WEBVTT

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 Good morning. We're going to read the Bible now. There are two readings. Please turn with me.

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 First one is in Timothy, 2 Timothy 3, verses 10 to the end of the chapter, and then the first five verses of chapter 4.

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 And then the second reading we're going to read is in 1 Peter 5, and that's going to be the first seven verses.

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 So, 2 Timothy chapter 3.

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 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

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 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I endured.

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 Yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

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 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

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 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

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 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed,

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 knowing from whom you learned it,

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 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings,

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 which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

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 All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching,

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 for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

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 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

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 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,

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 who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.

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 Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season,

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 reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching.

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 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching,

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 but having itch in years, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

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 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

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 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering,

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 do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

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 Our next reading is from 1 Peter 5, verses 1 to 7.

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 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,

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 as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.

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 Shepherd the flock of God that is among you,

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 exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly as God would have you,

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 not for shameful gain, but eagerly,

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 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

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 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

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 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.

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 Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another,

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 for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

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 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God,

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 so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

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 casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.

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 Well, good morning, everyone.

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 One of the things I learned and was reminded of again this week at the conference,

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 I was at least that I need help to speak and you need help to listen.

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 So let's pray.

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 Lord, reshape our hearts to hear your word.

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 Make us delight in your word.

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 But more than that, Lord, delight in you who has spoken your word.

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 Make us long to be like you.

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 In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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 Well, how should we be governed?

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 We've been talking now for four weeks.

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 This is our fifth week talking about the local church.

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 How should decisions be made in our local church?

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 Two weeks now we've looked at God's agenda.

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 Christ has a very clear agenda for the church.

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 But who's responsible for implementing that agenda?

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 Who's responsible for making sure that the church stays faithful and consistent in that agenda?

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 Big questions to wrestle with, actually.

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 A pastor friend of mine once said these words.

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 He said, you know, David, the greatest conflict in my ministry life, his ministry life,

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 and that was a long one.

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 The greatest conflict in my ministry life was not about doctrine,

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 but about the nature of authority and leadership.

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 In short, he said, I find that people just don't want to be led, according to God's word.

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 That's a seriously sobering thought, isn't it?

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 Of course, most Christians recognize the need for some form of leadership in a local church,

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 like ours, a community.

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 But the big issue is about the distribution of authority and leadership across the church family.

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 That's where it comes down to.

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 How much authority do church leaders like myself have?

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 And then what authority and input do those who are not church leaders,

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 which, after all, is the vast majority of a community like ours,

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 what authority do you have in this local church community, this local church family?

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 And it's that question, getting that right, which has been responsible for so much confusion,

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 so much hurt,

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 dare I say, so much passive, aggressive rebellion in local church families against leadership.

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 And indeed, even sadder to say, it's been responsible for some open warfare against leaders in the local church.

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 And at one extreme, some Christians give not much more than lip service to the concept of leadership.

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 But secretly, they resent it or they ignore it and actually just do their own thing,

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 as much as they're able to.

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 Or perhaps they secretly hanker for a democracy.

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 That is, well, all we need is the body of Christ,

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 and therefore everybody should have an equal input, equal authority.

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 We're just the body.

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 And at the other extreme, then,

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 some Christians expect the leaders to take all responsibility

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 for the health and well-being and longevity of a local church family.

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 Not just all the responsibility, but all the blame when things don't go well.

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 While they remain passive and unthinking,

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 or selectively involved just in the bits they like to be involved in,

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 or, perhaps worst of all,

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 while they sit on the sideline and critique and criticize.

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 And again, I'm trying to be fair in this sweeping everybody into this,

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 some Christians, and this is a terrible sadness,

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 some Christians have been deeply wounded and traumatized

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 by heavy-handed leadership.

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 What I call magisterial leadership,

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 acting as if, you know, they're the king, they're above the law.

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 And that sort of thing has left them wounded, as I say, traumatized.

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 And at a practical level,

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 left them deeply suspicious of leadership.

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 And sometimes, even after many years,

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 people have been unable to move on from that.

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 And so, practically,

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 they might be in a totally different context,

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 but they still struggle to have a positive engagement with leadership.

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 Very quickly and easily sort of default back

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 to combative engagement with leadership.

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 Friends, with every other aspect of church,

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 as we've been thinking about it,

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 authority and leadership must be examined and established from Scripture.

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 And this morning, I hope to give you a clear,

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 but unfortunately it has to be necessarily brief,

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 overview of what I believe the biblical structure of authority

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 and leadership in our local church family ought to be.

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 If you've got your bulletin with you or you've got it on your phone,

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 you can maybe switch between pages or look at that.

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 There's a diagram there.

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 I love diagrams,

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 but I'm not terribly good with the technology of putting them together.

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 So it may or may not be helpful to you.

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 I think it's a wonderful diagram,

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 and I'm sticking to that story.

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 You can do whatever you like.

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 The first three or four points here this morning.

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 The first point is this,

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 a very basic point.

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 We've been saying it for four weeks now.

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 When we think about the distribution of authority and leadership,

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 we need to establish first things first.

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 And the first thing to establish is that it's Christ's church.

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 Christ is Lord of his church and the chief shepherd.

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 That's how he's described,

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 and we'll see that in 1 Peter passage we're looking at this morning.

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 In fact, we're going to look at it now.

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 1 Peter 5, verse 2,

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 talks about Jesus being the chief shepherd in verse 4.

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 We are a local expression of God's church.

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 We've established that over four weeks.

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 We are, in another term, a flock,

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 one of the flocks of Jesus,

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 and he is the chief shepherd.

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 We are the sheep.

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 And he rules for us and cares for us.

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 The church is precious to him.

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 It is the means by which he does his work in this world.

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 It is the context in which he means

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 he's died for people to come to maturity.

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 We've established all those things over recent weeks.

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 And that's repeated across Scripture,

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 from one end of the Bible to the other end of it.

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 We started four weeks ago, Matthew 16, 15.

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 No sooner has Jesus been identified by his disciples as Messiah

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 than he actually articulates what he's come for as Messiah,

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 and that is to establish and build his church

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 by dying for his people.

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 Inseparable to the role of Messiah

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 is the building of his church.

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 Colossians 1, verse 18.

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 You can look it up if you're able to,

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 or I'll read it to you.

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 I assume I can find it, of course.

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 Colossians 1, verse 18.

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 It says that wonderful paragraph about the preeminence of Christ.

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 And Christ is the head of the body, the church.

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 It is through the church,

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 as much as anything else in this world,

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 that Christ will be preeminent.

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 Christ is supreme in every way.

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 Ephesians, we've seen in the last few weeks,

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 from start to finish is about Christ's church.

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 Christ's church is God's big idea.

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 His one building project in the world,

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 we said a couple of weeks ago.

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 The gathered community of God's died for people,

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 gladly serving and worshipping God.

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 And so we could go on and on and on

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 about the church being Christ

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 and the preciousness of the church to Christ.

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 But here I just want to move on quickly from this point.

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 Friends, here's the problem with that.

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 Given the verses I've referred to

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 and dozens more we could consider,

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 it is so sad.

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 that so often Christians in local churches

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 act as if the church is theirs

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 to do with as a place.

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 Act as if they have supreme authority.

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 And in brackets,

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 if they take supreme authority,

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 then they're also taking supreme responsibility

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 to care for it and protect it and nourish it and build it.

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 But that tends to get cut off.

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 People just want to say,

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 well, we can do,

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 we can make this church wherever we want it to be.

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 It's our church.

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 And that's the language we use.

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 And it grates on me no end when,

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 and I heard it,

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 I don't know how many times it was come from this week,

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 oh, tell me about your church.

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 And my standard refrain was,

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 and people thought I was just weird,

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 I don't have a church.

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 I minister at,

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 but I think people just thought I was being a wally.

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 Anyway, move on.

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 But it's Christ's church.

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 And that's a crucial thing to get right to start with.

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 Secondly,

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 Scripture is God's voice into his church

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 and the world at large.

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 Turn with me to 2 Timothy 3.

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 We'll come back to 1 Peter 5 in a minute.

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 Turn with me to 2 Timothy 3,

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 verses 14 to 17.

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 In these verses,

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 we have a comprehensive statement

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 about the authority of God's word

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 and its place in the governance structure

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 of the local church.

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 And we're told here,

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 the Bible is God-breathed.

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 It is God's words in men's words.

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 It is God speaking into his church in real time.

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 In living words.

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 Powerful words.

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 The fact that it's God-breathed

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 gives us both the source of the authority,

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 sorry, gives us the source of God's word

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 and the authority of God's word.

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 It's all God wants to say

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 into his local church.

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 It's all God needs to say

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 into his local church

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 and into his world at large.

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 His church in particular.

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 It's through the living,

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 breathing word of God

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 that we begin life as Christians,

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 as the Spirit takes that word

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 and applies it deep in our hearts and minds.

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 It's through the living word of God

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 that we move towards maturity

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 or as we've seen in other passages,

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 grow up into salvation in Christ.

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 What's that?

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 Well, we're about to say in a minute,

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 being fully equipped for responsible,

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 wise, consistent Christian living.

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 Verse 14, Paul's speaking to Timothy,

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 giving him instructions as a young preacher,

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 young pastor.

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 As for you, Timothy,

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 continue in what you have learned

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 and have firmly believed,

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 knowing from whom you learned it.

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 That's a bit of family history there.

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 And how from childhood,

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 you've been acquainted with the sacred writings.

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 Here it comes.

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 which are able to make you wise for salvation

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 through faith in Christ Jesus.

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 Want to apply God's agenda?

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 We need to be students of God's word.

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 All scripture.

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 Do you hear that?

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 All scripture.

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 Not just the bits we like,

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 but the bits that are convenient.

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 But all scripture

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 is breathed out by God

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 and profitable.

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 It's hard to believe

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 how some churches

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 who turn their back in God's word

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 can actually read that verse.

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 They've obviously decided

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 it's not that profitable at all.

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 And there's something better

00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:53.360
 to be front and center with in church.

00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.100
 Profitable for teaching,

00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:58.580
 for reproof,

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:01.100
 for correction,

00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:04.140
 and for training in righteousness.

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.720
 That's the messy stuff

00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:07.480
 of growing to maturity.

00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:11.680
 We just need to learn to start with.

00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:13.079
 And then as we learn

00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:14.880
 God's way of doing things,

00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:17.920
 we will stubbornly be stuck

00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:18.860
 in our way of doing things.

00:17:18.940 --> 00:17:19.440
 So we need,

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.920
 we need,

00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:21.600
 you know,

00:17:21.620 --> 00:17:23.059
 to be knocked around a bit

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:24.120
 by our fellow believers.

