WEBVTT

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 throughout the church calendar. So we're coming to an end of that, as Nick has indicated.

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 I'd be grateful if you had Ephesians 6 in front of you, that Bible reading. Also, we also have a

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 service outline, which has the Bible passage in front of it, and a very brief outline of where

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 I'm heading. But also, there's St. Paul's app, so you can get it on there as well to follow along.

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 One other little shout out. I don't normally do this, but we've indicated that it's,

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 or highlight the fact that it's Ruby's birthday today. From my understanding,

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 according to Facebook, it's also Ali Rowe's birthday today. Is that correct, Ali? Is that correct?

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 That is correct. Happy birthday, Ali, as well.

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 That's the only value of Facebook, as far as I can tell. Let me pray. Father God, as we launch into

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 your word, we ask that you would reorientate our worldviews. Amen. World War I, while it was raging

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 in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, the United States maintained a policy of neutrality.

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 At the time, millions were dying in Europe. Life went on pretty much as normal for people in the United

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 States. There were some that were aware that there was a big war in Europe, but the majority of the

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 population just kind of cruised on with everyday life as if it didn't happen. It didn't really impact

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 them at all. The intention of the United States was to stay out of World War I. President Woodrow

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 Wilson's efforts to maintain neutrality, however, was totally disregarded by German submarines.

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 3rd of February, 1917, the USS Housatonic was sunk by German submarines. Three more ships, US ships,

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 were torpedoed in the following weeks. And on the 6th of April, 1917, President Wilson signed the

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 declaration of war against Germany. A couple of other sort of events tipped him over, such as the

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 possible invasion from Mexico into the United States. From a nation that had an intention of

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 staying out of World War I and to live in peace and quiet and to get on with life, they very quickly

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 shifted into a full-blown wartime mindset. Within two and a half weeks of declaration of war, Congress

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 passed the Liberty Loan Act to raise funds from the war effort, and $20 billion was raised for American

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 citizens in the next two years. Six weeks after the declaration of war, Congress passed the Selective

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 Services Act. 24 million men between 21 and 30 were registered. Three million were drafted immediately

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 into service. A month later, the Espionage Act put a 21-year prison sentence on anyone who hindered the

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 war effort or aided the enemy. On the 3rd of October, the War Revenue Act increased corporate and personal

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 income taxes and established excise, excessive profits and luxury taxes. On the 5th of April, 1918,

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 the War Finance Corporation is formed with capital of $500 million to support the war industry. From the

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 moment of declaration of war in April, 1917 to armistice in November, 1918, so 18 months, 4.744 million Americans

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 fought in the war. But the whole nation was engaged in it. The whole nation changed from the moment of

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 declaration of war. Now, all this is just simply to say that during times of war, everything changes.

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 Everything changes. Everything changes. And I want us to see from Ephesians 6, that passage in front of us,

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 that a war is in fact raging that is far more devastating than any world war we've seen.

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 The stakes are infinitely higher. World War I and World War II were devastating for the planet.

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 120 million deaths. And the war that we are currently involved in is a spiritual war that sees over 50 million

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 souls slip into a Christless eternity every year. And over the past seven years or so, we've been

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 reforming what we've been reforming what we do as a church to get higher and higher engagement in our

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 local area, especially, but beyond us in that battle. For me, what we're doing here, and as we've been

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 reinforcing it throughout this vision series for us, it flows out of a biblical conviction more so than

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 effective strategy, although strategic thinking is part of what we're doing. This biblical conviction

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 is for what we've seen throughout the book of Ephesians as it's unfolded before us.

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 It's God's grand purposes for all people on the planet, no matter what culture, what generation,

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 what people group you belong to. His purposes for his people, the church, and this world from

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 eternity past to eternity future. Ephesians chapters 1 and 2 and 3, as we have already been there,

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 reveals what God is doing about the mess that this universe is in because of human sin and our

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 rebellion and rejection of God. The disintegration and disorder and the chaos and the brokenness

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 is sold by God coming into this world himself, God the Son, the person of Jesus Christ, being made king

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 over all things. Under his kingship, all that is disintegrated and broken gets integrated. God's purpose

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 is to create a single new humanity through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The death

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 and the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core fact and hope of the Christian faith, and it is the solution

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 to the sin, the evil, the brokenness, the chaos of this world. And if you've never heard the term

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 gospel before, on the back of the service sheet, I've given you a brief explanation in English, and

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 there's one in Chinese and one in Korean. And what the Bible declares, what the Christian faith declares,

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 is that there is no other way to find salvation forever than in the blood of Jesus Christ. And

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 that's what we've seen in Ephesians 1 to 3. And Ephesians 4, 5, and 6 is how you live in accord

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 with that grand reality of all things. The reality of who we are as Christians, as a church, who are now

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 united in Jesus Christ. And so Ephesians is rich with the mystery and the wonder of salvation,

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 of peace with God, and unity among believers, and giftedness to serve God's human society.

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 Unity, diversity, purity, and harmony, these are some of the characteristics of the new life

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 and the new society in Jesus Christ. And they are exalted thoughts. They are wonderful thoughts.

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 And just when you think that Paul's going to end his letter with, and they lived all happily ever after,

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 which is kind of what you think he's going to get to, the conclusion he comes with, he basically

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 slaps us in the face and wakes us up from our dreamy reflection. He says the beautiful life

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 of the united and yet diverse new society is lived while camped out in the trenches of war

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 we're in the enemy territory. That is, Christian, you need to know you're in a battle.

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 It's a battle for souls. J.C. Rye was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool.

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 He once preached a sermon about the war that Christians are involved in, and he said this,

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 true Christianity, true Christianity, and he says, mind that word true.

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 There is a vast quantity of religion current in the world which is not true, and it's not genuine

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 Christianity. There are thousands of men and women who go to churches and chapels every Sunday

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 and call themselves Christian, but you never see any fight about their religion.

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 Of spiritual strife, exertion, conflict, self-denial, watching and warring, they know literally nothing at all.

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 Such Christianity may satisfy man, but those who say anything against it may be thought very hard and uncharitable,

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 but it certainly is not the Christianity of the Bible. True Christianity is a fight.

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 The true Christian is called to be a soldier and must behave as such from the day of his conversion to the day of his death.

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 He is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indulgence, and security.

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 He must never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to heaven,

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 like one traveling in an easy carriage.

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 Ephesians 6.12, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and against the authorities,

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 against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

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 Verse 10 opens with the word finally.

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 It's not, you know, like towards the end of this, I say, and finally, you go, oh, morning tea's on.

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 That's not what Paul's thinking here.

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 The word finally is not signaling his final thought.

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 The word is better translated for the remaining time.

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 Paul is indicating that the whole of the remaining time before Jesus Christ returns from when he left to when he returns

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 to hold all of history and humanity accountable is going to be characterized by this battle.

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 The peace which God has made through Christ's death is to be experienced only in the midst of relentless struggle against evil.

