WEBVTT

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 They could come up. We're going to read nearly all the chapter. It's quite long, but it's a very important one.

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 So we're going to read verses 1 to 35.

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 So if you just give the page numbers and so forth.

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 We're on page 1110 in the Church Bibles.

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 Acts chapter 15, page 1110.

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 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers,

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 unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.

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 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them.

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 So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem

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 to see the apostles and elders about this question.

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 The Church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria,

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 they told how the Gentiles had been converted.

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 This news made all the brothers very glad.

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 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church and the apostles and elders,

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 to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

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 Then some of the believers, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees,

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 stood up and said,

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 The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.

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 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

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 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them.

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 Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear

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 from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

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 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,

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 just as he did to us.

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 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

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 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples

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 a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?

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 No, we believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.

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 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul

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 telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

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 When they finished, James spoke up.

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 Brothers, listen to me.

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 Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern

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 by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.

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 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written.

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 After this, I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent.

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 Its ruins I will rebuild and I will restore it that the remnant of men may seek the Lord

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 and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things

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 that have been known for the ages.

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 It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

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 Instead, we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,

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 from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.

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 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times

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 and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.

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 Then the apostles and elders with the whole church decided to choose some of their own men

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 and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.

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 They chose Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers.

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 With them they sent the following letter,

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 The apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

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 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you,

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 troubling your minds by what they said.

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 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

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 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Therefore, we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth that we are writing.

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 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements.

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 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals,

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 and from sexual immorality.

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 You will do well to avoid these things.

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 Farewell.

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 The men were sent off and went down to Antioch,

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 where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.

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 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

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 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets,

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 said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

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 After spending some time there,

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 they were sent off by the brothers

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 with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.

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 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch,

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 where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

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 Well,

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 we come to a section in Acts that is,

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 I would say, and commentators all say it too,

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 that it's the most pivotal point in all of church history.

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 You might be into church history,

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 but this has defined the church throughout all times and ages.

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 It's a critical, critical issue,

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 this council at Jerusalem,

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 this meeting that took place.

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 So we need to pay close attention to it.

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 And what we look at this morning,

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 everything that we do on a Sunday morning

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 is important,

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 and all the messages that we look at together

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 are really important.

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 But I want to say that this

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 is the most critical.

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 Because if we get this wrong,

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 then everything else falls apart.

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 It's foundational.

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 So we need close attention

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 to God's word.

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 So let's pray for that this morning.

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 Let's pray.

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 Our Father God,

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 we come to you.

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 We humble ourselves before you.

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 Because we want to learn from you.

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 we want you to teach us

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 and to show us

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 how we should live

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 as your people

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 in your church.

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 And Father,

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 we pray that we would take

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 what we look at together

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 with the utmost seriousness.

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 and that you would pour out

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 the power of your Holy Spirit

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 upon us all.

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 That we may be able to apply

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 and work it out

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 and see it filter

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 into our own lives personally

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 and together as a church.

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 That we would make

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 the necessary changes

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 that we need to.

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 and that above all

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 we would be people

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 transformed

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 by your grace.

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 May what was impacting

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 all those years ago

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 have that same impact

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 upon us today

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 and upon your church.

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 And we pray for your help

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 in doing this.

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 For we need it.

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 Amen.

00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:11.880
 On Saturday mornings

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 one of the things I do

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 is to coach rugby

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 with a bunch of

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 younger kids.

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 And before we start

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 our training sessions

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 I always hold up the ball

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 in the middle of them

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 and I ask this question

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 with the ball held up high.

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 What's the most important

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 thing in rugby?

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 And then they all have to

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 try and guess what it is.

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 Otherwise they get

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 press ups to do.

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 And they all go one by one.

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 Is it passing?

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 No.

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 Is it tackling?

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 No.

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 Is it kicking?

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 No.

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 It's the ball.

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 The most important thing

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 in rugby is the ball.

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 If you lose the ball

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 you can't win.

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 It's critical

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 that we hold on to the ball.

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 Otherwise we might as well

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 go home

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 and do some skipping

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 with the girls.

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 Well the girls do play rugby.

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 It's okay.

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 Don't worry.

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 Girls do play rugby.

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 My daughter does.

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 We just don't do skipping.

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 You know what I mean.

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 But that's

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 what's most important.

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 It's the ball.

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 Now what's the most

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 important thing

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 in the church?

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 The answer of course is

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 it's the gospel.

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 If you lose the gospel

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 you've lost everything.

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 It's not the music.

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 It's not our particular

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 brand of theology.

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 It's not the building.

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 It's the gospel.

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 It's critical.

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 It's vital

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 that as a church

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 we hold on to the gospel

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 otherwise the church

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 is going to die.

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 And that's the issue

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 for every single church

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 and it's at the heart

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 of the issue here

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 in chapter 15.

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 Look at chapter 15

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 verse 1.

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 Some men

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 came down

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 from Judea

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 that is they were

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 coming down

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 from the church

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 in Jerusalem

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 down to the church

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 in Antioch

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 and were teaching

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 the brothers

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 and the sisters

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 listen guys

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 listen to this

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 unless you are

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 circumcised

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 according to the customs

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 taught by Moses

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 you can't be saved.

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 You all think

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 you're Christians

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 well actually

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 you're not.

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 And the message

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 that you're telling

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 to everybody else

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 this message of grace

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 well that ain't going

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 to save anybody else either.

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 You've got it wrong.

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 Verse 2

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 This brought Paul

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 and Barnabas

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 into sharp dispute

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 and debate

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 with them.

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 Literally

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 a conflict

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 a fight

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 started within the church.

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 We're always saying

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 we shouldn't fight

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 in the church.

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 Sometimes

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 it's important

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 to fight.

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 There was a conflict

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 and there was a big issue

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 at stake.

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 But let's be clear

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 this is not a disagreement

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 over spiritual gifts

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 or worship styles.

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 This was of critical importance

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 because the outcome

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 of this debate

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 has the potential

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 to distort

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 the gospel

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 which will in turn

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 disrupt

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 the mission

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 which will in turn

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 destroy

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 the church.

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 If you lose

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 the gospel

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 you've lost

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 everything

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 we might as well

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 go home.

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 And it's such a defining issue

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 look at the rest

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 of verse 2

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 that Paul and Barnabas

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 were appointed

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 along with some of the

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 other believers

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 to go up to the church

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 in Jerusalem

00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:49.759
 to see the apostles

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 and the elders

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 about this question.

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 Verse 4

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 When they came to Jerusalem

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 they were welcomed

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 by the church

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 and the apostles

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 and the elders

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 to whom they reported

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 everything

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 that God had been doing

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 through them.

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 That's through

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 the Gentiles

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 where they had been reaching.

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 So as we travel

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 with Paul and Barnabas

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 and we want to go

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 with them

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 as they go up

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 from Antioch

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 to confront

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 the Jerusalem church

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 we're going to look

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 at three things.

00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:21.759
 Challenges to a

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 gospel centred church

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 maintaining a

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 gospel centred church

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 and living

00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.100
 as a gospel centred church.

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 These are three things

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 that I think come

00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:34.440
 from the passage.

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 First

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 the challenges

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 to a gospel centred church.

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 Surprisingly

00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.919
 the challenge

00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:42.679
 to the church

00:12:42.679 --> 00:12:43.500
 comes from

00:12:43.500 --> 00:12:45.019
 inside

00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:46.279
 the church

00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:47.580
 not from outside.

00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:48.700
 Often

00:12:48.700 --> 00:12:50.019
 the greatest issues

00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:51.679
 come from inside

00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:53.120
 not from outside

00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:54.399
 as was the case here.

00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:55.080
 Verse 5

00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:57.320
 Some of the believers

00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:58.139
 who belonged

00:12:58.139 --> 00:12:58.879
 to the party

00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:00.080
 of the Pharisees

00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:01.820
 stood up

00:13:01.820 --> 00:13:02.419
 and said

00:13:02.419 --> 00:13:03.879
 the Gentiles

00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:04.439
 Gentiles

00:13:04.439 --> 00:13:06.080
 must be circumcised

00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:06.700
 and required

00:13:06.700 --> 00:13:07.179
 to obey

00:13:07.179 --> 00:13:08.080
 the law of Moses.

00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:09.059
 A Gentile

00:13:09.059 --> 00:13:09.759
 was anybody

00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:10.820
 who wasn't a Jew.

00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:12.299
 So if you're not a Jew

00:13:12.299 --> 00:13:13.779
 or of Jewish extraction

00:13:13.779 --> 00:13:15.200
 you're a Gentile.

00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:16.639
 It's everybody else

00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:17.360
 who isn't a Jew.

00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:19.059
 And they were imposing

00:13:19.059 --> 00:13:20.220
 things upon them.

00:13:20.220 --> 00:13:24.060
 clearly these people

00:13:24.060 --> 00:13:24.720
 they're told

00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:25.480
 in verse 5

00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:26.360
 they were believers

00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:27.120
 they had heard

00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:27.720
 the gospel

00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:28.940
 they had become

00:13:28.940 --> 00:13:30.460
 followers of Jesus Christ

00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:31.720
 but now they were

00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:32.840
 beginning to add

00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:33.960
 to the gospel.

00:13:34.540 --> 00:13:35.480
 We might call them

00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:37.040
 the Jesus plus gang.

00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:39.060
 Their basic message

00:13:39.060 --> 00:13:39.420
 was

00:13:39.420 --> 00:13:41.120
 Jesus is not enough.

00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:42.920
 Jesus gets you

00:13:42.920 --> 00:13:43.540
 started

00:13:43.540 --> 00:13:45.279
 but you need

00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:46.000
 someone else

00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:47.019
 or something else

00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:47.620
 to get you

00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:48.480
 over the line.

00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.340
 for them

00:13:51.340 --> 00:13:52.039
 and the Jewish

00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:52.539
 tradition

00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:53.139
 was that

00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:54.159
 circumcision

00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:55.800
 was the outward

00:13:55.800 --> 00:13:56.420
 sign

00:13:56.420 --> 00:13:57.460
 that you were

00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:58.420
 part of God's

00:13:58.420 --> 00:13:58.980
 community.

00:13:58.980 --> 00:14:00.159
 It was a mark

00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:01.680
 of identity.

00:14:02.680 --> 00:14:03.800
 But they've now

00:14:03.800 --> 00:14:04.460
 turned this

00:14:04.460 --> 00:14:05.800
 outward sign

00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:06.759
 into

00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:08.700
 actual salvation.

00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:09.480
 So if you have

00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:10.039
 the sign

00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:11.019
 well then you

00:14:11.019 --> 00:14:11.680
 are saved.

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:13.899
 the equivalent

00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:14.819
 for us today

00:14:14.819 --> 00:14:15.439
 might be

00:14:15.439 --> 00:14:16.059
 baptism.

00:14:16.819 --> 00:14:17.839
 It's an outward

00:14:17.839 --> 00:14:18.719
 sign that you're

00:14:18.719 --> 00:14:19.539
 part of God's

00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:19.879
 family.

