WEBVTT

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 It's very good to be back and preaching today. I'm coming off a three-week preaching break, and I've been incredibly thankful for that for multiple reasons, which I've stated previously.

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 Please turn with me, if you will, in your copy of God's Word, Acts chapter 2, verses 41 through 47. Luke's account here follows the preaching of Peter on the day of Pentecost.

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 The great sermon that I would encourage you, if you're not familiar with, to go back and read. Peter answers the question, what is happening in this day of Pentecost?

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 These people filled with the Spirit are starting to speak in other languages, and they're telling about the mighty works of God.

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 And so he explains that, and then he goes on to give explanation to who Jesus Christ is and how to place believing faith in Him.

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 This is the beginning of the church.

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 It's an incredibly important text.

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 Because it's so important, I want to get your minds moving in the right direction before we read it together by presenting you with a couple of questions.

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 First question, what is the church?

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 What is the church?

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 I think that readily all of us could come up with some answer to that question.

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 Is it the right answer?

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 What immediately comes to your mind when I ask that question?

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 Is it a building?

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 Or a piece of property?

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 Borrowed, rented, or owned?

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 Is it a particular preacher?

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 Is it an event like a Sunday morning gathering?

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 Is it a business set with the task of marketing to you Christ?

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 Employing the means of the world to accomplish the ends of God?

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 We have, I believe, in our Christian culture, a lot of really bad examples of what a church is.

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 As we begin to look to the culture for those answers, I think we'll find that most of them will be wrong answers.

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 I've been saving the past about week and a half just some of the things that I get in the mail and by email,

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 marketing things that are sent to me.

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 And most of these, some, are just wrong.

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 Most of these are not, in and of themselves, wrong.

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 But just to give you some idea of the type of things that we as a church are inundated with,

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 catalogs to buy products.

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 There's lots and lots of them like this.

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 I'm not particularly picking on this one.

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 But when we received this, it still wasn't too late to order our Palm Sunday Palm Fronds, tied up and ready to go.

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 Or our John 316 hand fans.

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 We could get those shipped to us very quickly.

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 Another one with some adult coloring books for moms, which is a great gift for Mother's Day.

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 Pictures that say things, the teapot says things like,

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 all women are special, which I agree.

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 Or keep calm and color on.

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 A bookmark maybe that says a mother's love knows no boundaries.

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 Not to leave the men out for Father's Day.

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 Men, you could get a flashlight that says men who walk with God light the way.

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 About some advertising for church cleaning.

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 Also church building cleaning.

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 Lots of local services for that.

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 We've got a company that will do our VBS t-shirts for us.

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 Go ahead and get those ordered up.

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 Some conferences to keep me from being arrested for tax fraud,

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 which are always very scary.

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 Pastor Jen Wright is still in jail apparently.

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 From our own denomination,

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 emails about webisodes and blogs that include things,

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 some highlights from today's episode.

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 Your church worship facility will feel full to attendees when it's above 80% capacity.

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 From a conceptual point of view,

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 it's easier to deal with the too full problem than the too empty problem.

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 I did not take time out of my week to listen to this.

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 Or how about a webinar being offered on how to recruit and maintain volunteers.

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 Or another one on reaching and retaining church guests.

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 Seems Facebook and all its intelligence has learned that I'm a pastor somehow.

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 And I get ads after ads after ads for outreach strategy companies.

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 How to reach people via social media and get them to attend our fellowship together.

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 Two that especially grieve me close by.

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 A large church in our area.

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 Inviting pastors, lay people to a training to use a premarital and marriage counseling curriculum.

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 That has as its stated goals.

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 So let's watch what I'm saying.

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 This is a church in our area.

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 In our denomination.

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 Saying they'd like for us to come to a training to use this tool that they use.

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 This is what they're using to equip.

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 And these are the goals.

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 Explore strength and growth areas.

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 Strengthen communication skills.

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 Identify and manage major stressors.

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 Resolve conflict using the 10-step model.

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 Develop a more balanced relationship.

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 Explore family of origin issues.

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 Discuss financial planning and budgeting.

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 Establish personal, couple, and family goals.

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 Understand and appreciate personality differences.

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 All of these are good things to be done.

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 But I find it interesting that nowhere stated for the thrust of this curriculum.

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 And I looked.

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 And I looked very hard for it.

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 Because I don't want to misspeak on the matter.

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 All over their website.

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 Anywhere.

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 How do our marriages magnify the gospel?

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 How do we apply biblical principles and the disciplines of Christianity to our marriage?

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 How are we made competent for our sanctification in our marriages?

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 Another local within our denomination.

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 One that I spent part of my formative years at is going to serve as a satellite campus broadcasting something called the Global Leadership Summit.

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 It's put on by Willow Creek Church.

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 Bill Hyvel, as you may be familiar with, is the pastor there.

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 Since 1995, they've put on this leadership conference.

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 It's aimed at church leadership.

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 And they bring in leaders from around the world, both Christian and otherwise, to help pastors better lead their churches.

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 In an article online, I read the following, a 1993 survey of evangelical pastors by seven seminaries found that while they said their education had prepped them well in church history and theology, amen,

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 they felt undertrained in administration, management, and strategic planning.

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 Quote a pastor from Massachusetts,

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 In the 1950s, a pastor preached on Sundays, did weddings and funerals, and visited the sick.

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 He goes on to say,

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 I have almost 50 ministries that need to be put together, scheduled, organized, and led.

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 It's a different skill set.

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 What he's saying is, the Bible doesn't teach you how to do those things.

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 The article goes on to say,

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 Church conferences do little to address that need.

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 Most of them are pastors learning from pastors.

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 If you only hear preaching from the choir, you're never stretched.

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 You never see things from another perspective.

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 This year, the speakers there, Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,

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 and T.D. Jakes, who is a known prosperity gospel preacher and a modalist,

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 meaning he denies the nature of the Trinity.

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 And this is being hosted in our denomination so that we can learn from the business world

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 how we're meant to lead churches.

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 That's just a little, that's a sampling, a small, small, small sampling.

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 I'm just going to get it out of my way.

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 I'm not mad at it.

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 I'm just getting it out of my way.

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 Well, I am mad at it, but all the same.

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 A second and closely related question.

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 What is the church?

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 How do we recognize the church?

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 What is the normative activity and quality of the church?

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 What are the marks of a church?

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 Is this a biblical church?

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 Is that a biblical church?

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 What do we base that off of?

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 You may ask some wrong questions, like does the church have a particular set of ministries?

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 Does the church have a particular style of music?

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 Does the church create separate environments for middle schoolers and high schoolers?

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 I think that was lost on most of you and I'm glad that it's to your benefit if that reference is lost on you.

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 Does it matter how I dress or what kind of hairstyle I have?

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 It's my hope this morning, at least in part, to answer those questions for you.

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 But how do you tackle such a task?

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 What is the church?

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 What are the marks?

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 What are the signs of a biblical church?

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 Many pastors will speak of a vision for what any particular church should look like.

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 But I don't believe that my innovation is of any value to you.

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 None whatsoever.

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 If I am to love you as an under-shepherd of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who's the head of the church,

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 he's given us a prescription for the church.

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 He has said what the church should look like and what it should be about.

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 And the only way I can do it is to draw you out of the popular culture to ancient truths.

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 To bring you back to the Scripture.

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 Beloved, I have nothing to offer you apart from the Word of God.

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 I will tell you that there are many men in our culture who are phenomenal communicators.

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 Boy, they can wrap you up and take you in and say very little, but capture your attention.

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 If I attempted to do that, if I tried to come up here and to preach each Sunday without humbling myself under the Word of God,

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 recognizing it as the absolute authority,

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 within a month I would run out of anecdotes and personal stories from my lives and metaphors.

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 I would just have to start rehashing them.

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 You could say it's the second Sunday of the month.

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 Nathan's probably going to tell such and such story.

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 I don't have anything to offer you apart from the Scripture.

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 There's a fairly lost doctrine about the Scripture,

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 which is the sufficiency of Scripture.

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 The sufficiency.

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 Defined by Wayne Grudem in his work entitled Systematic Theology,

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 the sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words of God

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 He intended His people to have at each stage of redemptive history.

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 So, as the Scripture was being written,

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 it contained within it everything that God intended His people to have for that stage in redemptive history.

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 We call that progressive revelation.

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 And that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation,

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 for trusting Him perfectly,

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 and for obeying Him perfectly.

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 It's a closed canon.

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 It now contains everything that we need for these tasks.

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 The Scripture contains all that we need to know and to place believing faith

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 in the personal work of Jesus Christ

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 and to follow Him perfectly.

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 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17.

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 I hope you're familiar with this passage.

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 It says,

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 all Scripture is breathed out by God.

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 The Scripture says in many places that God by His Spirit inspired the Word,

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 that He spoke into men who pinned what He said.

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 This is the only place that it's said differently,

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 and it's speaking of another place in that process.

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 It was inspired, but it was also expired by God.

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 And that is to say that He is the very source.

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 All Scripture is breathed out by God.

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 It's His book.

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 He authored it.

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 And it's profitable for teaching,

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 for reproof,

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 for correction,

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 and for training in righteousness.

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 It's profitable.

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 It's good for this,

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 for doing these varying activities that bring about righteousness.

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 And the result of that, in verse 17,

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 is that the man of God may be complete

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 and equipped

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 for

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 every

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 good work.

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 Not some good work.

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 Not a sampling of the good work that we're meant to do

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 as followers of Jesus Christ,

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 but that we would be equipped for

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 every

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 good work.

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 The Scriptures are sufficient for this.

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 We don't need to look beyond the Scripture

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 for that.

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 The way we define

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 and conduct ourselves as a church

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 is included in this.

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 Every good work.

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 It's included in that.

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 Necessarily.

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 It must be.

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 If we believe in the sufficientness of Scripture,

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 it

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 must be.

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 Now, I'm not saying that we don't

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 read other books.

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 I'm going to quote from a book

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 I've been reading

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 just this week again

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 to you.

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 I've got a library

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 full of books,

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 but they're only of any value

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 if they speak of

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 the Scripture.

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 If they help us

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 expound and understand

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 the Scripture.

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 The saints of old

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 called the sufficiency of Scripture

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 as it played out

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 in the life of the local church.

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 They called this

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 the regulative

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 principle.

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 The regulative principle

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 of the regulative principle.

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 John Calvin said this,

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 God disapproves

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 of all modes

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 of worship

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 not expressly

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 sanctioned

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 by His Word.

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 The Second London Baptist Confession,

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 1689,

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 a really great

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 Baptist confession.

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 A lot of

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 churches

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 like ours

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 with the same

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 soteriological

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 persuasion

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 use the Second London

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 Baptist Confession.

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 It says this,

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 the acceptable way

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 of worshiping

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 the true God

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 is instituted

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 by Himself

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 and so limited

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 by His own

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 revealed will

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 that He may not

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 be worshipped

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 according to the imagination

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 and devices

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 of men

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 nor the suggestions

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 of Satan

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 under any visible

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 representations

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 or any other way

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 not prescribed

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 in the Holy Scriptures.

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 Sufficiency of Scripture.

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 A good gauge

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 for us

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 as a church

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 as we carefully

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:30.160
 and prayerfully

00:16:30.160 --> 00:16:31.340
 consider what

00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:31.720
 the Scriptures

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:32.520
 teach us

00:16:32.520 --> 00:16:33.280
 about how to

00:16:33.280 --> 00:16:34.420
 conduct ourselves

00:16:34.420 --> 00:16:35.139
 as a church

00:16:35.139 --> 00:16:36.820
 is to ask

00:16:36.820 --> 00:16:37.660
 the question,

00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:40.060
 does our church

00:16:40.060 --> 00:16:41.820
 have a model

00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:42.520
 of ministry

00:16:42.520 --> 00:16:44.320
 that could exist

00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:45.960
 in any place

00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:46.580
 in the world

00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:48.680
 at any time

00:16:48.680 --> 00:16:49.180
 in history?

00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:52.940
 Do we do anything

00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:54.920
 that couldn't

00:16:54.920 --> 00:16:55.660
 be duplicated

00:16:55.660 --> 00:16:56.240
 in any place

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:56.580
 in the world

00:16:56.580 --> 00:16:57.180
 at any time

00:16:57.180 --> 00:16:57.960
 in history?

