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 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and after encouraging them said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.

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 He traveled through that area speaking many words of encouragement to the people and finally arrived in Greece where he stayed three months.

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 Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

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 He was accompanied by Silpeter, son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Pyrrhus and Trofimus from the province of Asia.

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 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Trofimus.

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 But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread and five days later joined the others at Trofimus where we stayed seven days.

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 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.

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 Paul spoke to the people and because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

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 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.

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 Seated in a window was a young man called Eticus who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on.

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 When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.

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 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him.

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 Don't be alarmed, he said.

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 He's alive.

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 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate.

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 After talking until daylight, he left.

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 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

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 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos where we were going to take Paul aboard.

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 He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.

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 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mithon.

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 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Pierce.

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 After that, we crossed over to Samus and on the following day, arrived at Miletus.

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 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,

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 for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible by the day of Pentecost.

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 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

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 When they arrived, he said to them,

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 You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia.

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 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears,

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 although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.

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 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you,

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 but I have taught you publicly and from house to house.

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 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance

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 and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

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 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,

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 not knowing what will happen to me there.

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 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.

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 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me,

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 if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me,

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 the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

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 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.

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 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men,

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 for I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

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 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

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 Be shepherds of the church of God which he had bought with his own blood.

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 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

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 Even from your own number, men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

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 So be on your guard.

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 Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you, night and day with tears.

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 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

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 I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.

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 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.

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 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak.

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 For remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

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 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

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 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.

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 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.

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 Then they accompanied him to the ship.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Well, if you have your Bibles open in the book of Acts, chapter 20,

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 we're going to have our last look in the book of Acts, looking at Paul's missionary journeys.

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 Next week, heading on up to Easter, we're going to think about why did Jesus suffer and die,

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 thinking about answers that we have for that from the book of Hebrews.

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 But we're going to focus our attention this evening, particularly on what Paul says to the elders in Ephesus.

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 In a sense, we're going to review Paul's mission strategy that he shares with the elders in Ephesus.

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 So for the last few weeks, we've been on something of a whistle-stop tour of Paul's mission.

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 We've seen him in Asia.

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 We've seen him in Europe.

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 We've seen him proclaiming wherever he goes, Jesus Christ is Lord.

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 We've seen lots of opposition, but we've also seen lots of people from different backgrounds,

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 different cultures coming to faith, being established in church, and the church has been growing.

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 For those of us who've been around, it's been exciting.

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 It's been encouraging.

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 It's been a good way, I think, for us to start the first few months of this year to remind ourselves of who our God is.

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 But as we come to an end, I guess there's a temptation to think, well, that was then.

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 This is now.

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 That was Paul.

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 That was Paul the apostle.

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 That's not me.

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 There can be that temptation to think, well, those are wonderful stories, but they're relegated to the pages of history.

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 Do you know one of the good news things that comes through the book of Acts is the reminder time and again that this is not all on Paul.

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 It's Jesus who is building his church.

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 It's God's power that we see demonstrated through Paul and through others in the Christian community.

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 And it's the same spirit that's at work in Paul that is ours as a church.

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 And so I want us to leave Paul's missionary journeys taking heart that this is our God, the God who builds his church.

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 But here we are.

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 Last week we were in Ephesus 9, chapter 19.

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 We see Paul establishing the church.

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 We saw a riot.

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 And now here we find a return to meet with the elders of Ephesus where Paul both reviews what he's done and he also looks forward.

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 There's one more chance for us to draw some principles for ourselves from Paul's missionary journeys.

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 So we've got a sermon with five points this evening, which sounds fairly intimidating, but I'll draw your attention to the story of Eutychus.

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 Paul says it's okay to preach till midnight.

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 So let's just bed ourselves in and let's get ready to hear some of these principles from Paul.

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 The first principle, mission, God's mission requires humble service.

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 Look with me again at verse 18.

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 The elders of Ephesus are summoned to meet with Paul.

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 And when they arrived, he said to them, you know how I lived.

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 The whole time I was with you from the first day I came into the province of Asia, I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.

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 His attitude, his pattern from the beginning for the two and a half years that he was with them and through his mission was to serve with humility.

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 He endured suffering.

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 He endured opposition as he served among them.

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 He tells them in verse 33 to verse 35 that he took no pay in all the time that he was with them.

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 He didn't want anyone to be able to speak badly of him and say, oh, this guy, Paul, he's just preaching to make a name for himself and to get rich and famous.

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 Rather, he worked and in so doing provided an example of serving the weak and the poor with how he used his resources.

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 And when we look across these chapters of Acts, we discover here is Paul who serves the church.

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 Here is Paul who serves the community.

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 Sometimes that's through making tents and making tents well to the glory of God.

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 Sometimes it's teaching.

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 Sometimes it's evangelism.

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 But the question for us is this.

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 What's the key to this humble service?

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 How is he able to keep going serving the church while he faces so much threat and opposition?

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 Notice what he says in verse 19.

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 I serve the Lord.

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 As he served the church, as he served the city, as he served people, he was conscious that he was serving Jesus.

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 That here he is loving others, but at the same time he's pursuing the glory of Jesus in all aspects of his mission.

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 And that example of Jesus, the humble servant, enables him to humbly serve.

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 One of the things that I get to do as a representative of presbytery is I get to interview potential ministry candidates.

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 And somebody handed this piece of information on to me or this piece of advice when you're looking at potential leaders in any church context.

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 Do they pass the chair stacking test?

