WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.740 Okay, team, what a delight to look out and actually see someone and be of good cheer, 00:00:07.379 --> 00:00:14.179 because obviously you have persevered to be here, and in the scriptures, perseverance is a sign of election. 00:00:14.179 --> 00:00:16.240 So that should encourage you heartily. 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:26.560 Well, we're now nearing the end of our journey together, and if we glance back at the road that we've traveled, 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:33.280 we began with a consideration of the fountain pulse of witness bearing. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:39.920 From what fountain does our witness bearing spring, and what sustains the flow? 00:00:40.739 --> 00:00:44.079 We unfolded five fueling dynamics. 00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:48.519 One, it flows from the command of our king. 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.200 Second, it reflects an attunement to the great drama. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:56.859 Third, it is impelled by a love of our neighbor. 00:00:58.080 --> 00:01:00.500 Fourth, it's a part of our praise of our Savior. 00:01:01.060 --> 00:01:03.859 And finally, it arises out of the stirring of the Spirit. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:10.159 We then turn from motive and motor to the message itself. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:15.540 What is the gospel that we as witness bearers bear? 00:01:15.540 --> 00:01:25.400 And we explored, what is the significance of the gospel being news, and what makes that news so good? 00:01:26.020 --> 00:01:34.580 And in particular, we lingered over the vital question, how may the gospel be heard as good news? 00:01:35.100 --> 00:01:43.160 And critical here was to offer the gospel as an answer to a question that they, our hearers, are asking. 00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:48.640 To translate the gospel into terms of something that they care about. 00:01:49.479 --> 00:01:53.079 What is the good news for that particular thing? 00:01:54.219 --> 00:02:00.699 And finally, in our most recent journey's leg, we proposed six stars to navigate by in our witness bearing. 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:04.480 We said, one, proceed with good questions. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:09.379 Two, frame the interaction collaboratively. 00:02:10.300 --> 00:02:11.800 Third, listen well. 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:17.860 Fourth, lead with affirmation and look for resonances. 00:02:18.980 --> 00:02:22.719 Fifth, be prepared to tell your own story of how you came to faith. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:30.560 And sixth, keep fresh and vivid how the gospel is good news for you. 00:02:32.099 --> 00:02:34.360 So, that's where we've been. 00:02:34.740 --> 00:02:42.180 And in this, our final stretch, we want to consider together some first steps in getting started. 00:02:43.219 --> 00:02:47.039 And if you've been with us on our entire journey, you will have heard a lot. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:50.560 How and where do I begin? 00:02:51.359 --> 00:02:54.819 Well, here are four starter steps. 00:02:55.180 --> 00:02:56.259 Four starter steps. 00:02:57.099 --> 00:02:59.879 And the first is, be prayerful. 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:01.259 Be prayerful. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:09.840 One of the early witness bearing lessons that the master impressed on his disciples is recorded in Matthew 9.37. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:11.019 Matthew 9.37. 00:03:11.020 --> 00:03:14.360 And the context is in the previous verse, which reads, 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:18.900 When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, 00:03:19.540 --> 00:03:24.180 because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:26.920 Then he said to his disciples, 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:31.140 The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 00:03:32.160 --> 00:03:34.260 Therefore, why do you tarry? 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.219 Let's rush down into the harvest right now. 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:39.719 Last one there is a rotten matzo ball. 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:41.180 Wait a minute. 00:03:41.379 --> 00:03:42.879 Did I get that right? 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:43.859 I'm trying to recall. 00:03:44.359 --> 00:03:46.319 Can someone check the passage for me? 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:47.860 Matthew 9.37. 00:03:48.139 --> 00:03:49.280 How does that go? 00:03:51.020 --> 00:03:51.960 Workers are few. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:53.800 Sorry, the harvest is plenty. 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:54.520 The laborers are few. 00:03:54.659 --> 00:03:56.400 Therefore, can someone help me out? 00:03:56.819 --> 00:04:00.180 Earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into Jesus. 00:04:00.180 --> 00:04:01.259 Ah, that's it. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:01.539 Okay. 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:03.120 Pray earnestly. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:08.020 Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest. 00:04:08.020 --> 00:04:10.159 Remarkable, is it not? 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:14.920 As ripe and ready as the harvest fields are, 00:04:15.660 --> 00:04:18.120 our first step is to pray. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:21.460 Pray to the Lord of the harvest. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:25.019 And is this not compelling? 00:04:25.699 --> 00:04:29.620 I mean that we address the one who is sovereign in the whole matter 00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:32.800 of gathering a Christ-redeemed people. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:42.759 So, let's go and beseech the one who disposes all things, 00:04:43.520 --> 00:04:45.020 including the hearts of hearers. 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:51.759 And if we comprehend just how utterly sovereign that the Lord is in this harvest, 00:04:52.060 --> 00:04:56.580 we might be even forgiven for the mistake that we don't need to do anything. 00:04:57.319 --> 00:04:58.240 He is so sovereign. 00:04:58.580 --> 00:05:00.819 He'll take care of the harvest all by himself. 00:05:00.819 --> 00:05:07.060 This was intriguingly the response that the missionary aspirant, William Carey, 00:05:07.099 --> 00:05:11.560 got from the elders of his Baptist, Baptist church, 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:18.519 when he proposed that he might be sent out to be a missionary to far-flung nations. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:19.560 He was heading out to India. 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:23.600 And the response of the elders of this Baptist church was, 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:25.720 Sit down, young man. 00:05:26.180 --> 00:05:31.120 If God wants to reach the heathen, he will do so without you or me. 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:32.340 Can you believe that? 00:05:32.540 --> 00:05:32.720 Fine. 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:35.319 But it seems that the... 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:36.259 Oh, so kind of you. 00:05:36.340 --> 00:05:36.920 Thank you, Beth. 00:05:37.379 --> 00:05:43.459 It seems that the Lord of the harvest actually does want to use you and me 00:05:43.459 --> 00:05:45.699 to accomplish his sovereign saving purpose. 00:05:45.699 --> 00:05:48.699 For Jesus tells us what to pray when we pray the Lord of the harvest. 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:53.319 He says, Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers and do his harvest. 00:05:54.939 --> 00:06:01.939 Notice it's still his harvest, but we, you and I, are the harvesters. 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.159 So here's a prayer. 00:06:05.419 --> 00:06:05.959 Ah, welcome. 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:07.240 Here's a prayer. 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:11.319 I try to pray most every day as I go out to be among my neighbors in the world. 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:21.599 Lord, just like you assured Paul in Corinth, remember in Acts 18, Jesus tells Paul in Corinth, 00:06:22.159 --> 00:06:30.360 I trust you have many people in this city or in this gym or in this college or in this book club 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:35.319 or toddler group, whatever it is, whose hearts you are preparing. 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:42.060 Lord of the harvest, would you sovereignly cause them to just cross my path today 00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:46.980 and make me attentive to those providences that you've orchestrated? 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:51.360 I'm available to bear witness to my Christ-shaped hope. 00:06:53.539 --> 00:06:56.240 So here's a question for us, a non-rhetorical. 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:57.360 We can talk about this. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:05.020 Is there some place where you could be cued to pray such a prayer? 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:06.280 Lord, I'm ready. 00:07:06.580 --> 00:07:08.020 I'm your witness bearer. 00:07:08.840 --> 00:07:10.759 Orchestrate some people to cross my path. 00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:12.199 I'm going to be attentive to your province. 00:07:12.580 --> 00:07:18.000 Would there be some sort of place in your typical day that would cue you? 00:07:19.420 --> 00:07:21.139 Maybe like the Q Bridge. 00:07:21.300 --> 00:07:22.660 The name would even cue you, perhaps. 00:07:22.660 --> 00:07:26.240 If you're driving in across the Q Bridge and you're coming across the bridge, 00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:28.439 you think, okay, Q Bridge, Q, that's my cue. 00:07:28.939 --> 00:07:34.520 I'm going into my day and I'm going to pray that the Lord might give me an opportunity 00:07:34.520 --> 00:07:35.700 to bear witness to him. 00:07:35.940 --> 00:07:39.820 Or maybe it would be the elevator where you are going up, 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.300 you're rising up to your lab on the whatever floor it is, 00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:46.960 and as it lifts you up, you lift up your eyes to the harvest, 00:07:47.320 --> 00:07:49.060 and that cues you to pray your prayer. 