00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:20.799
 It's a mark

00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:21.699
 of identity.

00:14:22.179 --> 00:14:22.759
 But we could

00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:23.620
 easily turn that

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.299
 sign

00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:25.219
 into

00:14:25.219 --> 00:14:26.699
 salvation.

00:14:27.599 --> 00:14:28.199
 But that would

00:14:28.199 --> 00:14:29.419
 be gospel plus

00:14:29.419 --> 00:14:30.120
 that's

00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:31.479
 the Jesus plus

00:14:31.479 --> 00:14:32.439
 gang message

00:14:32.439 --> 00:14:33.179
 where we're saying

00:14:33.179 --> 00:14:34.019
 grace is not

00:14:34.019 --> 00:14:34.519
 sufficient

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:35.339
 we need

00:14:35.339 --> 00:14:36.219
 something more.

00:14:37.959 --> 00:14:38.799
 But I think

00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:39.299
 we've kind of

00:14:39.299 --> 00:14:40.019
 looked at those

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:40.879
 issues before

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.460
 haven't we?

00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:43.120
 So what are

00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:43.639
 some of the

00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:44.220
 challenges

00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:45.879
 to the gospel

00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:47.299
 that we face

00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:48.439
 in this church

00:14:48.439 --> 00:14:49.559
 today?

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.259
 Well you might

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:53.799
 come up with

00:14:53.799 --> 00:14:54.519
 your own and I'd

00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:55.439
 be very interested

00:14:55.439 --> 00:14:56.039
 to hear what

00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:56.580
 they are but

00:14:56.580 --> 00:14:57.200
 here's one that

00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:57.980
 I think of.

00:14:58.559 --> 00:14:59.340
 It goes something

00:14:59.340 --> 00:15:00.100
 like this.

00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:02.379
 We believe

00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:03.240
 that the gospel

00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:04.360
 saves us

00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:06.980
 but once we're

00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:07.379
 in

00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:09.720
 we've got to

00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:10.600
 keep ourselves

00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:10.920
 in.

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:12.899
 So Jesus

00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:13.540
 gets us

00:15:13.540 --> 00:15:13.840
 in

00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.240
 but then

00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:15.720
 it's up to

00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:16.120
 us to

00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:16.920
 keep ourselves

00:15:16.920 --> 00:15:17.220
 in.

00:15:18.540 --> 00:15:19.360
 I want to

00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:19.980
 quote to you

00:15:19.980 --> 00:15:20.899
 from a book

00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:22.840
 written by

00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:23.680
 a guy called

00:15:23.680 --> 00:15:24.220
 Tullian

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:24.800
 Chavidian

00:15:24.800 --> 00:15:27.200
 and I'm

00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:27.779
 quoting it

00:15:27.779 --> 00:15:28.180
 not just

00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:28.740
 because it's

00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:29.100
 a helpful

00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:29.779
 quote but

00:15:29.779 --> 00:15:30.779
 I'm recommending

00:15:30.779 --> 00:15:31.500
 it to you

00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:32.220
 as a great

00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:33.019
 book to read

00:15:33.019 --> 00:15:34.200
 on the gospel.

00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:34.720
 It's called

00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.139
 Jesus plus

00:15:36.139 --> 00:15:36.779
 nothing

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.700
 equals

00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:38.680
 everything.

00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:39.939
 Jesus plus

00:15:39.939 --> 00:15:40.539
 nothing

00:15:40.539 --> 00:15:41.419
 equals

00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:42.079
 everything.

00:15:42.739 --> 00:15:43.079
 And this is

00:15:43.079 --> 00:15:43.699
 what he says

00:15:43.699 --> 00:15:44.359
 talking about

00:15:44.359 --> 00:15:45.159
 our salvation.

00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:47.299
 Most believers

00:15:47.299 --> 00:15:49.139
 realise we

00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:49.819
 can never

00:15:49.819 --> 00:15:51.159
 earn our

00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:51.779
 salvation.

00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:53.299
 We've come

00:15:53.299 --> 00:15:54.099
 to accept that

00:15:54.099 --> 00:15:54.899
 no one can

00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.379
 work their

00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:56.259
 way into

00:15:56.259 --> 00:15:57.039
 God's kingdom.

00:15:57.479 --> 00:15:58.039
 We know

00:15:58.039 --> 00:15:59.279
 that and

00:15:59.279 --> 00:15:59.859
 most of us

00:15:59.859 --> 00:16:00.659
 who read the

00:16:00.659 --> 00:16:01.439
 Bible believe

00:16:01.439 --> 00:16:02.059
 that to be

00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:03.159
 true and I

00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:03.859
 take it that's

00:16:03.859 --> 00:16:04.740
 exactly how we're

00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:05.359
 thinking this

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:05.759
 morning.

00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.600
 But when it

00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.240
 comes to our

00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:09.240
 sanctification

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.120
 that means to

00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:10.919
 become like

00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:11.460
 Jesus

00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:13.419
 suddenly we

00:16:13.419 --> 00:16:15.039
 become legalists

00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.659
 in the matter

00:16:16.659 --> 00:16:17.879
 of maturing in

00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:18.860
 Christ likeness

00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:19.800
 and in

00:16:19.800 --> 00:16:20.659
 continuing to

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.460
 please God

00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:22.419
 and find favour

00:16:22.419 --> 00:16:23.000
 with God

00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:24.100
 and acceptance

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:24.879
 with God

00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:26.180
 we suppose

00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:27.080
 it's all about

00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:28.139
 what we have

00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:28.840
 to accomplish

00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:31.000
 and adhere

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:32.259
 to all the

00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:32.920
 rules and

00:16:32.920 --> 00:16:33.740
 standards and

00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:34.600
 values that we

00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:35.340
 need to follow.

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:37.240
 we get the

00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:38.100
 Christian life

00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:39.220
 all backwards.

00:16:40.180 --> 00:16:40.879
 It subtly

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:41.940
 becomes all

00:16:41.940 --> 00:16:42.779
 about us

00:16:42.779 --> 00:16:44.039
 and what we

00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:44.840
 have to do

00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:45.840
 which leads

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.600
 to slavery

00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:47.960
 instead of

00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:48.620
 being all

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:49.500
 about Jesus

00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:50.560
 and what

00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:51.360
 he's done

00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.620
 which leads

00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:53.879
 to liberty

00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:55.039
 or freedom.

00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:57.159
 You see

00:16:57.159 --> 00:16:57.940
 theologically

00:16:57.940 --> 00:16:59.980
 we say

00:16:59.980 --> 00:17:01.279
 yes it's

00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:01.920
 all about

00:17:01.920 --> 00:17:02.360
 Jesus

00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:04.420
 but practically

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:05.039
 we live

00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:05.340
 as if

00:17:05.340 --> 00:17:05.700
 it's all

00:17:05.700 --> 00:17:06.460
 about me.

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:08.019
 Jesus'

00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:08.960
 performance

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:09.380
 well that

00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:09.880
 gets me

00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:10.580
 into the

00:17:10.580 --> 00:17:10.960
 club

00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:11.980
 but it's

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:12.900
 my performance

00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:13.600
 that keeps

00:17:13.600 --> 00:17:14.340
 me in there.

00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:16.279
 But it's

00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:16.820
 not about

00:17:16.820 --> 00:17:17.300
 us.

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.220
 It's never

00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:18.980
 about us.

00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.519
 The reality

00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:21.400
 is the only

00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.160
 thing that we

00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:22.920
 bring to the

00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:24.360
 table as far

00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:25.279
 as our salvation

00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:26.320
 goes is

00:17:26.320 --> 00:17:27.660
 our failures

00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:28.500
 and our mess

00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:28.700
 ups.

00:17:28.800 --> 00:17:29.380
 That's all we

00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:30.060
 bring to the

00:17:30.060 --> 00:17:30.560
 equation.

00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:32.079
 the true

00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:32.559
 gospel

00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:33.179
 the pure

00:17:33.179 --> 00:17:33.619
 gospel

00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:34.079
 is not

00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:34.500
 about how

00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:34.839
 good I

00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:35.539
 am today

00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:36.759
 or how

00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:37.299
 much better

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:37.740
 I am

00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:38.679
 next week

00:17:38.679 --> 00:17:39.339
 than last

00:17:39.339 --> 00:17:39.779
 week.

00:17:40.419 --> 00:17:41.419
 It's all

00:17:41.419 --> 00:17:42.720
 about Jesus.

00:17:43.879 --> 00:17:44.379
 And there's

00:17:44.379 --> 00:17:44.859
 a quote

00:17:44.859 --> 00:17:45.359
 here.

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:46.759
 It's all

00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:47.519
 about Jesus

00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:48.019
 who has

00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:48.659
 taken the

00:17:48.659 --> 00:17:49.159
 judgment

00:17:49.159 --> 00:17:49.779
 that I

00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:50.339
 deserve

00:17:50.339 --> 00:17:50.879
 today

00:17:50.879 --> 00:17:52.079
 and tomorrow

00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:52.679
 for my

00:17:52.679 --> 00:17:53.119
 sin

00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:54.879
 so that I

00:17:54.879 --> 00:17:55.379
 am forever

00:17:55.379 --> 00:17:56.159
 treated and

00:17:56.159 --> 00:17:56.720
 treasured

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.579
 today and

00:17:57.579 --> 00:17:58.019
 tomorrow

00:17:58.019 --> 00:17:58.960
 as God's

00:17:58.960 --> 00:17:59.279
 son.

00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:01.059
 that's

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:01.440
 what it's

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.160
 all about.

00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:05.000
 You see

00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:05.519
 it's not

00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.059
 just a

00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:06.559
 Jerusalem

00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:07.379
 problem

00:18:07.379 --> 00:18:08.639
 with these

00:18:08.639 --> 00:18:09.359
 guys coming

00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:09.859
 along with

00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:10.480
 their Jesus

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.639
 plus issue.

00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:13.399
 It's actually

00:18:13.399 --> 00:18:14.200
 a carigoline

00:18:14.200 --> 00:18:14.879
 problem.

00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:16.579
 And why

00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:17.059
 would I be

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:17.859
 so rude

00:18:17.859 --> 00:18:18.440
 to suggest

00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:18.879
 that?

00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:20.480
 Well as

00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:20.960
 one writer

00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:21.399
 put it

00:18:21.399 --> 00:18:21.960
 because it's

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:22.660
 the default

00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:24.079
 setting of

00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:25.119
 every human

00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.779
 heart.

00:18:26.899 --> 00:18:27.579
 We've all

00:18:27.579 --> 00:18:29.220
 got a

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:29.940
 parasaic

00:18:29.940 --> 00:18:30.440
 heart.

00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:31.380
 All of

00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:31.759
 us.

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:34.180
 And we

00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:34.460
 need to

00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:35.120
 be careful

00:18:35.120 --> 00:18:35.980
 that we

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.740
 don't slip

00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:37.319
 down that

00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:37.799
 path.

