WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.600
 Oh, Tim, can we have the Bibles passed out? Is that okay?

00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:09.000
 Maybe as they're passing them out, as we were just singing and

00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:18.620
! I was like, wow, what a privilege it is to be here on a Sunday, to be able to speak from God's Word.

00:00:19.400 --> 00:00:24.339
 But just even thinking, we are such a mixed bag of people.

00:00:24.339 --> 00:00:34.119
 In a sense, there are so many things going on in our lives that we can't even begin to share with the people around us.

00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:42.760
 Sometimes life is that hard. I look and I think those of us who have lost loved ones just very recently,

00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:46.939
 there are those who are maybe getting close to losing loved ones.

00:00:47.140 --> 00:00:50.299
 There are those who are struggling to find work.

00:00:50.579 --> 00:00:53.620
 There are those who had work but don't have it anymore.

00:00:53.619 --> 00:00:56.899
 There are those who are struggling with work.

00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:05.500
 And maybe as a shepherd here, I just wanted to say I may not know exactly what is going on in your life,

00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:08.519
 but I do care.

00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:10.359
 And we must care.

00:01:11.140 --> 00:01:15.000
 And whilst we do not know exact details, I just wanted to even say out,

00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:21.979
 this is not a perfect congregation who are all on fire for the Lord without any of the world's problems.

00:01:21.980 --> 00:01:28.260
 We are here as a broken people, saved by grace, being drawn to Him.

00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:31.579
 And last week I talked about the Garden of Eden, the temple,

00:01:32.460 --> 00:01:37.579
 this idea that just God's been trying to draw us back to Him.

00:01:38.219 --> 00:01:41.600
 Our hearts have been longing, yearning to be back with Him.

00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:44.799
 And yet on this side of heaven, it's just hard.

00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:48.079
 On this side of heaven, it often feels fleeting and temporary.

00:01:48.679 --> 00:01:54.319
 So if you are going through any kind of struggles, we may not be able to help remove them.

00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.079
 But we would like to be there with you through them.

00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.239
 And just, I pray that you'll be able to know that.

00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:06.179
 Since January, we've been going through just a series of just talking about what even church is.

00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:10.740
 And we started this thing that Sam kicked us off, and then J1 did the next one.

00:02:10.819 --> 00:02:16.020
 And then last week, Janice shared with us, and after service last Sunday,

00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:19.939
 had a great conversation with Jasper, who was just like, I've got something to share.

00:02:20.539 --> 00:02:22.819
 Which is just super exciting for me.

00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:25.280
 So I'm going to invite Jasper up to have a conversation with me,

00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:27.780
 to talk about what he really felt from the last week.

00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:28.960
 Can we give him a round of applause?

00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:35.719
 Let's go, Jasper.

00:02:36.580 --> 00:02:39.400
 Oh, actually, I thought you'd be a lot taller than me, and I'd have to do this.

00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:40.400
 But actually, you're okay.

00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:40.800
 Okay.

00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:42.920
 Well, good to see you, Jasper.

00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:44.599
 I know you've been part of this community for a while now.

00:02:45.460 --> 00:02:50.340
 Tell us what it is that you felt the Lord really show you and remind you of in the message last week.

00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:51.740
 All right.

00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:55.800
 So one of the biggest things that stuck out to me from last week's message

00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:00.580
 was the idea that the temple of God is where we encounter his presence.

00:03:01.460 --> 00:03:07.500
 So that made me rethink about what it actually means to just be in the presence of God.

00:03:08.380 --> 00:03:14.160
 And what stood out to me is that God's presence is never about like a physical location,

00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:18.740
 but it's about seeing him clearly for who he really is.

00:03:19.699 --> 00:03:24.340
 And just like how James kind of just traced through the scripture,

00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:28.659
 like through the Bible, the place where people meet God changes.

00:03:28.659 --> 00:03:34.120
 And as first we have like Adam and Eve who walk freely in the Garden of Eden,

00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:40.419
 but they sinned and they hid because they lost sight of who he really is.

00:03:41.079 --> 00:03:45.159
 And later on, people worship God in the tabernacle.

00:03:45.939 --> 00:03:46.419
 Tabernacle.

00:03:46.699 --> 00:03:47.259
 Tabernacle.

00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:47.579
 Okay.

00:03:48.180 --> 00:03:50.060
 Tabernacle and then in the temple.

00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.579
 Then Jesus came and said,

00:03:52.580 --> 00:03:57.040
 destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days.

00:03:57.980 --> 00:04:01.560
 In doing so, he shows that he himself is the true temple.

00:04:01.860 --> 00:04:03.800
 God made visible and accessible.

00:04:04.660 --> 00:04:08.720
 And after Pentecost, God's presence is no longer like dwells in a building,

00:04:08.900 --> 00:04:09.880
 but in his people.

00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:12.560
 And yeah, through the Holy Spirit.

00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:17.100
 What really stuck with me is this pattern that we see over and over again,

00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:18.160
 like James has mentioned,

00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:20.900
 that every time humanity moves away,

00:04:21.220 --> 00:04:24.220
 God will move closer and like draws near to him.

00:04:26.080 --> 00:04:26.660
 Thank you.

00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.439
 And that's such a powerful thing.

00:04:28.780 --> 00:04:31.140
 It's a thing that every time we make a wrong step,

00:04:31.480 --> 00:04:33.560
 that God's actually continuing to follow us.

00:04:33.640 --> 00:04:36.160
 I mean, Psalm 23, that his goodness and mercy keeps following us.

00:04:36.840 --> 00:04:40.580
 How has that resonated with your life and how have you applied it for your own context?

00:04:41.400 --> 00:04:41.640
 All right.

00:04:42.260 --> 00:04:45.080
 So like what resonated with me the most was the question.

00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:48.279
 If God keeps moving closer to us throughout the Bible,

00:04:48.479 --> 00:04:50.659
 how should that change the way we live today?

00:04:51.620 --> 00:04:54.839
 So that's where like first Peter to really stood out to me.

00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:56.579
 Peter calls us to be holy.

00:04:56.939 --> 00:04:57.959
 And verse 10 says,

00:04:58.479 --> 00:05:00.919
 once you were not a people, but now you're God's people.

00:05:01.039 --> 00:05:04.079
 Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:06.379
 That reminded me that as Christians,

00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:09.620
 we don't just believe in God, but we represent him.

00:05:10.579 --> 00:05:12.740
 To be holy doesn't mean like being perfect.

00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:13.779
 We can never be perfect.

00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:15.939
 We can never reach to his standard.

00:05:16.719 --> 00:05:21.000
 But then like what I really love about this is God helps us through this.

00:05:21.500 --> 00:05:24.000
 He helped us like to fulfill his standard.

00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:31.859
 And it's only by being in God's presence that we can actually like change our heart

00:05:31.859 --> 00:05:34.059
 and be more aligned and close to him.

00:05:34.459 --> 00:05:38.239
 How can we be more like someone where we don't even spend time with this person

00:05:38.239 --> 00:05:38.959
 that we're trying to be?

00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:44.959
 And early on, like in my faith journey, I try real hard to share the gospel.

00:05:45.859 --> 00:05:49.399
 Like I remember I used to spam my friends with like Christian reels.

00:05:49.739 --> 00:05:54.459
 And then they got so annoyed and so like, yeah, just so like frustrated with me.

00:05:54.899 --> 00:06:00.679
 But then like what changed now is I refocus on like, how do I live the Jesus way?

00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:05.360
 And then naturally, like they started to notice that there's something different about me.

00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:08.480
 And they will start to be curious and just ask me questions.

00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:10.879
 Like, why do you believe in this?

00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:11.680
 Why do you believe in that?

00:06:11.900 --> 00:06:15.100
 And then now like I'll answer your questions.

00:06:15.340 --> 00:06:19.560
 And that actually draw people closer to God, essentially.

00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:24.300
 Like they will start to be open to like these conversations.

00:06:24.980 --> 00:06:25.079
 Yeah.

00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:27.620
 And you talk about the beginning of this faith journey.

00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:28.579
 It's not been a long time.

00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:33.139
 I remember meeting you a few years ago through Young Life and you attended some of the camps.

00:06:33.220 --> 00:06:35.759
 And then, of course, you've been here worshiping with us and just watch your growth.

00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.000
 You're at ISF studying.

00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:40.480
 And I know that you're also really good at fencing.

00:06:42.259 --> 00:06:44.840
 What is it that you think God's called you to now?

00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.079
 What have you been doing at ISF that's actually really exciting for us to hear about?

00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:48.599
 Right.

00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:53.539
 So, yeah, like I go to ISF and it's quite like a secular school.

00:06:53.779 --> 00:06:58.259
 So I felt quite isolated as far as like being the only Christian in my friend group.

00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:02.240
 So I felt God really call me to start something in my school.

00:07:02.620 --> 00:07:06.539
 So that's why I started like a Christian society called Lighthouse in my school.

00:07:07.339 --> 00:07:14.159
 And, yeah, it's like I started to invite kids in like who are also just so passionate for God.

00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:20.880
 And honestly, I didn't think that it would be allowed because like our school is like a secular school.

00:07:21.180 --> 00:07:24.680
 But then like God worked miraculously.

00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:33.400
 Like it just happened to be so that this is our first year of like actually starting a religious like society in our school.

00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:45.599
 So I think this like connects directly back to First Spirit 2, where Peter tells us that we are living stones being built together into a spiritual house, not individually, but together.

00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:52.300
 So now like just this really spiritual community that I've built in my school.

00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:55.000
 And at first, like it was quite awkward.

00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:55.520
 Right.

00:07:55.820 --> 00:07:57.580
 Like discussions felt very forced.

00:07:58.100 --> 00:08:00.780
 And the group chat was like pretty dead.

00:08:00.779 --> 00:08:04.059
 And I never like really led anything like this before.

00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:05.359
 So I was quite inexperienced.

00:08:05.479 --> 00:08:06.819
 And I was like doubting myself.

00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:09.079
 I was asking God, like, why me?

00:08:10.339 --> 00:08:13.419
 And on top of that, like I'm in my junior year.

00:08:13.619 --> 00:08:16.519
 So like school was quite stressful with like academics and stuff.

00:08:16.659 --> 00:08:20.659
 So there are oftentimes I just felt that I'm like away from God.

00:08:20.679 --> 00:08:21.879
 And I felt like a hypocrite.

00:08:21.979 --> 00:08:25.179
 Like, why am I leading this thing when I'm also struggling with my own faith?

00:08:25.180 --> 00:08:30.500
 And, um, but then little by little, I started to see like fruits.

00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:32.259
 So, yeah.

00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:33.960
 So it started off with like one day.

00:08:34.060 --> 00:08:37.680
 Someone tagged me on a post that says, tag the person that brought you closer to God.

00:08:38.139 --> 00:08:41.840
 And then next, um, the group chat started to blow up.

00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:44.019
 Like people started to actually use the group chat.

00:08:44.659 --> 00:08:53.139
 And then, um, and then we also like, we went from meeting bi-weekly to now meeting weekly because we were complaining that it was enough.

00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:54.279
 Yeah.

00:08:54.279 --> 00:09:04.299
 So what surprised me most like through this is that the community I helped build to like encourage others actually encouraged me back in return.

00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:14.439
 And, um, when James talked about living stones forming a spiritual house, like that, that verse, that scripture, it made me fall out of like lighthouse.

00:09:15.259 --> 00:09:19.839
 Like even though it didn't feel like that at the beginning, but then over time I began to see it.

00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:21.360
 Like every person plays a role.

00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:31.840
 So some create like content for our Instagram, like my sister and, um, other, like they organize meetings and some like barely speak, but then they write very detailed notes like for scriptures.

00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.240
 So, um, oh yeah.

00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:41.220
 There's also this one person who wrote like a 15 page essay on like the historical accuracy of like the resurrection.

00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:42.280
 So, which is crazy.

00:09:42.460 --> 00:09:43.720
 And he's grade six too.

00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:46.560
 So, like, yeah.

00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.060
 Each stone matters and, um, each person supports the whole.

00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:55.480
 So I hope what I've shared today reminds us of the importance of community as Christians.

00:09:55.899 --> 00:10:03.019
 When we encourage others in their journey of faith, God often used that same community with built to strengthen us in return.

00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:03.720
 Yeah.

00:10:04.560 --> 00:10:04.960
 Amazing.

00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:05.560
 Final question.

00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:06.500
 How can we pray for you?

00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:08.180
 School.

00:10:08.179 --> 00:10:08.219
 School.

00:10:09.339 --> 00:10:10.259
 What about school?

00:10:10.359 --> 00:10:12.719
 For school to be destroyed or what about?

00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:18.779
 It's just like academics in general because like junior is quite stressful.

00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:19.439
 Yeah.

00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:20.079
 Okay.

00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:20.620
 Good.

00:10:21.059 --> 00:10:22.839
 Oh, well, social media works then, eh?

00:10:22.939 --> 00:10:25.979
 I might rejoin the Facebook and start posting again.

00:10:26.739 --> 00:10:29.079
 Juju, could you come up and pray for a desperate second?

00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:30.399
 Oh, yeah, sure.

00:10:31.939 --> 00:10:33.059
 And then you can do the scripture.

00:10:33.299 --> 00:10:33.519
 That's it.

00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:37.539
 Yeah.

00:10:38.179 --> 00:10:45.879
 God, we thank you for what you're doing in the church, that you redeemed it to yourself, that you are building it up.

00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:48.159
 Each of us is a unique part of your body.

00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:55.199
 Thank you for Jasper's love for you, for how you've blessed him in ISF, in a place that feels like a desert.

00:10:56.039 --> 00:11:03.699
 Sometimes, um, that you have brought life through him, through Christ, working in him, in this community.

