WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.399
 Where is Judson?

00:00:03.620 --> 00:00:04.900
 So sleeping quietly.

00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:07.100
 So I better not do anything to disturb him.

00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:08.859
 Okay, let's bow our heads and pray.

00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:13.000
 Heavenly Father, we pray that as we come to your word now,

00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:16.719
 as I preach it, that you would speak to us by your spirit,

00:00:17.580 --> 00:00:19.019
 that you would grow us in Christ,

00:00:19.140 --> 00:00:21.260
 and that you would help us to stand firm in Christ,

00:00:22.019 --> 00:00:25.240
 holding onto the righteousness that you have given to us in him.

00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:27.560
 And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:30.179
 Who am I?

00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:32.979
 You put your hand up quietly if you think you get this one.

00:00:34.219 --> 00:00:36.519
 And if you're at the first service, you're not allowed to say.

00:00:37.339 --> 00:00:39.420
 I was one of three brilliant brothers,

00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:41.979
 all trained at Eton and Cambridge in England.

00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:48.200
 The three of us were in the Eton Rowing 11 in the same year.

00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:53.939
 I was described as the best all-round English batsman in my day.

00:00:53.939 --> 00:01:00.759
 My brothers and I were all converted to Christ independently on the same day.

00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:06.500
 Well done, well done, Vanda.

00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.060
 I played with other notables, such as W.G. Grace.

00:01:11.819 --> 00:01:16.039
 I was part of the English team which lost to Australia in 1882,

00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.560
 and the Sporting Times published the following epitaph after the match.

00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:23.799
 In affectionate remembrance of English cricket,

00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:27.780
 which died at the Oval on the 29th of August, 1882.

00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:32.980
 Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances.

00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:34.760
 R.I.P.

00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:40.000
 Note well, the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.

00:01:40.320 --> 00:01:41.420
 That was a lie, wasn't it?

00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:42.060
 They've kept them.

00:01:42.060 --> 00:01:45.100
 I inherited a large fortune.

00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:48.859
 I gave it all away and became a missionary to China.

00:01:49.579 --> 00:01:52.859
 I was distinctive because I was amongst the first missionaries

00:01:52.859 --> 00:01:57.480
 to try to take on the culture of the people that I was trying to witness to.

00:01:58.540 --> 00:02:00.719
 My name is C.T. Studd.

00:02:02.099 --> 00:02:07.420
 The biography of C.T. Studd is the story of a man who became passionate about his faith.

00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:10.099
 In human terms, he had it all before him.

00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:10.860
 He had wealth.

00:02:11.259 --> 00:02:12.319
 He had popularity.

00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:16.319
 He had great sporting ability and he had brains.

00:02:17.920 --> 00:02:20.560
 And probably things that we crave for our children.

00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:26.759
 And he turned to Christ and he was no longer satisfied with what he had

00:02:26.759 --> 00:02:31.520
 and he was no longer satisfied with what most people crave for.

00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:35.840
 When his brother nearly died, C.T. Studd wrote this.

00:02:35.920 --> 00:02:36.180
 He said,

00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:38.880
 All those things that had become as nothing to my brother,

00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:42.360
 all those things had become as nothing to my brother,

00:02:42.939 --> 00:02:46.160
 he only cared about the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:02:47.060 --> 00:02:49.060
 And God taught me the same lesson.

00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:53.700
 And in his love and goodness, he restored my brother to health.

00:02:54.300 --> 00:02:57.620
 And as soon as I could get away, I went to hear Mr. Moody.

00:02:57.620 --> 00:03:03.300
 And there the Lord met me again and restored to me the joy of his salvation.

00:03:04.620 --> 00:03:07.280
 And still further and what was better than all,

00:03:07.920 --> 00:03:09.360
 he sent me to work for him

00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:13.460
 and I began to try to persuade my friends to read the gospel

00:03:13.460 --> 00:03:17.099
 and to speak to them individually about their souls.

00:03:18.460 --> 00:03:21.540
 And I cannot tell you what joy it gave me

00:03:21.540 --> 00:03:25.300
 to bring my first soul to the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:03:25.300 --> 00:03:30.860
 I have tasted almost all the pleasures that this world can give

00:03:30.860 --> 00:03:36.280
 and I do not suppose that there is one that I have not experienced.

00:03:37.219 --> 00:03:41.560
 But I can tell you that those pleasures were as nothing

00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:47.740
 compared to the joy that the saving of one soul gave me.

00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:54.020
 So the Bible passage I'm preaching this morning and was just read

00:03:54.020 --> 00:03:59.100
 is Philippians chapter 3 and it begins with these words,

00:03:59.820 --> 00:04:03.460
 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.

00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:08.120
 And it's a call which comes several times in Philippians.

00:04:08.260 --> 00:04:09.860
 It's there again in chapter 4.

00:04:10.260 --> 00:04:11.740
 Rejoice in the Lord always.

00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:13.379
 I will say it again, rejoice.

00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:15.260
 Rejoice in the Lord.

00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:19.759
 And it's not really like this call to happy, clappy feelings.

00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:24.599
 It's a call to the deep joy that comes from a thriving life

00:04:24.599 --> 00:04:28.219
 lived in faithful service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:04:30.099 --> 00:04:32.560
 Last week I spoke about Philippians chapter 2,

00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:34.039
 not in this service but at 8.30,

00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:38.259
 and God calling us to a life of humble service of him.

00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:40.439
 Verse 3, chapter 2,

00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:53.600
 And that is the life that we are called to live in response to the humble service,

00:04:53.740 --> 00:04:55.819
 the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:04:56.819 --> 00:04:59.579
 He is the one who, though he was in the form of God,

00:04:59.939 --> 00:05:03.220
 did not count equality with God something to be grasped,

00:05:03.220 --> 00:05:05.600
 but made himself nothing,

00:05:06.280 --> 00:05:08.120
 taking the nature of a slave,

00:05:08.780 --> 00:05:14.360
 and he humbled himself and became obedient to death on a cross.

