WEBVTT

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 Gracious Father, we thank you for the work that you have done

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 through the Lord Jesus Christ coming into this world,

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 dying on the cross, rising again,

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 dealing with the sin that separates us from you

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 and that you, through the Lord Jesus, reconciled us to yourself.

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 We thank you for your work in sending your spirit into our hearts,

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 illuminating our darkness so that we could see the glory of Christ.

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 Father, we pray that your work of drawing people to yourself would be our work,

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 that we would be committed to that, it would be our focus,

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 that we'd have a razor-sharp focus on your mission to draw people to yourself.

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 Lord, we pray that you would continue to reform our heart, our structures,

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 our practices, everything we do, so that our agenda might be aligned with yours.

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 And we ask it for your glory. Amen.

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 Chris Jones used an illustration some time ago.

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 I thought it was a great one, so I decided to steal it and redo it.

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 It's one of those illustrations that I think you shouldn't just tell once.

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 It's called The Parable of the Lighthouse, The Lifehouse, Life-Saving Station.

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 Parable of the Life-Saving Station.

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 It goes,

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 Now the Life-Saving Station became a popular gathering plant.

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 happy that the building was so crude and so poorly equipped. They felt the more comfortable place

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 should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency

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 stretchers with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the life-saving station

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 became a popular gathering place for its members and they redecorated it beautifully and furnished

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 it sort of like a club. Less of the members were now interested in going to sea on life-saving

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 missions and so they hired lifeboats crews to do that work for them. The mission of life-saving

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 was still given lip service but most were too busy or lacked the necessary commitment to take part in

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 life-saving activities personally. At the next meeting there was a split in the club membership.

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 Most of the members wanted to stop the club's life-saving activities as being unpleasant and a

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 hindrance to the normal pattern of club life. Some members insisted that life-saving was their

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 primary purpose and pointed out that in fact they were still called a life-saving station

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 but they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the life of all various kinds

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 of people who were shipwrecked on their shores they could begin their own life-saving station just down

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 the coast and so they did. As the years went by the new station experienced the same changes that

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 occurred with the old. They evolved into a club and yet another life-saving station was found

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 and if you visit the seacoast today you will find a number of exclusive clubs along the shore.

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 Shipwrecks are frequent in the waters but now most of the people don't get rescued.

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 It's not hard to lose sight of your original purpose. A multitude of little decisions, even good decisions,

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 for right reasons, if not put within a greater context of greater purpose,

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 you can lead you down to a different path than was originally intended.

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 And this parable is a parable of the church on mission. It's easy for a church to lose

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 its original purpose. It's easy for a church commissioned by the Lord Jesus to make disciples

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 of all nations to lose sight of its purpose. And this brings us to our core value here at St. Paul's.

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 Like all our core values, our core value of local and global impact, that is global impact and local

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 impact for the gospel, is to shape our behaviour, our attitude, our structures, our practices.

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 That is, it needs to be explicit that God's agenda is our agenda as a church. So we're going to take a few

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 moments just to see what God's agenda is, just very broadly, very briefly. So far in this commitment

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 series, in the first four sermons I used Isaiah for three of them and so now we're going to make it

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 four out of five. It's a great book. The book of Isaiah taken as a whole is majestic. It's sort of

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 like the Bible squashed into one book. It asks us to imagine right at the beginning of Isaiah,

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 the creation and then the recreation of the entire world. It begins in verse two, chapter one,

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 with heaven and earth called to bear witness. It says, hear, O heavens, listen, O earth. And it

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 finishes, the last verse of Isaiah finishes with a new heaven and a new earth. As the new heavens and

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 the new earth that I will make endure before me, declares the Lord, so will your name and descendants

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 endure. And so Isaiah takes us, if you like, from the beginning of history to the end of all things,

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 from creation to new creation, which in fact is what the whole Bible does from Genesis to the

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 Revelation. It takes you from creation to new creation. And so Isaiah does that in a smaller

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 period. Isaiah insists that God is doing something throughout all of time and eternity, throughout

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 history, for which even the ends of the earth wait. God has an all-encompassing purpose.

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 And it unravels for us page after page in Isaiah in the same way that it unravels for us page after

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 page in the Bible. And of course, in unraveling God's great plans and purposes, we get a picture

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 of the magnificence of God. And we saw that in the first of these sermons on Christ and the Bible

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 saturation in Isaiah chapter six, the glory of God in display. And we get another one here in verse two

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 of Isaiah 66. This is what the Lord says, heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.

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 It's the only place in the Bible where the earth, the thing that we're sitting on right now, you know,

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 apart from your chairs, and is described as God's footstool. This building is built on God's footstool.

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 But the significance of this is the enormity of God's footstool. It gives you a picture of who God is,

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 the enormity of who God is. The earth, which is God's footstool, is six and a half thousand

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 kilometres straight through. It's 40,000 kilometres if you go around the outside. It weighs something like,

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 guesstimate here, 60 million trillion tonnes. That's a whole lot of zeros there, I think.

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 Has a surface area of 510 million square kilometres, a volume of around 10 trillion cubic kilometres.

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 It spins at 1,600 kilometres an hour, and God says, this is where I rest my feet.

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 It gives you a picture of the majesty of God. And again, what we're meant to get here from the

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 beginning of Isaiah is that we're small, he's big. Because my footstool that I'll go to tonight,

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 and I'll click up when I turn on the TV, is about this big. And you know, I can throw this thing.