00:11:03.700 --> 00:11:08.840
 Continue to send him encouragement, God, as he works in that place.

00:11:09.340 --> 00:11:15.520
 Um, we all know, we all remember the days when we were going through exams and how that could be stressful and anxious.

00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.220
 Um, give him the peace that surpasses understanding.

00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:24.060
 Just show the people around him that he's built different.

00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:29.320
 He's built different because he knows you, because your spirit lives in him.

00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:34.700
 Do a mighty work in him, we pray, and through, and through this next generation.

00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:35.840
 That's why we're here.

00:11:35.920 --> 00:11:41.080
 We're here to build the next generation who are on fire for you, burning bushes who represent your presence.

00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:44.980
 So just go before him, behind him, and with him now, we pray.

00:11:46.180 --> 00:11:48.460
 We love you, God, and we commit this to you in your name.

00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:48.980
 Amen.

00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:49.820
 Thank you.

00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:50.400
 No worries, man.

00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:51.200
 A round of applause.

00:11:59.580 --> 00:12:04.420
 Today's scripture reading is from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians, chapter 2, starting from verse 11.

00:12:04.420 --> 00:12:08.360
 And as is our usual practice, can we all stand for the word of the Lord?

00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:20.320
 Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 11.

00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:29.620
 One in Christ.

00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:38.400
 Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision,

00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:40.500
 which is made in the flesh by hands.

00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:48.360
 Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise,

00:12:48.800 --> 00:12:51.900
 having no hope and without God in the world.

00:12:52.300 --> 00:12:53.060
 Verse 13.

00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:58.879
 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:06.479
 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:13.539
 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two.

00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:14.539
 So making peace.

00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:14.980
 So making peace.

00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:21.879
 And he might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:27.580
 And he came and preached peace to you who are far off and peace to those who are near.

00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:31.080
 For through him, we both have access in one spirit to the father.

00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:38.560
 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God

00:13:38.560 --> 00:13:42.340
 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

00:13:42.340 --> 00:13:50.019
 Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:55.320
 In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit.

00:13:55.460 --> 00:13:56.660
 This is the word of the Lord.

00:13:57.379 --> 00:13:58.180
 Praise be to God.

00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:58.560
 Thanks, JJ.

00:13:59.120 --> 00:13:59.840
 Please take a seat.

00:13:59.940 --> 00:14:00.300
 Thank you.

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:05.100
 So we're wandering.

00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:06.160
 We're wandering.

00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:06.940
 We're in exile.

00:14:07.560 --> 00:14:10.860
 We've been longing for that place, that place that we can call home,

00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:12.700
 where we can feel like we belong,

00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:14.500
 where we have the presence of God.

00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:17.039
 And we talked about the Garden of Eden being that first temple.

00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:18.419
 That means delight.

00:14:18.800 --> 00:14:21.100
 It means there's a place where we can feel like we are,

00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:23.440
 there's a plenty, that we are flourishing.

00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:27.720
 And yet we are not there because we keep wandering and we keep turning our backs

00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:29.600
 and we keep going the opposite way.

00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.419
 And so where do we find this home?

00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:35.000
 How do we get this place where we truly belong?

00:14:36.060 --> 00:14:36.680
 Paul says here.

00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.440
 You'll find it in the household of God.

00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:46.200
 The answer, the antidote to us being in exile, wandering, is here as the household of God.

00:14:46.280 --> 00:14:48.820
 The question is, what does that actually look like for us?

00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:51.420
 N.T. Wright writes this about that passage that Julian just read to us.

00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:55.420
 The point of Ephesians 2 is that you are now part of the single family,

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.900
 the household of God.

00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:58.300
 You aren't just a visitor.

00:14:58.680 --> 00:14:59.500
 You belong here.

00:14:59.780 --> 00:15:01.240
 And the house is still being built.

00:15:01.900 --> 00:15:04.880
 You aren't just a spectator watching while God does more building.

00:15:04.880 --> 00:15:08.960
 You are one of those stones.

00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:13.880
 So I want to talk a little bit about what it means for us to even be a household of God.

00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:17.200
 And that's why when I was worshiping and praying, I was like, wow, we really are a family.

00:15:17.400 --> 00:15:21.080
 We really are a group of people that are gathering together across different ages,

00:15:21.180 --> 00:15:23.200
 across just a million different differences.

00:15:23.420 --> 00:15:24.700
 And yet we are here together.

00:15:24.920 --> 00:15:26.160
 We are in February now.

00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:27.340
 Pinch punch first day of the month.

00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:28.040
 We are.

00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:29.660
 Is that an English thing?

00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:30.360
 Is that a British thing?

00:15:30.880 --> 00:15:31.740
 Only Gabs laughed.

00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:32.000
 Okay.

00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:33.179
 There we go.

00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:40.120
 So just after Christmas, just before the new year, and we have this space where we usually

00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:44.799
 are just kind of recuperating from all the gatherings at Christmas and we're getting ready and preparing

00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:47.019
 ourselves for all the gatherings that are coming up in Chinese New Year.

00:15:47.059 --> 00:15:50.500
 And you look at the family gatherings that you have, or I look at the family gatherings that I

00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:50.700
 have.

00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.000
 It is a mix of all kinds of different people.

00:15:54.659 --> 00:15:55.799
 That's what a family is.

00:15:56.100 --> 00:15:57.279
 That's what a household is.

00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.720
 As you look across the room here and you see all the people here, you're like, whoa,

00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:02.639
 this is my family.

00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:07.240
 These are people who I'm actually connected with because of the blood of Christ.

00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:08.799
 And the passage there is written.

00:16:08.939 --> 00:16:10.720
 Some people decide, let's run away from the family.

00:16:11.319 --> 00:16:12.459
 We don't, wrong family.

00:16:12.699 --> 00:16:12.740
 Okay.

00:16:14.579 --> 00:16:15.179
 Only joking.

00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:16.179
 I'm sure Janice will be back.

00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.059
 We hope.

00:16:18.319 --> 00:16:24.220
 Verse 19 says this, well, verse 18, for through him, we both have access in one spirit to the

00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:24.500
 father.

00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:24.539
 Father.

00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:29.419
 So all of us here, regardless of our background, regardless of anything we've ever done in our

00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:34.019
 lives, we all now have access to father in the same way because of what Jesus did.

00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:39.980
 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints

00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:42.559
 and members of the household of God.

00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:45.419
 I want to share today about what it means to be in a household of God.

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:50.059
 And as Uday prayed so powerfully at the beginning, actually, it's been what I've been learning.

00:16:50.059 --> 00:16:53.039
 It's been what I've been learning about being a part of the household of God that I hope

00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:54.559
 that I can pass on and share with you.

00:16:54.659 --> 00:16:59.539
 So I come from a place where actually I'm one page ahead of you, which was my whole biology

00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:01.799
 teaching career when I was teaching.

00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:03.419
 But I'm one page ahead of you.

00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:04.579
 I am still learning this.

00:17:04.659 --> 00:17:07.399
 And actually, I've been filled with a lot of conviction and a lot of excitement when

00:17:07.399 --> 00:17:12.619
 it comes to what does it actually mean to be a part of the household of God.

00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:17.979
 And the first thing it says here is that we are no longer strangers and aliens.

00:17:18.199 --> 00:17:19.359
 We are no longer in exile.

00:17:19.679 --> 00:17:21.059
 We're no longer on our own.

00:17:21.159 --> 00:17:24.500
 We're no longer wandering on our own, just craving for this place.

00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:28.119
 We can actually find that belonging and find that home and find those answers right here,

00:17:28.379 --> 00:17:28.759
 right now.

00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:32.159
 John Stott says this, no longer are we homeless and orphans.

00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:34.500
 We have come home and found our family.

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:38.239
 The church is our new community, our new home.

00:17:39.099 --> 00:17:40.059
 What does that even mean?

00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:45.759
 Well, the first thing is we are fellow citizens, which means actually there's a very legal aspect

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:46.159
 to this.

00:17:46.399 --> 00:17:48.519
 Because of what Christ did, we are now adopted.

00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:51.379
 We are legally belonging to God the Father.

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:53.579
 So there's a legal component.

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.579
 There's a public component.

00:17:54.679 --> 00:17:57.079
 When others look at us, oh, you are now a child of God.

00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:59.879
 You now belong to God.

00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:00.859
 There's that legal part.

00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:04.839
 There's a public, there's a global part, which is now you are fellow citizens.

00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:09.940
 You coming here on a Sunday, yes, there are time zone differences, but you joined the

00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:13.299
 church of God all around the world, worshipping God together.

00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:14.320
 Isn't that beautiful?

00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:15.140
 Isn't that amazing?

00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:20.220
 You find your belonging here when you worship God together with this whole household.

00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:21.480
 You are a fellow citizen.

00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:24.880
 But it's more than just being a fellow citizen with the saints.

00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:28.120
 It's also being a member of the household of God.

00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:32.680
 So not only is it a legal, public, global element to it, there's actually just a very

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:35.100
 intimate, local element to it as well.

00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:36.899
 You are a member of this household.

00:18:38.339 --> 00:18:39.659
 This place here.

00:18:40.719 --> 00:18:41.879
 I've got my son sat here.

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:44.500
 He's part of the household of the tanks.

00:18:45.439 --> 00:18:48.419
 We have many things that make us distinct as tanks.

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:51.039
 We are vertically challenged, most of all.

00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.619
 But Reuben is threatening to break that.

00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:54.699
 I think he's one centimeter off.

00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:56.719
 But if you count the hair, then it doesn't really count.

00:18:58.719 --> 00:19:01.139
 But tanks have many things of ours.

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:03.060
 I pray that there will be many things of ours.

00:19:03.600 --> 00:19:05.340
 And I can say this publicly here.

00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:08.700
 One thing is we don't like to do what other people do.

00:19:09.120 --> 00:19:10.740
 So I've shared with them in the past.

00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:16.540
 If you want to convince me to do something or let you do something, never start with,

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.200
 hey, but everyone else is doing it.

00:19:18.860 --> 00:19:23.340
 Oh, if you say that, that's perfect, perfect springboard for me to say, well, in that case,

00:19:23.360 --> 00:19:23.980
 we won't do it.

00:19:24.540 --> 00:19:25.660
 We will be different.

00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:29.720
 You know, as you see in scripture, you know, some trust in chariots and some trust in horses.

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:32.000
 But as for us in our household, we will do what?

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.460
 We will trust in the name of the Lord.

00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:38.039
 So there are some things that are distinct about being in the household of the tanks.

00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.460
 We have McDonald's regularly.

00:19:40.620 --> 00:19:41.759
 That's part of our religion.

00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:43.160
 It's part of our life principle.

00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:46.700
 When it's a birthday, we always go to Lavash because we love steak.

00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:47.779
 And that's the place that we go to.

00:19:47.900 --> 00:19:48.700
 And it's just a tradition.

00:19:48.860 --> 00:19:49.579
 It's what we have.

00:19:51.600 --> 00:19:53.700
 But what is it for us to be a household here?

00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:55.920
 What does it actually look like for us to be one here?

00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:59.360
 Look, we're talking about family.

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.579
 And as I said at the beginning, we all come from very different kinds of families.

00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:08.019
 The playing field is not even here.

00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:14.539
 We all have very different dynamics when it comes to how we relate to our fathers and our mothers and our siblings and our relatives.

00:20:14.779 --> 00:20:20.559
 But there's something about household family, which is why Paul uses it here.

00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:25.299
 And I'm going to challenge us today to think a little bit more about what that actually means.

00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:26.980
 There's been a favorite term that I've used.

00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:29.259
 I think I borrowed from Andy Stanley a number of years ago.

00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:34.759
 When you're trying to describe a family, what you're trying to say is a church, sorry, is we are a family expecting guests.

00:20:35.159 --> 00:20:36.799
 So if you ask us, what are we doing as a church?

00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:38.500
 We are a family expecting guests.

00:20:38.659 --> 00:20:42.899
 We are gathering together for Christmas or for Chinese New Year or just for every Sunday night is when your family gathers.

00:20:43.099 --> 00:20:45.059
 We are a family expecting guests.

00:20:45.059 --> 00:20:46.299
 That's what we are here.

00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.700
 This is what this is.

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:50.659
 In case you walked into something and you're like, oh, what is your church about?

00:20:50.859 --> 00:20:51.419
 Then that is it.

00:20:51.460 --> 00:20:53.079
 We are a family expecting guests.

00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.159
 And I think I've said that before.

00:20:54.659 --> 00:21:01.460
 I'm going to add a little bit to it now because if you talk about what it means to be a family or what kind of collection of people do we have to turn into a family,

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:04.579
 I must say we are a family of disciples.

00:21:05.639 --> 00:21:06.619
 That is what it's all about.

00:21:07.139 --> 00:21:09.819
 Someone asked me, I went to a lunch and I got to meet some new people.

00:21:09.819 --> 00:21:11.319
 And someone asked, what do I do?

00:21:11.379 --> 00:21:12.419
 And I said, I said, pastor.

00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:13.720
 Of course, they're usually shocked.

00:21:13.899 --> 00:21:14.799
 Oh, pastor, really?

00:21:15.139 --> 00:21:17.220
 And then after that, oh, well, where's your church?

00:21:17.299 --> 00:21:17.899
 Oh, it's in Admiralty.

00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:18.859
 And then it's a little bit.

00:21:18.879 --> 00:21:20.200
 Oh, what's your church like?

00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:21.740
 Or rather, what's your church about?

00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:24.019
 Oh, he asked me that question.

00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:29.399
 And honestly, in a moment I panicked because I was like, you've got to come out with the right answer right here.

00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:32.839
 You've got to, this will show what you think church is about, James.

00:21:33.159 --> 00:21:36.519
 I had all this conversation in my head within this millisecond that he asked me.

