WEBVTT

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 Hebrews is a really difficult book and it has a lot, it's one of those books of the Bible that you come to and you start to read it

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 and it actually has a lot of assumed knowledge which lies behind it.

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 So it's written to an audience which has been raised under the law of Moses and its regulations, culturally raised as Jews.

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 So the law defined their life, they circumcised their boys, they lived under the Ten Commandments,

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 they knew that God called them to love their neighbours as themselves,

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 they didn't eat things like prawn cutlets and pork buns.

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 Who had pork buns after church last Sunday night?

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 Yeah, one or two.

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 So they couldn't have lived in Chatswood.

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 They didn't work on Saturdays, they didn't wear nylon or lycra because that was their culture,

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 that was how God taught them to live their lives as his holy, as his different, as his set apart people.

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 And that's not where most of us come from.

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 I know that in our group some people have found Hebrews tedious and a struggle,

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 certainly not the Wednesday nighters because you've been doing Tulip with John Piper,

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 but in the group, some of the groups have been finding it hard,

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 others of the groups have been rejoicing it and I've been rejoicing it for myself as well.

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 But Hebrews is of high value because it forces us to see how Christ fulfils all that the Old Testament doesn't.

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 So Hebrews paints a picture, a startling picture of how Christ fulfils the Old Testament and doesn't abolish it.

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 So if you remember the words of Jesus,

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 do not think that I came to abolish the law and the prophets, I have come to fulfil them,

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 he said in the Sermon on the Mount.

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 So this passage which I'm preaching tonight begins with these words.

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 So if you've got your Bibles, have them open, Hebrews chapter 10 and I'm reading from verse 19.

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 So he opens with these words and he's actually connecting with the words which go immediately before,

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 but it's even bigger than that because he's connecting with everything that has happened in this book before

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 and he's come to a change point.

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 There's a point here that really matters in the things that he wants to say

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 and he wants to build his argument on what has already happened in Jesus.

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 So the Old Testament system of worship was a model

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 or you might even say it was an early prototype of a far greater reality.

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 The law, the priests, the high priests, the temple of Solomon with its most holy place

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 were a kind of virtual reality.

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 They gave the people a glimpse, see it's ancient technology,

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 but it gave the people a glimpse of something that was real

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 but it didn't give them the reality itself.

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 Now it's a big problem if you confuse what is real with what it isn't

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 and the Jews did that.

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 They got wrapped up in the bricks and mortar of the temple

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 and this impressive building and they failed to see beyond it

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 to the reality that it was pointing to.

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 Show my age.

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 My parents got their first TV when I was born.

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 If they had one before I was born, they might never have been born, might they?

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 But I grew up watching the Flintstones and the Jetsons

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 and the ABC News in black and white.

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 The TV man came regularly to replace the burnt out valves.

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 You don't even know what a valve is in a television, do you?

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 Do you know what a valve was?

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 It's the ancient transistor.

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 And in your television set you might have 20 valves.

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 Well now in your computer you've got a billion transistors

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 built into that tiny little chip.

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 So these valves were like globes up in the ceiling.

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 You'd pull one out and throw it away every so often.

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 You'd get the repairman in to fix your TV.

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 So I was in year 12 in 1975 when colour television came in.

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 I think we were able to watch the sacking of the Whitlam government

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 in glorious colour.

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 We haven't got 3D TV yet.

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 I'm still working on it.

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 Not really.

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 But if we had one the other night

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 I'm sure it would have made me feel like I was there

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 watching Tomek play at Wimbledon.

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 But I wasn't.

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 Television's a virtual world.

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 Isn't the real thing.

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 And I can tell you I would rather have tickets

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 sitting courtside with the princess

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 than watching in the lounge room at home.

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 So when the preacher says, verse 19,

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 therefore brothers and sisters,

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 since we have confidence to enter the most holy place

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 by the blood of Jesus,

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 by a new and living way open for us through the curtain,

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 that is, his body,

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 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

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 he's summarising.

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 And he's summarising everything that's gone before

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 and he's saying that the model is now obsolete

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 because we have the reality.

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 Because of Jesus,

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 we are now sitting courtside at Wimbledon.

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 Brian and Deb in their messages last week

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 said some great things about the passage that went before.

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 They said that the Old Testament system of worship

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 could take people so far but no further.

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 And the temple was a great example.

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 The nations could come into the outer courts.

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 The Jews could come a bit closer to the centre.

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 The priests could come a bit closer again

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 as they offered their bloodied sacrifices

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 and the place looked like an abattoir

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 with all the blood that was being shed.

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 But the most holy place

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 at the very centre of the temple,

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 behind the curtain,

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 was off limits to everyone

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 with the exception of the high priest

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 and he could go there only once a year

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 if he made special preparation.

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 And he died if he got it wrong.

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 And so the model

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 taught the people

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 that it was a big deal

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 to come into the presence of God.

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 It needed big perfection,

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 it needed big sacrifice.

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 And no one was just safe

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 to stroll into God's presence.

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 Like, how are you going, mate?

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 God's my mate, God's my friend.

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 You just couldn't do that.

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 And even if we tried,

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 we would be unable

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 because we can't get ourselves

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 into heaven.

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 And so the model creates a picture

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 that shows us the real world dilemma.

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 We are cut off from a holy God

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 who dwells in heaven

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 and we are unable to find our way

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 into his presence.

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 And it's like Christ has stormed

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 onto the centre court at Wimbledon

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 and taken us with him.

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 Christ, this is chapter 9, verse 24,

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 Christ did not enter

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 a man-made sanctuary

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 that was only a copy

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 of the true one.

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 He entered heaven itself

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 now to appear for us

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 in God's presence.

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 And so in chapter 10, verse 19,

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 and I've twisted the word slightly,

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 but I hope you see

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 that it's a true translation.

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 Therefore we have,

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 or it's true to the meaning,

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 therefore we have confidence

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 to enter heaven itself

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 by the blood of Jesus,

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 a new and living way

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 which has been opened

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 through his body.

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 So the old system's kaput.

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 Why would you sit in the,

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 can you imagine sitting

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 in the stands at Wimbledon

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 and you've got your TV

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 so that you can watch the match

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 when you're really at the match?

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 Wouldn't that be stupid?

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 Why would you go back

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 to animal sacrifices

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 in a fancy temple complex

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 when Christ has been sacrificed

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 once for all,

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 never to die again

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 and guaranteed a way

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 into the presence of God forever?

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 Never.

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 Ridiculous.

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 So Christ has changed the game

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 and the rubber hits the road for us

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 and you see that in verses 22 to 25.

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 He goes from talking about

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 what Christ has done

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 to talking about

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 what we're asked to do.

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 So let us draw near to God

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 with a sincere heart

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 in full assurance of faith,

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 having our hearts sprinkled

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 to cleanse us

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 from a guilty conscience

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 and having our bodies

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 washed with pure water.

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 And let us hold unswervingly

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 to the hope that we profess

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 for he who promised is faithful.

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 And let us consider

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 how we may spur one another

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 on towards love and good deeds.

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 Let us not give up meeting together

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 as some are in the habit of doing,

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 but let us encourage one another

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 and all the more

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 as you see the day approaching.

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 So he turns the spotlight onto us

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 and not just you individually

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 sitting in a pew tonight,

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 maybe with friends around you.

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 But he's speaking to us

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 as a group of people,

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 as the body of Christ,

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 those who have come to believe

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 in the Lord Jesus Christ

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 and who cling to him.

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 And five times he says to us

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 as a body,

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 let us.

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 verse 22,

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 let us draw near to God.

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 Come to God.

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 I don't know what's going on

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 in your heart tonight.

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 I love the invitational language

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 of the scriptures

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 where God draws us to himself.

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 One of the temptations we face

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 when gripped by sin

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 is to get into it.