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 It's not that big. God's footstool is this world in which we sit on. We're meant to get a picture

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 of the magnificence of the God that we have come to worship here tonight. He sits on a throne,

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 which we saw from Isaiah 6, is his right to rule, because it's the throne in the heavens,

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 it's his right to rule all the universe that he has created. And he touches the earth with his feet.

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 The doctrine of God is given further clarity in verse 2.

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 Has not my hand made all of these things? And so they came into being. His footstool was made by him.

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 The heavenly realms made by him. Everything made by him. And so what that means is,

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 because he is supreme over all things, it's his agenda, his purpose, that matters more than anything else.

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 And the last verse of Isaiah gives us his purpose.

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 As the new heavens and the new earth that I make endure before me, so will your name and descendants endure.

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 From one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me.

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 God's grand design is worship.

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 His grand design for his world is worship.

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 God's plan is for the world that he made, that is his footstool, would see his glory, would bow at his feet in humble submission.

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 Throughout all time, all of history and eternity to come, God's design is for people to worship him with humble and contrite hearts.

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 God says in the new heavens and the new earth, the redeemed of the entire human race will offer unending worship at the feet of their creator.

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 Isaiah.

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 And Isaiah, as you go through, we're not going to see this right now, but as you go through, Isaiah leaves us in no doubt that the key to this new world and this true worship

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 is God's perfect suffering servant king, who we know to be the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 The invincible purpose of God is that the gospel of the glory of Christ spread to all the peoples of the world so that they might come down and bow in worship of him.

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 Worship is his goal.

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 It's not a means to something else.

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 It is his goal.

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 It's made explicit for us that Jesus is the centre of it in the promise of Philippians chapter 2.

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 Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

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 This is talking about Jesus.

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 But he made himself nothing.

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 Taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man,

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 he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on the cross.

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 Therefore God has exalted him to the highest place and has given him the name that is above every name,

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 that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

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 Jesus is at the centre of God's purposes of worship.

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 And the final command of the crucified, risen, all authority of Saviour Christ is that his people deliver on his purpose.

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 While he was here, he bore witness to himself.

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 When he leaves, he said, your job is to bear witness to me.

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 He says this in Matthew 28,

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 Then Jesus came to us and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

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 We just read that from Philippians 2.

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 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit,

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 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.

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 And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

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 It was the very reason that God sent the Holy Spirit.

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 Acts chapter 1 verse 8,

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 But you receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you,

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 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

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 The invincible purpose of God is that the gospel of the glory of Christ spread to all the peoples of the world

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 so they might see the glory of God in the face of Christ,

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 and that they might know he's never changing,

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 he's ever-present love,

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 and that that would motivate them to bow in humble contrition

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 and offer their lives as living sacrifices.

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 That's God's grand design for his world.

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 And if it's God's grand design for his world and for people,

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 then I would suggest that it's his design for your life,

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 and it's designed for St. Paul's Chatswood.

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 That we would fulfil what he has called us to fulfil.

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 What is slightly more difficult?

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 Because I think overall, as Christians, we'd sit here and we would go,

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 yep, no problem with that.

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 Mission's what we do.

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 We give money to mission.

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 That's why we're signing these cards next week and things like that.

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 Slightly more difficult is that more and more,

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 I am persuaded from the scriptures

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 that God's design for the completion of his global plan

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 and the consummation of all of his purposes

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 includes the suffering and the sacrifice of his people.

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 God's plan is that his purpose triumph through the suffering and sacrifice of his people.

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 Now, I don't just mean that suffering is the consequence of being obedient to God's mission.

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 I mean that suffering and sacrifice is one of his strategies for the success of his mission.

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 Jesus said to his disciples as he sent them out in Matthew 10,

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 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.

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 And there ought to be no doubt in our minds what happens when sheep go in amongst wolves.

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 And in case there is, the Apostle Paul confirms the reality for us in Romans chapter 8

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 when he says, as it is written,

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 for your sake we face death all day long.

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 We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

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 Suffering and sacrifice are not just a consequence of our obedience to the Lord's mission.

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 It is the central strategy of his mission.

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 Jesus calls us to join him on the Calvary Road.

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 He calls us to take up our cross, die to ourself and come and follow him.

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 We are not above our master.

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 And it's a very sobering word here.

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 God's plan is that his gospel spreading purposes triumph through the sacrifice and suffering of his people.

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 At the heart of true biblical mission, both for those who are on the front line of it

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 and those who are supporting it,

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 is the eagerness to live simply, to give lavishly and to joyfully sacrifice much

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 because he has loved us much

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 and he promises us much.

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 At the heart of true biblical mission is sacrifice and suffering,

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 not merely as a result of our proclamation of the gospel,

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 but as a means of the proclamation of the gospel.

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 So we know what God's purposes are.

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 We know how he achieves that purposes

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 through the suffering and sacrifice of his people.

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 What gets in the way?

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 And this is where I think there's some idiosyncrasies

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 and potentially even idolatries in the Western church

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 that results in a breakdown between us, God's people, pursuing his purposes.

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 Paul Borden is an American church ministry consultant.

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 Sydney Diocese has brought him out.

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 Our Anglican church has brought him out a number of times

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 to help us to grow cities,

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 to think about how to grow cities in this church.

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 Sorry, grow churches in this city.

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 And his primary focus is to help those churches,

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 whatever church he goes to and does a consultation with,

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 to see that they structure everything they do

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 to ensure that they are actively pursuing the Great Commission.

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 And he suggests that churches exist for the not yet Christian,

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 we ought to consistently,

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 not just be running a few mission programs,

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 but everything we do has to have an eye outward, outward, outward,

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 think it outwardly.

