WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.019 Good morning. Is this on? Great. I don't know if you got that up, banged the symbol as we 00:00:09.019 --> 00:00:13.939 came up, which I think is an appropriate round of applause to Karen and Grace for all those 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:22.820 names. Hi, Arapolis and Echippus and Aristarchus and all sorts of things. Well, welcome everybody. 00:00:22.820 --> 00:00:31.620 Great to be back with you. And today we are in week eight, the second last week in our study 00:00:31.620 --> 00:00:38.259 in the book of Colossians. We are in Colossians chapter four. And we are reading the final verses 00:00:38.259 --> 00:00:43.179 of the book of Colossians. You might say, why is it the second last week and not the last week? 00:00:43.620 --> 00:00:50.480 Well, you'll have to come next week to find out. But we come to the part of Colossians 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:57.619 that very few of us take notice of, right? If you're anything like me, we read the book of 00:00:57.619 --> 00:01:03.259 Colossians, this incredible book. And we get to chapter one about the supremacy of Christ over 00:01:03.259 --> 00:01:10.319 all things. The fact that all things are made by him and through him and for him. And at the end 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:15.620 of chapter one, if you're a follower of Jesus, your heart should be in awe at the majesty and the 00:01:15.620 --> 00:01:22.620 supremacy of Christ and who it is that we worship. And then you get to chapter two and we are blown 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:29.800 away by the magnitude and the extent of the gospel. That Christ died for us so that our old life can be 00:01:29.800 --> 00:01:37.180 died with him. And Christ raised new lives so that we can be given new life in him. And we read in 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:42.480 chapter two that every spiritual blessing that we long for and that the Christian life promises 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:49.140 is found in Christ. Not just as a byproduct of knowing Jesus, but found in him himself. 00:01:49.800 --> 00:01:54.920 And then we get to chapter three and we read about this incredible implications of this new life in 00:01:54.920 --> 00:02:02.060 Christ. That because his story becomes our story, we are to set our minds on things above, not on things 00:02:02.060 --> 00:02:08.920 below. And our life is now found in Christ. And in addition to this, we heard in chapter three 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:14.739 that because our life is found in Christ, this has radical implications for our relationships, 00:02:15.239 --> 00:02:20.000 for the way we treat one another in the church, that our relationship should be filled with grace, 00:02:20.519 --> 00:02:27.000 generosity of spirit, forgiveness. And in addition to that, chapter three tells us that our relationships 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:33.299 with our spouses, with our children, everything changes because of who Christ is and who we are in 00:02:33.300 --> 00:02:41.140 Christ. And so we call this series, the supremacy of Christ and our life in him. And then you get to chapter 00:02:41.140 --> 00:02:48.880 four, right? And chapter four sounds like a long list of names. If you're a couple here and you're expecting 00:02:48.880 --> 00:02:54.680 children, Oscar and Celeste, Sam and Jackie, I suggest some good names here for you, right? 00:02:55.340 --> 00:03:02.680 Tickie Kiss, Ciao, sounds like it's got a nice ring to it. But you get to chapter four and you're 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:08.340 reading this list of these strange names and you think, the temptation is to start thinking about 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:12.780 your shopping list, right? Or who are you going to watch the football with tonight? But that would be 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:21.340 a mistake. These verses that Karen and Grace read to us are full with gold. And they tell us not just 00:03:21.340 --> 00:03:29.180 Paul's theology, but something of Paul's passion on his heart. Who this man, the apostle Paul was. 00:03:29.180 --> 00:03:35.580 Paul, not just the theologian, but Paul, the follower of Jesus. But in addition to that, in these last 18 00:03:35.580 --> 00:03:40.159 verses, there are so many things. We're going to just pick up on three of them today. But there's so 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:47.180 many aspects that tell us why it was that the church in the first century exploded and the gospel reached 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:53.780 to every corner of the world. Many of us will know that the church started out in the first century 00:03:53.780 --> 00:04:02.840 with this motley crew of 12 uneducated Jewish men in the backwaters of Israel. Not a very well-known 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:11.740 city, famous city. And their leader was condemned as a criminal, crucified by the Romans. And yet 300 00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:18.259 years later, the whole kind of known world of the Roman Empire is declared a Christian state. And the 00:04:18.259 --> 00:04:24.680 Roman emperor himself declares the Roman Empire a Christian state. How is it that in such a short 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:32.060 period of time, the gospel spread from the backwaters with these uneducated Jewish fishermen 00:04:32.060 --> 00:04:39.240 from Palestine to the place where it took over the whole kind of European known world? How did this come 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:45.800 about? Well, in chapter one, remember Paul says, the gospel has spread all over the world, bearing fruit 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:51.860 amongst you just as it does in every corner of the world. What contributed to this gospel explosion 00:04:51.860 --> 00:04:58.860 in the known world? Well, of course, the one answer is the power of the Holy Spirit, right? Remember 00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:05.780 Psalm 127, unless the Lord builds the house, those that build it labor in vain. Unless Christ the Holy 00:05:05.780 --> 00:05:10.139 Spirit is involved in his church, we've got nothing, right? We're just going to be going through the 00:05:10.139 --> 00:05:15.680 motions. So it's the power of the Holy Spirit that did this. But as a church, we can't just sit back and 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:23.220 say, well, it is the Holy Spirit. Let's hope he does it again, right? What did Paul do? What did the 00:05:23.220 --> 00:05:29.540 early church believe? What was in their hearts that caused them to act in such a way that the gospel 00:05:29.540 --> 00:05:35.899 went out from them to all over the world? And Watermark, this is a very important question for 00:05:35.899 --> 00:05:41.740 us to consider. Because as a church, we've said that our vision is to see the growth of many gospel 00:05:41.740 --> 00:05:48.259 communities of mature disciples of Jesus, raised up and released to make an advancement or to help 00:05:48.259 --> 00:05:53.199 advance the kingdom of God in Hong Kong and in Asia. So we want to be a church, in a sense, we're saying, 00:05:53.340 --> 00:05:58.579 God, what you did in the New Testament, do with us. What you did in the book of Acts, use us. God, 00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:04.259 do it again in our day and age. And so it's important to ask, what was the early church like? 