WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.339 I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:19.219 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil, pride and arrogance, and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. 00:00:20.219 --> 00:00:22.760 I have counsel and sound wisdom. 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:26.400 I have insight, I have strength. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:33.280 By me, kings reign, and rulers decree what is just. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:39.799 By me, princes rule and nobles, all who govern justly. 00:00:40.879 --> 00:00:46.519 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:53.879 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. 00:00:53.880 --> 00:01:02.740 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. 00:01:02.740 --> 00:01:14.680 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries. 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:22.620 The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:29.560 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:34.079 When there were no depths, I was brought forth. 00:01:34.420 --> 00:01:37.560 When there were no springs abounding with water. 00:01:38.700 --> 00:01:44.200 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth. 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:50.099 Before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. 00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:55.719 When he established the heavens, I was there. 00:01:56.439 --> 00:01:59.579 When he drew a circle on the face of the deep. 00:02:00.219 --> 00:02:03.319 When he made firm the skies above. 00:02:03.919 --> 00:02:06.899 When he established the fountains of the deep. 00:02:07.679 --> 00:02:13.799 When he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command. 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:18.040 When he marked out the foundations of the earth. 00:02:18.760 --> 00:02:22.700 Then I was beside him, like a master workman. 00:02:23.380 --> 00:02:25.820 And I was daily his delight. 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:29.000 Rejoicing before him always. 00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:35.140 Rejoicing in his inhabited world, and delighting in children of man. 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:41.240 And now, O sons, listen to me. 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:44.860 Blessed are those who keep my ways. 00:02:45.820 --> 00:02:48.920 Hear instruction, and be wise. 00:02:50.040 --> 00:02:51.700 And do not neglect it. 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:55.980 Blessed is the one who listens to me. 00:02:56.620 --> 00:02:58.500 Watching daily at my days. 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:01.460 Waiting beside my doors. 00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:05.840 For whoever finds me, finds life. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:10.060 And obtains favor from the Lord. 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:15.400 But he who fails to find me, injures himself. 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:18.620 All who hate me, love death. 00:03:19.379 --> 00:03:21.140 This is the reading of God's word. 00:03:23.620 --> 00:03:24.360 Good morning. 00:03:24.480 --> 00:03:24.980 How are we? 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:31.040 Alright, so I'm, this is my second time now preaching at Watermark. 00:03:31.320 --> 00:03:35.460 And I have to say, I just love the support that everyone gives to me when I come up here. 00:03:35.460 --> 00:03:39.540 You know, last week, Millen told me, don't puke on the stage, and any mistakes will go on YouTube. 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:41.800 Yesterday, I was talking with another friend. 00:03:42.460 --> 00:03:44.100 I told him, I'm preaching at Watermark today. 00:03:44.620 --> 00:03:46.439 And he said, oh great, what are you preaching on? 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:47.520 And I said, wisdom. 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:53.580 And he goes, dude, wisdom comes with age, and you're so young, you're probably the least qualified person there to speak on that. 00:03:53.580 --> 00:03:55.960 And he's probably right. 00:03:56.520 --> 00:04:03.900 But I'm hoping that the wisdom of God's word, which is greater than any of our wisdom, will come through much louder than my lack of it. 00:04:04.320 --> 00:04:07.220 And so, let's jump in and look at wisdom today. 00:04:07.939 --> 00:04:10.460 In the past few weeks, we've been going through a series on Proverbs. 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.420 And we've sort of had this illustration running throughout of an oriental rug. 00:04:14.540 --> 00:04:16.139 Can we get that on the screen? 00:04:16.139 --> 00:04:23.240 And we said that with an oriental rug, when you look at the back of the rug, you can see a little bit of a design there. 00:04:23.719 --> 00:04:25.079 But you can't see the full picture. 00:04:26.099 --> 00:04:30.219 You can see knots and loose strings hanging all over the place. 00:04:30.479 --> 00:04:31.699 And it's sort of a big mess. 00:04:32.500 --> 00:04:35.439 But you can see enough to know that there's something there. 00:04:37.019 --> 00:04:41.879 What you can see, the incomplete picture on the back, points towards a completed picture on the other side. 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:49.560 And we said that as we live in the world, our vision of God's kingdom is like looking at the back of an oriental rug. 00:04:50.540 --> 00:04:54.920 That we can see bits and pieces of what he is doing and how he is doing it. 00:04:55.139 --> 00:04:59.420 But in the end, the complete picture is not something that we can see yet. 00:04:59.740 --> 00:05:01.319 But it's something that God can see. 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:05.800 And as he rules the world, he sees this complete picture. 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:08.079 But we don't quite have it yet. 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:14.279 And we've been talking about what it means to live with this incomplete picture. 00:05:14.599 --> 00:05:20.219 And in light of that, what has been revealed to us to live in obedience to God over the past few weeks. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:29.299 And today, we're going to sort of metaphorically turn the carpet around and look at how we gain a more complete understanding of the front of the rug. 00:05:29.299 --> 00:05:30.599 Of this complete picture. 00:05:31.620 --> 00:05:34.659 And ultimately, I'm going to spoil the ending right here. 00:05:35.039 --> 00:05:36.519 The way that we do it is through Christ. 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:43.339 And so, Teresa just did a great job reading from Proverbs 8 about wisdom. 00:05:44.219 --> 00:05:47.539 It's the big theme of the book of Proverbs. 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:50.419 And it's a huge subject. 00:05:50.599 --> 00:05:52.379 We're not going to cover all of it today, obviously. 00:05:53.219 --> 00:06:01.240 But we're sort of going to build to the big part, which is the title, that wisdom changes everything. 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:08.819 So, we're going to take some time and build a foundation so that we can actually get to that point where I can say wisdom changes everything. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:10.439 And you'll understand what that means. 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:20.879 And the first starting point that I want to start with is that wisdom is rooted in a proper relationship with God, which is ultimately found through the gospel. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:29.019 If you look at the book of Proverbs and the Bible in general, it says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 00:06:29.019 --> 00:06:35.539 I think in our day, we've lost a lot of the significance of what the fear of the Lord means. 00:06:36.139 --> 00:06:37.879 We don't like fear in our culture. 00:06:38.599 --> 00:06:39.799 We like manageable fear. 00:06:39.919 --> 00:06:45.399 So, we like horror movies that you can go and have some fictional account of something horrific happening. 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:49.639 And you can get up two hours later and be like, God, that's not real life. 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:52.139 But we don't like real fear. 00:06:52.479 --> 00:06:53.639 We like to avoid it. 00:06:54.459 --> 00:06:57.560 And we definitely don't want a God who is fearful. 00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:01.099 We want a God who is a genie in a magic bottle. 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:08.599 You know, you find your glass or golden lamp and you rub it and Robin Williams' voice comes out and says, I'll give you three wishes. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:10.879 And that's what we want our God to be. 00:07:10.939 --> 00:07:13.740 We don't want God to be someone that inspires fear for us. 00:07:13.740 --> 00:07:19.100 And so, we take this term, the fear of the Lord, and we sort of dumb it down and we say it's awe and it's reverence. 00:07:19.540 --> 00:07:24.300 But if you look throughout the Bible, when people had encounters with God, they were terrified. 00:07:25.860 --> 00:07:28.079 One example would be the Israelites. 00:07:28.759 --> 00:07:29.699 They were slaves in Egypt. 00:07:29.819 --> 00:07:32.360 They got set free through God's powerful work. 00:07:32.840 --> 00:07:39.819 He leads them through the wilderness to Mount Sinai, where he is going to speak to them and reveal to them his commands for them. 00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:46.800 And they come to the mountain and God starts to speak to them in a loud voice through the thunder. 00:07:47.139 --> 00:07:51.139 And the people are there and they hear the voice of God speaking and they are terrified. 00:07:52.100 --> 00:08:00.199 And they go to Moses, their leader, and they say, hey, Moses, we don't want God talking to us because we're afraid that he'll kill us if he does. 00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:06.039 So, how about you go talk to God for us and then bring back his messages and just tell us everything that he said. 00:08:06.740 --> 00:08:07.680 They were terrified. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:09.399 They had a fear of the Lord. 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:13.180 Another example in the Bible would be in the book of Isaiah chapter 6. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.680 The prophet Isaiah was the voice of God to his people. 00:08:19.019 --> 00:08:20.540 And in Isaiah chapter 6, he says, 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:24.920 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on his throne. 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:28.019 He has this vision where he sees God. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:30.779 And he is terrified. 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:36.919 God's prophet to the nation actually calls down a curse upon himself when he sees God. 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:39.399 He says, woe is me, I am ruined. 