WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.240 Good morning and welcome everybody to our annual Mission Sunday and always one of the highlights 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:16.179 in the church calendar. It's really disappointing and therefore that we can't all gather together 00:00:16.179 --> 00:00:22.859 to share in it but hopefully we'll bring a taste of it to our homes as we go through the day. 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:27.859 Welcome if you're new and joining with us. We hope you'll be encouraged to think about God's 00:00:27.859 --> 00:00:36.060 global kingdom and to join with us. For the rest of the day you can check your email schedule. 00:00:37.019 --> 00:00:44.539 12 o'clock we have Zoom coffee with Matthew, one of our students who's back in India doing ministry 00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:50.719 with his dad so we'll hear an update from him. We've got a seminar at 5.30 on praying for the 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:57.939 suffering church and at 8 o'clock we're going to get an update about a church and mission in Myanmar 00:00:57.939 --> 00:01:06.980 and a chance to pray. Quick book plug, I've got a few actually, for our children. I have no idea if 00:01:06.980 --> 00:01:12.480 it's going to be back to front or not but A Taste of Asia produced by OMF. This is a great book, we've 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:18.900 just finished it. Great help for families wanting to engage with mission, to learn about God's church 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:26.420 taste of Asia. I can definitely recommend that one. Maybe for slightly older children but again great 00:01:26.420 --> 00:01:31.459 for families. This one's called A Window on the World. Maybe you've used Operation World. Well this 00:01:31.459 --> 00:01:38.780 is the kids version. Gives lots of really helpful information and stories to help families to pray 00:01:38.780 --> 00:01:44.700 and engage with global mission. And I might have plugged this one last year because I really enjoyed 00:01:44.700 --> 00:01:50.299 it so I'm going to do it again. Dispatches from the Front by Tim Kesey, a journalist who goes to visit 00:01:50.299 --> 00:01:57.060 hard places where it's hard to be a Christian and looks to encourage and to learn and to share their 00:01:57.060 --> 00:02:04.159 stories. That's a really excellent book for helping us realise some of the challenges and to be encouraged 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:10.460 by what God is doing in hard places. You can get in touch with me if you want to know more about any of 00:02:10.460 --> 00:02:19.240 those. I always like to talk about books. Our call to worship is from Psalm 67. Speaking of books, 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:27.719 John Piper in his book Let the Nations Be Glad famously said, missions exist because worship 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:34.420 doesn't. And what we have in Psalm 67 is a mission psalm, a prayer that the nations would worship, 00:02:34.540 --> 00:02:41.040 that they would see and recognise the glory of God. So let me read verse 3 to 5 as we begin together. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:49.659 May the peoples praise you God. May all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:57.199 For you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you God. 00:02:57.719 --> 00:03:05.019 May all the peoples praise you. And we're going to join our voices to praise God and we're also going 00:03:05.020 --> 00:03:10.659 to remember God's global kingdom as we sing our opening song Across the Lands. 00:03:10.659 --> 00:03:40.639 May the peoples praise you God and we're going to join our voices. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:04:10.619 May the peoples praise you God and we're going to join our voices. 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:22.639 Yet you left the gaze of angels, came to seek and save the lost, and exchanged the joy of heaven 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:34.379 for the anguish of a cross. With a prayer you fed the hungry, with a word you come to see. 00:04:34.379 --> 00:04:50.639 Yet how silently you suffer that the guilty may go free. You're the author of creation. You're the Lord of every man. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:57.639 And your cry of love rings out across the land. 00:04:57.639 --> 00:04:59.639 When I shout you rose victorious. 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:25.639 When I shout you rose victorious. Resting victory from the grave. And ascended into heaven. Leaning captives in your way. Now you stand before the Father. Interceding for your own. 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:47.639 You're the author of creation. You're the Lord of every man. You're the Lord of every man. And your cry of love rings out across the land. 00:05:47.639 --> 00:06:03.639 You're the author of creation. You're the Lord of every man. You're the Lord of every man. And your cry of love rings out across the land. 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:23.879 And now we'll pray together. And we'll have a special focus on missions in our prayer. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:30.259 Some of our friends and missions partners. So let's pray together. 00:06:31.659 --> 00:06:38.100 Lord God, thank you that we can acknowledge you as the one true and living God. 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:44.680 The one who is King of kings and Lord of lords. That you rule over all the nations. 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:50.220 We thank you that as we gather in our separate homes. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:53.840 We are part of a global church. 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:59.460 Worshipping Jesus as Lord in very different settings from ours. 00:07:00.259 --> 00:07:02.180 Some will be restricted. 00:07:02.899 --> 00:07:06.420 Some will be in vast church buildings. 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:10.019 Others will be meeting as groups in homes. 00:07:10.019 --> 00:07:14.159 Perhaps secretly others will be meeting outdoors. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.379 Some will be meeting in prison camps. 00:07:18.060 --> 00:07:22.060 But all of us have tasted and seen that you are good. 00:07:22.620 --> 00:07:24.240 And praising the Lord Jesus forever. 00:07:24.359 --> 00:07:28.539 We thank you that the good news has come to us. 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:33.519 That you enabled us to have the Bible read. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:38.259 And preach so that we could hear about your love in sending Jesus. 00:07:38.799 --> 00:07:41.419 To be the one who would come to be our saviour. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.019 To forgive our sins. 00:07:43.159 --> 00:07:44.699 To give us eternal life. 00:07:44.799 --> 00:07:47.219 To bring us into your family. 00:07:47.359 --> 00:07:49.379 To make peace between us and yourself. 00:07:49.379 --> 00:07:52.560 And we pray that that good news of great joy. 00:07:52.719 --> 00:07:57.279 Of a saviour who has come would spread through the nations of the world. 00:07:57.779 --> 00:08:01.799 So that you would receive the glory and praise and honour that you deserve. 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:06.980 And so that many more men and women and boys and girls would have joy in their hearts. 00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:09.879 From coming to know the one true God for themselves. 00:08:11.020 --> 00:08:13.860 Lord we thank you that we can bring the nations before you. 00:08:13.900 --> 00:08:17.540 We think of the many unreached people groups that there still are. 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:21.780 Those who have not had the opportunity to hear about Jesus. 00:08:22.460 --> 00:08:25.939 We think especially of the nation of Japan. 00:08:26.139 --> 00:08:29.319 The second largest unreached people group in the world. 00:08:29.379 --> 00:08:30.920 And we pray for our friend Ken. 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:35.159 And we thank you for that small church that he's a part of. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:38.220 For their Bible teaching. 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:39.820 For their warm fellowship. 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:42.659 We pray that you'd help them to be salt and light. 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:49.779 Lord we pray that you would break down barriers of resistance to the Christian faith in Japan. 00:08:50.440 --> 00:08:55.600 And we pray for missionaries and Bible teachers to be raised up. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:57.960 So that unreached people would hear. 00:08:57.960 --> 00:08:59.360 So they might believe. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.960 Lord we also pray for those engaged in mission to other faiths. 00:09:05.560 --> 00:09:10.259 And we recognise the challenges and the sensitivity and the wisdom that's required. 00:09:10.920 --> 00:09:14.960 We think of our friend Oki working in Indonesia. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:19.500 Indonesia is the largest Muslim population in the world. 00:09:19.500 --> 00:09:22.680 We pray for their church. 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:27.719 And we ask that you would continue to build them up in their faith. 00:09:27.719 --> 00:09:34.579 And give them opportunity and desire to share the gospel with their neighbours. 00:09:34.839 --> 00:09:37.919 We thank you for the Bible college that he's a part of. 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:45.579 And as they look to train missionaries and church planters for their nation. 00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:53.159 That you would equip them to bring the gospel to those who maybe have not heard it. 00:09:53.199 --> 00:09:55.399 Or those who are perhaps resistant to it. 00:09:55.779 --> 00:09:59.659 Lord we remember Suraj and his work in Nepal. 00:09:59.659 --> 00:10:02.500 We pray for courage. 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:06.000 We pray for power as he preaches and teaches. 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:10.539 That you would continue to draw people to Jesus as Lord there. 00:10:11.019 --> 00:10:17.759 We think of Pastor Titus and others engaged in church work in Myanmar. 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:20.579 We ask that you would encourage them. 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:24.620 We pray today that you would build them up in their faith. 00:10:24.620 --> 00:10:28.960 That as they look to plant other churches. