WEBVTT

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 So last week, we've been going through the book of Luke since the beginning of December, and last week Jesus announces his arrival.

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! He says, I'm about to begin. He goes up to church, he stands, he unscrolls, and then he reads and then he drops the mic. And he's like, I am him. Today it begins.

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 And what starts off as a really heartwarming time at church ends up with everyone turning against him and trying to get him out and throw him off a cliff.

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 And so that's kind of where we stopped right there. And he managed to slip away because it's not his time and he's the son of God and he can do whatever he wants.

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 And then so he announces his start and now he actually starts. And what does he do when he starts? He recruits his team. He assembles his Avengers.

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 And it's interesting here because as he assembles this team, he does it in the most peculiar way.

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 And actually, later in Luke chapter 6, we see actually Jesus goes away all night. He does an all-night prayer session before he recruits his 12.

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 Now, many of you here are in the corporate world and even I've had the privilege of hiring people on the team.

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 And actually, I looked at that and I was like, wow, before he brought people onto his team, he prayed all night.

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 Even Jesus, who knew everything, prayed all night, relied on the Holy Spirit to guide him.

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 And then once he comes out from that all-night prayer session, he then starts to hire.

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 He starts to recruit these 12 people in.

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 The amount of thought he puts into it, the amount of reliance on the Holy Spirit he has.

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 And so if we rewind just back to chapter 5, he starts to go, he's paving the way for this and he reaches out to his first one.

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 And he reaches out to Peter.

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 And what happens here, actually, it's interesting.

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 Chapter 5, so if you're following me, we're just going to be going through from 1 to 11 today.

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 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Genesera.

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 And so the crowd are pressing in.

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 So if you imagine, there's no seats.

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 So they're pressing in on him and they're going, teachers, you have the words of life.

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 There's something different about this teacher, about this rabbi.

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 We want to hear.

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 And so they're pressing in.

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 Can you just imagine that hunger that they had?

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 But there's something different about this person.

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 And they gather and it's crowded.

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 But the only difference is, actually, I forgot to mention this last week.

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 When he did that mic drop in the synagogue, he sat down to preach.

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 When he said, today, this shall be fulfilled.

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 Actually, in those days in the synagogue, everyone else is standing.

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 Everyone else is.

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 Can you just imagine however long they're preaching for?

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 They're all standing.

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 So actually, the roles are reversed here.

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 As a teacher, I would be sitting and all of you would be standing.

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 So it would be impossible for you to see me in a setting like this.

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 But can you, and I was like, I was just pondering that for a second.

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 How the tables have turned today.

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 I can imagine if you're willing to go into a church service and stand for the whole time,

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 like those guys are doing over there.

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 The devotion you have, the hunger that you have, that is so different from the other way around,

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 where actually often now we've turned into a place where you guys sit, cross your arms,

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 or play with your phones, and I try and entertain you and keep you entertained and keep you awake.

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 And I was like, that is so different.

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 Those guys were pressing in on the rabbi.

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 They were standing, and they were just desperate to hear these words of life and just how things have changed.

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 But here we are.

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 And so here he sits down.

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 So he's like, okay, there's too many people here.

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 So then there were fishermen who had gone out of them and were washing their nets,

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 because they'd spent all night trying to fish.

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 And so he gets into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and he asked him to put out a little from the land.

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 This is verse 3.

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 And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

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 So he sits down, and now he has a bit of distance from these people.

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 So he starts to teach.

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 And once he's finished teaching, he then does the attention grabber.

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 This is the post-sermon miracle that sadly you guys won't get today.

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 So he finishes teaching, and once he's finished, he says this,

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 Simon, put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.

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 This is one of the first miracles that he chooses to do that is accompanied with his teaching.

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 And it made me really think about miracles.

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 And, of course, we know that he does many miracles.

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 But I wondered actually why he chooses this miracle and why he does it now.

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 Have a think about the miracles that, you know, if you've grown up in the church

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 and you're familiar with the Jesus story, then what are the miracles that you've thought in your mind?

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 Actually, what's your favorite miracle?

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 I just mentioned you, Paul.

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 Welcome back.

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 Welcome to you and Mel back with Baby Zoe.

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 Can we give you a round of applause?

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 They made it.

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 She's adorable.

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 Looks nothing like Paul.

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 Paul, what's your favorite miracle of Jesus'?

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 Healing the leper.

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 Just if you understood the context of that, if you understood what he was willing to do

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 and what he was able to do, that's just earth shattering for the leper and for those around.

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 That's an awesome one.

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 Other miracles that are our favorites.

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 Hank, why don't you share with us, what's your favorite miracle of Jesus?

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 Turning water into wine.

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 Turning water into wine.

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 Oh, I see.

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 I see, Hank.

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 Likes the wine.

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 Likes the wine.

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 Good, good.

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 That's another one.

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 What other miracles do we know?

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 Johnny, what's your favorite miracle?

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 Raising Lazarus from the death.

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 Raising Lazarus from the dead.

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 Just stands.

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 He weeps.

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 He's sad.

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 And then he's like, I'm going to do something about it.

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 And I'm going to defy the law of nature.

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 And I'm going to bring this person back to life.

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 One more.

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 One more.

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 I'm going to shoot over here so everyone can shirk here.

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 Ellie, what's your favorite miracle?

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 The woman with the issue of blood.

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 The woman with the issue of blood just touches his cloak.

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 And he feels the power go from him.

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 I want to ask another question, which is why does Jesus do these miracles anyway?

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 What's the point of him doing these miracles?

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 What's he trying to show here?

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 What do we think?

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 What do we actually think he's actually trying to show here?

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 Nathan, you got any thoughts?

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 Just because.

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 Just because.

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 I think there's truth to that.

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 And he actually talks about this.

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 He talks about people who are crowding around him saying, I want to see these miracles.

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 And he's like, look, it's not really about the miracle itself.

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 It's not about the fish.

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 It's not about the healing.

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 It's not about the wine.

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 Though the wine is good and it gets better and better.

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 It's about something else.

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 It's the fact that I can.

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 That actually what he's doing is he's revealing that there is a deeper reality that surrounds us.

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 That there is a cosmic battle that he has authority over.

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 If I was to put it simply, he's saying there is more to what there is in this world.

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 There is more than meets the eye.

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 And then he's also saying, and I am more than that.

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 If you talk about Ephesians 6 and the realm of spiritual warfare, he's saying, hey, there is a cosmic battle that you can't see.

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 And I'm here to say that I am even over that.

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 And even the wind and the waves obey me.

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 I can turn someone from dead back to life again.

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 He's saying there is just so much more than we actually have realized.

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 And then for this one, specifically for this one, he says, hey, go and catch some fish.

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 What he's doing is he's turning this miracle and he's using it as a springboard to really call Peter into ministry, which I find fascinating.

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 And it actually reminded me a lot of my own journey.

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 And this is what later on I'm going to bring Jay up because this passage has been speaking to him as well.

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 And actually, he's going to help us land the plane.

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 And actually, how does this story, how does this account apply to us?

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 But I want to kind of go through a few things.

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 The first thing is Peter's recruitment.

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 So Jesus goes to Peter and recruits Peter.

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 But just just so you know, this was already abnormal.

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 If you think about that time where rabbis had people who were following them, who were learning at their feet, it was kind of like getting into Bramer Hill Primary School here.

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 It's kind of like getting into HKIS.

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 It's kind of like getting into Stanford.

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 It's kind of like you need to you need to have the best CV to be able to follow that rabbi.

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 So it was it was a dogfight to be able to follow these famous ones.

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 So you can imagine if it was a Hong Kong parent.

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 They're like, wait, I know someone who knows someone who knows Nicodemus.

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 Why don't we go and hang out in the area that Nicodemus is at?

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 And hey, son, can you prove to Nicodemus how good you are at reciting the Torah?

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 Show him how you can do it backwards.

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 Prove to him that you are Ivy League.

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 You are good to go.

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 And so all these top rabbis would recruit the top students.

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 And these top students would basically go into an intern program and hang out with these rabbis for years and just follow them because they knew that this was it.

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 This was a sacred rabbi.

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 This was this is how I get my education.

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 This is how I get my fame.

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 This is how I get the acclaim.

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 Jesus does something very different.

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 He recruits not really the Avengers.

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 If anything, it's a little bit more like the Suicide Squad.

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 He's got the tax collectors.

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 He's got the fishermen.

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 And he's already doing something different.

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 And you can imagine, Gamaliel, you can imagine Nicodemus looking over and going, well, actually, Nicodemus is like, something's different about this guy.

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 Why is he recruiting those people?

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 There's something different there.

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 Jesus just thinks different, operates different, and he recruits differently.

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 And something else is interesting here.

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 He goes and recruits him in the place that Peter is the most familiar himself.

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 He goes to where Peter is at.

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 Now, back in those days, you'd be waiting in the temple.

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 The rabbi would be sat there and people would just be flocking towards them.

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 Yet this rabbi, this one's different.

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 He goes to them.

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 He goes to them and he recruits them in and he calls them in.

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 And these are the ragtag of society.

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 Something else about this, one, it's abnormal.

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 Two, there is just abundance.

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 He says, Peter, put down the nets.

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 And Peter, we'll talk a little bit more about Peter's response later.

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 But he's like, okay, well, hey, I'm going to do it.

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 It's not going to work.

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 He throws it out and suddenly what does he get?

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 Just nets of fish.

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 So full of fish that he gets his mates to bring their boat.

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 So now you have two boats and both boats are nearly going to sink.

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 What's he showing there?

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 Of course, he's showing that, yes, he just can.

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 He's God and he can do whatever he wants.

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 But he's also showing the sign that actually when you follow him, there is just abundance.

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 There is just abundance.

