WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940 If I haven't said good morning to you yet, good morning. 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:07.679 Please take out your copy of God's Word and turn with me to Ephesians chapter 5. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:18.280 If you join us regularly on the Lord's Day, you know that it's our general habit to preach verse by verse through the Bible. 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:29.039 We are going to begin in just a couple of weeks the book of Daniel, but in between, finishing up our last exposition of Philippians and now moving on to Daniel, 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:33.240 there's a few things we want to talk about together. 00:00:33.579 --> 00:00:43.560 You may have noticed on the bulletin that instead of a text for today's sermon, there's a title, which is a thing I even shudder a little to do. 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:54.239 It says there, building a resilient church culture, which I have much to say about this morning in a short period of time. 00:00:54.239 --> 00:00:57.899 But first, I want to note a few things. 00:00:57.899 --> 00:01:06.219 So we are going to begin with a text this morning and say much about this particular topic. 00:01:06.459 --> 00:01:14.140 So first thing I want to say, note, as a general practice, we preach expositional sermons. 00:01:14.459 --> 00:01:23.980 Most simply put, this means that we take for the sermons point or points the main point or points of that week's text. 00:01:23.980 --> 00:01:26.680 It's text driven preaching. 00:01:27.180 --> 00:01:29.359 We exegete the text. 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:32.500 We read it, explain it, and give application to it. 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:37.719 Like we're drawing out of God's word what it means for us and for us today. 00:01:38.300 --> 00:01:49.560 We are careful not to eisegete a text or read into a text what we want to see in that text. 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:59.079 There are just so many varied understandings of the Bible and often, not in all cases, but often this is because people eisegete it. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:01.140 They'll look for things in the text. 00:02:01.219 --> 00:02:04.400 They want to take their opinion and find it in the Bible. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:11.980 So this is why we tend towards verse by verse because we don't want to be a cult. 00:02:12.140 --> 00:02:20.400 We don't want to have a bunch of erroneous views that we have applied to the text, but rather we want the text to say what the text says. 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:28.420 And verse by verse lends itself towards good exegesis and away from eisegesis. 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:37.759 If you're looking at a whole book together, it's hard to avoid the context and hard to misinterpret it, although it can still be done. 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:47.539 However, from time to time, a topical sermon has its place, which is what I will be doing this morning. 00:02:47.779 --> 00:02:53.359 And I just want you to know that you should be especially discerning. 00:02:53.519 --> 00:02:54.419 Always be discerning. 00:02:54.419 --> 00:02:59.280 Be especially discerning when you're sitting under topical preaching. 00:03:00.019 --> 00:03:01.419 A lot of you know me very well. 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:07.179 I hope I've built some equity with you to open up God's word and make some application from it. 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:07.859 Some of you don't. 00:03:07.939 --> 00:03:09.739 Some of you don't know me at all. 00:03:09.819 --> 00:03:13.039 And I just want you to be really discerning as I speak this morning. 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:15.119 I am not an authority. 00:03:15.279 --> 00:03:17.539 God's word is the authority. 00:03:18.939 --> 00:03:23.259 Second note, I am not trying to be an alarmist this morning. 00:03:24.419 --> 00:03:31.119 That said, your elders feel a burden to prepare you for challenges that we believe are coming. 00:03:31.780 --> 00:03:37.739 It is our hope that you know us well enough to know that we love you very, very much. 00:03:37.959 --> 00:03:38.060 Right. 00:03:38.219 --> 00:03:42.399 Even if you're not a member of our church, if you just come here today, you profess faith in Christ. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:44.939 Like, we love you, brothers and sisters. 00:03:45.200 --> 00:03:47.200 And we want good for you. 00:03:47.300 --> 00:03:49.939 And we want glory for our God. 00:03:49.939 --> 00:03:56.180 And third note, I will not have nearly enough time this morning to exhaust this topic. 00:03:56.539 --> 00:04:00.159 We're going to need to talk more about it. 00:04:00.340 --> 00:04:05.520 As I really thought down to think about this, I thought I could do an introductory sermon to set up the problem. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:13.020 And then I could do five sermons with what I think is at least part, not all, but part of the solution. 00:04:13.020 --> 00:04:13.979 But we're not going to do that. 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:15.960 We're going to do it this morning in about 30 minutes. 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.060 So we're going to have to talk more. 00:04:19.060 --> 00:04:20.800 We're going to have to be thinking about this. 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:29.240 We're going to have to do it in our formal gather times and in our informal day to day going about our business, talking to one another. 00:04:30.379 --> 00:04:34.199 I've thought a lot about what we're going to talk about this morning, but my thinking is not done. 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:37.840 I'm not ready to be exhaustive even. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:40.180 So I hope that you'll ask questions. 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:42.579 I hope that you'll push at my thinking. 00:04:42.899 --> 00:04:48.319 I hope that you'll spend time with the Lord in his word as you consider the days in which we live. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:49.219 All right. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:50.240 So those are my notes. 