WEBVTT

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 Okay, good morning everyone. Lovely to see you. My name is Graeme, I'm the pastor here. Great to see folks again. Strange, half of our church family is here and half is up in that place that I begin with F. We can vote on that later.

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 But we are going to think about the same theme that we've been thinking about as a church at the weekend. So if you want to go to Ephesians chapter 3, we're going to be in verses 1 to 13. Right, we're going to read them in five minutes time. There's a lovely graphic to get you going. I enjoyed making that on Friday afternoon.

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 So, our third daughter Eve, her favourite thing to do at school, the thing that she gets most excited about when she realises it's time for this at school, is the day when it's time for show and tell. Remember this at school? Show and tell.

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 So, this day where you got to take something into your class, something that you loved, something that was the most precious thing in the world to you, and you had the platform, you had the airtime to tell anyone who'd listen, why it was the most precious thing to you in the world and why. Do you remember that at school? Show and tell. Keep that in your head because it's going to be really useful for going through this passage.

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 Ephesians 3, if I could put an alternative heading on God's marvellous plan for the Gentiles, which is what your Bibles, if you have it there, will say at the top of chapter 3.

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 Alternative heading would read this.

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 Here is God's show and tell.

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 Uninspired, give you that. No one has clearly gone for that over the generations, Bible translators, but I'm going for that today.

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 This is God's glorious show and tell, which begs the question,

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 what is?

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 What is God's most treasured possession?

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 What is the apple of his eye?

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 What is the thing that he holds out to the world and says,

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 this, this is the thing that displays my wisdom

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 to the seen and the unseen world?

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 What is the thing that makes angels stop and go, wow?

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 Friends, here's what I want you to do.

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 I want you to stop for a moment.

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 I want you to look at the people on your right.

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 I realise everyone looks right.

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 Somebody's looking at the wall, but you get me, okay?

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 And then I want you to look to your left.

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 And here's the thing as we get into this passage today.

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 The answer to that question is a lot closer to home than you and I probably think it is.

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 And we've got to let God through his words shape our minds this morning as he tells us

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 what his manifold wisdom is.

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 Now, this is not just come as a boat out of the blue.

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 Here's what we need to do if we're going to get this.

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 We need to do a bit of a run up to the book of Ephesians.

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 You with me?

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 So here is Paul writing to this church,

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 living for the glory of Jesus in the first century city of Ephesus.

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 Now, two quick things that you need to know about Ephesus and the book of Ephesians as Paul writes it.

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 Two things about the city.

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 Here's number one.

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 You need to know about the thing that dominates the skyline.

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 Ephesus has something that dominates the skyline.

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 You cannot miss it.

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 Edinburgh's got the castle, right?

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 Paris has the Eiffel Tower.

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 Ephesus in the first century has the temple of the goddess Artemis.

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 And fun fact of the day, if you're interested in this,

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 if this ever comes up as a pub quiz question,

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 this temple is so spectacular that it's considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

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 So that means that people flock from all over to come and see,

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 and not just see, but come and worship at the temple of Artemis.

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 Her temple is the pride and the joy of the city, right?

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 You got that?

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 Number one, what dominates the skyline?

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 You cannot miss this.

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 The temple of Artemis.

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 Here's the second thing you need to know about what's going on in Ephesus,

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 is that when Paul goes there in Acts 19,

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 the gospel is Paul brings it into this city,

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 the news about Jesus, his birth, his life, his death on the cross,

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 his glorious resurrection, his ascension, one day his return.

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 As Paul brings this message to the city of Ephesus, it makes a seismic impact.

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 That means that people are becoming believers from all sorts of different backgrounds.

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 And it's true in this room, isn't it, friends?

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 If we were to give our stories about how we came to know Jesus for ourselves,

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 how many different stories would be in this room?

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 Because how many different backgrounds are represented in this room?

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 All sorts of people become believers in Ephesus.

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 You've got people from commercial backgrounds, occultic backgrounds,

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 spiritual backgrounds, religious backgrounds.

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 When the gospel explodes in Ephesus, it's raw and it's real.

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 It's exciting and it's daunting.

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 And Ephesus evangelical church is birthed with a buzz.

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 But the thing is, see by the time Paul writes Ephesians, this letter,

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 and it gets to Ephesus.

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 A lot of time has passed.

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 One thing has changed since then.

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 Chapter 4, verse 1.

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 Just scan your eye to it there, you'll see it.

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 The thrill of revival in Ephesus has died down.

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 And verse 1 of chapter 4,

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 the guy who planted this church in Ephesus, Paul, the founding apostle,

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 is in prison.

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 You see it?

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 So that's changed.

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 But I tell you what, there's one thing might have changed.

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 There's one thing that definitely hasn't changed.

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 Do you know who's still going really strong?

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 Do you know who's still doing a roaring trade in Ephesus?

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 Do you know who's still dominating the skyline?

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 Do you know who's still attracting visitors and tourists and worshippers

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 from all over the regions round about to come and pay homage?

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 What's gone nowhere in that whole time?

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 The goddess Artemis, her temple, she ain't gone nowhere.

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 So here's what I want you to do.

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 I want you to imagine that you're a person in Ephesus Evangelical Church.

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 Try and get in the mind space, right?

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 And you're meeting, your usual meeting, on a Sunday.

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 You remember Jesus.

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 This is why we're meeting on a Sunday, not Saturday.

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 On a Sunday, because this is the day that we remember

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 that Jesus rose from the dead.

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 Okay?

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 So you're meeting there.

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 And someone's passing around the stale quiche, right?

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 Somebody's offering you another glass of shloher.

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 Somebody's trying to get everyone to sing along to kumbaya

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 and out of tune the guitar.

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 And you think, oh my days, this is so unimpressive.

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 And yet you look out your curtain window and what do you see on the skyline?

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 You see the temple of Artemis.

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 And you think to yourself, goodness, tell you what,

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 we look really unimpressive and unspectacular,

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 but see her and her temple and the people that flock from all around

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 to come and worship, goodness me, that is something special.

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 And then you get your mind back in the room,

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 this small group of believers gathering together to worship the risen Jesus.

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 And again, trying to get into the scriptures together,

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 and you think, goodness me, what is this all about?

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 What are you thinking about your little church gathering?

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 You're thinking, I'd imagine, that you're nothing special.

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 Right?

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 I tell you who we might think is something special is the goddess Artemis,

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 but somebody who's not very special is us.

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 Friends, have you ever felt like that?

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 Ever feel like that on a Sunday morning?

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 Ever feel like that when you go to the Zoom prayer meeting?

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 Ever feel like that when you tell your colleague at work on a Monday morning

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 that you went to church at the weekend,

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 and you can tell they're trying to be polite,

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 but you can also tell that they couldn't care less?

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 The church, we are nothing special.

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 Well, do you know what Paul is doing in this letter?

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 He's saying to this church at Ephesus,

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 see if you think you're nothing special,

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 think again.

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 Think again.

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 For do you know what?

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 The local church is God's glorious show intention.

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 Shall we read these verses together?

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 Come and see how this works.

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 And then we've got a couple of things to say.

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 This is us in verse one of chapter three.

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 And see if you can pick up these tones.

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 So Paul writes this,

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 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus,

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 for the sake of you Gentiles,

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 surely you've heard about the administration of God's grace

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 that was given to me for you.

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 That is, the mystery made known to me by revelation

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 as I have already written briefly.

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 In reading this then,

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 you will be able to understand my insight

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 into the mystery of Christ,

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 which was not made known to people in other generations,

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 as it has now been revealed by the Spirit of God

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 to God's holy apostles and prophets.

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 This mystery is that through the gospel,

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 the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,

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 members together of one body

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 and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

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 I became a servant of this gospel

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 by the gift of God's grace given me

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 through the working of his power.