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 Verse 12 says it's not a war against flesh and blood.

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 It's a supernatural war.

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 That is, it's not just a war in the physical world with our own sin.

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 It's against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world,

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 against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

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 Now, some of you may be sitting here going, what?

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 Tell me, Steve, you know, you're educated, sort of, and you read stuff.

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 How could you possibly believe in this day and age, in this spiritual stuff?

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 And surely you're not actually saying that there is actually a bloke called Satan or a devil.

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 You don't really believe in a personal being who's evil.

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 Do you?

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 Yes.

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 Yes, I do.

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 The thinking of our world has changed dramatically.

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 And when I say our world, I mean the Western world.

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 So we're representing about 20% of the world.

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 It has changed dramatically.

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 Greek philosophers in the centuries before Jesus saw the material world, including the physical human body,

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 as subordinate, unimportant, and unreal.

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 And it's Greek philosophy that the Western society is built on.

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 The ancient world was dramatically changed by Christianity.

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 Christianity.

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 Because Christianity was the first of the religions that actually saw the physical world as a good creation of God.

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 Christianity was the first to capture the value of the physical world and human life.

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 To put value on individual freedom.

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 And the Christian worldview of a world crafted by a rational, personal God was a contributing foundation for the development of modern science.

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 Modern science would not exist if it wasn't for Christianity discovering the value of the physical world.

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 And what the modern secular world has done is taken Christian worldview, removed God from it, and amplified it to say that only the natural world matters now.

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 It's the only reality.

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 This world's view suggests that everything has a physical cause and explanation.

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 Even suggesting that love and moral feelings are functions of a brain, functions of chemistry.

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 This worldview is the basis of a power, very powerful consumer and technology culture,

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 with the view that all of the world's problems will eventually bow to a scientific solution.

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 In other words, human reason can solve what ails us because they are only material things that ail us.

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 Psychology and medicine will help us adjust and overcome emotional and physical problems.

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 We don't need spiritual resources for that.

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 Sociology will help us to create a just society.

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 We don't need divine virtue for that.

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 And so, what I've just read out there seems hopelessly naive.

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 Almost like a fairy tale.

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 And yet the belief that everything has a scientific explanation and a technological solution

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 is in fact the naive response.

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 It's hopelessly naive.

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 These verses are saying that everything...

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 And I would love more time to unpack that for you, but unfortunately I can't.

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 These verses are saying that every day there's a bigger battle at play

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 than the many battles that we face in this physical world.

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 And it's a battle for the soul.

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 That is, there's more to us as human beings than simply matter.

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 There is more to us than the bucket full of chemicals.

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 80% of our world's population still recognise that humans have a material part and an immaterial part.

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 We are both body and soul.

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 The soul doesn't die, but the body does.

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 And when we think about it though,

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 it's impossible to live consistently with the view that humans don't have souls.

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 If humans don't have souls,

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 then we are simply no different than just all the other buckets of chemicals.

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 There's no difference between a tree and a cockroach and you.

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 No different than a blade of grass.

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 Why then do we treat humans different to the blade of grass?

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 Or at least I do when I'm cutting it.

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 I don't lie my kids up out there as well.

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 Why give a human being dignity and respect that nothing else is given?

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 Even if we don't intellectually believe that we've got souls,

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 we inherently live it.

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 Because there's something more to us than just buckets of chemicals.

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 So Christianity, it's not naive.

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 It's not simplistic.

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 It hasn't got all the answers, but it's not naive and it's not simplistic.

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 Christianity sees that our problems are multidimensional.

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 Multidimensional.

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 And the consensus of the Bible is that human beings are involved in a spiritual war for souls

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 while we live in the physical world.

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 While we think that our problems are just flesh and blood, just material,

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 and we can fix it with better education and better technology and better police

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 and better social programs,

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 we will always be defeated.

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 We have these things in increasing measure in our world

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 ever since the dark ages.

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 And our world is not getting any better.

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 We're in a much more complex battle.

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 And what this passage and what the consensus of the Bible is,

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 is this is the world that Satan does his work.

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 1 John 5.19 says,

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 We know that we are children of light

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 and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

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 Ephesians 2.2, just a little bit early, we've looked at already,

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 the devil is called the ruler of the kingdom of the air,

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 the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

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 And so the devil and his angels are a great demonic enemy

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 with a defined and disciplined chain of command.

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 Satan is terribly powerful.

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 He doesn't possess anything like the power of the infinite God,

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 though he can only be in one place at one time.

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 For instance, with his army of evil agents,

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 he imitates God's omnipresence and his omnipotence.

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 He desires to be God more than anything else.

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 And in fact, his desire to be God more than anything else

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 is at the center of his terrible, total spiritual evil.

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 And it's what he'd led humanity to,

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 which is what the Bible declares.

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 It led his humanity into wanting to be God also,

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 just like him in his deception.

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 And verse 12 alludes us to this,

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 describing the enemy as the powers of this dark world

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 and the spiritual forces of evil.

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 Even those throughout history who have gone very low in evil

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 in what they perpetrate against humanity

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 do not in any sense match Satan's evil.

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 Satan has no compassion,

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 no conscience,

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 no remorse,

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 no morals.

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 He feeds on pain and anguish and filth.

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 There is nothing in Satan

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 which is even remotely redeemable.

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 There is no virtue.

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 There's only dark void.

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 That's it.

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 He is supremely cunning.

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 Verse 11 there speaks of the devil's schemes

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 and he's been honing his methods of deception for millennia.

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 He's an accomplished philosopher and theologian and psychologist.

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 He has studied for thousands of years

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 and enough time to become astonishingly brilliant

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 at every single discipline

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 directed in order to deceive humanity.

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 He is the ultimate manipulator and subverter and actor.

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 2 Corinthians 11 says that one of his deadly methods

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 is masquerading as an agent of God's.

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 And this technique is just mixing enough truth with falsehood

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 to make it seem plausible.

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 Another one of his is sensuality.

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 Many souls are sold to accommodate a downward spiral in morality.

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 And another which is just instilling doubts about God's goodness.

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 Whatever his tactic,

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 he seldomly attacks in the open.

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 His strategies administered by his agents

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 are nearly always unseen.

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 They are shrewd

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 and they're perfectly tailored for you

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 and for me.

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 He operates best when he can convince us

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 that he doesn't even exist.

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 He's done a great job of that in the Western world

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 and to persuade us

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 that the Christian life is in fact not a fight.

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 He is evil beyond our comprehension

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 with our conscience,

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 without principle.

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 He's diabolically cunning

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 and he is after us.

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 He hates God.

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 He hates God's children.

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 He hates the church.

00:21:37.940 --> 00:21:40.900
 He hates the mission and vision of this church

00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:43.220
 to see the Lord Jesus treasured

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.900
 together by us

00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:48.820
 in such a way that more and more people

00:21:48.820 --> 00:21:50.360
 from every culture,

00:21:50.540 --> 00:21:51.720
 tribe and language

00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:54.519
 is rescued from his evil clutches.