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 Very important test.

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 Is somebody willing to show up early, to get stuck in, willing to stay late and to pack up?

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 I worked in a co-op supermarket in Sky for about seven years.

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 Most of the time I was on the day shift, but I spent one summer on the night shift.

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 Very different world when you're locked in for seven or eight hours at night.

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 Still serving the public during that time, but my service was unseen and unnoticed.

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 As Christians, maybe a lot of the service we do is the equivalent of night shift ministry.

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 We're doing stuff that isn't necessarily upfront public notice.

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 So the question for us is, do I serve others for the glory of God even when no one else is watching?

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 We're called, like Paul, to love our family, our neighbors, our community for the sake of Jesus.

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 And so as we reflect, would we pass the chair stacking test as we think about humble service?

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 What we see of Paul is that he lived as an imitator of Jesus.

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 Jesus, the one who humbled himself, left the glory of heaven to come down to live among us,

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 ultimately to humble himself, to suffer and die for us, taking our place, bearing our sin and our shame.

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 For the sake of gospel mission, do we embody that kind of humble service ourselves?

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 So that's the first principle. Mission requires humble service.

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 The next thing we learn from Paul is that mission requires teaching.

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 Now we saw last week in Acts chapter 19 when Paul arrived in Ephesus, he did his usual thing.

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 He began in the synagogue, teaching the Jews that the Messiah they were waiting for had come,

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 and his name was Jesus. He spent three months in the synagogue before they drove him out,

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 and then he spent two years teaching in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

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 And what we discover as Paul addresses the Ephesian elders is that as he taught them during that time,

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 he gave them depth and he gave them breath.

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 You look at verse 20.

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 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you.

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 Verse 27.

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 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

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 Paul knows this about this young church.

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 They need to know the Bible.

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 They need to have confidence of God's truth.

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 They need to understand and appreciate the gospel and how it's the center of the Christian life.

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 So he doesn't teach superficially.

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 He is aiming for maturity.

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 He is laying a foundation.

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 He's providing them essential truth that they can then pass on to others.

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 And what we see too is a quote from John Stott was that Paul was thorough.

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 He shared all possible truth with all possible people in all possible ways.

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 We see that in verse 20.

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 He shared all possible truth.

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 He didn't hesitate to teach anything that would be helpful.

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 We see he does it with all possible people.

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 He's declaring it to both Jews and Greeks.

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 And he's doing it in all possible ways.

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 He's doing it publicly.

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 He's doing it privately.

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 Sometimes he's preaching.

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 Other times he's debating.

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 Sometimes he's lecturing.

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 Other times he's having in-depth conversations.

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 Paul was a teacher.

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 He knew that people needed the truth about God if they were to be saved and if they were to grow in holiness.

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 It takes us to that wonderful story of Eutychus.

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 Paul knows when he goes to Troas, he's got one night and a bit with these people.

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 So what does he do?

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 He teaches.

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 He teaches till midnight.

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 Poor Eutychus is struggling, understandably perhaps.

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 He falls asleep and he dies.

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 Three story drop.

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 He's dead.

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 What happens, Paul pauses just long enough to raise him from the dead, to share the Lord's Supper with the church,

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 and then to get going again for perhaps another five or six hours.

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 God's truth matters.

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 It's not that Paul is long-winded and he likes the sound of his own voice.

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 He understood that truth matters in a church.

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 There was a special focus in Paul's ministry.

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 Verse 24, he said his task, end of verse 24, his task was testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

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 What did he declare in verse 21?

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 He declared to Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

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 He's testifying about the gospel of God's grace, God's free and loving gift of salvation made available through the finished work of the Lord Jesus.

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 So he spent a lot of time teaching from the Old Testament to show that Jesus is the promised one,

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 that Jesus fulfills all those rich promises that we find in the Bible.

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 So whether we're thinking about the promise made at the time when Adam and Eve fell into sin,

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 that one would come and he would crush the head of the serpent,

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 Paul would say, this one is Jesus.

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 He has come and he has gone to the cross to defeat the power of Satan and sin and death for his people.

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 He would have drawn their attention to the promise made to Abraham,

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 one of your descendants will bring blessing to the nation.

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 Jesus is that blessing.

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 He would have looked at David, the great king,

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 the one who hopes were centered on that one from his family would be the redeemer, the great king.

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 That God promised.

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 And again, see, that's Jesus.

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 The one who has now taken the throne of heaven and rules and reigns forever.

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 That Paul was demonstrating to the people that Jesus has come as a gift of God's grace,

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 as the only way to be saved.

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 And because of that, people needed to repent of sin,

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 to change their allegiance to allegiance and loyalty to God,

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 to doing battle against sin,

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 to having faith in Jesus alone,

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 depending on him to save them from sin,

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 and depending on him so that we might have a just verdict,

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 a righteous verdict when we stand before God.

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 And so Paul is a teacher,

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 and as a teacher, he focuses attention on Jesus as God's promise

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 and the gospel of God's grace.

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 And he wants them to become mature.

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 Our youngest nephew, who's now maybe three or four months old,

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 he started on solids this week.

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 Too much celebration from his parents.

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 Life gets much easier when babies are on solids.

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 But also, I guess it's a sign,

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 here is a child who's growing healthy,

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 who's growing up.

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 Something to celebrate.

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 In our own lives, are we growing spiritually?

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 Are we receiving from God in his word?

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 What is the place of the Bible in our day-to-day life

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 and Christian experience?

