WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.600 Hebrews 12. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:59.060 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festival gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:03.560 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:11.859 For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:23.120 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:36.439 This phrase, yet once more, indicates the removal of things that are shaken, that is, things that have been made, in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:49.780 Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:52.000 Well, good morning everyone. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:02:21.979 Good morning everyone. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:22.919 today, please. 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:23.280 Good morning. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:27.459 Good morning everyone. 00:02:32.519 --> 00:02:36.539 Good morning everyone. 00:02:36.539 --> 00:02:41.299 Good morning. 00:02:41.299 --> 00:02:45.679 Hey, fun. 00:02:45.679 --> 00:02:48.399 We're pré Ultimately. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:56.000 easily superimpose our own thinking, our own framework on these key words. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:03.620 Now, it may be for some Christians and some Christians in this church that we do that 00:03:03.620 --> 00:03:07.879 because we actually haven't taken the time to listen to what God says about these important 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:18.960 issues. But more sadly, and I think also a reality in our church, is that sometimes we 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:24.699 superimpose our own views because we actually don't like what we hear God saying. We actually 00:03:24.699 --> 00:03:31.599 want to superimpose a view until we have something that we're comfortable with, that sits easily 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:39.539 with us in these key areas. And that's particularly obvious, I think, when it comes to the word 00:03:39.539 --> 00:03:48.359 that's our focus this morning, the word church. So what do you think of when you think of church? 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:53.639 Perhaps, like Don discovered this morning, perhaps you don't think it's just something 00:03:53.639 --> 00:04:02.539 that's there. And most Christians, I think, would believe that church is linked to being 00:04:02.539 --> 00:04:08.699 a Christian. Last week, Rob took us through the word salvation and looked at what God says 00:04:08.699 --> 00:04:13.659 clearly about salvation. And out of that, then I think most Christians would say, well, once 00:04:13.659 --> 00:04:21.339 you're saved, that has an inseparable link to the idea of church. Don brought that out in 00:04:21.339 --> 00:04:29.979 a stone, saved Christians, church. Now, after that, there might be huge variance as to what that 00:04:29.979 --> 00:04:41.259 connection looks like and what it means in practice. Is it just a nice theory? And I know so many 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:48.039 Christians who are in this camp. Well, they say the idea of church as the body or family of Christ, 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:54.780 it's a really lovely theory. But of course, it doesn't work in practice. Just look around. 00:04:58.780 --> 00:05:07.879 And so out of that, then people often really sit loose to church and have as little to do with 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:13.780 the organism here, the community here, have as little to do as possible. Because after all, 00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:21.979 they say, it really is just a collection of really annoying people. Even hypocrites. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:31.979 Others will say, well, church is something I think is really important. I personally can take it or 00:05:31.979 --> 00:05:37.500 leave it depending on whether it overlaps with my desires, my interests. 00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:48.160 Others again will say, well, actually, I suppose to me, church is like a club. 00:05:49.899 --> 00:05:55.420 I get involved in it because it reflects my personal interest in life. It puts me in contact 00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:59.379 with nice people. I like to hang out with nice people, people who are like me. 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:07.319 It actually offers some enjoyable benefits when it works well, and so on and so forth. 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:14.379 So those are fairly common views, I think. Perhaps more common than we'd ever care to admit. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:21.719 Or is church for you something that is at the heart of God's purpose for you as a Christian? 00:06:21.720 --> 00:06:31.500 Something you would say is absolutely essential to your health and spiritual growth as a believer. 00:06:32.460 --> 00:06:34.180 To your maturity as a believer. 00:06:39.060 --> 00:06:43.180 Well, friends, once again, God has spoken very clearly about church. 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:46.980 And we need to listen. 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:51.460 We need to listen and we need to follow. 00:06:51.780 --> 00:06:55.400 We must see God's church with God's eyes. 00:06:57.720 --> 00:06:59.700 So let's jump into these verses from Hebrews. 00:07:00.379 --> 00:07:03.280 There's any number of passages we could have gone to in the New Testament. 00:07:03.860 --> 00:07:05.140 I opted for Hebrews. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:07.319 We'll see how we go. 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:13.300 Any of these passages describe God's church in all its glory. 00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:18.319 And that's a word that is appropriate to describe God's church. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:19.460 It's glorious. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:29.199 But let me give some background context to Hebrews chapter 12, without which we'll actually not be able to see the beauty of what's being said here in these verses. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:41.319 The letter was written to encourage small groups of Christians who had then, having been converted, abandoned into little churches, scattered around the Roman Empire. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:45.579 Most of these people to whom it was written had a Jewish background, converted out of Judaism. 00:07:45.579 --> 00:08:01.240 And what they discovered was, and quite contrary to expectation perhaps, that their newfound faith in Christ had actually made life harder, had actually made life more uncertain for them on a day-to-day basis. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:05.240 Because it brought persecution from both Jews and Romans. 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:12.620 And so as a result of that, many were tempted to give up their Christian faith and resume their old Jewish religion. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:17.340 Because they knew that the Jewish religion was actually accepted by the Roman Empire. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:19.680 So it would mean an end to their persecution and suffering. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:42.919 Because when they looked around their little churches, their little groups of Christians looked so pathetic, so insignificant, compared to the status enjoyed by the Jewish synagogues and by so many other pagan religions around the Roman Empire with their massive temples and their holy days and their holy people and their special rituals. