WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:07.560 It's a real joy to be able to gather again for normal services, but also for our Sunday school time. 00:00:07.700 --> 00:00:11.400 And I'm so thankful to have that opportunity to be able to do that. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:19.199 If you have been coming for some time, you probably know that typically on Sunday mornings we go through a book of the Bible. 00:00:19.339 --> 00:00:23.080 We'll pick a book of the Bible and just work our way through that whole book. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:24.620 We won't skip parts of it. 00:00:24.660 --> 00:00:27.879 We'll just make our way through that book. 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:32.539 But over the last few weeks, we've been doing something a little different. 00:00:32.700 --> 00:00:35.619 We've been going through a series that we've titled We Believe. 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:46.060 And it's some core commitments that we affirm and we believe as a church are important to us, to this body of believers. 00:00:46.599 --> 00:00:50.939 And it's something that we want to make sure that we're all on the same page about. 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:59.640 It started a couple of weeks ago with We Believe in the Authority of Scripture and building our lives on God's Word. 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:02.060 And that being our foundation. 00:01:02.339 --> 00:01:06.019 Last week, we moved to We Believe in the Power of Prayer. 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:12.659 This week, we're going to be talking about the fact that we believe in the importance of community. 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:20.099 We believe in the importance of coming together as a body of believers and enjoying that time of fellowship. 00:01:20.099 --> 00:01:24.459 But also that this is something that God has called us to do. 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:29.599 Back in 2020, it was a hard year on many fronts. 00:01:30.479 --> 00:01:32.879 Many of us lost loved ones. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.579 Some had extended stays in the hospital, lost jobs. 00:01:37.099 --> 00:01:43.719 Many churches that had never had online services like ours started online services. 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:54.319 Clay and I still cringe when we think about some of those videos we put out just to try to encourage community during that time. 00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:55.819 But schools closed. 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:58.280 Unfortunately, some churches closed. 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:03.340 Many difficulties that could be seen immediately during that time. 00:02:03.340 --> 00:02:12.340 But one of the lasting effects that was more difficult to see in the moment was the loss of community that we experienced. 00:02:12.920 --> 00:02:20.360 In fact, much research has been done in the last few years with a focus on mental health after the pandemic. 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:29.580 And in some studies, it showed that nearly half of Americans in 2021 reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:32.260 And this showed in many different ways. 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:33.720 This played out in many different ways. 00:02:33.900 --> 00:02:41.620 Substance abuse and excessive drinking spiked during this time as well as those reaching out to mental health professionals. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:48.360 In fact, I have a very dear friend of mine who serves on the board of the Northeast Georgia Christian Counseling Center. 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:52.660 And they have many counselors that are a part of that. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:03:05.060 And he said over and over again during that time, they struggled to keep up with the demand of people needing to work through what was going on in their lives. 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:09.240 And I think it was a multifaceted issue that led to this. 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:19.060 But one of the interesting topics of discussion right now that people are looking into revolves around the loss of community that people experienced. 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:22.540 We were made to experience life with other people. 00:03:22.860 --> 00:03:31.379 And a pandemic that greatly reduced the ability to gather together and to be around others made this time very difficult. 00:03:31.379 --> 00:03:39.099 However, much of the research that is out there, it's really interesting some of the studies and some of the findings that they're coming out with. 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:45.780 Much of that research is showing that while, yes, Christians still struggle during this time like many others, 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:51.180 they did find themselves able to work through it in healthier ways. 00:03:51.460 --> 00:03:54.800 One of the articles I was reading, it stated it like this. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:04:00.219 It said religious involvement is a very positive influence in people's lives. 00:04:00.580 --> 00:04:08.680 And it has been for a long time, says Harold Koenig, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University. 00:04:09.200 --> 00:04:15.280 So psychologists have long acknowledged religion as a potent coping mechanism, 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:19.340 as well as a powerful protective factor for mental health. 00:04:19.580 --> 00:04:21.500 And the pandemic was no exception. 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:31.120 Now, obviously, I believe that faith in Christ and the community he provides in the church is more than a coping mechanism. 00:04:31.500 --> 00:04:39.120 But it's interesting when the academic community affirms what God has said all along. 00:04:39.980 --> 00:04:46.319 And so I want our focus of our time this morning to be on what healthy community looks like. 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:52.279 And for us to do that, I want us to spend some time looking through Ephesians chapter 4, verses 1 through 16. 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:55.159 And so feel free to go ahead and make your way there. 00:04:55.259 --> 00:05:00.719 But before we get into that passage, there is something that I want us to bring our attention to. 00:05:00.779 --> 00:05:04.259 I want to take just a moment to reflect on this. 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:09.800 And so the first thing that I want us to consider this morning is the importance of gospel community. 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:19.319 The importance of coming together as a community of believers who affirm the gospel message. 