WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.040
 So this morning we're reading from Matthew chapter 5 verses 1 to 16.

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 Matthew 5.

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 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

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 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

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 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

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 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

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 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

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 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

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 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

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 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

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 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

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 Blessed are the pure in spirit, for they shall be called sons of the king of heaven.

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 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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 You are the salt of the earth.

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 But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?

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 It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

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 You are the light of the world.

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 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket,

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 but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

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 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works

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 and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

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 Morning, everyone.

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 Let's give the kids a second.

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 Okay, I'm going to show you some slides in a second, some pictures.

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 Now, I want you to do a couple of things for me.

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 The first thing is, I want you to try and guess who the people are in each slide.

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 So, Koo will bring them up in a second.

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 So, you're going to tell me who are the people in each slide,

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 and then I want you to try and guess the relationship between these people.

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 So, Koo just put up the first slide there.

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 We'll bring it up.

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 Who can tell me who are these people in this slide?

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 I can hear Jacinda Ardern, I think is what people are saying.

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 Yep.

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 Anyone for the other one?

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 Okay.

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 Mum.

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 Okay.

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 No.

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 All right.

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 That's Annette King.

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 We'll see how we go with the next one.

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 How about these two?

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 Who are these two?

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 Boris Johnson.

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 Yep.

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 That's the Prime Minister of the UK.

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 Anyone else for the other lady on the left there?

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 Ann Jenkins.

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 Yep.

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 Thanks, Liz Cameron.

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 It's not Ann Jenkins.

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 Okay.

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 No one.

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 Interesting.

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 Okay.

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 The next one.

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 How about these two?

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 Yes.

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 I can hear it.

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 It's Yixing Ping.

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 I probably said his name not very well.

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 Apologies for those who know how it should be pronounced.

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 Anyone else for the one on the left?

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 Grace Evangelical.

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 All right.

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 That is Chong Chong Yi.

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 Okay.

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 And we've got one more.

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 Anyone for these two?

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 Joe Biden.

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 Thank you.

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 Anyone for the guy on the left?

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 Okay.

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 Well, that's Graham Fletcher.

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 Sorry, that's not Graham Fletcher.

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 That's Michael Goldman.

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 I'm getting myself mixed up.

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 How could I forget who that is?

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 No, look.

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 Clearly, I never expected anyone to get the people on the left.

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 The people on the left are ambassadors to Australia for the respective person on the right.

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 So, in this case, Joe Biden is the world leader.

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 America, of course, is the country.

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 And Michael Goldman is his ambassador to Australia.

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 And now, if you think about ambassadors, what is the purpose of an ambassador?

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 What do they do?

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 Like, they go out, they talk to people in the country and they're in.

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 They represent the leader that they're for.

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 So, Joe Biden, for example, he'll say something.

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 You know, I want you to tell Australia this.

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 Michael Goldman will go out and he'll convey the message.

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 They try and convince people in the country that they're in about the message and the purpose

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 that they want to get across for their country.

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 They stick up for their country.

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 They represent their leader.

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 That's the whole purpose of what an ambassador does.

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 So, why am I talking about ambassadors?

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 I think you'll probably know it's not to try and get involved in world politics.

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 Today, we're talking about being ambassadors for God.

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 You see, we here at Grace, if you're a Christian, you are God's ambassador.

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 And just as every ambassador has a leader, as we saw on the slides there, so do we.

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 We have a leader.

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 And our leader is Jesus Christ.

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 You see, we follow him.

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 We represent him.

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 And it's not because we're in the same geographical area, clearly, like those guys on the screen.

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 We follow Jesus because of who he is and what he has done for us.

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 You see, Jesus is the king of the world.

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 We know that here at Grace.

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 It's something that we're very used to hearing.

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 He is the king of the world.

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 You see, without Jesus, we know there is no hope for this world.

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 We, if we are not followers of Jesus, we rebel against God.

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 We, before we became Christians, rebel against God.

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 We did not want to turn back to him.

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 Sin, it's what we know sin as.

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 We said we want nothing to do with you.

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 And we did not have any inclination of coming back.

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 Now, what's the consequence of that?

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 We all know is that we're cut off from God.

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 We're cut off from God who gives us life.

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 And the consequence of that is eternal death.

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 We are cut off from the creator of this world.

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 And so in Romans 6, verse 23, it says the wages of sin is death.

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 Basically, the payment and the consequence for rebelling against God is death.

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 And so Jesus comes in at that point in our relationship with God and restores the relationship.

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 Jesus gives his life.

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 He goes through that suffering and that pain that we hear about every week here when we come to church.

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 Crucified on a cross.

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 The ripping apart of that relationship between a perfect father and a perfect son.

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 He goes through all of that for the glory of God and the consequences that we can be saved.

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 Something that we know well if you're a Christian.

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 You would have heard this many times.

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 Romans 6, verse 23, the wages of sin is death.

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 But it doesn't stop there, does it?

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 It keeps going if you know this verse well.

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 But the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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 And this is the Jesus that is talking to the disciples on the mount in this story.

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 This is the Jesus who the disciples follow.

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 He is our king and that's who we are called to represent.

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 We are Jesus' ambassadors to this world.

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 If you've got your Bible there, and hopefully you've already been following along a bit,

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 as Brie read, chapter 5, verses 13 to 16, we're going to kind of do it a little bit in reverse, this section.

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 But let's start at 13.

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 You are the salt of the earth.

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 But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?

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 It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

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 You are the light of the world.

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 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

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 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand.

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 And it gives light to all in the house.

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 In the same way, let your light shine before others,

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 so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

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 You see, Israel was originally God's people.

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 God intended for Israel to be his light to the world.

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 He said to them, I'm choosing you, I'm saving you, and you are going to be the way that the world knows who I am.

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 It's what he said to them.

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 That was their purpose for being chosen.

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 But we know the story.

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 The Old Testament is all about this.

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 It's basically this cycle of God saves them.

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 They're really grateful initially.

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 Then they rebel and they reject him.

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 They want nothing to do with him.

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 And then they get into trouble and then they go, oh, no, we're in trouble.

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 Why have you deserted us?

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 And then God saves them again.

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 And then that cycle just keeps continuing.

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 But that's the purpose of what he called them to do.

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 But here Jesus says to his disciples, you are now my ambassadors to the world.

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 You are the way that the world will know who I am.

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 We are Jesus' ambassadors.

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 It's who we are.

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 It's our status.

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 That's what we are in Jesus.

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 We are his ambassadors.

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 You see that bit at the start of 13 and the same at the start of 14.

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 You are the salt of the earth.

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 You are the light of the world.

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 He's not saying if you choose to be and, you know, it's something you can do if you want.

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 You can follow me and if you want to be the salt of the world, then go for it.

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 He's saying you are these things.

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 It's who you are.

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 It's your status.

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 It's your very being as someone who follows Jesus.

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 And so the salt and the light metaphors, they are two metaphors, but essentially they say the same thing.

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 If you think about salt, I'm sure everyone here has salt in their home somewhere.

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 I'm hoping.

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 If you don't, then my wife will be very disappointed in you because salt is great.

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 I'll be disappointed in you.

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 Salt's amazing.

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 But what's it for?

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 Like, why do you put it in food?

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 Because you want to make stuff taste better generally.

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 Yes, you can preserve it, but we're not going to talk about that for a second.

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 It doesn't, you know, it's another use.

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 But basically put it in food to make it taste better.

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 Now, if the salt just stayed in a little rock and didn't do anything and didn't spread to the food around it, it would be pointless.

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 There'd be no point.

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 You'd basically be eating grit and so you'd take it out.

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 But salt spreads to the food around it.

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 It changes the food around it.

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 It makes it better.

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 In a similar way, and Don talked about this in his kids' talk, Jesus says, we are light.

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 And what does light do?

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 It impacts the area around it.

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 It gets rid of darkness.

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 It's so that, you know, we can see it changes the space around it.

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 If we put it, you know, under a basket, well, what's the point?

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 Like, the whole point of the light is that it changes the area around it.

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 If it's bright in the day, for example, we don't need to change the brightness so we turn off the light.

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 It's not needed.

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 That's the whole point.

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 And Jesus says here, you are the salt of the world.

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 You are the light of the world.

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 The whole point is that the way that you live will make the world know who I am.

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 We are people who represent God.

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 And for what reason?

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 In verse 16.

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 So that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

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 Now, Koo, I'm hoping you can bring up the next slide for me.

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 If we think about Vicky from the UK again, Vicky Trudell.

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 Now, what does she do in her day-to-day job?

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 She's the ambassador for the UK to Australia.

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 What does she do?

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 Well, she doesn't stay in her embassy.

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 She goes out.

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 She goes into the country, Australia.

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 She meets with people.

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 She's trying to be like, yes, Britain's the best to get everyone on board with the cause.

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 She's really keen for people to hear what her country is saying.

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 She represents her leader, says what her leader wants her to say.

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 And we are the same.

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 We are ambassadors for God.

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 It's just that the message that Vicky is spreading is she's trying to be salt and light,

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 saying that Britain is great to Australia.