00:16:58.400 --> 00:16:58.940
 Does our church

00:16:58.940 --> 00:16:59.340
 have a model

00:16:59.340 --> 00:16:59.640
 of ministry

00:16:59.640 --> 00:17:00.320
 that could exist

00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:00.840
 in any place

00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:01.240
 in the world

00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:03.140
 at any time

00:17:03.140 --> 00:17:04.220
 in history?

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:05.980
 This means

00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:06.700
 that a follower

00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:07.279
 of Christ

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.000
 from Iran

00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.120
 should be able

00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:10.360
 to come fellowship

00:17:10.360 --> 00:17:11.380
 with an American

00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:12.080
 congregation

00:17:12.080 --> 00:17:12.920
 this morning

00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:14.000
 and not

00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:15.259
 find him or herself

00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:16.400
 out of place.

00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:18.680
 Fly in

00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:19.460
 Sunday morning.

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.360
 Hit the first place

00:17:21.360 --> 00:17:22.580
 that they can find

00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:23.419
 and not feel

00:17:23.419 --> 00:17:24.839
 entirely out of place

00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:26.259
 amongst those people.

00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:27.319
 This means that a

00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:28.339
 first century follower

00:17:28.339 --> 00:17:28.939
 of Christ

00:17:28.939 --> 00:17:29.559
 should be able

00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:30.139
 to come fellowship

00:17:30.139 --> 00:17:30.599
 with an American

00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:31.000
 congregation

00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:31.579
 this morning

00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:32.240
 and not find

00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:32.859
 him or herself

00:17:32.859 --> 00:17:35.299
 out of place.

00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:36.460
 Now I'm not

00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.179
 suggesting that all

00:17:37.179 --> 00:17:38.199
 churches should

00:17:38.199 --> 00:17:39.119
 look exactly

00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:39.799
 the same.

00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:41.000
 We're given

00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:41.779
 banks on the river,

00:17:41.879 --> 00:17:42.339
 we're given some

00:17:42.339 --> 00:17:42.939
 things in the Scripture

00:17:42.939 --> 00:17:43.539
 that are very,

00:17:43.639 --> 00:17:44.379
 very, very clear

00:17:44.379 --> 00:17:45.039
 and that's going

00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:46.199
 to express itself

00:17:46.199 --> 00:17:47.899
 in different ways.

00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:49.720
 For example,

00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.359
 Wes leads music

00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:51.819
 for us

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.759
 and I don't know,

00:17:52.819 --> 00:17:53.119
 he's a little

00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:53.799
 folk rocky.

00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:55.319
 That's why we do

00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:56.399
 music in the way

00:17:56.399 --> 00:17:57.019
 we do music.

00:17:57.099 --> 00:17:57.779
 Not because we've

00:17:57.779 --> 00:17:58.579
 tailored it in a

00:17:58.579 --> 00:17:58.959
 certain way

00:17:58.959 --> 00:17:59.519
 or because God

00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:00.339
 has prescribed it

00:18:00.339 --> 00:18:02.359
 but we do sing

00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:04.479
 God-focused,

00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:06.339
 Christocentric songs

00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:06.959
 because the Scripture

00:18:06.959 --> 00:18:08.139
 does prescribe that.

00:18:08.419 --> 00:18:09.119
 We don't sing songs

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:09.779
 about us

00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:13.039
 and songs that are

00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:13.699
 man-centered

00:18:13.699 --> 00:18:14.619
 because the Scripture

00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:15.779
 has us avoid

00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:17.240
 that type of singing

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:18.039
 but the style

00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:19.619
 is inconsequential.

00:18:19.699 --> 00:18:20.199
 It may look different

00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:20.759
 and different places

00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:22.380
 so somebody may come

00:18:22.380 --> 00:18:23.019
 from Iran

00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:24.259
 or from the first century

00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:25.240
 and come and sit

00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:25.660
 and say,

00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:26.480
 I've never heard

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.080
 this song.

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:28.640
 This is an entirely

00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:29.519
 new song to me

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:30.440
 but it's very similar

00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:31.960
 to the types of song

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:32.860
 I may sing

00:18:32.860 --> 00:18:34.700
 in my church

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:35.860
 at home,

00:18:36.860 --> 00:18:37.380
 country,

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:38.440
 or time.

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.240
 And not suggesting

00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.180
 that we must meet

00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:42.400
 in a straw and mud building

00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:44.019
 and gather

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:44.860
 under the cover

00:18:44.860 --> 00:18:45.539
 of darkness.

00:18:46.059 --> 00:18:46.900
 Someone from Iran

00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:47.880
 would probably say,

00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.539
 it makes sense

00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:49.500
 that you meet at 1030

00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:50.319
 because you can.

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.960
 We meet at 3 a.m.

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:54.159
 because we can't meet

00:18:54.159 --> 00:18:56.119
 at 1030.

00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:58.339
 I would hope,

00:18:58.859 --> 00:18:59.759
 I think they would though,

00:18:59.879 --> 00:19:00.920
 walk into many of our churches

00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:01.399
 in America,

00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:02.420
 these two,

00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:03.279
 this time traveler

00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:04.240
 and this person from Iran,

00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.399
 and they would say,

00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:07.480
 why did they build

00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:09.200
 all of this?

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.879
 Why are there so many spaces

00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:15.380
 being so unused?

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:18.520
 Why are there fish tanks

00:19:18.520 --> 00:19:19.760
 in here?

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.620
 How in the world

00:19:21.620 --> 00:19:23.120
 did they get a first century

00:19:23.120 --> 00:19:24.020
 Jewish village

00:19:24.020 --> 00:19:25.060
 inside this building?

00:19:27.580 --> 00:19:28.860
 What is the guy

00:19:28.860 --> 00:19:29.640
 on the stage

00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:31.600
 even talking about?

00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.960
 Why has he taken

00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:35.260
 his copy of God's Word

00:19:35.260 --> 00:19:36.940
 and cast it carelessly

00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:38.220
 onto a side table

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:39.940
 and walked away from it?

00:19:39.940 --> 00:19:44.259
 Would they find a people

00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:46.799
 who love the Lord Jesus Christ

00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:47.700
 in the same way

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.320
 that they do

00:19:48.320 --> 00:19:49.779
 and are about the work

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:51.380
 of pursuing his ways

00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:52.900
 and his means?

00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:55.220
 Would they think

00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:56.440
 that we worship

00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:57.080
 Jesus

00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:59.299
 or ourselves?

00:20:00.180 --> 00:20:01.240
 Our entertainment,

00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:03.039
 our preferences,

00:20:03.860 --> 00:20:05.200
 our whims?

00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:08.360
 At best,

00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:09.180
 in many places

00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:09.720
 this morning,

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:11.240
 the right God

00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:12.259
 is being worshipped,

00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:13.819
 but he's being worshipped

00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:14.940
 wrongly

00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:16.120
 out of ignorance,

00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:19.200
 out of an unbiblically

00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:20.620
 saturated ignorance.

00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:22.880
 At worst,

00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:25.019
 many people this morning

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.799
 are worshipping

00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:26.819
 a God

00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:28.340
 of their own making,

00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:30.519
 worshipping themselves.

00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:32.039
 Beloved,

00:20:32.100 --> 00:20:33.460
 I will not have you

00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:33.920
 be ignorant

00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:34.640
 this morning.

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.799
 The sufficiency

00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.279
 of Scripture

00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:37.980
 also means

00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:38.460
 that a follower

00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:38.920
 of Christ

00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.480
 from Iran

00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:40.160
 should be able

00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:41.100
 to come to fellowship

00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:42.680
 with our congregation

00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:43.200
 this morning

00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.740
 and not find him

00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.620
 or herself

00:20:45.620 --> 00:20:46.660
 out of place.

00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:48.420
 This should feel

00:20:48.420 --> 00:20:49.799
 normative to them.

00:20:50.900 --> 00:20:51.380
 It means that a

00:20:51.380 --> 00:20:52.059
 first century follower

00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:52.580
 of Christ

00:20:52.580 --> 00:20:53.400
 can time travel

00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:54.340
 and come fellowship

00:20:54.340 --> 00:20:55.000
 with our congregation

00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:55.440
 this morning

00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.799
 and not find him

00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:58.100
 or herself

00:20:58.100 --> 00:20:59.880
 out of place,

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:00.940
 but rejoice

00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.519
 that God is doing

00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:01.980
 a work

00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:03.460
 amongst his church

00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:05.059
 in America.

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.460
 So our text today,

00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:08.340
 Acts chapter 2,

00:21:09.360 --> 00:21:11.420
 beginning in verse 41.

00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:11.519
 Psalm.

00:21:18.580 --> 00:21:19.019
 Beloved,

00:21:19.100 --> 00:21:20.080
 this is God's word

00:21:20.080 --> 00:21:21.400
 to us.

00:21:22.060 --> 00:21:22.800
 It was written

00:21:22.800 --> 00:21:23.480
 for his glory

00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:24.519
 and our good.

00:21:25.560 --> 00:21:26.400
 We would all do well

00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:27.160
 to listen to it

00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:27.680
 this morning

00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.779
 in order to believe

00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.340
 its promises

00:21:29.340 --> 00:21:30.960
 and obey

00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.840
 its commands.

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:35.039
 So those who received

00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:35.820
 his word,

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:36.800
 Peter's word,

00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:37.480
 were baptized.

00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:37.759
 baptized.

00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:39.279
 And there were added

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:39.779
 that day

00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:40.839
 about three thousand

00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:41.440
 souls.

00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:42.960
 And they devoted

00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.819
 themselves to the

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:44.700
 apostles' teaching

00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:45.620
 and the fellowship,

00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:46.920
 to the breaking

00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:47.579
 of bread

00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:48.640
 and the prayers.

00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:50.380
 And awe came upon

00:21:50.380 --> 00:21:51.140
 every soul

00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:52.319
 and many wonders

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.220
 and signs

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:53.819
 were being done

00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:55.000
 through the apostles.

00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:56.860
 And all who believed

00:21:56.860 --> 00:21:57.480
 were together

00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:58.519
 and had all things

00:21:58.519 --> 00:21:59.039
 in common.

00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:00.420
 And they were selling

00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:01.059
 their possessions

00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:01.940
 and belongings

00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:02.779
 and distributing

00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.420
 the proceeds

00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:04.019
 to all

00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:05.440
 as any had need.

00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:07.220
 And day by day,

00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:08.340
 attending the temple

00:22:08.340 --> 00:22:09.420
 together and breaking

00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:10.380
 bread in their homes,

00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:11.980
 they received their food

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:12.640
 with glad

00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:14.200
 and generous hearts,

00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:15.519
 praising God

00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:16.580
 and having favor

00:22:16.580 --> 00:22:17.380
 with all the people.

00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:18.660
 And the Lord

00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:19.580
 added to their number

00:22:19.580 --> 00:22:21.080
 day by day

00:22:21.080 --> 00:22:22.940
 those who were

00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:23.720
 being saved.

00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:25.440
 So,

00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:27.539
 what is

00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:29.299
 the church?

00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:31.480
 What is the church?

00:22:31.840 --> 00:22:32.440
 I've defined it

00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:33.059
 for you this morning

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:34.320
 simply this way.

00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.980
 And there's more

00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:37.079
 complex answers to this.

00:22:37.639 --> 00:22:38.659
 Simply the community

00:22:38.659 --> 00:22:41.000
 of regenerate followers

00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:42.159
 of Jesus Christ

00:22:42.159 --> 00:22:44.019
 in all places

00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:45.700
 for all time.

00:22:45.859 --> 00:22:45.960
 So,

00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:47.240
 everyone who will

00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:47.980
 ever place

00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:49.439
 believing faith

00:22:49.439 --> 00:22:50.579
 in Jesus Christ

00:22:50.579 --> 00:22:52.220
 is the church,

00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:53.039
 capital C,

00:22:53.159 --> 00:22:55.779
 the global church.

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:57.460
 Certainly,

00:22:57.879 --> 00:22:58.859
 that has

00:22:58.859 --> 00:23:00.299
 local expressions

00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:02.099
 of church.

