WEBVTT

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 How's everybody doing?

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 Okay, so we have a, we're trying something for the first time that we've never tried

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 before, so it's one of the things I love about being a part of this church is we get to try

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 new things and fail and then see God do amazing things, and so we'll see what God does here.

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 If you're here for the first time, I want to welcome you to Watermark Community Church.

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 Um, my name is Tobin Miller. I'm one of the pastors here, teaching pastor, and uh, welcome

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 back to the students in school. Now, I don't know how you feel when I say that. There was

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 a part of me as an adult that felt like, well, once my kids get to school, then everything's

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 good. But what I didn't realize is that when they get to school, I have to help them get

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 to school. I have to help them get off, and I have to get their clothes ready, and I have

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 to get every of these things done, and I need to push them out the door and get them

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 to the bus. And sometimes by the time I start my day, I'm just out of control in my mind,

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 and I have to spend 15 minutes praying. And then when they come home, I have to help them

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 with homework and make sure they're doing their homework and making sure they have homework.

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 And sometimes they say you have homework and they don't have homework. And it's just this

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 kind of crazy world. And in the midst of this crazy world, one of the things that has

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 helped us as a family is to come together at night to have dinner together. And so we

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 try to imperfectly come together for dinner at night and just to kind of have a debriefing

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 time with our kids. Again, we don't get to do it every night, and sometimes it's an amazing

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 thing that we can do it. But we feel like it's really important for our kids because we come

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 down and we kind of debrief their day. It's a day that we, time that we ask them questions

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 and we get feedback. We try to understand their perspective. And so coming back just

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 from the States, they have a lot of questions they're asking us about what they experienced

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 in the States and why don't they experience it here in Hong Kong. And so one of my kids

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 is always asking me, how come drinks are so expensive in Hong Kong? Because in the States,

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 drinks are for free or almost for free. And we did this terrible thing this summer. We took

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 our kids to this restaurant called Chili's. If you have a lot of kids and you go to the States,

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 never take your kids to Chili's because it will haunt you the rest of your life.

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 It is amazing food, but they just keep bringing the chips out and the salsa out and the free

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 drinks out. And my kids are just kind of going crazy. So the chips and salsa and drinks and

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 refills and refills and it doesn't cost hardly anything. You know, you take them to 7-Eleven

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 and it costs $1 for a Diet Coke this big and it costs $1.10 for a Diet Coke that big. So

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 what do you do? How do you choose? And so as we're leaving Chili's and they've had like

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 15 drinks of soda and they're jumping off the walls, the stewardess, the waitress looks

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 at one of my kids and goes, do you want a to-go cup? And my kid goes, a to-go cup? What

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 is that? And she goes, well, we'll give you this cup full of drink and you can take it

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 with you as you go. And my kid goes, I love this place. How come Hong Kong doesn't have

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 a to-go cup? It's amazing. And so we have to debrief about those things. We have to debrief

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 when my kid comes back last night and they're talking and they said, you know, when I was

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 at, in America and I was talking to people, we went to camp and they were asking where

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 I was from and we had to ask, you know, they said, well, we're from Hong Kong. And then

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 the next question was, do you speak Japanese? My kids don't understand why people think

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 that when they're from Hong Kong, you have to speak Japanese. And I kept it explaining

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 to them that Americans are geographically challenged and that we think there's America and everybody

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 speaks English and then the rest of the world speaks Japanese. And so we have these debriefing

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 times, but one of the things that's been helpful is it helps us to understand where they're coming,

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 what they're thinking. And a lot of times we just talk about what does it mean to be a

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 family? We talk about our values. We talk about the things that are important to us. We talk about

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 things that we want to be about and how we should act and how we don't want to act. And a lot of

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 times they ask questions like, these people did these things and yeah, we're like, yeah, that's how

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 they do it in their family, but maybe we shouldn't do it in our family. What do you think about that?

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 And maybe as Christians, maybe we should do things differently. And so we have a lot of those

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 conversations at our dinner table. And you know, the Bible is full of those type of conversations.

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 That's what the Bible's purpose is. The Bible's purpose has two

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 purposes. It gets us to God. And it tells us then how we act and how we walk as the family of God.

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 And today we're looking at a passage in Acts 2. We've actually, the last three weeks, we've looked

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 at this theme. And this theme is, how do we act or how should we react or how do we live in this

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 in-between time? That Jesus came, he lived, he died, he rose, and then he went into heaven and he left his

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 disciples there. And then we had this in-between time, this time of we don't know what to do and if he's

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 coming back and when he's coming back. And two weeks ago we talked about stewardship and we said that the Bible

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 says that everything that God gives you, every little jot, your intellect, your ability, your health,

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 your unhealth, your family, your kids, your wealth, your cars, all these things, all these things are

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 God's. And he gave them to you and he just wants to bless you with them and you can do whatever you

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 want with them. But in the end he's going to come back and he's going to ask you what you did with those

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 things. And we said the theme that he does when he gives us these things is he wants us to use them for

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 his kingdom. He wants us to make his name great. He wants us to do business for him. He wants to set

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 up shop so that more people understand about Jesus. But he gives us all these incredible blessings.

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 Last week we talked about prayer. We said that Jesus told his disciples that when I go away you're

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 going to be lonely and you're going to be discouraged and the world hates you and it's going to crucify me

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 and it's going to try to crucify you sometimes. Sometimes you feel like that in your office place

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 as you try to walk with the Lord. You feel crucified. You feel alone. You feel outnumbered.

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 And Jesus says that's what's going to happen. And I want you to pray to me because I will be there.

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 I will meet you in a very special supernatural way. I will come in and I'll be with you and you need

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 to trust me on this. And so we talked about how some of us have a hard time trusting him on this.

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 Some of us when we look at God we see him more as an unjust God. An unjust judge. Someone who doesn't

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 want our best at heart. But Jesus kept reminding us that yes he loves us. That God is good. That

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 he's going to make all things right. All the injustices you feel. All the things bad done to

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 you. Everything that's happened to you and you're like wow how could that happen if God were really

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 good and he was here. Jesus said that when God comes back. When Christ comes back. He's going to

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 make all those things okay. And we have to trust him. He loves us. Today we look at this passage and I

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 think it's kind of like this seminal passage for us as a church for all churches throughout the

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 history of Christendom. It's a story of Pentecost. And in Pentecost it's a Jewish holiday. The similarities

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 are amazing. When you study the Bible it's kind of like stacked on top of each other. So Pentecost means

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 50. And so if you go to Israel today on Pentecost they celebrate Pentecost. And it is the celebration

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 of God sending Moses to come and grab the people out of bondage and out of slavery. He takes them

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 through the desert. He gets to this hill. This mountain. And he gives them the law. That's Pentecost.

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 Now 2,000 years ago the story says that we're at Pentecost. And in the temple mound there's over

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 500,000 Jews crammed into his place. It's been 50 days since Jesus died. He rose again. And he went

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 into heaven. The church has been praying. What do we do? There's only 100 people there. 120 people.

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 And all of a sudden the same thing happens. God took his people out of bondage, out of slavery.

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 He takes them to this mountain called Golgotha. He dies to free us from our sin and our bondage.

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 And on Pentecost instead of giving us the law he gives us God's spirit, the Holy Spirit. He gives us

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 grace. And this spirit comes in and it rushes in. And it changes and transforms everybody.

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 And so in the passage what you see is that Peter has gone to the temple mound.

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 The Holy Spirit is in these 120 people. And Peter starts to share. And he shares the very first sermon

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 of the very first New Testament. Of the very first some people would say church. Though the church had

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 been around forever. But this different type of church. The Holy Spirit indwelt church.

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 And Peter shares the gospel. And he says that Jesus came. He is God's only provision for your sin.

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 It doesn't matter how good you are. It doesn't matter how great you do. It doesn't matter that you don't

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 hurt people. It doesn't matter that you have this great score list. He says the only thing that brings

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 you right to God is Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. Because our sin is so horrendous it separates us

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 from God. And the minute that people hear that they say what do we need to do then?

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 Repent. And he says repent and be saved.

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 And the Holy Spirit comes in and we see from 120 people to 3,000 people come to Christ.

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 Can you imagine what it would be like in our staff team if we

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 all of a sudden we had 3,000 people we had to disciple? It would be out of control.

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 We wouldn't know what to do. And that's what the early church was like. They were out of control.

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 They had 3,000 hungry new Christians teach us, show us, teach us.

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 And in Acts 2 it says this is what they did. It said they devoted themselves to four things.

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 The word devotion is a very deep Greek word. It means to be all in. It means to plant yourself.

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 It means to give everything. It means to be about it, to be focused on it, to be thinking about it all the time.

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 It just means, it means just to be all in.

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 And in the passage it says in verse 24 it says that they're all in on this focus of God's word.

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 That they're just hungry. Teach us about the Lord. Teach us.

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 And all they have is the Old Testament, right? They have the Old Testament and they have three years of walking with Jesus.

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 And so the Bible says that these 3,000 hungry Christians just want to know about God.

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 And the apostles and disciples are teaching them. They're teaching them the Old Testament.

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 They're teaching them three years of Jesus. And the people go, tell us more, tell us more.

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 And it says there was a hunger. There was a thirst.

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 They hungered for the word of God. They couldn't get God's word enough.

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 I wonder sometimes if we have that hunger.

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 If we have that devotion.

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 What would it look like for us to be a church that would be devoted to God's word?

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 What would it look like for us to be people who are devoted to God's word that we're hungry for it.

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 We want to be about it. We want to be all in.

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 We want to just suck it into our life because we know it's words of life.

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 What would that look like?

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 The second thing we see is they come in there.

