WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 13.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen.

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 Now, there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit.

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 And there are varieties of service, but the same Lord.

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 And there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

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 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

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 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom.

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 And to another, the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit.

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 To another, faith by the same Spirit.

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 To another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit.

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 To another, the working of miracles.

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 To another, prophecy.

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 To another, the ability to distinguish between spirits.

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 To another, various kinds of tongues.

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 To another, the interpretation of tongues.

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 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit.

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 Who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

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 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body.

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 So it is with Christ.

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 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.

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 Jews or Greeks, slaves or free.

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 And all were made to drink of one Spirit.

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 For the body does not consist of one member, but of many.

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 If the foot should say, because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body.

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 That would not make it any less a part of the body.

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 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing?

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 If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

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 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body.

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 Each one of them as he chose.

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 If all were a single member, where would the body be?

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 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

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 The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need for you.

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 Nor again the head to the feet.

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 I have no need of you.

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 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.

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 And on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greater honor.

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 And our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,

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 which our more presentable parts do not require.

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 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,

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 that there may be no division in the body,

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 but that the members may have the same care for one another.

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 If one member suffers, all suffer together.

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 If one member is honored, all rejoice together.

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 Now, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

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 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,

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 then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

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 Are all apostles?

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 Are all prophets?

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 Are all prophets?

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 Are all teachers?

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 Do all work miracles?

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 Do all possess gifts of healing?

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 Do all speak with tongues?

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 Do all interpret?

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 Do all, are all angels.

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 Do all give us a prayer for our children.

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 And I will show you a still more excellent way.

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 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,

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 I am a noisy gong, or a clanging cymbal.

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 And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,

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 and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing.

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 If I give away all I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned but have not love, I gain nothing.

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 Love is patient and kind.

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 Love does not envy or boast.

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 It is not arrogant or rude.

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 It does not insist on its own way.

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 It is not irritable or resentful.

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 It does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.

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 Love bears all things.

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 Believes all things.

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 Hopes all things.

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 Endures all things.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great.

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 Thanks, Angie and Celeste.

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 I have a new microphone today.

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 It's not new.

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 It's old but it's new.

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 And I said I feel like I look like Britney Spears.

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 I feel like that.

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 It is making some strange noises so I'm just bear with me and it is what it is.

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 But I'm sorry.

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 Oops, I did it again.

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 Sorry.

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 Thanks, Leo.

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 We may not pray now but I feel like it's hard to pray.

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 How do we pray off that low base?

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 So let's lift our sights a little higher and let's try and I'm sorry I messed it up.

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 Let's pray.

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 Let's come before our Heavenly Father.

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 Sovereign Lord, Majestic God, Great and Wonderful Savior, we've come to praise you and to worship you this morning.

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 We've come to adore your great name because you are God and we are not.

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 You are the Creator.

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 We are created.

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 You are the one true God and Father, you are perfect in all your ways.

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 God, how quickly we forget you.

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 How easily we find ourselves engrossed in our own worlds and our own lives, fixated by our own dreams and agendas.

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 And Father, if we honor so often you have pushed to the margins or the sidelines of our lives.

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 Father, how quickly and easily we forget your goodness and your profound, profound faithfulness to us.

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 God, at the end of our lives, one day we'll look back or when we get to eternity, we'll look back at our lives

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 and we'll marvel at the millions of ways which you are so faithful and of which we were completely ignorant.

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 God, this morning we want to take a moment to remind ourselves of that and to return that to you as an offering of praise.

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 And say all glory to you, God, for your profound faithfulness to us.

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 Father, we often think it's our own goodness and our own brilliance, our own devotion to you, which has gotten us to where we are.

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 But how foolish we are.

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 Forgive us this foolishness and this self-centeredness, we pray.

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 And so, Father, this morning we ask you to open our eyes to see you again.

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 Do a divine renovation of our hearts, God.

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 Lord, we pray that you will help us, Christ, as individuals and as a church and as a city to be more aligned with your heart.

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 More prone to love you and trust you and follow you, to obey you.

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 God, this morning we've come to worship you not out of obligation or duty, but out of delight, God.

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 Because in you we find life and truth and peace and strength.

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 Oh, Lord God, more than all the gold in the world, this morning we need you.

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 God, more than the protection from the coronavirus, God, we need you, Lord.

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 Father, more than the dream job or physical health or a marriage partner, God, we need you.

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 So, come and lift our eyes onto you this morning, we pray.

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 God, as we consider this passage that we read this morning, we ask you to impress it deeply upon our hearts.

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 God, help us not just to be hearers of your word, but also doers of your word.

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 Those who are convicted and respond appropriately.

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 Lead us to repentance where necessary.

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 Help us to see our own hearts.

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 Father, where we've been too individualistic, forgive us.

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 Where we haven't considered the importance of the well-being of the body, show us our hearts, we pray.

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 God, make us not just a strong community, but one that is formed by the gospel.

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 He knows how to love and serve one another.

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 And then finally, Father, this morning we want to pray for our city and our world.

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 As we deal with the coronavirus, we bring our brothers and sisters in China before you.

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 We bring our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong and across Asia.

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 Father, God, those that are sick, we pray be with them and comfort them.

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 Give them excellent medical care, we pray.

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 Pray for Christian brothers and sisters to come around them.

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 God, for those that have already seen loved ones pass away, we pray won't you comfort them.

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 Make known to them your peace and your love in this time.

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 Father, bring followers of Jesus around them who will comfort them and point them to the hope of Christ.

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 Father, we pray for government officials and leaders and medical staff and medical officials who are needing such profound wisdom, God.

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 How to handle a situation.

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 Give them wisdom.

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 Give them insight.

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 Let them make brilliant decisions, we pray, Lord.

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 Father, we want to pray for doctors and nurses.

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 Those that are right at the front lines.

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 We pray for their safety.

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 Pray for their protection.

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 Pray for those that are tired and overworked and are pouring out their lives.

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 We thank you for their service.

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 God, be with them, we pray.

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 Even this morning, strengthen and encourage them, Lord.

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 And God, we pray for followers of Jesus.

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 Help us to be salt and light in our city at this time.

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 Not to think of ourselves, but how we can serve and love our city.

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 Christ, fill us with your spirit, we pray.

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 Lead and guide us in your wonderful name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Well, this morning, we are continuing working through our series called Watermark Essentials.

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 If you are new to us as a church, we are talking about our values.

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 The things that are printed on banners and bulletins and websites.

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 The things that we talk about a lot.

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 Carla, would you rather I use that one?

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 Okay, there we go.

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 Sorry about that.

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 That didn't last very long.

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 One minute in.

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 Okay.

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 So, we are talking about our values.

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 These things that we talk about a lot, but what do they actually mean?

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 And how does it really affect us?

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 And the three things at Watermark we talk about a lot are the gospel and community and mission.

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 And so, the beginning of the year, we spent four weeks talking about the gospel and what is that.

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 And then we've been talking a bit about community recently.

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 And Chris, two weeks ago, looked at Colossians chapter 3.

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 And we saw there that the Christian community is formed out of the gospel.

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 What forms the Christian community is not just common interests or similarities, but a common identity that Christ has formed us.

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 So, remember Colossians 3 says, you then, chosen and beloved children of God.

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 That's what forms us.

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 But then Chris also showed us that it's not only that the gospel forms community, but community helps get the gospel deeper into our hearts.

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 Because when you live in community, let's be honest, there are times when you rub against each other.

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 There are times when maybe you bother each other or you can take offense.

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 And those are great opportunities for us to explore our hearts and to get the gospel deep inside of us.

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 So, the gospel forms community, but then community also helps us get deeper into the gospel.

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 And then last week, it was just great having Paul here from Holy Light Church.

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 What encouragement just to hear the story after story of how God has used him and used those in his life to change so many people's lives.

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 And so, this morning, we come to this well-known passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

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 Now, in order to understand this passage, we need to zoom back a little bit and understand what's going on in the Corinthian church.

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 So, what happens here is the Apostle Paul goes to the city of Corinth.

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 He plants this church a couple of years, number of years beforehand.

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 And he then writes back to this church.

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 And the church, at the time that the book is written, is not in a very good state.

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 There is all sorts of things going on.

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 So, the church is not very healthy.

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 But if you ask the people in the church, they would say their church is amazing.

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 They would say they are a very mature church.

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 The Christians are all very mature.

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 They would say this is a wonderful church to be part of.

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 And the reason is because the Corinthian church was very prolific, very abundant in their use of spiritual gifts.

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 Especially supernatural spiritual gifts.

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 And so, many people in the church would be praying in tongues.

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 People in the church would receive a prophetic word and then share that with someone else.

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 Maybe somebody else had incredible faith to trust God for miracles.

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 And they prayed and their healing is taking place.

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 And so, the church in Corinth was very prolific in their use of spiritual gifts.

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 It's supernatural spiritual gifts.

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 But for the Corinthian church, these spiritual gifts, for them, were seen as a sign or an indicator or a badge indicating how spiritually mature they were.

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 And so, the more you exercised or used one of these spiritual gifts, the more you thought, yeah, God must be really pleased with me.

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 Now, I must be a really mature and strong Christian because look at how I prophesy.

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 Look at how I speak in tongues.

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 And the more unusual or the more supernatural these gifts, the more that those people thought they were mature in their faith.

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 Okay?

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 So, for the Corinthians, this was one of the primary indicators or markers of spiritual maturity.

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 Now, one of the reasons why this was the case is because in the city of Corinth at the time, the cults, the religious cults or the temples in the city valued mystic spirituality.

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 And so, there were people around the temples that would go and be involved in all sorts of spiritual trances.

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 And this started to influence the church.

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 And so, just like we read in the book of Revelation at the end of last year, what's happening is that the culture of the city of Corinth is influencing the Christians, the followers of Jesus, and their view of how the church should operate more than the other way around.

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 More than the followers of Jesus saying, this is the gospel and they're asked, now going to influence the city.

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 And so, they adopted this practice, brought it into the church, and similarly thought, well, those that speak in tongues must be really spiritual.

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 And those that prophesy or have faith, they must be amazing Christians.

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 And those that don't, well, they're kind of not really that dedicated.

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 And so, what this meant, of course, is that there's this subtle division in the church.

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 Some people would subtly, maybe even subconsciously, look down upon other people in the church that didn't really exercise spiritual gifts or supernatural gifts and didn't see God using them in that way.

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 And so, those who did speak in tongues would kind of look down at those who didn't.

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 Those who did prophesy would look down at those who didn't and think, you know, they're just baby Christians.

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 They're not really very spiritually mature.