00:07:49.060 --> 00:07:51.699 So think through your day a little bit, 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:56.180 and what might be something that could cue you, 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:00.240 to prompt you, remind you to pray that prayer. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.959 For me, it's the door of my gym. 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:07.240 When I hit the, and I put my hand on that door, 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:09.240 I say, okay, Lord, I'm opening this door. 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:14.699 Could you open some doors for me in this space here? 00:08:15.180 --> 00:08:17.920 And open doors of people's hearts and start opening. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:21.860 So whenever my hand hits that door, and it's almost always closed, 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:25.280 very rarely does somebody open it for me, so I always have that cue. 00:08:25.660 --> 00:08:27.620 It just reminds me to say that prayer. 00:08:27.860 --> 00:08:32.860 So that helps to put me into the pattern of actually being prayerful 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:35.759 to the Lord of the harvest for the harvest. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:43.759 So think through your day and what thing might be able to cue you. 00:08:43.820 --> 00:08:46.920 Anybody have an idea or any thought about their day? 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:49.559 Anything that, Dennis, we're just talking about. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:53.019 Any, any, when we want to pray to the Lord of the harvest, 00:08:53.419 --> 00:08:57.099 and anything that might cue us in our morning to pray. 00:08:57.199 --> 00:09:00.819 Whether you associate your coffee pot in the morning with saying a prayer, 00:09:00.899 --> 00:09:01.319 whatever it is. 00:09:01.339 --> 00:09:02.099 Anybody have any ideas? 00:09:02.179 --> 00:09:03.599 What would you, what would work for you? 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:04.819 Yeah, yeah. 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:06.899 Maybe taking my vitamins in the last. 00:09:06.979 --> 00:09:07.959 I like that. 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:09.539 Okay, if that happens pretty consistently, 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.740 you want to piggyback some habits on other habits. 00:09:12.740 --> 00:09:14.060 So that's fantastic. 00:09:14.419 --> 00:09:15.639 Yeah, that's fantastic, Fiona. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.240 Yeah, right with, associate it with your vitamin pills. 00:09:18.340 --> 00:09:19.019 Anybody else? 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:21.940 What would, what would work as a good cue for your day? 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:24.919 To, a reminder to pray the Lord of the harvest. 00:09:25.419 --> 00:09:25.879 Yeah, Beth. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.560 We share in driveway, 00:09:27.559 --> 00:09:31.219 so there's often times we cross paths in our driveway with our neighbors. 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:32.279 Excellent. 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:33.099 There you go. 00:09:33.299 --> 00:09:33.519 Yeah. 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:36.719 Whatever works well for you, find a good cue. 00:09:37.119 --> 00:09:39.839 Because I'm, I'm just staggered at how much I, 00:09:39.959 --> 00:09:42.000 I'm kind of convinced that prayer is important, 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:43.959 but how forgetful I can be, 00:09:44.179 --> 00:09:47.099 it just is a really, a really big help for me 00:09:47.099 --> 00:09:50.719 if I have these little prompts and reminders and cues, 00:09:50.719 --> 00:09:52.719 if you will, to pray. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:57.960 Okay, so, in fact, why don't we do it right now? 00:09:58.340 --> 00:10:00.500 Why don't you just turn to the person on your left, 00:10:00.899 --> 00:10:02.379 or right, or whatever it is, 00:10:02.680 --> 00:10:04.100 and just, just say a quick, 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:05.500 just, we're not going to take a lot of time, 00:10:05.580 --> 00:10:10.279 but just a quick pray that the Lord would help to remind us 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:12.920 to be prayerful in regard to the harvest. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:13.460 All right? 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:15.000 Okay, let's do it right now. 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:15.440 All right? 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:22.940 Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we pray that you would help us 00:10:22.940 --> 00:10:26.040 to find times throughout the day consistently 00:10:26.040 --> 00:10:31.880 to pray to you and ask that you would providentially cause us 00:10:31.880 --> 00:10:35.820 to cross paths with someone whose heart you have been working on, 00:10:35.920 --> 00:10:37.280 intending to for some time, 00:10:37.340 --> 00:10:40.240 and that we might be alert to those signs, 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.940 and we might be ready to have a conversation, 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:46.500 to ask good questions, that we might not be scared, 00:10:46.640 --> 00:10:48.700 that our tongue might not be tied in those moments, 00:10:48.780 --> 00:10:51.920 but we might trust that you will give us the words to say 00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:55.900 and help us to never have a dull moment 00:10:55.900 --> 00:10:59.200 in which we think we're no longer used for you and your kingdom. 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:00.500 Amen. 00:11:00.900 --> 00:11:02.620 Lord, make us prayerful harvesters. 00:11:02.800 --> 00:11:03.420 In Jesus' name. 00:11:07.420 --> 00:11:10.000 All right, team, far be it from me to interrupt your prayers, 00:11:10.160 --> 00:11:11.260 but that's what I just did. 00:11:11.260 --> 00:11:11.620 Yeah. 00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:13.020 Yeah. 00:11:14.060 --> 00:11:15.440 But to be continued. 00:11:16.280 --> 00:11:18.380 Well, there's your first starter step. 00:11:19.520 --> 00:11:20.360 Be prayerful. 00:11:21.140 --> 00:11:25.380 A second starter step is be prepared. 00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:26.480 Be prepared. 00:11:26.900 --> 00:11:30.680 Be prepared first in terms of content. 00:11:31.640 --> 00:11:31.720 Okay? 00:11:31.920 --> 00:11:34.600 Now, we've given a good bit of attention to this 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:36.140 in our time together. 00:11:40.140 --> 00:11:42.240 What's some of the things that we've discussed in terms of content? 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:48.419 Well, be prepared in terms of having some good questions in your pocket, 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:52.759 which could prove serviceable in starting a conversation. 00:11:52.940 --> 00:11:54.519 Remember, that's something that we talked about. 00:11:54.519 --> 00:12:02.779 So, maybe jot down, okay, I'm going to spend some time to think of some good questions that I could use when I encounter someone. 00:12:04.100 --> 00:12:07.899 And remember what some of those things are. 00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:11.439 Those are questions that we want to get at what they care about, 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.139 because we want to connect the gospel to what they care about. 00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:19.240 So, these are the sorts of questions. 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:25.039 There was a fellow that introduced himself as an actor the other day. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:27.019 So, the question I asked was, 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:28.500 Oh, wow. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:33.779 So, if you were to think of your life as a many-act drama, 00:12:34.599 --> 00:12:39.279 freeze frame just a couple of moments that were critical acts in your life 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:43.059 that have made you the person that you are, that you aspire to be. 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:44.980 I'd love to hear that if you'd love to share that. 00:12:45.219 --> 00:12:46.259 Oh, and he got so excited. 00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:52.620 And then I found out what were the things that were really important to him and shaped him. 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:53.860 So, it's just a fun way. 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:55.919 So, to have good questions like that, 00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:59.700 and maybe think through what would be some natural questions for you to ask 00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:05.220 that would be really natural and fun questions for the people who are in your circles. 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:06.779 They think, Oh, that's a great question. 00:13:06.819 --> 00:13:07.819 I'd love to answer that. 00:13:08.179 --> 00:13:10.860 So, that would be one way that we could kind of be prepared. 00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:18.779 Another way that we can be prepared is thinking through our own story of how we came to faith 00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:24.060 and how we might be able to deploy the different themes. 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:29.659 So, think through your story, and probably it's probably as varied, 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:31.480 its themes are probably many. 00:13:32.700 --> 00:13:35.360 Was it a sense of giving me a sense of meaning? 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.240 Was it just a sense of forgiveness that was important to me? 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:45.240 What were the themes that came together that the Spirit used in drawing me to himself? 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.360 And then you think of the different themes, and you think, 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:48.019 Well, you know what? 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:51.980 I wonder, that theme might resonate with this particular person. 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:54.919 If I had a chance with them, I bet you that would be a good way to share. 00:13:55.980 --> 00:14:00.799 And again, the themes are probably going to be as multiple as the distributaries in the Nile Delta. 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:02.899 So, you'll have a lot to pick from. 00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:07.659 But if you could just be ready with some of those themes, and they're at hand, 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:10.799 then that would be a good way to prepare. 