WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.459
 Good morning, God, we are here for you.

00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:18.839
 And after joining in the angel's song and worshipping you, we now ask that you would speak through your word, from your heart straight into ours.

00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:23.320
 The first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.

00:00:24.980 --> 00:00:32.280
 Paul, Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:34.460
 Grace to you and peace.

00:00:35.859 --> 00:00:41.679
 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:51.259
 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:56.140
 For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you,

00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:03.920
 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

00:01:05.019 --> 00:01:08.039
 You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:11.940
 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord.

00:01:12.340 --> 00:01:16.020
 For you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

00:01:16.980 --> 00:01:21.600
 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

00:01:22.140 --> 00:01:25.820
 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia,

00:01:25.940 --> 00:01:29.880
 but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:34.700
 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you

00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:38.299
 and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

00:01:38.299 --> 00:01:42.060
 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,

00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.620
 Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:47.760
 This is the word of the Lord.

00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:49.500
 Please take a seat.

00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:57.200
 Now, Paul starts these letters, and just bear in mind, as I read that to you,

00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:03.799
 that probably would have been how it would be when you were sat in a church service back in those days,

00:02:03.859 --> 00:02:06.500
 and maybe in the town of Thessalonica.

00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.319
 There wouldn't necessarily be lots of preaching,

00:02:09.460 --> 00:02:12.240
 but there would be someone who would be reading out this letter from Paul.

00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:12.980
 Do you remember Paul?

00:02:13.300 --> 00:02:14.180
 Paul wrote us a letter.

00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:15.900
 Let's listen to what he has to say.

00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.080
 And so they would just read that letter out,

00:02:18.140 --> 00:02:19.280
 and it would be our job to kind of go,

00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:19.599
 Whoa.

00:02:20.860 --> 00:02:21.199
 Wow.

00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:22.879
 He's reminding me of this.

00:02:22.920 --> 00:02:23.939
 He's reminding me of that.

00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:25.840
 And so he writes this letter, and he always starts,

00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:27.079
 and I love how he always starts.

00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:28.340
 Of course, he introduces himself.

00:02:28.460 --> 00:02:31.780
 Hey, Paul here with Silvanus and Timothy,

00:02:32.579 --> 00:02:35.340
 and we're writing to you guys, grace, peace, to you, peace.

00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:37.599
 And then he always says this, we give thanks to God,

00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:39.840
 and I'm constantly remembering you in my prayers.

00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:42.340
 And we've been talking about prayer,

00:02:42.419 --> 00:02:44.579
 so we kind of know what he's trying to get at here.

00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:47.819
 Man, he's just always remembering these people,

00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:50.020
 remembering the people that he walked with.

00:02:50.020 --> 00:02:54.939
 And actually, this letter is one of the oldest epistles that we have,

00:02:55.140 --> 00:02:58.040
 but it's writing to one of the youngest churches that we have.

00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:03.080
 So Paul, you see in Acts 17, he starts this church in Thessalonica,

00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:05.460
 and you see in Acts 17, and they start it,

00:03:05.740 --> 00:03:07.540
 but then very shortly after, they have to go,

00:03:07.760 --> 00:03:08.640
 because they're getting in trouble.

00:03:09.200 --> 00:03:11.219
 They're getting in trouble, and they're starting to raid the church,

00:03:11.260 --> 00:03:13.660
 and the leader of the church that they left there, Jason,

00:03:13.780 --> 00:03:15.219
 he gets into a whole ton of trouble,

00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:16.500
 has to pay his way out of the church.

00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:19.159
 So at that point, actually, not out of the church, out of trouble.

00:03:19.419 --> 00:03:21.759
 And so then what happens is Paul actually has to leave.

00:03:22.099 --> 00:03:24.919
 So he starts his church, and then he has to run, zhao lou.

00:03:25.379 --> 00:03:26.960
 And then it's only two years later,

00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:29.699
 he's eager to find out how this church is doing.

00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.300
 And it's interesting, because our churches,

00:03:32.840 --> 00:03:35.020
 depending on when you start counting,

00:03:35.259 --> 00:03:36.539
 may be around the same kind of age.

00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:38.659
 So maybe around the same kind of young church,

00:03:38.860 --> 00:03:40.240
 and Paul's writing to them,

00:03:40.340 --> 00:03:42.680
 hey, I've been praying about you.

00:03:43.420 --> 00:03:44.479
 I remember you.

00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:46.079
 Don't forget that.

00:03:46.399 --> 00:03:47.659
 I may not be with you in person,

00:03:47.799 --> 00:03:51.039
 but I am always, always remembering you in my prayers.

00:03:51.259 --> 00:03:54.819
 And more importantly, remembering before our God and the Father,

00:03:55.299 --> 00:03:58.560
 your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.

00:03:58.659 --> 00:04:00.459
 Before I get to that, just a little bit more context.

00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:01.979
 So this is a young church.

00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:05.879
 This is a two-year-old church that's going through a lot of trouble.

00:04:06.459 --> 00:04:08.299
 It started, can you imagine just joining a new club,

00:04:08.339 --> 00:04:10.819
 and suddenly you're getting raided by all the authorities,

00:04:10.819 --> 00:04:13.079
 and people are just constantly being chased down.

00:04:13.139 --> 00:04:14.319
 You have to pay your way out of things.

00:04:14.519 --> 00:04:17.939
 The moment people outside find out that you're associated with this church,

00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:20.159
 then you start losing business opportunities.

00:04:20.500 --> 00:04:22.800
 Then your friends stop inviting you to their parties.

00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.100
 Then all kinds of things start happening to you.

00:04:27.019 --> 00:04:29.639
 And so to hear your pastor go,

00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:31.439
 hey, I remember you.

00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:33.000
 I remember you.

00:04:33.039 --> 00:04:35.579
 And of course, Thessalonica was a significant city.

00:04:35.699 --> 00:04:37.039
 It was on the central trade route.

00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.580
 So it was a city that actually a lot of people came in.

00:04:39.620 --> 00:04:40.780
 It was a transient city.

00:04:41.280 --> 00:04:43.520
 So people were kind of going in and out constantly.

00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:45.180
 People would go there for travel.

00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:46.220
 They would go there for culture.

00:04:46.400 --> 00:04:48.040
 So it would be a very interesting kind of city,

00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:50.540
 maybe much like the city that we have here.

00:04:51.180 --> 00:04:53.580
 And so that's the kind of context that he's writing this in.

00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:54.740
 And then he says, I remember you.

00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:56.100
 And then he gives them the ultimate CV.

00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:56.860
 I love the CV.

00:04:57.200 --> 00:05:00.660
 The work of faith, the labor of love, and the steadfastness of hope.

00:05:00.900 --> 00:05:03.560
 Now, if you have grown up reading the Bible,

00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:07.339
 then maybe you'll probably just glean over those words super quickly

00:05:07.339 --> 00:05:08.240
 and just kind of, oh, yeah, I remember.

00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.160
 It's just kind of the Christianese jargon.

00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:14.259
 But man, a few weeks ago when I was reading this,

00:05:14.280 --> 00:05:15.040
 I was like, you know what?

00:05:15.300 --> 00:05:19.579
 I would love to be described and remembered like that.

00:05:20.259 --> 00:05:22.720
 That I have a work of faith.

00:05:24.300 --> 00:05:25.220
 Work of faith.

00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:27.840
 Before I continue, I want you to,

00:05:28.500 --> 00:05:29.680
 we're going to have a little bit of interaction.

00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:31.079
 Don't worry, introverts, not too much.

00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:32.439
 But what does that even mean?

00:05:33.180 --> 00:05:34.219
 Work of faith to you.

00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:36.560
 Just turn to the person next to you and go,

00:05:36.620 --> 00:05:37.699
 hey, I'm going to have a guest now with you.

00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:39.180
 What does work of faith mean to you?

00:05:39.259 --> 00:05:39.379
 Go.

00:05:45.740 --> 00:05:46.500
 Hey, that's all.

00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:48.240
 I promise you there won't be long things,

00:05:48.300 --> 00:05:49.899
 so you don't have to do too much small talk.

00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:52.339
 What is work of faith to you?

00:05:52.579 --> 00:05:53.579
 We've heard this before.

00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:55.600
 Z-Way started off great,

00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:58.659
 which is what happens after you have faith?

00:05:59.139 --> 00:06:01.459
 So the moment you believe something and you have faith,

00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:03.659
 something changes.

00:06:04.459 --> 00:06:05.799
 There is a work that happens.

00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:07.299
 And that's important.

00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:08.939
 Because what he's saying here is that,

00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:10.659
 hey, it's not good enough just to have faith.

00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:12.859
 You can't just say you believe in Jesus

00:06:12.859 --> 00:06:14.379
 and then you kind of go about your way

00:06:14.379 --> 00:06:15.740
 and continue to do the same thing.

00:06:16.159 --> 00:06:16.879
 That's not really faith.

00:06:17.099 --> 00:06:18.819
 When faith leads to action

00:06:18.819 --> 00:06:20.279
 is what the book of James talks about.

00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:21.500
 So it's saying, actually,

00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:23.219
 you're doing something with your faith.

00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:25.759
 Do you do something with your faith

00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:28.159
 or do you just simply just believe that there is a God?

00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:29.800
 So that's a different thing.

00:06:30.180 --> 00:06:30.939
 Kyle was saying, actually,

00:06:31.140 --> 00:06:32.660
 it's about everything that you do.

00:06:32.760 --> 00:06:35.360
 Every piece of work that you do is filled with faith.

00:06:36.740 --> 00:06:37.660
 So that's a different angle,

00:06:37.740 --> 00:06:39.180
 which also is good there,

00:06:39.220 --> 00:06:40.460
 where actually when you go to work,

00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:41.620
 when you wake up in the morning

00:06:41.620 --> 00:06:44.000
 to go run your event and run your conference,

00:06:44.320 --> 00:06:46.040
 you're like, man, God is here.

00:06:46.540 --> 00:06:48.540
 And he wants me to do something in this.

00:06:48.580 --> 00:06:49.820
 As I start a new venture,

00:06:50.140 --> 00:06:51.720
 God is here and I'm going to step out in faith

00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:53.160
 because I believe in him.

00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:56.140
 So he says, guys, young church,

00:06:56.580 --> 00:06:59.160
 I remember you because you have a work in faith.

00:06:59.220 --> 00:07:00.020
 That means you believed

00:07:00.020 --> 00:07:01.700
 and then you put it out into action.

00:07:02.140 --> 00:07:04.160
 And the second is a labor of love.

00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:04.880
 This is easy,

00:07:04.960 --> 00:07:06.000
 so I won't get you to discuss this one.

00:07:06.220 --> 00:07:08.900
 This is, hey, you guys do things.

00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:11.120
 You guys labor and work.

00:07:11.780 --> 00:07:13.140
 And it is hard work.

00:07:13.740 --> 00:07:15.040
 But you do it out of love,

00:07:15.280 --> 00:07:18.020
 which is different to doing it out of duty,

00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:20.240
 doing it out of diligence,

00:07:21.200 --> 00:07:22.460
 doing it because you have to,

00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:23.479
 doing it because you feel

00:07:23.479 --> 00:07:25.500
 completely, completely guilty

00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:26.839
 if you don't do it.

00:07:27.359 --> 00:07:28.399
 And maybe just on this one,

00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:30.560
 I just want to ask, hey,

00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:34.839
 as we learn how to do life together,

00:07:35.659 --> 00:07:36.919
 yes, on a Sunday morning,

00:07:37.099 --> 00:07:38.379
 but also in the rest of our weeks,

00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:39.819
 but maybe let's just even talk

00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:41.399
 about the Sunday morning time

00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:42.919
 or maybe during the lunchtime.

00:07:43.099 --> 00:07:45.759
 What does a labor of love look like?

00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.079
 Labor of love looks like Trevor

00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:51.599
 helping with the rubbish at 1, 2 p.m.

00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:53.040
 when all the McDonald's

00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:54.400
 and all the maizins

00:07:54.400 --> 00:07:56.660
 and takeaways all stuffed in.

00:07:56.760 --> 00:07:57.960
 And you know, I've been there

00:07:57.960 --> 00:07:59.460
 and I know that you have too.

00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:01.280
 And I've seen some of you do it.

00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:02.720
 You look at the bin

00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:04.640
 that's filled in a nice pile

00:08:04.640 --> 00:08:06.439
 and you have faith

00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:08.020
 that you can squeeze your one in

00:08:08.020 --> 00:08:09.700
 into the corner.

00:08:10.540 --> 00:08:12.520
 And you leave just before it falls out.

00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:15.479
 Can we be a community

00:08:15.479 --> 00:08:16.859
 that actually goes,

00:08:16.979 --> 00:08:18.019
 okay, you know what?

00:08:18.659 --> 00:08:21.259
 This is part of where I call home

00:08:21.259 --> 00:08:23.399
 and the bin is pretty full.

00:08:24.419 --> 00:08:25.859
 Let me be the one that takes it out.

00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:27.419
 Why?

00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:28.899
 Because I want to love this community.

00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:30.579
 I might not feel like loving this community.

00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:32.620
 No one feels like doing the trash.

00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:34.600
 But in that moment,

00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:35.399
 I'm just going to do it

00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:36.679
 because actually out of my love for God,

00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:37.740
 out of my love for these people,

00:08:38.019 --> 00:08:39.240
 I'm going to go change the bin bag.

00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:41.480
 When I see someone stacking the chairs,

00:08:41.560 --> 00:08:43.360
 when I see Danny stacking the chairs

00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:44.360
 after the service,

00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:44.620
 you're like,

00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:46.659
 I want to help Danny.

