WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Good Works Publishing Date: 2019-03-03T05:00:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/good-works/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.620 One can cause a hundred to three, two can cause quite a multiple. That is how people's 00:00:10.620 --> 00:00:19.860 the nation. So sometimes when I say stuff like okay I'm stopping off in Mexico 00:00:19.860 --> 00:00:25.020 city for six hours, stopping off in Tokyo for six hours and go and take up a room 00:00:25.020 --> 00:00:28.380 in a hotel overlooking the city, I start praying for the city. It might sound so 00:00:28.860 --> 00:00:32.860 like, it might sound like Jacob's got his own fancy 00:00:34.380 --> 00:00:40.500 spiritual ideas and no that is how these places are taken. Like I was talking 00:00:40.500 --> 00:00:46.580 about that, I've got to, can you, can you shut this off? 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:17.460 Good works, because we've often said things about good work but we don't 00:01:17.460 --> 00:01:21.580 exactly know what good works are so we talk about good work. Derek, do you have pens here? 00:01:21.580 --> 00:01:32.100 So the verse that we, oh it's there, thanks. The verse that we begin with is Matthew 5 16, 00:01:32.100 --> 00:01:42.980 Matthew 5 16. Good works is a theme that's common in the Bible but it's, we don't really 00:01:42.980 --> 00:01:48.540 know what it means or how it should work out. So Matthew 5 16, Jesus was the first one who 00:01:48.540 --> 00:01:55.020 began to talk about it when he said, let your light so shine before men that they may see your 00:01:55.020 --> 00:02:00.020 good works and glorify your Father in heaven. And so we'll break it up into three parts and 00:02:00.020 --> 00:02:07.980 look at it that way. So the first part is let your light so shine before men. Second part is 00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:18.300 that they may see your good works and that the third part is glorify your Father. So we look at 00:02:18.300 --> 00:02:29.780 it that way. So that's from Matthew 5 16. And so to begin with we'll have to trace it back to John 00:02:29.780 --> 00:02:38.660 1 4 because in John 1 4 it says that in him was life and that life was the light of man. In him 00:02:38.660 --> 00:02:46.780 was life and that life was the light of man. So that's in John 1 4 and then in John 8 12 it says 00:02:46.780 --> 00:02:55.020 in John 8 12 it says, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. So 00:02:55.020 --> 00:03:03.860 Jesus makes two statements. One he says, it says of Jesus that he was the light, he was in him was 00:03:03.860 --> 00:03:12.340 life and that life was the light of men. In John 8 12 it Jesus says, I am the light of the world. Whoever 00:03:12.340 --> 00:03:19.180 follows me will never walk in darkness. So here's the thing guys, the reason Jesus could say he was 00:03:19.180 --> 00:03:30.980 the light of the world was one because he came from the Father, two because he spoke for the Father 00:03:30.980 --> 00:03:41.700 or spoke only what the Father was saying to him. Three he knew he was, he knew that he was going 00:03:41.700 --> 00:03:59.380 back to the Father. He knew he was going back to the Father and four he knew that he was one with 00:03:59.380 --> 00:04:17.460 the Father. And given the fact that Hebrews 1 3 says that Jesus is the bright radiance of the 00:04:17.460 --> 00:04:27.820 invisible God, it's natural that he be light in the world and he said these things. He came, 00:04:28.020 --> 00:04:31.860 because he came from the Father, because he spoke for the Father, because he knew he was going back 00:04:31.860 --> 00:04:40.620 to the Father, because he was one with the Father, he could walk the earth with absolute 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:54.380 certainty that he was the light of the world. And then in John 9 5 he makes a statement. In John 9 5 00:04:54.380 --> 00:05:04.580 he says that guys as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. While I am in the world, 00:05:04.580 --> 00:05:10.620 I am the light of the world. And part of the reason he said that was because he knew that he would be 00:05:10.620 --> 00:05:18.180 leaving the world. But if his followers could live this way, then he makes a statement later on saying, 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:30.380 you now are the light of the world. Two reasons why he makes this statement. One, because he came 00:05:30.380 --> 00:05:36.500 and lived in those that believed in him. Two, he expects those that he lives in to follow the same 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:42.620 pattern. You must understand therefore that you have come from the Father. I must understand that 00:05:42.820 --> 00:05:48.780 when I speak, I must speak for the Father. I must understand that regardless of the circumstances, 00:05:48.780 --> 00:05:53.700 I'm going back to the Father, so there's no question of compromising here on earth. And fourthly, 00:05:53.700 --> 00:06:03.380 I must be one with the Father. And if I am, then the brilliant radiance of Christ in me will still 00:06:03.380 --> 00:06:10.620 continue to be light in the world. The problem is not that Jesus Christ does not live in you. He 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:16.420 lives in you. The light of the world lives in you. The problem is, is it showing? And it begins to 00:06:16.420 --> 00:06:22.420 show when these four things come into effect. Where you realize that you've come from the Father, 00:06:22.420 --> 00:06:31.380 that you do not belong to anybody else. That nobody else owns you. I think I've said this to you 00:06:31.380 --> 00:06:35.860 before. Eddie's son Paul once had a word that he gave me. And in that word, and I really treasure 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:39.860 the word, and I'm not sharing it here to tell you how wonderful I am, because you know that regardless, 00:06:39.860 --> 00:06:48.580 in this word, it's his dream of vision he saw, where he says, Jacob, you were like a coin. And 00:06:48.580 --> 00:06:54.300 God was twirling the coin between his fingers. And the strange thing about the coin was it did 00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:59.140 not have an imprint. And he said, while he was watching it, one of the things God told him is, 00:06:59.140 --> 00:07:04.940 it does not have an imprint because he does not belong to anybody. Meaning no one has put their 00:07:04.940 --> 00:07:09.420 print on him. And this was years ago. And I remember saying to the Lord, Father, I want to 00:07:09.900 --> 00:07:15.180 belong to you. Do not want to belong to anybody else. First belong to you. So that nobody else can 00:07:15.180 --> 00:07:19.540 stamp an imprint. No one can put Canadian imprint, Caesar's imprint, King's imprint, 00:07:19.540 --> 00:07:25.700 people's imprint. Nobody owns you except God. That's the whole idea of I've come from the Father. 00:07:27.500 --> 00:07:33.780 Then we choose to serve each other, but we belong to him. It's our day. We belong to him, 00:07:33.780 --> 00:07:43.620 but we serve everybody. And so the whole point is, if I understand that I come from the Father, 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:49.540 that I draw everything that I am from the Father, if I'm able to understand that when I speak in 00:07:49.540 --> 00:07:55.460 the way I conduct myself, in the way I talk, that I represent the Father, if I understand that I'm 00:07:55.460 --> 00:08:00.900 going back to him, so even if someone were to threaten me, kill me, take things away from me, 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:06.180 that I would still not compromise the fact that I belong to somebody, I'm going back to him, 00:08:06.180 --> 00:08:13.940 there is nothing you can do. That'll change that. And lastly, he was one with the Father, as in he 00:08:13.940 --> 00:08:19.220 had this ability to be in constant communion with the Father. Now the light of the world cries, 00:08:19.220 --> 00:08:25.860 who is in you begins to? Sure. And the strange thing is Jesus did not offer a third alternator. 00:08:25.940 --> 00:08:32.500 He said, I am the light. And then the only other thing is darkness. This is why Jesus called hell 00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:40.660 outer darkness. Jesus calls hell outer dark. There is no third alternator. There is Jesus who is light 00:08:40.660 --> 00:08:51.620 or there is darkness. And so when Matthew 5 16 says, let your light shine, it then assumes that you and I 00:08:52.340 --> 00:08:57.940 have Christ living in us who is the light of the world, and that you and I will follow the same 00:08:57.940 --> 00:09:05.540 pattern that he follows, so that that light becomes evident. Any question? Before we go on, 00:09:06.180 --> 00:09:10.820 any question? Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 5 8. In Ephesians 5 8, Paul says, 00:09:11.460 --> 00:09:17.300 at one time you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. He doesn't say now you are 00:09:17.300 --> 00:09:25.620 walking in the light. He says, once you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. And 00:09:25.620 --> 00:09:30.660 the strange thing is guys, this whole idea of light as in God being the brilliant radiance of 00:09:31.460 --> 00:09:37.300 Jesus Christ being the visible brilliant radiance of the invisible God who now lives in you. The 00:09:37.300 --> 00:09:42.260 strange thing about this is this light that lives in you, this person called Christ who lives in you 00:09:42.260 --> 00:09:48.340 has the ability to give life through you. He has the ability to give life through you. 00:09:49.300 --> 00:09:54.420 We don't think of ourselves like that. We don't think of ourselves as life-giving soul. 00:09:56.340 --> 00:10:00.020 When you go to work tomorrow morning, you do not normally go to work thinking, 00:10:00.020 --> 00:10:07.300 as I go to work today, wherever I go in decay, I can bring life in decay, I can bring life. But 00:10:07.300 --> 00:10:14.900 for this reason, you have been left as a colony on the earth. For this reason. 00:10:19.700 --> 00:10:27.620 This is how they used to, every empire that existed, conquered the world through this simple 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:31.940 process. They would go invade a place, then they would take a bunch of people and leave them in 00:10:31.940 --> 00:10:37.140 that place. Why? Because now they had to spread their culture through these people that were 00:10:37.140 --> 00:10:44.020 left in that place. God's doing the same thing. Hey, you are light. This light can give life. I 00:10:44.020 --> 00:10:49.940 live in you. You are life-giving. Jacob, tomorrow when you walk in the world, know this, that in 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:56.740 places of decay, I can use you to bring life. If that is not true, then what is Isaiah 61, 1 about? 00:10:58.020 --> 00:11:06.580 Isaiah 61, 1 says, the spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to proclaim the good 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:14.500 news to the poor, to open blind eyes, to set captives free, to heal the broken-hearted, 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:21.620 to proclaim liberty to those that are imprisoned, to declare Jubilee of freedom. This is why the 00:11:21.620 --> 00:11:25.380 spirit of the Lord is upon me. The spirit of the Lord is not upon me so I can speak in tongues. 00:11:25.380 --> 00:11:36.340 These are absolute truths and realities that we must embrace and wrap ourselves in. 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:43.860 And when we don't wrap ourselves in this, then something else happens. The spirit gives life, 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:50.420 the flesh profits, nothing. And so then what happens is we begin to engage in things of the 00:11:50.420 --> 00:11:56.980 flesh that are so pointless. It's like a cycle that goes on and on and on and on. 00:11:59.060 --> 00:12:03.220 My God, every time you get stuck in that cycle, know who is missing. 00:12:05.300 --> 00:12:12.900 Did you hear that? Every time you get stuck in that cycle, know who is missing and the one who 00:12:12.900 --> 00:12:21.300 is missing is the spirit. Because where he is, there is zest, space, life, liberty. 00:12:22.260 --> 00:12:28.740 Where he is not, there is a lack of zest, there is restrictive space, there is decay, 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:36.580 and there is the beginning of bondage. So every time in the routine of your life, it doesn't 00:12:36.580 --> 00:12:40.980 matter whether you're a nursing mom or whether you're an eight-year-old who got baptized or 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:45.460 whether you're a 90-year-old who's still walking strong. It doesn't matter whether you got a job 00:12:45.460 --> 00:12:49.700 or whether you don't have a job. At the end of the day, regardless of whether you're pregnant or not, 00:12:50.660 --> 00:12:56.420 the point is that there is something to the rigmarole of life that comes because we begin 00:12:56.420 --> 00:13:01.620 to focus on that which does not profit while the spirit gives life. Any question? 00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:04.260 Hey, carpentry wasn't a very exciting job, eh? 00:13:07.780 --> 00:13:11.140 I mean, every time I go watch a carpenter, this is the portion they are in. 00:13:15.380 --> 00:13:21.300 It wasn't the most exciting thing that Jesus was doing, but trust me, he had zest, space, life. 00:13:22.260 --> 00:13:27.620 It's not the routine of your job that makes life boring. It is the absence of the Spirit of God. 00:13:36.180 --> 00:13:42.260 The cool thing about you walking as ones who have Jesus Christ in their hearts, 00:13:42.260 --> 00:13:47.060 the light of life in you, is that it does two things, guys. On one hand, it makes obvious 00:13:47.060 --> 00:13:55.940 that which is ugly, that which is sinful. On the other hand, it shines on things and brings out 00:13:55.940 --> 00:14:02.180 a beauty that is true. This light has the ability to do two things. One, it exposes that which is 00:14:02.180 --> 00:14:08.980 ugly, and it makes it clear that it is not. The other thing is that it makes it clear that it 00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:14.420 has the ability to do two things. One, it exposes that which is ugly and sinful. Two, it has the 00:14:14.420 --> 00:14:22.180 ability to cause things to shine in true beauty. That's what this light does. It is a plumb line, 00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:28.020 not by the words you say. It's by a very presence that things will happen. Where on one hand, 00:14:28.020 --> 00:14:32.820 without saying anything, you have the ability to walk into a place and you become a plumb line 00:14:32.820 --> 00:14:38.340 that exposes that which is not good. On the other hand, you also have the ability to shine on things 00:14:38.420 --> 00:14:47.780 look dull, but have amazing potency. That's what this light does. 00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:54.660 And both are necessary, because one of the things we Christians have become is we are so 00:14:54.660 --> 00:14:59.300 not able to coexist with the world, and we are so irrelevant when we roam around in the world. 00:14:59.300 --> 00:15:02.020 Who wants to listen to you? They know what's going to come out of you. 00:15:02.020 --> 00:15:09.540 And then when you compare Christians to what American Christianity is, it gets even worse. 00:15:11.300 --> 00:15:14.740 A boy Christianity has been guilty of crimes in the past. 00:15:16.020 --> 00:15:18.980 Terrible crimes in the past done in the name of Christianity. 00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:28.900 About time a group of people rose up who have the ability to be life-giving. Life-giving. Life-giving 00:15:28.900 --> 00:15:34.180 does not mean that I have to preach the gospel. Life-giving means it brings into a place of decay 00:15:34.180 --> 00:15:37.540 that which God wants to give, and that is life. 00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:53.300 Because if you're not a plumb line, then we can't be culture cultural. 00:15:53.300 --> 00:15:58.020 But at the same time, if you don't shine on things and bring out the true beauty, 00:15:58.020 --> 00:16:02.980 then we are irrelevant in the world. Any questions before we go on? 00:16:04.180 --> 00:16:10.500 Any questions before we go on? I love guys who have strong Christian values, 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:15.380 and do well in the world. I love guys who have strong Christian values, 00:16:15.380 --> 00:16:22.260 and are super wealthy. I love guys who have strong Christian values, and are sophisticated. 00:16:22.260 --> 00:16:29.460 I love guys who have strong Christian values and can talk about current events in the world. 00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:39.160 And because of their strong values, they bring into every conversation truth, life, beauty, and a stance that is still counter-cultural. 