00:08:39.820 --> 00:08:40.460 Just kill me now. 00:08:40.520 --> 00:08:40.940 It's over. 00:08:42.940 --> 00:08:48.400 Because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the king. 00:08:49.920 --> 00:08:54.879 The man whose lips deliver God's words to the people when he actually sees God says, 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.340 My lips are dirty. 00:08:57.340 --> 00:08:57.919 They're filthy. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:02.960 I deserve to die because of what has come out of my lips. 00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:05.980 And he is in fear in the presence of God. 00:09:05.980 --> 00:09:09.279 And yeah, yeah, that's the Old Testament. 00:09:09.340 --> 00:09:10.200 What about the New Testament? 00:09:10.539 --> 00:09:10.800 Okay. 00:09:12.060 --> 00:09:13.300 We'll go to the book of Luke. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.519 Jesus is teaching this big crowd of people. 00:09:16.740 --> 00:09:18.980 And the crowds are pressing in on him and pressing in on him. 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:22.480 And Jesus is backing up trying to find some space to breathe. 00:09:22.779 --> 00:09:24.779 And he gets to the shore of the lake. 00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:26.420 And he can't go back any further. 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:28.000 So he finds a boat. 00:09:28.199 --> 00:09:30.879 And he says to the guys in the boat, hey, let me step onto your boat. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:35.479 Go out a little bit into the lake so that I can talk to the crowds without getting smushed. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:38.500 And so these guys let him onto their boat. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.699 He sort of backs out into the lake a little bit. 00:09:41.420 --> 00:09:42.840 And he keeps teaching the crowds. 00:09:43.220 --> 00:09:44.560 And he turns to the guys in the boat. 00:09:44.660 --> 00:09:48.040 And he says, hey, take your nets and set them down over the side of the boat. 00:09:49.540 --> 00:09:51.460 And this guy on the boat, his name is Peter. 00:09:51.520 --> 00:09:52.420 You've probably heard of him. 00:09:53.020 --> 00:09:57.660 He says, you know, Jesus, it's been a long night. 00:09:57.720 --> 00:09:58.700 We've been fishing all night. 00:09:58.860 --> 00:10:00.460 And we haven't caught anything. 00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:04.280 And right now is not really the prime time of the day to do fishing. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.340 So that's probably a really bad idea. 00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:09.200 But you said to do it, so I will. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.540 And he drops the nets over the side of the boat. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:15.180 And more fish than the boat can hold start swimming into this net. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.620 And Peter turns and looks at Jesus and falls on his face and says, 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:21.460 depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:25.500 He sees the power of God in Jesus. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:26.800 And he is afraid. 00:10:28.100 --> 00:10:31.540 Or again, in Mark chapter 4, Jesus and his disciples are on a boat. 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:33.600 Again, Jesus on boats. 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:37.280 And there's a storm that comes. 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:38.699 And Jesus is asleep. 00:10:38.839 --> 00:10:40.019 And the disciples are not. 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:43.480 And the disciples are terrified of the storm. 00:10:44.860 --> 00:10:48.039 And they come to Jesus and they wake him and they say, save us. 00:10:48.199 --> 00:10:49.799 Don't you care that we're all going to die? 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:53.500 And he wakes up. 00:10:54.059 --> 00:10:58.159 He turns and he looks at the storm and the wind and the waves and the rain and the thunder. 00:10:58.359 --> 00:11:00.159 And he says, peace, be still. 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:01.859 And it does. 00:11:03.319 --> 00:11:07.019 And the Bible says, not that the disciples stopped being afraid when that happened, 00:11:07.199 --> 00:11:09.500 but actually that they became more afraid. 00:11:10.039 --> 00:11:13.359 Because now instead of, oh, there's weather that can kill us, 00:11:13.740 --> 00:11:16.719 there is a man on the boat with us who can control the weather. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:19.460 And that terrified them. 00:11:20.180 --> 00:11:25.279 And they became more afraid of this man on the boat with them than they were of the weather itself. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:32.960 In the Bible, anytime someone has an interaction with God where they get to see him and his power on display, 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:35.820 there is a genuine, legitimate fear. 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:41.440 And I think that understanding this is essential to our understanding of wisdom. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:43.960 And this is not a crippling fear. 00:11:44.020 --> 00:11:47.400 This is not a fear that just traps us and holds us and won't let us go. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:50.560 But it's actually, the Bible says, a fear that leads to life. 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:54.700 I know that may seem like a paradox for us. 00:11:55.260 --> 00:12:00.000 But if you think about it, the disciples on the boat with Jesus, when he calmed the storm, 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.860 they were afraid of this man on the boat with them. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:07.899 But when they realized that they were afraid of him, 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.799 they realized that there was nothing else they needed to be afraid of. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.639 The things that they had previously been afraid of, the wind, the rain, the seas, 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:18.480 this guy controls those. 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:19.700 Why would we need to fear those? 00:12:19.700 --> 00:12:26.340 And the fear of Jesus, the fear of the Lord in that situation, 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.300 freed them from all the other fears that they were experiencing. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:32.220 So when we properly understand the fear of the Lord, 00:12:32.280 --> 00:12:37.000 it actually liberates us and frees us from all of our other fears. 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:42.640 But also, it's not a fear that just takes us and holds us in its own grip. 00:12:43.740 --> 00:12:49.440 Because the fear of the Lord is actually the way that we enter into a relationship with God as well. 00:12:49.700 --> 00:12:56.759 See, as long as we take the fear of the Lord and sort of reduce it to awe, reverence, 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:59.759 warm, fuzzy feelings about God inside our hearts, 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:04.660 we're not going to understand the basic message of the gospel. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.500 Which is that God created us as worshipers of himself. 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:14.680 That he created us to live in this relationship with him in this good thing. 00:13:15.780 --> 00:13:17.720 And our sin completely wrecked that. 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:24.240 There is a void between us and God because of our sin that we cannot bridge on our own. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:29.799 And as long as we think the fear of the Lord is this awe, reverence, 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:33.899 we'll think, oh, there's something I can do to fix what's wrong. 00:13:34.740 --> 00:13:38.960 It's not until we realize how big God is, how perfect God is, 00:13:39.060 --> 00:13:43.620 and how high his standard for us is, and how far short of it we have fallen, 00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:49.460 that we realize how desperate we are for something other than ourselves to bridge that gap. 00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:53.940 And the fear of the Lord makes us aware of our need for something else, 00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:57.980 something other to bridge this gap, and ultimately points us to Christ. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:04.320 So through this we can see that our fear of the Lord, 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:08.480 that wisdom has its root in the gospel, in Christ, 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:13.259 and that that is an essential part of us properly understanding what wisdom is. 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:19.159 As we move on, we see also that God's wisdom, the true wisdom, 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:25.259 is different than the world's wisdom, although they are not mutually exclusive. 00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:32.000 The definition of wisdom that I'm working with today is that wisdom is 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:36.100 a system of beliefs and practices developed to help us live the good life. 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:41.100 A system of beliefs and practices developed to help us live the good life. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:44.659 I think this is something that we sort of miss out on in our day and age, 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:49.300 that ultimately in the Bible, wisdom, such as the book of Proverbs, 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:55.620 was not written as, this is how you have to be, or else. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:00.440 But it was written as an instruction to help live the good life. 00:15:01.940 --> 00:15:04.580 Solomon says, don't go mess around with your neighbor's wife, 00:15:04.580 --> 00:15:07.020 because you don't want your neighbor out for your head. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:13.520 Solomon says, you don't want to rob people because you want to live in a world 00:15:13.520 --> 00:15:16.180 that is safe, where you don't have to worry about people robbing you. 00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:19.960 Like, the key to the good life is to live in obedience to God's commands. 00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:23.280 And let me show you what those are. 00:15:23.300 --> 00:15:25.100 It's basically the premise of Proverbs. 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:29.360 And in the Bible, the fear of the Lord, living in obedience to his commands, 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:34.040 trusting Christ, is repeatedly portrayed as the path to the good life. 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:38.300 And the world also has a definition of the good life. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:42.220 The world says the good life is get as much money as you can. 00:15:43.020 --> 00:15:44.680 Get as much power as you can. 