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 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people,

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 this grace was given to me

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 to preach to the Gentiles

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 the boundless riches of Christ

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 and to make plain to everyone

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 the administration of this mystery,

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 which for ages past was kept hidden in God

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 who created all things.

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 His intent was that now,

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 through the church,

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 the manifold wisdom of God

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 should be made known to the rulers

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 and authorities in the heavenly realms

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 according to his eternal purpose

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 that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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 In him and through faith in him,

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 we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

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 I ask you therefore not to be discouraged

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 because of my sufferings for you,

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 which are your glory.

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 Amen.

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 And God will bless the reading of his word to us this morning.

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 Friends, we're going to think about two big things

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 that this passage teaches us.

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 And then we're going to think about two big ways

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 that we need to respond.

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 You with me?

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 Here's the formation really simply of the sermon,

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 two, two.

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 Right.

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 Here is big teaching point number one.

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 This is verses one to six.

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 Here it is.

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 Friends, the gospel is answering a mystery.

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 That's what he's saying here.

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 And this is where we learn that God has no interest

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 in ever becoming a magician.

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 And here's what I mean by that.

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 What do they always say a magician,

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 a good magician never reveals?

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 Come on, a bit of audience participation here.

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 Go on.

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 Secrets.

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 Okay.

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 Or they're mysteries.

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 Well, these verses tell us that it thrills God's heart

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 not to conceal, but to reveal his.

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 Do you see it?

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 That's what the word mystery,

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 and if you notice in those verses,

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 it's used three times there.

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 That's what that word means.

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 It was something that was once hidden,

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 but now it's out in the open.

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 And remember that Paul's writing as a man who's schooled in Judaism, right?

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 He knows his, if you like, his Old Testament,

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 like the back of his hand.

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 And he knows the promises.

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 He knows the pictures.

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 And he knows the unresolved tensions that the Old Testament story serves up.

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 Right?

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 I'll give you a few of them.

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 How is God going to bless the nations of the world?

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 Like he promised Abraham.

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 How is he going to do that?

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 How is God going to be real in terms of his holiness?

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 He said he's, and of course he wouldn't be God if he didn't do this,

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 if he compromised on this.

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 He's going to deal with sin.

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 How is God going to transform the people's hearts,

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 as well as be true to dealing with sin?

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 And I think that's what he means, verse 5,

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 when he says previous generations,

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 it wasn't revealed to them how this was going to resolve itself.

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 But verse 2, God's opened Paul's eyes to see

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 the answer to the mystery.

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 And he considers that the most humbling of privileges.

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 Because in a former life, remember,

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 this was the guy who wanted to stamp out the church.

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 That God has revealed to him that Christ is the answer

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 that's now out in the open.

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 Christ is the answer to the mystery.

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 The perfectly obedient life that Jesus lived on our place,

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 the sin-bearing death of Jesus in our place,

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 the glorious resurrection of Jesus,

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 whereby God declared to the world that the cross worked,

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 proceeding from the Father and the Son,

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 the giving of the Spirit to take the message of Jesus

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 and apply it to the hearts of people who were dead in their sins

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 and now by the Spirit are made alive.

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 By the Spirit, all of that meaning that anyone,

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 absolutely anyone, through faith in Christ Jesus,

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 can be made right with God

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 and look forward to knowing him now

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 and into eternity.

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 Anybody.

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 And what has happened as a result,

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 verse 6, the Gentiles, you see that,

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 and that word just means that the non-Jewish peoples

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 of the world,

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 are now fellow heirs

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 along with the believing Jew.

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 Now, don't underestimate just how much

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 of a first century mic drop moment that is.

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 Because these two groups of people,

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 historically, you're Jew and you're Gentile,

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 these two groups of people did not mix.

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 They are like oil and water.

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 They just do,

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 you cannot get them to mix.

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 Jewish rabbis prayed every day,

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 Lord, thank you that you did not make me a Gentile.

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 In fact, there was a big sign in the temple

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 designed to keep the Gentiles out

00:16:00.540 --> 00:16:01.379
 with a sign that read,

00:16:01.520 --> 00:16:02.360
 do not enter here,

00:16:02.400 --> 00:16:03.920
 and if you do so, you will die.

00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:06.940
 And the Gentiles repaid the compliment

00:16:06.940 --> 00:16:08.140
 as they mocked the Jews

00:16:08.140 --> 00:16:10.480
 for worshipping a God who they could not see.

00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:14.280
 And yet God had always promised

00:16:14.280 --> 00:16:15.280
 that there would be a day

00:16:15.280 --> 00:16:18.720
 when the Gentiles would be grafted into

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:21.280
 and be part of his united, global,

00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:23.460
 diverse, one people of faith.

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:27.300
 And the mystery, verse six,

00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:30.480
 is that the Gentiles through the gospel

00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:33.940
 are now members of the same body

00:16:33.940 --> 00:16:38.000
 and are sharing in the same inheritance.

00:16:38.560 --> 00:16:40.400
 Now, we were thinking about this yesterday,

00:16:40.540 --> 00:16:43.460
 the wonderful fact that Jesus came looking for us.

00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:47.639
 Us Gentiles,

00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:50.220
 I'm assuming that we're all Gentiles in this room.

00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:53.500
 We were not born and raised Jewish people.

00:16:53.680 --> 00:16:54.399
 And yet,

00:16:55.040 --> 00:16:57.759
 that truth means that we had no clue

00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:59.160
 to the promises of God.

00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:03.460
 And yet Jesus came looking for us.

00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:05.059
 The gospel means that Gentiles

00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:07.440
 can be brought into

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:09.579
 God's family of faith.

00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:12.079
 And you can imagine into a city like Ephesus.

00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:13.460
 That is incredible.

00:17:13.600 --> 00:17:15.039
 We'll develop it a bit more.

00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:18.799
 The gospel is answering a mystery,

00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:21.399
 which takes us to teaching point number two.

00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:24.339
 Friends, the church is telling a story.

00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:28.420
 For just notice what language Paul uses there

00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:30.420
 to describe what he preaches at verse eight.

00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.220
 And we so often just skim over this,

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.180
 we miss what he says.

00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:34.720
 Verse eight,

00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:37.200
 the unsearchable riches of Christ.

00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:38.039
 Do you see that phrase?

00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:41.799
 Now, we often talk about in our culture,

00:17:42.899 --> 00:17:43.940
 bottomless coffee,

00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:45.420
 do you know what I mean?

00:17:45.600 --> 00:17:48.019
 Remember going to Mug and Bean in South Africa

00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:48.880
 years ago,

00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.600
 coming across this concept

00:17:50.600 --> 00:17:51.799
 of bottomless coffee.

00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:53.180
 You just mean I could sit here

00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:55.039
 and drink and drink and drink

00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:57.019
 and it doesn't end?

00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:57.820
 Well, yeah.

00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:00.799
 Friends, we have,

00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:02.340
 if you look at his language here,

00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:04.299
 we have a bottomless Christ.

00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:06.340
 Right?

00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:08.400
 Meaning that when it comes to

00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:10.160
 what we can worshiply comprehend

00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:11.340
 of his glories,

00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:13.360
 there's never coming a day

00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:14.639
 when we can say to ourselves,

00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:15.459
 completed it.

00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:17.479
 You know,

00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.619
 they always have that phrase,

00:18:18.899 --> 00:18:20.379
 friends down in London,

00:18:20.479 --> 00:18:21.419
 they always joke about it,

00:18:21.779 --> 00:18:22.919
 bored of London,

00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:23.679
 bored of life,

00:18:25.219 --> 00:18:26.379
 as if there's a place

00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:27.099
 on this planet

00:18:27.099 --> 00:18:28.679
 that can only satisfy

00:18:28.679 --> 00:18:30.500
 the human longings and hearts.