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 But we are God's ambassadors, representing Jesus and spreading his gospel.

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 Thanks, Koo.

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 If you're a Christian, do you live each day remembering who you are in Christ?

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 You are an ambassador for him.

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 You are salt and light for him.

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 Do you live a life reflective of those verses that we heard at the start,

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 the Beatitude verses, verses 2 to 10?

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 You know, with humility, relying on our king.

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 Because you are an ambassador at every point in your life.

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 It's not a Sunday morning thing.

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 It's not when you're at Bible study thing.

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 It's not when you're in a youth group thing.

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 At every point, in every time, in every situation, whether you are by yourself,

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 whether you're with other people, whether you're with family, friends, colleagues,

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 you are an ambassador for Jesus.

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 It is who you are.

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 So when you think about the things that you watch on TV,

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 do you think about and make those decisions based on who you are as an ambassador for Jesus?

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 In what you let your kids watch, in the jokes that you laugh at,

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 in the way that you engage with your non-Christian friends.

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 Is this how you think about that relationship?

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 That at all times, to those people, you are an ambassador for Jesus.

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 You know, responding to bad situations, the way you might get frustrated when things go wrong,

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 things that annoy you, how you react, how you spend your money,

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 how you prioritize things in your life.

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 Do you make decisions that reflect your status?

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 We are ambassadors for Jesus.

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 Now, for me, I think I have a generally good relationship with my non-Christian friends and colleagues.

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 I don't hide the fact that I'm a Christian.

00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:30.439
 Like, all of them know that I'm a Christian.

00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:32.320
 I don't, you know, they say, what are you doing on the weekend?

00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:38.540
 It's not like I go, Sunday morning, I'm going to a cafe and like pretend like I don't go to church or something.

00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:39.140
 They all know.

00:14:40.700 --> 00:14:42.640
 So I'm not hiding the fact that I'm an ambassador.

00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:45.680
 But I think about some of the areas in my life.

00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:48.360
 And I think for me, a big one is probably my school friends.

00:14:48.560 --> 00:14:49.360
 They're not Christian.

00:14:50.020 --> 00:14:51.180
 None of them are Christian, actually.

00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:53.200
 And I think about the relationships I have with them.

00:14:53.200 --> 00:15:00.700
 And I think that although they know I'm a Christian, I reflect on the way that I relate to them.

00:15:00.780 --> 00:15:07.320
 And I have to conclude that in many respects, I don't think I live a life that reflects my status.

00:15:08.940 --> 00:15:14.900
 I don't live a life that says I am an ambassador for Jesus and this is who I represent and this is what he stands for.

00:15:14.899 --> 00:15:23.899
 See, Jesus here says to me and to you, we are the salt of the earth.

00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:27.579
 We are the light of the world.

00:15:30.579 --> 00:15:33.679
 Put your light on a stand so that it can impact others.

00:15:33.899 --> 00:15:37.799
 That is your whole, that is what you do as an ambassador for me.

00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:46.500
 See, we are, you are, I am, Jesus' kingdom ambassadors.

00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:55.979
 But there are consequences for being an ambassador, aren't there?

00:15:59.079 --> 00:16:01.359
 Matthew chapter 5, verses 10 to 12.

00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.240
 Start at verse 10.

00:16:04.439 --> 00:16:07.199
 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.

00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:10.419
 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:18.459
 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:23.240
 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:26.899
 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:36.019
 See, Jesus here says that if you live your status of being an ambassador for him,

00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:41.960
 if you live a life that reflects Jesus, if you tell people about Jesus,

00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:45.799
 well, at some point, people are going to hate you for it.

00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:53.079
 You see, the kingdom of heaven and earth don't mix fundamentally.

00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:57.039
 What we believe in and what we care about do not match.

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:59.419
 And Dave mentioned it last week.

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.360
 Who values meekness?

00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:05.420
 I mean, seriously, who, like, I don't go to work going,

00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:08.779
 today, I'm going to be the meekest person I can be.

00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:12.019
 I'm just going to be out there, you know, people are going to say stuff,

00:17:12.059 --> 00:17:13.339
 and I'm just going to be real meek.

00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:14.460
 No one.

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:16.240
 No one does that in our world.

00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:20.180
 Who values being poor in spirit?

00:17:20.900 --> 00:17:23.480
 What kind of self-help person on YouTube says,

00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:25.120
 you need to be more poor in spirit?

00:17:25.619 --> 00:17:26.099
 Fantastic.

00:17:26.699 --> 00:17:28.239
 Think of yourself lesser.

00:17:28.659 --> 00:17:29.599
 Think of Jesus more.

00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:33.719
 No non-Christian self-help person talks that way.

00:17:36.679 --> 00:17:38.000
 Be hungry and thirsty.

00:17:38.159 --> 00:17:40.419
 Who says, oh, you know, hate water.

00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:43.839
 Two and a half days, I'm going to push it just so I can feel that experience

00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.079
 of not having water in me.

00:17:45.619 --> 00:17:46.819
 No one says that.

00:17:49.199 --> 00:17:51.299
 You see, the kingdom life, and I guess what those,

00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:55.819
 the crux of those verses is saying is that we are to be dependent on Jesus.

00:17:55.980 --> 00:17:59.440
 Of course, it's not really about water and being hungry or thirsty,

00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:03.659
 but it's about being dependent on Jesus, relying on him for strength,

00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:06.200
 relying on him for being our comfort.

00:18:08.539 --> 00:18:12.579
 See, the Australian dream is not to be dependent on someone else, is it?

00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:16.200
 The Australian dream is that I would be, you know,

00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:18.200
 my self-made man or self-made woman.

00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:18.720
 I'm out there.

00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:22.140
 We respect people, in fact, I think, who do this themselves,

00:18:22.380 --> 00:18:25.400
 who are able to go from nothing to everything,

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:26.660
 and they've done it all their way.

00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:28.140
 That's who we respect.

00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:30.279
 That's the leaders that we look up to.

00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:40.180
 But if we are ambassadors for Jesus, representing this way of life,

00:18:40.420 --> 00:18:42.579
 living a life that is reflective of Jesus,

00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:46.480
 then we can expect pushback for it.

00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:52.539
 You can expect persecution for living the life that Jesus calls us to.

00:18:54.940 --> 00:18:57.700
 Because the world does not accept Jesus.

00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:04.480
 Now, Dave mentioned here between verses 10 and 11,

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:06.819
 if you were here last week, you might remember this,

00:19:06.860 --> 00:19:09.079
 he said that up until verse 10,

00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:12.359
 it's kind of saying a lot of those and these.

00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:15.279
 So, you know, the blessed, those who are, et cetera.

00:19:15.879 --> 00:19:18.259
 And then in verse 11, it swaps to you.

00:19:18.379 --> 00:19:19.299
 He uses the word you.

00:19:19.939 --> 00:19:22.899
 And Dave said that this is kind of reflective of the fact that

00:19:22.899 --> 00:19:25.059
 he starts addressing the disciples directly.

00:19:25.899 --> 00:19:29.039
 And although I think a lot of this stuff that he's talking about here

00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:29.939
 applies to us,

00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:33.500
 I think there are points at which it is helpful to remember that distinction

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:34.460
 in the passage.

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:38.320
 Because what Jesus says in these verses,

00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:43.320
 I think actually does mean something different to the disciples

00:19:43.320 --> 00:19:45.240
 than what it means to us here in Australia.

00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:49.700
 Now, I shouldn't say that it means something different.

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:50.840
 The meaning is actually the same,

00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:52.539
 but I think the consequences are different.

00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.860
 Sorry, there's a better way of saying it.

00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:58.719
 You see, as Jesus is talking to his disciples,

00:19:58.899 --> 00:20:04.059
 he knows that for them in their immediate future is persecution,

00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:05.779
 is suffering.

00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:07.000
 Just read the book of Acts.

00:20:07.059 --> 00:20:07.679
 You can see it.

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.679
 It's plain as day.

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:13.859
 And I think that they, by and large,

00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:17.319
 went through persecution that we probably,

00:20:17.459 --> 00:20:19.240
 I don't think in our day-to-day lives,

00:20:19.939 --> 00:20:22.399
 will experience, I think, for most of us.

00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:24.180
 Probably most of us, not even for a day,

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.740
 will we have that level of persecution.

00:20:28.300 --> 00:20:30.080
 You see, to the disciples, Jesus says,

00:20:30.540 --> 00:20:34.680
 blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you

00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:37.860
 and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:43.259
 And it does mean something different to the apostles

00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:44.860
 than what it means to us here in Australia.

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:47.240
 Look, if I was giving this talk in another country,

00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:49.100
 some countries around the world,

00:20:49.660 --> 00:20:51.240
 it would be a like-for-like comparison.

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:54.319
 In some ways, we're fortunate in Australia not to have that.

00:20:55.099 --> 00:20:58.460
 But if we just talk about the death of the 12 apostles for a second.

00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:01.799
 Now, a lot of this comes from,

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:03.279
 there are some that come from the Bible.