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 And in the next verse, they say basically they become devoted to worship.

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 They start to worship the Lord.

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 They understand who he is.

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 And they just focus on what does it mean to worship God?

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 The passages are verse 42 and 43.

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 And he basically says they come in and they desire this deep relationship with Jesus.

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 They have this hunger for Christ.

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 And they fulfill that hunger in the Lord's Supper.

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 They take communion together.

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 And as they take communion, they focus on the cross.

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 They focus on what Jesus has done.

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 And this hunger is being satiated.

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 They have this deep hunger for prayer.

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 And they're praying all the time.

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 They're praying wherever they're going.

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 They're praying in the temple.

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 They're praying in their houses.

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 They're always meeting.

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 They don't just meet on Sunday.

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 They meet all the time.

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 Every time they run into each other, they prayer.

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 And they have this deep awe and hunger and wonder for what God has done.

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 And I wonder sometimes, if we do, when was the last time we had an awe and wonder of God's mercy and grace?

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 When was the last time that we just felt this amazement that God came to us and that he sacrificed his own son for us?

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 When was the last time that we devoted ourselves to worship, to communion, and to prayer?

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 The next thing the passage says is in verse 47 is that when people came, they knew Christ.

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 The Holy Spirit filled them.

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 Their lives were out of control.

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 It says they had an outward focus.

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 They focused on the world around them.

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 They thought about what they could do to fix the things that were broken in the world.

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 Sometimes we call this evangelism.

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 Sometimes we call this justice.

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 But what you see in the passage in verse 47 is that as they did this, as they shared, as they did about God's kingdom,

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 the church continued to grow and it continued to grow and it started to change society.

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 And within about 150 years, the Roman Empire went from a pagan empire to a Christian empire because 55% of the people had faith.

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 Because the people who came to know Christ were indwelt by his spirit and they had a hunger and they wanted to devote themselves to fixing things, to making things right.

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 And the last thing that we see in this passage is that in verse 42 is that when they came to know Christ, they had a hunger and a devotion for fellowship.

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 The word there is a new word.

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 It's never been used in the New Testament or the Bible before.

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 The word in Greek is koinonia.

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 Koinonia.

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 Can you say it with me?

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 Koinonia.

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 So this koinonia came in and what it means is it means other focus.

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 It means to be focused on other people.

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 It means to be doing things for other people.

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 It means to be sharing.

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 It means to be giving.

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 It means to be living your life with other people.

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 It means actually to be in partnership.

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 Koinonia means to be in partnership with God and to be in partnership with each other.

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 It means to be working together.

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 It means to be depending on each other.

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 It means to be thinking of others first.

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 I wonder what it would be like if we were a church and people came in and instead of saying the very first thing maybe,

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 what does this church have to offer me?

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 How are my needs going to get met?

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 Yeah, I need to go to another church because it didn't really meet all my needs.

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 I know I'm going to offend some people, but we want to speak truth here.

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 What would it be like if we came in and instead of saying those things, we said, how can I serve here?

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 What has God called me to do here?

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 What are the gifts that God has given me?

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 How can I make this a better church?

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 How can I make this a better fellowship?

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 How can I make this a better community?

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 What am I going to be devoted to?

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 What if our attitude was like that of the early church?

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 And we thought of others instead of ourselves.

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 As a church, we are on this mission, and this mission is to pursue this devotion, to pursue this idea of being all in,

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 to pursue this thought of we're here to worship, to make God's name great, to create fellowship, and to be outwardly focused.

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 And as we've done it, God has brought some amazing staff to us, some amazing staff.

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 And so you're going to get a chance to hear from some of them about what does it look like for us to pursue this devotion to the Lord.

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 So I'm going to ask Natalie and Eric to come up first.

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 Hello, Mark.

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 It's so good to be here with you this morning, and this is a really exciting day.

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 So if any of you went to church growing up, do you remember going from kids to youth?

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 Does anybody remember that?

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 Alfie does.

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 Rick does.

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 Eric does.

00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:50.520
 Okay.

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 It's a big deal.

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 So that's what's happening today.

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 Some Watermark kids in our surf class are transitioning to youth.

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 So we're handing them over to Eric.

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 And Eric will need your prayers.

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 So we are going to do a little ceremony right now.

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 And could I have any surf kid that is going to transition to youth come up here right now?

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 Awesome.

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.019
 Thank you.

00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:20.360
 Thank you.

00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.019
 Thank you.

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:22.019
 Thank you.

00:16:22.019 --> 00:16:26.019
 Thank you.

00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:27.019
 Thank you.

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:28.019
 Thank you.

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:28.159
 Thank you.

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:28.779
 Thank you.

00:16:28.779 --> 00:16:29.779
 So before I get started.

00:16:29.779 --> 00:16:30.519
 So before I get started.

00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:37.179
 Before we actually talk about this transition and recognize the kids, I wanted to talk about appreciation.

00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:47.019
 So without our volunteer leaders, these kids would not have grown how they have in the past two years.

00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:52.419
 And so we want to thank you for the investment that our leaders have made in these kids' lives.

00:16:52.419 --> 00:17:00.019
 And these kids today stand up in front of you as leaders, as the church's leaders today, and are growing as the church's leaders.

00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:05.460
 So if you can see, if you look around our church, they do contribute.

00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:09.519
 So they hand out snacks, and they hand out pamphlets.

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.500
 And so they are your leaders today.

00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:13.619
 So we want to recognize them as that.

00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:18.299
 And as they transition to youth, they are going to become even stronger leaders.

00:17:18.299 --> 00:17:24.539
 So we're excited about that, and we're excited about how they love Christ and how they're growing in their relationship with Christ.

00:17:25.339 --> 00:17:38.200
 I also want to charge any of you and encourage you that if you haven't volunteered yet in our kids' program, that we would love for you to just give it a try and come take a look at a class.

00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:39.799
 Because we do need more leaders.

00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:42.799
 We pray every week for more leaders.

00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:45.180
 And it's an amazing investment.

00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:54.420
 You plant seeds in these kids' lives in order so they can grow to love Jesus and grow to teach others about Jesus.

00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:57.920
 So we want to just take some time to thank you guys for that.

00:17:58.500 --> 00:17:59.840
 Eric, do you have a few words?

00:18:00.340 --> 00:18:00.600
 Yeah.

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:05.680
 In terms of the youth ministry, we're super excited to have this many new kids joining us.

00:18:05.860 --> 00:18:07.200
 Also super terrified.

00:18:10.080 --> 00:18:15.039
 And I think, yeah, as a church, we have a huge responsibility towards this group of kids.

00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:20.640
 You know, in terms of the youth ministry, we meet on Friday nights, and we have stuff on Sunday mornings.

00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:24.980
 And if any of you are interested, there are a lot of kids, so we need lots of help.

00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:30.920
 But I think even if you're not free to help on those times because you have other ministry commitments and stuff,

00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:34.720
 we as a church family can definitely invest in the lives of these kids.

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:40.140
 Traditionally, youth ministry models said that you want to have one volunteer for every five kids.

00:18:40.620 --> 00:18:46.039
 But more recent research has actually shown if you really want to impact teenagers for Christ,

00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:49.680
 you actually want to have five adults investing in every one kid's life.

00:18:50.100 --> 00:18:54.759
 And it doesn't have to be in terms of like, oh, we have 20 kids at youth groups, so we need 100 adults there.

00:18:54.759 --> 00:19:01.200
 But just simple things like saying hi to them before and after church, getting to know them, you know,

00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:06.420
 while we're standing around having coffee, small things like that can make a huge difference in these kids' lives.

00:19:06.879 --> 00:19:13.559
 So my challenge to you as a church is to welcome these kids and the rest of the youth that are already in the youth group,

00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:18.920
 to make them feel like part of the family, and not to think of them.

00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:21.800
 And I think often we say that they're the future of the church.

00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:24.560
 And so we say we don't really need to worry about them today.

00:19:25.560 --> 00:19:27.860
 But if you think about it, they're in the church today.

00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:33.100
 They're very strategically placed in their schools, in their families, among their friends, on sports teams,

00:19:33.100 --> 00:19:35.519
 to have a huge impact for Christ today.

00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:42.200
 And the things that we can invest in them today aren't just things that are going to bear fruit 20 years down the road,

00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:48.279
 but they're things that can impact today or tomorrow in schools and in families around Hong Kong.

00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:54.160
 So I challenge you as a church family, get to know these kids, invest in them, find out what they love to do,

00:19:54.300 --> 00:19:57.180
 find out what their family life and school life is like.

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.980
 Just be a friend to them and welcome them as part of your family.

00:20:00.800 --> 00:20:04.680
 And so, Eric, would you like to pray for our kids and youth?

00:20:04.820 --> 00:20:07.240
 And then kids and youth, you will be dismissed after this.

00:20:07.320 --> 00:20:08.019
 Thank you, church.

00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:09.320
 All right, let's pray.

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:13.519
 Dear Father, we thank you for all of the kids and youth that you have brought to Watermark.

00:20:13.600 --> 00:20:17.380
 We thank you, especially today, for this group of kids that's moving up into youth.

00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:24.600
 We thank you for the ways that you've been teaching them and working through the church to help them to know you.

00:20:25.080 --> 00:20:29.700
 And we pray that for all of our kids and youth that as we continue into the new school year

00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:33.960
 and as we start up new programs and have kids in new classes,

00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:38.740
 that it would be a time for them to grow in their knowledge of you and their love for you.

00:20:39.020 --> 00:20:42.680
 And that we as a church family would come around them and support them and love them

00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:45.520
 and help them in their journey as they continue to grow.

00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:47.180
 In Jesus' name, amen.