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.520 Have as much sex as you can. 00:15:47.460 --> 00:15:51.160 Pursue happiness at all costs as much as you can. 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:58.079 And because of this, the world has a definition of wisdom that is different than God's 00:15:58.079 --> 00:16:03.259 because the definition of the good life that they're basing their definition of wisdom upon 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:06.139 is different than God's definition of the good life. 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:12.039 So the world's collection of wisdom could look something like this. 00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:14.919 Work as hard as you can from an early age. 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:18.759 Get into the best school that you can so that you can get the best job that you can 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:23.460 so you can get the most money possible and be happy because of it. 00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:30.259 It's okay to lie, cheat, and steal to get more as long as you don't get caught. 00:16:34.060 --> 00:16:37.620 If you're not really fulfilled in your marriage relationship, 00:16:37.920 --> 00:16:42.980 it's okay to seek more fulfillment outside of your marriage relationship as long as you don't get caught. 00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:47.320 Do whatever it takes to make you happy. 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:49.300 To fulfill yourself. 00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:52.299 And that is the path to a good life. 00:16:52.899 --> 00:16:54.539 That is what the world tells us. 00:16:55.620 --> 00:16:58.879 But God gives us a different message in terms of wisdom 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:01.779 because he gives us a different definition of the good life. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:09.240 God says, ultimately, the good life is found not in this pursuit of pleasures that are going to go away, 00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:12.519 but in a relationship with me. 00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:15.200 So God says, pursue me. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.059 Pursue the things that draw you closer to me. 00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:21.079 So the Bible's definition of wisdom and collection of wisdom 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:24.200 says things like, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:27.139 It says things like, love your neighbor. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:29.019 Don't use them. 00:17:29.980 --> 00:17:31.399 It says, yes, work hard. 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:32.359 That is a good thing. 00:17:32.619 --> 00:17:33.940 But don't let your work define you. 00:17:34.419 --> 00:17:35.619 Take a day of rest every week. 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:40.339 And so we can see that God's wisdom and the world's wisdom, 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.559 they're different, but they're not mutually exclusive. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:47.899 And what this means is that we shouldn't automatically accept or discount wisdom 00:17:47.899 --> 00:17:50.099 simply because of the source that we receive it from. 00:17:50.639 --> 00:17:54.819 So for example, if a non-Christian relative walks up to you and says, 00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:56.139 you need to work hard, 00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:58.579 we shouldn't look at them and say, 00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:00.419 oh, you're not a Christian. 00:18:00.579 --> 00:18:02.119 Nothing you say can be any good. 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:06.579 We should say, okay, what does the Bible say about this? 00:18:06.579 --> 00:18:10.379 According to God's word, hard work is a good thing. 00:18:10.639 --> 00:18:11.199 You are right. 00:18:12.199 --> 00:18:15.500 But according to God's word, my work should not define me. 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:19.199 And so I shouldn't just work hard blindly, 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:22.220 but I should work hard with a view of why I'm working hard, 00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:24.379 that I'm doing it for God's kingdom and his glory. 00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:27.779 It also means that we shouldn't just blindly accept 00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:30.740 something that people tell us because they're Christians. 00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:34.359 Yes, the Bible is correct, but Christians aren't always correct. 00:18:34.359 --> 00:18:38.059 So for example, one time I was listening to a sermon. 00:18:38.379 --> 00:18:40.039 I've listened to a lot of those over the years. 00:18:40.659 --> 00:18:42.740 And I heard this preacher say, 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:47.000 if you want to have lasting change in your life, 00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:51.159 one essential step is to reward yourself for the change that you make. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.639 And he had a passage in the Bible that he used to support that point 00:18:55.639 --> 00:18:58.259 that had absolutely nothing to do with that claim. 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:02.039 And then he had this illustration to show exactly what he meant 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:04.319 by making this claim. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:09.279 And he said, imagine that two men decide to lose some weight together. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.759 And they set this goal to each lose 20 pounds. 00:19:12.859 --> 00:19:15.199 And at the end of two months, they achieve that goal. 00:19:15.299 --> 00:19:17.579 And so to reward themselves, they go out together 00:19:17.579 --> 00:19:20.659 to buy a nice big juicy steak. 00:19:22.639 --> 00:19:25.719 Now, if we carry that illustration over 00:19:25.719 --> 00:19:27.839 and apply it to dealing with sin in our lives, 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:31.159 we see we avoid sin for a couple months, 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:33.040 and then we have a right to indulge in it. 00:19:33.779 --> 00:19:35.860 That's not in line with the Bible's wisdom. 00:19:36.380 --> 00:19:39.120 So although a pastor said this wisdom, 00:19:39.560 --> 00:19:41.340 when you weigh it against God's word, 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.620 ultimately it doesn't hold up. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:46.860 And so we have to let God's word be the standard 00:19:46.860 --> 00:19:48.140 to define our wisdom, 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:50.940 not necessarily who tells it to us. 00:19:51.580 --> 00:19:53.980 I mean, another example is when I was in high school, 00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:57.160 I grew up in a place where there were not many Christians. 00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:00.240 And so a decent number of people in my high school 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:01.160 knew that I was a Christian. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:04.019 And when they had questions about Christianity or about God, 00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:05.320 they'd ask me, they'd be like, 00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:06.759 Eric, what do Christians believe? 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:07.680 What does the Bible say? 00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:10.120 And I had this reputation for being a smart guy. 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:13.039 And, you know, didn't want to say, I don't know. 00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:15.720 So I would guess sometimes. 00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:16.839 Sometimes I knew the answers. 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:18.240 Sometimes I would guess. 00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:20.940 And some of my answers that I gave, 00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:23.700 I found out later on were not quite right. 00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:27.839 But the people in my school believed 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:29.279 that's what the Bible says. 00:20:29.339 --> 00:20:30.420 That's what Christians believe. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.720 Because the only Christian I know 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:34.180 said that that's what they believe. 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:38.359 And so, again, we have to weigh our wisdom against God's word. 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:39.980 Just because a Christian says, 00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:41.159 I think this is in the Bible, 00:20:41.159 --> 00:20:43.019 or a pastor says, this is what's right, 00:20:43.379 --> 00:20:45.180 ultimately doesn't mean that they are right. 00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:49.180 Ultimately, God's word has to be our standard of truth, 00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:51.119 not the source that we get it from. 00:20:52.460 --> 00:20:56.139 And ultimately, the contrasting wisdom 00:20:56.139 --> 00:20:57.460 between God and the world 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:59.299 and the contrasting definitions of the good life 00:20:59.299 --> 00:21:00.379 that they lead us to 00:21:00.379 --> 00:21:02.480 give us an awesome opportunity 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:05.059 to live missionally in the world. 00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:08.200 Missional is basically a word 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:09.920 that means that in our daily lives, 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:12.159 we are living with a missionary mindset. 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.399 The thoughts and actions that we would have 00:21:15.399 --> 00:21:17.159 if we were in a foreign culture as missionaries, 00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:19.259 trying to reach out to them with the gospel 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:23.440 are directing the way that we approach our work, 00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:25.319 our friendships, our relationships 00:21:25.319 --> 00:21:27.799 with the unbelieving world around us. 00:21:28.879 --> 00:21:30.159 And so when we realize 00:21:30.159 --> 00:21:32.079 that ultimately God's commands 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:34.680 are not this oppressive, burdensome thing, 00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:36.819 but they're the path to the good life, 00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:41.919 it frees us to start shaping how we live around them. 