00:18:39.339 --> 00:18:39.940
 And there's

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:40.640
 two ways

00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:40.980
 and this

00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:41.339
 is by

00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:42.100
 application

00:18:42.100 --> 00:18:42.559
 there are

00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:43.220
 two ways

00:18:43.220 --> 00:18:43.559
 that we

00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:44.319
 can tell

00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:45.680
 if we

00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:46.220
 are adding

00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:46.620
 to the

00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:47.000
 gospel

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:47.600
 if we've

00:18:47.600 --> 00:18:48.120
 become a

00:18:48.120 --> 00:18:48.579
 part of

00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:49.019
 the Jesus

00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:49.799
 plus gang.

00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:52.079
 The first

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:52.579
 is this

00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:52.900
 it's

00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:53.579
 legalism.

00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:55.019
 We know

00:18:55.019 --> 00:18:55.600
 we're adding

00:18:55.600 --> 00:18:56.059
 to the

00:18:56.059 --> 00:18:56.460
 gospel

00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:58.100
 when we've

00:18:58.100 --> 00:18:58.380
 got a

00:18:58.380 --> 00:18:58.579
 little

00:18:58.579 --> 00:18:59.220
 checklist

00:18:59.220 --> 00:18:59.819
 about

00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:00.480
 things we

00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.140
 can do

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:01.460
 and we

00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:01.900
 can't

00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:02.100
 do.

00:19:02.620 --> 00:19:02.980
 And it

00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:03.559
 becomes the

00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:04.319
 standard by

00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:04.940
 which we

00:19:04.940 --> 00:19:05.500
 judge our

00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:06.259
 acceptance with

00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:06.519
 God.

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:06.840
 So we

00:19:06.840 --> 00:19:07.299
 take out

00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:07.759
 the list

00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:08.720
 I check

00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:09.019
 it off

00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:09.259
 and I

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.620
 make sure

00:19:09.620 --> 00:19:09.920
 well I've

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:10.299
 ticked this

00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:10.500
 I've

00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:10.840
 ticked this

00:19:10.840 --> 00:19:11.019
 I've

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.319
 ticked this

00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:11.880
 I'm

00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:12.279
 okay.

00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:15.500
 But if

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.079
 I don't

00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:16.579
 meet these

00:19:16.579 --> 00:19:17.180
 standards

00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:18.619
 if I

00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:19.039
 find a

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:19.519
 box is

00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:19.819
 not

00:19:19.819 --> 00:19:20.359
 ticked

00:19:20.359 --> 00:19:21.079
 then I'm

00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:21.399
 out of

00:19:21.399 --> 00:19:21.940
 favour with

00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:22.440
 God and

00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:22.759
 I have

00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:23.079
 to kind

00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:23.460
 of work

00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:24.240
 myself back

00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:24.700
 into it

00:19:24.700 --> 00:19:25.019
 again.

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:27.440
 But not

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:27.940
 only do we

00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:28.299
 do that

00:19:28.299 --> 00:19:29.000
 to ourselves

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.579
 we also

00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:30.200
 begin to

00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:31.980
 apply

00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:33.579
 these same

00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:34.420
 checklists

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:35.579
 to everybody

00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:36.399
 else around

00:19:36.399 --> 00:19:36.940
 us.

00:19:37.619 --> 00:19:38.099
 So when

00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:38.720
 people don't

00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:39.259
 meet my

00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:40.059
 standard we

00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:40.519
 begin to

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:40.940
 question

00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:42.680
 are they

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:43.220
 really a

00:19:43.220 --> 00:19:43.580
 Christian?

00:19:44.360 --> 00:19:44.900
 I mean if

00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:45.220
 they were

00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:45.860
 really a

00:19:45.860 --> 00:19:46.299
 Christian they

00:19:46.299 --> 00:19:46.640
 wouldn't have

00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:47.279
 done that

00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:48.420
 and they

00:19:48.420 --> 00:19:48.799
 certainly

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:49.220
 wouldn't have

00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:49.980
 said that.

00:19:51.460 --> 00:19:52.299
 Which leads

00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:52.700
 to the

00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:53.039
 second

00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.860
 which is

00:19:54.860 --> 00:19:55.600
 superiority.

00:19:58.559 --> 00:19:59.120
 Once

00:19:59.120 --> 00:19:59.980
 people don't

00:19:59.980 --> 00:20:00.720
 match up to

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.660
 our checklists

00:20:01.660 --> 00:20:03.080
 we become

00:20:03.080 --> 00:20:03.980
 critical and

00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:04.759
 judgmental.

00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:06.580
 We begin to

00:20:06.580 --> 00:20:07.320
 look down on

00:20:07.320 --> 00:20:07.880
 people and we

00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:08.580
 begin to pick

00:20:08.580 --> 00:20:09.220
 out all their

00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:09.980
 faults and their

00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:10.920
 failures while

00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:11.500
 at the same

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.060
 time we give

00:20:12.060 --> 00:20:12.580
 ourselves a

00:20:12.580 --> 00:20:13.220
 little pat on

00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:13.660
 the back and

00:20:13.660 --> 00:20:14.560
 I think well

00:20:14.560 --> 00:20:15.320
 aren't I glad

00:20:15.320 --> 00:20:15.900
 that I'm like

00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:16.519
 them because if

00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:16.980
 I was in

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:17.480
 their shoes I

00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:18.100
 never would

00:20:18.100 --> 00:20:18.400
 have done

00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:18.779
 that.

00:20:21.120 --> 00:20:22.019
 We become

00:20:22.019 --> 00:20:23.100
 experts in

00:20:23.100 --> 00:20:23.720
 seeing the

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.560
 speck in

00:20:24.560 --> 00:20:25.480
 somebody else's

00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:27.880
 eye but we

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:28.660
 can't see the

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:29.820
 tree or perhaps

00:20:29.820 --> 00:20:31.720
 the forest growing

00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:32.480
 out of our own

00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:32.720
 eye.

00:20:35.080 --> 00:20:36.140
 So let me ask

00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:38.320
 us all have

00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:38.980
 we brought a

00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:39.800
 checklist with

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:40.200
 us this

00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:40.559
 morning.

00:20:42.139 --> 00:20:42.799
 Do we

00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.599
 mentally kind

00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:43.899
 of look

00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:44.539
 around and

00:20:44.539 --> 00:20:45.240
 kind of tick

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:45.700
 off and

00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:46.299
 think I'm

00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:46.859
 doing this

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:47.559
 they're not

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:48.259
 doing that.

00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:50.680
 Do we bring

00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:51.240
 our checklist

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:52.079
 with us through

00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:52.579
 the week?

00:20:54.220 --> 00:20:54.879
 Well if we

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:55.259
 have a

00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:56.159
 checklist if you

00:20:56.159 --> 00:20:56.460
 have a

00:20:56.460 --> 00:20:59.220
 checklist take

00:20:59.220 --> 00:20:59.899
 it out right

00:20:59.899 --> 00:21:01.519
 now and

00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:02.619
 mentally rip

00:21:02.619 --> 00:21:04.379
 it up burn

00:21:04.379 --> 00:21:06.240
 it stamp on

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.220
 it tread it

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.299
 tread on it

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.180
 and get rid

00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:10.759
 of it and

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:11.600
 grab a hold

00:21:11.600 --> 00:21:12.299
 of the gospel

00:21:12.299 --> 00:21:12.860
 with two

00:21:12.860 --> 00:21:13.380
 hands.

00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:17.059
 Legalism and

00:21:17.059 --> 00:21:19.660
 superiority are

00:21:19.660 --> 00:21:20.319
 a lethal

00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:22.600
 combination and

00:21:22.600 --> 00:21:23.279
 together they

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:24.259
 distort the

00:21:24.259 --> 00:21:25.740
 gospel they

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:27.220
 disrupt God's

00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:28.799
 mission and

00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:29.860
 they destroy

00:21:29.860 --> 00:21:31.240
 the church.

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:33.339
 that's the

00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:34.000
 big issue

00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.059
 that was

00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:35.640
 going on

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:36.440
 that's why

00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:36.960
 it was such

00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:37.740
 a defining

00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:39.160
 issue and

00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:39.599
 that's why

00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:40.700
 Paul was so

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.720
 anxious to

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:42.200
 get to

00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:43.680
 Jerusalem and

00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.400
 to sort it

00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:44.960
 all out.

00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.539
 So those are

00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:48.519
 challenges that

00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:49.660
 perhaps we face

00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:51.099
 to the gospel.

00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:51.620
 What about

00:21:51.620 --> 00:21:52.660
 then maintaining

00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:53.920
 a gospel

00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:54.940
 centre church?

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:56.380
 Well if the

00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:57.420
 gospel is to

00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:58.519
 be central in

00:21:58.519 --> 00:21:59.119
 the church

00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:01.220
 then grace

00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:02.639
 is to be

00:22:02.639 --> 00:22:03.460
 central to

00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:04.019
 the gospel.

00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:05.559
 In other

00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:06.160
 words if we're

00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:06.579
 going to

00:22:06.579 --> 00:22:07.240
 maintain a

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:07.900
 gospel centre

00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:09.420
 church we

00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:09.859
 need to

00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:10.759
 understand that

00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:11.779
 God includes

00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:12.779
 us by grace

00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:14.639
 and he saves

00:22:14.639 --> 00:22:15.440
 us by grace.

00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:16.680
 It's all about

00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:16.980
 grace.

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:17.579
 That's what we've

00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:18.160
 been singing

00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:18.980
 about and

00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:19.779
 thinking about

00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:20.500
 this morning.

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.519
 So first we're

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.619
 included by grace.

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.279
 Verse 6

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:27.500
 The apostles

00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:28.559
 and the elders

00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:29.599
 met to

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.579
 consider this

00:22:30.579 --> 00:22:31.220
 question.

00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:33.059
 The question

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:33.920
 that we saw

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.019
 in verse 50

00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:36.019
 in verse 5

00:22:36.019 --> 00:22:36.980
 that the Gentiles

00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:37.559
 must be

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:38.920
 circumcised to

00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:39.639
 be included

00:22:39.639 --> 00:22:40.259
 or to be

00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:41.480
 accepted to

00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:42.180
 be saved.

00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:44.720
 Verse 7

00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:45.399
 After much

00:22:45.399 --> 00:22:46.599
 discussion Peter

00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:47.639
 who was one of

00:22:47.639 --> 00:22:48.259
 the leaders in

00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:48.940
 the church got

00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:49.379
 up and he

00:22:49.379 --> 00:22:50.079
 addressed them

00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:51.660
 Brothers and

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.399
 sisters you

00:22:52.399 --> 00:22:53.339
 know that

00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:54.180
 some time ago

00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:54.960
 God made a

00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.640
 choice among

00:22:55.640 --> 00:22:56.720
 you that the

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:58.019
 Gentiles might

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:59.000
 hear from my

00:22:59.000 --> 00:22:59.580
 lips the

00:22:59.580 --> 00:23:00.279
 message of

00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:00.900
 the gospel

00:23:00.900 --> 00:23:02.600
 and believe.