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:33.899 As folks look to care for orphans and for orphanages. 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:37.299 That your spirit would be with them. 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:40.379 That you would continue to build your church there. 00:10:41.100 --> 00:10:44.500 We think of the vital work of Bible translation. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:49.820 We thank you for those who will use their language gifts to give up years. 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:51.580 In order to learn a language. 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:52.680 To write it down. 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:57.059 So as to put the Bible into people's hands. 00:10:57.299 --> 00:11:03.479 We pray that you would encourage and give skill and perseverance to those who are involved. 00:11:03.859 --> 00:11:07.339 That as they live in communities that their lives would be pointing to Jesus. 00:11:08.179 --> 00:11:10.939 We thank you for the work of Bible distribution. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.259 We think of Bible societies all around the world. 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:21.139 As they are so persuaded of the power of your word to transform lives. 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:24.419 That they look to put it into the hands of the people. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:28.439 We pray that as people receive Bibles for the first time. 00:11:28.860 --> 00:11:31.379 That it would build people in faith or draw people to faith. 00:11:32.059 --> 00:11:39.399 Lord we think of agencies involved in training new workers for churches. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:41.799 Those who would teach and preach and plant churches. 00:11:41.939 --> 00:11:43.299 Those who would be evangelists. 00:11:43.299 --> 00:11:48.979 We thank you for ETS and the fact that it can train people for at home and for wider afield. 00:11:48.979 --> 00:11:53.299 We think of Dumasani in South Africa. 00:11:53.599 --> 00:12:00.219 And we ask that those who teach and those who are being taught would be faithful. 00:12:00.599 --> 00:12:01.679 That they would be equipped. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:09.159 And that you would use them to bring the good news of the Lord Jesus to many in that nation. 00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:12.239 Now we think of Moses working in Taiwan. 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:15.299 We think of Sasha working in Moscow. 00:12:15.299 --> 00:12:24.120 And we pray that you would use them and their organisations to allow more and more people 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:28.419 to know the truth that is found in the Lord Jesus. 00:12:28.419 --> 00:12:31.459 We think of our friends the Reannos in Colombia. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:37.679 As they look to encourage and to pastor and to counsel those who are involved in ministry. 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:42.379 And we pray that by their strong support and by their biblical wisdom. 00:12:43.099 --> 00:12:48.679 That they might encourage and keep people serving you. 00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:50.139 And serving the church. 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:52.079 So that your glory would spread. 00:12:52.819 --> 00:12:57.299 Lord we ask that you would give us a sense of your glory and greatness. 00:12:57.299 --> 00:13:01.879 That we would want to be part of your mission endeavour. 00:13:02.359 --> 00:13:06.879 That by our prayers, by our giving and perhaps for some of us by our going. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:11.959 We would be part of seeing your kingdom come. 00:13:12.539 --> 00:13:15.199 And your will being done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:13:15.819 --> 00:13:18.919 We pray this so that you would be glorified. 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:20.359 In Jesus name. 00:13:20.939 --> 00:13:21.419 Amen. 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:21.500 Amen. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:29.240 So now it's an absolute privilege for me to be able to hand over to Carl Dalfred. 00:13:30.079 --> 00:13:32.979 Carl and son have been with us for a number of years. 00:13:33.639 --> 00:13:37.819 They are OMF missionaries working in Thailand. 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:41.679 But back here for Carl to do his PhD if you don't know them. 00:13:41.719 --> 00:13:44.659 And they're hoping to return shortly. 00:13:44.959 --> 00:13:46.139 So they'll be leaving us soon. 00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:49.759 So it's wonderful for us to have Carl preach for us one more time. 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:51.939 And we'll also have a chance on Wednesday. 00:13:53.220 --> 00:13:55.340 Quick plug for Wednesday. 00:13:55.939 --> 00:13:59.600 Carl and son are going to talk a little about their story. 00:13:59.699 --> 00:14:01.480 About their sense of call to the mission field. 00:14:01.580 --> 00:14:07.240 Tell us a little bit about what the church is like in Thailand. 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:10.519 So that's a call at 8 o'clock on Wednesday. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:16.240 But now it's a pleasure to have Carl to read God's word and to bring it to us. 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:16.919 Thanks Carl. 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:24.360 This morning's Bible reading comes from 2 Corinthians 10 verses 12 to 18. 00:14:24.779 --> 00:14:28.159 And Romans 15, 17 to 21. 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:30.159 First 2 Corinthians. 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:38.759 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. 00:14:39.319 --> 00:14:44.500 When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:48.419 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits. 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:54.000 But we'll confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.679 A sphere that also includes you. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:15:01.339 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you. 00:15:02.359 --> 00:15:06.019 For we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 00:15:06.819 --> 00:15:10.099 Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:17.079 Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand. 00:15:17.439 --> 00:15:20.579 So that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:24.959 For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else's territory. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:29.019 But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:15:29.439 --> 00:15:34.479 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 00:15:37.219 --> 00:15:41.799 And then our next scripture reading, Romans 15 verses 17 to 21. 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:47.359 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:55.779 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done. 00:15:56.139 --> 00:16:00.319 By the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. 00:16:00.719 --> 00:16:06.299 So from Jerusalem all the way around to Elysium, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:10.459 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. 00:16:10.839 --> 00:16:13.519 So that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. 00:16:14.199 --> 00:16:18.659 Rather, as it is written, those who were not told about him will see. 00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:22.979 And those who have not heard will understand. 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:31.519 This morning we celebrate Mission Sunday, an annual event here at Beklue Church. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:38.440 But this year, Mission Sunday, when we normally think about missionary outreach around the world, 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:42.100 it feels a little bit different because of lockdown and because of restrictions. 00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:47.040 Generally, when we, in the church, we think about world missions or global missions, 00:16:47.040 --> 00:16:54.420 we think about going out there, meeting people, sharing the gospel, traveling, proclaiming Christ across cultures. 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.840 But this past year, we've all been home a lot. 00:16:58.379 --> 00:17:04.779 And it's been very tempting to not think beyond our own household, our own limitations. 00:17:04.779 --> 00:17:09.379 Jesus said, go and make disciples. 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:13.319 But this past year, it's just frankly been difficult to go much of any place. 00:17:13.379 --> 00:17:14.059 It's been difficult. 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:24.839 So in this context, when we're all dealing with more limitations and more restrictions than we've had in the past, 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:26.319 how are we to think about missions? 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:30.160 How are we to think about sharing the gospel cross-culturally to the ends of the earth 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.220 when we're expected to stay home and to limit our contact with others? 00:17:34.779 --> 00:17:38.940 To think about this, to help us think about what missions means in our current context, 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:46.879 I want to take a look at the heart of the Apostle Paul, the missionary heart of the Apostle Paul. 00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:53.480 Paul was a man who knew about serving God in spite of external circumstances outside of his control. 00:17:54.879 --> 00:17:59.940 You see, Paul, at various points, he had been imprisoned, beaten, near death. 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:02.759 At one point, he was in jail for two years. 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:06.200 Now, that's a longer lockdown than I think any of us have experienced yet. 00:18:06.900 --> 00:18:10.519 Five times, Paul got the 40 lashes minus one. 00:18:10.859 --> 00:18:11.599 He was stoned. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:13.859 He was shipwrecked three times, in fact. 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:18.180 One time, he was adrift at sea for one night and one whole day. 00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:22.920 A day doesn't seem like a lot, but if you're drifting at sea, I am sure it seems much longer. 