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 It's that song that we sang.

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 There is just more than enough.

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 You look at the Old Testament.

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 You look at Moses in the time of Moses and the manna that was falling from the sky.

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 You look at Elijah and Elisha with the jar of oil and with, you just see just abundance

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 that it will never go.

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 Again, what he's showing here is that I just can, that I defy the laws of nature right

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 here and that I can do whatever I want.

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 And if you follow me, you will always, always have enough.

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 It reminds me as I was thinking about my call into ministry.

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 And honestly, it's the same thing every time for most people who go into ministry.

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 What if I quit this job?

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 How am I getting the income I need?

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 We have a family now.

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 How are we going to do this?

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 And time and time again, time and time again, God's just saying, it's not even about that.

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 It's not about whether you think you have enough because I will give you more than enough.

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 It's Philippians 4 where he says, and my God will supply every need of yours according

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 to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

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 Paul in prison is like, I am well supplied.

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 I am good.

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 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me in any and every circumstance.

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 I am content because God gives me enough.

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 There is an abundance when you follow.

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 It reminds me of actually the Lord came to me in my context when we had just had Reuben.

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 And many of you have heard the story about us going into ministry.

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 I was a biology teacher in England and I loved teaching.

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 I loved being in school and that was my dream job because it was in the school that I had

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 grown up in myself.

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 So it was amazing.

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 And of course, I looked even younger back then.

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 So when I walked back into the staff room, teachers would look at me and go, what are

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 you doing in here?

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 And then my voice would suddenly get really high, even higher than it is now.

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 Sorry, sir, I'm actually working here now.

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 I'm like, really?

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 It's been that long?

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 And so I was in the, but when we'd had Reuben, both Christina and I felt this call of God

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 and Christina was working in the hospital as a cardiac physiologist.

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 So I had married up like several leagues and she had felt the call of God and I had felt

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 the call of God.

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 I remember one day I was just driving to work and in England, it's a 30 minute drive to

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 anywhere.

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 I was driving.

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 I was like, God, but why would I do this?

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 I've already got the best job, my dream job.

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 And I'm able to serve God in my summer holidays and my weekends.

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 I've just got a great setup here.

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 Why would I do this?

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 And then I started actually God asking me, well, why are you afraid?

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 And Francis was with me during this time.

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 I used to teach and on my lunch break, go out and meet Francis when he was a university

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 student, not studying.

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 And we'd go and we'd play FIFA and we'd take him to KFC.

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 And then when I had to go back to teach, he would go back, I'd drop him back off in

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 his dorm and he'd just carry on sleeping.

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 And I was like, why would I?

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 God, I'm living all out for you now with my job.

00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:58.920
 So I felt God asked me, well, why are you so afraid?

00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:00.879
 What are you afraid of?

00:13:01.420 --> 00:13:02.220
 Well, I've got a kid.

00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:03.340
 I've got a kid now.

00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.600
 If I give up my job, then how?

00:13:06.340 --> 00:13:07.820
 Who do you think gave you your kid?

00:13:09.340 --> 00:13:14.279
 And if I'm calling you to this, do you not think that I'll provide for you and your kid?

00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:19.279
 And I remember that I was driving and there was this just one song that came on, Chris Tomlin,

00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:20.000
 Whom Shall I Fear?

00:13:21.500 --> 00:13:22.820
 Actually, it's not one of my favorite songs.

00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:24.660
 And I've listened to it now and I feel nothing.

00:13:24.760 --> 00:13:25.560
 It's just a heart of stone.

00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:31.340
 But that day when I was driving, it's like, I know who goes before me.

00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:33.300
 And God's like, do you know I'm already there?

00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:36.400
 I'm already there and I'm waiting for you.

00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:38.860
 And I just burst into tears whilst driving.

00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:42.700
 And then actually it was 50-50 whether I could even make it to school alive.

00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:46.600
 Because my tears were just rolling down my face as I was driving.

00:13:46.660 --> 00:13:47.500
 It was incredibly dangerous.

00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:52.159
 And I remember getting to school, you know, I'm just one of those people.

00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:54.779
 If we have to do it, then we just do it.

00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:57.240
 So I parked the car and I just walked straight into the headmaster's office.

00:13:58.259 --> 00:14:04.779
 And I was like, hey, I feel like I need to finish teaching this academic year and go into ministry.

00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:07.980
 But actually, I was wondering, are there any part-time opportunities?

00:14:08.460 --> 00:14:10.620
 Can we figure this out?

00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:14.500
 Where actually I can go swimming, but maybe with a big float.

00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:19.940
 And then he says to me, he said, James, you're either called or you're not.

00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:21.220
 There's no semi-called.

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:23.120
 And I was like, ouch.

00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:30.620
 And yet each time, each time, God just reminds me.

00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:33.179
 I think of another time when I was doing my lesson planning.

00:14:33.259 --> 00:14:36.299
 One of my favorite places to do lesson planning is in a place,

00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.679
 a very respected establishment in England called Wetherspoons.

00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:40.940
 Have you heard of Wetherspoons?

00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.559
 Spoons, yeah.

00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:44.859
 But it's a pub.

00:14:46.199 --> 00:14:46.779
 It's a pub.

00:14:46.819 --> 00:14:48.319
 And I'm sat there and I'm doing my lesson planning.

00:14:49.359 --> 00:14:51.099
 And then I was just listening again to worship music.

00:14:51.199 --> 00:14:52.319
 And again, this song comes on.

00:14:52.439 --> 00:14:54.159
 And it's called I'm Not Finished Yet.

00:14:54.539 --> 00:14:57.319
 And it's saying, hey, I've been faithful to you at every turn.

00:14:58.219 --> 00:14:59.379
 Why would I stop now?

00:14:59.479 --> 00:15:02.879
 And I burst into tears again on this Tuesday morning in a pub,

00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:05.479
 which actually isn't uncommon.

00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:10.960
 And then I remember calling Christine.

00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:11.980
 I was like, I think this is it.

00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:13.019
 I think we're done.

00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:14.139
 We have to go.

00:15:14.539 --> 00:15:16.460
 It's either this or we'll get eaten by a fish.

00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:17.779
 It's going to happen.

00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:20.639
 Just you choose.

00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:22.259
 You choose.

00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:29.059
 But at every turn, at every turn, he's given more than we've needed.

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.200
 And then we come to Hong Kong.

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:34.000
 We didn't even realize how expensive things were here.

00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:37.299
 And yet at every turn, God just keeps giving.

00:15:38.299 --> 00:15:40.199
 When you choose to follow him, there is an abundance.

00:15:40.319 --> 00:15:42.319
 When you choose to listen to him, there is an abundance.

00:15:42.479 --> 00:15:43.859
 And so Peter goes on this journey.

00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:45.859
 And Jay's going to talk a little bit more about this journey.

00:15:45.939 --> 00:15:47.979
 Because he starts as really just a hearer.

00:15:48.019 --> 00:15:48.799
 He hears the hype.

00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:49.839
 There's this rabbi.

00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:50.539
 There's this guy.

00:15:51.979 --> 00:15:53.279
 That's doing crazy things.

00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:54.599
 So he's intrigued.

00:15:55.199 --> 00:15:57.559
 And then later, actually, we actually skipped it.

00:15:57.559 --> 00:16:00.259
 In the end of chapter 4, he not only just hears things,

00:16:00.439 --> 00:16:01.939
 he actually observes and he sees.

00:16:01.979 --> 00:16:02.519
 What does he see?

00:16:02.819 --> 00:16:05.419
 He sees Jesus heal his mother-in-law.

00:16:05.419 --> 00:16:07.559
 And that would have been like crazy.

00:16:07.860 --> 00:16:09.519
 I'm guessing that was good news to him, maybe.

00:16:12.139 --> 00:16:16.699
 And so he sees him heal his mother-in-law.

00:16:16.839 --> 00:16:17.339
 And he's like, oh, okay.

00:16:18.099 --> 00:16:19.360
 And then, of course, now he's fishing.

00:16:19.439 --> 00:16:20.039
 He's fishing all night.

00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:21.079
 He's not been successful.

00:16:21.339 --> 00:16:22.659
 And then Jesus chooses his boat.

00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.799
 And then he goes from hearer to observer and then to believer.

00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:28.059
 Because Jesus says, okay, right, do this.

00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:28.659
 And he does it.

00:16:28.719 --> 00:16:29.699
 And he takes him at his word.

00:16:31.099 --> 00:16:34.059
 And then finally, once he realizes who he's dealing with,

00:16:34.599 --> 00:16:35.399
 he becomes a follower.

00:16:36.199 --> 00:16:38.559
 And you see it every journey, he's being reinvented.

00:16:38.719 --> 00:16:41.599
 Actually, the story here, before this story happens, he's Simon.

00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:42.659
 He's Simon Peter.

00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:45.099
 After this story, he becomes Peter.

00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.879
 There is this journey of reinvention that is happening for Peter.

00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:51.120
 And I think, and I hope, for all of us as well.

00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:52.879
 So then we hear about his response.

00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:54.339
 Verse 5, he says this.

00:16:55.219 --> 00:16:57.219
 And Simon answers, okay, Jesus tells him in verse 4,

00:16:57.500 --> 00:16:59.639
 put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:02.879
 And then Peter thinks to himself, what an idiot.

00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:04.920
 No, it doesn't actually say that.

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:05.539
 I just made that up.

00:17:06.500 --> 00:17:08.759
 Master, we toiled all night and took nothing.

00:17:09.379 --> 00:17:10.900
 He's like, what do you know?

00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:14.540
 I am a fisherman and you are a carpenter.

00:17:15.800 --> 00:17:17.140
 I know what's up.

00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:20.180
 Actually, I'm washing the nets now and it's done.