00:23:02.099 --> 00:23:02.779
 again,

00:23:03.379 --> 00:23:04.379
 regenerate followers

00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:05.679
 of Jesus Christ.

00:23:06.699 --> 00:23:07.759
 Here we find

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:09.319
 both the global

00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:10.939
 and local expression

00:23:10.939 --> 00:23:11.679
 at the same time.

00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:12.199
 It's the only time

00:23:12.199 --> 00:23:12.740
 in history

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.599
 this will happen.

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:14.299
 The church will soon

00:23:14.299 --> 00:23:14.899
 be scattered

00:23:14.899 --> 00:23:16.259
 as we read Luke's account

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:17.159
 in Acts.

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:17.839
 But right now,

00:23:17.899 --> 00:23:18.659
 it's both global

00:23:18.659 --> 00:23:20.039
 and local

00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:21.099
 expressions.

00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:22.839
 The church,

00:23:22.959 --> 00:23:23.559
 whether we are speaking

00:23:23.559 --> 00:23:24.559
 globally or locally,

00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:25.980
 whether for all time

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:26.519
 or today,

00:23:26.599 --> 00:23:27.119
 is made

00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:29.219
 of true followers

00:23:29.219 --> 00:23:32.039
 of Jesus Christ.

00:23:32.939 --> 00:23:33.819
 Not merely people

00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:34.699
 who profess

00:23:34.699 --> 00:23:35.839
 to believe

00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:36.819
 in Jesus Christ.

00:23:36.819 --> 00:23:37.619
 While they may

00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:39.239
 fellowship with a church,

00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:40.819
 they may be

00:23:40.819 --> 00:23:41.639
 tears among

00:23:41.639 --> 00:23:43.000
 wheat.

00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:44.439
 But people who are

00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:45.519
 actually regenerate,

00:23:45.579 --> 00:23:46.219
 who have been given

00:23:46.219 --> 00:23:47.500
 the regenerating work

00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:48.379
 of the Spirit of God

00:23:48.379 --> 00:23:50.159
 in their life.

00:23:50.419 --> 00:23:51.519
 Regenerate followers

00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:53.119
 of Jesus Christ.

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.019
 It's the gathering

00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:55.639
 of those people,

00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:56.520
 the ekklesia,

00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:57.259
 which is a really

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.160
 simple word in the Greek.

00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:58.920
 It just means

00:23:58.920 --> 00:24:00.180
 gathering.

00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:01.420
 In Greek,

00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:02.080
 it could have been used

00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:03.220
 of any other type

00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:03.720
 of gathering

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.880
 as well.

00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:07.180
 Just a gathering

00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:08.000
 of those

00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:08.920
 who believe

00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:09.700
 in Jesus Christ.

00:24:09.840 --> 00:24:11.380
 It's not a gathering

00:24:11.380 --> 00:24:13.500
 to events.

00:24:15.060 --> 00:24:15.900
 It's people gathered

00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:17.680
 around the event

00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:19.220
 of Jesus' life,

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:19.820
 death,

00:24:20.560 --> 00:24:20.980
 resurrection,

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:21.680
 ascension,

00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:22.660
 and now His

00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:25.280
 working in the world.

00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.299
 That is what

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:27.119
 the church is.

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.299
 Verse 41.

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.759
 So those who received

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:30.819
 His word were baptized.

00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:31.960
 And there were

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:32.440
 out of that day

00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:33.980
 about 3,000 souls.

00:24:34.099 --> 00:24:35.660
 What word did they receive?

00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.240
 If you back up

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:37.000
 to verse 38,

00:24:37.420 --> 00:24:38.099
 you see that Peter says,

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:38.720
 Repent,

00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:40.519
 turn from your sin,

00:24:40.619 --> 00:24:41.200
 and be baptized,

00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:42.119
 every one of you,

00:24:42.220 --> 00:24:42.879
 in the name

00:24:42.879 --> 00:24:44.180
 of Jesus Christ

00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:45.259
 for the forgiveness

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:45.980
 of your sins.

00:24:46.420 --> 00:24:47.359
 And you will receive

00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:47.759
 the gift

00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:48.680
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:24:49.240 --> 00:24:50.440
 Repent and believe

00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:51.279
 in the person and work

00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:52.359
 of Jesus Christ.

00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:53.339
 This is the word

00:24:53.339 --> 00:24:55.159
 that they received.

00:24:55.399 --> 00:24:56.379
 And this was the way

00:24:56.379 --> 00:24:57.359
 that they were to,

00:24:57.459 --> 00:24:58.019
 verse 40,

00:24:58.139 --> 00:24:59.299
 save themselves

00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:02.119
 from this crooked generation.

00:25:03.179 --> 00:25:04.659
 They responded in faith

00:25:04.659 --> 00:25:05.839
 to the gospel preaching

00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.519
 of Peter

00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:08.299
 because they had the gift

00:25:08.299 --> 00:25:10.079
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:12.419
 Regeneration precedes faith.

00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:13.219
 It's given to us

00:25:13.219 --> 00:25:13.979
 as a gift

00:25:13.979 --> 00:25:15.799
 so that we cannot boast.

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:16.799
 Right?

00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:18.399
 They had this regenerating work

00:25:18.399 --> 00:25:19.579
 that happened in them

00:25:19.579 --> 00:25:20.939
 and they believed

00:25:20.939 --> 00:25:21.500
 in the person

00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:22.439
 and work

00:25:22.439 --> 00:25:23.460
 of Jesus Christ.

00:25:23.619 --> 00:25:25.939
 These are regenerate people

00:25:25.939 --> 00:25:27.899
 who are about this activity

00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:30.639
 of the early church.

00:25:31.859 --> 00:25:34.399
 So how do we recognize the church?

00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.439
 The church is

00:25:35.439 --> 00:25:38.139
 in one way of answering it.

00:25:38.199 --> 00:25:39.000
 How do we recognize it?

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:40.220
 What are some of the indicators,

00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.259
 the normative activity

00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.339
 and the quality,

00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:43.220
 the marks

00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:44.859
 of the church?

00:25:44.939 --> 00:25:46.759
 And there's three we can find here

00:25:46.759 --> 00:25:48.480
 together in the text.

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.240
 Number one,

00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.720
 the Spirit-filled church's

00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.500
 devotion.

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.539
 The Spirit-filled church's

00:25:56.539 --> 00:25:57.200
 devotion.

00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:59.339
 In verse 42,

00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:02.900
 and they devoted themselves

00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:05.140
 to a number of things.

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.240
 Four things.

00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:08.259
 And they devoted themselves.

00:26:08.680 --> 00:26:09.740
 They collectively.

00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:12.539
 Not some devoted themselves to.

00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:15.680
 Some decided they were going to be

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.240
 really sold out for Jesus.

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:18.880
 And some decided

00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:19.700
 they were not.

00:26:19.779 --> 00:26:20.180
 They were just going to be

00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:21.640
 nominal Christians.

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:23.480
 Fire insurance policy

00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.319
 in the back pocket.

00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:26.120
 I'm going to ride this out.

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:27.599
 They, collectively,

00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:29.900
 were all devoted.

00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:32.059
 If you are regenerate,

00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.660
 you are part of the church,

00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:35.799
 and you are to be

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:38.059
 devoted to these following things.

00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:41.220
 It's a commitment,

00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:42.039
 a firm commitment,

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:43.579
 and you each have a part to play

00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:44.939
 and are each responsible

00:26:44.939 --> 00:26:46.859
 for your part.

00:26:47.919 --> 00:26:50.199
 To be devoted speaks of

00:26:50.199 --> 00:26:51.439
 constancy,

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.259
 diligence,

00:26:54.299 --> 00:26:55.519
 firm commitment.

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:58.439
 It means that it takes work.

00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:00.439
 It means that to be devoted

00:27:00.439 --> 00:27:01.759
 to the things we're going to talk about

00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:03.759
 here momentarily takes work.

00:27:03.899 --> 00:27:05.159
 You have to apply yourself

00:27:05.159 --> 00:27:07.299
 to these things.

00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:08.720
 And, beloved,

00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:09.619
 while we're talking about

00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:11.839
 the church broadly today,

00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.980
 the church is made of people,

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:14.980
 primarily,

00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:16.539
 and you're one of those people,

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:17.619
 I hope and pray.

00:27:18.419 --> 00:27:20.299
 So it means that you're to work

00:27:20.299 --> 00:27:21.259
 and to be devoted.

00:27:21.399 --> 00:27:22.659
 You must be disciplined

00:27:22.659 --> 00:27:23.839
 individually

00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:27.079
 so that we can be disciplined

00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:28.460
 corporately.

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:31.639
 We can together be devoted

00:27:31.639 --> 00:27:33.339
 to these things.

00:27:33.339 --> 00:27:35.480
 So what are they devoted to?

00:27:35.579 --> 00:27:36.519
 They're devoted, number one,

00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:39.459
 to the apostles' teaching.

00:27:39.879 --> 00:27:40.759
 To the apostles' teaching.

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.799
 So in this day,

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:43.339
 this early church day,

00:27:43.419 --> 00:27:44.259
 the apostles are there

00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:44.759
 and they're beginning

00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.779
 to expound to them

00:27:45.779 --> 00:27:47.019
 the Old Testament Scriptures

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:48.740
 as Peter's already done

00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:50.159
 in chapter 2.

00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:51.220
 They're explaining

00:27:51.220 --> 00:27:52.399
 all of the things

00:27:52.399 --> 00:27:53.579
 that they need to know

00:27:53.579 --> 00:27:54.639
 about Christ.

00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:55.939
 They're going to go on later,

00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:56.539
 these apostles,

00:27:56.699 --> 00:27:57.379
 to pin letters

00:27:57.379 --> 00:27:58.000
 to the churches.

00:27:58.439 --> 00:27:59.500
 These letters are canonized

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:01.240
 into our Scripture today.

00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:03.220
 So we can understand this

00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:04.600
 for us as a devotion

00:28:04.600 --> 00:28:06.120
 to the truth,

00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:06.779
 the truth found

00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:08.079
 in the 66 canonized books

00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:09.039
 of the Bible.

00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:10.539
 Devotion to the truth

00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:12.120
 is foundational

00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:13.880
 for the definition

00:28:13.880 --> 00:28:15.360
 and health of the church.

00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:16.940
 Any people,

00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:19.059
 you're going to like this one,

00:28:19.100 --> 00:28:19.420
 it's bold,

00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.480
 any group of people

00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:22.319
 claiming to be a church

00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:24.039
 that are not devoted

00:28:24.039 --> 00:28:25.339
 to the truth of Scripture

00:28:25.339 --> 00:28:27.120
 is no church at all.

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:30.000
 And any church

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:30.880
 that doesn't continue

00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:31.720
 in that devotion

00:28:31.720 --> 00:28:32.860
 to the truth

00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:33.440
 of Scripture

00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.860
 will very quickly

00:28:34.860 --> 00:28:35.860
 become anemic

00:28:35.860 --> 00:28:37.740
 and die.

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:38.600
 Beloved,

00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:39.240
 this is the problem

00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:39.779
 with so many

00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:41.539
 of our churches today.

00:28:41.700 --> 00:28:42.400
 It seems that you either

00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:42.920
 have churches

00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:44.920
 that are fizzling out

00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:45.980
 because they've traded

00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:46.720
 the truth of God

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.660
 for the traditions

00:28:47.660 --> 00:28:48.259
 of men.

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.720
 They're doing things

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:50.460
 some way because

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:51.220
 it's always the way

00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:51.860
 that they've done it

00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:52.640
 and there's no foundation

00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:53.319
 for it in the Scripture

00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:54.259
 itself.

00:28:54.460 --> 00:28:55.920
 Or they're innovating

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:57.000
 themselves to a place

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:57.579
 of cool

00:28:57.579 --> 00:28:58.259
 and attracting

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.220
 a crowd.

00:29:00.579 --> 00:29:01.500
 Both are damaging.

00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:03.980
 They were devoted

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.660
 to the apostles'

00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:06.140
 teaching.

00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:07.500
 They're also devoted

00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:09.279
 to the fellowship.

00:29:10.879 --> 00:29:11.859
 And there is so much

00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:12.900
 to be contained in here.

00:29:13.480 --> 00:29:14.180
 We have a schedule

00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:15.059
 for the book of Acts.

