WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.100 Today I'm going to talk about partnership buy-in. 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.879 This is our third sermon in our partnership series, third of four. 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:08.660 ! Partnership buy-in. 00:00:08.900 --> 00:00:13.240 So a partner is someone we count on, someone who is bought in. 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:17.100 So when we talk about partnership or membership, we're talking about buy-in. 00:00:17.460 --> 00:00:22.640 People who bought into the mission and vision of our church in such a way that we can count on them. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:23.280 Okay? 00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:26.859 So 1 Corinthians 6, 19-20 says, 00:00:27.019 --> 00:00:27.900 You are not your own. 00:00:28.580 --> 00:00:29.620 You were bought with a price. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.559 So glorify God in your body. 00:00:31.820 --> 00:00:36.380 So we have been bought by Jesus, therefore we buy in. 00:00:36.939 --> 00:00:37.119 Okay? 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:39.120 Matthew 13, 44 says, 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:44.120 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. 00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:48.920 Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 00:00:49.740 --> 00:00:49.960 Okay? 00:00:50.539 --> 00:00:52.179 2 Corinthians 12, 15 says, 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:55.799 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. 00:00:56.060 --> 00:00:57.200 We buy in joyfully. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:59.359 We've been bought, therefore we buy in. 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.039 We see this treasure of the kingdom of heaven. 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:06.200 And we realize that it's going to cost us everything to buy in. 00:01:06.539 --> 00:01:08.500 And we say, this is a great deal. 00:01:09.299 --> 00:01:10.560 My all for his all? 00:01:10.980 --> 00:01:13.400 I mean, it feels like a ripoff for him, you know? 00:01:13.500 --> 00:01:17.599 It's like this is, in my joy, I've said, yeah, I'll sell all for, of course I will. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:19.000 Of course I will. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:20.659 Of course I'm going to do that. 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:23.340 That's why Paul could say in 2 Corinthians 12, 15, 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:27.819 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. 00:01:28.019 --> 00:01:31.959 Now you think about church, you think about your church involvement over the years. 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:35.620 Could you say with Paul the same thing? 00:01:36.459 --> 00:01:42.859 Could you say, I will most gladly be spent and be, 00:01:42.859 --> 00:01:47.739 I'll most gladly spend and be spent for your souls? 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:49.159 Do you have that same attitude? 00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:50.459 Have you had that same attitude? 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:52.299 Are you a little gun shy at this point? 00:01:52.359 --> 00:01:58.019 Are you saying, well, I did have that kind of mentality. 00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:02.260 I did gladly spend and wanted to gladly be spent. 00:02:02.420 --> 00:02:04.480 But I know it costs a lot. 00:02:05.019 --> 00:02:05.599 It costs a lot. 00:02:05.700 --> 00:02:06.539 And yes, it does. 00:02:07.160 --> 00:02:09.020 And so we have to be, in order to have that gladly, 00:02:09.540 --> 00:02:12.400 in order to have us have that in his joy, he sold all, 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:13.840 we've got to see the treasure. 00:02:13.980 --> 00:02:15.159 We've got to treasure Christ. 00:02:15.260 --> 00:02:17.659 We've got to treasure who he is, what he's done. 00:02:18.200 --> 00:02:20.159 And when we do that, we buy in joyfully. 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:20.800 All right? 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:24.920 So hopefully that is the goal that we would all be able to say with Paul. 00:02:24.920 --> 00:02:30.140 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. 00:02:30.259 --> 00:02:34.680 I'll gladly give of what I have, and I'll gladly give of who I am. 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:36.480 I gladly spend and be spent. 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:36.959 All right? 00:02:37.699 --> 00:02:42.879 So with that, we're talking basically about buying in or partnering in the mission. 00:02:43.419 --> 00:02:48.680 So the definition of partner means a person who takes part in an activity with another. 00:02:49.379 --> 00:02:50.280 One who shares. 00:02:50.819 --> 00:02:52.859 One who shares a task with another. 00:02:52.859 --> 00:02:56.120 Or one who shares ownership with another. 00:02:56.399 --> 00:02:58.000 You could say a part owner. 00:02:58.639 --> 00:02:58.819 All right? 00:02:58.819 --> 00:03:07.239 A partner is someone we can count on to share priorities, to share vision, and to share responsibility. 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:11.079 If we have different priorities, then we can't partner. 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.940 We have different priorities that we can't partner. 00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:18.880 If you treasure one thing and I treasure another, then our hearts will go in two different directions. 00:03:19.380 --> 00:03:22.580 Because Matthew 6.21 says, where your treasure is there, your heart will be also. 00:03:22.580 --> 00:03:25.740 So partnership means we have shared priorities. 00:03:26.120 --> 00:03:27.700 Your priority is my priority. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:30.960 We share them, and therefore our heart is going in the same direction. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:35.480 You can try to put your heart in a direction where you're not treasuring. 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:38.480 You can try to put your heart in an area where you are not prioritizing. 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:39.819 It will not follow. 00:03:40.300 --> 00:03:42.780 Because Matthew 6.21 is the word of God, and it's true. 00:03:43.480 --> 00:03:43.680 Right? 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:46.219 Where your treasure is there, your heart will follow. 00:03:46.219 --> 00:03:50.620 If you treasure the kingdom of God, you treasure Jesus, then your heart will follow there. 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:56.639 And all the people who are treasuring that reality, all their hearts follow together, and there's unity. 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:57.460 Okay? 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:03.139 If we have different visions of how our priorities flesh out, then we can't partner with one another. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:04.079 Okay? 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:08.259 Because we have two visions, or the word you would use for that is division. 00:04:08.579 --> 00:04:08.819 Division. 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:13.460 And a house divided against itself cannot stand. 00:04:13.539 --> 00:04:14.520 This is Mark 3.25. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:15.579 Okay? 00:04:15.580 --> 00:04:18.379 And so, if we say, yeah, same priorities. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:20.400 I prioritize the kingdom, you prioritize the kingdom. 00:04:20.620 --> 00:04:20.960 Awesome. 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:26.259 But I have this vision of how that flesh is out, and you have this vision of how that flesh is out. 00:04:26.620 --> 00:04:28.620 If we have two visions, it's never going to work. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:30.780 And maybe you've actually been a part of it. 00:04:30.840 --> 00:04:32.780 I've been a part of a church like that. 00:04:33.280 --> 00:04:36.400 Both prioritizing the kingdom, but two totally different visions. 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:37.520 And guess what? 00:04:37.580 --> 00:04:38.740 That church did not stand. 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:40.259 It can't. 00:04:40.460 --> 00:04:41.120 It couldn't. 00:04:41.500 --> 00:04:43.139 Because they were going in two different directions. 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:43.879 All right? 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:43.920 Okay? 00:04:44.699 --> 00:04:50.800 So, lastly, if we have the same priorities and the same vision of how those priorities flesh out, 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:56.519 but we don't share the responsibility or share the load, then we can't truly partner with one another. 00:04:56.519 --> 00:05:06.019 If one of us thinks we don't belong or that we don't need each other, then we can't partner because we're alone and partnership is togetherness. 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:06.839 Okay? 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:19.079 So, if one of us is thinking, you know, I don't need other people, or I don't need you, or you don't essentially need me, I don't really belong, then there's no partnership. 00:05:19.659 --> 00:05:24.519 There has to, when there's this truly seeing the need for one another, we have real partnership. 00:05:25.039 --> 00:05:30.079 Amos 3.3 in the New King James Version says, can two walk together unless they are agreed? 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:31.319 No. 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:32.359 It's a rhetorical question. 00:05:32.779 --> 00:05:35.740 So, we talk about this because we want to be agreed. 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:37.139 We want to have the same mind. 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:39.319 And two can't walk together unless they're agreed. 00:05:39.579 --> 00:05:42.579 If we're not agreed on the same priorities, we're going nowhere together. 00:05:43.039 --> 00:05:48.319 If we're not agreed on the same vision of how those priorities get fleshed out, we are not going anywhere together. 00:05:48.419 --> 00:05:51.879 And if we don't agree that it's a together thing, it ain't happening. 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:52.759 Okay? 00:05:53.939 --> 00:05:55.500 Philippians 1.27 says, 00:05:55.699 --> 00:06:11.639 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. 00:06:11.860 --> 00:06:12.620 That's the goal. 00:06:12.899 --> 00:06:13.980 That's the goal of partnership. 00:06:14.459 --> 00:06:19.839 Standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:20.659 That's what we're after. 00:06:20.660 --> 00:06:22.380 And we should be after that. 00:06:22.740 --> 00:06:25.560 Because that's what we're commanded to in scripture in Philippians 1.27. 00:06:26.460 --> 00:06:30.520 Our mission is the kingdom of God and all of life together. 00:06:30.880 --> 00:06:33.520 Kingdom of God and all of life together. 00:06:34.120 --> 00:06:34.240 Okay? 00:06:34.640 --> 00:06:40.820 A partner is someone we can count on to seek first the kingdom and all of life together. 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:45.700 A partner is someone who prioritizes first the king of the kingdom. 00:06:46.280 --> 00:06:48.260 If it's not first, then it's not partnership. 00:06:48.259 --> 00:06:51.519 Can you be counted on to seek the kingdom first? 00:06:52.060 --> 00:06:53.480 Or are some things more important? 00:06:54.279 --> 00:06:59.480 Are you truly, fully bought into the priority of the kingdom of God? 00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:04.839 A partner is someone who prioritizes first the king of the kingdom in all of life. 00:07:05.259 --> 00:07:05.439 Okay? 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:06.379 Not part of life. 00:07:06.899 --> 00:07:08.379 Not most of life. 00:07:08.379 --> 00:07:11.540 If it's just part of your life, then it's not partnership. 00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:13.159 Because there's not equal buy-in. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:14.079 Okay? 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:19.939 If someone is in part way and another person is in all the way, we don't have equal buy-in. 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:20.639 We don't have partnership. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:25.699 So the question is, can you be counted on to seek first the kingdom in all of life? 00:07:25.699 --> 00:07:31.439 Or are some things off limits to the church and to Jesus? 00:07:32.860 --> 00:07:35.699 Are you fully bought in in all of your life? 00:07:37.139 --> 00:07:41.659 Thirdly, a partner is someone who prioritizes first the king of the kingdom in all of life together. 00:07:42.259 --> 00:07:44.779 If you're on your own, then it's not partnership. 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:48.919 If you're just doing things on your own terms, in your own way, it's not partnership. 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:52.180 Can you be counted on to seek first the kingdom together? 