WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.419 My name is Tobin. If this is the first time you're here, I'm one of the pastors here. 00:00:04.560 --> 00:00:11.640 When we started the church, we started praying and dreaming about the church like eight years ago, seven years ago. 00:00:12.500 --> 00:00:16.640 And one of the things that we knew that God wanted us to do, we wanted to be a church that was a family. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.740 We wanted to be a church that people knew your name. 00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:23.740 We wanted to be a church where everyone knew your name. 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:26.440 You can tell how old I am. I love the show Cheers. 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:28.920 It was about a bar and everybody came in. Everybody knew your name. 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:32.719 But we wanted to be a church where everybody knew your name and everybody knew a part of your story. 00:00:33.820 --> 00:00:41.500 We feel like so often it's easy to come into a church and you just come and you go and no one knows you and they don't know your story and they don't connect and you're not a part of the community. 00:00:41.640 --> 00:00:43.219 You're just a lone wolf Christian. 00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:46.219 And we prayed that Watermark wouldn't be like that. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.600 I mean, I don't know how we're doing in that area, but that's our prayer. 00:00:49.700 --> 00:00:51.640 That's a driving thing of a community and a family. 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:56.719 Well, we have these name tags that always fall off on the floor and stick to everybody, right? 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:59.699 Part of it was so if you don't have a name tag, we know you're a visitor. 00:00:59.879 --> 00:01:04.379 And the second part of it was that we can know everybody and just call them by name and just get to know a part of the story. 00:01:05.859 --> 00:01:10.640 One of the other things we prayed about is that we prayed that as a family, we realized as a family, as a church body, 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:17.480 that if all the pieces don't work together within the church body, the parents and the mom and the kids, 00:01:17.620 --> 00:01:19.579 and at my house we all have chores, 00:01:19.579 --> 00:01:24.099 and if we don't do our chores, we don't work together, that the body's not going to work. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:25.340 It's not going to be healthy. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:35.120 You know, we believe, I believe with all heart that many people sit in church and they just feel a restlessness in their soul. 00:01:36.019 --> 00:01:39.140 And I think that that restlessness is due to a couple things. 00:01:39.140 --> 00:01:46.040 But one of them is just that God has given everybody spiritual gifts to serve and to use these gifts and to be a part of the body. 00:01:46.260 --> 00:01:51.799 And because we're not using these gifts to serve, instead we're just consumers. 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:55.260 And that's a strong word, I know, but it's big in Hong Kong. 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.420 We're consumers, you know. 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:00.040 And so, and unfortunately that happens in the church. 00:02:00.099 --> 00:02:02.040 And we wanted to be a church that wasn't consumers. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:08.180 We wanted to be a church that people served, that you discovered your spiritual gifts and you knew what they were. 00:02:08.180 --> 00:02:13.300 And then you used them freely and you blessed people and you blessed the Lord in that. 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:18.900 We're looking at a church in Corinthians that's not doing very well in that. 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:19.800 We've been talking about it. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:25.280 These passages are kind of intense passages because Paul is just, he's just kind of going at them, you know. 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:30.939 And the church is in this middle of this city that's out of control and it's full of idols and it's wealthy and it's a seaport. 00:02:31.100 --> 00:02:34.480 And everything flows in and out of Corinth, kind of like Hong Kong. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:40.659 And the church just has been doing very well because they've come from these temples and these idols and this sexuality. 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:41.620 And they've come to Christ. 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:46.639 But these, the scars they have on their body and the memories of these things are just still there. 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:47.699 And so they struggle with it. 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:49.919 They really struggle with self-centeredness. 00:02:49.979 --> 00:02:50.879 They struggle with pride. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:52.599 They struggle with selfishness. 00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:54.819 And we've been reading about it throughout the scriptures. 00:02:55.739 --> 00:02:56.979 They've struggled with it. 00:02:56.979 --> 00:02:58.539 And who is their leader? 00:02:58.599 --> 00:02:59.619 And they want the best leader. 00:02:59.699 --> 00:03:00.500 And they don't like this guy. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:01.379 And Paul's no good. 00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:02.719 And we like these other guys. 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:03.519 And they've struggled with it. 00:03:03.639 --> 00:03:05.000 And where they serve. 00:03:05.079 --> 00:03:06.699 And whose house church they're a part of. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:07.919 And whose community group they're in. 00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:13.339 And it's just amazing how quickly these divisions happen in their lives. 00:03:13.500 --> 00:03:16.159 And then it just starts to destroy the body of Christ. 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:19.159 And so Paul's looking and he's hearing these stories. 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:21.280 And he's getting letters from them. 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:22.859 And he's getting secret letters from other people. 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:26.900 And he's trying to address our pride and our selfishness in our life. 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:28.400 And talk about these things. 00:03:28.460 --> 00:03:32.539 And last week, the church was divided over this idea of spiritual gifts. 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:35.500 We talked about when we come to Christ. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:38.139 The Bible says that you and I walk in darkness. 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:39.979 That we're enemies to God. 00:03:40.079 --> 00:03:41.780 We're enemies to the gospel. 00:03:41.939 --> 00:03:45.680 There's no way, if you're in here and you're not in the family of Christ, 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.060 there's no way that you can come to Christ by yourself. 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:49.980 It's literally impossible. 00:03:49.980 --> 00:03:54.480 Because your soul is opposed to a holy, righteous God. 00:03:55.300 --> 00:03:59.000 And we're told that sometime in there that God's spirit comes into our life. 00:03:59.040 --> 00:04:00.080 And he kind of quickens us. 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:01.939 He opens our eyes to Jesus. 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:03.939 And then we have choices to make. 00:04:03.980 --> 00:04:04.960 Are we going to consider him? 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:06.159 Or are we going to pursue him? 00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:11.159 And our desire is that we see that he's so beautiful and lovely and amazing. 00:04:11.159 --> 00:04:12.879 That we just pursue him. 00:04:12.920 --> 00:04:15.600 And in that journey, all of a sudden, we come to this place. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:17.939 Where we see the holiness of God and our unholiness. 00:04:18.459 --> 00:04:20.120 And our need for a substitute. 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:22.319 Our need for a savior. 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:25.079 And we invite Christ into our life. 00:04:25.100 --> 00:04:26.040 And we become a Christian. 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:29.600 And the Bible says that when that happens, God's spirit comes into your life fully. 00:04:30.500 --> 00:04:32.079 You're indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:32.139 --> 00:04:33.300 You're not going to get any more of the spirit. 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:34.519 You're not going to get any less of the spirit. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:36.980 All of the spirit is in you at that time. 00:04:37.339 --> 00:04:39.819 And then you have these gifts that God gives you. 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:42.019 And these gifts are these supernatural abilities. 00:04:42.579 --> 00:04:47.799 These supernatural abilities that allow you to do things and to minister to people and to the body. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:49.560 And to bring glory to the Lord. 00:04:50.139 --> 00:04:51.639 And the church saw these things. 00:04:51.719 --> 00:04:54.060 And they saw these powers and all these things. 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:54.939 And they struggled with it. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:57.839 Because they didn't like their gift. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:00.519 They wanted it to be another gift. 00:05:01.060 --> 00:05:02.379 Because those other gifts were really cool. 00:05:02.459 --> 00:05:04.000 Because you were up front talking with that gift. 00:05:04.039 --> 00:05:05.639 And everybody goes, ooh, that's really cool. 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:07.819 And maybe they had a gift that was behind the scenes. 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:12.300 And so the church started to cause, again, these factions and divisions. 00:05:13.259 --> 00:05:16.019 And the church started just to fall apart. 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:18.199 Does that make sense? 00:05:19.659 --> 00:05:23.959 And so last week, when you left, I gave you some spiritual gifts. 00:05:24.039 --> 00:05:26.819 I gave you the categories and the names and some spiritual gifts. 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:34.240 And so to start off, what I would like to do is I like for you, if you got the list and you wrote out what your spiritual gifts are, 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:36.480 I want you just to take that sheet of paper. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:39.560 And remember, gifts are these things that are given to you. 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:40.600 You can't choose them. 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.040 God gives them to you because he knows you need them. 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:44.379 This is how you're going to serve the body. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:50.439 So I want you to write down on your sheet of paper what you think your spiritual gift is. 00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:53.199 Now, I'm not going to embarrass anybody. 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:54.720 I'm not going to embarrass you or anything like that. 00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:56.079 But I want you to write down. 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:57.639 I'm going to give you three seconds. 00:05:57.759 --> 00:05:58.819 What was your spiritual gift? 00:05:58.819 --> 00:06:00.360 What do you think one of your spiritual gifts is? 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:05.960 And then as you write that spiritual gift down, because we're going to talk about this gift, 00:06:07.340 --> 00:06:09.740 because I believe, and I think the scripture is really clear, 00:06:09.819 --> 00:06:13.280 that God gives us these gifts and these powers and these ministries 00:06:13.280 --> 00:06:15.620 because he knows that's how we're going to grow. 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.520 God knows you're sitting here, and he knows that you're not going to grow 00:06:19.520 --> 00:06:24.139 unless he gives you the supernatural ability and powers and ministries and a glimpse of himself. 00:06:24.139 --> 00:06:29.399 And so he gives you a gift that is a sliver of his personality and his character, 00:06:29.779 --> 00:06:35.740 and he knows that the only way you are going to grow is if you use that gift to serve him and to serve others. 00:06:36.259 --> 00:06:39.979 And so write out on your list, what was your gift? 00:06:40.039 --> 00:06:40.779 What did you write out? 00:06:41.039 --> 00:06:44.659 So the other thing I want you to ask is if you're a piece of the body, 00:06:45.819 --> 00:06:47.979 what piece of the body would you think you are? 00:06:47.980 --> 00:06:53.700 And this is even harder, because he's going to get into this really weird illustration and discussion day. 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:54.520 He's going to talk about that. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:55.980 But what is your gift? 00:06:57.900 --> 00:07:04.400 Okay, so if God gave you the gift of exhortation, which is encouragement, 00:07:05.460 --> 00:07:08.780 people tell you that you're a great counselor, that you're a great listener, 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:13.180 that you have the ability to help people grow, you have the ability to help people motivate, 00:07:13.180 --> 00:07:16.620 you have the ability to help people take the next step in their faith, 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:19.180 that you love coming alongside of people. 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:22.259 If that's the gift that God gave you, can you raise your hand? 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:25.720 Excellent. 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:28.199 Excellent. 00:07:29.280 --> 00:07:31.480 Okay, so now if he gave you the gift of teaching, 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:36.899 now he gave you this ability to communicate spiritual truth in such a way that people, 00:07:37.259 --> 00:07:39.120 that you can package it and you can look at things, 00:07:39.220 --> 00:07:41.460 and it's really crazy like today's passage, 00:07:41.459 --> 00:07:43.560 and you're like, it's going to take me two hours to teach this, 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:47.779 but he can help you package it to where you don't lose the message of the gospel and the truth, 00:07:48.219 --> 00:07:51.159 and so that when you teach it, people remember and they change, 00:07:51.479 --> 00:07:54.959 and people learn, and people really change spiritually. 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.159 If God gave you that gift of teaching, raise your hand. 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:01.679 Okay, excellent. 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:03.259 Excellent. 00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:07.639 I'm taking notes, okay, because we have positions that are opening up in Sunday school class 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.479 and all these things, and so how about the gift of service? 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:13.259 The gift of service is where you see needs. 00:08:13.420 --> 00:08:14.900 You look around and you see needs. 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:15.939 You see physical needs. 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:17.500 You see spiritual needs. 00:08:17.580 --> 00:08:19.640 You see material needs, and you just meet them. 00:08:20.420 --> 00:08:21.900 You see a need, and you just meet it. 00:08:21.960 --> 00:08:23.420 You know, someone's yard needs mowing. 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:24.439 That doesn't work in Hong Kong. 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:30.420 Someone's car needs washing, and you just wash it or something like that, 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:34.240 and then when you meet these physical needs and you serve these people, 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:35.820 people are blessed. 