WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.500
 You know, our church is part of a denomination called Sovereign Grace Churches,

00:00:03.660 --> 00:00:09.099
 and we work very closely with some of these churches throughout the country and throughout the world.

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 Andy is from a sister church in Pennsylvania, Glen Mills, called Covenant Fellowship Church.

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 Covenant Fellowship Church is actually the church that originally the Huckins family was sent out from to join us

00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:24.440
 as we were starting this church plant five or six years ago.

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 So, and Andy serves there as a pastor of care and counseling.

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 He is a pastor, and he also serves as a biblical counselor.

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 He's actually a highly sought-after biblical counselor.

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 And he's authored several books, including Real Peace, which is kind of related to,

00:00:44.859 --> 00:00:47.719
 we were just talking about passing of the peace, how you can truly find peace in the Lord.

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 He serves on our denomination's executive committee, which is the committee that represents the council of elders,

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 which is of all the elders from every local congregation, which is the highest governing body in our denomination.

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 And so he serves us in a number of ways.

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 So you might not know him, but we've actually benefited from his service to our denomination.

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 And I actually seek out his counsel sometimes as I'm counseling others as well.

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 And so he's been an help to me and an encouragement to me in that.

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 And I'm excited for you to hear from him and get to know him.

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 And Andy is married to Jill, Jill Farmer.

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 He has four grown children, all of whom love the Lord and are serving the Lord.

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 One son, three daughters, and now he has 12 grandchildren, which is amazing.

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 He's one of the most interesting people you will ever meet.

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 He's got very interesting hobbies.

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 He's really into history.

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 He's writing a book right now, a biography on Elias Boutinho, whom I had never heard of,

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 but apparently he was the founder of the American Bible Society, a friend of Benjamin Franklin and an abolitionist.

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 So he's a really, really fascinating man.

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 I hope you get to know him during a short time here today and tomorrow.

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 So Andy, please come up and preach God's word for us.

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 Please welcome him as he comes up.

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 Thank you.

00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:11.060
 Thank you.

00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:45.299
 Thank you.

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 It's a 50-minute flight.

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 It's like going to the mall.

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 And so I was like, I should get up here more often because it really is easier than driving into Philly sometimes.

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 But you turn your Bibles to Matthew 16.

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 Yeah, just to let you know, guys, I'm excited to be here.

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 I'm grateful to be here.

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 Sean and I are friends.

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 we've gotten to know each other over the years

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 in various contexts and classes

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 and retreats

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 and

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 serving together

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 in our denomination

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 and I bring a greeting

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 from Covenant Fellowship Church

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 my home church where I've served as a

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 pastor for 28 years

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 you might be looking at me and you might be thinking

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 okay you've got 12 grandkids and

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 you've been serving for 28 years

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 that can't be true

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 you don't look nearly that old

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 I recognize that

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 it is true

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 I'm much older than I look

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 but

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 it's a delight to be here

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 excited to be among you

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 what God's doing here in Boston

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 in Cambridge

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 we need gospel preaching

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 churches everywhere

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 we need faithful churches

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 we need churches that can encourage believers

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 who God moves into areas

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 in fellowship

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 many of you are probably here

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 not because this is where you come from

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 but where you came to

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 and to know that there's a church here

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 that serves you

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 that is a part of a community

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 you can be involved in

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 support you

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 is a wonderful thing

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 one of the things I do with Sovereign Grace

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 is I'm involved in church planning

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 I'm on a national committee

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 that oversees church planning

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 and just to see

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 how churches get started

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 this church

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 other churches

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 and to be part of

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 envisioning

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 men and women

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 and teams of people

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 to start new works

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 to do the risky work

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 of church planning

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 one of the things we want

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 is to encourage churches

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 that are planning

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 to be thinking about church planning

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 so you might be sitting here

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 and thinking

00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.379
 let's just get a good foothold

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 let's just get a building

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 and as a good place to start

00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:06.519
 and that's great and wonderful

00:05:06.519 --> 00:05:08.379
 but I want to instill in you

00:05:08.379 --> 00:05:10.480
 a vision to be church planning people

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 to be people who are thinking

00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:12.819
 where would we plan

00:05:12.819 --> 00:05:14.399
 what would we do

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 if we wanted to extend

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 what God's doing here

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 into another area

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 the thing I'm most concerned about

00:05:20.339 --> 00:05:20.979
 a lot of the churches

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 is they lose sense of mission

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 they go on mission

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 to get started

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 but then they kind of

00:05:26.019 --> 00:05:27.019
 huddle together

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 and get into survival mode

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 and I want to encourage you

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 to not do that

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 to be a people

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 who think we're here

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 because God is

00:05:35.139 --> 00:05:37.039
 God has invested in us

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 and he's

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 other people have invested in us

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 and now we want to do the same

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 and be thinking about mission

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 as a church

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 so that's

00:05:44.699 --> 00:05:45.979
 that's kind of my burden

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 for you

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 but today we're going to talk

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 about the church

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 this is a message

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 I actually did at my church

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 as we were going through

00:05:56.699 --> 00:05:58.000
 our statement of faith

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 the sovereign great statement of faith

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 we took a series

00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:04.280
 and just walked through it

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 and I

00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:06.100
 I did a message

00:06:06.100 --> 00:06:07.560
 I did a section

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 on the church itself

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 and so that's where this comes from

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 so it's very related

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 to who we are

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 that statement of faith

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 I'm sure Sean

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 has walked you guys through it

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 it is

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 it is who we are

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 as a people

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 this is who we are

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 how we express

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 what God is doing

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 in sovereign grace

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 so that's what we're going to be focusing on

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 so you'll be in Matthew 16

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 before I jump in there

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 you may be familiar

00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:33.180
 with the word

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 anachronism

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 now an anachronism

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 is something that

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 doesn't belong

00:06:39.719 --> 00:06:41.439
 in the time or place

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 that it's in

00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:44.599
 you ever seen

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 the series of movies

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 the Back to the Future movies

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 that's a whole series

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 built around

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 anachronisms

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 I just discovered

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 a crazy anachronism recently

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 in 1997

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 someone convinced

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 the 50's crooner

00:07:00.599 --> 00:07:01.979
 Pat Boone

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 who was known

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 as the Christian Elvis

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 to release an album

00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:09.399
 of classic rock covers

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 it was called

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 In a Metal Mood

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 No More Mr. Nice Guy

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 If you want to experience

00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:20.100
 a serious anachronism

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 just go on Spotify

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 and check out

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 Pat Boone's

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 swinging rendition

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 of Stairway to Heaven

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 but let me warn you

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 you'll never be able

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 to unhear it

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 once you do

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 I bring anachronisms up

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 because

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 the two texts

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 we're going to be looking at today

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 that we're considering

00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:43.759
 reveal

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 an apparent

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 anachronism

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 in the Bible

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 so I want to read

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 these two texts

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 and I want to see

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 if you can notice it

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 so we're going to begin

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 in Matthew 16

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 and then we're going to be moving

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 over to Matthew 18

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 just a couple chapters over

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 we're going to begin

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 in Matthew 16

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 with verse 18

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 this is Jesus

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 and the context here

00:08:07.359 --> 00:08:07.639
 is

00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:09.659
 well let's start

00:08:09.659 --> 00:08:10.199
 let's start

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 where Jesus says

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 in verse 15

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 he said to them

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 who do you say

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 that I am

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 and Simon Peter replied

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 you are the Christ

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 the Son of the Living God

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 Jesus answered

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 blessed are you

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 Simon Bar-Jonah

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 for flesh and blood

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 has not revealed this to you

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 but my Father

00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:32.500
 who is in Heaven

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 and I tell you

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 you are Peter

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 and on this rock

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 I will build my church

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 and the gates of hell

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 shall not prevail against it

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 I will give you the keys

00:08:46.059 --> 00:08:47.220
 of the Kingdom of Heaven

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 and whatever you bind on earth

00:08:48.819 --> 00:08:50.439
 shall be bound in Heaven

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 and whatever you loose on earth

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 shall be loosed in Heaven

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 and in verse 18

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 chapter 18

00:08:58.820 --> 00:09:06.720
 begin in verse 15

00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:07.520
 chapter 18

00:09:07.520 --> 00:09:09.740
 if your brother

00:09:09.740 --> 00:09:10.879
 sins against you

00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:12.260
 go

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 and tell him

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 his fault

00:09:13.920 --> 00:09:14.580
 between you

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 and him alone

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 if he listens to you

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 you have gained

00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:19.480
 your brother

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 but if he does not

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 listen

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 take one or two

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 others

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 along

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 with you

00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:28.779
 so that every charge

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 may be established

00:09:29.659 --> 00:09:30.639
 by the evidence

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 of two or three witnesses

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 if he refuses

00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:35.419
 to listen to them

00:09:35.419 --> 00:09:36.600
 tell it to the Church

00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:39.159
 and if he refuses

00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:39.759
 to listen

00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:40.840
 even to the Church

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 let him be to you

00:09:43.139 --> 00:09:44.220
 as a Gentile

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 and a tax collector

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 truly I say to you

00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:48.800
 whatever you bind

00:09:48.800 --> 00:09:49.500
 on earth

00:09:49.500 --> 00:09:50.320
 shall be bound

00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:50.779
 in Heaven

00:09:50.779 --> 00:09:52.879
 and whatever you loose

00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:53.320
 on earth

00:09:53.320 --> 00:09:53.980
 shall be loosed

00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:54.460
 in Heaven

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 again I say to you

00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:58.639
 if two of you

00:09:58.639 --> 00:09:59.220
 agree on

00:09:59.220 --> 00:10:00.340
 earth

00:10:00.340 --> 00:10:01.080
 about anything

00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:01.900
 they ask

00:10:01.900 --> 00:10:03.280
 it will be done

00:10:03.280 --> 00:10:03.860
 for them

00:10:03.860 --> 00:10:04.660
 by my Father

00:10:04.660 --> 00:10:05.200
 in Heaven

00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.440
 where two or three

00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:07.940
 are gathered

00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:08.780
 in my name

00:10:08.780 --> 00:10:10.740
 there I am

00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:12.220
 among them

00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:13.900
 let's pray

00:10:13.900 --> 00:10:15.700
 Heavenly Father

00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:16.360
 we just simply

00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:17.019
 ask you

00:10:17.019 --> 00:10:18.100
 to visit us

00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:20.100
 this evening

00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:21.180
 as you already

00:10:21.180 --> 00:10:22.220
 have through worship

00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:22.879
 as you

00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:24.300
 have through prayer

00:10:24.299 --> 00:10:25.139
 as you have

00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:25.559
 through

00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:27.899
 the declaration

00:10:27.899 --> 00:10:28.959
 of your word

00:10:28.959 --> 00:10:29.659
 and the giving

00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:30.359
 of peace

00:10:30.359 --> 00:10:32.000
 and the confession

00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:32.620
 of sin

00:10:32.620 --> 00:10:33.279
 Lord you have

00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:34.039
 already been

00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:34.559
 with us

00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:34.859
 God

00:10:34.859 --> 00:10:35.379
 we are

00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:36.740
 we are in your

00:10:36.740 --> 00:10:37.219
 presence

00:10:37.219 --> 00:10:38.879
 and you have

00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:40.299
 come to meet

00:10:40.299 --> 00:10:40.740
 with us

00:10:40.740 --> 00:10:41.639
 Lord I simply pray

00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:42.659
 that this message

