WEBVTT

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 There's a group of us here at the gathering that went away to scatter.

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 because what we're saying is that actually, I apologize about the seats,

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! but actually I quite like the fact that this church lacks comfy seats.

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 because if we made you believe that this is where you should stay,

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 then we've done something wrong.

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 There's something about needing to be on the edge of our seats where we need to go out.

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 And I want to just applaud a few people today because this week,

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 you may have heard, I think Aaron mentioned we were at Young Life Camp,

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 which is to scatter to reach the next generation.

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 And there were people here in this church who volunteered their whole week,

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 took off annual leave to go and stay in a cabin with a group of teenagers

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 and sleep there overnight.

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 And they averaged two, three hours a night.

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 And they came back yesterday.

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 If that's you, can you stand up?

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 If you did work crew, if you did Young Life, Florence, stand up.

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 Ellen, Gabs, Gabe.

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 Ethan, Jade.

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 Man, I was just so proud of these people that, feel free to take a seat now,

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 that they would just do that.

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 They would just do that.

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 There was an issue that we had to do with that to walk into a room, a girl's dorm.

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 And I was like, whoa, whoa.

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 A bomb just went off in here.

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 And they're living like this for the whole week.

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 I was like, I didn't even walk into a guy's room.

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 So I didn't even, so if you were, was it bad?

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 It was bad.

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 Oh, my goodness.

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 Thank you.

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 Thank you.

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 It must have been so bad.

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 Just nine teenage boys just in a room together.

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 Oh, my goodness.

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 And on that last night, was that last night or the night before?

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 I forget.

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 The night before.

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 No, no, yesterday.

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 The say-so.

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 We got a chance to hear from the young people and to hear them say something that the Lord

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 had spoken to them about.

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 Young Life calls that the say-so because it's based on scripture.

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 We're let the redeemed of the Lord say-so.

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 And they stand up very courageously and they say something, what the Lord has done,

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 what the Lord has taught them.

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 And it's incredible.

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 You know the thing that really came out the most through all of that was, I found out

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 this week that I am not alone.

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 And that wasn't just students.

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 It's leaders.

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 It's adults.

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 This issue of loneliness that all of us deal with, it's a real thing.

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 The loneliness epidemic has just swept through the planet and COVID just made that so much

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 worse.

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 There's a survey that was done in the West that said from 1990 to 2020, the number of people

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 who said that they don't have a single person who knows them, who feel as though they don't

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 have a single person who knows them from 1990 to 2020 quadrupled.

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 Quadrupled.

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 It is the biggest health scare in the West right now.

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 Another survey done within the church said the majority of people turning up at church, that's

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 you and me, couldn't tell you three people within the church that truly know them.

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 Isn't that...

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 Doesn't that hit you?

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 It hits me.

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 It's maybe just helpful to give you a little bit of context of where I come from in the

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 UK.

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 The church that I come from, that Joe and I grew up in, that Francis grew up in, similar

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 to maybe the church that Gabs grew up in in London.

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 These are small churches.

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 And I went to a Chinese church that spoke Chinese and English, two congregations, three congregations.

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 And these churches were small.

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 They were not attractional.

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 The services were long because you'd have to listen to it in all three languages.

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 And the trilingual services, we've all been there.

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 There's nothing that makes you yearn for Jesus to return more than sitting in a trilingual

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 service.

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 Like, come Lord Jesus, this is the moment to come.

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 And then the worship, honestly, is not great because the resources are limited.

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 And so we grew up in that.

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 And you know what?

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 We went every week.

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 Why?

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 Because there were girls.

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 No, no, because there were girls and there were boys and there were friends and there

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 were brothers and sisters in Christ.

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 But I'll tell you, that was all we had.

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 There was no one else.

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 You want to go to another church?

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 Like, good luck.

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 Good luck hanging out with the white people.

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 They don't serve food.

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 And that's all you had.

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 And then I come here.

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 Five years ago, I come to Hong Kong.

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 I'm a pastor here.

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 And then one of the jobs was, hey, go and find out.

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 Go and just check the lay of the land and go and see the city and the churches that are

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 there.

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 And I walk into one church.

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 And I won't say which.

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 And don't try guessing.

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 And it's just a big international church.

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 And I walked in.

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 And I was like, wow.

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 Finally.

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 So many fellow yellow people here who speak English, who love the Lord.

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 And I'm sitting down.

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 And then the lights dim.

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 And then the pads come on.

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 That's the Holy Spirit, by the way.

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 And then the worship is good.

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 And then the pastor is brief and funny.

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 And I was like, this is so cool.

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 Because I grew up watching Hillsong videos.

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 And our church would sing Hillsong songs 10 years after they'd been written.

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 And we're still singing the same ones now.

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 But to see something in my context, people that look like me, sound like me.

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 I was so blessed.

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 But then something happened.

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 At the end of the service.

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 Actually, not even at the end of the service.

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 Before the service even finishes, people start leaving.

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 I'm like, what's happening?

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 Why is everyone going?

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 And then they just go.

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 And of course, I'm generalizing here.

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 There's some people who stay.

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 And there's some people who talk a little bit.

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 But then people just leave.

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 You know what it was like?

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 It's something I'd never seen before.

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 It wasn't church to me.

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 It was a cinema.

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 And I was like, wait.

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 But how do you?

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 Who knows you here?

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 Oh, wow.

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 And then I hear, as time goes on, I hear, oh, no.

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 I can not go to church for a year.

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 And no one will know that I've not been around.

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 In my head, I'm like, how can you even?

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 That's not your church then.

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 Where's your pastor who, when your baby is in ICU, will come out in the middle of the night and sit by your baby and look after her whilst you're running to the other side of town because your wife is going into surgery in another hospital?

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 That was me, by the way.

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 Where's that pastor where, when you're a teenager and you're confused and hormonal, you just need someone to talk to who sits with you in McDonald's for three hours listening you talk about the most stupid stuff?

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 Where's that guy?

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 Where are your bros who, when you say, hey, I'm having one of those days, they know exactly what it is and they'll bring around some beers and they'll sit with you.

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 These are all my own experiences.

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 And, of course, I'm generalizing here because these churches have those things, right?

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 They do.

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 But in that moment, I was like, but we just showed up to a show and then we disappeared.

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 I want to give you that context because I think that helps you understand a little bit about what we're trying to do here.

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 And maybe just a little disclaimer here.

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 If you're here for the first time and you're just visiting, I apologize for this sermon that's about to come out.

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 I find myself apologizing a lot every week, but this one will be probably particularly bad.

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 I'd like to say that it's not like this every week, but it is a little bit like this every week.

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 But this is my heart.

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 Because, actually, at the end of it, I was in tears.

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 I was like, how do these people feel known?

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 And how do you walk with one another?

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 Because that's my experience of church.

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 And it was messy.

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 And it wasn't always great.

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 But they were my people.

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 How can you get by in life in church and not have your people?

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 And so fast forward a few years, I'm talking to my brother Joe.

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 And we're like, hey, we've got all these people that God's placed in our lives that we love.

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 Who are just scattered across in all these different churches.

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 You know, hashtag one church.

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 So I go to every other church around.

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 And what about, can we just have a thing that's just us?

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 The people that we walk with, that we know, that we love, that we cry with, that we laugh with.

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 Why don't we just do that?

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 Because the Lord didn't tell us to build the church.

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 He told us to make disciples.

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 And so that's what we tried to do.

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 And this leads me on to today's sermon.

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 Because we're doing a summer ensemble, is what I'm calling it, which is the Bible's greatest hits.

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 We did the Ten Commandments.

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 We did the Beatitudes.

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 And this week we're doing a very special passage in the book of Acts.

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 And it's Acts 2, 42 to 47.

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 And it's the Fellowship of Believers.

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 And it's talking about how the church started.

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 But maybe even just before I read it, I want to just give you a little bit, a second disclaimer here, which is this.

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 The book of Acts is not necessarily prescriptive.

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 It's not necessarily telling you what you should do.

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 That's not what it is.

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 It's descriptive in that Luke here, the physician, is basically keeping a record of what actually happened.

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 So it's not necessarily what the church should do.

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 It's what the church did and how it grew.

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 Does that make sense?

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 So as we're looking at this, I think this is an important passage.

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 And I'll tell you, this is an important passage to me.

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 Because as I'm looking around the city, I love the big church.

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 I love the small church.

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 But the thing I keep hearing time and time again that can happen in both churches is no one knows me.

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 I don't have community.

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 And yet I look at this book and how it describes the church and how it started.

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 It was a room that lacked seats.

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 Definitely no comfy seats.

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 To even get in would mean you're putting your life in danger.

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 And whilst it's not prescriptive, I want it.

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 That's why we started this.

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 So if you're visiting here, I want to encourage you, hey, is this what you want?

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 Why do we do that?

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 Why gather thing?

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 It's not because we want to be religious.

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 It's not because we want to start a cult.

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 But it's because I'm just wanting to remind myself why I'm here.

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 That's it.

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 Because it's so easy just to get caught up into all of it.

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 So Acts 2, 42 to 47 is what we're going to do.

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 We do this always because we truly believe this book is the word of God that has the power to bring life, to speak into every circumstance.

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 So one of the ways we do that to remind ourselves is that we stand for the word of the Lord.

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 So can I invite you to stand?

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 Sorry to all those on the beanbags and the cushions.

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 Lord, we hang off every word.

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 All we want is to hear from you, to know you.

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 So Holy Spirit, would you move through these words now?

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 From the book of Acts, chapter 2.

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 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

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 And all came upon every soul.

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 And many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

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 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

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 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need.

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 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.

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 And the Lord added to their number day by day.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Please take a seat.

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 So we see here, they're meeting and they devote themselves to a few things.

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 And we're just going to go through the scripture and we're going to see what the Lord has for us in this.

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 And all I ask of you is just to have an open heart and ask God, actually, what is it that you're trying to speak to me about?

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 And I'll start with the first word here.

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 And it says, and they devoted themselves to the four pillars.

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 They devoted themselves to the four pillars.

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 And let me frame the whole time that we're going to have here.

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 I'm going to ask you this question.

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 Are you devoted or are you dabbling?

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 Are you devoted or are you dabbling?

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 Okay.

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 That's the question I'm going to ask you as we open up the scripture and ask the Lord what he has in store for us.

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 That's what I'm going to ask you.

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 The first thing is this.

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 They were devoted to the apostles teaching.

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 So you imagine a group of people.

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 Jesus died, rose again, flew up into heaven.

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 They're confused.

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 They don't know what to do.

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 They head into a prayer room.

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 And then suddenly the Holy Spirit comes upon them.

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 Peter stands up and preaches.

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 And then suddenly just masses are at it.

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 I mean, this feels cramped and crowded.

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 But 3,000 turn up in a place together.

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 Can you imagine the bathrooms?

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 Can you imagine the hunger?

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 And they devote themselves to these four things.

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 And the first thing is the apostles teaching.

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 What were they teaching?

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 Was it like the apostle Peter going, standing up going, today we're going to teach through the gospel of John, chapter 2.

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 That didn't exist, right?

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 The New Testament wasn't there.

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 So these apostles would stand up and teach.

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 What are they teaching?

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 They're teaching whatever Jesus taught them.

00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:38.759
 The Beatitudes we did last week, the Sermon on the Mount that we see, basically maybe a collection of all of Jesus' teachings through Matthew chapter 5 to 7.

00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:40.980
 They're basically just repeating what they heard.

00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:44.259
 They're saying, okay, this is what we learned from Jesus and this is what we teach to you.

00:13:44.439 --> 00:13:47.959
 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

00:13:48.219 --> 00:13:49.219
 There's an emphasis here.

00:13:49.319 --> 00:13:50.679
 And it's not on the word apostle.

00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:52.240
 It's on the word teaching.

00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:52.480
 Why?

00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:56.299
 Because this is the word that gives life, not me.