00:21:55.600 --> 00:21:56.380
 He hates it.

00:21:58.300 --> 00:22:00.320
 He hates our plan to be united,

00:22:00.540 --> 00:22:02.460
 multi-ethnic and socially diverse church.

00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:04.600
 He desires to destroy

00:22:04.600 --> 00:22:06.160
 the work of the Father

00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.519
 to make one society in the Lord Jesus forever.

00:22:09.040 --> 00:22:10.519
 He will do whatever he can

00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:12.380
 to destroy the work of the gospel

00:22:12.380 --> 00:22:13.960
 of the Lord Jesus Christ

00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:14.980
 in your life

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:16.620
 and in the life of this church.

00:22:19.620 --> 00:22:21.760
 This is Paul's cosmic perspective.

00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:28.379
 And if you're sitting there going,

00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:29.099
 no, no, no,

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.480
 there is no spiritual realm,

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:32.660
 can I ask you not to be so naive

00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:34.539
 and dig deeper?

00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:41.039
 Now, all would be despair

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:43.180
 except I've only described

00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:44.899
 part of Paul's cosmic perspective.

00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:47.920
 Among mortals like us,

00:22:48.019 --> 00:22:49.279
 Satan has no equal,

00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:52.220
 but he is far exceeded

00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:54.500
 by the God of the Bible

00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:55.619
 who's revealed himself,

00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:56.639
 the God of the universe,

00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:58.039
 the God who's created all things.

00:22:58.399 --> 00:23:01.119
 Satan is nowhere near God's evil.

00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.079
 Sorry, equal.

00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:04.119
 Let me just retract that.

00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:06.379
 Equal, equal, equal.

00:23:08.479 --> 00:23:10.159
 Nowhere near, he's equal.

00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:10.979
 Okay.

00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.959
 Not even close.

00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:14.459
 Not even close.

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.879
 And this is different

00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:21.159
 between the Greek philosophy of old

00:23:21.159 --> 00:23:24.159
 that saw good and evil as a dualism.

00:23:25.419 --> 00:23:27.859
 Both Satan and God are fighting together

00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:29.500
 and hopefully one will get the upper hand.

00:23:29.939 --> 00:23:30.939
 Not even equal.

00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:32.479
 Satan is finite,

00:23:32.479 --> 00:23:33.500
 God is infinite.

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:35.500
 In fact, Colossians 1 and 2

00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:38.579
 says that the entire spiritual realm

00:23:38.579 --> 00:23:41.220
 owes its existence to Jesus Christ,

00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:42.279
 including the thrones,

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:42.960
 the powers,

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:43.319
 the rulers,

00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:43.900
 the authorities,

00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:45.839
 both visible and invisible,

00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:47.720
 both heaven and on earth.

00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:51.099
 Christ is not only more powerful

00:23:51.099 --> 00:23:55.140
 by being virtue of Satan's creator,

00:23:55.140 --> 00:23:58.240
 but because he defeated Satan on the cross.

00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:01.700
 That's what the early chapters of Ephesians

00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:03.540
 have already declared to us.

00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:06.160
 He has sealed their doom.

00:24:06.560 --> 00:24:08.280
 Although in this present age,

00:24:08.360 --> 00:24:11.360
 they still exercise a control over those

00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:13.400
 who have not found freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ

00:24:13.400 --> 00:24:13.920
 just yet,

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.580
 as we have already sung this morning.

00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:18.119
 If we are filled with the Holy Spirit,

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:20.039
 Satan's forces cannot subdue you.

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:21.659
 In Jesus Christ,

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:23.799
 there is always victory.

00:24:24.399 --> 00:24:24.720
 But,

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:26.099
 be realistic.

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:28.740
 Real Christianity is a fight,

00:24:29.139 --> 00:24:31.779
 but the fight is the Lord Jesus' fight.

00:24:32.179 --> 00:24:33.279
 That's the good news.

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:35.480
 The fight is his.

00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:37.579
 The battling's ours.

00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:40.799
 Paul leaves two commands that dominate,

00:24:40.879 --> 00:24:41.740
 and I want to do this real quick,

00:24:42.139 --> 00:24:43.299
 that dominate his advice

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:45.119
 in these last two verses of the letter.

00:24:46.099 --> 00:24:47.879
 The first is in verse 10.

00:24:48.399 --> 00:24:48.759
 Finally,

00:24:48.879 --> 00:24:50.720
 be strong in the Lord

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.680
 and in his mighty power.

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:55.480
 It's a passive command.

00:24:56.379 --> 00:24:57.779
 Be made strong.

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:01.019
 Jesus Christ has the victory,

00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.779
 and Ephesians 1 and 2

00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:05.259
 declare that he has given us

00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:06.680
 the resources

00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:09.079
 to stand and flourish.

00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:13.379
 We cannot fight this evil

00:25:13.379 --> 00:25:14.680
 by ourselves.

00:25:14.879 --> 00:25:16.700
 We are totally dependent upon Jesus,

00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:18.579
 and Paul expresses here

00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:19.599
 what you might see,

00:25:19.639 --> 00:25:20.839
 a proper combination

00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:22.319
 of divine enabling

00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:23.519
 and human cooperation.

00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:25.139
 He does it again

00:25:25.139 --> 00:25:26.299
 in the second command,

00:25:26.379 --> 00:25:27.059
 in verse 11.

00:25:27.639 --> 00:25:29.160
 Put on the full armor of God

00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:30.879
 so that you can take your stand

00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:32.019
 against the devil's schemes.

00:25:32.779 --> 00:25:39.980
 God has mercifully made provision

00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:41.139
 for us in Christ

00:25:41.139 --> 00:25:43.379
 so that we can stand

00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:44.680
 and not fall.

00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:47.420
 And the provision is his armor.

00:25:47.639 --> 00:25:50.039
 It's a picture of a soldier

00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:51.079
 in a battle.

00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:54.159
 So if your aim

00:25:54.159 --> 00:25:56.819
 is to persevere

00:25:56.819 --> 00:25:57.759
 in the Christian life,

00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:59.460
 not to be defeated

00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:01.259
 in the greatest sense

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:03.099
 that is in a spiritual battle,

00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:05.839
 then you must put on this armor

00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:07.059
 described in these verses.

00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:10.059
 And we're told four times

00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:10.699
 in these verses

00:26:10.699 --> 00:26:11.839
 that the need to stand,

00:26:11.919 --> 00:26:12.859
 to stand our ground.

00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:15.339
 Paul is concerned

00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:16.259
 about our stability.

00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:17.699
 Wobbly Christians

00:26:17.699 --> 00:26:19.879
 don't have a firm foothold

00:26:19.879 --> 00:26:21.219
 in the gospel of the Lord Jesus

00:26:21.219 --> 00:26:22.559
 are easy prey.