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 And he says when a church loses sight

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 of what it's meant to be doing, its purpose,

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 what it does is by default it looks inwardly,

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 thinks about itself,

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 spends time on its maintenance programs

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 and preservation of its history.

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 And so we slowly die,

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 which is what happens to, in America,

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 3,000 churches in America every year.

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 In the introduction to his book, Assaulting the Gates,

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 he writes, and I'm going to quote extensively from him

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 at various points here.

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 He says,

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 And he goes on to give perspective,

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 his perspective,

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 as to why the church has lost its focus on mission.

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 And he gives three reasons.

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 And I think these three reasons have got a lot of validity to them,

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 and we need to be constantly keeping an eye on them

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 to ensure that we are obediently seeking the Great Commission here in St. Paul's.

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 He says,

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 First of all,

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 if I was requested to find just one word that would describe our culture,

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 he talks about the church culture,

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 the word would be consumerism.

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 Consumerism results in a church filled with people

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 who are proud to be identified with Jesus Christ,

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 and yet who in their behaviours are far more concerned

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 with having their needs

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 and those of their family met

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 than reaching those who are spiritually lost and separated from God.

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 Time after time,

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 I and many others have taught

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 that the turnaround in the congregations of our region,

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 now what he's referring to there in his region,

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 he was in charge of 200 and something churches

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 on the west coast of America.

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 All of them, or the vast majority,

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 except a very small minority of them,

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 were actually in decline.

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 And his goal was to get those churches,

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 200 and something churches,

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 focused on mission,

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 thinking outwardly,

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 rather than just preservation,

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 and within 10 years,

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 70% of them were actually growing.

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 That's what he's talking about here.

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 Time after time,

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 I have, in many others,

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 have taught that the turnaround

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 in the congregations of our region

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 only happened

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 as we began to focus more on others

00:20:21.620 --> 00:20:22.960
 than on ourselves.

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:25.519
 And every time I teach this truth,

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:27.059
 I hear, but what about us?

00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:28.279
 What about our needs?

00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:29.859
 What are you doing to help the Christians?

00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:33.400
 I've come to learn that we American Christians

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:35.259
 will reflexively make sure

00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:36.680
 that our needs are met.

00:20:37.639 --> 00:20:38.839
 Because after all,

00:20:39.139 --> 00:20:40.259
 at our very core,

00:20:40.639 --> 00:20:42.460
 we are all consumers.

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:45.319
 I want to suggest

00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:46.460
 that consumerism,

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:48.259
 having my needs met,

00:20:48.340 --> 00:20:49.180
 is the exact opposite

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:51.319
 of what God's strategy is

00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:52.600
 to achieve his global agenda

00:20:52.600 --> 00:20:54.319
 in the sacrificing and suffering

00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:54.880
 of his people.

00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:58.420
 He says,

00:20:58.420 --> 00:21:00.160
 consumerism in our congregations

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.060
 know no generational differences.

00:21:02.620 --> 00:21:03.640
 The only differences

00:21:03.640 --> 00:21:06.300
 are what the respective generations

00:21:06.300 --> 00:21:08.000
 demand congregations to be

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:08.460
 or to do

00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:09.340
 in order to fulfil

00:21:09.340 --> 00:21:11.180
 their consumer requirements.

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.560
 Often, older Christians

00:21:12.560 --> 00:21:13.700
 are more concerned

00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:14.519
 about their music

00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:15.220
 and the issues

00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:16.519
 of congregational structure

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.519
 that allow them

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.300
 to keep control

00:21:18.300 --> 00:21:19.160
 of what is happening.

00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:20.480
 The baby boomers

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:21.640
 also want to maintain

00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:22.539
 the forms of worship,

00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:23.220
 the buildings,

00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:24.080
 and the ministries

00:21:24.080 --> 00:21:25.039
 that they created

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:26.800
 in order to feel comfortable

00:21:26.800 --> 00:21:27.600
 in their settings.

00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.779
 The emerging generations

00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:31.119
 want their expectations

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.459
 for size and groups

00:21:32.459 --> 00:21:33.659
 and media to be met

00:21:33.659 --> 00:21:34.759
 in order for them

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.439
 to be happy.

00:21:35.939 --> 00:21:37.219
 In most congregations,

00:21:37.379 --> 00:21:38.219
 regardless of size,

00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:39.199
 age, or backgrounds,

00:21:39.379 --> 00:21:40.659
 it is all about me

00:21:40.659 --> 00:21:41.959
 and my needs.

00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.699
 And so if we say

00:21:44.699 --> 00:21:46.699
 that we value this value

00:21:46.699 --> 00:21:49.159
 of local and global impact,

00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.199
 it means laying aside

00:21:51.199 --> 00:21:52.279
 personal preferences

00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:53.179
 and in fact actually

00:21:53.179 --> 00:21:54.439
 becoming uncomfortable

00:21:54.439 --> 00:21:56.319
 for the sake of others

00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:57.240
 worshipping Jesus.

00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:00.299
 Secondly, he says

00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:01.359
 this consumer mindset

00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:04.259
 has created another phenomenon

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:05.399
 which has its roots

00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:06.179
 in the fuzziness

00:22:06.179 --> 00:22:07.699
 of modern theology

00:22:07.699 --> 00:22:09.759
 while playing into the hands

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:11.099
 of the consumer Christ followers.

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:12.339
 That phenomenon

00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:13.519
 is the pacification

00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:14.539
 of the church.