00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:04.220
 And what

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:05.039
 Peter here is

00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:05.759
 doing is he's

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:07.420
 reminding us of

00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:08.160
 his earlier

00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:09.640
 visit to a

00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:10.180
 guy called

00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:11.039
 Cornelius.

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:12.660
 You might

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.420
 remember him.

00:23:13.980 --> 00:23:14.600
 Go back to

00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:15.360
 chapter 10.

00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:16.240
 Keep your

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:16.740
 finger in

00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:17.539
 chapter 15

00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:18.120
 and go back

00:23:18.120 --> 00:23:18.900
 to chapter 10

00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:20.080
 and we'll just

00:23:20.080 --> 00:23:21.100
 refresh ourselves

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:21.960
 about this guy

00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:22.620
 Cornelius.

00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:23.900
 He's a Gentile.

00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:24.519
 He's not a

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.280
 Jew so he'd

00:23:25.280 --> 00:23:26.060
 be kind of

00:23:26.060 --> 00:23:27.160
 considered an

00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:27.900
 outsider.

00:23:28.800 --> 00:23:29.540
 Somebody who

00:23:29.540 --> 00:23:29.940
 wouldn't be

00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:30.480
 included.

00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:32.820
 But nonetheless

00:23:32.820 --> 00:23:33.920
 this Gentile

00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:34.920
 this outsider

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:36.700
 he receives a

00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:37.280
 vision from

00:23:37.280 --> 00:23:38.019
 God and this

00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.340
 is what

00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:38.960
 happened in

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.360
 the vision.

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:40.100
 Verse 5

00:23:40.100 --> 00:23:40.940
 of chapter 10

00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:43.040
 The angel

00:23:43.040 --> 00:23:43.680
 says to him

00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:44.120
 in the vision

00:23:44.120 --> 00:23:44.800
 Now send

00:23:44.800 --> 00:23:45.360
 men to

00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:45.800
 Joppa

00:23:45.800 --> 00:23:46.920
 to bring

00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:47.380
 back a

00:23:47.380 --> 00:23:47.940
 man named

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:48.840
 Simon who

00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:49.340
 is called

00:23:49.340 --> 00:23:49.820
 Peter.

00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:51.159
 He is

00:23:51.159 --> 00:23:51.799
 staying with

00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:52.480
 Simon the

00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:53.139
 tanner whose

00:23:53.139 --> 00:23:53.839
 house is by

00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:54.339
 the sea.

00:23:55.079 --> 00:23:55.460
 So that's

00:23:55.460 --> 00:23:56.200
 his message.

00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:57.379
 Meanwhile

00:23:57.379 --> 00:23:58.899
 Peter also

00:23:58.899 --> 00:23:59.700
 has a vision

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:01.819
 from God

00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:02.619
 which is all

00:24:02.619 --> 00:24:03.740
 about accepting

00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:05.299
 people as

00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.240
 God accepts

00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:06.779
 people.

00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:08.960
 Verse 19

00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:11.419
 While Peter

00:24:11.419 --> 00:24:11.939
 was still

00:24:11.939 --> 00:24:12.720
 thinking about

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.220
 the vision

00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:13.779
 the spirit

00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:14.439
 said to him

00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:15.680
 Simon three

00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:16.120
 men are

00:24:16.120 --> 00:24:16.660
 looking for

00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:16.900
 you.

00:24:17.360 --> 00:24:17.759
 So get

00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:18.220
 up go

00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:19.360
 downstairs do

00:24:19.360 --> 00:24:20.120
 not hesitate

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:20.880
 to go with

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:21.779
 them for I

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.360
 have sent

00:24:22.360 --> 00:24:22.580
 them.

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:23.680
 So now

00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:24.500
 Cornelius has

00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:25.000
 the message

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.620
 Peter has

00:24:25.620 --> 00:24:26.039
 the message

00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:26.460
 now they

00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:26.759
 have to

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:27.220
 meet each

00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:27.480
 other.

00:24:27.960 --> 00:24:28.759
 Verse 33

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:30.720
 Cornelius

00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.120
 speaks to

00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:32.580
 Peter he

00:24:32.580 --> 00:24:33.100
 says so I

00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:33.740
 sent for you

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:35.000
 immediately and

00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:35.500
 it was good

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:35.980
 of you to

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.360
 come.

00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:37.240
 Now we

00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:37.740
 are all

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:38.299
 here in

00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:38.860
 the presence

00:24:38.860 --> 00:24:39.360
 of God

00:24:39.360 --> 00:24:39.940
 to listen

00:24:39.940 --> 00:24:40.640
 to everything

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:41.180
 the Lord

00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:42.000
 has commanded

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:42.779
 you to tell

00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:43.100
 us.

00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:45.840
 Then Peter

00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:46.480
 began to

00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:46.920
 speak.

00:24:47.880 --> 00:24:48.660
 I now

00:24:48.660 --> 00:24:49.559
 realise how

00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:50.080
 true it

00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:51.600
 is that

00:24:51.600 --> 00:24:52.299
 God does

00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:53.180
 not show

00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:54.460
 favouritism.

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:57.200
 God doesn't

00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:57.779
 suffer with

00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:58.320
 what Phil

00:24:58.320 --> 00:24:59.000
 Hogan does

00:24:59.000 --> 00:24:59.480
 obviously.

00:25:00.360 --> 00:25:01.080
 I do not

00:25:01.080 --> 00:25:02.360
 show favouritism

00:25:02.360 --> 00:25:04.600
 but accepts

00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:06.440
 people from

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:07.519
 every nation

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.200
 who fear

00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:09.680
 him and do

00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.320
 what is

00:25:10.320 --> 00:25:10.740
 right.

00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:11.980
 You know

00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.680
 the message

00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:13.820
 God sent to

00:25:13.820 --> 00:25:14.240
 the people

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:14.680
 of Israel

00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:15.299
 telling the

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:15.759
 good news

00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:16.259
 of peace

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.839
 through Jesus

00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:17.440
 Christ who

00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:17.900
 is Lord

00:25:17.900 --> 00:25:19.160
 of all.

00:25:20.039 --> 00:25:21.180
 Verse 44

00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:22.720
 While Peter

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.200
 was still

00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:23.900
 speaking these

00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:24.920
 words the

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.819
 Holy Spirit

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.460
 came on

00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:27.759
 all who

00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:28.680
 heard the

00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:29.220
 message.

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:31.200
 Now go

00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:31.700
 back to

00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:32.620
 chapter 15.

00:25:33.819 --> 00:25:34.180
 You see

00:25:34.180 --> 00:25:34.819
 Peter is

00:25:34.819 --> 00:25:35.240
 using,

00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:36.279
 he's recounting

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:36.960
 this meeting

00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:37.640
 he had with

00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:39.019
 Cornelius to

00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:40.000
 prove to the

00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:40.539
 rest of them

00:25:40.539 --> 00:25:41.180
 that God

00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:43.059
 does include

00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:43.599
 people,

00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:44.960
 not on the

00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.579
 basis of

00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.299
 their race

00:25:46.299 --> 00:25:47.480
 or religion

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.279
 or on their

00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.419
 culture or

00:25:49.419 --> 00:25:50.119
 their colour,

00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:51.960
 what class

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.460
 they come

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:52.740
 from,

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.259
 whether they're

00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:54.419
 travellers or

00:25:54.419 --> 00:25:54.940
 whether they're

00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:55.839
 settled people.

00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.139
 He includes

00:25:57.139 --> 00:25:58.200
 people because

00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:58.919
 of his

00:25:58.919 --> 00:26:00.079
 grace.

00:26:00.639 --> 00:26:01.319
 There is no

00:26:01.319 --> 00:26:02.399
 favouritism.

00:26:03.419 --> 00:26:04.259
 Chapter 15

00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:04.919
 verse 8

00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:06.899
 God who knows

00:26:06.899 --> 00:26:07.559
 the heart

00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:08.779
 shows that he

00:26:08.779 --> 00:26:09.899
 accepted them

00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:10.680
 by giving

00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:11.220
 the Holy

00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:11.980
 Spirit to

00:26:11.980 --> 00:26:12.820
 them just

00:26:12.820 --> 00:26:13.200
 as he

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.080
 did to

00:26:14.080 --> 00:26:14.660
 us.

00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:16.600
 You see

00:26:16.600 --> 00:26:17.000
 who are

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.680
 we to be

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.280
 people who

00:26:18.280 --> 00:26:19.200
 exclude

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:20.660
 others whom

00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:21.660
 God has

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.360
 included?

00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:24.440
 The question

00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:24.980
 we should be

00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.700
 asking is not

00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:26.440
 do they speak

00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:26.900
 the same

00:26:26.900 --> 00:26:29.320
 language or

00:26:29.320 --> 00:26:29.900
 do they come

00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:30.540
 from the same

00:26:30.540 --> 00:26:31.700
 theological pool

00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.480
 as we do

00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:34.200
 or do they

00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:34.920
 practice the

00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:35.620
 same traditions

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:36.500
 as we do?

00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:38.000
 No, if God

00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.700
 has given them

00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:39.180
 the Holy

00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:41.600
 Spirit then

00:26:41.600 --> 00:26:42.700
 who are we

00:26:42.700 --> 00:26:43.559
 to exclude

00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:44.420
 other people?

00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:46.539
 Which is

00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:47.220
 exactly the

00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:47.960
 same point as

00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:48.640
 James the

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:49.180
 other leader

00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:49.740
 in the church

00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:50.279
 was making

00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:51.220
 in verse 15.

00:26:52.900 --> 00:26:53.680
 He goes

00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:54.220
 straight back

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:54.860
 to scripture

00:26:54.860 --> 00:26:55.740
 to remind us.

00:26:55.819 --> 00:26:56.319
 He says look

00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:56.960
 verse 15

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.660
 the words of

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:58.100
 the prophets

00:26:58.100 --> 00:26:58.519
 are in

00:26:58.519 --> 00:26:59.240
 agreement with

00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:00.319
 this as it

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:00.819
 is written

00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:02.319
 after this

00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:02.840
 this is from

00:27:02.840 --> 00:27:03.259
 Amos

00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:04.000
 after this I

00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.720
 will return

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.880
 and rebuild

00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:06.799
 David's fallen

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:07.440
 tent his

00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:08.420
 dynasty his

00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:09.700
 family its

00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:10.640
 ruins I

00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:11.440
 will rebuild

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:12.279
 and I

00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:13.140
 will restore

00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:14.600
 it that the

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:15.440
 remnant of

00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:16.160
 men may

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:16.800
 seek the

00:27:16.800 --> 00:27:17.460
 Lord and

00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:18.420
 all the

00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:19.400
 Gentiles all

00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:20.320
 those outside

00:27:20.320 --> 00:27:21.060
 of the Jews

00:27:21.060 --> 00:27:21.940
 who bear

00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:23.300
 my name.

