WEBVTT

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 Good morning. Please turn with me to Colossians. We're reading from chapter 4 and verses 2 to the end of the chapter, verse 18.

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 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

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 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open to us the door for the word,

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 to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, that I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak.

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 Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time.

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 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

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 Tychicus will tell you about all my activities.

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 He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

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 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts.

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 And with him, Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you,

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 they will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

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 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you.

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 And Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions,

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 if he comes to you, welcome him.

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 And Jesus, who is called Justice.

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 These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God,

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 and they have been a comfort to me.

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 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus,

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 greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers,

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 that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

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 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

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 Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, as does Demas.

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 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea and to Nympha and the church in her house.

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 And when this letter has been read among you,

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 have it read in the church of the Laodiceans,

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 and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

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 And say to Archippus,

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 see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.

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 I, Paul, write these greetings with my own hand.

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 Remember my chains.

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 Grace be with you.

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 Well, we've been talking about fullness in Christ in the book of Colossians for nine weeks now.

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 We've come to the end of the letter.

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 This picture we've been using for a couple of weeks now of the internal bucket being full and overflowing.

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 We don't need to find ourselves.

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 We already are full in Christ and it's overflowing into every aspect of life.

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 But I want to ask, after all this talk of fullness,

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 is it just talk?

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 Like how full do you feel most of the time?

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 This week in particular as a church family,

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 with all the heartache,

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 in such pain,

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 does all this talk of fullness just evaporate?

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 Is it just talk?

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 Or maybe we compare ourselves to those who try and live apart from knowing Jesus.

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 They're pursuing a very different idea of fullness.

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 And we envy them.

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 Like Psalm 73 says,

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 we look and they seem healthy.

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 They seem strong.

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 They seem beautiful.

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 Their houses are big.

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 They occupy the important and influential places in society.

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 They've got all the friends.

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 They've got so much more time,

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 not having to come to church,

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 and so much more money to spend.

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 We can envy them.

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 Like Psalm 73,

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 the psalmist goes,

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 behold, look,

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 these are the wicked,

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 always at ease.

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 They increase in riches.

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 All in vain

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 have I kept my heart clean.

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 Now the psalmist doesn't stop there,

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 but we can even get to a place of

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 envying

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 people who don't know Jesus.

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 Or maybe,

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 if we compare ourselves to

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 other streams of Christianity,

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 other people who

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 probably

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 kind of

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 think

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 similar lines

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 to what the Colossians were hearing,

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 you can have

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 an extra experience of God.

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 Okay, yes,

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 trusting Jesus is good,

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 but if you really want to encounter God,

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 this kind of

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 being swept up

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 into a heavenly

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 experience with the angels,

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 this is how you do it.

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 You need something else

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 other than Jesus

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 to get there.

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 Maybe we compare

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 ourselves to that

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 kind of Christian thinking.

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 You can have

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 victory over

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 finances

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 and relationships

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 and health.

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 You can have

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 all those things.

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 And we can envy.

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 We can be tempted

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 to think that fullness

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 is found somewhere else.

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 So is all this

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 talk of fullness

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 just talk.

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 Because this is a battle

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 for our belief

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 over where fullness

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 can be found.

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 I think we could picture

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 Paul writing this letter,

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 dictating to his secretary,

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 just lying back

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 on a deck chair

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 by the pool

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 with a cool drink

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 by his side,

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 the sun setting,

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 like eye of everything

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 in Christ.

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 You could picture him

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 like that.

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 But he signs off

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 the letter

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 in the very last verse,

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 remember my chains.

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 Remember my chains.

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 Grace

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 be with you.

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 Now,

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 if someone from prison,

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 now he's under

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 house arrest,

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 but if someone from prison

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 wrote you a letter

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 saying,

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 here's how you should live,

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 here's the best life,

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 would you believe,

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 would you go,

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 yeah,

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 I'm going to work it out

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 myself,

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 thank you very much.

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 You've ended up

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 in the slammer,

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 I'm not sure

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 you can really speak to it.

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 This guy is in prison,

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 he knows,

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 he knows harsh treatment.

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 And he's urging them,

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 don't listen

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 to the false teachers

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 who can say

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 that there's something

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 else other than Christ.

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 Follow me

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 as I follow Christ.

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 Now,

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 I think

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 him saying,

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 remember my chains,

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 it could just be saying,

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 this is really hard,

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 please pray for me.

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 But I think

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 he's saying more than that,

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 like he said earlier

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 in the letter,

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 that I rejoice

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 in my sufferings

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 for your sake,

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 for your sake.

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 And in my flesh

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 I am filling up

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 what is lacking

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 in Christ's afflictions.

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 He's not ashamed

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 of his situation.

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 It's a reminder

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 that his imprisonment

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 is for their sake.

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 He's in prison

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 because he is speaking

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 the gospel clearly,

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 which means the Colossians

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 have come to know Jesus.

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 He is suffering

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 for their sake.

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 It's a reminder

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 that he's willing

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 to hurt,

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 willing to go through

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 great cost himself

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 so that they might have life,

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 they might have

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 the grace of God.

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 So Paul's,

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 even in prison,

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 even in this harsh treatment,

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 Paul's still got

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 the inner resources

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 to be,

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 this letter is full

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 of affection,

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 it's full of concern

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 for the Colossians.

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 Where do those resources

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 come from?

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 If he was just focused

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 on his own story

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 that he's in prison

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 under harsh treatment,

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 he might turn in on himself,

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 start self-pitying,

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 but he doesn't do that.

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 He might spiral down,

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 but he doesn't do that.

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 He has these resources

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 somewhere

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 that make him

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 affectionate for others

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 and still seeking

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 the salvation of others

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 and the growth of others.

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 Where do those resources

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 come from?

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 I think asking that question

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 helps us understand fullness.

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 That fullness isn't just

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 a feeling of happiness.

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 That's not how we should

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 measure fullness.

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 Fullness is having

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 the resources

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 to live well,

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 to live for Christ

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 and actually be

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 overflowing for concern

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 for others.

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 So who do we think

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 is more full?

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 The person in our society

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 who needs the house,

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 who needs the job,

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 who needs the relationships

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 and all their work

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 to be going well,

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 to feel good about themselves

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 and to feel satisfied.

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 If they lose it,

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 they must get it back.

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 If they have it,

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 they fear losing it.

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 They're always trying

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 to manipulate situations

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 to make themselves

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 feel satisfied.

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 And if they look

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 into their future,

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 it's a bleak future.

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 They've got to have it now.

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 Time is running out.

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 Is that person full?

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 Do they have the resources

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 to live well?

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 Or, like Paul,

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 someone who has

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 earthly things stripped away

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 and yet they still

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 have affection for people.

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 They still have concern

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 for other people's

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 well-being.

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 working hard

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 that they might receive life.

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 Fullness in Christ

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 doesn't look like

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 feeling happy

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 all the time.

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 It's through all emotions.

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 Fullness is having

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 inner resources

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 simply entrusting Jesus

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 to live well,

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 to be seeking

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 the good of others

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 in every moment,

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 even filled with thanksgiving,

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 no matter what's going on.

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 And where did Paul get

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 these inner resources from?

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 It's not his own making.

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 It's not like he's somehow

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 just stronger than us.

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 His resources

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 are our resources.

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 It's all in the gospel.

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 It's all what Christ has done.

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 Or to put it

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 a different way,

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 he knows that his life

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 is part of a bigger story.

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 His life is part

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 of a grand narrative.

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 This Paul,

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 who was once

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 seeking to prove himself

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 as a religious man,

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 that's not who he is anymore.

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 He came to see

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 that he can't give

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 the Lord

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 who created everything,

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 what can he do

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 to the Lord

00:11:17.540 --> 00:11:18.620
 who created everything?

00:11:18.680 --> 00:11:19.380
 What can he give him

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 to prove himself?

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 Nothing.

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 In fact,

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 he was shown

00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:25.980
 his debt of sin

00:11:25.980 --> 00:11:27.140
 that needed to be paid.

00:11:27.139 --> 00:11:30.679
 And now,

00:11:31.100 --> 00:11:32.159
 in knowing Jesus,

00:11:32.899 --> 00:11:33.679
 he has known

00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:34.960
 that all that debt,

00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:35.860
 that mountain

00:11:35.860 --> 00:11:37.620
 of trying to live

00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:38.580
 life without God

00:11:38.580 --> 00:11:39.360
 has been nailed

00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:40.120
 to the cross.

00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:42.159
 That full forgiveness,

00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:44.159
 that full acceptance,

00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:45.279
 not based on him

00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:45.980
 proving himself,

00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:46.679
 but based on

00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:47.720
 what Christ has done.

