WEBVTT

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 Father, we thank you that you are a God who speaks.

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 We confess before you that you are far more willing to speak to us than we are to listen.

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 And we confess before you, Father, that you are far more willing to listen to us than we are to speak to you.

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 We ask, Father, that you grant us a hearty desire to pray

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 and that you grant us a deep desire to listen deeply to all that you have to say.

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 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us as we look at your word.

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 And this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 About seven or eight weeks ago, I asked you to pray for me

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 because one of the ministries that we run during the school academic year for university is Church on Wednesday,

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 which is a time where we sing God's praises and the Bible is opened and you preach from the Bible.

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 And then we're going through the book of Colossians.

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 This is in a public place at the University of Ottawa.

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 And the text talked about wives and slaves, amongst other things.

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 And so I had the great privilege and honor to go and stand in public at the University of Ottawa

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 and talk about this controversial topic.

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 And I know many of you prayed for me and God was very kind.

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 And I think it went well.

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 Anyway, I think it went well.

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 Today, I'm going to talk about a controversial topic.

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 And in some ways, I'm going to be talking not about wives and slaves,

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 but in some ways, I'm going to talk about slaves.

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 I'm also going to be talking about women.

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 I'm going to be talking about the role of women in ministry.

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 In my flesh, I didn't want to do this.

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 I still don't want to do this.

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 I'm a Canadian, eh?

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 And, you know, it's not a very popular topic in Canadian circles,

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 which is why often there's a profound silence in churches.

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 But the reason I'm doing it is the same reason.

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 When I talked at the University of Ottawa,

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 and I said, why on earth would we talk about something

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 that can be a bit controversial like that?

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 And here's the reason.

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 Here's one of our commitments.

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 One of the things which non-Christians say about Christians

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 is that we pick and choose what we want to hear in the Bible.

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 You know, there's been some best-selling books,

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 a year of living biblically,

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 the year of, you know, being a biblical woman,

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 and they've been best-sellers.

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 And it's a very, very common complaint about Christians

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 that we say, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we love the Bible,

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 we trust the Bible, but yeah, we only really like this part,

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 and we sort of ignore this part and don't do this part.

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 It's a very standard complaint about Christians.

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 And unfortunately, it often hits the mark, if we're honest.

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 And so one of the things that we're very committed to in this church

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 is that we preach through books of the Bible.

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 And by preaching through books of the Bible

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 in an attempt to declare the whole counsel of God,

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 it means that the Bible is going to force us to talk about things

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 that as Canadians we wouldn't want to normally talk about.

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 And so on one hand, we're doing this to try to, in fact,

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 not be pick-and-choosing Christians,

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 but to be Bible Christians, Gospel Christians.

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 And the other reason we're doing it

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 is that one of the other complaints

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 that non-Christians often have about Christians

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 is that it's, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

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 God has a wonderful plan for your life,

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 and oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's all great, etc., etc.

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 And then you get in, and it's like there's fine print

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 in the contract that you didn't realize.

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 You know, like you get, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah,

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 but get this cell phone contract.

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 It's like no money.

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 You know, it's all free, and then you get into it,

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 and good grief, how do I get this huge bill, right?

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 There's the fine print.

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 And we don't want to be a church like that.

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 We want, you know, we want to just,

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 the Bible is a public revelation from God.

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 That's how he wrote it.

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 It's not a secret revelation just for the Illuminati,

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 the anointed.

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 It's a public declaration of the truth.

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 And, you know, I really urge,

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 if you have not given your life to Jesus,

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 that before this service ends today,

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 that you will give your life to Jesus.

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 Because the gospel is the power of God

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 to make you right with him.

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 And we were created to be at one with our creator.

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 And Jesus, in his death upon the cross,

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 is God's provision for you,

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 for him to make you right with himself.

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 And as his grace is poured into your life

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 to give you freedom and self-possession,

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 to live a self-effacing life to the glory of God,

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 which is what you were designed for.

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 So I urge you to give your life to Jesus.

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 And we're going to look at some of the fine print today.

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 We're going to talk a little bit about women in ministry

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 and ordination.

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 I'm going to talk about it this week and next.

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 And actually, I'll tell you now why I'm doing it.

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 So I pray a lot,

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 and I know others pray for me

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 in terms of how we're going to go through books of the Bible

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 and how the teaching is going to work.

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 And so, you know, I had made the decision under God

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 that we would go through the Book of Romans.

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 This is our last sermon in the Book of Romans.

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 And then I'd been praying about what we would do during the summer,

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 what would be a good series to go through during the summer

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 that I could share with Daniel.

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 And I came up with it.

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 It would be really good to go through the Book of Amos.

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 It's good to hear an Old Testament preaching series every year.

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 And I'm going to do 2 Corinthians in the fall.

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 But I knew when I was looking at the weeks,

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 I was going to have about three or four weeks,

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 depending on whether there was a guest speaker,

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 three weeks, as it turned out,

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 between Romans and Amos.

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 So I went looking for texts,

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 like Bible books that I could do in three weeks.

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 And Titus jumped out.

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 I hadn't preached on it in quite a long time.

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 I don't think I'd ever really preached on it in a church context.

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 I've taught it in other contexts.

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 And it's three chapters.

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 It fits.

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 And here's the thing.

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 In Romans 16,

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 you have some of the most important texts

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 in arguing for women's full inclusion in ministry.

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 And that's what we're going to look at today.

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 And next Sunday, I'm going to preach on Titus 1.

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 And Titus 1 is one of the most important texts

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 that restricts women in ministry.

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 And I didn't do this on purpose.

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 I'm not smart enough or clever enough.

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 And it only struck me on Monday as to what I'd done.

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 And so now I've maybe made a lot of you a bit anxious,

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 some of you a bit curious.

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 So let's charge in and see what it is that the Bible has to say.

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 Here's the thing we're going to say.

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 Romans 16, verse 1.

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 We should never be afraid of the Bible.

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 The Bible will confront our hearts.

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 The Bible will confront the idols of our hearts.

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 The Bible has different ways that it says exactly the sorts of things

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 that Canadians long for.

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 And the Bible has things to say that are exactly what Canadians fear.

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 But the Bible is God's word written.

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 It's God's word to us because he loves us.

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 It is an outline of sanity.

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 And I encourage you, if you get nothing else out of this sermon,

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 if, in fact, at the end of this sermon,

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 well, don't read the Bible just so you can prove that George is wrong.

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 George isn't always right.

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 I know that.

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 I'm not the Bible.

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 But if you get nothing else,

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 I hope that you get a deep desire to read the Bible every day,

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 to read it cover to cover, and to read it deeply,

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 that the Bible might form you,

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 and the Bible might form me,

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 and the Bible might form that, our church.

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 So it's a bit of a long introduction.

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 Romans 16.

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 I commend to you our sister Phoebe,

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 a servant of the church at Sencray,

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 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints

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 and help her in whatever she may need from you,

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 for she has been a patron of many,

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 and myself as well.

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 Now just sort of pause here for a second.

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 And believe it or not,

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 there's pages and pages and pages written around this simple word,

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 servant, in academic commentaries.

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 You know, I notice here it says,

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 I commend to you our sister Phoebe,

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 a servant of the church at Sencray.

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 And depending on the Bible you have,

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 you might have a little note there that says that the word servant

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 might also be translated as deacon.

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 And so right off the bat,

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 you can see why,

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 especially if you're guests here from certain churches,

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 whether they allow women to be deacons or not,

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 this is potentially an explosive text for a lot of churches,

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 or an encouraging text for a lot of churches,

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 depending on how you sort it out.

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 Now, I want to deal with a heart issue here first.

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 I want to deal with a heart issue here first.

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 And this is true of every church,

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 but it's probably even more true of Anglican and Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.

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 I mean, technically,

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 I could introduce myself as the Reverend Canon George Sinclair,

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 Rector of Church of the Messiah,

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 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

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 We love titles.

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 Human beings love titles.

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 You know, in The Office,

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 isn't that so funny?

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 You watch The Office,

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 Dwight is always wanting to be like the assistant regional district manager,

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 and it's an ongoing joke.

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 People love titles.

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 One of the ways to demote somebody or get them out of trouble

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 is you give them a grand-sounding title with no authority somewhere

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 to get rid of him or her when they're problematic.

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 Isn't that true?

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 So here, if you could wrap the first point,

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 here's the hard issue.

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 Human beings love titles.

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 God loves right action.

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 So whether or not,

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 the fact of the matter is that you can't actually solve the issue

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 as to whether we should call Phoebe a deacon or a servant.

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 You know the important issue?

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 She's dead things.

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 Like, I'll be very honest with you.

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 I would have loved to have been elected bishop.

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 Why would I have loved being elected bishop?

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 Because, you know, it means I could boast that people liked me.

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 Would I actually like to be a bishop?

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 I would hate being a bishop.

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 I would hate being away from my family half of the year.

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 I would hate it.

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 I would loathe it.

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 But I sure would have liked the title.

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 Wouldn't want to do it.

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 But I'd like the title.

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 And I don't think I'm alone.

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 And so, you know, the bottom line is,

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 Phoebe here is an important person.

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 In the customs of the ancient day,

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 Paul has just introduced the person who brought the letter of Romans to the Romans.

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 He's saying, okay, you know the person who brought this letter?

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 Her name is Phoebe.

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 She's a person of substance.

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 She's a person of gravitas.

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 She is a person who is not just a talker.

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 She is a person who is a patron.

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 That means she has put her economic acumen,

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 her economic resources,

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 her organizational resources,

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 her property,

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 she has put them at the use of the church.

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 And she has brought her resources to bear to the church

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 for the church to flourish and accomplish what it has to accomplish.

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 She is a trustworthy servant,

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 a person of gravitas, importance, and authority.

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 Help her.

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 That's who she is.

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 That's what he's saying.

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 And so it's important for us just to remember here,

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 behind all of the things,

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 and I'm not saying that the other debates aren't important,

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 but it's really easy for us to get caught up in,

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 you know, intellectual arguments

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 without realizing that partially what motivates

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 our intellectual arguments

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 is a heart issue of our love for titles

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 and our lack of interest in actually doing things.

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 Okay, maybe I'm the most sinful person here in the room,

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 and it's only me who has this temptation,

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 but I think it's a pretty common temptation.

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 So that's the big heart issue.

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 Let's continue to continue reading verses.

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 But you notice how this has a bit of an impact for some churches,

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 where for some churches,

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 women can't have any type of position of authority in the church.

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 And yet here we have Paul.

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 And listen, money is money always.

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 And if somebody is a main financial giver,

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 a main giver of property,

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 a main giver of her business,

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 we don't know if she was a business person

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 or a person of independent means,

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 but she had some financial resources

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 and she was a smart cookie,

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 she knew how to use it,

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 and there's no way she didn't have authority.

00:12:35.500 --> 00:12:37.779
 I mean, that's just psychologically and humanly impossible.