00:26:23.459 --> 00:26:24.279
 Easy prey.

00:26:26.859 --> 00:26:28.959
 Paul here wants to see Christians

00:26:28.959 --> 00:26:29.799
 so strong,

00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:31.079
 so stable,

00:26:31.559 --> 00:26:32.819
 that they're stable

00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:34.219
 in the face,

00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:35.059
 able to stand

00:26:35.059 --> 00:26:35.639
 in the face

00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:37.560
 of all of Satan's schemes

00:26:37.560 --> 00:26:38.960
 and stable

00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:40.120
 even when the day

00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:41.340
 of evil comes,

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:43.200
 as it says.

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:45.200
 So this armor is essential.

00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:46.220
 It's described

00:26:46.220 --> 00:26:46.920
 in the following verses.

00:26:47.020 --> 00:26:47.759
 Let me just quickly

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.380
 touch on it.

00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:50.020
 The belt of truth,

00:26:50.300 --> 00:26:51.080
 verse 14,

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.100
 basically held

00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:54.500
 the sword in place.

00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:56.120
 And to stand firm

00:26:56.120 --> 00:26:56.520
 in the battle,

00:26:56.580 --> 00:26:57.420
 you must be a person.

00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.640
 The sword here

00:26:58.640 --> 00:26:59.940
 is the truth

00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:01.140
 of the revelation of God

00:27:01.140 --> 00:27:02.020
 in the scriptures,

00:27:02.380 --> 00:27:02.920
 in the Bible.

00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:04.140
 And for that truth

00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:05.500
 to have transformed you

00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:06.279
 as a person

00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:08.119
 into truthful character.

00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:09.299
 Essentially,

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:10.299
 important,

00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:11.980
 that's really essential.

00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.599
 It's so important

00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:14.640
 in a world

00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.480
 where absolute truth

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:17.460
 is rejected.

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:20.619
 The irony of that statement

00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:21.839
 that there is no such thing

00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:22.640
 as absolute truth

00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:23.640
 is that that in itself

00:27:23.640 --> 00:27:24.940
 is an absolute truth statement.

00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:26.720
 That's the irony of it.

00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:27.700
 And we're saying

00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:29.160
 our absolute truth

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:30.299
 is in the scriptures,

00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:31.160
 be filled with it.

00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:31.519
 Secondly,

00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:32.779
 the breastplate of righteousness,

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.660
 verse 14,

00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:35.380
 the breastplate of righteousness

00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:38.500
 is God's own righteousness,

00:27:38.840 --> 00:27:40.120
 his own goodness

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:41.420
 and right standing

00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:43.500
 freely given to those

00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.900
 who believe in Jesus Christ.

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:46.700
 This is the good news

00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:47.520
 of the Christian gospel

00:27:47.520 --> 00:27:48.340
 as we've seen

00:27:48.340 --> 00:27:49.680
 in Ephesians 1 and 3.

00:27:49.800 --> 00:27:50.500
 It's written on the back

00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:51.500
 of your service sheet again.

00:27:52.040 --> 00:27:53.140
 Jesus Christ,

00:27:53.600 --> 00:27:54.440
 perfect life,

00:27:54.660 --> 00:27:56.280
 right standing before God

00:27:56.280 --> 00:27:58.120
 has become yours.

00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.420
 You don't earn it.

00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.600
 You don't work for it.

00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:03.779
 You don't contribute

00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:05.199
 to your right standing

00:28:05.199 --> 00:28:06.059
 before God

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:06.959
 at all.

00:28:09.679 --> 00:28:11.000
 It's Jesus.

00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:13.240
 He's achieved it

00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:14.459
 and given it to you

00:28:14.459 --> 00:28:15.059
 as a gift.

00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:16.659
 And not only that,

00:28:16.719 --> 00:28:18.519
 he's taken my unrighteousness

00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:19.559
 to the cross

00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:20.500
 and dealt with it.

00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.659
 A great protection

00:28:22.659 --> 00:28:24.339
 against the thrust of Satan

00:28:24.339 --> 00:28:26.419
 which remind us constantly

00:28:26.419 --> 00:28:28.199
 of our own unrighteousness

00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:29.380
 and our own unworthiness

00:28:29.380 --> 00:28:30.259
 before God

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:32.220
 is the gospel

00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:34.259
 to hold it close.

00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:36.660
 Thirdly,

00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:37.779
 feet fitted with the readiness

00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:38.400
 that comes from

00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:39.180
 the gospel of peace.

00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:39.860
 Verse 15,

00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:41.140
 the peace with God

00:28:41.140 --> 00:28:42.580
 that comes to us

00:28:42.580 --> 00:28:43.700
 in and through

00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:45.240
 the gospel of the Lord Jesus

00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:47.500
 firmly plants our feet

00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:48.500
 and gives stability

00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:48.980
 in battle.

00:28:50.080 --> 00:28:51.000
 A gospel

00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:52.200
 that declares

00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:55.000
 that you are not

00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:56.200
 at war with God.

00:28:56.200 --> 00:28:56.799
 God.

00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:58.620
 He's not your enemy.

00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:00.720
 You are not at war

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.299
 with him

00:29:01.299 --> 00:29:02.819
 but in fact

00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:04.160
 at peace with him

00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:05.360
 through Jesus.

00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:06.279
 Number four

00:29:06.279 --> 00:29:07.180
 is the shield of faith.

00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:07.980
 Verse 16,

00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:09.400
 as we are locked

00:29:09.400 --> 00:29:10.100
 in this battle

00:29:10.100 --> 00:29:10.779
 with the enemy,

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:12.120
 this is the battle

00:29:12.120 --> 00:29:13.059
 that you will experience

00:29:13.059 --> 00:29:13.980
 deep in your soul

00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:15.200
 day in and day out.

00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:16.500
 Repeated volleys

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.420
 of temptations

00:29:17.420 --> 00:29:18.080
 and rejection

00:29:18.080 --> 00:29:19.240
 and criticism

00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:20.080
 and hypocrisy

00:29:20.080 --> 00:29:20.660
 and deception

00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.620
 and doubting

00:29:21.620 --> 00:29:22.299
 of God's goodness

00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:22.920
 and doubting

00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:23.440
 of the truth

00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:23.960
 of his word,

00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:24.920
 doubting even

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:25.620
 his existence.

00:29:25.619 --> 00:29:26.979
 That is the battle

00:29:26.979 --> 00:29:27.979
 that you fight

00:29:27.979 --> 00:29:29.079
 constantly

00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:30.179
 in your soul.

