WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:05.139 Thanks guys, good afternoon everyone. Hasn't it been a tremendous service, real joy to be here. 00:00:05.560 --> 00:00:10.939 And I think nothing I can say in the next few minutes will be nearly as powerful as what Sean said and what he did. 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:15.380 If you go in and forget everything I said and remember what Sean said, I'll be delighted. 00:00:16.580 --> 00:00:21.699 But I was thinking, if Paul, who wrote the words we're going to be looking at today, had been here, 00:00:22.379 --> 00:00:27.060 he might well have said that was exactly what I was thinking about when I wrote Ephesians 3. 00:00:27.919 --> 00:00:33.539 Here's someone thousands of miles away from me, thousands of years later, wasn't born into the Jewish religion, 00:00:34.119 --> 00:00:41.399 but he's come to know God and God's grace and he's come to love Jesus and know everything that comes through him. 00:00:41.619 --> 00:00:47.140 So I think the passage we're looking at today is very relevant to what's happened this morning. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:51.460 What's happened this morning is very much Paul's vision being realised. 00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:56.799 Now we're looking at Ephesians chapter 3, so for those who haven't been around for the last few weeks, 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:59.239 just a quick reminder of what Ephesians is all about. 00:00:59.859 --> 00:01:02.879 Ephesus is a city in the south-west of Turkey these days. 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:06.319 Paul was there for quite a while when he was one of his missionary journeys. 00:01:06.859 --> 00:01:11.359 He preached to them about Jesus and he helped them to grow as a church. 00:01:12.099 --> 00:01:16.019 And a while later, when he was probably in prison in Rome, he wrote them this letter. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:17.219 It has two parts to it. 00:01:17.939 --> 00:01:20.959 Chapters 1 to 3 are all about what God has done. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:26.299 All the great things that God has done and that God gives to us through Jesus. 00:01:27.379 --> 00:01:31.699 And then chapters 4 to 6 are how we should respond to that. 00:01:32.059 --> 00:01:39.359 What our lives should be like in church, in our families, where we work, in the battles of life. 00:01:40.399 --> 00:01:42.239 Chapter 3 is the kind of bit in the middle. 00:01:42.939 --> 00:01:46.399 Paul starts chapter 3, looking back in chapter 2 and saying, 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.280 because of this, and then he kind of thinks, 00:01:48.660 --> 00:01:51.740 well, hold on, I've got something I need to say here before I go on to my prayer, 00:01:52.080 --> 00:01:53.660 which comes up later in the chapter. 00:01:54.540 --> 00:01:56.080 It's almost as if Paul thinks, 00:01:56.180 --> 00:02:00.660 I've been so positive about my Christian faith, about all that God has done for us. 00:02:00.940 --> 00:02:05.300 I'm going to be so positive about what God can do through people in the church. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.400 But maybe they're sitting there thinking, as they listen to this letter, 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:11.200 well, how can he be so positive when he's in prison? 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:16.259 How can he think everything's wonderful when he's been arrested for being a Christian 00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:18.819 and he's languishing in Rome? 00:02:19.399 --> 00:02:23.579 And the first few verses of chapter 3 are effectively Paul saying, 00:02:23.959 --> 00:02:25.000 this is what I'm about. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:30.239 This is why it's so important to me that I'm able to go and tell people about Jesus. 00:02:30.859 --> 00:02:34.859 And actually the fact that I'm in prison really doesn't matter to me. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:36.780 Don't worry about me. 00:02:37.099 --> 00:02:40.000 What's important is what God is doing. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.560 So we looked last week with Peter Graindra at the first few verses of the chapter. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:49.340 We're going to break in at verse 7 and go through to verse 13. 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.819 So Ephesians chapter 3 verse 7, and Paul writes, 00:02:54.340 --> 00:02:59.340 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me 00:02:59.340 --> 00:03:01.139 through the working of his power. 00:03:01.920 --> 00:03:04.900 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, 00:03:04.900 --> 00:03:11.439 this grace was given me to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:15.580 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:21.219 which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 00:03:21.860 --> 00:03:24.420 His intent was that now through the church, 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:29.740 the manifold wisdom of God should remain known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 00:03:29.740 --> 00:03:35.439 according to his eternal purpose, which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:03:36.200 --> 00:03:42.320 In him and through faith in him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:47.860 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:50.660 which are your glory. 00:03:51.080 --> 00:03:56.300 I pray God will help us to understand what he wants us to learn from him this morning. 00:03:56.300 --> 00:03:59.040 I think most people like a good detective story. 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:02.400 I don't know what your favourite is of the ones up there, if any of them, 00:04:02.700 --> 00:04:05.480 but we quite like to watch the telly or some of us read books 00:04:05.480 --> 00:04:09.360 and to solve a detective puzzle through them. 00:04:09.860 --> 00:04:12.760 Our preference, I suppose, depends on how gritty we like it to be, 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:15.939 how intellectual we like it to be, how difficult to solve the mystery, 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:19.240 and maybe for some of us how Scottish it is as well. 00:04:20.400 --> 00:04:25.480 But I think there are four things that you get in just about every murder mystery. 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:28.120 First thing, obviously, is you get a death. 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:31.759 Someone dies and they don't deserve to. 00:04:31.980 --> 00:04:35.620 So the first thing is a death, and then attached to that death, there's a mystery. 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:36.780 Who did it? 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:38.660 Who was it who did the murder? 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:40.240 And there are usually lots and lots of suspects, 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:42.720 and people are running around saying, well, who was it? 00:04:42.960 --> 00:04:43.639 What's happened? 00:04:44.699 --> 00:04:47.319 Then, towards the end, you get the revelation. 00:04:48.400 --> 00:04:52.080 So, Fado or Rebus or whoever, they come up with the explanation. