WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.980 The scripture reading comes from 1 Corinthians chapter 1, starting at verse 18. 00:00:06.540 --> 00:00:09.820 Please follow along on the screen or in your bulletin. 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:21.059 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being 00:00:21.059 --> 00:00:23.600 saved it is the power of God. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:30.540 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning 00:00:30.540 --> 00:00:31.660 I will thwart. 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:34.660 Where is the one who is wise? 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:36.359 Where is the scribe? 00:00:36.900 --> 00:00:38.640 Where is the debater of this age? 00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:42.799 Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 00:00:43.620 --> 00:00:50.140 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased 00:00:50.140 --> 00:00:54.640 God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 00:00:55.579 --> 00:00:59.219 For Jews demand signs, and Greeks seek wisdom. 00:01:00.100 --> 00:01:06.280 But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:14.560 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:15.159 of God. 00:01:15.820 --> 00:01:22.420 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:24.859 For consider your calling, brothers. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:29.280 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:31.140 Not many were powerful. 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:33.439 Not many were of noble birth. 00:01:34.300 --> 00:01:38.620 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:43.099 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:51.359 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:56.759 things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:01:57.759 --> 00:02:05.119 And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.340 and sanctification and redemption. 00:02:08.340 --> 00:02:14.420 So that, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:20.719 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:23.180 with lofty speech or wisdom. 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:30.080 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:34.920 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling. 00:02:35.640 --> 00:02:42.740 And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:50.340 spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power 00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:51.300 of God. 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:52.439 Amen. 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:54.220 Great. 00:02:54.340 --> 00:02:55.080 Thank you, Karen. 00:02:55.080 --> 00:02:59.160 Well, once again, good morning and welcome, everybody. 00:02:59.500 --> 00:03:02.860 It is such a joy to be able to celebrate this day with you. 00:03:03.060 --> 00:03:09.000 I have been so excited this week, looking forward to celebrating our 10-year anniversary with you 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:09.300 all. 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:13.939 And for those of you who are online, watching in the middle of the night somewhere, Tobin 00:03:13.939 --> 00:03:16.540 and Christina and all the others, welcome. 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:18.180 It's great to have you guys with us. 00:03:18.540 --> 00:03:22.620 And to our ministry partners, we're so glad that you have joined us this morning. 00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:27.340 And of course, the Watermark family, a warm welcome and wonderful to celebrate with you 00:03:27.340 --> 00:03:27.700 as well. 00:03:28.420 --> 00:03:32.719 Now, this morning, I am going to try and keep this a little tighter than usual. 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:37.200 And if you've got the bulletin in front of you or your Bible, open it up because we're 00:03:37.200 --> 00:03:41.379 going to work through this amazing, amazing passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:43.680 And the context is this. 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:44.240 Let me explain. 00:03:44.420 --> 00:03:48.640 Paul is writing this letter to this church in the city of Corinth. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:53.199 Now, Corinth is a city in Greece, ancient Greece. 00:03:53.639 --> 00:04:00.000 And it is strategically located between the mainland Greece and this peninsula at the bottom. 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:06.079 And where these two joined is this very strategically placed city called the city of Corinth. 00:04:06.619 --> 00:04:11.819 And what that means is it was a very influential city because it was right on the trading routes. 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:13.719 It was a very wealthy city. 00:04:14.519 --> 00:04:17.279 And it was also a very cosmopolitan city. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:22.759 It was a city where people came to make their fortunes, maybe full of dreams, low on money. 00:04:23.059 --> 00:04:26.079 But through hard work and dedications, they could do well. 00:04:26.679 --> 00:04:31.459 And so in many ways, the city of Corinth is not too dissimilar from Hong Kong, this influential, 00:04:31.779 --> 00:04:35.239 wealthy trading city that was very cosmopolitan. 00:04:35.799 --> 00:04:39.179 But also, it was very rich in Greek culture. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:44.099 And if you know anything about ancient Greek culture, think of people like Aristotle and Plato 00:04:44.100 --> 00:04:52.740 and Socrates, the Greeks really prized things like philosophy, wisdom, education, civilized culture. 