00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:49.580
 He now can call God

00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:51.259
 not a judge only,

00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:52.259
 but a father.

00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:55.139
 He is secure

00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:57.939
 in the Father's love.

00:11:58.259 --> 00:11:59.639
 He knows he is qualified

00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:01.580
 for the eternal inheritance

00:12:01.580 --> 00:12:02.319
 of the saints.

00:12:03.299 --> 00:12:05.159
 His future is full and bright,

00:12:05.699 --> 00:12:07.199
 which gives him strength

00:12:07.199 --> 00:12:08.000
 in every trial.

00:12:09.319 --> 00:12:10.120
 He is meaning

00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:10.980
 and purpose now

00:12:10.980 --> 00:12:11.720
 to represent

00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:12.919
 the King of Kings,

00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:14.500
 to be an agent,

00:12:14.779 --> 00:12:16.199
 to be an instrument

00:12:16.199 --> 00:12:18.000
 in the Redeemer's hands

00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.500
 to bring other people

00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:20.960
 into this new life.

00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:23.800
 It is in the Gospel

00:12:23.800 --> 00:12:24.379
 that we have

00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:25.379
 all the resources

00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:27.000
 to live well.

00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:33.080
 And we see that

00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:34.620
 in this passage today,

00:12:34.980 --> 00:12:36.160
 this passage seems to be

00:12:36.160 --> 00:12:37.639
 all about seeking fullness

00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:38.879
 for those who are empty.

00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:42.040
 To live well,

00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:43.080
 we are caught up

00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:44.180
 into Christ's story.

00:12:44.420 --> 00:12:45.080
 Christ's goal

00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:45.900
 is to reconcile

00:12:45.900 --> 00:12:47.460
 all people to himself.

00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:49.120
 His passion

00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:50.679
 is to see lost people

00:12:50.679 --> 00:12:53.519
 come into the family,

00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:54.580
 to see empty people

00:12:54.580 --> 00:12:55.360
 filled.

00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:57.340
 It's Christ's passion

00:12:57.340 --> 00:12:58.799
 that then fills us,

00:12:59.460 --> 00:13:00.659
 gives us the resources

00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:01.840
 to seek this as well.

00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:03.779
 So I'm going to go through

00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:04.440
 four things

00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:04.960
 that I think

00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:06.480
 this passage

00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:07.899
 shows us

00:13:07.899 --> 00:13:09.259
 we should be

00:13:09.259 --> 00:13:10.460
 overflowing

00:13:10.460 --> 00:13:11.820
 with Christ's passion

00:13:11.820 --> 00:13:12.039
 in

00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:13.139
 to see people

00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:14.220
 reconciled to himself.

00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:15.580
 So I think we see

00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:16.840
 that we've got to be

00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:17.759
 depending on his

00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:18.519
 sovereign grace

00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:19.080
 in prayer.

00:13:20.060 --> 00:13:20.879
 We need to be

00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:21.780
 holding the ropes

00:13:21.780 --> 00:13:22.340
 of prayer

00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:23.700
 for those

00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:24.320
 who are sent

00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:25.639
 to speak the Gospel.

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:27.840
 We're told

00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:29.120
 to make the most

00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:29.860
 of the time

00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:31.620
 speaking graciously.

00:13:32.800 --> 00:13:33.879
 And I think we see

00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:35.360
 in all the final greetings

00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:37.379
 that we are to stand

00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:38.420
 shoulder to shoulder

00:13:38.420 --> 00:13:39.940
 with all Christ's people

00:13:39.940 --> 00:13:41.820
 to see the advance

00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:42.460
 of the Gospel.

00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:46.460
 So,

00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:47.580
 how will we

00:13:47.580 --> 00:13:48.019
 overflow

00:13:48.019 --> 00:13:49.139
 with Christ's passion

00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:49.680
 to fill

00:13:49.680 --> 00:13:50.620
 empty people?

00:13:52.940 --> 00:13:53.740
 First we see

00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:54.400
 in verse 2,

00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:56.080
 depending on

00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:57.160
 his sovereign grace

00:13:57.160 --> 00:13:58.080
 overflowing

00:13:58.080 --> 00:13:58.780
 with thanksgiving,

00:13:59.060 --> 00:14:00.680
 continue steadfastly

00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:01.200
 in prayer

00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:02.100
 being watchful

00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:02.460
 in it

00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:04.240
 with thanksgiving.

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:08.220
 I think

00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:09.160
 we're being

00:14:09.160 --> 00:14:09.920
 called to

00:14:09.920 --> 00:14:11.240
 make a

00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:11.879
 lifestyle,

00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:12.600
 a habit,

00:14:12.779 --> 00:14:13.740
 a way of thinking.

00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:14.840
 That's

00:14:14.840 --> 00:14:16.299
 why

00:14:16.299 --> 00:14:17.899
 the book

00:14:17.899 --> 00:14:18.980
 Rory the Dinosaur,

00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:19.500
 it's just

00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:21.779
 being aware

00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:23.039
 that sovereign grace

00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:24.539
 is always

00:14:24.539 --> 00:14:25.180
 at work.

00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:26.720
 Prayer

00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:28.159
 is the natural

00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:29.080
 response to that.

00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:30.460
 If you think

00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:32.340
 you can do it

00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:32.740
 yourself,

00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:34.299
 we won't pray.

00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:35.419
 But if you think

00:14:35.419 --> 00:14:37.779
 I need grace

00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:38.779
 in this moment

00:14:38.779 --> 00:14:40.019
 and I have

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:40.699
 grace in this

00:14:40.699 --> 00:14:40.980
 moment

00:14:40.980 --> 00:14:41.579
 because I

00:14:41.579 --> 00:14:42.360
 am in Christ,

00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:44.059
 prayer is just

00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:45.159
 the air we

00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:45.620
 breathe,

00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:48.019
 depending on

00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:48.480
 his sovereign

00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:49.000
 grace.

00:14:50.899 --> 00:14:51.519
 But we

00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:52.159
 shouldn't assume

00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:53.039
 this comes easy.

00:14:54.079 --> 00:14:54.600
 Throughout this

00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:54.860
 letter,

00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:55.839
 whenever Paul

00:14:55.839 --> 00:14:56.559
 speaks of someone,

00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:57.919
 often when Paul

00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:58.480
 speaks of someone

00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:58.919
 praying,

00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.019
 like we see

00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:00.759
 in verse 12

00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:01.480
 with Epaphras,

00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:02.519
 he's struggling

00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:03.199
 in prayer.

00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:04.679
 This is,

00:15:05.139 --> 00:15:06.879
 it's a hard

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:07.580
 work thing.

00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.000
 Or like in

00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:09.360
 this verse,

00:15:09.439 --> 00:15:10.279
 being watchful

00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:10.500
 in it,

00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:11.179
 being alert.

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:13.879
 Now it

00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:14.439
 could be,

00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:15.679
 I'm not sure,

00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:16.820
 but the phrase

00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:17.539
 being alert,

00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:18.580
 being awake

00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:19.519
 and praying,

00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:20.919
 that might be

00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:21.419
 an allusion

00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:22.639
 to Jesus

00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:23.259
 in the garden

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:23.980
 of Gethsemane

00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:24.480
 when he

00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:25.539
 is being

00:15:25.539 --> 00:15:25.980
 tempted

00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:27.039
 to not go

00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:27.419
 through the

00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:28.059
 cross and he

00:15:28.059 --> 00:15:28.899
 tells his few

00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:29.340
 disciples,

00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:30.980
 watch and pray.

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:31.919
 But they

00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:32.600
 can't do it.

00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:34.220
 They fall asleep

00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:35.039
 three times.

00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:36.820
 They can't do it.

00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:38.860
 He has to do

00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:39.539
 it for us.

00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:41.039
 Even our

00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:41.759
 prayers,

00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:43.200
 we need grace

00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:43.740
 to do it.

00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:45.539
 We can only

00:15:45.539 --> 00:15:46.700
 do it in Christ

00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:47.919
 can we do this.

00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:49.580
 I think sometimes

00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:50.399
 we think of prayer

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:50.899
 as something

00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:52.439
 we have to

00:15:52.439 --> 00:15:53.100
 muster up,

00:15:53.179 --> 00:15:53.720
 but it's only

00:15:53.720 --> 00:15:54.360
 in Christ

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:54.799
 that we can

00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:55.220
 do it.

00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:01.600
 And the reason

00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.159
 we need to be

00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:03.059
 alert is because

00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:03.840
 the temptation

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:04.840
 to look away

00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:05.580
 from Christ

00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:06.920
 is constant.

