WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.620 Thank you very much, Ian. I was at Brunsfield during the time of the week-long holiday clubs where Maggie Shearer was the kind of brains and inspiration behind so much of went on. 00:00:14.179 --> 00:00:26.320 And the stories you told there, I do remember on one holiday club year where in the evening we had talks and you had to dress up in the character that you were speaking in. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:32.880 I don't know if you remember these things, Maggie. And on one occasion I had to be Peter and tell that very same story. 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:40.960 And this is coming up for probably 40 years ago, so I've got a really good memory thinking about these things. 00:00:41.340 --> 00:00:49.379 But I do remember being in the character of Peter and coming up with the most wonderful tongue twister, which I'm still really quite chuffed about. 00:00:49.380 --> 00:00:58.240 Because in describing my father, because I was Peter, I described how my father had a fleet of fishing ships. 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:05.620 Now that is really difficult to say. And for the rest of the time I'm speaking, you can just begin to think about that in your head. 00:01:05.859 --> 00:01:11.060 A fleet of fishing ships. You can only say it about twice without ending up saying a fleet of fish and chips. 00:01:11.060 --> 00:01:16.040 But I think it's a wonderful tongue twister and I'm really proud of it. 00:01:16.980 --> 00:01:24.920 And I really do thank you and Janice as well for the invitation to come and spend this special weekend with you. 00:01:24.980 --> 00:01:28.800 It's been a great weekend. Yesterday I thought was truly amazing. 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:30.879 And I don't want to be critical. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:39.079 But the only slight disappointment for me is that you weren't able to come up with a better speaker for this morning. 00:01:40.119 --> 00:01:48.199 And I'm sure by the time we get to the end of where I'm going to get to, you will be sharing my disappointment. 00:01:49.399 --> 00:01:57.819 But at the beginning, as we look at looking back, I do want to read some words from Scripture. 00:01:57.819 --> 00:02:05.719 We find them in the first chapter of the letter that Apostle Paul wrote to the Christian church at Thessalonica. 00:02:06.099 --> 00:02:12.819 And I'm basically going to be saying the same thing as a number of people have been saying over the course of the weekend. 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:16.439 But I do think it bears repeating. 00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:18.979 So these are the words of Scripture. 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:21.680 These are the words of the Lord. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:29.640 To place these words in some context, this was a church that Paul knew well. 00:02:29.740 --> 00:02:31.379 He had spent some time with them. 00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:33.980 The time came for Paul to leave them. 00:02:34.620 --> 00:02:36.219 He had been very much part of them. 00:02:36.300 --> 00:02:39.360 And now physically he was away from them. 00:02:39.819 --> 00:02:44.460 And although he was away from them, his thoughts were still very much with them. 00:02:44.460 --> 00:02:52.140 And it was during the time that Paul was in the city of Corinth that he received news about these Christians and of how they were getting on. 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.900 And as he heard news of them, he wrote this letter. 00:02:56.500 --> 00:02:57.700 And this is what he says. 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:04.340 Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:06.480 Grace and peace to you. 00:03:07.260 --> 00:03:12.000 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:24.479 Brothers, we remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor, prompted by love and your endurance, inspired by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:25.580 --> 00:03:37.479 For we know, brothers and sisters, loved by God, that he has chosen you because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:41.599 You know how we lived among you for your sake. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:51.000 You became imitators of us and of the Lord for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:57.800 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:00.219 The Lord's message rang out from you. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:06.139 Not only in Macedonia and Achaia, your faith in God has become known everywhere. 00:04:06.139 --> 00:04:14.419 Therefore, we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. 00:04:14.959 --> 00:04:29.339 They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 00:04:29.339 --> 00:04:30.339 Amen. 00:04:30.339 --> 00:04:30.939 Amen. 00:04:31.479 --> 00:04:35.339 As we have read God's word together this morning. 00:04:35.339 --> 00:04:43.579 It's just a great opening to a letter that Paul sent to a church that meant so much to him. 00:04:43.659 --> 00:04:57.000 It's overflowing with thankfulness to God for all that God had done in them and was still doing in the lives of individuals who had come to experience the very life of God in them, working through them, 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:04.240 and of how they now were examples to others of what being people of faith should look like. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:16.519 Paul is so thankful to God for the faith and hope and love that has taken hold of them and changed them and set them in an altogether different direction. 