Thank you, Tom, for that.
And if you'd like to keep your Bibles open, that'd be brilliant.
Ephesians 4, we'll get there eventually,
but we're going to preach the rest of the Bible before we get to there.
And if you've got the St. Paul's app open,
that would be also particularly helpful as we go through.
Nearly 25 years ago, for those who...
One of the benefits of living longer is you see that
so much of history sort of repeats itself in one way or another.
And 25 years ago, there was another war raging in Europe.
It was in Kosovo between Serbs and ethnic Albanians.
It went for really about 18 months,
although the tensions were building much longer than that, 18 months.
But in that period, 13,500 people died
and over 1 million people were displaced from their homes.
The conflict there came on the back of about 1,000 years of cultural tensions.
And it was very deep cultural tensions,
a very deep hatred culturally between the two groups.
And the war itself in just 18 months
resulted in terrible crimes against humanity
on both sides of the conflict.
There were Christian churches on both sides of that conflict.
And in the middle of that 18-month war,
one pastor from an Albanian Baptist church in Pristina
crossed over the racial-cultural divide
and preached in a Serbian church for the enemy.
And against all that background and hatred and death,
the pastor of that church in Belgrade
took this pastor into his home.
He stayed with him for the weekend
and didn't just welcome him into his home,
but welcomed him into his church
and welcomed him into his pulpit.
After the war, reflecting on that moment,
that particular pastor from Belgrade said,
we don't really have much in common
apart from Jesus.
Apart from Jesus.
That there illustrates the entire point of this series.
Apart from Jesus.
And it's the banner across this church,
treasuring Jesus together for the joy of all people.
Now, the apostle Paul states God's grand goal,
his worldview, if you like,
of his goal of all things,
at the beginning of Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 8,
that with all wisdom and understanding,
he made known to us the mystery of his will
according to his good pleasure,
which he purposed in Christ
to put into effect when the times reached their fulfillment
to bring unity to all things in heaven
and on earth under Christ.
unity in all things under Christ.
And what that means for us,
if you're someone who's a Christian,
is that the good news of the Christian faith
isn't simply that God has forgiven you for your sin.
If it was just that,
then it means the whole Christian gospel
is just purely about sin management.
That's all it is.
But that's not what it is.
The good news is that your sins have been given,
that you are given a new resurrected life.
You are gathered into God's new family,
his body, his humanity, his people,
to pursue the very thing that we were created to do.
You remember from sermon one, maybe,
to live for the glory of God.
That's the gospel.
The trajectory of all things
is everything gathered under Jesus Christ
as the creator and Lord of all things,
bringing glory to God joyfully as his people forever.
That's the trajectory.
And so in the next two weeks,
I want to look at how God's plan gets worked out
in here as a church like this.
We're going to summarize what's already been said
in this series in the next two weeks.
And I'm intending on summarizing a chunk of that already today.
So if you've got the St. Paul's app open,
you'll notice three points,
God's multi-ethnic mission,
our multi-ethnic mission,
and my multi-ethnic mission.
So firstly,
we're going to go back to the beginning of God's plan,
be reminded of why you and I were created and saved.
It's in the Garden of Eden,
Genesis 1 and 2.
There's a real sense that all things are gathered to God.
He's the creator of all things.
He made it.
Everything is at peace.
All things are ordered.
And everything is in perfect relationship
with each other,
with God,
as it should be.
The first people are made in God's image
for the purpose,
as we saw in the first sermon,
the purpose of displaying
and magnifying God's glory.
They are to mirror to the world
their creator.
Then the first people make the decision
to magnify themselves rather than God
in Genesis 3.
They decide to live life their way,
to make it all about them.
And the Bible calls this attitude,
which leads to action,
sin.
It's a rejection,
a rebellion against God.
It's a coup against him.
And the consequence of sin
is that all the order
of God's good creation
becomes disordered.
There is no more harmony and peace
and relationship with God is broken.
Where there was unity and closeness,
because of sin,
there is now distance and disunity.
God then removes people from his presence.
He judges their sin
and by scattering them from himself.
And that's the principle
that you will see right through the Bible.
Whenever humanity sets itself up against God,
he scatters them from him in judgment
and from each other.