00:16:40.660 --> 00:16:43.160 We've got to stop being Christian. 00:16:44.260 --> 00:16:47.460 Got to break out of that because it's irrelevant in the world. 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:52.460 Any question? 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:13.460 You'll have to speak louder because of the babbling brook behind me. 00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:22.460 They fit in this amazing place called good work, people who do good works without even knowing God. 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:25.460 Classic example, Cornelius Acts chapter 10. 00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:31.460 It says that there was a man called Cornelius who was a centurion from the Italian regiment who was living in Jerusalem, 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:35.460 and that he was well known for his arms that he gave to the poor. 00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:42.460 God is attracted by those that are poor, and he is attracted by those that are poor. 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:51.460 God is attracted by those that begin to practice the way he is without even knowing him. 00:17:51.460 --> 00:17:55.460 I just marvel at people like that. I find them in every religion. 00:17:55.460 --> 00:18:02.460 People who do not know Jesus Christ but live lives that are better than Christians who know Jesus Christ. 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:06.460 Pardon? 00:18:08.460 --> 00:18:10.460 Yeah, made in the image of God. 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:18.460 And there are many like that, but the fact still remains that there is only one name under heaven and earth through whom we can be saved, 00:18:18.460 --> 00:18:21.460 and that name is the name of Jesus Christ. 00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:24.460 But good works attracts God's attention. 00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:32.460 Every time in the Bible you read about someone who did not know God but was generous, gave, and was indulging in good works, 00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:39.460 somehow he would find God because he was beginning to reflect or she was beginning to reflect the nature of God without even knowing God. 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:40.460 How much more us? 00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:48.460 Okay, any other questions? 00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:53.460 Who? 00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:58.460 Bye. 00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:03.460 We must stop being Christians in the sense, sometimes when you go to a place, 00:19:03.460 --> 00:19:12.460 instead of being able to relate to people around us, we separate ourselves as a separate group of people. 00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:21.460 I rarely find Christians going to concerts. I rarely find Christians going to anything that is perhaps cultural. 00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:27.460 Everything just focuses around a place where Christians gather around Christ. 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:31.460 Surely there is a world out there that we are supposed to percolate. 00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:37.460 Surely there is a way to relate to people other than telling them, do you know Jesus Christ? 00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:45.460 Surely there is a way to sit at a table and say, we don't drink, and then stop all conversation. 00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:47.460 Surely there is a better way. 00:19:49.460 --> 00:19:56.460 These things are important. We are a counterculture, but they must not become the label that we wear, 00:19:56.460 --> 00:20:01.460 because in one second we cut people off and the communication ends. 00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:08.460 And then who will take care of all the wrongs that have been done in the name of Christianity if we already cut ourselves off? 00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:15.460 Yeah, things that on one hand we know we will not compromise, but on the other hand to be able to relate, 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:22.460 maybe become like that. I mean, look at the one we follow. Look at the one we follow. 00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:25.460 Hangs out with fishermen who have a foul mouth. 00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:28.460 Hangs out with priests who have a foul mouth. 00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:31.460 Hangs out with Christians who have a foul mouth. 00:20:31.460 --> 00:20:33.460 Look at the one we follow. Look at the one we follow. 00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:36.460 Hangs out with fishermen who have a foul mouth. 00:20:36.460 --> 00:20:41.460 Hangs out with prostitutes who nobody wants to approach. 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:45.460 Hangs out with tax collectors who no one will talk to. 00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:48.460 Hangs out with thieves and the scum of the earth. 00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:51.460 These are the men he hangs out with. 00:20:51.460 --> 00:20:57.460 And then he also can wear a robe that they gambled over because it was made of fine cloth. 00:20:57.460 --> 00:21:02.460 And he hangs out with Pharisees and Sadducees and the rich young ruler. 00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:06.460 And he's at ease when he's sitting at a table at a banquet. 00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:15.460 And he's at ease when a woman of ill repute known throughout the town comes and weeps and wipes his feet with her hair. 00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:19.460 This is the man we follow. 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:32.460 As you get older, may you not be known as that Christian grandma who as soon as anybody comes near you is going to spring the Christ trap on them. 00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:36.460 May you have a conversation. 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:39.460 Same applies to grandpas. 00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:41.460 I'm getting there. 00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:43.460 Right on. 00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:45.460 Go ahead, Chum. 00:22:11.460 --> 00:22:32.460 Become like this, guys. 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:35.460 This is who we are because of who he is. 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:38.460 I'm not asking us to be anything that he wasn't. 00:22:39.460 --> 00:22:41.460 We're not trying to be seeker friendly. 00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:43.460 We're just trying to be like him. 00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:29.460 First Peter 315. 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:31.460 It says it this way. 00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:42.460 First Peter 315 says, be prepared to give an answer to anybody who anybody who asks you the reason for your hope. 00:23:42.460 --> 00:23:51.460 And so when I read that, one of the things that grabs me is, is the reason for my hope showing? 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:55.460 Is the reason for my hope showing? 00:23:55.460 --> 00:24:02.460 And I want, as I walk the earth, to let the reason for my hope show. 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:05.460 And in the process, let them talk. 00:24:05.460 --> 00:24:10.460 And then it says, so that you may answer them and give them a reason for your hope. 00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:15.460 And that when you do it, you will do it with gentleness and with respect. 00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:17.460 I love that. 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:23.460 And so, oh God, I pray for this church that all of us seated here may walk this earth, 00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:33.460 oozing with the reason for our hope so that even if you have a conversation with me about your God that is not a God, 00:24:33.460 --> 00:24:41.460 you will itch to ask me why I am different and why I ooze the hope that I have. 00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:45.460 And then I'll be prepared to give you an answer and I'll give it with gentleness and with respect. 