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:40.039
 And I said, our church is about making disciples of Jesus.

00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:41.339
 That's it.

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:43.559
 We are a family expecting guests.

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:50.220
 We are a family of disciples inviting, expecting guests to come.

00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:51.359
 That's what we're about.

00:21:51.879 --> 00:21:54.680
 What does it mean for us to be a disciple?

00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:57.019
 Our life group on Monday talked about this.

00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:58.400
 I want to pick on them first to start.

00:21:58.680 --> 00:21:59.879
 Matthew, I'm looking right at you.

00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:01.139
 So we're going to go for this.

00:22:01.460 --> 00:22:04.379
 Matthew, can you define to us what a disciple is?

00:22:04.380 --> 00:22:07.000
 Just shaking his head.

00:22:08.800 --> 00:22:11.540
 Josh is nearby so he can whisper and help you if you need to.

00:22:16.280 --> 00:22:17.380
 Follower, learner.

00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:21.020
 To have discipline.

00:22:21.540 --> 00:22:21.660
 Okay.

00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:24.740
 To have discipline in following a discipline.

00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:28.360
 And that discipline is, as Jasper said, following the way of Jesus.

00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:29.620
 That's why we have that first statement.

00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:32.820
 We're here to commit to following the discipline of Jesus.

00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:34.280
 Josh, do you have anything to add?

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:35.220
 To Matthew's answer.

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:36.940
 That was perfect.

00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:43.619
 I asked someone else in our group who's not here.

00:22:43.700 --> 00:22:46.000
 So I went, it's not fair for me to name and shame them right here.

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.759
 I was like, hey, have you ever been discipled before?

00:22:48.059 --> 00:22:49.960
 And he's like, James, forget being discipled before.

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.259
 I don't even know what a disciple is.

00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:52.440
 Right?

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:55.420
 Is that true of a lot of us?

00:22:55.420 --> 00:23:01.060
 And I've said this before and I'll continue to say, honestly, this is the topic that I will keep talking about.

00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:04.720
 If my wife's topic is trees, this is my topic.

00:23:05.300 --> 00:23:07.220
 Just what does it mean for us to be discipled?

00:23:07.300 --> 00:23:12.100
 Actually, it was a quote that my brother shared with me by Dallas Woodard that said this.

00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:18.460
 Dallas Woodard is someone from the States who just had a lot of incredible insights to what it means to be a Christian in this modern age.

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:20.860
 He was John Mark Comer before John Mark Comer.

00:23:21.140 --> 00:23:24.440
 And he was asked, what's the big problem with the church right now in the West?

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:28.240
 And he said, the problem is the church has stopped making disciples of Jesus.

00:23:28.860 --> 00:23:30.299
 The church is running programs.

00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:31.279
 It is running properties.

00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:32.960
 It is doing all these other things.

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:35.920
 But it has stopped making disciples of Jesus.

00:23:36.120 --> 00:23:37.960
 What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:41.539
 Someone who is disciplined and following in the discipline of Jesus.

00:23:41.860 --> 00:23:43.440
 In walking in his way.

00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:45.240
 And he says, the church has stopped doing that.

00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:46.079
 Isn't that terrifying?

00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:48.279
 Isn't that terrifying?

00:23:48.679 --> 00:23:52.839
 Jesus said, you make disciples and I will build the church.

00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:55.639
 And as pastors go, okay, then we'll build the church.

00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:58.099
 No, no, Jesus says, I will build the church.

00:23:58.619 --> 00:24:02.319
 You just have to make disciples and teach them all that I have commanded you.

00:24:03.899 --> 00:24:09.119
 And so Dallas Woodard said there's two questions that every church, including this one, must ask itself.

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:12.199
 The first question is, what is your plan for discipleship?

00:24:12.919 --> 00:24:15.419
 And the second question is, is that plan working?

00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:18.619
 All that to say, this is the only thing that matters.

00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:21.740
 And I've said this before, and I'll continue to say this all the way to my grave.

00:24:22.019 --> 00:24:28.139
 You being here, us being Christians, the only thing that we have to think about and reflect on is, am I becoming a disciple of Jesus?

00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:29.799
 Am I following in his way?

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:33.079
 The Chinese context has the word for that would be sifu.

00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:35.939
 Is Jesus your sifu?

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:41.320
 If you are an apprentice at a garage learning how to be a car mechanic, what are you doing?

00:24:41.380 --> 00:24:47.140
 You are following someone and doing what they do in order to become a disciple of them.

00:24:47.140 --> 00:24:56.980
 Those of you who are in the medical profession, you are trying to basically follow someone in their ways, in the way they practice medicine so that you will become a disciple.

00:24:57.700 --> 00:25:00.220
 You coming to church, but not just church on a Sunday.

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:02.259
 You spending time with fellow believers.

00:25:02.259 --> 00:25:04.299
 Are you becoming a disciple of Jesus?

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:07.319
 That surely is the only thing that matters.

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:13.379
 Matthew and Josh here have given us a great definition of what it means to be a disciple.

00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:18.500
 And you guys heard this on Monday, so I'm going to repeat it again.

00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:27.299
 But the best place for me to find out what a disciple is, is to go to the teacher and to the master and to the rabbi himself.

00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:34.720
 And if you go to Jesus and you look at what he wrote, actually, there's only three times in the whole of the gospel.

00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:38.099
 There's only three times where he defines what a disciple is.

00:25:38.220 --> 00:25:43.759
 And before I even talk about what it means for us to be a household, we first have to determine and define what a disciple is.

00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:44.139
 Is that okay?

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:48.639
 So only three times does Jesus define what a disciple is, and I want to run you through it.

00:25:48.700 --> 00:25:50.940
 But as I run you through it, I want you to ask this question for yourself.

00:25:51.259 --> 00:25:51.980
 Am I a disciple?

00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:54.859
 Am I actually following him?

00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.019
 That is the key here.

00:25:57.019 --> 00:25:57.920
 And the first one is this.

00:25:57.960 --> 00:26:01.079
 And if you've got your Bibles, we're going to go through, there's three different parts.

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:03.400
 We're going to be in the book of John through the whole time.

00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:11.839
 So if you have Bible verse locating anxiety as you look into your Bible, then you only have to be in one book.

00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:14.579
 So then you only have to know the order of numbers.

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.500
 Okay, so chapter 8.

00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:22.160
 John chapter 8 is the first time we see Jesus defining what a disciple is.

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:24.240
 John chapter 8, verse 31.

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:29.779
 I'm going to spend about 10-15 minutes talking about what a disciple is, and then I'm going to talk about what it means for us to be a whole household of God.

00:26:29.819 --> 00:26:30.140
 Is that okay?

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.220
 Okay.

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:34.400
 So John chapter 8, verse 31 says this.

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:36.839
 He's talking to the Jews.

00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:39.420
 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him.

00:26:39.660 --> 00:26:41.019
 So he's talking to his church.

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.539
 He's talking to his people.

00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.019
 Okay.

00:26:44.099 --> 00:26:48.259
 He said, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.

00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:56.379
 And then the second part of that verse is the one that maybe has been the most used and abused and butchered in human society.

00:26:56.379 --> 00:26:58.220
 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

00:26:59.579 --> 00:27:00.720
 But let's go with the first part.

00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:06.879
 If you abide in my word, you will truly, you are truly my disciples.

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:08.700
 Let's go with the first word, abide.

00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:10.259
 There's an app called Abide, which is great.

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.740
 What does the word abide even mean?

00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.240
 It means to dwell.

00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:17.819
 It means to be in that, soak in his word.

00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:19.000
 What is his word?

00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:20.200
 Well, here.

00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:21.720
 This is his book.

00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:29.319
 Why do we stand and make ourselves a little bit uncomfortable, even just for a millisecond, is we're trying to remind ourselves that this is the word of God.

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:31.859
 When I asked the team to go, hey, can we pass the Bibles out?

00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:33.079
 Do you realize what I just did?

00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:38.200
 I said, guys, what does God want to say to us today?

00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:44.360
 This is the word of God, the creator of the universe, distilled into a few pages for us.

00:27:45.140 --> 00:27:47.980
 Isn't this beyond precious?

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:51.460
 If you are truly his disciple, if you move.

00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:53.640
 Now, we're all on a journey, okay?

00:27:53.700 --> 00:27:55.340
 So not all of us are disciples here.

00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:57.400
 And on one level, that's okay.

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:59.180
 We're all on a journey, and God is so patient.

00:27:59.299 --> 00:28:02.840
 And we are recipients of that grace and patience, and we're on that journey.

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:13.819
 And on Monday, I talked with my group about this, that actually the journey is to go from someone who doesn't know Jesus to believing in him, but eventually not to stay at believing in him, but eventually go to the place where we are following him.

00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:17.879
 And so this journey is, how do you get on that journey?

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:22.599
 It starts with actually taking seriously what he says.

00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:25.319
 How do you abide in his word?

00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:26.959
 How do you spend time in it?

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:29.079
 Do you spend time in it?

00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:40.619
 And a few weeks ago, I challenged all of us, when compared to our Netflix minutes, when compared to our gaming or our social media scrolling, how much time do we spend truly with him?

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:48.039
 I still remember the days where I was falling in love with my wife, and she was texting me.

00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:53.419
 But back then, in the late 1900s, each text could only be 160 characters.

00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:54.839
 Does anyone remember that?

00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:58.379
 160 characters, and it cost 10p a text.

00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:04.599
 And so she, being ever efficient, would text without spaces.

00:29:08.199 --> 00:29:11.279
 She would just use the capital to kind of differentiate the next word.

00:29:12.119 --> 00:29:13.899
 And then all the words would be abbreviated.

00:29:14.179 --> 00:29:16.079
 So you'd look at it, it just looks like code.

00:29:17.399 --> 00:29:19.240
 Oh, but did I abide in those words?

00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:30.059
 Did I look and think seriously, ponder, dwell on how many X's she put at the end of that 160 character message?

00:29:30.059 --> 00:29:36.700
 When you are in love, when you are in love, when you want to spend time, you will ponder those words.

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:42.559
 To this day, my mother still keeps the phone where my dad messaged her before he passed.

00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:46.599
 Holding on to that phone, holding on to that message.

00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:54.399
 And yet, with the word of God himself, we ignore.

00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:56.299
 We take for granted.

00:29:57.219 --> 00:29:58.059
 We scroll through.

00:29:58.059 --> 00:30:03.240
 If you abide in my word, you will truly be my disciples.

00:30:03.399 --> 00:30:04.419
 Psalm 1 says this.

00:30:05.139 --> 00:30:06.700
 I delight in your word.

00:30:06.899 --> 00:30:08.980
 I meditate on it day and night.

00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:12.440
 I want to be his disciple.

00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:13.279
 Do you?

00:30:13.619 --> 00:30:17.720
 If you do, then it starts with being in this word.

00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:23.259
 And if it's really hard, because the ESV is really hard to understand, then get the NLT.

00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:26.500
 And read it in a language that you maybe feel more comfortable.

00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:28.960
 If actually English is the hard one, then find the Chinese one.

00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:31.259
 But then the Chinese, Christianese is a whole other language.

00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:33.200
 But so good luck with that.

00:30:34.140 --> 00:30:35.360
 So then you go back to English.

00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:39.259
 And then if you go back to English and NLT is still confusing, then praise God for Eugene Peterson.

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.200
 Go to the messages.

00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:42.559
 Go to the message and go, okay, so that's what it means.

00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:44.140
 And then, don't stay there though, please.

00:30:44.140 --> 00:30:47.480
 And then go back to the other versions and start looking into it.

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:51.160
 If you care about something, you will just look deeply into it, is all I'm saying.

00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.740
 Dwell in his word.

00:30:53.880 --> 00:30:55.860
 Abide in his word day and night.

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:57.420
 You think about the rhythm of the early church.

00:30:57.880 --> 00:30:59.220
 They devoted themselves to what?

00:30:59.299 --> 00:31:00.099
 The apostles teaching.

00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.120
 What is the apostles teaching?

00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:01.920
 What were they teaching?

00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:05.740
 Peter wasn't saying, hey, here are my seven steps to the best life.

00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:08.720
 Peter was saying, this is what Jesus taught me.

00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:11.539
 Go to it.

00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:12.860
 Spend time in it.

00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:14.779
 And honestly, it's really hard to do it alone.

00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.880
 So we have to do it together.

00:31:15.880 --> 00:31:17.860
 So one of the ways to do it is when we gather like this.

00:31:18.860 --> 00:31:19.720
 When we gather like this.

00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:24.380
 And my prayer and my commitment to all of us here is that actually those who come up here

00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:28.600
 to share from the word of God will share from a place where we are being as true as possible

00:31:28.600 --> 00:31:29.760
 to the word of God.

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:34.040
 That we are not using the word to then basically share our own things, but we are going to the

00:31:34.040 --> 00:31:36.880
 word, submitting ourselves under the power of the word of God.

00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:37.960
 And we are staying there.

00:31:38.020 --> 00:31:41.540
 And that's what we call exegetical, expository preaching, where we look at this and we go,

00:31:41.600 --> 00:31:42.740
 the word will speak for itself.

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.759
 We just need to open it up.

00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:46.559
 We just need to just shine a light on it.

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:49.680
 Help each other understand what the word of God is saying.

00:31:49.880 --> 00:31:51.099
 That is what we are trying to do.

00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:54.299
 When you gather here, what you're trying to do, you're trying to find out more about God.

00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:56.559
 You're not here to listen to me and my jokes.

00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:58.579
 You're here to find out about God.

00:31:58.680 --> 00:32:00.640
 And I'm here to share with you about God.

00:32:00.740 --> 00:32:02.819
 And I'm here to share with you about how we need God.