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:47.620 The church just didn't look to be worth anything. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:54.359 And so they were tempted to turn back to what they had once been part of. 00:08:55.899 --> 00:09:01.419 And the encouragement of this letter as a whole, leading up to chapter 12, is this. 00:09:01.839 --> 00:09:12.459 To recognise that Jesus has established the salvation community which God had planned from eternity. 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:19.059 And which Judaism had only ever been able to point to. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:25.120 So the encouragement of this letter is to say this. 00:09:25.699 --> 00:09:35.779 In spite of what it might appear like, how it might feel on a day-to-day basis, these Christians were part of God's eternal community. 00:09:36.659 --> 00:09:37.239 The church. 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:49.840 And in fact, we'll see here in these verses that the writers say, indeed, the church is the only secure eternal community in our broken and decaying world. 00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:52.740 And that's a really big rap for the church, isn't it? 00:09:52.740 --> 00:09:56.320 It's a really big rap. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.200 But that is God's word on the matter. 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:16.520 And I would venture to say that unless we're seeing the church with the same centrality, the same certainty, the same security, the same glory, then we're not seeing the church with God's eyes. 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:25.279 Because the church has been central to God's purposeful gathering of his people into community. 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:28.639 The Greek word is ekklesia. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:28.759 Ekklesia. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:36.759 The primary notion of church is God calling out or gathering, congregating. 00:10:36.819 --> 00:10:38.360 That's the word we get congregation from. 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:42.860 God congregating or assembling his people before himself. 00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:50.620 And that notion is right across the whole breadth of the Bible. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.159 The first picture of church is actually in Genesis 1 and 2. 00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:59.700 Having created the universe to his own satisfaction, what does God do? 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:09.500 He immediately gathers, as it were, Adam and Eve from the world as a whole place into a special place, the Garden of Eden. 00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:12.800 Into a special relationship with God. 00:11:13.580 --> 00:11:18.539 God was determined to enjoy what he'd created with his image bearers. 00:11:21.680 --> 00:11:24.300 And he was determined to do that for eternity. 00:11:25.220 --> 00:11:30.899 In response, Genesis 1 and 2, particularly Genesis 2, God's people were to worship him. 00:11:32.139 --> 00:11:38.120 A whole of life, whole of being response of love and trust and honor and obedience. 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:43.560 That was a picture of the church as God meant it to be. 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:46.940 Of course, sin wrecked everything, didn't it? 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:51.340 Forcing God to disperse his people. 00:11:51.340 --> 00:12:02.639 But even in Genesis 3, as God disperses his people, that dispersion happened with the promise that one day God would act to fix the problem of sin. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:08.720 And one day, once again, gather his people to himself in special relationship for eternity. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:14.259 That's, we move into chapter 12. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:18.580 That's what's been spoken about here in verse 18 to 22, 23. 00:12:18.820 --> 00:12:20.220 It's the picture of Sinai. 00:12:20.220 --> 00:12:21.379 We see that at Sinai. 00:12:22.940 --> 00:12:26.980 Where God assembled or churched his people at Mount Sinai. 00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:29.840 He gathered them from slavery in Egypt. 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:34.360 Gathered them to himself in relationship, in new relationship. 00:12:34.800 --> 00:12:37.139 A relationship when he said, I will bless you. 00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:40.980 I want you to worship me with whole hearts. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.340 But rebellion and judgment still plagued the relationship. 00:12:50.419 --> 00:12:59.080 And so, what we know as we look across the spread of the Bible is that Sinai was a great progression in God's purpose to gather his church. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:01.379 But it wasn't the final entity. 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:02.600 It wasn't the final reality. 00:13:03.659 --> 00:13:05.679 And for that, we need Jesus. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:08.879 And we see that in verse 22, 23, and 24. 00:13:08.979 --> 00:13:09.919 Let me just read them to you. 00:13:10.719 --> 00:13:14.099 So, he says, you've not come, verse 18, you've not come to Sinai. 00:13:14.479 --> 00:13:14.639 Right? 00:13:14.699 --> 00:13:15.339 There's a contrast. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:16.719 You've not come to Sinai. 00:13:17.199 --> 00:13:18.559 But you have come. 00:13:19.439 --> 00:13:20.399 This is speaking to Christians. 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:21.699 You've not come to this. 00:13:21.979 --> 00:13:24.359 But you have come to Mount Zion. 00:13:24.899 --> 00:13:26.539 To the city of the living God. 00:13:26.859 --> 00:13:27.919 The heavenly Jerusalem. 00:13:28.819 --> 00:13:32.500 And to innumerable angels in festal gathering. 00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:35.879 And to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:37.740 And to God, the judge of all. 00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:40.340 And to the spirits of the righteous made perfect. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.559 And to Jesus. 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:44.659 The mediator of a new covenant. 00:13:45.059 --> 00:13:48.740 And to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:50.059 There's the connection back to Genesis. 00:13:50.059 --> 00:13:54.439 Jesus is now the fulfillment of that which God promised. 00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:01.000 God's purpose has been fully realized. 00:14:01.599 --> 00:14:05.299 With God's people gathered around Jesus. 00:14:06.359 --> 00:14:08.319 That is a picture of the church. 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:11.699 That is God's purpose in eternity. 00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:18.040 It is the death and resurrection of Jesus. 00:14:19.040 --> 00:14:22.220 That achieves finally God's purpose. 00:14:23.560 --> 00:14:24.600 Dealing with sin. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:27.680 Restoring relationship with God. 00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:30.040 Renewing from the inside out. 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:32.720 And thus qualifying sinners for heaven. 00:14:33.140 --> 00:14:33.720 For eternity. 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:39.540 For the abundant life we heard of from Rob last week. 00:14:40.160 --> 00:14:42.920 The abundant life that God intended for his image bearers. 