00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:41.840
 And this is like a bit of a blow to a lot of Christians.

00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:44.139
 Let's continue reading.

00:12:44.300 --> 00:12:46.920
 It actually gets more interesting

00:12:46.920 --> 00:12:48.440
 with the very next two verses,

00:12:48.680 --> 00:12:49.519
 next three verses,

00:12:50.060 --> 00:12:51.259
 verses three and five.

00:12:51.980 --> 00:12:53.399
 Greet Prisca and Aquila,

00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:56.420
 my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

00:12:57.080 --> 00:12:59.980
 who risked their necks for my life.

00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:00.820
 In other words, literally,

00:13:01.019 --> 00:13:02.820
 they came to a point where they,

00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:05.600
 it wasn't clear whether they would die.

00:13:05.700 --> 00:13:08.320
 They intervened in a way that meant that they might die.

00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:12.940
 But they did it to try to protect Paul.

00:13:13.900 --> 00:13:15.640
 Who risked their necks for my life,

00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:17.200
 to whom not only I give thanks,

00:13:17.280 --> 00:13:19.860
 but all the churches of the pagans give thanks as well.

00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:22.000
 Greet also the church in their house.

00:13:22.060 --> 00:13:23.160
 And just sort of pause there.

00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:26.900
 It's very significant that the woman is mentioned before the man,

00:13:27.420 --> 00:13:30.460
 that the woman has a name of affection and intimacy,

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:33.560
 and Prisca and Aquila are actually quite well known

00:13:33.560 --> 00:13:34.320
 in the New Testament.

00:13:34.880 --> 00:13:37.000
 And one of the things which is significant about this

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.000
 is that one of the most important characters in the early church

00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.500
 was a man by the name of Apollos.

00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:46.059
 And he was an important teacher and evangelist in the church.

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:48.460
 And who did he learn the Christian faith from?

00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:51.720
 Prisca and Aquila.

00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:57.480
 So she taught him in an important way.

00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:00.879
 And they are obviously leaders,

00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:02.120
 and you have a woman teaching.

00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:04.919
 So this is a very, very significant text.

00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:11.279
 And it's a very, very significant text.

00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:15.179
 Now just before I read the rest of the list,

00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:16.079
 and I'm only going to actually,

00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:19.179
 I'm not going to read all of the next 26 people who are,

00:14:19.699 --> 00:14:21.500
 next 24 people who are mentioned.

00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.979
 It is interesting that the first two people mentioned are women.

00:14:25.839 --> 00:14:26.579
 But before I,

00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:27.919
 I'm not going to read all of the rest of the thing.

00:14:27.959 --> 00:14:29.379
 But what I want to tell you here,

00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:30.879
 and I'm not going to go through every one,

00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:35.200
 but almost a half of the rest of the list are slaves.

00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.179
 In our day and age,

00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:43.220
 if, well, we don't have slaves in Canada.

00:14:43.419 --> 00:14:46.259
 Well, I mean, there's a problem with sex slaves,

00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:47.879
 but as a general rule, it's illegal.

00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:49.980
 But in the ancient world,

00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.700
 there would be names that a citizen would have,

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:55.279
 and there would be names that an owner would give to a slave.

00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:59.079
 So for almost half of the names in the rest of the list,

00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:00.819
 we don't know now whether they had been,

00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:03.839
 had been slaves and were now freed men or freed women,

00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:05.939
 or whether they were still slaves,

00:15:06.019 --> 00:15:06.939
 but they were slaves.

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:09.679
 And 10 of the women who are mentioned,

00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:10.839
 the list of 20,

00:15:10.939 --> 00:15:13.240
 10 of the 26 people who are mentioned in the list are women.

00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:16.579
 And, and then the language of the way they are talked about,

00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:20.459
 these are all important leaders in the early church.

00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:21.959
 And so it's very,

00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:22.620
 very interesting.

00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:23.959
 In the list that we're about to see,

00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:25.259
 we're going to have slaves.

00:15:25.420 --> 00:15:27.220
 We're going to have rich people.

00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:28.500
 Phoebe is rich.

00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:30.780
 Erastus, which is mentioned later on,

00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:31.820
 is very wealthy.

00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:33.360
 We have rich people.

00:15:33.540 --> 00:15:34.780
 We have slaves.

00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:36.600
 We have Jewish people.

00:15:37.060 --> 00:15:38.740
 We have pagans.

00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:40.920
 We have people who were Roman citizens.

00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:41.900
 We have people who,

00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:43.680
 there's a woman here who's from Persia,

00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:46.200
 which is outside of the Roman Empire originally.

00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:47.980
 She must have been captured in some way,

00:15:48.040 --> 00:15:49.440
 or for whatever reason,

00:15:49.540 --> 00:15:51.800
 she was captured as a slave.

00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:53.240
 She's a slave woman,

00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:54.859
 probably a freed slave woman.

00:15:54.939 --> 00:15:55.479
 You have a very,

00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:57.479
 very diverse picture.

00:15:57.819 --> 00:16:01.019
 You're going to have a picture of slave churches,

00:16:01.019 --> 00:16:06.259
 which are completely and utterly equal to the other churches,

00:16:06.259 --> 00:16:08.759
 which would have been mixed slave and free.

00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:09.500
 You know,

00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:09.779
 it's very,

00:16:09.859 --> 00:16:11.120
 very interesting for some people.

00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.139
 When I said that I was going to be doing something controversial for most people,

00:16:14.139 --> 00:16:15.399
 when we look at Romans 16,

00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:18.059
 what's the big obstacle we have to it being in the Bible?

00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:20.340
 Boring!

00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:22.959
 Right?

00:16:24.419 --> 00:16:26.639
 Am I the only sinful person here in the room?

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:30.459
 Your eyes glaze over these names you can't even pronounce.

00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:32.559
 But if you actually dig into them,

00:16:32.659 --> 00:16:35.259
 it's a fascinating glimpse of the early church.

00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:36.939
 It's absolutely,

00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:38.159
 and it's dynamite,

00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.480
 as I'm going to talk about in a moment.

00:16:39.579 --> 00:16:41.100
 It's a dynamite thing

00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:43.540
 in terms of how it affects social movements

00:16:43.540 --> 00:16:45.340
 and social structures and institutions

00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:48.060
 and how we think about a whole range of roles.

00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:49.159
 Like,

00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:51.700
 just before we get into it,

00:16:53.540 --> 00:16:53.779
 no,

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:56.620
 I'll save this point for a moment.

00:16:56.680 --> 00:16:57.960
 Hopefully I'll remember it in a moment.

00:16:58.060 --> 00:16:58.279
 But here,

00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.100
 just before we go any further in the list,

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:01.279
 could you put up the second point,

00:17:02.420 --> 00:17:02.700
 Rebecca?

00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:04.299
 And for any of these points,

00:17:04.380 --> 00:17:05.200
 if you don't have time to write,

00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:06.240
 if you want to write them down,

00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:07.299
 if they're helpful to you,

00:17:07.339 --> 00:17:09.660
 they're all going to be on the webpage on Monday,

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:10.339
 I think it is.

00:17:11.139 --> 00:17:12.619
 There is only one gospel

00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:14.500
 from the one true God

00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:17.539
 to every person and people group.

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:19.679
 That's one of the things

00:17:19.679 --> 00:17:21.079
 that we see here from this text.

00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:23.480
 It's very, very, very important

00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:24.379
 for us to understand.

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.819
 There is only one gospel

00:17:25.819 --> 00:17:27.119
 from the one true God

00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.319
 to every person and people group.

00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:31.099
 There's a really, really good book.

00:17:31.139 --> 00:17:32.159
 I don't know how to pronounce his name.

00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:33.079
 It's a Muslim name.

00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:34.480
 A Muslim who became a Christian.

00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:35.599
 I think it's pronounced Tabidi.

00:17:35.699 --> 00:17:36.839
 I can't remember his last name.

00:17:37.159 --> 00:17:38.779
 It's an African Muslim name.

00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:41.319
 And he, in his book

00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:42.539
 about the gospel for Muslims,

00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:43.779
 the very, very beginning is,

00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.379
 he said there is no special gospel

00:17:45.379 --> 00:17:46.099
 for Muslims.

00:17:46.940 --> 00:17:48.000
 There's only the gospel.

00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:50.619
 If we want to go to China,

00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:52.519
 you don't come up with a Chinese gospel.

00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:53.440
 There's only the gospel.

00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:54.779
 You want to go to Tunisia?

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:56.299
 There's no Tunisian gospel.

00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:57.619
 There's only the gospel.

00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.160
 You want to go to the transgendered community?

00:18:00.299 --> 00:18:02.019
 There's not a transgendered gospel.

00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:03.259
 There's only the gospel.

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:05.920
 And what we really need as Christians

00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:07.740
 is to have a clarity about the gospel

00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:10.039
 so that with a clarity about the gospel,

00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.819
 when we're talking to somebody,

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:13.099
 we can try to figure out

00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:15.819
 what images and analogies and metaphors

00:18:15.819 --> 00:18:18.180
 will help them to understand the gospel.

00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:20.519
 But there's not a separate transgendered

00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:25.060
 or Muslim or Chinese or atheist gospel.

00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:26.580
 There's only one gospel.

00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:29.060
 And we see this here

00:18:29.060 --> 00:18:31.259
 because who has been affected

00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:32.340
 by the one gospel?

00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:35.500
 Rich, poor, slaves, free,

00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:38.220
 men, women, Jewish, pagan,

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:40.400
 Roman citizens, Persians,

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:44.259
 all hear from the one true and living God,

00:18:44.360 --> 00:18:45.320
 the one gospel.

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:50.240
 So, it's a very, very, very important thing.

00:18:50.379 --> 00:18:52.279
 Could you put up Romans 1, 16 to 17?

00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:54.019
 This will be the last chance we get to read it.

00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:56.319
 I'm going to have you all read it with me out loud

00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:57.359
 in a second.

00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:59.619
 Remember, some of you remember that I said

00:18:59.619 --> 00:19:00.759
 that the way Romans is written

00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:02.159
 in a very, very curious way

00:19:02.159 --> 00:19:03.500
 by its literary structure,

00:19:04.059 --> 00:19:07.700
 this basically summarizes the entire book.

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.639
 It's as if Paul wrote

00:19:09.639 --> 00:19:11.259
 what we would now call an abstract

00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:12.539
 at the beginning of the book

00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:14.799
 that summarizes the entire message.

00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:16.779
 And so, everything in the book

00:19:16.779 --> 00:19:18.779
 is an unpacking of this.

00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:20.159
 And if you could read it out loud with me,

00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:21.319
 that would be very, very good.

00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.539
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,

00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:26.960
 for it is the power of God

00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:29.819
 for salvation to everyone who believes,

00:19:29.819 --> 00:19:32.980
 to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:34.720
 For in the gospel,

00:19:35.019 --> 00:19:36.419
 the righteousness of God

00:19:36.419 --> 00:19:38.559
 is revealed from faith to faith.