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:56.459 Now, the text we'll begin with today is Ephesians chapter five, verses 11 through 17. 00:05:01.180 --> 00:05:03.120 Beloved, this is God's word to us. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:05.899 It was written for his glory and our good. 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:11.680 We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:14.519 Ephesians five, beginning in verse 11. 00:05:15.459 --> 00:05:26.240 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them for it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:33.240 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible for anything that becomes visible is light. 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:40.519 Therefore, it says awake, oh sleeper and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you. 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:50.379 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. 00:05:50.379 --> 00:05:57.519 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:03.379 Now, again, I don't have time this morning to tell you everything that this text means. 00:06:04.100 --> 00:06:09.279 This is not verse by verse exposition, but I do want to say some things about the text. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.379 I think it's a good place for us to begin thinking together. 00:06:12.379 --> 00:06:29.899 So we're exhorted in this text to not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to expose them by which he means to expose them as these unfruitful works of darkness. 00:06:29.899 --> 00:06:38.639 Paul has previously given a sampling of the unfruitful works that he's referring to beginning in chapter five and verse three. 00:06:39.299 --> 00:06:47.379 Sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, idolatry, filthy talk, foolish talk, crude joking. 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:54.459 I don't think that Paul means for us to understand this list as exhaustive right there. 00:06:54.539 --> 00:06:55.259 An example. 00:06:55.259 --> 00:07:03.339 He's meaning to give us an idea of those things that we as Christ followers are meant to avoid and to expose. 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:12.259 He juxtaposes this kind of unfruitful living with a living that we must assume would be fruitful. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:13.060 Right. 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:16.379 It's the opposite of the unfruitful living. 00:07:17.139 --> 00:07:18.139 Verse 15. 00:07:18.139 --> 00:07:28.000 He says, look carefully, then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:33.579 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:44.939 So the fruitful life, Paul tells us, is in part careful and wise and efficient and informed. 00:07:44.939 --> 00:07:54.279 And he is exhorting this kind of caution because our time is limited and because the days are evil. 00:07:54.459 --> 00:07:54.579 Right. 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:58.939 He exhorts us in verse 16 to make the best use of the time. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:02.980 Some of your translations this morning may say your time. 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:03.379 Right. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:06.959 There is a time and it is a limited time. 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:11.839 And this time in which we live is evil. 00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:18.299 There's a work going on to be against the church and not for it. 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:24.439 By God's divine appointing, he has made us Christians in the 21st century. 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:27.740 Assuming that you have trusted in the saving work of Jesus Christ. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:29.979 He has made us for this time. 00:08:30.359 --> 00:08:34.240 And these are our evil days. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:41.899 This text originally written to these Ephesian believers was also written for us and has bearing on our lives today. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:48.240 So we must ask, what are the particular evils of our day? 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:54.100 What unfruitful works of darkness are we meant to be exposing? 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.840 And there are so many. 00:08:58.220 --> 00:08:59.480 There's so many. 00:08:59.580 --> 00:09:01.259 And there have always been so many. 00:09:01.259 --> 00:09:04.620 We don't live in a particularly unique time. 00:09:04.740 --> 00:09:08.039 There's so much evil in our world. 00:09:08.179 --> 00:09:12.500 So today I want us to consider a particular rising tide. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:16.159 One that is making ground inland at a steady rate. 00:09:16.419 --> 00:09:22.600 One that we will have to build a resilient church culture to stand against. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:30.840 This particular evil is the evil of the redefinition of our anthropology. 00:09:31.340 --> 00:09:38.600 Who we are as humans and why we exist. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:42.000 And this is happening in many, many ways. 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:44.820 Here are the prominent examples. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.620 The unborn. 00:09:47.139 --> 00:09:49.639 The unborn are called babies if they are wanted. 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:54.840 They are called fetuses or many other things if they are unwanted. 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:57.100 Men and women. 00:09:57.620 --> 00:09:57.759 Right? 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:04.960 The suggestion of our world is that they are social constructs and not biologically defined at all. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:12.199 Minorities, which seems honestly to be any human definition other than straight white men, 00:10:13.159 --> 00:10:17.620 must be necessarily oppressed. 00:10:17.620 --> 00:10:26.639 We are mixing up the world that God has made and the way that he meant it to be functioning. 00:10:27.539 --> 00:10:32.019 Now, we don't have time today to explore each of these ideas and look to the scripture for the answers. 00:10:32.220 --> 00:10:32.320 Right? 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:36.259 This will have to come over time, but not this morning. 