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 But at the same time, those who maybe weren't very prolific in spiritual gifts would look up at those that did and think, wow, God must be really pleased with you.

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 You must be a really strong Christian that you get to do these kinds of things.

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 Maybe subconsciously, they would think, well, God must be really pleased with you that He's giving you these gifts.

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 And so, it made some people, especially those that weren't very prolific, think less of themselves or think of themselves as not very strong and mature Christians.

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 Now, what do you think happens to a church community that thinks like this?

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 Well, what happens is that there's all sorts of divisions in the church, okay?

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 So, there are those that are, there's hierarchies, there's camps, there's those groups of people that do that stuff, and there's these groups of people on this side,

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 and there's those that think, oh, we're not really that mature, and there's all sorts of camps and divisions emerging in the church in Corinth.

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 And we actually see this throughout the book of Corinthians.

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 So, in chapter 1, there's also divisions because some people are saying, well, you know, I really like Paul's teaching.

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 He's my apostle.

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 And then others are saying, no, no, Cephas, he's the real guy.

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 And then others are saying, no, no, Paulus.

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 And so, there's all these camps and divisions.

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 Then in chapter 11, we see when they come and take communion together, there's more divisions.

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 Because they would come to communion, and they'd all bring their meal, and they'd have a big feast together.

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 And around the table, they would break bread and drink wine.

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 But those that were maybe a little wealthier would bring, you know, their cordon bleu, five-class meal,

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 and their nice roasted bread, and their French wine.

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 And they would take communion together.

00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:04.420
 And then those that maybe weren't as financially empowered maybe arrive a little later because they're working late.

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:07.220
 And they just brought what they could.

00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:08.620
 And there were all these divisions.

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:10.200
 And then they wouldn't wait for one another.

00:18:10.540 --> 00:18:14.180
 And so, these guys would take communion by themselves, and those guys would be left out.

00:18:14.540 --> 00:18:16.400
 And there's just divisions all over the church.

00:18:16.660 --> 00:18:21.140
 And so, in chapter 6, we see that Paul says, some of you are even suing one another.

00:18:21.620 --> 00:18:23.840
 You can't even sit down and talk about these things.

00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:28.240
 But someone's got a problem with someone else, and they go to the courts and get involved in litigation.

00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.379
 And so, the church in Corinth was actually very divided.

00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:38.379
 Now, one of the divisions, of course, was the use of spiritual gifts.

00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.099
 Now, what does Paul tell them to do?

00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:43.480
 How does he address the situation?

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:48.699
 Well, the one thing he doesn't do is to say, guys, spiritual gifts are causing divisions.

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:53.059
 I think, just cut it out, let's just stop that, and let's just get on with the rest of life.

00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:54.160
 That's not what he does.

00:18:55.019 --> 00:19:00.519
 Just because some people are abusing the use of spiritual gifts doesn't mean that we should cut it out completely.

00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:04.460
 We should just find out what the Bible says, how we should really use them, right?

00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:09.240
 And so, Paul, rather than saying, okay, just forget about that stuff,

00:19:09.620 --> 00:19:13.120
 he calls them to a higher view of spiritual gifts, firstly,

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:17.319
 and secondly, to a higher criteria of spiritual maturity.

00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:18.859
 That's really important.

00:19:19.399 --> 00:19:24.899
 A higher view of spiritual gifts and a higher criteria of what it means to be a mature follower of Jesus.

00:19:25.639 --> 00:19:26.740
 And so, look at what he does here.

00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:27.980
 Okay, this is just all background.

00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:29.639
 We're going to jump into the passage in a second.

00:19:30.639 --> 00:19:36.319
 In chapter 12, he writes this chapter on spiritual gifts and what their purpose is.

00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:37.859
 Okay, that's what we're going to look at in a bit.

00:19:38.539 --> 00:19:42.899
 In chapter 14, he writes this chapter on spiritual gifts and how to use them.

00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:43.599
 Okay?

00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:50.879
 And then sandwiched in between these two is 1 Corinthians chapter 13,

00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:53.659
 which is one of the most famous chapters in the whole Bible.

00:19:54.059 --> 00:19:56.480
 What does 1 Corinthians chapter 13 talk about?

00:19:57.379 --> 00:19:58.139
 Love, right?

00:19:58.219 --> 00:20:00.759
 It's that passage that everybody reads at their wedding.

00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:03.859
 Anyone here have 1 Corinthians 13 read at their wedding?

00:20:04.179 --> 00:20:05.339
 Okay, just a couple of us.

00:20:05.339 --> 00:20:08.539
 Which is actually not really about marriage at all.

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:10.379
 It's about gospel community.

00:20:11.399 --> 00:20:12.539
 And so, Paul writes this.

00:20:12.639 --> 00:20:13.819
 And look at what he says.

00:20:14.659 --> 00:20:17.159
 Squeeze between these two chapters on spiritual gifts.

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:17.599
 He says,

00:20:17.939 --> 00:20:20.619
 If I speak in the tongues of angels,

00:20:21.159 --> 00:20:23.639
 okay, that's speaking spiritual in tongues,

00:20:24.179 --> 00:20:25.619
 but I have not love,

00:20:26.179 --> 00:20:27.419
 I'm just a noisy gong.

00:20:27.919 --> 00:20:29.199
 I'm a clanging cymbal.

00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:30.959
 I'm an irritating noise.

00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.200
 If I have prophetic powers,

00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:36.240
 and I can understand all mysteries and all knowledge,

00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:40.220
 if I have faith that I can move one mountain from here to there,

00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:41.960
 so imagine someone comes in here,

00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:43.740
 God's given them the gift of faith,

00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:45.200
 and for some reason,

00:20:45.740 --> 00:20:47.380
 they have the gift of faith,

00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.079
 and they pray,

00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:51.160
 and the piano gets up and moves across the room,

00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:53.400
 we'd be pretty impressed.

00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:55.039
 Yeah, I'd be pretty impressed.

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.259
 First, if someone comes in and says,

00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:00.379
 I really feel like God is saying this,

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.099
 and this, and this,

00:21:01.159 --> 00:21:03.259
 and they read exactly what's going in my heart,

00:21:03.879 --> 00:21:05.579
 this direct word of knowledge,

00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:06.839
 Paul says,

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:07.740
 If that's the case,

00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:08.960
 but I have not love,

00:21:09.579 --> 00:21:11.759
 I don't love the brothers and sisters around me,

00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:12.579
 and the church family,

00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.019
 it's all for nothing.

00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.819
 That's an incredible statement.

00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:17.059
 He says,

00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:17.779
 If I'm generous,

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:19.680
 and I give away everything that I have,

00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:19.960
 in fact,

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.779
 I give up my body to be burnt in flames as a martyr,

00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:23.940
 but actually,

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:25.799
 I don't care about my brothers and sisters,

00:21:26.460 --> 00:21:28.099
 I gain nothing.

00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:29.819
 And so Paul's writing here,

00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:30.160
 and he says,

00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:31.779
 Yes, spiritual gifts is good.

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:32.859
 They're a gift from God.

00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.879
 We should utilize them,

00:21:34.099 --> 00:21:36.779
 but don't make that the marker of spiritual maturity.

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.339
 Actually,

00:21:37.399 --> 00:21:39.859
 if you want to know what a healthy church family looks like,

00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:42.680
 it's your church that knows how to love one another.

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:44.059
 Do you see that?

00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:44.819
 Does that make sense?

00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:46.500
 Okay,

00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:49.000
 so that's the context of what's going on here.

00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:49.339
 Now,

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:51.139
 let's dive into chapter 12,

00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:52.820
 and see what Paul says.

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:54.920
 Look at chapter 12.

00:21:55.080 --> 00:21:56.480
 Look at verse 12 with me.

00:21:56.580 --> 00:21:57.259
 He says this,

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:59.080
 For just as the body,

00:22:00.080 --> 00:22:01.840
 he's talking about a physical human body,

00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:03.560
 just as the body is one,

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:04.860
 and has many members,

00:22:05.340 --> 00:22:06.820
 and all the members of the body,

00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:07.660
 though many,

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:09.000
 are one body,

00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:10.720
 so it is with Christ.

00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:11.400
 Okay,

00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.340
 so what's Paul saying here?

00:22:12.540 --> 00:22:14.740
 He's using the analogy of the human body,

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:16.720
 and he's saying that's a good analogy

00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:18.440
 for the body of Christ,

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.500
 which is the church.

00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:20.200
 He says,

00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:23.059
 Just like a human body consists of many parts,

00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:23.500
 okay,

00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:24.319
 like arms,

00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.119
 and legs,

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.359
 and the spleen,

00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:28.500
 and all sorts of other interesting things,

00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:31.160
 so the body of Christ,

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:31.779
 the church,

00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:34.200
 consists of many various parts

00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:36.059
 that aren't all exactly the same.

00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.559
 They're not equal in function,

00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:40.519
 but they are equal in importance.

00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:42.980
 And so Christ's body,

00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:44.059
 just like the human body,

00:22:44.259 --> 00:22:45.880
 has all these various parts

00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:47.579
 that are also not equal in function,

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:49.339
 but they're equal in value and importance,

00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:51.439
 and they ought to be a unity

00:22:51.439 --> 00:22:55.099
 because together we form the body of Christ.

00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:56.159
 Now,

00:22:56.399 --> 00:22:57.799
 just as a side note,

00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:59.960
 look at what word he uses

00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:01.659
 when he describes the body parts.

00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:03.159
 What word does he use there?

00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:05.399
 He uses the word member,

00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:05.939
 okay,

00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:07.879
 and that's actually where we get the word

00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:08.899
 church member from.

00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:09.980
 So in Hong Kong,

00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:11.220
 sometimes when we think of someone

00:23:11.220 --> 00:23:12.619
 being a member of the church,

00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:14.779
 we think of like being a member of a club,

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:15.079
 right?

00:23:15.239 --> 00:23:15.419
 You know,

00:23:15.459 --> 00:23:16.459
 you pay your subs,

00:23:16.939 --> 00:23:18.639
 and then you get to use their facilities.

00:23:19.379 --> 00:23:21.739
 That's not what Paul is talking about at all.

00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:23.839
 Where we get the word church member from

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:25.179
 is this passage here.

00:23:25.659 --> 00:23:26.019
 Paul says,

00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:27.819
 just like your various body parts

00:23:27.819 --> 00:23:29.199
 are members of your body,

00:23:29.379 --> 00:23:29.539
 okay,

00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:31.319
 my arm is a member of my body,

00:23:31.879 --> 00:23:33.979
 and the various members contribute

00:23:33.979 --> 00:23:34.859
 to the well-being

00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:36.659
 and the health of my physical body,

00:23:37.300 --> 00:23:38.320
 in the same way,

00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:40.680
 the various members,

00:23:40.840 --> 00:23:41.740
 those that contribute

00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:42.940
 and sign up and say,

00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:43.120
 yeah,

00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:43.779
 count me in.