00:07:53.520 --> 00:07:56.960 Are you fully bought in on the concept of togetherness? 00:07:57.879 --> 00:07:58.040 Okay? 00:07:58.620 --> 00:08:02.400 Our partners are the ones we count on, those who are dependable and reliable. 00:08:02.900 --> 00:08:06.100 2 Timothy 2.2 talks about entrusting to reliable men. 00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:07.600 Reliable. 00:08:07.860 --> 00:08:09.280 We're looking for reliable people. 00:08:09.580 --> 00:08:11.700 Because this is the kind of people that Paul was looking for. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:13.379 This is the kind of people they're looking for in the Bible. 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:15.980 We have to entrust things to reliable people. 00:08:15.980 --> 00:08:20.259 The church, for it to be strong, for it to be what God has called it to be, 00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:22.000 means people who are reliable. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:23.280 Are you reliable? 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:27.120 And some would say that Christchurch asks too much. 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:29.180 And to them I would ask this question. 00:08:29.640 --> 00:08:31.120 Is your problem with Christchurch? 00:08:31.700 --> 00:08:32.800 Or is it with Jesus? 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:35.100 Is partnership God's idea? 00:08:35.680 --> 00:08:37.039 Or is it a Christchurch idea? 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:41.680 Partnership is essentially expecting of people what Jesus expects of people. 00:08:42.180 --> 00:08:44.940 I'm not asking you to do anything. 00:08:44.940 --> 00:08:46.700 I'm not expecting anything. 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:50.120 That I'm not basing on the scriptures that Jesus is already asking us. 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:50.900 Okay? 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:57.500 I'm asking you to expect and to give yourself in the way that the Bible is commanding us to do it. 00:08:58.160 --> 00:09:01.140 So let's look at these three non-negotiables for partnership. 00:09:01.540 --> 00:09:01.680 Okay? 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:02.940 Number one, share priorities. 00:09:03.800 --> 00:09:05.340 Share priorities of the kingdom of God. 00:09:05.500 --> 00:09:08.600 Which essentially is treasuring Christ and his rule. 00:09:09.060 --> 00:09:09.480 Right? 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:10.840 Treasuring Christ and his rule. 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:15.960 Jesus taught that we should seek first the kingdom of God and that our hearts follow what we treasure. 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:17.200 So Matthew 6.33. 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:23.759 That's why I said we can't just seek it partially or to a great degree. 00:09:24.160 --> 00:09:27.080 The Bible says seek first the kingdom of God. 00:09:27.160 --> 00:09:30.000 And otherwise prioritize the kingdom of God. 00:09:30.100 --> 00:09:31.080 That should be our priority. 00:09:31.680 --> 00:09:32.840 And then Matthew 6.21. 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:35.240 He says where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:41.379 So if you treasure the king and the kingdom, your heart will be following the king and his kingdom. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:42.440 Okay? 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:44.159 So the kingdom was a big deal. 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:46.519 Number one, because Jesus said to seek it first. 00:09:46.659 --> 00:09:47.799 But what else do we see? 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:54.419 Well, after Jesus had died on the cross and rose again, he's got 40 days left with the disciples. 00:09:54.980 --> 00:09:57.440 You think, okay, Jesus knows this. 00:09:57.940 --> 00:09:58.980 It wasn't like a surprise. 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:00.120 Like, I don't know when I'm out of here. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:01.820 No, he knew he had 40 days. 00:10:01.820 --> 00:10:05.700 So basically, he has this 40-day conference with Jesus. 00:10:06.460 --> 00:10:06.580 Okay? 00:10:06.680 --> 00:10:09.200 So what would, the conference speaker is Jesus. 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:10.879 How many days? 00:10:11.020 --> 00:10:11.860 40 days. 00:10:12.100 --> 00:10:14.660 You think, he's got 40 days with the disciples. 00:10:14.920 --> 00:10:16.580 What topic is he going to talk about? 00:10:17.780 --> 00:10:18.600 Acts 1.3. 00:10:18.780 --> 00:10:21.820 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, 00:10:23.080 --> 00:10:27.980 appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:31.020 This is his last days with his disciples. 00:10:31.019 --> 00:10:31.879 This is all he's got. 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:33.079 What does he choose to speak about? 00:10:33.539 --> 00:10:35.639 The first priority, the kingdom of God. 00:10:36.439 --> 00:10:38.340 Do you see it as a first priority? 00:10:38.919 --> 00:10:40.079 Paul was very similar in this. 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:42.299 In Acts 19, verse 8, it says, 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:44.980 He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:48.840 reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 00:10:49.659 --> 00:10:54.840 In fact, Paul, at the end of his life, in Acts 28, verses 30 to 31, 00:10:55.439 --> 00:10:58.139 he was living in house arrest, right? 00:10:58.139 --> 00:11:01.539 He lived there for two whole years at his own expense 00:11:01.539 --> 00:11:03.379 and welcomed all who came to him. 00:11:03.699 --> 00:11:04.899 And guess what he was talking about? 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:06.639 This is at the end of his life. 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:08.100 He knows he doesn't have much time left. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:09.679 He was talking about this in his letters. 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.960 And what does he proclaim in those last two years of his life? 00:11:13.259 --> 00:11:15.419 It says, he welcomed all who came to him 00:11:15.419 --> 00:11:18.059 and he proclaimed the kingdom of God. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:20.199 The kingdom of God is the first priority. 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:22.240 So that begs the question, what is the kingdom? 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:28.740 Jack Taylor calls it God's rule over everyone and everything for all time and eternity. 00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:32.500 God's rule over everyone and everything for all time and eternity. 00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:37.060 Wolfgang Simpson calls it the realm of God's uncontested rule. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:40.139 The realm of God's uncontested rule. 00:11:40.700 --> 00:11:42.940 Or you can just look at the word itself, kingdom. 00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:46.779 So king means rule. 00:11:47.379 --> 00:11:47.820 Domain. 00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:48.220 Dom. 00:11:48.700 --> 00:11:50.960 The dom comes from domain. 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:53.020 So the domain of the king's rule. 00:11:53.560 --> 00:11:53.640 Okay? 00:11:54.280 --> 00:11:55.320 The domain of the king. 00:11:56.800 --> 00:11:58.760 Or if you look at Matthew 6.10, it says, 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:00.140 Your kingdom come, your will be done. 00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:04.000 You can describe the kingdom as what the king wants, the way he wants it. 00:12:04.580 --> 00:12:07.060 What the king wants, the way he wants it. 00:12:08.060 --> 00:12:09.940 And in each kingdom, there's three parts. 00:12:10.040 --> 00:12:10.640 There's the ruler. 00:12:11.100 --> 00:12:12.080 There's the ruled. 00:12:12.460 --> 00:12:13.320 And there's the rules. 00:12:13.860 --> 00:12:14.040 Okay? 00:12:14.940 --> 00:12:16.080 Jesus is the ruler. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:24.960 Those who obey his rules are living as if he's the ruler and are living like the ruled. 00:12:25.300 --> 00:12:25.460 Okay? 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:26.320 That's the kingdom. 00:12:26.680 --> 00:12:32.759 When you seek first the kingdom, when you value the kingdom as a priority, it's going to look a certain way. 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:34.240 It's going to look a certain way. 00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:37.440 It's going to look like submission to Jesus because he's the king. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:38.420 He's not. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:40.759 We don't get to put all these other labels on him. 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:45.360 It's not like you can, quote unquote, accept him as one thing and not accept him as Lord and king. 00:12:45.539 --> 00:12:50.120 You can't break Jesus into little parts and just take whatever's palatable to you. 00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:52.019 He is who he is all the time. 00:12:52.539 --> 00:12:55.600 And one of the things he is is the king, the ruler, the Lord. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:56.539 All right? 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.779 So, shared priorities of the kingdom of God. 00:12:59.779 --> 00:13:05.000 We want to share the priorities of the kingdom of God because this is clearly a priority in the Bible. 00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:09.679 So, what does good fruit of shared priorities and treasuring Christ and his kingdom look like? 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.720 It looks like being a water disciple, water baptized. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:16.439 You ever heard of water discipleship? 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:21.000 Being a water baptized disciple of Jesus. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:21.639 Okay? 00:13:22.079 --> 00:13:23.860 Water baptized disciple of Jesus. 00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:24.679 Why? 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:25.939 Because Jesus said to. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:29.539 And because discipleship to Jesus means you're king. 00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:32.559 I want to come underneath your teaching, your yoke, your rule. 00:13:33.579 --> 00:13:36.979 It looks like the fear of the Lord and ongoing sanctification. 00:13:37.419 --> 00:13:38.219 Being saved. 00:13:38.699 --> 00:13:38.819 Okay? 00:13:39.219 --> 00:13:44.019 Jesus said we've been saved from the penalty of sin, but we're being saved from the power of sin. 00:13:44.359 --> 00:13:45.719 That's what sanctification is. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.639 And we will be saved from the presence of sin. 00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:51.399 Good fruit of shared priority of the kingdom and treasuring Christ and his kingdom. 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:57.100 It looks like a life that's primarily orientated around the kingdom of God. 00:13:58.199 --> 00:13:58.319 Okay? 00:13:58.340 --> 00:14:01.299 Where everything is orientated around the kingdom of God. 00:14:01.699 --> 00:14:04.220 It looks like serving the church is a joy, not a burden. 00:14:04.819 --> 00:14:08.159 It looks like valuing what the church values. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:08.799 Okay? 00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:10.100 Having the same priorities. 00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:14.620 What does bad fruit of shared priorities and treasuring Christ and his kingdom look like? 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:19.720 It looks like a pattern of on your own terms instead of on Christ terms. 00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:25.360 If we're saying, well, I want to do what Jesus wants me to do, but I want to do it on my terms. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:26.060 That's not the kingdom. 00:14:26.139 --> 00:14:28.639 The kingdom is what God wants the way he wants it. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.100 And sometimes we say, oh, I want what God wants, but I want it my way. 00:14:32.259 --> 00:14:38.320 But if you're doing what he wants and you're not doing it in the way he wants it, then it's not really his way. 00:14:39.420 --> 00:14:39.620 Okay? 00:14:39.620 --> 00:14:45.240 So, if there's a pattern of, I want Christ on my own terms, that's not the kingdom of God. 00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:46.980 That's not treasuring Christ and his rule. 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:54.340 If there's a pattern of seeking your own interests instead of Christ, that's not good fruit of treasuring the king of the kingdom. 