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 Are we growing in maturity?

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 And bearing in mind the fact that Paul was a teacher,

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 and recognizing that we're not Paul the Apostle,

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 but understanding that we are messengers,

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 are we talking to others about Jesus,

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 about how he's central to our hope?

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 Are we looking for ways to share our story

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 to point others to Jesus as Lord?

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 Because mission requires teaching.

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 We have a heart to play in that.

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 The next principle that we see

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 is that mission requires devotion to Jesus.

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 So verses 22 to 24 are significant.

00:19:16.460 --> 00:19:17.680
 Paul is looking ahead,

00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:19.180
 led by the Spirit,

00:19:19.300 --> 00:19:21.519
 to consider his future prospects.

00:19:22.300 --> 00:19:24.280
 And what it seems from a human point of view

00:19:24.280 --> 00:19:26.420
 is that his future looks fairly bleak.

00:19:26.560 --> 00:19:27.160
 Verse 23,

00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:29.200
 I only know that in every city

00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.560
 the Holy Spirit warns me

00:19:30.560 --> 00:19:34.019
 that prison and hardships are facing me.

00:19:35.060 --> 00:19:35.900
 But for him,

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:38.920
 he doesn't seem too concerned about that.

00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.600
 His only concern seems to be

00:19:41.600 --> 00:19:44.740
 about being faithful to the Lord Jesus.

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.980
 Verse 24, he says,

00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:58.839
 Amazing word.

00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:01.900
 He wants every day

00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:04.700
 to be on this race of faith,

00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:08.400
 to be living in faith and obedience,

00:20:08.660 --> 00:20:11.039
 anticipating that prize

00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:13.480
 of eternal salvation with Christ

00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:15.400
 that's laid up in heaven for him.

00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:16.600
 That's his goal.

00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.759
 That's what drives him day by day.

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.680
 And he wants to complete the task

00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:24.500
 that he's been given.

00:20:24.620 --> 00:20:25.860
 He's called as an apostle

00:20:25.860 --> 00:20:28.140
 to bring the good news of God's salvation

00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:31.240
 through Jesus to the Gentile world.

00:20:31.340 --> 00:20:33.220
 That's his unique calling.

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:35.259
 And he wants to give himself

00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:39.920
 totally, wholeheartedly to that task.

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:43.860
 We see Paul willing to be an instrument

00:20:43.859 --> 00:20:45.419
 in the Redeemer's hand.

00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:48.500
 He wants to live his life

00:20:48.500 --> 00:20:51.719
 directing others towards God's grace

00:20:51.719 --> 00:20:53.919
 and love demonstrated

00:20:53.919 --> 00:20:56.099
 in the sending of Jesus, his son,

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:59.139
 to be the savior of the world.

00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:01.939
 This is the same Paul

00:21:01.939 --> 00:21:03.639
 who when he was writing to the Philippians

00:21:03.639 --> 00:21:06.359
 said, for me to live is Christ

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:07.919
 and to die is gain.

00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:09.839
 When we look at his example,

00:21:09.959 --> 00:21:11.379
 we understand that those are not

00:21:11.380 --> 00:21:12.720
 just nice sounding words.

00:21:12.820 --> 00:21:14.540
 He absolutely meant it.

00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:18.460
 He was devoted to Jesus as Lord.

00:21:19.760 --> 00:21:21.440
 I find it interesting sometimes

00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:24.420
 to read the stories of the training regimes

00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:27.940
 of some of Britain's top athletes,

00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:30.040
 whether that's long distance runners

00:21:30.040 --> 00:21:31.460
 or whether that's boxers.

00:21:31.460 --> 00:21:34.799
 it's really fascinating to listen

00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:36.059
 to their sacrifice.

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.440
 Time away from family,

00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:38.640
 maybe months at a time,

00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:40.160
 altitude training,

00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:41.799
 long hours,

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:43.120
 enduring agony,

00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:44.200
 and why?

00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:48.019
 For the glory of an Olympic medal.

00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:51.160
 For the prospect of winning

00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:53.920
 or retaining a world championship.

00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:55.880
 And they will go through anything,

00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:56.340
 it seems,

00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:58.200
 in order to win that prize.

00:21:58.200 --> 00:22:00.500
 Now, by contrast,

00:22:01.120 --> 00:22:02.299
 a couple of weeks ago,

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:04.059
 my friend sent me a message saying,

00:22:04.580 --> 00:22:07.000
 hey, the Sky Half Marathon

00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.559
 is on this June.

00:22:08.620 --> 00:22:10.059
 I hear it sounds like a nice race.

00:22:10.100 --> 00:22:11.200
 Would you like to join me?

00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:13.660
 It took me maybe five seconds

00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:15.180
 to consider the cost

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:16.259
 and say, absolutely not.

00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:18.759
 I was not willing to count

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.880
 that particular cost.

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.420
 I'm not even sure

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:21.700
 that I could have done it anyway.

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.880
 But here's the question for us.

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:26.220
 When it comes to following Jesus,

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:28.900
 when it comes to serving Jesus,

00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:30.460
 which are we?

00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:33.900
 Are we the willing to do anything

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:37.620
 or are we the couch potato person?

00:22:39.900 --> 00:22:41.000
 Paul's example,

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:43.519
 the desire of God for us,

00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:45.380
 is that we would be wholly devoted

00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:47.059
 to the Lord Jesus.