00:13:57.580 --> 00:13:57.779
 Okay?

00:13:58.200 --> 00:14:02.379
 This is something that I think modern church, the contemporary church needs to understand and realize.

00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:04.279
 This is the word.

00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:08.220
 This is what we devote ourselves to, not the apostles' teaching.

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:09.560
 Those guys were illiterate.

00:14:10.100 --> 00:14:11.299
 I mean, come on, think about Peter.

00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:13.220
 Obnoxious, impulsive.

00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:17.100
 Only when he was filled with the Holy Spirit, then he preaches.

00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:20.519
 He preaches the kerygma, which is basically a proclamation of the gospel.

00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:22.399
 And then everyone's cut to the heart.

00:14:22.680 --> 00:14:24.700
 They're devoted to the apostles' teaching.

00:14:25.680 --> 00:14:26.920
 But how many times have you heard this?

00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:28.320
 Oh, who's preaching today?

00:14:28.560 --> 00:14:30.519
 Oh, okay, then I won't go to that church.

00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:31.440
 Then I'll go to the other church.

00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:34.860
 Oh, yeah, I love that preacher.

00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:37.279
 So I'm going to go there whenever he preaches.

00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:40.680
 And then I'm not going to go when it's not because the other ones aren't good.

00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:42.759
 And then what do you hear?

00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:45.860
 And then you hear, yeah, that church doesn't really feed me.

00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.399
 It doesn't help me grow.

00:14:50.160 --> 00:14:50.860
 Have you heard that?

00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:56.480
 Let me just, let me just, again, I already prepped you about the zingers that are coming.

00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:59.720
 Your pastor, your preacher is not responsible for your growth.

00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:04.060
 Like, if you're not growing, it's not because your pastor is preaching bad sermons.

00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:05.759
 Think about the dentist in the room.

00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:06.300
 Think about Florence.

00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:12.379
 If I go to her, she's my dentist, and I go to her, Florence, I know I came and did that whole hygiene thing that really hurt, and you made me cry.

00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:18.120
 I mean, but it's six months now, and I'm really upset because my teeth aren't clean.

00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:19.500
 And then she asked me, why are you in teeth?

00:15:19.659 --> 00:15:20.519
 Have you been brushing your teeth?

00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:20.860
 I'm, no.

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:22.320
 It's your job to clean my teeth.

00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:25.340
 It's not your, no, it's not her job to clean my teeth.

00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:28.120
 It's not my job to just feed you.

00:15:28.160 --> 00:15:31.160
 So if you're sat here going, oh, yeah, that pastor's saying, don't hit her.

00:15:31.420 --> 00:15:33.060
 Well, that's just Sunday morning.

00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:36.019
 Are you telling me you're not eating the rest of the week?

00:15:39.180 --> 00:15:42.660
 Don't blame your lack of growth on a pastor.

00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:43.440
 We are human.

00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:45.420
 We are, we do not have a perfect church.

00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:49.200
 In fact, what I'm trying to do is convince you that this church is a very imperfect church.

00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.700
 But don't be devoted to that.

00:15:50.800 --> 00:15:54.759
 Be devoted to the apostles' teaching, what Jesus taught.

00:15:55.379 --> 00:16:00.080
 This word right here, that's the key.

00:16:02.140 --> 00:16:06.980
 I'd say I only started growing when I prayed to the Lord, God, this Bible is so boring.

00:16:08.680 --> 00:16:09.840
 Help make it interesting.

00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:13.639
 I want to find this interesting.

00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:16.580
 I want to be hungry for this word.

00:16:16.660 --> 00:16:21.840
 Because this word I know in my head provides me the words that gives me life.

00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:26.780
 Holy Spirit, we don't understand this without the Holy Spirit.

00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:29.879
 So when we're reading it and we don't understand it, we're not understanding it,

00:16:29.920 --> 00:16:31.320
 why are we not asking him to help us?

00:16:32.040 --> 00:16:36.080
 So every time just before you, Holy Spirit, I just, I know I need something.

00:16:36.180 --> 00:16:37.980
 I know I need to spiritually clean my teeth.

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:39.080
 And I know I need this.

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:42.420
 I want to want this book.

00:16:42.680 --> 00:16:44.240
 I want to want your teaching.

00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:47.420
 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:49.160
 Are you devoted or are you dabbling?

00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:57.960
 Are you relying on that little Instagram post account that you follow that tells you God will give you peace that the peace world cannot give?

00:16:58.860 --> 00:16:59.879
 Oh, okay, that's okay.

00:17:01.540 --> 00:17:03.259
 Are you devoted or are you dabbling?

00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:06.340
 Or are you just walking past your fridge and seeing the fridge magnet?

00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.059
 And it's going, oh, okay.

00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:08.099
 Okay.

00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:09.740
 Jesus says, take heart.

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.579
 He has overcome the world.

00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:10.980
 That's it.

00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:11.960
 Don't dabble.

00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:13.839
 Devote yourself.

00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:23.119
 The reason why I have courage for this, I can say, is a couple of weeks ago, I was just getting very distracted and very discouraged about a lot of things.

00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:25.299
 And I was like, you know what, Jesus?

00:17:25.459 --> 00:17:27.159
 I want to know what you were like.

00:17:27.899 --> 00:17:29.259
 Now, I know what you said.

00:17:29.739 --> 00:17:30.579
 John 16, 33.

00:17:30.699 --> 00:17:33.579
 Take heart for I have overcome the world and love one another.

00:17:33.739 --> 00:17:34.879
 And I get all these things.

00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:37.000
 But I want to see a whole picture of you.

00:17:37.040 --> 00:17:40.080
 So I read through the whole gospel of Matthew and then the whole gospel of John.

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:43.880
 And I was like, I don't want to exposit each verse.

00:17:44.140 --> 00:17:45.820
 I just want to get a picture of who you are.

00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:55.599
 And, you know, I came out of that going, man, Jesus is terrifying and gentle.

00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:00.480
 Steadfast but unpredictable.

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:04.019
 And most of all, he doesn't care what people think.

00:18:04.099 --> 00:18:07.700
 The amount of times he said something and people walked away from him.

00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:15.920
 Whereas so often I find myself trying to scratch your rich ears to make sure that you feel as though you've had a good sermon to listen to.

00:18:16.839 --> 00:18:21.279
 Jesus would tell them the truth in love and it was a take it or leave it situation.

00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:24.039
 That's what I said.

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:28.019
 And that came from me looking at the whole gospel and just going, wow.

00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:36.920
 But so often we reduce the gospel, reduce this book to sound bites, to Instagram posts, to fridge magnets.

00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:40.240
 And then we wonder why we're not full.

00:18:40.339 --> 00:18:41.960
 We wonder why we're not growing.

00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:46.720
 Last week we talked about the Beatitudes, blessed.

00:18:46.860 --> 00:18:48.640
 That word blessed from Psalm 1.

00:18:48.860 --> 00:18:52.700
 Blessed is the man who's planted by the river and his tree will flourish.

00:18:52.860 --> 00:18:53.019
 Why?

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.799
 Because he's meditating on his word day and night.

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:57.539
 They're devoted to the apostles' teaching.

00:18:57.900 --> 00:18:59.440
 They are not dabbling.

00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.920
 My world exploded.

00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:04.799
 My spiritual world exploded when I started memorizing scripture.

00:19:05.380 --> 00:19:06.019
 Try it.

00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:09.140
 Start with 1 Corinthians 13.

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.960
 It's the easiest one.

00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:14.019
 Just do something to get yourself into the word.

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:18.860
 Devote yourself to the word and not to James' preaching.

00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:22.219
 It's convenient.

00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:24.259
 These next few weeks I'm flying and I'm going to be with my family.

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:27.759
 I'm going to have my brothers, Gabe, and I'm going to have Johnny come up.

00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:29.500
 And they're going to just preach from the word.

00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.799
 And I know they're going to be faithful.

00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.379
 I know they're going to be saying exactly what the Lord wants them to say.

00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:35.319
 Receive it.

00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:40.579
 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:42.240
 Emphasis teaching.

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.939
 And then do it.

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.619
 When we were praying there before the service, actually Trevor affirmed this in his prayer.

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:49.500
 He was like, let us be doers of the word.

00:19:50.399 --> 00:19:51.899
 Some of us, I'm not going to lie.

00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:56.480
 Some of us, I know you're here because, well, because mum brought you here and you're sat here.

00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:57.740
 And you're just going to listen.

00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.419
 And you've heard all these Bible stories before.

00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:02.039
 And you walk out and you won't do a single thing about it.

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.360
 The book of James says this.

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.519
 Don't just be hearers of the word.

00:20:04.600 --> 00:20:05.100
 Be doers.

00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:06.300
 Actually do something.

00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:10.960
 If you're just listening and it's just at an intellectual level, it doesn't mean anything.

00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:12.920
 It doesn't go anywhere.

00:20:14.080 --> 00:20:15.960
 Francis Chan gave this example, which I love.

00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:19.039
 It's like, imagine a parent leaves the house.

00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:23.060
 But before they leave the house, they leave a note for their child because their room is a mess.

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:25.140
 And it says, tidy up your room.

00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:27.160
 And then the parent leaves.

00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:32.040
 And the child wakes up and then looks at the note and says, oh, tidy up your room.

00:20:33.019 --> 00:20:35.259
 And then he calls his friends to come to the house.

00:20:35.300 --> 00:20:36.820
 Hey, my parents left me a note.

00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:37.880
 We're going to study it together.

00:20:38.560 --> 00:20:40.420
 Come on, let's hang out and let's study this word together.

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:42.320
 Let's look at the etymology of the word tidy.

00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:43.820
 What does the word tidy actually mean?

00:20:45.040 --> 00:20:47.100
 Actually, what does it even mean in the original language?

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.500
 Maybe we need to look at that.

00:20:50.860 --> 00:20:51.460
 Let's do that.

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.040
 And let's study.

00:20:52.120 --> 00:20:53.100
 And let's talk about it.

00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:55.980
 Let's talk about tidying my room because that's important.

00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:57.680
 That is such an important.

00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:00.400
 And I think I know why the author said this.

00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:06.160
 And then they high five each other, sing kumbaya, and the friends leave.

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:09.579
 And the parents come back and the room's not tidy.

00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:10.319
 Why?

00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:11.660
 Because they were just hearers of the word.

00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:12.759
 They were just studyers of the word.

00:21:12.819 --> 00:21:13.980
 They were not doers of the word.

00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:20.960
 When you look at this book, this book should hit your head and then drop into your heart and then push you into action.

00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:24.500
 When you come into church and you gather, it should push you into scattering.

00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:28.099
 And if it doesn't, there's a problem.

00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:29.599
 There's a disconnect somewhere.

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:35.819
 Again, I'm mostly speaking to those who have committed to staying here who believe in the mission statements here.

00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:37.179
 So if you're visiting, hey, welcome.

00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:37.799
 Good to have you.

00:21:40.459 --> 00:21:40.819
 Why?

00:21:40.939 --> 00:21:44.959
 Because this book is the only reliable guide to teach us how to live in this broken world.

00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:49.839
 This is the only reliable guide that will show you how to deal with a horrible boss.

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:53.720
 This is the only reliable guide that will show you how to deal with that loneliness.

00:21:53.899 --> 00:21:57.879
 That loneliness that St. Augustine talked about this and he does so much writing on loneliness.

00:21:58.199 --> 00:22:04.459
 And he says, actually, loneliness is the best word we have to describe this gaping hole in our hearts.

00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:12.240
 The moment we severed ourselves from God, the moment we chose sin and chose to walk away from him, we felt lonely.

00:22:12.939 --> 00:22:15.939
 Ecclesiastes 3 says he planted eternity into the heart of man.

00:22:15.939 --> 00:22:18.119
 We were built and we were made for eternity.

00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:19.859
 We were made for a relationship with him.