00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.100
 I mean, I know he looks very strong

00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:50.620
 and that's probably why he's so strong

00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:51.700
 because he's doing all the chairs.

00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:53.940
 But maybe I should just help him.

00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:54.980
 Maybe I should,

00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:55.639
 Grace is like,

00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:56.379
 nah, hell nah.

00:08:56.899 --> 00:08:57.779
 Let Danny do it.

00:09:02.419 --> 00:09:04.240
 Can we be a group of people

00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:05.340
 that are out of love for God

00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:06.440
 and out of love for each other,

00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:08.299
 that the moments they're like,

00:09:08.299 --> 00:09:09.659
 come on.

00:09:10.120 --> 00:09:10.459
 We're like,

00:09:10.539 --> 00:09:12.199
 let's just tidy this place up together

00:09:12.199 --> 00:09:14.039
 because no one else is doing it.

00:09:14.740 --> 00:09:15.899
 But can we do it out of love?

00:09:16.719 --> 00:09:17.399
 Not out of duty.

00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:19.839
 Not because now Danny's right next to you

00:09:19.839 --> 00:09:20.459
 piling chairs

00:09:20.459 --> 00:09:21.899
 so you feel a little bit guilty

00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:22.379
 so you're like,

00:09:22.620 --> 00:09:24.179
 I guess I should help.

00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:25.000
 He's really struggling.

00:09:26.079 --> 00:09:26.899
 He never struggles,

00:09:27.019 --> 00:09:27.219
 but yeah.

00:09:27.379 --> 00:09:29.979
 But can we be that kind of community?

00:09:30.740 --> 00:09:31.240
 And then it says

00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:32.299
 the steadfastness of hope.

00:09:32.379 --> 00:09:32.559
 He says,

00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:33.639
 I remember you guys

00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:34.759
 because not only did you believe

00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:36.299
 and then it changed the way you live,

00:09:36.659 --> 00:09:37.799
 not only do you love people,

00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:40.579
 not just because of duty,

00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:41.839
 but you do it because of man.

00:09:42.359 --> 00:09:44.379
 The word love there is agape,

00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:45.819
 which means you love

00:09:45.819 --> 00:09:47.059
 even when they don't deserve it.

00:09:47.359 --> 00:09:48.299
 You take out the rubbish

00:09:48.299 --> 00:09:49.259
 even when the other people

00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:49.859
 don't deserve it.

00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:50.979
 You just watch someone

00:09:50.979 --> 00:09:52.219
 squeeze their McDonald's

00:09:52.219 --> 00:09:53.139
 into the bin.

00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:53.679
 And you're like,

00:09:53.779 --> 00:09:56.459
 but I will do it

00:09:56.459 --> 00:09:57.879
 because I love.

00:09:59.379 --> 00:10:00.659
 You do all these things

00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:02.259
 because you have a steadfastness of hope.

00:10:02.339 --> 00:10:02.639
 What is that?

00:10:02.859 --> 00:10:03.179
 That is,

00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:04.819
 the steadfastness of hope

00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:05.640
 is basically saying,

00:10:05.780 --> 00:10:06.020
 God,

00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:07.440
 I know Jesus is coming back.

00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:08.900
 It's not wishful thinking.

00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:09.260
 It's not,

00:10:09.379 --> 00:10:10.960
 I just remained hopeful.

00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:11.900
 It's not that.

00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:13.080
 But hope is something

00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:13.700
 that saves us

00:10:13.700 --> 00:10:14.480
 that we cannot see

00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:15.600
 but we know is going to happen.

00:10:16.740 --> 00:10:17.600
 And so we do it.

00:10:17.920 --> 00:10:18.820
 So he remembers them

00:10:18.820 --> 00:10:19.320
 in such a way

00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:20.140
 and I just love

00:10:20.140 --> 00:10:21.080
 that actually

00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:22.320
 that's the way it's described.

00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:23.180
 And then it says this,

00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:23.920
 and we find out

00:10:23.920 --> 00:10:25.860
 why they live with this,

00:10:26.020 --> 00:10:26.660
 the work of faith,

00:10:26.760 --> 00:10:27.360
 the labor of love

00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:28.680
 and the steadfastness of hope.

00:10:28.740 --> 00:10:29.840
 This is a good congregation.

00:10:30.580 --> 00:10:32.180
 This is a good young church.

00:10:32.420 --> 00:10:33.240
 Why do they do this?

00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:34.399
 And I think it's in verse four.

00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.180
 If you have a Bible,

00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:36.180
 I would love for you just to keep,

00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:37.019
 I'm just going to be going

00:10:37.019 --> 00:10:38.060
 through verse five first.

00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:39.299
 So if you are wondering,

00:10:39.580 --> 00:10:40.500
 when is this guy

00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:41.360
 going to stop talking?

00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:42.799
 You can actually see,

00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:43.299
 I'm just going to go

00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:44.240
 through the whole of chapter one

00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:44.840
 so you'll be able

00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:46.539
 to kind of track where I am.

00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:47.620
 And of course,

00:10:47.659 --> 00:10:48.480
 when I say Bible,

00:10:48.659 --> 00:10:49.840
 I mean this.

00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:51.500
 Who's got one of these?

00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:51.720
 Just,

00:10:51.860 --> 00:10:52.820
 can you be loud and proud of you?

00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:53.639
 Oh my goodness.

00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:54.960
 There's Juju,

00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:55.759
 JP,

00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:56.700
 Jocelyn,

00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:57.200
 guess good.

00:10:58.500 --> 00:10:59.519
 Judging the rest of you,

00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:00.899
 this is the Bible.

00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:03.000
 The other is the iPhone.

00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:03.840
 15.

00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:05.860
 And that doesn't count.

00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:06.779
 Or whatever

00:11:06.779 --> 00:11:08.960
 rubbish Android thing you have.

00:11:09.299 --> 00:11:09.399
 So,

00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:13.879
 the reason why this is

00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:15.259
 the living word of God

00:11:15.259 --> 00:11:17.000
 is because this

00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:18.820
 demands your attention

00:11:18.820 --> 00:11:19.919
 and demands your focus.

00:11:20.700 --> 00:11:21.320
 That little

00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:22.779
 piece of technology

00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:23.360
 that you have

00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:24.919
 is trying to grab

00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:25.899
 your attention

00:11:25.899 --> 00:11:27.120
 and distract you

00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:28.500
 in any and every way.

00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:29.139
 So,

00:11:29.259 --> 00:11:29.560
 actually,

00:11:30.019 --> 00:11:31.080
 sounds a little bit snobby,

00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:32.100
 but I don't read

00:11:32.100 --> 00:11:32.900
 my Bible.

00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:34.580
 I actually deleted

00:11:34.580 --> 00:11:35.379
 my Bible app

00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:36.940
 to stop me

00:11:36.940 --> 00:11:37.720
 from reading the Bible

00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:38.259
 on my phone

00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:38.920
 just because I'm like,

00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:39.740
 I'm not actually

00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:40.520
 reading it anyway

00:11:40.520 --> 00:11:42.480
 because I'm such a popular guy.

00:11:42.580 --> 00:11:43.139
 I have all these

00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:44.620
 WhatsApps that come in,

00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:46.280
 all these IG reels

00:11:46.280 --> 00:11:47.400
 that people tag me in

00:11:47.400 --> 00:11:48.620
 because I'm such a big deal.

00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:48.820
 So,

00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:49.080
 it's just,

00:11:49.280 --> 00:11:50.379
 every time I read the word,

00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:51.540
 I just have to,

00:11:51.680 --> 00:11:52.900
 have to go and check that

00:11:52.900 --> 00:11:53.800
 and do the double click.

00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:55.200
 And before I know it,

00:11:55.220 --> 00:11:56.000
 I've forgotten

00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:56.740
 where I was reading.

00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:57.019
 Okay,

00:11:57.019 --> 00:11:58.180
 so this is the Bible

00:11:58.180 --> 00:11:59.539
 and I will keep saying that

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:00.259
 until the day I die.

00:12:00.580 --> 00:12:00.700
 So,

00:12:01.659 --> 00:12:03.279
 verse four,

00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:04.379
 we find out why

00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:05.899
 they are like this.

00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:07.019
 And it says this,

00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:07.639
 for we know,

00:12:07.779 --> 00:12:08.039
 brothers,

00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.000
 loved by God

00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:10.180
 and that He has chosen you

00:12:10.180 --> 00:12:11.360
 because our gospel

00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:12.100
 came to you

00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:13.360
 not only in word

00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:14.639
 but also in power

00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:15.820
 and in the Holy Spirit

00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:18.220
 and with full conviction.

00:12:21.779 --> 00:12:22.899
 When was the last time

00:12:22.899 --> 00:12:24.080
 you listened to a sermon

00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:25.720
 and you felt

00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:27.360
 moved by the Holy Spirit

00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.700
 that it was filled with power

00:12:28.700 --> 00:12:29.920
 and that it was filled

00:12:29.920 --> 00:12:30.379
 with,

00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:31.800
 and you received it

00:12:31.800 --> 00:12:32.400
 with conviction

00:12:32.400 --> 00:12:33.940
 and you charged out of church

00:12:33.940 --> 00:12:34.139
 going,

00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:34.680
 man,

00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:36.220
 that is the word of God.

00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.300
 I've got to do something

00:12:37.300 --> 00:12:38.060
 about it.

00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:43.220
 Or did you listen

00:12:43.220 --> 00:12:43.759
 to a sermon

00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:44.540
 and it was

00:12:44.540 --> 00:12:46.920
 intellectually curious

00:12:46.920 --> 00:12:48.900
 that it was like,

00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:49.140
 oh,

00:12:49.540 --> 00:12:50.800
 that guy's pretty good.

00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:52.200
 That was an interesting point.

00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:52.820
 I didn't know that

00:12:52.820 --> 00:12:53.600
 about Thessalonica.

00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:54.720
 Oh,

00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:55.440
 that was a funny joke.

00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:56.540
 He seemed quite entertaining.

00:12:58.700 --> 00:13:00.040
 The only reason

00:13:00.040 --> 00:13:00.520
 that there is

00:13:00.520 --> 00:13:01.180
 life transformation

00:13:01.180 --> 00:13:02.720
 when we receive

00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:03.220
 the gospel

00:13:03.220 --> 00:13:05.280
 is if we receive it

00:13:05.280 --> 00:13:05.840
 with power

00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:07.400
 and conviction.

00:13:08.560 --> 00:13:09.600
 That's the only way

00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:10.580
 because if you're here

00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:10.700
 going,

00:13:10.780 --> 00:13:10.860
 hey,

00:13:10.920 --> 00:13:11.340
 come James,

00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:12.800
 just speak to me.

00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:13.980
 Just like a TED talk.

00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:15.580
 Just listen to me.

00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:16.840
 It's a kind of interesting topic.

00:13:18.259 --> 00:13:19.060
 Then your life's

00:13:19.060 --> 00:13:19.960
 not going to be transformed

00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:20.580
 and you're not going

00:13:20.580 --> 00:13:21.120
 to be remembered

00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:21.780
 in this way

00:13:21.780 --> 00:13:23.440
 because you're not

00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:23.960
 receiving it

00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:24.500
 with conviction.

00:13:25.140 --> 00:13:25.920
 You're just kind of like,

00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:26.200
 oh,

00:13:26.280 --> 00:13:27.200
 that was a funny joke.

00:13:27.900 --> 00:13:28.100
 Oh,

00:13:28.140 --> 00:13:28.720
 he's so funny.

00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:29.960
 Oh,

00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:30.760
 she was so interesting.

00:13:30.880 --> 00:13:31.980
 What a moving story.

00:13:33.140 --> 00:13:34.200
 And then you just leave.

00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:35.620
 And then you wonder

00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:36.140
 why your life

00:13:36.140 --> 00:13:36.880
 isn't really changing.

00:13:38.920 --> 00:13:39.500
 And you wonder

00:13:39.500 --> 00:13:40.240
 why you don't really

00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:41.000
 have a work of faith.

00:13:41.100 --> 00:13:41.560
 You don't really

00:13:41.560 --> 00:13:42.300
 labor in love.

00:13:42.760 --> 00:13:43.560
 And you don't have

00:13:43.560 --> 00:13:44.680
 that kind of steadfast,

00:13:44.880 --> 00:13:45.680
 unshaken hope

00:13:45.680 --> 00:13:46.440
 because you're not

00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:47.500
 receiving the word

00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:48.940
 with power

00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:49.960
 and with conviction,

00:13:50.059 --> 00:13:50.399
 of course,

00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:51.200
 with the Holy Spirit.

00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:52.500
 And that's why

00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:53.980
 when I read the Bible,

00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:54.279
 I'm like,

00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:54.480
 God,

00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:56.899
 this book sometimes

00:13:56.899 --> 00:13:58.080
 just feels boring to me,

00:13:58.340 --> 00:13:59.000
 but God,

00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:00.720
 just show me.

00:14:01.139 --> 00:14:02.039
 Show me there is power

00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:02.519
 in this book.

00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:03.940
 Holy Spirit,

00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:04.720
 can you shine a light

00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:05.179
 on the things

00:14:05.179 --> 00:14:06.159
 that you want me to hear

00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.000
 and understand today?

00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:09.159
 That's how we read the word.

00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:10.259
 So they received it

00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:11.759
 and more importantly,

00:14:12.019 --> 00:14:13.279
 they then lived it out.

00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:14.220
 One prayer

00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:15.259
 that I've always had

00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.539
 is that especially

00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.000
 for someone,

00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:17.559
 let's say,

00:14:17.980 --> 00:14:18.679
 those of us who are

00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:19.120
 in ministry

00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:20.000
 in different contexts,

00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:21.759
 when you give talks

00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:22.519
 and when you share

00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:23.000
 the gospel,

00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.299
 the prayer that I've

00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:24.799
 always had is,

00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:25.919
 may my preaching

00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:27.240
 never outrun my living.