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.620
 And that would be reflected

00:22:48.620 --> 00:22:50.279
 in our priorities

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:51.460
 and our values

00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:52.680
 and how we live

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:54.039
 and how we serve.

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:57.200
 Am I willing,

00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:59.039
 are you willing to suffer

00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:00.559
 in mission

00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:02.200
 for Jesus' sake

00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:03.740
 and in response

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.980
 to God's grace

00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:06.119
 to what?

00:23:06.639 --> 00:23:07.980
 To the suffering of Jesus

00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:09.539
 for us.

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.839
 And I was reminded of

00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:13.559
 the words of the missionary

00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:15.079
 Jim Elliott

00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:16.099
 who gave his life

00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:16.940
 seeking to bring

00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:18.440
 the gospel

00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:20.940
 to tribespeople.

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.640
 He is no fool

00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:23.820
 who gives

00:23:23.820 --> 00:23:25.080
 what he cannot keep

00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:26.519
 to gain

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:28.420
 what he cannot lose.

00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:29.980
 Mission requires

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:30.600
 devotion

00:23:30.600 --> 00:23:32.440
 to the Lord Jesus.

00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:34.680
 And we also see

00:23:34.680 --> 00:23:35.700
 from Paul's life

00:23:35.700 --> 00:23:36.140
 and mission

00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:37.580
 that mission requires

00:23:37.580 --> 00:23:39.539
 the local church.

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.519
 All the way through

00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.539
 the book of Acts,

00:23:42.600 --> 00:23:43.039
 we discover

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.940
 that Paul worked quickly

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.940
 to establish churches

00:23:46.460 --> 00:23:48.039
 and to establish elders

00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.320
 within those churches.

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.299
 So here,

00:23:51.419 --> 00:23:51.799
 having spent

00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:52.740
 two and a half years

00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:53.220
 in Ephesus,

00:23:53.379 --> 00:23:53.879
 there's clearly

00:23:53.879 --> 00:23:55.279
 a church has been planted,

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:57.179
 elders have been appointed,

00:23:57.619 --> 00:23:58.659
 and now he calls

00:23:58.659 --> 00:23:59.439
 these elders

00:23:59.439 --> 00:24:01.579
 to speak with him.

00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:03.139
 Paul was leaving,

00:24:04.059 --> 00:24:05.480
 but they would remain.

00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:07.740
 So what is his message

00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:10.019
 to the elders

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:11.859
 and to them

00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:13.500
 as the local church?

00:24:14.639 --> 00:24:15.859
 And his message is this,

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:16.960
 keep watch,

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:19.379
 be on guard.

00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:21.860
 three different aspects

00:24:21.860 --> 00:24:22.400
 to that.

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.060
 First of all,

00:24:23.320 --> 00:24:23.800
 at the beginning

00:24:23.800 --> 00:24:24.720
 of verse 28,

00:24:24.820 --> 00:24:25.180
 he says,

00:24:25.620 --> 00:24:28.200
 keep watch over yourselves.

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:30.360
 To the church leadership

00:24:30.360 --> 00:24:31.100
 in particular,

00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:31.520
 he's saying,

00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:34.000
 you need personal holiness.

00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:35.720
 You need to be devoted

00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.960
 to the truth.

00:24:37.060 --> 00:24:38.540
 You need to be sharing

00:24:38.540 --> 00:24:40.340
 and living out the gospel

00:24:40.340 --> 00:24:42.460
 in your own experience.

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:43.960
 Reminded me of the words

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:45.380
 of Robert Murray McShane

00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:45.760
 where he said,

00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:47.099
 my people's greatest need

00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:49.299
 is my personal holiness.

00:24:49.779 --> 00:24:50.500
 So they're called

00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:51.140
 to keep watch

00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:51.960
 over themselves.

00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:53.440
 They're also called

00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:54.240
 to keep watch

00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:55.920
 over the church.

00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:58.519
 Continuing in verse 28,

00:24:58.700 --> 00:24:59.359
 keep watch

00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:00.980
 over yourselves

00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:02.759
 and all the flock

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:04.079
 of which the Holy Spirit

00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:05.700
 has made you overseers,

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:07.180
 be shepherds

00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:08.420
 of the church of God

00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:09.779
 which he bought

00:25:09.779 --> 00:25:10.779
 with his own blood.

00:25:12.019 --> 00:25:12.119
 Now,

00:25:12.180 --> 00:25:13.259
 Paul says something amazing

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.180
 about the church there.

00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:15.160
 He's saying to the leaders,

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.400
 remember you're shepherds

00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:16.940
 but ultimately

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:18.299
 you're under shepherds.

00:25:18.860 --> 00:25:19.779
 What does he say

00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:21.080
 about the church?

00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:21.620
 He says,

00:25:22.320 --> 00:25:23.019
 the Holy Spirit

00:25:23.019 --> 00:25:23.980
 has appointed them

00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:24.840
 as overseers.

00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:26.180
 The church

00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:27.560
 doesn't belong to them.

00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:28.759
 It belongs to God,

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:29.500
 the Father

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.779
 and the church

00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:32.420
 has been bought

00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:34.120
 by the blood

00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:35.160
 of Jesus Christ.

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:36.920
 This is a flock

00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:39.360
 with infinite value.

00:25:40.120 --> 00:25:40.940
 This is a flock

00:25:40.940 --> 00:25:41.740
 who ultimately

00:25:41.740 --> 00:25:43.080
 are being shepherded

00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:43.839
 by Father,

00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:45.399
 Son and Spirit.