00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:43.199
 would be

00:10:43.199 --> 00:10:45.539
 would be used

00:10:45.539 --> 00:10:46.059
 by you

00:10:46.059 --> 00:10:47.259
 speak through it

00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:48.019
 oh Lord God

00:10:48.019 --> 00:10:48.899
 to help us all

00:10:48.899 --> 00:10:49.519
 have faith

00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:50.120
 and vision

00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:51.579
 for what you're

00:10:51.579 --> 00:10:52.299
 doing here

00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:53.339
 in why we gather

00:10:53.339 --> 00:10:55.459
 and I ask this

00:10:55.459 --> 00:10:56.240
 in Jesus name

00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:57.459
 amen

00:10:57.459 --> 00:10:59.459
 amen

00:10:59.459 --> 00:11:03.339
 so did you notice

00:11:03.339 --> 00:11:03.819
 the apparent

00:11:03.819 --> 00:11:04.859
 anachronism there

00:11:04.859 --> 00:11:06.620
 critics of the

00:11:06.620 --> 00:11:07.019
 Bible

00:11:07.019 --> 00:11:08.500
 certainly do

00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:10.379
 they will tell

00:11:10.379 --> 00:11:10.639
 you

00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:11.179
 and they do

00:11:11.179 --> 00:11:11.879
 tell you

00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:13.459
 that these

00:11:13.459 --> 00:11:13.939
 texts

00:11:13.939 --> 00:11:15.099
 Jesus is talking

00:11:15.099 --> 00:11:16.059
 about the church

00:11:16.059 --> 00:11:17.139
 that's

00:11:17.139 --> 00:11:18.299
 an anachronism

00:11:18.299 --> 00:11:19.979
 because there

00:11:19.979 --> 00:11:20.819
 was no such

00:11:20.819 --> 00:11:21.579
 thing as the

00:11:21.579 --> 00:11:22.059
 church

00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:22.719
 in Jesus

00:11:22.719 --> 00:11:23.219
 day

00:11:23.219 --> 00:11:25.759
 they will tell

00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:26.079
 you that

00:11:26.079 --> 00:11:26.819
 Jesus words

00:11:26.819 --> 00:11:27.339
 about the

00:11:27.339 --> 00:11:27.699
 church

00:11:27.699 --> 00:11:28.439
 were put

00:11:28.439 --> 00:11:28.979
 into his

00:11:28.979 --> 00:11:29.319
 mouth

00:11:29.319 --> 00:11:29.919
 by later

00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:30.419
 writers

00:11:30.419 --> 00:11:31.779
 to validate

00:11:31.779 --> 00:11:32.740
 the institutional

00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:33.339
 church

00:11:33.339 --> 00:11:33.779
 they are

00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:34.899
 if they're

00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:35.359
 right

00:11:35.359 --> 00:11:36.519
 we have

00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:36.939
 some real

00:11:36.939 --> 00:11:37.659
 problems

00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:38.199
 with our

00:11:38.199 --> 00:11:38.599
 Bible

00:11:38.599 --> 00:11:39.219
 so we need

00:11:39.219 --> 00:11:39.819
 to take

00:11:39.819 --> 00:11:41.179
 what they

00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:41.559
 say

00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:42.359
 seriously

00:11:42.359 --> 00:11:44.339
 the word

00:11:44.339 --> 00:11:45.279
 translated here

00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:45.839
 in various

00:11:45.839 --> 00:11:46.319
 places

00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:48.140
 as church

00:11:48.140 --> 00:11:49.740
 speaks of the

00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:50.300
 gathering

00:11:50.300 --> 00:11:51.960
 of a chosen

00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:52.800
 or identified

00:11:52.800 --> 00:11:53.360
 people

00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:53.760
 in other words

00:11:53.760 --> 00:11:54.580
 it's not just

00:11:54.580 --> 00:11:55.140
 a crowd

00:11:55.140 --> 00:11:58.120
 for context

00:11:58.120 --> 00:11:59.600
 the Jews

00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:00.640
 were oppressed

00:12:00.640 --> 00:12:01.200
 people

00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:02.720
 on a search

00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:03.800
 for a Messiah

00:12:03.800 --> 00:12:05.620
 a savior

00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:06.820
 sent by God

00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:07.940
 who would come

00:12:07.940 --> 00:12:08.820
 to gather

00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:10.100
 them together

00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:11.760
 under his

00:12:11.760 --> 00:12:12.360
 power

00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:13.480
 and protection

00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:13.840
 they

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:15.020
 they lived

00:12:15.020 --> 00:12:15.620
 as if

00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:16.240
 they were

00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:17.240
 and oppressed

00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:17.680
 people

00:12:17.680 --> 00:12:18.100
 and they

00:12:18.100 --> 00:12:18.639
 needed to

00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:19.259
 be gathered

00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:20.259
 by the

00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:20.720
 Messiah

00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:21.659
 they were

00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:22.080
 regularly

00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:22.659
 crowding

00:12:22.659 --> 00:12:23.200
 around the

00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:23.620
 latest

00:12:23.620 --> 00:12:24.419
 messianic

00:12:24.419 --> 00:12:24.740
 hope

00:12:24.740 --> 00:12:27.600
 Matthew

00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.279
 16

00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:28.980
 through 18

00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:30.159
 is

00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:30.799
 Jesus

00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:32.440
 speaking

00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:33.560
 and acting

00:12:33.560 --> 00:12:34.080
 like

00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.100
 a Messiah

00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:38.240
 in the

00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:38.560
 middle of

00:12:38.560 --> 00:12:38.879
 that he

00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:39.500
 pulls his

00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:40.000
 disciples

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:40.680
 aside

00:12:40.680 --> 00:12:42.139
 and he

00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:43.060
 tests them

00:12:43.060 --> 00:12:44.139
 on whether

00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:45.060
 they're tracking

00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:45.919
 with what

00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:46.739
 he's doing

00:12:46.739 --> 00:12:48.799
 Peter

00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:50.159
 boldly

00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:50.959
 confesses

00:12:50.959 --> 00:12:51.659
 you are

00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:52.500
 the Messiah

00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:53.719
 the son

00:12:53.719 --> 00:12:54.079
 of the

00:12:54.079 --> 00:12:54.939
 living God

00:12:54.939 --> 00:12:56.079
 clearly

00:12:56.079 --> 00:12:57.099
 Peter

00:12:57.099 --> 00:12:57.919
 gets the

00:12:57.919 --> 00:12:58.199
 point

00:12:58.199 --> 00:12:58.959
 what you're

00:12:58.959 --> 00:12:59.379
 doing

00:12:59.379 --> 00:12:59.959
 and what

00:12:59.959 --> 00:13:00.219
 you're

00:13:00.219 --> 00:13:00.759
 saying

00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:01.559
 is what

00:13:01.559 --> 00:13:02.199
 the Messiah

00:13:02.199 --> 00:13:03.119
 will do

00:13:03.119 --> 00:13:03.939
 and say

00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:06.100
 and then

00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:06.600
 Jesus

00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:07.380
 fills out

00:13:07.380 --> 00:13:07.540
 the

00:13:07.540 --> 00:13:08.100
 implication

00:13:08.100 --> 00:13:08.440
 as we

00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:08.640
 read

00:13:08.640 --> 00:13:08.960
 in Matthew

00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:09.440
 16

00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:10.960
 he basically

00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:11.380
 says

00:13:11.380 --> 00:13:12.300
 I have

00:13:12.300 --> 00:13:13.040
 come to

00:13:13.040 --> 00:13:13.900
 build my

00:13:13.900 --> 00:13:14.200
 church

00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:14.480
 in other

00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:14.600
 words

00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:15.340
 I'm the

00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:15.900
 Messiah

00:13:15.900 --> 00:13:16.780
 who is

00:13:16.780 --> 00:13:17.400
 gathering

00:13:17.400 --> 00:13:18.400
 the people

00:13:18.400 --> 00:13:18.880
 of God

00:13:18.880 --> 00:13:19.460
 together

00:13:19.460 --> 00:13:21.020
 I've

00:13:21.020 --> 00:13:21.480
 come

00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:22.520
 to build

00:13:22.520 --> 00:13:22.860
 my

00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:23.560
 gathering

00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:24.400
 my

00:13:24.400 --> 00:13:25.320
 church

00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:27.460
 so

00:13:27.460 --> 00:13:28.020
 with that

00:13:28.020 --> 00:13:28.340
 in mind

00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:28.620
 let me

00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:28.920
 take a

00:13:28.920 --> 00:13:29.240
 shot

00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:29.460
 at

00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:30.020
 defining

00:13:30.020 --> 00:13:30.820
 the

00:13:30.820 --> 00:13:31.540
 church

00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:32.560
 according

00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:32.900
 to

00:13:32.900 --> 00:13:33.420
 Jesus

00:13:33.420 --> 00:13:34.640
 and then

00:13:34.640 --> 00:13:35.100
 seek to

00:13:35.100 --> 00:13:35.540
 help us

00:13:35.540 --> 00:13:36.080
 understand

00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:36.480
 how

00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:37.300
 it might

00:13:37.300 --> 00:13:37.740
 be able

00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:38.420
 to help

00:13:38.420 --> 00:13:38.820
 us here

00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:39.180
 today

00:13:39.180 --> 00:13:40.620
 I would

00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:40.900
 say

00:13:40.900 --> 00:13:41.460
 based on

00:13:41.460 --> 00:13:41.740
 the way

00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:42.200
 Jesus

00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:42.720
 is talking

00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:43.200
 about the

00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:43.480
 church

00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:43.879
 what he

00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:44.320
 is saying

00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:44.900
 is this

00:13:44.900 --> 00:13:46.100
 the

00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:46.720
 church

00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:48.080
 is God's

00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:48.560
 people

00:13:48.560 --> 00:13:50.300
 gathered

00:13:50.300 --> 00:13:51.280
 in God's

00:13:51.280 --> 00:13:51.960
 place

00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:53.520
 for

00:13:53.520 --> 00:13:54.100
 God's

00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:54.640
 purpose

00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:56.240
 the

00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:56.539
 church

00:13:56.539 --> 00:13:57.220
 is God's

00:13:57.220 --> 00:13:57.699
 people

00:13:57.699 --> 00:13:58.759
 gathered

00:13:58.759 --> 00:13:59.439
 in God's

00:13:59.439 --> 00:13:59.980
 place

00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:01.299
 for

00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:02.019
 God's

00:14:02.019 --> 00:14:02.600
 purpose

00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:04.340
 you see

00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:04.720
 the Bible

00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:05.279
 critics are

00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:05.799
 wrong

00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:06.699
 because they

00:14:06.699 --> 00:14:07.120
 make the

00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:07.600
 assumption

00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:08.240
 that the

00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:08.840
 church

00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:09.779
 began

00:14:09.779 --> 00:14:11.059
 in

00:14:11.059 --> 00:14:11.759
 Jerusalem

00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:12.379
 in Acts

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:12.840
 2

00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:13.360
 which I

00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:13.600
 know you

00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:13.879
 guys have

00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:14.439
 been studying

00:14:14.439 --> 00:14:15.559
 or even

00:14:15.559 --> 00:14:16.340
 later on

00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:16.740
 in the

00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:17.399
 early forms

00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:17.620
 of the

00:14:17.620 --> 00:14:17.960
 Catholic

00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:18.419
 church

00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:20.340
 in truth

00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:21.500
 the church

00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:22.319
 began much

00:14:22.319 --> 00:14:23.080
 earlier than

00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:23.460
 that

00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:25.019
 the

00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:25.340
 church

00:14:25.340 --> 00:14:25.620
 as

00:14:25.620 --> 00:14:26.100
 Jesus

00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:26.840
 understands

00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:27.080
 it

00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:28.680
 we see

00:14:28.680 --> 00:14:29.120
 the first

00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:29.460
 church

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:29.980
 actually

00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:30.320
 in

00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:30.780
 Genesis

00:14:30.780 --> 00:14:31.420
 chapter

00:14:31.420 --> 00:14:31.940
 2

00:14:31.940 --> 00:14:33.200
 where

00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:33.700
 God's

00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:34.100
 chosen

00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:34.660
 people

00:14:34.660 --> 00:14:35.440
 Adam

00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:36.040
 and Eve

00:14:36.040 --> 00:14:36.960
 are

00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:37.360
 gathered

00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:37.940
 in God's

00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:38.480
 place

00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:39.139
 the

00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:39.700
 garden

00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:40.720
 for

00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:41.180
 God's

00:14:41.180 --> 00:14:41.780
 purpose

00:14:41.780 --> 00:14:42.860
 to be

00:14:42.860 --> 00:14:43.360
 fruitful

00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:44.360
 and multiply

00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:45.560
 and cultivate

00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:46.420
 the earth

00:14:46.420 --> 00:14:48.060
 Noah and

00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:49.040
 his family

00:14:49.040 --> 00:14:50.300
 gathered

00:14:50.300 --> 00:14:50.660
 in the

00:14:50.660 --> 00:14:51.060
 ark

00:14:51.059 --> 00:14:51.459
 the

00:14:51.459 --> 00:14:51.899
 Israelites

00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:52.599
 gathered

00:14:52.599 --> 00:14:52.959
 about

00:14:52.959 --> 00:14:53.579
 Sinai

00:14:53.579 --> 00:14:54.259
 God's

00:14:54.259 --> 00:14:54.579
 people

00:14:54.579 --> 00:14:55.219
 in the

00:14:55.219 --> 00:14:55.659
 wilderness

00:14:55.659 --> 00:14:56.179
 camped

00:14:56.179 --> 00:14:56.399
 around

00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:56.599
 the

00:14:56.599 --> 00:14:57.259
 tabernacle

00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:57.979
 the temple

00:14:57.979 --> 00:14:58.699
 in Jerusalem

00:14:58.699 --> 00:14:59.239
 the

00:14:59.239 --> 00:15:00.019
 synagogues

00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:00.739
 that rose

00:15:00.739 --> 00:15:01.079
 up when

00:15:01.079 --> 00:15:01.459
 the Jews

00:15:01.459 --> 00:15:01.779
 were in

00:15:01.779 --> 00:15:02.239
 exile

00:15:02.239 --> 00:15:03.299
 all

00:15:03.299 --> 00:15:03.899
 represent

00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:04.679
 God's

00:15:04.679 --> 00:15:05.099
 people

00:15:05.099 --> 00:15:06.079
 gathered

00:15:06.079 --> 00:15:06.679
 in God's

00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:07.219
 place

00:15:07.219 --> 00:15:08.859
 for God's

00:15:08.859 --> 00:15:09.359
 purposes

00:15:09.359 --> 00:15:11.000
 so what

00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:11.639
 Jesus is

