WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.640 These last three months we've been going through the book of Luke and I realise today that it's taken us three months to go through five chapters. 00:00:08.179 --> 00:00:11.119 And we're actually going to take a bit of a pause after this week. 00:00:11.179 --> 00:00:16.019 And the journey that we went on was, can we see what the Holy Spirit is doing through the book of Luke? 00:00:16.059 --> 00:00:19.839 And if you remember, we started in the first week of December and we looked at the Christmas story. 00:00:19.859 --> 00:00:24.060 And that's where we saw glimpses, fingerprints of what the Holy Spirit is doing. 00:00:24.060 --> 00:00:27.359 I mean, I'm going to test a few people now just to see if we remember. 00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:30.800 Let me give you a re-job from Luke chapter one to chapter five. 00:00:30.880 --> 00:00:36.100 You had Zechariah. You remember him? You had Elizabeth, Mary. You had them. 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:40.460 You had the moment where Jesus is baptised. You had the wilderness. 00:00:41.120 --> 00:00:47.240 You had him going to the synagogue and dropping the mic. And you had then him healing people. 00:00:47.620 --> 00:00:52.859 And so these are all the different things. And we've been looking actually, what does, what has the Holy Spirit been doing in us? 00:00:52.900 --> 00:00:55.920 And even as I mentioned those names to you, what can you remember? What can you remember? 00:00:55.960 --> 00:01:00.000 What does the Holy Spirit do? If I asked you, who is the Holy Spirit and what is he doing? 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:05.620 Judging from just the story we've been on these last five chapters, what would you say? 00:01:06.099 --> 00:01:11.459 What would you say? What does the Holy Spirit do? What did the Holy Spirit do for Zechariah? 00:01:11.559 --> 00:01:12.739 Cuban, what did the Holy Spirit do? 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:17.919 I don't know if it's Zechariah, but he gave somebody a voice. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.640 He gave somebody a voice. Yep, that is definitely something there. 00:01:22.459 --> 00:01:26.699 He gives. Actually, he gives Mary baby Jesus. 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:28.539 And he gives these different gifts as well. 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:30.319 What else have we got going on? 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:31.839 Jojo, Simo. 00:01:34.459 --> 00:01:36.179 Actually, no. Anyway, Simo. 00:01:36.779 --> 00:01:39.119 What else has the Holy Spirit done in these first five chapters? 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.299 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:01:42.819 --> 00:01:46.579 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and filled of joy. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:46.939 Yeah. 00:01:47.259 --> 00:01:48.699 Right? The Holy Spirit gives joy. 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:50.439 In his presence, there is fullness of joy. 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:53.519 And so you see Elizabeth that is filled with joy. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:57.399 You've got John the Baptist, baby John the Baptist, who jumps in the womb, filled with joy. 00:01:57.579 --> 00:01:59.200 Zechariah is revealed the truth. 00:01:59.859 --> 00:01:59.980 Okay? 00:02:00.060 --> 00:02:03.920 That, hey, you've been wanting to have a baby for a long time, but here is the moment where it's actually happening. 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:05.459 And then let's carry on. 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:07.920 Let's carry on into the baptism. 00:02:08.079 --> 00:02:12.460 What is the Holy Spirit doing there when Jesus goes and gets baptized? 00:02:12.460 --> 00:02:13.139 What have we got? 00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:14.759 Mr. Shum. 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:17.979 Revealed. 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:20.340 What do you think he's revealing at that moment? 00:02:20.399 --> 00:02:22.159 Let's say even in the scene of the baptism. 00:02:25.079 --> 00:02:26.039 Who Christ is. 00:02:26.099 --> 00:02:26.780 His identity. 00:02:27.399 --> 00:02:28.219 That's just huge. 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:32.680 And of course, after he's revealed there, he's then led. 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:37.139 So the Holy Spirit does something else, which is he's led into the wilderness to be what? 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:39.039 Tested. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:41.199 And so you see the Holy Spirit leads. 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:41.759 He tests. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:42.340 He guides. 00:02:42.459 --> 00:02:42.959 He reveals. 00:02:43.159 --> 00:02:43.759 He anoints. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:49.039 And then in chapter four, Jesus goes to the synagogue, lifts up the scroll, reads from it. 00:02:49.340 --> 00:02:54.959 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim good news to the poor, to the captive, to the broken, to the oppressed. 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:58.319 And then he drops the mic and he says, today it is being fulfilled. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:00.000 Today I am him. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:01.979 And then he carries on. 00:03:02.019 --> 00:03:03.180 And he carries on in chapter five. 00:03:03.299 --> 00:03:04.259 Oh, Trevor's got it at the moment. 00:03:04.579 --> 00:03:06.319 And he starts doing some of the miracles. 00:03:06.899 --> 00:03:07.680 And he starts healing. 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:13.419 And actually, this journey that we've been on, I realized once I was doing my research for this week, 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:17.539 I was like, actually, you see the Holy Spirit constantly in every chapter. 00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:20.899 Basically, in every story, you see the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit happening. 00:03:21.219 --> 00:03:26.119 But what happens after this is he starts healing and he starts actually bringing some of these miracles, 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:29.939 invading the natural world into and bringing the supernatural in. 00:03:29.939 --> 00:03:37.020 And what happens is actually after this, after the healings, you see him actually really not really mentioning the Holy Spirit much at all. 00:03:37.060 --> 00:03:41.039 It's almost as if the Apostle Luke is like, hey, guys, you get the point. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:45.319 Luke chapter five, verse 17, he says, and the power of the Lord is with him. 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:47.759 And that's when the healing comes. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:55.620 And last week we talked about the paralyzed man who was lifted up onto the roof and then lowered down by his friends. 00:03:55.620 --> 00:04:01.700 And you see him, there's just this beautiful moment where this paralyzed man, he got more than what he came for. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:05.460 He wanted to start walking, but he had his whole being was forgiven. 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:08.039 Salvation was this holistic thing. 00:04:08.140 --> 00:04:11.900 It's Jesus, as Keller said, that actually your sickness is not your fundamental problem. 00:04:12.259 --> 00:04:13.939 That is not the most fatal thing about you. 00:04:14.040 --> 00:04:18.300 You're the most fundamental problem that you have is your sin. 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:19.800 It's not your cancer. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:20.800 It is not your paralysis. 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:23.020 It is your whole being. 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:26.680 And I have come to save you, your whole you. 00:04:27.579 --> 00:04:31.080 And so then he kind of goes off and we hear lots more of the miracles. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:38.680 And as I was tracing through, I realized actually the Holy Spirit, which is the kind of our mission, isn't really mentioned explicitly that much anymore. 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:44.139 In Luke chapter 10, Jesus is praying in the Holy Spirit and he's filled with joy again. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:46.420 And Luke chapter 11, it's the Lord's Prayer. 00:04:46.420 --> 00:04:52.939 And then it's saying, hey, actually, God will give those who ask good things and he will give you the Holy Spirit. 00:04:54.199 --> 00:05:03.400 And so if I have a look at this, Luke is kind of where we're going to have a little bit of a pause, because later in the book of Acts, when Luke writes his sequel, you see the Holy Spirit coming again. 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:05.080 And he's just constantly everywhere. 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:08.879 But if you were to ask me, actually, well, what is the Holy Spirit? 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:14.439 And maybe one term that I've found is most helpful for me is that the Holy Spirit is God on the move. 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:22.959 The Holy Spirit is God on the move, carrying out miracles, but actually with a very specific mission himself. 00:05:23.259 --> 00:05:32.279 You see in the book of John, chapter 14 to chapter 16, actually, chapter 14 to chapter 17 in John is basically Jesus's final words. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.839 And if you're looking at you, I need to know more about Jesus, then go there. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:36.139 Go there and have a look. 00:05:36.339 --> 00:05:38.259 And he talks about this a lot in those few chapters. 00:05:38.259 --> 00:05:42.000 He says, hey, it's better for you that I go because someone's going to come. 00:05:42.699 --> 00:05:45.139 A helper is going to come and he's going to be revealing truth. 