00:32:03.779 --> 00:32:04.539
 We'll call that sin.

00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.759
 We'll call that our depravity.

00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:11.440
 Actually, we are here to find out about us and how we are in deep need of a savior.

00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:13.140
 That is why we spend this time here.

00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:19.099
 And then we find out that actually the savior that we need, he's actually all we have.

00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:22.819
 That's why we are here.

00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:25.539
 To reorient, to recalibrate ourselves.

00:32:25.539 --> 00:32:29.159
 And that's why Gabe a few weeks ago shared from Colossians 3.

00:32:29.579 --> 00:32:30.440
 To dwell richly.

00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:31.779
 In what?

00:32:32.379 --> 00:32:33.299
 The word of Gabe.

00:32:34.339 --> 00:32:35.480
 No, not the word of Gabe.

00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:37.259
 The word of Christ.

00:32:38.879 --> 00:32:39.980
 To dwell richly.

00:32:40.899 --> 00:32:42.119
 Brings me on to something else.

00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.599
 I don't know if we are that rich in the word of Christ.

00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:49.720
 I think our biblical literacy on the most part is quite poor.

00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:51.240
 Is quite weak.

00:32:52.619 --> 00:32:53.799
 That's why we train ourselves.

00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:55.539
 That's why we try and use this.

00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:59.200
 Get to the point where we are more familiar with what God is actually saying.

00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:03.019
 Because if we want to be a disciple, that's where it starts.

00:33:03.619 --> 00:33:04.240
 John chapter 8.

00:33:04.519 --> 00:33:05.519
 The second one is this.

00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:06.399
 John chapter 13.

00:33:06.839 --> 00:33:10.159
 So scroll a few pages ahead.

00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:12.619
 This is a defining one.

00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:13.159
 Okay?

00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:15.099
 So this is the second time out of three times.

00:33:15.159 --> 00:33:15.299
 Okay?

00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:16.259
 The second time is this.

00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:17.579
 He's having dinner.

00:33:18.440 --> 00:33:19.319
 Not just any dinner.

00:33:19.399 --> 00:33:20.159
 This is the last dinner.

00:33:20.819 --> 00:33:22.240
 We know it as the last supper.

00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:24.440
 And it's the last supper where he's about to die.

00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:30.120
 And so he goes out of his way to do a few very special things that maybe he hasn't done before.

00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:34.039
 And we see it documented here in John 13.

00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:36.680
 I preach this at Gabe and Jojo's wedding as well.

00:33:36.920 --> 00:33:39.420
 Which is, he takes off his robe.

00:33:39.420 --> 00:33:43.420
 And then he kneels down by their smelly feet.

00:33:43.580 --> 00:33:44.920
 And then he starts washing their feet.

00:33:45.080 --> 00:33:45.360
 Rabbi!

00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:49.460
 Their master decides to turn the tables.

00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:54.759
 Even with Judas.

00:33:56.120 --> 00:33:56.860
 Just so you know.

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:59.920
 He didn't let the traitor go before he did it.

00:34:00.580 --> 00:34:03.700
 He did it knowing that he was going to go betray Jesus.

00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:06.819
 And then he shows him, well, this is what you're going to do.

00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:09.780
 And then John chapter 13, verse 34.

00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:14.099
 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:15.820
 You also are to love one another.

00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:16.699
 Verse 35.

00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:22.099
 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:25.400
 If you have love for one another.

00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:30.700
 So if you're going to be a disciple, one, you need to spend time with him, reading his word.

00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:32.440
 The second time is you have to be with people.

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:34.460
 Because you cannot love one another without people around.

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:37.800
 You cannot love one another on your own.

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:39.039
 Which is why we keep talking.

00:34:39.579 --> 00:34:41.160
 Sanctification is a community project.

00:34:41.300 --> 00:34:43.420
 It requires us to be together.

00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:47.700
 So you may find this place, and someone shared with me this morning,

00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:48.940
 Oh yeah, I struggled to come today.

00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:49.760
 It was a hard one.

00:34:50.059 --> 00:34:51.980
 Well, I was like, good on you for coming.

00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:54.320
 Praise God that you were able to come.

00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:58.260
 Because this is how you fulfilled this second requirement for becoming a disciple.

00:34:58.440 --> 00:35:01.600
 By being amongst people so you have an opportunity, so you have an outlet.

00:35:01.780 --> 00:35:04.380
 You have a way to love other people.

00:35:05.180 --> 00:35:06.559
 Now, Jesus went to the extreme.

00:35:07.480 --> 00:35:09.980
 If you've been in a Christian circle before, and you've been to Christian conferences,

00:35:10.120 --> 00:35:13.080
 maybe you've washed someone's feet, or maybe you were hardcore like Gabe and Jojo,

00:35:13.120 --> 00:35:15.360
 and you actually did it on your wedding day, which is this beautiful,

00:35:15.640 --> 00:35:19.539
 most beautiful and appropriate display of love for one another.

00:35:21.680 --> 00:35:23.680
 But we all know that, again, people are hard.

00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:26.720
 But next time you look at someone, you go, you're really hard to love.

00:35:26.940 --> 00:35:29.860
 And then you remind yourself, okay, well, this is exactly why Jesus,

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:34.820
 before he died on his last meal, reminded us, this is how we love one another,

00:35:34.980 --> 00:35:38.360
 by laying down our own preferences, our own comforts.

00:35:39.860 --> 00:35:43.160
 And so we look and go, okay, I need you to become more like Christ.

00:35:43.240 --> 00:35:45.140
 I need you to become a disciple of Jesus,

00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:50.000
 because you're the one that gives me an opportunity to love like Christ loved me.

00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:52.739
 We need those people around us.

00:35:52.739 --> 00:35:57.679
 But just bear in mind here, that act of washing feet is a big one.

00:35:58.139 --> 00:36:00.559
 How many of us do that at a dinner table?

00:36:00.899 --> 00:36:01.539
 Not often.

00:36:02.419 --> 00:36:06.979
 The act of dying on the cross is an even more powerful example of loving.

00:36:07.859 --> 00:36:11.159
 But if you just pause there for a second, and I pondered this last week,

00:36:11.719 --> 00:36:14.299
 actually the biggest act of love that Jesus did,

00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:16.959
 yes, washing the feet, yes, dying on the cross.

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:21.179
 But my goodness, he left heaven to come and be with them.

00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:26.460
 Simply sitting at the table was a display and an act of ultimate love already.

00:36:26.579 --> 00:36:27.159
 Can you see that?

00:36:27.659 --> 00:36:31.300
 He didn't need to come down to be with them,

00:36:32.019 --> 00:36:36.280
 to spend 33 years in this mortal body that needed to eat poo

00:36:36.280 --> 00:36:38.079
 and do all the human body things.

00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:42.720
 He is God, he's divine, and yet he chose to come and spend time with us.

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:45.079
 When was the last time you deliberately spent time

00:36:45.079 --> 00:36:47.619
 with someone who you don't actually like to spend time with?

00:36:48.119 --> 00:36:50.539
 We don't do it because we're so busy

00:36:50.539 --> 00:36:52.759
 that we would rather spend time with those who we love.

00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:56.679
 And yet the Prince of Heaven decided to leave Heaven's throne

00:36:56.679 --> 00:37:00.139
 to spend time with people who would eventually betray him

00:37:00.139 --> 00:37:01.860
 and deny him and run away from him.

00:37:02.199 --> 00:37:03.980
 Isn't that just the biggest act of love?

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:09.099
 So next time you're sat on Thursday evening in life group

00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:11.039
 looking at someone who you're like,

00:37:11.139 --> 00:37:12.900
 oh, I don't agree with you.

00:37:13.019 --> 00:37:14.059
 I don't really like you.

00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:16.019
 I don't like the look of your face.

00:37:17.139 --> 00:37:18.699
 Sorry, Matthew, I was completely accidental

00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:19.579
 just looking over towards you.

00:37:21.279 --> 00:37:22.980
 I actually do quite like the look of your face.

00:37:26.099 --> 00:37:30.639
 I'm like, wow, but Jesus came to sit at the table with me.

00:37:32.440 --> 00:37:33.900
 And now he's telling me to do the same.

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:37.059
 And if I do this, I fulfill number two out of three,

00:37:37.219 --> 00:37:40.139
 which is I'm a disciple of Jesus.

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:41.880
 I'm following in the way of Jesus.

00:37:41.880 --> 00:37:42.760
 Isn't that exciting?

00:37:43.160 --> 00:37:44.480
 Isn't that good that we can do that?

00:37:44.720 --> 00:37:47.140
 So next time you see someone that you really don't like,

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:49.260
 you're like, I am so glad that you're here

00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:53.240
 because because of you, I get to be more like Christ.

00:37:54.340 --> 00:37:55.440
 How beautiful is that?

00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:58.760
 Jackie's like, hmm, I know quite a few of those kind of people.

00:37:59.640 --> 00:38:00.599
 Many opportunities.

00:38:01.860 --> 00:38:02.400
 Can we see?

00:38:03.200 --> 00:38:04.420
 That's what Jesus is showing us.

00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:07.760
 Okay, final word on that.

00:38:08.900 --> 00:38:09.700
 We hear a lot.

00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:14.220
 It's hard to come to this church in particular,

00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:15.039
 or not just this one.

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:16.440
 Everyone says this about all the other churches.

00:38:16.920 --> 00:38:18.720
 Oh, but there's not people like me.

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:20.980
 I need people who are of the same demographic as me,

00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:22.960
 the same age as me, the same preferences as me.

00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:26.079
 And only then will I feel like I belong.

00:38:26.280 --> 00:38:27.420
 Only then will I feel comfortable.

00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:31.659
 Well, let me ask you again about that Christmas family gathering

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:33.220
 that you had, or the one that you're going to have

00:38:33.220 --> 00:38:33.980
 with Chinese New Year.

00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:36.360
 You look around your family gathering.

00:38:36.659 --> 00:38:38.039
 How many of the people are just like you,

00:38:38.059 --> 00:38:38.980
 who are the same age as you,

00:38:39.059 --> 00:38:40.139
 who like the same things that you do?

00:38:41.260 --> 00:38:42.139
 Not that many.

00:38:43.139 --> 00:38:43.360
 Why?

00:38:43.460 --> 00:38:44.119
 Because it's a family.

00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:45.960
 That's the whole definition of a family.

00:38:46.639 --> 00:38:48.139
 That there are across all the generations,

00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:48.920
 there's across all the ages,

00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:51.579
 and everyone has that annoying, weird uncle.

00:38:52.260 --> 00:38:52.579
 Everyone.

00:38:55.220 --> 00:38:56.700
 But that's family.

00:38:57.420 --> 00:39:01.539
 Another chance to show that we are disciples of Jesus.

00:39:01.659 --> 00:39:04.820
 And finally, just maybe even be on the same page,

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:06.740
 John chapter 15, verse 8.

00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:07.980
 He's talking about abide again.

00:39:08.579 --> 00:39:08.880
 Abide.

00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:09.639
 Be with me.

00:39:10.019 --> 00:39:10.740
 Stay with me.

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:11.400
 Dwell with me.

00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:12.579
 Cling on to me.

00:39:12.940 --> 00:39:13.700
 And then he says, you know,

00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:16.099
 abide to me through the vine and the branches.

00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.800
 Chapter 15, verse 8.

00:39:18.180 --> 00:39:19.360
 And then says this.

00:39:19.980 --> 00:39:21.800
 By this, my father is glorified,

00:39:21.940 --> 00:39:23.059
 that you bear much fruit,

00:39:23.139 --> 00:39:25.039
 and so prove to be my disciples.

00:39:28.200 --> 00:39:29.400
 So there's two aspects to this.

00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:30.079
 There's an inward one,

00:39:30.119 --> 00:39:30.880
 and there's an outward one.

00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.519
 The outward one, let's start with that one,

00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:33.440
 because last week we talked,

00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:34.500
 when you are a living stone,

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:36.180
 as we saw in 1 Peter 2,

00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:38.059
 people outside the Gentiles,

00:39:38.119 --> 00:39:38.740
 those who don't believe,

00:39:38.780 --> 00:39:39.480
 will look at you and go,

00:39:39.539 --> 00:39:41.500
 whoa, you guys are different.

00:39:41.740 --> 00:39:43.280
 You guys love each other in a different way.

00:39:43.380 --> 00:39:45.440
 You love people who you don't naturally want to love.

00:39:45.820 --> 00:39:47.519
 And so that actually attracts them in.

00:39:47.880 --> 00:39:49.240
 You're actually spending time with these people,

00:39:49.240 --> 00:39:50.559
 and so there's an outward fruit.

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:52.779
 So if you bear fruit, you will be a disciple.

00:39:53.079 --> 00:39:54.400
 That means when people look at you,

00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:57.639
 and you actually contribute to just human flourishing,

00:39:57.799 --> 00:39:58.920
 you contribute to society,

00:39:59.039 --> 00:39:59.920
 you contribute to life,

00:39:59.980 --> 00:40:00.900
 you do good things.

00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:04.039
 You look at the schools around in this city,

00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:06.420
 you look at the hospitals that are around.

00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:08.079
 How are they built?

00:40:08.159 --> 00:40:08.860
 Who are they built by?

00:40:09.199 --> 00:40:09.539
 Christians.

00:40:09.719 --> 00:40:11.420
 Those who have a love for God,

00:40:11.460 --> 00:40:12.960
 who want to be disciples of Jesus,

00:40:12.960 --> 00:40:14.699
 and you see Christians everywhere,

00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:15.860
 since the beginning of time,

00:40:16.079 --> 00:40:17.219
 in every city around the world,

00:40:17.539 --> 00:40:19.259
 being the people who are on the front lines.