00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.360
 We are

00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:10.280
 always being

00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:11.220
 tempted to

00:16:11.220 --> 00:16:11.879
 lust after

00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:12.300
 the things

00:16:12.300 --> 00:16:12.900
 of the world

00:16:12.900 --> 00:16:13.820
 or to despair

00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:14.520
 in the dark

00:16:14.520 --> 00:16:16.180
 seasons of life,

00:16:17.020 --> 00:16:17.560
 to follow

00:16:17.560 --> 00:16:18.320
 some other

00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.820
 idea of

00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:20.100
 fullness.

00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.560
 We need

00:16:21.560 --> 00:16:22.139
 his grace

00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:23.460
 all the time

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:24.660
 and we have

00:16:24.660 --> 00:16:25.700
 it all the

00:16:25.700 --> 00:16:26.080
 time.

00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.500
 if we are

00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:30.000
 aware of

00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:30.500
 how dependent

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:31.000
 we are

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:31.420
 on his

00:16:31.420 --> 00:16:32.000
 constant

00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.600
 stream

00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:32.800
 of

00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:33.139
 grace,

00:16:34.040 --> 00:16:34.700
 then

00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:36.600
 we'll make

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.340
 prayer just

00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:38.020
 the air we

00:16:38.020 --> 00:16:38.440
 breathe.

00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:39.320
 We'll make

00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.180
 prayer the

00:16:40.180 --> 00:16:41.040
 first port of

00:16:41.040 --> 00:16:41.540
 call we go

00:16:41.540 --> 00:16:41.759
 to,

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:42.139
 not the

00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:43.100
 last resort.

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:45.980
 I'm not

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:46.560
 saying I do

00:16:46.560 --> 00:16:47.120
 this by the

00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:47.300
 way,

00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:47.860
 I think we're

00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:48.420
 called to

00:16:48.420 --> 00:16:48.720
 this,

00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:50.300
 to make

00:16:50.300 --> 00:16:51.320
 prayer the

00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:51.980
 first port of

00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:52.159
 call.

00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:53.440
 And that's

00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:54.700
 why Thanksgiving

00:16:54.700 --> 00:16:55.860
 is so appropriate

00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:56.540
 to us as

00:16:56.540 --> 00:16:56.860
 Christians,

00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:00.040
 because we

00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:00.659
 have constant

00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:01.120
 grace.

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:03.440
 We have

00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:04.319
 constant grace

00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:05.680
 and so it's

00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:06.400
 appropriate that

00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:07.279
 all our prayers

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.539
 just have the

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.299
 aroma of

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.059
 Thanksgiving as

00:17:10.059 --> 00:17:10.279
 well.

00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:14.099
 So we

00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:15.139
 need constant

00:17:15.139 --> 00:17:15.819
 grace to

00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:17.039
 live well in

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.799
 life, to

00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:19.680
 represent Christ

00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.480
 well so that

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.200
 we might be a

00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:21.660
 witness for

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:21.839
 him.

00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:23.019
 So I think

00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:23.500
 the second

00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.819
 way that this

00:17:24.819 --> 00:17:25.440
 passage tells

00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.299
 us to overflow

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:27.319
 with a passion

00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:28.259
 to see people

00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.019
 come to know

00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:30.440
 Jesus is in

00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:31.119
 verses 3 and

00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:31.299
 4.

00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:32.500
 That's what I've

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.200
 called holding

00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:33.879
 the ropes of

00:17:33.879 --> 00:17:34.759
 prayer for those

00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:35.440
 who speak the

00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:35.759
 gospel.

00:17:37.139 --> 00:17:38.379
 So verses 3 and

00:17:38.379 --> 00:17:38.539
 4.

00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:39.240
 At the same

00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:40.160
 time pray also

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:41.019
 for us, and

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:41.540
 the us there

00:17:41.540 --> 00:17:42.340
 is Paul and

00:17:42.340 --> 00:17:44.860
 his team, so

00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:45.840
 to speak, of

00:17:45.840 --> 00:17:47.140
 gospel speakers,

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:49.180
 pray for us

00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:50.980
 that God may

00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:52.440
 open to us a

00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:53.000
 door for his

00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:54.040
 word, to

00:17:54.040 --> 00:17:54.759
 declare the

00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:55.220
 mystery of

00:17:55.220 --> 00:17:55.700
 Christ on

00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:56.220
 account of

00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:56.660
 which I am

00:17:56.660 --> 00:17:57.060
 in prison,

00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:57.980
 that I may

00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.880
 make it clear

00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:00.279
 which is how

00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:00.840
 I ought to

00:18:00.840 --> 00:18:01.259
 speak.

00:18:02.340 --> 00:18:02.840
 So we've

00:18:02.840 --> 00:18:03.220
 already seen

00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:03.460
 what the

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:03.840
 mystery of

00:18:03.840 --> 00:18:04.500
 Christ is in

00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:05.140
 chapters 1 and

00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:05.360
 2.

00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:06.160
 It's the

00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:07.080
 gospel, that

00:18:07.080 --> 00:18:07.519
 the Old

00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.040
 Testament was

00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:09.840
 preparing how

00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:10.279
 God would

00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:11.599
 save his

00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:12.000
 people.

00:18:12.699 --> 00:18:13.000
 And then

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.519
 that has

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.139
 been revealed,

00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:14.699
 that mystery

00:18:14.699 --> 00:18:15.019
 has been

00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:15.839
 revealed, it's

00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:16.500
 all in

00:18:16.500 --> 00:18:17.179
 Jesus, Paul

00:18:17.179 --> 00:18:17.480
 says.

00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:18.919
 That's the

00:18:18.919 --> 00:18:19.220
 mystery.

00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:22.099
 And although

00:18:22.099 --> 00:18:23.240
 all believers

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:23.679
 are to

00:18:23.679 --> 00:18:24.659
 confess Christ,

00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:25.259
 that's just

00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:25.759
 what we do,

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:27.639
 that's just

00:18:27.639 --> 00:18:27.899
 what a

00:18:27.899 --> 00:18:28.399
 Christian is,

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:28.899
 a Christian

00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:29.759
 acknowledges

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.679
 Christ.

00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:31.619
 So all

00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:32.299
 believers in

00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:33.019
 some sense are

00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:33.559
 to speak

00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:34.720
 Christ as

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.240
 Lord, but

00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:35.980
 some are

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.839
 gifted, some

00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:37.419
 are called,

00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:37.920
 some are

00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:39.380
 set apart to

00:18:39.380 --> 00:18:40.259
 speak and

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.100
 teach and

00:18:41.100 --> 00:18:42.320
 evangelise.

00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:45.080
 But it's not

00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:46.060
 their responsibility

00:18:46.060 --> 00:18:47.200
 alone to do

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:47.440
 that.

00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.500
 The whole

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:49.759
 church, I

00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:50.060
 think we're

00:18:50.060 --> 00:18:50.580
 being called

00:18:50.580 --> 00:18:51.300
 in these

00:18:51.300 --> 00:18:52.519
 verses, pray

00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:54.039
 for us, that

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:54.860
 God may open

00:18:54.860 --> 00:18:55.440
 to us a door

00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:56.100
 for his word

00:18:56.100 --> 00:18:57.440
 and that I

00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:58.340
 may make the

00:18:58.340 --> 00:18:59.279
 gospel clear.

00:19:00.360 --> 00:19:01.160
 The church

00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:02.860
 is to carry

00:19:02.860 --> 00:19:03.759
 the responsibility

00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:06.920
 of praying

00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:07.720
 for those

00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:09.099
 whose job

00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:09.559
 it is to

00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:09.940
 speak the

00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:10.240
 gospel.

00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:12.400
 Now I was

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.000
 convicted by

00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:16.619
 this time,

00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:17.900
 Emma and I

00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:18.619
 support this

00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:20.379
 missionary that

00:19:20.379 --> 00:19:21.140
 we know, this

00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:21.740
 friend of ours,

00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:22.259
 and he came

00:19:22.259 --> 00:19:23.019
 home from the

00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:23.819
 field and he

00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:24.359
 wanted to meet

00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:24.819
 up with us

00:19:24.819 --> 00:19:26.619
 and he was

00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:27.220
 telling me all

00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:27.799
 about it and

00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:28.259
 at the end of

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:28.799
 the conversation

00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:30.339
 I said, to

00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:30.940
 my shame,

00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.599
 I said, so

00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:34.559
 something to

00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:34.919
 the effect

00:19:34.919 --> 00:19:35.500
 of, do

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:35.779
 you need

00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:36.240
 more money?

00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:39.119
 And he

00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:40.439
 was like, no,

00:19:40.679 --> 00:19:41.059
 that's not

00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:41.279
 why I'm

00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:41.679
 having this

00:19:41.679 --> 00:19:42.199
 conversation.