00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:51.460 He might still end up being a preacher before he's eight, if he's exposed to this too much longer. 00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:59.460 There's this little kid in India, in Bangalore. 00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:04.460 Whenever anyone sets up the board, he goes and starts imitating me. 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:10.460 And that's such a, I mean, when I see him, I laugh because he does such a good job. 00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:14.460 He doesn't know what he's saying, but his little kid in, yeah, just on the side. 00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:15.460 And I saw Shiloh. 00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:17.460 Guys, the next thing, that they may see your good works. 00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:20.460 Let your light shine, that they may see your good work. 00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:21.460 That's the next one. 00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:23.460 Let your light so shine that they may see your good work. 00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:27.460 So let's look at good works and then we may not get to the last bit. 00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:49.460 Just so you know, everyone's watching. 00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:54.460 Okay, so what is good works involved? 00:25:54.460 --> 00:26:00.460 When we say good works, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works. 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:02.460 So what is good works involved? 00:26:02.460 --> 00:26:06.460 One, good works involves giving, not taking. 00:26:06.460 --> 00:26:08.460 And giving life, not taking. 00:26:09.460 --> 00:26:17.460 Good works involves giving life, not taking. 00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:23.460 But Jacob, isn't that obvious? 00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:32.460 No, nowadays Christianity is willing to compromise and take life, compromise and do harm for the sake of a greater good. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:35.460 Good works involves giving, not taking life. 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:42.460 It's from Matthew 10, 10, sorry, John 10, 10, which says, Jesus came to give life. 00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:48.460 So, good works will not say that abortion is okay. 00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:51.460 Good works does not take life. 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:57.460 Good works won't shoot a doctor who performs abortions. 00:26:57.460 --> 00:27:02.460 That's not good works for the sake of saving the baby. 00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:10.460 Good works does not indulge in social justice causes where someone is harmed so that the poor may benefit. 00:27:14.460 --> 00:27:16.460 So it's important nowadays to put this down. 00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:27.460 Two, good works nurtures, good works nurtures the image of God and creation. 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:33.460 Good works nurtures the image of God and people and creation. 00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:40.460 As in, it does every, what it simply means is, guys, good works, if God says indulge in good works, 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:45.460 it will always try to restore the dignity of man. 00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:50.460 It will never do anything that causes the dignity of man to suffer. 00:27:50.460 --> 00:27:53.460 Good works will always nurture the image of God in man. 00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:56.460 As in, it will bring dignity. 00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:59.460 And two, it will take care of creation. 00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:05.460 It may not go hug trees, but it ain't happy with destroying creation either. 00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:13.460 And these are important things because Christians are known not to think like this. 00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:24.460 Good works is done with the intent, good works is done with the intent of being a benefit to someone, 00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:39.460 being a benefit to someone, being a benefit to someone by pouring out the benefits you have. 00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:46.460 Being a benefit to someone by pouring out the benefits you have. 00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:50.460 Don't worry, man, I'll just keep turning this thing around. 00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:57.460 Okay. Could someone just applaud him or something? He's feeling a little dis... Oh, you got it here. 00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:07.460 Good works is being a benefit to someone by pouring out the benefits that you have. 00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:10.460 And that's the very idea of being a benefactor. 00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:12.460 The Bible has this category called benefactors. 00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:19.460 Benefactors are those that do things to benefit others, but they do it not by taking up an offering. 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:24.460 They do it by pouring out the benefits that they have. 00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:36.460 Let's say you have tons of bandages and medicines at home, and you've worked a 16-hour shift, 00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:43.460 and then you decide that now, 16-hour shift, really tired, haven't cooked for the kids at home, Mark can do that today. 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:47.460 I got to go down to this place in Cloverdale where there are some that need it. 00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:52.460 And out of your... you pour out your strength, your treasure, your talent, your time. 00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:57.460 And sometimes you have to do it sacrificially. 00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:06.460 Good works meets temporal needs. 00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:16.460 Good works meets temporal needs and telescopes the Father, and telescopes the Father. 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:23.460 As in, all you're doing is meeting the temporal, material, immediate needs of people. 00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:25.460 But in the process, you telescope the Father. 00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:32.460 As in, they get to see someone who belongs to the Father and eventually get to see the Father. 00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:34.460 It telescopes the Father. 00:30:35.460 --> 00:30:40.460 I know I've said this here before, but someone said this, that God is a distant star. 00:30:40.460 --> 00:30:41.460 You are the telescope. 00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:48.460 To many, to many, God is a distant star, and you are the telescope. 00:30:54.460 --> 00:30:56.460 Good works is faith. 00:30:56.460 --> 00:31:08.460 Good works is faith, love, and works combined. 00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:12.460 It's a faith, love, and works combo. 00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:13.460 Where do we find this? 00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.460 James 2, verse 16. 00:31:14.460 --> 00:31:19.460 If you find someone who is shivering in the cold, don't go and say to him, 00:31:19.460 --> 00:31:25.460 Oh, I bless you, stay warm, may you miraculously be warm today, and walk away. 00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:31.460 And to do that, James says, is faith without work. 00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:38.460 So in James chapter 2, it says that love your neighbor as you love yourself. 00:31:38.460 --> 00:31:42.460 Not love your neighbor instead of yourself, love your neighbor as. 00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:43.460 It changes everything. 