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:21.440
 We've had a whole night and it's been a waste.

00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:26.060
 But at your word, I'll do as you say.

00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:29.059
 And see, I think we are Peter to many degrees.

00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.339
 We are Peter because we're like, what do you know?

00:17:32.819 --> 00:17:33.759
 Jesus, you're cool.

00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:34.399
 You're good.

00:17:34.639 --> 00:17:36.440
 2,000 years ago, you rocked the world.

00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:38.599
 But what do you know about living in Hong Kong right now?

00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:40.919
 You don't know what it's like in my office.

00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.279
 You don't know what it's like how I need to defend myself

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:45.480
 when I'm at the coffee machine,

00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:47.099
 when people are talking about it, Mavi.

00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:50.159
 You don't know what it's like trying to get success

00:17:50.159 --> 00:17:51.200
 in the industry that I'm in.

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:52.359
 What do you know?

00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:55.919
 And so Jesus comes to this area of familiarity

00:17:55.919 --> 00:17:59.539
 that Peter is in, that he has pride in,

00:18:00.459 --> 00:18:01.379
 and he challenges it.

00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:04.299
 And he's saying, will you listen to me?

00:18:04.719 --> 00:18:06.599
 And then Peter, of course, goes, but at your word,

00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:08.639
 I will let down the nets.

00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:14.159
 I wonder whether sometimes we are that Peter.

00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:15.019
 We've tried everything.

00:18:15.399 --> 00:18:16.279
 He's tried all night.

00:18:16.879 --> 00:18:18.619
 I wonder whether sometimes we have tried everything.

00:18:18.719 --> 00:18:19.479
 Last time I said, actually,

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:20.699
 there's no such thing as a good Christian.

00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:22.819
 And sometimes some of us strive so hard

00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:24.519
 to become the Christian that we need to be,

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:27.160
 or rather to become the person that we need to be.

00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.900
 And we think coming to church will help that.

00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:31.160
 Okay, if we come to church, we'll feel like a good person.

00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:33.000
 And then maybe we attend a Bible study,

00:18:33.080 --> 00:18:33.980
 and then we'll start reading the word,

00:18:34.120 --> 00:18:35.440
 and then we'll just become better and better.

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.519
 But we try and do all these things,

00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:39.279
 and then we try and surround ourselves with the friends,

00:18:39.340 --> 00:18:41.279
 and then we try and do the best that we can in our careers.

00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.299
 And yet somehow none of these things work.

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:48.480
 And I wonder whether there is an element of that Peter spirit inside us,

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:51.400
 where we've been trying, trying, trying, trying.

00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:55.339
 And yet here what we see, what begins his transformation,

00:18:55.839 --> 00:19:00.019
 is him going, okay, I don't really understand or agree

00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.539
 with what you're telling me to do,

00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:03.200
 but I'm going to do it anyway.

00:19:04.620 --> 00:19:07.579
 At your word, at your word, I will do this.

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:08.819
 And verse six says this,

00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:09.980
 and when they had done this,

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:11.400
 they enclosed the large number of fish,

00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:12.759
 and their nets were breaking.

00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:14.619
 They were astonished.

00:19:15.299 --> 00:19:16.920
 They were shocked, because Peter knows,

00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:18.980
 hey, this isn't normal.

00:19:19.539 --> 00:19:20.859
 Guys, we've been fishing all of our lives.

00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:21.839
 This is not normal.

00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:24.839
 This is the biggest catch we've ever, ever had.

00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.079
 And then he has a huge response.

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:29.500
 And actually, there is a parallel account to this

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:32.019
 in John chapter 21, where it's the same thing.

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.099
 And Peter again has a big response.

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:36.339
 And that time, when he realizes what's happened,

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:38.420
 he jumps out the water, and he runs towards Jesus.

00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.519
 And this time, though, this first time,

00:19:40.619 --> 00:19:41.559
 he falls at his feet.

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:45.759
 I find that actually very interesting.

00:19:45.919 --> 00:19:47.379
 And so this is what he says, verse eight.

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:49.220
 Once he realizes what has happened,

00:19:49.659 --> 00:19:51.460
 and both their boats are sinking,

00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:54.220
 but when Simon Peter saw it, verse eight,

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:56.379
 he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,

00:19:56.639 --> 00:19:59.839
 depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:05.220
 I think this is a little bit of a twist in the story,

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:06.240
 because I'm like, oh, that's interesting.

00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:08.779
 He's just got the biggest catch in his life.

00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:10.039
 There should be just joy.

00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:11.940
 He's like, I don't have to work for another few weeks now.

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:14.599
 Can you imagine us hauling this to the market?

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:16.059
 It's going to be a good time.

00:20:16.099 --> 00:20:16.839
 Let's go on holiday.

00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:20.240
 And yet he falls at his feet.

00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:26.319
 And I think this is really what the journey of our Christian faith should be like.

00:20:27.180 --> 00:20:30.500
 That first response, that first time we encounter the Lord,

00:20:30.879 --> 00:20:33.619
 should be one of just almost dismay.

00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:36.500
 The closer you get to God,

00:20:37.679 --> 00:20:39.439
 the first thing you should feel is the further,

00:20:39.659 --> 00:20:41.179
 how far you feel away from him.

00:20:41.819 --> 00:20:44.099
 Maybe you, maybe some of us have been in church forever,

00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:47.139
 and we've now just become kind of just routine, lukewarm Christians.

00:20:47.479 --> 00:20:49.539
 So maybe we've just numb to all of it.

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:51.959
 But for those of you who have maybe grown outside of the church,

00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:53.059
 grown up outside of the church,

00:20:53.459 --> 00:20:55.819
 and then do you remember that first time you walk into the church,

00:20:55.879 --> 00:20:57.199
 and you're like, oh, I feel like a sinner.

00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:01.860
 I hope they don't see what I've done in my past.

00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.580
 I'm not worthy to be in this room.

00:21:04.660 --> 00:21:07.640
 That's a little glimpse of really what Peter sees here.

00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:10.500
 Because he realizes who God is,

00:21:10.600 --> 00:21:13.319
 and the first thing he realizes, as close as he is to God now,

00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:14.940
 is how far away he is.

00:21:16.100 --> 00:21:20.620
 Every time I see Godfrey, and I stand next to Godfrey,

00:21:21.120 --> 00:21:23.799
 I'm reminded how small I am.

00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:28.379
 Honestly, he's just abnormally tall for a Chinese person.

00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:33.599
 And honestly, every time, it just shocks me.

00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:37.319
 I get a neck strain, and I'm like, whoa, I feel so small.

00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:42.200
 Every time I stand next to Uday, I can't stop looking at his chest.

00:21:45.419 --> 00:21:48.099
 I'm like, I don't have that kind of chest.

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:55.159
 What substances must one intake to have that kind of chest?

00:21:58.439 --> 00:21:59.980
 Have you been around that kind of person,

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:02.559
 where they just make you feel this small?

00:22:04.199 --> 00:22:06.399
 When I stand next to someone with just a head full of hair,

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:07.619
 I'm like, oh, man.

00:22:09.199 --> 00:22:09.859
 If only.

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.159
 If only.

00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:13.219
 I would use that hair so much better than you.

00:22:14.879 --> 00:22:15.419
 No, I don't.

00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:18.960
 But have you been around those people that just make you feel this small

00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:20.300
 because of who they are?

00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:24.180
 When you stand next to someone who excels in your feel.

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:27.180
 I don't know if you're a banker, and you go and meet a world-famous banker.

00:22:27.300 --> 00:22:28.640
 I don't know if this is a terrible example.

00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.560
 And you're like, oh, he knows.

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.820
 She's way better than I.

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.759
 And then you feel this small.

00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:41.240
 I think, imagine that, but a million times more with Christ.

00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:47.500
 That when he walks into the room, you just want to find a place to hide.

00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:49.400
 Because he's that glorious.

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:53.620
 And often I think we've minimized God into something else.

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:56.259
 Minimize him into a genie that we put in our back pockets.

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:59.240
 Hey, Jesus, I need to whip you out.

00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:01.880
 Because that jerk at work is causing me grief.

00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:05.000
 Or Jesus, I need to talk to you.

00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:07.900
 Because I've got a loved one who's going through some kind of health scare.

00:23:07.900 --> 00:23:09.880
 Can you come out now and do your little thing?

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:12.180
 Oh, done, put you back in.

00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:13.580
 I'm so comfortable being around you.

00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:16.900
 Well, actually, that's not consistent with what the people in the Bible do

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.580
 when they encounter Jesus.

00:23:20.780 --> 00:23:21.720
 You look at Abraham.

00:23:22.540 --> 00:23:24.700
 In Genesis 18, he gets to talk to God.

00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:25.259
 And what does he say?

00:23:25.300 --> 00:23:26.860
 I am dust and ashes.

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:29.680
 Like, I have no business being here.

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:32.400
 And Job, this story, this whole journey that he's on,

00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:34.580
 at the end in chapter 42, he says,

00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:38.439
 I repent from dust and ashes.

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:42.659
 In Exodus 33, God says, no, they can't look at me.

00:23:42.679 --> 00:23:43.859
 Because if they look at me, they will what?

00:23:44.919 --> 00:23:45.699
 They will die.

00:23:47.699 --> 00:23:52.759
 You see this reverence, this fear of God that I think we have completely lost.

00:23:53.679 --> 00:23:56.879
 Isaiah, the great prophet Isaiah in chapter 6, when he meets God,

00:23:56.919 --> 00:23:58.199
 he's like, woe is me.

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:58.960
 I am ruined.

00:23:59.139 --> 00:24:00.199
 I have unclean lips.

00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:05.660
 The first moment you meet Christ, that moment actually doesn't feel that nice.

