WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.940 Thanks very much, Jackson. It was a good plan to get a class of history, the reading this 00:00:05.940 --> 00:00:10.380 morning with all these difficult names beautifully read. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Really 00:00:10.380 --> 00:00:14.160 good to have you with us. If you're here in the church or to know that you're on YouTube 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:20.800 watching us, you're very welcome. I want to start with another announcement, if I may. 00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:26.379 This coming Saturday at Bellevue Chapel, which is in the Broughton area of Edinburgh, there's 00:00:26.379 --> 00:00:31.719 a missionary exhibition. Now, this exhibition is by Echoes International, which is the organisation 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:36.479 that supports most of the missionaries we're associated with at Brunsfield. They're celebrating 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:41.359 the 150th anniversary. We're all worth going to, I think, if you're able to, and there's 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:47.539 a short service with Stephen McQuade, Director General of Gospel Literature I-TREACH at 4 o'clock. 00:00:47.659 --> 00:00:53.219 There's information in the newsletter as well. But if you go to Bellevue on Saturday, perhaps 00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:58.500 you'll find out the answer to a question which some people might ask, which is, what do missionaries 00:00:58.500 --> 00:01:04.939 actually do? When someone goes abroad, or indeed is a missionary in the UK, what is it that they 00:01:04.939 --> 00:01:10.819 do? What are the things that they focus on? And we're going to see that as we go through 00:01:10.819 --> 00:01:17.060 this passage, as we think about Paul's missionary work. But I want to begin by moving a little bit 00:01:17.060 --> 00:01:21.099 more modern, not very modern to begin with, but we'll come to that and ask the question, well, 00:01:21.099 --> 00:01:27.739 let's take some examples. What do missionaries do? These two fine folk on the screen are my 00:01:27.739 --> 00:01:32.619 grandparents, Archie and Alice Naismith. It's a before and after picture of when they were 00:01:32.619 --> 00:01:40.639 missionaries in India. They went out 100 years ago, this year, 1922, and they stayed there until 1958. 00:01:41.659 --> 00:01:47.060 One of my great plans for my retirement is to do a bit more research into what they actually did 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:52.980 during their time in India. But I can share a little of that with you to give a bit of a flavour 00:01:52.980 --> 00:02:01.159 this morning. Like all missionaries, my grandparents went out to tell people about Jesus, to communicate 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:07.140 the great news that we're all sinners, that Jesus died for our sins on the cross at Calvary, 00:02:07.140 --> 00:02:15.379 and if we trust in him, we can be forgiven, we can have eternal life. My grandparents certainly 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:23.060 gave that message. For example, on their voyage towards India, as they first went out, my grandfather 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:28.780 held gospel meetings every Sunday, arranged them on the boat. And he also befriended a young man from 00:02:28.780 --> 00:02:33.920 Dundee, a young fellow by the name of Prescott, who had a lot of problems, issues in his life, 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:40.239 problems with alcohol, among other things, and sadly died during that voyage. And my grandfather 00:02:40.239 --> 00:02:46.259 talked a lot to him about the gospel and his need for Jesus. He wasn't sure at the end whether he had 00:02:46.259 --> 00:02:52.560 trusted the saviour. But as they went to India, very much, they went to tell people the good news 00:02:52.560 --> 00:03:00.019 about Jesus. And that is what all missionaries go to do to a greater or lesser extent, to tell people 00:03:00.020 --> 00:03:07.900 to evangelise others. But there's a lot more to missionary work than that. Missionaries also 00:03:07.900 --> 00:03:14.140 encourage Christians. They may be established churches, or they go to churches already there, 00:03:14.420 --> 00:03:20.360 and they help to build Christians up in their faith and in their knowledge of the Lord Jesus. 00:03:21.140 --> 00:03:26.660 My grandparents went to a place called Narsapur. Narsapur is kind of on the east side of India, 00:03:26.659 --> 00:03:32.099 kind of about halfway up on the east side. And they went to what was then an established church. 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:36.579 There were already missionaries there. But a lot of my grandfather's work was going around 00:03:36.579 --> 00:03:42.300 relatively small churches in the area, several times a week usually he was preaching and teaching 00:03:42.300 --> 00:03:48.780 the Christians there and encouraging them in their work for the Lord Jesus. He travelled by road, 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:54.979 he travelled by river, any way that was needed to encourage and build up the church. 00:03:54.979 --> 00:04:00.759 And all missionaries, again, to a greater or lesser extent, are involved in building up Christians 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:05.739 and helping them to grow in their faith in the Lord Jesus. 00:04:07.179 --> 00:04:12.579 And then the other thing my grandparents went, and the reason why they went specifically to Narsapur, 00:04:13.099 --> 00:04:19.339 was they had heard there was a need for a headteacher in the school in that town. 00:04:19.339 --> 00:04:25.719 And my grandfather went to be the headteacher. My grandmother was responsible for the hostel where the boys stayed. 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:32.120 And during their most of their time in India, they looked after the needs of the boys in the school. 00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:37.599 And that, I think, is the third major thing that many missionaries are involved in, 00:04:37.659 --> 00:04:43.879 is meeting the practical needs of those in the areas that they have gone to. 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:50.279 So three things then. Share the gospel with others, encourage Christians in their faith, 00:04:50.659 --> 00:04:54.240 and show Christ's love in practical ways. 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:55.620 Let's get a bit more modern. 00:04:56.199 --> 00:05:00.279 What about the missionaries that we support as a church here at Plantsfield? 00:05:00.339 --> 00:05:02.959 Some of you will know them. Many of you probably won't. 00:05:03.019 --> 00:05:05.319 I'll only be able very briefly to mention names. 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:08.360 If you want more information, come to me later. 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:11.500 But do they do these things that we're talking about here? 00:05:11.500 --> 00:05:14.459 Well, yes, they do. They share the gospel with others. 00:05:14.579 --> 00:05:17.459 All of them share the good news of Jesus. 00:05:17.620 --> 00:05:24.839 For instance, Ebron Fionno and Paraná in Argentina have a daily radio broadcast where they share the gospel. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:30.500 And they organise young people's groups to go on mission campaigns around the country. 