WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.000 Hey, welcome to... Actually, we can switch this off actually, Eunice, thank you. We don't need this. 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:15.000 I'm going to try and stand today. I'm packing a lot of heat, so I think I'm going to have to stand to be able to share with you a little bit. 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:20.000 But I wanted to, first of all, do a little bit of house business. I know that we're pretty full here. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:25.000 I wanted to kind of share a few things. Welcome to the gathering experiment. 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:30.000 Welcome to the gathering experiment. We're trying to figure it out. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.000 Our deacon, Tony, keeps talking to me and really is... I'm learning a lot from him about this. 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:40.000 We're holding just a very light heart and we're just going to try different things. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:46.000 It's a pop-up shop mentality in terms of how we're trying to gather together on a Sunday. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.000 One of the issues here... Let me tell you a couple of truths. 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:54.000 This place is... I think it's about 3,000 square feet or something. Is that right, Agnes? Something like that. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:00.000 We have probably close to 160 people here. So actually the numbers don't quite add up. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:06.000 There's another truth that I want you to know is that your pastor, me, I'm 5'5". 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:13.000 Well, 5'5.7 actually. So if you round it up, me and Cubone are around the same. 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:21.000 Which means if you're at the back, you'll struggle to see me. And I get that. And I'm sorry. 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:26.000 I've been praying to the Lord every day that he would give me a couple of extra interests. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:32.000 Just so that you at the back, who came to church late by the way, can see me better. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.000 Only joking. I love you, but you are late. 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:38.000 We're trying to figure it out. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:45.000 We're trying to do different things. I was just talking to Tony about maybe we'll go to Taobao and figure out some little stage here that you can see me a little better. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:51.000 Actually, you know what? I love this. Can we have a round of applause to the people who have chosen to sit around on the floor here? 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:00.000 Because let me tell you something else. If we stacked this place with chairs, you guys would have no hope seeing me at all. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.000 Like literally, you would not be. Some people here are taller than me while sitting on a chair. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:09.000 So that would not work. OK, so we have to do this. 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:11.000 But let me tell you a little bit about my vision. 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:13.000 Of course, this is the mission statement, what we're doing. 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:23.000 But as we're standing in the back is actually the welcome team have been doing such a great job in trying to help usher people into a place where they can like at least be semi comfortable. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:28.000 Yeah. And I get that. We have these nice bean bags and these big seats that are really comfortable. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.000 But, you know, there's a thought that crossed my mind. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:34.000 Hey, welcome. Come in. Come in. Don't worry. Don't worry about just come in. We welcome you. 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:42.000 It's I think a part of my vision of the church is that we would be a church that is known to not have comfy seats. 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:46.000 Like let me just qualify what I mean by that. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:54.000 That I would love for us to be known that actually it's hard to get a good seat in the house in this place because we're not supposed to be here and stay here. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:59.000 If the seats are too comfortable for you, then you are just gathering and you are not scattering. 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:01.000 Are you with me with that one? 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:06.000 Because so actually when you're trapped on the floor on a cushion or when you're stood at the very back and you're standing, 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:14.000 I want to encourage you that actually that's the reason why you gather with us, because I hope you're reminded that actually we're a church. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:18.000 Yes, we struggle to have comfy seats. We struggle to have enough seats for everyone. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:23.000 But that's the reason why is because we are not only gathering, but we are also trying to scatter. 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:28.000 My fear is that if we get too comfy here, we will just stay here. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:33.000 And if we just stay here, we actually stop being what the church is supposed to be. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:36.000 Do you get that? That's what my heart is. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.000 The other heart is actually if you do come at 11 and I was I've stood there all the way back. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:43.000 11, 11.05, 11.10, there's plenty of seats. 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.000 Okay, so please do come if you want to see it. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:47.000 And that's actually even more so. 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:53.000 At 10.30 today, me, myself and Florence and Rebecca, the welcome team here. 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:58.000 And just actually the whole group of team of people, we're talking about what's best. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:01.000 We're literally like, should we have all the chairs in? 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.000 Or should we take all the chairs out? 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:05.000 We're like, it's constant. We're just experimenting, guys. 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:08.000 Like we don't know the right answer. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:09.000 But I'll tell you this. 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:12.000 If you have a strong thought about this, come and join us at 10.30. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:14.000 Talk to us about it. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.000 Contribute to the conversation. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.000 You are part of this family. 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:20.000 And if you have a good idea, I would love for you to tell us. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.000 I'm literally, I think I've spoken to our 20 people about this over this week. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:25.000 Hey, what did you think? 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:26.000 Should we do this whole thing here? 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:27.000 Or should we do the whole chairs? 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:28.000 The truth is, I don't know. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:35.000 What I want is for us to be able to gather as a family, to make decisions together as a family. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:41.000 To be known as a gathering that doesn't always have all the comfy seats because we're not supposed to stay in our seats this whole time. 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:42.000 Does that make sense? 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:47.000 I'm trying to say this in my most British, loving, passive, aggressive way possible. 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:48.000 Okay? 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:49.000 So I'm trying. 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:51.000 And I hope you really feel my heart. 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:52.000 Gab's knows, right? 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.000 I'm trying. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:58.000 And I, my heart is just so warm that we are here gathering. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:04.000 But if I've led you to believe for any second that you coming here is for your entertainment and for your comfort. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.000 And that all you actually need to do is just come and watch a service and then leave. 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:09.000 I've done you a disservice. 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:12.000 We're gathering here to meet God. 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:13.000 We're gathering here to meet God. 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:16.000 You're not here to listen to this 5 foot 5.7 preacher preach. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:20.000 You're not here to, you're just, you're here to meet God and to grow in God. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:21.000 You're in God. 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:24.000 Number one, the me, that you would know him and you would enjoy him. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.000 And that you would walk in his ways every day. 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:28.000 Me. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:34.000 And when you get that, and only when you get that, when you graduate from that and you start to know him and you start to enjoy him. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:37.000 Number two, you get to do number two, which is the we. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:39.000 Which is that we're a spiritual family. 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:43.000 Remember that tree that I got us all to fill out a couple of weeks ago? 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.000 That's the question we're always going to be asking. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:50.000 You're not here for the worship or the preaching or the lack of seats or the comfy seats or whatever it might be. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:55.000 You're here because there are people here that you walk with who are invested in your walk with Jesus. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.000 And that at any moment, Ellen will have someone she can call and say, hey, I want to talk to you. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:01.000 Let's just go grab coffee. 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:07.000 And in that moment, within 10 seconds, that conversation can go deep to talk about faith, talk about her struggles. 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:09.000 Does she have those three people? 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:10.000 That's the question I would ask her. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:12.000 That's the question I would ask you. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:17.000 You're here because there are your three that are here. 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:18.000 OK. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:22.000 And the other thing is, and I gave you an example, because if you're sat here thinking, oh, who are my three? 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:23.000 I don't know. 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:25.000 I gave a template as to how this could be. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:27.000 Someone could be your Paul. 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:28.000 That's like a mentor. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:33.000 Someone when you sit down and I've actually this last week, I got to spend time with two of my mentors. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:36.000 And I'm just sat and I'm just asking questions and I'm just getting answers. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:38.000 And I'm just being filled to the brim. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:44.000 And I come out of that having not really done any talking myself, but I'm just filled because my mentors have poured into me. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:45.000 My Paul's. 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:46.000 Do you have that? 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:50.000 Then I have some Barnabas's where I go and hang out with them and they're my brothers. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:52.000 We're just encouraging one another. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.000 They challenge me. 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:54.000 I challenge them. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.000 We ask questions. 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:56.000 We cry together. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:57.000 We laugh together. 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:58.000 We have, I have those kinds of people. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.000 They're my bros, my mates. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:06.000 And then I have the Timothys, the ones that actually when I'm meeting you, let's just, let's just cut to the chase. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.000 How are you doing? 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:08.000 What are you not doing? 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:09.000 What? 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:10.000 How's your discipline going? 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.000 How's your, how's your structure going? 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:13.000 How's your procrastinating going? 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:15.000 How can I pour into you? 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:17.000 So that's going on in my mind. 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:20.000 In a perfect world, we have nine. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:21.000 We have three times three. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.000 That you have three people pouring into you. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:27.000 You have three people kind of walking alongside you and you have three people that you're pouring into. 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:32.000 For now in this gathering experiment, I'm just asking for three. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:38.000 It doesn't matter if it's a Paul, if it's a Barnabas, if it's a Timothy, if it's a Boulibus, or whatever it might be. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:43.000 Do you just have three who at a moment's notice you can pivot and talk to about God? 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.000 That's the we. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:49.000 Can we be a spiritual family that isn't a, that isn't a free. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:54.000 Like if you have people coming into your home, you're like, hey, come and, come and grab a good seat. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:55.000 Come and sit down. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:08:00.000 If you walk in here in the beginning, you're like, you know what, those are seats at the back, but I'm going to save them for the people who need them. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.000 Like the old people, like Tony and Hank, who need seats, we let them have the seats. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:05.000 Okay? 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:13.000 Because if we don't let them have the seats, and we let them sit on a bean bag, we're going to need a couple of us to help them stand back up afterwards. 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:18.000 So we need, so if I'm coming in here and actually ask yourself that question. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:22.000 If I sit down on a cushion, will I be able to get back up afterwards without assistance? 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:25.000 If the answer is yes, sit yourself on a cushion, please. 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:27.000 Because there are people who cannot. 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:28.000 Spare a thought for those people. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:29.000 Okay? 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:32.000 And think about, okay, how can I love my family? 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:37.000 How can I, if your uncle, if your guma, if your yee-yee comes into your home, you give them the good seat, right? 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:39.000 So can we do the same for our family? 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:40.000 Okay? 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:41.000 So let's have a think about that. 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:43.000 Because we are. 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:45.000 Because the truth is, your pastor is short. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:48.000 Because your truth is, we don't have enough space here. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:55.000 Now, one day, maybe we'll get to a size where this is impossible, or rather, quite frankly, dangerous for us to be here. 00:08:55.000 --> 00:09:00.000 And we'll let Tony and Hank and Agnes lead us on the journey on figuring out where we go next. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:02.000 And we'll figure that part out. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.000 But for now, can I ask you that we can make this work together? 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:06.000 Is that okay? 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:07.000 Can I just get a nod? 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:08.000 Can I get a nod? 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:09.000 Please, thank you. 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:10.000 Like, please. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:13.000 And also, finally, passive aggressive done. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:14.000 Forgive me. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:16.000 Forgive me, because we're going to make mistakes. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:19.000 Like, I'm still not sure whether those, you know what, I love the chairs, those chairs. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:22.000 But you're right, efficiency-wise, we're not in the great place. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.000 But Dr. Alex looks super comfortable. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.000 And my life's purpose is to make Dr. Alex comfortable. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:33.000 So, but we're just trying to figure it out. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:37.000 And if you have something to contribute, please, don't stay silent. 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:40.000 Come early, and talk to us about it. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:46.000 And if you came in at 10.30, you'll see a group of us going, hmm, how should we do the chairs today? 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:47.000 That's literally it. 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:48.000 We're not that smart. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.000 We're not that, well, then, of course I'm going. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:52.000 It's literally like, hmm, what's best today? 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:53.000 Okay? 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:56.000 So I just wanted to kind of peel back the curtain and show you that's what we're about. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:57.000 That's what we're trying. 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:02.000 Because if you wanted pews or if you wanted cushions, there are plenty of other churches that have all the seats that you need. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.000 We're doing an experiment here. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:06.000 And we're trying. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:08.000 And we love, we love the fact that you're here. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:11.000 So you've had the me, and then you have the we. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.000 And now we have the they. 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:17.000 Because we have to scatter. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:20.000 You cannot just gather and stay. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:23.000 That's not what Jesus told us. 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:30.000 Last week we had some beautiful children come from Uganda remind us that we must go. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:31.000 We will go. 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:32.000 That's it. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:33.000 We will go. 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:34.000 We have to go. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:39.000 When you are, when you meet the risen Christ, you have no choice. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:43.000 You have no choice because you've just seen something completely supernatural. 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:44.000 You have to go. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.000 You have to turn around and share it to the people around you. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:51.000 And so we want to talk a little bit about that today. 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:53.000 And actually, next week we're going to start Advent. 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.000 And Aaron, who's, how tall are you, Aaron? 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:57.000 6'2". 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:58.000 6'2". 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:00.000 Y'all are going to have no problems with Aaron when he's going to be stood here tomorrow. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.000 And so the next week, so you're going to see him. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:03.000 And we're going to go through Advent then. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:06.000 So we're going to have a Christmas segment for those next few weeks. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.000 So we're going to finish off on, what does it mean to scatter? 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:12.000 What does it mean to scatter? 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.000 And how do we kind of educate ourselves and make sure that we're thinking in the right way, 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:20.000 so that when you leave this gathering space, you will head out. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.000 And you will actually be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:25.000 That is the goal. 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:28.000 You see, the problem here with church, the problem here with pastors like me, 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:35.000 is we spend the majority of our time talking to you about how you use the minority of your time. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:36.000 Let me say that again. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:41.000 Pastors like me, we spend the majority of our time trying to talk to you about, 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:45.000 trying to train you on how you spend the minority of your time. 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.000 Those five minutes before work. 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:50.000 Those 90 minutes at church. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:52.000 I'm spending all my time talking to you. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.000 Hey, pray, read the Bible, do these things. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:58.000 But the rest of your time, you've completely compartmentalized 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:00.000 and you have no idea how to live out your faith at all. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.000 You're a Christian on a Sunday morning between 11 and 1230. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:09.000 Or if you came to church 1115, then it's 1115 to 1230. 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:11.000 And then that's it. 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:15.000 Or maybe in the morning you have three minutes and that's it. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:18.000 But the majority of your time is where? 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:20.000 The majority of your time is out there. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.000 In the city. 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:22.000 In the workplace. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:29.000 I would be doing you a disservice if I don't try and equip you and train you and encourage you and exhort you 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:34.000 so you can live out your faith the proper way when you're out there for the rest of that time. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:40.000 Apparently there's a stat which is people apparently spend about 100,000 hours of their lives working. 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:41.000 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:46.000 And Malcolm Gladwell says that if you use 10,000 hours, you'll be a master at what you do, right? 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.000 So we should all be geniuses and masters at what we do for work. 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:54.000 But so often our work is just filled with just, it's work. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.000 It's the Sunday night blues. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:00.000 And I'm going to work on Monday and it's just kind of like, oh, it's just part of life. 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:08.000 But I think God has created you to be in a place as you gather here on a Sunday is that then you go out and scatter 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:11.000 scatter and you do likewise the moment you step out. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:17.000 The moment you go to your office, the moment you go to your clinics, wherever you're going, you're supposed to be the church. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:19.000 You've just been with church. 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:22.000 And then the moment you finish gathering, you're going out and you're scattering. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:25.000 That's the goal. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:31.000 But maybe trying, rather than trying to convince you how to be a good Christian in your workplace, 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:34.000 I wanted to dial it back a little bit and zoom out completely. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:39.000 Why do we even, why do we even go out and evangelize or spread the gospel anyway? 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:42.000 Have you thought about that? 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:45.000 I mean, I am part of a missions organization called Young Life. 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.000 There's a few staff here who are part of it as well. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:49.000 Different people do different things, go on mission trips and all these things. 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:50.000 All to what? 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.000 We will go to spread the good news. 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:54.000 Have you ever thought about why? 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:58.000 What's the, what's the, what's the end game here? 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:03.000 What's the, maybe, where did we start and where are we heading to at the end? 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:12.000 Because I think as we go out and scatter, the thing that I found the most helpful is what's at the end? 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.000 That keeps me going. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.000 Because I'll tell you when you go out and scatter and nearly all of you will know this, 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:24.059 know this, the moment you go back into society, the weight, the pressure, all those things just 00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:28.360 completely stamp you out. Whatever little fire and flame that you had by coming here on a Sunday 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:34.480 morning, usually by Monday, 10 a.m., it's gone, right? Because you're just slogging, you're just 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:39.919 fighting, unless you have the end goal in sight. So I wanted to present to you a couple of thoughts 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:46.200 that I had, because God, when he created us, he gives us a commission, right? What's the commission? 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:53.700 Who knows the commission? What's the, huh? Make disciples of all nations, Matthew 28, the great 00:14:53.700 --> 00:14:57.900 commission. I think there's actually another commission that happens in Genesis at the very 00:14:57.900 --> 00:15:02.840 beginning. Does anyone have a, could anyone have a guess what that might be? Be fruitful and multiply, 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:08.420 absolutely, and it's tied into all of that, of course, is actually what Genesis 1.26 says, 00:15:08.660 --> 00:15:13.720 let us make man in our image. And then what does he say? And he gives dominion over man, 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:21.320 over, or it gives man dominion over creation. That's a part of the commission. What it is, 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:28.279 is God says, I want my children, I want these humans to look like me and to be like me. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:35.040 That's the OG commission, if you will. If you're wondering why you're here and you're wondering, 00:15:35.180 --> 00:15:39.000 what am I supposed to do with my life? I'm not here to tell you. You're supposed to look like Jesus 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:46.559 and live like Jesus. Look like Jesus and live like Jesus. That's the original commission. That's 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:52.039 what we were supposed to do, right? That's what we were supposed to do. We were supposed to take 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:57.559 culture. This is what God, this is what God does. God takes the raw elements of chaos. 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:02.840 Tim Keller talks about this and so does John Tyson. He says that he takes the raw elements of chaos 00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:10.540 and he reorders them, puts them into order to reflect him. That's what God does. What we're 00:16:10.540 --> 00:16:15.519 going to do is we're going to continue that work. We're going to look like him and then we're going 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:21.920 to act on behalf of him and be like him and take the raw elements of creation and reorder them so 00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:27.460 that they would reflect the beauty of God. That's your commission. That's what you're supposed to do. 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:35.160 So if you are in David, in finance, in banking, you're to take the raw elements of, actually, 00:16:35.540 --> 00:16:40.280 investment bankers are great at this. They create things. They look at a void and then they invest 00:16:40.280 --> 00:16:46.080 something into the void and then something is created from nothing. If you're an artist, who are the 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:50.840 artists here? I'm trying to pick on people now. Who are the artists? There are some artists, surely. 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:57.500 What not that? Annabelle is an artist. Oh, well, Grace is an artist in a very different kind of way. 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:06.019 Music or actually storytelling or filmmaking. You're taking the raw elements of human experience and 00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:12.740 you're reshaping them in a way to tell a story. When Paul is singing, he's taking the raw elements of 00:17:12.740 --> 00:17:20.000 sound, and for Paul, that's very raw, and he reorders them and turns them into something 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:26.880 beautiful. That's what he does. Ernest is a teacher. He's in education and he takes the raw elements 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:38.859 of knowledge, orders them in a systematic way for learning. Lawyers, Nathan and Juju. 00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:45.759 Everyone just laughs at that name. I love that name. You're taking the raw elements of human experience. 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:55.379 You're putting laws together to allow for that flourishing to happen. Chaos into order. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:03.960 We're continuing God's work for that medicine. Medicine, doctors, you're taking the raw elements of human biology, 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:14.460 right? And you're reordering them for well-being, for health. You're doing God's work in the clinic or in the 00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:20.120 private practice whenever you, you know, whenever you go to work, Alex. That's what you're doing. 00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:28.699 So the question is, are you doing that? Is this gathering helping you do that? Are you scattering 00:18:28.699 --> 00:18:36.099 for that? Because that's what we're actually supposed to do. The problem here is this. So that's the 00:18:36.099 --> 00:18:41.139 beginning. That's what we were supposed to do. What happens now? We're in the present. We all fall 00:18:41.139 --> 00:18:46.359 short of the glory of God. We don't look like him. We're not acting like him. That's Romans 3.23. 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:50.939 We are all fall short. What we were supposed to do, every place that you're supposed to be working 00:18:50.939 --> 00:18:56.219 at here, you're just not doing what you're supposed to be doing. You don't look like Jesus. You don't act 00:18:56.219 --> 00:19:03.319 like Jesus. You're not turning chaos into order. The problem then is when the church isn't doing what 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:07.959 it's supposed to be doing and humanity isn't doing what humanity is supposed to be doing, then it's 00:19:07.959 --> 00:19:15.539 starting to crumble. There is death. There is pain. There is brokenness. There is neglect. 00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:21.399 There is murder. There is war. Christine and I, this morning, we were just with someone who's 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:28.259 really trying to serve the youth of the city in mental health. And he's like, last year, 00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:34.839 last year we had over a thousand people commit suicide in Hong Kong. That's the record rate. 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:42.859 The last time it was that high was 2007. A thousand people just deciding that there's no point living 00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:49.199 here anymore. And they're just taking their own lives. Those who have a vested interest or a burden 00:19:49.199 --> 00:19:54.639 for youth, since September, there's been over 20 who have committed suicide and lost their lives. 00:19:55.179 --> 00:20:01.279 Can you imagine, in these last few months, there are people in this world that we share this planet 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:07.659 with who decide, actually, there's nothing for me in this planet. And they decide just to pull the plug. 00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:14.300 Because we have fallen short, because we are not looking like Jesus, because we are not acting like 00:20:14.300 --> 00:20:20.980 Jesus, there is so much tears. There is so much pain, so much brokenness. We need to know that. 00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:26.840 We need to know that. This is not a bubble. This is not a bubble where we're like, oh, we are family. 00:20:27.180 --> 00:20:30.880 And we just stick together and we have a good time. And then we have lunch. And then we all learn how to 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:35.360 play the piano from Kelly later in the afternoon. And it's all going to be fun and games. And we'll all learn 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:39.399 how to play really fun songs. And then we just kind of go off. No, there is pain and brokenness 00:20:39.399 --> 00:20:44.679 in this world. There is bad news in this world. Will we go, was the question from last week. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:52.079 Will we get off our comfy seats, or lack of comfy seats, and will we go out and do what the Lord is 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:58.459 asking us to do there? C.S. Lewis says, the world doesn't need more Christian authors. It needs more 00:20:58.459 --> 00:21:05.159 authors who are Christian. The world doesn't need any more pastors. It needs more lawyers. It needs more 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:10.019 bankers. It needs more doctors who are Christian, who are filled with the Holy Spirit, who have their 00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:16.920 sights set on Jesus and go out and make impact in the world. We gather and then we scatter. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:23.940 That's what we do. That's what we're supposed to do. But we have not done that. 00:21:25.820 --> 00:21:30.900 But then comes the end. We know the beginning and we know where we're at right now. It's not a great 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:38.920 place. But I need us to know the end today. I need us to know where we're heading. Because where 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:44.980 we're heading will give us the motivation and give us the goal as to why we go out and scatter in the 00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:52.380 first place. Because in Genesis 1, he tells us, be like me, look like me, act like me. We're in a 00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:56.900 garden and it's just this beautiful, tranquil place, which I can imagine. And it's kind of like, oh, let's just 00:21:56.900 --> 00:22:04.400 stay in the garden forever. By the waterfall, where the birds and the flowers. But then creation just 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:11.980 descends. And it creates cities that are idolizing so many things. It builds all these walls and these 00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:24.480 towers. Sodom and Gomorrah. New York City. London. Hong Kong. What I need us to know, though, God's design 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:30.360 wasn't for us just to start the garden and stay in the garden. In fact, because we were supposed to 00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:38.140 look like him and act like him, we were supposed to create culture that reflected him. If you look 00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:44.620 all the way to the end in the book of Revelation, in Revelation 21, Jesus says, I'm coming back again. 00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:52.500 And there's going to be a city. A city that's filled with culture. Humanity. It isn't going to be the 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:57.940 garden. There's going to be a garden within the city. There's going to be this beautiful mix of both. 00:22:59.579 --> 00:23:05.740 I need us to know that's where we're heading. Because when we remind ourselves that there is 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:13.380 an end game, there is a beautiful place that we will all end up, then we may have the motivation 00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:20.279 to move. If you have your Bibles, can I ask you to turn with me to the book of Revelation? 