WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.019 If you could grab a Bible and turn to Colossians chapter 3. I'm going to read to us from verse 15 to verse 17. 00:00:12.019 --> 00:00:17.160 ! So Colossians chapter 3. If you've got a church Bible, it's page 1184. 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:26.060 1184. Let me read it for us. Verse 15 of Colossians chapter 3. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:39.960 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace and be thankful. 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:49.280 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, 00:00:49.900 --> 00:00:56.159 through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:06.200 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:11.399 We're going to spend a few moments looking at those verses. Let me pray and ask for the Lord's help. Let me pray. 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:18.099 Father, we do pray and ask now that you might give us your help as we look at your word. 00:01:18.099 --> 00:01:25.500 Please, we pray, maybe where we're tired or distracted or just other things on our mind coming up this week. 00:01:25.539 --> 00:01:31.439 We pray, please, Lord, that you just might slow our hearts to focus on you and your word and to listen carefully, 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:35.679 that we might hear you speak to us. In Jesus' name. Amen. 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:35.860 Amen. 00:01:38.660 --> 00:01:46.560 We've gone this morning from studying the grand themes of Genesis 1 to 3 to now just zooming right in on essentially just two verses, 00:01:46.740 --> 00:01:52.520 so verses 15 and 16. And we're going to be looking in some detail at them, so do keep your eyes down on the passage. 00:01:52.620 --> 00:01:57.260 And I want to start with essentially something that is a little geeky. 00:01:57.260 --> 00:02:07.840 I don't know whether there's anybody in the room who knows that there are two third-person imperatives in these verses. 00:02:07.960 --> 00:02:11.280 Now, I was thinking who might know what a third-person imperative is. 00:02:11.480 --> 00:02:13.460 Marina, I thought you might know as a language teacher. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:16.599 But a third-person imperative doesn't exist in English, right? 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:24.200 So it is when the instruction is being given to a third party and not directly to the person who is addressed or reading it. 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:26.679 So it doesn't really translate into English. 00:02:27.099 --> 00:02:32.719 So the imperatives, the doing verbs, are there in verse 15, it's the verb to rule, 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:35.479 and there in verse 16, to dwell. 00:02:35.799 --> 00:02:39.159 Those are the action words. Those are the things going on. 00:02:39.519 --> 00:02:43.039 But it's not you or me who is ruling or dwelling. 00:02:43.859 --> 00:02:50.459 That instruction or imperative is not given directly to us but given to a third person, right? 00:02:50.459 --> 00:02:51.939 You notice that if you look down. 00:02:51.939 --> 00:02:55.659 So the peace is to be ruling, right? 00:02:55.699 --> 00:03:01.800 The imperative is for peace to rule, and the message of Christ is to be dwelling richly in verse 16. 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.939 Now, I grant you that's a little bit of a nerdy observation, but it is important 00:03:05.939 --> 00:03:11.639 because it means that the sense of these verses is not so much about our action. 00:03:11.939 --> 00:03:12.879 We'll come to that in a moment. 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:18.659 Rather, it is our willingness to submit to the action of a third party, if you like. 00:03:18.659 --> 00:03:21.859 It is to permit the action of another. 00:03:23.620 --> 00:03:25.780 I don't know whether this ever happens in your home. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.800 This is a sort of very British scenario, okay? 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:31.859 Let me try and give you a British scenario, okay? 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:36.500 So you imagine that a visitor comes to your home, your house, your flat, whatever it is, 00:03:36.579 --> 00:03:41.919 and your mum, your husband, your wife, your flatmate, whoever it is, offers them a cup of tea. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:45.439 And that person, because they're very British, says, oh, no, no, no, no. 00:03:46.239 --> 00:03:47.799 I had a drink four weeks ago. 00:03:49.159 --> 00:03:50.379 I'm well quenched. 00:03:50.839 --> 00:03:53.799 I don't need anything more to drink, thank you. 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:55.759 Please don't go to the hassle. 00:03:55.839 --> 00:03:58.799 I mean, what they really want to say is, yes, please, I'm desperately thirsty. 00:03:58.899 --> 00:03:59.719 Please give me a cup of tea. 00:03:59.779 --> 00:04:01.560 But they won't say that. 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:07.960 And so you intervene and you say, no, listen, allow my mum or my wife, my husband, my flatmate, 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:10.020 allow them to make you a drink. 