00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:44.079
 I want you

00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:44.759
 to care about

00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:45.219
 the people

00:19:45.219 --> 00:19:46.240
 I'm encountering.

00:19:46.439 --> 00:19:46.740
 I want you

00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:47.359
 to be praying.

00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:50.919
 So I was

00:19:50.919 --> 00:19:51.179
 a bit

00:19:51.179 --> 00:19:51.899
 convicted, I

00:19:51.899 --> 00:19:52.240
 was very

00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:52.839
 convicted by

00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:53.119
 that.

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.059
 The main

00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:56.119
 way we

00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:56.419
 are to be

00:19:56.419 --> 00:19:56.939
 supporting

00:19:56.939 --> 00:19:58.059
 gospel workers

00:19:58.059 --> 00:19:59.339
 is by

00:19:59.339 --> 00:20:00.159
 caring and

00:20:00.159 --> 00:20:01.619
 praying or

00:20:01.619 --> 00:20:01.859
 as

00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:03.219
 William

00:20:03.219 --> 00:20:03.759
 Carey.

00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:04.519
 He's the

00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:04.979
 guy from,

00:20:05.699 --> 00:20:06.179
 he's kind

00:20:06.179 --> 00:20:06.559
 of known

00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.979
 as the

00:20:07.979 --> 00:20:08.659
 missionary who

00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:09.639
 kind of

00:20:09.639 --> 00:20:10.019
 founded,

00:20:10.419 --> 00:20:10.959
 not founded,

00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:13.000
 sorry, I'm

00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:13.599
 trying to find

00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:13.899
 the word here.

00:20:14.139 --> 00:20:14.859
 He's the

00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:15.419
 father of

00:20:15.419 --> 00:20:16.099
 modern missionary

00:20:16.099 --> 00:20:16.539
 movement.

00:20:17.099 --> 00:20:17.379
 Obviously

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.179
 missionary work

00:20:18.179 --> 00:20:18.679
 has been going

00:20:18.679 --> 00:20:19.179
 on since

00:20:19.179 --> 00:20:19.579
 Christ.

00:20:19.959 --> 00:20:20.879
 But the

00:20:20.879 --> 00:20:22.079
 modern push

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:22.799
 to go into

00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.479
 other cultures,

00:20:24.099 --> 00:20:24.879
 he's one of

00:20:24.879 --> 00:20:25.639
 the first to

00:20:25.639 --> 00:20:26.699
 go and he

00:20:26.699 --> 00:20:27.039
 went to

00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:27.339
 India.

00:20:28.179 --> 00:20:28.399
 And he

00:20:28.399 --> 00:20:28.839
 told his

00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:29.539
 friend and

00:20:29.539 --> 00:20:31.259
 fellow Christian

00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:31.859
 brother, Andrew

00:20:31.859 --> 00:20:33.200
 Fuller, I

00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:33.960
 will go down

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.379
 into the

00:20:34.379 --> 00:20:36.500
 pit if you

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.000
 will hold

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.519
 the ropes.

00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:40.660
 Do you

00:20:40.660 --> 00:20:40.940
 get the

00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.319
 image?

00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:41.980
 He's saying

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:44.480
 this is a

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:44.940
 dangerous

00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:45.420
 calling.

00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.379
 People do

00:20:46.379 --> 00:20:46.819
 not want to

00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:47.099
 hear the

00:20:47.099 --> 00:20:47.420
 gospel.

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:47.960
 They're going

00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:48.140
 to be

00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:48.879
 close to

00:20:48.879 --> 00:20:49.039
 it.

00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:50.059
 I'm going

00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:50.279
 to have

00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:51.000
 no effect

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:52.359
 whatsoever if

00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:53.279
 God's grace

00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:53.879
 does not

00:20:53.879 --> 00:20:54.559
 open the

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.099
 door for

00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:56.619
 effectiveness.

00:20:57.619 --> 00:20:58.240
 You better

00:20:58.240 --> 00:20:58.640
 hold the

00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.440
 ropes or I'm

00:20:59.440 --> 00:20:59.599
 going to

00:20:59.599 --> 00:20:59.839
 fall.

00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:01.679
 That's the

00:21:01.679 --> 00:21:02.119
 picture he's

00:21:02.119 --> 00:21:02.359
 using.

00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.339
 I think it's

00:21:04.339 --> 00:21:05.500
 a call on

00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:05.959
 us as the

00:21:05.959 --> 00:21:06.339
 church.

00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:07.039
 Hold the

00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:07.419
 ropes.

00:21:09.659 --> 00:21:10.480
 Pray for

00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:10.939
 an open

00:21:10.939 --> 00:21:11.439
 door for

00:21:11.439 --> 00:21:11.879
 the word

00:21:11.879 --> 00:21:13.099
 and the

00:21:13.099 --> 00:21:13.539
 message to

00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:13.919
 be clear.

00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:14.879
 I think the

00:21:14.879 --> 00:21:15.319
 door for

00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:15.679
 the word

00:21:15.679 --> 00:21:16.319
 isn't just

00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:16.959
 opportunity.

00:21:17.199 --> 00:21:17.459
 It is

00:21:17.459 --> 00:21:18.299
 opportunity but

00:21:18.299 --> 00:21:19.019
 like in

00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:19.579
 Acts 14

00:21:19.579 --> 00:21:20.859
 27, Paul

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:21.379
 and Barnabas

00:21:21.379 --> 00:21:21.959
 report the

00:21:21.959 --> 00:21:22.240
 missionary

00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:24.019
 journey and

00:21:24.019 --> 00:21:24.419
 they say

00:21:24.419 --> 00:21:26.740
 they went

00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:27.159
 around to

00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:27.500
 all these

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:28.299
 Gentile regions

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:29.200
 and they

00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:29.859
 declared all

00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:30.159
 that God

00:21:30.159 --> 00:21:30.480
 had done

00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:30.759
 with them

00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:31.240
 and how

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:31.579
 he had

00:21:31.579 --> 00:21:32.339
 opened a

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:32.879
 door of

00:21:32.879 --> 00:21:34.259
 faith to

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:34.919
 the Gentiles.

00:21:35.139 --> 00:21:35.680
 So this is

00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:36.220
 praying that

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.399
 not just

00:21:37.399 --> 00:21:38.240
 opportunity for

00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:38.799
 the gospel but

00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:39.139
 that the

00:21:39.139 --> 00:21:39.680
 gospel would

00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:40.359
 break through

00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:41.440
 hearts and

00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:41.960
 open a

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:42.440
 door of

00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:43.079
 faith, a

00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:44.139
 faith response.

00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:45.480
 So it's

00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:45.980
 praying for

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.480
 the gospel to

00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:47.000
 be effective

00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:48.220
 and it's

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:49.859
 praying for

00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:50.720
 the message to

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.139
 be spoken

00:21:51.139 --> 00:21:51.799
 clearly.

00:21:53.619 --> 00:21:54.259
 Now this

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:54.680
 might sound

00:21:54.680 --> 00:21:55.220
 like a human

00:21:55.220 --> 00:21:56.119
 responsibility to

00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:56.839
 speak clearly,

00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:57.779
 which it is.

00:21:58.579 --> 00:22:00.799
 It's how I

00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:01.699
 ought to speak.

00:22:02.919 --> 00:22:03.319
 But they

00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:03.959
 need sovereign

00:22:03.959 --> 00:22:04.779
 grace to do

00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:05.000
 it.

00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:07.399
 They can't do

00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:07.859
 it on their

00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:08.179
 own.

00:22:09.379 --> 00:22:10.399
 To grasp the

00:22:10.399 --> 00:22:10.959
 meaning of

00:22:10.959 --> 00:22:11.659
 scripture, to

00:22:11.659 --> 00:22:14.279
 understand people

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:14.740
 who you're

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.879
 talking to so

00:22:15.879 --> 00:22:17.199
 that you can

00:22:17.199 --> 00:22:18.000
 make the

00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:19.379
 gospel as

00:22:19.379 --> 00:22:19.879
 clear as

00:22:19.879 --> 00:22:20.439
 possible to

00:22:20.439 --> 00:22:21.139
 their culture

00:22:21.139 --> 00:22:22.819
 and what

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.379
 they're thinking,

00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:24.839
 that needs

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.699
 sovereign grace

00:22:25.699 --> 00:22:26.319
 to do that.

00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:28.220
 For the

00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:28.859
 gospel worker to

00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:29.119
 have the

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:30.179
 motivations right,

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:31.919
 not to do it

00:22:31.919 --> 00:22:32.619
 for their own

00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:33.839
 reputation, but

00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.359
 to do it for

00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.299
 Christ's glory and

00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:37.079
 people's salvation,

00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:39.299
 that you need

00:22:39.299 --> 00:22:40.159
 sovereign grace for

00:22:40.159 --> 00:22:40.799
 for our gospel

00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:41.240
 workers.