00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:12.199
 doing

00:15:12.199 --> 00:15:13.639
 is he's

00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:14.579
 backfilling

00:15:14.579 --> 00:15:15.219
 Peter's

00:15:15.219 --> 00:15:15.919
 understanding

00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:17.359
 of what

00:15:17.359 --> 00:15:18.379
 it means

00:15:18.379 --> 00:15:18.919
 for him

00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:19.399
 to say

00:15:19.399 --> 00:15:19.939
 he's the

00:15:19.939 --> 00:15:20.459
 Messiah

00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:22.500
 he's

00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:22.620
 saying

00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.080
 you know

00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:23.280
 your

00:15:23.280 --> 00:15:23.639
 history

00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:24.040
 Peter

00:15:24.040 --> 00:15:24.900
 you know

00:15:24.900 --> 00:15:25.200
 what it

00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:25.440
 means

00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:25.680
 to be

00:15:25.680 --> 00:15:26.000
 God's

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:26.300
 people

00:15:26.300 --> 00:15:26.740
 gathered

00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:27.259
 in God's

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:27.660
 place

00:15:27.660 --> 00:15:28.639
 for God's

00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:28.879
 purpose

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.440
 you know

00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:30.259
 that's the

00:15:30.259 --> 00:15:30.820
 job

00:15:30.820 --> 00:15:31.160
 of the

00:15:31.160 --> 00:15:31.639
 Messiah

00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:32.660
 that's

00:15:32.660 --> 00:15:33.139
 what

00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:33.840
 I'm

00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:34.400
 doing

00:15:34.400 --> 00:15:38.000
 the people

00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:38.639
 who belong

00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.360
 to me

00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:40.240
 Jesus

00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:40.800
 says

00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:42.180
 they are

00:15:42.180 --> 00:15:42.660
 the true

00:15:42.660 --> 00:15:43.060
 church

00:15:43.060 --> 00:15:43.580
 and against

00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:44.700
 that church

00:15:44.700 --> 00:15:45.780
 even the

00:15:45.780 --> 00:15:46.360
 gates of

00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:46.940
 hell

00:15:46.940 --> 00:15:48.259
 shall not

00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:48.740
 prevail

00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:49.759
 to that

00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.420
 church

00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:51.039
 I will

00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:51.559
 give the

00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:52.059
 keys of

00:15:52.059 --> 00:15:52.539
 the kingdom

00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:53.199
 verse 16

00:15:53.199 --> 00:15:53.639
 19

00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.779
 as the

00:15:56.779 --> 00:15:57.399
 Messiah

00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:58.559
 I am

00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.259
 gathering

00:15:59.259 --> 00:16:00.360
 and

00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:01.419
 commissioning

00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:02.439
 my

00:16:02.439 --> 00:16:02.899
 church

00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:03.199
 so we

00:16:03.199 --> 00:16:03.500
 get to

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:03.779
 Matthew

00:16:03.779 --> 00:16:04.319
 18

00:16:04.319 --> 00:16:05.879
 he doubles

00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:06.459
 down and

00:16:06.459 --> 00:16:06.959
 he begins to

00:16:06.959 --> 00:16:07.519
 talk about

00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.819
 the implications

00:16:08.819 --> 00:16:09.379
 of the

00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:09.899
 church

00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:11.679
 specifically

00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.500
 giving it

00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:13.379
 the role

00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:15.120
 to determine

00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:15.620
 and this is

00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:16.220
 significant

00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:19.120
 who belongs

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:20.259
 among

00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:21.220
 the

00:16:21.220 --> 00:16:21.980
 Messiah's

00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:22.440
 people

00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:23.460
 and who

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:24.080
 doesn't

00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.419
 in verse

00:16:25.419 --> 00:16:26.259
 17 he

00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:26.600
 says

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.419
 if he

00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:27.899
 refuses

00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:28.560
 if that

00:16:28.560 --> 00:16:29.259
 one who

00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:30.419
 chooses to

00:16:30.419 --> 00:16:31.539
 live like

00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:32.639
 an unbeliever

00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.120
 though he

00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:33.740
 says he's a

00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:34.200
 Christian

00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:36.019
 if he refuses

00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:36.580
 to listen

00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:37.659
 even to

00:16:37.659 --> 00:16:38.639
 the church

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.159
 let him

00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:41.779
 to be to

00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:42.500
 you the

00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.159
 church

00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:44.240
 as a

00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:44.919
 Gentile

00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:45.620
 and a

00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:46.340
 tax collector

00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:47.100
 so there is

00:16:47.100 --> 00:16:48.220
 real authority

00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:48.600
 here

00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:50.100
 that Jesus

00:16:50.100 --> 00:16:51.000
 the Messiah

00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:52.059
 has given

00:16:52.059 --> 00:16:53.120
 his church

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.299
 now note

00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:54.960
 that in both

00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:55.860
 Matthew 16

00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:56.620
 and Matthew

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.080
 18

00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:58.759
 Jesus makes

00:16:58.759 --> 00:16:59.419
 the same

00:16:59.419 --> 00:17:00.100
 statement

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:02.139
 whatever you

00:17:02.139 --> 00:17:03.080
 bind on

00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:03.600
 earth

00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.240
 shall be

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:05.960
 bound in

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:06.299
 heaven

00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:07.940
 and whatever

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:08.880
 you lose

00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:09.720
 on earth

00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:11.460
 shall be

00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:11.960
 loosed

00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:13.000
 in heaven

00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:15.099
 now this is

00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:15.460
 one of the

00:17:15.460 --> 00:17:16.799
 most misunderstood

00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:18.079
 texts in

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:18.559
 the Bible

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:20.920
 it's commonly

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:21.799
 applied to

00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:22.539
 what is called

00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:23.160
 spiritual

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:23.779
 warfare

00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:25.539
 spiritual

00:17:25.539 --> 00:17:26.259
 warfare is

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:26.779
 real

00:17:26.779 --> 00:17:28.000
 and the

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.779
 Bible does

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.480
 tell us

00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:29.839
 how to

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:30.460
 fight it

00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:31.599
 just not

00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:31.819
 here

00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:34.860
 the context

00:17:34.860 --> 00:17:35.299
 of both

00:17:35.299 --> 00:17:35.779
 places

00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:36.420
 where this

00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:37.140
 statement

00:17:37.140 --> 00:17:37.900
 occurs

00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:39.539
 makes abundantly

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.120
 clear that

00:17:40.120 --> 00:17:40.779
 the binding

00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:41.620
 and loosing

00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:42.900
 is not how

00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:43.400
 we cast

00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:43.980
 out demons

00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:45.240
 the binding

00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:45.900
 and loosing

00:17:45.900 --> 00:17:47.160
 Jesus speaks

00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:48.220
 of is the

00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:49.099
 delegated

00:17:49.099 --> 00:17:49.880
 authority

00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:51.160
 of his

00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:51.880
 church

00:17:51.880 --> 00:17:52.980
 backed up

00:17:52.980 --> 00:17:53.640
 by heaven

00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:54.299
 itself

00:17:54.299 --> 00:17:56.440
 to define

00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:57.539
 who is a

00:17:57.539 --> 00:17:58.279
 follower of

00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:58.660
 Jesus

00:17:58.660 --> 00:17:59.920
 and who

00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:00.400
 isn't

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.040
 now it's

00:18:02.040 --> 00:18:02.560
 not up to

00:18:02.560 --> 00:18:03.340
 us as

00:18:03.340 --> 00:18:04.060
 individuals

00:18:04.060 --> 00:18:05.580
 to decide

00:18:05.580 --> 00:18:06.620
 who's saved

00:18:06.620 --> 00:18:07.000
 and who's

00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:07.460
 not saved

00:18:07.460 --> 00:18:08.040
 in fact

00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:08.640
 even the

00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:09.000
 church

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:10.019
 doesn't have

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:10.759
 the right

00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:12.100
 to declare

00:18:12.100 --> 00:18:13.320
 salvation

00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:15.799
 only God

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:16.659
 saves

00:18:16.659 --> 00:18:17.899
 but the

00:18:17.899 --> 00:18:18.200
 church

00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:18.879
 does have

00:18:18.879 --> 00:18:19.500
 a right

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:20.359
 and a

00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:21.240
 responsibility

00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:24.059
 to communicate

00:18:24.059 --> 00:18:25.119
 on the basis

00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.980
 of your

00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:26.700
 life

00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:28.379
 or your

00:18:28.379 --> 00:18:28.960
 doctrine

00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:31.419
 you may

00:18:31.419 --> 00:18:32.000
 or may

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.539
 not

00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:33.960
 be included

00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:34.799
 among the

00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:35.399
 people of

00:18:35.399 --> 00:18:35.740
 God

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:37.639
 and that

00:18:37.639 --> 00:18:38.279
 should sober

00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:38.819
 people

00:18:38.819 --> 00:18:40.619
 because

00:18:40.619 --> 00:18:41.220
 that

00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:41.819
 is a

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.439
 significant

00:18:42.439 --> 00:18:43.319
 authority

00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:48.000
 it should

00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.419
 hit us

00:18:48.419 --> 00:18:48.659
 at a

00:18:48.659 --> 00:18:48.839
 heavy

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.220
 thought

00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:49.639
 the

00:18:49.639 --> 00:18:49.839
 church

00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:50.259
 has a

00:18:50.259 --> 00:18:50.720
 profound

00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:51.439
 responsibility

00:18:51.439 --> 00:18:52.399
 from God

00:18:52.399 --> 00:18:53.419
 to determine

00:18:53.419 --> 00:18:54.720
 true followership

00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:55.319
 and a

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:55.740
 profound

00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:56.500
 authority

00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:57.299
 from God

00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:58.339
 to carry

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:58.859
 out that

00:18:58.859 --> 00:18:59.519
 responsibility

00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:00.819
 that's why

00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:01.359
 for example

00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:02.419
 we baptize

00:19:02.419 --> 00:19:02.939
 people

00:19:02.939 --> 00:19:03.799
 in our

00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:04.399
 gatherings

00:19:04.399 --> 00:19:04.960
 the gathered

00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:05.279
 church

00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.079
 is responsible

00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:07.379
 to affirm

00:19:07.379 --> 00:19:08.500
 the authenticity

00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:09.500
 of a

00:19:09.500 --> 00:19:09.939
 person

00:19:09.939 --> 00:19:11.299
 profession

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:11.779
 of faith

00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.179
 that's why

00:19:12.179 --> 00:19:12.759
 we guard

00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:13.279
 the table

00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:13.939
 of communion

00:19:13.939 --> 00:19:15.519
 only offering

00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.500
 it to professing

00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:17.159
 followers of

00:19:17.159 --> 00:19:17.460
 Christ

00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:18.119
 that's why

00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:18.799
 we practice

00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:19.919
 church membership

00:19:19.919 --> 00:19:20.799
 determining

00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.439
 who is of

00:19:21.439 --> 00:19:22.059
 this particular

00:19:22.059 --> 00:19:22.519
 body

00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:23.480
 and who is

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:23.939
 just simply

00:19:23.939 --> 00:19:24.460
 attending

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.399
 its services

00:19:25.399 --> 00:19:26.119
 and functions

00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:26.659
 that's why

00:19:26.659 --> 00:19:27.259
 we practice

00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:27.819
 biblical

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:28.679
 eldership

00:19:28.679 --> 00:19:29.579
 because God

00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:30.319
 raises up

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:30.919
 leadership

00:19:30.919 --> 00:19:31.619
 in the

00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:32.039
 church

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:33.039
 and calls

00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:33.519
 leadership

00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:34.439
 to accountability