00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:32.099
 And all you need to do

00:18:32.099 --> 00:18:32.939
 is spend 10 minutes

00:18:32.939 --> 00:18:34.459
 on the tube down in London

00:18:34.459 --> 00:18:35.539
 and you soon realize

00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:36.199
 that I don't think

00:18:36.199 --> 00:18:36.939
 that's the case.

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:39.580
 But truly,

00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.380
 there's never coming a day

00:18:41.380 --> 00:18:43.100
 where we will get bored

00:18:43.100 --> 00:18:43.580
 of Jesus.

00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:46.880
 When we're bored

00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:47.380
 with Jesus,

00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:47.660
 friends,

00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:48.380
 if that's the season

00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:48.840
 that we're in,

00:18:48.900 --> 00:18:50.320
 we do so well to remember

00:18:50.320 --> 00:18:51.140
 that the problem's

00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:51.860
 never with Jesus.

00:18:55.360 --> 00:18:56.200
 That's the Jesus

00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:56.980
 that Paul preaches

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:57.880
 to the Gentiles.

00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:59.380
 There's always new angles,

00:18:59.539 --> 00:19:00.420
 new aspects,

00:19:00.620 --> 00:19:01.320
 new dimensions

00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:03.339
 of the glory of God

00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:04.599
 for us to savor

00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:07.119
 and feast our souls upon.

00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:08.139
 We're never getting

00:19:08.139 --> 00:19:09.039
 to the bottom of it,

00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:10.359
 the unsearchable riches

00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:11.859
 of Christ.

00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:12.899
 And so Paul begins

00:19:12.899 --> 00:19:13.559
 to think about

00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.240
 this people

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:15.460
 who Jesus has called

00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:16.679
 out of the darkness

00:19:16.679 --> 00:19:17.899
 into his marvelous light

00:19:17.899 --> 00:19:18.599
 for himself,

00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:20.039
 aka the church.

00:19:21.659 --> 00:19:24.200
 This multi-ethnic,

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:26.059
 multi-national,

00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:28.579
 multi-generational people

00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:31.819
 who God has called

00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:33.079
 to himself in Christ.

00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:34.839
 And Paul's big point here

00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:36.740
 is when it comes

00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:37.819
 to the church,

00:19:38.419 --> 00:19:39.759
 do you and I see

00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.839
 what God sees?

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:45.779
 And so think back

00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:46.859
 to your show and tell.

00:19:48.460 --> 00:19:49.699
 Where do you look

00:19:49.699 --> 00:19:50.759
 if you want to see

00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:51.919
 the wisdom of God

00:19:51.919 --> 00:19:52.960
 on full display?

00:19:54.939 --> 00:19:56.439
 And you might expect

00:19:56.439 --> 00:19:58.119
 the answer to that question

00:19:58.119 --> 00:19:59.639
 to be in creation.

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:00.439
 Yeah?

00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:03.839
 The Niagara Falls,

00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:04.779
 the full moon,

00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:06.000
 how excited did we get

00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:06.919
 a couple of months ago?

00:20:06.979 --> 00:20:07.699
 Maybe not in Scotland,

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.399
 but everyone else

00:20:08.399 --> 00:20:08.719
 in the world,

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:09.639
 about that eclipse.

00:20:11.299 --> 00:20:13.039
 The beauties of God

00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:14.699
 shown in creation,

00:20:14.879 --> 00:20:15.919
 a gorgeous sunset,

00:20:16.099 --> 00:20:17.639
 on and on we could go.

00:20:17.939 --> 00:20:18.899
 But that's not the answer

00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:19.619
 in the text.

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.339
 Do you see it?

00:20:21.339 --> 00:20:22.259
 Where do we look

00:20:22.259 --> 00:20:23.959
 to see God's wisdom?

00:20:24.539 --> 00:20:25.439
 Verse 10,

00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:26.379
 and if you want

00:20:26.379 --> 00:20:27.739
 a phrase that stays,

00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:29.899
 which ironically

00:20:29.899 --> 00:20:31.019
 is a phrase that stays,

00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:32.739
 if you want a phrase

00:20:32.739 --> 00:20:34.259
 that stays from this message,

00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:34.739
 here it is.

00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:35.639
 Just take three words

00:20:35.639 --> 00:20:36.719
 with you from this.

00:20:36.939 --> 00:20:38.539
 Through the church.

00:20:38.859 --> 00:20:39.759
 Do you see it in the text?

00:20:40.179 --> 00:20:42.379
 Through the church.

00:20:43.379 --> 00:20:44.779
 So these people

00:20:44.779 --> 00:20:48.199
 whom God through his son

00:20:48.199 --> 00:20:49.439
 and then dwelt by his spirit

00:20:49.439 --> 00:20:51.179
 has made one.

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:54.820
 And to who,

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:55.960
 just notice in passing,

00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:56.820
 has God made

00:20:56.820 --> 00:20:58.600
 this wisdom known to?

00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:01.220
 Not just to the watching world,

00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:02.420
 but to the rulers

00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:03.240
 and authorities

00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:05.000
 in the heavenly places.

00:21:05.140 --> 00:21:05.779
 And we do well

00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.480
 just to slow down

00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:06.980
 at this point

00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:07.680
 and remember that

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:09.500
 according to a biblical worldview,

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.000
 friends,

00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.740
 there's more going on

00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:13.200
 in life

00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.160
 than simply what you

00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:15.080
 and I can see.

00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:18.519
 The spiritual realm

00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:19.559
 Paul is talking about here

00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:20.939
 is massive in Ephesians,

00:21:21.179 --> 00:21:21.379
 right?

00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:21.960
 Angels,

00:21:22.179 --> 00:21:22.460
 light,

00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:23.899
 devil and his messengers,

00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:24.480
 darkness.

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.899
 The principalities

00:21:26.899 --> 00:21:29.899
 in the heavenly places.

00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:31.799
 The unseen realm.

00:21:32.199 --> 00:21:33.240
 Paul is saying

00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:34.599
 that it's to us

00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:35.899
 and to them

00:21:35.899 --> 00:21:37.099
 that God

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:38.740
 is showing his wisdom.

00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:39.819
 In other words,

00:21:39.919 --> 00:21:40.179
 friends,

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:41.259
 the rulers

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:42.119
 and powers

00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:44.640
 look on

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:45.819
 at the local church.

00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:47.200
 Look on at us

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:48.700
 as we gather today

00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.879
 and conclude.

00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:51.819
 As they look around

00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:53.019
 and they see barriers

00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:53.900
 that should exist

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:54.779
 between us

00:21:54.779 --> 00:21:57.019
 being smashed down

00:21:57.019 --> 00:21:57.700
 in Christ

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.879
 and they see

00:21:58.879 --> 00:21:59.900
 a love between us

00:21:59.900 --> 00:22:01.160
 that doesn't comprehend

00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:02.339
 human logic.

00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.879
 As the rulers

00:22:03.879 --> 00:22:04.359
 and powers

00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:05.240
 in the heavenly places

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:06.200
 look on at us,

00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:06.680
 they say,

00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:07.660
 how on earth

00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:08.799
 has God done that?

00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:12.700
 Mind-blowing emoji.

00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:17.140
 And so Paul is saying,

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:17.900
 dear Ephesians,

00:22:17.980 --> 00:22:18.980
 you might look at yourselves

00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:19.559
 and conclude

00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:20.980
 that you're nothing special.

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:22.500
 There's nothing to see here.

00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:24.160
 But let me tell you

00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:25.900
 that as far as God is concerned,

00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:28.740
 there's everything to see here.

00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:32.019
 And so friends,

00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.680
 let's move from

00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:33.440
 two big things

00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.819
 that this passage teaches us

00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:35.440
 to think about

00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:36.180
 two big ways

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:37.240
 that we need to respond

00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:38.259
 as we think about

00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:40.119
 the local church,

00:22:40.119 --> 00:22:41.959
 the big C church,

00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:43.139
 but as it finds

00:22:43.139 --> 00:22:43.779
 its expression

00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:45.679
 in local churches

00:22:45.679 --> 00:22:46.459
 as they gather.

