'm gonna keep saying it because I want this to sink in it's not based on external attributes or actions of others Jesus was on a mission and mobilized by love. He was always going somewhere wasn't he? He was always going somewhere and love is always the thing that motivates me always Turned to Luke 12 sorry you guys are bouncing around I know but you don't got your bottles. You can just look up here We'll pray for you after service Luke 12 six and seven and Avi says Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies yet?
Not one of them is forgotten by God indeed the very hairs on your head are all numbered don't be afraid You are worth more than many sparrows Guys listen, I'm telling you these things as I'm building up to this because we have to understand our value We have to understand that God has like intimate knowledge of us. He numbered the hairs on our head Like hit like who he is and what he knows about you Like I hope that you begin to go to him for your worth and value Because there's people people are real good about ripping down your your value and making you feel worthless And I'm not saying it's all intentionally I'm saying I think they do it without even realizing But I want you guys to see that their scriptures There's things here to get our focus on the one and only one who gives us our value the only reason you're here He greated you then created you or never forgotten by God say I'm not forgotten I'm gonna get into some of the problems. I'm not seeing our value Some of them don't see the value in their core battery So some of the problems are low self-esteem many struggle with low self-esteem and do not see their worth Comparison we often compare ourselves to others leading to feelings of inadequacy Society standards society sets unrealistic standards that make us feel unworthy Impact this affects our relationship with God in our interactions with others See why I'm leading up to the value of seeing who we are Before we talk about the value of others Because the importance is understanding how much your value Because you're not going to be able to see someone through a different lens if you don't understand how much your value It's not going to work So we first got to grasp that Now I want to talk a little bit about the impact of knowing our value confidence and God's love Knowing our value builds confidence and God's love and purpose for us Improved relationships anybody in here want to improve relationships in their lives Alright 10 people. Sorry Value in ourselves and others leads to healthier relationships Guys, I believe that value seeing ourselves and value in ourselves the way God sees us is a big part of why we struggle to communicate with others To be honest with ourselves to look at them a certain way like it's a big part of communication struggles because we don't we don't value ourselves They say it's a navy blue jeep Your car is letting you know it needs you Oh, a lot of people have navy blue jeep So we talked about improve relationships purpose and direction understanding our worth helps us find and follow our God given purpose Empowerment we are empowered to live out our faith boldly and authentically All these are crucial Understanding value and seeing value Because God calls us to look at others and to love others And when you struggle to see your own that's probably why you struggle to see others and then that's why communication That's why confusion division all this stuff begins to take place So first you got to understand how much your value and what Christ did for you Alright now we're going to jump into Seeing the value in others So seeing the value in others I'm going to jump back to the psa grading system verse God grading system There we go psa grading system psa grades cards based on external factors corners edges surfaces and centering Their grading system all the stuff that they focus on to make it a perfect 10 God's rating system God values us for our hearts and our capacity to love and be transformed by his grace Does any of that have anything to do with what you have or what you look like None of that See the top one has to do with everything and what it looks like But the bottom one doesn't it says he values our hearts He looks at our hearts first Samuel 16 7 says but God told Sammy look looks aren't everything Don't be impressed with his looks and stature.
I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do Men and women look at the face. God looks into the heart Can somebody say amen? God looks into the heart See I got a couple different cards here.
This is a rookie card. It looks great But the real value I don't I don't have a clue what it is Because I don't know what I'm looking for. I gotta send it in I gotta send it away to get back the value of what it really is. I look at and like I said to me That's a 10 looks great But I gotta send it off to see what it comes back To get the true value Church Are we doing this to people?
Are we doing this to people and not not sending right not first submitting to God? The guy what do you say about them? God what is it that you want me to say to them or how do you want me to look at them? Or do we just instantly go for our grading system right off the bat?
Yeah, but they've done this 10 times And I don't know do you see what they're wearing? I wear Well, I got some grandpa shoes on but Right like Yeah, but But look where they look where did y'all see where they're shopping at? You don't have to listen you do not have to be honest with yourself today But we all do this to people And what I'm wondering is how many people are we just stamping and throwing out? That maybe we're a part of the plan or purpose in our lives To not just help us but to help them and God was going to make an incredible impact in their lives Let's just be real honest anybody in here you look at or you look at in the past and you're like yeah They ain't gonna be nothing and there's something today Yeah, everyone put their hand down now.