00:04:10.379 --> 00:04:11.379 Let them do it. 00:04:11.879 --> 00:04:12.759 Let them do it. 00:04:13.259 --> 00:04:14.599 And that's the sense here. 00:04:15.539 --> 00:04:19.660 The kids on Friday night are obsessed with allow it, right? 00:04:20.019 --> 00:04:21.560 They all say that all the time. 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:23.840 That is the sense here. 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:24.699 It's allow it. 00:04:24.980 --> 00:04:25.480 Allow it. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.939 You know, let the peace of Christ rule. 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:31.860 Let the word of Christ dwell richly. 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:37.040 Now, the point here is then, is because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, right? 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:40.680 The gospel which has been at the center of the book of Colossians, the gospel which, if 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:45.379 you flick back to chapter one, is in the action of the person of the Son, the eternal Son of 00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:49.399 God, who is incarnate, who comes to redeem his people for himself. 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:54.019 It's the Lord Jesus who they received as Lord in chapter two, verse six, who they're to 00:04:54.019 --> 00:04:56.040 continue to be rooted and built up in. 00:04:56.040 --> 00:05:03.860 And that means this Savior who is sent for them, that gospel reality is to rule and bring 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:06.560 them peace in the church. 00:05:06.819 --> 00:05:07.900 That's the first thing, isn't it? 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:11.420 And then the message of that is to dwell richly with them. 00:05:12.520 --> 00:05:14.220 So let's think firstly about this peace. 00:05:14.700 --> 00:05:20.860 Gospel reality firstly means that peace, Christ's peace, is to be allowed to rule in the church. 00:05:20.860 --> 00:05:23.800 Allow Jesus to make peace between us. 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:28.480 Allow the gospel of peace, peace with God and peace with one another. 00:05:28.860 --> 00:05:35.020 Allow that to take hold and to rule in our church family life and be thankful for it. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:39.000 I don't think it's not that hard, is it, to imagine what that's like. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:44.160 It's perhaps easiest, I think, to see it in distinction to other kinds of peace that you 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:45.379 might try and negotiate. 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:49.680 So if you think about just the terrible things that are going on in the Middle East and imagine 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:54.079 that you're trying to negotiate some kind of peace treaty between the warring parties in 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:56.600 the Middle East, you would enter into that situation. 00:05:56.699 --> 00:06:01.560 The first thing that you try and do is to establish some common ground that you could 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:03.199 build from to build peace. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:05.699 That's what you try and do in all conflicts. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:11.959 But the point here is, is that there is always common ground in your relationships in church. 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:14.459 It is the peace of Christ. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:17.560 And so you are to let that rule. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:21.659 You are to let that flow out into your relationships with one another. 00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:25.839 And notice that we are to let it rule in our hearts. 00:06:26.599 --> 00:06:31.299 In other words, he's not saying, is he, that Christians are never allowed to disagree with 00:06:31.299 --> 00:06:31.779 one another. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.819 That Christians are never allowed to express that disagreement with one another. 00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:42.800 Rather, it seems that in their hearts, they are to know and act on the idea that they have 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.839 more in common than they do have separate to one another. 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:47.759 It's really challenging, isn't it? 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:52.879 Because I think, and maybe this is just exposing myself too much to you and you're not like this, 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:57.860 but I think it's quite easy for me to let the peace of Christ dwell in the words that 00:06:57.860 --> 00:07:03.420 I use while the sort of bitterness of my frustration dwells in my heart. 00:07:03.420 --> 00:07:05.580 And actually, that's not what this is saying, is it? 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:10.020 It's the peace of Christ is to dwell in our hearts, is what we have in Christ, which is 00:07:10.020 --> 00:07:15.120 to dominate how we think and feel about one another, even if we discuss things that we 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:16.060 disagree with one another. 00:07:16.580 --> 00:07:19.060 And actually, I think we quite often find that easier the other way around. 