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:56.299 Philippians 2.21 says, 00:14:56.419 --> 00:15:00.019 They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:02.779 Do you know what Christ is interested in? 00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:05.639 Well, one thing I know for sure he's interested in is this kingdom. 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:06.039 Okay? 00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:07.819 We treasure Christ. 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:12.980 To treasure Christ as king is to treasure what the king is interested in. 00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:17.600 If we say, well, I care more about my interests, that's not fruit of treasuring Christ and his kingdom. 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:22.259 Bad fruit would look like a pattern of lack of regard for the Bible. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:24.919 2 Timothy 3.16 says, 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:31.480 All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:32.399 Okay? 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:38.539 If we're picking and choosing which scriptures we want to believe and which ones we want to adhere to and others we dismiss, 00:15:39.139 --> 00:15:42.720 that's not a good fruit of saying, hey, you're the king. 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:44.199 Your word is law. 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:45.860 Whatever you say goes. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:54.059 Bad fruit would look like a pattern of apathy or lack of effort, cold, lukewarm, standoffish, distant, lazy. 00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.819 Hebrews 3.12 says, 00:15:55.820 --> 00:16:07.580 Bad fruit would look like a pattern of knowing the good you ought to do but not doing it. 00:16:07.920 --> 00:16:08.860 James 4.17. 00:16:09.020 --> 00:16:11.400 He who knows the good you ought to do and doesn't do it sins. 00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:12.400 Okay? 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:15.860 If you say, I treasure Christ and his kingdom, what he says goes. 00:16:16.140 --> 00:16:17.560 I want to do it and I want to do it quickly. 00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:19.140 We say this to our kids, right? 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:20.360 I don't want you just to obey. 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.519 I want you to obey quickly. 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:24.879 And we should do the same thing with the king of kings. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:28.860 If we have that much authority as parents to expect our kids to obey quickly, 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:34.379 how much more does the king of all kings have the authority to ask of us that we would obey quickly? 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:40.100 Bad fruit would look like a pattern of picking and choosing which meetings are important 00:16:40.100 --> 00:16:45.200 and then not showing up or being inconsistent or you're just sick or tired very often 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:48.279 so that you're just giving up meeting with one another. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.639 Time equals a relationship. 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:50.540 All right? 00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:55.840 When we treasure Christ and his kingdom, we treasure the gathering of his saints in the context of church. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:02.759 Bad fruit would look like a pattern of sin, like a hidden or habitual sin where you're locked into it. 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:05.279 It's like you can't say, I'm partnered with you in the kingdom, 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:10.519 but I really am not willing to let go of the sin or I'm living in hidden sin 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:13.240 or I'm living in not hidden sin, but I'm just not willing to let it go. 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:16.960 I'm not walking in repentance, which by the way, confession is not repentance. 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:22.099 In fact, you confess it every week or you confess it often with your brothers or your sisters. 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:23.500 That is not repentance. 00:17:23.879 --> 00:17:26.779 Repentance says, I treasure the king. 00:17:27.139 --> 00:17:30.720 I treasure what he says, and I will denounce this and move away from it. 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:32.779 I'm turning away from it, turning towards Christ. 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:38.639 Bad fruit of not having shared priorities would be you're unreliable. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.559 You can't be trusted. 00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:45.299 Psalm 15 verse 4 says that the man who ascends the hill of the Lord keeps his word even when it hurts, 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:49.259 even at great cost, says in the CSB, right? 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:50.139 Whatever the cost. 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:55.500 Bad fruit would look like a pattern of being unteachable, stubborn, prideful. 00:17:55.960 --> 00:17:59.980 Proverbs 12 verse 1 says he who hates reproof is stupid. 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:02.139 Okay, so it looks like not being stupid. 00:18:02.779 --> 00:18:03.139 Right? 00:18:03.619 --> 00:18:05.559 You're taking correction. 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:07.160 You're listening to people correcting you. 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:12.139 Bad fruit could look like a pattern of bad parenting, where you're just not disciplining your kids, 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:13.339 and your kids are out of control. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.879 I know Samir said his kids are crazy. 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:16.399 That's good. 00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:19.359 Well, we need to talk to Samir and say, let's get them to discipline your kids. 00:18:19.639 --> 00:18:19.740 Right? 00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:20.980 Just kidding. 00:18:21.879 --> 00:18:23.180 He said that during the Lord's Day. 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:23.720 We'll be missing. 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:30.500 No, but it looks like us saying, hey, if I love my kids, I'm diligent to discipline. 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:31.420 Okay? 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:32.600 Because the king says to do that. 00:18:32.660 --> 00:18:33.839 His word says to do that. 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:38.279 It looks like a bad fruit would look like a pattern of not relating around Jesus. 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:41.639 Christ's lack of value for the church. 00:18:42.299 --> 00:18:45.579 Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it, says in Ephesians 5.25. 00:18:46.259 --> 00:18:50.460 And Acts 20.28 says, which he obtained with his own blood, the church of God. 00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:52.620 And it looks like having a love for his church. 00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:54.340 And just really treasuring Christ. 00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:57.319 You know, we've had before people say, I want to partner with the church. 00:18:57.620 --> 00:19:00.740 And the interesting thing is they've been gathering with us for months. 00:19:01.180 --> 00:19:02.360 We've been fellowshipping. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:09.259 And sometimes what ends up happening is they're really nice people that have a lot of nice fruit. 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:11.160 You know, like nice and warm people. 00:19:11.420 --> 00:19:16.100 And yet if you think about it, there's sometimes you meet a person who's a really nice person, 00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:18.480 but you've never heard them once talk about Jesus. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:22.360 That they're actually treasuring Jesus. 00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:23.860 Loving Jesus. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:24.920 Enjoying Jesus. 00:19:25.019 --> 00:19:29.079 You've never seen them get even tender and just think, I love him. 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:31.319 I care about him. 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:33.940 Like this is the most important thing in my life is Jesus. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:38.259 When you have really good people, really nice people who never talk about Jesus, 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:40.500 we're never going to have partnership with those kind of people. 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:41.440 We can't. 00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:43.440 Because our partnership is in Christ. 00:19:44.120 --> 00:19:45.220 Not being nice people. 00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:48.500 There's a lot of nice people in the world. 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:53.720 There's nothing authentically, distinctly Christian about being a nice person. 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.920 And sometimes people can end up being nicer than Jesus. 00:19:57.079 --> 00:19:58.319 So there's a problem with that as well. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:03.940 So what we want to do is be people who treasure Jesus, not just nice people. 00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:05.759 Jesus will make us kind. 00:20:05.900 --> 00:20:07.400 Jesus will give us the fruit of the Spirit. 00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:09.660 But we want to have that because we're related to Christ, 00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:12.200 not just because we're church-going good folk. 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:12.840 All right? 00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:17.039 Number two, shared vision in all of life. 00:20:17.360 --> 00:20:17.519 Okay? 00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:22.080 If we're partners together, we have shared vision that it's an all-of-life thing. 00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:23.900 So always fully in all things. 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:24.580 Where does that come from? 00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:26.319 1 Corinthians 15, 58. 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:26.980 It says, 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:31.000 Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:33.180 knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:35.920 That verse is very all-encompassing. 00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:37.840 How often? 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:38.279 Always. 00:20:39.220 --> 00:20:40.240 How much should I give myself? 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:40.759 Fully. 00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:40.839 Fully. 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:41.839 To what? 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:42.799 To the work of the Lord. 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:44.160 Why? 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:46.079 Because your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:47.660 It's covering it all, right? 00:20:47.879 --> 00:20:48.500 How much? 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:49.579 When? 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:50.720 Why? 00:20:51.379 --> 00:20:53.180 Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:55.779 knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:59.960 God is requiring us to be all-in, to be an all-of-life thing. 00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:01.960 We see this in Ephesians 1, 22. 00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:02.380 It says, 00:21:02.380 --> 00:21:12.120 God placed all things under his feet and appointed him, speaking of Christ, to be head over everything for the church. 00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:14.420 Seth just taught about this, right? 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:19.420 He placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church. 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:20.740 And so here's the deal. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:22.240 Do you believe that? 00:21:22.340 --> 00:21:24.160 Do you believe that all things are under his feet? 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:26.420 Not just the things you want to be under his feet. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.820 Not just the things that are easy to be under his feet. 