00:19:34.439 --> 00:19:35.399
 for the

00:19:35.399 --> 00:19:35.819
 health of

00:19:35.819 --> 00:19:36.220
 the church

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:36.720
 it's why

00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.399
 we practice

00:19:37.399 --> 00:19:37.919
 church

00:19:37.919 --> 00:19:38.480
 discipline

00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:40.039
 the context

00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:41.619
 that is

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:42.539
 involved here

00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:43.039
 because the

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.960
 most precarious

00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:45.039
 place to be

00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:46.359
 in the world

00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:47.679
 is to be

00:19:47.679 --> 00:19:48.279
 comfortable

00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:49.939
 among God's

00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:50.500
 people

00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:51.720
 but with

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.939
 no evidence

00:19:52.939 --> 00:19:54.099
 that you're

00:19:54.099 --> 00:19:54.859
 a true follower

00:19:54.859 --> 00:19:55.579
 of Jesus

00:19:55.579 --> 00:19:58.799
 brothers and

00:19:58.799 --> 00:19:59.200
 sisters

00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.079
 the new

00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:01.599
 testament

00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:02.439
 includes

00:20:02.439 --> 00:20:03.179
 us

00:20:03.179 --> 00:20:04.740
 in the

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.399
 messianic

00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:05.960
 community

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.320
 the church

00:20:07.320 --> 00:20:07.740
 of Jesus

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.320
 Christ

00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:10.019
 called to

00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:10.600
 be God's

00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:11.000
 people

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.040
 gathered in

00:20:12.040 --> 00:20:12.420
 God's

00:20:12.420 --> 00:20:12.820
 place

00:20:12.820 --> 00:20:13.740
 for God's

00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:14.080
 purpose

00:20:14.080 --> 00:20:14.860
 what does

00:20:14.860 --> 00:20:15.420
 it mean

00:20:15.420 --> 00:20:15.840
 to a

00:20:15.840 --> 00:20:16.560
 live streaming

00:20:16.560 --> 00:20:17.060
 mask

00:20:17.060 --> 00:20:17.500
 enduring

00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:18.420
 pandemic

00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:19.340
 fatigued

00:20:19.340 --> 00:20:20.080
 election

00:20:20.080 --> 00:20:20.780
 surviving

00:20:20.780 --> 00:20:21.480
 zoom

00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:22.120
 exhausted

00:20:22.120 --> 00:20:22.860
 news

00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:23.560
 distrusting

00:20:23.560 --> 00:20:24.560
 social media

00:20:24.560 --> 00:20:25.259
 disgusted

00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:26.140
 collection

00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:27.320
 of followers

00:20:27.320 --> 00:20:28.560
 who identify

00:20:28.560 --> 00:20:30.300
 with this

00:20:30.300 --> 00:20:30.980
 organization

00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:32.000
 known as

00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.380
 Trinity

00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:33.019
 Cambridge

00:20:33.019 --> 00:20:33.400
 Church

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:34.480
 that's the

00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.060
 question we're

00:20:35.060 --> 00:20:35.500
 dealing with

00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:35.880
 today

00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:37.420
 and I have

00:20:37.420 --> 00:20:38.100
 three application

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:39.360
 points based

00:20:39.360 --> 00:20:39.800
 on my

00:20:39.800 --> 00:20:40.380
 definition

00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:42.280
 followers of

00:20:42.280 --> 00:20:42.820
 Jesus

00:20:42.820 --> 00:20:44.540
 identify with

00:20:44.540 --> 00:20:45.259
 God's people

00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:47.780
 followers of

00:20:47.780 --> 00:20:48.200
 Jesus

00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:49.440
 gather in

00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:50.259
 God's place

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:52.140
 and followers

00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:52.880
 of Jesus

00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:54.860
 live for

00:20:54.860 --> 00:20:55.740
 God's purpose

00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:56.660
 so our first

00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:57.060
 point

00:20:57.060 --> 00:20:58.840
 followers of

00:20:58.840 --> 00:20:59.320
 Jesus

00:20:59.320 --> 00:21:01.380
 identify with

00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:02.160
 God's people

00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:04.980
 in early

00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:05.860
 April

00:21:05.860 --> 00:21:06.840
 1891

00:21:06.840 --> 00:21:07.340
 British

00:21:07.340 --> 00:21:07.900
 pastor

00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:08.400
 Charles

00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:08.840
 Spurgeon

00:21:08.840 --> 00:21:09.440
 was battling

00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:10.120
 numerous

00:21:10.120 --> 00:21:10.760
 ailments

00:21:10.760 --> 00:21:12.420
 and actually

00:21:12.420 --> 00:21:13.220
 had only

00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:13.980
 nine months

00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:14.560
 more to

00:21:14.560 --> 00:21:15.100
 live

00:21:15.100 --> 00:21:16.640
 on this

00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:17.000
 earth

00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:18.740
 knowing he

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.360
 was approaching

00:21:19.360 --> 00:21:20.040
 the end

00:21:20.040 --> 00:21:21.760
 he wanted to

00:21:21.760 --> 00:21:22.220
 leave his

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:22.900
 people at the

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:23.260
 Metropolitan

00:21:23.260 --> 00:21:24.300
 Tabernacle

00:21:24.300 --> 00:21:24.820
 in London

00:21:24.820 --> 00:21:25.600
 where he

00:21:25.600 --> 00:21:26.420
 pastored for

00:21:26.420 --> 00:21:27.560
 37 years

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:29.079
 with what

00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:29.940
 he thought

00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:30.659
 they needed

00:21:30.659 --> 00:21:31.339
 to know

00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:32.039
 after he

00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:32.679
 was gone

00:21:32.679 --> 00:21:35.879
 130 years

00:21:35.879 --> 00:21:36.480
 ago this

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.399
 past spring

00:21:37.399 --> 00:21:38.779
 he preached

00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:39.279
 a sermon

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:39.879
 entitled

00:21:39.879 --> 00:21:40.519
 the best

00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:41.159
 donation

00:21:41.159 --> 00:21:43.339
 in the

00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:43.839
 sermon

00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.419
 he speaks

00:21:45.419 --> 00:21:46.279
 at length

00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:47.940
 about the

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:48.539
 church

00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:50.440
 including

00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:51.259
 the following

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:51.879
 words and

00:21:51.879 --> 00:21:52.259
 these are

00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:52.819
 words that

00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:53.220
 we have

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:53.740
 shared with

00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:54.419
 our church

00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:55.960
 numerous

00:21:55.960 --> 00:21:56.660
 times

00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:57.340
 in the

00:21:57.340 --> 00:21:57.980
 past

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:59.700
 Spurgeon

00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:00.440
 said give

00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:01.160
 yourself to

00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:01.840
 the church

00:22:01.840 --> 00:22:04.300
 you that are

00:22:04.300 --> 00:22:04.900
 members of

00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.420
 the church

00:22:05.420 --> 00:22:06.480
 have not

00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:06.940
 found it

00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:07.340
 perfect

00:22:07.340 --> 00:22:09.960
 and I hope

00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:10.380
 that you

00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:11.300
 feel almost

00:22:11.300 --> 00:22:12.080
 glad that

00:22:12.080 --> 00:22:12.400
 you have

00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:12.720
 not

00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.700
 if I had

00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:15.500
 never joined

00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:16.039
 a church

00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:16.600
 till I had

00:22:16.600 --> 00:22:17.220
 found one

00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:17.519
 that was

00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:17.960
 perfect

00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:19.060
 I should

00:22:19.060 --> 00:22:19.840
 never have

00:22:19.840 --> 00:22:20.480
 joined one

00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:20.940
 at all

00:22:20.940 --> 00:22:22.580
 and the

00:22:22.580 --> 00:22:22.980
 moment I

00:22:22.980 --> 00:22:23.660
 did join

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:24.259
 it if

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:24.579
 I had

00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:25.339
 found one

00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:26.460
 I should

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.140
 have spoiled

00:22:27.140 --> 00:22:28.799
 it for

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:29.099
 it would

00:22:29.099 --> 00:22:29.640
 not have

00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:29.940
 been a

00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:30.259
 perfect

00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:30.940
 church

00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:32.460
 after I

00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.000
 became a

00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:33.480
 member of

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:35.599
 it still

00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:37.160
 as imperfect

00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:37.559
 as it

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:39.559
 is it

00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:39.839
 is the

00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:40.160
 dearest

00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:41.440
 place on

00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:41.920
 earth to

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.379
 us

00:22:42.379 --> 00:22:46.920
 coincidentally

00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:48.640
 for the

00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:49.480
 last 37

00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:51.379
 years of

00:22:51.379 --> 00:22:52.240
 my life

00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:53.240
 my church

00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:54.099
 covenant

00:22:54.099 --> 00:22:54.620
 fellowship

00:22:54.620 --> 00:22:55.259
 church

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:56.720
 has been

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.279
 the dearest

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.039
 place on

00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:58.440
 earth to

00:22:58.440 --> 00:22:58.700
 me

00:22:58.700 --> 00:23:03.759
 it was

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.420
 there that

00:23:04.420 --> 00:23:04.700
 I was

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.160
 baptized

00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:08.700
 all of

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.259
 my children

00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:09.920
 were dedicated

00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:10.359
 to the

00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:10.940
 Lord there

00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:12.440
 and later

00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:13.539
 baptized there

00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:15.640
 it is there

00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:16.079
 more than

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:17.180
 anywhere else

00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:18.740
 that I've been

00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:19.359
 taught to be

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:19.900
 a man

00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:21.160
 to be a

00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:21.519
 husband

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:21.980
 to be a

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:22.360
 father

00:23:22.360 --> 00:23:24.019
 to be a

00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:24.820
 disciple of

00:23:24.820 --> 00:23:25.180
 Jesus

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:26.960
 and ultimately

00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:27.400
 to be a

00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:27.880
 minister of

00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:28.440
 the gospel

00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:30.860
 it is there

00:23:30.860 --> 00:23:31.200
 where I

00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:31.840
 developed the

00:23:31.840 --> 00:23:32.880
 deepest and

00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:33.660
 most lasting

00:23:33.660 --> 00:23:35.300
 friendships I

00:23:35.300 --> 00:23:35.800
 will ever

00:23:35.800 --> 00:23:36.259
 know

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:38.380
 it is there

00:23:38.380 --> 00:23:38.880
 where I've

00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:39.500
 seen dear

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.880
 saints that

00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:41.620
 I knew for

00:23:41.620 --> 00:23:42.880
 decades ushered

00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:43.519
 into glory

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:45.099
 people who've

00:23:45.099 --> 00:23:45.759
 taught me how

00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.680
 to live well

00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:47.400
 and to die

00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:47.960
 in Jesus

00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:51.220
 I agree with

00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:51.980
 Mr. Spurgeon

00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:53.660
 covenant

00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.720
 fellowship is

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.519
 not perfect

00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:57.839
 we've had our

00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:58.680
 problems we've

00:23:58.680 --> 00:23:59.000
 had our

00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:59.799
 disappointments

00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:01.099
 our mistakes

00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:02.319
 our regrets

00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:03.460
 our failures

00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:04.720
 and because I'm a