00:22:15.179 --> 00:22:16.099
 The church,

00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:17.379
 as an institution

00:22:17.379 --> 00:22:18.740
 designed to meet

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:19.619
 consumer needs,

00:22:19.879 --> 00:22:21.559
 will not tolerate dissension,

00:22:21.939 --> 00:22:23.119
 even if that dissension

00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:23.859
 is to point out

00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:24.419
 that the church

00:22:24.419 --> 00:22:25.419
 has lost its way

00:22:25.420 --> 00:22:27.100
 in relation to mission.

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:29.019
 We have lost the idea

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:29.700
 of being soldiers

00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:30.420
 for the cross,

00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:31.500
 an army marching

00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:32.640
 for the salvation of people,

00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:33.720
 and lightboat captains

00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:34.880
 rescuing the perishing.

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.440
 Consumer Christians

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:38.620
 desire a wonderful place

00:22:38.620 --> 00:22:39.820
 to worship each Sunday

00:22:39.820 --> 00:22:41.180
 that meets the needs

00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:42.600
 of myself and my family

00:22:42.600 --> 00:22:43.920
 without upsetting

00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:45.600
 the temporary camelot

00:22:45.600 --> 00:22:46.180
 that they call

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:47.220
 their congregations.

00:22:47.220 --> 00:22:48.140
 In other words,

00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:49.039
 what he says is

00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:51.360
 that what is a core value

00:22:51.360 --> 00:22:53.299
 in so many churches

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:54.079
 in the West

00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:56.200
 is surface peace.

00:22:57.319 --> 00:22:58.920
 Don't disrupt the peace.

00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:01.380
 Keep everything calm.

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:04.960
 It's like this great cartoon

00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:06.620
 I saw many, many years ago.

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:08.940
 It's a picture of the,

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:11.180
 the cartoon is the Apostle Peter

00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:13.000
 on Lake Galilee

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.000
 with the disciples

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.740
 in the boat.

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:16.079
 Jesus is walking

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:17.259
 on the water towards them.

00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:17.880
 Peter got,

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.819
 he's got one foot

00:23:18.819 --> 00:23:19.779
 on the side of the boat

00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:20.880
 and he's about to step out

00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:22.000
 because Jesus is calling him

00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:22.440
 to come

00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:23.839
 and the rest of the disciples

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:24.359
 grabbed the boat

00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:24.579
 and said,

00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:25.519
 Peter, don't get out,

00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:26.299
 you'll rock the boat.

00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:29.160
 And, and,

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:30.220
 and that's a value

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:31.599
 is what Paul says.

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:32.480
 The value is

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:33.359
 don't rock the boat.

00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:35.440
 Peace.

00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:36.519
 Let's be calm,

00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:37.680
 comfortable,

00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.759
 coast along.

00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:40.880
 No one should be encouraging us

00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:41.420
 to give more

00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:42.019
 or do more

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.259
 or anything.

00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:42.500
 Just,

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:43.740
 just calm.

00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:47.319
 The third reason

00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.279
 for decline,

00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:49.539
 and these are all connected

00:23:49.539 --> 00:23:50.359
 in one way or another,

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.960
 is what he calls

00:23:51.960 --> 00:23:53.099
 role clarifications.

00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.319
 He says,

00:23:54.500 --> 00:23:55.359
 pastors are called

00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:56.200
 to lead sheep

00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:57.099
 on a mission

00:23:57.099 --> 00:23:58.160
 to attack the forces

00:23:58.160 --> 00:23:58.680
 of evil.

00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:00.599
 God calls upon sheep

00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:01.900
 to attack roaring lions

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:03.200
 and expects them

00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:04.859
 with his help

00:24:04.859 --> 00:24:05.859
 to win far more

00:24:05.859 --> 00:24:06.559
 than they lose.

00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:07.640
 Caregivers

00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:08.819
 are those people

00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.880
 God has called

00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:10.559
 and gifted

00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:12.120
 to employ mercy,

00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:12.779
 compassion,

00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:13.420
 tenderness,

00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:14.640
 and other attributes

00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:15.759
 to help those

00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.320
 who are hurting

00:24:16.320 --> 00:24:17.100
 and desperately

00:24:17.100 --> 00:24:17.940
 need the help

00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:19.100
 caregivers can provide.

00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:21.039
 The Church of Jesus Christ

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.759
 is declining

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.320
 in our

00:24:22.320 --> 00:24:23.519
 and similar nations

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.600
 because we have

00:24:24.600 --> 00:24:25.640
 confused the role

00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:26.380
 of pastor

00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:27.920
 and caregiver.

00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:29.440
 Congregations

00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:30.060
 have allowed

00:24:30.060 --> 00:24:30.800
 the caregivers

00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:31.779
 to fulfil the role

00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.340
 of pastor

00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:33.620
 in most congregations.

00:24:34.100 --> 00:24:34.759
 We lift up

00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:35.380
 the stories

00:24:35.380 --> 00:24:36.400
 of how a faithful

00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:36.960
 caregiver

00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:37.740
 has helped

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:38.480
 one person

00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:38.980
 because of

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.800
 an unending

00:24:39.800 --> 00:24:40.279
 commitment

00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:40.920
 of time

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:41.460
 and energy

00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:42.740
 as the epitome

00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:43.940
 of faithful service

00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:46.599
 while also

00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:48.059
 underappreciating

00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:49.200
 those who have

00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:50.279
 created effective

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.000
 systems

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:51.799
 to reach

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.740
 many people

00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:53.819
 with the same

00:24:53.819 --> 00:24:54.579
 kind of help

00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:55.619
 during the same

00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:56.440
 amount of time.

