WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Fortress Church - Part 3 Publishing Date: 2025-07-13T06:04:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/fortress-church-part-3/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:18.440 So, guys, last time we were talking about the Fortress Church and about shepherd rulers, 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:24.600 and so today we do part two. The reason I've written it down is so that we just quickly 00:00:25.200 --> 00:00:29.920 recap what we spoke of last time so that we can get on with part two. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:38.920 So here's what we said last week. We said that the nature of God—we take after the 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:44.640 nature of God because we are made in the image of God. We can't be made leaders and followers. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:48.920 We are made in the nature of God. So what His nature is, is what His creation takes 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:54.040 on. So the nature of God is that of a son and a servant because Christ was a son and 00:00:54.040 --> 00:01:00.320 a servant. The nature of God was that of a shepherd and a ruler, and so our nature 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:05.560 will be that of a shepherd and a ruler. And the nature of God is that of a priest and 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:11.360 a king, and so ours will be the same too because you have to take after the one who made you 00:01:11.360 --> 00:01:18.560 because you are made in His image. And nowhere in the Bible do we see follower and leader. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:24.720 We see son and servant, priest and king, shepherd and ruler. It is we who have decided 00:01:24.720 --> 00:01:29.560 that some will be leaders and some will be followers, and we even give out surveys to 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:36.760 begin to figure out who are leadership material and who are follower material. And that doesn't 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:42.120 exist in Christ because we are made after His image. That's a business model of the 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:50.120 taken into Babylon. And Daniel defied the odds through faithfulness and through just 00:01:52.800 --> 00:01:58.160 staying faithful to what God had asked him to. So that's one of the things we talked 00:01:58.160 --> 00:02:05.160 about. The next thing we talked about is some of the abilities that we as believers possess. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:10.120 Some of the abilities that we as believers possess. Everybody here has the ability to 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:16.320 assemble people around them. It will be on different topics perhaps, but some have it 00:02:16.320 --> 00:02:23.320 very naturally, some can do it really easily, but all of us must understand that those five 00:02:23.320 --> 00:02:30.000 things are abilities we possess. When we speak about things that really matter to us, which 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:35.360 then begs the question, what in the kingdom matters to you? We have the ability to assemble 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:41.320 people. We have the ability to enable them. If you're a parent, you're already seeing 00:02:41.320 --> 00:02:46.920 it. And at the end of the day, a shepherd ruler is a parent who knows how to shepherd 00:02:46.920 --> 00:02:52.880 his children while at the same time rule his children. Not rule in a harsh way, but rule 00:02:52.880 --> 00:02:59.880 in a way tethered to the nature of Christ. The third ability was if we begin to know 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:07.360 God and know his word, he will reveal to us what we need for the people around us. Crazy. 00:03:10.320 --> 00:03:16.360 He will reveal to us what we need for the people around us. Ever since Derek put those 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:23.360 questions from perplexity yesterday in the baby shower, I've been going through different 00:03:23.920 --> 00:03:29.720 chat things. I've found Claudette. I've found perplexity. I've found Grok. I have found 00:03:29.720 --> 00:03:36.440 Gemini. I have found ChatGPD. And as you go with them, it's fascinating how they collect 00:03:36.440 --> 00:03:43.440 knowledge and from that they produce something. And so abilities. The third one, the fourth 00:03:44.920 --> 00:03:49.360 one is commissioning. These are things that we possess. We have to grow into them. This 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:54.320 doesn't come naturally. We grow into them. The ability to commission someone saying, 00:03:54.320 --> 00:04:01.320 hey, you are good at this. Let me in the authority that I have release you into what you are 00:04:01.440 --> 00:04:07.960 meant to flower in or grow in. And then the last one is governmental. We spent a whole 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:14.120 teaching on it, but it comes from Isaiah 9.6 where it says, unto us a child is born, unto 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:19.040 us a son is given, and the government, as in the ability to conduct the affairs of the 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:26.040 kingdom here on earth, in nations and cities, in families, in lives, how does it play out? 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:30.040 Office, government, there shall be no end. So it keeps increasing. We said we possess 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:34.680 those abilities. And then we go to spiritual gifts. These are things that all of us hold 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:40.720 in common. I'm rushing through it because we did it last time. But these are things 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:47.720 that all of us hold in common because we have the common spirit of God. Everybody has these 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:54.520 abilities. You know what covers this? Stuff like fear, stuff like inferiority, stuff like 00:04:54.520 --> 00:05:00.480 the background we came from, stuff like the complexes we have, stuff like sin, stuff like 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:10.480 introversion. Jesus did not make a single person introverted. But he didn't make us 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:17.240 extroverted either. He made us normal, to be quiet when needed, to be loud when needed. 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:21.760 Look at Jesus. Of him it was said that he will not snuff out a small ring wick. He shall 00:05:21.760 --> 00:05:27.240 not break a reed. And it says he shall not shout and scream in the marketplace. It was 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:33.440 said of him that he was a gentlest of men. Moses was gentle. Jesus was even more gentle. 00:05:33.440 --> 00:05:39.760 Jesus wasn't loud. And yet there were times when he needed to take a whip and chase money 00:05:39.760 --> 00:05:47.760 out of the temple precinct. Sometimes we need to defy the typology that is being constructed by the world and imported into the kingdom through sophisticated means so that we get pit and hole into certain things. It's not fair. Because this is common to everybody. Because you're loud does not make you a leader. 00:06:09.760 --> 00:06:17.760 It perhaps makes you an insecure leader who really has to shout. I might be shouting but that's not because I'm insecure. I could see mine's computing. Ah, so he's insecure. I am but you wouldn't know in the areas that I'm insecure in because over 60 years I've learned how to mask them. There are some things that come with age. 00:06:39.760 --> 00:06:47.760 Spiritual gifts. Go to 1 Corinthians 12 and you'll see these spiritual gifts are common to all of us. 1 Corinthians 12. Reading from the message from verse 4 onwards. Listen to it. This is common to all of us. God's various gifts are handed out everywhere but they all originate in God's spirit. 00:07:09.760 --> 00:07:16.760 God's various ministries are carried out everywhere but they all originate in God's spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere but God himself is behind it all. 00:07:23.760 --> 00:07:30.760 Each person, each person is given something to do that shows who God is. Everyone, everyone gets in on it. Everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the spirit. And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:39.760 --> 00:07:42.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:42.760 --> 00:07:45.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:45.760 --> 00:07:48.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:48.760 --> 00:07:51.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:51.760 --> 00:07:54.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:54.760 --> 00:07:57.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:07:57.760 --> 00:08:00.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:08:00.760 --> 00:08:03.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:08:03.760 --> 00:08:06.760 And to the extent that God is giving us something to do, we need to give it to God. 00:08:06.760 --> 00:08:08.760 So, we need to be given a pair of shears. 00:08:08.760 --> 00:08:11.760 If you're a doctor, it's dangerous to give you shears. 00:08:11.760 --> 00:08:13.760 You must be given a stethoscope. 00:08:13.760 --> 00:08:16.760 Depending on the role, so is the gift. 00:08:16.760 --> 00:08:19.760 Some gifts are more prominent than the others. 