00:08:36.340 --> 00:08:38.879 When you do these things, people are encouraged by you. 00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:43.940 They're just blessed by you, and the thing is that when you serve and you do these things, 00:08:44.220 --> 00:08:45.320 it encourages you. 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:47.740 It energizes you, and you go, wow, I wish I could do some more. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:51.560 There's somebody else I can wash their car for, or whatever that is. 00:08:51.700 --> 00:08:53.060 Who has that gift of service? 00:08:53.059 --> 00:08:53.500 Okay. 00:08:56.500 --> 00:08:59.859 Now, see, the thing is I know a lot of you, and I know your gifts, 00:09:00.579 --> 00:09:04.579 and I know some of you aren't even lifting your hands because you're afraid to, 00:09:04.659 --> 00:09:06.339 or you don't want, well, maybe I'm right. 00:09:06.479 --> 00:09:07.079 I don't know if I'm maybe. 00:09:07.219 --> 00:09:08.459 I don't know what is going on. 00:09:08.859 --> 00:09:09.979 Okay, so one last gift. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:11.839 And I wrote out these gifts. 00:09:11.939 --> 00:09:12.759 This is right here. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:16.299 We wrote out all these gifts, 25 of them, and we put them on a sheet of paper 00:09:16.299 --> 00:09:19.419 so you can look at these and read through them and pray about them and think about them. 00:09:19.419 --> 00:09:23.860 So if you've got the gift of pastoring, now the gift of pastoring or being a pastor 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:27.120 or a shepherd is that you love walking alongside of people. 00:09:27.259 --> 00:09:28.240 You just love people. 00:09:28.339 --> 00:09:29.620 You love guiding people. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.259 You love taking people on their spiritual journey. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:36.479 You love people helping them walk a lifetime with God. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.459 You love taking their next step in their spiritual journey. 00:09:39.459 --> 00:09:42.219 You want to get involved in people's lives deeply. 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:44.120 You love shepherding people. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.759 You just love people and their journey and their choices, 00:09:47.839 --> 00:09:48.980 even when they make bad choices. 00:09:48.980 --> 00:09:50.840 You just still come alongside of them. 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:53.420 Who has the gift of pastoring in here? 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:53.920 Raise your hand. 00:09:56.659 --> 00:09:56.980 Okay. 00:09:58.300 --> 00:09:58.620 Okay. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:00.120 You know, some of you, I saw it. 00:10:00.139 --> 00:10:00.920 I said, I know you did. 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:01.700 I'm glad you did. 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:03.060 And I know some of you didn't raise your hand. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:04.519 And, you know, you did. 00:10:04.779 --> 00:10:06.580 But let me tell you something because you should know this. 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:11.100 If we were in a church of Corinth today, everyone who said those were their gifts, 00:10:12.800 --> 00:10:13.940 none of you would have been valued. 00:10:13.940 --> 00:10:21.180 If you were in a church of Corinth today, and you didn't have any gift except for the big three, 00:10:22.060 --> 00:10:25.980 speaking in tongues, gifts, miracles, and healings, 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:29.240 if you didn't have any of those three gifts, you would have been cut off. 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.700 The imagery actually is to take a body part and just to chop it off. 00:10:33.740 --> 00:10:34.740 And that's what the church was doing. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:39.680 The church was taking all of these gifts, and they just said, well, we don't really like any of those other gifts. 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:40.799 We just want these three gifts. 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:43.680 And if you have these three gifts, you're welcome, and you can come be a part of our church. 00:10:43.940 --> 00:10:48.060 But if you're not a part of these three gifts, if you don't have these talents, we're just going to cut you off. 00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:51.519 We don't value those gifts whatsoever. 00:10:52.719 --> 00:10:55.359 And Paul is looking at his church, and he's going, what are you guys doing? 00:10:55.939 --> 00:10:56.819 You're killing yourself. 00:10:56.899 --> 00:10:57.659 You're destroying yourself. 00:10:57.779 --> 00:11:02.959 You're taking away these amazing gifts that God has given for you, and you're saying, no, they're terrible. 00:11:03.099 --> 00:11:03.679 They're trash. 00:11:03.739 --> 00:11:04.759 I don't want to raise my hand. 00:11:04.819 --> 00:11:05.539 I'm afraid of it. 00:11:05.539 --> 00:11:12.219 But in the Greek, it actually says they're despising God's spirit in his life. 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:16.759 And so Paul goes after this church and after us, I think, sometimes. 00:11:17.379 --> 00:11:21.480 And we got 10 minutes to finish this sermon, so we're going to see what happens here. 00:11:21.899 --> 00:11:25.879 But I want to look at three or four things. 00:11:26.139 --> 00:11:27.079 And the first thing is this. 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:29.000 Paul, in this passage, is going to say this. 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:33.059 He's going to say that when you come to Christ, two different unions happen in your life. 00:11:33.339 --> 00:11:35.339 You have two different relationships to begin. 00:11:35.839 --> 00:11:37.679 Two relationships that were never there before. 00:11:37.959 --> 00:11:40.459 They are there now, and they're going to change you forever. 00:11:40.819 --> 00:11:43.120 And what he's going to say in verses 12 and 13 is this. 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:48.139 When you come to Christ, the very first thing that changes in your life is the Holy Spirit comes in, 00:11:48.199 --> 00:11:50.899 and he gives you the supernatural union to Jesus. 00:11:52.539 --> 00:11:57.219 That when you come to Christ and you become a Christian, the Bible says that you are totally, 00:11:57.219 --> 00:12:00.120 and this is what he says in verses 12 and 13, you are totally united. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:01.539 You're totally grafted in. 00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:02.959 You're totally a part of Christ. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:04.939 Everything that's true of Christ is true of you. 00:12:04.940 --> 00:12:07.040 All that's powers of Christ are true of you. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.940 Sin that was on you, Christ died for on the cross. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:12.400 You experience everything. 00:12:12.560 --> 00:12:17.000 Paul says in Philippians, I want to know Christ, his suffering, the power of his resurrection. 00:12:17.400 --> 00:12:20.420 And what he's saying there is that you and Christ are the same. 00:12:21.040 --> 00:12:22.240 That you've been united. 00:12:22.420 --> 00:12:23.300 You've been molded. 00:12:23.380 --> 00:12:24.580 You have this incredible union. 00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:27.000 The second thing he says is this in verse 13. 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:29.240 That when we come to Christ, there's this union that happens. 00:12:29.379 --> 00:12:32.040 This union is that all Christians are brought together. 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:36.980 That all Christians are united. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:40.800 In the same way that you came together as Christ and you and you and Christ, 00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:45.759 in the same way he's saying here that all Christians come together and that you all are united. 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:47.820 You all are the church. 