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:27.199 He's full of thanks to God that as others see and hear for themselves the change that has taken place in these individual lives, 00:05:27.339 --> 00:05:34.919 that this introduces them to Jesus Christ, the one who has brought about the change in the first place. 00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:50.420 So what we have here in this letter that Paul is writing to these Christians is that Paul is expressing his thanks to God for this local church that he both knew and loved. 00:05:51.240 --> 00:05:54.840 He was a church that God himself had brought into being. 00:05:54.839 --> 00:06:05.579 He was a church that God was working in and through in order to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:06:06.919 --> 00:06:14.919 He was a church who, as followers of Jesus Christ, were good representatives of Jesus Christ, 00:06:15.659 --> 00:06:23.000 simply because the way they talked and the way they walked made them look like Jesus Christ. 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:34.099 My wife Janice and I, as I said, we spent 10 years in Brantsfield from 1978 to 1988. 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:41.659 We came here a year after we were married, and while we were here we had our two children, Andrew and Joanna. 00:06:43.059 --> 00:06:52.620 You as a church are a church that we grew to love, and Brantsfield will always have a special place in our hearts. 00:06:52.620 --> 00:07:01.939 Just as Paul was filled with thankfulness, as he thought about the church at Thessalonica, 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:11.100 I'm sure all of us have that same sense of thankfulness when we think about Brantsfield Evangelical Church. 00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:21.160 On an occasion like this, it's good for us to remember and to reaffirm our conviction that it was God. 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:26.120 It was God who brought this church into existence. 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:35.140 That it is God who has led this church and sustained this church over the past 50 years. 00:07:35.840 --> 00:07:44.540 That it is God who is working in and through you to spread the good news about Jesus Christ. 00:07:44.540 --> 00:07:58.480 That it is God who through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and the power of his Holy Word has brought you this far and has kept you safe this far. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:05.780 I obviously don't know everything that has happened over the past 50 years. 00:08:06.520 --> 00:08:16.939 But what I do feel able to do this morning is to briefly mention some of the things about Brantsfield that were a huge influence on Janice and I during the 10 years we were with you. 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:22.860 And hope that my experience, that our experience is very similar to your experience. 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:30.100 Whether this is from the past or from the present, whether it's for a long time or just a short time. 00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:33.100 And I'm going to be very, very simple. 00:08:33.820 --> 00:08:38.720 All I want to do is take the word 50, you know you're celebrating 50 years. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:48.860 And mention five things relating to Brantsfield that I and hopefully you want to give thanks to God for over this weekend. 00:08:49.560 --> 00:08:57.360 If you want to switch off and think about a different five things, all beginning with these five letters, then you can write them down and give them to me at the end. 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.220 And we can multiply them perhaps a hundred times. 00:09:01.300 --> 00:09:04.820 But these are my five and hopefully they will be your five too. 00:09:04.820 --> 00:09:09.340 The first, of course, and it's so obvious, but the first is fellowship. 00:09:09.740 --> 00:09:15.180 And this has been a recurring theme over the whole weekend, constantly mentioned about fellowship. 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:19.060 And fellowship, of course, has a vertical dimension. 00:09:19.280 --> 00:09:23.300 It connects us with God, but it's also a horizontal dimension where it connects us with one another. 00:09:23.820 --> 00:09:27.580 We are all brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:27.580 --> 00:09:35.060 And it's in the context of being part of a local church, we have the privilege to working out what fellowship means in practice. 00:09:35.800 --> 00:09:38.860 Really, the one word that defines fellowship is the word together. 00:09:39.259 --> 00:09:47.300 And it's when we are doing things together that fellowship exists, that fellowship becomes real, that fellowship becomes meaningful. 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:54.740 And fellowship meets the most basic of all human needs, of having that sense of belonging. 00:09:54.740 --> 00:10:14.279 And if there is anything that I hope that Brunsfield still excels in, is that anyone who is part of this local church experiences a depth of fellowship and a depth of knowing that you belong beyond anything you thought possible. 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:25.879 It was Phil Hybels here in Edinburgh, actually, that described the church as being a place where you can know and be known. 00:10:26.699 --> 00:10:28.299 You can love and be loved. 00:10:28.899 --> 00:10:30.519 You can serve and be served. 00:10:31.319 --> 00:10:33.279 You can celebrate and be celebrated. 00:10:34.379 --> 00:10:36.039 And that's fellowship in a nutshell. 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:44.419 And it's probably the outstanding memory that I'm grateful to God for when I think of Brunsfield. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:48.719 I is innovation. 00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:52.399 Now, by innovation, I simply mean change. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:56.779 But unfortunately, 50 doesn't have the letter C in it. 00:10:57.240 --> 00:11:02.159 In fact, as I thought about it, there is no anniversary you could have where you would have the letter C. 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:07.699 Unless, of course, you were thinking about an anniversary which was B.C., which, of course, was a long time ago. 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:10.539 So I had to come up with another word. 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:12.339 And, of course, the word is innovation. 00:11:12.439 --> 00:11:13.139 But it's really changed. 00:11:13.219 --> 00:11:16.299 And I know that we thought about that a bit last night. 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:19.039 But change can be difficult in any church. 00:11:19.899 --> 00:11:22.639 Yeah, I recently heard of a pastor who was in a church. 00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:24.679 And they didn't like change at all. 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:31.979 And it took him three years to move the piano from that side of the building to that side of the building. 00:11:32.319 --> 00:11:35.459 And how he did it was he just moved the piano three inches a week. 00:11:35.959 --> 00:11:37.719 And eventually he got there. 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.979 And Brunsfield is a very, very different place from how it was 50 years ago. 00:11:44.859 --> 00:11:48.579 And this has come about as a result of change taking place. 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:58.960 The building, the leadership, the membership, the ministries, the music, the dress codes, the methods of communication. 00:11:59.400 --> 00:12:01.280 They've all seen significant change. 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:05.540 And some of these changes will have been relatively easy to make. 00:12:05.780 --> 00:12:08.620 And some of them will have been really, really difficult. 00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:19.419 What struck me about Brunsfield when I came and when I was part of Brunsfield, and I'm sure it's still true, is that as a church, you do understand your history. 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:26.120 And yet, in a remarkable way, you're not held prisoner to your history. 00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:28.320 That you do value traditions. 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:36.440 And yet recognize that there has to be a better reason for doing something than simply because it's always been done that way. 00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:43.660 You do appreciate the past, but you know that living in the past means that you end up facing the wrong direction. 00:12:44.660 --> 00:12:59.240 And I know that you don't need me to tell you that a big reason why you have been able to celebrate and to mark 50 years of God's goodness to you as a church is because of your ability to embrace change. 00:12:59.760 --> 00:13:02.940 And yet, at the same time, to remain united. 00:13:02.940 --> 00:13:07.380 Which brings us on to F for foundations. 00:13:08.280 --> 00:13:12.940 You know, many churches find it impossible to embrace change and to stay united. 00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:20.020 And so the question is, why has Brunsfield been able to succeed when other churches have failed? 00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:27.020 I think it's because, as a church, you're sure of your foundations. 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:36.259 In all the many changes that have happened over the past 50 years, there have been some things that haven't changed and won't change. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:43.620 And that everyone who makes Brunsfield their home will clearly understand. 00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:52.580 You know, I'm sure over 50 years, nothing will have changed as this relates to maintaining a passion for God's word. 00:13:53.700 --> 00:13:57.419 And for its relevance and its effect of communication. 00:13:57.740 --> 00:14:01.779 Nothing will have changed as far as keeping Jesus at the centre of all you do. 00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:05.639 Nothing will have changed as far as pointing others to Jesus. 00:14:05.899 --> 00:14:10.139 Nothing will have changed as far as valuing everyone equally. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:14.139 Not because of what they can do, but simply because of who they are. 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:20.100 Nothing will have changed as far as having a commitment to looking out for one another. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:27.759 Of giving one another the opportunity to discover and to develop the God-given gifts that he has given to each one of us. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:31.879 These are some of the hallmarks that make Brunsfield unique. 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:35.259 These are some of the hallmarks that make Brunsfield Brunsfield. 00:14:35.620 --> 00:14:39.559 And it's what you all know, who you are. 00:14:39.939 --> 00:14:44.059 And knowing who you are means you've got plenty of scope. 00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:49.080 Plenty of scope to go in any number of different directions. 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:52.620 T for me is tears. 00:14:52.620 --> 00:15:01.720 And you might think, well that's not a very good word to use to describe a church that you were part of for ten years. 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:05.539 But you know, sometimes you can cry with laughter. 00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:12.019 And I do hope that at Brunsfield you still regularly laugh together. 