00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:25.320
 God's plan

00:27:25.320 --> 00:27:26.080
 was to be

00:27:26.080 --> 00:27:28.100
 inclusive in

00:27:28.100 --> 00:27:28.880
 his salvation

00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:29.620
 to include

00:27:29.620 --> 00:27:30.320
 all the

00:27:30.320 --> 00:27:30.740
 nations.

00:27:31.120 --> 00:27:31.640
 He shows

00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:32.960
 no favoritism.

00:27:33.320 --> 00:27:33.940
 He accepts

00:27:33.940 --> 00:27:35.100
 all people

00:27:35.099 --> 00:27:36.399
 from all

00:27:36.399 --> 00:27:37.319
 nations.

00:27:38.819 --> 00:27:39.599
 He does

00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:40.199
 not show

00:27:40.199 --> 00:27:41.000
 favoritism.

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:43.839
 But we're

00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:44.279
 not only

00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:45.119
 included by

00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:45.599
 grace

00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:47.119
 second we

00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:47.879
 are saved

00:27:47.879 --> 00:27:48.799
 by grace.

00:27:49.179 --> 00:27:49.779
 Verse 9

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:52.639
 He made

00:27:52.639 --> 00:27:53.500
 no distinction

00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:54.599
 between us

00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.579
 and them

00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:56.399
 for he

00:27:56.399 --> 00:27:57.599
 purified their

00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:58.139
 hearts

00:27:58.139 --> 00:27:59.599
 by faith.

00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:01.179
 You see

00:28:01.179 --> 00:28:01.799
 God doesn't

00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:02.500
 have one way

00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:02.980
 of saving

00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:03.440
 a Jew

00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:03.799
 and then

00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.339
 another way

00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:04.839
 of saving

00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:05.559
 a Gentile

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:06.359
 or saving

00:28:06.359 --> 00:28:07.099
 you one way

00:28:07.099 --> 00:28:07.559
 and saving

00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:08.079
 me another

00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:08.400
 way.

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.980
 The gospel

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:11.839
 is not

00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:13.460
 get yourself

00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:14.420
 clean and

00:28:14.420 --> 00:28:14.839
 then come

00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:15.519
 to Christ.

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.440
 It's come

00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.099
 to Christ

00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:18.579
 look at the

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:19.079
 end of verse

00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:20.920
 9 and by

00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:22.940
 faith he

00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:23.720
 will purify

00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:24.660
 you he will

00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:25.400
 clean you.

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:26.720
 We come to

00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:27.500
 Christ with

00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.380
 our mess with

00:28:28.380 --> 00:28:29.779
 our failures and

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:30.759
 he cleans

00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:31.660
 us.

00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:32.740
 that's how

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:33.500
 God saves

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:33.900
 us and

00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:34.500
 it's exactly

00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:34.980
 the same

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:35.460
 for all

00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:35.920
 of us.

00:28:36.860 --> 00:28:37.660
 Verse 10

00:28:37.660 --> 00:28:39.519
 So then

00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:40.420
 why do you

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:40.960
 try to

00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:41.920
 test God

00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:43.100
 by putting

00:28:43.100 --> 00:28:43.480
 on the

00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:44.080
 necks of

00:28:44.080 --> 00:28:44.820
 the disciples

00:28:44.820 --> 00:28:45.400
 a yoke

00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:45.900
 that neither

00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:46.960
 we nor

00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:47.800
 our fathers

00:28:47.800 --> 00:28:48.519
 have been

00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:49.000
 able to

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:49.300
 bear?

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:51.019
 He's getting

00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:51.580
 annoyed.

00:28:51.820 --> 00:28:52.360
 Why are you

00:28:52.360 --> 00:28:53.259
 insisting on

00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:53.900
 adding to

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.480
 the gospel?

00:28:55.060 --> 00:28:55.700
 Why are you

00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:56.420
 running around

00:28:56.420 --> 00:28:56.980
 the place

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:57.580
 on a Sunday

00:28:57.580 --> 00:28:58.279
 morning and

00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:58.779
 throughout the

00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.180
 week with

00:28:59.180 --> 00:28:59.519
 your little

00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:00.100
 checklist

00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:01.120
 making sure

00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:01.739
 that everybody

00:29:01.739 --> 00:29:02.339
 meets your

00:29:02.339 --> 00:29:02.859
 standards?

00:29:03.859 --> 00:29:04.539
 Why don't

00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:04.859
 you just

00:29:04.859 --> 00:29:05.179
 look at

00:29:05.179 --> 00:29:05.519
 your own

00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:05.799
 life?

00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:06.299
 You can't

00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:06.779
 even meet

00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:07.199
 your own

00:29:07.199 --> 00:29:08.259
 standards so

00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:08.659
 why are you

00:29:08.659 --> 00:29:09.019
 trying to

00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:09.479
 get everybody

00:29:09.479 --> 00:29:09.979
 else to

00:29:09.979 --> 00:29:10.500
 keep it?

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:13.199
 Verse 11

00:29:13.199 --> 00:29:15.099
 No

00:29:15.099 --> 00:29:17.000
 we believe

00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:17.419
 it is

00:29:17.419 --> 00:29:17.919
 through the

00:29:17.919 --> 00:29:19.819
 grace of

00:29:19.819 --> 00:29:20.359
 our Lord

00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:22.199
 Jesus that

00:29:22.199 --> 00:29:22.659
 we are

00:29:22.659 --> 00:29:25.099
 saved just

00:29:25.099 --> 00:29:26.419
 as they

00:29:26.419 --> 00:29:26.759
 are.

00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:31.119
 The only

00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:31.939
 contribution

00:29:31.939 --> 00:29:32.939
 that we all

00:29:32.939 --> 00:29:33.699
 make to

00:29:33.699 --> 00:29:34.639
 our salvation

00:29:34.639 --> 00:29:36.139
 and to

00:29:36.139 --> 00:29:37.399
 our sanctification

00:29:37.399 --> 00:29:38.980
 is our

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:39.359
 sin.

00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:41.740
 God in

00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:42.479
 his abundant

00:29:42.479 --> 00:29:43.519
 grace takes

00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:44.119
 our sin

00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:45.259
 on himself.

00:29:46.439 --> 00:29:47.159
 He accepts

00:29:47.159 --> 00:29:48.979
 us and

00:29:48.979 --> 00:29:50.059
 he purifies

00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:50.679
 us.

00:29:52.199 --> 00:29:53.399
 Grace is

00:29:53.399 --> 00:29:53.859
 not about

00:29:53.859 --> 00:29:54.379
 what we

00:29:54.379 --> 00:29:54.679
 do.

00:29:55.779 --> 00:29:56.599
 It's all

00:29:56.599 --> 00:29:57.259
 about what

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.459
 God has

00:29:58.459 --> 00:29:59.500
 already done

00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:00.240
 for us

00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.240
 in Christ.

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.879
 Again it's

00:30:04.879 --> 00:30:05.419
 what James

00:30:05.419 --> 00:30:05.879
 is saying

00:30:05.879 --> 00:30:06.279
 in verse

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:06.879
 19.

00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:07.979
 His

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.599
 concluding

00:30:08.599 --> 00:30:09.160
 comments

00:30:09.160 --> 00:30:10.200
 it is my

00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:10.620
 judgment

00:30:10.620 --> 00:30:11.279
 therefore that

00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:11.660
 we should

00:30:11.660 --> 00:30:12.140
 not make

00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:12.740
 it difficult

00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:13.240
 for the

00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:14.039
 Gentiles who

00:30:14.039 --> 00:30:14.440
 are turning

00:30:14.440 --> 00:30:15.019
 to God.

00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:16.860
 Stop

00:30:16.860 --> 00:30:17.420
 putting

00:30:17.420 --> 00:30:18.099
 hurdles

00:30:18.099 --> 00:30:19.019
 in the

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:19.339
 way.

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.000
 God

00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:21.440
 does not

00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.079
 ask us to

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.500
 have all

00:30:22.500 --> 00:30:23.200
 our theology

00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:24.160
 all sorted

00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:24.799
 before we

00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.200
 come to

00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:25.640
 Christ.

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.980
 He doesn't

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.740
 demand that

00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.299
 we're free

00:30:29.299 --> 00:30:29.640
 of our

00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:30.500
 sinful habits

00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:30.900
 when he

00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:32.000
 purifies us.

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:33.539
 He doesn't

00:30:33.539 --> 00:30:34.259
 insist that

00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:35.620
 our lives

00:30:35.620 --> 00:30:36.339
 are immediately

00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:37.380
 all sorted

00:30:37.380 --> 00:30:38.300
 after he

00:30:38.300 --> 00:30:39.220
 accepts us.

00:30:39.760 --> 00:30:40.280
 All of

00:30:40.280 --> 00:30:40.760
 those things

00:30:40.760 --> 00:30:41.460
 are important

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:43.280
 but it

00:30:43.280 --> 00:30:44.100
 takes time

00:30:44.100 --> 00:30:45.840
 and he

00:30:45.840 --> 00:30:46.240
 will be

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:46.660
 patient

00:30:46.660 --> 00:30:47.200
 with his

00:30:47.200 --> 00:30:47.580
 grace.

00:30:49.100 --> 00:30:49.980
 So we

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:50.320
 shouldn't

00:30:50.320 --> 00:30:50.800
 put those

00:30:50.800 --> 00:30:51.320
 demands

00:30:51.320 --> 00:30:52.340
 and insisting

00:30:52.340 --> 00:30:53.200
 on other

00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:53.620
 people.

00:30:55.180 --> 00:30:55.540
 You see

00:30:55.540 --> 00:30:55.880
 if we

00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:56.760
 take grace

00:30:56.760 --> 00:30:57.840
 out of the

00:30:57.840 --> 00:30:58.180
 gospel,

00:30:58.340 --> 00:30:58.660
 if we

00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.900
 remove grace

00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:00.300
 from the

00:31:00.300 --> 00:31:00.680
 gospel,

00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:02.180
 it leads

00:31:02.180 --> 00:31:02.540
 to a

00:31:02.540 --> 00:31:03.080
 church that

00:31:03.080 --> 00:31:03.540
 becomes

00:31:03.540 --> 00:31:04.160
 critical,

00:31:05.320 --> 00:31:06.180
 judgmental,

00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:07.380
 and

00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:08.140
 superior.

00:31:09.560 --> 00:31:10.600
 And that's

00:31:10.600 --> 00:31:11.299
 why Peter

00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:12.279
 and James

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:12.660
 and the

00:31:12.660 --> 00:31:13.299
 leaders were

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:15.779
 adamant that

00:31:15.779 --> 00:31:16.539
 the rest of

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.019
 the people

00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:17.420
 who had

00:31:17.420 --> 00:31:18.580
 gone offline

00:31:18.580 --> 00:31:20.539
 understood

00:31:20.539 --> 00:31:21.560
 what grace

00:31:21.560 --> 00:31:23.100
 was really

00:31:23.100 --> 00:31:23.740
 all about.