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:05.940
 pastor I've

00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:06.400
 been in the

00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:07.000
 middle of them

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.339
 all

00:24:07.339 --> 00:24:10.980
 but it's

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:11.679
 truly the

00:24:11.679 --> 00:24:12.500
 dearest place

00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:13.159
 on earth

00:24:13.159 --> 00:24:13.639
 to me

00:24:13.639 --> 00:24:15.839
 now you

00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:16.480
 here at

00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:16.759
 Trinity

00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:17.319
 Cambridge

00:24:17.319 --> 00:24:17.839
 are on

00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:18.879
 the beginning

00:24:18.879 --> 00:24:19.519
 side of

00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.079
 that and

00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:20.559
 maybe you're

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.199
 sitting here

00:24:21.199 --> 00:24:22.079
 and you're

00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:22.919
 saying I

00:24:22.919 --> 00:24:24.159
 can't imagine

00:24:24.159 --> 00:24:26.000
 being with

00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:26.740
 this group of

00:24:26.740 --> 00:24:27.299
 people for

00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:28.359
 37 years

00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:32.839
 in our

00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:33.139
 day and

00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:33.679
 age it's a

00:24:33.679 --> 00:24:34.480
 radical idea

00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:37.579
 when I

00:24:37.579 --> 00:24:38.920
 started going

00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:39.319
 to covenant

00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:39.819
 fellowship

00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:41.799
 we met in

00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:42.140
 a rented

00:24:42.140 --> 00:24:42.819
 facility

00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:44.220
 an old

00:24:44.220 --> 00:24:45.099
 school that

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:46.059
 was contaminated

00:24:46.059 --> 00:24:46.880
 with roaches

00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:48.500
 that would

00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:49.380
 scurry around

00:24:49.380 --> 00:24:49.900
 during the

00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:50.339
 service

00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:52.220
 with no air

00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:52.680
 conditioning

00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:54.200
 and the room

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:54.880
 we met in

00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:55.500
 had no

00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:55.920
 windows

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.980
 and no air

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:58.420
 conditioning

00:24:58.420 --> 00:25:00.940
 and that's

00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.279
 where we

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:01.700
 started

00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:03.140
 and it took

00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:04.259
 15 years

00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:04.799
 to get to

00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:05.200
 a place

00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:05.480
 where we

00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:05.859
 could actually

00:25:05.859 --> 00:25:06.920
 be in our

00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:07.759
 own building

00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:10.180
 so the very

00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:10.879
 fact that you

00:25:10.879 --> 00:25:11.539
 might sit here

00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:12.819
 today and

00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.900
 say we are

00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:14.940
 far from

00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:15.619
 established

00:25:15.619 --> 00:25:16.640
 we're far

00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:17.379
 from being

00:25:17.379 --> 00:25:18.859
 a presence

00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:20.640
 don't

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:21.519
 misunderstand

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.039
 the way

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.680
 God builds

00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.160
 his church

00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:26.180
 he starts

00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:26.940
 with people

00:25:26.940 --> 00:25:30.859
 who want

00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:31.779
 to be part

00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:32.680
 of his church

00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:34.500
 and expresses

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:34.980
 it through

00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:35.340
 them

00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:37.880
 some of you

00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:38.519
 will be here

00:25:38.519 --> 00:25:39.120
 for 37

00:25:39.120 --> 00:25:39.480
 years

00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:39.940
 some of you

00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:40.700
 will die

00:25:40.700 --> 00:25:41.019
 here

00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:42.779
 if I have

00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:44.019
 my greatest

00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:44.900
 desire at this

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.340
 point in my

00:25:45.340 --> 00:25:45.799
 life

00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:47.660
 besides the

00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:48.259
 salvation of

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:49.039
 my grandkids

00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.240
 is to sit

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:53.120
 in the

00:25:53.120 --> 00:25:53.820
 congregation

00:25:53.820 --> 00:25:56.259
 and see

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:57.220
 our church

00:25:57.220 --> 00:25:57.900
 turned over

00:25:57.900 --> 00:25:58.920
 from our

00:25:58.920 --> 00:25:59.620
 senior pastor

00:25:59.620 --> 00:26:00.259
 Jared

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:00.800
 mellinger

00:26:00.800 --> 00:26:01.220
 who is

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.300
 about 40

00:26:02.300 --> 00:26:03.220
 right now

00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:04.680
 to a

00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:05.540
 next generation

00:26:05.540 --> 00:26:06.480
 that will

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:06.900
 have given

00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:07.780
 me the

00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:08.300
 opportunity

00:26:08.300 --> 00:26:09.840
 to be part

00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:10.360
 of a church

00:26:10.360 --> 00:26:10.780
 plant

00:26:10.780 --> 00:26:12.040
 and see

00:26:12.040 --> 00:26:13.180
 two generations

00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:15.040
 of leadership

00:26:15.040 --> 00:26:16.400
 take the

00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:16.780
 church

00:26:16.780 --> 00:26:18.280
 that's exciting

00:26:18.280 --> 00:26:18.680
 to me

00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:20.660
 that's exciting

00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:20.940
 to me

00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:21.340
 because I want

00:26:21.340 --> 00:26:21.980
 to identify

00:26:21.980 --> 00:26:23.720
 with God's

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.180
 people

00:26:24.180 --> 00:26:27.299
 when I think

00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:27.680
 about the

00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.240
 evangelical

00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:28.839
 church

00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:29.680
 more broadly

00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:30.120
 in our

00:26:30.120 --> 00:26:30.519
 country

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:30.940
 over the

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:31.579
 past year

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:34.099
 it hasn't

00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:34.519
 seemed

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.480
 very dear

00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:37.059
 if you know

00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:37.519
 what I mean

00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:39.160
 it hasn't

00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:39.839
 seemed very

00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:40.519
 dear

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.880
 this past

00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:42.380
 week

00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:44.279
 depending on

00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:44.680
 how your

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.319
 news feed

00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:46.039
 is set up

00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:48.839
 the church

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.180
 has been

00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:50.159
 beset by

00:26:50.159 --> 00:26:50.819
 divisions

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:51.879
 on denominational

00:26:51.879 --> 00:26:52.339
 lines

00:26:52.339 --> 00:26:53.339
 on racial

00:26:53.339 --> 00:26:53.740
 lines

00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:54.279
 on gender

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:54.700
 lines

00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.759
 on generational

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.299
 lines

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:57.299
 on political

00:26:57.299 --> 00:26:57.700
 lines

00:26:57.700 --> 00:26:58.359
 battered by

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:58.879
 scandal

00:26:58.879 --> 00:26:59.839
 compromise

00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:00.680
 backbiting

00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:01.379
 heretical

00:27:01.379 --> 00:27:01.940
 ideas

00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:03.039
 I don't need

00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:03.299
 to get

00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:03.960
 specific with

00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:04.440
 illustrations

00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:05.079
 you probably

00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:05.759
 know them

00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:07.139
 our reputation

00:27:07.139 --> 00:27:09.639
 these days

00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:10.399
 is kind

00:27:10.399 --> 00:27:10.839
 of like

00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:12.019
 being

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:14.279
 a Philadelphia

00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:15.359
 sports fan

00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:15.799
 in another

00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:16.240
 town

00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:18.740
 we don't

00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:19.339
 necessarily

00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:20.059
 come with

00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:20.500
 the best

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.299
 reputation

00:27:21.299 --> 00:27:23.759
 I was in

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.179
 Minnesota

00:27:24.179 --> 00:27:25.959
 and we

00:27:25.959 --> 00:27:26.459
 treated

00:27:26.459 --> 00:27:27.899
 the Vikings

00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:28.619
 fans so

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.099
 poorly

00:27:29.099 --> 00:27:30.159
 a few years

00:27:30.159 --> 00:27:30.719
 ago that I

00:27:30.719 --> 00:27:31.500
 felt compelled

00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:32.919
 to apologize

00:27:32.919 --> 00:27:33.740
 on behalf of

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:34.240
 my city

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:36.039
 to the people

00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:36.599
 in Minnesota

00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:37.659
 I didn't

00:27:37.659 --> 00:27:38.500
 apologize for

00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.219
 the beat down

00:27:39.219 --> 00:27:39.719
 we gave the

00:27:39.719 --> 00:27:40.039
 Vikings

00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:41.099
 but I did

00:27:41.099 --> 00:27:42.219
 apologize for

00:27:42.219 --> 00:27:43.319
 our attitude

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:45.759
 that's how

00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:46.240
 we can feel

00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:46.599
 I feel like

00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:46.899
 I want to

00:27:46.899 --> 00:27:47.539
 apologize

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:48.099
 I'm a

00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:48.339
 Christian

00:27:48.339 --> 00:27:48.700
 I'm so

00:27:48.700 --> 00:27:49.000
 sorry

00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:49.319
 we're not

00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:49.659
 all like

00:27:49.659 --> 00:27:49.919
 that

00:27:49.919 --> 00:27:51.419
 that's my

00:27:51.419 --> 00:27:52.099
 that's my

00:27:52.099 --> 00:27:52.960
 my knee

00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:53.200
 jerk

00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:53.939
 sense

00:27:53.939 --> 00:27:55.460
 maybe you

00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:56.000
 felt that

00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.460
 way about

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:56.939
 the church

00:27:56.939 --> 00:27:57.460
 this year

00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:57.879
 you feel

00:27:57.879 --> 00:27:58.859
 like maybe

00:27:58.859 --> 00:27:59.119
 you need

00:27:59.119 --> 00:27:59.379
 to put

00:27:59.379 --> 00:28:00.079
 some distance

00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:00.799
 between you

00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.079
 and the

00:28:01.079 --> 00:28:01.519
 church

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:03.019
 it's

00:28:03.019 --> 00:28:03.659
 it can be

00:28:03.659 --> 00:28:04.220
 uncomfortable

00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:04.859
 identified

00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:06.200
 as a church

00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:06.519
 goer

00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.059
 if you were

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:07.700
 out today

00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:08.359
 out and about

00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:09.139
 and somebody

00:28:09.139 --> 00:28:09.419
 said hey

00:28:09.419 --> 00:28:09.659
 what are you

00:28:09.659 --> 00:28:10.159
 doing tonight

00:28:10.159 --> 00:28:10.879
