WEBVTT

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 I want to encourage you to open up your Bibles, if you would please, to Acts chapter 2.

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! Acts chapter 2, we're continuing our study as we look at this church, the new church that has begun

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! in the book of Acts. If you're using the Pew Bible, I would encourage you to turn to page 911,

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 so you can find us there. We have been moving through this book together, and we plan to continue

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 this study working through the book of Acts. I imagine it's going to take some time, but as we

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 continue to discover God's work in revealing himself to us through his word and helping us to

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 understand what the church means, that we as his church will be not only more informed, but will be

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 those who are better representatives of Christ himself. The story, or I should say the account

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 of the book of Acts, begins in Acts chapter 1, as the disciples are there with the Lord and Savior,

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 Jesus Christ. What I absolutely love about the beginning of this movement, this church age, and

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 any of you who know about the church, anyone who is familiar with this work of God in this church,

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 will understand the epic nature of what Christ has accomplished. That Jerusalem, it started there.

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 It moved to Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth. You and I are beneficiaries of a work that

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 started 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem. It might be easy to be overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the sense,

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 the scale of what the church really means. It has gone through every age and is a part of every time

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 from the time of Christ to now, and it's spread across the globe. Maybe it's easy for us to be

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 overwhelmed until we come back to how it all started and we remember the nature of how things began.

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 Remember that Jesus gave his disciples two very simple commands. He said,

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 go to Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit. Two simple commands is what started this epic age

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 that we get to call the church. This new work of God in establishing a people to himself,

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 not just Jews, but also including the Gentiles. And remember the promise that Jesus gave to the

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 disciples if they would obey. Acts chapter 1, 8, there's two of them. It says, you will receive

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 power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses. Now, so what do the disciples do?

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 So they go back to Jerusalem, just as Jesus has said, and they wait, just as Jesus has said. And the

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 fulfillment of God's promise through his son Jesus happened exactly as Jesus had said. Ten days later,

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 when they go to Jerusalem, ten days later, there is a time of Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit comes and

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 dwells his people and turns them into witnesses. He makes them witnesses. This was a time of Pentecost.

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 This is one of three times throughout the Jewish calendar when every Jewish male was supposed to

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 come to Jerusalem, was supposed to give their offerings in the temple. It was a way for them

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 to worship, a way for them to demonstrate their commitment to the Lord. Well, in this time of

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 Pentecost, on this day in Jerusalem in Acts chapter 2, we find that there are at least 16 different

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 nations that are represented from across the Roman Empire, in as many as 18 different languages or more

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 that are represented. How in the world will this message go forth? How in the world will God begin

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 to start this church movement? What's going to happen through the work of his Holy Spirit? And that's

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 where I find incredible relief and comfort. You see, we find here, even at the beginning of this

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 church movement, that the beginning of the church does not rest on gifted leaders. It doesn't rest on

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 those who know everything there is to know about doctrine. It doesn't rest on individuals who bring

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 their charisma, who bring their vision, who bring their purpose, who can stimulate the crowd and can

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 pump them up so that a church is born. No, a church rests entirely upon the person of Jesus Christ.

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 It rests upon his word, obedience to his name, because Jesus himself has said, I will build my church

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 and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And so these believers go out in the power of the

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 Holy Spirit. They speak. And what we find in Acts chapter 2 verse 11 is this. We hear them telling in

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 our own tongues the mighty works of God. Did you get that? They speak the works of God.

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 It's not just the gospel. It's not just doctrines. It's not just teaching. It is simply a goal of exalting

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 the name of the Lord Jesus. It's lifting up his mighty works. It's helping those in Jerusalem to

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 recognize the wonder of who he is, to testify to the glory of God. It begins, the church age begins

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 with a tension that is drawn to the wonder of who God is, his glory. And so that's where we began our

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 study by understanding the wonder of the glory of God and recognizing that if we're going to be God's

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 people, we too need to come to appreciate and understand God's glory. So what is glory? Well,

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 we defined it this way. We said God's glory is the visible manifestation of God's presence, power,

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 and authority. It's how you know that God is near. It's how you know what God has said. It's how you

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 know that God is in control. And so as we come to understand and see the glory of God, we come to

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 appreciate that his glory is written everywhere that we look because the heavens declare the glory of God.

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 You look into the heavens, you see the stars, you see the handiwork of what he has made in the

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 mountains, in the trees, and all the beauty of spring especially, the flowers that are blooming,

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 and you begin to understand the glory of God is evident in the things that he has made.

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 But then this, the greatest blessing of the Christian life is to come and have a personal

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 experience with the glory of God ourselves. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 6, it says this,

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 for God who said, let light shine out of darkness has shown in our hearts to give the light of the

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 knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So it was the glory of God on display here

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 in Acts chapter 2. We hear them telling the mighty works of God. The glory of God is pushed to the

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 forefront in the face of the face of the face of the face of the face of the face of the face of the

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 God. The glory of God is pushed to the face of the face of the face of the face of the face of the face of the

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 glory, speaking and confessing and witnessing to the glory of God. So then in Acts chapter 2 verse 21,

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 it says, it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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 That's the focal point of their message. The focal point of their message is to draw

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 the listeners into wonder of who God is. To welcome them and invite them to enjoy

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 the glory of God for themselves and to do it by believing or calling upon his name so that they too

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 may have this experience of salvation and deliverance. I wonder this morning, do you know the son?

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 The son who the believers on that day of Pentecost were speaking about,

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 the mighty works of God, confessing the wonder of who he is and directing hearts to see the son.

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 I wonder this morning, have you called on the name of the Lord to enjoy salvation for yourself?

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 You see, that's where Peter begins his message and we see in the next several verses, beginning in

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 verse 22, going on to verse 24, that Peter will now speak about the son. He'll speak about the son being

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 fully man. He'll speak about the son being fully God. He'll speak about the son's death, his resurrection,

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 and the son being exalted to the right hand of the father. He preaches about Christ. And 3,000 souls

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 now respond to the message as we continue to work our way through Acts chapter 2. They respond to the

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 message, not in a way that is simply acknowledging the truth that they've heard, but they recognize

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 that the truth that has been spoken, now they're responsible to respond to this truth. So what do

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 they do? They repent. They see their sin. They repent from their sin. And they're baptized as an expression,

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 a way to demonstrate that the work of Christ, his death, his resurrection, is now a work that is

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 illustrated in their own lives as well, as they come to be baptized. This is what Jesus had prayed

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 for the night before his crucifixion. He's prayed for a community of believers. He's prayed for

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 souls of those who would come to faith in him and would be now one with him because of his work

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 on the cross. John chapter 17 verses 20 and 21 says this. This is Jesus' prayer. He says,

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 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,

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 that they might be one just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us,

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 so that the world may believe that you have sent me. You see, a church was born. But why does the

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 church exist? What is the purpose of the church? And that's now where we turn our attention

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 beginning in verses 42, moving on to verse 47. Luke will answer this question here in the book of

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 Acts, not by giving us a brochure and kind of telling us all about it, but he's going to give

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 us a picture, a picture of a people, a people who have been changed, a people who have been brought

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 together, a people who are now unified and are expressing that oneness as we work our way through

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 these next several verses. But before we get there, I want to just draw your attention to this fourfold

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 purpose that we're going to begin to see unpacked as we make our way through these verses.

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 This fourfold purpose is what God has called every believer to be part of. And you can see the

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 banners behind me that we have bow, build, bless, and belong. But these represent the four priorities

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 that God has given to every believer, and especially believers who are gathered as a church to fulfill

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 the mission that God has called us to. The purpose of worship that we'll talk about in just a moment.

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 The purpose of discipleship, which we'll also talk about next week. The purpose of evangelism,

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 and then the purpose of our fellowship or our unity. All of these things, these pieces,

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 are a part of the priorities that God has given to us as a church and should be true in the lives

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 of every believer. So what are these fourfold purposes? Well, let me just touch on them and then

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 we'll concentrate this morning on worship. But first, worship. Worship. We've said that

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 worship, we kind of want to make this memorable. So we have compared worship with bow or to bow your

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 heart in worship to God. Of course, God has created us for worship. That those who have come to a place

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 of recognizing the glory of God, the worthiness of God, it should immediately bring them to the point

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 of recognizing not only his worth, but in bowing, in worship, in reverence, in devotion to him.

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 We see that in Romans chapter 12, verse 1, where Paul will say,

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 I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices,

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 holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Those of us who have enjoyed the benefits

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 of salvation. Those of us who have come to terms with the mercies of God. That while we are sinners

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 and because of our sin, we are hostile and enemies against God. That God still sent his son to us to

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 demonstrate his love. To Jesus, as Jesus walks in obedient life, and then he lays down his life

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 to pay for sin so that we can enjoy the benefits of his sacrifice and we can be forgiven.

