WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.480 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:09.540 Our passion is to experience and express grace. 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:10.620 Join us. 00:00:12.939 --> 00:00:15.980 Well, it is great to be here and to be here again. 00:00:16.100 --> 00:00:18.280 I was here a few times years ago. 00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:22.179 Some of you have kindly remembered that. 00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:25.300 Our passage today is Acts chapter 10. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:27.460 This is our Express Grace conference. 00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:32.179 So this is going to be a gospel-focused, gospel-driven message. 00:00:32.480 --> 00:00:35.600 In Acts chapter 10, we have a long chapter. 00:00:35.780 --> 00:00:38.120 Chapter 10 has about 50 verses. 00:00:38.380 --> 00:00:43.579 We're going to read verses 1 to 8 and then verses 34 to 43. 00:00:44.179 --> 00:00:46.480 So if you would, listen to God's word. 00:00:48.460 --> 00:00:55.760 At Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:01:00.960 Devout men who feared God were with all his household. 00:01:01.179 --> 00:01:04.959 They gave alms generously to the people and prayed continually to God. 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:11.859 About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come to him and say, 00:01:11.979 --> 00:01:12.640 Cornelius. 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:15.840 And he stared at him in terror and said, What is it, Lord? 00:01:17.060 --> 00:01:21.099 And he said, Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:26.140 And now send to Joppa and bring one Simon, who is called Peter. 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:32.560 He is lodging with another Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:39.379 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier 00:01:39.379 --> 00:01:41.700 from among those who attended him. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:45.240 And having repeated everything he said to them, he sent them to Joppa. 00:01:45.939 --> 00:01:49.659 Now I'll tell you what happens in between as we go through the sermon, but let's go to verse 34. 00:01:49.820 --> 00:01:52.760 Because he gets Peter, hears this call. 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:55.159 They find him, Simon Peter. 00:01:55.159 --> 00:02:00.259 Peter, Peter the apostle, goes and he preaches to this man, Cornelius, this centurion. 00:02:00.759 --> 00:02:02.619 And this is his sermon. 00:02:02.759 --> 00:02:07.739 So Peter opened his mouth and said, Truly, I understand. 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:11.439 Could be translated, truly, I now get it. 00:02:12.699 --> 00:02:16.740 Truly, I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, 00:02:16.979 --> 00:02:20.759 anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:28.099 And as for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:28.899 he is Lord of all. 00:02:28.959 --> 00:02:33.219 You yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning in Galilee, 00:02:33.299 --> 00:02:35.319 after the baptism that John proclaimed. 00:02:36.459 --> 00:02:40.879 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. 00:02:42.239 --> 00:02:47.239 He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, 00:02:47.399 --> 00:02:48.879 for God was with him. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:50.400 And we are witnesses. 00:02:51.379 --> 00:02:55.939 We are witnesses of all that he did, both in the country of the Jews and Jerusalem. 00:02:56.079 --> 00:02:58.039 They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:03.000 But God raised him from the dead on the third day and made him appear, 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:07.579 not to all the people, but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, 00:03:08.019 --> 00:03:11.340 who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:15.139 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one 00:03:15.139 --> 00:03:19.039 appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. 00:03:19.099 --> 00:03:24.979 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness 00:03:24.979 --> 00:03:26.639 of sins through his name. 00:03:27.359 --> 00:03:29.759 And while Peter was still saying these things, 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:33.139 the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:34.560 Let's pray for a moment. 00:03:35.179 --> 00:03:39.000 Heavenly Father, I pray that your spirit would fall on us and we would hear your word. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:45.259 We would live it and we would love the gospel and be shaped by it all throughout our lives. 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:46.299 We pray in Jesus' name. 00:03:46.799 --> 00:03:47.139 Amen. 00:03:47.139 --> 00:03:47.299 Amen. 00:03:47.300 --> 00:03:48.300 Amen. 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:49.300 Amen. 00:03:49.300 --> 00:03:56.800 For many years, I felt sorry for Goldfish, living in that tiny little bowl about 12 by 10 inches, 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:03.660 around and around and around they go, looking at the same plastic pirate ship, 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:07.660 the same treasure chest, the same sunken palm tree. 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:13.900 The tedium, the tedium must be soul-crushing, I thought. 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:22.439 And then I read a report, some scientists who studied the memories of carp, also known as goldfish, 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:26.600 and they ascertained that except for the question of where food comes from, 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:31.019 they have a memory, functional memory of three seconds, 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:37.639 which means that the trip around the goldfish bowl is endlessly thrilling. 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:43.560 Whoa, look, a pirate ship and a treasure chest. 00:04:43.899 --> 00:04:47.599 A tree on the bottom of the ocean. 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:48.979 Wow. 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:51.120 A pirate ship. 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:53.560 A treasure chest. 00:04:54.679 --> 00:05:01.939 Now, in honor of this discovery, my family calls it goldfishing when we say something important to each other 00:05:01.939 --> 00:05:06.099 and one of us forgets it within two and a half seconds. 00:05:06.100 --> 00:05:12.300 The sad truth is we don't just forget things like the keys are on the counter. 