00:10:36.259 --> 00:10:43.379 But we need to have our eyes open to the fact that each of these ideologies stand in contradiction to the scripture. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:51.379 To hold a Christian worldview of the sanctity of human life, the biological assignment of gender by our God, 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:56.100 the proper exercise of sexuality within a biblical marriage, 00:10:56.100 --> 00:11:06.740 and a God-ordered justice will make us more uncomfortable in the coming years than I think most of us are ready for. 00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:17.600 Your elders' concern for the church is that we will have to be deliberate in our efforts to build a resilient church culture. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:26.899 This seems to be happening at a very rapid rate, but it's been going on under the surface for quite a long time. 00:11:26.899 --> 00:11:32.220 One author by the name of Rod Dreher, you may or may not have heard of his book, The Benedict Auction, 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:37.379 has recently written a newly released book called Live Not By Lies, I Would Commend It To You, 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:43.120 where he suggests that we are living under, and a growing sense of living under, 00:11:43.220 --> 00:11:46.179 something called soft totalitarianism. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:52.319 Now, totalitarianism is a system requiring complete subservience. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:59.120 You have to fit in, you have to be homogenous with whatever the ideas of that system may be. 00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:06.540 An example of totalitarianism in a hard sense would be the communist regime of the USSR. 00:12:07.280 --> 00:12:09.879 You must be communist. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:14.240 Communist China fits into this category as well. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:22.940 So, we, Dreher suggests, and I agree, are living under an ever-increasing soft totalitarianism, 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:31.000 which is largely coerced by the economy and by the social constructs in which we function. 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:34.720 You have probably felt this on social media. 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:40.200 If you don't fit in with what all your friends are saying, you will be suddenly ostracized, right? 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:45.980 If you want to say something of any measure of truth that goes against these narratives, 00:12:46.800 --> 00:12:50.340 you'll be, the word coming into your mind, canceled. 00:12:51.000 --> 00:13:02.100 You'll get shut out of all things because you don't toe the line of what the totalitarian system is suggesting is true. 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:08.060 So, we have to recognize that we are Christians, but we're also Americans, 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:11.860 and that our larger culture speaks to us. 00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:19.300 And I would suggest to you that the highest value of Americans is comfort. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:23.080 We really like not being challenged. 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:26.100 We really like ease. 00:13:26.340 --> 00:13:29.440 Like, we're living for the next vacation, right? 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:32.880 Toes in the sand is the high ideal of our living. 00:13:33.660 --> 00:13:36.340 Many of us are arranging ourselves this way. 00:13:36.760 --> 00:13:41.500 You can sell just about anything if it's going to make somebody's life easier. 00:13:42.060 --> 00:13:46.200 It may not be a good thing, but it may make your life easier, 00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:50.020 and therefore, we love it as Americans. 00:13:51.040 --> 00:13:56.780 The second highest value until it gets in the way of the highest value is the value of autonomy. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:58.860 We want to be independent, right? 00:13:58.860 --> 00:14:01.480 We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:06.440 No one can be an authority over us, and we've seen over this past year, 00:14:06.560 --> 00:14:11.700 unless that makes me uncomfortable, and I'm willing to give away autonomy to be comfortable. 00:14:12.680 --> 00:14:14.399 So, this is what's speaking to us. 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:16.879 This is what the culture at large is doing, 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:24.480 and we're going to have to think carefully as God's people about how we're to be distinct in that way. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:30.180 If we are to be a people who have been awakened by the gospel of Jesus Christ, 00:14:30.180 --> 00:14:36.320 then we will need to look carefully how to walk, not as unwise, but as wise. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:41.379 We're going to need to make the best use of the time because the days are evil, 00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:47.320 and we're going to need to be not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:54.080 We are to be wise and foolish because God has saved us from our foolishness. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:00.460 Verse 15 says, look carefully then how you walk. 00:15:00.660 --> 00:15:05.340 Verse 13 to 14 talks about the salvation of our souls. 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:08.080 For when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible. 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:10.520 For anything that becomes visible is light. 00:15:10.660 --> 00:15:14.300 Therefore, it says, and this is as woke as you need to be, 00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:20.339 Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:26.219 This is Paul's loose quotation of Isaiah chapter 60 and verse 1, which says, 00:15:26.319 --> 00:15:33.299 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 00:15:34.459 --> 00:15:39.599 Many commentators believe that Paul's use here in verse 14 is, 00:15:39.599 --> 00:15:43.779 Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 00:15:43.779 --> 00:16:13.720 Awake, O sleeper, and recognize that people apart from Christ, 00:16:13.779 --> 00:16:15.839 are dead in their sin. 