00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:33.519 Revelation 21. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:36.259 That's my note from Alicia. Thank you. 00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:50.779 Can you read 21 verse 3 to 6 for me? 00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:51.359 Yeah. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:55.099 Revelation 21, 3 to 6. 00:23:55.099 --> 00:24:00.519 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. 00:24:00.959 --> 00:24:05.919 He will dwell with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them as their 00:24:05.919 --> 00:24:11.240 God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:17.679 mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. For the former things have passed away. And he who was seated 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:23.759 on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. Also, he said, write this down, for these words 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:29.140 are trustworthy and true. And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:33.820 and the end. To the thirsty, I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:35.879 Thank you. 00:24:37.379 --> 00:24:43.799 Have a look. Let's continue flying through. So verse 21, verse 3, he says, Behold, the dwelling place of God 00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:48.980 is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be with his people. That was the original desire of God. 00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:53.980 When he created Adam and Eve in the garden, and then he goes to look for them, he wants to go walk with them. 00:24:54.099 --> 00:24:59.279 He wants to go spend time with them. But they turn their backs on him. And because of that, 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:04.319 they're cast out of the garden of Eden, they are no longer in the presence of God. Then the rest of 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:10.259 this book, the rest of humanity and history is about how God is redeeming that and bringing that 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:16.500 story back around so that there will come a point where God will dwell with them, and they will be 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:23.539 with his people. That's the goal. And this new Jerusalem is beautiful. This new Jerusalem is beautiful. 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:29.259 Verse 4, he says, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Can you imagine? 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:35.779 Imagine a creation, a city, there will be no tears. No children wondering whether to take 00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:44.200 their own lives or not. No fighting within families. No heartbreak when you see just all 00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:50.420 the things that mankind is doing to one another. There will be no more death. Those who have 00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:57.139 lost loved ones. Imagine this place that will not have any death, any grief. Neither shall there 00:25:57.140 --> 00:26:03.220 be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. For the former things have passed away. Behold, I am making 00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:09.600 all things new. He's redeeming this creation here. Everything here, he's going to make new, 00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:15.460 and he's going to redeem. And this new Jerusalem looks incredible. There are walls. Let me see if I can 00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:23.600 find, let's see, verse, the Holy City, verse 10. Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, having the glory of God, 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:29.920 its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great high wall, verse 12, 00:26:30.120 --> 00:26:36.019 with 12 gates and the gates, 12 angels. And on the gates, the names of the 12 tribes. It's just this 00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:42.100 beautiful place that is going to be filled with pure gold. Later it says, verse 21, and the 12 gates were 00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:47.500 12 pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:53.359 like transparent glass. And verse 22, and I saw no temple in the city. Wait, there's no church there. 00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:58.899 There's no temple. There's no synagogue. There's no building there. Why? Verse 21 carries on. For its 00:26:58.899 --> 00:27:04.699 temple is the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, 00:27:04.699 --> 00:27:10.699 for the glory of God gives its light, and his lamp is the Lamb. There is no night. There is no darkness. 00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:17.620 There is no temple because God is just going to be amongst his people. You cannot put God in a box. 00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:24.799 You cannot compartmentalize God anymore because he will be everywhere in this new place. There will be no nighttime. 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:35.660 That's why we scatter. That's why we can't stay here and sit on this good news ourselves. 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:40.960 Because there is a world outside that is tearing itself apart that knows nothing of this world that 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:48.440 is coming, this new Jerusalem that will come. And because of that, we must go and share why verse 27 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:54.400 has the key. This beautiful place, the new Jerusalem, verse 27 says this, 00:27:54.400 --> 00:28:04.000 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. 00:28:05.280 --> 00:28:11.300 This perfect place. Nothing unclean will enter it. 00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:13.859 That's why we scatter. 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:21.299 Because there's a place that we're going, that there will be people that we know and love right now, 00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:23.139 who can't go there. 00:28:25.079 --> 00:28:28.659 Because nothing unclean will ever enter it. 00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:33.759 I've shared this conversation before. I had an interesting conversation with a young man one time, 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:37.480 and I was like, do you believe in God? He's like, no, that whole Christianity stuff. 00:28:38.180 --> 00:28:39.980 I go to DBS. I've heard all about it. 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:42.500 And I don't need to go. I'm much too smart for that. 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:45.879 And then I said, okay, well, do you believe in heaven? 00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:47.160 Oh, yeah, yeah, I believe in heaven. 00:28:47.379 --> 00:28:49.539 Oh, what's heaven like? Well, heaven's this perfect place. 00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:51.140 Oh, it's like this new Jerusalem. 00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:55.200 I was like, oh, what's going to, it's like there's going to be nothing wrong with that world. 00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:56.660 And it's going to be good. 00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:58.680 I was like, oh, that's really nice. 00:28:58.839 --> 00:29:00.519 So it's a perfect place, like 100%. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:02.579 He's like, yep, not even a smear. 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:05.299 I was like, so what about you? Do you think you'll get in there? 00:29:05.339 --> 00:29:07.000 He's like, I think so, because I'm a good person. 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:10.179 I'm like, okay, well, let me just stop you right there. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:14.119 So as a former teacher, good is usually about 80% past grade. 00:29:14.879 --> 00:29:18.019 But you're telling me that this new place is 100%. 00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:19.919 Here's the problem, though. 00:29:21.059 --> 00:29:25.419 The moment you step into this place as 100%, because you're 80%, you're dragging the average down. 00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:28.519 It will stop being the 100% that you say that it is. 00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:39.259 Your imperfection, even though it's tiny and small, the moment you step into this paradise that you talk about, actually, you're not even going to be allowed in it, because you don't qualify. 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.839 Nothing unclean will ever enter it. 00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:48.420 But, but, thank goodness there's a but. 00:29:48.420 --> 00:29:50.920 Because we are all unclean. 00:29:51.140 --> 00:29:52.480 We all fall short. 00:29:53.560 --> 00:29:57.160 But, only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. 00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:57.880 Who is the Lamb? 00:29:58.480 --> 00:29:59.519 The Lamb that was slain. 00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:00.560 Jesus. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:05.859 The only way you can get into this new Jerusalem is you recognize that you are unclean. 00:30:06.179 --> 00:30:07.980 That you recognize that you need to be saved. 00:30:09.240 --> 00:30:11.279 That's how you get your name into the book of life. 00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:18.480 And only then, when you recognize the power of the blood of Jesus, does this new Jerusalem belong to you. 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:22.179 The problem we have is we feel entitled to be in this place. 00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:25.119 And so we forget that, actually, we don't belong there. 00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:33.959 But, you see, when you remember that you do, you're invited in because of Jesus, actually, your heart is compelled to share that with people around. 00:30:34.699 --> 00:30:35.579 You can't help but share. 