00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:49.000
 Good morning.

00:20:49.340 --> 00:20:50.160
 Good morning, Watermark.

00:20:53.520 --> 00:20:57.280
 Relationships are the key to a healthy life.

00:20:58.020 --> 00:20:59.680
 We were made for relationships.

00:21:00.860 --> 00:21:07.680
 And relationships are the key to what we were really meant to be in our lives.

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:19.779
 And for Christians, when Jesus died, he died for people whose relationships had broken down because of sin had turned us in on ourselves,

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:26.340
 in on our own desires, needs, and not towards others and towards God.

00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:32.439
 When Jesus died, what he did, he broke down and he began a restoration project.

00:21:32.959 --> 00:21:38.959
 A restoration of relationship between us and God and relationships between each other.

00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:44.420
 And what you see when we're looking in the book of Acts is this.

00:21:44.420 --> 00:21:52.240
 You begin to see a glimpse of what Jesus' restoration project, Jesus' death has accomplished.

00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:55.420
 You begin to see what it was always meant to be.

00:21:55.420 --> 00:22:00.120
 A glimpse of the way our lives were meant to be in restored relationships.

00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:05.980
 These relationships which are not just centered on ourselves, but are outward focused.

00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:13.440
 And as you look in Acts, maybe you think, as I do, wow, that looks amazing.

00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:17.019
 You see how they're devoted to one another, how they just seem to be sharing everything.

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:20.779
 And it sounds like, I wish that could be true.

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:24.519
 I would really long to see a community that was like that.

00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:30.779
 But then you walk out of the door and the reality of Hong Kong life just hits you.

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:37.619
 And you settle for the same old way of doing church that you've always done.

00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:44.119
 And yet, why are we like this?

00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:50.700
 Why, when Jesus' death is meant to change everything, is life sometimes so like that?

00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:55.480
 In Hong Kong, life can often be so busy because what you're doing is, and what I'm doing,

00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:59.720
 and what we're all doing is, we're filled up with so many different things.

00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:03.440
 We have, if you're a Christian, there are so many meetings to go to.

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:05.160
 There are Bible studies to go to.

00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:06.759
 There are ministries to be involved with.

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:09.400
 And on top of that, you have social gatherings.

00:23:09.559 --> 00:23:10.480
 You have kids' classes.

00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:12.039
 You have X, Y, and Z.

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:13.240
 There are so many different things.

00:23:13.360 --> 00:23:16.259
 And then when you hear us talking about community group,

00:23:16.900 --> 00:23:22.819
 and what it means to be involved in a community like you see in Acts,

00:23:23.160 --> 00:23:26.819
 it feels like, okay, maybe I have to go to community group.

00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:29.319
 But community group becomes just a meeting you go to.

00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:32.200
 Maybe just you attend it for a couple of hours.

00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:32.799
 It's nice.

00:23:33.220 --> 00:23:35.559
 Maybe you have a couple of social gatherings outside.

00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:39.360
 But we don't necessarily invest our lives in each other.

00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:41.039
 No one really knows my issues.

00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:44.960
 No one really knows what's really going on in my heart.

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:48.240
 No one knows me deeply.

00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:51.100
 And I'm not investing deeply in other relationships.

00:23:51.099 --> 00:23:58.539
 And so what we see is the community that Jesus died to create,

00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:01.419
 which was meant to be a glimpse to the rest of the world

00:24:01.419 --> 00:24:05.179
 of how amazing Jesus' death has been in restoring us,

00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:10.039
 what we see is sometimes we can be just like everybody else in Hong Kong,

00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:11.339
 just busy,

00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:15.740
 and not investing in those deep relationships like we see in Acts.

00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:18.819
 But imagine,

00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:26.519
 imagine if we stop seeing church as simply a meeting we go to for a couple of hours a week,

00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:28.859
 or even a community group meeting where we just go,

00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:30.720
 we talk about Jesus for a couple of hours,

00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:33.819
 and then we go and live the rest of our lives the way we do.

00:24:35.099 --> 00:24:40.500
 Imagine if we saw church as people and relationships.

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.920
 Think about your family.

00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.039
 Imagine if you in your family,

00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:44.880
 you said,

00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:45.279
 okay,

00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:49.119
 3pm till 5pm Sunday we're going to be family.

00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:53.480
 Now maybe that happens in your family,

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:56.339
 but that's not a healthy family.

00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:59.039
 But often that's the way we view church.

00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:02.900
 And yet God's vision is far bigger.

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:06.779
 So sometimes we make that division between our lives and church,

00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:07.079
 and we say,

00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:09.599
 church is asking me to do a lot of things at the moment.

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:15.940
 Because we haven't understood that actually church is people and relationships.

00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:18.259
 And when we become a Christian,

00:25:18.660 --> 00:25:20.519
 we become part of God's family.

00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:25.240
 And that means we have family responsibilities to one another.

00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:29.559
 Responsibilities to invest in each other's lives.

00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:30.880
 At Watermark,

00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:34.180
 how are we going to grow these deep relationships like we see in Acts?

00:25:34.599 --> 00:25:37.579
 Well, our vehicle for doing that in Watermark is our community groups.

00:25:37.579 --> 00:25:40.720
 This is where you can invest in people's lives.

00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:41.699
 Not just go to take,

00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.759
 but go to invest.

00:25:43.579 --> 00:25:47.399
 And Alistair's going to just share something about what it could look like

00:25:47.399 --> 00:25:49.879
 to be investing in relationships.

00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:58.220
 Yeah, so Chris has shared with us about how we can see what happens in Acts,

00:25:58.320 --> 00:25:59.860
 that people are devoted to the apostles' teaching,

00:26:00.020 --> 00:26:00.560
 to the fellowship,

00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:01.480
 to the breaking of bread,

00:26:01.540 --> 00:26:02.300
 and to prayer,

00:26:02.820 --> 00:26:06.040
 how we can see that come into our church life.

00:26:06.860 --> 00:26:07.680
 So as he said,

00:26:08.140 --> 00:26:11.400
 we want to take the responsibility not just to turn up,

00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:15.000
 but to invest in each other's lives.

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:17.579
 And so I'm going to talk a little bit about what that might look like,

00:26:17.640 --> 00:26:18.480
 how we could do that.

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:21.579
 So you know that in investing,

00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:23.539
 there's a cost that's involved.

00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:26.420
 You actually have to put something in to invest,

00:26:26.859 --> 00:26:28.799
 and then you seed it there,

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:29.920
 and it germinates,

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:31.180
 and it grows,

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:35.019
 and then you get a reward out of it.

00:26:35.539 --> 00:26:37.519
 You reap something from what you sow.

00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:40.099
 And so with investment in people,

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:45.559
 we also need to spend the time that there is for us,

00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:47.759
 what seems like a cost that's involved.

00:26:49.159 --> 00:26:51.059
 And indeed that was the case for God as well.

00:26:51.379 --> 00:26:54.339
 As he came and invested in us,

00:26:54.740 --> 00:26:57.039
 it cost him the life of his own son.

00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:00.519
 But as we invest in relationships,

00:27:01.399 --> 00:27:05.159
 we will begin to reap the gospel community,

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:08.679
 a beautiful community that will arise out of that.

00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:11.840
 A community like we see in the book of Acts.

00:27:13.860 --> 00:27:17.500
 If you're not already in a community group,

00:27:18.100 --> 00:27:20.759
 then let me encourage you to have a look around

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:22.660
 and find one and join one.

00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:25.080
 At the back, each Sunday,

00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:29.060
 Chris is there with a list of community groups

00:27:29.060 --> 00:27:31.580
 that are all arranged by location,

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:34.120
 and you can find one that is close to you

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:35.500
 that you can come to.

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:40.200
 And if you really struggle to make one of the meeting nights,

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:42.539
 then don't just give up at that point and say,

00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:43.759
 well, it's obviously not for me.

00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:47.500
 Think about it as people,

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:49.359
 not just an event that you go to.

00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.920
 You can meet up with people,

00:27:52.099 --> 00:27:55.059
 one or two people from within that particular community group,

00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:57.420
 and get to know people from there at different times.

00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:59.299
 Arrange to have lunch with them on Sundays.

00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:03.400
 Remember, it is the relationship that we're looking for,

00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:04.960
 and not just a meeting.

00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:10.000
 You can so seed by joining a community group.

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:14.340
 But if you join with just a transactional mindset,

00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:17.580
 an attitude that says,

00:28:17.720 --> 00:28:22.280
 I'm coming to take what I can from this group,

00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:24.319
 and then I can discard it,

00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:28.480
 then that's not investing.

00:28:30.359 --> 00:28:31.019
 Join it.

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:32.200
 Join a community group.

00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:34.319
 But join it with a view

00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.359
 to wanting to invest in relationships

00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:37.399
 with people that are there.

00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:42.019
 And even if it seems like the group is too big

00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:43.299
 for you to get to know everyone at once,

00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:45.720
 well, get to know one or two people in it,

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:47.100
 and spend the time there,

00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:49.200
 and then let the relationship spread out.

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:52.740
 For those of you who are already in community groups,

00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:53.620
 community group members,

00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:55.940
 or ICF members,

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:57.360
 for you guys in university,

00:28:57.960 --> 00:28:59.380
 are you actively engaged

00:28:59.380 --> 00:29:02.200
 in inviting other people to join your community?

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.259
 Whether they're a member of this church,

00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:05.339
 and yet not part of community,

00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:07.640
 or whether they don't come to this church at all.

00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:09.360
 They don't know Jesus.

00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:13.199
 People are more likely to feel welcome

00:29:13.199 --> 00:29:17.019
 if they have a personal invitation from somebody

00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:19.619
 to come along to join them.