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:33.500 Or here in Edinburgh, a variable youth project. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:39.279 John and the team are very much involved in organising scripture union groups and groups for teenagers 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:44.959 to teach them the gospel, to teach them and help them to understand the good news of Jesus. 00:05:45.039 --> 00:05:46.639 And I go through the whole list of missionaries. 00:05:47.019 --> 00:05:51.519 All of them seek to share the gospel with other people. 00:05:52.779 --> 00:05:54.699 Do they encourage Christians in their faith? 00:05:54.799 --> 00:05:55.899 Yes, they certainly do. 00:05:56.799 --> 00:06:02.139 Jim, Fiona's father in Paraná in Argentina, spent over 40 years building up a church there, 00:06:02.139 --> 00:06:08.379 planting new churches and going round large areas in that part of Argentina and further afield, 00:06:08.779 --> 00:06:16.240 helping churches, helping the elders and preaching there, and also has an extensive writing ministry. 00:06:17.159 --> 00:06:21.740 Richard and Elaine in Switzerland with YWAM are involved in discipleship training 00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:25.819 for those who want to be in Christian service. 00:06:25.819 --> 00:06:33.240 Derek, who used to be in a country where Christians suffer quite a lot of persecution, 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:38.980 is still involved in publishing good Christian literature to go on to encourage the Christians. 00:06:39.100 --> 00:06:43.300 He just finished publishing commentaries for every book of the Bible. 00:06:44.539 --> 00:06:47.139 And we could again give lots of other examples. 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:52.459 And then missionaries show Christ's love in practical ways. 00:06:52.459 --> 00:06:58.439 Going back to Eber and Fiona, they have a food kitchen where they provide food for those in need. 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:04.139 Andrea and Tyre in Lebanon is an educational psychologist working in a Christian school. 00:07:04.579 --> 00:07:09.199 And in that country, which has been going through such dire economic and political circumstances, 00:07:09.740 --> 00:07:12.759 provides a huge amount of support for others. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:16.219 And again, I could go through more in the list of our mysteries. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:20.319 And they show Christ's love in practical ways. 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:23.740 So these are three things that missionaries today do. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:28.099 And they're three things that Paul was very much concerned with. 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.500 And we might come to this passage, and as Jackson was reading it, 00:07:31.740 --> 00:07:34.339 you might have thought, well, this is not very interesting. 00:07:34.899 --> 00:07:36.920 It's just names of people and places. 00:07:37.459 --> 00:07:40.539 What relevance does it have to us today? 00:07:41.159 --> 00:07:44.740 And the answer is, the relevance is, Paul was sharing the gospel with others. 00:07:44.740 --> 00:07:51.860 He was encouraging Christians in their faith, and he was showing Christ's love in practical ways. 00:07:52.340 --> 00:07:55.280 Now, some of it we learn, a lot of it we learn from what we read today. 00:07:55.800 --> 00:08:03.500 Some more we learn from what Paul wrote, particularly in two of his letters to the Corinthian church and to the church in Rome. 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:07.519 So we're going to talk a little bit about that, and we'll draw some practical conclusions. 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:09.800 And we will come to the amazing miracle. 00:08:09.900 --> 00:08:11.040 I'm not going to forget that. 00:08:11.259 --> 00:08:13.680 We will come to that and think about it. 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:15.720 A bit of context first, though. 00:08:15.780 --> 00:08:20.480 It's easy when we get into the details of cities and things that Paul went to to forget the big picture. 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:24.139 So Paul went on three what we call missionary journeys. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:28.340 On this picture, the first of these is shown in red. 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:30.240 It's a relatively small area. 00:08:30.699 --> 00:08:35.139 So to the right of the map there, we have the Middle East, we have Israel, we have Syria, 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:37.860 the two key countries from that point of view. 00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:42.259 Paul went from Antioch in Syria and returned to Jerusalem in Israel. 00:08:42.259 --> 00:08:45.720 And he went along the south of what we would now call Turkey. 00:08:46.419 --> 00:08:50.439 The top of that picture, that map, is Turkey. 00:08:51.139 --> 00:08:57.100 And then the first missionary journey was a relatively small area visited with Barnabas. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:01.240 And then they went back to Jerusalem and to Antioch. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:06.000 Second missionary journey is the one that is in blue on the chart. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:07.180 You'll see it's quite a lot bigger. 00:09:07.740 --> 00:09:14.159 They go right through Turkey and they end up going through Greece and then back again to Jerusalem. 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:16.320 And then the third one is the one in purple. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:22.560 And again, it's a round trip starting in Antioch and ending up in Jerusalem. 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:28.019 We transitioned seamlessly from the second to the third missionary journey last week. 00:09:28.099 --> 00:09:29.079 I don't know if you noticed that. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:35.059 Paul had two visits to Ephesus and in the middle he returned to Jerusalem and to Antioch. 00:09:35.239 --> 00:09:39.779 So we started in missionary journey two and we ended in missionary journey three. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:42.099 Now what did Paul do in missionary journey three? 00:09:42.179 --> 00:09:47.019 Well, the first thing he did was he went to Ephesus and that was what we were looking at last week. 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:53.919 So the map on the left there, we see Paul, he's headed straight from Antioch and he's gone down to Ephesus. 00:09:54.759 --> 00:10:01.419 I divided the map into two so we can see kind of where he goes and how he comes back as we go through it. 00:10:01.899 --> 00:10:04.879 So Paul, remember, spent several years in Ephesus at this point. 00:10:05.299 --> 00:10:08.399 There was then a great riot in the city, which we thought about last week. 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:12.019 And Paul at that point decided to leave. 00:10:12.019 --> 00:10:16.939 He said goodbye to the people there and he headed north. 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:19.579 Now Luke says he went to Macedonia. 00:10:19.699 --> 00:10:20.899 Macedonia is Greece. 