WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: John 17 - Oneness Publishing Date: 2026-09-06T03:04:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/john-17-oneness/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:18.000 That's a good thing. Alrighty. We were talking about John 17. We said that it's something 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:26.160 that we have to look at, and this church needs it. And so last time we spoke, we spoke about, 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:33.040 Hey, Derek, before we go further, can you just come up and tell us about Don and Kez and Kez's mom and how they're doing? 00:00:43.040 --> 00:00:50.720 Can you hear him? Just give you a mic. Just stand there, but take a mic. You can stand there. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:01:00.400 Aunty is doing much better. She had a surgery three weeks ago, three or four weeks ago now. 00:01:00.400 --> 00:01:06.560 She's recovering, going through further treatment. Don and Kez, they have a place there now. They've 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:14.000 rented a place. So uncle and aunty, after aunty got discharged, she's with them. So they're good. Pray for them. 00:01:14.080 --> 00:01:17.360 And he works nights and then... Yes, he works nights. 00:01:18.080 --> 00:01:24.080 Wow. Meaning he works India night time so that he's working for the company here. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:30.400 And Eliakim? Celebrated his first birthday a couple of weeks ago. 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:35.120 Cool. Thanks, Derek. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:46.640 Okay. So when we first, two weeks ago, we talked about being one with majesty. How, 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:52.880 just imagine this. I know I've said this a few times, but it must blow your mind every time. 00:01:52.880 --> 00:01:55.280 There are three trillion galaxies. 00:01:56.240 --> 00:02:09.040 There are 100 billion planets in each galaxy. There are 400 billion stars in each galaxy. 00:02:10.320 --> 00:02:18.640 Our galaxy is called the Milky Way. To go from one end of the Milky Way to the other end, 00:02:18.640 --> 00:02:22.720 at the speed of light, and by the way, the speed of light is about one hundred billion 00:02:22.720 --> 00:02:29.520 kilometers per second. To just go across the Milky Way, which is one of the smaller galaxies, 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:36.000 at the speed of light will take you 220,000 years. Just one galaxy. 00:02:39.200 --> 00:02:45.920 And there are three trillion galaxies. There's a star that you can see tonight called Proxima 00:02:45.920 --> 00:02:51.840 Centauri. That's the closest star to us. That star that you see tonight sent out, 00:02:51.840 --> 00:03:03.360 the light that you see from that star tonight started coming towards your eye in May of 2022. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:09.120 What you see tonight is the Milky Way. The Milky Way is the star that you see tonight. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:14.320 The Milky Way is the star that you see tonight. The Milky Way is the star that you see tonight. 00:03:14.320 --> 00:03:19.280 What you see tonight is because that light has traveled since May 2022. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:25.120 That's why you'll see it tonight. This is the God that you are serving. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:31.920 This is why the children's song, or not the children's song, the simple chorus, 00:03:31.920 --> 00:03:40.000 what a mighty God we serve, is perhaps the only way to describe a God like this. What a mighty God. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:48.320 This is a God who we are talking about right now. This is a God we were worshipping. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:58.800 And so you have this God who exists as Father, as Jesus, and as the Son. I'm deliberately writing 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:07.360 it that way because they are one. It's the Father. There's the Father. There's Jesus. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:17.520 And there's the Son. And they are one. And they exist outside of creation. And they've made this 00:04:17.520 --> 00:04:26.160 enormous creation of the three trillion galaxies are only what we know of. And in the Milky Way, 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:30.160 one of the hundred billion planets is a planet called Earth. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:36.160 And on that little planet called Earth is little Dishalti. 00:04:40.400 --> 00:04:43.440 There are eight billion people on that planet and Dishalti is one among them. 00:04:46.400 --> 00:04:54.400 And God does something crazy. Through Christ, he takes Dishalti and seats him right here with the 00:04:54.400 --> 00:05:16.960 triune godhead. Dishalti is one with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. He's one with them. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:25.600 He's united to this God by the Spirit of God. He's one with them. As in the Spirit that flows to the 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:31.120 Father, the Son is the same Spirit that now continues to flow through Dishalti. 