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:28.960 However, Paul said, this is in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, I'm sorry, chapter 11. 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:36.519 He said he was in danger from his own countrymen, from the Jews, danger from Gentiles, danger from robbers, danger from false brothers. 00:18:37.080 --> 00:18:40.019 He suffered hunger and thirst, cold and exposure. 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:43.059 All these things were outside of his control. 00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:50.539 Yet, somehow, in the midst of this, somehow, Paul remained content and he remained focused on his calling. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.379 How did he do that? 00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:59.120 In the book of Philippians, chapter 4, starting in verse 11, Paul said, 00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:02.840 I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. 00:19:03.340 --> 00:19:06.280 I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have plenty. 00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:11.000 I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. 00:19:11.820 --> 00:19:13.700 Think about that, any and every situation. 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:20.980 Whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want, I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:26.080 Now, from a human perspective, I find this just simply amazing. 00:19:27.080 --> 00:19:28.080 How can you do this? 00:19:28.840 --> 00:19:35.299 But when the Holy Spirit helps us to refocus on Christ and to trust in him, such an attitude, it's not impossible. 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:40.480 Myself, personally, I still struggle with contentedness and the temptation to complain. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:44.940 But through the Holy Spirit, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can all grow in this area. 00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:52.500 In the midst of all his circumstances, as Paul was learning this secret of contentment, 00:19:53.380 --> 00:19:56.740 he maintained his focus on serving Christ. 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:03.839 In the book of Acts, in chapter 20, when he was visiting with the elders from the church at Ephesus, 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:05.460 Paul said this. 00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:08.559 This is Acts 20, verse 24. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.180 He said this. 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:11.700 I consider my life worth nothing to me. 00:20:12.080 --> 00:20:16.480 My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:21.340 The task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.740 Now, what was Paul's call? 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:27.960 What characterized his missionary heart? 00:20:28.100 --> 00:20:29.360 And where did that heart come from? 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:32.900 It's those three questions that I want to look at briefly this morning. 00:20:33.080 --> 00:20:34.279 What was Paul's call? 00:20:34.660 --> 00:20:35.779 What was his missionary call? 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:38.039 What characterized his missionary heart? 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:39.859 And where did that heart come from? 00:20:40.819 --> 00:20:44.480 So let's take a look first at Paul's missionary call. 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:52.000 Paul, as many of you may know, was not always a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:21:00.859 In the book of Acts, in chapter 9, we find the dramatic story of his conversion from Saul, a Pharisee who hated Christ and was persecuting the church, 00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:06.480 to one of the foremost servants of Christ, an apostle to the Gentiles. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:21.839 Paul's call, as it was primarily a call to Christ, to loyalty and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:29.199 As Christians, our primary commitment is not to a cause or to an ideal or to a goal. 00:21:29.679 --> 00:21:30.659 It's to a person. 00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:32.519 It's to Christ himself. 00:21:33.179 --> 00:21:37.319 Our identity, our meaning, our purpose in life is found in Christ. 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:42.839 Paul's conversion on that Damascus road, it transformed him. 00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:47.000 It transformed his identity, his purpose in life, and his loyalty. 00:21:47.439 --> 00:21:53.079 It changed him from loyalty to self to loyalty to Christ. 00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:58.899 In a general way, that's what happens to all of us who are Christians. 00:21:58.899 --> 00:22:09.599 God calls us from serving ourselves to wholly and fully serving him, receiving forgiveness from Christ and reconciliation with God. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:16.539 We were estranged from God, condemned, being children of wrath, who will be judged for our sins. 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:22.699 But now, as Christians, we are reconciled, saved, forgiven, adopted as sons and daughters. 00:22:22.700 --> 00:22:24.460 That's our identity as Christians. 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:33.140 Paul's call and the call on all of our lives is founded in that identity that we are Christ and our loyalty is to him. 00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:43.180 Paul's call to the Gentiles was a specific application of the general call that all of us have. 00:22:43.340 --> 00:22:46.640 In Matthew 28, verses 18 to 20, Jesus said, 00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:48.539 Go and make disciples of all nations. 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:53.119 Now, that doesn't necessarily mean physical travel, but indicates intentionality. 00:22:53.539 --> 00:22:58.200 Not all of us are going to go to the other side of the world to proclaim the gospel. 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:02.299 But as we go, we are to make disciples. 00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:07.319 In word and deed, we are to do things and say things that point other people to Christ. 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:10.839 As it were, we are representatives of Christ. 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:20.299 Paul spoke specifically about this, our role as representatives, in 2 Corinthians 5, where he calls us ambassadors. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:23.539 He said in 2 Corinthians 5.20, 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:29.039 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 00:23:30.379 --> 00:23:34.079 We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:23:34.399 --> 00:23:35.759 What does an ambassador do? 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:47.680 When the ambassador for the UK goes to some other country, then what he or she says and does is understood as being the will and action of the UK as a whole. 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:52.900 That person, that ambassador, is a stand-in for the whole country. 00:23:52.900 --> 00:24:09.440 As Christ's ambassadors, the things that we say and we do as Christians should be and are, for good or for ill, understood as who Christ is and what he does. 00:24:10.080 --> 00:24:13.460 So, if we're ambassadors of Christ, how should we speak? 00:24:13.600 --> 00:24:16.740 How should we act so that people know who Christ is? 00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:19.819 That's our role as ambassadors. 00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:28.500 That was Paul's role as an ambassador, specifically an ambassador, a representative, an apostle, a messenger to the Gentiles. 00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:33.059 That was Paul's call, an ambassador of Christ. 00:24:33.140 --> 00:24:34.680 How did he try to fulfill that call? 00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:44.339 Acts chapter 13, we see Paul and Barnabas set apart by the church at Antioch, and they traveled around the Roman Empire. 00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:52.619 Paul preached, he discipled, he established churches, but there are many obstacles to him fulfilling that calling. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:59.859 There are many obstacles for us today in fulfilling God's call upon our lives. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:07.639 Now, regardless of what our circumstances are and what we can or cannot do under current conditions, 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:18.380 I think it's helpful for us to look at Paul's missionary heart, because even though Paul was sometimes restricted in what he could do, his heart didn't change. 00:25:18.560 --> 00:25:25.680 He still had the same focus and the same motivation, even though temporarily he may not have been ideally in the place that he wanted to be, 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:28.800 or having the experiences that he wanted to experience. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:34.579 He trusted in God's sovereignty, that no matter where he was, God's hand was somehow in that, 00:25:34.899 --> 00:25:44.139 and that he was able to be obedient to God in those circumstances, even if it didn't look like what he thought it should have looked like at that time. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:49.319 So, two characteristics, two characteristics of Paul's missionary heart. 00:25:50.879 --> 00:25:55.059 Pastoral care and evangelistic advance. 00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:57.759 Pastoral care and evangelistic advance. 00:25:57.859 --> 00:25:59.899 These two things were in his heart. 00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:03.480 First of all, pastoral care. 00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:08.460 As Paul traveled around and preached, sometimes he stayed a short time, sometimes a long time. 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:14.319 Partially, sometimes he just only stayed a short time because he was driven out of town, he was persecuted, he was stoned, 00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:16.759 that he had opponents who drove him away. 00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:26.299 But even when Paul was only able to stay someplace a short time or not be able to visit the believers in the various churches like he wanted to, 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:28.160 he was still thinking about them. 