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 Those who understand what Christ has done, his mercy for us, should be the first in line to worship him.

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 This is our reasonable worship, our spiritual worship that those of us who have come to faith

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 in Jesus Christ will do. This is what we were made for. So what is worship? Well, what we have said

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 that worship is living with a spotlight on Jesus. It's living with a spotlight on Jesus. And so it's

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 not just when you come to a morning service once a week that you come to worship. No, worship is meant

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 to be the expression of every part of every day. It's meant to fill the totality of your life. Every sphere

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 in which you live is meant to be a sphere in which you worship. Our work should be worship. Our family time

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 should be worship. Our leisure should be worship. Our sports activities, our academics, our time at school,

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 our gardening. Whatever we do is meant to draw us into a greater affection and a greater love for the Lord Jesus.

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 I love how the Apostle Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 10 31 where he says, whether you eat or drink or whatever

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 you do, do all to the glory of God. That is worship. Recognizing the worthiness of God and bowing before him

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 in worship. The Apostle Paul expresses this well in Philippians 1 21. You have that at the bottom of this slide.

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 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. So we recognize that every part of life is meant to draw us

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 deeper in love with Jesus and to put his life and his message on display so that others can see it as well.

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 Worship. The next is discipleship. And if worship is bow, then discipleship is build for us.

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 It's leading every person one step closer to Jesus.

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 Leading every person one step closer to Jesus.

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 And my guess is this morning

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 that we think about, when we think about making disciples,

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 disciples, my guess is that maybe you relate, you are familiar with a program, something formal

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 that helps you become a disciple. Maybe you're part of a Bible study. Maybe you're part of a small group.

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 Maybe you're part of some way to help you understand the Bible more. And so the formalized process of

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 discipleship is what we've become to be familiar with. And in each of those scenarios, there is a

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 discipler or a mentor or a teacher. Somebody who has more knowledge, who is helping those of us who have less knowledge

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 to be more like Jesus, to grow in discipleship.

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 But as we're going to see,

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 discipleship, while it does have a formal component,

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 is also meant to have an informal component.

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 It's about life on life.

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 It's about, it's meant to be about people who are together.

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 That discipleship can't happen without fellowship. And we'll learn about that more next week.

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 You know, we're familiar with Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20.

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 It says,

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 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

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 baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

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 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

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 And behold,

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 I am with you always to the end of the age.

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 We tend to think that this verse is for the super Christian.

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 The ones who've arrived.

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 The ones who are really mature.

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 The ones who've been Christians for a while.

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 The ones who have all the answers.

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 Maybe the ones who we feel are really gifted.

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 But for the rest of us,

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 discipleship is just something we enjoy the benefits of.

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 But that's not how Jesus phrases this verse.

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 Notice, he's writing this verse to those who are disciples,

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 but those who will also be disciples.

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 And a disciple is simply somebody who is sent from Jesus to do his work.

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 Those who have come into relationship with him.

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 If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior,

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 and you've given your life to him,

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 then you are a disciple.

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 So this verse is for you.

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 It's for me.

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 And in our going, it says,

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 Go, therefore, and make disciples.

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 We have a responsibility.

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 All of us in this room,

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 who are believers in Jesus Christ,

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 have this mandate.

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 Go and make disciples.

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 And yet,

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 why is it that so few of us are doing this work?

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 I think it's because we misunderstand what discipleship is all about.

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 And we think that discipleship always has to flow downhill.

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 It has to flow from those who are more spiritual to those who are less spiritual.

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 And because we don't feel qualified,

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 we don't feel like we've arrived yet,

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 we're not that super Christian yet,

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 then we have nothing to offer.

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 But that's not what Jesus is saying here.

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 Somehow, all of us need to be involved in this process.

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 And how does it happen?

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 Well, I think it happens simply.

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 It happens simply as we understand the call that God has put on our hearts

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 to lead every person one step closer to Jesus.

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 How does that happen?

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 Well, that happens as God is working in your life.

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 And as you share how God is working in your life

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 with somebody that you're in relationship with.

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 Maybe that's a co-worker.

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 Maybe that's even one of your children.

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 Maybe that's a friend in your family.

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 Maybe that is somebody that's in your circles

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 who comes to this church

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 and they may be more spiritual

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 and have been a Christian for a long time.

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 They may be a baby Christian

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 and have only known Jesus for a couple of months.

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 They have something to offer you.

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 I think about this even for myself.

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 I've been a Christian now for,

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 well, I'm 53, I'll be 54 this year.

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 I got saved when I was five years old.

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 So what, is that 48, 49 years I've been a Christian?

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 And it's interesting that the longer you're a Christian,

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 the easier it is for complacency to rest on your heart.

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 There is something about the freshness of a new believer

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 that makes my heart warm.

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 And helps me, I'm kind of a fuddy-duddy, an old guy.

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 It helps me to realize the wonder of what the gospel can do.

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 It reignites in my heart an affection for Jesus.

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 It sparks within me a desire to be about discipleship and evangelism.

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 It does something for me.

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 And that's by design.

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 We belong together.

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 We need each other.

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 There are things that we have to offer each other.

00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:19.120
 It happens through mutual relationship and community that God has placed us in.

00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:24.740
 Every one of us needs to be about intentionally and incrementally

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:30.060
 helping to encourage others around us to look more like Jesus.

00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:34.899
 Paul explains this well in Colossians 1, verse 28, when he says,

00:21:35.299 --> 00:21:40.759
 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom.

00:21:40.879 --> 00:21:41.159
 Why?

00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:46.220
 That we may present everyone mature in Christ.

00:21:48.139 --> 00:21:51.980
 If you're a believer here today, and you're part of this fellowship,

00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:55.500
 the people who are here belong to you.

00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:59.859
 They're your responsibility to help lead them one step closer to Jesus.

00:21:59.859 --> 00:22:01.339
 Jesus, in your conversations.

00:22:02.219 --> 00:22:06.159
 That our conversations are adorned with the gospel of God.

00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:08.919
 And the wonder of what Christ is doing in your heart,

00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:11.539
 so that you can encourage them to take one more step.

00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:13.799
 Evangelism is next.

00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:18.919
 In making disciples, we have to share this good news.

00:22:19.339 --> 00:22:20.740
 How do the disciples happen?

00:22:20.819 --> 00:22:26.179
 Well, they happen as we are proclaiming the mighty works of God to the world around us.

00:22:26.180 --> 00:22:28.320
 And this is what happens in Jerusalem.

00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:32.759
 And even this is not reserved for the elite believer.

00:22:33.840 --> 00:22:38.600
 We're instructed to share the news of the gospel wherever we go.

00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:40.220
 And this can seem quite intimidating.

00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:43.720
 You might say, I don't have the gift of evangelism.

00:22:44.580 --> 00:22:46.180
 This is not something I'm good at.

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:50.240
 But, you see, we've found that something is helpful.

00:22:51.100 --> 00:22:56.799
 It's helpful to remember that God has called us all to two commands, right?

00:22:57.360 --> 00:22:58.840
 What is the first and great command?

00:22:59.320 --> 00:23:04.160
 It is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:05.000
 And you know what happens?

00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:09.039
 When that becomes true of you, it flows out into something else.

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:11.599
 It flows out into the second command.

00:23:11.940 --> 00:23:14.879
 That you're going to love your neighbor as yourself.

00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:23.460
 You see, loving your neighbor will naturally lead to telling them about Jesus.

00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:27.940
 And the more you love Jesus with your heart, soul, mind, and strength,

00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:31.019
 the more all-encompassing that love will become.

00:23:31.579 --> 00:23:36.299
 And the more your identity will reflect the image of Jesus.

00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:40.440
 And so, the conversations and relationships that you're a part of,

00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:45.079
 the one thing that's going to stand out in that conversation is that you love Jesus.

00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:49.960
 So, rather than seeing evangelism as a transaction,

00:23:51.059 --> 00:23:56.379
 rather than seeing evangelism as an agenda or something that we need to do on a Saturday,

00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:01.980
 we see evangelism as an expression of our love for the Lord.

00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:07.339
 We live like Jesus to bless the world,

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:09.460
 not to make converts.

00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:11.880
 We don't make converts.

00:24:12.360 --> 00:24:13.759
 God makes converts.

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:18.079
 We have the responsibility of sharing the good news

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:21.140
 so that God can then do His work of building His church.

00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:28.779
 See, we live to present the beauty of our Lord Jesus.

00:24:29.660 --> 00:24:30.420
 And He is beautiful.

00:24:30.420 --> 00:24:32.900
 And that's what Jesus did.

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:35.880
 We see that in Acts chapter 3, verse 26, it says,

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:38.500
 God, having raised up His servant,

00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:41.700
 sent Him to you first to bless you

00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:45.140
 by turning every one of you from your wickedness.