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.720
 I was tempted

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:17.740
 just to rewrite it all

00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:18.180
 this week

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:18.920
 and park on this

00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:20.059
 for the next couple

00:29:20.059 --> 00:29:20.539
 of months.

00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:22.720
 They're devoted

00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.460
 to the fellowship,

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:25.400
 the koinonia in Greek,

00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:27.920
 which is not merely

00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:29.940
 a potluck meal

00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:30.840
 after a service.

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.800
 But it can include

00:29:32.800 --> 00:29:33.620
 a potluck meal

00:29:33.620 --> 00:29:35.120
 after the service.

00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.460
 Word carries the idea

00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:38.100
 of it with partnership

00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:39.700
 or sharing,

00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:41.720
 but specifically

00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:43.640
 in the things of life.

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:45.060
 In the comings

00:29:45.060 --> 00:29:46.060
 and the goings

00:29:46.060 --> 00:29:46.840
 of life,

00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:48.240
 they were in partnership

00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:50.000
 with one another.

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:52.019
 The details

00:29:52.019 --> 00:29:53.580
 of what koinonia

00:29:53.579 --> 00:29:54.599
 looks like

00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:56.500
 for a Bible-believing,

00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.179
 Bible-defined church

00:29:58.179 --> 00:29:59.240
 are expressed

00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:00.299
 in all of the

00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:01.419
 one another's

00:30:01.419 --> 00:30:02.399
 in the Bible.

00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:03.579
 And there are too many

00:30:03.579 --> 00:30:04.480
 for me to give them

00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.339
 to you this morning,

00:30:05.419 --> 00:30:06.059
 but just a few.

00:30:06.179 --> 00:30:07.119
 John 15, 12.

00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:07.599
 Jesus says,

00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:08.659
 this is my commandment

00:30:08.659 --> 00:30:09.759
 that you love

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.799
 one another

00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:12.099
 as I have loved you.

00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:13.199
 Again,

00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:14.119
 Romans 12, 10.

00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:14.539
 Paul,

00:30:14.779 --> 00:30:15.579
 love one another

00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:17.119
 with brotherly affection.

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:19.079
 Outdo one another

00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:20.859
 in showing honor.

00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:22.299
 Romans 6, 16.

00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:22.839
 Paul says,

00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:23.699
 greet one another

00:30:23.699 --> 00:30:24.919
 with a holy kiss.

00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:26.099
 And that was a practice

00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:27.779
 of showing someone

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.179
 that they're a part

00:30:28.179 --> 00:30:28.779
 of your family.

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:30.119
 You're part of our family.

00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:31.159
 We are a faith family

00:30:31.159 --> 00:30:31.980
 together.

00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:34.159
 Galatians 6, 2.

00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:36.639
 Bear one another's burdens

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.859
 and so fulfill

00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:39.299
 the law of Christ.

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.279
 Their devotion

00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:40.980
 to the fellowship

00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:42.779
 included discipleship.

00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:44.619
 It included counseling.

00:30:45.179 --> 00:30:47.480
 It included sharing meals together.

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:49.000
 It included helping each other

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:50.019
 with yard work.

00:30:50.019 --> 00:30:51.539
 It included all of these

00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:52.639
 types of things

00:30:52.639 --> 00:30:53.420
 that Christians

00:30:53.420 --> 00:30:55.180
 are meant to be drawn into

00:30:55.180 --> 00:30:56.160
 together

00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:57.500
 as the people of God.

00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.839
 Expansive meaning

00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:01.200
 the fellowship.

00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:04.019
 They were also devoted

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:06.240
 to the breaking of bread.

00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.420
 And I think,

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:10.039
 some will say this is referring

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:11.240
 to meals taken together.

00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:12.400
 I'd like to put meals

00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:12.960
 in the fellowship.

00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:14.660
 I think that specifically,

00:31:14.879 --> 00:31:15.119
 Luke,

00:31:15.339 --> 00:31:16.319
 is referring to them

00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.299
 practicing

00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:19.200
 the ordinances.

00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:20.220
 This is them

00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:21.079
 practicing

00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:22.500
 the Lord's supper

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:22.940
 together

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:24.119
 as He had commanded

00:31:24.119 --> 00:31:25.859
 them to do.

00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:27.500
 I broaden that

00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.339
 to talk about the ordinances

00:31:28.339 --> 00:31:29.819
 because we saw in verse 41

00:31:29.819 --> 00:31:30.779
 that they were baptized.

00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:33.240
 They didn't need to be

00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:35.059
 as this early group of people

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:36.359
 continually devoted

00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:36.859
 to baptism

00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:37.819
 because they had already

00:31:37.819 --> 00:31:38.319
 been baptized.

00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:40.000
 But they go on

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.839
 to now be devoted

00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:41.960
 to this continuing

00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:43.000
 practice

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:45.019
 of breaking bread

00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:46.160
 with one another.

00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:47.740
 Practicing the Lord's supper.

00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:48.759
 Remembering together

00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.839
 what Christ had done

00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:50.480
 on their behalf.

00:31:50.579 --> 00:31:51.319
 What He was doing

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.839
 and what He had promised

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.879
 to do.

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.240
 They're celebrating that

00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:56.180
 collectively

00:31:56.180 --> 00:31:57.400
 together.

00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:59.200
 They were remembering

00:31:59.200 --> 00:31:59.700
 together

00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:00.819
 that their fellowship

00:32:00.819 --> 00:32:03.299
 was a divine reality.

00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:03.980
 It was something

00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:04.859
 that was accomplished

00:32:04.859 --> 00:32:06.500
 by the personal work

00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:08.420
 of Jesus Christ.

00:32:09.059 --> 00:32:10.279
 This is the continuation

00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:11.799
 of His ministry

00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:13.579
 on earth.

00:32:13.579 --> 00:32:15.919
 Do you think

00:32:15.919 --> 00:32:16.659
 about the church

00:32:16.659 --> 00:32:17.519
 in that way?

00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:19.039
 Do you merely

00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:20.379
 attend a church?

00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:21.740
 Or are you

00:32:21.740 --> 00:32:23.000
 in fellowship

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:24.339
 with a group

00:32:24.339 --> 00:32:25.000
 of believers

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:25.859
 because of what

00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:26.519
 Christ has done

00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:28.379
 on your behalf?

00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:30.259
 We have,

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.399
 if we're in the faith,

00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:32.799
 the greatest

00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:34.799
 uniting commonality

00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:35.779
 between us.

00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:36.740
 We could come from

00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:37.759
 all various

00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:38.960
 different backgrounds.

00:32:39.879 --> 00:32:41.059
 We have Christ.

00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:41.179
 Christ.

00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:43.539
 We have community

00:32:43.539 --> 00:32:44.460
 and fellowship

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:44.960
 together.

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:45.480
 And the Lord's

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:45.819
 supper is meant

00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:46.679
 to remind us

00:32:46.679 --> 00:32:47.579
 of that.

00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.700
 I'll read to you

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.839
 from a little book

00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:51.740
 by a man named

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:52.519
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:53.799
 If you don't know

00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:54.319
 who he is,

00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:55.980
 please learn who he is.

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:57.319
 You'll be encouraged

00:32:57.319 --> 00:32:58.019
 by him.

00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:58.419
 A little book

00:32:58.419 --> 00:32:59.299
 called Life Together.

00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:00.119
 He says,

00:33:00.119 --> 00:33:01.139
 I am a brother

00:33:01.139 --> 00:33:03.079
 to another person

00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:03.979
 through what Jesus

00:33:03.979 --> 00:33:05.219
 Christ did for me

00:33:05.219 --> 00:33:06.199
 and to me.

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:07.739
 The other person

00:33:07.739 --> 00:33:08.599
 has become a brother

00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:09.839
 to me through

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:11.319
 what Jesus Christ

00:33:11.319 --> 00:33:12.959
 did for him.

00:33:13.679 --> 00:33:14.959
 This fact that we

00:33:14.959 --> 00:33:15.500
 are brethren

00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:16.559
 only through Jesus

00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:18.000
 Christ is of

00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:19.000
 immeasurable

00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:20.719
 significance.

00:33:21.659 --> 00:33:22.659
 He pulls out

00:33:22.659 --> 00:33:23.319
 some significance

00:33:23.319 --> 00:33:23.659
 for us.

00:33:23.719 --> 00:33:23.899
 He says,

00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.339
 first,

00:33:24.719 --> 00:33:25.159
 that Christian

00:33:25.159 --> 00:33:25.839
 brotherhood

00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:26.859
 is not

00:33:26.859 --> 00:33:28.059
 an ideal

00:33:28.059 --> 00:33:29.959
 but a divine

00:33:29.959 --> 00:33:30.619
 reality.

00:33:30.779 --> 00:33:31.500
 It exists

00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.199
 already

00:33:32.199 --> 00:33:32.679
 because of what

00:33:32.679 --> 00:33:33.519
 Christ has accomplished.

00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:34.339
 Second,

00:33:34.659 --> 00:33:35.259
 that Christian

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:35.819
 brotherhood

00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:37.079
 is a spiritual

00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:39.019
 and not a

00:33:39.019 --> 00:33:39.599
 psychic

00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:40.639
 reality.

00:33:40.919 --> 00:33:41.619
 By that he means

00:33:41.619 --> 00:33:42.039
 it's something

00:33:42.039 --> 00:33:42.779
 that exists

00:33:42.779 --> 00:33:44.240
 in spiritual places

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:45.480
 and not necessarily

00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:46.279
 caught up in the way

00:33:46.279 --> 00:33:47.039
 we think or feel

00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:47.500
 about it

00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:49.299
 at any given time.

00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:50.220
 He goes on

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.980
 to explain this

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.720
 and he talks about

00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:53.299
 our feelings

00:33:53.299 --> 00:33:53.759
 and the things

00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:54.599
 that we want

00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:55.459
 to get from

00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:56.480
 Christian community

00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:57.019
 and he calls

00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:57.840
 those wish dreams.

00:33:58.079 --> 00:33:58.460
 So when you

00:33:58.460 --> 00:33:59.759
 hear a wish dream

00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:00.120
 that's what I'm

00:34:00.120 --> 00:34:00.539
 talking about.

00:34:00.600 --> 00:34:00.880
 He says,

00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:02.100
 every human

00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:03.240
 wish dream

00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:04.519
 that is injected

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.360
 into the Christian

00:34:05.360 --> 00:34:05.900
 community

00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:07.220
 is a hindrance

00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:07.840
 to genuine

00:34:07.840 --> 00:34:08.400
 community

00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:09.039
 and must be

00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:09.760
 banished

00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:10.699
 if genuine

00:34:10.699 --> 00:34:11.220
 community

00:34:11.220 --> 00:34:12.920
 is to survive.

00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.420
 He who loves

00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:15.019
 his dream

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.720
 of a community

00:34:15.720 --> 00:34:16.800
 more than the

00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:17.559
 Christian community

00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:18.099
 itself

00:34:18.099 --> 00:34:18.720
 becomes a

00:34:18.720 --> 00:34:19.579
 destroyer

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.559
 of the latter

00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:21.420
 even though

00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:22.480
 his personal

00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.000
 intentions

00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:23.720
 may be ever so

00:34:23.720 --> 00:34:24.159
 honest

00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:25.379
 and earnest

00:34:25.379 --> 00:34:26.779
 and sacrificial.

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:27.980
 Beloved,

00:34:28.039 --> 00:34:28.359
 do you know

00:34:28.359 --> 00:34:29.460
 people like this?

00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:30.519
 I think a lot

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:30.920
 of you college

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:31.619
 students may.