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:25.580 I would rather just pretend that we're getting on okay and just harbor bitterness than I would 00:07:25.580 --> 00:07:28.180 actually talk to you about what I disagree about. 00:07:28.180 --> 00:07:34.759 And in my heart, know that you and I have enough in common in Christ to quell any disagreement. 00:07:36.540 --> 00:07:41.900 So that's what's going on here with the peace of Christ ruling over us. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:48.680 Secondly, the message of Christ wants to dwell richly, and we should allow that. 00:07:48.819 --> 00:07:53.300 So verse 16, let the message of Christ dwell among you richly. 00:07:53.300 --> 00:07:58.720 Literally, this is, you know, let the message of Christ move in, right? 00:07:58.860 --> 00:07:59.639 Take up residence. 00:07:59.860 --> 00:08:01.400 Let the message of Christ occupy. 00:08:02.280 --> 00:08:06.540 And here the images of the message of the gospel, the message of what Christ has done, 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:09.160 that message wants to take up residence. 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:11.240 It wants to fill, and it wants to occupy. 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:14.740 And what is the building that the message of Christ wants to fill? 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:16.600 Well, notice what it is. 00:08:16.620 --> 00:08:20.540 It seems, doesn't it, from the context that the message wants to fill the gatherings of the 00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:20.840 church. 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:21.800 Look at verse 16 again. 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:27.340 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with 00:08:27.340 --> 00:08:31.800 all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:32.820 in your hearts. 00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:37.080 Paul's assumption here is that the church are meeting together. 00:08:37.740 --> 00:08:44.360 And when they meet together, they will sing psalms, hymns, and I think more literally spiritual 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:44.860 songs. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:49.259 So it's not so much, I don't think, the sense in the Greek that the songs are sort of spontaneously 00:08:49.259 --> 00:08:52.980 given by the Spirit, which I kind of feel is implied by the NIV. 00:08:53.419 --> 00:08:57.519 Rather, it's the sense that there are songs of the spiritual realities of the gospel. 00:08:58.700 --> 00:09:05.600 And those songs are to be so full of the gospel message that the gospel inhabits the gatherings 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:06.480 of the church. 00:09:07.019 --> 00:09:08.639 It occupies their meetings. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:16.199 This reality of the gospel filling our meetings leads to some interesting details in this verse, 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:16.539 doesn't it? 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:21.480 It means that one level, although psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are, we notice, they're 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:22.580 sung to God, aren't they? 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:26.399 So we are singing to God with gratitude in our hearts. 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:31.779 They are, even as we sing to God, they are to teach one another. 00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:35.879 However, there's a, sorry, slightly distracted. 00:09:36.279 --> 00:09:41.519 There is a vertical and a horizontal direction to the singing in the church. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:46.939 So we sing to God, but we teach one another as we sing. 00:09:48.059 --> 00:09:52.339 So we sing to God for the benefit of one another as the gospel message fills the room with the 00:09:52.339 --> 00:09:53.019 words that we're singing. 00:09:53.860 --> 00:09:55.419 It's a really helpful image. 00:09:55.419 --> 00:10:00.659 It's this sense sort of, I don't know if you know, 2 Corinthians 2 verse 15, where we talk 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:05.279 about the gospel being like the aroma, the aroma of Christ, which smells great to those 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:07.539 who are being saved and smells terrible to those who are not being saved. 00:10:08.059 --> 00:10:09.379 It's the same sense here, isn't it? 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:15.979 It's the aroma of the gospel fills the room as the songs that we sing are preoccupied by 00:10:15.979 --> 00:10:17.319 the message of Jesus Christ. 00:10:18.099 --> 00:10:20.779 And you can see that, can't you, about how singing works. 00:10:20.779 --> 00:10:28.259 And it's as that smell, if you like, pleases God, it does a whole lot of good to everybody 00:10:28.259 --> 00:10:28.759 who's gathered. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:33.019 I don't think that necessarily means that we should always sort of be looking around the 00:10:33.019 --> 00:10:33.779 room as we're singing. 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:36.459 Sometimes that can be helpful, can't it? 00:10:36.459 --> 00:10:37.779 But it can be quite off-putting too. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:40.699 We're not singing directly to each other in that sense. 00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:41.579 We are singing to God. 00:10:41.659 --> 00:10:44.919 But it means that the content of our singing is really, really important. 00:10:44.919 --> 00:10:50.539 And what we sing should rightly be focused on the affect that it has on those who are 00:10:50.539 --> 00:10:53.199 listening to and participating in that singing. 00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:59.579 But that means, doesn't it, in the sung worship of the life of a church, really important questions 00:10:59.579 --> 00:11:03.019 are things like, is this teaching the truth? 00:11:04.379 --> 00:11:06.519 Is it rebuking gospel errors? 00:11:06.599 --> 00:11:09.139 So notice actually we'll be admonished by what we sing. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:10.980 I think that's quite easy. 00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:14.659 It's quite easy to promise something in the songs that we sing that we find really difficult 00:11:14.659 --> 00:11:16.100 to live in our lives. 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:18.960 And that reality is admonishing to us, isn't it? 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:20.960 Is it rebuking gospel errors? 00:11:21.680 --> 00:11:23.120 Is the tune fitting? 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:24.460 Is it helping us? 00:11:24.920 --> 00:11:31.519 Is the way we play and sing making the content of the music the focus or just the musicians 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:32.560 the focus? 00:11:32.940 --> 00:11:36.580 Is the song so complicated that we can't understand it? 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:40.399 Or is it so repetitive that we're mindlessly singing and have forgotten what we're singing 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:41.319 at all? 00:11:42.579 --> 00:11:46.679 But notice that the implication here as well is that everyone is singing. 00:11:46.819 --> 00:11:47.659 Do you notice that too? 00:11:47.939 --> 00:11:49.959 As you teach and admonish one another. 00:11:50.439 --> 00:11:57.399 It's not as someone is up the front performing a song to you that you're taught and admonished. 00:11:57.500 --> 00:11:59.299 It's as we listen to one another. 00:11:59.439 --> 00:12:01.740 It's something that we are all engaged with. 00:12:02.179 --> 00:12:05.819 It is the voices of the congregation that are the instrument of the church. 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:10.700 And so then that leads to other questions about what we sing like, is it possible for everybody 00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:12.140 to join in with this? 00:12:13.180 --> 00:12:18.740 I think often in church that impinges on some of the things that we quite like to sing but 00:12:18.740 --> 00:12:23.940 are perhaps so complicated for new Christians or new believers to join in with. 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:29.060 Maybe we should focus on singing simple songs that children can sing or that people who have 00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:31.900 English as a second language can also join in as well. 00:12:31.899 --> 00:12:34.299 It's all sort of culturally related, isn't it? 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:38.899 Is it so musically complicated that only trained musicians can join in? 00:12:39.199 --> 00:12:42.579 Is it so culturally located that it makes no sense of the diversity of our church? 00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:43.559 Is the language playing? 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:48.159 Is the tune so high that there's only about three people in church who can hit it? 00:12:48.579 --> 00:12:50.720 And one of those, they can't really, but no one's telling them. 00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:51.139 You know? 00:12:51.139 --> 00:12:59.580 Interestingly, the imperative verb here, to dwell, or the third person imperative, as 00:12:59.580 --> 00:13:02.879 we now know, is moderated by an adverb, isn't it? 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:04.279 Richly. 00:13:05.299 --> 00:13:11.340 In other words, it's not good enough for your church gatherings to have a latent whiff of 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:14.439 the gospel, if that's right, to fill on this smelling image. 00:13:14.620 --> 00:13:18.600 You know the sort of smell that you have in your kitchen like three or four days after 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:21.340 you've had a curry, that you can kind of, you can still smell it. 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:24.800 It's not that pleasant, but you still kind of know it was there at a point. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:26.060 It's not that. 00:13:26.139 --> 00:13:31.620 It's more that it's to be the richness of the gospel, is to be in everything that we're 00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:32.519 singing together. 00:13:32.920 --> 00:13:37.019 So it's the beauty of it being freshly cooked. 00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:39.480 And that's what we are smelling. 00:13:40.180 --> 00:13:42.379 And so the gospel is to dwell richly. 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:47.080 You know, the gospel is to be, you know, to pick up the kind of dwelling language. 