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:29.299 He was praying for them. 00:26:29.539 --> 00:26:30.799 He was writing letters to them. 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:35.279 He was planning for the future when he could come back and visit them. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:45.519 And when he wasn't able to go personally, he would send others in his place to check up on and care for the churches that he was connected with. 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:54.339 Now, in the case of the Corinthians, this morning for our scripture reading, one of them, our scripture readings was from 2 Corinthians chapter 10. 00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:57.819 Now, what's the background for the Corinthian church? 00:26:57.899 --> 00:27:00.279 What was Paul's connection with Corinth? 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:02.000 Paul had visited there. 00:27:02.099 --> 00:27:03.879 He preached in Corinth. 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:06.399 He saw the birth of a new church there. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.440 So in many ways, he was the father. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:10.639 He was the founder of the church in Corinth. 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:18.619 And despite opposition, he stayed there for a year and a half under the protection of the Holy Spirit. 00:27:18.940 --> 00:27:22.379 And he preached, he discipled, he built up the church at Corinth. 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:24.379 Later on, he had to move on. 00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:29.539 But after Paul had left town, problems developed in the Corinthian church. 00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:31.440 There was sexual immorality. 00:27:31.859 --> 00:27:34.279 There was abuse of spiritual gifts and more. 00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:36.200 So what did Paul do? 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:38.159 He couldn't get back there right away. 00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:40.440 So he wrote letters to them to address the problems. 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:42.420 Eventually, he made another visit. 00:27:42.980 --> 00:27:49.279 And when we get to the book of 2 Corinthians, he's laying down plans to visit them again. 00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:53.940 But while he'd been absent this time, a new problem had developed among them. 00:27:54.379 --> 00:27:59.019 There are some false apostles, or in some translations, are called super apostles. 00:27:59.019 --> 00:28:03.319 False apostles who had wormed their way into the congregation at Corinth. 00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:06.500 Now, Paul wasn't territorial. 00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:07.819 He wasn't jealous. 00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:13.019 He wasn't opposed to other preachers coming in and building up the work that he had started. 00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:21.039 In fact, at one point, an evangelist named Apollos came after Paul to Corinth, and he was teaching the congregation. 00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:23.279 We each have our limits. 00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:26.500 We can't be in every place at every time. 00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:30.819 And there's many members to the body of Christ, and we all each have our part. 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:32.000 Paul understood this. 00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:35.220 In 1 Corinthians 3, verse 6, he says, 00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:39.460 I planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the growth. 00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:42.559 Each of us has our part to play in the body of Christ. 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:48.880 We don't all have the same gifts or same abilities, but we just do what we can with what God has given us. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:56.360 Paul wasn't interested in hogging all the honor among the Corinthians or all of their affection. 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:59.960 He wasn't lording it over them in that way. 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:02.980 But he was the spiritual father of the congregation. 00:29:03.860 --> 00:29:09.100 Now, the problem with the false apostles who would come in wasn't just that someone else was preaching there, 00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:11.460 but they were boasting. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:18.940 They were trying to exert authority and lift themselves up in the eyes of the Corinthians and push Paul down. 00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:23.400 They boasted about how great they were and all their deeds and how much they had done, 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:25.920 even beyond the limits of truth. 00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:29.500 And they were trying to push Paul out of the picture. 00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:34.440 They were saying things like, you know, Paul is mighty in his letters, but he's weak in person. 00:29:35.819 --> 00:29:38.360 Now, this was a common tactic in the ancient world, 00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:42.480 to boast about oneself and exaggerate your accomplishments. 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:48.680 It was expected that rhetoric teachers, politicians, would toot their own horns, 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:50.640 would talk about all their wonderful accomplishments, 00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:54.420 and speak derisively of their adversaries. 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:55.740 That's how you got followers. 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:58.200 That's how a rhetoric teacher got paying students. 00:29:58.200 --> 00:30:02.299 Now, in the world today, this is still not uncommon. 00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:06.519 On social media, among politicians, there's still lots of boasting and comparing. 00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:10.080 Maybe you can think of other realms of life where this still happens. 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:13.919 But Paul, Paul would have none of it. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:20.759 This just wasn't a Christian thing, comparing ourselves with others all the time, 00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:23.019 trying to push others down to lift ourselves up, 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.960 boasting about how great we are. 00:30:25.179 --> 00:30:26.500 This is not a Christian thing to do. 00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:32.859 That kind of thing is what people who want to honor themselves do. 00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:36.019 It's not what someone who wants to honor God does. 00:30:37.140 --> 00:30:41.660 But in the specific Corinthian situation, because these false apostles had come in 00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:47.799 and were boasting and lifting themselves up and trying to marginalize and push Paul out of the picture, 00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:51.899 and to get not only the respect, but also the money of the Corinthians, 00:30:52.399 --> 00:30:53.879 Paul felt like he needed to say something. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:31:00.740 His authority was being challenged, and these false apostles were having a detrimental effect upon the Corinthian church. 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.779 He had to say something. 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:09.279 So, in this context, how did Paul, the missionary founder of the church, speak about his own work? 00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:14.480 There's lessons here today for how we speak about our own work, 00:31:14.819 --> 00:31:20.680 and how we as a church should expect missionaries that we support to speak about their work. 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:25.440 The false apostles had come into Corinth, commending themselves to the Corinthians. 00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:28.180 They wanted to take control of the church. 00:31:28.180 --> 00:31:32.920 They wanted the believers there to think they should be paid for doing what they were doing 00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:35.200 and coming in and trying to control the church. 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:39.400 They were using worldly criteria for judging themselves. 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:43.420 Specifically, they were talking about their commanding presence, 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:46.680 their shows of power, authority, their impressive speech, 00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:50.279 their worthiness to merit compensation from the congregation, 00:31:50.840 --> 00:31:52.340 something that Paul had never done. 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:54.740 He didn't want to be a burden to the congregation. 00:31:54.740 --> 00:32:00.359 He got support money from elsewhere, but he didn't want to ask for money from the Corinthians themselves. 00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:06.480 These false apostles boasted of their Jewish pedigree, 00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:09.180 their endurance of hardship, their mystical visions. 00:32:10.579 --> 00:32:12.299 But Paul's response is this. 00:32:13.140 --> 00:32:16.839 He says that they have usurped God's role in evaluating their ministry 00:32:16.839 --> 00:32:19.079 and ignored the only criteria that matters, 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:21.319 what God has done in and through them. 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:23.879 Regardless of all these other credentials I could have, 00:32:24.059 --> 00:32:25.220 the thing that really matters is, 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:27.899 is God working in you and through you? 00:32:31.339 --> 00:32:35.419 It's not really what other people think about us and our work that matters. 00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:37.799 It's what God thinks. 