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:31.460 And that he's head over everything in your life. 00:21:32.120 --> 00:21:34.720 He's head over your bank account. 00:21:34.840 --> 00:21:37.080 He's head over your sex life. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:40.640 He's head over your speech. 00:21:40.840 --> 00:21:42.220 He's head over your thoughts. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:44.420 He is head over everything. 00:21:44.420 --> 00:21:47.180 When we believe that, we say it's an all-of-life thing. 00:21:47.800 --> 00:21:49.160 I don't get to give you part of my life. 00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:51.620 I don't get to give you this little bit or what I like. 00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:54.320 I don't get to do what I want, when I want, how I want, the way I want. 00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:57.440 I do what you want, the way you want it. 00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.440 All the time. 00:21:59.360 --> 00:22:02.360 I always give myself fully because all things are under your feet. 00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:06.400 And you are head over everything for the church. 00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.500 For the church. 00:22:08.360 --> 00:22:08.720 Why? 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:09.519 For the church. 00:22:09.800 --> 00:22:13.680 So if we're going to do church together, it has to be under the headship of Christ. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:16.759 And if you say, well, I want to give God my whole life. 00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:19.460 In other words, he said, well, he can have most of my life. 00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:21.080 We have no partnership with each other. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.539 We can't. 00:22:23.080 --> 00:22:23.740 We can't. 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:25.720 Mark 8.35. 00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:28.620 Jesus says, whoever would save his life will lose it. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:33.680 Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it. 00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:37.080 For my sake and the gospels will save it. 00:22:37.120 --> 00:22:39.420 There's a losing of all things for Christ. 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:41.460 And there's great unity around that. 00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:43.660 There's great fellowship and partnership around that. 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:49.279 So much so that it causes us to use the language of 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 8. 00:22:49.340 --> 00:22:50.380 This is such great language. 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:53.940 It causes us to be affectionately desirous of one another. 00:22:54.380 --> 00:22:55.460 This is the language of Paul. 00:22:55.560 --> 00:22:59.560 He says, so being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you, 00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:03.519 not only the gospel of God, because that's what you do as a Christian, right? 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.240 You share the gospel. 00:23:04.340 --> 00:23:07.200 He's saying, I didn't just want to share the gospel with you. 00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:09.580 I was so affectionately desirous of you. 00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:12.299 I didn't want to just share the gospel, but our very lives. 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:15.839 Because you would become very dear to us. 00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.480 This is what partnership looks like. 00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:24.759 It doesn't just look like Sunday morning pleasantries, you know, where we talk to each other and we enjoy just saying hi to each other, catching up with each other. 00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:27.099 It involves a sharing of life with one another. 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:28.359 Why? 00:23:28.879 --> 00:23:29.980 Because this is church. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:32.420 Because this is what blood-bought sinners do. 00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:33.180 They buy in. 00:23:33.980 --> 00:23:35.000 They buy in. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:37.000 And they become affectionately desirous of one another. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:38.720 They're saying, Sunday morning's not enough. 00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:40.039 I can't do that. 00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:42.779 And I can't read the scriptures and think that Sunday morning's enough. 00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:44.740 Because I don't see that anywhere in the scriptures. 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:48.859 To do that as betrayal of the king, I say, is my priority. 00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:51.819 The king and the kingdom that I say that I treasure. 00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:59.839 To say, I treasure the king and the kingdom, but I don't treasure the way that his kingdom should be manifest, is to not truly treasure the kingdom. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:04.919 Acts chapter 20, verse 20 and verse 24. 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:10.299 In verse 20, it says that they were teaching, he was teaching in public and from house to house. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:13.299 So it wasn't just the Sunday gathering on the Lord's Day. 00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:15.079 It was also house to house. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:17.599 It wasn't just this once a week thing they did. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:19.240 It was also house to house. 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:27.920 And what was the undergirding principle behind this costly effort of meeting on Sundays and meeting from house to house? 00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:29.200 What was behind that? 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:31.099 Paul said in Acts 20, 24, 00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:35.299 I do not account my life of any value, nor is precious to myself. 00:24:35.579 --> 00:24:43.880 If only I may finish my course in the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:48.120 He says, I don't account my life of any value nor precious to myself. 00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:50.199 The ones who've been bought buy in. 00:24:50.739 --> 00:24:53.559 The ones who've been bought and say, I don't even count my life of any value. 00:24:53.679 --> 00:24:55.539 I've been bought and my life's not my own anymore. 00:24:56.159 --> 00:25:01.419 They're able to meet publicly and from house to house because their life's not their own. 00:25:01.699 --> 00:25:03.679 When your life is your own, you say, but I'm tired. 00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:06.979 When your life is your own, you say, but the kids go to bed at this time. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:10.359 When your life is your own, you say, I don't really like those people. 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:13.679 When your life is your own, you come up with all kinds. 00:25:13.679 --> 00:25:15.639 I got this project and this project to do. 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.799 And sometimes those things are legitimate. 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:23.059 But a lot of times they're just excuses for us to say, I'm really not accounting of my life. 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:26.219 I actually count my life of a lot of value. 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:28.559 And it is very precious to myself. 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:30.319 And I don't really want to give it to you. 00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:32.859 And if that's the case, then we don't impart. 00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:37.339 And this is why Paul is such a great example of this. 00:25:37.379 --> 00:25:43.699 Because in 1 Corinthians 9, 22, he says, I've become all things to all people that by all means I might save some. 00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:45.119 That's flexibility. 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:46.379 That's cost. 00:25:46.679 --> 00:25:47.519 That's buy-in. 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:49.539 He was bought, therefore he bought in. 00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:53.519 And he said, I want to see people won to Christ so badly. 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:59.500 I've become all things to all people that I could win as many people as possible by all means. 00:26:00.619 --> 00:26:02.059 Do you have that same mentality? 00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:03.960 Because the church isn't for us. 00:26:04.159 --> 00:26:06.399 A church that's not on mission is a church that's dying. 00:26:07.679 --> 00:26:11.559 And there's so many dying churches that look vibrant because there's a lot of people there. 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:14.539 But they're slowly dying from the inside out because they're not on mission. 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:16.500 All right? 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:20.240 That's why we have to be the kind of people who are bought in because we've been bought inside. 00:26:20.339 --> 00:26:24.059 No, we are always people who are giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. 00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:29.599 And at the end of the day, what's really true about church is that church becomes weird when Christ is in your life. 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:32.039 Colossians 3, verse 4 says, 00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:33.960 It's Christ who is your life. 00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:36.139 You want to have a weird version of church? 00:26:36.419 --> 00:26:38.259 Try to do Christ where he's not your life. 00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:40.440 Because it doesn't work that way. 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:44.179 Church was designed around the person of Christ. 00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:47.819 And if he's not your life, if he's just part of your life, 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:51.139 you have no fellowship with those who he is their whole life. 00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:55.880 Our unity, our partnership is a shared vision of an all of life thing. 00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:58.080 For Jesus is our life. 00:26:58.180 --> 00:26:59.660 Always fully in all things. 00:27:00.260 --> 00:27:00.400 Okay? 00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:05.180 The good fruit of this, of this kind of all of life thing, is going to look like three things. 00:27:05.340 --> 00:27:06.540 An open, vulnerable heart. 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:07.160 Okay? 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:10.040 I'm able to open up my heart with you. 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:11.140 Share my heart with you. 00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:11.400 Why? 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:12.960 Because I've been bought. 00:27:13.320 --> 00:27:14.960 I don't have any self-protect mechanisms. 00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:16.800 I'm not trying to save my life. 00:27:16.860 --> 00:27:17.740 I've lost my life. 00:27:18.060 --> 00:27:20.960 I'm not just opening up the windows and letting you see in. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:24.299 I'm opening up the doors well so that you can come in and speak into my life. 00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:25.539 Alright? 00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:27.960 I'm saying, I have an open and vulnerable heart. 00:27:28.299 --> 00:27:30.700 I have everything in Christ, therefore I have nothing to lose. 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:34.000 Everything you have in Christ, you're free to lose everywhere else. 00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:37.779 If you don't have something in Christ, you're not free to lose it everywhere else. 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:41.220 But the truth is you do have everything you need in Christ. 00:27:42.140 --> 00:27:44.579 It looks like an open, hospitable home. 00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:45.360 Okay? 00:27:45.360 --> 00:27:50.360 You look all throughout the scriptures, you see verses encouraging towards hospitality. 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:52.720 You see people meeting in their homes. 