00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:50.100 You don't go to church. 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.140 Paul is saying you are the church. 00:12:57.040 --> 00:12:59.500 You don't go to watermark. 00:13:00.640 --> 00:13:03.740 Paul says you are watermark. 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:07.260 There's this union that happens and it's mystical. 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:09.019 It's supernatural. 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:12.500 And the Holy Spirit comes in and he represents us to Christ. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:14.019 And we represent the world. 00:13:14.299 --> 00:13:15.480 We represent Christ to the world. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:16.259 We're Christ now. 00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:19.580 Bodies, his hands and his feet like Jeremy sang in the communion message. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.319 And now we are one together. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:23.860 We are the church. 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:27.000 And the church at Corinth forgot that. 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:29.580 And so Paul uses this imagery of the body. 00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:32.000 And he's going to use it about 17 times. 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:34.819 And he's going to say you and I are the body. 00:13:34.820 --> 00:13:37.900 And he's going to tell us two things about the body. 00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:41.460 Two things that the church was forgetting. 00:13:42.420 --> 00:13:46.180 Two things that you and I must never forget. 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:51.120 And the first thing about the body that Paul says is there is a unity in the body. 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:54.640 That the body is one. 00:13:55.260 --> 00:13:57.980 That the body is one with Christ. 00:13:58.280 --> 00:14:00.540 That Jesus is the head and that we are the body. 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:08.059 And that to become spiritually mature, to grow in our faith, it always means that we do it within community. 00:14:08.459 --> 00:14:09.860 We don't separate ourselves. 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:13.519 What Paul is saying here is that fellowship is not optional. 00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:19.919 He says if you want to be spiritually healthy as a Christian, if you want to grow as a Christian, you can only do that within the body. 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:26.120 Now I know that in the West, in Texas, we're terrible at this. 00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:28.559 Because all we teach about is individuality. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.299 And we have all these books and we have all these programs and all these things that you go through. 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:37.559 And we say if you really want to get deep with Christ, you just go get a book, go read it by yourself, and you'll get deep with Christ. 00:14:38.319 --> 00:14:42.159 Or you know, you can't come to this class, let me give you the notes and just read the notes on yourself and then you have everything. 00:14:44.079 --> 00:14:45.039 That's Hong Kong, right? 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:47.620 But that's not what the Bible says. 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:51.779 And Paul says that you can't do that because you need to be together in the body. 00:14:51.959 --> 00:14:54.379 You have to be together and unified. 00:14:54.779 --> 00:14:57.419 And if you're not a part of the body, you're not going to grow. 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:00.120 He's going to say that there's no such thing as long-wolf Christians. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:06.679 He's going to say that a Christian by himself is in danger and is not the body of Christ. 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:17.739 And he's going to say, using the body analogy, that if a cell or an organ goes off by itself, it separates itself from the body, what happens? 00:15:20.239 --> 00:15:23.959 If a cell decides to do its own thing, what happens? 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:25.339 What's that cell called? 00:15:26.939 --> 00:15:28.659 It's called cancer, right? 00:15:29.659 --> 00:15:31.959 If a cell decides to do its own thing, it's called cancer. 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:36.200 And when the organ goes off and separates itself from the whole body, it dies. 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:44.200 And so Paul is talking in here and he says, within this union, the first thing you and I need to know, because the church at Corinth forgot it, was that we are called to be together. 00:15:44.540 --> 00:15:46.160 The spiritual life is together. 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:47.100 It's unity. 00:15:47.420 --> 00:15:51.720 And without unity, whatever gift you are, whatever body part you are, you're going to die. 00:15:51.720 --> 00:16:07.800 The second thing that Paul teaches us, because the church at Corinth didn't get it, and my prayer is, is that you and I would get it. 00:16:09.060 --> 00:16:14.720 That as the body of Christ, there's not just there's a unity, but as the body of Christ, there's a diversity. 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:19.680 You see, the church at Corinth hated diversity. 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:24.340 They cut off everybody who wasn't like them. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:27.279 You didn't speak the same language. 00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:29.560 You didn't have the same socioeconomic status. 00:16:29.680 --> 00:16:31.420 You couldn't have the same oratory skills. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.540 You didn't have the same gifts. 00:16:32.920 --> 00:16:34.080 You didn't have the same amount of money. 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:35.480 You didn't hang around with the same people. 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:42.980 The church of Corinth hated diversity, and they split off their members, and they said, you cannot be with us. 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:48.420 And so Paul is talking to this church, and he's saying, how can you do this? 00:16:48.419 --> 00:16:56.019 Because the body of Christ isn't just one organ, and the body of Christ isn't just one gift. 00:16:57.179 --> 00:17:00.979 And the church at Corinth was denying this, and they said, no, we want to be same. 00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:01.939 We want to be sameness. 00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:03.039 We want to be conformed. 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.500 We want to be just like everybody else. 00:17:04.779 --> 00:17:06.980 And Paul says, that's crazy. 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:14.620 And if you read it in Greek, and if you read it in English, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are crazy passages. 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:16.299 I mean, it's almost like a comedy. 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:19.759 You have ears talking to eyes, and eyes talking to ears, and feet talking to everybody else. 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.000 And Paul is warning them. 00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:27.240 He's saying, be careful, because you're going to take certain people when they come into church who have certain gifts, and you're going to make them low. 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:33.799 And you're going to take certain people who come into your church with certain gifts, and you're going to make them high. 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:40.720 And Paul says, if you do that, you're going to kill the body. 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:45.620 You're going to take away God's spirit. 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:51.180 You're going to take away that supernatural aspect of what's working in Watermark in the church of Corinth. 