00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:04.859
 There's one or two that come from the Bible.

00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:07.160
 A lot of it comes from Christian tradition

00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:08.339
 and early Christian writers.

00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:12.579
 So take it as a flavour of what the apostles went through,

00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:14.240
 not as a historical narrative.

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:17.660
 But this is largely how people kind of generally think

00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:18.940
 that a lot of the apostles died.

00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:22.340
 Now, my wife said at this point,

00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:23.580
 if you have young kids in here,

00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:26.140
 it might be a good time to just, I don't know,

00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:27.080
 run them out or something.

00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:29.240
 It's not going to be gruesome or anything.

00:21:29.460 --> 00:21:32.880
 But this is how the apostles died.

00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:34.340
 So I think let's start with James,

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:36.100
 who we do know because he's in Acts 12.

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.300
 It's recorded how he died.

00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:40.860
 He died because he was killed with a sword

00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:42.599
 for being an ambassador for Jesus.

00:21:44.939 --> 00:21:46.899
 Peter, the apostle Peter,

00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:48.919
 for being an ambassador for Jesus

00:21:48.919 --> 00:21:52.099
 is supposed to have been crucified upside down.

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:53.659
 He didn't think it was good enough

00:21:53.659 --> 00:21:55.199
 to be crucified in the way Jesus was.

00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:56.919
 So he asked to be crucified upside down.

00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.799
 Andrew, for being an ambassador for Jesus,

00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:05.019
 was supposedly crucified on an X-shaped cross.

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:07.199
 So two points in the ground instead of one.

00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:12.980
 The most common way Bartholomew is thought to have died

00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:13.980
 was being flayed,

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:15.620
 which is basically I whip you

00:22:15.620 --> 00:22:17.180
 until all the skin comes off your back.

00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:19.640
 And then they beheaded him

00:22:19.640 --> 00:22:21.340
 for being an ambassador for Jesus.

00:22:24.059 --> 00:22:25.920
 Thomas, for being an ambassador for Jesus,

00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:27.140
 was stabbed with spears.

00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:29.259
 Other apostles are stoned.

00:22:29.340 --> 00:22:30.539
 We know that Stephen is stoned,

00:22:30.600 --> 00:22:32.539
 although he's not strictly an apostle.

00:22:33.120 --> 00:22:34.080
 Now, others are beheaded,

00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:35.960
 boiled in oil, beaten.

00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:37.960
 All of this persecution

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:39.360
 that the apostles went through,

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:41.960
 all for living as who they were,

00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:44.779
 their status as an ambassador for Jesus.

00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:50.460
 See, by being salt to the world around them,

00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:51.500
 by being light,

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:54.940
 they brought many to Jesus' cause,

00:22:55.620 --> 00:22:59.480
 but they outraged a huge amount more.

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:04.220
 They were joyous in persecution.

00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:06.019
 They were joyous representing their king

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:07.120
 because it's who they were,

00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:09.380
 but it didn't come without consequence.

00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:14.559
 See, the reward is great for them in heaven.

00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:16.579
 They lived the life that they were called to.

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:19.420
 They lived as ambassadors for Jesus.

00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:24.519
 And look, as I've said,

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:26.980
 even though clearly what they went through

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:28.740
 is probably something we'll never experience,

00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:30.960
 in some ways, the principle is the same.

00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:32.580
 If we are ambassadors for Jesus,

00:23:33.360 --> 00:23:37.160
 if we live the way that we know Jesus has called us to,

00:23:37.320 --> 00:23:38.600
 and I think if you're a Christian here,

00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:39.940
 you probably have a general idea,

00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:43.779
 then there will be many who do not like it.

00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:45.160
 They will see your life

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:47.000
 and they will not like the way that you live.

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.859
 Just like when the apostles did it

00:23:50.859 --> 00:23:52.839
 and just like when the prophets did it,

00:23:52.879 --> 00:23:54.019
 as it says in verse 12.

00:23:54.639 --> 00:23:57.119
 You see, persecution is what it means

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:58.460
 to be an ambassador for Jesus.

00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:00.019
 It comes with the territory.

00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:04.799
 To help illustrate this,

00:24:04.899 --> 00:24:06.740
 Koo's going to bring up another slide for us.

00:24:07.859 --> 00:24:10.599
 We're going to move away from using Vicky as an illustration.

00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:12.579
 So let's go to the next one.

00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:15.519
 And we're going to use these two.

00:24:16.220 --> 00:24:18.119
 Now, I'm not trying to get political,

00:24:18.379 --> 00:24:19.500
 so I've used both.

00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:21.599
 That'll come back up in a second.

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:27.180
 But these are the ambassadors to Australia and China

00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:28.559
 for their respective countries.

00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:31.359
 So the one on the left is China's ambassador to Australia.

00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:33.660
 The one on the right is Australia's to China.

00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:36.700
 Now, I think it's fair to say,

00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:38.339
 and not getting political,

00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:40.319
 but I think we can all agree here

00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:42.519
 that the relationship between our two countries

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:43.200
 at the moment,

00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:45.839
 is not in a very good space.

00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:48.819
 I don't think anyone here would argue with me on that one.

00:24:50.379 --> 00:24:54.379
 Now, being an ambassador for China in Australia

00:24:54.379 --> 00:24:55.539
 or Australia and China

00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:58.839
 at the moment is not going to be winning you many friends

00:24:58.839 --> 00:24:59.960
 in the place that you're in.

00:24:59.960 --> 00:25:01.920
 You know, for example,

00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:04.960
 I don't think that there's many people in these countries

00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:06.799
 who are going to be inviting their ambassador

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.500
 to have state dinners.

00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:12.559
 No, Australia's definitely not doing that for the Chinese ambassador.

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:13.960
 China's not doing that for Australia.

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:14.259
 I don't think,

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:16.940
 I don't even think that the leaders of China

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:18.980
 are talking to Australian leaders at all at the moment.

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:22.700
 You know, by being who they are,

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:23.779
 by being an ambassador,

00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:25.980
 they, you know,

00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:28.579
 you can imagine that all the words that they say,

00:25:28.700 --> 00:25:30.819
 whether in the embassy or outside or in a,

00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:32.120
 you know, a group of people,

00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:33.720
 they're all being monitored.

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:36.200
 Australia does it as well, I guarantee.

00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:38.880
 We listen in on the conversations through radio devices

00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:40.759
 and tech that I don't understand.

00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:44.759
 But the problem is when you're talking about groups

00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:49.700
 who just fundamentally disagree on so much stuff,

00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:51.680
 this is the consequence.

00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:55.440
 But as ambassadors,

00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:57.740
 they're tasked with saying unpopular things

00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:59.220
 to the country that they're in.

00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:03.319
 We don't like a lot of the stuff that Chung says to us.

00:26:03.859 --> 00:26:05.980
 And I'm sure that they don't like a lot of the stuff

00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:07.379
 that our ambassador says to them.

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:09.920
 It's really, you know,

00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:11.420
 it's not a good relationship at the moment.

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:16.519
 I'm sure that they're heavily monitored wherever they go.

00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:18.360
 I guarantee that there's no way

00:26:18.360 --> 00:26:19.920
 that they can just walk down the street

00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:22.220
 and, you know, have no kind of attention.

00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:23.940
 I'm sure that does not happen.

00:26:24.600 --> 00:26:25.380
 And now I think, you know,

00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:27.900
 it's hard to think that either of these two

00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:29.120
 would be killed for being ambassadors.

00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:31.320
 You know, the outrage would be ridiculous.

00:26:31.320 --> 00:26:35.259
 But the fact is that they are ambassadors.

00:26:36.100 --> 00:26:36.880
 And for that,

00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:39.120
 they receive some level of persecution.

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:41.219
 They receive pushback for being who they are.

00:26:43.459 --> 00:26:47.559
 If we are Christians,

00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:49.299
 it's the same thing.

00:26:49.939 --> 00:26:51.779
 You see, being an ambassador for God

00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:54.059
 brings persecution with it.

00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:58.819
 Now, at this point,

00:26:58.839 --> 00:27:00.319
 I want to take you through some reflecting

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.659
 I've been doing on my life,

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:03.579
 brought on by this passage,

00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:06.179
 which I think is a common experience

00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:07.559
 for people who prepare talks.

00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:10.720
 But there's one question that comes up for me

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:12.259
 more than any other

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:14.279
 when I was going through this.

00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:19.279
 And that is when it seems here,

00:27:19.379 --> 00:27:20.660
 like Jesus is saying,

00:27:21.339 --> 00:27:23.299
 that persecution and pushback

00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:25.059
 and people disliking his message

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:27.099
 comes with the territory of being an ambassador.

00:27:27.940 --> 00:27:29.559
 When that seems to be the given

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:31.960
 of the way that things work in this world.

00:27:33.619 --> 00:27:36.000
 And why do I find myself experiencing

00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:37.139
 so little of it?

00:27:37.140 --> 00:27:41.800
 Why is it that I don't experience this

00:27:41.800 --> 00:27:42.900
 in my everyday life?