00:24:06.059 --> 00:24:08.940
 It isn't the warm and fuzzy feeling that some people tell you.

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:12.779
 Because when you meet the living Christ in all his holiness,

00:24:13.319 --> 00:24:17.180
 in that bright light, actually the first thing you'll feel is just pain and shame.

00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:20.240
 No matter how far short am I.

00:24:22.080 --> 00:24:23.559
 And yet that isn't the end of it.

00:24:23.600 --> 00:24:25.420
 And so that's what really Peter is going through here.

00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:29.420
 But what we do love is what he does after that.

00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:30.380
 He falls to his knees.

00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:34.100
 And out of humility, he's like, get away from me, God.

00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.900
 You shouldn't be anywhere near me.

00:24:37.259 --> 00:24:38.680
 I shouldn't be anywhere near you.

00:24:40.560 --> 00:24:41.840
 That's the humility that starts.

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:44.320
 So I want you to think about your first journey when you came to Christ.

00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:45.160
 What was it?

00:24:45.539 --> 00:24:46.600
 Was it I have arrived?

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.600
 Oh, this was the best.

00:24:48.100 --> 00:24:49.420
 This was all made for me.

00:24:49.840 --> 00:24:51.680
 This was perfect for me.

00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:54.600
 And now I feel finally that I have my...

00:24:54.600 --> 00:24:55.580
 It's not about you.

00:24:57.019 --> 00:25:01.000
 Or maybe the Christ or the God that you've met is just a reduced version.

00:25:02.140 --> 00:25:04.700
 When if you meet the real one, it is much more terrifying.

00:25:06.660 --> 00:25:09.799
 But the good thing is that bright light that shines, that blinds you from the beginning,

00:25:10.120 --> 00:25:11.860
 you realize that isn't out to hurt you.

00:25:12.120 --> 00:25:14.840
 But it's actually here to bring light into your life

00:25:14.840 --> 00:25:18.100
 and actually to bring healing into your life and to be able to restore you.

00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:22.079
 Just like how we use lights to get rid of things that we don't want in the medical sense.

00:25:22.379 --> 00:25:23.740
 This is cleansing.

00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:24.839
 This is purifying.

00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:28.059
 And so what we see here, then,

00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:31.699
 Peter displays the only real entry requirement that's needed

00:25:31.699 --> 00:25:33.319
 when you come into the kingdom of heaven, humility.

00:25:34.939 --> 00:25:37.799
 And so I wonder whether we walk in here with our chests held high

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:39.519
 because we think we deserve to be here,

00:25:39.939 --> 00:25:42.480
 or whether we actually truly realize that we have no business being here.

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:45.519
 And as we sit in our comfy seats, or maybe less than comfy stools,

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:50.599
 we realize, actually, there is something far greater that I'm here for.

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:55.119
 I'm gathering here for a much bigger purpose than just me feeling better about myself.

00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:57.500
 There is something much, much bigger.

00:25:57.559 --> 00:25:59.019
 Would we humble ourselves like Peter?

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:02.180
 And then after that, after being a believer,

00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:04.579
 he then commits to following.

00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:05.319
 In verse 11,

00:26:05.740 --> 00:26:07.400
 And when they had brought their boats to land,

00:26:07.400 --> 00:26:10.039
 they left everything and followed him.

00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:15.759
 This is the drastic one that I think a lot of us struggle to do.

00:26:17.139 --> 00:26:18.859
 To actually genuinely follow him.

00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:22.480
 In Chinese, a lot of us stay in the suntou stage.

00:26:23.159 --> 00:26:23.799
 Oh, I believe him.

00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:24.879
 I believe he exists.

00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.700
 I believe he's a good guy.

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:27.899
 I believe he loves me.

00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:29.980
 But we never move to the muntou, the follower.

00:26:31.399 --> 00:26:33.740
 The question is, God says, believe in me and you won't perish.

00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:35.619
 But then he really says, follow me.

00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:40.500
 And then, again, when he's recruiting, he's not saying, hey, believe me,

00:26:41.059 --> 00:26:45.059
 become a Christian, come to church on Sundays, take a few classes,

00:26:45.919 --> 00:26:47.359
 read a few books, and you're good.

00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:49.839
 He's saying, drop everything and follow me.

00:26:50.939 --> 00:26:51.859
 There's a difference there.

00:26:52.919 --> 00:26:55.119
 So often when we become a Christian, we take that step.

00:26:55.219 --> 00:26:57.879
 And really, all that's changed is where we use our Sunday mornings.

00:26:58.259 --> 00:27:00.139
 Or maybe the books that we read are slightly different.

00:27:01.339 --> 00:27:02.899
 But this is a complete U-turn.

00:27:03.439 --> 00:27:04.579
 This is a complete change.

00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:06.059
 And he throws, he leaves them.

00:27:06.159 --> 00:27:06.960
 This is interesting.

00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:11.099
 When you are called to follow Christ, you're actually called to let go of everything.

00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:15.059
 This is the biggest catch of his life.

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:18.599
 This could feed his family for a very long time.

00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:20.339
 Yet what does he do with that catch?

00:27:21.139 --> 00:27:21.859
 Absolutely nothing.

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:22.659
 He leaves it.

00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:26.639
 Sometimes we, we're just asking God for gifts.

00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.759
 Bless me with health and wealth and safety and comfort and assurance and all these things.

00:27:30.879 --> 00:27:32.179
 And then we hold on to those things.

00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:35.019
 And we neglect to think, actually, it's not really about the gift.

00:27:35.120 --> 00:27:36.420
 It's about the one who gives us the gift.

00:27:38.620 --> 00:27:41.000
 Are we willing to let go of all of those things?

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.820
 And I've shared this journey many times before.

00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:47.240
 When we took that step into ministry, Christina and I, we were like, okay, here we go.

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:49.820
 Let's knock down and let's just live this life.

00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.700
 And we're just going to follow him.

00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:53.600
 And yet the Lord just kept providing abundantly, abundantly with us.

00:27:53.900 --> 00:27:56.360
 We ended up moving our house, hoping to rent it so we can get some money.

00:27:56.519 --> 00:27:59.860
 And ended up somehow, through a different circumstance, living in an even nicer place.

00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:01.139
 What has just happened there?

00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:03.259
 Why are we so blessed by this?

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:07.379
 And now we have all these people around us who we get to walk with and love and grow up with.

00:28:07.399 --> 00:28:08.079
 And this is so good.

00:28:08.139 --> 00:28:09.459
 And that's when the call to Hong Kong came.

00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:11.359
 And God says, I've been so good to you.

00:28:11.439 --> 00:28:12.719
 All those things that I've blessed you with.

00:28:13.479 --> 00:28:15.599
 Would you be willing to even let go of those things?

00:28:16.879 --> 00:28:17.479
 And come.

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.479
 And follow me.

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:21.519
 Because it's not about the good things.

00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:22.359
 It's not about the fish.

00:28:22.419 --> 00:28:23.199
 It's not about the healing.

00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:24.680
 It's about following the God who can.

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.740
 And following the God who will.

00:28:28.059 --> 00:28:31.559
 And following the God who has given up everything for us.

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:35.940
 So Christianity is not just, hey, you're a Christian now.

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:37.460
 Which means you're committing to being a good person.

00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:38.420
 That you don't evade tax.

00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:40.779
 Every now and again you try not to curse.

00:28:41.080 --> 00:28:42.500
 How's that going actually, Erica?

00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:45.259
 Is it going okay?

00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:46.360
 Still on track?

00:28:47.620 --> 00:28:48.200
 Kind of.

00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:53.940
 It's not just behavior modification.

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:56.960
 It's a heart transformation where you're saying, okay, I'm going to change my name.

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:58.080
 I'm not even Simon Peter anymore.

00:28:58.140 --> 00:28:58.500
 I'm Peter.

00:28:58.660 --> 00:28:59.640
 And I'm going to follow you.

00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:00.880
 To the end.

00:29:04.039 --> 00:29:05.220
 Abandon everything and follow.

00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:09.519
 And here's a wife that he has to explain this to when he goes home.

00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:12.000
 Hey, darling, I was out.

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:13.519
 See, just cool story here.

00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:15.240
 I was out fishing.

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:17.340
 I know that we're struggling a little bit.

00:29:17.339 --> 00:29:18.279
 Couldn't get any fish.

00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:19.459
 Then this guy comes.

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:21.019
 Gives us loads of fish.

00:29:22.179 --> 00:29:23.119
 And now I've got to follow him.

00:29:23.779 --> 00:29:24.539
 Oh, but where's the fish on it?

00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:26.039
 Oh, actually, I left it out in the water.

00:29:26.659 --> 00:29:27.779
 But wait, does that mean you're not coming?

00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:27.959
 No.

00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:29.459
 Does that mean you're not coming home tonight?

00:29:29.699 --> 00:29:30.339
 I guess.

00:29:30.439 --> 00:29:31.619
 I guess I'm not coming home this year.

00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:34.220
 Can you imagine that conversation with his wife?

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:40.720
 And then James and John telling Zebedee, hey, dad, actually, all of your life, you've

00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.539
 created this business for us to be able to take over.

00:29:43.959 --> 00:29:47.079
 So we'll continue being the greatest fishermen in this town.

00:29:48.339 --> 00:29:49.019
 We've got to go.

00:29:50.359 --> 00:29:53.859
 All your hopes that you've placed in the two of us, we're now going to move on.

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:58.039
 Hey, friends, did you hear about James, John, and Peter?

00:29:58.699 --> 00:30:00.579
 They just got up and left.

00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:02.939
 We have no idea why.

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:04.419
 Just followed this random guy.

00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:09.039
 How many of us have the courage to do something like that?