00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:32.759
 A person who's

00:34:32.759 --> 00:34:33.199
 always looking

00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:33.960
 for the perfect

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.519
 church

00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:36.219
 make up of a

00:34:36.219 --> 00:34:36.759
 certain set

00:34:36.759 --> 00:34:37.920
 of somethings

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:38.719
 that make them

00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:39.659
 feel a certain

00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:40.399
 something

00:34:40.399 --> 00:34:41.119
 to know that

00:34:41.119 --> 00:34:41.659
 they've finally

00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.699
 arrived at the

00:34:42.699 --> 00:34:43.119
 place

00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:44.179
 or those people

00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:44.819
 who will come

00:34:44.819 --> 00:34:45.420
 and commit

00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:46.139
 and only stay

00:34:46.139 --> 00:34:46.719
 for a while

00:34:46.719 --> 00:34:47.139
 and then they'll

00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:47.940
 go someplace else

00:34:47.940 --> 00:34:48.539
 and commit

00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:49.599
 and stay for a while

00:34:49.599 --> 00:34:50.219
 and they'll go

00:34:50.219 --> 00:34:50.679
 someplace else

00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:51.199
 and they give

00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:51.659
 so many

00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:52.419
 very many

00:34:52.419 --> 00:34:53.239
 very reasons

00:34:53.239 --> 00:34:53.799
 why

00:34:53.799 --> 00:34:54.679
 and fail to

00:34:54.679 --> 00:34:55.119
 recognize

00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:55.519
 that the

00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:56.480
 common denominator

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.599
 in all of that

00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:58.279
 is them.

00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:00.299
 That's some

00:35:00.299 --> 00:35:01.239
 weird ideal

00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:01.839
 set up in their

00:35:01.839 --> 00:35:02.819
 mind for what

00:35:02.819 --> 00:35:03.960
 church must be

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:04.480
 and they fail

00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:05.179
 to recognize

00:35:05.179 --> 00:35:06.119
 that it exists

00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:07.519
 because of

00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:08.000
 Christ

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:08.839
 and we're doing

00:35:08.839 --> 00:35:09.519
 that together

00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:10.039
 when we take

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:10.419
 the Lord's

00:35:10.419 --> 00:35:10.619
 Supper

00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:11.460
 every Sunday.

00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:12.980
 You may not

00:35:12.980 --> 00:35:13.219
 have known

00:35:13.219 --> 00:35:13.460
 that.

00:35:14.139 --> 00:35:14.579
 You are.

00:35:15.719 --> 00:35:16.239
 They're also

00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:16.960
 devoted to

00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:17.839
 the prayers.

00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:20.460
 Now the NASB

00:35:20.460 --> 00:35:21.240
 which is the

00:35:21.240 --> 00:35:22.139
 other translation

00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:23.300
 I enjoy

00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:23.960
 and appreciate

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:26.000
 in equal measure

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:26.559
 to the ESV

00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:27.059
 which I typically

00:35:27.059 --> 00:35:27.619
 preach from

00:35:27.619 --> 00:35:28.860
 doesn't include

00:35:28.860 --> 00:35:29.260
 the article

00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:29.559
 V.

00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:30.380
 It just says

00:35:30.380 --> 00:35:31.300
 prayer.

00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:32.639
 A little

00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:32.980
 interesting

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.179
 when you

00:35:33.179 --> 00:35:33.539
 begin to

00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:34.039
 look around

00:35:34.039 --> 00:35:34.519
 and look

00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:34.740
 at the

00:35:34.740 --> 00:35:35.000
 original

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:35.380
 language

00:35:35.380 --> 00:35:35.619
 that the

00:35:35.619 --> 00:35:35.940
 article's

00:35:35.940 --> 00:35:36.360
 not there

00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:36.659
 in the

00:35:36.659 --> 00:35:37.460
 original

00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:37.880
 language

00:35:37.880 --> 00:35:38.720
 either.

00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:39.019
 I think

00:35:39.019 --> 00:35:39.360
 a button

00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:39.760
 just made

00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:40.159
 that happen.

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:40.579
 That's weird.

00:35:42.720 --> 00:35:43.539
 I think

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.159
 that ESV

00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:44.679
 rendered it

00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:45.179
 this way

00:35:45.179 --> 00:35:45.920
 because of

00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:46.699
 the context

00:35:46.699 --> 00:35:47.820
 of them

00:35:47.820 --> 00:35:48.519
 collectively

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:49.519
 being devoted

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.300
 to

00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:52.200
 understanding

00:35:52.200 --> 00:35:52.420
 that it

00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:52.880
 was likely

00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:53.360
 referring

00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:53.800
 to

00:35:53.800 --> 00:35:54.700
 corporate

00:35:54.700 --> 00:35:55.060
 prayer.

00:35:55.620 --> 00:35:55.920
 So this

00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.480
 doesn't

00:35:56.480 --> 00:35:57.340
 diminish

00:35:57.340 --> 00:35:57.740
 the need

00:35:57.740 --> 00:35:58.320
 for personal

00:35:58.320 --> 00:35:58.660
 prayer

00:35:58.660 --> 00:35:59.100
 but here

00:35:59.100 --> 00:35:59.519
 we see

00:35:59.519 --> 00:35:59.900
 them

00:35:59.900 --> 00:36:00.440
 together

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:00.960
 devoted

00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:01.519
 together

00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.100
 to

00:36:02.100 --> 00:36:03.720
 the

00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:04.260
 prayers.

00:36:04.560 --> 00:36:05.039
 So times

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:06.180
 of corporate

00:36:06.180 --> 00:36:06.640
 prayer

00:36:06.640 --> 00:36:07.920
 I believe.

00:36:08.840 --> 00:36:09.680
 The vitality

00:36:09.680 --> 00:36:10.300
 of the church

00:36:10.300 --> 00:36:11.840
 depends on

00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:12.160
 this.

00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:14.260
 Acts 3.1

00:36:14.260 --> 00:36:14.660
 we see that

00:36:14.660 --> 00:36:15.019
 Peter and

00:36:15.019 --> 00:36:15.360
 John were

00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:15.840
 going up

00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:16.080
 to the

00:36:16.080 --> 00:36:16.320
 temple

00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:16.980
 at the

00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:17.360
 hour

00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.180
 of prayer.

00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:18.440
 So it

00:36:18.440 --> 00:36:18.740
 seemed to be

00:36:18.740 --> 00:36:19.200
 a practice

00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:19.519
 in this

00:36:19.519 --> 00:36:19.779
 day that

00:36:19.779 --> 00:36:20.019
 the church

00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:20.379
 was doing

00:36:20.379 --> 00:36:20.879
 that and

00:36:20.879 --> 00:36:21.179
 still

00:36:21.179 --> 00:36:21.879
 participating

00:36:21.879 --> 00:36:22.939
 in those

00:36:22.939 --> 00:36:23.399
 Jewish

00:36:23.399 --> 00:36:23.879
 times of

00:36:23.879 --> 00:36:24.500
 prayer that

00:36:24.500 --> 00:36:25.079
 were practiced

00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:26.079
 in that

00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:26.539
 day.

00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:28.599
 Do you

00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:29.139
 recognize

00:36:29.139 --> 00:36:29.619
 prayer is

00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:30.239
 necessary?

00:36:30.419 --> 00:36:30.599
 Do you

00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:32.199
 get that

00:36:32.199 --> 00:36:32.699
 the power

00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:33.239
 of God

00:36:33.239 --> 00:36:34.359
 is necessary

00:36:34.359 --> 00:36:35.259
 for the

00:36:35.259 --> 00:36:36.159
 work of

00:36:36.159 --> 00:36:36.739
 the church?

00:36:37.919 --> 00:36:38.599
 Have we

00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:39.219
 outgrown

00:36:39.219 --> 00:36:40.199
 our need

00:36:40.199 --> 00:36:41.159
 of these

00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:41.579
 things,

00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:42.619
 these devotions?

00:36:42.779 --> 00:36:43.059
 Have we

00:36:43.059 --> 00:36:43.819
 innovated

00:36:43.819 --> 00:36:44.439
 beyond the

00:36:44.439 --> 00:36:44.899
 necessity

00:36:44.899 --> 00:36:45.259
 of the

00:36:45.259 --> 00:36:45.739
 basics

00:36:45.739 --> 00:36:46.739
 Christian

00:36:46.739 --> 00:36:47.119
 living?

00:36:48.619 --> 00:36:49.419
 In some

00:36:49.419 --> 00:36:49.719
 places

00:36:49.719 --> 00:36:50.099
 it seems

00:36:50.099 --> 00:36:50.319
 to be

00:36:50.319 --> 00:36:50.899
 the case.

00:36:52.479 --> 00:36:53.099
 Some

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:53.579
 churches

00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:54.579
 seem to

00:36:54.579 --> 00:36:56.399
 say we

00:36:56.399 --> 00:36:56.639
 don't need

00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:56.959
 the Bible.

00:36:57.819 --> 00:36:58.259
 We have

00:36:58.259 --> 00:36:58.679
 multimedia

00:36:58.679 --> 00:36:59.319
 presentations

00:36:59.319 --> 00:37:00.919
 and funny

00:37:00.919 --> 00:37:01.479
 quips,

00:37:02.259 --> 00:37:03.279
 movie scenes,

00:37:03.979 --> 00:37:04.479
 skits.

00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:06.299
 We don't

00:37:06.299 --> 00:37:06.939
 need fellowship

00:37:06.939 --> 00:37:07.439
 because we're

00:37:07.439 --> 00:37:08.279
 just all too

00:37:08.279 --> 00:37:08.939
 busy and

00:37:08.939 --> 00:37:09.419
 besides we

00:37:09.419 --> 00:37:10.159
 have social

00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:11.099
 media groups.

00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:13.219
 We don't

00:37:13.219 --> 00:37:13.699
 need to

00:37:13.699 --> 00:37:14.579
 empty ourselves

00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:14.880
 of our

00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:15.699
 individuality

00:37:15.699 --> 00:37:16.000
 for the

00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:16.340
 sake of

00:37:16.340 --> 00:37:16.639
 service

00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:16.920
 to the

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:17.259
 whole.

00:37:18.400 --> 00:37:18.719
 We have

00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:19.400
 so many

00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:19.880
 varied

00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:20.480
 ministries

00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:21.039
 that I

00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:21.400
 can find

00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:21.860
 one that

00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:22.400
 meets my

00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:22.940
 needs and

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:23.319
 my

00:37:23.319 --> 00:37:24.639
 conveniences.

00:37:25.559 --> 00:37:26.340
 We don't

00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:27.079
 need prayer.

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:28.159
 We have

00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:28.719
 a website

00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:30.460
 and a

00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:31.159
 kiosk

00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:31.639
 sign

00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:32.500
 and a

00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:32.719
 window

00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:33.019
 sticker.

00:37:35.019 --> 00:37:35.659
 Some

00:37:35.659 --> 00:37:35.960
 churches

00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:36.719
 these days

00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:37.639
 seem to

00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:38.239
 be what

00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:38.759
 Todd

00:37:38.759 --> 00:37:39.119
 Friel

00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:39.759
 calls

00:37:39.759 --> 00:37:40.619
 silly

00:37:40.619 --> 00:37:41.099
 factories

00:37:41.099 --> 00:37:42.199
 because he's

00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:42.719
 unwilling to

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:43.139
 call them

00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:44.179
 churches.

00:37:44.579 --> 00:37:46.500
 Let it

00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:46.860
 not be

00:37:46.860 --> 00:37:47.400
 so among

00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:47.799
 us.

00:37:49.659 --> 00:37:50.259
 Let us

00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:50.519
 be a

00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:50.779
 church

00:37:50.779 --> 00:37:51.299
 devoted

00:37:51.299 --> 00:37:52.099
 to the

00:37:52.099 --> 00:37:52.360
 scripture,

00:37:53.059 --> 00:37:54.019
 to partnering

00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:54.659
 in Christian

00:37:54.659 --> 00:37:55.659
 living together,

00:37:56.139 --> 00:37:56.920
 to gathering

00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:58.119
 regularly in

00:37:58.119 --> 00:37:58.960
 worshiping God

00:37:58.960 --> 00:37:59.679
 in observance

00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:00.079
 of the

00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:00.340
 Lord's

00:38:00.340 --> 00:38:00.599
 Supper,

00:38:01.199 --> 00:38:01.799
 and to

00:38:01.799 --> 00:38:02.199
 praying

00:38:02.199 --> 00:38:03.099
 individually

00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:05.039
 and corporately.

00:38:07.539 --> 00:38:07.779
 Their

00:38:07.779 --> 00:38:08.699
 spirit-filled

00:38:08.699 --> 00:38:09.559
 devotion,

00:38:10.799 --> 00:38:11.360
 secondly,

00:38:12.299 --> 00:38:12.980
 produced

00:38:12.980 --> 00:38:13.800
 spirit-filled

00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:15.019
 character.