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:09.060 What did they believe? What was in their hearts that caused this gospel explosion? 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:13.819 Now, this morning, there's a lot of things in this passage. We're going to pick up on just three 00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:19.199 of them and see where we go, okay? So that's by way of introduction. First thing is this. 00:06:20.339 --> 00:06:27.040 The gospel spread through embracing the cost of following Jesus. The gospel spread through embracing 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:35.519 the cost of following Jesus. Now, remember, where is Paul when he writes this letter? He's under house 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:41.419 arrest, right? He's under Roman lock and key. Paul's not sitting in a jacuzzi talking to his 00:06:41.419 --> 00:06:45.719 secretary saying, I think we should just write an email to the guys in Colossians. Why don't you 00:06:45.719 --> 00:06:51.299 just write this email for me? Paul's under house arrest in Rome. And he's not there because he 00:06:51.299 --> 00:06:57.419 forgot to declare his tax return or, you know, some other dodgy dealings. He's there because he was 00:06:57.419 --> 00:07:03.339 preaching the gospel. Because of his love for who Christ is in the gospel, it ends up, he ends up in 00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:10.079 jail. Look at what he says in verse 2. He says, continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:16.519 with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open a door for us for the word 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:24.159 to declare the mystery of Christ on account of which I find myself in prison. And this is not 00:07:24.159 --> 00:07:29.639 particularly unusual for Paul. More than half the books of the New Testament that Paul writes are 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:35.899 written from a jail cell. And this wasn't a surprise for Paul because from the first day that 00:07:35.899 --> 00:07:40.680 he encountered Christ, remember Paul's on the way to Damascus to go and arrest the Christians. 00:07:41.159 --> 00:07:45.719 Christ makes himself known to Paul. Paul encounters Jesus. And on the very first day, 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:51.519 Christ tells Paul, this is what your life is going to be like. He says to him, speaking of Paul, 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:58.199 Paul is my chosen instrument, called by me to carry my name before the Gentiles and before kings. 00:07:58.579 --> 00:08:06.079 And I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. And then later on, a few years 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:13.299 later in Acts chapter 21, Paul and his companions are making their way towards Jerusalem. They've been 00:08:13.299 --> 00:08:19.859 on a long trip. And they stop off at a brother's house called Philip on the way just before Jerusalem. 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:26.439 And while they're there, a prophet by the name of Agabus comes. And they are drinking tea and 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:34.340 catching up. And Agabus grabs Paul's belt from his suitcase. And he ties his hands and his feet 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:39.820 together. And then he says, this is what God says. This is what's going to happen to the man to whom 00:08:39.820 --> 00:08:44.680 this belt belongs. In other words, he's saying, Paul, you go to Jerusalem, they're going to arrest you 00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:49.720 and tie you up and throw you in jail. And what's Paul's response? He says, why are you breaking 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:55.000 my heart? Why are you trying to dissuade me from following Jesus? I knew that the day that Christ 00:08:55.000 --> 00:09:00.139 called me, he had called me to suffer for him. I'm willing to go to Jerusalem, be arrested and die 00:09:00.139 --> 00:09:06.860 for the name of Christ, my savior. And so in our passage today, in verse 11, Paul writes, and look 00:09:06.860 --> 00:09:14.300 at what he says. He talks about these three men, Aristarchus and Mark and Justice. And he says, 00:09:14.299 --> 00:09:19.979 these men have been a great comfort to me. Well, the reason they were a comfort for Paul is because 00:09:19.979 --> 00:09:26.439 his life wasn't very comfortable. He was in jail. The natural scope of things was Paul wasn't in a 00:09:26.439 --> 00:09:33.339 jacuzzi. He was in jail for the sake of the gospel. And later on, he says, tell Achippus to fulfill his 00:09:33.339 --> 00:09:41.199 ministry that God has given him. Why? Because Achippus is tempted to retreat, to bail, to choose an easy 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:48.860 life. And yet Paul says, this is the life of following Jesus. Again and again and again, we see 00:09:48.860 --> 00:09:56.240 not just Paul, but the whole early church willingly, gladly embracing the cost to follow Jesus and to be 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:02.520 on mission for him. And notice further, Paul's so loved for the gospel and the Colossians that, 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:09.920 look at what he does here. He's got these friends, right? Mark and Aristarchus and Justice and Epaphras and 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:16.219 Tychicus. He's got these friends and he's in jail. He's under house arrest and they've ministered to 00:10:16.219 --> 00:10:22.159 him. They've loved him. They've served him. And then what does he do with them? He sends them away, 00:10:22.779 --> 00:10:27.419 right? Look at what he says in verse seven. He says, Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:36.480 He's a beloved brother, a faithful minister, a fellow servant of the Lord. I have sent him to you for this 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:43.180 very purpose, that he may encourage your hearts. Friends, if I was sitting in jail for the sake of 00:10:43.180 --> 00:10:49.259 the gospel and my dear friend Chris or anyone came and ministered to me and would comfort me, 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:54.940 you better believe there's not a chance I would let them out of my sights, right? Paul says, I'm 00:10:54.940 --> 00:10:59.100 sending them to encourage your hearts. I'd say, forget about you guys. Find your own friends, 00:10:59.159 --> 00:11:04.420 right? I need all the encouragement I can get. And yet that's not what Paul does. He takes these dear 00:11:04.419 --> 00:11:09.099 beloved brothers. And he says, there's someone else that can do with some encouragement. Why don't you 00:11:09.099 --> 00:11:15.539 go and bless the brothers in Colossae? Paul doesn't hold on to comfort and convenience. So radical is 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:20.299 his passion for the love of Christ and the gospel that he sends out these men that have become dear 00:11:20.299 --> 00:11:29.139 friends to him. Now the question is, how can we be like this? What did they know or realize that we need 00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:34.759 to know and realize? Well, there's a couple of things. Firstly, notice that right in the very 00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:40.220 beginning, Jesus made it clear that this is what it means to follow Jesus. Remember, Jesus said, this is 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:45.720 what the Christian life involves. He says, people will hate you. People will disown you. You're