00:14:12.199 --> 00:14:18.179 Remember how you want to frame the discussions collaboratively. 00:14:19.139 --> 00:14:23.179 Remember, we talked about you don't want it to be oppositional. 00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:27.000 Well, you believe this, and you behave that, and I believe differently, and I behave differently, 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:28.899 and I'm going to try to rest you over to this way. 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:33.500 That's really kind of, that's an antagonistic way to frame it. 00:14:34.079 --> 00:14:38.179 But remember, we want to try to frame our discussions collaboratively. 00:14:38.179 --> 00:14:43.479 Hey, ever confused about what the shape of life and meaning of life is? 00:14:43.979 --> 00:14:48.819 You ever feel like it's like a thousand-piece puzzle, and we don't know what the picture is? 00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:56.239 Hey, have you think you've come up with any corner pieces, or any straight lines that give us clues? 00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:58.259 I'd love to hear what you're thinking. 00:14:59.079 --> 00:15:03.219 So then you're, see, how you're just, you're solving the mystery of life together collaboratively, 00:15:03.299 --> 00:15:05.279 and you're getting into these themes. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:12.740 So think of some sort of way that you might frame your encounters collaboratively. 00:15:12.959 --> 00:15:15.199 That would be another way to begin to prepare. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:20.839 Make it a habit, another great way to prepare, make it a habit to keep asking, 00:15:21.199 --> 00:15:24.600 now how is the gospel good news for me today? 00:15:25.779 --> 00:15:32.480 What are, what are some of the Christ-shaped hopes that are particularly vivid for me? 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:38.560 Why am I so glad that the gospel has encountered me? 00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:46.840 And if you can keep that fresh, that will be, that will, that will give you, I think, fresh motivation. 00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:52.539 And then just, just it kind of bubbles up all these good things about why the gospel is such good news. 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:54.480 So that's another good way to be prepared. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:16:00.820 And you know, I often find that when I'm prepared to take opportunities, 00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:06.800 I tend to notice those opportunities a little bit more acutely, because I'm prepared. 00:16:07.920 --> 00:16:10.680 So that can be really helpful. 00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:14.839 But, so, so, we want to be prepared. 00:16:15.859 --> 00:16:17.019 We want to be prepared. 00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:25.819 But, don't let your perception of not being adequately prepared keep you from engaging. 00:16:26.719 --> 00:16:27.500 Does that make sense? 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:31.219 You know, it's easy to think, okay, I need to prepare, I need to prepare. 00:16:31.439 --> 00:16:33.000 It's kind of like, I need to prepare for this exam. 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:36.359 You know, a lot of you think in those terms, oh, I'm not quite prepared yet. 00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:38.779 I want to postpone having to take this thing. 00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:40.779 So you might postpone, no, no, no, no. 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:48.720 Don't let your sense of not being quite as prepared as you'd like to be keep you from taking opportunities. 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:49.819 Why? 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:53.879 Well, because remember that first one, pray the Lord of the harvest. 00:16:54.279 --> 00:17:01.299 The Lord of the harvest can give you an encounter that's really easy. 00:17:01.299 --> 00:17:08.940 He might be able to give you an encounter like that of Paul with the Philippian jailer. 00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:11.980 Where Paul doesn't say anything first. 00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:17.220 The Philippian jailer comes up to him and says, what must I do to be saved? 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:21.379 You think, oh, that's a pretty, that's a slightly easier one. 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:24.960 I didn't think I was going to, you know, I thought I was going to have to be more prepared. 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:25.379 No, no. 00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:27.080 No, that's a, that's a pretty easy one. 00:17:27.260 --> 00:17:28.420 And he can do that. 00:17:29.060 --> 00:17:36.320 And sometimes I don't feel, you know, I, I'll just, I'll just tell the Lord in prayer that I'm feeling really flat. 00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:38.100 I had a rough night. 00:17:38.540 --> 00:17:42.580 I'm not feeling very eloquent or I'm not feeling very creative. 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:48.779 And I remind him, and usually it's more of a reassurance to myself than a reminder of God. 00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:49.399 Okay. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.199 But that he delights. 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:52.919 Remember, Lord, you delight. 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:58.319 You said in 1 Corinthians 1 27, you delight to use the weak things in this world. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.819 Oh, but I'm a candidate for that today. 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:02.480 Looks like I'm qualified. 00:18:02.639 --> 00:18:04.259 I'm feeling really weak. 00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:05.220 Yeah. 00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:17.379 And accordingly, Lord, I, I, I suppose I'm eminently qualified for using me as you delight to put your treasure in little common crack pots, earthen vessels. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.500 You know, 2 Corinthians 4 7. 00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:23.220 So once again, I seem eminently qualified. 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:24.859 I'm just that. 00:18:25.180 --> 00:18:26.839 I'm just an old chamber pot. 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:28.680 I'm feeling that way right now. 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:48.920 And then I just tell him, Lord, if you'd taper the opportunity to my slender capacities, and Lord, if you just, just all you need to do, Lord of the harvest, is just, if you, if you kind of lob a softball right over the plate, I'll, I'll, I'll do my best to swing at it. 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:55.100 But it's got to be a softball and it's got to lob right for the plate, right over the plate, then I will. 00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:56.960 And that's fine. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:58.580 That's fine to do. 00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:04.440 And the Lord loves to honor our faith, even though it's just faith the size of a mustard seed. 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:05.160 That's okay. 00:19:05.380 --> 00:19:06.799 He loves to do that. 00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:11.400 So let's just be honest, pray the Lord of the harvest, and he can orchestrate that. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.140 He can orchestrate that. 00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:19.460 And, you know, I tell him, well, and I, you know, keep, keep, keep loft them over the plate and I'll keep swinging. 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:35.100 But in between swings, however inept I perceive myself to be, as to the opportunities that the Lord provides, I will, in the interim, between swings, be deliberately and diligently sowing to a growing preparedness. 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:38.139 I want to keep, keep being prepared. 00:19:38.139 --> 00:19:43.459 I don't just want to keep asking you to lob really, really softballs. 00:19:43.460 --> 00:19:45.539 I want to keep being prepared. 00:19:45.539 --> 00:19:47.759 For who knows? 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:56.000 Maybe someday I might even be able to swing at a curveball if I keep trying to prepare myself a little bit. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:00.900 So, you know, God will meet us just where we are and where we need to start with. 00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:05.839 But we want to keep, keep moving and getting, getting some more preparedness. 00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:07.279 So who knows? 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:09.960 Maybe a curveball or a speedball or whatever. 00:20:10.180 --> 00:20:13.539 I'm, I'm, I'm running out of my baseball knowledge here on this stuff. 00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:15.339 Okay. 00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:18.400 So we want to be prepared in terms of content. 00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:19.460 Okay. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:23.500 But, but not just content, but also context. 00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:28.819 Because, because in our, in our witness bearing, it doesn't just involve communicating content. 00:20:29.140 --> 00:20:35.160 It's always going to involve some sort of context for the communication of that content. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:40.940 And it's really important for witness bearers, for us as witness bearers, to think about this also. 00:20:42.619 --> 00:20:51.140 What might be the womb of a good extended and comfortable natural conversation? 00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:53.220 So we think about that. 00:20:53.500 --> 00:20:57.859 And, and we're all, we're all embedded in our group of friends in our society. 00:20:57.859 --> 00:21:07.680 So we're going to have really good instincts about what, what would be a really, what might be the womb of a good extended, comfortable, natural conversation. 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:13.180 And then we think, well, how could I generate such a context? 00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:16.480 Is there, is there something that I could do to generate that? 