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.960
 As it is written,

00:19:40.379 --> 00:19:42.359
 the righteous shall live by faith.

00:19:42.659 --> 00:19:44.119
 Two verses to memorize.

00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:45.919
 And what this is saying

00:19:45.919 --> 00:19:48.759
 is that God saw human need.

00:19:48.959 --> 00:19:50.899
 God saw that human beings

00:19:50.899 --> 00:19:53.619
 could not reconcile themselves to God

00:19:53.619 --> 00:19:55.679
 and that human beings were made

00:19:55.679 --> 00:19:57.739
 to be in fellowship and harmony with God.

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:59.899
 And God saw our great need.

00:20:00.439 --> 00:20:03.059
 And so, He acted in a way which is right.

00:20:03.179 --> 00:20:04.539
 That's what righteous means.

00:20:04.939 --> 00:20:06.759
 And it also means He acted in a way

00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:07.599
 which is right

00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:09.919
 to make us right with Him.

00:20:10.219 --> 00:20:12.000
 He did it, not us.

00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.079
 And so, when Jesus is dying upon the cross

00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:16.579
 and He descends into the dead

00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:18.779
 and He rises on the third day,

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:20.579
 and as I tell you about that,

00:20:20.660 --> 00:20:22.380
 I am not just telling you a story.

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:24.019
 I am not just giving you metaphors.

00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:25.900
 I am not just giving you examples.

00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:28.019
 These are not just mere words.

00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:31.079
 When I tell you that Jesus died upon the cross,

00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:32.279
 that He rose again,

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:34.759
 this message is power from God

00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:35.940
 to make you right with Him.

00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:39.480
 It doesn't matter if I raise my voice

00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:40.080
 with Him, I'm excited,

00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:41.680
 or if I speak very, very quietly,

00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:43.759
 or if I'm very, very stuffed up.

00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:44.820
 It has nothing to do

00:20:44.820 --> 00:20:46.820
 with my charisma or lack of it,

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:48.460
 my eloquence or lack of it.

00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:52.559
 This is news that comes from God.

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:56.519
 It is news that God has acted

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:59.580
 with power to make you right with Himself

00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:02.599
 by what His Son did on the cross

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:03.579
 for you and me.

00:21:04.179 --> 00:21:05.359
 And we receive it

00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:08.000
 not by accomplishment,

00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:10.159
 but by faith.

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.259
 In a sense,

00:21:13.439 --> 00:21:15.019
 nothing in my hands I bring.

00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:17.919
 Lord, have mercy upon me.

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:22.159
 It humbles the rich.

00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:24.199
 It humbles the victim.

00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:26.659
 It humbles those who believe

00:21:26.659 --> 00:21:27.879
 they're racially superior.

00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:30.560
 It humbles those who believe

00:21:30.560 --> 00:21:31.880
 they're intellectually or athletically

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.940
 or sexually superior.

00:21:35.140 --> 00:21:37.700
 It humbles all human ideologies.

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:41.300
 Because all we can say is

00:21:41.300 --> 00:21:42.180
 we cannot say,

00:21:42.320 --> 00:21:43.120
 I have a PhD,

00:21:43.380 --> 00:21:44.720
 I am rich and I am important.

00:21:45.100 --> 00:21:46.200
 All we can say is,

00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:48.880
 Lord, only You

00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:51.500
 can make me right with Yourself.

00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.460
 Only You.

00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:56.380
 Please receive me as Your own.

00:21:57.880 --> 00:21:59.560
 And the Bible says that

00:21:59.560 --> 00:22:01.220
 God turns none away.

00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:03.340
 There is none too bad,

00:22:03.520 --> 00:22:04.340
 none too broken,

00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:05.740
 none too unspiritual,

00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:07.460
 none too irreligious,

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:09.640
 none too angry at God,

00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:11.340
 none too broken or a failure

00:22:11.340 --> 00:22:12.200
 in the eyes of the world,

00:22:12.340 --> 00:22:13.520
 none too successful,

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.900
 none too brilliant or good-looking

00:22:15.900 --> 00:22:17.060
 or powerful,

00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:18.340
 that God will turn you away

00:22:18.340 --> 00:22:19.880
 when you humbly ask Him

00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:22.460
 to make you right with Himself

00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:24.560
 through His Son's death upon the cross.

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:26.159
 God rushes in

00:22:26.159 --> 00:22:27.960
 with power to make you right.

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:34.579
 Let's get back to reading.

00:22:35.159 --> 00:22:35.599
 So,

00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:37.740
 could you just go back

00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:39.079
 and put the second point up again?

00:22:39.379 --> 00:22:40.019
 Rebecca, back,

00:22:40.159 --> 00:22:40.779
 sorry, okay.

00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:43.000
 That's why there is only one gospel

00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:44.759
 from the one true God

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:46.200
 to every person

00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:48.279
 and every people group.

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:51.619
 Let's go back to reading verse 5.

00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:54.119
 Greet also to the church,

00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:55.379
 also the church in their house.

00:22:55.879 --> 00:22:58.000
 Greet my beloved Eponidas,

00:22:58.359 --> 00:23:00.579
 who was the first convert to Christ in Asia.

00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:01.879
 Greet Mary,

00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:03.299
 who has worked hard for you.

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:06.579
 Greet Andronicus and Junia,

00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:08.700
 my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners.

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:11.339
 They are well known to the apostles,

00:23:11.660 --> 00:23:13.339
 and they were in Christ before me.

00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:14.839
 And pause here for a second.

00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:16.500
 And you would not believe

00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.699
 how many pages there are

00:23:17.699 --> 00:23:19.659
 in commentaries over that one verse.

00:23:20.659 --> 00:23:22.459
 Is it Junia or Junius?

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:24.359
 Overwhelmingly,

00:23:24.419 --> 00:23:24.879
 it's a woman,

00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:26.539
 not a guy.

00:23:27.439 --> 00:23:28.079
 And what does it mean

00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:29.399
 about being amongst the apostles?

00:23:30.659 --> 00:23:31.859
 So, this is another one

00:23:31.859 --> 00:23:33.179
 of these dynamite texts

00:23:33.179 --> 00:23:34.439
 here in the Bible.

00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:36.980
 Here, Paul says

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:38.259
 that these two people

00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:39.899
 could be brother and sister,

00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:41.779
 or it's more likely to be

00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:43.000
 a husband and wife.

00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:45.420
 Andronicus and Junia.

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:47.099
 By kinsmen,

00:23:47.140 --> 00:23:48.000
 it means they're Jewish.

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.119
 They were early Christians.

00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:51.700
 And they're apostles.

00:23:52.579 --> 00:23:53.759
 Now, in the New Testament,

00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:55.380
 there's basically two ways

00:23:55.380 --> 00:23:56.799
 that the word apostle is used.

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.880
 It's used for the twelve,

00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:00.299
 and obviously,

00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:02.099
 these two are not part of the twelve.

00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:03.920
 But it's also used

00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.859
 in another sense.

00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:07.119
 It's used as a type

00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:08.839
 of an authoritative

00:24:08.839 --> 00:24:10.799
 taker

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:13.239
 and creator

00:24:13.239 --> 00:24:15.719
 of new outreaches

00:24:15.719 --> 00:24:16.799
 and new ministries

00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:17.500
 and new missions.

00:24:18.199 --> 00:24:19.199
 I gave the example

00:24:19.199 --> 00:24:20.319
 at the eight o'clock service.

00:24:20.479 --> 00:24:20.899
 There's a fellow

00:24:20.899 --> 00:24:22.899
 who goes to the eight o'clock service.

00:24:22.979 --> 00:24:23.659
 His name is Carl.

00:24:23.739 --> 00:24:24.479
 He's on our council.

00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:27.079
 And he was very involved

00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:28.119
 in one of the many ministries

00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:29.139
 of Power to Change,

00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:31.719
 a ministry that works with men.

00:24:32.659 --> 00:24:33.659
 And he, in a sense,

00:24:33.719 --> 00:24:35.299
 was an apostle from them.

00:24:35.299 --> 00:24:37.019
 He was granted an authority.

00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:38.639
 They recognized a gifting in them.

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.480
 He was granted the authority

00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.500
 and the commission

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:43.159
 to come to Ottawa

00:24:43.159 --> 00:24:44.799
 and begin this ministry

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:46.200
 in the Ottawa region.

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:46.919
 I think there's now

00:24:46.919 --> 00:24:48.079
 fifteen men's groups.

00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:49.299
 It's become so successful

00:24:49.919 --> 00:24:52.059
 that after he had created several,

00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:53.519
 God used him to create several.

00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.519
 He stepped back,

00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:55.859
 continued to be a volunteer,

00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:57.279
 and they hired a staff person.

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:58.539
 And in a sense,

00:24:58.619 --> 00:24:59.200
 what he did there

00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.720
 was an apostolic ministry.

00:25:01.659 --> 00:25:03.559
 It's an authoritative commission

00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:06.419
 to go and to create

00:25:06.419 --> 00:25:08.079
 new Christian ministries

00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.700
 or go into new areas

00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:10.519
 that do not have

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.539
 Christian presences

00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:15.319
 and be used by God

00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:17.519
 for churches and ministries to come.

00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.279
 And that's what apostle,

00:25:18.399 --> 00:25:19.579
 that's the other meaning of apostle.

00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:20.740
 And here it's saying

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:21.500
 that there's a woman

00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:22.960
 who's among them.

00:25:23.779 --> 00:25:25.319
 It's a very, very important text.

00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.879
 It really is.

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:30.619
 Let's keep reading.

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:32.939
 Verse 8.

00:25:33.739 --> 00:25:34.899
 Greet Ampliatus,

00:25:35.219 --> 00:25:36.179
 my beloved in the Lord.

00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:36.619
 Greet Urbanus,

00:25:37.959 --> 00:25:39.479
 our fellow worker in Christ,

00:25:40.059 --> 00:25:41.399
 and my beloved Stachis.

00:25:41.479 --> 00:25:42.699
 I don't know how to pronounce that at all.

00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:43.759
 Greet Apellas,

00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.099
 who is approved in Christ.

00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:46.039
 Greet those who belong

00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.719
 to the family of Aristopolis.

00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:49.039
 And I'm going to stop here

00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.259
 with the list of names

00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:51.659
 to draw something out.

00:25:52.119 --> 00:25:53.759
 There's no little asterisk here

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.739
 beside the word family,

00:25:54.899 --> 00:25:56.419
 but afterwards during coffee

00:25:56.419 --> 00:25:57.119
 we can have a debate

00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:58.239
 whether some of your Bibles

00:25:58.239 --> 00:25:58.899
 say household,

00:25:59.079 --> 00:25:59.819
 some say family.

00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:00.480
 We can have a debate

00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.599
 about which is the better term.