00:30:10.080 --> 00:30:13.620
 How many of us have the courage to kind of go, God, I'm going to trust you.

00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:15.320
 I want to trust you even with my family.

00:30:15.420 --> 00:30:17.640
 And actually, I encourage you to ask Christina about this.

00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:23.440
 We took that step from England to Hong Kong when there was her family in the UK that she just

00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:26.000
 loves dearly, holds close to her heart and is praying for daily.

00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:27.120
 It keeps her up at night.

00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:28.720
 That was her wrestling match.

00:30:29.540 --> 00:30:30.360
 She was like, gosh, really?

00:30:31.400 --> 00:30:37.960
 But I thought you want me here to be able to love and share love and share you to my family.

00:30:38.040 --> 00:30:38.840
 Now you're asking me to go?

00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:45.519
 And I'll tell you, that woman is a strong woman, both in the physical sense and in a spiritual,

00:30:45.639 --> 00:30:46.439
 emotional sense also.

00:30:47.879 --> 00:30:49.099
 Because that was the wrestling match.

00:30:49.399 --> 00:30:51.199
 God called her and she followed.

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:56.220
 And that's the call that we all have here.

00:30:56.439 --> 00:30:59.959
 Are we willing to leave everything to follow him?

00:31:01.339 --> 00:31:08.139
 Thankfully, fortunately for all of us here, the Lord isn't calling us to do those things necessarily.

00:31:08.140 --> 00:31:10.340
 Not all of us are called to give up our jobs and go.

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:17.440
 Many of us, I would say the majority of us are actually called to be in our jobs, to live

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:20.780
 in the most reckless, relentless way that we can.

00:31:23.060 --> 00:31:24.800
 But the question really is just your heart again.

00:31:25.780 --> 00:31:28.440
 And you might say, well, do you know how much I give?

00:31:29.340 --> 00:31:33.620
 I turned up to church this morning early to stack up the chairs.

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:36.460
 I gave up my Thursday evening to hang out with a group of guys.

00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:37.580
 I even took a guy out for coffee.

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:40.780
 And God time and time again says the same thing.

00:31:40.860 --> 00:31:41.780
 It's not about what you're giving.

00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:42.840
 It's what you're still holding back.

00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:47.340
 It's, oh, you may be giving these things and you may be doing these things, but actually

00:31:47.340 --> 00:31:51.300
 there is something deep inside that I'm still, that I'm, that I'm most interested in.

00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:53.440
 And it's not even that thing.

00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:57.080
 It's like a parent arguing with a little kid.

00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:57.880
 Hey, give me the toy.

00:31:58.460 --> 00:31:59.220
 It's not about the toy.

00:32:00.340 --> 00:32:02.240
 It's about obedience and about, it's about trust.

00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:05.539
 Because he doesn't care really about the toy.

00:32:06.120 --> 00:32:08.079
 As Florence said at the beginning, he just cares about you.

00:32:08.120 --> 00:32:10.380
 He just cares about relationship with you and I.

00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:11.759
 That's the only thing he cares about.

00:32:12.120 --> 00:32:13.220
 It's never been about the fish.

00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:15.500
 It's never been about the healing.

00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:18.380
 It's about, do you trust him?

00:32:19.140 --> 00:32:20.799
 And how will you respond to that?

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:25.880
 So this one, I'm actually going to bring my brother Jay up because we hear this story.

00:32:26.140 --> 00:32:29.799
 We hear Peter getting recruited into ministry and you know, oh, that's a cool story, bro.

00:32:29.799 --> 00:32:33.119
 But really, what does it mean for us 2,000 years later?

00:32:33.339 --> 00:32:35.440
 What does it mean to us here in Hong Kong?

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:42.099
 What does it here mean for someone who's a young adult, who's just trying to pave their way in surviving in the city?

00:32:42.139 --> 00:32:42.879
 What does that look like?

00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:47.819
 And actually, Jay, last week he came to me and said, the Lord's just been stirring in my heart something about this passage.

00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:51.220
 I think, and I'll let him explain more, I think I need to share.

00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:53.319
 So here, can we just give him a round of applause just to encourage him?

00:32:53.319 --> 00:32:53.319


00:32:53.319 --> 00:32:54.319
 Thank you.

00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:55.319
 Thank you.

00:32:55.319 --> 00:32:56.240
 Thank you.

00:32:56.240 --> 00:32:56.259
 Thank you.

00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:56.259


00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:56.259


00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:56.259


00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:56.259


00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:08.180
 All right.

00:33:08.339 --> 00:33:13.000
 I'm really excited to be here today and share a few things that God's put on my heart in this passage.

00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:19.200
 I did actually, before I'm getting into it, I wanted to read this passage just one more time because I think it's really important.

00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:24.759
 And I'm conscious that I'm going to say a lot of things here today, but nothing is more important than the next 30 seconds.

00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:30.720
 And so if you've been nodding off, this is your chance to nod off for the next 30 seconds, feel free.

00:33:32.059 --> 00:33:32.500
 All right.

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:32.920
 Luke 5.

00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:35.480
 Jesus calls the first disciples.

00:33:35.480 --> 00:33:41.200
 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:48.480
 And he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

00:33:48.940 --> 00:33:53.019
 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked them to put out a little from the land.

00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:55.360
 And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

00:33:55.359 --> 00:34:00.979
 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.

00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:08.859
 And Simon answered, Master, we told all night and took nothing, but at your word, I will let down the nets.

00:34:09.500 --> 00:34:12.960
 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish and their nets were breaking.

00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:16.000
 They signaled to their partners and the other boats to come and help them.

00:34:16.299 --> 00:34:19.480
 And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink.

00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:26.019
 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus's knees saying, depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:30.320
 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken.

00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:34.219
 And so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

00:34:34.860 --> 00:34:38.199
 And Jesus said to Simon, do not be afraid.

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:40.019
 From now on, you will be catching men.

00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:45.659
 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:57.500
 So I think for me, when I was going through this passage, I was conscious that, you know, we've heard this passage a lot of times, right?

00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:01.920
 I mean, we've read the gospel so many times and these stories can become so numb very quickly.

00:35:02.300 --> 00:35:03.719
 It can just be, oh, that's great for Simon.

00:35:04.199 --> 00:35:06.139
 You know, he caught a great number of fish.

00:35:06.280 --> 00:35:07.760
 His life was transformed.

00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:10.760
 But I think it's really easy to detach ourselves from these stories as well.

00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:17.920
 So really my heart for coming out today was I wanted to share what does this passage really mean for us living in Hong Kong in the 21st century?

00:35:18.120 --> 00:35:19.580
 What does it really mean?

00:35:19.680 --> 00:35:20.380
 What are the implications?

00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:28.160
 And I didn't want it to just be another Sunday where we come and we hear James or me talk and think, oh, that's a great story.

00:35:28.260 --> 00:35:29.780
 And our heart has not changed at all.

00:35:29.860 --> 00:35:37.220
 So I wanted to share just a few practical things that maybe we could do together as a church to maybe apply this teaching into our own lives as well.

00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:45.879
 So I'm going to be talking about the implications of this passage, but I'll be talking in the frame of the one thing that really resonated with me the most while I was going through this passage.

00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:50.299
 And that very thing is that the miracle would not have happened if Peter did not say yes.

00:35:50.779 --> 00:35:53.519
 Now, we overlook that because it's just like, OK, Peter just said yes.

00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:56.719
 But we have to really remember that this is Simon's field, right?

00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:58.219
 He's really good at this.

00:35:58.359 --> 00:36:01.859
 And when Jesus comes, I imagine that Simon saw this guy.

00:36:02.019 --> 00:36:03.319
 OK, he's a carpenter.

00:36:03.459 --> 00:36:04.799
 He doesn't know anything about fishing.

00:36:05.279 --> 00:36:06.959
 I've been here all night.

00:36:06.960 --> 00:36:08.139
 I've done everything.

00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:09.559
 This is my field.

00:36:09.659 --> 00:36:10.460
 I know these waters.

00:36:10.659 --> 00:36:12.320
 I don't need to listen to some carpenter.

00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:13.300
 What do you know about fishing?

00:36:13.980 --> 00:36:15.139
 Stick to your religious stuff.

00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:16.199
 I'm going to stick to my stuff.

00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:17.420
 He could totally have said that.

00:36:17.699 --> 00:36:19.059
 And the miracle would not have happened.

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:27.300
 And I think it's really important to note here that Jesus intentionally goes into the place of Simon Peter's life where he probably was the most prideful in, right?

00:36:27.720 --> 00:36:30.420
 It doesn't he doesn't just see Peter at the synagogue.

00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:31.440
 I think it's intentional.

00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:34.400
 He chooses to meet Simon exactly where he's at.

00:36:34.619 --> 00:36:36.000
 And I think that's really important to note.

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:41.480
 I think that's important to note because prior to this, we saw Simon.

00:36:41.659 --> 00:36:44.579
 Simon witnessed Jesus perform a lot of miracles already, right?

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:49.159
 He saw Jesus cleaning an evil spirit from a man in a synagogue.

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:52.340
 He saw Jesus literally healing his mother-in-law.

00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.920
 So he's seen Jesus' miracles.

00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:56.059
 But why does this one hit so different?

00:36:56.420 --> 00:36:58.980
 Why does Simon say, depart from me for I am a sinful man?

00:36:59.100 --> 00:37:01.140
 And I think it's because it's so personal to him.

00:37:01.340 --> 00:37:04.600
 This is something that hit right into his heart.

00:37:04.820 --> 00:37:06.320
 And it's not just something that he observed.

00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:11.100
 But Jesus goes right into the place where he's probably struggling the most to invite Jesus in.

00:37:11.099 --> 00:37:13.779
 So I was thinking of that.