00:24:46.200 --> 00:24:47.920
 That's the joy that we get to have

00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:50.220
 as those who love Jesus

00:24:50.220 --> 00:24:52.320
 is wherever we go,

00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:55.580
 we get a chance then to express our love for Christ

00:24:55.580 --> 00:24:57.240
 to the world around us,

00:24:57.240 --> 00:25:00.700
 whether or not they ever come to faith in Jesus Christ.

00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:02.859
 Because it's about the glory of God

00:25:02.859 --> 00:25:04.660
 and affection for God

00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:06.620
 and entrusting to God

00:25:06.620 --> 00:25:09.059
 the results of that message.

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.279
 Finally,

00:25:12.120 --> 00:25:13.319
 we come to fellowship.

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:15.180
 What is fellowship?

00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:18.259
 Well, fellowship is this space

00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:20.880
 in which we belong together.

00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:23.640
 It's this space where we understand

00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:25.060
 we're connected together,

00:25:25.060 --> 00:25:26.580
 we're unified together.

00:25:27.260 --> 00:25:29.160
 And that's what we see in this church.

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.900
 Acts chapter 2, verse 42.

00:25:31.340 --> 00:25:32.780
 And they devoted themselves

00:25:32.780 --> 00:25:34.380
 to the apostles' teaching

00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:35.560
 and the fellowship

00:25:35.560 --> 00:25:37.660
 to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

00:25:38.320 --> 00:25:39.580
 This word for fellowship

00:25:39.580 --> 00:25:40.560
 is the word koinonia.

00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:42.740
 It's the word for sharing.

00:25:43.060 --> 00:25:44.340
 It's the word for community.

00:25:44.700 --> 00:25:46.260
 It's the word for togetherness.

00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:48.140
 They were of one heart,

00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:48.900
 one mind.

00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:50.339
 It was almost as if

00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:51.619
 they were like one person.

00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:53.839
 They're described as like one man

00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:56.039
 there in Jerusalem.

00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.440
 They're so connected.

00:25:59.900 --> 00:26:00.720
 And we realize

00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:01.720
 it's not just about being

00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:02.960
 in the same room together.

00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:05.359
 It's not about just sharing

00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:06.700
 the same space.

00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:09.519
 But it's growing in our affection

00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.240
 for one another.

00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:12.680
 And I use the word affection

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:15.559
 because it's so much more direct

00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:16.460
 and fitting, I think,

00:26:16.539 --> 00:26:17.879
 than growing in love

00:26:17.879 --> 00:26:18.559
 with one another,

00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:19.379
 which is also true.

00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:25.259
 I really want to love you

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:27.139
 by showing you

00:26:27.139 --> 00:26:28.819
 that I have an affection for you.

00:26:29.179 --> 00:26:30.299
 Not just general,

00:26:30.919 --> 00:26:31.980
 but very specific.

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.700
 And this will show up

00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:35.379
 in our conversations.

00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:36.379
 It will show up

00:26:36.379 --> 00:26:37.980
 in our ministry to one another.

00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:39.319
 It will show up in our service.

00:26:39.619 --> 00:26:40.179
 It will show up

00:26:40.179 --> 00:26:42.119
 in the one another's that we do.

00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:43.819
 The bearing of one another's burdens.

00:26:43.819 --> 00:26:45.559
 The praying for one another.

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:46.879
 The loving one another.

00:26:47.379 --> 00:26:48.319
 All the one another's

00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:49.419
 we find through the scripture

00:26:49.419 --> 00:26:50.819
 are taking place

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:54.899
 through this fellowshipping aspect.

00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:59.139
 As we work through this passage,

00:26:59.579 --> 00:27:00.939
 we find in verse 42,

00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:02.559
 they're breaking of bread.

00:27:03.159 --> 00:27:04.339
 We find in verse 42,

00:27:04.439 --> 00:27:05.579
 they're praying for one another.

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.220
 It prompted generosity

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:10.940
 in verses 44 and 45.

00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:12.980
 All who believed were together

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:14.220
 and had all things in common.

00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:15.680
 They were selling their possessions

00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.319
 and belongings

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:18.000
 and distributing the proceeds

00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:20.100
 to all as any had need.

00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:22.279
 This was a community of individuals

00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:23.799
 who had real,

00:27:24.660 --> 00:27:26.160
 authentic affection

00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:27.559
 for one another.

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.640
 It showed up.

00:27:31.120 --> 00:27:32.880
 So this is our fourfold ministry.

00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:33.779
 This is what God has called

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.700
 every believer

00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:36.120
 to be involved in.

00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:37.919
 So let's turn our attention

00:27:37.919 --> 00:27:39.639
 just for the next few moments

00:27:39.639 --> 00:27:42.259
 back to chapter 2, verse 42.

00:27:42.699 --> 00:27:43.579
 And we're going to focus

00:27:43.579 --> 00:27:44.439
 and drill down

00:27:44.439 --> 00:27:45.339
 just a little bit more

00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:46.219
 on worship

00:27:46.219 --> 00:27:47.759
 and answer this question,

00:27:47.899 --> 00:27:49.039
 what is worship?

00:27:49.239 --> 00:27:50.059
 So that we know

00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:51.799
 how to be better worshipers.

00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:53.659
 So what is worship?

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.199
 Worship begins

00:27:56.199 --> 00:27:58.239
 with knowing God truly.

00:27:59.059 --> 00:28:02.500
 It begins with knowing God truly.

00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:05.400
 We see that in verse 42.

00:28:05.579 --> 00:28:05.740
 It says,

00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:06.859
 And they devoted themselves

00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:08.140
 to the apostles' teaching

00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:09.700
 and the fellowship,

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:11.039
 to the breaking of bread

00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:11.700
 and to prayers,

00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:13.740
 and awe came upon every soul.

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:15.460
 And many wonders and signs

00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:16.200
 were being done

00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.599
 through the apostles.

00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:18.839
 And all who believed

00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:19.460
 were together

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:21.039
 and had all things in common.

00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:22.039
 And they were selling

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.619
 their possessions

00:28:22.619 --> 00:28:23.319
 and belongings

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:24.319
 and distributing

00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:26.039
 the proceeds to all

00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:27.500
 as any had need.

00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:29.900
 And day by day,

00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:31.440
 attending temple together,

00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:32.960
 and breaking bread

00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:33.559
 in their homes,

00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:35.180
 they received their food

00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:37.320
 with glad and generous hearts,

00:28:37.700 --> 00:28:38.779
 praising who?

00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:41.039
 Praising God

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.620
 and having favor

00:28:42.620 --> 00:28:43.559
 with all the people.

00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:45.440
 And the Lord added

00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:45.920
 to their number

00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:46.640
 day by day

00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:48.460
 those who were being saved.

00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:50.660
 Worship is defined

00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:52.480
 in several different ways,

00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:53.059
 but I find two

00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:53.620
 that are helpful.

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.799
 John Piper says this,

00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:56.160
 It's treasuring God

00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:56.980
 above all else.

00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:58.759
 MacArthur has said,

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.519
 it's to honor,

00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:01.519
 it's honor and admiration

00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:03.299
 that's directed to God.

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:08.180
 Worship is the God-centered response

00:29:08.180 --> 00:29:09.500
 of the whole person.

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:12.980
 It directs the whole person

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.539
 to love Him the way

00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:15.579
 and worship Him

00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:16.940
 the way that He deserves.

00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:18.619
 And we find here

00:29:18.619 --> 00:29:19.420
 this atmosphere.

00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:20.259
 Did you notice it?

00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:22.240
 As we're working through

00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:24.000
 and read through these verses,

00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:25.200
 did you see

00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:26.740
 and get a sense

00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:27.779
 of the electricity

00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:28.680
 that's happening,

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.620
 the enthusiasm

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:31.180
 that's taking place

00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:32.420
 in these new believers

00:29:32.420 --> 00:29:33.599
 who are all together,

00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:35.599
 they cannot get enough

00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.620
 of one another.

00:29:37.180 --> 00:29:38.420
 Do you sense that at all?

00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:40.539
 This vibrance

00:29:40.539 --> 00:29:41.480
 that's taking place?

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:43.759
 I think we can understand

00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:44.519
 and appreciate

00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:45.980
 what's happening.

00:29:47.120 --> 00:29:47.640
 I remember

00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:50.000
 my own conversion

00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:50.700
 that took place

00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:51.880
 when I was five years old.

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:53.500
 And I remember

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:55.460
 that Sunday morning,

00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:57.240
 it was an early Sunday morning

00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:57.900
 that my father

00:29:57.900 --> 00:29:59.759
 was waking me up

00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.559
 for church

00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:02.039
 for that morning.