00:05:46.300 --> 00:05:49.180 You know, he says, I'm the way, the truth and the life and where I'm going, you can't come. 00:05:49.219 --> 00:05:51.120 But don't worry, I'm sending someone to help you. 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:54.560 And in chapter 15, it says, the Spirit will bear witness. 00:05:55.980 --> 00:05:57.039 What does the Holy Spirit do? 00:05:57.300 --> 00:05:59.019 The Holy Spirit points people to Jesus. 00:05:59.019 --> 00:06:03.120 The Holy Spirit is God on the move, pointing people to Jesus. 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:05.660 And we will be the witnesses. 00:06:06.660 --> 00:06:08.980 And you see this carrying on in the book of Acts. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:11.259 What does he say just before he flies off? 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:17.160 In Acts chapter 1, before he flies off, he says, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be my witnesses. 00:06:18.019 --> 00:06:22.000 In Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 00:06:22.740 --> 00:06:28.480 And in Acts chapter 2, you see Peter filled with the Holy Spirit and give the kerygma, which is proclaiming the gospel. 00:06:29.139 --> 00:06:30.519 And then people are cut to the heart. 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:31.939 And then thousands are added. 00:06:31.939 --> 00:06:35.120 And you see Pentecost really pushing the gospel. 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:37.279 The movement of God. 00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:39.420 God on the move. 00:06:40.219 --> 00:06:42.160 We, then, are all witnesses. 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:44.939 I think I was talking maybe to Charlotte, and you found out about this last week. 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:48.939 Like, actually, it doesn't really matter what job you're in. 00:06:49.300 --> 00:06:52.879 It doesn't really matter what role you play in society. 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:59.199 Technically, you, we, as soon as we become Christians, are people who are witnesses. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:02.339 Who's in full-time ministry here? 00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:03.639 Just out of interest. 00:07:03.740 --> 00:07:07.199 Who's in full-time ministry and would class themselves as a missionary? 00:07:07.979 --> 00:07:09.420 Can I just see a... 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:11.079 Actually, can I invite you to stand up? 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.579 I promise this ties in with the message today. 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:15.500 Just stand up. 00:07:15.500 --> 00:07:16.839 If you are a full-time missionary... 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:16.839 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:16.839 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:17.839 Thank you. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:18.839 Thank you. 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:19.839 Please take a seat. 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:20.839 Thank you. 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:21.839 Thank you. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:21.839 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:21.839 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:21.839 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.839 Thank you. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:26.699 Please take a seat. 00:07:28.139 --> 00:07:38.919 These are people who have said, I'm going to commit my whole life, all my time, into following God and proclaiming the good news. 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:43.980 But if you think about the word missionary, you think about this really holy person. 00:07:44.060 --> 00:07:54.180 You think about Hudson Taylor, the guy in the 1800s who came to China from England, from Barnsley in England, and then he'd come and he'd start China Inland Mission. 00:07:54.640 --> 00:07:55.920 That is now called OMF. 00:07:56.759 --> 00:08:02.759 And you think about these people who go all these really far lands to spread the gospel, these brave, courageous men and women. 00:08:03.379 --> 00:08:05.300 And often you don't think about yourself. 00:08:05.300 --> 00:08:08.720 But let me pose something to us here today. 00:08:09.939 --> 00:08:15.900 What if the moment you accepted Christ, you became a witness? 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:18.920 You are essentially a missionary. 00:08:20.020 --> 00:08:29.500 Instead of the handful of people that just stood up, imagine if I can convince you today and remind you today that actually all of us are missionaries. 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:33.019 Because the truth is this. 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:37.799 If you've been a recipient of the good news, it is impossible for you to hold that good news to yourself. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:40.559 Because what's the very nature of news? 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:42.059 Is that you have to pass it on. 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:44.139 The moment you don't pass on news, what does it become? 00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:45.159 It becomes old news. 00:08:46.740 --> 00:08:48.679 The point of the good news is it just keeps going. 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:50.059 You keep passing it on. 00:08:50.059 --> 00:08:59.859 What if the moment you accepted Christ, when you were filled with the Holy Spirit and you declared that he is Lord, that is the moment you are filled with the Spirit to go and take this message to the next place? 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:04.439 I ask you the other question that comes to mind then is, are you doing that? 00:09:05.479 --> 00:09:07.819 Are you being a witness to him? 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:08.559 Are you fulfilling? 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:13.419 That word missionary, all it really means is that there were people with a mission. 00:09:13.419 --> 00:09:21.059 If you put it like that, you're like, well, I guess I haven't been following my mission. 00:09:22.019 --> 00:09:23.539 And you're like, oh, well, I didn't receive a mission. 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:24.059 Well, you did. 00:09:24.339 --> 00:09:26.740 Matthew 28, we've all received the mission, the co-mission. 00:09:28.379 --> 00:09:30.919 Can you go and make disciples of all nations? 00:09:32.740 --> 00:09:40.839 And so for us, do we hold that good news and do we sit and do we not move with it and do we keep it inside and ask, just ask God, hey, how can you make my life better? 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:46.639 Or actually, the moment you receive that good news, does it transform you and take you on a different trajectory that pushes you? 00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:52.720 Because when the Holy Spirit is inside you, when God is on the move, you move. 00:09:54.019 --> 00:10:02.800 And so this brings me to actually the final passage that on this series that we're going to do, because as I was scanning through the book of Luke, where is the Holy Spirit mentioned? 00:10:02.899 --> 00:10:06.540 There's actually one more place that I haven't mentioned, and that is in Luke chapter 12. 00:10:06.539 --> 00:10:11.919 And it so happens to be about witnessing and about being missionaries, carrying the good news of Jesus. 00:10:12.079 --> 00:10:13.120 And I'll be honest with you. 00:10:13.539 --> 00:10:16.399 There was a moment, there was a temptation in me that was like, you know what? 00:10:16.740 --> 00:10:20.679 Maybe I won't preach on this bit because it's hard. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:23.500 It's about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. 00:10:24.079 --> 00:10:25.980 And I was like, this kind of. 00:10:25.980 --> 00:10:33.779 And actually, if you look, preachers often try to avoid this passage because it's one of those confusing ones that maybe a lot of people struggle to understand. 00:10:33.899 --> 00:10:41.440 And I was like, well, our mission since the beginning of December was to go through the book of Luke and to trace and be investigators to see what the Holy Spirit is doing. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:43.800 Then we can't really leave this final one out. 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:44.779 And so here we are. 00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:46.600 And we're going to go through Luke chapter 12. 00:10:46.700 --> 00:10:50.539 If you open up your Bibles, Luke chapter 12, verse 8 to 12. 00:10:50.539 --> 00:10:55.120 And I'm going to ask Dr. Trevor to come up and read us the word of God. 00:10:55.419 --> 00:10:57.019 So Luke chapter 12. 00:10:57.779 --> 00:10:58.559 Have we got it? 00:11:00.319 --> 00:11:01.860 Luke chapter 12, verse 8 to 12. 00:11:01.939 --> 00:11:03.360 Can I invite you to stand for the word of God? 00:11:10.319 --> 00:11:16.399 And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God. 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:21.199 But the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 00:11:21.659 --> 00:11:25.259 And everyone who speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:29.939 But the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:34.579 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:39.980 do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say. 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:44.139 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:47.100 This is the word of God. 00:11:47.500 --> 00:11:48.220 Please take a seat. 00:11:49.100 --> 00:11:49.740 Thank you, Trevor. 00:11:57.459 --> 00:11:58.519 So we're all witnesses. 00:11:59.079 --> 00:12:03.659 And you see from here, and we're going to talk a little bit about what it means to be a witness. 00:12:04.179 --> 00:12:05.259 A witness of Jesus. 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:08.039 And it starts off with saying this, verse 8. 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:14.860 And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the son of man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 00:12:14.919 --> 00:12:18.159 And so the first point here is this act of witnessing. 