00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:26.420
 To be corrected.

00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:28.039
 To be challenged.

00:17:30.360 --> 00:17:30.759
 Why?

00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:33.039
 Not because anybody takes delight

00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:34.059
 in showing up

00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:35.140
 somebody else being wrong.

00:17:35.140 --> 00:17:37.720
 But because it all moves us

00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:39.340
 as part of this training

00:17:39.340 --> 00:17:40.000
 in righteousness.

00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:41.620
 Which is

00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:43.880
 that the man of God

00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:44.880
 or the person of God,

00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:47.080
 that the believer

00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:48.920
 may be competent.

00:17:50.780 --> 00:17:51.500
 Competent.

00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:54.160
 well,

00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:56.019
 competent means

00:17:56.019 --> 00:17:57.359
 to know God's word,

00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:00.180
 to know the concept of grace,

00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:02.039
 to be able to apply

00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:03.740
 grace to other people's lives,

00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:05.400
 to be able to live in grace

00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:06.319
 in my own life,

00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:08.299
 all the while aware of my sin

00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:09.559
 and struggling to deal with it.

00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:12.039
 That's what it is to be competent

00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:12.920
 in God's word.

00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:15.740
 And that then

00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:17.279
 leads to being equipped

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.279
 for every good work.

00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:19.240
 That is,

00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:21.920
 being skilled and equipped

00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:22.640
 to live

00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:24.360
 as God wants me to live.

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:24.860
 That is,

00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:26.340
 every good work.

00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:27.820
 Doing that which is pleasing to him.

00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:28.580
 Doing that which is

00:18:28.580 --> 00:18:29.519
 kingdom building.

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.480
 Quite literally then,

00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:37.660
 God's word,

00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:40.400
 God's living word,

00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:42.259
 is spoken

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:44.500
 into our local church here

00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:46.019
 to shape us

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:47.519
 in every way

00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:48.480
 possible

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:49.480
 and imaginable.

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:52.820
 And that includes me

00:18:52.820 --> 00:18:53.540
 as a Christian leader.

00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.600
 Even Christian leaders

00:18:55.600 --> 00:18:56.360
 are to be under

00:18:56.360 --> 00:18:57.860
 the absolute authority

00:18:57.860 --> 00:18:59.259
 of God's word.

00:18:59.840 --> 00:19:00.900
 It's to be the basis

00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:01.940
 of every decision

00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:03.060
 I make as a leader.

00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:05.000
 Every action I take

00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:05.440
 as a leader.

00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:06.440
 Every structure

00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:07.980
 I urge on the congregation

00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:08.680
 as a leader.

00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:10.200
 Every program

00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:10.880
 that we adopt

00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:11.440
 as a leader.

00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:14.080
 And all of us included

00:19:14.080 --> 00:19:15.660
 every conflict resolution

00:19:15.660 --> 00:19:19.820
 in our church family life.

00:19:22.059 --> 00:19:23.900
 The Bible must stand

00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:25.240
 over reason.

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.140
 I.e.

00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:28.279
 what I think is right.

00:19:29.840 --> 00:19:31.000
 It must stand

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:32.600
 over experience.

00:19:33.360 --> 00:19:34.880
 What we feel is right.

00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:37.100
 or what we'd like

00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:37.740
 to be right.

00:19:38.060 --> 00:19:39.060
 What makes me happy.

00:19:39.260 --> 00:19:40.040
 Or what works

00:19:40.040 --> 00:19:40.760
 pragmatically.

00:19:42.840 --> 00:19:43.960
 The Bible must stand

00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:44.940
 over our culture.

00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:46.260
 What our society

00:19:46.260 --> 00:19:47.060
 says is right.

00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:50.020
 Popular or desirable.

00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:52.780
 My friends,

00:19:53.100 --> 00:19:54.000
 that's why

00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.000
 God's word

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:57.620
 is and has been

00:19:57.620 --> 00:19:58.460
 and hopefully

00:19:58.460 --> 00:19:59.600
 always will be

00:19:59.600 --> 00:20:01.720
 central in the life

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.540
 of our church family.

00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:05.279
 we read it

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:07.920
 and we encourage you

00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:08.539
 to teach it.

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:08.980
 Read it.

00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:09.200
 Sorry,

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:09.659
 we read it

00:20:09.659 --> 00:20:10.180
 and we teach it

00:20:10.180 --> 00:20:10.960
 and we encourage you

00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:11.500
 to read it

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.220
 and learn it.

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:15.720
 Both in this community

00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:17.519
 and its subunits

00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:18.000
 as we meet

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:18.519
 during the week

00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.779
 but also in your

00:20:19.779 --> 00:20:20.720
 biological family

00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.259
 in the home

00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:22.019
 day by day,

00:20:22.159 --> 00:20:22.819
 week by week.

00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:26.460
 We're constantly

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.799
 encouraging God's people

00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:28.659
 to dig into

00:20:28.659 --> 00:20:29.220
 God's word.

00:20:29.639 --> 00:20:29.819
 Why?

00:20:29.819 --> 00:20:30.740
 Just because it's

00:20:30.740 --> 00:20:31.419
 something that

00:20:31.419 --> 00:20:33.019
 we get the hots for?

00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:33.559
 No,

00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:34.879
 because God's word

00:20:34.879 --> 00:20:35.939
 is so central

00:20:35.939 --> 00:20:38.839
 to who we are

00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:39.419
 as a people,

00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:41.939
 as a community.

00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:44.159
 We cannot be

00:20:44.159 --> 00:20:45.480
 the community

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.359
 that we call

00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:47.480
 ourselves God's church

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:49.159
 apart from being

00:20:49.159 --> 00:20:49.819
 competent

00:20:49.819 --> 00:20:51.319
 in God's word.

00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:55.059
 Expanding our

00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:55.939
 understanding of it

00:20:55.940 --> 00:20:57.019
 and applying

00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:57.559
 its wisdom

00:20:57.559 --> 00:20:58.080
 and truth

00:20:58.080 --> 00:20:59.539
 to your life

00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:00.100
 individually

00:21:00.100 --> 00:21:01.539
 and the community

00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.559
 life of this

00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:03.980
 local church family.

00:21:06.120 --> 00:21:06.360
 Now,

00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:06.720
 again,

00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:07.480
 let me just pause

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.340
 there before I move

00:21:08.340 --> 00:21:09.039
 on to the next point

00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:10.380
 and just ask a question.

00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.000
 The question comes

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.700
 down to a very simple

00:21:12.700 --> 00:21:12.860
 one,

00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:13.200
 that is,

00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:15.299
 does God's word

00:21:15.299 --> 00:21:16.440
 have that much

00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:17.100
 authority,

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:20.299
 that much

00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:21.240
 immediacy,

00:21:22.360 --> 00:21:23.160
 that much

00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:23.860
 importance

00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:24.919
 to you?

00:21:32.179 --> 00:21:33.139
 Make it really,

00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:33.779
 really practical.

00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:35.939
 Does God's word

00:21:35.939 --> 00:21:36.679
 shape

00:21:36.679 --> 00:21:38.240
 your determination

00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.139
 and your thinking

00:21:39.139 --> 00:21:39.799
 as you walk

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.619
 in that door

00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:42.240
 every Sunday morning

00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:43.779
 to be in community,

00:21:44.579 --> 00:21:45.299
 the community

00:21:45.299 --> 00:21:46.159
 we call the church?

00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:51.819
 It should.

00:21:53.859 --> 00:21:55.779
 But I have to

00:21:55.779 --> 00:21:56.219
 confess

00:21:56.219 --> 00:21:57.359
 with probably

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:57.939
 the rest of you,

00:21:58.819 --> 00:21:59.539
 it doesn't shape

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.000
 me like that

00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.399
 as I walk

00:22:00.399 --> 00:22:00.759
 in the door

00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:01.240
 some morning.

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:02.019
 I'm shaped

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:02.379
 by,

00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:04.459
 you know,

00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:06.299
 something not

00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:07.299
 sitting right on me.

00:22:07.379 --> 00:22:07.699
 I'm shaped

00:22:07.699 --> 00:22:08.819
 by things

00:22:08.819 --> 00:22:09.259
 that happen

00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:09.839
 during the week.

00:22:09.919 --> 00:22:10.339
 I'm shaped

00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:11.099
 by interactions

00:22:11.099 --> 00:22:11.619
 with people.

00:22:11.979 --> 00:22:12.339
 I'm shaped

00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:13.039
 by fears.

00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:13.959
 I'm shaped

00:22:13.959 --> 00:22:14.439
 by lack

00:22:14.439 --> 00:22:15.059
 of understanding.

00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:15.579
 I'm shaped

00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:17.019
 by a desire

00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:18.139
 to be liked.

00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:18.679
 I'm shaped

00:22:18.679 --> 00:22:19.599
 by a whole heap

00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:20.000
 of things.

00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:22.679
 To my shame,

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:23.539
 I confess that to you.

00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:24.059
 when I should

00:22:24.059 --> 00:22:24.599
 be shaped

00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:26.639
 by God's word

00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.099
 when I walk

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:27.639
 in that door.

00:22:27.859 --> 00:22:28.420
 Determine that

00:22:28.420 --> 00:22:29.819
 every word I speak

00:22:29.819 --> 00:22:31.519
 is sourced

00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:32.500
 in God's love

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.279
 and God's grace

00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:33.819
 and unity.

00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:41.720
 See,

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:42.920
 the church,

00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:43.899
 this series

00:22:43.899 --> 00:22:44.259
 is called

00:22:44.259 --> 00:22:44.639
 Church,

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.599
 a Forteist of Heaven.

00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:46.319
 Well,

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:47.180
 what do you think

00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:47.920
 is going to govern

00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.659
 and dominate

00:22:48.659 --> 00:22:50.680
 with such beauty

00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:51.480
 and sweetness

00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.059
 and delight

00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:52.480
 in heaven?

00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:54.740
 God's word.

00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:56.400
 We're going to

00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:57.019
 hang on it

00:22:57.019 --> 00:22:58.500
 in a way

00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:59.079
 that we've never

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.380
 been able

00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:00.940
 to hang on it

00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:01.759
 here in this life.

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:05.059
 So if we want

00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.920
 church to be

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.940
 a Forteist of Heaven

00:23:06.940 --> 00:23:07.539
 as people come

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:07.960
 in the door,

00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:12.960
 let's be seasoned

00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:14.100
 by God's word.