00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:30.620
 so those

00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:30.759
 are

00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:31.279
 challenges

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:31.720
 to the

00:31:31.720 --> 00:31:32.120
 gospel,

00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:33.039
 how we

00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:33.579
 maintain

00:31:33.579 --> 00:31:33.779
 the

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:34.140
 gospel.

00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:34.759
 Third,

00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:37.539
 living as a

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.380
 gospel-centered

00:31:38.380 --> 00:31:39.000
 church.

00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:40.759
 You see,

00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:41.400
 when we have

00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:42.160
 understood the

00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:42.519
 gospel,

00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:44.019
 when we've

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:44.900
 experienced

00:31:44.900 --> 00:31:46.359
 grace in

00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:47.240
 our lives,

00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:48.799
 then it

00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:49.440
 radically

00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.579
 changes the

00:31:50.579 --> 00:31:51.980
 life of

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:52.619
 the church.

00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:54.960
 Verse 19,

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:56.839
 James is

00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:57.279
 speaking,

00:31:58.460 --> 00:31:59.079
 his summing

00:31:59.079 --> 00:31:59.539
 up of the

00:31:59.539 --> 00:32:00.179
 whole meeting.

00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:01.819
 It's my

00:32:01.819 --> 00:32:02.259
 judgment,

00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:02.980
 therefore,

00:32:03.879 --> 00:32:04.279
 that we

00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:04.659
 should not

00:32:04.659 --> 00:32:05.039
 make it

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:05.679
 difficult for

00:32:05.679 --> 00:32:06.399
 the Gentiles

00:32:06.399 --> 00:32:06.699
 who are

00:32:06.699 --> 00:32:07.199
 turning to

00:32:07.199 --> 00:32:07.539
 God.

00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:08.899
 Instead,

00:32:09.059 --> 00:32:09.339
 we should

00:32:09.339 --> 00:32:09.819
 write to

00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:10.000
 them,

00:32:10.399 --> 00:32:10.859
 telling them

00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:11.579
 to abstain

00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:12.399
 from food

00:32:12.399 --> 00:32:13.099
 polluted by

00:32:13.099 --> 00:32:13.539
 idols,

00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:14.699
 from sexual

00:32:14.699 --> 00:32:15.339
 immorality,

00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:16.019
 from the

00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:16.359
 meat of

00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:16.799
 strangled

00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:17.220
 animals,

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:17.919
 and from

00:32:17.919 --> 00:32:18.319
 blood.

00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:20.079
 Whoa,

00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:20.720
 where's

00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:21.119
 that come

00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:21.480
 from?

00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:24.299
 I mean,

00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:25.099
 it seems

00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:25.759
 strange to

00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:25.960
 us,

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:26.240
 and it

00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:27.039
 almost seems

00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:27.399
 as if

00:32:27.399 --> 00:32:27.939
 James is

00:32:27.939 --> 00:32:28.700
 contradicting

00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:29.720
 everything that

00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:30.200
 has already

00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:30.879
 been said.

00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:31.740
 It's like

00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:32.119
 he's going

00:32:32.119 --> 00:32:32.579
 back to

00:32:32.579 --> 00:32:33.159
 the rules

00:32:33.159 --> 00:32:33.579
 again.

00:32:36.399 --> 00:32:36.960
 No,

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:37.379
 he's not

00:32:37.379 --> 00:32:37.939
 turning his

00:32:37.939 --> 00:32:38.419
 back on

00:32:38.419 --> 00:32:39.019
 grace at

00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:39.379
 all.

00:32:40.619 --> 00:32:41.220
 James is

00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:42.000
 concerned that

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.679
 the whole

00:32:42.679 --> 00:32:43.579
 church stays

00:32:43.579 --> 00:32:45.939
 united by

00:32:45.939 --> 00:32:46.659
 living out

00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:47.200
 the gospel

00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:47.740
 of grace

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:48.279
 within the

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:49.180
 community of

00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:49.799
 the church.

00:32:50.180 --> 00:32:51.000
 Verse 21,

00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:51.559
 he says,

00:32:51.640 --> 00:32:52.339
 for Moses

00:32:52.339 --> 00:32:53.259
 has been

00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:53.880
 preached in

00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:54.779
 every city

00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:55.539
 from the

00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:56.579
 earliest times

00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:57.460
 and is

00:32:57.460 --> 00:32:57.839
 read in

00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:58.539
 the synagogues

00:32:58.539 --> 00:32:58.960
 on every

00:32:58.960 --> 00:32:59.359
 Sabbath.

00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:01.440
 It's like

00:33:01.440 --> 00:33:01.920
 he's saying

00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:02.120
 this,

00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:02.339
 let me

00:33:02.339 --> 00:33:02.620
 kind of

00:33:02.620 --> 00:33:03.039
 try and

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.059
 paraphrase

00:33:04.059 --> 00:33:04.359
 it.

00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:05.380
 He's

00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:05.500
 saying,

00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:05.680
 look,

00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:06.099
 as you

00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:06.640
 guys go

00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:07.120
 and preach

00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:07.740
 the gospel,

00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:08.759
 as you

00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:09.220
 go from

00:33:09.220 --> 00:33:09.759
 town to

00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:10.140
 town,

00:33:10.940 --> 00:33:11.299
 you're

00:33:11.299 --> 00:33:11.779
 going to

00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:12.620
 meet people

00:33:12.620 --> 00:33:13.579
 who are

00:33:13.579 --> 00:33:14.559
 steeped in

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.000
 tradition.

00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:16.779
 You're

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:17.039
 going to

00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:17.960
 meet people

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.460
 who've had

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:19.559
 Moses preach

00:33:19.559 --> 00:33:20.019
 to them

00:33:20.019 --> 00:33:20.899
 Sunday

00:33:20.899 --> 00:33:22.240
 after Sunday,

00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:23.680
 year after

00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:24.079
 year,

00:33:24.379 --> 00:33:24.899
 tradition,

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:25.619
 tradition,

00:33:25.879 --> 00:33:26.279
 tradition.

00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:28.779
 So don't

00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.599
 be surprised

00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:30.259
 that when you

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:30.700
 bring the

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.319
 gospel to

00:33:31.319 --> 00:33:31.440
 them,

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:32.180
 this message

00:33:32.180 --> 00:33:32.740
 of grace

00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:33.500
 and freedom,

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:34.799
 that they

00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:35.399
 don't leave

00:33:35.399 --> 00:33:36.379
 everything behind

00:33:36.379 --> 00:33:37.379
 straight away.

00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:38.920
 It's going

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:39.299
 to take

00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:40.940
 time for

00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:42.099
 grace to

00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:43.299
 filter into

00:33:43.299 --> 00:33:44.460
 every area

00:33:44.460 --> 00:33:45.079
 of their

00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:45.519
 life.

00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:46.400
 You

00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:46.720
 didn't

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:47.039
 get it

00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:47.340
 right,

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:47.779
 so don't

00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:48.420
 be expecting

00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:48.819
 everybody

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:49.240
 else to

00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:49.460
 get it

00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:49.680
 right

00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:50.019
 straight

00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.340
 away.

00:33:52.660 --> 00:33:53.279
 But you

00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:53.539
 know what,

00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:53.759
 there's

00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:54.220
 something we

00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:54.759
 should do,

00:33:54.840 --> 00:33:55.360
 he says.

00:33:56.140 --> 00:33:56.940
 Make sure

00:33:56.940 --> 00:33:57.480
 we don't

00:33:57.480 --> 00:33:58.340
 go offending

00:33:58.340 --> 00:33:59.200
 anyone by

00:33:59.200 --> 00:33:59.920
 the freedom

00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:00.779
 we have

00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:02.380
 from God's

00:34:02.380 --> 00:34:02.779
 grace.

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.299
 And that's

00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:04.700
 why he

00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:05.180
 says to

00:34:05.180 --> 00:34:05.500
 them in

00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:06.039
 verse 20,

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:06.420
 we should

00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:06.860
 write a

00:34:06.860 --> 00:34:07.279
 letter to

00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:08.340
 them telling

00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:08.720
 them to

00:34:08.720 --> 00:34:09.480
 abstain from

00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:10.199
 food polluted

00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:10.920
 by idols,

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:12.380
 from sexual

00:34:12.380 --> 00:34:13.039
 immorality,

00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:13.940
 from the

00:34:13.940 --> 00:34:14.300
 meat of

00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:14.739
 strangled

00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:15.219
 animals,

00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.199
 and from

00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:16.559
 blood.

00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:19.199
 Now again,

00:34:19.279 --> 00:34:19.679
 let me give

00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.000
 you some

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:20.719
 background to

00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:21.019
 all of

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:21.320
 this.

00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:23.880
 As a

00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:24.380
 Gentile,

00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:24.739
 if you

00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:25.300
 wanted to

00:34:25.300 --> 00:34:25.759
 buy your

00:34:25.759 --> 00:34:26.199
 Sunday

00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:26.699
 lunch,

00:34:27.179 --> 00:34:27.559
 you wanted

00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:28.019
 a nice

00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:29.039
 roast on

00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:29.519
 Sunday,

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.880
 the best

00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:31.440
 place if

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:31.900
 you were a

00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:32.619
 Gentile in

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:33.039
 the first

00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:34.480
 century was

00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:35.039
 to go down

00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:35.380
 to the

00:34:35.380 --> 00:34:36.119
 local market,

00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:37.920
 which was

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:38.820
 usually located

00:34:38.820 --> 00:34:39.519
 outside the

00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:40.279
 pagan temple,

00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:41.380
 a bit like

00:34:41.380 --> 00:34:41.920
 going to the

00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:42.460
 farmer's

00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:43.019
 market out

00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:43.739
 side Mahan

00:34:43.739 --> 00:34:44.099
 Point,

00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:45.820
 the big

00:34:45.820 --> 00:34:46.219
 temple,

00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:46.800
 farmer's

00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:47.139
 market,

00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:47.900
 where you

00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:48.199
 did your

00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:48.539
 shopping.

00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:49.440
 Not that

00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:50.000
 they're pagan

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:50.440
 or anything,

00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:51.519
 just so you

00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:52.079
 get the idea,

00:34:52.219 --> 00:34:52.759
 picture it.

00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:53.500
 And you

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:54.099
 get there a

00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:54.800
 lovely piece

00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:55.380
 of meat for

00:34:55.380 --> 00:34:55.800
 your meal,

00:34:55.900 --> 00:34:56.320
 a lovely

00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:56.980
 roast dinner.

00:34:58.119 --> 00:34:58.940
 The meat

00:34:58.940 --> 00:34:59.320
 that you

00:34:59.320 --> 00:34:59.920
 got there

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:01.340
 was the

00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:02.300
 food used

00:35:02.300 --> 00:35:03.440
 in idol

00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:03.840
 worship,

00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:04.980
 the leftovers.

00:35:06.539 --> 00:35:07.059
 But not

00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:07.539
 only that,

00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:08.360
 most of the

00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:09.179
 idol worship

00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:10.480
 also involved

00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:11.179
 some kind of

00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:12.099
 sex ritual

00:35:12.099 --> 00:35:12.679
 as well.