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.960
 And I don't know

00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:05.039
 what I'd been thinking

00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:06.160
 about that whole day,

00:30:06.299 --> 00:30:07.120
 but I do know

00:30:07.120 --> 00:30:08.539
 that my dad

00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.500
 and my mom

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:10.860
 faithfully taught me

00:30:10.860 --> 00:30:11.259
 the scripture.

00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:13.279
 I knew what the Bible said.

00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:14.620
 I knew what the Bible

00:30:14.620 --> 00:30:15.400
 said about sin.

00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:16.440
 I knew that sin

00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:18.460
 separates us from God.

00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.100
 And I knew

00:30:19.100 --> 00:30:20.000
 that I was a sinner

00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:21.920
 because all have sinned

00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:22.940
 and come short

00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:24.519
 of the glory of God.

00:30:24.519 --> 00:30:26.379
 So as a sinner,

00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:28.079
 I had set myself

00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:29.200
 against God

00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:30.660
 and against His glory

00:30:30.660 --> 00:30:31.519
 and decided

00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.720
 to do things my way.

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:35.319
 But God in His grace

00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:36.740
 sent His Son,

00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:37.220
 Jesus.

00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:38.579
 Why?

00:30:38.700 --> 00:30:40.119
 Because God so loved

00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:40.440
 the world

00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:40.920
 that He gave

00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:41.879
 His only begotten Son

00:30:41.879 --> 00:30:43.139
 that whoever

00:30:43.139 --> 00:30:45.299
 believes in Him

00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:46.639
 should not perish

00:30:46.639 --> 00:30:48.259
 but have everlasting life.

00:30:49.019 --> 00:30:49.839
 That's possible

00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:50.559
 because of Jesus'

00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:51.220
 righteousness.

00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:52.319
 Jesus'

00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:52.980
 perfection.

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:53.099
 perfection.

00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:54.799
 Jesus fulfilled the law.

00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:55.599
 He did it perfectly.

00:30:55.980 --> 00:30:57.480
 He was the God-man.

00:30:57.779 --> 00:30:58.680
 And as man,

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.440
 He could die

00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:01.160
 for my sin.

00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:02.220
 As God,

00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:03.880
 that sacrifice

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:05.360
 that Jesus paid

00:31:05.360 --> 00:31:06.740
 applied to everyone

00:31:06.740 --> 00:31:07.740
 who believed.

00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:10.380
 And I wanted to enjoy

00:31:10.380 --> 00:31:11.240
 the benefits

00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:12.279
 of that invitation

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:13.700
 to recognize

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:14.339
 that Jesus

00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:15.759
 in His death

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:17.480
 paid for my sin.

00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:18.620
 We find that

00:31:18.620 --> 00:31:19.940
 in Romans 6,

00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:20.720
 verse 23,

00:31:20.840 --> 00:31:22.320
 the wages of sin

00:31:22.320 --> 00:31:23.440
 is death.

00:31:23.600 --> 00:31:24.559
 That's what I deserve.

00:31:24.820 --> 00:31:26.220
 But the gift of God

00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:27.400
 is eternal life

00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:28.740
 through Jesus Christ

00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:29.180
 our Lord.

00:31:29.320 --> 00:31:30.340
 So you have to know

00:31:30.340 --> 00:31:30.779
 Jesus.

00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:32.900
 And so I asked

00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:33.580
 my dad

00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:35.059
 in those quiet moments

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:36.400
 if he would lead me

00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:36.880
 in a prayer

00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:37.900
 so that I could come

00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:38.500
 to know Jesus

00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:39.920
 as my own personal

00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:40.660
 Lord and Savior.

00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:42.980
 In that morning,

00:31:43.320 --> 00:31:44.820
 I gave my life,

00:31:45.259 --> 00:31:45.700
 my heart,

00:31:45.900 --> 00:31:46.500
 to Jesus.

00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:48.200
 And I appreciate

00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:49.480
 what my dad

00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:50.839
 wanted to remind me of

00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:52.279
 is that coming

00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:53.059
 to faith in Christ

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:53.519
 doesn't mean

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.339
 that everything's

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.079
 going to be okay.

00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.480
 Matter of fact,

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:58.119
 sometimes coming to Christ

00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:59.460
 makes things harder.

00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:01.559
 But having Jesus,

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:02.700
 having Jesus

00:32:02.700 --> 00:32:04.319
 is all that we need.

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.920
 Jesus has been sufficient.

00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:07.880
 Jesus has been

00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:09.119
 all that I need.

00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:11.619
 And for me,

00:32:11.619 --> 00:32:12.119
 there was

00:32:12.119 --> 00:32:15.119
 an energy

00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:16.000
 and a zeal

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:16.579
 that happened

00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:17.899
 of fresh electricity

00:32:17.899 --> 00:32:18.959
 in my heart

00:32:18.959 --> 00:32:19.839
 because of the work

00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:20.359
 of Christ

00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:21.079
 in my life

00:32:21.079 --> 00:32:21.919
 in that moment.

00:32:21.979 --> 00:32:23.079
 Even as a five-year-old,

00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:24.099
 I was going bananas.

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:25.319
 I couldn't help.

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.539
 I wanted to rush

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:28.219
 to all of my friends

00:32:28.219 --> 00:32:29.839
 in children's Sunday school.

00:32:29.899 --> 00:32:31.079
 I wanted to tell everybody

00:32:31.079 --> 00:32:31.819
 about what Jesus

00:32:31.819 --> 00:32:32.639
 had done for me.

00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:34.039
 And my next-door neighbor

00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:34.639
 the next day,

00:32:34.859 --> 00:32:36.059
 I ran across the street.

00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:36.959
 I wanted to tell her

00:32:36.959 --> 00:32:38.359
 what Jesus had done for me.

00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:40.059
 So you can imagine

00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:40.859
 the electricity

00:32:40.859 --> 00:32:42.539
 of this moment,

00:32:42.639 --> 00:32:43.279
 this church,

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.659
 3,000 men.

00:32:44.660 --> 00:32:45.700
 Who knows how many

00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:46.519
 women and children

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.960
 coming to faith in Jesus.

00:32:48.320 --> 00:32:49.440
 And the testimony

00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:51.380
 of knowing Jesus

00:32:51.380 --> 00:32:53.259
 not only led them

00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:54.200
 to worshiping Jesus,

00:32:54.320 --> 00:32:55.019
 but it led them

00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:55.660
 to community

00:32:55.660 --> 00:32:56.779
 with one another.

00:32:57.820 --> 00:32:58.880
 This electricity.

00:32:59.840 --> 00:33:01.440
 And this new joy

00:33:01.440 --> 00:33:04.040
 leads to sincere devotion.

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:06.720
 And it's devotion.

00:33:06.840 --> 00:33:08.000
 You see that in verse 42.

00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:10.240
 Devotion to the teaching.

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:12.300
 The apostles' teaching.

00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:15.980
 The apostles were teaching

00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:17.940
 about who Christ was.

00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:20.759
 The apostles were communicating

00:33:20.759 --> 00:33:21.579
 that word they heard

00:33:21.579 --> 00:33:22.919
 first from the Lord Jesus.

00:33:23.919 --> 00:33:24.740
 In John chapter 1,

00:33:24.839 --> 00:33:26.079
 we understand that

00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:26.799
 the word of God

00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:28.180
 was made flesh.

00:33:28.339 --> 00:33:29.220
 He dwelt among us

00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:30.680
 so that he could communicate

00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:32.079
 to a people

00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:33.180
 who needed to hear him.

00:33:33.659 --> 00:33:34.740
 Who needed to hear his word.

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:36.079
 So they could know him

00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:36.960
 and worship him.

00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:40.039
 You cannot worship a God

00:33:40.039 --> 00:33:40.840
 you do not know.

00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:44.120
 And so God has communicated

00:33:44.120 --> 00:33:45.160
 himself through his word

00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:46.039
 so that we can not just

00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:46.640
 know him,

00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:48.019
 but we can be drawn

00:33:48.019 --> 00:33:48.840
 into relationship

00:33:48.840 --> 00:33:50.220
 and we can come

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:51.299
 to worship him.

00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:53.460
 And that's why the gospel,

00:33:53.980 --> 00:33:55.279
 it's where the gospel begins.

00:33:55.860 --> 00:33:57.299
 And now flowing out

00:33:57.299 --> 00:33:59.059
 from this space,

00:33:59.360 --> 00:34:00.660
 now you see a people

00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:01.500
 who are changed.

00:34:01.840 --> 00:34:02.900
 They know God.

00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:04.279
 They're worshiping God.

00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:06.160
 And it leads to this next part.

00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:08.320
 Worship then also leads

00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:09.880
 to loving God supremely.

00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:12.019
 To loving God supremely.

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:13.099
 You see this

00:34:13.099 --> 00:34:14.900
 in verses 46 and 47.

00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:15.340
 Notice.