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:27.160 You see, the word community is used in a variety of contexts and can denote groups of people who have something in common. 00:05:27.340 --> 00:05:34.920 For example, we can speak of a farming community or an academic community or any number of groups for that matter. 00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:42.300 But I also believe that there's biblical evidence for us to support the idea of a gospel community. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:48.520 A community, a fellowship of believers who are coming together. 00:05:49.379 --> 00:05:55.200 Most of the time when we see the word fellowship in scripture, it comes from a Greek word koinonia. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:04.439 And now this word also carries the idea of participation, partnerships, and sharing along with fellowship. 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:12.980 And in our Christian circles, the word fellowship has come to mean little more than just a Christian social activity. 00:06:13.259 --> 00:06:22.520 Sometimes sharing coffee together with someone or a social function or something that you do in a certain area of the church, right? 00:06:22.860 --> 00:06:28.220 You go to the fellowship hall and that's where you fellowship, that's where you experience this. 00:06:28.580 --> 00:06:32.040 However, this is not the meaning of fellowship in the New Testament. 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:39.640 The first occurrence, in fact, of the word fellowship comes right after the formation of the church. 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:49.640 When we think of fellowship in relation to the church, this word appears right after the formation of the church in Acts 2, 42, where it says, 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:55.259 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship and the breaking of bread and the prayers. 00:06:55.259 --> 00:07:03.599 And so we are not the least bit surprised when we see this to see that the early church was devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:04.980 That makes sense, right? 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:10.120 That they should know what the apostles were teaching because they're teaching them what Christ had taught them. 00:07:10.539 --> 00:07:13.159 And so we're not surprised by that. 00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:19.939 And we're not surprised that they were devoting themselves to prayer because this is something that we should be devoting ourselves to. 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:26.519 And so we understand and affirm that they should be devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to prayer. 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:33.920 But it's in that same breath that he's saying they're devoting themselves to fellowship. 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:40.360 Now, if fellowship is simply a social activity, then this wouldn't make sense at all. 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:51.080 This wouldn't be something that really makes sense to us if all fellowship is is simply a social activity where we come together from time to time, 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:56.240 share a meal, share a coffee, have a good time, play a game together, something like that. 00:07:56.540 --> 00:08:01.139 It wouldn't make sense if that's all fellowship was. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.319 Jerry Bridges notes, he says, 00:08:03.500 --> 00:08:09.840 The first Christians of Acts 2, 42 were not devoting themselves to social activities, but to a relationship. 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:17.780 A relationship that consisted of sharing together the very life of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:18.139 --> 00:08:23.120 They realized that their fellowship with God logically brought them into fellowship with one another. 00:08:23.520 --> 00:08:29.460 And so you see, fellowship is not primarily an activity, but fellowship is primarily a relationship. 00:08:30.460 --> 00:08:35.940 Fellowship is a relationship where it's a community of believers who are coming together, 00:08:35.940 --> 00:08:40.120 and it's something that we should be devoting our lives to. 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:42.120 It's not a thing we do. 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:44.800 It's a partnership, a sharing of life. 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:50.820 It is a community of believers who profess Christ as supreme in their lives. 00:08:51.419 --> 00:08:55.000 And so as image bearers, people are made for community. 00:08:55.700 --> 00:08:59.700 The triune God is a relational God, and he's created us for relationships. 00:09:00.300 --> 00:09:01.120 This is important. 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:03.740 This is something that we see from the very beginning. 00:09:03.740 --> 00:09:13.100 And so to live apart from others is not only detrimental to us and our well-being, but it's also unlike Christ. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:18.560 To live in isolation is not only detrimental to us, but it's unlike Jesus. 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:22.019 It's unlike how he lived his life. 00:09:22.019 --> 00:09:30.600 When you look through the gospel accounts, so many times what you find is Jesus going from meal to meal, from house to house, 00:09:30.939 --> 00:09:35.620 spending time with people within this fellowship. 00:09:36.439 --> 00:09:38.159 It's something that he gave his life to. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:45.100 Now, yes, absolutely, there are times when he pulled back and had those personal quiet times with God, 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:47.759 and he had some of that isolation that was in there. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:54.740 But if you look at it, immediately after he finishes those times, he goes straight back into community. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:10:02.500 He goes straight back into relationships with others, and that's because this was important to him. 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:05.820 Tim Keller, he rightly says, he says, 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:14.840 To need and want deep spiritual friendships is not a sign of spiritual immaturity, but of maturity. 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:19.220 It's not a sign of weakness, but it is a sign of health. 00:10:19.580 --> 00:10:22.000 Think back with me onto Genesis chapter 2. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:26.019 Prior to sin entering the world, God created everything. 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:27.539 He said that it was good, right? 00:10:27.559 --> 00:10:30.659 Everything was perfect from the beginning when God created it. 00:10:30.659 --> 00:10:36.139 He created everything, and he declared it to be good except for one thing. 00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:40.159 And he says it's not good for man to be alone. 