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:58.020 And so this is the city that Paul is writing this letter to. 00:04:58.360 --> 00:04:59.939 There's the context, the background. 00:04:59.939 --> 00:05:06.860 As we look at this passage, I want us to just notice three things that Paul says to this church in Corinth 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:11.279 that I think are applicable to us as a church at this juncture in our journey. 00:05:11.660 --> 00:05:11.719 Okay? 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:18.740 We're going to talk about remember our origins, remember who we are, remember our calling. 00:05:19.300 --> 00:05:19.459 Okay? 00:05:19.899 --> 00:05:24.620 Very simply, remember where we've come from, remember who we are, remember where we're going. 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:26.519 Okay, so let's dive in. 00:05:26.579 --> 00:05:29.019 Firstly, remember our origins. 00:05:29.019 --> 00:05:29.500 Okay? 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:39.899 Contrary to the culture on the street, the Corinthian church was not full of people that were hybrid culture or cultural elites. 00:05:40.379 --> 00:05:43.720 The church actually was made up of pretty ordinary people. 00:05:44.420 --> 00:05:50.620 And Paul suggests that the church here in Corinth is actually full of people that the cultural elites of their day 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:55.500 kind of thought weren't particularly impressive, weren't very powerful people. 00:05:55.579 --> 00:05:59.100 Look what he says in verse 26 to 29. 00:05:59.100 --> 00:05:59.439 He says, 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:01.939 Consider your calling, brothers and sisters. 00:06:02.740 --> 00:06:06.600 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:06:07.020 --> 00:06:08.160 Not many were powerful. 00:06:08.740 --> 00:06:10.360 Not many were of noble birth. 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.720 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:06:14.020 --> 00:06:16.640 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:06:17.320 --> 00:06:22.200 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are considered nothing, 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:28.979 to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:06:29.740 --> 00:06:36.039 Paul reminds them that the origins of this Corinthian church is less than impressive origins. 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:47.000 And yet, God has chosen them and chosen to use them, nonetheless, despite their kind of average origins and beginnings. 00:06:47.400 --> 00:06:52.320 In fact, Paul tells them that this is probably the very reason why God has chosen them, 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:57.259 because naturally speaking, they're not the most powerful or impressive people in the city. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:58.420 And look what he says. 00:06:58.460 --> 00:06:58.600 He says, 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:00.160 Not many of you were wise. 00:07:00.520 --> 00:07:01.879 Not many were that powerful. 00:07:02.400 --> 00:07:04.480 Not many of you were of noble birth. 00:07:05.340 --> 00:07:12.620 And yet, despite that, God chose them and chose to use them and to bless them. 00:07:13.840 --> 00:07:18.640 And friends, as we think about it, that's actually the way that God always works. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:27.620 God always seems to have this knack for choosing those kind of people that, naturally speaking, culturally speaking, 00:07:27.919 --> 00:07:32.060 aren't the most impressive, the most powerful, the most influential. 00:07:32.740 --> 00:07:38.539 And the reason why he does that is so that we can see that behind everything that happens, 00:07:38.699 --> 00:07:42.659 everything that we are, is actually the hand of the sovereign God. 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:44.759 He is the source and the origin. 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:50.339 He is the power and the wisdom behind everything that is and everything that happens in his kingdom, 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:54.819 so that when a church like us looks back, all we can say is, 00:07:55.420 --> 00:07:56.219 All glory to him. 00:07:56.659 --> 00:07:57.779 All honor to him. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:07:58.439 Right? 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.839 Now, at times, God does choose to use people that are simply brilliant. 00:08:05.039 --> 00:08:05.259 Right? 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:10.219 Think of people like John Piper, Tim Keller, John Stott. 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:11.800 Think even in the Bible. 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:16.699 Think of people like Moses, who is this prince in Egypt, grows up in Pharaoh's palace. 00:08:16.819 --> 00:08:18.259 Think of Paul, right? 00:08:18.300 --> 00:08:22.520 The guy who wrote a whole lot of the New Testament is the leading Pharisee of his day. 00:08:22.660 --> 00:08:25.020 Sometimes God uses really brilliant people. 00:08:25.900 --> 00:08:31.560 But actually, as you think about it, often God has to take those people and he humbles them 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:37.720 or leads them into a period of obscurity, that's what he's looking for, 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:40.659 obscurity before he then uses them. 00:08:40.659 --> 00:08:45.779 Think of Moses, this man who grows up as a prince in Pharaoh's palace. 00:08:46.740 --> 00:08:49.419 And yet, before God uses him to deliver his people, 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:56.839 God takes Moses and asks him to be a shepherd in the wilderness for 40 years, looking after sheep. 