 and you said

00:28:10.879 --> 00:28:11.200
 well I was

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:11.679
 going to church

00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:12.120
 maybe you

00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:12.519
 felt a little

00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.279
 well do I

00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:13.680
 really want to

00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:14.340
 tell them that

00:28:14.340 --> 00:28:15.620
 is that really

00:28:15.620 --> 00:28:16.440
 going to

00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:18.660
 to be good

00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:19.140
 for me to

00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:19.460
 say

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:21.100
 the church's

00:28:21.100 --> 00:28:21.779
 problems have

00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:22.279
 given the

00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:23.340
 world the

00:28:23.340 --> 00:28:24.259
 opportunity to

00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:24.940
 gloat over

00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.420
 us

00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:27.360
 but not just

00:28:27.360 --> 00:28:27.860
 gloat

00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:30.060
 we're beginning

00:28:30.060 --> 00:28:30.779
 if you haven't

00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.519
 noticed to be

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:32.519
 viewed as a

00:28:32.519 --> 00:28:33.180
 problem

00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:34.799
 something that

00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:35.539
 needs to be

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.360
 opposed

00:28:36.360 --> 00:28:38.299
 Mickey Connolly

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:38.880
 director of

00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:40.000
 church care for

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.580
 sovereign grace

00:28:40.580 --> 00:28:41.180
 recently wrote

00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:41.860
 an article about

00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:42.660
 how the

00:28:42.660 --> 00:28:43.019
 church is

00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:43.680
 beginning to

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.279
 feel the

00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:45.500
 disfavor of

00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:46.019
 the culture

00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:46.620
 which for

00:28:46.620 --> 00:28:47.180
 people of my

00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:48.560
 generation is

00:28:48.560 --> 00:28:49.560
 disorienting

00:28:49.560 --> 00:28:50.860
 because we've

00:28:50.860 --> 00:28:52.060
 grown up as

00:28:52.060 --> 00:28:53.200
 Christians largely

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:54.740
 in a favorable

00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:55.820
 place in the

00:28:55.820 --> 00:28:56.720
 culture no

00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:57.140
 more

00:28:57.140 --> 00:29:00.320
 it's a disfavor

00:29:00.320 --> 00:29:01.360
 that may be a

00:29:01.360 --> 00:29:02.960
 precursor to

00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:04.000
 opposition and

00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:04.799
 then even someday

00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:06.600
 to persecution

00:29:06.600 --> 00:29:07.539
 Mickey writes

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:07.920
 this

00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:09.220
 when considering

00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:10.279
 any persecution

00:29:10.279 --> 00:29:10.940
 sovereign grace

00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:11.440
 churches in

00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:12.160
 America and

00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:12.660
 throughout the

00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:13.400
 world will face

00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:14.320
 in 2021 and

00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:15.820
 following I

00:29:15.820 --> 00:29:16.340
 don't think it's

00:29:16.340 --> 00:29:16.680
 going to be a

00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:17.580
 persecution as we

00:29:17.580 --> 00:29:18.500
 classically think

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:19.680
 of beatings

00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.519
 imprisonment and

00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:21.039
 death though

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.259
 someday that that

00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:24.460
 may come I

00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:24.880
 think the

00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:25.740
 persecution we

00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:27.259
 will face is

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:29.080
 being shamed and

00:29:29.080 --> 00:29:31.279
 slandered because

00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:33.080
 of historic

00:29:33.080 --> 00:29:35.420
 Christian beliefs and

00:29:35.420 --> 00:29:36.380
 values in words

00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:38.100
 not shamed and

00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:39.180
 slandered because of

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:40.580
 our behavior which

00:29:40.580 --> 00:29:41.920
 is shameful at

00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:43.760
 times but because

00:29:43.760 --> 00:29:44.680
 of the things that

00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:46.080
 we value at our

00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:48.000
 best we will be

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.280
 shamed and

00:29:49.280 --> 00:29:51.360
 slandered the

00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:52.680
 hostility created in

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:54.040
 these ways then

00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:54.980
 leads to material

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:56.300
 harm being silenced

00:29:56.300 --> 00:29:57.160
 marginalized

00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:58.860
 canceled and

00:29:58.860 --> 00:29:59.700
 perhaps even

00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:01.160
 punished in some

00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:01.580
 way that's

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:02.639
 increasingly happening

00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:04.960
 we need to see

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:07.139
 that as a reality

00:30:07.139 --> 00:30:07.899
 here in this

00:30:07.899 --> 00:30:09.099
 Ivy League town

00:30:09.099 --> 00:30:10.460
 you may be

00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:11.500
 experiencing that

00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.179
 already

00:30:12.179 --> 00:30:14.199
 I'll be honest

00:30:14.199 --> 00:30:15.039
 I'm not looking

00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:15.879
 forward to it

00:30:15.879 --> 00:30:17.359
 I'm not one of

00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:17.960
 those people that

00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:18.799
 says bring it on

00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:20.720
 I'm one of those

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:21.439
 people that says can

00:30:21.439 --> 00:30:22.460
 we just avoid all

00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:24.019
 that can we do a

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:25.199
 better job but I

00:30:25.199 --> 00:30:25.980
 think it's coming

00:30:25.980 --> 00:30:27.940
 church we should

00:30:27.940 --> 00:30:28.980
 be prepared for

00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:30.860
 opposition for

00:30:30.860 --> 00:30:31.839
 oppression and

00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:32.620
 maybe even

00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:33.860
 persecution but we

00:30:33.860 --> 00:30:35.420
 must be united as

00:30:35.420 --> 00:30:36.819
 God's people to

00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:37.980
 weather that storm

00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:39.680
 and my main

00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.740
 concern for our

00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:41.440
 churches is at

00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:42.480
 this point there

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.660
 are believers who

00:30:43.660 --> 00:30:44.279
 have started to

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:45.220
 distance themselves

00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:46.099
 from the church

00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:47.720
 ashamed of what

00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:48.640
 people are saying

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:49.860
 about it not

00:30:49.860 --> 00:30:50.420
 wanting to be

00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:51.539
 associated with it

00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:52.360
 wanting to

00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:53.799
 recreate their

00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:55.000
 spiritual spaces

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:57.119
 not tied to the

00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:57.700
 follies and

00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:58.319
 fortunes of the

00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:01.220
 church may that

00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:03.380
 never happen to

00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:05.400
 us may it never

00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.940
 happen to you

00:31:06.940 --> 00:31:09.259
 Charles Spurgeon

00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:11.440
 knew the ridicule

00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:13.680
 of proper society

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:16.420
 against his church

00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:18.019
 and we need to

00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:19.900
 heed the words he

00:31:19.900 --> 00:31:20.799
 spoke from the

00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:21.500
 same sermon I

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:22.400
 just quoted this

00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:24.619
 is later on and

00:31:24.619 --> 00:31:26.759
 he says this I

00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:27.399
 remember the

00:31:27.399 --> 00:31:28.719
 difficulty I had

00:31:28.719 --> 00:31:29.259
 when I was

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:30.139
 converted and

00:31:30.139 --> 00:31:31.079
 wished to join the

00:31:31.079 --> 00:31:32.519
 Christian church in

00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:33.299
 the place where I

00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:35.199
 lived I called

00:31:35.199 --> 00:31:35.879
 upon the minister

00:31:35.879 --> 00:31:36.839
 four successive

00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:38.519
 days before I

00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:39.799
 could see him and

00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:40.599
 each time there

00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:41.539
 was some obstacle

00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:43.439
 in the way of an

00:31:43.439 --> 00:31:44.919
 interview and as I

00:31:44.919 --> 00:31:45.659
 could not see him

00:31:45.659 --> 00:31:46.599
 at all I wrote and

00:31:46.599 --> 00:31:47.259
 told him I was going

00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:47.959
 to go down to the

00:31:47.959 --> 00:31:49.039
 church meeting and

00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:50.099
 propose myself as a

00:31:50.099 --> 00:31:51.659
 member I'd love to

00:31:51.659 --> 00:31:53.939
 see that happen he

00:31:53.940 --> 00:31:55.140
 looked upon me as a

00:31:55.140 --> 00:31:57.460
 strange character but

00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:58.220
 I meant what I

00:31:58.220 --> 00:32:00.519
 said for I felt

00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:01.539
 that I could not be

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.500
 happy without

00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:04.140
 fellowship with the

00:32:04.140 --> 00:32:06.900
 people of God I

00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:08.080
 wanted to be

00:32:08.080 --> 00:32:10.200
 wherever they were

00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:12.000
 and if anybody

00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:14.100
 ridiculed them I

00:32:14.100 --> 00:32:15.320
 wished to be

00:32:15.320 --> 00:32:16.860
 ridiculed with them

00:32:16.860 --> 00:32:19.340
 and if people had an

00:32:19.340 --> 00:32:21.299
 ugly name for them I

00:32:21.299 --> 00:32:22.659
 wanted to be called

00:32:22.659 --> 00:32:25.579
 that ugly name for I

00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:26.500
 felt that unless I

00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:27.899
 suffered with Christ

00:32:27.899 --> 00:32:31.039
 in his humiliation I

00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:32.440
 could not expect to

00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:34.359
 reign with him in

00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:35.339
 his glory that's

00:32:35.339 --> 00:32:36.200
 Spurgeon as a young

00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:37.240
 man a fairly new

00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:38.940
 believer recognizing

00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:41.960
 that I cannot stand

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:43.180
 alone as a Christian

00:32:43.180 --> 00:32:44.519
 and distance myself in

00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:46.180
 fact where the church

00:32:46.180 --> 00:32:48.019
 feels the disfavor of

00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:49.680
 the culture I want to

00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:51.299
 be associated with

00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:52.180
 that disfavor

00:32:52.180 --> 00:32:54.460
 that's uncomfortable

00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:58.420
 but it's in the

00:32:58.420 --> 00:33:00.420
 nature of what it

00:33:00.420 --> 00:33:01.000
 means to be the

00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:02.160
 church Jesus said it

00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:03.980
 himself he said

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.779
 people will put you

00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:07.379
 out because of me

00:33:07.379 --> 00:33:10.639
 brothers and

00:33:10.639 --> 00:33:11.599
 sisters we are all

00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:12.920
 strange characters

00:33:12.920 --> 00:33:14.259
 called to an imperfect

00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:16.440
 church and that's a

00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:22.900
 glorious thing we want

00:33:22.900 --> 00:33:25.340
 to be people who

00:33:25.340 --> 00:33:27.180
 identify with God's

00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:28.500
 people number two

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:30.519
 followers of Jesus

00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.960
 gather in God's

00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:34.840
 place in verse 20 of