00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:18.340
 And so really in simple terms, a simple summary,

00:05:18.760 --> 00:05:22.040
 our wonderful saviour left the safety of heaven,

00:05:22.460 --> 00:05:24.360
 was executed by his creatures,

00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:26.720
 and God lifted him back into heaven

00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.980
 and gave him the name which is over every name,

00:05:29.980 --> 00:05:33.460
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven

00:05:33.460 --> 00:05:35.400
 and on earth and under the earth,

00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:39.160
 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

00:05:39.160 --> 00:05:41.040
 to the glory of God the Father.

00:05:42.900 --> 00:05:46.220
 Christian joy comes from receiving and following

00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:50.100
 the humble servant-heartedness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:05:51.020 --> 00:05:53.520
 One of the themes of this letter to the Philippians

00:05:53.520 --> 00:05:55.840
 is that not only has God humbled himself,

00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:58.799
 Paul and his team have humbled themselves,

00:05:59.119 --> 00:06:00.879
 and we are to humble ourselves

00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.339
 if we are to be true partners of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:06:07.739 --> 00:06:10.819
 Verse 2 is a real change in tone,

00:06:11.859 --> 00:06:14.199
 and it contains a passionate warning.

00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:14.699
 It says,

00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:16.299
 Watch out for those dogs,

00:06:16.759 --> 00:06:18.139
 those men who do evil,

00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:19.959
 those mutilators of the flesh,

00:06:20.699 --> 00:06:22.759
 for it is we who are the circumcision,

00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:25.239
 we who worship by the Spirit of God,

00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:27.019
 who glory in Christ Jesus

00:06:27.019 --> 00:06:29.139
 and put no confidence in the flesh.

00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:31.660
 It's a pretty ugly contrast.

00:06:32.939 --> 00:06:35.259
 It's a hot denunciation of a group

00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:38.639
 whose teaching and ways pose

00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:40.840
 a considerable threat to the Christians

00:06:40.840 --> 00:06:41.759
 in the early church,

00:06:41.840 --> 00:06:43.280
 and especially here at Philippi.

00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:45.900
 The enemy is not identified,

00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:47.220
 but what they teach is.

00:06:47.220 --> 00:06:51.160
 They could be some zealous Jews

00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:53.580
 who are forcing their true blue Judaism

00:06:53.580 --> 00:06:55.580
 in the face of Christianity,

00:06:56.580 --> 00:06:58.440
 or perhaps they are Christians

00:06:58.440 --> 00:06:59.460
 like some of the Christians

00:06:59.460 --> 00:07:01.060
 in the early church in Jerusalem

00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:02.780
 who do not know yet,

00:07:02.940 --> 00:07:04.560
 or don't yet know how to let go

00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.700
 of their Jewish ways,

00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:07.700
 and are pushing them against

00:07:07.700 --> 00:07:09.020
 the international believers.

00:07:09.019 --> 00:07:12.799
 When he says,

00:07:13.159 --> 00:07:13.539
 Watch out,

00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:17.120
 it means consider carefully their ways

00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:19.039
 and beware of them.

00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:22.439
 They are a formidable enemy

00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:24.419
 who needs careful watching.

00:07:25.979 --> 00:07:28.120
 Their beliefs might not seem so bad,

00:07:28.219 --> 00:07:30.419
 but they are a disaster to Christian faith.

00:07:32.479 --> 00:07:34.159
 They're people who probably take away

00:07:34.159 --> 00:07:35.419
 from Christ as the centre,

00:07:35.420 --> 00:07:38.180
 and they might be pushing law,

00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:39.000
 and they might be pushing

00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:39.759
 Ten Commandments,

00:07:39.840 --> 00:07:42.620
 and they're certainly pushing circumcision,

00:07:43.060 --> 00:07:44.759
 but they are not pushing Christ.

00:07:46.640 --> 00:07:48.520
 And he calls them dogs,

00:07:49.540 --> 00:07:50.600
 men who do evil,

00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:52.080
 the mutilation.

00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:53.620
 They're great words to bandy

00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:54.580
 around the church, aren't they?

00:07:55.500 --> 00:07:56.600
 Don't really encourage you

00:07:56.600 --> 00:07:57.800
 to do that at morning tea.

00:08:00.080 --> 00:08:02.100
 But he's using biting irony,

00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:04.300
 and he is ripping apart

00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:05.439
 those who are trying

00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:06.960
 to push their Judaism

00:08:06.960 --> 00:08:08.079
 against Christ.

00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:11.379
 The things that they are proud of,

00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:12.319
 he tears apart.

00:08:14.020 --> 00:08:15.160
 He calls them dogs.

00:08:16.100 --> 00:08:17.580
 These are people in the church

00:08:17.580 --> 00:08:18.500
 or around the church

00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:20.220
 who think of themselves as clean,

00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:21.860
 who think of themselves

00:08:21.860 --> 00:08:23.420
 as the holy people of God,

00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:25.100
 and he calls them dogs,

00:08:25.259 --> 00:08:26.180
 unclean animals,

00:08:26.300 --> 00:08:27.780
 unable to come anywhere near

00:08:27.780 --> 00:08:28.980
 a holy God.

00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:31.620
 People who do evil,

00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:33.980
 not keepers of God's holy laws,

00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:34.800
 the mutilation,

00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:36.639
 a clear reference to circumcision,

00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:38.920
 not a sign of consecration to God.