There's not just a fractured relationship with God,
but a fractured relationship with each other.
But when he saves them,
he gathers them to himself
and unites them together as his people
and to him.
We saw this principle worked out
in ethnic and cultural terms
several weeks ago
with the Tower of Babel
and the calling of Abraham
in Genesis 11 and 12.
When God saves,
he gathers people to himself.
When they rebel against him,
he scatters them from his presence
and from each other.
Isaiah 11
is looking forward to a day
when everything will finally be ordered
and harmonious
and peaceful
and in right relationship
like it was
in the beginning
in the Garden of Eden.
And Isaiah there
in chapter 11
refers to a particular person
who will accomplish God's grand plan
as the root of Jesse.
This person is the Messiah.
They are the son of King David.
And in verse 12 of Isaiah 11,
it says,
He will raise a banner for the nations.
He will gather the exiles of Israel.
He will assemble
the scattered people from Judah
from the four corners of the earth.
Then we read in Isaiah 56 verse 8,
God declaring
that he will expand
his plan,
his global plan
beyond his people Israel.
He says,
I will gather still
others to them
besides those already gathered.
And the climax
of God's global plan
is revealed
at the end of the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 66, 18.
And I
am about to come
and gather the people
of all nations
and languages
and they will come
to me
and see my glory.
God's plan
is to gather people
from all the nations,
from tribes,
peoples,
languages,
cultures to himself
that they might see
his glory
for the displaying
of his glory.
I'm hoping you're seeing
there's a worldview
being unpacked here.
Your purpose of life
is being unpacked here.
The plan
is to recapture
the original purpose
for our creation
that we saw
in week one
displaying
the glory of God.
The plan
is to recapture
that purpose.
God's plan
gets worked out
in history
with the creation
of the church
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Ephesians,
we had Ephesians 4
read out to us.
Have you got Ephesians open?
I really want to go
Ephesians 1, 2, 3, 4
real quick.
It will be quick,
believe me,
it will be quick.
Ephesians 1 and 2,
Paul,
the Apostle Paul
highlights the massive
division between
Jews and Gentiles
but also between
all of humanity
and God.
Ephesians 2
verses 13 and 16,
he shows us
how God brings
an end to all
of that hostility.
So Ephesians chapter 2,
if you've got to open
there,
verse 13,
now in Christ Jesus,
you who once
were far away
have been brought
near
by the blood
of Christ
for he himself
is our peace
who has made
the two groups
one
and has destroyed
the barrier,
the dividing wall
of hostility
by setting aside
in his flesh
the law
with its commands
and regulations.
his purpose
was to create
in himself
one new
humanity
out of the two
thus making peace
and in one body
to reconcile
both of them
to God
through the cross
by which he put
to death
their hostility.
Every one
of the gospels
declares
that Jesus Christ
is the Messiah
that Isaiah
was looking forward
to.
He is the Messiah
who fulfills
God's plan
of gathering
people from
all four corners
of the globe
to himself
for his glory.