00:25:46.199 --> 00:25:47.259
 The local church

00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:48.839
 matters to God

00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:49.819
 and the local church

00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:51.859
 matters in mission.

00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:52.500
 Therefore,

00:25:52.939 --> 00:25:53.699
 it's important

00:25:53.699 --> 00:25:54.500
 that they also

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.299
 keep watch

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.240
 and guard

00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:57.480
 against false teaching

00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.799
 and false teachers.

00:25:59.679 --> 00:26:00.480
 Verse 29,

00:26:00.679 --> 00:26:01.179
 I know that

00:26:01.179 --> 00:26:01.960
 after I leave,

00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:03.599
 savage wolves

00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:04.839
 will come in among you

00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:06.119
 and will not

00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:07.000
 spare the flock.

00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:09.480
 Even from your own number,

00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:10.339
 men will arise

00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:11.460
 and distort the truth

00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:12.640
 in order to draw away

00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:13.920
 disciples after them.

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:16.000
 So be on your guard.

00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:17.840
 Internal dangers,

00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:19.460
 external dangers.

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.500
 And they're called

00:26:20.500 --> 00:26:21.740
 to defend the truth,

00:26:22.120 --> 00:26:23.220
 to protect the sheep

00:26:23.220 --> 00:26:24.259
 from lies

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.740
 and against

00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:26.860
 spiritual attack.

00:26:28.299 --> 00:26:29.799
 The local church

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:31.160
 matters.

00:26:32.700 --> 00:26:33.299
 Eldership

00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:34.360
 in a local church

00:26:34.360 --> 00:26:34.900
 matters.

00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:35.799
 Let me encourage you

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.419
 to pray

00:26:36.419 --> 00:26:38.419
 for your elders.

00:26:39.419 --> 00:26:40.519
 They are shepherds

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.279
 looking to

00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:42.339
 feed you

00:26:42.339 --> 00:26:43.940
 from God's word,

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.680
 looking to

00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:46.799
 protect you

00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.859
 by presenting

00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:49.359
 gospel truth.

00:26:51.159 --> 00:26:51.659
 They are

00:26:51.659 --> 00:26:52.480
 a gift

00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.579
 of God

00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:55.200
 for the church

00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.259
 in order to guide

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:57.419
 and strengthen

00:26:57.419 --> 00:26:58.359
 and help

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.240
 grow.

00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:01.059
 So pray

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:02.039
 for your elders.

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:04.180
 But remember

00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:04.720
 too

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.680
 that mission

00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:06.759
 is not a solo

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.359
 project.

00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:07.879
 Mission

00:27:07.879 --> 00:27:08.859
 is something

00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:09.779
 that the church

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:10.299
 does.

00:27:11.139 --> 00:27:11.799
 I love

00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:12.480
 the list

00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:13.720
 of verse 4,

00:27:13.819 --> 00:27:14.579
 chapter 20,

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.299
 verse 4,

00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:16.659
 apart from the fact

00:27:16.659 --> 00:27:17.480
 that the names

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.299
 are not that

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:18.940
 straightforward.

00:27:19.659 --> 00:27:20.339
 What we see,

00:27:20.379 --> 00:27:20.940
 and we see this

00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:21.659
 so often,

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.619
 when Paul is on

00:27:22.619 --> 00:27:22.879
 mission,

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:23.599
 he doesn't go

00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:24.319
 by himself.

00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:25.940
 He has

00:27:25.940 --> 00:27:26.779
 others who

00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.839
 he's training up

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.960
 to work

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:29.759
 alongside him.

00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:30.619
 He has others

00:27:30.619 --> 00:27:31.599
 to support him,

00:27:31.939 --> 00:27:32.579
 people with

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.559
 different gifts,

00:27:33.919 --> 00:27:34.479
 but they're all

00:27:34.479 --> 00:27:35.339
 engaged on

00:27:35.339 --> 00:27:37.079
 mission together.

00:27:38.579 --> 00:27:40.059
 Paul was

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:41.039
 careful to

00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.359
 establish local

00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:43.599
 churches because

00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.979
 they were outposts

00:27:44.979 --> 00:27:45.519
 from which the

00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:46.559
 good news could

00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:48.279
 then spread in

00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:49.299
 communities and

00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:50.219
 cities and

00:27:50.219 --> 00:27:50.899
 regions.

00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:52.979
 So the local

00:27:52.979 --> 00:27:55.059
 church matters

00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:56.879
 for God's

00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:57.259
 mission.

00:27:58.439 --> 00:27:59.079
 And so we

00:27:59.079 --> 00:27:59.839
 need to pray

00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:00.819
 that for us

00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:01.299
 as a local

00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:01.679
 church and

00:28:01.679 --> 00:28:02.199
 for the local

00:28:02.199 --> 00:28:02.859
 churches that

00:28:02.859 --> 00:28:04.199
 you belong to

00:28:04.199 --> 00:28:04.579
 if you're

00:28:04.579 --> 00:28:05.000
 visiting,

00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:06.359
 that those

00:28:06.359 --> 00:28:07.179
 churches would

00:28:07.179 --> 00:28:08.500
 be defended

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.699
 and guarded

00:28:09.699 --> 00:28:10.619
 in the truth

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:12.039
 against lies

00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:13.099
 and against

00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:14.119
 opposition

00:28:14.119 --> 00:28:15.500
 and spiritual

00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:16.139
 attack.