00:23:43.860 --> 00:23:45.440
 I'm part of this body here

00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:47.540
 form the body of Christ.

00:23:47.900 --> 00:23:49.040
 And what that means

00:23:49.040 --> 00:23:51.000
 is that actually being a member of a church

00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:52.240
 is really important.

00:23:52.820 --> 00:23:53.540
 It's a way of saying,

00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:54.720
 I'm part of this body

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.820
 and this body is part of me.

00:23:56.040 --> 00:23:57.360
 I'm committing to this body

00:23:57.360 --> 00:23:58.620
 and this body is committing to me.

00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:00.820
 I'm not just part of the body

00:24:00.820 --> 00:24:01.800
 for when it suits me,

00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:02.460
 but when it doesn't,

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:03.480
 I'm going my own way.

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:04.080
 Actually,

00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:04.779
 I'm connected.

00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.860
 I'm unifying.

00:24:05.859 --> 00:24:07.479
 I'm joining myself to this body

00:24:07.479 --> 00:24:09.479
 and I know that I'm looking out for them

00:24:09.479 --> 00:24:10.939
 and they're looking out for me.

00:24:11.899 --> 00:24:12.019
 Okay?

00:24:12.879 --> 00:24:13.099
 Now,

00:24:13.939 --> 00:24:16.359
 Paul's now going to make two points.

00:24:17.159 --> 00:24:18.059
 His one point is

00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:20.379
 how he's going to emphasize

00:24:20.379 --> 00:24:22.899
 the need for diversity in the body.

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:24.459
 So we're all not just the same.

00:24:24.939 --> 00:24:26.199
 And then he's going to emphasize

00:24:26.199 --> 00:24:28.099
 the need for unity in the body.

00:24:28.659 --> 00:24:30.199
 And so in verse 14 to 20,

00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:31.019
 first thing,

00:24:31.159 --> 00:24:33.240
 he emphasizes the need for diversity.

00:24:33.439 --> 00:24:34.419
 Look at what he says here

00:24:34.419 --> 00:24:35.639
 in verse 14.

00:24:35.859 --> 00:24:36.919
 He wants to show them

00:24:36.919 --> 00:24:37.799
 that Christ's body,

00:24:37.959 --> 00:24:38.879
 just like a human body,

00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:40.740
 needs a diversity of gifts

00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:41.559
 and contributions.

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:42.599
 So look what he says,

00:24:42.679 --> 00:24:43.319
 verse 14.

00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:44.959
 He says,

00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:45.579
 for the body

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:47.599
 does not consist of one member,

00:24:48.019 --> 00:24:48.699
 but of many.

00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:50.379
 If the foot should say,

00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.459
 because I'm not a hand,

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.879
 I don't belong to the body,

00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:54.039
 that wouldn't make it

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:55.079
 any less a part of the body.

00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:56.599
 If the ear should say,

00:24:56.699 --> 00:24:57.619
 because I'm not an eye,

00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:59.259
 I do not belong to the body,

00:24:59.699 --> 00:25:00.519
 that wouldn't make it

00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:01.859
 any less a part of the body.

00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:03.240
 If the whole body

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:04.099
 were just eyes,

00:25:04.719 --> 00:25:05.599
 that would be a monster,

00:25:05.939 --> 00:25:06.099
 okay,

00:25:07.159 --> 00:25:08.359
 where would be the sense of hearing?

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.579
 If the whole body

00:25:09.579 --> 00:25:10.419
 were just ears,

00:25:10.919 --> 00:25:12.000
 where would be the sense of smell?

00:25:12.679 --> 00:25:13.179
 So he's saying,

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:14.319
 just as the human body

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:15.859
 is made up of this complexity

00:25:15.859 --> 00:25:18.240
 of millions of various parts,

00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:19.559
 but together,

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.659
 all of them unify the body,

00:25:22.139 --> 00:25:24.279
 so a healthy church body

00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:25.439
 needs a variety

00:25:25.439 --> 00:25:26.819
 and a complexity of parts.

00:25:26.819 --> 00:25:28.359
 A church body

00:25:28.359 --> 00:25:29.439
 that just has

00:25:29.439 --> 00:25:30.419
 a preacher

00:25:30.419 --> 00:25:31.659
 and one or two other people

00:25:31.659 --> 00:25:32.639
 and everyone else

00:25:32.639 --> 00:25:33.899
 is just sitting back

00:25:33.899 --> 00:25:34.720
 observing

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.599
 is not going to be

00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:36.799
 a healthy church body.

00:25:37.339 --> 00:25:37.819
 Now,

00:25:37.899 --> 00:25:39.000
 in the Corinthian church,

00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:41.379
 what they valued

00:25:41.379 --> 00:25:42.980
 were certain gifts.

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.460
 So there were a couple

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:46.200
 of spiritual gifts,

00:25:46.679 --> 00:25:48.200
 particularly the supernatural gifts,

00:25:48.399 --> 00:25:49.259
 and those ones

00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:50.679
 they really elevated

00:25:50.679 --> 00:25:51.159
 and said,

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:51.359
 okay,

00:25:51.399 --> 00:25:52.579
 these are the important ones.

00:25:52.879 --> 00:25:54.240
 This body really needs

00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:55.000
 those kind of people,

00:25:55.099 --> 00:25:56.319
 those that can pray in tongues

00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.039
 and prophesy

00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.419
 and words of knowledge

00:25:58.419 --> 00:25:59.359
 and gifts of healing.

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:00.819
 Those guys

00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:01.919
 are the really important ones

00:26:01.919 --> 00:26:03.659
 and everyone else's contribution

00:26:03.659 --> 00:26:04.579
 was kind of like,

00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:05.399
 oh,

00:26:05.439 --> 00:26:05.599
 well,

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:05.960
 you know,

00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:06.740
 sorry for you

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:08.559
 that your gift

00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:09.339
 is just that you

00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:10.619
 can greet people

00:26:10.619 --> 00:26:11.720
 or have a smile

00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:12.599
 or something like that,

00:26:12.619 --> 00:26:12.899
 right?

00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.519
 And Paul writes to him,

00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:14.839
 he says,

00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:15.579
 no,

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:15.799
 no,

00:26:15.799 --> 00:26:16.019
 no,

00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:16.720
 not at all.

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.319
 Not at all.

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:19.439
 Paul says,

00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:21.000
 don't think that

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.419
 just because your contribution

00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:24.000
 isn't the same as another,

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.640
 it isn't equally valid.

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:27.019
 That's like the foot saying,

00:26:27.160 --> 00:26:27.320
 oh,

00:26:27.340 --> 00:26:28.279
 I guess I'm not a hand,

00:26:28.340 --> 00:26:29.039
 I guess I don't really,

00:26:29.400 --> 00:26:30.140
 I don't have a role

00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:30.779
 in this body.

00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:33.060
 But actually,

00:26:33.140 --> 00:26:34.279
 we need every part,

00:26:34.360 --> 00:26:34.779
 every member

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.840
 to play its contribution.

00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:37.060
 Now,

00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:38.960
 what does this mean for us?

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:39.800
 Well,

00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.660
 one thing it means

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.900
 is that a healthy church

00:26:41.900 --> 00:26:42.700
 is one in which

00:26:42.700 --> 00:26:44.100
 people don't attend

00:26:44.100 --> 00:26:45.060
 as consumers,

00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:46.840
 but everyone

00:26:46.840 --> 00:26:47.660
 sees themselves

00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:48.580
 as a contributor.

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:49.800
 And not just

00:26:49.800 --> 00:26:50.680
 in a general sense,

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:51.039
 like,

00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:52.639
 I contribute my money

00:26:52.639 --> 00:26:53.399
 and then you guys

00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:54.339
 do the work of ministry,

00:26:54.659 --> 00:26:54.899
 okay?

00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:56.659
 But everyone brings

00:26:56.659 --> 00:26:57.319
 the gifts

00:26:57.319 --> 00:26:58.099
 and the wiring

00:26:58.099 --> 00:26:59.500
 that God has given them

00:26:59.500 --> 00:26:59.960
 and says,

00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:00.399
 here,

00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:01.500
 let me bring my gift

00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:02.519
 to serve the body

00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:04.240
 because as a church family,

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.159
 we need a diversity

00:27:05.159 --> 00:27:06.240
 of gifts.

00:27:06.879 --> 00:27:07.139
 And so,

00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:08.519
 let me ask you this question.

00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:09.639
 If you consider yourself

00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:11.059
 a part of Watermark family,

00:27:11.399 --> 00:27:12.279
 if this is your church,

00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:13.980
 how would this affect

00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:15.200
 the way that we come

00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:16.240
 to family worship

00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:17.379
 on a Sunday morning?

00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:18.659
 You see,

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.440
 the one way to do it

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:20.039
 is to say,

00:27:20.580 --> 00:27:21.700
 I'll run in here

00:27:21.700 --> 00:27:22.360
 at 10.30,

00:27:22.580 --> 00:27:23.120
 10.35,

00:27:23.320 --> 00:27:23.519
 actually,

00:27:23.600 --> 00:27:23.900
 because I know

00:27:23.900 --> 00:27:24.559
 there's the countdown

00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:25.559
 and that's extra

00:27:25.559 --> 00:27:26.420
 five minutes to sleep.

00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:26.600
 So,

00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:27.080
 10.35,

00:27:27.600 --> 00:27:28.840
 I'm going to run in

00:27:28.840 --> 00:27:29.460
 to church

00:27:29.460 --> 00:27:31.120
 and I hope

00:27:31.120 --> 00:27:31.840
 the preacher's

00:27:31.840 --> 00:27:32.340
 well prepared

00:27:32.340 --> 00:27:33.059
 and I hope he's got

00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:33.620
 something good

00:27:33.620 --> 00:27:34.740
 and I'll receive

00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:35.680
 what he has to give.

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:37.160
 That's thinking

00:27:37.160 --> 00:27:38.220
 like a consumer,

00:27:38.360 --> 00:27:38.580
 right?

00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:40.440
 But there's another way

00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:40.700
 to think.

00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:41.259
 There's another way

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:41.660
 to come,

00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:43.039
 which is to come

00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:43.660
 to church saying,

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.840
 today I've got

00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:45.700
 some contribution

00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.400
 to bring.