00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:22.740
 So the question remains,

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:23.740
 does it determine

00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:25.180
 your commitment

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:26.940
 to and involvement

00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:28.019
 in this local

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:28.680
 church family?

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:31.400
 so that

00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:32.460
 everything you're

00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:33.180
 involved in

00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:33.920
 and committed to,

00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:35.000
 you do so

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:36.160
 believing those

00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:36.779
 things to be

00:23:36.779 --> 00:23:37.940
 helpful in moving

00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:38.960
 us to competency

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.740
 as Christians,

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:41.080
 moving us to

00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:43.180
 maturity as Christians,

00:23:43.360 --> 00:23:44.279
 moving us to be

00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:45.340
 equipped for God's

00:23:45.340 --> 00:23:46.820
 word and good works?

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:55.440
 Does God's word

00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:57.279
 ultimately drive

00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:57.980
 how you operate

00:23:57.980 --> 00:23:58.700
 in relationships?

00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:04.579
 Does it drive you

00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.099
 when you need

00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:06.139
 to seek to

00:24:06.139 --> 00:24:07.180
 repair relationships?

00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:08.399
 Because let's face it,

00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:10.019
 the longest

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:11.000
 relationships can be

00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:11.740
 broken just like

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.379
 that, can't they?

00:24:14.379 --> 00:24:15.399
 And don't we find

00:24:15.399 --> 00:24:16.819
 it so easy to live

00:24:16.819 --> 00:24:17.299
 with broken

00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:18.039
 relationships?

00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:20.259
 When God's word

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.440
 is full of the

00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:22.160
 very things that

00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:22.859
 we need to repair

00:24:22.859 --> 00:24:23.139
 them.

00:24:23.140 --> 00:24:26.300
 But we like to

00:24:26.300 --> 00:24:26.900
 hang on to our

00:24:26.900 --> 00:24:27.560
 hurts, don't we?

00:24:27.740 --> 00:24:28.500
 More than we like

00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:29.240
 to go to God's

00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:31.220
 word to have

00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:31.840
 things repaired.

00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:38.340
 Third point then,

00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:38.820
 moving on.

00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:39.920
 Christ intends his

00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:40.480
 people to be

00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.660
 nurtured in

00:24:41.660 --> 00:24:42.759
 structured communities.

00:24:44.320 --> 00:24:45.360
 With the primary

00:24:45.360 --> 00:24:46.300
 authority of Christ

00:24:46.300 --> 00:24:47.000
 and God's word

00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:47.540
 established,

00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:48.940
 we can now

00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:50.080
 sort of zone in

00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:50.880
 or zoom in a little

00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.800
 bit on the

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.700
 leadership structures

00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:53.339
 in the church.

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.139
 But commonly,

00:24:55.639 --> 00:24:56.319
 in a sermon like

00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:57.240
 this, that would

00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:58.980
 now zero in on

00:24:58.980 --> 00:24:59.759
 the role of elders.

00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:01.619
 And you might

00:25:01.619 --> 00:25:02.579
 well expect a

00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:04.319
 lecture on elders

00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:04.960
 and your

00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.759
 responsibility to

00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:05.940
 them.

00:25:08.119 --> 00:25:08.899
 And I'm not going

00:25:08.899 --> 00:25:09.519
 to disappoint you,

00:25:09.919 --> 00:25:11.079
 but maybe not the

00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:11.539
 way you think.

00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:14.059
 The focus would go

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:15.319
 on elders or

00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.440
 bishops or

00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:18.319
 shepherds or

00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:20.480
 what's the fourth

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:20.639
 word?

00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:21.180
 I can't even see

00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:21.380
 me.

00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.480
 Pastors, there

00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:22.759
 you go.

00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:24.380
 Sort of four words

00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:24.960
 used in the New

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.539
 Testament that

00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:27.400
 essentially can be

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:28.480
 used interchangeably.

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:31.000
 And that's where

00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:32.060
 that diagram on page

00:25:32.060 --> 00:25:32.680
 two comes in.

00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:35.799
 And so, here's what

00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.840
 the nuances have to

00:25:36.840 --> 00:25:37.080
 start.

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:38.980
 It's clear that the

00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:41.320
 scriptures have a

00:25:41.320 --> 00:25:42.200
 fair bit to say about

00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:45.080
 elders and the role

00:25:45.080 --> 00:25:45.740
 of elders in the

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.560
 structure of leadership

00:25:46.560 --> 00:25:47.700
 in a church.

00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:47.759
 church.

00:25:48.860 --> 00:25:50.460
 But, equally

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:52.120
 important, there's

00:25:52.120 --> 00:25:53.700
 another structure that

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.620
 often gets overlooked

00:25:54.620 --> 00:25:56.660
 that's spoken about

00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:58.680
 just as strongly in

00:25:58.680 --> 00:25:59.500
 the concept of

00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:01.259
 leadership and

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.660
 nurturing in the

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:02.960
 church.

00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:05.080
 And that concept is

00:26:05.080 --> 00:26:07.279
 the interconnectedness

00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:08.600
 or the interdependency

00:26:08.600 --> 00:26:10.080
 of believers.

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.199
 believers.

00:26:12.139 --> 00:26:13.279
 I like to use the

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:14.240
 term the priesthood of

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.839
 all believers, but

00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:15.480
 people don't really

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.279
 understand that.

00:26:16.699 --> 00:26:17.559
 So, it's the

00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:19.199
 interconnectedness of

00:26:19.199 --> 00:26:20.039
 the body of Christ.

00:26:20.139 --> 00:26:20.960
 We've looked at that

00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:21.939
 metaphor of the body

00:26:21.939 --> 00:26:24.220
 over the past few

00:26:24.220 --> 00:26:24.500
 weeks.

00:26:25.159 --> 00:26:25.899
 And to have a

00:26:25.899 --> 00:26:27.500
 healthy body, all

00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:28.659
 the parts need to be

00:26:28.659 --> 00:26:29.599
 working in sync.

00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:32.240
 If you get some

00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:32.980
 parts of the body

00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:33.699
 that just aren't

00:26:33.699 --> 00:26:34.919
 functioning, then

00:26:34.919 --> 00:26:36.019
 you've got a

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:39.819
 distorted, terrible

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.679
 shape of a body,

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.079
 haven't you?

00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:43.359
 You would say, well,

00:26:43.439 --> 00:26:43.859
 there's the

00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:44.740
 consequences of sin

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.299
 in our world.

00:26:49.619 --> 00:26:50.059
 The

00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:51.139
 interconnectedness of

00:26:51.139 --> 00:26:52.039
 the body of Christ,

00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:55.039
 which we also need to

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:56.980
 display in total

00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:58.719
 balance with the

00:26:58.719 --> 00:26:59.339
 role of elders.

00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:03.599
 Now, again, you

00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:04.519
 see, Christians tend

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:05.799
 to go to extremes in

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.959
 the practicalities of

00:27:06.959 --> 00:27:07.299
 leadership.

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:12.459
 One extreme is the

00:27:12.459 --> 00:27:14.639
 outright denial or

00:27:14.639 --> 00:27:16.539
 an ignorance of the

00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:17.259
 need for any

00:27:17.259 --> 00:27:18.319
 functioning leadership

00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:19.519
 structure in the

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:19.819
 church.

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:20.919
 Call it eldership or

00:27:20.919 --> 00:27:21.740
 a leadership team or

00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:22.419
 a pastor team,

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.059
 whatever you want to

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.359
 call it.

00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:24.459
 And again, I'll go

00:27:24.459 --> 00:27:25.059
 back to what I said

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.519
 in the introduction.

00:27:25.899 --> 00:27:26.500
 Lots of Christians

00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:27.000
 might say, well,

00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:27.919
 what's all that about?

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.719
 Why can't we just

00:27:28.719 --> 00:27:29.480
 have the body of

00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:29.799
 Christ?

00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:34.799
 The other extreme is

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.440
 to adopt an

00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:37.299
 eldership or

00:27:37.299 --> 00:27:38.240
 leadership structure

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:39.259
 which operates with

00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:40.980
 such a controlling

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:44.480
 authoritarianism that

00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:46.900
 any concept of the

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:49.339
 body is either

00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:51.819
 totally obliterated or

00:27:51.819 --> 00:27:53.940
 is just tokenism.

00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:58.000
 So one extreme says, hey,

00:27:58.059 --> 00:27:58.799
 what's your problem with

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.080
 leaders?

00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:00.440
 All we need is the

00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:01.180
 body of Christ.

00:28:02.620 --> 00:28:03.660
 The other extreme

00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:08.180
 says, hey, you sit

00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:08.860
 down and be quiet.

00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:10.400
 It's the elders that

00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:11.299
 have the wisdom and

00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:12.059
 the insight in this

00:28:12.059 --> 00:28:12.340
 congregation.

00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:13.340
 It's the elders that

00:28:13.340 --> 00:28:14.259
 will decide what happens

00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:14.779
 in this congregation.

00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:15.640
 It's the elders that

00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:16.259
 decide what this

00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:16.860
 congregation is going

00:28:16.860 --> 00:28:17.240
 to look like.

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:18.420
 You just sit down and

00:28:18.420 --> 00:28:18.859
 wait until you're

00:28:18.859 --> 00:28:19.319
 spoken to.

00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:22.900
 I can take you to

00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:23.660
 churches where both

00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:24.500
 those operate very

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.519
 successfully, well,

00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:26.319
 not very successfully,

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.660
 very openly.

00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:36.080
 The key for distribution

00:28:36.080 --> 00:28:37.000
 of authority according

00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:37.900
 to biblical structure,

00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:39.019
 I believe, is a

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:40.360
 harmonious balance

00:28:40.360 --> 00:28:43.620
 recognizing both,

00:28:46.300 --> 00:28:47.759
 valuing how they

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.900
 complement one another.

00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.900
 The interdependent body

00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:56.060
 or the priesthood of all

00:28:56.060 --> 00:28:57.580
 believers is an obvious

00:28:57.579 --> 00:28:59.059
 and central structure

00:28:59.059 --> 00:29:00.419
 to be displayed in the

00:29:00.419 --> 00:29:01.059
 local church.

00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:03.159
 If you want to turn

00:29:03.159 --> 00:29:03.839
 with me to Hebrews

00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:04.740
 chapter 10, I'm going

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:05.799
 to jump through a few

00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:06.639
 verses now, so you

00:29:06.639 --> 00:29:07.179
 might just want to

00:29:07.179 --> 00:29:07.439
 listen.

00:29:07.939 --> 00:29:08.899
 Hebrews chapter 10,

00:29:09.059 --> 00:29:10.240
 well-known passage,

00:29:11.059 --> 00:29:12.559
 verses 22 to 25.