00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:47.520
 Now, I think some of it can be answered

00:27:47.520 --> 00:27:49.360
 by the fact that I live in Australia.

00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:50.520
 We're a safe country.

00:27:51.100 --> 00:27:52.080
 I think that's the reason

00:27:52.080 --> 00:27:52.980
 no one's, you know,

00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:54.759
 busting down the door to try and kill me.

00:27:55.220 --> 00:27:56.259
 Strong rule of law,

00:27:56.380 --> 00:27:57.780
 strong police presence.

00:27:58.420 --> 00:27:59.660
 We're a Christian nation,

00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:01.000
 at least from Christian heritage,

00:28:01.100 --> 00:28:01.720
 I should say.

00:28:02.120 --> 00:28:03.420
 We have freedom of religion.

00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:04.700
 I think that can explain

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:06.700
 some of the, you know,

00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.700
 death and torture end of the spectrum.

00:28:11.060 --> 00:28:12.860
 But I don't think it can explain

00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:14.720
 the lack of lower grade persecution

00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.620
 in my life.

00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:19.580
 And I think like people

00:28:19.580 --> 00:28:21.220
 not wanting to invite me to stuff

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:23.580
 because I'm always trying to bring up

00:28:23.580 --> 00:28:24.759
 Jesus in a conversation.

00:28:24.980 --> 00:28:25.640
 I just don't want to hear

00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:26.400
 that type of thing.

00:28:28.800 --> 00:28:30.380
 You know, people giving me weird looks

00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:32.120
 in the street because I'm trying

00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:33.459
 to engage them with the gospel

00:28:33.459 --> 00:28:36.019
 in Cole's shopping centre

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:37.000
 out the front of Glendale.

00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:40.899
 You have friends and family

00:28:40.899 --> 00:28:42.419
 being annoyed at the way

00:28:42.419 --> 00:28:43.219
 that I live my life.

00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:44.339
 You're wasting your life.

00:28:44.439 --> 00:28:45.979
 Like, why do you care about this stuff?

00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:47.759
 You're just wasting your life.

00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:48.599
 You're giving all your money

00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:49.419
 to other things.

00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:50.139
 It's stupid.

00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:54.179
 Colleagues not thinking about me

00:28:54.179 --> 00:28:54.859
 for a promotion

00:28:54.859 --> 00:28:55.839
 because I'm always trying

00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:57.379
 to bring up Jesus in a conversation.

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:58.619
 Like, I'm just an annoying person

00:28:58.619 --> 00:28:59.219
 to be around.

00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:04.000
 You know, I don't want to receive

00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:04.759
 a negative comment

00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.799
 on my Facebook page

00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:06.579
 because I've posted

00:29:06.579 --> 00:29:08.439
 some Christian gospel message.

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:10.199
 I don't want to have to get

00:29:10.199 --> 00:29:10.959
 into some argument

00:29:10.959 --> 00:29:12.119
 with someone about the fact

00:29:12.119 --> 00:29:13.139
 that they think I'm wrong.

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:16.079
 You know, people making jokes

00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:16.839
 about my faith,

00:29:16.919 --> 00:29:18.159
 like, you're a Christian.

00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:20.519
 Good luck with that.

00:29:20.619 --> 00:29:21.399
 You know, mocking me,

00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:22.359
 thinking I'm a loser.

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.500
 You know, even if I don't say it,

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:24.619
 I can see it on their face.

00:29:27.639 --> 00:29:28.779
 Now, I'm not trying to compare

00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:29.839
 the levels of persecution

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.959
 between us and the apostles.

00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.620
 Clearly, this is on a spectrum

00:29:32.620 --> 00:29:33.819
 where you've got death

00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:35.220
 on one end and, I don't know,

00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:36.360
 hurt feelings or something

00:29:36.360 --> 00:29:36.940
 on the other end

00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:37.559
 of the spectrum.

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:41.100
 But I think that the thing

00:29:41.100 --> 00:29:41.900
 is still the same.

00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:43.319
 If you put your light

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:43.980
 on a stand,

00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:45.740
 if you are salt

00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:46.500
 to this earth,

00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:47.620
 if you are light

00:29:47.620 --> 00:29:48.240
 to the world,

00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:50.200
 then you will receive pushback.

00:29:53.860 --> 00:29:55.120
 In fact, I think I've come

00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:55.759
 to the conclusion

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.640
 that I don't think

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.440
 you can be

00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:59.720
 a true ambassador for God

00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:00.779
 and not receive

00:30:00.779 --> 00:30:02.559
 some level of persecution

00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:03.500
 at some point

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.279
 in your life.

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.779
 I look at our world

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.819
 and I just don't think

00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:08.460
 it's possible.

00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:14.519
 Now, when we're representing

00:30:14.519 --> 00:30:15.019
 him well

00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:16.360
 to our non-Christian friends,

00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:17.720
 to our family,

00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:18.360
 to society,

00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:19.460
 we should expect

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.220
 to receive

00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:21.019
 some level

00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:21.819
 of pushback.

00:30:21.819 --> 00:30:26.299
 And so I think

00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:27.000
 I've concluded,

00:30:27.659 --> 00:30:29.059
 at least for me,

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.079
 that a lack of persecution

00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:31.000
 in my life

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:32.559
 over an extended period

00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:33.079
 of time

00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:35.700
 is probably due

00:30:35.700 --> 00:30:36.819
 to one of two things.

00:30:39.059 --> 00:30:39.500
 One,

00:30:40.220 --> 00:30:41.279
 that I am hiding

00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:42.279
 in my embassy

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:44.179
 too scared

00:30:44.179 --> 00:30:45.259
 of what the consequences

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:45.819
 might be

00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:47.519
 if I really make it known

00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:48.939
 that I am an ambassador

00:30:48.939 --> 00:30:49.519
 for Jesus.

00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:54.460
 or,

00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:55.599
 number two,

00:30:57.079 --> 00:30:58.220
 probably in some ways

00:30:58.220 --> 00:31:00.299
 a little bit more insidious,

00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:03.059
 I've started to like

00:31:03.059 --> 00:31:03.759
 the way of life

00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:04.279
 of the people

00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:05.259
 I'm representing too.

00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:07.879
 And the fact

00:31:07.879 --> 00:31:08.579
 that I don't receive

00:31:08.579 --> 00:31:09.099
 persecution

00:31:09.099 --> 00:31:10.339
 is because my life

00:31:10.339 --> 00:31:10.900
 does not look

00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:11.639
 any different.

00:31:16.680 --> 00:31:17.379
 And I think

00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:18.000
 I can see

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:18.740
 some of this

00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:20.279
 in our church.

00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:22.039
 And I say

00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:22.660
 this as someone

00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:23.240
 who I think

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:24.000
 I would say

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:24.599
 I'm a core member

00:31:24.599 --> 00:31:25.119
 of this church.

00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:25.640
 I've been here

00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.839
 for about eight years.

00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:29.319
 But it's a very

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.220
 comfortable place

00:31:30.220 --> 00:31:30.660
 to be,

00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:31.140
 isn't it,

00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:32.500
 as Gracie Evangelical,

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:34.039
 to be an insular church.

00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:37.019
 We all

00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:37.819
 are here,

00:31:37.940 --> 00:31:38.220
 generally,

00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:38.839
 by and large,

00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:39.839
 ambassadors for Jesus.

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.619
 You all believe

00:31:40.619 --> 00:31:41.279
 the same thing

00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:42.019
 that I believe.

00:31:42.900 --> 00:31:43.180
 You know,

00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:43.859
 I'm not going to receive

00:31:43.859 --> 00:31:44.480
 persecution

00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:45.380
 for getting up here

00:31:45.380 --> 00:31:45.980
 and saying that

00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:46.640
 I think Jesus

00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:47.039
 is the way

00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:47.980
 we should live our life.

00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.379
 In fact,

00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:50.980
 probably the exact opposite.

00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:51.579
 You're probably

00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:52.139
 going to be

00:31:52.139 --> 00:31:52.740
 encouraging

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:53.379
 and supportive

00:31:53.379 --> 00:31:54.240
 of me living life

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:54.759
 this way.

00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:58.119
 You see,

00:31:58.180 --> 00:31:58.759
 it's safe

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.480
 to stay

00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.500
 in our embassy.

00:32:01.659 --> 00:32:02.420
 It's safe

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:03.339
 to live that way.

00:32:05.859 --> 00:32:07.139
 And I must wonder

00:32:07.139 --> 00:32:08.740
 how much

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.700
 do we as a church

00:32:09.700 --> 00:32:11.019
 really want

00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:11.539
 to engage

00:32:11.539 --> 00:32:12.339
 with our community?

00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:13.859
 How much

00:32:13.859 --> 00:32:14.279
 do we want

00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:14.740
 to be a light

00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.240
 on the stand

00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:15.819
 to Glendale

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.440
 and Cardiff

00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:17.519
 and Edgeworth

00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:18.380
 and Argentine,

00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:19.120
 Ellemore Vale?

00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:20.980
 You know,

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:21.599
 we have a building

00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:22.200
 in the area.

