It was my daughter, actually, who helped me figure out where to start this sermon.
This week, when I picked her up from preschool, she presented me with a hand fistful of yellow autumn leaves.
She saw something so special in them, but I saw work.
And I'll tell you why.
Because we live in a townhouse surrounded by deciduous trees.
Because every April marks this perpetual leave tide, and it just rains down into our backyard.
And the leaves go brown and die quickly, and they stink unless we're consistently cleaning them up quickly.
And even if we keep up with the mess, the leaves still clog the downpipes and drains.
And it feels like whenever I see autumn leaves on the ground, it just reminds me that they serve no good purpose anymore.
But up on the trees above our house, they're beautiful.
The colors changing from green to yellow to orange to red.
They're also giving life to their tree.
They're way better up there, serving their purpose.
Leaves are better on a tree.
But then they fall down, and they're blown about by the wind.
They're dead, and you can see as their colors fade day by day.
I mean, even by the time we got home, that little fistful of leaves that had gone into the bag,
when we pulled it out to chuck them in the bin, they were brown already.
It's the wind that makes them look alive and move about like they've got somewhere to be.
And I can tell you that somewhere is my backyard.
All the leaves in Sydney have got somewhere to be, and that's in our little courtyard in Marsfield.
So as I sweep my yard this autumn, or I watch my kids do it for me,
I wish the leaves were back on their trees, better serving their purpose.
But as I sweep, I'm going to consider my own purpose,
and consider what I should be doing to better serve my purpose.
Because before I knew God, I was just like an autumn leaf blowing about in the breeze.
I had purpose for my life.
Purposes which I thought were good.
Work to do, people to see, places to be.
But then God showed up in my life, and by grace,
He took me, this dead little useless leaf,
and He breathed life back into me.
Now I've got an eternal future because of God.
No breeze can bring an old dead leaf back to life.
And the world or myself couldn't breathe life back into myself.
God acted in love to save me.
And God wishes that all would be saved,
and be led and guided on the journey back to Him,
through confession,
of sin,
through the Bible,
through prayer.
These gifts of the Christian life that we've been talking about for the last three weeks.
And the great and glorious news in our passage today
is that God has another gift to help us on this journey.
And the gift is each other.
He gathers up these living leaves,
people who He has breathed life back into,
and He grafts them back into the lifeblood of a tree,
altogether beautiful again,
contributing to the mission and the purpose
of what God has saved us to do,
together.
And when we're together, we're better,
because we serve that purpose.
And just like the beautiful trees above my house,
before those leaves come down,
God's people,
these people,
look around,
these tired Sunday morning people,
are your gift
for the journey home.
A Christian's purpose
is to glorify God.
And we discover that purpose
through what Jesus did
on the cross.
And to see that,
and to find out more about this gift
that I'm talking about,
this gift that we are from God,
open up Hebrews 10.
If you don't have a Bible,
people in red vests can frisbee one to you.
This one,
most of the New Testament is falling apart,
so I won't frisbee this one to you.
It will fly over the room
like autumn leaves.
Open up to Hebrews 10,
verse 19.
Therefore, brothers and sisters,
since we have confidence
to enter the most holy place
by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way
open to us
for us through the curtain,
that is,
his body.
Since we have a great high priest
over the house of God,
let us draw near to God
with a sincere heart
and a full assurance
that faith brings,
having our hearts sprinkled
to cleanse us
from a guilty conscience
and having our bodies
washed
with pure water.
father.
When I hear that
and hear what Jesus
has achieved
on the cross,
I imagine
myself as that little leaf
being grafted
into a tree
like the cross.
The gift
of faith
and peace
comes through
the cross
of Jesus.
And that brings with us
a desire
toward God.
Let us draw near
to God.
We no longer rely
on the world
or ourselves
glorifying the wind
for blowing us about.
No.
We now glorify God.
The Christian purpose is
to do whatever it is
that glorifies God.
God.
So the one key way
we can pursue that purpose
is gather together
and like this passage
says,
spur one another on
toward love
and good deeds.
So gathering together
is a key thing
for Christians
and that's why
we're here right now.
That's why we do
community groups.
That's why you catch up
for coffee
and actually connect
with one another
and hear about
what's going on
in each other's lives.
It's through
gathering together
that helps
this purpose
of glorifying God
thrive.
So let me say
four things
from our passage
today
about gathering.