00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:28.899
 May I never become

00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:29.919
 so good just holding

00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:30.379
 a microphone,

00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:30.840
 speaking,

00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:31.779
 that it actually

00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.720
 outruns my living.

00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:34.039
 And when you see me preach,

00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:34.279
 you think,

00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:35.059
 oh, that's pretty good.

00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:35.720
 But when you look

00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:36.179
 at my life,

00:14:36.220 --> 00:14:36.379
 you think,

00:14:36.439 --> 00:14:37.039
 oh, that's not

00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:37.740
 quite matching up.

00:14:38.899 --> 00:14:41.019
 Because what Paul says

00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:41.379
 is, hey,

00:14:42.319 --> 00:14:43.799
 you saw how we were

00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.779
 when we were with you.

00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:46.580
 You saw how much

00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:48.419
 power I had.

00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.539
 You saw how much

00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:51.580
 conviction I had.

00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:53.179
 You saw the Holy Spirit

00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:53.860
 working in me.

00:14:53.939 --> 00:14:54.779
 Now I want you

00:14:54.779 --> 00:14:56.080
 to have the same.

00:14:56.319 --> 00:14:57.039
 So here's the question

00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:57.879
 that I have for you.

00:14:57.980 --> 00:14:58.779
 Does your life

00:14:58.779 --> 00:14:59.700
 match up with

00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:00.580
 what you say you believe?

00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:03.379
 Does your life

00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:04.179
 match up with

00:15:04.179 --> 00:15:05.759
 what you say you believe?

00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:07.259
 Now what does

00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:07.819
 this look like?

00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:09.120
 This looks like

00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:09.939
 when something

00:15:09.939 --> 00:15:10.779
 goes wrong at work,

00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:13.039
 do you still have

00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:13.799
 that kind of faith?

00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:15.240
 Or does the moment

00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:15.740
 a colleague

00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:16.699
 say something bad

00:15:16.699 --> 00:15:17.199
 about you,

00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.019
 or a student

00:15:18.019 --> 00:15:18.759
 say something bad

00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.199
 about you,

00:15:19.259 --> 00:15:19.779
 or a patient

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:20.439
 says something bad

00:15:20.439 --> 00:15:20.759
 about you,

00:15:20.779 --> 00:15:21.459
 or your boss

00:15:21.459 --> 00:15:22.339
 shows that they

00:15:22.339 --> 00:15:22.879
 don't like you,

00:15:23.059 --> 00:15:24.079
 you are just crushed.

00:15:24.599 --> 00:15:25.819
 And then you can't sleep.

00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:29.759
 When what you say

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:30.599
 you believe is that,

00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:30.919
 man,

00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:32.039
 I am made for more

00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:32.879
 than just my job.

00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:34.879
 That life is more

00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:36.819
 than just what other

00:15:36.819 --> 00:15:37.719
 people say about me.

00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:39.800
 And it's quickly

00:15:39.800 --> 00:15:40.320
 exposed.

00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:41.700
 It is quickly

00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:42.600
 exposed whether

00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:43.720
 actually our lives

00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:44.840
 are contradicting

00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:45.779
 or complementing

00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:46.240
 to what we

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:46.879
 actually believe.

00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:48.580
 What do you say

00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:49.240
 you believe?

00:15:49.420 --> 00:15:50.120
 And do you

00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:51.040
 actually believe it?

00:15:51.160 --> 00:15:51.860
 And do you

00:15:51.860 --> 00:15:53.000
 actually live it

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:53.980
 out with conviction

00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:54.740
 and with power?

00:15:56.680 --> 00:15:57.620
 Because if you don't,

00:15:58.279 --> 00:15:58.720
 if it doesn't

00:15:58.720 --> 00:15:59.259
 quite match,

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:00.420
 then maybe that's

00:16:00.420 --> 00:16:01.360
 where the problem

00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:01.639
 is.

00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:03.080
 And then he says

00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:03.779
 this, verse 5,

00:16:03.779 --> 00:16:17.720
 again,

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.819
 they received all

00:16:18.819 --> 00:16:19.799
 of this with much

00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:20.240
 affliction.

00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.019
 They didn't need

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:21.759
 to receive this.

00:16:22.059 --> 00:16:22.620
 You don't need

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:23.299
 to be here.

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:25.079
 They definitely

00:16:25.079 --> 00:16:25.939
 didn't need to be here.

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:26.799
 And those people

00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:27.740
 who live in countries

00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:28.639
 that maybe have

00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:29.220
 a little bit more

00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:29.519
 pressure,

00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:30.279
 they know,

00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:30.899
 you know that

00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:31.659
 when you turn up

00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:32.439
 to a church service,

00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:33.100
 there is a gamble,

00:16:33.100 --> 00:16:33.980
 there is a risk

00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:34.960
 that you are taking.

00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:36.279
 But they are there

00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:38.300
 despite the affliction

00:16:38.300 --> 00:16:39.279
 because there is a joy.

00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:40.840
 Sadly,

00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:41.700
 we've been deprived

00:16:41.700 --> 00:16:42.820
 of that opportunity

00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:44.200
 to exercise that muscle

00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:45.899
 because we come

00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:46.620
 and it's all fun

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:48.159
 and there's literally

00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:49.240
 no threat to us at all.

00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:49.879
 There's no affliction

00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:50.759
 coming up here

00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:51.840
 apart from maybe

00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:52.620
 the security guard

00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:53.580
 downstairs asking you

00:16:53.580 --> 00:16:54.460
 which floor you're going on.

00:16:55.019 --> 00:16:55.960
 And then you tell them

00:16:55.960 --> 00:16:56.420
 subsidize it out

00:16:56.420 --> 00:16:57.280
 and then it's okay.

00:16:58.620 --> 00:16:59.340
 Can you imagine

00:16:59.340 --> 00:17:00.480
 walking into a church

00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:01.420
 in a place where actually

00:17:01.420 --> 00:17:02.940
 I've got to

00:17:02.940 --> 00:17:04.440
 do a double take

00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:05.400
 before I go up this lift,

00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.880
 before I tell someone

00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.380
 what floor I'm going up on

00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:09.840
 just in case someone

00:17:09.840 --> 00:17:10.480
 from the marketplace

00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.400
 who recognizes me

00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:11.799
 sees me,

00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:12.259
 oh,

00:17:12.840 --> 00:17:13.559
 they go there.

00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:14.640
 Oh,

00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.500
 they're that kind of person.

00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.680
 We should retract

00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:19.160
 that invite.

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.799
 We should stop this.

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:21.980
 We should stop that.

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:23.960
 And he says,

00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:25.500
 you saw us,

00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:27.500
 then you copied us

00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:29.420
 and now other people

00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:30.579
 are hearing about it.

00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:31.579
 And this really comes

00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:32.160
 to the heart

00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.079
 of really discipleship.

00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:36.079
 And that is,

00:17:36.140 --> 00:17:37.920
 and this is the main topic

00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:38.620
 of what I wanted

00:17:38.620 --> 00:17:39.339
 to ask you today

00:17:39.339 --> 00:17:39.839
 is this,

00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:41.200
 imitation.

00:17:42.259 --> 00:17:42.700
 Discipleship

00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:43.900
 is essentially imitation.

00:17:44.059 --> 00:17:44.620
 If you think about

00:17:44.620 --> 00:17:45.339
 the word disciple,

00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:46.140
 it means student,

00:17:46.259 --> 00:17:46.860
 it means learner,

00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:48.059
 it means follower,

00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:49.039
 it means actually

00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:49.819
 you're just simply

00:17:49.819 --> 00:17:51.599
 imitating that person.

00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:53.039
 I was sharing in a dinner

00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:53.740
 on Friday night

00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:55.259
 that actually Joe and I,

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:58.200
 we imitated our parents,

00:17:58.339 --> 00:17:59.200
 imitated our dad

00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.380
 without even really knowing.

00:18:01.140 --> 00:18:02.460
 We grow up in these settings

00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.519
 where we'd organize sports

00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:04.920
 and we'd have young adults

00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:05.920
 come over to our house

00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:07.220
 when we were just little kids,

00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:10.099
 not really being aware

00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:10.660
 or recognizing

00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:11.880
 that actually he was discipling.

00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:13.640
 And then suddenly,

00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:15.299
 fast forward many few years,

00:18:15.819 --> 00:18:16.799
 we're doing the same thing.

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:17.960
 And you realize

00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:19.099
 that age old statement

00:18:19.099 --> 00:18:20.160
 that that discipleship,

00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:21.740
 discipling

00:18:21.740 --> 00:18:23.080
 is often caught,

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:23.660
 not taught.

00:18:24.660 --> 00:18:25.800
 You can't teach someone,

00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:26.000
 hey,

00:18:26.060 --> 00:18:28.060
 this is how you disciple.

00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:29.380
 No,

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.200
 you say,

00:18:30.300 --> 00:18:30.360
 hey,

00:18:30.420 --> 00:18:31.420
 this is how I do it.

00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:33.200
 And actually,

00:18:33.300 --> 00:18:34.820
 you just let that go.

00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:35.800
 Watch what I do.

00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:37.480
 It is not do as I say.

00:18:37.800 --> 00:18:38.960
 It is watch what I do

00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:40.460
 and then do as I do.

00:18:41.580 --> 00:18:42.620
 The question is,

00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:43.480
 who do you imitate?

00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:46.480
 Who have you imitated?

00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:47.940
 In fact,

00:18:48.059 --> 00:18:50.500
 culture is one of imitation.

00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:53.819
 Culture is one of imitation.

00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:54.360
 And actually,

00:18:54.539 --> 00:18:55.319
 those of us who move

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:55.980
 to a big city,

00:18:56.380 --> 00:18:57.059
 one that is a bit

00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:58.160
 of a cultural melting pot

00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.019
 like Hong Kong,

00:18:59.180 --> 00:18:59.980
 like Thessalonica,

00:19:00.360 --> 00:19:01.539
 it is all about copying.

00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:02.940
 Think about fashion trends.

00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:04.599
 How do fashion trends

00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:05.240
 even happen?

00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:07.039
 It's because you look

00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:07.460
 at someone

00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:08.380
 and you think,

00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:09.960
 that looks cool.

00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:12.240
 I'm going to imitate that

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:13.720
 and I'm going to buy it.

00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:16.039
 Think about how you

00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:17.620
 subconsciously imitate people.

00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:18.759
 We were at a dinner

00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:19.420
 the other night

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.759
 and I had a chat

00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:21.960
 with Ellen

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:24.200
 and my dear childhood friend,

00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:24.759
 Ken,

00:19:24.900 --> 00:19:25.299
 is here.

00:19:25.460 --> 00:19:27.100
 Ken and Jess,

00:19:27.120 --> 00:19:27.799
 they've just moved

00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:28.779
 their family to Hong Kong

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:29.200
 from England

00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.319
 and I was asking,

00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:30.519
 hey,

00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:31.559
 does my accent sound

00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:32.259
 just like Ken's?

00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:33.839
 And Ellen was like,

00:19:34.180 --> 00:19:34.380
 no,

00:19:35.339 --> 00:19:36.019
 yours is kind of like,

00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:36.920
 and Ken actually said,

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:38.079
 yours is compromised now.

00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:38.819
 Oh,

00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:40.319
 that was a dagger.

00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:43.059
 Because when you come

00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:43.620
 into a place,

00:19:43.619 --> 00:19:44.679
 you inadvertently

00:19:44.679 --> 00:19:46.519
 start changing,

00:19:46.619 --> 00:19:48.679
 subconsciously start changing.

00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:49.879
 In my defense

00:19:49.879 --> 00:19:50.639
 of all the Australians

00:19:50.639 --> 00:19:51.919
 and Americans

00:19:51.919 --> 00:19:53.019
 that I have to hang out with,

00:19:53.579 --> 00:19:54.739
 they just don't understand

00:19:54.739 --> 00:19:55.219
 real English

00:19:55.219 --> 00:19:56.379
 so I've had to kind of

00:19:56.379 --> 00:19:57.479
 just bend

00:19:57.479 --> 00:19:59.099
 to get to the point

00:19:59.099 --> 00:20:00.259
 where they truly understand.

00:20:01.639 --> 00:20:02.919
 And it's only afterwards

00:20:02.919 --> 00:20:04.319
 when I speak to Ken

00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:04.739
 and I'm like,

00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:05.119
 man,

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.899
 how far have I fallen?

00:20:08.199 --> 00:20:09.579
 How far have I fallen

00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:10.339
 from the glory

00:20:10.339 --> 00:20:10.979
 of Great Britain?

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:14.140
 So I seek to make amends

00:20:14.140 --> 00:20:15.360
 and I seek to kind of

00:20:15.360 --> 00:20:16.380
 go return

00:20:16.380 --> 00:20:17.860
 back to the former glory.

00:20:18.620 --> 00:20:18.860
 And of course,

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:19.860
 we grew up in an era

00:20:19.860 --> 00:20:20.259
 where,

00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:21.559
 and I know Ken,

00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:22.220
 well,

00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:24.259
 Ken's known me for so long,

00:20:24.579 --> 00:20:25.640
 I had a lot of hair

00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.799
 when I first met Ken.

00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:28.380
 A lot of that.

00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:29.660
 And we grew up

00:20:29.660 --> 00:20:30.980
 in the late 1900s.

00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:31.740
 1900s.

00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:34.539
 So the late 1900s

00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:35.180
 were...