00:24:59.539 --> 00:25:00.619
 The constant

00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:01.440
 message seems

00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:01.980
 to be that

00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:02.480
 the smaller

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:03.319
 the congregation

00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:04.859
 the more spiritual

00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:05.559
 the pastor

00:25:05.559 --> 00:25:06.259
 must be.

00:25:06.259 --> 00:25:09.660
 Now there are

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.619
 many reasons

00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:11.480
 for decline

00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:14.799
 in the effectiveness

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.559
 of the mission

00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:17.359
 in the church

00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:19.200
 but he suggests

00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:19.640
 these are the

00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:20.680
 three major ones.

00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:21.819
 Many others

00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:22.400
 these are the

00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.299
 three major ones.

00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:25.000
 What is interesting

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:26.099
 is that each one

00:25:26.099 --> 00:25:26.900
 of those things

00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:28.000
 the role of the pastor

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:29.799
 peace in the church

00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:32.259
 meeting my needs

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:33.079
 are all

00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:33.740
 unwritten

00:25:33.740 --> 00:25:34.720
 core values.

00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:37.900
 And so when you

00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:38.680
 have a stated

00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:39.519
 core value

00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:40.839
 coming up against

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:41.400
 unwritten

00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:42.299
 core values

00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:43.400
 it will impact

00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:44.039
 the effectiveness

00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.759
 of the stated

00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:45.359
 core value.

00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:48.819
 So here's where

00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:49.180
 it gets a little

00:25:49.180 --> 00:25:49.859
 bit hard for me

00:25:49.859 --> 00:25:50.299
 personally.

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:52.400
 St Paul's is a

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.579
 church that has

00:25:53.579 --> 00:25:54.599
 a good and

00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:56.180
 honourable history

00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:57.059
 in its mission

00:25:57.059 --> 00:25:57.599
 support.

00:25:57.879 --> 00:25:58.480
 At one point

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.279
 this church

00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:01.339
 led the

00:26:01.339 --> 00:26:02.039
 Sydney Anglican

00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:02.879
 Diocese in

00:26:02.879 --> 00:26:03.440
 its mission

00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.460
 in terms of

00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:04.839
 giving to

00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:05.480
 global mission.

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:07.640
 That was a

00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:08.299
 while ago now

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:09.059
 but it did

00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:09.640
 at one point.

00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.359
 It's had a

00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:11.099
 long history

00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:11.480
 of mission

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:11.980
 support.

00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:13.680
 And yet

00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:14.940
 for some

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.279
 reason

00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:15.980
 and I'll

00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:16.500
 tell you why

00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:17.119
 I found

00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:17.920
 this message

00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:18.440
 on local

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:18.960
 and global

00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:19.640
 impact

00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:21.079
 the hardest

00:26:21.079 --> 00:26:21.740
 one to

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.220
 prepare.

00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.480
 Not because

00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:26.039
 of me needing

00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:26.879
 to convince

00:26:26.879 --> 00:26:27.400
 that this

00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:27.759
 ought to be

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.539
 a core value

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:30.660
 but because

00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.759
 it has been

00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.400
 in one way

00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:32.700
 or another

00:26:32.700 --> 00:26:33.539
 in our history.

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:33.599
 history.

00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:35.539
 The issue

00:26:35.539 --> 00:26:35.980
 is not

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.240
 that we

00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:36.819
 don't agree

00:26:36.819 --> 00:26:37.279
 with it.

00:26:38.099 --> 00:26:38.819
 The issue

00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:39.680
 is that there

00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.220
 are other

00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:40.859
 unwritten

00:26:40.859 --> 00:26:42.099
 core values

00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:43.099
 such as the

00:26:43.099 --> 00:26:43.740
 three that I've

00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:44.299
 just mentioned

00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:44.799
 from Paul

00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:45.139
 Borden

00:26:45.139 --> 00:26:46.819
 that actually

00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.960
 undermine our

00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:48.799
 effectiveness

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:51.119
 in local

00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:51.599
 mission.

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.960
 By the time

00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.460
 I arrived

00:26:55.460 --> 00:26:55.779
 here about

00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:56.139
 five and a

00:26:56.139 --> 00:26:56.519
 half years

00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:57.059
 ago by

00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:57.460
 and large

00:26:57.460 --> 00:26:58.039
 St Paul's

00:26:58.039 --> 00:26:59.339
 agreed that

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.000
 it needed to

00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:00.619
 be a church

00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:01.299
 of gospel

00:27:01.299 --> 00:27:01.919
 light in

00:27:01.919 --> 00:27:03.799
 a spiritually

00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:04.459
 dark world.

00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:05.119
 That was a

00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:06.399
 core value.

00:27:07.199 --> 00:27:08.139
 We are a

00:27:08.139 --> 00:27:08.559
 light on a

00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.279
 hill if you

00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:09.639
 like.

00:27:10.779 --> 00:27:11.539
 My perception

00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:12.139
 of things

00:27:12.139 --> 00:27:13.959
 were more

00:27:13.959 --> 00:27:14.319
 that we

00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:15.099
 operated like

00:27:15.099 --> 00:27:15.699
 a lighthouse

00:27:15.699 --> 00:27:16.419
 rather than

00:27:16.419 --> 00:27:16.919
 a lantern.

00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:17.899
 That is

00:27:17.899 --> 00:27:19.000
 core value

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:20.059
 is global

00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:22.459
 mission was

00:27:22.459 --> 00:27:23.099
 the highest

00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:23.739
 value thing.

