WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from Romans chapter 12.

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 Please follow along on the screen, the bulletin, or your own Bible.

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 Starting in verse 1, we read,

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 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,

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 to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,

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 holy and acceptable to God.

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 Which is your spiritual worship.

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 Do not be conformed to this world,

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 but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

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 that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God,

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 what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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 Then in verse 9, we read,

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 Let love be genuine,

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 abhor what is evil,

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 hold fast to what is good,

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 love one another with brotherly affection,

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 outdo one another in showing honor,

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 do not be slothful in zeal,

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 be fervent in spirit,

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 serve the Lord.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great.

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 Thank you, Joyce, for reading to us this morning.

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 And good morning, everybody.

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 It's great to see you all today.

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 Thank you.

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 I think nobody really knew what to say there, right?

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 You were like, do we say something?

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 Do we not say something?

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 Well, if you're new, my name is Kevin,

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 and it's great to have you with us today.

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 Now, for those of you who aren't new,

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 you'll know we are working through the book of Romans,

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 chapter 12.

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 And Romans 12 is this amazing passage in the Bible.

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 It starts off with these very famous words,

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 by the mercies of God.

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 And it comes off the back of 11 chapters

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 of amazing gospel teaching.

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 11 chapters where Paul has just been explaining

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 the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

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 and what it means,

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 and the good news of Jesus,

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 and the hope of Jesus,

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 and the profound love of Jesus,

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 and the fact that God saves people like us.

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 And then he starts off, chapter 12,

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 with these words,

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 in view of God's mercies,

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 or by the mercies of God.

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 But the problem is,

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 Christianity is not just meant to be doctrine

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 that we believe in our head.

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 Christianity, or being a Christian,

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 is not just about believing certain propositional truths.

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 It's about actually having the life,

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 and the nature, and the character of God

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 so shape and change our lives,

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 that we become a different kind of people.

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 Okay?

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 So I want to show you a photo.

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 Let's see if we can get this photo up on the screen.

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 There should be a photo.

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 There we go.

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 This photo is devastating.

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 It's a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan,

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 which, if you don't know what the Ku Klux Klan is,

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 it was an ultra-right-wing,

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 extremist,

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 very evil kind of brotherhood

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 in America,

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 in the American South in 1920s

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 to about the 1960s or so.

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 And so this is a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan,

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 but do you notice the sign that's behind him?

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 What does it say?

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 Jesus saves.

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 Jesus saves.

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 Now, that is great gospel doctrine.

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 Jesus saves sinners, right?

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 That is the truth.

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 That's what this church is built upon.

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 Jesus saves.

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 Jesus saves.

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 But what this photo shows us

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 is that you can believe great gospel doctrine

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 and not have it penetrate your life

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 or shape your life at all.

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 You can believe gospel doctrine in your head

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 and still live out the values of hell

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 rather than the glories of heaven.

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 And what Romans 12 is trying to show us

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 is that it's one thing to believe

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 the wonderful doctrine,

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 that Jesus saves.

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 Jesus died on the cross.

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 All the great stuff we were singing about earlier.

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 But what Romans 12 wants to show us

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 is how that actually shapes

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 and transforms our lives

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 and our relationships

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 so that we start to look like Jesus

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 rather than live out the values of hell.

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 And so one way to think about Romans 12

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 is that it actually describes

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 how the gospel shapes

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 our various relationships.

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 And so in verse 1 and 2

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 describes how the gospel shapes

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 our relationship with God.

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 It says,

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 Therefore, by the mercies of God,

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 present your bodies as a living sacrifice,

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 holy and acceptable.

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 This is your spiritual act of worship.

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 Don't be conformed to the ways of this world,

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 but be transformed into the image of Christ.

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 And then in verse 3 to 8,

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 Chris explained this last week,

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 it shows how the gospel shapes

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 our relationship to ourselves.

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 It says,

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 In view of God's mercy,

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 don't think of yourself more highly than you ought,

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 but think of yourself with sober judgment.

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 Right?

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 Consider yourself a team member

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 with gifts of grace

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 to contribute to the team.

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 And then in verses 9 to 16,

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 Paul shows how the gospel

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 shapes our relationships

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 to the church family,

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 to the way we relate to one another.

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 And then in verse 17 to 21,

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 Paul's going to show

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 how the gospel shapes

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 our relationship to our enemies,

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 to those who persecute us

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 or cause life to be difficult.

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 And then in chapter 13,

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 Paul's going to show

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 how the gospel shapes

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 our relationship to the government

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 and to the state.

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 Okay?

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 So that's kind of,

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 chapter 12 shows

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 how the gospel shapes

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 all these areas

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 and relationships in our lives.

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 Now today,

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 we're going to focus on the middle one.

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 How the gospel shapes

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 our relationships

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 to the church family.

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 And today,

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 we're going to look at

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 just three verses,

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 verses 9 to 11,

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 and then next week,

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 we're going to pick up 12 and 13.

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 And so,

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 look at what Paul says here.

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 In verse 9 to 11,

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 I appeal to you therefore,

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 brothers,

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 by the mercies of God,

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 verse 9,

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 let love be genuine,

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 abhor what is evil,

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 hold fast to what is good,

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 and love one another

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 with brotherly affection,

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 outdo one another

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 in showing honor.

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 Do not be slothful in zeal,

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 be fervent in spirit,

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 serving the Lord.

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 We live in an age

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 where we as a world

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 and a society

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 are very confused

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 about the nature of love.

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 Everywhere we go,

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 we are bombarded

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 with words and images

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 and messages

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 about love.

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 Whether it's on the MTR line,

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 whether it's an advert

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 that you see,

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 a song that you listen to,

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 images, words, songs,

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 everything is bombarding us

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 and appealing to

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 a certain nature

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 or notion

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 of what love is.

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 And it's a kind of love

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 which essentially

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 is based on two things.

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 It's based on feelings,

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 how I feel about something,

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 and it's orientated

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 towards the self.

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 And so that's why

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 people say,

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 I know that I love you

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 because of how you make me feel.

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 Right?

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 And we hear people

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 talking about things,

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 saying like,

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 I guess I've fallen out of love

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 or we're no longer compatible

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 or it's not working

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 for me anymore.

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 But the Bible's going to tell us

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 that our relationships,

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 both romantic

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 but also platonic,

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 are to be shaped

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 by a kind of love

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 that is far more robust

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 and far more profound

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 than that.

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 That's a very superficial

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 and a very fragile

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 understanding of relationships

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 and of love

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 and of commitment.

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 And so despite

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 the flood of imagery

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 and the songs

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 and the memes

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 and the messages

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 and all the stuff

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 that's going on,

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 like undernourished kids

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 in a candy store,

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 we as modern society,

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 although we are bombarded

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 with love all around us,

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 we are actually

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 deeply starved

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 of the kind of robust,

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 radical,

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 transformative love

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 that God designed

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 us to both experience

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 and also to demonstrate

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 towards others.

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 I think we've got a picture,

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 another picture up here.

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 Okay, do you know

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 what this is?

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 This looks like a cake,

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 but it's not actually a cake.

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 Actually, this is a picture

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 of heaven on earth.

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 Okay?

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 Not really,

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 but this is amazing, right?

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 This looks like Kathy Tom

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 has been in the kitchen

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 at work.

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 This is not just one layer

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 of chocolate,

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 not just two layers,

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 this is five layers

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 of chocolate awesomeness.

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 Okay?

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 For bakers,

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 when Jesus says,

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 maybe on heaven

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 as it is,

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 maybe on earth

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 as it is in heaven,

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 this is something like

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 what he was thinking about.

00:09:03.579 --> 00:09:03.740
 Okay?

00:09:04.779 --> 00:09:05.599
 Five layers

00:09:05.599 --> 00:09:06.539
 of chocolate cake.

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 In the passage

00:09:08.439 --> 00:09:09.279
 we're going to look at

00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:09.859
 today,

00:09:10.299 --> 00:09:11.639
 Paul is going to give us

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 12 layers

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 of what a community

00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:17.919
 that is shaped

00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:18.799
 by the love of God

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 looks like.

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 And jokes aside,

00:09:21.580 --> 00:09:22.500
 what the passage

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 we're going to look at

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 is in some ways

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 a small picture

00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:26.100
 of what heaven on earth

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 is really meant

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 to look like.

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 When Jesus said,

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 pray like this,

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 let your kingdom come

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 that you will be done

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 on earth as it is in heaven.

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 Jokes aside,

00:09:37.560 --> 00:09:38.639
 he wasn't talking about

00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:40.200
 Kathy Tom's chocolate cookies.

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 He was talking about

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 a community of people

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 that are so shaped

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 by love

00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:46.960
 that earth looks like

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 or the church

00:09:47.540 --> 00:09:48.080
 would look like

00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:49.259
 an outpost of heaven.

00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:50.860
 And so that's what

00:09:50.860 --> 00:09:51.919
 we're going to look at

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 today in our passage.

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 And what you're going to see

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 is that the love

00:09:57.139 --> 00:09:58.039
 that Christ talks about

00:09:58.039 --> 00:09:59.819
 is not feelings based,

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 it's not orientated

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 towards the self.

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 It is sincere,

00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:05.279
 it's principled,

00:10:05.819 --> 00:10:07.100
 it's others focused,

00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:09.100
 it's family,

00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:10.559
 it's a picture

00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:11.639
 of heaven on earth.

00:10:11.700 --> 00:10:12.740
 And so look at how

00:10:12.740 --> 00:10:14.139
 Paul starts off with this.

00:10:14.179 --> 00:10:14.759
 He says this,

00:10:14.899 --> 00:10:16.919
 let love be genuine.

00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:19.019
 And that's the big idea

00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:20.079
 for today's passage.

00:10:20.199 --> 00:10:21.399
 The big idea of today's passage

00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:22.159
 and today's message

00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:22.620
 is this,

00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:24.059
 that in view of God's

00:10:24.059 --> 00:10:24.799
 radical,

00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:26.159
 robust,

00:10:26.719 --> 00:10:27.539
 transformative

00:10:27.539 --> 00:10:28.779
 love and mercy,

00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:30.620
 let us become

00:10:30.620 --> 00:10:31.679
 a kind of church

00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:33.719
 that is radically

00:10:33.719 --> 00:10:35.779
 and generously loving too.

00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:36.860
 Okay, that's what the passage

00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:38.079
 is going to call us to today.

00:10:38.199 --> 00:10:39.559
 So let's look at how

00:10:39.559 --> 00:10:40.459
 he starts.

00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:40.980
 Verse 9,

00:10:41.079 --> 00:10:41.740
 Paul says this,

00:10:42.339 --> 00:10:44.259
 let love be genuine.

00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:46.579
 Let love be genuine.

00:10:47.579 --> 00:10:48.639
 The Greek word here

00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.519
 for genuine

00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:50.199
 is the word

00:10:50.199 --> 00:10:51.659
 a-lipokritos.

00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:53.399
 A meaning without,

00:10:53.959 --> 00:10:54.620
 nipokritos

00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:55.379
 from where we get

00:10:55.379 --> 00:10:56.799
 the word hypocrisy,

00:10:56.979 --> 00:10:58.360
 without hypocrisy.