00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:41.360
 A little bit hard for us to identify,

00:08:41.539 --> 00:08:43.120
 but it's almost like coming into a church

00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.639
 where people are not really on about Christ,

00:08:45.740 --> 00:08:47.500
 but they're on about tradition,

00:08:47.860 --> 00:08:50.659
 and they're on about the outward things,

00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:52.379
 and so people might be saying to you,

00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:53.279
 I've been baptised,

00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:54.139
 I've been confirmed,

00:08:54.259 --> 00:08:55.200
 I've been ordained,

00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:57.980
 and Paul is ripping in and saying,

00:08:58.080 --> 00:08:59.560
 just because you've got the outward things

00:08:59.560 --> 00:09:00.940
 doesn't make you holy at all.

00:09:02.660 --> 00:09:04.180
 And it's a tremendous insult.

00:09:04.280 --> 00:09:05.759
 He castigates what they're preaching.

00:09:06.140 --> 00:09:07.860
 He wants believers to understand

00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:10.400
 how wrong these peddlers of religion are.

00:09:11.280 --> 00:09:14.240
 And he contrasts it with true Christian faith,

00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:16.160
 and he reassures the Christians

00:09:16.160 --> 00:09:17.740
 with the words in verse 3,

00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:20.519
 these guys haven't got it outwardly perhaps,

00:09:20.620 --> 00:09:21.639
 but they've got it inwardly,

00:09:21.700 --> 00:09:22.000
 and he says,

00:09:22.100 --> 00:09:23.220
 we are the circumcision,

00:09:23.779 --> 00:09:25.639
 we who worship by the Spirit of God,

00:09:25.720 --> 00:09:27.159
 who glory in Christ Jesus,

00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:29.960
 and put no confidence in the flesh.

00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:33.360
 We mightn't have it outwardly,

00:09:33.419 --> 00:09:35.279
 but we do have God's grace inwardly.

00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:38.159
 Don't be put off, friends.

00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:39.360
 When we cling to Christ,

00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:43.360
 we have what it means to be truly circumcised.

00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.019
 We do worship by the Spirit of God.

00:09:46.419 --> 00:09:48.840
 We don't trust in our own religious acts

00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:49.860
 or achievements.

00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:53.000
 I think I had the experience

00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:54.320
 very early in my Christian life.

00:09:54.460 --> 00:09:55.879
 I came to Christ in February,

00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:58.419
 and by the middle of the year,

00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:59.820
 I was really actively involved

00:09:59.820 --> 00:10:00.860
 in my local church,

00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:02.480
 and probably three-quarters of the way

00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:02.980
 through the year,

00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:04.759
 I was also involved in the Christian group

00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:06.759
 at New South Wales University,

00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.399
 which in those days was student life,

00:10:08.460 --> 00:10:09.320
 or one of them was.

00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:13.440
 And we would get together in small groups.

00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:14.440
 We'd go out witnessing.

00:10:14.640 --> 00:10:15.760
 We'd have our big group meeting

00:10:15.760 --> 00:10:16.400
 through the week.

00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:18.900
 But one of the things that also happened

00:10:18.900 --> 00:10:20.640
 is pastors would come in from churches

00:10:20.640 --> 00:10:21.920
 sometimes to get alongside

00:10:21.920 --> 00:10:23.260
 and encourage the students.

00:10:24.280 --> 00:10:27.100
 And one of the men who came alongside us

00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:28.879
 seemed like a guru.

00:10:29.020 --> 00:10:31.000
 He was from an independent Baptist church.

00:10:31.060 --> 00:10:31.980
 He was an older man.

00:10:32.040 --> 00:10:33.260
 He was opening up the scriptures.

00:10:33.780 --> 00:10:34.640
 But on reflection,

00:10:34.800 --> 00:10:36.500
 he was always opening things to us

00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:37.980
 like the book of Revelation

00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:39.080
 and the book of Daniel.

00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:41.020
 And explaining the end times

00:10:41.020 --> 00:10:42.840
 and how everything was going to work out.

00:10:43.160 --> 00:10:45.300
 And we were sort of goggle-eyed in amazement,

00:10:45.420 --> 00:10:46.680
 wondering how it was going to happen,

00:10:47.140 --> 00:10:50.200
 and marvelling at the wisdom of this man.

00:10:51.820 --> 00:10:54.900
 And I was a young Christian

00:10:54.900 --> 00:10:57.500
 who had outwardly changed.

00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:59.660
 And my friends knew I'd changed.

00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:01.660
 My family knew I'd changed.

00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:03.340
 And I was eager to speak about

00:11:03.340 --> 00:11:04.580
 the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:08.340
 And this man discovered one day

00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:10.100
 that I was an Anglican.

00:11:11.620 --> 00:11:13.639
 And I'd been baptised as a baby.

00:11:13.820 --> 00:11:15.560
 And he asked me if I'd been baptised.

00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:16.080
 And I said,

00:11:16.620 --> 00:11:18.300
 oh yeah, I think I was baptised as a baby.

00:11:19.020 --> 00:11:19.460
 And he said,

00:11:19.500 --> 00:11:20.920
 no, you haven't been baptised properly.

00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:26.039
 And he pushed that line over a period of time

00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:29.979
 and actually became a considerable stumbling block

00:11:29.979 --> 00:11:30.879
 to me and my faith.

00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:34.939
 Because I was a young, tender-hearted Christian,

00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:36.379
 eager to serve the Lord Jesus

00:11:36.379 --> 00:11:37.799
 and do what he wanted me to do.

00:11:38.500 --> 00:11:39.839
 And this man was actually,

00:11:39.979 --> 00:11:41.199
 started to say to me

00:11:41.199 --> 00:11:42.779
 that I was a disobedient believer

00:11:42.779 --> 00:11:46.399
 who wasn't honouring the Lord Jesus Christ

00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:49.319
 by doing the externals right.