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 You know,

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 you ever feel like

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 you're fighting a war

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 which will never be won

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 over and over and over again

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 and we can become

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 almost depressed

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 and down in the mouth

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 and we can throw our hands

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 in the air

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 and we can say,

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 what's the use?

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 And we pull away from God

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 and we think things like,

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 oh, he wouldn't want to know me,

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 I'm too bad for him.

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 And we do what Adam did

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 at the very beginning

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 of the Bible

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 when he sinned.

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 He hid from God.

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 God came looking for him

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 and he was afraid.

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 And he and Eve,

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 when they sinned,

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 became aware of their,

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 they were naked before God

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 before they sinned

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 and no shame.

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 And after sinning,

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 one of the awarenesses they had

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 was of their own nakedness

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 and they tried to deal with it

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 by putting a few fig leaves together.

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 Terribly effective.

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 But deep down,

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 we know that we are unworthy

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 and in our pride

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 and in our fear,

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 we run from God.

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 And the Bible says

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 things have changed.

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 Christ has made us worthy.

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 We can confidently stand

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 in God's presence

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 without shame,

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 clean,

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 washed,

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 pure.

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 And it does not matter

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 where we have been

00:11:19.820 --> 00:11:20.639
 in our lives

00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.080
 before we have come to him.

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 He is able to deal with it.

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 And all our sinful failure,

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 hate,

00:11:31.359 --> 00:11:31.719
 murder,

00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:33.599
 pride,

00:11:34.599 --> 00:11:35.459
 sexual sin,

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 malicious talking,

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 all swept away

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 by the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Christ.

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 And so there is this

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 extraordinary invitation,

00:11:46.680 --> 00:11:48.120
 we can run to Christ.

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 And we don't have to

00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:51.500
 fake it with him,

00:11:51.580 --> 00:11:51.980
 we don't,

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 we can speak honestly

00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:54.920
 to him without pretense,

00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:56.460
 we don't have to be somebody

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 to be in his presence.

00:11:58.600 --> 00:11:59.539
 A sincere heart,

00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:00.379
 something which just

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 tells the truth,

00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:01.560
 God,

00:12:01.659 --> 00:12:02.720
 you know what I am like.

00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:05.540
 You know me,

00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:07.060
 you know my thoughts,

00:12:08.040 --> 00:12:09.660
 you know what I have done,

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:11.300
 you know what I struggle with,

00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:12.720
 you know my insecurities,

00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:14.100
 you know my fears.

00:12:16.019 --> 00:12:17.340
 Please forgive me,

00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:18.580
 please help me.

00:12:21.060 --> 00:12:22.660
 And as we do that,

00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:24.480
 the gospel reminds us

00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:26.340
 that our consciences

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 are made clean

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 again

00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:30.379
 as we put our hope

00:12:30.379 --> 00:12:31.160
 in Christ.

00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:34.019
 He lifts that

00:12:34.019 --> 00:12:35.040
 terrible burden

00:12:35.040 --> 00:12:35.580
 of guilt

00:12:35.580 --> 00:12:36.540
 and accusation

00:12:36.540 --> 00:12:37.019
 from us,

00:12:37.100 --> 00:12:37.920
 God sets us

00:12:37.920 --> 00:12:38.660
 truly free.

00:12:41.920 --> 00:12:43.100
 So Hebrews says,

00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:45.160
 draw near,

00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:47.160
 don't flee.

00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:50.240
 Stand fully secure

00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:51.259
 in what Christ

00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:51.940
 has done.

00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:57.500
 And then in verse 23,

00:12:58.680 --> 00:12:59.980
 second let us,

00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:03.440
 let us hold unswervingly

00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:04.019
 to the hope

00:13:04.019 --> 00:13:04.879
 that we profess.

00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:07.220
 Now this is like,

00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:08.480
 let's hang on

00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:09.279
 for the ride.

00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:11.399
 And I got this picture

00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:11.899
 in my mind

00:13:11.899 --> 00:13:12.360
 of one of those

00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:13.639
 dirty big roller coasters.

00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.139
 They used to have

00:13:14.139 --> 00:13:15.720
 a great big wooden one

00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:16.360
 at Luna Park

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:16.800
 in Sydney.

00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:19.100
 And we would ride it

00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:19.720
 round and round

00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:20.480
 and round and round

00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:20.759
 again.

00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:21.220
 But you know,

00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:21.920
 the first click,

00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:22.100
 click,

00:13:22.180 --> 00:13:22.320
 click,

00:13:22.420 --> 00:13:22.560
 click,

00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:22.820
 click,

00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:23.039
 click,

00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:23.240
 click,

00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:23.480
 click,

00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:23.740
 click,

00:13:23.740 --> 00:13:23.920
 click,

00:13:23.920 --> 00:13:24.200
 click,

00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:24.399
 click,

00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.060
 she came to the top

00:13:25.060 --> 00:13:25.700
 of the big hill

00:13:25.700 --> 00:13:27.360
 and it began to roll

00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:28.039
 over the top

00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:29.300
 and then the downward ride.

00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:30.759
 The really bold ones

00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:31.419
 throw their hands

00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:31.939
 in the air.

00:13:32.379 --> 00:13:33.099
 The rest of us,

00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:34.039
 mere mortals like me,

00:13:34.099 --> 00:13:34.759
 we just hang on

00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:35.199
 to the bar

00:13:35.199 --> 00:13:36.259
 for grim life,

00:13:36.459 --> 00:13:36.939
 grim death.

00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:38.919
 I saw one in the paper

00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:39.439
 the other day

00:13:39.439 --> 00:13:40.039
 that would be interesting

00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:40.939
 to try out.

00:13:40.979 --> 00:13:41.979
 It's a new one in Japan

00:13:41.979 --> 00:13:43.159
 and it literally

00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:44.099
 goes up the big hill.

00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:45.179
 I saw a picture of it

00:13:45.179 --> 00:13:46.679
 and not only goes down,

00:13:46.740 --> 00:13:47.620
 it goes under

00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:49.000
 and down at an angle.

00:13:49.099 --> 00:13:49.559
 I need to draw it

00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:49.939
 the right way.

00:13:49.939 --> 00:13:51.059
 It does that.

00:13:51.819 --> 00:13:52.500
 It goes backward,

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.179
 upside down

00:13:53.179 --> 00:13:53.859
 on the first hill.

00:13:53.979 --> 00:13:55.039
 Sounds really exciting.

00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:57.099
 But white knuckle ride.

00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:59.080
 And so he's saying

00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:00.200
 the admonition

00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:01.420
 is to cling to the hope

00:14:01.420 --> 00:14:02.279
 that we have in Christ.

00:14:02.420 --> 00:14:03.700
 Let us hold unswervingly

00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:04.159
 to the hope

00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:04.920
 that we profess.

00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:06.300
 Don't let go.

00:14:08.659 --> 00:14:09.519
 And he's writing

00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.100
 to believers

00:14:10.100 --> 00:14:11.159
 who are doing it tough.

00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:12.700
 He knows their circumstances.

00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:15.139
 Verse 32,

00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:16.500
 remember those earlier days

00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.320
 after you received

00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:17.740
 the light

00:14:17.740 --> 00:14:18.740
 when you stood your ground

00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:19.840
 in a great contest

00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:21.040
 in the face of suffering?

00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:23.779
 Sometimes you were publicly

00:14:23.779 --> 00:14:25.639
 exposed to insult

00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.519
 and persecution

00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:27.319
 and other times

00:14:27.319 --> 00:14:28.600
 you stood side by side

00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:29.039
 with those

00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:29.879
 who were so treated.

00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:32.279
 So these believers,

00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:33.620
 they'd made a great beginning,

00:14:33.740 --> 00:14:34.720
 a courageous beginning

00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.360
 and he knows

00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:35.819
 that they've had

00:14:35.819 --> 00:14:37.240
 a really difficult journey.

00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:39.340
 So verse 33,

00:14:39.500 --> 00:14:40.539
 public exposure

00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:41.199
 to insult

00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:42.019
 and persecution.