00:12:18.419 --> 00:12:21.919 This intentionality that's required for us to be witnesses. 00:12:22.099 --> 00:12:23.759 We can actually, we only have two choices. 00:12:24.079 --> 00:12:26.579 We either acknowledge or we deny. 00:12:27.599 --> 00:12:32.139 Last week we talked about the paralyzed man who was lowered down into the house. 00:12:32.139 --> 00:12:38.439 And then, of course, Jesus causes chaos and confusion because instead of healing the man, he says, you're forgiven. 00:12:39.100 --> 00:12:43.659 And then everyone's just bewildered, flabbergasted by this. 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:51.860 The Pharisees, the teachers of the law, who we have a lot of sympathy and empathy for because these people were trying to help the Israelites not violate the law, right? 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:57.440 So they were trying to build things around the law for 400 years as they were holding the fort down before the Messiah came. 00:12:57.500 --> 00:12:59.460 They were like, guys, hold fort. 00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:00.360 Don't break. 00:13:00.500 --> 00:13:02.000 Don't hold the formation. 00:13:02.259 --> 00:13:03.740 Don't follow the way of this world. 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:06.340 And so I love their heart. 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:12.860 But what happened was they took the people, the connection out, and they focused on the program and the compliance. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:20.139 And when you have the program over the people, that's when you lose the connection and you end up with just compliance and you saw their hearts were getting hard. 00:13:20.139 --> 00:13:25.319 And so I don't blame them sometimes for what they tried to do, but they just lost focus at the very end. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:31.279 And so then what we see here is Jesus completely just shocks them and says, I am the son of man, essentially. 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:36.379 And I have the power to forgive and I have the power to heal. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.460 And in that moment, that man, that paralyzed man gets up. 00:13:41.019 --> 00:13:46.840 And as I asked you last week, that moment that man got up, you would have actually had to make a decision. 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:56.600 In that moment, as that man started to walk home, you would have had to decide if you were in the crowd that day, do I walk with this man and believe in Jesus or do I stay here and deny him? 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:59.120 Because the evidence is clear. 00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:00.340 You don't really have a choice. 00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.580 And this is the thing about Jesus. 00:14:01.800 --> 00:14:03.160 This is the thing about following Jesus. 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:05.019 You can't just head your bed and stay in the middle. 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:10.259 You have to decide, am I going to acknowledge him or am I going to deny him? 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:12.100 And you see this happening here. 00:14:12.439 --> 00:14:15.080 And Jesus is saying, hey, there's only two options. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.600 Will you choose to acknowledge me? 00:14:18.779 --> 00:14:19.720 Here's the problem, though. 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:24.039 This was during a time where there was heavy persecution. 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:28.200 If you chose to follow Jesus, it would mean so many things. 00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:30.299 It would mean your family will turn against you. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:32.899 It will mean that you will lose your business. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:34.840 It could mean that you will be put into prison. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:36.899 It could mean that you would lose your life. 00:14:36.899 --> 00:14:45.659 So the consequences were very clear for people in this book at that time that if you choose Jesus, this is what will happen. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:47.379 If you don't, this is what will happen. 00:14:47.579 --> 00:14:50.659 Now, the truth is this still happens today in this world. 00:14:51.199 --> 00:14:52.799 It just doesn't happen in Hong Kong. 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:59.000 There are people around the world who are forced to either acknowledge or deny him. 00:14:59.939 --> 00:15:01.379 But in Hong Kong, we don't have to. 00:15:01.379 --> 00:15:11.259 The danger, though, is that when you don't have to pick or when there are no consequences to your choice, you end up not picking at all. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:17.100 So the question that I have for us is, what does actually acknowledging him mean for us here? 00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:25.179 Actually, for us in this society where actually you can just acknowledge that you're a Christian and you go to church and you won't really suffer any consequences. 00:15:25.179 --> 00:15:27.519 But what does that actually mean? 00:15:28.579 --> 00:15:29.759 And so what does it mean for you? 00:15:30.099 --> 00:15:42.259 I can remember when I was a maybe 13-year-old, as I told you before, I grew up in the late 1900s where there was something that was really popular, which was these wristbands that had WWJD on. 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:43.620 What does WWJD stand for? 00:15:43.719 --> 00:15:44.639 What would Jesus do? 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:45.559 What would Jesus do? 00:15:45.579 --> 00:15:46.500 And I had a rainbow one. 00:15:46.939 --> 00:15:47.979 That was just the coolest. 00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:51.159 And I remember wearing it to school. 00:15:51.700 --> 00:15:54.320 And then Philip, Philip, this friend that I had, well, he's not a friend. 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.320 This guy that I had sat next to me in science. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.060 He's like, what's that bracelet? 00:15:59.539 --> 00:16:00.759 Isn't that a Christian bracelet? 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:02.080 And I was like, no. 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:04.460 He's like, what does it stand for? 00:16:04.460 --> 00:16:04.840 I don't know. 00:16:05.019 --> 00:16:05.659 Someone gave it me. 00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:07.139 You know, 13-year-old James. 00:16:08.440 --> 00:16:11.300 Well, it turns out I felt stupid afterwards because he's like, well, I'm a Christian. 00:16:12.139 --> 00:16:12.980 I was like, dang. 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:17.080 Dang, you acknowledge him and I just denied him. 00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:21.779 But sometimes we have that. 00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:27.960 Maybe one way that we don't acknowledge him in our lives in this is actually we just don't want people to know where we spent Sunday morning. 00:16:28.560 --> 00:16:31.399 We just don't want people to know where we spent Thursday evening. 00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:34.000 You know, it's just easy if they don't know that I'm a Christian. 00:16:34.659 --> 00:16:40.740 Maybe there's things in my life that I'm still doing and I'm still talking about and I'm still showing that, you know, it is for the best that they don't know that I'm a Christian. 00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:43.480 And I remember I went on that journey as a 13-year-old. 00:16:43.580 --> 00:16:47.659 And when I got to university, I actually had a very different mindset. 00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.980 I was like, no, I have to. 00:16:49.079 --> 00:16:53.519 I have to find ways to be able to share with people that I go to church, that I'm a Christian. 00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:58.879 This was my maybe well-intentioned act to try and go, hey, how can I spread the gospel? 00:16:59.019 --> 00:17:00.939 So the question I used to have for my friends a lot. 00:17:01.199 --> 00:17:08.920 Now, if you grew up in university in England, you know that actually every Monday what everyone will ask each other isn't really how are you is what did you do last night? 00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:09.839 Or what did you do that weekend? 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:10.720 What did you do last weekend? 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:11.319 Right. 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:12.879 And I would love asking that question. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:13.359 What did you do? 00:17:13.439 --> 00:17:14.619 And they'd be like, oh, I don't remember. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:16.439 It was the best time of my life, but I don't remember it. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.079 I was like, isn't that just an oxymoron? 00:17:18.179 --> 00:17:19.039 That just doesn't make sense. 00:17:19.179 --> 00:17:21.839 How can you have the best night of your life and you not remember any of it? 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:23.740 And then, but I would say, well, what did you do? 00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:24.919 And I'd be like, well, I went to church. 00:17:25.399 --> 00:17:26.399 I used to love saying it. 00:17:26.419 --> 00:17:29.179 And I, again, maybe you can track where, what age I am. 00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:33.500 When I was at university, maybe second or third year, the Da Vinci Code came out. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:35.880 Whose was the Da Vinci Code? 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:38.000 Loved that movie. 00:17:38.100 --> 00:17:38.740 I loved the books. 00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:41.440 And I remember using that as a platform. 