00:11:50.959 --> 00:11:52.839
 And it's a longer story

00:11:52.839 --> 00:11:54.000
 how God brought me out of that,

00:11:54.079 --> 00:11:55.879
 but it took three or four years.

00:11:56.759 --> 00:11:57.860
 And I look back

00:11:57.860 --> 00:11:59.519
 with a different sort of maturity now

00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:00.579
 and think that my brother,

00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:02.279
 as well-meaning as he was,

00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:06.220
 threw a considerable stumbling block at my feet.

00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:12.519
 Paul is passionate and strong here.

00:12:12.779 --> 00:12:16.860
 These are people who look religious

00:12:16.860 --> 00:12:20.159
 and may be intimidating to the people of God,

00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:23.620
 but they actually pull people away

00:12:23.620 --> 00:12:24.860
 from Christ at the centre.

00:12:28.459 --> 00:12:30.839
 And he comes back and he says even more,

00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:32.299
 verses four to six.

00:12:33.419 --> 00:12:35.919
 If anyone else thinks he has reasons

00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:37.620
 to put confidence in the flesh,

00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:38.360
 I have more.

00:12:40.179 --> 00:12:41.639
 Circumcised on the eighth day.

00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:44.019
 Of the people of Israel.

00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:46.500
 Of the tribe of Benjamin.

00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:49.059
 A Hebrew of Hebrews.

00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:50.439
 In regard to the law,

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:51.939
 a Pharisee.

00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:53.340
 As for zeal,

00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:54.620
 persecuting the church.

00:12:54.939 --> 00:12:56.720
 As for legalistic righteousness,

00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:58.399
 faultless.

00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:01.419
 He says,

00:13:01.460 --> 00:13:02.699
 I know about these things.

00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:05.419
 I know what I'm talking about.

00:13:05.419 --> 00:13:07.079
 If anybody's a true blue Jew,

00:13:07.439 --> 00:13:08.039
 I am.

00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:09.779
 Cut in the flesh.

00:13:09.939 --> 00:13:10.839
 On the right day.

00:13:10.959 --> 00:13:11.839
 In the right way.

00:13:12.339 --> 00:13:13.139
 An Israelite.

00:13:13.459 --> 00:13:15.579
 From the tribe of the first king,

00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:16.219
 Saul.

00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:18.879
 Born of Hebrew parents.

00:13:19.719 --> 00:13:21.159
 He can trace his genealogy.

00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:23.299
 There's no dark skeletons in the closet.

00:13:24.099 --> 00:13:24.959
 He's a Pharisee.

00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.179
 He's won by conviction.

00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.599
 He's bound himself not only to obey the law of Moses,

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:33.659
 but also the hundreds of commandments contained in the oral law.

00:13:34.560 --> 00:13:39.480
 He's absolutely faultless in keeping the legalistic requirements of the Pharisaic regulation.

00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:42.019
 He tithes his mint and cumin.

00:13:42.980 --> 00:13:44.200
 If he was a kid at school,

00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:47.120
 he would have been bringing home achievement awards by the bucket load,

00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:49.320
 and we would have been praising him for it.

00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:54.300
 He was a very,

00:13:54.640 --> 00:13:55.860
 very good man.

00:13:59.140 --> 00:14:03.340
 He's proved his zeal by being a persecutor of the followers of Christ.

00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:05.320
 In Acts,

00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:09.340
 Paul was there nodding with approval as Stephen was stoned to death.

00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.200
 Paul was standing there thinking,

00:14:11.780 --> 00:14:13.900
 this is a righteous thing to do.

00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:17.899
 And so as a Jew,

00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:19.519
 he is as good as they come.

00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:21.539
 Faultless.

00:14:22.740 --> 00:14:23.740
 He had it all.

00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:28.759
 One of the Bible study questions this week

00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:30.659
 is to write your own pedigree.

00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:33.959
 Write your own religious CV.

00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:35.919
 So I'll give you mine.

00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.559
 Baptised by Bishop Dudley Ford in 1958.

00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:43.460
 Something I remember well.

00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:44.240
 Not.

00:14:47.079 --> 00:14:48.860
 Confirmed by the Bishop of Grafton

00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.159
 before I came to Christ.

00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:51.079
 That worked, didn't it?

00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:55.360
 Nurtured amongst a wonderful group of believers,

00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:57.059
 Christian believers at Narrabeen.

00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:01.459
 Tutored in the scriptures at Mork Theological College

00:15:01.459 --> 00:15:03.019
 by Archbishop Peter Jensen.

00:15:04.459 --> 00:15:07.019
 Ordained deacon by Archbishop Donald Robinson.

00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.720
 Ordained presbyter by Archbishop Harry Goodhue.

00:15:11.540 --> 00:15:13.980
 Numbers of years in full-time Christian ministry

00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:16.460
 at Currajong and Normanhurst and Macquarie Fields

00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:19.980
 and Weewall and Norwest and now at Chatswood.

00:15:21.139 --> 00:15:22.220
 Those of you who are believers,

00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:23.220
 you can write your own.

00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:27.779
 But then he writes,

00:15:27.920 --> 00:15:29.320
 whatever was to my profit,

00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:32.139
 I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:35.160
 And what is more,

00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:36.680
 I consider everything a loss

00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:38.480
 compared to the surpassing greatness

00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:40.279
 of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:44.220
 For whose sake I have lost all things.