00:14:43.460 --> 00:14:44.319
 Verse 34,

00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:45.319
 joyfully accepted

00:14:45.319 --> 00:14:46.199
 the confiscation

00:14:46.199 --> 00:14:46.659
 of their property.

00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:47.659
 Can you imagine that?

00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:48.740
 Can you imagine

00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:49.399
 your mum or dad

00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:50.259
 losing your house

00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:50.960
 in Chatswood

00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:51.679
 or roundabout

00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:53.000
 because of their faith

00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:54.139
 in the Lord Jesus Christ

00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:55.340
 having taken it from them

00:14:55.340 --> 00:14:56.000
 being left

00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:56.920
 with all the insecurity

00:14:56.920 --> 00:14:57.920
 that flows from that?

00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:02.440
 I read the other day

00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:02.980
 about Christians

00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:04.180
 in some parts of Syria

00:15:04.180 --> 00:15:05.040
 right at the moment

00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:06.860
 doing it really tough.

00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:07.740
 They're trying to live

00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:09.399
 as godly citizens

00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:10.040
 in the towns

00:15:10.040 --> 00:15:10.899
 that they're living in.

00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:12.660
 They're trying to honour

00:15:12.660 --> 00:15:13.200
 their government

00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:13.960
 even though we look

00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:14.460
 at their government

00:15:14.460 --> 00:15:15.759
 and say what an appalling government

00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:18.540
 and the people in their town

00:15:18.540 --> 00:15:19.360
 who are dissatisfied

00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:20.139
 with their government.

00:15:20.280 --> 00:15:21.040
 Some of the people there

00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:21.960
 are saying join us,

00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:22.580
 rise up

00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:23.519
 or get out.

00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:26.240
 Join us

00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:26.920
 or get out.

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:27.820
 There's no place

00:15:27.820 --> 00:15:28.340
 for you here.

00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:32.220
 Some of us

00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:33.000
 who have come

00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:33.980
 to hope in Christ

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:34.800
 and this might be you

00:15:34.800 --> 00:15:35.480
 as a teenager

00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:36.360
 or a young adult,

00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:39.040
 you may have come

00:15:39.040 --> 00:15:39.780
 out of families

00:15:39.780 --> 00:15:40.800
 where he has not

00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:41.720
 been known before

00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:45.200
 and you may have

00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:46.019
 stepped outside

00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:47.120
 your family's rules

00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:47.820
 and values

00:15:47.820 --> 00:15:48.960
 in following Christ.

00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:51.700
 we've been ridiculed

00:15:51.700 --> 00:15:53.139
 and perhaps pitied

00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:53.900
 or despised

00:15:53.900 --> 00:15:54.860
 for what we believe.

00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:57.900
 Parents have a great way

00:15:57.900 --> 00:15:59.500
 of dropping a little word

00:15:59.500 --> 00:16:01.360
 and grinding the knife

00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:01.840
 a little bit,

00:16:01.920 --> 00:16:02.740
 twisting it a little bit

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:03.960
 to make us feel uncomfortable.

00:16:04.160 --> 00:16:04.600
 I can remember

00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:05.519
 going out to prayer meeting

00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:06.379
 on a Tuesday night

00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:07.519
 after I became a Christian.

00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:08.580
 I was 18 or 19

00:16:08.580 --> 00:16:10.639
 and my dad had a,

00:16:10.780 --> 00:16:11.580
 it was partly because

00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:12.259
 of my own weakness,

00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:13.259
 my dad had a way

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.180
 of humiliating me

00:16:14.180 --> 00:16:14.879
 because every week

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.740
 he'd say where are you going?

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:16.740
 He knew where I was going

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:18.980
 but he made me say it

00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:20.299
 at the prayer meeting.

00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:28.159
 Friends who like to remind us

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:28.860
 when we fail,

00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.320
 there is others of us

00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:32.180
 who perhaps miss out

00:16:32.180 --> 00:16:32.779
 on promotion

00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:33.759
 or perhaps opportunity

00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:34.279
 at work

00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:36.039
 because people know

00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:37.159
 what we stand for

00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:38.320
 and who we stand for

00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.299
 and perhaps we won't

00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:40.940
 be corrupted

00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:42.139
 or behave in some

00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:42.659
 of the ways

00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:43.720
 that they might applaud.

00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:45.940
 And I think there are

00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:46.500
 other days,

00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.620
 dark days which come

00:16:47.620 --> 00:16:48.580
 upon us for all sorts

00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:49.040
 of reasons

00:16:49.040 --> 00:16:50.259
 when we don't feel

00:16:50.259 --> 00:16:51.480
 like Christ is very near.

00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:54.480
 Holding on,

00:16:54.680 --> 00:16:55.680
 clinging to the hope

00:16:55.680 --> 00:16:56.639
 that we profess

00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:58.440
 is the same

00:16:58.440 --> 00:16:59.399
 as holding on

00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:00.040
 to the gospel

00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:02.060
 that we have been taught.

00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:04.960
 And it's like

00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:05.900
 don't lose heart,

00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:07.920
 don't shrink back,

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:10.299
 cling tenaciously

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:11.059
 to this hope

00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:11.860
 that we profess,

00:17:11.859 --> 00:17:13.519
 don't let go

00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:14.319
 of Christ

00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:14.959
 no matter

00:17:14.959 --> 00:17:16.000
 how tough

00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:16.819
 it is.

00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:19.799
 So the first

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.799
 two let us's

00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.519
 are about

00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.619
 clinging

00:17:22.619 --> 00:17:23.599
 to Christ.

00:17:26.399 --> 00:17:27.839
 The last three

00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:28.779
 are about

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.240
 clinging

00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:30.339
 to each other.

00:17:31.939 --> 00:17:32.919
 And they're about

00:17:32.919 --> 00:17:34.019
 the sort of relationships

00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:35.099
 that Christian believers

00:17:35.099 --> 00:17:36.139
 have with one another.

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:37.759
 So verse

00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:38.039
 30,

00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:38.559
 24,

00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.599
 let us consider

00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:41.419
 how we may

00:17:41.419 --> 00:17:42.399
 spur one another

00:17:42.399 --> 00:17:43.299
 on toward love

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:44.000
 and good deeds.

00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:46.059
 Verse 25,

00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:47.299
 let us not give up

00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:48.159
 meeting together.

00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:49.799
 Verse 25,

00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:51.379
 let us encourage

00:17:51.379 --> 00:17:52.079
 one another.

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:54.980
 Now I've got to tell you

00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:55.940
 sometimes we Christians

00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:56.659
 read this verse

00:17:56.659 --> 00:17:57.000
 and we think

00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:57.700
 oh that's the real,

00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:58.839
 that's why we've

00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:00.000
 got to come to church.

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:02.019
 I didn't say to you

00:18:02.019 --> 00:18:02.659
 you've got to come

00:18:02.659 --> 00:18:03.099
 to church

00:18:03.099 --> 00:18:04.159
 but that's the thing

00:18:04.159 --> 00:18:04.839
 that we sometimes

00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:05.519
 use to say

00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.139
 you've got to come

00:18:06.139 --> 00:18:06.679
 to church.

00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:08.660
 And we present it

00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:09.480
 like it's some sort

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:10.580
 of law or rule

00:18:10.580 --> 00:18:11.299
 or principle

00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:12.299
 that we've got to obey.

00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:13.200
 Go to church,

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:13.840
 keep the rule,

00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:14.799
 make God happy.

00:18:15.560 --> 00:18:16.799
 That sounds like fun

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.360
 doesn't it?

00:18:21.620 --> 00:18:23.019
 Can you see

00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:23.840
 how barren

00:18:23.840 --> 00:18:24.680
 and sterile

00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:25.039
 that is

00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.180
 compared to the richness

00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:27.160
 of what these verses

00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:27.720
 convey?