00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:03.319
 Here's where I would say

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:04.079
 that household

00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:04.759
 is the better term

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:05.559
 to translate it.

00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:06.619
 In the original language,

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:07.579
 what he's noticed,

00:26:07.939 --> 00:26:09.960
 he's not saying that Aristopolis,

00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:11.460
 and it's going to come up

00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:12.259
 a second time

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:13.579
 with a different person,

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.139
 they're not Christians.

00:26:16.419 --> 00:26:17.579
 So what he's doing

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.220
 is saying,

00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:20.519
 greet the slaves,

00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:22.859
 the Christian slaves,

00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:25.179
 who are owned by this man.

00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:28.259
 And in fact,

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.240
 what it's saying

00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:32.580
 in the original language,

00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:34.700
 in the ancient world,

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:36.240
 there's only one church in Rome,

00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:38.200
 only one church in Rome,

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:39.940
 but the one church in Rome

00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:41.500
 is made up of a series

00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:42.779
 of what we would now call

00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.680
 small churches.

00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:46.640
 And the implication is here

00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.580
 in the next case

00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:49.480
 that there's a church of slaves.

00:26:50.180 --> 00:26:52.240
 But they're not second-class churches.

00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.420
 It's not like it was

00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:55.440
 in the worst parts of apartheid

00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:56.279
 or the worst parts

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.359
 of the American South

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.900
 where black churches

00:26:58.900 --> 00:27:00.599
 would be second-class churches,

00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:02.460
 not equal with a white church.

00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:05.779
 You know,

00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:07.039
 there's a very important movement

00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.500
 in the States

00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:09.059
 called Black Lives Matter.

00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:10.859
 And in a sense,

00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:12.519
 what Paul is just saying here

00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:14.460
 in huge, bold print

00:27:14.460 --> 00:27:16.220
 is slaves' lives matter.

00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:20.680
 Their church is just as equal

00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:23.120
 as the other churches,

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:24.580
 the ones in people

00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:25.840
 of means houses.

00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:34.140
 Here's two big takeaways from this.

00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:35.539
 If you could put up the third point,

00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:36.320
 that would be great.

00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:39.120
 God desires to use

00:27:39.120 --> 00:27:41.519
 every person gripped by the gospel

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:43.820
 to make a powerful difference

00:27:43.820 --> 00:27:45.160
 in the world for his glory.

00:27:45.160 --> 00:27:48.160
 God desires to use

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:50.740
 every person gripped by the gospel

00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:52.380
 to make a powerful difference

00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:53.420
 in the world for his glory.

00:27:53.800 --> 00:27:55.440
 I put in here desires

00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:56.180
 because, of course,

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:58.440
 some of us spend days,

00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:59.900
 weeks, months, years

00:27:59.900 --> 00:28:01.060
 resisting God.

00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:06.779
 God wants us to do something.

00:28:06.860 --> 00:28:07.779
 We know God wants us

00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.519
 to do something

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:10.060
 and we don't do it

00:28:10.060 --> 00:28:12.840
 because it would make us look geeky.

00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:14.320
 It would make us look foolish.

00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.519
 It would make us look stupid.

00:28:15.639 --> 00:28:16.919
 It would make us look unpopular

00:28:16.919 --> 00:28:17.899
 with the hip people

00:28:17.899 --> 00:28:18.819
 or the cool people

00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:20.939
 or, I don't know,

00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:21.879
 we just don't.

00:28:22.379 --> 00:28:23.939
 Maybe I'm the only sinful person here

00:28:23.939 --> 00:28:24.559
 once again,

00:28:25.339 --> 00:28:26.579
 but I have a suspicion

00:28:26.579 --> 00:28:27.639
 that many of us

00:28:27.639 --> 00:28:30.359
 who are maybe with tears

00:28:30.359 --> 00:28:31.819
 would say,

00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:32.980
 yeah, that's really described

00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:34.119
 a lot of things in my life.

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:35.700
 But here's the thing.

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:37.279
 This text is showing us.

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.279
 It's not saying,

00:28:38.399 --> 00:28:38.919
 okay, well, here,

00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:40.019
 it's really, really unfortunate

00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:40.960
 that all you slaves

00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:41.759
 became Christians

00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:43.119
 because, like, you're slaves.

00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:44.799
 Like, you have a pagan master.

00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:45.660
 He has no interest

00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:46.599
 in letting you go free.

00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:47.460
 He has no interest

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.519
 in letting you serve

00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:52.500
 this stupid supposed God

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:54.579
 who died by crucifixion

00:28:54.579 --> 00:28:56.879
 showing that he's unimportant to Rome.

00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:59.940
 He's not one of the powerful Roman gods.

00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.680
 Oh, it's really,

00:29:00.859 --> 00:29:02.160
 it sucks so much

00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:03.140
 that you're under him.

00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:04.660
 Too bad you can't do anything.

00:29:05.339 --> 00:29:05.819
 No.

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:08.899
 It's not, oh, too bad you're a woman

00:29:08.899 --> 00:29:09.819
 and you're powerless.

00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:10.960
 Too bad you're single,

00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:12.439
 a single woman or a single man.

00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:13.919
 That's the spectacular thing

00:29:13.919 --> 00:29:14.859
 about this list.

00:29:15.339 --> 00:29:16.659
 There's Roman citizens,

00:29:16.919 --> 00:29:17.740
 there's slaves,

00:29:17.899 --> 00:29:18.439
 there's rich,

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:19.200
 there's poor,

00:29:19.339 --> 00:29:19.960
 there's single,

00:29:20.099 --> 00:29:20.879
 there's married.

00:29:22.819 --> 00:29:24.779
 All being used by God.

00:29:27.399 --> 00:29:28.700
 And they're all being used by God

00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:29.899
 because he knows them by name.

00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:31.740
 That's a really important thing for us.

00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:33.980
 Like, if you give your life to Jesus,

00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:35.180
 you're not saying,

00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:35.860
 oh, it's not as if,

00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:36.920
 okay, God is looking for

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:38.279
 a transgendered person

00:29:38.279 --> 00:29:39.200
 to become a Christian.

00:29:39.339 --> 00:29:40.259
 Oh, God's looking for

00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:41.880
 an old white guy

00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:42.680
 from Canada

00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:43.700
 to become a Christian.

00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:44.700
 It's not,

00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.940
 he doesn't love classes.

00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:47.339
 He loves you by name.

00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:49.620
 He died for you by name.

00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:51.720
 He knows you by name.

00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:55.200
 And maybe you have,

00:29:55.380 --> 00:29:56.460
 you feel you have nothing

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:57.380
 you can do to offer.

00:29:57.380 --> 00:29:59.019
 You come to Jesus,

00:29:59.299 --> 00:30:01.380
 he can use you in powerful ways.

00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:03.940
 I can't tell you,

00:30:04.060 --> 00:30:06.760
 he will use you in powerful ways.

00:30:08.320 --> 00:30:09.620
 Sometimes when I visit people

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.300
 who are shut-ins,

00:30:10.600 --> 00:30:10.860
 you know,

00:30:12.120 --> 00:30:13.340
 I know that being a shut-in

00:30:13.340 --> 00:30:14.640
 can be a really, really, really,

00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:15.940
 really, really, really hard thing.

00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:18.520
 But it might be that God

00:30:18.520 --> 00:30:19.560
 is calling you to do

00:30:19.560 --> 00:30:21.760
 an unbelievable work of prayer.

00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:26.560
 Or of writing encouraging notes

00:30:26.560 --> 00:30:27.260
 or whatever.

00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:32.519
 And here's another thing as well.

00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:34.960
 If you could put up the next point.

00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:39.039
 The Bible read from the perspective

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:40.359
 of the biblical gospel

00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:41.660
 is God's gift

00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:45.379
 of an unendingly healthy virus

00:30:45.379 --> 00:30:47.740
 for every society and people group.

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:49.180
 I don't know if virus is the right word.

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:52.359
 It's a good word

00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:53.960
 because people are afraid of the Bible.

00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:56.880
 But it's actually

00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:59.480
 Bible read from the perspective

00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:00.680
 of the biblical gospel

00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:01.720
 is God's gift

00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:04.240
 of an unendingly healthy virus

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:06.000
 for every society and people group.

00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:11.579
 So, you know,

00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:13.240
 if you think about it for a second,

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.340
 from a human being's love,

00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:16.600
 I'm going to get in trouble.

00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:17.380
 What the heck?

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:19.700
 I'm going to get in even more trouble

00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:20.279
 in a couple of minutes.

00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:21.240
 Here's the thing.

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:24.000
 And if you've had an abortion,

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:25.620
 I'm not picking on you.

00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:27.279
 Jesus loves you.

00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:31.019
 And the best thing you can do

00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:33.039
 is to give your life to Jesus.

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:36.640
 And he won't turn you away

00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:37.440
 for anything you've done.

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.880
 But when you listen

00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:40.299
 to abortion activists,

00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:41.859
 a lot of their language

00:31:41.859 --> 00:31:42.839
 is the same way

00:31:42.839 --> 00:31:44.259
 that slaveholders

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:46.200
 and proponents of slavery

00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:47.319
 talk about slaves.

00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:51.319
 It is a reintroduction

00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.960
 of the rhetoric

00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:54.439
 and narrative of slavery

00:31:54.439 --> 00:31:58.500
 in Canada.

00:31:59.539 --> 00:32:00.960
 The way they talk

00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:02.259
 about a woman's relationship

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:04.220
 to the baby in her womb

00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:06.980
 is the language of slavery.

00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:12.819
 And the Bible here

00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:15.160
 acts as a constant check

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:18.559
 to sense that there are slaves

00:32:18.559 --> 00:32:19.259
 who are making

00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:20.799
 a profound difference for God.

00:32:20.900 --> 00:32:21.539
 To sense,

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:22.640
 and here in this text,

00:32:22.900 --> 00:32:24.120
 to take this boring part

00:32:24.120 --> 00:32:24.599
 of the Bible

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:25.839
 and realizing that the Bible

00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:26.960
 is saying that slaves

00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:28.259
 are used to the glory of God.

00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:28.960
 That their church

00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:29.960
 is just as equal

00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:32.120
 as Prisca and Aquilus.

00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:32.819
 That they're all,

00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:33.279
 in fact,

00:32:33.380 --> 00:32:34.640
 equally important ministers.

00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:37.759
 This is powerful dynamite.

00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:38.800
 And let's be honest

00:32:38.800 --> 00:32:39.900
 about our society.

00:32:40.620 --> 00:32:42.000
 We are not living

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:43.040
 in sexual

00:32:43.040 --> 00:32:45.020
 and political nirvana.

00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:47.300
 It isn't as if people

00:32:47.300 --> 00:32:47.740
 could say,

00:32:47.860 --> 00:32:48.540
 good grief,

00:32:48.580 --> 00:32:49.900
 it can't get any better

00:32:49.900 --> 00:32:50.500
 than this.