00:20:35.180 --> 00:20:38.420
 Grace has just...

00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:38.860
 Grace,

00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:40.059
 you're from the same decade.

00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:44.180
 Well,

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:44.920
 Grace and Ken

00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:45.500
 and those of us

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.759
 will remember

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.940
 that in the late 1900s

00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:50.559
 there was this

00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:52.039
 boy band

00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:53.640
 called the Backstreet Boys.

00:20:55.140 --> 00:20:56.259
 Where did that come from?

00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:57.339
 Where was that?

00:20:57.339 --> 00:21:01.179
 Nick Carter.

00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:02.139
 Is it Nick Carter?

00:21:02.179 --> 00:21:02.299
 Yeah,

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:02.839
 it's Nick Carter.

00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:03.859
 And those curtains.

00:21:04.699 --> 00:21:04.919
 Like,

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.279
 I tried the curtain thing.

00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:07.639
 Ken tried the curtain thing.

00:21:08.459 --> 00:21:09.220
 We all tried

00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:09.919
 the curtain thing.

00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:10.779
 Culture

00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:12.220
 demands

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:12.879
 that you try

00:21:12.879 --> 00:21:13.639
 the curtain thing.

00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:17.379
 Culture imitates.

00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:19.220
 You hadn't met him then,

00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:19.419
 yeah.

00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:23.300
 But you imitate.

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:24.960
 We imitate.

00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:27.279
 The question that we have

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:27.980
 is actually

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:29.640
 who are we

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:30.400
 imitating?

00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:32.120
 Just evaluate

00:21:32.120 --> 00:21:33.240
 your life right now.

00:21:34.140 --> 00:21:35.100
 If I ask you

00:21:35.100 --> 00:21:36.340
 in the most respectful,

00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:36.920
 polite,

00:21:37.120 --> 00:21:37.539
 loving way,

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:38.720
 what is your life?

00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:40.740
 You would probably

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:41.720
 be able to tell me

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:43.220
 a collection of influences

00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:44.180
 that you've been imitating

00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:45.820
 to get to where

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.480
 you're at now.

00:21:47.340 --> 00:21:48.100
 Good ones.

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:49.899
 really good ones.

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:51.619
 Really holy ones.

00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:53.759
 And then really bad ones.

00:21:54.959 --> 00:21:55.199
 Right?

00:21:56.659 --> 00:21:57.659
 The question is

00:21:57.659 --> 00:21:58.500
 who are you imitating?

00:21:58.919 --> 00:21:59.879
 This young church

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:00.899
 in Thessalonica

00:22:00.899 --> 00:22:02.019
 were imitating

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:03.319
 Paul and Timothy,

00:22:03.419 --> 00:22:04.079
 those who started

00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:04.579
 the church.

00:22:05.339 --> 00:22:05.799
 And you see,

00:22:05.959 --> 00:22:06.859
 once they imitated,

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:07.679
 then

00:22:07.679 --> 00:22:09.019
 the word started

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.599
 to spread.

00:22:10.439 --> 00:22:11.339
 It started to spread.

00:22:11.419 --> 00:22:12.179
 Now other people

00:22:12.179 --> 00:22:12.799
 were hearing

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:13.759
 about this church

00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:14.799
 and they were like,

00:22:14.959 --> 00:22:15.679
 this church

00:22:15.679 --> 00:22:16.879
 is fire.

00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:18.520
 This church

00:22:18.520 --> 00:22:19.380
 is filled with

00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:20.600
 the people there

00:22:20.600 --> 00:22:21.140
 are just,

00:22:21.540 --> 00:22:22.460
 and that's what

00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:23.040
 Paul is saying.

00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:23.260
 Hey,

00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:25.200
 I started this thing

00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.780
 two years ago,

00:22:25.820 --> 00:22:26.880
 but now I'm starting

00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.020
 to hear about you guys

00:22:28.020 --> 00:22:28.940
 and it's cool

00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:29.740
 and it's good

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.280
 because you have

00:22:30.280 --> 00:22:30.940
 a work of faith,

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:31.760
 you have a labor of love

00:22:31.760 --> 00:22:32.700
 and you have a steadfastness

00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:33.040
 of hope.

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.200
 People are hearing

00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:34.700
 about you.

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:35.620
 Here's something else

00:22:35.620 --> 00:22:36.140
 that I find

00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:37.040
 actually for us

00:22:37.040 --> 00:22:37.560
 as a church

00:22:37.560 --> 00:22:39.660
 is actually

00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:41.440
 if we're doing

00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.360
 what God

00:22:42.360 --> 00:22:43.320
 is asking us to do,

00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:44.100
 if we're trying

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:44.819
 to imitate him,

00:22:44.899 --> 00:22:45.480
 then naturally

00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:46.219
 people will start

00:22:46.219 --> 00:22:47.000
 hearing about it.

00:22:47.379 --> 00:22:48.319
 But we only want

00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:48.879
 people to hear

00:22:48.879 --> 00:22:49.339
 about this

00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:50.719
 for the right reasons.

00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:52.579
 Wouldn't it be

00:22:52.579 --> 00:22:53.559
 incredible

00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:54.779
 if you wanted

00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.459
 to find out

00:22:55.459 --> 00:22:56.119
 about the church

00:22:56.119 --> 00:22:56.779
 in Thessalonica,

00:22:56.859 --> 00:22:57.619
 you look at this church

00:22:57.619 --> 00:22:57.839
 and you're like,

00:22:57.879 --> 00:22:58.939
 this was a good church.

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.059
 I would like to go

00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:00.659
 to this church.

00:23:00.740 --> 00:23:01.899
 What time is their service

00:23:01.899 --> 00:23:03.459
 and which MTR stop is it?

00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:04.359
 I would love to go

00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:05.219
 and visit this church.

00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:06.459
 Wouldn't it be great

00:23:06.459 --> 00:23:07.219
 that if you wanted

00:23:07.219 --> 00:23:08.000
 to get a taste

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:08.500
 of the church

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:09.199
 of Thessalonica,

00:23:09.339 --> 00:23:10.199
 you just have to come

00:23:10.199 --> 00:23:10.719
 to the gathering?

00:23:12.039 --> 00:23:12.879
 Wouldn't that be fun?

00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:14.780
 Wouldn't it be nice

00:23:14.780 --> 00:23:15.680
 for people to hear

00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.880
 about this church

00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:17.120
 going,

00:23:17.280 --> 00:23:17.840
 these guys,

00:23:18.800 --> 00:23:19.580
 these guys are built

00:23:19.580 --> 00:23:19.940
 different.

00:23:20.280 --> 00:23:21.760
 They love different.

00:23:22.760 --> 00:23:22.980
 See,

00:23:23.040 --> 00:23:23.700
 this interesting thing

00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:24.220
 about maybe

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:25.620
 contemporary church culture,

00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:26.560
 one that we're

00:23:26.560 --> 00:23:27.440
 very much part of,

00:23:27.620 --> 00:23:28.280
 is that churches

00:23:28.280 --> 00:23:29.040
 have started

00:23:29.040 --> 00:23:29.660
 just basically

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.300
 self-promoting.

00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:31.480
 We have an Instagram

00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:31.840
 account,

00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.500
 we have a Facebook

00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:32.880
 account,

00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:33.100
 and say,

00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:33.260
 hey,

00:23:33.320 --> 00:23:34.060
 look what we did here.

00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:35.040
 Worship night,

00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:35.620
 selfie,

00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:36.920
 hashtag fire,

00:23:37.120 --> 00:23:37.740
 all these things,

00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:38.780
 and it's just branding

00:23:38.780 --> 00:23:39.220
 and it's trying

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.280
 to advertise and go,

00:23:40.340 --> 00:23:40.500
 hey,

00:23:40.560 --> 00:23:40.940
 look,

00:23:41.520 --> 00:23:42.500
 look what we're doing

00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:42.860
 here.

00:23:43.340 --> 00:23:44.260
 Look how good it is,

00:23:44.300 --> 00:23:45.060
 look how cool,

00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.360
 look how cool

00:23:46.360 --> 00:23:47.180
 the gathering is.

00:23:49.340 --> 00:23:50.620
 But that's not my heart,

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.460
 that's not my prayer.

00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:54.540
 Leonard Ravenhill,

00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.080
 a famous British evangelist,

00:23:56.120 --> 00:23:56.580
 said this,

00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:57.520
 no one needs

00:23:57.520 --> 00:23:58.420
 to advertise a fire.

00:23:59.820 --> 00:24:00.480
 No one needs

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.260
 to advertise a fire.

00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:02.180
 If there's a fire,

00:24:02.340 --> 00:24:02.820
 people will know

00:24:02.820 --> 00:24:03.220
 about it.

00:24:04.300 --> 00:24:05.080
 Our job isn't

00:24:05.080 --> 00:24:05.520
 to advertise

00:24:05.520 --> 00:24:06.120
 and say,

00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:06.300
 hey,

00:24:06.340 --> 00:24:07.140
 look what we're doing here,

00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:07.920
 this is so great,

00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:08.660
 this is so fun.

00:24:09.860 --> 00:24:10.220
 Come,

00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:10.980
 if you want to

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:12.260
 sit in a church service

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.740
 and if you're late,

00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:14.400
 you have to stand

00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:14.980
 for the whole time,

00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:15.379
 come.

00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:18.740
 Wouldn't it be great

00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:20.519
 if people are like,

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.500
 I just want to know

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:23.039
 what real Christianity is.

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:24.879
 I just want to meet

00:24:24.879 --> 00:24:26.279
 real followers of Jesus

00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:27.400
 that are not hypocrites,

00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:28.519
 that are very real

00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.259
 about their flaws,

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.379
 that are really trying

00:24:30.379 --> 00:24:30.920
 their best

00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:32.079
 to live a life

00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:33.059
 devoted to

00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:34.039
 and following Jesus.

00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:35.920
 I would love to come

00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:36.799
 and meet these people.

00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:39.119
 Wouldn't that be a church

00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:39.799
 that we really want

00:24:39.799 --> 00:24:40.379
 to be a part of?

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:41.799
 No?

00:24:42.220 --> 00:24:42.740
 You don't want

00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:43.259
 to be a part of it?

00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:43.960
 Sorry,

00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:44.379
 who was this?

00:24:48.579 --> 00:24:49.240
 That's the hope.

00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:51.299
 Here's another question.

00:24:51.579 --> 00:24:52.480
 So the first one was like,

00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:53.279
 who are you imitating?

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:54.359
 The second question

00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:55.220
 I have for you is this,

00:24:55.339 --> 00:24:56.359
 if someone imitated

00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:56.960
 your life,

00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:57.619
 would they look

00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:58.240
 more like Jesus?

00:24:59.879 --> 00:25:00.680
 If someone looked

00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:01.420
 at your life

00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:02.339
 and like,

00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:03.000
 you know what,

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:05.240
 Uday just seems

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:06.339
 like such a good guy,

00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:08.759
 just so capable

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.359
 of growing

00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:10.579
 such great facial hair

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:12.980
 and just those muscles,

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:15.720
 I'm going to imitate Uday.

00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:17.400
 How do I do this?

00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:19.720
 Which gym do I sign up to

00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:21.400
 and what do I do?

00:25:22.579 --> 00:25:22.839
 Now,

00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:24.900
 if we all imitated Uday,

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.500
 would we start

00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:26.319
 looking more like Jesus?

00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:26.960
 That's the question

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.039
 Uday needs to ask himself.

00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:30.240
 If someone looked

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:30.980
 at the way

00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:31.940
 you read the Bible,

00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:33.100
 if someone looked

00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:34.200
 at the way you prayed,

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.240
 if someone looked

00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:36.279
 at the way you love

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:37.259
 people on the fringe

00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:38.160
 who people don't

00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:38.799
 usually love,

00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:40.299
 would they become

00:25:40.299 --> 00:25:41.000
 more like Jesus?

00:25:42.840 --> 00:25:43.759
 Or would they not?

00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.380
 That's the question

00:25:45.380 --> 00:25:46.100
 I have to ask.

00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:48.080
 When people look

00:25:48.080 --> 00:25:48.759
 at our lives

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.680
 and they seek

00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:50.140
 to copy

00:25:50.140 --> 00:25:51.559
 and imitate our lives,

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.660
 would it lead them

00:25:52.660 --> 00:25:53.600
 to looking more like Jesus?

00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.259
 Because if that's

00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:55.160
 not the case,

00:25:55.340 --> 00:25:56.460
 then something's wrong.

00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:57.279
 We were made

00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:58.180
 in the image

00:25:58.180 --> 00:25:58.720
 of God.

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.539
 We have all

00:25:59.539 --> 00:26:00.700
 fallen short.

00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:02.420
 But we're supposed

00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:02.960
 to be heading

00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:04.579
 into that direction

00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:06.279
 to look like him

00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:07.200
 so that if someone

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.140
 is following you,

00:26:08.440 --> 00:26:09.000
 they will start

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:09.700
 looking like him.

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:11.420
 1 Corinthians 11,

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:12.180
 that's what Paul says,

00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:13.259
 imitate me

00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:15.360
 as I imitate Christ.

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:18.039
 So as we seek

00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:18.779
 to follow Christ

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.960
 and we have other people

00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:20.259
 follow,

00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:21.180
 our hope is that

00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:22.220
 we would just not

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:23.880
 create mini Jameses

00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:26.660
 and mini Mihis,

00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:28.020
 but we would create

00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:29.740
 mini Jesuses,

00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:32.060
 Christians,

00:26:33.120 --> 00:26:33.760
 Christians.

00:26:36.020 --> 00:26:36.740
 But isn't that

00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:37.100
 the problem

00:26:37.100 --> 00:26:37.640
 with the church?