going to 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:52.480 suffer for my name. People will falsely accuse you. They'll take you property and you can be sure that 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:56.960 they'll do this for you because this is how they treated me. If this is how they treat me, you can 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:02.100 believe that this is going to be how they treat you. Remember, Jesus says, in this world, you will 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:07.660 have trouble, but take heart. I've overcome the world. Remember, Jesus says, if anyone wants to be 00:12:07.660 --> 00:12:14.340 my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me. You see, right in the early days, the believers, 00:12:14.780 --> 00:12:21.320 they didn't just follow Jesus of the miracles and the Jesus of glory and the Jesus of giving peace 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:27.320 beyond all understanding. That's true, but they also followed Jesus of Calvary. They followed the 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:33.100 Jesus of the cross and they knew that by becoming a follower of Jesus meant embracing the cost 00:12:33.100 --> 00:12:39.220 that Christ embraced. Jesus told us from day one that to be a follower of him means that my allegiance 00:12:39.220 --> 00:12:45.000 shifts from being Lord of my own life to now Christ is Lord of my life and that involves the cost. 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:51.260 But there's a second reason. There's a second reason why the church was so willing to embrace 00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:56.919 the cost of following Jesus. And in Hebrews chapter 10, we see this. In Hebrews 10, the writer writes 00:12:56.919 --> 00:13:00.799 to these Christians, and we don't know their name. We don't know who they are. They are anonymous 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:04.919 Christians. Their names have been lost to us, but their lives have been etched in the scriptures. And 00:13:04.919 --> 00:13:11.860 he writes this and he says, as followers of Jesus, you will endure hardships. Remember how you suffered. 00:13:12.439 --> 00:13:18.419 Remember how sometimes you were publicly beaten. Sometimes you so associated with other Christians 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:23.579 that were being publicly beaten. They turned from them and they beat you as well. He says, 00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:29.960 remember how this. And then he says, for you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property. 00:13:30.520 --> 00:13:39.360 Okay. Why? For you knew that you had a better position and an abiding one. You see what he's 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:44.400 saying here? He's saying these followers of Jesus, this wasn't just the pious ones or the leaders or 00:13:44.400 --> 00:13:49.740 the pastors or the popes or the bishops. These are ordinary followers of Jesus. We don't know their names, 00:13:49.740 --> 00:13:56.220 but they love Christ and they said, count us in. We're in. But secondly, he says this. He says, 00:13:56.320 --> 00:14:01.460 the reason why you are willing to embrace the cost is because you knew that you had a better position 00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:07.960 and an everlasting one, an abiding one. In other words, you counted the cost, but it was no cost at 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:13.620 all. You're willing to allow these people to destroy your sand castle on the beach because you knew around 00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:18.639 the corner Christ had prepared a real castle for you. In other words, he says, you're willing to embrace 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:23.240 the cost because you knew that ultimately your life wasn't found in your possessions or where you 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:29.039 live or your achievements or your promotion or anything in this life. Your life is found in Christ 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:36.059 and who you are in him. You joyfully accept the plundering of your property. Why? For you knew that 00:14:36.059 --> 00:14:42.419 you had a lasting possession and a better one. And that's exactly what Paul has been saying. 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:48.220 Colossians 3 says, since you have died to your old way of life, since you've been raised with Christ, 00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:54.379 set your minds on things above where Christ is seated. For you have died and your life is hidden 00:14:54.379 --> 00:15:01.440 with Christ and God. And when Christ, who is your life, appears, you too will appear with him in glory. 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:10.340 Friends, the early church so understood the wonder of Christ that they joyfully and wonderfully 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:16.720 accepted the cost that was involved of following him. The gospel spread through embracing the cost. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:23.980 Second thing is this. The gospel spread through extraordinary prayer. Extraordinary prayer. 00:15:24.680 --> 00:15:29.660 Look at verse 2 with me in Colossians chapter 4. Paul writes this. He says, 00:15:29.659 --> 00:15:49.500 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Continue steadfastly in prayer. 00:15:49.500 --> 00:16:00.039 This week as I've been mulling over this passage, and I think it's actually been for the last couple of months, 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:07.120 I have come to the place where I have realized that I've been a pastor for the last nine years. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:14.580 And one of my biggest regrets over the last nine years is that as a minister, I have spent so much time 00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:27.200 emailing, organizing, planning, strategizing, everything else, and so little time in prayer. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:34.920 And I've come to the place where I've had to ask Christ to forgive me, and I've made some resolutions. 00:16:35.520 --> 00:16:41.120 And I've said, and I want to ask you, and I want to say that as one of your pastors, as one of your elders, 00:16:41.780 --> 00:16:47.820 I want to lead well, but I'm committing to spending less time organizing and more time praying. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.900 And Watermark, I want to ask you to join me in this endeavor. 00:16:51.899 --> 00:16:58.819 I want to ask that we will be a church that gives ourselves to continue steadfastly in prayer. 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:01.720 Look at verse 12 with me. 00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:03.139 Paul writes this. 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:03.480 He says, 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:08.240 Epaphras, remember Epaphras is the man that planted this church in Colossae. 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:12.819 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:17.379 He is always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:21.279 that you may stand mature, fully assured in the will of God. 00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:26.640 Some translations say that Epaphras is laboring on your behalf in prayer. 00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:32.800 The word here for struggle or labor, it's a Greek word called agonizomenos. 