00:29:31.199 --> 00:29:31.679
 But up comes

00:29:31.679 --> 00:29:32.379
 the shield of faith

00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:33.439
 against a thousand

00:29:33.439 --> 00:29:34.619
 of those fiery arrows

00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:35.879
 as we believe

00:29:35.879 --> 00:29:36.639
 and trust

00:29:36.639 --> 00:29:37.659
 what God

00:29:37.659 --> 00:29:38.399
 has revealed

00:29:38.399 --> 00:29:39.319
 about himself

00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:40.599
 in his word

00:29:40.599 --> 00:29:42.659
 that in Jesus Christ

00:29:42.659 --> 00:29:44.739
 you are his son

00:29:44.739 --> 00:29:47.419
 as we have already sung.

00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:50.139
 Five is the helmet

00:29:50.139 --> 00:29:50.839
 of salvation

00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:52.979
 which is the assurance

00:29:52.979 --> 00:29:53.819
 of salvation

00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:55.179
 and the resulting

00:29:55.179 --> 00:29:56.439
 confidence it brings.

00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:58.220
 This helmet

00:29:58.220 --> 00:29:59.439
 assures us

00:29:59.439 --> 00:30:00.519
 that no matter

00:30:00.519 --> 00:30:01.740
 what happens

00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:03.159
 in this battle

00:30:03.159 --> 00:30:05.639
 we will be saved

00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:06.960
 and we will be

00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:07.879
 we will experience

00:30:07.879 --> 00:30:08.799
 victory

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:10.019
 forever

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:11.639
 in Jesus Christ.

00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:16.240
 that's the outcome

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.960
 of this battle.

00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:19.400
 Lastly

00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:19.800
 the sword

00:30:19.800 --> 00:30:20.259
 of the spirit

00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:21.120
 we are told

00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:21.680
 that it is

00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:22.520
 the word of God

00:30:22.520 --> 00:30:24.000
 the word of God

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:24.880
 cuts to the heart

00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:25.880
 it lays it open

00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:27.180
 so that people

00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:27.759
 would believe

00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:28.520
 and repent

00:30:28.520 --> 00:30:29.580
 and be made alive

00:30:29.580 --> 00:30:30.520
 in Jesus Christ.

00:30:30.940 --> 00:30:31.800
 We're at war

00:30:31.800 --> 00:30:33.140
 and what this verse

00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:33.640
 tells us

00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:34.420
 as does the rest

00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:35.220
 of the New Testament

00:30:35.220 --> 00:30:36.220
 in fact all the Bible

00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:37.800
 is our razor's

00:30:37.800 --> 00:30:38.660
 sharp weapon

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:40.240
 is God's word.

00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:42.660
 That's how

00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.680
 Jesus

00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:44.300
 when he was

00:30:44.300 --> 00:30:45.200
 tempted by Satan

00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:46.180
 in Matthew 4

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:48.700
 he used the word

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.060
 of God

00:30:49.060 --> 00:30:50.080
 to repel him

00:30:50.080 --> 00:30:51.759
 and our razor

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.720
 sharp weapon

00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.940
 is the word

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.400
 of God

00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:55.400
 and we would be

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:56.680
 fools to lower it

00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:57.580
 simply because

00:30:57.580 --> 00:30:58.700
 our culture

00:30:58.700 --> 00:30:59.259
 says

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:01.000
 it can't cut.

00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:04.120
 Our enemy

00:31:04.120 --> 00:31:04.900
 wants us to believe

00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:05.460
 that our weapon

00:31:05.460 --> 00:31:06.180
 is irrelevant

00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:07.980
 in the modern age

00:31:07.980 --> 00:31:09.759
 that it's archaic

00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.840
 that it's not

00:31:10.840 --> 00:31:11.600
 understandable

00:31:11.600 --> 00:31:13.360
 so keep it

00:31:13.360 --> 00:31:14.140
 in its sheath.

00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:18.039
 So friends

00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:19.160
 we must read it

00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:21.039
 we must meditate

00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:21.420
 on it

00:31:21.420 --> 00:31:22.240
 we must memorize it

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:22.860
 we must study it

00:31:22.860 --> 00:31:23.460
 we must love it

00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:23.860
 the weapon

00:31:23.860 --> 00:31:24.759
 that we fight

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.660
 with are not

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:26.120
 the weapons

00:31:26.120 --> 00:31:26.740
 of this world

00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:27.600
 which brings us

00:31:27.600 --> 00:31:28.519
 to verse 18

00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:29.240
 and the importance

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:29.700
 of prayer.

00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:31.620
 And pray in the spirit

00:31:31.620 --> 00:31:32.440
 on all occasions

00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:33.120
 with all kinds

00:31:33.120 --> 00:31:33.460
 of prayers

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:33.920
 and requests

00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:34.600
 with this in mind

00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:35.019
 be alert

00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:35.620
 and always keep

00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:36.000
 on praying

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:36.879
 for all the saints.

00:31:37.479 --> 00:31:38.379
 Prayer isn't

00:31:38.379 --> 00:31:39.500
 an added element

00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:41.219
 like another part

00:31:41.219 --> 00:31:41.699
 of the armor

00:31:41.699 --> 00:31:42.459
 it's the thing

00:31:42.459 --> 00:31:43.279
 that perviates

00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:43.919
 if you like

00:31:43.919 --> 00:31:45.619
 the whole war.

00:31:46.419 --> 00:31:46.839
 The prayer

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:47.759
 referred to here

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:48.639
 is comprehensive

00:31:48.639 --> 00:31:50.879
 pray on all occasions

00:31:50.879 --> 00:31:52.079
 regularly and constantly

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:53.059
 with all kinds

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:53.919
 of prayer and requests

00:31:53.919 --> 00:31:54.659
 for it takes

00:31:54.659 --> 00:31:55.759
 many and varied forms

00:31:55.759 --> 00:31:56.679
 being alert

00:31:56.679 --> 00:31:57.500
 and always keeping

00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:58.119
 on praying

00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:58.779
 because we don't

00:31:58.779 --> 00:32:00.019
 want to fall asleep

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:00.539
 in a battle

00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:02.039
 for all the saints

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:03.619
 since the unity

00:32:03.619 --> 00:32:04.799
 of God's

00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:05.839
 new society

00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:07.319
 which has been

00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:08.379
 the preoccupation

00:32:08.379 --> 00:32:09.239
 of this whole

00:32:09.239 --> 00:32:10.599
 letter of Ephesians

00:32:10.599 --> 00:32:12.859
 must be reflected

00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:13.839
 in our prayers.

00:32:14.500 --> 00:32:14.959
 Not

00:32:14.959 --> 00:32:16.779
 simply God

00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:17.219
 give me

00:32:17.219 --> 00:32:18.319
 a better job

00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:20.379
 but God's

00:32:20.379 --> 00:32:20.919
 agenda

00:32:20.919 --> 00:32:21.879
 being reflected

00:32:21.879 --> 00:32:22.799
 in our prayers.

00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:25.479
 And so my first

00:32:25.479 --> 00:32:26.000
 and my simple

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:26.759
 challenge to us

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.019
 at the end

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:27.799
 of our vision series

00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:29.459
 is to rethink

00:32:29.459 --> 00:32:30.179
 your priorities

00:32:30.180 --> 00:32:31.320
 in these two areas

00:32:31.320 --> 00:32:32.019
 right now.