00:05:12.939 --> 00:05:23.640 We forget much more important things, including the gospel, including, well, 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:28.300 not just my wife and I, but Peter. 00:05:28.919 --> 00:05:29.879 You noticed it. 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:32.519 I said, now I understand. 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:33.219 Now I get it. 00:05:33.339 --> 00:05:38.079 Peter says, now I understand the gospel. 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:39.759 As if he'd forgotten the gospel. 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:41.519 In fact, he had forgotten the gospel. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:45.759 And God reminded him through Cornelius. 00:05:45.979 --> 00:05:47.680 I hope he does the same for us. 00:05:48.139 --> 00:05:49.459 We're going to talk about several things today. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:50.199 You have a bulletin. 00:05:50.219 --> 00:05:51.079 You have an outline there. 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:54.680 We're going to see first in verses 1-8 how God calls people to mission. 00:05:55.379 --> 00:06:00.099 And then how he coordinates mission between Cornelius the centurion and Peter the apostle. 00:06:00.339 --> 00:06:01.719 He's called Simon in this passage. 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:04.400 And then the need to answer the call. 00:06:04.580 --> 00:06:09.840 And then the stirring of passion proven by the gift of the Holy Spirit in the middle of a sermon. 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:13.480 And I hope we live in joy in the gospel. 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:15.640 So here's the story. 00:06:16.080 --> 00:06:18.520 There is a man named Cornelius. 00:06:18.900 --> 00:06:20.240 He is praying. 00:06:20.400 --> 00:06:22.140 He lives in a city called Caesarea. 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:23.340 There's two Caesareas in Israel. 00:06:23.420 --> 00:06:24.660 We talked about the other one last night. 00:06:24.780 --> 00:06:26.640 This is maritime Caesarea. 00:06:27.440 --> 00:06:29.820 And there is an Italian cohort. 00:06:29.819 --> 00:06:31.980 That means there are Roman soldiers. 00:06:32.139 --> 00:06:33.540 That means there's an occupying force. 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:40.920 It means that Cornelius is part of the occupying force from Rome to dominate Israel. 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:43.079 He's not a popular guy. 00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:49.199 But somehow some person spoke to him about the God of Israel. 00:06:49.819 --> 00:06:50.980 And he became intrigued. 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:53.060 And he began to follow the God of Israel. 00:06:53.339 --> 00:06:58.039 That's what it means when it says he's God-fearing, some translations say. 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:01.220 He is obeying the law of God. 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:02.340 He's serving God alone. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:06.100 But he is, we would say in our day today, he's not fully committed. 00:07:06.200 --> 00:07:13.040 Because you see, to be fully committed to Israel, you had to get circumcised if you're a male and follow the food laws. 00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:15.960 And you also had to avoid association with Gentiles. 00:07:16.020 --> 00:07:17.800 That means he would have to give up his job. 00:07:17.860 --> 00:07:19.140 And he wasn't willing to do that. 00:07:19.320 --> 00:07:20.540 He worshipped God. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:21.439 He prayed to God. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:24.639 And yet he was holding back a little bit. 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:25.980 And he was praying. 00:07:27.100 --> 00:07:32.060 And as he prays, in fear of God, God says, I'm hearing your prayers. 00:07:33.259 --> 00:07:35.480 And he sends an angel. 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:37.459 Terrifies him. 00:07:37.459 --> 00:07:41.000 But the angel says, your prayers have ascended. 00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:42.199 And now I have a word for you. 00:07:42.239 --> 00:07:48.180 I want you to send some men to Joppa, which is about 30 miles, walking about a two-day journey. 00:07:48.699 --> 00:07:49.639 Four days altogether. 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:54.120 And find a man named Simon who's called Peter. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.799 He's living by the sea with a tanner. 00:07:57.539 --> 00:07:59.699 By the way, a tanner is not somebody who owns tanning beds. 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:05.899 It's somebody who takes care of animal skins, which is kind of dirty work. 00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:10.240 And work Jews were supposed to stay away from. 00:08:11.180 --> 00:08:15.959 So Peter has been bending the rules maybe a little bit. 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:18.819 Cornelius listens. 00:08:19.659 --> 00:08:24.579 And he says to two of his soldiers and another devout person, go find Simon Peter. 00:08:24.659 --> 00:08:25.959 I'd love to hear how it went. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:28.219 There's a man named Simon Peter. 00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:29.000 Don't know who he is. 00:08:29.080 --> 00:08:31.600 Don't know why he's important. 00:08:31.780 --> 00:08:32.840 But you're supposed to bring him here. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:33.840 You're supposed to say something. 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:34.879 I don't know what. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:36.019 Go get him. 00:08:36.800 --> 00:08:37.899 And so off he goes. 00:08:38.660 --> 00:08:39.800 That's part one. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:42.379 Part two is God coordinating mission. 00:08:42.680 --> 00:08:44.860 And it goes like this in verses 9 to 16. 00:08:45.180 --> 00:08:46.399 And there it is. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:51.420 Maybe on the screen we'll put verses 9 to 16 or not, depending on what the people back in the, 00:08:51.899 --> 00:08:54.639 there we go, back there do. 00:08:54.779 --> 00:08:55.800 So it goes like this. 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:58.679 Cornelius has a vision and so does Peter. 00:08:59.819 --> 00:09:02.399 And the two work together. 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:05.000 God is coordinating things. 00:09:05.339 --> 00:09:07.299 And it's around lunchtime. 00:09:07.439 --> 00:09:09.439 And Peter goes to the roof to pray. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:10.319 It was probably a hot day. 00:09:10.379 --> 00:09:13.019 He went to the roof to get out of the heat in the house. 00:09:13.379 --> 00:09:14.099 And he's hungry. 00:09:14.179 --> 00:09:15.639 And people are preparing food downstairs. 00:09:15.819 --> 00:09:18.979 And God uses this hunger of his to give him a vision. 00:09:18.980 --> 00:09:24.920 And in this vision, something like a sheep, a large sheep comes down from heaven. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:27.200 And there are all kinds of animals on it. 00:09:27.700 --> 00:09:30.539 And a voice from heaven says, rise Peter, kill and eat. 00:09:30.700 --> 00:09:33.659 And Peter says what any good Jew would say. 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:35.920 I question this voice. 00:09:36.860 --> 00:09:39.320 Because it's telling me to break the commands of God. 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:42.460 Which say we can't eat shellfish and we can't eat pork. 00:09:43.460 --> 00:09:46.540 And Peter has never eaten pork. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:47.420 He's never eaten bacon. 00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:48.759 We may feel sorry for him. 00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:50.700 Because it tastes good. 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:55.660 But he was willing to say no to his appetites for the sake of the Lord. 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:57.800 And never. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:09:59.639 God says, okay, fine. 00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:01.200 I'll send that vision again. 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:03.580 And again, rise Peter, kill and eat. 00:10:03.660 --> 00:10:05.139 Again, he says, I can't. 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:08.040 And then again, the vision comes a third time. 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:09.660 Rise Peter, kill and eat. 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:10.220 Nope. 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:12.040 I can't do it. 00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:19.939 And finally at the end, the Lord says, do not call anything impure that God has made clean. 00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:22.019 That's the lesson. 00:10:22.699 --> 00:10:25.240 You're calling it impure, but I'm calling it pure. 00:10:25.339 --> 00:10:31.019 This, by the way, is really in a way one of the great motives for missions. 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:32.539 There is no place. 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:33.519 There is no people. 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:35.399 There is no race that is impure. 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:42.480 Everybody is pure or has the opportunity to become pure through Christ. 00:10:43.199 --> 00:10:44.559 And so Peter is rebuked. 00:10:44.779 --> 00:10:48.459 There is, Jesus said, nothing that goes into a man that makes him unclean. 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:50.079 Those laws are gone. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:53.059 And God is coordinating these two visions. 00:10:53.059 --> 00:11:01.799 It's because, verses 17 to 23 now, because as the vision ends, Peter is silent. 00:11:01.959 --> 00:11:03.939 He's wondering what this might mean. 00:11:04.119 --> 00:11:08.259 And at that very moment, the men from Cornelius arrive at his door. 00:11:08.659 --> 00:11:10.859 This is a marvel of God's providence, isn't it? 00:11:11.439 --> 00:11:15.279 You know, they didn't have, you understand, they didn't have Google Maps in those days. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:20.759 And they couldn't punch in the address of Simon the Tanner and say, okay, we're going to, you know, 00:11:20.860 --> 00:11:23.799 your phone just telling you, we'll arrive at 1138. 00:11:23.939 --> 00:11:25.319 They had no idea when they would arrive. 00:11:25.399 --> 00:11:29.299 They'd just go to the city center and say, are there any tanners around here? 00:11:29.379 --> 00:11:30.299 Is there one named Simon? 00:11:30.379 --> 00:11:31.500 Is he prone to have guests? 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:35.699 And so they just arrived in God's providence at that moment. 00:11:37.779 --> 00:11:43.279 And it says in verses 19 to 20, when as they arrive, the Spirit tells Peter, 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:50.319 there are visitors coming, go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them. 00:11:50.339 --> 00:11:52.659 And he goes down, he says, I'm the one you're looking for. 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:54.100 Why have you come? 00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:58.399 And they had to pause. 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:00.279 How are we going to say this? 00:12:01.319 --> 00:12:07.240 We have come from Cornelius the Centurion. 00:12:09.819 --> 00:12:11.740 That's a frightening way to begin. 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:16.720 That's like saying, we've come from Joe the Gestapo captain. 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:23.799 Nobody wants to hear that a centurion is summoning you. 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:26.039 This can only mean trouble. 00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:31.360 But they quickly add, this centurion is different. 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:32.220 He is pious. 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:33.139 He's a man of God. 00:12:33.220 --> 00:12:34.500 He's a God-fearing man. 00:12:34.500 --> 00:12:39.299 And the words are still ringing in Peter's ears. 00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:41.000 Don't hesitate to go with these men. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:42.419 And so Peter has to be thinking, aha. 00:12:43.779 --> 00:12:45.519 Now, everybody knows what's going on here. 00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:48.820 The centurion is a man who is unclean. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:49.820 He's a warrior. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:51.240 He is a Gentile. 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:53.019 A Jew can't go into the house of a Gentile. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.059 The centurion knows what he's asking Peter. 00:12:56.200 --> 00:12:57.799 Peter knows what he's being asked to do. 00:12:57.799 --> 00:13:01.740 Everybody knows how tense and what a violation this is. 00:13:02.699 --> 00:13:05.319 And Peter takes the first step and he says, come on into my house. 00:13:05.359 --> 00:13:08.819 Even that is marginally illicit. 