First thing,
take note
that in verse 25
the Bible commands
that we not
give up meeting
together
on this journey.
while we might
be saved
individually
we confess
to God
and we read
and we pray
and we can do
that on our own
we're told
to do the journey
home
together.
We need to read
this
and obey it
and here's why.
I can't read
this
and obey it
and show up
to church
and gather
together
on my own.
I need you.
You can't
show up
to a community
group
excited
to gather
together
and pray
with one
another
and hear
God speak
and do
life together
and be the
only one
who shows
up.
We can't
obey this
passage
without each
other.
We need
to obediently
commit
to meeting
together
together.
Second,
take note
of that
scary word
there in
verse 25
straight after
as some
are in the
habit
of doing.
People have
in this
passage here
it says
people have
habitually
given up
meeting
together.
Now habits
are really
hard to
break.
They are
a dependability
pattern
in our
lives.
But God
can break
bad habits.
He has the
power to break
any habit.
But note
here in
this
passage
that there
is no
space
for
personality
or
preference
to get
in the
way of
obeying
God
here
in his
call
for us
to meet
together.
Whatever
our
habitual
rebellion
against
meeting
together
is
then it's
unhelpful
and a
spurning
of a
critical
gift
that God
gives us
for the
journey.
Now I've
spoken to
Christians
professing
Christians
people who I
love and care
for who have
literally said to
me and I'm
quoting them
here they've
said that
they're not
Bible study
people.
And another
I'm just not
suited to
church going.
I've even
heard Christians
explain themselves
by saying
we prefer
doing church
on our
own.
How is
there room
for those
attitudes
to stand
if we want
to bother
reading this
verse and
obey it?
if that's
you or
you know a
Christian who
habitually avoids
gathering with
God's people
in whatever way
that is
then you
or they
are really
missing out.
Be ready to
be wrong
about how you
approach
meeting together
and just
because it's
a habit
doesn't mean
that habit
is a good
thing.
So here's
why obedience
and breaking
that bad
habit of
avoiding
meeting
together
are
important
because
the day
is
approaching.
Look at
the end of
verse 25
there.
It says
meet together
and then
all the
more
as you
see
the day
approaching.
This is
point three.
God wants
us to be
meeting together
more frequently
as the
day
approaches.
Now that
day
is
Christ's
second
coming.
That day
is drawing
near.
But how
do we
know?
How do
we know
that we're
nearing
the day?
It's a pretty
good question
because I
needed help
answering that
and I got
some help
from John
Piper this
week that
was really
helpful and
he would
send us
to Matthew
24
verse 12
where Jesus
is describing
in that
chapter
what is
going to
happen
before he
comes again.
What the
coming age
that before
his coming
is going to
look like.
And it
says there
in the
second half
of verse
12.
The love
of most
will grow
cold.
Do you
look around?
Maybe around
this room?
Do you look
at Christians
around the
place?
Do you look
in your own
life and see
love for God
and love for
people growing
cold?
I look
at when
I was first
saved and I
first knew
Jesus and I
wonder where
that excitement
and love for
other people
has gone
in my life.
I'm really
challenged
because I feel
like my love
is cooling
off.
And to add
to that
I'm over
30 now so
I feel like
I'm able
and old
enough to
kind of look
at the friends
around me and
see a trend.
And the
friends of
mine who I
knew who
were gunning
for God
when they
were 20
have a
frozen love
of God
when they're
30.
Not all
of them
but some
of them.
And I see
the cooling
of Christian
hearts all
over the
world around
me.
And I see
it in some
of the members
of this
church.
I've got to
be honest.
I think the
day is drawing
near.
I read
Matthew 24
verse 12
and I
agree.
So we
need to be
meeting together
more frequently.
As the
passage implies
it's the
benefit of
meeting together
that we
actually need
as the
day is
drawing near.
And the
benefit is
this.
Have a look
back in our
passage at
verse 24.
the culmination
of meeting
together will
be our
collective
growth in
love and
good deeds.
That's why we
meet together.
That's why we
need to meet
together more
frequently.
We need to
heat up our
cooling love
for God
and for each
other.
How does
gathering with
other Christians
grow this
active visible
love for God
and for each
other?
Let me
explain.
We
fight
unbelief
together.
Beneath
that target
of love
that we
want to
grow in,
that we
want to
continue
in,
is the
target
of faith.
And the
opposite of
faith is
unbelief.
Unbelief
infests our
heart and
chokes our
faith.