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:44.279 Ultimately, when we realize 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:46.980 that God gives us his commands out of love 00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:49.460 and out of a desire to see us grow 00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:51.399 in our relationship with him 00:21:51.399 --> 00:21:52.460 and our love for him 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:54.039 and in our joy in him, 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.839 we have much more of a desire 00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:58.019 to follow those commands. 00:21:58.019 --> 00:22:00.019 And the world, 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.559 operating from its different definition of wisdom, 00:22:03.059 --> 00:22:06.339 still has no desire to follow those commands. 00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:08.900 And so as we let God's commands 00:22:08.900 --> 00:22:10.220 and God's definition of wisdom 00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:11.940 begin to shape us and how we live, 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.379 it will provide differences 00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:17.579 between us and the world around us 00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:18.799 that give them opportunities 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:20.920 to see how God is shaping us. 00:22:21.220 --> 00:22:21.960 And a lot of times, 00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:23.519 these lead to conversations like, 00:22:24.099 --> 00:22:24.299 you know, 00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.980 why is it that you're going to church on Sunday 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:26.900 instead of sleeping in? 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.620 Or, you know, 00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:28.940 what is this community group thing 00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:29.579 that you're going to? 00:22:29.660 --> 00:22:30.799 And I'm not saying 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.620 that we have to add in 00:22:31.620 --> 00:22:33.539 all these extra programs to our lives 00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:36.039 in order to make this impact. 00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:37.599 It could be something as simple as, 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:38.700 you know, 00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:41.480 they want to slightly cheat a little bit 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:42.079 on the numbers 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:43.140 to help the company 00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:44.120 make a little extra money 00:22:44.120 --> 00:22:45.940 and you're not willing to do it 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:49.099 because we're walking in obedience to God. 00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:51.480 And these things start conversations. 00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:53.039 These things make people ask why 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.799 and these things give us opportunities 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:55.880 to share with them 00:22:55.880 --> 00:22:57.920 the reason for the hope that we have. 00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:01.400 And so these different definitions of wisdom, 00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:04.940 they give us this contrast 00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:06.780 that ultimately helps us 00:23:06.780 --> 00:23:08.520 to live as lights within the world. 00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:11.880 And now I think we've reached a point 00:23:11.880 --> 00:23:13.000 where I can say 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.940 that wisdom changes everything 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:17.800 and sort of have that foundation laid 00:23:17.800 --> 00:23:20.180 to build on top of. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:22.920 As we look at the book of Proverbs, 00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:24.560 I think a lot of times 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:25.759 we look at it as a book 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:27.299 on a lot of different stuff. 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:29.379 A book that talks about marriage, 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.079 a book that talks about wealth, 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.440 a book that talks about wisdom, 00:23:32.619 --> 00:23:34.119 a book that talks about our work. 00:23:35.419 --> 00:23:36.359 But in reality, 00:23:36.779 --> 00:23:37.819 Proverbs is not a book 00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:39.519 about a bunch of different things, 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:40.619 but it's a book about one thing. 00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:42.240 It's a book about wisdom. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.880 And everything else that the book of Proverbs talks about 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:46.880 falls under the umbrella of wisdom. 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:50.620 So when Proverbs talks about our family, 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:53.240 it's not talking about the family in and of itself, 00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:55.960 but it's talking about how should our understanding of wisdom 00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:57.859 shape the way that we approach our family. 00:23:57.859 --> 00:24:01.159 When Proverbs talks about work, 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:03.419 it's not talking about work in and of itself, 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:06.699 but it's saying how should our approach to work 00:24:06.699 --> 00:24:10.219 be impacted by the fact that we have wisdom. 00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:13.819 And so wisdom is not just one thing among many 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:15.699 in the book of Proverbs that are discussed, 00:24:15.699 --> 00:24:19.500 but it is the thing that the book of Proverbs talks about. 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:23.140 And as we move forward into the New Testament, 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:25.519 we see that the New Testament draws 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:27.440 these unmistakable parallels 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:29.819 between wisdom in the Old Testament 00:24:29.819 --> 00:24:32.500 and the person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:37.079 So we read in Proverbs chapter 8 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:41.900 that wisdom was the first among God's creation. 00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:45.160 It was with God in creation. 00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:48.720 And as we look at Colossians chapter 1, 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:50.319 verses 15 through 17, 00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:52.480 we see that Paul actually draws 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:54.319 an amazing number of parallels 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:58.160 between wisdom and the person of Jesus Christ. 00:24:58.640 --> 00:24:59.839 So he says, 00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:02.620 He is the image of the invisible God, 00:25:03.059 --> 00:25:05.100 the firstborn of all creation. 00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:07.519 For by him all things were created 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.799 in the heavens and on earth, 00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:10.079 visible and invisible, 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:12.660 whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, 00:25:13.019 --> 00:25:15.799 all things were created through him and for him. 00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:17.299 And he is before all things, 00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:18.819 and in him all things hold together. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.659 Paul uses language here 00:25:21.659 --> 00:25:24.639 that points directly back to Proverbs chapter 8. 00:25:25.099 --> 00:25:26.460 In his discussion about Christ, 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:28.980 he draws in the language used of wisdom 00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:31.419 so the people reading his letter cannot miss it. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:34.599 He says that Christ is the firstborn of creation, 00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:36.899 the exact same phrase that was used of wisdom 00:25:36.899 --> 00:25:38.339 in chapter 8. 00:25:38.659 --> 00:25:40.879 And now that doesn't mean that Jesus is a created being. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:44.380 It's a big phrase that we don't have time to get into right now, 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:47.660 but it shows that Paul is trying to draw these connections 00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:50.000 between the person of Christ and wisdom. 00:25:51.620 --> 00:25:53.920 Also, both Paul in this passage 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:55.920 and Proverbs chapter 8 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:58.180 describe Christ and wisdom 00:25:58.180 --> 00:26:00.020 as agents of divine creation. 00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:04.559 They say that the world was created through wisdom and Christ. 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:09.400 And it says that both wisdom and Christ 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:10.980 are the power by which kings reign. 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:12.019 Colossians 1.16, 00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:12.879 you know, 00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:16.099 all things are made by him and for him. 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:17.839 Thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities, 00:26:18.500 --> 00:26:19.619 it all exists through Christ. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.220 And then Proverbs chapter 8 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:24.059 says that wisdom is the power by which kings reign. 00:26:24.919 --> 00:26:25.480 So Paul, 00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:26.839 unmistakably, 00:26:27.139 --> 00:26:29.039 draws these connections between Christ and wisdom. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:30.619 And he does it again 00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:33.000 in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 30. 00:26:33.139 --> 00:26:36.539 It says that Christ became to us the wisdom from God. 00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:39.819 That this wisdom from the Old Testament 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:41.799 came to us in Christ. 