00:29:17.919 --> 00:29:18.939
 The writer in Hebrews

00:29:18.939 --> 00:29:20.399
 says to the believers,

00:29:20.919 --> 00:29:22.859
 let us draw near with a

00:29:22.859 --> 00:29:24.379
 true heart in full

00:29:24.379 --> 00:29:25.519
 assurance of faith,

00:29:26.139 --> 00:29:26.919
 with our hearts

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:28.580
 sprinkled clean from an

00:29:28.580 --> 00:29:29.680
 evil conscience and our

00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:31.320
 bodies washed with pure

00:29:31.320 --> 00:29:31.640
 water.

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.480
 In other words, let's

00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.380
 draw together very

00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:37.820
 conscious of who we are

00:29:37.820 --> 00:29:38.340
 in Christ.

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:43.300
 Let us hold fast the

00:29:43.300 --> 00:29:44.340
 confession of our hope

00:29:44.340 --> 00:29:46.000
 without wavering, for he

00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:47.620
 who promised is faithful.

00:29:49.360 --> 00:29:50.759
 Let's draw together, let's

00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:51.940
 gather together conscious of

00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:54.300
 who we are and conscious of

00:29:54.300 --> 00:29:55.759
 what we will yet be as we

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.440
 look to the future.

00:29:58.559 --> 00:29:59.799
 And out of those two

00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:02.879
 things, let us consider how

00:30:02.879 --> 00:30:06.140
 to stir up one another

00:30:06.140 --> 00:30:10.859
 to love and good deeds.

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:12.220
 Not neglecting to meet

00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:15.660
 together, as is the habit

00:30:15.660 --> 00:30:19.599
 of some, but encouraging one

00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:19.959
 another.

00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:26.639
 And all the more as you see

00:30:26.639 --> 00:30:27.339
 the day approaching.

00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:37.500
 Since the church community

00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:40.419
 believers are Christ's new

00:30:40.419 --> 00:30:43.039
 priesthood, like the priests

00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:45.980
 of old, we have a duty of

00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:46.879
 care for one another.

00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:48.700
 priests needed to pray for

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:50.740
 the people and care for the

00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:51.000
 people.

00:30:52.120 --> 00:30:53.180
 And the one another, the

00:30:53.180 --> 00:30:54.860
 together idea in there is

00:30:54.860 --> 00:30:55.600
 there for us.

00:30:56.600 --> 00:30:57.580
 We're to pray for one

00:30:57.580 --> 00:30:57.880
 another.

00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:02.080
 We're to care for one

00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:02.380
 another.

00:31:06.280 --> 00:31:07.640
 We're to nurture one

00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:09.420
 another into full assurance.

00:31:11.560 --> 00:31:12.860
 We're to help one another

00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:15.019
 keep our eyes fixed on the

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:16.559
 hope that's before us.

00:31:20.939 --> 00:31:24.159
 We're to demonstrate and

00:31:24.159 --> 00:31:29.139
 extend love, unity to one

00:31:29.139 --> 00:31:29.419
 another.

00:31:32.099 --> 00:31:33.779
 Together, we're to have a

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:35.019
 lifestyle which is played

00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:36.939
 into the Lord and kingdom

00:31:36.939 --> 00:31:37.299
 building.

00:31:38.899 --> 00:31:40.479
 Ephesians 4, 1 to 16, that

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.039
 body matter.

00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:43.200
 In a very real sense, we

00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:44.480
 stand or fall together.

00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:48.299
 If part of the body is not

00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:50.700
 well, is not functioning, then

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:52.559
 the body becomes grotesque.

00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:58.339
 And we can't just say, well,

00:31:59.319 --> 00:32:01.180
 that's an arm or a leg.

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:02.960
 I don't need that bit.

00:32:03.079 --> 00:32:04.180
 I'll just press on with my

00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:07.220
 little finger part of life.

00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:15.600
 Galatians chapter 6, verse 1,

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:18.519
 1 to 4, 1 to 3.

00:32:19.140 --> 00:32:20.799
 Galatians, Ephesians, here we

00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:21.779
 go, we'll get there eventually.

00:32:26.440 --> 00:32:27.579
 When was the last time you

00:32:27.579 --> 00:32:28.200
 thought about this?

00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:32.539
 Brothers, if anyone is caught

00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:36.799
 in any transgression, you who

00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:39.200
 are spiritual should restore

00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:39.419
 him.

00:32:40.539 --> 00:32:41.720
 What doesn't it say there?

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:44.480
 Well, that's the job of the

00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:44.759
 elders.

00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:49.680
 If those people fall off the

00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.680
 edge of the track as

00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:51.819
 Christians because they've

00:32:51.819 --> 00:32:53.919
 fallen into sin, those elders

00:32:53.919 --> 00:32:54.839
 just aren't doing their job

00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:55.119
 again.

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:56.700
 Typical.

00:32:58.599 --> 00:33:00.480
 You who are spiritual, that

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:02.919
 is, we are our brother's

00:33:02.919 --> 00:33:03.139
 keeper.

00:33:03.140 --> 00:33:07.200
 You have a responsibility for

00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:08.840
 every other you.

00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:11.140
 And I don't want to offend,

00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:11.620
 where's Vicky?

00:33:11.780 --> 00:33:12.600
 Don't want to offend Vicky

00:33:12.600 --> 00:33:12.880
 again.

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:13.960
 So it's you all.

00:33:14.380 --> 00:33:14.800
 Is that it?

00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:16.759
 Instead of you's.

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:18.600
 You all have a responsibility

00:33:18.600 --> 00:33:19.140
 for you.

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:21.120
 For one another.

00:33:21.300 --> 00:33:21.960
 I don't know how that all

00:33:21.960 --> 00:33:22.100
 works.

00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:22.580
 Anyway, yep.

00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:26.660
 Restore him in a spirit of

00:33:26.660 --> 00:33:27.220
 gentleness.

00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:27.380
 kindness.

00:33:30.100 --> 00:33:31.920
 We know what we need to do

00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:34.700
 and we know how we need to

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.079
 do it.

00:33:39.620 --> 00:33:41.039
 And we need to recognize the

00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:42.319
 danger in doing it.

00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:44.339
 So as we have humility, lest we

00:33:44.339 --> 00:33:45.460
 fall into the same trap.

00:33:45.600 --> 00:33:47.839
 Keep watch on yourself, lest you

00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:48.680
 too be tempted.

00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:53.380
 That's our attitude of coming

00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:54.640
 into helping one another.

00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:58.920
 Bear one another's burdens.

00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:04.500
 Well, of course, I just don't

00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:06.080
 have time to listen to all that

00:34:06.080 --> 00:34:07.300
 claptrap that people have.

00:34:07.500 --> 00:34:08.860
 Stop whinging and get on with

00:34:08.860 --> 00:34:09.140
 life.

00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:11.260
 I'm too busy.

00:34:13.579 --> 00:34:16.860
 Bear one another's burdens and so

00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:19.140
 fulfill the law of Christ.

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:29.679
 I am my brother's keeper.

00:34:30.299 --> 00:34:31.859
 The interconnectedness, the

00:34:31.859 --> 00:34:34.500
 interdependency of believers.

00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:39.480
 Ephesians 5, verses 15 to 21.

00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:40.879
 I'm not going to read that

00:34:40.879 --> 00:34:42.940
 through, but it speaks there of

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:46.659
 the mutual submission that there

00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:48.819
 needs to be in Christ's community.

00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:49.359
 Why?

00:34:50.279 --> 00:34:51.319
 Well, go and read it for yourself.

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:53.899
 For the benefit of all.

00:34:55.739 --> 00:34:57.659
 So I need to be able to submit to

00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:57.859
 you.

00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:59.000
 Yes, even as a leader.

00:35:00.819 --> 00:35:02.199
 Expecting that the Lord at times

00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:03.619
 will use me, when necessary, will

00:35:03.619 --> 00:35:05.279
 use you to speak into my life.

00:35:05.719 --> 00:35:06.899
 To reprove me.

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:07.940
 To correct me.

00:35:08.019 --> 00:35:08.899
 To discipline me.

00:35:08.900 --> 00:35:12.019
 And you need to be able to submit

00:35:12.019 --> 00:35:12.500
 to me.

00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:15.440
 Believing that my speaking into

00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:16.940
 your life is designed for your

00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:18.260
 good, your spiritual well-being.

00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:25.720
 When we've had part-timers and

00:35:25.720 --> 00:35:29.220
 staff, they have witnessed that

00:35:29.220 --> 00:35:30.440
 first of all, years ago, and then

00:35:30.440 --> 00:35:33.280
 Martin and Jeremy and others, the

00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:34.599
 deal always was, or when I meet

00:35:34.599 --> 00:35:36.280
 with people one-on-one for a Bible

00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:37.660
 study and prayer, the deal always

00:35:37.659 --> 00:35:37.940
 is.

00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:40.699
 Yes, I'm 66.

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:42.379
 I've been in ministry more years

00:35:42.379 --> 00:35:43.239
 than you've been alive.

00:35:44.099 --> 00:35:45.739
 But if you can't come into this

00:35:45.739 --> 00:35:47.899
 relationship with me, and the

00:35:47.899 --> 00:35:49.599
 expectation that the Lord might use

00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:52.659
 you with your limited life

00:35:52.659 --> 00:35:55.500
 experience to speak into my life

00:35:55.500 --> 00:35:57.259
 with a massive amount of life

00:35:57.259 --> 00:35:58.639
 experience, if you can't do that,

00:35:58.739 --> 00:35:59.420
 then I'm not interested.

00:36:06.059 --> 00:36:06.980
 That's the way it is.

00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:10.019
 Somebody coming in with limited

00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:11.619
 ministry experience can cut through

00:36:11.619 --> 00:36:13.219
 all the baggage and rubbish that

00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:15.579
 I've accumulated over the years and

00:36:15.579 --> 00:36:16.599
 get to the heart of things.

00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:18.659
 Cold would stop having yourself on.

00:36:25.219 --> 00:36:28.359
 Philippians 4, verses 2 and 3.

00:36:28.799 --> 00:36:32.000
 Remember that episode dispute in the

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:32.320
 church?

00:36:32.320 --> 00:36:41.159
 Between two ladies, I entreat

00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:44.079
 Euodia and I entreat Sinkte to agree

00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:44.559
 in the Lord.

00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.920
 There's a problem that needs to be

00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:47.420
 resolved for the sake of the church.

00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:48.460
 It needs to be resolved.