00:34:15.759 --> 00:34:16.460
 And day by day

00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:17.599
 attending the temple together

00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.759
 and breaking bread

00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:19.480
 in their homes,

00:34:19.699 --> 00:34:20.860
 they receive their food

00:34:20.860 --> 00:34:22.300
 with glad and generous hearts.

00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:24.000
 Praising God

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:24.699
 and having favor

00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:25.420
 with all the people.

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:28.559
 Their affection for God

00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:29.420
 is reflected

00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:31.219
 in their affection

00:34:31.219 --> 00:34:33.000
 for one another.

00:34:34.280 --> 00:34:35.420
 God has changed them.

00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:37.160
 They're no longer

00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:38.060
 individuals.

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:40.080
 Now they belong together.

00:34:41.060 --> 00:34:42.180
 And this affection

00:34:42.180 --> 00:34:43.560
 is spilling over.

00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.640
 The work of God

00:34:44.640 --> 00:34:45.240
 in their hearts

00:34:45.240 --> 00:34:47.260
 is drawing them

00:34:47.260 --> 00:34:48.480
 to one another.

00:34:49.320 --> 00:34:50.420
 This corporate nature

00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:51.280
 of their worship

00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:52.220
 is telling.

00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:54.180
 They recognize

00:34:54.180 --> 00:34:55.260
 that God had done something

00:34:55.260 --> 00:34:56.260
 and it had changed them.

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.080
 And now they're not

00:34:57.080 --> 00:34:58.140
 just attending temple

00:34:58.140 --> 00:34:58.740
 individually.

00:34:59.019 --> 00:35:00.440
 Now they're attending temple

00:35:00.440 --> 00:35:02.040
 day by day together.

00:35:02.039 --> 00:35:03.119
 Hey, would you go with me

00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:03.699
 to the temple?

00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:04.800
 Let's do this together.

00:35:05.019 --> 00:35:06.440
 Let's worship the Lord together.

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:07.619
 We're in this.

00:35:07.739 --> 00:35:09.300
 God has done something for us.

00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:11.659
 Let's celebrate this work

00:35:11.659 --> 00:35:12.219
 and do it.

00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:13.699
 Do it together.

00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:15.739
 And we understand

00:35:15.739 --> 00:35:16.279
 that worship

00:35:16.279 --> 00:35:19.480
 while it's amplified

00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:20.820
 on a Sunday morning

00:35:20.820 --> 00:35:21.840
 it's not restricted

00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:22.440
 to Sunday.

00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:23.279
 As a matter of fact

00:35:23.279 --> 00:35:24.719
 Sunday morning

00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:26.460
 isn't accomplishing

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.259
 the objective

00:35:27.259 --> 00:35:28.699
 if it's the only time

00:35:28.699 --> 00:35:29.279
 that you worship

00:35:29.279 --> 00:35:29.860
 through the week.

00:35:29.860 --> 00:35:32.320
 See, we have failed

00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:33.200
 as a church

00:35:33.200 --> 00:35:35.000
 if worship doesn't

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:36.440
 spill into every part

00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:37.920
 of your every day.

00:35:39.019 --> 00:35:39.920
 We have failed

00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.500
 in our purpose

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:41.140
 as a body

00:35:41.140 --> 00:35:42.400
 if we're content

00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:43.720
 with just an hour

00:35:43.720 --> 00:35:44.720
 with God

00:35:44.720 --> 00:35:46.640
 once a week.

00:35:47.620 --> 00:35:48.460
 And that's what we

00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:50.220
 say when our worship

00:35:50.220 --> 00:35:50.880
 on Sunday

00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:52.300
 when it fails

00:35:52.300 --> 00:35:52.960
 to show up

00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:53.660
 on Monday

00:35:53.660 --> 00:35:55.220
 then worship

00:35:55.220 --> 00:35:57.140
 really isn't taking

00:35:57.140 --> 00:35:58.059
 root in your life.

00:35:58.059 --> 00:35:59.980
 And we see worship

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:00.759
 in this church

00:36:00.759 --> 00:36:01.739
 worship that pervades

00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:02.539
 every dimension

00:36:02.539 --> 00:36:03.840
 of life.

00:36:04.699 --> 00:36:06.460
 They enjoyed worship

00:36:06.460 --> 00:36:07.679
 because they were

00:36:07.679 --> 00:36:08.559
 growing in love

00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.460
 with the Lord

00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:10.380
 and growing in love

00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:11.480
 with one another.

00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:12.860
 And finally

00:36:12.860 --> 00:36:14.480
 worship results

00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:15.759
 in obeying God

00:36:15.759 --> 00:36:16.400
 sincerely.

00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:18.299
 In obeying God

00:36:18.299 --> 00:36:18.799
 sincerely.

00:36:19.759 --> 00:36:20.480
 As we work

00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:21.139
 through this passage

00:36:21.139 --> 00:36:21.799
 we're going to

00:36:21.799 --> 00:36:23.799
 notice immediately

00:36:23.799 --> 00:36:25.559
 that all of the

00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:26.759
 patterns that we

00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:28.020
 see reflected

00:36:28.020 --> 00:36:28.860
 in this church

00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:29.560
 are first

00:36:29.560 --> 00:36:30.740
 patterns that

00:36:30.740 --> 00:36:31.320
 showed up

00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:32.240
 in our Lord Jesus.

00:36:33.520 --> 00:36:34.360
 That Jesus

00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:35.460
 himself was

00:36:35.460 --> 00:36:36.480
 a teaching

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.280
 prophet.

00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:38.700
 That Jesus

00:36:38.700 --> 00:36:39.960
 fellowshiped

00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:40.600
 with his disciples.

00:36:40.760 --> 00:36:41.820
 He fellowshiped

00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:42.220
 with others.

00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:43.160
 Those intimate

00:36:43.160 --> 00:36:44.260
 times we get

00:36:44.260 --> 00:36:44.940
 to see even

00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.540
 at Bethany

00:36:45.540 --> 00:36:46.300
 as Jesus is

00:36:46.300 --> 00:36:47.180
 fellowshipping

00:36:47.180 --> 00:36:47.820
 with Mary

00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:48.720
 and Martha

00:36:48.720 --> 00:36:49.780
 and Lazarus.

00:36:51.040 --> 00:36:51.960
 He's also

00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.800
 breaking bread

00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:53.620
 with his disciples.

00:36:54.280 --> 00:36:55.000
 He's attending

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.840
 temple with his

00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:56.280
 disciples.

00:36:56.660 --> 00:36:57.420
 Jesus is

00:36:57.420 --> 00:36:58.140
 fulfilling

00:36:58.140 --> 00:36:59.780
 the commands

00:36:59.780 --> 00:37:00.360
 that God

00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:01.059
 has instructed

00:37:01.059 --> 00:37:01.940
 him to do.

00:37:02.120 --> 00:37:02.740
 All of those

00:37:02.740 --> 00:37:03.519
 commings we find

00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:04.100
 throughout the

00:37:04.100 --> 00:37:04.600
 Old Testament

00:37:04.600 --> 00:37:06.019
 Jesus fulfilled

00:37:06.019 --> 00:37:07.059
 every single

00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:07.360
 one.

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:08.860
 He is the

00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:09.220
 fulfillment

00:37:09.220 --> 00:37:10.140
 of all that

00:37:10.140 --> 00:37:10.780
 God expected.

00:37:11.640 --> 00:37:11.980
 And he's

00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:12.640
 establishing

00:37:12.640 --> 00:37:13.440
 that worship

00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:14.240
 to God

00:37:14.240 --> 00:37:15.440
 requires

00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:16.180
 obedience

00:37:16.180 --> 00:37:17.019
 to God.

00:37:17.980 --> 00:37:18.840
 We find in

00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:19.180
 Philippians

00:37:19.180 --> 00:37:19.660
 chapter 2

00:37:19.660 --> 00:37:20.140
 verse 8

00:37:20.140 --> 00:37:21.700
 this statement

00:37:21.700 --> 00:37:23.059
 in being found

00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:24.039
 in human form

00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:24.900
 he humbled

00:37:24.900 --> 00:37:25.500
 himself

00:37:25.500 --> 00:37:26.840
 by becoming

00:37:26.840 --> 00:37:27.680
 obedient

00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:28.559
 to the point

00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:29.000
 of death

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:30.440
 even death

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:31.420
 on a cross.

00:37:32.680 --> 00:37:33.000
 So the

00:37:33.000 --> 00:37:33.599
 apostle John

00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:33.980
 will say

00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:34.519
 in his letter

00:37:34.519 --> 00:37:35.380
 in 1 John

00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:35.840
 chapter 2

00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:36.320
 verses 3

00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:36.720
 and 4

00:37:36.720 --> 00:37:37.660
 and by this

00:37:37.660 --> 00:37:38.000
 we know

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.380
 that we have

00:37:38.380 --> 00:37:38.920
 come to know

00:37:38.920 --> 00:37:39.160
 him

00:37:39.160 --> 00:37:40.680
 if we keep

00:37:40.680 --> 00:37:41.539
 his commandments.