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:35.340 Okay, it's from where we get the English word to agonize. 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:37.940 Epaphras is always agonizing. 00:17:38.100 --> 00:17:38.980 He's laboring. 00:17:39.100 --> 00:17:42.440 He's struggling on your behalf in prayer. 00:17:43.560 --> 00:17:46.940 When I hear the word labor, I'll tell you what I think of. 00:17:46.940 --> 00:17:57.680 I think of six o'clock in the morning, standing outside a hospital in Cape Town with my wife, agonizer, menacing, laboring, 00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:01.320 with the labor pains coming on her, right? 00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:03.080 Large tummy. 00:18:04.080 --> 00:18:04.580 Woof. 00:18:05.220 --> 00:18:05.740 Woof. 00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:06.820 Woof. 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:11.360 Holding on to the sidewalk as labor pains came on. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:19.819 But Claire tells me that giving birth is like running a marathon all condensed into one hour, right? 00:18:20.719 --> 00:18:26.759 Struggling with all her energy to bring forth these two beautiful children. 00:18:27.719 --> 00:18:29.659 But what is the result of that labor? 00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:36.240 What's the consequence of that struggling, that laboring in childbirth? 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:37.799 The result is new life. 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:39.539 The result is children. 00:18:40.140 --> 00:18:42.759 The result is a fresh human being that's coming to the world. 00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:51.359 And friends, can I say that very seldom in the kingdom of God is new life without laboring, 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:54.859 without the birth pains of laboring in prayer. 00:18:55.559 --> 00:19:00.579 Friends, we have to be a church that knows what it means to labor and struggle in prayer. 00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:06.619 A few years back, Tim Keller did an extensive amount of research on the great spiritual revivals 00:19:06.619 --> 00:19:09.159 that have taken place throughout the centuries. 00:19:09.379 --> 00:19:15.059 And he concluded that the greatest contributor to these new spiritual awakenings that have 00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:22.480 taken place across the world is the consistent, unrelenting, kingdom-orientated, united prayers 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:23.139 of the churches. 00:19:23.639 --> 00:19:28.379 When Christ followers from different denominations and different backgrounds and different cultures 00:19:28.380 --> 00:19:30.040 came together to pray. 00:19:30.360 --> 00:19:34.120 Not for themselves, but for their city, for the other churches. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:39.060 When they came together to pray, not for comfortable and convenient lives, but that the gospel would 00:19:39.060 --> 00:19:39.580 go out. 00:19:39.940 --> 00:19:46.640 When they came together to pray for one another, when they were unrelenting, incessant, unwavering, 00:19:46.840 --> 00:19:48.440 laboring in prayer. 00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:50.540 And that's what the early church did. 00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:52.300 That's how the believers did. 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:59.460 They knew what it was to struggle or to labor in prayer and to wrestle with God in prayer. 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:02.339 And notice the prayer of Epaphras. 00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:03.940 These are not delicate prayers. 00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:08.619 Epaphras isn't praying that his runny nose will get cleared up. 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:13.319 He's not praying that he can get a bigger room in his corner office. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:14.259 That's not his prayers. 00:20:14.339 --> 00:20:15.039 What's he praying? 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:21.899 He's praying that these believers will become fully mature, knowing God and walking in him. 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:27.600 He's struggling in his prayers on your behalf, that you may stand mature, fully assured of the will of God. 00:20:28.540 --> 00:20:37.420 In the 16th century, so many years ago, in Scotland, north of England, there was a wonderful revival. 00:20:38.300 --> 00:20:44.920 And the revival was, there were a couple of people involved, but one of the key men involved was a man by the name of John Knox. 00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:47.320 John Knox was a man who loved preaching. 00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:49.060 He loved God's word. 00:20:49.620 --> 00:20:51.340 But even more than that, he loved prayer. 00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:52.919 He was a man of great prayer. 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:56.019 Listen to what Burke Parsons writes about John Knox. 00:20:56.119 --> 00:20:56.480 He says, 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:01.819 Perhaps more than anything else, John Knox is known for his famous prayer, 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:04.380 Give me Scotland or I die. 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:14.660 Knox's prayer was not an arrogant demand of God, but the passionate pleading of a man willing to die for the sake of the gospel and the salvation of his countrymen. 00:21:15.860 --> 00:21:24.779 Knox's greatness lay in his humble dependence upon the sovereign God to save his people, to revive a nation, and to reform his church. 00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:27.779 Although Knox had been imprisoned and enslaved and the church. 00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:31.579 Although Knox had been imprisoned and enslaved, and although he was often sick, he was often under the threat of persecution, 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:38.440 he consistently lived out his theology, believing that one man with God is always in the majority. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:39.119 Okay? 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:48.959 During the 16th century, Knox's preaching and his praying was so well known that Queen Mary, who was Queen of Scotland, is reported to have said, 00:21:49.379 --> 00:21:55.579 I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe. 00:21:56.919 --> 00:21:58.839 Friends, is that not a profound statement? 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:03.179 Here the Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen of Scotland, says this, 00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:13.180 And so Paul says, continue steadfastly in prayer. 00:22:14.620 --> 00:22:16.640 And I wonder why it is that we don't pray. 00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:19.980 Why is it that as Christians, we genuinely don't continue in prayer? 00:22:20.100 --> 00:22:24.740 Why is it that we find it so hard to struggle or to labor in this prayer? 00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:32.539 And I think one of the reasons is, generally, it's not true of everyone, but generally we are more self-centered and self-orientated. 00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:33.960 We don't think we need God. 