00:37:13.839 --> 00:37:15.219
 Okay, that's great.

00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:20.219
 And I wanted to take a moment as I was praying for this day today and sharing.

00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:24.940
 I wanted everyone or invite everyone to think, what is your equivalent of fishing?

00:37:25.980 --> 00:37:29.779
 What is the area of your life where you're probably very confident in?

00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.739
 Maybe it's your job.

00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:31.639
 Maybe it's a school.

00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:32.519
 I don't know what it is.

00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:35.960
 What is that one area where you struggle to say yes to Jesus in?

00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:37.000
 Put it another way.

00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:40.259
 What is one area in your life where you're holding back from Jesus?

00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:42.460
 What is that one area?

00:37:43.420 --> 00:37:47.860
 And I wanted to put it a little bit into context and maybe share just from my own personal experience.

00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.159
 I was really challenged while I was preparing for this.

00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:54.619
 And the reason being, my fishing is, I guess, my sense of comfort.

00:37:55.059 --> 00:37:59.219
 And to be, funnily enough, coming up here is a terrifying prospect for me.

00:37:59.219 --> 00:38:05.939
 I am heavily introverted and I would be much rather be sitting right where Joe sat at right now and just hiding in the corner.

00:38:07.359 --> 00:38:09.599
 It goes against my every belief to come up here.

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:14.319
 But two years ago, funnily enough, I just got back from the military.

00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:17.480
 And I was on the tram with Gabs, my bro here.

00:38:17.639 --> 00:38:21.539
 And I said to him, hey, you know, I think the Lord's calling me to preach.

00:38:22.219 --> 00:38:23.599
 I think the Lord's calling me to preach.

00:38:23.859 --> 00:38:27.439
 But, dude, I can't, like, I suck at speaking.

00:38:27.439 --> 00:38:28.879
 I'm so nervous when I'm up there.

00:38:28.880 --> 00:38:29.960
 I don't want to do that.

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:32.400
 That goes against everything I think that I'm good at.

00:38:32.680 --> 00:38:33.200
 I don't think I should.

00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:34.039
 That's not for me.

00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:35.680
 And I remember doubting a lot.

00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:37.320
 And, well, here I am now.

00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:39.820
 But this is my leap of faith in him.

00:38:41.260 --> 00:38:46.840
 When Simon says, I've been toiling all night, for me, my equivalent is, this is not for me.

00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:47.840
 I can't do that.

00:38:48.460 --> 00:38:51.160
 But there is a leap of faith that I decided to take in him.

00:38:51.280 --> 00:38:52.579
 And this is only my third time now.

00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:56.960
 But I think sometimes we think about all these teachings about Jesus.

00:38:57.099 --> 00:38:58.239
 And they can feel so burdensome.

00:38:58.900 --> 00:38:59.819
 You have to do this.

00:38:59.900 --> 00:39:00.340
 You have to forgive.

00:39:00.539 --> 00:39:01.199
 You have to have grace.

00:39:01.319 --> 00:39:01.579
 You have to.

00:39:01.759 --> 00:39:02.900
 There's so many you have to's.

00:39:02.980 --> 00:39:07.119
 And when Jesus calls us to take a leap of faith in him, it can feel really burdensome.

00:39:07.219 --> 00:39:11.539
 And we sometimes call it the cost of discipleship or denying ourselves.

00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:14.039
 And they have such negative connotations to them.

00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:16.900
 And I guess it's because there's a sacrifice that needs to be put forward.

00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:31.880
 But coming back to what James said about abundance earlier, I think I really, truly believe that on the other side of our obedience and the discomfort that we feel when we obey him, there's a freedom and there's life that we will experience in a new way.

00:39:32.579 --> 00:39:34.400
 And I can confidently say that for myself.

00:39:34.500 --> 00:39:35.340
 It's my third time now.

00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:40.760
 But when I come up here and afterwards, I'm still like my knees are trembling and everything.

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:48.600
 But I think my heart, there's an indescribable feeling of knowing that I am following his call, that I am in line with it.

00:39:48.680 --> 00:39:50.539
 I'm just trying my best to obey him.

00:39:51.240 --> 00:39:52.820
 And there's a freedom that comes with that.

00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:57.360
 And so I think so often we think, oh, I just I don't want to sacrifice that.

00:39:57.460 --> 00:39:58.140
 That's too hard.

00:39:58.240 --> 00:40:02.740
 But I think I think we just don't realize the cost of not following him.

00:40:03.059 --> 00:40:04.760
 And I think we've all been there ourselves as well.

00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:04.980
 Right.

00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:07.880
 We've all decided to walk away from Jesus.

00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:10.900
 I think there's a lot of people in here who have been Christians for a long time.

00:40:10.900 --> 00:40:19.519
 And I think we've all had our fair share of the prodigal son moment where we've walked away from Jesus, just did everything to gratify our own flesh, did everything that we wanted.

00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:20.559
 Obedience to God.

00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:21.260
 No, I don't want that.

00:40:21.500 --> 00:40:22.720
 I want to just satisfy myself.

00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:25.140
 And we all know the emptiness that comes with that.

00:40:25.139 --> 00:40:32.460
 But I think like Simon did or like James did when he came to Hong Kong, taking a leap of faith in Jesus.

00:40:32.460 --> 00:40:36.019
 I don't think there's anything that can describe that feeling.

00:40:36.019 --> 00:40:37.539
 And there's a freedom that comes with that.

00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:42.039
 And I think Jesus came to set us free as well from all of the things that we are captive to in our lives.

00:40:43.079 --> 00:40:44.300
 So I'm just conscious of that church.

00:40:44.460 --> 00:40:46.900
 So what is that equivalent of fishing for you?

00:40:47.079 --> 00:40:54.139
 I really wanted to encourage everyone, maybe tonight or like when you're having lunch today, when you're having your quiet moments, Jesus just ask him.

00:40:54.139 --> 00:41:03.460
 Hey, Jesus, there's probably an area, you probably know deep down in your heart what that area is for you, whether it's your struggle to say yes or whether it's what you're struggling to say no in.

00:41:03.799 --> 00:41:04.819
 You know what that is.

00:41:05.299 --> 00:41:06.739
 I encourage you to bring that before him.

00:41:06.799 --> 00:41:10.239
 And as you're struggling and wrestling with that, Lord, do I really obey you in this?

00:41:11.699 --> 00:41:13.839
 I just pray that you remember John 10, 10.

00:41:13.960 --> 00:41:16.539
 Jesus says, I came to give life and life abundantly.

00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:19.799
 Jesus isn't calling you because he wants to harm you.

00:41:19.960 --> 00:41:22.859
 He's not calling you to obey you because he wants something bad for you.

00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:27.620
 It's because he loves you and he knows that what's on the other end of that obedience is freedom.

00:41:28.420 --> 00:41:35.680
 So may we remember that as we spend some time just meditating and dwelling on what that area of fishing is for us.

00:41:36.019 --> 00:41:38.280
 I wanted to end with just one last note.

00:41:39.380 --> 00:41:45.820
 I think it's really easy to, as we're thinking about these things, what is the area of my life where I'm struggling with?

00:41:45.900 --> 00:41:46.599
 What is my fishing?

00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:50.720
 It can so easily become, okay, that is my problem.

00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:53.359
 That is my idol and I need to do X, Y, Z.

00:41:53.559 --> 00:41:54.539
 This is my game plan.

00:41:54.659 --> 00:41:56.480
 And it all becomes about me, me, me.

00:41:56.579 --> 00:41:57.539
 This is what I'm going to focus.

00:41:57.599 --> 00:41:58.319
 This is my problem.

00:41:58.679 --> 00:42:00.319
 And we completely miss out the point.

00:42:02.239 --> 00:42:04.459
 James talked about the point of the miracles earlier, right?

00:42:05.079 --> 00:42:07.719
 It's not just, of course, it's because Jesus can.

00:42:07.819 --> 00:42:14.639
 But I think really Jesus performs that miracle specifically for Simon because he wants relationship with Simon.

00:42:14.799 --> 00:42:16.980
 He's inviting him for a relationship, right?

00:42:16.980 --> 00:42:25.900
 And when we're thinking about these problems, I think it can so often just be, I'm just going to try to fix this by myself and lose the point that Jesus just wants you to look at him.

00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:35.219
 If we look at this passage and we see how Simon turns from this passive observer and believer of Christ and active follower, it's when he realizes who Jesus is.

00:42:35.579 --> 00:42:37.240
 It's not when he's like focused on his problems.

00:42:37.340 --> 00:42:38.320
 He's focused on Jesus.

00:42:38.320 --> 00:42:41.460
 And I want to encourage everyone, the how behind this as well.

00:42:41.740 --> 00:42:43.400
 It's not just let's just focus on our problems.

00:42:43.519 --> 00:42:44.559
 Let's like turn our lives around.

00:42:44.840 --> 00:42:47.320
 Let's use our willpower and just change our life for the good.

00:42:47.559 --> 00:42:48.380
 I don't think that's the point.

00:42:48.460 --> 00:42:50.500
 I think we're missing the point if we interpret it like that.

00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:54.160
 Jesus is inviting everyone in this room to a relationship with him.

00:42:54.440 --> 00:43:00.240
 And I think we have to remember that as we go about, as we meditate on the things that we're struggling with, it's really about him.

00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:02.219
 And only he can transform our hearts.

00:43:03.019 --> 00:43:04.339
 So I just wanted to wrap up with that.

00:43:04.419 --> 00:43:05.179
 Thank you for having me.

00:43:05.719 --> 00:43:08.379
 And I think I'll just, yeah, I guess James wants to wrap up.

00:43:08.500 --> 00:43:08.579
 Yeah.