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:20.779 This is the great problem of humanity, right? 00:16:20.860 --> 00:16:24.639 Because of the fall and our inheritance, Adam is our federal head. 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:27.919 We are sinful at birth. 00:16:28.339 --> 00:16:29.019 We are dead. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:35.319 We are separated from God, and we need a solution to this problem. 00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:43.260 The next phrase, and arise from the dead, speaks of repentance and faith, 00:16:43.820 --> 00:16:50.820 turning away from that dead state and turning toward the solution to that great problem. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:57.860 The sacrificial work, perfect life, the third day resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:16:57.860 --> 00:17:08.339 And the last phrase, and Christ will shine on you, speaks of God's grace to those who will believe in Jesus. 00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:18.599 Because God has saved us from our foolishness, we are to be a people who pursue that which is good and true and beautiful. 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:24.659 We are to do so for our good and for the glory of our God. 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:29.880 And it is going to get more difficult to do that in the future. 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:36.759 I would not claim to be a prophet of any kind, regardless of what you think about prophecy. 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:44.759 I think it's going to get more and more difficult, and it's going to get more and more difficult sooner than we think. 00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:50.460 But pressure on the church has been rarely bad for the church. 00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:57.059 Typically, when persecution comes, faithful Christians become more faithful. 00:17:57.660 --> 00:17:59.359 They don't do it by accident. 00:18:00.299 --> 00:18:02.200 Thomas Watson said, this is on your bulletin, 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:05.279 How much good comes to the saints by affliction? 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:09.440 When they are pounded, they send forth their sweetest smell. 00:18:10.259 --> 00:18:15.640 Affliction is a bitter root, but it bears sweet fruit. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:22.580 So, how do we build active, a thing we're going to have to be doing, 00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:28.100 build a resilient culture that's going to stand up to, 00:18:28.099 --> 00:18:33.480 that's going to remain firm, church culture? 00:18:33.859 --> 00:18:37.379 And I use that term culture because I believe that we have to come at this from a lot of different ways. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:40.059 This is not just an education piece from a stage. 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:44.039 This is going to be us together working at this. 00:18:44.879 --> 00:18:45.759 How do we do it? 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:50.259 A church that will stand against the rising tide of soft totalitarianism. 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:55.480 A church that will contend for the truth, once for all delivered to the saints. 00:18:55.480 --> 00:19:01.079 A church that will work for our good and for the glory of God. 00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:09.000 I want to briefly outline for you five overlapping areas that I think we need to work on. 00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:13.599 All of these things are things that our church already does in some measure, 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:15.200 have recognized in some degree. 00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:17.059 So, I don't think that any of them are going to make you go, 00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:18.620 Whoa, I never thought. 00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:26.039 But I hope that the weightiness of the need is kind of placed upon you this morning as we consider these things. 00:19:26.099 --> 00:19:26.779 So, there's five of them. 00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:28.479 I'm going to move pretty quick. 00:19:28.659 --> 00:19:30.000 So, hang on. 00:19:30.159 --> 00:19:33.559 Number one, robust theology. 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:44.319 If we do not have a robust theology, we will fail to understand cosmology, the world, how it was made, how it's ordered, 00:19:45.139 --> 00:19:51.579 anthology, who we are in the world, what our purpose is in the world, and certainly biology. 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:57.679 All other studies are subservient to the study of God. 00:19:58.119 --> 00:20:02.899 We're going to have to have robust theology, not weak theology. 00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:06.420 We're going to have to be versed in the Bible. 00:20:07.580 --> 00:20:11.400 Proverbs 1-7, we spoke of this last week on Mother's Day. 00:20:11.540 --> 00:20:15.720 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. 00:20:16.580 --> 00:20:19.080 Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 00:20:19.600 --> 00:20:23.740 If we care to be wise, as we've been exhorted to be in our text here, 00:20:23.840 --> 00:20:26.019 and as we're being exhorted in Proverbs 1-7, 00:20:26.100 --> 00:20:29.640 we must recognize that that begins with the fear of the Lord. 00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:31.480 Reverence and awe. 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:38.120 Humility on our part, recognizing who God is, and being about knowing Him. 00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:40.779 Not merely knowing things about Him. 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:43.559 I think our church is all too guilty of that. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:45.559 Lots of head. 00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:48.880 Not as much heart as there ought to be. 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:53.480 Theology done well leads to doxology. 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:55.180 It leads to praise. 