00:22:19.919 --> 00:22:23.000
 The moment we chose to go the other way, boom, loneliness kicks in.

00:22:24.959 --> 00:22:26.099
 That's what we're all feeling.

00:22:26.419 --> 00:22:29.299
 And this book is the only reliable guide to navigate this broken world.

00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:33.959
 That's why they devoted, not dabbled, they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:37.759
 And then they did the second thing and they devoted themselves to fellowship.

00:22:39.139 --> 00:22:40.819
 Fellowship, being together.

00:22:41.739 --> 00:22:44.959
 That's why we stuff ourselves into a room because we like people.

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.019
 Introverts keep reminding yourself, you like people.

00:22:48.119 --> 00:22:51.239
 You need people around you.

00:22:51.959 --> 00:22:54.799
 The old proverb that says if you want to go somewhere fast, you go alone.

00:22:54.839 --> 00:22:57.639
 But if you want to go somewhere far, you go together.

00:22:57.799 --> 00:22:58.619
 And life is far.

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.199
 Life is long.

00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:02.199
 It truly is.

00:23:02.719 --> 00:23:07.239
 I wouldn't be where I am were it not for my pastor being with me in McDonald's.

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:13.220
 If it were not for my friends being around me when our dad passed away and they came and moved into our house for weeks.

00:23:14.380 --> 00:23:17.160
 We're here because there were people around us.

00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:21.660
 And what we're trying to do here is, I wouldn't say reaction.

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:26.540
 And if it is a reaction, I pray that we never overreact and overcompensate and go the other way and become too intense.

00:23:26.540 --> 00:23:29.019
 But it is just a response going, this is what we need.

00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:30.160
 This is what helped me.

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:32.220
 I would like to be there for you.

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:35.540
 Because someone was there for me.

00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:37.140
 And they devoted themselves to it.

00:23:37.380 --> 00:23:42.779
 And they said day by day, they attend the temple together and they go home and break bread.

00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:43.900
 They do both.

00:23:43.900 --> 00:23:51.640
 So this argument of, oh, should it be, oh, that church is too big or this house church is too weird or whatever it might be.

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:52.640
 It doesn't matter.

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:55.000
 Both have great points.

00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:57.600
 Both have great things.

00:23:58.259 --> 00:23:59.560
 A big church has small things.

00:23:59.820 --> 00:24:00.780
 They gather in the temple.

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:02.440
 They go and they worship in a big setting.

00:24:02.600 --> 00:24:05.560
 And then they go home and they continue to hang out in a much smaller group.

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.900
 That's what you need.

00:24:07.940 --> 00:24:08.640
 That's what you need.

00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:09.680
 Because you need people.

00:24:10.060 --> 00:24:13.060
 Hebrews 10.25 is the one that don't stop meeting each other.

00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:14.319
 Don't stop.

00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:16.159
 Do not neglect to meet each other.

00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:19.039
 Encourage each other as the day draws near.

00:24:19.179 --> 00:24:21.099
 Stir each other up in love and good works.

00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:23.139
 And I hold on to that all the time.

00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:25.000
 When I feel I want to spend a moment quiet.

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:28.779
 Now, there is a whole case that we need to have balance.

00:24:28.919 --> 00:24:30.720
 We need to have Sabbath and we need to have rest.

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:36.559
 But I think for many of us, we're just so busy with so many other things.

00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:37.440
 We're not even having that.

00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:40.019
 It just stops us from also committing to community.

00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:44.519
 That word in Hebrews talks about gathering together.

00:24:45.299 --> 00:24:45.940
 Episynagoge.

00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:48.299
 Synagoge is synagogue.

00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:49.039
 So you meet.

00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:54.319
 But actually, the epi word was maybe them trying to disassociate from the Jewish side of things.

00:24:54.639 --> 00:24:54.859
 Epi.

00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.000
 I mean, I was a biology teacher.

00:24:56.139 --> 00:24:56.799
 Epithelial cells.

00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:57.299
 What are those?

00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:58.420
 On the surface.

00:24:58.500 --> 00:24:58.980
 On the top.

00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:00.839
 It's on top of the synagogue.

00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:02.000
 It's on top of church.

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.319
 And I've always said this.

00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:07.500
 If we want to build community, don't rely on just this setting.

00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:08.460
 It's too busy here.

00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.779
 It's too busy here.

00:25:10.939 --> 00:25:11.720
 There's too many people.

00:25:11.899 --> 00:25:13.339
 You won't build your community here.

00:25:13.639 --> 00:25:18.399
 I would argue the next step is then that you have a group that you meet minimum once a week.

00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:20.559
 And I know for some people, that's even a lot.

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.919
 And I'm like, well, in that case, I can't help.

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:23.779
 There's nothing I can do.

00:25:23.779 --> 00:25:33.240
 But actually, I'd argue, and I think the midweek guys will agree with this, and the girls, is that actually the relationships aren't even just built in the midweeks.

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:38.579
 It's in the breakfasts and the lunches and the dinners afterwards.

00:25:39.339 --> 00:25:40.259
 It's those times.

00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:43.920
 It's on top of the times where you're supposed to meet.

00:25:45.379 --> 00:25:46.940
 That's when you start building community.

00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:48.759
 And you have to commit to seeing each other.

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:50.119
 And this is the sad thing.

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:53.619
 I'm supposed to hear to preach the good news, but there is some bad news.

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:56.700
 You want community, but you can't handle community.

00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:00.339
 You aren't willing to pay the cost of what it is.

00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:02.319
 What is the biggest problem in Hong Kong?

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:03.019
 Time.

00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:05.319
 I don't have time for it.

00:26:06.139 --> 00:26:08.440
 And I don't believe in those four words, I don't have time.

00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:10.980
 I believe in another four words, which is, it's not a priority.

00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:13.319
 That's your four words.

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:19.599
 So when you say I don't have time,

00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:24.199
 when you say I can only come to church two weeks out of the four,

00:26:24.419 --> 00:26:29.179
 because the other one, I have a tennis session that I go to,

00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:33.060
 and the other one, I have to go on a junk boat.

00:26:35.060 --> 00:26:37.720
 Don't come back here and then say, but I don't know anyone.

00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.200
 Can you see?

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.980
 Can you see how unfair it is?

00:26:42.060 --> 00:26:42.820
 Don't do it.

00:26:42.819 --> 00:26:45.339
 Because it costs time.

00:26:46.659 --> 00:26:51.159
 To be with people costs time, and sometimes we can't handle that.

00:26:53.139 --> 00:26:56.039
 Another part of this is, it's not just time is the problem.

00:26:56.919 --> 00:26:58.299
 Say you have committed time.

00:26:59.159 --> 00:26:59.960
 Something else happens.

00:27:00.159 --> 00:27:01.379
 You get to know a group of people,

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:05.019
 and then you realize those people are idiots.

00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:08.180
 They're selfish.

00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:09.440
 They're broken.

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:14.240
 But they're people.

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:19.819
 We all want this time where, oh, I get to hang out with the people that I love,

00:27:20.779 --> 00:27:23.519
 who are like me, who do the things that I like to do,

00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:26.599
 and only then will I have community and fellowship,

00:27:26.740 --> 00:27:29.579
 because only then I'm vibing with the people that are my people.

00:27:31.139 --> 00:27:33.400
 You look at the church in this book,

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:35.560
 you look at the church in Philippi,

00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:38.100
 there was a slave girl, there was a prison guard,

00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:39.000
 there was a businesswoman.

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:40.360
 Can you imagine what they had in common?

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:41.980
 No, you can't.

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:43.019
 There's nothing they have in common.

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.720
 But they gathered together.

00:27:46.860 --> 00:27:48.320
 Scripture then says in this passage,

00:27:48.700 --> 00:27:50.480
 and all who believed were together.

00:27:50.620 --> 00:27:51.720
 They had all things in common.

00:27:51.860 --> 00:27:55.140
 That wasn't that suddenly they all became the same social class

00:27:55.140 --> 00:27:56.380
 and all have the same hobbies.

00:27:57.000 --> 00:27:59.560
 No, it was they all had their eyes on one thing.

00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:03.360
 It transcended social class.

00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:04.320
 It transcended hobbies.

00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:08.340
 I love so much all our interest groups,

00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:10.200
 and they are really, really fun.

00:28:11.820 --> 00:28:14.980
 The wine tasting, the baking, the climbing, the reading,

00:28:16.060 --> 00:28:16.900
 the listening to music.

00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:17.820
 I love all of it.

00:28:18.560 --> 00:28:20.060
 But that's only a part of community.

00:28:20.820 --> 00:28:22.240
 You'll know you're really in community

00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:24.720
 when you're sitting there with someone who's really hard to love,

00:28:24.780 --> 00:28:26.080
 but you're sitting there to love them anyway,

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:28.120
 and you're sitting there to listen to them anyway,

00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:28.980
 to care for them anyway.

00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:33.339
 That's what we're trying to build here.

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:35.440
 Devoted to the apostles' teaching.

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:38.279
 Devoted to fellowship.

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:40.180
 And actually, blood breaks into the final two.

00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:40.860
 Breaking bread.

00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:44.660
 They're just devoted to worship,

00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:46.960
 to being with people, to worship God together.

00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:49.000
 And it starts off this way.

00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:50.380
 They're breaking bread in their homes,

00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:53.279
 and they're receiving their food with glad and generous hearts.

00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:54.019
 Can you imagine that?

00:28:54.420 --> 00:28:56.000
 Just a whole group of people gathered.

00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:57.700
 They're just so excited about being together.

00:28:57.779 --> 00:28:58.359
 They break bread.

00:28:58.559 --> 00:28:59.220
 They remember Jesus,

00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:01.660
 and they receive their food with glad and generous hearts.

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:03.460
 That's so fun, right?

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:05.740
 But you know, mankind has this knack,

00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.759
 has this incredible ability to mess things up.

00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:12.019
 Because only a few years later,

00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:14.160
 the apostle Paul talks about communion.

00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:15.839
 And what does he say in 1 Corinthians 11?

00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:18.000
 You'll see pastors stand up here leading communion.

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.680
 We'll say 1 Corinthians 11.

00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:22.319
 This is what Jesus said on the night that he was betrayed.

00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.740
 And he took this, you know, that passage?

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.539
 Do you know why that passage is even there?

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:28.500
 That passage is there because there were a group of people

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:31.579
 in the church in Corinth who were sitting separately

00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:33.299
 because they had nothing in common.

00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.200
 They had the rich people sitting there,

00:29:35.639 --> 00:29:37.379
 eating their caviar, breaking bread,

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.420
 drinking their nice wine,

00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:40.539
 and they had another group that didn't have any food to eat.

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:43.700
 And that's what causes Paul to go,

00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:45.900
 hey, that's not what communion is about.

00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:49.359
 That's not what being together is about.

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.680
 Do we have that here?

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:54.420
 Do we have those who have more,

00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:56.019
 who aren't sharing,

00:29:56.120 --> 00:29:56.960
 with those who do have,

00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:58.660
 who don't have anything, sorry?

00:29:59.460 --> 00:30:01.400
 It's like Francis and Wes being decked out

00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:02.380
 in all their Ludo lemon

00:30:02.380 --> 00:30:05.320
 and hanging out in all their breathe of all the tire.

00:30:05.660 --> 00:30:06.700
 And then in the other corner

00:30:06.700 --> 00:30:07.920
 is just the rest of the people

00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.720
 who are wearing Uniqlo.

00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:11.740
 And they're not sharing.

00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:13.080
 They're not sharing the love.

00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:14.320
 They're not,

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:16.039
 Francis isn't sharing his discount.

00:30:16.039 --> 00:30:19.899
 Where are you, Francis?

00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.440
 He's hiding.

00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:26.200
 That's what Paul is saying.

00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:27.899
 This isn't church.