00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:41.480 And oftentimes, we ourselves are not a good judge of our own work. 00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:45.779 And we may not really be being in a place, 00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:48.480 know enough to judge the work of other people. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:51.700 Ultimately, the only judgment that counts is God's judgment. 00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:56.620 But because Paul wanted to help the Corinthians, 00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:57.900 he cared for them. 00:32:57.980 --> 00:33:01.279 He wanted them not to be taken advantage of in this way. 00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:10.440 He set an example, and he told the Corinthians how he wanted to speak with them about his own work. 00:33:10.899 --> 00:33:14.279 And in the passage we looked at, 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:20.160 2 Corinthians 10, both before and after the passage we read, 00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:24.019 he talks about the things that it's proper to boast about. 00:33:24.139 --> 00:33:25.639 He doesn't really like using the term boasting, 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:28.420 but he feels like, well, the false apostles are boasting, 00:33:28.600 --> 00:33:30.960 and even though this is completely ridiculous to do so, 00:33:31.020 --> 00:33:31.920 it's foolish to do so, 00:33:32.280 --> 00:33:33.580 I will boast. 00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:35.060 What does Paul boast about? 00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:37.860 If it could even be termed boasting. 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:40.520 He boasted about his own weaknesses, 00:33:41.020 --> 00:33:43.660 not something you normally advertise to the world. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:46.420 He boasted about his own weaknesses, 00:33:46.920 --> 00:33:48.420 and in God's work, 00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:51.300 what God had done among the Corinthians. 00:33:55.640 --> 00:34:00.680 Paul thought it was only appropriate to speak about the work that God had assigned to him, 00:34:00.980 --> 00:34:02.460 not about someone else's work. 00:34:03.560 --> 00:34:06.500 We shouldn't be claiming for ourselves what someone else has done, 00:34:06.660 --> 00:34:07.620 and Paul said, 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:08.900 I can't do that. 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:09.740 I shouldn't do that. 00:34:10.640 --> 00:34:13.160 Paul's not trying to win respect for himself 00:34:13.160 --> 00:34:14.740 by taking, 00:34:15.160 --> 00:34:17.200 he's not trying to win respect for himself 00:34:17.200 --> 00:34:19.980 by talking of someone else's accomplishments 00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:21.220 as if they were his own. 00:34:21.219 --> 00:34:24.339 If they have done something that's worthy before God, 00:34:24.980 --> 00:34:25.659 so be it. 00:34:25.919 --> 00:34:27.480 But he can't claim that. 00:34:27.619 --> 00:34:29.679 He only wants to speak about what God has done. 00:34:30.799 --> 00:34:33.159 Another thing Paul says that he's not going to do 00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:35.759 is try to assert superiority over others. 00:34:36.179 --> 00:34:38.659 There's no room in the kingdom of God for the comparison game. 00:34:40.500 --> 00:34:43.039 In 2 Corinthians 10.18, Paul says this, 00:34:43.439 --> 00:34:46.319 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, 00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:49.099 but the one whom the Lord commends. 00:34:49.099 --> 00:34:51.559 So it doesn't matter how many people praise us, 00:34:51.619 --> 00:34:54.299 how many likes or thumbs up we get 00:34:54.299 --> 00:34:56.420 on some social media platform 00:34:56.420 --> 00:34:58.460 or how many accolades we get from the world. 00:34:58.679 --> 00:35:01.440 It's only the Lord that matters and pleasing him. 00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:05.940 Whether one person is superior or more accomplished 00:35:05.940 --> 00:35:07.380 or someone else is, 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:08.839 it doesn't really matter. 00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:12.440 Our business is only to do our best in serving God 00:35:12.440 --> 00:35:15.059 in the place that he's assigned to us. 00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:17.940 Paul didn't want these false apostles 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:20.559 setting up a bad example for the Corinthians, 00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:24.259 taking their money and setting up this worldly idea 00:35:24.259 --> 00:35:27.960 of lifting ourselves up and praising ourselves 00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:30.239 rather than praising God. 00:35:30.380 --> 00:35:32.900 There's a holy humility that needs to be modeled 00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:35.920 by a missionary, really for all of us, 00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:39.519 in only taking pride and only glorying 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:44.559 in the things that God has done in us and through us. 00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:46.980 And by extension, we can also praise God 00:35:46.980 --> 00:35:49.079 for the things that he's doing elsewhere, 00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:51.579 but not taking credit for those things ourselves. 00:35:56.260 --> 00:36:00.119 This is a picture of Paul's pastoral heart. 00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:02.119 Even though he's away from the Corinthians, 00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:03.599 he's still concerned about them. 00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:05.500 He doesn't want them to be taken advantage of. 00:36:05.819 --> 00:36:11.159 He doesn't want them to be confused 00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:12.539 about what the gospel is, 00:36:12.819 --> 00:36:15.519 about what it means to walk in faith. 00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:18.599 So this is the first part of his missionary heart, 00:36:18.759 --> 00:36:19.579 pastoral care. 00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:21.599 He may be away in body, 00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:24.059 but he's there with them in spirit. 00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:29.779 The second thing in Paul's missionary heart 00:36:29.779 --> 00:36:30.880 that's really important to notice 00:36:30.880 --> 00:36:33.800 is his desire for evangelistic advance. 00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:38.340 He cares for the Corinthians. 00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:41.019 He wants them to grow and be built up in their faith, 00:36:41.140 --> 00:36:44.140 but he wants to do more than just 00:36:44.140 --> 00:36:46.519 care for those who are already converted. 00:36:46.860 --> 00:36:48.960 He wants to be pushing beyond, 00:36:49.140 --> 00:36:52.800 to go out to where Christ has not been named already. 00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:56.220 He wants to see the church grounded in the truth 00:36:56.220 --> 00:36:58.360 and growing healthily and with joy. 00:36:58.680 --> 00:37:01.260 But there's still others who haven't yet heard the good news. 00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:02.680 What about them? 00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.900 In our world today, 00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:07.200 there's parts of the world where 00:37:07.200 --> 00:37:09.200 the name of Jesus has not been named. 00:37:09.320 --> 00:37:10.600 People don't know who he is. 00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:12.200 Or sometimes they've heard of him, 00:37:12.300 --> 00:37:13.660 but it's just a name. 00:37:13.740 --> 00:37:14.300 It's like, oh yes, 00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:16.380 that Christian God thing. 00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:19.760 Or even here in Scotland, 00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:20.440 in the UK, 00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:22.860 there's an alarming degree 00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:24.200 of biblical illiteracy. 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:27.500 If you compare people's Bible knowledge 00:37:27.500 --> 00:37:29.340 and familiarity with Christianity 00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:32.039 with, say, 50 years ago 00:37:32.039 --> 00:37:33.019 or 100 years ago 00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:34.220 or 200 years ago, 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:35.980 people just don't know the scriptures anymore. 00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:38.440 They may have heard of Jesus, 00:37:38.599 --> 00:37:39.240 heard of Christianity, 00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:40.099 know bits and pieces 00:37:40.099 --> 00:37:41.140 they've heard here and there, 00:37:41.240 --> 00:37:42.880 but have they heard the gospel? 00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:45.900 I would conjecture that many people 00:37:45.900 --> 00:37:46.700 really haven't. 00:37:46.960 --> 00:37:47.840 They may think they know 00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:48.800 what Christianity is about, 00:37:48.920 --> 00:37:49.539 but they don't. 00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:52.720 So they may know the name of Jesus, 00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:54.320 but do they know Jesus? 00:37:54.760 --> 00:37:56.260 Do they know the gospel? 00:37:56.760 --> 00:37:58.019 There's a place for us to work 00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:58.900 in our own families, 00:37:59.000 --> 00:38:00.599 in our own backyard. 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:05.579 Do we have an evangelistic heart 00:38:05.579 --> 00:38:06.579 like the Apostle Paul 00:38:06.579 --> 00:38:08.940 to bring the gospel 00:38:08.940 --> 00:38:10.320 to those who do not know the gospel, 00:38:10.640 --> 00:38:12.460 both those who think they know him, 00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:13.659 but they just know his name 00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.320 and don't know much? 00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:16.179 And also to bring the gospel 00:38:16.179 --> 00:38:17.559 further beyond 00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:19.039 to those who really 00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:20.579 have just never heard of Jesus. 