00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:49.439
 Two big things

00:22:49.439 --> 00:22:50.279
 I think we need to pray

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:51.579
 that God would help us grow in.

00:22:51.659 --> 00:22:52.399
 Here's number one

00:22:52.399 --> 00:22:53.099
 and it's just

00:22:53.099 --> 00:22:54.279
 our appreciation

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:56.279
 of the church.

00:22:58.659 --> 00:22:59.519
 These verses,

00:22:59.899 --> 00:23:00.299
 if you like,

00:23:00.379 --> 00:23:01.339
 are the lenses

00:23:01.339 --> 00:23:03.579
 that God wants us

00:23:03.579 --> 00:23:04.559
 to put on

00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:05.659
 when it comes

00:23:05.659 --> 00:23:06.699
 to how we

00:23:06.699 --> 00:23:08.039
 walk into

00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:09.139
 any gathering

00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:10.220
 of our local church.

00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:11.339
 Remember that old thing

00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:11.899
 that the,

00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:13.359
 what's that thing

00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:13.759
 you used to do

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:14.200
 with your hands?

00:23:15.879 --> 00:23:16.700
 Oh, I forgot it here.

00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:17.700
 The church is the steeple.

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.119
 Look inside

00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:18.799
 and it's all the people.

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.740
 We get that, right?

00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.859
 The church is not the building.

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:21.500
 It's the people.

00:23:22.619 --> 00:23:22.980
 Of course,

00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:23.819
 buildings are important,

00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:24.539
 but it really is

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.279
 all about the people.

00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:28.299
 When we gather together,

00:23:28.379 --> 00:23:29.700
 do we see what God sees?

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.460
 Do you see

00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:31.839
 not just how precious

00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:34.319
 the church is to us,

00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:35.339
 but do you see

00:23:35.339 --> 00:23:37.220
 how infinitely precious

00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:38.539
 the church is to Jesus?

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:42.960
 But do we see

00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:44.179
 how our very existence,

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:44.700
 friends,

00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:46.200
 is a much bigger deal

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:47.839
 than we often stop

00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:48.939
 to think that it is?

00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.599
 The very fact

00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:52.279
 that we've gathered

00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:52.899
 here today

00:23:52.899 --> 00:23:54.059
 is declaring a story

00:23:54.059 --> 00:23:55.319
 just like a Batman signal

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:56.659
 pinging it to the sky

00:23:56.659 --> 00:23:58.720
 about the manifold

00:23:58.720 --> 00:23:59.779
 wisdom of God.

00:24:00.779 --> 00:24:02.799
 Every time we gather

00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:06.079
 pray and sing,

00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:07.299
 read and respond,

00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:08.619
 hug and cry,

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:10.639
 listen and speak,

00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:12.319
 love and challenge,

00:24:12.399 --> 00:24:14.039
 and see as we do that together,

00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:15.639
 yet loving each other

00:24:15.639 --> 00:24:16.720
 as different people

00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:17.819
 united together

00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:19.559
 under the lordship of Jesus,

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.759
 we are declaring a story

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:23.000
 to both the seen

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.180
 and the unseen world.

00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:26.619
 Let me just take it

00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:27.279
 a bit further.

00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:28.639
 That means that

00:24:28.639 --> 00:24:30.460
 as far as God is concerned,

00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:32.139
 the most exciting thing

00:24:32.140 --> 00:24:34.140
 happening in Brunsfield

00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:34.940
 right now

00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:36.220
 is what's happening

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:37.100
 in this building.

00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:41.200
 And across local churches

00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:41.740
 as they meet

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:42.680
 across this city,

00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:43.380
 there is no more

00:24:43.380 --> 00:24:44.860
 exciting thing going on

00:24:44.860 --> 00:24:45.720
 according to God

00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:46.580
 than what he is doing

00:24:46.580 --> 00:24:47.700
 in his local churches.

00:24:49.780 --> 00:24:51.020
 It's almost as if

00:24:51.020 --> 00:24:52.280
 God's inviting us

00:24:52.280 --> 00:24:53.259
 to drape a banner

00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:55.360
 above that door frame

00:24:55.360 --> 00:24:56.440
 as we came in this morning,

00:24:56.620 --> 00:24:57.440
 saying in the words

00:24:57.440 --> 00:24:57.980
 of the song

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:59.100
 that goes with the film,

00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.920
 this is the greatest show.

00:25:02.140 --> 00:25:05.900
 You know,

00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:06.640
 it's a bit like,

00:25:07.560 --> 00:25:08.040
 sorry,

00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.360
 and what else

00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:10.380
 the local church is

00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:11.800
 is a bit like

00:25:11.800 --> 00:25:12.759
 a miniature model

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.660
 of a new housing estate

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:15.380
 before it's built.

00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:16.300
 You ever seen one of these?

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:17.780
 Or if you go into

00:25:17.780 --> 00:25:18.900
 the National Museum of Scotland,

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.680
 you'll see that they've built

00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:21.120
 a kind of Lego miniature version

00:25:21.120 --> 00:25:22.160
 of the National Museum.

00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:22.980
 It's really cool.

00:25:24.060 --> 00:25:24.800
 But that's what

00:25:24.800 --> 00:25:26.200
 the local church is.

00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:29.019
 Here is a preview

00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:30.660
 of what the whole thing

00:25:30.660 --> 00:25:31.660
 will look like

00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:32.720
 when it's finished.

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:34.980
 Friends,

00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:36.120
 the local church

00:25:36.120 --> 00:25:37.720
 is the show home

00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:39.720
 of the people

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:41.180
 of the new creation.

00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:43.120
 You know,

00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:44.460
 it's really popular today

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:45.759
 to hear people say,

00:25:45.900 --> 00:25:46.640
 does the church

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.880
 have a future?

00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:49.160
 Well,

00:25:51.300 --> 00:25:51.540
 do you know what

00:25:51.540 --> 00:25:52.860
 this passage tells us?

00:25:53.560 --> 00:25:54.420
 It tells us

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:55.100
 that the church

00:25:55.100 --> 00:25:56.300
 is the future.

00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.620
 And so,

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.380
 in response,

00:26:00.540 --> 00:26:01.080
 dear friends,

00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:02.860
 would we pray,

00:26:03.320 --> 00:26:03.560
 Lord,

00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:04.320
 forgive us

00:26:04.320 --> 00:26:05.240
 for grossly

00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:06.200
 undervaluing

00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:07.180
 the very thing

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:07.940
 that you tell us

00:26:07.940 --> 00:26:08.960
 declares your wisdom

00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:10.000
 to the watching world?

00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:13.619
 And that takes us

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.500
 to big prayer

00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:15.680
 number two.

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.259
 First,

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:19.480
 we pray that,

00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:19.720
 Lord,

00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:20.880
 would you help us grow

00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:21.960
 in our appreciation

00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:23.339
 of the church?

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:24.839
 Secondly,

00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:25.779
 Lord,

00:26:25.859 --> 00:26:27.000
 would you help us grow

00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:27.900
 in our affection

00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:29.480
 for the church?

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:33.039
 And here's the honest truth

00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:33.680
 at this point.

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:36.480
 I can honestly say,

00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:36.799
 friends,

00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:37.420
 that my life

00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:38.619
 is so much better

00:26:38.619 --> 00:26:41.299
 so much richer

00:26:41.299 --> 00:26:43.459
 because of the church.

00:26:45.659 --> 00:26:46.639
 And I think about

00:26:46.639 --> 00:26:47.599
 Chloe and Grace

00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:48.139
 sitting there.

00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:48.819
 Didn't know they were

00:26:48.819 --> 00:26:49.759
 going to be in this morning.