00:20:55.180 --> 00:21:01.320 When we hold doctrines rightly, it warms our affections. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:09.920 We know this God, and we know how He'd have us order ourselves for our good and for His praise. 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:13.200 It ought to lead in that direction. 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:15.820 So hear that when I say robust. 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:18.200 It doesn't just mean that we need to read more books. 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:24.900 It means that we need to grasp onto those things that have been taught us as we continue to learn. 00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:33.940 In a highly psychologized age, we are being inundated with the messages that we are the center of the universe, 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:37.740 and that our feelings dictate our reality. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.860 This is happening all the time. 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:48.859 I am so grateful to know, at very least this in the world, that I am not a good source of truth. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:54.219 Truth has to come from outside of me because I am so fickle, right? 00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:58.599 I can think one thing one day and the opposite thing the next. 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:02.699 That's why we praise God for His revelation, for a book. 00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:03.919 It's written down. 00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:08.699 It says something, and it means something, and we can take it up, and we can read it, right? 00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:13.220 This is ultimate reality, not my feelings. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.720 Many churches in our day, and we do not need to be this church. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:22.600 We need to avoid the temptation to become this church. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:27.940 Many churches peddle what sociologists Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton called 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:32.940 therapeutic, moralistic deism, right? 00:22:33.120 --> 00:22:34.620 Self-help. 00:22:34.619 --> 00:22:40.439 What happens when it becomes extremely uncomfortable to meet with God's people 00:22:40.439 --> 00:22:44.619 when really what those people were seeking was a bit of comfort, right? 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:46.279 Comfort me, pastor. 00:22:46.379 --> 00:22:51.159 I just want to know that my life can be a little better than it is. 00:22:52.239 --> 00:22:57.319 I don't think we'll gather anymore if that's what's at the center of our teaching. 00:22:57.319 --> 00:23:04.019 But if God is the center of our teaching, right, if we have a grand and high view of God, 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:09.379 then come what may, if God is for us, who can be against us? 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:12.000 We do not need a high view of man. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:15.980 We need a high view of God. 00:23:16.679 --> 00:23:23.319 We need to be able to understand that our God is in control of all things. 00:23:23.319 --> 00:23:28.319 Not only is he sovereign, but he rules providentially. 00:23:28.839 --> 00:23:33.019 He's working all things for a purpose. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:35.740 And we don't have to guess what that purpose is. 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:38.700 It's for the praise of his glory. 00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:41.339 He's making himself known. 00:23:41.419 --> 00:23:48.700 And he's doing that through a people who are being shaped to know him more and more and more. 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:57.000 That we would be a people who stand in the face of opposition and say our God is greater than this opposition, right? 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:02.420 Come what may, we have God. 00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:09.620 We are going to have to, as a people, be able to do theological triage on the fly. 00:24:09.840 --> 00:24:14.759 We've talked about theological triage, understanding those things that are primary doctrines, right? 00:24:14.759 --> 00:24:17.660 Those things that we must agree on to be Christian. 00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:19.759 Those things that are secondary doctrines. 00:24:19.819 --> 00:24:23.180 Those things that we need to agree upon to be a church, right? 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:28.039 Coming together and fellowshipping together, functioning as a church body. 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:34.119 And then those things that are tertiary, like well-meaning Christians can disagree upon and that's okay. 00:24:34.539 --> 00:24:36.619 And those things that are, anybody remember the word? 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:37.799 Quaternary. 00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:40.259 Which means they mean nothing. 00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:42.680 They just don't matter at all. 00:24:42.680 --> 00:24:48.900 And too often, we take third tier and fourth tier issues and we make them first tier issues. 00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:50.920 This happens all the time. 00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:55.420 We're going to have to be able to be undistracted people, right? 00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:57.340 By doing theological triage on the fly. 00:24:57.420 --> 00:25:00.240 When stuff comes our way, knowing, is this the thing that I ought to be talking about? 00:25:00.420 --> 00:25:02.320 Or let's let go, right? 00:25:02.320 --> 00:25:04.000 We've got to get good at that. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:11.900 And we're going to have to be able to hold and communicate nuanced positions. 00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:15.880 Our world is constantly making it either this or that. 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:18.319 And very often, it's a both and. 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:20.319 It's somewhere in between. 