00:43:09.699 --> 00:43:10.359
 Thank you, Jay.

00:43:12.459 --> 00:43:12.959
 Thank you.

00:43:14.699 --> 00:43:18.519
 Just honoring you for your obedience and your leap of faith in doing that.

00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:22.979
 And just to be able to see him wrestle with us is just an inspiration to me as well.

00:43:23.279 --> 00:43:25.000
 Put simply, I think there's two groups of us here.

00:43:25.039 --> 00:43:26.339
 There's one group who are like, you know what?

00:43:26.539 --> 00:43:27.339
 I'm trying my best.

00:43:27.399 --> 00:43:27.919
 I'm striving.

00:43:28.039 --> 00:43:28.419
 I'm straining.

00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:28.899
 I'm stressing.

00:43:28.900 --> 00:43:31.460
 I think I want to be the best Christian that I can be.

00:43:31.680 --> 00:43:34.680
 And for you, you just got to have that heart of Peter.

00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:37.940
 Just get on your knees and go, I've tried everything.

00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:40.240
 But I'm just going to follow you.

00:43:40.740 --> 00:43:41.840
 I'm just going to rely on you.

00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:43.780
 Because you're the one that can do it.

00:43:44.180 --> 00:43:44.639
 There's that group.

00:43:44.840 --> 00:43:48.340
 There is another group, though, who actually you haven't really done much at all.

00:43:49.320 --> 00:43:52.700
 And actually, you come every Sunday morning and you listen to a sermon.

00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:58.760
 And then you'll just be like, okay, well, he talked about following and I guess I followed him.

00:43:59.099 --> 00:43:59.800
 And then we're done.

00:44:00.460 --> 00:44:01.840
 With that group, I'm just kind of like, okay.

00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:03.920
 Just like what Jay said.

00:44:05.460 --> 00:44:06.980
 What's stopping you from following him?

00:44:07.320 --> 00:44:08.260
 There's actually a fear there.

00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:10.559
 You're like, oh, but I'm just lazy.

00:44:10.680 --> 00:44:12.119
 Yeah, I know you're lazy.

00:44:12.180 --> 00:44:12.880
 I can confirm that.

00:44:13.099 --> 00:44:13.639
 But there's something.

00:44:14.179 --> 00:44:15.199
 But why are you lazy?

00:44:16.079 --> 00:44:17.539
 What are you actually afraid of?

00:44:18.719 --> 00:44:21.440
 What's the actual thing that you're most afraid of?

00:44:21.659 --> 00:44:23.699
 If you did this, what would happen to you?

00:44:25.239 --> 00:44:28.799
 And here, that's where I hope you can receive that lesson and go, okay.

00:44:29.599 --> 00:44:30.619
 Let me take that step.

00:44:30.819 --> 00:44:32.980
 And we're here saying nothing that's new.

00:44:33.420 --> 00:44:36.780
 But I do truly believe that there are some of us here who the Holy Spirit is going, okay, that's you.

00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:38.380
 Get up.

00:44:39.960 --> 00:44:41.059
 Take this leap of faith.

00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:43.440
 And see the freedom on the other side.

00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:49.559
 If I was just to sum up this whole thing, this whole account, it would be, when you trust in God, it leads to transformation.

00:44:51.019 --> 00:44:53.079
 When you trust in God, it leads to transformation.

00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:55.039
 When you take him at his word.

00:44:55.420 --> 00:45:01.119
 Now, a lot of people struggle with that, especially maybe the next generation, because we don't like to take people at their word anymore.

00:45:01.159 --> 00:45:02.059
 We question everything.

00:45:02.719 --> 00:45:06.299
 When someone in authority tells us to do something, the first question we ask is why.

00:45:07.279 --> 00:45:07.519
 Right?

00:45:07.940 --> 00:45:15.079
 And sadly, I don't even blame you because there are so many institutions, so many leaders that are just falling around and just falling like flies around us.

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:16.799
 And we're like, okay, I don't trust leaders anymore.

00:45:17.299 --> 00:45:21.719
 So you rewind maybe 10, 20, 30 years ago, people would just listen to a leader.

00:45:21.719 --> 00:45:23.719
 Hey, do that, and you would just do it without questioning.

00:45:23.879 --> 00:45:24.059
 Correct?

00:45:24.859 --> 00:45:26.319
 But now, we're like, you know what?

00:45:26.419 --> 00:45:27.379
 No, I'm not going to listen to that.

00:45:27.439 --> 00:45:28.219
 I need to know why.

00:45:28.279 --> 00:45:29.459
 I need to know the reason behind it.

00:45:30.919 --> 00:45:33.359
 But what we have here is a God who can be trusted.

00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:36.839
 Who actually, we can say, at your word, I will do this.

00:45:37.579 --> 00:45:43.859
 Now, if you see a loving parent, and I hope I'm one of these loving parents, there are times when I ask very friendly and politely to my children,

00:45:43.859 --> 00:45:45.379
 Hey, can you do this?

00:45:46.019 --> 00:45:47.059
 And then they'll ask why.

00:45:47.500 --> 00:45:48.659
 I say, oh, that's a great question.

00:45:48.659 --> 00:45:51.759
 So the answer is, it's because I told you so.

00:45:54.319 --> 00:45:54.599
 Why?

00:45:54.699 --> 00:45:55.719
 Because I want you to trust me.

00:45:56.539 --> 00:45:58.079
 Because I want you to know that I love you.

00:45:59.519 --> 00:46:02.119
 Because I want you to know that actually, if I explained it to you, you wouldn't even understand.

00:46:05.199 --> 00:46:06.399
 That's a different level of trust.

00:46:07.799 --> 00:46:09.920
 That's a different level of faith that we need to have.

00:46:09.980 --> 00:46:14.159
 But we look at this Christ here, and we're like, we have to take him at his word.

00:46:14.219 --> 00:46:14.379
 Why?

00:46:14.380 --> 00:46:16.940
 Because we see that he was willing to go on the cross first.

00:46:18.880 --> 00:46:22.980
 Why would you not listen to someone who was willing to sacrifice their own life for you?

00:46:24.160 --> 00:46:25.579
 So take him at his word.

00:46:26.519 --> 00:46:28.800
 And then follow him at all costs.

00:46:29.619 --> 00:46:32.320
 And you realize afterwards that there is a cost.

00:46:32.579 --> 00:46:36.440
 Don't let any preacher, don't let any church tell you, hey, there's not really much you have to do.

00:46:36.500 --> 00:46:37.400
 The bar is this low.

00:46:37.400 --> 00:46:41.720
 All you have to do is just turn up on time.

00:46:42.500 --> 00:46:43.460
 And that will be enough.

00:46:44.079 --> 00:46:47.240
 Don't, Jesus says very clearly, there is a cost to discipleship.

00:46:48.160 --> 00:46:49.660
 You will have to die to yourself.

00:46:50.519 --> 00:46:51.740
 You'll have to die to yourself.

00:46:52.700 --> 00:46:54.599
 And then you will be able to live.

00:46:55.260 --> 00:46:56.700
 There is that surrender to begin with.

00:46:56.760 --> 00:46:59.840
 And honestly, this is not a concept that is unfamiliar to us.

00:46:59.840 --> 00:47:07.620
 Parents, the moment you conceive and the moment you go through the process of childbirth, there is a dying to self.

00:47:08.519 --> 00:47:14.180
 There is a surrender saying, hey, not my will, but this, not my good, but not my comfort, but this child's comfort.

00:47:14.179 --> 00:47:18.659
 But at all costs, would you follow him?

00:47:18.759 --> 00:47:21.239
 Recognize that there is a cost, that there is a high bar.

00:47:22.259 --> 00:47:24.480
 I'm not going to be here and lie to you and say there isn't.

00:47:25.399 --> 00:47:28.259
 But what we are here saying is that it is worth it.

00:47:29.059 --> 00:47:31.139
 And we all know, well, actually, it's been a long time since I've known.

00:47:31.219 --> 00:47:35.359
 We all know when you go to the gym for a very long session and you come out, you're like, that hurt.

00:47:35.859 --> 00:47:36.719
 But that was good.

00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:38.000
 So I've been told.

00:47:41.319 --> 00:47:43.559
 Trust in God leads to transformation.

00:47:43.559 --> 00:47:45.460
 Take him at his word.

00:47:45.739 --> 00:47:47.119
 Follow him at all costs.

00:47:47.400 --> 00:47:48.960
 And he comes to right where you're at.

00:47:49.019 --> 00:47:50.539
 You're like, oh, but I'm not quite good enough yet.

00:47:50.840 --> 00:47:51.679
 Well, neither was Peter.

00:47:52.699 --> 00:47:57.079
 Have you heard that cheesy quote that I love, which is, God doesn't call the equipped.

00:47:57.199 --> 00:47:57.900
 He equips the called.

00:47:59.159 --> 00:47:59.279
 Yeah.

00:47:59.420 --> 00:48:00.799
 God does not call the equipped.

00:48:00.920 --> 00:48:03.539
 He does not call those who are ready, who are great and who are holy.

00:48:03.699 --> 00:48:05.039
 He equips those who are called.

00:48:05.539 --> 00:48:08.299
 So you might be sat here going, I'm not worthy.

00:48:08.639 --> 00:48:09.940
 I don't deserve to be it.

00:48:10.039 --> 00:48:11.159
 And I shouldn't be doing it.

00:48:11.159 --> 00:48:11.880
 Well, perfect.

00:48:11.880 --> 00:48:11.920
 Perfect.

00:48:12.160 --> 00:48:13.860
 You have satisfied the entry requirements.

00:48:14.640 --> 00:48:15.579
 That's all you needed.