00:10:59.099 --> 00:10:59.459
 Now I'm sure

00:10:59.459 --> 00:11:00.559
 most of us know this,

00:11:00.860 --> 00:11:02.000
 in the ancient world

00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:02.919
 to call somebody

00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:03.639
 a hypocrite,

00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:05.259
 or the word hypocrite

00:11:05.259 --> 00:11:06.860
 wasn't a derogatory term,

00:11:06.959 --> 00:11:07.779
 it wasn't offensive.

00:11:08.479 --> 00:11:09.779
 A hypocrite was the name

00:11:09.779 --> 00:11:11.039
 for the Greek actors

00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.779
 who acted on stage

00:11:12.779 --> 00:11:14.019
 by wearing a mask,

00:11:14.120 --> 00:11:14.279
 right?

00:11:14.339 --> 00:11:15.179
 So they'd go on stage,

00:11:15.299 --> 00:11:16.480
 they'd wear a mask

00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:17.879
 and play a certain character,

00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:19.220
 kind of think of like

00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:20.300
 Beijing opera, right?

00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:21.120
 You put on a mask,

00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:21.980
 you play your character,

00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:23.519
 at the end of the show,

00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:25.080
 you put your mask down

00:11:25.080 --> 00:11:26.220
 and you go home,

00:11:26.940 --> 00:11:28.120
 your genuine self.

00:11:28.779 --> 00:11:29.519
 And the actors

00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:30.840
 that played this character

00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:31.340
 were called

00:11:31.340 --> 00:11:32.120
 the hypocrites.

00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:33.259
 And it was a word

00:11:33.259 --> 00:11:34.039
 that then became

00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:35.420
 a moral word

00:11:35.420 --> 00:11:36.220
 and took on the nature

00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:36.960
 that we use it

00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:37.600
 as today.

00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:39.720
 Paul is saying,

00:11:40.060 --> 00:11:40.879
 his point here

00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:41.639
 is that because

00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:42.920
 of God's grace

00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:45.099
 to people like you and I,

00:11:45.199 --> 00:11:46.539
 the church should be a place

00:11:46.539 --> 00:11:47.539
 where we no longer

00:11:47.539 --> 00:11:48.519
 wear masks,

00:11:49.079 --> 00:11:50.339
 we don't come to church

00:11:50.339 --> 00:11:51.399
 for two hours

00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:51.879
 on a Sunday,

00:11:52.120 --> 00:11:53.339
 say our Christian lines,

00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:54.679
 play the game,

00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:56.000
 and then go home

00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.240
 and be our genuine self.

00:11:57.860 --> 00:11:58.279
 Actually,

00:11:58.360 --> 00:11:59.539
 because of God's love

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:00.179
 for us,

00:12:00.319 --> 00:12:01.579
 the church should be a place

00:12:01.579 --> 00:12:03.019
 where we remove our masks

00:12:03.019 --> 00:12:04.500
 and where we can love

00:12:04.500 --> 00:12:04.979
 one another

00:12:04.979 --> 00:12:06.139
 and receive love

00:12:06.139 --> 00:12:08.120
 as our genuine self,

00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:09.899
 who we genuinely are.

00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:10.779
 Now,

00:12:10.860 --> 00:12:11.139
 of course,

00:12:11.139 --> 00:12:12.100
 that's scary

00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:12.899
 and of course

00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:13.699
 that's messy

00:12:13.699 --> 00:12:15.199
 because what that means

00:12:15.199 --> 00:12:16.240
 is that if I come

00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:17.620
 with my genuine self,

00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:18.639
 you're going to have

00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:19.460
 to experience

00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:20.159
 the real me,

00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:21.480
 not the Instagram version

00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:21.919
 of me,

00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:22.340
 okay?

00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:24.939
 And that might be complicated

00:12:24.939 --> 00:12:25.919
 and that might be messy,

00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:27.779
 but it's also beautiful.

00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:29.279
 Now,

00:12:29.379 --> 00:12:30.259
 here's the one challenge,

00:12:30.319 --> 00:12:30.439
 right?

00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:31.319
 No church

00:12:31.319 --> 00:12:31.899
 is going to have

00:12:31.899 --> 00:12:33.019
 a big sign outside

00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:34.000
 saying,

00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:35.700
 we don't love people,

00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:37.139
 we don't care about you,

00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:38.379
 we just want to use

00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:39.120
 and abuse you,

00:12:39.340 --> 00:12:40.399
 take advantage of you,

00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.620
 come and join this church,

00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:42.039
 okay?

00:12:42.439 --> 00:12:43.539
 If you ever find a church

00:12:43.539 --> 00:12:44.259
 that says that,

00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:45.779
 here's some free advice,

00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:47.079
 you might want to look

00:12:47.079 --> 00:12:47.840
 for another church,

00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:48.019
 okay?

00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:49.259
 That's not a healthy church.

00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:51.439
 But here's the thing,

00:12:52.340 --> 00:12:53.819
 no church is going to say that,

00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:54.720
 but that church

00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:55.799
 might be better

00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:57.539
 than the kind of church

00:12:57.539 --> 00:12:57.939
 that says,

00:12:58.059 --> 00:12:58.379
 welcome,

00:12:59.079 --> 00:13:00.399
 we will love you

00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:01.379
 and accept you

00:13:01.379 --> 00:13:02.199
 like a family

00:13:02.199 --> 00:13:03.959
 and then when you're

00:13:03.959 --> 00:13:04.519
 on the inside,

00:13:04.659 --> 00:13:05.399
 you find there's backbiting,

00:13:06.319 --> 00:13:07.539
 there's backstabbing,

00:13:07.539 --> 00:13:09.459
 people come on Sunday

00:13:09.459 --> 00:13:09.879
 and they wear

00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:10.919
 their Christian smile,

00:13:12.219 --> 00:13:13.079
 but inside they're

00:13:13.079 --> 00:13:13.959
 harboring bitterness

00:13:13.959 --> 00:13:14.919
 and resentment.

00:13:16.139 --> 00:13:16.959
 Maybe it's better

00:13:16.959 --> 00:13:17.719
 to find a church

00:13:17.719 --> 00:13:18.519
 that's honest

00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:20.159
 about how unloving it is

00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:21.299
 than a church

00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:22.019
 that is playing

00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:23.299
 the hypocrite.

00:13:25.179 --> 00:13:25.879
 And so what Paul

00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:26.419
 is saying is,

00:13:26.599 --> 00:13:28.059
 by the mercies of God,

00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:29.079
 because of God's

00:13:29.079 --> 00:13:29.939
 great love for us,

00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:30.879
 the church community

00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:31.620
 should be one that

00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:33.019
 can genuinely

00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:33.839
 be authentic

00:13:33.839 --> 00:13:34.679
 and sincere

00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:36.419
 and love authentically.

00:13:36.419 --> 00:13:38.719
 So what does it look like,

00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:39.740
 let's look at the contrast,

00:13:40.179 --> 00:13:42.219
 to be insincere?

00:13:42.899 --> 00:13:43.860
 What does an insincere

00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:44.519
 church look like?

00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:44.799
 Well,

00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:45.819
 on the one hand,

00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.179
 insincerity is obviously

00:13:47.179 --> 00:13:48.659
 projecting an image

00:13:48.659 --> 00:13:50.000
 that the outside of you

00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:50.879
 doesn't look like

00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:51.699
 the inside of you,

00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:51.979
 right?

00:13:52.339 --> 00:13:53.419
 So you come to church

00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:54.759
 and someone says,

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.419
 how are you?

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:55.899
 And you say,

00:13:55.979 --> 00:13:56.500
 yeah, I'm good,

00:13:56.759 --> 00:13:57.219
 I'm good,

00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:58.620
 doing well, thanks.

00:13:59.199 --> 00:14:00.379
 But actually inside

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.179
 you are dying.

00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:03.839
 Or it's talking to somebody

00:14:03.839 --> 00:14:04.360
 and saying,

00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:05.539
 hey, how are you doing?

00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:06.799
 Hey, I'm really sorry

00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:07.279
 to hear that.

00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:08.059
 I'm going to be praying

00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:08.500
 for you.

00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:09.639
 And actually you have

00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:10.579
 no intention of praying

00:14:10.579 --> 00:14:11.279
 for them at all,

00:14:11.379 --> 00:14:11.679
 right?

00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:13.159
 Or maybe it's coming

00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.360
 to church and we sing

00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:15.279
 the songs and we take

00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:15.719
 communion,

00:14:16.079 --> 00:14:17.000
 but our hearts are

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:18.059
 actually really hard

00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:19.500
 towards God.

00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:21.719
 And so what's going on

00:14:21.719 --> 00:14:21.860
 there?

00:14:21.959 --> 00:14:23.000
 All of that is a form

00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.139
 of wearing a mask.

00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:26.299
 It's a form of self-love

00:14:26.299 --> 00:14:29.039
 and not an authentic love.

00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:30.159
 But there's actually

00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:31.679
 another kind of hypocrisy.

00:14:31.819 --> 00:14:32.179
 Do you remember

00:14:32.179 --> 00:14:33.339
 Jesus' famous words

00:14:33.339 --> 00:14:34.099
 in Matthew 7

00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:35.420
 where he says,

00:14:35.560 --> 00:14:37.600
 do not look at the speck

00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:38.159
 or do not say

00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:38.639
 to your brother,

00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:39.720
 let me take the speck

00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:40.399
 out of your eye

00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:41.259
 when you've got a log

00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:41.980
 in your own eye.

00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:42.840
 He says,

00:14:42.920 --> 00:14:43.720
 you hypocrite.

00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:44.680
 First take the log

00:14:44.680 --> 00:14:45.460
 out of your own eye

00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:46.259
 rather than taking

00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:46.800
 the speck out

00:14:46.800 --> 00:14:47.480
 of your brother's eye.

00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.159
 And what Jesus is saying

00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:50.220
 there is that

00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:50.840
 there's a kind

00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:51.540
 of hypocrisy,

00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:51.980
 there's a kind

00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:52.800
 of self-love

00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:54.040
 that minimizes

00:14:54.040 --> 00:14:54.920
 my own faults

00:14:54.920 --> 00:14:55.840
 or covers over

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.659
 my own faults

00:14:56.659 --> 00:14:57.879
 and magnifies

00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:58.860
 the faults of others.

00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:00.060
 So let's say,

00:15:00.160 --> 00:15:00.460
 for instance,

00:15:00.560 --> 00:15:01.360
 one day Chris comes

00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:02.220
 to me in the office

00:15:02.220 --> 00:15:02.620
 and he says,

00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:03.300
 hey,

00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:03.639
 Kev,

00:15:04.139 --> 00:15:05.560
 the way you responded

00:15:05.560 --> 00:15:06.639
 in that staff meeting

00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:08.259
 was a bit strange.

00:15:08.419 --> 00:15:09.000
 Are you okay?

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:10.120
 Or hey,

00:15:10.180 --> 00:15:10.840
 we've spoken

00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:11.639
 that that's not

00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:12.100
 the culture

00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:12.879
 we want to set here.

00:15:13.180 --> 00:15:13.980
 And you responded

00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:14.360
 like this.

00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.200
 Can we talk about that?

00:15:15.680 --> 00:15:16.060
 And I say,

00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:16.879
 what do you mean?

00:15:17.820 --> 00:15:18.440
 Didn't you do

00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:19.139
 the same thing

00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:19.800
 last week?

00:15:20.100 --> 00:15:20.860
 Or Jeremy?

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.800
 Jeremy did the same

00:15:21.800 --> 00:15:22.539
 thing last week.