00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:14.099
 That's the

00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:14.739
 phrase here

00:35:14.739 --> 00:35:15.440
 from sexual

00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:16.139
 immorality.

00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:17.900
 And one

00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:18.400
 temple we

00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:19.019
 know from

00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.739
 Ephesians,

00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:20.759
 that there

00:35:20.759 --> 00:35:21.179
 were a

00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:21.619
 thousand

00:35:21.619 --> 00:35:22.659
 prostitutes

00:35:22.659 --> 00:35:23.320
 involved in

00:35:23.320 --> 00:35:24.059
 pagan worship.

00:35:25.739 --> 00:35:26.679
 So when you

00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:27.219
 went to go

00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:27.739
 down to the

00:35:27.739 --> 00:35:28.380
 local market

00:35:28.380 --> 00:35:28.980
 to buy your

00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:30.079
 lunch down

00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:30.759
 there,

00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:31.759
 well you

00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:32.199
 needed to

00:35:32.199 --> 00:35:32.699
 have dark

00:35:32.699 --> 00:35:33.480
 glasses on,

00:35:33.960 --> 00:35:34.420
 you needed

00:35:34.420 --> 00:35:35.539
 blindfolds on,

00:35:35.739 --> 00:35:36.159
 you didn't

00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:36.860
 want to see

00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:37.619
 what was going

00:35:37.619 --> 00:35:38.239
 on down in

00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:38.880
 the marketplace.

00:35:39.739 --> 00:35:40.300
 It wasn't a

00:35:40.300 --> 00:35:40.880
 good place to

00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:41.460
 be to buy

00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:42.039
 your lunch.

00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:44.559
 So it's

00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:45.340
 not hard for

00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:45.980
 us to see

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:46.619
 how it would

00:35:46.619 --> 00:35:47.480
 be a problem

00:35:47.480 --> 00:35:49.360
 for a Christian

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:49.920
 Jew who

00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:50.500
 was used to

00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:51.099
 these very,

00:35:51.240 --> 00:35:51.860
 very strict

00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:52.720
 clean laws

00:35:52.720 --> 00:35:53.220
 about who

00:35:53.220 --> 00:35:53.619
 you're with

00:35:53.619 --> 00:35:53.940
 and what

00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:54.280
 you ate

00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:54.599
 and what

00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:55.159
 went on,

00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:57.699
 to be on

00:35:57.699 --> 00:35:58.400
 your guard.

00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:00.400
 As one

00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.320
 commentator put

00:36:01.320 --> 00:36:02.039
 it, it's not

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:02.940
 so much about

00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:03.659
 the menu

00:36:03.659 --> 00:36:04.300
 here,

00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:05.940
 it's the

00:36:05.940 --> 00:36:06.720
 venue that's

00:36:06.720 --> 00:36:07.300
 the problem

00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:07.920
 that was

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:08.620
 causing the

00:36:08.620 --> 00:36:09.220
 big issue.

00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.280
 So James

00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:11.720
 is not

00:36:11.720 --> 00:36:12.360
 going back

00:36:12.360 --> 00:36:13.220
 to rules,

00:36:13.740 --> 00:36:14.800
 he's encouraging

00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:15.460
 the church

00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:16.080
 to remain

00:36:16.080 --> 00:36:17.580
 united by

00:36:17.580 --> 00:36:18.480
 practising the

00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:19.100
 gospel of

00:36:19.100 --> 00:36:19.560
 grace and

00:36:19.560 --> 00:36:19.900
 saying to

00:36:19.900 --> 00:36:20.000
 them,

00:36:20.060 --> 00:36:20.440
 look guys,

00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:21.340
 don't go

00:36:21.340 --> 00:36:21.760
 down to

00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:22.440
 the marketplace

00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:24.220
 because if

00:36:24.220 --> 00:36:24.920
 you do that

00:36:24.920 --> 00:36:25.700
 you're going

00:36:25.700 --> 00:36:26.380
 to help

00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:27.320
 other people

00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:27.820
 come to

00:36:27.820 --> 00:36:28.280
 faith in

00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:28.660
 Christ.

00:36:29.320 --> 00:36:29.660
 You won't

00:36:29.660 --> 00:36:30.000
 be putting

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:30.760
 any barriers

00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:31.340
 in the way.

00:36:34.600 --> 00:36:35.220
 Well I

00:36:35.220 --> 00:36:35.620
 don't think

00:36:35.620 --> 00:36:36.140
 we have to

00:36:36.140 --> 00:36:36.620
 go down to

00:36:36.619 --> 00:36:37.239
 the marketplace

00:36:37.239 --> 00:36:37.719
 or if we

00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:38.139
 went down

00:36:38.139 --> 00:36:38.719
 to Dunn's

00:36:38.719 --> 00:36:39.039
 we're not

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:39.299
 going to

00:36:39.299 --> 00:36:39.759
 be worried

00:36:39.759 --> 00:36:40.380
 about food

00:36:40.380 --> 00:36:41.079
 polluted to

00:36:41.079 --> 00:36:41.779
 idols or

00:36:41.779 --> 00:36:43.039
 prostitutes

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.900
 hanging around

00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:46.079
 or blood.

00:36:47.059 --> 00:36:47.619
 So what

00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:48.059
 does it mean

00:36:48.059 --> 00:36:48.659
 for us?

00:36:51.319 --> 00:36:51.980
 Well I

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:52.420
 think these

00:36:52.420 --> 00:36:53.199
 two things

00:36:53.199 --> 00:36:55.099
 in practice

00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:55.500
 or in

00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:55.900
 application

00:36:55.900 --> 00:36:56.759
 for us.

00:36:57.539 --> 00:36:58.219
 The first

00:36:58.219 --> 00:36:58.759
 is this,

00:36:58.940 --> 00:36:59.319
 to give

00:36:59.319 --> 00:37:01.000
 grace to

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:01.519
 others.

00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:03.339
 We all

00:37:03.339 --> 00:37:03.679
 have our

00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:04.619
 own preferences

00:37:04.619 --> 00:37:05.279
 don't we

00:37:05.279 --> 00:37:05.759
 about how

00:37:05.759 --> 00:37:06.500
 church should

00:37:06.500 --> 00:37:06.800
 be?

00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:08.539
 When we

00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:08.900
 meet,

00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:10.519
 where we

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:10.880
 meet,

00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:11.940
 what we

00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:12.480
 do when

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:12.860
 we come

00:37:12.860 --> 00:37:13.280
 together

00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:14.039
 and how

00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:14.440
 we should

00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:14.960
 do it.

00:37:16.119 --> 00:37:16.539
 And you

00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:16.900
 know what,

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:17.219
 it ain't

00:37:17.219 --> 00:37:17.480
 going to

00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:17.880
 come to

00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:18.460
 a surprise

00:37:18.460 --> 00:37:19.039
 to anybody

00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:19.579
 here that

00:37:19.579 --> 00:37:20.760
 some things

00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:21.320
 that you

00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:22.000
 particularly

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.579
 like,

00:37:23.639 --> 00:37:24.239
 the person

00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:25.159
 sitting beside

00:37:25.159 --> 00:37:26.699
 you might

00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:27.360
 dislike.

00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:28.699
 Is that a

00:37:28.699 --> 00:37:29.199
 surprise?

00:37:29.699 --> 00:37:30.420
 I hope it's

00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:30.719
 not.

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:31.960
 In fact they

00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:32.960
 might find that

00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:33.579
 the things that

00:37:33.579 --> 00:37:34.319
 you do

00:37:34.319 --> 00:37:36.179
 very disruptive,

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:37.639
 distracting,

00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:39.000
 or even

00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:39.880
 unspiritual.

00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:43.239
 So instead

00:37:43.239 --> 00:37:44.119
 of insisting

00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:44.519
 on having

00:37:44.519 --> 00:37:45.279
 things my

00:37:45.279 --> 00:37:45.699
 way,

00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:47.679
 we give

00:37:47.679 --> 00:37:48.340
 grace to

00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:48.840
 others.

00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:50.599
 To maintain

00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.500
 unity and

00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:52.400
 partnership in

00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:52.900
 the gospel,

00:37:53.940 --> 00:37:54.779
 we hold

00:37:54.779 --> 00:37:55.739
 loosely in

00:37:55.739 --> 00:37:56.460
 our hands

00:37:56.460 --> 00:37:57.319
 practices

00:37:57.319 --> 00:37:59.039
 and preferences

00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:00.519
 that are

00:38:00.519 --> 00:38:02.079
 secondary and

00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:02.800
 not essential

00:38:02.800 --> 00:38:03.599
 to the gospel.

00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:04.880
 That's the

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:05.460
 approach we

00:38:05.460 --> 00:38:06.500
 take in

00:38:06.500 --> 00:38:07.179
 this church.

00:38:09.059 --> 00:38:10.099
 We serve

00:38:10.099 --> 00:38:10.739
 others with

00:38:10.739 --> 00:38:11.139
 grace,

00:38:11.259 --> 00:38:11.739
 we're on the

00:38:11.739 --> 00:38:12.119
 lookout,

00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:14.159
 helping people

00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:15.219
 to understand

00:38:15.219 --> 00:38:15.679
 the gospel,

00:38:16.059 --> 00:38:16.719
 helping them

00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:17.420
 to understand

00:38:17.420 --> 00:38:18.360
 grace by

00:38:18.360 --> 00:38:19.119
 being gracious

00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:20.019
 towards them.

00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:22.759
 And I think

00:38:22.759 --> 00:38:23.239
 we kind of

00:38:23.239 --> 00:38:23.820
 get there,

00:38:24.420 --> 00:38:25.340
 but it's a

00:38:25.340 --> 00:38:26.920
 good reminder.

00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:29.019
 But not

00:38:29.019 --> 00:38:29.500
 only do we

00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:30.059
 give grace

00:38:30.059 --> 00:38:30.800
 to others,

00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:32.820
 we've got

00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:33.340
 to apply

00:38:33.340 --> 00:38:34.039
 grace to

00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:34.400
 self.

00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:35.900
 We all

00:38:35.900 --> 00:38:36.700
 love the

00:38:36.700 --> 00:38:37.119
 idea,

00:38:37.260 --> 00:38:37.500
 don't we?

00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:37.840
 We like

00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:38.280
 the first

00:38:38.280 --> 00:38:38.579
 one,

00:38:39.139 --> 00:38:39.680
 grace to

00:38:39.680 --> 00:38:39.900
 me,

00:38:40.180 --> 00:38:40.559
 oh I'm

00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:40.780
 going to

00:38:40.780 --> 00:38:41.220
 come and

00:38:41.220 --> 00:38:41.740
 everybody's

00:38:41.740 --> 00:38:41.960
 going to

00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:42.420
 show me

00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:42.980
 grace,

00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:44.159
 which allows

00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:44.539
 me to

00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:44.820
 do what

00:38:44.820 --> 00:38:45.260
 I want

00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:45.639
 to do.