00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:43.320
 Whoever says

00:37:43.320 --> 00:37:43.880
 I know him

00:37:43.880 --> 00:37:44.340
 but does not

00:37:44.340 --> 00:37:45.039
 keep his commandments

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.639
 is a liar

00:37:45.639 --> 00:37:46.460
 and the truth

00:37:46.460 --> 00:37:47.240
 is not in him.

00:37:48.099 --> 00:37:48.500
 Now does that

00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:49.180
 mean that our

00:37:49.180 --> 00:37:50.180
 salvation

00:37:50.180 --> 00:37:51.300
 is contingent

00:37:51.300 --> 00:37:52.039
 upon obedience?

00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:52.480
 No.

00:37:52.759 --> 00:37:53.619
 It's contingent

00:37:53.619 --> 00:37:54.199
 upon the work

00:37:54.199 --> 00:37:55.000
 of Christ's

00:37:55.000 --> 00:37:55.360
 obedience.

00:37:55.699 --> 00:37:56.059
 He was

00:37:56.059 --> 00:37:56.440
 obedient

00:37:56.440 --> 00:37:57.320
 so we can

00:37:57.320 --> 00:37:57.840
 enjoy the

00:37:57.840 --> 00:37:58.420
 benefits of

00:37:58.420 --> 00:37:58.779
 that but

00:37:58.779 --> 00:38:00.460
 the assurance

00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:01.320
 of the

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:02.320
 faith that

00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:02.699
 we have

00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:03.619
 is confirmed

00:38:03.619 --> 00:38:05.099
 by our

00:38:05.099 --> 00:38:05.880
 obedience to

00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:06.380
 the Lord

00:38:06.380 --> 00:38:07.139
 Jesus himself.

00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:08.300
 Our love

00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:08.679
 for him

00:38:08.679 --> 00:38:10.079
 spills out

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:10.619
 in obedience

00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:11.099
 to him.

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:12.840
 You see

00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:13.759
 at Maranatha

00:38:13.759 --> 00:38:14.759
 there are

00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:16.259
 some lanes

00:38:16.259 --> 00:38:17.400
 that we want

00:38:17.400 --> 00:38:18.099
 to try to help

00:38:18.099 --> 00:38:19.259
 kind of nurture

00:38:19.259 --> 00:38:20.380
 worship in

00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:21.140
 your life.

00:38:21.700 --> 00:38:22.200
 We want you

00:38:22.200 --> 00:38:22.700
 to see that

00:38:22.700 --> 00:38:23.240
 worship isn't

00:38:23.240 --> 00:38:23.780
 just something

00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.300
 that happens

00:38:24.300 --> 00:38:24.940
 here on Sunday

00:38:24.940 --> 00:38:25.840
 but it should

00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:26.760
 spill into

00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:27.340
 every part

00:38:27.340 --> 00:38:27.920
 of your week.

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:28.760
 And I just

00:38:28.760 --> 00:38:29.519
 want to draw

00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:30.019
 attention to

00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:30.340
 a couple

00:38:30.340 --> 00:38:30.980
 very briefly.

00:38:31.700 --> 00:38:32.320
 First I

00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:33.099
 trust that you

00:38:33.099 --> 00:38:33.599
 notice that

00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:34.059
 our singing

00:38:34.059 --> 00:38:36.440
 is meant

00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:37.099
 to draw

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:38.019
 you in

00:38:38.019 --> 00:38:39.039
 to worshiping

00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:39.740
 Jesus.

00:38:40.740 --> 00:38:41.280
 It draws

00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:42.039
 attention to

00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:42.300
 him.

00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:42.960
 It's living

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:43.800
 with him

00:38:43.800 --> 00:38:44.380
 in the

00:38:44.380 --> 00:38:44.860
 spotlight.

00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:46.280
 And so

00:38:46.280 --> 00:38:47.079
 Pastor John

00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:47.539
 does some

00:38:47.539 --> 00:38:48.400
 things very

00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:49.039
 intentionally

00:38:49.039 --> 00:38:50.199
 to draw

00:38:50.199 --> 00:38:50.860
 attention to

00:38:50.860 --> 00:38:51.199
 Jesus

00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:51.900
 and not

00:38:51.900 --> 00:38:52.539
 distract

00:38:52.539 --> 00:38:53.059
 from him.

00:38:53.900 --> 00:38:54.679
 Things like

00:38:54.679 --> 00:38:55.900
 picking songs

00:38:55.900 --> 00:38:57.840
 that speak

00:38:57.840 --> 00:38:58.860
 about Jesus.

00:38:59.900 --> 00:39:00.579
 Picking songs

00:39:00.579 --> 00:39:02.139
 that use

00:39:02.139 --> 00:39:02.619
 the word of

00:39:02.619 --> 00:39:03.119
 God as a

00:39:03.119 --> 00:39:03.619
 foundation

00:39:03.619 --> 00:39:04.779
 for our

00:39:04.779 --> 00:39:05.179
 singing.

00:39:05.480 --> 00:39:06.099
 That draw

00:39:06.099 --> 00:39:07.199
 your affection

00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:08.300
 to him.

00:39:08.460 --> 00:39:08.960
 That help

00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:09.759
 you grow

00:39:09.759 --> 00:39:10.659
 and wow

00:39:10.659 --> 00:39:11.519
 this Jesus

00:39:11.519 --> 00:39:12.239
 is amazing

00:39:12.239 --> 00:39:13.159
 I want to

00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:13.559
 know him

00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:13.880
 more.

00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:14.500
 That's the

00:39:14.500 --> 00:39:15.159
 goal of the

00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:15.599
 songs that

00:39:15.599 --> 00:39:16.039
 we sing.

00:39:16.300 --> 00:39:16.759
 It's not

00:39:16.759 --> 00:39:17.340
 to draw

00:39:17.340 --> 00:39:17.940
 attention to

00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:18.400
 you and

00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:18.740
 all of

00:39:18.740 --> 00:39:19.139
 your

00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:19.559
 troubles

00:39:19.559 --> 00:39:19.940
 and all

00:39:19.940 --> 00:39:20.200
 of your

00:39:20.200 --> 00:39:20.720
 pains.

00:39:21.019 --> 00:39:21.420
 It's to

00:39:21.420 --> 00:39:21.960
 help you

00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:22.360
 understand

00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:22.760
 that in

00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:23.320
 your pain

00:39:23.320 --> 00:39:23.840
 you can

00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:24.200
 look to

00:39:24.200 --> 00:39:24.599
 Jesus

00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:25.519
 who's able

00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:26.519
 to resolve

00:39:26.519 --> 00:39:26.940
 them in

00:39:26.940 --> 00:39:27.440
 himself.

00:39:27.900 --> 00:39:28.440
 Maybe not

00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:29.340
 send them

00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:30.099
 away perhaps

00:39:30.099 --> 00:39:30.680
 but to

00:39:30.680 --> 00:39:31.160
 strengthen

00:39:31.160 --> 00:39:31.840
 you in

00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:32.740
 the process

00:39:32.740 --> 00:39:34.260
 of recognizing

00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:35.420
 that he

00:39:35.420 --> 00:39:36.000
 is this

00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:36.519
 friend that

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.059
 sticks closer

00:39:37.059 --> 00:39:37.360
 than a

00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:37.880
 brother even

00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:39.420
 when you're

00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:40.260
 facing opposition.

00:39:41.500 --> 00:39:42.139
 We sing

00:39:42.139 --> 00:39:42.740
 songs that

00:39:42.740 --> 00:39:43.019
 are meant

00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:43.559
 to direct

00:39:43.559 --> 00:39:44.500
 your attention

00:39:44.500 --> 00:39:45.079
 to Jesus.

00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:46.579
 But even

00:39:46.579 --> 00:39:46.940
 in the way

00:39:46.940 --> 00:39:47.660
 that we sing

00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:48.639
 songs here

00:39:48.639 --> 00:39:49.940
 it's to

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:51.219
 draw attention

00:39:51.219 --> 00:39:51.960
 to the

00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:52.379
 wonder of

00:39:52.379 --> 00:39:52.739
 Christ.

00:39:53.639 --> 00:39:54.079
 And that's

00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:55.299
 why John

00:39:55.299 --> 00:39:55.799
 has been very

00:39:55.799 --> 00:39:56.319
 careful to

00:39:56.319 --> 00:39:57.179
 kind of keep

00:39:57.179 --> 00:39:57.719
 the lights

00:39:57.719 --> 00:39:58.559
 up so that

00:39:58.559 --> 00:39:59.460
 we can see

00:39:59.460 --> 00:40:00.079
 one another.