00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:23.379
 Well,

00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:23.919
 what am I doing?

00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:24.779
 I'm minimizing

00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:25.440
 my own faults,

00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:27.220
 magnifying someone else's

00:15:27.220 --> 00:15:28.680
 to reflect the attention

00:15:28.680 --> 00:15:28.860
 on me.

00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:29.379
 What am I doing?

00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:30.960
 I'm wearing a mask.

00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:31.919
 It's self-love.

00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.220
 It's self-love.

00:15:34.299 --> 00:15:34.559
 And so,

00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:35.820
 Jesus says

00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:38.240
 that Jesus calls us

00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:39.340
 to become the community

00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:40.600
 that loves one another

00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:41.679
 without masks,

00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:42.519
 genuinely,

00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:43.179
 sincerely.

00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:44.659
 Jesus says,

00:15:44.939 --> 00:15:46.320
 by this will all people

00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.759
 know that you are

00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:48.299
 my disciples

00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:49.580
 if you have love,

00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.439
 genuine love

00:15:50.439 --> 00:15:51.100
 for one another.

00:15:51.820 --> 00:15:52.600
 And that's an amazing

00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:53.440
 thing because if you

00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.019
 think about it,

00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:55.240
 every church has

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:56.659
 unique characteristics

00:15:56.659 --> 00:15:57.460
 about it, right?

00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:58.919
 You go to a church

00:15:58.919 --> 00:15:59.379
 like us

00:15:59.379 --> 00:16:00.120
 and maybe we're

00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:01.479
 a little low-key

00:16:01.479 --> 00:16:03.419
 and not particularly

00:16:03.419 --> 00:16:03.899
 fancy

00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:05.219
 and, you know,

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:05.899
 we do our thing.

00:16:06.339 --> 00:16:06.839
 And then you go

00:16:06.839 --> 00:16:07.379
 to another church

00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:07.919
 down the road

00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:09.099
 and you find

00:16:09.099 --> 00:16:09.899
 the pastor is

00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:10.699
 very cool

00:16:10.699 --> 00:16:11.639
 and he knows

00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:12.199
 how to talk

00:16:12.199 --> 00:16:12.919
 cool and dress

00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:13.779
 cool and you think,

00:16:13.939 --> 00:16:15.059
 wow, this is a great church

00:16:15.059 --> 00:16:16.179
 and the music's like this.

00:16:16.719 --> 00:16:17.299
 And maybe you go

00:16:17.299 --> 00:16:18.039
 to a third church

00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:18.539
 and they're more

00:16:18.539 --> 00:16:19.539
 contemplative

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:20.419
 and meditative

00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:22.120
 and high liturgy.

00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:24.919
 and Jesus says

00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:25.639
 that actually

00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.399
 all those things

00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:27.960
 are not

00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:29.340
 that important.

00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:30.379
 If you want

00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:30.840
 to go to church

00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:31.679
 where the music

00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.019
 is phenomenal

00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:33.919
 and there's smoke

00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:34.860
 machines and lights

00:16:34.860 --> 00:16:36.220
 and buzzing stuff,

00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:36.879
 that's okay.

00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:37.980
 If you want

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.519
 to go to church

00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:39.519
 where there's more

00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:40.440
 hymns and it's

00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:41.759
 traditional and liturgical,

00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:42.519
 that's okay.

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:44.139
 But the defining

00:16:44.139 --> 00:16:45.259
 feature of the church

00:16:45.259 --> 00:16:45.799
 is Jesus,

00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:46.940
 is not the music

00:16:46.940 --> 00:16:48.139
 or the dress code

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:49.860
 or how you speak,

00:16:50.439 --> 00:16:51.240
 it is their genuine

00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.460
 love for one another.

00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:54.500
 By the mercies

00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:54.939
 of God,

00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:55.799
 let your love

00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:56.679
 be genuine,

00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.059
 sincere.

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.039
 Now,

00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:01.159
 of course,

00:17:01.340 --> 00:17:02.240
 that's the first thing,

00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:02.379
 okay.

00:17:02.819 --> 00:17:03.199
 Now,

00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:05.139
 we mustn't confuse

00:17:05.139 --> 00:17:06.619
 genuineness

00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:07.879
 or sincere love

00:17:07.879 --> 00:17:09.519
 with just niceness

00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.099
 or politeness,

00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:11.819
 okay.

00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:13.400
 The kind of loving

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:13.940
 community

00:17:13.940 --> 00:17:15.079
 Jesus envisaged

00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:15.920
 is not one

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:17.119
 that's simply sweet

00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:18.719
 and just nice

00:17:18.719 --> 00:17:19.319
 all the time

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:20.759
 but one that's robust

00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:21.819
 because look at

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:22.899
 what Paul says next.

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:23.659
 Look at verse,

00:17:24.379 --> 00:17:25.199
 is it still verse 9?

00:17:25.379 --> 00:17:26.399
 Still verse 9,

00:17:26.459 --> 00:17:26.639
 I think.

00:17:26.719 --> 00:17:27.019
 He says,

00:17:27.479 --> 00:17:28.759
 abhor what is evil

00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:30.519
 and hold fast

00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:31.759
 to what is good.

00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:32.659
 Now,

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:33.539
 the word abhor

00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:34.919
 means to loathe

00:17:34.919 --> 00:17:35.319
 something,

00:17:35.479 --> 00:17:36.759
 to detest something,

00:17:37.219 --> 00:17:37.839
 kind of like

00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.379
 to hate something.

00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:40.819
 Paul,

00:17:40.959 --> 00:17:41.439
 and the word

00:17:41.439 --> 00:17:42.259
 to hold fast

00:17:42.259 --> 00:17:42.979
 is actually the word

00:17:42.979 --> 00:17:43.799
 used elsewhere

00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:44.639
 in the New Testament

00:17:44.639 --> 00:17:46.259
 for sexual intimacy,

00:17:46.259 --> 00:17:47.180
 for marriage,

00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:48.259
 to be united

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:48.980
 to one another.

00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.460
 And so Paul says,

00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:51.839
 in view of God's mercy,

00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:53.619
 be genuinely loving,

00:17:54.299 --> 00:17:55.680
 hating what is evil

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.960
 and holding fast,

00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:57.920
 uniting yourself

00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:58.920
 to that which is good.

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:01.579
 But in the Greek language,

00:18:01.700 --> 00:18:02.140
 this is actually

00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:03.359
 all one sentence.

00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:04.160
 There's one train

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:04.720
 of thought here.

00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:05.299
 So he's saying,

00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:07.339
 let your love be genuine

00:18:07.339 --> 00:18:10.759
 by detesting what's evil

00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:11.920
 and holding fast

00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:12.440
 to what's good.

00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:13.740
 There's a connection there.

00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:15.740
 And think about it

00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:16.180
 this way.

00:18:16.859 --> 00:18:18.480
 What Paul is saying here

00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:20.019
 is that a community

00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:21.599
 that's genuinely loving

00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:23.359
 will also hate

00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:24.579
 that which is evil

00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:25.539
 and destructive

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:27.200
 and detrimental

00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.079
 to the well-being

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.720
 of the community.

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:29.880
 So think about it

00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:30.460
 this way, right?

00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.920
 How many of us here,

00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:32.880
 if your sister

00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:33.819
 or your mother

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:34.779
 or your wife

00:18:34.779 --> 00:18:35.519
 or your daughter

00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.779
 is threatened,

00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:38.200
 how many of us

00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:38.480
 would say,

00:18:38.620 --> 00:18:38.839
 oh,

00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:40.000
 that's a pity.

00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:41.500
 I hope that doesn't

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:42.039
 happen again.

00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:43.619
 If there isn't

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:45.019
 something inside of you

00:18:45.019 --> 00:18:46.220
 that gets riled

00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:48.000
 when somebody threatens

00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.119
 a family member,

00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:50.319
 we'd question

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.240
 how much you love them.

00:18:52.139 --> 00:18:53.039
 Or let's say

00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:54.099
 your mother

00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:55.480
 is diagnosed with cancer

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.359
 or your child

00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:57.440
 is diagnosed with cancer.

00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:58.799
 It is not something

00:18:58.799 --> 00:18:59.680
 inside of us

00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.899
 that gets angry at that.

00:19:02.579 --> 00:19:03.259
 Well, we'd question

00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:04.339
 how much we genuinely

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:06.039
 love our family members.

00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:08.379
 And Paul's saying

00:19:08.379 --> 00:19:09.039
 the same thing.

00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.420
 Because of our love

00:19:10.420 --> 00:19:11.000
 for one another,

00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:11.859
 when there's something

00:19:11.859 --> 00:19:12.779
 that threatens

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:13.680
 the well-being

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.460
 of the community,

00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:16.019
 there should be

00:19:16.019 --> 00:19:16.779
 something inside of us

00:19:16.779 --> 00:19:17.839
 that responds to that.

00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:18.039
 It says,

00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:19.160
 no, that's not right.

00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:21.119
 We need to talk about that.

00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:21.940
 In fact,

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.859
 one commentator says

00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:23.460
 it's not just

00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:24.519
 this inward feeling.

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.200
 He said it's an intense

00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:27.539
 inward rejection

00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:28.900
 of all that is wrong.

00:19:29.019 --> 00:19:30.079
 It's a repudiation.

00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:31.420
 So it's not just

00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:32.339
 this passive saying,

00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.319
 oh, that's really not good.

00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.160
 That really,

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.380
 I hope that doesn't happen.

00:19:36.859 --> 00:19:37.940
 It's actually a rejection

00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:39.380
 of the evil

00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:40.140
 that's threatening

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:40.920
 the well-being

00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:41.980
 of the church family.

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:44.140
 In other words,

00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:45.860
 the gospel doesn't confuse

00:19:45.860 --> 00:19:47.640
 robust love

00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:49.360
 with gentle tolerance.

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:50.740
 Does that make sense?

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.500
 So in our culture,

00:19:53.040 --> 00:19:54.420
 we tend to think

00:19:54.420 --> 00:19:57.380
 that we live in a culture

00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:58.100
 that says love

00:19:58.100 --> 00:19:59.240
 is all feeling-based.

00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:00.140
 But the New Testament

00:20:00.140 --> 00:20:00.840
 actually says

00:20:00.840 --> 00:20:02.180
 that the kind of love

00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:03.220
 which causes community

00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:03.920
 to flourish

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:04.600
 is robust.

00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:06.779
 So think about it

00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:07.599
 this way.

00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.679
 Imagine you are,

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:10.659
 you go camping

00:20:10.659 --> 00:20:11.480
 with a friend

00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.779
 and you see a snake

00:20:13.779 --> 00:20:15.159
 slithering

00:20:15.159 --> 00:20:16.759
 towards your tense friend,

00:20:16.939 --> 00:20:19.179
 your friend's tent,

00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:19.740
 okay?

00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:21.500
 Your tense friend,

00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:21.779
 right?

00:20:22.419 --> 00:20:23.659
 You see a snake

00:20:23.659 --> 00:20:24.799
 slithering towards him.

00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.059
 You don't say,

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:26.919
 oh, well,

00:20:27.079 --> 00:20:27.699
 I guess it's none

00:20:27.699 --> 00:20:28.359
 of my business.