00:40:19.260 --> 00:40:20.180
 Wherever there is trouble,

00:40:20.260 --> 00:40:21.440
 they will go to the front.

00:40:21.700 --> 00:40:21.860
 Why?

00:40:21.980 --> 00:40:23.440
 Because they are disciples of Jesus,

00:40:23.800 --> 00:40:26.060
 keen on abiding in him and bearing much fruit.

00:40:26.820 --> 00:40:29.280
 So there is a good works aspect to this.

00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:30.840
 The Apostle James says,

00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:32.400
 actually, faith without works is dead.

00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:34.240
 So actually, the way you live,

00:40:34.700 --> 00:40:35.640
 the way you, what you believe,

00:40:35.800 --> 00:40:38.360
 should overflow into how you actually live.

00:40:39.140 --> 00:40:40.980
 And you actually, the goal here is this.

00:40:41.300 --> 00:40:42.700
 You have friends, or you have family,

00:40:42.700 --> 00:40:43.360
 you have colleagues,

00:40:43.520 --> 00:40:45.280
 who will call you in their time of need.

00:40:46.420 --> 00:40:47.240
 Who will be like, actually, sorry,

00:40:47.300 --> 00:40:48.380
 we haven't really spoken that much.

00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:50.800
 Just as Jasper experienced.

00:40:51.160 --> 00:40:52.140
 We don't really know each other that well,

00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:53.380
 but you were that annoying person

00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:54.740
 that sent me those reels in the past.

00:40:55.080 --> 00:40:56.400
 And not only did you send me those reels,

00:40:56.620 --> 00:40:57.780
 you seem to actually live by them.

00:40:59.080 --> 00:41:00.000
 You're actually different.

00:41:01.400 --> 00:41:02.060
 Built different,

00:41:02.720 --> 00:41:05.080
 is what Juju said.

00:41:07.580 --> 00:41:08.660
 And then they go to you.

00:41:09.360 --> 00:41:10.600
 And they go, hey, can you help me with this?

00:41:10.740 --> 00:41:12.160
 Can you pray for me about this?

00:41:13.700 --> 00:41:14.780
 The challenge here is this.

00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:15.680
 How do we do this?

00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:18.980
 Is, can we get to a point where actually

00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:20.159
 our colleagues will reach us out?

00:41:20.359 --> 00:41:21.259
 Reach out to us and go, hey,

00:41:22.139 --> 00:41:23.299
 I'm going through this tough time.

00:41:23.559 --> 00:41:24.899
 I know you believe in that Jesus stuff.

00:41:25.559 --> 00:41:26.259
 Can I have some help?

00:41:26.379 --> 00:41:27.980
 Can you hear me out?

00:41:28.039 --> 00:41:28.819
 Can you pray for me?

00:41:29.239 --> 00:41:30.339
 It's you and your school friends

00:41:30.339 --> 00:41:31.699
 hanging out,

00:41:31.759 --> 00:41:32.379
 and then a friend going,

00:41:32.460 --> 00:41:33.259
 actually, I'm really in trouble.

00:41:33.419 --> 00:41:34.279
 Can I come and help you?

00:41:34.519 --> 00:41:35.699
 If you can get to a place,

00:41:35.739 --> 00:41:36.719
 if we can get to a place

00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:38.139
 where people look at us differently,

00:41:39.079 --> 00:41:40.059
 in a positive way,

00:41:40.599 --> 00:41:41.199
 bearing in mind,

00:41:41.399 --> 00:41:42.359
 not everyone will look at us

00:41:42.360 --> 00:41:43.120
 in a positive way,

00:41:43.840 --> 00:41:45.140
 Jesus is already accounted for that

00:41:45.140 --> 00:41:45.760
 in his Beatitudes.

00:41:45.900 --> 00:41:46.700
 He said, blessed are you

00:41:46.700 --> 00:41:48.519
 when others persecute you

00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:49.820
 and say, vow things against you

00:41:49.820 --> 00:41:50.620
 because of me.

00:41:51.200 --> 00:41:51.940
 Then you'll join me.

00:41:53.180 --> 00:41:54.079
 But can we get to a place

00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:55.420
 where others will look at our good works

00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:56.480
 and give praise and glory

00:41:56.480 --> 00:41:57.280
 to our Father in heaven?

00:41:57.400 --> 00:41:58.720
 That's the goal that we have here,

00:41:58.900 --> 00:42:00.300
 that we have this outward living,

00:42:00.539 --> 00:42:02.140
 outward expression of our faith.

00:42:02.300 --> 00:42:03.039
 When we do that,

00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:04.200
 we will be a disciple of Jesus.

00:42:04.320 --> 00:42:05.720
 But there is an inward one as well.

00:42:05.760 --> 00:42:06.900
 Because when I think about fruit,

00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:08.680
 I think about my favorite grapes,

00:42:08.679 --> 00:42:11.239
 which are the Australian crispy kind of grapes.

00:42:12.199 --> 00:42:12.559
 Yes.

00:42:13.339 --> 00:42:14.699
 Not the squidgy soft ones.

00:42:14.940 --> 00:42:16.219
 I'm not a fan of those.

00:42:17.899 --> 00:42:19.379
 I'm thinking about the fruit of the spirit.

00:42:19.899 --> 00:42:20.899
 I'm thinking about fruit

00:42:20.899 --> 00:42:21.919
 that takes time to grow.

00:42:22.699 --> 00:42:23.519
 I think about fruit

00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:25.659
 that once they're given time to grow,

00:42:26.019 --> 00:42:26.919
 they will bring sweetness

00:42:26.919 --> 00:42:28.199
 to people's lives.

00:42:28.299 --> 00:42:29.679
 I'm thinking about Galatians 5.

00:42:29.799 --> 00:42:31.119
 I'm thinking about love, joy, peace,

00:42:31.199 --> 00:42:31.739
 patience, kindness.

00:42:32.099 --> 00:42:32.980
 Flo has a song about that

00:42:32.980 --> 00:42:34.759
 if you want to have her sing it to you.

00:42:35.419 --> 00:42:36.480
 The fruit of the spirit.

00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:39.240
 So not only do we have an outward expression,

00:42:39.320 --> 00:42:40.340
 we also have an inward one

00:42:40.340 --> 00:42:42.019
 where people look at us and go,

00:42:42.139 --> 00:42:44.780
 that person is really patient.

00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:46.940
 That person.

00:42:47.280 --> 00:42:49.539
 Look, we all work in different kinds of places

00:42:49.539 --> 00:42:51.079
 where there is a hierarchy

00:42:51.079 --> 00:42:52.659
 and those at the bottom of the ladder

00:42:52.659 --> 00:42:53.500
 get kicked the hardest.

00:42:54.440 --> 00:42:55.719
 Could we be those people

00:42:55.719 --> 00:42:57.300
 who when we progress,

00:42:57.619 --> 00:42:59.199
 when we were kicked at the bottom of the ladder

00:42:59.199 --> 00:43:02.320
 and by the time you get to the middle or the top,

00:43:02.599 --> 00:43:03.900
 you don't kick people in return.

00:43:03.900 --> 00:43:06.240
 That you can be like,

00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:07.860
 hey, I remember what it was like.

00:43:08.579 --> 00:43:09.079
 But don't worry.

00:43:10.720 --> 00:43:12.039
 These are the standards that I live by.

00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:13.559
 These are the values of the kingdom

00:43:13.559 --> 00:43:14.440
 that I live by.

00:43:15.059 --> 00:43:16.960
 And so for people to be able to see

00:43:16.960 --> 00:43:18.559
 the love and the joy and the peace

00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:19.559
 and the patience and the gentleness

00:43:19.559 --> 00:43:20.740
 and the kindness and the self-control

00:43:20.740 --> 00:43:22.960
 that our Lord displayed himself.

00:43:23.460 --> 00:43:24.579
 Doesn't mean we're pushovers.

00:43:26.019 --> 00:43:27.180
 Doesn't mean we're doormats.

00:43:28.800 --> 00:43:30.000
 But just in case you're worried,

00:43:30.260 --> 00:43:32.139
 Jesus ended up on a place worse than the doormat.

00:43:32.139 --> 00:43:33.299
 He ended up on a cross for us.

00:43:33.339 --> 00:43:35.699
 So that should exempt us from any fear of losing out.

00:43:35.839 --> 00:43:37.619
 When our Savior ended up on a cross,

00:43:37.819 --> 00:43:39.859
 it would be okay if we were a doormat,

00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:41.039
 even temporarily.

00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:44.699
 But can we be people who exhibit fruit

00:43:44.699 --> 00:43:46.400
 in our lives as well?

00:43:46.920 --> 00:43:49.199
 Inwards and outwards is what we're looking at.

00:43:50.039 --> 00:43:51.119
 Those are the three points.

00:43:51.519 --> 00:43:51.940
 That's it.

00:43:52.139 --> 00:43:53.079
 If you want to be a disciple,

00:43:53.199 --> 00:43:54.400
 you just think about those three things.

00:43:54.519 --> 00:43:55.539
 Am I abiding in his word?

00:43:55.539 --> 00:43:56.779
 Am I loving other people?

00:43:57.099 --> 00:43:58.079
 And am I bearing fruit?

00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:01.500
 Can we be a family of disciples

00:44:01.500 --> 00:44:04.799
 expecting and inviting guests to come?

00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:06.079
 That's what our church is about.

00:44:07.099 --> 00:44:09.480
 Where are you on this discipleship journey?

00:44:11.480 --> 00:44:11.960
 Have a think.

00:44:13.480 --> 00:44:14.500
 Have a think where you are.

00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:15.559
 And I want to finish with just

00:44:15.559 --> 00:44:17.460
 maybe a couple of different examples

00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:18.739
 just to see where you're at.

00:44:18.920 --> 00:44:20.039
 My whole point is actually that

00:44:20.039 --> 00:44:21.239
 you can have a little bit of a reflection

00:44:21.239 --> 00:44:22.599
 and go, hmm, where am I?

00:44:22.619 --> 00:44:24.019
 And I'm going to split it into three different parts.

00:44:24.239 --> 00:44:26.019
 When we're talking about being a household of God,

00:44:26.019 --> 00:44:27.440
 members of this household,

00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:30.219
 I can think of three different things

00:44:30.219 --> 00:44:30.840
 that we can go about this.

00:44:30.920 --> 00:44:31.880
 One, you might be a guest.

00:44:32.940 --> 00:44:34.179
 Is anyone here for the first time?

00:44:34.219 --> 00:44:35.019
 I will not embarrass you.

00:44:35.340 --> 00:44:36.000
 Here for the first time?

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:36.860
 Excellent.

00:44:37.059 --> 00:44:37.300
 Welcome.

00:44:37.719 --> 00:44:38.259
 Good to have you.

00:44:38.980 --> 00:44:40.320
 And so you are a guest.

00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:41.559
 We don't know you.

00:44:41.719 --> 00:44:42.300
 I don't know you.

00:44:42.820 --> 00:44:44.559
 And you're here just to basically inquire.

00:44:44.719 --> 00:44:45.820
 Maybe you were invited by a friend.

00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:47.400
 Maybe you were forced to come by your mother.

00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:48.340
 Whatever it might be,

00:44:48.639 --> 00:44:50.739
 you are here and we welcome you.

00:44:50.820 --> 00:44:51.679
 You are a guest.

00:44:52.199 --> 00:44:52.920
 Don't know you.

00:44:52.920 --> 00:44:54.239
 And you're here just to inquire

00:44:54.239 --> 00:44:56.539
 about what it means to who Jesus even is.

00:44:56.939 --> 00:44:57.939
 That's completely okay.

00:44:58.419 --> 00:44:59.459
 And my prayer is that you'll,

00:44:59.699 --> 00:45:00.859
 as you are a guest,

00:45:00.979 --> 00:45:02.039
 and as you come in and you go,

00:45:02.119 --> 00:45:03.519
 oh, I'm inquiring.

00:45:03.639 --> 00:45:05.539
 I know a little bit more about this Jesus thing.

00:45:06.399 --> 00:45:08.119
 And then maybe my prayer

00:45:08.119 --> 00:45:09.599
 is that you'll encounter him.

00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:10.839
 Not only just inquire about him,

00:45:10.859 --> 00:45:12.139
 but that you will actually encounter him.

00:45:12.279 --> 00:45:14.399
 And you go, oh, I think I can feel

00:45:14.399 --> 00:45:15.839
 some kind of love here

00:45:15.839 --> 00:45:17.719
 that I've not felt outside before.

00:45:18.299 --> 00:45:19.000
 That's my prayer.

00:45:19.219 --> 00:45:19.839
 So you're a guest.

00:45:19.840 --> 00:45:22.000
 There's another kind of guest

00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:22.960
 where maybe I don't know you,

00:45:23.420 --> 00:45:25.160
 but I do know your face.

00:45:25.620 --> 00:45:27.059
 I have seen you around.

00:45:27.960 --> 00:45:28.760
 And maybe you actually,

00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:29.700
 especially in Hong Kong,

00:45:29.960 --> 00:45:31.280
 maybe you actually go to a different church

00:45:31.280 --> 00:45:34.440
 and you're here just to get some rest,

00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:36.039
 just to recover a little bit.

00:45:36.300 --> 00:45:37.519
 Maybe reorient your mind,

00:45:37.620 --> 00:45:39.380
 recalibrate just your mindset

00:45:39.380 --> 00:45:40.360
 going into the next week.

00:45:40.380 --> 00:45:40.900
 And you're here just,

00:45:41.240 --> 00:45:42.280
 look, I'm not part of this family.

00:45:42.440 --> 00:45:43.300
 That's completely okay.

00:45:43.579 --> 00:45:44.880
 I just want to be here as a guest.

00:45:45.100 --> 00:45:45.900
 You might see my face.