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:25.900 And Jesus found a really good context for a conversation at a well in Samaria or, or walking along the seashore. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:30.480 Have you ever noticed in the gospels how often he's like walking along the seashore? 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:38.940 Once he put out in a boat just off the shore where he wouldn't be too crowded and the acoustics would be marvelous. 00:21:41.539 --> 00:21:48.220 Jesus thought about where and how conversations might happen well. 00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:52.079 And so should we as witness bearers. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:22:03.620 So let me ask you, what do you think would be some of the contextual ingredients of a good womb for conversations? 00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:07.019 Just among the people that you were with. 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:13.559 What, what would be, what would be some good contextual ingredients? 00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:18.019 What would help make for the prospect of a good conversation? 00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:18.839 Thoughts? 00:22:27.159 --> 00:22:28.440 Shared experiences. 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.980 Shared experiences. 00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:30.579 Okay. 00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:35.339 And, and what would be the context in which you might be able to share some experiences? 00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:36.879 I don't know. 00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:40.460 I was talking to someone who was also with a family this morning. 00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:44.000 So I ended up just like choosing to talk about the God. 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:45.759 So something that they hadn't owned. 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:47.079 Actually, yeah. 00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:51.640 Go, go into a place where you, you have some sort of understanding that a person would, would 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:54.440 be really ready to have a conversation about this sort of thing. 00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:55.579 Ah, that, that's helpful. 00:22:56.100 --> 00:22:56.380 Yeah. 00:22:56.380 --> 00:23:03.440 You, you, you, you think about, you think about where would they, and, and are, do you find 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:07.100 that, that, that people are ready to have a conversation just about anywhere they are? 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:09.319 Probably not. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:09.960 Probably not. 00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:11.420 People are in incredible hurry. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:16.559 Sometimes people have those, you know, earbuds in or, you know, they're just like, like, 00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:19.680 don't you dare intrude upon my personal space. 00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.620 You think that's rough. 00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:24.220 Can't even get their attention, you know, to warn them that, you know, their pants are 00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:25.140 on fire or something. 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:30.059 You know, they're, they're so, so, you know, context becomes important. 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:35.880 But, but, but where have you found there to be, wow, what do you know? 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:37.079 Good conversation. 00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:39.779 Good, good context for conversation. 00:23:39.779 --> 00:23:42.500 Long lines. 00:23:43.319 --> 00:23:44.160 Say, long lines. 00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:44.759 Excellent. 00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:45.779 Yeah, yeah, long lines. 00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:46.799 Here I am. 00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:47.879 You're not going anyplace. 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:48.500 Neither am I. 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:50.799 We're kind of shuffling around, awkward, and then, boop. 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:53.460 You know, something humorous to break the awkwardness. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:58.779 And, you know, I'm dying to have a conversation, but I can't quite think of it. 00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:01.059 And, and yeah, you've got one. 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:02.420 Yeah, you've got a conversation. 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:06.139 What about, what about over a meal? 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:11.299 Is, is that, we're finding people are thinking, I mean, good grief. 00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:16.099 Even a Yale student occasionally has to like break from their work. 00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:21.859 And sometimes that happens when you're actually shoving food in your mouth instead of ideas into your head. 00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:25.139 So, over a meal could be a good spot. 00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:28.079 You know, could be a good context for doing this. 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:32.159 I found a great context in a sauna, would you believe. 00:24:32.639 --> 00:24:34.179 Guys come in, they're sitting around. 00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:36.939 They're willing to be pretty vulnerable because they're buck naked. 00:24:36.940 --> 00:24:41.240 You know, and, and, you know, it's a small group, so it's not a large crowd. 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:43.440 So, you can just keep one conversation. 00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:45.340 Really great. 00:24:45.620 --> 00:24:47.320 Iver, were you, were you, yeah? 00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:48.779 Yeah? 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:51.580 I had a co-worker who was a black Muslim. 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:55.900 And where did that happen, Iver? 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:57.759 Where did that conversation break out? 00:24:58.380 --> 00:24:58.660 What? 00:24:59.080 --> 00:25:00.840 Where did that conversation break out? 00:25:00.860 --> 00:25:02.019 What was the context for that? 00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:04.200 Well, I asked him a question about the mothership. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:04.840 Okay. 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:08.039 And he had time, presumably, to answer. 00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.599 He did to me. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:08.980 Yeah. 00:25:09.019 --> 00:25:11.659 And he started asking me questions about my faith. 00:25:12.159 --> 00:25:13.519 And it went back and forth. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:15.359 I don't think we converted each other. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:15.959 Yeah, yeah. 00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:16.459 But. 00:25:16.879 --> 00:25:20.000 I'm relieved to hear that at least half, I'm relieved to hear at least half of that. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:27.279 Yeah, but he, he had, he did say one time to another, at least he's a man of faith. 00:25:27.419 --> 00:25:27.720 Uh-huh. 00:25:27.919 --> 00:25:28.199 Good. 00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:29.959 That's one thing he did say to me once. 00:25:30.159 --> 00:25:30.759 Yeah, good. 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:32.079 Is it over lunch? 00:25:32.639 --> 00:25:33.519 No, we were just. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.619 Just working sideways. 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:35.079 Yeah. 00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:35.599 Okay. 00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:36.359 Yeah. 00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:37.119 Yeah. 00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:45.379 And some of the conversations, some of the context for conversations we're going to find. 00:25:46.819 --> 00:25:48.879 Sometimes we have to forge them. 00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:50.779 We've got to put them together. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:51.759 All right, guys. 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:53.079 Hey, let's go on a hike. 00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:57.059 You know, usually if I have good conversations in the sauna and I realize, oh, this person's 00:25:57.059 --> 00:26:01.460 getting really ripe, but I need to get a, just about a good hour with them. 00:26:01.460 --> 00:26:06.279 Um, and, uh, not, you know, a little bit away from the crowd. 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:08.779 I say, okay, hike, let's go for a hike. 00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:11.539 And that's a, that's a good one too. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.480 Conversations. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:16.019 And you can, a lot can happen going up and down East Rock even. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.099 And that's really local. 00:26:17.500 --> 00:26:22.720 So be thinking in terms of, you know, start, start your wheels, your imaginative wheels 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.660 turning on what are the good contexts. 00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:31.560 Because so often in witness bearing, we tend to be thinking about, well, what would I say? 00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:33.160 What would be a good way to say it? 00:26:33.180 --> 00:26:33.720 That's all good. 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:34.740 And we've talked about that. 00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:39.940 But absolutely critical is not just the content, but the context. 00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:42.700 Where would be a place where I would get a chance to do that? 00:26:43.160 --> 00:26:49.180 Where we'd be able to maybe have a half an hour to have a leisurely conversation. 00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:51.820 Where they won't be distracted. 