Without faith
we have no
reason to
desire to
love one
another or
love our
saviour.
Creeping
unbelief turns
our love
cold.
But out of
faith,
love grows.
Our faith
fuels courage
for good deeds,
to serve,
to act,
to be selfless,
to love
others.
love our
faith.
We must
help each
other fight
unbelief.
It's the
one-on-one,
it's the
small group,
or it's the
big gathering,
where we get
to eyeball
one another
and remind
one another
of God's
good gospel
and his
promises
toward us,
strengthening
one another
in our
faith.
Look back
at the
passage,
verse before
what Jimmy
read.
Have a look
what it
says.
It says,
let us
together,
let's get
together and
hold unswervingly
to the hope
that we
profess.
It's
together that
unbelief can
be defeated
and so our
love can
grow.
And ultimately,
so that God
is glorified.
We want to
obey God.
We want to
defeat and
denounce the
habitual sin of
not wanting
to meet
together and
meet more
and more
frequently
together and
fight against
our love
growing cold.
This is the
last point I
want to share
from this
passage.
We need
to be
intentional
to gather
together.
I can tell
you we
cannot
accidentally
meet up
enough.
Just,
oh,
hi,
just meet
up at
the shops.
Enough,
as Christians,
for this
to work.
So,
more frequently
means
planning,
effort and
time and
shared commitment
to meeting
together,
for love to
flourish amongst
us.
Now,
I just want to
pause here
and say that
I'm not
someone who
is good
at this
intentional
bit.
moment.
I once
had a
friend of
mine who
came to
me at
this point
where their
love was
growing so
cold that
anxiety and
depression and
doubt,
they felt like
their faith was
being pulled
away from
them.
And I said
some helpful
things.
I said,
go to God's
word and
build your
confidence in
God.
I said,
invest time
in prayer
that will
help you
assure you
of God's
love for
you.
He will
meet you
there.
You go do
that.
That's pretty
much what I
said.
And they
probably
tried.
But boy,
did I miss
the encouragement
of this
passage.
You see,
while I
said good
things,
I could
have prayed
with them.
I could
have opened
the Bible
with them.
I could
have offered
reminders of
the promises
of God
with them.
Gone with
them to
community
group.
Gone with
them to
counselling.
Gone with
them to
help build
peace in a
broken
relationship.
If I'd
been with
them, it
would have
been better.
We're
better off
when we're
together.
We're
better off
when we get
together and
sing, when
we pray
together in
song, to
proclaim the
good news
loudly together
for all to
hear, for
people out
there and
for us to
hear, encouraging
our hearts with
the sounds of
many others in
agreement that
God is worthy
of our praise
above all
things.
We're
better off
when we get
together and
pray and we
bring our
needs and
our petitions
and our
unbridled
hearts cry
together to
God.
We're
better when
we get
together to
hear God's
word, discovering
God in the
Bible, discussing
truths that
unwind the
deceptions of
this world, and
working together
to read this
road map.
I don't know
about you, but
I often need
help figuring out
a map.
I'm pretty
good, pretty
good, but I
don't know
Sydney very
well, and I
need a lot
of help.
We need
help to
figure out
the journey
home.
And at
St. Paul's,
our gatherings
look like this.
That's one way
of gathering
together.
We're every
age group,
including the
youngest this
week.
Every generation,
every language,
every culture,
every gender,
anyone can
come together
and celebrate
God.
In our
community
groups, which
are even
more than
just Bible
study for us
here at St.
Paul's, where
we live it
out together,
where we live
the Bible out
together and
pray and carry
one another's
burdens.
And the list
goes on.
Whether it be
catch-ups or
dinners or
coffees or
funerals or
lunch breaks,
in the battle
against unbelief,
doing that
together.
Whatever that
looks like at
St. Paul's,
we do that.
We meet
together in
whatever way
that is.
And we call
this treasuring
Jesus together.
If you've been
around St.
Paul's long
enough, or
even more than
one week, you've
probably heard
treasuring Jesus
together, you
might be tired
of hearing it.
This is what it
says on our
website.
In St.
Paul's, we
believe that
the people
whom Jesus
has called
into relationship
with himself
are his
church and
not an
institutional
building.
For in an
age of
individualism,
we value
vigilance and
accountability
in treasuring
Jesus together.
We are
convinced as
a church that
in this time,
we need
each other
all the more,
like Hebrews
10 says.