00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:24.059
 I think we're happy

00:32:24.059 --> 00:32:24.440
 for people

00:32:24.440 --> 00:32:25.259
 to come to us.

00:32:25.620 --> 00:32:26.359
 I think we love

00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:26.980
 having visitors.

00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:27.640
 We're welcoming

00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:28.059
 visitors.

00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:30.440
 We have a website.

00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:31.180
 You know,

00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:32.200
 we keep it updated.

00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:33.039
 We make sure

00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:34.359
 that people

00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:34.960
 can find us

00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:35.500
 on the website.

00:32:35.819 --> 00:32:36.500
 We have a logo

00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:37.059
 out the front.

00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:38.359
 We have a Facebook page.

00:32:40.859 --> 00:32:41.839
 But how often

00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:42.539
 do we meet

00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:43.200
 the community

00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:44.379
 where they are at?

00:32:47.859 --> 00:32:48.740
 Because a good

00:32:48.740 --> 00:32:49.779
 ambassador for Jesus

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.759
 doesn't stay

00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:51.559
 in the church

00:32:51.559 --> 00:32:52.240
 confined

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.639
 to other ambassadors.

00:32:56.639 --> 00:32:57.159
 See,

00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:58.099
 there are consequences

00:32:58.099 --> 00:32:58.680
 for being

00:32:58.680 --> 00:32:59.879
 God's kingdom ambassador.

00:33:02.379 --> 00:33:03.259
 And are we

00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:04.460
 willing to accept

00:33:04.460 --> 00:33:05.759
 those consequences?

00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:12.240
 are we willing

00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:13.000
 to have people

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:14.220
 misrepresent grace?

00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:16.319
 That church,

00:33:16.420 --> 00:33:17.279
 they just spread hate.

00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:19.119
 They hate homosexuals.

00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:19.680
 They're just telling

00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.440
 everyone how they,

00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:20.660
 you know,

00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:21.339
 they live in life

00:33:21.339 --> 00:33:22.079
 the wrong way.

00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:23.240
 Are we willing

00:33:23.240 --> 00:33:23.879
 for that type

00:33:23.879 --> 00:33:24.579
 of persecution?

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.680
 Are we willing

00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:28.319
 to potentially

00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:29.240
 have negative media

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:30.019
 attention because

00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:31.079
 we have a group

00:33:31.079 --> 00:33:31.500
 of people

00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:31.879
 out the front

00:33:31.879 --> 00:33:32.279
 of Coles

00:33:32.279 --> 00:33:32.720
 in Glendale

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:33.339
 telling people

00:33:33.339 --> 00:33:33.859
 the gospel?

00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:38.559
 Imagine for a second

00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:39.059
 that we own

00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:39.879
 the BCF building

00:33:39.879 --> 00:33:40.399
 next door.

00:33:40.539 --> 00:33:41.000
 Suspend your

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:42.299
 imagination for a second.

00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:42.519
 Sorry,

00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:43.119
 suspend reality

00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:43.619
 for a second.

00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:44.279
 Use your imagination.

00:33:45.679 --> 00:33:46.619
 Would we be willing

00:33:46.619 --> 00:33:47.219
 on the side

00:33:47.219 --> 00:33:47.939
 of that building

00:33:47.939 --> 00:33:49.159
 to create

00:33:49.159 --> 00:33:50.419
 a giant billboard?

00:33:51.939 --> 00:33:53.199
 Jesus equals life.

00:33:53.939 --> 00:33:54.719
 All else

00:33:54.719 --> 00:33:55.679
 equals death.

00:33:57.379 --> 00:33:57.559
 Now,

00:33:57.599 --> 00:33:58.039
 you believe

00:33:58.039 --> 00:33:58.619
 that message,

00:33:58.759 --> 00:33:58.959
 don't you?

00:33:58.959 --> 00:33:59.479
 That's something

00:33:59.479 --> 00:34:00.000
 that we all

00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:00.659
 believe here.

00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:03.840
 But imagine

00:34:03.840 --> 00:34:04.540
 the reaction

00:34:04.540 --> 00:34:05.140
 we would get

00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:05.700
 if we put that

00:34:05.700 --> 00:34:06.120
 on the side

00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:06.620
 of the building.

00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:10.180
 Are we willing

00:34:10.180 --> 00:34:10.659
 to accept

00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:11.320
 the consequence

00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:11.740
 that,

00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:12.119
 you know,

00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:12.619
 the council

00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.460
 will be on to us,

00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:14.000
 that we could have

00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:14.639
 people picketing

00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:15.480
 in the car park?

00:34:18.539 --> 00:34:19.400
 Are we willing

00:34:19.400 --> 00:34:20.200
 to stand out

00:34:20.200 --> 00:34:20.579
 in a way

00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:21.159
 that will draw

00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:22.220
 people to Jesus,

00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:24.300
 even if it means

00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:25.240
 that many others

00:34:25.240 --> 00:34:25.860
 will hate us

00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:27.119
 for it?

00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:31.980
 Now,

00:34:32.019 --> 00:34:32.460
 I'm not saying

00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:33.679
 that persecution

00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:34.659
 is the goal here.

00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:35.599
 Persecution

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.659
 for persecution's sake

00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:37.179
 is pointless.

00:34:38.079 --> 00:34:38.659
 We shouldn't be

00:34:38.659 --> 00:34:39.219
 trying to do

00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:39.839
 these things

00:34:39.839 --> 00:34:40.359
 so that we,

00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:40.699
 you know,

00:34:40.879 --> 00:34:41.259
 suffer.

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:41.779
 It's not,

00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:42.539
 that's not the point.

00:34:42.659 --> 00:34:44.399
 We're not sadists

00:34:44.399 --> 00:34:44.879
 or anything.

00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:48.659
 I think that

00:34:48.659 --> 00:34:49.099
 if we are

00:34:49.099 --> 00:34:50.159
 representing Jesus,

00:34:50.299 --> 00:34:51.139
 if we are being

00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:51.739
 ambassadors,

00:34:52.059 --> 00:34:52.519
 if we are being

00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:53.399
 salt and light

00:34:53.399 --> 00:34:54.179
 in this world,

00:34:55.179 --> 00:34:57.460
 then persecution

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:58.219
 comes with

00:34:58.219 --> 00:34:58.759
 the territory.

00:34:58.760 --> 00:35:04.820
 as verse 11

00:35:04.820 --> 00:35:05.320
 says,

00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:07.760
 you are blessed

00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:08.840
 when others

00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:09.580
 revile you

00:35:09.580 --> 00:35:11.360
 and persecute

00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:12.640
 you and utter

00:35:12.640 --> 00:35:13.680
 all kinds of evil

00:35:13.680 --> 00:35:14.280
 against you

00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:15.020
 falsely on my

00:35:15.020 --> 00:35:15.460
 account.

00:35:19.800 --> 00:35:21.040
 Are we okay

00:35:21.040 --> 00:35:23.560
 with being

00:35:23.560 --> 00:35:24.320
 treated differently?

00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:27.120
 With being

00:35:27.120 --> 00:35:28.060
 known as people

00:35:28.059 --> 00:35:28.500
 who go to

00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:29.559
 that church?

00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:33.960
 Because

00:35:33.960 --> 00:35:34.579
 Jesus'

00:35:34.840 --> 00:35:35.239
 gospel

00:35:35.239 --> 00:35:36.000
 ruffles

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.539
 feathers.

00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:38.840
 There is

00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:39.500
 no way

00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:40.000
 the gospel

00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:40.860
 in this world

00:35:40.860 --> 00:35:42.099
 can go together

00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:42.679
 without there

00:35:42.679 --> 00:35:43.279
 being some

00:35:43.279 --> 00:35:44.259
 type of pushback.

00:35:47.779 --> 00:35:48.299
 See,

00:35:48.360 --> 00:35:48.820
 we are known

00:35:48.820 --> 00:35:49.420
 as a nice

00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:50.259
 church of grace.

00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:50.760
 God

00:35:50.760 --> 00:35:54.760
 and sometimes

00:35:54.760 --> 00:35:55.960
 I wonder

00:35:55.960 --> 00:35:56.460
 if we are

00:35:56.460 --> 00:35:57.140
 too concerned

00:35:57.140 --> 00:35:57.660
 with keeping

00:35:57.660 --> 00:35:58.380
 it that way

00:35:58.380 --> 00:36:00.460
 at the

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.020
 expense of

00:36:01.020 --> 00:36:01.360
 being a

00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:01.680
 light in

00:36:01.680 --> 00:36:02.200
 our area.

00:36:06.520 --> 00:36:07.020
 See,

00:36:07.080 --> 00:36:07.440
 we need to

00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:07.900
 remember

00:36:07.900 --> 00:36:08.380
 who we

00:36:08.380 --> 00:36:08.860
 represent.