00:20:28.899 --> 00:20:30.079
 Oh, you pick up a stick,

00:20:30.179 --> 00:20:30.799
 you scream,

00:20:30.859 --> 00:20:31.539
 and you shout,

00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:32.940
 and you maybe even

00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:34.180
 risk a little bit

00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:34.740
 of danger.

00:20:35.379 --> 00:20:37.740
 You do some crazy things

00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:38.099
 that you wouldn't

00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:38.599
 normally do.

00:20:38.859 --> 00:20:39.700
 You've got to get

00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:40.639
 that snake away,

00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:41.079
 right?

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.119
 In the same way,

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:45.000
 when we see danger

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:46.299
 moving towards

00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:47.759
 our church community,

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:49.359
 we don't just say,

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:49.680
 oh, well,

00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:50.359
 I guess it's none

00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:51.119
 of my business.

00:20:51.819 --> 00:20:52.960
 Because of our genuine

00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.059
 love for one another,

00:20:54.139 --> 00:20:55.460
 we move towards each other

00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:55.960
 and say, hey,

00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:57.099
 this might be

00:20:57.099 --> 00:20:58.059
 a difficult conversation,

00:20:58.619 --> 00:21:00.079
 but I love you so much.

00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:01.159
 Can we talk about this?

00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:03.339
 A few years ago,

00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:04.740
 I have a very,

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:06.220
 very dear friend of mine,

00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:09.579
 very, very close friend.

00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:11.159
 And I,

00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:12.480
 for some reason,

00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:13.859
 this friend of mine

00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.279
 is married,

00:21:14.399 --> 00:21:14.940
 he's got kids,

00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:16.639
 and there's another family

00:21:16.639 --> 00:21:17.740
 that are good friends

00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:18.119
 of theirs.

00:21:18.180 --> 00:21:18.799
 And they used to do

00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:19.619
 a lot together

00:21:19.619 --> 00:21:21.039
 and go on holidays together

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:21.940
 and that kind of stuff.

00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:23.659
 And I,

00:21:23.879 --> 00:21:24.740
 for some reason,

00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:25.659
 I don't know why,

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:27.240
 just felt like the guy,

00:21:27.379 --> 00:21:28.039
 my friend,

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:29.899
 his relationship

00:21:29.899 --> 00:21:30.619
 with the wife

00:21:30.619 --> 00:21:31.319
 and this family,

00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:33.240
 something just felt not,

00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:34.720
 I was feeling

00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:35.720
 uncomfortable about it.

00:21:35.819 --> 00:21:36.480
 Just felt like

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.279
 they were too close.

00:21:38.619 --> 00:21:39.639
 And for months,

00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:41.299
 I was wrestling with this.

00:21:41.379 --> 00:21:42.119
 And one day,

00:21:42.579 --> 00:21:43.619
 I plucked up

00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:45.139
 every ounce of courage

00:21:45.139 --> 00:21:45.980
 I could find

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.759
 in my being.

00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:48.319
 And I've got to tell you,

00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:49.379
 it was one of the hardest things

00:21:49.379 --> 00:21:50.480
 I've ever done in my life.

00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:51.059
 And I said,

00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:51.720
 hey, bro,

00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:53.119
 this is going to be

00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:54.139
 a difficult conversation.

00:21:55.180 --> 00:21:55.879
 But do you mind

00:21:55.879 --> 00:21:56.779
 if we talk about this?

00:21:56.779 --> 00:21:58.299
 I feel awkward

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:58.839
 and uncomfortable

00:21:58.839 --> 00:21:59.899
 when I see you

00:21:59.899 --> 00:22:00.980
 relating to this lady.

00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:03.200
 Can I ask you

00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:03.759
 just to

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:05.980
 be very aware of that?

00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:08.180
 And he was very gracious

00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:09.059
 and he just said,

00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:09.779
 hey, thank you.

00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:10.599
 And

00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:12.200
 that was all.

00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:13.359
 And it was all fine.

00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:14.279
 And I honestly thought

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:14.940
 that relationship

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:15.779
 might come to an end.

00:22:15.859 --> 00:22:17.000
 I thought he might hate me

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:18.119
 and never want to see me again.

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.980
 And I didn't want to do that.

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.680
 And I didn't want to have

00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:22.319
 that conversation.

00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:24.799
 But because I love him

00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:25.980
 and I love his family

00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:27.439
 and I remember thinking

00:22:27.439 --> 00:22:27.919
 to myself,

00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:29.279
 imagine in five years time

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.119
 this guy comes to me

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:30.379
 and says,

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:31.480
 hey, my marriage is over.

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:32.899
 I'm leaving my wife and kids.

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.279
 I would,

00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:35.819
 I don't know what I'd do

00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:36.419
 to myself.

00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:37.899
 Friends,

00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:38.859
 Jesus says

00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:40.960
 that genuine love

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:42.200
 means we abhor,

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.119
 we loathe

00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:44.859
 when we see the cancer of sin

00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:46.179
 moving towards our community.

00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:48.220
 We pluck up the courage

00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:49.740
 and out of gentleness

00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:50.460
 and humility

00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:51.039
 we say,

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.680
 can I have a conversation?

00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:53.899
 Can we talk about this?

00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:55.180
 And the truth is

00:22:55.180 --> 00:22:56.180
 maybe there was nothing there.

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:56.980
 I don't really know.

00:22:57.819 --> 00:22:58.500
 And maybe one day

00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:59.139
 I'll get to heaven

00:22:59.139 --> 00:22:59.700
 and I didn't need

00:22:59.700 --> 00:23:00.579
 to have that conversation.

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.119
 But maybe I did.

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:04.119
 Genuine love

00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:05.379
 moves towards one another

00:23:05.379 --> 00:23:06.000
 like that.

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.039
 And so,

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.139
 what this means

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:08.639
 is that

00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:10.680
 contrary to popular notions

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.039
 of love,

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.920
 the kind of love

00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:12.680
 that God calls

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.859
 the community to exhibit

00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:15.539
 is principled,

00:23:15.779 --> 00:23:17.200
 not just feelings based.

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.599
 It's not just based

00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:19.639
 on personal preferences.

00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:21.620
 You know someone loves you

00:23:21.620 --> 00:23:22.160
 when they're willing

00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:23.120
 to go against

00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:24.340
 personal preferences

00:23:24.340 --> 00:23:25.960
 for the sake of

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:26.540
 what's good

00:23:26.540 --> 00:23:27.060
 and right

00:23:27.060 --> 00:23:27.600
 and wholesome.

00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:28.600
 And so,

00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.600
 just by the way,

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.160
 for those of us

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:31.080
 that are single here,

00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:32.660
 if your boyfriend

00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.440
 or your girlfriend

00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.180
 ever says,

00:23:34.340 --> 00:23:34.440
 hey,

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.280
 if you love me

00:23:35.280 --> 00:23:36.259
 you'll sleep with me

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:37.600
 or if you love me

00:23:37.600 --> 00:23:38.700
 you'll go away with me

00:23:38.700 --> 00:23:40.100
 or you'll move in with me,

00:23:40.560 --> 00:23:41.540
 they don't love you.

00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:42.800
 They're putting

00:23:42.800 --> 00:23:43.860
 personal preferences

00:23:43.860 --> 00:23:45.180
 above what's good

00:23:45.180 --> 00:23:45.740
 and right

00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:46.420
 and good for you

00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:47.140
 and your relationship.

00:23:47.140 --> 00:23:48.980
 genuine love

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.020
 puts principle

00:23:50.020 --> 00:23:50.759
 above just

00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:51.940
 personal preferences.

00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:53.320
 Okay?

00:23:53.720 --> 00:23:54.600
 Abore what is evil,

00:23:54.820 --> 00:23:55.620
 hold fast,

00:23:55.800 --> 00:23:57.340
 fight for what is good.

00:23:58.040 --> 00:23:58.360
 Now,

00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.040
 some of us

00:23:59.040 --> 00:23:59.900
 might think,

00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:00.800
 oh my goodness,

00:24:01.020 --> 00:24:02.040
 all this talk

00:24:02.040 --> 00:24:02.840
 makes me nervous,

00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:03.160
 right?

00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:04.460
 Because now,

00:24:04.540 --> 00:24:05.360
 if I join a church

00:24:05.360 --> 00:24:05.880
 like this,

00:24:06.300 --> 00:24:07.000
 everyone's going to be

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:08.060
 analyzing my life

00:24:08.060 --> 00:24:09.340
 and scrutinizing my life

00:24:09.340 --> 00:24:10.340
 and everyone's going to be

00:24:10.340 --> 00:24:11.180
 coming and pointing out

00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:11.940
 all sorts of things

00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:12.560
 in my life.

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:13.860
 And that's not

00:24:13.860 --> 00:24:14.700
 the case at all.

00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:16.259
 Remember Jesus' words?

00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:17.019
 First,

00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:18.220
 let's look at our own hearts.

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:19.379
 We don't want to become

00:24:19.379 --> 00:24:19.879
 a community

00:24:19.879 --> 00:24:20.680
 where everyone's

00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:21.460
 pointing the finger

00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:22.240
 at everyone else.

00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:23.059
 That's not the kind

00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:24.099
 of community we are.

00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:26.160
 And here's why.

00:24:26.859 --> 00:24:28.039
 Because Paul says

00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:29.379
 we're a family.

00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:30.960
 We're a family.

00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:32.160
 Look at his words

00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:32.879
 in verse 10.

00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:33.940
 He says,

00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:35.220
 love one another

00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:37.000
 with brotherly affection.

00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:38.180
 Now,

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:39.220
 Paul actually uses

00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:40.059
 two words here

00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:40.539
 that are

00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:42.720
 in Roman context,

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:43.379
 Greek culture,

00:24:43.379 --> 00:24:44.099
 were deeply

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:45.140
 family related.

00:24:45.140 --> 00:24:45.759
 The first one

00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.140
 where he says

00:24:46.140 --> 00:24:47.060
 love one another

00:24:47.060 --> 00:24:48.700
 is actually the word

00:24:48.700 --> 00:24:49.940
 that describes

00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:50.980
 a parent's love

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:51.660
 for their child.

00:24:52.060 --> 00:24:53.900
 It's that deep delight

00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:54.880
 that a parent takes

00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:55.400
 in their child.

00:24:56.040 --> 00:24:56.220
 You know,

00:24:56.320 --> 00:24:58.280
 if you have young children,

00:24:58.800 --> 00:24:59.700
 if Fiona and Chris,

00:24:59.840 --> 00:25:00.780
 you guys are at the stage

00:25:00.780 --> 00:25:01.680
 or there's a whole bunch

00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.060
 of others,

00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:03.300
 Chris and Justin

00:25:03.300 --> 00:25:04.000
 at the back there,

00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:06.280
 your kids can just

00:25:06.280 --> 00:25:07.480
 have a terrible day.

00:25:07.840 --> 00:25:08.560
 They're screaming

00:25:08.560 --> 00:25:09.259
 and they're grumpy

00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.080
 and they're fighting

00:25:10.080 --> 00:25:10.640
 with you.

00:25:11.100 --> 00:25:12.200
 And then they go to sleep

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:13.080
 and they're asleep

00:25:13.080 --> 00:25:14.220
 in their crib

00:25:14.220 --> 00:25:15.660
 and you look at them

00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:16.059
 and you think,

00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:16.480
 oh,

00:25:17.360 --> 00:25:18.319
 aren't they so beautiful?

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:19.640
 Right?