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.440 What's the point in asking God to do something if you can do it yourself? 00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:44.339 And we're generally, as human beings, we're so self-centered that we just don't see our need for God. 00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:48.859 But I think, secondly, we don't understand the nature and the power of God. 00:22:49.380 --> 00:22:53.380 We overrate ourselves and we underrate the sovereign God who is the Lord of all things. 00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:59.120 And we think that God is just a slightly better, slightly nicer version of ourselves. 00:23:00.040 --> 00:23:07.480 Friends, every great prayer in the Bible, from Nehemiah to Esther to Elijah, every great prayer in the Bible started off with this confession. 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:09.460 Oh God, we need you. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.160 God, we need you. 00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:12.520 Come and save us, we pray. 00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:14.300 Come and save us. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.760 And so look at the prayers here. 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:19.800 Epaphras, who is this great prayer warrior, he struggles in prayer. 00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:21.020 But what did he pray for? 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.380 Did he pray for himself? 00:23:22.380 --> 00:23:24.220 Do you pray for his promotion? 00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:32.780 No, it says Epaphras is always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, praying that he'll stand mature, fully assured of the will of God. 00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:35.000 And what was Paul's request? 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:36.180 Look at verse 3. 00:23:36.280 --> 00:23:38.140 He says, please pray for us. 00:23:38.560 --> 00:23:40.580 Pray that God will open a door for us. 00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:43.420 Now, Chris made this point earlier this week. 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:47.660 If I was in jail, I would also pray that God would open a door for me, right? 00:23:48.180 --> 00:23:51.019 You know what kind of door I would want God to open? 00:23:51.620 --> 00:23:53.000 That's not what Paul prays. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:58.880 Paul doesn't say, God, open the prison doors that I can get out and get home and, you know, have a comfortable life. 00:23:59.300 --> 00:24:07.360 He says, pray that a door will open for the word of God to go forth, that many people will come to know the wonder of our Savior and the wonder of the gospel. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:10.419 And so Paul prays this magnificent prayer. 00:24:11.419 --> 00:24:14.639 Friends, can we ask us, oh God, please deliver us. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:17.039 Deliver us from our self-centeredness. 00:24:17.199 --> 00:24:20.740 Deliver us from our self-orientated prayerlessness. 00:24:21.699 --> 00:24:24.039 The early church knew what it meant to be a church that prayed. 00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:26.679 The early church knew how to get on their knees. 00:24:27.819 --> 00:24:29.539 Watermark, can we be a church that prays? 00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:34.299 Can we be a church that isn't so self-dependent and program-driven? 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:38.480 Can we be a church that gets on their knees and says, Christ, you are God and we are not and we need you. 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:40.299 Can we pray for our city? 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:42.159 Can we pray for our government? 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:45.220 Can we pray for other churches in Hong Kong? 00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:47.200 Can we pray for the lost? 00:24:47.319 --> 00:24:48.899 Can we pray for those that don't know Jesus? 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:51.159 Can we be a church that prays? 00:24:53.879 --> 00:24:55.319 Christ, come and help us, I pray. 00:24:57.379 --> 00:24:59.279 God, open our eyes to see you. 00:25:00.099 --> 00:25:01.819 And to see how desperate we are for you. 00:25:02.879 --> 00:25:03.819 Third thing and finally. 00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:06.839 The gospel spread because they embrace the cost. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:09.180 The gospel spread because they are of extraordinary prayer. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:12.779 Finally, the gospel spread through grace-saturated relationships. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:15.420 Grace-saturated relationships. 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:17.819 Now remember chapter 3 in Colossians. 00:25:17.899 --> 00:25:19.279 We spoke about this a few weeks ago. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:24.079 Paul says, because of who Christ is and because of who you are in Christ, 00:25:24.659 --> 00:25:26.779 therefore, he says, holy and beloved ones, 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:28.899 put on compassionate hearts. 00:25:28.900 --> 00:25:30.019 Put on kindness. 00:25:30.300 --> 00:25:31.259 Put on meekness. 00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:32.660 Put on gentleness. 00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:34.340 Bear with one another. 00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:38.320 And if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive one another, 00:25:38.660 --> 00:25:40.660 just as Christ forgave you. 00:25:40.780 --> 00:25:41.620 Okay, remember that? 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:44.440 So he says, because of the way Jesus has treated you, 00:25:44.780 --> 00:25:47.380 therefore, treat one another the same way. 00:25:48.120 --> 00:25:50.400 Now, look at what happens here in chapter 4. 00:25:51.040 --> 00:25:52.800 Look at verse 8 with me. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:55.099 So speaking of Tychicus, Paul writes this. 00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:58.399 I've sent him to you for this very purpose, 00:25:58.919 --> 00:26:02.019 that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts. 00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.299 Okay, we spoke about that earlier. 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:04.259 Verse 9. 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:07.119 And with him I'm sending Enesimus, 00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:11.000 our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:13.700 They will tell you of everything that has happened here. 00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:18.200 Now, if you're here in week 1, remember, who is this guy Enesimus? 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:19.660 Do you remember who he was? 00:26:20.860 --> 00:26:22.860 Okay, I can see Janet remembers. 00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:24.680 The back story is this. 00:26:25.580 --> 00:26:27.960 The church in Colossae that Epaphras plants 00:26:27.960 --> 00:26:32.340 meets in the home of a wealthy businessman called Philemon. 00:26:32.840 --> 00:26:35.360 Okay, so Philemon says, you can have my home. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:36.880 We can all meet here, no problem. 