00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:40.540
 It's funny

00:26:40.540 --> 00:26:41.860
 because at this dinner

00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:42.860
 that I was speaking

00:26:42.860 --> 00:26:43.460
 at on Friday,

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:44.760
 it was a dinner

00:26:44.760 --> 00:26:45.600
 designed to share

00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:46.340
 the gospel with people

00:26:46.340 --> 00:26:46.880
 and actually

00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:47.460
 it was refreshing.

00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:48.040
 It was talking

00:26:48.040 --> 00:26:49.140
 to a whole group

00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:49.520
 of people

00:26:49.520 --> 00:26:50.220
 who don't know

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:50.600
 the gospel,

00:26:51.340 --> 00:26:52.020
 just non-believers

00:26:52.020 --> 00:26:52.760
 who haven't been

00:26:52.760 --> 00:26:53.260
 in a church

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:53.839
 in Hong Kong.

00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:56.640
 And just to speak

00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:57.079
 to them and go,

00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:58.440
 hey, so how come,

00:26:58.819 --> 00:26:59.519
 have you been to church?

00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.599
 Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:02.640
 But I went to DBS.

00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:04.640
 Have you been to church?

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:04.980
 Oh, no,

00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:06.019
 but I went to St. Mary Noel.

00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:08.619
 Oh, so what?

00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:10.379
 The people I saw

00:27:10.379 --> 00:27:11.119
 in school,

00:27:12.379 --> 00:27:13.680
 the Christians

00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:15.000
 that I saw

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:16.859
 were not really

00:27:16.859 --> 00:27:18.000
 that inspiring.

00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:19.379
 In fact,

00:27:19.379 --> 00:27:20.619
 they did the opposite thing.

00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:21.519
 They turned me

00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:22.099
 off the faith.

00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.039
 Put your hand up

00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.519
 if you've heard

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:24.000
 someone say

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.960
 something like that.

00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:26.339
 Oh,

00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:29.379
 that should ache you.

00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:30.720
 That should break

00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:31.099
 your heart.

00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:33.659
 That's one of the

00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:34.379
 questions I was asked.

00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:35.220
 So I did this,

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:35.879
 I did this talk

00:27:35.879 --> 00:27:36.700
 and there was like

00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:38.079
 15 minutes of Q&A

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:38.420
 afterwards,

00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:39.220
 which terrified me

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.700
 because I was like,

00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.819
 can I just speak

00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:41.619
 over time

00:27:41.619 --> 00:27:42.299
 so that we don't

00:27:42.299 --> 00:27:43.299
 have time for Q&A?

00:27:43.579 --> 00:27:44.079
 But that was

00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:44.759
 one of the questions.

00:27:45.659 --> 00:27:46.379
 What do we do

00:27:46.379 --> 00:27:47.180
 with people who,

00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.299
 when they say,

00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:48.799
 oh, well,

00:27:48.899 --> 00:27:49.879
 I'm kind of interested

00:27:49.879 --> 00:27:50.319
 in God,

00:27:50.420 --> 00:27:51.139
 but people just

00:27:51.139 --> 00:27:51.759
 put me off.

00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:53.440
 Those Christians

00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:55.039
 really put me off.

00:27:55.099 --> 00:27:55.980
 It's called hypocrisy.

00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:58.079
 When they say one thing

00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.059
 and they do another.

00:27:59.240 --> 00:27:59.660
 Do you think

00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.319
 this young church

00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:01.000
 in Thessalonica

00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:02.519
 would have survived

00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:05.660
 if Paul and Timothy

00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:07.259
 lived a different gospel

00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:07.700
 to the one

00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:08.240
 that they preached?

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:09.700
 No.

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.500
 It wouldn't have happened

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:12.059
 then and it won't

00:28:12.059 --> 00:28:12.579
 happen now.

00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:15.199
 The question for us

00:28:15.199 --> 00:28:16.539
 is do we live

00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:17.399
 with the same power

00:28:17.399 --> 00:28:18.139
 and conviction?

00:28:19.019 --> 00:28:20.199
 The word really here

00:28:20.199 --> 00:28:20.839
 is integrity.

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.519
 If you ask me

00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:23.039
 what that word,

00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:23.639
 and I think Keller

00:28:23.639 --> 00:28:24.939
 described it in such a way,

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.419
 integrity is basically

00:28:26.419 --> 00:28:28.099
 are you the same person

00:28:28.099 --> 00:28:30.279
 in any and every circumstance

00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:30.899
 regardless of

00:28:30.899 --> 00:28:31.460
 who's around you?

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.139
 Now,

00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:34.279
 you've got to temper

00:28:34.279 --> 00:28:35.339
 that with what Paul

00:28:35.339 --> 00:28:36.359
 says in 1 Corinthians 9

00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:36.740
 which is,

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:37.699
 I become all things

00:28:37.699 --> 00:28:38.299
 to all people

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:39.099
 in order that I may

00:28:39.099 --> 00:28:39.579
 save some.

00:28:39.919 --> 00:28:40.319
 To the Jews,

00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:40.659
 I'm a Jew.

00:28:40.740 --> 00:28:41.079
 To the Greek,

00:28:41.139 --> 00:28:41.379
 I'm a Greek.

00:28:41.380 --> 00:28:42.600
 It's not quite that

00:28:42.600 --> 00:28:43.980
 because that's actually

00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:45.400
 just getting to the place

00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:46.220
 where you can relate

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:46.760
 to people

00:28:46.760 --> 00:28:47.960
 so you can share

00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:48.840
 the gospel with them.

00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.320
 You and I know

00:28:50.320 --> 00:28:51.000
 it's not about that.

00:28:51.060 --> 00:28:51.660
 That's not the problem

00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:52.060
 we have.

00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:53.000
 The problem that we have

00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:53.820
 is that when we're

00:28:53.820 --> 00:28:54.920
 in different groups,

00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:55.920
 we start acting

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:56.680
 different altogether.

00:28:57.040 --> 00:28:57.800
 We have different

00:28:57.800 --> 00:28:58.680
 values altogether.

00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:00.120
 Our language changes

00:29:00.120 --> 00:29:01.000
 because of the people

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:01.700
 that we're around.

00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.880
 Much like my accent,

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.740
 when I'm around

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:06.160
 people,

00:29:06.700 --> 00:29:07.080
 Americans,

00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:08.360
 and they don't understand

00:29:08.360 --> 00:29:09.380
 certain words I'm saying,

00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:10.380
 I'll have to say it

00:29:10.380 --> 00:29:11.060
 in the way

00:29:11.059 --> 00:29:12.339
 that they understand it.

00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:12.940
 The wrong way,

00:29:13.139 --> 00:29:13.899
 but I have to say it

00:29:13.899 --> 00:29:14.359
 in that way

00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:14.899
 together.

00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:15.740
 Or if you meet

00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:17.200
 Singaporean and Malaysian people,

00:29:17.659 --> 00:29:18.879
 they do the same.

00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:21.899
 Because some Singaporean

00:29:21.899 --> 00:29:22.519
 and Malaysian people

00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:22.859
 that I meet,

00:29:22.919 --> 00:29:23.079
 I'm like,

00:29:23.159 --> 00:29:23.319
 oh,

00:29:23.419 --> 00:29:23.679
 actually,

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:24.859
 I don't quite hear

00:29:24.859 --> 00:29:25.279
 the accent,

00:29:25.399 --> 00:29:25.720
 but they're like,

00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:25.859
 oh,

00:29:25.919 --> 00:29:26.299
 trust me,

00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:27.159
 the moment I'm with

00:29:27.159 --> 00:29:28.460
 my fellow Singaporeans,

00:29:29.619 --> 00:29:31.460
 things turn up.

00:29:32.419 --> 00:29:32.960
 Walau!

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:34.379
 And it comes out.

00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:40.320
 Do you have integrity?

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.500
 If someone imitated you,

00:29:42.560 --> 00:29:43.060
 would they look more

00:29:43.060 --> 00:29:43.540
 like Jesus?

00:29:44.820 --> 00:29:45.980
 Because that is what

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.980
 the church desperately,

00:29:47.120 --> 00:29:47.440
 desperately,

00:29:47.580 --> 00:29:48.220
 desperately needs.

00:29:49.660 --> 00:29:50.480
 As part of my role

00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:50.960
 with Young Life,

00:29:51.020 --> 00:29:51.820
 I always get asked,

00:29:52.100 --> 00:29:52.900
 why are so many,

00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.760
 so many young people

00:29:53.760 --> 00:29:54.460
 leaving the church?

00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:56.580
 And I'm like,

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.400
 I just,

00:29:57.620 --> 00:29:59.360
 I just think it's because

00:29:59.360 --> 00:30:00.200
 they don't see

00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:01.760
 enough real people,

00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:03.259
 real Christians.

00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:04.900
 They have this perception

00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:07.220
 that has been passed on

00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:08.119
 as to what Christian

00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:09.579
 living should be like.

00:30:10.680 --> 00:30:11.619
 Their mom or their dad

00:30:11.619 --> 00:30:12.519
 tells them this is how

00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:13.079
 it should be,

00:30:13.379 --> 00:30:14.379
 and then they go home

00:30:14.379 --> 00:30:15.019
 and they see a very

00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:15.940
 different version of it.

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.379
 And then we wonder

00:30:18.379 --> 00:30:19.000
 why they're leaving.

00:30:19.859 --> 00:30:20.879
 This next generation

00:30:20.879 --> 00:30:21.879
 is hungry for,

00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:23.259
 desperate for,

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.319
 people who are

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:26.039
 authentic and vulnerable.

00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:28.660
 Now,

00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:30.200
 there is a nuance there,

00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:30.779
 and Gabs and I were

00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:31.339
 talking about this

00:30:31.339 --> 00:30:31.720
 this morning,

00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:33.900
 the goal isn't for us

00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:35.140
 to kind of go to people

00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:35.379
 and go,

00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:35.539
 hey,

00:30:35.579 --> 00:30:36.420
 I'm just like you.

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:36.980
 I'm a sinner,

00:30:37.460 --> 00:30:38.220
 just like you.

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:40.019
 I do the same stuff as you.

00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:42.059
 We can go to LKF tonight

00:30:42.059 --> 00:30:43.379
 and we'll do the same stuff.

00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:44.319
 It's okay.

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.019
 I'm real.

00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:45.599
 I'm not fake.

00:30:46.299 --> 00:30:47.240
 It isn't that.

00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:48.440
 It's being honest

00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:49.220
 with who you are

00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:49.539
 and saying,

00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:51.339
 I have this temptation

00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:53.119
 and I have messed up

00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:53.619
 in my life,

00:30:53.700 --> 00:30:55.460
 but I call myself higher

00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:56.460
 because I'm trying

00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.420
 to look more like Jesus.

00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:00.700
 So I am not

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:01.660
 where I used to be,

00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:02.500
 but I am also not

00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:04.160
 where I should be

00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:04.960
 and I am heading

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:06.279
 in that direction.

00:31:07.620 --> 00:31:08.860
 People to be honest

00:31:08.860 --> 00:31:09.519
 with that

00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:11.200
 is what we really need.

00:31:11.860 --> 00:31:12.400
 To have people

00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:13.519
 who are genuine

00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.460
 about their faith

00:31:14.460 --> 00:31:15.460
 because modern culture

00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:16.120
 is so disillusioned.

00:31:17.300 --> 00:31:18.500
 So disillusioned

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:19.019
 with the church.

00:31:19.120 --> 00:31:19.840
 You see all these

00:31:19.840 --> 00:31:20.820
 scandals that are

00:31:20.820 --> 00:31:21.640
 happening everywhere.

00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:23.100
 You see all this abuse

00:31:23.100 --> 00:31:24.000
 that is happening everywhere.

00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:26.340
 People who are not

00:31:26.340 --> 00:31:27.460
 imitating Jesus.

00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:31.000
 If someone imitated you,

00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.559
 would they look

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.340
 more like Jesus?

00:31:35.420 --> 00:31:36.579
 So people are hearing

00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:37.279
 about this church.

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.200
 They're hearing about it

00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:40.220
 and it's spreading everywhere.

00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:41.980
 For they themselves

00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:43.059
 report concerning us,

00:31:43.100 --> 00:31:43.500
 verse 9.

00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:44.140
 For they themselves

00:31:44.140 --> 00:31:45.079
 report concerning us

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:45.920
 the kind of reception

00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:46.720
 we had among you

00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:48.299
 and how you turn to God

00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:49.400
 from idols to serve

00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:50.140
 the true living

00:31:50.140 --> 00:31:50.819
 and true God.

00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:52.900
 They're hearing about

00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:53.720
 this group of people

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.480
 that have turned away

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:54.920
 from idols.

00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:55.720
 Now Thessalonica

00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:56.860
 was a place

00:31:56.860 --> 00:31:58.079
 that had tons of idols,

00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:59.339
 all kinds of statues,

00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:00.539
 things that you would worship.

00:32:00.819 --> 00:32:01.799
 And now this group,

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:02.600
 this small group,

00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:03.400
 this young group

00:32:03.400 --> 00:32:04.220
 were now getting famous

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:05.920
 or they were hearing

00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:07.140
 about this group

00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:08.140
 that they were turning

00:32:08.140 --> 00:32:09.160
 away from those things.

00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:13.200
 The question is,

00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:15.640
 as we evaluate

00:32:15.640 --> 00:32:16.640
 each of our lives,

00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:17.759
 have we genuinely

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.800
 turned from the idols

00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:19.340
 that we have?

00:32:20.620 --> 00:32:21.740
 The same idols

00:32:21.740 --> 00:32:23.300
 that the world has.