00:33:34.840 --> 00:33:35.960
 chapter 18 we learn

00:33:35.960 --> 00:33:36.840
 something fundamental

00:33:36.840 --> 00:33:37.759
 about the nature of

00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:38.500
 the church Jesus

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:39.259
 promises the

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.799
 disciples where two

00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.660
 or three are gathered

00:33:41.660 --> 00:33:44.880
 in my name there I am

00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:47.500
 among them when

00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:48.560
 believers gather

00:33:48.560 --> 00:33:49.880
 together in Jesus

00:33:49.880 --> 00:33:50.920
 name in other words

00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:52.300
 in obedience to his

00:33:52.300 --> 00:33:54.060
 lordship they gather

00:33:54.060 --> 00:33:55.940
 together as under

00:33:55.940 --> 00:33:58.220
 his Messiah work in

00:33:58.220 --> 00:34:00.080
 building his church he

00:34:00.080 --> 00:34:04.040
 will show up last

00:34:04.040 --> 00:34:05.060
 March I discovered

00:34:05.060 --> 00:34:05.880
 something remarkable

00:34:06.540 --> 00:34:07.740
 early in the pandemic

00:34:07.740 --> 00:34:11.000
 I discovered the

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:12.900
 amazing convenience of

00:34:12.900 --> 00:34:14.059
 live stream church

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:19.360
 for many reasons I'm

00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:20.659
 grateful for the gift

00:34:20.659 --> 00:34:21.500
 of live stream

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:23.619
 churching it allowed

00:34:23.619 --> 00:34:24.699
 connection during the

00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:25.980
 shutdown it's served

00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:27.440
 people who've needed to

00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:29.400
 quarantine and it even

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:31.019
 introduced new people to

00:34:31.019 --> 00:34:32.480
 our church who found us on

00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:33.679
 the live stream who'd

00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:36.019
 never visited that was all

00:34:36.019 --> 00:34:40.019
 good but I started liking

00:34:40.019 --> 00:34:42.820
 it too much which is a

00:34:42.820 --> 00:34:43.980
 problem if you're a pastor

00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:47.519
 in the church we started

00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:48.660
 talking about maybe we

00:34:48.660 --> 00:34:49.720
 should start meeting in I

00:34:49.720 --> 00:34:50.460
 was like let's give it

00:34:50.460 --> 00:34:52.980
 another month or so I

00:34:52.980 --> 00:34:54.059
 kind of like my coffee

00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:55.880
 roll out of bed get my

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:58.320
 coffee sit down enjoy the

00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:03.400
 service but I realized

00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:04.539
 something in the process

00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:08.260
 live stream churching is the

00:35:08.260 --> 00:35:10.420
 delivery of church content

00:35:10.420 --> 00:35:12.800
 but it is not church

00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:16.540
 getting church content

00:35:16.540 --> 00:35:17.840
 delivered to me through the

00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:20.120
 device of my own choosing is

00:35:20.120 --> 00:35:24.280
 not the church we have not

00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:26.280
 attended church when we

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:29.140
 received that live stream

00:35:29.140 --> 00:35:33.260
 content we can benefit from the

00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:34.760
 live stream content we can be

00:35:34.760 --> 00:35:36.760
 grateful for it but we cannot

00:35:36.760 --> 00:35:39.660
 gather we cannot be the

00:35:39.660 --> 00:35:42.260
 church unless we gather

00:35:42.260 --> 00:35:45.680
 Jesus is not promised to show

00:35:45.680 --> 00:35:47.640
 up through the miracle of you

00:35:47.640 --> 00:35:51.560
 two he promises to show up

00:35:51.560 --> 00:35:54.480
 among people in a place he

00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:58.440
 says when you gather in my name

00:35:58.440 --> 00:36:02.500
 there I am among you there

00:36:02.500 --> 00:36:05.639
 locationally I am among you

00:36:05.639 --> 00:36:09.480
 this has always been massively

00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:12.079
 important to Christians at the

00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:13.420
 very beginning of the church in

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:15.780
 Acts 2 46 we read that day by

00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:18.079
 day they met in the temple think

00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:19.719
 about this way Christians so

00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:21.639
 wanted to meet with Jesus that

00:36:21.639 --> 00:36:24.320
 they gathered day by day under the

00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:27.460
 gaze of the very people who put

00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:30.099
 their Savior to death on the cross

00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:34.099
 less than three months before they

00:36:34.699 --> 00:36:36.099
 were willing to be seen gathered

00:36:36.799 --> 00:36:39.539
 together in Jesus name the one

00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:41.019
 who had been crucified three months

00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:42.839
 before Christians so wanted to meet

00:36:42.839 --> 00:36:44.420
 with Jesus in the third century

00:36:44.420 --> 00:36:46.699
 under Roman persecution they would

00:36:46.699 --> 00:36:49.039
 gather in catacombs underground

00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:51.940
 burial tunnels it it fell safe

00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:53.679
 because their Roman persecutors were

00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:56.099
 superstitious of dead bodies Christians

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:58.159
 so wanted to meet with Jesus in the

00:36:58.159 --> 00:37:00.079
 16th century that the French

00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:01.899
 Huguenots would gather together as a

00:37:01.899 --> 00:37:05.079
 church even though the law required

00:37:05.619 --> 00:37:08.460
 them to reserve a front pew for

00:37:08.460 --> 00:37:10.819
 government officials who could stop

00:37:10.819 --> 00:37:13.019
 the meeting at any point if they heard

00:37:13.019 --> 00:37:15.079
 anything they didn't like Christians

00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:17.559
 so wanted to meet with Jesus in the

00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:20.159
 1800s that enslaved people would find

00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:22.039
 hidden areas on the plantations to

00:37:22.039 --> 00:37:24.639
 gather to worship sometimes they hung

00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:27.619
 thick quilts soaked with water to form an

00:37:27.619 --> 00:37:31.000
 outdoor tabernacle to muffle the sound of

00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:33.380
 singing and preaching so slave masters

00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:34.739
 would not know where they were

00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:37.259
 Christians so wanted to meet with Jesus

00:37:37.259 --> 00:37:40.599
 that Chinese Christians today gather even

00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:41.679
 though the church government has

00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:43.839
 installed the Chinese government has

00:37:43.839 --> 00:37:46.960
 installed more than 170 million facial

00:37:46.960 --> 00:37:50.579
 recognition cameras to identify those who

00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:52.900
 attend worship services for future

00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:56.539
 crackdowns Christians so want to meet with

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:59.239
 Jesus that our sovereign grace sister church in

00:37:59.239 --> 00:38:03.500
 Nepal baptized six young people just

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:08.559
 recently even though baptism itself is a

00:38:08.559 --> 00:38:11.699
 criminal offense with a five-year prison

00:38:11.699 --> 00:38:15.139
 term in that country brothers and sisters

00:38:15.139 --> 00:38:20.800
 following Jesus eventually gets hard for

00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:27.980
 everybody what a wonderful promise that when we

00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:39.180
 gather together Jesus is there with us if God be for us who can be against us

00:38:39.180 --> 00:38:45.539
 and my third point the followers of Jesus live for God's purpose

00:38:45.539 --> 00:39:12.420
 now why did Jesus take time to instruct his disciples about the church in Matthew 16 and 18 they had no real idea what he was envisioning but see he knew his time was short Jesus wanted his disciples to begin to see themselves not just as disciples following around the teacher but as a body

00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:38.920
 his body his body remaining on this earth to do his will he wanted them to see themselves as a people left on earth for the sole purpose of representing God's saving grace in a world of sin and death that's the reason we're here you and I are here

00:39:38.920 --> 00:39:44.920
 because we've been left here for a purpose

00:39:44.920 --> 00:40:07.119
 in Revelation 2 Jesus the risen king is addressing the church he speaks to the church in Ephesus the thing the first thing he does is commend that church in Ephesus in the culture wars of the day they were standing strong they were not going to compromise

00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:14.119
 but they were so committed to being on the right side of things that Jesus says you've lost your first love

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:35.119
 in the process of standing strong you've lost your first love they forgot their primary purpose to the beat to be the people on this earth who love the Lord with all their heart soul mind and strength and love their neighbor

00:40:35.119 --> 00:40:38.119
 and love their neighbor as themselves

00:40:38.119 --> 00:40:39.119
 as themselves

00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:42.119
 and Jesus warns them

00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:44.119
 he warns them

00:40:44.119 --> 00:40:46.119
 he warns them if they do not repent

00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:50.119
 and return to their first love

00:40:50.119 --> 00:40:54.119
 he would remove his lampstand

00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:56.119
 the presence

00:40:56.119 --> 00:40:58.119
 and power of the Holy Spirit

00:40:58.119 --> 00:41:02.119
 from among them which would make them simply a group of people

00:41:02.119 --> 00:41:04.119
 people gathering

00:41:04.119 --> 00:41:05.119
 for religious purposes

00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:09.119
 you see I'm not concerned that the world will somehow defeat the church as small as you might feel in this area as small as we feel at covenant fellowship in our area as small as we feel in a culture that seems to be running away from anything related to God I'm not worried because Jesus said the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church and you can't see us

00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:16.119
 I'm not concerned at the church as we are

00:41:16.119 --> 00:41:18.119
 I'm not concerned at the church

00:41:18.119 --> 00:41:22.119
 I'm not concerned at least a little bit

00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:23.119
 for churches like mine

00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:29.119
 and maybe for churches like yours

00:41:29.119 --> 00:41:32.119
 that we could lose our lampstand

00:41:32.119 --> 00:41:37.119
 we can lose it through compromise

00:41:37.119 --> 00:41:39.119
 trying to do

00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:53.119
 trying to stay in the world's favor

00:41:53.119 --> 00:41:57.119
 trying to keep up with the way the world thinks and talks about issues

00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:00.119
 trying to make their agenda our agenda

00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:03.119
 it happens all the time

00:42:03.119 --> 00:42:06.119
 or

00:42:06.119 --> 00:42:09.119
 we could also become so focused on opposing

00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:11.119
 and bemoaning the culture

00:42:11.119 --> 00:42:13.119
 that we forget why we're here

00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:14.119
 we could make the

00:42:14.119 --> 00:42:15.119
 Ephesian mistake

00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:17.119
 of being so oppositional

00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:18.119
 to the culture

00:42:18.119 --> 00:42:20.119
 that we stop loving the people

00:42:20.119 --> 00:42:22.119
 who are lost in that culture

00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:26.119
 from the viewpoint of the Bible

00:42:26.119 --> 00:42:28.119
 the world itself

00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:30.119
 is preserved from the wrath of God

00:42:30.119 --> 00:42:32.119
 in order that some

00:42:32.119 --> 00:42:34.119
 might still come to see

00:42:34.119 --> 00:42:35.119
 and know

00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:36.119
 the love of God

00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:39.119
 and the church has been left here

00:42:39.119 --> 00:42:40.119
 to demonstrate

00:42:40.119 --> 00:42:42.119
 and proclaim that love

00:42:43.119 --> 00:42:44.119
 Trinity Cambridge

00:42:44.119 --> 00:42:47.119
 in this crazy world around you

00:42:47.119 --> 00:42:49.119
 you dare not lose

00:42:49.119 --> 00:42:51.119
 your primary purpose

00:42:52.119 --> 00:42:53.119
 you dare not put

00:42:53.119 --> 00:42:55.119
 your lampstand at risk

00:42:57.119 --> 00:42:59.119
 I want to share a little parable

00:42:59.119 --> 00:43:00.119
 as I close

00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:02.119
 as I close

00:43:02.119 --> 00:43:03.119
 it's a personal parable

00:43:03.119 --> 00:43:04.119
 from my life

00:43:04.119 --> 00:43:05.119
 I had a chance one time

00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:06.119
 to visit Cambridge, England