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:23.279 It's a bit at the top of the map. 00:10:24.019 --> 00:10:29.460 Actually, we know from what Paul wrote that the first thing he did was go to a city called Troas. 00:10:30.079 --> 00:10:34.980 Now he needed to go to Troas to get to Macedonia because that was where you got the boat from. 00:10:35.460 --> 00:10:37.860 But he actually went to Troas with a purpose. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:42.899 And that purpose, he says in 2 Corinthians, was to preach the gospel. 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:48.220 So he was going there to tell people the good news about Jesus. 00:10:49.579 --> 00:10:51.860 Now when he got there, he had a bit of a problem. 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:56.539 He was expecting his friend Titus to meet him in Troas. 00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:59.019 And he found that Titus wasn't there. 00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:02.699 And that was a source of great stress for Paul. 00:11:03.439 --> 00:11:05.340 Paul had sent Titus off to Corinth. 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:08.460 Corinth is at the bottom of the map there on the left-hand side. 00:11:08.579 --> 00:11:11.039 Paul had sent Titus off to Corinth. 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.179 And with him he'd sent a letter. 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:15.319 And it was a bit of a stinker. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.120 The church in Corinth had huge problems. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:24.039 And there were all sorts of things that Paul needed to pull them upon and correct. 00:11:24.039 --> 00:11:28.079 Now the letter he sent isn't one of the two letters to Corinthians that's in the Bible. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.819 It's one that he wrote in the middle. 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:38.099 And Paul was really worried about how the Christians in Corinth would receive his message. 00:11:39.099 --> 00:11:43.519 He was sending it to them to build them up, to encourage them in their faith. 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:48.860 But in doing that, he had to pull them up on all the things that they were doing wrong. 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:54.080 If you want to know what they were doing wrong, there's plenty of evidence in the two letters we do have in the Bible. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:12:01.320 And the fact that Paul didn't find Titus in Troas was really stressful to him. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:08.320 And so stressful that he found he wasn't able to preach the gospel the way he'd have wanted to. 00:12:09.300 --> 00:12:13.500 Now in a strange way, as I was studying for today, I found that really comforting. 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:15.840 I've had a pretty stressful week. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:20.980 And at times I found it really difficult to concentrate on things I knew were important. 00:12:21.280 --> 00:12:26.040 And I took comfort from the fact that Paul had a similar kind of situation, much worse than mine. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:32.840 But that in that situation, he also found he couldn't concentrate on what he knew was important. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:41.280 Don't beat yourself up if you're not able to do something in the Lord's service because of what's happening in your life. 00:12:41.280 --> 00:12:45.740 He understands and others have been there, including Paul. 00:12:46.460 --> 00:12:47.960 Anyway, that was Paul in Troas. 00:12:48.160 --> 00:12:52.500 He was going to preach the good news of Jesus, and he didn't manage to. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:13:00.639 He then went across to Macedonia, which is now north part of Greece, and he went specifically to Philippi. 00:13:01.500 --> 00:13:08.800 And the good news for him was he met Titus in Philippi, and he got the news that the Corinthians had received his letter well, 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:12.979 that his concerns had fortunately not been realised. 00:13:12.979 --> 00:13:19.059 The church had turned back to God and was trying to live as they should. 00:13:19.599 --> 00:13:27.079 And Paul wrote his second letter of Corinthians at that point, much encouraged, to encourage the church and to build them up in the gospel. 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:34.759 And then he went round all these churches, all these cities that Jackson read to us that we can see on the map. 00:13:35.560 --> 00:13:37.259 What was he doing there? 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:39.060 Well, he was doing two things. 00:13:39.059 --> 00:13:42.559 One was he was going there to encourage them. 00:13:42.619 --> 00:13:45.419 That's what it says, doesn't it, in our passage. 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:51.579 He travelled throughout that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people. 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:59.820 We sometimes think of Paul as going from one city to another city to another city, preaching the gospel, and then moving on. 00:14:00.460 --> 00:14:01.820 Well, in a sense he did. 00:14:02.660 --> 00:14:07.900 But he also took great efforts to ensure that when people came to know the Lord Jesus, 00:14:08.540 --> 00:14:13.980 that they were well supported, that they had every opportunity to grow in their faith. 00:14:14.460 --> 00:14:20.120 Part of that was writing letters to them, but also a large part of it was going back to visit. 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:26.240 And Paul here is going back to visit churches and cities that we've met previously in the book of Acts, 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:30.899 and he's going to encourage the Christians in their faith. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:39.440 Three times in this passage, the word encouraged is used in the original, in verse 2, in verse 3, 00:14:39.980 --> 00:14:44.820 and then towards the end in verse 12, it talks about the church being greatly comforted. 00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:46.519 The word there is encouraged. 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:54.220 So Paul at this point was very much wanting to encourage Christians and to build them up in their faith. 00:14:54.939 --> 00:14:58.860 And that was part of what he was doing, a large part of what he was doing, 00:14:59.019 --> 00:15:05.559 as he went this slightly circuitous route to get from Ephesus and end up in Corinth. 00:15:06.579 --> 00:15:09.059 But he was doing something else as well. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:11.819 And this brings us to the third thing I said that missionaries do, 00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:15.600 which is provide practical support for others. 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:24.460 On his third missionary journey, Paul was very concerned that the Christians in the churches that he had helped to establish 00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:29.320 should support the churches in Judea, specifically in Jerusalem. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.180 The Christians in Judea weren't well off. 00:15:32.260 --> 00:15:36.080 There was a famine there, and they needed physical help. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:42.680 And Paul saw the opportunity for the Christians in the churches in Greece and then was now Turkey 00:15:42.680 --> 00:15:51.139 to provide support, practical support, for the churches in Judea and specifically in Jerusalem. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:58.320 So he was going around collecting from them what they had gathered together for the churches in Israel, 00:15:58.460 --> 00:16:01.180 providing practical support. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.560 Now, we have wondered what all the names were in this passage. 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:06.859 Who were these people? 00:16:06.959 --> 00:16:09.679 A lot of them we know virtually nothing about. 00:16:10.719 --> 00:16:15.919 But most likely, what they were was delegates from the churches that had collected money, 00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:22.959 who would go with Paul to Jerusalem and would give the money to the Jewish Christians there. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:29.519 That was a great opportunity for them to visit the place where the church had first been established, 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:34.220 where the Lord Jesus had lived and died, and to see firsthand for themselves, 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:38.900 and to enjoy fellowship with the Christians in Judea. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.540 It also was a great opportunity for the Christians in Judea to meet them 00:16:42.540 --> 00:16:47.360 and to recognize that these Gentile Christians, these people from places far away, 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:52.840 truly were believers in the Lord Jesus and really were following him. 00:16:53.500 --> 00:16:58.360 So as Paul travels along, he is collecting money from the churches who have given generously, 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.440 they have given sacrificially in many cases. 00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:02.480 He refers to that in the book of Philippians. 00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:08.680 And he is gathering up people who can go back to Jerusalem with them to take the money. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:10.880 Eventually arrives in Corinth. 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:14.160 We're not going to go too much longer on this geography lesson, 00:17:14.260 --> 00:17:15.620 but he eventually arrives in Corinth. 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.880 And he stays there, almost certainly Corinth, he stays there three months. 00:17:20.820 --> 00:17:23.520 Now churches, we believe in better shape. 00:17:24.120 --> 00:17:30.940 And Paul certainly is in good shape in Corinth because he has a big project he's working on when he's there, 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:33.000 and that's writing the book of Romans. 00:17:33.580 --> 00:17:37.460 So the book of Romans was written at this point on Paul's missionary journey. 00:17:37.820 --> 00:17:40.020 It was sent from Corinth to Rome. 00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:44.359 And of course, Romans is Paul's great exposition on the Christian faith 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:49.519 and on justification through faith in Jesus and all that means to us. 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:53.259 So it was written in the period we're looking at here. 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:58.460 He then goes back the way he'd originally intended to sail from Corinth back to Israel. 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:02.940 He wasn't able to do that because he discovered a plot against him. 00:18:03.579 --> 00:18:08.980 And perhaps it's relevant at this point just to recognize that in the background of all this, 00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:14.180 there are Jews who are wanting rid of Paul who want to see him dead. 00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:18.420 And maybe he got some word that on the ship there were those who might have tried to kill him, 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:22.000 and so he prudently takes a different way back. 00:18:22.339 --> 00:18:27.360 Of course, he also had a lot of money on him, and that might have been attractive to people as well. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:32.299 But Paul goes back, goes through the similar kind of places again. 00:18:32.419 --> 00:18:36.339 He goes through the interior of Greece, so there's a bit more gospel work going on there. 00:18:36.459 --> 00:18:39.799 Paul reaching out to cities that haven't yet received the gospel. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:44.179 And he goes back, and he comes back to Troas, 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:49.859 and then goes on and sails down as described at the end of the passage. 00:18:49.859 --> 00:18:56.240 So as I said, Paul here is doing three things that missionaries do. 00:18:56.959 --> 00:18:59.259 He's sharing the gospel with others. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:02.139 He's encouraging Christians in their faith. 00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:04.139 Encouraging just by being there, I think, 00:19:04.439 --> 00:19:07.139 given the dangers he was facing and the difficulties of travel. 00:19:07.699 --> 00:19:09.379 Encouraging them by being there for them, 00:19:09.419 --> 00:19:13.019 but also encourage them with his words and his actions. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:18.119 And he's showing Christ's love in practical ways through the collection. 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:21.539 That's what missionaries do. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:24.299 It's also what we should all do, isn't it? 00:19:24.939 --> 00:19:26.659 If we know the Lord Jesus, 00:19:27.159 --> 00:19:31.019 these are the basic things that we as Christians should be involved in 00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:33.399 and should be active with. 00:19:33.959 --> 00:19:38.099 We should be sharing the good news about Jesus with our friends 00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:40.579 and with others we come into contact with. 00:19:41.179 --> 00:19:44.699 We should be encouraging one another in our faith. 00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:48.480 Now, encouraging here doesn't just mean saying to someone, 00:19:48.620 --> 00:19:50.120 well, Dan, you did a really good job there, 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.080 though that's important. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:55.160 It is also at times helping them to understand where they're going wrong 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:57.299 or explaining the scriptures to them 00:19:57.299 --> 00:20:01.840 and just building them up in their faith as Christians, as Paul did. 00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:05.940 And we should be showing Christ's love in practical ways. 00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:10.220 Sometimes in helping the poor, things like the food bank or care van. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:13.440 Sometimes in showing concern to those who are unwell, 00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:18.279 perhaps visiting or meeting people for coffee or whatever. 00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:23.080 In practical ways, helping people with their daily life. 00:20:24.100 --> 00:20:26.039 So all of us should be doing that. 00:20:26.080 --> 00:20:28.120 It's not something that just missionaries do, 00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:29.299 although they undoubtedly do. 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:34.299 It is something for you and for I to be involved in. 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:37.399 And there's one other thing we're going to come to show us now. 00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:42.299 The other thing is that we meet together as a church. 00:20:42.899 --> 00:20:48.720 Very important that we come together to worship, to pray, to learn. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.740 I know there are some people who can't, 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:55.859 and it's great that we have the facilities to be able to allow them to watch our services. 00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:59.039 But very important, if we can, that we come together as church, 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:04.539 that we enjoy fellowship with one another, that we learn and we worship together. 00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:07.899 So let's go to Troas now, and we'll be fairly brief. 00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:12.480 But let's look at what's happened there in the middle of our passage. 00:21:13.379 --> 00:21:17.480 So Paul and his companions, which now includes Luke. 00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:18.960 Luke wasn't there in the early part of the passage. 00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:20.799 It now includes Luke with Paul. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:25.240 They come to Troas, and what they want to do is to meet with the church 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:28.799 on the first day of the week to break bread. 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:31.240 Two things there that I think are significant. 00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:33.880 One is they met on the first day of the week. 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:36.500 That seemed to have become the pattern for Christians. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:39.259 Sunday wouldn't have been a day off for most of the church. 00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:41.120 They would have been working before they came. 00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:44.519 But they were in the habit of meeting together on Sunday. 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:45.779 And we see that here. 00:21:45.859 --> 00:21:47.900 We see it also when Paul writes to the Corinthians, 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:50.259 that that was their habit as well. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:55.660 So good together to come to church on the Lord's Day to think about him. 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:59.900 But they came together, Luke says, to break bread. 00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:04.019 That was the key purpose of why the church met. 00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:07.779 Now, break bread is a slightly ambiguous phrase 00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:09.920 when we come across in the book of Acts. 00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:14.420 It occurs in two separate places, once in chapter 2 and in this passage here. 00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:16.500 In both cases, it's mentioned twice. 00:22:17.460 --> 00:22:19.920 Breaking bread can just mean having a meal together. 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:25.080 So part of what was happening here was that the Christians were coming together 00:22:25.080 --> 00:22:29.160 and they were sharing a meal and enjoying fellowship over it. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.539 Great way we could share meals together. 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:32.460 Church meals together are wonderful, 00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:36.080 and also meals in homes can be terrific as well. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:41.419 So part of the meaning of breaking bread is meeting for a meal. 00:22:42.159 --> 00:22:46.539 But I don't think that can be the main meaning in this passage. 00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:49.299 They came together to break bread. 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:52.059 That was the purpose of them coming. 00:22:52.179 --> 00:22:58.579 So the second meaning of breaking bread is coming to remember the Lord Jesus in communion, 00:22:59.159 --> 00:23:01.859 sometimes called the breaking of bread, the Lord's Supper. 00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:08.839 And it appears fairly clear that the early church were in the habit of doing that every Sunday. 00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:10.659 They would meet together at the church. 00:23:10.859 --> 00:23:11.779 They would have a meal. 00:23:12.159 --> 00:23:18.259 But a key purpose of that was to break bread, to remember the Lord Jesus together. 00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:21.559 And in this church, we have a service at 10 o'clock on a Sunday morning 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:23.959 when we do that and seek not to have a meal, 00:23:24.379 --> 00:23:28.339 but to remember the Lord Jesus and to think about him. 00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:31.799 We also take communion very regularly at our other services. 00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:34.480 We'll have the opportunity later on this morning. 00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:39.980 But breaking bread, remembering the Lord Jesus, a key part of church life. 00:23:40.619 --> 00:23:43.259 The other key thing which very much comes out in this passage 00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:49.819 is that it is very important that we base our services around the Word of God. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:54.939 Here, Paul is able to convey to people lots of things. 00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:56.440 Remember, he's just written the book of Romans, 00:23:56.799 --> 00:24:02.420 and he's able to speak at great length to the church in Troas. 00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:05.279 Very important that when we come together, 00:24:05.580 --> 00:24:08.700 it is with the Word of God at the centre of our service. 00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:12.600 And I think that is true of the services of this church. 00:24:13.120 --> 00:24:16.500 We are basing everything we say, everything we believe, 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:20.680 on the Bible, and it is core to our lives. 00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:23.240 We don't tend to go on for hours and hours. 