00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:45.000
 So how are we

00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:45.659
 holding the

00:22:45.659 --> 00:22:46.439
 ropes of prayer

00:22:46.439 --> 00:22:49.039
 as a church?

00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:49.939
 Is that a

00:22:49.939 --> 00:22:50.779
 culture in our

00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.659
 church to hold

00:22:51.659 --> 00:22:52.179
 the ropes of

00:22:52.179 --> 00:22:52.359
 prayer?

00:22:52.459 --> 00:22:53.299
 It is, isn't it?

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:55.200
 Our gospel

00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:56.619
 partners, they're a

00:22:56.619 --> 00:22:57.399
 permanent feature

00:22:57.399 --> 00:22:58.819
 in our

00:22:58.819 --> 00:22:59.200
 bulletin.

00:22:59.339 --> 00:22:59.940
 We pray

00:22:59.940 --> 00:23:01.559
 weekly for

00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:01.779
 that.

00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:02.980
 But I

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.720
 wonder, as we

00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:04.240
 send those

00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:04.819
 newsletters

00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:05.319
 around, when

00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:06.039
 we get them

00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.680
 and email them

00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:09.119
 on, is there

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:09.579
 a part of you

00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:09.940
 that just

00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:11.180
 thinks, this

00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:11.659
 is just a

00:23:11.659 --> 00:23:11.980
 useless

00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:13.279
 activity?

00:23:15.639 --> 00:23:16.220
 I'm not

00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:16.779
 sure, am I

00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:17.200
 the only one

00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:18.419
 who is

00:23:18.419 --> 00:23:19.000
 struggling with

00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.579
 that temptation?

00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:21.000
 Shouldn't we

00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:21.659
 get on with

00:23:21.659 --> 00:23:22.480
 things we can

00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:22.720
 do?

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:23.599
 Do we see

00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:24.539
 prayer as the

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.319
 power of God

00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:25.980
 to break through

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:26.480
 hearts?

00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:27.279
 When we get

00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.579
 those newsletters

00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:29.099
 sent around,

00:23:30.819 --> 00:23:32.559
 let's take time

00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:33.059
 to pray.

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:36.639
 Can I urge us,

00:23:36.819 --> 00:23:37.259
 let's make a

00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:38.059
 plan to pray.

00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.019
 I think if we

00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:39.439
 don't make a

00:23:39.439 --> 00:23:41.259
 plan, we don't

00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:41.919
 really do it.

00:23:43.159 --> 00:23:44.019
 If we can make

00:23:44.019 --> 00:23:44.819
 a habit of it.

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:48.279
 I know some

00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:48.839
 people use a

00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:49.439
 prayer app,

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.139
 because there's

00:23:50.139 --> 00:23:50.659
 so many people

00:23:50.659 --> 00:23:51.279
 to pray for.

00:23:51.699 --> 00:23:52.299
 Sometimes there's

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:52.980
 a prayer app

00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:53.899
 where you can

00:23:53.899 --> 00:23:55.299
 say how often

00:23:55.299 --> 00:23:55.679
 you want to

00:23:55.679 --> 00:23:56.220
 pray for someone

00:23:56.220 --> 00:23:57.279
 and it just

00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:58.220
 comes up.

00:23:58.419 --> 00:23:59.059
 If you want to

00:23:59.059 --> 00:23:59.539
 pray every three

00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:00.059
 days, it will

00:24:00.059 --> 00:24:00.519
 come up every

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.059
 three days.

00:24:01.959 --> 00:24:02.679
 There's plenty

00:24:02.679 --> 00:24:03.899
 of resources

00:24:03.899 --> 00:24:04.379
 out there.

00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:08.339
 Recently, I've

00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:08.859
 made Friday

00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:10.119
 mornings, the

00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:10.699
 mornings where I

00:24:10.699 --> 00:24:11.319
 pray for those

00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:12.259
 newsletters, because

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.259
 they just became

00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:13.799
 overwhelming.

00:24:14.419 --> 00:24:14.859
 I'm just like,

00:24:14.899 --> 00:24:15.899
 Fridays will be

00:24:15.899 --> 00:24:16.939
 it.

00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.259
 I'm just giving

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:19.119
 concrete examples.

00:24:19.619 --> 00:24:20.079
 You don't have

00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:21.039
 to do that, but

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:22.140
 let's make a

00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:23.160
 plan to pray so

00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:23.579
 that we actually

00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:24.400
 hold the ropes

00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:25.599
 for people.

00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:27.660
 So we

00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:29.019
 overflow with

00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:29.900
 Christ's passion

00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:31.379
 through dependent

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:31.960
 prayer for

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:33.039
 ourselves and

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:33.640
 holding the

00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:34.720
 ropes for those

00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:35.240
 who speak the

00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:35.519
 gospel.

00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:37.039
 And then in

00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:37.700
 verses five and

00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:40.119
 six, we have a

00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:40.900
 very broad

00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:43.539
 command to

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:44.480
 make the most

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.259
 of the time.

00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:48.880
 Always seeking

00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:49.940
 to live and

00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:50.940
 speak a

00:24:50.940 --> 00:24:51.740
 counterculture of

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.140
 grace.

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:54.700
 Walk in

00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:56.519
 wisdom towards

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.460
 outsiders, that

00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:58.579
 is those outside

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.519
 Christ's family,

00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:01.220
 making the best

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:02.259
 use of the time.

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:02.839
 And how do we do

00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:03.019
 that?

00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.980
 I think verse six

00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:04.880
 tells us the

00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:05.759
 primary way we do

00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:06.000
 that.

00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.319
 Let your speech

00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:08.400
 always be gracious,

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.440
 seasoned with salt,

00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:11.900
 so that you may

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:12.640
 know how you ought

00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.360
 to answer each

00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:13.880
 person.

00:25:17.780 --> 00:25:19.300
 When are you

00:25:19.300 --> 00:25:20.400
 witnessing to the

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:20.700
 gospel?

00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:24.560
 Is it only when

00:25:24.560 --> 00:25:25.820
 the topic turns to

00:25:25.820 --> 00:25:27.280
 God or Jesus

00:25:27.280 --> 00:25:27.820
 religion?

00:25:28.820 --> 00:25:29.820
 Is that when

00:25:29.820 --> 00:25:30.240
 you're witnessing

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:30.880
 for the gospel?

00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:32.360
 Because these

00:25:32.360 --> 00:25:34.740
 verses, they put a

00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:35.800
 high calling on us

00:25:35.800 --> 00:25:36.759
 to be witnessing

00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:38.100
 for the gospel in

00:25:38.100 --> 00:25:38.580
 everything.

00:25:39.580 --> 00:25:40.980
 Walk is just a

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:42.200
 description of every

00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:43.000
 choice you make in

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.340
 life.

00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:45.680
 Walk in wisdom as

00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.259
 you live in this

00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:48.259
 world, making the

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:49.000
 best use of the

00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:49.279
 time.

00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:50.299
 Let all your

00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:52.240
 speech, let your

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.279
 speech always be

00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:54.100
 gracious, whatever

00:25:54.100 --> 00:25:54.900
 the topic of

00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:55.400
 conversation.

00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:00.539
 I think to

00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:03.539
 understand what it

00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:04.360
 means to be making

00:26:04.360 --> 00:26:05.140
 the best use of the

00:26:05.140 --> 00:26:05.940
 time is an

00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:07.059
 orientation thing.

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:08.059
 time is urgent.

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:09.059
 It's

00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:10.740
 realising what

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.659
 time in history

00:26:11.659 --> 00:26:12.200
 we're in.

00:26:13.139 --> 00:26:14.139
 That time is

00:26:14.139 --> 00:26:14.819
 urgent.

00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:15.440
 We're not to

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:17.460
 panic, but it's

00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:17.859
 urgent.

00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:19.879
 Christ could come

00:26:19.879 --> 00:26:21.599
 any day.

00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:23.579
 We are in the

00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.440
 last days.

00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.919
 We are in the

00:26:25.919 --> 00:26:26.940
 days of salvation

00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:28.619
 between Christ's

00:26:28.619 --> 00:26:29.460
 first and second

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:29.859
 coming.

00:26:30.919 --> 00:26:32.059
 So things are

00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:32.859
 urgent, make the

00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:33.940
 most of every

00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:34.519
 opportunity.

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.920
 There is no

00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:37.460
 hobby or interest

00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:38.639
 or possession that

00:26:38.639 --> 00:26:39.420
 we can shut off

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:40.500
 from Christ and

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:41.480
 say this is ours.