00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:11.780
 We represent

00:36:11.780 --> 00:36:12.560
 Jesus who

00:36:12.560 --> 00:36:13.320
 valued our

00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:14.340
 lives so

00:36:14.340 --> 00:36:14.940
 much

00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:16.340
 that he

00:36:16.340 --> 00:36:17.100
 went through

00:36:17.100 --> 00:36:18.160
 a level of

00:36:18.160 --> 00:36:18.700
 suffering that

00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:19.099
 we will

00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:19.599
 never

00:36:19.599 --> 00:36:20.419
 understand.

00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:24.159
 Without

00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:24.599
 Jesus,

00:36:24.939 --> 00:36:25.799
 every single

00:36:25.799 --> 00:36:26.500
 person that

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:26.980
 you know,

00:36:27.099 --> 00:36:27.379
 without

00:36:27.379 --> 00:36:27.960
 Jesus,

00:36:28.439 --> 00:36:28.879
 friends,

00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:29.579
 colleagues,

00:36:30.419 --> 00:36:30.819
 people that

00:36:30.819 --> 00:36:31.199
 you do

00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:31.939
 sport with,

00:36:32.259 --> 00:36:32.659
 people you

00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:33.000
 see in your

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.319
 community,

00:36:33.419 --> 00:36:33.679
 have a

00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:34.159
 mums group

00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:34.399
 with,

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:34.739
 go to

00:36:34.739 --> 00:36:35.239
 school with,

00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:36.119
 all of

00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:37.139
 them have

00:36:37.139 --> 00:36:37.639
 an eternal

00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:38.460
 death if

00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:38.759
 they do

00:36:38.759 --> 00:36:39.319
 not know

00:36:39.319 --> 00:36:39.719
 Jesus.

00:36:39.719 --> 00:36:44.779
 remember

00:36:44.779 --> 00:36:45.159
 who we

00:36:45.159 --> 00:36:45.739
 represent.

00:36:46.219 --> 00:36:46.519
 Jesus

00:36:46.519 --> 00:36:47.419
 Christ is

00:36:47.419 --> 00:36:47.879
 the one

00:36:47.879 --> 00:36:48.439
 who we

00:36:48.439 --> 00:36:48.739
 are

00:36:48.739 --> 00:36:49.219
 ambassadors

00:36:49.219 --> 00:36:49.699
 for.

00:36:54.919 --> 00:36:55.619
 And the

00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:56.759
 other point

00:36:56.759 --> 00:36:57.019
 that I

00:36:57.019 --> 00:36:57.359
 mentioned

00:36:57.359 --> 00:36:57.939
 before

00:36:57.939 --> 00:36:59.619
 talking about

00:36:59.619 --> 00:37:00.299
 that was,

00:37:02.199 --> 00:37:02.459
 and I

00:37:02.459 --> 00:37:02.699
 guess I'm

00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:03.139
 coming back

00:37:03.139 --> 00:37:03.299
 to,

00:37:03.399 --> 00:37:03.759
 is that

00:37:03.759 --> 00:37:04.739
 perhaps

00:37:04.739 --> 00:37:05.659
 the reason

00:37:05.659 --> 00:37:06.119
 is that

00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:06.599
 we actually

00:37:06.599 --> 00:37:07.319
 don't stand

00:37:07.320 --> 00:37:07.680
 out.

00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:10.100
 We like

00:37:10.100 --> 00:37:10.460
 the way

00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:10.980
 of life

00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:11.800
 of the

00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:12.240
 people that

00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:12.440
 we're

00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:12.920
 representing

00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:13.280
 to.

00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:19.880
 You see,

00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:20.140
 in our

00:37:20.140 --> 00:37:20.580
 society,

00:37:20.700 --> 00:37:21.200
 relying on

00:37:21.200 --> 00:37:21.920
 Jesus is

00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:22.580
 100%

00:37:22.580 --> 00:37:22.980
 optional.

00:37:23.920 --> 00:37:24.280
 I think

00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:24.640
 by and

00:37:24.640 --> 00:37:24.980
 large,

00:37:25.559 --> 00:37:25.780
 you know,

00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:26.019
 we're

00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:26.519
 rarely in

00:37:26.519 --> 00:37:26.780
 want.

00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:27.120
 I don't

00:37:27.120 --> 00:37:27.880
 think there's

00:37:27.880 --> 00:37:28.380
 maybe

00:37:28.380 --> 00:37:28.960
 occasionally

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:29.480
 and for

00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:29.880
 some people

00:37:29.880 --> 00:37:30.240
 more than

00:37:30.240 --> 00:37:30.620
 others.

00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:31.260
 But,

00:37:31.380 --> 00:37:31.460
 you know,

00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:31.820
 we've got

00:37:31.820 --> 00:37:32.440
 great government

00:37:32.440 --> 00:37:32.940
 support.

00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:33.300
 Generally,

00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:33.680
 we've got

00:37:33.680 --> 00:37:34.740
 great services.

00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:35.920
 We,

00:37:36.200 --> 00:37:36.580
 at least

00:37:36.580 --> 00:37:36.800
 here,

00:37:36.860 --> 00:37:37.180
 we have a

00:37:37.179 --> 00:37:37.480
 lot of

00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:38.179
 people that

00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:38.480
 we can

00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:38.879
 rely on

00:37:38.879 --> 00:37:39.099
 if we

00:37:39.099 --> 00:37:39.379
 get into

00:37:39.379 --> 00:37:39.699
 trouble.

00:37:42.179 --> 00:37:42.739
 But we

00:37:42.739 --> 00:37:43.440
 don't have

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:43.759
 to look

00:37:43.759 --> 00:37:44.219
 different if

00:37:44.219 --> 00:37:44.460
 we don't

00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:44.839
 want to.

00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:46.000
 In fact,

00:37:46.039 --> 00:37:46.719
 it's easier

00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:47.299
 to not look

00:37:47.299 --> 00:37:47.639
 different.

00:37:47.819 --> 00:37:48.119
 I think

00:37:48.119 --> 00:37:48.559
 that's

00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:49.440
 very clear.

00:37:50.919 --> 00:37:51.599
 Why be

00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:52.299
 meek when

00:37:52.299 --> 00:37:52.579
 I can

00:37:52.579 --> 00:37:52.759
 be

00:37:52.759 --> 00:37:53.299
 respected?

00:37:55.059 --> 00:37:55.699
 Why be

00:37:55.699 --> 00:37:57.139
 merciful when

00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:57.579
 I can get

00:37:57.579 --> 00:37:58.079
 what's mine

00:37:58.079 --> 00:37:58.440
 and I can

00:37:58.440 --> 00:37:58.859
 make things

00:37:58.859 --> 00:37:59.339
 better for

00:37:59.339 --> 00:37:59.719
 myself?

00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:02.279
 Why be

00:38:02.279 --> 00:38:02.699
 poor in

00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:03.239
 spirit when

00:38:03.239 --> 00:38:03.699
 I can be

00:38:03.699 --> 00:38:04.799
 self-reliant

00:38:04.799 --> 00:38:05.839
 and self-confident?

00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:08.360
 See,

00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:08.620
 I don't

00:38:08.620 --> 00:38:09.320
 need Jesus

00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:09.860
 to be

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:10.720
 successful

00:38:10.720 --> 00:38:11.120
 in this

00:38:11.120 --> 00:38:11.300
 world.

00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:11.660
 In fact,

00:38:11.700 --> 00:38:12.079
 it's probably

00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:12.740
 the opposite.

00:38:13.100 --> 00:38:13.500
 If I

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.059
 don't have

00:38:14.059 --> 00:38:14.539
 Jesus in

00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:15.059
 this world,

00:38:15.240 --> 00:38:15.800
 I'll be

00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:16.680
 more successful.

00:38:18.059 --> 00:38:18.720
 You think

00:38:18.720 --> 00:38:19.440
 about school

00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:20.039
 amongst your

00:38:20.039 --> 00:38:20.600
 friends,

00:38:21.240 --> 00:38:21.420
 you know,

00:38:21.420 --> 00:38:22.420
 your workplace.

00:38:23.640 --> 00:38:24.420
 Maybe it's a

00:38:24.420 --> 00:38:25.280
 social club that

00:38:25.280 --> 00:38:25.860
 you're involved

00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:26.160
 in.

00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:28.039
 If you want

00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:28.340
 to become

00:38:28.340 --> 00:38:28.800
 popular,

00:38:29.300 --> 00:38:29.900
 just do what

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.340
 they do.

00:38:30.780 --> 00:38:31.260
 It's not

00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:32.340
 rocket science.

00:38:32.340 --> 00:38:32.760
 That's how

00:38:32.760 --> 00:38:33.260
 people get

00:38:33.260 --> 00:38:33.680
 popular.

00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:36.100
 Make the

00:38:36.100 --> 00:38:36.720
 same jokes.

00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:37.300
 Care about

00:38:37.300 --> 00:38:37.680
 the same

00:38:37.680 --> 00:38:38.200
 frivolous

00:38:38.200 --> 00:38:38.640
 things that

00:38:38.640 --> 00:38:39.079
 they care

00:38:39.079 --> 00:38:39.420
 about.

00:38:40.579 --> 00:38:41.059
 Make them

00:38:41.059 --> 00:38:41.440
 the centre

00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:41.700
 of your

00:38:41.700 --> 00:38:42.100
 life.