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:49.759 The gospel is to, you know, thoroughly unpacked in the church. 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:52.200 It's to have put its pictures on the wall, right? 00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:54.600 It's to have unpacked its clothes into the drawers. 00:13:55.420 --> 00:13:59.660 It's right at home there, the gospel, because we're singing it all the time. 00:14:00.180 --> 00:14:02.440 It's saturating our meetings. 00:14:02.660 --> 00:14:04.840 It's inescapable for anyone who comes. 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:12.180 All this means, though, doesn't it, that what then is the enemy of the gatherings of the church? 00:14:13.160 --> 00:14:17.300 I mean, I know the devil is the enemy, but thoughtlessness is the enemy, isn't it? 00:14:17.660 --> 00:14:24.440 The sort of thoughtless going through the motions is the enemy, because actually our gatherings 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:30.400 are to be the conscious, gospel-saturated meetings that do us good. 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:35.440 And notice, just as we finish, this emphasis on thankfulness. 00:14:35.760 --> 00:14:38.240 Okay, so it comes, doesn't it, at the end of verse 15, 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:42.340 let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, since as members of one body you are called to peace, 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:44.560 and be thankful. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:48.460 And then verse 16, let the message of Christ dwell among you richly, 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.540 as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, 00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:57.039 through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:59.139 Both have the same root in Greek. 00:14:59.219 --> 00:15:01.199 They're both the charis word, the grace word. 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:03.139 And it makes sense, doesn't it? 00:15:03.659 --> 00:15:05.719 If this is a third-person imperative, right, 00:15:05.740 --> 00:15:08.939 if the ruling peace and the dwelling gospel are things that we are allowing, 00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:10.439 you know, allow it, right, 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.459 then thankfulness is the right instruction, isn't it? 00:15:13.939 --> 00:15:17.679 We are thankful that peace rules in our relationships in church. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:25.859 Peace rules and gospel dwells because that is being done in the church by the Spirit, 00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:27.799 through the gospel, but by us. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.679 We are just allowing it. 00:15:30.699 --> 00:15:32.719 You know, I hope you know this, in a right sense, 00:15:33.059 --> 00:15:36.959 me as the pastor of the church here, I don't do the work here. 00:15:37.839 --> 00:15:38.919 God does it. 00:15:39.699 --> 00:15:42.259 Thankfully, he uses me, Lord willing, 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:46.460 and he also uses you as you raise your voices and sing. 00:15:47.059 --> 00:15:50.259 All of us are involved in the ministry of the gospel in the life of the church 00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:51.580 as we sing together. 00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:56.480 And as the smell of Jesus and the wonder of the gospel floods the room, 00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:59.740 God is at work for the sake of his glory, 00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:02.919 dwelling richly here through the gospel, 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:06.899 bringing the peace of Christ to rule in our relationships, 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:08.100 in our hearts. 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:10.779 And so singing is a really important part of church life. 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:12.340 It's how we enjoy the gospel, 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:16.680 and it's how we flood the room with the smell of Christ. 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:23.540 I was going to give you a moment for questions or comments. 00:16:24.820 --> 00:16:27.580 So now's your chance to have a little shuffle 00:16:27.580 --> 00:16:29.399 and ask a question or make a comment. 00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:32.639 And I'll have a go at answering. 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:34.120 I am not the fount of all knowledge, 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:36.720 so you will find that out very quickly if you ask a question. 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.200 But likewise, I don't want to drop it on you and then run. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.279 Say any comments or questions on what we've looked at. 00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:51.700 Don't be shy. 00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.340 Yes. 00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:00.779 Yeah. 00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:00.779 00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:01.779 Yes. 