00:15:12.019 --> 00:15:23.740 But it's also through being part of a close, loving, caring family church that I learned that following Jesus doesn't mean the absence of bad things happening to you. 00:15:25.539 --> 00:15:33.279 That following Jesus comes with no guarantee that life will be easy or successful or comfortable or even that life will be long. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:43.259 And it's through the example of other Christians as they faced disappointment and pain and suffering and loss. 00:15:44.299 --> 00:15:52.399 That I witnessed firsthand what it means to trust God when you are going through the fiercest of storms. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:16:02.079 And that's a lesson that I will always keep close to me as I think of Brunsfield and as I deal with life's issues. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.240 And why is for youth? 00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:14.779 In yesterday's celebrations and today it is great to see the commitment you have as a church to children, to teenagers, to students. 00:16:15.319 --> 00:16:25.259 And one of the many things I think that Brunsfield can be thankful to God for is the huge influence that you have had over the past 50 years 00:16:25.259 --> 00:16:30.100 in the lives of literally hundreds of young people. 00:16:30.819 --> 00:16:35.240 Many of whom are now scattered throughout the UK and beyond. 00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:42.039 There are so many who will look back to the time in Edinburgh and be able to say 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:49.840 that it was here that they learned what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:58.180 And that it was here that they made choices that shaped them into the kind of people they are today. 00:16:59.800 --> 00:17:08.120 And there are so many who are so grateful and appreciative and owe Brunsfield so much 00:17:08.120 --> 00:17:11.819 that that is the reality of their experience. 00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:19.500 Unfortunately, I'm at the age and this is just what happens with age, 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:23.919 where really the only services I get to speak at are funerals. 00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:30.099 And it's all about kind of marking the end of someone's life. 00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:34.939 And in being asked to talk about look back for a minute or two, 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:37.919 I thought, well, I need to do a kind of funeral talk this morning. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:42.980 But there are dangers of spending too much time looking back. 00:17:43.259 --> 00:17:48.960 You know, we can become nostalgic and actually end up thinking that the past was better than it really was. 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:54.220 One thing that I'm sure you know is that in the past Brunsfield wasn't perfect. 00:17:55.300 --> 00:17:56.680 Today it's not perfect. 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:02.259 As you go forward, it will not be perfect, not until Christ himself returns. 00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:09.859 It won't be perfect for as long as fallen, fallible human beings like you and I are part of a local church. 00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:19.140 But we can also look back and be kind of envious that a new generation is rising up. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:26.559 I think the only thing that's wrong with the younger generation is that I'm not part of it. 00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:30.059 And sometimes I really struggle with that. 00:18:30.059 --> 00:18:37.919 But I do think that you have done well this weekend to look back in gratitude, but not to stay in the past. 00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:43.579 And just as I finish, and I don't want to steal Graham's thunder as we begin to look forward. 00:18:43.679 --> 00:18:51.159 But here's just a verse to sum up where we have been and hopefully where we're going. 00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:53.919 1 Samuel 7 verse 12. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:19:04.100 It's a great verse that. 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:13.360 It's a verse that Samuel says as looking to God and acknowledging God's help and goodness in bringing the people of God to this point in their journey. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:15.619 But Samuel is saying more than that. 00:19:15.719 --> 00:19:18.019 He's saying, you know, the journey isn't over. 00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:21.979 We've got to this point, but this is not the end. 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:22.639 We're not finished. 00:19:22.719 --> 00:19:24.019 We're not done for here. 00:19:24.579 --> 00:19:25.759 That we have a future. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:37.000 And that future which lies ahead of us, although it's unknown, but just as God has helped us to get to this point, so he will be with us in all that lies ahead. 00:19:37.779 --> 00:19:43.339 And it's so good that so much of this weekend hasn't simply been about looking back, but about looking forward. 00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:49.920 And it's good that in a few moments, Graham will come and take us in a forward direction. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:55.740 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:58.000 What a joy it is to be here. 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:02.060 It's been a delight over the last few days to meet so many new faces. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:05.100 In particular, is Maggie here? 00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:05.680 Maggie, you're here. 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:06.860 Benji, I've never met Benji. 00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:07.840 Excellent. 00:20:08.340 --> 00:20:10.460 But, hey, but lesson learned. 00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:17.420 Never have the audacity to stand up, Maggie, lest you too endure the wrath of the Shearer. 00:20:18.560 --> 00:20:19.400 Poor Tim. 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:21.920 But there we go. 00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:23.740 What a great morning so far. 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:25.400 And my name is Graham. 00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:33.480 It is a true privilege, and I want you to know this, to introduce myself today as the guy who's got the incredible joy of being the pastor of this church. 00:20:34.080 --> 00:20:35.120 I love this family. 00:20:35.320 --> 00:20:35.779 It's great. 00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:38.960 I just want to spend the next 10 or 15 minutes or so. 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:43.039 We've been thinking about looking back, just about looking forward. 00:20:44.539 --> 00:20:48.440 So here's the question I want to ask you as we kick off this morning. 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:50.660 What do you see as you look at Brunsfield? 00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:56.380 As you look out at our area, what do you see? 00:20:56.380 --> 00:21:05.600 Well, back in 2007, The Guardian ran a series of articles headed, Let's Move To. 00:21:06.020 --> 00:21:12.880 And the idea of these articles was to highlight some of the reasons why people in the UK should move to a particular area. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:20.220 And lo and behold, 2007, one of the areas that they highlighted for Edinburgh was Brunsfield. 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:23.600 Let me just read what this article said. 00:21:23.760 --> 00:21:30.000 And in social media style, let me say that these views are not my own and they're not those of my employer. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:31.220 But here we go. 00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:32.019 So this is what it said. 00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:32.839 The Guardian. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:42.380 While J.K. Rowling and Ian Rankin hang out in posh Merkiston, the cannier Scott invests a few minutes down the road in Brunsfield. 00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:51.299 Brunsfield and Marchment used to be solely the preserve of smelly students owing to their proximity to the city's universities. 00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:58.379 Though now, young mums and dads have cottoned on to the villagey field that Brunsfield offers. 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:02.980 So the article goes on to state that Brunsfield is an area with great schools. 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:06.500 And it's an area with nice houses and flats. 00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:11.779 And it's an area brimming with wonderful cafes and bistros. 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:17.759 I mean, you don't need to be here long before you know that we have some fantastic places to eat in Brunsfield. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:26.019 Which presumably is the reason why Craig, a local Brunsfield resident, took the opportunity to write in the comments section of this article, 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:32.859 I can't stress enough how lovely Brunsfield is, especially if you're like me and have a big belly. 00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:35.680 Thanks for that, Craig. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:39.059 But what do you see as you look out at Brunsfield? 00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:45.160 I've been asking myself that question over the last couple of weeks as I've been thinking about this morning. 00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:48.720 As I've been on my lunch break walking up the high street. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.420 As I've been jogging home across the meadows. 00:22:52.040 --> 00:22:55.500 What do I see as I look out at Brunsfield? 00:22:56.220 --> 00:23:01.960 And it's reminded me of the challenge that Jesus gave to his disciples in John chapter 4. 00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:09.340 If you've got your Bibles there, then maybe this is the opportunity to turn to John chapter 4 and verse 29. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:12.580 If you don't have your Bibles, don't worry, just follow along on the screen. 00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:14.659 John chapter 4. 00:23:15.199 --> 00:23:20.319 The first thing to see about John chapter 4 is it's a chapter with a controversial context. 00:23:21.439 --> 00:23:28.279 Jesus has just been and is in what Jews at the time considered enemy territory. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:29.480 So he's in Samaria. 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:31.579 Controversy number one. 00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:33.779 Controversy number two. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:36.199 What he's just been doing in Samaria. 00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:42.940 He's just been speaking to this notorious Samaritan woman. 00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:47.660 There's an episode of Jeremy Kyle just waiting to go off in John chapter 4. 