00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.859
 You guys got people who are in need

00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:30.740
 who don't have anywhere to live

00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:32.940
 and you guys own apartment buildings

00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:34.339
 and you're not doing anything to help them.

00:30:35.819 --> 00:30:36.599
 This isn't church.

00:30:36.599 --> 00:30:41.679
 And they were selling their possessions

00:30:41.679 --> 00:30:43.679
 and distributing to all who had need.

00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:47.139
 Doesn't mean you have to sell everything right now.

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:49.039
 It's when you see there is a need,

00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:50.959
 will you help?

00:30:52.319 --> 00:30:53.359
 Sometimes it's money.

00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:55.579
 Sometimes it's possession.

00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:58.379
 A lot of the time it's time.

00:30:58.380 --> 00:31:02.500
 Are you willing to spend time with people?

00:31:05.760 --> 00:31:08.020
 That sharing envisages

00:31:08.020 --> 00:31:10.600
 the social character of the kingdom of God.

00:31:11.020 --> 00:31:12.500
 When people walk in here,

00:31:12.580 --> 00:31:14.500
 do they see people who are willing to share?

00:31:17.140 --> 00:31:19.620
 That is a social character of the kingdom of God

00:31:19.620 --> 00:31:21.560
 that there is no one in need.

00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:22.360
 You cannot,

00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:24.620
 if Western society

00:31:24.620 --> 00:31:26.260
 in its pursuit of individualism

00:31:26.260 --> 00:31:27.100
 has told us anything

00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:29.079
 is that you cannot flourish on your own.

00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:31.799
 You cannot flourish on your own.

00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:35.899
 Loneliness will be your shadow always.

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.059
 Look at the,

00:31:38.379 --> 00:31:40.179
 go into a cemetery and look at a grave.

00:31:40.899 --> 00:31:41.859
 You look at two graves.

00:31:42.379 --> 00:31:42.980
 One says,

00:31:43.639 --> 00:31:45.480
 this man was a CEO,

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:46.699
 a board director,

00:31:46.859 --> 00:31:47.379
 and a millionaire.

00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:49.379
 And this one says,

00:31:49.919 --> 00:31:50.439
 he's a dad,

00:31:50.679 --> 00:31:51.119
 father,

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:51.899
 friend,

00:31:52.159 --> 00:31:52.459
 husband.

00:31:54.459 --> 00:31:55.379
 Who was happier?

00:31:55.380 --> 00:31:57.360
 who flourished?

00:31:59.340 --> 00:32:01.240
 And yet we spend all of our time

00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:02.420
 trying to climb up the ladder

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:03.380
 to be the CEO,

00:32:03.520 --> 00:32:04.420
 to be the billionaire,

00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.880
 to get all these things,

00:32:06.080 --> 00:32:07.540
 and we'll never put it on our grave.

00:32:08.600 --> 00:32:10.100
 You cannot flourish on your own.

00:32:10.760 --> 00:32:11.780
 You can only flourish

00:32:11.780 --> 00:32:13.160
 with people

00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:14.720
 around you.

00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:15.980
 To share

00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:16.980
 with people

00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:17.860
 around you.

00:32:18.980 --> 00:32:19.680
 And then prayer.

00:32:19.780 --> 00:32:20.600
 I'm not going to talk about prayer

00:32:20.599 --> 00:32:21.179
 because actually,

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:23.099
 after this Summer Ensemble series,

00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:24.439
 we're going to spend a lot of time

00:32:24.439 --> 00:32:25.179
 talking about prayer.

00:32:25.459 --> 00:32:26.959
 And just to give another warning here,

00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:28.959
 from mid-August onwards,

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:29.959
 we're going to be talking about prayer

00:32:29.959 --> 00:32:31.359
 and we're actually going to be praying.

00:32:31.659 --> 00:32:33.819
 So you won't get to just hear a sermon about prayer.

00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.119
 You will actually have to pray.

00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:35.719
 Okay?

00:32:35.919 --> 00:32:37.000
 So just be aware of that.

00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:37.879
 The sermons will be shorter

00:32:37.879 --> 00:32:38.519
 and we will,

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.339
 as a community,

00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:40.980
 practice what it means to pray.

00:32:41.579 --> 00:32:41.879
 Okay?

00:32:42.179 --> 00:32:42.980
 That's what we're going to do.

00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:45.079
 So what's the result

00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:46.019
 of this devotion?

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.440
 These guys were devoted

00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:48.440
 and they were not dabbling.

00:32:48.680 --> 00:32:49.799
 Sometimes we are dabbling

00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:50.700
 and we are not devoted

00:32:50.700 --> 00:32:51.500
 and then we're wondering

00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:52.160
 why we're not growing.

00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:53.420
 These guys were devoted.

00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:54.880
 What was the result of it?

00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:56.259
 They were devoted

00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:57.220
 to the apostles' teaching,

00:32:57.319 --> 00:32:57.559
 fellowship,

00:32:57.700 --> 00:32:58.599
 breaking bread and prayer

00:32:58.599 --> 00:33:01.000
 and awe came upon every soul.

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:03.839
 They were just filled with awe

00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:05.420
 and many wonders and signs

00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:06.000
 were being done

00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:07.059
 through the apostles.

00:33:07.160 --> 00:33:07.819
 Can you imagine

00:33:07.819 --> 00:33:09.120
 how does this community

00:33:09.120 --> 00:33:10.460
 even exist?

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.839
 It's because everyone's eyes

00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.799
 are just up there.

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.779
 They're just,

00:33:15.120 --> 00:33:16.860
 it's an attractive community

00:33:16.860 --> 00:33:18.740
 because everyone is just focused

00:33:18.740 --> 00:33:20.380
 on anything but themselves

00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:24.160
 and awe came upon every soul.

00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:26.940
 If we,

00:33:27.380 --> 00:33:28.299
 those who gather here,

00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:28.900
 come in here

00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:30.120
 with the sole objective

00:33:30.120 --> 00:33:30.920
 of Psalm 27,

00:33:31.079 --> 00:33:31.319
 which is,

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:32.519
 Lord, I just want to dwell

00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:33.059
 in your house.

00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:34.680
 I want to gaze upon your beauty.

00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:36.200
 I want to inquire in your temple

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:37.480
 and learn from the teaching

00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:38.319
 and fellowship

00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:39.259
 and breaking bread prayers.

00:33:39.960 --> 00:33:41.220
 What kind of community

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:41.839
 would that be?

00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:44.000
 One that isn't absorbed

00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:45.220
 with its own problems.

00:33:45.299 --> 00:33:46.419
 One that isn't looking down

00:33:46.419 --> 00:33:47.019
 on other people.

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.619
 And then,

00:33:49.740 --> 00:33:50.299
 verse 47,

00:33:50.379 --> 00:33:50.919
 it says this,

00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:52.480
 and they were praising God

00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.319
 and having favor

00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:54.019
 with all people.

00:33:54.879 --> 00:33:55.379
 Can you imagine

00:33:55.379 --> 00:33:56.539
 this group that was growing

00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:57.839
 and they were beginning

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:58.519
 to speak just called

00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:58.959
 The Way.

00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:00.379
 These guys,

00:34:00.679 --> 00:34:00.799
 oh,

00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:01.759
 they're part of The Way.

00:34:01.899 --> 00:34:02.539
 They followed The Way.

00:34:02.599 --> 00:34:03.179
 What is The Way?

00:34:03.179 --> 00:34:03.579
 Well,

00:34:03.619 --> 00:34:04.059
 there was a guy,

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:04.419
 Jesus,

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:04.879
 that came

00:34:04.879 --> 00:34:06.199
 and he showed them The Way

00:34:06.200 --> 00:34:07.140
 and now they're living

00:34:07.140 --> 00:34:07.880
 in The Way.

00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:08.880
 But you know what?

00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:09.579
 You know what?

00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:10.519
 That group of people

00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:11.220
 really are like,

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:12.420
 they're really cool people.

00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:13.280
 They're really fun.

00:34:13.480 --> 00:34:14.280
 They're really nice.

00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:15.300
 They're filled with joy.

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:17.880
 And they had favor

00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:18.760
 with the neighbors.

00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:21.579
 We don't have great favor

00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:22.500
 with our neighbors currently

00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:23.280
 because we're too loud.

00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:27.740
 But they had favor

00:34:27.740 --> 00:34:29.160
 with the people.

00:34:29.240 --> 00:34:30.700
 That means the people outside

00:34:30.700 --> 00:34:31.300
 were sort of,

00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:32.620
 there's something about you guys

00:34:32.620 --> 00:34:33.060
 that's different.

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:35.480
 There's something about you guys

00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.340
 that's different.

00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:37.400
 What is that?

00:34:38.640 --> 00:34:39.800
 That's the healthy community

00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:40.700
 that we're praying for.

00:34:41.720 --> 00:34:42.560
 So sociologists

00:34:42.560 --> 00:34:43.660
 have this thought

00:34:43.660 --> 00:34:44.800
 that they're all

00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:45.720
 pretty much agreed

00:34:45.720 --> 00:34:47.720
 that the ideal number

00:34:47.720 --> 00:34:49.580
 of people

00:34:49.580 --> 00:34:51.360
 is about 150.

00:34:51.360 --> 00:34:52.300
 Like,

00:34:52.900 --> 00:34:54.019
 it's basically a village.

00:34:54.720 --> 00:34:55.920
 The ideal number

00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:57.260
 for a human to flourish,

00:34:57.380 --> 00:34:58.220
 a human to community

00:34:58.220 --> 00:34:58.880
 to flourish

00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:00.380
 is about 150 people

00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.820
 because if you get too big,

00:35:02.140 --> 00:35:03.019
 people start not knowing

00:35:03.019 --> 00:35:03.500
 each other

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:05.140
 and there's a lot more troubles

00:35:05.140 --> 00:35:05.980
 and there's kind of,

00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:06.940
 and then suddenly

00:35:06.940 --> 00:35:07.860
 there's gangs

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:09.160
 and West Side Story

00:35:09.160 --> 00:35:10.200
 and it just all

00:35:10.200 --> 00:35:10.720
 gets really messy.

00:35:11.120 --> 00:35:12.500
 But 150 people is nice.

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:14.360
 It takes a village

00:35:14.360 --> 00:35:15.099
 to raise the children.

00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:16.400
 That's the village.

00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:16.840
 That's nice.

00:35:17.700 --> 00:35:18.760
 And I find myself

00:35:18.760 --> 00:35:19.320
 asking this question.

00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:20.400
 That's what I've always said.

00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:21.200
 150.

00:35:22.240 --> 00:35:22.519
 I would,

00:35:22.619 --> 00:35:22.760
 Lord,

00:35:23.860 --> 00:35:24.900
 would you give us a church

00:35:24.900 --> 00:35:26.260
 that is 150 people

00:35:26.260 --> 00:35:27.160
 who are devoted

00:35:27.160 --> 00:35:27.860
 to the teaching,

00:35:28.119 --> 00:35:28.380
 fellowship,

00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:29.360
 breaking bread and prayers

00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:31.740
 and that's it.

00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:32.480
 That's all I need.

00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:33.500
 And then I realize

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:34.619
 I shoot myself in the foot

00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:36.220
 because if,

00:35:36.960 --> 00:35:37.639
 let's just argue

00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:39.360
 for health and safety reasons here

00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:39.920
 that we only have

00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.940
 150 people here

00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:41.500
 right now

00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:43.260
 and so this is it.

00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:46.039
 And this is it

00:35:46.039 --> 00:35:46.820
 and we just

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:48.079
 commit to one another.

00:35:48.200 --> 00:35:48.940
 We devote ourselves

00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:49.440
 to one another,

00:35:49.780 --> 00:35:50.139
 teaching,

00:35:50.619 --> 00:35:50.940
 fellowship,

00:35:51.159 --> 00:35:51.700
 breaking bread

00:35:51.700 --> 00:35:52.340
 and prayers.