00:17:41.600 --> 00:17:43.519 Yeah, this is a perfect opportunity. 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:44.680 Have you watched the Da Vinci Code? 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:45.799 And some will say yes. 00:17:46.100 --> 00:17:48.320 And the ones who said yes, I'm like, well, what do you think about it? 00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:49.320 Do you think it's true? 00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:50.720 Do you think Jesus is real? 00:17:51.060 --> 00:17:51.720 Jesus is real. 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:52.580 Here's my Bible. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:53.140 Take it. 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:53.519 Read it. 00:17:53.580 --> 00:17:53.759 Pray. 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:54.700 Say the Lord's Prayer. 00:17:55.840 --> 00:17:57.539 Oh, but the sinner's prayer must be first. 00:17:57.539 --> 00:17:58.340 Say that one first. 00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:02.880 So I started to find opportunities to be able to share the gospel. 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:08.080 But I wonder whether for us, actually, we spend most of our time just being silent about our relationship with God. 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:15.920 I wonder whether there are moments when we are actually living and going about our day away from a Sunday where actually we don't really look that different. 00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:21.039 I also grew up in a time where there was a movement in the church called the Seeker Sensitive Movement, 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:29.500 which is where, hey, let's make the church as just comfortable and as relatable as possible to the people outside. 00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:40.779 The whole point is the reputation of the church for the longest time has been church people are conservative, are strict, are obnoxious and arrogant and just weird. 00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:49.019 So there was a season in my life where you started seeing these church movements happen where it's like, hey, guys, we are so normal. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:52.220 We listen to the same music you do. 00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:56.599 There was a church that I went to that actually sang Fix You by Coldplay. 00:18:57.220 --> 00:19:00.200 It's just, I mean, great song, by the way. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.619 It's like, look how normal we are. 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:03.339 We're just like you. 00:19:04.159 --> 00:19:05.039 Isn't that cool? 00:19:05.139 --> 00:19:06.039 We're not freaks. 00:19:06.879 --> 00:19:08.299 And I remember thinking that. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:14.139 And I used to love, because being around sports guys and playing sports, it would always be like, oh. 00:19:14.899 --> 00:19:17.059 I used to love it when people say, oh, you're a Christian. 00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:18.759 I couldn't tell. 00:19:19.459 --> 00:19:20.720 But you're just like the rest of us. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.879 And I was like, yeah, exactly. 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:23.339 Me and you, we're just cool. 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:26.039 It was only afterwards I realized, oh, wait. 00:19:28.220 --> 00:19:29.419 I'm supposed to be different. 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:35.060 In my attempts to make you feel more comfortable, I've become just like you. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:46.180 In my attempts to prove to you that Jesus is relevant and relatable, I've come down to how you live your life. 00:19:46.300 --> 00:19:49.000 And I'm not saying we are superior and they are inferior. 00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:57.779 I'm saying that the values that we seek to hold, we have let go, we've loosened or we've lowered in order to help people feel comfortable. 00:19:57.779 --> 00:20:10.319 When Jesus says, if you acknowledge me, if you don't blend into society, if you actually live differently, that's what it means to be like me. 00:20:11.819 --> 00:20:19.240 It doesn't make sense, because we've tricked ourselves into thinking, if we are good Christians, then we are good people, then we'll be well-liked, and then we'll have these wonderful lives. 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:26.720 And then Jesus says, wait, but they hated me first, and they will hate you if you followed my path. 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:31.200 Do we acknowledge him or do we deny him? 00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:34.220 Do we stay silent when there are things happening around us? 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:36.359 We're like, you know what, it's better just not to speak. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:38.460 When you know it's wrong. 00:20:38.859 --> 00:20:41.460 When you know there's bullying that's happening in your workplace or in your school. 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:42.500 You know you shouldn't be doing that. 00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:43.380 They shouldn't be doing that. 00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:45.259 And yet somehow you just stay silent. 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:50.460 Do we acknowledge him and just his very presence with us? 00:20:51.460 --> 00:20:55.759 And I was sharing this with one of my Young Life staff this week who just went into ministry. 00:20:55.900 --> 00:21:01.220 And he was like, actually, it was much easier being a Christian when I was in the corporate place. 00:21:02.180 --> 00:21:07.019 Because in some ways, you kind of, and this is his words, he was like, in some ways, you would go to work, 00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:15.359 and you'd be like, God, you have placed me in this God-forsaken land, doing this work with these people who don't know you. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:19.160 And this is the battle of light and darkness. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:23.779 And so he felt as though before he would go into work knowing that that was his mission. 00:21:24.139 --> 00:21:30.879 And then he sits in Young Life, and he's like, but this is so weird. 00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.660 The lines blur. 00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:37.740 Suddenly it becomes hard to know what you're really living for and really striving for, 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.420 because everything is just a bit of a mix. 00:21:40.540 --> 00:21:41.660 And I said this to him. 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:43.600 I said, gosh, that is so true. 00:21:43.840 --> 00:21:50.220 Actually, you could be a pastor and completely ignore the presence of God in your life for that whole week 00:21:50.220 --> 00:21:54.120 and just do things for God without actually talking to him and spending any time with him. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:58.560 You get so busy doing things for God that you're actually completely ignoring him. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:05.379 Chinese kids will know that feeling, because that's often how Chinese people care for one another. 00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:10.799 Parents who think that they're loving you and doing everything that they can, 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:13.399 but not really having the connection. 00:22:14.819 --> 00:22:17.740 And I'll tell you, as ministers, as pastors, that's just as dangerous for us. 00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:25.000 We can completely deny the presence of Jesus in our lives, even when we mean the best. 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.720 And what about his identity? 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:34.400 I talk about Hudson Taylor, one of the famous missionaries coming from England to China. 00:22:35.140 --> 00:22:38.940 He said this, either Jesus is Lord of all or not at all. 00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:42.259 Either Jesus is Lord of all or not at all. 00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:46.180 And so often we say that he's Lord, but then we don't live. 00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:49.360 I mean, Jesus says this, he says, you call me Lord and yet you didn't do anything that I say. 00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:51.180 What does the word Lord mean? 00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:56.620 He's either Lord of all or not at all. 00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:59.779 He's either acknowledge or deny. 00:22:59.860 --> 00:23:01.440 And maybe sometimes we deny his teaching. 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:03.360 We deny his teaching on marriage. 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:04.560 We deny his teaching on money. 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:06.720 We deny his teaching on all these other things. 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:09.140 And you're like, oh, but that's a little bit too hardcore for this society. 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:10.100 Well, here's the thing. 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:13.740 When we deny his teaching, what we're actually saying is that Jesus, we know better than you. 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:20.700 When we say, oh, well, let's just wash that bit down so it's not as hard to understand and comprehend and follow. 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:25.620 Well, that's when we're saying, well, actually, this guy, this Lord says this, but hey, I know better. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:26.720 He'll actually give you a pass. 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:27.140 It's okay. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:30.599 That's us saying, hey, actually, we know better. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:34.299 That's us not acknowledging who he truly is. 00:23:34.380 --> 00:23:36.200 That's us not acknowledging his identity. 00:23:36.620 --> 00:23:38.980 Us not acknowledging his presence nor his teaching. 00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:41.360 So I turn the question back around to us. 00:23:41.579 --> 00:23:52.079 As you look at your life, as you take an order of your life from Sunday all the way to Sunday again, even the weekdays, when you sign up to be a Christian, it was for every day. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.259 Do you acknowledge him? 00:23:54.920 --> 00:23:55.920 Or do you deny him? 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:03.079 Because Jesus says, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 00:24:03.079 --> 00:24:09.399 Dwight Moody was another famous evangelist. 00:24:09.679 --> 00:24:11.740 And he has this quote that I love, and I'll read it out to you. 00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:14.639 It says this, out of 100 men, one will read the Bible. 00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:16.579 The other 99 will read the Christian. 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:20.579 Out of 100 men, one of you will read the Bible. 00:24:22.139 --> 00:24:23.740 The others will read the Christian. 00:24:24.879 --> 00:24:26.980 We're going to look at this person who's reading the Bible. 00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:29.480 This is your colleagues and your families and your friends, by the way. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.759 They're going to look at you or you read the Bible. 00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.460 Are you any different? 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:35.140 We're going to look at your life and see if it's any different. 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:37.360 If it's not any different, then we don't need to read it either. 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:45.299 Dwight Moody ended up inspiring a man called Billy Graham, another famous evangelist, who said this, 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:48.160 We are the Bibles the world is reading. 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:50.220 We are the creeds the world is needing. 00:24:50.620 --> 00:24:52.700 We are the sermons the world is heeding. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:55.839 We are the Bibles that the world is reading. 00:24:56.779 --> 00:24:58.059 So here's another fun question. 00:24:58.059 --> 00:25:05.279 If we did a poll for your friends on you, what would they say about you? 00:25:06.419 --> 00:25:08.960 Would they say, oh, Kenneth's a great guy. 00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.579 He's just like us. 00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:13.679 Or would they say, oh, there's something different about Kenneth? 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:19.579 Actually, maybe in the past he would have done this, but we're starting to see that he's doing this. 00:25:20.279 --> 00:25:21.119 He's just different. 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:35.039 And this is especially hard for those who are lawyers, who are bankers in this world, where the spirit of the fields that you're in runs so contradictory to the spirit of God. 00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:38.539 That's why Romans 12 says don't conform to the patterns of this world. 00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:42.219 But be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:46.140 And you'll discover the good and perfect will of God. 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:47.539 One that is different. 00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:48.539 The act of witnessing. 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:49.480 Verse 10. 00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:50.120 Let's carry on. 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:54.200 And everyone who speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven. 00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:57.980 But the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 00:25:58.200 --> 00:26:00.460 This is the verse that I was hoping to avoid. 00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:01.200 But here we are. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:05.660 Commentators have been debating what this has meant for years. 00:26:05.660 --> 00:26:10.720 Christians have been very scared about this passage for years. 00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:18.960 Because we hear the gospel, which is, hey, there is no sin too great that God won't forgive it. 00:26:19.360 --> 00:26:19.640 Right? 00:26:19.840 --> 00:26:20.420 You hear that. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:28.360 And then suddenly you see here in Luke chapter 12, you see in Matthew 12 and Mark 3, the same account where Jesus says, but actually there is one sin. 00:26:29.160 --> 00:26:30.880 There is one sin that won't be forgiven. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:33.940 And that has scared people for a long, long time. 00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:36.259 But I'll tell you this. 00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:40.880 If you're scared by that passage, then that actually already says that you're going to be okay. 00:26:41.080 --> 00:26:43.700 And let me explain to you what that really means here. 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:49.860 Because the whole point is saying, actually, if we quickly scroll, maybe this will be helpful to all of us. 00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:54.660 If we quickly scroll to Matthew chapter 12, just so we get a little bit more of the context. 00:26:54.740 --> 00:26:58.380 Because actually the account of Luke doesn't go into the detail, but Matthew and Mark do. 00:26:58.759 --> 00:27:00.539 So Matthew and Mark talk about this. 00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:02.200 So we're going to go to Matthew chapter 12. 00:27:03.940 --> 00:27:09.960 And you see him saying this line in verse 31. 00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:13.320 Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:17.180 But the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. 00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:18.299 What's he talking about? 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:24.200 What happens here is actually there's a demon oppressed man who was blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him. 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:27.620 And then the people were questioning, wait, how did this guy get healed? 00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:30.399 How did this blind and mute man get healed? 00:27:30.679 --> 00:27:35.259 And someone, some bright spark came up with the idea that maybe it's Beelzebub. 00:27:35.399 --> 00:27:38.819 It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons. 00:27:38.819 --> 00:27:50.200 This is what, as simply as I can put it, and as simply as I understand this, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is when you attribute the work of God to the work of Satan. 00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:59.119 When you outright look at something that God is doing and you deny with your whole existence that that is not God, but that is Satan. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:04.599 So this isn't just a casual, oh, I slipped the slip of the tongue. 00:28:04.699 --> 00:28:06.259 Oh, I blaspheme the Holy Spirit. 00:28:06.339 --> 00:28:07.339 It doesn't work like that. 00:28:07.859 --> 00:28:18.079 When you blaspheme the Holy Spirit, it is a deliberate, hard-hearted, intentional word that you say or just belief that you hold. 00:28:18.219 --> 00:28:22.799 As you look around at this world, as you look around at the works that are happening and going, that is not God. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.839 Jesus is not Lord. 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:36.240 So it's a very existence as a very being, which is why I'm going to say, I'm going to question that maybe those of us out here, we won't be guilty of that because that's not how we feel. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:47.639 We, of course, we are sinners and we make mistakes, but we are not intentionally, deliberately attributing something that God is doing and saying, that's the devil. 00:28:48.639 --> 00:28:50.419 That's the context that we see in Matthew. 00:28:50.639 --> 00:28:52.159 That's the context that we see in Mark. 00:28:52.160 --> 00:29:01.860 So as we look at Luke, I believe it's the same context where actually we won't have to be worried about this because it isn't just a casual word that we say that ends up being unforgiven. 00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:03.440 This is a lot more than this. 00:29:04.019 --> 00:29:06.880 This is a wholehearted commitment to going against God. 00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:16.680 And you see, 1 Corinthians 12 says this, that if you have the Holy Spirit in you and you can say Jesus is Lord and that already proves that actually you are not going to be blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:30.860 If you're wondering about the Holy Spirit, if you're wondering whether you have the Holy Spirit in you, the very fact that you can say Jesus is Lord, the fact that you can attribute the acts that he's doing to him is already a sign that the Holy Spirit is in you. 00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:34.319 So we don't really have to be worried about that. 00:29:34.379 --> 00:29:41.959 But it does tell us something about the heart of witnessing, that our hearts need to be pure, that our hearts can't be hard when it comes to witnessing. 00:29:42.439 --> 00:29:46.539 Because we know that denial is not the final, final sin that won't be forgiven. 00:29:46.639 --> 00:29:49.799 You see Peter denying God three times. 00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:52.940 But that wasn't his final verdict. 