00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:18.519
 And just to

00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:18.879
 think a little

00:28:18.879 --> 00:28:19.939
 bit more about

00:28:19.939 --> 00:28:20.879
 the place of

00:28:20.879 --> 00:28:21.339
 the church

00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:21.759
 and mission,

00:28:21.879 --> 00:28:22.399
 remember the

00:28:22.399 --> 00:28:22.839
 words of

00:28:22.839 --> 00:28:23.179
 Jesus.

00:28:23.959 --> 00:28:24.459
 He said it

00:28:24.459 --> 00:28:24.699
 to his

00:28:24.699 --> 00:28:25.839
 disciples by

00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:26.559
 extension to

00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:26.879
 us.

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.279
 He said,

00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:27.799
 they will

00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:28.599
 know you

00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:29.579
 are Christians

00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:30.160
 by your

00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:30.440
 love.

00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:30.740
 Now he

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.200
 doesn't mean

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:31.940
 as an

00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:32.799
 individual goes

00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.200
 out and

00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:34.059
 loves others.

00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:34.599
 There he

00:28:34.599 --> 00:28:35.319
 means they

00:28:35.319 --> 00:28:35.700
 will know

00:28:35.700 --> 00:28:35.960
 you are

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.559
 Christians by

00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.019
 the way that

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:37.460
 you have

00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:39.059
 love one

00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:40.319
 with another

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:40.899
 by your

00:28:40.899 --> 00:28:41.779
 shared love.

00:28:42.440 --> 00:28:42.819
 And so one

00:28:42.819 --> 00:28:43.279
 of the things

00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:43.759
 that we need

00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:44.740
 to think

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.279
 through is

00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:46.359
 how can you

00:28:46.359 --> 00:28:46.660
 and I,

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:47.720
 how can we

00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:48.440
 as a local

00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:48.680
 church,

00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:49.200
 how can we

00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:50.240
 make that

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:51.079
 love more

00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:52.660
 visible to the

00:28:52.660 --> 00:28:53.220
 people who don't

00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:53.599
 come into

00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:54.059
 church,

00:28:54.539 --> 00:28:54.879
 to the

00:28:54.879 --> 00:28:55.279
 people who

00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:55.719
 we live

00:28:55.719 --> 00:28:55.939
 with,

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:56.199
 to the

00:28:56.199 --> 00:28:57.199
 people who

00:28:57.199 --> 00:28:57.899
 are around

00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.500
 about us

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:58.879
 and who

00:28:58.879 --> 00:28:59.419
 we work

00:28:59.419 --> 00:28:59.719
 with.

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:00.039
 Our

00:29:00.039 --> 00:29:00.959
 shared love

00:29:00.959 --> 00:29:01.740
 is part

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.599
 of our

00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:03.500
 mission.

00:29:04.159 --> 00:29:04.500
 So mission

00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:05.819
 requires the

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:06.639
 local church.

00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:07.519
 And the

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.459
 last principle,

00:29:08.939 --> 00:29:09.500
 a hugely

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:10.459
 important principle,

00:29:10.919 --> 00:29:11.659
 is that mission

00:29:11.659 --> 00:29:13.919
 requires God's

00:29:13.919 --> 00:29:14.619
 grace.

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:16.679
 In verse 25,

00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:18.159
 Paul says,

00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:19.339
 now I know

00:29:19.339 --> 00:29:20.619
 that none of

00:29:20.619 --> 00:29:21.199
 you among

00:29:21.199 --> 00:29:21.799
 whom I have

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.319
 gone about

00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:22.919
 preaching the

00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:23.440
 kingdom will

00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:23.960
 ever see

00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:24.519
 me again.

00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:25.820
 Paul would

00:29:25.820 --> 00:29:26.380
 never see

00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:26.860
 the church

00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:27.140
 that he

00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:28.519
 planted ever

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:28.980
 again.

00:29:30.420 --> 00:29:31.480
 How can he

00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.680
 be okay with

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.039
 that?

00:29:33.539 --> 00:29:34.200
 How can he

00:29:34.200 --> 00:29:34.720
 not be

00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:35.740
 stressed out

00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:36.340
 wondering,

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:37.259
 how is this

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:37.840
 church going

00:29:37.840 --> 00:29:38.460
 to do

00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:39.920
 without me?

00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:42.300
 Verse 32

00:29:42.300 --> 00:29:43.200
 is the answer.

00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:44.740
 Here's what he

00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:45.519
 says to the

00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:46.240
 Ephesian elders,

00:29:46.360 --> 00:29:47.360
 now I commit

00:29:47.360 --> 00:29:48.420
 you to God

00:29:48.420 --> 00:29:49.560
 and to the

00:29:49.560 --> 00:29:50.200
 word of his

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:51.400
 grace which

00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:52.039
 can build

00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:52.539
 you up

00:29:52.539 --> 00:29:53.539
 and give

00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:53.819
 you an

00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:54.339
 inheritance

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:55.359
 among all

00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:56.059
 those who

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:57.299
 are sanctified.

00:29:58.519 --> 00:29:59.579
 God's grace

00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:00.740
 is the key.

00:30:00.899 --> 00:30:01.420
 God's grace

00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.279
 begins the

00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:02.720
 church.

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:03.960
 God's grace

00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:04.839
 will sustain

00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:05.759
 the church.