00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:44.679 And Paul's not the only one in the New Testament 00:26:44.679 --> 00:26:47.159 who draws these connections between Christ and wisdom. 00:26:47.919 --> 00:26:49.879 The Apostle John also does it 00:26:49.879 --> 00:26:51.720 in the book of John, chapter 1, 00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:53.399 verses 1 through 14. 00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:54.879 He says, 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:56.099 in the beginning was the word, 00:26:56.159 --> 00:26:56.879 talking about Jesus. 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:58.099 So he was in the beginning, 00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:58.899 just like wisdom, 00:26:59.159 --> 00:26:59.819 in chapter 8. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.720 He goes on and he says 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:04.299 that all things were made through him, 00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:05.159 in verse 3, 00:27:05.859 --> 00:27:07.579 just like all things were made through wisdom, 00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.799 in Proverbs chapter 8. 00:27:10.119 --> 00:27:11.599 And then he says in verse 4, 00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:13.019 in him was light, 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:14.299 and that light, 00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.480 or in him was life, 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.859 and that life was the light of men. 00:27:18.919 --> 00:27:21.099 Again, pointing back to Proverbs chapter 8, 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:24.099 describing Christ as a life-giving force, 00:27:24.179 --> 00:27:26.219 just as wisdom in Proverbs 8 00:27:26.219 --> 00:27:28.059 was this life-giving thing. 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:31.740 So when we look forward to the New Testament, 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:34.539 when we look around the other side of the carpet, 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:36.179 and we see them talking about Christ, 00:27:36.379 --> 00:27:38.259 not just about wisdom, 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:41.000 we see it embodied in a person, 00:27:41.139 --> 00:27:41.919 it's himself. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:44.220 We see that wisdom 00:27:44.220 --> 00:27:46.920 ultimately points us to 00:27:46.920 --> 00:27:48.420 and leads us to Christ. 00:27:48.820 --> 00:27:49.400 That wisdom, 00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:51.800 it's not the same thing as Jesus, 00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:54.420 but that it's fulfilled in Jesus. 00:27:55.160 --> 00:27:58.200 So this lens through which we view all of life 00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:59.920 is ultimately interpreted 00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:03.140 through the person and work of Jesus Christ. 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:06.240 Around Watermark, 00:28:06.380 --> 00:28:08.539 we have this phrase that we use a lot 00:28:08.539 --> 00:28:10.080 that says the gospel changes everything. 00:28:10.080 --> 00:28:10.240 Everything. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:13.000 We believe the good news 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:15.160 that God saves us, 00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:16.820 even though we were separated from him, 00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:19.340 should impact every area of our lives. 00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:22.220 It should impact how we use our money. 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:24.240 It should impact how we view our jobs, 00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:25.380 how we raise our families, 00:28:25.700 --> 00:28:27.580 how we interact with the people around us. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:32.120 And it has strong calls on how we live. 00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:35.900 It should transform the things that we do. 00:28:36.340 --> 00:28:38.019 It should transform, you know, 00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.920 not just who we interact with, 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:41.000 but how we interact with them. 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.960 Are we interacting with them to use them 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:44.019 or to love them? 00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:47.119 And as we see that wisdom 00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:48.839 is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus 00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:51.779 and that Jesus ultimately points us 00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.420 towards the gospel, 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:54.299 we see that wisdom also 00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:56.680 must change everything in our lives. 00:28:58.559 --> 00:28:59.500 That ultimately, 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:01.180 our actions, 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:02.460 our thoughts, 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.740 our mindsets, 00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:05.000 towards everything, 00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:06.759 must be transformed 00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:09.259 transformed by this call of wisdom 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:10.480 upon our lives. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:12.960 And this isn't something 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:15.000 that happens immediately. 00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:16.059 It's a process. 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.039 So it's not like 00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:19.339 pray and become a Christian 00:29:19.339 --> 00:29:20.039 and automatically 00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:21.379 you have all the wisdom 00:29:21.379 --> 00:29:21.980 in the universe 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:23.799 unlocked and right here. 00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:25.660 But it's something that God 00:29:25.660 --> 00:29:26.879 teaches us through time. 00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:28.379 So in my own life, 00:29:28.379 --> 00:29:28.980 I've been a Christian 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.900 since I was a little kid. 00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:31.860 A couple years ago, 00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:32.720 I moved to Hong Kong 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.220 to work at a church here. 00:29:35.320 --> 00:29:36.960 And I really wanted 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:38.080 to help this church. 00:29:38.180 --> 00:29:39.320 I really wanted to 00:29:39.320 --> 00:29:41.220 make an impact 00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.800 in the youth of Hong Kong. 00:29:43.800 --> 00:29:45.360 And I got here. 00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:46.200 I started working. 00:29:46.320 --> 00:29:47.300 I was really excited. 00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.500 And a couple months in, 00:29:48.560 --> 00:29:50.800 I started to sort of re-evaluate 00:29:50.800 --> 00:29:52.320 why I came to Hong Kong, 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:53.160 what my motives were. 00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:55.440 I realized that, 00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:56.040 yes, 00:29:56.060 --> 00:29:57.400 I did want to help this church. 00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:57.600 Yes, 00:29:57.599 --> 00:29:58.799 I did want to teach youth 00:29:58.799 --> 00:29:59.259 about Jesus 00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.619 and see them come to know him 00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:01.419 and love him. 00:30:03.419 --> 00:30:04.699 But that not all of my motives 00:30:04.699 --> 00:30:07.019 for coming were right. 00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:08.899 Ultimately, 00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:09.199 yes, 00:30:09.240 --> 00:30:10.079 I did want to see 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:11.219 these youth come to know Jesus. 00:30:11.379 --> 00:30:13.259 But at least part of that 00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:14.639 was sort of a personal pride issue 00:30:14.639 --> 00:30:15.339 where I was like, 00:30:15.439 --> 00:30:16.719 I feel better about myself 00:30:16.719 --> 00:30:17.500 if there are 50 kids 00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:17.939 in the youth group 00:30:17.939 --> 00:30:18.500 instead of 10. 00:30:21.159 --> 00:30:22.139 And yes, 00:30:22.199 --> 00:30:23.500 I did want to see 00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.819 these kids grow 00:30:24.819 --> 00:30:26.279 in their spiritual faith. 00:30:26.459 --> 00:30:27.579 But at least part 00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.059 of that was, 00:30:28.679 --> 00:30:30.220 I feel like I have 00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:31.179 more value and worth 00:30:31.179 --> 00:30:32.699 if I'm doing a good job 00:30:32.699 --> 00:30:33.740 at my job 00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:34.799 than if I'm not. 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:37.939 And I looked around 00:30:37.939 --> 00:30:38.639 more 00:30:38.639 --> 00:30:39.859 at the gospel's call 00:30:39.859 --> 00:30:40.259 in my life 00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:40.779 and I realized 00:30:40.779 --> 00:30:41.539 that while I lived, 00:30:41.980 --> 00:30:42.939 while I loved 00:30:42.939 --> 00:30:43.740 the church 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:44.399 and the people in it, 00:30:44.419 --> 00:30:45.240 I didn't really love 00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:45.759 the city 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.819 of Hong Kong. 00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:48.779 I was more here 00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:49.960 just to use it, 00:30:50.019 --> 00:30:50.879 get what I could off of it, 00:30:50.939 --> 00:30:51.639 get some extra stuff 00:30:51.639 --> 00:30:52.139 on my resume 00:30:52.139 --> 00:30:53.159 so I went back home. 00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:54.539 I could get a better job 00:30:54.539 --> 00:30:55.500 because of my time here. 