00:27:47.180 --> 00:27:48.080
 And that may be

00:27:48.080 --> 00:27:49.519
 like we had earlier,

00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:50.560
 somebody came to Ed

00:27:50.560 --> 00:27:51.519
 with a piece of paper

00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:51.759
 and said,

00:27:51.840 --> 00:27:52.480
 I feel like God's

00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:53.200
 put this in my heart

00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:53.860
 for the church,

00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:54.440
 right?

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:55.540
 And Ed said,

00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:55.920
 hey guys,

00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:56.540
 it feels like God's

00:27:56.540 --> 00:27:57.560
 got a word for us.

00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:58.740
 Don't be discouraged

00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:59.420
 in this time.

00:27:59.560 --> 00:28:00.680
 Keep doing what you're doing.

00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:01.860
 Could be that.

00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:03.259
 It could be that

00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:03.900
 somebody comes

00:28:03.900 --> 00:28:04.560
 and during times

00:28:04.560 --> 00:28:05.460
 of worship says,

00:28:05.540 --> 00:28:06.120
 I feel like I've got

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.940
 the scripture in my heart

00:28:06.940 --> 00:28:07.560
 that I want to read

00:28:07.560 --> 00:28:08.960
 over us as a church

00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:09.920
 just to encourage us.

00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.320
 It could be somebody

00:28:11.320 --> 00:28:12.980
 coming and saying,

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.500
 the person I sit next to,

00:28:14.540 --> 00:28:15.460
 I'm going to pray for them

00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:16.319
 throughout the service.

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:17.340
 I'm just going to pray

00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:18.200
 that God speaks to them,

00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:19.140
 that God encounters them.

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:20.920
 It could be that you come

00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:22.799
 and you just give

00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:23.440
 a listening ear

00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:24.180
 and pray with someone

00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:24.700
 that's going through

00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:25.480
 a difficult time.

00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:27.380
 It may be just extending

00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:28.220
 a warm welcome

00:28:28.220 --> 00:28:29.259
 to someone you don't know

00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:30.000
 or taking somebody

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:30.620
 out for lunch

00:28:30.620 --> 00:28:31.440
 after church.

00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:33.019
 But what would it look like

00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:33.980
 for the church body

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:35.200
 to come every Sunday

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.579
 saying,

00:28:35.900 --> 00:28:36.680
 I'm here today

00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:37.680
 to contribute

00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:39.160
 to serve this body

00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:39.980
 in the role

00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:40.900
 that God's called me to?

00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:42.500
 Here's another

00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:43.519
 practical application

00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:44.039
 for us.

00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:45.460
 At Watermark,

00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:45.940
 one of the things

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.940
 we're really fortunate

00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:47.599
 to have

00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:48.639
 is a whole bunch

00:28:48.639 --> 00:28:50.819
 of outstanding young people

00:28:50.819 --> 00:28:51.480
 in our church

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.279
 and young leaders.

00:28:53.159 --> 00:28:54.779
 Henrika and the ICF team

00:28:54.779 --> 00:28:55.879
 have done an awesome job.

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:57.240
 Our ICF students

00:28:57.240 --> 00:28:58.240
 are amazing.

00:28:59.159 --> 00:29:00.099
 A bunch of people

00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:00.700
 that have recently

00:29:00.700 --> 00:29:02.079
 graduated from ICF.

00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:03.559
 We've got a whole crew

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:05.079
 of amazing young people

00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:05.779
 in our church.

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.399
 Now one of the challenges

00:29:07.399 --> 00:29:08.000
 for that

00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:09.420
 is that sometimes

00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:10.279
 if you are,

00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:11.019
 let me say,

00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:12.639
 more seasoned at life,

00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:14.940
 more experienced at life,

00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:16.799
 if you are 50 plus,

00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:19.039
 it's very easy to think,

00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:19.779
 oh, this is just

00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.799
 a young person's church.

00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:21.920
 There's no place

00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:22.579
 for me anymore.

00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:23.940
 There's no contribution.

00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:24.900
 I don't have a role

00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:25.359
 to play.

00:29:26.099 --> 00:29:26.859
 And I just want to say

00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:27.819
 that is not true.

00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:29.579
 Don't buy the lie.

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:31.400
 At this church,

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.579
 because we're a body

00:29:32.579 --> 00:29:34.240
 made up of many parts,

00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:35.660
 we need everyone

00:29:35.660 --> 00:29:36.500
 to come and play

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:36.980
 their role

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:37.680
 and their contribution.

00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:38.720
 And so,

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:40.720
 for everyone in our church,

00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:41.640
 for those especially

00:29:41.640 --> 00:29:42.680
 maybe who have learned

00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:43.620
 a thing or two in life

00:29:43.620 --> 00:29:44.560
 because you've been around

00:29:44.560 --> 00:29:45.299
 a little longer

00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:47.380
 than some of our ICF students,

00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.320
 I want to say

00:29:48.320 --> 00:29:49.759
 we need you in this church.

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:51.660
 We need you to disciple

00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:52.680
 some of the young people

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:53.420
 and to show them

00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:53.980
 what it looks

00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:55.380
 to live a life of faith,

00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:56.120
 trusting Jesus.

00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:57.779
 We need you,

00:29:57.840 --> 00:29:58.320
 as Paul says,

00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.740
 to admonish the idle,

00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:01.240
 encourage the faint-hearted,

00:30:01.820 --> 00:30:02.519
 help the weak,

00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:03.279
 show patience

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.299
 to those that are struggling.

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:05.860
 Maybe some of us

00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:06.660
 that are a little older,

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:08.180
 you might never preach

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:09.420
 or be on the stage

00:30:09.420 --> 00:30:10.340
 or lead a CG.

00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:11.360
 That's okay.

00:30:11.840 --> 00:30:12.500
 But what has God

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.240
 called you to?

00:30:13.360 --> 00:30:14.500
 What is the contribution

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.279
 that you can bring?

00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.400
 Don't think,

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:17.060
 oh, this is just

00:30:17.060 --> 00:30:18.140
 a young person's church.

00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:20.220
 We need every member

00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:22.160
 to play their part.

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:23.040
 And so this is what Paul

00:30:23.040 --> 00:30:24.259
 is saying to the Corinthian church.

00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:26.220
 And it's just as applicable

00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:26.700
 to here,

00:30:26.860 --> 00:30:27.980
 that the church body

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:29.519
 is a diverse body

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:31.019
 of gifts and contributions.

00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:32.620
 Each one is needed,

00:30:32.900 --> 00:30:33.960
 not just the pastors

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:34.680
 or the staff

00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:35.480
 or those on stage.

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:37.180
 Everyone that comes

00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:37.860
 to church

00:30:37.860 --> 00:30:38.559
 has a gift

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:39.380
 and a contribution

00:30:39.380 --> 00:30:40.140
 to bring.

00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:41.900
 Okay, does that make sense?

00:30:42.779 --> 00:30:43.099
 Now,

00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:45.759
 look at the second part.

00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:46.380
 Look at what he says

00:30:46.380 --> 00:30:48.019
 in verse 21 to 26.

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.200
 Here,

00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:50.319
 Paul emphasizes

00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:50.960
 the need

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:51.980
 for unity.

00:30:52.460 --> 00:30:53.380
 So he just said,

00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:53.819
 listen,

00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:55.319
 we're not just all one.

00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.460
 We're not just all ears

00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.140
 or eyes

00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:57.960
 or, you know,

00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:59.140
 17 hands.

00:30:59.319 --> 00:30:59.579
 Okay,

00:30:59.700 --> 00:31:00.579
 that's not going to be

00:31:00.579 --> 00:31:01.279
 a healthy body.

00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:02.259
 We all,

00:31:02.579 --> 00:31:03.579
 God's so composed

00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:03.920
 the body,

00:31:04.039 --> 00:31:04.720
 bringing each one

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.480
 as he desires.

00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:06.920
 But now he's saying,

00:31:07.140 --> 00:31:08.279
 if you overplay

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:09.079
 that thought,

00:31:09.539 --> 00:31:11.019
 so if you overemphasize

00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:12.440
 the fact that we're all unique,

00:31:12.700 --> 00:31:14.299
 we can become individualistic.

00:31:14.600 --> 00:31:15.799
 And we can easily think,

00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:16.279
 oh, you know,

00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:16.960
 I've got a gift,

00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:18.120
 but it's my gift

00:31:18.120 --> 00:31:19.240
 and I will contribute it

00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:20.039
 when I want,

00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:20.980
 how I want,

00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:23.380
 because I am so uniquely wonderful,

00:31:23.620 --> 00:31:24.759
 there's no one else like me.

00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.140
 Right?

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.100
 And Paul's saying,

00:31:26.180 --> 00:31:27.680
 it's true that you are diverse,

00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:29.400
 but don't forget the fact

00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:30.460
 that you also won.

00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:32.220
 Just as the human body

00:31:32.220 --> 00:31:34.019
 has a diversity of members,

00:31:34.299 --> 00:31:35.299
 but actually they're all part

00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:35.880
 of one body,

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.340
 so it's true in the church.

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.500
 In other words,

00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:39.980
 how weird would it be

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:41.019
 if you're standing

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:41.759
 by the bus stop

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.299
 and you just see

00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:43.120
 two pairs of feet

00:31:43.120 --> 00:31:44.500
 just walking down the road,

00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:44.840
 right?

00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:46.140
 And I'm just,

00:31:46.220 --> 00:31:46.460
 you know,

00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:47.519
 I'm just so unique

00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:48.440
 and it's just me,

00:31:48.980 --> 00:31:50.120
 my pair of feet.

00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:51.079
 That would be weird.

00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:52.759
 The feet have a unique role

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.200
 to play,

00:31:53.380 --> 00:31:54.559
 but they're part of the body

00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:55.180
 to contribute

00:31:55.180 --> 00:31:55.880
 to the well-being

00:31:55.880 --> 00:31:56.400
 of the body.

00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:57.799
 Imagine you're about to

00:31:57.799 --> 00:31:59.279
 sit down at lunch

00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:00.759
 with your girlfriends,

00:32:01.119 --> 00:32:01.579
 parents,

00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:02.440
 or your in-laws

00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:03.659
 and your hand

00:32:03.659 --> 00:32:04.519
 just says to your mouth,

00:32:04.700 --> 00:32:04.839
 no,

00:32:04.899 --> 00:32:06.019
 I don't feel like working today.

00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:07.799
 I'm taking a Sabbath.

00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:09.720
 Just eat your own dinner,

00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:10.059
 right?

00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.099
 That's going to be

00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:11.779
 a messy meal.

00:32:12.879 --> 00:32:13.980
 It's not going to look

00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:14.359
 too good,

00:32:14.399 --> 00:32:14.619
 right?