00:30:35.639 --> 00:30:38.399 Like, oh, I didn't deserve to be allowed in, but I'm in. 00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:41.659 I'll tell you what, the guy who's letting me in will let you in too. 00:30:42.479 --> 00:30:43.399 Just come with me. 00:30:43.919 --> 00:30:44.759 Just come and see. 00:30:44.899 --> 00:30:45.239 John 1. 00:30:45.319 --> 00:30:49.839 Just come and see about a man who knows everything that I've ever done. 00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:51.759 John 4. 00:30:52.379 --> 00:30:54.839 And yet still, yet still speaks to me. 00:30:54.839 --> 00:30:58.699 Yet still gave his life up for me. 00:31:01.399 --> 00:31:04.220 We scatter because there is something coming. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:08.399 There is something coming that is beautiful. 00:31:09.019 --> 00:31:10.079 That is perfect. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:15.139 But right now, there are people that are around us who don't even know about it. 00:31:15.939 --> 00:31:18.059 Let me show you one last story from the book of Matthew. 00:31:18.179 --> 00:31:19.399 Turn with me to Matthew 22. 00:31:19.400 --> 00:31:23.759 Jesus talks about this. 00:31:23.820 --> 00:31:26.100 And he kind of, he doesn't talk about the new Jerusalem. 00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:32.100 He talks about a wedding feast, which we all love to go to because of all the places. 00:31:35.160 --> 00:31:36.380 Matthew chapter 22. 00:31:36.380 --> 00:31:39.600 Jesus speaks to them in parables saying, 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:46.599 The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast. 00:31:46.919 --> 00:31:47.939 But they would not come. 00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:50.059 Again, he sent other servants saying, 00:31:50.199 --> 00:31:55.799 Tell those who are invited, see, I prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered and everything is ready. 00:31:56.199 --> 00:31:57.439 Come to the wedding feast. 00:31:57.440 --> 00:31:59.259 But they paid no attention. 00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:04.740 They went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized the servants, treated them shamefully and killed them. 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:11.580 The king was angry and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:12.680 Then he said to his servants, 00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:15.960 The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 00:32:16.500 --> 00:32:22.220 Go, go, therefore, to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find. 00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:27.360 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. 00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:29.620 So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:32.660 That's a beautiful story, right? 00:32:33.120 --> 00:32:34.319 There's this wedding feast that's coming. 00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.240 This wedding feast is coming. 00:32:36.460 --> 00:32:38.079 The people that were invited are just too busy. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:39.940 They've got too many things to tend to. 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:41.140 So they don't come. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:41.819 And the king's just like, 00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:44.240 Do they not realize what this wedding feast is going to be? 00:32:44.380 --> 00:32:46.720 This wedding feast will end all wedding feasts. 00:32:49.100 --> 00:32:50.059 And yet they're not coming. 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:50.480 You know what? 00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:51.220 Go. 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:51.259 Go. 00:32:51.640 --> 00:32:52.720 Invite everyone. 00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:53.759 Invite anyone. 00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:58.299 Ephesians 2 talks about Jesus going to preach peace to those who are really far off. 00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:01.759 Think of the person right now in your mind who needs Jesus the most. 00:33:02.539 --> 00:33:05.700 Who is just going through so many struggles. 00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:08.019 Who's the furthest off away from Christ. 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:11.140 God is inviting that person to come to this wedding feast. 00:33:12.860 --> 00:33:14.600 Now we, thankfully, have been invited. 00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:18.600 And I may be preaching to the choir here, 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:21.419 but here are the people who have responded to the call. 00:33:21.959 --> 00:33:23.399 You're like, oh, God has invited me. 00:33:23.679 --> 00:33:24.480 I'm so grateful. 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:25.299 I'm here. 00:33:26.919 --> 00:33:27.839 But here's the problem. 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:28.899 If you carry on. 00:33:29.219 --> 00:33:30.480 Chapter 22, verse 11. 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:34.500 But when the king came in and looked at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 00:33:34.740 --> 00:33:37.839 And he said to him, friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? 00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:38.940 And he was speechless. 00:33:38.940 --> 00:33:44.920 And the king said to the attendants, bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. 00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:46.980 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:49.920 For many are called and few are chosen. 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:52.759 We may be invited, but are we ready? 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:57.400 There's everyone that is invited outside, but there are people who are refusing to come in. 00:33:57.460 --> 00:34:00.640 We must go back to them and just remind them just what is coming. 00:34:01.120 --> 00:34:05.700 And then for those of us who are here, we just have to ask ourselves, are we ready? 00:34:05.700 --> 00:34:09.539 You see, those people maybe didn't realize what this was. 00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:16.179 But actually, in that day, when you're invited to a wedding, you have to put on the appropriate garments to go to this wedding. 00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:21.199 In fact, in the UK, when we go to weddings, I would say that we are fairly well dressed. 00:34:21.780 --> 00:34:25.000 I mean, even Francis, when we used to go to weddings, would actually put on a suit. 00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:26.400 That's the only time you'd ever put on a suit. 00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:27.880 But it would look nice. 00:34:28.460 --> 00:34:34.699 It's only in Hong Kong, actually, I found there's a culture where people can just turn up to weddings in like sneakers and jeans 00:34:34.699 --> 00:34:36.599 and just fascinating for me. 00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:42.319 Are we turning up to a wedding and not really being ready? 00:34:43.539 --> 00:34:44.559 There are people outside. 00:34:44.839 --> 00:34:47.159 My heart is there are people inside who aren't ready. 00:34:47.339 --> 00:34:50.480 And when the king comes, we're not wearing the right stuff. 00:34:52.099 --> 00:34:53.139 And it doesn't end well. 00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:55.759 But here's the thing. 00:34:55.839 --> 00:34:56.359 There is hope. 00:34:56.879 --> 00:34:57.719 That's why we scatter. 00:34:57.819 --> 00:34:59.039 That's why we have to keep moving. 00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:02.379 Because there are people who need to hear this message. 00:35:02.919 --> 00:35:04.439 There are people who need to be invited in. 00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:08.079 There are people in you who are in who need to be told, hey, you need to get yourself ready. 00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:09.840 You're not ready. 00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:11.980 You're completely, you don't have a clue what this is about. 00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:14.139 And when the king comes, it's not going to end well for you. 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.659 There is a new Jerusalem coming. 00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:25.800 That wall of hostility that Paul talks about in Ephesians 2, that's been broken by Jesus. 00:35:25.800 --> 00:35:30.840 And he comes and preached peace to those who are near and to those who are far. 00:35:32.240 --> 00:35:35.920 And he himself is the cornerstone of this house. 00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:39.660 Ephesians 2 finishes with this beautiful thing that I'll read to you. 00:35:39.700 --> 00:35:40.420 You don't have to find. 00:35:40.420 --> 00:35:55.240 And he came and preached peace to you who are far off and peace to those who are near. 00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:57.920 For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. 00:35:58.280 --> 00:36:03.180 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God. 00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:08.099 In whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple. 00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:14.000 Verse 22 finishes, in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 00:36:14.279 --> 00:36:18.960 We are being built together so that we are a dwelling place for God by his Spirit. 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.039 Do we recognize that? 00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:22.019 Do we understand that? 00:36:22.099 --> 00:36:22.819 Do we own that? 00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:28.299 Do we commit to being like Jesus and looking like him and acting like him? 00:36:28.299 --> 00:36:31.879 Because if we do, we would do as he did and go. 00:36:31.880 --> 00:36:39.099 He left his throne in heaven, emptied himself to reach us, those who are the furthest away. 00:36:40.860 --> 00:36:41.920 That's why we scatter. 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:44.660 Because of the original commission. 00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:48.539 Because of the great commission to make disciples. 00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:51.059 And because of where we're heading together. 00:36:51.180 --> 00:36:55.019 This new Jerusalem, this wedding feast, this banquet that everyone deserves to know about. 