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:58.180 And I started to think 00:30:58.180 --> 00:30:59.220 about what does 00:30:59.220 --> 00:30:59.859 the gospel say 00:30:59.859 --> 00:31:00.500 about the attitude 00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:01.140 that I have 00:31:01.140 --> 00:31:02.240 towards the church, 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:03.299 towards the city 00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:03.880 of Hong Kong, 00:31:04.059 --> 00:31:04.980 towards the people here. 00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:07.119 And I saw that ultimately, 00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:08.160 you know, 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:09.319 I shouldn't be finding 00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:10.640 my worth in my job, 00:31:10.859 --> 00:31:11.599 in my success 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:12.279 or failure at it. 00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:12.980 I should be finding it 00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:13.400 in Christ. 00:31:14.299 --> 00:31:14.599 Ultimately, 00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:15.539 I shouldn't be using 00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:16.319 the people around me 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.160 and the city around me 00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:18.440 to gain some cool 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:19.079 life experiences, 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:20.460 get extra stuff 00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:21.000 on my resume 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.599 and help me 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:22.839 have career advancement 00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:23.699 further down the road, 00:31:23.859 --> 00:31:25.279 but that I should be 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:26.159 investing in the city 00:31:26.159 --> 00:31:27.079 and loving the city 00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:28.079 regardless of how long 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:28.459 I'm here. 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:31.559 And these realizations 00:31:31.559 --> 00:31:32.939 started shaping me 00:31:32.939 --> 00:31:34.439 and changing my mindset 00:31:34.439 --> 00:31:36.000 and really have 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.759 had this understanding 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:39.139 of how the gospel 00:31:39.139 --> 00:31:39.559 and wisdom 00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:40.299 changes everything 00:31:40.299 --> 00:31:41.220 have played a big role 00:31:41.220 --> 00:31:42.139 in the fact that 00:31:42.139 --> 00:31:43.079 I've stayed in Hong Kong 00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:43.939 for two years now. 00:31:44.119 --> 00:31:44.399 Originally, 00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:44.659 it was, 00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:45.939 I'll be here 14 months 00:31:45.939 --> 00:31:46.539 and then see ya. 00:31:47.199 --> 00:31:47.740 But now, 00:31:47.859 --> 00:31:48.359 I've been here 00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:49.019 for two years 00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:49.720 and that's largely 00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:51.000 because of this 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:51.519 transformation 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:52.279 that's happening 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:52.700 in me 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:54.059 in my understanding 00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:54.720 of what it means 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.460 to walk in wisdom 00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:56.019 and follow 00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:57.500 the call of the gospel. 00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.200 And so, 00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:00.980 it is a continual process 00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:01.680 that God will 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:02.660 keep doing 00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:03.519 in all of us, 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.759 helping us grow in him, 00:32:05.859 --> 00:32:07.119 helping to understand him more. 00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:09.259 And so, 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:10.680 as we read the book of Proverbs, 00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.579 as we look at wisdom, 00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:12.819 let us not just think 00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:13.379 that it's one thing 00:32:13.379 --> 00:32:14.160 among many, 00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:15.960 but let us see 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:16.559 that ultimately, 00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:17.900 it is the thing. 00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:19.359 Ultimately, 00:32:19.559 --> 00:32:20.480 it finds its interpretation 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:21.220 in Christ. 00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:22.400 That ultimately, 00:32:22.579 --> 00:32:23.180 it's not just 00:32:23.180 --> 00:32:24.579 a little part of our life 00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:24.920 that, 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:26.039 you know, 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:27.339 can kind of 00:32:27.339 --> 00:32:28.740 have its time 00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.259 and space, 00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:29.940 but that ultimately, 00:32:30.139 --> 00:32:31.119 it's the thing 00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:31.960 through which we must 00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:32.980 interpret all of life. 00:32:34.259 --> 00:32:34.960 Let's pray. 00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:37.359 Father, 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.019 we thank you 00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:38.859 for today, 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:39.940 for this chance 00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.759 to come together 00:32:40.759 --> 00:32:41.379 as your people 00:32:41.379 --> 00:32:43.220 to study your word 00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:44.079 and learn about you. 00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.460 We thank you 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:46.579 for your word, 00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:47.680 for revealing 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:48.579 your wisdom 00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:49.420 to us in it, 00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:50.840 and for sending 00:32:50.840 --> 00:32:51.880 Jesus to be 00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:52.480 the fulfillment 00:32:52.480 --> 00:32:53.200 and embodiment 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:54.560 of that wisdom 00:32:54.560 --> 00:32:55.220 for us. 00:32:56.180 --> 00:32:56.860 Thank you 00:32:56.860 --> 00:32:57.980 for the fact 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:59.279 that you have 00:32:59.279 --> 00:32:59.820 purchased us 00:32:59.820 --> 00:33:00.460 with a price 00:33:00.460 --> 00:33:01.240 and that we are 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:01.759 now yours 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:03.240 and that everything 00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:03.900 in our lives 00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:05.400 can now be 00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:07.660 lived for you. 00:33:08.120 --> 00:33:09.400 That your call 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:09.740 to us 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.320 is not just 00:33:10.320 --> 00:33:11.120 to live a life 00:33:11.120 --> 00:33:12.560 of burden 00:33:12.560 --> 00:33:13.880 and of 00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:15.039 blind obedience, 00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:16.019 but a call 00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:16.700 to pursue 00:33:16.700 --> 00:33:17.580 the only true 00:33:17.580 --> 00:33:18.160 good life. 00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:19.740 that is 00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:20.100 available. 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.440 So we pray 00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:22.000 that as we go 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:22.620 throughout our weeks 00:33:22.620 --> 00:33:23.420 we would understand 00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:24.040 more clearly 00:33:24.040 --> 00:33:24.660 what your call 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:25.380 is for us, 00:33:25.560 --> 00:33:26.480 that we would 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:27.360 continue to grow 00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:28.000 in our obedience 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:28.740 to you 00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:29.860 and what you 00:33:29.860 --> 00:33:30.400 want us to do 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:30.880 with our lives 00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:31.240 and that we 00:33:31.240 --> 00:33:31.720 would truly 00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:32.340 know you. 00:33:33.140 --> 00:33:33.580 And in Jesus' 00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:33.900 name, 00:33:34.060 --> 00:33:34.200 amen. 00:33:36.259 --> 00:33:36.660 Amen. 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.340 Let's stand 00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:37.960 and just 00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.900 celebrate 00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:40.060 what God's 00:33:40.060 --> 00:33:40.560 done on our 00:33:40.560 --> 00:33:41.080 behalf. 00:33:42.340 --> 00:33:42.880 We're just 00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:43.259 going to sing 00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.740 about who 00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:44.180 he is 00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:45.080 and I hope 00:33:45.080 --> 00:33:45.620 that in order 00:33:45.619 --> 00:33:46.899 to live 00:33:46.899 --> 00:33:47.419 out what 00:33:47.419 --> 00:33:47.859 Eric's 00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:48.879 told us, 00:33:49.699 --> 00:33:49.979 we need 00:33:49.979 --> 00:33:50.479 to just 00:33:50.479 --> 00:33:51.459 be in his 00:33:51.459 --> 00:33:51.799 presence 00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:52.339 and reflect 00:33:52.339 --> 00:33:52.839 on him. 00:33:54.279 --> 00:33:54.979 And he's 00:33:54.979 --> 00:33:55.519 so powerful, 00:33:55.639 --> 00:33:56.099 he's so amazing, 00:33:56.179 --> 00:33:56.679 he can do 00:33:56.679 --> 00:33:57.419 anything in 00:33:57.419 --> 00:33:57.779 and through 00:33:57.779 --> 00:33:58.279 you if you'll 00:33:58.279 --> 00:33:58.899 just let him. 00:33:58.900 --> 00:34:02.400 you can be 00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:02.660 seated. 