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:57.680 So let's say you and I have this chance, and we have this choice, and we could say, what kind of body part are we going to be? 00:18:00.100 --> 00:18:02.140 What kind of spiritual gift do we want? 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:09.560 And Paul says in verse 17, you cannot say that, because if you say that, everybody's going to pick the same piece of body. 00:18:09.820 --> 00:18:13.180 Everybody's going to pick the same gift, because that's the value. 00:18:15.360 --> 00:18:17.740 And what you don't realize here is what he's saying is this. 00:18:17.740 --> 00:18:28.940 What we think is the face and the head and something really sexy, God thinks maybe it's the buttocks. 00:18:31.900 --> 00:18:35.759 And so the church here was saying, we want to be the head, and we want to be the face, and we want to be sexy. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:38.339 And what God is saying is what you really are is you're the pigu. 00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:40.839 You're the buttocks. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:43.720 And so everybody in the church, they had the same values. 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:44.559 They wanted to be sexy. 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:46.200 They wanted to be a sexy body of church. 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:47.920 And so they were the but. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:50.360 And so they said, hey, I'm the church. 00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:50.880 We're the buttocks. 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:55.500 I mean, if you want to know about buts, come to buts, because that's where we are. 00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:56.360 We're just one big but. 00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:58.200 Our whole church is one big but. 00:18:58.279 --> 00:18:59.380 We don't have a lot of other gifts. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:00.200 We just have buts. 00:19:03.120 --> 00:19:09.740 Now, the question is, would one big but instead of the rest of the parts of the body, would that be a healthy thing? 00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:13.579 Now, I know I'm going to get in trouble for this with my wife when I go home today. 00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:16.620 I didn't compare anybody's buts. 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:20.599 I didn't talk about sizes or ethnicities of buts. 00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:23.460 But I'm saying about pieces of the body. 00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:29.660 And what we think are sexy, what God is thinking is it's just a but. 00:19:29.660 --> 00:19:36.300 And we want to surround ourselves with people who are just buts, because we like that. 00:19:37.800 --> 00:19:41.180 And Paul says, if you do that, the body doesn't function. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:42.840 The body dies. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:45.720 It doesn't work. 00:19:47.360 --> 00:19:53.279 Some of us, our faces or hands or arms, but we look around and we see we want to be a but. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:57.200 And so we hide our arm-ness and our hand-ness and our face-nesses, and we try to be buts. 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:00.340 And Paul says, if you do that, you make the body less. 00:20:02.840 --> 00:20:06.259 Okay, I like watches. 00:20:07.340 --> 00:20:09.000 I never wore watches in college. 00:20:09.660 --> 00:20:12.220 But when I went to China, I started learning Chinese. 00:20:12.340 --> 00:20:14.080 And when I learned Chinese, I went into the marketplace. 00:20:14.580 --> 00:20:18.120 And there's these little guys with all these old Rolexes they had collected during the Cultural Revolution. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:19.580 And they were real at that time. 00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:20.420 Now they're all fake. 00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:22.720 And we were, they were. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.200 And so we were talking about it, and that's how I learned Chinese. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:29.279 I learned Chinese through watches and pieces, these little old guys. 00:20:29.380 --> 00:20:30.440 And it was amazing. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.279 And so I like watches now. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:33.059 I don't know why. 00:20:33.360 --> 00:20:36.299 I'm in the profession where I can't like watches. 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:40.420 So last, on May 14th, my watch broke. 00:20:41.120 --> 00:20:42.380 I've had this watch for 25 years. 00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:47.580 I've timed all of our kids' births on it, all my sermons on it, everything I use for this watch. 00:20:47.580 --> 00:20:48.120 I love this watch. 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:48.360 It worked. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.819 And so I got up, and I'm starting to watch, and the watch broke. 00:20:51.819 --> 00:20:59.579 And I've come up to the staff, and I go, guys, you've got to help me because I can't time my sermons anymore because my watch broke. 00:21:00.639 --> 00:21:06.279 And one of the staffs, who's not going to get a raise this year, said, I never realized you timed any of your sermons. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.200 Bad staff. 00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:13.200 He's a butt, right? 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:20.759 But I realized that, you know, and so this watch has 124 moving parts in it, 124 parts. 00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:29.220 But when one of these parts breaks or doesn't function right, what happens to the watch? 00:21:31.380 --> 00:21:32.140 Does it work? 00:21:32.140 --> 00:21:39.740 Paul uses this analogy of the body, and I study medicine, and I'm looking at Derek back there who's a doctor, and some of you are doctors here. 00:21:39.820 --> 00:21:41.460 But you know how many organs are in the body? 00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:44.700 There's like 78 organs in the body. 00:21:45.860 --> 00:21:47.340 There's five vital organs. 00:21:48.020 --> 00:21:50.220 There's 12 organ systems in your body. 00:21:50.220 --> 00:22:00.480 And if any of those organs aren't working well, even the ones that you don't think about very much, the body isn't healthy. 00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:12.500 In fact, if any of those organs aren't functioning 50% well or 80% well or even 10% less than they should, the body could have some really bad problems. 00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:20.180 And so Paul is using this analogy of the body, and he's saying the same thing is true of you and me. 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:22.740 That we're all in here. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:23.619 We all have gifts. 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:27.000 We're all a part of this body called Christ in the church in Watermark. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:36.240 And if we're not using our gifts, if we're not functioning well, if we're not understanding that God has given, you know that God has given every one of you a very unique gift. 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:40.960 And your gift is totally unlike my gifts. 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:42.980 Great. 00:22:44.059 --> 00:22:46.380 And your gifts are so much better than my gifts. 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:52.200 And God has placed you in places that are so unique so that you can use those gifts in ministries. 00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:53.859 It is not a mistake. 00:22:54.700 --> 00:22:57.119 I believe that with all my heart, that God is sovereign. 00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:58.500 All the hairs on your head are numbered. 00:22:58.900 --> 00:23:00.859 You're here because God wants you to hear this message. 00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:03.460 He wants you to do something about it afterwards. 