00:40:00.599 --> 00:40:01.519
 We can enjoy

00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:02.899
 the benefits

00:40:02.899 --> 00:40:04.179
 of being a

00:40:04.179 --> 00:40:04.679
 part of this

00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:05.099
 community.

00:40:05.319 --> 00:40:05.920
 And while we

00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:07.079
 are individuals

00:40:07.079 --> 00:40:08.000
 and while we

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:08.359
 do have a

00:40:08.359 --> 00:40:08.899
 responsibility

00:40:08.899 --> 00:40:09.779
 to worship

00:40:09.779 --> 00:40:11.099
 God one-on-one

00:40:11.099 --> 00:40:12.000
 with the

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:12.279
 Lord,

00:40:13.359 --> 00:40:13.960
 Sunday morning

00:40:13.960 --> 00:40:14.440
 is a way for

00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:15.800
 us to be

00:40:15.800 --> 00:40:16.280
 together.

00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:18.420
 Pastor John

00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:18.800
 has often

00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:19.039
 said,

00:40:19.099 --> 00:40:19.599
 and I agree,

00:40:20.360 --> 00:40:20.860
 that when you

00:40:20.860 --> 00:40:21.340
 have a chance

00:40:21.340 --> 00:40:21.920
 to look around

00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:22.340
 the room

00:40:22.340 --> 00:40:24.179
 and you know

00:40:24.179 --> 00:40:24.840
 that somebody

00:40:24.840 --> 00:40:25.619
 in the room

00:40:25.619 --> 00:40:26.139
 is really

00:40:26.139 --> 00:40:26.579
 struggling

00:40:26.579 --> 00:40:28.000
 and yet there

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.480
 they are

00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:30.059
 singing to

00:40:30.059 --> 00:40:30.559
 the Lord

00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:31.920
 praises to

00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:32.280
 God.

00:40:33.240 --> 00:40:33.960
 I trust that

00:40:33.960 --> 00:40:35.159
 that helps

00:40:35.159 --> 00:40:35.720
 to encourage

00:40:35.720 --> 00:40:36.340
 you to know,

00:40:36.500 --> 00:40:36.900
 you know what,

00:40:37.420 --> 00:40:38.280
 if they can

00:40:38.280 --> 00:40:39.099
 sing to Jesus

00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:40.200
 when things

00:40:40.200 --> 00:40:40.559
 are really

00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:40.920
 bad,

00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:42.340
 what a great

00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:43.039
 lesson for

00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:43.460
 my heart

00:40:43.460 --> 00:40:43.900
 to know

00:40:43.900 --> 00:40:44.660
 that Jesus

00:40:44.660 --> 00:40:45.220
 is able

00:40:45.220 --> 00:40:45.940
 to help me

00:40:45.940 --> 00:40:46.440
 even in

00:40:46.440 --> 00:40:47.280
 this pain

00:40:47.280 --> 00:40:47.579
 that I'm

00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:47.860
 feeling.

00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:49.900
 John also

00:40:49.900 --> 00:40:50.620
 wants to make

00:40:50.620 --> 00:40:51.680
 sure that we

00:40:51.680 --> 00:40:52.500
 don't spotlight

00:40:52.500 --> 00:40:53.900
 the giftedness

00:40:53.900 --> 00:40:54.539
 of our

00:40:54.539 --> 00:40:55.320
 musicians

00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:56.320
 or our

00:40:56.320 --> 00:40:56.620
 singers.

00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:57.860
 And by

00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:58.440
 God's grace

00:40:58.440 --> 00:40:59.460
 we have a lot

00:40:59.460 --> 00:40:59.780
 of really

00:40:59.780 --> 00:41:00.300
 gifted people

00:41:00.300 --> 00:41:00.519
 here.

00:41:00.980 --> 00:41:01.880
 I am so

00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:02.960
 thankful for

00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:03.340
 how God

00:41:03.340 --> 00:41:03.820
 has assembled

00:41:03.820 --> 00:41:04.120
 that.

00:41:04.660 --> 00:41:05.300
 But it's

00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:05.800
 not about

00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:06.760
 showcasing

00:41:06.760 --> 00:41:07.480
 people,

00:41:07.660 --> 00:41:08.160
 it's about

00:41:08.160 --> 00:41:09.019
 drawing attention

00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:09.700
 to our

00:41:09.700 --> 00:41:09.960
 Savior.

00:41:11.140 --> 00:41:11.700
 And so when

00:41:11.699 --> 00:41:12.119
 we sing

00:41:12.119 --> 00:41:13.139
 songs and

00:41:13.139 --> 00:41:13.399
 the way

00:41:13.399 --> 00:41:13.819
 we sing

00:41:13.819 --> 00:41:14.259
 songs,

00:41:14.460 --> 00:41:14.799
 we want

00:41:14.799 --> 00:41:15.039
 to make

00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:15.719
 sure that

00:41:15.719 --> 00:41:16.679
 Jesus is

00:41:16.679 --> 00:41:17.159
 the center

00:41:17.159 --> 00:41:18.000
 of all of

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:18.539
 those things,

00:41:18.739 --> 00:41:19.339
 not a

00:41:19.339 --> 00:41:20.559
 musician who

00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:21.439
 is really

00:41:21.439 --> 00:41:21.939
 gifted in

00:41:21.939 --> 00:41:22.159
 what they

00:41:22.159 --> 00:41:22.399
 do.

00:41:23.139 --> 00:41:23.879
 We also

00:41:23.879 --> 00:41:24.439
 want to draw

00:41:24.439 --> 00:41:25.759
 attention to

00:41:25.759 --> 00:41:26.500
 the wonder

00:41:26.500 --> 00:41:27.000
 of who God

00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:27.359
 is through

00:41:27.359 --> 00:41:27.799
 our preaching.

00:41:28.539 --> 00:41:29.179
 So we're

00:41:29.179 --> 00:41:29.319
 going to

00:41:29.319 --> 00:41:29.719
 preach the

00:41:29.719 --> 00:41:30.059
 text.

00:41:30.500 --> 00:41:30.819
 We're going

00:41:30.819 --> 00:41:31.179
 to get you

00:41:31.179 --> 00:41:31.539
 into the

00:41:31.539 --> 00:41:31.799
 Word of

00:41:31.799 --> 00:41:32.059
 God.

00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:32.719
 And we're

00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:33.239
 going to,

00:41:33.960 --> 00:41:34.779
 by design,

00:41:35.279 --> 00:41:36.059
 normally we're

00:41:36.059 --> 00:41:36.539
 going to teach

00:41:36.539 --> 00:41:37.399
 expositionally

00:41:37.399 --> 00:41:38.179
 through books

00:41:38.179 --> 00:41:38.639
 of the Bible.

00:41:38.739 --> 00:41:39.079
 That's our

00:41:39.079 --> 00:41:39.319
 goal.

00:41:39.759 --> 00:41:40.319
 And what that

00:41:40.319 --> 00:41:40.980
 helps me to

00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:41.619
 do is

00:41:41.619 --> 00:41:42.099
 make sure

00:41:42.099 --> 00:41:42.659
 that I'm

00:41:42.659 --> 00:41:43.000
 not just

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:43.420
 telling you

00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:43.819
 the things

00:41:43.819 --> 00:41:44.119
 that are

00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:44.659
 easy and

00:41:44.659 --> 00:41:45.019
 comfortable

00:41:45.019 --> 00:41:45.920
 for me to

00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:46.699
 say or

00:41:46.699 --> 00:41:47.099
 things that

00:41:47.099 --> 00:41:47.699
 are easy and

00:41:47.699 --> 00:41:48.259
 comfortable for

00:41:48.259 --> 00:41:48.659
 you to hear.

00:41:48.819 --> 00:41:49.420
 We want to

00:41:49.420 --> 00:41:50.980
 prioritize the

00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:51.779
 Word of God

00:41:51.779 --> 00:41:52.400
 and we want to

00:41:52.400 --> 00:41:53.380
 prioritize the

00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:54.539
 teaching so

00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:56.119
 that Jesus is

00:41:56.119 --> 00:41:57.119
 in the spotlight

00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:59.139
 through good

00:41:59.139 --> 00:42:00.719
 things and

00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:01.920
 hard things to

00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:03.039
 know, you know

00:42:03.039 --> 00:42:03.619
 what, here's a

00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:04.619
 church that's

00:42:04.619 --> 00:42:05.039
 going to tell me

00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:05.599
 the truth whether

00:42:05.599 --> 00:42:06.319
 or not it's

00:42:06.319 --> 00:42:06.900
 easy for me to

00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:07.059
 hear.