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:53.300 They say, this is what's happened. 00:04:53.379 --> 00:04:56.939 I've worked it out, and the criminal is caught. 00:04:57.560 --> 00:05:02.019 And, of course, after that, they end up in prison, if not something worse. 00:05:02.939 --> 00:05:05.279 I think when we're looking at the verses we're doing today, 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:08.719 having these four things in our mind will help us. 00:05:09.419 --> 00:05:13.039 Now, it's a bit of a kind of topsy-turvy mystery that we're looking at. 00:05:13.099 --> 00:05:16.120 There is a death that we're going to think about, but there's no corpse. 00:05:16.180 --> 00:05:18.839 At least after the third day, there was no corpse. 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:21.339 There is a mystery, but it's not a whodunit. 00:05:21.739 --> 00:05:24.919 Everyone knew who had done the deed, 00:05:25.259 --> 00:05:28.639 but there's a mystery about why, what was really behind it. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:34.060 There's a revelation, but it's a revelation that some people find really difficult to accept, 00:05:34.139 --> 00:05:36.139 although it's clear enough the way Paul writes it. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:37.819 Some people can't accept it. 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:42.319 Oh, no, in the prison at the end, it's not the person who killed that goes to prison, 00:05:42.539 --> 00:05:46.239 it's the person who revealed what has happened is Paul, who's in prison. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:50.519 But I think the four things, death, mystery, revelation, prison, if we can remember these, 00:05:50.780 --> 00:05:53.500 will have the gist of what's in what we're looking at. 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:55.340 We're going to do them kind of in reverse order. 00:05:55.460 --> 00:05:57.199 Peter Granger last week did things in reverse. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:58.879 I'm going to repeat that as well. 00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:00.620 So we're going to start with the prison. 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:05.759 Now, probably Paul wasn't actually in a dungeon in Rome. 00:06:06.100 --> 00:06:08.860 Most likely he was under house arrest, so he wasn't able to go out. 00:06:08.900 --> 00:06:13.280 He was restricted to his movements, but he was a prisoner of the Roman government. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:16.959 And he could imagine the Ephesians thinking, 00:06:17.719 --> 00:06:23.779 poor Paul, he's been put in prison, isn't that terrible after all he's done for the gospel? 00:06:24.559 --> 00:06:27.919 And Paul says, don't worry about me. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:32.079 And he says in the chapter four things about himself. 00:06:32.179 --> 00:06:35.899 Back in verse 1, which you didn't read just now, he says he's a prisoner. 00:06:36.699 --> 00:06:40.579 But he doesn't say I'm a prisoner of the Jews or I'm a prisoner of the Romans. 00:06:40.579 --> 00:06:44.240 He says, I'm the prisoner of Christ Jesus. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:50.659 In other words, he had been put in prison because of his faith in the Lord Jesus. 00:06:51.180 --> 00:06:54.759 And he saw that as part of living for Jesus. 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:58.360 Sean talked a little bit about how difficult it can be to be a Christian sometimes. 00:06:58.819 --> 00:07:00.180 And for Paul, it was difficult. 00:07:00.620 --> 00:07:07.199 And it meant ultimately as part of living for and serving Jesus that he was in prison. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:13.099 Second thing Paul says, and this is the start of what we read today, he says, I'm a servant. 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:16.180 I became a servant of this gospel. 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:20.959 You could never accuse Paul of wanting to build himself up. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:26.060 He would talk about himself as being a slave or as being a servant. 00:07:26.779 --> 00:07:32.779 And he saw his job as not being to be seen as the great leader that people really looked up to and respected. 00:07:32.779 --> 00:07:42.099 What he saw was his duty to serve others and to serve Jesus by going and telling them all that God had done. 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:45.779 And that becomes even more striking in verse 8. 00:07:46.179 --> 00:07:47.779 Because Paul says, I'm undeserving. 00:07:48.419 --> 00:07:53.019 He says, I'm less than the least of all the Lord's people. 00:07:53.679 --> 00:07:57.099 So in other words, Paul is saying, think about a Christian. 00:07:57.699 --> 00:08:01.399 Think about the Christian who you think least deserves to be a Christian. 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:04.599 Someone who's done some really terrible things. 00:08:04.899 --> 00:08:07.479 Sort of a mass murderer, a really immoral person, something like that. 00:08:07.739 --> 00:08:12.399 Think about that person and you might think, well, how could they become a Christian? 00:08:13.039 --> 00:08:14.879 And when you've thought of that, think of me. 00:08:15.259 --> 00:08:18.120 And I'm less deserving than they are. 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:22.219 I don't deserve anything from God. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:24.379 Now we look at Paul and we think, Paul's great. 00:08:24.979 --> 00:08:29.299 Paul was the first real leader of the church, certainly among the Gentiles. 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:35.200 He was the one who took the church from Israel and through God's help, he took it throughout the known world. 00:08:35.299 --> 00:08:37.919 He's one of the great leaders of church history. 00:08:38.820 --> 00:08:41.200 Paul says, don't think about me like that. 00:08:41.860 --> 00:08:47.340 Think about me as being less than the least of all God's people. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:50.460 Now maybe when he said that, he was thinking about his history. 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:53.759 Because Paul started out persecuting Christians. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.919 He held the coats when Stephen was stoned to death. 00:08:57.500 --> 00:09:01.500 He got letters to go and to arrest other Christians and put them to death. 00:09:01.580 --> 00:09:06.439 And maybe he was thinking, well, that was a dreadful thing to do and most people wouldn't have done that. 00:09:06.740 --> 00:09:10.580 That makes me the worst of the worst before I became a Christian. 00:09:12.220 --> 00:09:15.580 But maybe also it's just Paul thinking like all of us should. 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:20.840 That I don't really deserve anything that God has done for me. 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:23.620 I don't know if you've thought, I know I certainly have. 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:27.560 I don't deserve to be a Christian. 00:09:27.660 --> 00:09:30.360 Even though I might sometimes do my best. 00:09:30.420 --> 00:09:35.440 Some of the things I do, I think, how can I do that and be part of a Christian church? 