00:08:19.760 --> 00:08:22.760 But because the Spirit dwells in us, we have all the gifts. 00:08:26.760 --> 00:08:28.760 So, these were things we held in common. 00:08:28.760 --> 00:08:30.760 Romans 12, 8 also has gifts. 00:08:30.760 --> 00:08:35.760 We really don't realize that there's another chapter that has gifts in it. 00:08:35.760 --> 00:08:47.760 So, if you go to Romans 12, it talks about six onwards, five onwards. 00:08:47.760 --> 00:08:52.760 So, we though many are one body in Christ and individually members one of another, 00:08:52.760 --> 00:08:55.760 having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. 00:08:55.760 --> 00:08:59.760 Let us use them. If prophecy, in proportion to our faith. 00:08:59.760 --> 00:09:01.760 If service, in our serving. 00:09:01.760 --> 00:09:03.760 The one who teaches, in his teaching. 00:09:03.760 --> 00:09:05.760 The one who exhorts in his exhortation. 00:09:05.760 --> 00:09:07.760 The one who contributes in generosity. 00:09:07.760 --> 00:09:09.760 The one who leads with zeal. 00:09:09.760 --> 00:09:12.760 The one who does acts of mercy with fearfulness. 00:09:12.760 --> 00:09:14.760 There are gifts there too. 00:09:15.760 --> 00:09:19.760 Then we talked about qualifications. 00:09:19.760 --> 00:09:24.760 What does the Bible state is our qualification for leadership. 00:09:24.760 --> 00:09:31.760 And here are the four qualifications that Paul puts down in letter after letter after letter that he writes. 00:09:31.760 --> 00:09:33.760 The first one, purity. 00:09:33.760 --> 00:09:36.760 The second one, a passion for king and kingdom. 00:09:36.760 --> 00:09:40.760 The third one, managing your home well. 00:09:40.760 --> 00:09:45.760 As in, how do you steward the things in your life and the people appointed to you? 00:09:45.760 --> 00:09:51.760 Your wife, your dog, your husband, your property, your cat, whatever it be. 00:09:51.760 --> 00:09:54.760 How do you manage it if you're single or married? 00:09:54.760 --> 00:10:02.760 And the fourth one, if you're taught a truth, can you convey it accurately without adding masala to it? 00:10:02.760 --> 00:10:06.760 Yeah? Can you convey it accurately? 00:10:06.760 --> 00:10:11.760 Or does it get warped by the time it gets to someone? 00:10:13.760 --> 00:10:17.760 Those were the only qualifications that Paul has for leadership. 00:10:17.760 --> 00:10:21.760 And trust the men who can convey these truths accurately. 00:10:21.760 --> 00:10:25.760 Be like a vessel that your master will not be ashamed of. 00:10:26.760 --> 00:10:29.760 So that Christ can use you for his very best. 00:10:30.760 --> 00:10:40.760 It's fascinating how standard the bar is so that everyone can aspire to what Paul is calling him for. 00:10:40.760 --> 00:10:43.760 There's nobody in this room who then gets left out. 00:10:44.760 --> 00:10:49.760 The next thing we talked about is there's this hunger for leadership. 00:10:49.760 --> 00:10:51.760 The question is, where is the hunger? 00:10:51.760 --> 00:10:57.760 Do you want to be a leader or are you an eager, inadequate burden bearer? 00:10:57.760 --> 00:10:59.760 All three are super important. 00:10:59.760 --> 00:11:05.760 You've got to be eager, as in you know you're ridiculously inadequate, but you're eager. 00:11:06.760 --> 00:11:09.760 And you know that you're not aspiring to be a leader. 00:11:09.760 --> 00:11:11.760 You know that you're not aspiring to be a leader. 00:11:11.760 --> 00:11:15.760 You're aspiring to break your back carrying others. 00:11:19.760 --> 00:11:20.760 Crazy, eh? 00:11:26.760 --> 00:11:32.760 When people want to become leaders, sure, they'll become leaders, but they'll think they're adequate. 00:11:32.760 --> 00:11:37.760 Their eagerness will depend on the task, and they will not be able to carry the weight. 00:11:40.760 --> 00:11:45.760 The next thing we talked about is, is your ear pierced? 00:11:45.760 --> 00:11:52.760 As in, do you do what you are given responsibility for or when you're set free after a day's work, 00:11:52.760 --> 00:11:59.760 you come running back saying, nail my ear to the wall because I don't want my freedom, I want to serve? 00:12:00.760 --> 00:12:04.760 Is your ear pierced? Is your altar bloody? 00:12:04.760 --> 00:12:08.760 As in, what have you sacrificed on your altar this month? 00:12:08.760 --> 00:12:13.760 Is it an Isaac? Is it a job? Is it your time? Is it your money? 00:12:13.760 --> 00:12:15.760 What are you sacrificing on your altar? 00:12:15.760 --> 00:12:17.760 This is a requirement. 00:12:18.760 --> 00:12:21.760 So on one hand, there are so many things common to us. 00:12:21.760 --> 00:12:23.760 On the other hand, there are things we need to grow into. 00:12:23.760 --> 00:12:25.760 Christ was like this. 00:12:25.760 --> 00:12:30.760 His ear was pierced, his altar was bloody, and his heart was overwhelmed. 00:12:34.760 --> 00:12:36.760 You see it in Gethsemane. 00:12:38.760 --> 00:12:44.760 He knew what he had to carry, and he also knew that his father was adequate, but he was not. 00:12:47.760 --> 00:12:50.760 A leader that is not overwhelmed is not a leader. 00:12:54.760 --> 00:12:57.760 One must be overwhelmed so that one can find rest. 00:12:57.760 --> 00:13:00.760 If you're not overwhelmed, you will not look for rest. 00:13:01.760 --> 00:13:07.760 Every time I meet with you and you ask me a question, I must be overwhelmed because of two reasons. 00:13:07.760 --> 00:13:16.760 One, that answer may turn your life around, and that answer better be from God so that it turns in the right direction. 00:13:31.760 --> 00:13:34.760 Next one, has your personal vision died? 00:13:34.760 --> 00:13:37.760 Has your personal vision died? 00:13:37.760 --> 00:13:44.760 We all come with personal visions based on sometimes prophetic words spoken over us, promises given to us. 00:13:44.760 --> 00:13:57.760 But can I kill my personal vision so that I can serve, one, the corporate vision, and the Joshua's, and the Elijah's, and the Moses's placed in my life? 00:13:57.760 --> 00:14:06.760 And if I do that, God has the ability to take the vision that I have killed and resurrect it, multiply it, and give me double. 00:14:07.760 --> 00:14:09.760 This is one of the hardest things to do, eh? 00:14:12.760 --> 00:14:16.760 Especially in North America because we are highly individualistic. 00:14:16.760 --> 00:14:21.760 Our Christianity is individualized. It's not corporate. It's not body. 00:14:21.760 --> 00:14:31.760 Next one. This is the last thing, and then we'll go on to what we want to talk about today, which is part two. 00:14:31.760 --> 00:14:39.760 I don't follow people or follow a church or go with a church because I find them relatable. 00:14:39.760 --> 00:14:43.760 Relatability is not how this works. 00:14:43.760 --> 00:14:52.760 It is based on intentionality where I intentionally choose to follow, not based on relatability. 00:14:52.760 --> 00:15:00.760 Because you might come on a day when I'm at my worst, and you may find me highly unrelatable. 00:15:00.760 --> 00:15:03.760 But that doesn't matter. What is it that is in me? 00:15:03.760 --> 00:15:06.760 Do you want the grace or do you want the outer form? 00:15:06.760 --> 00:15:11.760 The reason they rejected Christ was because he was not relatable because they were expecting a king. 00:15:13.760 --> 00:15:18.760 So intentionality leads to relationship. Relationship leads to intimacy. 00:15:18.760 --> 00:15:21.760 Intimacy then leads to imitation or formation. 00:15:21.760 --> 00:15:25.760 Whereas you become intimate with someone, you begin to associate with them. 00:15:25.760 --> 00:15:28.760 Association then leads to intimacy. 00:15:28.760 --> 00:15:31.760 And then leads to imitation or formation. 00:15:31.760 --> 00:15:34.760 Whereas you become intimate with someone, you begin to associate with them. 00:15:34.760 --> 00:15:37.760 Association then leads to imitation. 00:15:37.760 --> 00:15:42.760 Imitation leads to the formation of whatever Christ wants to form in your life. 00:15:42.760 --> 00:15:45.760 That's where we kind of stopped last week. 00:15:45.760 --> 00:15:48.760 There was one other brilliant sentence which was, 00:15:48.760 --> 00:15:53.760 can you stop aspiring for equality as leaders or in churches? 00:15:53.760 --> 00:15:59.760 Because equality was one of the first sins both in heaven's backyard and in Eden. 00:15:59.760 --> 00:16:02.760 Satan wanted equality with God, he got chucked out of there. 00:16:02.760 --> 00:16:06.760 Adam wanted equality with God, he got chucked out of Eden. 00:16:06.760 --> 00:16:10.760 Every time someone aspires for equality, I want to be the same as. 00:16:10.760 --> 00:16:12.760 It's the same thing that happened with Israel. 00:16:12.760 --> 00:16:15.760 Israel had judges. They had God as their king. 00:16:15.760 --> 00:16:18.760 And they said, we want a king like every other nation. 00:16:18.760 --> 00:16:23.760 The moment a church begins to think that equality is some kind of kingdom value, 00:16:23.760 --> 00:16:27.760 that church will suffer. 00:16:27.760 --> 00:16:29.760 And so we don't want equality. 00:16:29.760 --> 00:16:32.760 We are equal before God, but our functions are different. 00:16:32.760 --> 00:16:34.760 And we shouldn't aspire to be equal. 00:16:34.760 --> 00:16:40.760 Nor should I hand out token equal things that make you feel better. 00:16:40.760 --> 00:16:45.760 Discourage people from seeking equality. 