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:42.579
 We're being called

00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:43.319
 here to walk in

00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:44.299
 wisdom in everything

00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:45.900
 we do so that

00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:46.559
 people might just

00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.660
 get a sense that

00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:49.359
 we are full of

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:51.059
 grace, that we are

00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:51.920
 living differently or

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.059
 the changing power of

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:53.519
 the gospel.

00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:56.099
 In all we say,

00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:57.940
 we're being called

00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:59.920
 that grace is what

00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.180
 people sense in us.

00:27:01.339 --> 00:27:02.200
 I think Ephesians

00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:03.460
 4.29 helps us

00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:04.220
 understand this.

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:05.460
 I don't think it's

00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:06.220
 saying we have to

00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:07.579
 have nice words all

00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:07.980
 the time.

00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:10.480
 Grace can be pointed

00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:11.319
 words sometimes.

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:13.859
 But Ephesians 4.29 I

00:27:13.859 --> 00:27:14.440
 think helps us

00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:15.759
 understand what our

00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.819
 speech being filled

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:17.980
 with grace means.

00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.160
 Let no corrupting

00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:21.099
 talk come out of

00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:22.879
 your mouths, but only

00:27:22.879 --> 00:27:24.200
 such as is good for

00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:26.200
 building up as fits

00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:28.139
 the occasion that it

00:27:28.139 --> 00:27:30.160
 may give grace to

00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.819
 those who hear.

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:32.980
 I found that verse

00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:33.579
 really helpful.

00:27:34.220 --> 00:27:35.599
 It's fitting to the

00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:36.019
 occasion.

00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:38.419
 You're conscious of

00:27:38.419 --> 00:27:39.599
 what does this person

00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:40.619
 need in this moment?

00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:43.039
 How can I build them

00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:43.339
 up?

00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:45.639
 It's an orientation

00:27:45.639 --> 00:27:46.240
 thing.

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:48.480
 It's not the tone of

00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:49.539
 your voice necessarily.

00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:51.159
 It's not the specific

00:27:51.159 --> 00:27:52.179
 words necessarily.

00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:54.299
 It's what's your goal.

00:27:54.899 --> 00:27:55.879
 Is it to build that

00:27:55.879 --> 00:27:56.619
 person up who's

00:27:56.619 --> 00:27:56.919
 listening?

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:01.299
 Now these are broad

00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:02.359
 commands, so can I

00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:03.679
 just narrow in on

00:28:03.679 --> 00:28:04.379
 social media?

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.579
 We don't talk about

00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:07.559
 technology and social

00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:08.079
 media much.

00:28:09.899 --> 00:28:12.219
 Is your words online

00:28:12.219 --> 00:28:13.659
 filled with grace,

00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.479
 wanting to build up

00:28:15.479 --> 00:28:18.579
 those who are

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:18.879
 listening?

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:24.040
 I stumbled on a

00:28:24.040 --> 00:28:24.820
 video this week.

00:28:25.520 --> 00:28:26.780
 It had Steve

00:28:26.780 --> 00:28:27.960
 Wozniak in the

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:28.260
 video.

00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:29.820
 He, with Steve

00:28:29.820 --> 00:28:31.100
 Jobs, helped invent

00:28:31.100 --> 00:28:32.580
 the first computer,

00:28:33.340 --> 00:28:34.140
 the Macintosh.

00:28:34.620 --> 00:28:35.420
 I was really

00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:37.160
 surprised because the

00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:38.000
 guy was praising

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.920
 Steve going, wow,

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.540
 you changed the

00:28:39.540 --> 00:28:39.740
 world.

00:28:39.860 --> 00:28:41.040
 He made this

00:28:41.040 --> 00:28:42.420
 comment, I kind of

00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:43.320
 regret what I did.

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.480
 Imagine that.

00:28:46.020 --> 00:28:47.180
 He has changed the

00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:47.760
 world as we know

00:28:47.760 --> 00:28:47.940
 it.

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:49.320
 And this guy,

00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:50.940
 I kind of regret

00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:52.600
 because of how the

00:28:52.600 --> 00:28:54.220
 tech companies are

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:56.140
 using it to

00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:57.059
 manipulate people.

00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.480
 And I think what he

00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:01.200
 meant by that was

00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:02.360
 there's a guy called

00:29:02.360 --> 00:29:03.140
 Tristan Harris.

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:04.059
 He used to work for

00:29:04.059 --> 00:29:05.120
 Google and now he's

00:29:05.120 --> 00:29:06.620
 really passionate about

00:29:06.620 --> 00:29:07.860
 trying to change how

00:29:07.860 --> 00:29:09.080
 the technology industry

00:29:09.080 --> 00:29:09.740
 operates.

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:12.340
 And he uses this

00:29:12.340 --> 00:29:14.299
 phrase that the

00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:15.640
 technology is hacking

00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:17.440
 human vulnerabilities.

00:29:17.940 --> 00:29:20.160
 hacking human

00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:20.799
 vulnerabilities.

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:25.100
 So an example of

00:29:25.100 --> 00:29:26.340
 this, like the list

00:29:26.340 --> 00:29:27.279
 in chapter three,

00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:28.440
 like all the things

00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:28.900
 we're meant to be

00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:29.720
 putting to death,

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:32.680
 all the anger and

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:34.700
 the greed, all that

00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:35.519
 self-interest.

00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:37.059
 The technology is

00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:38.080
 actually hacking that

00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:41.720
 to bring, draw that

00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.400
 out of us.

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:44.720
 So for instance, the

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.400
 social media

00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:46.019
 algorithms.

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.400
 I found out recently

00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:50.620
 that the things that

00:29:50.620 --> 00:29:53.100
 spread more, the

00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:53.840
 posts that spread

00:29:53.840 --> 00:29:54.920
 more, they're not the

00:29:54.920 --> 00:29:56.160
 balanced comments of

00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:57.320
 like giving nuance,

00:29:57.560 --> 00:29:58.720
 it's the outrage.

00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:01.420
 It's like if someone in

00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.580
 politics says something

00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:04.420
 putting down the other

00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:05.860
 side, that is the thing

00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:06.860
 that will spread.

00:30:06.859 --> 00:30:10.000
 The algorithms play on

00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.799
 our desire to be full

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:13.219
 of malice and anger.

00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:16.559
 Or for instance, the

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:18.519
 addiction of social

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:20.339
 acceptance.

00:30:21.619 --> 00:30:23.339
 You can post something

00:30:23.339 --> 00:30:24.839
 and potentially have

00:30:24.839 --> 00:30:26.419
 dozens or hundred

00:30:26.419 --> 00:30:27.699
 people validate you

00:30:27.699 --> 00:30:28.299
 instantly.

00:30:28.719 --> 00:30:31.000
 That is addictive and

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:32.139
 the tech people know it.

00:30:32.140 --> 00:30:34.520
 So that's what he's

00:30:34.520 --> 00:30:35.660
 meaning, that kind of

00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:37.960
 thing, by hacking our

00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:38.480
 vulnerabilities.

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:40.900
 Like do you go back

00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:41.800
 and check your online

00:30:41.800 --> 00:30:42.820
 posts to see how many

00:30:42.820 --> 00:30:43.680
 people liked it?

00:30:44.840 --> 00:30:45.580
 Like why would you go

00:30:45.580 --> 00:30:46.160
 back and check?

00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:51.460
 I think it boils down

00:30:51.460 --> 00:30:51.880
 to this.

00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:55.080
 Do we let social media

00:30:55.080 --> 00:30:57.280
 control our sense of

00:30:57.280 --> 00:30:59.120
 self, trying to fill up

00:30:59.120 --> 00:31:00.940
 our self by our online

00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:01.420
 presence?

00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:04.540
 Or are we so full of

00:31:04.540 --> 00:31:07.420
 Christ that we control

00:31:07.420 --> 00:31:08.860
 our social media?

00:31:09.340 --> 00:31:11.540
 That we are using it to

00:31:11.540 --> 00:31:12.860
 benefit and build up

00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:14.680
 anyone who reads it?

00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:16.340
 That's the question.

00:31:16.460 --> 00:31:17.380
 Are we using it?

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:18.940
 Are we being used by it

00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:21.160
 to fill our bucket, to

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:21.820
 use that analogy?

00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:23.340
 Or are we so full of

00:31:23.340 --> 00:31:25.840
 Christ we use it as a

00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:28.780
 good tool to give grace

00:31:28.780 --> 00:31:29.980
 to those who hear us?

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:36.079
 In all we do, not just

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:37.400
 social media, but all our

00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:41.420
 choices, in all we say, we

00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:42.759
 want people to just get a

00:31:42.759 --> 00:31:44.299
 taste of grace as they

00:31:44.299 --> 00:31:45.039
 encounter us.