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:41.540 And if you think that, then you've got absolutely the right idea of what Christian faith is all about. 00:09:42.420 --> 00:09:47.440 Christian faith isn't about me saying, I'm good, I can do things that will please God. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:53.100 Christian faith is recognizing that there's nothing I can do that would deserve anything from God. 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:58.120 Anything that God gives me is only through his goodness and his grace. 00:09:58.900 --> 00:10:00.200 Like Paul, I'm undeserving. 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:05.940 Like Paul, perhaps I could say it myself, that I'm less than the least of all God's people. 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:09.440 And then finally, Paul says he's suffering. 00:10:10.120 --> 00:10:11.620 That's right at the end of the passage. 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:15.580 I'm suffering for you, my suffering's for you, which are your glory. 00:10:15.940 --> 00:10:19.960 Interesting thing he said, my suffering's for you, which are your glory. 00:10:20.899 --> 00:10:25.240 I think he's saying that because he's suffering in the way he is, 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:30.159 that shows how important it is that people hear the gospel 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:33.720 and that the Ephesians and others who come to trust the gospel, 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:38.680 their glory is revealed from the fact that they have come to know Jesus 00:10:38.680 --> 00:10:45.759 and that Paul is the one who has done it and so Christ is glorified through him. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:47.480 So Paul's position. 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:50.279 Paul says, I don't matter. 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:53.700 You may feel sorry for me because I'm suffering. 00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:59.899 I'm not feeling sorry for myself because what happens to me isn't that important. 00:10:59.899 --> 00:11:04.799 I want just to have God's plan in my life and to follow that out 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:09.159 and to allow him to make sure things work out for me. 00:11:09.419 --> 00:11:10.799 That's a tremendous attitude to have. 00:11:11.500 --> 00:11:14.240 In our society today, people want to be important. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:16.139 They want to be liked. 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:20.220 They want other people to think that they're people of some significance. 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:21.740 General election coming out. 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:23.620 That's what all the politicians want to think, 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:26.299 how great they are and how important they are. 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:30.579 For Christians, we shouldn't be thinking that way. 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.959 For Christians, the important thing is that Jesus is glorified 00:11:34.959 --> 00:11:39.159 and we really don't, in that sense, matter. 00:11:40.599 --> 00:11:42.799 But if Paul says, I'm not important, 00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:48.519 he also says, what I'm doing is really, really important. 00:11:49.459 --> 00:11:51.339 So I've called it Paul's passion. 00:11:51.340 --> 00:11:55.139 And Paul says, although I'm insignificant, 00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:59.500 God is doing the most amazing thing through me. 00:12:00.280 --> 00:12:03.660 And a number of things he says about how God's doing that. 00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:07.240 He talks about God's grace, talks about God's grace twice. 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:11.120 Grace means God giving us something that we don't deserve. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:15.160 So we deserve one thing and God gives us something else. 00:12:16.180 --> 00:12:19.519 And Paul's saying, I really didn't deserve to be the person 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.120 to do the gospel throughout the world 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:23.939 and to preach about Jesus to others. 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:26.699 But because God loved me so much 00:12:26.699 --> 00:12:29.579 and because God called me and gave me a purpose in life, 00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:34.500 by God's grace, I'm going to go out and fulfill that purpose. 00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:39.500 He then talks about God's power, the working of his power. 00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:42.579 The power of God that changes people's lives, 00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:45.919 that takes us from people who really don't know God 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.439 and have nothing to do with God 00:12:47.439 --> 00:12:51.279 and would want to do things that were wrong before God 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:54.279 and transforms us into people who can live for Jesus 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:57.719 and be his servants and disciples. 00:12:57.819 --> 00:12:59.120 That's the power of the gospel, 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.559 that God changes lives and makes us different 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:04.860 from what we'd otherwise be. 00:13:05.740 --> 00:13:08.000 And then two tremendous things that Paul talks about. 00:13:08.059 --> 00:13:11.980 He talks about the boundless riches of Christ. 00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:16.539 The fact that if we know Jesus, if we are trusting in him, 00:13:16.920 --> 00:13:20.019 as he said earlier, we are heirs of all the good things 00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:21.500 that God has given us. 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:25.000 And in this life, we can never stop finding out more 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:29.500 about the greatness of Jesus and all that he has done for us. 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:32.159 And better translation than boundless 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:35.740 might have been the infinite riches of Christ. 00:13:35.980 --> 00:13:39.639 So much that we can never understand everything that Jesus is 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:42.639 and has done at least not until we get to heaven 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:44.980 and we understand a bit more. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.939 And then finally, he talks about God's wisdom 00:13:47.939 --> 00:13:52.319 and God's purpose, the manifold wisdom of God. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.460 The word manifold is kind of slightly old-fashioned words, 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:59.000 but maybe think of it as multicolored. 