00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:53.420 Alright? 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:57.660 If we want to have real fellowship and partnership with one another, we have to open up our homes 00:27:57.660 --> 00:27:58.200 to one another. 00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:00.480 Not just our open heart, but an open home. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:02.600 You have one without the other, it gets weird. 00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:05.019 You have an open heart, but your home's never open. 00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:06.579 It's like, how are we ever going to get to know each other? 00:28:06.940 --> 00:28:08.559 You have an open heart, but not an open home? 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:11.039 It's like, I don't really like coming over by you. 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:12.319 It's just kind of weird. 00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:13.079 There's no fellowship. 00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.600 There's no reality together. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:17.759 And then lastly, an open, flexible schedule. 00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:20.799 Open homes, open hearts, open schedule. 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:28.120 If I say, yeah, my heart is open, my home is open, but my schedule's not, who cares if 00:28:28.120 --> 00:28:30.860 you have an open heart and an open home if no one ever gets to enjoy it? 00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:33.700 My heart's open, and it's like a good strategy. 00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:35.259 Oh yeah, my heart is wide open. 00:28:35.360 --> 00:28:36.380 My home is wide open. 00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:37.559 You just can never come over. 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:39.720 You can never come in because I'm too busy. 00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:41.579 Like, that doesn't make any sense. 00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:43.360 There's no practicality to that. 00:28:43.360 --> 00:28:48.220 There has to be an open schedule to facilitate the experience of the open home and the open 00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.539 heart. 00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:50.579 And that costs. 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:51.759 They all cost. 00:28:52.159 --> 00:28:53.579 They're all highly dangerous. 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:55.279 Putting your heart out like that? 00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:56.799 What if somebody stomps on it? 00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:59.099 Listen, it isn't what if. 00:28:59.220 --> 00:28:59.819 It's when. 00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:01.740 Do you understand? 00:29:02.099 --> 00:29:02.759 It's when. 00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:04.519 It will get stomped on. 00:29:05.139 --> 00:29:08.440 Did your Savior's heart get stomped on multiple times by people? 00:29:08.579 --> 00:29:10.460 Does he always put his heart out there? 00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:11.400 Of course. 00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:14.079 And he calls us to be disciples of him. 00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:15.759 It's going to happen. 00:29:16.140 --> 00:29:18.279 But what you have in Christ, you're free to lose everywhere else. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:20.500 So if you're accepted in Christ, you're free to be rejected. 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:23.039 If you're loved by Christ, you're free to be unloved. 00:29:23.620 --> 00:29:26.200 If you're cared for in Christ, you're free to be not cared for. 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:29.579 If you're regarded by Christ, you're free to be disregarded. 00:29:29.579 --> 00:29:31.819 This is huge. 00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:36.480 Good fruit of just believing, hey, I've been bought, therefore I buy in. 00:29:36.639 --> 00:29:39.039 So I have an open home, an open heart, an open schedule. 00:29:39.439 --> 00:29:41.000 What would bad fruit of this look like? 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:43.059 What pattern of not laying down your life? 00:29:44.399 --> 00:29:45.740 Luke 9.23 says, 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:46.359 He said to all, 00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:52.259 If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.279 Deny himself. 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:55.759 The discipleship to Jesus looks like self-denial. 00:29:56.339 --> 00:29:58.460 We can't have this if we're not denying ourselves. 00:29:58.920 --> 00:30:01.400 It would look like a pattern of not being open or vulnerable, 00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:03.779 where certain things are off limits. 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:05.319 And this happens all the time. 00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:08.000 It's like, well, I'll let you in here, but this far no more. 00:30:08.599 --> 00:30:14.839 You can get into this room in my proverbial heart, but not there. 00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:18.339 I'm not going there, and you are certainly not going there with me. 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:22.699 Listen to the language of 2 Corinthians 6 and 7. 00:30:22.819 --> 00:30:24.619 We have spoken freely to Corinthians. 00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:26.199 This is the language of Paul. 00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:27.779 We have spoken freely to Corinthians. 00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:30.099 Our heart is wide open. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:36.319 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 00:30:36.919 --> 00:30:40.419 In return, I speak as to children, widen your hearts also. 00:30:41.159 --> 00:30:42.500 And then in 7 verse 2, he says, 00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:44.279 Make room in your hearts for us. 00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:45.920 This is the language of the apostle. 00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:48.039 This is the language of church planting. 00:30:48.180 --> 00:30:50.660 This is the language of establishing a church, 00:30:50.819 --> 00:30:52.879 is that it's wide open hearts. 00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:55.960 And he says to them, you are restricted in your own affections. 00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:59.579 I want to ask you, are any of you restricted in your affections for one another? 00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:00.759 Is there restrictions? 00:31:01.399 --> 00:31:02.299 What are those restrictions? 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:04.639 We need to repent of those restrictions. 00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:06.139 That is keeping. 00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:11.120 We have to understand that if Jesus lives in our heart through faith, 00:31:11.320 --> 00:31:12.340 which is what the Bible says, 00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:14.680 and he lives in my heart through faith, 00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:16.280 and then he lives in your heart through faith, 00:31:16.780 --> 00:31:20.460 then the way we exchange the love, wisdom, and power of God 00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:22.259 is through open hearts, 00:31:22.300 --> 00:31:25.259 where the substance of King Jesus 00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:29.579 is exchanged in the familial relationships we have 00:31:29.579 --> 00:31:34.779 that are conducted in the context of open homes, 00:31:34.900 --> 00:31:36.279 open hearts, and open schedules. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.200 The love, wisdom, and power of Jesus 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:40.980 exchanged through open hearts, 00:31:41.379 --> 00:31:43.019 unrestricted open hearts. 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:45.039 But you're saying, make room in your heart for me. 00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:47.200 I'm not restricted in my flow towards you, 00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:49.779 but I'm feeling a restriction in yours towards me. 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:52.099 In the same way, open wide your hearts. 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:53.420 You see this? 00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:55.240 This is what the Bible teaches. 00:31:56.519 --> 00:31:58.920 Baptism, this will look like a pattern of not welcoming or, 00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:01.139 not being welcoming or hospitable. 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.759 Romans 12, 13 says, 00:32:02.859 --> 00:32:04.180 contribute to the needs of the saints 00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:05.619 and seek to show hospitality. 00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.940 Seek to show hospitality. 00:32:08.180 --> 00:32:10.700 Not, well, if it comes along, show hospitality. 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:13.880 It says, seek to show hospitality. 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:16.400 How many of us are seeking to show hospitality? 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:19.120 We're looking for opportunities to show hospitality. 00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:21.039 Not like, hey, can we meet at your house? 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:22.920 Yeah, I guess. 00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:24.740 There's no partnership in that. 00:32:24.860 --> 00:32:25.860 Partnership is, hey, 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:27.340 when people are fighting over, 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:28.340 no, let's meet at our house. 00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:30.240 No, actually, we're gonna, 00:32:30.340 --> 00:32:31.240 let's go over to our house. 00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:32.180 You always have people over. 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:33.480 What are we doing at our house this time? 00:32:33.819 --> 00:32:34.299 No, no, no. 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:35.299 We're doing it at my house. 00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.779 And then it's like a brawl 00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.940 and people are fighting over it. 00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:38.380 No, I'm just kidding. 00:32:38.380 --> 00:32:38.820 We're doing it at my house. 00:32:38.820 --> 00:32:39.220 We're doing it at my house. 00:32:39.220 --> 00:32:39.620 We're doing it at my house. 00:32:39.620 --> 00:32:42.420 That's like seeking hospitality. 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.580 Are you seeking it? 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:45.600 Are you seeking, say, 00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:48.020 no, I wanna open up my heart, my home, 00:32:48.180 --> 00:32:49.200 my life to people. 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:52.680 Bad food looks like a pattern of being fake 00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:54.780 or being a poser or being duplicitous. 00:32:55.400 --> 00:32:57.600 It would look like a pattern of being inflexible 00:32:57.600 --> 00:33:00.040 or just a pattern of different vision 00:33:00.040 --> 00:33:01.420 and house divided cannot stand. 00:33:01.580 --> 00:33:04.940 Okay, so that's just the relating to each other 00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:06.700 and the shared vision of all of life. 00:33:06.780 --> 00:33:07.680 Do we have that together? 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:08.460 And that's partnership. 00:33:09.180 --> 00:33:10.640 And then thirdly, the last one, 00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:13.440 shared responsibility, the togetherness. 00:33:13.940 --> 00:33:14.779 That true partnership. 00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:15.700 When we've been bought, 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:18.620 we buy into a sense of shared responsibility. 00:33:19.060 --> 00:33:20.100 Have you ever tried to do something 00:33:20.100 --> 00:33:21.460 really important on your own 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:22.279 with a bunch of people 00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:24.220 who weren't bought in as much as you? 00:33:25.180 --> 00:33:26.080 Isn't that fun? 00:33:26.740 --> 00:33:29.000 No, nobody says that's fun, right? 