00:13:09.459 --> 00:13:13.839 Come into my house, you Gentiles, you centurion family people. 00:13:14.479 --> 00:13:15.379 And they come into the house. 00:13:15.500 --> 00:13:16.240 They spend the night. 00:13:16.579 --> 00:13:24.500 And the next day, Peter and some of his friends get up and go as God commanded. 00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:26.519 They walk two days. 00:13:27.740 --> 00:13:29.639 And when they arrive, Peter greets them. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:33.759 Sorry, Cornelius greets them and bows down as if he's an angel. 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:36.779 And Peter sees the crowd and he sees Cornelius. 00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:37.659 He says, no, no, get up. 00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:38.460 I'm just a man. 00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:40.440 I'm just a man like you are. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:48.919 And I just, I want to encourage you to think about what it took for Cornelius to get, 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:51.820 as the passage says, all of his friends and relatives there. 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:54.019 Can you imagine the invitation went out? 00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:57.320 There is a man named Peter who's going to be coming to our house. 00:13:57.399 --> 00:13:58.440 Don't know who he is. 00:13:59.860 --> 00:14:01.340 Don't know what he has to say. 00:14:03.740 --> 00:14:05.139 Don't know when he's going to arrive. 00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:10.299 I'll provide all the food you need to stay all day so you're here when he arrives. 00:14:11.299 --> 00:14:19.340 That's the kind of invitation, to be candid, that is born of great faith and enthusiasm for the faith. 00:14:19.340 --> 00:14:23.399 And I pray that there is that here. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:32.340 A faith, a belief that my friends, my family need to hear what is being said by God's messengers. 00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:37.420 That's where mission begins, in the local church. 00:14:38.160 --> 00:14:39.660 You know, this is a missions conference. 00:14:39.800 --> 00:14:45.200 And I tell you, it's beautiful to care about missions in Peru and Ireland and South Sudan and India. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:50.480 And a real heart for mission certainly starts here with your people and your friends. 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:55.759 You can't really love people 10,000 miles away if you don't love your neighbor. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:00.939 And if you don't love the gospel enough to tell your family and your friends and your coworkers, 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:10.759 I don't know how there's going to be enough love to send people to Kazakhstan or wherever you send them. 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:16.439 So Peter meets Cornelius, a man who wants to hear from God. 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:24.160 And when he gets there, he says, so why did you send for me? 00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.420 Why am I here? 00:15:26.040 --> 00:15:27.780 So Will told you I'm a professor. 00:15:28.340 --> 00:15:33.200 And professors always say there's no such thing as a stupid question, right? 00:15:34.760 --> 00:15:37.000 But some come pretty close. 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:43.840 And this may not be a stupid question, but it's pretty close. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:47.820 Peter says, why am I here? 00:15:48.420 --> 00:15:51.639 I think, Peter, why do you think you're here? 00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:53.080 You're an apostle. 00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:57.519 Your job is to go to Jerusalem, Judea, and the uttermost parts of the earth. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.080 And guess what? 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:00.759 The uttermost parts of the earth are coming to you, for goodness sakes. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:08.980 And so we want to laugh at Peter because he seems to have forgotten. 00:16:09.060 --> 00:16:09.759 He's gold fishing. 00:16:10.300 --> 00:16:12.480 He's forgotten what he's supposed to do with his life. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.399 And yet let's not laugh because we can do the same thing. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:17.080 We also can forget. 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:20.300 But Cornelius is patient. 00:16:20.420 --> 00:16:22.680 He says to him, now we're in verses 30 to 33, 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:29.120 look, an angel came and said to send for you. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.240 And so I sent for you, and it was good of you to come. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:41.659 And now, he says, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us. 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:47.799 I've got to tell you, friends, that's just about perfect as an attitude for coming to worship. 00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:57.340 In fact, your church would be richer and you would be richer if you read Acts 10 to 33 every day when you came to church, 00:16:57.340 --> 00:16:59.580 or before you come to church, or Saturday night. 00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:02.720 Now we are all here. 00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:04.640 We, we're not a bunch of individuals. 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:06.720 We're here, but we're here together. 00:17:06.840 --> 00:17:07.480 We're a community. 00:17:07.620 --> 00:17:08.920 We're not just isolated Christians. 00:17:09.079 --> 00:17:09.940 We are here. 00:17:10.259 --> 00:17:14.960 We're not here and at the football game, the basketball game. 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:18.759 We're not half here mentally and half somewhere else thinking about work. 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:21.039 We are here. 00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:23.119 We are here before God. 00:17:25.420 --> 00:17:30.160 We're not here before Huntsville. 00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:32.759 We're not here watching the preacher. 00:17:33.099 --> 00:17:36.299 We're not here enjoying the choir, singers, the musicians. 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:38.759 We are here before God. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:39.660 God is here. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:43.279 We are here before God to listen. 