00:38:15.539 --> 00:38:15.740
 Their

00:38:15.740 --> 00:38:16.159
 spirit-filled

00:38:16.159 --> 00:38:16.559
 devotion

00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:17.059
 produced

00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:17.760
 spirit-filled

00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:17.760


00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:17.800
 Spirit-filled

00:38:17.800 --> 00:38:19.139
 character.

00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:20.740
 And I'm

00:38:20.740 --> 00:38:20.820
 going to

00:38:20.820 --> 00:38:21.199
 start speeding

00:38:21.199 --> 00:38:21.719
 up for you.

00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:24.480
 Spirit-filled

00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:25.139
 church's

00:38:25.139 --> 00:38:25.840
 character,

00:38:25.980 --> 00:38:26.400
 point number

00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:26.679
 two,

00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:27.599
 verses 43

00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:28.139
 through the

00:38:28.139 --> 00:38:29.079
 first part

00:38:29.079 --> 00:38:30.980
 of 47.

00:38:31.380 --> 00:38:31.659
 Notice

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:33.000
 first that

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:33.340
 they were

00:38:33.340 --> 00:38:34.559
 awe-inspired.

00:38:35.179 --> 00:38:35.420
 The beginning

00:38:35.420 --> 00:38:35.900
 of verse 43

00:38:35.900 --> 00:38:36.119
 says,

00:38:36.260 --> 00:38:36.599
 an awe

00:38:36.599 --> 00:38:37.079
 came upon

00:38:37.079 --> 00:38:38.740
 every soul.

00:38:38.840 --> 00:38:39.119
 They were

00:38:39.119 --> 00:38:40.159
 amazed

00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:40.960
 at the

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:41.500
 work of

00:38:41.500 --> 00:38:41.940
 God

00:38:41.940 --> 00:38:43.199
 and the

00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:43.599
 people

00:38:43.599 --> 00:38:44.599
 of God.

00:38:45.199 --> 00:38:45.579
 Verse 43

00:38:45.579 --> 00:38:45.960
 goes on

00:38:45.960 --> 00:38:46.199
 and says,

00:38:46.339 --> 00:38:46.659
 and many

00:38:46.659 --> 00:38:47.239
 wonders and

00:38:47.239 --> 00:38:47.619
 signs were

00:38:47.619 --> 00:38:47.940
 being done

00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:48.199
 through the

00:38:48.199 --> 00:38:48.500
 apostles,

00:38:48.599 --> 00:38:49.099
 which certainly

00:38:49.099 --> 00:38:49.739
 fed the

00:38:49.739 --> 00:38:49.980
 awe,

00:38:50.039 --> 00:38:50.239
 but it

00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:50.539
 wasn't the

00:38:50.539 --> 00:38:50.879
 primary

00:38:50.879 --> 00:38:51.279
 thing.

00:38:51.759 --> 00:38:52.179
 Awe came

00:38:52.179 --> 00:38:52.420
 upon

00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:53.039
 every soul

00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:54.359
 and

00:38:54.359 --> 00:38:55.559
 miracles

00:38:55.559 --> 00:38:56.279
 were taking

00:38:56.279 --> 00:38:56.759
 place.

00:38:56.839 --> 00:38:56.940
 The

00:38:56.940 --> 00:38:57.339
 apostles

00:38:57.339 --> 00:38:58.119
 were doing

00:38:58.119 --> 00:38:58.779
 miracles.

00:38:59.039 --> 00:38:59.379
 So whether

00:38:59.379 --> 00:38:59.759
 or not you

00:38:59.759 --> 00:39:00.079
 think that

00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:00.639
 this is a

00:39:00.639 --> 00:39:01.099
 gift that's

00:39:01.099 --> 00:39:01.559
 still active

00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:02.119
 today or

00:39:02.119 --> 00:39:02.399
 that it's

00:39:02.399 --> 00:39:02.940
 not active

00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.319
 today,

00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:03.799
 you can

00:39:03.799 --> 00:39:04.500
 see that

00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:04.779
 as a

00:39:04.779 --> 00:39:05.219
 church,

00:39:05.339 --> 00:39:05.639
 we are

00:39:05.639 --> 00:39:06.039
 meant to be

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:07.019
 enthralled

00:39:07.019 --> 00:39:07.619
 by the

00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:07.960
 work of

00:39:07.960 --> 00:39:08.259
 God

00:39:08.259 --> 00:39:08.699
 in the

00:39:08.699 --> 00:39:09.119
 people of

00:39:09.119 --> 00:39:09.440
 God.

00:39:10.380 --> 00:39:10.960
 If you

00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:11.699
 have witnessed

00:39:11.699 --> 00:39:12.319
 or been

00:39:12.319 --> 00:39:13.059
 part of

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:13.739
 and believe

00:39:13.739 --> 00:39:14.599
 that possibly

00:39:14.599 --> 00:39:15.519
 miracles do

00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:16.299
 still happen

00:39:16.299 --> 00:39:17.139
 in these

00:39:17.139 --> 00:39:18.519
 evidencing

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.400
 kind of

00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:19.960
 ways,

00:39:20.779 --> 00:39:21.880
 we have

00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:22.359
 to recognize

00:39:22.359 --> 00:39:22.719
 that the

00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:23.000
 greatest

00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:23.679
 miracle that

00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.099
 happens

00:39:24.099 --> 00:39:25.960
 ever is

00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:26.859
 that dead

00:39:26.859 --> 00:39:27.699
 hearts are

00:39:27.699 --> 00:39:28.400
 made alive.

00:39:29.299 --> 00:39:29.659
 People who

00:39:29.659 --> 00:39:30.039
 were once

00:39:30.039 --> 00:39:30.619
 enemies of

00:39:30.619 --> 00:39:30.920
 God have

00:39:30.920 --> 00:39:31.259
 now been

00:39:31.259 --> 00:39:32.059
 made His

00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:32.559
 friends and

00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:32.839
 this was

00:39:32.839 --> 00:39:33.900
 happening on

00:39:33.900 --> 00:39:34.579
 the regular

00:39:34.579 --> 00:39:35.460
 in their

00:39:35.460 --> 00:39:35.799
 day.

00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:36.880
 They were

00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:37.900
 awe-inspired.

00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:38.719
 They were

00:39:38.719 --> 00:39:40.319
 motivated by

00:39:40.319 --> 00:39:40.699
 the goodness

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:41.079
 of God

00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:41.399
 to them

00:39:41.399 --> 00:39:42.059
 in Christ

00:39:42.059 --> 00:39:42.439
 and what

00:39:42.439 --> 00:39:42.639
 He was

00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:43.819
 doing in

00:39:43.819 --> 00:39:44.339
 the church.

00:39:45.539 --> 00:39:46.000
 They were

00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:46.679
 generous.

00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:47.779
 They were

00:39:47.779 --> 00:39:48.319
 generous.

00:39:49.899 --> 00:39:50.339
 It was

00:39:50.339 --> 00:39:51.619
 44-46.

00:39:52.559 --> 00:39:53.039
 They were

00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:53.839
 together.

00:39:54.719 --> 00:39:55.119
 They had

00:39:55.119 --> 00:39:55.500
 all things

00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:56.139
 in common.

00:39:56.399 --> 00:39:56.500
 They were

00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:56.839
 selling

00:39:56.839 --> 00:39:57.339
 possessions

00:39:57.339 --> 00:39:58.000
 and belongings

00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:58.480
 and distributing

00:39:58.480 --> 00:39:59.000
 proceeds to

00:39:59.000 --> 00:39:59.299
 all as

00:39:59.299 --> 00:39:59.559
 any had

00:39:59.559 --> 00:39:59.939
 need.

00:40:00.539 --> 00:40:01.119
 Day by

00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:01.599
 day,

00:40:01.819 --> 00:40:02.019
 they were

00:40:02.019 --> 00:40:02.659
 together,

00:40:02.839 --> 00:40:03.239
 attending

00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:03.739
 temple

00:40:03.739 --> 00:40:04.279
 together.

00:40:04.659 --> 00:40:05.379
 Before the

00:40:05.379 --> 00:40:06.019
 Jews prohibited

00:40:06.019 --> 00:40:06.319
 them from

00:40:06.319 --> 00:40:06.879
 doing so,

00:40:06.880 --> 00:40:07.200
 and they're

00:40:07.200 --> 00:40:07.860
 breaking

00:40:07.860 --> 00:40:08.539
 bread in

00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:08.700
 their

00:40:08.700 --> 00:40:09.360
 homes,

00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:10.860
 Lord's

00:40:10.860 --> 00:40:11.119
 Supper,

00:40:11.220 --> 00:40:11.420
 and they're

00:40:11.420 --> 00:40:11.900
 receiving

00:40:11.900 --> 00:40:12.340
 their

00:40:12.340 --> 00:40:13.700
 food.

00:40:15.519 --> 00:40:16.039
 We live

00:40:16.039 --> 00:40:16.200
 in an

00:40:16.200 --> 00:40:16.420
 interesting

00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:16.820
 political

00:40:16.820 --> 00:40:17.140
 climate

00:40:17.140 --> 00:40:17.559
 right now

00:40:17.559 --> 00:40:17.980
 where many

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:19.360
 socialist

00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:20.220
 arguments are

00:40:20.220 --> 00:40:21.480
 being made.

00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:22.300
 This is not

00:40:22.300 --> 00:40:22.720
 an argument

00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:23.240
 for that.

00:40:24.240 --> 00:40:25.039
 It's not a

00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:25.680
 government

00:40:25.680 --> 00:40:27.619
 reigning over

00:40:27.619 --> 00:40:28.119
 them in this.

00:40:28.180 --> 00:40:28.559
 This is a

00:40:28.559 --> 00:40:29.380
 compulsion that's

00:40:29.380 --> 00:40:29.900
 being brought

00:40:29.900 --> 00:40:31.660
 about by the

00:40:31.660 --> 00:40:32.160
 Spirit of God

00:40:32.160 --> 00:40:32.420
 in their

00:40:32.420 --> 00:40:32.800
 hearts.

00:40:32.900 --> 00:40:32.960
 So,

00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:33.140
 beloved,

00:40:33.280 --> 00:40:34.099
 I'm not

00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:34.960
 absolving you

00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:35.740
 from caring

00:40:35.740 --> 00:40:36.179
 about other

00:40:36.179 --> 00:40:36.500
 people.

00:40:36.920 --> 00:40:37.179
 What I'm

00:40:37.179 --> 00:40:37.659
 saying is you

00:40:37.659 --> 00:40:37.880
 need to

00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:38.980
 press it up.

00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:39.380
 We need to

00:40:39.380 --> 00:40:39.840
 be more

00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:40.820
 generous as

00:40:40.820 --> 00:40:41.119
 the people

00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:41.559
 of God.

00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:43.220
 I'd just

00:40:43.220 --> 00:40:43.720
 rather do so

00:40:43.720 --> 00:40:44.300
 personally to

00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:44.679
 my neighbor,

00:40:45.300 --> 00:40:45.679
 not through

00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:46.059
 a program.

00:40:47.240 --> 00:40:47.720
 They were

00:40:47.720 --> 00:40:48.340
 generous.

00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:49.420
 This is being

00:40:49.420 --> 00:40:50.199
 generated in

00:40:50.199 --> 00:40:50.619
 them by the

00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:50.980
 Spirit of

00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:51.260
 God.

00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:52.280
 They were

00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:52.840
 joyful.

00:40:54.519 --> 00:40:55.119
 Last part of

00:40:55.119 --> 00:40:55.960
 verse 46,

00:40:56.679 --> 00:40:56.980
 they're doing

00:40:56.980 --> 00:40:57.679
 all this with

00:40:57.679 --> 00:40:59.380
 glad and with

00:40:59.380 --> 00:41:00.639
 generous hearts.

00:41:01.159 --> 00:41:01.699
 First part of

00:41:01.699 --> 00:41:02.300
 47,

00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:02.760
 they were

00:41:02.760 --> 00:41:04.940
 praising God.

00:41:05.659 --> 00:41:05.960
 They were

00:41:05.960 --> 00:41:06.400
 joyful.

00:41:06.539 --> 00:41:06.659
 They were

00:41:06.659 --> 00:41:07.139
 filled with

00:41:07.139 --> 00:41:07.320
 joy.