00:18:29.120 --> 00:18:30.000
 This is about

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:30.680
 the whole body,

00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.779
 this is all of us

00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:33.480
 working with energy

00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:33.940
 together

00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:34.600
 in response

00:18:34.600 --> 00:18:35.600
 to who Christ is

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:36.559
 and to what Christ

00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:37.119
 has done.

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.480
 And so the focus

00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:40.419
 of our interactions

00:18:40.419 --> 00:18:41.459
 become things like

00:18:41.459 --> 00:18:43.059
 how can I encourage you?

00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:45.059
 I don't come to church

00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:45.799
 thinking oh what are they

00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:46.919
 going to do for me tonight?

00:18:47.139 --> 00:18:48.559
 How can I encourage you?

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:50.859
 What might I do here

00:18:50.859 --> 00:18:51.679
 tonight which serves?

00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.639
 What might I say here

00:18:52.639 --> 00:18:53.339
 tonight that builds

00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:54.079
 somebody up?

00:18:55.199 --> 00:18:56.539
 What person might I know

00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:57.240
 around the building

00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:58.240
 who looks a bit lonely

00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:58.879
 or on their own

00:18:58.879 --> 00:18:59.740
 or nobody's talking

00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:00.119
 to them?

00:19:00.659 --> 00:19:01.439
 Maybe I'm the one

00:19:01.439 --> 00:19:02.079
 who can step out

00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:03.019
 of my comfort zone

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:03.859
 and speak to them.

00:19:03.859 --> 00:19:07.500
 See what word

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.199
 can I speak

00:19:08.199 --> 00:19:09.059
 that builds you up

00:19:09.059 --> 00:19:09.519
 in Christ

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.199
 or grows you

00:19:10.199 --> 00:19:10.819
 in Christ?

00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.579
 And sometimes

00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:14.039
 most of the time

00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:14.399
 it will be

00:19:14.399 --> 00:19:15.279
 an affirming word

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.259
 and occasionally

00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:18.059
 it will be

00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:18.979
 a corrective word.

00:19:20.139 --> 00:19:20.959
 A few weeks ago

00:19:20.959 --> 00:19:21.619
 one of my sisters

00:19:21.619 --> 00:19:22.139
 said to me

00:19:22.139 --> 00:19:23.179
 after one of the services

00:19:23.179 --> 00:19:26.339
 that I was promoting

00:19:26.339 --> 00:19:27.199
 our small groups

00:19:27.199 --> 00:19:28.159
 in a less than

00:19:28.159 --> 00:19:29.899
 embracing way.

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:31.339
 So I was making it

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:32.079
 sound like some of them

00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:32.979
 are a bit too exclusive

00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:33.720
 so there's no room

00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:34.279
 there for you.

00:19:36.099 --> 00:19:37.120
 And she said

00:19:37.120 --> 00:19:37.980
 we've got to be

00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:38.440
 more generous

00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:38.980
 than that.

00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:40.240
 And I went

00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:40.819
 oh.

00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:42.819
 But it was said

00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:43.819
 to me really gently

00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:45.200
 it was easy to hear

00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.900
 and she was right.

00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:49.019
 And if my Christian

00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:49.839
 sister had not

00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:50.799
 said that to me

00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:51.599
 I would not have

00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:51.940
 seen it

00:19:51.940 --> 00:19:52.599
 but I can stand

00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:53.039
 here tonight

00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:53.680
 and say to you

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.640
 she was right

00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:55.279
 that was a really

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:55.720
 good thing

00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.299
 to be shown.

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.519
 Remember what I said

00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:01.079
 the context?

00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:02.220
 a little bit

00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:02.619
 of that

00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:03.960
 and a lot

00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:04.419
 of the other.

00:20:09.139 --> 00:20:10.319
 I see things here

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.079
 I think on Sunday

00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:11.379
 night

00:20:11.379 --> 00:20:12.059
 I see it in the

00:20:12.059 --> 00:20:12.720
 morning as well

00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:13.579
 you know our

00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:14.339
 service finishes

00:20:14.339 --> 00:20:15.839
 we speak to one

00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:16.079
 another

00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:16.639
 we interact

00:20:16.639 --> 00:20:17.139
 which is just

00:20:17.139 --> 00:20:17.639
 fantastic

00:20:17.639 --> 00:20:19.859
 and see

00:20:19.859 --> 00:20:20.899
 conversations go

00:20:20.899 --> 00:20:21.659
 on and sometimes

00:20:21.659 --> 00:20:22.259
 your heads go

00:20:22.259 --> 00:20:22.579
 down

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:23.740
 as you actually

00:20:23.740 --> 00:20:24.460
 stop and pray

00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.079
 for one another.

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:25.720
 I think that

00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:26.539
 type of interaction

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.480
 is enormously

00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:28.139
 encouraging

00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:29.120
 and great

00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:29.600
 ministry

00:20:29.600 --> 00:20:30.080
 while we're

00:20:30.080 --> 00:20:30.440
 together.

00:20:32.100 --> 00:20:32.900
 This will be

00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:33.680
 harder for some

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:34.259
 of you because

00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:35.060
 depending on your

00:20:35.060 --> 00:20:35.960
 circumstances you

00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:36.480
 may have your

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.000
 own home or

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.600
 the own place

00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:38.180
 where you live

00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:39.320
 others of you

00:20:39.320 --> 00:20:39.880
 will be in your

00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:40.600
 parents places

00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:42.440
 and so that

00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:43.340
 will have some

00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:45.080
 bearing on the

00:20:45.080 --> 00:20:45.820
 sort of hospitality

00:20:45.820 --> 00:20:46.640
 that you can

00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:47.380
 exercise but

00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:49.180
 hospitality is a

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:50.020
 great way of

00:20:50.020 --> 00:20:50.740
 Christians getting

00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:51.400
 together to

00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:52.060
 encourage one

00:20:52.060 --> 00:20:52.860
 another going to

00:20:52.860 --> 00:20:53.440
 one another's

00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:53.740
 homes.

00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:55.320
 We do it in

00:20:55.320 --> 00:20:56.300
 some measure in

00:20:56.300 --> 00:20:57.340
 our small groups

00:20:57.339 --> 00:20:57.899
 some of our

00:20:57.899 --> 00:20:58.619
 small groups

00:20:58.619 --> 00:20:59.019
 meet in

00:20:59.019 --> 00:20:59.639
 people's homes

00:20:59.639 --> 00:21:00.139
 but it's not

00:21:00.139 --> 00:21:00.839
 just a formal

00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:01.559
 meeting like a

00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:02.079
 small group

00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.539
 it's an informal

00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:04.240
 meeting where we

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:05.019
 have friends over

00:21:05.019 --> 00:21:05.599
 I think I've

00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.119
 heard of fellow

00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:06.879
 sleep which some

00:21:06.879 --> 00:21:07.259
 of the girls

00:21:07.259 --> 00:21:07.939
 were doing and

00:21:07.939 --> 00:21:09.779
 the joy of

00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:10.799
 that coming

00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:11.519
 together for

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:11.839
 Christian

00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:12.439
 encouragement

00:21:12.439 --> 00:21:13.720
 moving around

00:21:13.720 --> 00:21:14.359
 one another's

00:21:14.359 --> 00:21:14.720
 home that's

00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.500
 just a fantastic

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:16.179
 thing to be

00:21:16.179 --> 00:21:16.779
 able to do

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:19.059
 but it's looking

00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:19.919
 around as well

00:21:19.919 --> 00:21:20.500
 and seeing who

00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:21.279
 can we pick up

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:23.039
 into these networks

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:23.859
 of relationships

00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:24.659
 that we have

00:21:24.659 --> 00:21:25.559
 who can we

00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:26.339
 invite amongst

00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:26.619
 us

00:21:27.339 --> 00:21:27.839
 who might not

00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:28.519
 be one of

00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:29.259
 us but perhaps

00:21:29.259 --> 00:21:29.859
 we would like

00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:30.799
 them invite them

00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:31.639
 to join us or

00:21:31.639 --> 00:21:32.139
 that we might

00:21:32.139 --> 00:21:32.779
 go to them.