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:25.019 You'll probably be quite thankful for that. 00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:30.079 But we do base our services around God's Word. 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:32.599 We give priority to the breaking of bread. 00:24:32.980 --> 00:24:35.839 We also give priority to God's Word. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:38.319 In chapter 2 of Acts, it also mentions prayer 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:40.640 and the fellowships that we have together. 00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:44.980 These obviously are very important, I think, taken for granted here. 00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:48.140 But what about the miracle? 00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:51.880 Let's just spend the last few minutes thinking together 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:56.400 about this tremendous event that happened in Troas. 00:24:56.800 --> 00:24:58.280 I've called it the miracle of Troas. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:02.040 I put that picture up because I think most likely 00:25:02.040 --> 00:25:05.180 we're talking here about a fairly young teenager. 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:08.220 Someone who's maybe something between 12 and 14. 00:25:08.340 --> 00:25:11.800 That is what the original word in the Greek implies. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:13.020 So we're not talking about an adult. 00:25:13.019 --> 00:25:15.460 We're talking about a boy. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:18.259 And this boy, Eutychus. 00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:19.500 Eutychus means lucky. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:23.359 May have seemed lucky partway through this incident here. 00:25:23.660 --> 00:25:25.379 But the name Eutychus means lucky. 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:26.960 And he had come. 00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:31.039 And when he came, he found there was a very long sermon. 00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:33.180 Now, I don't think we're supposed to think 00:25:33.180 --> 00:25:35.299 that Paul just spoke and spoke and spoke and went on. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:38.799 The sense here is that there was a bit more of a dialogue. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:41.619 And maybe the Christians were asking Paul questions. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:44.720 And then Paul would answer as he did at some length. 00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:47.079 And the whole thing stretched out. 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.879 So there was a long sermon. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:52.119 And then there is a tragic accident. 00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:55.619 This young man, Eutychus, may well have done a day's work 00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:56.519 before he came. 00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:58.180 It was late in the evening. 00:25:59.099 --> 00:26:01.519 It was hot and smoky in the room. 00:26:02.180 --> 00:26:05.899 And Paul maybe had lost his interest at some point. 00:26:05.899 --> 00:26:08.339 And he falls out of the window. 00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:11.139 Obviously, he's not the first or last person 00:26:11.139 --> 00:26:13.500 to fall asleep while someone's preaching. 00:26:13.700 --> 00:26:15.500 I had a bit of a reputation when I was a boy 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:18.859 that I tended to nod off a bit during long sermons. 00:26:19.220 --> 00:26:20.740 That was OK in a way. 00:26:21.099 --> 00:26:23.079 But then I often started to snore and yawn. 00:26:23.139 --> 00:26:25.460 And that got a bit embarrassing for my parents. 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:27.960 Less excuse, and Eutychus did. 00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:30.700 But it's not an uncommon thing to happen. 00:26:31.399 --> 00:26:34.119 What is uncommon, obviously, is the tragic event. 00:26:34.119 --> 00:26:35.279 He was sitting in the window. 00:26:35.719 --> 00:26:36.819 And he fell out. 00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:40.839 And he landed on the ground from three stories up. 00:26:41.639 --> 00:26:44.559 Now, again, you might think there's some ambiguity in the passage. 00:26:44.699 --> 00:26:46.559 Was he really dead or not? 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:49.139 I think we can take it he was dead. 00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:52.339 What's the first thing that happens when someone is in an accident? 00:26:52.839 --> 00:26:55.179 The call goes out, is there a doctor in the house? 00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:56.899 Oh, yes, there's a doctor. 00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:57.740 Luke is here. 00:26:58.259 --> 00:27:00.539 And Luke runs down and examines the young man. 00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:01.419 It isn't in the past. 00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:02.039 I'm speculating. 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:03.859 But I think it probably will be right. 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:07.859 Luke examines the young man and concludes that, unfortunately, sadly, 00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:10.139 he's died in the accident. 00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:12.560 So we have here a tragedy. 00:27:12.700 --> 00:27:16.259 Someone who's come along to hear Paul, to meet with Christians, 00:27:16.820 --> 00:27:20.660 and he's ended up falling out of the window onto the ground. 00:27:22.060 --> 00:27:24.440 But then there's a dramatic revival. 00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:25.740 And I say revival. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:27.980 It is a bringing back to life. 00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:31.820 There are, I think, eight miracles in the Bible 00:27:31.820 --> 00:27:35.220 where people are brought back to life from being dead. 00:27:35.780 --> 00:27:38.220 Two in the lives of Elijah and Elisha, one each, 00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:42.559 which the children are looking at at the moment in their kids' church series. 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:47.220 Four in the life of the Lord Jesus, including his own resurrection. 00:27:47.380 --> 00:27:50.360 I'm not counting here those who came from the grave after his death. 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:51.940 We could add that in, I guess. 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:53.779 And then there are two in the book of Acts, 00:27:54.120 --> 00:28:00.980 one by Peter Dorcas, and then this one by Paul raising Eutychus. 00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:03.100 So it's not a common event in the Bible. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:05.400 It is something pretty spectacular. 