00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:52.500
 But I think about

00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:53.579
 some of their friends

00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:54.319
 who I've got to know

00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:55.219
 in a little bit at school

00:26:55.219 --> 00:26:55.919
 and who is,

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:56.899
 as far as I can tell,

00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:58.399
 outwith their families.

00:26:59.059 --> 00:27:00.199
 They probably know

00:27:00.199 --> 00:27:02.539
 a number of adults

00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:03.319
 that you can count

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:04.539
 on both hands,

00:27:05.419 --> 00:27:05.579
 right?

00:27:05.639 --> 00:27:06.319
 Maybe neighbors,

00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:07.199
 teacher,

00:27:07.459 --> 00:27:08.239
 something like that.

00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:09.539
 One digit.

00:27:10.419 --> 00:27:10.619
 You see,

00:27:10.699 --> 00:27:11.379
 for these guys,

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.619
 because of the church,

00:27:13.619 --> 00:27:15.259
 that's not one digit

00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:16.519
 in terms of the number

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:17.479
 of adults that they know.

00:27:18.399 --> 00:27:19.879
 It's three digits.

00:27:21.199 --> 00:27:21.659
 Like,

00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:22.259
 so,

00:27:22.419 --> 00:27:23.379
 so many people

00:27:23.379 --> 00:27:23.959
 they know

00:27:23.959 --> 00:27:25.939
 because of the local church

00:27:25.939 --> 00:27:27.079
 who have,

00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:28.139
 so many of them,

00:27:28.199 --> 00:27:28.839
 poured themselves

00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:29.439
 meaningfully

00:27:29.439 --> 00:27:30.419
 into their lives.

00:27:31.399 --> 00:27:32.539
 Their lives are better,

00:27:33.239 --> 00:27:33.539
 richer,

00:27:34.059 --> 00:27:35.619
 because of the local church.

00:27:36.579 --> 00:27:37.559
 Isn't that an amazing thing,

00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:38.619
 the privilege that we have

00:27:38.619 --> 00:27:39.559
 to gather together

00:27:39.559 --> 00:27:40.279
 as people who,

00:27:40.579 --> 00:27:40.919
 to be honest,

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:41.639
 if we were just living

00:27:41.639 --> 00:27:42.419
 our lives in the world,

00:27:42.679 --> 00:27:43.960
 we would never cross paths,

00:27:44.519 --> 00:27:47.079
 let alone be a family.

00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:48.779
 And yet,

00:27:48.859 --> 00:27:49.539
 through the gospel,

00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:49.879
 friends,

00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:50.940
 do you see

00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:53.079
 how wonderful a thing is

00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:56.419
 the local church?

00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:58.299
 Nothing like this

00:27:58.299 --> 00:27:58.819
 in the market.

00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.379
 Nothing like this.

00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:02.440
 And so,

00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:02.639
 friends,

00:28:02.679 --> 00:28:03.359
 if you're here,

00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:04.259
 and let me just say,

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:05.059
 if you're here,

00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:05.519
 and I get,

00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:06.879
 just because of this time of year,

00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:07.920
 this is always my pitch,

00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:08.500
 I haven't done this

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.460
 for a number of years now,

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:10.720
 if you're here today,

00:28:10.819 --> 00:28:11.660
 and let me just say,

00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:13.099
 if you're flirting with church,

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.720
 if you're here

00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.259
 and you're doing this

00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:16.240
 church search thing

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:16.900
 and you're kind of

00:28:16.900 --> 00:28:17.700
 sitting on the fringes

00:28:17.700 --> 00:28:18.799
 not sure if you'll commit,

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.359
 I just want you to know

00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:21.599
 that in love,

00:28:21.940 --> 00:28:23.579
 the longer that you leave it,

00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:25.480
 the more you're depriving yourself

00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.259
 of that blessing.

00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:29.660
 I just know

00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:30.660
 how enriched

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.940
 my life has been

00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:34.720
 because of God's grace to me,

00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:36.640
 because of all

00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:37.359
 the wisdom

00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:38.359
 and love

00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:40.619
 and patience

00:28:40.619 --> 00:28:41.420
 and grace

00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:42.259
 that I've received

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:43.319
 from different people

00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:44.519
 who I've got to know

00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:46.440
 in the various local churches

00:28:46.440 --> 00:28:47.160
 that I've been in

00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:47.859
 over the years.

00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:48.859
 And as we've been

00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:49.559
 in this one now,

00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:50.119
 Alex and I

00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:51.299
 for well over 14,

00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:53.220
 the amount of people

00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:54.119
 who have come through

00:28:54.119 --> 00:28:54.640
 our lives

00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.539
 and blessed us,

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.079
 how?

00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:57.879
 Because we are united

00:28:57.879 --> 00:28:58.460
 in Jesus.

00:29:00.339 --> 00:29:02.319
 My life is better

00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:03.960
 because of the local church

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.740
 and do you know

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:05.680
 what else, friends?

00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:07.759
 Our witness is stronger

00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:09.379
 because of the local church.

00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:11.920
 In our world

00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:12.980
 that seems to be

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:16.519
 becoming increasingly polarized

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:20.059
 and aggressively so,

00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:21.980
 don't underestimate

00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:23.799
 how powerful

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:25.640
 and apologetic it is

00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:27.520
 when we simply gather together

00:29:27.520 --> 00:29:28.420
 and love one another

00:29:28.420 --> 00:29:29.740
 under the lordship of Jesus.

00:29:32.320 --> 00:29:33.240
 The question

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.500
 that this passage asks us

00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:35.220
 if we take it

00:29:35.220 --> 00:29:35.900
 and run with it

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:37.380
 is how can we press

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:39.100
 into knowing each other better?

00:29:40.520 --> 00:29:41.140
 Can I just give you

00:29:41.140 --> 00:29:41.940
 one area

00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:43.720
 in particular?

00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:44.500
 We could apply this

00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:45.820
 in so many different ways.

00:29:46.300 --> 00:29:46.960
 Can I just give you

00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.640
 one area in particular

00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:49.900
 as we think about

00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:50.580
 our culture

00:29:50.580 --> 00:29:51.840
 that I think is just

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:52.839
 a massive opportunity

00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:53.919
 for us just now?

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.119
 You might not have seen

00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:56.720
 this one coming

00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.659
 but let me give you it.

00:29:58.439 --> 00:30:00.119
 It's the generational gap.

00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:03.839
 Isn't it true right now

00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:04.359
 that you have

00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.639
 a younger generation

00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:07.059
 bear with me

00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:08.659
 who are critical

00:30:08.659 --> 00:30:10.399
 perhaps of an older generation?

00:30:11.679 --> 00:30:12.479
 You're clogging

00:30:12.479 --> 00:30:13.399
 the housing market.

00:30:13.579 --> 00:30:14.799
 You aren't being authentic.

00:30:16.179 --> 00:30:17.019
 And in turn

00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:17.679
 you also have

00:30:17.679 --> 00:30:18.739
 an older generation

00:30:18.739 --> 00:30:20.739
 suspicious of a younger generation.

00:30:21.139 --> 00:30:21.859
 You're not as committed

00:30:21.859 --> 00:30:22.859
 as we once were.

00:30:23.199 --> 00:30:24.839
 You've got an entitlement mentality.

00:30:25.379 --> 00:30:26.139
 No, it's a bit awkward.

00:30:26.379 --> 00:30:27.699
 Does it not sound familiar

00:30:27.700 --> 00:30:28.440
 as we live our lives

00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.019
 in this world?

00:30:29.580 --> 00:30:30.180
 A few nods.

00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:33.259
 But do you see how God

00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:34.340
 if we've got this picture

00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:35.160
 of the local church

00:30:35.160 --> 00:30:36.500
 do you see how he calls us

00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:38.200
 to do this generational thing

00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:39.460
 radically differently?