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:47.839 Not to have our ears vibrate, but to actually listen, to take it in. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:55.039 We're here before God to listen to everything, not just the parts we like, not just the funny stories about lost dogs who were found. 00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:57.119 Love those stories about lost dogs. 00:17:57.879 --> 00:18:02.220 We're here to listen to everything that the Lord has commanded you to tell us. 00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:05.419 When you listen to your preachers, I'm not talking about me now. 00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:07.019 I'm talking about your pastors. 00:18:08.179 --> 00:18:09.079 You listen to your pastors. 00:18:09.179 --> 00:18:13.419 You're actually listening to what God has commanded them to say. 00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:15.420 It's not their choice. 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:18.200 And what God has commanded you to tell us. 00:18:19.320 --> 00:18:21.100 And Peter hears this. 00:18:21.740 --> 00:18:23.100 He hears this preparation. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:28.200 He sees all these people have come and sat there for hours ready to listen to him. 00:18:28.300 --> 00:18:32.620 And he says this phrase we've all mentioned before. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.680 He says, now I get it. 00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:34.320 Now I understand. 00:18:34.420 --> 00:18:34.880 Now I see. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:38.740 Now I comprehend that the gospel is not just for Jews. 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:41.280 It's also for Gentiles. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.440 It's for centurions. 00:18:44.080 --> 00:18:50.980 It's for people who oppress Israel if God has moved and worked in their life. 00:18:51.560 --> 00:18:52.800 He is here. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:58.860 He says, now I know that God accepts from every nation people who fear him and do what is right. 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:01.420 That's not the way the gospel usually runs, is it? 00:19:01.600 --> 00:19:02.440 Is that what you usually hear? 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:05.680 God is pleased with you if you fear him and do what is right. 00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:07.840 You hear that usually here? 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:09.259 No. 00:19:09.620 --> 00:19:11.600 That's what we call contextualization. 00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:19.059 That's the gospel in a way that would make sense to Cornelius' friends who haven't heard the language of Israel. 00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:20.259 Do what is right. 00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:25.460 That is to say, don't live in hypocrisy and fear him. 00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:28.720 That is to say, have reverence for the one true God. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:29.660 That's how he begins. 00:19:29.660 --> 00:19:33.220 He begins by speaking the gospel in terms they understand. 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:35.940 Then he starts saying it in ways that we understand. 00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:43.860 He says, God declares peace, this is verse 36, to all men through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all. 00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.980 You can have peace with Christ. 00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:49.740 And he tells us a little bit more about how that happens. 00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:50.840 He said, well, here's how it happened. 00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:57.279 Jesus came after the baptism of John and he healed men and women who were under the devil's power. 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.399 And he preached and he taught and he healed. 00:20:00.959 --> 00:20:02.059 And we are his witnesses. 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:02.740 What happened? 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:03.240 What happened? 00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:04.240 They hung him on a tree. 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:07.199 But that wasn't the end of the story. 00:20:07.459 --> 00:20:09.279 He was crucified, but God raised him. 00:20:09.339 --> 00:20:10.720 And that's not just some fiction. 00:20:10.919 --> 00:20:12.539 We didn't just have some dream. 00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:16.519 God raised him and he was seen by many witnesses. 00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:19.299 And now we proclaim his resurrection. 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.480 And not only do we, in fact, it's been foretold for hundreds and hundreds of years. 00:20:24.599 --> 00:20:30.059 The prophets testify that everyone who believes in him, and now this is the gospel, we are used to hearing it, 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:36.240 that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:44.640 So he starts off in language that makes sense to a secular person, we would say today, a pagan, a polytheist. 00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:46.180 Fear him and do what is right. 00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:47.539 And he explains what that means. 00:20:47.620 --> 00:20:55.740 To fear him is to believe that Jesus is the anointed one who did good and the son of God who came to the earth and he died and he rose. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.359 And we saw it. 00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:58.000 It's not a fiction. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:00.420 And ask him to forgive your sins. 00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:01.180 Believe in him. 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:04.620 That's the gospel. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.859 Some of the people probably said, oh, now I realize. 00:21:12.900 --> 00:21:16.120 I hope that you have said, now I realize. 00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:18.940 Again, Peter says, now I get it. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:19.579 Now I get the gospel. 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:23.839 I think to myself, Peter, how can you say, now I get that the gospel is for everybody? 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:32.339 Now you can say, oh, I have to say the gospel, preach the gospel in terms that a Gentile would understand. 