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:51.520
 We're living

00:32:51.520 --> 00:32:52.700
 in a perfect society.

00:32:53.120 --> 00:32:55.440
 Everybody is sexually whole.

00:32:55.600 --> 00:32:57.320
 Nobody is sexually tormented.

00:32:57.540 --> 00:32:59.200
 Everybody has an unbelievably

00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:00.580
 wonderful relationship

00:33:00.580 --> 00:33:01.280
 with money

00:33:01.280 --> 00:33:02.340
 and with power

00:33:02.340 --> 00:33:03.340
 and with themselves.

00:33:03.340 --> 00:33:04.480
 There's no depression.

00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:06.040
 There's no unhappiness.

00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:07.920
 Well, that's not our society.

00:33:09.840 --> 00:33:10.900
 And here's the thing.

00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:13.400
 Any,

00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.980
 I'm not picking on feminism.

00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:16.560
 Any, you know,

00:33:16.600 --> 00:33:17.460
 whether it's feminism,

00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:19.220
 whether it's

00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:21.840
 types of different nationalism,

00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:23.540
 whether it's different,

00:33:23.600 --> 00:33:23.920
 you know,

00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:25.120
 philosophies of money

00:33:25.120 --> 00:33:26.020
 like capitalism

00:33:26.020 --> 00:33:26.820
 and socialism,

00:33:27.100 --> 00:33:28.440
 every ism

00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:30.420
 and every philosophy

00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:32.480
 and every ideology

00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:33.160
 protects,

00:33:33.380 --> 00:33:34.340
 presents itself

00:33:34.340 --> 00:33:35.460
 as the final word

00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:36.559
 that will be here forever

00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:38.019
 and it's all wrong.

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.299
 Talk to some of us

00:33:40.299 --> 00:33:41.519
 old people

00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:42.600
 who went to university

00:33:42.600 --> 00:33:43.720
 in the 70s.

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:45.940
 And if you were

00:33:45.940 --> 00:33:47.019
 a thinking Christian

00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:48.140
 in the 70s,

00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:49.320
 what did you feel?

00:33:49.440 --> 00:33:49.980
 One of the things

00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:50.559
 you had to deal with,

00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:51.100
 you had to deal with

00:33:51.100 --> 00:33:51.900
 behaviorism.

00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:52.960
 You young people,

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.360
 you don't even know

00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:53.959
 what that is.

00:33:55.559 --> 00:33:56.339
 This was like

00:33:56.339 --> 00:33:57.579
 big

00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:59.399
 Marxism.

00:33:59.859 --> 00:34:00.240
 Sort of,

00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:00.719
 I know it's still

00:34:00.719 --> 00:34:01.500
 a bit at universities

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.459
 in an odd form,

00:34:02.939 --> 00:34:04.539
 but a whole pile of things

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:05.240
 which seemed

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.979
 here forever,

00:34:07.139 --> 00:34:08.500
 the final word.

00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:11.739
 20, 30, 40 years later,

00:34:11.779 --> 00:34:12.159
 you don't even know

00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:12.699
 what it is.

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:15.299
 Like in the 50s

00:34:15.299 --> 00:34:16.299
 when C.S. Lewis

00:34:16.299 --> 00:34:16.659
 was writing,

00:34:16.739 --> 00:34:17.059
 it would have been

00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:17.739
 Freudianism.

00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:19.219
 Who reads him anymore?

00:34:20.699 --> 00:34:21.279
 And yet,

00:34:21.359 --> 00:34:22.139
 it would be as if

00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:22.859
 it was the

00:34:22.860 --> 00:34:23.900
 final word.

00:34:24.340 --> 00:34:25.099
 All of these

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:25.880
 ideologies,

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:26.700
 they come and they go.

00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:27.660
 Some of them are helpful,

00:34:27.820 --> 00:34:28.980
 they're helpful in different ways,

00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:30.539
 they're unhelpful in different ways.

00:34:31.019 --> 00:34:31.460
 I'm not saying

00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:32.480
 you shouldn't be aware of them,

00:34:32.720 --> 00:34:33.620
 but the fact of the matter

00:34:33.620 --> 00:34:34.539
 is that the Bible

00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:35.800
 is God's word written

00:34:35.800 --> 00:34:36.840
 and presents this

00:34:36.840 --> 00:34:37.579
 constant,

00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:38.860
 silent witness

00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:40.519
 as an outline of sanity.

00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:43.140
 So now,

00:34:43.200 --> 00:34:44.120
 some of you are wondering,

00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:44.579
 George,

00:34:44.660 --> 00:34:45.840
 having said all of these things,

00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:46.599
 I have to keep in mind

00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:47.220
 my time.

00:34:48.140 --> 00:34:48.860
 It sounds,

00:34:49.140 --> 00:34:49.340
 George,

00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:49.940
 as if

00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:51.940
 all those churches

00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:52.760
 that don't allow women

00:34:52.760 --> 00:34:53.420
 to be ministers

00:34:53.420 --> 00:34:54.440
 have made a terrible,

00:34:54.600 --> 00:34:54.920
 terrible,

00:34:55.020 --> 00:34:55.920
 terrible mistake.

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.380
 Now,

00:34:58.460 --> 00:34:59.180
 as some of you know,

00:34:59.200 --> 00:34:59.980
 and I'm going to talk about this

00:34:59.980 --> 00:35:01.260
 a little bit more next week,

00:35:02.760 --> 00:35:04.380
 I first came out,

00:35:04.620 --> 00:35:06.600
 don't get worried,

00:35:06.980 --> 00:35:07.820
 I first came out

00:35:07.820 --> 00:35:09.180
 in 1973

00:35:09.180 --> 00:35:10.160
 in favor of the

00:35:10.160 --> 00:35:10.920
 ordination of women

00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:12.020
 and

00:35:12.020 --> 00:35:14.440
 up until about

00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:15.340
 seven years ago

00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:15.980
 where I changed

00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:17.220
 my position on it.

00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:18.300
 And

00:35:18.300 --> 00:35:20.020
 six or seven years ago.

00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:21.199
 and

00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:26.460
 you're going to see

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:26.699
 why,

00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:27.559
 not why I changed it

00:35:27.559 --> 00:35:28.199
 just specifically

00:35:28.199 --> 00:35:28.780
 in a moment,

00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:30.059
 but I became aware

00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:30.539
 of the thing

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:31.099
 about more,

00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:31.780
 like at first

00:35:31.780 --> 00:35:32.759
 I supported it

00:35:32.759 --> 00:35:33.400
 really because

00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:33.780
 I didn't know

00:35:33.780 --> 00:35:34.800
 the Bible very well,

00:35:35.500 --> 00:35:36.380
 just to be honest.

00:35:36.460 --> 00:35:37.039
 Not that people

00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:37.599
 who support it

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.259
 don't know the Bible

00:35:38.259 --> 00:35:38.719
 very well,

00:35:38.820 --> 00:35:39.500
 but I mean that,

00:35:39.739 --> 00:35:40.759
 but at some point in time

00:35:40.759 --> 00:35:41.579
 I started to become aware

00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:42.039
 of the fact

00:35:42.039 --> 00:35:42.579
 that there was

00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:44.280
 contradictory texts

00:35:44.280 --> 00:35:45.059
 in the New Testament.

00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:46.719
 So here's why

00:35:46.719 --> 00:35:47.539
 I'm talking about it

00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:48.019
 because this is what

00:35:48.019 --> 00:35:48.579
 we're going to look at

00:35:48.579 --> 00:35:49.119
 next week

00:35:49.119 --> 00:35:49.739
 and if you turn

00:35:49.739 --> 00:35:50.259
 in your Bibles

00:35:50.259 --> 00:35:51.579
 to Titus chapter 1

00:35:51.579 --> 00:35:53.400
 you're going to see

00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:54.079
 the problem.

00:35:55.960 --> 00:35:57.659
 So Titus chapter 1

00:35:57.659 --> 00:35:58.860
 and we're going to look

00:35:58.860 --> 00:36:00.300
 at verses 5 to 9.

00:36:01.239 --> 00:36:01.739
 Now remember

00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:02.420
 this is the same

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:03.059
 Paul writing.

00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:04.679
 He's probably writing

00:36:04.679 --> 00:36:06.139
 about eight years later.

00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:07.739
 He knows that

00:36:07.739 --> 00:36:08.679
 Phoebe's a patron.

00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:10.099
 He knows that

00:36:10.099 --> 00:36:10.759
 she's a person

00:36:10.759 --> 00:36:11.460
 of substance.

00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:12.920
 He's best buddies

00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:13.619
 with Prisca.

00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:14.820
 He knows all these things.

00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:16.000
 He's quite willing

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:17.340
 to shock society.

00:36:17.739 --> 00:36:19.019
 To talk about slaves

00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:19.539
 and women

00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.059
 and men

00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:21.079
 in all sorts of ways

00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:21.599
 which would have been

00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:22.519
 very, very shocking.

00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:23.980
 He follows somebody

00:36:23.980 --> 00:36:25.039
 who was crucified

00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:26.519
 which was a profound

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:27.480
 offense

00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:29.840
 to all Roman society.

00:36:32.300 --> 00:36:33.260
 And here

00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:35.780
 he says this.

00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:37.280
 This is why

00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:38.280
 I left you in Crete

00:36:38.280 --> 00:36:39.300
 so that you might

00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:40.260
 put what remained

00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:40.860
 into order

00:36:40.860 --> 00:36:41.980
 and appoint elders.

00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:43.300
 The word is

00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:44.000
 presbyter.

00:36:44.820 --> 00:36:45.940
 I'm a presbyter.

00:36:46.699 --> 00:36:46.920
 Okay?

00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:48.480
 In every town

00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:49.320
 as I directed you

00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:51.360
 if anyone is above reproach

00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:52.920
 the husband of one wife.

00:36:56.579 --> 00:36:58.000
 The husband of one wife.

00:36:59.780 --> 00:37:00.639
 And his children

00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:01.239
 are believers

00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:02.219
 not only to the charge

00:37:02.219 --> 00:37:03.039
 of debauchery

00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:04.119
 and insubordination.

00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:04.840
 And then he uses

00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:05.599
 the word that we get

00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:06.340
 bishop from

00:37:06.340 --> 00:37:07.219
 overseer.

00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:09.199
 And he sort of

00:37:09.199 --> 00:37:09.840
 puts them

00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:11.159
 the two things together

00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:11.920
 episcopus

00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:12.860
 and overseer

00:37:12.860 --> 00:37:13.480
 presbyter

00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:15.139
 and an episcopus

00:37:15.139 --> 00:37:16.539
 and an elder

00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:17.719
 and a bishop.

00:37:17.840 --> 00:37:18.360
 He puts them

00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:19.059
 sort of together.