00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:07.619
 They were

00:41:07.619 --> 00:41:08.039
 glad,

00:41:08.220 --> 00:41:08.599
 generous.

00:41:08.740 --> 00:41:09.500
 NASB again

00:41:09.500 --> 00:41:10.199
 renders that

00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:10.980
 they were

00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:12.159
 sincere.

00:41:12.320 --> 00:41:12.579
 They had

00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:14.099
 sincerity of

00:41:14.099 --> 00:41:14.460
 heart,

00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:14.960
 which is to

00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:16.860
 say simplicity

00:41:16.860 --> 00:41:18.039
 of heart.

00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:19.380
 They weren't

00:41:19.380 --> 00:41:20.039
 divided.

00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:20.360
 They weren't

00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:20.760
 pulled in

00:41:20.760 --> 00:41:21.059
 multiple

00:41:21.059 --> 00:41:21.659
 directions.

00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:23.320
 They were

00:41:23.320 --> 00:41:25.039
 glad and

00:41:25.039 --> 00:41:25.840
 joyful and

00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:26.760
 focused on

00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:27.039
 the Lord,

00:41:27.179 --> 00:41:28.019
 praising God,

00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:28.639
 offering up

00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:29.019
 praise to

00:41:29.019 --> 00:41:29.420
 His name for

00:41:29.420 --> 00:41:29.760
 all that He

00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:30.159
 was doing

00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:31.320
 in their

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:31.699
 midst.

00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:33.220
 So that was

00:41:33.220 --> 00:41:33.460
 second.

00:41:33.559 --> 00:41:34.019
 The Spirit-filled

00:41:34.019 --> 00:41:34.360
 church's

00:41:34.360 --> 00:41:34.659
 character.

00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.579
 And lastly,

00:41:36.039 --> 00:41:36.679
 and thirdly,

00:41:37.079 --> 00:41:37.760
 the Spirit-filled

00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:38.760
 church's

00:41:38.760 --> 00:41:39.539
 effect.

00:41:41.340 --> 00:41:41.780
 These are all

00:41:41.780 --> 00:41:42.179
 things that we

00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:42.639
 should be able

00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:43.220
 to observe

00:41:43.220 --> 00:41:44.639
 in the church

00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:45.000
 of God.

00:41:45.119 --> 00:41:45.340
 And beloved,

00:41:45.420 --> 00:41:45.619
 these are

00:41:45.619 --> 00:41:46.340
 indicators.

00:41:46.539 --> 00:41:46.760
 These are

00:41:46.760 --> 00:41:47.539
 litmus tests.

00:41:48.099 --> 00:41:48.480
 These are

00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:49.420
 barometers to

00:41:49.420 --> 00:41:49.780
 us.

00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:51.619
 These things

00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:52.480
 exist in the

00:41:52.480 --> 00:41:52.920
 life of our

00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:53.420
 congregation.

00:41:53.740 --> 00:41:54.400
 If not,

00:41:54.460 --> 00:41:54.740
 we need to

00:41:54.740 --> 00:41:55.019
 be really

00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:55.440
 looking at

00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:55.820
 why.

00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:56.519
 Why do

00:41:56.519 --> 00:41:56.840
 they not

00:41:56.840 --> 00:41:57.420
 exist?

00:41:57.599 --> 00:41:57.880
 Are we

00:41:57.880 --> 00:41:58.360
 not

00:41:58.360 --> 00:41:58.880
 regenerate?

00:41:59.720 --> 00:42:00.119
 Are we

00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:01.500
 not devoted?

00:42:01.820 --> 00:42:02.099
 Are we not

00:42:02.099 --> 00:42:02.820
 Spirit-filled?

00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:03.519
 These are the

00:42:03.519 --> 00:42:03.880
 things that are

00:42:03.880 --> 00:42:04.440
 happening as a

00:42:04.440 --> 00:42:05.500
 result of

00:42:05.500 --> 00:42:05.780
 this.

00:42:05.860 --> 00:42:06.320
 The last part

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:07.460
 of verse 47,

00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:09.980
 you'll see that

00:42:09.980 --> 00:42:10.260
 they were

00:42:10.260 --> 00:42:10.860
 attractive.

00:42:12.860 --> 00:42:13.340
 They were

00:42:13.340 --> 00:42:14.019
 having favor

00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:14.760
 with all

00:42:14.760 --> 00:42:15.320
 the people.

00:42:16.720 --> 00:42:17.039
 And this is

00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:17.360
 going to come

00:42:17.360 --> 00:42:17.700
 and go.

00:42:17.820 --> 00:42:18.039
 We're going to

00:42:18.039 --> 00:42:18.400
 get just a

00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:18.900
 couple chapters

00:42:18.900 --> 00:42:19.360
 later in the

00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:19.860
 book of Acts,

00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:20.599
 and a great deal

00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:21.119
 of persecution

00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:21.519
 is going to

00:42:21.519 --> 00:42:22.019
 come to the

00:42:22.019 --> 00:42:22.400
 church.

00:42:23.500 --> 00:42:23.800
 They're not

00:42:23.800 --> 00:42:24.079
 going to be

00:42:24.079 --> 00:42:24.940
 quite so

00:42:24.940 --> 00:42:26.059
 favorable any

00:42:26.059 --> 00:42:26.460
 longer.

00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:26.539
 together.

00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:27.260
 But the

00:42:27.260 --> 00:42:27.519
 thing that

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:27.940
 we need to

00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:28.340
 learn from

00:42:28.340 --> 00:42:29.360
 this is

00:42:29.360 --> 00:42:30.139
 whether or

00:42:30.139 --> 00:42:30.619
 not people

00:42:30.619 --> 00:42:31.139
 hate the

00:42:31.139 --> 00:42:31.679
 message that

00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:32.260
 we preach,

00:42:32.500 --> 00:42:33.179
 they ought to

00:42:33.179 --> 00:42:33.639
 consider the

00:42:33.639 --> 00:42:34.139
 world better

00:42:34.139 --> 00:42:34.679
 for us being

00:42:34.679 --> 00:42:34.940
 here.

00:42:36.960 --> 00:42:38.340
 Your boss

00:42:38.340 --> 00:42:39.059
 should appreciate

00:42:39.059 --> 00:42:40.280
 the fact that

00:42:40.280 --> 00:42:40.720
 you work for

00:42:40.720 --> 00:42:41.840
 him or her.

00:42:43.240 --> 00:42:43.880
 Your professors

00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:44.659
 should feel that

00:42:44.659 --> 00:42:45.000
 way.

00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:47.420
 I had a lot

00:42:47.420 --> 00:42:47.820
 of professors

00:42:47.820 --> 00:42:48.480
 that did not

00:42:48.480 --> 00:42:49.019
 agree I was

00:42:49.019 --> 00:42:49.679
 a sociology

00:42:49.679 --> 00:42:50.579
 major with

00:42:50.579 --> 00:42:51.019
 my world

00:42:51.019 --> 00:42:51.840
 view at all.

00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:52.659
 I hope that

00:42:52.659 --> 00:42:52.860
 they all

00:42:52.860 --> 00:42:54.400
 appreciated the

00:42:54.400 --> 00:42:54.940
 work I did in

00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:55.579
 their classes and

00:42:55.579 --> 00:42:55.920
 the way I

00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:56.860
 made my

00:42:56.860 --> 00:42:57.360
 case.

00:42:57.880 --> 00:42:58.199
 They were

00:42:58.199 --> 00:42:58.779
 attractive.

00:42:59.460 --> 00:42:59.840
 People were

00:42:59.840 --> 00:43:01.579
 drawn who

00:43:01.579 --> 00:43:02.519
 were gods to

00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:02.980
 the church of

00:43:02.980 --> 00:43:03.279
 God.

00:43:04.159 --> 00:43:04.739
 And they were

00:43:04.739 --> 00:43:05.199
 multiplied.

00:43:06.259 --> 00:43:06.639
 And they were

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:06.940
 multiplied.

00:43:08.019 --> 00:43:08.460
 And the

00:43:08.460 --> 00:43:09.940
 Lord added to

00:43:09.940 --> 00:43:10.420
 their number,

00:43:11.199 --> 00:43:12.259
 day by day,

00:43:13.139 --> 00:43:13.519
 those who

00:43:13.519 --> 00:43:13.759
 were being

00:43:13.759 --> 00:43:14.159
 saved.

00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:16.539
 Now,

00:43:17.299 --> 00:43:17.819
 church, I

00:43:17.819 --> 00:43:18.179
 have made the

00:43:18.179 --> 00:43:18.880
 argument before

00:43:18.880 --> 00:43:19.940
 that we could

00:43:19.940 --> 00:43:21.539
 possibly live in

00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:22.219
 a time like

00:43:22.219 --> 00:43:23.000
 Jeremiah lived

00:43:23.000 --> 00:43:24.259
 in, labored

00:43:24.259 --> 00:43:24.880
 his whole life

00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:25.319
 as a prophet

00:43:25.320 --> 00:43:26.059
 of God, saw

00:43:26.059 --> 00:43:27.420
 we think maybe

00:43:27.420 --> 00:43:29.100
 possibly a

00:43:29.100 --> 00:43:31.000
 convert, one

00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:31.539
 person who

00:43:31.539 --> 00:43:32.180
 turned from the

00:43:32.180 --> 00:43:32.700
 sin of Israel

00:43:32.700 --> 00:43:34.200
 and back to

00:43:34.200 --> 00:43:34.500
 God.

00:43:36.840 --> 00:43:37.980
 I think that

00:43:37.980 --> 00:43:38.539
 when I've done

00:43:38.539 --> 00:43:39.080
 that, I've used

00:43:39.080 --> 00:43:39.660
 it as a cop

00:43:39.660 --> 00:43:40.280
 out ultimately.

00:43:41.440 --> 00:43:42.019
 Oh, we're

00:43:42.019 --> 00:43:42.580
 doing the work

00:43:42.580 --> 00:43:43.039
 of God, we're

00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:43.480
 doing the work

00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:43.840
 of God, we're

00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:44.260
 doing the work

00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:44.539
 of God.

00:43:44.620 --> 00:43:45.760
 God just isn't

00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:47.160
 blessing it yet.

00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:48.820
 We're persevering

00:43:48.820 --> 00:43:49.660
 in faithfulness.

00:43:49.740 --> 00:43:50.220
 We need to be

00:43:50.220 --> 00:43:51.260
 doing this thing.

00:43:53.500 --> 00:43:54.059
 I think we

00:43:54.059 --> 00:43:54.440
 need to really

00:43:54.440 --> 00:43:55.039
 to consider

00:43:55.039 --> 00:43:55.980
 whether or not

00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:56.280
 we're doing

00:43:56.280 --> 00:43:56.659
 the work of

00:43:56.659 --> 00:43:57.159
 God if we're

00:43:57.159 --> 00:43:57.840
 not seeing

00:43:57.840 --> 00:43:58.619
 people added

00:43:58.619 --> 00:44:00.340
 to our

00:44:00.340 --> 00:44:00.679
 number.

00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:02.360
 And we

00:44:02.360 --> 00:44:03.179
 as a church

00:44:03.179 --> 00:44:03.740
 have had the

00:44:03.740 --> 00:44:04.840
 benefit, the

00:44:04.840 --> 00:44:05.460
 joy of

00:44:05.460 --> 00:44:06.220
 receiving so

00:44:06.220 --> 00:44:06.860
 many college

00:44:06.860 --> 00:44:07.539
 students across

00:44:07.539 --> 00:44:08.200
 the years.

00:44:09.000 --> 00:44:09.460
 Hear me,

00:44:09.500 --> 00:44:09.960
 college students,

00:44:10.019 --> 00:44:10.420
 we're really

00:44:10.420 --> 00:44:10.940
 thankful that

00:44:10.940 --> 00:44:11.320
 you're here.

00:44:12.760 --> 00:44:13.519
 Having people

00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:15.139
 who have come

00:44:15.139 --> 00:44:15.740
 out of churches

00:44:15.740 --> 00:44:16.559
 that are entirely

00:44:16.559 --> 00:44:17.500
 unbiblical and

00:44:17.500 --> 00:44:18.900
 see that at

00:44:18.900 --> 00:44:19.420
 least in some

00:44:19.420 --> 00:44:19.940
 ways we're

00:44:19.940 --> 00:44:20.500
 getting it a

00:44:20.500 --> 00:44:20.920
 little more

00:44:20.920 --> 00:44:21.340
 right.