00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:15.539
 In other words,

00:32:15.619 --> 00:32:16.240
 every member

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.460
 has a unique contribution,

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:19.799
 but they're part of the body

00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:20.539
 for the unity

00:32:20.539 --> 00:32:21.180
 and the oneness

00:32:21.180 --> 00:32:21.759
 of the body.

00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:23.960
 And so look at what Paul says here

00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:25.500
 in verse 21.

00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:26.259
 He says,

00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:27.740
 the eye cannot say

00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:28.440
 to the hand,

00:32:28.619 --> 00:32:29.680
 I have no need

00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.339
 of you today,

00:32:30.900 --> 00:32:31.519
 nor the head

00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:32.119
 to the feet.

00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:33.359
 I don't need you.

00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:34.680
 On the contrary,

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.400
 the parts of the body

00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:37.779
 that seem to be weaker

00:32:37.779 --> 00:32:38.819
 are indispensable

00:32:38.819 --> 00:32:41.420
 and those parts

00:32:41.420 --> 00:32:41.839
 of the body

00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:42.400
 that we think

00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:43.359
 are less honorable,

00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:44.640
 we actually bestow

00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:45.720
 the greater honor.

00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:47.900
 So what Paul is saying here

00:32:47.900 --> 00:32:49.220
 is that in the human body,

00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.660
 there are parts of the body

00:32:50.660 --> 00:32:52.259
 that may be physically weaker

00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:53.980
 or that we don't give

00:32:53.980 --> 00:32:54.720
 a lot of thought

00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:55.680
 or attention to.

00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:57.960
 So like your organs,

00:32:58.060 --> 00:32:58.759
 internal organs,

00:32:59.140 --> 00:32:59.680
 how many people

00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:00.440
 have thought about

00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:01.799
 your kidney

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.900
 or your intestines

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.740
 this week?

00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:05.000
 Okay,

00:33:05.360 --> 00:33:07.820
 so thank you Dr. Sam.

00:33:09.080 --> 00:33:09.920
 If you're a doctor,

00:33:10.039 --> 00:33:10.500
 maybe you have.

00:33:10.820 --> 00:33:11.860
 But not a lot of us

00:33:11.860 --> 00:33:12.560
 give a lot of thought

00:33:12.560 --> 00:33:13.400
 to these parts

00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:14.519
 that are physically weaker

00:33:14.519 --> 00:33:15.360
 and we don't give

00:33:15.360 --> 00:33:16.240
 a lot of attention to.

00:33:16.600 --> 00:33:17.480
 But just because

00:33:17.480 --> 00:33:19.000
 they may be physically weaker

00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:20.259
 doesn't mean

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:21.720
 they are any less valuable

00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:23.080
 to the health

00:33:23.080 --> 00:33:23.840
 or the well-being

00:33:23.840 --> 00:33:24.420
 of the body.

00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:25.340
 In fact,

00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:27.120
 some of our external parts

00:33:27.120 --> 00:33:29.000
 may be even stronger.

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:29.840
 They can put up

00:33:29.840 --> 00:33:30.840
 with a little bit more

00:33:30.840 --> 00:33:31.840
 toughness.

00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:34.080
 And we spend far more time

00:33:34.080 --> 00:33:34.600
 and attention

00:33:34.600 --> 00:33:35.400
 on those things

00:33:35.400 --> 00:33:36.240
 but they actually,

00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:37.980
 they may be not as vital,

00:33:38.080 --> 00:33:38.300
 right?

00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:40.200
 How much time

00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:40.640
 and money

00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:41.920
 do people spend

00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:43.400
 looking after their hair?

00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:45.400
 But actually,

00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:46.220
 let's be honest,

00:33:46.279 --> 00:33:47.060
 it's not the most vital

00:33:47.060 --> 00:33:47.940
 part of your body.

00:33:48.820 --> 00:33:49.880
 And that's what Paul's

00:33:49.880 --> 00:33:50.500
 point is here.

00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:51.860
 He's saying there's some parts

00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:53.240
 that we think

00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:54.879
 just because something

00:33:54.879 --> 00:33:55.619
 is invisible,

00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:56.399
 we don't see it

00:33:56.399 --> 00:33:57.199
 or give a lot of thought

00:33:57.199 --> 00:33:57.459
 to it,

00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:58.759
 doesn't mean it's less valuable.

00:33:59.459 --> 00:34:00.139
 And Paul's point

00:34:00.139 --> 00:34:01.199
 is the same is true

00:34:01.199 --> 00:34:02.139
 for Christ's body.

00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:03.279
 There are members

00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:03.939
 of the body

00:34:03.939 --> 00:34:05.219
 that may seem hidden,

00:34:05.899 --> 00:34:07.199
 they may seem weaker,

00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:08.099
 they're not as prominent,

00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:09.199
 they're never going to

00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:10.119
 be on stage

00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:11.199
 or lead a ministry,

00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:12.799
 but their apparent

00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.400
 hiddenness

00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:14.719
 has no relationship

00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:15.779
 to their value

00:34:15.779 --> 00:34:16.679
 or the necessity

00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:17.659
 of their church.

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:19.480
 And so some person,

00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:20.259
 maybe the gift

00:34:20.259 --> 00:34:21.000
 that they bring

00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:22.179
 is that they are

00:34:22.179 --> 00:34:23.099
 the most wonderful

00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:23.799
 welcomers

00:34:23.799 --> 00:34:24.879
 and they make people

00:34:24.879 --> 00:34:25.440
 feel welcome.

00:34:26.039 --> 00:34:26.779
 And it's easy to think,

00:34:26.839 --> 00:34:27.359
 oh, you know,

00:34:27.859 --> 00:34:28.699
 that's a cute gift,

00:34:28.739 --> 00:34:30.099
 that doesn't really help.

00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:30.899
 But actually,

00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:31.960
 that's a vital gift.

00:34:32.759 --> 00:34:32.940
 Maybe,

00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:34.779
 Charles Spurgeon,

00:34:35.500 --> 00:34:36.299
 greatest preacher

00:34:36.299 --> 00:34:37.779
 of the 19th century,

00:34:38.259 --> 00:34:38.420
 okay,

00:34:38.519 --> 00:34:39.179
 just the most

00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:40.359
 outstanding preacher,

00:34:40.500 --> 00:34:41.379
 25 years old,

00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:41.859
 he's preaching

00:34:41.859 --> 00:34:43.119
 to 10,000 people,

00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:44.980
 hundreds and thousands

00:34:44.980 --> 00:34:45.480
 of people

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:46.219
 came to Christ

00:34:46.219 --> 00:34:46.819
 through his ministry.

00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:47.800
 He sent out

00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:48.840
 hundreds of church

00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:49.720
 planters all over

00:34:49.720 --> 00:34:50.140
 the world.

00:34:50.840 --> 00:34:51.320
 And one stage,

00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:51.800
 someone said,

00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.160
 Charles,

00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:53.300
 what's the secret

00:34:53.300 --> 00:34:53.960
 to your ministry?

00:34:54.420 --> 00:34:56.039
 How is it so successful?

00:34:56.920 --> 00:34:57.120
 He said,

00:34:57.160 --> 00:34:58.180
 the secret to my ministry

00:34:58.180 --> 00:34:59.240
 is that there are

00:34:59.240 --> 00:35:00.039
 a bunch of ladies

00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:01.080
 who pray for me

00:35:01.080 --> 00:35:01.840
 every day.

00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:02.660
 Now,

00:35:02.720 --> 00:35:03.240
 nobody knows

00:35:03.240 --> 00:35:03.980
 those people's names.

00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:05.460
 There's no history books

00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.140
 that write about

00:35:06.140 --> 00:35:07.059
 those people's names.

00:35:07.800 --> 00:35:08.780
 But that actually

00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:09.440
 was one of the most

00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:10.519
 vital parts

00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:11.280
 that brought revival

00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:11.800
 to London

00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:12.720
 in many ways.

00:35:13.080 --> 00:35:14.780
 Because some old lady

00:35:14.780 --> 00:35:15.640
 decided we're going

00:35:15.640 --> 00:35:16.120
 to pray.

00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:18.220
 Paul's point is that

00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:19.160
 there's some parts

00:35:19.160 --> 00:35:19.600
 of the body

00:35:19.600 --> 00:35:20.800
 that are less visible,

00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:21.720
 less apparent,

00:35:21.940 --> 00:35:22.640
 maybe don't get

00:35:22.640 --> 00:35:23.360
 the limelight,

00:35:23.920 --> 00:35:25.039
 but that has no bearing

00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:26.240
 on their usefulness

00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:27.280
 or their value

00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:28.100
 or the necessity

00:35:28.100 --> 00:35:28.700
 of the body.

00:35:29.420 --> 00:35:29.880
 And so look at what

00:35:29.880 --> 00:35:30.300
 he says here

00:35:30.300 --> 00:35:31.039
 in verse 24.

00:35:31.760 --> 00:35:33.180
 For God has so composed

00:35:33.180 --> 00:35:33.700
 the body,

00:35:34.180 --> 00:35:35.420
 giving greater honor

00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:36.500
 to the parts

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.220
 that lacked it.

00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:37.900
 Now that's really

00:35:37.900 --> 00:35:38.320
 interesting.

00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:39.980
 God in his wisdom

00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:41.160
 has somehow chosen

00:35:41.160 --> 00:35:42.600
 to give greater honor

00:35:42.600 --> 00:35:43.920
 to the parts

00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:44.660
 that apparently

00:35:44.660 --> 00:35:45.400
 don't seem

00:35:45.400 --> 00:35:46.099
 very honorable.

00:35:46.700 --> 00:35:47.280
 In God's

00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:48.740
 upside down economy,

00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:50.000
 the first

00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:51.019
 are last

00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:51.539
 and the last

00:35:51.539 --> 00:35:52.059
 are first.

00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:53.240
 The overlooked

00:35:53.240 --> 00:35:53.700
 are often

00:35:53.700 --> 00:35:54.519
 the most important.

00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:55.639
 The least

00:35:55.639 --> 00:35:56.180
 is often

00:35:56.180 --> 00:35:56.840
 the greatest.

00:35:57.340 --> 00:35:57.960
 As Paul says

00:35:57.960 --> 00:35:58.579
 in chapter 1,

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.780
 God chooses

00:35:59.780 --> 00:36:00.860
 to use

00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:02.420
 the weak things

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:02.800
 of the world

00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:03.800
 to shame the strong.

00:36:04.280 --> 00:36:05.280
 The foolish things

00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:05.820
 in the eyes

00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.220
 of the world

00:36:06.220 --> 00:36:06.820
 to shame

00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:07.660
 that which

00:36:07.660 --> 00:36:08.940
 seems wise.