Yeah, you're gonna admit it. Yeah, you have Guys it's things we do I'm trying to just get to a place of realizing that I want to start valuing people the way that God sees them We have to start looking at people not for what they're doing what they have what they don't have what they did But they don't do but stop and say God but you Paid for their lives the same that you paid for mine The same forgiveness that was extended to me is extended to them And you just never know You just never know who might be sitting among you or in your life I'm gonna give you an example of Jesus Jesus treated everybody with respect And seeing their work so we have It's not gonna be up there. I'm just gonna read through it. We have Zacchaeus The tax collector and this is in Luke 19 and you can see it but Zacchaeus the tax collector was despised by society But sought to see Jesus Anyone want to take a guess what happens Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name Do you hear that?
He called him by name What does that do right off the bat? He's making a connection. He values who they are He's letting them know hey, I know you Yeah, he's not like hey bud or what's up bro But he called him by name and then he chose to stay in his house He showed him respect and recognized his value despite what everybody else thought Like this is Jesus guys. This is the one that was sent This is the love that was sent down and given to us to example to follow I know this isn't gonna be a popular feel good jump out of your seat message But I hope you leave here today one step closer to the way he created you to be By seeing people the way that he created you to see him guys I don't think you get it yet, but I'm getting to a place that's gonna let you see that if you can't see and understand and value people It's gonna affect your purpose and your walk Because people are a part of your walk People are who you're here to reach Amen All right, I didn't know if you guys got confused or not, but you can't be out here.
Oh, this guy's not gonna be nothing But oh yeah, he's he's on graded He's not worth the time or effort Oh, but he's a 10 and listen his last name is something. Let me put myself around him Go this after a second Listen through the lens of Christ Don't matter how old they are what they look like what they have what they don't have what they drive what they don't drive where they live Where they don't live who they work for who they don't work for? I don't know you guys want to throw anything else on to this to try to like I'm leaving it open to see if there's an argument But there's not because Christ says everybody's a 10 I don't care what you they're a 10 And if you don't see them as a 10 we got some things to work on The mirror's broken the reflection isn't coming off properly We need to see them as a 10 because what you're receiving from me should be reflecting to them And he didn't turn from nobody. He looked at him.
He loved him He looked at him and loved him And you know what how Jesus respond to that it trans it was trans exact he is was transformed by Jesus acknowledgement And of his worth You know what you're like a value seeing someone what it might do for them Two people said amen one person laughed and two people said amen Hey, however you see it But someone today maybe just needs to hear hey you're worth it If no one else will look you in the face today, I'll look at all of you and tell you you're worth it I don't care what you did. I don't care what you think you I need it too. I don't care what you did I don't care where you come from. I don't care about any of that If you need to feel loved or worth it, please come see me n uncle miss or anytime I'll sit down talk to you and tell you how much Jesus loves you that you're worth it You're a 10 I'm sending you know right now you're a 10 I wish I could have got everybody a picture of their face and graded a 10 to give to you Because I want you to know how important you are and I want to ask today church Where are you sending your submissions?
Send them send them on to psa for cards because they know what to look for But what about for people? I'm I submitting them to Christ saying God help me see this person the way you see them You see him here right now, but he says I see them over here And I need you to help him get there But if you don't see him as a 10 and you're not going to have the the drive the passion You're only going to deal with him for a minute and then you're gonna be like I'm talking to one person Come on church. Y'all better be honest with yourselves this morning. You all know that you've turned from people Everybody in here knows that I've looked at another person across from me.
I'm like they don't deserve it They're not a 10 But Christ said I love them I paid for them They're a 10 to me And we can start today By beginning to take all those submissions Anytime you see somebody and this thing start rolling through your head Start it up to God Because he's sending back 10 He's sending back 10s You might be stacking three zone them, but he said nope 10 Ah five nope 10 And then it gets what else he's saying level Love them There are three 10 level And that's where we are then we get motivated by love Then we read at the very beginning. What was what was the motivation love? If you're struggling today, you need some motivation. It's love That's the thing that'll fuel you love knowing how much he loves you with and fuel you to love others I love you.