00:34:05.660 --> 00:34:06.360 I have just 00:34:06.360 --> 00:34:06.640 a couple 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:07.259 quick announcements 00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:07.880 for us. 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:08.900 One, 00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:09.619 we do not 00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:10.019 pass an 00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:10.579 offering plate 00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:10.920 here at 00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:11.280 Watermark, 00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:11.900 but around 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:12.539 the sanctuary 00:34:12.539 --> 00:34:13.380 and in the 00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:13.840 entrance over 00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:14.079 there, 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:15.019 we have 00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.740 offering boxes. 00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.300 We believe 00:34:16.300 --> 00:34:17.300 that offerings 00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:17.860 should be our 00:34:17.860 --> 00:34:18.480 response in 00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:18.920 worship to 00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:19.260 what God 00:34:19.260 --> 00:34:19.519 has done 00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:19.820 for us. 00:34:19.860 --> 00:34:20.099 We have 00:34:20.099 --> 00:34:20.639 envelopes, 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.340 you can 00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:21.660 just fill 00:34:21.660 --> 00:34:21.960 out the 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:22.320 back, 00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:23.099 stick your 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:23.400 money in 00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:23.740 there and 00:34:23.740 --> 00:34:24.019 stick it 00:34:24.019 --> 00:34:24.220 in the 00:34:24.220 --> 00:34:24.800 box if 00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:25.079 you would 00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:25.400 like to 00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:25.599 give. 00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.519 If you're 00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:26.960 not a 00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:27.480 Christian here 00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:27.960 or a 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:28.220 visitor, 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:28.880 don't feel 00:34:28.880 --> 00:34:29.440 compelled to 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:29.619 give, 00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:31.260 we want our 00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:32.039 offerings to 00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:32.579 be a response 00:34:32.579 --> 00:34:33.199 to what God 00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:33.940 is doing in 00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:34.400 us and for 00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:34.679 us. 00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:35.519 The second 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:36.119 thing is 00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:36.579 community 00:34:36.579 --> 00:34:36.960 groups. 00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:37.559 If you are 00:34:37.559 --> 00:34:38.079 not a part 00:34:38.079 --> 00:34:38.280 of a 00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:38.559 community 00:34:38.559 --> 00:34:39.119 group and 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:39.360 you would 00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:39.720 like to 00:34:39.720 --> 00:34:40.400 get involved 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:41.079 in community 00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:41.360 group, 00:34:41.720 --> 00:34:42.240 we will have 00:34:42.240 --> 00:34:42.659 a desk 00:34:42.659 --> 00:34:43.240 outside where 00:34:43.240 --> 00:34:43.519 you can 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:43.980 learn more 00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:44.800 about community 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:45.500 groups after 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:46.039 the service. 00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:46.920 We would 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:47.400 love for you 00:34:47.400 --> 00:34:47.619 to get 00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:48.340 plugged in to 00:34:48.340 --> 00:34:48.760 community 00:34:48.760 --> 00:34:49.599 groups and 00:34:49.599 --> 00:34:50.000 the life of 00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:50.400 the church. 00:34:51.360 --> 00:34:52.000 VBS is 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.500 coming up 00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:55.400 August 7-13? 00:34:56.199 --> 00:34:57.159 13-17, 00:34:57.380 --> 00:34:57.740 that's what 00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:57.939 it is. 00:34:58.019 --> 00:34:58.219 I knew 00:34:58.219 --> 00:34:58.419 there was 00:34:58.419 --> 00:34:58.859 a 7 and 00:34:58.859 --> 00:34:59.439 a 13 in 00:34:59.439 --> 00:34:59.579 there. 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:00.239 I just 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:00.719 forgot the 00:35:00.719 --> 00:35:01.239 one in 00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:01.419 front of 00:35:01.419 --> 00:35:01.719 the 7. 00:35:02.479 --> 00:35:03.059 VBS is 00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:03.439 coming up 00:35:03.439 --> 00:35:04.939 August 13-17. 00:35:05.439 --> 00:35:05.679 It's for 00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:06.919 kids ages 5-10. 00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:07.399 If you would 00:35:07.399 --> 00:35:08.059 like to sign 00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:08.879 up your kids 00:35:08.879 --> 00:35:09.979 for VBS or 00:35:09.979 --> 00:35:10.199 if you're 00:35:10.199 --> 00:35:10.779 interested in 00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:11.299 volunteering, 00:35:11.859 --> 00:35:12.739 there will be 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:13.679 information about 00:35:13.679 --> 00:35:14.139 that at the 00:35:14.139 --> 00:35:14.979 table outside by 00:35:14.979 --> 00:35:15.839 the coffee after 00:35:15.839 --> 00:35:16.719 service as well. 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:17.579 Or you can 00:35:17.579 --> 00:35:18.419 contact Melanie 00:35:18.419 --> 00:35:19.000 and Natalie. 00:35:19.779 --> 00:35:20.679 And now I 00:35:20.679 --> 00:35:21.099 would like to 00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:22.039 invite Mike up 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:23.000 for a special 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:23.619 presentation. 00:35:23.619 --> 00:35:27.799 My name is 00:35:27.799 --> 00:35:28.019 Mike. 00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:28.659 I work with 00:35:28.659 --> 00:35:29.480 university students 00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:29.799 here. 00:35:30.839 --> 00:35:31.559 There's something 00:35:31.559 --> 00:35:32.059 really interesting 00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:32.799 about Watermark. 00:35:33.980 --> 00:35:34.880 Actually, being on 00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:35.639 the staff team with 00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:36.679 Watermark, it makes 00:35:36.679 --> 00:35:37.219 me feel really 00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:37.559 old. 00:35:39.239 --> 00:35:40.000 Having people 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:40.859 like Eric around. 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:43.119 I wonder how 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:44.159 God viewed that 00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:45.159 staff team from 00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:45.960 his perspective. 00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:47.119 because we have 00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:47.740 a lot of fuzzy 00:35:47.740 --> 00:35:48.900 edges and 00:35:48.900 --> 00:35:50.519 lacking experience 00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:51.380 a lot because 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:52.159 we're all these 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.280 young guys that 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:55.019 try to go on 00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:55.840 this journey of 00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.880 planting churches 00:35:56.880 --> 00:35:58.300 and seeing what 00:35:58.300 --> 00:35:59.119 God is doing in 00:35:59.119 --> 00:35:59.599 the area. 00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:00.579 And so God 00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:01.199 must have looked 00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:03.179 down on the 00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:03.820 couple perspective 00:36:03.820 --> 00:36:04.480 on this church 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:06.079 and said they 00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:06.659 just really need 00:36:06.659 --> 00:36:07.300 some experience. 00:36:07.679 --> 00:36:08.519 So about a year 00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:09.000 ago, God 00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:10.340 spoke to someone 00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:11.340 to just basically 00:36:11.340 --> 00:36:11.900 show up in the 00:36:11.900 --> 00:36:12.900 office, talk to 00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:13.300 them and say, 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:13.960 God really puts 00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:14.440 on my heart that 00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:14.940 I should come 00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:15.599 alongside you. 00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:17.820 And so Pastor 00:36:17.820 --> 00:36:19.380 Chua showed up 00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:20.440 a year ago and 00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:22.400 he has several 00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:23.519 years of experience 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:24.400 in church planting 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:26.139 and leadership 00:36:26.139 --> 00:36:26.579 development. 00:36:26.679 --> 00:36:27.099 So he has been 00:36:27.099 --> 00:36:28.500 with us for this 00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:29.900 past year in 00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:30.679 like two different 00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:31.159 terms. 