00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:31.680 It's like, I'm really into this. 00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:32.840 I'm bought in. 00:33:32.839 --> 00:33:33.599 I value it. 00:33:33.659 --> 00:33:34.259 I love it. 00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.959 And I got my friends a part of it, 00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:38.179 but I'm the only one bearing responsibility. 00:33:39.220 --> 00:33:42.559 That's a bad experience, right? 00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:44.379 Nobody likes that. 00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:45.879 Because you're going to get, 00:33:45.980 --> 00:33:47.059 it's formula for burnout. 00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:49.559 It's formula for disappointment. 00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:53.419 Shared responsibility is huge. 00:33:53.940 --> 00:33:54.519 It's huge. 00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:56.159 So we want to have true partnership. 00:33:56.359 --> 00:33:59.339 We can't just be rallied around our priorities 00:33:59.339 --> 00:34:00.940 and a vision of how they're fleshed out. 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:02.159 We've got to each, 00:34:02.539 --> 00:34:03.480 because we've been bought, 00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:06.480 buy into a shared responsibility, 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:08.779 an equal level of buy-in, right? 00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:10.600 Basically just saying that 00:34:10.600 --> 00:34:12.260 we're not letting people do things alone. 00:34:12.640 --> 00:34:13.100 We're saying, 00:34:13.260 --> 00:34:15.019 I belong to you and I have need of you. 00:34:15.560 --> 00:34:17.900 I belong to you and I have need of you. 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:20.420 That's what shared responsibility says. 00:34:20.620 --> 00:34:22.480 Okay, this is 1 Corinthians 12, right? 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:24.680 You have the two indictments of 1 Corinthians 12 00:34:24.680 --> 00:34:27.240 about seeing the church as a body. 00:34:27.560 --> 00:34:29.800 The first one was people saying, 00:34:30.160 --> 00:34:31.480 because I'm not this, that, or the other, 00:34:31.640 --> 00:34:32.380 I don't belong. 00:34:32.820 --> 00:34:34.180 So disqualifying yourself 00:34:34.180 --> 00:34:36.740 causes a lack of shared responsibility. 00:34:37.040 --> 00:34:38.019 Like, I'm not good enough. 00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:38.960 I can't do this. 00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:40.400 I, yada, yada, yada. 00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:41.519 I'm not like so-and-so. 00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:42.900 And then the other one was, 00:34:43.099 --> 00:34:44.099 I have no need of you. 00:34:44.239 --> 00:34:45.539 So one is disqualifying yourself. 00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:47.239 The other one is rejecting other people. 00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:48.639 Like, I don't need you. 00:34:48.699 --> 00:34:49.440 I'm fine myself. 00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:51.079 I don't want to do this with you. 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:51.780 Okay? 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:53.440 Both of those things were working 00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:55.259 and causing the body to be handicapped. 00:34:55.900 --> 00:34:57.119 The opposite needs to be true. 00:34:57.259 --> 00:34:59.079 I belong to you and I have need of you. 00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:00.480 That's shared responsibility. 00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.699 Romans 12, 5 says, 00:35:02.820 --> 00:35:05.099 though we are many in one body in Christ, 00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:07.619 we're individually members one of another. 00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:09.800 Acts 2, 44 says, 00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:11.900 all who believed were together 00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:13.719 and have all things in common. 00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:15.340 Luke 10, verse 1, 00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:16.480 when he sent out the disciples, 00:35:16.920 --> 00:35:18.199 did he send them out one by one? 00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:19.420 No. 00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:20.739 Sent them out what? 00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:21.900 Two by two. 00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:22.639 Together. 00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:23.820 Together. 00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:25.740 Ecclesiastes 4. 00:35:26.600 --> 00:35:28.880 People like to read this in the context of marriage, 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:30.740 but think of this in the context of church. 00:35:31.420 --> 00:35:32.519 Two are better than one 00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:34.440 because they have a good reward for their toil. 00:35:34.940 --> 00:35:35.680 For if they fall, 00:35:35.940 --> 00:35:37.220 one will lift up his fellow. 00:35:37.680 --> 00:35:39.840 But woe to him who is alone when he falls 00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:42.180 and has not another to lift him up. 00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:44.260 Again, if two lie together, 00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:45.039 they keep warm. 00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:46.880 But how can one keep warm alone? 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:49.660 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, 00:35:50.200 --> 00:35:52.019 two will withstand him. 00:35:53.220 --> 00:35:55.180 A threefold cord is not quickly broken. 00:35:56.099 --> 00:35:59.099 This is clearly showing the value of togetherness 00:35:59.099 --> 00:36:00.519 and not being alone. 00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:03.220 The church must be a people who are committed, 00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:05.119 who fight for togetherness. 00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:07.019 Romans 15.30, 00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:09.119 Paul's appealing to his brothers saying, 00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:11.019 By our Lord Jesus Christ 00:36:11.019 --> 00:36:12.019 and by the love of the Spirit, 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:15.819 strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:17.519 Strive together in prayer. 00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:18.920 You ever had a group of people 00:36:18.920 --> 00:36:21.179 that you can regularly count on 00:36:21.179 --> 00:36:23.000 to strive together in prayer? 00:36:23.759 --> 00:36:25.659 1 Corinthians 12.26 says, 00:36:25.799 --> 00:36:26.739 If one part suffers, 00:36:27.319 --> 00:36:28.179 we all suffer. 00:36:28.759 --> 00:36:30.019 If one part rejoices, 00:36:30.359 --> 00:36:32.139 we all rejoice together. 00:36:32.599 --> 00:36:32.779 Okay? 00:36:33.219 --> 00:36:34.219 So if one part suffers, 00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:35.259 we all suffer together. 00:36:35.459 --> 00:36:36.419 One part rejoices, 00:36:36.500 --> 00:36:37.619 we all rejoice together. 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:41.439 It looks like rejoicing together 00:36:41.439 --> 00:36:42.459 and suffering together. 00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:43.359 That's partnership. 00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:44.799 If you suffer 00:36:44.799 --> 00:36:46.399 and you feel like you're the only one suffering 00:36:46.399 --> 00:36:47.459 and no one's suffering with you, 00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:48.219 that's not partnership. 00:36:48.959 --> 00:36:49.559 And likewise, 00:36:49.699 --> 00:36:50.379 if you rejoice 00:36:50.379 --> 00:36:51.919 and people aren't rejoicing with you, 00:36:52.219 --> 00:36:53.099 that's not partnership. 00:36:54.219 --> 00:36:55.639 Both are super lame. 00:36:56.139 --> 00:36:57.319 Both of them are, right? 00:36:58.059 --> 00:36:59.519 Like, suffering alone, 00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.919 that's incredibly lame. 00:37:01.339 --> 00:37:03.659 But you know what else is also very lame? 00:37:03.659 --> 00:37:04.940 Like, rejoicing alone. 00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:06.559 Like, that's a travesty. 00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:07.920 Have you ever had people 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:09.259 who are more excited for you 00:37:09.259 --> 00:37:10.519 than you are excited for you? 00:37:11.279 --> 00:37:12.440 That's awesome. 00:37:13.219 --> 00:37:14.079 You want that. 00:37:14.599 --> 00:37:16.139 That's the kind of fellowship 00:37:16.139 --> 00:37:17.500 and partnership we're looking for. 00:37:18.980 --> 00:37:20.799 2 Corinthians 7.2-3 says, 00:37:21.059 --> 00:37:23.079 Make room in your hearts for us. 00:37:23.559 --> 00:37:24.599 You are in our hearts 00:37:24.599 --> 00:37:25.719 to die together 00:37:25.719 --> 00:37:26.739 and to live together. 00:37:27.159 --> 00:37:28.079 To die together 00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:29.019 and to live together. 00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:30.579 Again, strong language. 00:37:31.219 --> 00:37:32.119 Ephesians 2.22, 00:37:32.319 --> 00:37:33.500 In him you are also being 00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:34.619 built together 00:37:34.619 --> 00:37:35.840 into a dwelling place 00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:36.980 for God by the Spirit. 00:37:37.799 --> 00:37:39.099 Hebrews 10.25 says, 00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:41.480 Not neglecting to meet together. 00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:43.519 Philippians 4.3 says, 00:37:43.599 --> 00:37:44.239 Help these women 00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:45.819 who have labored side by side 00:37:45.819 --> 00:37:46.219 with me 00:37:46.219 --> 00:37:47.360 in the gospel. 00:37:48.759 --> 00:37:49.739 Together, right? 00:37:49.860 --> 00:37:51.279 It's a constant language 00:37:51.279 --> 00:37:52.079 of togetherness. 00:37:52.799 --> 00:37:54.079 You see this in the scriptures. 00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:55.480 Some of you have probably 00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:56.639 seen this many times, 00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:57.920 but some of us maybe haven't. 00:37:57.920 --> 00:37:59.400 It's littered all throughout. 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.639 This is just a little sampling. 00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:02.539 Togetherness is woven 00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:03.900 throughout the life 00:38:03.900 --> 00:38:04.659 of the church 00:38:04.659 --> 00:38:05.380 and the scriptures. 00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:06.659 And it must be 00:38:06.659 --> 00:38:07.680 among us as well. 00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:08.760 What is that called? 00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:10.000 It's called shared responsibility. 00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:11.840 It's called equal buy-in. 00:38:12.200 --> 00:38:12.460 Saying, 00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:13.900 I'm not just going to let you buy in. 00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:14.820 I'm bought in too. 00:38:14.860 --> 00:38:15.559 We were both bought 00:38:15.559 --> 00:38:16.500 by the same Savior. 00:38:17.700 --> 00:38:17.920 Right? 00:38:18.059 --> 00:38:19.119 I don't need Jesus 00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:20.500 any less than you do. 00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:21.980 We need Jesus together 00:38:21.980 --> 00:38:23.000 and we need each other. 00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:23.940 Okay? 00:38:24.019 --> 00:38:25.099 So we're going to do this together. 00:38:26.039 --> 00:38:26.920 Good fruit of that. 00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:28.700 Now that looks like 00:38:28.700 --> 00:38:30.200 owning the identity, 00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:30.700 mission, 00:38:30.860 --> 00:38:31.440 and expression 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:32.440 of a missional community. 00:38:32.599 --> 00:38:33.559 So missional community 00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:34.400 is where we do the life 00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:35.900 of our church together. 00:38:36.340 --> 00:38:37.039 So it looks like, 00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:38.260 well, it's not just on one person. 00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.200 It's not just on the leader. 00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:40.360 It's not just whoever's hosting. 