00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:51.440
 The fourth and final thing I

00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:52.599
 think we see in this passage

00:31:52.599 --> 00:31:56.000
 is in verses 7 to 17.

00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:00.639
 Now, all these final

00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:02.740
 greetings and greet this

00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:04.460
 person and all these things,

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:06.559
 that's a long list.

00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:08.059
 I look through the other

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:09.639
 letters and that's quite

00:32:09.639 --> 00:32:12.440
 unusual for Paul to have

00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:14.720
 such an extended list of

00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:16.480
 this person greets you and

00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:17.220
 this person greets you.

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.779
 The only other one is the

00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:19.440
 book of Romans.

00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:21.779
 I'm wondering why.

00:32:21.899 --> 00:32:23.519
 Like, we could be tempted to

00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:24.599
 just chop this off.

00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:26.980
 It's pretty useless for today.

00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:28.220
 Let's not chop it off.

00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:31.259
 Let's trust that God has it

00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:32.279
 here for our benefit.

00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:34.440
 Why might the Colossians have

00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:36.400
 benefited from all these

00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:36.839
 greetings?

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:38.680
 And therefore, why might we?

00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:42.279
 Let me just quickly survey

00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:43.079
 what's in here.

00:32:43.960 --> 00:32:46.140
 It seems to be four sections.

00:32:47.299 --> 00:32:49.120
 Verses 7 to 9 is about the

00:32:49.120 --> 00:32:50.339
 person delivering the letter.

00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:52.559
 Tychicus, I don't know if that's

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:53.640
 how you pronounce his name or

00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:53.759
 not.

00:32:54.420 --> 00:32:55.860
 He's going to expand on that

00:32:55.860 --> 00:32:56.079
 letter.

00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:58.259
 Anything that Paul meant, he

00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:59.299
 will be able to teach further.

00:32:59.659 --> 00:33:00.699
 And then you've got one

00:33:00.699 --> 00:33:01.159
 simmius.

00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:03.539
 He's a runaway slave, but he's

00:33:03.539 --> 00:33:08.139
 to be treated as who he is, a

00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:08.899
 beloved brother.

00:33:10.199 --> 00:33:11.579
 So you've got verses 7 to 9.

00:33:11.679 --> 00:33:12.879
 You've got the letter carriers.

00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:15.179
 Then verses 10 to 11, you've got

00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:17.539
 three Jewish gospel workers with

00:33:17.539 --> 00:33:17.759
 Paul.

00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:21.439
 Then 12 to 14, you've got three

00:33:21.439 --> 00:33:24.159
 Gentile gospel workers with

00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:24.440
 Paul.

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:27.680
 Especially Epaphras, who is

00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:28.980
 struggling in prayer for them,

00:33:29.519 --> 00:33:30.840
 filled with concern for them.

00:33:31.900 --> 00:33:35.860
 And then, verses 15 to 17, the

00:33:35.860 --> 00:33:37.740
 Colossians are told to greet the

00:33:37.740 --> 00:33:38.820
 church at Nympha's house.

00:33:39.900 --> 00:33:41.400
 They exchange letters with

00:33:41.400 --> 00:33:42.080
 Laodicea.

00:33:42.340 --> 00:33:43.800
 In other words, sit under the

00:33:43.800 --> 00:33:46.180
 authority of Paul's teaching and

00:33:46.180 --> 00:33:47.500
 for Archippus to fulfill his

00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:47.840
 ministry.

00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:50.100
 Okay, so that's just a quick

00:33:50.100 --> 00:33:50.420
 survey.

00:33:50.420 --> 00:33:55.500
 I think two things stand out in

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.019
 this section.

00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:58.460
 The first is just the affection

00:33:58.460 --> 00:34:00.580
 that the gospel creates.

00:34:01.600 --> 00:34:03.740
 When Paul earlier said that Jew and

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:06.779
 Gentile, there is no Jew and

00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:07.180
 Gentile.

00:34:07.620 --> 00:34:09.099
 Christ is all and in all.

00:34:09.820 --> 00:34:10.780
 He means it.

00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:13.820
 They are striving shoulder to

00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:14.740
 shoulder for the gospel.

00:34:15.740 --> 00:34:16.880
 There is such affection.

00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:20.380
 My beloved brother, faithful

00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:21.940
 minister, fellow servant.

00:34:23.740 --> 00:34:26.059
 This is full of affection and

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:26.500
 unity.

00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:31.200
 It breaks down social and racial

00:34:31.200 --> 00:34:32.000
 divides.

00:34:32.980 --> 00:34:33.640
 There is affection.

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:37.320
 And the second thing is it's

00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:39.940
 affection with a common purpose, the

00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:43.440
 advance of the word of Christ, both

00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:46.440
 in believers and in people coming to

00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:47.079
 be saved.

00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:50.519
 I think the Colossians are being

00:34:50.519 --> 00:34:53.280
 reminded that they are part of a

00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.380
 much broader household of faith than

00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:58.500
 just themselves and just their local

00:34:58.500 --> 00:34:59.000
 church.

00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:04.260
 Such a, which is filled with mutual

00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:08.159
 concern and affection and all striving to

00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:11.280
 see God's word bearing fruit.

00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:16.620
 This could encourage them because as they

00:35:16.620 --> 00:35:18.740
 stand apart from the false teachers, they

00:35:18.740 --> 00:35:19.880
 might feel quite alone.

00:35:20.300 --> 00:35:21.280
 They are not alone.

00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:24.560
 They are part of a wide family of faith.

00:35:30.700 --> 00:35:33.420
 The fruit of the cross puts us in a story

00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:35.760
 that's much bigger than your individual

00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:36.240
 story.

00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:37.540
 It's even bigger than grace

00:35:37.540 --> 00:35:38.060
 evangelical.

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:41.719
 We have a broader story.

00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:44.400
 We have a wider family of faith.

00:35:46.019 --> 00:35:49.460
 And it crosses all human divides.

00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:54.480
 We can have deep affection and partnership in

00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:55.779
 real time and space.

00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:59.380
 I think we can express this reality.

00:36:00.299 --> 00:36:01.440
 We already did it, didn't we?

00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:04.279
 The Hunter Gospel Ministries conferences.

00:36:04.280 --> 00:36:10.700
 Isn't there something deeply encouraging about

00:36:10.700 --> 00:36:14.460
 meeting other people who believe the same

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:16.560
 gospel, different faces, different names,

00:36:16.700 --> 00:36:17.420
 same gospel?

00:36:18.260 --> 00:36:20.960
 Somehow you just, even if you can't speak the

00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:23.519
 same language, sometimes you can just, you

00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:27.160
 have the same, I don't know what to call it,

00:36:27.220 --> 00:36:29.060
 spirit, let's call it spirit, Holy Spirit.

00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:32.480
 There's just this affection that you can have that

00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:33.759
 crosses cultures.

00:36:35.539 --> 00:36:39.019
 When we pray for people, we can express this.

00:36:40.219 --> 00:36:44.079
 I think when we visit places on holidays and we go to a

00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:49.059
 different church, we can express this same gospel, just

00:36:49.059 --> 00:36:52.519
 different places, different faces.

00:36:52.519 --> 00:37:03.440
 As we're called into the mission of Christ, his passion to

00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:06.659
 save people, we have to have broader horizons than just

00:37:06.659 --> 00:37:07.840
 grace evangelical church.

00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:12.480
 We are part of his global family of faith.

00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:16.159
 So let's be spurred on by that.

00:37:16.759 --> 00:37:19.900
 Whenever we're feeling alone as the only ones trying to be

00:37:19.900 --> 00:37:24.460
 faithful or when we get too narrow-minded, we need to

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:28.579
 remember we're part of a much bigger family of faith.

00:37:28.660 --> 00:37:29.820
 You want to see the gospel spread.

00:37:32.900 --> 00:37:38.480
 So we can be joined to Christ's mission to fill empty

00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:44.280
 people as we struggle to rely on his grace, as we hold the

00:37:44.280 --> 00:37:49.400
 ropes of prayer for those who speak, as we make the most of

00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:54.260
 the time, as we strive shoulder to shoulder with other

00:37:54.260 --> 00:37:59.360
 gospel churches in Newcastle and others, we have the privilege

00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:00.200
 of meeting.

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:03.880
 We can strive and show a counterculture.

00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:10.880
 So let me just briefly finish by asking our usual question.

00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:15.599
 What will keep us from seeking fullness for those who are

00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:15.820
 empty?

00:38:16.039 --> 00:38:19.920
 What will get in the road of passion for Christ's mission to

00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:21.680
 reconcile empty people to himself?