00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:32.280 Just come alongside 00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.760 the church and 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.679 come alongside the 00:36:34.679 --> 00:36:35.559 staff and leadership 00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:37.360 development and 00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:38.639 just very helpful 00:36:38.639 --> 00:36:39.639 in a lot of 00:36:39.639 --> 00:36:40.019 things that we 00:36:40.019 --> 00:36:40.480 were lacking. 00:36:41.460 --> 00:36:42.400 And so since 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:43.220 Pastor Tobin can't 00:36:43.220 --> 00:36:43.780 be here, we have 00:36:43.780 --> 00:36:44.760 a little video with 00:36:44.760 --> 00:36:45.500 Pastor Tobin on 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:46.300 because we want 00:36:46.300 --> 00:36:46.820 to say thank 00:36:46.820 --> 00:36:47.860 you to Pastor 00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:48.460 Chua for what 00:36:48.460 --> 00:36:48.920 he has done. 00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:01.940 There's one thing 00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:02.599 that really stuck 00:37:02.599 --> 00:37:03.480 with me from what 00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.559 Pastor Chua shared 00:37:04.559 --> 00:37:04.960 and he has shared 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:05.679 a lot with us, 00:37:05.820 --> 00:37:06.320 but there's one 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.320 thing that he 00:37:07.320 --> 00:37:08.960 shared, that he 00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:09.900 said that many 00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:10.719 Christians start 00:37:10.719 --> 00:37:12.119 well, but they 00:37:12.119 --> 00:37:12.960 don't end well. 00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:13.800 Very few really 00:37:13.800 --> 00:37:14.620 run the race to 00:37:14.620 --> 00:37:15.140 the end. 00:37:15.860 --> 00:37:16.300 And so I think 00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:16.820 that's a great 00:37:16.820 --> 00:37:17.820 encouragement for 00:37:17.820 --> 00:37:18.920 you as a congregation, 00:37:19.240 --> 00:37:19.940 for all of us, 00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:20.940 to even say, you 00:37:20.940 --> 00:37:21.640 know, maybe when 00:37:21.640 --> 00:37:22.900 you came to Christ 00:37:22.900 --> 00:37:24.180 first, you had an 00:37:24.180 --> 00:37:25.000 excitement in you 00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:25.660 and maybe that has 00:37:25.660 --> 00:37:25.960 faded. 00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:26.900 And so I think 00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:27.440 there's some great 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:28.300 encouragement in just 00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:29.300 asking ourselves, 00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:30.420 what does it mean 00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:31.519 to finish well? 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:32.880 And Pastor Chua has 00:37:32.880 --> 00:37:33.300 been a great 00:37:33.300 --> 00:37:34.440 encouragement for us 00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:36.920 in just seeing how 00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:38.260 he aims to finish 00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:38.560 well. 00:37:38.640 --> 00:37:39.100 He has a lot of 00:37:39.100 --> 00:37:39.840 speaking assignments 00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:40.620 coming up and 00:37:40.620 --> 00:37:42.260 traveling to Nigeria 00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:43.280 and Singapore and 00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:43.560 London. 00:37:44.140 --> 00:37:44.640 And so we just 00:37:44.640 --> 00:37:46.000 want to invite 00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:46.720 Pastor Chua up 00:37:46.720 --> 00:37:47.360 on stage. 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:48.640 And also I would 00:37:48.640 --> 00:37:49.680 like to invite the 00:37:49.680 --> 00:37:51.100 elders and the 00:37:51.100 --> 00:37:52.720 staff on stage to 00:37:52.720 --> 00:37:53.280 pray for him because 00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:54.120 we want to pray that 00:37:54.120 --> 00:37:54.920 as he is finishing 00:37:54.920 --> 00:37:55.800 his race well, 00:37:56.380 --> 00:37:57.080 that we want to 00:37:57.080 --> 00:37:58.300 pray for his 00:37:58.300 --> 00:37:59.180 journey, for all 00:37:59.180 --> 00:37:59.740 the things that are 00:37:59.740 --> 00:37:59.960 coming. 00:38:00.100 --> 00:38:00.720 So please come 00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:00.940 up. 00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:03.540 Yeah. 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.640 Kingling, would 00:38:04.640 --> 00:38:05.140 you please come 00:38:05.140 --> 00:38:05.620 up as well? 00:38:05.620 --> 00:38:05.680 Yeah. 00:38:05.680 --> 00:38:05.740 Yeah. 00:38:05.740 --> 00:38:06.220 Yeah. 00:38:06.220 --> 00:38:06.300 Yeah. 00:38:06.300 --> 00:38:06.320 Yeah. 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:06.340 Yeah. 00:38:06.340 --> 00:38:06.400 Yeah. 00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:06.440 Yeah. 00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:06.500 Yeah. 00:38:06.500 --> 00:38:06.580 Yeah. 00:38:06.580 --> 00:38:06.600 Yeah. 00:38:06.600 --> 00:38:06.680 Yeah. 00:38:06.680 --> 00:38:07.400 Yeah. 00:38:12.260 --> 00:38:30.680 So the actual gift 00:38:30.680 --> 00:38:31.440 is in the box, 00:38:31.700 --> 00:38:32.740 but just so that you 00:38:32.740 --> 00:38:34.440 can actually see it, 00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:35.700 it's basically Jesus 00:38:35.700 --> 00:38:36.860 washing the feet of 00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:37.820 his disciples and you 00:38:37.820 --> 00:38:40.720 have been helping us 00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:41.619 and the staff team 00:38:41.619 --> 00:38:42.099 and you have been 00:38:42.099 --> 00:38:43.739 serving the church in 00:38:43.739 --> 00:38:44.659 so many different ways 00:38:44.659 --> 00:38:45.779 and not just leadership 00:38:45.779 --> 00:38:47.019 development, but also 00:38:47.019 --> 00:38:47.779 developing the prayer 00:38:47.779 --> 00:38:49.039 team and so many 00:38:49.039 --> 00:38:50.159 different ways and Kingling 00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:51.059 was part of that as 00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:51.239 well. 00:38:51.299 --> 00:38:52.319 And so we are really 00:38:52.319 --> 00:38:53.059 grateful and thankful 00:38:53.059 --> 00:38:54.259 for all you have done. 00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:55.500 So we just want to pray 00:38:55.500 --> 00:38:56.219 for you. 00:38:56.319 --> 00:38:57.399 So you want to lay on 00:38:57.399 --> 00:38:57.699 hands. 00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:03.399 Father, we are just 00:39:03.399 --> 00:39:04.699 grateful that you see 00:39:04.699 --> 00:39:06.119 the big picture and you 00:39:06.119 --> 00:39:07.500 know what our church 00:39:07.500 --> 00:39:08.559 needs and this young 00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:09.559 church that you have 00:39:09.559 --> 00:39:10.500 called into being here 00:39:10.500 --> 00:39:12.920 two years ago and 00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:14.059 sending people like 00:39:14.059 --> 00:39:15.059 Kingling and Pastor 00:39:15.059 --> 00:39:16.920 Chua to us to come 00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:19.219 alongside our young 00:39:19.219 --> 00:39:20.440 team and the church 00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:21.519 and the church members 00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:25.199 and just knowing that 00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:27.820 we need a ministry of 00:39:27.820 --> 00:39:28.840 prayer, a heart for 00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:30.380 prayer, that we need 00:39:30.380 --> 00:39:31.300 people to be developed 00:39:31.300 --> 00:39:34.260 and it's just someone 00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:35.380 with experience who has 00:39:35.380 --> 00:39:37.460 seen more of how your 00:39:37.460 --> 00:39:38.380 kingdom is coming about 00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:39.039 in this world. 00:39:39.039 --> 00:39:40.400 So we are just thankful 00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:42.880 for just sending him 00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:44.300 here and his family and 00:39:44.300 --> 00:39:45.980 thankful for Daniel and 00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:47.300 his family as well and 00:39:47.300 --> 00:39:48.400 how they are serving. 00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:50.059 So we just want to pray 00:39:50.059 --> 00:39:52.679 your blessing over Wehan 00:39:52.679 --> 00:39:53.900 and Kingling and as they 00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:56.279 travel, may you go before 00:39:56.279 --> 00:39:56.619 them. 00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:58.360 May you be in him. 00:39:59.179 --> 00:40:00.519 May you just keep his 00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:02.380 back and may you point 00:40:02.380 --> 00:40:03.559 him to your kingdom to 00:40:03.559 --> 00:40:03.880 come. 00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:05.699 May you use him in every 00:40:05.699 --> 00:40:07.400 step that he walks to 00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:09.820 finish his race, that you 00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:11.280 give him many steps to 00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:13.180 walk and many steps to 00:40:13.180 --> 00:40:14.619 impact people around him 00:40:14.619 --> 00:40:17.559 as he has done for your 00:40:17.559 --> 00:40:18.840 kingdom for so many years. 00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:20.460 So Father, we're just 00:40:20.460 --> 00:40:22.539 thankful again for you, 00:40:22.780 --> 00:40:24.539 how you see everything, 00:40:24.740 --> 00:40:26.380 how you see our needs as a 00:40:26.380 --> 00:40:28.260 church and a staff and how 00:40:28.260 --> 00:40:31.460 you respond and help us to 00:40:31.460 --> 00:40:33.200 finish the race well as well. 00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:35.960 So we just again want to 00:40:35.960 --> 00:40:38.279 look at the cross and look 00:40:38.279 --> 00:40:40.619 at your son Jesus and how 00:40:40.619 --> 00:40:42.019 he came into the world and 00:40:42.019 --> 00:40:44.539 died for our sin and that 00:40:44.539 --> 00:40:45.699 even there it is a picture 00:40:45.699 --> 00:40:48.599 of coming into the needs of 00:40:48.599 --> 00:40:49.859 the world that you also send 00:40:49.859 --> 00:40:51.139 other people to wash the 00:40:51.139 --> 00:40:52.819 feet of others and having a 00:40:52.819 --> 00:40:54.619 servant heart and so we thank 00:40:54.619 --> 00:40:56.139 you and bless you and pray 00:40:56.139 --> 00:40:56.980 this in Christ's name. 00:40:57.460 --> 00:40:57.699 Amen.