00:36:48.460 --> 00:36:52.500
 Yes, I ask you also, true companion,

00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:53.900
 help these women who have laboured

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:55.519
 side by side with me in the gospel

00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:57.199
 together with Clement and the rest of

00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:59.260
 my fellow workers, whose names are in

00:36:59.260 --> 00:36:59.920
 the book of life.

00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:02.720
 If you read around that, this is

00:37:02.720 --> 00:37:05.059
 written into the context of a

00:37:05.059 --> 00:37:05.500
 community.

00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:08.840
 Two ladies with a problem?

00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:12.280
 Solution involves the whole community.

00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:13.900
 Not the whole community in the same way

00:37:13.900 --> 00:37:16.440
 at the same time, but it needs to be

00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:17.240
 the context.

00:37:24.240 --> 00:37:25.880
 Help them sort out the problem and

00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:28.079
 support them back into productive

00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:29.059
 gospel witness.

00:37:31.139 --> 00:37:34.200
 Hebrews 13, 7 and 17.

00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:39.680
 You think I'm laboring this a little

00:37:39.680 --> 00:37:39.880
 bit?

00:37:41.400 --> 00:37:41.800
 Good.

00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:44.200
 You're getting the message.

00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:48.519
 Remember your leaders, those who spoke

00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:49.480
 to you the word of God.

00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:52.900
 Consider the outcome of their way of

00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:55.120
 life and imitate their faith.

00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:58.039
 Verse 17, obey your leaders and submit

00:37:58.039 --> 00:37:59.960
 to them, for they are keeping watch over

00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:02.640
 your souls as those who will have to

00:38:02.640 --> 00:38:03.240
 give an account.

00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:06.140
 Let them do this with joy and not with

00:38:06.140 --> 00:38:08.200
 groaning, for that would be of no

00:38:08.200 --> 00:38:09.000
 advantage to you.

00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:12.460
 Now those verses occur in chapter 13.

00:38:12.599 --> 00:38:14.699
 If you get your Bible like mine, the

00:38:14.699 --> 00:38:16.500
 heading for the chapter is spiritual

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:19.019
 sacrifices acceptable to God.

00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:22.579
 Sacrifices pleasing to God.

00:38:25.719 --> 00:38:30.019
 That is, actions and attitudes in the

00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:32.539
 community of God's people which delight

00:38:32.539 --> 00:38:33.039
 the Lord.

00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:38.440
 And among other things, it lists this

00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:41.920
 mutuality in respect of leadership.

00:38:42.679 --> 00:38:46.279
 Leadership is to be offered in the

00:38:46.279 --> 00:38:49.480
 context of grace and love and concern

00:38:49.480 --> 00:38:50.480
 to build one another up.

00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:53.759
 And it's to be received as that.

00:38:54.400 --> 00:38:56.679
 It's to be responded to in godly ways.

00:38:56.679 --> 00:39:03.599
 And that package, when it works well, is

00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:06.679
 a sacrifice that's pleasing to the Lord.

00:39:10.079 --> 00:39:13.000
 So, zooming in even more, elders in the

00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:15.619
 office of elder is fundamental to churches

00:39:15.619 --> 00:39:16.599
 across the New Testament.

00:39:18.139 --> 00:39:20.379
 And today it's even more in focus for us

00:39:20.379 --> 00:39:22.159
 because we're adding three more elders to

00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:23.239
 our eldership team here.

00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:26.639
 Now, Christ has bought his church.

00:39:27.459 --> 00:39:29.839
 It's been a massive investment on his

00:39:29.839 --> 00:39:30.219
 part.

00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:34.439
 And he has secured his investment by

00:39:34.439 --> 00:39:37.119
 appointing managers, if I can call them

00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:38.879
 that, or elders to act on his behalf.

00:39:39.379 --> 00:39:42.959
 Now, back to 1 Peter chapter 5.

00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:50.979
 Verses 1 to 7.

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:54.820
 And not surprisingly then, since an elder is

00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:57.760
 a manager or an undershepherd serving

00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:00.380
 under the chief shepherd, it's not surprising

00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:03.699
 then that the chief shepherd gives very clear

00:40:03.699 --> 00:40:07.119
 parameters in which his undershepherds need to

00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:12.340
 work and function and act, both in terms of what

00:40:12.340 --> 00:40:16.019
 they do and in terms of the attitude and character

00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:17.460
 in which they do it.

00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:19.659
 Verse 2.

00:40:24.039 --> 00:40:27.079
 Shepherd the flock that is among you.

00:40:28.300 --> 00:40:29.340
 That's a picture word.

00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:32.240
 It doesn't need much explanation, does it?

00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:33.240
 Shepherding.

00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:37.820
 In the days of Jesus, mostly a shepherd would be in front

00:40:37.820 --> 00:40:40.079
 of the flock saying, come on, follow me.

00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:44.559
 And the flocks were small and not like broad agriculture

00:40:44.559 --> 00:40:47.059
 here in Australia, but the flocks were small, so that's

00:40:47.059 --> 00:40:47.860
 literally what happened.

00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:48.699
 They'd follow the shepherd.

00:40:49.159 --> 00:40:51.400
 But every so often the shepherd would need to be behind

00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:53.539
 them, driving them forward.

00:40:53.539 --> 00:41:01.679
 And the wisdom of the shepherd would be revealed in as much

00:41:01.679 --> 00:41:04.079
 as he knew which place to be at which time.

00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:12.320
 But his authority is always limited whatever he's doing

00:41:12.320 --> 00:41:14.619
 because he's an undershepherd.

00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:18.579
 An elder can only work with delegated authority

00:41:18.579 --> 00:41:23.380
 as one who will give account to Christ, the chief shepherd,

00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:26.819
 for those entrusted to our care.

00:41:29.819 --> 00:41:33.719
 So contrary to what some might think, that eldership is not

00:41:33.719 --> 00:41:38.380
 a blank card in terms of control and power.

00:41:38.380 --> 00:41:47.200
 I labor all the time under that concept of that I one day will

00:41:47.200 --> 00:41:50.880
 give an account for you people here in a way that you won't have

00:41:50.880 --> 00:41:52.140
 to give an account for one another.

00:41:53.619 --> 00:41:55.019
 That's a sobering thought.

00:42:01.860 --> 00:42:06.240
 In verses 2 and 3, attitude and modeling is critical,

00:42:06.239 --> 00:42:15.139
 fundamental, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you.

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:27.019
 Not for shameful gain, but eagerly.

00:42:28.679 --> 00:42:29.879
 It's not about me.

00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:32.399
 It's not about my remuneration.

00:42:32.559 --> 00:42:34.339
 It's not about my nest egg.

00:42:34.340 --> 00:42:36.740
 It's not about that which will advantage me.

00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:39.460
 It's about that which will be good for God's people.

00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:42.019
 And in a real sense,

00:42:42.640 --> 00:42:44.300
 my life has no account

00:42:44.300 --> 00:42:46.500
 before you other than that.

00:42:47.500 --> 00:42:48.860
 That's the nature of a servant.

00:42:54.840 --> 00:42:56.200
 Not domineering

00:42:56.200 --> 00:42:58.280
 over those

00:42:58.280 --> 00:42:59.559
 in your charge.

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:02.799
 How easy is it

00:43:02.799 --> 00:43:05.019
 when you're in charge

00:43:05.019 --> 00:43:07.059
 to take charge

00:43:07.059 --> 00:43:09.299
 by manipulation,

00:43:09.799 --> 00:43:10.699
 by control,

00:43:11.980 --> 00:43:14.480
 by demandingness,

00:43:15.480 --> 00:43:21.139
 by being examples to the flock.

00:43:21.139 --> 00:43:34.460
 my job is to be a model

00:43:34.460 --> 00:43:36.079
 of grace

00:43:36.079 --> 00:43:39.460
 and a model of Christ

00:43:39.460 --> 00:43:41.139
 to those

00:43:41.139 --> 00:43:41.960
 you

00:43:41.960 --> 00:43:43.839
 whom the Lord has given me charge of.

00:43:47.420 --> 00:43:48.099
 Nothing more.

00:43:48.099 --> 00:43:48.139
 Nothing more.

00:43:48.139 --> 00:43:48.179
 Nothing more.

00:43:48.179 --> 00:43:48.199
 Nothing more.

00:43:51.139 --> 00:43:51.940
 Nothing less.

00:43:56.259 --> 00:43:58.099
 And responsible for direct teaching

00:43:58.099 --> 00:44:00.319
 of God's word,

00:44:00.940 --> 00:44:02.059
 both formally when we meet,

00:44:02.619 --> 00:44:03.819
 informally through counseling

00:44:03.819 --> 00:44:04.879
 and personal interaction.

00:44:05.799 --> 00:44:07.480
 Responsible for active oversight

00:44:07.480 --> 00:44:09.599
 that is setting a lead

00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:10.940
 in a whole range of issues

00:44:10.940 --> 00:44:12.319
 which I call wisdom issues.

00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:13.000
 Issues that

00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:14.839
 may not necessarily have a verse

00:44:14.839 --> 00:44:16.199
 or a principle you can go to,

00:44:16.199 --> 00:44:17.739
 but you take a principle

00:44:17.739 --> 00:44:18.259
 and a verse

00:44:18.259 --> 00:44:19.319
 and you work out

00:44:19.319 --> 00:44:20.500
 then the application

00:44:20.500 --> 00:44:21.480
 and a wisdom base.

00:44:21.799 --> 00:44:22.839
 Well, I think this would be

00:44:22.839 --> 00:44:23.500
 a good thing for us

00:44:23.500 --> 00:44:24.139
 to do as a church.

00:44:24.239 --> 00:44:25.379
 That wouldn't be such a good thing

00:44:25.379 --> 00:44:26.339
 for us to do as a church.

00:44:30.239 --> 00:44:30.879
 And so as elders

00:44:30.879 --> 00:44:32.079
 we need to be able to identify

00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:33.480
 clear principles of scripture.

00:44:33.939 --> 00:44:34.839
 And then we need to be able

00:44:34.839 --> 00:44:35.439
 to propose

00:44:35.439 --> 00:44:36.559
 and encourage

00:44:36.559 --> 00:44:39.000
 and direct

00:44:39.000 --> 00:44:40.199
 and draw

00:44:40.199 --> 00:44:41.579
 people into

00:44:41.579 --> 00:44:42.300
 what's helpful

00:44:42.300 --> 00:44:42.940
 and wise,

00:44:43.099 --> 00:44:44.039
 practical applications,

00:44:44.760 --> 00:44:45.199
 strategies,

00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:46.699
 which will take us

00:44:46.699 --> 00:44:47.599
 all together

00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:49.760
 in a spiritually

00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:50.840
 healthy direction.