00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:35.839 I mean, wasn't he with Jesus when Jesus healed? 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:41.279 And wasn't he with Jesus when Jesus healed Samaritans and Gentiles? 00:21:41.959 --> 00:21:45.980 Didn't he go, you know, to the Syrophoenician woman? 00:21:46.699 --> 00:21:47.980 And to Gadara? 00:21:48.939 --> 00:21:50.439 Those places are Gentile places. 00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:51.220 Peter, you were there. 00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:51.879 How can you forget? 00:21:52.179 --> 00:21:54.559 And the answer is he forgets the same way you and I forget. 00:21:54.559 --> 00:22:00.279 Now, I'm staying at a hotel nearby. 00:22:01.139 --> 00:22:06.200 And the hotel is filled with young male hockey players. 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:11.079 And up and down they go and their parents are with them. 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:13.859 They terrorize the place a little bit. 00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:17.139 They seem like nice 10, 11, 12-year-old boys. 00:22:17.140 --> 00:22:19.340 They've traveled for miles and miles. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:24.000 Hockey, like every other sport known to humanity, as far as I can tell, is a game of inches. 00:22:25.080 --> 00:22:29.740 You look at these boys, you know that some of them are going to win and some are going to lose 00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:32.800 because the puck hit that post. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:35.500 Instead of going this way, it went this way. 00:22:35.560 --> 00:22:37.000 Just, you know, a quarter of an inch. 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:42.580 And some of those boys are going to be so excited and some are going to be devastated. 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:44.840 We lost by one inch. 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:46.740 It's that way in every sport known to man. 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.879 Baseball, game of inches. 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:51.699 Tennis, basketball, football. 00:22:53.159 --> 00:22:56.980 And when you lose the game, you think life is over. 00:22:58.419 --> 00:23:05.699 Grown men who have jobs lose softball games because the ball is fouled by three inches 00:23:05.699 --> 00:23:07.679 and they're crushed for a week and a half. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:11.000 My life is meaningless. 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:14.199 No, it isn't. 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:17.159 My friends, you forgot the gospel. 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.759 It's just a game. 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:21.539 God loves you with an everlasting love. 00:23:21.639 --> 00:23:27.519 And really, honestly, whether the ball was in or out by one inch, it really doesn't matter at all 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:29.599 in the grand scheme of things. 00:23:30.579 --> 00:23:34.980 And anytime you tell yourself that this is life and death, you are forgetting the gospel. 00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:46.200 So, Saji, one of our missionaries you heard from just a few minutes ago, said that he grew up in a home. 00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:46.620 Where are you? 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:47.319 I've lost you. 00:23:47.380 --> 00:23:47.740 Where are you? 00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:48.400 There you are. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:52.099 Said he grew up in a home with a violent alcoholic father. 00:23:53.059 --> 00:23:53.680 So did I. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:59.320 And he was violent with his body. 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:01.080 He hit us sometimes. 00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:03.279 But he was more violent with his words. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:05.539 He was more violent with his words. 00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:17.980 And time without number, thousands of times, literally thousands of times, my father told me I was useless and worthless and always would be. 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:20.640 Over and over and over and over. 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:33.640 And when I fail, when I am snubbed, or when I feel snubbed, whether I was snubbed or not, whether I am, you know, put in second or third place, 00:24:35.099 --> 00:24:41.220 that useless, worthless, and always will be, it's still there. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.059 And I forget the gospel. 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:45.980 I preach the gospel and I forget the gospel. 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:52.420 Well, I forget that God loves me unchangingly. 00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:56.880 It really doesn't matter how I perform. 00:24:57.740 --> 00:25:02.279 If you grew up in a home with a violent alcoholic, you get this idea. 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:05.240 If I do everything right, it will stop. 00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:08.099 It won't stop. 00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:10.920 And it puts a kind of legalism in you. 00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:15.799 And that kind of legalism makes us forget the gospel. 00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:20.660 If I do it all right, I'll be fine. 00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:23.019 And I forget the gospel. 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:25.700 Saji, do you forget the gospel sometimes? 00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:29.039 I think we probably all forget the gospel sometimes. 00:25:29.420 --> 00:25:35.599 And just as Peter has to say, now I understand because I did know and then I forgot. 00:25:36.179 --> 00:25:37.199 Now I remember. 00:25:37.199 --> 00:25:39.939 So we too have to say, now let us remember. 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:41.859 Let us remember. 00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:49.539 That your status in this world does not depend on whether the ball was in or out by an inch 00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:54.559 or whether you did or did not get the promotion or whether you were or were not invited to that party 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:57.480 or that committee or whatever it is you care about. 