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.460 Right from the get go. 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:47.080 Heaven itself. 00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:51.660 So it's God's purposeful gathering. 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:53.120 And it's a permanent display. 00:14:53.540 --> 00:14:54.580 The watching world. 00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:56.820 Of God's wisdom and glory. 00:14:58.040 --> 00:14:59.240 One writer said this. 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:02.500 That the church is God's verifying data. 00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:04.560 Of his grace and salvation. 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.759 I think that's a lovely term. 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:09.019 It's God's verifying data. 00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:10.779 Of God's character. 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:11.500 God's grace. 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:13.460 God's actions in salvation. 00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:16.980 We see this again in the strong before and after contrast. 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:17.700 In these verses. 00:15:18.259 --> 00:15:20.120 Verses 18 to 21. 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:21.899 Before Christ. 00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:24.940 For you have not come to what may be touched. 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:28.000 A blazing fire and darkness and gloom. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:28.759 And a tempest. 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:30.600 And the sound of a trumpet and a voice. 00:15:30.700 --> 00:15:32.019 Whose words made the hearers beg. 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:34.519 That no further messages be spoken to them. 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:37.379 For they could not endure the order that was given. 00:15:37.819 --> 00:15:39.419 If even a beast touches the mountain. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:40.600 It shall be stoned. 00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:43.819 Indeed so terrifying was the sight. 00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:45.319 That Moses said. 00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:47.340 I tremble with fear. 00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:51.519 See before. 00:15:53.299 --> 00:15:55.000 When God gathered his people. 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.600 The context was always. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.539 God's holiness. 00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:00.019 And therefore. 00:16:00.019 --> 00:16:01.580 Fear of judgment. 00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:03.319 Proper fear of judgment. 00:16:06.439 --> 00:16:07.700 God's holiness. 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:09.120 Their unresolved sin. 00:16:10.779 --> 00:16:12.059 God's holiness. 00:16:12.819 --> 00:16:14.919 Their debilitating fear. 00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:17.519 As they stand gathered before this holy. 00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.319 Just. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:19.779 All saying. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:21.299 God. 00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:22.299 God's holiness. 00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:23.299 God's holiness. 00:16:23.299 --> 00:16:24.399 And before the scrutiny. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:25.439 God's word. 00:16:26.439 --> 00:16:29.599 That exposes sin to the depths of our hearts. 00:16:31.259 --> 00:16:33.679 And promised justice and judgment. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:34.000 God's holiness. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:45.299 but now look what God has done in Christ verses 22 to 24. We see a whole list of just descriptions 00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:51.259 here piled upon pile upon pile. The writer's struggling to grasp it and so he's just describing 00:16:51.259 --> 00:16:55.879 he's pulling out all these pictures and just stacking them up one on top of the other to try 00:16:55.879 --> 00:17:00.740 and capture the glory of what God has done for us in Christ in establishing the church. 00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:12.380 God's church is in perfect personal relationship with God. No more is sin a barrier because of the 00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:19.539 work of Christ. God's words no longer create fear but bring forgiveness, renewal and comfort to God's 00:17:19.539 --> 00:17:29.279 people. The church is God's temple. The church is God's place of rule. The city where his family 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:38.480 resides in safety and security. It's even party central for as it says here innumerable angels. 00:17:39.059 --> 00:17:44.000 What's the source of the big party the joyous occasion? These innumerable angels are looking 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:51.440 out over uncountable. Not being able to count whatever that right word is. Sinners who've now 00:17:51.440 --> 00:18:00.059 been qualified for heaven and have been signed up for heaven secure, locked in. And they're just stunned. 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:08.900 How could God do that to bring all these sinners safe home to heaven to be with them forever? 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:25.380 And who's front and central to accept the credit? Well we're told here. It comes to God, the judge of all. 00:18:25.380 --> 00:18:40.500 God the father, the just judge of all, has acted and found a way to save those he rightly could have condemned. 00:18:42.260 --> 00:18:55.280 Wow. God the son with the marks of slaughter and blood on him. Showing evidence to the great cost, 00:18:55.279 --> 00:19:00.359 the cost that the father asked the son to pay and the cost that the son gladly paid 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:07.639 to establish the church, the community of God's saved people. And God the Holy Spirit, 00:19:08.819 --> 00:19:16.180 whose indwelling of each and every believer is a guarantee that that relationship, that new relationship, 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:22.240 will last for eternity and will actually make us like our Savior. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:32.059 And then there's different imagery in verses 26, 27 and 28. It's as if the writer's saying, 00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:39.019 look, this whole thing that we're seeing here, the church, is absolutely seismic in God's world. 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:41.240 And that's the imagery of these verses. 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:50.980 At that time, his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but the heavens. 00:19:54.259 --> 00:20:05.000 Mount Sinai shook when God gathered his people as a sign of God's awesome saving presence in the world. 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:11.220 God's purpose would triumph, not sin. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:19.759 But that shake-up was nothing compared to the shake-up of our world when Christ died. 00:20:21.099 --> 00:20:28.480 Quite literally, the verses are saying that the Lord shook the world so much and put a condemned sticker 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:35.339 on all the apparently strong and lasting things in this world. 