00:15:45.819 --> 00:15:47.539
 I consider them rubbish

00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:50.039
 that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:52.959
 Not having a righteousness of my own

00:15:52.959 --> 00:15:54.799
 that comes from the law,

00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:58.199
 but that which is through faith in Christ,

00:15:58.419 --> 00:16:00.360
 the righteousness that comes from God

00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:01.899
 and is by faith.

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:07.220
 Our English Bible softened the impact of these words.

00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:10.660
 Whatever was to my profit,

00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:12.960
 I now consider rotting, stinking garbage

00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:14.060
 for the sake of Christ.

00:16:14.139 --> 00:16:17.320
 I consider them dung that I may gain Christ.

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.139
 It's a load of crap.

00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:23.480
 It's as bald as that,

00:16:23.660 --> 00:16:24.700
 what it says in the scripture.

00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:28.440
 I've invested in junk bonds

00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:31.720
 that have taken me backwards and not forwards.

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:36.080
 Knowing God,

00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:38.540
 knowing Christ,

00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:41.080
 becoming righteous

00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:43.860
 has nothing to do with the life that we live.

00:16:44.800 --> 00:16:46.259
 It is a gift of God

00:16:46.259 --> 00:16:48.200
 which only comes through faith

00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:49.960
 in Jesus Christ.

00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.639
 He was an outstanding Jew.

00:16:57.560 --> 00:16:59.100
 Very religious man.

00:16:59.100 --> 00:17:03.379
 astonishing pedigree.

00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:06.480
 And by the grace of God,

00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:08.539
 he was brought to Christ

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:11.680
 and he was able to look back at his past

00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:14.460
 and see that everything he did to please God

00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:18.160
 was an absolute and total waste

00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.920
 in terms of knowing him.

00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:20.900
 Rubbish,

00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:22.279
 dung,

00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:23.579
 stinking garbage.

00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:28.859
 The things that he used to glory in,

00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:30.960
 the things that made him a big man

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:32.159
 in other people's eyes,

00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:34.919
 actually made him less in God's economy.

00:17:37.139 --> 00:17:38.639
 And that's why he's so opposed

00:17:38.639 --> 00:17:40.220
 to these peddlers of religion.

00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:42.220
 Dogs,

00:17:42.399 --> 00:17:43.059
 doers of evil,

00:17:43.199 --> 00:17:44.199
 mutilators of flesh.

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:46.019
 They're peddling a way of pleasing God

00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:47.359
 which was totally focused

00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:48.879
 on the life that we live,

00:17:49.139 --> 00:17:50.279
 wearing the right badge,

00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:52.119
 keeping the law which cannot be kept,

00:17:52.220 --> 00:17:53.339
 having the right surgery,

00:17:53.699 --> 00:17:55.899
 it's all outward human observance.

00:17:56.699 --> 00:17:58.059
 Stuff that can be seen.

00:17:58.980 --> 00:18:00.279
 They're focused on the outward,

00:18:00.439 --> 00:18:01.699
 they're not focused on the inward.

00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.199
 And Paul has been through a reversal.

00:18:05.639 --> 00:18:07.319
 God has turned him around in his tracks.

00:18:07.459 --> 00:18:08.639
 He's come to know Christ.

00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:10.899
 He's been brought face to face with him.

00:18:11.199 --> 00:18:12.240
 He's come to see

00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:14.599
 that you can only become acceptable to God

00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:17.019
 through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:18:17.459 --> 00:18:18.980
 Total dependence on him

00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:21.339
 and on what he has done to save us.

00:18:21.419 --> 00:18:22.220
 We trust him.

00:18:23.339 --> 00:18:24.720
 For our salvation.

00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.699
 And that's where the rubber

00:18:28.699 --> 00:18:30.480
 really hits the road for you and me.

00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:34.119
 The new St. Pauls,

00:18:34.199 --> 00:18:35.659
 we are the new St. Pauls.

00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:38.119
 Steve used that expression the other week

00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:39.740
 in the Vision Sunday service.

00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:43.380
 It's made up of people with a long,

00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:45.019
 proud evangelical history

00:18:45.019 --> 00:18:46.940
 which goes back more than 100 years.

00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:50.340
 And we are also a young,

00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.500
 ethnically diverse church with hope

00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:54.039
 who became the new St. Pauls

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:55.580
 in January this year.

00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:58.920
 And the combined experience

00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:00.000
 of all our members

00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.779
 brings much to thank God for.

00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:02.920
 So, you know,

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:04.259
 across our body,

00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:05.539
 we've taught scripture

00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:06.660
 and Sunday school

00:19:06.660 --> 00:19:07.920
 and we've knocked on doors

00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.740
 and we've done evangelism in the mall

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:11.400
 and we've served full time

00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:12.359
 on parish council

00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:13.920
 and we've looked after the grounds

00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:15.319
 and given generously

00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:15.980
 and preached

00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:16.980
 and led services

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:17.880
 and we've cleaned

00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:18.559
 and served

00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:19.339
 and given

00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:20.339
 and we've worked hard

00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:21.299
 for God's church.

00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:23.059
 We've been baptised.

00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:24.059
 We've been confirmed.

00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:25.460
 We've attended prayer meetings

00:19:25.460 --> 00:19:26.480
 and Bible studies.

00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:28.579
 We've led people to faith in Christ

00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:30.419
 and you name it,

00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.019
 we've done it.

00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:33.119
 And if you haven't done it here,

00:19:33.159 --> 00:19:34.099
 you've probably done it in church

00:19:34.099 --> 00:19:34.779
 somewhere else.

00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:39.899
 And they're all great things to do

00:19:39.899 --> 00:19:43.579
 but when you recite a list like that,

00:19:43.639 --> 00:19:45.339
 like I've just recited a list like that,

00:19:45.379 --> 00:19:48.399
 it really is about what we have done.

00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:51.439
 It's about us.