00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:08.259 The other thing that's probably worth noting here 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:13.840 is that Paul probably deliberately echoes what Elijah and Elisha had done 00:28:13.840 --> 00:28:17.240 when they similarly raised young men who had died. 00:28:18.580 --> 00:28:21.100 He stretched himself on the arm, 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:23.180 stretches his arm around him, 00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:25.880 and brings him back to life. 00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:28.460 It is a wonderful miracle. 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:30.540 Someone who has died, 00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:33.799 someone who it appears there is no hope for, 00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:35.940 Paul restores him to life, 00:28:36.220 --> 00:28:40.339 and he is able to resume his normal life. 00:28:40.940 --> 00:28:41.799 And what does that mean? 00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:45.319 It means that Paul leaves the church a lot stronger 00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:47.079 than it otherwise might have been. 00:28:47.139 --> 00:28:49.019 It says that people were greatly comforted, 00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:52.220 or as I said, the room meaning is greatly encouraged. 00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:54.319 When I was preparing for today, 00:28:54.359 --> 00:28:56.720 I looked at quite a number of sermons on this passage 00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:59.839 to try and find what is the lesson from it. 00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:02.460 And most of them really struggled with it. 00:29:03.180 --> 00:29:04.779 There were some who were saying the lesson is 00:29:04.779 --> 00:29:07.660 don't fall asleep in church or something bad might happen to you. 00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:09.740 I'm not sure that is really the lesson here. 00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:12.519 There are others who had lessons that said 00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:14.460 there are churches which are sleeping, 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:16.880 that have lost a concentration. 00:29:17.380 --> 00:29:19.039 If they're not careful, they'll die. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:21.420 But the good news is they can be revived. 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:23.500 Well, I think that is again stretching 00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:27.440 what Luke is intending us to understand here. 00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:32.180 I think he wants us to get the marvel of the situation 00:29:32.180 --> 00:29:34.800 of the raising of Eutychus, 00:29:34.840 --> 00:29:36.720 and what a wonderful thing that was. 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:39.420 But I think he also wants us to get 00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:41.600 what it meant for the church. 00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:45.360 If Paul hadn't raised Eutychus back to life, 00:29:45.860 --> 00:29:47.800 what would people have remembered about that evening? 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:49.300 Well, it was evening Paul was with us, 00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:52.680 but it wasn't as sad it was the evening when Eutychus died. 00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:55.139 Now they could look back and say, 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:56.599 that was evening when Paul was with us. 00:29:56.680 --> 00:29:59.200 Wasn't it wonderful the way he taught us? 00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:01.819 And wasn't it tremendous that Eutychus 00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:03.559 was brought back to life as well, 00:30:03.619 --> 00:30:06.819 and is still with us, presumably in the church? 00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:09.599 He left the church in a much stronger position, 00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:11.399 not just because of his teaching, 00:30:11.899 --> 00:30:15.139 but also because of that tremendous miracle. 00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:17.399 He helped in a practical way, 00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:21.040 and he encouraged the Christians in their faith. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:24.860 Okay, it's been a bit of a bitty sermon, 00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:28.259 so let me just try and bring it together as we close. 00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:31.019 I want to do that with this quotation. 00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:34.000 This chap is called Arthur Penrill and Stanley. 00:30:34.560 --> 00:30:36.440 He was Dean of Westminster Abbey 00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:38.340 way back in the 19th century. 00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:39.600 This is a great quote. 00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:44.779 The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, 00:30:44.939 --> 00:30:46.179 raising people back to life, 00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:51.559 but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way. 00:30:52.419 --> 00:30:56.339 We've largely this morning been talking about ordinary things, 00:30:56.779 --> 00:30:59.839 the bread and butter of Christian life, 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.459 sharing the gospel, 00:31:02.539 --> 00:31:03.819 encouraging other Christians, 00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:06.500 showing practical love to people, 00:31:07.179 --> 00:31:09.159 meeting together as a church. 00:31:09.620 --> 00:31:13.540 These are ordinary things that we should all be doing. 00:31:14.540 --> 00:31:15.759 But the question is, 00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:17.560 how do we do them? 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:20.620 Do we do it just as a matter of routine? 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.000 We come to church on Sunday, 00:31:22.080 --> 00:31:22.820 we meet some people, 00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:23.580 we go home. 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:25.840 Maybe if I get the chance, 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:28.140 I might have a word with one of my friends about the gospel, 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:28.900 I might not. 00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:35.940 Or do we do ordinary things in extraordinary ways? 00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:40.240 Do we go above and beyond what others might expect 00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:42.180 in the way we serve the Lord, 00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:45.420 in the way that we live as Christians? 00:31:45.480 --> 00:31:48.620 I think that's what Dean Stanley is asking here. 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:52.059 Do we share the gospel with enthusiasm, 00:31:52.320 --> 00:31:54.160 taking every opportunity we can 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:56.420 to explain the love of the Lord Jesus 00:31:56.420 --> 00:31:59.519 to those who desperately need to know him? 00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:02.319 Do we go out of our way to encourage 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:05.139 and to strengthen others in the church? 