00:05:35.280 --> 00:05:40.880 Is there any doubt as to whether Dishalti is love? Who is he? There are days when even we are not 00:05:40.880 --> 00:05:48.400 mindful of him. This Dishalti, because God yearns to have him sit at the same table as the triune 00:05:48.400 --> 00:05:54.480 godhead, loves him so much that he takes him from one of hundred billion planets in one of the three 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:01.280 trillion galaxies and seats him with the Father, Son, and the Spirit in absolute oneness. The oneness 00:06:01.280 --> 00:06:05.680 that Dishalti has with the Father, Son, and the Spirit is the same oneness that the Father has 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:14.480 with Jesus. The way the Father loves Dishalti is exactly the same way that the Father loves Jesus. 00:06:16.400 --> 00:06:22.880 These are mind-numbing things. We cannot understand them, but you have to think about them. 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:29.040 These are numbers we don't understand. These are numbers that Elon Musk doesn't understand. 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:35.360 We talked about this. 00:06:38.400 --> 00:06:44.160 So by the Spirit, we are united 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:56.720 to Christ. By the Holy Spirit, we are united to Christ, or we are one with Christ. One with Christ. 00:06:57.520 --> 00:07:07.680 Guys, this oneness is so intrinsic, intense, intimate. 00:07:09.760 --> 00:07:16.400 It's so extreme, this oneness, that in 1 Corinthians 6.15, 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:25.440 if you read the message version here, it says that to have sex with a prostitute is to take 00:07:25.440 --> 00:07:32.400 Christ's body to a whorehouse. That's what the message version says. And I deliberately chose it 00:07:32.400 --> 00:07:40.400 because it's in such gross language. But what's it trying to say? It's trying to say you and Christ 00:07:40.400 --> 00:07:47.600 have become one. The oneness is so intrinsic, so intimate, so intense, that for a man or a woman 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:54.560 to go sleep with someone else other than their spouse is like taking Christ's body to a whorehouse. 00:07:56.400 --> 00:08:02.640 That's how God sees this oneness. 1 Corinthians 6.15 message. 00:08:04.880 --> 00:08:09.280 I'm glad it's a message that said that, not me, because I wouldn't use words like that. 00:08:09.280 --> 00:08:13.520 But that's the intent. That's what is being conveyed. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:24.240 And so if that is how God thinks, and I should think of this physical body, conversely, think of 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:34.240 the benefits that are accrued to you. Think of the benefits. Think of the benefits accrued to you, 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:41.680 to your physical body, 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:51.920 because you are united, because you are one with Christ's body. Think of it in terms of wholeness, 00:08:52.960 --> 00:09:00.960 in terms of healing. We'll talk about this one day, but I just want us to think about it. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:11.040 If me going and lying down with a prostitute is taking Christ and taking Christ's body to a whorehouse, 00:09:11.680 --> 00:09:18.240 taking his body and joining it to a prostitute, it also then means that me being united with Christ 00:09:18.800 --> 00:09:24.640 does accrue huge benefits in terms of wholeness and healing to this body, this physical body. 00:09:25.280 --> 00:09:26.320 Just keep that in mind. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:34.240 That's not what we're talking about today. I just wanted us to remember that for the future, 00:09:34.560 --> 00:09:44.640 because we will talk about it. Today we are going to read John 17, 21 to 24, and we begin this idea 00:09:44.640 --> 00:09:51.680 of what does it take for this church to enter into that kind of oneness? John 17, let's start at verse 20 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:58.640 to 24. My prayer, this is Jesus praying, he prays in the will of God, 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:08.240 and he's praying to his father. My prayer is not for them alone, as in the 12 disciples around him. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:14.160 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:23.600 that all of them may be one. Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, that all of them may be 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:30.720 one. That's his desire. That's his prayer. May they also be in us so that the world may believe 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:36.160 that you have sent me. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 00:10:36.160 --> 00:10:42.480 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:49.120 in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:55.440 me even as you have and have loved them even as you've loved me. When you read this, it's so many 00:10:55.440 --> 00:11:02.000 sentences strung together that you kind of go past it. So let's just kind of break it up and see what 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:08.160 happens. So here are some statements you need to and I need to remember as a church. Jesus views, 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:19.040 Jesus views our oneness, even though the word used is unity, I want to use the word oneness 00:11:19.040 --> 00:11:25.360 because it perhaps goes even deeper. It's not unity in purpose or unity in a choir or unity 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:35.280 in singing. It's this idea of oneness. Jesus views our oneness and our mission 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:41.120 as inseparable. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:48.640 Jesus views our oneness and our mission as inseparable, as in if you're not one, 00:11:48.640 --> 00:12:00.480 your mission will not succeed. And so here's what he's saying. There are three things he talks about. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:07.520 He says, guys, this might, we might have to labor over it because I think we always skip John 17. 00:12:07.760 --> 00:12:14.240 I think we always skip John 17 and don't really look at it. So we'll take it slowly. 00:12:16.640 --> 00:12:23.920 So he views our oneness, this church's oneness and this church's mission as inseparable. So if we 00:12:23.920 --> 00:12:31.040 lack in this, we will lack in this, regardless of how gifted, talented and anointed we are. 00:12:31.040 --> 00:12:42.240 So he grounds oneness in three things. One, being in him. Two, his love. Three, his glory. 00:12:43.760 --> 00:12:47.760 These are the things he says are important if we want to function 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:53.680 as a part of our mission. So we need to be in the same place. 00:12:53.680 --> 00:13:01.840 His glory. These are the things he says are important if we want to function as ones that 00:13:03.920 --> 00:13:11.200 operate in unity. So here's what he's saying. Here's what he's saying. Just as the father 00:13:13.920 --> 00:13:15.600 is in Christ 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.320 and 00:13:18.880 --> 00:13:19.920 loves Christ 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:27.920 and gives Christ his glory, 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:34.960 so the father 00:13:38.800 --> 00:13:40.240 is in us, 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.680 loves us, 00:13:44.160 --> 00:13:45.280 loves us 00:13:47.520 --> 00:13:55.520 and gives us his glory. That's what those verses are basically saying. Question is, why? 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:04.320 And the answer is that we may be one, 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:10.160 that our oneness be visible, 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:24.000 that the world may see our visible oneness, 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.880 may see our visible oneness, 00:14:35.280 --> 00:14:38.400 and that they may know 00:14:42.880 --> 00:14:45.680 Christ was sent 00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:48.960 by God. 00:14:50.400 --> 00:14:52.480 Just ponder on that for a second. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:15:00.960 So here's what Jesus is saying. Just as the father is in me, just as he loves me, 00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:12.640 just as he gives me his glory, so the father is in us or in this church, he loves us the same way. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:23.520 He loves us the same way and he gives us his glory. Question is, why? And the answer Jesus 00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:32.640 provides. He says, the reason I'm doing this is that we may be one. That ain't enough. That this 00:15:32.640 --> 00:15:41.600 oneness may be visible, that the world may then see this visible oneness, and if they do, then they 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:52.480 will know that Christ was sent by God. And so if they don't see this visible oneness, 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:55.680 they will not know that Christ was sent by God. 00:15:55.760 --> 00:16:13.840 Halfway through this message, I wanted to teach on faith and prayer and all the other easy things, 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:15.200 because this is the hardest thing. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:27.440 See, the problem with this is, guys, the world can't see 00:16:31.760 --> 00:16:43.520 Jesus in us and us in Jesus. It's not visible. What is visible is this idea of 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:46.640 believers 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:52.480 loving each other 00:16:55.360 --> 00:17:01.600 in a way that is otherworldly. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:17.360 And that, Jesus is saying, will be a sign of two things. One, that I live in you. 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:28.880 Two, that I love you. And he says, you've got to make that visible church. 00:17:32.560 --> 00:17:39.120 And I want to say to us that we've got a lot of growing to do. Lots. We're not talking about 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:44.880 being nice to each other, loving each other. We're talking about a oneness that is just 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:48.400 ridiculous. As we go further, we'll talk about it. But here's what he's saying. 00:17:50.080 --> 00:17:54.480 He says that, listen, nobody, you can go tell people the spirit of God is in me and I'm in 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:02.320 the spirit. They can't see it if you say it, but they can see it if you in this church begin to 00:18:02.320 --> 00:18:12.000 love each other in such a way that it is otherworldly. And that is not one of our core 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:16.400 goals in this church. We have to change that. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:25.440 We do love the Lord. We do like each other, but we're talking about just another level, eh? 00:18:29.040 --> 00:18:33.600 And he says, if they begin to see this otherworldly kind of love between you with, 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:39.920 and this is why it's critical that a church be made up of many different races, many different 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:47.120 backgrounds, young and old, male and female, different nations, different tribes. It's critical 00:18:47.840 --> 00:18:55.120 because it's impossible for humans to exist in the kind of oneness that believers can exist in. 00:18:55.840 --> 00:19:03.760 It's impossible. And when they see this otherworldly love, two things will happen. This is Jesus 00:19:03.760 --> 00:19:09.280 speaking. This is not some pie in the sky stuff. He's saying two things will happen. One, they'll 00:19:09.280 --> 00:19:15.120 know that God must live in them because it's impossible. And two, they'll know that our shucks, 00:19:15.120 --> 00:19:19.760 these guys must be loved by God because they must have learned it from someone else 00:19:19.760 --> 00:19:26.160 because this is not how the world operates. Any questions before we go on? 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:35.760 Sorry? 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:44.320 God's saying that when you begin to love this way, they'll know that I live in you because it's 00:19:44.320 --> 00:19:50.240 impossible for Mike to love this way, but they'll know that our shucks, God must live in Mike. 00:19:56.560 --> 00:20:10.000 Yeah, so her question is, shouldn't it extend beyond us to other people too? Strangely enough, 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:16.400 in this prayer, Christ is distinguishing that yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only son, 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:29.120 but you guys are children of God. Here's a principle that sometimes divides people. 00:20:33.520 --> 00:20:40.000 John 1 says, for those who received him, he gave them the right to be children of God, 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:48.240 which means then that the creation that he gave his son to die for are creation. They are created 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:54.240 ones. They become children of God when they receive Christ. And one of the things that John 00:20:54.240 --> 00:21:02.720 17 is saying is, listen, let them see how loved and how loving the children of God are and let 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:10.640 that begin to bring in them a desire to know this God. It is like Goshen. Goshen was in the 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:16.960 middle of Egypt and the Egyptians were in awe how when things would go wrong in Egypt, Goshen was 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:22.720 still intact. This is a different Goshen. This Goshen is, look at these people. It doesn't matter 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:28.320 what comes their way. Righteousness, peace, joy, power and rest are theirs and they seem to be 00:21:28.320 --> 00:21:39.760 tremendously loved and they love each other. His intent is to, can I use my family to show them 00:21:39.760 --> 00:21:49.360 who I am so that they want to join this family? Can I use my family to show them who I am so that 00:21:49.360 --> 00:21:52.160 they can join this family? 00:21:58.800 --> 00:21:59.440 Any questions? 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:14.880 So his question is, when you talk about oneness, are you talking about purpose and unity in terms of us? 00:22:15.280 --> 00:22:20.320 Or are you talking about, because oneness is usually about unity and, you know, 00:22:21.040 --> 00:22:29.360 different things. Yeah. So Jesus' statement is, oh God, can you make Dilna and Jacob and James one, 00:22:29.360 --> 00:22:38.960 just like you and the Spirit and I are one? And that just makes it very difficult for Dilna and 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:44.000 James, because Jacob is much better off, but Dilna and James, yeah, it'll be a struggle. But 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:53.360 this kind of oneness is beyond purpose and unity. This is like me being as open to you as I would be 00:22:53.360 --> 00:23:00.640 to my own son or daughter. And that's why we have a lot of growing to do, because we don't even want 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:07.920 to grow here. It's a kind of oneness that a spouse has with her husband or a husband with a wife. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:18.320 It is so wonderful and costly, as most marriages are. Right, Kamal? Yeah. 00:23:23.760 --> 00:23:28.800 Yeah, so it's more than unity and purpose. Because here's the thing, guys. When it comes to unity and 00:23:28.800 --> 00:23:33.680 purpose, we got it. I mean, look at how many boxes were thrown at Jeremy. 00:23:33.840 --> 00:23:42.480 But this is way beyond that, man. And we are out of our depth here. This will be like 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:55.840 learning how to walk. We have a lot of growing to do. If you look at John 15, 9 and 10, John 15, 9 and 10, 00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:05.120 it says, 00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:13.520 Now, remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, 00:24:13.520 --> 00:24:20.480 just as I have obeyed my father's commands and remain in his love. Now, go to John 13, 35. 00:24:21.280 --> 00:24:26.560 John 13, 35, starting at 34. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:43.440 Again, he's confining these statements to the ones that are his. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:54.640 A day will come when he will say, now you can go out to the world. But right now, it's to his own. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:25:05.040 So here's the thing, guys. Our oneness should be visible. Oneness when it isn't visible 00:25:05.040 --> 00:25:15.600 does not accomplish the goal of Christ. Oneness must be visible. Or unity must be visible. 00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:35.440 And this oneness can only be visible if we love one another as Christ loves us. 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:46.320 Or let's break it down even further. If I love you as Jesus loves me. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:49.280 That's when this oneness will begin to happen. 00:25:49.280 --> 00:26:04.160 Here's the crazy thing. On that, as in when the world recognizes that, on that recognition 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:17.120 and on that alone Trusts the possibility 00:26:17.280 --> 00:26:21.840 that the world 00:26:24.080 --> 00:26:27.440 or the k pinky rights. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:49.700 that the world might believe that Christ was sent by God. 00:26:49.700 --> 00:27:00.220 That part is very bothersome. 00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:07.480 That our love for each other has to be recognized, and that recognition and that recognition 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:18.420 alone is what makes it possible for the world to believe that Christ was sent by God, which 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:21.300 raises this terrible question. 00:27:21.300 --> 00:27:26.620 When the world sees the church, when the world sees Acts 29, when the world sees other churches, 00:27:26.620 --> 00:27:39.100 is that what they see? 00:27:39.100 --> 00:27:41.700 Can the world see our relationship with each other? 00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:43.740 Here's the question. 00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:57.340 Can the world see our relationship with each other? 00:27:57.340 --> 00:28:05.260 Can the world see our relationship with each other and believe? 00:28:05.260 --> 00:28:06.260 Same question. 00:28:06.260 --> 00:28:11.500 Can the world see our relationship with each other? 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:27.540 Can the world see our relationship with Jesus and the Father and believe? 00:28:27.540 --> 00:28:28.980 Let's not even think of other churches. 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:33.060 Let's think of our church. 00:28:33.060 --> 00:28:37.260 I'm saying that won't be enough. 00:28:37.260 --> 00:28:43.620 We'll have to grow before God can say, hey, guys, I'm sending someone because they need 00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:46.300 to see how much you like each other, how much you love each other. 00:28:46.300 --> 00:28:52.780 I'm so sure that when they come and see it, they'll know that I've been sent by the Father. 00:28:52.780 --> 00:29:00.060 We're not there. 00:29:00.060 --> 00:29:07.820 This is crazy, man. 00:29:07.820 --> 00:29:15.620 In fact, the world sometimes looks at the church and thinks, a very definitive no. 00:29:15.620 --> 00:29:21.380 During COVID, a little virus split the church in half. 00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:22.540 We didn't need persecution. 00:29:22.540 --> 00:29:25.340 We just needed the virus. 00:29:26.340 --> 00:29:32.020 Any questions? 00:29:32.020 --> 00:29:36.940 Guys, the problem is we don't think this is important. 00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:42.540 We think loving more than the world loves is good enough. 00:29:42.540 --> 00:29:48.620 That's like taking this standard and upping it by this much when Christ is there at the 00:29:48.620 --> 00:29:50.620 roof. 00:29:50.620 --> 00:29:52.200 This is why it's not important. 00:29:52.200 --> 00:30:02.120 This is why after 35 years is the first time I'm taking John 17 and looking at it carefully. 00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:04.000 Because we do sacrifice for each other. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.240 We go out of our way. 00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:09.840 You saw the video where Evan is saying, I've got to move this one, this one, that one, 00:30:09.840 --> 00:30:10.840 and this one. 00:30:10.840 --> 00:30:16.440 I mean, Evan's doing more than most people do. 00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:19.800 That should be enough. 00:30:19.800 --> 00:30:22.240 And yet Christ is demanding a higher standard. 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:34.040 Any questions? 00:30:34.040 --> 00:30:37.640 So God wants us to grow and model fearless love, selfless love. 00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:40.680 And there's a lot of growing to do for Acts 29. 00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:43.360 And here's the thing. 00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:46.400 Churches go the way their leaders go. 00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:54.000 And so the ones that really have to up their ante and really begin to focus on this and 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:59.640 model it are the leaders. 00:30:59.640 --> 00:31:03.960 And so I'll have to, this is why I didn't want to preach this message because I'm preaching 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:21.560 something I'm not practicing the way I want to. 00:31:21.560 --> 00:31:24.280 Let's go to Philippians 2, verse 1 to 6. 