00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:54.159
 I realize I shoot myself

00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:54.619
 in the foot

00:35:54.619 --> 00:35:56.519
 because my ideal dream

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:57.619
 group of 150,

00:35:58.700 --> 00:35:59.920
 if it really was

00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:00.740
 that good,

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:02.380
 it can't stay at 150.

00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:03.860
 Do you know what I mean?

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:06.780
 If you're growing

00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:07.200
 in the Lord,

00:36:07.260 --> 00:36:07.820
 if you're becoming

00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:08.980
 a doer of the word

00:36:08.980 --> 00:36:10.360
 and you're gathering,

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:11.019
 you can't help

00:36:11.019 --> 00:36:11.420
 but scatter

00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:12.460
 and you can't help

00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:12.980
 but invite.

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:14.079
 That means 150,

00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:16.559
 even if it's going well,

00:36:16.780 --> 00:36:18.079
 cannot stay at 150.

00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:19.139
 And we're desperately

00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.059
 trying to figure out

00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:21.699
 how to deal with this,

00:36:22.099 --> 00:36:23.079
 how to do that.

00:36:23.380 --> 00:36:24.460
 But I'll tell you one thing.

00:36:25.099 --> 00:36:26.420
 We must always,

00:36:26.559 --> 00:36:27.539
 always still have

00:36:27.539 --> 00:36:28.159
 that welcoming,

00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:29.099
 inviting spirit.

00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:31.219
 And I've shared

00:36:31.219 --> 00:36:32.159
 this example before

00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:33.559
 because it happens

00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:35.139
 because of selfish people

00:36:35.139 --> 00:36:36.779
 like you and me

00:36:36.779 --> 00:36:37.539
 and that is

00:36:37.539 --> 00:36:38.840
 the Hong Kong elevator problem.

00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:40.380
 When you're running,

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.539
 walking towards the elevator

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:43.460
 and it's just about to close

00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:44.619
 but you're like,

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:44.980
 ah,

00:36:44.980 --> 00:36:46.400
 and then you manage

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:47.219
 to squeeze in

00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:49.340
 and then you squeeze in

00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:50.219
 and then what's the next

00:36:50.219 --> 00:36:51.059
 thing that you do?

00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:51.460
 And you're like,

00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:51.599
 oh,

00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:52.099
 I'm so grateful

00:36:52.099 --> 00:36:52.500
 that I managed

00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:53.539
 to squeeze into this elevator.

00:36:53.659 --> 00:36:54.219
 What's the next thing

00:36:54.219 --> 00:36:54.639
 that you do?

00:36:54.860 --> 00:36:56.619
 You ram that close button.

00:36:57.019 --> 00:36:57.199
 You're like,

00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:58.380
 now I managed to get in

00:36:58.380 --> 00:36:59.159
 but no one else

00:36:59.159 --> 00:36:59.980
 is now allowed in

00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:00.480
 because he's going

00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:01.240
 to waste my time.

00:37:02.139 --> 00:37:03.039
 But I'm kind of grateful

00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:03.639
 that I managed

00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:04.159
 to make it in.

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:06.320
 Do you have that?

00:37:06.860 --> 00:37:08.039
 I literally just had that

00:37:08.039 --> 00:37:08.860
 as I was coming up.

00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:09.719
 In my defense,

00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:10.699
 I really needed the toilet.

00:37:10.699 --> 00:37:13.339
 But that old lady

00:37:13.339 --> 00:37:14.119
 probably has a lot of time

00:37:14.119 --> 00:37:14.659
 on her hands anyway.

00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:18.539
 But don't we have that

00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:18.980
 in church?

00:37:20.299 --> 00:37:20.899
 Don't we have that?

00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:22.199
 We come into a community,

00:37:22.339 --> 00:37:23.239
 want to find our place

00:37:23.239 --> 00:37:24.239
 because we have loneliness

00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:25.259
 and we want to find belonging

00:37:25.259 --> 00:37:26.579
 and then we find our friends

00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:26.879
 and we go,

00:37:26.919 --> 00:37:27.279
 you know what?

00:37:27.399 --> 00:37:28.500
 This is the perfect size.

00:37:28.839 --> 00:37:29.019
 Guys,

00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:30.039
 we don't want any more people.

00:37:30.199 --> 00:37:31.339
 And we completely forget

00:37:31.339 --> 00:37:32.179
 that we were once

00:37:32.179 --> 00:37:32.899
 one of those people

00:37:32.899 --> 00:37:33.500
 on the outside.

00:37:34.699 --> 00:37:35.879
 We forget that we

00:37:35.879 --> 00:37:36.619
 were hoping

00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:37.379
 that we would catch

00:37:37.379 --> 00:37:37.980
 that elevator,

00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:39.199
 that someone would

00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:40.000
 open it for us

00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:41.380
 but the moment

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:41.940
 we walk in,

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:42.219
 boom,

00:37:42.280 --> 00:37:42.900
 we seem to forget

00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:44.239
 and we now start closing.

00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:45.780
 Isn't it interesting

00:37:45.780 --> 00:37:47.440
 the depravity of man

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:48.519
 that we have

00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:49.539
 that selfishness in us?

00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:52.559
 So let's be a community

00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:54.280
 that invites people.

00:37:55.360 --> 00:37:56.599
 It's been a year now

00:37:56.599 --> 00:37:58.500
 since we moved here.

00:37:59.039 --> 00:37:59.920
 It's been a year now

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:00.539
 since we had

00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:01.980
 the small little gathering.

00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:02.980
 Let's just call that

00:38:02.980 --> 00:38:03.920
 the OG gathering

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:05.699
 and KFCI.

00:38:06.119 --> 00:38:07.340
 And I wanted to dispel

00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:08.380
 something that I've heard

00:38:08.380 --> 00:38:09.500
 multiple times

00:38:09.500 --> 00:38:10.760
 which is this.

00:38:11.579 --> 00:38:11.840
 Yeah,

00:38:11.860 --> 00:38:12.780
 there's a lot of people

00:38:12.780 --> 00:38:14.739
 and I was from KFCI

00:38:14.739 --> 00:38:16.340
 and I only know

00:38:16.340 --> 00:38:17.980
 my five KFCI people

00:38:17.980 --> 00:38:19.440
 and the other gathering people

00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:19.980
 I don't know.

00:38:21.340 --> 00:38:21.820
 And then

00:38:21.820 --> 00:38:23.059
 we've got the OG gathering guys

00:38:23.059 --> 00:38:23.559
 who come and get,

00:38:23.639 --> 00:38:24.019
 oh yeah,

00:38:24.119 --> 00:38:25.039
 it's nice

00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:25.860
 but it's getting bigger

00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:27.079
 because I only know

00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:28.219
 the OG gathering people

00:38:28.219 --> 00:38:30.420
 and the rest of the KFCI people

00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.199
 I don't really know.

00:38:32.659 --> 00:38:33.820
 I can dispel that rumor

00:38:33.820 --> 00:38:34.300
 right here.

00:38:35.500 --> 00:38:36.820
 It is not just two groups.

00:38:36.820 --> 00:38:39.180
 What's happened

00:38:39.180 --> 00:38:40.320
 and what the Lord has done

00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:41.800
 as he's brought more of you to us

00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:43.120
 of which I am grateful for

00:38:43.120 --> 00:38:43.820
 and I apologize

00:38:43.820 --> 00:38:44.700
 if I'm sounding like

00:38:44.700 --> 00:38:45.539
 I'm not grateful for you.

00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:47.080
 I am grateful that you are here

00:38:47.080 --> 00:38:47.600
 truly.

00:38:49.980 --> 00:38:51.460
 Is that there's a mindset

00:38:51.460 --> 00:38:52.240
 that we are always

00:38:52.240 --> 00:38:52.900
 in the minority.

00:38:54.100 --> 00:38:54.800
 Do you know what I'm saying?

00:38:55.260 --> 00:38:56.300
 That you walk in

00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:56.480
 and you're like,

00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:56.620
 oh,

00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:57.780
 I'm just on my own

00:38:57.780 --> 00:38:58.519
 and everyone else

00:38:58.519 --> 00:38:59.120
 knows each other

00:38:59.120 --> 00:39:00.080
 and are besties

00:39:00.080 --> 00:39:01.340
 and they are so good,

00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:02.240
 such good friends

00:39:02.240 --> 00:39:03.780
 and I'm the only one alone.

00:39:04.160 --> 00:39:04.660
 Can I tell you

00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:05.199
 that's not true?

00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:07.299
 The majority of people here

00:39:07.299 --> 00:39:08.299
 are neither associated

00:39:08.299 --> 00:39:09.019
 with KFCI

00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:10.039
 nor the OG gathering.

00:39:11.339 --> 00:39:11.639
 Okay?

00:39:11.879 --> 00:39:12.819
 Because we've grown

00:39:12.819 --> 00:39:13.519
 since then.

00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:14.519
 We've had a lot of

00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:15.480
 new people coming in

00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:17.039
 integrating into our community.

00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:18.299
 Jesus is a perfect example.

00:39:18.399 --> 00:39:18.920
 You came here

00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.839
 and this is all you ever know.

00:39:20.539 --> 00:39:23.559
 And you're just part of this.

00:39:24.799 --> 00:39:25.739
 So I'm going to encourage

00:39:25.739 --> 00:39:26.219
 all of us

00:39:26.219 --> 00:39:26.940
 to drop the,

00:39:27.059 --> 00:39:27.319
 ah,

00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:28.299
 I only know those

00:39:28.299 --> 00:39:29.559
 five people from KFCI.

00:39:29.699 --> 00:39:29.940
 Oh,

00:39:30.019 --> 00:39:30.639
 I wish I had,

00:39:31.839 --> 00:39:32.839
 this is all one group.

00:39:32.840 --> 00:39:35.039
 And what your perception

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:36.680
 of your being a minority is,

00:39:36.740 --> 00:39:37.039
 actually,

00:39:37.220 --> 00:39:38.200
 I will kindly,

00:39:38.340 --> 00:39:38.780
 politely say,

00:39:39.000 --> 00:39:39.840
 it's actually not accurate.

00:39:41.280 --> 00:39:42.440
 There's so many people here.

00:39:42.700 --> 00:39:43.660
 We have so many guests here

00:39:43.660 --> 00:39:44.220
 and visitors here.

00:39:44.260 --> 00:39:45.680
 That's part of being in Hong Kong

00:39:45.680 --> 00:39:46.579
 and a city

00:39:46.579 --> 00:39:47.860
 and being in Admiralty

00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:48.740
 and I get all of that too.

00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:50.880
 But the community

00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:51.840
 is a mix of everyone.

00:39:52.579 --> 00:39:53.900
 And I think it's now around

00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:54.980
 about the right time

00:39:54.980 --> 00:39:56.200
 for us to just drop that.

00:39:57.200 --> 00:39:58.019
 And I've loved,

00:39:58.200 --> 00:39:58.460
 honestly,

00:39:58.539 --> 00:40:00.440
 I have loved seeing Rocky.

00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:02.420
 I just want to highlight Rocky.

00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:03.400
 This guy,

00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:05.240
 this guy is like OG KFC.

00:40:05.660 --> 00:40:06.100
 You were,

00:40:06.160 --> 00:40:07.500
 you were even before,

00:40:07.620 --> 00:40:07.900
 you were,

00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:09.180
 you were before KFC.

00:40:10.620 --> 00:40:11.019
 Right?

00:40:11.760 --> 00:40:12.160
 KFCI,

00:40:12.220 --> 00:40:12.400
 sorry.

00:40:12.579 --> 00:40:12.840
 You were like,

00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:13.820
 you grew up in KFC.

00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:15.400
 But these last few weeks,

00:40:16.500 --> 00:40:17.559
 I saw him on Monday night

00:40:17.559 --> 00:40:18.140
 coming here,

00:40:18.200 --> 00:40:18.940
 doing BJJ.