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:17.599 So what if we're really stubborn and we find it difficult to be peaceful with one another, I guess? 00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.299 Is that what you're saying? 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:18.920 Yeah. 00:17:20.399 --> 00:17:21.960 So I think, 00:17:23.899 --> 00:17:25.519 Florence, that's why that verse is there, 00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:28.139 because it implies that it's difficult. 00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:31.420 So if it wasn't a problem, he wouldn't have written it. 00:17:31.800 --> 00:17:35.680 So it is a problem in the life of the church to let peace at rule. 00:17:35.820 --> 00:17:37.460 So it's a, yeah. 00:17:38.020 --> 00:17:43.020 But I think when I'm struggling to get on with another Christian, 00:17:43.320 --> 00:17:45.220 or when there's tension in the church, 00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:51.339 actually, the irony is that we shouldn't focus necessarily just on the tension itself, 00:17:51.339 --> 00:17:54.819 but we should focus on what we have in common in the Lord Jesus, 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:58.480 and know that that there will resolve it. 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:03.539 It's such a shame, isn't it, 00:18:03.539 --> 00:18:07.059 that Christians are so good at fighting about things that don't really matter. 00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:13.179 And I think it's been one of the great testimonies of the merger of our churches. 00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:17.740 And I know that music has been one of the things that have been quite different in the two churches. 00:18:18.159 --> 00:18:24.119 But actually, this opportunity to let the peace of Christ rule in our church 00:18:24.119 --> 00:18:29.099 by acknowledging that what we have in common in the Lord Jesus is more important than things that push us apart. 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:32.759 This is a really practical outworking of that, isn't it? 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:34.019 So, yeah. 00:18:34.660 --> 00:18:38.440 So if you're stubborn and you find it difficult, the answer is, go back to Christ, isn't it? 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:38.960 Yeah. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:40.279 Yeah. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:41.879 It's a helpful question. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.500 Any other questions? 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:45.359 Yes. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.900 Why does God want us to sing? 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:52.359 That's a brilliant question. 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:56.339 I think God has made us to be singers, right? 00:18:56.680 --> 00:19:01.519 The way that we express joy is by singing, isn't it? 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:03.160 It's what we do when we gather. 00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:05.319 It's something that we're excited about, we sing about. 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:06.960 Something that we love, we sing about. 00:19:07.059 --> 00:19:09.379 Something that we enjoy, we sing about. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:10.619 It's the way the Lord has made us. 00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:15.660 And ultimately, he's made us that way because we are to sing praises to him. 00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:20.139 Isn't it interesting that you can't really enjoy something without expressing it? 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:24.099 A long time ago, I used to play golf. 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.960 I gave it up because I was not very good at it. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:29.980 And, yeah, I'm kind of not posh enough to play golf. 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:31.980 Anyway, and I realized that slowly. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:37.740 So I used to go on my own because I thought it was kind of a relaxing thing. 00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:46.620 And I remember only once doing an incredible shot on a par three and landing right on the 00:19:46.620 --> 00:19:49.319 green on the edge of the flag with my first shot. 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:51.980 It never happened normally, but I did it once. 00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:54.660 There was nobody there to see it. 00:19:55.700 --> 00:20:01.680 It was kind of disappointing because really it's the opportunity to express something that 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:02.839 brings the joy to it, isn't it? 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:10.799 And so God wants us to sing because in some ways expressing to God how brilliant he is 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:13.559 and what he's done for us helps us enjoy it too. 00:20:13.879 --> 00:20:13.980 Yeah. 00:20:14.399 --> 00:20:15.779 That's a really, really great question. 00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:18.939 Any other questions? 