WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.639 So yeah, kids happy to stay here. And if you find me boring, you should you should go if 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:11.759 ! There's a TV in the back that you can, you can watch as well. But my kids Christina and the kids, 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:18.559 she took all three of them and went on a plane back to the UK herself on on Wednesday night. So I'm 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:23.839 actually alone for these next few weeks. So I'm accepting bookings for evening dinner. If anyone 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:28.960 feels as though it feels compelled to treat their pasta to dinner and save me from my McDonald's. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:37.200 Then you are more than welcome to invite me. Family, of course, as my family have not been 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:42.159 around, I'm encouraged by the fact that we have a family here. There's something that's been on my 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:48.719 heart, maybe even before I jump into this message is there are really exciting things happening. I mean, 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:53.359 wine tasting is pretty exciting. And I gotta tell you, Kenneth coming up with a curriculum 00:00:53.359 --> 00:01:02.000 that has a has an exam and the price at the end. This is this is serious stuff. And of course, 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:10.079 maybe the biggest thing that's been on my heart is we have so many exciting things happening. But we also 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:16.560 have so many sad things happening. You know, Nathan came up and said, thank you, Nathan, for 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:25.920 showing us that if you can serve as lead that anyone can serve as lead. Making it accessible for all of 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:26.719 us. Thank you for your 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:35.200 ! I love you, Nathan. It's been a while, actually, since I've come there. Anyway, 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:42.400 I've completely lost my train of thought now. Yeah, and I know he's actually to his credit, 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:47.200 he came and just shared that actually, there's just a gratitude that we should have. But I've always 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:54.240 thought that actually gratitude and grief are held hand in hand. As there are good things happening, 00:01:54.240 --> 00:02:00.480 there are also bad things happening. As there are gains, there are losses. And so just just being 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:04.719 mindful of that. And even as a leadership last night, we were praying for all the struggles that 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:09.439 we've we're going through as a community, too. I know that each of you have different challenges and 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:14.400 struggles. And I don't want to just be neglecting that and just going, oh, everyone's great, happy, 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:18.159 high five this, we enjoy service and all this, but actually neglecting to know that actually, 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:23.359 each of us have our own challenges and our own struggles. And as a community, how we'll be 00:02:23.359 --> 00:02:26.479 measured by, at least how I think we'll be measured by, is just how we love each other through those 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:30.879 moments. And so just, if you are someone who's struggling through something like that, and you're 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:36.479 holding gratitude, but you also have grief. If you are excited about some things, and you are anxious 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:40.879 and worried and angry about other things, you're not alone. You're not alone. And you are part of 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.799 this family. We want you to be part of this family that you can feel as though you can have a place to 00:02:44.799 --> 00:02:49.599 actually share about these things. We've been going through the book of Jonah, and we see all these 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:55.359 things happening. Last week, we saw Jonah, this is the last week in Jonah, by the way, and we saw Jonah 00:02:55.359 --> 00:03:03.759 just be just excited, elated about our plan, but then completely devastated that his enemy country was now 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:08.719 being spared of destruction. And so you see him just kind of going back and forth. And through this 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:13.280 whole series of Jonah, I hope one of the things that you've been able to experience is the fact that, 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:19.120 oh, there's Jonah in me. There's Jonah in me. There's self-righteousness in me. There's idols in me 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:25.199 that I got to get rid of, because if I don't, they'll destroy me. And that's why God in his love 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:29.439 is actually showing those things out and saying, hey, these are the things that you're holding on to 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:34.000 that are not me and that they will destroy you. And so we see that, and we've seen that in the whole 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.520 of this book. We started off with, do you want to hear from the voice of God? Do you actually want 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:41.039 to hear God's voice? And a first thought, we're like, yeah, of course we do. But then 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.879 are we really prepared to hear what God's voice is? And then the storm that comes when we choose to go 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:53.680 away from, run away from his will. And then you see, God is just completely in control in every way. 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:58.159 And even though Jonah is self-righteous, even though he is prideful, even though he is a 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:03.920 narcissistic nationalist, God is patient with him to the point where he doesn't let him drown in the 00:04:03.920 --> 00:04:11.840 storm. He actually appoints a fish. He appoints a plant. He appoints a worm. God is just in control. 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:16.560 And as we go through that, we realize that it's not even just about Jonah. It's not about the Jonah 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:22.079 in us. And last week, Sam shared with us that actually it's about Jesus. That all of this really 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:28.959 culminates in one thing and one person, and that is Jesus. And so for us, we've been looking at that. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:35.279 I mean, that song, that song that we sang there, Waymaker, that actually that is who you are. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:39.039 You know, you're the promise keeper. You're the Waymaker. You have a light in the darkness. 00:04:39.039 --> 00:04:43.039 And you realize that actually it's never been about us. It's never even just been about the Jonah in us. 00:04:43.039 --> 00:04:47.279 It's not even about Jonah. It's definitely not about the fish, but it's about Jesus. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:55.039 Does your life align with that cornerstone that is Jesus? And that's really what it's about. And we've 00:04:55.039 --> 00:05:00.239 been going through this book of Jonah and we've been seeing that God's saying, hey, you have idols. 00:05:00.239 --> 00:05:07.359 You are self-righteous. You are worried about things that won't last, but I am gracious. I am 00:05:07.359 --> 00:05:13.439 merciful. I am slow to anger. I am abounding in love. I am relenting from disaster. And so we find out 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:19.360 a little bit about God. And for me, all of this, the source of all this is really one thing. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:24.719 I mistrust in God's goodness. Think about the sin that you have in your life. And I'm pointing at you. 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:29.439 I'm pointing at me because there's sin in your life. There's sin in my life. If you think about 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:35.040 the source of it, it is what Jonah is showing here, that he has a deep mistrust of God's goodness. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:41.519 More importantly, maybe more specifically, he has a deep mistrust of God's goodness for him. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:47.199 Think about when you sin. Think about when you choose to take things into your own hands. What 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:53.439 you're saying is, God, I'm not sure you have my best interests at heart. I'm not sure that you know 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:58.000 what's best for me. And I'm not sure you're going to give me what's best for me. So I'm going to do 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:03.759 an Adam and Eve, and I'm going to take that myself. That's essentially every time we sin, every time we 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:11.199 worry, that's what we're worrying about. We're mistrusting in God's goodness. And honestly, this hits me 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:15.439 just as much as it should hit you. And actually it was my brother that shared the quote with me from 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:21.519 Eugene Peterson, who was talking about Jonah. It is, it is very possible to have a religious career 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:27.360 without having to deal with God. It is very possible to have a religious career that Jonah has 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:33.840 without having to deal with God. So that's for, as pastors, and actually week in, week out, we're 00:06:33.840 --> 00:06:41.600 hearing leaders of the church falling for different reasons. We see week in, week out, people working in 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:46.480 churches, working in ministry, who actually don't have to deal with God. If you, if you want to, you 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:52.240 can actually switch that side of you off. For me, that's not what I want. It's very possible to have 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:56.160 a religious career without having to deal with God. It's very possible to turn up to church week 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:03.200 in, week out, and not having to do anything outside that changes the world. You can be of complete 00:07:03.200 --> 00:07:08.960 heavenly minded, but of no earthly good. It's very possible to turn up to church week in, week out, 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:16.079 without letting God change you. It's very possible to listen to sermons week in, week out, and actually 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:21.039 not apply them to your life at all. Have you applied this series of Jonah to your life? 