00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:23.259
 And so if you meet someone at church over lunch,

00:29:23.859 --> 00:29:27.679
 or someone you know who is not yet part of community,

00:29:28.039 --> 00:29:30.439
 then take the opportunity to invite them along

00:29:30.439 --> 00:29:32.740
 to one of your gatherings,

00:29:32.919 --> 00:29:34.659
 or one of your social outings,

00:29:35.439 --> 00:29:36.619
 with no strings attached.

00:29:37.139 --> 00:29:37.899
 People can come,

00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:39.080
 and if they like it,

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:41.200
 they can keep coming.

00:29:44.120 --> 00:29:47.060
 I want to talk a little bit about listening as well.

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:51.800
 How often do we spend so much time speaking

00:29:51.800 --> 00:29:53.280
 that we actually don't get a chance

00:29:53.280 --> 00:29:54.140
 to listen to one another?

00:29:56.320 --> 00:29:57.820
 How well do you know the stories

00:29:57.820 --> 00:29:59.519
 of people in your community group?

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:02.259
 The stories of those around you,

00:30:02.800 --> 00:30:04.320
 those you know at church.

00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:06.840
 You might know them on a superficial basis,

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:10.399
 but do you know what they struggle with?

00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:12.159
 Do you know what drives them?

00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:12.959
 What they fear?

00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:13.919
 What they really enjoy?

00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:18.939
 Take an opportunity to invite somebody out for a meal

00:30:18.939 --> 00:30:20.639
 and get to know them in this way.

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.579
 Ask them these things.

00:30:21.679 --> 00:30:22.899
 What do they enjoy,

00:30:23.059 --> 00:30:24.059
 and what do they struggle with?

00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:25.459
 What can you pray for for them?

00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:29.559
 Sow a seed by taking the time to listen

00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:31.519
 and to get to know people?

00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:34.319
 In these things,

00:30:34.879 --> 00:30:37.000
 what we often find is that

00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:39.779
 everybody's waiting for somebody else to ask, right?

00:30:39.779 --> 00:30:43.339
 And so let's break that cycle

00:30:43.339 --> 00:30:45.220
 where everybody's waiting for everybody else

00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:48.079
 by you taking the initiative to ask.

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:50.799
 And while we're at it,

00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:53.539
 we don't just listen to one another's stories.

00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:57.460
 As a church community that is centered around Christ

00:30:57.460 --> 00:30:58.200
 and what he's done,

00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:00.019
 we listen to God's story

00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:03.720
 and find ourselves as part of his story.

00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:08.160
 So when we meet up with each other,

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:10.319
 then why don't we take the opportunity also

00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:13.640
 to share and to listen to God's story

00:31:13.640 --> 00:31:16.180
 and our experience of being part of that story.

00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:17.680
 In Sydney,

00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:19.380
 we used to do something called

00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:20.640
 the One Minute Bible Study.

00:31:21.259 --> 00:31:22.259
 I'll explain it.

00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:25.019
 So we used to have groups

00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.660
 that would meet before work

00:31:26.660 --> 00:31:28.019
 or during lunchtime

00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:30.279
 with people kind of in our building

00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.460
 or close by,

00:31:31.980 --> 00:31:33.259
 and we would meet to share

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:35.079
 to encourage one another

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:36.259
 to pray for our colleagues

00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:37.259
 who didn't yet know Jesus.

00:31:38.220 --> 00:31:39.460
 And what we would also do

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:41.200
 is we would have this One Minute Bible Study

00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:44.059
 where everybody would bring to the group

00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:47.099
 something to share for one minute

00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:48.500
 on one verse

00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:50.500
 that had touched them during the week

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:53.180
 that they might have read or heard somewhere.

00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:55.640
 And it was just something easy and simple

00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:56.279
 that we could do.

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:58.640
 So yeah, that's something that you could try.

00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:02.460
 I also want to talk about

00:32:02.460 --> 00:32:03.940
 leisure

00:32:03.940 --> 00:32:05.860
 because everybody needs to eat

00:32:05.860 --> 00:32:08.100
 and everybody has

00:32:08.100 --> 00:32:10.480
 time kind of they spend

00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.940
 with friends, family and so on.

00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:13.799
 And this is time

00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:15.500
 that we can actually invite other people in.

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.779
 It really struck Chris and I

00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:17.880
 as we were looking at that Bible verse

00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:21.340
 that the early Christians

00:32:21.340 --> 00:32:23.840
 were devoted to the breaking of bread.

00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:25.680
 They were devoted to eating

00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:27.360
 with one another.

00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:28.380
 It sounds a bit like

00:32:28.380 --> 00:32:29.920
 kind of what we do in Hong Kong, right?

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:30.840
 Devoted to eating.

00:32:31.300 --> 00:32:32.700
 Well, why don't we take the opportunity

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:34.800
 to invite people along

00:32:34.800 --> 00:32:36.779
 as we share in it together?

00:32:36.840 --> 00:32:38.680
 Not just the same people all the time

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.779
 but different people

00:32:39.779 --> 00:32:41.200
 that we might not have met yet

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:42.539
 or might not know as well.

00:32:42.820 --> 00:32:43.940
 People from within the church,

00:32:44.039 --> 00:32:44.900
 from within the community group,

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:46.140
 from a neighbouring community group,

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:48.360
 from those who are not part of our church.

00:32:50.080 --> 00:32:54.019
 Or invite them to enjoy

00:32:54.019 --> 00:32:55.320
 the things that you enjoy.

00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:57.160
 Invite them into the craziness

00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:58.040
 of your family time.

00:32:59.220 --> 00:33:00.320
 If you go to the beach,

00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:01.360
 if you go swimming,

00:33:01.840 --> 00:33:03.460
 if you play badminton or squash,

00:33:04.140 --> 00:33:05.960
 feel free to invite people along.

00:33:06.360 --> 00:33:08.019
 Another family or another person

00:33:08.019 --> 00:33:10.240
 from church, a community group

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.840
 or neighbouring community group.

00:33:13.320 --> 00:33:15.259
 Our own group is planning

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:17.440
 to kind of reorganise ourselves

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:19.060
 around these things.

00:33:19.300 --> 00:33:20.019
 Breaking bread,

00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:21.340
 sharing and fellowship,

00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:22.900
 teaching and so on.

00:33:23.180 --> 00:33:24.140
 And one of the things we're going to do

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:26.120
 is we're going to spend time each month

00:33:26.120 --> 00:33:28.259
 gathering socially together,

00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:29.680
 doing something around Hong Kong

00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:32.000
 so that we can invite people along to it.

00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:35.080
 Keep sowing those seeds

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:36.980
 of investing in relationships.

00:33:38.360 --> 00:33:39.240
 As we do,

00:33:39.940 --> 00:33:40.740
 we will reap

00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:43.300
 a beautiful and genuine

00:33:43.300 --> 00:33:44.500
 community life here

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:46.400
 at Watermark in Hong Kong.

00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:49.440
 And it's that genuine community

00:33:49.440 --> 00:33:51.540
 that adorns the gospel

00:33:51.540 --> 00:33:54.680
 and it attracts outsiders.

00:33:55.280 --> 00:33:57.220
 Because as Jesus himself said,

00:33:57.820 --> 00:33:59.500
 this is how everyone will know

00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:00.860
 that you are my disciples

00:34:00.860 --> 00:34:02.820
 if you love one another.

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.700
 Thank you, Alistair.

00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:08.800
 A large part of being the church

00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:10.619
 is not only to worship

00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:13.000
 in these weekly worship services,

00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:15.340
 not even just to be in community,

00:34:15.340 --> 00:34:17.079
 but to actually worship God

00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:18.539
 and serve God

00:34:18.539 --> 00:34:20.000
 by being a community

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:20.660
 that serves

00:34:20.660 --> 00:34:22.820
 the broader community around us.

00:34:23.059 --> 00:34:24.740
 The community you see in Hong Kong

00:34:24.740 --> 00:34:26.740
 outside of the walls of your home,

00:34:27.140 --> 00:34:27.820
 your workplace,

00:34:28.280 --> 00:34:29.000
 and all of that.

00:34:29.820 --> 00:34:31.160
 And that is a big part

00:34:31.160 --> 00:34:33.039
 of Watermark's vision.

00:34:33.620 --> 00:34:34.579
 You know, for many of us,

00:34:34.700 --> 00:34:35.720
 our daily lives

00:34:35.720 --> 00:34:37.400
 don't really involve

00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:39.640
 brushing shoulders

00:34:39.640 --> 00:34:40.539
 and engaging

00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:41.860
 those who are poor,

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:43.460
 those who are hungry,

00:34:43.460 --> 00:34:44.440
 the homeless.

00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:46.000
 The abandoned,

00:34:46.240 --> 00:34:47.019
 the outcast,

00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:48.600
 the marginalized,

00:34:49.720 --> 00:34:50.660
 the lowest rungs

00:34:50.660 --> 00:34:51.840
 of the social ladder,

00:34:52.059 --> 00:34:52.600
 so to speak.

00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:55.240
 But God tells us

00:34:55.240 --> 00:34:55.920
 that religion

00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:56.940
 that he accepts

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:59.200
 as pure and faultless

00:34:59.200 --> 00:34:59.800
 is this,

00:35:00.100 --> 00:35:01.460
 to look after orphans

00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:02.079
 and widows

00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:03.120
 in their distress.

00:35:04.160 --> 00:35:05.320
 And in the early church,

00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:06.579
 those people represented

00:35:06.579 --> 00:35:08.620
 the most vulnerable groups

00:35:08.620 --> 00:35:09.300
 of society.