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:41.160 Philemon has this slave called Enesimus. 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:44.799 Enesimus doesn't like Philemon, and so one day he runs away. 00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:46.420 But he doesn't just run away. 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:48.560 He also steals some money in the process. 00:26:48.800 --> 00:26:50.460 That's why Paul writes later on and says, 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:52.920 if he owes you anything, charge it to my account. 00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.660 I'll pay for it. 00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:56.880 So Enesimus steals some money, runs away from Philemon. 00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:59.180 He runs all the way to Rome. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:02.820 And while he's in Rome, he happens to meet this guy called Paul. 00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:04.539 Paul tells him about Jesus. 00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:06.759 Enesimus becomes a follower of Jesus. 00:27:07.340 --> 00:27:09.560 And Enesimus becomes like a son to Paul. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:10.940 He starts serving him. 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:12.400 He starts ministering to him. 00:27:12.700 --> 00:27:13.240 He goes out. 00:27:13.340 --> 00:27:14.320 Paul's under house arrest. 00:27:14.320 --> 00:27:15.680 He goes and gets food. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:17.580 And Enesimus serves Paul. 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:19.500 He's like a beloved son to him. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:24.240 But then Epaphras, who started the church, also comes to Rome. 00:27:24.840 --> 00:27:28.140 And he sees Enesimus, and he says, Paul, do you know who this guy is? 00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:31.519 Do you know that this guy used to be a slave of Philemon, 00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:33.740 and he stole some money and ran away? 00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:34.860 And Paul says, I know. 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:35.519 Don't worry. 00:27:35.600 --> 00:27:36.519 We've spoken about it. 00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:44.059 And then a few years later, Paul sends Tychicus with the letter back to Colossae, back to Philemon's house. 00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:47.779 And he says, I'm sending Tychicus with this letter. 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:51.720 And then he says, I'm also sending Enesimus. 00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.319 So imagine this. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:54.839 They're all in this house. 00:27:55.100 --> 00:27:55.980 They're gathering. 00:27:56.980 --> 00:27:59.000 And Tychicus is reading this letter. 00:27:59.900 --> 00:28:08.039 And in walks in the door Enesimus, the former slave who stole from Philemon, walks into his house and says, I'm back. 00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:10.000 And so what does Paul say? 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:12.539 He says, welcome him. 00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:15.839 Welcome him as a beloved brother. 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:20.579 Enesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who's one of you. 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:21.940 Welcome him. 00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:24.680 And then look at verse 10 with me. 00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:35.159 He says, Aristarchus, our fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions. 00:28:35.399 --> 00:28:37.599 If he comes to you, welcome him. 00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:39.420 Now, who is this guy Mark? 00:28:40.119 --> 00:28:42.399 Well, Mark is the guy who wrote the second gospel. 00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:42.779 All right? 00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:44.099 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:50.119 Remember in Acts chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas go on their first missionary journey. 00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:53.079 And Barnabas has got this young cousin called Mark. 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:56.779 And so Barnabas says to Paul, listen, I'd like to bring Mark along with us. 00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.500 It'll be good for him. 00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:58.859 Paul says, sure, no problem. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:03.859 They go on this missionary journey, and they get to the first stop, and they count to opposition. 00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:04.720 Okay? 00:29:04.839 --> 00:29:05.859 There's the cost involved. 00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:07.019 People are stoning them. 00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:08.079 They're chasing them out. 00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:09.180 They're not well received. 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:12.240 And so Mark says, I think I've had enough. 00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:15.500 And so Mark gets on the first ship back to Jerusalem. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:16.579 He bails on them. 00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:16.980 Right? 00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:21.859 A few years later, Paul and Barnabas are going on their second missionary journey. 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:25.700 And Barnabas says, listen, I know Mark bailed on us, but he's grown up a bit. 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:27.119 I think we should bring him with us. 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.720 And Paul says, are you joking? 00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:30.579 I'm not taking that kid with me. 00:29:31.079 --> 00:29:32.480 Last time he bailed on us. 00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:34.079 I'm not going to babysit him. 00:29:34.200 --> 00:29:35.740 He's going to put our life in danger. 00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:37.379 He's going to slow us down. 00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:38.380 Forget it. 00:29:38.560 --> 00:29:41.640 And so Paul and Barnabas have this dispute. 00:29:42.260 --> 00:29:43.900 And Barnabas says, no, I really think so. 00:29:43.980 --> 00:29:46.320 And eventually Barnabas says, fine, I'll take Mark. 00:29:46.420 --> 00:29:47.440 You take Silas. 00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:48.680 And they go separate ways. 00:29:49.120 --> 00:29:53.980 In other words, Paul is so upset with Mark that he doesn't want to take him. 00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:54.780 He says, that's it. 00:29:55.420 --> 00:29:56.180 You take him. 00:29:56.340 --> 00:29:56.620 I'm not. 00:29:56.740 --> 00:29:57.960 Mark's not coming with me anymore. 00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.800 We're going separate ways. 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:02.020 Now, what's happening here? 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:06.279 A few years later, Mark is in Rome with Paul. 