00:10:41.059 --> 00:10:47.959 And so even part of creation, before the fall happens, we see that we're made for this community. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:50.039 Keller goes on to note, he says, 00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:56.220 Adam was not lonely because he was imperfect, but because he was perfect. 00:10:56.220 --> 00:11:01.540 The eight for friends is the one eight that's not the result of sin. 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:08.399 God made us in such a way that we couldn't even enjoy paradise without friends, human friends. 00:11:08.800 --> 00:11:15.139 Adam had a perfect quiet time every single day for 24 hours a day, yet he needed friends. 00:11:15.139 --> 00:11:19.080 And so if you're lonely, you aren't dysfunctional, you're fine. 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:20.759 You're lonely because you're not a tree. 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:22.980 You're lonely because you're not a machine. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:26.199 You're lonely because you were built this way. 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:33.259 Now, I have to be careful, he says, that this, because of the reasons you may not have friends, is because of sin. 00:11:33.259 --> 00:11:40.840 But the passion for it, the need for it, the sense of lack of it is not wrong at all. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:48.939 And he goes on to challenge believers to see the need and to be open to cultivating those relationships. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:53.240 He says, friends, let yourself need friends. 00:11:53.779 --> 00:11:55.539 Let yourself need people. 00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:56.899 Here's the trouble. 00:11:57.179 --> 00:11:59.460 When you're in trouble, it's too late. 00:11:59.460 --> 00:12:04.620 You know, very few people walk around saying, ah, I love air. 00:12:05.019 --> 00:12:07.180 I just love air so much. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:08.220 It is so wonderful. 00:12:08.420 --> 00:12:09.220 Air, air, air. 00:12:09.460 --> 00:12:11.340 What good is my brain without air? 00:12:11.420 --> 00:12:13.139 What good would my life be without air? 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:17.100 He says, you only sound that way when you're underwater. 00:12:17.920 --> 00:12:20.400 Then you start to say, wow, air. 00:12:20.900 --> 00:12:21.800 I need air. 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:27.220 And you don't walk around saying, I need friends until you emotionally and personally go under. 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:28.320 And then it's too late. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:33.840 If you don't already have them, he says, you need spiritual friendships. 00:12:35.280 --> 00:12:41.260 And so have you noticed whenever you watch shows and things like that on now, and there's not a lot of great shows to watch. 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:50.020 But when you look at shows and you see the ones that really make it big and are and are something that lasts for many, many years. 00:12:50.160 --> 00:12:54.400 What you see is this these shows that are surrounded by community. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.620 For example, community in the workplace. 00:12:56.939 --> 00:12:57.819 You have the office. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:03.419 And you see that, and it's something that's made its way around and still is making its way around in circles. 00:13:03.539 --> 00:13:11.980 And then you also see outside of the workplace in shows like Friends, where you see this community of friends who enjoy this time together. 00:13:12.079 --> 00:13:18.419 Or going back a little bit further than that, a small town community that comes together in the Andy Griffith show. 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:23.159 Some of you may identify with that and just understanding the importance of that. 00:13:23.159 --> 00:13:34.839 But even outside of shows that are popular that deal with community, shows that in fact are as far from community as you can possibly get, like alone. 00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:39.639 Then you see in those shows what people struggle with the most. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.039 Oftentimes it's not the elements. 00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:43.579 It's not a lack of food. 00:13:43.659 --> 00:13:45.399 It's not any of those number of things. 00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:49.539 What people struggle with the most is pulling away from people. 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:55.699 And pulling away from those friendships and that community that they experience. 00:13:56.199 --> 00:13:59.480 You see, God has given us a need for community. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:04.059 And he's given us the place where that need for community is met. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:05.600 And it's the church. 00:14:06.319 --> 00:14:14.419 So for the remainder of our time this morning, I want us to take some time to consider what healthy gospel community looks like. 00:14:14.419 --> 00:14:18.519 What healthy gospel community looks like. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:22.219 You see, we all realize the need for health, right? 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:26.919 We all realize that this is something that we should be focusing on at times. 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:30.860 We live in a time where many people are concerned with health and fitness. 00:14:31.740 --> 00:14:37.179 All you have to do is watch television to see commercials for supplements and memberships of all kinds of things. 00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:42.319 Jacob came home from the gym the other day right after New Year's and said, 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:47.920 Wow, there must be a lot of New Year's resolutions right now because the gym was packed with people. 00:14:48.540 --> 00:14:53.720 And so he recognized that people understand this need and we try to find that. 00:14:53.820 --> 00:14:57.460 In fact, I try sometimes to be health conscious myself. 00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:01.360 I appreciate you not laughing too hard about that. 00:15:01.620 --> 00:15:03.280 But I try at least sometimes. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:09.199 And it's frustrating because not too many years ago, I could go three days a week to work out. 00:15:09.779 --> 00:15:12.039 And it pretty much kept the pounds off. 00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:13.740 It pretty much did its job. 00:15:13.939 --> 00:15:15.779 And at least on the outside, it looked healthy. 00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:19.100 And then all of a sudden, slowly, that started not being enough. 