00:35:10.420 --> 00:35:10.680
 You know,

00:35:10.680 --> 00:35:12.039
 we may not see it regularly,

00:35:12.039 --> 00:35:12.960
 but there actually

00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:14.639
 are genuine physical needs

00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:15.840
 in Hong Kong,

00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:17.619
 even in a relatively

00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:18.440
 wealthy area

00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:20.300
 like the West Island area.

00:35:21.300 --> 00:35:22.400
 In the Central

00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:23.820
 and Western District alone,

00:35:24.219 --> 00:35:26.400
 over 26,000 people

00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:28.019
 have a monthly income

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:29.719
 of less than $10,000.

00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:31.559
 Hong Kong.

00:35:32.139 --> 00:35:34.079
 Over 14,000 households

00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:36.420
 have a monthly household income

00:35:36.420 --> 00:35:38.460
 of less than $10,000.

00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:39.579
 So an entire household.

00:35:40.280 --> 00:35:42.119
 There are nearly 7,000

00:35:42.119 --> 00:35:43.780
 single-parent households.

00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:45.720
 And as we should know,

00:35:45.800 --> 00:35:47.019
 the reality is that

00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:49.440
 whether you're rich materially

00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.460
 or you're poor materially,

00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:52.460
 the underlying poverty

00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:54.139
 is spiritual.

00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:56.500
 There's an emptiness

00:35:56.500 --> 00:35:57.400
 in the human heart

00:35:57.400 --> 00:35:58.460
 that only God's love

00:35:58.460 --> 00:35:58.960
 can fill.

00:36:00.280 --> 00:36:01.480
 And so one of the community groups

00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:02.220
 in Watermark

00:36:02.220 --> 00:36:04.079
 saw this reality,

00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:05.500
 and they've been responding

00:36:05.500 --> 00:36:06.980
 by supporting an organization

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:08.559
 called St. Barnabas Society.

00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:10.279
 And it's a Christian non-profit

00:36:10.279 --> 00:36:11.920
 that serves the poor

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:12.619
 and the needy

00:36:12.619 --> 00:36:14.679
 all across the Western District

00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:16.400
 and Central as well.

00:36:16.819 --> 00:36:17.920
 And out of the dedication

00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:19.639
 of this one community group,

00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:22.179
 we, as the body at large,

00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:24.239
 now have an amazing opportunity

00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:26.019
 to begin planting seeds

00:36:26.019 --> 00:36:27.340
 in something so much greater

00:36:27.340 --> 00:36:28.699
 than any of us could imagine.

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:30.079
 So basically,

00:36:30.199 --> 00:36:31.480
 we want to help St. Barnabas

00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:34.119
 expand beyond serving

00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:35.159
 the elderly and the homeless.

00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:36.460
 As important as that is,

00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:37.940
 we want to begin reaching out

00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:39.219
 to disadvantaged children

00:36:39.219 --> 00:36:40.980
 as well as their families.

00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:43.099
 Their community center

00:36:43.099 --> 00:36:44.840
 actually has an upper floor

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:46.880
 that isn't really being used right now.

00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.820
 It's a bit dilapidated.

00:36:48.119 --> 00:36:49.699
 It's kind of unrenovated.

00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:52.400
 And we want to take that place

00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:54.500
 and turn it into a dedicated space

00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:56.500
 where kids can come get tutored,

00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:58.719
 they can come learn and hang out,

00:36:59.139 --> 00:37:01.079
 and even have their parents join in

00:37:01.079 --> 00:37:03.159
 so that they can actually be served

00:37:03.159 --> 00:37:04.599
 a family meal together

00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:05.840
 and be united around that.

00:37:06.920 --> 00:37:07.599
 And in other words,

00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:09.259
 this is a huge opportunity

00:37:09.259 --> 00:37:10.719
 for us as Watermark

00:37:10.719 --> 00:37:11.819
 to bring children,

00:37:12.219 --> 00:37:13.019
 at-risk children,

00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:13.840
 into a safe,

00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:14.779
 nurturing environment.

00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:15.239
 You know,

00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:16.779
 to give disadvantaged kids

00:37:16.779 --> 00:37:17.739
 actually a chance

00:37:17.739 --> 00:37:19.019
 of better education,

00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:21.239
 to unite parents

00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:22.299
 and children together,

00:37:22.699 --> 00:37:24.199
 even if it's over one meal.

00:37:25.119 --> 00:37:26.239
 And really, ultimately,

00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:28.119
 to speak and show God's love

00:37:28.119 --> 00:37:30.839
 to every vulnerable group

00:37:30.839 --> 00:37:32.839
 and individual in that group,

00:37:32.940 --> 00:37:33.359
 the kids.

00:37:34.339 --> 00:37:35.420
 And nuts and bolts,

00:37:35.519 --> 00:37:36.699
 you can find out more

00:37:36.699 --> 00:37:38.179
 about how you can get involved

00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:39.980
 by going to the church website,

00:37:40.900 --> 00:37:42.659
 pens, iPads, paper, whatever.

00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:43.719
 Please just write down

00:37:43.719 --> 00:37:45.699
 watermarkchurch.hk

00:37:45.699 --> 00:37:47.440
 slash community service.

00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:49.500
 watermarkchurch.hk

00:37:49.500 --> 00:37:50.799
 slash community service.

00:37:51.259 --> 00:37:51.739
 And of course,

00:37:51.799 --> 00:37:52.779
 you can speak to myself

00:37:52.780 --> 00:37:54.080
 or Mike Rivalin

00:37:54.080 --> 00:37:55.380
 from the Kennedy Town

00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:56.760
 community group.

00:37:57.960 --> 00:37:59.900
 And as you walk

00:37:59.900 --> 00:38:00.960
 on this journey with us,

00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:02.220
 as you look into this,

00:38:02.760 --> 00:38:04.200
 this idea of community service,

00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:05.200
 I really want to encourage you,

00:38:05.320 --> 00:38:05.560
 don't,

00:38:05.860 --> 00:38:06.880
 please don't just serve

00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:08.440
 because, you know,

00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:09.980
 you're presented directly

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:10.940
 with opportunities.

00:38:11.620 --> 00:38:12.920
 We really encourage you

00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:14.480
 to pray and be sensitive

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.460
 to the things

00:38:15.460 --> 00:38:16.480
 that God is also

00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:18.700
 burdening your hearts with,

00:38:18.980 --> 00:38:20.540
 things that he's speaking to you.

00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:22.480
 Talk within your community groups.

00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:24.200
 About things you can explore

00:38:24.200 --> 00:38:24.980
 as a family.

00:38:26.019 --> 00:38:26.200
 You know,

00:38:26.260 --> 00:38:27.360
 what might it look like

00:38:27.360 --> 00:38:29.000
 for you to plant a seed

00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:29.680
 in your community?

00:38:30.260 --> 00:38:30.460
 You know,

00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:31.540
 what might it look like

00:38:31.540 --> 00:38:33.019
 for an entire church

00:38:33.019 --> 00:38:34.540
 of community groups

00:38:34.540 --> 00:38:36.920
 on a mission together

00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:38.260
 all across Hong Kong?

00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:41.940
 I want to close with this.

00:38:42.080 --> 00:38:42.740
 Matthew 5,

00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:43.320
 Jesus says,

00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:44.900
 you are the light of the world.

00:38:45.240 --> 00:38:46.360
 A city set on a hill

00:38:46.360 --> 00:38:47.160
 cannot be hidden,

00:38:47.980 --> 00:38:49.220
 nor do people light a lamp

00:38:49.220 --> 00:38:50.519
 and put it on a basket,

00:38:50.980 --> 00:38:51.680
 under a basket.

00:38:51.800 --> 00:38:52.420
 But they light

00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:53.059
 the lamp

00:38:53.059 --> 00:38:54.059
 and put it on a stand

00:38:54.059 --> 00:38:54.920
 so that it gives light

00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:56.240
 to all in the house.

00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:57.559
 In the same way,

00:38:57.680 --> 00:38:58.639
 let your light shine

00:38:58.639 --> 00:38:59.340
 before others

00:38:59.340 --> 00:39:00.059
 that they may see

00:39:00.059 --> 00:39:00.700
 your good works

00:39:00.700 --> 00:39:01.440
 and give glory

00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:02.220
 to your Father

00:39:02.220 --> 00:39:03.460
 who is in heaven.

00:39:04.539 --> 00:39:05.420
 And what this means to me

00:39:05.420 --> 00:39:06.059
 is ultimately,

00:39:06.340 --> 00:39:07.200
 community service

00:39:07.200 --> 00:39:08.740
 is not ultimately

00:39:08.740 --> 00:39:10.300
 about doing good

00:39:10.300 --> 00:39:12.240
 or alleviating poverty.

00:39:12.240 --> 00:39:13.260
 It's not even about

00:39:13.260 --> 00:39:14.280
 just taking care

00:39:14.280 --> 00:39:14.940
 of the vulnerable.

00:39:15.500 --> 00:39:16.440
 It's really about

00:39:16.440 --> 00:39:17.280
 worshiping God.

00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:17.320
 God.

00:39:18.200 --> 00:39:19.600
 I know that for every

00:39:19.600 --> 00:39:20.700
 homeless person

00:39:20.700 --> 00:39:21.640
 you and I feed,

00:39:22.180 --> 00:39:23.460
 every lonely grandmother

00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:25.000
 you and I spend time with,

00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:27.700
 every disadvantaged child

00:39:27.700 --> 00:39:28.440
 that I tutor,

00:39:29.100 --> 00:39:29.800
 whatever it is

00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:30.860
 that you and I can do,

00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.320
 our God is a God

00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:33.060
 who loves them

00:39:33.060 --> 00:39:34.400
 infinitely more

00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:34.960
 than we do.