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:09.680 And Paul says, he's a beloved brother. 00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:13.720 If he comes to you, you've heard reports about him. 00:30:14.379 --> 00:30:15.019 Welcome him. 00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:17.460 Welcome him as a brother. 00:30:18.299 --> 00:30:25.420 Friends, the last two weeks we've seen in Colossians 3 how Paul paints this radical picture of gospel relationships, right? 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:35.880 The church is a place where Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, educated and uneducated, male and female, black and white and Chinese are all gathering together, right? 00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:42.259 It's a place where there's patience and generosity of spirit and forgiveness with the natural operating systems of the church. 00:30:42.779 --> 00:30:47.640 It's a place where wives put their husbands' will first and husbands put their wives' interests first. 00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:53.640 Where husbands and wives aren't tiger moms and dads, but they encourage their children and children honor their parents. 00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:55.200 It's an amazing community. 00:30:55.420 --> 00:31:01.160 But here in chapter 4, we see two real-life examples of the church as a family. 00:31:01.620 --> 00:31:05.900 Where two people, Anesimus and Mark, had let the church community down. 00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:07.240 They had messed up. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:08.960 They had hurt one another. 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:11.660 And the temptation is to harden their hearts. 00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:14.160 The temptation is to pull back a little bit. 00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:16.060 To say, I don't know if I can trust them anymore. 00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:18.240 I gave them one chance and they hurt me. 00:31:18.800 --> 00:31:18.980 You know? 00:31:19.460 --> 00:31:20.000 I don't know. 00:31:20.060 --> 00:31:21.440 Maybe we should just keep our distance. 00:31:21.620 --> 00:31:24.340 The temptation is to say, have you heard what Mark did? 00:31:24.339 --> 00:31:26.359 Have you heard what Anesimus did? 00:31:26.879 --> 00:31:27.980 And what does Paul say? 00:31:28.619 --> 00:31:33.220 He says, because of the gospel, because of who Jesus is, what do we do with sinners like that? 00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:34.939 We welcome grace. 00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:38.199 We extend our arms and say, welcome to our family. 00:31:38.699 --> 00:31:40.639 We soften our hearts towards them. 00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:44.599 Remember Chris said last week, the church is going to be messy. 00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:49.980 You put a bunch of sinners in a room and it's just a matter of time before someone lets another one down. 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:50.859 Before we get hurt. 00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:52.019 That's what happens. 00:31:52.179 --> 00:31:53.859 We're a church full of sinners. 00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.959 And yet because of the gospel. 00:31:56.599 --> 00:31:57.939 Because of who Jesus is. 00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:01.319 Forgive one another just as Christ has forgiven you. 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:04.219 Friends, despite these things. 00:32:04.359 --> 00:32:05.559 Despite these men's history. 00:32:05.779 --> 00:32:09.379 Despite the stories the Colossians had heard about Anesimus and Mark. 00:32:09.380 --> 00:32:15.300 The church family in Colossians called to welcome them as beloved brothers and part of the family. 00:32:16.060 --> 00:32:18.480 Now, as we come to close, why is this? 00:32:19.360 --> 00:32:19.920 Why is this? 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:24.540 Why does Paul write them and say, listen, you've heard the stories. 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:26.580 But I don't want you to listen to the stories. 00:32:26.620 --> 00:32:27.900 I want you to extend grace. 00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:31.660 Well, the truth is, that was Paul's story, wasn't it? 00:32:32.300 --> 00:32:33.540 Remember Acts chapter 9? 00:32:34.059 --> 00:32:35.500 Paul becomes a follower of Jesus. 00:32:36.139 --> 00:32:41.539 And Jesus goes to a man called Ananias and says, Ananias, there's a man called Saul of Tarsus. 00:32:41.579 --> 00:32:43.019 I want you to go and welcome him. 00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:45.480 And Ananias says, Lord, are you joking? 00:32:46.139 --> 00:32:47.159 I've heard about this man. 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:48.859 He persecutes people. 00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:49.920 He's evil. 00:32:50.339 --> 00:32:51.799 He wants to lock us up in jail. 00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:53.319 I don't want to go to that guy. 00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:54.619 Send me to someone else. 00:32:54.819 --> 00:32:58.159 And God says to him, go to him. 00:32:58.519 --> 00:32:59.940 Welcome him as a brother. 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:02.079 Friends, this was Paul's story. 00:33:02.659 --> 00:33:03.460 Paul had a history. 00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:05.019 Paul had messed up. 00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:08.200 And yet Christ showed him the most unbelievable grace. 00:33:08.899 --> 00:33:10.019 And friends, can I tell you what? 00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:12.379 I don't care what your background is. 00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:14.039 I don't know what your story is. 00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:15.859 This is your story as well. 00:33:16.420 --> 00:33:17.440 And it's my story. 00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:19.440 Because this is all of our stories. 00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:21.659 You may have a squeaky clean image. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:24.759 You may be well loved and respected by society. 00:33:25.019 --> 00:33:33.319 Friends, before God Almighty, every one of us, our Saul of Tarsus, Anesimus the coward, Anesimus the former slave, 00:33:33.319 --> 00:33:36.259 Mark the coward, every one of us have fallen and are sinners. 00:33:36.859 --> 00:33:41.819 And every one of us are recipients of Christ's grace if we've come to him in forgiveness and faith. 00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:50.619 And yet the story of the gospel is that God takes broken relationships with God himself and with one another, and he restores us. 00:33:50.619 --> 00:33:56.839 Dig a little deeper and every one of us will have reasons why people should be hesitant of us. 00:33:56.959 --> 00:34:01.779 Dig a little deeper and every one of us will have reasons why relationships shouldn't be that easy. 00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:08.619 And yet this God, this Jesus Christ, the supremely perfect one, he didn't treat us as we deserved. 00:34:08.739 --> 00:34:12.119 He didn't rub our hands and say, I've trusted him once, I can't trust him again. 00:34:12.779 --> 00:34:13.779 He went to the cross. 