00:16:45.760 --> 00:16:47.760 Your approach should be, 00:16:47.760 --> 00:16:48.760 I don't want a seat at a... 00:16:48.760 --> 00:16:51.760 It's okay if I don't have a seat at the table, 00:16:51.760 --> 00:16:55.760 as long as I follow God and exert influence in the room. 00:16:55.760 --> 00:16:56.760 What do you want? 00:16:56.760 --> 00:17:01.760 Do you want a seat at the table or do you want influence in the room? 00:17:01.760 --> 00:17:05.760 The seat at the table will get you the applause of men. 00:17:05.760 --> 00:17:11.760 Influence in the room will get God what he wants in the room. 00:17:11.760 --> 00:17:17.760 So that's what we talked about last time. 00:17:17.760 --> 00:17:19.760 So today we go on with the next part. 00:17:19.760 --> 00:17:25.760 So one of the things that we didn't touch on last time is 00:17:25.760 --> 00:17:36.760 there are spiritual functions or positions 00:17:36.760 --> 00:17:43.760 that are persons and not gifts. 00:17:43.760 --> 00:17:50.760 And you find them in Ephesians 4, 11. 00:17:50.760 --> 00:17:53.760 These are not gifts, these are persons. 00:17:53.760 --> 00:18:01.760 And they are given by the risen Christ. 00:18:01.760 --> 00:18:03.760 They are given by the risen Christ. 00:18:03.760 --> 00:18:09.760 And Christ appoints some. 00:18:14.760 --> 00:18:20.760 So just like in Luke 6, 13, 00:18:20.760 --> 00:18:29.760 he called out 12 from his followers. 00:18:29.760 --> 00:18:41.760 So the risen Christ appoints some to be apostles, prophets, 00:18:41.760 --> 00:18:50.760 teachers, evangelists, and pastors. 00:18:50.760 --> 00:18:52.760 And even this is fluid. 00:18:52.760 --> 00:18:54.760 What would you call Paul? 00:18:54.760 --> 00:18:56.760 Would you call him an apostle? 00:18:56.760 --> 00:19:01.760 Oh really, but he said that he is a prophet. 00:19:01.760 --> 00:19:04.760 What do you call Paul when he says he's a prophet? 00:19:04.760 --> 00:19:07.760 But he starts his letter saying, but I'm an apostle. 00:19:07.760 --> 00:19:09.760 What do you call Paul when he teaches? 00:19:09.760 --> 00:19:12.760 What do you call when he says that I evangelized you and gave birth to you? 00:19:12.760 --> 00:19:16.760 What do you call Paul when he says I shepherded you? 00:19:16.760 --> 00:19:18.760 So even that is fluid. 00:19:18.760 --> 00:19:19.760 What do you do with Barnabas? 00:19:19.760 --> 00:19:24.760 Barnabas was one of the prophets and teachers at the church in Antioch in Acts chapter 13. 00:19:24.760 --> 00:19:27.760 And by Acts chapter 13, verse 3, he's called an apostle. 00:19:27.760 --> 00:19:29.760 So even that is fluid. 00:19:29.760 --> 00:19:32.760 But these are men or women. 00:19:32.760 --> 00:19:37.760 When I say man, I always mean it in a gender-free term when I'm teaching, 00:19:37.760 --> 00:19:39.760 unless I very specifically say otherwise. 00:19:39.760 --> 00:19:41.760 Christ appointed some. 00:19:41.760 --> 00:19:57.760 And these men or women are supposed to be foundation layers. 00:19:57.760 --> 00:20:00.760 That's what they are, foundation layers. 00:20:00.760 --> 00:20:06.760 They lay foundations so that the rest of the building can be equipped. 00:20:06.760 --> 00:20:07.760 So where will you find them? 00:20:07.760 --> 00:20:09.760 You will find them at the bottom. 00:20:09.760 --> 00:20:15.760 It is we who have taken them and put them on the top. 00:20:15.760 --> 00:20:25.760 Someone showed me this picture some time ago of a building. 00:20:25.760 --> 00:20:46.760 And this is how the world sees it. 00:20:46.760 --> 00:20:52.760 This is how present-day Christianity has taken what is mentioned in Ephesians 4.11 00:20:52.760 --> 00:20:57.760 and put apostles on the top, prophets, teachers, pastors as pillars, evangelists a little lower, 00:20:57.760 --> 00:21:00.760 and then finally the saints have to bear the weight. 00:21:00.760 --> 00:21:03.760 This is completely opposite of what Christ wanted. 00:21:03.760 --> 00:21:05.760 Here's what Christ wanted. 00:21:33.760 --> 00:21:36.760 This is what Ephesians 4.11 talks about. 00:21:36.760 --> 00:21:39.760 Build up the saints. 00:21:39.760 --> 00:21:44.760 1 Corinthians 12.28 says, and this is strange, 00:21:44.760 --> 00:21:49.760 is that it's one of the few places where there's ranking. 00:21:49.760 --> 00:21:53.760 And it actually ranks these positions or these functions. 00:21:53.760 --> 00:21:57.760 It says apostles come first, prophets come second, teachers come third, 00:21:57.760 --> 00:21:59.760 and then it gives a list of the others. 00:21:59.760 --> 00:22:00.760 There are quite a few. 00:22:00.760 --> 00:22:03.760 And then in 1 Corinthians 12.29, it actually asks the question, 00:22:03.760 --> 00:22:05.760 are all the saints? No. 00:22:05.760 --> 00:22:07.760 Some are appointed for this. 00:22:07.760 --> 00:22:09.760 So why does it rank them? 00:22:09.760 --> 00:22:14.760 Because that ranking has caused this hierarchy to be established in the church. 00:22:14.760 --> 00:22:17.760 The reason it is ranked is that when a building is built, 00:22:17.760 --> 00:22:20.760 the apostles and the prophets are foundation layers, 00:22:20.760 --> 00:22:26.760 and they take precedence in the first ones who come to lay the foundation. 00:22:26.760 --> 00:22:28.760 They're not ranked in terms of hierarchy. 00:22:28.760 --> 00:22:31.760 They're ranked in terms of function. 00:22:31.760 --> 00:22:34.760 We are the ones who made them hierarchical. 00:22:34.760 --> 00:22:38.760 This church believes that all five offices exist today, 00:22:38.760 --> 00:22:42.760 just as this church believes that science, miracles, wonders, and healings happen today. 00:22:42.760 --> 00:22:45.760 Cessationist churches do not believe that, 00:22:45.760 --> 00:22:47.760 and they don't believe that these offices exist. 00:22:47.760 --> 00:22:51.760 They conveniently think that only pastors and evangelists exist 00:22:51.760 --> 00:22:53.760 and teachers in Bible schools. 00:22:53.760 --> 00:22:54.760 It's a falsehood. 00:22:54.760 --> 00:22:58.760 You can't take away whatever you want because it doesn't fit your theology. 00:23:03.760 --> 00:23:05.760 This is how it actually is. 00:23:05.760 --> 00:23:07.760 And so when the ranking happens, 00:23:09.760 --> 00:23:14.760 the ranking is not in terms of one being more important than the other, 00:23:14.760 --> 00:23:16.760 nor is it the order of authority. 00:23:16.760 --> 00:23:22.760 It's just precedence over the other in the founding and the building. 00:23:22.760 --> 00:23:25.760 So if you were to look at apostles and prophets, 00:23:25.760 --> 00:23:34.760 they are the first stones that are laid. 00:23:38.760 --> 00:23:40.760 They're the first stones that are laid in a building. 00:23:41.760 --> 00:23:44.760 And we'll talk about all five another time. 00:23:44.760 --> 00:23:46.760 Any questions on this? 00:23:46.760 --> 00:23:47.760 Any questions on this? 00:23:47.760 --> 00:23:51.760 And if you want a definition or description of what apostles and prophets are, 00:23:51.760 --> 00:23:53.760 what apostles and prophets are like, 00:23:53.760 --> 00:23:56.760 Ephesians 2.20 says they are the foundation layers. 00:23:56.760 --> 00:23:59.760 But if you want to find out more about what apostles are like, 00:23:59.760 --> 00:24:00.760 read what Paul says about them. 00:24:00.760 --> 00:24:03.760 He calls them the scum of the earth. 00:24:03.760 --> 00:24:05.760 The scum of the earth. 00:24:09.760 --> 00:24:11.760 So anyone who aspires to be one, 00:24:11.760 --> 00:24:14.760 before you print your business card saying apostle or prophet, 00:24:14.760 --> 00:24:17.760 try writing scum of the earth. 00:24:18.760 --> 00:24:21.760 And go on from there. 00:24:21.760 --> 00:24:24.760 Those are biblical words. 00:24:24.760 --> 00:24:28.760 Reverent is not, but scum of the earth is. 00:24:30.760 --> 00:24:33.760 Any questions on these before we move on? 00:24:33.760 --> 00:24:34.760 Go ahead. 00:24:38.760 --> 00:24:39.760 Yeah, scum of the earth. 00:24:39.760 --> 00:24:42.760 Let's go to scum of the earth in the Bible. 00:24:47.760 --> 00:24:49.760 First Corinthians 4. 00:24:53.760 --> 00:24:55.760 First Corinthians 4. 00:25:00.760 --> 00:25:01.760 Verse 9 onwards. 00:25:01.760 --> 00:25:04.760 First Corinthians 4, verse 9 onwards. 00:25:04.760 --> 00:25:08.760 Anyone here who aspires to be an apostle or a prophet, 00:25:08.760 --> 00:25:11.760 please come and meet me after I read this out. 00:25:11.760 --> 00:25:12.760 Yeah? 00:25:12.760 --> 00:25:15.760 And I will help you with everything I've got. 00:25:15.760 --> 00:25:16.760 Yeah? 00:25:16.760 --> 00:25:18.760 Okay, here goes. 00:25:18.760 --> 00:25:20.760 First Corinthians 4.9. 00:25:46.760 --> 00:25:47.760 Powerfully. 00:26:07.760 --> 00:26:10.760 And now an honest invite. 00:26:10.760 --> 00:26:11.760 Sincerer. 00:26:11.760 --> 00:26:14.760 If you think this is what God wants, 00:26:14.760 --> 00:26:17.760 if you think this is what God has called you for, 00:26:17.760 --> 00:26:20.760 please sign up because this church will benefit like crazy, 00:26:20.760 --> 00:26:23.760 and I'll help you to benefit this church. 00:26:31.760 --> 00:26:33.760 Can you say it louder? 00:26:38.760 --> 00:26:40.760 The fan's too loud, man. 00:26:40.760 --> 00:26:42.760 Sorry? 00:26:44.760 --> 00:26:45.760 Okay. 00:26:45.760 --> 00:26:49.760 Did I say aspire to be this? 00:26:49.760 --> 00:26:51.760 I did? 00:26:51.760 --> 00:26:53.760 Okay, I take that back. 00:26:53.760 --> 00:26:57.760 Christ appoints these offices, 00:26:57.760 --> 00:27:02.760 and if he does, aspire to them. 00:27:02.760 --> 00:27:03.760 He appoints. 00:27:03.760 --> 00:27:07.760 He appoints these offices either by speaking to a person directly 00:27:07.760 --> 00:27:09.760 or having someone come and prophesy over you, 00:27:09.760 --> 00:27:11.760 or you having a sense of it, 00:27:11.760 --> 00:27:12.760 or sometimes none of those. 00:27:12.760 --> 00:27:14.760 You just start functioning that way, 00:27:14.760 --> 00:27:17.760 and as you function, the church begins to recognize it. 00:27:17.760 --> 00:27:20.760 Here's the process that's always followed in the Bible. 