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:21.860 And so this week, I finally realized, like, you know what? 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:24.699 I've got to go five days a week. 00:15:24.839 --> 00:15:26.759 And it's about to kill me. 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:29.799 I'm just trying to do that all this week of having that cardio. 00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:36.120 And I'm trying now to convince myself that I believe that we all have a limited number of heartbeats. 00:15:36.220 --> 00:15:39.259 And if we already have a number of heartbeats that God knows, 00:15:39.580 --> 00:15:44.480 and working out just burns through those a whole lot faster than if we didn't. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.559 And so I'm trying to convince myself of this. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:50.500 But we all recognize the need for health in our lives. 00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:56.299 And just like there are things that we can do to improve our health and measure our fitness, 00:15:57.259 --> 00:16:02.240 we see in Scripture that there are things that are prevalent in healthy communities. 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:07.279 And so to help us see this more clearly, I want to invite you to follow along 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:11.259 as we read these 16 verses here in Ephesians chapter 4. 00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:13.820 And so follow along as we read God's Word. 00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:14.700 It says this. 00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:24.420 I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:29.900 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:34.200 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:41.020 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, 00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:45.819 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, 00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:49.240 who is over all and through all and in all. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:54.919 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:16:55.340 --> 00:16:56.199 Therefore it says, 00:16:56.579 --> 00:17:02.199 When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:09.579 In saying he ascended, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:15.199 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, 00:17:15.659 --> 00:17:17.799 that he might fill all things. 00:17:18.139 --> 00:17:23.919 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds or pastors and teachers 00:17:23.919 --> 00:17:29.299 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 00:17:29.399 --> 00:17:36.339 until we attain the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood. 00:17:36.339 --> 00:17:40.699 To that measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 00:17:40.899 --> 00:17:47.659 so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 00:17:47.899 --> 00:17:52.379 by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes. 00:17:53.000 --> 00:18:00.720 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:08.420 into Christ, for from him the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:16.660 When each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 00:18:17.360 --> 00:18:22.120 In many ways, Paul starts his letters with doctrine. 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:26.739 Many times, if you look through his letters to the church, he'll start them with doctrine, 00:18:26.939 --> 00:18:31.379 with gospel truth, where he clearly explains the gospel. 00:18:31.899 --> 00:18:36.519 A lot of times he does this before he even gets into the outworkings of the gospel, 00:18:36.859 --> 00:18:38.659 the outworkings of this knowledge. 00:18:38.859 --> 00:18:41.199 And Ephesians is no different than this. 00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:48.699 In fact, Ephesians 2, verses 1 through 10, is one of my favorite pictures of the gospel in all of Scripture. 00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:52.460 We see our desperate need for Christ. 00:18:52.580 --> 00:18:58.740 We see that we're all dead in our trespasses and sins, that there's no hope for us but God. 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:03.420 But God, being rich in mercy, made a way for us to have hope. 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:06.680 And we see that clearly presented here. 00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:09.700 But then he gives us a challenge. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:14.819 In light of who Christ is and our relationship with him, 00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:19.000 there are some things that should be prevalent in our lives. 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:25.079 There are some things that should naturally work their way out into our lives and into the church. 00:19:25.179 --> 00:19:30.740 And so here in Ephesians 4, Paul speaks to the body of Christ, the church, 00:19:30.899 --> 00:19:35.500 and he lets us know what are some characteristics of a healthy church. 00:19:35.899 --> 00:19:39.859 What are some characteristics of a healthy community? 00:19:39.859 --> 00:19:47.519 And so in this passage, I want to bring our attention to a few characteristics of a healthy gospel community. 00:19:48.379 --> 00:19:53.240 And so to begin with, we see a healthy community is unified in the gospel. 00:19:53.939 --> 00:19:57.599 A healthy community is unified in the gospel. 00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:57.979 It says, 00:19:57.980 --> 00:20:20.640 And so to begin with, we are called to be unified. 00:20:21.380 --> 00:20:22.480 That is our calling. 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:27.860 Paul says we are to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:34.940 Now this is not the first time that Paul uses the word walk to describe how we are living our lives. 00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:41.920 He says it back in Ephesians 2 in reference to our manner of living before we come to faith in Christ. 00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:46.180 We are dead in our trespasses and sins in which we once walked. 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:49.599 We are walking as that was our lifestyle. 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:55.279 Now we walk or our conduct of life in a way that is different. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:59.379 And as believers, we are unified in this. 00:20:59.899 --> 00:21:02.940 We come together as believers who walk differently. 00:21:03.139 --> 00:21:04.960 And we walk differently together. 00:21:05.139 --> 00:21:08.039 We walk in a manner worthy of our calling. 00:21:08.180 --> 00:21:14.480 In so many ways in this section, it is talking about the importance of believers being unified in the gospel. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:25.519 Not only does it speak of unity, but it also highlights this by giving us what many scholars believe is one of the first creeds of the church. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:35.680 This next section that Paul shares here is what many believe is one of the first few creeds of the church that the churches were affirming when they came together. 00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:38.599 They were saying this and reciting these things together. 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:42.219 And in this it says there is one body and one spirit. 00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:47.539 Just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:48.699 One Lord. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:49.819 One faith. 00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:50.859 One baptism. 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:55.859 One God and Father who is over all and through all and in all. 00:21:56.459 --> 00:22:01.039 In this section, Paul's concern is to stress the church's unity. 00:22:02.139 --> 00:22:05.319 We see at the beginning of verse 4 there is one body. 00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:07.559 Body is a metaphor for the church. 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:10.819 The church is compared to several things throughout scripture. 00:22:11.899 --> 00:22:16.179 And even in the book of Ephesians, we see the church compared to different things. 00:22:16.179 --> 00:22:25.460 But comparing the church to a body is helpful and shows the importance of this unity of it working together. 00:22:25.819 --> 00:22:29.419 A body, when functioning properly, works together. 00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:37.940 It also is important for us to see that this being a part of a follower of Christ is that we are unified together with other believers. 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:44.600 Paul tells us that we are to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:52.340 You see, Paul didn't say to attain the unity of the spirit, but rather maintain it. 00:22:52.339 --> 00:22:57.319 Tony Morita notes, he says, we can't ultimately create Christian fellowship. 00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:59.619 God establishes it. 00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:06.240 But it's our job then to cultivate it, to work it, to maintain it. 00:23:06.439 --> 00:23:13.299 And so if you maintain something regularly, then you make sure that you give it maintenance when it is required. 00:23:13.299 --> 00:23:17.740 God has given us the gift of community. 00:23:18.519 --> 00:23:21.619 A healthy church has a unity about it. 00:23:21.659 --> 00:23:23.480 This doesn't mean that we agree on everything. 00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:25.740 It doesn't mean that we're all the same. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:29.940 It doesn't mean that we compromise our beliefs for the sake of unity. 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:42.100 But it does mean that our focus is so much on Christ that the things that we may disagree about pale in comparison to who Christ is. 00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:53.480 The unity within the community is something, is not something that we created, but it is something that he has called us to maintain. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.460 And so how do we maintain it? 00:23:55.460 --> 00:24:00.880 How do we maintain this unity within the church by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus? 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:04.460 There are so many things that try to grab our attention in life. 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:08.240 There are so many things that try to pull our attention away from Jesus. 00:24:08.360 --> 00:24:13.360 And when we take our eyes off of him, that's when we see this unity creeping into the church. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:18.500 Yesterday, the men's conference had a wonderful time of men coming together. 00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:21.620 And Pastor Quintel Hill was one of the speakers. 00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:27.359 And I remember him saying just yesterday, he kind of added a little bit to a very popular quote. 00:24:27.479 --> 00:24:36.519 But he says, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing and to let the main thing do his thing. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:43.279 The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing and to let the main thing do his thing. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:50.500 By keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, we let God work in powerful ways in our lives. 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:58.119 By keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, it will help us more than anything to maintain unity within the church. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:04.819 The next statement is almost going to sound a little bit like a contradiction to what I just said. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:10.240 You know, a healthy church has a sense of unity that goes along with it. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:17.319 But also what we see in this passage is a healthy community is spiritually diverse. 00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:20.940 A healthy community is spiritually diverse. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:26.799 It says, but grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:25:27.380 --> 00:25:33.859 Therefore, it says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men. 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:41.559 And saying he ascended, what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:49.139 He who descended is the one who has ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things. 00:25:49.459 --> 00:25:58.119 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, 00:25:58.119 --> 00:26:01.639 for building up the body of Christ. 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:07.380 Now, it's important to remember that unity does not mean sameness. 00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:12.440 To have a sense of unity doesn't mean that we're all a bunch of robots. 00:26:13.080 --> 00:26:17.540 It doesn't mean that we all like the same things, do the same things, have the same gifts. 00:26:17.540 --> 00:26:26.640 In these verses, Paul shows us how the church, with all of its diversity, functions in a healthy way. 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:38.460 To begin with, we see that we are diverse in our giftings, in the things that God has given us, in our abilities and gifts that God has given us. 00:26:38.560 --> 00:26:40.180 We're diverse in this. 00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:43.100 God has not given us all the same gift. 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:48.180 We see that being taught here, but also in greater detail than Paul's other letters. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:53.460 In fact, we are to celebrate the fact that we have different gifts. 00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:58.579 He says that every believer has received a gift or grace. 00:26:59.180 --> 00:27:05.000 Now, this is not the saving grace that he's talking about back in Ephesians chapter 2. 00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:07.340 But this is ministry grace. 00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:10.480 The gifts he gives to believers. 00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:13.279 And praise God, we all have different gifts. 00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:15.840 I think Catherine will be the first one to say, 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:18.299 Amen, I'm glad everybody's not like Brett. 00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:23.759 I'm glad that we all have different gifts and abilities within the church. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:31.759 And this is the beauty of the church, that we are spiritually gifted in different ways, and we're diverse in those giftings. 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:38.240 And so with those diverse gifts, we also see that we're different and diverse in our responsibilities. 00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:43.259 Christ gave us gifts so that we would use them. 00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:46.920 We're diverse in our responsibilities that he's called us. 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:50.160 These responsibilities are different for different believers. 00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:56.819 And each of them has the same value to God, but they share different roles. 00:27:57.660 --> 00:28:04.720 God doesn't want us to be jealous of someone else's gifts, but rather he wants us to use our gifts. 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:07.960 We're not called to be jealous of someone else's gifts. 00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:11.759 We're called to use the gifts that God has given us. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:17.119 And so the question we must ask ourselves as believers is this. 00:28:17.720 --> 00:28:20.740 Are we going to ride the bench or are we going to get in the game? 00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:26.980 Are we going to ride the bench and not use those gifts and abilities that God has given us, 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:29.019 or are we going to get in the game? 00:28:29.059 --> 00:28:32.660 I can remember in high school, people that I played football with, 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:37.740 there were many people on the football team who wanted to play, who wanted to be out there, 00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:39.379 who wanted to get in the game. 00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:45.020 But I can remember there's a lot of people out there that just like to put on that uniform on Friday nights as well. 00:28:45.540 --> 00:28:50.120 And in fact, they wanted to do anything but get in the game on Friday nights. 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:51.320 They just wanted to be out there. 00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:54.860 In fact, throughout the week, they would try to hide and stay behind everybody 00:28:54.860 --> 00:28:58.320 and make sure they didn't have to go into practice and do different things. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:01.319 And so they loved to kind of stay behind the scenes. 00:29:01.439 --> 00:29:06.019 They wanted to be a part of the team, but they didn't want to actually contribute to the team. 00:29:06.179 --> 00:29:11.079 They wanted to be there and to hang out with everybody, but they didn't actually want to get in the game. 00:29:11.159 --> 00:29:14.200 They didn't want to participate in the game. 00:29:14.740 --> 00:29:18.460 And sure, when people looked on the outside, they saw more people on the field. 00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:20.099 They saw, oh, this is a big team. 00:29:20.179 --> 00:29:22.059 Look at all those people that are out there. 00:29:22.059 --> 00:29:26.159 But it wasn't people who were contributing to the team. 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:31.700 You see, God didn't equip us as believers to ride the bench. 00:29:32.019 --> 00:29:35.639 He wants all of his children in the game. 00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:41.179 There's too much work to be done to not be used by the king. 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:46.159 Jesus says, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:51.220 A healthy community of believers is diverse in its gifts. 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:57.480 It's diverse in its responsibilities, but it actually uses the gifts. 00:29:58.240 --> 00:30:01.960 It actually uses what God has given them. 00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:09.540 And so finally, in this passage, we see that a healthy community is constantly growing spiritually. 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:14.160 A healthy community is constantly growing spiritually. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:16.640 Verses 13 through 16 says, 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:21.640 Until we attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, 00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:28.460 to mature manhood, to measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 00:30:28.560 --> 00:30:34.960 so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 00:30:35.580 --> 00:30:42.500 by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes, rather speaking truth in love. 00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:47.380 We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:53.079 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, 00:30:53.339 --> 00:31:02.380 when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:07.599 You see, the result of the church's unity and diversity is maturity. 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:12.259 The result of a healthy church who is unified around the gospel, 00:31:12.339 --> 00:31:17.459 the result of a healthy church who is diverse in its gifts and responsibilities and actually uses them, 00:31:17.659 --> 00:31:20.559 is a church that is growing in maturity. 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:26.480 This maturity involves us growing more and more like Christ. 00:31:27.319 --> 00:31:29.139 It involves us growing up. 00:31:29.639 --> 00:31:33.500 As believers, we all start as babies. 00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:36.220 But a healthy baby grows. 00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:41.839 That is one of the signs that you can know that a child is healthy is that it is growing. 