00:32:23.940 --> 00:32:24.540
 I was reading

00:32:24.540 --> 00:32:25.900
 different newspapers

00:32:25.900 --> 00:32:28.019
 these last few weeks

00:32:28.019 --> 00:32:28.480
 and I was like,

00:32:28.540 --> 00:32:29.000
 you know what?

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:29.620
 And of course,

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:30.620
 the more time you spend

00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:32.220
 reading just articles

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:32.980
 about the world,

00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.700
 your heart just sinks

00:32:34.700 --> 00:32:35.500
 further and further.

00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:36.700
 And I was looking

00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:37.400
 at the SEMP,

00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:38.240
 I was looking at the BBC

00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:38.720
 and I was like,

00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.140
 you know what?

00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:42.560
 All of these articles,

00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:43.700
 all of these events

00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:44.740
 can be summed up

00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:45.660
 by what Richard Foster

00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:46.500
 calls the three idols,

00:32:46.779 --> 00:32:47.200
 just money,

00:32:47.360 --> 00:32:47.880
 sex and power.

00:32:48.660 --> 00:32:49.700
 If you remove

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.279
 the problems

00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:51.220
 that come from money,

00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:51.920
 sex and power,

00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:52.700
 there would be no news

00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.000
 this year.

00:32:54.320 --> 00:32:55.600
 You could categorize

00:32:55.600 --> 00:32:56.960
 every one of these

00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.660
 bad events

00:32:57.660 --> 00:32:58.800
 into one of these

00:32:58.800 --> 00:32:59.300
 three things.

00:33:00.820 --> 00:33:01.800
 Now these things

00:33:01.800 --> 00:33:02.620
 technically are

00:33:02.620 --> 00:33:03.519
 neutral things.

00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:05.380
 Money is a neutral

00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:06.140
 thing.

00:33:07.140 --> 00:33:07.800
 It's just a number,

00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:08.299
 it's just a piece

00:33:08.299 --> 00:33:08.720
 of paper.

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.359
 But we've turned

00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:12.099
 it into something,

00:33:12.200 --> 00:33:12.559
 an idol,

00:33:12.879 --> 00:33:13.419
 and then we've

00:33:13.419 --> 00:33:14.180
 let it consume us,

00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:15.259
 we've let it corrupt us.

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:17.119
 Sex isn't just

00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:17.799
 a neutral thing,

00:33:17.879 --> 00:33:19.019
 sex is a beautiful thing.

00:33:19.859 --> 00:33:20.819
 We cannot live,

00:33:20.899 --> 00:33:21.680
 we cannot survive

00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:22.500
 as a species

00:33:22.500 --> 00:33:23.740
 without sex.

00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:26.099
 but we've

00:33:26.099 --> 00:33:28.180
 been corrupted by it,

00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:29.039
 we've been consumed

00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:29.440
 by it,

00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:30.579
 it's been distorted,

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:31.380
 it's been twisted,

00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:33.039
 turned into an idol,

00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:33.940
 put in a place

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:34.420
 where it shouldn't

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:34.960
 really belong.

00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:37.000
 Power.

00:33:38.120 --> 00:33:39.099
 We were given power

00:33:39.099 --> 00:33:39.940
 in the very beginning.

00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:41.120
 Genesis 1,

00:33:41.240 --> 00:33:42.000
 what does God say

00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.660
 to Adam and Eve?

00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:43.640
 He says,

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:45.000
 I've given you

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:46.640
 authority and dominion

00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:48.859
 over creation.

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:50.779
 Power is

00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:52.559
 essentially good.

00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:54.799
 if we use it

00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:55.919
 for the right thing.

00:33:56.919 --> 00:33:57.919
 We serve and

00:33:57.919 --> 00:33:59.379
 trust and follow

00:33:59.379 --> 00:34:00.339
 a benevolent king

00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:01.700
 with all the authority.

00:34:02.619 --> 00:34:03.339
 But often,

00:34:03.460 --> 00:34:04.059
 the moment we

00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.079
 have power,

00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:06.319
 we use it

00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.940
 for our own good.

00:34:09.139 --> 00:34:09.759
 It's funny,

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.920
 when you start off

00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:11.460
 in a profession

00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:12.279
 that's really hard,

00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:12.980
 medics maybe

00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:14.840
 is a good example

00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:15.079
 of this,

00:34:15.159 --> 00:34:15.559
 it's super,

00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:16.079
 super hard,

00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:17.599
 super, super busy,

00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:18.759
 you get completely

00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:19.659
 just destroyed

00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:20.199
 by your bosses

00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:20.980
 and your supervisors,

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:22.099
 and so just

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:22.880
 the whole vibe

00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:24.300
 within the profession

00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:25.719
 is just sad

00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:26.699
 and no one smiles.

00:34:28.699 --> 00:34:29.400
 And I'm like,

00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:29.800
 oh,

00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:30.460
 that my boss

00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:31.260
 is mistreating me.

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:31.900
 But it's funny,

00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:32.260
 isn't it?

00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:33.119
 It's funny that it

00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:34.199
 happens to so many of us

00:34:34.199 --> 00:34:35.619
 when we get mistreated

00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.340
 when we're at the bottom

00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:36.740
 of the ladder,

00:34:36.860 --> 00:34:37.719
 but the moment we reach

00:34:37.719 --> 00:34:38.500
 the top of the ladder,

00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:39.860
 suddenly it's our turn

00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:40.460
 and it's kind of like,

00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:41.019
 well,

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:41.880
 this is the only way,

00:34:42.059 --> 00:34:42.579
 this is what happened

00:34:42.579 --> 00:34:42.940
 to me.

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.179
 And so this is how

00:34:45.179 --> 00:34:45.900
 I will dish it out.

00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:49.480
 But as Christ followers,

00:34:49.680 --> 00:34:51.740
 we believe in a king

00:34:51.740 --> 00:34:52.539
 who surrendered

00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:53.300
 all of that power

00:34:53.300 --> 00:34:55.800
 and spent time

00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:56.559
 with the least of these.

00:34:58.300 --> 00:34:59.079
 That's what we should

00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:00.200
 be imitating.

00:35:01.220 --> 00:35:02.119
 And then it says this,

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:03.820
 and this is the final verse,

00:35:03.880 --> 00:35:04.720
 so this is the good news

00:35:04.720 --> 00:35:05.519
 to those of you

00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:06.200
 who are falling asleep.

00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:07.980
 And to wait for his son

00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.519
 from heaven.

00:35:09.119 --> 00:35:10.480
 This group of people

00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:12.500
 who have turned

00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:13.480
 from those idols

00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:15.480
 are now waiting

00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:17.019
 for the son.

00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:19.219
 I think there's

00:35:19.219 --> 00:35:20.240
 people here

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:21.659
 in this room

00:35:21.659 --> 00:35:22.900
 who kind of

00:35:22.900 --> 00:35:23.960
 understand the gospel

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:24.579
 and say,

00:35:24.679 --> 00:35:25.119
 yeah, I do,

00:35:25.320 --> 00:35:25.539
 Jesus,

00:35:25.719 --> 00:35:26.559
 I do believe you.

00:35:27.119 --> 00:35:28.159
 And I also believe

00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:29.099
 that you're coming back again.

00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:30.300
 And I also want you

00:35:30.300 --> 00:35:31.059
 to come back again.

00:35:31.260 --> 00:35:32.420
 But can you come back

00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:35.039
 after I get qualified

00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:36.519
 as an accountant?

00:35:37.240 --> 00:35:37.539
 Actually,

00:35:37.900 --> 00:35:38.240
 Jesus,

00:35:38.240 --> 00:35:39.740
 I really welcome you back,

00:35:40.199 --> 00:35:41.039
 but can it only be

00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:42.280
 after I get my own apartment?

00:35:42.280 --> 00:35:43.920
 Or actually,

00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:44.380
 Jesus,

00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:45.019
 I really,

00:35:45.200 --> 00:35:45.680
 really want you back.

00:35:45.760 --> 00:35:46.800
 I am so desperate

00:35:46.800 --> 00:35:47.560
 for you to come back,

00:35:47.660 --> 00:35:48.860
 but only after I find

00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:49.180
 a girlfriend

00:35:49.180 --> 00:35:49.880
 and I can get married

00:35:49.880 --> 00:35:50.620
 and I can have kids.

00:35:52.380 --> 00:35:53.540
 I think for some people,

00:35:53.680 --> 00:35:54.320
 if the good news

00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:55.320
 was to step into this room

00:35:55.320 --> 00:35:55.700
 right now,

00:35:55.740 --> 00:35:56.580
 it wouldn't be good news

00:35:56.580 --> 00:35:58.580
 because you would have

00:35:58.580 --> 00:35:59.420
 your own ambitions.

00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:00.519
 You're like,

00:36:00.580 --> 00:36:01.140
 oh, Jesus,

00:36:01.320 --> 00:36:01.640
 yeah,

00:36:02.600 --> 00:36:03.840
 it is cool that you're here,

00:36:04.660 --> 00:36:05.260
 but could you just wait

00:36:05.260 --> 00:36:05.640
 in that room

00:36:05.640 --> 00:36:07.519
 just for a little bit longer

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.820
 because I've got a couple

00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:09.519
 other things to do.

00:36:12.620 --> 00:36:13.420
 This group,

00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:14.580
 this young church,

00:36:15.200 --> 00:36:15.680
 of course,

00:36:16.040 --> 00:36:16.920
 it's easy to understand

00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:17.620
 because they have

00:36:17.620 --> 00:36:18.140
 this affliction,

00:36:18.240 --> 00:36:19.100
 they have to double down

00:36:19.100 --> 00:36:19.720
 to be here,

00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:20.600
 which is something,

00:36:20.700 --> 00:36:21.180
 as I'll say again,

00:36:21.220 --> 00:36:22.040
 that we don't have.

00:36:22.740 --> 00:36:23.840
 So we have to constantly

00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:24.519
 remind ourselves

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:25.100
 of this more

00:36:25.100 --> 00:36:26.519
 because of the comfort,

00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:27.880
 because of the complacency

00:36:27.880 --> 00:36:28.700
 that comes with the comfort.

00:36:30.060 --> 00:36:30.920
 These guys were here

00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:32.040
 because they were desperately,

00:36:32.840 --> 00:36:33.740
 eagerly waiting

00:36:33.740 --> 00:36:34.280
 for the son.

00:36:36.140 --> 00:36:37.220
 Are you waiting

00:36:37.220 --> 00:36:37.680
 for the son?

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:40.739
 Are you truly waiting

00:36:40.739 --> 00:36:41.699
 for him to come back?

00:36:43.059 --> 00:36:44.059
 Or are you kind of like,

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:44.719
 yeah,

00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:47.179
 I guess I want him

00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:47.679
 to come back,

00:36:48.199 --> 00:36:50.079
 but only after I do

00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:51.000
 all the things

00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:51.719
 that I want to do.

00:36:54.679 --> 00:36:55.699
 The kind of community,

00:36:55.859 --> 00:36:56.539
 the kind of believer

00:36:56.539 --> 00:36:57.319
 that I'm praying

00:36:57.319 --> 00:36:57.879
 that I become,

00:36:58.119 --> 00:36:58.599
 that I hope

00:36:58.599 --> 00:36:59.460
 that we will become

00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:00.539
 is people who are

00:37:00.539 --> 00:37:02.000
 just so set

00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:03.500
 on the return of Jesus

00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:04.379
 that they will have

00:37:04.379 --> 00:37:05.019
 this kind of hope

00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:05.839
 that isn't a wishful

00:37:05.839 --> 00:37:06.639
 thinking kind of hope.

00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:08.739
 But it is a hope

00:37:08.739 --> 00:37:10.199
 that he is coming back.

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.379
 So in the meantime,

00:37:12.420 --> 00:37:13.539
 I will take out the trash.

00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.779
 But out of just joy

00:37:15.779 --> 00:37:16.579
 and love

00:37:16.579 --> 00:37:17.460
 and conviction.

00:37:20.379 --> 00:37:21.279
 That's the type of

00:37:21.279 --> 00:37:22.839
 people I want us to be.

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:24.839
 And to wait for his son

00:37:24.839 --> 00:37:25.219
 from heaven,

00:37:25.319 --> 00:37:26.299
 whom he raised from the dead,

00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:26.839
 Jesus,

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.759
 who delivers us

00:37:27.759 --> 00:37:28.739
 from the wrath to come.

00:37:28.819 --> 00:37:29.759
 And maybe that's the reason

00:37:29.759 --> 00:37:30.859
 why we aren't

00:37:30.859 --> 00:37:31.699
 that desperate

00:37:31.699 --> 00:37:32.679
 for him to come back.

00:37:33.099 --> 00:37:34.039
 Because we don't truly

00:37:34.039 --> 00:37:34.960
 understand the wrath.

00:37:35.239 --> 00:37:35.679
 And the church

00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:36.159
 doesn't really like

00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:36.899
 to talk about the wrath

00:37:36.899 --> 00:37:37.440
 because it's not one

00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:38.639
 of those lovey-dovey

00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:40.019
 verses that you can

00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:40.819
 put on a fridge magnet.

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:45.059
 But until you truly

00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:46.119
 understand that you

00:37:46.119 --> 00:37:47.119
 and I are destined

00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:47.699
 for wrath,

00:37:48.819 --> 00:37:49.619
 so therefore no

00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:50.859
 earthly affliction

00:37:50.859 --> 00:37:51.460
 and persecution

00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.319
 can really weigh up

00:37:52.319 --> 00:37:52.899
 to what it is,

00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:53.599
 that you have truly

00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:54.440
 been saved

00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:55.319
 from the wrath,

00:37:55.899 --> 00:37:56.659
 maybe you won't

00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:57.279
 be that desperate

00:37:57.279 --> 00:37:58.219
 for Jesus to come back.