00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:20.779
 And you think,

00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:21.720
 can you just,

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:22.660
 did you forgot

00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:23.240
 what just happened

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:23.880
 an hour ago?

00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:25.940
 It's that parental

00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:27.220
 deep delight

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:28.080
 that you have

00:25:28.080 --> 00:25:28.819
 in your kids.

00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:30.039
 Paul says,

00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:31.620
 delight in one another,

00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:32.860
 love one another

00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:33.840
 like the parents

00:25:33.840 --> 00:25:34.980
 love for their children.

00:25:35.620 --> 00:25:36.620
 And then he uses

00:25:36.620 --> 00:25:37.460
 this other word,

00:25:37.819 --> 00:25:38.480
 oh, by the way,

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:40.660
 family is messy, right?

00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:42.380
 It is grumpiness

00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:43.640
 and there's tiredness

00:25:43.640 --> 00:25:44.660
 and there's challenges.

00:25:44.940 --> 00:25:46.100
 Every family is messy.

00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:47.560
 But parents still

00:25:47.560 --> 00:25:48.200
 love their children

00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:48.940
 despite that.

00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:50.480
 Friends,

00:25:50.560 --> 00:25:51.140
 you know the church

00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:51.660
 is messy.

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.240
 There's grumpiness

00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:54.380
 and there's tiredness

00:25:54.380 --> 00:25:55.500
 and there's challenges

00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.640
 and there's temper tantrums

00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.200
 in the church.

00:25:58.080 --> 00:25:58.820
 But Paul says,

00:25:59.000 --> 00:25:59.580
 we're a family.

00:25:59.800 --> 00:26:00.900
 Delight in one another

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:01.660
 nevertheless.

00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:03.340
 And then he uses

00:26:03.340 --> 00:26:03.860
 another word,

00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:04.680
 the word Philadelphia

00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:06.740
 for brotherly affection.

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.620
 And literally just the word

00:26:08.620 --> 00:26:09.519
 that siblings,

00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:11.000
 the love that siblings

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:12.000
 have for each other

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.639
 that is forged

00:26:13.639 --> 00:26:15.460
 over a long period of time

00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:16.519
 of going through

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.680
 all sorts of battles

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:19.019
 and life together.

00:26:19.619 --> 00:26:20.720
 You know that if you've got

00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:21.139
 a sibling

00:26:21.139 --> 00:26:22.440
 and you've grown up,

00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.019
 your sibling is the kind

00:26:24.019 --> 00:26:24.859
 of person that

00:26:24.859 --> 00:26:26.440
 you can just go to their house,

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.980
 you don't need to say anything,

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:29.579
 you can just flop down

00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:30.259
 on the couch,

00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:31.799
 you can go to their fridge

00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:33.000
 and just open up their fridge

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:35.180
 and they know how you feel

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:36.599
 even without using words.

00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:37.440
 Do you know what I mean?

00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:39.539
 Paul says that's the kind

00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:40.660
 of relationships

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.720
 that the church should have

00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:42.600
 that are forged

00:26:42.600 --> 00:26:44.100
 over a long period of time

00:26:44.100 --> 00:26:45.380
 of working through

00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:46.500
 challenges together

00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:47.480
 so that actually

00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:48.779
 you're so natural,

00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:50.519
 you're so just yourself

00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:51.240
 with each other

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:53.100
 that you don't need

00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:54.120
 to put on a pretense.

00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:55.180
 It's the kind

00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:56.259
 of family relationships

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:57.160
 where you delight

00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:58.700
 each other naturally.

00:26:59.600 --> 00:26:59.799
 You know,

00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:00.700
 some families,

00:27:01.400 --> 00:27:02.600
 you need to have

00:27:02.600 --> 00:27:03.500
 a bunch of rules

00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.600
 on the wall, right?

00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:05.599
 So in this family

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.559
 we talk kindly

00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.219
 to each other,

00:27:07.419 --> 00:27:08.459
 we make our bed,

00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.459
 we take the plates

00:27:09.459 --> 00:27:10.199
 through to the kitchen

00:27:10.199 --> 00:27:10.699
 afterwards,

00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:11.779
 we don't put feet

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:12.299
 on the couch,

00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:13.480
 all those sorts of rules.

00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:15.599
 But actually a great family

00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.599
 is one that doesn't have

00:27:16.599 --> 00:27:17.619
 to have those rules

00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:18.359
 on the wall,

00:27:18.899 --> 00:27:19.579
 they just know

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.399
 how to love each other

00:27:20.399 --> 00:27:20.839
 naturally.

00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.359
 Paul's saying,

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.619
 delight in one another

00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:24.339
 with that kind

00:27:24.339 --> 00:27:25.359
 of brotherly affection

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.179
 so that we don't come

00:27:26.179 --> 00:27:26.959
 to church and say,

00:27:27.439 --> 00:27:28.679
 rule 7.3

00:27:28.679 --> 00:27:29.879
 of the Watermark Constitution

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:30.600
 says,

00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.680
 you will arrive

00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:32.880
 at church at 10.30,

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.240
 right?

00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:34.680
 Actually just out

00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:35.900
 of love for one another

00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:37.660
 we know how to behave.

00:27:39.040 --> 00:27:39.320
 Okay,

00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:40.760
 that's the third thing.

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:42.060
 Fourth layer

00:27:42.060 --> 00:27:42.780
 of our cake

00:27:42.780 --> 00:27:43.200
 is this,

00:27:43.260 --> 00:27:43.820
 and actually this is

00:27:43.820 --> 00:27:44.640
 going to be the last one,

00:27:45.120 --> 00:27:45.960
 is this.

00:27:46.100 --> 00:27:46.740
 Paul says,

00:27:47.660 --> 00:27:48.340
 a church that's

00:27:48.340 --> 00:27:49.240
 shaped by the gospel

00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:50.800
 is selfless

00:27:50.800 --> 00:27:52.280
 or self-forgetful.

00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:53.900
 Look at what he says here.

00:27:54.040 --> 00:27:54.360
 He says,

00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:55.540
 outdo one another

00:27:55.540 --> 00:27:57.260
 in showing honor.

00:27:58.119 --> 00:27:58.579
 Now,

00:27:59.259 --> 00:28:00.619
 this is one of those phrases

00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:01.660
 that you read over

00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:02.240
 in your Bible

00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.099
 very quickly,

00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.279
 especially in a list

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:05.359
 of 12 commands.

00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:05.779
 Okay,

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:06.799
 there's 12 commands

00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:07.480
 in this passage.

00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:08.759
 You read the list

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.460
 of 12 commands.

00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:10.799
 Love one another genuinely,

00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:11.619
 abhor this,

00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:12.519
 love this,

00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:13.420
 do this,

00:28:13.940 --> 00:28:14.660
 outdo one another

00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.519
 in showing honor,

00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:16.339
 be fervent,

00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:16.779
 blah, blah, blah,

00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:18.339
 and you read over it

00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:19.279
 and it just goes

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.039
 straight over your head.

00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:21.759
 But just think about

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.460
 that for a second.

00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:25.180
 Imagine a church community

00:28:25.180 --> 00:28:26.680
 that is committed

00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:28.519
 to outdoing one another

00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:30.560
 in honoring each other

00:28:30.560 --> 00:28:31.820
 all the time.

00:28:32.940 --> 00:28:34.039
 And what that means

00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:36.600
 is prefer to honor

00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:37.380
 one another

00:28:37.380 --> 00:28:38.680
 than being honored.

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:40.480
 Come to church

00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:41.039
 with a mindset

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:41.519
 that says,

00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:42.779
 how can I serve

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:44.279
 and esteem somebody else?

00:28:44.340 --> 00:28:45.100
 How can I lift

00:28:45.100 --> 00:28:46.080
 somebody else up

00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:47.060
 rather than

00:28:47.060 --> 00:28:48.259
 how can I be esteemed?

00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:49.500
 How can I be lifted up?

00:28:50.080 --> 00:28:51.200
 It's the kind of community

00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:53.140
 where you're putting time

00:28:53.140 --> 00:28:53.539
 and effort

00:28:53.539 --> 00:28:54.060
 and energy

00:28:54.060 --> 00:28:54.840
 into thinking,

00:28:54.839 --> 00:28:57.099
 how can I lift up

00:28:57.099 --> 00:28:57.419
 somebody

00:28:57.419 --> 00:28:58.059
 and encourage

00:28:58.059 --> 00:28:58.659
 somebody else

00:28:58.659 --> 00:28:59.579
 rather than always

00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:00.740
 looking to be encouraged

00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:02.220
 and built up yourself?

00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:05.579
 Outside of the gospel,

00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:07.879
 we've all got to fight

00:29:07.879 --> 00:29:09.319
 for every bit of honor

00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:10.839
 and recognition

00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:11.679
 that we can get.

00:29:12.879 --> 00:29:15.539
 But that kind of culture

00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:18.000
 necessarily excludes

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:18.539
 one another.

00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.639
 It tramples people.

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.839
 It abuses people

00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:21.639
 and it hurts people.

00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:22.880
 How many of us

00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:23.720
 in the workplace,

00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:25.300
 there's a culture

00:29:25.300 --> 00:29:26.420
 of a dog-eat-dog culture.

00:29:26.520 --> 00:29:27.080
 You've got to get

00:29:27.080 --> 00:29:27.780
 on top of people.

00:29:27.880 --> 00:29:28.980
 It's super competitive.

00:29:29.520 --> 00:29:30.540
 And if you're not on top,

00:29:30.600 --> 00:29:31.520
 you're getting left behind.

00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:32.960
 But how many of us

00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:34.140
 have felt marginalized,

00:29:34.580 --> 00:29:35.500
 used and abused,

00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:36.380
 trampled on

00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:37.140
 and excluded?

00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:38.980
 Paul's saying,

00:29:39.060 --> 00:29:39.820
 what would it look like

00:29:39.820 --> 00:29:40.440
 for the church

00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:41.160
 that is shaped

00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:42.520
 by the radical love

00:29:42.520 --> 00:29:43.200
 of Christ

00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:46.060
 to be a church community

00:29:46.060 --> 00:29:47.380
 that so honors

00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:48.060
 one another

00:29:48.060 --> 00:29:49.020
 that we're lifting

00:29:49.019 --> 00:29:49.519
 and building

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.519
 one another up

00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:51.859
 rather than seeking

00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:52.480
 to be honored?

00:29:53.379 --> 00:29:54.180
 Paul says that

00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:54.839
 in the gospel,

00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:56.299
 Jesus Christ bestows

00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.220
 on us an honor

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:58.059
 and an identity

00:29:58.059 --> 00:29:59.379
 that is so securing,

00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:00.599
 so undeserved,

00:30:01.099 --> 00:30:02.139
 so reassuring,

00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:03.220
 it leads to what

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:04.119
 Tim Keller calls

00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:05.639
 a kind of self-forgetfulness

00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:07.879
 where you just naturally,

00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:09.400
 it transforms us

00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:10.480
 from being honor seekers

00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.559
 to being honor givers.

00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:13.519
 And notice here

00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.379
 that the honor

00:30:14.379 --> 00:30:15.359
 that Paul calls us

00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:15.879
 to give

00:30:15.879 --> 00:30:16.680
 is not based on

00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:17.480
 giftedness

00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:18.640
 or personality

00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:19.460
 or position

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.200
 in the church

00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:21.799
 or position

00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:22.599
 in society,

00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:24.000
 it's an honor

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:24.599
 that's given

00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:25.599
 based on the fact

00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.620
 that we are blood

00:30:26.620 --> 00:30:27.839
 bought by Christ,

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:30.400
 that Christ is

00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:31.640
 the head of the church

00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:32.059
 and the head

00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:32.720
 of our family.