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:43.100
 And to lovingly enter

00:30:43.100 --> 00:30:44.940
 each other's worlds?

00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:46.819
 And can I just ping you

00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:47.860
 with some challenges

00:30:47.860 --> 00:30:48.840
 that I was thinking about

00:30:48.840 --> 00:30:49.240
 this week

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:50.259
 to both generations?

00:30:50.860 --> 00:30:52.059
 To an older generation

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:52.960
 first of all.

00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:56.080
 Friends, do you pray for

00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:57.799
 and are you willing

00:30:57.799 --> 00:30:59.899
 to invest in the younger generation

00:30:59.899 --> 00:31:00.659
 who by the way

00:31:00.659 --> 00:31:01.500
 are the church leaders

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:02.159
 of tomorrow

00:31:02.159 --> 00:31:04.759
 in a way that communicates

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.240
 to them

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:06.960
 that we don't just want you

00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:10.480
 to keep up the momentum

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:11.639
 of what we started.

00:31:12.339 --> 00:31:13.879
 We actually long for

00:31:13.879 --> 00:31:15.119
 and pray that you guys

00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:17.259
 would see so much more fruit

00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:18.379
 for the glory of God

00:31:18.379 --> 00:31:19.259
 than we ever did

00:31:19.259 --> 00:31:20.199
 in our lifetime.

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:23.399
 Do you appreciate

00:31:23.399 --> 00:31:24.960
 that a younger generation

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:26.000
 are facing things

00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:26.740
 that you probably

00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:28.039
 never had to face

00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:29.039
 in your life

00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:30.799
 let alone think about?

00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:34.079
 Mounting student debt?

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:36.039
 Gender critical

00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:37.220
 and sex saturated

00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:38.240
 places of work

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:38.819
 that these guys

00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:39.860
 find themselves in?

00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:41.640
 Mental health worries?

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:42.860
 And on and on

00:31:42.860 --> 00:31:43.779
 you could go.

00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:46.039
 Older generation here

00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:46.759
 what would it look like

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.740
 for you to enter

00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:48.640
 the world of someone

00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:49.700
 in our younger generation

00:31:49.700 --> 00:31:50.700
 in our church family

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:51.340
 and help them?

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:52.880
 Let me flip it around though

00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:54.320
 to a younger generation

00:31:54.320 --> 00:31:54.880
 who I imagine

00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.520
 are a few more

00:31:55.520 --> 00:31:56.120
 in this room.

00:31:57.640 --> 00:31:58.800
 Do you think to yourself

00:31:58.800 --> 00:31:59.460
 deep down

00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.160
 because you've been

00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:01.640
 brought up in this world

00:32:01.640 --> 00:32:03.340
 and so much of it

00:32:03.340 --> 00:32:04.080
 like osmosis

00:32:04.080 --> 00:32:05.060
 has just made its way

00:32:05.060 --> 00:32:06.480
 into our systems.

00:32:06.800 --> 00:32:07.460
 Do you think

00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:08.280
 that you've got nothing

00:32:08.280 --> 00:32:09.060
 to learn from

00:32:09.060 --> 00:32:10.100
 an older generation

00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:10.740
 deep down?

00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:12.820
 Do you see

00:32:12.820 --> 00:32:13.320
 that they have

00:32:13.320 --> 00:32:14.940
 so much

00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:16.600
 Christian life experience

00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:19.120
 to share with you?

00:32:19.340 --> 00:32:20.060
 Do you appreciate

00:32:20.060 --> 00:32:20.860
 that there's people

00:32:20.859 --> 00:32:21.459
 in this room

00:32:21.459 --> 00:32:22.419
 and in this church family

00:32:22.419 --> 00:32:23.659
 who might not be here today

00:32:23.659 --> 00:32:24.919
 but will be here next week

00:32:24.919 --> 00:32:26.359
 who have been married

00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:26.919
 for longer

00:32:26.919 --> 00:32:28.119
 than you've been alive?

00:32:30.839 --> 00:32:31.959
 They know what it is

00:32:31.959 --> 00:32:33.240
 to suffer bereavement

00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:36.559
 and to lose a spouse

00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:38.479
 to get to 90

00:32:38.479 --> 00:32:39.659
 and to have all your friends

00:32:39.659 --> 00:32:40.519
 die and think

00:32:40.519 --> 00:32:40.859
 goodness

00:32:40.859 --> 00:32:42.240
 life feels really lonely.

00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:45.679
 To know how scary

00:32:45.679 --> 00:32:46.399
 unemployment

00:32:46.399 --> 00:32:47.879
 and redundancy is

00:32:47.879 --> 00:32:49.259
 who know how tiring

00:32:49.259 --> 00:32:50.459
 it is to be a parent

00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:52.160
 who know what it is

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:53.059
 to run a business

00:32:53.059 --> 00:32:53.960
 and to do that

00:32:53.960 --> 00:32:55.799
 with Christian integrity

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.980
 who know what it is

00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:57.940
 to be a missionary

00:32:57.940 --> 00:32:59.620
 living in a foreign country

00:32:59.620 --> 00:33:02.500
 and yet know what it is

00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:03.620
 to do those things

00:33:03.620 --> 00:33:04.759
 and will testify

00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:06.100
 to the goodness of God

00:33:06.100 --> 00:33:06.960
 throughout that.

00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:10.140
 Why not ask them

00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:11.259
 younger generation

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:12.200
 why not go and find

00:33:12.200 --> 00:33:14.319
 someone in an older generation

00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:15.299
 and ask them

00:33:15.299 --> 00:33:17.579
 what was the most exciting thing

00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:18.720
 that you saw God do

00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:19.539
 in your lifetime?

00:33:19.539 --> 00:33:21.299
 Isn't that amazing?

00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:22.339
 Some of us in this room

00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:23.139
 will have lived through

00:33:23.139 --> 00:33:24.379
 when Billy Graham

00:33:24.379 --> 00:33:25.159
 came to Scotland

00:33:25.159 --> 00:33:25.920
 way back

00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:28.680
 beginning of the 19th century.

00:33:29.139 --> 00:33:30.519
 I read a stat recently

00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.299
 that apparently

00:33:31.299 --> 00:33:33.619
 was that 76%

00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:34.619
 of Glaswegians

00:33:34.619 --> 00:33:35.420
 went to at least

00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:36.399
 one of his meetings.

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:38.379
 Can you imagine that?

00:33:39.940 --> 00:33:41.019
 Imagine living through

00:33:41.019 --> 00:33:42.159
 something like that.

00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:44.039
 Up in the Hebrides

00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:45.059
 the revivals that happened.

00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:45.339
 Friends,

00:33:45.399 --> 00:33:46.059
 do you see that

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:47.659
 there's so much wisdom

00:33:47.659 --> 00:33:49.279
 in this room

00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:51.019
 when it comes to

00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:51.619
 how God

00:33:51.619 --> 00:33:53.139
 has been at work

00:33:53.139 --> 00:33:54.200
 and so much

00:33:54.200 --> 00:33:55.460
 Christian wisdom

00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:57.359
 in terms of

00:33:57.359 --> 00:33:57.779
 what it means

00:33:57.779 --> 00:33:58.519
 to live faithfully

00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:59.099
 for Jesus

00:33:59.099 --> 00:34:00.359
 throughout it all.

00:34:00.700 --> 00:34:00.879
 Friends,

00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:01.879
 do you see how God

00:34:01.879 --> 00:34:02.899
 has put us together

00:34:02.899 --> 00:34:05.259
 as one church family?

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.659
 The Bible is such

00:34:06.659 --> 00:34:07.599
 a generational

00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:08.840
 passing book.