00:30:05.899 --> 00:30:06.440
 So what Paul

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:06.940
 does, knowing

00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.299
 he's never

00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:07.700
 going to see

00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:08.240
 them again,

00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:09.519
 is he commits

00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:10.539
 this church

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.240
 to God,

00:30:11.639 --> 00:30:12.279
 their true

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:12.879
 shepherd,

00:30:13.379 --> 00:30:13.839
 trusting,

00:30:14.220 --> 00:30:14.940
 again to quote

00:30:14.940 --> 00:30:15.659
 from Philippians,

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.200
 that he who

00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:17.220
 began a good

00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:18.519
 work in you

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.500
 would carry

00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:20.819
 it on to

00:30:20.819 --> 00:30:22.019
 completion.

00:30:23.819 --> 00:30:24.720
 Paul knows

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.160
 the power

00:30:25.160 --> 00:30:25.740
 of God's

00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:25.980
 grace.

00:30:26.619 --> 00:30:27.099
 He knows

00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:27.480
 that it's

00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.640
 grace that

00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:29.400
 saves a

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:29.740
 person.

00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:31.319
 He knows

00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:31.700
 that it's

00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:32.539
 grace at

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:33.079
 work in a

00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:33.599
 person's life

00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:34.819
 that sanctifies,

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.200
 makes clean,

00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:37.039
 makes more like

00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:37.799
 Jesus a

00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:38.200
 person.

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:39.119
 And he knows

00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:39.559
 that it's

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.740
 grace that

00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:41.480
 secures a

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:42.420
 person's final

00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:43.059
 inheritance.

00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:43.640
 In other words,

00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:44.299
 he knows that

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:45.140
 grace is the

00:30:45.140 --> 00:30:46.180
 A to Z of

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:47.060
 Christian life

00:30:47.060 --> 00:30:47.560
 and so he

00:30:47.560 --> 00:30:49.180
 commits the

00:30:49.180 --> 00:30:50.480
 church to

00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:51.160
 the God of

00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:52.440
 grace and

00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:52.820
 to his

00:30:52.820 --> 00:30:53.180
 word.

00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:54.500
 So his

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:54.980
 whole mission

00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:55.680
 rested on

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.279
 this truck.

00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:57.580
 This is

00:30:57.580 --> 00:30:58.480
 God's work.

00:30:59.580 --> 00:31:00.380
 Jesus is the

00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:00.920
 one who will

00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:02.019
 continue to

00:31:02.019 --> 00:31:02.900
 build his

00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:03.380
 church.

00:31:03.420 --> 00:31:03.960
 Even if I'm

00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:04.560
 not here,

00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:06.000
 I can trust

00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:06.860
 that God

00:31:06.860 --> 00:31:07.900
 will continue

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.920
 what he

00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:10.100
 has begun.

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:11.880
 That's not

00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:12.180
 an easy

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:12.519
 thing.

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:14.440
 Before being

00:31:14.440 --> 00:31:15.180
 here, I

00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:15.740
 spent four

00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:16.100
 years in

00:31:16.099 --> 00:31:16.559
 international

00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.099
 student

00:31:17.099 --> 00:31:17.639
 ministry and

00:31:17.639 --> 00:31:17.859
 that was

00:31:17.859 --> 00:31:18.139
 one of the

00:31:18.139 --> 00:31:18.639
 really difficult

00:31:18.639 --> 00:31:18.980
 things.

00:31:19.639 --> 00:31:20.059
 You spend

00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:20.519
 maybe a

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.799
 year with

00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:22.219
 people,

00:31:22.579 --> 00:31:23.299
 introducing

00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:23.679
 them to

00:31:23.679 --> 00:31:24.159
 Christianity,

00:31:24.459 --> 00:31:25.059
 teaching them

00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:26.119
 the gospel,

00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:26.719
 seeing some

00:31:26.719 --> 00:31:26.959
 of them

00:31:26.959 --> 00:31:28.899
 respond in

00:31:28.899 --> 00:31:29.419
 faith, but

00:31:29.419 --> 00:31:29.719
 then you

00:31:29.719 --> 00:31:30.099
 send them

00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:30.519
 home.

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:32.199
 And a lot

00:31:32.199 --> 00:31:32.379
 of the

00:31:32.379 --> 00:31:32.779
 times, not

00:31:32.779 --> 00:31:33.119
 having a

00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:34.879
 clue how

00:31:34.879 --> 00:31:35.379
 things would

00:31:35.379 --> 00:31:35.779
 go with

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.039
 them, it's

00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:36.839
 really hard

00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:38.039
 to commit

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:39.579
 people to

00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:40.719
 God's care.

00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:41.419
 We want to

00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:42.659
 see how

00:31:42.659 --> 00:31:43.099
 they're getting

00:31:43.099 --> 00:31:43.480
 on, but

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:43.980
 that's not

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.719
 always the

00:31:44.719 --> 00:31:45.019
 case.

00:31:45.139 --> 00:31:45.659
 And Paul's

00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:46.300
 lesson to

00:31:46.300 --> 00:31:46.800
 this church

00:31:46.800 --> 00:31:47.140
 is I

00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:47.840
 might go,

00:31:48.580 --> 00:31:49.160
 but God

00:31:49.160 --> 00:31:49.600
 is still

00:31:49.600 --> 00:31:49.980
 with you

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:50.340
 and that's

00:31:50.340 --> 00:31:50.880
 what matters.

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:52.080
 God's

00:31:52.080 --> 00:31:52.540
 word of

00:31:52.540 --> 00:31:53.519
 grace belongs

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:53.900
 to you and

00:31:53.900 --> 00:31:54.519
 that's what's

00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:55.060
 going to

00:31:55.060 --> 00:31:55.880
 sustain you.