00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:34.200 I wonder if singing songs like repeating songs helps us get it into ourselves. 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:48.200 yes 00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:02.200 yes 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:05.640 Yeah. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:10.620 But it might not get in our hearts in a way 00:21:10.620 --> 00:21:11.880 because we've heard it so much. 00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:12.160 Yeah. 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:15.620 And a new song might be challenging. 00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:16.160 Yeah. 00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:21.259 There's so many different ways to fall off the horse on there. 00:21:21.360 --> 00:21:23.660 So obviously the fences are there about 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:25.440 we don't want to sing heresy, right? 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:28.100 But once you've kind of committed to not singing heresy, 00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:31.460 you want to sing songs that are simple and repetitive 00:21:31.460 --> 00:21:34.920 in order to get gospel truth just repeating in your mind. 00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:37.539 Say, like, the Lord is by my side 00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:39.819 is a really helpful expression. 00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:41.779 It's a really simple song that kids can sing. 00:21:42.100 --> 00:21:44.059 And you go away going, the Lord is by my side 00:21:44.059 --> 00:21:45.579 or Lord, I need you, right? 00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:50.319 That song came from a woman who was working at home 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:51.740 just realizing in the middle of her day, 00:21:51.860 --> 00:21:53.180 I need the Lord, right? 00:21:53.640 --> 00:21:54.319 It's a great reminder. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:55.620 But if that's all you sing, 00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:58.860 you just actually miss out on the richness 00:21:58.859 --> 00:22:01.639 of teaching doctrine through singing. 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:05.379 And so doctrinally rich songs are also really important. 00:22:05.459 --> 00:22:06.459 But if all you sing is those, 00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:08.419 you can just kind of end up with indigestion, can't you? 00:22:08.459 --> 00:22:09.879 Because you're just like, oh my goodness. 00:22:09.979 --> 00:22:12.479 There's like so many points of systematic theology 00:22:12.479 --> 00:22:13.859 flying at me right now in this song 00:22:13.859 --> 00:22:15.579 that I can't possibly digest all of these. 00:22:16.219 --> 00:22:17.979 And we all have slightly different capacities 00:22:17.979 --> 00:22:19.259 for each one of those, don't we? 00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:23.399 And so I think there's a saying could be said 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:28.460 for like joyfully uplifting songs and lamenting songs. 00:22:28.800 --> 00:22:31.340 Churches can be terrible places if you're sad. 00:22:31.880 --> 00:22:33.040 And actually churches should be places 00:22:33.040 --> 00:22:33.800 where you can lament. 00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:36.180 But also there are churches 00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:37.920 which only ever seem to lament 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:40.840 and don't ever seem to enjoy and rejoice in the gospel. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:42.900 So there's those tensions as well, aren't there? 00:22:43.560 --> 00:22:45.420 Now, it's fair to say that that means 00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:47.160 that we'll not always get it right, isn't it? 00:22:47.600 --> 00:22:49.460 And we will always make mistakes. 00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:52.180 And it's always helpful to have people say, 00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:53.519 hey, I just think we could sing. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:55.860 It'd be great for us to sing a few more songs 00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:59.480 that are just simple and reflective on one idea. 00:22:59.579 --> 00:23:00.539 Could we please sing some more of those? 00:23:00.600 --> 00:23:01.319 This is a suggestion. 00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.880 Or do you know what? 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:05.700 We could sing some songs with more doctrinal content. 00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:06.680 You know, what about this one? 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:11.079 So yeah, because you're balancing all those things. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:11.720 I mean, yeah. 00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:13.620 Great. 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:15.180 Good. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.620 We'll leave it there. 00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:17.400 Yeah. 00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:21.460 Good.