I receive it. Thank you. God. I'm gonna pick it up and I'm gonna walk every day out of love and I'm gonna give it love Is what I'm giving love 10s.
Hey, that person says no, there are 10 you just need to look at him again Start telling people that Remember a while a few months back. I'm walking and I did the thing. I'm gonna start looking at people And now I've added to it. I'm just gonna stop there at 10 See he's adding to us There are 10 There's something wrong with them.
There might be but there are 10 still. Do you see what I'm saying? I was a 10. I struggled, but guess what?
Somebody came alongside me and said hey, no, you're a 10. Come on You're a 10. You're living out of three. Some people don't want to hear this.
Hey, you're living below standard At a three, but Christ calls you to attend So don't get mad at me. I'm just trying to bring you up to what he's already made you and great to do I'm not trying to degrade you. I'm saying hey, you're a 10. Come on.
Let's live like a 10 And if we had more believers seeing people that way Oh my gosh church. I think what you would begin to see is such a move of God. We wouldn't just pass over people Right, exactly. You haven't done that we'd start hey come on you're 10 You're 10.
I don't know who needs to hear today. You're 10 God wants to use you to tell somebody else hey, there are 10 You might want to pass somebody in the market today say hey, listen, uh, you're a 10 And maybe you don't want to have a conversation with some people that are struggling in your life Just look at them and say hey, you're 10. I love you. You're 10 It can be that simple That's reflecting love that's allowing them to draw closer to God closer to who he created them to be and all you had to do is say hey Because guess what?
I'm not if I'm passing over him. I'm not I'm not example in Christ When can we get to a place as believers that it's like this is my purpose And I'm not gonna let nothing stand in front of him I was nervous to step out and say hey This was only all week y'all and I feel like it's for somebody But last night had 10 Yeah, right you didn't think I knew last night at 10 God said hey, there's some people that are tens that need reminded and they're distracted Their value seems like all the the demand right if the demand is if the demands high and the cards were something But they're feeling low like the demand the values low And they need some some believers today to come by them and say hey, you're 10 Let's drive that up you're a 10 at 10. God. Let me know you're a 10 today Someone should begin to see your value what you can come up or else.
I'll keep talking Guys listen today church here at 10 say I'm a 10 Now you don't believe it yet say it. I'm a 10 That's right. You say I'm a 10. I know I'm a 10 bro God told me last night.
He said you're a 10 And he said listen you don't have to go like you don't have to go through the process guys I'm wondering that it's up to you to great other people See he's the judge he gets the final say I don't know why I'm talking about this. I'm just gonna talk about it You know the guy's hanging there on the cross And it's the conversation that gets brought up a lot when it talks about people and judging people And I stay away from it church because I don't believe we can comprehend What it is to really love and judge somebody to lift them up. I just feel like emotions right where they're a four But I'm supposed to tell them right you guys get what I'm saying are you following me when it comes to judging others And I always think about the guy on the cross because I we have no clue what he did to be up there To the fullest to the fullest extent But he said today you'll be with me and paradise And I wonder if we can get to that place That we begin to look at people and say don't matter what you did God still loves you. He still wants a relationship with you.
He still wants he has a purpose for your life We just follow him and trust him And that's what I hope we can start doing today. I hope he touched your heart And allows you to see He graded you from the start You can't ungrade this right? I did a marriage ceremony yesterday. I knew I was going to talk about love today But At the end of it said hey listen What guy did what guy brought together what guy created At no man's separate Listen nobody on this planet can separate you from the value that your god that loves you that sent us on to die for you That created you and gave you a 10 No one can take that from you You're a 10 You're tired of hearing it, but I'm gonna tell you again you're a 10 I'm just gonna close with the scripture Proverbs 29 18 says if people can't see what God is doing they stumble all over themselves But when they attend To what he reveals they are most blessed I don't want to I don't want people to continue to stumble over themselves Would you stand with me today?
We don't understand our value and purpose it affects our vision And the whole reason his son was sent is that we might live through him I hope you know you're worth it. I heard it say one time that you may think you're worthless, but You've been purchased So whatever you think maybe he's going on that you're not worth it that you're small in this world You had no value. You have no purpose. You have nothing I came today to let you know that God sees value over your life.
He shed blood for it He purposed you and whatever he starts. He will finish He doesn't