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:54.579
 It's a list which is focused on us

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:55.460
 and our service

00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:57.980
 and we need to be really careful

00:19:57.980 --> 00:19:59.099
 when our eyes are on us

00:19:59.099 --> 00:20:00.220
 and what we have done

00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:02.819
 that the focus has not slipped off Christ.

00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:08.299
 Paul was warning people

00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:09.200
 who thought of themselves

00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:10.180
 as close to God

00:20:10.180 --> 00:20:12.360
 who were actually a long way from him.

00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:14.940
 That's what the Judaizers had become.

00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:18.720
 You can do the externals

00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:20.599
 and you can actually lose your heart and soul.

00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.720
 It's a terrifying thought.

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.759
 More than anything,

00:20:29.900 --> 00:20:31.660
 the Christian is called to be on about

00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:33.019
 what Christ has done.

00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.980
 Not who I am,

00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:36.779
 not what I have done.

00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:38.539
 He has saved me.

00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:40.480
 He has given me faith.

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:43.039
 He has made me acceptable to him.

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:46.000
 He is helping me to grow in righteousness.

00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:49.640
 To him be the praise forever and ever.

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:50.680
 Amen.

00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:56.440
 C.T. Studd came to the point

00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:57.480
 early in his life

00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:58.140
 where cricket,

00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:00.519
 national acclaim

00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:02.440
 and even international acclaim

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:03.860
 no longer satisfied.

00:21:05.340 --> 00:21:06.519
 Even as a Christian.

00:21:08.600 --> 00:21:10.100
 And he was passionate

00:21:10.100 --> 00:21:11.539
 for that greater goal

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.720
 of serving Christ

00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:14.720
 and seeing men and women

00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.480
 won to him.

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:18.700
 And God brought Paul

00:21:18.700 --> 00:21:19.360
 to a point

00:21:19.360 --> 00:21:20.059
 where he saw

00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:21.039
 that his old ways

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:22.299
 of pursuing righteousness

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:24.019
 through the Jewish system

00:21:24.019 --> 00:21:25.779
 were absolutely futile

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:27.440
 in the face of what Christ

00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:28.339
 had done for him

00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:29.860
 and he turned his back

00:21:29.860 --> 00:21:30.400
 on the lot

00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.279
 and his creed

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.039
 became

00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:33.360
 what's written here

00:21:33.360 --> 00:21:34.559
 in verses 10 and 11.

00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:37.759
 Very personal words.

00:21:37.860 --> 00:21:38.160
 He says,

00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:39.759
 I want to know Christ

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:41.200
 and the power

00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:42.360
 of his resurrection

00:21:42.360 --> 00:21:44.140
 and the fellowship

00:21:44.140 --> 00:21:44.860
 of sharing

00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:46.000
 in his sufferings

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:46.820
 becoming

00:21:46.820 --> 00:21:47.640
 like him

00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:48.540
 in his death

00:21:48.540 --> 00:21:49.740
 and so

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:50.460
 somehow

00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:51.820
 to attain

00:21:51.820 --> 00:21:52.820
 to the resurrection

00:21:52.820 --> 00:21:53.800
 from the dead.

00:21:58.800 --> 00:21:59.720
 I think

00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:00.880
 that's a magnificent

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.420
 creed

00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:02.300
 for every one

00:22:02.300 --> 00:22:02.759
 of us.

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:06.120
 It's not about

00:22:06.120 --> 00:22:06.820
 who we are

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:08.419
 it's about Christ

00:22:08.419 --> 00:22:09.019
 it's about

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.980
 what he's done

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:11.039
 it's about

00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:11.799
 what it might

00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:12.619
 cost us

00:22:12.619 --> 00:22:13.639
 to follow him

00:22:13.639 --> 00:22:16.240
 and to know him

00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:18.019
 and in the end

00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:18.460
 we're called

00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:19.720
 to follow his humility

00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:20.960
 we are brought low

00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:22.039
 as we share

00:22:22.039 --> 00:22:23.099
 in his sufferings

00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:25.319
 and our eyes

00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:25.759
 are fixed

00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:26.399
 on the hope

00:22:26.399 --> 00:22:26.919
 of sharing

00:22:26.919 --> 00:22:27.839
 in his resurrection

00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:28.740
 after death.

00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:31.319
 Not about us

00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:32.379
 it's about Christ

00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:34.019
 it's about us

00:22:34.019 --> 00:22:34.919
 humbling ourselves

00:22:34.919 --> 00:22:35.980
 and giving him

00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:36.439
 the glory.

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:39.200
 It's an unforgettable

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:39.679
 moment

00:22:39.679 --> 00:22:40.419
 there was an

00:22:40.419 --> 00:22:40.980
 unforgettable

00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:41.619
 moment

00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:42.960
 at the 1996

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:44.119
 Olympic Games

00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:45.039
 in Atlanta

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:45.559
 Georgia.

00:22:47.539 --> 00:22:48.099
 Australian

00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:49.279
 Samantha Riley

00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.220
 was our

00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:52.000
 golden girl

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:52.500
 and she was

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.159
 the absolute

00:22:53.159 --> 00:22:54.099
 hot favourite

00:22:54.099 --> 00:22:55.039
 to win the gold

00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:55.379
 medal

00:22:55.379 --> 00:22:56.939
 in the women's

00:22:56.939 --> 00:22:57.799
 200 metre

00:22:57.799 --> 00:22:59.019
 breaststroke event.

00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:01.899
 It was one

00:23:01.899 --> 00:23:02.559
 of the goals

00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.179
 that we were

00:23:03.179 --> 00:23:03.919
 just bound

00:23:03.919 --> 00:23:04.519
 to win.