00:44:51.219 --> 00:44:51.900
 To put it in a

00:44:51.900 --> 00:44:52.900
 colloquial country term,

00:44:52.960 --> 00:44:53.760
 we just need to make sure

00:44:53.760 --> 00:44:54.639
 that the herd

00:44:54.639 --> 00:44:55.539
 is heading west.

00:44:57.239 --> 00:44:58.219
 And all of the herd

00:44:58.219 --> 00:44:59.019
 is heading west.

00:44:59.539 --> 00:45:00.239
 No stragglers

00:45:00.239 --> 00:45:00.900
 left behind.

00:45:01.460 --> 00:45:02.000
 We don't shoot

00:45:02.000 --> 00:45:02.440
 or are wounded.

00:45:02.440 --> 00:45:09.059
 We're responsible

00:45:09.059 --> 00:45:10.480
 to model clearly

00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:11.720
 what we teach

00:45:11.720 --> 00:45:12.519
 as a visual aid

00:45:12.519 --> 00:45:13.099
 for the congregation

00:45:13.099 --> 00:45:13.639
 to follow.

00:45:14.599 --> 00:45:15.740
 But all the while

00:45:15.740 --> 00:45:17.579
 recognizing

00:45:17.579 --> 00:45:18.519
 that as I'm called

00:45:18.519 --> 00:45:19.200
 to be a leader,

00:45:20.220 --> 00:45:21.099
 I'm never

00:45:21.099 --> 00:45:22.599
 more than a sheep.

00:45:27.619 --> 00:45:28.639
 My authority

00:45:28.639 --> 00:45:29.360
 is never

00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:30.340
 absolute.

00:45:31.480 --> 00:45:32.019
 My authority

00:45:32.019 --> 00:45:32.759
 is only ever

00:45:32.759 --> 00:45:33.460
 delegated

00:45:33.460 --> 00:45:36.639
 and is to be

00:45:36.639 --> 00:45:37.340
 exercised

00:45:37.340 --> 00:45:38.539
 in full awareness

00:45:38.539 --> 00:45:39.780
 of my ongoing

00:45:39.780 --> 00:45:41.079
 failure and sin.

00:45:44.659 --> 00:45:45.539
 So I have

00:45:45.539 --> 00:45:46.099
 very much

00:45:46.099 --> 00:45:46.980
 limited authority

00:45:46.980 --> 00:45:48.960
 under shepherds

00:45:48.960 --> 00:45:49.719
 of Christ.

00:45:51.539 --> 00:45:52.000
 And I tell you,

00:45:52.259 --> 00:45:52.579
 I think

00:45:52.579 --> 00:45:53.780
 the scripture

00:45:53.780 --> 00:45:54.719
 and I'm now

00:45:54.719 --> 00:45:55.400
 doing one of those

00:45:55.400 --> 00:45:56.980
 wisdom applications,

00:45:58.239 --> 00:45:59.239
 I think we can

00:45:59.239 --> 00:46:00.099
 only command

00:46:00.099 --> 00:46:00.500
 authority.

00:46:00.679 --> 00:46:01.139
 This has been

00:46:01.139 --> 00:46:01.699
 my ministry

00:46:01.699 --> 00:46:02.179
 experience

00:46:02.179 --> 00:46:02.519
 and my

00:46:02.519 --> 00:46:03.319
 ministry pattern.

00:46:03.519 --> 00:46:03.879
 I've only

00:46:03.879 --> 00:46:04.460
 tried to

00:46:04.460 --> 00:46:05.199
 command authority

00:46:05.199 --> 00:46:06.519
 not by virtue

00:46:06.519 --> 00:46:07.480
 of the office.

00:46:08.420 --> 00:46:08.759
 Now listen

00:46:08.759 --> 00:46:09.000
 here,

00:46:09.039 --> 00:46:09.759
 I'm an elder.

00:46:12.839 --> 00:46:14.420
 But by virtue

00:46:14.420 --> 00:46:16.219
 of my ability

00:46:16.219 --> 00:46:16.779
 to handle

00:46:16.779 --> 00:46:17.319
 scripture

00:46:17.319 --> 00:46:20.119
 and the strength

00:46:20.119 --> 00:46:21.839
 of my life

00:46:21.839 --> 00:46:23.139
 lived among you.

00:46:25.299 --> 00:46:25.900
 In all its

00:46:25.900 --> 00:46:27.760
 ups and

00:46:27.760 --> 00:46:29.280
 down points

00:46:29.280 --> 00:46:31.099
 I think that's

00:46:31.099 --> 00:46:31.700
 where respect

00:46:31.700 --> 00:46:32.360
 comes from.

00:46:34.019 --> 00:46:34.720
 And I don't

00:46:34.720 --> 00:46:35.420
 think I have a

00:46:35.420 --> 00:46:36.099
 right to command

00:46:36.099 --> 00:46:37.539
 respect solely

00:46:37.539 --> 00:46:38.119
 based on the

00:46:38.119 --> 00:46:38.420
 office.

00:46:40.280 --> 00:46:40.960
 Even though

00:46:40.960 --> 00:46:41.559
 lots of

00:46:41.559 --> 00:46:42.200
 leaders do.

00:46:43.800 --> 00:46:44.400
 That's another

00:46:44.400 --> 00:46:45.059
 one for you to

00:46:45.059 --> 00:46:45.660
 think about.

00:46:47.099 --> 00:46:47.780
 Now the big

00:46:47.780 --> 00:46:48.380
 question is how

00:46:48.380 --> 00:46:49.240
 do we balance

00:46:49.240 --> 00:46:49.960
 these two things,

00:46:50.059 --> 00:46:51.340
 eldership and

00:46:51.340 --> 00:46:52.700
 interconnectedness,

00:46:52.780 --> 00:46:53.579
 interdependency of

00:46:53.579 --> 00:46:53.920
 the body?

00:46:54.539 --> 00:46:55.099
 Well the heading

00:46:55.099 --> 00:46:55.759
 there on your

00:46:55.759 --> 00:46:56.799
 outline is servant

00:46:56.799 --> 00:46:58.199
 leadership in the

00:46:58.199 --> 00:46:59.239
 context of the

00:46:59.239 --> 00:47:00.039
 interdependent body.

00:47:00.340 --> 00:47:00.779
 And we're almost

00:47:00.779 --> 00:47:01.380
 finished if you're

00:47:01.380 --> 00:47:01.860
 despairing.

00:47:03.279 --> 00:47:05.940
 As an elder I

00:47:05.940 --> 00:47:06.539
 must lead.

00:47:07.099 --> 00:47:08.219
 That is my brief

00:47:08.219 --> 00:47:08.960
 from the chief

00:47:08.960 --> 00:47:09.360
 shepherd.

00:47:11.759 --> 00:47:13.139
 But always as a

00:47:13.139 --> 00:47:13.440
 servant.

00:47:17.440 --> 00:47:18.279
 Now those things

00:47:18.279 --> 00:47:18.980
 don't seem to fit

00:47:18.980 --> 00:47:19.739
 together if you

00:47:19.739 --> 00:47:20.420
 look at the

00:47:20.420 --> 00:47:21.559
 general operation

00:47:21.559 --> 00:47:22.460
 of a big

00:47:22.460 --> 00:47:22.880
 company.

00:47:25.599 --> 00:47:26.260
 But that's

00:47:26.260 --> 00:47:27.059
 exactly what we

00:47:27.059 --> 00:47:27.460
 have to fit

00:47:27.460 --> 00:47:28.300
 together here in

00:47:28.300 --> 00:47:29.099
 our local church.

00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:33.400
 My lead always

00:47:33.400 --> 00:47:34.139
 has to be as a

00:47:34.139 --> 00:47:35.200
 servant and always

00:47:35.200 --> 00:47:35.860
 therefore as a

00:47:35.860 --> 00:47:37.079
 servant for the

00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:38.240
 good of Christ's

00:47:38.240 --> 00:47:38.440
 people.

00:47:38.820 --> 00:47:39.460
 And never,

00:47:39.960 --> 00:47:41.340
 never to advance

00:47:41.340 --> 00:47:42.860
 my ideas or my

00:47:42.860 --> 00:47:43.400
 reputation.

00:47:43.400 --> 00:47:48.880
 And my success

00:47:48.880 --> 00:47:49.519
 will be measured

00:47:49.519 --> 00:47:50.420
 not in terms of

00:47:50.420 --> 00:47:51.480
 how great you

00:47:51.480 --> 00:47:52.380
 think I am,

00:47:53.160 --> 00:47:53.760
 popularity,

00:47:54.760 --> 00:47:55.200
 that's probably

00:47:55.200 --> 00:47:55.680
 just as well,

00:47:56.360 --> 00:47:58.460
 or how you

00:47:58.460 --> 00:47:59.019
 measure my

00:47:59.019 --> 00:47:59.860
 giftedness.

00:48:03.860 --> 00:48:05.039
 But in terms of

00:48:05.039 --> 00:48:06.680
 how well I

00:48:06.680 --> 00:48:07.460
 serve you by

00:48:07.460 --> 00:48:08.400
 pushing you into

00:48:08.400 --> 00:48:09.059
 the arms of the

00:48:09.059 --> 00:48:09.579
 Lord Jesus.

00:48:09.579 --> 00:48:09.740
 Jesus.

00:48:09.740 --> 00:48:09.800
 Jesus.

00:48:09.800 --> 00:48:09.880
 Jesus.

00:48:13.400 --> 00:48:15.059
 For grace and

00:48:15.059 --> 00:48:15.440
 mercy.

00:48:16.380 --> 00:48:17.000
 And pushing you

00:48:17.000 --> 00:48:17.639
 to have a life

00:48:17.639 --> 00:48:19.400
 shaped by trust

00:48:19.400 --> 00:48:20.220
 and delight in

00:48:20.220 --> 00:48:20.700
 his beauty.

00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:22.539
 And as an

00:48:22.539 --> 00:48:23.119
 under-shepherd

00:48:23.119 --> 00:48:24.380
 going before you

00:48:24.380 --> 00:48:24.680
 and saying,

00:48:24.800 --> 00:48:26.639
 hey, follow me,

00:48:26.780 --> 00:48:27.900
 this is the good

00:48:27.900 --> 00:48:28.539
 life this way.

00:48:31.680 --> 00:48:32.740
 As an elder I

00:48:32.740 --> 00:48:33.480
 must press you,

00:48:33.660 --> 00:48:34.559
 actively press you

00:48:34.559 --> 00:48:35.300
 to live in the

00:48:35.300 --> 00:48:35.980
 light of God's

00:48:35.980 --> 00:48:36.920
 word individually

00:48:36.920 --> 00:48:37.680
 and in our

00:48:37.680 --> 00:48:38.460
 church family

00:48:38.460 --> 00:48:38.840
 life.