00:38:46.019 --> 00:38:46.240
 See,

00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:46.700
 being an

00:38:46.700 --> 00:38:47.200
 ambassador is

00:38:47.200 --> 00:38:47.600
 not an

00:38:47.600 --> 00:38:48.240
 easy thing.

00:38:49.059 --> 00:38:49.680
 It requires

00:38:49.680 --> 00:38:50.320
 us to run

00:38:50.320 --> 00:38:51.180
 counter-cultural.

00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:53.000
 It requires

00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:53.640
 us at some

00:38:53.640 --> 00:38:54.059
 points,

00:38:54.380 --> 00:38:54.880
 I think,

00:38:55.300 --> 00:38:55.920
 to perhaps

00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:56.720
 not give

00:38:56.720 --> 00:38:56.880
 up,

00:38:56.920 --> 00:38:57.300
 to give

00:38:57.300 --> 00:38:57.700
 up things

00:38:57.700 --> 00:38:57.900
 that we

00:38:57.900 --> 00:38:58.440
 might otherwise

00:38:58.440 --> 00:38:58.820
 wish we

00:38:58.820 --> 00:38:59.320
 could have.

00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:02.000
 Living the

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:02.300
 life of

00:39:02.300 --> 00:39:02.640
 someone who

00:39:02.640 --> 00:39:02.900
 doesn't

00:39:02.900 --> 00:39:03.500
 follow Jesus

00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:03.840
 can be

00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:05.480
 very attractive.

00:39:06.460 --> 00:39:06.640
 You know,

00:39:06.740 --> 00:39:07.340
 for example,

00:39:07.800 --> 00:39:08.320
 I get half

00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:08.840
 of my Sunday

00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:09.200
 back.

00:39:09.660 --> 00:39:09.960
 I don't have

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:10.360
 to be here

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:10.620
 with you

00:39:10.620 --> 00:39:10.840
 guys.

00:39:10.900 --> 00:39:11.140
 I can be

00:39:11.140 --> 00:39:11.580
 doing whatever

00:39:11.580 --> 00:39:12.019
 I want to

00:39:12.019 --> 00:39:12.360
 be doing.

00:39:13.460 --> 00:39:14.120
 I can be

00:39:14.120 --> 00:39:14.559
 out there,

00:39:14.660 --> 00:39:15.080
 I can be

00:39:15.080 --> 00:39:15.740
 going to

00:39:15.740 --> 00:39:16.200
 the shops,

00:39:16.280 --> 00:39:16.559
 I can be

00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:17.140
 playing extra

00:39:17.140 --> 00:39:17.660
 soccer on

00:39:17.660 --> 00:39:18.120
 a Sunday.

00:39:19.039 --> 00:39:19.200
 You know,

00:39:19.240 --> 00:39:19.740
 fantastic.

00:39:21.800 --> 00:39:22.420
 I don't have

00:39:22.420 --> 00:39:23.059
 to pay Dave

00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:23.600
 Bott's wage.

00:39:23.620 --> 00:39:23.900
 I don't want

00:39:23.900 --> 00:39:24.200
 to give my

00:39:24.200 --> 00:39:24.780
 money to Dave

00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:24.960
 Bott.

00:39:24.960 --> 00:39:25.320
 What am I

00:39:25.320 --> 00:39:25.500
 doing?

00:39:25.580 --> 00:39:25.960
 I could be

00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:26.539
 giving it to

00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:27.300
 my new car

00:39:27.300 --> 00:39:27.680
 or something

00:39:27.680 --> 00:39:28.200
 like that.

00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:30.559
 Supporting

00:39:30.559 --> 00:39:31.000
 charity,

00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:31.600
 like, you

00:39:31.600 --> 00:39:31.900
 know, maybe

00:39:31.900 --> 00:39:32.220
 I'll do a

00:39:32.220 --> 00:39:32.539
 little bit

00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:32.920
 of it because

00:39:32.920 --> 00:39:33.559
 I still, you

00:39:33.559 --> 00:39:33.880
 know, get a

00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:34.180
 bit of a

00:39:34.180 --> 00:39:34.580
 kick, but I

00:39:34.580 --> 00:39:34.780
 don't have

00:39:34.780 --> 00:39:35.180
 to do that.

00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:36.440
 I can, you

00:39:36.440 --> 00:39:36.980
 know, keep

00:39:36.980 --> 00:39:37.220
 it for

00:39:37.220 --> 00:39:38.000
 myself, spend

00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:38.340
 on something,

00:39:38.420 --> 00:39:38.740
 maybe give

00:39:38.740 --> 00:39:39.300
 it to family,

00:39:39.460 --> 00:39:40.120
 I guess, which

00:39:40.120 --> 00:39:41.280
 is not in

00:39:41.280 --> 00:39:41.780
 and of itself

00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:42.160
 a bad

00:39:42.160 --> 00:39:42.460
 thing.

00:39:45.500 --> 00:39:45.920
 I don't

00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:46.380
 have to worry

00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:47.100
 what I say.

00:39:47.580 --> 00:39:47.860
 I don't have

00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:48.360
 the pressure

00:39:48.360 --> 00:39:49.000
 of living this

00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:49.640
 good Christian

00:39:49.640 --> 00:39:50.200
 life.

00:39:53.019 --> 00:39:53.380
 Very

00:39:53.380 --> 00:39:53.820
 attractive,

00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:54.500
 isn't it?

00:39:57.500 --> 00:39:57.880
 I'm going to

00:39:57.880 --> 00:39:58.300
 be selfish

00:39:58.300 --> 00:39:58.800
 with my

00:39:58.800 --> 00:39:59.059
 time.

00:39:59.059 --> 00:39:59.259
 I don't

00:39:59.259 --> 00:39:59.519
 have to

00:39:59.519 --> 00:40:00.139
 feel guilty

00:40:00.139 --> 00:40:00.579
 about the

00:40:00.579 --> 00:40:00.900
 fact I'm

00:40:00.900 --> 00:40:01.360
 being selfish

00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:01.779
 with my

00:40:01.779 --> 00:40:02.119
 time.

00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:03.239
 It's what I

00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:03.799
 want to do,

00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:04.380
 living my

00:40:04.380 --> 00:40:05.099
 best life.

00:40:09.259 --> 00:40:10.000
 Sometimes we

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:10.440
 wish we could

00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:11.139
 throw off those

00:40:11.139 --> 00:40:11.840
 responsibilities,

00:40:12.539 --> 00:40:13.000
 I think.

00:40:16.340 --> 00:40:17.099
 But we have

00:40:17.099 --> 00:40:17.639
 to remember

00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:18.219
 who we

00:40:18.219 --> 00:40:18.759
 represent.

00:40:20.039 --> 00:40:21.119
 We represent

00:40:21.119 --> 00:40:21.880
 Jesus.

00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:24.840
 I think that

00:40:24.840 --> 00:40:25.480
 type of thinking

00:40:25.480 --> 00:40:26.239
 happens when we

00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:27.139
 lose sight of who

00:40:27.139 --> 00:40:27.739
 we represent.

00:40:27.739 --> 00:40:30.019
 We forget what

00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:30.559
 he has done

00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:31.159
 for us.

00:40:33.440 --> 00:40:34.319
 We forget

00:40:34.319 --> 00:40:34.839
 that we

00:40:34.839 --> 00:40:35.619
 represent a

00:40:35.619 --> 00:40:36.059
 king who

00:40:36.059 --> 00:40:36.940
 at all times

00:40:36.940 --> 00:40:37.519
 in every

00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:38.460
 circumstance

00:40:38.460 --> 00:40:40.139
 wants what's

00:40:40.139 --> 00:40:40.940
 best for us.

00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:43.019
 We forget

00:40:43.019 --> 00:40:43.339
 that we

00:40:43.339 --> 00:40:44.599
 represent the

00:40:44.599 --> 00:40:45.179
 king of the

00:40:45.179 --> 00:40:45.819
 universe.

00:40:50.299 --> 00:40:50.900
 It's an

00:40:50.900 --> 00:40:51.619
 illusion that it

00:40:51.619 --> 00:40:52.000
 will be a

00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:52.639
 better life.

00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:52.759
 death.

00:40:54.819 --> 00:40:55.460
 Remember the

00:40:55.460 --> 00:40:56.239
 destiny, if you

00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:56.679
 do not have

00:40:56.679 --> 00:40:57.259
 Jesus, is

00:40:57.259 --> 00:40:57.799
 death.

00:41:05.799 --> 00:41:06.299
 And there

00:41:06.299 --> 00:41:06.639
 are some

00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:07.000
 here, I

00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:07.359
 think, who

00:41:07.359 --> 00:41:08.000
 probably do

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:10.299
 suffer persecution

00:41:10.299 --> 00:41:11.019
 for being an

00:41:11.019 --> 00:41:11.599
 ambassador for

00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:11.879
 Jesus.