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:26.399 As you look at this and you go, where is the Jonah in me? Who is God in all of this? How have you 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:31.839 applied any of this? And that's the question I really want to ask as we summarize and as we conclude. 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:35.359 And there's a couple of things that I really want to bring out. The first thing is this, 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:39.920 God is in complete control. You look at this story from the beginning, when voice of God comes and 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:44.879 says, Hey, go into enemy territory to preach the gospel. It's God is in control. He's in control 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:50.560 of all missionary activity. Where does the storm come from? It comes from God. And God puts storms in 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.680 our lives to actually highlight to us some of the problems that we have. Because we realize that actually, 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:01.040 when those things are taken away from us, we have the highlight of money. If money is your idol, 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:05.280 and then suddenly the economy goes down, that's, there's a storm in your life, but actually that's, 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.959 a storm that God is going to use to show you that actually that is your idol. And the idol will at 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:14.079 some point crush you. If your idol is relationship, if your idol is a person, then when that person is 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:19.439 taken away from you, you are crushed. And God's using that to kind of go, Hey, look, don't idolize 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:25.199 that. Don't hold onto that. And Job was the one that said, God, God gives and he takes away. Why? 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:30.959 Because he's trying to form us. He's trying to show us there are things that we're holding onto that we 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:36.319 shouldn't. And he's so in control that he appoints a great fish to come and swallow up Jonah for three 00:08:36.319 --> 00:08:43.360 days and three nights rent free. And then he's so in control after three days, what's this end of 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:48.399 chapter two? And the Lord spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. That's one of 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:53.439 my biggest life goals that I can talk to animals like lions. Wouldn't that be cool just to be able to 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:58.960 just say, Hey, Aslan, Hey, like Mufasa, Mufasa is not around anymore. May he rest in peace. 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:08.240 Wouldn't that be cool? And God speaks to the fish and say, does his self-righteousness revile you? 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:13.760 Yeah, me too. Throw him up, throw him out and take him back to the place where he first started 00:09:13.760 --> 00:09:22.880 running from me. And then let's start again. He's in control of everything. And then Jonah does his act, 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:30.799 causes a huge revival, leaves the city and sulks and wants to die. And then God appoints a plant, 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:36.080 a nice big plant to cover in the shade. Wouldn't we like that in this kind of like hot weather now, 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:39.600 just to have a shit, well, actually, no, the humidity will kill you anyway, but there's, 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.559 but having a plant to cover and then God's like, I will look after you. But then he appoints a worm 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:50.320 to take away the plant because I don't, I don't want you just to be comfortable. I want you to know me. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:55.280 I want you to know my heart. I want you to know that the grace that I'm showing the Ninevites is 00:09:55.280 --> 00:10:00.800 the same grace I'm showing to you. And you're actually just being a jerk. And I'm showing you 00:10:00.800 --> 00:10:07.920 that. And then he appoints the wind. And then finally he speaks. God is in control. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:14.079 How often do you really appreciate that? That God is in control of your life? Like, honestly, 00:10:14.479 --> 00:10:20.479 for real. We say, Oh God is in control. It's okay. I didn't get that job. It's okay. God is in control. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:26.800 Oh, Oh, it's my holiday next week, but it's raining there. God is in control. It'll be okay. 00:10:27.920 --> 00:10:34.720 Like we say it, right? But do we actually mean it? Do we actually believe man, God, 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:40.639 you truly are sovereign. You speak to the wind and to the waves and to the animals, 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:46.800 to everyone, to everything. God's in control of your life. Have a, have a think about something 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:51.439 in your life that you're not in control of right now. Do you believe that God is in control? 00:10:52.479 --> 00:10:56.799 Especially the storms, especially the grief, especially the losses. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:04.079 What if God was actually in control? How does that change the way you deal with that issue? 00:11:04.959 --> 00:11:09.599 If someone doesn't like you, if someone's causing you grief and is attacking you and speaking behind 00:11:09.599 --> 00:11:14.399 your back and doing all the evil things, and actually all you want to do is just fight back, 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:19.439 stab back, do all these things. But if God is in control, the most powerful force in the universe 00:11:19.439 --> 00:11:25.679 is sat right next to you and is in control. Psalm 23, and you prepare a table for me in the presence 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:31.840 of my enemies. You're not afraid of my enemies. You just like say, come sit. How does that change how 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:35.919 you deal with your circumstances? When you're worried whether you're going to get this career 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:40.159 jump or this or this or this relationship, but knowing that God is in control, how does that actually 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:46.000 change the way you live? That's my question. That's my question for me. I'm asking myself, 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:52.159 how can I act as though and believe what I actually say I believe, which is that God is truly sovereign? 00:11:52.719 --> 00:11:56.799 What does that actually mean? It means that I'm not phased by a lot of the things that happen around 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:02.399 the circumstances around me, because I'm like, actually, God, you're in control. More importantly, 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:06.559 you're not just in control and you're a bad guy. You're good and you love me and you have my best 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:13.439 interests at heart. Do you have that in you? Is that something that you remind yourself of, 00:12:13.439 --> 00:12:18.559 the sovereignty of God? I think that's something that, let's say, even doing devotionals. We hear 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.319 that, right? If you've grown up in the church, you've heard about doing devotionals. What is 00:12:22.319 --> 00:12:28.399 doing devotionals? It's spending time just in solitude with God, reminding yourself how small you are 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:35.759 and how big he is. And I don't know about you, but when I'm reminded of how small I am 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:41.600 and how big he is, I have comfort. Julian's laughing because he wants to have a small joke there. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.079 We're better than that, Julian. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:50.959 We're all small and God is that big. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:56.160 He's in control. I want you just to pause just for a second and just think, what does that actually 00:12:56.160 --> 00:13:00.720 mean? As he's shown, even through these four chapters, that he is in absolute, complete control 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:06.240 of every single thing. How does that free you? How should, how should that free you? 00:13:08.160 --> 00:13:12.879 Because it should. And why is he doing all of it? What's he actually trying to do? If he's in 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:16.720 control, what's his objective? I'd say two things and two Christian words I'm going to throw at you. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:21.600 One is salvation. The other is sanctification. Salvation. Let me start with that word. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.160 Jude, I want to pick on you. What does salvation mean to you? What does that word mean? 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:34.399 Being taken out of a really bad place into a really good place, having bad news, and then 00:13:35.040 --> 00:13:40.000 having the good news come. Brilliant. You're drowning and then you get saved. That's the nature of the 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.320 gospel. That's what this is all about. Keller says this, that we are, it's, we are far worse than we 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:48.640 ever imagined, but far more loved than we ever dead dream. That we are drowning, that we are dead in 00:13:48.640 --> 00:13:53.520 our sins, as it says in Ephesians 2. And he's doing all this, he's orchestrating all this so that he can 00:13:53.520 --> 00:13:58.720 save us. So that we can actually be, from being blind, that we can now see. From being lost, we can 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:03.840 now be found. That's, that's, that's the first thing. To change your life around completely, because 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:08.320 where you were going on your own was destruction. Where you were going on your own was not a good place, 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:13.520 but God turns it around. Salvation. The second is sanctification. What does sanctification mean? 00:14:17.040 --> 00:14:19.680 Just going to leave everyone on edge here just a little bit before I ask Paul. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.400 Paul, what's, what's the sanctification to you? 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:37.840 Man, being made whole, being made pure. It's his process of growing, of getting to be more like him. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:43.360 I can imagine a conversation that I'm going to have with God when I finally meet him. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:46.720 And we're going to sit and we're going to look through my life. And I'm going to be just like, 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:54.879 man, God, if you hadn't done that, I wouldn't be there. If you hadn't taken that away from me, 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:03.440 that girl that was poison, then I wouldn't have met Christina. If I, if you didn't reject me in this, 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:09.840 let me suffer rejection in this, I wouldn't have gotten this. If I didn't go through this challenge, 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:14.160 I wouldn't be the person that I am now. And you, you look back at your life. Don't you have all 00:15:14.160 --> 00:15:19.040 those moments? If you didn't let me slip there, Lord, and now out of love, and then catch me, 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:23.599 I wouldn't be where I am today. And I think we'll get to heaven and we'll see all of these things. 00:15:23.599 --> 00:15:28.559 And we realize that everything, the people that don't like us, the bosses that mistreat us, 00:15:28.959 --> 00:15:35.839 all the challenges that we face, God used for our sanctification. God used what the enemy means for 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:40.320 evil. God turns for good and actually uses those things. So every time something bad happens to me, 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:44.320 and this happened literally within seconds of me, let's say having my trivial injury was, 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:49.840 man, God, you're going to do something in me again. I'm going to learn something from this 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:53.440 again, and it's going to be good. And I'm not going to regret it. I'm not going to exchange that 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:59.280 experience for anything else. I think you have one of those moments too. I think you are facing those 00:15:59.280 --> 00:16:02.960 things right now that you, if you could choose, you'd be like, God, can you just spare me of that? 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:09.519 Can you just not let me have this kind of challenge? But that's the nature of life that it's through 00:16:10.160 --> 00:16:15.040 going to the gym and facing resistance is when we start to get strong. 00:16:16.800 --> 00:16:21.519 I went to the gym for the first time in many, many months, uh, the other day. And usually my, 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:28.720 my gym sessions last for about 15 minutes because after 15 minutes, I start thinking to myself, 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:32.560 I shouldn't, my back hurts a little bit. Maybe I shouldn't work out. Actually, I'm a little bit 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:37.199 hungry. I'm a little bit tired. Oh, I was like, I really shouldn't get so muscly. You know, 00:16:37.199 --> 00:16:41.279 I'll be a stumbling block to so many people if I do this, you know? So then I talk myself out of 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:45.439 it and I, and I leave the gym within 15 minutes and then jump straight into the jacuzzi because 00:16:45.439 --> 00:16:52.879 that's better. Uh, but it's only in the gym that you get stronger. It's only in the gym where you get 00:16:52.879 --> 00:17:00.319 more toned. Life is the gym. Life is literally the gym. And God throws all these different things at you 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:05.519 to help grow you. Do you believe that? Do you acknowledge that? Because I think the first step 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:09.920 to actually getting that growth is now God's going to grow you anyway, whether you know it or not, 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:14.000 when you, whether you realize it or not, but the sooner we realize that the more we embrace it, 00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:20.000 the more we embrace it, the more we lean into it. So what tensions do you face in your life that you're 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.799 like, you know what, God, I think you've placed that tension there for me to learn something. 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:25.840 You've placed, you've placed that really annoying person in my life 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:31.439 so that I can learn something so that I can grow so that I can at the very least grow in patience. 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:36.639 When you ask God, can you help me be a more patient person? What's he going to do? 00:17:36.639 --> 00:17:40.480 Is he just going to give you the gift of patience or is he going to give you someone so you can grow 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:44.959 in your patience? I see husbands looking at wives and girlfriends looking at boyfriends here. 00:17:45.679 --> 00:17:49.599 When you ask God for more faith, what's he going to do? Is he going to give you more faith or is he 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:53.599 going to give you opportunities so you can exercise that faith so you can learn how to trust him? 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:59.919 You see, God is in control of everything here. And the second point is this, and this is my main 00:17:59.919 --> 00:18:05.679 point today is God loves the city. You see, at the end of chapter four, I'm going to read it to you. 00:18:06.639 --> 00:18:10.959 So he goes, this goes, actually at the beginning, chapter one and chapter three, it says, arise, 00:18:10.959 --> 00:18:20.799 go to Nineveh, that great city. God loves cities. My thought today was, as I look at these four 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:26.399 chapters, I look at this book, I'm like, what does a Jewish prophet going into a pagan city 00:18:26.399 --> 00:18:33.599 have to do with me all these years later here in Hong Kong? What does the story of Jonah have to do 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:40.799 with you as you live in this city? One of the first things Reuben said when he got back to England was, 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:48.799 man, fresh air and space, right? The definition of a city is that we don't have space. And in Hong Kong, 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:54.720 we don't have air, not air that we can use to breathe, especially in this humidity in these few 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:01.200 months. And I joked last week that my experience of God, when he challenged me, that the most beautiful 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:07.440 people, part of that picture in, with all the georocks was the corner of those annoying people 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:13.759 who were disturbing my picture. But those people in that corner, they bear the image of God. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:19.519 So per square inch, the most beautiful place is Causeway Bay, because that's where there are the 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:29.759 most examples of the image of God. People. The city. But the city is hard. The city is exciting. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:34.960 You're all here because, maybe you're here because the city has most career opportunities. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:40.880 The city has most potential high earning power. The city has the most possibility for you to just 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:46.960 to meet people. All these exciting things. But there's so many dark spots in every single city. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:54.799 There's so many examples of brokenness in cities. And I want to talk a little bit about cities today, 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:59.120 because it's interesting. After Jonah preaches his message, which is in 40 days, 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:05.439 you're going to die. And then they repent. Now, as a pastor at that point, I'd be like, okay, 00:20:05.439 --> 00:20:12.159 I will teach you how to follow the ways of God, to be a righteous, holy people. But he doesn't, 00:20:12.159 --> 00:20:18.399 he leaves and chapter four, verse five, it says this, Jonah went out of the city and sat to the 00:20:18.399 --> 00:20:23.919 east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade till he should see what 00:20:23.919 --> 00:20:28.879 would become of the city. Can you imagine that? He does this great revival. And he's like, 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:34.560 that's it. You're all on your own. I'm leaving. And he doesn't go home. He sits outside of the city, 00:20:34.800 --> 00:20:40.320 finds a nice spot, puts a few cushions in place, has a little booth, and then wants to look, 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:44.960 grabs his popcorn. Cause he's like, I still want God to destroy you guys. So I'm going to watch 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:52.240 you burn because the journey to repentance is a long one and you're going to fail. I'm going to watch 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:58.880 you all die. And that's why I'm there. He doesn't have a love for the city, especially not this 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:04.460 city. And actually plenty of people don't like the city life. And yet here I'm assuming I'm preaching 00:21:04.460 --> 00:21:11.440 to the choir that we do like Hong Kong. We do like what this city brings. This story of Jonah, 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:20.840 how do you apply it to your place here in Hong Kong right now in this city? God's saying, 00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:28.079 you cared for a plant. I want you to care for the planet. You cared for your garden, 00:21:28.679 --> 00:21:35.059 but I want you to care for the city. Now it's interesting because at the beginning of the Bible, 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:40.079 you see Adam and Eve walking in the most beautiful garden. And there's this lovely picture that I 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:45.799 sometimes think, man, that's where it's going to end up again. Us just walking with God in this calm 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:51.440 garden. But the truth is, that's not the case. If you fly right to the end of the Bible in Revelation 21, 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:59.279 you see that it's actually not a garden that we're ending up. It's what? It's a city. So it's interesting. 