00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:07.900
 and the

00:23:07.900 --> 00:23:08.700
 South African

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.599
 Penny Haynes

00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.379
 beat her

00:23:10.379 --> 00:23:11.440
 in a

00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.200
 magnificent

00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:12.839
 race

00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:15.180
 and the

00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:15.559
 Aussie

00:23:15.559 --> 00:23:16.240
 interviewer

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.619
 Channel 7

00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:18.400
 got to her

00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:19.440
 first out of the

00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:19.759
 pool

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.119
 dripping wet

00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:22.779
 puffing

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:23.299
 had just

00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:23.879
 finished the

00:23:23.879 --> 00:23:24.139
 race

00:23:24.139 --> 00:23:25.619
 congratulated

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.200
 her on her

00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:26.500
 swim

00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:26.900
 and her

00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:27.700
 first words

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.259
 out of the

00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:28.900
 pool were

00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:30.280
 I just

00:23:30.280 --> 00:23:30.920
 went out

00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:31.740
 there today

00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:32.259
 to try

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:32.620
 to do

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:33.340
 my best

00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:35.180
 I put

00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:35.740
 everything

00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:36.200
 into the

00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:36.580
 Lord's

00:23:36.580 --> 00:23:36.860
 hands

00:23:36.860 --> 00:23:37.240
 and he

00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:37.700
 really

00:23:37.700 --> 00:23:38.060
 honoured

00:23:38.060 --> 00:23:38.900
 me today

00:23:38.900 --> 00:23:39.680
 and I

00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:40.240
 give him

00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:40.720
 all the

00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:41.220
 praise

00:23:41.220 --> 00:23:47.740
 they edited

00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:48.620
 those words

00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:49.140
 out of every

00:23:49.140 --> 00:23:49.620
 replay

00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:53.179
 a gold

00:23:53.179 --> 00:23:53.439
 medal

00:23:53.439 --> 00:23:53.819
 victory

00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:54.179
 and her

00:23:54.179 --> 00:23:54.579
 words

00:23:54.579 --> 00:23:54.879
 and her

00:23:54.879 --> 00:23:55.339
 testimony

00:23:55.339 --> 00:23:55.839
 were not

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:56.459
 focused on

00:23:56.459 --> 00:23:56.919
 what she

00:23:56.919 --> 00:23:57.379
 had done

00:23:57.379 --> 00:23:58.119
 she was

00:23:58.119 --> 00:23:58.679
 centred on

00:23:58.679 --> 00:23:59.019
 Christ

00:23:59.019 --> 00:23:59.419
 and she

00:23:59.419 --> 00:23:59.939
 gave him

00:23:59.939 --> 00:24:00.359
 the glory

00:24:00.359 --> 00:24:00.639
 in a

00:24:00.639 --> 00:24:00.859
 most

00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:01.539
 magnificent

00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:02.119
 moment

00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:09.799
 when

00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:10.099
 Qantas

00:24:10.099 --> 00:24:10.559
 Flight

00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:11.559
 32's

00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:11.939
 engine

00:24:11.939 --> 00:24:12.419
 blew up

00:24:12.419 --> 00:24:12.839
 the other

00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:13.219
 night

00:24:13.219 --> 00:24:15.079
 and more

00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.299
 than 460

00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:17.379
 people realised

00:24:17.379 --> 00:24:17.819
 that they

00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:18.179
 could have

00:24:18.179 --> 00:24:18.859
 died in a

00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:19.539
 catastrophe

00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:21.039
 and we

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.619
 have listened

00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:22.459
 to story

00:24:22.459 --> 00:24:23.399
 after story

00:24:23.399 --> 00:24:24.319
 after story

00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:24.959
 being told

00:24:24.959 --> 00:24:25.419
 about that

00:24:25.419 --> 00:24:25.819
 event in

00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:26.240
 the media

00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:26.759
 through this

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:27.119
 week

00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:29.740
 not once

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:30.279
 have I heard

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:31.159
 somebody say

00:24:31.159 --> 00:24:32.859
 thank God

00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:33.399
 for his

00:24:33.399 --> 00:24:33.899
 mercy

00:24:33.899 --> 00:24:35.399
 and kindness

00:24:35.399 --> 00:24:36.959
 and protection

00:24:36.959 --> 00:24:38.839
 in that

00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:39.439
 circumstance

00:24:39.439 --> 00:24:42.819
 it's not

00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:43.319
 about us

00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:43.859
 it's about

00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:44.419
 Christ

00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:47.819
 it's about

00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:48.539
 his glory

00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:51.460
 I think

00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:51.899
 I wonder

00:24:51.899 --> 00:24:52.319
 whether you

00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:52.859
 do something

00:24:52.859 --> 00:24:53.200
 with me

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.680
 this morning

00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.000
 and that

00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:54.339
 is to

00:24:54.339 --> 00:24:54.960
 take these

00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:55.480
 words to

00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:55.759
 heart

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.139
 and even

00:24:56.139 --> 00:24:56.519
 to make

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:56.879
 them your

00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:57.279
 personal

00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:57.799
 creed

00:24:57.799 --> 00:25:01.500
 I want

00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:01.779
 to know

00:25:01.779 --> 00:25:02.259
 Christ

00:25:02.259 --> 00:25:03.859
 and the

00:25:03.859 --> 00:25:04.339
 power of

00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:04.500
 his

00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:05.079
 resurrection

00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:06.859
 and the

00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:07.299
 fellowship

00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:07.980
 of sharing

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.440
 in his

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:09.119
 sufferings

00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:09.639
 becoming

00:25:09.639 --> 00:25:10.359
 like him

00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:11.240
 in his

00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:11.659
 death

00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:13.640
 and so

00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:14.240
 somehow

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.140
 to attain

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:15.540
 to the

00:25:15.540 --> 00:25:16.060
 resurrection