00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:49.460 What you desire for yourself, desire with the same passion, thinks for your neighbor. 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:54.460 We get scared because we think the Bible is saying, love your neighbor instead of yourself. 00:31:54.460 --> 00:31:56.460 It's not saying instead, it is saying as. 00:31:56.460 --> 00:32:00.460 And so good works is when faith, love, and works collide. 00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:14.460 While we go about this, guys, we got to make sure that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. 00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:20.460 That we don't practice good works with the intent of being recognized. 00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:24.460 Jesus Christ is the Lord of the universe. 00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:26.460 We have to recognize. 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:28.460 Jesus was so put off by that. 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:35.460 He would say that some of these guys, they go and they do their good works in the open so that people can acknowledge them. 00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:40.460 So on one hand, that is part of the truth that I'm not too indulged in good works. 00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:49.460 By after doing good work, take a photograph of me and then put it on Twitter saying, privileged to be serving. 00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:54.460 That doesn't really help. 00:32:58.460 --> 00:33:00.460 What's my great joy to serve today? 00:33:00.460 --> 00:33:02.460 Then you stand next to this. 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:05.460 That you don't have to tweet that picture. 00:33:09.460 --> 00:33:13.460 Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them. 00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:18.460 The message puts it this way, don't indulge in theatrics. 00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:28.460 And yet in 1 Timothy 5.25, in 1 Timothy 5.25, it says, anybody who does good work, it will eventually be known. 00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:31.460 But you are not trying to make it known. 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:34.460 It says in 1 Timothy 5.25, good works are obvious. 00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:37.460 Even those ones that are not obvious will not remain hidden forever. 00:33:37.460 --> 00:33:41.460 Why? Because a city on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:45.460 It will show, but it won't show because you tweeted it. 00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:53.460 Guys, I just want to take a shortcut and go and say something else. 00:33:54.460 --> 00:34:00.460 Do not think that good works is some charitable token act that we have to indulge in annually. 00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:02.460 This is the heart of the father. 00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:10.460 When you look at the number of scriptures that are in the Bible, starting with Matthew 5 where it says, 00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:14.460 let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify the father. 00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:21.460 Then you go to Ephesians, sorry, then you go to Ephesians 2.10 and it says, 00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:28.460 we are God's workmanship created for good works in Christ Jesus. 00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:33.460 Before you were even founded, before you were even formed, 00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:39.460 there were good works that were appointed to Rosalind that she needs to walk in while she is here on earth. 00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:45.460 This is how critical it is to God that we engage in this thing called good works. 00:34:46.460 --> 00:34:49.460 In 2 Timothy 3.16, this blew my mind. 00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:53.460 2 Timothy 3.16 is a scripture that most old Christians know. 00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:57.460 And by old I don't mean age, anyone who's been around for a while. 00:34:57.460 --> 00:35:00.460 And here's what it says, all scripture is God-breathed. 00:35:00.460 --> 00:35:03.460 And it is for correction, rebuke, admonishment and encouragement. 00:35:03.460 --> 00:35:10.460 So that, so that we may be fruitful in good works. 00:35:10.460 --> 00:35:17.460 That even the scripture that we learn is supposed to make us people that walk the earth engaging in good works. 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:21.460 Why? Because this is a God who poses rain on the good and the evil, 00:35:21.460 --> 00:35:24.460 who causes his son to shine on the good and the evil. 00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:28.460 He doesn't demarcate, he just is who he is. He is good. 00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:31.460 A good, good father can only do good, good works. 00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:35.460 And if a good, good father has good, good children, they and the father do good, good works. 00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:38.460 And so this is critical to his heart. 00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:46.460 And so please don't think that we are talking about this because we need to do a soup kitchen. 00:35:46.460 --> 00:35:49.460 A soup kitchen is the easiest thing in the world to do. 00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:51.460 You only have to do it twice a year and feel happy. 00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:58.460 Yep. 00:35:58.460 --> 00:36:03.460 From them, absolutely. 00:36:03.460 --> 00:36:10.460 Second Corinthians 9, 8, God is able to bring good works to the world. 00:36:10.460 --> 00:36:15.460 And so God is able to bring good works to the world. 00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:18.460 From them, absolutely. 00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:22.460 Second Corinthians 9, 8, God is able to bless you abundantly 00:36:22.460 --> 00:36:28.460 so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:32.460 One of the reasons God is willing to resource, supply, give you money, 00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:39.460 it's not so that you can do anything else but first indulge in this thing called good work. 00:36:39.460 --> 00:36:43.460 Just imagine it, eh? You want to increase in money? 00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:48.460 This is the right reason so that I may abound in good works. 00:36:48.460 --> 00:36:53.460 And as you abound in good works, listen to me businessmen, listen to me entrepreneurs, 00:36:53.460 --> 00:36:56.460 listen to me those that want to make money. 00:36:56.460 --> 00:37:00.460 May you make money because you have set your heart on good works. 00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:03.460 And what are the good works? Why do we do good works? 00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:06.460 We've been talking about the reasons here. 00:37:06.460 --> 00:37:09.460 It doesn't matter how old you get, doesn't matter whether you have a job, 00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:12.460 doesn't matter whether you're retired or still working. 00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:16.460 Good works will always be furnished with actual money. 00:37:19.460 --> 00:37:21.460 Why? Because it's dear to the Lord's heart. 00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:28.460 Because He ain't going to stop doing good because someone raises a fist at Him and thumbs His nose at Him. 00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:33.460 I've told you this and I mean this story illustrates it better than any other story. 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:37.460 I was with Roland Tan in a little town called Colchester in the UK. 00:37:37.460 --> 00:37:47.460 A man came in who had fallen into a ditch and he had affected his foot. 00:37:47.460 --> 00:37:50.460 It was swollen. He comes in because it's a men's breakfast. 00:37:50.460 --> 00:37:53.460 Has breakfast. We ask if anyone wants healing. 00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:57.460 He comes up. We pray for him. He gets healed in 45 seconds. 