00:13:59.580 --> 00:14:02.199 The word that's used here is more or less the same word 00:14:02.199 --> 00:14:05.220 that's used in the Greek Bible for Joseph's coat of many colors, 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:06.860 a multicolored coat. 00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:09.100 Or it's the word that you'd use if you had a diamond. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:10.580 And you looked at a diamond, 00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:13.340 you saw all the colors of the rainbow coming out and sparkling, 00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:15.680 and you think, wow, that's fantastic. 00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:17.500 That looks brilliant. 00:14:18.460 --> 00:14:21.740 And Paul's saying the more and more you look at what God says 00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:23.100 and at his wisdom, 00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:28.639 the more and more you realize just how wonderful it is. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.440 That he could take people like us, 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:35.260 that he could send his son to take our place 00:14:35.260 --> 00:14:36.660 and to change our lives 00:14:36.660 --> 00:14:41.240 and he could make us into something potentially beautiful for him. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:43.000 So Paul says, 00:14:43.540 --> 00:14:44.240 I don't matter, 00:14:44.760 --> 00:14:49.180 but I'm really passionate about what God has given me to do. 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:51.160 Again, it would challenge us, 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:53.080 do we have that kind of attitude? 00:14:53.900 --> 00:14:55.320 The attitude that says, 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:57.600 me, I'm not important, 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:00.080 but God has given me something to do. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:01.480 He's called me by his grace. 00:15:01.560 --> 00:15:03.019 He's allowed me to serve him. 00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:08.100 And I really, really want to do that in the best way I can. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:11.340 A lot of Christians are kind of Sunday morning Christians. 00:15:11.460 --> 00:15:12.540 We come along to church 00:15:12.540 --> 00:15:16.180 and we may do one or two things in our Christian life and in the church, 00:15:16.340 --> 00:15:19.080 but really it's just a small part of what we do. 00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:22.139 We couldn't be called really passionate about it. 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:25.120 Some of us perhaps are a lot more involved. 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:27.659 We do lots of things in the church, 00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:30.879 but in a sense we do things because they're there to be done 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:35.539 rather than we have a real sense of God having called us to do them. 00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:39.059 Paul's real sense was that God had called him 00:15:39.059 --> 00:15:43.199 to reveal to the world what he had done through Jesus to the Gentiles, 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:46.100 the non-Jews, as well as the Jews. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.259 And I would challenge all of us, if we're Christians, 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:50.939 if we know and love the Lord Jesus, 00:15:50.940 --> 00:15:52.960 what is our real passion? 00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:55.300 What is the thing that God has called us to do 00:15:55.300 --> 00:15:58.280 and said, Ian, this is what I want you to do for me 00:15:58.280 --> 00:16:01.900 and I will really bless you if you do it. 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:05.080 And if we really seek for what God wants us to do, 00:16:05.140 --> 00:16:09.680 he will direct us and will enable us to do great things for him. 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:11.820 I spent quite a long time on that first point. 00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:13.280 It won't be so long on the others, 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:14.820 but I felt it was really important to think about 00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:16.040 Paul doesn't matter, 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:19.940 but Paul's calling really matters to him. 00:16:19.940 --> 00:16:24.960 Let's move on and we're going to think about the revelation. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:30.480 Now, a lot of what Paul's writing here is to explain to the Ephesian church 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:36.160 that his job is to reveal the mystery that God has brought. 00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:40.400 And he has two main groups that he's going to reveal it to. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:42.320 So the first thing he says, 00:16:42.420 --> 00:16:45.320 it is being revealed to the whole world. 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:50.120 So in verse 6, he says, 00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:51.340 the mystery is through the gospel. 00:16:51.460 --> 00:16:53.300 The Gentiles are ears together with Israel, 00:16:53.400 --> 00:16:54.800 members together in one body and so on. 00:16:54.800 --> 00:16:55.580 That is the mystery. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.780 And then in verse 8, he says, 00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:01.340 the grace was given me to preach to the Gentiles, 00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:02.980 the boundless riches of Christ, 00:17:03.040 --> 00:17:04.840 to say to people who weren't born as Jews, 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:07.820 God is still interested in you through Jesus. 00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:09.439 And then in verse 9, 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:13.480 to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery. 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:15.720 Whether you're born as a Jew in the Jewish faith 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:17.519 or whether you're born outside the Jewish faith, 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:18.419 Paul says, 00:17:18.679 --> 00:17:22.259 what I have to say is relevant to everyone. 00:17:22.619 --> 00:17:25.460 That's why I put a multicultural picture up there. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:29.539 The church isn't just a select group of people. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:32.220 Originally, most of them were Jews 00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:34.799 because it started in Israel. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.799 But it's gone throughout the world. 00:17:37.139 --> 00:17:38.819 And you can look around the church today 00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:41.279 and you can see people of lots of different ages. 00:17:41.659 --> 00:17:43.379 You can see people of different races. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.639 You can see people of different social standing 00:17:45.639 --> 00:17:46.859 and wealth and so on. 00:17:47.139 --> 00:17:48.619 And we all come together 00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:53.879 because we know that God welcomes all of us in Jesus. 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:56.500 Whatever we are, whatever we've done, 00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:57.619 whatever our background, 00:17:58.099 --> 00:18:02.139 God wants us to know Jesus and to love him. 00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:05.600 God's revelation is to the whole world. 00:18:06.520 --> 00:18:08.259 But it actually goes beyond that. 00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:11.580 It goes also to spiritual beings. 00:18:12.620 --> 00:18:13.920 So in verse 10, 00:18:14.360 --> 00:18:14.800 Paul says, 00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:16.240 in 10th was now through the church, 00:18:16.320 --> 00:18:17.820 the manifold wisdom of God 00:18:17.820 --> 00:18:20.060 should be made known to the rulers and authorities 00:18:20.060 --> 00:18:21.160 in the heavenly realms. 00:18:21.660 --> 00:18:23.360 Now let's not get into too much detail 00:18:23.360 --> 00:18:25.800 about who these rulers and authorities are. 00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:28.520 Let's just recognize that there are spectators 00:18:28.520 --> 00:18:29.540 outside our world, 00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:32.059 those spiritual beings who are looking on 00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:35.599 and observing what's happening in our church. 00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:36.720 Maybe good, 00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:37.779 they may be bad, 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:40.159 but they can see what's happening. 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:42.220 And Paul says for them, 00:18:42.859 --> 00:18:43.859 what's being revealed to them 00:18:43.859 --> 00:18:45.319 is not through what I say. 00:18:45.980 --> 00:18:48.720 It's not through the explanation that I give. 00:18:49.159 --> 00:18:51.379 What is being revealed to them 00:18:51.379 --> 00:18:53.559 is through God's people. 00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.619 It is through the church. 00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:58.039 And they can look on and say, 00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.919 isn't this an amazing thing 00:18:59.919 --> 00:19:01.739 that God has done? 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:03.739 It's a kind of show and tell 00:19:03.739 --> 00:19:05.279 that people can look, 00:19:05.739 --> 00:19:07.119 or these beings can look, 00:19:07.479 --> 00:19:08.699 and they can marvel 00:19:08.699 --> 00:19:10.319 at all that God has done 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:12.139 in bringing so many different people 00:19:12.139 --> 00:19:13.659 from different walks of life 00:19:13.659 --> 00:19:15.159 and different backgrounds together 00:19:15.159 --> 00:19:17.539 and revealing to all of them 00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:19.419 his love for them. 00:19:20.159 --> 00:19:21.399 So Paul's revelation 00:19:21.399 --> 00:19:22.599 to the whole world 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:25.119 beyond that as well. 00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:27.480 What about the mystery? 00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:29.099 Now we looked at the mystery 00:19:29.099 --> 00:19:30.419 in quite a lot of detail last week, 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.359 those of us who are here, 00:19:31.459 --> 00:19:32.319 so I'm not going to go into 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:34.740 a great deal of detail about that. 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:35.839 But just a reminder, 00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:37.500 the key I think is verse 6. 00:19:37.899 --> 00:19:39.379 The mystery is that the Gentiles, 00:19:39.500 --> 00:19:40.419 the non-Jews, 00:19:40.659 --> 00:19:42.439 are heirs together with Israel, 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:44.059 so they inherit the same things 00:19:44.059 --> 00:19:45.059 the Israelites did 00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:46.059 if they trust in Jesus. 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:47.879 Mystery, second part, 00:19:47.959 --> 00:19:49.699 is that we're all members of one body 00:19:49.699 --> 00:19:51.019 if we know Jesus. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.799 And the third part is 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:53.680 we share together 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:55.379 in his promises. 00:19:56.900 --> 00:19:58.160 And then Paul brings it 00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:59.259 a bit together again 00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:00.480 in verse 12. 00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:01.799 And he says, 00:20:01.940 --> 00:20:02.420 In him, 00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:04.099 through faith in him, 00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:05.920 we may approach God 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.799 with freedom 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:08.099 and confidence. 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:09.799 That is the root 00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:11.519 of what Paul is saying. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:12.940 Now if you go back 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:13.839 to the Old Testament, 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:16.200 the Jews were God's special people, 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:17.980 but they really couldn't 00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:19.099 approach him with freedom 00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:19.779 and confidence 00:20:19.779 --> 00:20:20.819 in the way 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:21.879 that we can. 00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:24.159 Only once a year 00:20:24.159 --> 00:20:25.139 is anyone able to go 00:20:25.139 --> 00:20:26.500 into the most holy place 00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:28.179 in the Jewish religion, 00:20:28.740 --> 00:20:29.859 in the temple, 00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:30.779 in the tabernacle, 00:20:30.879 --> 00:20:31.559 the high priest, 00:20:31.619 --> 00:20:32.740 with a great deal of ceremony 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:34.259 to go into the presence of God 00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:36.079 once a year. 00:20:37.139 --> 00:20:38.379 If we know Jesus, 00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:39.299 if we love Jesus, 00:20:39.299 --> 00:20:40.859 we can go any time 00:20:40.859 --> 00:20:42.459 into God's presence. 00:20:42.839 --> 00:20:44.259 He is there listening for us, 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:45.139 waiting for us, 00:20:45.439 --> 00:20:46.359 interested in us, 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:47.639 and we can do it 00:20:47.639 --> 00:20:48.459 with freedom 00:20:48.459 --> 00:20:49.759 and confidence. 