00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:36.519
 And so we just need

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.480
 to serve our God.

00:39:38.140 --> 00:39:39.100
 We just need to give him

00:39:39.100 --> 00:39:40.540
 everything that he's given

00:39:40.540 --> 00:39:41.019
 to us

00:39:41.019 --> 00:39:42.920
 so that he may be glorified.

00:39:42.920 --> 00:39:45.079
 God is the same God

00:39:45.079 --> 00:39:46.000
 over all people,

00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:47.440
 rich and poor,

00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:49.059
 those who are content

00:39:49.059 --> 00:39:50.760
 and those who feel unworthy.

00:39:51.460 --> 00:39:52.760
 So may we give freely,

00:39:53.119 --> 00:39:54.420
 may we give without fear

00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:55.420
 or discrimination.

00:39:56.780 --> 00:39:57.619
 And as we worship

00:39:57.619 --> 00:39:58.680
 in here this morning,

00:39:59.019 --> 00:39:59.880
 my prayer is that

00:39:59.880 --> 00:40:00.519
 this worship

00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:01.920
 would really overflow

00:40:01.920 --> 00:40:03.720
 into the poorest

00:40:03.720 --> 00:40:05.380
 and darkest corners

00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:05.940
 of Hong Kong.

00:40:07.200 --> 00:40:08.300
 So you've heard

00:40:08.300 --> 00:40:09.240
 a little bit about

00:40:09.240 --> 00:40:10.440
 the old

00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:12.360
 in the New Testament church.

00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:13.360
 You've heard a little bit

00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:13.920
 about what it means

00:40:13.920 --> 00:40:15.460
 for them to be devoted

00:40:15.460 --> 00:40:16.820
 to what God is doing.

00:40:17.940 --> 00:40:18.760
 You've heard a little bit

00:40:18.760 --> 00:40:20.860
 about what God is,

00:40:20.940 --> 00:40:21.680
 we feel like God's doing

00:40:21.680 --> 00:40:22.640
 in Watermark here,

00:40:22.740 --> 00:40:23.320
 what we feel like

00:40:23.320 --> 00:40:24.280
 he's called us to be about,

00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:25.140
 what we're praying

00:40:25.140 --> 00:40:26.440
 that everyone will be about here

00:40:26.440 --> 00:40:28.039
 as we walk with the Lord.

00:40:30.240 --> 00:40:31.220
 Let me ask you a question.

00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:32.880
 And this isn't in the sermon

00:40:32.880 --> 00:40:33.460
 at the beginning

00:40:33.460 --> 00:40:34.079
 this morning

00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:35.019
 as I was praying through it,

00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:35.420
 I just feel like

00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:36.180
 I need to ask this

00:40:36.180 --> 00:40:37.039
 because I need to ask

00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:38.960
 myself this question.

00:40:39.960 --> 00:40:40.800
 I hope that you listen

00:40:40.800 --> 00:40:41.599
 to what I say

00:40:41.599 --> 00:40:42.340
 very carefully

00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:42.820
 because I know

00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:43.760
 that it will be

00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:46.480
 misunderstood maybe.

00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:48.320
 But what if you're

00:40:48.320 --> 00:40:49.340
 in here right now

00:40:49.340 --> 00:40:50.100
 and you're listening

00:40:50.100 --> 00:40:50.920
 to this passage

00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:51.840
 about how the church

00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:53.059
 was going to come together

00:40:53.059 --> 00:40:55.079
 and they came to Christ

00:40:55.079 --> 00:40:56.340
 and the Spirit filled them

00:40:56.340 --> 00:40:57.660
 and all of a sudden

00:40:57.660 --> 00:40:58.440
 they started to

00:40:58.440 --> 00:40:59.340
 worship the Word

00:40:59.340 --> 00:40:59.960
 and worship

00:40:59.960 --> 00:41:01.820
 the Lord

00:41:01.820 --> 00:41:03.800
 and to serve each other

00:41:03.800 --> 00:41:05.559
 and to give

00:41:05.559 --> 00:41:06.800
 and to be outwardly focused.

00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:07.840
 What if you've heard

00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:08.740
 these passages

00:41:08.740 --> 00:41:09.340
 right now

00:41:09.340 --> 00:41:09.840
 and you're hitting

00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:11.360
 here right now

00:41:11.360 --> 00:41:13.420
 but you have

00:41:13.420 --> 00:41:14.760
 no desire

00:41:14.760 --> 00:41:15.460
 to do that?

00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:18.039
 I mean,

00:41:18.100 --> 00:41:18.960
 what if you

00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:20.220
 prayed the prayer

00:41:20.220 --> 00:41:20.860
 long ago

00:41:20.860 --> 00:41:21.820
 and you invited Jesus

00:41:21.820 --> 00:41:22.539
 into your life

00:41:22.539 --> 00:41:23.579
 or maybe your mom

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:24.340
 prayed it with you

00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:24.800
 or maybe

00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:27.400
 you went to a youth group

00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:28.180
 and you were baptized

00:41:28.180 --> 00:41:30.160
 or your parents told you

00:41:30.160 --> 00:41:31.019
 you were always raised up

00:41:31.019 --> 00:41:31.660
 in a Methodist

00:41:31.660 --> 00:41:32.600
 or a Catholic

00:41:32.600 --> 00:41:33.420
 or a Protestant

00:41:33.420 --> 00:41:34.320
 or a Lutheran church

00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:36.400
 and so that's who you are

00:41:36.400 --> 00:41:37.100
 but what if you

00:41:37.100 --> 00:41:38.860
 don't have a desire

00:41:38.860 --> 00:41:39.400
 for that?

00:41:39.480 --> 00:41:39.600
 I mean,

00:41:39.640 --> 00:41:40.600
 what if you have

00:41:40.600 --> 00:41:41.320
 no desire

00:41:41.320 --> 00:41:44.039
 and no push

00:41:44.039 --> 00:41:45.019
 to devote yourself

00:41:45.019 --> 00:41:46.620
 to serve?

00:41:48.080 --> 00:41:48.519
 What if you have

00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:49.080
 no desire

00:41:49.080 --> 00:41:50.940
 to devote yourself

00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:52.000
 to hear God's Word

00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:52.980
 and to devour it

00:41:52.980 --> 00:41:53.440
 and to understand

00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:54.059
 what it means

00:41:54.059 --> 00:41:55.320
 to be a follower

00:41:55.320 --> 00:41:55.900
 of Christ?

00:41:56.059 --> 00:41:56.539
 What if you have

00:41:56.539 --> 00:41:57.039
 no desire

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:57.920
 to worship the Lord?

00:41:57.980 --> 00:41:58.640
 What if you're sitting here

00:41:58.640 --> 00:41:59.120
 and you're saying,

00:41:59.519 --> 00:41:59.600
 yeah,

00:41:59.640 --> 00:42:00.260
 I've heard these things,

00:42:00.320 --> 00:42:00.900
 I see these things

00:42:00.900 --> 00:42:01.180
 but you know,

00:42:01.220 --> 00:42:01.440
 I just,

00:42:02.340 --> 00:42:03.320
 I have no desire

00:42:03.320 --> 00:42:04.619
 to do that.

00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:05.720
 I don't want to do that

00:42:05.720 --> 00:42:07.440
 and I've never done that.

00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:08.539
 I don't want to be

00:42:08.539 --> 00:42:09.059
 other focused.

00:42:09.200 --> 00:42:09.720
 I don't want to be

00:42:09.720 --> 00:42:11.220
 a steward of the resources.

00:42:11.340 --> 00:42:12.639
 What if I've never tithed?

00:42:13.780 --> 00:42:14.740
 What if I never realized

00:42:14.740 --> 00:42:15.420
 that all the money

00:42:15.420 --> 00:42:15.900
 that I have

00:42:15.900 --> 00:42:16.860
 isn't really my money

00:42:16.860 --> 00:42:17.440
 but it's really

00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:18.720
 God's money?

00:42:20.559 --> 00:42:21.500
 And I hear these messages

00:42:21.500 --> 00:42:21.900
 and I say,

00:42:21.960 --> 00:42:22.360
 so what?

00:42:22.680 --> 00:42:23.280
 I'm going to keep it

00:42:23.280 --> 00:42:23.800
 to myself

00:42:23.800 --> 00:42:25.720
 because God isn't good

00:42:25.720 --> 00:42:27.180
 and He won't take care of me.

00:42:27.500 --> 00:42:29.000
 What if you're here

00:42:29.000 --> 00:42:29.500
 right now

00:42:29.500 --> 00:42:31.000
 and you feel that way?

00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:34.820
 What if you're listening

00:42:34.820 --> 00:42:35.440
 to this passage

00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:36.119
 and you realize

00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:37.840
 that you used to do

00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:38.440
 these things?

00:42:40.219 --> 00:42:40.480
 I mean,

00:42:40.579 --> 00:42:41.980
 you came to Christ

00:42:41.980 --> 00:42:42.980
 one time in your life

00:42:42.980 --> 00:42:44.500
 and you were all hungry

00:42:44.500 --> 00:42:45.219
 for God's word

00:42:45.219 --> 00:42:46.219
 and you used to hunger

00:42:46.219 --> 00:42:46.719
 for His word.

00:42:46.820 --> 00:42:47.840
 You used to love

00:42:47.840 --> 00:42:48.460
 to come to worship.

00:42:48.599 --> 00:42:49.619
 You used to pray

00:42:49.619 --> 00:42:50.920
 unceasingly.