00:45:45.940 --> 00:45:46.620
 You might recognize me,

00:45:46.620 --> 00:45:47.220
 but that's okay.

00:45:47.219 --> 00:45:49.500
 I'm here just to spend some time with God to worship.

00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:51.339
 And to you, I'd like to say,

00:45:51.639 --> 00:45:54.039
 welcome, welcome that you're here.

00:45:54.719 --> 00:45:56.619
 We are a family expecting guests.

00:45:57.679 --> 00:45:59.399
 We are family of disciples

00:45:59.399 --> 00:46:01.959
 expecting and inviting guests.

00:46:02.339 --> 00:46:04.159
 But you may graduate from being a guest

00:46:04.159 --> 00:46:05.119
 where I either don't know you

00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:06.059
 or simply know your face.

00:46:06.419 --> 00:46:07.299
 And you may now move it.

00:46:07.579 --> 00:46:08.419
 You're not quite family yet,

00:46:08.539 --> 00:46:09.980
 but you will move into another stage.

00:46:10.099 --> 00:46:11.500
 We're defining the relationship here,

00:46:11.619 --> 00:46:12.259
 by the way.

00:46:12.959 --> 00:46:14.000
 You might be a friend.

00:46:15.219 --> 00:46:16.199
 I know your face.

00:46:16.199 --> 00:46:17.919
 I may even know your name.

00:46:18.859 --> 00:46:20.699
 And you may come up and say hi every now and again.

00:46:21.000 --> 00:46:21.759
 If you're brave

00:46:21.759 --> 00:46:25.439
 and you don't let your introvertism define you,

00:46:25.659 --> 00:46:26.639
 you may even grab lunch

00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:27.719
 and come upstairs afterwards

00:46:27.719 --> 00:46:28.739
 and have lunch with us.

00:46:29.399 --> 00:46:30.139
 Daunting, I know.

00:46:30.500 --> 00:46:31.799
 But actually, if that is the case for you,

00:46:32.019 --> 00:46:32.460
 can I invite,

00:46:32.599 --> 00:46:33.839
 come up to speak to me first.

00:46:34.059 --> 00:46:35.539
 And then I will take you up to lunch.

00:46:35.799 --> 00:46:36.480
 And we'll just hang out.

00:46:36.579 --> 00:46:37.980
 And I'll introduce you to some people.

00:46:38.539 --> 00:46:40.639
 And again, just hot take here,

00:46:40.699 --> 00:46:42.399
 but I believe that we are majority introverts.

00:46:43.739 --> 00:46:43.980
 Okay?

00:46:43.980 --> 00:46:45.800
 I am not joking.

00:46:46.099 --> 00:46:48.059
 I think we are majority introverts here,

00:46:48.079 --> 00:46:48.840
 so you are not.

00:46:48.920 --> 00:46:50.000
 You are definitely not alone.

00:46:50.320 --> 00:46:51.440
 It's just that as the way is,

00:46:51.699 --> 00:46:53.019
 as just being with people it is,

00:46:53.099 --> 00:46:54.800
 it just lends itself to extroverts more.

00:46:55.400 --> 00:46:55.639
 Okay?

00:46:55.820 --> 00:46:57.699
 But we are majority introverts.

00:46:58.699 --> 00:46:59.240
 You're a friend.

00:46:59.719 --> 00:47:00.639
 You might stay for lunch.

00:47:01.400 --> 00:47:02.460
 You might be really good at football,

00:47:02.539 --> 00:47:03.980
 so we've invited you into the football team

00:47:03.980 --> 00:47:05.159
 or for the basketball team.

00:47:05.159 --> 00:47:08.179
 Or you may have come to play dodgeball with us

00:47:08.179 --> 00:47:09.259
 or volleyball with us

00:47:09.259 --> 00:47:11.239
 or spikeball with us.

00:47:11.279 --> 00:47:11.960
 We've done all these things.

00:47:12.179 --> 00:47:13.159
 So you are a friend.

00:47:13.480 --> 00:47:14.659
 And so we know your name.

00:47:15.019 --> 00:47:16.599
 And I want to say, welcome you.

00:47:16.940 --> 00:47:19.059
 Welcome you on this discipleship journey.

00:47:19.739 --> 00:47:21.519
 In case you are in doubt,

00:47:21.559 --> 00:47:22.639
 I want to make sure that you know

00:47:22.639 --> 00:47:23.619
 that you are a friend,

00:47:24.139 --> 00:47:26.099
 but you're also still on this discipleship journey,

00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:26.819
 just like a guest.

00:47:27.480 --> 00:47:27.619
 Okay?

00:47:28.159 --> 00:47:30.399
 You might then upgrade your friendship

00:47:30.399 --> 00:47:31.500
 to the next level.

00:47:32.360 --> 00:47:33.739
 When you upgrade to this next level,

00:47:33.840 --> 00:47:34.780
 you are another friend and friend

00:47:34.780 --> 00:47:36.099
 where we not only know your name,

00:47:36.139 --> 00:47:37.099
 but we actually know your life.

00:47:37.519 --> 00:47:38.380
 We know what you do.

00:47:39.219 --> 00:47:40.380
 This is the stage where,

00:47:40.539 --> 00:47:41.679
 as a part of this community,

00:47:42.039 --> 00:47:44.099
 you might even consider entering into a life group.

00:47:44.440 --> 00:47:46.840
 A life group is a time where a group of people

00:47:46.840 --> 00:47:48.739
 spend some time together

00:47:48.739 --> 00:47:51.739
 finding out even more about each other.

00:47:52.440 --> 00:47:53.699
 It's what the world outside calls

00:47:53.699 --> 00:47:55.159
 let's do life together.

00:47:55.940 --> 00:47:59.039
 And so beyond just coming on a Sunday morning,

00:47:59.139 --> 00:48:01.360
 now you're choosing to spend extra time with us.

00:48:01.500 --> 00:48:02.440
 When you don't have to,

00:48:02.480 --> 00:48:03.619
 not that you have to be here anyway,

00:48:03.960 --> 00:48:06.320
 but you actually want to spend time

00:48:06.320 --> 00:48:07.119
 with some of these people

00:48:07.119 --> 00:48:10.019
 and you decide to go and grab others for coffee.

00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:12.000
 Go and visit them at their workplaces.

00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:13.480
 Go and watch the shows that they're putting on.

00:48:13.699 --> 00:48:14.480
 Whatever it might be,

00:48:14.880 --> 00:48:16.300
 you are starting to become a friend

00:48:16.300 --> 00:48:17.840
 where you're actually doing life with people.

00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:19.199
 So not only do we know your face,

00:48:19.260 --> 00:48:19.940
 we know your name,

00:48:20.159 --> 00:48:21.940
 or we know your life and what you do.

00:48:22.679 --> 00:48:23.820
 This is getting exciting

00:48:23.820 --> 00:48:26.239
 because you're starting to get to know the people.

00:48:26.679 --> 00:48:28.280
 There's a sense of belonging that's building up.

00:48:28.780 --> 00:48:29.760
 You walk in here,

00:48:30.120 --> 00:48:31.600
 how do you,

00:48:31.660 --> 00:48:32.600
 when you come into church,

00:48:32.660 --> 00:48:33.260
 it's really daunting

00:48:33.260 --> 00:48:34.380
 when you see all these people here

00:48:34.380 --> 00:48:35.019
 and you don't know them,

00:48:35.100 --> 00:48:36.140
 but it's always much better

00:48:36.140 --> 00:48:37.160
 as soon as you look across

00:48:37.160 --> 00:48:37.900
 and you see the five,

00:48:37.980 --> 00:48:38.780
 10 people that you know.

00:48:39.300 --> 00:48:39.760
 Like, ah,

00:48:40.880 --> 00:48:41.600
 these are my friends.

00:48:41.980 --> 00:48:42.480
 They know me.

00:48:43.360 --> 00:48:44.060
 They know what I do.

00:48:44.140 --> 00:48:44.940
 They know my life.

00:48:45.980 --> 00:48:46.640
 This is good.

00:48:47.000 --> 00:48:48.880
 That sense of belonging is growing.

00:48:48.880 --> 00:48:51.500
 But we also don't want you to stop there

00:48:51.500 --> 00:48:52.360
 because that's not the end

00:48:52.360 --> 00:48:53.360
 of the discipleship journey.

00:48:54.260 --> 00:48:55.680
 Ephesians 2 does not talk about

00:48:55.680 --> 00:48:56.800
 being strangers and aliens

00:48:56.800 --> 00:48:58.960
 and eventually finding some good mates

00:48:58.960 --> 00:48:59.640
 to hang out with.

00:49:00.780 --> 00:49:02.539
 It says you become fellow citizens

00:49:02.539 --> 00:49:03.320
 with the saints

00:49:03.320 --> 00:49:05.280
 and a household of God,

00:49:05.420 --> 00:49:08.099
 members of the household of God.

00:49:08.180 --> 00:49:10.039
 And so then we move into the family territory.

00:49:10.480 --> 00:49:12.460
 And I pray that there are a group of us here

00:49:12.460 --> 00:49:13.700
 who actually feel as though

00:49:13.700 --> 00:49:15.160
 we can call ourselves,

00:49:15.579 --> 00:49:16.559
 well, we can call this church,

00:49:16.880 --> 00:49:17.280
 and family.

00:49:17.460 --> 00:49:18.200
 What does this look like?

00:49:18.199 --> 00:49:20.179
 Not only do we know your face,

00:49:20.279 --> 00:49:20.699
 your name,

00:49:20.899 --> 00:49:21.279
 your life,

00:49:21.299 --> 00:49:21.879
 and what you do,

00:49:22.319 --> 00:49:24.259
 we start to know your middle name.

00:49:26.699 --> 00:49:27.819
 My name is James Tang,

00:49:27.899 --> 00:49:28.359
 but actually,

00:49:28.739 --> 00:49:29.519
 legally speaking,

00:49:29.619 --> 00:49:30.219
 I'm not James Tang.

00:49:30.339 --> 00:49:31.539
 I'm actually Tang Yatman.

00:49:32.019 --> 00:49:32.579
 So actually,

00:49:32.639 --> 00:49:33.819
 James is a completely made-up name

00:49:33.819 --> 00:49:34.319
 by my mother

00:49:34.319 --> 00:49:36.059
 just to help me assimilate

00:49:36.059 --> 00:49:37.019
 into British society

00:49:37.019 --> 00:49:38.779
 so I wouldn't get bullied at school.

00:49:40.339 --> 00:49:41.719
 But if you started to know me more,

00:49:41.779 --> 00:49:43.099
 then you'd know my middle name is Yatman.

00:49:43.619 --> 00:49:45.259
 And my brother's middle name is Heyman.

00:49:47.119 --> 00:49:48.000
 It's funny, right?

00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:49.340
 Yeah, you can still bully him.

00:49:52.039 --> 00:49:53.940
 We start to know you a little bit more.

00:49:54.300 --> 00:49:55.739
 And you can just go up to Say Heyman.

00:49:55.880 --> 00:49:56.900
 It's pretty funny.

00:49:58.739 --> 00:49:59.699
 We become family.

00:50:00.440 --> 00:50:01.880
 And what do you do when you're with a family?

00:50:03.579 --> 00:50:05.199
 Ruben, what do you do if you're part of this family?

00:50:05.880 --> 00:50:06.780
 You wash the dishes.

00:50:06.780 --> 00:50:10.360
 You hang the clothes.

00:50:11.360 --> 00:50:13.360
 And you contribute to the household

00:50:13.360 --> 00:50:16.800
 to prove the reason for your existence.

00:50:19.680 --> 00:50:21.220
 When you're part of a family, you serve.

00:50:22.100 --> 00:50:23.360
 And so you're getting to this place now

00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:25.280
 as you're on this discipleship journey,

00:50:25.340 --> 00:50:26.280
 you're starting to serve.

00:50:27.019 --> 00:50:28.160
 You're starting to contribute.

00:50:28.260 --> 00:50:29.040
 You're starting to say,

00:50:29.240 --> 00:50:30.120
 how can I help?

00:50:30.119 --> 00:50:33.000
 How can I help?

00:50:33.279 --> 00:50:34.299
 I want to bear fruit.

00:50:34.799 --> 00:50:35.880
 I want to love you.

00:50:36.679 --> 00:50:37.679
 What does it look like?

00:50:37.859 --> 00:50:38.839
 So you're part of this place

00:50:38.839 --> 00:50:39.759
 where you're actually starting to serve.

00:50:39.799 --> 00:50:40.839
 And if you keep going further

00:50:40.839 --> 00:50:41.839
 and further into the family,

00:50:42.159 --> 00:50:44.119
 well, maybe what's been most exciting for me this year

00:50:44.119 --> 00:50:45.920
 is starting something called the fellowship off,

00:50:45.980 --> 00:50:47.819
 where I get to spend time with people

00:50:47.819 --> 00:50:50.480
 who I can see them every day on a prayer call,

00:50:50.639 --> 00:50:52.940
 where I can read the word of them together every day.

00:50:52.940 --> 00:50:53.619
 And my goodness,

00:50:54.380 --> 00:50:55.780
 we had the most touching time,

00:50:55.880 --> 00:50:58.579
 even just for me on Friday evening,

00:50:58.619 --> 00:51:00.740
 where we just got to see a brother and a family

00:51:00.740 --> 00:51:02.139
 and just pray for them.

00:51:02.260 --> 00:51:06.579
 I was like, nothing, nothing beats being together.

00:51:07.579 --> 00:51:08.720
 Nothing beats being together,

00:51:08.800 --> 00:51:10.860
 not only in the good times, but in the bad times.

00:51:11.639 --> 00:51:13.380
 You become family.

00:51:13.980 --> 00:51:16.720
 You spend time abiding in the word.