00:38:22.440 --> 00:38:23.699 We see this desire 00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:25.360 in this passage 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:26.240 that we read this morning. 00:38:26.639 --> 00:38:28.260 2 Corinthians 10, 00:38:28.340 --> 00:38:29.440 verses 15 and 16. 00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:30.240 Paul says this. 00:38:30.599 --> 00:38:32.119 He says to the Corinthians, 00:38:32.340 --> 00:38:33.440 our hope is that 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:35.500 as your faith continues to grow, 00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:37.639 our sphere of activity among you 00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:38.760 will greatly expand 00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:41.340 so that we can preach the gospel 00:38:41.340 --> 00:38:42.780 in regions beyond, 00:38:43.160 --> 00:38:45.460 in regions beyond you. 00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:47.019 For we do not want to boast 00:38:47.019 --> 00:38:48.740 about work already done 00:38:48.740 --> 00:38:50.420 in someone else's territory. 00:38:52.260 --> 00:38:53.860 Paul expressed a similar sentiment 00:38:53.860 --> 00:38:55.120 to the Romans. 00:38:55.340 --> 00:38:56.400 In his letter to the Romans, 00:38:56.500 --> 00:38:57.200 chapter 15, 00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:58.440 verses 20 to 21, 00:38:59.480 --> 00:39:01.140 Paul is saying that 00:39:01.140 --> 00:39:01.820 it was his ambition 00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:02.740 to preach Christ 00:39:02.740 --> 00:39:03.500 where Christ had not 00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:04.300 already been named. 00:39:04.740 --> 00:39:06.120 In writing to the Romans, 00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:08.260 he said that he hoped 00:39:08.260 --> 00:39:08.960 to visit Rome 00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:10.240 to encourage his saints there 00:39:10.240 --> 00:39:11.559 and when he was visiting there 00:39:11.559 --> 00:39:13.039 to get some support 00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:13.900 and help from them 00:39:13.900 --> 00:39:15.519 in pushing even further 00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:17.240 east to Spain. 00:39:17.599 --> 00:39:18.320 We don't know 00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:19.679 if Paul ever got to Spain, 00:39:20.119 --> 00:39:21.559 but he certainly wanted to. 00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:22.199 It was a good thing 00:39:22.199 --> 00:39:24.179 that he wanted to get there. 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:24.760 Now, 00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:27.300 in this past year, 00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:28.300 we probably all had 00:39:28.300 --> 00:39:29.539 things that we wish 00:39:29.539 --> 00:39:30.179 we could have done. 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:32.280 We may have had travel plans 00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:33.280 or events 00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:34.699 we wanted to do 00:39:34.699 --> 00:39:36.159 or people we wanted to see, 00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:38.799 but we never got to them. 00:39:39.239 --> 00:39:40.039 Circumstances changed 00:39:40.039 --> 00:39:41.139 and we weren't able to do 00:39:41.139 --> 00:39:42.500 what we wanted to do. 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:46.179 But even if we can't do 00:39:46.179 --> 00:39:47.079 all that we want to do, 00:39:47.779 --> 00:39:49.319 it's good that we have 00:39:49.319 --> 00:39:51.079 motivations to do those things. 00:39:51.219 --> 00:39:52.519 If there's good and noble 00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:54.500 and right things to do, 00:39:54.739 --> 00:39:55.679 we should hang on 00:39:55.679 --> 00:39:56.879 to those desires. 00:39:57.639 --> 00:39:59.799 And with open hands, though, 00:39:59.859 --> 00:40:00.440 because we don't know 00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:01.219 what we'll really be able 00:40:01.219 --> 00:40:02.460 to do in this life. 00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:03.420 Some things we'll get to, 00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:04.420 some things we won't. 00:40:04.420 --> 00:40:05.400 The Apostle Paul 00:40:05.400 --> 00:40:06.300 wanted to go to Spain. 00:40:06.720 --> 00:40:07.780 He wanted to bring the gospel 00:40:07.780 --> 00:40:09.180 still further out 00:40:09.180 --> 00:40:09.840 to where Christ 00:40:09.840 --> 00:40:10.599 had not been named. 00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:11.880 Did he get there? 00:40:12.220 --> 00:40:12.519 Maybe. 00:40:12.760 --> 00:40:13.200 Maybe not. 00:40:13.260 --> 00:40:14.039 We don't have any evidence 00:40:14.039 --> 00:40:14.619 that he did. 00:40:15.099 --> 00:40:16.159 But it's a noble 00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:16.960 and commendable thing 00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:18.139 that he wanted to do that. 00:40:20.079 --> 00:40:21.380 Do we have that desire? 00:40:21.579 --> 00:40:22.280 Do we have the desire 00:40:22.280 --> 00:40:23.200 to make Christ known 00:40:23.200 --> 00:40:25.099 where he is not known? 00:40:25.579 --> 00:40:26.280 Do we want to do 00:40:26.280 --> 00:40:26.840 what we can? 00:40:27.200 --> 00:40:28.220 Do we want to do 00:40:28.220 --> 00:40:29.400 what we can, 00:40:30.039 --> 00:40:30.900 what we can do 00:40:30.900 --> 00:40:31.780 to see the gospel 00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:32.840 reach more and more people? 00:40:32.840 --> 00:40:34.660 In this day 00:40:34.660 --> 00:40:35.720 of restricted travel, 00:40:35.880 --> 00:40:36.640 closed schools, 00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:37.700 businesses, and churches, 00:40:37.900 --> 00:40:39.180 limited contact with others, 00:40:39.579 --> 00:40:40.480 going out to share 00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:42.039 the gospel with people, 00:40:42.300 --> 00:40:42.840 especially those 00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:43.600 we may not know 00:40:43.600 --> 00:40:45.220 or we may not know 00:40:45.220 --> 00:40:45.760 very well, 00:40:46.100 --> 00:40:47.840 it seems well-nigh impossible. 00:40:48.019 --> 00:40:49.039 How can we do that? 00:40:50.320 --> 00:40:50.800 Of course, 00:40:50.840 --> 00:40:51.920 there's creative possibilities 00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:52.440 online, 00:40:52.680 --> 00:40:54.400 and as a church 00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:55.420 and as people, 00:40:55.600 --> 00:40:56.360 we're already stepping 00:40:56.360 --> 00:40:57.600 into some of those possibilities, 00:40:57.940 --> 00:40:59.000 but those are still limited. 00:40:59.480 --> 00:41:00.240 In many ways, 00:41:00.380 --> 00:41:01.280 it's Zoom 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:02.600 or other mediums 00:41:02.600 --> 00:41:03.040 that are just not 00:41:03.040 --> 00:41:03.660 quite the same 00:41:03.660 --> 00:41:04.760 as being there in person. 00:41:04.880 --> 00:41:05.700 There's more you can do 00:41:05.700 --> 00:41:06.660 when you physically 00:41:06.660 --> 00:41:07.340 see someone. 00:41:09.060 --> 00:41:10.180 Paul knew about this. 00:41:11.380 --> 00:41:13.320 Paul is often limited 00:41:13.320 --> 00:41:14.260 and restricted. 00:41:14.620 --> 00:41:15.420 He was stuck in jail 00:41:15.420 --> 00:41:16.200 for a long time, 00:41:16.300 --> 00:41:16.900 and later he was 00:41:16.900 --> 00:41:17.780 under house arrest 00:41:17.780 --> 00:41:18.720 in Rome, 00:41:18.860 --> 00:41:20.340 but as far as I can tell 00:41:20.340 --> 00:41:21.340 from reading the scripture, 00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:22.800 he didn't moan about it. 00:41:23.680 --> 00:41:24.420 For me, 00:41:24.680 --> 00:41:26.340 it's maybe for you, 00:41:26.460 --> 00:41:27.640 you can answer for yourselves, 00:41:27.639 --> 00:41:29.219 it's sometimes difficult 00:41:29.219 --> 00:41:30.099 not to complain. 00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:32.539 My personality, 00:41:32.679 --> 00:41:33.299 sometimes I'm prone 00:41:33.299 --> 00:41:35.359 to take a glass half empty 00:41:35.359 --> 00:41:37.259 approach to situations, 00:41:37.379 --> 00:41:38.259 to be cynical, 00:41:38.659 --> 00:41:40.099 and it takes effort. 00:41:40.239 --> 00:41:40.779 I have to put 00:41:40.779 --> 00:41:41.500 concerted effort 00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:42.920 into being positive 00:41:42.920 --> 00:41:43.679 and being hopeful 00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:44.299 and looking on 00:41:44.299 --> 00:41:46.219 the brighter side of things. 00:41:46.319 --> 00:41:47.079 It's easy for me 00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:48.920 to slip into pessimism, 00:41:49.460 --> 00:41:51.460 but I think for me 00:41:51.460 --> 00:41:52.960 and for all of us, 00:41:53.279 --> 00:41:54.239 Paul is a good example 00:41:54.239 --> 00:41:57.099 of being content 00:41:57.099 --> 00:41:58.419 where we are 00:41:58.419 --> 00:41:59.939 and making the most 00:41:59.939 --> 00:42:00.759 of his situation 00:42:00.759 --> 00:42:01.699 and seeing God's 00:42:01.699 --> 00:42:02.359 sovereign hand 00:42:02.359 --> 00:42:03.739 in his circumstances. 00:42:04.939 --> 00:42:06.000 Even in jail 00:42:06.000 --> 00:42:06.979 and house arrest, 00:42:07.459 --> 00:42:08.699 being beaten 00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:09.439 and persecuted, 00:42:11.539 --> 00:42:11.919 he was able 00:42:11.919 --> 00:42:12.539 to take things 00:42:12.539 --> 00:42:13.719 as they came 00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:15.500 and to continue 00:42:15.500 --> 00:42:16.259 to show care 00:42:16.259 --> 00:42:17.019 for other people 00:42:17.019 --> 00:42:20.599 and to keep 00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:21.379 the flame alive, 00:42:21.479 --> 00:42:22.119 to keep the flame 00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:22.799 of wanting to push 00:42:22.799 --> 00:42:23.719 out in evangelism, 00:42:23.719 --> 00:42:24.899 alive in his heart, 00:42:25.459 --> 00:42:27.480 even when he wasn't 00:42:27.480 --> 00:42:28.879 able to physically go. 00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:31.679 The desire to preach 00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:32.279 the gospel 00:42:32.279 --> 00:42:34.239 where Christ 00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:35.959 had not yet been named, 00:42:36.459 --> 00:42:37.339 the desire to preach 00:42:37.339 --> 00:42:37.899 the gospel 00:42:37.899 --> 00:42:38.639 where Christ 00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:40.339 had not yet been named, 00:42:40.699 --> 00:42:42.019 it stayed in Paul's heart, 00:42:42.239 --> 00:42:43.299 even when his body 00:42:43.299 --> 00:42:44.000 had to stay 00:42:44.000 --> 00:42:45.539 in one place. 