00:48:16.260 --> 00:48:20.599
 Just a willing heart to get down on your knees and say, I don't deserve to be here.

00:48:20.940 --> 00:48:21.720
 I am unworthy.

00:48:23.019 --> 00:48:24.640
 He equips the called.

00:48:24.840 --> 00:48:25.400
 So follow him.

00:48:26.340 --> 00:48:28.039
 And of course, Peter does.

00:48:29.360 --> 00:48:29.960
 Peter does.

00:48:30.579 --> 00:48:32.980
 He follows this man who went to the cross.

00:48:32.980 --> 00:48:39.960
 And of course, church history and church legends, though he's not in the Bible, will tell you that actually Peter followed him all the way to his own death.

00:48:41.019 --> 00:48:46.179
 And he, as has been told, dies under persecution by also dying on a cross.

00:48:46.179 --> 00:48:54.019
 But still, to the day of his death, as legend goes, he dies on the cross, but he chooses to be hung upside down.

00:48:54.440 --> 00:48:54.719
 Why?

00:48:54.819 --> 00:48:55.659
 Because he is unworthy.

00:48:56.759 --> 00:48:58.679
 Because he didn't want to die in the same way as his Lord.

00:48:59.579 --> 00:49:01.659
 Would we have that heart of humility?

00:49:01.659 --> 00:49:07.839
 Where we would be willing to follow him at all costs, humble ourselves at his feet.

00:49:08.500 --> 00:49:11.719
 And whilst he suffered with him, he is now also glorified with him.

00:49:12.299 --> 00:49:19.819
 And Peter, this impulsive Peter, ends up being the rock that Jesus builds the whole church on.

00:49:22.019 --> 00:49:22.839
 Used for great.

00:49:23.799 --> 00:49:25.000
 Outlasts the whole Roman Empire.

00:49:25.000 --> 00:49:28.239
 Would we be a little bit like Peter?

00:49:28.360 --> 00:49:29.559
 Would we drop our nets?

00:49:30.239 --> 00:49:31.139
 And would we follow him?

00:49:31.639 --> 00:49:41.239
 Something that I really learned from Jay was, Peter surrendered the desire, the idea that he can do this by himself.

00:49:42.300 --> 00:49:48.460
 And then he realizes in that moment that, wow, it's him.

00:49:49.719 --> 00:49:52.119
 Behold, the Messiah.

00:49:52.119 --> 00:49:52.199
 Yeah.

00:49:54.019 --> 00:49:57.380
 He reaches the promised land simply because he realizes who Jesus is.

00:49:58.980 --> 00:50:01.139
 And he points to him and goes, this is God.

00:50:02.380 --> 00:50:03.420
 Would we do the same?

00:50:03.679 --> 00:50:09.159
 And when we do that, and when our eyes are focused on him and not on the challenges, when our eyes are focused on Jesus and not on ourselves,

00:50:09.960 --> 00:50:12.059
 you realize everything else pales in comparison.

00:50:12.380 --> 00:50:15.420
 You realize everything minimizes it to its very small place.

00:50:17.219 --> 00:50:19.259
 And then we will be able to do great things.

00:50:19.260 --> 00:50:26.020
 Can I invite us now as Florence and the team are going to lead us again in the song that we sang earlier, this is our God.

00:50:26.920 --> 00:50:28.240
 Would we have that now?

00:50:28.300 --> 00:50:32.320
 I truly believe I don't need to say any more because I think the Holy Spirit has probably spoken to you in a specific way.

00:50:33.080 --> 00:50:37.340
 Whether it is an issue of trust that you have or whether you're refusing to change or whether you're refusing to act.

00:50:39.440 --> 00:50:41.760
 Would you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you now?

00:50:41.820 --> 00:50:42.740
 And would you respond?

00:50:42.739 --> 00:50:47.500
 Don't just listen to this message and go, oh, that was a okay message.

00:50:47.619 --> 00:50:49.119
 It's a bit dark in here, so I was falling asleep.

00:50:51.039 --> 00:50:54.919
 Take that message, listen to it, and go, God, what did you have for me there?

00:50:55.339 --> 00:50:57.759
 And how must I respond?

00:50:58.939 --> 00:51:01.039
 How must I respond?

00:51:02.919 --> 00:51:03.419
 Let's pray.

00:51:03.420 --> 00:51:12.800
 Jesus, just like those many, many years ago.

00:51:18.260 --> 00:51:19.920
 Where a Peter who had tried everything.

00:51:22.659 --> 00:51:23.539
 Falls at your feet.

00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:31.700
 Not focusing on the limitations that he had or the efforts that he put in.

00:51:31.699 --> 00:51:35.500
 But on simply who you are.

00:51:38.739 --> 00:51:41.000
 That the gospel is this, not what we can do.

00:51:41.619 --> 00:51:42.579
 But what you have done.

00:51:45.480 --> 00:51:48.519
 And we too, like Peter, are unworthy to be in your presence.

00:51:49.179 --> 00:51:50.519
 We don't deserve to be here.

00:51:52.919 --> 00:51:54.119
 And yet you came to us.

00:51:56.500 --> 00:51:57.559
 You'd emptied yourself.

00:51:57.559 --> 00:52:02.279
 And you were obedient to the point of death.

00:52:03.460 --> 00:52:04.500
 Even death on the cross.

00:52:08.340 --> 00:52:11.059
 So we spend these last few moments now as we're together, as we gather,

00:52:11.619 --> 00:52:12.619
 to turn our eyes to you.

00:52:13.799 --> 00:52:14.639
 Declare that you are God.

00:52:16.820 --> 00:52:17.500
 That you are good.

00:52:17.920 --> 00:52:18.519
 That you are here.

00:52:18.519 --> 00:52:21.340
 And we fall at your feet.

00:52:30.980 --> 00:52:32.619
 Yes, Lord, we will fall at our feet.

00:52:32.820 --> 00:52:33.820
 And we will worship you.

00:52:38.019 --> 00:52:43.800
 Lord, we're reminded that, yeah, there will be a day where we will see you face to face.

00:52:43.800 --> 00:52:49.180
 And in that moment, in that very moment, all that matters is how we respond.

00:52:49.280 --> 00:52:50.700
 And we will not respond moderately.

00:52:52.100 --> 00:52:55.500
 We will bow down on our knees and recognize and see that you are God.

00:52:55.640 --> 00:52:56.340
 That you are King.

00:52:57.500 --> 00:53:00.940
 And Lord, we gather in these moments to remind each other that that day is coming.

00:53:01.039 --> 00:53:02.080
 But that day is also here.

00:53:04.680 --> 00:53:08.440
 And Lord, as we head out from this place, you are still King.

00:53:08.539 --> 00:53:09.480
 You are still sovereign.

00:53:09.480 --> 00:53:13.039
 And Lord, may that heart posture remain when we're in the workplace,

00:53:13.240 --> 00:53:16.119
 when we're in the bank, when we're in the hospital, when we're in the school.

00:53:16.679 --> 00:53:20.199
 Wherever we are, Lord, may that posture of worshiping you,

00:53:20.460 --> 00:53:21.740
 knowing that you are sovereign.

00:53:22.480 --> 00:53:25.300
 That you hold not just our lives and our little families in your hands,

00:53:25.340 --> 00:53:28.019
 but you hold the whole universe in your hands.

00:53:30.240 --> 00:53:33.960
 And Lord, I just want to pray a prayer of blessing for our community

00:53:33.960 --> 00:53:35.880
 as we head on into Chinese New Year.

00:53:35.880 --> 00:53:41.140
 As we head on into a week of what could be a lot of family dinners

00:53:41.140 --> 00:53:43.880
 or dinners of people that we don't see so often.

00:53:45.240 --> 00:53:48.260
 Lord, even in those dinners, in those meals, in those conversations,

00:53:48.500 --> 00:53:50.280
 may your presence be known.

00:53:50.700 --> 00:53:51.800
 May your presence be with us.

00:53:53.140 --> 00:53:54.360
 I pray that we be two peas.

00:53:54.500 --> 00:53:55.940
 That we be present and patient.

00:53:56.700 --> 00:53:59.720
 May we be present and patient this week to all that we encounter.

00:54:00.700 --> 00:54:02.119
 And not just the people we're meeting,

00:54:02.119 --> 00:54:06.259
 but even the people we're walking by who may not have families to eat and celebrate New Year's with.

00:54:07.400 --> 00:54:11.039
 The cleaners, the workers around our buildings, Lord, may we love on them.

00:54:11.579 --> 00:54:16.500
 May we see you in each and every single person that we come across, Lord.

00:54:16.619 --> 00:54:17.819
 For they are a miracle.

00:54:18.799 --> 00:54:22.179
 We are all living miracles that you created in your image.

00:54:23.019 --> 00:54:24.059
 And so, Lord, I just pray.

00:54:24.599 --> 00:54:25.500
 Help us be present.

00:54:25.599 --> 00:54:26.279
 Help us be patient.

00:54:26.339 --> 00:54:28.440
 And we can only do that through the power of your Holy Spirit.

00:54:28.440 --> 00:54:32.700
 So, with that, Lord, we pray that you go before us.

00:54:34.599 --> 00:54:35.720
 You go before us.

00:54:36.460 --> 00:54:37.900
 And we put this week into your hands.

00:54:38.000 --> 00:54:41.260
 May we honor you in all that we do from this moment on.

00:54:41.320 --> 00:54:42.440
 That church doesn't end here.

00:54:42.940 --> 00:54:44.720
 It doesn't end when we leave this building.

00:54:45.099 --> 00:54:46.920
 It continues until the day you return.

00:54:47.019 --> 00:54:47.900
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:54:48.360 --> 00:54:48.720
 Amen.

00:54:49.000 --> 00:54:49.380
 Amen.