00:08:57.559 --> 00:08:59.120 Or think of Paul, right? 00:08:59.179 --> 00:09:04.879 This great man that studied under Gamaliel, mentored by the leading Pharisee of his day. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:08.080 Paul is ascending the ranks, growing in his career. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:15.200 And yet, before God can use him, he humbles him, sends him into the Arabian desert for 10 or 15 years. 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:18.539 And then says, okay, Paul, now I can use you. 00:09:18.539 --> 00:09:28.179 God uses very often those that are not that impressive, those that are not the most powerful for his purposes. 00:09:28.179 --> 00:09:33.299 Now, Tobin and Christina, no offense to you. 00:09:34.439 --> 00:09:38.279 Franklin, Teresa, those that were here in the early days. 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:44.039 Charles and Jasmine, Simon and Sherman, Celeste and Fiona. 00:09:44.279 --> 00:09:46.919 Those are some of the original crew of Watermark. 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:48.599 No offense to anybody here. 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:51.899 But that's the story of Watermark Church as well. 00:09:52.580 --> 00:10:02.540 That everything that we are and everything that God has done in and through us is not because of rock star pastors that the church began with. 00:10:02.779 --> 00:10:06.300 Not because of these amazing people that started Watermark Church. 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:08.080 Remember our story. 00:10:08.300 --> 00:10:10.300 Remember how God started this church. 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:13.300 Remember the early days and some of the early leaders. 00:10:14.019 --> 00:10:16.340 Not many were impressive by Hong Kong standards. 00:10:16.340 --> 00:10:19.759 Not many were powerful or were of noble birth. 00:10:20.740 --> 00:10:23.300 And yet God chose what is ordinary. 00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:31.480 In fact, God chose even what is flawed and broken to start this church that the glory may go to him. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:34.600 Now, what does that mean for us? 00:10:34.780 --> 00:10:35.940 Well, it means a couple of things. 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:43.259 Firstly, what it means is you may walk in here and look around you and think, man, all these people, their lives are sorted, right? 00:10:43.620 --> 00:10:44.379 They're all married. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:45.700 They've got two and a half kids. 00:10:45.700 --> 00:10:46.660 They've got the dog. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:49.379 The cars in the parking lot all look pretty nice. 00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:52.940 Man, these people, their lives are pretty sorted out. 00:10:53.640 --> 00:10:54.800 Friends, don't be fooled. 00:10:55.820 --> 00:11:04.900 This church is still today full of people that are broken, flawed, insecure, not all that impressive. 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:06.159 From the pastors in the front. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:07.019 From the pastors in the front. 00:11:07.019 --> 00:11:07.039 From the pastors in the front. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:07.059 From the pastors in the front. 00:11:07.419 --> 00:11:08.759 To everyone else. 00:11:09.339 --> 00:11:15.139 This church is the story of God using very ordinary people and doing something extraordinary through it. 00:11:15.459 --> 00:11:16.559 Because of who he is. 00:11:17.339 --> 00:11:18.439 And you know what that also means? 00:11:18.839 --> 00:11:21.679 It means that you can come in here and you don't need to put on a front. 00:11:22.179 --> 00:11:25.779 You don't need to feel the pressure to try and look impressive. 00:11:26.179 --> 00:11:28.120 You don't need to put on a special face. 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:30.220 But you can just come and be yourself. 00:11:30.440 --> 00:11:32.240 Because this church is full of ordinary people. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:35.139 And it also means that nobody is excluded. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:38.259 You may come and say, hey Kevin, you don't know what I've done. 00:11:38.340 --> 00:11:40.279 Or you don't know what my past is like. 00:11:40.340 --> 00:11:43.019 Or you don't know the shame that I've brought to my family. 00:11:43.700 --> 00:11:44.360 That's okay. 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:46.740 This church is full of people like that. 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:49.600 Because this church isn't full of extraordinary people. 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:51.279 It's made up of very ordinary people. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:52.919 And an extraordinary God. 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:56.860 Paul writes and he says, remember your calling, brothers and sisters. 00:11:57.079 --> 00:11:58.360 Not many were wise. 00:11:58.719 --> 00:11:59.879 Not many were powerful. 00:12:00.079 --> 00:12:01.599 Not many were of noble birth. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:03.500 But God chose what is foolish. 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:04.860 God chose what is weak. 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:08.559 God chose what is low and despised in the world. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:11.599 So that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:13.500 Remember our origins. 00:12:14.339 --> 00:12:16.299 Secondly, remember who we are. 