00:26:52.860 --> 00:26:53.840 Won't be agitated. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:55.959 So we want to think about context. 00:26:56.659 --> 00:26:57.720 So that's the second one. 00:26:58.299 --> 00:27:03.159 The third starter step is be at peace. 00:27:03.959 --> 00:27:04.779 Be at peace. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:06.500 I don't know. 00:27:06.959 --> 00:27:12.419 Having just had a Sunday school series on witness bearing, it seems to me it's really 00:27:12.419 --> 00:27:15.879 easy to feel anxious about, oh, there were so many principles there. 00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:17.599 I got to remember all these principles. 00:27:17.919 --> 00:27:19.859 And I got to get all these things lined up. 00:27:19.879 --> 00:27:21.339 And I got to get it just right. 00:27:21.339 --> 00:27:24.659 And I got to be able to answer all the questions. 00:27:24.659 --> 00:27:28.599 And we can think, you know, it's kind of like trying to keep all that information before 00:27:28.599 --> 00:27:29.899 you go in and take your exam. 00:27:30.199 --> 00:27:32.799 You know, just for fear that there's a leak in the bucket. 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:37.559 And you can feel a little bit anxious. 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:45.700 But we have wonderful reason to be at peace in this matter of witness bearing. 00:27:46.119 --> 00:27:47.819 Wonderful reason to be at peace. 00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:51.579 Because remember that God is sovereign. 00:27:51.579 --> 00:27:53.460 He's the Lord of the harvest. 00:27:53.939 --> 00:27:57.439 And he will infallibly draw his own. 00:27:58.500 --> 00:28:04.619 It says in John 6, 37, all that the Father has given me, Jesus assures us, will come. 00:28:05.399 --> 00:28:11.939 And that our message to those who are appointed to life will be a fragrance of life. 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.819 A fragrance of life. 00:28:13.819 --> 00:28:17.259 Just like the apple pie that kind of draws you into the kitchen. 00:28:17.399 --> 00:28:21.960 I'm always led into the kitchen by something wonderful that needed to be made that's just 00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:23.480 fragrant throughout the house. 00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:28.259 So we will be the fragrance of life to those who are appointed to life. 00:28:28.639 --> 00:28:30.339 And God appoints people to life. 00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:35.439 It says in Acts 13, 48, as many as were ordained to life, they believed. 00:28:36.119 --> 00:28:37.919 So there will be people who will respond. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:43.380 And God will sovereignly open hearts to the message as it's communicated. 00:28:43.600 --> 00:28:46.160 Just as he did with Lydia in Acts 16. 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:48.980 It says the Lord opened her heart to receive the things that Paul said. 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:51.300 Or Cornelius in Acts 10. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.680 So many examples. 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:54.580 So that could encourage us. 00:28:54.840 --> 00:28:55.740 That could encourage us. 00:28:56.620 --> 00:29:06.860 And remember that a spiritual change of heart does not ultimately pivot upon our sophistication 00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:08.479 as witness bearers. 00:29:08.859 --> 00:29:09.559 It doesn't. 00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:15.319 If it did, Jesus would have told the parable of the sower and the soils, remember that, 00:29:15.699 --> 00:29:17.019 in a different way. 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:23.679 You know, he might have said something like, well, a sower went out to sow. 00:29:24.539 --> 00:29:27.619 But that first sower didn't have a very good technique. 00:29:29.179 --> 00:29:31.059 So he didn't get any harvest. 00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:35.159 Happily, though, another came with another method of seed dispersal. 00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:38.680 But he too failed, alas, to be productive. 00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:44.620 For the technique, which is all about getting the flick of the wrist just right, 00:29:45.060 --> 00:29:46.900 was pivotally missing. 00:29:48.180 --> 00:29:52.259 But then there came one who had mastered that technique 00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:57.140 and raised up a harvest 30, 60, yay, a hundredfold. 00:29:57.320 --> 00:29:59.120 Well done, that witness bearer. 00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:01.160 Let her who has ears hear. 00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:01.720 No! 00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:02.560 No! 00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:03.080 Okay? 00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:05.580 For those of you that might not be familiar with the Gospels, 00:30:05.660 --> 00:30:09.700 that's not the way Jesus told the parable. 00:30:10.100 --> 00:30:10.420 Okay? 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:14.800 The sower goes out and simply sows. 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:18.220 I mean, there's almost, as you read, don't you get impressed, 00:30:18.340 --> 00:30:21.759 there's almost like this, a careless prodigality in sowing. 00:30:21.940 --> 00:30:23.300 Some ends up on the road. 00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:26.379 Would somebody, you know, he's just getting that seed out. 00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:28.019 Getting that seed out. 00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:34.379 So, well, let me ask this. 00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:36.919 In the real parable, okay, not the fake one, 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:39.440 not the false parable that I just, that I gave. 00:30:39.539 --> 00:30:39.700 Okay? 00:30:39.700 --> 00:30:44.200 In the real parable, it's in Matthew 13, it's in Mark 8, it's in Luke 8. 00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:53.759 What is it that accounts for the absence or the quality of the harvest? 00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:55.440 Do you remember in the real parable? 00:30:55.920 --> 00:31:01.100 What is it that accounts for either the abundance or the absence of harvest? 00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:04.120 What was the distinguishing difference? 00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:04.700 Do you remember? 00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:06.840 Is it the technique of the sower? 00:31:07.940 --> 00:31:08.279 What? 00:31:08.360 --> 00:31:08.880 What was it? 00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:09.580 Anybody remember? 00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:10.840 Yeah! 00:31:11.080 --> 00:31:11.900 The soil type! 00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:12.680 Yeah, exactly! 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:14.440 The different soil types. 00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:22.799 In other words, what was the heart type that receives that seed of the word? 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:24.720 It's exactly that. 00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:30.279 So, we want to just, it's the soil type. 00:31:30.560 --> 00:31:32.840 So, is it the burden of this, next question, 00:31:33.120 --> 00:31:37.720 is it the burden of the sower to change the soil type? 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.480 No! 00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:41.539 No! 00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:44.440 He just keeps throwing the seed. 00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:45.920 Just keeps throwing the seed. 00:31:47.080 --> 00:31:51.680 And what the seed does, as the gospel seed goes in, 00:31:52.360 --> 00:31:57.440 that will reveal what the soil type is. 00:31:58.600 --> 00:32:01.539 Is it a responsive soil type? 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:03.279 Or is it resistant? 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:04.680 Okay? 00:32:04.680 --> 00:32:13.359 So, so, so the, and the gospel itself will reveal what the heart soil is, 00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:15.299 responsive or resistant. 00:32:15.799 --> 00:32:21.920 Which really is simply to reveal where the Spirit of God has been preparing the heart 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:23.680 and rendering it. 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:32.840 And rendering it soft and malleable and humus-like, rich to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to receive those seeds. 00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.160 Okay? 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:40.840 So, so, and we'll make the hearts willing in the day of salvation, as it says. 00:32:40.840 --> 00:32:48.140 So, we as witness bearers don't need to be anxious about our ability to change soil types, 00:32:48.300 --> 00:32:51.040 to change heart types, or rather our inability. 00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:52.619 We don't need to be anxious about our inability. 00:32:52.859 --> 00:32:54.259 We don't have an ability to do that. 00:32:54.940 --> 00:33:00.859 We simply sow and leave the soil and the results to the Lord of the harvest. 00:33:01.639 --> 00:33:02.779 We can be at peace. 00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:04.659 We can be at peace. 00:33:04.660 --> 00:33:20.340 Indeed, let's be of good cheer for whether our message meets with a joyful acceptance or determined opposition, 00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:26.900 whether it's a fragrance of life or a scent of death. 00:33:26.900 --> 00:33:34.440 In either case, what is the other aroma present? 00:33:35.220 --> 00:33:38.620 Take a look at 2 Corinthians 2.16. 00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:43.380 2 Corinthians 2.16, where it describes us. 00:33:43.440 --> 00:33:47.180 We as witness bearers are going out, and we bring the message. 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:52.740 For some, that's going to be a fragrance of life to those who are appointed to life. 00:33:52.740 --> 00:33:58.440 And for some, it's going to be a scent of death. 00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:05.099 But who else is smelling something? 00:34:05.160 --> 00:34:06.839 A lot of smells going on there, aren't there? 00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:08.820 Who else is smelling something? 00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:11.219 And what is being smelled? 