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.420
 Commit to a new

00:32:34.420 --> 00:32:35.080
 resolve

00:32:35.080 --> 00:32:36.700
 to be a Christ

00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:37.140
 centered

00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:38.400
 Bible saturated

00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:39.140
 follower of Jesus

00:32:39.140 --> 00:32:40.320
 who's devoted to prayer

00:32:40.320 --> 00:32:41.900
 as we move into 2020.

00:32:42.360 --> 00:32:43.320
 Be committed to that.

00:32:45.220 --> 00:32:46.080
 Commit to a new

00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:46.740
 venture with God

00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:47.539
 today to pray

00:32:47.539 --> 00:32:48.200
 for this church

00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:48.960
 for its leadership

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.880
 for its ministries

00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:50.799
 and its mission

00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:51.759
 and for the souls

00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:53.320
 the souls

00:32:53.320 --> 00:32:53.920
 of people

00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:54.539
 that they would

00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:55.740
 trust Jesus Christ.

00:32:56.920 --> 00:32:57.820
 My second

00:32:57.820 --> 00:32:58.799
 simple challenge

00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:00.839
 is to take us

00:33:00.839 --> 00:33:01.599
 back to the beginning

00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:03.039
 and for us

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.639
 to take on

00:33:04.639 --> 00:33:05.639
 a wartime

00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:07.139
 mindset

00:33:07.139 --> 00:33:08.859
 in regard

00:33:08.859 --> 00:33:09.919
 to the spiritual

00:33:09.919 --> 00:33:10.559
 war that we're

00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:11.279
 engaged in.

00:33:11.899 --> 00:33:12.899
 A wartime

00:33:12.899 --> 00:33:13.379
 mindset

00:33:13.379 --> 00:33:14.980
 is where we

00:33:14.980 --> 00:33:16.019
 pour our resources

00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:17.319
 into the battle

00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:18.159
 to win the battle.

00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:20.220
 The thrust

00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:21.180
 of this whole

00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:21.879
 series

00:33:21.879 --> 00:33:23.379
 over the last

00:33:23.379 --> 00:33:24.200
 six weeks

00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:24.779
 is about

00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.480
 engaging

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.220
 our time

00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:27.220
 our talents

00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:28.240
 and our treasures

00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:29.500
 our prayers

00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:30.160
 and our energy

00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:30.859
 to see

00:33:30.859 --> 00:33:32.019
 God's global

00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:32.660
 vision

00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:34.059
 advance

00:33:34.059 --> 00:33:35.819
 here in your

00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:36.519
 own life

00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:37.880
 but also

00:33:37.880 --> 00:33:38.559
 in the lives

00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:38.880
 of those

00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:39.240
 who are not

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:39.700
 here at the

00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:39.960
 moment.

00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:41.460
 Our collective

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.240
 response

00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:43.620
 is dependent

00:33:43.620 --> 00:33:44.819
 upon every

00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:45.740
 individual

00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:46.599
 response.

00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:48.000
 We want

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:48.880
 each one of us

00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:49.980
 first and

00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:50.480
 foremost

00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:51.120
 to sign up

00:33:51.120 --> 00:33:51.640
 to serve.

00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:53.779
 We also want

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.400
 every one of us

00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:54.740
 to give

00:33:54.740 --> 00:33:55.319
 financially.

00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:57.099
 as we do

00:33:57.099 --> 00:33:57.659
 each year

00:33:57.659 --> 00:33:58.419
 we pledge

00:33:58.419 --> 00:33:59.939
 to the work

00:33:59.939 --> 00:34:00.359
 that we're

00:34:00.359 --> 00:34:00.960
 doing a year

00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:01.319
 ahead

00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:02.819
 to engage

00:34:02.819 --> 00:34:03.339
 in this

00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:03.619
 battle

00:34:03.619 --> 00:34:03.960
 to see

00:34:03.960 --> 00:34:04.659
 many souls

00:34:04.659 --> 00:34:05.119
 won for

00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:05.599
 Christ

00:34:05.599 --> 00:34:07.079
 and as we

00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:07.500
 do each

00:34:07.500 --> 00:34:07.819
 year

00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:08.559
 our pledging

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.000
 and our

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:09.519
 leaders

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.079
 that is our

00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:10.599
 parish council

00:34:10.599 --> 00:34:10.840
 and our

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.259
 staff

00:34:11.259 --> 00:34:12.299
 they do it

00:34:12.299 --> 00:34:13.099
 in advance

00:34:13.099 --> 00:34:15.119
 as a sign

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:15.880
 that we are

00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:16.539
 leading you

00:34:16.539 --> 00:34:17.219
 as a church

00:34:17.219 --> 00:34:17.980
 into this.

00:34:18.739 --> 00:34:19.079
 Now in a

00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:19.500
 moment they're

00:34:19.500 --> 00:34:19.860
 going to come

00:34:19.860 --> 00:34:20.159
 up

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:21.279
 even though

00:34:21.279 --> 00:34:21.900
 they've already

00:34:21.900 --> 00:34:22.319
 done that

00:34:22.319 --> 00:34:22.739
 they've already

00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:23.500
 all pledged

00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:23.920
 to me

00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:24.440
 they're going

00:34:24.440 --> 00:34:24.699
 to come

00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:25.059
 up in a

00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:25.280
 moment

00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:25.659
 they're going

00:34:25.659 --> 00:34:25.900
 to also

00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.500
 put cards

00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:26.960
 in here

00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:27.860
 just as a

00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:28.460
 sign of

00:34:28.460 --> 00:34:29.019
 partnership

00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:30.059
 with us

00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.960
 as a church.

00:34:32.260 --> 00:34:33.039
 The reason

00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:33.460
 why we

00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:33.900
 pledge in

00:34:33.900 --> 00:34:34.500
 advance

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:35.079
 is because

00:34:35.079 --> 00:34:35.360
 we want

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:35.639
 to lead

00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:36.000
 the church

00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.300
 in this

00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:36.579
 matter.