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:17.360 He went to take our sin and our shame upon himself. 00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:22.699 He went to destroy the very thing in our hearts that causes broken relationship between us and God, 00:34:22.779 --> 00:34:24.460 a broken relationship between one another, 00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:26.880 and to destroy that thing, our sin, 00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:30.880 and to reunite us with Christ and to reunite us with one another. 00:34:31.380 --> 00:34:34.659 Jesus went to the cross to heal us and to give us new hearts. 00:34:35.260 --> 00:34:41.159 Jesus died to restore us so that we can extend saturated grace relationships to one another. 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:43.460 Friends, this is the age-old story. 00:34:43.579 --> 00:34:44.480 This is the gospel. 00:34:45.139 --> 00:34:47.240 The problem of sin is the problem of sinners, 00:34:47.240 --> 00:34:52.280 but the hope of the gospel is that Jesus and his death on the cross means that that's not the final story. 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:59.240 God is able to take even the worst of sinners and to reconcile them to himself and reconcile us to one another. 00:34:59.720 --> 00:35:04.200 Men and women like Saul and Onesimus and Mark and you and me. 00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:06.040 He's able to heal us. 00:35:06.720 --> 00:35:09.780 Friends, this is what made the church the church that it was. 00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:11.960 This is what the early church was. 00:35:12.040 --> 00:35:16.920 It was a motley crew of spirit-filled believers that embraced the cost of following Jesus. 00:35:17.120 --> 00:35:22.100 They gave themselves to extraordinary prayer and loved and served one another, 00:35:22.099 --> 00:35:24.219 with grace-saturated relationships. 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:26.719 Friends, can we be such a church? 00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:28.920 Can we be such a church? 00:35:29.559 --> 00:35:30.539 I pray that we will. 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:31.319 Let's pray together. 00:35:32.579 --> 00:35:33.819 Why don't you stand with me? 00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:34.659 Can you stand? 00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:37.039 And let's pray together. 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:43.759 Let's close our eyes. 00:35:43.759 --> 00:35:43.819 Let's close our eyes. 00:35:43.819 --> 00:35:47.759 Let's close our eyes. 00:35:47.759 --> 00:35:51.759 Let's close our eyes. 00:35:51.760 --> 00:36:04.460 Father God, we are humbled and challenged by your word, God. 00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:12.420 Father, when we look at the lives of men and women that have gone before us, 00:36:12.420 --> 00:36:25.440 God, we are so aware of our own sinfulness, so aware, God, of our self-centeredness. 00:36:26.780 --> 00:36:28.539 God, I pray for us as a church. 00:36:28.700 --> 00:36:29.720 Pray for Watermark. 00:36:30.880 --> 00:36:34.880 God, I pray that we will be such a church that you use, God. 00:36:34.940 --> 00:36:36.720 Won't you fill us with your spirit, God? 00:36:36.720 --> 00:36:38.619 Won't you pour your Holy Spirit upon us? 00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:45.779 God, won't you also be a church that gladly and joyfully and willingly embraces the cost of following Jesus? 00:36:47.239 --> 00:36:51.579 God, won't you make us a church that gives ourselves to extraordinary prayer? 00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:58.799 God, won't you make us a church, God, that is so aware of our dependence on you and our need for you? 00:36:58.799 --> 00:37:04.960 And I want you to open our eyes to see the majesty of God that we cannot help but cry out to you in prayer. 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:16.139 Father God, we bring our vision as a church before you, 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:21.059 to be a church that sees many gospel communities grow in Hong Kong, 00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:23.639 that advances the kingdom of God. 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:25.440 God, we pray, use us, Lord. 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:30.920 God, as you did in the New Testament, as you did in the Book of Acts, as you did in the first century, 00:37:31.019 --> 00:37:32.980 we say, God, here we are, use us, Lord. 00:37:32.980 --> 00:37:35.320 Lord, do it again in our day. 00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:37.280 Do it again in Hong Kong. 00:37:37.400 --> 00:37:39.300 Do it again in Asia, we pray, God. 00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:44.599 Father, pray for our community. 00:37:46.219 --> 00:37:48.980 God, I pray, Lord, that we will be a church, a family, 00:37:49.579 --> 00:37:52.079 which extends unbelievable grace to one another. 00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:54.340 God, when we hurt one another, 00:37:55.159 --> 00:37:57.740 when we say things that maybe are misunderstood, 00:37:57.739 --> 00:38:03.979 oh Christ, may the lubricating oil of the gospel soften our hearts and extend grace to one another. 00:38:11.179 --> 00:38:17.019 Friends, maybe we can just take a few minutes to come before Christ and even come in repentance. 00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:27.539 You might want to repent or ask God to forgive you because you've embraced an easy life. 00:38:29.079 --> 00:38:32.019 Your golden life has been comfort and convenience. 00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:37.759 And there have been times when Christ has asked you to follow Him to Calvary, 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:39.019 to pick up your cross, 00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:41.980 and you haven't. 00:38:42.139 --> 00:38:45.940 Won't you come and confess that to Christ and ask Him 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:49.099 to forgive you and to restore you? 00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:55.099 Friends, maybe we want to repent because of our prayerlessness, 00:38:56.139 --> 00:39:00.900 our self-centeredness and our self-orientation, 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:03.980 our self-sufficiency. 00:39:03.980 --> 00:39:05.460 Oh God, forgive us, we pray. 00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:14.599 Friends, maybe we want to repent because we've hardened our hearts towards other followers of Jesus. 00:39:17.699 --> 00:39:21.420 We haven't shown the same grace to them that Christ has shown to us. 00:39:24.099 --> 00:39:25.099 Let's do that now. 00:39:33.980 --> 00:39:42.340 Christ, we come before your amazing throne of grace. 00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:47.679 Christ, you are more beautiful than any treasure in the world. 00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:51.300 You are more glorious than any money in the world, God. 00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:55.219 God, you delight our hearts more than any other thing. 00:39:57.000 --> 00:39:58.880 Oh Christ, we let go of those things. 00:39:58.980 --> 00:40:00.940 We say we're sorry, God, for living for ourselves. 00:40:00.940 --> 00:40:04.579 Jesus, come and be Lord of our lives. 00:40:06.280 --> 00:40:07.800 Come and have your way, we pray. 00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:17.639 Christ, won't you make us more like you?