00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:09.940
 And God

00:36:09.940 --> 00:36:10.940
 has so composed

00:36:10.940 --> 00:36:12.099
 his body like this

00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:13.239
 that to God

00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:14.119
 sometimes the most

00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:15.500
 valuable and honorable

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.440
 parts of the body

00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:17.539
 are actually those

00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:18.440
 that in our eyes

00:36:18.440 --> 00:36:19.639
 don't seem very valuable

00:36:19.639 --> 00:36:20.799
 or very honorable

00:36:20.799 --> 00:36:21.339
 at all.

00:36:21.799 --> 00:36:22.619
 Verse 24.

00:36:22.759 --> 00:36:24.079
 For God has so composed

00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:24.539
 the body,

00:36:24.920 --> 00:36:25.719
 giving greater honor

00:36:25.719 --> 00:36:26.299
 to the parts

00:36:26.299 --> 00:36:27.039
 that lacked it,

00:36:27.539 --> 00:36:28.579
 so that there may be

00:36:28.579 --> 00:36:29.339
 no division,

00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:31.360
 but that all the members

00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:32.719
 may have the same care

00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:33.460
 for one another.

00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:34.960
 For if one member

00:36:34.960 --> 00:36:35.400
 suffers,

00:36:35.659 --> 00:36:36.539
 all suffer together.

00:36:36.940 --> 00:36:37.679
 If one member

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:38.119
 is honored,

00:36:38.339 --> 00:36:39.920
 all rejoice together.

00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:41.139
 So friends,

00:36:41.200 --> 00:36:41.820
 what that means

00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:43.559
 is that for every person

00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:44.960
 that calls Watermark home,

00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:46.720
 God has given you

00:36:46.720 --> 00:36:47.220
 a gift,

00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:47.940
 a contribution

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:48.920
 to bring

00:36:48.920 --> 00:36:49.680
 to the body.

00:36:50.460 --> 00:36:51.420
 But it can turn

00:36:51.420 --> 00:36:52.139
 into a curse

00:36:52.139 --> 00:36:52.980
 when we see that

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:53.720
 as our own,

00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:54.840
 as that's my gift

00:36:54.840 --> 00:36:55.519
 that I bring

00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:56.659
 when I want.

00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:59.579
 God has so composed

00:36:59.579 --> 00:36:59.980
 the body

00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:00.900
 that if one member

00:37:00.900 --> 00:37:01.340
 suffers,

00:37:01.700 --> 00:37:02.659
 all suffer together.

00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:03.599
 If one member

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.000
 is honored,

00:37:04.400 --> 00:37:05.579
 all rejoice together.

00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:06.960
 Now,

00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:07.880
 what does that

00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:08.519
 actually mean?

00:37:08.740 --> 00:37:08.860
 Okay?

00:37:09.059 --> 00:37:09.780
 So we see the two

00:37:09.780 --> 00:37:10.080
 things.

00:37:10.680 --> 00:37:11.360
 Paul emphasizes

00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.560
 the need for diversity.

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:13.760
 Now he's emphasizing

00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:14.440
 the need for unity.

00:37:14.580 --> 00:37:14.980
 What does that

00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:15.600
 actually mean?

00:37:16.220 --> 00:37:16.540
 Well,

00:37:16.560 --> 00:37:17.040
 in some ways,

00:37:17.080 --> 00:37:17.640
 what it means

00:37:17.640 --> 00:37:18.600
 is that my

00:37:18.600 --> 00:37:19.680
 spiritual well-being

00:37:19.680 --> 00:37:20.960
 is some way

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:22.160
 dependent upon you.

00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:23.840
 And your spiritual

00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:24.680
 well-being is

00:37:24.680 --> 00:37:25.800
 dependent upon me

00:37:25.800 --> 00:37:27.000
 and vice versa

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.640
 and the people

00:37:27.640 --> 00:37:28.340
 around us.

00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:29.400
 In other words,

00:37:29.500 --> 00:37:30.640
 in biblical culture,

00:37:31.200 --> 00:37:32.340
 your life never

00:37:32.340 --> 00:37:33.580
 entirely belongs

00:37:33.580 --> 00:37:34.240
 to yourself,

00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:35.600
 but partly belongs

00:37:35.600 --> 00:37:36.460
 to the community

00:37:36.460 --> 00:37:37.440
 that you're a part of.

00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:38.519
 In other words,

00:37:38.620 --> 00:37:39.260
 in the Bible,

00:37:39.260 --> 00:37:40.400
 those that you

00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:41.380
 choose to align

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:42.000
 yourself to,

00:37:42.140 --> 00:37:42.760
 those that you

00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:43.400
 choose to find

00:37:43.400 --> 00:37:44.660
 solidarity with,

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.020
 to some extent,

00:37:46.140 --> 00:37:47.040
 you're responsible

00:37:47.040 --> 00:37:47.760
 for them

00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:48.580
 and they're

00:37:48.580 --> 00:37:49.820
 responsible for you.

00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:51.000
 And that's why

00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:51.800
 in chapter 5

00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:52.380
 in Corinthians,

00:37:52.560 --> 00:37:53.200
 Paul actually says

00:37:53.200 --> 00:37:54.160
 something really

00:37:54.160 --> 00:37:54.940
 pretty hectic.

00:37:55.140 --> 00:37:55.520
 He says,

00:37:55.640 --> 00:37:57.660
 sin is like

00:37:57.660 --> 00:37:58.740
 yeast

00:37:58.740 --> 00:38:00.060
 or like cancer

00:38:00.060 --> 00:38:00.720
 that can actually

00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:01.680
 spread throughout

00:38:01.680 --> 00:38:02.180
 the body.

00:38:02.820 --> 00:38:03.600
 And that's why

00:38:03.600 --> 00:38:04.200
 he says,

00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:04.960
 you guys are

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:05.760
 responsible for

00:38:05.760 --> 00:38:06.280
 one another.

00:38:06.280 --> 00:38:07.260
 And so in the

00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:07.940
 Corinthians church,

00:38:08.019 --> 00:38:08.700
 there's this guy

00:38:08.700 --> 00:38:09.380
 and he's having

00:38:09.380 --> 00:38:10.040
 sex with his

00:38:10.040 --> 00:38:10.600
 stepmom.

00:38:11.080 --> 00:38:11.440
 And the

00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:12.040
 Corinthians church

00:38:12.040 --> 00:38:12.500
 is all saying,

00:38:12.600 --> 00:38:12.980
 yeah, well,

00:38:13.060 --> 00:38:13.360
 you know,

00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:14.480
 that's your life

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.080
 and we've got our

00:38:15.080 --> 00:38:15.280
 life,

00:38:15.340 --> 00:38:15.680
 we're not going

00:38:15.680 --> 00:38:16.140
 to interfere.

00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:17.300
 And Paul says,

00:38:17.380 --> 00:38:17.820
 what are you

00:38:17.820 --> 00:38:18.440
 talking about?

00:38:18.580 --> 00:38:19.540
 Don't you realize

00:38:19.540 --> 00:38:20.720
 that that's like a

00:38:20.720 --> 00:38:21.480
 cancer that's going

00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:22.280
 to affect your body?

00:38:22.660 --> 00:38:23.380
 You're responsible

00:38:23.380 --> 00:38:24.340
 for him and he's

00:38:24.340 --> 00:38:25.300
 responsible for you.

00:38:25.720 --> 00:38:26.400
 And if you let

00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:27.380
 that thing go

00:38:27.380 --> 00:38:28.000
 unchecked,

00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:28.800
 it's going to grow

00:38:28.800 --> 00:38:29.300
 and it's going to

00:38:29.300 --> 00:38:30.160
 consume all of you.

00:38:30.700 --> 00:38:31.480
 And so Paul says,

00:38:31.600 --> 00:38:32.420
 someone go and

00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:32.960
 speak to him.

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:34.140
 And if he doesn't

00:38:34.140 --> 00:38:34.440
 change,

00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:35.140
 someone else go and

00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:35.659
 speak to him.

00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:36.739
 And if he still

00:38:36.739 --> 00:38:37.519
 doesn't change,

00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:38.960
 it's time to cut

00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:39.839
 him off and to

00:38:39.839 --> 00:38:40.500
 say you can no

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:41.339
 longer be a part

00:38:41.339 --> 00:38:41.920
 of this body.

00:38:42.359 --> 00:38:43.559
 That sin cannot

00:38:43.559 --> 00:38:44.739
 affect this body

00:38:44.739 --> 00:38:45.379
 otherwise it will

00:38:45.379 --> 00:38:46.359
 destroy all of us.

00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:47.400
 Do you see the

00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:48.059
 importance of that?

00:38:48.379 --> 00:38:49.279
 In some ways,

00:38:49.339 --> 00:38:50.299
 when you commit to

00:38:50.299 --> 00:38:51.019
 a church family,

00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:51.879
 it's saying I'm

00:38:51.879 --> 00:38:52.739
 responsible for you

00:38:52.739 --> 00:38:53.199
 and you're

00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:54.960
 responsible for me.

00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:56.579
 And that means,

00:38:56.739 --> 00:38:56.980
 friends,

00:38:58.019 --> 00:39:00.179
 that committing

00:39:00.179 --> 00:39:01.000
 to a church is

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:02.099
 very important,

00:39:02.339 --> 00:39:02.859
 but it's also

00:39:02.859 --> 00:39:03.960
 important what church

00:39:03.960 --> 00:39:04.579
 you commit to.

00:39:05.639 --> 00:39:06.000
 And so can I

00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:06.639
 just say that for

00:39:06.639 --> 00:39:07.359
 some of us who

00:39:07.359 --> 00:39:08.159
 will one day move

00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:09.000
 on from Hong Kong,

00:39:09.099 --> 00:39:09.599
 move to another

00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:10.879
 city or another

00:39:10.879 --> 00:39:11.339
 place,

00:39:11.719 --> 00:39:12.779
 when you choose a

00:39:12.779 --> 00:39:13.219
 church,

00:39:14.019 --> 00:39:14.859
 choose a healthy

00:39:14.859 --> 00:39:15.359
 church.

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:16.699
 Choose a strong

00:39:16.699 --> 00:39:16.960
 church.

00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:17.679
 Don't just go to

00:39:17.679 --> 00:39:18.239
 church where the

00:39:18.239 --> 00:39:19.500
 music's good and the

00:39:19.500 --> 00:39:20.259
 pastor tells good

00:39:20.259 --> 00:39:21.460
 jokes or he's got

00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:22.219
 good social media

00:39:22.219 --> 00:39:22.639
 following.