00:29:53.500 --> 00:30:02.740 In fact, you see the journey from Luke 22 where Peter denies Jesus to Acts 2 where he is just filled with the Spirit declaring who Jesus is. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:13.079 So if you're even worried about that at all, if this has been part of your mindset at all, that there is a sin that is unforgivable, that you might be guilty of it, let me just assure you right now. 00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:22.220 The fact that you can say that Jesus is Lord, the fact that you attribute what he's doing to him already means that's all we need to know. 00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:24.740 And that's what you can feel assured by. 00:30:25.099 --> 00:30:29.559 The heart of witnessing is really just the heart and it isn't any casual slip of the tongue. 00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:34.500 And whether there are people who actually won't be forgiven, we won't know. 00:30:34.919 --> 00:30:35.899 It's only God who knows. 00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:44.440 Because we've seen the most staunch atheists, the most terrible murderers who deny God's existence, who worship even the devil. 00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:46.840 But you see by God's grace, they are turned around. 00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:49.860 So we don't know what the final word is. 00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:51.200 And that's not any of our business. 00:30:51.300 --> 00:30:54.580 But for us, we don't have to worry is maybe the only thing I'll say about that. 00:30:55.160 --> 00:30:57.080 The act of witnessing, the heart of witnessing. 00:30:57.380 --> 00:31:00.300 And finally, the words that come from it. 00:31:00.300 --> 00:31:01.840 And verse 11 says this. 00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:03.220 And when we're back in Luke now. 00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:10.480 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say. 00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:14.600 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.960 Let me say one thing about this first. 00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:21.500 When you choose to live differently for God, you will get attention. 00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:22.640 You will. 00:31:23.360 --> 00:31:26.000 It is inevitable that you will get attention. 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:32.240 He says when and when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities. 00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:34.980 It is inevitable. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.400 And it's well, none of us are going to be brought in front of a synagogue here. 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:41.920 But any of the rulers and the powers that be in your life. 00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:46.460 When you stand up for what you believe in, you will hit resistance. 00:31:48.600 --> 00:31:49.740 Jesus promises that. 00:31:50.900 --> 00:31:53.279 And so that's an interesting one itself. 00:31:53.420 --> 00:32:00.000 In Matthew chapter five, I'm going to quickly turn there to Jesus in his sermon on the mount talks a lot about this. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:05.880 He talks about, oh, he's got the Beatitudes that Wes has been memorizing. 00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:06.880 How are we doing, Wes, with that? 00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.380 Not great. 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:09.799 Oh, great. 00:32:11.220 --> 00:32:12.279 God's grace is with you. 00:32:16.599 --> 00:32:17.359 Blessed are you. 00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.819 Chapter five, verse 11. 00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:23.920 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:29.320 Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 00:32:30.080 --> 00:32:35.580 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you. 00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:37.940 How? 00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:40.560 That doesn't sound blessed to me. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:53.240 But when we speak up, when we acknowledge the presence of God, when we acknowledge the identity of God, when we acknowledge the work and the power of God, others will utter all kinds of evil against us. 00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:57.179 He also says, of course, that we are light of the world. 00:32:57.240 --> 00:33:01.559 And when others see our good works, they will give glory to our father who is in heaven. 00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:15.879 Can you imagine the disciples who heard this saying, hey, if you acknowledge me, when you when not if when you come in front of the synagogues and the rulers and authorities, you'll be fine. 00:33:16.679 --> 00:33:19.379 Just to maybe add a little bit more color to this. 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:24.720 The people that he was talking to were fishermen were commoners, maybe even literate. 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:32.960 And he's saying, when you go against the powers of the day who have the Torah memorized, you're going to be OK. 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:41.000 You, lowly fishermen, will be able to out debate the Pharisees of the day. 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:44.059 Can you imagine? 00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:48.039 Can you just feel how daunting that task would have been for these people? 00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:52.980 Women who weren't even trusted to be witnesses in court. 00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:58.980 Would now feel the power of the spirit as they speak and defend. 00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:01.079 That's what he's saying. 00:34:01.660 --> 00:34:04.480 I mean, I don't think we have to even stretch that far. 00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:07.400 If I even asked one of you, hey, can you preach next week? 00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:09.360 Shigala, can you preach next week? 00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:12.679 Shigala just shot me in the eye and looked like a face like, what? 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:13.480 No. 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:14.720 How? 00:34:14.720 --> 00:34:14.760 How? 00:34:16.659 --> 00:34:19.059 And that's with, well, on the most part, friendly people. 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:20.360 Apart from a couple of faces. 00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:22.820 Fellow Christians. 00:34:22.820 --> 00:34:30.980 What he's saying is, when you are stood in front of synagogue rulers and authorities, you're going to be just fine. 00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:33.840 Can you imagine how encouraging that would have been? 00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:36.519 How assuring, but also how terrifying that would have been. 00:34:38.120 --> 00:34:39.059 It's the same thing. 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:42.280 Are you going to acknowledge or are you going to deny? 00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:45.880 When will it happen? 00:34:46.200 --> 00:34:48.260 And at that moment, you'll be given the words to say. 00:34:48.680 --> 00:35:02.480 Often you're like, okay, well, if I stand up for Jesus, if I tell my friends I'm not going to go to that party, if I tell my friends that this isn't how I'm going to kind of operate on a work with the attitude that everyone else is holding, that I won't gossip behind my boss's back. 00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:32.460 If I tell my friends that I'm not going to say, I don't know what to say. 00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:36.619 But just a little pause on this question, because I've been there. 00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:42.780 When I walk into a situation and come to a conversation, I'm like, this guy is going to eat me up for lunch because he is so much smarter than I. 00:35:44.820 --> 00:35:47.519 And yet I sit and I go, Holy Spirit, what is it that you have to say? 00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:51.740 Because actually your foolishness is even better, stronger than his wisdom. 00:35:51.739 --> 00:35:54.479 And just a word on this. 00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:55.959 Billy Graham says this. 00:35:56.319 --> 00:35:59.239 For those who want to be successful evangelists, he says this. 00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:01.559 Spend more time in study and prayer. 00:36:01.939 --> 00:36:03.799 That's the secret of successful evangelism. 00:36:03.800 --> 00:36:07.740 Spend more time in study and prayer. 00:36:07.940 --> 00:36:13.440 I've recognized this in my own life when I'm speaking to people and having hard conversations, 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:18.640 that actually my knowledge of the word of God will help me with my sensitivity to the voice of God. 00:36:19.319 --> 00:36:20.719 And then I will know what to say. 00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:23.679 So if you're sat there thinking, well, I don't know the words to say. 00:36:23.759 --> 00:36:25.759 Well, the words are right here. 00:36:26.819 --> 00:36:27.239 Read it. 00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:28.319 Study it. 00:36:29.219 --> 00:36:29.539 Pray it. 00:36:30.359 --> 00:36:33.599 The Holy Spirit will speak to you, will spook through you. 00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:35.900 But really, you have to do something as well. 00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:38.599 You've got to give him some material to use. 00:36:40.759 --> 00:36:46.839 And I'm sorry, he won't always or really ever use all those Instagram reels that you watch. 00:36:47.779 --> 00:36:50.799 That is not where your source of inspiration should come from. 00:36:53.139 --> 00:36:55.319 IG reels are not the word of God. 00:36:57.339 --> 00:37:02.099 Those bite-sized quotes that we see are not going to help you in your time of need. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.539 But the word of God will. 00:37:05.839 --> 00:37:07.279 So would you spend time in his word? 00:37:07.339 --> 00:37:08.099 Would you know his word? 00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:11.420 And I promise you this, because this happened in my own life, 00:37:11.639 --> 00:37:14.059 that when you spend time in getting to know his word, 00:37:14.279 --> 00:37:16.659 he will use his word and he will speak through you. 00:37:16.739 --> 00:37:19.339 And he will give you the word to say, but only if you know his word. 00:37:22.299 --> 00:37:24.759 We were with Nicky Gumbel a couple of weeks ago, 00:37:24.759 --> 00:37:27.940 and he was quoting a pastor from England called J. John. 00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:30.839 And just to paraphrase, I think he was paraphrasing J. John, 00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:32.779 so I'm just going to paraphrase him saying it. 00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:35.920 And he's saying, if you want to hear the voice of God, read the Bible. 00:37:37.460 --> 00:37:41.200 If you want to hear the voice of God aloud, read the Bible aloud. 00:37:42.300 --> 00:37:44.640 And the point was, God has already spoken. 00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:48.680 We keep saying, I really want to hear you, God. 00:37:48.740 --> 00:37:49.600 I really want to hear you. 00:37:49.600 --> 00:37:50.180 Have you read the Bible? 00:37:50.340 --> 00:37:51.580 Well, the Bible is quite hard. 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:54.240 I'm quite busy. 00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:56.440 I can't understand it. 00:37:56.440 --> 00:38:00.740 Well, then you don't really want to hear from God because God's already spoken to you. 00:38:01.260 --> 00:38:03.880 And it is through his word that he will then speak through you. 00:38:04.039 --> 00:38:06.800 So when you are stood having those hard conversations, 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:09.579 if you spent time in study and prayer, 00:38:09.840 --> 00:38:13.500 you better know that it will be him that will speak through you through those words. 00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:15.639 And you might also say, well, who am I? 00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:16.960 How am I going to convince these people? 00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:19.000 Well, that's the point because it's not you on the move. 00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:19.840 It's God on the move. 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:22.480 You're not trying to spread. 00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:23.760 You're not trying to create good news. 00:38:23.800 --> 00:38:26.180 You are just passing the good news along. 00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.700 I talked about Hudson Taylor. 00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:30.340 There's another famous missionary called Robert Morrison. 00:38:31.079 --> 00:38:34.460 He came actually in the early 1800s again to China. 00:38:34.840 --> 00:38:36.140 And he was asked about this. 00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:38.800 He was asked, hey, what impact are you hoping to have? 00:38:38.860 --> 00:38:41.280 What spiritual impact are you hoping to have on the Chinese? 00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:43.260 And then he said this, and I love this line. 00:38:43.300 --> 00:38:46.780 He said, no, sir, I don't think I'll have any impact, but I expect God will. 00:38:48.980 --> 00:38:49.460 That's it. 00:38:50.260 --> 00:38:53.180 When you stand before the rulers and authorities of the day, 00:38:53.260 --> 00:38:56.360 when you stand in front of the powers that are around your life, 00:38:56.519 --> 00:39:00.140 and that could be just in the form of that uncle who is terrifying at the family dinner, 00:39:00.500 --> 00:39:03.340 or it could be that boss who is not godly at all, 00:39:04.600 --> 00:39:06.320 you will have the words to say. 00:39:07.860 --> 00:39:09.840 God will be the one that speaks through you. 00:39:10.240 --> 00:39:14.220 And it will be God who will have the effect and impact, not you. 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:16.240 That should free you. 00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:18.300 Well, I don't have to convince this person. 00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:22.560 I don't need to engage in this apologetics debate because I know he will beat me, 00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:25.920 but the Holy Spirit will give me the words that I need to say. 00:39:27.380 --> 00:39:32.259 The act of witnessing, the heart of witnessing, and the words that come are all from God. 00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:34.960 So just to conclude here, God is on the move. 00:39:35.019 --> 00:39:37.719 That's what we see as we look at these first five chapters. 00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:42.659 Luke stops talking too much about the Holy Spirit from here because it's kind of like, look, you get the point. 00:39:42.659 --> 00:39:45.899 Even Christ himself relied on the Holy Spirit. 00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:50.559 Even Christ himself was filled with the power of the Lord to be able to heal. 00:39:51.639 --> 00:39:54.539 And so we see God is on the move, carrying out his will. 00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:56.639 Would we be willing to be those witnesses? 00:39:57.819 --> 00:40:00.579 Empowered by the Holy Spirit, encouraged by the Holy Spirit, 00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:02.639 and assured that actually it's going to be okay. 00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:08.079 But one final thought just before I ask you all to stand up and declare that you are missionaries. 00:40:08.079 --> 00:40:11.599 Be prepared. 00:40:13.480 --> 00:40:18.119 Be prepared that when you witness, it may not go the way that you expect it to. 00:40:20.099 --> 00:40:25.119 Jesus says, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what to say. 00:40:26.599 --> 00:40:27.519 I think about him. 00:40:29.579 --> 00:40:31.819 As we're getting up to Easter, I started to think about him, 00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:35.779 and I look at the account of Luke later on in chapter 20. 00:40:35.780 --> 00:40:40.060 He's put in front of the people who are accusing him again, 00:40:40.680 --> 00:40:42.040 who are challenging his authority. 00:40:42.740 --> 00:40:45.700 And look at chapter 22 when he's born in front of Pilate. 00:40:46.600 --> 00:40:48.260 And then Pilate sends him to Herod. 00:40:48.860 --> 00:40:50.980 And then Herod doesn't know what to do, so sends him back to Pilate. 00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:57.080 And you see Jesus put his money in his mouth, 00:40:57.300 --> 00:41:00.920 and you see him standing in front of the authorities. 00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:03.280 The Holy Spirit tells him what to say. 00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:07.160 But it doesn't necessarily end. 00:41:07.360 --> 00:41:07.700 Sorry. 00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:13.260 It doesn't necessarily end the way we thought it would. 00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:16.480 When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, 00:41:16.560 --> 00:41:20.640 it doesn't mean that you will then get the successes of this world that you're expecting. 00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:25.200 God is on the move, and it isn't just to do what we think he should be doing. 00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:27.860 God is on the move and doing whatever he wants to do. 00:41:27.860 --> 00:41:32.760 And you see Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, being challenged by Pilate, 00:41:32.860 --> 00:41:33.920 being challenged by Herod. 00:41:34.280 --> 00:41:36.280 The Holy Spirit gives him the words to say. 00:41:36.660 --> 00:41:38.539 But it doesn't end up saving Pilate. 00:41:38.620 --> 00:41:39.980 It doesn't end up saving Herod. 00:41:41.579 --> 00:41:44.360 In fact, it ends up killing himself. 00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:48.960 It reminds me that when we say God is on the move, 00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:50.800 we have to humble ourselves and go, 00:41:50.900 --> 00:41:53.880 God, you do whatever you want to do. 00:41:54.900 --> 00:41:59.260 The KPIs, the amount of souls that enter into the kingdom of heaven, 00:41:59.380 --> 00:42:00.360 is not my business. 00:42:02.120 --> 00:42:05.800 All I am asked to do is entrust myself to you. 00:42:05.800 --> 00:42:11.420 Holy Spirit, would you move in the way that you want to? 00:42:12.240 --> 00:42:13.960 And as Jesus followed the Holy Spirit, 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:16.200 he got to the point where he was on the cross, 00:42:16.240 --> 00:42:20.620 where he said, Father, into your hands I commit your spirit. 00:42:21.039 --> 00:42:24.760 I'm going to finish with one last passage that I can see from Romans 11. 00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:27.160 Maybe you can turn with me there just to finish here. 00:42:29.720 --> 00:42:31.940 The Apostle Paul talks about life in the Spirit. 00:42:33.539 --> 00:42:34.460 And he says this, 00:42:34.460 --> 00:43:02.740 Jesus, led by the Spirit himself, 00:43:02.739 --> 00:43:04.859 ended up being led into the wilderness, 00:43:05.219 --> 00:43:07.079 but ultimately being led onto the cross. 00:43:08.719 --> 00:43:10.579 And yet we thought, well, that's a failure. 00:43:11.139 --> 00:43:12.739 Maybe I shouldn't follow the Holy Spirit then. 00:43:13.239 --> 00:43:14.719 But the truth is God is on the move, 00:43:14.759 --> 00:43:16.079 and that wasn't the final bit either. 00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:19.759 The very spirit that Jesus was following 00:43:19.759 --> 00:43:21.119 was the very spirit and the power 00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:23.059 that ended up raising him from the grave. 