So let me
encourage you
to go find
that core value
outside, to go
read it on our
website, pursue
love and good
deeds, pursue
love that's
active together
as we encourage
each other in
faith and foster a
community of love
that we can see
and that the
world around us
can see.
guys, gathering
in this way
glorifies God.
Matthew 5, 16
says,
let your light
shine before
others that
they may see
your good
deeds and
glorify your
Father in
heaven.
Can you see
that the
gathering together
to fight this
unbelief serves
the purpose of
bringing glory to
God?
God, the
light of our
gathering, whatever
way that is, helps
us fulfill our
purpose as
Christians as we
encourage one
another in faith and
grow in our
dependence and our
glorying in our
God who has saved
us together.
As we do that, we
are a light to our
community and they
see God and glorify
him too.
I think that's a
picture of a
tree in full
bloom in autumn
as the leaves
change that makes
people go, oh,
wow.
So that's why we
gather as Christians
at St. Paul's and
ultimately that we
grow in faith and
glorify God and
that many more
would too.
As we grow in
faith, let me say
also that three
incredible things
are going to
increase in your
life if we're
treasuring Jesus
together more and
more.
I can promise you
these.
First, you are
going to encounter
God himself
regularly in ways
that you can see
as easily as the
people sitting
right next to you
today.
God's Spirit is
given and stays
with you when you
become a Christian
and that will
never change.
Jesus promised that
he will never leave
you an orphan in
John 14, one of my
favorite chapters of
the Bible, that his
Spirit would stay
with us.
Christian, he is
with you.
Look at verses
19 and 20.
We are welcomed
into God's
presence through
the death and
resurrection of his
Son in our place
and we enjoy that
presence of power in
the person of his
Spirit.
And that's
incredible.
And, and
there's a mysterious
problem in Matthew
18, 20 and
elsewhere in the
Bible that says,
when two or more
are gathered in my
name, there will I
be with them.
Two or three or
small or large
number, there
Jesus will be.
This is mysterious
considering God
has already promised
that with every
Christian he will be
in them.
So what is this
extra thing?
What is it?
On the simplest
reading of it, and
I'm good at
simple.
And the simplest
reading that I can
understand from that
extra promise that
when people meet
together, Jesus
would be there, I
think Jesus is
saying something
like this.
I might be putting
words in his mouth,
but I think these
would be true.
I think Jesus is
saying, I am
living and working
in each of your
lives, and when
you were together,
you will see me in
each other.
When your brother
shows up and hugs
you, when he hears
your nan has passed
away, I am there.
When your sister
forces you to take a
home-cooked meal
because she wants to
take one thing off
your infinite list
because your husband's
away and you've got
three kids at home on
your own, I am there.
Whenever you see the
love of God displayed
in each other, I am
there.
Guys, when we fight
sin together, fail
and grow together,
rebuke and restore
one another, as Jesus
shapes us and we
gather, then we see
him in each other.
Jesus isn't
promising some
second level, a
second phase of
the presence of
God.
Rather, we see the
evidence of his
work in each other
and he is more
present and more
visible in each
other.
We encounter God
when we get
together, when we
gather, as we see
Jesus' work in each
of our lives, in a
way that we can't if
we're on our own.
The second
incredible thing that
I want to promise
you guys is that
when we gather, we're
going to be stronger
and sharper together.
Ecclesiastes 4,
verse 10 to 12,
says,
two are better than
one because they
have a good return
for their labour.
If either of them
falls down, one can
help the other up.
But pity anyone who
falls down and has no
one to help him up.
Also, if two lie
down together, they'll
keep warm.
But how can one
keep warm alone?
Though one may be
overpowered, two can
defend themselves and
a cord of three
strands is not
easily broken.
We are stronger
together because when
you, when you are
doing well as a
Christian and full of
faith, you are able
to extend your hand
to someone who is
not and together
fight unbelief.
And you, you are
stronger because in
your darkest hour,
you're not alone.
And you can rely on
your brothers and
sisters who will step
into your mess with
you and be there
and remind you of
God's promises and
call you to keep the
faith with them.
We're stronger
together and we're
sharper together.
Proverbs 27, 17.
As iron sharpens
iron, so one person
sharpens another.
consider Sam Lowe,
right?
He's not here, so
this is easy.
He has an incredible
gift for getting to
the heart of a big
chunk of a complicated
section of this.
And this way of
gently explaining it,
there's never
condescending or
arrogant or self
glorifying.