00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:34.839
 New sheet

00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:35.519
 tonight's got the

00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:36.279
 great example of

00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:36.980
 the parish picnic

00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:37.919
 and barbecue coming

00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:39.439
 up in a couple of

00:21:39.439 --> 00:21:40.259
 weeks time which is

00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:41.139
 an opportunity for

00:21:41.139 --> 00:21:41.959
 us as a congregation

00:21:41.959 --> 00:21:43.919
 to mix with people

00:21:43.919 --> 00:21:44.779
 from the other six

00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:45.759
 congregations at

00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:46.980
 St Paul's and

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.599
 perhaps have a

00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:48.500
 better awareness of

00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:49.419
 the bigger picture of

00:21:49.419 --> 00:21:50.259
 who we are and the

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:51.740
 different cultures that

00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:52.679
 are represented and

00:21:52.679 --> 00:21:54.000
 the different backgrounds

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:54.980
 that people have.

00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:58.079
 in my last church

00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:00.259
 I saw some lovely

00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:00.960
 ministry happen

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.640
 amongst our older

00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:02.259
 people so

00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:04.740
 sometimes the

00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.299
 oldies would

00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:06.099
 grizzle about

00:22:06.099 --> 00:22:07.039
 the younger ones

00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:08.519
 you know if you

00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:09.240
 write on the walls

00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:09.759
 at church

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.500
 at kids church

00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:11.319
 with chalk

00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:12.039
 then some of the

00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:12.680
 oldies look at

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:13.319
 stuff like that

00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:13.700
 and go

00:22:13.700 --> 00:22:16.360
 not the way to

00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:17.259
 treat the building

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:19.460
 but

00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:21.279
 that's because

00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:21.700
 of the ways

00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:22.319
 that they've been

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.099
 taught in the past

00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:23.579
 and we'll talk

00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:24.159
 more about that

00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:24.539
 in a minute

00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:27.579
 so some of

00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:28.019
 these older

00:22:28.019 --> 00:22:28.399
 ladies

00:22:28.399 --> 00:22:29.719
 rather than

00:22:29.719 --> 00:22:30.119
 grizzle

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:32.219
 I'll tell you

00:22:32.219 --> 00:22:32.480
 something

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.759
 our older people

00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:34.399
 sometimes say

00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:34.740
 what are the

00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:35.199
 young people

00:22:35.199 --> 00:22:35.419
 doing

00:22:35.419 --> 00:22:36.139
 we'd like to

00:22:36.139 --> 00:22:36.719
 see more of

00:22:36.719 --> 00:22:37.219
 them we'd like

00:22:37.219 --> 00:22:37.719
 to know what

00:22:37.719 --> 00:22:38.139
 they're doing

00:22:38.139 --> 00:22:39.919
 so they are

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:40.740
 interested but I

00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:41.379
 think they almost

00:22:41.379 --> 00:22:42.059
 expect you to

00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.559
 come to them

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.699
 which might not

00:22:43.699 --> 00:22:44.299
 be the right way

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:44.740
 to do it

00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:48.299
 and I say

00:22:48.299 --> 00:22:49.019
 things to them

00:22:49.019 --> 00:22:49.599
 I think this

00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:50.319
 church is very

00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:50.960
 much like my

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:51.539
 last church

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:53.240
 that the young

00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:54.000
 people are

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.880
 heavily involved

00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:55.440
 in ministry

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.019
 it's a great

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.339
 thing

00:22:56.339 --> 00:22:58.019
 so the young

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:58.660
 people are

00:22:58.660 --> 00:23:00.599
 leading the

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.220
 kids church

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.079
 ministry and

00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:02.700
 they're leading

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:03.319
 the youth

00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:04.099
 ministry and

00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:04.700
 they're leading

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.620
 D teams and

00:23:05.620 --> 00:23:06.059
 they're actually

00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:06.759
 quite heavily

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.539
 involved in the

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.259
 sort of commitments

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:09.039
 that they make

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:10.359
 here and the

00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:11.059
 older people look

00:23:11.059 --> 00:23:11.700
 at me sometimes

00:23:11.700 --> 00:23:13.259
 and go oh I

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:13.779
 didn't realise

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.879
 that I forgot

00:23:14.879 --> 00:23:16.339
 that and same

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:16.839
 back where we

00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:17.500
 came from and

00:23:17.500 --> 00:23:18.000
 after a while

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:18.460
 one of the

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:19.160
 groups of women

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:19.819
 got themselves

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:21.299
 together and

00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:22.039
 decided well we

00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:22.740
 want to encourage

00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:23.440
 our young leaders

00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:26.059
 so they decided

00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:26.779
 they put on a

00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:27.639
 celebration dinner

00:23:27.639 --> 00:23:28.119
 for them they

00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:28.720
 put on a dinner

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.079
 where they

00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:29.700
 spoiled them and

00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.319
 they invited all

00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:30.940
 the youth leaders

00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:31.960
 along gave them

00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:32.940
 a great meal just

00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:33.940
 to show appreciation

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:35.480
 to them for the

00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:36.259
 ministry which they

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:36.680
 were doing

00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:37.980
 wonderful thing

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:39.519
 I saw those

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:40.339
 ladies go and

00:23:40.339 --> 00:23:41.259
 later one of the

00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:42.039
 ladies in that group

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.619
 became very

00:23:42.619 --> 00:23:43.599
 dissatisfied that

00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:45.059
 they really

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:45.759
 didn't do a lot

00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.439
 for other people

00:23:46.439 --> 00:23:47.719
 and so they

00:23:47.719 --> 00:23:48.299
 made a pact

00:23:48.299 --> 00:23:49.099
 amongst themselves

00:23:49.099 --> 00:23:49.859
 and these older

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.559
 ladies all got

00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:52.059
 together and one

00:23:52.059 --> 00:23:52.679
 at a time they

00:23:52.679 --> 00:23:53.500
 worked around some

00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:54.159
 of the groups at

00:23:54.159 --> 00:23:55.799
 church and they

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.740
 invited them out

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:58.659
 to the same sort

00:23:58.659 --> 00:23:59.299
 of thing they put

00:23:59.299 --> 00:23:59.939
 on a dinner for

00:23:59.939 --> 00:24:00.480
 them they'd have

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.039
 them along to

00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:01.799
 encourage them in

00:24:01.799 --> 00:24:02.399
 Christ and guess

00:24:02.399 --> 00:24:02.980
 what happened when

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.559
 they did that

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:05.379
 there were all

00:24:05.379 --> 00:24:06.059
 sorts of other

00:24:06.059 --> 00:24:07.039
 fingers and webs

00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:07.879
 that got established

00:24:07.879 --> 00:24:09.039
 in relationship and

00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.039
 far more appreciation

00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:10.879
 that was happening

00:24:10.879 --> 00:24:11.839
 for one another and

00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:12.639
 what was going on

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.259
 and who people

00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:14.860
 were and it

00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:16.240
 was just great

00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:20.280
 so hospitality

00:24:20.280 --> 00:24:22.020
 a great means of

00:24:22.020 --> 00:24:23.800
 generously spurring

00:24:23.800 --> 00:24:24.860
 one another on in

00:24:24.860 --> 00:24:25.940
 love and good deeds

00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:28.840
 I'll tell you another

00:24:28.840 --> 00:24:29.840
 story and I'm looking

00:24:29.840 --> 00:24:30.720
 here tonight I don't

00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:31.360
 think Anne Newman

00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:32.020
 would mind me

00:24:32.020 --> 00:24:32.900
 singling her out

00:24:32.900 --> 00:24:33.980
 yes she did she

00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:34.420
 winced

00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:37.720
 but Anne is one of