00:27:23.819 --> 00:27:24.179
 The people

00:27:24.179 --> 00:27:24.959
 that we raise

00:27:24.959 --> 00:27:26.079
 up as being

00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:27.599
 the height

00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:28.319
 of spirituality

00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:29.460
 are those

00:27:29.460 --> 00:27:30.079
 who leave

00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:30.779
 our shores

00:27:30.779 --> 00:27:31.319
 and go

00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:31.879
 elsewhere.

00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:36.559
 They're the

00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:37.519
 most important

00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:38.000
 Christians.

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:39.819
 And so we

00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:40.500
 operate like a

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:40.859
 lighthouse.

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.720
 We illuminate

00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.319
 off in the

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:44.139
 far distances

00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:45.139
 Europe,

00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:45.619
 Africa,

00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:46.079
 Asia.

00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:47.939
 And like a

00:27:47.939 --> 00:27:49.039
 lighthouse that's

00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.659
 got a strong

00:27:49.659 --> 00:27:50.480
 bream out there

00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:51.079
 in the distance

00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:52.220
 its own

00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:53.439
 foundation

00:27:53.439 --> 00:27:55.200
 is plunged

00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:55.859
 in darkness.

00:27:57.000 --> 00:27:57.619
 Its own base

00:27:57.619 --> 00:27:58.179
 is plunged

00:27:58.179 --> 00:27:58.659
 in darkness.

00:28:02.699 --> 00:28:03.479
 And my

00:28:03.479 --> 00:28:04.159
 perception was

00:28:04.159 --> 00:28:04.439
 that the

00:28:04.439 --> 00:28:04.959
 core value

00:28:04.959 --> 00:28:05.399
 of God's

00:28:05.399 --> 00:28:06.179
 global agenda

00:28:06.179 --> 00:28:06.679
 out there

00:28:06.679 --> 00:28:07.179
 was coming

00:28:07.179 --> 00:28:08.079
 into conflict

00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:09.219
 with the

00:28:09.219 --> 00:28:09.719
 unwritten

00:28:09.719 --> 00:28:10.579
 core values

00:28:10.579 --> 00:28:10.939
 of what we

00:28:10.939 --> 00:28:11.459
 expect the

00:28:11.459 --> 00:28:11.859
 church to

00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:12.339
 be like

00:28:12.339 --> 00:28:12.699
 here.

00:28:15.419 --> 00:28:16.239
 That is

00:28:16.239 --> 00:28:16.879
 we want to

00:28:16.879 --> 00:28:17.559
 support global

00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:18.199
 mission but

00:28:18.199 --> 00:28:18.739
 right here

00:28:18.739 --> 00:28:20.779
 you need to

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.099
 meet my

00:28:21.099 --> 00:28:21.399
 needs.

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:26.720
 now I

00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:27.580
 firmly believe

00:28:27.580 --> 00:28:27.940
 that the

00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:28.880
 effectiveness of

00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:29.780
 global mission

00:28:29.780 --> 00:28:31.259
 is reliant

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:31.860
 upon the

00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:33.960
 health of

00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:34.780
 mission in

00:28:34.780 --> 00:28:35.160
 the local

00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:35.480
 church.

00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:35.980
 It's reliant

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:36.340
 upon the

00:28:36.340 --> 00:28:36.600
 health of

00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:36.960
 the local

00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:37.380
 church.

00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:38.480
 A church

00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:38.820
 that is

00:28:38.820 --> 00:28:39.600
 unhealthy and

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.400
 slowly dying

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.460
 ultimately will

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.120
 not be giving

00:28:42.120 --> 00:28:42.660
 money to

00:28:42.660 --> 00:28:43.200
 global mission.

00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:44.720
 Will not be

00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.060
 prayerfully

00:28:45.060 --> 00:28:45.720
 supporting global

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:46.000
 mission.

00:28:47.100 --> 00:28:48.040
 That is what I'm

00:28:48.040 --> 00:28:48.900
 saying is caring

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.540
 about God

00:28:49.540 --> 00:28:50.259
 winning people

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:51.120
 to himself on

00:28:51.120 --> 00:28:51.480
 the other

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.000
 side of the

00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:53.200
 world but

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.820
 not actually

00:28:53.820 --> 00:28:54.580
 caring about

00:28:54.580 --> 00:28:55.280
 my neighbours

00:28:55.280 --> 00:28:55.800
 being drawn

00:28:55.800 --> 00:28:56.400
 into fellowship

00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:57.000
 in the local

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:58.140
 church to

00:28:58.140 --> 00:28:59.380
 me appears

00:28:59.380 --> 00:29:02.080
 to be sort

00:29:02.080 --> 00:29:02.580
 of like lip

00:29:02.580 --> 00:29:03.019
 service.

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.440
 And it's a

00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:04.980
 lip service

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:05.840
 that I myself

00:29:05.840 --> 00:29:06.440
 have paid.

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:09.680
 I give money

00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:10.280
 to mission,

00:29:10.780 --> 00:29:11.560
 I talk with

00:29:11.560 --> 00:29:11.880
 our link

00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:12.519
 missionaries,

00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:13.340
 I pray for

00:29:13.340 --> 00:29:13.680
 our link

00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:14.440
 missionaries

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:16.720
 and yet

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:18.100
 except for

00:29:18.100 --> 00:29:18.540
 today,

00:29:18.900 --> 00:29:19.800
 I don't

00:29:19.800 --> 00:29:20.160
 know the

00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:21.120
 names of

00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:21.740
 my neighbours

00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:22.460
 in View

00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:22.680
 Street.