00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:59.039 I hope you remember that as you go back to work tomorrow. 00:37:00.099 --> 00:37:01.539 That that's what you're supposed to do. 00:37:02.780 --> 00:37:05.599 We're going to finish off now by bringing some other people up to share a little bit. 00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:09.980 Because as we scatter, the next question is, oh, well, where do we scatter to? 00:37:10.240 --> 00:37:11.700 Number one, you have your workplace. 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:13.280 You have your sphere. 00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.380 You go to that. 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:18.880 The job that you have now, whether you like it or not. 00:37:19.300 --> 00:37:22.039 The people that you know right now, your friends, your circle. 00:37:22.599 --> 00:37:24.840 God sent you there to be his light. 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:35.240 So the goal for you is to look like him, speak like him, act like him, love like him in that sphere that you have influence over. 00:37:36.160 --> 00:37:37.380 What about us as a gathering? 00:37:37.660 --> 00:37:38.579 Like as a whole? 00:37:39.019 --> 00:37:39.740 What do we do? 00:37:39.940 --> 00:37:42.980 And there's really two areas that I want to just bring up briefly. 00:37:42.980 --> 00:37:47.000 I want to ask Gabs and Aaron to come up separately. 00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:48.599 Maybe I'll start with Gabs first. 00:37:50.340 --> 00:37:54.340 One part of our mission statement is actually for the fringe. 00:37:54.340 --> 00:37:57.760 Those who are on the outside of society. 00:37:58.180 --> 00:37:59.620 Those who are unreached. 00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:02.940 Just like how Jesus reached us because we are far off. 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:08.240 There are people in our city right now who are really far away from that. 00:38:08.680 --> 00:38:15.000 And Gabs and Alex and Shem and a few other people, you guys have been participating in a prison ministry. 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:17.960 And that's been good that you go on a Saturday morning. 00:38:18.059 --> 00:38:20.000 Tell us what that's about and what do you do there? 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:31.380 Yeah, so I had the opportunity to partner with Gunsang Association and go to the Lai Chi Kok Prison Holden Center. 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:34.539 So it's with the people who are yet to be tried. 00:38:34.820 --> 00:38:37.400 Also, they're still waiting on their trial to see where they'll be going. 00:38:37.800 --> 00:38:38.380 They'll be sentenced. 00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:48.539 So I was asked a couple weeks ago in my small group, like, which facet of Jesus really stands out to me or that I really resonate with. 00:38:48.539 --> 00:38:55.300 And I always thought about, you know, when Jesus begins his ministry and it says in Luke 4 that, you know, the spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me. 00:38:56.340 --> 00:39:01.420 And there's a specific line where it says to set the captives free and to preach freedom to the oppressed. 00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:05.460 So that was always a part that really kind of emphasized in my heart. 00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:12.679 So when I heard the opportunity to go to this prison holdings center, I was like, yeah, like, God, I want to go and do that. 00:39:12.759 --> 00:39:14.360 I feel like that's going to be an opportunity to do that. 00:39:14.360 --> 00:39:25.840 So I went into this experience kind of thinking what I could do, like thinking like, oh, I'm going to have so many opportunities of like saying some preaching hope and like giving these guys some hope. 00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:31.740 And it was really fascinating because when we got into this, it was a really, really simple setting. 00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:35.420 So it was in the place where they have food, like meals. 00:39:35.700 --> 00:39:39.860 And it was just a bunch of plastic tables and plastic benches. 00:39:40.519 --> 00:39:43.180 And there were eight of the inmates there. 00:39:43.260 --> 00:39:44.480 And there were four of our team. 00:39:44.680 --> 00:39:49.420 So it was myself and Alex Lee and then two people from Community Church who we partnered with. 00:39:50.340 --> 00:39:52.360 So really small group, only 12 of us. 00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:59.920 And there was a funny story about even how we planned that session and all of the things that we had to do because there was no planning, kind of. 00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:03.260 So on the day, one of the guys were like, so who's doing the sharing? 00:40:03.400 --> 00:40:04.380 Oh, I guess I'll do the sharing. 00:40:04.500 --> 00:40:09.380 And he had the notes that he was going to be sharing for the short encouragement on a receipt. 00:40:09.659 --> 00:40:11.019 So he had written it onto a receipt. 00:40:12.300 --> 00:40:13.900 And then he was like, OK, what songs are we doing? 00:40:14.240 --> 00:40:14.680 Oh, we don't know. 00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:19.279 OK, so we went into the room and there was a songbook and we picked the songs while we were there. 00:40:19.379 --> 00:40:20.779 We're like, OK, let's just do these four songs. 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:22.000 Does anybody play an instrument? 00:40:22.359 --> 00:40:22.579 No. 00:40:22.639 --> 00:40:23.899 I was like, I play cajon. 00:40:24.739 --> 00:40:25.980 And they're like, does anybody play guitar? 00:40:26.139 --> 00:40:26.359 No. 00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:27.539 I'll just do cajon. 00:40:27.719 --> 00:40:30.859 So we literally did all of these songs with just a beat. 00:40:32.319 --> 00:40:37.639 And so it was this really, really simple sort of approach to this mini service. 00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:40.639 But honestly, guys, it was actually amazing. 00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:46.000 I think the first thing we noticed, the guys were already in the room when we got there because we were a bit late. 00:40:46.739 --> 00:40:49.059 They were all smiling as we walked in. 00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:50.619 They were ready to receive us. 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:52.079 They were like, oh, it's the group. 00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:52.639 Yeah, they're here. 00:40:52.859 --> 00:40:53.900 They were all so happy. 00:40:54.219 --> 00:40:58.079 We, one by one, each of them came up to all of us and shook our hands and looked us in the eyes. 00:40:58.699 --> 00:40:59.420 They were just shaking their hands. 00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:00.799 They're like, yeah, so good to see you. 00:41:00.819 --> 00:41:01.440 So good to meet you. 00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:02.199 So good to meet you. 00:41:02.679 --> 00:41:03.799 So already I was taken aback. 00:41:03.859 --> 00:41:05.519 I was like, oh, I thought I was going to be doing this. 00:41:05.859 --> 00:41:06.619 These guys are ready. 00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:10.039 Turns out a bit of context about that group. 00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:12.559 Everyone who's there have chosen to be there. 00:41:12.759 --> 00:41:21.800 So they have this free time and they can choose to either go and play basketball or go and sit somewhere or they can come and join this sort of Christian service. 00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:24.619 So all of the guys there had chosen to be there. 00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:27.340 Some of them already Christian, some of them not. 00:41:27.900 --> 00:41:32.179 There was one guy who's Hindu and he decided to come because he wants to learn and he's open. 00:41:32.179 --> 00:41:39.219 So we had this small, really humble gathering and service with a few songs. 00:41:39.639 --> 00:41:48.139 And even just as we started singing with just the cajon beat, there was such a freedom in their hearts and in their just desire to sing out. 00:41:48.219 --> 00:41:49.279 And we were singing worship songs. 00:41:49.759 --> 00:41:52.339 We even had some of the guys ask for songs that we could sing. 00:41:52.399 --> 00:41:53.259 They're like, oh, can we do Hosanna? 00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:53.300 Hosanna. 00:41:53.580 --> 00:41:54.820 I really like the song Hosanna. 00:41:55.540 --> 00:41:57.740 So then we were just like, OK, I think I know that one. 00:41:57.820 --> 00:41:58.740 And I just played a beat. 00:42:00.100 --> 00:42:01.340 And then we sung Hosanna. 00:42:01.720 --> 00:42:03.520 And it sounded weird, but it was so good. 00:42:03.660 --> 00:42:04.380 It was so good. 00:42:04.520 --> 00:42:05.200 Can you play it for a song? 00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:05.740 Oh, yeah, yeah. 00:42:05.760 --> 00:42:06.180 On the cajon? 00:42:06.580 --> 00:42:07.160 Yeah, sure. 00:42:07.240 --> 00:42:07.820 I can play on the cajon. 00:42:07.820 --> 00:42:11.680 But just everything about that experience was so amazing. 00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:13.559 And then we had someone who gave a short sharing. 00:42:14.059 --> 00:42:18.640 And it was about blind Bartimaeus asking Jesus to see. 00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:20.400 And Jesus asks him that question. 00:42:20.460 --> 00:42:21.360 He's like, what do you need? 00:42:22.940 --> 00:42:25.420 So actually, in our discussion, we had a bit of a discussion time. 00:42:25.519 --> 00:42:27.840 We asked the guys, what is it that you need right now? 00:42:27.860 --> 00:42:31.400 And that could easily go to their current situation. 00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:32.080 I want to be free. 00:42:32.160 --> 00:42:33.420 I want to be out of my situation. 00:42:33.500 --> 00:42:34.400 I don't want to be here. 00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:40.119 But the guys I happened to be speaking with, one of them said to me, I want Jesus to change my heart. 00:42:40.740 --> 00:42:42.160 I want my heart to be changed. 00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:44.200 I don't want to leave if my heart isn't changed. 00:42:45.099 --> 00:42:46.119 And that gave me chills. 00:42:46.380 --> 00:42:47.220 That actually gave me chills. 