00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:42.860 And on the other hand, he put an unbreakable sticker on his church, 00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:50.319 which is currently despised and appears weak and unstable. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.559 Testimony to God's glory. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:04.460 It may be hard for us to believe, harder even still to grasp, 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:11.079 but the only really secure thing in this world is being part of God's glorious church. 00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:20.099 This is the only community, the only entity that will span this world and eternity, 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:22.799 if I understand scripture right. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:35.559 And all this is given expression in local assemblies or church families. 00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:42.620 Clearly, verses 22, 23, and 24 are a picture of the absolute glory of heaven 00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:47.620 with all Christ's people from all generations, all time, past, present, and future, 00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:51.440 present and accounted for, and worshipping as they were created to. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:57.299 But the language of these verses and the context in which they were written 00:21:57.299 --> 00:22:02.220 to little groups of Christians scattered all around the Roman Empire 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:06.799 makes it clear that it also includes the Christians, 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:11.900 those ordinary men and women and boys and girls in local churches 00:22:11.900 --> 00:22:14.759 to whom this was written as encouragement. 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:23.279 local churches are the visible expression of the reality of God's church in heaven. 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:32.700 We here, this morning, are a visible expression of the reality of God's church in heaven. 00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:47.059 And that, in turn, then, has implication for us as a local church. 00:22:49.059 --> 00:22:55.299 What is said about the church in heaven is said also about local church expressions here, 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:57.019 such as we are. 00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:02.039 Because we are the church of Christ gathered here at Glendale. 00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:05.160 What are the implications? 00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:07.180 Well, there are a couple, and then I'll drill down into them. 00:23:07.360 --> 00:23:08.180 Verse 25. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:13.480 Say to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking. 00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:14.420 There it is. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.440 You see, God speaks. 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:24.580 We need to listen and align our understanding, our thinking, our commitment to the church 00:23:24.580 --> 00:23:29.720 according to God's word, according to God's eyes, according to God's view of it. 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:32.180 And verse 29. 00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:35.400 Frame this whole paragraph. 00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:41.720 Therefore, let us offer to God acceptable worship. 00:23:45.660 --> 00:23:50.440 With reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. 00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:52.240 Same thing. 00:23:52.620 --> 00:23:55.500 Listen at the beginning of the passage, and heed. 00:23:56.339 --> 00:23:56.860 Align. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:23:58.159 Respond. 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:09.000 Practical implications are clear. 00:24:09.179 --> 00:24:16.359 When a local church like ours listens and follows God's word on the nature and importance of the church, 00:24:17.139 --> 00:24:22.699 then, my friends, we will start to look like, and we should start to look like, the one we are following. 00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:31.519 Reflecting his love, his commitment, his purposes. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:35.000 His holiness. 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.680 His glory. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:41.539 In some senses, I could stop there. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:46.759 Because that's a pretty searching point of application in itself. 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:52.420 Can you find yourself in that statement? 00:24:54.279 --> 00:25:03.500 Do you believe that you, as an individual in this church, look like the God you say you're following, 00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:06.400 whose view of the church has just been expressed? 00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:10.059 Together, do we look like that? 00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:12.759 Do we look like the God we are following? 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.279 As a unit? 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:23.660 Do people say, when they look at us as a church, 00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:27.519 something that's so radically different from what the world is? 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:29.359 They say, well, look, 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:31.660 we don't actually know how to explain it, 00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:33.160 but these people are radically different. 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:38.460 They've got something that we don't see out in the world. 00:25:42.259 --> 00:25:45.060 Or if they come in our doors, do they just hang around for a while and think, 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.720 yep, yep, yep, yep, 00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:48.220 recognize all that sort of stuff, 00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:49.040 all that crap, 00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:49.820 all that nonsense. 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:50.460 Yep. 00:25:52.300 --> 00:25:52.600 Yep. 00:25:52.600 --> 00:25:52.660 Yep. 00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:59.100 Following God's word 00:25:59.100 --> 00:26:02.920 means gospel-shaped community. 00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:05.680 That's what we need to be thinking about here as a church. 00:26:06.800 --> 00:26:08.100 And that, I think, means, 00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:09.880 and it's one of the big things in our society, 00:26:09.980 --> 00:26:11.860 it means rejecting individualism. 00:26:13.380 --> 00:26:15.580 You can't have a gospel-shaped community 00:26:15.580 --> 00:26:20.100 and also have strong individualism and me-ism 00:26:20.100 --> 00:26:22.860 operating in a church community, 00:26:23.100 --> 00:26:23.820 our church community. 