00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:23.660 We're going to have to be better at that as God's people, right? 00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:25.279 What does the word say? 00:25:25.339 --> 00:25:27.980 It's often very nuanced, right? 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:29.000 It's not out of balance. 00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:30.680 It's perfectly balanced. 00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:33.340 Many Christian doctrines are like walking a tightrope. 00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:36.000 There's two ways to fall off, right? 00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:40.060 And the world trying to push us off one way or the other. 00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:43.980 As a people, we're going to have to hold each other on that tightrope. 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:47.799 And we're going to have to be able to communicate in that way as well. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.000 So robust theology. 00:25:50.080 --> 00:25:51.740 We're going to have to be about this work. 00:25:52.420 --> 00:25:56.100 Secondly, accurate histories. 00:25:57.580 --> 00:25:58.740 Accurate histories. 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:01.519 Going on in the world right now. 00:26:01.580 --> 00:26:03.200 And there has been throughout the ages. 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:05.039 It's not a new thing. 00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:07.000 I was a history minor. 00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:08.480 So I had to take historiography. 00:26:08.660 --> 00:26:15.700 And you learn all about the varied ways that history has been twisted up throughout the ages. 00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:20.240 But we're going to have to understand where we have come from. 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:23.940 Or we will not see clearly to know where we are going. 00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:29.620 And we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:33.340 We're going to have to work at this. 00:26:34.620 --> 00:26:37.799 We've talked quite a bit about starting a church library. 00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:40.420 We had some wonderful theological books donated to us. 00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:41.740 And we thought we should do this. 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:43.940 And we think we could gain more and more of this. 00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:47.100 And if you know me, you know I like a good book. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.080 Don't give it to me digitally. 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:50.159 I want to mark in it and turn its pages. 00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:51.519 Smell it. 00:26:51.639 --> 00:26:52.339 It's a wonderful thing. 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:58.000 But we've also talked about we might need to grab up some good history books too. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:12.000 This could be a time to just start pulling together those pieces so that we can be keenly aware, accurately knowing our local history, our national history, our world history. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:16.960 And then I would say most importantly, our church history. 00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:23.380 The American church is repeating heresies that were settled many, many, many years ago. 00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:28.720 And if you don't know these things, you're going to possibly get swept up into them, right? 00:27:28.780 --> 00:27:32.680 You need to be keenly aware of those mistakes made in the past. 00:27:32.760 --> 00:27:37.380 And then I'll just say to you, we ought to particularly know our Baptist church history. 00:27:39.520 --> 00:27:41.780 Third, accurate histories. 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:43.740 Third, healthy family. 00:27:43.740 --> 00:28:01.660 If we do not have healthy families, then our church will not hold together because the family is the first and foundational institution of all societies of any kind whatsoever. 00:28:02.339 --> 00:28:02.460 Right? 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:08.779 This is in large measure why we've worked as a church to build healthy families. 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:13.380 We see it as a gift given by God with responsibility given to it. 00:28:13.380 --> 00:28:24.960 We've wanted to push in that direction to help your family be healthy for your sake, but also for the grander sake of the church and the world beyond. 00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:25.480 Right? 00:28:26.060 --> 00:28:33.520 Healthy churches are built on foundations of healthy families and healthy societies are built on foundations of healthy churches. 00:28:33.520 --> 00:28:39.420 And this is why the evil one is so bent on destroying the family. 00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:45.539 So much messaging of our world is against the family. 00:28:45.840 --> 00:28:51.840 So we're going to need to continue to work at developing healthy families. 00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:52.279 Right? 00:28:52.660 --> 00:28:53.680 We should have kids. 00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:54.820 Congratulations, everybody. 00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:55.440 You did it. 00:28:57.300 --> 00:29:00.440 A lot of children in our little church. 00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:02.580 And I would encourage you to continue to do so. 00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:03.560 It's a wonderful thing. 00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:06.160 Children are a blessing from the Lord. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:06.440 Right? 00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:10.680 Let's continue to outnumber others in this way. 00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:14.540 It's a good thing to have children and to raise them up. 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:20.320 It's a good thing for your primary discipleship relationships to be your children. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:25.200 That's okay that you invest a lot of time in them. 00:29:26.060 --> 00:29:29.700 So we're going to need to have kids biologically, but we're also going to need to be adoptive. 00:29:29.700 --> 00:29:34.860 The church needs to serve the great need of our communities by adopting formally. 00:29:35.180 --> 00:29:43.360 I'm really grateful for the people in our church that have been doing that and the heart's desire of a lot of people in our church to both foster and or adopt. 00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.620 This is a wonderful thing. 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:50.500 It's a great witness in the world in which we live, a world that seems bent on discarding children. 00:29:50.980 --> 00:29:55.259 The church can say to that world, no, we want those children. 00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:57.700 And we can do this in larger and larger order. 00:29:57.819 --> 00:30:01.259 So we should be adoptive formally and we should also be adoptive informally. 00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:07.240 There are people coming into the life of our church that don't know what healthy family life looks like. 00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:13.879 We're raised in difficult situations, feel alone all the time, and families need to draw those people in. 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:14.440 Come. 00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:15.519 You are welcome. 00:30:15.640 --> 00:30:18.279 We want you at the table with us. 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:26.799 So we'll need to be about that as part of our view of what healthy family looks like, including others in that as well. 00:30:27.619 --> 00:30:31.700 Fourth and closely related, sacrificial hospitality. 00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:40.279 If we do not love one another as we should, and if we do not love our neighbors as we should, 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:48.200 then we will not have a ground from which to say difficult things into a confused culture. 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:53.220 I'm asking a rhetorical question, so don't raise your hand. 00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:57.500 But has anybody ever won an argument on Facebook? 00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:01.480 I doubt it. 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:03.799 I just doubt it. 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:07.960 It's not the context for these kinds of things to happen. 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:16.920 So if we're going to speak winsomely into a confused age, we're going to need to do so with sacrificial hospitality. 00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:21.440 We're going to need to say to the world, our home is open to you. 00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:22.000 Right. 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:26.039 We have been shown great welcoming in Christ. 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:33.579 We want to turn and extend the very same thing to one another and to the world around us. 00:31:33.579 --> 00:31:36.939 And we're going to have to think about structurally. 00:31:37.099 --> 00:31:38.319 How do we do that? 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:41.879 Well, how do we do that deliberately? 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:48.279 This morning, just as a small example of that, I'm so glad all of you are here. 00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:49.480 It's a wonderful thing to have you. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:51.179 We didn't have enough chairs put out, did we? 00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:56.599 We were kind of scrambling to put out chairs because everybody shows up in this little window of time and we made it happen. 00:31:56.599 --> 00:32:00.759 I think there's people sitting across the hall because they couldn't find a seat over here. 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:03.799 How do we love each other best? 00:32:03.879 --> 00:32:05.980 How do we not let anybody slip through the cracks? 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:11.399 How do we look at every single person and say, I don't just regard you according to the flesh. 00:32:11.480 --> 00:32:13.539 So you've got a seat and some coffee. 00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:16.439 But I see those unseen things. 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:17.379 You're a soul. 00:32:17.659 --> 00:32:20.759 I want to give you good and careful care. 00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:28.740 We're going to live in a more and more difficult time, a more hard time to follow Christ. 00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:32.000 We're going to need each other all the more. 00:32:33.059 --> 00:32:35.440 Jesus said in John chapter 13, verse 35, 00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:43.259 By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. 00:32:44.140 --> 00:32:45.299 Isn't that just striking? 00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:51.599 I mean, it's not proper theology that he says, although proper theology feeds proper love. 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.960 I would contend with you. 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:57.680 He doesn't say it's political affiliation. 00:32:58.559 --> 00:33:00.200 But he says love. 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:03.799 If you have love for one another. 00:33:04.440 --> 00:33:06.619 So we're going to have to show each other sacrificial hospitality. 00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:13.819 We're going to express that kind of love for those within the church, but also those without. 00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:17.639 Again, Jesus, Matthew chapter 5, verse 43 and following. 00:33:17.839 --> 00:33:21.159 You have heard that it was said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:27.720 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. 00:33:29.179 --> 00:33:34.460 We are meant to be a people who are meek in the face of opposition, right? 00:33:34.859 --> 00:33:37.619 Loving those who are ensnared by the world, right? 00:33:37.639 --> 00:33:40.879 Who are getting caught up in this totalitarianism I am talking about. 