00:31:24.280 --> 00:31:30.200 Philippians 2, verse 1 to 6. 00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:38.640 Please understand, I'm not saying that you are not like this. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:41.560 I'm talking about the church as a whole. 00:31:41.560 --> 00:31:46.320 We don't want one or two people practicing this brilliantly while the rest of us settle 00:31:46.320 --> 00:31:47.320 for less. 00:31:47.320 --> 00:31:49.120 He's saying us. 00:31:49.120 --> 00:31:52.640 He's not saying Anne Anilet or James. 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:53.640 No. 00:31:54.080 --> 00:32:02.400 He wants everyone in this. 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:07.440 Philippians 2, 1 to 6. 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:15.520 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, 00:32:15.520 --> 00:32:22.920 if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy 00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:34.600 complete by being like-minded, critical worthy by being like-minded, having the same love, 00:32:34.600 --> 00:32:38.400 being one in spirit and purpose. 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:45.560 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better 00:32:45.560 --> 00:32:47.720 than yourselves. 00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:53.840 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 00:32:53.840 --> 00:33:00.320 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, 00:33:00.320 --> 00:33:06.640 did not consider equality with God something to be held onto or grasped, but made himself 00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:13.280 nothing, taking the very nature of a servant and being made in human likeness. 00:33:13.280 --> 00:33:21.880 So where do we start with this whole thing of being one and being one by loving each 00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:24.120 other the way Christ loves us? 00:33:24.120 --> 00:33:35.600 First thing is a willingness to be like-minded. 00:33:35.600 --> 00:33:39.840 A willingness to be like-minded. 00:33:39.840 --> 00:33:41.280 What is like-minded? 00:33:41.280 --> 00:33:58.560 It is to become one heart and mind with each other and with God. 00:33:58.560 --> 00:34:01.760 So Jacob, what if there are differences? 00:34:01.760 --> 00:34:05.080 There will be differences and then that'll need sorting out. 00:34:05.080 --> 00:34:11.120 But before we go to the differences, let's start with this like-mindedness. 00:34:11.120 --> 00:34:14.600 The entire book of the Philippians, it's a letter. 00:34:14.600 --> 00:34:19.820 The letter of the Philippians was written by Paul because there were two women. 00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:22.640 One was Yodia and the other was Syntyche. 00:34:22.640 --> 00:34:26.940 And Yodia and Syntyche were having a fight in the church. 00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:31.920 They were women who had worked with Paul, worked really hard, solid believers, but they 00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:36.240 were having a strong disagreement and it was beginning to affect the church. 00:34:36.240 --> 00:34:40.600 And therefore Paul writes the letter of the Philippians. 00:34:40.600 --> 00:34:47.200 And so the idea of like-mindedness is to become one heart and mind with each other 00:34:47.200 --> 00:34:49.040 and with God. 00:34:49.040 --> 00:34:52.360 Or become one heart and mind with God and with each other. 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:54.940 Maybe that's a better way of putting it. 00:34:54.940 --> 00:35:01.560 And when there are differences, we'll have to figure out what is the more excellent way. 00:35:01.560 --> 00:35:06.020 And that will require conversations and scripture. 00:35:06.020 --> 00:35:11.860 And this is how this church can arrive at a place where we have such a oneness and such 00:35:11.860 --> 00:35:16.940 an ability to love each other that people that walk in will know that Christ was sent 00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:17.940 by God. 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:21.500 This is what God is saying. 00:35:21.500 --> 00:35:28.980 It's unimaginable, man. 00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:30.940 Any questions? 00:35:30.940 --> 00:35:38.660 So the first thing is the willingness to be like-minded. 00:35:38.660 --> 00:35:52.700 Because a willingness to be like-minded always forges oneness in love. 00:35:53.700 --> 00:36:06.220 The first requirement of like-mindedness is to have the mindset of Christ. 00:36:06.220 --> 00:36:07.580 What is the mindset of Christ? 00:36:07.580 --> 00:36:11.980 Very simple. 00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:26.540 He did not grasp for advantage or equality. 00:36:26.540 --> 00:36:30.060 Amazing, eh? 00:36:30.060 --> 00:36:32.220 That is what it takes to have the mindset of Christ. 00:36:32.220 --> 00:36:41.420 The mindset of Christ is that Jacob, going forward, will not do things in relationship 00:36:41.420 --> 00:36:54.380 where he will grasp or cling onto or fight for an advantage or for equality. 00:36:54.380 --> 00:36:57.660 That this is not some kind of sacrifice he is making. 00:36:57.660 --> 00:37:04.700 It has slowly become his nature. 00:37:04.700 --> 00:37:06.060 James puts it this way. 00:37:06.060 --> 00:37:09.300 What causes strife and dissension amongst you? 00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:11.780 This. 00:37:11.780 --> 00:37:15.060 What caused strife and dissension in heaven? 