00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:20.420
 Tuesday,

00:40:20.640 --> 00:40:21.920
 he was doing Muay Thai

00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:22.600
 with the group.

00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:23.700
 Then he's playing bass

00:40:23.700 --> 00:40:24.579
 and then we're celebrating

00:40:24.579 --> 00:40:25.460
 Annabelle's birthday.

00:40:26.260 --> 00:40:26.640
 And I'm like,

00:40:27.019 --> 00:40:27.280
 man,

00:40:27.320 --> 00:40:28.539
 this guy's getting stuck in.

00:40:29.160 --> 00:40:29.660
 And it's good,

00:40:29.740 --> 00:40:29.840
 right,

00:40:29.900 --> 00:40:30.079
 Rocky?

00:40:30.300 --> 00:40:31.019
 You have no choice

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:31.720
 but to nod right now,

00:40:31.719 --> 00:40:32.639
 but it's good,

00:40:32.699 --> 00:40:32.859
 right?

00:40:33.279 --> 00:40:33.599
 Yeah,

00:40:33.699 --> 00:40:34.480
 it's really good.

00:40:34.879 --> 00:40:35.119
 Okay,

00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:35.399
 cool.

00:40:38.779 --> 00:40:40.099
 A healthy body has to grow.

00:40:41.559 --> 00:40:42.819
 And we're trying to figure that out.

00:40:42.980 --> 00:40:43.619
 I assure you,

00:40:44.079 --> 00:40:44.959
 those of you who are standing,

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:46.139
 I promise you I'm finishing soon.

00:40:47.919 --> 00:40:48.939
 But we're trying to grow.

00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:50.239
 But we want to grow

00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:50.839
 in the right way.

00:40:51.339 --> 00:40:52.339
 And it starts with the heart.

00:40:52.980 --> 00:40:53.899
 It starts with the mindset.

00:40:55.539 --> 00:40:56.559
 Maybe just a very,

00:40:56.699 --> 00:40:57.279
 very polite one.

00:40:57.280 --> 00:40:58.080
 If you're literally here,

00:40:58.140 --> 00:40:58.360
 you're like,

00:40:58.440 --> 00:40:58.640
 look,

00:40:58.980 --> 00:40:59.340
 James,

00:40:59.660 --> 00:41:00.220
 I get it.

00:41:01.140 --> 00:41:02.280
 But I'm actually just here

00:41:02.280 --> 00:41:02.700
 to dabble

00:41:02.700 --> 00:41:05.840
 because I actually don't have time.

00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:06.220
 Yeah,

00:41:06.260 --> 00:41:07.120
 I know it's not my priority.

00:41:07.220 --> 00:41:07.920
 I'm just not there yet.

00:41:08.460 --> 00:41:08.760
 Actually,

00:41:08.900 --> 00:41:09.200
 to you,

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:10.519
 no shade,

00:41:10.680 --> 00:41:11.260
 just grace.

00:41:12.780 --> 00:41:13.380
 That's okay.

00:41:16.560 --> 00:41:17.640
 May I recommend to you

00:41:17.640 --> 00:41:18.760
 all these other churches around

00:41:18.760 --> 00:41:20.060
 that have tons of space

00:41:20.060 --> 00:41:20.720
 and tons of seats

00:41:20.720 --> 00:41:22.519
 and go dabble.

00:41:23.780 --> 00:41:24.960
 Go dabble until you're ready

00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:25.340
 to devote.

00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:25.960
 And you can devote

00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:26.679
 yourselves there too.

00:41:27.039 --> 00:41:27.659
 We're not the only,

00:41:27.800 --> 00:41:28.740
 I am not saying

00:41:28.740 --> 00:41:29.360
 we're the only ones

00:41:29.360 --> 00:41:30.119
 that have the only way.

00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:31.519
 There are so many churches

00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:32.420
 doing great things

00:41:32.420 --> 00:41:33.320
 for the kingdom of God here.

00:41:34.659 --> 00:41:35.679
 But I would encourage you,

00:41:35.720 --> 00:41:36.240
 if you're here like,

00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:36.579
 oh,

00:41:36.639 --> 00:41:37.260
 I don't really know,

00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:38.500
 I think I'm just going to

00:41:38.500 --> 00:41:39.019
 dabble here

00:41:39.019 --> 00:41:40.880
 and just take up a seat

00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:41.840
 and take up the oxygen,

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:45.679
 then there's other places

00:41:45.679 --> 00:41:46.220
 to do that.

00:41:48.380 --> 00:41:48.699
 Honestly.

00:41:48.980 --> 00:41:50.400
 But I pray in my heart of hearts

00:41:50.400 --> 00:41:51.579
 that you would devote yourself

00:41:51.579 --> 00:41:52.000
 to this.

00:41:52.840 --> 00:41:54.139
 Because I pray that you would

00:41:54.139 --> 00:41:55.039
 be filled with awe

00:41:55.039 --> 00:41:55.819
 and wonder for him.

00:41:56.799 --> 00:41:57.779
 And that you would know

00:41:57.779 --> 00:41:58.559
 what it means

00:41:58.559 --> 00:41:59.500
 to be in community.

00:42:00.099 --> 00:42:00.819
 That you would know

00:42:00.819 --> 00:42:01.420
 what it means

00:42:01.420 --> 00:42:02.099
 to not be lonely

00:42:02.099 --> 00:42:02.940
 because you can look

00:42:02.940 --> 00:42:03.960
 to the person next to you.

00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:05.019
 Just as C.S. Lewis says,

00:42:05.319 --> 00:42:06.119
 when you're looking

00:42:06.119 --> 00:42:06.739
 and you think you're

00:42:06.739 --> 00:42:07.440
 journeying on your own

00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:08.339
 and you look to your side

00:42:08.339 --> 00:42:09.119
 and you see someone

00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:09.460
 and you go,

00:42:09.659 --> 00:42:09.920
 what?

00:42:10.119 --> 00:42:10.539
 You too?

00:42:11.339 --> 00:42:12.000
 That's friendship.

00:42:13.000 --> 00:42:13.799
 I pray for that.

00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:15.079
 Because I couldn't do it alone

00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:16.059
 and I can't do it alone.

00:42:18.839 --> 00:42:19.679
 And neither can you.

00:42:21.219 --> 00:42:21.900
 So I'm praying

00:42:21.900 --> 00:42:23.139
 that you would think about that.

00:42:23.139 --> 00:42:24.659
 What's a healthy body

00:42:24.659 --> 00:42:25.279
 look like for me?

00:42:25.299 --> 00:42:25.679
 And this is where

00:42:25.679 --> 00:42:26.400
 I'll wrap up.

00:42:27.699 --> 00:42:28.500
 It's a community

00:42:28.500 --> 00:42:30.339
 that has a certain few values

00:42:30.339 --> 00:42:31.879
 that I really want us

00:42:31.879 --> 00:42:32.539
 to hold on to.

00:42:35.039 --> 00:42:35.579
 There's a book

00:42:35.579 --> 00:42:36.299
 that I was reading about

00:42:36.299 --> 00:42:37.940
 just church growth

00:42:37.940 --> 00:42:38.460
 and direction.

00:42:38.579 --> 00:42:39.259
 And one of the things is

00:42:39.259 --> 00:42:40.960
 the type of community

00:42:40.960 --> 00:42:41.879
 that attracts people

00:42:41.879 --> 00:42:43.219
 is one that has joy.

00:42:44.619 --> 00:42:45.519
 I'm praying that we would

00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:46.779
 be a community of joy.

00:42:47.879 --> 00:42:48.859
 Not just joy

00:42:48.859 --> 00:42:49.679
 because everything's

00:42:49.679 --> 00:42:50.039
 going well,

00:42:50.039 --> 00:42:51.460
 but joy despite sadness.

00:42:53.420 --> 00:42:54.159
 Remember what I said

00:42:54.159 --> 00:42:54.719
 last week from

00:42:54.719 --> 00:42:55.480
 the great movie

00:42:55.480 --> 00:42:55.920
 Inside Out?

00:42:57.639 --> 00:42:58.219
 Gabs and I

00:42:58.219 --> 00:42:58.960
 love that line.

00:42:59.400 --> 00:42:59.599
 Honestly,

00:42:59.719 --> 00:43:00.059
 there's this,

00:43:00.420 --> 00:43:00.599
 hey,

00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:01.900
 I'm spoiling it for you.

00:43:02.039 --> 00:43:03.440
 When joy says to sadness,

00:43:04.059 --> 00:43:04.679
 where you go,

00:43:04.759 --> 00:43:05.059
 I go.

00:43:06.779 --> 00:43:07.179
 Man,

00:43:07.960 --> 00:43:09.239
 grief and gratitude together.

00:43:09.480 --> 00:43:10.179
 Can we be a people

00:43:10.179 --> 00:43:10.719
 of joy

00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:11.980
 despite everything

00:43:11.980 --> 00:43:12.860
 that might be happening

00:43:12.860 --> 00:43:13.460
 in our own lives

00:43:13.460 --> 00:43:14.039
 that we choose?

00:43:14.159 --> 00:43:15.199
 And you can only do that

00:43:15.199 --> 00:43:16.899
 with people

00:43:16.899 --> 00:43:17.779
 who are committed to you,

00:43:17.859 --> 00:43:18.419
 who know you,

00:43:18.859 --> 00:43:20.039
 who share the same passions

00:43:20.039 --> 00:43:20.799
 as you.

00:43:21.279 --> 00:43:22.019
 Can we be a people

00:43:22.019 --> 00:43:22.679
 who have joy

00:43:22.679 --> 00:43:23.500
 despite sadness?

00:43:23.799 --> 00:43:24.359
 Can we be people

00:43:24.359 --> 00:43:25.639
 who have hope

00:43:25.639 --> 00:43:27.599
 despite darkness?

00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:29.019
 That you look at this world

00:43:29.019 --> 00:43:29.980
 and you see all the things

00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:30.539
 that are going on

00:43:30.539 --> 00:43:31.819
 and you turn on the TV

00:43:31.819 --> 00:43:33.019
 and it's the presidential debate

00:43:33.019 --> 00:43:34.339
 and you see all these things

00:43:34.339 --> 00:43:34.939
 and you're like,

00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:35.319
 you know what,

00:43:35.319 --> 00:43:36.239
 I still have hope

00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:37.359
 because kingdoms rise

00:43:37.359 --> 00:43:38.059
 and kingdoms fall

00:43:38.059 --> 00:43:39.419
 but Jesus was the one

00:43:39.419 --> 00:43:40.539
 that will be reign above it all.

00:43:41.179 --> 00:43:42.139
 And I have that hope

00:43:42.139 --> 00:43:43.719
 and that he is coming back again

00:43:43.719 --> 00:43:44.619
 and he is a hope

00:43:44.619 --> 00:43:45.319
 that will save me.

00:43:45.559 --> 00:43:46.819
 I cannot see him right now

00:43:46.819 --> 00:43:47.759
 but he is coming

00:43:47.759 --> 00:43:48.739
 and he has a name

00:43:48.739 --> 00:43:49.859
 and because of that

00:43:49.859 --> 00:43:50.719
 I can grieve

00:43:50.719 --> 00:43:51.839
 but I can grieve

00:43:51.839 --> 00:43:52.679
 still with hope.

00:43:54.039 --> 00:43:55.519
 Can we be that type of people?

00:43:56.539 --> 00:43:57.619
 Can we be a type of people

00:43:57.619 --> 00:43:58.579
 that has peace

00:43:58.579 --> 00:43:59.959
 despite differences?

00:44:00.980 --> 00:44:02.439
 We look across the room right now,

00:44:02.519 --> 00:44:03.099
 we have people

00:44:03.099 --> 00:44:04.379
 of many, many differences

00:44:04.379 --> 00:44:07.199
 but can we,

00:44:07.579 --> 00:44:08.159
 actually,

00:44:08.659 --> 00:44:10.239
 that's exactly what church is.