00:37:57.460 --> 00:37:59.460 The knee goes back to normal. It's fully flexible. 00:37:59.460 --> 00:38:05.460 And then we ask him the question, would you like to now know Jesus Christ who healed you? 00:38:05.460 --> 00:38:11.460 He said the breakfast was great. My knee is healed. I don't need Jesus. I'm out of here. 00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:13.460 And he walked away. 00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:22.460 And I wasn't outraged. I was blown away that God who knows exactly what this man is going to do 00:38:22.460 --> 00:38:26.460 still fed him and healed him. 00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:30.460 Because He is good. 00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:36.460 If we can grasp the fact that He is good and good works is something He wants to do through His children here on earth, 00:38:36.460 --> 00:38:39.460 then we won't see this as part of Christian activity. 00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:43.460 We'll see it as part of what fathers and sons do. 00:38:49.460 --> 00:38:59.460 Colossians 1.10. That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work. 00:38:59.460 --> 00:39:03.460 It's not that we aren't doing good works, guys. We've done good works in Shillong. 00:39:03.460 --> 00:39:06.460 We've done good works in Mongolia. We're doing good works in Nandigama. 00:39:06.460 --> 00:39:11.460 We're doing good works in other places in India. We've done great work in Vietnam. 00:39:11.460 --> 00:39:16.460 We've done good works everywhere. But now it's time to do good works locally. 00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:24.460 How? As churches, as families, as individuals, as people, as people who are in need of healing. 00:39:24.460 --> 00:39:30.460 And now it's time to do good works locally. How? As churches, as families, as individuals. 00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:36.460 And by churches I mean every church that meets in a house should now think about what can we do? 00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:44.460 Families and individuals and churches now beginning to engage in this thing that the father's heart throbs for. 00:39:44.460 --> 00:40:00.460 Because here's the thing. Being heavily involved in doing good works towards unbelievers is foundational to creating opportunities to give an account of the faith within us. 00:40:00.460 --> 00:40:07.460 Doing good works creates opportunities that are foundational in telling people, 00:40:07.460 --> 00:40:14.460 hey, the reason I am the way I am and the reason I do the way I do things is because of the Christ who lives in me. 00:40:14.460 --> 00:40:17.460 Good works becomes an opportunity. 00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:27.460 Sometimes good works will require standing up for those that don't have a voice. 00:40:27.460 --> 00:40:37.460 Sometimes good work will require standing up for those that don't have a voice. 00:40:37.460 --> 00:40:53.460 Like babies who are being aborted, like the poor, like the disenfranchised, like the refugee. 00:40:53.460 --> 00:41:02.460 These are the ones that sometimes need a voice, not a voice against, not legal things first, but a voice to first speak. 00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:12.460 And once we begin to go down this road, if anybody here, if one of the house churches that meets in a house in Vancouver from here begins to take up a cause like this, 00:41:12.460 --> 00:41:21.460 And once we begin to go down this road, if anybody here, if one of the house churches that meets in a house in Vancouver from here begins to take up a cause like this, 00:41:21.460 --> 00:41:27.460 then know that it will meet ridicule, it will have disapproval thrown at it and that it will be scorned. 00:41:27.460 --> 00:41:34.460 But sometimes good work requires that you be persecuted. 00:41:34.460 --> 00:41:49.460 And sometimes the persecution will come from within the church. 00:41:49.460 --> 00:41:54.460 Any questions before we go on? 00:41:54.460 --> 00:42:01.460 Okay. 00:42:01.460 --> 00:42:09.460 Is it ever possible to do too many good work? Yes. And you won't be poorer for it, someone will be richer for it. 00:42:09.460 --> 00:42:17.460 Yeah. It is possible to do a lot. 00:42:17.460 --> 00:42:23.460 Guys, here's the thing, eh? We are told to be wise and we are told to steward things well. 00:42:23.460 --> 00:42:33.460 And what we mean by that is do not go to the extremes, Jacob. Be generous, but don't be too generous. Do good work, but don't do too much good work. 00:42:33.460 --> 00:42:41.460 So we always put these limits so that we don't go overboard. And yet the thing is, thank God, God doesn't think like that. 00:42:41.460 --> 00:42:50.460 God doesn't go through his generosity with me and say, ah shucks gave him too much in the first two months. 00:42:50.460 --> 00:42:56.460 He doesn't do that. We are the ones who say, if you got to be good stewards, you don't want to just go extreme. 00:42:56.460 --> 00:43:02.460 You don't want to get too generous. As if there is something wrong to being too generous. 00:43:02.460 --> 00:43:07.460 As long as you are not God in someone's life. 00:43:07.460 --> 00:43:17.460 Too generous is like Father God. There's nothing called too generous. 00:43:17.460 --> 00:43:28.460 Because he is. 00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:39.460 Absolutely. Yeah. If I indulge in good works, if I neglect my wife and kids and dog, 00:43:39.460 --> 00:43:54.460 and take care of someone else's wife and kids and dog. Now that's not good work. That's a bad work. Yeah. Yeah. 00:43:54.460 --> 00:44:22.460 So here are the three levels that good work can. 00:44:22.460 --> 00:44:31.460 Don, I don't know what you did, but it's working again. Amazing, what he can do. He just walks towards it and it comes on. 00:44:31.460 --> 00:44:39.460 Actually, what happened is by mistake, I turned it off. 00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:53.460 Okay guys, here are three levels of engagement in terms of good work. One is good occupations. 00:44:53.460 --> 00:45:02.460 Good occupation. By that I mean engage in occupations where you can show forth your good life to people. 00:45:02.460 --> 00:45:22.460 Second, engage in occupations through which you show your life to others. 00:45:22.460 --> 00:45:29.460 Second, good works in the church. 00:45:29.460 --> 00:45:43.460 This is when we are aware of those that may need help in church. 00:45:43.460 --> 00:45:55.460 And we benefit them. I'm very surprised always when I hear stories in this church of how someone was in need and someone else went and did something for them. 00:45:55.460 --> 00:46:01.460 I hear it about two months after the event and I'm so glad that this is not something that has to go through the church. 00:46:01.460 --> 00:46:10.460 It happens between you. Where people are helping each other, where jobs are being found, where money is being transferred, where cars are given away, 00:46:10.460 --> 00:46:16.460 where plane tickets arrive, where rents are paid, where houses are open. It's crazy. 00:46:16.460 --> 00:46:24.460 Oh by the way, there's this guy called Evan who's from Vernon. His folks go to Eric's Church. 00:46:24.460 --> 00:46:32.460 Evan had a word given to him when he came for the young adults meeting that God will have him come to Vancouver. 00:46:32.460 --> 00:46:44.460 And the guy is finishing his course in two weeks and he decided to obey the prophetic word and he is moving to Vancouver. 00:46:44.460 --> 00:46:53.460 So he needs a place to stay. Cool. And then he'll find his own job and find a place to stay. 00:46:53.460 --> 00:46:58.460 But initially he may need a place to stay. So that's what I'll throw that in. 00:46:58.460 --> 00:47:04.460 First Timothy 5-10, it talks about the women and when I was reading this verse in First Timothy 5-10, 00:47:04.460 --> 00:47:11.460 I was thinking of the older women in this church. And here's what it says about the older women in church. 00:47:11.460 --> 00:47:17.460 They are well reported for good works. They brought up children, they've lodged strangers, they've washed the saints feet, 00:47:17.460 --> 00:47:22.460 they've relieved the afflicted, they've diligently followed every good work. 00:47:22.460 --> 00:47:25.460 It was part of what the older women in a church were supposed to do. 00:47:25.460 --> 00:47:32.460 And as I was reading this, I could think of different incidents and different people in this church who've done some of these things. 