He invites joy in the
complicated passages
and fosters our
excitement in the
Word of God.
So that the next
time that I read my
Bible, I have this
renewed zeal and
understanding in it.
Now I can tell you
that unlike him, I'm
not good at that.
I can tell you what I
think, but I'm not
sharp like Sam is.
Because Sam's care
for me, for you,
for us, to know the
God behind the words
makes me want to do
the same.
It sharpens me.
When I get the
chance to lead and
encourage people in
the Word, I want to
do the same.
When Sam explains the
Bible to me, I'm
rebuked and encouraged,
but I'm learning and
I'm glorifying God for
him and I'm being
sharpened so that when
I do the same, his
iron sharpens me.
We're stronger and
we're sharper together.
And lastly, I think
this is the most
exciting thing.
I can promise all of
you that when you
gather together, you
are going to get a
glimpse of heaven
itself.
We're headed home up
this mountain pass where
it looks like it snows
because it's got a
yellow dotted line.
But we're headed home
to heaven where we're
going to be together
with God.
Now, this is an
amazing passage to
read on a day like
Palm Sunday.
Revelation chapter
7 from verse 9.
We're going to be
gathered around his
throne, singing and
praising and
worshipping and
sharing our eternal
joy and closeness to
God, beholding his
perfection, holiness and
majesty together.
All peoples together,
all preferences of
worship, all together.
I really do find it
beautiful and humbling
that I get to read that
passage on Palm Sunday
when we remember, like
Jeevi said, that
foreshadowing that one
day Jesus, like when he
rode into Jerusalem, is
going to save and unite
all the people as
their king.
And while today we
might not have palm
branches, it's an
amazing thing to look
forward to.
If we're going to
gather together in
heaven like that, that
makes our little
imperfect gatherings like
right now an
opportunity to get a
glimpse, a sketch, a
brief little flash of the
gloriously bright future
that's in store for us.
Now, I've got to say,
our gatherings are not
perfect and not
anywhere near the hope
we have in store for
us in heaven.
But I've got to say that
everyone together singing
wholeheartedly to God of
his wondrous grace toward
us, you can't tell me
that's not a little
picture of heaven, a
little glimpse.
The last few times we've
had heartbeat and people
have been praying, it's
been impossible to stop
you from praying.
The night just goes on
and on and on and on.
Those prayers are like an
echo that bounce down this
road, calling us on,
showing us what's going to
happen soon, reminding us
of where we're going to go.
And finally, let me just
encourage you in this.
Hebrews 3, verse 12,
see to it, brothers and
sisters, that none of you
has a sinful, unbelieving
heart that turns away from
the living God.
But encourage one another
daily, as long as it is
called today, that none of
you may be hardened by
sin's deceitfulness.
Unbelief is fought
together, daily.
Christian gatherings of
all kinds is our daily
encouragement.
It's our daily goal.
It's what gets us out of
bed in the morning, in the
pursuit of glorifying God
and loving him, each other
and loving the world around
us.
So here, Hebrews 10, obey,
meet together, get out of
the habit of going through
life and doing it alone.
Chase more time together,
because we desperately need
it.
Getting up every day with
your purpose in mind and
intentionally building one
another up in faith.
Fight your own unbelief with
others.
We're given this beautiful
gift, guys, this mess of
random, beautiful, purposeful
people that I see here this
morning.
We see God in these people.
We're strengthened and
sharpened by them.
And we get a glimpse of
heaven when we get together
with them.
So this week, every day, go
and do one of all of these
together.
Together.
Celebrate.
Proclaim.
Praise.
Pray.
Preach.
Confess.
Change.
Love.
Serve.
Grow.
Enjoy.
Feel.
Share.
Support.
Disciple.
Baptize.
Sing.
Give.
Honor.
Sweat.
Struggle.
Weep.
Care.
Carry.
Bow.
Gasp.
Laugh.
Turn.
Marry.
Welcome.
Commission.
Hug.
Dance.
Eat.
Drink.
Cook.
Clean.
Build.
Study.
Discuss.
Discover.
Rebuke.
Restore.
Light.
Amplify.
Paint.
Design.
Record.
Retell.
Treasure.
Jesus.
Together.
And maybe as you see the autumn leaves changing colour or as you sweep them up this autumn and shake your head.
Remember that we're on this journey home together.
And we hold unswervingly together to the hope that we profess.
For he who promised is faithful to us.
Amen.