00:44:10.279 --> 00:44:11.000
 That's what Keller says.

00:44:11.099 --> 00:44:12.159
 Church is a group of people

00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:13.039
 who otherwise

00:44:13.039 --> 00:44:13.880
 would have no business

00:44:13.880 --> 00:44:14.380
 being together.

00:44:15.139 --> 00:44:16.699
 That if I walked past you

00:44:16.699 --> 00:44:17.079
 in the street,

00:44:17.219 --> 00:44:18.000
 I would have nothing

00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:18.699
 to do with you

00:44:18.699 --> 00:44:20.300
 because of the way

00:44:20.300 --> 00:44:20.980
 you do your hair

00:44:20.980 --> 00:44:23.159
 and I'll just be offended by you

00:44:23.159 --> 00:44:24.279
 because you're wasting your hair

00:44:24.279 --> 00:44:25.239
 and I don't want to talk to you.

00:44:28.599 --> 00:44:29.679
 But because of Christ,

00:44:30.340 --> 00:44:32.880
 we're united together.

00:44:34.699 --> 00:44:35.400
 Social class,

00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:35.880
 hobbies,

00:44:36.119 --> 00:44:36.519
 interests,

00:44:36.739 --> 00:44:37.099
 preferences,

00:44:37.639 --> 00:44:37.920
 music,

00:44:38.019 --> 00:44:38.719
 whatever it might be,

00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:39.679
 can we be a people

00:44:39.679 --> 00:44:41.320
 that deliberately goes across

00:44:41.320 --> 00:44:43.140
 the barrier to the other side

00:44:43.140 --> 00:44:43.380
 and go,

00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:43.680
 man,

00:44:44.100 --> 00:44:45.240
 I love you.

00:44:46.059 --> 00:44:46.480
 In school,

00:44:46.539 --> 00:44:47.480
 we would not have been friends

00:44:47.480 --> 00:44:47.980
 but here,

00:44:48.400 --> 00:44:49.080
 we are friends.

00:44:50.720 --> 00:44:51.920
 Peace despite differences.

00:44:52.820 --> 00:44:53.300
 And finally,

00:44:53.380 --> 00:44:54.080
 to have love

00:44:54.080 --> 00:44:56.620
 despite inconvenience.

00:44:58.220 --> 00:44:58.780
 Do you know how we all

00:44:58.780 --> 00:44:59.080
 kind of go,

00:44:59.140 --> 00:44:59.240
 hey,

00:44:59.280 --> 00:44:59.700
 love you

00:44:59.700 --> 00:45:00.400
 and love you,

00:45:00.440 --> 00:45:00.559
 bro?

00:45:02.860 --> 00:45:03.780
 Do you know how I

00:45:03.780 --> 00:45:05.059
 personally measure

00:45:05.059 --> 00:45:06.140
 whether a community

00:45:06.140 --> 00:45:07.059
 loves each other or not?

00:45:07.059 --> 00:45:08.599
 when a community

00:45:08.599 --> 00:45:10.619
 goes out of their way

00:45:10.619 --> 00:45:11.920
 to do something for you.

00:45:12.400 --> 00:45:13.940
 When they didn't have to do that

00:45:13.940 --> 00:45:14.960
 and they did it.

00:45:15.360 --> 00:45:15.639
 That's,

00:45:15.719 --> 00:45:17.139
 that's when I'm like,

00:45:17.219 --> 00:45:17.759
 that's love.

00:45:19.019 --> 00:45:19.380
 Right?

00:45:19.460 --> 00:45:20.599
 Because if they're just

00:45:20.599 --> 00:45:21.099
 hanging out with you,

00:45:21.159 --> 00:45:21.719
 having a good time

00:45:21.719 --> 00:45:22.320
 and having banter

00:45:22.320 --> 00:45:23.460
 when everyone's supposed

00:45:23.460 --> 00:45:24.139
 to be here anyway,

00:45:24.440 --> 00:45:25.099
 that's nice

00:45:25.099 --> 00:45:26.199
 but I wouldn't call that

00:45:26.199 --> 00:45:26.900
 love just yet.

00:45:27.719 --> 00:45:28.360
 But when someone

00:45:28.360 --> 00:45:29.299
 deliberately chooses

00:45:29.299 --> 00:45:30.079
 to take their time

00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:30.799
 to get out from home

00:45:30.799 --> 00:45:31.619
 and come and find you

00:45:31.619 --> 00:45:32.880
 or do something for you,

00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:34.500
 basically inconvenience

00:45:34.500 --> 00:45:35.539
 themselves for you,

00:45:35.539 --> 00:45:36.820
 that starts to look

00:45:36.820 --> 00:45:37.440
 like love for me.

00:45:37.579 --> 00:45:38.599
 Can we be a community

00:45:38.599 --> 00:45:39.860
 that is willing to do that?

00:45:39.900 --> 00:45:40.800
 When we hear someone

00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:41.279
 is sick,

00:45:41.619 --> 00:45:42.800
 can we go out of our way?

00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:43.500
 And Trevor did this

00:45:43.500 --> 00:45:44.079
 for my family

00:45:44.079 --> 00:45:45.579
 when I injured myself

00:45:45.579 --> 00:45:46.900
 dunking in an NBA game.

00:45:48.320 --> 00:45:49.900
 He went out of his way

00:45:49.900 --> 00:45:51.059
 at 7 a.m.,

00:45:51.059 --> 00:45:51.980
 woke up from his house,

00:45:52.079 --> 00:45:52.559
 drove all the way

00:45:52.559 --> 00:45:53.000
 to my house,

00:45:53.099 --> 00:45:53.739
 picked up my kids,

00:45:54.039 --> 00:45:54.960
 drove them to Kowloon

00:45:54.960 --> 00:45:55.420
 to school

00:45:55.420 --> 00:45:56.279
 and back again.

00:45:56.539 --> 00:45:57.000
 I'm just,

00:45:57.500 --> 00:45:58.400
 that's love.

00:45:58.920 --> 00:45:59.119
 Why?

00:45:59.239 --> 00:46:00.500
 Because he inconvenienced

00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:01.440
 himself to do it.

00:46:02.360 --> 00:46:03.719
 And we have that modeled

00:46:03.719 --> 00:46:05.460
 because Jesus went

00:46:05.460 --> 00:46:06.679
 out of his way for us.

00:46:06.740 --> 00:46:07.760
 He traveled the ultimate

00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:09.220
 distance for us

00:46:09.220 --> 00:46:11.000
 from heaven's throne

00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:12.760
 down into the stable

00:46:12.760 --> 00:46:13.360
 in Bethlehem.

00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:16.300
 Why wouldn't we do that

00:46:16.300 --> 00:46:16.800
 for each other?

00:46:19.059 --> 00:46:19.920
 And if you're thinking,

00:46:20.039 --> 00:46:20.820
 well, how do I show love?

00:46:20.900 --> 00:46:21.460
 Well, do that.

00:46:22.139 --> 00:46:23.099
 Go out of your way

00:46:23.099 --> 00:46:23.760
 for someone.

00:46:24.780 --> 00:46:25.740
 Can we be a community

00:46:25.740 --> 00:46:28.199
 that loves despite inconvenience?

00:46:28.539 --> 00:46:28.860
 And you might,

00:46:28.960 --> 00:46:29.199
 okay, well,

00:46:29.220 --> 00:46:29.980
 that's a lot of things.

00:46:30.980 --> 00:46:32.039
 Joy despite sadness,

00:46:32.260 --> 00:46:33.699
 peace despite differences,

00:46:33.960 --> 00:46:34.840
 hope despite darkness,

00:46:34.840 --> 00:46:36.160
 love despite inconvenience.

00:46:36.300 --> 00:46:37.059
 How are we supposed

00:46:37.059 --> 00:46:37.460
 to do that?

00:46:37.480 --> 00:46:38.100
 Well, that's the point.

00:46:38.680 --> 00:46:39.820
 We're not able to

00:46:39.820 --> 00:46:40.559
 by ourselves.

00:46:41.380 --> 00:46:42.579
 How do we even have

00:46:42.579 --> 00:46:44.300
 Acts 2, 42 to 47

00:46:44.300 --> 00:46:45.400
 that they devoted themselves

00:46:45.400 --> 00:46:46.079
 to these things

00:46:46.079 --> 00:46:46.900
 that they were filled

00:46:46.900 --> 00:46:47.500
 with awe and wonder

00:46:47.500 --> 00:46:48.320
 that they had glad

00:46:48.320 --> 00:46:49.019
 and generous hearts?

00:46:49.180 --> 00:46:49.559
 How?

00:46:49.900 --> 00:46:50.079
 Why?

00:46:51.059 --> 00:46:51.980
 At the beginning of Acts,

00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:53.500
 you see the Holy Spirit

00:46:53.500 --> 00:46:54.320
 coming upon them

00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:56.300
 and then the gospel

00:46:56.300 --> 00:46:56.840
 is preached

00:46:56.840 --> 00:46:57.740
 and they are cut

00:46:57.740 --> 00:46:58.360
 to the heart.

00:46:58.620 --> 00:46:59.360
 Acts 2, 37,

00:46:59.500 --> 00:47:00.600
 they are cut to the heart

00:47:00.599 --> 00:47:01.819
 and they go to Peter,

00:47:01.980 --> 00:47:03.159
 what shall we do?

00:47:03.659 --> 00:47:04.239
 And then he says,

00:47:04.319 --> 00:47:04.619
 repent

00:47:04.619 --> 00:47:07.219
 and be baptized

00:47:07.219 --> 00:47:08.460
 and you are forgiven.

00:47:09.759 --> 00:47:10.920
 This kind of community

00:47:10.920 --> 00:47:11.699
 only comes

00:47:11.699 --> 00:47:12.900
 when it is spirit filled,

00:47:13.619 --> 00:47:15.339
 when it understands

00:47:15.339 --> 00:47:15.799
 the gospel,

00:47:15.900 --> 00:47:16.380
 the good news

00:47:16.380 --> 00:47:17.139
 that Christ went out

00:47:17.139 --> 00:47:18.199
 of his way for us

00:47:18.199 --> 00:47:20.360
 and we are cut to the heart,

00:47:20.440 --> 00:47:21.000
 we repent

00:47:21.000 --> 00:47:23.219
 and only then

00:47:23.219 --> 00:47:24.099
 do we have a chance

00:47:24.099 --> 00:47:25.119
 of having this kind

00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:25.880
 of community.

00:47:25.880 --> 00:47:27.900
 only then.

00:47:29.900 --> 00:47:30.400
 And that's what

00:47:30.400 --> 00:47:30.980
 I'm praying for,

00:47:31.180 --> 00:47:32.539
 that we would have this

00:47:32.539 --> 00:47:33.260
 and if you're just

00:47:33.260 --> 00:47:33.720
 sat there going,

00:47:33.800 --> 00:47:34.680
 oh, but that's,

00:47:35.280 --> 00:47:35.920
 yeah, I'm not there,

00:47:36.039 --> 00:47:37.360
 I don't understand

00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:37.900
 the Holy Spirit,

00:47:38.460 --> 00:47:39.099
 I don't really know

00:47:39.099 --> 00:47:39.519
 the gospel

00:47:39.519 --> 00:47:40.579
 and you don't know

00:47:40.579 --> 00:47:41.200
 the stuff I've done.

00:47:43.579 --> 00:47:44.800
 Just before this passage

00:47:44.800 --> 00:47:45.640
 of Fellowship of Believers,

00:47:45.760 --> 00:47:46.760
 239 says this,

00:47:46.800 --> 00:47:47.420
 for the promise

00:47:47.420 --> 00:47:48.300
 is for you

00:47:48.300 --> 00:47:49.019
 and your children

00:47:49.019 --> 00:47:49.720
 and for all

00:47:49.720 --> 00:47:50.700
 who are far off.