00:27:20.760 --> 00:27:22.760 Christ speaks to someone. 00:27:22.760 --> 00:27:25.760 That someone usually keeps it quiet. 00:27:25.760 --> 00:27:30.760 A person comes along and prophesies over the person quietly 00:27:30.760 --> 00:27:35.760 in one-to-one individual prophecies in front of people. 00:27:35.760 --> 00:27:39.760 Next, someone comes along and begins to share it in front of the church. 00:27:39.760 --> 00:27:43.760 Next, the church begins to find this person functioning 00:27:43.760 --> 00:27:46.760 in what has been spoken or what has not been spoken, 00:27:46.760 --> 00:27:48.760 and the church begins to scratch its head, saying, 00:27:48.760 --> 00:27:52.760 boy, this guy functions so well in this particular role. 00:27:52.760 --> 00:27:54.760 Now the church begins to recognize it 00:27:54.760 --> 00:27:58.760 and create opportunity for the person to begin to flourish 00:27:58.760 --> 00:27:59.760 and function in this role. 00:27:59.760 --> 00:28:02.760 At some point, the church calls the person out and says, 00:28:02.760 --> 00:28:04.760 we see you as this. 00:28:04.760 --> 00:28:07.760 The Holy Spirit is saying it, so we send you out as this. 00:28:07.760 --> 00:28:10.760 And then once they are called out and sent, 00:28:10.760 --> 00:28:14.760 they go and function outside the church in what they're supposed to do. 00:28:16.760 --> 00:28:19.760 You see that with Paul. You see that with Barnabas. 00:28:19.760 --> 00:28:21.760 You see that with Philip. 00:28:31.760 --> 00:28:33.760 I'm not discouraging you from this. 00:28:33.760 --> 00:28:37.760 I'm just saying, if you're building a fortress church, 00:28:37.760 --> 00:28:40.760 there are two things that have to go hand in hand, guys, 00:28:40.760 --> 00:28:41.760 when we build church. 00:28:41.760 --> 00:28:44.760 On one hand, there's the idea of the family. 00:28:44.760 --> 00:28:47.760 On the other hand, there's the idea of an army. 00:28:47.760 --> 00:28:50.760 Both have to go hand in hand. 00:28:50.760 --> 00:28:53.760 They are held together in tension. 00:28:55.760 --> 00:28:58.760 You build only a family, own work. 00:28:58.760 --> 00:29:01.760 You build only an army, own work. 00:29:02.760 --> 00:29:03.760 It's both. 00:29:05.760 --> 00:29:06.760 Any questions? 00:29:11.760 --> 00:29:13.760 Let's go back to... 00:29:14.760 --> 00:29:21.760 We said everyone can be someone who takes on the role of a shepherd ruler 00:29:21.760 --> 00:29:24.760 because that is the nature of God. 00:29:25.760 --> 00:29:32.760 Over 20 or 200, you can still be one who is a shepherd 00:29:32.760 --> 00:29:36.760 to the ones under the Himalayas rule, and it's a combination of both. 00:29:36.760 --> 00:29:39.760 So here are some more things about shepherd rulers. 00:29:39.760 --> 00:29:44.760 One, how do you measure their maturity? 00:29:44.760 --> 00:29:47.760 How do you measure maturity? 00:29:49.760 --> 00:29:52.760 You can't measure maturity on the basis of how well they teach 00:29:52.760 --> 00:29:54.760 or signs, miracles, and wonders. 00:29:54.760 --> 00:29:56.760 Those are good. Those are important. 00:29:56.760 --> 00:29:58.760 But you can't measure it in that. 00:29:58.760 --> 00:30:01.760 You can only measure maturity of a shepherd ruler 00:30:01.760 --> 00:30:06.760 or someone who is placed over by John 15, 9, 00:30:06.760 --> 00:30:11.760 which is fruitfulness. 00:30:13.760 --> 00:30:15.760 So go to John 15, 9. 00:30:18.760 --> 00:30:20.760 John 15. 00:30:23.760 --> 00:30:25.760 Verse 9. 00:30:30.760 --> 00:30:32.760 Sorry, 15, 7 to 9. 00:30:32.760 --> 00:30:35.760 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, 00:30:35.760 --> 00:30:38.760 ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 00:30:38.760 --> 00:30:44.760 By this is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit 00:30:44.760 --> 00:30:46.760 and so prove to be my disciples. 00:30:46.760 --> 00:30:48.760 What's the fruit here? 00:30:49.760 --> 00:30:52.760 We think the fruit is disciples, 00:30:52.760 --> 00:30:59.760 but the fruit is actually the nature of Christ, 00:30:59.760 --> 00:31:04.760 which then causes you to produce disciples. 00:31:04.760 --> 00:31:09.760 And this nature of Christ must be exhibited 00:31:11.760 --> 00:31:17.760 in your responses under pressure. 00:31:19.760 --> 00:31:23.760 How would I measure leaders in this church? 00:31:23.760 --> 00:31:26.760 Not by how well they speak or how many people they have 00:31:26.760 --> 00:31:29.760 or a sign or a wonder they did. 00:31:29.760 --> 00:31:32.760 I would measure them by when Mae was under pressure, 00:31:32.760 --> 00:31:35.760 when Mae was being accused, when Mae was in lack, 00:31:35.760 --> 00:31:42.760 when Mae was sick, when Mae had done a day's full of work 00:31:42.760 --> 00:31:46.760 and I call her or Chava calls her or someone calls her and says, 00:31:46.760 --> 00:31:49.760 I need help, how will Mae respond? 00:31:49.760 --> 00:31:52.760 Will the nature of Christ still come out through Mae 00:31:52.760 --> 00:31:55.760 or will it be something else that comes out? 00:31:55.760 --> 00:32:00.760 That's how you measure the maturity of shepherd rulers. 00:32:03.760 --> 00:32:08.760 What happens when you're under stress, under pressure, under attack, 00:32:08.760 --> 00:32:10.760 then how do you respond? 00:32:10.760 --> 00:32:14.760 On a Sunday with worship and stuff like that, it's an easy thing. 00:32:14.760 --> 00:32:17.760 How do you labor under it Monday to Saturday 00:32:17.760 --> 00:32:19.760 when things are not going well? 00:32:19.760 --> 00:32:21.760 You have your own personal problems 00:32:21.760 --> 00:32:23.760 and you've got to carry the weight of others. 00:32:23.760 --> 00:32:25.760 Which is her responsibility? 00:32:25.760 --> 00:32:28.760 Then how does she respond? 00:32:28.760 --> 00:32:32.760 Any thoughts, any questions, any pushback on that? 00:32:32.760 --> 00:32:35.760 That's how we measure maturity, guys. 00:32:35.760 --> 00:32:38.760 Christ was always Christ under all circumstances. 00:32:42.760 --> 00:32:45.760 And you know when you're not reacting well. 00:32:45.760 --> 00:32:47.760 I know every time. 00:32:47.760 --> 00:32:50.760 I know the thoughts of my head and the feelings in my heart, 00:32:50.760 --> 00:32:54.760 which I'm wise enough or smart enough now not to express. 00:32:54.760 --> 00:32:57.760 But I know them and I know how I'm reacting. 00:32:57.760 --> 00:33:00.760 I know that I'm not reacting. 00:33:00.760 --> 00:33:03.760 I know the thoughts of my head and the feelings in my heart, 00:33:03.760 --> 00:33:05.760 which I'm wise enough not to express. 00:33:05.760 --> 00:33:08.760 But I know them and I know how I'm reacting. 00:33:08.760 --> 00:33:12.760 And sometimes it has nothing to do with Christ's likeness. 00:33:12.760 --> 00:33:16.760 It has to do with Jacob's self-obsession with himself. 00:33:25.760 --> 00:33:27.760 Next one. 00:33:27.760 --> 00:33:30.760 When it comes to shepherd leaders or shepherd rulers, 00:33:30.760 --> 00:33:39.760 the hands must match the voice. 00:33:39.760 --> 00:33:45.760 That's a story from Genesis 21, verse 22, 00:33:45.760 --> 00:33:49.760 where Isaac is lying in bed sick and he says, 00:33:49.760 --> 00:33:54.760 the hands are the hands of Esau, but the voice is the voice of Jacob. 00:33:55.760 --> 00:34:00.760 Sometimes as people show tremendous ability 00:34:00.760 --> 00:34:02.760 and leadership like qualities, 00:34:02.760 --> 00:34:04.760 Paul was aware of this and he said, 00:34:04.760 --> 00:34:08.760 be careful, don't lay your hands too hastily on someone 00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:10.760 till they have a proven track record. 00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:14.760 Because very often you can voice what the church is saying, 00:34:14.760 --> 00:34:16.760 voice what other leaders are saying. 00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:21.760 You can sound like the rest of the leaders because you know the jargon. 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:26.760 But do your hands really do the work that you're supposed to do? 00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:28.760 When nobody is around, 00:34:28.760 --> 00:34:32.760 what do you say about your leaders and about the church? 00:34:32.760 --> 00:34:35.760 Does it match? 00:34:35.760 --> 00:34:37.760 The voice must match the hands. 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:39.760 When it doesn't, there's a problem. 00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:44.760 It's like Isaac saying, yeah, you seem to say all the right things. 00:34:44.760 --> 00:34:47.760 You are able to say the right words. 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:50.760 You stand up and share things and it sounds correct. 00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:53.760 But my God, it's different when no one's around 00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:55.760 and no one's watching, it's very different. 00:34:55.760 --> 00:34:57.760 How come? 00:35:00.760 --> 00:35:02.760 Any questions on that? 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:08.760 No way. 00:35:08.760 --> 00:35:11.760 I'm deliberately saying questions on that 00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:14.760 because these are not easy points to listen to, right? 00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:16.760 They are strong points. 00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:17.760 They're not hard. 00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:19.760 They're strong. 00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:24.760 Otherwise, you can come into a place of imitation 00:35:24.760 --> 00:35:27.760 and even sacrifice and even outward obedience. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:30.760 But when you're out of sight, how you function 00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:35.760 doesn't carry the DNA of the ones that are leading you 00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:38.760 nor of the church that you belong to. 00:35:38.760 --> 00:35:40.760 You look so enthusiastic listening to this teaching. 00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:42.760 I feel like I must go on. 00:35:42.760 --> 00:35:44.760 Thank you. 00:35:44.760 --> 00:35:46.760 So, next one. 00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:47.760 And this is for all of us guys. 00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:52.760 Remember, shepherd rulers, we said in the last Sunday, 00:35:52.760 --> 00:35:54.760 we said this applies to everybody. 00:35:54.760 --> 00:35:57.760 We said, we're going to teach you how to be a shepherd. 00:35:57.760 --> 00:35:59.760 We're going to teach you how to be a shepherd. 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:01.760 We're going to teach you how to be a shepherd. 00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:03.760 We're going to teach you how to be a shepherd. 00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:05.760 We're going to teach you how to be a shepherd. 00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:08.760 Last Sunday, we said this applies to everybody. 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:12.760 All of us have the potential to be this. 00:36:12.760 --> 00:36:15.760 Next thing, shepherd rulers do not try. 00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:18.760 Do not try. 00:36:18.760 --> 00:36:22.760 They train. 00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:24.760 Shepherd rulers do not try. 00:36:24.760 --> 00:36:26.760 They train. 00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:29.760 Trying ain't good enough. 00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:31.760 You train. 00:36:31.760 --> 00:36:34.760 Jesus called 12 to himself so that he could train them 00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:38.760 to send them. 00:36:38.760 --> 00:36:41.760 The entry is a low bar. 00:36:41.760 --> 00:36:47.760 The expectation is a high bar. 00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:48.760 They train. 00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:57.760 They train with diligence, meaning it's with effort. 00:36:57.760 --> 00:37:01.760 They train with discipline, as in it's consistent and it's 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:04.760 strenuous, and they train under demand. 00:37:04.760 --> 00:37:07.760 You cannot train if a demand is not placed on you. 00:37:07.760 --> 00:37:10.760 You cannot train if a demand is not placed on you. 00:37:10.760 --> 00:37:13.760 Hey, if your apple watch can place a demand on you, why 00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:16.760 can't someone else? 00:37:16.760 --> 00:37:19.760 10,000 steps. 00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:26.760 I've hit it four times in the last 400 days. 00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:29.760 In the end, you've got just 300 steps left, and you're doing 00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:32.760 stuff like this because you're so tired of having 10,000 00:37:32.760 --> 00:37:33.760 steps. 00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:36.760 You just want to get to that round circle thingy four times, 00:37:36.760 --> 00:37:39.760 and then my phone just bursts into stars. 00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:40.760 Maybe yours doesn't. 00:37:40.760 --> 00:37:42.760 Mine is happy. 00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:44.760 But a demand must be placed. 00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:48.760 So it's impossible to train without diligence, discipline, 00:37:48.760 --> 00:37:49.760 and a demand. 00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:52.760 A demand is placed on you by someone else who has flesh and 00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:58.760 blood, not God. 00:37:58.760 --> 00:38:04.760 Any questions? 00:38:04.760 --> 00:38:10.760 Nice shirt, Don. 00:38:10.760 --> 00:38:13.760 Any questions? 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:18.760 Okay, next one. 00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:23.760 Shepherd rulers, any of us who one day will walk in this, and 00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:26.760 I pray, God, that everybody sitting here gets to. 00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:32.760 Shepherd rulers decide to leave everything. 00:38:32.760 --> 00:38:36.760 The operative word here is decide. 00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:39.760 They decide to leave everything. 00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:40.760 They decide. 00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:45.760 Even before you enter this game, you must make that decision. 00:38:45.760 --> 00:38:49.760 You must decide. 00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:54.760 So that should a moment of decision come, there is no 00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:59.760 struggle because the decision was made. 00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:01.760 That's how you guys jumped into marriage. 00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:03.760 You don't know a thing about it. 00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:05.760 It didn't turn out how you thought it was. 00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:06.760 It's better. 00:39:06.760 --> 00:39:10.760 But what did you think I was going to say? 00:39:10.760 --> 00:39:11.760 It's better. 00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:15.760 But you didn't have a clue. 00:39:15.760 --> 00:39:18.760 But you decided. 00:39:18.760 --> 00:39:21.760 Shepherd rulers are guys who decide even before they enter 00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:27.760 in that I will leave everything. 00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:31.760 This is how we build fortress churches. 00:39:31.760 --> 00:39:36.760 I mean, talking about wave after wave of leaders that keep 00:39:36.760 --> 00:39:37.760 coming up. 00:39:37.760 --> 00:39:39.760 But this is hard. 00:39:39.760 --> 00:39:42.760 So it may take four or five years before we have a wave. 00:39:42.760 --> 00:39:45.760 My God, you get that first wave and you'll have it coming in 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:50.760 like the ocean and the waves that come crashing on the shore 00:39:50.760 --> 00:39:55.760 wave after wave. 00:39:55.760 --> 00:40:00.760 They decide to leave everything. 00:40:00.760 --> 00:40:05.760 Mark 1028. 00:40:05.760 --> 00:40:06.760 You want to turn to it? 00:40:06.760 --> 00:40:11.760 Mark 1028. 00:40:11.760 --> 00:40:14.760 These are not demands being made by this church or by some 00:40:14.760 --> 00:40:15.760 theologians. 00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:17.760 These are demands being made by Jesus. 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:22.760 Mark 1028. 00:40:22.760 --> 00:40:27.760 Peter said to him, we have left everything to follow you. 00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:29.760 I tell you the truth, Jesus replied. 00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:32.760 No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother 00:40:32.760 --> 00:40:35.760 or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will 00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:38.760 fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present day 00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:41.760 homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields and 00:40:41.760 --> 00:40:44.760 with them persecutions in the age and in the age to come 00:40:44.760 --> 00:40:45.760 eternal life. 00:40:45.760 --> 00:40:48.760 But many who are first will be last and the last first. 00:40:48.760 --> 00:40:51.760 These are demands that Jesus makes. 00:40:51.760 --> 00:40:54.760 And you can't delay this. 00:40:54.760 --> 00:40:57.760 You can't delay this. 00:40:57.760 --> 00:41:06.760 When my kids grow up, okay, that takes away 20 years of your 00:41:06.760 --> 00:41:07.760 life. 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:14.760 When I'm retired, that takes away 40 years of your life. 00:41:14.760 --> 00:41:21.760 When my job is stable, if I was the devil, all I have to do is 00:41:21.760 --> 00:41:25.760 touch your job and I can keep you locked in. 00:41:25.760 --> 00:41:29.760 When I have enough money, now I know what to touch. 00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:33.760 Let you have your job, but I'll touch your money. 00:41:33.760 --> 00:41:41.760 When I have a house and a car and a wife, then remember with 00:41:41.760 --> 00:41:44.760 that will come a kid and a dog. 00:41:44.760 --> 00:41:45.760 It's endless, guys. 00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:47.760 You cannot delay. 00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:49.760 You cannot delay. 00:41:49.760 --> 00:41:53.760 The decision has to be made before everything else. 00:41:53.760 --> 00:41:54.760 Any questions? 00:41:54.760 --> 00:41:57.760 For the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the kingdom, 00:41:57.760 --> 00:41:59.760 this decision has to be made. 00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:04.760 Everything must be reprioritized based on a singular thing that 00:42:04.760 --> 00:42:07.760 I believe everything I decide today. 