00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:30.200 See, the church is God's big idea. 00:26:31.919 --> 00:26:33.259 Contrary to what some people think, 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:35.480 it's not been dreamed up by pastors 00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:38.359 as a means of controlling people 00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:41.039 and manipulating people into doing what we want them to do. 00:26:42.899 --> 00:26:43.259 Sadly, 00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:45.259 over the years, 00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:46.539 that's probably been used to that end, 00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:48.460 but that's not what the church is. 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:49.539 It's God's idea. 00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.339 It's not something, 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:52.920 therefore, 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.519 we can sit loosely to 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:56.599 just getting involved 00:26:56.599 --> 00:26:58.220 when we decide it's convenient 00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:02.440 or when we decide it's desirable 00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:05.460 or when we decide it's personally beneficial. 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:08.579 Yet, so commonly, 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:10.600 that is our commitment level to the church. 00:27:16.059 --> 00:27:18.120 The reality of our being gathered in heaven 00:27:18.120 --> 00:27:19.019 as God's family 00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:21.079 is expressed practically 00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:24.140 in being organically integrated, 00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:28.160 gathered in a local church family. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:34.420 The relationships in our world 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.519 are so disconnected, 00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:37.500 so dysfunctional at every level. 00:27:38.840 --> 00:27:40.160 We're made for community. 00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:42.580 We're made especially 00:27:42.580 --> 00:27:44.320 to enjoy the eternal community 00:27:44.320 --> 00:27:45.920 at Genesis 1 and 2. 00:27:46.800 --> 00:27:47.920 Enjoy eternal community 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:49.100 with Father, Son, and Spirit. 00:27:50.340 --> 00:27:51.960 We long for connection. 00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:54.200 We long to be part of an organic whole, 00:27:54.259 --> 00:27:56.259 and that's what our whole society longs for. 00:27:59.580 --> 00:28:01.000 It isn't strange, therefore, 00:28:01.120 --> 00:28:02.200 that even as Christians, 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:05.500 saved and gathered into God's eternal community 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:05.880 here, 00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:07.360 in this place, 00:28:08.080 --> 00:28:12.220 we actually fear true community. 00:28:12.360 --> 00:28:13.559 We fear deep community, 00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:16.039 and we default back to individualism. 00:28:17.640 --> 00:28:19.660 Because individualism is safe 00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:21.080 in lots of ways. 00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:30.579 Meism allows a lot of freedom, 00:28:30.699 --> 00:28:31.579 a wrong sort of freedom, 00:28:32.579 --> 00:28:34.199 but it allows me to cherry-pick 00:28:34.199 --> 00:28:37.059 what I want from this community 00:28:37.059 --> 00:28:39.299 and what I contribute to this community. 00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:43.799 And when we do that, 00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:45.179 we actually then complain 00:28:45.179 --> 00:28:46.399 because we don't feel connected 00:28:46.399 --> 00:28:47.500 in the church. 00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:49.519 Isn't that a bizarre twist? 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:53.019 We demand a freedom 00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:53.920 not to be connected, 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:54.740 and then we complain 00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:55.539 that we're not connected. 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:57.059 Hmm. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.160 There you go. 00:28:59.299 --> 00:29:00.640 See, the Bible knows nothing 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:02.000 of salvation 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:03.880 as a solitary, 00:29:04.519 --> 00:29:06.200 individualistic experience. 00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:10.880 God's purpose 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:11.360 in this world 00:29:11.360 --> 00:29:12.580 has never simply 00:29:12.580 --> 00:29:14.039 been to save people 00:29:14.039 --> 00:29:14.720 from their sin. 00:29:15.980 --> 00:29:16.480 Rather, 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:17.140 His purpose 00:29:17.140 --> 00:29:17.980 has always been 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.779 to save people 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:19.539 from their sin 00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:20.960 into a community 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:22.700 of people 00:29:22.700 --> 00:29:24.519 who truly worship Him. 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:31.240 So following God 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:34.440 into church 00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:36.400 is to delight 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:38.380 in being part 00:29:38.380 --> 00:29:38.900 of the community 00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:40.019 which God has planned 00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:41.980 and acted 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:42.819 to make glorious 00:29:42.819 --> 00:29:43.779 and permanent in heaven. 00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:45.720 My friends, 00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:46.799 it's the context 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:49.900 of seeing this community 00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:50.839 as the community 00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:52.620 in which you will grow 00:29:52.620 --> 00:29:53.620 and which I will grow 00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:54.799 and thrive 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:56.640 and come to maturity 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.720 and be the person 00:29:57.720 --> 00:30:00.140 that Christ wants us to be. 00:30:00.140 --> 00:30:02.200 and recognizing 00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:03.300 we cannot do it 00:30:03.300 --> 00:30:04.360 in isolation, 00:30:05.300 --> 00:30:06.220 in individualism. 00:30:13.580 --> 00:30:14.600 Our church here 00:30:14.600 --> 00:30:15.980 should never just be 00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:16.840 an organization 00:30:16.840 --> 00:30:17.800 or a club 00:30:17.800 --> 00:30:20.720 that you belong to 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:22.340 out of some sense 00:30:22.340 --> 00:30:23.480 of Christian duty. 00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:30.259 And my friends, 00:30:30.360 --> 00:30:31.759 this organism, 00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:33.140 this gathering 00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:34.000 of Christ's people, 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:34.759 therefore, 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:35.940 hopefully you'll see, 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:37.579 can never be irrelevant, 00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:39.180 can never be out of date, 00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:39.920 can never be 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:41.720 reached its use by date. 00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:46.539 The second thing 00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:47.940 that I'm nearly down to finish, 00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:48.920 following God's word 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:49.640 means gospel 00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:50.740 revealing community. 