00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:20.699
 So they're also

00:37:20.699 --> 00:37:21.840
 bound by verse

00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:22.920
 five and six.

00:37:23.619 --> 00:37:24.400
 By the way

00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:26.940
 five and six

00:37:26.940 --> 00:37:27.320
 and seven

00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:28.340
 are a profound

00:37:28.340 --> 00:37:29.079
 rebuke to Roman

00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:29.900
 Catholic and Eastern

00:37:29.900 --> 00:37:30.800
 Orthodox churches.

00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.920
 If you hear

00:37:31.920 --> 00:37:32.619
 from those churches

00:37:32.619 --> 00:37:33.599
 I didn't mean to offend you.

00:37:33.800 --> 00:37:34.320
 I'm just making you

00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:34.840
 aware of the Bible.

00:37:34.840 --> 00:37:38.940
 An overseer

00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:39.420
 or bishop

00:37:39.420 --> 00:37:40.559
 as God's steward

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:41.720
 must be above reproach.

00:37:41.820 --> 00:37:42.720
 He must not be arrogant

00:37:42.720 --> 00:37:43.360
 quick-tempered

00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:43.720
 etc.

00:37:43.860 --> 00:37:44.140
 etc.

00:37:44.220 --> 00:37:44.519
 etc.

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.180
 So here's the thing.

00:37:47.100 --> 00:37:47.820
 The Bible seems

00:37:47.820 --> 00:37:48.920
 to contradict itself.

00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:52.039
 Now next week

00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:52.539
 I'm going to talk

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.700
 about this a little bit more.

00:37:55.120 --> 00:37:55.900
 And so what happened

00:37:55.900 --> 00:37:56.579
 with me

00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:57.620
 is

00:37:57.620 --> 00:37:59.140
 there's a variety

00:37:59.140 --> 00:38:00.000
 of ways to deal

00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:01.200
 with one or the others

00:38:01.200 --> 00:38:01.660
 of these.

00:38:01.780 --> 00:38:03.059
 From my egalitarian

00:38:03.059 --> 00:38:03.680
 perspective

00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:04.819
 that's how it's called.

00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:07.219
 But you know

00:38:07.219 --> 00:38:08.279
 so basically

00:38:08.279 --> 00:38:09.019
 the part of the way

00:38:09.019 --> 00:38:09.899
 that people deal with it

00:38:09.899 --> 00:38:10.559
 they try to talk about

00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:11.419
 there's a trajectory

00:38:11.419 --> 00:38:12.440
 in the biblical text.

00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:13.279
 They try to talk about

00:38:13.279 --> 00:38:13.980
 that's just what they

00:38:13.980 --> 00:38:14.759
 thought back then

00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:15.819
 and we can dismiss it.

00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:18.799
 They have other ways

00:38:18.799 --> 00:38:19.279
 about saying

00:38:19.279 --> 00:38:20.599
 you can't possibly know

00:38:20.599 --> 00:38:21.579
 and there's a whole

00:38:21.579 --> 00:38:22.199
 pile of ways

00:38:22.199 --> 00:38:22.859
 to get around it

00:38:22.859 --> 00:38:23.859
 and I basically knew

00:38:23.859 --> 00:38:24.679
 that all of those ways

00:38:24.679 --> 00:38:25.279
 to get around it

00:38:25.279 --> 00:38:25.779
 were wrong.

00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:28.000
 And I don't mean

00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:28.980
 to offend people here

00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:29.639
 who hold that

00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:30.379
 but I think

00:38:30.379 --> 00:38:31.339
 they don't work at all.

00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:31.859
 I don't think

00:38:31.859 --> 00:38:32.819
 they fit with the Bible.

00:38:33.679 --> 00:38:35.339
 And so I came

00:38:35.339 --> 00:38:35.940
 to the position

00:38:35.940 --> 00:38:36.699
 where I just had

00:38:36.699 --> 00:38:37.519
 to say to myself

00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:39.359
 the only two options

00:38:39.359 --> 00:38:39.739
 that I knew

00:38:39.739 --> 00:38:40.839
 was on one hand

00:38:40.839 --> 00:38:41.699
 you had churches

00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:42.359
 that basically

00:38:42.359 --> 00:38:43.099
 didn't allow women

00:38:43.099 --> 00:38:43.819
 to do anything.

00:38:45.119 --> 00:38:45.940
 On the other hand

00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:47.259
 this other position

00:38:47.259 --> 00:38:48.079
 of women

00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:48.919
 could be bishops

00:38:48.919 --> 00:38:49.839
 and priests.

00:38:51.099 --> 00:38:54.079
 And I was uncomfortable.

00:38:54.279 --> 00:38:54.819
 I didn't know how to

00:38:54.819 --> 00:38:56.559
 put the Bible together.

00:38:57.279 --> 00:38:57.919
 And so I came

00:38:57.919 --> 00:38:58.719
 to the conclusion

00:38:58.719 --> 00:39:00.579
 which is one of the reasons

00:39:00.579 --> 00:39:01.199
 I haven't taught

00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:02.259
 on Titus in the church

00:39:02.259 --> 00:39:03.139
 for about a decade

00:39:03.139 --> 00:39:03.840
 or more

00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:05.960
 is that I don't ever

00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:06.960
 believe that the Bible

00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:07.860
 is filled with any

00:39:07.860 --> 00:39:08.599
 contradictions.

00:39:08.599 --> 00:39:09.400
 I don't think

00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:10.539
 there's any incoherence

00:39:10.539 --> 00:39:11.099
 in the Bible.

00:39:11.719 --> 00:39:13.279
 But I know that my mind

00:39:13.279 --> 00:39:14.259
 doesn't always see

00:39:14.259 --> 00:39:14.860
 the clarity

00:39:14.860 --> 00:39:16.559
 of the Bible.

00:39:17.099 --> 00:39:17.920
 The problem is

00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:18.860
 in my mind

00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:21.779
 not this.

00:39:22.380 --> 00:39:23.259
 That was my view.

00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:24.840
 And I did something

00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:25.719
 which is actually

00:39:25.719 --> 00:39:26.719
 very Anglican

00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:28.559
 in an old fashioned way

00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:29.900
 and not very modern

00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:30.699
 or post-modern.

00:39:31.139 --> 00:39:32.239
 I was just prepared

00:39:32.239 --> 00:39:33.380
 to live without knowing

00:39:33.380 --> 00:39:35.759
 because I didn't know

00:39:35.759 --> 00:39:36.380
 the solution.

00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:38.519
 And I'll talk about this

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:39.460
 more a bit next week

00:39:39.460 --> 00:39:40.719
 but I actually believe

00:39:40.719 --> 00:39:42.820
 that if you look

00:39:42.820 --> 00:39:43.820
 at all of the texts

00:39:43.820 --> 00:39:44.679
 in the New Testament

00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:47.099
 and if you say

00:39:47.099 --> 00:39:50.860
 that God calls

00:39:50.860 --> 00:39:52.199
 some men

00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:54.219
 and only a small

00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:55.380
 number of men

00:39:55.380 --> 00:39:56.780
 to the position

00:39:56.780 --> 00:39:59.079
 of a presbyter

00:39:59.079 --> 00:40:00.160
 or an episcopist

00:40:00.160 --> 00:40:03.880
 who have an authoritative

00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:04.559
 teaching role

00:40:04.559 --> 00:40:05.260
 in the church

00:40:05.260 --> 00:40:09.640
 and no women

00:40:09.640 --> 00:40:10.820
 then all of the

00:40:10.820 --> 00:40:11.780
 different contradictions

00:40:11.780 --> 00:40:12.740
 in the Bible

00:40:12.740 --> 00:40:13.280
 go away.

00:40:14.619 --> 00:40:15.200
 And our goal

00:40:15.200 --> 00:40:15.840
 has to be

00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:16.559
 to try to find

00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:17.180
 a consistent

00:40:17.180 --> 00:40:17.960
 coherent way

00:40:17.960 --> 00:40:18.680
 to read the Bible.

00:40:19.539 --> 00:40:19.880
 In other words

00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:20.559
 what it's saying here

00:40:20.559 --> 00:40:21.260
 is that both men

00:40:21.260 --> 00:40:21.599
 and women

00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:22.559
 they can be presidents.

00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:23.140
 Men and women

00:40:23.140 --> 00:40:23.980
 they can be generals.

00:40:24.160 --> 00:40:24.559
 Men and women

00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:25.860
 they can be race car drivers.

00:40:26.039 --> 00:40:26.460
 Men and women

00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:27.420
 they can own businesses.

00:40:27.659 --> 00:40:28.679
 Men and women

00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:31.179
 they can care for children.

00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:31.880
 Men and women

00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:33.099
 they can become athletes.

00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:33.679
 Men and women

00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:34.579
 they can write books.

00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:35.099
 Men and women

00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:35.900
 they can teach.

00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:36.460
 Men and women

00:40:36.460 --> 00:40:37.619
 they can perform miracles.

00:40:37.820 --> 00:40:38.259
 Men and women

00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:40.960
 they can live lives of prayer.

00:40:41.079 --> 00:40:41.519
 Men and women

00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.659
 they can be used by God

00:40:42.659 --> 00:40:43.579
 to perform healings.

00:40:43.900 --> 00:40:44.340
 Men and women

00:40:44.340 --> 00:40:45.400
 you can go on and on

00:40:45.400 --> 00:40:45.840
 and on

00:40:45.840 --> 00:40:46.799
 and on and on

00:40:46.799 --> 00:40:48.960
 but the office

00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:50.199
 of elder

00:40:50.199 --> 00:40:51.940
 and overseer

00:40:51.940 --> 00:40:53.460
 are limited

00:40:53.460 --> 00:40:55.840
 only to men, but not all men.

00:40:56.380 --> 00:40:58.420
 This isn't patriarchy we're talking about.

00:41:00.440 --> 00:41:02.559
 It isn't that a woman in the church

00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:04.559
 has to listen to a man because he's a man,

00:41:05.400 --> 00:41:09.460
 but that God calls only some men

00:41:09.460 --> 00:41:11.240
 out of the majority of men

00:41:11.240 --> 00:41:16.099
 to be a presbyter or a bishop.

00:41:16.740 --> 00:41:18.500
 And I think that if you have that insight,

00:41:18.840 --> 00:41:20.740
 almost all of the apparent contradictions

00:41:20.740 --> 00:41:21.800
 in the Bible vanish.

00:41:23.460 --> 00:41:26.099
 So I've offended some of you, maybe,

00:41:26.840 --> 00:41:29.699
 but the key to this is to read the Bible

00:41:29.699 --> 00:41:30.760
 and search the scriptures.

00:41:32.280 --> 00:41:34.039
 I just want to know what the Bible teaches.

00:41:34.300 --> 00:41:35.139
 That's all I want to know.

00:41:35.300 --> 00:41:36.679
 I just want to do what the Bible teaches.