He who is the
perfect image
of God
Jesus Christ
took on the
image of humanity
was scattered
from God
on the cross
as he takes
on our sin
and he bears
our judgment
our punishment
on the cross
he calls out
on the cross
my God
why have you
forsaken me
why have you
pushed me away
why have you
turned your back
on me
why am I
scattered from you
so that we
can be gathered
to him
and after
his resurrection
he ascends
to heaven
sends his
Holy Spirit
to unite us
with him
and his
finished work
and all
of his people
when the
Holy Spirit
comes on the
day of Pentecost
people from
every nation
and culture
and language
were there
gathered
to God
as his new
humanity
his people
in relationship
with God
and the
purpose of
God's
multi-ethnic
mission
is explicit
in
Ephesians 3
verse 10
his intent
was that
now
through the
church
now
through the
church
the manifold
wisdom of
God
should be
made known
to the
rulers
and the
authorities
in the
heavenly realms
according
to his
eternal
purpose
that he
accomplished
in Christ
Jesus
our Lord
manifold
there
the word
manifold
means
literally
multi-colored
it means
multi-faceted
it's the
same words
used in
the Old
Testament
as a
description
of
Joseph's
multi-colored
coat
the church
is God's
brightly colored
neon sign
to the
universe
of the
glory
of God
how does
God
display
his glory
to the
world
now
through
the
church
as they
proclaim
the gospel
of Christ
to the
world
the church
is the
public
advertisement
of the
wisdom
and the
magnificence
and the
glory
of God
in Christ
the
great
and the
glorious
God's
great
and
glorious
plan
is to
gather
a very
diverse
people
to each
other
and to
himself
in such
a way
that God's
wisdom
and his
greatness
and his
majesty
and his
glory
is made
known
to the
heavenly
realms
and
everything
below
it
there is
a sense
when God
right now
possibly
I don't
want to
put words
in his
mouth
but right
now he's
calling over
the rulers
and the
authorities
of the
heavenly realms
and he
says
see some
Paul's
chastard
down there
have a look
at that
that is
what I
have been
working
towards
for all
of history
that's
why my
son
died
my
son
made that
possible
he
brought
these
diverse
people
together
he broke
down the
dividing
walls
and he
brought
them to
us
to me
for my
glory
and he
says to
the demons
Satan
over here
you
destroyer
of order
you
scatterer
of people
you
ruiner
of lives
and
relationships
see that
not even
the gates
of hell
are going
to stop
my
son
building
his
church
out of
every tribe
and language
of people
for my
glory
so get
this
first point
of application
as we
gather here
today
before church
is about
you
before it's
about me
before it's
about us
it is about
God
it is about
his glory
it's about
his majesty
it's about
his design
it's about
his plan
we get
included in
God's grand
plan for
all things
we become
members of
God's new
family
not by
completing
a membership
course
you don't even
get included
in it just by
having to be
taking up
your regular
spot
in church
for 50
years
we become
a member
of God's
new family
by repenting
of living
independently
of God
by putting
our trust
in Jesus
Christ
and receiving
the Holy
Spirit
who unites
us with
God
and all
Christians
as one
people
that is
the fundamental
first step
of membership
in God's
eternal
plan for
his glory
there will
be plenty
of people
in heaven
who have
not
completed
a membership
course
in a
church
but not
one
single
person
who has
not
bowed
the knee
to Jesus
Christ
and
confected
him
as
Lord
of all
and
potentially
that's
the first
step
you need
to take
today
this
brings me
to our
multi-ethnic
mission
here
at
St.
Paul's
how it's
worked out
God's
grand
multi-ethnic
plan
is what
lies behind
this church's
call
to maintain
its unity
in Jesus
in
Ephesians
4
so in
verse 3
make
every
effort
to keep
the unity
of the
spirit
through the
bond
of peace
there is
one body
and one
spirit
just as
you were
called
to one
hope
when you
were called
one Lord
one faith
one baptism
one God
and Father
of all
in other
words
in view
of the
unity
that we
have
in Jesus
in view
of all
the barriers
that have
been
broken
down
in Jesus
verse 3
it says
make
every
effort
that is
we've got
to work
hard
at being
at peace
with one
another
and if you
were here
last week
forgiveness
and repentance
is hard
it's very
hard
to search
our own
hearts
it's much
easier
to search
and judge
someone else's
heart
we are
God's new
society
where God's
family
a new
creation
a new
humanity
characterized
not by
walls
of hostility
and division
but by
unity
and peace
and so
I think
that it's
more than
just
unfortunate