00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:24.039
 Choose a church

00:39:24.039 --> 00:39:24.739
 that's going to tell

00:39:24.739 --> 00:39:25.480
 you about Jesus.

00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:26.879
 Find a church that's

00:39:26.879 --> 00:39:27.579
 going to preach the

00:39:27.579 --> 00:39:27.920
 Bible.

00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:29.179
 Find a church that

00:39:29.179 --> 00:39:30.339
 together you can

00:39:30.339 --> 00:39:31.319
 commit to them and

00:39:31.319 --> 00:39:32.059
 they can commit to

00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:32.940
 you and together you

00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:33.900
 can point one another

00:39:33.900 --> 00:39:35.019
 to the hope of

00:39:35.019 --> 00:39:35.360
 Jesus.

00:39:35.639 --> 00:39:36.639
 The church that you

00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:37.900
 join is going to

00:39:37.900 --> 00:39:39.139
 have a direct impact

00:39:39.139 --> 00:39:40.019
 on your spiritual

00:39:40.019 --> 00:39:41.680
 journey and you on

00:39:41.680 --> 00:39:42.160
 theirs.

00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:45.660
 Now, as we come to

00:39:45.660 --> 00:39:48.380
 a close, we need to

00:39:48.380 --> 00:39:49.220
 acknowledge that this

00:39:49.220 --> 00:39:50.000
 is really hard.

00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:52.320
 This is really hard to

00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:52.500
 do.

00:39:53.260 --> 00:39:54.480
 And it's hard because

00:39:54.480 --> 00:39:55.500
 being committed to a

00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:56.300
 church family is

00:39:56.300 --> 00:39:57.880
 costly and it's

00:39:57.880 --> 00:39:59.300
 inconvenient, right?

00:39:59.300 --> 00:40:01.200
 It's so much easier

00:40:01.200 --> 00:40:01.880
 just to live for

00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:02.440
 ourselves.

00:40:03.820 --> 00:40:04.860
 Every one of us by

00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:06.480
 nature, because of

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:07.580
 the reality of sin in

00:40:07.580 --> 00:40:08.420
 our lives, our hearts

00:40:08.420 --> 00:40:09.100
 are turned into

00:40:09.100 --> 00:40:09.960
 ourselves and by

00:40:09.960 --> 00:40:11.180
 nature we love to

00:40:11.180 --> 00:40:11.980
 live for ourselves.

00:40:12.740 --> 00:40:13.800
 There's a tendency in

00:40:13.800 --> 00:40:14.800
 every human heart to

00:40:14.800 --> 00:40:16.880
 think about me

00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:18.539
 primarily and my own

00:40:18.539 --> 00:40:19.500
 desires and my own

00:40:19.500 --> 00:40:19.900
 needs.

00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:22.480
 We like to be served

00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:23.500
 rather than to serve.

00:40:24.100 --> 00:40:25.080
 We naturally like to

00:40:25.080 --> 00:40:26.100
 consume rather than

00:40:26.100 --> 00:40:26.560
 contribute.

00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:26.739
 contribute.

00:40:27.519 --> 00:40:28.380
 And we tend to give

00:40:28.380 --> 00:40:29.199
 ourselves to things

00:40:29.199 --> 00:40:30.159
 that work the way we

00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:31.299
 want to rather than

00:40:31.299 --> 00:40:32.259
 things that don't work

00:40:32.259 --> 00:40:33.039
 the way we want them

00:40:33.039 --> 00:40:33.199
 to.

00:40:34.059 --> 00:40:35.799
 And ultimately, sin is

00:40:35.799 --> 00:40:37.340
 so deceptive that we

00:40:37.340 --> 00:40:38.139
 can even deceive

00:40:38.139 --> 00:40:39.299
 ourselves and oftentimes

00:40:39.299 --> 00:40:40.519
 we can serve others

00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.659
 but even if I'm honest

00:40:41.659 --> 00:40:43.199
 there can be a selfish

00:40:43.199 --> 00:40:45.259
 motivation behind that.

00:40:45.639 --> 00:40:46.759
 I serve others because

00:40:46.759 --> 00:40:47.739
 it makes me feel good

00:40:47.739 --> 00:40:48.759
 about myself or because

00:40:48.759 --> 00:40:49.559
 what others will think

00:40:49.559 --> 00:40:49.940
 of me.

00:40:51.119 --> 00:40:52.139
 Friends, almost everyone

00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:52.940
 likes the idea of

00:40:52.940 --> 00:40:54.139
 community as long as it

00:40:54.139 --> 00:40:55.259
 doesn't cost me too

00:40:55.259 --> 00:40:55.659
 much.

00:40:55.659 --> 00:40:57.179
 But being part of

00:40:57.179 --> 00:40:58.940
 Christ's body necessarily

00:40:58.940 --> 00:41:00.420
 involves a cost and

00:41:00.420 --> 00:41:01.179
 inconvenience.

00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:02.659
 Jesus in Ephesians 4

00:41:02.659 --> 00:41:04.059
 says we are to forgive

00:41:04.059 --> 00:41:05.399
 one another in the same

00:41:05.399 --> 00:41:06.619
 way that Christ forgives

00:41:06.619 --> 00:41:06.980
 us.

00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:08.879
 That's a radical call to

00:41:08.879 --> 00:41:09.379
 forgiveness.

00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:11.480
 In John 13, Jesus says

00:41:11.480 --> 00:41:13.059
 serve one another in the

00:41:13.059 --> 00:41:14.059
 same way that I have

00:41:14.059 --> 00:41:14.659
 served you.

00:41:15.279 --> 00:41:15.759
 Isn't that amazing?

00:41:15.819 --> 00:41:16.839
 The same way that Jesus

00:41:16.839 --> 00:41:18.059
 serves us, he calls us to

00:41:18.059 --> 00:41:18.759
 serve one another?

00:41:19.440 --> 00:41:20.699
 Jesus calls us to a

00:41:20.699 --> 00:41:21.980
 radical level of

00:41:21.980 --> 00:41:22.980
 community and laying

00:41:22.980 --> 00:41:23.920
 down our lives for one

00:41:23.920 --> 00:41:24.239
 another.

00:41:24.239 --> 00:41:26.799
 Now the question is, how

00:41:26.799 --> 00:41:27.599
 do we do that?

00:41:28.419 --> 00:41:29.419
 How do we become the

00:41:29.419 --> 00:41:31.379
 kind of people that see

00:41:31.379 --> 00:41:32.259
 ourselves as part of this

00:41:32.259 --> 00:41:33.319
 body and lay down our

00:41:33.319 --> 00:41:34.239
 lives and serve one

00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:34.579
 another?

00:41:35.819 --> 00:41:36.779
 The answer is it's

00:41:36.779 --> 00:41:37.739
 almost impossible.

00:41:38.399 --> 00:41:39.559
 It's very difficult.

00:41:40.659 --> 00:41:41.879
 So how do we do that?

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:44.219
 Well, for those of us that

00:41:44.219 --> 00:41:45.419
 are believers, I want us

00:41:45.419 --> 00:41:46.659
 just to take a few minutes

00:41:46.659 --> 00:41:47.579
 and just think about our

00:41:47.579 --> 00:41:48.659
 salvation for a second.

00:41:49.619 --> 00:41:50.459
 Think about what does it

00:41:50.459 --> 00:41:51.559
 mean to be a Christian?

00:41:51.559 --> 00:41:54.259
 A Christian is someone who

00:41:54.259 --> 00:41:55.579
 deserves God's judgment

00:41:55.579 --> 00:41:57.340
 because of our sin, but

00:41:57.340 --> 00:41:58.820
 who gets God's favor and

00:41:58.820 --> 00:42:00.239
 acceptance instead because

00:42:00.239 --> 00:42:01.579
 Jesus died on the cross for

00:42:01.579 --> 00:42:01.860
 us.

00:42:02.719 --> 00:42:03.799
 A Christian is someone who

00:42:03.799 --> 00:42:05.539
 was once outside of God's

00:42:05.539 --> 00:42:07.320
 family and the God's

00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:08.860
 judgment, but now has been

00:42:08.860 --> 00:42:10.400
 included into God's favor,

00:42:10.599 --> 00:42:12.000
 into God's family, someone

00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:13.099
 who was once an outsider,

00:42:13.099 --> 00:42:14.900
 but is now an insider because

00:42:14.900 --> 00:42:16.440
 Jesus, because our sin was

00:42:16.440 --> 00:42:17.559
 credited to Jesus.

00:42:18.619 --> 00:42:19.420
 Friends, a Christian is

00:42:19.420 --> 00:42:21.119
 someone who knows that he's

00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:22.400
 a sinner saved by grace

00:42:22.400 --> 00:42:24.000
 alone and therefore has no

00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:25.440
 reason to either elevate

00:42:25.440 --> 00:42:26.820
 some or look down on

00:42:26.820 --> 00:42:27.260
 others.

00:42:28.360 --> 00:42:29.639
 A Christian is someone who

00:42:29.639 --> 00:42:30.860
 has been, who knows his

00:42:30.860 --> 00:42:32.320
 acceptance before God is

00:42:32.320 --> 00:42:33.920
 based on Jesus' righteousness,

00:42:34.180 --> 00:42:34.880
 not his own.

00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:37.380
 Friends, a Christian is

00:42:37.380 --> 00:42:38.960
 someone who knows they have

00:42:38.960 --> 00:42:40.360
 nothing to bring to God

00:42:40.360 --> 00:42:43.260
 except their sin and yet has

00:42:43.260 --> 00:42:44.380
 been given a righteousness

00:42:44.380 --> 00:42:45.840
 from Christ instead.

00:42:47.220 --> 00:42:47.860
 Friends, given that

00:42:47.860 --> 00:42:49.200
 definition, are you a

00:42:49.200 --> 00:42:49.860
 Christian this morning?

00:42:51.099 --> 00:42:52.519
 Given that definition, do

00:42:52.519 --> 00:42:53.940
 you know that your only hope

00:42:53.940 --> 00:42:55.180
 is in Jesus, that he is your

00:42:55.180 --> 00:42:56.059
 perfect righteousness?

00:42:57.320 --> 00:42:58.300
 Friends, if you are a

00:42:58.300 --> 00:42:59.700
 Christian this morning, think

00:42:59.700 --> 00:43:01.240
 for a moment how Jesus so

00:43:01.240 --> 00:43:03.920
 committed himself to us, even

00:43:03.920 --> 00:43:05.480
 though we had nothing to give

00:43:05.480 --> 00:43:06.720
 him, nothing to bring him.