00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:34.180
 And so friends,

00:30:34.279 --> 00:30:35.160
 imagine each church,

00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:36.000
 each Sunday

00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.000
 we arrived at church

00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:37.319
 thinking,

00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:38.240
 how can I honor,

00:30:38.339 --> 00:30:39.220
 how can I esteem,

00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:40.120
 how can I encourage

00:30:40.120 --> 00:30:40.860
 somebody today?

00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.839
 Imagine throughout the week

00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:43.660
 there's a myriad

00:30:43.660 --> 00:30:44.620
 of text messages

00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.279
 that are going

00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:47.559
 across Hong Kong,

00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:49.000
 messages,

00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:49.539
 scriptures,

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:50.160
 prayers,

00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:50.980
 as we seek

00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:51.420
 to honor

00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:52.259
 and encourage

00:30:52.259 --> 00:30:53.240
 one another.

00:30:53.399 --> 00:30:54.559
 What a beautiful church

00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.460
 and picture

00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:56.399
 to be part of.

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:57.960
 And Paul goes on here

00:30:57.960 --> 00:30:58.440
 and he says,

00:30:58.440 --> 00:30:59.980
 do not be slothful

00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:01.440
 or lazy in zeal,

00:31:01.579 --> 00:31:02.539
 but be fervent

00:31:02.539 --> 00:31:03.259
 in the spirit,

00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:04.539
 serving the Lord.

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:05.859
 And Dallas Willow

00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:06.460
 said this,

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:06.740
 he said,

00:31:06.899 --> 00:31:08.000
 the opposite of love

00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:08.899
 is not hate,

00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:10.319
 but laziness.

00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:12.160
 Think about that

00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:12.660
 for a second.

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.660
 The opposite of love

00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:15.460
 is not hate,

00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:16.720
 but laziness.

00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:18.440
 And that's so true.

00:31:18.560 --> 00:31:19.220
 And so Paul says,

00:31:19.340 --> 00:31:20.460
 don't be lazy

00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:21.040
 in the way

00:31:21.040 --> 00:31:21.840
 that you serve

00:31:21.840 --> 00:31:22.480
 one another

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.840
 because actually

00:31:23.840 --> 00:31:25.200
 that's selfishness.

00:31:26.100 --> 00:31:26.779
 And so practically

00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:27.519
 that might mean

00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:28.360
 coming to church

00:31:28.360 --> 00:31:28.779
 or CG

00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:29.480
 even when you

00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:30.440
 don't feel like it

00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:31.440
 because you know,

00:31:31.540 --> 00:31:31.640
 hey,

00:31:31.700 --> 00:31:33.259
 this isn't about me,

00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:34.060
 this is about

00:31:34.060 --> 00:31:35.340
 serving the family.

00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:36.340
 Friends,

00:31:36.380 --> 00:31:36.920
 this is the kind

00:31:36.920 --> 00:31:37.300
 of church

00:31:37.300 --> 00:31:37.920
 that the gospel

00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:38.900
 creates

00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:39.900
 where the mercies

00:31:39.900 --> 00:31:40.440
 of God

00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:41.259
 form a gospel

00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:41.800
 community.

00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:43.640
 Now,

00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:47.060
 one last thing

00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:48.120
 before we close.

00:31:49.100 --> 00:31:50.000
 It is possible,

00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:52.019
 it's possible,

00:31:52.340 --> 00:31:52.840
 Chris actually

00:31:52.840 --> 00:31:53.320
 reminded me

00:31:53.320 --> 00:31:54.320
 of this week.

00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:56.000
 It's possible

00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.540
 for us

00:31:56.540 --> 00:31:57.940
 to know

00:31:57.940 --> 00:31:58.620
 all this kind

00:31:58.620 --> 00:31:59.100
 of behavior

00:31:59.100 --> 00:32:00.519
 and to

00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:02.600
 try and manufacture

00:32:02.600 --> 00:32:04.080
 a counterfeit version

00:32:04.080 --> 00:32:04.740
 of all these

00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.400
 characteristics.

00:32:06.340 --> 00:32:07.120
 So it's easy

00:32:07.120 --> 00:32:07.480
 to think,

00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:07.820
 hey,

00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:08.180
 Christians,

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:08.700
 I know we should

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.180
 be loving

00:32:09.180 --> 00:32:10.220
 and so we

00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:12.080
 act loving.

00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:12.819
 Christians

00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:13.159
 should be

00:32:13.159 --> 00:32:13.519
 genuine

00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:13.899
 so we

00:32:13.899 --> 00:32:14.460
 act genuine.

00:32:15.019 --> 00:32:15.759
 It's easy

00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:16.240
 to try

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.819
 and act

00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:17.339
 out these

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.019
 characteristics

00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:18.859
 without having

00:32:18.859 --> 00:32:19.399
 a gospel

00:32:19.399 --> 00:32:19.799
 shaped

00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:20.559
 transformed

00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:21.199
 life.

00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:22.460
 And so

00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:22.839
 what that

00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:23.240
 means is

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:23.619
 that the

00:32:23.619 --> 00:32:23.879
 church

00:32:23.879 --> 00:32:24.199
 will be

00:32:24.199 --> 00:32:24.879
 formed

00:32:24.879 --> 00:32:25.319
 but will

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:26.000
 look like

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:26.220
 this

00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:26.619
 but in a

00:32:26.619 --> 00:32:27.099
 counterfeit

00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:27.539
 version.

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:28.579
 And we

00:32:28.579 --> 00:32:28.879
 all know

00:32:28.879 --> 00:32:29.480
 a counterfeit

00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:29.960
 version

00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:31.399
 just sucks,

00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:31.720
 right?

00:32:32.639 --> 00:32:33.179
 If you ever

00:32:33.179 --> 00:32:33.659
 try to take

00:32:33.659 --> 00:32:34.039
 a bite

00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:34.299
 of a

00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:34.779
 counterfeit

00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:35.279
 piece of

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:35.599
 cake,

00:32:36.039 --> 00:32:36.720
 foam cake,

00:32:36.939 --> 00:32:37.579
 it's not

00:32:37.579 --> 00:32:37.819
 going to

00:32:37.819 --> 00:32:38.179
 satisfy,

00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:38.559
 right?

00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:39.579
 There,

00:32:39.579 --> 00:32:39.759
 there,

00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:40.559
 there is,

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:42.000
 I was thinking

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.339
 about this

00:32:42.339 --> 00:32:42.740
 last night,

00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:43.059
 have you ever

00:32:43.059 --> 00:32:43.319
 gone to

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:43.919
 Madame

00:32:43.919 --> 00:32:44.539
 Two Swords

00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:45.240
 and you

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:45.639
 see

00:32:45.639 --> 00:32:46.720
 Ed Sheeran

00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:47.279
 or someone,

00:32:47.819 --> 00:32:48.099
 have you ever

00:32:48.099 --> 00:32:48.519
 tried a

00:32:48.519 --> 00:32:48.960
 relationship

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.299
 with that

00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:49.679
 person?

00:32:50.139 --> 00:32:50.559
 They might

00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:50.960
 look good

00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.299
 from a

00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:52.059
 distance but

00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:52.399
 it's not

00:32:52.399 --> 00:32:52.679
 going to

00:32:52.679 --> 00:32:52.919
 really,

00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:53.500
 you're not

00:32:53.500 --> 00:32:53.639
 going to

00:32:53.639 --> 00:32:53.919
 have much

00:32:53.919 --> 00:32:54.139
 of a

00:32:54.139 --> 00:32:54.480
 relationship

00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:54.960
 with them.

00:32:56.919 --> 00:32:57.500
 So how

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:57.720
 do we

00:32:57.720 --> 00:32:58.179
 become the

00:32:58.179 --> 00:32:58.480
 kind of

00:32:58.480 --> 00:32:58.919
 community?

00:32:59.119 --> 00:33:00.039
 Let me

00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:00.619
 explain what

00:33:00.619 --> 00:33:00.960
 I mean by

00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:01.159
 that.

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.119
 We can

00:33:02.119 --> 00:33:02.539
 come to

00:33:02.539 --> 00:33:04.019
 church and

00:33:04.019 --> 00:33:04.299
 you can

00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:04.619
 just be

00:33:04.619 --> 00:33:05.799
 harsh and

00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:07.419
 judgmental and

00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:08.200
 arrogant and

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:08.460
 then we

00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:08.720
 say,

00:33:09.140 --> 00:33:09.360
 hey I'm

00:33:09.360 --> 00:33:09.779
 just speaking

00:33:09.779 --> 00:33:10.140
 the truth

00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:10.500
 and love.

00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:11.340
 I don't

00:33:11.340 --> 00:33:11.500
 want to

00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:11.800
 wear a

00:33:11.800 --> 00:33:12.120
 mask,

00:33:12.560 --> 00:33:12.900
 I want

00:33:12.900 --> 00:33:13.080
 to be

00:33:13.080 --> 00:33:13.360
 real.

00:33:13.860 --> 00:33:14.279
 I see

00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:14.759
 the cancer

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.000
 in your

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.220
 life,

00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:15.500
 I see

00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:15.900
 the snake

00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:16.279
 slithering

00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:16.720
 towards your

00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.420
 door and

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:17.980
 because I

00:33:17.980 --> 00:33:18.440
 love you,

00:33:18.680 --> 00:33:19.140
 I want to

00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:19.620
 tell you as

00:33:19.620 --> 00:33:19.980
 it is.

00:33:20.060 --> 00:33:20.340
 So we

00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:20.740
 just become

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:21.400
 this harsh

00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:22.060
 judgmental

00:33:22.060 --> 00:33:22.480
 community,

00:33:22.580 --> 00:33:22.779
 right?

00:33:23.259 --> 00:33:23.620
 It's a

00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:24.019
 counterfeit

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.380
 version.

00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:25.480
 Or maybe

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.620
 we go around

00:33:26.620 --> 00:33:27.240
 just puffing

00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:28.080
 everybody up and

00:33:28.080 --> 00:33:28.800
 encouraging people

00:33:28.800 --> 00:33:29.519
 all the time,

00:33:29.840 --> 00:33:30.360
 bless you

00:33:30.360 --> 00:33:30.640
 brother,

00:33:31.080 --> 00:33:31.539
 you are so

00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:32.680
 wonderful and

00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:32.960
 we just

00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:33.360
 become this

00:33:33.360 --> 00:33:33.640
 kind of

00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:34.200
 cheesy,

00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:35.480
 superficial,

00:33:36.259 --> 00:33:36.640
 mutually

00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:37.180
 affirming

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:37.900
 community that

00:33:37.900 --> 00:33:38.539
 doesn't need to

00:33:38.539 --> 00:33:39.259
 actually know how

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:39.799
 to speak the

00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:40.200
 truth and

00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:40.500
 love.

00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:41.920
 Or maybe we

00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:42.580
 come to church

00:33:42.580 --> 00:33:43.080
 and we're all

00:33:43.080 --> 00:33:43.840
 just grumpy

00:33:43.840 --> 00:33:45.059
 and lazy

00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:46.340
 and moaning

00:33:46.340 --> 00:33:47.319
 and we say,

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:47.920
 I just want to

00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:48.400
 be genuine.