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:05.980 Everything about you is not a mistake. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:09.339 God has molded you from the moment that you were inside your mom. 00:23:09.339 --> 00:23:12.519 The psalmist says that you were fearfully and wonderfully made. 00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:13.839 And God has gifted you. 00:23:14.159 --> 00:23:20.599 And all these gifts and all these talents that God knew that you were going to have when you came to Christ, he gave to you for a very specific purpose. 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.839 There's no accident. 00:23:21.899 --> 00:23:21.959 There's no accident. 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:29.039 He knew that you were going to be at Watermore. 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:31.980 He knew that we were going to be trying to do these things for his glory. 00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:38.059 And he knew that the gifts that you had and the talents that you had and the ministries that you had, we desperately needed those things. 00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:42.039 And that if you didn't have those things, that we wouldn't function like the body. 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:45.279 And so he brings you into our midst and he wants you to discover these things. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:48.420 And the only question we have to ask ourselves is, are we going to discover our gifts? 00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:52.680 Are we going to use our gifts? 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:55.779 Are we going to use our gifts for God's glory? 00:23:55.859 --> 00:23:57.319 Are we going to use our gifts for the health of the church? 00:23:57.399 --> 00:23:58.539 Are we going to use our gifts? 00:23:59.899 --> 00:24:02.819 Or are we going to be like the church of Corinth that despised their gifts? 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:09.920 Are we going to be like the church of Corinth that didn't want people to know their gifts? 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:12.559 They were ashamed of their gifts because they didn't have the upfront gifts. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:14.500 They weren't pastors and so they couldn't do those things. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:19.339 But God has you here. 00:24:21.879 --> 00:24:23.460 He's uniquely gifted you. 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:29.339 You have passions and ministries and spiritual gifts that no one else has. 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:33.399 Do you believe that? 00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:41.460 So what would it look like if the leg of the body only showed up every three weeks? 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:53.559 What if the leg only showed up every three weeks and the rest of the body was just waiting for the leg to show up? 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:56.259 And when the leg shows up, everybody goes, oh, good. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:57.160 We need to go to the bathroom. 00:24:57.259 --> 00:25:01.139 We've been trying to do all these things and we just can't get up because our butt is too big. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:03.299 And we have no legs to put underneath them. 00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:06.460 Would that be a healthy body? 00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:16.200 What if the right hand said, you know, I'm just too young and I'm not as gifted as the left hand. 00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:17.039 I'm inexperienced. 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:20.380 I don't really understand all this body part stuff and this body language stuff. 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:22.039 And so I'm not as good as the left hand. 00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:23.579 So maybe I should just take a break. 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:27.439 Maybe I should just take some classes. 00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:32.099 I mean, I could take some classes, some 2-7 classes or some other classes, precepts, whatever. 00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:34.599 I could just take some classes and learn what it means to be a right hand. 00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:38.599 And then once I finally feel like I'm secure enough and I know enough to be a right hand, 00:25:38.639 --> 00:25:40.019 I'm going to come back and I'll be a right hand. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:43.079 Is that a healthy body? 00:25:45.199 --> 00:25:46.299 It's okay to go, no. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:51.639 What if the left arm said, you know, I'm just too busy right now? 00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:56.000 I'm just too busy to play a significant role in the life of the body? 00:25:57.960 --> 00:26:01.020 I'll try to clear my schedule up so that I have more time. 00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:02.620 But right now, I'm just too busy. 00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:04.060 I'll get back to you later. 00:26:05.660 --> 00:26:07.680 You see the imagery that Paul's using here? 00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:10.860 It just seems so, you read it, you go, that's the dumbest thing I ever heard, right? 00:26:11.280 --> 00:26:13.240 My 8-year-old, I read this to her and she's like, pfft. 00:26:16.280 --> 00:26:17.840 But that's what was happening in the church. 00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:22.880 Was that a healthy church? 00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:26.100 You can go like this. 00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.720 What if the heart said this? 00:26:28.780 --> 00:26:34.420 What if the heart said, you know, unless I can be up front, unless I can be seen by everybody? 00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:39.460 What if the heart said, you know, I want the proper title and I want the proper respect that I deserve? 00:26:39.820 --> 00:26:42.880 And unless I get the title and the respect I deserve, I just don't want to be a part of the body anymore. 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:45.000 I don't want to do it. 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:47.560 What if the heart said that? 00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:52.059 Would that be a healthy body? 00:26:55.379 --> 00:26:57.879 My question there is always, well, who dies in that situation? 00:26:57.980 --> 00:27:00.599 Does the heart die or does the body die or what happens to that? 00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:12.379 You know, you know that the most spiritually significant and important person in my life, 00:27:12.959 --> 00:27:17.779 in the last 40 years of my life, has never been a pastor. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:22.319 They've never been a staff person. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:31.079 I don't feel like probably as I look at my journey, I've probably never had a pastor be the most significant spiritual person in my life. 00:27:32.439 --> 00:27:34.079 That person was a dentist. 00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:38.079 And his wife, Andy and Kay Harris. 00:27:39.240 --> 00:27:42.480 And basically about 10 years ago, when I was 10 years old, so 40 years ago, 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:46.259 when I was 10 years old, they saw me wandering the streets of their neighborhood. 00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:53.579 They brought me to church. 00:27:56.759 --> 00:27:57.819 They already had two boys. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:58.779 I became the third boy. 00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:02.240 Even this day when I call them, they're like, I'm their third son. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:09.000 They brought me to church and they went on this journey with me and they walked with me these last 40 years, you know. 00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:14.319 And I've seen more of Christ in Andy and Kay's life than probably anybody else. 00:28:17.140 --> 00:28:20.920 You know how thankful I am that he didn't say, you know, I'm not a pastor. 