00:34:09.659 --> 00:34:10.820
 One generation

00:34:10.820 --> 00:34:11.940
 commends your work

00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:13.880
 to the next

00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:16.400
 and we're called

00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:17.420
 to help each other

00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:18.139
 figure out

00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:19.000
 what faithfulness

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:19.519
 to Jesus

00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:20.240
 looks like

00:34:20.240 --> 00:34:21.159
 in our different

00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:22.780
 life stages

00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:26.059
 and bring that together.

00:34:26.260 --> 00:34:27.119
 All that means

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:28.119
 that our local

00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:29.179
 church community

00:34:29.179 --> 00:34:30.119
 should be one

00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:30.940
 massive

00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:32.059
 puzzling

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:33.400
 question mark

00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:34.599
 to the watching world.

00:34:35.720 --> 00:34:36.960
 How has God

00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:37.740
 done that?

00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:39.019
 Why

00:34:41.940 --> 00:34:42.800
 And all that

00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:43.320
 takes me

00:34:43.320 --> 00:34:44.220
 just as I close

00:34:44.220 --> 00:34:46.579
 to

00:34:46.579 --> 00:34:48.220
 a story

00:34:48.220 --> 00:34:48.960
 I once read

00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.679
 a guy called

00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:51.639
 Michael Otts

00:34:51.639 --> 00:34:52.720
 who's an evangelist

00:34:52.720 --> 00:34:53.780
 down south

00:34:53.780 --> 00:34:55.079
 tell

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.800
 about a local

00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:57.700
 church community

00:34:57.700 --> 00:34:58.539
 in Bristol

00:34:58.539 --> 00:35:00.300
 and I took an interest

00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:00.579
 in this

00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:01.340
 because for a couple

00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:01.599
 of years

00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:02.679
 you might not know this

00:35:02.679 --> 00:35:03.599
 I lived in Bristol

00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:04.320
 used to work

00:35:04.320 --> 00:35:04.860
 down there

00:35:04.860 --> 00:35:06.260
 and

00:35:06.260 --> 00:35:07.400
 lovely city

00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:08.320
 loved living there

00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:08.960
 really rough

00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:09.440
 and ready

00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:12.019
 an estate agent

00:35:12.019 --> 00:35:12.720
 when I was asking

00:35:12.720 --> 00:35:13.139
 what area

00:35:13.139 --> 00:35:14.039
 should I live in

00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:14.740
 she described

00:35:14.740 --> 00:35:15.099
 the area

00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:15.840
 that I settled

00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.400
 in as

00:35:16.400 --> 00:35:17.079
 bohemian

00:35:17.079 --> 00:35:17.800
 and earthy

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:19.220
 and all of a sudden

00:35:19.220 --> 00:35:20.119
 I got down there

00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:20.500
 and I thought

00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:21.280
 oh she just means

00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:21.880
 rough and ready

00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:22.460
 loved it

00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:22.760
 right

00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:23.579
 grew up in Glasgow

00:35:23.579 --> 00:35:24.440
 this was my world

00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:25.019
 loved it

00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:26.780
 I specifically remember

00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:28.019
 where I ended up living

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:28.980
 was in a place

00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:30.280
 called St Paul's

00:35:30.280 --> 00:35:31.119
 have you know anything

00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:32.000
 about the history

00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:32.760
 of Bristol's

00:35:32.760 --> 00:35:33.340
 there was riots

00:35:33.340 --> 00:35:34.019
 in St Paul's

00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:34.840
 back in the day

00:35:34.840 --> 00:35:36.099
 and when I got there

00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:37.039
 I kind of understood

00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:37.599
 why

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:39.339
 because it is so

00:35:39.339 --> 00:35:40.019
 multicultural

00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:41.659
 and so

00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:42.799
 multi-generational

00:35:42.799 --> 00:35:44.619
 so to give you an example

00:35:44.619 --> 00:35:45.699
 where I lived at the junction

00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:46.799
 at the bottom of our street

00:35:46.799 --> 00:35:48.380
 you had a Somalian community

00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:49.039
 over there

00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:50.619
 you had a Nigerian community

00:35:50.619 --> 00:35:51.299
 over there

00:35:51.299 --> 00:35:54.480
 you had a Jamaican community

00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:55.059
 over there

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:55.880
 and in amongst

00:35:55.880 --> 00:35:56.779
 an English community

00:35:56.779 --> 00:35:57.659
 that lived all about

00:35:57.659 --> 00:35:58.380
 and all of a sudden

00:35:58.380 --> 00:35:59.420
 I was the token Scot

00:35:59.420 --> 00:35:59.980
 in the mix

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:00.659
 I loved it

00:36:00.659 --> 00:36:02.880
 so diverse

00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:04.679
 so many tensions

00:36:04.679 --> 00:36:05.779
 that were going on

00:36:05.780 --> 00:36:07.519
 but Michael Otz

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.480
 tells the story

00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:09.140
 of a time

00:36:09.140 --> 00:36:10.400
 when a local councillor

00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:11.640
 walked into one of the

00:36:11.640 --> 00:36:12.900
 local churches in Bristol

00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:13.960
 can't remember where it was

00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:15.040
 but somewhere in the city

00:36:15.040 --> 00:36:16.940
 local councillor

00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:18.000
 walks into this church

00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:18.900
 and he looks around

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.780
 and he sees

00:36:19.780 --> 00:36:20.660
 what's going on

00:36:20.660 --> 00:36:22.240
 all sorts of different people

00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:23.340
 kind of getting on

00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:24.620
 and seeming to love each other

00:36:24.620 --> 00:36:26.960
 and they're singing

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:28.120
 laughing

00:36:28.120 --> 00:36:28.980
 crying

00:36:28.980 --> 00:36:30.740
 eating

00:36:30.740 --> 00:36:31.580
 praying

00:36:31.580 --> 00:36:32.480
 they're just doing

00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:33.580
 church life together

00:36:33.580 --> 00:36:34.900
 again thinking to themselves

00:36:34.900 --> 00:36:36.300
 there's nothing to see here

00:36:36.300 --> 00:36:39.920
 and this local councillor

00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:40.700
 was so amazed

00:36:40.700 --> 00:36:41.880
 that when he left

00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:43.019
 apparently he commented

00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:43.780
 to the minister

00:36:43.780 --> 00:36:44.760
 there on the door

00:36:44.760 --> 00:36:46.240
 he said this

00:36:46.240 --> 00:36:47.400
 he said

00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:47.820
 you know what

00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:48.880
 each year I spend

00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:49.940
 millions of pounds

00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:50.760
 of my budget

00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:52.240
 trying to get people

00:36:52.240 --> 00:36:53.500
 from this area

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:55.200
 to get on with people

00:36:55.200 --> 00:36:56.059
 from that area

00:36:56.059 --> 00:36:57.840
 and I walk in here

00:36:57.840 --> 00:36:58.380
 on a Sunday

00:36:58.380 --> 00:36:59.440
 and I see that you do it

00:36:59.440 --> 00:36:59.980
 for free

00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:03.440
 is that not exactly

00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:04.599
 what this passage is saying