00:43:23.059 --> 00:43:26.840 And then the Apostle Paul here says, 00:43:27.039 --> 00:43:29.559 that very spirit is the spirit that lives inside you. 00:43:30.059 --> 00:43:33.119 So as you stand in front of the people that scare you, 00:43:33.279 --> 00:43:35.420 as you stand in front of those who are haters, 00:43:35.519 --> 00:43:36.960 who are trying to pull you down, 00:43:37.279 --> 00:43:40.199 you can stand there knowing that your future is secure, 00:43:40.579 --> 00:43:42.739 that your identity is secure, your faith is secure. 00:43:43.239 --> 00:43:44.000 Lean into him. 00:43:44.179 --> 00:43:44.960 Follow his spirit. 00:43:44.960 --> 00:43:48.059 Allow him to speak through you. 00:43:48.699 --> 00:43:50.480 Acknowledge that he is Lord of all 00:43:50.480 --> 00:43:53.760 in every aspect of your life. 00:43:55.440 --> 00:43:56.079 Submit to him. 00:43:56.179 --> 00:43:56.619 Trust him. 00:43:57.119 --> 00:43:57.800 Rely on him. 00:43:58.360 --> 00:43:59.880 Know that he'll be the one that speaks through you 00:43:59.880 --> 00:44:02.539 and that you're supposed to be different. 00:44:02.539 --> 00:44:06.420 That yes, you are supposed to attract attention. 00:44:07.179 --> 00:44:09.360 And yes, some of it is negative attention. 00:44:11.079 --> 00:44:14.159 But never lose sight that God is on the move. 00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:18.639 We stand on the shoulders of the giants who come before us. 00:44:20.119 --> 00:44:22.739 We sit here as English-speaking, 00:44:23.059 --> 00:44:25.199 majority English-speaking Chinese people, 00:44:25.360 --> 00:44:27.719 because men and women laid down their lives 00:44:27.719 --> 00:44:30.739 to take this good news to this land here. 00:44:30.739 --> 00:44:34.839 And if you just trace the history of Christianity, 00:44:35.079 --> 00:44:38.439 it goes from Jerusalem and it goes towards the West 00:44:38.439 --> 00:44:40.679 and it just keeps traveling around the world. 00:44:40.719 --> 00:44:44.079 And you see it going to places where it's the hardest 00:44:44.079 --> 00:44:45.739 and you think that it won't survive there. 00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:49.679 But then you don't take into account 00:44:49.679 --> 00:44:51.039 that it's because God is on the move. 00:44:51.739 --> 00:44:54.819 It will not only survive, it will thrive. 00:44:55.819 --> 00:45:00.279 So long, so long as there are people like you, 00:45:00.739 --> 00:45:05.399 an eye willing to stand up and acknowledge who he is 00:45:05.399 --> 00:45:08.939 and not deny or pretend he's not there 00:45:08.939 --> 00:45:12.079 or minimize him into this pocket genie 00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:15.239 that's only interested in our own well-being. 00:45:16.699 --> 00:45:18.479 But this is God on the move 00:45:18.479 --> 00:45:20.079 and he is far bigger than we realize 00:45:20.079 --> 00:45:23.379 and he's far more powerful than we realize. 00:45:23.380 --> 00:45:25.660 Would we acknowledge him? 00:45:26.119 --> 00:45:28.500 Would we take up our cross and follow him? 00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:31.400 And would we heed his words 00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:35.280 and be those who carry this mission forward? 00:45:36.420 --> 00:45:37.400 So I ask you now, 00:45:38.160 --> 00:45:40.220 would you be willing to be a missionary? 00:45:42.220 --> 00:45:44.000 I'll tell you something even better. 00:45:44.360 --> 00:45:46.440 You can be a missionary and keep your job. 00:45:46.840 --> 00:45:47.700 How about that? 00:45:47.699 --> 00:45:50.480 How about you be a missionary 00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:52.399 where God has placed you? 00:45:53.159 --> 00:45:56.000 How about you stand up and acknowledge him 00:45:56.000 --> 00:45:59.759 in the presence of your enemies? 00:46:01.259 --> 00:46:02.839 How about you do that? 00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:05.639 And I'll tell you something that's encouraged me 00:46:05.639 --> 00:46:06.699 about being in Hong Kong. 00:46:07.079 --> 00:46:08.299 I can look around now 00:46:08.299 --> 00:46:09.819 and I see there are a few of you here 00:46:09.819 --> 00:46:12.139 who have bosses who are followers of Christ. 00:46:12.139 --> 00:46:14.900 So you have nothing to worry about. 00:46:15.359 --> 00:46:17.139 If you stand up and acknowledge him, 00:46:18.099 --> 00:46:21.539 he's put people around you to back you up. 00:46:22.799 --> 00:46:25.279 He's put people around you to keep you safe. 00:46:27.179 --> 00:46:28.400 But my final thought is, 00:46:28.519 --> 00:46:30.480 well, how about you stand up for him 00:46:30.480 --> 00:46:32.079 and not worry at all, 00:46:32.659 --> 00:46:34.759 even if it means you end up on the cross? 00:46:35.579 --> 00:46:36.019 Why? 00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:40.719 Because your eyes are set on Jesus. 00:46:42.699 --> 00:46:45.039 That's what Jesus had right in Hebrews 12. 00:46:45.480 --> 00:46:46.940 For the joy that was set before him, 00:46:47.039 --> 00:46:48.679 he willingly took on the cross. 00:46:50.319 --> 00:46:51.900 I think the kingdom of heaven is moving. 00:46:52.859 --> 00:46:54.480 I think it requires people who are willing 00:46:54.480 --> 00:46:56.619 to open themselves up to the Holy Spirit 00:46:56.619 --> 00:46:57.159 and ask them, 00:46:57.379 --> 00:46:58.659 Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do? 00:46:58.719 --> 00:46:59.480 What do you want me to say? 00:46:59.539 --> 00:47:00.759 Who do you want me to stand in front of? 00:47:01.639 --> 00:47:03.779 I just want to live radically for you. 00:47:05.119 --> 00:47:07.199 In my safe, secure job, 00:47:09.559 --> 00:47:10.719 wherever you take me, 00:47:11.359 --> 00:47:12.000 I will follow. 00:47:12.139 --> 00:47:15.420 Can I ask us to stand? 00:47:17.759 --> 00:47:18.659 I'm going to invite Kelly. 00:47:21.659 --> 00:47:23.000 Before Kelly leads us in the song, 00:47:23.059 --> 00:47:26.319 I just want to give you a little bit of space. 00:47:28.859 --> 00:47:29.859 Would you acknowledge him? 00:47:31.819 --> 00:47:33.319 Would you acknowledge him before men? 00:47:33.320 --> 00:47:40.100 Would you recognize what the Holy Spirit is doing? 00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:43.160 In you and through you. 00:47:47.100 --> 00:47:49.340 And would you accept the mission that he has called you to? 00:47:49.340 --> 00:47:55.860 Every Christian is a missionary. 00:47:55.860 --> 00:47:57.000 Every Christian is a missionary 00:47:57.000 --> 00:48:01.059 because every follower of Christ has been commissioned 00:48:01.059 --> 00:48:01.679 to make disciples. 00:48:01.679 --> 00:48:09.820 To preach the good news of Jesus 00:48:09.820 --> 00:48:12.679 wherever they are taken. 00:48:12.679 --> 00:48:21.779 What I'd love for us to do now is I want to give you an opportunity to respond. 00:48:22.899 --> 00:48:26.159 Actually, it may have been better if I asked your first daughter to sit, 00:48:26.239 --> 00:48:27.179 but maybe we're all standing outside. 00:48:27.239 --> 00:48:27.500 It's fine. 00:48:27.500 --> 00:48:33.320 If you feel that the Lord is calling you to something, 00:48:33.519 --> 00:48:35.800 that you are supposed to be, 00:48:36.139 --> 00:48:38.500 you want to be the missionary that you're supposed to be, 00:48:38.960 --> 00:48:40.639 can I invite you just to open up your hand 00:48:40.639 --> 00:48:41.880 or to even raise your hand? 00:48:42.119 --> 00:48:43.119 I'm not going to embarrass you. 00:48:43.119 --> 00:48:47.539 And honestly, this is just a little bit of a practice 00:48:47.539 --> 00:48:49.659 because if you can't do it here, 00:48:49.719 --> 00:48:51.139 you might not be able to do it in your office. 00:48:53.839 --> 00:48:56.119 If you can't acknowledge him here amongst brothers and sisters, 00:48:56.219 --> 00:48:58.159 then yes, you're going to find it very hard to acknowledge him 00:48:58.159 --> 00:49:00.559 in the face of resistance. 00:49:06.539 --> 00:49:09.799 But this signal that you use your hands to show 00:49:09.800 --> 00:49:14.080 may it be a start. 00:49:15.200 --> 00:49:18.980 May it be a start of you acknowledging him before men. 00:49:22.620 --> 00:49:23.840 And you saying, yes, Lord. 00:49:25.500 --> 00:49:26.300 Here I am. 00:49:27.420 --> 00:49:28.019 Send me. 00:49:32.280 --> 00:49:34.860 I'm willing to carry this good news to wherever you, 00:49:35.640 --> 00:49:38.940 wherever you ask me to. 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:39.960 00:49:39.960 --> 00:50:01.039 Holy Spirit, you are on the move. 00:50:01.039 --> 00:50:11.039 Holy Spirit, you are on the move. 00:50:11.139 --> 00:50:12.380 Your kingdom is growing. 00:50:17.639 --> 00:50:19.279 And we ask, would it grow in our hearts? 00:50:21.940 --> 00:50:23.259 Would you become Lord of all? 00:50:31.039 --> 00:50:41.559 And would you raise a generation of people who would worship you, who choose to ascend your hill, who you give clean hands and pure hearts to? 00:50:49.880 --> 00:50:56.719 Lord, for those of us who have raised their hands or opened their hands, we commit to being missionaries. 00:50:56.719 --> 00:51:01.299 In the field of finance. 00:51:02.819 --> 00:51:04.039 In the field of education. 00:51:06.359 --> 00:51:07.419 In the field of law. 00:51:11.259 --> 00:51:13.939 And in all the other places that you've placed us in. 00:51:19.739 --> 00:51:21.879 Holy Spirit, would you use us as you wish. 00:51:26.719 --> 00:51:39.000 Take us to the world that is paralyzed by fear. 00:51:43.139 --> 00:51:45.419 That is numbed by all the distractions around. 00:51:45.420 --> 00:52:00.639 We believe there is more than this. 00:52:01.360 --> 00:52:02.280 Than what we see. 00:52:08.599 --> 00:52:09.619 Holy Spirit, move. 00:52:09.619 --> 00:52:09.659 Move. 00:52:09.659 --> 00:52:09.659 00:52:09.659 --> 00:52:09.659 00:52:09.659 --> 00:52:09.659 00:52:09.659 --> 00:52:09.659 00:52:15.420 --> 00:52:16.700 Lord, have your way. 00:52:21.820 --> 00:52:23.579 Would you fill us up and send us out? 00:52:30.059 --> 00:52:34.980 Would we be people who are bearer of good news, of joy, of peace? 00:52:34.980 --> 00:52:48.500 Holy Spirit, would we just be in tune with whatever that you are doing? 00:52:56.139 --> 00:52:57.219 We follow your lead. 00:53:02.179 --> 00:53:03.139 We acknowledge you. 00:53:04.980 --> 00:53:05.940 We trust you. 00:53:07.340 --> 00:53:08.260 We worship you. 00:53:15.780 --> 00:53:16.460 Thank you, Lord. 00:53:17.980 --> 00:53:19.079 In your name we pray. 00:53:20.139 --> 00:53:20.480 Amen.