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:08.720 Do we spend sacrificial time 00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:10.519 in helping others, 00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:13.559 in showing Christ's love in practical ways? 00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:15.839 And when we come together as a church, 00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:17.779 is it just all a bit ordinary, 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:19.420 or is it really special, 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:20.019 and people go, 00:32:20.119 --> 00:32:22.579 we really encourage because they've met us 00:32:22.579 --> 00:32:24.400 at the church? 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:26.800 I think these are the kind of challenges 00:32:26.800 --> 00:32:28.680 you'd be good to take away. 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:31.460 And let me end with an example. 00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:35.120 Doesn't sound very ordinary at first sight, 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:35.880 but I think it is. 00:32:36.380 --> 00:32:37.800 Her Majesty the Queen, 00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:40.340 we're celebrating her Jubilee this weekend. 00:32:41.140 --> 00:32:42.900 Yes, she lives in great privilege 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:44.440 and great wealth, 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:46.900 but the Queen does, for her, 00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:49.160 some very ordinary things. 00:32:49.860 --> 00:32:51.740 She goes out and meets people 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.100 and greets them constantly, 00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:53.779 not so much now, 00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:54.319 but in the past, 00:32:54.419 --> 00:32:57.219 constantly going and talking with people 00:32:57.219 --> 00:32:58.919 and making them feel good. 00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:00.299 She meets with prime ministers 00:33:00.299 --> 00:33:01.859 to discuss a phase of state. 00:33:01.919 --> 00:33:02.839 She does lots of things 00:33:02.839 --> 00:33:04.919 which are actually pretty routine 00:33:04.919 --> 00:33:07.639 and which she might get fed up with. 00:33:08.039 --> 00:33:11.679 But she does them in an extraordinary way. 00:33:12.339 --> 00:33:14.559 70 years almost unblemished 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:16.519 in the example she sets. 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:19.879 And what is the motivation of our Queen? 00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:22.379 It is that she is a Christian. 00:33:23.099 --> 00:33:25.799 Every opportunity she gets to speak, 00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:27.980 she tends to refer to her Christian faith. 00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:29.579 Listen to any Christmas broadcast 00:33:29.579 --> 00:33:31.119 from recent years 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:32.879 and the Queen will talk about 00:33:32.879 --> 00:33:34.299 her Christian faith. 00:33:34.939 --> 00:33:35.819 I think in some ways 00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:37.719 she's the most effective evangelist 00:33:37.719 --> 00:33:39.559 we've got in this country. 00:33:40.459 --> 00:33:41.199 And yes, she does. 00:33:41.399 --> 00:33:42.919 She's in an extraordinary situation, 00:33:43.099 --> 00:33:44.359 but she does ordinary things, 00:33:44.439 --> 00:33:46.059 the basic things of her role 00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:47.859 in extraordinary ways 00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:49.059 that glorify God 00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:51.299 and that really help others. 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:54.159 And we take an example of people like that, 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:54.940 and there are lots of others 00:33:54.940 --> 00:33:55.700 I could have quoted. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:58.500 Unless when we are Christians, 00:33:58.639 --> 00:34:00.059 when we serve the Lord Jesus, 00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:02.099 let's make a real effort 00:34:02.099 --> 00:34:04.379 to do it to the best of our abilities, 00:34:04.379 --> 00:34:08.179 to be excellent in the way that we do things, 00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:10.239 that other people may be encouraged, 00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:12.320 that others may be brought to know him, 00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:15.039 that we may really glorify God 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:16.340 in what we do. 00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:18.700 Let's not be lethargic 00:34:18.700 --> 00:34:20.260 in our Christian lives. 00:34:20.780 --> 00:34:22.720 Let's share the gospel enthusiastically, 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:25.140 encourage Christians joyfully, 00:34:25.640 --> 00:34:28.519 share Christ's love practically with others. 00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:30.720 And when we meet together as church, 00:34:31.100 --> 00:34:33.360 let's make it really special. 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:34.100 Now, I mean, 00:34:34.140 --> 00:34:35.480 we're going to share communion together, 00:34:35.580 --> 00:34:37.680 but let me just pray before we move on. 00:34:38.200 --> 00:34:38.900 Father, we thank you 00:34:38.900 --> 00:34:40.120 for your word to us this morning. 00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:42.239 We thank you for the Apostle Paul 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:44.500 and for the way he so faithfully served you 00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:47.139 as he went around these different churches, 00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:48.500 preaching the gospel 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:50.000 and encouraging the Christians 00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:52.319 and showing practical love to them. 00:34:52.759 --> 00:34:54.000 Help us to be those 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:56.500 who do ordinary things of the Christian life, 00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:57.980 the things that we should be doing, 00:34:58.400 --> 00:35:00.279 but do them in extraordinary ways 00:35:00.279 --> 00:35:03.519 that really glorify you and help others. 00:35:04.059 --> 00:35:05.900 We thank you for your presence this morning. 00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:07.119 We pray you'll be with us now 00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:08.799 as those of us in the church 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:10.440 move on to take communion together. 00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:12.380 We give thanks in Jesus' name. 00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:13.380 Amen. 00:35:27.180 --> 00:35:29.840 Before we enter into a time of communion, 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:31.019 we're just going to sing again.