00:25:16.060 --> 00:25:16.700
 from the

00:25:16.700 --> 00:25:17.000
 dead

00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:20.600
 will you

00:25:20.600 --> 00:25:20.980
 say that

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.360
 with me

00:25:21.360 --> 00:25:22.920
 if I say

00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:23.400
 it out loud

00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:23.680
 will you

00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.140
 repeat it

00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:24.480
 with me

00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:26.980
 I want

00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:27.279
 to know

00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:27.819
 Christ

00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:30.440
 and the

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:30.940
 power of

00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.099
 his

00:25:31.099 --> 00:25:31.740
 resurrection

00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:34.940
 and the

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:35.480
 fellowship

00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:36.579
 of sharing

00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:37.079
 in his

00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:37.799
 sufferings

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:41.839
 becoming

00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.460
 like him

00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:42.819
 in his

00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:43.220
 death

00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:46.599
 and so

00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:47.380
 somehow

00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:50.319
 to attain

00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:50.720
 to the

00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:51.220
 resurrection

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:51.860
 from the

00:25:51.860 --> 00:25:52.120
 dead

00:25:52.120 --> 00:25:56.220
 I wonder

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:56.640
 now whether

00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.000
 we might

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.440
 just bow

00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:57.860
 our heads

00:25:57.860 --> 00:25:58.279
 and pray

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:58.860
 about those

00:25:58.860 --> 00:25:59.279
 things in

00:25:59.279 --> 00:25:59.720
 our mind

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.039
 and I'll

00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:00.539
 finish by

00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:00.980
 praying in

00:26:00.980 --> 00:26:01.279
 a minute

00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:19.600
 Heavenly

00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:20.259
 Father we

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:20.660
 thank you

00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:21.000
 for this

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.259
 most

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:21.960
 magnificent

00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:22.519
 scripture

00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:23.960
 and for

00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:24.200
 the

00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:24.860
 extraordinary

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:25.580
 transformation

00:26:25.580 --> 00:26:26.380
 you brought

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:26.759
 in the

00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:27.200
 life of

00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:27.340
 the

00:26:27.340 --> 00:26:27.680
 apostle

00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.140
 Paul

00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:31.460
 and for

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:31.900
 the way

00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:32.220
 that he

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:32.740
 could throw

00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:33.460
 all his

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.180
 human

00:26:34.180 --> 00:26:34.840
 achievement

00:26:34.840 --> 00:26:35.680
 and ability

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.759
 and status

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.340
 to the

00:26:37.340 --> 00:26:37.759
 side

00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.900
 for the

00:26:38.900 --> 00:26:39.420
 absolute

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:39.960
 joy

00:26:39.960 --> 00:26:40.519
 of knowing

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:40.900
 you

00:26:40.900 --> 00:26:44.120
 and we

00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:44.700
 pray Lord

00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.060
 Jesus

00:26:45.060 --> 00:26:45.580
 that as

00:26:45.580 --> 00:26:46.000
 men and

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:46.240
 women

00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:46.620
 at St

00:26:46.620 --> 00:26:47.060
 Paul's

00:26:47.060 --> 00:26:47.560
 Chatswood

00:26:47.560 --> 00:26:49.180
 that we

00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:49.580
 would be

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.939
 people who

00:26:50.939 --> 00:26:51.859
 are absolutely

00:26:51.859 --> 00:26:52.460
 on about

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:53.119
 your glory

00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:55.279
 who delight

00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:55.699
 to do

00:26:55.699 --> 00:26:56.279
 your will

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.619
 who

00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:58.240
 thrill to

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:58.819
 know you

00:26:58.819 --> 00:27:00.179
 who deeply

00:27:00.179 --> 00:27:00.919
 desire to

00:27:00.919 --> 00:27:01.480
 grow and

00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:01.879
 know you

00:27:01.879 --> 00:27:02.659
 even deeper

00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:04.600
 and we

00:27:04.600 --> 00:27:05.080
 would pray

00:27:05.080 --> 00:27:05.500
 that from

00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:06.160
 the overflow

00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:06.640
 of our

00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:07.320
 lives that

00:27:07.320 --> 00:27:08.220
 many people

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:08.660
 would be

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.160
 brought to

00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:10.259
 faith in

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:10.620
 the Lord

00:27:10.620 --> 00:27:11.000
 Jesus

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:11.580
 Christ

00:27:11.580 --> 00:27:13.400
 help us

00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:14.080
 to give you

00:27:14.080 --> 00:27:14.800
 glory day

00:27:14.800 --> 00:27:15.400
 by day

00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:16.660
 to realise

00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:17.279
 that every

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:17.860
 breath we

00:27:17.860 --> 00:27:19.120
 take is

00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:19.700
 by your

00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:20.040
 mercy

00:27:20.040 --> 00:27:21.340
 and that we

00:27:21.340 --> 00:27:21.840
 would live

00:27:21.840 --> 00:27:22.600
 lives of

00:27:22.600 --> 00:27:23.420
 humble service

00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:23.980
 to you

00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.600
 Lord Jesus

00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:25.879
 and we

00:27:25.879 --> 00:27:26.459
 pray this

00:27:26.459 --> 00:27:26.959
 in his

00:27:26.959 --> 00:27:27.579
 name and

00:27:27.579 --> 00:27:28.079
 for his

00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:28.419
 sake

00:27:28.419 --> 00:27:29.559
 Amen

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:32.399
 will

00:27:32.399 --> 00:27:35.039
 be

00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.619
 who

00:27:35.619 --> 00:27:36.599
 know you

00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:37.099
 want to

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:37.619
 to come

00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:38.519
 to you