00:21:59.579 --> 00:22:04.119 So the beginning was a garden, but it was, the plan was never for it to stay as a garden where it was 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:10.159 calm and tranquil. The goal was for all of us to get to a place where we could help be part of building 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:18.519 this city, this Revelation 21 city, which I'm going to read a little bit to you. And it says, 00:22:19.080 --> 00:22:24.400 a city, of course, chapter 21, the famous part is, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:28.400 He will dwell with them and they will be with his people. He will wipe away every tear from their 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:33.040 eyes and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore for 00:22:33.040 --> 00:22:37.779 the former things have passed away. All things that we see in the city and he will make all things new. 00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:42.359 And there will be a new Jerusalem showed me the holy city, Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:46.879 having the glory of God, its radiance, like a most rare jewel, like a Jasper clear as crystal. 00:22:47.059 --> 00:22:51.579 It had a great high wall with 12 gates and the gates, 12 angels. And on the gates, the names of 00:22:51.579 --> 00:22:56.039 the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel, there's just this beautiful picture that we see that the garden 00:22:56.039 --> 00:23:02.879 is supposed to turn into. How do we get from the garden to the city? It requires us people who have 00:23:02.879 --> 00:23:07.119 been made in the image of God to fulfill the cultural mandate that we've been given. 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:15.139 You see in Genesis 1, 20, 60, man was made in his image and we have dominion over creation. And we're 00:23:15.139 --> 00:23:21.480 supposed to reorder the raw elements of chaos like God did and order them into beauty. So they would 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:27.859 reflect his glory. That's the whole point. What's education is taking the raw elements of knowledge 00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:35.660 and rearranging them into a systematic way where people can learn. What's, what's the, what's, 00:23:35.660 --> 00:23:40.680 what's entertainment? What's, what's film? It's taking the raw elements of human experience and 00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:47.560 rearranging them so that a story, a beautiful story can be told. What's the, what's the purpose? 00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:53.500 What's the mandate of finance? You taking the raw elements of human resources and reordering them 00:23:53.500 --> 00:24:01.100 to a place where actually people can flourish and people can thrive. What is medicine? It's taking the raw 00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:08.659 elements of human biology and physiology and reordering them back into health. We're supposed 00:24:08.659 --> 00:24:13.480 to take whatever raw elements we've been given in whatever industry we've been given in whatever 00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:20.199 social circles we've been given and reorder them on God's behalf with God's help so that they will 00:24:20.199 --> 00:24:28.539 reflect him to the point where it will go from a garden and build into a city. Are we doing that? 00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:34.639 Are you doing that? That's one of the biggest things that we really have to think about because 00:24:34.639 --> 00:24:39.700 actually on the whole, what we see is cities get a pretty bad rep. Sodom and Gomorrah is not a good 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:44.639 city. We see cities are the place, the melting pot for all disease and all brokenness and all corruption. 00:24:45.339 --> 00:24:50.700 And in Hong Kong, we see those things. We are in an incredibly nice place here as we look across the 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:54.839 harbor and we see all this beauty, but you know, as well as I do, it doesn't even, we don't even need to 00:24:54.839 --> 00:25:00.279 cross the harbor to see brokenness. There is brokenness within a few minutes of us walking around here. 00:25:03.059 --> 00:25:09.599 How much are we actually aware of that? Or are we actually doing what Jonah has done and set up a nice 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:15.039 little booth where we feel protected, where we can do our own thing, but then actually the people outside 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:18.699 are still burning and the people outside are still broken and they are still hurting. 00:25:18.700 --> 00:25:24.860 Have you set up your nice little booth, your nice little bubble of your little community? 00:25:27.100 --> 00:25:34.000 Because even though you say, oh, actually I care for those outside by our actions, we're not. 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:41.120 We've set up a little booth, just like Jonah. We don't care for the city in the way God cares for the city. 00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:47.259 Augustine, St. Augustine said, earthly cities glory in itself, whereas heavenly city glories in the Lord. 00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:54.579 Can we be part of a cultural mandate that actually rearranges raw chaos in whatever things that we've been 00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:59.879 interested with and to rearrange them to the point there is order, there is beauty, there reflects the glory of God. 00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:05.279 That is the point I think that God is wanting us to do when it comes to the city. 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:10.700 It's funny, he finishes with Jonah saying, you're crying about a plant, but can you not see the people? 00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:15.119 Do you hear what I'm saying? You're crying about a plant. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:20.579 You're crying about something in your life that is so small, a comfort, a luxury that you have. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.859 Can you not see the people? 00:26:23.939 --> 00:26:26.419 Does your heart not break for the people? 00:26:26.420 --> 00:26:35.320 I think in Hong Kong, we have this special opportunity where we look and we see all the kinds of poverty that exists. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:37.120 It's not even just one type of poverty. 00:26:37.320 --> 00:26:44.580 It's every type of poverty that exists, whether it is financial, whether it is emotional, whether it is familial, all these things. 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:46.519 Do you have compassion? 00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:50.859 I shared last year when we were a much smaller group. 00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:56.240 There was one day I was walking through Central and Hong Kong stations. 00:26:56.339 --> 00:27:01.900 Do you know that really long walk that you have to do between the two that you always miscalculate, which is why you're always late for different things. 00:27:02.500 --> 00:27:09.440 I was just stood in the middle where there was just this pathway with these huge adverts of HSBC was there and people walking. 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:13.240 And it was on a morning where it was just flooded. 00:27:13.380 --> 00:27:14.900 Literally, it was the Penguin March. 00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:20.779 And there was a moment I was just coming in from exit C from Hong Kong station, wherever it is. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:27.200 I was looking down and just in that moment, my heart just completely imploded on itself. 00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:37.519 And I just burst into tears because I saw all these scores of people going from home to work just on this Penguin March. 00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:49.839 From what I know, lacking hope, lacking joy, lacking purpose, filled with anger, filled with frustration. 00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:54.240 You break open every single individual story. 00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:57.599 There will be a painful story about a family member. 00:27:57.819 --> 00:27:59.619 There will be a painful story about a relationship. 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:01.779 And I was like, man, God. 00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:05.440 My heart just breaks. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:19.900 There are people who are living this life who are straining, stressing, striving for the work that they think they need to get the money that they need, to get the power that they need, to get the status that they need, so that they think at that point they will be happy. 00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:21.160 And they find out. 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:22.160 So many find out. 00:28:22.340 --> 00:28:23.519 Or so many don't find out. 00:28:23.539 --> 00:28:24.180 And they keep going. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:28.620 But even those who do, you see the brokenness. 00:28:29.120 --> 00:28:30.039 You see the pain. 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:34.940 And just before you think, oh, well, actually, I don't get to see that that much. 00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:36.720 I'm not really surrounded by that. 00:28:37.379 --> 00:28:38.920 The next question is, well, why not? 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.519 Because it exists. 00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:51.220 Or are the suicide rates that you see in a newspaper literally just a title that you see and it doesn't go into your head at all? 00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:54.159 It's just something that you read or you hear and then you just let it go. 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:56.060 But these are real people. 00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.420 We're brokenness. 00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:01.140 God's going to Jonah. 00:29:01.300 --> 00:29:06.200 Can you not see that you're worrying about your plant, but I'm worrying about my children? 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.640 Do we have that heart? 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:15.080 Do we recognize the opportunity that we have in this city for what we can actually do? 00:29:15.259 --> 00:29:18.980 You can actually see if you look at this book, especially the New Testament, you look at the book of Acts. 00:29:19.100 --> 00:29:20.220 How did the church grow? 00:29:20.320 --> 00:29:21.880 To outgrow the Roman Empire. 00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:21.960 Yeah. 00:29:23.560 --> 00:29:30.700 The Christians at that time went into the cities, went to Antioch, went to Ephesus, went to Rome because they knew that's where the action was. 00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:33.880 Most importantly, that's where the people were. 00:29:34.600 --> 00:29:35.980 And that's the most important thing. 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:37.200 And I'll tell you this. 