00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:09.760 I have decided to follow Jesus. 00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:15.760 Everything else is up for grabs so that there is no struggle. 00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:21.760 And it applies to all of us because all of us have the ability to 00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:24.760 become shepherd rulers who can raise others. 00:42:24.760 --> 00:42:26.760 But if you're not like this, what will you raise? 00:42:26.760 --> 00:42:31.760 Any questions? 00:42:31.760 --> 00:42:34.760 Yeah, good question. 00:42:34.760 --> 00:42:37.760 If one of the attributes of the leader is that you manage your home 00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:45.760 well, wouldn't leaving everything be like a counter to that? 00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:48.760 I mean, I think that's a good question. 00:42:48.760 --> 00:42:50.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:50.760 --> 00:42:52.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:52.760 --> 00:42:53.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:55.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:55.760 --> 00:42:56.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:56.760 --> 00:42:57.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:57.760 --> 00:42:58.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:58.760 --> 00:42:59.760 I think that's a good question. 00:42:59.760 --> 00:43:00.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:00.760 --> 00:43:01.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:01.760 --> 00:43:02.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:02.760 --> 00:43:03.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:04.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:04.760 --> 00:43:05.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:06.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:06.760 --> 00:43:07.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:07.760 --> 00:43:08.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:08.760 --> 00:43:09.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:09.760 --> 00:43:10.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:10.760 --> 00:43:11.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:12.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:12.760 --> 00:43:13.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:14.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:14.760 --> 00:43:15.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:15.760 --> 00:43:16.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:16.760 --> 00:43:17.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:18.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:18.760 --> 00:43:19.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:20.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:20.760 --> 00:43:21.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:21.760 --> 00:43:22.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:22.760 --> 00:43:23.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:23.760 --> 00:43:24.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:24.760 --> 00:43:25.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:25.760 --> 00:43:26.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:26.760 --> 00:43:27.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:28.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:28.760 --> 00:43:29.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:29.760 --> 00:43:30.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:30.760 --> 00:43:31.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:32.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:32.760 --> 00:43:33.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:34.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:34.760 --> 00:43:35.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:35.760 --> 00:43:36.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:36.760 --> 00:43:37.760 I think that's a good question. 00:43:38.760 --> 00:43:44.260 He never pays taxes again and he marries a king's daughter. 00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:48.840 So when it talks about managing your home well, it doesn't mean that you don't take 00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:52.600 care of those that are with you because Jesus said, he who doesn't take care of his own 00:43:52.600 --> 00:43:56.740 is worse than an infidel. 00:43:56.740 --> 00:44:00.880 Because people would say, I'm just sacrificing all of this to God and he called him a kaffir 00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:02.880 or an infidel. 00:44:03.880 --> 00:44:09.880 And so the intent is, how do I take care of these while I follow Christ and it's held 00:44:09.880 --> 00:44:10.880 in tension? 00:44:10.880 --> 00:44:16.320 When my mom was sick and dying, I'd make multiple trips down there but I also knew that I'd 00:44:16.320 --> 00:44:19.880 have to be back here and I wouldn't leave the church for more than two Sundays. 00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:21.880 So it cost me a whole lot to travel up and down. 00:44:21.880 --> 00:44:26.880 Oh my God, I wouldn't give up this for that and I wouldn't give that for this. 00:44:26.880 --> 00:44:28.880 You hold it in tension. 00:44:32.880 --> 00:44:38.880 But when you decide you will postpone things because these things are more important, it's 00:44:38.880 --> 00:44:42.880 a replacing or an undoing of the priorities that Christ wants for you. 00:44:42.880 --> 00:44:46.880 Let's go to Luke 9, 52-59. 00:44:46.880 --> 00:44:49.880 And one man came and said, Jesus, I want to follow you. 00:44:49.880 --> 00:44:53.880 And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes and birds have nests to dwell in. 00:44:53.880 --> 00:44:56.880 The son of man has nowhere to rest. 00:44:56.880 --> 00:44:58.880 Do you still want to follow me? 00:44:58.880 --> 00:44:59.880 The man walked away. 00:44:59.880 --> 00:45:04.880 Another man came and said, Jesus, I will follow you once my dad dies. 00:45:04.880 --> 00:45:06.880 You know why he said that? 00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:11.880 Because once the dad dies, the property will be divided and he will get his inheritance. 00:45:11.880 --> 00:45:17.880 And he replies saying, anyone who does not follow me and is waiting for his dad to die, 00:45:17.880 --> 00:45:19.880 it's not worthy of following me. 00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:23.880 The third man comes and says, let me bury my dad and then I will come. 00:45:23.880 --> 00:45:28.880 Jesus said, follow me right now or don't follow me. 00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:32.880 Because once you put your hands to the plow, you can't keep looking back. 00:45:32.880 --> 00:45:34.880 These are the demands of Jesus. 00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:38.880 And there must be the demand on the church, on you, on me, even today. 00:45:38.880 --> 00:45:42.880 The decision must be made. 00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:47.880 Jesus took care of his mother and his brothers and sisters for more than 20 years. 00:45:47.880 --> 00:45:48.880 Joseph died early. 00:45:48.880 --> 00:45:51.880 At least that's what historical records seem to indicate. 00:45:51.880 --> 00:45:55.880 But a time came where he said, when his mother Mary came to take him home because she thought 00:45:55.880 --> 00:46:01.880 he was behaving and speaking crazy, Jesus said, who are my mother and who are my brothers? 00:46:01.880 --> 00:46:04.880 But those that do the will of the father. 00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:07.880 And he didn't meet them. 00:46:07.880 --> 00:46:12.880 I love the demands this God places on us. 00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:29.880 So decide, guys, don't make excuses. 00:46:29.880 --> 00:46:35.880 Don't compare yourself with others saying, I'm the only one doing this or nobody else is doing this. 00:46:35.880 --> 00:46:38.880 I'm better than. Stop it. 00:46:38.880 --> 00:46:47.880 It's delay. 00:46:47.880 --> 00:46:51.880 Next one. 00:46:51.880 --> 00:46:59.880 Maturity is a stewarding. 00:46:59.880 --> 00:47:01.880 Maturity is stewarding. 00:47:01.880 --> 00:47:07.880 Shepherd ruler of maturity is stewarding what you've been given. 00:47:07.880 --> 00:47:13.880 Like a mother bear. 00:47:13.880 --> 00:47:16.880 As in, you don't hold it loosely. 00:47:16.880 --> 00:47:18.880 You are pretty intense. 00:47:18.880 --> 00:47:30.880 And yet you are willing to let a policy and see first or say first. 00:47:30.880 --> 00:47:35.880 Come and help you. 00:47:35.880 --> 00:47:38.880 In areas. 00:47:38.880 --> 00:47:45.880 That you're not good at. 00:47:45.880 --> 00:47:47.880 To me might be good at worship. 00:47:47.880 --> 00:47:50.880 But what if there are areas in worship that he's not good at? 00:47:50.880 --> 00:47:56.880 Is he so full of himself now that he doesn't want anyone else to touch his worship team? 00:47:56.880 --> 00:48:09.880 Or will he call someone who has half the skills he has cannot sing but is willing to let them mentor some of the guys in the worship team, though he's the one in charge, because in those areas he cannot. 00:48:09.880 --> 00:48:19.880 Sometimes in the process of building church, we've become so acutely protective of our fiefdoms. 