00:41:37.800 --> 00:41:38.900
 And some of you might understand,

00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:39.780
 I'm going to take a moment here,

00:41:39.940 --> 00:41:41.840
 I'm running out of time to share my heart.

00:41:42.260 --> 00:41:44.199
 That's why I believe, I've been praying for quite a while

00:41:44.199 --> 00:41:46.480
 that God would use our church to plant churches

00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:48.139
 not only in the eastern Ontario,

00:41:48.220 --> 00:41:49.159
 but across the country.

00:41:49.720 --> 00:41:51.820
 And we don't have the resources, it's impossible,

00:41:51.820 --> 00:41:54.220
 but I believe that we can pray that God would raise up

00:41:54.220 --> 00:41:57.700
 eight young men who would be married,

00:41:58.260 --> 00:41:59.680
 who could come to our church,

00:41:59.940 --> 00:42:02.840
 who could be equipped and loved and prayed over,

00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:05.960
 and that they could build a team of men and women,

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:08.160
 no slaves or anything in our society,

00:42:08.280 --> 00:42:09.680
 but men and women from all classes,

00:42:09.780 --> 00:42:11.880
 and they can go and they can plant churches.

00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:13.760
 And I think it would be really wonderful

00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:15.900
 if that was the thing that we as a church would pray for.

00:42:17.539 --> 00:42:19.820
 And that we would also pray for a mighty move

00:42:19.820 --> 00:42:22.480
 of church planning in all the urban centers of this country,

00:42:22.579 --> 00:42:24.539
 and that God would use us in some small way

00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:28.079
 to raise up 100 young men

00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:29.519
 who are capable of being ordained,

00:42:30.200 --> 00:42:33.079
 married, building a multi-generational,

00:42:33.660 --> 00:42:36.940
 multi-gender team to reach the cities.

00:42:36.940 --> 00:42:40.619
 And I look forward to the day

00:42:40.619 --> 00:42:43.079
 that we can wholeheartedly embrace this as a church

00:42:43.079 --> 00:42:45.099
 and make it a matter of prayer

00:42:45.099 --> 00:42:47.800
 and a commitment of resources.

00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:55.480
 I just want to finish this text.

00:42:55.780 --> 00:42:57.039
 I've noticed my time.

00:42:59.880 --> 00:43:01.720
 Here's one of the things about this, by the way.

00:43:03.059 --> 00:43:04.920
 Actually, let's go back to Romans.

00:43:04.920 --> 00:43:05.900
 I want to go back to Romans.

00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:07.059
 I want to just share something.

00:43:07.180 --> 00:43:08.659
 If one of the real takeaways about this

00:43:08.659 --> 00:43:09.780
 is to search the scriptures,

00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:11.099
 search all of the scriptures,

00:43:12.039 --> 00:43:14.079
 read them widely, read them deeply,

00:43:14.559 --> 00:43:15.900
 seek to try to put them together

00:43:15.900 --> 00:43:17.320
 to get the mind of Christ,

00:43:17.700 --> 00:43:19.440
 just jump down to verse 17.

00:43:20.880 --> 00:43:24.079
 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,

00:43:24.220 --> 00:43:25.920
 to watch out for those who cause divisions

00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:28.240
 and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine

00:43:28.240 --> 00:43:29.059
 that you have been taught.

00:43:29.180 --> 00:43:29.720
 Avoid them.

00:43:30.500 --> 00:43:33.099
 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ,

00:43:33.099 --> 00:43:34.400
 but their own appetites,

00:43:34.400 --> 00:43:36.079
 and by smooth talk and flattery,

00:43:36.400 --> 00:43:37.940
 they deceive the hearts of the naive.

00:43:38.860 --> 00:43:39.920
 And some of you might think

00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:41.280
 that that's just what I've just done.

00:43:42.619 --> 00:43:44.820
 I actually struggled with this text all week.

00:43:46.380 --> 00:43:52.300
 But you'll notice it's not that there's not division,

00:43:53.139 --> 00:43:55.940
 but that it's by the very nature of false teaching

00:43:55.940 --> 00:43:57.660
 to create obstacles and division.

00:43:57.659 --> 00:44:03.159
 And it's a call for us to have our minds formed

00:44:03.159 --> 00:44:05.239
 by the pattern of biblical teaching,

00:44:05.359 --> 00:44:07.239
 the whole Bible in its depths.

00:44:08.579 --> 00:44:11.039
 And that will always cause problems

00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:12.739
 with every society that we're in.

00:44:12.819 --> 00:44:13.960
 It'll be a different problem

00:44:13.960 --> 00:44:16.039
 to different societies at different times.

00:44:16.259 --> 00:44:18.279
 In a highly capitalistic society,

00:44:18.359 --> 00:44:19.719
 the Christian teaching on the poor

00:44:19.719 --> 00:44:21.619
 will be highly, highly offensive.

00:44:21.619 --> 00:44:23.900
 In a culture like ours

00:44:23.900 --> 00:44:26.059
 that wants to promote abortion on demand,

00:44:27.059 --> 00:44:28.779
 thou shalt not take innocent human life

00:44:28.779 --> 00:44:30.799
 is profoundly divisive.

00:44:32.159 --> 00:44:33.599
 But we have to be willing

00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:35.940
 to have our minds formed by the mind of Christ.

00:44:37.539 --> 00:44:39.159
 And I realize as well

00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:40.480
 that it's very, very possible

00:44:40.480 --> 00:44:42.519
 to be completely and utterly orthodox

00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:44.239
 and serve your own appetites.

00:44:44.239 --> 00:44:47.500
 The Bible here is calling us

00:44:47.500 --> 00:44:48.779
 to search our motivation

00:44:48.779 --> 00:44:51.599
 and to search the scriptures

00:44:51.599 --> 00:44:53.379
 so that our motivation

00:44:53.379 --> 00:44:54.919
 will be to bring glory to God

00:44:54.919 --> 00:44:56.119
 for the good of the world

00:44:56.119 --> 00:44:58.479
 and that we'd be willing

00:44:58.479 --> 00:44:59.559
 to submit our minds

00:44:59.559 --> 00:45:00.559
 to the mind of Christ.

00:45:01.399 --> 00:45:01.899
 In fact, you know,

00:45:01.919 --> 00:45:03.379
 one of the interesting takeaways

00:45:03.379 --> 00:45:04.259
 because I always pray,

00:45:04.379 --> 00:45:05.199
 Lord, what is the word

00:45:05.199 --> 00:45:06.579
 in this scripture text to me?

00:45:08.219 --> 00:45:09.500
 You know the surprising thing?

00:45:09.559 --> 00:45:10.619
 All week I've struggled

00:45:10.619 --> 00:45:11.659
 to talk about this

00:45:11.659 --> 00:45:14.519
 because I want to be a people pleaser.

00:45:16.460 --> 00:45:19.099
 And I know that in post-modern Canada

00:45:19.099 --> 00:45:20.279
 of 2016,

00:45:20.619 --> 00:45:21.739
 to say that there's anything

00:45:21.739 --> 00:45:23.539
 that limits somebody

00:45:23.539 --> 00:45:25.879
 is to be profoundly un-Canadian.

00:45:26.920 --> 00:45:28.299
 And I didn't want to talk about it

00:45:28.299 --> 00:45:30.099
 because I wanted people to like me.

00:45:32.420 --> 00:45:33.159
 In other words,

00:45:33.219 --> 00:45:34.179
 it wasn't that I was avoiding

00:45:34.179 --> 00:45:35.440
 the pattern of sound teaching,

00:45:35.619 --> 00:45:36.059
 but you know what?

00:45:36.119 --> 00:45:37.719
 I wanted to serve my appetite

00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:38.879
 of being a people pleaser.

00:45:39.019 --> 00:45:40.359
 This was God's word to me.

00:45:41.659 --> 00:45:43.940
 And I know that many of you

00:45:43.940 --> 00:45:45.420
 as well struggle

00:45:45.420 --> 00:45:46.599
 with that desire

00:45:46.599 --> 00:45:48.339
 to people please

00:45:48.339 --> 00:45:49.619
 or other types of appetite.

00:45:49.779 --> 00:45:50.779
 So the text is

00:45:50.779 --> 00:45:52.500
 that we'd be so gripped

00:45:52.500 --> 00:45:53.379
 by the gospel

00:45:53.379 --> 00:45:55.379
 that we know the truth

00:45:55.379 --> 00:45:57.460
 and that we come

00:45:57.460 --> 00:45:58.659
 to that point of humility

00:45:58.659 --> 00:46:00.359
 where our desire is

00:46:00.359 --> 00:46:01.639
 to bring God glory,

00:46:02.639 --> 00:46:04.039
 to serve him.

00:46:05.199 --> 00:46:06.279
 If you could put up

00:46:06.279 --> 00:46:06.980
 the next point,

00:46:08.659 --> 00:46:10.719
 God's grace grows in me,

00:46:10.719 --> 00:46:12.119
 the self-possession

00:46:12.119 --> 00:46:14.339
 to be self-effacing

00:46:14.339 --> 00:46:15.779
 in serving

00:46:15.779 --> 00:46:17.559
 to the glory of God.

00:46:18.399 --> 00:46:19.719
 That's the big takeaway

00:46:19.719 --> 00:46:20.759
 of this text.

00:46:22.339 --> 00:46:24.519
 God's grace grows in me,

00:46:24.839 --> 00:46:26.000
 the self-possession

00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:28.119
 to be self-effacing

00:46:28.119 --> 00:46:30.279
 in serving

00:46:30.279 --> 00:46:31.099
 to the glory of God.

00:46:31.159 --> 00:46:32.419
 What does self-effacing mean?

00:46:33.000 --> 00:46:34.500
 Self-effacing is

00:46:34.500 --> 00:46:43.019
 normal,

00:46:43.579 --> 00:46:45.059
 a lot of Christian services.

00:46:49.860 --> 00:46:51.199
 This is our temptation.

00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:53.159
 Applause,

00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:54.000
 applause.

00:46:55.780 --> 00:46:56.679
 No, no, no, no.

00:46:58.320 --> 00:46:59.519
 This is what the gospel

00:46:59.519 --> 00:47:00.420
 wants us to do.

00:47:00.420 --> 00:47:09.760
 Look at verses 25

00:47:09.760 --> 00:47:10.380
 and following.

00:47:11.200 --> 00:47:12.059
 Now to him

00:47:12.059 --> 00:47:13.539
 who is able

00:47:13.539 --> 00:47:15.300
 to strengthen you

00:47:15.300 --> 00:47:15.980
 and is able

00:47:15.980 --> 00:47:16.639
 meaning that the word

00:47:16.639 --> 00:47:17.099
 underneath that

00:47:17.099 --> 00:47:17.880
 is dynamite.

00:47:18.700 --> 00:47:19.639
 It's power.

00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:20.180
 Okay?