00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:46.660 Children need to grow in their knowledge and understanding of things. 00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:48.680 This is why we send them to school. 00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.980 This is why we homeschool. 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:51.880 This is why we teach them things. 00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:55.599 It's because they need to grow in their knowledge of things. 00:31:56.119 --> 00:32:02.259 Right now, there are probably very few things that I couldn't convince Charlotte to believe. 00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:04.579 Charlotte's our six-year-old. 00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:08.839 There's probably very few things that I couldn't convince her to believe if I really tried. 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:15.059 In fact, I could probably tell her that the moon is made of cheese and make a pretty convincing argument for her, 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:16.279 and she would believe me. 00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:19.579 Now, Jacob and Ressie, not a chance. 00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:21.259 They're like, you're crazy, Dad. 00:32:21.500 --> 00:32:23.400 I know that it's not made of cheese. 00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.440 I know that it's not. 00:32:24.440 --> 00:32:29.340 But as children, as babies, as infants, we can be gullible sometimes. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:33.019 It can be easy to believe something that's not true. 00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:35.940 Children are gullible and often easily deceived. 00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:38.039 They must be taught. 00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:39.900 I often say it like this. 00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:43.580 If you don't know the truth, if you don't know God's Word, 00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:46.620 if you're not building your life on this, if you don't know truth, 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:49.660 then it becomes very easy to believe a lie. 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:55.380 It becomes really easy to believe whatever somebody else is telling you about something. 00:32:56.000 --> 00:33:00.940 However, if you do know truth, if you do know what God's Word says, 00:33:01.120 --> 00:33:04.940 then it becomes really easy to spot a lie when you see it. 00:33:05.560 --> 00:33:08.779 It becomes really easy to say, that's not right. 00:33:09.100 --> 00:33:10.180 That's not true. 00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:13.040 And I know this because I know truth. 00:33:13.040 --> 00:33:15.840 I know what our lives are to be built on. 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:19.699 I mean, a healthy church is marked by spiritual growth. 00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:23.899 False teachers prey on the vulnerable and say things like, 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:25.839 all religions are the same. 00:33:25.939 --> 00:33:27.439 It doesn't matter what you believe. 00:33:27.679 --> 00:33:31.039 As long as you believe in something, you'll eventually get to the same place. 00:33:32.059 --> 00:33:33.919 Vulnerable people may believe things like, 00:33:34.099 --> 00:33:36.839 if you're a good person, then you'll get to heaven one day. 00:33:36.919 --> 00:33:38.359 Just try harder. 00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:39.419 Be good enough. 00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:41.500 They may believe things like, 00:33:41.559 --> 00:33:44.139 the Bible is just one of many religious books. 00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:47.060 But when we know the truth, 00:33:47.340 --> 00:33:49.740 it becomes easy to spot a lie. 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:53.020 A healthy church is marked by spiritual growth. 00:33:53.420 --> 00:33:58.300 And the primary way that we grow is by reading God's Word and through prayer. 00:33:59.060 --> 00:34:04.300 And so church, I want us to see this morning that community is vital to our lives. 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:10.660 I want us to see very clearly that community and fellowship with one another 00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:13.579 is something that we were created for, 00:34:13.859 --> 00:34:20.399 that God wants us to experience in this life that's important for us to have as a part of our life. 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:25.099 I'm so thankful that we're able to start back Sunday school today, 00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:27.639 that we'll be able to start back these life groups, 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:33.880 because this is where we get to experience community and fellowship in really powerful ways. 00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:36.519 And so if you're not involved in one of those areas, 00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:41.559 we would love to connect you with a class that you can either come to on Sunday mornings, 00:34:41.680 --> 00:34:43.700 come to on Wednesday nights. 00:34:43.699 --> 00:34:46.219 We would love to make those connections for you, 00:34:46.299 --> 00:34:49.239 because this is not just a good idea, 00:34:49.539 --> 00:34:53.960 but it's something that is a necessity in our lives. 00:34:54.759 --> 00:34:58.139 But I also want us to clearly see from the passage today 00:34:58.139 --> 00:35:02.379 that a healthy community is unified in the gospel. 00:35:02.879 --> 00:35:05.399 It is diverse in its gifts and its responsibilities, 00:35:05.399 --> 00:35:09.539 and it is constantly growing spiritually. 00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:12.099 It's constantly maturing. 00:35:12.099 --> 00:35:14.699 And so may we pray this morning 00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:21.099 that God would show us what it means to be a healthy community following Him. 00:35:21.799 --> 00:35:24.900 Maybe this morning you need to give your life to Jesus, 00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:27.559 and that's the first place that you need to start. 00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:32.619 To experience this community, you need to be unified in the gospel. 00:35:32.779 --> 00:35:37.119 So maybe for you, you need to clearly understand the gospel message 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:40.039 that Paul has already presented in Ephesians. 00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:43.460 You need to understand the gospel so clearly presented here 00:35:43.460 --> 00:35:47.739 that there is only one way to God, and it is through Jesus. 00:35:48.579 --> 00:35:50.099 Let that be your first step. 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:53.860 But church, if that has been your step in the past, 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:57.139 don't let that be your last step. 00:35:57.840 --> 00:36:00.380 Let's continue walking, continue maturing. 