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.839 Or I'm not a staff person. 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:25.259 I've never taken a class on this. 00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:26.680 Or I've never really learned how to do this. 00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:28.519 I'm still trying to learn how to do this. 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:30.599 I'm not up front all the time. 00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:32.759 I'm still learning maybe I shouldn't do that. 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:34.419 I don't want to serve you. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:36.819 Maybe my gift isn't the right gift. 00:28:39.179 --> 00:28:41.599 I'm so thankful that they didn't do that. 00:28:45.959 --> 00:28:55.259 The passage says that you don't need a title or a sexy gift to be used massively for God's kingdom. 00:28:57.699 --> 00:28:59.139 All you need to do is be faithful. 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:02.019 It's what the Lord gives you. 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:05.059 Did you hear me? 00:29:07.159 --> 00:29:08.179 You don't need a title. 00:29:10.179 --> 00:29:11.719 You don't need to be a pastor. 00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:16.879 You don't need a massive sexy gift that everybody sees and everybody's drawn towards. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:20.740 You don't need those things to be effective for God's kingdom. 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:26.059 All you need to be effective for God's kingdom is to use the gift that he's given you. 00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:28.759 Trust him. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:31.099 To give him the glory. 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:35.140 And if you do that, there's going to be amazing things happening in your life. 00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:40.420 Church of Corinth, they didn't understand that. 00:29:42.820 --> 00:29:44.120 They lost focus. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:47.940 They're busy comparing themselves. 00:29:49.840 --> 00:29:51.080 Gifts that God gave them. 00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:56.399 So Paul, in his passage, talks about unity. 00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:57.619 One body of Jesus. 00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:58.159 The church. 00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:59.319 He talks about diversity. 00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:03.299 Many parts working together for the glory of God and all his people. 00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:06.599 The church of Corinth forgot this. 00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:12.379 My prayer is that we would never forget this. 00:30:17.240 --> 00:30:18.480 That we would always live it out. 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:22.980 God has gifted you for amazing things. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:29.460 I don't think I've ever been in a more gifted church than Watermark. 00:30:29.460 --> 00:30:33.000 I mean that with all my heart. 00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:39.759 The question is, are we going to use these gifts? 00:30:39.840 --> 00:30:41.400 Are we going to discover these gifts? 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:44.980 Are we going to go on a journey and just trust him with these gifts? 00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:46.259 Are we just going to be faithful? 00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:50.940 And see what God does in the midst of the craziness. 00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:55.440 Does that make sense? 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:01.819 I have two questions and we're done. 00:31:06.620 --> 00:31:10.140 If the people of the God, if people of God are Christians, 00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:14.819 and we're all a part of this body of Christ that Paul says in his passage, 00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:17.180 and you're a Christian here, 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:22.200 that means that you're a part of the Watermark family. 00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:25.079 It means that you are the Watermark family. 00:31:25.079 --> 00:31:28.359 So my question I have for us is, 00:31:28.579 --> 00:31:32.439 what part of that body are you? 00:31:36.879 --> 00:31:40.500 Do you know your spiritual gift? 00:31:43.659 --> 00:31:45.839 Do you know how to use it within the church family? 00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:50.819 That's my number one job, guys, as a pastor. 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:55.539 And the staff is to equip you to use your gifts. 00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:58.919 Do you know your spiritual gifts? 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:06.099 Two, do you see yourself as a needed part of the body of Christ, 00:32:06.139 --> 00:32:07.159 like the passage says? 00:32:09.639 --> 00:32:11.679 The passage says that every one of us in here, 00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:14.259 if we're in the family of God, that we're indispensable. 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:19.759 And that if you don't use your gift and Watermark is missing a body part, 00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:24.480 then the question is, do you believe that? 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:32.959 Are you indispensable to God's people here? 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:41.839 Or are we still acting like we're individual Christians? 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:53.799 How would your life look different today? 00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:58.859 If you took this passage and this message 00:32:58.859 --> 00:33:02.819 and really applied it to your heart? 00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:08.059 If you said, I'm all in. 00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:11.039 I want to make this real. 00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.079 You know, the church at Corinth, 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:17.619 they had become so self-centered and self-focused. 00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:20.359 And in their church, 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:22.720 they were expecting other people to serve them. 00:33:25.940 --> 00:33:27.460 They were expecting other people 00:33:27.460 --> 00:33:29.119 to take care of them. 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.819 They were expecting other people 00:33:32.819 --> 00:33:34.059 to give them the honor 00:33:34.059 --> 00:33:35.779 and to elevate them. 00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:45.220 Do we realize that the gifts are not for us? 00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:53.539 Do you realize these amazing things 00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:54.519 that God has given you 00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:56.940 aren't for you? 00:33:59.399 --> 00:34:00.679 They're not to make you happy. 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:03.000 They'll bring you joy as you use them. 00:34:05.600 --> 00:34:09.300 These amazing gifts are for God's glory, 00:34:10.680 --> 00:34:13.039 for his kingdom, 00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:18.039 for this church family here. 00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:24.900 the most significant thing 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:25.579 you're going to do 00:34:25.579 --> 00:34:28.159 this year at Watermark 00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:31.119 is to discover your gifts 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:34.199 and use them 00:34:34.199 --> 00:34:36.279 for God's glory 00:34:36.279 --> 00:34:39.079 amongst this family. 