00:51:16.780 --> 00:51:18.220
 You spend time loving in one another.

00:51:18.500 --> 00:51:20.960
 You spend time trying to bear fruit together.

00:51:20.960 --> 00:51:23.840
 And you realize you are now family.

00:51:26.760 --> 00:51:29.539
 Tell you what, all of that requires commitment.

00:51:30.679 --> 00:51:32.440
 All of that requires us saying,

00:51:32.920 --> 00:51:36.179
 I would rather spend time with you than do this.

00:51:37.800 --> 00:51:39.099
 I'm going to give up this

00:51:39.099 --> 00:51:42.179
 and make you the big rock in my life.

00:51:43.199 --> 00:51:44.199
 That's what family is.

00:51:44.280 --> 00:51:45.820
 And this is where, actually, I'll share with you again.

00:51:45.880 --> 00:51:46.579
 I shared with you before.

00:51:47.380 --> 00:51:48.300
 Growing up in the UK,

00:51:48.300 --> 00:51:49.920
 I'm not used to this,

00:51:50.220 --> 00:51:52.460
 where there are so many churches to choose from.

00:51:53.360 --> 00:51:54.600
 There is such transience

00:51:54.600 --> 00:51:56.420
 because we're a city where people come in,

00:51:56.640 --> 00:51:57.640
 make as much money as they can,

00:51:57.700 --> 00:51:58.900
 further their career, and then move out.

00:52:00.140 --> 00:52:01.340
 And the moment you don't like

00:52:01.340 --> 00:52:03.220
 the worship in a church,

00:52:03.340 --> 00:52:04.680
 or the sermon in a church,

00:52:05.240 --> 00:52:06.680
 or the room that you're in,

00:52:07.840 --> 00:52:08.940
 the moment that happens,

00:52:09.060 --> 00:52:09.580
 you go, you know what,

00:52:09.600 --> 00:52:10.440
 maybe I'll go find another one.

00:52:10.440 --> 00:52:16.480
 Forgive me if I'm treading into slightly deeper

00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:18.880
 and dangerous waters here,

00:52:18.960 --> 00:52:21.940
 but I don't know if that's what being a member

00:52:21.940 --> 00:52:22.860
 of a household of God means.

00:52:24.139 --> 00:52:26.900
 I think it means when you commit to a group of people

00:52:26.900 --> 00:52:28.619
 and you look at them and you go,

00:52:28.920 --> 00:52:31.179
 I think you are so ugly and so annoying,

00:52:31.720 --> 00:52:33.200
 but I'm going to stay here

00:52:33.200 --> 00:52:34.500
 because you are part of my family.

00:52:34.500 --> 00:52:40.559
 Being a member of the household of God.

00:52:40.579 --> 00:52:42.139
 And this is where I want to share a little bit more

00:52:42.139 --> 00:52:43.800
 because it's something that I've been learning

00:52:43.800 --> 00:52:44.940
 about membership,

00:52:45.460 --> 00:52:47.619
 about what it actually means to be part of the church.

00:52:47.719 --> 00:52:48.639
 Because I'll tell you this,

00:52:48.980 --> 00:52:50.420
 as I was sharing about the different people

00:52:50.420 --> 00:52:51.260
 who have different challenges,

00:52:51.579 --> 00:52:51.980
 I'm like,

00:52:52.460 --> 00:52:56.820
 I actually don't know who's really part of this family.

00:52:57.460 --> 00:52:59.039
 I'll tell you why it helps a shepherd

00:52:59.039 --> 00:53:00.019
 or a pastor like me.

00:53:00.420 --> 00:53:02.019
 When I know that you are part of the family,

00:53:02.320 --> 00:53:04.320
 I'll know that I need to show up at the hospital

00:53:04.320 --> 00:53:05.360
 when something's going wrong.

00:53:06.320 --> 00:53:07.220
 That if you're having trouble,

00:53:07.640 --> 00:53:08.660
 some trouble at home,

00:53:08.860 --> 00:53:10.980
 I know that I'm supposed to show up at your house

00:53:10.980 --> 00:53:12.500
 to look after you,

00:53:12.620 --> 00:53:13.080
 to call you,

00:53:13.120 --> 00:53:13.680
 to text you,

00:53:13.920 --> 00:53:14.680
 to check in on you.

00:53:16.140 --> 00:53:17.600
 This is why it's actually important

00:53:17.600 --> 00:53:19.160
 because there's a part of me that has also thought,

00:53:19.220 --> 00:53:19.620
 you know what?

00:53:19.700 --> 00:53:20.640
 Membership isn't important.

00:53:20.780 --> 00:53:22.660
 We all have so many different things

00:53:22.660 --> 00:53:23.480
 that we're juggling already.

00:53:23.960 --> 00:53:26.539
 Maybe it's just too much to even ask people to commit

00:53:26.539 --> 00:53:29.280
 and to have a show of commitment to a family.

00:53:29.600 --> 00:53:30.019
 But I'm like,

00:53:30.080 --> 00:53:30.580
 you know what?

00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:32.000
 It helps me to know

00:53:32.000 --> 00:53:34.140
 who actually wants to be cared for here.

00:53:34.320 --> 00:53:35.960
 Or whether you actually just want to stay

00:53:35.960 --> 00:53:37.039
 in the guest level

00:53:37.039 --> 00:53:38.140
 and the friendship level,

00:53:38.180 --> 00:53:38.800
 which is okay.

00:53:39.340 --> 00:53:40.600
 But for those who are actually wanting,

00:53:40.720 --> 00:53:40.800
 okay,

00:53:40.880 --> 00:53:42.280
 this is my family,

00:53:42.380 --> 00:53:42.980
 this is my home.

00:53:43.840 --> 00:53:44.519
 As a pastor,

00:53:44.620 --> 00:53:45.120
 I need to know.

00:53:45.900 --> 00:53:47.900
 So that when you go through good times

00:53:47.900 --> 00:53:48.580
 and bad times,

00:53:48.720 --> 00:53:49.600
 I want to be there.

00:53:50.440 --> 00:53:51.460
 Can't be there for everyone,

00:53:51.900 --> 00:53:52.920
 especially for those who are members

00:53:52.920 --> 00:53:53.700
 of other communities

00:53:53.700 --> 00:53:55.120
 because they have their own shepherds

00:53:55.120 --> 00:53:56.660
 and they don't want to go into that territory.

00:53:57.440 --> 00:53:58.580
 But if you're part of here,

00:53:59.700 --> 00:54:00.860
 it's been what I've been thinking about.

00:54:00.860 --> 00:54:02.320
 How do we get people here

00:54:02.320 --> 00:54:03.980
 to actually be able to articulate

00:54:03.980 --> 00:54:07.579
 that you are a member of the community here?

00:54:08.780 --> 00:54:11.220
 And I recognize this causes to a different level.

00:54:12.260 --> 00:54:13.700
 Something that I'm figuring out,

00:54:13.920 --> 00:54:15.700
 but I wanted to share a little bit with you

00:54:15.700 --> 00:54:17.940
 because I think we need to learn

00:54:17.940 --> 00:54:19.059
 how to commit to one another.

00:54:20.960 --> 00:54:23.140
 Actually commit to one another.

00:54:23.579 --> 00:54:25.400
 Jonathan Lehman says this,

00:54:25.400 --> 00:54:28.039
 Ephesians 2 represents the church

00:54:28.039 --> 00:54:28.920
 as God's household.

00:54:29.099 --> 00:54:29.599
 In a household,

00:54:29.740 --> 00:54:31.639
 members know who is in and who is out.

00:54:31.980 --> 00:54:32.680
 They share a name,

00:54:32.940 --> 00:54:33.340
 a table,

00:54:33.619 --> 00:54:34.260
 a common life,

00:54:34.360 --> 00:54:35.500
 and mutual responsibilities.

00:54:35.860 --> 00:54:37.000
 Church membership is simply

00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:38.740
 the church's formal affirmation

00:54:38.740 --> 00:54:40.139
 that you belong to the household

00:54:40.139 --> 00:54:41.579
 and share in its privileges

00:54:41.579 --> 00:54:42.740
 and responsibilities.

00:54:45.440 --> 00:54:46.320
 I'm here to tell you,

00:54:46.599 --> 00:54:46.780
 guys,

00:54:46.820 --> 00:54:47.980
 I think there's something in membership.

00:54:49.240 --> 00:54:50.539
 I think there's something in

00:54:50.539 --> 00:54:51.940
 publicly committing

00:54:51.940 --> 00:54:53.039
 to a group of people

00:54:53.039 --> 00:54:53.360
 and saying,

00:54:53.480 --> 00:54:54.940
 I'm with you through thick and thin.

00:54:56.400 --> 00:54:57.039
 And actually,

00:54:57.220 --> 00:54:58.099
 you are my shepherd

00:54:58.099 --> 00:54:59.519
 and I need you

00:54:59.519 --> 00:55:00.440
 to be with me

00:55:00.440 --> 00:55:01.059
 and help me.

00:55:02.700 --> 00:55:03.960
 This is where I'll pause for a second

00:55:03.960 --> 00:55:05.980
 because you must understand this.

00:55:06.280 --> 00:55:07.639
 We are part of a wider church.

00:55:08.300 --> 00:55:09.539
 The wider church is called

00:55:09.539 --> 00:55:10.539
 Kongfuk Church.

00:55:11.039 --> 00:55:11.599
 Kongfuk Tong.

00:55:12.099 --> 00:55:13.519
 Bord of EFCC

00:55:13.519 --> 00:55:14.400
 is the denomination

00:55:14.400 --> 00:55:15.099
 that we're part of.

00:55:16.119 --> 00:55:17.400
 The gathering is the English

00:55:17.400 --> 00:55:18.320
 congregation

00:55:18.320 --> 00:55:19.639
 within this bigger church.

00:55:20.760 --> 00:55:21.639
 And so there actually is

00:55:21.639 --> 00:55:22.240
 a membership

00:55:22.240 --> 00:55:24.360
 thing,

00:55:24.360 --> 00:55:25.900
 part of Kongfuk Church.

00:55:26.260 --> 00:55:27.360
 Can I just have a show of hands

00:55:27.360 --> 00:55:28.200
 as to who's even part of that?

00:55:29.380 --> 00:55:29.940
 There we go.

00:55:32.820 --> 00:55:33.240
 Of course,

00:55:33.280 --> 00:55:34.200
 we have Hank over there

00:55:34.200 --> 00:55:34.880
 who is literally

00:55:34.880 --> 00:55:36.000
 the OG.

00:55:37.680 --> 00:55:38.000
 Kelly,

00:55:38.420 --> 00:55:39.480
 also the OG

00:55:39.480 --> 00:55:40.099
 in a different way.

00:55:41.420 --> 00:55:42.360
 People who have committed

00:55:42.360 --> 00:55:43.480
 to being part of this church,

00:55:43.519 --> 00:55:43.980
 and I'll tell you

00:55:43.980 --> 00:55:44.880
 how important that is

00:55:44.880 --> 00:55:46.780
 because we're part

00:55:46.780 --> 00:55:47.500
 of this wider family.

00:55:47.640 --> 00:55:48.559
 When you're part of a family,

00:55:48.559 --> 00:55:49.380
 there is a presence

00:55:49.380 --> 00:55:50.300
 and there is contribution

00:55:50.300 --> 00:55:52.240
 that comes with the belonging.

00:55:54.900 --> 00:55:56.079
 The fine balance

00:55:56.079 --> 00:55:56.820
 that actually Hank and I

00:55:56.820 --> 00:55:57.519
 were just talking about

00:55:57.519 --> 00:55:57.940
 the other day

00:55:57.940 --> 00:55:59.519
 was how do we help

00:55:59.519 --> 00:56:00.200
 those of us who,

00:56:00.619 --> 00:56:01.380
 myself included,

00:56:01.480 --> 00:56:02.519
 I said I'm only one page ahead of you,

00:56:02.599 --> 00:56:03.599
 how do we help those of us

00:56:03.599 --> 00:56:04.660
 who are on this journey

00:56:04.660 --> 00:56:06.079
 commit and actually

00:56:06.079 --> 00:56:07.019
 learn to grow

00:56:07.019 --> 00:56:08.039
 in being a member

00:56:08.039 --> 00:56:08.720
 of the community?

00:56:09.460 --> 00:56:10.119
 So I wanted to just

00:56:10.119 --> 00:56:10.740
 share with you here,

00:56:10.960 --> 00:56:11.960
 we're figuring things out.

00:56:12.059 --> 00:56:12.200
 Actually,

00:56:12.200 --> 00:56:12.880
 next week we're going to talk

00:56:12.880 --> 00:56:13.700
 to the leaders about this.

00:56:13.960 --> 00:56:14.960
 How do we come up with

00:56:14.960 --> 00:56:16.300
 maybe just like a stepping stone

00:56:16.300 --> 00:56:17.500
 for us to actually understand

00:56:17.500 --> 00:56:18.019
 the community

00:56:18.019 --> 00:56:19.039
 that we're actually committing to?

00:56:19.099 --> 00:56:19.679
 How do we actually be

00:56:19.679 --> 00:56:21.360
 actually part of this family?

00:56:21.639 --> 00:56:22.579
 So I want you to prepare yourself

00:56:22.579 --> 00:56:23.300
 and I want you to spend

00:56:23.300 --> 00:56:24.019
 this time thinking

00:56:24.019 --> 00:56:24.780
 if I'm going to be part

00:56:24.780 --> 00:56:25.300
 of this family

00:56:25.300 --> 00:56:27.579
 to be a disciple of Jesus,

00:56:28.219 --> 00:56:28.860
 then actually there's going

00:56:28.860 --> 00:56:29.659
 to be a show of commitment

00:56:29.659 --> 00:56:31.039
 now in the convict side,

00:56:31.119 --> 00:56:32.179
 actually you can only serve

00:56:32.179 --> 00:56:32.759
 if you're a member.