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:14.699 Look up at verse 15, the one just prior. 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:17.980 What else? 00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:19.179 Yeah, yeah, Alex. 00:34:19.780 --> 00:34:21.639 Yeah, okay, God is smelling something. 00:34:21.639 --> 00:34:22.559 What's God smelling? 00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:24.779 The aroma of Christ. 00:34:25.019 --> 00:34:26.519 Ha, ha, ha, ha, yeah. 00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.099 Do you see that? 00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:29.939 Isn't that motivating? 00:34:30.579 --> 00:34:34.579 That when we go out with the gospel, and when we declare the gospel, 00:34:34.959 --> 00:34:40.500 whether it is the scent of life or the aroma of life to those who are appointed life, 00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:44.939 or whether it's the scent of death, in either case, in either case, 00:34:45.439 --> 00:34:48.979 it is a sweet-smelling savor to the Father. 00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:55.460 Because the message that we are communicating is a message that centers in the Son of His love. 00:34:55.940 --> 00:34:58.380 And that just delights the Father's heart. 00:34:59.139 --> 00:35:04.400 So even if some people are feeling like your gospel presentation has a bad smell to them, 00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:09.920 it has an incredibly sweet smell to the Father. 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:14.340 He is absolutely delighted at that fragrance. 00:35:14.340 --> 00:35:17.000 So that's wonderfully motivating. 00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:20.140 It motivates me a lot that he is smelling that. 00:35:21.420 --> 00:35:28.000 Well, I wonder, hey, can anybody testify to the possible anxiety that we can feel 00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:32.079 when we're trying to get this thing right of witness-bearing, 00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:38.219 when we're wondering if we're going to be successful or fruitful or fruitless witness-bearers? 00:35:38.280 --> 00:35:42.300 Anybody feel any anxiety about that? 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:53.699 Well, let me ask, what is it among these truths or others that encourages you? 00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:57.399 Because, yeah, an anxiety can really prevent us from taking any steps. 00:35:58.059 --> 00:36:02.980 But is there something that can be a solvent to that anxiety? 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:04.599 I don't know. 00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:09.059 If anybody wants to share an anxiety or maybe a solvent to it, 00:36:09.099 --> 00:36:10.919 anybody have anything to share? 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:11.859 Yeah, yeah. 00:36:12.980 --> 00:36:16.239 Frequently, for me, in conversations, I'm scared about, like, 00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:20.539 oh, if I bring up Jesus at some point, are they going to walk away? 00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:20.940 Yeah. 00:36:21.699 --> 00:36:25.960 Something that's helped me so much is I've been so encouraged by the fact a lot of times 00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:30.920 people will share they've actually been thinking about, you know, God or faith or Jesus. 00:36:31.579 --> 00:36:35.559 And that sort of helped me to appreciate the fact that in every conversation, 00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:37.779 I don't know what the soil type is. 00:36:37.900 --> 00:36:38.059 Yeah. 00:36:38.099 --> 00:36:42.039 I don't know how, you know, God may have been working in their hearts previously. 00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:45.860 So I try not to anticipate the worst when I go into conversations. 00:36:45.860 --> 00:36:46.340 Yeah. 00:36:47.240 --> 00:36:53.380 And because I found it, it tends to be, like, it's not the worst case scenario. 00:36:53.519 --> 00:36:54.280 Yeah, yeah. 00:36:54.280 --> 00:36:54.780 A lot of conversations. 00:36:55.260 --> 00:37:00.240 And what spiritual truth gives you some sort of confidence that, you know, 00:37:00.380 --> 00:37:02.640 I don't need to expect the worst every time? 00:37:02.820 --> 00:37:03.180 Hmm. 00:37:07.260 --> 00:37:12.240 I would just say simply, simply the one of, I will never leave us, not forsake us. 00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:14.120 Well, God is with me, yeah, absolutely. 00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.400 Yeah, that makes a difference. 00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:20.340 I think, I think for me, knowing the fact that God is going to put us through an experience 00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:24.139 that won't in some way be for our good sanctification. 00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:24.760 Yeah. 00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:29.720 Like, even if it is a really tough conversation, I can deal with that with a more prayer. 00:37:29.720 --> 00:37:30.579 Yeah, yeah. 00:37:30.700 --> 00:37:36.579 But typically, he's, you know, he's faithful to reward us for, you know, seeking out those opportunities. 00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:38.220 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:37:38.760 --> 00:37:41.200 And he, and he goes before he's preparing. 00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:44.360 I mean, this is kind of like Philip in the Desert, you know, the behold. 00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:46.760 Oh, what do you know? 00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:48.519 There's actually someone here. 00:37:48.720 --> 00:37:50.079 I thought I would be all alone. 00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:55.340 And, and, because, you know, God is not just sending us out. 00:37:55.340 --> 00:38:00.059 He's also sending people across our path that he's prepared. 00:38:00.280 --> 00:38:01.300 That he's prepared. 00:38:02.019 --> 00:38:04.079 So, yeah, yeah. 00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:10.360 And, you know, there is, there is a wonderful promise of fruitfulness. 00:38:10.799 --> 00:38:14.679 In, in John 15, in John 15. 00:38:15.079 --> 00:38:16.619 So, this would be a great study. 00:38:16.679 --> 00:38:20.159 We can't do the whole thing now, but there, there, there are three times in the, in the, 00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:23.079 in the high priestly prayer. 00:38:23.079 --> 00:38:26.319 So, from 13 through 17. 00:38:26.839 --> 00:38:32.879 That Jesus tells his disciples, ask me for anything and I'll do it. 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:34.379 Come on, I dare you. 00:38:34.759 --> 00:38:36.259 Ask me for anything. 00:38:36.260 --> 00:38:44.020 And, it's so interesting to see the immediate context of each of those three times that he says that. 00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:47.820 And, one of them is in John 15. 00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:52.380 Where the context is, you didn't choose me. 00:38:52.540 --> 00:38:58.880 I chose you and I appointed you to go out and to bear fruit and fruit that would abide. 00:38:58.880 --> 00:39:02.539 Therefore, ask me for anything and I'll do it. 00:39:02.700 --> 00:39:12.360 Now, notice the context of that, that prayer is going out and sharing the gospel and it bearing fruitfulness. 00:39:12.599 --> 00:39:19.480 And, in that context, Jesus says, ask me for anything and I'll do it. 00:39:20.099 --> 00:39:20.820 I'll do it. 00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:25.059 Like, I did, you know, I always feel like Jesus said, come on, I dare you to. 00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:27.019 I dare you to ask me. 00:39:27.019 --> 00:39:29.119 And, watch how I'm going to answer that. 00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:31.500 Well, it's just wonderful encouragement. 00:39:31.980 --> 00:39:33.039 Wonderful encouragement. 00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:42.199 And, you know, we could take that maybe individually, certainly collectively. 00:39:43.179 --> 00:39:46.179 He's telling his disciples there. 00:39:46.699 --> 00:39:48.719 You know, this is the intimate group, you know, there. 00:39:49.159 --> 00:39:51.099 And, certainly collectively. 00:39:52.340 --> 00:39:55.400 So, it certainly, certainly would apply collectively. 00:39:55.400 --> 00:40:00.900 As we go out as the people of God and we bear witness, we will be fruitful. 00:40:01.980 --> 00:40:07.240 You know, so, maybe this is filled out by, remember in John 4, at the woman at the well, 00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:13.559 where Jesus explains that, hey, some sow and others reap. 00:40:13.559 --> 00:40:21.539 And, you know, you've had a chance to reap and harvest where other people sowed. 00:40:22.099 --> 00:40:26.139 And, maybe they sowed and didn't quite see the harvest in the way that you're seeing the harvest. 00:40:26.840 --> 00:40:27.779 But, that's okay. 00:40:28.420 --> 00:40:31.659 Because, we all get to enter into each other's joy. 00:40:31.659 --> 00:40:40.500 So, we collectively, as the people of God, will be fruitful in the harvest. 00:40:41.579 --> 00:40:43.779 And, we all might have a slightly different part. 00:40:44.139 --> 00:40:44.920 But, that's okay. 00:40:45.379 --> 00:40:47.579 We all enter into each other's joy. 00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:50.539 It's just a wonderful thing. 00:40:50.539 --> 00:40:57.059 And, each person contributing their might or gripe of goat's hair, whatever it is, or two pigeons worth. 00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:59.079 And, together it'll all... 00:40:59.079 --> 00:41:02.199 I remember one time, I was buying a car. 00:41:03.059 --> 00:41:05.679 And, I had to fill out something to try to get a loan. 00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:07.440 And, when he said, I was a missionary. 00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:08.340 He said, I don't know. 00:41:08.420 --> 00:41:08.840 I don't know. 00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:10.199 What's that? 00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:11.819 And, I answered him. 00:41:11.899 --> 00:41:14.799 I said, oh, how much time do you have? 00:41:15.179 --> 00:41:17.399 It is the most wonderful thing imaginable. 00:41:17.819 --> 00:41:26.399 I get, I get to try to explain to people who can't imagine how Jesus could have the slightest relevance to their life. 00:41:26.599 --> 00:41:29.119 How, actually, he has supreme relevance. 00:41:29.399 --> 00:41:33.980 In a way that is just absolutely, thunderingly thrilling. 00:41:35.480 --> 00:41:37.219 And, he said, oh, that's interesting. 