00:38:46.539 --> 00:38:47.099
 Well no,

00:38:47.320 --> 00:38:47.920
 the opposite

00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:48.820
 also applies.

00:38:48.960 --> 00:38:49.280
 We need

00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:49.700
 to apply

00:38:49.700 --> 00:38:50.260
 that same

00:38:50.260 --> 00:38:50.780
 grace to

00:38:50.780 --> 00:38:51.360
 ourselves.

00:38:52.300 --> 00:38:52.760
 So we

00:38:52.760 --> 00:38:53.440
 don't come

00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:54.619
 to a

00:38:54.619 --> 00:38:55.159
 gathering on

00:38:55.159 --> 00:38:55.539
 a Sunday

00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:56.180
 morning or

00:38:56.179 --> 00:38:56.679
 any other

00:38:56.679 --> 00:38:57.139
 time that

00:38:57.139 --> 00:38:57.500
 we meet

00:38:57.500 --> 00:38:57.859
 or any

00:38:57.859 --> 00:38:58.179
 of our

00:38:58.179 --> 00:38:58.719
 relationships

00:38:58.719 --> 00:38:59.259
 with each

00:38:59.259 --> 00:38:59.440
 other.

00:38:59.659 --> 00:39:00.139
 We don't

00:39:00.139 --> 00:39:00.679
 come into

00:39:00.679 --> 00:39:01.980
 that with

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:02.440
 an attitude

00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:03.179
 of everybody

00:39:03.179 --> 00:39:04.299
 else is

00:39:04.299 --> 00:39:04.739
 going to

00:39:04.739 --> 00:39:06.539
 change to

00:39:06.539 --> 00:39:07.139
 suit me,

00:39:07.419 --> 00:39:07.759
 to help

00:39:07.759 --> 00:39:08.480
 me fit in.

00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:10.159
 No, the

00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:10.859
 attitude is

00:39:10.859 --> 00:39:11.960
 this, what

00:39:11.960 --> 00:39:13.859
 areas of

00:39:13.859 --> 00:39:15.899
 my life do

00:39:15.899 --> 00:39:16.759
 I need to

00:39:16.759 --> 00:39:17.279
 change?

00:39:19.879 --> 00:39:20.440
 Ask

00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:20.980
 ourselves

00:39:20.980 --> 00:39:21.899
 questions like,

00:39:22.099 --> 00:39:22.960
 is this a

00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:23.679
 gospel issue?

00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:25.960
 is this

00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:27.839
 primary or

00:39:27.839 --> 00:39:28.099
 is it

00:39:28.099 --> 00:39:28.559
 secondary?

00:39:30.359 --> 00:39:30.899
 Will this

00:39:30.899 --> 00:39:31.359
 lead to

00:39:31.359 --> 00:39:31.899
 somebody's

00:39:31.899 --> 00:39:33.679
 faith or

00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:33.980
 will it

00:39:33.980 --> 00:39:34.659
 distract them

00:39:34.659 --> 00:39:35.059
 from the

00:39:35.059 --> 00:39:35.419
 faith?

00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:37.960
 For the

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:38.579
 sake of the

00:39:38.579 --> 00:39:40.519
 gospel, I

00:39:40.519 --> 00:39:41.659
 will not

00:39:41.659 --> 00:39:43.359
 insist on

00:39:43.359 --> 00:39:44.460
 my preference.

00:39:46.259 --> 00:39:47.359
 We are to

00:39:47.359 --> 00:39:48.359
 unite around

00:39:48.359 --> 00:39:49.079
 the gospel,

00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:50.779
 not tradition

00:39:50.780 --> 00:39:52.519
 and not

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.140
 practice.

00:39:55.580 --> 00:39:56.240
 This is

00:39:56.240 --> 00:39:57.440
 why the

00:39:57.440 --> 00:39:57.940
 council,

00:39:58.160 --> 00:39:58.900
 chapter 15

00:39:58.900 --> 00:39:59.400
 of Acts,

00:40:00.340 --> 00:40:01.040
 is the

00:40:01.040 --> 00:40:01.960
 most defining

00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:02.580
 issue in

00:40:02.580 --> 00:40:02.920
 all of

00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:03.700
 church history.

00:40:04.560 --> 00:40:05.200
 Because if

00:40:05.200 --> 00:40:05.800
 we get this

00:40:05.800 --> 00:40:07.540
 wrong, we

00:40:07.540 --> 00:40:07.880
 might as

00:40:07.880 --> 00:40:08.220
 well all

00:40:08.220 --> 00:40:08.740
 go home.

00:40:10.980 --> 00:40:11.580
 And what

00:40:11.580 --> 00:40:12.200
 happens when

00:40:12.200 --> 00:40:12.820
 the church

00:40:12.820 --> 00:40:13.620
 does begin

00:40:13.620 --> 00:40:14.080
 to live

00:40:14.080 --> 00:40:14.640
 this out

00:40:14.640 --> 00:40:15.680
 and begins

00:40:15.680 --> 00:40:16.320
 to see it

00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:16.860
 working in

00:40:16.860 --> 00:40:17.280
 the lives

00:40:17.280 --> 00:40:17.640
 of each

00:40:17.640 --> 00:40:17.860
 other?

00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:18.800
 Well, look

00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:19.080
 at verse

00:40:19.079 --> 00:40:19.860
 35, we'll

00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:20.340
 jump right

00:40:20.340 --> 00:40:20.639
 to the

00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:21.019
 end.

00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.840
 But Paul

00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.500
 and Barnabas

00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:25.259
 remained in

00:40:25.259 --> 00:40:26.799
 Antioch where

00:40:26.799 --> 00:40:27.500
 they and

00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:28.319
 many others

00:40:28.319 --> 00:40:29.299
 taught and

00:40:29.299 --> 00:40:30.079
 preached the

00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:31.199
 word of

00:40:31.199 --> 00:40:31.679
 the Lord.

00:40:32.699 --> 00:40:33.559
 Very simply,

00:40:33.719 --> 00:40:34.259
 the gospel

00:40:34.259 --> 00:40:35.099
 stood firm,

00:40:36.360 --> 00:40:37.259
 the mission

00:40:37.259 --> 00:40:38.420
 continued,

00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:40.299
 and the

00:40:40.299 --> 00:40:40.799
 church

00:40:40.799 --> 00:40:41.920
 remained

00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:42.539
 strong.

00:40:45.819 --> 00:40:46.840
 May God

00:40:46.840 --> 00:40:47.360
 give us

00:40:47.360 --> 00:40:48.079
 the grace

00:40:48.079 --> 00:40:50.180
 to do

00:40:50.180 --> 00:40:50.640
 likewise

00:40:50.640 --> 00:40:52.539
 and to

00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:53.640
 keep on

00:40:53.640 --> 00:40:54.760
 doing

00:40:54.760 --> 00:40:55.460
 likewise

00:40:55.460 --> 00:40:56.760
 with each

00:40:56.760 --> 00:40:57.039
 other.

00:40:58.980 --> 00:40:59.780
 Before we

00:40:59.780 --> 00:41:00.079
 sing,

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:01.980
 let's just

00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:02.420
 take a

00:41:02.420 --> 00:41:02.860
 moment

00:41:02.860 --> 00:41:05.059
 to reflect

00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:05.660
 on some

00:41:05.660 --> 00:41:06.000
 of those

00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:06.519
 things.

00:41:07.559 --> 00:41:07.860
 Maybe

00:41:07.860 --> 00:41:08.120
 there's

00:41:08.120 --> 00:41:08.579
 something we

00:41:08.579 --> 00:41:08.940
 just want

00:41:08.940 --> 00:41:09.340
 to pray

00:41:09.340 --> 00:41:10.000
 privately

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:10.780
 and quietly.

00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:14.579
 Maybe

00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:14.880
 there's

00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:15.300
 something we

00:41:15.300 --> 00:41:15.660
 want to

00:41:15.660 --> 00:41:16.099
 pray for

00:41:16.099 --> 00:41:16.319
 our

00:41:16.319 --> 00:41:16.839
 church.

00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:18.599
 Let's

00:41:18.599 --> 00:41:18.980
 do that

00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:19.659
 right now

00:41:19.659 --> 00:41:21.199
 as we

00:41:21.199 --> 00:41:21.679
 seek to

00:41:21.679 --> 00:41:22.019
 apply

00:41:22.019 --> 00:41:23.420
 grace to

00:41:23.420 --> 00:41:23.639
 one

00:41:23.639 --> 00:41:24.019
 another

00:41:24.019 --> 00:41:25.360
 and to

00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:25.839
 ourselves.

00:41:25.839 --> 00:41:26.279
 ...

00:41:26.279 --> 00:41:26.440
 ...

00:41:26.440 --> 00:41:26.980
 ...

00:41:26.980 --> 00:41:27.099
 ...

00:41:27.099 --> 00:41:27.519
 ...

00:41:27.519 --> 00:41:57.500
 Thank you.

00:41:57.519 --> 00:42:27.500
 Thank you.

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:57.500
 Thank you.

00:42:57.519 --> 00:42:59.519
 Thank you.

00:42:59.519 --> 00:43:01.519
 Thank you.

00:43:27.519 --> 00:43:29.519
 Thank you.

00:43:29.519 --> 00:43:31.519
 Thank you.

00:43:31.519 --> 00:43:33.519
 Thank you.

00:43:33.519 --> 00:43:35.519
 Thank you.

00:43:35.519 --> 00:43:37.519
 Thank you.

00:43:37.519 --> 00:43:39.519
 Thank you.

00:43:39.519 --> 00:43:41.519
 Thank you.

00:43:41.519 --> 00:43:43.519
 Thank you.

00:43:43.519 --> 00:43:45.519
 Thank you.

00:43:45.519 --> 00:43:47.519
 Thank you.

00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:49.519
 Thank you.

00:43:49.519 --> 00:43:51.519
 Thank you.

00:43:51.519 --> 00:43:53.519
 Thank you.

00:43:53.519 --> 00:43:55.519
 Thank you.

00:43:55.519 --> 00:43:57.519
 Thank you.

00:43:57.519 --> 00:43:59.519
 Thank you.

00:43:59.519 --> 00:44:03.800
 We thank you for every life, for every family represented here.

00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:07.820
 We thank you for all that everybody brings and gives.

00:44:08.679 --> 00:44:10.079
 We thank you for their love.

00:44:11.340 --> 00:44:14.000
 We thank you for the life that you have saved,

00:44:14.679 --> 00:44:18.519
 for bringing us together, for making us part of your family,

00:44:19.039 --> 00:44:22.420
 for uniting us, and we praise you, we thank you

00:44:22.420 --> 00:44:25.960
 for all that we have because of Christ.

00:44:25.960 --> 00:44:30.119
 It's precious, it's wonderful.

00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:36.220
 And we ask for your help to go on living your way.

00:44:37.179 --> 00:44:40.440
 In Jesus' name, Amen.