00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:57.660
 He trusted

00:31:57.660 --> 00:31:58.240
 that

00:31:58.240 --> 00:32:00.040
 implicitly.

00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:03.080
 Small

00:32:03.080 --> 00:32:03.700
 picture of

00:32:03.700 --> 00:32:03.960
 that.

00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:05.660
 Toddlers on

00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:06.140
 a Friday

00:32:06.140 --> 00:32:07.640
 happens in

00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:08.300
 that hall.

00:32:09.300 --> 00:32:09.840
 And it's

00:32:09.840 --> 00:32:10.360
 nice to see

00:32:10.360 --> 00:32:10.960
 there's certain

00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:11.680
 patterns and

00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:13.100
 traditions that

00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:14.019
 go along with

00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:14.500
 the toddlers.

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.000
 So come

00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:15.519
 five to

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:17.000
 eleven, it's

00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:17.299
 time to

00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:17.819
 pack up,

00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:18.440
 tables and

00:32:18.440 --> 00:32:19.000
 chairs go

00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:19.900
 away, the

00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:20.420
 toys go

00:32:20.420 --> 00:32:21.180
 away, and

00:32:21.180 --> 00:32:21.480
 all the

00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:22.000
 kids help

00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:22.259
 with that.

00:32:22.339 --> 00:32:22.619
 The thing

00:32:22.619 --> 00:32:22.940
 that they've

00:32:22.940 --> 00:32:23.519
 started to

00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:23.900
 do that's

00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:24.720
 new is

00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:24.960
 they've

00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:25.480
 started to

00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:25.759
 help.

00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:26.740
 We turn

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.299
 the sofas

00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:27.839
 around so

00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:29.200
 that people

00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:29.660
 can play

00:32:29.660 --> 00:32:29.960
 with their

00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:30.400
 kids, not

00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:30.839
 to sit on

00:32:30.839 --> 00:32:31.119
 the floor.

00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:32.099
 So the

00:32:32.099 --> 00:32:33.339
 kids, come

00:32:33.339 --> 00:32:33.740
 the end of

00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:34.039
 the time,

00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:34.519
 have taken

00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:35.279
 to helping

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:35.960
 to lift

00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:36.480
 the sofa.

00:32:36.660 --> 00:32:36.879
 Now if

00:32:36.879 --> 00:32:37.019
 you've

00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:37.339
 ever tried

00:32:37.339 --> 00:32:37.599
 to lift,

00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:37.900
 they're

00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:38.759
 fairly hefty,

00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:39.859
 those sofas.

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.579
 So you can

00:32:40.579 --> 00:32:40.940
 see them,

00:32:41.019 --> 00:32:41.420
 they're working

00:32:44.019 --> 00:32:44.359
 and being

00:32:44.359 --> 00:32:44.920
 involved in

00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:45.460
 this project,

00:32:45.539 --> 00:32:45.859
 but here's

00:32:45.859 --> 00:32:46.200
 the good

00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:48.200
 news, success

00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:48.740
 in sofa

00:32:48.740 --> 00:32:49.299
 lifting is

00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:49.819
 not down

00:32:49.819 --> 00:32:50.279
 to them.

00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:51.299
 They're

00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:51.839
 playing their

00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:53.359
 part, but

00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:54.099
 they are not

00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:54.960
 ultimately the

00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:55.379
 source of

00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:55.740
 strength.

00:32:56.799 --> 00:32:57.000
 And you

00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:57.279
 know, that's

00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:57.759
 the comfort

00:32:57.759 --> 00:32:58.980
 for us in

00:32:58.980 --> 00:32:59.519
 mission.

00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:00.980
 It's God's

00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:02.019
 mission, it's

00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:03.019
 God's strength,

00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:04.279
 it's God's

00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:05.019
 grace, it's

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:06.019
 not on us.

00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:06.980
 God is

00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:07.660
 pleased to use

00:33:07.660 --> 00:33:08.119
 us and that's

00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:09.579
 wonderful, and

00:33:09.579 --> 00:33:09.980
 we should be

00:33:09.980 --> 00:33:10.700
 encouraged by

00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:11.619
 that, but

00:33:11.619 --> 00:33:12.319
 ultimately it

00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:13.079
 relies on his

00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:13.619
 grace and

00:33:13.619 --> 00:33:13.980
 power.

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.259
 not our

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:16.180
 ability.

00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:17.599
 So we

00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:19.139
 leave Paul's

00:33:19.139 --> 00:33:19.539
 missionary

00:33:19.539 --> 00:33:20.220
 journeys

00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:21.740
 remembering

00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:24.160
 that this

00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:24.779
 same God

00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.220
 that built

00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:25.740
 his church

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:26.440
 then is the

00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:26.920
 same God

00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:27.619
 who continues

00:33:27.619 --> 00:33:28.240
 to build

00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:29.539
 his church

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:30.559
 now, and

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:30.879
 there's an

00:33:30.879 --> 00:33:31.759
 invitation for

00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:32.500
 all of us

00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.879
 to do our

00:33:33.879 --> 00:33:35.200
 part to

00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:36.019
 get on

00:33:36.019 --> 00:33:36.420
 board.

00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:38.800
 together.

00:33:40.060 --> 00:33:47.220
 So let's

00:33:47.220 --> 00:34:03.680
 talk to each