00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:06.360
 how

00:37:06.360 --> 00:37:07.039
 how

00:37:07.039 --> 00:37:07.940
 how

00:37:07.940 --> 00:37:09.619
 has God

00:37:09.619 --> 00:37:10.219
 done that

00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:10.739
 answer

00:37:10.739 --> 00:37:11.920
 through

00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:13.199
 the gospel

00:37:13.199 --> 00:37:14.360
 through his son

00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:16.159
 the church

00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:16.519
 friends

00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:17.539
 is the manifold

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:18.819
 wisdom of God

00:37:18.819 --> 00:37:19.559
 it is

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.480
 his

00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:22.000
 glorious

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:23.360
 show and tell

00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:25.880
 so let's embrace

00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:26.120
 it

00:37:26.120 --> 00:37:27.740
 let's love it

00:37:27.740 --> 00:37:28.420
 and let's do it

00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:29.420
 all for

00:37:29.420 --> 00:37:30.900
 his glory

00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:31.720
 let me pray

00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:39.039
 and father God

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:40.180
 we worship you

00:37:40.180 --> 00:37:40.660
 today

00:37:40.660 --> 00:37:41.539
 for your

00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:42.599
 manifold

00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:43.700
 wisdom

00:37:43.699 --> 00:37:44.199
 wisdom

00:37:44.199 --> 00:37:47.279
 you are

00:37:47.279 --> 00:37:48.019
 your ways

00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:48.980
 are so far

00:37:48.980 --> 00:37:49.579
 above the

00:37:49.579 --> 00:37:50.379
 things of our

00:37:50.379 --> 00:37:51.000
 ways

00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:51.419
 your

00:37:51.419 --> 00:37:52.679
 your

00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:54.500
 thoughts

00:37:54.500 --> 00:37:55.239
 are so much

00:37:55.239 --> 00:37:56.019
 higher than our

00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:56.339
 thoughts

00:37:56.339 --> 00:37:57.039
 father you're so

00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:57.699
 much greater

00:37:57.699 --> 00:37:58.239
 than us

00:37:58.239 --> 00:37:58.599
 lord

00:37:58.599 --> 00:37:59.799
 thank you

00:37:59.799 --> 00:38:00.279
 for

00:38:00.279 --> 00:38:01.480
 the pages

00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:02.039
 of scripture

00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:02.619
 that we can

00:38:02.619 --> 00:38:03.239
 read here

00:38:03.239 --> 00:38:04.000
 about the way

00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.419
 that you've

00:38:04.419 --> 00:38:05.079
 shown your

00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:06.139
 manifold wisdom

00:38:06.139 --> 00:38:07.000
 to the world

00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:08.099
 in this

00:38:08.099 --> 00:38:08.859
 people

00:38:08.859 --> 00:38:09.519
 that Jesus

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.279
 has saved

00:38:10.280 --> 00:38:11.080
 for himself

00:38:11.080 --> 00:38:12.540
 the worshippers

00:38:12.540 --> 00:38:13.000
 that he's

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:13.460
 created

00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:14.200
 the people

00:38:14.200 --> 00:38:14.660
 that he's

00:38:14.660 --> 00:38:15.500
 united together

00:38:15.500 --> 00:38:16.100
 to declare

00:38:16.100 --> 00:38:16.900
 his praises

00:38:16.900 --> 00:38:17.800
 oh father

00:38:17.800 --> 00:38:18.680
 all praise

00:38:18.680 --> 00:38:19.720
 to you

00:38:19.720 --> 00:38:21.360
 and father

00:38:21.360 --> 00:38:22.260
 we thank you

00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:22.840
 so much

00:38:22.840 --> 00:38:23.480
 for the gift

00:38:23.480 --> 00:38:24.200
 of our

00:38:24.200 --> 00:38:25.300
 local church

00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:26.640
 thank you

00:38:26.640 --> 00:38:27.040
 that even

00:38:27.040 --> 00:38:27.760
 in this room

00:38:27.760 --> 00:38:28.100
 even though

00:38:28.100 --> 00:38:28.420
 it feels

00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:28.900
 like half

00:38:28.900 --> 00:38:29.180
 of our

00:38:29.180 --> 00:38:29.360
 church

00:38:29.360 --> 00:38:29.680
 family

00:38:29.680 --> 00:38:30.140
 is away

00:38:30.140 --> 00:38:30.700
 just now

00:38:30.700 --> 00:38:31.420
 thank you

00:38:31.420 --> 00:38:31.700
 that even

00:38:31.700 --> 00:38:32.060
 in this

00:38:32.060 --> 00:38:32.540
 room

00:38:32.540 --> 00:38:33.460
 as we

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:33.700
 think

00:38:33.700 --> 00:38:33.940
 about

00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.140
 the

00:38:34.140 --> 00:38:34.860
 diversity

00:38:34.860 --> 00:38:36.480
 and we

00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:36.660
 think

00:38:36.660 --> 00:38:36.860
 about

00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:37.040
 the

00:38:37.040 --> 00:38:37.519
 unity

00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:38.900
 as we

00:38:38.900 --> 00:38:39.040
 think

00:38:39.040 --> 00:38:39.260
 about

00:38:39.260 --> 00:38:39.440
 the

00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:39.960
 love

00:38:39.960 --> 00:38:40.260
 as we

00:38:40.260 --> 00:38:40.440
 think

00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:40.620
 about

00:38:40.620 --> 00:38:40.820
 the

00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:41.240
 worship

00:38:41.240 --> 00:38:41.640
 as we

00:38:41.640 --> 00:38:41.860
 think

00:38:41.860 --> 00:38:42.060
 about

00:38:42.060 --> 00:38:42.200
 the

00:38:42.200 --> 00:38:42.380
 way

00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:42.540
 that

00:38:42.540 --> 00:38:42.660
 we

00:38:42.660 --> 00:38:42.820
 do

00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:43.120
 church

00:38:43.120 --> 00:38:43.520
 together

00:38:43.520 --> 00:38:44.080
 father

00:38:44.080 --> 00:38:44.600
 convince

00:38:44.600 --> 00:38:44.900
 our

00:38:44.900 --> 00:38:45.260
 mind

00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:45.460
 that

00:38:45.460 --> 00:38:45.820
 sometimes

00:38:45.820 --> 00:38:46.060
 we

00:38:46.060 --> 00:38:46.420
 often

00:38:46.420 --> 00:38:46.740
 we

00:38:46.740 --> 00:38:47.020
 think

00:38:47.020 --> 00:38:47.180
 that

00:38:47.180 --> 00:38:47.380
 there's

00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:47.680
 nothing

00:38:47.680 --> 00:38:48.400
 special

00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:48.720
 going

00:38:48.720 --> 00:38:49.100
 on

00:38:49.100 --> 00:38:50.600
 but

00:38:50.600 --> 00:38:50.780
 lord

00:38:50.780 --> 00:38:51.080
 help

00:38:51.080 --> 00:38:51.240
 us

00:38:51.240 --> 00:38:51.580
 where they

00:38:51.580 --> 00:38:52.700
 put on

00:38:52.700 --> 00:38:52.820
 the

00:38:52.820 --> 00:38:53.360
 Ephesians

00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:53.700
 three

00:38:53.700 --> 00:38:54.200
 glasses

00:38:54.200 --> 00:38:55.060
 to see

00:38:55.060 --> 00:38:55.340
 the

00:38:55.340 --> 00:38:55.660
 church

00:38:55.660 --> 00:38:55.960
 as you

00:38:55.960 --> 00:38:56.340
 see

00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:56.520
 it

00:38:56.520 --> 00:38:56.880
 and to

00:38:56.880 --> 00:38:57.500
 conclude

00:38:57.500 --> 00:38:58.560
 that

00:38:58.560 --> 00:38:58.760
 there's

00:38:58.760 --> 00:38:59.160
 everything

00:38:59.160 --> 00:38:59.520
 going

00:38:59.520 --> 00:39:00.000
 on

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:01.960
 well father

00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:02.620
 raise

00:39:02.620 --> 00:39:02.980
 our

00:39:02.980 --> 00:39:03.500
 vision

00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:04.420
 of the

00:39:04.420 --> 00:39:04.780
 church

00:39:04.780 --> 00:39:05.420
 and that

00:39:05.420 --> 00:39:05.780
 will only

00:39:05.780 --> 00:39:06.160
 happen

00:39:06.160 --> 00:39:06.480
 if you

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.020
 raise

00:39:07.020 --> 00:39:07.300
 our

00:39:07.300 --> 00:39:07.660
 vision

00:39:07.660 --> 00:39:08.000
 of the

00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:08.280
!

00:39:10.260 --> 00:39:15.100
 Amen