00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:55.960 It's a demonstrated reality 00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:56.920 of the changing power 00:30:56.920 --> 00:30:57.380 of the gospel. 00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:58.039 Now friends, 00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:59.420 I want to just say here 00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:01.960 that community of itself 00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:03.960 is not enough 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:05.380 to shape us properly 00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:06.940 as God's church. 00:31:09.140 --> 00:31:10.599 Community of itself 00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:11.740 is not enough 00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.400 to shape us 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:13.660 as God's church. 00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:16.880 we must pray for 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:17.840 and work towards 00:31:17.840 --> 00:31:18.460 and build 00:31:18.460 --> 00:31:20.300 gospel revealing 00:31:20.300 --> 00:31:21.080 community. 00:31:22.380 --> 00:31:23.500 Now what do I mean by that? 00:31:24.040 --> 00:31:24.900 Well let me try and explain. 00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:26.380 So many churches 00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:27.540 have really strong 00:31:27.540 --> 00:31:28.080 community 00:31:28.080 --> 00:31:28.860 at their heart. 00:31:29.300 --> 00:31:30.500 I think this church 00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:31.480 has a really strong 00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:31.940 community 00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:32.860 at heart. 00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:35.200 But it's not necessarily 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:36.860 a gospel revealing 00:31:36.860 --> 00:31:37.279 community. 00:31:38.779 --> 00:31:40.040 It's not a community 00:31:40.040 --> 00:31:40.740 that arises 00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:42.779 directly as a consequence 00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:44.420 of gospel change 00:31:44.420 --> 00:31:45.559 in our lives. 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:48.500 So it's common 00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:49.000 to mistake 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:49.700 one for the other. 00:31:51.460 --> 00:31:52.399 In Ephesians 2 00:31:52.399 --> 00:31:53.119 the church 00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:53.899 is described 00:31:53.899 --> 00:31:54.740 as a radical 00:31:54.740 --> 00:31:55.839 new humanity 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:58.399 which is displayed 00:31:58.399 --> 00:31:59.359 in relationships 00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:00.680 freed from 00:32:00.680 --> 00:32:01.759 the normal divisions 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:03.359 and distractions 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:04.460 of our sinful world. 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.839 The picture 00:32:06.839 --> 00:32:07.660 in Ephesians 2 00:32:07.660 --> 00:32:09.319 is enemies 00:32:09.319 --> 00:32:09.899 Jew 00:32:09.899 --> 00:32:10.940 and Gentile 00:32:10.940 --> 00:32:12.460 coming together 00:32:12.460 --> 00:32:13.580 in the wonderful 00:32:13.580 --> 00:32:14.480 new relationship 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:15.360 where their identity 00:32:15.360 --> 00:32:15.759 of each 00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:16.720 is no longer 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:18.180 found in their race 00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:19.120 or their national 00:32:19.120 --> 00:32:19.980 background 00:32:19.980 --> 00:32:21.120 but in Christ 00:32:21.120 --> 00:32:21.940 and that brings them 00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:22.299 together. 00:32:23.360 --> 00:32:24.100 And the fact that you see 00:32:24.100 --> 00:32:25.240 a Jew and a Gentile 00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:25.820 Ephesians 2 00:32:25.820 --> 00:32:26.640 sitting together 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:27.299 in church 00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:29.259 is a gospel 00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:29.920 revealing 00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:30.860 community. 00:32:31.660 --> 00:32:32.820 It's a relationship 00:32:32.820 --> 00:32:33.900 that wouldn't happen 00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:35.039 apart from 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:36.559 gospel change 00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:37.500 in each of the lives. 00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:44.960 in our church 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.599 there are so many 00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:46.440 relationships 00:32:46.440 --> 00:32:48.259 centered on things 00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:49.119 other than the gospel. 00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:49.740 That is 00:32:49.740 --> 00:32:51.259 we form relationships 00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:52.180 quite naturally 00:32:52.180 --> 00:32:54.180 because of similar 00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:55.119 life experience. 00:32:55.740 --> 00:32:56.299 Older people 00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:57.160 those with kids 00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:58.059 you know 00:32:58.059 --> 00:32:58.839 younger people 00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:02.380 young professionals 00:33:02.380 --> 00:33:03.039 who don't have kids 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.940 we naturally 00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:06.000 gravitate to people 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:07.259 who are like us 00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:08.240 similar life experience 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:09.740 or similar stage of life 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.480 or similar 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.940 personal identity 00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:13.259 we actually 00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:14.480 orientate ourselves 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.079 to people who 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:15.980 like the things 00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:16.559 we like 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:17.799 and dislike 00:33:17.799 --> 00:33:18.200 the things 00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:18.859 we dislike. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:20.819 We orientate 00:33:20.819 --> 00:33:21.160 to people 00:33:21.160 --> 00:33:21.799 and form friendships 00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:22.200 with people 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:22.720 who have similar 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:23.900 causes to what we do 00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.740 whether political 00:33:24.740 --> 00:33:25.319 or social 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:26.380 or economic causes. 00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:30.859 We orientate 00:33:30.859 --> 00:33:31.140 to people 00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:31.380 who have 00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:32.740 similar felt needs. 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:38.140 because we 00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:39.220 gravitate to people 00:33:39.220 --> 00:33:40.099 who understand 00:33:40.099 --> 00:33:40.960 our feelings 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:42.019 understand our 00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:42.640 situation. 00:33:43.339 --> 00:33:43.980 All of those 00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:44.819 relationships 00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:45.640 are good things 00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:45.960 they're all 00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:46.740 community building 00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.000 things 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:47.559 but they're not 00:33:47.559 --> 00:33:48.559 gospel revealing 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:49.500 relationships 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.140 necessarily 00:33:50.140 --> 00:33:51.440 because they would 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:52.119 probably exist 00:33:52.119 --> 00:33:52.839 even if the gospel 00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:53.279 didn't. 00:33:56.779 --> 00:33:58.000 We need to push 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.559 further 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:00.660 and demonstrate 00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:01.519 the wisdom 00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:02.240 and power 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:02.900 and glory 00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:03.319 of God 00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:03.919 and relationships 00:34:03.919 --> 00:34:04.859 that exist 00:34:04.859 --> 00:34:06.059 only because 00:34:06.059 --> 00:34:06.639 of the gospel. 00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:08.500 That is 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:09.500 relationships 00:34:09.500 --> 00:34:10.199 that happen 00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:11.199 across the 00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:11.639 age 00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:12.460 difference 00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:15.960 across 00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:16.559 interest 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:17.159 difference 00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:20.480 across 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:21.259 economic 00:34:21.259 --> 00:34:22.460 differences 00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:23.360 social 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.299 differences 00:34:24.299 --> 00:34:26.099 racial 00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:27.019 differences 00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:30.599 divides. 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:32.440 I want our 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:32.940 church to be 00:34:32.940 --> 00:34:33.420 known 00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:35.980 and so 00:34:35.980 --> 00:34:36.420 obvious 00:34:36.420 --> 00:34:36.839 when people 00:34:36.839 --> 00:34:37.139 come in 00:34:37.139 --> 00:34:37.500 the door 00:34:37.500 --> 00:34:38.880 that our 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:39.360 identity 00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:39.940 is in 00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:40.239 Christ 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:40.619 and therefore 00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:41.000 we can 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:41.500 fellowship 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.019 with people 00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:42.639 that out 00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:42.839 in the 00:34:42.839 --> 00:34:43.019 world 00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:43.480 we wouldn't 00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:43.839 actually 00:34:43.839 --> 00:34:44.239 associate 00:34:44.239 --> 00:34:44.639 with 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:45.079 let alone 00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:46.759 have a 00:34:46.759 --> 00:34:46.940 rich 00:34:46.940 --> 00:34:47.599 relationship 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.019 with. 00:34:56.860 --> 00:34:57.500 So what 00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:57.960 do visitors 00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.699 see when 00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.460 they come 00:34:59.460 --> 00:34:59.940 in to 00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:00.420 visit us? 00:35:00.599 --> 00:35:03.039 do they see 00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.819 relationships 00:35:03.819 --> 00:35:05.039 that are 00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:05.599 truly 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:06.099 framed 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:07.380 Ephesians 2 00:35:07.380 --> 00:35:07.639 again 00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:09.799 by genuine 00:35:09.799 --> 00:35:10.920 reconciliation 00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:17.119 out in the 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:17.319 world 00:35:17.319 --> 00:35:17.839 they'd expect 00:35:17.839 --> 00:35:18.920 people to be 00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:19.519 fighting the bit 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:19.799 out 00:35:19.799 --> 00:35:21.339 standing on 00:35:21.339 --> 00:35:21.679 their dig 00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:22.500 and holding 00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:23.059 their crutches 00:35:23.059 --> 00:35:25.079 but when they 00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:25.440 come in here 00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:25.940 do they see 00:35:25.940 --> 00:35:26.299 that those 00:35:26.299 --> 00:35:26.759 things don't 00:35:26.759 --> 00:35:27.219 exist 00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:29.339 or do they 00:35:29.339 --> 00:35:29.880 say yep 00:35:29.880 --> 00:35:31.320 recognize 00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:32.320 them all 00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:35.800 do they see 00:35:35.800 --> 00:35:36.440 us pursuing 00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:37.220 relationships 00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:37.820 that are 00:35:37.820 --> 00:35:38.380 actually really 00:35:38.380 --> 