00:47:51.920 --> 00:47:52.559
 This message

00:47:52.559 --> 00:47:53.240
 is for you, man.

00:47:53.239 --> 00:47:55.859
 Ephesians 2

00:47:55.859 --> 00:47:56.699
 is that Christ

00:47:56.699 --> 00:47:57.419
 came and preached

00:47:57.419 --> 00:47:58.159
 peace to those

00:47:58.159 --> 00:47:58.779
 who were near

00:47:58.779 --> 00:47:59.459
 and to those

00:47:59.459 --> 00:48:00.359
 who were far off.

00:48:00.919 --> 00:48:01.979
 So whether you feel

00:48:01.979 --> 00:48:03.479
 like you're very

00:48:03.479 --> 00:48:04.099
 close to him

00:48:04.099 --> 00:48:05.679
 or whether you feel

00:48:05.679 --> 00:48:06.319
 like you have no

00:48:06.319 --> 00:48:06.879
 business being

00:48:06.879 --> 00:48:07.539
 in his presence,

00:48:08.879 --> 00:48:09.699
 he came for you

00:48:09.699 --> 00:48:10.199
 and he went out

00:48:10.199 --> 00:48:11.079
 of his way for you

00:48:11.079 --> 00:48:12.299
 and if we remember

00:48:12.299 --> 00:48:13.319
 that and if we rely

00:48:13.319 --> 00:48:14.079
 on the Holy Spirit,

00:48:14.579 --> 00:48:15.899
 if we remind ourselves

00:48:15.899 --> 00:48:16.539
 of the gospel,

00:48:16.819 --> 00:48:18.079
 if we are cut to the heart

00:48:18.079 --> 00:48:18.639
 and we ask,

00:48:18.739 --> 00:48:19.359
 what shall we do,

00:48:19.539 --> 00:48:20.359
 then this is what

00:48:20.359 --> 00:48:20.899
 it looks like,

00:48:20.919 --> 00:48:21.819
 a healthy community.

00:48:23.799 --> 00:48:24.399
 That's what I'm

00:48:24.399 --> 00:48:24.859
 praying for.

00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:26.659
 Do we have answers?

00:48:27.119 --> 00:48:27.959
 Do we need to deal

00:48:27.959 --> 00:48:28.659
 with fire, health

00:48:28.659 --> 00:48:29.119
 and safety

00:48:29.119 --> 00:48:29.599
 and numbers?

00:48:29.739 --> 00:48:30.000
 Yes.

00:48:32.759 --> 00:48:33.559
 But I like to think

00:48:33.559 --> 00:48:34.059
 that we can figure

00:48:34.059 --> 00:48:34.619
 it out together

00:48:34.619 --> 00:48:36.819
 so long as we have

00:48:36.819 --> 00:48:37.399
 these values,

00:48:38.339 --> 00:48:39.059
 so long as we have

00:48:39.059 --> 00:48:39.519
 this heart,

00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:40.699
 this commitment

00:48:40.699 --> 00:48:41.959
 to one another,

00:48:42.599 --> 00:48:43.219
 this commitment

00:48:43.219 --> 00:48:44.419
 to Christ.

00:48:45.959 --> 00:48:46.679
 Paul's going to lead us

00:48:46.679 --> 00:48:48.539
 in a final response song.

00:48:48.539 --> 00:48:51.500
 I love this song

00:48:51.500 --> 00:48:52.440
 because it gives us

00:48:52.440 --> 00:48:54.460
 the words to remember

00:48:54.460 --> 00:48:56.400
 actually what is it

00:48:56.400 --> 00:48:57.139
 that we're even doing.

00:48:58.679 --> 00:48:59.800
 In order to have

00:48:59.800 --> 00:49:01.019
 the kind of community

00:49:01.019 --> 00:49:02.420
 that I'm praying for

00:49:02.420 --> 00:49:03.420
 that we're envisioning here

00:49:03.420 --> 00:49:04.320
 that we can see

00:49:04.320 --> 00:49:05.279
 being described here,

00:49:05.960 --> 00:49:09.400
 we need an utter,

00:49:09.579 --> 00:49:10.320
 utter focus

00:49:10.320 --> 00:49:10.980
 and reliance

00:49:10.980 --> 00:49:11.880
 on Jesus

00:49:11.880 --> 00:49:13.940
 to be completely

00:49:13.940 --> 00:49:14.800
 devoted to him,

00:49:14.940 --> 00:49:15.800
 to not dabble

00:49:15.800 --> 00:49:16.779
 anymore.

00:49:16.780 --> 00:49:19.080
 and to commit

00:49:19.080 --> 00:49:19.680
 together

00:49:19.680 --> 00:49:22.060
 to following

00:49:22.060 --> 00:49:22.720
 the Jesus way.

00:49:23.140 --> 00:49:23.900
 Can I pray for us?

00:49:23.900 --> 00:49:24.100
 Amen.

00:49:46.780 --> 00:49:47.220
 Jesus,

00:49:47.340 --> 00:49:48.040
 we want to be filled

00:49:48.040 --> 00:49:48.740
 with your spirit.

00:49:56.200 --> 00:49:57.340
 We want your good news

00:49:57.340 --> 00:49:58.220
 to truly penetrate

00:49:58.220 --> 00:49:58.980
 into the depths

00:49:58.980 --> 00:49:59.620
 of our souls,

00:50:00.860 --> 00:50:02.240
 that we would be

00:50:02.240 --> 00:50:03.040
 cut to the heart,

00:50:04.080 --> 00:50:07.880
 but with a godly grief,

00:50:08.519 --> 00:50:09.519
 a godly grief

00:50:09.519 --> 00:50:10.380
 that leads to repentance.

00:50:10.380 --> 00:50:10.559
 presence.

00:50:17.200 --> 00:50:18.260
 And then by your grace

00:50:18.260 --> 00:50:19.019
 and by your strength,

00:50:19.099 --> 00:50:19.900
 you would allow us

00:50:19.900 --> 00:50:20.480
 to have the strength

00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:21.220
 to be devoted

00:50:21.220 --> 00:50:23.099
 to your teaching,

00:50:23.760 --> 00:50:29.420
 to fellowship

00:50:29.420 --> 00:50:30.140
 with one another,

00:50:31.000 --> 00:50:34.220
 to worshiping you

00:50:34.220 --> 00:50:34.440
 with,

00:50:35.800 --> 00:50:36.440
 through communion

00:50:36.440 --> 00:50:36.920
 and prayer.

00:50:39.619 --> 00:50:40.460
 Would you fill us

00:50:40.460 --> 00:50:41.380
 with awe and wonder

00:50:41.380 --> 00:50:42.099
 again for you?

00:50:45.340 --> 00:50:46.019
 Allow us to have

00:50:46.019 --> 00:50:46.820
 glad and generous

00:50:46.820 --> 00:50:47.260
 hearts,

00:50:48.920 --> 00:50:50.039
 favor with all people,

00:50:51.240 --> 00:50:55.740
 because we are

00:50:55.740 --> 00:50:56.519
 people of the way,

00:50:58.519 --> 00:51:01.960
 a way that is

00:51:01.960 --> 00:51:02.659
 different to the way

00:51:02.659 --> 00:51:03.139
 of this world,

00:51:03.139 --> 00:51:05.819
 the way that brings

00:51:05.819 --> 00:51:06.179
 life.

00:51:14.639 --> 00:51:15.779
 As Paul and the band

00:51:15.779 --> 00:51:17.219
 sing this over us,

00:51:18.420 --> 00:51:19.039
 would you ask

00:51:19.039 --> 00:51:19.679
 the Holy Spirit

00:51:19.679 --> 00:51:23.199
 to give you the strength

00:51:23.199 --> 00:51:26.159
 to comprehend

00:51:26.159 --> 00:51:28.539
 his love

00:51:28.539 --> 00:51:29.420
 to you?

00:51:29.420 --> 00:51:29.539
 Would you ask

00:51:29.539 --> 00:51:29.539


00:51:28.539 --> 00:51:29.480
 to you?

00:51:33.139 --> 00:51:34.139
 And then for him

00:51:34.139 --> 00:51:34.799
 to show you

00:51:34.799 --> 00:51:36.619
 how to live out

00:51:36.619 --> 00:51:37.039
 that love.

00:51:47.239 --> 00:51:48.019
 You didn't just

00:51:48.019 --> 00:51:49.000
 offer us the blueprint

00:51:49.000 --> 00:51:50.039
 to flourishing.

00:51:52.859 --> 00:51:53.799
 You then showed us

00:51:53.799 --> 00:51:54.079
 how,

00:51:54.719 --> 00:51:55.319
 and then you made

00:51:55.319 --> 00:51:55.920
 the way yourself

00:51:55.920 --> 00:51:56.319
 for us.

00:51:58.519 --> 00:51:59.379
 So as your body,

00:51:59.500 --> 00:52:00.179
 we worship you.

00:52:00.179 --> 00:52:02.639
 As your body,

00:52:02.739 --> 00:52:03.519
 we glorify you.

00:52:05.419 --> 00:52:06.099
 As your body,

00:52:06.199 --> 00:52:06.919
 we look to you

00:52:06.919 --> 00:52:07.739
 as our head.

00:52:09.519 --> 00:52:10.379
 Fill us with awe

00:52:10.379 --> 00:52:11.299
 and wonder for you.

00:52:16.579 --> 00:52:17.460
 Fill us with glad

00:52:17.460 --> 00:52:18.379
 and generous hearts

00:52:18.379 --> 00:52:19.179
 for each other.

00:52:25.179 --> 00:52:25.699
 And we know

00:52:25.699 --> 00:52:26.739
 that we cannot do this

00:52:26.739 --> 00:52:27.719
 by our own strength.

00:52:27.719 --> 00:52:32.299
 but through you,

00:52:32.379 --> 00:52:32.519
 Lord,

00:52:32.579 --> 00:52:33.519
 we can do all things.

00:52:38.459 --> 00:52:39.279
 So we commit

00:52:39.279 --> 00:52:40.480
 to being devoted

00:52:40.480 --> 00:52:40.980
 to you,

00:52:41.919 --> 00:52:43.059
 not to just

00:52:43.059 --> 00:52:43.359
 double.

00:52:47.399 --> 00:52:48.079
 And we trust

00:52:48.079 --> 00:52:48.579
 that your grace

00:52:48.579 --> 00:52:49.039
 is enough.

00:52:54.439 --> 00:52:54.899
 Thank you,

00:52:54.980 --> 00:52:55.099
 Lord.

00:52:55.279 --> 00:52:56.279
 Thank you for this time

00:52:56.279 --> 00:52:56.839
 that we've been able

00:52:56.840 --> 00:52:57.620
 to gather together,

00:52:57.920 --> 00:52:59.220
 to gaze upon your beauty,

00:53:00.100 --> 00:53:01.800
 to inquire in your temple.

00:53:02.600 --> 00:53:03.960
 May we dwell in your house

00:53:03.960 --> 00:53:05.440
 all the days of our lives.

00:53:07.160 --> 00:53:07.920
 May your goodness

00:53:07.920 --> 00:53:08.440
 and mercy

00:53:08.440 --> 00:53:09.660
 continue to follow us

00:53:09.660 --> 00:53:11.519
 everywhere we go

00:53:11.519 --> 00:53:13.340
 as we scatter from here.

00:53:16.579 --> 00:53:17.720
 In your name we pray.

00:53:18.519 --> 00:53:18.880
 Amen.

00:53:18.880 --> 00:53:18.980
 Amen.

00:53:18.980 --> 00:53:19.039
 Amen.

00:53:19.039 --> 00:53:19.100
 Amen.

00:53:19.100 --> 00:53:19.100