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:41.960 We're meant to love them. 00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:43.460 We're meant to pray for them. 00:33:43.460 --> 00:33:45.600 We're meant to invite them in. 00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:46.079 Come. 00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:47.620 Come and see. 00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:50.559 Come and see the goodness of our God. 00:33:52.039 --> 00:33:52.840 And fifth. 00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:57.960 The church is going to need a clear mission. 00:33:58.740 --> 00:33:59.799 A clear mission. 00:34:00.600 --> 00:34:09.539 If we are not crystal clear on why we exist, then we will always be distracted by some lesser purpose. 00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:12.840 There's a lot of good things the church can be about doing. 00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:20.079 But all of it ought to be a vehicle for the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:34:20.219 --> 00:34:23.159 I'd love to talk for an entire Sunday about mission and the mission of the church. 00:34:23.279 --> 00:34:25.119 But let's just sum it up in that way. 00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:31.759 The primary thing that the church is meant to be doing is declaring the good news of Jesus Christ, right? 00:34:31.779 --> 00:34:33.699 We are a gospel people saved by the gospel. 00:34:33.819 --> 00:34:37.539 We must be clear on what our mission is. 00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:40.559 Matthew chapter 28, beginning in verse 18. 00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:45.179 Jesus said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:46.460 Jesus reigns, right? 00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.460 He's in his session. 00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.900 He's seated at the right hand of God. 00:34:49.199 --> 00:34:53.360 He has all authority, both in heaven and on earth. 00:34:53.500 --> 00:35:01.880 So then he says, go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:35:01.880 --> 00:35:05.680 And I would say to you, we're meant to go convert people, grow them in depth, right? 00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:09.140 Verse 20, teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. 00:35:09.340 --> 00:35:15.119 He commands us to baptize, which I would suggest to you means that we're meant to form churches in the process of that. 00:35:15.240 --> 00:35:21.280 And he says, behold, I'm with you always to the end of the age, right? 00:35:21.640 --> 00:35:26.800 Jesus says he's been given all authority in heaven and on earth, and he's with us to the end of the age. 00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:28.400 And what does he want us to do? 00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:32.160 Make disciples by planting churches. 00:35:32.360 --> 00:35:35.300 That would be my suggestion to you, right? 00:35:36.160 --> 00:35:44.099 We have to be clear on what is, are the battles, war, right? 00:35:44.119 --> 00:35:46.200 We have to be clear on what those things are. 00:35:46.300 --> 00:35:48.039 What engages us? 00:35:48.160 --> 00:35:49.920 What do we involve ourselves in? 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:53.680 And what do we not involve ourselves in? 00:35:53.679 --> 00:36:01.159 I see a lot of Christians getting involved in matters that I think are lesser and I think are distracting. 00:36:02.359 --> 00:36:11.719 We must hold the understanding that the reformers held that the church is militant, not in taking up arms. 00:36:11.879 --> 00:36:12.759 That's not what I mean at all. 00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:14.639 I'm not a Christian nationalist. 00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:17.239 It's meant to be moving. 00:36:17.379 --> 00:36:18.719 It's meant to be going, right? 00:36:19.059 --> 00:36:21.980 The gates of hell will not prevail against the church, right? 00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:23.679 What are the weapons that we fight with? 00:36:23.679 --> 00:36:24.759 The fruits of the spirit, right? 00:36:24.779 --> 00:36:27.839 It's all these wonderful, kind, loving, generous. 00:36:27.980 --> 00:36:30.420 That's the way we go as we're militant. 00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:31.599 But we're meant to be moving. 00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.659 We're meant to be going. 00:36:32.779 --> 00:36:33.759 We're meant to be sharing. 00:36:33.879 --> 00:36:37.239 We're meant to be winning, discipling, growing up, planting churches. 00:36:37.239 --> 00:36:45.479 We're meant to be doing all of that, not sitting on our heels, but pressing, pressing forward and the church victorious, right? 00:36:46.199 --> 00:36:47.539 The battle's guaranteed. 00:36:47.879 --> 00:36:55.619 We will win because Christ has all authority and he is with us to the end of the age. 00:36:57.219 --> 00:36:59.739 So these five things, again, I don't think it's exhaustive. 00:36:59.899 --> 00:37:00.859 They're overlapping. 00:37:01.019 --> 00:37:03.099 They're things we need to be thinking about. 00:37:03.099 --> 00:37:08.279 They're things we need to be growing in, deliberate in, pressing on in. 00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:24.779 It is our prayer that we will be a resilient church culture and that we will stand against the rising tide of soft totalitarianism, this evil age that we live in, and that we will do so for our good and for the glory of God. 00:37:24.780 --> 00:37:34.600 In closing, I'm going to read today's text one more time and ask that you consider how you might be wise in our evil days. 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:41.300 Paul writes, take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 00:37:42.019 --> 00:37:44.720 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 00:37:45.460 --> 00:37:48.720 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible. 00:37:49.220 --> 00:37:51.880 For anything that becomes visible is light. 00:37:51.880 --> 00:37:58.260 Therefore, it says, awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 00:37:59.140 --> 00:38:08.079 Look carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. 00:38:08.780 --> 00:38:14.099 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:38:14.599 --> 00:38:15.500 Let's pray together.