more than
just
unfortunate
when our
worldly
associations
and identities
and cultures
are allowed
to determine
the composition
of local
churches
I believe
in fact
it works
against the
very nature
of the
Christian
gospel
and God's
purposes
so here's
a quote
from American
theologian
Michael Horton
in his book
The Gospel
Driven Life
he writes
not that long
ago
evangelical
missiologists
were defending
the separation
of races
based on the
principle
that people
like to be
with people
who are like
them
South African
theologians
have in fact
pointed out
that this
principle
this principle
in mission
work
laid
the
theological
groundwork
for
apartheid
in South
Africa
now that
racial
segregation
is less
explicitly
deployed
as a
church
growth
strategy
we carve
up Christ's
body
into
socio-economic
and generational
segments
he goes on
to describe
in America
how there are
cowboy
churches
where you
ride your
horse in
for church
and you
go out
I don't think
it's singing
blazing
saddles
it's something
else that you
go out singing
rawhide
or something
like that
as the
departing
song
he's
talking
there
writing
there
about
the
homogenous
unit
principle
it has
led
churches
to be
planted
with
targeted
specific
demographics
and
segregation
congregating
congregations
individual
preferences
traditional
services
family
services
youth
services
Australian
born
Chinese
services
while
Christians
have led
a bunch
of the
charge
historically
in
pursuing
racial
justice
at a
societal
level
as well
as in
fact
cross
cultural
mission
on the
other
side
of the
world
it
appears
in so
many
cases
it
does
not
trickle
down
into
interpersonal
behaviour
on the
local
church
level
it is
so much
easier
to pursue
racial
reconciliation
and
cross
cultural
ministry
when it's
at a
distance
from me
when my
preferences
when I
don't have
to surrender
comfort
and my
preferences
so the
church can
be done
my way
locally
I am
convinced
that
homogenous
circles of
comfort
are a
hindrance
to the
gospel
as we
fail to
display the
beauty
of the
picture
of God's
plan
worked out
in the
local
church
for his
glory
and in
2011
here at
St Paul's
we structurally
moved away
from the
homogenous
unit
principle
in our
congregations
and as we
pursue
God's
grand
plan
in our
multi-ethnic
mission
here at
Chatswood
one of the
key values
for us
to embrace
deep in
our hearts
is the
value of
shared
discomfort
the value
of
surrendering
power
and comfort
for the
glory of
God
and the
joy of
others
we value
surrendering
personal
preferences
sacrificing
comfort for
the sake
of God's
glory and
the joy
of others
in other
words what
we're seeking
to do
here at
St Paul's
our
multi-ethnic
mission here
is to build
a gospel
community
another way
of putting
that is
that what
we're seeking
to do
is build
a supernatural
community
rather than
a natural
community
a natural
community
is where
people feel
connected
really because
of demographic
connections
I feel
connected
to these
people because
they're just
so much
like me
they grab
people gravitate
to each other
find a sense
of belonging
because of
similarities
irrespective of
whether the
gospel is
true or not
now that's not
such a bad
thing don't
leave me
say that
that's not
a bad
thing
I share
common
interests
amazingly
with all
of my
friends
that's one
of the
reasons we
are friends
because I
share these
common interests
with them
it's not a
bad thing to
have those
connections and
affinities here
at St Paul's
what I want
to caution
us about
is not to
think that
that therefore
is the sum
of gospel
community
that somehow
that is a
supernatural
community
at the end
of the day
you can have
natural community
without
Jesus
and without
pursuing his
glory
the heavenly
realms look
on and see
the wisdom
of God
when they
gaze
at supernatural
community
at gospel
community
it's the kind
of community
that would
not exist
apart from
Jesus
apart from
Jesus
and that's
the point
this is when
people
who would
not gravitate
to each
other
or people
who are
even in
the middle
of war
and openly
hostile to
one another
are drawn
together in
peace and
love
hospitality
even share
the pulpit
all because
of the
reconciling work
of the Lord
Jesus Christ
on the cross
that's
our mission
to Chatswood
let's get
down a
personal level
down to
my
multi-ethnic
mission
when I say
my
yours
and mine
in
Ephesians 4
we see
that our
unity
does not
equal
uniformity
that's
Paul's
point
in verse
7
when he
writes
about
apportioned
grace
but to
each of
us
grace
has been
given
as
Christ
apportioned
it
after
Jesus
saved us
through
his
death
and his
resurrection