00:37:59.159 --> 00:37:59.899
 Maybe you think

00:37:59.899 --> 00:38:00.219
 you're actually

00:38:00.219 --> 00:38:00.940
 a good enough person

00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:01.859
 that you will be spared.

00:38:01.860 --> 00:38:05.620
 That's the key here.

00:38:06.019 --> 00:38:07.039
 The heart of the gospel

00:38:07.039 --> 00:38:08.079
 is knowing that we are

00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:09.280
 in deep need

00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:09.900
 of a saviour.

00:38:10.099 --> 00:38:11.220
 And if we were to meet

00:38:11.220 --> 00:38:12.660
 our creator tomorrow,

00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:14.800
 we wouldn't be able

00:38:14.800 --> 00:38:16.360
 to get past him

00:38:16.360 --> 00:38:17.200
 without the son.

00:38:18.740 --> 00:38:19.340
 Because I think

00:38:19.340 --> 00:38:19.920
 some of us,

00:38:19.980 --> 00:38:21.059
 we may not say this

00:38:21.059 --> 00:38:21.680
 out loud,

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:23.260
 but we're kind of like,

00:38:23.340 --> 00:38:23.980
 oh, I don't know,

00:38:24.019 --> 00:38:24.900
 I fancy my chances.

00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:26.880
 I've been a decent person.

00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.599
 Look at my tax receipts.

00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:29.880
 It's like,

00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:30.519
 I've donated

00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:31.420
 to a lot of charities.

00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:33.980
 And so you think

00:38:33.980 --> 00:38:35.639
 you'll meet your creator

00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:36.500
 and he'll be like,

00:38:36.579 --> 00:38:38.119
 oh, you've actually

00:38:38.119 --> 00:38:38.659
 been okay.

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:40.739
 You can get through.

00:38:40.819 --> 00:38:41.839
 No, because if you

00:38:41.839 --> 00:38:42.480
 have that mindset,

00:38:42.579 --> 00:38:43.199
 then maybe you don't

00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:43.659
 need the son.

00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:45.659
 And that's why

00:38:45.659 --> 00:38:46.339
 you're not that eager.

00:38:47.599 --> 00:38:48.279
 Because you think

00:38:48.279 --> 00:38:49.059
 all the other things

00:38:49.059 --> 00:38:49.940
 will get you there.

00:38:51.699 --> 00:38:53.079
 But this group of people,

00:38:53.839 --> 00:38:54.920
 this group of people

00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:56.000
 were waiting for the son.

00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:57.219
 They have turned

00:38:57.219 --> 00:38:57.940
 from their idols

00:38:57.940 --> 00:38:59.239
 to the living God

00:38:59.239 --> 00:39:01.000
 Jesus who has saved

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.639
 them from the wrath.

00:39:01.939 --> 00:39:02.319
 And you wonder,

00:39:02.479 --> 00:39:04.279
 well, how did he do that?

00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:06.099
 How does he rescue us

00:39:06.099 --> 00:39:06.579
 from the wrath?

00:39:06.739 --> 00:39:07.459
 Because he took

00:39:07.459 --> 00:39:08.239
 on the wrath himself.

00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:10.459
 Because he went

00:39:10.459 --> 00:39:11.739
 to the cross himself

00:39:11.739 --> 00:39:12.579
 and he spared us

00:39:12.579 --> 00:39:12.879
 from that.

00:39:12.939 --> 00:39:13.619
 So we should be

00:39:13.619 --> 00:39:14.459
 filled with the joy.

00:39:14.659 --> 00:39:15.399
 We should be filled

00:39:15.399 --> 00:39:16.000
 with conviction.

00:39:16.119 --> 00:39:16.639
 We should be filled

00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:17.119
 with power.

00:39:18.439 --> 00:39:19.319
 And so until we truly

00:39:19.319 --> 00:39:20.299
 understand that bit,

00:39:21.139 --> 00:39:23.819
 maybe we don't

00:39:23.819 --> 00:39:24.359
 truly get it.

00:39:24.899 --> 00:39:26.000
 Maybe we choose

00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.899
 to imitate the things

00:39:26.899 --> 00:39:27.519
 of this world more.

00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:29.780
 So my heart is this.

00:39:29.960 --> 00:39:30.639
 And I'll finish here.

00:39:31.559 --> 00:39:32.280
 And I'll summarize

00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:32.900
 the questions.

00:39:33.059 --> 00:39:33.980
 Who are you imitating?

00:39:34.780 --> 00:39:36.300
 Who are you a product of?

00:39:36.659 --> 00:39:37.280
 As you sit,

00:39:37.539 --> 00:39:38.079
 just think about

00:39:38.079 --> 00:39:38.739
 the way you talk,

00:39:38.860 --> 00:39:39.719
 the way you act,

00:39:39.780 --> 00:39:40.599
 think about the values

00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:41.360
 that you have.

00:39:42.659 --> 00:39:43.579
 Julie and I were talking

00:39:43.579 --> 00:39:44.019
 the other day

00:39:44.019 --> 00:39:44.659
 and we're just joking

00:39:44.659 --> 00:39:45.699
 that he's poking

00:39:45.699 --> 00:39:46.179
 in front of me

00:39:46.179 --> 00:39:47.000
 because one of my idols

00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:48.239
 is the issue

00:39:48.239 --> 00:39:49.340
 of cheap parking.

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:51.440
 I am willing to walk

00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:52.000
 very far,

00:39:52.180 --> 00:39:53.480
 I assure you,

00:39:53.860 --> 00:39:54.740
 to get cheap parking.

00:39:55.260 --> 00:39:55.780
 Every time,

00:39:55.860 --> 00:39:56.519
 if I end up having

00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:58.240
 to pay a specific place

00:39:58.240 --> 00:40:00.100
 and have no parking

00:40:00.100 --> 00:40:00.519
 redemption,

00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:01.700
 oh,

00:40:02.220 --> 00:40:03.000
 I am,

00:40:03.280 --> 00:40:04.400
 my heart is in despair.

00:40:05.400 --> 00:40:06.400
 And I'm willing

00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:07.559
 to spend quite a lot

00:40:07.559 --> 00:40:08.800
 extra to get

00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:09.500
 the free parking.

00:40:11.100 --> 00:40:11.960
 And he jokes

00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:12.340
 that that's one

00:40:12.340 --> 00:40:12.880
 of my idols.

00:40:14.120 --> 00:40:14.660
 And of course,

00:40:14.700 --> 00:40:15.539
 where did I get that from?

00:40:15.579 --> 00:40:16.280
 It's because I imitate

00:40:16.280 --> 00:40:16.780
 my dad.

00:40:18.180 --> 00:40:18.840
 I caught it,

00:40:18.860 --> 00:40:19.500
 he didn't teach me.

00:40:20.260 --> 00:40:21.120
 It just happened.

00:40:21.940 --> 00:40:22.820
 Because I watched him

00:40:22.820 --> 00:40:23.660
 walk 20 minutes

00:40:23.660 --> 00:40:25.720
 in the rain

00:40:25.720 --> 00:40:28.440
 to save £1.50.

00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:32.420
 Who are you imitating?

00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:34.920
 Have a think about your life.

00:40:35.340 --> 00:40:36.340
 Who have you been imitating?

00:40:36.500 --> 00:40:37.400
 And now there's good ones

00:40:37.400 --> 00:40:38.180
 and there's great ones,

00:40:38.580 --> 00:40:39.280
 but I know

00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:40.300
 there are also bad ones.

00:40:41.540 --> 00:40:42.060
 And can you,

00:40:42.180 --> 00:40:42.600
 first of all,

00:40:42.620 --> 00:40:43.540
 just be aware of them?

00:40:44.420 --> 00:40:45.400
 Be able to articulate,

00:40:45.620 --> 00:40:46.180
 oh man,

00:40:46.620 --> 00:40:46.920
 that's,

00:40:47.300 --> 00:40:47.540
 yeah,

00:40:47.600 --> 00:40:48.220
 I caught that.

00:40:49.860 --> 00:40:50.560
 I need to get,

00:40:50.640 --> 00:40:51.440
 I need to give that up.

00:40:53.200 --> 00:40:53.820
 Who are you,

00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:55.160
 who have you been imitating?

00:40:55.900 --> 00:40:56.840
 In your office,

00:40:56.940 --> 00:40:57.900
 who have you been imitating?

00:40:59.240 --> 00:41:00.220
 Have you been imitating

00:41:00.220 --> 00:41:00.860
 your boss

00:41:00.860 --> 00:41:02.740
 so that they can like you

00:41:02.740 --> 00:41:03.320
 a little bit more?

00:41:05.600 --> 00:41:06.720
 That was my first question.

00:41:06.800 --> 00:41:07.700
 My second question is,

00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:09.060
 if someone was to imitate you,

00:41:09.120 --> 00:41:10.220
 would they look more like Jesus?

00:41:13.420 --> 00:41:14.500
 And are you truly

00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:15.400
 eager for

00:41:15.400 --> 00:41:16.320
 and waiting for

00:41:16.320 --> 00:41:16.840
 the son

00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:18.199
 to come back?

00:41:18.360 --> 00:41:19.159
 If he stepped

00:41:19.159 --> 00:41:20.019
 into this room

00:41:20.019 --> 00:41:20.840
 on the 14th floor

00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.539
 right now,

00:41:22.099 --> 00:41:23.639
 would that be good news

00:41:23.639 --> 00:41:24.000
 to you?

00:41:27.380 --> 00:41:28.460
 Would that be good news

00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:28.780
 to you?

00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:31.380
 For this group,

00:41:31.420 --> 00:41:31.719
 it was.

00:41:32.739 --> 00:41:33.340
 And my prayer

00:41:33.340 --> 00:41:34.000
 that as we go

00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:34.719
 on our way,

00:41:34.760 --> 00:41:35.380
 as we look through

00:41:35.380 --> 00:41:35.820
 this book,

00:41:36.219 --> 00:41:37.739
 as we are the same

00:41:37.739 --> 00:41:38.440
 kind of age

00:41:38.440 --> 00:41:39.840
 as this church here,

00:41:39.840 --> 00:41:41.420
 that we would commit

00:41:41.420 --> 00:41:42.220
 to following the way

00:41:42.220 --> 00:41:42.600
 of Jesus,

00:41:42.680 --> 00:41:43.579
 just like this group did.

00:41:44.500 --> 00:41:45.340
 And that we wouldn't

00:41:45.340 --> 00:41:46.100
 have to advertise

00:41:46.100 --> 00:41:47.079
 the fire that's here

00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:48.780
 because people will see,

00:41:49.559 --> 00:41:50.440
 people will hear

00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:51.720
 that there is a group

00:41:51.720 --> 00:41:52.140
 of people

00:41:52.140 --> 00:41:53.539
 that live differently,

00:41:54.220 --> 00:41:55.600
 that they love differently,

00:41:55.700 --> 00:41:56.720
 that they work differently,

00:41:56.880 --> 00:41:58.519
 that they hope differently

00:41:58.519 --> 00:42:00.440
 because of Jesus.

00:42:01.880 --> 00:42:02.840
 Can I invite you now

00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:03.980
 just to spend a moment

00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:04.680
 of reflection

00:42:04.679 --> 00:42:06.339
 to ponder those questions,

00:42:07.259 --> 00:42:08.259
 to surrender anything

00:42:08.259 --> 00:42:09.299
 that actually

00:42:09.299 --> 00:42:10.339
 you know

00:42:10.339 --> 00:42:11.000
 shouldn't be there,

00:42:11.219 --> 00:42:11.619
 that you've been

00:42:11.619 --> 00:42:12.659
 imitating the wrong person,

00:42:14.139 --> 00:42:15.299
 or if you've just realized

00:42:15.299 --> 00:42:15.859
 that if someone

00:42:15.859 --> 00:42:16.819
 was to imitate you

00:42:16.819 --> 00:42:17.379
 right now,

00:42:18.379 --> 00:42:19.779
 it would be

00:42:19.779 --> 00:42:20.779
 a horrible fate

00:42:20.779 --> 00:42:21.159
 for them.

00:42:25.239 --> 00:42:25.759
 Without

00:42:25.759 --> 00:42:28.059
 being too hard

00:42:28.059 --> 00:42:28.619
 on yourself,

00:42:30.039 --> 00:42:31.559
 would you then

00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:32.739
 repent of that?

00:42:33.219 --> 00:42:33.980
 Would you confess?

00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:35.940
 And then would you

00:42:35.940 --> 00:42:36.500
 turn around?

00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:40.199
 Turn around

00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:42.339
 and go back

00:42:42.339 --> 00:42:43.099
 to following Jesus.

00:42:43.980 --> 00:42:44.460
 Let's just spend

00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:45.259
 a moment to pray now.

00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:53.299
 Jesus,

00:42:53.440 --> 00:42:54.419
 we choose you.

00:42:58.739 --> 00:42:59.899
 We try our very best

00:42:59.899 --> 00:43:00.699
 not to say that

00:43:00.699 --> 00:43:02.119
 lightly or casually.

00:43:02.119 --> 00:43:04.519
 that Jesus,

00:43:04.599 --> 00:43:05.339
 we really do

00:43:05.339 --> 00:43:06.639
 choose you

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:09.380
 to follow you.

00:43:12.779 --> 00:43:13.339
 Forgive us

00:43:13.339 --> 00:43:13.880
 when we don't.

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:15.460
 Forgive us

00:43:15.460 --> 00:43:16.219
 when it's too hard

00:43:16.219 --> 00:43:17.299
 and we give up.