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:28.720
 That's

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.380
 because I

00:29:29.380 --> 00:29:29.860
 think it's

00:29:29.860 --> 00:29:30.580
 harder getting

00:29:30.580 --> 00:29:31.700
 entangled in

00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:32.540
 the relationships

00:29:32.540 --> 00:29:33.320
 that are close

00:29:33.320 --> 00:29:33.900
 than it is in

00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:34.480
 the relationships

00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:35.360
 that are distant.

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:36.280
 It's much

00:29:36.280 --> 00:29:37.140
 easier to

00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:38.920
 deal with

00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:39.680
 stuff at a

00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:40.240
 distance than

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.759
 it is to be

00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:42.720
 close with

00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.120
 people.

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.300
 And that

00:29:45.300 --> 00:29:46.220
 explains something

00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:47.480
 of the pendulum

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.380
 swing that I've

00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:48.880
 been trying to

00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:49.540
 lead us through

00:29:49.540 --> 00:29:50.420
 in all its

00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:51.120
 messiness for

00:29:51.120 --> 00:29:51.540
 the past

00:29:51.540 --> 00:29:52.300
 five years.

00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:53.500
 My focus

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.560
 has been and

00:29:54.560 --> 00:29:55.000
 it will

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.640
 continue to

00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:56.400
 be to lead

00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.720
 us to be an

00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.240
 effective

00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:58.960
 life-saving

00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:00.060
 station in

00:30:00.060 --> 00:30:00.620
 Chatswood.

00:30:02.620 --> 00:30:03.360
 And part of

00:30:03.360 --> 00:30:03.980
 those things are

00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:04.680
 ensuring things

00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:06.900
 like we are

00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:07.580
 constantly thinking

00:30:07.580 --> 00:30:09.120
 outward and

00:30:09.120 --> 00:30:09.560
 that our

00:30:09.560 --> 00:30:10.940
 pastors are

00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:12.420
 viewed and

00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:13.140
 operate as

00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:13.740
 mission leaders

00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:14.420
 and not as

00:30:14.420 --> 00:30:15.300
 masseurs,

00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:17.319
 for instance.

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:18.399
 Not that we

00:30:18.399 --> 00:30:18.779
 do that.

00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:21.919
 What tends to

00:30:21.919 --> 00:30:22.559
 happen though

00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:23.500
 when I believe

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.259
 that we keep

00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:25.259
 our eye on

00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:26.099
 God's global

00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:26.919
 plan, God's

00:30:26.919 --> 00:30:27.740
 global agenda,

00:30:27.940 --> 00:30:28.740
 what he's doing,

00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:29.480
 when we get

00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.419
 such a vision of

00:30:30.419 --> 00:30:31.379
 the majesty of

00:30:31.379 --> 00:30:33.960
 God, what

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:34.519
 happens is

00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:34.859
 mission.

00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:36.539
 What flows out

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:36.879
 of that is

00:30:36.879 --> 00:30:37.220
 mission.

00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:38.099
 That is the

00:30:38.099 --> 00:30:39.299
 way to raise

00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:40.720
 the profile of

00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:41.460
 mission in the

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:42.240
 local church is

00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:42.839
 to talk about

00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:45.240
 God, not to

00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:45.779
 talk about

00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:46.819
 mission agencies.

00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:48.839
 It's to give

00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:49.380
 people a picture

00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:50.319
 of the majesty

00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:50.980
 of God.

00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:53.599
 And so I

00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.099
 believe that's

00:30:54.099 --> 00:30:54.440
 what's been

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:55.160
 happening bit

00:30:55.160 --> 00:30:56.019
 by bit, as

00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:56.859
 imperfect as it

00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:57.200
 is.

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:59.500
 Our giving to

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.259
 global mission

00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:00.980
 has increased

00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:02.440
 from $66,000 in

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:04.059
 2008 to over

00:31:04.059 --> 00:31:05.420
 $100,000 last

00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:05.700
 year.

00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:06.559
 We have grown

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.980
 by 10% a year

00:31:07.980 --> 00:31:09.700
 consistently for

00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:10.799
 the last five,

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.319
 six years,

00:31:11.380 --> 00:31:11.779
 something like

00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:12.000
 that.

00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:13.900
 Now I know

00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.279
 that's not

00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:14.579
 enough.

00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:15.200
 I believe that

00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:15.660
 we ought to be

00:31:15.660 --> 00:31:16.059
 able to be

00:31:16.059 --> 00:31:16.640
 doing more.

00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:18.000
 But my aim is

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:18.339
 for us to

00:31:18.339 --> 00:31:19.160
 continue to

00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:19.660
 keep going.

00:31:19.819 --> 00:31:20.160
 Maybe we

00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:20.400
 should be

00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:20.740
 shooting for

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:21.140
 something like

00:31:21.140 --> 00:31:22.480
 $115,000 this

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:22.759
 year.

00:31:23.579 --> 00:31:24.319
 Now I'm fully

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:24.859
 aware that we've

00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:25.359
 got a long way

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:25.940
 to go, but I

00:31:25.940 --> 00:31:26.759
 am encouraged.

00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:27.980
 What I'm

00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:28.440
 particularly

00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:29.720
 encouraged by

00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:31.319
 is things like

00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:33.980
 the establishment

00:31:33.980 --> 00:31:34.220
 of the

00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:34.559
 International

00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:35.440
 Chinese School.

00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.279
 That's about

00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:37.960
 mission in our

00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:38.599
 local area.

00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:39.819
 That's what that

00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:39.980
 is.