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:49.940 There's spice to John chapter 4. 00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:56.580 And this woman who Jesus has met has gone back to her village. 00:23:56.579 --> 00:24:01.500 And as we see, say, in the west of Scotland, she's clearly one who's got the gift of the gab. 00:24:01.919 --> 00:24:06.819 Because she's gone around and she's told everyone that she's met about Jesus. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:07.720 Verse 29. 00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:10.779 Inviting everyone that she meets to what? 00:24:10.899 --> 00:24:11.759 Come and meet a man. 00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:15.919 Come and meet a man who's told me everything that I ever did. 00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:18.679 Come and meet Jesus. 00:24:18.919 --> 00:24:20.019 Come and meet the Messiah. 00:24:20.139 --> 00:24:21.119 This is her invitation. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:24.639 And so the people from her village, are they going to come? 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:25.860 You bet they're going to come. 00:24:28.080 --> 00:24:31.520 Meanwhile, the camera pans to the disciples. 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:34.000 Where is their mind? 00:24:34.080 --> 00:24:35.220 What are they thinking about? 00:24:35.840 --> 00:24:37.380 Jesus, have you had something to eat? 00:24:38.840 --> 00:24:42.320 See, it's not just Craig from Brunsfield who has his mind on his belly. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:44.400 The disciples are thinking the exact same thing. 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:51.200 Jesus responds, verse 34, effectively, boys, you need to get your priorities right. 00:24:52.080 --> 00:24:53.520 You need to get your priorities right. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:54.180 Verse 35. 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:58.180 Don't you have a saying that it's still four months until harvest? 00:24:59.379 --> 00:25:02.039 I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields. 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:05.759 Lift up your eyes, says Jesus, and see. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:10.940 The question is, when they lifted up their eyes, what did they see? 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:17.299 Well, most likely they just saw brown, empty fields. 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:18.799 I mean, it's not harvest time yet. 00:25:18.879 --> 00:25:20.339 It's still four months until harvest time. 00:25:20.339 --> 00:25:21.459 But what does Jesus say? 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:24.459 These fields are ripe for harvest. 00:25:24.639 --> 00:25:25.779 It's ripe for harvest. 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:27.359 Really? 00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:29.599 Brown fields? 00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:33.179 You can picture the disciples at this point, can't you? 00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:34.500 Getting back into their little group. 00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:37.399 Their minds previously occupied by bread. 00:25:38.439 --> 00:25:42.879 Looking at each other and looking at Jesus and thinking, actually, is he the one that's a few sandwiches short of a picnic? 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:44.920 Is he out of his mind? 00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:47.160 What is he talking about? 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:50.120 The fields are white unto harvest. 00:25:50.260 --> 00:25:51.380 But lift your eyes, says Jesus. 00:25:51.500 --> 00:25:52.120 Lift your eyes. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:53.480 What do you see? 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:57.059 What's on the horizon? 00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.740 Or rather, who's on the horizon? 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:02.960 People. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:12.220 The people from this Samaritan village responding to this woman's invitation, making their way across the fields to get to Jesus. 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:13.900 Here is the harvest, says Jesus. 00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:16.660 He's not talking about physical harvest. 00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:19.880 He's talking about soul harvest. 00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:22.980 What are the disciples invited to do? 00:26:23.100 --> 00:26:23.840 Verse 34. 00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:28.480 Join in the Father's work. 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:31.220 And what will that mean? 00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.640 It will mean two things. 00:26:32.760 --> 00:26:34.780 Firstly, that they are to get sowing. 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:38.880 Telling everyone they come across about Jesus. 00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:42.560 Seeking to introduce everyone they come across to Jesus. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:47.300 Seeking to invite everyone that they come across to put their faith in Jesus. 00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:49.380 Diligently sowing the seed. 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:52.840 And expectantly spreading the word. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:57.360 And as if they needed a better example of that. 00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:59.800 And here is this woman of Samaria. 