00:36:01.219 --> 00:36:04.159 Maybe today we need to take a look at our lives 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:09.379 and see if we are contributing to the unity or disunity in the church. 00:36:09.779 --> 00:36:12.519 And if it's the latter, we need to repent. 00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:16.899 If we're causing disunity with our actions, by our words, 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.079 by what we're saying to others, 00:36:18.199 --> 00:36:21.480 we need to repent of that and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. 00:36:22.759 --> 00:36:25.500 Maybe it's time that we get in the game. 00:36:26.159 --> 00:36:30.399 Maybe it's time that we stop standing on the sidelines. 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:33.840 We stop hanging back and trying to play this safe 00:36:33.840 --> 00:36:36.260 and keep everything at a little bit of a distance. 00:36:36.660 --> 00:36:38.579 And maybe it's time that we get in the game, 00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:41.660 that we get in what God has called us to do, 00:36:41.720 --> 00:36:44.119 to be a part of reaching our community, 00:36:44.220 --> 00:36:48.619 to be a part of using our gifts that He's given to us 00:36:48.619 --> 00:36:51.099 that are different from those around you, 00:36:51.660 --> 00:36:55.400 and that we can use those in other areas of responsibilities, 00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:59.180 that we can use those for the building up of His church. 00:36:59.179 --> 00:37:02.699 Maybe we need to take an honest look at our lives 00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:06.239 and see if we are growing in the way that we should be. 00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:09.799 Are we growing as a community? 00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:11.919 And the way that we grow as a community 00:37:11.919 --> 00:37:14.759 is that we grow as individuals within the community, 00:37:15.359 --> 00:37:17.399 that we spend time in God's Word, 00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:19.519 that we want to grow in that relationship, 00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:22.739 and that through that we want to bring others alongside us 00:37:22.739 --> 00:37:23.779 and help them to grow, 00:37:23.779 --> 00:37:28.059 and we grow as a community, as a fellowship of believers. 00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:31.900 And so this morning, I hope that we can clearly see 00:37:31.900 --> 00:37:35.659 that community is vital to our lives. 00:37:35.900 --> 00:37:37.759 It's what we were created for. 00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:40.139 It's what gives our life meaning and purpose. 00:37:40.259 --> 00:37:43.840 It's what allows us to experience joy in this life 00:37:43.840 --> 00:37:46.179 that we couldn't otherwise experience, 00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:50.000 and that we're unified in that around the gospel. 00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:52.699 And so this morning, I want to encourage you 00:37:52.699 --> 00:37:54.739 to think about your life. 00:37:54.739 --> 00:37:56.599 Are you plugged into that community? 00:37:56.679 --> 00:37:59.000 Do you have that healthy community in your life? 00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:01.239 And how can we all contribute 00:38:01.239 --> 00:38:04.579 to building up healthy community within the church? 00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:07.419 Father, thank you so very much for who you are. 00:38:08.319 --> 00:38:10.039 Thank you for what you've done for us. 00:38:10.119 --> 00:38:12.059 Thank you for saving us, 00:38:12.099 --> 00:38:15.279 for making a way for us to be able to go from death to life. 00:38:15.799 --> 00:38:17.619 Thank you for making a way for us 00:38:17.619 --> 00:38:21.000 to be able to go from your enemy to your child, 00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:24.199 to welcome us into your family. 00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:27.679 And so, Lord, that's what we celebrate today, 00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:29.699 that you have saved us, 00:38:29.800 --> 00:38:31.719 that you have changed our eternity, 00:38:31.719 --> 00:38:34.860 but you've also saved us into a fellowship 00:38:34.860 --> 00:38:35.900 with other believers, 00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:40.119 a community that breathes life into our life, 00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:41.880 that we get to share life with, 00:38:41.920 --> 00:38:43.519 that we get to do life with. 00:38:44.119 --> 00:38:47.000 And so, Lord, I pray that you be with us 00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:48.679 as a community of believers. 00:38:48.679 --> 00:38:53.619 Help us to stay unified in the gospel. 00:38:54.059 --> 00:38:56.099 Help us to keep a relationship with you 00:38:56.099 --> 00:38:59.339 as the central focus of everything that we say and do. 00:38:59.679 --> 00:39:03.339 Help us to keep our eyes fixed on you. 00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:08.819 And Lord, I pray that you would give us the boldness 00:39:08.819 --> 00:39:11.719 to use the giftings, 00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:13.940 the gifts that you have given to us 00:39:13.940 --> 00:39:16.019 for your honor and your glory. 00:39:16.019 --> 00:39:18.780 Lord, help us not to just have these gifts, 00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:20.679 but help us to use them. 00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:25.380 Use them to benefit the community, 00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:27.559 to grow your kingdom. 00:39:27.699 --> 00:39:29.860 So, Lord, give us the boldness to do that. 00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:33.420 And Lord, I pray that as we do these things, 00:39:33.960 --> 00:39:37.300 that we would constantly be growing in our maturity, 00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:39.719 growing in our Christ-likeness, 00:39:40.199 --> 00:39:42.719 growing in our understanding of who you are 00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:43.840 and what you've done for us. 00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:46.579 And so, Father, we thank you for all that you do. 00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:48.820 And we ask all this in Jesus' name. 00:39:49.160 --> 00:39:49.480 Amen. 00:39:50.160 --> 00:39:51.460 I'm going to invite you to stand. 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:53.579 We're going to sing a song of invitation right now. 00:39:53.760 --> 00:39:55.280 If the Lord is speaking to you, 00:39:55.340 --> 00:39:58.000 won't you respond as we stand together and sing? 00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:58.120 Amen. 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.120