00:31:40.099 --> 00:31:40.799
 And this church

00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:41.400
 has put a

00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:42.519
 phenomenal amount

00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:43.820
 of money into

00:31:43.820 --> 00:31:46.560
 taking a risk to

00:31:46.560 --> 00:31:47.100
 do something

00:31:47.100 --> 00:31:48.120
 different for the

00:31:48.120 --> 00:31:48.759
 glory of God in

00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.320
 this place.

00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:51.500
 That's astounding

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.300
 in my mind.

00:31:52.860 --> 00:31:53.519
 What is really

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.600
 astounding is other

00:31:54.600 --> 00:31:55.580
 things like there's a

00:31:55.580 --> 00:31:56.920
 group of ladies from

00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.580
 St. Paul's from

00:31:57.580 --> 00:31:58.560
 different congregations

00:31:58.560 --> 00:31:59.580
 right now attempting

00:31:59.580 --> 00:32:01.200
 to do mission work

00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:02.560
 amongst sex workers

00:32:02.560 --> 00:32:03.840
 in our area.

00:32:04.540 --> 00:32:05.220
 Friends, I don't know

00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:06.080
 if you realise this,

00:32:06.140 --> 00:32:06.660
 but there are people

00:32:06.660 --> 00:32:07.560
 hurting in Chatswood.

00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:08.879
 There are women

00:32:08.879 --> 00:32:10.399
 within hundreds of

00:32:10.399 --> 00:32:11.039
 metres of this

00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:12.639
 building who are in

00:32:12.639 --> 00:32:13.759
 sex slavery right

00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:14.039
 now.

00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:15.839
 And there is a group

00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:16.579
 of women who are

00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:17.299
 just trying to work

00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:17.940
 out how do we

00:32:17.940 --> 00:32:20.139
 minister, how do we

00:32:20.139 --> 00:32:21.059
 bring the gospel to

00:32:21.059 --> 00:32:21.859
 bear on those people

00:32:21.859 --> 00:32:22.700
 in our local area.

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.419
 I'm excited about

00:32:23.419 --> 00:32:23.639
 that.

00:32:23.940 --> 00:32:25.119
 I've heard someone,

00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:26.240
 one of our younger

00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:27.339
 people is interested

00:32:27.339 --> 00:32:28.319
 in working out how

00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:29.619
 to do some ministry

00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:30.579
 in the nursing home

00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:31.639
 just over the road

00:32:31.639 --> 00:32:32.779
 in View Street,

00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:34.139
 you know, just down

00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:34.460
 there.

00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:37.040
 I'm excited about

00:32:37.040 --> 00:32:38.360
 grassroots initiative

00:32:38.360 --> 00:32:39.500
 of people who've

00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:40.280
 got a vision of

00:32:40.280 --> 00:32:41.320
 God's global agenda

00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:42.740
 for people to

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:43.720
 joyfully bow at the

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.300
 feet of the Lord

00:32:44.300 --> 00:32:46.040
 Jesus and worship

00:32:46.040 --> 00:32:46.840
 him for all of

00:32:46.840 --> 00:32:47.220
 eternity.

00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:48.360
 I'm excited that

00:32:48.360 --> 00:32:50.180
 people are looking

00:32:50.180 --> 00:32:51.060
 to do that.

00:32:52.100 --> 00:32:53.280
 And I want to

00:32:53.280 --> 00:32:53.960
 encourage you to do

00:32:53.960 --> 00:32:54.180
 that.

00:32:55.340 --> 00:32:56.000
 Find something you

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.759
 want to do and go

00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:57.520
 and do it that people

00:32:57.520 --> 00:32:58.580
 might worship Christ.

00:32:59.860 --> 00:33:02.140
 So next week on

00:33:02.140 --> 00:33:02.780
 Commitment Sunday,

00:33:02.920 --> 00:33:04.020
 I'm calling you

00:33:04.019 --> 00:33:05.920
 to joyfully

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:07.900
 sacrifice and

00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:08.559
 suffer a little

00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:09.059
 bit more.

00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:11.980
 To joyfully die

00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:13.379
 a little bit more.

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:15.180
 To joyfully suffer

00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:15.660
 a little bit more.

00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:16.660
 To joyfully sacrifice

00:33:16.660 --> 00:33:17.379
 a little bit more

00:33:17.379 --> 00:33:18.779
 by taking up your

00:33:18.779 --> 00:33:19.920
 cross, following

00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:20.700
 the Lord Jesus

00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:22.539
 and giving your

00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:23.460
 life and your

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:24.400
 resources and your

00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:26.059
 time to God's

00:33:26.059 --> 00:33:29.200
 agenda to be

00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:29.900
 fulfilled in the

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.519
 lives of people

00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.339
 that you know and

00:33:31.339 --> 00:33:31.859
 those that you

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:32.339
 don't.

00:33:34.019 --> 00:33:35.420
 I want to

00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:36.259
 continue to

00:33:36.259 --> 00:33:37.180
 encourage us as a

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:38.240
 church to joyfully

00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:39.660
 embrace the

00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:40.879
 sacrifice that is

00:33:40.879 --> 00:33:42.660
 needed to see

00:33:42.660 --> 00:33:44.259
 St. Paul's stay

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.680
 razor sharp in its

00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:48.319
 focus on its

00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:50.099
 purpose as a

00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:51.279
 life-saving station

00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:52.619
 in Chatswood.

00:33:52.619 --> 00:33:53.839
 Amen.

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.819
 Amen.

00:33:55.159 --> 00:34:05.339
 To joyfully

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 to joyfully