00:47:32.460 --> 00:47:38.460 So it's not that we're not doing this. All we are getting is more intentional in terms of how we do it. 00:47:38.460 --> 00:47:48.460 And the third category is good works in the community. Good works in our neighborhood. 00:47:48.460 --> 00:47:54.460 Good works in our neighborhood. 00:47:54.460 --> 00:48:02.460 And that's when you take up a project as a church or you join with other churches or you take up a project as an individual or a family 00:48:02.460 --> 00:48:06.460 and it gives you the opportunity to do something for someone in the neighborhood. 00:48:06.460 --> 00:48:12.460 Acts 9, verse 36, there was this woman called Tabitha whose other name was Dorcas. She died. 00:48:12.460 --> 00:48:17.460 And when they died, they brought Peter to her house. And when they brought Peter to her house, 00:48:17.460 --> 00:48:23.460 they said, look at the stuff that she used to tailor for the poor. 00:48:23.460 --> 00:48:28.460 May some of your good works be recognized only when you die and we won't raise you up. 00:48:28.460 --> 00:48:32.460 Maybe because with Tabitha she was raised up again. 00:48:32.460 --> 00:48:40.460 And let them, may most of the good things about you be said when you can't hear them. 00:48:40.460 --> 00:48:44.460 So Tabitha was one woman like that. May I suggest to you that in Acts chapter 4, 00:48:44.460 --> 00:48:50.460 when people brought and placed land and possessions and money at the feet of the apostles, 00:48:50.460 --> 00:48:57.460 it says, and it was distributed to each according to their need, that there was a distribution there too. 00:48:57.460 --> 00:49:00.460 But good works happen. 00:49:00.460 --> 00:49:07.460 And so, I want to end with this thought that guys, as families, as individuals, as a church, 00:49:07.460 --> 00:49:15.460 as leaders of house churches, begin to come up with projects for your neighborhood. 00:49:15.460 --> 00:49:20.460 Some of you are gifted in this. Gifted in this. 00:49:20.460 --> 00:49:22.460 Budget has never been an issue in this church. 00:49:22.460 --> 00:49:27.460 Our numbers may be small, but we've never attempted anything that is within our reach. 00:49:27.460 --> 00:49:29.460 It's always beyond our reach. 00:49:29.460 --> 00:49:32.460 So when you look at the different house churches in different places, 00:49:32.460 --> 00:49:37.460 what is it that you can do in your neighborhood? 00:49:37.460 --> 00:49:40.460 Why are we doing this? Because it is the heart of God. 00:49:40.460 --> 00:49:42.460 That's why we're doing it. 00:49:42.460 --> 00:49:46.460 We're not doing this because we want to do some civic duty. 00:49:46.460 --> 00:49:51.460 We're doing this because it is the heart of God. 00:49:51.460 --> 00:49:55.460 I remember being in India and talking about good works, 00:49:55.460 --> 00:49:58.460 and a man came up to me and said, I've got some land that I want to sell 00:49:58.460 --> 00:50:01.460 so that you can take it and use it for money, for good works. 00:50:01.460 --> 00:50:03.460 And then he comes back and says, can you give me two more months 00:50:03.460 --> 00:50:06.460 because I have a feeling the price of land is going to go up. 00:50:06.460 --> 00:50:08.460 I met him last week and he said, oh, by the way, 00:50:08.460 --> 00:50:10.460 I just want to tell you that the price of land really shot up. 00:50:10.460 --> 00:50:13.460 Is it the right time to sell so that you can have more money to do good work? 00:50:13.460 --> 00:50:21.460 I'm thinking to myself, where do these crazy people come from? 00:50:21.460 --> 00:50:24.460 He didn't want to sell the land then because he had the strange feeling 00:50:24.460 --> 00:50:28.460 that it's going to shoot up in price. 00:50:28.460 --> 00:50:35.460 And it did. 00:50:35.460 --> 00:50:38.460 I'm calling on myself. I'm calling on the leaders of this church. 00:50:38.460 --> 00:50:40.460 I'm calling on churches that meet in houses. 00:50:40.460 --> 00:50:42.460 I'm calling on the house church leaders. 00:50:42.460 --> 00:50:48.460 I'm calling us to take this part of the heart of the father up. 00:50:48.460 --> 00:50:53.460 I pray, God, today that you and I will really take this seriously. 00:50:53.460 --> 00:50:56.460 I really think you do with every meeting that is taught here 00:50:56.460 --> 00:50:59.460 and that you go home and you say, father, in my neighborhood, 00:50:59.460 --> 00:51:02.460 can you show me something that we can do 00:51:02.460 --> 00:51:06.460 that will begin to have us reach out as your children 00:51:06.460 --> 00:51:08.460 because you're a good, good father. 00:51:08.460 --> 00:51:11.460 Some of us can do that as individuals, some of us as families. 00:51:11.460 --> 00:51:19.460 What if he did it as individuals, as families, and as households? 00:51:19.460 --> 00:51:24.460 What if he engaged in all three levels? 00:51:24.460 --> 00:51:26.460 When you're in your neighborhood, you begin to do something. 00:51:26.460 --> 00:51:30.460 And not a token thing, something that lasts over a period of time 00:51:30.460 --> 00:51:32.460 so that relationships are built. Why? 00:51:32.460 --> 00:51:38.460 Because at the end of the day, if you have good lives, 00:51:38.460 --> 00:51:44.460 if you build good homes, and if you engage in good works, 00:51:44.460 --> 00:51:50.460 it authenticates the proclamation of the good news. 00:51:50.460 --> 00:51:59.460 Good words are nice. Good words are nicer. 00:51:59.460 --> 00:52:05.460 In good words is a combination of faith, love, and words. 00:52:05.460 --> 00:52:11.460 Let's just pray. Then we'll pray for Annie and Tate. 00:52:11.460 --> 00:52:14.460 Does someone want to bring Tate back up, all the kids back up? 00:52:14.460 --> 00:52:17.460 I wonder what Sheldon and Jeevan are doing with them. 00:52:17.460 --> 00:52:20.460 It scares me, that combination. 00:52:20.460 --> 00:52:24.460 Let's just pray for what we just taught. 00:52:24.460 --> 00:52:29.460 Father, never thought that good works was part of your heart, 00:52:29.460 --> 00:52:31.460 thought it was a Christian thing to do. 00:52:31.460 --> 00:52:36.460 But you just hate that phrase, Christian thing to do. 00:52:36.460 --> 00:52:40.460 You just dislike that phrase. 00:52:40.460 --> 00:52:46.460 Many times you've used phrases like, 00:52:46.460 --> 00:52:48.460 be holy because I am holy. 00:52:48.460 --> 00:52:54.460 And now you're saying, be guys who do good works because I do good works. 00:52:54.460 --> 00:52:57.460 And so we as a church now come and say, 00:52:57.460 --> 00:53:00.460 we're sorry we didn't clue on earlier. 00:53:00.460 --> 00:53:05.460 But now that you've made it very obvious in terms of how you do things, 00:53:05.460 --> 00:53:07.460 you're on earth, count us in. 00:53:07.460 --> 00:53:11.460 Across this room, starting with me and then with other leaders, 00:53:11.460 --> 00:53:14.460 House Church leaders, ones who are gifted, 00:53:14.460 --> 00:53:17.460 ones who have businesses, ones who have a heart for this, 00:53:17.460 --> 00:53:21.460 ones who like doing things that bring justice, 00:53:21.460 --> 00:53:23.460 bring kindness, bring mercy. 00:53:23.460 --> 00:53:26.460 Oh God, what you cause to rise in this church? 00:53:26.460 --> 00:53:30.460 People that'll say, here is something that I think we can do. 00:53:30.460 --> 00:53:32.460 Here is something that we can do as a group of three, 00:53:32.460 --> 00:53:34.460 as a family, as a church. 00:53:34.460 --> 00:53:37.460 Here is something we can do so that, oh God, from us, through us, 00:53:37.460 --> 00:53:42.460 will rise to you the aroma of good works that begins to affect people. 00:53:42.460 --> 00:53:46.460 Our benefits being poured out towards somebody else. 00:53:46.460 --> 00:53:52.460 And in the process, oh God, would you allow us to build relationships? 00:53:52.460 --> 00:53:57.460 Would you give us opportunities to tell people about the hope that is in me? 00:53:57.460 --> 00:53:59.460 The hope that is in me? 00:53:59.460 --> 00:54:03.460 There has never been a time where people go and indulge in good works. 00:54:03.460 --> 00:54:08.460 And it doesn't open up the heart of people. 00:54:08.460 --> 00:54:16.460 But if salt loses its saltiness, what use is it? 00:54:16.460 --> 00:54:18.460 Grant us this prayer, Jesus. 00:54:18.460 --> 00:54:20.460 Enable us, Holy Spirit. 00:54:20.460 --> 00:54:23.460 Be blessed, Father, because as we do this, 00:54:23.460 --> 00:54:29.460 they will see you and glorify you. 00:54:29.460 --> 00:54:31.460 This is what we ask for today. 