00:38:24.880 --> 00:38:28.019
 We could talk about a lot of things, but I just want to pick one.

00:38:28.019 --> 00:38:33.380
 And the reason I've picked this is because it's just a constant

00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:34.699
 theme in this letter.

00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:38.079
 It just keeps coming up again and again and again.

00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:40.500
 And that is thankfulness.

00:38:44.759 --> 00:38:50.719
 I think our passion for the grace of Christ reaching more and more

00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:57.099
 people will depend on how thankful we are for the grace that is

00:38:57.099 --> 00:38:57.440
 ours.

00:38:58.579 --> 00:39:04.259
 If our lips say that Christ is our life, he is so good, and yet our

00:39:04.259 --> 00:39:09.699
 hearts aren't full of thankfulness, why would we expect others to

00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:10.339
 believe us?

00:39:12.599 --> 00:39:14.339
 There's an inconsistency there.

00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:15.699
 That's a negative way of putting it.

00:39:16.699 --> 00:39:22.079
 But the positive way of putting it is God is calling us to fight the

00:39:22.079 --> 00:39:26.559
 fight of joy, of thankfulness for all the grace that is ours.

00:39:27.099 --> 00:39:34.940
 For people to encounter in us something just different, thankfulness in

00:39:34.940 --> 00:39:40.539
 any situation is, especially in the hard situations, is strange in this

00:39:40.539 --> 00:39:40.819
 world.

00:39:40.820 --> 00:39:49.280
 It's so easy to complain and seek your own interests, but thankfulness for grace all

00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:55.380
 the time will both motivate mission because we'll realise the grace we have and it will

00:39:55.380 --> 00:39:56.800
 stand apart from this world.

00:39:56.900 --> 00:40:01.780
 It will show that we have a fullness that isn't dependent on our circumstances.

00:40:01.780 --> 00:40:10.000
 So I just want to finish up by reminding us of all we've got to be thankful for, for the

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:11.560
 grace that is ours in this letter.

00:40:12.240 --> 00:40:13.860
 So I'm just going to jump to four verses.

00:40:13.860 --> 00:40:17.120
 The first is chapter 1, verse 13.

00:40:20.700 --> 00:40:21.840
 Verse 12, sorry.

00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.800
 12 and 13.

00:40:28.700 --> 00:40:37.640
 We're to be giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance

00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:39.759
 of the saints in light.

00:40:40.859 --> 00:40:48.159
 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved

00:40:48.159 --> 00:40:51.359
 son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:56.239
 I don't know what's going on in your life, but you can always be thankful for that.

00:40:57.239 --> 00:41:03.639
 You are qualified for the inheritance, that eternal new creation.

00:41:03.639 --> 00:41:10.559
 It started in your heart and it's going to finish up the whole world, your body as well.

00:41:11.259 --> 00:41:13.059
 We can always be thankful for that.

00:41:14.920 --> 00:41:18.319
 We can be jumping to chapter 3, verse 17.

00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:22.480
 Our calling.

00:41:23.219 --> 00:41:26.400
 We have the highest meaning and purpose in Christ now.

00:41:27.839 --> 00:41:32.679
 Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

00:41:33.639 --> 00:41:34.900
 We're always representing him.

00:41:36.059 --> 00:41:39.539
 Giving thanks to God the Father through him.

00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:43.960
 We are an ambassador of grace now.

00:41:45.359 --> 00:41:50.099
 We have, I don't know what menial, difficult thing you're going through.

00:41:50.099 --> 00:41:54.199
 That is an opportunity to be an ambassador of grace.

00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:59.659
 Giving thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

00:41:59.659 --> 00:42:02.579
 We have the highest meaning and purpose.

00:42:04.699 --> 00:42:09.599
 And we're not alone in trying to do that like we've seen in chapter 4, verse 2 today.

00:42:10.039 --> 00:42:15.099
 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

00:42:15.099 --> 00:42:20.500
 We have constant, present grace.

00:42:21.559 --> 00:42:22.199
 Power.

00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:24.099
 To live well.

00:42:27.119 --> 00:42:30.759
 We are in Christ who is seated at God's right hand.

00:42:31.799 --> 00:42:34.079
 We have sovereign grace all the time.

00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:36.199
 Whatever we're going through.

00:42:37.059 --> 00:42:38.679
 Isn't that reason to be thankful?

00:42:38.679 --> 00:42:50.699
 And to finish, as Paul started this letter in chapter 1, verse 3, we can be thankful.

00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.359
 Paul says, he starts by praising God.

00:42:54.460 --> 00:43:01.480
 I always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.

00:43:02.259 --> 00:43:03.759
 And their love and their hope.

00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:14.020
 So, as we see others growing in their faith, as we see people coming to faith, that should just produce thankfulness in us.

00:43:15.600 --> 00:43:18.400
 Thankfulness to the Father that his grace is at work.

00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:24.860
 So, I think, will we be a culture of thankfulness in this church?

00:43:24.860 --> 00:43:31.140
 Remembering God's grace will empower us to want grace to go to others.

00:43:31.960 --> 00:43:40.700
 And having that thankful spirit will just show how full we are in a world that desperately needs it.

00:43:42.220 --> 00:43:43.200
 Will you pray with me?

00:43:43.320 --> 00:43:43.640
 Let's pray.

00:43:43.640 --> 00:43:43.700
 Let's pray.

00:43:43.700 --> 00:43:43.720
 Let's pray.

00:43:54.860 --> 00:44:05.720
 Lord Jesus, we praise you as the one who created all things, whether things in heaven or things on earth.

00:44:06.620 --> 00:44:07.860
 You created us.

00:44:08.579 --> 00:44:11.000
 All things are created by you and for you.

00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:25.320
 We praise you that despite all our attempts to be sovereign ourselves and to live apart from you, that you opened the door of faith in our own hearts.

00:44:25.860 --> 00:44:29.139
 That you persevered and pursued us.

00:44:29.480 --> 00:44:35.300
 And that you have reconciled us to yourself through your blood, making peace.

00:44:35.300 --> 00:44:44.880
 Lord, thank you for qualifying us for the inheritance that is surely coming, that we've got the first fruits of already.

00:44:45.900 --> 00:44:52.280
 Lord, please continually refresh our hearts in this grace.

00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:54.320
 Help keep us from being self-pitying.

00:44:54.840 --> 00:44:56.640
 Keep us from being complaining.

00:44:58.060 --> 00:45:03.240
 Please help us to be people who are full of thanks, even and especially in the hard times.

00:45:03.239 --> 00:45:10.919
 Lord, we pray this so that we might give you the response of gratitude that you deserve.

00:45:11.039 --> 00:45:23.439
 But we also pray this so that we might be just an aroma of life to those who are trying to find life in all the wrong places.

00:45:24.099 --> 00:45:29.000
 So please be using us as a church for your glory and the salvation of many.

00:45:29.779 --> 00:45:31.239
 In Jesus' name, amen.

00:45:33.239 --> 00:45:33.899
 Amen.

00:45:33.899 --> 00:45:34.839
 Amen.

00:45:34.979 --> 00:45:35.699
 Amen.

00:45:35.779 --> 00:45:36.079
 Amen.

00:45:36.079 --> 00:45:36.219
 Amen.

00:45:37.919 --> 00:45:38.059
 Amen.

00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:39.039
 We pray this so that you are in your heart.

00:45:39.039 --> 00:45:39.899
 Amen.

00:45:39.919 --> 00:45:40.179
 Amen.

00:45:40.779 --> 00:45:41.159
 Amen.

00:45:41.159 --> 00:45:41.919
 Amen.

00:45:42.099 --> 00:45:42.379
 Amen.

00:45:42.519 --> 00:45:42.719
 Amen.

00:45:43.259 --> 00:45:43.519
 Amen.

00:45:43.519 --> 00:45:44.000
 É.

00:45:44.059 --> 00:45:44.399
 Amen.

00:45:44.559 --> 00:45:45.559
 Amen.

00:45:45.559 --> 00:45:46.099
 Amen.

00:45:46.099 --> 00:45:46.839
 Amen.

00:45:47.299 --> 00:45:47.479
 Amen.

00:45:57.579 --> 00:45:58.479
 Amen.

00:45:58.479 --> 00:45:59.159
 Amen.

00:45:59.159 --> 00:45:59.199
 Amen.

00:45:59.199 --> 00:46:00.299
 Amen.

00:46:00.299 --> 00:46:00.599
 Amen.

00:46:00.699 --> 00:46:02.399
 Amen.

00:46:02.399 --> 00:46:03.059
 Amen.

00:46:03.199 --> 00:46:03.219
 Amen.