00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.520
 a number who are in

00:24:38.520 --> 00:24:39.400
 this church family

00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:40.300
 because of the way

00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:40.720
 that they were

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.599
 cared for in

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.359
 Christ when they

00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.119
 went through a

00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:44.259
 very difficult time

00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:46.519
 in life and they're

00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:47.279
 amongst us now

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:48.359
 they've grown in

00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:49.980
 Christ but they've

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:50.740
 been loved in

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.680
 Christ and there's a

00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:52.799
 track record of 20

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.059
 or 30 years which

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:54.960
 goes on in some of

00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:55.799
 those relationships

00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:56.859
 so for all of us

00:24:56.859 --> 00:24:58.940
 some of the

00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:00.379
 relationships we have

00:25:00.379 --> 00:25:01.839
 now tonight amongst

00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:03.079
 us as friends here

00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:05.180
 I would hope and

00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:07.099
 pray have an enduring

00:25:07.099 --> 00:25:08.339
 quality to them which

00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:10.259
 will be seen over a

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:11.439
 very long period of

00:25:11.439 --> 00:25:14.220
 time I'm going to

00:25:14.220 --> 00:25:15.799
 say this I said it to

00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:16.679
 the morning people but

00:25:16.679 --> 00:25:17.359
 I'm going to say it to

00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:18.799
 you because I think it

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.079
 bears here as well but

00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:22.259
 I've only been here 18

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.199
 months and I've seen the

00:25:23.199 --> 00:25:25.339
 downside as well I

00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:27.059
 have seen some people

00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:28.339
 leave church because

00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:30.019
 they haven't been

00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:32.939
 included they've never

00:25:32.939 --> 00:25:33.699
 been asked into

00:25:33.699 --> 00:25:34.720
 somebody's home or

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.599
 into their group of

00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:37.659
 friends they'll come to

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.340
 church and really

00:25:38.340 --> 00:25:39.300
 stand alone nobody

00:25:39.300 --> 00:25:40.040
 talks to them I

00:25:40.040 --> 00:25:40.860
 watched a couple this

00:25:40.860 --> 00:25:41.540
 morning who've been

00:25:41.540 --> 00:25:42.820
 here for quite a while

00:25:42.820 --> 00:25:44.740
 more than 12 months and

00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:45.620
 out there on the deck

00:25:45.620 --> 00:25:46.800
 they were alone for a

00:25:46.800 --> 00:25:47.880
 long time before anybody

00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:48.779
 spoke to them

00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:54.960
 other people leave

00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:55.980
 because they don't like

00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:57.460
 the way we work so

00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:58.259
 they don't like the way

00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:59.440
 we run a service so

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.660
 they don't like having

00:26:00.660 --> 00:26:01.580
 to speak to other

00:26:01.580 --> 00:26:02.380
 people about their

00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:03.279
 faith there's some old

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.480
 people who hate talking

00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:05.599
 to people about faith

00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:09.500
 and so we we do

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:10.400
 things I think you do

00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:11.079
 it at Sunday night

00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:11.960
 church I've seen you

00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:12.940
 Sam will throw out a

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:13.860
 question from the front

00:26:13.860 --> 00:26:14.759
 and what he'll say he'll

00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:15.579
 send you to go and

00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:17.640
 interact over it and

00:26:17.640 --> 00:26:19.480
 part of that is is

00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:20.920
 actually training you

00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:23.240
 training us to be able

00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:24.339
 to talk to one another

00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:26.000
 about things of faith and

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.920
 to feel comfortable

00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:28.440
 talking about things that

00:26:28.440 --> 00:26:28.980
 are perhaps more

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:30.380
 substantial than how's

00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:31.700
 the weather do I like

00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.519
 the colour of church

00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:34.420
 or stuff that we we

00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.299
 don't really draw that

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.240
 close to one another

00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:39.279
 I love speaking to our

00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.360
 Chinese friends because

00:26:40.360 --> 00:26:41.200
 some of them are very

00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:43.059
 quick to say I'm not a

00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:45.600
 Christian but guess what

00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:46.519
 they're happy to talk

00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:47.100
 about it

00:26:47.100 --> 00:26:51.759
 we've been promoting

00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.960
 life journals at church

00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.519
 Sam hold it up it's got

00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:55.340
 it there with him it's

00:26:55.340 --> 00:26:58.140
 fantastic and I think I

00:26:58.140 --> 00:26:58.980
 want to say to you that

00:26:58.980 --> 00:27:00.180
 these are not just about

00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:01.799
 you and your walk with

00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:02.900
 the Lord which it is

00:27:02.900 --> 00:27:06.160
 they are about us as a

00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:07.539
 body growing in our

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:08.840
 relationship with Christ

00:27:08.840 --> 00:27:11.900
 you will have much more

00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:13.779
 that you can share if you

00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.860
 give time and effort to

00:27:14.860 --> 00:27:16.000
 reading God's word and

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:19.019
 relating to him you will

00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:21.560
 grow in godly wisdom you

00:27:21.560 --> 00:27:22.460
 will grow in a true

00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:23.740
 understanding of his word

00:27:23.740 --> 00:27:25.080
 as the Holy Spirit teaches

00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:28.019
 and changes you I think a

00:27:28.019 --> 00:27:29.400
 lot of my ministry comes

00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:31.140
 from my walk with Christ

00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:33.120
 I began the service of

00:27:33.120 --> 00:27:35.040
 this morning at 830 by

00:27:35.040 --> 00:27:38.040
 talking about what Christ

00:27:38.040 --> 00:27:39.440
 had said to me in my

00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.800
 quiet time this morning as

00:27:40.800 --> 00:27:44.019
 he read his word it's

00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:46.300
 fresh for me it's real

00:27:46.300 --> 00:27:47.759
 it's alive it's not just

00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:49.320
 something that I learned

00:27:49.320 --> 00:27:50.820
 somewhere in the past to

00:27:50.820 --> 00:27:54.500
 keep talking about and so

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:55.400
 I want to say to you that

00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.660
 if you are not reading your

00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:59.019
 Bible you won't have

00:27:59.019 --> 00:28:00.360
 anything fresh to share

00:28:00.360 --> 00:28:01.460
 from your current walk

00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:03.700
 with Christ and if you're

00:28:03.700 --> 00:28:04.720
 not praying how can you

00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.440
 look your brother or

00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:07.720
 sister in the eye and say

00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:10.640
 I'm praying for you now

00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:11.980
 people often ask me to pray

00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:13.880
 for them and if you ask me

00:28:13.880 --> 00:28:16.759
 I am most likely to say can

00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:20.300
 I pray for you right now and

00:28:20.300 --> 00:28:21.580
 one of the reasons I want to

00:28:21.580 --> 00:28:22.740
 do that is because I don't

00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.920
 want to be the hypocrite who

00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:25.720
 says yes I'll do it and

00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:27.580
 then walk away and forget

00:28:27.580 --> 00:28:30.180
 great way for us to

00:28:30.180 --> 00:28:31.519
 interact with one another

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:35.680
 so there's five let us's and

00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:39.039
 they boil down to two let us

00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:42.759
 cling to Christ and let us

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:46.680
 cling to one another that is

00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:50.720
 the whole of church life I

00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:51.759
 want to say something from

00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:53.400
 verse 26 before I begin to

00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:54.960
 wrap up and that and it

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:57.460
 says this and this leads

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.259
 into the rest of the

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.339
 passage even though I won't

00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:02.680
 go there but he says if we

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:04.559
 deliberately keep on sinning

00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:06.200
 after we have received the

00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:08.559
 knowledge of the truth no

00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:13.579
 sacrifice for sin is left and

00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:14.839
 it's a bit of a clangor

00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:16.200
 because it comes after all

00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:17.599
 this good stuff and it seems

00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:21.420
 to come from left field and I

00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:22.300
 think if any of us are