00:42:46.439 --> 00:42:47.639 In writing to the Corinthians, 00:42:48.039 --> 00:42:49.219 he hoped that their faith 00:42:49.219 --> 00:42:49.759 would grow 00:42:49.759 --> 00:42:52.359 so that the Corinthians, 00:42:52.519 --> 00:42:53.379 they could help him 00:42:53.380 --> 00:42:53.960 in turn 00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:55.200 in pushing out 00:42:55.200 --> 00:42:56.640 to share the gospel 00:42:56.640 --> 00:42:57.640 with still more people. 00:42:59.039 --> 00:42:59.980 But in order 00:42:59.980 --> 00:43:00.880 for that to happen, 00:43:01.559 --> 00:43:03.700 the Corinthian church 00:43:03.700 --> 00:43:04.539 needed to be healthy. 00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:06.420 If Paul was 00:43:06.420 --> 00:43:08.440 always having to 00:43:08.440 --> 00:43:09.700 put out backfires 00:43:09.700 --> 00:43:11.440 and solve crises 00:43:11.440 --> 00:43:12.780 in the Corinthian church, 00:43:13.019 --> 00:43:14.160 then he wouldn't be able 00:43:14.160 --> 00:43:15.619 to go out 00:43:15.619 --> 00:43:16.260 and preach 00:43:16.260 --> 00:43:17.300 to yet more people 00:43:17.300 --> 00:43:18.300 who hadn't heard Christ. 00:43:18.300 --> 00:43:21.820 And this is the tension 00:43:21.820 --> 00:43:23.000 between pastoral care 00:43:23.000 --> 00:43:24.100 and evangelistic outreach. 00:43:24.900 --> 00:43:25.380 Myself, 00:43:25.500 --> 00:43:26.240 having served 00:43:26.240 --> 00:43:27.019 in the mission field 00:43:27.019 --> 00:43:28.039 in Thailand 00:43:28.039 --> 00:43:29.980 for more than a decade, 00:43:30.420 --> 00:43:31.860 I've seen this tension. 00:43:32.060 --> 00:43:32.340 There's a, 00:43:32.620 --> 00:43:33.960 if you establish a church 00:43:33.960 --> 00:43:34.860 and, you know, 00:43:34.860 --> 00:43:35.800 there's people who, 00:43:36.019 --> 00:43:36.860 believers who are beginning 00:43:36.860 --> 00:43:37.740 to be able to lead it, 00:43:37.900 --> 00:43:39.039 the temptation is to think, 00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:40.480 well, this church is okay, 00:43:40.740 --> 00:43:41.720 I'm just going to keep 00:43:41.720 --> 00:43:42.360 pushing on 00:43:42.360 --> 00:43:43.100 and evangelism. 00:43:43.739 --> 00:43:44.819 But the challenge there 00:43:44.819 --> 00:43:45.440 is if you, 00:43:45.539 --> 00:43:46.860 if you leave a church 00:43:46.860 --> 00:43:48.119 too early 00:43:48.119 --> 00:43:48.900 without ongoing 00:43:48.900 --> 00:43:49.900 pastoral care, 00:43:50.279 --> 00:43:50.519 you know, 00:43:50.579 --> 00:43:51.039 they may, 00:43:51.639 --> 00:43:52.119 the church may 00:43:52.119 --> 00:43:52.880 unplant itself. 00:43:52.980 --> 00:43:53.599 It may descend 00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:55.019 into conflict 00:43:55.019 --> 00:43:55.920 and other problems 00:43:55.920 --> 00:43:57.599 or get sucked off 00:43:57.599 --> 00:43:58.960 into some sort 00:43:58.960 --> 00:43:59.819 of heretical cult. 00:44:00.420 --> 00:44:00.739 So, 00:44:01.480 --> 00:44:02.500 a church needs 00:44:02.500 --> 00:44:03.079 a certain amount 00:44:03.079 --> 00:44:03.960 of pastoral care 00:44:03.960 --> 00:44:04.579 until it can really 00:44:04.579 --> 00:44:05.440 take care of itself. 00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:07.019 But at the same time, 00:44:07.059 --> 00:44:08.259 it's easy to become 00:44:08.259 --> 00:44:09.980 too self-focused 00:44:09.980 --> 00:44:11.880 and too inward-focused 00:44:11.880 --> 00:44:12.619 on one's own 00:44:12.619 --> 00:44:13.179 congregation. 00:44:13.539 --> 00:44:14.659 So much so that 00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:16.440 you never get out 00:44:16.440 --> 00:44:17.119 in evangelism, 00:44:17.239 --> 00:44:18.779 that there always 00:44:18.779 --> 00:44:19.480 seems to be something 00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:20.279 that needs to be done, 00:44:20.359 --> 00:44:21.039 some sort of issue 00:44:21.039 --> 00:44:21.900 that needs to be attended 00:44:21.900 --> 00:44:23.759 to in a congregation. 00:44:24.299 --> 00:44:25.299 Because as people, 00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:26.480 we're weak and sinful 00:44:26.480 --> 00:44:26.940 and there's always 00:44:26.940 --> 00:44:27.699 going to be some sort 00:44:27.699 --> 00:44:29.279 of issues and problems 00:44:29.279 --> 00:44:30.440 in our lives, 00:44:30.460 --> 00:44:31.339 if not in our lives, 00:44:31.400 --> 00:44:32.079 then if someone else 00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:34.059 in the congregation. 00:44:34.299 --> 00:44:34.400 So, 00:44:34.539 --> 00:44:35.460 how do you balance this? 00:44:35.559 --> 00:44:36.359 Pastoral care 00:44:36.359 --> 00:44:37.980 and evangelistic outreach. 00:44:38.940 --> 00:44:41.079 It's a tough nut to crack. 00:44:41.079 --> 00:44:43.460 But Paul sought to do this. 00:44:43.559 --> 00:44:44.799 He cared for the congregations, 00:44:44.960 --> 00:44:46.139 but he also wanted to 00:44:46.139 --> 00:44:47.139 move out 00:44:47.139 --> 00:44:48.739 in ongoing evangelism. 00:44:50.340 --> 00:44:51.299 Where did Paul's 00:44:51.299 --> 00:44:52.239 missionary heart come from? 00:44:52.360 --> 00:44:53.539 That's the last thing 00:44:53.539 --> 00:44:54.539 that I want to ask here. 00:44:55.819 --> 00:44:56.539 It's great, 00:44:56.779 --> 00:44:57.980 because so far 00:44:57.980 --> 00:44:58.659 we've talked about 00:44:58.659 --> 00:44:59.819 Paul's missionary call. 00:45:00.139 --> 00:45:00.940 We saw he wanted to 00:45:00.940 --> 00:45:01.840 care for the congregation. 00:45:02.219 --> 00:45:03.579 He wanted to keep alive 00:45:03.579 --> 00:45:04.619 the flame of evangelism, 00:45:04.679 --> 00:45:05.360 regardless of whether 00:45:05.360 --> 00:45:06.539 he could physically move 00:45:06.539 --> 00:45:07.639 move out 00:45:07.639 --> 00:45:08.719 and preach the gospel 00:45:08.719 --> 00:45:09.099 or not. 00:45:09.239 --> 00:45:09.380 But, 00:45:10.139 --> 00:45:11.860 how did he do this? 00:45:13.039 --> 00:45:13.820 Where did this 00:45:13.820 --> 00:45:14.719 come from? 00:45:16.159 --> 00:45:16.960 Sometimes it's easy 00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:18.159 to look at the Apostle Paul 00:45:18.159 --> 00:45:19.259 and think, 00:45:19.519 --> 00:45:19.759 wow, 00:45:19.920 --> 00:45:20.179 you know, 00:45:20.239 --> 00:45:21.000 he was just, 00:45:21.300 --> 00:45:21.619 you know, 00:45:21.639 --> 00:45:22.739 an absolute saint. 00:45:22.880 --> 00:45:23.659 He was a spiritual 00:45:23.659 --> 00:45:24.420 overachiever. 00:45:24.779 --> 00:45:25.199 But, 00:45:25.320 --> 00:45:25.639 you know, 00:45:25.980 --> 00:45:26.980 I'm just me. 00:45:27.420 --> 00:45:27.639 You know, 00:45:27.659 --> 00:45:28.099 I'm not, 00:45:28.440 --> 00:45:28.659 you know, 00:45:28.659 --> 00:45:29.380 super spiritual 00:45:29.380 --> 00:45:30.360 like the Apostle Paul. 00:45:30.779 --> 00:45:31.019 You know, 00:45:31.019 --> 00:45:31.719 it's nice that, 00:45:31.840 --> 00:45:31.940 you know, 00:45:32.000 --> 00:45:33.519 he had such an ardent flame 00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:34.920 to preach the gospel 00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:36.059 and the boldness 00:45:36.059 --> 00:45:36.719 to do so. 00:45:37.259 --> 00:45:37.420 But, 00:45:38.179 --> 00:45:40.380 but I feel discouraged. 00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:41.920 I feel like 00:45:41.920 --> 00:45:42.539 I'm just sort of 00:45:42.539 --> 00:45:43.380 putting out fires 00:45:43.380 --> 00:45:44.039 in my own life 00:45:44.039 --> 00:45:44.940 and my family's life 00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:46.000 and right around me. 00:45:46.079 --> 00:45:47.079 How can I think about, 00:45:47.259 --> 00:45:47.500 you know, 00:45:47.519 --> 00:45:48.139 sharing the gospel 00:45:48.139 --> 00:45:48.480 with others 00:45:48.480 --> 00:45:50.079 and moving out 00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:50.699 beyond that? 00:45:51.039 --> 00:45:52.099 Sometimes even if we have 00:45:52.099 --> 00:45:53.059 the time or ability, 00:45:53.280 --> 00:45:54.340 we're just discouraged 00:45:54.340 --> 00:45:55.320 and we can't focus. 00:45:56.320 --> 00:45:56.420 Or, 00:45:57.059 --> 00:45:57.659 sometimes we just 00:45:57.659 --> 00:45:58.619 don't want to. 00:46:00.420 --> 00:46:00.639 So, 00:46:01.300 --> 00:46:01.780 where did 00:46:01.780 --> 00:46:03.280 Paul's motivation, 00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:04.260 where did this heart 00:46:04.260 --> 00:46:05.040 come from? 00:46:06.580 --> 00:46:07.720 When we're discouraged, 00:46:08.400 --> 00:46:09.420 we're tempted 00:46:09.420 --> 00:46:09.960 to look only 00:46:09.960 --> 00:46:10.880 at our own difficulties, 00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:12.400 to have a pity party 00:46:12.400 --> 00:46:13.060 for ourselves. 00:46:14.820 --> 00:46:15.519 We do have 00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:16.140 legitimate needs. 00:46:16.180 --> 00:46:16.580 They need to be 00:46:16.580 --> 00:46:17.180 taken care of. 00:46:17.240 --> 00:46:18.360 God knows our needs 00:46:18.360 --> 00:46:20.140 and is concerned for us. 00:46:20.240 --> 00:46:20.420 But, 00:46:20.840 --> 00:46:21.380 how do we, 00:46:21.440 --> 00:46:22.080 how do we avoid 00:46:22.080 --> 00:46:23.940 being consumed 00:46:23.940 --> 00:46:26.019 by our own situation? 00:46:26.340 --> 00:46:26.940 How do we lift 00:46:26.940 --> 00:46:27.600 our eyes up 00:46:27.600 --> 00:46:29.820 and find the joy 00:46:29.820 --> 00:46:30.600 in God's calling 00:46:30.600 --> 00:46:31.240 and what he's done 00:46:31.240 --> 00:46:31.660 for us? 00:46:31.659 --> 00:46:33.859 For Paul, 00:46:34.159 --> 00:46:35.399 his missionary heart 00:46:35.399 --> 00:46:36.819 sprang up from the knowledge 00:46:36.819 --> 00:46:37.500 of what Christ 00:46:37.500 --> 00:46:39.239 had done for him. 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:41.039 When we meet Paul 00:46:41.039 --> 00:46:42.519 in Acts 9, 00:46:43.440 --> 00:46:44.599 he was a wicked man 00:46:44.599 --> 00:46:45.679 persecuting the church, 00:46:45.920 --> 00:46:47.199 but God saved him 00:46:47.199 --> 00:46:48.159 instead of condemning him. 00:46:48.599 --> 00:46:49.639 Paul knew he deserved judgment 00:46:49.639 --> 00:46:51.079 and many times 00:46:51.079 --> 00:46:51.759 throughout his life, 00:46:52.039 --> 00:46:53.000 he thought back 00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:55.339 to what God 00:46:55.339 --> 00:46:56.099 had saved him from, 00:46:56.179 --> 00:46:57.319 what Christ had done 00:46:57.319 --> 00:46:58.420 for him. 00:46:58.420 --> 00:47:00.619 he had a very low 00:47:00.619 --> 00:47:01.340 opinion of himself. 