00:48:19.880 --> 00:48:25.880 That it becomes difficult for anybody with any other skill to come and help us. 00:48:25.880 --> 00:48:30.880 We've got to become a little more open than that. 00:48:30.880 --> 00:48:39.880 And yet you guard what is yours fiercely. 00:48:39.880 --> 00:48:40.880 Next one. 00:48:40.880 --> 00:48:47.880 Shepherd rulers must have the ability to get past prejudices and biases that they have. 00:48:47.880 --> 00:48:49.880 That come because of your cultural background. 00:48:49.880 --> 00:48:51.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:48:51.880 --> 00:48:53.880 Come because of your theological background. 00:48:53.880 --> 00:48:55.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:48:55.880 --> 00:48:57.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:48:57.880 --> 00:48:59.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:48:59.880 --> 00:49:01.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:01.880 --> 00:49:03.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:03.880 --> 00:49:05.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:05.880 --> 00:49:07.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:07.880 --> 00:49:09.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:09.880 --> 00:49:11.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:11.880 --> 00:49:13.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:13.880 --> 00:49:15.880 Come because of your family upbringing. 00:49:15.880 --> 00:49:16.880 Next one. 00:49:16.880 --> 00:49:18.880 You have to overcome your theological background. 00:49:18.880 --> 00:49:20.880 There are biases and prejudices that develop. 00:49:20.880 --> 00:49:30.880 And that aside, you also have to overcome the bias that comes from only listening to a closed group of confidants who have earned your trust. 00:49:30.880 --> 00:49:36.880 And now you're not open to anybody else saying anything else. 00:49:36.880 --> 00:49:38.880 And this happens in the Bible. 00:49:38.880 --> 00:49:48.880 David had to turn to his trusted three or 30 that brought him water at the risk of their own lives when they said, 00:49:48.880 --> 00:49:50.880 Here is Saul lying at your feet. 00:49:50.880 --> 00:49:53.880 Cut his head off because you are appointed to be king. 00:49:53.880 --> 00:49:56.880 And he actually cut a slice of the garment of Saul. 00:49:56.880 --> 00:50:01.880 And he realized that he had sinned in listening to their advice. 00:50:01.880 --> 00:50:03.880 Do I have to be a king? 00:50:03.880 --> 00:50:13.880 Do I have the ability to listen to what a closed circle of friends may say and then go to God and say, 00:50:13.880 --> 00:50:21.880 Is this really true or are they so for me that their eyes are blinded and they're blinding my eyes too? 00:50:27.880 --> 00:50:29.880 We wrestle through this. 00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:30.880 Why? 00:50:30.880 --> 00:50:32.880 Because we want to be like Jesus. 00:50:32.880 --> 00:50:34.880 We don't even want to be leaders. 00:50:34.880 --> 00:50:37.880 We want to be eager, inadequate burden bearers. 00:50:37.880 --> 00:50:39.880 Christ was one of them. 00:50:39.880 --> 00:50:41.880 We want to be like Jesus. 00:50:47.880 --> 00:50:49.880 Any questions on that one? 00:51:03.880 --> 00:51:07.880 Separate rulers must have the ability to war. 00:51:07.880 --> 00:51:12.880 Are you skilled against spiritual predators? 00:51:12.880 --> 00:51:24.880 Can you war against spiritual predators? 00:51:27.880 --> 00:51:28.880 Here's a question. 00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:35.880 Can you be in a service like this and suddenly realize that there is someone who may be struggling with demonic oppression? 00:51:35.880 --> 00:51:41.880 That there is someone who might be actually being used by spiritual forces to do things? 00:51:41.880 --> 00:51:47.880 And then why, if that is happening, do you have the ability to deal with it? 00:51:47.880 --> 00:51:50.880 Sometimes in a public setting, sometimes in a private setting. 00:51:50.880 --> 00:51:58.880 Can you counter what is happening by saying in the name of Jesus Christ, I block this attack on the church. 00:51:58.880 --> 00:51:59.880 All right? 00:51:59.880 --> 00:52:08.880 Keep the flock that is gathered under my wings because Christ has given me the responsibility to protect that which is under my wings. 00:52:08.880 --> 00:52:13.880 Can you push out what is yours so that you can save what is not yours? 00:52:13.880 --> 00:52:14.880 Lot did that. 00:52:14.880 --> 00:52:15.880 Jesus did that. 00:52:21.880 --> 00:52:24.880 Derek is protective about Brielle, right? 00:52:24.880 --> 00:52:30.880 Can Derek be as protective about John or Prosper? 00:52:35.880 --> 00:52:38.880 Worse, I mean, he never had this choice. 00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:41.880 Would he trade one for the other? 00:52:42.880 --> 00:52:45.880 That's the ultimate Christ-like picture. 00:52:51.880 --> 00:52:54.880 Gosh, man, what standards, eh? 00:53:00.880 --> 00:53:02.880 What if I became like this? 00:53:02.880 --> 00:53:04.880 Can you imagine what would happen to your life? 00:53:07.880 --> 00:53:10.880 You'd operate at another level. 00:53:15.880 --> 00:53:18.880 But this is what we are being called to. 00:53:21.880 --> 00:53:24.880 Any questions? 00:53:30.880 --> 00:53:33.880 I can't hear what these fans are. 00:53:36.880 --> 00:53:38.880 How does testing happen? 00:53:38.880 --> 00:53:41.880 How does testing happen in these areas? 00:53:41.880 --> 00:53:43.880 Question is, where is it coming from? 00:53:44.880 --> 00:53:55.880 So there are tests that God brings into your life, and those tests are to either show you where you're at or to promote you to the next place. 00:53:55.880 --> 00:54:05.880 And then there are tests from the devil which are more temptation-like so that you fall, and in your falling, those that are under you get affected. 00:54:06.880 --> 00:54:11.880 Strike the shepherd and the sheep are scattered. 00:54:11.880 --> 00:54:14.880 So the question is, where is the testing coming from? 00:54:15.880 --> 00:54:22.880 So what if after I preach this today a situation happens where someone comes to me and I have a bias or prejudice against you? 00:54:22.880 --> 00:54:27.880 And so when you come and speak to me because of my bias and prejudice, what comes out is annoyance. 00:54:27.880 --> 00:54:33.880 Sometimes annoyance comes out because Paul has to deal with the spirit of divination in a woman. 00:54:33.880 --> 00:54:34.880 That's different. 00:54:34.880 --> 00:54:37.880 What if the annoyance comes out because of a bias? 00:54:37.880 --> 00:54:39.880 Two things happen then. 00:54:39.880 --> 00:54:43.880 Because in every test, there is a temptation. 00:54:43.880 --> 00:54:45.880 Always remember that. 00:54:45.880 --> 00:54:48.880 In every test, there is a temptation. 00:54:49.880 --> 00:54:52.880 The test is, Jacob, show me who you are. 00:54:52.880 --> 00:54:54.880 I have given you my nature. 00:54:54.880 --> 00:55:00.880 You have the ability to interact with this person without bias, without prejudice. 00:55:00.880 --> 00:55:08.880 You can show them my gentleness and love, regardless of how annoyed they are, because you are not defined by what loves you. 00:55:08.880 --> 00:55:10.880 You are defined by how you love them. 00:55:10.880 --> 00:55:12.880 It is yours to give. 00:55:12.880 --> 00:55:13.880 Nobody can take it away. 00:55:13.880 --> 00:55:15.880 Show me how you can love. 00:55:15.880 --> 00:55:16.880 That's one. 00:55:16.880 --> 00:55:20.880 And I can pass or fail that, depending on whether I want to follow God or follow my flesh. 00:55:20.880 --> 00:55:22.880 And then there is a temptation in it. 00:55:22.880 --> 00:55:31.880 The temptation is, what if I can get Jacob to be so annoyed and irritated that he says words that will crush the person's heart? 00:55:34.880 --> 00:55:37.880 And in the process, you destroy a person's heart? 00:55:39.880 --> 00:55:43.880 Security, life, ability to function. 00:55:48.880 --> 00:55:49.880 Have I done it? 00:55:49.880 --> 00:55:50.880 There are people sitting here. 00:55:50.880 --> 00:55:52.880 To who I have done that? 00:56:04.880 --> 00:56:07.880 That's how the test works. 00:56:08.880 --> 00:56:17.880 In the test that Abraham was subjected to, there was also a temptation to choose Ishmael, choose Hagar. 00:56:31.880 --> 00:56:32.880 Okay. 00:56:33.880 --> 00:56:36.880 Last point, if you believe it. 00:56:38.880 --> 00:57:05.880 Shepherd rulers must fight those that lay cheap foundations or distort vision. 00:57:09.880 --> 00:57:18.880 Or destabilize the people given to you. 00:57:29.880 --> 00:57:36.880 If you are someone who is a shepherd ruler, who is in charge of something placed in your hand, you must fight. 00:57:36.880 --> 00:57:39.880 These are people we are talking about. 00:57:39.880 --> 00:57:41.880 We are not talking about spiritual forces. 00:57:41.880 --> 00:57:43.880 The spiritual forces is what I was talking about earlier. 00:57:43.880 --> 00:57:44.880 Spiritual predators. 00:57:44.880 --> 00:57:57.880 These are people who either because of their own self or because of being used by the enemy, come and lay cheap foundations. 00:57:57.880 --> 00:58:02.880 As in foundations that are not solid, that are not lived out, that are not true. 00:58:02.880 --> 00:58:05.880 Or they distort the vision that is given to the church. 00:58:05.880 --> 00:58:08.880 Or they destabilize the people that are in your charge. 00:58:08.880 --> 00:58:17.880 If you are a shepherd ruler, just as you would for your son or your daughter, so you should take a stance and say, you will not. 00:58:20.880 --> 00:58:25.880 None of this is possible if you care for church membership too much. 00:58:26.880 --> 00:58:32.880 None of this is possible if you care for church membership too much or care for your job too much. 00:58:33.880 --> 00:58:34.880 None of this is possible. 