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:44.260 If Christina had her way, her dream would be to live in a nice white cottage somewhere, possibly without Wi-Fi because she doesn't really need Wi-Fi. 00:29:44.420 --> 00:29:46.880 And she would be there and just painting and enjoying the horses. 00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.900 And that's what she would do. 00:29:48.060 --> 00:29:49.400 But why has she chosen to be here? 00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:53.980 She's chosen to be here because she knows this is what God cares about the most. 00:29:54.800 --> 00:29:55.200 People. 00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:59.060 Even ugly people are beautiful to him. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:01.580 Can you get that in your mind? 00:30:02.280 --> 00:30:04.380 Even ugly people are beautiful to God. 00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:07.960 Even annoying people are worth loving. 00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:12.200 But maybe I'm asking too much. 00:30:13.620 --> 00:30:17.660 Maybe you don't understand that because actually you feel you are that unworthy person. 00:30:18.180 --> 00:30:20.079 You are that ugly person that isn't loved. 00:30:21.819 --> 00:30:25.000 And because of that, then you don't really want to love those other people. 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:31.099 So I'm here to tell you, God is gracious and merciful. 00:30:31.099 --> 00:30:43.779 God is slow to anger and his love for you, his steadfast, unconditional, covenantal love for you is abounding and never changing, never ending. 00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:53.139 And if you can understand that, then maybe you'll have the compassion that Jonah, that God is trying to foster out of Jonah, which is love the people. 00:30:53.500 --> 00:30:54.779 Don't just love the plants. 00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:57.279 And love the cows. 00:30:58.279 --> 00:30:59.220 Love the cattle. 00:31:01.339 --> 00:31:02.440 Love his creation. 00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:05.559 Do we have that kind of love? 00:31:05.840 --> 00:31:07.660 Because now we're not Antioch. 00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:08.160 We're not Ephesus. 00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:08.740 We're not Rome. 00:31:08.860 --> 00:31:09.860 But we are Hong Kong. 00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:10.779 We are London. 00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:12.059 We are New York. 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:12.840 We are Sydney. 00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:17.100 And actually, people are flooding into the cities. 00:31:17.820 --> 00:31:25.180 We are in a place where there are tons of different ethnicities and cultures all in the same melting pot. 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:26.880 What are we doing here? 00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:31.600 Al Mohler, the president of one of the seminaries in America, said this. 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:32.619 This much is clear. 00:31:32.779 --> 00:31:34.240 The cities are where the people are. 00:31:34.619 --> 00:31:44.459 In the course of less than 300 years, our world will have shifted from one in which only 3% of people live in cities to one in which 80% are residing in urban areas. 00:31:44.919 --> 00:31:50.099 If the Christian church does not learn new modes of urban ministry, we will find ourselves on the outside looking in. 00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:55.480 The gospel of Jesus Christ must call a new generation committed Christians into these teeming cities. 00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:58.459 As these new numbers make clear, there really is no choice. 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:01.279 There really is no choice. 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:10.399 You see in America, you see all these churches that are out in the suburbs, these enormous mega churches that are out in the suburbs when everyone is actually flooding into the city. 00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:15.619 Now, if the church just stays in the countryside and just stays in the suburbs, we are really of no good to anyone. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:20.619 Because we also know, and Tim Keller says this, that as a city goes, so goes the culture. 00:32:21.619 --> 00:32:23.440 As a city goes, so goes the culture. 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:24.399 Have you thought about that? 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:26.680 If you're wondering, why did God place me in Hong Kong? 00:32:26.800 --> 00:32:28.200 Why did God move me to Hong Kong? 00:32:28.420 --> 00:32:31.980 Well, it's because this is one of the most strategic places where you can actually share the gospel. 00:32:32.860 --> 00:32:35.519 It is in one side, one of the hardest places. 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:38.340 I get it because the city is all about itself. 00:32:38.340 --> 00:32:45.519 It's all about people achieving their own ambitions and their own goals, suffocated by the demands that places that a city places on you. 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:53.059 But on the other hand, there is no better place where you can meet more people, where you can actually share the gospel more. 00:32:53.579 --> 00:32:54.779 Why has God placed you in Hong Kong? 00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:57.359 Have a think about that. 00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:02.420 Why has God placed you here in this city at this time? 00:33:04.539 --> 00:33:05.900 What are you supposed to do? 00:33:05.900 --> 00:33:08.460 What's your cultural mandate? 00:33:09.160 --> 00:33:17.480 Whether you're in retail, whether you're in healthcare, whether you're in law, what are you supposed to do for the city? 00:33:18.280 --> 00:33:20.440 Because the city is where it's at. 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:22.100 Why is the city so important? 00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:26.880 There's another book called First Urban Christians by a guy called Wayne Meeks, and he comes up with a couple of different things. 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:35.580 The first reason why a city is so important is because there is a cultural element to this that you can form culture much quicker. 00:33:35.820 --> 00:33:40.860 If you're in a village, he says, you can maybe bring one lawyer to Christ or maybe even two. 00:33:41.800 --> 00:33:48.260 But in a city, you can have influence that goes into so many more places. 00:33:48.380 --> 00:33:52.920 You can have an influence that goes into publishing, into schools, into institutions. 00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:59.600 You can change the whole legal profession in the city, whereas in the village, you cannot. 00:34:00.180 --> 00:34:03.279 You can make movement in the city that changes the culture for good. 00:34:03.620 --> 00:34:07.420 Where do even those biggest educational institutions come from? 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:08.139 Harvard, Yale. 00:34:08.220 --> 00:34:10.579 And of course, a lot of them have lost their way. 00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:12.619 But I think it started with Harvard. 00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:14.099 It was started as a Christian school. 00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:20.019 If you read the book that actually Joe's boss wrote, Mission Drift, it talks about Harvard being a Christian school that started. 00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:23.159 But over time, it just drifted off. 00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:24.539 And it's funny. 00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:29.159 There's a group of people in that school who were like, hey, we're mission drifting. 00:34:29.820 --> 00:34:31.559 This is not what Harvard was started by. 00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:34.039 And so they came out and they started another school. 00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:36.360 They're like, we're going to stick to the basics and stick to the principles again. 00:34:36.579 --> 00:34:38.539 And so they started another school and then called it Yale. 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:41.420 And then it drifted off. 00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:45.659 Isn't that interesting that we as humans, we just have this propensity. 00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:50.920 We have this knack to start something with good intentions and then drift off. 00:34:52.879 --> 00:34:55.559 Do you remember a call that God has placed on your life? 00:34:56.379 --> 00:34:58.299 Maybe recently or maybe a long time ago. 00:34:58.899 --> 00:35:00.500 Maybe it was come to Hong Kong. 00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:02.859 Maybe it was go to this workplace. 00:35:04.139 --> 00:35:07.139 Do you remember that time when you were praying to God for that job that you've got right now? 00:35:07.299 --> 00:35:11.019 God, please give me that job because with that job, I will glorify you. 00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:15.079 And then six months in, that job has consumed you. 00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:17.739 And now you're complaining about that job. 00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:19.840 And then you're asking God for another job. 00:35:20.780 --> 00:35:21.480 Do you remember that? 00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:26.239 What was that original call for you? 00:35:26.519 --> 00:35:32.420 What was that original call where actually God said, go into that place, form culture that reflects my glory. 00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:34.139 Go back to that. 00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:36.360 That's what you're supposed to be there for. 00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:41.099 Because in a city like Hong Kong, which is so strategic, you change one, you could change a million. 00:35:42.160 --> 00:35:44.579 You change one, you could change the whole legal profession. 00:35:45.680 --> 00:35:47.579 What does that look like for you? 00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:49.780 The city gives you the opportunity. 00:35:50.220 --> 00:35:51.039 The second is global. 00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:58.000 Wayne Meeks talks about this in the sense that in a city, you can now have a global impact. 00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:07.059 I was mortified the other day when my seven-year-old came home and she says, and we're talking about what you want to do when you're older. 00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:09.440 And she says, I want to be a K-pop dancer. 00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:12.159 I was like, what? 00:36:13.380 --> 00:36:17.280 I need a list of all your friends and their parents. 