00:42:51.059 --> 00:42:52.900
 You used to look at ways

00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:53.579
 that you could serve

00:42:53.579 --> 00:42:54.219
 in the church.

00:42:54.420 --> 00:42:56.139
 You used to be other focused.

00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:57.219
 You used to use your money

00:42:57.219 --> 00:42:57.599
 because you knew

00:42:57.599 --> 00:42:58.260
 it wasn't your money

00:42:58.260 --> 00:42:59.139
 but it was God's money

00:42:59.139 --> 00:43:00.199
 and you used to be

00:43:00.199 --> 00:43:00.859
 a steward of that.

00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:02.099
 You used to pray

00:43:02.099 --> 00:43:02.920
 for other people.

00:43:03.879 --> 00:43:04.699
 You used to be concerned

00:43:04.699 --> 00:43:05.779
 about the world around you

00:43:05.779 --> 00:43:08.239
 but now you're not.

00:43:11.659 --> 00:43:12.559
 What about us?

00:43:14.139 --> 00:43:15.099
 The passage here

00:43:15.099 --> 00:43:16.059
 says really clearly

00:43:16.059 --> 00:43:17.299
 that the walk

00:43:17.299 --> 00:43:18.059
 with the Lord,

00:43:18.599 --> 00:43:19.359
 the Christian life

00:43:19.359 --> 00:43:20.319
 is about a relationship

00:43:20.319 --> 00:43:21.019
 with God.

00:43:22.400 --> 00:43:23.599
 It's not about doing

00:43:23.599 --> 00:43:24.639
 or being

00:43:24.639 --> 00:43:25.279
 but it's about

00:43:25.279 --> 00:43:26.299
 knowing

00:43:26.300 --> 00:43:27.960
 the risen Lord.

00:43:29.640 --> 00:43:30.100
 And the scripture

00:43:30.100 --> 00:43:30.980
 is really clear

00:43:30.980 --> 00:43:32.140
 that if we know God

00:43:32.140 --> 00:43:32.740
 and His spirit

00:43:32.740 --> 00:43:33.500
 is in us

00:43:33.500 --> 00:43:36.100
 that our life

00:43:36.100 --> 00:43:37.140
 will start to manifest

00:43:37.140 --> 00:43:37.980
 these things.

00:43:39.220 --> 00:43:40.039
 We'll start to be

00:43:40.039 --> 00:43:40.519
 other focused.

00:43:40.640 --> 00:43:41.160
 We start to be

00:43:41.160 --> 00:43:42.160
 other thinking.

00:43:42.360 --> 00:43:43.140
 We will start to serve.

00:43:43.220 --> 00:43:43.820
 We start to give.

00:43:43.900 --> 00:43:44.460
 We start to realize

00:43:44.460 --> 00:43:44.840
 that our money

00:43:44.840 --> 00:43:45.400
 isn't our money

00:43:45.400 --> 00:43:46.580
 but it's God's money.

00:43:46.640 --> 00:43:48.560
 We start to worship Him.

00:43:48.620 --> 00:43:49.360
 We start to know

00:43:49.360 --> 00:43:50.440
 and read His word

00:43:50.440 --> 00:43:51.039
 because that's where

00:43:51.039 --> 00:43:51.780
 He meets us

00:43:51.780 --> 00:43:52.140
 and that's where

00:43:52.140 --> 00:43:53.280
 He changes our hearts.

00:43:53.280 --> 00:43:56.400
 And if we're not

00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:57.060
 doing that

00:43:57.060 --> 00:43:57.560
 the Bible

00:43:57.560 --> 00:43:58.660
 basically says

00:43:58.660 --> 00:43:59.960
 that you

00:43:59.960 --> 00:44:01.140
 and I

00:44:01.140 --> 00:44:02.940
 we have a heart problem.

00:44:06.019 --> 00:44:07.180
 And we need to come back

00:44:07.180 --> 00:44:07.860
 to the Lord

00:44:07.860 --> 00:44:08.380
 and see

00:44:08.380 --> 00:44:09.160
 do we really

00:44:09.160 --> 00:44:09.700
 understand

00:44:09.700 --> 00:44:10.460
 what it means

00:44:10.460 --> 00:44:12.260
 to walk with the Lord?

00:44:13.620 --> 00:44:15.240
 Do we really understand

00:44:15.240 --> 00:44:16.320
 what it means

00:44:16.320 --> 00:44:16.620
 to be called

00:44:16.620 --> 00:44:17.560
 a child of God?

00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:20.580
 Do we really understand

00:44:20.580 --> 00:44:21.019
 that everything

00:44:21.019 --> 00:44:21.760
 that He's given us

00:44:21.760 --> 00:44:22.960
 is an amazing blessing

00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:24.240
 especially His Son?

00:44:25.500 --> 00:44:26.619
 But we're not to hoard it

00:44:26.619 --> 00:44:27.199
 or to give it

00:44:27.199 --> 00:44:27.940
 to other people.

00:44:29.179 --> 00:44:30.199
 And if we don't

00:44:30.199 --> 00:44:30.960
 understand that

00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:32.260
 and if we don't do that

00:44:32.260 --> 00:44:34.019
 this passage

00:44:34.019 --> 00:44:34.840
 and all the rest

00:44:34.840 --> 00:44:35.240
 of the Bible

00:44:35.240 --> 00:44:35.760
 says you have

00:44:35.760 --> 00:44:36.420
 a heart problem.

00:44:38.420 --> 00:44:39.260
 And you probably

00:44:39.260 --> 00:44:40.460
 don't have the relationship

00:44:40.460 --> 00:44:41.280
 with God

00:44:41.280 --> 00:44:43.039
 that you think you do.

00:44:44.139 --> 00:44:44.960
 And we don't want you

00:44:44.960 --> 00:44:45.639
 to leave here

00:44:45.639 --> 00:44:46.860
 thinking that

00:44:46.860 --> 00:44:47.880
 everything is alright

00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:51.260
 when God's word says

00:44:51.260 --> 00:44:53.920
 but it's probably not.

00:44:55.620 --> 00:44:56.420
 And you need to do

00:44:56.420 --> 00:44:57.660
 some serious thinking

00:44:57.660 --> 00:44:59.620
 and coming before

00:44:59.620 --> 00:44:59.980
 the Lord

00:44:59.980 --> 00:45:00.620
 and praying.

00:45:01.740 --> 00:45:02.420
 Our prayer is

00:45:02.420 --> 00:45:02.860
 that you wouldn't

00:45:02.860 --> 00:45:03.700
 leave this time

00:45:03.700 --> 00:45:04.260
 you wouldn't leave

00:45:04.260 --> 00:45:04.700
 the meal

00:45:04.700 --> 00:45:05.120
 that we're about

00:45:05.120 --> 00:45:05.660
 to go into

00:45:05.660 --> 00:45:07.180
 without doing that.

00:45:07.260 --> 00:45:07.900
 There's going to be elders

00:45:07.900 --> 00:45:08.400
 and there's going to be

00:45:08.400 --> 00:45:08.700
 leaders

00:45:08.700 --> 00:45:09.320
 and there's going to be

00:45:09.320 --> 00:45:09.720
 staff

00:45:09.720 --> 00:45:10.620
 who would love

00:45:10.620 --> 00:45:11.220
 to talk to you

00:45:11.220 --> 00:45:11.480
 and they'd love

00:45:11.480 --> 00:45:11.920
 to talk to you

00:45:11.920 --> 00:45:12.460
 about what it means

00:45:12.460 --> 00:45:12.960
 to come to know

00:45:12.960 --> 00:45:13.360
 the Lord

00:45:13.360 --> 00:45:13.980
 and what it talks

00:45:13.980 --> 00:45:15.020
 about

00:45:15.020 --> 00:45:15.520
 what it means

00:45:15.520 --> 00:45:16.140
 to trust Him

00:45:16.140 --> 00:45:16.820
 and go on a journey

00:45:16.820 --> 00:45:17.140
 with Him.

00:45:17.520 --> 00:45:18.520
 What it talks about

00:45:18.519 --> 00:45:19.019
 what it means

00:45:19.019 --> 00:45:19.719
 to talk about

00:45:19.719 --> 00:45:21.199
 planting the seed.

00:45:21.820 --> 00:45:22.259
 You know we place

00:45:22.259 --> 00:45:23.199
 these things

00:45:23.199 --> 00:45:23.980
 these bookmarks

00:45:23.980 --> 00:45:24.579
 in your chair

00:45:24.579 --> 00:45:26.400
 because this is a verse

00:45:26.400 --> 00:45:26.940
 that's meant a lot

00:45:26.940 --> 00:45:27.699
 to us as a staff

00:45:27.699 --> 00:45:28.800
 because the very fact

00:45:28.800 --> 00:45:29.480
 that you're here

00:45:29.480 --> 00:45:30.059
 right now

00:45:30.059 --> 00:45:31.719
 when we started

00:45:31.719 --> 00:45:32.219
 this church

00:45:32.219 --> 00:45:33.519
 43 people came over

00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:34.400
 from another church

00:45:34.400 --> 00:45:36.679
 now about 30 of them

00:45:36.679 --> 00:45:37.280
 aren't here anymore

00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:37.960
 they've been shipped

00:45:37.960 --> 00:45:39.360
 out to London

00:45:39.360 --> 00:45:40.139
 and other countries

00:45:40.139 --> 00:45:41.000
 but the very fact

00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:41.400
 that you're here

00:45:41.400 --> 00:45:41.800
 right now

00:45:41.800 --> 00:45:42.500
 is because they

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:44.360
 invested their lives