00:29:22.300 --> 00:29:23.360
 sitting here tonight with a

00:29:23.360 --> 00:29:24.840
 tender conscience which is a

00:29:24.840 --> 00:29:27.259
 great thing to have you may

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:29.240
 feel unsettled because we are

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:31.039
 very aware of sin in our life

00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:34.080
 and at first reading this sort

00:29:34.080 --> 00:29:35.700
 of verse seems to undermine our

00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:39.180
 assurance and creates a lack of

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:43.440
 confidence in Christ and you

00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:45.259
 ask yourself but how do you

00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:46.740
 treat this verse when I've

00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:49.279
 already spent considerable time in

00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:50.940
 this message urging you to draw

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:53.200
 near to God sin and all the

00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:54.660
 passage is saying come near to

00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:55.660
 God and this is saying oh

00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:57.500
 there's no sacrifice left for

00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:59.019
 sin if we deliberately keep on

00:29:59.019 --> 00:30:00.220
 sinning but when I sin I do

00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:02.519
 deliberately sin how do I

00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:03.639
 reconcile these sorts of

00:30:03.639 --> 00:30:04.980
 things and I think the answer is

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:08.220
 in the context he's writing to

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:09.779
 Jewish believers who've come to

00:30:09.779 --> 00:30:11.200
 believe in Christ at great

00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:14.680
 personal cost he's urging them to

00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:17.599
 persevere they've already hung in

00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:19.119
 there through humiliation and

00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:21.099
 ridicule they have put up with

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:22.819
 gross injustices like the

00:30:22.819 --> 00:30:24.319
 confiscation of their property

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:28.319
 but in the pressure it seems that

00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.740
 some aren't getting together

00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:31.259
 anymore I used to go to church

00:30:31.259 --> 00:30:34.819
 oh yeah that was good a while back

00:30:34.819 --> 00:30:38.039
 and it might be that they're even

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:40.079
 shrinking back and going back to

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:42.059
 some of the Old Testament ways of

00:30:42.059 --> 00:30:49.919
 worship and they may well say I love

00:30:49.919 --> 00:30:54.079
 God but this Jesus stuff is just a

00:30:54.079 --> 00:31:00.039
 bit too hard and the writer is

00:31:00.039 --> 00:31:05.480
 saying there is no other way there

00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:08.039
 is no sacrifice for sin except

00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:11.480
 Christ and if you walk away from

00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:13.680
 Christ there is no other way to

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:16.579
 heaven you can't go back to

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:18.500
 worshiping a Jew as a Jew like you

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:21.099
 were before or any other way and

00:31:21.099 --> 00:31:24.039
 find your way into God's heaven and

00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:26.279
 that is why he urges them to cling to

00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:27.799
 Christ and to cling to one another

00:31:27.799 --> 00:31:32.379
 I began this message speaking about

00:31:32.379 --> 00:31:36.000
 virtual reality and reality some of

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.420
 you spend too much of your lives

00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:39.099
 living in virtual reality what's

00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:40.700
 that computer games and iPods and

00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:42.839
 iPads I love them but we can be

00:31:42.839 --> 00:31:43.720
 there for too long

00:31:43.720 --> 00:31:48.019
 have a think about this building we

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:51.700
 meet in a building which we call

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:56.039
 church very unfortunate name

00:31:56.039 --> 00:32:00.880
 some of our older members were taught

00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:03.740
 from children so by ministers like me

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:06.559
 they were taught as children that this

00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:11.680
 is the Lord's house so it somehow or

00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:14.799
 rather becomes a special building

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:21.380
 it's got a little bit of a mix of

00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:22.980
 temple thinking in there you know the

00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:25.460
 place where God dwells and yet David I

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:29.000
 think said the Lord does not dwell in

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:32.599
 buildings made by man so we know good

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:36.140
 Bible teaching some of you think it's a

00:32:36.140 --> 00:32:39.579
 great old church for your wedding and

00:32:39.579 --> 00:32:41.279
 maybe you want it looking like this so

00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:43.039
 that you got a nice long old walk down

00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:47.019
 we could turn it sideways what would

00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:48.119
 do with that what happened the aisle

00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:51.240
 I guess you'd have to do a right angle

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:52.519
 turn as you came down wouldn't you

00:32:52.519 --> 00:32:59.420
 but the building is fake as far as the

00:32:59.420 --> 00:33:01.980
 things of God are concerned this is 60

00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:03.440
 years old I thought it was a much older

00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:06.660
 church when I came here it's sandstone

00:33:06.660 --> 00:33:09.180
 exterior gives the appearance of being a

00:33:09.180 --> 00:33:12.519
 very old building and do you know it's a

00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:14.359
 it's a sandstone building you get below

00:33:14.359 --> 00:33:18.619
 that mortar and it's double brick walls so

00:33:18.619 --> 00:33:20.400
 if we get a Christchurch type earthquake

00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:22.720
 we'll all be buried here

00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:30.700
 the organ pipes

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:34.220
 they're fake

00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:38.000
 they're cardboard tubes

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:40.180
 can you believe it?

00:33:41.160 --> 00:33:43.000
 they're cardboard tubes

00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:46.780
 you could set the bottom of one of them on

00:33:46.780 --> 00:33:48.820
 fire and it'd blow like a chimney all the

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:49.519
 way to the top

00:33:49.519 --> 00:34:03.159
 if you go across the road and you know

00:34:03.159 --> 00:34:04.519
 the elevator up the side of the

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.839
 building I've been up there it's a

00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:07.559
 great ride you ought to take it it's

00:34:07.559 --> 00:34:10.199
 free you go up the top great view of

00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:11.279
 the mountains but you look down on

00:34:11.279 --> 00:34:12.460
 church you know what you see it's built

00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:13.059
 like a cross

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:16.940
 so it's built to a particular way of

00:34:16.940 --> 00:34:19.019
 thinking and it's model something

00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:25.920
 we call the table up the front's cool

00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:26.579
 what is it?

00:34:30.179 --> 00:34:33.039
 no we call it a table and it is a table

00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:36.639
 it's flat surface that you put things on

00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:38.799
 but in most Anglican churches the majority

00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:41.380
 of Anglican churches around the world do

00:34:41.380 --> 00:34:42.180
 call it an altar

00:34:42.180 --> 00:34:48.240
 and the rail around it that marks off that

00:34:48.240 --> 00:34:51.900
 area behind the rail is it's called the

00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.500
 sanctuary

00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:54.680
 the holy place

00:34:54.680 --> 00:35:01.660
 someone somewhere in our history and I

00:35:01.660 --> 00:35:04.000
 think maybe particularly in the 1800s

00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:06.760
 thought that we were in the business of

00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:07.860
 doing sacrifices

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:11.000
 so we've got our architecture

00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:13.519
 confused with our theology

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:18.820
 and we have to let the Bible rule over

00:35:18.820 --> 00:35:20.280
 our architecture

00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:26.599
 Hebrews says incredibly clearly

00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:29.760
 that there is only one sacrifice that

00:35:29.760 --> 00:35:30.139
 matters

00:35:30.139 --> 00:35:33.199
 the death of Christ has put an end to

00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:33.919
 all the rest

00:35:33.919 --> 00:35:37.299
 he has done everything necessary to

00:35:37.299 --> 00:35:38.919
 take us into the presence of God he

00:35:38.919 --> 00:35:39.859
 takes us into heaven

00:35:39.859 --> 00:35:44.579
 and so it's easy for us at this service

00:35:44.579 --> 00:35:46.639
 especially to mock the old stuff

00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:50.019
 because that's maybe not where we've

00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:51.919
 come from with those modes of thinking

00:35:51.919 --> 00:35:55.059
 but if you've been sitting in church 60

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:56.899
 years ago some of that stuff's what you

00:35:56.899 --> 00:35:58.480
 would have been told and some of that

00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:00.919
 stuff's the baggage that you would be