00:41:37.739 --> 00:41:39.879 And, then just went on. 00:41:40.480 --> 00:41:41.319 I thought, well, that's odd. 00:41:41.339 --> 00:41:42.099 Oh, well, I tried. 00:41:42.239 --> 00:41:42.619 I tried. 00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:44.919 But, then he put his pen down and waited. 00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:47.659 And, he said, are you one of those born-again types? 00:41:48.759 --> 00:41:50.839 I said, it could be. 00:41:50.899 --> 00:41:53.239 But, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that. 00:41:53.259 --> 00:41:54.539 So, you need to tell me a little bit. 00:41:54.579 --> 00:41:55.359 And, then I could know. 00:41:56.579 --> 00:41:59.239 And, he said, well, we've got a guy on our floor. 00:41:59.960 --> 00:42:01.139 And, he is one. 00:42:02.059 --> 00:42:05.319 You know, he's never, we've never really had a conversation about these things. 00:42:06.359 --> 00:42:09.000 But, he's a real stand-up guy. 00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:11.599 And, I've been watching him for years. 00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:17.820 And, you know, if, if you have what he has, I want to hear about it. 00:42:18.280 --> 00:42:19.260 I want to hear about it. 00:42:19.260 --> 00:42:42.980 Now, do you think that for all of my efforts to have a conversation with this used car salesman, I would have had a chance to have that conversation without that other guy who just had lived a really stand-up, that was a used car, stand-up life in a used car lot? 00:42:42.980 --> 00:42:45.960 That's what gave me. 00:42:45.960 --> 00:42:46.960 I was piggybacking. 00:42:46.960 --> 00:42:47.559 I was piggybacking. 00:42:47.760 --> 00:42:55.519 I just got to harvest a little bit where this good brother, who I don't even know, never had a chance to meet, had been sowing. 00:42:56.059 --> 00:42:58.119 So, we all have our part. 00:42:58.780 --> 00:43:02.420 And, we all can enter into each other's joy. 00:43:04.300 --> 00:43:08.220 Whether, and together, it will be fruitful. 00:43:08.219 --> 00:43:09.379 It will be fruitful. 00:43:09.739 --> 00:43:14.859 Because, the Lord delights to answer that prayer when we ask. 00:43:15.199 --> 00:43:20.559 He's told us, ask me for anything in respect to fruitful witness bearing. 00:43:21.859 --> 00:43:22.099 Okay. 00:43:22.779 --> 00:43:27.919 So, our final step is to, for, begin. 00:43:28.959 --> 00:43:29.859 Begin, okay? 00:43:30.219 --> 00:43:30.959 Not gin. 00:43:31.199 --> 00:43:31.379 Okay. 00:43:31.459 --> 00:43:31.980 Begin. 00:43:31.980 --> 00:43:32.800 That's okay. 00:43:33.340 --> 00:43:33.480 Okay. 00:43:35.059 --> 00:43:41.619 And, perhaps you've pondered in your mind some sort of actions that you would want to take. 00:43:42.079 --> 00:43:48.320 Maybe you formulated some notion of what your first step might be in this area of witness bearing. 00:43:49.059 --> 00:43:59.679 And, it can be extremely helpful once some notion is in our mind about, you know, I think this is something that I'd like to try to do. 00:43:59.679 --> 00:44:04.559 To actually begin and take that step. 00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:09.419 Or, at least a half step toward taking that step fully. 00:44:10.099 --> 00:44:18.079 As, as George MacDonald observes, good notions must take advantage of their first ripeness. 00:44:18.599 --> 00:44:22.699 Good notions must take advantage of their first ripeness. 00:44:28.279 --> 00:44:29.619 Tape these two together. 00:44:29.679 --> 00:44:34.919 Or, as Spurgeon so memorably puts it. 00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:41.940 She will not lose her loaf who has taken care to eat it at once. 00:44:43.539 --> 00:44:49.079 Neither can he be deprived of the benefit of the doctrine who has already acted upon it. 00:44:49.079 --> 00:44:55.400 And, then he goes on to compare some of our best intentions to put something into practice. 00:44:55.400 --> 00:44:57.400 Or, a fresh resolve. 00:44:57.400 --> 00:45:02.519 As a blossom which has not been knit all too often. 00:45:03.360 --> 00:45:04.880 And, therefore, no fruit comes of it. 00:45:06.119 --> 00:45:09.400 Such, as so often I am like. 00:45:09.400 --> 00:45:12.660 Such, wait, waver, and then forget. 00:45:13.780 --> 00:45:14.539 And, Spurgeon goes on. 00:45:14.720 --> 00:45:16.340 Till like, oh, what an image. 00:45:17.119 --> 00:45:20.340 Till like the ponds in nights of frost. 00:45:20.940 --> 00:45:28.720 When the sun shines by day, they are only thawed in time to be frozen again overnight. 00:45:28.719 --> 00:45:33.959 So, all this to say, let's begin. 00:45:34.839 --> 00:45:36.399 Let's identify something. 00:45:36.839 --> 00:45:38.939 Some step that we could take. 00:45:38.940 --> 00:45:52.179 So, maybe on the paper that you have, take a moment right now to reflect, to discern if God is laying on your heart, 00:45:52.720 --> 00:45:59.260 maybe someone in your circle whom you could begin to regularly pray for. 00:45:59.260 --> 00:46:03.400 Just think and just jot down, jot down their name. 00:46:03.520 --> 00:46:05.660 Is there someone that comes to mind? 00:46:05.720 --> 00:46:08.120 Maybe the Spirit prompting you to think, you know, they're in my circle. 00:46:08.700 --> 00:46:10.200 Maybe, maybe I would have a chance. 00:46:10.460 --> 00:46:11.840 Just pray. 00:46:12.140 --> 00:46:13.620 Begin praying for that person. 00:46:13.900 --> 00:46:17.400 Begin praying for a good encounter that you might have. 00:46:17.600 --> 00:46:18.540 Jot that name down. 00:46:21.120 --> 00:46:24.940 Or, additionally, is there some impression? 00:46:24.940 --> 00:46:28.880 Just think back about your involvement in all the classes. 00:46:29.260 --> 00:46:36.140 Is there some impression that you've received in our studies together which you would like to act on? 00:46:37.800 --> 00:46:38.280 Anything. 00:46:39.360 --> 00:46:45.320 Perhaps thinking through your story and how you came to faith and identifying some of the themes. 00:46:45.720 --> 00:46:50.860 Perhaps formulating some good salient germinal questions which might lead to good conversations. 00:46:52.960 --> 00:46:59.020 Perhaps begin thinking a little bit more about what would be a promising context for such conversations. 00:46:59.260 --> 00:47:01.140 Could I have a dinner party? 00:47:01.800 --> 00:47:03.660 Would I go for a walk with a buddy? 00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:08.460 And how might you be able to find or forge that? 00:47:08.460 --> 00:47:18.440 So, I'll encourage you to formulate some resolution that's concrete and realistic, 00:47:18.840 --> 00:47:25.139 which could become a first step for you in this adventure of witness bearing. 00:47:28.139 --> 00:47:30.559 Anybody have an aspiration that they'd like to share? 00:47:30.559 --> 00:47:31.799 Just as an example. 00:47:34.380 --> 00:47:36.559 I'd like to take a first half step by... 00:47:40.559 --> 00:47:44.539 Maybe I need a little bit more time to think about this. 00:47:44.639 --> 00:47:45.279 Oh, sorry for you. 00:47:45.380 --> 00:47:46.159 Get us a guess once, you know? 00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:49.319 I like the idea of remembering to pray for folks every day. 00:47:50.039 --> 00:47:52.000 I do like regularly. 00:47:52.059 --> 00:47:52.920 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:47:53.159 --> 00:47:57.059 Who I'm paying for, but then also, I think it would be good to set up... 00:47:57.059 --> 00:47:59.460 I think coffee is a great time to shout out to people. 00:47:59.639 --> 00:48:00.000 Yeah. 00:48:00.199 --> 00:48:00.839 To know them better. 00:48:01.039 --> 00:48:01.480 Excellent. 00:48:01.559 --> 00:48:03.219 I keep saying people are going to coffee. 00:48:03.379 --> 00:48:04.839 I'm going to get coffee with, but I never do. 00:48:05.519 --> 00:48:05.920 Yeah. 00:48:06.739 --> 00:48:07.139 Great. 00:48:07.319 --> 00:48:08.059 No, that's fantastic. 00:48:08.199 --> 00:48:08.719 Making the call. 00:48:08.719 --> 00:48:10.159 Yeah, yeah. 00:48:10.459 --> 00:48:14.699 And I promise you, Fiona, if you actually follow through on this, 00:48:14.919 --> 00:48:17.739 and every day you are praying for opportunities, 00:48:18.399 --> 00:48:23.279 I know God will answer that in ways that will be so thrilling to you, 00:48:23.779 --> 00:48:26.079 you will be getting regular goosebumps. 00:48:26.859 --> 00:48:27.819 It'll be thrilling. 00:48:28.019 --> 00:48:30.059 Because he just loves to answer prayers like that. 00:48:30.359 --> 00:48:32.879 And you've already thought of the context. 00:48:33.739 --> 00:48:34.779 Having coffee together. 00:48:34.780 --> 00:48:39.680 Which, presumably, is a really natural thing to do within your circle. 00:48:39.940 --> 00:48:40.940 Wouldn't be strange at all. 00:48:41.660 --> 00:48:41.760 Yeah. 00:48:42.660 --> 00:48:43.100 Great. 00:48:43.260 --> 00:48:43.880 Oh, that's fantastic. 00:48:43.960 --> 00:48:44.840 That's a great example. 00:48:45.240 --> 00:48:46.060 That's a great example. 00:48:46.960 --> 00:48:51.620 And maybe you could find a brother or sister who you could communicate that to, 00:48:51.740 --> 00:48:53.040 or a wife or a husband, 00:48:53.360 --> 00:49:00.019 that can help encourage you and buttress your best resolves in this area. 00:49:00.019 --> 00:49:05.820 You could find someone and pray with it that you would be fruitful in that. 00:49:07.739 --> 00:49:09.980 So finally, and with this we'll conclude, 00:49:10.920 --> 00:49:11.940 be prepared. 00:49:12.099 --> 00:49:14.920 Once you have a resolution, 00:49:15.780 --> 00:49:20.639 once your heart is set on following through, 00:49:21.639 --> 00:49:26.139 be prepared for opposition to these aspirations. 00:49:26.880 --> 00:49:28.900 Do you remember Jesus in the parable of the sower? 00:49:28.900 --> 00:49:33.900 Or he soberly warns that whenever the seed goes out 00:49:33.900 --> 00:49:36.980 and is aimed at the heart, 00:49:38.400 --> 00:49:43.360 the adversary will seek to swoop down like a bird 00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:45.340 and pluck up the seed 00:49:45.340 --> 00:49:47.519 before it can germinate. 00:49:47.519 --> 00:49:51.139 He has come to steal. 00:49:51.139 --> 00:49:58.139 And no doubt the adversary is present right here, right now. 00:49:58.219 --> 00:49:59.219 I'm not trying to be overdramatic. 00:49:59.619 --> 00:50:01.219 This is what the parable says. 00:50:02.139 --> 00:50:02.319 Okay. 00:50:02.819 --> 00:50:03.639 Whenever, 00:50:04.139 --> 00:50:06.879 whenever the word goes out 00:50:06.879 --> 00:50:09.219 and is trying to lodge in a heart, 00:50:10.139 --> 00:50:11.559 sitting on your shoulder, 00:50:12.379 --> 00:50:14.219 is our adversary perched, 00:50:14.859 --> 00:50:16.279 ready to swoop down 00:50:16.280 --> 00:50:18.560 on your tender resolutions 00:50:18.560 --> 00:50:21.000 and keep them from germinating. 00:50:21.280 --> 00:50:22.600 So just be aware. 