00:34:37.860 --> 00:34:38.179
 So I'm

00:34:38.179 --> 00:34:38.699
 really happy

00:34:38.699 --> 00:34:39.239
 to declare

00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:39.480
 and I'm

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:39.800
 going off

00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:40.340
 script here

00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:40.619
 John

00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:41.340
 or whoever's

00:34:41.340 --> 00:34:41.679
 up there

00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:42.079
 I can't

00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:42.280
 see

00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:42.639
 sorry

00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:43.300
 is that

00:34:43.300 --> 00:34:43.599
 Owen

00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:44.500
 it is

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:44.760
 Owen

00:34:44.760 --> 00:34:45.659
 and Adrian

00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:46.199
 thank you

00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:48.179
 I'm happy

00:34:48.179 --> 00:34:48.900
 to declare

00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:50.280
 that our

00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:51.079
 leaders have

00:34:51.079 --> 00:34:51.579
 already

00:34:51.579 --> 00:34:52.380
 pledged

00:34:52.380 --> 00:34:53.800
 this is 27

00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:54.320
 people

00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:55.200
 staff and

00:34:55.200 --> 00:34:55.900
 parish council

00:34:55.900 --> 00:34:56.980
 have pledged

00:34:56.980 --> 00:34:58.380
 $4,321

00:34:58.380 --> 00:34:59.160
 a week

00:34:59.160 --> 00:35:00.360
 that's

00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:00.700
 slightly

00:35:00.700 --> 00:35:01.280
 over

00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:02.720
 than

00:35:02.720 --> 00:35:04.440
 40%

00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:05.320
 of our

00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:05.579
 budget

00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:06.200
 next year

00:35:06.200 --> 00:35:09.840
 they have

00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:10.360
 also

00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:10.840
 on top

00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:11.380
 of that

00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:12.559
 given

00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:15.019
 $29,600

00:35:15.019 --> 00:35:15.860
 towards

00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:16.320
 the target

00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:17.340
 of $75,000

00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:18.880
 that

00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:19.519
 likewise

00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:20.579
 is 40%

00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:20.880
 of that

00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:21.340
 target's

00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:21.760
 already been

00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:22.019
 hit

00:35:22.019 --> 00:35:23.400
 when we

00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:23.699
 hit here

00:35:23.699 --> 00:35:24.179
 this morning

00:35:24.179 --> 00:35:25.259
 so what

00:35:25.259 --> 00:35:25.719
 I'm calling

00:35:25.719 --> 00:35:26.360
 you today

00:35:26.360 --> 00:35:27.139
 is to

00:35:27.139 --> 00:35:27.860
 follow them

00:35:27.860 --> 00:35:29.320
 and to

00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:29.659
 make a

00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:30.199
 sustained

00:35:30.199 --> 00:35:30.639
 effort

00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:31.079
 not just

00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:31.300
 with a

00:35:31.300 --> 00:35:31.579
 one-off

00:35:31.579 --> 00:35:32.159
 response

00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:32.619
 but a

00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:33.079
 sustained

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:33.440
 effort

00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:33.980
 to resource

00:35:33.980 --> 00:35:34.440
 the war

00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:35.139
 into 2020

00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:37.519
 right now

00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:38.039
 I'm going

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:38.679
 to invite

00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:39.940
 John

00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:40.739
 is Ash

00:35:40.739 --> 00:35:41.119
 here as

00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:41.360
 well

00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:41.860
 Jake

00:35:41.860 --> 00:35:42.519
 Aaron

00:35:42.519 --> 00:35:42.900
 come on

00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:43.159
 up

00:35:43.159 --> 00:35:46.159
 these

00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:46.659
 guys

00:35:46.659 --> 00:35:47.400
 are

00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:49.599
 our

00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:49.980
 four

00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:50.460
 interns

00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:50.599
 Christians

00:35:50.599 --> 00:35:51.699
 and

00:35:51.699 --> 00:35:51.960
 right

00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:52.400
 now

00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:54.420
 we've

00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:54.500
 got

00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:54.820
 30

00:35:54.820 --> 00:35:55.159
 grand

00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:56.159
 to go

00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:56.579
 towards

00:35:56.579 --> 00:35:56.760
 the

00:35:56.760 --> 00:35:57.019
 battle

00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:59.079
 engaging

00:35:59.079 --> 00:35:59.420
 these

00:35:59.420 --> 00:35:59.720
 guys

00:35:59.720 --> 00:36:00.099
 in

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:00.380
 that

00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:01.400
 but

00:36:01.400 --> 00:36:02.039
 I want

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:02.360
 to pray

00:36:02.360 --> 00:36:02.659
 for them

00:36:02.659 --> 00:36:02.800
 because

00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:03.220
 they're all

00:36:03.220 --> 00:36:03.699
 here today

00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:03.940
 and I want

00:36:03.940 --> 00:36:04.260
 to pray

00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:04.840
 for them

00:36:04.840 --> 00:36:06.180
 that

00:36:06.180 --> 00:36:07.780
 they would

00:36:07.780 --> 00:36:08.260
 be used

00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:08.960
 by God

00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:11.160
 to be

00:36:11.160 --> 00:36:11.620
 effective

00:36:11.620 --> 00:36:12.340
 soldiers

00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:12.579
 and

00:36:12.579 --> 00:36:12.840
 servants

00:36:12.840 --> 00:36:13.140
 as we

00:36:13.140 --> 00:36:13.440
 even

00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:13.680
 just

00:36:13.680 --> 00:36:13.960
 prayed

00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:14.460
 for our

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.280
 two

00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:16.160
 sisters

00:36:16.160 --> 00:36:16.360
 in

00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:16.760
 baptism

00:36:16.760 --> 00:36:17.360
 they

00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:17.460
 would

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:17.559
 be

00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:17.900
 effective

00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:18.300
 soldiers

00:36:18.300 --> 00:36:18.539
 and

00:36:18.539 --> 00:36:18.920
 servants

00:36:18.920 --> 00:36:19.300
 for the

00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:19.460
 Lord

00:36:19.460 --> 00:36:19.720
 Jesus

00:36:19.720 --> 00:36:20.079
 in

00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:20.260
 this

00:36:20.260 --> 00:36:20.579
 battle

00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:21.360
 and

00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:21.519
 that

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:21.720
 we

00:36:21.720 --> 00:36:21.880
 would

00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:22.240
 resource

00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:22.440
 them

00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:22.600
 as

00:36:22.600 --> 00:36:22.800
 well

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:23.460
 let's

00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:23.620
 do

00:36:23.620 --> 00:36:23.900
 that

00:36:23.900 --> 00:36:24.980
 gracious