00:36:00.919 --> 00:36:02.599
 carrying now and wrestling with

00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:07.920
 but we have just read a passage

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:12.900
 which absolutely emphasises that it

00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:15.639
 emphasises that it is what happens in

00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:18.759
 this auditorium that matters

00:36:18.759 --> 00:36:22.980
 and what happens outside this auditorium

00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:26.599
 that matters in our lives and the lives

00:36:26.599 --> 00:36:27.279
 of believers

00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:32.360
 when the Jews stopped listening to Paul at the

00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:34.820
 synagogue in Corinth he moved next door to the

00:36:34.820 --> 00:36:37.700
 hall of Tyrannus and kept teaching what he was

00:36:37.700 --> 00:36:38.500
 teaching in church

00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:40.280
 just changed buildings

00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:42.180
 didn't change what he was doing

00:36:42.180 --> 00:36:45.600
 just rented a hall and kept going for it

00:36:46.120 --> 00:36:48.380
 got the believers together

00:36:48.380 --> 00:36:53.200
 they encouraged one another in love and good deeds

00:36:53.200 --> 00:36:56.300
 they kept clinging to Christ

00:36:56.300 --> 00:36:58.780
 even as they clung to one another

00:36:58.780 --> 00:37:02.280
 and so I think it is absurd

00:37:02.280 --> 00:37:05.320
 that we would ever hang on to virtual reality

00:37:05.700 --> 00:37:08.440
 and miss out on the real thing

00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:12.820
 Amen

00:37:12.820 --> 00:37:16.539
 Sam can tell me what to do

00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:17.500
 he can tell me to go

00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:18.340
 or stay

00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:21.440
 but we talked about this after the service this morning

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:23.159
 and you felt like there were some implications

00:37:23.159 --> 00:37:24.240
 that might flow through

00:37:24.240 --> 00:37:26.300
 from some of this thinking even to 5.30

00:37:26.300 --> 00:37:28.700
 in a way that it doesn't for the older ones

00:37:28.700 --> 00:37:29.579
 you want to take us there

00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:34.719
 and at the same time

00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:35.980
 if we've got a minute

00:37:35.980 --> 00:37:37.440
 I'll just throw it open to questions

00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:39.219
 that might flow from what we've been talking about

00:37:39.219 --> 00:37:40.179
 Do you want to do that first?

00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:42.880
 Yep, anybody getting questions?

00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:44.679
 I haven't got my Bible in my hand

00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:45.599
 I might need it in my hand

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.440
 if you ask a hard one

00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:57.340
 Sorry, question was

00:37:57.340 --> 00:37:59.099
 how come we don't make the sign of the cross?

00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:01.500
 which is a particularly Catholic tradition I think

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.779
 Yeah, there are some churches

00:38:02.779 --> 00:38:04.079
 where it's a very normal tradition

00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:05.059
 so Catholic, Orthodox

00:38:05.059 --> 00:38:06.159
 some of the people do it

00:38:06.159 --> 00:38:08.259
 it will come down to what they've been taught

00:38:08.259 --> 00:38:10.739
 it's not something we have taught

00:38:10.739 --> 00:38:12.400
 because you don't see it as something

00:38:12.400 --> 00:38:14.119
 which is prescribed in the scriptures

00:38:14.119 --> 00:38:16.059
 so I won't say it's a bad thing to do

00:38:16.059 --> 00:38:17.519
 but for me straight away

00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:19.460
 I don't see a reason to teach you to do it

00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:27.119
 and I think it's probably wiser

00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:28.759
 for us not to mock those who do

00:38:28.760 --> 00:38:38.540
 That got off lightly, didn't it?

00:38:38.600 --> 00:38:39.140
 Yeah, it did

00:38:39.140 --> 00:38:40.580
 Luckily for you

00:38:40.580 --> 00:38:42.460
 there's a chance to continue

00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:43.940
 churching together in this building

00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:45.680
 after we've finished the formal part

00:38:45.680 --> 00:38:46.680
 so maybe you've got questions

00:38:46.680 --> 00:38:47.740
 that might come up afterwards

00:38:47.740 --> 00:38:48.600
 that you might want to ask Chris

00:38:48.600 --> 00:38:50.240
 or even chat about with one another

00:38:50.240 --> 00:38:52.460
 Me and Chris were talking a little bit

00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:53.300
 about this this morning

00:38:53.300 --> 00:38:53.940
 in terms of

00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:55.440
 we hear this sort of message

00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:57.320
 and it's really easy for us to think

00:38:57.320 --> 00:38:58.300
 those silly old people

00:38:58.300 --> 00:38:59.260
 that think that's an altar

00:38:59.260 --> 00:39:00.820
 or those silly old people

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:02.960
 who are really excited about cardboard tubes

00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:06.519
 or whatever it is that they had

00:39:06.519 --> 00:39:09.980
 but I just wanted to leave you guys

00:39:09.980 --> 00:39:10.800
 a bit of time right now

00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:11.980
 to maybe reflect that

00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:14.420
 we have lots of things of our own

00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:15.840
 that have become part of

00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:17.219
 what church must be

00:39:17.219 --> 00:39:19.239
 I think for me

00:39:19.239 --> 00:39:20.940
 reflecting personally

00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:23.119
 and in conversations with people

00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:24.440
 it might sound silly

00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:26.119
 but what time we do church

00:39:26.119 --> 00:39:28.539
 is very precious for some of us

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:30.679
 Church shifts by half an hour

00:39:30.679 --> 00:39:31.159
 and all of a sudden

00:39:31.159 --> 00:39:32.199
 it's not the same church

00:39:32.199 --> 00:39:33.939
 I used to be a part of

00:39:33.939 --> 00:39:35.659
 it might be the fact

00:39:35.659 --> 00:39:36.739
 that we had the offertory

00:39:36.739 --> 00:39:37.460
 in song 3

00:39:37.460 --> 00:39:38.819
 instead of the last song

00:39:38.819 --> 00:39:40.980
 which we don't have another song

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:41.779
 so it was the last song

00:39:41.779 --> 00:39:43.599
 but things like that

00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:44.579
 that we just grab hold of

00:39:44.579 --> 00:39:46.119
 because that's what we've been doing

00:39:46.119 --> 00:39:46.819
 our whole life

00:39:46.819 --> 00:39:47.659
 we've been in church

00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:49.599
 and what this passage

00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:50.980
 has challenged us to reflect on

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:51.659
 is that there's

00:39:51.659 --> 00:39:53.519
 there's two commands in there

00:39:53.519 --> 00:39:55.099
 two let us commands

00:39:55.099 --> 00:39:56.500
 that really matter

00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:58.539
 and maybe we need to reflect

00:39:58.539 --> 00:39:59.460
 on what other things

00:39:59.460 --> 00:40:00.379
 we're clinging onto

00:40:00.379 --> 00:40:02.159
 on top of Christ

00:40:02.159 --> 00:40:03.759
 and one another

00:40:03.759 --> 00:40:04.960
 so I want to give you

00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:06.019
 some time right now

00:40:06.019 --> 00:40:08.299
 to ignore that

00:40:08.299 --> 00:40:10.980
 and just reflect for yourself

00:40:10.980 --> 00:40:13.420
 what might those things be

00:40:13.420 --> 00:40:15.239
 that you've kind of elevated

00:40:15.239 --> 00:40:16.059
 onto that level

00:40:16.059 --> 00:40:17.480
 alongside Christ

00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:17.980
 and one another

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:18.839
 when it comes to

00:40:18.839 --> 00:40:20.119
 what church is

00:40:20.119 --> 00:40:22.019
 you've done

00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.380
 ready to click on miss

00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:23.259
 of each other

00:40:23.259 --> 00:40:24.500
 from near to the

00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:25.099
 Like this

00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:26.739
 it can be

00:40:26.739 --> 00:40:27.000
 through and once

00:40:27.000 --> 00:40:28.960
 I can biri