00:27:00.840 --> 00:27:01.680 The gift to the gab. 00:27:02.760 --> 00:27:04.220 Back to her village telling everyone. 00:27:04.860 --> 00:27:07.280 Come and meet the man, the Messiah. 00:27:08.520 --> 00:27:09.120 Get sowing. 00:27:09.260 --> 00:27:10.240 Secondly, get reaping. 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:13.420 Working to see those gospel seeds. 00:27:13.580 --> 00:27:15.900 Those seeds that others before them have planted. 00:27:16.280 --> 00:27:17.980 Come to fruition. 00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:22.279 Imagine these fields currently full of lost people. 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:24.139 This is the harvest, says Jesus. 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:30.359 And so the question at this point in John chapter 4 for the disciples. 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:34.339 Will they lift their eyes to see what God is doing? 00:27:35.619 --> 00:27:37.699 Or will they just got on with their daily business? 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:41.459 And like Craig from Brunsfield, will they be occupied with filling their belly? 00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:48.039 As they look out, will they continue to have their horizons dominated by the way that the world sees things? 00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:52.840 Or will they seize the invitation to join in the Father's work? 00:27:52.839 --> 00:27:58.179 Will they view what they see through the eyes of Jesus Christ? 00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:03.179 Subtext, will they have a heart for the harvest? 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:08.339 So what do you see as you look out at Brunsfield? 00:28:08.339 --> 00:28:20.259 As we think about looking forward this morning, the call of Jesus and the invitation of Jesus in John chapter 4 to these disciples is the same one that comes to us this morning. 00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:30.599 In Brunsfield and as we scatter from here to all the different circles, all the different people in our circles that are connected with this church family. 00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:40.459 All those people who don't know Jesus as their King, Lord and Saviour, will we have a heart for the harvest? 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:44.259 What will it mean to have a heart for the harvest? 00:28:44.419 --> 00:28:50.319 It will mean looking to our fields and committing ourselves to reaping and sowing. 00:28:51.379 --> 00:28:59.879 In our streets, in our neighbourhoods, in our stairwells, in our schools, in our universities, in our families, in our workplaces, in our coffee shops, in our hairdressers. 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:03.980 Wherever we meet people, to sow and to reap. 00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:14.940 And out of a love for the Lord, a deep love for the Lord, standing on his truth, telling people, what is it the hymn says, the old, old story? 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:28.500 Of this King Jesus, who came, who lived, who died, who rose, who rules, who reigns and who will one day return in glory. 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:39.840 And who died to make a way for sinful people to be ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven and to come back to that relationship with the God who made them. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:44.119 You know, we're celebrating 50 years of God's faithfulness this morning. 00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:44.980 That is incredible. 00:29:45.179 --> 00:29:50.659 Can I just say at this point, it humbles me to come in at this point of the church's life. 00:29:51.379 --> 00:29:52.519 It's incredible. 00:29:53.079 --> 00:30:00.939 But we're marking as well 50 years of people in this church reaping and sowing. 00:30:01.679 --> 00:30:03.639 Reaping and sowing. 00:30:03.640 --> 00:30:17.300 And so as we, this generation of Brunsfield, as we look back and we see the reaping and the sowing, the question for us is, will we continue to be a generation of this church marked by reaping and sowing? 00:30:17.299 --> 00:30:27.659 As we're thinking about looking forward, we've got to ensure that looking forward involves always looking up. 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:36.319 I've had so many conversations this week with people who look at the growth that's going on in this place by God's grace. 00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:40.399 A lot of people have commented, why don't we just knock the roof off and we'll get the balconies in use again. 00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:43.839 You can see the building guys going, no heating bills, heating bills, heating bills. 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:50.299 But wouldn't it be great, wouldn't it be wonderful if this place grew and boomed? 00:30:51.199 --> 00:30:58.059 And it didn't boom simply because people were moving to the area, to Edinburgh, and just wanted to join a church family. 00:30:58.139 --> 00:31:03.039 As brilliant as that is, would it not be wonderful if this church booms? 00:31:03.679 --> 00:31:10.559 Because there were so many people who didn't know Jesus as their saviour who come to know him and put their faith in him. 00:31:10.639 --> 00:31:11.399 This place goes boom. 00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:15.280 Will we have a heart for the harvest? 00:31:17.420 --> 00:31:19.280 So what do you see as you look at Brunt's fields? 00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:21.220 What do we see? 00:31:22.600 --> 00:31:30.600 See, Jesus calls us to lift our eyes and to see that our field is Brunt's field. 00:31:30.600 --> 00:31:38.600 And Brunt's field is a field white unto harvest.