00:43:19.139 --> 00:43:19.759
 Forgive us

00:43:19.759 --> 00:43:20.139
 when we are

00:43:20.139 --> 00:43:20.619
 distracted.

00:43:28.299 --> 00:43:29.420
 We just want to look

00:43:29.420 --> 00:43:30.139
 more like you.

00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:35.920
 And show us now,

00:43:35.980 --> 00:43:36.079
 Lord,

00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:36.940
 what that looks like

00:43:36.940 --> 00:43:37.539
 in our lives.

00:43:40.320 --> 00:43:40.920
 So that when

00:43:40.920 --> 00:43:41.760
 others see us,

00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:43.820
 they see you.

00:43:52.579 --> 00:43:53.240
 Thank you, Lord.

00:43:53.239 --> 00:43:57.159
 in your name

00:43:57.159 --> 00:43:57.599
 we pray.

00:43:59.199 --> 00:43:59.599
 Amen.

00:44:00.559 --> 00:44:01.479
 Please take a seat.

00:44:02.419 --> 00:44:03.159
 Just have a final

00:44:03.159 --> 00:44:04.359
 thought.

00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:09.459
 Our society,

00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:10.019
 our culture

00:44:10.019 --> 00:44:10.579
 has cheapened

00:44:10.579 --> 00:44:11.259
 the word follow.

00:44:12.219 --> 00:44:12.859
 I don't know

00:44:12.859 --> 00:44:13.639
 if you agree

00:44:13.639 --> 00:44:14.079
 with this

00:44:14.079 --> 00:44:15.279
 because we've

00:44:15.279 --> 00:44:16.199
 used that word

00:44:16.199 --> 00:44:17.579
 and put it

00:44:17.579 --> 00:44:18.699
 mostly on social

00:44:18.699 --> 00:44:19.079
 media

00:44:19.079 --> 00:44:20.759
 and we follow

00:44:20.759 --> 00:44:21.239
 people

00:44:21.239 --> 00:44:23.139
 on social

00:44:23.139 --> 00:44:23.480
 media.

00:44:24.960 --> 00:44:25.860
 But the word

00:44:25.860 --> 00:44:26.360
 follow

00:44:26.360 --> 00:44:26.860
 that we

00:44:26.860 --> 00:44:27.259
 kind of

00:44:27.259 --> 00:44:27.900
 interpret it

00:44:27.900 --> 00:44:28.199
 as,

00:44:28.480 --> 00:44:29.000
 we really

00:44:29.000 --> 00:44:29.739
 just mean

00:44:29.739 --> 00:44:31.059
 we watch

00:44:31.059 --> 00:44:31.920
 and we stalk.

00:44:34.679 --> 00:44:35.400
 I feel

00:44:35.400 --> 00:44:37.239
 with all the love

00:44:37.239 --> 00:44:37.659
 in my heart,

00:44:37.759 --> 00:44:38.119
 I feel as though

00:44:38.119 --> 00:44:38.819
 there are many

00:44:38.819 --> 00:44:39.319
 of us here

00:44:39.319 --> 00:44:40.179
 who are guilty

00:44:40.179 --> 00:44:40.639
 of simply

00:44:40.639 --> 00:44:41.319
 following Jesus

00:44:41.319 --> 00:44:41.880
 on Instagram.

00:44:41.880 --> 00:44:44.160
 And what I

00:44:44.160 --> 00:44:44.579
 mean by that

00:44:44.579 --> 00:44:44.940
 is that we

00:44:44.940 --> 00:44:45.460
 follow him

00:44:45.460 --> 00:44:46.260
 from a distance

00:44:46.260 --> 00:44:46.780
 we watch

00:44:46.780 --> 00:44:47.260
 and we've

00:44:47.260 --> 00:44:47.900
 seen and we

00:44:47.900 --> 00:44:48.480
 read and we

00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:49.700
 just follow.

00:44:49.800 --> 00:44:50.240
 But that's not

00:44:50.240 --> 00:44:50.579
 the follow

00:44:50.579 --> 00:44:51.599
 that we're

00:44:51.599 --> 00:44:52.220
 after here.

00:44:52.760 --> 00:44:53.420
 When Jesus

00:44:53.420 --> 00:44:54.099
 tells the

00:44:54.099 --> 00:44:54.400
 fishermen

00:44:54.400 --> 00:44:55.480
 to follow me,

00:44:55.940 --> 00:44:56.720
 it wasn't to,

00:44:56.900 --> 00:44:57.539
 hey, check out

00:44:57.539 --> 00:44:58.360
 my account

00:44:58.360 --> 00:44:59.720
 and so you

00:44:59.720 --> 00:45:00.079
 can watch

00:45:00.079 --> 00:45:00.559
 what I'm doing.

00:45:01.660 --> 00:45:02.360
 That's not the

00:45:02.360 --> 00:45:03.180
 following he was

00:45:03.180 --> 00:45:04.019
 telling them to do.

00:45:04.860 --> 00:45:05.559
 He was saying,

00:45:05.640 --> 00:45:06.360
 leave it all

00:45:06.360 --> 00:45:07.260
 behind, leave all

00:45:07.260 --> 00:45:07.840
 those other things

00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:09.400
 behind and follow

00:45:09.400 --> 00:45:10.220
 me.

00:45:10.219 --> 00:45:11.759
 and walk

00:45:11.759 --> 00:45:12.039
 in my

00:45:12.039 --> 00:45:12.439
 footsteps.

00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:13.819
 So that's

00:45:13.819 --> 00:45:14.199
 number one.

00:45:14.239 --> 00:45:14.739
 And I challenge

00:45:14.739 --> 00:45:15.179
 you and I

00:45:15.179 --> 00:45:15.879
 encourage you,

00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:16.459
 if you have

00:45:16.459 --> 00:45:17.059
 simply been

00:45:17.059 --> 00:45:17.919
 following him,

00:45:18.259 --> 00:45:19.419
 then truly

00:45:19.419 --> 00:45:20.059
 follow him.

00:45:21.859 --> 00:45:22.299
 Why?

00:45:22.659 --> 00:45:23.179
 And it comes

00:45:23.179 --> 00:45:23.639
 to my second

00:45:23.639 --> 00:45:24.259
 point here is

00:45:24.259 --> 00:45:24.519
 this.

00:45:24.959 --> 00:45:25.519
 The challenge

00:45:25.519 --> 00:45:26.059
 for you,

00:45:26.779 --> 00:45:27.379
 what that whole

00:45:27.379 --> 00:45:27.839
 passage,

00:45:28.139 --> 00:45:28.579
 wherever it is

00:45:28.579 --> 00:45:28.899
 now in my

00:45:28.899 --> 00:45:29.079
 Bible,

00:45:29.259 --> 00:45:30.919
 is really

00:45:30.919 --> 00:45:31.679
 summarizing and

00:45:31.679 --> 00:45:32.219
 saying is,

00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:33.659
 don't just

00:45:33.659 --> 00:45:34.299
 pursue the

00:45:34.299 --> 00:45:34.799
 good life.

00:45:36.119 --> 00:45:36.779
 That group

00:45:36.779 --> 00:45:37.279
 of people

00:45:37.279 --> 00:45:38.179
 basically said,

00:45:38.279 --> 00:45:38.779
 we're not going

00:45:38.779 --> 00:45:39.339
 to just pursue

00:45:39.339 --> 00:45:39.959
 the good life.

00:45:40.939 --> 00:45:41.519
 But we're going

00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:42.039
 to pursue a

00:45:42.039 --> 00:45:42.500
 life that is

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:42.719
 good.

00:45:43.819 --> 00:45:44.599
 And there is a

00:45:44.599 --> 00:45:45.000
 difference.

00:45:45.859 --> 00:45:46.759
 The good life is

00:45:46.759 --> 00:45:47.559
 one that follows

00:45:47.559 --> 00:45:48.119
 all the idols

00:45:48.119 --> 00:45:48.799
 and follows all

00:45:48.799 --> 00:45:49.359
 the acclaim and

00:45:49.359 --> 00:45:49.839
 follows all the

00:45:49.839 --> 00:45:50.459
 reputation and

00:45:50.459 --> 00:45:51.039
 the money and

00:45:51.039 --> 00:45:51.619
 follows all these

00:45:51.619 --> 00:45:52.139
 things so we can

00:45:52.139 --> 00:45:52.819
 accumulate all

00:45:52.819 --> 00:45:53.839
 these things so we

00:45:53.839 --> 00:45:54.619
 can have a good

00:45:54.619 --> 00:45:55.500
 life that's filled

00:45:55.500 --> 00:45:55.879
 with all the

00:45:55.879 --> 00:45:56.299
 things that we

00:45:56.299 --> 00:45:56.679
 want, our

00:45:56.679 --> 00:45:57.279
 ambitions, our

00:45:57.279 --> 00:45:57.619
 dreams.

00:45:59.480 --> 00:46:00.199
 But what that

00:46:00.199 --> 00:46:00.819
 group of people

00:46:00.819 --> 00:46:02.339
 were doing is

00:46:02.339 --> 00:46:03.419
 not pursuing a

00:46:03.419 --> 00:46:04.019
 good life.

00:46:05.459 --> 00:46:06.039
 They were

00:46:06.039 --> 00:46:06.959
 pursuing a life

00:46:06.959 --> 00:46:07.500
 that is good,

00:46:07.799 --> 00:46:09.019
 which is

00:46:09.019 --> 00:46:09.359
 different.

00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:10.200
 A life that

00:46:10.200 --> 00:46:10.920
 is good means

00:46:10.920 --> 00:46:11.579
 one that is

00:46:11.579 --> 00:46:12.660
 with purpose,

00:46:12.980 --> 00:46:14.079
 with meaning,

00:46:14.620 --> 00:46:15.980
 with true joy,

00:46:16.880 --> 00:46:17.740
 true conviction,

00:46:18.340 --> 00:46:19.240
 and true

00:46:19.240 --> 00:46:19.760
 contentment.

00:46:20.900 --> 00:46:21.620
 And only

00:46:21.620 --> 00:46:22.220
 followers of

00:46:22.220 --> 00:46:24.640
 Jesus can

00:46:24.640 --> 00:46:24.960
 have that.

00:46:25.019 --> 00:46:25.260
 And that's

00:46:25.260 --> 00:46:26.180
 why the

00:46:26.180 --> 00:46:26.740
 Christian message

00:46:26.740 --> 00:46:27.280
 is offensive.

00:46:28.660 --> 00:46:29.559
 So I've led

00:46:29.559 --> 00:46:30.059
 you to believe

00:46:30.059 --> 00:46:30.579
 that it's easy,

00:46:30.640 --> 00:46:30.980
 it's not.

00:46:31.640 --> 00:46:32.079
 And it's

00:46:32.079 --> 00:46:32.760
 insulting because

00:46:32.760 --> 00:46:33.220
 some of you

00:46:33.220 --> 00:46:33.640
 think, well,

00:46:33.700 --> 00:46:34.340
 that's important.

00:46:34.640 --> 00:46:35.500
 Those things are

00:46:35.500 --> 00:46:35.800
 important.

00:46:35.800 --> 00:46:36.860
 And this is

00:46:36.860 --> 00:46:37.240
 what Julian

00:46:37.240 --> 00:46:37.700
 prayed at the

00:46:37.700 --> 00:46:37.900
 beginning,

00:46:38.019 --> 00:46:38.340
 that there

00:46:38.340 --> 00:46:40.060
 are no other

00:46:40.060 --> 00:46:41.220
 gods before

00:46:41.220 --> 00:46:41.460
 him.

00:46:41.680 --> 00:46:42.240
 There is no

00:46:42.240 --> 00:46:42.560
 one even

00:46:42.560 --> 00:46:43.380
 around him,

00:46:43.600 --> 00:46:44.440
 followed just

00:46:44.440 --> 00:46:45.940
 him and

00:46:45.940 --> 00:46:46.480
 nothing else.

00:46:47.740 --> 00:46:48.440
 I hope the

00:46:48.440 --> 00:46:49.320
 message ministers

00:46:49.320 --> 00:46:49.860
 to you in

00:46:49.860 --> 00:46:50.200
 some way.

00:46:50.960 --> 00:46:51.680
 And I pray

00:46:51.680 --> 00:46:53.340
 that this

00:46:53.340 --> 00:46:53.860
 time next week

00:46:53.860 --> 00:46:54.200
 we'll come

00:46:54.200 --> 00:46:55.300
 back and we'll

00:46:55.300 --> 00:46:55.740
 look a little

00:46:55.740 --> 00:46:56.320
 bit more like

00:46:56.320 --> 00:46:56.880
 Jesus than we

00:46:56.880 --> 00:46:57.420
 did today.

00:46:58.019 --> 00:46:58.680
 So that if

00:46:58.680 --> 00:46:59.260
 someone was to

00:46:59.260 --> 00:47:00.120
 imitate next

00:47:00.120 --> 00:47:00.620
 week's you,

00:47:01.100 --> 00:47:01.940
 they would look

00:47:01.940 --> 00:47:02.340
 a little bit

00:47:02.340 --> 00:47:02.920
 more like Jesus

00:47:02.920 --> 00:47:03.420
 than if they

00:47:03.420 --> 00:47:03.659
 were to

00:47:03.659 --> 00:47:04.340
 imitate you

00:47:04.340 --> 00:47:04.800
 today.

00:47:05.760 --> 00:47:06.260
 Bless you

00:47:06.260 --> 00:47:06.800
 and I'll

00:47:06.800 --> 00:47:07.659
 see you

00:47:07.659 --> 00:47:08.200
 next week.

00:47:08.360 --> 00:47:08.579
 Bye.