00:47:01.460 --> 00:47:02.240 He knew he wasn't 00:47:02.240 --> 00:47:03.139 anything that God 00:47:03.139 --> 00:47:03.780 should save him 00:47:03.780 --> 00:47:04.680 or do anything with him, 00:47:04.760 --> 00:47:05.480 much less make him 00:47:05.480 --> 00:47:06.700 an apostle to the Gentiles. 00:47:08.659 --> 00:47:09.780 One of the many places 00:47:09.780 --> 00:47:11.880 where he thinks back 00:47:11.880 --> 00:47:13.539 and thinks back 00:47:13.539 --> 00:47:14.820 to what God has done 00:47:14.820 --> 00:47:16.659 is in Romans chapter 5. 00:47:17.220 --> 00:47:18.460 And in this passage 00:47:18.460 --> 00:47:19.260 that you hear 00:47:19.260 --> 00:47:20.920 in chapter 5, 00:47:21.240 --> 00:47:22.300 starting at verse 6, 00:47:22.619 --> 00:47:23.920 you can almost hear Paul 00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:24.900 breaking into 00:47:24.900 --> 00:47:26.220 this spontaneous praise. 00:47:26.219 --> 00:47:26.939 He's writing this letter 00:47:26.939 --> 00:47:27.339 to the Romans, 00:47:27.500 --> 00:47:28.339 instructing them 00:47:28.339 --> 00:47:29.259 on many weighty 00:47:29.259 --> 00:47:30.119 doctrinal matters. 00:47:31.239 --> 00:47:32.500 But there's almost 00:47:32.500 --> 00:47:33.779 sort of a breathless joy 00:47:33.779 --> 00:47:35.539 in what Paul wrote here. 00:47:35.659 --> 00:47:35.919 He wrote, 00:47:36.480 --> 00:47:37.699 For while we were still weak, 00:47:37.779 --> 00:47:38.699 at the right time 00:47:38.699 --> 00:47:40.059 Christ died for the ungodly. 00:47:40.439 --> 00:47:41.539 For one will scarcely die 00:47:41.539 --> 00:47:42.559 for a righteous person, 00:47:43.199 --> 00:47:44.439 but perhaps for a good one 00:47:44.439 --> 00:47:45.699 one might dare to die. 00:47:46.480 --> 00:47:47.379 But God shows 00:47:47.379 --> 00:47:48.459 his love for us in this, 00:47:48.799 --> 00:47:50.019 that while we're still sinners, 00:47:50.459 --> 00:47:52.519 Christ died for us. 00:47:52.519 --> 00:47:55.219 Since therefore 00:47:55.219 --> 00:47:56.079 we've been justified 00:47:56.079 --> 00:47:56.820 by his blood, 00:47:56.900 --> 00:47:57.860 much more shall we save 00:47:57.860 --> 00:47:58.780 from the wrath of God. 00:47:59.059 --> 00:48:00.960 For while if we were still enemies, 00:48:01.880 --> 00:48:03.480 we were reconciled to God 00:48:03.480 --> 00:48:04.460 by the death of his Son. 00:48:04.679 --> 00:48:05.420 How much more, 00:48:05.500 --> 00:48:06.940 now that we are reconciled, 00:48:07.119 --> 00:48:08.239 shall we be saved 00:48:08.239 --> 00:48:09.000 by his life? 00:48:09.400 --> 00:48:10.239 More than that, 00:48:10.460 --> 00:48:12.079 we also rejoice in God 00:48:12.079 --> 00:48:13.559 through our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:48:14.300 --> 00:48:15.559 through whom we now 00:48:15.559 --> 00:48:16.679 receive this reconciliation. 00:48:18.679 --> 00:48:19.820 Paul had joy 00:48:19.820 --> 00:48:20.960 because he was continually 00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:21.639 looking back. 00:48:21.639 --> 00:48:22.400 He was looking back. 00:48:22.460 --> 00:48:23.099 He was looking back, 00:48:23.159 --> 00:48:24.779 reflecting on who Christ was 00:48:24.779 --> 00:48:26.779 and what Christ had done for him 00:48:26.779 --> 00:48:28.980 and what Christ was continuing 00:48:28.980 --> 00:48:30.659 to do in this world. 00:48:32.679 --> 00:48:34.239 Paul's heart of missionary service 00:48:34.239 --> 00:48:35.279 was not some sort of 00:48:35.279 --> 00:48:36.259 extraordinary zeal 00:48:36.259 --> 00:48:38.299 that he conjured up in himself. 00:48:39.379 --> 00:48:40.440 It wasn't something 00:48:40.440 --> 00:48:42.359 that an ordinary believer 00:48:42.359 --> 00:48:44.940 can't ever hope to aspire to. 00:48:46.119 --> 00:48:48.179 But the source of his missionary heart 00:48:48.179 --> 00:48:50.079 was simply his joy in Christ 00:48:50.079 --> 00:48:50.879 and his salvation. 00:48:51.639 --> 00:48:53.319 If we are discouraged, 00:48:53.679 --> 00:48:54.420 if we are tempted 00:48:54.420 --> 00:48:55.900 to look only to ourselves, 00:48:57.400 --> 00:48:58.559 if we are tempted 00:48:58.559 --> 00:48:59.500 to neglect others, 00:48:59.699 --> 00:49:00.819 neglect sharing the gospel 00:49:00.819 --> 00:49:01.619 in word and deed, 00:49:02.779 --> 00:49:04.500 let us look back to Christ. 00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:07.039 Let us remember 00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:08.099 what he has done for us. 00:49:08.379 --> 00:49:08.960 Let us remember 00:49:08.960 --> 00:49:11.019 the blessings in our lives 00:49:11.019 --> 00:49:12.299 that we have seen 00:49:12.299 --> 00:49:13.579 by the hand of God, 00:49:13.639 --> 00:49:14.819 by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:49:14.819 --> 00:49:15.980 Let us think about 00:49:15.980 --> 00:49:16.799 his faithfulness 00:49:16.800 --> 00:49:18.620 to his people in scripture 00:49:18.620 --> 00:49:19.760 and throughout the ages. 00:49:22.260 --> 00:49:23.180 Let us meditate 00:49:23.180 --> 00:49:24.860 and reflect upon Christ, 00:49:25.019 --> 00:49:25.880 looking to him 00:49:25.880 --> 00:49:28.380 day by day by day 00:49:28.380 --> 00:49:30.860 in all sorts of circumstances, 00:49:31.220 --> 00:49:32.320 both easy and difficult, 00:49:33.060 --> 00:49:34.440 precedented and unprecedented. 00:49:34.440 --> 00:49:36.659 Because when we continue 00:49:36.659 --> 00:49:37.380 to look back, 00:49:37.480 --> 00:49:38.179 look to Christ, 00:49:38.400 --> 00:49:39.340 to what he's done 00:49:39.340 --> 00:49:40.220 and who he is, 00:49:40.679 --> 00:49:41.539 it's from there 00:49:41.539 --> 00:49:43.139 that joy and thankfulness 00:49:43.139 --> 00:49:43.659 springs up. 00:49:43.900 --> 00:49:44.480 It's from there 00:49:44.480 --> 00:49:45.159 that we have 00:49:45.159 --> 00:49:46.860 that motivation and desire 00:49:46.860 --> 00:49:48.659 to be a blessing to others, 00:49:48.880 --> 00:49:50.740 not just to absorb 00:49:50.740 --> 00:49:51.400 God's blessings 00:49:51.400 --> 00:49:52.940 for ourselves 00:49:52.940 --> 00:49:53.619 and keep them. 00:49:53.619 --> 00:49:56.420 It's not easy 00:49:56.420 --> 00:49:57.759 to regain 00:49:57.759 --> 00:49:58.920 or to maintain 00:49:58.920 --> 00:50:00.519 joy as we're buffeted 00:50:00.519 --> 00:50:01.159 by the world, 00:50:01.279 --> 00:50:01.719 the flesh, 00:50:02.139 --> 00:50:02.779 and the devil, 00:50:03.099 --> 00:50:04.480 but it's worth it. 00:50:07.319 --> 00:50:08.219 To sum up, 00:50:08.719 --> 00:50:09.779 what I want to remember, 00:50:10.159 --> 00:50:11.199 what I want you to remember 00:50:11.199 --> 00:50:12.119 from this sermon 00:50:12.119 --> 00:50:12.699 is this. 00:50:13.319 --> 00:50:14.779 Regardless of our circumstances, 00:50:15.159 --> 00:50:16.000 let's turn our eyes 00:50:16.000 --> 00:50:16.639 upon Jesus 00:50:16.639 --> 00:50:18.059 and kindle our joy 00:50:18.059 --> 00:50:18.960 and motivation in him. 00:50:19.179 --> 00:50:20.179 Let's remember Christ 00:50:20.179 --> 00:50:21.460 and what he's done for us 00:50:21.460 --> 00:50:22.299 and what he is doing. 00:50:22.300 --> 00:50:24.700 Because this is the source 00:50:24.700 --> 00:50:25.880 of Paul's missionary heart. 00:50:26.460 --> 00:50:27.340 Paul cared for people 00:50:27.340 --> 00:50:28.039 pastorally 00:50:28.039 --> 00:50:30.300 and he wanted to reach out 00:50:30.300 --> 00:50:31.180 to the regions beyond 00:50:31.180 --> 00:50:32.260 to make Christ known 00:50:32.260 --> 00:50:33.140 where Christ had not 00:50:33.140 --> 00:50:33.980 yet been named. 00:50:34.820 --> 00:50:35.880 As a church, 00:50:36.320 --> 00:50:36.980 let's behave 00:50:36.980 --> 00:50:38.519 and speak 00:50:38.519 --> 00:50:38.980 and think 00:50:38.980 --> 00:50:40.300 with a Christ-word focus 00:50:40.300 --> 00:50:41.400 like Paul 00:50:41.400 --> 00:50:43.320 and let's support missionaries 00:50:43.320 --> 00:50:44.100 and missions endeavors 00:50:44.100 --> 00:50:46.220 where there's a commitment 00:50:46.220 --> 00:50:47.340 to pastoral care 00:50:47.340 --> 00:50:48.300 and ongoing evangelism 00:50:48.900 --> 00:50:51.000 as reflected in life of Paul. 00:50:51.440 --> 00:50:52.140 Let's pray together. 00:50:52.300 --> 00:50:54.960 Father God, 00:50:55.000 --> 00:50:56.180 we thank you for the example 00:50:56.180 --> 00:50:57.120 of the Apostle Paul. 00:50:57.340 --> 00:50:58.360 We thank you for 00:50:58.360 --> 00:51:00.460 the joy that he had 00:51:00.460 --> 00:51:00.980 in you 00:51:00.980 --> 00:51:01.820 and the salvation 00:51:01.820 --> 00:51:03.220 that you draw 00:51:03.220 --> 00:51:03.980 on his behalf 00:51:03.980 --> 00:51:04.519 and the behalf 00:51:04.519 --> 00:51:05.180 of all of us. 00:51:06.019 --> 00:51:07.360 We pray that we would have 00:51:07.360 --> 00:51:08.620 thankful and joyful hearts 00:51:08.620 --> 00:51:09.420 as Paul did 00:51:09.420 --> 00:51:11.039 and that you would 00:51:11.039 --> 00:51:11.680 kindle in us 00:51:11.680 --> 00:51:12.500 a desire to 00:51:12.500 --> 00:51:14.240 care for those around us 00:51:14.240 --> 00:51:15.000 in Christ's name 00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:19.179 and to share your word of life 00:51:19.179 --> 00:51:20.659 with those who do not know you 00:51:20.659 --> 00:51:24.360 both in our limited circumstances now 00:51:24.360 --> 00:51:26.780 and as the world changes 00:51:26.780 --> 00:51:28.440 going out and beyond 00:51:28.440 --> 00:51:32.579 as we can to make you known 00:51:32.579 --> 00:51:34.119 in a multitude of ways 00:51:34.119 --> 00:51:35.300 using the gifts that we have. 00:51:35.659 --> 00:51:36.860 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:51:37.219 --> 00:51:37.579 Amen. 00:51:37.579 --> 00:51:41.719 And now we're going to conclude 00:51:41.719 --> 00:51:44.059 with our final song, 00:51:44.799 --> 00:51:45.619 Psalm 67, 00:51:46.239 --> 00:51:48.400 which is a wonderful song 00:51:48.400 --> 00:51:50.360 of praise to God 00:51:50.360 --> 00:51:52.259 asking for his blessing 00:51:52.259 --> 00:51:53.239 to bless us 00:51:53.239 --> 00:51:54.319 not for our own sake 00:51:54.319 --> 00:51:55.500 but so that his name 00:51:55.500 --> 00:51:56.739 may be proclaimed 00:51:56.739 --> 00:51:58.939 to the nations of the world. 00:51:59.679 --> 00:52:00.000 Amen. 00:52:05.000 --> 00:52:11.059 O God, may the peoples praise you 00:52:11.059 --> 00:52:17.119 May all peoples sing your praise 00:52:17.119 --> 00:52:23.219 For it is us the nations justly 00:52:23.219 --> 00:52:43.039 May they all rejoice as one 00:52:43.039 --> 00:52:49.279 O God, may the peoples praise you 00:52:49.280 --> 00:52:55.280 As they all unite in song 00:52:55.280 --> 00:53:03.280 Then the land will yield its harvest 00:53:03.280 --> 00:53:09.420 God will pour his gifts abroad 00:53:09.420 --> 00:53:15.760 God our God will surely bless us 00:53:15.760 --> 00:53:21.800 Holy and will fear our Lord 00:53:21.800 --> 00:53:23.700 Lord