00:44:21.500 --> 00:44:21.800
 I said that

00:44:21.800 --> 00:44:22.079
 with a great

00:44:22.079 --> 00:44:22.380
 deal of

00:44:22.380 --> 00:44:22.779
 humility,

00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:24.099
 we're

00:44:24.099 --> 00:44:24.579
 attempting,

00:44:24.719 --> 00:44:25.179
 we're pressing

00:44:25.179 --> 00:44:25.940
 at being a

00:44:25.940 --> 00:44:26.539
 biblical church

00:44:26.539 --> 00:44:27.119
 together and

00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:27.759
 I'm so

00:44:27.759 --> 00:44:28.340
 thankful for

00:44:28.340 --> 00:44:29.440
 you who have

00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:30.299
 transitioned over

00:44:30.299 --> 00:44:30.799
 and are helping

00:44:30.799 --> 00:44:31.619
 us build

00:44:31.619 --> 00:44:32.659
 together a

00:44:32.659 --> 00:44:33.039
 church for the

00:44:33.039 --> 00:44:34.000
 glory of God.

00:44:34.099 --> 00:44:34.639
 This is good.

00:44:34.900 --> 00:44:35.360
 This is a good

00:44:35.360 --> 00:44:35.539
 thing.

00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:35.960
 We don't want to

00:44:35.960 --> 00:44:36.639
 stop doing that.

00:44:36.679 --> 00:44:37.000
 We don't want to

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:37.480
 stop being a

00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:38.239
 place where

00:44:38.239 --> 00:44:39.039
 college students

00:44:39.039 --> 00:44:39.579
 can come up

00:44:39.579 --> 00:44:40.539
 and have a

00:44:40.539 --> 00:44:41.539
 church up here

00:44:41.539 --> 00:44:42.019
 as they begin

00:44:42.019 --> 00:44:43.380
 to reestablish a

00:44:43.380 --> 00:44:43.960
 different home for

00:44:43.960 --> 00:44:45.480
 their time in

00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:45.940
 college.

00:44:45.940 --> 00:44:46.000
 college.

00:44:46.639 --> 00:44:47.200
 We don't want

00:44:47.200 --> 00:44:47.860
 to stop taking

00:44:47.860 --> 00:44:49.639
 in people who

00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:53.639
 have been wronged

00:44:53.639 --> 00:44:54.559
 by unbiblical

00:44:54.559 --> 00:44:55.139
 models of

00:44:55.139 --> 00:44:56.760
 church and

00:44:56.760 --> 00:44:57.860
 serving them and

00:44:57.860 --> 00:44:58.920
 loving on them and

00:44:58.920 --> 00:44:59.639
 growing them in the

00:44:59.639 --> 00:44:59.860
 truth.

00:44:59.940 --> 00:45:00.260
 We don't want to

00:45:00.260 --> 00:45:01.119
 stop doing that.

00:45:02.519 --> 00:45:03.159
 I think we're

00:45:03.159 --> 00:45:03.840
 really missing the

00:45:03.840 --> 00:45:04.380
 point if we're not

00:45:04.380 --> 00:45:04.900
 growing through

00:45:04.900 --> 00:45:05.340
 conversion.

00:45:06.980 --> 00:45:07.780
 And that troubles

00:45:07.780 --> 00:45:07.980
 me.

00:45:08.039 --> 00:45:08.700
 And I think as a

00:45:08.700 --> 00:45:09.960
 church, it's easy

00:45:09.960 --> 00:45:10.920
 for us to be excited

00:45:10.920 --> 00:45:11.760
 each year because we

00:45:11.760 --> 00:45:12.320
 get a little bit

00:45:12.320 --> 00:45:12.599
 bigger.

00:45:12.599 --> 00:45:14.880
 because there's

00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:15.500
 another recruit of

00:45:15.500 --> 00:45:16.039
 college freshmen

00:45:16.039 --> 00:45:17.579
 that come around

00:45:17.579 --> 00:45:18.639
 and they come here

00:45:18.639 --> 00:45:19.319
 and it feels like

00:45:19.319 --> 00:45:19.940
 stuff's happening.

00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:21.079
 Things are happening.

00:45:21.239 --> 00:45:21.819
 Things are happening.

00:45:24.219 --> 00:45:25.339
 I want to hear,

00:45:25.539 --> 00:45:26.299
 Sunday morning I

00:45:26.299 --> 00:45:26.860
 want you to come up

00:45:26.860 --> 00:45:27.519
 to me and don't

00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:28.259
 ask me where the

00:45:28.259 --> 00:45:28.980
 paper towels are

00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:30.039
 stored and say,

00:45:30.360 --> 00:45:31.480
 guess what?

00:45:32.679 --> 00:45:33.319
 I've been preaching

00:45:33.319 --> 00:45:34.299
 the gospel to my

00:45:34.299 --> 00:45:35.960
 roommate and he

00:45:35.960 --> 00:45:36.420
 came to faith in

00:45:36.420 --> 00:45:36.679
 Christ.

00:45:37.539 --> 00:45:38.279
 I think he'll be

00:45:38.279 --> 00:45:38.739
 here next Sunday.

00:45:38.819 --> 00:45:39.159
 I couldn't get him

00:45:39.159 --> 00:45:39.460
 here today.

00:45:39.639 --> 00:45:40.619
 Or here he is.

00:45:41.259 --> 00:45:42.039
 And our community

00:45:42.039 --> 00:45:42.860
 outreach groups as

00:45:42.860 --> 00:45:43.440
 we're being

00:45:43.440 --> 00:45:44.039
 accountable to one

00:45:44.039 --> 00:45:44.500
 another and we're

00:45:44.500 --> 00:45:44.940
 trying to press

00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:45.480
 at each other to be

00:45:45.480 --> 00:45:46.039
 sharing our faith

00:45:46.039 --> 00:45:46.500
 constantly, that

00:45:46.500 --> 00:45:47.679
 people are converted.

00:45:48.380 --> 00:45:48.960
 We're preaching the

00:45:48.960 --> 00:45:49.579
 gospel to them.

00:45:49.820 --> 00:45:50.199
 It could be that

00:45:50.199 --> 00:45:50.579
 we're not preaching

00:45:50.579 --> 00:45:50.940
 the gospel.

00:45:51.059 --> 00:45:51.279
 It could be that

00:45:51.279 --> 00:45:51.559
 we're preaching

00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:52.279
 some version of

00:45:52.279 --> 00:45:52.599
 the gospel.

00:45:52.739 --> 00:45:53.099
 We're preaching

00:45:53.099 --> 00:45:53.559
 the gospel to

00:45:53.559 --> 00:45:54.400
 them and they're

00:45:54.400 --> 00:45:55.739
 converting to faith

00:45:55.739 --> 00:45:56.659
 in Jesus Christ and

00:45:56.659 --> 00:45:57.279
 they're beginning to

00:45:57.279 --> 00:45:57.779
 come around and

00:45:57.779 --> 00:45:58.980
 we're adding in

00:45:58.980 --> 00:45:59.559
 that way.

00:46:00.179 --> 00:46:01.599
 We can praise God

00:46:01.599 --> 00:46:02.480
 for his regenerative

00:46:02.480 --> 00:46:04.159
 work in the lives

00:46:04.159 --> 00:46:05.440
 of his church.

00:46:07.159 --> 00:46:07.719
 They were

00:46:07.719 --> 00:46:08.380
 multiplied.

00:46:10.119 --> 00:46:10.619
 They were

00:46:10.619 --> 00:46:10.940
 multiplied.

00:46:12.039 --> 00:46:14.579
 So the local

00:46:14.579 --> 00:46:16.880
 church is a

00:46:16.880 --> 00:46:17.420
 community of

00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:18.279
 regenerate followers

00:46:18.279 --> 00:46:19.199
 of Jesus Christ

00:46:19.199 --> 00:46:20.960
 who are devoted to

00:46:20.960 --> 00:46:21.400
 the scripture,

00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:23.960
 to living together

00:46:23.960 --> 00:46:24.699
 on mission,

00:46:25.460 --> 00:46:26.880
 to celebrating our

00:46:26.880 --> 00:46:28.059
 oneness in the

00:46:28.059 --> 00:46:28.380
 Lord,

00:46:29.300 --> 00:46:30.000
 and to prayer.

00:46:30.659 --> 00:46:31.259
 And it is

00:46:31.259 --> 00:46:32.219
 characterized by

00:46:32.219 --> 00:46:32.960
 its worship of

00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:33.259
 God,

00:46:33.360 --> 00:46:34.360
 its generosity,

00:46:34.360 --> 00:46:36.099
 and its joy,

00:46:36.860 --> 00:46:37.759
 which makes it,

00:46:38.619 --> 00:46:39.639
 by God's work,

00:46:39.639 --> 00:46:40.259
 attractive,

00:46:40.799 --> 00:46:42.179
 and growing.

00:46:44.739 --> 00:46:45.819
 Has this been your

00:46:45.819 --> 00:46:46.859
 understanding of the

00:46:46.859 --> 00:46:47.139
 church?

00:46:48.659 --> 00:46:49.400
 Has your

00:46:49.400 --> 00:46:50.059
 understanding of

00:46:50.059 --> 00:46:50.920
 church been defined

00:46:50.920 --> 00:46:51.639
 by the popular

00:46:51.639 --> 00:46:52.859
 church culture or by

00:46:52.859 --> 00:46:53.759
 the truth of God?

00:46:55.119 --> 00:46:56.359
 Do you recognize

00:46:56.359 --> 00:46:57.940
 that you have an

00:46:57.940 --> 00:46:59.279
 important role to

00:46:59.279 --> 00:47:00.400
 play in the life

00:47:00.400 --> 00:47:01.679
 of a biblical

00:47:01.679 --> 00:47:02.839
 church?

00:47:02.840 --> 00:47:02.920
 church?

00:47:03.960 --> 00:47:04.820
 In what ways have

00:47:04.820 --> 00:47:05.720
 you failed at

00:47:05.720 --> 00:47:06.059
 this?

00:47:08.360 --> 00:47:09.140
 How much do you

00:47:09.140 --> 00:47:10.480
 repent of those

00:47:10.480 --> 00:47:10.880
 failures?

00:47:13.300 --> 00:47:14.079
 In closing,

00:47:14.360 --> 00:47:15.140
 I'll read to you a

00:47:15.140 --> 00:47:17.240
 David Platt quote.

00:47:17.320 --> 00:47:17.700
 It's on the front of

00:47:17.700 --> 00:47:18.420
 your bulletin if you'd

00:47:18.420 --> 00:47:19.240
 like to see it.

00:47:19.239 --> 00:47:24.500
 You and I can

00:47:24.500 --> 00:47:25.379
 choose to continue

00:47:25.379 --> 00:47:26.219
 with business as

00:47:26.219 --> 00:47:27.039
 usual in the

00:47:27.039 --> 00:47:28.599
 Christian life and

00:47:28.599 --> 00:47:29.359
 in the church as a

00:47:29.359 --> 00:47:30.939
 whole, enjoying

00:47:30.939 --> 00:47:32.679
 success based on the

00:47:32.679 --> 00:47:34.000
 standards defined by

00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:35.059
 the culture around

00:47:35.059 --> 00:47:35.519
 us.

00:47:36.359 --> 00:47:38.719
 Or, we could take

00:47:38.719 --> 00:47:39.559
 an honest look at

00:47:39.559 --> 00:47:40.239
 the Jesus of the

00:47:40.239 --> 00:47:41.399
 Bible and dare to

00:47:41.399 --> 00:47:42.359
 ask what the

00:47:42.359 --> 00:47:43.379
 consequences might

00:47:43.379 --> 00:47:44.859
 be if we really

00:47:44.859 --> 00:47:47.000
 believed Him and

00:47:47.000 --> 00:47:47.679
 really obeyed Him.

00:47:48.659 --> 00:47:49.139
 Let's pray

00:47:49.139 --> 00:47:49.400
 together.