00:54:31.460 --> 00:54:35.460 We thank you for another prayer that you're going to answer in Jesus' name. 00:54:35.460 --> 00:54:37.460 Amen. 00:54:37.460 --> 00:54:48.460 You know the way the message phrases Matthew 5.16 is... 00:54:48.460 --> 00:54:49.460 Let me just find it. 00:54:49.460 --> 00:54:52.460 Can someone read Matthew 5.16 from the message? 00:55:01.460 --> 00:55:03.460 Matthew 5.16 from the message. 00:55:03.460 --> 00:55:04.460 Oh, here it is. 00:55:04.460 --> 00:55:06.460 Keep open house. 00:55:06.460 --> 00:55:08.460 Be generous with your lives. 00:55:08.460 --> 00:55:14.460 By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, 00:55:14.460 --> 00:55:16.460 this generous Father in heaven. 00:55:16.460 --> 00:55:18.460 Keep open house. 00:55:18.460 --> 00:55:20.460 Be generous with your lives. 00:55:20.460 --> 00:55:26.460 By opening up to others, you will prompt people to open up with God, 00:55:26.460 --> 00:55:28.460 this generous Father in heaven. 00:55:28.460 --> 00:55:31.460 Cool, no? 00:55:31.460 --> 00:55:35.460 Alrighty, any thoughts, any questions, anything you want to add? 00:55:35.460 --> 00:55:37.460 Is state in the house? 00:55:37.460 --> 00:55:39.460 State, Annie, if you can come up. 00:55:39.460 --> 00:55:47.460 I'm just going to ask Derek and Sue to come up too. 00:55:47.460 --> 00:55:49.460 Just lay hands, me, you two. 00:55:49.460 --> 00:55:52.460 And I'm going to ask you to come up. 00:55:52.460 --> 00:55:54.460 Just lay hands, me, you two. 00:55:54.460 --> 00:55:59.460 And just come up and lay hands on Annie and Pete. 00:55:59.460 --> 00:56:04.460 And just pray that the Holy Spirit will fill them. 00:56:04.460 --> 00:56:06.460 A fresh, a new. 00:56:06.460 --> 00:56:09.460 Because this is a moment that they have chosen to be obedient. 00:56:09.460 --> 00:56:12.460 Every time someone is obedient, heaven's open. 00:56:12.460 --> 00:56:16.460 And every time heaven's open, God pulls out something new. 00:56:16.460 --> 00:56:18.460 Obedience opens the heaven. 00:56:18.460 --> 00:56:20.460 So I'm going to ask you guys to come up. 00:56:20.460 --> 00:56:25.460 And just pray that as they are yielded in obedience, 00:56:25.460 --> 00:56:27.460 may the Spirit of God fill them a fresh. 00:56:27.460 --> 00:56:29.460 Yeah? 00:56:29.460 --> 00:56:37.460 God tells us to tell you that you are a young man that desires the wisdom of God. 00:56:37.460 --> 00:56:40.460 People run after the wisdom of God. 00:56:40.460 --> 00:56:44.460 So we pray that Obedience. 00:56:44.460 --> 00:56:49.460 And we pray that the Holy Spirit will fill them. 00:56:49.460 --> 00:56:52.460 And we pray that the Holy Spirit will fill them. 00:56:52.460 --> 00:56:56.460 And we pray that the Holy Spirit will fill them. 00:56:56.460 --> 00:57:03.460 So we pray that Obedience, Pete, that you will be full of God's wisdom. 00:57:03.460 --> 00:57:07.460 And that you would speak God's love in your life, 00:57:07.460 --> 00:57:10.460 keep reflecting that love to others. 00:57:10.460 --> 00:57:12.460 We ask you, Lord, now, 00:57:12.460 --> 00:57:15.460 fill this young man with that love. 00:57:15.460 --> 00:57:20.460 Rejoice in him and let him be with that love. 00:57:26.460 --> 00:57:28.460 Amen. 00:57:56.460 --> 00:57:58.460 Amen. 00:58:26.460 --> 00:58:39.460 I realize it's not only the breaking of darkness that's over her, 00:58:39.460 --> 00:58:43.460 but it's breaking the darkness of her life. 00:58:43.460 --> 00:58:48.460 So Lord, may your Holy Spirit fill this young man with that love. 00:58:48.460 --> 00:58:55.460 In faith, we accept that Obedience, we should actually be child God. 00:58:55.460 --> 00:58:56.460 So we just pray for that. 00:58:56.460 --> 00:58:59.460 For Holy Spirit, for our Father, 00:58:59.460 --> 00:59:05.460 break into her life, break into every dark spot, corner of that. 00:59:05.460 --> 00:59:10.460 May your light shine. 00:59:10.460 --> 00:59:14.460 Amen. 00:59:14.460 --> 00:59:18.460 Father, as a body we pray and commit her into your precious hands. 00:59:18.460 --> 00:59:21.460 May the Holy Spirit just fill her, Lord, 00:59:21.460 --> 00:59:24.460 from the top of her head to the tip of her toes, Lord. 00:59:24.460 --> 00:59:30.460 So that she would feel that she is a new birth child of God. 00:59:30.460 --> 00:59:33.460 The kingdom of God has opened up to her, Lord. 00:59:33.460 --> 00:59:38.460 There is no limit, unrestricted access that she has with you. 00:59:38.460 --> 00:59:40.460 In the face, in the presence of God, 00:59:40.460 --> 00:59:43.460 she will walk and be strengthened every day. 00:59:43.460 --> 00:59:47.460 Father, I see a nurturing spirit that you have given her, 00:59:47.460 --> 00:59:52.460 that her heart will be so drawn to people who need your love 00:59:52.460 --> 00:59:55.460 that she will be so generous with your love with others. 00:59:55.460 --> 01:00:00.460 In the name of Jesus, we pray over her. 01:00:10.460 --> 01:00:13.460 If you need prayer, feel free to come up and someone will pray with you. 01:00:13.460 --> 01:00:20.460 I'll ask Joan and Jillian and Anne, and Derek, 01:00:20.460 --> 01:00:27.460 and Jeevan's not here, Jeevan, to come and pray for people. 01:00:27.460 --> 01:00:31.460 So, hey, do you want to just end with that? 01:00:31.460 --> 01:00:35.460 Raise a hallelujah. 01:00:35.460 --> 01:00:39.460 Do do do do do do do do. 01:00:39.460 --> 01:00:41.460 Can you pull it, Ryan? 01:00:41.460 --> 01:00:44.460 Guys, go say hi to Larry and Laurie, 01:00:44.460 --> 01:00:46.460 and to Shikha and Shubin, 01:00:46.460 --> 01:00:50.460 and to Prashanth's friend Abel. 01:00:50.460 --> 01:00:53.460 Yeah, let's make... 01:01:41.460 --> 01:01:48.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:01:48.460 --> 01:01:55.460 Louder than the unbelief 01:01:55.460 --> 01:02:02.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:02:02.460 --> 01:02:08.460 Louder than the unbelief 01:02:08.460 --> 01:02:15.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:02:15.460 --> 01:02:20.460 My weapon is a melody 01:02:20.460 --> 01:02:26.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:02:26.460 --> 01:02:31.460 Heaven comes to fight for me 01:02:31.460 --> 01:02:33.460 Let's just sing that one. 01:02:33.460 --> 01:02:38.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:02:38.460 --> 01:02:44.460 In the presence of my enemy 01:02:44.460 --> 01:02:50.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:02:50.460 --> 01:02:55.460 Louder than the unbelief 01:02:55.460 --> 01:03:01.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:03:01.460 --> 01:03:06.460 My weapon is a melody 01:03:06.460 --> 01:03:12.460 I raise a hallelujah 01:03:12.460 --> 01:03:17.460 Heaven comes to fight for me 01:03:17.460 --> 01:03:20.460 Cause I'm gonna sing 01:03:20.460 --> 01:03:23.460 In the middle of the storm 01:03:23.460 --> 01:03:26.460 Louder and louder 01:03:26.460 --> 01:03:29.460 You're gonna hear our praises roar 01:03:29.460 --> 01:03:32.460 Up from the ashes 01:03:32.460 --> 01:03:35.460 Hope will arise 01:03:35.460 --> 01:03:38.460 Cause death is defeated 01:03:38.460 --> 01:03:41.460 The king is alive 01:03:41.460 --> 01:03:43.460 Sing a little louder 01:03:43.460 --> 01:03:45.460 Sing a little louder 01:03:45.460 --> 01:03:46.460 Can you... 01:03:49.460 --> 01:03:52.460 Sing a little louder 01:03:54.460 --> 01:03:58.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:00.460 --> 01:04:03.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:06.460 --> 01:04:08.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:08.460 --> 01:04:11.460 In the presence of my enemies 01:04:11.460 --> 01:04:14.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:14.460 --> 01:04:17.460 Louder than the unbelief 01:04:17.460 --> 01:04:19.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:19.460 --> 01:04:22.460 My weapon is a melody 01:04:22.460 --> 01:04:25.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:25.460 --> 01:04:28.460 Heaven comes to fight for me 01:04:28.460 --> 01:04:31.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:31.460 --> 01:04:34.460 In the presence of my enemies 01:04:34.460 --> 01:04:37.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:37.460 --> 01:04:40.460 Louder than the unbelief 01:04:40.460 --> 01:04:42.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:42.460 --> 01:04:45.460 My weapon is a melody 01:04:45.460 --> 01:04:48.460 Sing a little louder 01:04:48.460 --> 01:04:53.460 Cause heaven comes to fight for me 01:04:58.460 --> 01:05:00.460 Thanks for watching! 01:05:28.460 --> 01:05:30.460 Thanks for watching! 01:05:58.460 --> 01:06:00.460 Thanks for watching! 01:06:28.460 --> 01:06:30.460 Thanks for watching! 01:06:58.460 --> 01:07:00.460 Thanks for watching! 01:07:28.460 --> 01:07:30.460 Thanks for watching!