00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:43.119 That's my prayer for us. 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:47.679 I don't want to be one big but. 00:34:49.839 --> 00:34:51.619 I want to be hands and feet 00:34:51.619 --> 00:34:53.699 loving the Lord 00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:56.839 and loving each other. 00:34:58.699 --> 00:35:00.000 Father, we thank you for this day. 00:35:00.099 --> 00:35:01.199 We thank you for your word, 00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:01.940 which is 00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:03.480 living 00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:04.539 and active 00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.480 and powerful 00:35:05.480 --> 00:35:06.119 and penetrating 00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:08.119 and humbling 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:10.579 and changing 00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:17.139 but I pray for some of us 00:35:17.139 --> 00:35:18.079 in here right now 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:20.299 who are not a part 00:35:20.299 --> 00:35:21.219 of the family of God. 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:23.679 I pray, Lord, 00:35:23.739 --> 00:35:24.980 that you would open their eyes 00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:25.739 and their ears 00:35:25.739 --> 00:35:26.579 and their soul 00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:28.179 to your son Jesus. 00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:31.840 I pray that they would realize 00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:32.619 that all the things 00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:33.319 they cling to 00:35:33.319 --> 00:35:34.059 for significance 00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:35.000 and for truth 00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:35.739 and for power 00:35:35.739 --> 00:35:36.779 and for reality 00:35:36.780 --> 00:35:38.100 and for help 00:35:38.100 --> 00:35:40.160 and comfort 00:35:40.160 --> 00:35:41.540 that all these things 00:35:41.540 --> 00:35:42.880 will ultimately fade away. 00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:45.580 Wealth will fade away. 00:35:47.180 --> 00:35:48.640 Family will fade away. 00:35:50.720 --> 00:35:52.060 Education in our minds 00:35:52.060 --> 00:35:53.019 will fade away. 00:35:54.680 --> 00:35:57.280 Our body will fade away. 00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:59.920 But the one thing 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:00.800 we can cling to 00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:02.180 that we know is true 00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:04.200 that never changes 00:36:04.200 --> 00:36:06.060 is you. 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:08.940 Lord, I pray that they would 00:36:08.940 --> 00:36:09.920 see your son Jesus 00:36:09.920 --> 00:36:12.040 and they would fall in love 00:36:12.040 --> 00:36:12.400 with him. 00:36:14.420 --> 00:36:15.560 Lord, I pray for the rest 00:36:15.560 --> 00:36:16.100 of us in here 00:36:16.100 --> 00:36:16.800 who are struggling. 00:36:18.220 --> 00:36:19.300 I know that there are 00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:20.120 some of us that want 00:36:20.120 --> 00:36:20.860 certain gifts 00:36:20.860 --> 00:36:21.880 and we don't have them 00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:22.760 and we will probably 00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:23.640 never get them 00:36:23.640 --> 00:36:24.300 and there are some of us 00:36:24.300 --> 00:36:25.440 who don't want our gift 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:27.079 because it's not cool 00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:27.900 and it's not sexy 00:36:27.900 --> 00:36:28.760 and it's not up front 00:36:28.760 --> 00:36:30.119 and so we hide it 00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:30.780 and we're afraid 00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:31.740 to raise our hands 00:36:31.740 --> 00:36:32.400 because we don't want 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:33.679 people to think less of us. 00:36:35.079 --> 00:36:36.320 Lord, I just confess. 00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:38.579 I confess my pride 00:36:38.579 --> 00:36:39.159 and arrogance 00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:40.019 and self-sufficiency 00:36:40.019 --> 00:36:42.920 and I pray for this church, 00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.720 your church, 00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:44.659 our church. 00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:47.200 Father, I ask your forgiveness 00:36:47.200 --> 00:36:47.860 for us 00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:49.559 because I know 00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:50.780 there are so many people 00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:52.260 in here who are so gifted 00:36:52.260 --> 00:36:52.880 and they can do 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:54.500 so many amazing things 00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:55.000 for your kingdom 00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:56.159 and change eternity 00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:58.920 but they're afraid 00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:01.940 or they're tired 00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:05.340 or they've lost focus 00:37:05.340 --> 00:37:06.760 of how much you love them. 00:37:08.840 --> 00:37:10.239 Lord, I pray that today 00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:11.019 and that this week 00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:11.639 that those things 00:37:11.639 --> 00:37:12.340 would change. 00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:17.219 Father, we pray 00:37:17.219 --> 00:37:18.199 that we would be a church 00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:18.679 that would use 00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:19.559 all these gifts 00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.360 so that as we live 00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:21.480 to this part of Hong Kong 00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:22.219 that people would see 00:37:22.219 --> 00:37:23.219 all of your son Jesus, 00:37:23.219 --> 00:37:25.179 that we would never 00:37:25.179 --> 00:37:26.319 look down on certain gifts 00:37:26.319 --> 00:37:27.279 and elevate other gifts 00:37:27.279 --> 00:37:28.519 but they all would have parts, 00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:30.319 they all would have meaning, 00:37:30.759 --> 00:37:31.739 they would all be knitted 00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:32.579 into the body, 00:37:32.699 --> 00:37:33.739 there would be no amputations 00:37:33.739 --> 00:37:34.339 taking place 00:37:34.339 --> 00:37:34.699 and there would be 00:37:34.699 --> 00:37:35.419 no enlargement 00:37:35.419 --> 00:37:36.039 taking place 00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:37.559 that we would be the body 00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:38.659 and that we would love 00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:39.459 the people around us. 00:37:41.519 --> 00:37:42.579 Father, we need you. 00:37:42.579 --> 00:37:45.340 we love you. 00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:49.059 We thank you for your son Christ 00:37:49.059 --> 00:37:52.500 who brings us together 00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.860 with you 00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:56.460 and with each other. 00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:00.239 In his holy name we pray. 00:38:01.819 --> 00:38:02.340 Amen. 00:38:02.340 --> 00:38:02.480 Amen. 00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:02.539 Amen. 00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:02.579 Amen. 00:38:02.579 --> 00:38:02.599 Amen. 00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:02.619 Amen. 00:38:02.619 --> 00:38:02.659 Amen. 00:38:02.659 --> 00:38:02.679 Amen. 00:38:02.679 --> 00:38:02.699 Amen. 00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:02.719 Amen. 00:38:02.719 --> 00:38:02.739 Amen.