00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:41.119 It's like, 00:38:41.200 --> 00:38:42.360 I'm going to own the identity 00:38:42.360 --> 00:38:43.180 and the mission 00:38:43.180 --> 00:38:44.519 and the expression 00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:46.000 of this missional community 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:47.260 just as much as anyone else. 00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:48.119 That's partnership. 00:38:48.780 --> 00:38:49.000 Now, 00:38:49.099 --> 00:38:50.320 your gift's going to flesh out 00:38:50.320 --> 00:38:51.619 differently than somebody else's. 00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:52.380 That doesn't mean 00:38:52.380 --> 00:38:53.139 you can't own 00:38:53.139 --> 00:38:54.260 the whole thing 00:38:54.260 --> 00:38:55.000 in the same way. 00:38:55.079 --> 00:38:55.300 It's like, 00:38:55.300 --> 00:38:56.740 no, the identity of this, 00:38:56.820 --> 00:38:57.800 the expression of this, 00:38:57.880 --> 00:38:58.820 the mission of this, 00:38:59.240 --> 00:38:59.660 I'm in. 00:39:00.120 --> 00:39:01.140 I want to contribute to it. 00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:02.560 I want to help discover 00:39:02.560 --> 00:39:03.580 what that is together. 00:39:04.200 --> 00:39:05.480 That's what partnership looks like. 00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:06.000 It looks like 00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:07.260 regular Sunday morning 00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:08.100 service, 00:39:08.200 --> 00:39:08.880 participation, 00:39:09.080 --> 00:39:09.500 and serving. 00:39:10.080 --> 00:39:10.400 Why? 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:11.200 Because we meet 00:39:11.200 --> 00:39:11.840 every Sunday 00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:12.480 and the Lord's Day 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:13.200 and we want to make sure 00:39:13.200 --> 00:39:14.220 that no one's getting 00:39:14.220 --> 00:39:14.900 burnt out in that 00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:16.100 and that we are facilitating 00:39:16.100 --> 00:39:17.740 that experience together 00:39:17.740 --> 00:39:18.920 to worship the Lord 00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.539 and be encouraged 00:39:19.539 --> 00:39:20.160 by one another. 00:39:20.640 --> 00:39:21.080 It looks like 00:39:21.080 --> 00:39:22.000 regular corporate prayer 00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:23.059 meeting participation 00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:24.300 because this house 00:39:24.300 --> 00:39:25.099 is a house of prayer 00:39:25.099 --> 00:39:26.059 and we need to strive 00:39:26.059 --> 00:39:27.579 together in prayer. 00:39:27.719 --> 00:39:28.480 There's so many things 00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:29.340 we need to cry out for. 00:39:29.940 --> 00:39:30.340 It looks like 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:31.639 regular financial support 00:39:31.639 --> 00:39:32.639 of the church's mission 00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:34.119 by joyfully giving 00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:35.039 according to income. 00:39:35.420 --> 00:39:35.599 Again, 00:39:35.659 --> 00:39:36.280 where your treasure is, 00:39:36.340 --> 00:39:37.260 there your heart will be also. 00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:38.480 In the past, 00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:39.300 when I've seen 00:39:39.300 --> 00:39:39.960 different people 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:41.000 leave the church 00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:41.420 and churches 00:39:41.420 --> 00:39:42.280 that I've been a part of, 00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:43.139 I think almost every church 00:39:43.139 --> 00:39:43.659 I've been a part of 00:39:43.659 --> 00:39:44.659 I'm involved with finances 00:39:44.659 --> 00:39:45.360 at some point. 00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:47.960 And you can always see 00:39:47.960 --> 00:39:48.420 this trend 00:39:48.420 --> 00:39:48.980 that when people 00:39:48.980 --> 00:39:49.860 will leave the church, 00:39:50.300 --> 00:39:51.099 before they would leave 00:39:51.099 --> 00:39:51.480 the church, 00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:52.339 they would stop giving. 00:39:52.860 --> 00:39:53.779 Makes sense, right? 00:39:53.839 --> 00:39:54.579 Where your treasure is, 00:39:54.619 --> 00:39:55.599 there your heart will be also. 00:39:56.279 --> 00:39:56.659 And so, 00:39:56.739 --> 00:39:57.360 we're not asking you 00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:58.019 to put your money 00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:59.900 in something 00:39:59.900 --> 00:40:00.639 that's not valuable. 00:40:00.799 --> 00:40:01.219 We're saying 00:40:01.219 --> 00:40:02.779 God values His church 00:40:02.779 --> 00:40:03.839 and it costs money 00:40:03.839 --> 00:40:04.559 to do His church 00:40:04.559 --> 00:40:05.079 and we're saying, 00:40:05.179 --> 00:40:05.779 hey, give 00:40:05.779 --> 00:40:07.559 of your money financially. 00:40:07.679 --> 00:40:08.400 That's partnership. 00:40:09.059 --> 00:40:09.480 Someone says, 00:40:09.559 --> 00:40:09.719 well, 00:40:09.860 --> 00:40:10.940 I'm partnered in every way 00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:11.519 and then you look, 00:40:11.599 --> 00:40:11.860 it's like, 00:40:12.179 --> 00:40:13.400 you're not giving financially. 00:40:14.099 --> 00:40:15.299 You're not bought in. 00:40:15.980 --> 00:40:17.000 You're withholding 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:18.219 and that's not okay. 00:40:18.539 --> 00:40:19.900 This isn't your money anyways. 00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:20.639 It's the Lord's. 00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:21.079 He's calling you 00:40:21.079 --> 00:40:21.619 to be a steward 00:40:21.619 --> 00:40:22.219 and He's calling you 00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:24.359 to give some of this 00:40:24.359 --> 00:40:24.879 to the Lord. 00:40:25.460 --> 00:40:25.579 Okay? 00:40:26.139 --> 00:40:27.539 It looks like a good reputation 00:40:27.539 --> 00:40:28.980 and a demonstrated effort 00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:29.699 to be at peace 00:40:29.699 --> 00:40:30.359 with all men. 00:40:31.099 --> 00:40:31.319 Okay? 00:40:31.960 --> 00:40:33.539 Good fruit of togetherness 00:40:33.539 --> 00:40:34.440 looks like using 00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:35.539 our spiritual gifts 00:40:35.539 --> 00:40:37.539 while also recognizing 00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:38.039 and receiving 00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:38.839 the spiritual gifts 00:40:38.839 --> 00:40:39.279 in others. 00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:40.219 So some people 00:40:40.219 --> 00:40:41.000 like to do the first 00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:41.920 and forget the second. 00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:42.299 It's like, 00:40:42.339 --> 00:40:42.779 oh yeah, man. 00:40:43.119 --> 00:40:43.739 Can't wait to be part 00:40:43.739 --> 00:40:44.099 of this church 00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:45.119 so I get to use my gifts. 00:40:45.559 --> 00:40:46.019 What about all 00:40:46.019 --> 00:40:46.639 the other gifts? 00:40:47.179 --> 00:40:47.960 How high are you 00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:49.079 on receiving their gifts? 00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:50.139 Well, I mean, 00:40:50.179 --> 00:40:51.240 they aren't as important 00:40:51.240 --> 00:40:51.720 as mine. 00:40:51.900 --> 00:40:52.039 You know, 00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:52.240 I mean, 00:40:52.320 --> 00:40:52.659 come on, 00:40:52.699 --> 00:40:53.900 let's get real about this. 00:40:54.460 --> 00:40:54.619 No, 00:40:54.900 --> 00:40:55.220 like, 00:40:55.420 --> 00:40:56.380 they're all important. 00:40:56.760 --> 00:40:57.460 They're all important. 00:40:57.920 --> 00:40:58.579 And so if someone 00:40:58.579 --> 00:40:59.139 just is like, 00:40:59.199 --> 00:40:59.320 hey, 00:40:59.360 --> 00:40:59.840 can't wait to be 00:40:59.840 --> 00:41:00.400 part of your church 00:41:00.400 --> 00:41:01.660 so I get to use my gift, 00:41:02.100 --> 00:41:02.780 I'm kind of like, 00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:05.740 remember all the rest 00:41:05.740 --> 00:41:06.180 of the people? 00:41:06.360 --> 00:41:06.519 Like, 00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:07.420 what about receiving 00:41:07.420 --> 00:41:07.920 their gift 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:09.039 and enjoying their gift? 00:41:09.600 --> 00:41:09.740 Like, 00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:10.800 do you see that you need that? 00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:12.460 Some people don't see that. 00:41:13.260 --> 00:41:14.079 It looks like verbally 00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:15.660 building up the church, 00:41:16.240 --> 00:41:17.840 committing to ongoing training, 00:41:18.160 --> 00:41:19.539 submission to Christ Church 00:41:19.539 --> 00:41:20.059 leadership. 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.360 Looks like, 00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:23.160 and then in our context, 00:41:23.240 --> 00:41:24.320 it looks like a once a month 00:41:24.320 --> 00:41:25.559 partnership meeting attendance. 00:41:26.120 --> 00:41:27.620 This is how we keep together 00:41:27.619 --> 00:41:28.159 as partners 00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:29.980 and are on the same page 00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:31.699 and lead the church together. 00:41:32.359 --> 00:41:33.199 Bad fruit together, 00:41:33.339 --> 00:41:34.539 what would that look like? 00:41:34.839 --> 00:41:35.779 It would look like a pattern 00:41:35.779 --> 00:41:37.239 of being an independent loner. 00:41:37.859 --> 00:41:38.579 Proverbs 18, 00:41:38.659 --> 00:41:39.400 verse 1 says, 00:41:39.400 --> 00:41:40.839 whoever isolates himself 00:41:40.839 --> 00:41:42.699 seeks his own desire 00:41:42.699 --> 00:41:43.980 and he breaks out 00:41:43.980 --> 00:41:45.619 against all sound judgment. 00:41:46.339 --> 00:41:47.059 Breaks out against 00:41:47.059 --> 00:41:47.960 all sound judgment. 00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:49.139 Seen this so often. 00:41:49.699 --> 00:41:50.239 People just, 00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:51.299 they want to do things 00:41:51.299 --> 00:41:52.139 on their own terms 00:41:52.139 --> 00:41:53.099 and they're isolated 00:41:53.099 --> 00:41:55.659 and then it's just like, 00:41:55.819 --> 00:41:56.519 set your watch 00:41:56.519 --> 00:41:57.500 at some point in time. 00:41:57.619 --> 00:41:58.460 You're going to see them 00:41:58.460 --> 00:42:00.239 exhibiting very poor judgment. 00:42:00.699 --> 00:42:00.900 It's like, 00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:01.639 how did this happen? 00:42:02.059 --> 00:42:02.380 What do you mean, 00:42:02.460 --> 00:42:03.099 how did this happen? 00:42:03.799 --> 00:42:05.139 You've isolated yourself. 00:42:05.299 --> 00:42:06.679 You've broken out against all, 00:42:07.239 --> 00:42:08.460 you're seeking your own desire 00:42:08.460 --> 00:42:09.119 and you've broke out 00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:10.159 against all sound judgment. 00:42:10.259 --> 00:42:11.000 The Bible says this. 00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:12.000 There's no mystery to this. 00:42:12.579 --> 00:42:13.599 There's no mystery to this. 00:42:13.960 --> 00:42:15.239 We can't be independent loners. 00:42:15.339 --> 00:42:16.059 We need one another 00:42:16.059 --> 00:42:16.799 and we need one another 00:42:16.799 --> 00:42:17.659 to help us 00:42:17.659 --> 00:42:19.500 to strengthen our weaknesses, 00:42:20.239 --> 00:42:20.519 right? 00:42:20.759 --> 00:42:21.279 And to be there 00:42:21.279 --> 00:42:21.719 for one another 00:42:21.719 --> 00:42:22.839 when we go through hard times 00:42:22.839 --> 00:42:23.759 and we grieve things 00:42:23.759 --> 00:42:25.839 and we have difficulty in things 00:42:25.839 --> 00:42:26.859 and we can't carry things 00:42:26.860 --> 00:42:27.440 on our own. 00:42:28.620 --> 00:42:29.840 Bad fruit of togetherness 00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:30.700 would be a pattern 00:42:30.700 --> 00:42:31.519 of being entitled. 00:42:32.500 --> 00:42:32.720 You know, 00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:34.180 people often say, 00:42:34.260 --> 00:42:34.320 man, 00:42:34.340 --> 00:42:35.440 I wish people would do this 00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:36.640 or I wish people would have me 00:42:36.640 --> 00:42:37.440 over more often. 00:42:38.099 --> 00:42:38.340 Well, 00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:40.360 there's a verse in the Bible 00:42:40.360 --> 00:42:41.620 that addresses this. 00:42:41.680 --> 00:42:42.079 It's great. 00:42:42.680 --> 00:42:44.240 Jesus said in Luke 6, 31, 00:42:44.780 --> 00:42:45.680 as you wish 00:42:45.680 --> 00:42:47.240 that others would do to you, 00:42:48.280 --> 00:42:49.120 do so to them. 00:42:50.380 --> 00:42:50.960 So people are like, 00:42:51.000 --> 00:42:52.099 I wish people would have me over. 00:42:52.559 --> 00:42:53.680 Are you having people over? 00:42:54.659 --> 00:42:55.259 You start. 