00:43:07.180 --> 00:43:09.160
 Jesus so aligned himself to

00:43:09.160 --> 00:43:11.360
 us that he took on our sin as

00:43:11.360 --> 00:43:13.059
 if it was his own and he gave

00:43:13.059 --> 00:43:14.620
 us his righteousness as if that

00:43:14.620 --> 00:43:15.240
 was our own.

00:43:15.239 --> 00:43:17.379
 Jesus found such solidarity

00:43:17.379 --> 00:43:19.619
 with us that the perfect

00:43:19.619 --> 00:43:21.079
 righteousness of Christ is

00:43:21.079 --> 00:43:23.339
 given to us, not because of

00:43:23.339 --> 00:43:24.879
 what we could give him, but

00:43:24.879 --> 00:43:26.059
 because of what we would get

00:43:26.059 --> 00:43:26.979
 in the process.

00:43:28.859 --> 00:43:30.659
 Friends, the gospel reminds us

00:43:30.659 --> 00:43:32.579
 that we, our righteousness is

00:43:32.579 --> 00:43:33.799
 not our spiritual gifts.

00:43:34.439 --> 00:43:35.739
 Our righteousness is Jesus

00:43:35.739 --> 00:43:36.259
 alone.

00:43:37.259 --> 00:43:38.699
 The gospel reminds us that all

00:43:38.699 --> 00:43:41.039
 of us are broken and sinful and

00:43:41.039 --> 00:43:42.359
 yet Christ has welcomed us into

00:43:42.360 --> 00:43:42.960
 his family.

00:43:43.820 --> 00:43:45.599
 And out of that, we are given

00:43:45.599 --> 00:43:47.440
 the resources to love and

00:43:47.440 --> 00:43:48.860
 serve and lay down our lives

00:43:48.860 --> 00:43:49.519
 for one another.

00:43:50.019 --> 00:43:51.160
 Remember how we started off

00:43:51.160 --> 00:43:52.640
 this year looking at the

00:43:52.640 --> 00:43:53.840
 gospel and we looked at this

00:43:53.840 --> 00:43:55.360
 passage in 1 Corinthians

00:43:55.360 --> 00:43:56.260
 chapter 15.

00:43:56.720 --> 00:43:57.960
 And it says this, this is

00:43:57.960 --> 00:43:59.300
 straight after, you know, the

00:43:59.300 --> 00:44:00.599
 second chapter on spiritual

00:44:00.599 --> 00:44:00.880
 gifts.

00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:02.180
 Paul says this, he says,

00:44:02.179 --> 00:44:16.899
 Friends, in the gospel, you and

00:44:16.899 --> 00:44:19.279
 I are given such security, such

00:44:19.279 --> 00:44:19.940
 an identity.

00:44:20.139 --> 00:44:21.419
 We are bestowed with such an

00:44:21.419 --> 00:44:21.739
 honor.

00:44:22.219 --> 00:44:23.799
 We don't need to look out for

00:44:23.799 --> 00:44:25.000
 or look after ourselves.

00:44:25.179 --> 00:44:26.399
 In Christ, we are given all the

00:44:26.399 --> 00:44:28.480
 resources we need to put ourselves

00:44:28.480 --> 00:44:30.480
 out there and to spend ourselves

00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:32.240
 for the sake of one another.

00:44:33.079 --> 00:44:34.320
 Friends, how do we become the

00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:36.059
 kind of community which really

00:44:36.059 --> 00:44:37.039
 do give ourselves?

00:44:37.159 --> 00:44:38.619
 We don't elevate certain gifts

00:44:38.619 --> 00:44:39.940
 or look down upon others.

00:44:40.840 --> 00:44:42.420
 Think of some as superior or

00:44:42.420 --> 00:44:43.340
 others as inferior.

00:44:44.179 --> 00:44:45.460
 How do we become the kind of

00:44:45.460 --> 00:44:46.960
 community that really does love

00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:48.340
 and serve one another for the

00:44:48.340 --> 00:44:48.860
 common good?

00:44:50.179 --> 00:44:52.500
 Paul says, I want to remind you

00:44:52.500 --> 00:44:53.199
 of the gospel.

00:44:53.940 --> 00:44:55.559
 The gospel I preached to you.

00:44:56.199 --> 00:44:57.340
 The gospel in which you now

00:44:57.340 --> 00:44:57.840
 stand.

00:44:58.340 --> 00:44:59.420
 The gospel in which you need to

00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:00.420
 keep on believing.

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:01.579
 And melting your heart.

00:45:01.659 --> 00:45:02.460
 And changing you.

00:45:02.780 --> 00:45:04.920
 The gospel reminds us that all

00:45:04.920 --> 00:45:06.099
 of us in the same boat.

00:45:06.900 --> 00:45:08.139
 And yet Jesus died for the

00:45:08.139 --> 00:45:09.360
 brother and the sister next to

00:45:09.360 --> 00:45:10.860
 us as much as he died for us.

00:45:11.760 --> 00:45:13.159
 Friends, this is the way we

00:45:13.159 --> 00:45:14.460
 will become a kind of community

00:45:14.460 --> 00:45:16.219
 that we want to be.

00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:17.340
 By holding fast to the

00:45:17.340 --> 00:45:17.599
 gospel.

00:45:17.780 --> 00:45:19.139
 By preaching the gospel to

00:45:19.139 --> 00:45:20.460
 ourselves each and every day.

00:45:21.019 --> 00:45:22.280
 Friends, by arriving at church

00:45:22.280 --> 00:45:23.380
 each Sunday with our hearts

00:45:23.380 --> 00:45:24.340
 full of the gospel.

00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:25.960
 Saturated with the gospel.

00:45:26.039 --> 00:45:27.039
 Because we've been holding on

00:45:27.039 --> 00:45:27.519
 to Christ.

00:45:28.099 --> 00:45:29.340
 Friends, hold on to Christ.

00:45:29.340 --> 00:45:31.120
 Friends, look to Jesus.

00:45:31.280 --> 00:45:32.720
 Remind ourselves each and every

00:45:32.720 --> 00:45:34.059
 day that you are in Christ and

00:45:34.059 --> 00:45:35.180
 what you have in Christ is

00:45:35.180 --> 00:45:35.519
 enough.

00:45:36.039 --> 00:45:37.280
 And he'll make us the kind of

00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:38.579
 people who don't look to

00:45:38.579 --> 00:45:39.600
 ourselves and look after

00:45:39.600 --> 00:45:41.260
 ourselves, but who live for

00:45:41.260 --> 00:45:41.640
 others.

00:45:41.760 --> 00:45:42.660
 Live for Christ.

00:45:43.120 --> 00:45:44.940
 Pouring out ourselves for the

00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:46.760
 sake of the rest of the body.

00:45:47.720 --> 00:45:48.740
 Let's pray together.

00:45:48.739 --> 00:45:48.839
 Father.

00:45:49.639 --> 00:45:50.000
 Let's pray.

00:45:57.479 --> 00:45:59.579
 Oh Lord God, when we look at

00:45:59.579 --> 00:46:01.079
 these scriptures, Father, and we

00:46:01.079 --> 00:46:02.119
 see what is happening in

00:46:02.119 --> 00:46:05.279
 Corinth, we must confess that our

00:46:05.279 --> 00:46:06.919
 hearts are not too far or too

00:46:06.919 --> 00:46:07.459
 dissimilar.

00:46:08.599 --> 00:46:10.559
 God, it's so easy to elevate some

00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:14.319
 people and to look on others with

00:46:14.319 --> 00:46:15.279
 inferiority.

00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:20.019
 Father, our sinful hearts still want

00:46:20.019 --> 00:46:21.820
 to have hierarchies, God.

00:46:22.140 --> 00:46:24.540
 We tend to think of ourselves more

00:46:24.540 --> 00:46:25.300
 highly than we ought.

00:46:25.360 --> 00:46:26.700
 Oh Father, forgive us, we pray.

00:46:27.800 --> 00:46:29.320
 God, I pray for each one of us here

00:46:29.320 --> 00:46:30.700
 and we pray for us as a church.

00:46:30.860 --> 00:46:32.100
 God, we pray that we will be a

00:46:32.100 --> 00:46:34.260
 healthy body with a diversity of

00:46:34.260 --> 00:46:34.540
 gifts.

00:46:34.660 --> 00:46:36.240
 Each one of us bringing the gifts

00:46:36.240 --> 00:46:36.900
 that you've brought.

00:46:37.920 --> 00:46:39.519
 And yet, God, also knowing that it's

00:46:39.519 --> 00:46:41.220
 not about us, but it's about the

00:46:41.220 --> 00:46:41.640
 community.

00:46:41.800 --> 00:46:42.800
 It's about you and your glory.

00:46:43.600 --> 00:46:44.860
 And so God, help us, we pray.

00:46:46.620 --> 00:46:48.180
 God, change us and transform us,

00:46:48.240 --> 00:46:48.360
 God.

00:46:48.420 --> 00:46:50.400
 Make us a radical community that

00:46:50.400 --> 00:46:51.880
 really can make a difference in our

00:46:51.880 --> 00:46:54.920
 city because you've made a

00:46:54.920 --> 00:46:56.060
 difference in our hearts, Lord.

00:46:59.960 --> 00:47:02.160
 Father, I pray that just this verse

00:47:02.160 --> 00:47:05.060
 that says, you have so arranged the

00:47:05.060 --> 00:47:07.140
 members of the body as you desire,

00:47:07.240 --> 00:47:08.860
 that God, that will sit in our hearts,

00:47:08.920 --> 00:47:10.700
 that each one of us will know what it

00:47:10.699 --> 00:47:12.899
 is that you've called us to, the

00:47:12.899 --> 00:47:15.399
 gifts you've given us, the

00:47:15.399 --> 00:47:16.719
 contribution that we bring.

00:47:20.339 --> 00:47:22.059
 God, we pray through this very

00:47:22.059 --> 00:47:25.259
 ordinary and simple church called

00:47:25.259 --> 00:47:26.019
 Watermark Church.

00:47:26.219 --> 00:47:27.539
 God, do something extraordinary.

00:47:28.539 --> 00:47:29.279
 Glorify your name.

00:47:29.399 --> 00:47:30.859
 Put your glory on display, God.

00:47:32.199 --> 00:47:33.719
 Because you're at work within us, we

00:47:33.719 --> 00:47:33.919
 pray.

00:47:34.899 --> 00:47:36.460
 We pray these things in your powerful

00:47:36.460 --> 00:47:36.879
 name.

00:47:37.879 --> 00:47:38.159
 Amen.

00:47:38.159 --> 00:47:38.419
 Amen.