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:18.299 Remember who we are. 00:12:19.139 --> 00:12:22.299 At the very heart of Watermark, we are a counter-cultural. 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:24.939 Cultural gospel community. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:31.819 In the church in Corinth, there were two kind of main groups of people. 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:32.839 Two cultures. 00:12:33.259 --> 00:12:36.299 On the one hand, there was a very Jewish group of people. 00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:39.379 That came from a Hebraic background. 00:12:39.979 --> 00:12:42.899 And on the other hand, there was a very non-Jewish group of people. 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:45.139 That came from a Greek background. 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:51.219 And both of these groups of people, culturally, naturally, their own culture. 00:12:51.220 --> 00:12:53.820 There were elements of the gospel. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.080 The story of Jesus and His death on the cross. 00:12:56.220 --> 00:12:58.080 That they found ridiculous. 00:12:58.740 --> 00:12:59.800 Offensive even. 00:13:00.500 --> 00:13:07.840 And yet, both of these cultures actually were looking for something that the gospel was the answer to. 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:08.720 Okay? 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:14.720 So both groups of people, by their natural culture, found elements of the gospel just unbelievable. 00:13:15.180 --> 00:13:15.620 Foolish. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:16.120 Weak. 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:16.920 Ridiculous. 00:13:17.420 --> 00:13:21.340 And yet, both of them were looking for something that the gospel could answer. 00:13:21.779 --> 00:13:25.040 Look at how Paul says it here in verse 20. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:55.019 He says, 00:13:55.039 --> 00:14:16.519 For those who were of a Jewish background, the Messiah that they were looking for was a Messiah who would be strong, powerful. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:21.740 Someone who would overthrow the Roman enemy, the Roman army. 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:27.079 Someone who would bring religious and political liberty and freedom. 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:31.620 And yet, Jesus ends up crucified by the Romans. 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:35.980 Which, in their minds, meant that He was cursed by God and defeated by His enemies. 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:36.419 Okay? 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.740 So that's the Jewish group of people. 00:14:39.259 --> 00:14:43.279 And the Greeks, on the other hand, remember, the Greeks are always looking for some kind of wisdom. 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:44.940 Some kind of new teaching. 00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:46.159 Some kind of enlightenment. 00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:48.220 Something that's going to improve their lives. 00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:49.299 Or add to their lives. 00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:51.120 Or add to their respectability. 00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:52.100 Or their civilization. 00:14:52.100 --> 00:14:59.240 And the idea to the Greeks that Jesus would end up crucified on a Roman cross. 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:02.879 What kind of ridiculous God got Himself crucified by His enemies? 00:15:03.180 --> 00:15:03.360 Okay? 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:07.540 The wisdom of the sages and the rabbis was meant to improve your life. 00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:09.300 Advance your cause. 00:15:09.299 --> 00:15:14.139 And so both the Jews and the Greeks, they look at the gospel. 00:15:14.439 --> 00:15:16.120 And this just doesn't make any sense to them. 00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:17.359 This is just ridiculous. 00:15:18.599 --> 00:15:30.539 And yet, the counter-cultural, counter-intuitive message of the gospel is actually both the power that the Jews were looking for. 00:15:30.699 --> 00:15:33.859 And the wisdom that the Greeks were looking for. 00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:41.360 In the gospel, the Jews discovered a power, not just to overthrow their enemies. 00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:43.700 Not just to advance their career. 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:46.279 Not just to climb the corporate ladder. 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.399 A power that really dealt with the real issues of life. 00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:56.480 In the gospel, we discover a power that destroys the things that are destroying our lives. 00:15:56.980 --> 00:15:59.539 Power over sin and shame. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:01.340 Power over guilt. 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:04.440 Power to destroy fear and insecurity. 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:10.340 Power to dismantle the selfishness and the insecurities and the fears in our heart. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.879 In the gospel, we discover God's power over death and over sin and over Satan. 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:20.259 In the crucified Messiah, we find not only the power to advance our careers, 00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:25.600 but the power to destroy the destructive patterns that destroy our own life. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:32.000 But not only that, in the gospel, the Greeks who are seeking this wisdom to advance their life, 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:38.480 would discover a wisdom, a truth, that you can never find in the cultural elites of your day. 00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:44.680 In the gospel, we discover that it's only those who seem defeated that actually find victory. 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:48.340 It's those who give away their possessions who own the most. 00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:53.120 It's those who pour themselves out for others that actually are satisfied and filled. 00:16:53.639 --> 00:17:00.280 In the gospel, we find that it's those who are poor in spirit and materials that are actually often the most wealthy, 00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:04.160 that have the most, that are the most blessed, most secure, most free. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:10.860 Only in light of the gospel do we see that those who lay down their lives actually find life. 00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:20.879 Only in the cross do we see how God could bring broken, sinful humanity back into relationship with Him. 00:17:21.159 --> 00:17:25.419 How God could bring justice to our world, which our world so desperately longs for, 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:29.779 and mercy at the same time, how these two could meet without destroying one another. 00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:34.559 Friends, the gospel's always going to be counter-cultural, counter-intuitive. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:41.639 And yet, the gospel's going to call us to do things that may seem foolish at first, may seem unwise or weak, 00:17:41.919 --> 00:17:48.220 but in the economy of heaven, the gospel's going to give us the power and the wisdom that actually we look for, 00:17:48.419 --> 00:17:51.940 and that we realize is actually the wisdom that we need. 00:17:52.460 --> 00:17:59.039 Let me give you one brief example of how this counter-cultural, counter-intuitive message of the gospel 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:00.759 shapes everything that we are. 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:10.839 A few years ago, two or three years ago, as a church, we weren't giving away a lot of resources, money, beyond us as a church. 00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:15.779 And so a couple of years ago, as elders we spoke about, said, let's change that. 00:18:15.859 --> 00:18:21.960 Let's set aside a small portion, a small percentage each month of our resources to give away beyond us. 00:18:22.140 --> 00:18:23.579 And so we did that. 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:27.640 And the next year we said, okay, let's triple that amount. 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:29.500 And so we tripled that amount. 00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:35.160 And so this last year, in the midst of COVID-19, in the midst of economic downturn, 00:18:35.779 --> 00:18:43.539 Watermark has given away more money and set aside more money to give away than we ever have in the history of Watermark, 00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:44.599 or at least I know of. 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:45.000 Okay? 00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:49.400 A couple of months ago, when we were redoing our budget for this next year, 00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:52.460 we decided let's double that amount again. 00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:56.559 So in the midst of COVID-19, in the midst of the economic downturn, 00:18:57.059 --> 00:19:02.559 where natural convention and wisdom says, let's lock down our resources. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:02.880 Okay? 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:07.319 Not only will we lock down our restaurants and our houses, we will lock down our resources. 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:13.259 As a church, actually the gospel is countercultural, counterintuitive, 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:15.880 so let's give away more than we ever have before. 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:18.500 And so we doubled our giving once again. 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:23.720 And my hope is that next year we can double that again as we look forward. 00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:25.460 Why do we do that? 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:29.960 Because the gospel gives us this countercultural, counterintuitive wisdom. 00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:36.460 That rather than thinking that our security is in our finances or our bank accounts or the size of our church, 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:42.160 actually the gospel tells us that our security and our future is in the one who went to the cross, 00:19:42.620 --> 00:19:43.799 but didn't remain on the cross. 00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:46.340 The one who died, but he didn't stay dead. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:49.079 The one who ended up in the tomb, but he didn't remain in the tomb. 00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:50.440 The one who rose again. 00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:57.340 You see, friends, the gospel calls us to live this radical, countercultural, counterintuitive life 00:19:57.340 --> 00:20:00.700 because we're not trying to be different just for different sake. 00:20:00.840 --> 00:20:03.160 We're not trying to be different just to stand out. 