00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:22.579 How do we get that? 00:36:22.739 --> 00:36:23.699 Well, just globalization. 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:27.460 It's just happening all around. 00:36:28.739 --> 00:36:32.219 Where is the epicenter of all these kind of movements, all these things? 00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:32.760 In the city. 00:36:33.780 --> 00:36:35.360 It doesn't happen in the countryside. 00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:38.119 It happens in the city. 00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:43.019 And we see global movements happening now focused on a lot of these cities. 00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:45.139 As a city here. 00:36:46.659 --> 00:36:49.239 We can say this because we're actually in the big cities. 00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:51.099 What are we doing to actually help push that? 00:36:52.420 --> 00:36:54.880 What are we helping to actually help form the culture now? 00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:57.039 We know it's hard, but God's placed you here for a reason. 00:36:57.039 --> 00:37:01.279 And it isn't just about this city. 00:37:01.280 --> 00:37:06.240 Jesus' great commission was just go, make disciples of all nations. 00:37:06.760 --> 00:37:10.300 But you don't need to go to Papua New Guinea anymore. 00:37:10.780 --> 00:37:16.980 Even though Gabe is actually there in part of Indonesia preaching the gospel. 00:37:17.320 --> 00:37:18.000 There's that too. 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:23.940 But in Hong Kong, you are afforded a very unique opportunity where you have access to so many different cultures. 00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:27.820 So many different ethnic minorities that you can actually share the gospel with. 00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:33.079 And then they will potentially go back to their place where they're from and actually continue that good news. 00:37:33.480 --> 00:37:34.400 What are you doing? 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:36.340 Maybe even just think about that. 00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:41.039 Who do you have in your vicinity, in your radius that actually is from a different place? 00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:46.700 That if you were able to share the gospel with them, they could go back to their country, to their homeland and share the gospel. 00:37:46.920 --> 00:37:51.200 You are making disciples of all nations because this world has never been more connected. 00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:56.539 It's never been as disconnected too, but it has never been more connected in that. 00:37:56.539 --> 00:38:02.320 We have access to so many, so many different cultures, so many different places. 00:38:02.679 --> 00:38:05.119 What are we actually doing with that? 00:38:06.300 --> 00:38:10.219 Another thing is, on a personal reason, cities are great. 00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:11.159 Why is a city great? 00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:15.019 Because in the cities, people are, on the whole, a bit more open to change. 00:38:15.679 --> 00:38:20.420 If you go into a village that literally has been the same for the last few hundred years, it's harder to change. 00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:22.340 People there are a little bit more conservative. 00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:23.259 They're a little bit more traditional. 00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:25.219 This is how we've been doing things for all these years. 00:38:25.219 --> 00:38:27.919 But in a city, everyone's open to change. 00:38:28.779 --> 00:38:30.099 Everyone's open to new ideas. 00:38:31.339 --> 00:38:38.039 And what better idea can you give people than that they are loved by a creator who is willing to die for them, 00:38:39.059 --> 00:38:46.179 that is in complete control, and is doing things for their good, and has their best interest at heart. 00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:48.379 Isn't that the best idea that you can share? 00:38:49.599 --> 00:38:54.579 When you're surrounded by friends in school, in university, in school, who are just completely stressed about their work, 00:38:54.579 --> 00:38:58.239 that if they don't get the grades that they need, their life will completely fall apart. 00:38:58.319 --> 00:38:59.500 They'll be disowned by their parents. 00:38:59.639 --> 00:39:07.659 What if you were able to tell them there's a God who actually cares about how hard you work, 00:39:08.199 --> 00:39:10.159 but loves you the same whatever grade that you get? 00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:14.500 What if you had access to those people? 00:39:14.980 --> 00:39:16.079 And the truth is you do. 00:39:18.019 --> 00:39:19.420 And people are open to that. 00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:23.179 He says to Jonah, why do you not care about the people? 00:39:23.219 --> 00:39:24.859 They don't even know their right hand from their left hand. 00:39:26.379 --> 00:39:27.279 Isn't that the same here? 00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:33.940 We are in a city where there are people who are just confused, who are angry, who don't see what the next step is, 00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:40.019 who don't know how to improve their lives, who don't know how to get out of the trouble that they're in. 00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:41.400 And you have the answer. 00:39:42.980 --> 00:39:48.080 One thing, though, just as I say that, and you're like, oh, James, you don't know me because I don't have the answer. 00:39:48.600 --> 00:39:49.600 In fact, my life is broken. 00:39:49.680 --> 00:39:50.360 My life is messy. 00:39:50.360 --> 00:39:51.920 Let me tell you this. 00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:57.640 There's a story in John 4 where there's a woman who encounters Jesus, whose life is a complete mess. 00:39:57.960 --> 00:40:01.900 She has five husbands and the husband, the man she's staying with now isn't even her husband. 00:40:04.340 --> 00:40:12.200 After she meets Jesus, is completely just mind blown by his grace and his patience and his accessibility. 00:40:12.539 --> 00:40:13.180 What does she do? 00:40:14.160 --> 00:40:19.059 She turns around and goes straight into the town and tells people, you've got to go see this guy. 00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:22.679 Come and see this guy who told me everything that I ever did. 00:40:22.840 --> 00:40:31.139 So basically knows all the rubbish that I have in my life, yet still chose to speak to me, still chose to cross those cultural boundaries to come and speak to me. 00:40:31.480 --> 00:40:32.199 Come and see him. 00:40:32.820 --> 00:40:34.880 She became an evangelist in a moment. 00:40:35.619 --> 00:40:36.539 Did she go to seminary? 00:40:36.699 --> 00:40:37.400 Absolutely not. 00:40:37.900 --> 00:40:38.619 Was she perfect? 00:40:38.820 --> 00:40:39.539 Absolutely not. 00:40:40.179 --> 00:40:41.500 It doesn't take much. 00:40:41.500 --> 00:40:50.059 You right now, recipients of this good news are already equipped to turn around and say, hey, you need to come and see this. 00:40:50.760 --> 00:40:52.059 I need to tell you about this. 00:40:52.119 --> 00:40:52.559 There is hope. 00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:57.500 And maybe you don't know how to articulate what that hope is to them, but that's a start. 00:40:57.719 --> 00:40:59.019 To tell them that there is hope. 00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:01.579 Or rather to tell them that you care. 00:41:01.579 --> 00:41:06.980 There is a whole city of people who are wanting to have people just to connect with them. 00:41:07.639 --> 00:41:21.500 I was talking to a group of people the other evening, and one of the things, one of the deepest heart cries that we all have, whether we're just about to enter into university or whether we are now 70 years old, is that we have this fear of loneliness. 00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:24.739 We have this fear of being alone. 00:41:24.739 --> 00:41:30.859 And all we need to do is go to these people and tell them that you're not alone. 00:41:32.539 --> 00:41:35.339 And how do we tell them that they're not alone? 00:41:35.899 --> 00:41:44.199 By physically going to stand next to them and to tell them that they're not alone because you're stood right next to them. 00:41:44.599 --> 00:41:50.039 I had the privilege of having Nathan's group over at my house my first evening of my bachelor life. 00:41:50.039 --> 00:42:00.619 And we were just talking about the people who we'd walked with and who had walked with us that had made an impact on our spiritual journey. 00:42:01.320 --> 00:42:06.039 You know, those people that you think, oh, you know, I was mentored by Billy Graham and those kind of things. 00:42:06.139 --> 00:42:08.559 But of course, those are few and far between. 00:42:08.719 --> 00:42:17.699 The majority of people are like, yeah, I remember that guy who just hung out with me at McDonald's, who just actually just picked me up. 00:42:17.699 --> 00:42:19.599 And we just went, he just drove me home. 00:42:20.579 --> 00:42:23.940 People who were willing just to do life. 00:42:25.239 --> 00:42:27.199 It wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't ever. 00:42:27.279 --> 00:42:28.059 No one said this. 00:42:28.179 --> 00:42:39.380 Oh, I was so blessed by that guy who preached the most amazing sermon and who just opened up the word of God and just helped me exposit what God was trying to say and, and translated the Greek and the Hebrew for me. 00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:40.279 It was never that. 00:42:40.779 --> 00:42:43.860 It was, there's that guy who, when I, when I broke up with my girlfriend, he was just there. 00:42:43.860 --> 00:42:44.699 We didn't even talk. 00:42:44.840 --> 00:42:48.380 We just, we just stood and we just, just, he just stood next to me. 00:42:48.500 --> 00:42:49.139 And I remember that. 00:42:49.139 --> 00:42:55.339 I remember that guy who risked getting a parking ticket for me because we were just talking in the coffee shop and his car completely overran. 00:42:55.440 --> 00:42:56.099 And that was it. 00:42:56.099 --> 00:43:00.559 And there was that person who actually was willing to come and help me move house. 00:43:01.880 --> 00:43:05.940 Can't you see that actually the way that we share the good news is through our words? 00:43:06.059 --> 00:43:06.219 Yes. 00:43:06.219 --> 00:43:09.099 But also just through our presence and our actions. 00:43:10.359 --> 00:43:12.000 That's how we show people that they're loved. 00:43:12.799 --> 00:43:13.899 You can do that right now. 00:43:13.959 --> 00:43:15.279 And you don't need to know Greek and Hebrew. 00:43:15.359 --> 00:43:18.959 I don't know Greek and Hebrew, but you can do that right now. 00:43:20.259 --> 00:43:21.599 That's what the city affords you. 00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:27.279 This chance where there are people who are open to new ideas, who are desperate for climbing up the ladder. 00:43:27.280 --> 00:43:28.280 There's ambition. 