00:42:55.899 --> 00:42:56.699 Have people over. 00:42:56.879 --> 00:42:57.619 This is what the Bible says. 00:42:57.719 --> 00:42:58.480 As you wish 00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:59.219 that others would do to you. 00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:00.139 Get that list. 00:43:00.419 --> 00:43:01.719 Go through your entitlement list. 00:43:01.819 --> 00:43:01.919 Like, 00:43:01.960 --> 00:43:02.679 what are all the things 00:43:02.679 --> 00:43:03.559 I wish that other people 00:43:03.559 --> 00:43:04.139 would do to me? 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.759 Like, 00:43:04.819 --> 00:43:05.179 finally, 00:43:05.259 --> 00:43:06.079 the preacher's talking about this. 00:43:06.099 --> 00:43:06.419 I'm glad. 00:43:06.500 --> 00:43:06.940 This is great. 00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:07.119 Yeah, 00:43:07.119 --> 00:43:07.940 let's look at that list. 00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:08.419 Now, 00:43:08.480 --> 00:43:08.940 you do that 00:43:08.940 --> 00:43:09.739 to everybody else. 00:43:09.879 --> 00:43:10.059 Whoa, 00:43:10.139 --> 00:43:10.279 whoa, 00:43:10.319 --> 00:43:10.500 whoa. 00:43:11.019 --> 00:43:12.019 I don't want them 00:43:12.019 --> 00:43:12.960 to do that to me. 00:43:13.059 --> 00:43:13.179 No, 00:43:13.239 --> 00:43:14.059 you do that. 00:43:14.159 --> 00:43:15.059 Jesus said this. 00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:16.440 As you wish 00:43:16.440 --> 00:43:17.659 that others would do to you, 00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:18.940 do so to them 00:43:18.940 --> 00:43:20.360 and do it without 00:43:20.360 --> 00:43:21.659 expecting anything in return. 00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:23.619 Do it without expecting 00:43:23.619 --> 00:43:24.119 anything in return. 00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:25.920 But you start with you. 00:43:26.440 --> 00:43:27.500 We're not entitled people. 00:43:27.679 --> 00:43:28.380 We've been bought. 00:43:29.300 --> 00:43:30.240 We've been bought. 00:43:30.599 --> 00:43:31.639 So we buy in. 00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:33.519 Jesus has given us everything. 00:43:33.679 --> 00:43:34.340 What's the big deal 00:43:34.340 --> 00:43:34.820 if we give 00:43:34.820 --> 00:43:35.900 and we're not giving back to? 00:43:36.119 --> 00:43:36.400 Really? 00:43:36.820 --> 00:43:39.179 We have all the treasures of Christ. 00:43:39.639 --> 00:43:40.360 What would he do? 00:43:41.220 --> 00:43:41.460 Like, 00:43:41.519 --> 00:43:42.539 someone didn't give us something. 00:43:42.619 --> 00:43:43.420 We didn't get the friendship. 00:43:43.619 --> 00:43:44.380 We didn't get the invite. 00:43:44.579 --> 00:43:45.500 We didn't get the love. 00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:46.880 We have Christ. 00:43:46.880 --> 00:43:49.140 A person who majors on that 00:43:49.140 --> 00:43:49.880 does not know 00:43:49.880 --> 00:43:50.920 what they have in Christ. 00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:54.340 It looks like 00:43:54.340 --> 00:43:55.760 a bad fruit of togetherness 00:43:55.760 --> 00:43:56.180 would be like 00:43:56.180 --> 00:43:57.420 bad or no communication. 00:43:58.079 --> 00:43:58.180 Right? 00:43:58.579 --> 00:43:59.820 Communing is the key. 00:43:59.960 --> 00:44:00.300 I'm sorry. 00:44:00.700 --> 00:44:02.599 Communication is the key to communing. 00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:03.460 There's a reason 00:44:03.460 --> 00:44:05.240 those two prefixes 00:44:05.240 --> 00:44:06.180 are in the word together. 00:44:06.500 --> 00:44:07.760 They're in the word together 00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:09.059 in the word communication 00:44:09.059 --> 00:44:09.860 or communing. 00:44:10.280 --> 00:44:10.680 Right? 00:44:10.980 --> 00:44:11.800 They go together. 00:44:12.500 --> 00:44:13.400 And some people think, 00:44:13.500 --> 00:44:14.480 I just don't understand 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:15.220 why I don't have 00:44:15.220 --> 00:44:16.840 this togetherness of people. 00:44:16.980 --> 00:44:17.180 It's like, 00:44:17.280 --> 00:44:17.420 bro, 00:44:17.700 --> 00:44:19.119 you don't return calls. 00:44:19.260 --> 00:44:20.519 You don't return texts 00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:21.519 like three weeks later. 00:44:21.619 --> 00:44:21.900 It's like, 00:44:22.140 --> 00:44:23.079 the thing already happened 00:44:23.079 --> 00:44:24.180 that we were talking about. 00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:24.760 He's like, 00:44:24.780 --> 00:44:26.099 I just don't feel close to anybody. 00:44:26.440 --> 00:44:28.079 You don't get back to people. 00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:30.680 You can't be counted on. 00:44:30.780 --> 00:44:31.760 If I text you, 00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:32.740 I have no idea 00:44:32.740 --> 00:44:33.500 I'm going to hear from you. 00:44:34.300 --> 00:44:34.500 Right? 00:44:35.140 --> 00:44:35.619 You might say, 00:44:35.680 --> 00:44:35.780 well, 00:44:35.780 --> 00:44:36.840 we don't need to be getting back. 00:44:37.200 --> 00:44:37.380 Yeah, 00:44:37.440 --> 00:44:38.980 some people are unreasonable. 00:44:38.980 --> 00:44:39.500 It's like, 00:44:39.680 --> 00:44:40.559 they send you a text 00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:41.280 and like a minute later, 00:44:41.380 --> 00:44:41.440 like, 00:44:41.480 --> 00:44:42.400 hope you didn't get back to me. 00:44:42.840 --> 00:44:43.059 It's like, 00:44:43.099 --> 00:44:43.980 what are you talking about? 00:44:44.019 --> 00:44:45.300 I didn't even see your text yet. 00:44:45.300 --> 00:44:45.860 I'm working. 00:44:46.100 --> 00:44:46.920 I have a job. 00:44:47.820 --> 00:44:48.180 So, 00:44:48.340 --> 00:44:48.519 like, 00:44:48.560 --> 00:44:49.519 we're not being unreasonable, 00:44:50.120 --> 00:44:52.620 but we also have to be expecting 00:44:52.620 --> 00:44:53.980 that if we want to commune with one another 00:44:53.980 --> 00:44:54.760 and be together with one another, 00:44:54.760 --> 00:44:55.980 there has to be communication. 00:44:57.420 --> 00:44:58.500 Bad fruit would be a pattern 00:44:58.500 --> 00:44:59.980 of not looking to others' interests. 00:45:00.440 --> 00:45:01.000 Philippians 2, 00:45:01.060 --> 00:45:01.840 4-7 said, 00:45:01.960 --> 00:45:02.720 each of you look 00:45:02.720 --> 00:45:04.080 not only to his own interests, 00:45:04.140 --> 00:45:05.720 but also to the interests of others 00:45:05.820 --> 00:45:07.420 in the same mind of Christ. 00:45:07.420 --> 00:45:09.780 It would look like a pattern 00:45:09.780 --> 00:45:11.139 of no shared responsibility, 00:45:11.320 --> 00:45:11.740 no we. 00:45:12.119 --> 00:45:13.139 I can always tell 00:45:13.139 --> 00:45:14.700 when someone is really bought in 00:45:14.700 --> 00:45:15.480 when they start using 00:45:15.480 --> 00:45:16.519 the language of we 00:45:16.519 --> 00:45:17.700 when they talk about the church. 00:45:18.139 --> 00:45:18.880 And they keep saying, 00:45:19.079 --> 00:45:19.659 your church, 00:45:19.900 --> 00:45:20.559 your church, 00:45:20.639 --> 00:45:21.139 and it's like, 00:45:21.579 --> 00:45:22.860 we're still corving here. 00:45:22.980 --> 00:45:24.139 We're still getting to know each other. 00:45:24.200 --> 00:45:24.559 That's cool. 00:45:24.639 --> 00:45:25.039 That's fine. 00:45:25.159 --> 00:45:25.380 I mean, 00:45:25.400 --> 00:45:25.860 I'm patient. 00:45:26.019 --> 00:45:26.420 That's great. 00:45:26.860 --> 00:45:28.760 But then when someone starts saying we, 00:45:28.920 --> 00:45:29.180 I'm like, 00:45:29.240 --> 00:45:29.440 oh, 00:45:29.500 --> 00:45:29.840 okay. 00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:31.579 So togetherness here. 00:45:31.659 --> 00:45:32.360 You're using we. 00:45:32.519 --> 00:45:33.119 I love this. 00:45:33.200 --> 00:45:35.639 I feel like there's some ownership here. 00:45:35.800 --> 00:45:37.019 That you can listen for that. 00:45:37.019 --> 00:45:38.159 You can tell it totally. 00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:39.539 And again, 00:45:39.619 --> 00:45:39.920 I'm not, 00:45:40.219 --> 00:45:41.400 there's not even criticism for that. 00:45:41.480 --> 00:45:42.360 You're not going to just walk 00:45:42.360 --> 00:45:43.019 into a new church 00:45:43.019 --> 00:45:43.380 and be like, 00:45:43.480 --> 00:45:43.659 we, 00:45:43.800 --> 00:45:44.000 man, 00:45:44.039 --> 00:45:44.659 we're together. 00:45:44.880 --> 00:45:45.119 It's like, 00:45:45.179 --> 00:45:46.199 I don't even know you. 00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:47.420 I don't even know you. 00:45:47.900 --> 00:45:48.059 Like, 00:45:48.079 --> 00:45:48.820 it takes time. 00:45:49.179 --> 00:45:49.800 But eventually, 00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:50.800 if there's true partnership, 00:45:50.940 --> 00:45:52.739 the language starts changing to we 00:45:52.739 --> 00:45:53.579 and our. 00:45:54.219 --> 00:45:54.460 Okay? 00:45:55.739 --> 00:45:56.519 Bad fruit would look like 00:45:56.519 --> 00:45:57.980 a pattern of making excuses 00:45:57.980 --> 00:45:59.559 and not taking responsibility. 00:46:00.199 --> 00:46:01.320 A pattern of being critical 00:46:01.320 --> 00:46:02.280 or condescending 00:46:02.280 --> 00:46:02.820 or harsh 00:46:02.820 --> 00:46:03.659 or opinionated. 00:46:04.380 --> 00:46:05.019 Galatians 5, 00:46:05.079 --> 00:46:05.980 14 to 15 says, 00:46:06.059 --> 00:46:06.900 the whole law is fulfilled 00:46:06.900 --> 00:46:07.519 in one word. 00:46:07.619 --> 00:46:08.480 You shall love your neighbors 00:46:08.480 --> 00:46:09.019 yourselves. 00:46:09.760 --> 00:46:10.480 But if you bite, 00:46:10.619 --> 00:46:11.400 devour one another, 00:46:11.559 --> 00:46:12.740 watch out that you are not 00:46:12.740 --> 00:46:13.960 consumed by one another. 00:46:14.559 --> 00:46:15.360 Partnership can, 00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:16.960 that's to build each other up. 00:46:17.000 --> 00:46:17.700 It can't look like 00:46:17.700 --> 00:46:18.680 devouring one another. 00:46:19.740 --> 00:46:20.380 Romans 15, 00:46:20.440 --> 00:46:20.960 verse 1 says, 00:46:21.039 --> 00:46:21.900 a harsh word 00:46:21.900 --> 00:46:22.980 stirs of anger. 00:46:23.880 --> 00:46:24.039 Okay? 00:46:24.039 --> 00:46:24.340 So, 00:46:24.340 --> 00:46:25.539 partnership means that we're 00:46:25.539 --> 00:46:27.619 talking well with one another. 00:46:28.699 --> 00:46:29.619 Bad fruit looks like 00:46:29.619 --> 00:46:31.019 a pattern of being fragile, 00:46:31.219 --> 00:46:32.059 easily offended, 00:46:32.239 --> 00:46:33.159 or overly sensitive. 00:46:33.559 --> 00:46:34.480 It's really tough 00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:35.039 to be together 00:46:35.039 --> 00:46:35.679 when that's there. 00:46:36.420 --> 00:46:36.960 Or it looks like 00:46:36.960 --> 00:46:37.779 a pattern of not being 00:46:37.779 --> 00:46:38.659 able to receive 00:46:38.659 --> 00:46:40.139 and always having to be 00:46:40.139 --> 00:46:41.119 the one who's giving. 00:46:41.860 --> 00:46:42.039 Okay? 00:46:42.739 --> 00:46:43.619 That's not partnership. 00:46:43.820 --> 00:46:44.259 There's some people 00:46:44.259 --> 00:46:44.519 that's like, 00:46:44.579 --> 00:46:45.800 they won't share, 00:46:46.600 --> 00:46:48.360 they won't let anybody else give. 00:46:48.519 --> 00:46:49.400 They won't let anybody else 00:46:49.400 --> 00:46:50.260 be a resource. 00:46:50.800 --> 00:46:51.500 That's hard to partner 00:46:51.500 --> 00:46:52.039 with that person. 00:46:52.180 --> 00:46:52.360 It's like, 00:46:52.400 --> 00:46:52.740 hey, listen, 00:46:53.220 --> 00:46:53.560 you're all, 00:46:53.620 --> 00:46:54.060 it's cool, 00:46:54.200 --> 00:46:55.060 you're really generous 00:46:55.060 --> 00:46:55.460 and everything, 00:46:55.580 --> 00:46:57.100 but if I can't share 00:46:57.100 --> 00:46:57.680 the love with you, 00:46:57.740 --> 00:46:58.380 I don't feel any 00:46:58.380 --> 00:46:59.220 togetherness with you 00:46:59.220 --> 00:46:59.600 if there's no 00:46:59.600 --> 00:47:00.380 shared responsibility. 00:47:01.600 --> 00:47:01.900 So, 00:47:02.360 --> 00:47:02.900 in closing, 00:47:03.039 --> 00:47:03.860 a partner is someone 00:47:03.860 --> 00:47:04.660 who's bought in. 00:47:05.380 --> 00:47:05.500 Okay? 00:47:05.660 --> 00:47:06.519 A partner is someone 00:47:06.519 --> 00:47:07.039 who's bought in 00:47:07.039 --> 00:47:07.460 to the degree 00:47:07.460 --> 00:47:08.460 that we can count on 00:47:08.460 --> 00:47:09.080 him or her 00:47:09.080 --> 00:47:10.380 in all three areas 00:47:10.380 --> 00:47:10.940 of partnership. 00:47:11.400 --> 00:47:12.320 Share priorities 00:47:12.320 --> 00:47:13.300 of the kingdom of God, 00:47:13.700 --> 00:47:14.260 that's treasuring 00:47:14.260 --> 00:47:15.160 Christ and his rule. 00:47:15.159 --> 00:47:16.319 Shared vision 00:47:16.319 --> 00:47:17.440 of all life, 00:47:17.920 --> 00:47:18.619 always fully 00:47:18.619 --> 00:47:19.359 in all things, 00:47:19.739 --> 00:47:20.859 and shared responsibility, 00:47:21.899 --> 00:47:22.519 togetherness, 00:47:22.619 --> 00:47:23.519 belonging and needing 00:47:23.519 --> 00:47:24.019 one another. 00:47:24.299 --> 00:47:24.539 Amen? 00:47:25.239 --> 00:47:25.739 Amen.