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:09.060 Actually, because our lives and our church are shaped by the one who, though he was God, 00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:13.920 didn't consider equality with God something to be grasped, something to be held onto. 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:17.040 But he laid aside his majesty and his glory. 00:20:17.560 --> 00:20:20.960 He emptied himself and he came and he took on the nature of a servant. 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:23.120 And he ended up on the cross. 00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:26.700 And yet God said to Jesus that he didn't remain there, 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:32.820 but he gave him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow down. 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:36.860 You see, the gospel gives us this countercultural, counterintuitive message. 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:38.160 And that's what Paul's saying here. 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:42.480 He's saying that, yes, the gospel, it challenges the national convention, 00:20:42.620 --> 00:20:44.200 but we're a gospel-shaped community. 00:20:44.380 --> 00:20:47.600 And that means we're going to look different, we're going to act different. 00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:48.860 Who are we? 00:20:49.100 --> 00:20:52.840 At our heart, we are a gospel-shaped, countercultural community. 00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.040 Third thing is this. 00:20:55.700 --> 00:20:56.519 Who are we becoming? 00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:58.820 Remember who we're becoming. 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:05.480 Mac Peer is a thought leader in New York City. 00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:11.059 And Mac Peer, he started this institution called the New York City Leadership Center. 00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:16.200 And Mac Peer studies kind of urban city church environments. 00:21:16.439 --> 00:21:19.259 And he came up with his research, and this is what he said. 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:27.680 Churches that are younger than 10 years old are eight times more effective at reaching people to gospel 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:30.420 than churches that are older than 10 years old. 00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:30.839 Okay? 00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:35.740 So church that's 10 years and younger, eight times more effective in its gospel witness 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:38.460 than churches that are older than 10 years old. 00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:38.920 Okay? 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:45.200 Now that's probably not the most encouraging thing to say at your 10-year birthday celebration. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:45.519 Okay? 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:47.579 Our best days are behind us. 00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:49.039 It's all downhill from now. 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:50.579 That's the end. 00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:50.939 Okay? 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:53.059 Unless. 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.519 Unless something. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:57.220 Unless we realize that. 00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:59.439 Why is that? 00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:03.339 The reason why that is, is because when churches first begin, 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:07.099 they are crystal clear on their calling and their mission. 00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:13.059 When a church first begins, it's crystal clear that we as a church exist to take this gospel, 00:22:13.059 --> 00:22:19.099 the good news of Jesus, into our city to help people that don't know the wonder of Jesus, 00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:22.399 that haven't discovered his love and his mercy and his grace, 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:26.039 to find it in the person of Christ and in the gospel. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:32.259 But over time, as the church becomes more established and more settled, what do we do? 00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:34.359 We tend to become more inward-looking. 00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:38.980 We tend to spend our time worrying about leadership development and in-house ministries. 00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:42.319 We spend more and more time catering for those that are in the church, 00:22:42.360 --> 00:22:45.120 and we forget about those that don't know Christ. 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:51.900 And so, over time, the church becomes more internally focused and inherently consumeristic. 00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:56.319 Now, look at what Paul says here in chapter 2 of 1 Corinthians. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.279 He says this, 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:01.000 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, 00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:06.000 I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech and wisdom. 