00:37:15.060 --> 00:37:16.060 This. 00:37:16.060 --> 00:37:19.820 Lucifer wanted advantage or equality. 00:37:19.820 --> 00:37:26.100 What caused strife and division in Eden? 00:37:26.100 --> 00:37:27.260 This. 00:37:27.260 --> 00:37:30.860 What causes strife and division once they fall? 00:37:30.860 --> 00:37:31.860 What does it say? 00:37:31.860 --> 00:37:35.220 The woman wants to have dominion over the man and the man will not allow it. 00:37:35.220 --> 00:37:37.580 Nobody wants to be disadvantaged. 00:37:37.580 --> 00:37:41.100 No one wants to give up on equality. 00:37:41.100 --> 00:37:46.140 Particularly in the western world and western civilizations where democracy is such a prized 00:37:46.140 --> 00:37:52.740 value, equality is highly sought after. 00:37:52.740 --> 00:37:58.940 And Christ in Gethsemane reverses it. 00:37:58.940 --> 00:38:04.260 So for oneness to develop, I and the leaders that are in this church will have to begin 00:38:04.260 --> 00:38:10.140 to cultivate this kind of an attitude and you and the leaders in this church and I will 00:38:10.140 --> 00:38:16.100 have to cultivate this kind of an attitude. 00:38:16.100 --> 00:38:17.340 Will it happen overnight? 00:38:17.340 --> 00:38:18.340 No. 00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:22.700 Or can it start overnight? 00:38:22.700 --> 00:38:26.140 Yes. 00:38:26.140 --> 00:38:27.940 Any questions? 00:38:27.940 --> 00:38:30.180 This will become commonplace, I assure you. 00:38:30.180 --> 00:38:33.500 I'm not picking this topic because I didn't have anything else to preach on. 00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:36.020 This is the one chapter I would avoid. 00:38:36.020 --> 00:38:39.300 I'm picking this topic because this is what God wants us to become next. 00:38:39.300 --> 00:38:47.020 During our times of worship, you'll find that everybody now knows how to engage in worship 00:38:47.020 --> 00:38:50.980 and you wouldn't find it uncommon. 00:38:50.980 --> 00:39:00.700 That wasn't how it was five years ago, guys. 00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:04.460 Any questions? 00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:28.380 Her question is, is this a matter of determining that we will be this way or is this something 00:39:28.380 --> 00:39:30.220 that? 00:39:30.220 --> 00:39:31.900 Is this something that Christ does? 00:39:31.900 --> 00:39:37.780 So when it comes to most things that Christ is, I have to determine that that is how I 00:39:37.780 --> 00:39:42.380 want to be and then Christ begins to do it. 00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:52.460 Because every day I will get to determine this maybe 40 times and then a week from now 00:39:52.460 --> 00:39:59.640 I will get to determine it only 30 times because I'm getting it right 10 times. 00:39:59.640 --> 00:40:02.800 Every day I'll get this opportunity. 00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:06.480 And when God begins to put his finger on something for a church and the church begins to pay 00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:17.840 attention as in the entire church begins to pay attention, it happens fast. 00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:24.240 He desires of the same oneness that he has given to Shalty in the heavenlies with the 00:40:24.240 --> 00:40:25.800 Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 00:40:25.800 --> 00:40:29.120 He wants that oneness through the Shalty with others. 00:40:29.120 --> 00:40:39.400 He's not settling for less. 00:40:39.400 --> 00:40:41.360 Now we'll become real Canadians. 00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:42.360 Sorry you first. 00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:43.360 No, no, no. 00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:44.360 Sorry you first. 00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:53.960 This will become just real. 00:40:53.960 --> 00:40:57.000 You can only stop clinging to equality. 00:40:57.000 --> 00:41:00.840 You can only stop. 00:41:00.840 --> 00:41:17.920 I can only stop clinging to equality, dignity, etc. when and I'll only stop jockeying for 00:41:18.840 --> 00:41:46.400 when I'm confident that I have a place or person I belong to who loves me. 00:41:46.400 --> 00:41:49.160 That's when you stop. 00:41:49.160 --> 00:41:55.000 Then you don't care because you lose nothing. 00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:57.440 You lack nothing. 00:41:57.440 --> 00:42:09.560 You know, I have a friend who has a church of 50,000 people. 00:42:09.560 --> 00:42:14.040 Most people go there and long to preach there. 00:42:14.080 --> 00:42:18.520 I mean they'll do anything to preach there because such a big audience, you'll do anything. 00:42:18.520 --> 00:42:27.640 I remember I became so good friends with him that it didn't matter anymore. 00:42:27.640 --> 00:42:37.200 It wasn't important to get something nor was it shattering when I had to go and preach 00:42:37.200 --> 00:42:42.360 at a church of 30 people in a village when I could have stood in front of 50,000 people 00:42:42.360 --> 00:42:43.360 and preach. 00:42:43.680 --> 00:42:44.680 It doesn't matter. 00:42:44.680 --> 00:42:51.800 Once you know you belong, once you know you're loved, it doesn't matter. 00:42:51.800 --> 00:42:54.520 Till then we cling to our advantage. 00:42:54.520 --> 00:42:56.640 We will fight for things. 00:42:56.640 --> 00:42:58.200 Our dignity matters. 00:42:58.200 --> 00:43:01.160 Positioning ourselves for the best matters. 