his
Holy
Spirit
gave
each
of us
gifts
to
use
for
his
service
and
those
gifts
are
used
primarily
for the
building up
of his
church
for his
glory
you can
see why
the
gifts
are
given
the
use
of the
gifts
of
grace
is how
we make
every
effort
to
maintain
the
unity
down
in
verse
11
Paul
describes
the way
these
gifts
are to
be
used
it
was
he
who
gave
some
to be
apostles
some
to be
prophets
some
to be
evangelists
and some
to be
pastors
and teachers
to prepare
God's
people
for works
of service
so that
the body
of Christ
may be
built up
until we
all reach
unity in
the faith
and in
the
knowledge
of the
Son
of God
and become
mature
attaining to
the whole
measure
of the
fullness
of Christ
that is
the church
is built
on the
foundation
of different
people
faithfully
serving
each other
in different
and unique
ways
so that
the glory
of Christ
might be
promoted
amongst
us
to the
world
and the
heavenly
realms
that's
why the
gifts
were
given
and God
works with
the differences
and quite
ironically
as the
differences
come together
he builds
unity
I've
always got
the image
of an
orchestra
here
no one
wants to
go and
see
50
clarinets
playing
at one
time
or at
least I
don't
okay
but an
orchestra
all these
different
instruments
work
harmony
beautiful
God's
design
for us
is to be
different
but when
you put
that difference
together
it comes
up with
a harmony
that is
absolutely
impossible
if we
were all
the same
that is
the genius
of God
and it's
because we
are different
that we
need each
other
it means
that we
are all
involved
in this
ministry
to prepare
God's
people
for works
of service
that is
when you
use
your
gifts
God
given
gifts
for his
glory
to strengthen
me
rather than
to gratify
yourself
and when
I use
my
God
given
gifts
to strengthen
you
instead
of gratifying
myself
then our
diversity
will build
us up
in truth
and love
rather than
fragment us
this is
your
multi
ethnic
mission
you
are here
to be
part of
God's
new
humanity
it's
the
reason
he
saved
you
to
connect
you
as
part
of
his
new
humanity
for
his
glory
we
are
here
to
actively
worship
God
love
his
people
and
serve
the
world
we
are
here
to
demonstrate
to
this
world
and
the
angels
in
the
heavenly
realms
the
wisdom
and
the
wonder
of
God's
plan
being
worked
out
in
Christ
forever
we're
here
to
reveal
to
the
world
that
alienation
and
self
centeredness
and
hatred
and
division
don't
have
the
final
word
we're
here
to
work
together
to
display
Christ's
love
in
real
ways
to
the
world
what
that
means
is
that
if
you
declare
yourself
to
be
Christian
but
you
are
not
using
your
gifts
for
that
purpose
you've
got a
way
to
grow
there's
a
next
step
you
need
to
take
and
that
is
understanding
why
you
were
saved
so
what
would
it
look
like
for
us
to
be
captivated
by
Jesus
more
passionate
more
obsessed
and
consumed
by
him
than
every
other
hope
and
vision
and
dream
and
hostility
in
the
world
and
identities
in
the
world
what
Christianity
proclaims
and what
I want
it to
be
in
increasing
measure
the banner
over
my
life
and the
banner
over
this
church
is
that
there
is
something
that
is
grander
bigger
far
more
fulfilling
to be
consumed
by
than
secure
retirement
possessions
health
shopping
travel
books
education
sex
socializing
tradition
ministry
political
movements
justice
or even
this
church
or a
thousand
other
passions
in fact
it's not
something
but it's
someone
and that
is
Jesus
Christ
it's
what
you were
created
for
his
glory
and so
friends
I'm not
sure why
you are
here today
or why
you've
tuned
in
today
because
reality
is
there's
many
things
you
could
be
doing
right
now
but let
me
tell you
if you
haven't
got it
just
let me
just
summarize
it
all
you
right
here
are
now
part
of
something
that
is
immense
something
that
began
before
you
were
born
and
something
that
will
still
exist
after
you
have
died
and
will
continue
on
for
all
of
eternity
that
is
the
fulfillment
of
God's
plans
for
the
creation
of
the
world
and
the
salvation
of
the
world
for
his
glory
God
has
graciously
gifted
his
family
with
time
treasures
talents
and
testimonies
for
his
glory
commit
them
to
him
the
commitment
card
which is
on
your
seats
and
was
emailed
to
you
if
you
can
grab
those
this
commitment
card
is
about
you
taking
your
next
step
to
be
captivated
by
Christ
and
his
plan
for
all
things
God's
rescue
plan
his
eternal
plan
to
rescue
fallen
scattered
humanity
gathering
them
to
himself
and
progressively
shaping
that
humanity
into
the
likeness
of
his
son
the
image
of
God
for
his
eternal
glory
and
for
our
eternal
joy
so
what
is
your
next
step
that
you
need
to
take
tx
that
got
the
memory