00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:10.879 I decided to know nothing amongst you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 00:23:11.659 --> 00:23:14.220 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:17.939 My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:21.159 but in demonstrations of the Spirit and of power, 00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:24.560 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, 00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:27.440 but in the power of God. 00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:29.580 Is here what Paul's saying here? 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:30.740 He's saying, 00:23:30.820 --> 00:23:33.820 When I came to you, I could have come with a whole host of agendas. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:38.259 I could have come with a way of improving your spiritual life. 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:41.400 I could have come with advice to help you improve your life. 00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:44.360 I could have come with five tips to have a better marriage 00:23:44.360 --> 00:23:47.720 and seven ways to raise your kids and all sorts of things. 00:23:48.360 --> 00:23:49.759 But actually, when I came to you, 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:52.680 I was crystal clear on what my calling was. 00:23:53.140 --> 00:23:56.420 I came to you with the message of the good news of Jesus. 00:23:56.900 --> 00:24:01.140 I came to you and brought to you the message that you are lost without Christ, 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:06.039 but Jesus died on the cross to reconcile people that don't know Him, 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.660 to come and find Him. 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:12.420 That those who haven't discovered the love of Jesus might come to know Him. 00:24:12.940 --> 00:24:18.400 Paul came with the life-changing message of redemption, reconciliation, and righteousness, 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:23.220 found in the person of Jesus, because Jesus died on the cross in our place. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.780 He says here in verse 2, 00:24:25.120 --> 00:24:29.019 I decided to know nothing amongst you except Christ and Him crucified. 00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:31.519 And that's a strange verse, but what it means is this, 00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:34.960 that Paul had the gospel and its crucified Messiah 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:40.340 as his singular focus and passion when he came to the Corinthian church. 00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:44.519 And friends, as we move into our second decade as a church, 00:24:44.959 --> 00:24:46.539 we're going to face the same temptation, 00:24:46.899 --> 00:24:49.899 to become more and more inward focused and introspective 00:24:49.899 --> 00:24:52.319 and become more and more inherently consumeristic. 00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:56.439 And yet, Christ calls us to remember our calling, 00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:58.839 to be a gospel-shaped community, 00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:04.500 but to be a missional community that takes the good news of Jesus dying in our place 00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:09.339 to our city to bring the hope and the wonder of Jesus to the city of Hong Kong. 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:11.000 And so do you know what that means? 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:13.640 That means that we have to become a church 00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:16.059 that is continuing to plant churches in our city. 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:18.400 That means that we have to become a church 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:22.759 that continues to send missionaries across Asia and out to our city. 00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:24.759 That means we have to become a church 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:29.380 that is continuing to support ministries in the city of Hong Kong and beyond. 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:31.340 And that's going to come with a cost. 00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:35.960 And that's going to be sad as we say goodbye to some of our very best people. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:40.460 And that's going to cost us financially and emotionally and relationally. 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:44.600 And yet Paul says that those things, even though they cost him, 00:25:45.080 --> 00:25:48.520 even though he was fearful, even though he was weak at times, 00:25:49.080 --> 00:25:49.940 that was fine. 00:25:50.320 --> 00:25:53.500 Because what it taught him is that the power wasn't in himself. 00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:55.540 The power is in God. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:58.380 The one who raised Jesus from the dead. 00:25:58.380 --> 00:26:02.660 And the power was in the Holy Spirit that empowered the church to be the church 00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:04.480 that God had called them to be. 00:26:05.300 --> 00:26:08.440 Friends, family, Watermark, 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:11.880 as we come to this juncture in our story, 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:13.720 let's remember our origins. 00:26:14.760 --> 00:26:18.880 Watermark is not a church that's birthed out of superstar pastors or brilliance. 00:26:19.520 --> 00:26:22.560 It's a very church that's birthed out of humble beginnings. 