00:45:44.360 --> 00:45:44.940
 they invested

00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:46.039
 their finances

00:45:46.039 --> 00:45:46.619
 they invested

00:45:46.619 --> 00:45:47.139
 their gifting

00:45:47.139 --> 00:45:48.659
 for that little time

00:45:48.659 --> 00:45:49.099
 that God

00:45:49.099 --> 00:45:50.019
 had them here

00:45:50.019 --> 00:45:51.579
 and this church

00:45:51.579 --> 00:45:52.139
 is here now

00:45:52.139 --> 00:45:52.659
 that you're taking

00:45:52.659 --> 00:45:53.219
 part of

00:45:53.219 --> 00:45:55.059
 and our prayer

00:45:55.059 --> 00:45:55.839
 is that you

00:45:55.839 --> 00:45:56.779
 would think

00:45:56.779 --> 00:45:57.199
 and pray

00:45:57.199 --> 00:45:57.679
 and think about

00:45:57.679 --> 00:45:58.139
 what it means

00:45:58.139 --> 00:45:58.699
 for you to go

00:45:58.699 --> 00:45:59.139
 on a journey

00:45:59.139 --> 00:45:59.639
 with the Lord

00:45:59.639 --> 00:46:00.139
 what does it mean

00:46:00.139 --> 00:46:00.619
 for you to be

00:46:00.619 --> 00:46:01.440
 all in

00:46:01.440 --> 00:46:01.879
 what it means

00:46:01.879 --> 00:46:02.619
 for you to give

00:46:02.619 --> 00:46:03.219
 everything that He's

00:46:03.219 --> 00:46:03.759
 given you

00:46:03.759 --> 00:46:05.319
 for His service

00:46:05.319 --> 00:46:05.879
 and for those

00:46:05.879 --> 00:46:06.579
 who don't know Him

00:46:06.579 --> 00:46:07.319
 and for this world

00:46:07.319 --> 00:46:08.059
 that's lost

00:46:08.059 --> 00:46:09.159
 and needs to be redeemed

00:46:09.159 --> 00:46:10.539
 what would it look

00:46:10.539 --> 00:46:11.039
 like for you

00:46:11.039 --> 00:46:12.079
 to go all in

00:46:12.079 --> 00:46:13.039
 and to plant a seed

00:46:13.039 --> 00:46:14.159
 these next four months

00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:16.920
 just for four months

00:46:16.920 --> 00:46:17.460
 I'm going to get

00:46:17.460 --> 00:46:17.980
 in a Bible study

00:46:17.980 --> 00:46:18.579
 we're going to start

00:46:18.579 --> 00:46:19.440
 some studies right now

00:46:19.440 --> 00:46:20.300
 my wife and other people

00:46:20.300 --> 00:46:21.539
 are doing these Bible studies

00:46:21.539 --> 00:46:22.240
 for new beginners

00:46:22.240 --> 00:46:23.200
 and for old beginners

00:46:23.200 --> 00:46:23.880
 and they're going to be

00:46:23.880 --> 00:46:25.220
 being rolled out here

00:46:25.220 --> 00:46:26.360
 again it's not a program

00:46:26.360 --> 00:46:26.980
 but we just want to get

00:46:26.980 --> 00:46:28.039
 people deep

00:46:28.039 --> 00:46:28.740
 what if you decide

00:46:28.740 --> 00:46:29.559
 hey we want to serve

00:46:29.559 --> 00:46:30.300
 what if we want to

00:46:30.300 --> 00:46:31.400
 get into a community group

00:46:31.400 --> 00:46:31.980
 what if you just do that

00:46:31.980 --> 00:46:32.700
 for four months

00:46:32.700 --> 00:46:33.700
 and you trust in the Lord

00:46:33.700 --> 00:46:35.260
 for that

00:46:35.260 --> 00:46:38.360
 would your life be different

00:46:38.360 --> 00:46:39.960
 we think it would be

00:46:39.960 --> 00:46:42.740
 because the Bible says

00:46:42.740 --> 00:46:43.820
 that as the church

00:46:43.820 --> 00:46:45.440
 did these things

00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:46.280
 as they worshipped

00:46:46.280 --> 00:46:47.059
 as they prayed

00:46:47.059 --> 00:46:48.300
 as they gave

00:46:48.300 --> 00:46:49.360
 as they served

00:46:49.360 --> 00:46:50.720
 as they sacrificially

00:46:50.720 --> 00:46:51.619
 went to other people

00:46:51.619 --> 00:46:53.000
 as they did these things

00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:54.539
 society and the world

00:46:54.539 --> 00:46:55.300
 changed

00:46:55.300 --> 00:46:57.440
 and it changed mostly

00:46:57.440 --> 00:46:58.460
 because of a relationship

00:46:58.460 --> 00:46:59.099
 the relationship

00:46:59.099 --> 00:46:59.820
 was what they had

00:46:59.820 --> 00:47:00.400
 with Christ

00:47:00.400 --> 00:47:02.500
 and the relationship

00:47:02.500 --> 00:47:03.079
 was what they had

00:47:03.079 --> 00:47:03.579
 with each other

00:47:03.579 --> 00:47:04.519
 and when people saw that

00:47:04.519 --> 00:47:05.780
 it changed everything

00:47:05.780 --> 00:47:08.099
 and so we're praying

00:47:08.099 --> 00:47:09.280
 for all of us

00:47:09.280 --> 00:47:10.039
 as a church family

00:47:10.039 --> 00:47:11.159
 that we would be all in

00:47:11.159 --> 00:47:13.500
 that we would realize

00:47:13.500 --> 00:47:14.240
 that God is good

00:47:14.239 --> 00:47:15.259
 that we can trust him

00:47:15.259 --> 00:47:16.519
 that he gave the most

00:47:16.519 --> 00:47:17.779
 precious thing to us

00:47:17.779 --> 00:47:18.439
 his son

00:47:18.439 --> 00:47:19.979
 and that the life

00:47:19.979 --> 00:47:21.019
 he wants for us

00:47:21.019 --> 00:47:22.059
 is so much greater

00:47:22.059 --> 00:47:22.919
 and far beyond

00:47:22.919 --> 00:47:25.079
 anything that we are

00:47:25.079 --> 00:47:26.239
 experiencing right now

00:47:26.239 --> 00:47:28.219
 Father we thank you

00:47:28.219 --> 00:47:28.839
 for this day

00:47:28.839 --> 00:47:30.039
 and we come before you

00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:31.439
 and we worship you

00:47:31.439 --> 00:47:33.239
 we desire a relationship

00:47:33.239 --> 00:47:33.619
 with you

00:47:33.619 --> 00:47:34.099
 because we know

00:47:34.099 --> 00:47:34.939
 that if that relationship

00:47:34.939 --> 00:47:35.699
 is not there

00:47:35.699 --> 00:47:37.500
 no matter how much

00:47:37.500 --> 00:47:38.279
 we try to perform

00:47:38.279 --> 00:47:38.879
 no matter how much

00:47:38.879 --> 00:47:39.659
 we try to do

00:47:39.659 --> 00:47:41.000
 no matter how much

00:47:41.000 --> 00:47:41.899
 we try to create

00:47:41.900 --> 00:47:43.960
 it is just cosmetics

00:47:43.960 --> 00:47:45.000
 because our heart

00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:46.079
 stays the same

00:47:46.079 --> 00:47:47.780
 and so we thank you

00:47:47.780 --> 00:47:48.800
 that you gave your son

00:47:48.800 --> 00:47:50.340
 to deal with the true

00:47:50.340 --> 00:47:51.380
 problem of the universe

00:47:51.380 --> 00:47:53.099
 it's not poverty

00:47:53.099 --> 00:47:55.619
 and it's not corruption

00:47:55.619 --> 00:47:57.460
 and it's not unfairness

00:47:57.460 --> 00:47:59.200
 and it's not unequal

00:47:59.200 --> 00:48:00.519
 distribution of resources

00:48:00.519 --> 00:48:01.500
 the true problem

00:48:01.500 --> 00:48:02.340
 of the universe

00:48:02.340 --> 00:48:03.400
 is sin

00:48:03.400 --> 00:48:06.160
 in our broken hearts

00:48:06.160 --> 00:48:08.740
 because if that was fixed

00:48:08.740 --> 00:48:09.940
 then all the other things

00:48:09.940 --> 00:48:11.420
 would be taken care of

00:48:11.420 --> 00:48:12.940
 as it was

00:48:12.940 --> 00:48:13.920
 in your early church

00:48:13.920 --> 00:48:15.619
 and so we pray

00:48:15.619 --> 00:48:16.139
 Lord that you would

00:48:16.139 --> 00:48:16.579
 meet us

00:48:16.579 --> 00:48:17.500
 and change us

00:48:17.500 --> 00:48:19.200
 and convict us

00:48:19.200 --> 00:48:20.280
 and heal us

00:48:20.280 --> 00:48:21.820
 and we're so thankful

00:48:21.820 --> 00:48:22.740
 that you are merciful

00:48:22.740 --> 00:48:23.700
 for your grace

00:48:23.700 --> 00:48:24.260
 and your mercy

00:48:24.260 --> 00:48:24.880
 and that you never

00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:25.619
 give up on us

00:48:25.619 --> 00:48:27.059
 you always come towards us

00:48:27.059 --> 00:48:28.380
 you are the God

00:48:28.380 --> 00:48:29.220
 of second chances

00:48:29.220 --> 00:48:31.539
 and so we worship you

00:48:31.539 --> 00:48:32.099
 this day

00:48:32.099 --> 00:48:34.220
 we pray all these things

00:48:34.220 --> 00:48:35.200
 in your son Jesus name

00:48:35.200 --> 00:48:36.159
 Amen