00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:52.200 And as we were leaving, we had this amazing experience with them. 00:42:52.579 --> 00:42:57.079 And it was weird because we only were with them for an hour, less than an hour, 45 minutes. 00:42:57.180 --> 00:42:59.139 And by the end of it, we were all hugging each other. 00:42:59.340 --> 00:43:02.059 One by one, we were just like full embrace hugs. 00:43:02.059 --> 00:43:05.980 And I felt so impacted. 00:43:06.460 --> 00:43:08.860 Like truly, I went into that thinking, oh God, mission. 00:43:09.179 --> 00:43:09.980 I'm going to do something. 00:43:10.059 --> 00:43:12.259 I'm going to preach freedom and hope. 00:43:12.940 --> 00:43:17.159 But I think I received just as much, if not more, than those guys in that room. 00:43:17.759 --> 00:43:19.699 So yeah, amazing experience. 00:43:20.199 --> 00:43:20.559 Thank you. 00:43:20.860 --> 00:43:21.360 A round of applause. 00:43:21.360 --> 00:43:26.420 I'll tell you this. 00:43:26.539 --> 00:43:29.820 They may not know it, but there's people in the world outside who are just so hungry. 00:43:30.780 --> 00:43:31.640 They're just so desperate. 00:43:32.280 --> 00:43:35.280 For someone to smile at them, to love them, to give time. 00:43:36.079 --> 00:43:38.079 There's an author reading recently. 00:43:38.160 --> 00:43:42.059 He said, actually, the main way to show love is just attentiveness. 00:43:43.140 --> 00:43:44.460 Just give them their attention. 00:43:45.140 --> 00:43:45.960 Your attention, sorry. 00:43:46.340 --> 00:43:47.920 And just show them that you love them. 00:43:48.139 --> 00:43:50.179 That's huge. 00:43:50.740 --> 00:43:51.940 And so that's one of examples. 00:43:52.300 --> 00:43:54.440 We've got tons of charities that, of course, we're a part of. 00:43:54.740 --> 00:43:57.659 And Joe and Shoma and Gabe went to Rwanda recently. 00:43:57.760 --> 00:43:58.840 And, of course, there's Young Life as well. 00:43:59.440 --> 00:44:00.720 There are so many people out there. 00:44:01.480 --> 00:44:04.260 If you're sad, they go, oh, but I don't really know what to do. 00:44:05.579 --> 00:44:07.539 There are people here that you can ask. 00:44:07.980 --> 00:44:08.840 How can I help? 00:44:09.260 --> 00:44:11.820 Please don't leave here and go, oh, I don't really know what I should be doing. 00:44:11.900 --> 00:44:12.420 And then leave. 00:44:12.619 --> 00:44:13.480 And then go and have lunch. 00:44:13.480 --> 00:44:15.000 That doesn't solve your problem. 00:44:15.800 --> 00:44:17.960 You won't get the answer if you're not asking the question. 00:44:18.920 --> 00:44:20.880 So please feel free to come and ask us. 00:44:21.300 --> 00:44:23.559 I was on HKU campus the other day. 00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:27.119 I was walking through and I was meeting a friend there and I saw all the students. 00:44:27.240 --> 00:44:29.179 And our campuses are back to being full again. 00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:29.820 Can I have a hat? 00:44:29.860 --> 00:44:30.119 Show of hand. 00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:31.260 Who's a university student here? 00:44:33.500 --> 00:44:33.860 Yes. 00:44:35.019 --> 00:44:37.440 Young, filled with life, future ahead of you. 00:44:37.960 --> 00:44:38.719 Full head of hair. 00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:39.460 Full head of hair. 00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:44.720 We love what you represent. 00:44:45.619 --> 00:44:48.460 We love what you represent because you are leaders of the next generation. 00:44:49.300 --> 00:44:50.579 You are leaders of the next generation. 00:44:51.420 --> 00:44:54.099 Society's problems will all be yours to deal with. 00:44:55.380 --> 00:44:58.820 But our goal is to how can we get behind you? 00:44:59.860 --> 00:45:01.159 How do we pour into you? 00:45:01.159 --> 00:45:11.679 How do we remind you of the truths of the gospel and the kingdom of heaven so you can live here on this earth in a way that sounds like Jesus, looks like Jesus, and acts like Jesus? 00:45:11.879 --> 00:45:13.539 And I want to bring up Aaron with you here. 00:45:13.779 --> 00:45:16.420 I'm going to ask him to sit on a stool because he's significantly taller than me. 00:45:17.859 --> 00:45:19.039 And you'll hear him speak. 00:45:19.619 --> 00:45:23.460 Aaron is the Young Life University director, along with Rebecca. 00:45:23.460 --> 00:45:24.460 How? 00:45:31.460 --> 00:45:32.480 Oh, my goodness. 00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:40.039 So Aaron and Rebecca and Sam and Bella, they spent 10 years in China teaching. 00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:42.280 Please ask them about their stories. 00:45:42.380 --> 00:45:42.860 It's just incredible. 00:45:42.860 --> 00:45:47.000 But then the Lord sent them back to Canada to pastor there for a few years. 00:45:47.099 --> 00:45:58.860 And then one of the very, very few people, the few families who then sense the Lord calling them to go back to Hong Kong and China, which is just so he emails us from Canada. 00:45:58.940 --> 00:46:01.800 He goes, hey, we feel the Lord's bringing us back to Hong Kong and China. 00:46:02.300 --> 00:46:03.039 And we're like, are you crazy? 00:46:03.400 --> 00:46:04.300 Like, no one does that. 00:46:04.599 --> 00:46:05.420 It's the wrong way around. 00:46:05.840 --> 00:46:06.940 And you guys just read CNN. 00:46:07.099 --> 00:46:09.400 So surely you don't want to come back this way. 00:46:09.559 --> 00:46:11.860 But he's like, this is where the Lord is asking us. 00:46:11.860 --> 00:46:14.920 So we had such privilege and honor in inviting him into the Young Life mission. 00:46:15.720 --> 00:46:21.140 He is dreaming and leading and strategizing for us what our university ministry looks like. 00:46:21.200 --> 00:46:25.079 So if you're a university student, please, can you ask Aaron, hey, how can we help? 00:46:25.240 --> 00:46:25.920 When are you on campus? 00:46:25.980 --> 00:46:27.340 Can we come and hang out with you? 00:46:27.860 --> 00:46:35.059 But I want him to share with you a little bit about his heart, about what he thinks the Lord is doing here amongst the leaders of the next generation. 00:46:37.599 --> 00:46:38.620 It's a big question. 00:46:38.619 --> 00:46:46.759 I'm just reflecting on, I was actually just with a group of about 10 City U professors last night having dinner. 00:46:47.079 --> 00:46:55.920 And they're all Christians, part of a Christian fellowship, sharing about the desperate need for hope on university campuses. 00:46:56.859 --> 00:47:05.259 They shared that in the last month, there's been four suicides in City U alone of students who just felt hopeless. 00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:07.120 They had nowhere to turn. 00:47:07.220 --> 00:47:08.540 They had no one to talk to. 00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:12.080 They had no one that they could share their problems with. 00:47:12.540 --> 00:47:16.160 And so the best solution for them was to end their life. 00:47:16.159 --> 00:47:21.739 And they sit in this room heavy because they said, how did we not know? 00:47:22.059 --> 00:47:23.219 Like, we're teaching them. 00:47:23.319 --> 00:47:24.500 We're in classrooms with them. 00:47:24.500 --> 00:47:31.679 We're preparing them for their professional lives, but we're not doing anything else. 00:47:32.619 --> 00:47:38.619 And so how can we actually create opportunity for these students to be in community and to be known? 00:47:38.619 --> 00:47:47.880 And I think working with Young Life, that is our heart, that we're creating community on university campuses for students to be known. 00:47:48.440 --> 00:47:56.739 To be known by people so they have those people they can text and they can come to when they're having issues, when they don't know the questions of life. 00:47:56.859 --> 00:48:00.359 And we may not know the answers either, but at least we can talk about it. 00:48:00.579 --> 00:48:03.839 But then ultimately that these students would be known by God. 00:48:03.840 --> 00:48:06.019 And so how do we do that? 00:48:06.160 --> 00:48:11.539 I've just started working in July, and so we're in the midst of trying to figure that out. 00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:19.920 But in the last three or four months, we've had incredible opportunities and open doors of people saying, we need to figure this out. 00:48:20.039 --> 00:48:28.360 Again, presidents of universities saying, we don't know how to do this, but we need to figure it out because it is a big need. 00:48:28.360 --> 00:48:35.360 And so we're looking to disciple and empower Christian students who are on campus, who can reach their friends. 00:48:35.559 --> 00:48:42.440 We're looking for professionals to come in and work alongside of us, to partner with students, to mentor with students, to love on students. 00:48:43.960 --> 00:48:48.160 We're looking for people who are just willing to be in relationship. 00:48:48.559 --> 00:48:52.099 I say I think I have the best job in the world because I'm paid to build relationship. 00:48:52.099 --> 00:48:56.319 I'm paid to have coffees and have lunches and be there with students. 00:48:56.519 --> 00:49:05.319 And we're looking for people to come alongside of us and do that as well, to give hope to people who truly, they feel like they have no hope. 00:49:06.940 --> 00:49:08.259 They feel like they have no hope. 00:49:08.679 --> 00:49:09.779 And how sad is that? 00:49:10.480 --> 00:49:12.179 And so that's what we get to do. 00:49:12.179 --> 00:49:17.719 And so if you want to be a part of that, I'm currently the only one focusing on it in our office. 00:49:17.819 --> 00:49:22.039 And we have how many universities and over 92,000 students in the city. 00:49:22.159 --> 00:49:23.239 And so I need help. 00:49:24.019 --> 00:49:24.940 I need people. 00:49:25.319 --> 00:49:26.460 So come and talk to me. 00:49:26.539 --> 00:49:27.460 I'd love to work with you. 00:49:28.159 --> 00:49:28.639 Thank you. 00:49:28.739 --> 00:49:29.539 Round of applause for Aaron. 00:49:35.219 --> 00:49:37.599 If you're asked, oh, what is this gathering thing? 00:49:38.899 --> 00:49:40.919 It's people who want to know and enjoy Jesus. 00:49:42.179 --> 00:49:47.460 It's people who want to be trying to live out what it means to be a spiritual family. 00:49:48.419 --> 00:49:52.980 Who at any one moment notice, we can ask, who's your three? 00:49:54.039 --> 00:49:56.319 Who's your three that you will know? 00:49:58.299 --> 00:49:59.539 And then that we scatter. 00:50:00.359 --> 00:50:03.879 May we be known to be a gathering that doesn't have that many comfy seats. 00:50:05.519 --> 00:50:11.440 May we be known as a gathering that is just adamant on reaching the unreached.