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:00.279 God's love does not change. 00:26:00.359 --> 00:26:02.779 It is not contingent upon what you have done lately. 00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:10.359 It is contingent upon the work of Christ finished on the cross in the resurrection 2,000 years ago. 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:12.079 And nothing can change that. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:14.299 And I hope you believe that. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:16.359 And I hope you know that is the good news. 00:26:16.439 --> 00:26:22.839 It is the foundation of your mission here in Huntsville, in this church, and throughout the world. 00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:27.079 That gospel drives mission. 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:30.659 And God coordinates mission. 00:26:31.679 --> 00:26:38.779 I was a pastor of a church vaguely like yours for 10, 11 years in my 50s. 00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.679 49 to 50. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:45.539 49 until I was almost 60 before I returned to the seminary. 00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:48.079 And I still taught a little bit. 00:26:48.159 --> 00:26:49.099 That's how I had Will. 00:26:49.179 --> 00:26:53.659 Didn't really get to know him because I just taught one or two courses a year during those years. 00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:57.000 And big church. 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:02.079 Very urban, kind of prosperous part of town near a university. 00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:09.460 And for some reason, for some reason, the city fathers decided to put a very large jail 00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:13.460 about three quarters of a mile from our church. 00:27:14.220 --> 00:27:22.220 And we, being good Presbyterians, understood this to be an act of God's sovereign grace and empowerment for ministry. 00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:30.620 A lot of people in our church, highly educated, many things went their way, like your church. 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:37.380 And we said, you know, it's really not natural for us to reach out to people with an income about one-tenth of ours 00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:39.880 and an education about one-tenth of ours. 00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:45.640 But God put them two-thirds of a mile away, just right up the street, one little left turn. 00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.160 There we are. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:54.480 And the people of our church have been ministering in that jail for 20 years. 00:27:55.220 --> 00:27:59.320 Thousands and thousands of hours because we said God gave us this opportunity. 00:27:59.319 --> 00:28:00.599 And then another thing happened. 00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:08.939 Then somebody or other decided that Nepalese and Bhutanese refugees should come to St. Louis. 00:28:11.819 --> 00:28:14.059 St. Louis is not a whole lot like Bhutan. 00:28:14.059 --> 00:28:16.619 But that's what they decided. 00:28:17.339 --> 00:28:20.000 And some people in our church said, you know what? 00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:21.119 We're good Presbyterians. 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:22.799 We believe in God's sovereignty. 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:26.179 And these people aren't all that far from, everybody's four miles from our church. 00:28:26.740 --> 00:28:28.720 And there are some farmers. 00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:31.319 And we don't really have farmers in our church, but we have gardeners. 00:28:31.379 --> 00:28:32.779 And gardeners are kind of like farmers. 00:28:32.940 --> 00:28:35.059 And we've got a garden center, a lot of people. 00:28:35.159 --> 00:28:39.679 And so they adopted all the Bhutanese and Nepalese because God was coordinating mission. 00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:41.179 Here's why I'm telling you this story. 00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:49.140 I want you to have your eyes and ears open as good Presbyterians for the opportunities God drops into your lap 00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:54.180 in his good sovereign providence arrangement of things. 00:28:54.279 --> 00:28:55.400 Have your eyes open. 00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:59.259 You don't have to labor hard to figure out what to do next. 00:28:59.299 --> 00:29:04.400 Just pray and keep your eyes open and believe God is doing something and bring you opportunities and pursue them. 00:29:04.420 --> 00:29:07.440 I say that to you as a church and I say that to you as individuals. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:11.640 As I try to make eye contact with you one by one. 00:29:14.080 --> 00:29:19.940 God may be calling you to do something that he drops in your lap. 00:29:20.940 --> 00:29:22.059 May it be so. 00:29:23.360 --> 00:29:25.360 Now, of course, Peter's preaching a sermon. 00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:32.279 And you know that a sermon is going well when the Holy Spirit falls on everybody who's there 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:36.599 before an invitation to faith can even be given. 00:29:37.899 --> 00:29:40.339 He doesn't even say, now, would anybody here like to believe in Jesus? 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:43.420 The Holy Spirit says, you know what, they're all believing, so here goes. 00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:48.359 And the gospel spreads. 00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:52.839 And I pray that that's the case for you and you'll have joy in that. 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:58.720 One Christmas season, I was in the pew. 00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:04.179 I was actually preaching that day in my church, but I happened to be in the pew for like the early part. 00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:11.279 And there was a woman sitting next to me who was known to express her opinions aloud whenever she felt like it. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:15.439 And somebody announced the hymn, the Christmas hymn, which is Joy to the World. 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:19.320 And she said, and I quote, oh, not joy to the world. 00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:22.320 Not joy to the world again. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:26.360 Now, we understand what she meant. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:30.100 She meant, I have sung the song Joy to the World too many times. 00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:35.259 But I thought, isn't that the way it goes for Christians sometimes? 00:30:35.380 --> 00:30:38.539 Like, I know I'm supposed to be joyful, but I'm so tired of joy. 00:30:40.840 --> 00:30:45.299 I want to dwell in the psalms of lamentation. 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:59.080 I want to move to Seattle and Portland where the sun comes out 14 minutes a month in December and January. 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:03.180 Yes, I am tired of joy to the world. 00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:10.299 The worst spiritual crime a preacher, teacher can commit is to speak heresy. 00:31:11.059 --> 00:31:14.580 The second worst is to make the gospel boring. 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:22.259 And let people say about the gospel what that woman said about that song. 00:31:22.380 --> 00:31:27.039 I hope you have joy in the gospel and that it's ever fresh to you. 00:31:28.340 --> 00:31:29.039 You ever feel guilty? 00:31:31.860 --> 00:31:33.200 Well, I do sometimes. 00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:40.640 That's maybe kind of, you know, my upbringing has got to be perfect or else your life is going to fall apart. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:45.300 If you ever feel guilty, Jesus justifies you. 00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:46.180 He's the judge. 00:31:46.280 --> 00:31:47.980 He says, I declare you innocent. 00:31:48.120 --> 00:31:48.900 You are not condemned. 00:31:49.020 --> 00:31:51.320 You may condemn yourself, but I don't condemn you. 00:31:52.420 --> 00:31:53.700 That's the gospel. 00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:54.660 It's a joyful thing. 00:31:55.600 --> 00:31:57.820 You ever at odds in a relationship with anybody? 00:31:59.020 --> 00:32:00.220 Don't know how to sort it out? 00:32:01.220 --> 00:32:02.960 Maybe they don't even know there's a problem. 00:32:03.100 --> 00:32:05.240 Maybe they very much know there's a problem. 00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:09.120 Jesus gives us the gospel of peace. 00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:12.240 That's what the Bible calls the gospel, the gospel of peace. 00:32:12.640 --> 00:32:18.660 It allows us to be reconciled to God and to have a ministry of reconciliation. 00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:19.799 That's the gospel. 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:29.920 Do you ever feel trapped by sin, by bad habits, by guilt maybe, by circumstances in life? 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:32.220 Do you know the word redemption is one of our gospel words? 00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:38.920 The word redeemed means to buy out of something like slavery or entrapment. 00:32:39.860 --> 00:32:41.319 The gospel says you are redeemed. 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:42.299 You are bought out. 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:43.000 You are liberated. 00:32:43.180 --> 00:32:47.799 You are set free from what binds you, whatever that may be. 00:32:50.860 --> 00:32:52.019 Are you ever restless? 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:55.920 Again, the gospel is the gospel of peace. 00:32:57.400 --> 00:32:58.400 Are you ever lonely? 00:32:59.120 --> 00:33:00.360 Feel like nobody cares? 00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:04.039 Jesus says he is your friend. 00:33:04.819 --> 00:33:10.299 The gospel is Jesus lays down his life for his friends. 00:33:10.979 --> 00:33:11.919 That's what he says. 00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:14.019 Ever lost? 00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:15.139 Jesus is the way. 00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:17.199 Ever thirsty? 00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:18.839 He's the water of life. 00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:20.619 Ever hungry? 00:33:21.019 --> 00:33:22.079 He's the bread of life. 00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:24.559 Ever in darkness? 00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:26.740 He's the light of the world. 00:33:26.740 --> 00:33:34.980 In the gospel, in Christ, there is everything that should give you joy. 00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:40.000 And we have it and we seize it and it drives us forward. 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:42.220 It gives us a message to share. 00:33:42.779 --> 00:33:46.980 It makes sacrifices like, oh, being in India is fun. 00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:49.259 It's the plane ride that's the problem. 00:33:49.259 --> 00:33:57.079 Being in South Sudan is awesome in a perverse sort of way. 00:33:57.599 --> 00:33:59.200 It's getting there. 00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:02.720 And so we forget. 00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:06.319 And then we remember. 00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:09.039 Because Jesus reminds us. 00:34:09.780 --> 00:34:12.340 And if we forget and remember, don't feel bad, feel joyful. 00:34:12.820 --> 00:34:17.099 Because even the great apostle Peter said, oh, now I understand the gospel. 00:34:17.260 --> 00:34:19.460 Now I see that it's for all people. 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:21.539 May that be so for you. 00:34:21.539 --> 00:34:28.279 May you know, and when you forget, may God remind you of all the beauties of the gospel, 00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:36.579 all the joys of the gospel, and send you out saying, I remember how good it is to remember. 00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:37.739 Let's pray. 00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:43.719 Heavenly Father, I do pray that everyone in this church would first know the gospel. 00:34:43.719 --> 00:34:51.639 I pray for those who are here today who might not yet know, who might have come, not even aware of why they were coming. 00:34:53.319 --> 00:35:02.559 I pray that everyone would know the gospel and love the gospel because we love you and the message you give us. 00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:11.079 And Lord, I pray that we would all, when we forget the gospel, say, oh, now I remember. 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:12.779 Now I remember. 00:35:14.119 --> 00:35:20.719 And remembering, may we be filled with joy in you and in your service. 00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:22.059 We pray in Jesus' name. 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:22.639 Amen.