00:58:36.880 --> 00:58:49.880 Because if you have a contrary vision or a contrary doctrine to the one that this church has or I have, then go build your contrary community somewhere else. 00:58:49.880 --> 00:58:51.880 Don't destabilize this one. 00:58:55.880 --> 00:58:59.880 I must fight what is given to me to protect. 00:58:59.880 --> 00:59:09.880 I remember meeting a guy in North America who actually came to Vancouver too and who was under a different leadership. 00:59:09.880 --> 00:59:15.880 And he would come and come for all our meetings when we would go to the US. 00:59:15.880 --> 00:59:18.880 Little did I know that he belonged to another organization. 00:59:18.880 --> 00:59:21.880 One day I get a call from the leader of that organization. 00:59:21.880 --> 00:59:25.880 And that leader tore a strip of me, man. 00:59:25.880 --> 00:59:27.880 He called me all the names he could. 00:59:27.880 --> 00:59:28.880 Why? 00:59:28.880 --> 00:59:38.880 Because he felt that I was going and building a foundation into the guy's life that was contrary to what they had taught him. 00:59:38.880 --> 00:59:40.880 And I'm just listening stunned. 00:59:40.880 --> 00:59:44.880 And finally I said, I'm going to put the phone down because if you continue, I'll have to save things back. 00:59:44.880 --> 00:59:47.880 And I'm waiting for this guy to say, Jacob didn't do any of this. 00:59:47.880 --> 00:59:49.880 I went to his meetings. 00:59:49.880 --> 00:59:55.880 But the guy kept quiet and then texted me later saying, thank you for being gentle and not throwing me under the bus. 00:59:56.880 --> 01:00:00.880 And I thought to myself, man, you should see my face right now. 01:00:00.880 --> 01:00:02.880 The bus ran over it. 01:00:02.880 --> 01:00:10.880 But in a way, the way the guy stood up for the one he was raising was credible. 01:00:10.880 --> 01:00:21.880 You must fight that which comes and tries to destabilize what God has asked you to build, distort the vision that God has given you, or try to lay cheap foundations. 01:00:21.880 --> 01:00:22.880 You must fight against it. 01:00:22.880 --> 01:00:30.880 If you don't, you're an irresponsible shepherd that will end up muddying the water so that neither the healthy sheep nor the weak sheep can drink from it. 01:00:36.880 --> 01:00:38.880 So what's our response? 01:00:38.880 --> 01:00:40.880 Read these two scriptures. 01:00:40.880 --> 01:00:44.880 First one, Hebrews 13, 17. 01:00:44.880 --> 01:00:49.880 Can the guys I told two weeks ago to stand, stand again? 01:00:52.880 --> 01:00:57.880 Nice shirt, Don. 01:00:57.880 --> 01:01:03.880 Can the guys who I asked to stand, stand again? 01:01:03.880 --> 01:01:04.880 Was there anybody else? 01:01:04.880 --> 01:01:08.880 There might be some that are out, like Iris and Jillian. 01:01:08.880 --> 01:01:10.880 Acts 20, verse 29. 01:01:10.880 --> 01:01:12.880 I'll read three scriptures. 01:01:12.880 --> 01:01:13.880 Acts 20, verse 29. 01:01:13.880 --> 01:01:15.880 These are your leaders. 01:01:15.880 --> 01:01:16.880 These are some of your leaders. 01:01:16.880 --> 01:01:19.880 There are other leaders that I would add to this. 01:01:19.880 --> 01:01:28.880 But these are some of your leaders that work strenuously amongst you that really match up to some of these qualifications I've written on the board. 01:01:28.880 --> 01:01:34.880 And if I say that and your heart chastens and you feel resentful towards it, deal with it. 01:01:34.880 --> 01:01:38.880 Don't let it fester because if it festers, it gets really ugly. 01:01:38.880 --> 01:01:43.880 It's only a matter of time before your mouth will speak or your feet will move. 01:01:43.880 --> 01:01:45.880 And as you look at them, don't look at me. 01:01:45.880 --> 01:01:46.880 I've got enough faults. 01:01:46.880 --> 01:01:56.880 But as you look at them, if your heart isn't happy about them, if your heart feels resentful, if your heart chasts, then deal with it. 01:01:56.880 --> 01:01:57.880 How do you deal with it? 01:01:57.880 --> 01:01:58.880 First, figure out why. 01:01:58.880 --> 01:02:01.880 Write it down. 01:02:01.880 --> 01:02:06.880 Second, come and talk to me and trust that I'll be on your side and not theirs. 01:02:06.880 --> 01:02:09.880 That I'll be really fair. 01:02:09.880 --> 01:02:11.880 Third, after that, you can go and talk to them. 01:02:11.880 --> 01:02:14.880 But sort it out. 01:02:14.880 --> 01:02:15.880 Yeah? 01:02:15.880 --> 01:02:18.880 So, tell your leaders. 01:02:18.880 --> 01:02:21.880 And here's what...these are the three scriptures. 01:02:21.880 --> 01:02:25.880 I'll read one to the leaders and two to the rest of us. 01:02:25.880 --> 01:02:28.880 Acts 20, verse 29 says, 01:02:28.880 --> 01:02:31.880 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you. 01:02:31.880 --> 01:02:34.880 I will not spare the flock. 01:02:34.880 --> 01:02:40.880 Even from your own number, men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 01:02:40.880 --> 01:02:42.880 So be on your guard. 01:02:42.880 --> 01:02:47.880 Remember that for three years, I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 01:02:47.880 --> 01:02:49.880 That's your responsibility. 01:02:49.880 --> 01:02:51.880 Guard what is placed in your hand. 01:02:51.880 --> 01:02:52.880 Be overwhelmed. 01:02:52.880 --> 01:02:53.880 Be overburdened. 01:02:53.880 --> 01:02:54.880 Rest in God. 01:02:54.880 --> 01:02:57.880 You've got no other option. 01:02:57.880 --> 01:02:59.880 Here's to the rest of us. 01:02:59.880 --> 01:03:02.880 Hebrews 13, 17. 01:03:02.880 --> 01:03:09.880 Hebrews 13, 17. 01:03:09.880 --> 01:03:10.880 Obey your leaders. 01:03:10.880 --> 01:03:12.880 It doesn't say listen to them. 01:03:12.880 --> 01:03:14.880 It says obey them. 01:03:14.880 --> 01:03:17.880 But Jacob, what if they are saying things that I don't agree with? 01:03:17.880 --> 01:03:19.880 If it's scriptural, obey them. 01:03:19.880 --> 01:03:21.880 But what if it's not scriptural? 01:03:21.880 --> 01:03:26.880 Then show me and we'll talk about it. 01:03:26.880 --> 01:03:28.880 Hebrews 13, verse 17. 01:03:28.880 --> 01:03:30.880 Obey your leaders. 01:03:30.880 --> 01:03:32.880 Next one, it gets worse. 01:03:32.880 --> 01:03:34.880 Submit to their authority. 01:03:34.880 --> 01:03:37.880 Not my fault, all Jesus. 01:03:37.880 --> 01:03:39.880 Obey your leaders. 01:03:39.880 --> 01:03:42.880 Submit to their authority. 01:03:42.880 --> 01:03:43.880 Next line. 01:03:43.880 --> 01:03:50.880 They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. 01:03:50.880 --> 01:04:01.880 Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. 01:04:01.880 --> 01:04:07.880 I'll read it from the message in case that was way too difficult. 01:04:07.880 --> 01:04:09.880 Usually the message only makes it worse. 01:04:09.880 --> 01:04:11.880 Let's just see. 01:04:11.880 --> 01:04:13.880 Remember your leaders. 01:04:13.880 --> 01:04:15.880 Those who spoke to you the word of God. 01:04:15.880 --> 01:04:20.880 Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 01:04:20.880 --> 01:04:22.880 Jesus Christ is the same. 01:04:22.880 --> 01:04:24.880 I like the NIV more. 01:04:24.880 --> 01:04:25.880 Next one. 01:04:25.880 --> 01:04:46.880 First Thessalonians 5, verse 12. 01:04:46.880 --> 01:04:59.880 Now we ask you, brothers, I'm going to throw in sisters too, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 01:04:59.880 --> 01:05:05.880 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. 01:05:05.880 --> 01:05:06.880 Let me read that again. 01:05:06.880 --> 01:05:13.880 And as we read it, may it convict us the way Christ wants us to be convicted. 01:05:13.880 --> 01:05:18.880 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to respect. 01:05:18.880 --> 01:05:21.880 So the first question is, do I respect them? 01:05:21.880 --> 01:05:23.880 Those who work hard among you. 01:05:23.880 --> 01:05:27.880 I guarantee you they work hard. 01:05:27.880 --> 01:05:29.880 Who are over you? 01:05:29.880 --> 01:05:31.880 Do I see them as over me? 01:05:31.880 --> 01:05:33.880 Who are over you in the Lord? 01:05:33.880 --> 01:05:39.880 And who admonish you, as in rebuke you, correct you? 01:05:39.880 --> 01:05:43.880 Then it says, hold them in the highest regard. 01:05:43.880 --> 01:05:48.880 Gosh, where do they measure up in my regard scale? 01:05:48.880 --> 01:05:51.880 Hold them in highest regard, then worse. 01:05:51.880 --> 01:05:59.880 Hold them in highest regard in love because of their work. 01:05:59.880 --> 01:06:02.880 Let's pray. 01:06:02.880 --> 01:06:08.880 Man, oh God, you don't mince words. 01:06:08.880 --> 01:06:10.880 There's a way you want the church to be. 01:06:10.880 --> 01:06:14.880 You call it the pillar of truth, the foundation. 01:06:14.880 --> 01:06:17.880 We are talking about this church becoming like a fortress. 01:06:17.880 --> 01:06:22.880 But how can we be a fortress unless we follow the instruction manual? 01:06:22.880 --> 01:06:24.880 This is how you want to build up a people. 01:06:24.880 --> 01:06:25.880 Wave after wave. 01:06:25.880 --> 01:06:34.880 Every person sitting here who's a believer has the ability to rise to be like this for the sake of another. 01:06:35.880 --> 01:06:38.880 And so once again we bless these men and women who are standing. 01:06:38.880 --> 01:06:41.880 Once again, I'm grateful for this church. 01:06:41.880 --> 01:06:48.880 Once again, we thank you for the freedom you give us to talk about these things. 01:06:48.880 --> 01:06:52.880 We bless you, oh God, in Jesus' name. Amen. 01:06:52.880 --> 01:06:55.880 Alrighty, guys, if you need prayer... 01:07:04.880 --> 01:07:06.880 ...