00:47:20.800 --> 00:47:21.400
 Now to him

00:47:21.400 --> 00:47:22.599
 who is powerful

00:47:22.599 --> 00:47:24.200
 to strengthen you

00:47:24.200 --> 00:47:25.659
 according to my gospel

00:47:25.659 --> 00:47:26.260
 and the preaching

00:47:26.260 --> 00:47:27.000
 of Jesus Christ

00:47:27.000 --> 00:47:28.519
 according to the revelation

00:47:28.519 --> 00:47:29.440
 of the mystery

00:47:29.440 --> 00:47:30.440
 that was kept secret

00:47:30.440 --> 00:47:31.440
 for long ages

00:47:31.440 --> 00:47:33.159
 but has now been disclosed

00:47:33.159 --> 00:47:34.619
 and through the prophetic writings

00:47:34.619 --> 00:47:35.519
 has been made known

00:47:35.519 --> 00:47:36.440
 to all nations,

00:47:36.840 --> 00:47:37.780
 all people groups

00:47:37.780 --> 00:47:38.960
 according to the command

00:47:38.960 --> 00:47:39.840
 of the eternal God

00:47:39.840 --> 00:47:40.719
 to bring about

00:47:40.719 --> 00:47:42.000
 the obedience of faith

00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:44.099
 to the only wise God

00:47:44.099 --> 00:47:45.539
 be glory forevermore

00:47:45.539 --> 00:47:46.480
 through Jesus Christ.

00:47:46.619 --> 00:47:46.840
 Amen.

00:47:47.219 --> 00:47:48.780
 To the only wise God

00:47:48.780 --> 00:47:49.759
 be glory forevermore

00:47:49.759 --> 00:47:50.599
 through Jesus Christ.

00:47:50.699 --> 00:47:50.860
 Amen.

00:47:51.119 --> 00:47:52.659
 To the only wise God

00:47:52.659 --> 00:47:53.759
 be glory forevermore

00:47:53.759 --> 00:47:54.619
 through Jesus Christ.

00:47:54.739 --> 00:47:54.920
 Amen.

00:47:55.039 --> 00:47:55.920
 That's what the gospel

00:47:55.920 --> 00:47:57.659
 as it grips us.

00:47:58.519 --> 00:47:59.679
 God's grace

00:47:59.679 --> 00:48:00.239
 comes in

00:48:00.239 --> 00:48:00.759
 to give us

00:48:00.759 --> 00:48:01.780
 such freedom

00:48:01.780 --> 00:48:03.360
 and self-possession

00:48:03.360 --> 00:48:05.820
 that our profound addiction

00:48:05.820 --> 00:48:07.880
 to want this

00:48:07.880 --> 00:48:09.360
 and you wish

00:48:09.360 --> 00:48:10.300
 you had two other arms

00:48:10.300 --> 00:48:11.340
 because while you're doing this

00:48:11.340 --> 00:48:12.159
 the other two arms

00:48:12.159 --> 00:48:13.840
 could be asking for applause.

00:48:15.900 --> 00:48:16.920
 That we could come

00:48:16.920 --> 00:48:17.480
 to the point

00:48:17.480 --> 00:48:18.139
 where our goal

00:48:18.139 --> 00:48:18.840
 is that we all

00:48:18.840 --> 00:48:20.019
 with unveiled faces

00:48:20.019 --> 00:48:21.079
 beholding the glory

00:48:21.079 --> 00:48:21.659
 of the Lord.

00:48:22.079 --> 00:48:22.940
 We're going to talk about that

00:48:22.940 --> 00:48:23.699
 in 2 Corinthians.

00:48:24.739 --> 00:48:25.539
 Could you put up

00:48:25.539 --> 00:48:26.400
 the final prayer?

00:48:27.099 --> 00:48:27.280
 You know,

00:48:27.280 --> 00:48:28.820
 my goal for all of these things

00:48:28.820 --> 00:48:29.440
 is that we would pray

00:48:29.440 --> 00:48:30.040
 the scriptures

00:48:30.040 --> 00:48:31.280
 and this is in a sense

00:48:31.280 --> 00:48:32.240
 a way to bring the book

00:48:32.240 --> 00:48:32.800
 of Romans to it.

00:48:32.820 --> 00:48:33.380
 And I'm going to ask you

00:48:33.380 --> 00:48:33.980
 to stand.

00:48:34.480 --> 00:48:35.060
 I'm going to ask you

00:48:35.060 --> 00:48:35.620
 if you would pray

00:48:35.620 --> 00:48:36.680
 this prayer with me.

00:48:37.100 --> 00:48:37.640
 If this prayer

00:48:37.640 --> 00:48:38.580
 is at all meaningful to you

00:48:38.580 --> 00:48:39.360
 it will be on the webpage.

00:48:39.800 --> 00:48:42.880
 You can copy it down

00:48:42.880 --> 00:48:43.680
 later if you want.

00:48:46.060 --> 00:48:47.260
 You can sort of look at it

00:48:47.260 --> 00:48:47.940
 as I talk

00:48:47.940 --> 00:48:48.740
 but you know

00:48:48.740 --> 00:48:49.320
 as we're gripped

00:48:49.320 --> 00:48:50.140
 by the gospel

00:48:50.140 --> 00:48:51.540
 he wants us

00:48:51.540 --> 00:48:52.560
 to read his word

00:48:52.560 --> 00:48:53.420
 from the perspective

00:48:53.420 --> 00:48:54.080
 of being gripped

00:48:54.080 --> 00:48:54.740
 by the gospel.

00:48:54.739 --> 00:48:55.839
 He wants our minds

00:48:55.839 --> 00:48:56.479
 to conform

00:48:56.479 --> 00:48:57.159
 to the pattern

00:48:57.159 --> 00:48:58.139
 of sound teaching

00:48:58.139 --> 00:48:59.419
 but it's not just

00:48:59.419 --> 00:49:00.119
 so we can be

00:49:00.119 --> 00:49:01.559
 have some unbelievably

00:49:01.559 --> 00:49:02.939
 elaborate false system

00:49:02.939 --> 00:49:03.479
 we can go around

00:49:03.479 --> 00:49:03.979
 saying aha

00:49:03.979 --> 00:49:04.759
 you're wrong

00:49:04.759 --> 00:49:05.119
 aha

00:49:05.119 --> 00:49:06.000
 you're wrong

00:49:06.000 --> 00:49:06.339
 aha

00:49:06.339 --> 00:49:07.359
 you're wrong.

00:49:08.019 --> 00:49:08.759
 That's not why

00:49:08.759 --> 00:49:09.239
 he wants us

00:49:09.239 --> 00:49:09.959
 to read the Bible.

00:49:10.859 --> 00:49:11.659
 He wants us

00:49:11.659 --> 00:49:12.439
 to read the Bible

00:49:12.439 --> 00:49:12.959
 and be gripped

00:49:12.959 --> 00:49:13.659
 by the gospel

00:49:13.659 --> 00:49:14.359
 so we're willing

00:49:14.359 --> 00:49:15.319
 to do this

00:49:15.319 --> 00:49:19.500
 for his glory.

00:49:19.500 --> 00:49:22.139
 and not like

00:49:22.139 --> 00:49:22.719
 they do in a lot

00:49:22.719 --> 00:49:23.219
 of churches

00:49:23.219 --> 00:49:23.880
 you know

00:49:23.880 --> 00:49:24.800
 where the praise band

00:49:24.800 --> 00:49:25.659
 says let's all

00:49:25.659 --> 00:49:26.480
 give a hand to God

00:49:26.480 --> 00:49:26.940
 but it's really

00:49:26.940 --> 00:49:27.780
 to the praise band

00:49:27.780 --> 00:49:28.559
 we all know that

00:49:28.559 --> 00:49:28.820
 right?

00:49:30.320 --> 00:49:31.320
 It's really to God

00:49:31.320 --> 00:49:32.840
 so if God

00:49:32.840 --> 00:49:33.659
 has touched your heart

00:49:33.659 --> 00:49:34.420
 in two ways

00:49:34.420 --> 00:49:34.900
 first of all

00:49:34.900 --> 00:49:35.860
 if you have not

00:49:35.860 --> 00:49:36.420
 given your life

00:49:36.420 --> 00:49:36.880
 to Jesus

00:49:36.880 --> 00:49:37.820
 there is no better

00:49:37.820 --> 00:49:39.139
 time than to say

00:49:39.139 --> 00:49:39.920
 God as I pray

00:49:39.920 --> 00:49:40.400
 this prayer

00:49:40.400 --> 00:49:40.880
 may this be

00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:42.079
 my conversion prayer

00:49:42.079 --> 00:49:43.019
 I want to be

00:49:43.019 --> 00:49:43.699
 your child

00:49:43.699 --> 00:49:45.699
 make me your own

00:49:45.699 --> 00:49:46.119
 forever

00:49:46.119 --> 00:49:47.460
 and for all of us

00:49:47.460 --> 00:49:47.840
 who need it

00:49:47.840 --> 00:49:48.619
 if you would join me

00:49:48.619 --> 00:49:49.639
 in praying this prayer

00:49:49.639 --> 00:49:51.500
 Heavenly Father

00:49:51.500 --> 00:49:53.299
 please make me

00:49:53.299 --> 00:49:54.719
 a disciple of Jesus

00:49:54.719 --> 00:49:56.159
 gripped by the gospel

00:49:56.159 --> 00:49:57.779
 who so reads

00:49:57.779 --> 00:49:58.739
 your word written

00:49:58.739 --> 00:50:00.199
 that my mind

00:50:00.199 --> 00:50:01.339
 conforms to your

00:50:01.339 --> 00:50:02.480
 pattern of sound

00:50:02.480 --> 00:50:03.019
 teaching

00:50:03.019 --> 00:50:04.659
 and serve you

00:50:04.659 --> 00:50:06.519
 self-facing joy

00:50:06.519 --> 00:50:07.739
 in the power

00:50:07.739 --> 00:50:08.900
 of the Holy Spirit

00:50:08.900 --> 00:50:10.519
 to make a difference

00:50:10.519 --> 00:50:11.199
 in the world

00:50:11.199 --> 00:50:12.199
 for your glory

00:50:12.199 --> 00:50:13.940
 in Jesus' name

00:50:13.940 --> 00:50:14.559
 Amen

00:50:14.559 --> 00:50:15.799
 Father pour out

00:50:15.799 --> 00:50:16.500
 your Holy Spirit

00:50:16.500 --> 00:50:17.119
 upon us

00:50:17.119 --> 00:50:18.420
 that we might be

00:50:18.420 --> 00:50:20.380
 disciples of Jesus

00:50:20.380 --> 00:50:21.440
 gripped by the gospel

00:50:21.440 --> 00:50:22.460
 living for your glory

00:50:22.460 --> 00:50:23.159
 and we ask this

00:50:23.159 --> 00:50:24.059
 in the name of Jesus

00:50:24.059 --> 00:50:24.920
 Amen