00:35:39.260 costly to 00:35:39.260 --> 00:35:39.680 pursue 00:35:39.680 --> 00:35:41.680 because the 00:35:41.680 --> 00:35:42.160 relationships 00:35:42.160 --> 00:35:43.260 across such 00:35:43.260 --> 00:35:44.519 obvious human 00:35:44.519 --> 00:35:45.160 divides if I 00:35:45.160 --> 00:35:45.559 can call it 00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:45.820 that 00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:47.000 and do they 00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:47.440 see us then 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:48.800 pursuing those 00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:49.320 relationships 00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:50.460 at all costs 00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:55.260 or do they 00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:55.699 again do they 00:35:55.699 --> 00:35:56.199 see the 00:35:56.199 --> 00:35:56.900 natural 00:35:56.900 --> 00:35:58.380 clicks 00:35:58.380 --> 00:35:59.780 you'd see 00:35:59.780 --> 00:36:00.079 at any 00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:00.500 other point 00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:01.059 in society 00:36:01.059 --> 00:36:11.840 surely my 00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:12.599 friends we 00:36:12.599 --> 00:36:13.199 often wonder 00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:13.699 why the 00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:14.220 church 00:36:14.220 --> 00:36:15.559 doesn't have 00:36:15.559 --> 00:36:16.880 a great 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:17.559 deal of 00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:18.559 influence in 00:36:18.559 --> 00:36:19.039 our world 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:20.259 surely if we 00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:21.079 had relationships 00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:21.619 like I've 00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:22.380 just described 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:23.820 surely that 00:36:23.820 --> 00:36:24.279 would make the 00:36:24.279 --> 00:36:24.940 world sit up 00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:25.420 and look and 00:36:25.420 --> 00:36:26.299 say man oh 00:36:26.299 --> 00:36:26.840 man that's 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.179 different 00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:28.679 surely that 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:29.099 would be a 00:36:29.099 --> 00:36:29.639 compelling 00:36:29.639 --> 00:36:30.259 community 00:36:30.259 --> 00:36:31.420 at least 00:36:31.420 --> 00:36:32.639 to ask the 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:33.340 question what 00:36:33.340 --> 00:36:34.219 drives them 00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:45.880 well perhaps 00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:46.260 you've never 00:36:46.260 --> 00:36:46.740 thought of 00:36:46.740 --> 00:36:47.180 church like 00:36:47.180 --> 00:36:47.760 this before 00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:49.920 this might 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:50.340 be new to 00:36:50.340 --> 00:36:51.019 you or 00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:52.320 perhaps you've 00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:53.019 grown weary 00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:54.400 perhaps you've 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.079 been hurt by 00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:55.880 bad experience 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:56.400 of church 00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:58.579 and you're 00:36:58.579 --> 00:36:59.280 now seeing 00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:00.119 your view of 00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:00.680 church through 00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:01.000 your own 00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:01.700 experience 00:37:01.700 --> 00:37:03.320 your own 00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:03.800 feelings 00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:06.280 your own 00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:06.820 biases 00:37:06.820 --> 00:37:09.539 rather than 00:37:09.539 --> 00:37:09.800 seeing it 00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:10.740 through God's 00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:11.019 eyes 00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:12.800 so I'll just 00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:13.300 finish with this 00:37:13.300 --> 00:37:13.660 sentence 00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:15.039 the old 00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:15.539 saying I 00:37:15.539 --> 00:37:16.099 think remains 00:37:16.099 --> 00:37:16.500 true 00:37:16.500 --> 00:37:19.920 beauty is 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:20.579 in the eye 00:37:20.579 --> 00:37:20.920 of the 00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:21.339 beholder 00:37:21.339 --> 00:37:26.599 so what do 00:37:26.599 --> 00:37:27.000 you see when 00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.559 you look around 00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:28.480 at our local 00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:29.539 church expression 00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:34.259 beauty that 00:37:34.259 --> 00:37:35.019 draws you in 00:37:35.019 --> 00:37:37.559 or just a 00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:38.099 collection of 00:37:38.099 --> 00:37:38.879 annoying people 00:37:38.879 --> 00:37:39.759 that allows you 00:37:39.759 --> 00:37:40.299 to be self 00:37:40.299 --> 00:37:40.779 righteous 00:37:40.780 --> 00:37:41.660 and sit on 00:37:41.660 --> 00:37:42.860 the sidelines 00:37:42.860 --> 00:37:43.600 and snipe 00:37:43.600 --> 00:37:45.720 let me pray 00:37:45.720 --> 00:37:51.260 Lord help us 00:37:51.260 --> 00:37:51.700 to hear your 00:37:51.700 --> 00:37:52.200 word again 00:37:52.200 --> 00:37:53.000 as we've 00:37:53.000 --> 00:37:53.660 prayed this 00:37:53.660 --> 00:37:54.320 over the last 00:37:54.320 --> 00:37:55.140 five weeks 00:37:55.140 --> 00:37:55.740 help us to 00:37:55.740 --> 00:37:56.200 hear your 00:37:56.200 --> 00:37:56.440 word 00:37:56.440 --> 00:37:56.960 you've spoken 00:37:56.960 --> 00:37:57.480 clearly 00:37:57.480 --> 00:37:59.000 help us to 00:37:59.000 --> 00:37:59.440 listen 00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:00.400 and heed 00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:01.880 and respond 00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:05.160 radicalise us 00:38:05.160 --> 00:38:05.740 Lord in the 00:38:05.740 --> 00:38:06.560 truest sense 00:38:06.560 --> 00:38:07.240 of being 00:38:07.240 --> 00:38:07.880 servants of 00:38:07.880 --> 00:38:08.160 the Lord 00:38:08.160 --> 00:38:08.500 Jesus 00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:11.159 so we 00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:11.880 might be a 00:38:11.880 --> 00:38:12.340 compelling 00:38:12.340 --> 00:38:13.019 community 00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:14.460 gospel shaped 00:38:14.460 --> 00:38:15.679 and gospel 00:38:15.679 --> 00:38:16.099 revealing 00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:18.099 I pray this 00:38:18.099 --> 00:38:18.760 in Jesus name 00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:19.199 Amen 00:38:19.199 --> 00:38:24.359 Amen 00:38:24.359 --> 00:38:24.639 Amen 00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:54.619 Thank you.