00:48:39.960 --> 00:48:40.700
 But I'm

00:48:40.700 --> 00:48:41.639
 never free

00:48:41.639 --> 00:48:43.099
 to be arrogant,

00:48:43.400 --> 00:48:44.940
 manipulative

00:48:44.940 --> 00:48:46.680
 or dismissive

00:48:46.680 --> 00:48:47.220
 of you.

00:48:51.539 --> 00:48:52.320
 Or to be

00:48:52.320 --> 00:48:52.760
 controlling.

00:48:53.900 --> 00:48:54.599
 Pushing you

00:48:54.599 --> 00:48:55.300
 around as

00:48:55.300 --> 00:48:56.720
 just pieces

00:48:56.720 --> 00:48:58.579
 of furniture

00:48:58.579 --> 00:48:59.400
 to be arranged

00:48:59.400 --> 00:49:00.079
 in a big room.

00:49:01.280 --> 00:49:01.720
 And sadly,

00:49:02.240 --> 00:49:02.720
 that's where

00:49:02.720 --> 00:49:03.619
 some leaders

00:49:03.619 --> 00:49:03.940
 fall.

00:49:03.940 --> 00:49:04.039
 Well,

00:49:04.039 --> 00:49:10.039
 but equally

00:49:10.039 --> 00:49:10.420
 true,

00:49:11.900 --> 00:49:12.700
 my leading

00:49:12.699 --> 00:49:13.259
 as an elder

00:49:13.259 --> 00:49:13.739
 does not

00:49:13.739 --> 00:49:14.299
 allow you

00:49:14.299 --> 00:49:15.059
 to be passive

00:49:15.059 --> 00:49:15.519
 in this

00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:16.139
 church family.

00:49:18.799 --> 00:49:19.639
 Our church

00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:20.379
 is not like

00:49:20.379 --> 00:49:20.859
 a bus

00:49:20.859 --> 00:49:21.399
 with one

00:49:21.399 --> 00:49:21.980
 driver

00:49:21.980 --> 00:49:22.919
 and everybody

00:49:22.919 --> 00:49:23.460
 else along

00:49:23.460 --> 00:49:24.059
 for the ride.

00:49:26.719 --> 00:49:27.679
 As part of

00:49:27.679 --> 00:49:28.019
 the body,

00:49:28.239 --> 00:49:28.839
 you must be

00:49:28.839 --> 00:49:29.359
 engaged

00:49:29.359 --> 00:49:30.199
 and you must

00:49:30.199 --> 00:49:30.639
 be doing

00:49:30.639 --> 00:49:31.239
 what the

00:49:31.239 --> 00:49:31.579
 Lord has

00:49:31.579 --> 00:49:32.059
 asked you

00:49:32.059 --> 00:49:32.460
 to do

00:49:32.460 --> 00:49:32.859
 in this

00:49:32.859 --> 00:49:33.179
 local

00:49:33.179 --> 00:49:33.819
 church family.

00:49:36.339 --> 00:49:36.859
 Friends,

00:49:36.960 --> 00:49:37.299
 what I'm

00:49:37.299 --> 00:49:37.739
 saying here

00:49:37.739 --> 00:49:38.379
 is that

00:49:38.379 --> 00:49:38.960
 the essence

00:49:38.960 --> 00:49:39.799
 of authority

00:49:39.800 --> 00:49:40.360
 distribution

00:49:40.360 --> 00:49:40.980
 is that

00:49:40.980 --> 00:49:41.880
 we must

00:49:41.880 --> 00:49:42.580
 not play

00:49:42.580 --> 00:49:43.140
 off one

00:49:43.140 --> 00:49:43.600
 command

00:49:43.600 --> 00:49:44.180
 against the

00:49:44.180 --> 00:49:44.360
 other.

00:49:44.620 --> 00:49:45.120
 We must

00:49:45.120 --> 00:49:45.920
 sync them

00:49:45.920 --> 00:49:47.000
 and have

00:49:47.000 --> 00:49:47.280
 them in

00:49:47.280 --> 00:49:47.660
 harmony.

00:49:54.480 --> 00:49:55.220
 You are

00:49:55.220 --> 00:49:56.080
 responsible for

00:49:56.080 --> 00:49:56.519
 the leaders

00:49:56.519 --> 00:49:57.380
 to accept,

00:49:58.660 --> 00:49:59.360
 submit to,

00:49:59.740 --> 00:50:00.280
 and relate

00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:01.160
 positively with

00:50:01.160 --> 00:50:01.480
 the elders

00:50:01.480 --> 00:50:01.780
 in this

00:50:01.780 --> 00:50:02.140
 church.

00:50:03.380 --> 00:50:03.720
 But of course,

00:50:03.780 --> 00:50:04.160
 that doesn't

00:50:04.160 --> 00:50:04.500
 mean you

00:50:04.500 --> 00:50:07.400
 can't disagree

00:50:07.400 --> 00:50:08.019
 with us

00:50:08.019 --> 00:50:09.320
 and challenge

00:50:09.320 --> 00:50:09.659
 us.

00:50:11.460 --> 00:50:12.099
 To have

00:50:12.099 --> 00:50:12.519
 one without

00:50:12.519 --> 00:50:12.860
 the other

00:50:12.860 --> 00:50:13.400
 would be

00:50:13.400 --> 00:50:14.059
 imbalanced.

00:50:16.280 --> 00:50:17.079
 Wise army

00:50:17.079 --> 00:50:17.579
 officers

00:50:17.579 --> 00:50:20.159
 will always

00:50:20.159 --> 00:50:20.719
 be open to

00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:21.380
 ideas and

00:50:21.380 --> 00:50:21.860
 suggestions

00:50:21.860 --> 00:50:22.340
 from the

00:50:22.340 --> 00:50:22.719
 soldiers.

00:50:26.699 --> 00:50:26.980
 I think

00:50:26.980 --> 00:50:27.480
 likewise,

00:50:28.179 --> 00:50:29.280
 godly,

00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:30.079
 wise elders

00:50:30.079 --> 00:50:30.699
 will welcome

00:50:30.699 --> 00:50:31.639
 challenge and

00:50:31.639 --> 00:50:32.519
 correction based

00:50:32.519 --> 00:50:32.980
 on God's

00:50:32.980 --> 00:50:33.199
 word.

00:50:34.500 --> 00:50:35.559
 wisdom or

00:50:35.559 --> 00:50:37.500
 welcome ideas

00:50:37.500 --> 00:50:38.440
 that come from

00:50:38.440 --> 00:50:39.119
 our collective

00:50:39.119 --> 00:50:39.619
 wisdom.

00:50:41.000 --> 00:50:41.679
 I hope you

00:50:41.679 --> 00:50:42.139
 know if you've

00:50:42.139 --> 00:50:42.519
 been in this

00:50:42.519 --> 00:50:43.000
 church long

00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:43.780
 enough that

00:50:43.780 --> 00:50:44.579
 we love that

00:50:44.579 --> 00:50:46.920
 bottom-up surge

00:50:46.920 --> 00:50:48.340
 of interest and

00:50:48.340 --> 00:50:49.599
 involvement and

00:50:49.599 --> 00:50:50.179
 ownership.

00:50:52.940 --> 00:50:53.420
 Collective

00:50:53.420 --> 00:50:53.860
 wisdom.

00:50:57.340 --> 00:50:57.739
 Friends,

00:50:57.820 --> 00:50:58.159
 this is a

00:50:58.159 --> 00:50:58.900
 really difficult

00:50:58.900 --> 00:50:59.320
 area.

00:51:00.760 --> 00:51:01.539
 It's difficult

00:51:01.539 --> 00:51:02.179
 to speak about.

00:51:02.260 --> 00:51:02.760
 It's been hard

00:51:02.760 --> 00:51:03.340
 for me to

00:51:03.340 --> 00:51:03.820
 actually talk

00:51:03.820 --> 00:51:04.200
 about this

00:51:04.200 --> 00:51:05.240
 this morning

00:51:05.240 --> 00:51:06.380
 without a

00:51:06.380 --> 00:51:07.039
 sense of

00:51:07.039 --> 00:51:07.820
 self-promotion.

00:51:08.980 --> 00:51:09.400
 It's a

00:51:09.400 --> 00:51:09.960
 difficult area,

00:51:10.039 --> 00:51:10.400
 but I'll tell

00:51:10.400 --> 00:51:10.700
 you this,

00:51:11.140 --> 00:51:11.680
 it's an area

00:51:11.680 --> 00:51:12.400
 that Satan

00:51:12.400 --> 00:51:13.140
 loves to

00:51:13.140 --> 00:51:13.580
 exploit.

00:51:15.260 --> 00:51:15.600
 He just

00:51:15.600 --> 00:51:16.180
 loves to

00:51:16.180 --> 00:51:16.880
 bring churches

00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:17.820
 undone over

00:51:17.820 --> 00:51:18.420
 this very

00:51:18.420 --> 00:51:18.800
 issue.

00:51:21.580 --> 00:51:21.840
 And he'll

00:51:21.840 --> 00:51:22.200
 be able to

00:51:22.200 --> 00:51:22.700
 do that in a

00:51:22.700 --> 00:51:23.120
 way he won't

00:51:23.120 --> 00:51:23.480
 be able to

00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:24.280
 prize us away

00:51:24.280 --> 00:51:25.140
 from theological

00:51:25.140 --> 00:51:26.620
 distinctives.

00:51:26.619 --> 00:51:27.619
 God's word.

00:51:27.619 --> 00:51:28.619
 God's word.

00:51:28.619 --> 00:51:29.619
 God's word.

00:51:29.619 --> 00:51:30.619
 God's word.

00:51:30.619 --> 00:51:31.279
 How do we

00:51:31.279 --> 00:51:32.440
 stand against

00:51:32.440 --> 00:51:32.659
 it?

00:51:33.639 --> 00:51:34.679
 By keeping

00:51:34.679 --> 00:51:35.299
 the bounds

00:51:35.299 --> 00:51:35.799
 of God's

00:51:35.799 --> 00:51:36.000
 word.