00:56:33.860 --> 00:56:34.460
 But here,

00:56:34.599 --> 00:56:35.400
 of course we're organic

00:56:35.400 --> 00:56:35.960
 and we've been trying

00:56:35.960 --> 00:56:36.519
 to figure it out

00:56:36.519 --> 00:56:37.980
 whether it's 10 years ago

00:56:37.980 --> 00:56:38.980
 when KFCI started

00:56:38.980 --> 00:56:40.599
 or these last few years

00:56:40.599 --> 00:56:41.099
 when it's evolved

00:56:41.099 --> 00:56:41.719
 into what it is.

00:56:42.019 --> 00:56:42.940
 We're always trying

00:56:42.940 --> 00:56:43.380
 to figure out

00:56:43.380 --> 00:56:43.880
 what it means

00:56:43.880 --> 00:56:45.599
 for this next generation,

00:56:45.759 --> 00:56:46.559
 for us growing up

00:56:46.559 --> 00:56:47.519
 into this community,

00:56:47.519 --> 00:56:48.199
 what does it mean

00:56:48.199 --> 00:56:48.719
 for us to commit?

00:56:49.039 --> 00:56:49.519
 What does it mean

00:56:49.519 --> 00:56:50.139
 for us to hold

00:56:50.139 --> 00:56:50.800
 each other accountable,

00:56:50.940 --> 00:56:51.759
 to call each other higher

00:56:51.759 --> 00:56:52.719
 and to be with each other

00:56:52.719 --> 00:56:53.280
 at the lowest?

00:56:55.460 --> 00:56:56.119
 Being a member

00:56:56.119 --> 00:56:57.559
 of the household of God.

00:56:57.659 --> 00:56:58.259
 And you may look

00:56:58.259 --> 00:56:58.659
 at all of that

00:56:58.659 --> 00:56:58.920
 and go,

00:56:59.000 --> 00:56:59.219
 man,

00:56:59.539 --> 00:57:00.079
 that's hard,

00:57:00.199 --> 00:57:00.679
 that's a lot.

00:57:02.579 --> 00:57:03.679
 And here's my final statement

00:57:03.679 --> 00:57:04.719
 and I realize

00:57:04.719 --> 00:57:05.360
 I've run out of time.

00:57:07.259 --> 00:57:07.539
 Actually,

00:57:07.639 --> 00:57:08.500
 those are the three places

00:57:08.500 --> 00:57:09.300
 that Jesus describes

00:57:09.300 --> 00:57:10.099
 what a disciple is

00:57:10.099 --> 00:57:11.659
 but there's actually

00:57:11.659 --> 00:57:12.300
 one other place

00:57:12.300 --> 00:57:13.099
 where he talks about

00:57:13.099 --> 00:57:13.800
 what it means

00:57:13.800 --> 00:57:14.679
 to not be a disciple

00:57:14.679 --> 00:57:16.299
 and it's in Luke 14

00:57:16.299 --> 00:57:17.819
 and he's talking about

00:57:17.819 --> 00:57:18.779
 when you count the cost

00:57:18.779 --> 00:57:19.619
 to be a disciple

00:57:19.619 --> 00:57:20.239
 of Jesus

00:57:20.239 --> 00:57:22.239
 that actually you have

00:57:22.239 --> 00:57:22.639
 to surrender

00:57:22.639 --> 00:57:23.239
 the relationships

00:57:23.239 --> 00:57:23.739
 that you have.

00:57:24.399 --> 00:57:25.219
 You actually have to surrender

00:57:25.219 --> 00:57:25.899
 all the possessions

00:57:25.899 --> 00:57:26.619
 that you have.

00:57:27.839 --> 00:57:29.059
 You actually have to surrender

00:57:29.059 --> 00:57:30.299
 just your comfort,

00:57:30.500 --> 00:57:30.879
 your luxury.

00:57:31.699 --> 00:57:31.960
 He says,

00:57:32.039 --> 00:57:32.659
 don't be a disciple

00:57:32.659 --> 00:57:33.699
 unless you count the cost.

00:57:35.039 --> 00:57:35.879
 Unless you decide

00:57:35.879 --> 00:57:36.759
 that this is worthwhile,

00:57:37.139 --> 00:57:37.859
 then don't do it

00:57:37.860 --> 00:57:40.160
 because being a disciple

00:57:40.160 --> 00:57:40.780
 of Jesus

00:57:40.780 --> 00:57:41.820
 is not easy.

00:57:43.480 --> 00:57:44.360
 The one comfort,

00:57:44.599 --> 00:57:45.240
 the only comfort

00:57:45.240 --> 00:57:45.720
 that we have,

00:57:45.980 --> 00:57:46.460
 the only comfort

00:57:46.460 --> 00:57:47.079
 that we need though

00:57:47.079 --> 00:57:48.539
 is that Jesus looked at us

00:57:48.539 --> 00:57:48.980
 and decided

00:57:48.980 --> 00:57:50.099
 that we are worthwhile.

00:57:51.500 --> 00:57:52.640
 That he did not count

00:57:52.640 --> 00:57:53.700
 equality with God

00:57:53.700 --> 00:57:54.420
 a thing to be grasped

00:57:54.420 --> 00:57:55.260
 but emptied himself

00:57:55.260 --> 00:57:55.940
 taking the form

00:57:55.940 --> 00:57:56.440
 of a servant

00:57:56.440 --> 00:57:57.180
 being born

00:57:57.180 --> 00:57:58.480
 in the likeness of man.

00:57:59.559 --> 00:58:00.480
 He humbled himself

00:58:00.480 --> 00:58:01.500
 by becoming obedient

00:58:01.500 --> 00:58:02.300
 to the point of death,

00:58:03.320 --> 00:58:04.260
 even death on the cross.

00:58:04.260 --> 00:58:08.100
 Why is it worth

00:58:08.100 --> 00:58:09.000
 becoming a disciple

00:58:09.000 --> 00:58:09.360
 of Jesus?

00:58:09.440 --> 00:58:10.280
 Because he looked at you

00:58:10.280 --> 00:58:10.600
 and said,

00:58:10.680 --> 00:58:11.220
 you are worth it.

00:58:12.280 --> 00:58:13.200
 I love you so much

00:58:13.200 --> 00:58:13.620
 that I am willing

00:58:13.620 --> 00:58:14.480
 to die for you.

00:58:15.420 --> 00:58:15.900
 So yes,

00:58:15.980 --> 00:58:16.900
 it does come with commitment

00:58:16.900 --> 00:58:17.920
 and in these coming months

00:58:17.920 --> 00:58:18.660
 we are going to talk more

00:58:18.660 --> 00:58:19.260
 about what it means

00:58:19.260 --> 00:58:20.320
 to commit to this community.

00:58:20.840 --> 00:58:21.980
 Maybe by God's grace

00:58:21.980 --> 00:58:22.740
 we will have some kind of

00:58:22.740 --> 00:58:24.300
 form for us to look at

00:58:24.300 --> 00:58:25.240
 to be able to articulate

00:58:25.240 --> 00:58:26.420
 clearly what that means.

00:58:28.040 --> 00:58:28.440
 Come on,

00:58:29.080 --> 00:58:30.540
 even the grocery shop 759

00:58:30.540 --> 00:58:31.360
 has some kind of membership

00:58:31.360 --> 00:58:32.520
 in the members card.

00:58:34.260 --> 00:58:35.560
 I am here saying

00:58:35.560 --> 00:58:36.500
 as a household of God

00:58:36.500 --> 00:58:37.360
 we need to figure out

00:58:37.360 --> 00:58:38.000
 with clarity

00:58:38.000 --> 00:58:38.600
 and with love

00:58:38.600 --> 00:58:39.060
 and with grace

00:58:39.060 --> 00:58:39.540
 what it means

00:58:39.540 --> 00:58:40.200
 to be a household

00:58:40.200 --> 00:58:41.700
 because that is

00:58:41.700 --> 00:58:42.280
 what we are called to.

00:58:43.240 --> 00:58:43.860
 Because we are called

00:58:43.860 --> 00:58:44.540
 to be disciples

00:58:44.540 --> 00:58:45.420
 who count the cost

00:58:45.420 --> 00:58:46.740
 and follow regardless.

00:58:48.660 --> 00:58:49.160
 Recognizing that

00:58:49.160 --> 00:58:50.100
 we need each other

00:58:50.100 --> 00:58:51.260
 to become more like him.

00:58:52.280 --> 00:58:52.940
 We are going to finish

00:58:52.940 --> 00:58:54.540
 with the time of communion now

00:58:54.540 --> 00:58:55.440
 and I want you to spend

00:58:55.440 --> 00:58:56.600
 some time now,

00:58:56.680 --> 00:58:57.360
 I want us to spend

00:58:57.360 --> 00:58:58.600
 some time to pray.

00:59:00.600 --> 00:59:01.640
 To ask ourselves

00:59:01.640 --> 00:59:03.080
 what is going on

00:59:03.080 --> 00:59:03.600
 in our hearts?

00:59:03.599 --> 00:59:04.960
 When I talk about commitment

00:59:04.960 --> 00:59:06.539
 maybe that is the word

00:59:06.539 --> 00:59:07.380
 that you have struggled

00:59:07.380 --> 00:59:08.239
 with for so long.

00:59:08.940 --> 00:59:09.519
 You don't even know

00:59:09.519 --> 00:59:10.860
 what it means to commit

00:59:10.860 --> 00:59:12.239
 or what it actually entails

00:59:12.239 --> 00:59:13.380
 and you are still hesitant

00:59:13.380 --> 00:59:13.920
 and I am saying

00:59:13.920 --> 00:59:14.860
 whether you are a guest

00:59:14.860 --> 00:59:15.400
 or a friend

00:59:15.400 --> 00:59:15.860
 or a family

00:59:15.860 --> 00:59:16.779
 it doesn't matter.

00:59:17.460 --> 00:59:18.819
 There is no judgment here.

00:59:18.900 --> 00:59:19.779
 There is all grace.

00:59:19.880 --> 00:59:20.619
 We are a community

00:59:20.619 --> 00:59:21.360
 and family

00:59:21.360 --> 00:59:22.519
 built on grace

00:59:22.519 --> 00:59:23.159
 and grace alone.

00:59:24.259 --> 00:59:25.039
 The question is

00:59:25.039 --> 00:59:25.539
 what do we do

00:59:25.539 --> 00:59:26.019
 with that grace?

00:59:26.219 --> 00:59:27.019
 How do we respond

00:59:27.019 --> 00:59:27.860
 to that grace?

00:59:28.860 --> 00:59:29.579
 So we are going to

00:59:29.579 --> 00:59:30.139
 a time of communion

00:59:30.139 --> 00:59:31.360
 where we remind ourselves

00:59:31.360 --> 00:59:33.039
 that we here

00:59:33.039 --> 00:59:33.860
 commit

00:59:33.860 --> 00:59:35.700
 to being part

00:59:35.700 --> 00:59:36.180
 of the body

00:59:36.180 --> 00:59:36.900
 of Christ.

00:59:37.500 --> 00:59:38.140
 Can I just give you

00:59:38.140 --> 00:59:38.840
 a few moments now

00:59:38.840 --> 00:59:39.500
 just to reflect

00:59:39.500 --> 00:59:41.180
 by yourself?

00:59:41.180 --> 00:59:41.240
 Thank you.

00:59:51.700 --> 00:59:54.039
 A thousand generations

00:59:54.039 --> 00:59:55.019
 falling down

00:59:55.019 --> 00:59:55.460
 in worship

00:59:55.460 --> 00:59:58.900
 of the one

00:59:58.900 --> 00:59:59.460
 who is

00:59:59.460 --> 01:00:00.240
 and is to come.

01:00:04.159 --> 01:00:04.740
 So Lord,

01:00:04.800 --> 01:00:05.619
 teach us what it means

01:00:05.619 --> 01:00:06.280
 to be

01:00:06.280 --> 01:00:08.039
 disciples

01:00:08.039 --> 01:00:09.240
 of you

01:00:09.240 --> 01:00:10.800
 to follow

01:00:10.800 --> 01:00:11.360
 in your way.

01:00:12.099 --> 01:00:12.840
 Teach us what it means

01:00:12.840 --> 01:00:13.400
 to be

01:00:13.400 --> 01:00:15.360
 fellow citizens.

01:00:15.679 --> 01:00:16.360
 Teach us what it means

01:00:16.360 --> 01:00:17.079
 to be members

01:00:17.079 --> 01:00:17.740
 of a household.

01:00:19.280 --> 01:00:19.519
 Lord,

01:00:19.539 --> 01:00:20.019
 we commit

01:00:20.019 --> 01:00:20.659
 to you

01:00:20.659 --> 01:00:24.379
 because you

01:00:24.379 --> 01:00:25.119
 committed yourself

01:00:25.119 --> 01:00:25.639
 to us.

01:00:26.079 --> 01:00:26.920
 You loved us first.

01:00:28.199 --> 01:00:28.960
 We thank you

01:00:28.960 --> 01:00:30.319
 that we are

01:00:30.319 --> 01:00:30.859
 a new people,

01:00:31.739 --> 01:00:33.139
 a new community.

01:00:34.359 --> 01:00:35.319
 We are your church.

01:00:37.219 --> 01:00:38.319
 We give thanks to you.

01:00:38.399 --> 01:00:39.159
 We glorify you

01:00:39.159 --> 01:00:39.719
 and you alone.

01:00:41.519 --> 01:00:42.619
 In your name we pray.

01:00:43.679 --> 01:00:44.039
 Amen.