00:42:07.059 --> 00:42:09.360
 So we're

00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:09.579
 going to go

00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:10.239
 through books

00:42:10.239 --> 00:42:10.619
 of the Bible.

00:42:10.739 --> 00:42:11.019
 We're going to

00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:12.019
 teach in a way

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:13.559
 that's expositional

00:42:13.559 --> 00:42:14.940
 verse by verse,

00:42:15.460 --> 00:42:16.239
 book by book,

00:42:16.360 --> 00:42:17.279
 that's the goal.

00:42:18.940 --> 00:42:19.739
 We also want to

00:42:19.739 --> 00:42:20.779
 be a people who

00:42:20.779 --> 00:42:21.500
 are drawn together

00:42:21.500 --> 00:42:21.960
 in prayer.

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:23.820
 Pastor David has

00:42:23.820 --> 00:42:24.420
 done an amazing

00:42:24.420 --> 00:42:25.619
 job in putting

00:42:25.619 --> 00:42:26.559
 together something

00:42:26.559 --> 00:42:27.440
 every single week

00:42:27.440 --> 00:42:27.739
 called the

00:42:27.739 --> 00:42:28.500
 Powerhouse Prayer.

00:42:28.779 --> 00:42:29.500
 It is a little

00:42:29.500 --> 00:42:30.579
 telegram article

00:42:30.579 --> 00:42:31.920
 and it is

00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:32.519
 phenomenal.

00:42:32.519 --> 00:42:33.460
 It walks you

00:42:33.460 --> 00:42:34.079
 through not only

00:42:34.079 --> 00:42:35.360
 the prayer requests

00:42:35.360 --> 00:42:36.500
 that are current

00:42:36.500 --> 00:42:38.119
 in our body but

00:42:38.119 --> 00:42:39.119
 also walks you

00:42:39.119 --> 00:42:39.980
 through a passage

00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:40.900
 of scripture to

00:42:40.900 --> 00:42:41.519
 know how you can

00:42:41.519 --> 00:42:44.119
 pray more faithfully.

00:42:44.820 --> 00:42:45.820
 How can you use

00:42:45.820 --> 00:42:46.780
 the Word of God

00:42:46.780 --> 00:42:47.800
 to pray in a way

00:42:47.800 --> 00:42:49.179
 that you're not

00:42:49.179 --> 00:42:50.360
 distracted, that

00:42:50.360 --> 00:42:51.440
 helps to align your

00:42:51.440 --> 00:42:52.380
 heart to what God

00:42:52.380 --> 00:42:53.119
 wants to do.

00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:54.039
 Praying God's

00:42:54.039 --> 00:42:55.340
 words back to Him.

00:42:56.699 --> 00:42:57.639
 In prayer we also

00:42:57.639 --> 00:42:58.340
 have small groups

00:42:58.340 --> 00:42:58.980
 that incorporate

00:42:58.980 --> 00:43:00.679
 prayer as a main

00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:01.900
 element of their

00:43:01.900 --> 00:43:02.500
 time together.

00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:04.059
 prayer in giving.

00:43:04.679 --> 00:43:05.340
 We want to call

00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:05.980
 you to give not

00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:06.739
 because we need

00:43:06.739 --> 00:43:07.000
 money.

00:43:07.980 --> 00:43:08.679
 We want to call

00:43:08.679 --> 00:43:09.480
 you to give because

00:43:09.480 --> 00:43:10.159
 we want you to

00:43:10.159 --> 00:43:12.139
 enjoy the blessing

00:43:12.139 --> 00:43:14.000
 of recognizing that

00:43:14.000 --> 00:43:15.920
 God is able to

00:43:15.920 --> 00:43:16.639
 provide for your

00:43:16.639 --> 00:43:16.920
 needs.

00:43:17.699 --> 00:43:19.059
 And to enjoy the

00:43:19.059 --> 00:43:21.500
 blessing of knowing

00:43:21.500 --> 00:43:22.539
 Him for yourself

00:43:22.539 --> 00:43:24.639
 and seeing that in

00:43:24.639 --> 00:43:25.960
 your expression of

00:43:25.960 --> 00:43:27.019
 giving you're

00:43:27.019 --> 00:43:28.099
 trusting Him with

00:43:28.099 --> 00:43:28.579
 your stuff.

00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:30.539
 Fellowship.

00:43:31.139 --> 00:43:31.719
 We want our

00:43:31.719 --> 00:43:32.340
 fellowship to be

00:43:32.340 --> 00:43:32.840
 Christ-centered.

00:43:33.500 --> 00:43:34.039
 We'll talk about

00:43:34.039 --> 00:43:35.240
 that more next

00:43:35.240 --> 00:43:35.559
 week.

00:43:35.860 --> 00:43:36.420
 We want to draw

00:43:36.420 --> 00:43:37.220
 our attention not

00:43:37.220 --> 00:43:38.579
 just to the things

00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:39.519
 that are going on

00:43:39.519 --> 00:43:40.059
 in your life.

00:43:40.160 --> 00:43:41.660
 We care about those

00:43:41.660 --> 00:43:42.680
 two but we want

00:43:42.680 --> 00:43:43.860
 your fellowship to

00:43:43.860 --> 00:43:45.039
 be the kind of

00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:46.160
 fellowship we see

00:43:46.160 --> 00:43:47.100
 in Hebrews where

00:43:47.100 --> 00:43:47.960
 you're stirring one

00:43:47.960 --> 00:43:48.760
 another up to love

00:43:48.760 --> 00:43:49.400
 and good deeds.

00:43:50.440 --> 00:43:50.940
 And finally,

00:43:51.079 --> 00:43:51.519
 service.

00:43:52.200 --> 00:43:53.100
 Service to God.

00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:55.600
 In your service

00:43:55.600 --> 00:43:56.760
 here at Maranatha

00:43:56.760 --> 00:43:57.880
 that your service

00:43:57.880 --> 00:43:58.920
 is directed to

00:43:58.920 --> 00:43:59.120
 Him.

00:43:59.119 --> 00:44:00.599
 You see,

00:44:00.759 --> 00:44:01.559
 worship happens

00:44:01.559 --> 00:44:02.719
 when we gather

00:44:02.719 --> 00:44:03.839
 and sing and pray

00:44:03.839 --> 00:44:04.519
 and hear the word

00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:04.940
 of God.

00:44:05.239 --> 00:44:05.940
 We fellowship

00:44:05.940 --> 00:44:06.759
 and we praise

00:44:06.759 --> 00:44:08.359
 but worship is

00:44:08.359 --> 00:44:09.659
 meant really to

00:44:09.659 --> 00:44:10.420
 direct your hearts

00:44:10.420 --> 00:44:11.219
 to Him.

00:44:12.019 --> 00:44:12.639
 And I trust

00:44:12.639 --> 00:44:13.900
 that as we grow

00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:15.119
 in this together

00:44:15.119 --> 00:44:16.279
 that God will help

00:44:16.279 --> 00:44:17.639
 us to be faithful.

00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:18.339
 Let me pray.

00:44:19.579 --> 00:44:20.380
 Father, I thank

00:44:20.380 --> 00:44:20.579
 you.

00:44:21.420 --> 00:44:22.219
 I thank you for

00:44:22.219 --> 00:44:23.039
 your word and for

00:44:23.039 --> 00:44:24.119
 the challenge we

00:44:24.119 --> 00:44:25.619
 get from this

00:44:25.619 --> 00:44:25.940
 scripture.

00:44:25.940 --> 00:44:28.059
 how you put the

00:44:28.059 --> 00:44:28.720
 church together.

00:44:28.900 --> 00:44:29.400
 It's incredible.

00:44:30.519 --> 00:44:31.900
 Thank you that the

00:44:31.900 --> 00:44:32.900
 work of the church

00:44:32.900 --> 00:44:34.960
 does not rest on us.

00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:36.880
 The work of building

00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:38.139
 this church rests on

00:44:38.139 --> 00:44:38.400
 you.

00:44:39.780 --> 00:44:41.240
 So steer our hearts

00:44:41.240 --> 00:44:42.000
 towards you, Lord.

00:44:42.980 --> 00:44:43.920
 Help us to know you

00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:45.539
 more, to love you

00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:47.420
 more, to depend on

00:44:47.420 --> 00:44:49.340
 you more so that we

00:44:49.340 --> 00:44:51.039
 can show Christ

00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:51.840
 through our lives

00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:53.400
 more clearly day by

00:44:53.400 --> 00:44:53.659
 day.

00:44:54.240 --> 00:44:55.240
 In Jesus' name we

00:44:55.240 --> 00:44:55.400
 pray.

00:44:55.460 --> 00:44:55.639
 Amen.

00:44:56.519 --> 00:44:57.079
 God bless you.

00:44:57.280 --> 00:44:57.980
 Have a great week.

00:44:57.980 --> 00:44:58.099
 Amen.