00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:30.640 There's ambition here. 00:43:31.100 --> 00:43:35.019 And you know that that ambition won't satisfy the hungers of their soul. 00:43:36.019 --> 00:43:38.480 And so you can be there to help them with that. 00:43:39.120 --> 00:43:39.880 Isn't that a privilege? 00:43:40.200 --> 00:43:42.000 Isn't that something that we can all do? 00:43:43.500 --> 00:43:44.600 That's what the city offers. 00:43:44.599 --> 00:43:52.480 And maybe one final thing is the young people are all flocking to the cities because there's not much for them in the villages. 00:43:53.960 --> 00:43:57.500 So cities are getting younger and younger and younger. 00:44:00.619 --> 00:44:03.599 For example, the organization I work for, Young Life, that's our heart. 00:44:03.679 --> 00:44:06.039 How can we get to the next generation? 00:44:06.199 --> 00:44:12.519 How do we get to the next kid and share the gospel with them to tell them that they are loved, that they are worth something, that there is hope? 00:44:12.519 --> 00:44:14.780 That this isn't the 80s. 00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:16.820 The economic boom is going to be different now. 00:44:17.239 --> 00:44:18.900 The world is just in a different place. 00:44:20.239 --> 00:44:27.039 We went from one world power that seemed to have the moral standards all set for us to now the world is completely splitting and dividing into all these places. 00:44:27.300 --> 00:44:28.639 And no one knows who to follow anymore. 00:44:28.759 --> 00:44:30.000 No one knows who to support anymore. 00:44:30.940 --> 00:44:35.820 What if we could tell them that actually kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but there is one who stands above them all. 00:44:37.039 --> 00:44:39.840 That you don't need to be worried about who's in power. 00:44:40.039 --> 00:44:41.460 You don't need to worry about what job you get. 00:44:41.460 --> 00:44:46.159 You don't need to worry about what university you're going to end up going to because there is someone who is in control. 00:44:49.860 --> 00:44:56.559 And I have this hope that some of the young people that I get to talk to, that they will be the next chief executive of Hong Kong. 00:44:56.659 --> 00:44:58.240 They will be the next CEO of this. 00:44:58.300 --> 00:45:01.820 They will be the next leaders of the city. 00:45:01.820 --> 00:45:07.340 The city has this power to change the world. 00:45:08.420 --> 00:45:10.420 That's why God loves the city. 00:45:11.680 --> 00:45:13.360 The question is, do you love the city? 00:45:13.800 --> 00:45:16.140 Do you love the city because of what it can give you? 00:45:16.220 --> 00:45:18.760 Or do you love the city for what you can actually give back? 00:45:18.760 --> 00:45:26.140 Something that I'm thinking constantly. 00:45:26.139 --> 00:45:28.799 I'll read you this final quote as I finish. 00:45:29.500 --> 00:45:31.199 That's by Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity. 00:45:32.000 --> 00:45:36.599 To cities filled with the homeless and impoverished, Christianity offered charity as well as hope. 00:45:37.099 --> 00:45:42.000 To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachments. 00:45:43.000 --> 00:45:47.900 To cities filled with orphans and widows, Christianity provided a new and expanded sense of family. 00:45:47.900 --> 00:45:53.820 To cities torn by violent ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. 00:45:54.599 --> 00:45:59.740 People had been enduring catastrophes for centuries without the aid of Christian theology or social structures. 00:46:00.440 --> 00:46:05.000 Hence, I am by no means suggesting that the misery of the ancient world caused the advent of Christianity. 00:46:05.360 --> 00:46:08.480 What I am going to argue is that once Christianity did appear, 00:46:08.940 --> 00:46:14.820 its superior capacity for meeting these chronic problems soon became evident and played a major role in its triumph. 00:46:14.820 --> 00:46:17.639 For what Christians brought was not simply an urban movement. 00:46:17.639 --> 00:46:19.339 It was a new culture. 00:46:20.819 --> 00:46:24.000 What Christians brought was a new culture. 00:46:25.039 --> 00:46:27.839 The Jesus way is what it was described. 00:46:28.039 --> 00:46:29.239 People of the way. 00:46:30.259 --> 00:46:31.500 Why are you a Christian? 00:46:31.619 --> 00:46:32.799 What does that even mean? 00:46:33.079 --> 00:46:34.639 Is that when people look at you, they go, 00:46:35.219 --> 00:46:38.759 they do life different. 00:46:39.960 --> 00:46:41.359 There is a Jesus way. 00:46:41.500 --> 00:46:47.099 They act as though they have a God who has their best interests at heart and is in control. 00:46:47.099 --> 00:46:51.319 And so they live with this fearless abandon and faith. 00:46:53.119 --> 00:46:54.039 The Jesus way. 00:46:55.199 --> 00:46:56.319 Do you have that? 00:46:58.500 --> 00:47:00.219 Do you have that? 00:47:00.299 --> 00:47:02.960 Do we have that? 00:47:05.099 --> 00:47:05.819 Jonah failed. 00:47:07.279 --> 00:47:08.420 Jonah didn't have a heart for the city. 00:47:08.420 --> 00:47:11.340 In fact, he left the city to sit on the side to watch it burn. 00:47:12.920 --> 00:47:15.300 What we have, though, is the greater Jonah. 00:47:16.260 --> 00:47:19.019 The greater Jonah who went straight to the people. 00:47:20.159 --> 00:47:24.820 And then he also left the city, but he went outside of the city to die for the city. 00:47:24.820 --> 00:47:30.140 To be hung on a cross for the sins of the city. 00:47:32.360 --> 00:47:36.500 And still had the audacity and the ridiculousness to pray, 00:47:36.760 --> 00:47:38.840 Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. 00:47:39.440 --> 00:47:42.760 All that destruction that they are doing to themselves, 00:47:44.240 --> 00:47:46.200 that evil, forgive them. 00:47:47.460 --> 00:47:49.360 He went out of the city and died. 00:47:49.360 --> 00:47:53.160 Jonah found himself in a storm. 00:47:54.860 --> 00:47:55.180 Sleeping. 00:47:56.940 --> 00:47:59.880 And the only way to satisfy that wrath was to throw himself 00:47:59.880 --> 00:48:02.599 in an act of defiance almost to God, 00:48:02.660 --> 00:48:04.900 saying, I'd rather die than do what you've told me to do. 00:48:06.120 --> 00:48:09.320 And Jesus found himself in a very similar situation in Mark 4. 00:48:09.579 --> 00:48:11.099 And this is where I'll land. 00:48:11.579 --> 00:48:13.920 If you've got your Bibles, I want you to actually have a look at this. 00:48:14.059 --> 00:48:16.360 Because there's a passage here that has... 00:48:16.360 --> 00:48:18.620 A couple of years back when I was reading this, 00:48:18.619 --> 00:48:20.000 we've all read this story. 00:48:20.079 --> 00:48:20.960 We've all heard this story. 00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:24.239 There's one verse that really just stuck out to me 00:48:24.239 --> 00:48:26.339 that I love sharing about. 00:48:26.880 --> 00:48:28.739 Mark 4, verse 35. 00:48:30.960 --> 00:48:32.619 And on that day when evening had come, 00:48:33.079 --> 00:48:33.639 he said to them, 00:48:33.699 --> 00:48:35.420 let us go across to the other side. 00:48:35.519 --> 00:48:36.199 Verse 36. 00:48:36.639 --> 00:48:37.559 And leaving the crowd, 00:48:37.619 --> 00:48:38.779 they took him with them in the boat, 00:48:38.839 --> 00:48:39.480 just as he was. 00:48:39.739 --> 00:48:40.619 And other boats were with him. 00:48:41.159 --> 00:48:42.480 And a great windstorm arose, 00:48:42.579 --> 00:48:43.980 and the waves were breaking into the boat, 00:48:44.059 --> 00:48:45.319 so that the boat was already filling. 00:48:45.639 --> 00:48:47.779 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. 00:48:47.780 --> 00:48:49.460 And they woke him and said to him, 00:48:49.519 --> 00:48:51.400 teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? 00:48:51.840 --> 00:48:54.640 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 00:48:55.120 --> 00:48:56.320 peace, be still. 00:48:56.940 --> 00:48:59.040 And the wind seized and there was a great calm. 00:48:59.300 --> 00:48:59.880 He said to them, 00:49:00.140 --> 00:49:01.240 why are you so afraid? 00:49:01.400 --> 00:49:02.519 Have you still no faith? 00:49:02.860 --> 00:49:04.960 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, 00:49:05.160 --> 00:49:10.100 who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? 00:49:10.099 --> 00:49:17.299 Jesus finds himself in pretty much the exact same position that Jonah had in the boat, 00:49:17.799 --> 00:49:18.699 in the storm, 00:49:19.460 --> 00:49:20.000 fast asleep. 00:49:21.659 --> 00:49:22.360 Of course, 00:49:22.659 --> 00:49:23.440 Jesus wakes up, 00:49:24.099 --> 00:49:28.179 turns out the big reveal is he is the one who can calm the sea and the winds. 00:49:29.039 --> 00:49:30.460 And he is in your boat. 00:49:30.519 --> 00:49:30.860 And I'm, 00:49:30.920 --> 00:49:31.699 I'm guessing, 00:49:32.139 --> 00:49:32.860 I'm not assuming, 00:49:32.980 --> 00:49:36.059 but I'm guessing that you're here because he is in your boat, 00:49:36.059 --> 00:49:42.059 which means you don't need to be afraid of the storm because the fact that you're afraid, 00:49:42.199 --> 00:49:44.360 it means that you've forgotten that he's in your boat. 00:49:44.659 --> 00:49:45.619 Does that make sense? 00:49:46.159 --> 00:49:47.679 And you've forgotten who he is. 00:49:50.000 --> 00:49:50.400 Well, 00:49:50.440 --> 00:49:56.000 what I want to do is to finish off is show you one verse that I didn't even know existed there until now, 00:49:56.639 --> 00:49:57.739 until maybe a few years ago. 00:49:57.739 --> 00:49:57.980 Sorry. 00:49:58.340 --> 00:50:00.599 And it was this verse 35 and leaving the crowd, 00:50:00.679 --> 00:50:01.980 they took him with them in the boat. 00:50:01.980 --> 00:50:02.239 So this, 00:50:02.380 --> 00:50:03.139 they were just getting on the boat, 00:50:03.219 --> 00:50:06.000 just as he was and other boats were with him. 00:50:06.059 --> 00:50:09.619 That blew my mind. 00:50:09.659 --> 00:50:10.400 And I'll tell you why, 00:50:11.079 --> 00:50:12.860 that in that storm, 00:50:13.559 --> 00:50:17.159 there were other boats in the lake. 00:50:17.719 --> 00:50:20.159 There were other boats in the storm. 00:50:20.880 --> 00:50:24.679 Now the disciples had Jesus in their boat, 00:50:25.259 --> 00:50:25.860 right? 00:50:25.980 --> 00:50:27.699 And they were still freaking out. 00:50:28.099 --> 00:50:29.019 That's us. 00:50:29.920 --> 00:50:33.320 We're the disciples who have Jesus in our boat. 00:50:33.460 --> 00:50:35.279 And yet we're still freaking out. 00:50:35.280 --> 00:50:41.600 But sometimes we forget that there are other boats out there. 00:50:42.140 --> 00:50:47.680 Can you imagine the people in the other boats who have no clue of who Jesus is, 00:50:48.140 --> 00:50:48.760 who, 00:50:48.900 --> 00:50:50.100 when they're going through the storm, 00:50:50.180 --> 00:50:52.620 they must just be thinking about their loved ones. 00:50:52.620 --> 00:50:54.519 Cause they think this is the moment they're going to die. 00:50:54.519 --> 00:50:56.239 And after they die, 00:50:56.300 --> 00:50:56.780 that is it. 00:50:58.559 --> 00:51:00.759 There are people out there who are terrified. 00:51:00.759 --> 00:51:03.059 And I think those of us who have been in church for a long time, 00:51:03.139 --> 00:51:03.800 we forget that. 00:51:05.300 --> 00:51:07.599 We're so engrossed in our own idols, 00:51:07.739 --> 00:51:09.380 our own concerns and our own worries, 00:51:09.380 --> 00:51:11.219 and how Jesus is going to come through for us. 00:51:11.219 --> 00:51:13.619 We forget that there are people outside who are in boats, 00:51:13.659 --> 00:51:14.459 who are in the storm, 00:51:14.519 --> 00:51:16.699 who don't even have him in their boat. 00:51:18.759 --> 00:51:20.019 That's what God is telling Jonah. 