00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:49.160
 I don't want to

00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:49.660
 wear a mask,

00:33:49.799 --> 00:33:50.340
 I don't feel like

00:33:50.340 --> 00:33:50.759
 being here,

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.759
 I don't like you,

00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:52.680
 this is who I am,

00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:53.400
 just deal with it,

00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:53.620
 right?

00:33:54.279 --> 00:33:55.539
 And so we put on

00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:56.299
 this counterfeit

00:33:56.299 --> 00:33:57.380
 version of being

00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:57.900
 genuine.

00:33:58.940 --> 00:33:59.819
 So how do we

00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.460
 become the kind

00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:01.480
 of community that's

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:02.240
 genuine and

00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:02.640
 authentic,

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:03.940
 sincere,

00:34:04.200 --> 00:34:05.539
 without hypocrisy,

00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:06.559
 which has the

00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:07.400
 courage to call

00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:08.400
 sin what it is,

00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:09.519
 and yet at the

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.240
 same time is

00:34:10.240 --> 00:34:10.860
 still full of

00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:11.940
 brotherly affection,

00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:12.579
 honor,

00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:13.760
 and genuine

00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:14.220
 love?

00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:15.500
 How do we

00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:15.900
 become that

00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.460
 kind of community?

00:34:17.400 --> 00:34:18.059
 And the

00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:18.840
 answer is that

00:34:18.840 --> 00:34:19.559
 we've got to

00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:20.559
 be formed,

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:22.000
 on the

00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:22.820
 biblical language,

00:34:23.059 --> 00:34:23.920
 rooted and

00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:25.400
 grounded in

00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:26.760
 the immeasurably

00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:27.699
 awesome,

00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:29.300
 robust,

00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:30.280
 transformative

00:34:30.280 --> 00:34:31.460
 love of God

00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:33.039
 for us.

00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:34.519
 you've got to

00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:34.880
 be so

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:35.800
 shaped and

00:34:35.800 --> 00:34:36.539
 rooted and

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.279
 grounded in

00:34:37.279 --> 00:34:38.659
 God's profound

00:34:38.659 --> 00:34:39.759
 love for us

00:34:39.759 --> 00:34:40.559
 that it

00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:41.559
 transforms us

00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:42.019
 from the kind

00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:42.619
 of people that

00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:43.659
 are self-focused

00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:44.639
 towards those

00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:45.099
 that are others

00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:46.000
 focused.

00:34:46.340 --> 00:34:47.519
 It transforms us

00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:47.960
 from the kind

00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:48.980
 of people that

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:49.900
 are always looking

00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:50.920
 towards ourselves

00:34:50.920 --> 00:34:51.699
 to the kind

00:34:51.699 --> 00:34:52.219
 of people that

00:34:52.219 --> 00:34:52.759
 are willing to

00:34:52.759 --> 00:34:53.840
 give genuine

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:55.320
 love away.

00:34:55.820 --> 00:34:56.840
 Paul starts off

00:34:56.840 --> 00:34:57.219
 and he says,

00:34:57.219 --> 00:34:58.639
 by the mercies

00:34:58.639 --> 00:34:59.239
 of God,

00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:00.779
 by Christ's

00:35:00.779 --> 00:35:01.980
 profound love

00:35:01.980 --> 00:35:02.639
 on the cross

00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.419
 for us,

00:35:04.299 --> 00:35:05.079
 be this kind

00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:05.679
 of community.

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:06.959
 And so,

00:35:07.259 --> 00:35:08.199
 remember this

00:35:08.199 --> 00:35:08.980
 famous verse

00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:09.759
 in 1 John

00:35:09.759 --> 00:35:10.439
 chapter 4?

00:35:11.359 --> 00:35:11.919
 John writes

00:35:11.919 --> 00:35:12.099
 this,

00:35:12.139 --> 00:35:12.539
 he says,

00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:15.119
 we love

00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:16.039
 because God

00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:17.159
 first loved us.

00:35:18.139 --> 00:35:18.459
 Oscar,

00:35:18.619 --> 00:35:19.139
 you might need

00:35:19.139 --> 00:35:19.919
 to help

00:35:19.919 --> 00:35:20.559
 Elliot there.

00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:24.380
 this is

00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:26.259
 parental love,

00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:27.360
 brotherly affection.

00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:30.500
 Shame.

00:35:36.199 --> 00:35:37.000
 I don't know

00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:37.460
 what to say.

00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:42.940
 Paul says this,

00:35:43.759 --> 00:35:44.340
 Paul says,

00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:45.039
 we love

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:45.779
 because God

00:35:45.779 --> 00:35:46.659
 first loved us.

00:35:46.739 --> 00:35:46.880
 Now,

00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:47.840
 I always thought

00:35:47.840 --> 00:35:48.519
 that that meant

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:49.440
 we love God

00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.299
 because he first

00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:50.880
 loved us.

00:35:51.320 --> 00:35:52.039
 And that is

00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:53.280
 true in a way,

00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:54.280
 but actually

00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:54.840
 what this verse

00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:55.480
 is talking about,

00:35:55.600 --> 00:35:56.900
 we love one another

00:35:56.900 --> 00:35:58.340
 because God's

00:35:58.340 --> 00:35:59.039
 profound love

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.620
 has been poured

00:35:59.620 --> 00:36:00.160
 into our hearts.

00:36:00.260 --> 00:36:00.800
 Because John

00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:01.500
 goes on to say,

00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:02.539
 we love

00:36:02.539 --> 00:36:03.220
 because God

00:36:03.220 --> 00:36:04.140
 first loved us,

00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:05.780
 therefore no one

00:36:05.780 --> 00:36:06.320
 can say,

00:36:06.560 --> 00:36:07.200
 I love God

00:36:07.200 --> 00:36:08.480
 and hate his brother.

00:36:08.900 --> 00:36:10.080
 How can you say,

00:36:10.240 --> 00:36:10.780
 I love God

00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:11.440
 whom you haven't

00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:11.720
 seen,

00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:12.720
 if you dislike

00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:13.240
 and hate your

00:36:13.240 --> 00:36:13.680
 brothers and

00:36:13.680 --> 00:36:14.300
 sisters whom you

00:36:14.300 --> 00:36:14.800
 can't see?

00:36:15.380 --> 00:36:16.100
 So John is saying,

00:36:16.220 --> 00:36:17.340
 we love one another

00:36:17.340 --> 00:36:18.680
 because God's love

00:36:18.680 --> 00:36:19.539
 has first been

00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.160
 poured into

00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:20.839
 our hearts.

00:36:21.839 --> 00:36:23.000
 The apostle Paul

00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:23.699
 says it like this

00:36:23.699 --> 00:36:24.279
 in Ephesians,

00:36:24.699 --> 00:36:25.980
 be kind to one another,

00:36:26.179 --> 00:36:26.920
 tenderhearted,

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:28.319
 forgiving one another

00:36:28.319 --> 00:36:29.819
 as God in Christ

00:36:29.819 --> 00:36:30.579
 forgives us.

00:36:31.139 --> 00:36:31.440
 Therefore,

00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.579
 walk in love

00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:33.799
 as Christ

00:36:33.799 --> 00:36:34.619
 has loved us

00:36:34.619 --> 00:36:35.960
 and gave himself

00:36:35.960 --> 00:36:36.659
 up for us

00:36:36.659 --> 00:36:37.259
 on the cross.

00:36:38.839 --> 00:36:39.279
 Friends,

00:36:39.339 --> 00:36:39.960
 when the depths

00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:40.619
 of Christ's

00:36:40.619 --> 00:36:41.399
 profound,

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:42.619
 robust,

00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:44.219
 transformative love

00:36:44.219 --> 00:36:45.619
 grips and shapes

00:36:45.619 --> 00:36:46.379
 my heart,

00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:47.460
 it will cause

00:36:47.460 --> 00:36:47.940
 a kind of

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:49.099
 self-forgetfulness

00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:50.320
 which enables me

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:51.559
 and empowers me

00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:53.019
 to love those

00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:53.780
 around me

00:36:53.780 --> 00:36:55.059
 and those in the

00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:55.500
 community.

00:36:56.240 --> 00:36:56.840
 And so what this

00:36:56.840 --> 00:36:57.539
 means is unless

00:36:57.539 --> 00:36:58.640
 our hearts are

00:36:58.640 --> 00:37:00.039
 constantly shaped

00:37:00.039 --> 00:37:01.000
 and melted

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:02.680
 and informed

00:37:02.680 --> 00:37:04.200
 by God's love

00:37:04.200 --> 00:37:04.660
 for us,

00:37:04.860 --> 00:37:05.880
 our relationships

00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:06.579
 with each other

00:37:06.579 --> 00:37:07.900
 will always tend

00:37:07.900 --> 00:37:09.000
 towards the self.

00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:10.900
 And if you think

00:37:10.900 --> 00:37:11.340
 about that,

00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:12.240
 that's why the

00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:13.059
 gospel needs to

00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:14.599
 constantly be

00:37:14.599 --> 00:37:15.320
 informing our

00:37:15.320 --> 00:37:15.759
 hearts,

00:37:16.259 --> 00:37:17.039
 week in and

00:37:17.039 --> 00:37:17.579
 week out.

00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:18.699
 We can't just say,

00:37:18.779 --> 00:37:18.880
 you know,

00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:19.799
 once upon time

00:37:19.799 --> 00:37:20.679
 in 1989,

00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:21.719
 I heard the gospel,

00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:22.420
 it was amazing,

00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:23.420
 my heart was broken

00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:25.340
 and I became a

00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:25.599
 Christian.

00:37:26.279 --> 00:37:26.500
 Well,

00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:27.719
 1989 is wonderful

00:37:27.719 --> 00:37:28.299
 but what about

00:37:28.299 --> 00:37:29.099
 2021?

00:37:29.960 --> 00:37:30.719
 This week,

00:37:30.860 --> 00:37:31.679
 my life needs

00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:32.340
 to be shaped

00:37:32.340 --> 00:37:33.299
 by the mercies

00:37:33.299 --> 00:37:33.860
 of God

00:37:33.860 --> 00:37:35.159
 so that this week

00:37:35.159 --> 00:37:35.980
 I am able to

00:37:35.980 --> 00:37:36.960
 love those

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:37.900
 that sometimes

00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:38.539
 I find it hard

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:38.980
 to love.

00:37:40.079 --> 00:37:40.519
 Friends,

00:37:40.619 --> 00:37:41.219
 when the love

00:37:41.219 --> 00:37:41.980
 of God shapes

00:37:41.980 --> 00:37:42.480
 our hearts,

00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:43.300
 it causes us

00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:43.659
 to become

00:37:43.659 --> 00:37:44.500
 this kind

00:37:44.500 --> 00:37:45.079
 of community.

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.240
 And so the key

00:37:46.240 --> 00:37:47.460
 to loving genuinely

00:37:47.460 --> 00:37:49.159
 is to be so secure

00:37:49.159 --> 00:37:50.500
 in Christ's radical,

00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:51.159
 robust,

00:37:51.300 --> 00:37:52.179
 transforming love,

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.260
 it frees us

00:37:53.260 --> 00:37:53.639
 to become

00:37:53.639 --> 00:37:54.079
 these kind

00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:54.559
 of people.