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:24.620 Let's remember who we are. 00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:28.040 At the heart of who we are, we are a gospel-shaped community. 00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:31.920 That Christ and who he is and what he did on the cross is the very rock, 00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:33.339 the foundation of our church. 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.319 That apart from that, we have nothing. 00:26:35.899 --> 00:26:38.980 Apart from Jesus and his death on the cross, we might as well close shop. 00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:40.980 We have nothing apart from him. 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:41.859 That's who we are. 00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:43.940 And who is God calling us to be? 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:46.019 To be a mission-shaped community. 00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:50.639 A community that's outward focused, that's taking the wonder of who Jesus is, 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:53.420 the way he's changed our lives and what he's done for us, 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:58.579 into our cities so that more people can discover the life and the healing 00:26:58.579 --> 00:27:04.200 and the redemption and the reconciliation in the person of Christ. 00:27:05.059 --> 00:27:07.539 Friends, let's be a church that is so in love with Jesus, 00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:12.299 so humbled by his grace, so built up in his love, 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:16.019 so astounded by who he is and what he's done for us, 00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:20.519 that we continue to offer the hope of Christ to a lost and broken world. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.599 Let's pray. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:28.899 Lord Jesus, we stand here this morning amazed, God. 00:27:29.699 --> 00:27:32.639 Not just at what you've done in us and through us, 00:27:32.719 --> 00:27:37.099 not just at the stories and the testimonies and the people that have been added. 00:27:37.719 --> 00:27:39.399 God, we're amazed by who you are. 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:46.719 Father, I want to pray that you will send your Holy Spirit upon us as a church, 00:27:47.419 --> 00:27:50.159 that you will both humble us by your grace 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:52.900 and build us up by your profound love. 00:27:54.340 --> 00:27:56.360 God, I want you once again this morning, 00:27:56.580 --> 00:28:00.220 call us back to the foundations and the roots of who we are. 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:02.940 God, may we come back to the foot of the cross, 00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:06.700 find our hope and our identity in you. 00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:12.019 God, I pray that we as a church, God, 00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:16.279 will never move beyond our humble origins, God, our humble beginnings. 00:28:16.820 --> 00:28:19.140 We will never become proud and self-sufficient. 00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:24.100 We will never think that what is done in and through us as a church is somehow because of us. 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:28.580 But that God forever, we will say all glory to you. 00:28:31.280 --> 00:28:34.860 God, I pray, won't you fill us as a church with your Holy Spirit, God. 00:28:35.380 --> 00:28:37.060 Won't you send us out, God. 00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:41.440 Won't you call church planters and missionaries, 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:44.220 worship leaders and CG leaders, 00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:47.420 counselors and businessmen and businesswomen, God, 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:49.880 that have a sense of calling, 00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:52.700 a sense of your anointing on them, God. 00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:57.080 Lawyers and doctors and teachers, 00:28:58.700 --> 00:29:00.059 foreign domestic helpers, God, 00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:03.860 won't you infuse us and imbibe us, God, with your spirit. 00:29:04.820 --> 00:29:05.920 Send us out, we pray. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:09.160 God, we pray that the city of Hong Kong 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:14.080 will be more full of the hope of Jesus 00:29:14.080 --> 00:29:17.519 because of churches like Watermark 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:19.460 and other churches in our city, God. 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:20.580 We pray that for ourselves. 00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:22.259 We pray that for other churches in our city. 00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:23.840 We pray for our brothers and sisters 00:29:23.840 --> 00:29:26.200 that are meeting all across the city this morning. 00:29:28.380 --> 00:29:30.640 God, we pray that we will be gospel-centered, 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:33.920 Christ-exalting, God-glorifying, 00:29:34.120 --> 00:29:35.340 spirit-dependent churches. 00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:38.320 We pray these things in your wonderful 00:29:38.320 --> 00:29:40.100 and your powerful name. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.100 Amen. 00:29:43.020 --> 00:29:43.460 Amen.