00:20:49.939 --> 00:20:51.019 There is no barrier 00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:52.379 if we know Jesus, 00:20:52.459 --> 00:20:53.259 if we love Jesus, 00:20:53.379 --> 00:20:54.539 to going into 00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:56.059 God's presence. 00:20:56.899 --> 00:20:57.939 And it doesn't matter, 00:20:58.039 --> 00:20:58.399 let's repeat, 00:20:58.519 --> 00:20:59.219 it doesn't matter 00:20:59.219 --> 00:21:00.399 what our background is, 00:21:00.639 --> 00:21:01.259 doesn't matter 00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:02.259 where our home is, 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:03.219 doesn't matter 00:21:03.219 --> 00:21:03.879 race, 00:21:04.159 --> 00:21:04.399 creed, 00:21:04.459 --> 00:21:04.819 whatever, 00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:06.039 if we know Jesus, 00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:07.000 if we love Jesus, 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:08.519 we can come into 00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:10.279 God's presence. 00:21:11.419 --> 00:21:12.139 So that's the mystery. 00:21:12.959 --> 00:21:13.719 So we're going to end 00:21:13.720 --> 00:21:15.059 with the death. 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:17.079 Now Paul doesn't really 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:18.420 talk about the death here, 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.940 but it's kind of overall 00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:21.360 and it's assumed 00:21:21.360 --> 00:21:22.079 that his people 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.220 who are listening to him 00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:24.180 or reading this 00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:25.380 will understand 00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:26.680 what the death is about. 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:27.420 It's the death of Jesus, 00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:27.960 of course. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:29.400 It's the death of Jesus 00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:30.920 on the cross at Calvary. 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.940 And that is the thing 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:33.000 that brought Jews 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:34.059 and Gentiles together 00:21:34.059 --> 00:21:35.539 and gave everyone 00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:36.400 the opportunity 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:37.779 to know God 00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:39.440 and to have a relationship 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:40.420 with him. 00:21:41.140 --> 00:21:41.779 Just two things 00:21:41.779 --> 00:21:42.759 I want to point to 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.579 about the cross. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.319 Two key things 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:45.480 I think we need to know 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:46.640 about what happened 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:47.599 through the cross 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:48.859 of the Lord Jesus. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.619 The first thing is 00:21:50.619 --> 00:21:51.480 when Jesus died 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:52.180 on the cross, 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:54.420 he was taking my place. 00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:56.299 I've talked a bit 00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.740 about the sin, 00:21:57.879 --> 00:21:59.039 the bad things 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:00.220 that we all have in us 00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:02.599 and that because God 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:03.339 is just 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:04.559 and because God 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:05.119 is holy, 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:06.480 we should be punished 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:07.839 for all the wrong things 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.759 we've done. 00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:10.640 When Jesus went 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:11.180 to the cross, 00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:11.779 when he died 00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:12.460 on the cross, 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:13.879 he took all these 00:22:13.879 --> 00:22:14.740 wrong things 00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.779 on himself. 00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:17.579 So my sins, 00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:19.660 all the wrong things 00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:20.399 in my life 00:22:20.399 --> 00:22:21.240 that I've done, 00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:23.139 Jesus took the punishment 00:22:23.139 --> 00:22:24.160 for them. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.200 People may have thought 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:26.839 that he was being 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:27.740 cruelly executed 00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.539 by the Romans, 00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.399 that he'd been betrayed 00:22:29.399 --> 00:22:30.119 by the Jews, 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:31.039 both of them true, 00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.539 but the real purpose 00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:33.920 of Jesus going to the cross 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.079 was so that he could 00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:36.079 take my place, 00:22:36.399 --> 00:22:37.059 so that he could 00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:38.139 take my sins, 00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:39.200 so that I wouldn't 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.099 have to be punished 00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:41.199 for all the wrong 00:22:41.199 --> 00:22:42.519 things I've done. 00:22:42.879 --> 00:22:44.679 Jesus took my place 00:22:44.679 --> 00:22:45.879 on the cross. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:48.139 Then the second thing 00:22:48.139 --> 00:22:49.240 that the cross tells us 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.959 is that Jesus 00:22:49.959 --> 00:22:51.480 is the only way 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.439 to God. 00:22:53.159 --> 00:22:53.939 There is nothing 00:22:53.939 --> 00:22:55.079 that I could do 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:55.679 myself 00:22:55.679 --> 00:22:56.719 that would 00:22:56.719 --> 00:22:58.079 cancel out 00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:59.459 all the wrong things 00:22:59.459 --> 00:23:00.319 I've done. 00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:02.000 I could try to live 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.799 as good a life 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:03.879 as I possibly could, 00:23:03.939 --> 00:23:04.899 I could try to be good 00:23:04.899 --> 00:23:05.740 to other people 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:07.299 and be a real 00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:09.019 humanitarian type person 00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:09.940 and really concerned 00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:11.539 about everyone else 00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:13.160 and I wouldn't begin 00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:14.339 to scratch the surface 00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:16.079 of all the wrong things 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:17.140 that I've done. 00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:18.640 There is no way 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:19.579 I myself 00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:21.000 can find my way 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:21.920 to God. 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:23.299 The only way 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:24.279 to get to God, 00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.000 the only way 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.220 to enjoy all the things 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:27.359 that Paul's talking about 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.680 in these verses 00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:30.440 is through the Lord Jesus 00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:32.380 and through his death. 00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:34.319 Recognize that if I 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:35.299 am inadequate, 00:23:35.919 --> 00:23:36.639 that Jesus died 00:23:36.639 --> 00:23:37.159 on the cross 00:23:37.159 --> 00:23:38.319 to take my place, 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:39.759 that my sins 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:40.679 were laid on him 00:23:40.679 --> 00:23:42.159 and that he was buried 00:23:42.159 --> 00:23:43.419 and he's risen again, 00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:44.799 that he's alive today 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:46.339 and that he is able 00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:47.500 to bring me 00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:48.480 to God. 00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:49.659 So two things 00:23:49.659 --> 00:23:50.319 about the death 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:50.939 of the Lord Jesus. 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.159 Remember he took our place 00:23:52.159 --> 00:23:53.439 and he is 00:23:53.439 --> 00:23:54.679 the only way 00:23:54.679 --> 00:23:55.779 to God. 00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:59.039 So let's just finish 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:00.460 by reminding ourselves 00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:01.720 what we've talked about. 00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:03.720 We thought 00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.740 first of all 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:05.700 about the prison, 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:06.559 Paul the prisoner 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:07.779 and the fact 00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:08.559 that for him 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.200 he wasn't important 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.120 but the gospel was. 00:24:12.299 --> 00:24:13.539 The task that God 00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:14.700 had given him to do 00:24:14.700 --> 00:24:16.960 was vitally important. 00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:18.620 And the challenge there 00:24:18.620 --> 00:24:19.299 for those of us 00:24:19.299 --> 00:24:19.980 who know Jesus 00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:21.960 is have we got 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:22.920 a real passion 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:24.700 for serving the Lord 00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:26.000 or are we just 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:26.600 doing our bit 00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:27.259 and are we perhaps 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:28.100 trying to be seen 00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:28.880 to be important 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:29.920 when actually 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:30.839 we're not as committed 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:31.939 as perhaps 00:24:31.939 --> 00:24:33.059 we should be. 00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:34.099 We thought about 00:24:34.099 --> 00:24:34.859 the revelation 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:35.679 about the fact 00:24:35.679 --> 00:24:36.619 that all around 00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:37.119 the world 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.159 people have come 00:24:38.159 --> 00:24:38.939 to know Jesus 00:24:38.939 --> 00:24:40.099 on the same basis 00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:41.099 of putting their 00:24:41.099 --> 00:24:41.919 trust in him 00:24:41.919 --> 00:24:43.240 and even those 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:43.679 who are outside 00:24:43.679 --> 00:24:44.240 this world 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.939 can look on 00:24:44.939 --> 00:24:46.139 and can marvel 00:24:46.139 --> 00:24:47.359 at what God 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:48.259 has done. 00:24:48.959 --> 00:24:49.579 We thought about 00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:50.679 that great mystery 00:24:50.679 --> 00:24:51.559 of God bringing 00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:52.439 the Jews 00:24:52.439 --> 00:24:53.279 and the Gentiles 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:53.679 together 00:24:53.679 --> 00:24:54.279 and giving them 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:54.759 something that was 00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:55.740 much more wonderful 00:24:55.740 --> 00:24:56.679 than the Jews 00:24:56.679 --> 00:24:57.459 ever had 00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:58.819 in the Old Testament 00:24:58.819 --> 00:25:00.160 and we thought 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:00.700 of the cross 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.519 of the Lord Jesus 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:02.980 of how he took 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:03.680 our place 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.920 and of how 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:06.140 only through him 00:25:06.140 --> 00:25:07.120 can we find 00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:08.559 a way to God. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:09.960 If you know 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:10.680 Christ this morning 00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:10.980 if you know 00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.700 the Lord Jesus 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.779 be challenged 00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.519 by what Sean 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:13.940 has done 00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:15.039 and by what he said 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.680 by someone 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:16.279 who has said 00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:16.980 I am fully 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.960 committed to Jesus 00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:18.640 and want to show 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:19.799 everyone that 00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:20.720 and consider 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:21.460 your commitment 00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:22.400 and your passion 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:24.259 for serving Jesus. 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:25.819 If you don't yet 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.259 know Jesus 00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:27.180 if you're not a Christian 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:28.340 again think of 00:25:28.340 --> 00:25:29.240 what Sean has done 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.220 and the differences 00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:31.279 made in his life. 00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:32.060 Think about 00:25:32.060 --> 00:25:33.039 the cross of the Lord 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.960 Jesus' death 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.440 for us 00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:34.900 that he took 00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:35.500 your place 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:36.480 that he's the way 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:37.000 to God 00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:38.620 and come and put 00:25:38.620 --> 00:25:39.519 your trust 00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:40.380 in him. 00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:41.600 I invite you 00:25:41.600 --> 00:25:42.039 as John did 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:42.299 if you want 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:42.840 to look further 00:25:42.840 --> 00:25:44.120 to take the book 00:25:44.120 --> 00:25:45.160 the 3 to 1 Gospel 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:46.580 or talk to one of us 00:25:46.580 --> 00:25:47.400 who have been involved 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:48.759 in the service today. 00:25:49.180 --> 00:25:49.759 If God's been 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.600 speaking to you 00:25:50.600 --> 00:25:51.279 make sure 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.160 that you respond 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:53.880 and that you go away 00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:55.400 knowing and loving 00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:56.460 the Lord Jesus. 00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:57.940 let's just pray together. 00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:00.360 Our Father 00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:00.799 we thank you 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.720 for your word to us. 00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:02.779 We thank you 00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:03.880 for this tremendous 00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:04.840 truth that Paul 00:26:04.840 --> 00:26:05.640 brings to us 00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:07.000 that everyone 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:08.519 without exception 00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:10.259 can know the grace 00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.380 of the Lord Jesus 00:26:11.380 --> 00:26:12.799 if they simply 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:13.579 put their trust 00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:14.019 in him 00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:15.000 and accept 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:15.840 what he has done 00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:16.759 for them. 00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:17.559 We thank you 00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.200 for the church 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:19.180 which is the visible 00:26:19.180 --> 00:26:20.519 evidence of that 00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:22.559 that spiritual being 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.360 can look on 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:24.619 and can marvel 00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:25.939 at the wisdom 00:26:25.939 --> 00:26:27.219 and the riches 00:26:27.219 --> 00:26:28.659 of God. 00:26:29.199 --> 00:26:29.879 Help us to 00:26:29.879 --> 00:26:30.699 understand 00:26:30.699 --> 00:26:31.240 what you have 00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:31.979 to say to us 00:26:31.979 --> 00:26:33.519 help us to respond 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:34.599 appropriately. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:36.019 We again thank you 00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:36.519 for Sean 00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:37.019 we thank you 00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:37.839 for his very clear 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:38.359 testimony 00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:39.779 about the Lord Jesus 00:26:39.779 --> 00:26:40.919 and we pray 00:26:40.919 --> 00:26:41.559 that you will continue 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:42.379 to be with him 00:26:42.379 --> 00:26:43.679 as he would seek 00:26:43.679 --> 00:26:44.759 to live for Christ 00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:46.240 and to serve him. 00:26:46.979 --> 00:26:47.359 We thank you 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:48.319 for your presence 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:49.199 and our time together 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:50.279 we commit ourselves 00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:50.920 to you now 00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:52.180 in Jesus name. 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:53.279 Amen.