00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:25.280
 heavenly

00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:25.680
 father

00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:26.960
 I want

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:27.299
 to thank

00:36:27.299 --> 00:36:27.440
 you

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:27.619
 that

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:27.799
 you

00:36:27.799 --> 00:36:28.179
 spread

00:36:28.179 --> 00:36:28.379
 your

00:36:28.379 --> 00:36:28.659
 gifts

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.159
 ashore

00:36:29.159 --> 00:36:29.539
 to

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:29.899
 all

00:36:29.899 --> 00:36:30.039
 of

00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:30.179
 your

00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:30.639
 people

00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:32.440
 thank

00:36:32.440 --> 00:36:32.579
 you

00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:32.719
 that

00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:32.899
 the

00:36:32.899 --> 00:36:33.099
 Lord

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:33.480
 Jesus

00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:33.799
 has

00:36:33.799 --> 00:36:34.059
 given

00:36:34.059 --> 00:36:34.440
 his

00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:34.879
 gifts

00:36:34.879 --> 00:36:35.339
 to

00:36:35.339 --> 00:36:35.639
 his

00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:36.159
 church

00:36:36.159 --> 00:36:37.639
 he

00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:37.919
 held

00:36:37.919 --> 00:36:38.079
 them

00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:38.579
 all

00:36:38.579 --> 00:36:38.940
 and

00:36:38.940 --> 00:36:39.119
 he's

00:36:39.119 --> 00:36:39.379
 given

00:36:39.379 --> 00:36:39.519
 them

00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:39.639
 and

00:36:39.639 --> 00:36:40.099
 dispersed

00:36:40.099 --> 00:36:40.279
 them

00:36:40.279 --> 00:36:40.579
 amongst

00:36:40.579 --> 00:36:40.940
 us

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:41.119
 so

00:36:41.119 --> 00:36:41.239
 that

00:36:41.239 --> 00:36:41.359
 we

00:36:41.359 --> 00:36:41.559
 might

00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:41.899
 continue

00:36:41.899 --> 00:36:42.259
 his

00:36:42.259 --> 00:36:42.579
 work

00:36:42.579 --> 00:36:42.799
 in

00:36:42.799 --> 00:36:42.919
 the

00:36:42.919 --> 00:36:43.219
 world

00:36:43.219 --> 00:36:44.679
 we

00:36:44.679 --> 00:36:45.119
 pray

00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:45.699
 for

00:36:45.699 --> 00:36:47.179
 our

00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:48.299
 four

00:36:48.299 --> 00:36:50.039
 brothers

00:36:50.039 --> 00:36:50.299
 and

00:36:50.299 --> 00:36:50.599
 sister

00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:51.039
 here

00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:51.679
 in

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:51.819
 the

00:36:51.819 --> 00:36:52.019
 Lord

00:36:52.019 --> 00:36:52.379
 Jesus

00:36:52.379 --> 00:36:53.500
 who

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:53.919
 have

00:36:53.919 --> 00:36:54.599
 been

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:55.019
 impressed

00:36:55.019 --> 00:36:55.400
 by

00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:55.719
 you

00:36:55.719 --> 00:36:55.860
 to

00:36:55.860 --> 00:36:56.019
 be

00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:56.259
 set

00:36:56.259 --> 00:36:56.679
 apart

00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:57.019
 for

00:36:57.019 --> 00:36:57.199
 the

00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:57.500
 war

00:36:57.500 --> 00:36:58.299
 in

00:36:58.299 --> 00:36:58.519
 this

00:36:58.519 --> 00:36:58.819
 church

00:36:58.819 --> 00:36:59.000
 but

00:36:59.000 --> 00:36:59.259
 also

00:36:59.259 --> 00:36:59.619
 beyond

00:36:59.619 --> 00:36:59.900
 this

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.339
 church

00:37:00.339 --> 00:37:01.039
 to

00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:01.179
 live

00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:01.319
 a

00:37:01.319 --> 00:37:01.539
 life

00:37:01.539 --> 00:37:01.659
 of

00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.259
 vocational

00:37:02.259 --> 00:37:02.860
 service

00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:03.920
 we

00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:04.199
 ask

00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:04.380
 that

00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:04.539
 you

00:37:04.539 --> 00:37:04.699
 would

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:05.179
 fully

00:37:05.179 --> 00:37:05.839
 equip

00:37:05.839 --> 00:37:06.299
 them

00:37:06.299 --> 00:37:07.159
 for

00:37:07.159 --> 00:37:07.559
 that

00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:08.059
 work

00:37:08.059 --> 00:37:09.460
 that

00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:09.960
 as

00:37:09.960 --> 00:37:10.579
 they

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:11.739
 battle

00:37:11.739 --> 00:37:13.179
 not

00:37:13.179 --> 00:37:13.659
 just

00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:14.259
 with

00:37:14.259 --> 00:37:14.639
 the

00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:14.940
 devil

00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:15.619
 beyond

00:37:15.619 --> 00:37:15.880
 and

00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:16.019
 the

00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:16.299
 world

00:37:16.299 --> 00:37:16.519
 from

00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:16.739
 the

00:37:16.739 --> 00:37:17.239
 outside

00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:17.779
 but

00:37:17.779 --> 00:37:17.960
 their

00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:18.179
 own

00:37:18.179 --> 00:37:18.599
 hearts

00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:18.920
 within

00:37:18.920 --> 00:37:19.119
 the

00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:19.400
 flesh

00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:19.779
 within

00:37:19.779 --> 00:37:21.159
 Lord

00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:21.339
 I

00:37:21.339 --> 00:37:21.599
 pray

00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:21.799
 that

00:37:21.799 --> 00:37:21.960
 they

00:37:21.960 --> 00:37:22.099
 would

00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:22.420
 hold

00:37:22.420 --> 00:37:22.619
 your

00:37:22.619 --> 00:37:22.980
 gospel

00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:23.539
 close

00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:24.400
 that

00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:24.539
 they

00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:24.720
 would

00:37:24.720 --> 00:37:25.099
 know

00:37:25.099 --> 00:37:25.760
 always

00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:26.000
 that

00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:26.180
 they

00:37:26.180 --> 00:37:26.340
 are

00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:26.539
 your

00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:26.840
 much

00:37:26.840 --> 00:37:27.119
 loved

00:37:27.119 --> 00:37:27.619
 children

00:37:27.619 --> 00:37:29.500
 and

00:37:29.500 --> 00:37:29.639
 that

00:37:29.639 --> 00:37:29.760
 you

00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:29.920
 would

00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.340
 continue

00:37:30.340 --> 00:37:30.579
 to

00:37:30.579 --> 00:37:30.940
 equip

00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:31.099
 them

00:37:31.099 --> 00:37:31.240
 for

00:37:31.240 --> 00:37:31.420
 this

00:37:31.420 --> 00:37:31.740
 battle

00:37:31.740 --> 00:37:32.000
 and

00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:32.160
 as

00:37:32.160 --> 00:37:32.280
 a

00:37:32.280 --> 00:37:32.680
 result

00:37:32.680 --> 00:37:33.200
 of

00:37:33.200 --> 00:37:33.480
 what

00:37:33.480 --> 00:37:33.700
 they

00:37:33.700 --> 00:37:34.079
 do

00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:34.820
 that

00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:34.960
 we

00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:35.119
 would

00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:35.320
 see

00:37:35.320 --> 00:37:35.579
 many

00:37:35.579 --> 00:37:36.059
 souls

00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:36.340
 won

00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:36.559
 for

00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:36.820
 you

00:37:36.820 --> 00:37:37.840
 for

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.039
 the

00:37:38.039 --> 00:37:38.420
 glory

00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:38.579
 of

00:37:38.579 --> 00:37:38.680
 the

00:37:38.680 --> 00:37:38.820
 Lord

00:37:38.820 --> 00:37:39.059
 Jesus

00:37:39.059 --> 00:37:39.579
 Christ

00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:41.079
 Amen