00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:56.320
 And so friends,

00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:57.199
 do you find yourself

00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:57.940
 needing to be

00:37:57.940 --> 00:37:58.199
 honored?

00:37:59.380 --> 00:38:00.240
 You find yourself

00:38:00.240 --> 00:38:00.980
 always thinking,

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:02.360
 how can I look good

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.079
 in front of others?

00:38:03.820 --> 00:38:04.079
 Friends,

00:38:04.139 --> 00:38:04.800
 the irony is

00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:05.780
 the more you look

00:38:05.780 --> 00:38:06.420
 to be honored,

00:38:06.579 --> 00:38:07.420
 you will never

00:38:07.420 --> 00:38:08.179
 be satisfied.

00:38:09.159 --> 00:38:10.079
 The answer is

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:10.719
 you've got to look

00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:11.260
 to Jesus,

00:38:11.420 --> 00:38:12.039
 the one who

00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:13.460
 became so dishonored

00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:14.500
 and so shamed

00:38:14.500 --> 00:38:15.300
 on the cross

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:16.860
 in order to give

00:38:16.860 --> 00:38:17.759
 you a name

00:38:17.759 --> 00:38:18.539
 and an identity

00:38:18.539 --> 00:38:19.320
 and an honor

00:38:19.320 --> 00:38:20.139
 that will never

00:38:20.139 --> 00:38:21.179
 be taken from you.

00:38:21.719 --> 00:38:22.000
 Friends,

00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:22.860
 look to Jesus.

00:38:23.900 --> 00:38:24.119
 Friends,

00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:24.920
 do you find it

00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:26.119
 hard to love

00:38:26.119 --> 00:38:26.659
 and delight

00:38:26.659 --> 00:38:27.460
 members of the

00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:28.019
 church family?

00:38:28.739 --> 00:38:29.360
 Do you find it's

00:38:29.360 --> 00:38:30.000
 hard to cross

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:30.559
 the barrier

00:38:30.559 --> 00:38:31.579
 across cultures,

00:38:32.400 --> 00:38:33.559
 socioeconomic groups,

00:38:34.139 --> 00:38:34.880
 sometimes easier

00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:35.639
 just to be aloof

00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:36.159
 or to stay

00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:37.059
 within your friends

00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:37.900
 or your preferences?

00:38:38.920 --> 00:38:39.159
 Friends,

00:38:39.159 --> 00:38:39.739
 you've got to look

00:38:39.739 --> 00:38:40.319
 to the one

00:38:40.319 --> 00:38:41.139
 who though

00:38:41.139 --> 00:38:42.339
 he was God,

00:38:42.719 --> 00:38:44.059
 he left the comforts

00:38:44.059 --> 00:38:44.460
 of heaven,

00:38:44.699 --> 00:38:45.699
 crossed the ultimate

00:38:45.699 --> 00:38:46.299
 divide,

00:38:46.940 --> 00:38:47.639
 came to earth,

00:38:47.719 --> 00:38:48.679
 took on humanity,

00:38:49.019 --> 00:38:51.420
 took on our servanthood

00:38:51.420 --> 00:38:53.000
 and went to the cross

00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:53.839
 for us that we could

00:38:53.839 --> 00:38:54.399
 be included

00:38:54.399 --> 00:38:55.399
 in his family.

00:38:56.579 --> 00:38:56.899
 Friends,

00:38:56.940 --> 00:38:57.379
 do you sometimes

00:38:57.379 --> 00:38:59.019
 find it easier

00:38:59.019 --> 00:38:59.940
 to tolerate

00:38:59.940 --> 00:39:01.219
 just sin

00:39:01.219 --> 00:39:02.420
 and wickedness

00:39:02.420 --> 00:39:03.859
 to keep the peace

00:39:03.859 --> 00:39:04.679
 rather than to

00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:05.699
 graciously go to

00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:06.619
 a brother or sister

00:39:06.619 --> 00:39:07.039
 and say,

00:39:07.119 --> 00:39:07.239
 hey,

00:39:07.299 --> 00:39:07.839
 can we talk

00:39:07.839 --> 00:39:08.359
 about this?

00:39:09.559 --> 00:39:09.920
 Friends,

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:10.380
 you've got to

00:39:10.380 --> 00:39:11.059
 come to Jesus,

00:39:11.159 --> 00:39:11.880
 the one who took

00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:12.539
 upon himself

00:39:12.539 --> 00:39:13.500
 all the evil,

00:39:14.039 --> 00:39:15.259
 all that is disgusting,

00:39:15.460 --> 00:39:16.460
 all that is abhorrent

00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:16.799
 in the world,

00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:17.659
 all that is broken

00:39:17.659 --> 00:39:18.579
 in our lives

00:39:18.579 --> 00:39:20.059
 in order that God

00:39:20.059 --> 00:39:21.139
 would hold fast

00:39:21.139 --> 00:39:21.819
 to us

00:39:21.819 --> 00:39:23.460
 and never let us go.

00:39:24.339 --> 00:39:25.460
 Come to Jesus.

00:39:26.159 --> 00:39:26.559
 Friends,

00:39:26.659 --> 00:39:27.639
 when people in church

00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:28.299
 let you down

00:39:28.299 --> 00:39:29.159
 or disappoint you,

00:39:29.219 --> 00:39:30.400
 when people overlook you,

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:31.299
 when you've served

00:39:31.299 --> 00:39:32.000
 and you've served

00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:32.539
 and you've served

00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:33.199
 and no one says

00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:33.679
 thank you

00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:34.940
 and you feel like

00:39:34.940 --> 00:39:35.599
 that's it,

00:39:35.659 --> 00:39:36.259
 I'm done,

00:39:36.619 --> 00:39:37.599
 what do you do?

00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:38.759
 Friends,

00:39:38.799 --> 00:39:39.659
 you come to Jesus,

00:39:40.299 --> 00:39:41.779
 the one who loved you

00:39:41.779 --> 00:39:42.940
 to the end,

00:39:43.420 --> 00:39:44.539
 the one who literally

00:39:44.539 --> 00:39:45.859
 loved you to death,

00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:47.519
 the one who loved you

00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:48.199
 so deeply

00:39:48.199 --> 00:39:48.920
 and has poured

00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:49.799
 his love into you

00:39:49.799 --> 00:39:50.900
 even when you

00:39:50.900 --> 00:39:51.759
 were his enemy

00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:53.480
 and we come to him

00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:53.699
 and say,

00:39:53.799 --> 00:39:54.039
 Christ,

00:39:54.119 --> 00:39:55.159
 help me to love others

00:39:55.159 --> 00:39:57.019
 like you have loved me.

00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:58.599
 Paul says,

00:39:58.759 --> 00:40:00.179
 by the mercies of God,

00:40:00.259 --> 00:40:01.339
 because of Christ's

00:40:01.339 --> 00:40:02.920
 profound love for us,

00:40:03.319 --> 00:40:04.159
 that even when we

00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:04.940
 were his enemies,

00:40:05.059 --> 00:40:05.819
 he went to the cross

00:40:05.819 --> 00:40:06.259
 for us,

00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:07.920
 by the mercies of God,

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:09.259
 love one another genuinely,

00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:11.199
 abhor what is evil,

00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:13.319
 hold fast to what is good,

00:40:14.279 --> 00:40:15.460
 delight in one another

00:40:15.460 --> 00:40:16.779
 with brotherly affection,

00:40:17.739 --> 00:40:18.779
 outdo one another

00:40:18.779 --> 00:40:19.219
 with honor,

00:40:19.339 --> 00:40:21.259
 be fervent in the spirit,

00:40:21.639 --> 00:40:23.199
 not lazy in zeal,

00:40:23.759 --> 00:40:24.559
 serving the Lord

00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:25.679
 and one another.

00:40:26.159 --> 00:40:27.119
 Let's pray together.

00:40:27.119 --> 00:40:31.440
 Lord Jesus,

00:40:31.759 --> 00:40:34.400
 we come to you this morning

00:40:34.400 --> 00:40:36.819
 deeply challenged

00:40:36.819 --> 00:40:37.779
 by this passage,

00:40:37.940 --> 00:40:38.119
 God.

00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:39.559
 If we look at our own lives

00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:40.259
 and our hearts,

00:40:41.199 --> 00:40:42.500
 we acknowledge and confess,

00:40:42.659 --> 00:40:42.779
 Lord,

00:40:42.859 --> 00:40:44.579
 that it's so hard

00:40:44.579 --> 00:40:45.759
 for us to love like this.

00:40:46.759 --> 00:40:46.940
 God,

00:40:47.019 --> 00:40:47.739
 by nature,

00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:49.139
 our hearts are turned

00:40:49.139 --> 00:40:49.859
 in on ourselves

00:40:49.859 --> 00:40:51.480
 and we tend to love

00:40:51.480 --> 00:40:52.259
 selfishly.

00:40:52.260 --> 00:40:54.440
 But Jesus,

00:40:54.680 --> 00:40:56.720
 we know

00:40:56.720 --> 00:40:57.540
 and are convinced

00:40:57.540 --> 00:40:58.220
 and many of us

00:40:58.220 --> 00:40:59.140
 have experienced

00:40:59.140 --> 00:40:59.960
 the profound,

00:41:00.300 --> 00:41:01.280
 transformative love

00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:01.720
 of Jesus.

00:41:02.820 --> 00:41:03.200
 And so God,

00:41:03.260 --> 00:41:04.300
 we ask this morning

00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:06.840
 that you pour the gospel

00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:07.420
 into our hearts,

00:41:07.460 --> 00:41:08.340
 that you shape us

00:41:08.340 --> 00:41:09.520
 by the gospel once again.

00:41:10.120 --> 00:41:10.760
 That God,

00:41:10.840 --> 00:41:12.700
 we will be a church community

00:41:12.700 --> 00:41:13.640
 that doesn't just have

00:41:13.640 --> 00:41:14.560
 a banner that says

00:41:14.560 --> 00:41:15.440
 Jesus saves,

00:41:15.560 --> 00:41:17.280
 but actually in the depth

00:41:17.280 --> 00:41:18.080
 of our hearts,

00:41:18.079 --> 00:41:19.940
 we are so rooted

00:41:19.940 --> 00:41:20.559
 and grounded

00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:21.380
 in your love

00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:22.779
 that God actually

00:41:22.779 --> 00:41:23.719
 makes us the kind

00:41:23.719 --> 00:41:24.219
 of community

00:41:24.219 --> 00:41:25.279
 that expresses

00:41:25.279 --> 00:41:26.059
 and demonstrates

00:41:26.059 --> 00:41:26.719
 this love

00:41:26.719 --> 00:41:27.440
 one to another.

00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:29.420
 And so Christ,

00:41:29.500 --> 00:41:30.559
 we pray by your spirit,

00:41:30.659 --> 00:41:31.139
 won't you come

00:41:31.139 --> 00:41:31.799
 and help us?

00:41:32.779 --> 00:41:33.719
 Won't you shape us?

00:41:34.500 --> 00:41:35.500
 Won't you change us?

00:41:36.519 --> 00:41:37.619
 Won't you form us?

00:41:39.199 --> 00:41:40.139
 In your awesome

00:41:40.139 --> 00:41:41.940
 and your tender

00:41:41.940 --> 00:41:43.860
 and your gracious name

00:41:43.860 --> 00:41:44.319
 we pray.

00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:46.319
 Amen.