00:41:13.619 --> 00:41:14.279
 Some people

00:41:14.279 --> 00:41:14.879
 probably, I

00:41:14.879 --> 00:41:15.319
 imagine, up

00:41:15.319 --> 00:41:15.819
 until this

00:41:15.819 --> 00:41:16.279
 point have

00:41:16.279 --> 00:41:17.219
 been thinking,

00:41:17.299 --> 00:41:17.619
 this doesn't

00:41:17.619 --> 00:41:18.079
 really connect

00:41:18.079 --> 00:41:18.519
 with me.

00:41:18.519 --> 00:41:20.460
 for some

00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:20.920
 of you, the

00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:21.360
 struggle of

00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:21.699
 running

00:41:21.699 --> 00:41:22.739
 countercultural

00:41:22.739 --> 00:41:23.599
 is real.

00:41:27.559 --> 00:41:28.139
 And I

00:41:28.139 --> 00:41:28.619
 think Luke

00:41:28.619 --> 00:41:29.280
 offers a

00:41:29.280 --> 00:41:29.940
 great and

00:41:29.940 --> 00:41:30.440
 satisfying

00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:31.300
 comfort here.

00:41:32.739 --> 00:41:33.400
 When we're

00:41:33.400 --> 00:41:33.940
 tempted to

00:41:33.940 --> 00:41:35.400
 give up, when

00:41:35.400 --> 00:41:36.019
 we're sick of

00:41:36.019 --> 00:41:36.539
 being made to

00:41:36.539 --> 00:41:37.039
 feel like an

00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:38.619
 idiot, when

00:41:38.619 --> 00:41:39.239
 we're sick of

00:41:39.239 --> 00:41:40.500
 losing friendships,

00:41:41.300 --> 00:41:42.179
 family relationships,

00:41:42.280 --> 00:41:42.719
 or maybe the

00:41:42.719 --> 00:41:43.460
 relationships don't

00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:44.039
 even get off the

00:41:44.039 --> 00:41:44.860
 ground because of

00:41:44.860 --> 00:41:45.340
 the way that we

00:41:45.340 --> 00:41:46.239
 live our life.

00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:49.159
 I think Luke

00:41:49.159 --> 00:41:49.699
 offers us

00:41:49.699 --> 00:41:50.440
 comfort here in

00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:51.599
 saying, remember

00:41:51.599 --> 00:41:52.860
 who it is that

00:41:52.860 --> 00:41:53.559
 you represent.

00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:54.420
 Remember who

00:41:54.420 --> 00:41:54.860
 you are an

00:41:54.860 --> 00:41:55.679
 ambassador for.

00:41:56.659 --> 00:41:57.239
 You are an

00:41:57.239 --> 00:41:57.980
 ambassador for

00:41:57.980 --> 00:41:59.119
 Jesus, who

00:41:59.119 --> 00:41:59.900
 died on the

00:41:59.900 --> 00:42:01.380
 cross, who

00:42:01.380 --> 00:42:02.119
 was persecuted

00:42:02.119 --> 00:42:03.840
 for you, who

00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:04.739
 had his perfect

00:42:04.739 --> 00:42:05.599
 relationship with

00:42:05.599 --> 00:42:06.539
 his father torn

00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:09.780
 apart for God's

00:42:09.780 --> 00:42:12.960
 glory and as a

00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:13.860
 consequence saving

00:42:13.860 --> 00:42:14.880
 us from certain

00:42:14.880 --> 00:42:15.300
 death.

00:42:18.519 --> 00:42:20.199
 We represent a

00:42:20.199 --> 00:42:21.059
 king who walked

00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:21.679
 the walk.

00:42:23.239 --> 00:42:23.759
 He went

00:42:23.759 --> 00:42:24.699
 before us.

00:42:29.739 --> 00:42:30.280
 See, the

00:42:30.280 --> 00:42:30.860
 people we saw

00:42:30.860 --> 00:42:31.519
 at the start on

00:42:31.519 --> 00:42:32.099
 those slides,

00:42:32.239 --> 00:42:32.880
 those ambassadors,

00:42:34.360 --> 00:42:35.179
 they represent

00:42:35.179 --> 00:42:37.259
 people who will

00:42:37.259 --> 00:42:37.980
 in 30 years

00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:38.599
 probably not even

00:42:38.599 --> 00:42:39.199
 be on the face

00:42:39.199 --> 00:42:39.659
 of the planet.

00:42:41.699 --> 00:42:42.500
 They're failing,

00:42:42.659 --> 00:42:43.460
 they say stupid

00:42:43.460 --> 00:42:44.059
 things, they make

00:42:44.059 --> 00:42:44.699
 wrong decisions,

00:42:44.860 --> 00:42:45.440
 they change their

00:42:45.440 --> 00:42:46.219
 mind all the time.

00:42:46.219 --> 00:42:48.119
 they're ambassadors

00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:48.980
 for someone who

00:42:48.980 --> 00:42:50.219
 really, you know,

00:42:50.319 --> 00:42:51.000
 they'll be gone.

00:42:53.819 --> 00:42:54.519
 But as

00:42:54.519 --> 00:42:55.379
 Christians, we

00:42:55.379 --> 00:42:56.119
 are ambassadors

00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:57.539
 for the eternal

00:42:57.539 --> 00:42:59.459
 king, a king

00:42:59.459 --> 00:43:00.500
 who will never,

00:43:01.119 --> 00:43:03.219
 ever make the

00:43:03.219 --> 00:43:03.779
 wrong decision,

00:43:03.959 --> 00:43:04.879
 who always wants

00:43:04.879 --> 00:43:05.599
 what's best for

00:43:05.599 --> 00:43:05.959
 us.

00:43:10.299 --> 00:43:11.480
 We are his

00:43:11.480 --> 00:43:12.179
 ambassadors.

00:43:14.699 --> 00:43:15.619
 Remember who you

00:43:15.619 --> 00:43:16.059
 represent?

00:43:20.460 --> 00:43:21.039
 I'm going to

00:43:21.039 --> 00:43:21.279
 pray.

00:43:26.619 --> 00:43:27.359
 Dear God,

00:43:27.639 --> 00:43:28.519
 thank you so

00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:30.420
 much that you

00:43:30.420 --> 00:43:31.039
 sent your son

00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:31.819
 Jesus to this

00:43:31.819 --> 00:43:33.719
 world, that he

00:43:33.719 --> 00:43:35.319
 died and rose

00:43:35.319 --> 00:43:36.699
 again for us to

00:43:36.699 --> 00:43:37.159
 take our

00:43:37.159 --> 00:43:37.900
 consequence, to

00:43:37.900 --> 00:43:38.299
 take our

00:43:38.299 --> 00:43:38.759
 punishment.

00:43:40.859 --> 00:43:41.579
 God, I just

00:43:41.579 --> 00:43:42.719
 pray that we

00:43:42.719 --> 00:43:44.319
 would recognize

00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:44.880
 recognize that

00:43:44.880 --> 00:43:46.039
 we are salt

00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:46.620
 and we are

00:43:46.620 --> 00:43:47.120
 light, that

00:43:47.120 --> 00:43:47.700
 is who we

00:43:47.700 --> 00:43:48.660
 are, regardless

00:43:48.660 --> 00:43:50.180
 of how well we

00:43:50.180 --> 00:43:50.640
 might live it

00:43:50.640 --> 00:43:51.360
 day to day, that

00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:52.080
 is the status

00:43:52.080 --> 00:43:52.539
 that you have

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:53.180
 called us to.

00:43:54.700 --> 00:43:55.460
 God, I pray

00:43:55.460 --> 00:43:56.100
 that in our

00:43:56.100 --> 00:43:57.800
 everyday life, we

00:43:57.800 --> 00:43:58.380
 would remember

00:43:58.380 --> 00:43:59.200
 that you, Jesus,

00:43:59.580 --> 00:44:00.100
 are who we

00:44:00.100 --> 00:44:00.500
 represent.

00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:01.380
 You are the

00:44:01.380 --> 00:44:03.180
 one that we

00:44:03.180 --> 00:44:05.240
 make our lives

00:44:05.240 --> 00:44:06.260
 known to those

00:44:06.260 --> 00:44:07.039
 around us for.

00:44:08.340 --> 00:44:09.240
 I pray that we

00:44:09.240 --> 00:44:10.740
 wouldn't take this

00:44:10.740 --> 00:44:11.440
 as a moralistic

00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:11.800
 challenge.

00:44:11.800 --> 00:44:12.460
 I pray that we

00:44:12.460 --> 00:44:13.500
 would remember

00:44:13.500 --> 00:44:14.560
 that ultimately

00:44:14.560 --> 00:44:15.420
 all of this is

00:44:15.420 --> 00:44:16.100
 for your glory.

00:44:16.800 --> 00:44:17.780
 All of this is

00:44:17.780 --> 00:44:18.500
 for your name.

00:44:19.660 --> 00:44:20.260
 And we are

00:44:20.260 --> 00:44:21.160
 people who are

00:44:21.160 --> 00:44:21.940
 here to represent

00:44:21.940 --> 00:44:22.340
 you.

00:44:23.820 --> 00:44:24.260
 Amen.