00:51:37.900 --> 00:51:38.960
 If we,

00:51:39.480 --> 00:51:39.900
 I,

00:51:40.019 --> 00:51:40.380
 am a

00:51:40.380 --> 00:51:40.739
 godly,

00:51:40.900 --> 00:51:41.559
 wise elder,

00:51:42.339 --> 00:51:43.420
 then I

00:51:43.420 --> 00:51:43.719
 will be

00:51:43.719 --> 00:51:44.339
 happy to

00:51:44.339 --> 00:51:44.839
 serve,

00:51:46.179 --> 00:51:46.659
 and I

00:51:46.659 --> 00:51:47.119
 will resist

00:51:47.119 --> 00:51:48.059
 any temptation

00:51:48.059 --> 00:51:48.799
 to dominate,

00:51:50.079 --> 00:51:50.819
 intimidate,

00:51:51.880 --> 00:51:52.380
 manipulate,

00:51:52.380 --> 00:51:55.099
 or treat

00:51:55.099 --> 00:51:55.720
 with derision.

00:51:58.280 --> 00:51:59.039
 Because that

00:51:59.039 --> 00:51:59.440
 would be at

00:51:59.440 --> 00:52:00.019
 odds with

00:52:00.019 --> 00:52:00.660
 serving you.

00:52:02.460 --> 00:52:03.019
 Likewise,

00:52:03.519 --> 00:52:04.380
 if you are

00:52:04.380 --> 00:52:04.780
 godly,

00:52:04.860 --> 00:52:05.200
 wise,

00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:06.460
 you will

00:52:06.460 --> 00:52:07.180
 not allow

00:52:07.180 --> 00:52:07.840
 yourself to

00:52:07.840 --> 00:52:08.579
 focus on

00:52:08.579 --> 00:52:09.099
 the short

00:52:09.099 --> 00:52:10.800
 faults and

00:52:10.800 --> 00:52:11.200
 the short

00:52:11.200 --> 00:52:12.400
 comings of

00:52:12.400 --> 00:52:12.860
 us elders.

00:52:13.160 --> 00:52:13.980
 We are but

00:52:13.980 --> 00:52:14.280
 sheep.

00:52:14.400 --> 00:52:15.019
 We are sinful

00:52:15.019 --> 00:52:15.360
 men.

00:52:16.360 --> 00:52:16.960
 When we

00:52:16.960 --> 00:52:18.059
 first became

00:52:18.059 --> 00:52:18.400
 elders,

00:52:18.720 --> 00:52:19.220
 the day we

00:52:19.220 --> 00:52:19.500
 take our

00:52:19.500 --> 00:52:20.000
 last breath

00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:20.240
 as an

00:52:20.240 --> 00:52:20.380
 elder,

00:52:20.480 --> 00:52:20.840
 we are

00:52:20.840 --> 00:52:21.180
 sinful,

00:52:21.380 --> 00:52:21.599
 failing

00:52:21.599 --> 00:52:21.920
 men.

00:52:22.380 --> 00:52:24.900
 So you

00:52:24.900 --> 00:52:25.260
 will not

00:52:25.260 --> 00:52:25.740
 allow yourself

00:52:25.740 --> 00:52:26.280
 to focus

00:52:26.280 --> 00:52:26.860
 simply on

00:52:26.860 --> 00:52:27.340
 our faults

00:52:27.340 --> 00:52:27.780
 and short

00:52:27.780 --> 00:52:28.119
 comings.

00:52:28.340 --> 00:52:28.840
 You will

00:52:28.840 --> 00:52:29.660
 speak into

00:52:29.660 --> 00:52:30.380
 our lives

00:52:30.380 --> 00:52:31.059
 to address

00:52:31.059 --> 00:52:31.740
 those faults

00:52:31.740 --> 00:52:32.220
 and short

00:52:32.220 --> 00:52:32.599
 comings,

00:52:32.740 --> 00:52:33.300
 and you're

00:52:33.300 --> 00:52:33.840
 invited to

00:52:33.840 --> 00:52:34.240
 do so.

00:52:34.340 --> 00:52:34.579
 You have

00:52:34.579 --> 00:52:35.619
 a compulsion

00:52:35.619 --> 00:52:36.220
 to do so

00:52:36.220 --> 00:52:37.099
 before the

00:52:37.099 --> 00:52:37.660
 chief shepherd

00:52:37.660 --> 00:52:38.099
 yourself.

00:52:38.400 --> 00:52:38.800
 You are

00:52:38.800 --> 00:52:39.360
 my keeper.

00:52:45.200 --> 00:52:45.900
 You cannot

00:52:45.900 --> 00:52:46.740
 simply reject

00:52:46.740 --> 00:52:48.360
 us when we

00:52:48.360 --> 00:52:48.940
 disagree with

00:52:48.940 --> 00:52:49.039
 you.

00:52:49.119 --> 00:52:49.280
 You cannot

00:52:49.280 --> 00:52:50.059
 simply withdraw

00:52:50.059 --> 00:52:50.700
 from us.

00:52:52.380 --> 00:52:53.059
 God

00:52:53.059 --> 00:52:53.380
 will

00:52:53.380 --> 00:52:55.119
 be at

00:52:55.119 --> 00:52:55.559
 odds

00:52:55.559 --> 00:52:56.360
 with

00:52:56.360 --> 00:52:56.840
 maintaining

00:52:56.840 --> 00:52:57.280
 deep

00:52:57.280 --> 00:52:57.740
 holiness

00:52:57.740 --> 00:52:59.360
 and love

00:52:59.360 --> 00:52:59.900
 and unity

00:52:59.900 --> 00:53:00.200
 in the

00:53:00.200 --> 00:53:00.539
 body of

00:53:00.539 --> 00:53:00.940
 Christ.

00:53:02.740 --> 00:53:03.200
 My

00:53:03.200 --> 00:53:03.380
 friends,

00:53:03.440 --> 00:53:03.780
 my final

00:53:03.780 --> 00:53:04.200
 sentence is

00:53:04.200 --> 00:53:04.440
 this.

00:53:06.059 --> 00:53:06.460
 Going to

00:53:06.460 --> 00:53:06.980
 either one

00:53:06.980 --> 00:53:07.280
 of these

00:53:07.280 --> 00:53:08.000
 extremes

00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:10.280
 will

00:53:10.280 --> 00:53:10.900
 seriously

00:53:10.900 --> 00:53:11.599
 weaken and

00:53:11.599 --> 00:53:12.180
 even threaten

00:53:12.180 --> 00:53:12.740
 our church.

00:53:14.119 --> 00:53:14.820
 The truth

00:53:14.820 --> 00:53:15.340
 is at both

00:53:15.340 --> 00:53:15.860
 extremes.

00:53:15.860 --> 00:53:20.400
 pray with

00:53:20.400 --> 00:53:20.760
 me again.

00:53:30.120 --> 00:53:30.559
 Lord,

00:53:30.660 --> 00:53:31.079
 help us

00:53:31.079 --> 00:53:31.740
 to avoid

00:53:31.740 --> 00:53:32.280
 building our

00:53:32.280 --> 00:53:32.599
 own little

00:53:32.599 --> 00:53:33.099
 empires.

00:53:33.579 --> 00:53:33.960
 It seems

00:53:33.960 --> 00:53:34.300
 to be the

00:53:34.300 --> 00:53:34.640
 thing we

00:53:34.640 --> 00:53:35.760
 just default

00:53:35.760 --> 00:53:36.300
 to all the

00:53:36.300 --> 00:53:36.539
 time.

00:53:37.820 --> 00:53:38.360
 We just

00:53:38.360 --> 00:53:38.760
 want to be

00:53:38.760 --> 00:53:40.640
 big fish

00:53:40.640 --> 00:53:41.180
 in small

00:53:41.180 --> 00:53:41.660
 ponds.

00:53:41.659 --> 00:53:44.759
 and we

00:53:44.759 --> 00:53:45.000
 fail,

00:53:45.159 --> 00:53:45.259
 Lord,

00:53:45.299 --> 00:53:45.599
 when we're

00:53:45.599 --> 00:53:46.619
 chasing that

00:53:46.619 --> 00:53:47.000
 dream,

00:53:47.719 --> 00:53:48.359
 we fail to

00:53:48.359 --> 00:53:48.779
 see how

00:53:48.779 --> 00:53:49.299
 ugly it

00:53:49.299 --> 00:53:49.539
 is.

00:53:50.659 --> 00:53:51.199
 And we

00:53:51.199 --> 00:53:51.619
 fail to

00:53:51.619 --> 00:53:51.839
 see,

00:53:52.000 --> 00:53:52.099
 Lord,

00:53:52.179 --> 00:53:53.039
 how grossly

00:53:53.039 --> 00:53:53.440
 it is

00:53:53.440 --> 00:53:54.299
 with the

00:53:54.299 --> 00:53:54.920
 very purpose

00:53:54.920 --> 00:53:55.259
 of you

00:53:55.259 --> 00:53:55.859
 dying for

00:53:55.859 --> 00:53:56.440
 a community

00:53:56.440 --> 00:53:57.899
 that would

00:53:57.899 --> 00:53:58.339
 be marked

00:53:58.339 --> 00:53:58.819
 by your

00:53:58.819 --> 00:53:59.480
 characteristic

00:53:59.480 --> 00:54:00.460
 of servanthood,

00:54:01.940 --> 00:54:02.460
 love,

00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:03.399
 and unity.

00:54:05.399 --> 00:54:06.179
 Help us to

00:54:06.179 --> 00:54:06.739
 care for one

00:54:06.739 --> 00:54:07.000
 another.

00:54:08.399 --> 00:54:09.039
 Help us to

00:54:09.039 --> 00:54:09.659
 encourage one

00:54:09.659 --> 00:54:09.920
 another.

00:54:09.920 --> 00:54:12.039
 help us to

00:54:12.039 --> 00:54:12.579
 submit to

00:54:12.579 --> 00:54:12.960
 one another.

00:54:14.200 --> 00:54:14.960
 And help us

00:54:14.960 --> 00:54:15.619
 to do all

00:54:15.619 --> 00:54:16.180
 these things,

00:54:16.280 --> 00:54:16.380
 Lord,

00:54:16.460 --> 00:54:16.960
 not for

00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:17.900
 personal gain

00:54:17.900 --> 00:54:18.579
 or acclamation,

00:54:19.720 --> 00:54:20.139
 but that

00:54:20.139 --> 00:54:20.820
 together we

00:54:20.820 --> 00:54:21.340
 might grow

00:54:21.340 --> 00:54:21.780
 up into

00:54:21.780 --> 00:54:23.360
 Christ and

00:54:23.360 --> 00:54:24.019
 be competent

00:54:24.019 --> 00:54:25.579
 and equipped

00:54:25.579 --> 00:54:26.320
 for every

00:54:26.320 --> 00:54:26.820
 good work.