00:50:24.180 --> 00:50:26.500 Yes, we are opposed by a foe 00:50:26.500 --> 00:50:28.160 and a formidable one at that. 00:50:29.200 --> 00:50:31.280 But remember, he is a defeated foe. 00:50:33.280 --> 00:50:36.519 Entrust these resolutions of your heart 00:50:36.519 --> 00:50:37.800 to the good shepherd 00:50:37.800 --> 00:50:40.380 who, just as with his sheep, 00:50:41.139 --> 00:50:42.960 he will not lose one of them. 00:50:43.699 --> 00:50:46.099 He will not lose one of these resolutions. 00:50:47.679 --> 00:50:48.159 As Paul said, 00:50:48.219 --> 00:50:49.280 I know who I believed in, 00:50:49.539 --> 00:50:51.259 that he is able to keep that 00:50:51.259 --> 00:50:53.019 which I've committed to him 00:50:53.019 --> 00:50:55.199 against that day. 00:50:57.079 --> 00:50:57.860 All right. 00:50:58.179 --> 00:50:59.360 Team, I'm so sorry, 00:50:59.460 --> 00:51:01.259 but we do need to conclude now, 00:51:01.400 --> 00:51:03.380 unless that clock is super fast. 00:51:03.380 --> 00:51:07.079 So we'll end there. 00:51:07.280 --> 00:51:10.280 Any final follow-up questions, 00:51:10.660 --> 00:51:11.019 comments? 00:51:13.660 --> 00:51:14.920 Yeah, I wanted to ask, 00:51:15.119 --> 00:51:17.539 how do we proceed 00:51:17.539 --> 00:51:19.420 when we mostly have contact 00:51:19.420 --> 00:51:20.519 with people in a group? 00:51:20.640 --> 00:51:21.840 Yeah, yeah. 00:51:21.880 --> 00:51:24.559 At lunch or at work or something like that. 00:51:24.579 --> 00:51:24.920 Right. 00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:27.280 Well, in a group, 00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:31.160 one then has to try to 00:51:31.159 --> 00:51:34.980 cast the message 00:51:34.980 --> 00:51:37.519 in what you are pretty confident. 00:51:37.799 --> 00:51:38.980 You might not realize 00:51:38.980 --> 00:51:39.960 in every particular 00:51:39.960 --> 00:51:41.879 what they care about, 00:51:42.059 --> 00:51:42.899 but you probably, 00:51:43.059 --> 00:51:44.420 if you know your culture well, 00:51:44.799 --> 00:51:45.379 there are going to be 00:51:45.379 --> 00:51:46.739 some general things. 00:51:47.339 --> 00:51:48.759 So you want to just kind of 00:51:48.759 --> 00:51:50.279 take a general guess 00:51:50.279 --> 00:51:53.139 what people care about, 00:51:53.139 --> 00:51:56.219 but then you want to be 00:51:56.219 --> 00:51:58.039 as concrete as you can. 00:51:58.559 --> 00:51:58.980 So just say, 00:51:59.119 --> 00:51:59.659 if you, you know, 00:51:59.719 --> 00:52:00.940 if people are, 00:52:01.279 --> 00:52:02.480 if you think that people 00:52:02.480 --> 00:52:03.659 in this age group 00:52:03.659 --> 00:52:04.099 or, you know, 00:52:04.139 --> 00:52:05.319 they're university students, 00:52:05.480 --> 00:52:07.359 they are thinking about meaning. 00:52:07.460 --> 00:52:08.639 How do I put life together 00:52:08.639 --> 00:52:09.819 in a way that gives me meaning? 00:52:10.159 --> 00:52:11.359 You can be pretty confident 00:52:11.359 --> 00:52:12.099 that they're going to be 00:52:12.099 --> 00:52:13.199 thinking through that. 00:52:13.259 --> 00:52:13.500 So you think, 00:52:13.579 --> 00:52:15.379 I'm going to translate the gospel 00:52:15.379 --> 00:52:16.239 into that, 00:52:16.559 --> 00:52:18.119 in terms of that question. 00:52:19.119 --> 00:52:19.960 And then you want to be 00:52:19.960 --> 00:52:21.079 as concrete as you can, 00:52:21.079 --> 00:52:22.539 but then remember you want 00:52:22.539 --> 00:52:23.599 to use their vernacular. 00:52:25.079 --> 00:52:26.239 Who, you know, 00:52:26.400 --> 00:52:27.400 who do you want to quote 00:52:27.400 --> 00:52:28.179 with a bunch of, 00:52:28.199 --> 00:52:28.539 you know, 00:52:28.659 --> 00:52:29.219 you know, 00:52:29.219 --> 00:52:30.219 students from Rome? 00:52:30.840 --> 00:52:31.259 Okay. 00:52:31.420 --> 00:52:32.440 You probably don't want 00:52:32.440 --> 00:52:33.900 to quote Mary Poppins 00:52:33.900 --> 00:52:34.659 or, you know, 00:52:34.739 --> 00:52:35.139 you, you know, 00:52:35.239 --> 00:52:36.299 you, you would probably, 00:52:36.659 --> 00:52:36.880 you know, 00:52:36.880 --> 00:52:38.219 you might quote Marcuse 00:52:38.219 --> 00:52:39.860 or Brancuse 00:52:39.860 --> 00:52:41.219 or you, you, you, 00:52:41.219 --> 00:52:42.460 you, you use, 00:52:42.579 --> 00:52:43.799 you use the philosophers, 00:52:44.039 --> 00:52:45.059 you use the thinkers, 00:52:45.259 --> 00:52:46.259 you use the artists, 00:52:46.579 --> 00:52:47.960 you use the cultural tropes 00:52:47.960 --> 00:52:49.179 that are familiar with them. 00:52:49.239 --> 00:52:50.159 So you translate it 00:52:50.159 --> 00:52:51.159 into their language. 00:52:51.739 --> 00:52:52.440 So you are, 00:52:52.579 --> 00:52:53.879 you're bringing the cup, 00:52:54.379 --> 00:52:54.799 you're, you're, 00:52:54.859 --> 00:52:56.359 you're putting the water of life 00:52:56.359 --> 00:52:59.920 in their own silverware 00:52:59.920 --> 00:53:01.099 and their own cups. 00:53:01.219 --> 00:53:02.739 So you let them drink 00:53:02.739 --> 00:53:03.619 the water of life 00:53:03.619 --> 00:53:05.839 out of their own cultural cup. 00:53:06.339 --> 00:53:07.579 And you can do that 00:53:07.579 --> 00:53:08.179 in a group 00:53:08.179 --> 00:53:09.500 because largely 00:53:09.500 --> 00:53:10.980 our, our cultures 00:53:10.980 --> 00:53:11.940 bleed into each other. 00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:12.579 Yes, we're all 00:53:12.579 --> 00:53:13.779 individually microcultured, 00:53:14.259 --> 00:53:15.819 but we share probably 00:53:15.819 --> 00:53:16.859 in a broader culture. 00:53:17.179 --> 00:53:18.059 So that's the way 00:53:18.059 --> 00:53:19.199 to begin to think about that. 00:53:19.199 --> 00:53:20.259 Yeah, sure. 00:53:20.419 --> 00:53:20.579 Yeah. 00:53:20.779 --> 00:53:21.519 Last one. 00:53:22.119 --> 00:53:23.699 I never thought of it this way. 00:53:24.119 --> 00:53:25.019 It's a different thing. 00:53:25.559 --> 00:53:27.099 But usually what I would do 00:53:27.099 --> 00:53:27.460 is like, 00:53:27.799 --> 00:53:30.099 I usually like study 00:53:30.099 --> 00:53:31.000 the Bible. 00:53:31.719 --> 00:53:32.699 And because I'm 00:53:32.699 --> 00:53:34.119 knowledgeable of it, 00:53:34.939 --> 00:53:36.339 it increases my desire. 00:53:36.839 --> 00:53:38.679 So God is like, 00:53:39.159 --> 00:53:40.359 because I'm always willing 00:53:40.359 --> 00:53:41.839 to 00:53:41.839 --> 00:53:44.899 share faith 00:53:44.900 --> 00:53:45.660 or whatever 00:53:45.660 --> 00:53:46.639 I do for God 00:53:46.639 --> 00:53:49.539 put in these situations 00:53:49.539 --> 00:53:50.599 where now 00:53:50.599 --> 00:53:51.420 it's time to 00:53:51.420 --> 00:53:53.260 exercise. 00:53:54.400 --> 00:53:55.260 See, that's a, 00:53:55.360 --> 00:53:56.740 that is an excellent observation 00:53:56.740 --> 00:53:57.660 because a lot of times, 00:53:57.740 --> 00:53:58.559 just one quick distinction, 00:53:59.300 --> 00:53:59.680 a lot of times 00:53:59.680 --> 00:54:00.360 we're thinking 00:54:00.360 --> 00:54:01.240 in terms of being relevant. 00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:02.380 Okay, well, 00:54:02.400 --> 00:54:02.920 what are the questions 00:54:02.920 --> 00:54:03.680 that they're asking? 00:54:04.059 --> 00:54:04.539 And that's, 00:54:04.619 --> 00:54:04.780 that, 00:54:04.880 --> 00:54:05.660 that's important. 00:54:06.340 --> 00:54:07.000 But also, 00:54:07.200 --> 00:54:07.639 this gentleman, 00:54:07.740 --> 00:54:08.079 I'm sorry, 00:54:08.200 --> 00:54:08.440 I forget, 00:54:08.559 --> 00:54:09.639 but it's just, 00:54:09.840 --> 00:54:10.000 right, 00:54:10.000 --> 00:54:11.000 said, 00:54:11.599 --> 00:54:12.480 but sometimes, 00:54:12.599 --> 00:54:12.780 Curtis, 00:54:13.179 --> 00:54:13.340 the, 00:54:13.400 --> 00:54:13.780 the, 00:54:14.159 --> 00:54:14.500 Ernest, 00:54:15.119 --> 00:54:15.900 is it Ernest? 00:54:17.320 --> 00:54:17.760 Oh, 00:54:17.820 --> 00:54:17.920 no, 00:54:18.000 --> 00:54:18.119 no, 00:54:18.199 --> 00:54:18.539 Ernest, 00:54:18.599 --> 00:54:19.219 I want to get it right. 00:54:19.300 --> 00:54:19.460 Okay, 00:54:19.539 --> 00:54:19.719 sorry. 00:54:21.179 --> 00:54:22.519 We're not always asking 00:54:22.519 --> 00:54:23.360 the best questions. 00:54:23.480 --> 00:54:24.440 The Bible is asking 00:54:24.440 --> 00:54:24.960 the questions 00:54:24.960 --> 00:54:26.000 that we need to be asking. 00:54:26.400 --> 00:54:26.599 Okay, 00:54:26.739 --> 00:54:28.780 but the Bible asks questions 00:54:28.780 --> 00:54:30.219 that are deeply human 00:54:30.219 --> 00:54:31.659 and most authentic 00:54:31.659 --> 00:54:32.440 to humanity, 00:54:32.599 --> 00:54:33.260 fallen humanity. 00:54:33.780 --> 00:54:34.659 So sometimes, 00:54:34.840 --> 00:54:36.480 we need to try to get 00:54:36.480 --> 00:54:38.619 people to be asking 00:54:38.619 --> 00:54:40.880 those biblical questions. 00:54:41.639 --> 00:54:42.219 So this is, 00:54:42.500 --> 00:54:42.739 but, 00:54:42.819 --> 00:54:44.239 but because they're deeply human, 00:54:44.519 --> 00:54:45.900 they are going to resonate 00:54:45.900 --> 00:54:47.359 with their deep humanness. 00:54:47.859 --> 00:54:49.420 So we want to not just 00:54:49.420 --> 00:54:50.039 ask questions 00:54:50.039 --> 00:54:50.900 that seem relevant, 00:54:51.000 --> 00:54:51.380 in other words, 00:54:51.420 --> 00:54:53.119 that people have a felt need for, 00:54:53.460 --> 00:54:54.920 but try to help them 00:54:54.920 --> 00:54:55.859 to ask questions 00:54:55.859 --> 00:54:57.219 that are resonant, 00:54:57.679 --> 00:54:58.839 that are the Bible's questions 00:54:58.839 --> 00:55:00.059 that are resonant 00:55:00.059 --> 00:55:01.219 with their own humanity 00:55:01.219 --> 00:55:03.000 and help them to ask that. 00:55:03.480 --> 00:55:04.759 That's a great question. 00:55:06.079 --> 00:55:06.539 Yeah, 00:55:06.619 --> 00:55:07.239 I've thought of it 00:55:07.239 --> 00:55:07.980 in these terms 00:55:07.980 --> 00:55:08.500 and then you might 00:55:08.500 --> 00:55:10.079 slightly reformulate it, 00:55:11.260 --> 00:55:11.480 but, 00:55:11.659 --> 00:55:11.860 you know, 00:55:11.960 --> 00:55:12.260 it's not, 00:55:12.380 --> 00:55:12.860 it's collaborative. 00:55:13.099 --> 00:55:13.320 Yeah, 00:55:13.400 --> 00:55:13.559 yeah, 00:55:13.559 --> 00:55:13.760 yeah, 00:55:13.760 --> 00:55:13.980 yeah, 00:55:13.980 --> 00:55:14.039 yeah, 00:55:14.039 --> 00:55:14.920 that's a great question. 00:55:15.300 --> 00:55:15.440 Here, 00:55:15.539 --> 00:55:15.740 let me, 00:55:15.920 --> 00:55:17.619 let me sketch the nose 00:55:17.619 --> 00:55:18.440 this way on this, 00:55:18.519 --> 00:55:19.039 on this thing 00:55:19.039 --> 00:55:20.079 and then you're, 00:55:20.079 --> 00:55:20.539 you're adjusting, 00:55:20.699 --> 00:55:21.360 you want resonant. 00:55:21.860 --> 00:55:22.800 We better go though. 00:55:23.300 --> 00:55:24.179 Thank you so much 00:55:24.179 --> 00:55:24.880 for that helpful. 00:55:25.159 --> 00:55:25.880 Thank you team. 00:55:26.000 --> 00:55:26.980 Really enjoyed this 00:55:26.980 --> 00:55:29.059 and I'll be praying 00:55:29.059 --> 00:55:29.800 for your, 00:55:29.880 --> 00:55:30.119 your, 00:55:30.280 --> 00:55:31.039 your resolution 00:55:31.039 --> 00:55:31.820 follow through. 00:55:32.119 --> 00:55:32.699 Thank you.