00:43:06.119 --> 00:43:07.119
 there's another Cambridge

00:43:07.119 --> 00:43:09.119
 if you didn't know that

00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:10.119
 it's in England

00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:13.119
 Cambridge is the birthplace

00:43:13.119 --> 00:43:15.119
 of the English Reformation

00:43:15.119 --> 00:43:17.119
 when I was there

00:43:17.119 --> 00:43:18.119
 it was early December

00:43:18.119 --> 00:43:20.119
 and that happened to be

00:43:20.119 --> 00:43:21.119
 the evening

00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:22.119
 of the annual

00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:24.119
 Christmas celebration

00:43:24.119 --> 00:43:25.119
 they kick off

00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:26.119
 a Christmas celebration

00:43:26.119 --> 00:43:27.119
 the evening we were there

00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:28.119
 we were there

00:43:28.119 --> 00:43:29.119
 so we went to the market square

00:43:29.119 --> 00:43:30.119
 where the festivities

00:43:30.119 --> 00:43:32.119
 would be taking place

00:43:33.119 --> 00:43:34.119
 we arrived in the square

00:43:34.119 --> 00:43:35.119
 to find a pack of people

00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:37.119
 and decorated for holidays

00:43:38.119 --> 00:43:39.119
 looked around and I saw

00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:41.119
 the 500 year old cobblestone

00:43:41.119 --> 00:43:42.119
 plaza

00:43:43.119 --> 00:43:44.119
 brightly lit shops

00:43:44.119 --> 00:43:45.119
 cafes and pubs

00:43:45.119 --> 00:43:46.119
 welcome

00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:47.119
 revelers in

00:43:47.119 --> 00:43:49.119
 at the other end of the square

00:43:49.119 --> 00:43:50.119
 the British pop band

00:43:50.119 --> 00:43:51.119
 Katrina and the Waves

00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:53.119
 were filling the air

00:43:53.119 --> 00:43:54.119
 with their old hits

00:43:54.119 --> 00:43:55.119
 and some poppy renditions

00:43:55.119 --> 00:43:56.119
 of carols

00:43:57.119 --> 00:43:58.119
 the medieval

00:43:58.119 --> 00:43:59.119
 and the modern

00:43:59.119 --> 00:44:00.119
 met seamlessly

00:44:01.119 --> 00:44:03.119
 at Cambridge Christmas

00:44:04.119 --> 00:44:06.119
 but it went into the square

00:44:07.119 --> 00:44:09.119
 there was a foreboding shadow

00:44:10.119 --> 00:44:11.119
 towering

00:44:12.119 --> 00:44:13.119
 over Market Square

00:44:14.119 --> 00:44:16.119
 a closer look revealed

00:44:16.119 --> 00:44:17.119
 it wasn't a shadow

00:44:18.119 --> 00:44:20.119
 but the darkened facade

00:44:21.119 --> 00:44:22.119
 of a large church

00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:25.119
 the largest structure

00:44:25.119 --> 00:44:26.119
 on the square

00:44:26.119 --> 00:44:29.119
 stood completely dark

00:44:32.119 --> 00:44:33.119
 at Christmas

00:44:34.119 --> 00:44:36.119
 empty and silent

00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:39.119
 a brooding testimony

00:44:40.119 --> 00:44:41.119
 to how irrelevant

00:44:42.119 --> 00:44:43.119
 Christianity had become

00:44:44.119 --> 00:44:46.119
 in the celebration of Christmas

00:44:47.119 --> 00:44:48.119
 as I listened to Katrina

00:44:48.119 --> 00:44:49.119
 in the waves

00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:51.119
 belt out walking on sunshine

00:44:51.119 --> 00:44:53.119
 under the lights

00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:54.119
 at one end of the square

00:44:54.119 --> 00:44:55.119
 and a church building

00:44:55.119 --> 00:44:56.119
 devoid of life

00:44:56.119 --> 00:44:57.119
 and light

00:44:57.119 --> 00:44:58.119
 at the other

00:45:00.119 --> 00:45:01.119
 I had a thought

00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:02.119
 I'd never forgotten

00:45:03.119 --> 00:45:05.119
 this is what it looks like

00:45:06.119 --> 00:45:07.119
 to lose your lampstand

00:45:08.119 --> 00:45:10.119
 that church

00:45:11.119 --> 00:45:13.119
 had become utterly irrelevant

00:45:14.119 --> 00:45:16.119
 at one time

00:45:16.119 --> 00:45:17.119
 the gospel was declared

00:45:17.119 --> 00:45:19.119
 by some of the greatest preachers

00:45:19.119 --> 00:45:21.119
 of the British Reformation

00:45:21.119 --> 00:45:22.119
 from that pulpit

00:45:22.119 --> 00:45:24.119
 it exists today

00:45:25.119 --> 00:45:26.119
 mostly known as the place

00:45:26.119 --> 00:45:28.119
 where Stephen Hawking is buried

00:45:29.119 --> 00:45:30.119
 ironically

00:45:31.119 --> 00:45:32.119
 but Stephen Hawking's

00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:34.119
 atheistic brilliance

00:45:35.119 --> 00:45:36.119
 casts no light

00:45:37.119 --> 00:45:38.119
 and sadly

00:45:39.119 --> 00:45:42.119
 neither does the church

00:45:43.119 --> 00:45:44.119
 of the light of Jesus

00:45:44.119 --> 00:45:46.119
 the truth of the gospel

00:45:46.119 --> 00:45:47.119
 the truth of the gospel

00:45:47.119 --> 00:45:48.119
 had departed long ago

00:45:49.119 --> 00:45:51.119
 the building

00:45:51.119 --> 00:45:52.119
 is effectively silent

00:45:53.119 --> 00:45:54.119
 the church

00:45:55.119 --> 00:45:56.119
 is effectively dark

00:45:57.119 --> 00:45:59.119
 the lampstand is gone

00:46:02.119 --> 00:46:03.119
 you know what that building is?

00:46:04.119 --> 00:46:05.119
 it's a tragic

00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:07.119
 anachronism

00:46:07.119 --> 00:46:11.119
 something from another time

00:46:11.119 --> 00:46:14.119
 that no longer makes sense

00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:16.119
 in this present world

00:46:17.119 --> 00:46:19.119
 God forbid

00:46:20.119 --> 00:46:21.119
 Trinity Cambridge

00:46:22.119 --> 00:46:23.119
 that you would ever

00:46:24.119 --> 00:46:26.119
 become an anachronism

00:46:27.119 --> 00:46:28.119
 in this community

00:46:29.119 --> 00:46:30.119
 you might be here saying

00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:32.119
 but we're not even a blip

00:46:33.119 --> 00:46:34.119
 on the cultural radar around here

00:46:35.119 --> 00:46:36.119
 nobody cares that we're here

00:46:37.119 --> 00:46:38.119
 at best we're a curiosity

00:46:38.119 --> 00:46:43.119
 and maybe they want us to turn down our music

00:46:44.119 --> 00:46:46.119
 shut our windows

00:46:47.119 --> 00:46:50.119
 that may be true to the natural eye

00:46:51.119 --> 00:46:54.119
 but where God puts his people

00:46:55.119 --> 00:46:57.119
 he intends to accomplish his purpose

00:46:58.119 --> 00:47:01.119
 and where he accomplishes his purpose

00:47:02.119 --> 00:47:05.119
 is the church will be known

00:47:05.119 --> 00:47:09.119
 maybe right now

00:47:10.119 --> 00:47:11.119
 in June 2021

00:47:12.119 --> 00:47:13.119
 emerging into a post pandemic world

00:47:14.119 --> 00:47:16.119
 the greater danger is the church might become

00:47:17.119 --> 00:47:18.119
 an anachronism in your lives

00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:20.119
 in your priorities

00:47:21.119 --> 00:47:23.119
 in your families

00:47:24.119 --> 00:47:25.119
 but we have a grand purpose

00:47:26.119 --> 00:47:27.119
 brothers and sisters

00:47:28.119 --> 00:47:29.119
 in God and a grand mission for God

00:47:30.119 --> 00:47:31.119
 we are the evidence that God

00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:33.119
 has left behind

00:47:33.119 --> 00:47:35.119
 of the answer

00:47:36.119 --> 00:47:37.119
 for all the world really needs

00:47:38.119 --> 00:47:39.119
 we are that evidence

00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:41.119
 you are that evidence here

00:47:42.119 --> 00:47:48.119
 why does the church still matter

00:47:49.119 --> 00:47:51.119
 I want to close in the way

00:47:52.119 --> 00:47:54.119
 this was captured in our statement of faith

00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:56.119
 because I think it sums up very nicely

00:47:57.119 --> 00:47:59.119
 what we need to believe about the church

00:47:59.119 --> 00:48:02.119
 and we need to stand on when we relate to

00:48:03.119 --> 00:48:04.119
 our church

00:48:05.119 --> 00:48:06.119
 statement of faith says this

00:48:07.119 --> 00:48:08.119
 as the body of Christ

00:48:09.119 --> 00:48:11.119
 the church exists to worship God

00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:13.119
 to edify and mature his people

00:48:14.119 --> 00:48:15.119
 and to bear witness to Christ

00:48:16.119 --> 00:48:17.119
 and his kingdom in all the world

00:48:18.119 --> 00:48:19.119
 governed by scripture

00:48:20.119 --> 00:48:21.119
 the church gathers for the teaching of the word

00:48:22.119 --> 00:48:23.119
 prayer and the sacraments

00:48:24.119 --> 00:48:25.119
 congregational singing

00:48:25.119 --> 00:48:27.119
 fellowship and mutual edification

00:48:28.119 --> 00:48:29.119
 to the exercise of spiritual gifts

00:48:30.119 --> 00:48:31.119
 all of which has already happened today

00:48:32.119 --> 00:48:34.119
 as the father sent Jesus into the world

00:48:35.119 --> 00:48:37.119
 so Jesus has sent his people into the world

00:48:38.119 --> 00:48:39.119
 in the power of the spirit

00:48:40.119 --> 00:48:43.119
 the church's mission is to make disciples of all nations

00:48:44.119 --> 00:48:46.119
 teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded

00:48:47.119 --> 00:48:49.119
 we do this by proclaiming the gospel

00:48:50.119 --> 00:48:53.119
 planting churches and adorning the proclamation of the gospel

00:48:53.119 --> 00:48:55.119
 through our love and good works

00:48:56.119 --> 00:48:58.119
 there will always be a gathering of believers on earth

00:48:59.119 --> 00:49:00.119
 because the Lord promises to build

00:49:01.119 --> 00:49:03.119
 guide and preserve his church

00:49:04.119 --> 00:49:05.119
 to the end of the age

00:49:06.119 --> 00:49:07.119
 when Christ returns

00:49:08.119 --> 00:49:10.119
 he will gather and perfect his church

00:49:11.119 --> 00:49:13.119
 from every tribe, tongue and nation

00:49:14.119 --> 00:49:16.119
 as his people for his own possession

00:49:17.119 --> 00:49:19.119
 and he will dwell with them forever

00:49:19.119 --> 00:49:21.119
 forever and that's our purpose

00:49:22.119 --> 00:49:23.119
 that is our end

00:49:24.119 --> 00:49:25.119
 we are on mission to get to that point

00:49:26.119 --> 00:49:27.119
 and other people are meant to join

00:49:28.119 --> 00:49:30.119
 you here at Trinity Cambridge

00:49:31.119 --> 00:49:32.119
 in that adventure, amen

00:49:32.119 --> 00:49:33.119
 amen

00:49:33.119 --> 00:49:34.119
 amen