00:51:21.539 --> 00:51:22.719 Care for a plant. 00:51:23.980 --> 00:51:25.419 What about those people out there? 00:51:26.579 --> 00:51:26.859 They're in, 00:51:27.039 --> 00:51:31.099 we all know people who are in boats that Jesus isn't in. 00:51:31.099 --> 00:51:33.360 What are we doing to help? 00:51:35.360 --> 00:51:36.920 That final mission statement, 00:51:37.139 --> 00:51:38.839 we gather and then we scatter. 00:51:38.960 --> 00:51:39.420 That's it. 00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:44.900 If we just be a gathering of people where we just cocoon in, 00:51:45.199 --> 00:51:48.460 where we set up our little booth here on the 14th floor in Admiralty 00:51:48.460 --> 00:51:49.199 center in Admiralty, 00:51:49.380 --> 00:51:51.900 where we just come and we just sing a few nice songs, 00:51:51.980 --> 00:51:52.400 hold hands, 00:51:52.500 --> 00:51:53.019 sing Kumbaya, 00:51:53.460 --> 00:51:53.880 feel, 00:51:54.079 --> 00:51:54.920 feel happy. 00:51:55.019 --> 00:51:55.460 And then we, 00:51:55.559 --> 00:51:57.279 and then we comfort each other. 00:51:57.279 --> 00:52:00.059 And then we leave it there and we stay there and we go down and we just 00:52:00.059 --> 00:52:00.920 have lunch and we just, 00:52:01.099 --> 00:52:03.559 what's the rest of the world burn? 00:52:06.619 --> 00:52:07.339 And we've, 00:52:07.860 --> 00:52:09.960 if we're not scattering, 00:52:10.360 --> 00:52:12.400 then we've missed the point of gathering. 00:52:14.159 --> 00:52:15.759 If we're not scattering, 00:52:15.980 --> 00:52:18.460 we have missed the point of gathering. 00:52:19.119 --> 00:52:21.799 The point of gathering is that we would be encouraged. 00:52:21.920 --> 00:52:22.920 Hebrews 10 says this, 00:52:22.980 --> 00:52:24.579 do not stop meeting one another. 00:52:24.679 --> 00:52:26.039 Do not neglect to meet one another. 00:52:26.039 --> 00:52:26.339 Why? 00:52:26.619 --> 00:52:29.380 To stir each other up in love and in good works, 00:52:29.480 --> 00:52:31.079 to encourage each other as the day draws, 00:52:31.099 --> 00:52:32.699 now the day is drawing near. 00:52:35.420 --> 00:52:38.579 And I'm not being a conspiracy theorist here. 00:52:39.139 --> 00:52:40.659 Today is drawing near. 00:52:43.360 --> 00:52:44.759 Kenneth and I were talking about the, 00:52:44.759 --> 00:52:45.039 um, 00:52:45.460 --> 00:52:47.559 presidential debate that we were watching the other day. 00:52:47.619 --> 00:52:48.880 The day is drawing near. 00:52:48.880 --> 00:52:52.059 This world is on fire. 00:52:53.559 --> 00:52:53.920 Everywhere. 00:52:56.619 --> 00:52:59.160 And just when we were about to complain to God and say, 00:52:59.320 --> 00:53:00.800 what are you doing about it? 00:53:02.559 --> 00:53:03.820 He turns it back to us. 00:53:03.880 --> 00:53:04.780 That arrow comes, 00:53:05.140 --> 00:53:06.160 that was going to Jonah. 00:53:06.159 --> 00:53:06.219 Jonah. 00:53:07.119 --> 00:53:11.179 You realize that as the arrow is heading to Jonah and we're all just being like, 00:53:11.219 --> 00:53:11.399 Jonah, 00:53:11.460 --> 00:53:12.099 you're such a jerk. 00:53:12.819 --> 00:53:15.559 Suddenly Jonah disappears from the story and the story just finishes. 00:53:16.739 --> 00:53:18.799 Because that arrow is now coming towards us. 00:53:21.079 --> 00:53:21.960 God asking us, 00:53:22.039 --> 00:53:24.179 do we have compassion for his people? 00:53:24.299 --> 00:53:26.619 Do we have compassion and care for his world? 00:53:26.619 --> 00:53:28.639 And what are we doing about it? 00:53:31.960 --> 00:53:33.920 So maybe my first question at the beginning was, 00:53:34.000 --> 00:53:35.679 what have you learned from the book of Jonah? 00:53:36.279 --> 00:53:37.239 My last question is, 00:53:37.279 --> 00:53:38.119 what are you going to apply? 00:53:38.420 --> 00:53:40.859 How does that change you? 00:53:41.380 --> 00:53:43.079 Because if that hasn't changed you, 00:53:43.319 --> 00:53:45.679 if that hasn't caused some kind of change in you, 00:53:46.199 --> 00:53:51.739 then you're much like Jonah who had a religious career without having to deal with God. 00:53:51.739 --> 00:53:54.779 you've been showing up to church without having any change in you 00:53:54.779 --> 00:53:57.699 and not playing part in any change in the world. 00:53:59.439 --> 00:54:00.739 And I implore you. 00:54:00.819 --> 00:54:01.339 I urge you. 00:54:01.399 --> 00:54:02.179 I encourage you. 00:54:02.799 --> 00:54:03.179 Ask God, 00:54:03.259 --> 00:54:05.579 what is it that you have brought me here for? 00:54:08.299 --> 00:54:09.159 What can I do? 00:54:11.019 --> 00:54:13.479 To show people that you are gracious and merciful. 00:54:15.500 --> 00:54:16.819 That you are slow to anger. 00:54:17.559 --> 00:54:19.479 That you are abounding in steadfast love. 00:54:21.739 --> 00:54:22.500 Show me, 00:54:22.579 --> 00:54:22.679 Lord, 00:54:23.079 --> 00:54:25.619 how to point those people to you. 00:54:25.779 --> 00:54:26.279 The good news. 00:54:27.519 --> 00:54:29.539 There are other people out there on the lake, 00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:30.559 in the storm, 00:54:31.379 --> 00:54:32.599 that don't have you in their boat. 00:54:34.299 --> 00:54:36.739 Stir up in me a compassion for them. 00:54:37.759 --> 00:54:39.899 Break my heart for what breaks yours. 00:54:42.019 --> 00:54:42.559 Let's pray. 00:54:42.559 --> 00:54:42.639 Amen. 00:54:51.739 --> 00:55:03.239 Lord, 00:55:03.279 --> 00:55:05.919 we've run out of time today to respond to you in song, 00:55:06.039 --> 00:55:06.159 but 00:55:06.159 --> 00:55:12.899 maybe all the song does is help us to respond to you in our hearts. 00:55:12.900 --> 00:55:15.780 Holy Spirit, 00:55:15.840 --> 00:55:16.519 we believe you're here. 00:55:19.740 --> 00:55:20.660 That you are moving, 00:55:20.780 --> 00:55:21.380 that you are working, 00:55:21.480 --> 00:55:22.500 even when we don't see it, 00:55:23.119 --> 00:55:24.280 even when we don't feel it. 00:55:30.519 --> 00:55:31.240 Would you 00:55:31.240 --> 00:55:33.619 show us now, 00:55:33.720 --> 00:55:33.840 Lord, 00:55:33.840 --> 00:55:38.980 what is there in our hearts that is Jonah? 00:55:40.980 --> 00:55:43.420 What mistrust of your goodness do we have? 00:55:45.340 --> 00:55:49.120 What fears and anxieties do we have that are not of you? 00:55:49.119 --> 00:55:57.359 And then, 00:55:57.440 --> 00:55:57.579 Lord, 00:55:58.239 --> 00:56:04.960 help us turn our eyes to the people who are in need, 00:56:05.719 --> 00:56:06.539 in need of hope, 00:56:06.799 --> 00:56:07.319 in need of 00:56:07.319 --> 00:56:08.799 peace, 00:56:08.960 --> 00:56:09.579 in need of joy. 00:56:10.599 --> 00:56:12.239 Let us have a compassion for them. 00:56:12.799 --> 00:56:14.679 And show us how to be people who can 00:56:14.679 --> 00:56:17.380 fulfill that cultural mandate that you gave us. 00:56:19.119 --> 00:56:21.639 to take chaos 00:56:21.639 --> 00:56:28.299 and order it so that it reflects your beauty and your glory. 00:56:33.259 --> 00:56:34.539 Maybe a final thing is, 00:56:35.380 --> 00:56:35.500 Lord, 00:56:35.519 --> 00:56:38.119 if there's anyone in our lives who don't know you yet, 00:56:39.659 --> 00:56:41.819 who you want us to share something with, 00:56:42.460 --> 00:56:44.239 who you want us to show love to, 00:56:44.559 --> 00:56:45.579 to be present with, 00:56:45.579 --> 00:56:48.559 would you, 00:56:48.679 --> 00:56:50.799 would you have them pop up in our minds right now? 00:56:50.960 --> 00:56:51.779 Each and every one of us. 00:56:51.819 --> 00:56:53.019 If each of us went out 00:56:53.019 --> 00:56:54.860 to show love to one person 00:56:54.860 --> 00:56:56.059 this week, 00:56:56.860 --> 00:57:00.960 we believe that would begin to change 00:57:00.960 --> 00:57:01.779 the world. 00:57:03.659 --> 00:57:04.519 The world that you love, 00:57:04.599 --> 00:57:05.460 the city that you love. 00:57:06.940 --> 00:57:07.279 So, 00:57:07.360 --> 00:57:07.799 is there anyone? 00:57:07.799 --> 00:57:07.920 Anyone? 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:07.920 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:07.920 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:07.920 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:07.920 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:07.920 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:07.920 00:57:15.579 --> 00:57:18.059 And as we go from here, 00:57:18.079 --> 00:57:18.199 Lord, 00:57:18.239 --> 00:57:19.900 would you also help us just to love 00:57:19.900 --> 00:57:21.779 those we find hard to love? 00:57:24.319 --> 00:57:25.779 Whether they are outright enemies 00:57:25.779 --> 00:57:26.719 or whether they are people 00:57:26.719 --> 00:57:27.619 who are closest to us, 00:57:27.659 --> 00:57:28.500 who are hers the most, 00:57:29.360 --> 00:57:32.719 we choose the Jesus way. 00:57:36.400 --> 00:57:36.759 Father, 00:57:36.880 --> 00:57:38.299 forgive them for they know what they do. 00:57:38.300 --> 00:57:44.300 And show us what to do. 00:57:46.820 --> 00:57:47.720 Yet not our will, 00:57:47.800 --> 00:57:48.380 but yours be done. 00:57:48.780 --> 00:57:49.480 And your kingdom come. 00:57:50.600 --> 00:57:51.980 In this world and in this city. 00:57:53.539 --> 00:57:54.539 In your name we pray. 00:57:56.120 --> 00:57:56.440 Amen. 00:57:57.980 --> 00:57:58.320 Hey, 00:57:58.400 --> 00:58:00.000 so this is the end of our time. 00:58:00.080 --> 00:58:01.000 This is the end of our series 00:58:01.000 --> 00:58:02.720 in Jonah. 00:58:03.240 --> 00:58:04.720 We're going to start next week 00:58:04.720 --> 00:58:05.360 on a, 00:58:05.360 --> 00:58:07.100 on a summer series. 00:58:07.099 --> 00:58:08.559 And recognizing there's a bit of travel 00:58:08.559 --> 00:58:09.819 and we're not going to do a story 00:58:09.819 --> 00:58:11.440 where it's like a next episode, 00:58:11.519 --> 00:58:11.980 next episode. 00:58:11.980 --> 00:58:12.860 We're going to do something called 00:58:12.860 --> 00:58:13.679 the summer ensemble, 00:58:13.900 --> 00:58:15.519 which is basically some of the Bible's 00:58:15.519 --> 00:58:16.219 greatest hits, 00:58:16.219 --> 00:58:16.980 uh, 00:58:16.980 --> 00:58:17.940 that actually we've all known, 00:58:18.480 --> 00:58:19.839 but maybe do we truly understand 00:58:19.839 --> 00:58:20.599 the 10 commandments, 00:58:20.739 --> 00:58:21.819 the fruit of the spirit, 00:58:22.219 --> 00:58:23.000 the beatitudes, 00:58:23.579 --> 00:58:24.000 um, 00:58:24.339 --> 00:58:24.960 the Lord's prayer, 00:58:25.079 --> 00:58:25.960 all these kinds of things 00:58:25.960 --> 00:58:27.179 that we've kind of grown up hearing, 00:58:27.319 --> 00:58:29.079 but have we actually really dove into 00:58:29.079 --> 00:58:30.360 what each one is about? 00:58:30.440 --> 00:58:31.239 That's what we're going to be doing 00:58:31.239 --> 00:58:31.799 over the summer. 00:58:32.199 --> 00:58:32.599 Uh, 00:58:32.599 --> 00:58:32.779 and, 00:58:32.980 --> 00:58:33.139 um, 00:58:33.360 --> 00:58:33.719 enjoy, 00:58:33.920 --> 00:58:35.339 enjoy the rest of this weekend 00:58:35.339 --> 00:58:35.519 and, 00:58:35.599 --> 00:58:35.799 uh, 00:58:35.799 --> 00:58:36.900 join us for lunch if you're out. 00:58:37.099 --> 00:58:37.579 See ya.