00:43:01.160 --> 00:43:02.960 Once you have this, it doesn't matter. 00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:08.120 Which is why Jesus says it's important that you know that I love you Jacob just as I was 00:43:08.120 --> 00:43:09.120 loved. 00:43:09.120 --> 00:43:12.000 And then the father says, oh by the way I've got something to say to Jacob. 00:43:12.160 --> 00:43:16.360 I love you Jacob just as I love Jesus. 00:43:16.360 --> 00:43:21.600 Both of them, one in one ear, Jesus saying Jacob I love you just as I'm loved. 00:43:21.600 --> 00:43:25.960 And the father saying Jacob I love you just as I love Jesus. 00:43:25.960 --> 00:43:32.040 The more I settle in it, the more you'll stop wrestling for dignity or jockeying for position 00:43:32.040 --> 00:43:36.000 or advantage or wanting equality. 00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:37.000 Who cares? 00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:59.760 Now you can understand why Jesus in John chapter 13 verse 2 to 5 went and took off his robes, 00:43:59.760 --> 00:44:01.600 wrapped a towel around him. 00:44:01.600 --> 00:44:04.480 And it says he knew where he had come from and he knew where he was going. 00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:08.560 And so it was okay for him to become a bond servant. 00:44:08.560 --> 00:44:10.240 Okay for him not to become a bond servant. 00:44:10.240 --> 00:44:14.720 He was okay for him to take on, I don't know how to phrase it. 00:44:14.720 --> 00:44:19.200 Please understand guys, Jesus is not taking on a role. 00:44:19.200 --> 00:44:26.480 Jesus is living out his nature and your king is a servant. 00:44:26.480 --> 00:44:29.920 Jesus is not taking on a role. 00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:31.960 He's just living out his nature. 00:44:31.960 --> 00:44:36.080 Your king is a servant. 00:44:36.080 --> 00:44:41.640 So when he starts washing their feet, he's just doing what his nature is. 00:44:41.640 --> 00:44:48.520 He's not trying to teach them saying let me show you how kings can be humble. 00:44:48.520 --> 00:44:56.480 Crazy, eh? 00:44:56.480 --> 00:45:02.040 So let's pick on one thing we can work on and then we'll end. 00:45:02.040 --> 00:45:06.040 What destroys being one heart and mind with each other? 00:45:06.080 --> 00:45:09.560 What destroys this oneness? 00:45:09.560 --> 00:45:20.760 Let's take one WMD, weapon of mass destruction, that destroys oneness in the church. 00:45:20.760 --> 00:45:25.000 And that's all we'll practice for the next two weeks or so, okay? 00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:27.480 Just one. 00:45:27.480 --> 00:45:32.920 And that one thing is lies. 00:45:32.920 --> 00:45:35.920 Lies. 00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:38.800 We'll just take that one thing. 00:45:38.800 --> 00:45:51.200 So if you go to Ephesians 5.25, Ephesians 5.25, Ephesians 5.25, it says there, 00:45:51.200 --> 00:46:00.960 therefore having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour 00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:06.240 because we are members of one another. 00:46:06.240 --> 00:46:12.400 In the message it says, no more lies, no more pretense. 00:46:12.400 --> 00:46:14.800 Tell your neighbour the truth. 00:46:14.800 --> 00:46:19.920 In Christ's body, we are all connected to each other after all. 00:46:19.920 --> 00:46:22.920 When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. 00:46:22.920 --> 00:46:23.920 Let's read that again. 00:46:23.920 --> 00:46:31.520 Ephesians 5.25, first from the NIV or ESV or NETO, this is what it says. 00:46:31.520 --> 00:46:39.120 Therefore, Ephesians 4.25, my bad. 00:46:39.120 --> 00:46:42.560 At least the message is keeping us awake. 00:46:42.560 --> 00:46:48.000 Ephesians 4.25. 00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:51.120 Ephesians 4.25. 00:46:51.120 --> 00:46:58.080 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, well, 5.25 is about marriage, right? 00:46:58.080 --> 00:46:59.080 Okay. 00:46:59.080 --> 00:47:00.080 Okay. 00:47:00.080 --> 00:47:01.080 That was for someone else. 00:47:01.080 --> 00:47:02.080 Yeah. 00:47:02.080 --> 00:47:04.080 Ephesians 4.25. 00:47:04.080 --> 00:47:11.520 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour 00:47:11.520 --> 00:47:14.640 because we are members of one another. 00:47:14.640 --> 00:47:20.400 The message version, no more lies, no more pretense. 00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:22.280 Tell your neighbour the truth. 00:47:22.280 --> 00:47:26.760 In Christ's body, we are all connected to each other after all. 00:47:26.760 --> 00:47:30.800 When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. 00:47:30.800 --> 00:47:32.680 Yeah? 00:47:32.680 --> 00:47:35.640 So when we talk about lies, what are we talking about? 00:47:35.640 --> 00:47:45.440 We are talking about pretense, falsehood. 00:47:46.440 --> 00:47:48.640 These are the things that I included. 00:47:48.640 --> 00:48:10.440 Backbiting, slander, rash judging with words and falsifying someone's words. 00:48:10.440 --> 00:48:13.440 That's what we include in this. 00:48:13.440 --> 00:48:14.440 Yeah? 00:48:14.440 --> 00:48:17.440 There are questions on that. 00:48:17.440 --> 00:48:24.360 So one of the ways that we can work towards loving each other is to end these things in 00:48:24.360 --> 00:48:25.880 this church. 00:48:25.880 --> 00:48:28.880 Starting with me. 00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:37.760 Now I'm going through this list and if I look back at the last six months, I've done all 00:48:37.760 --> 00:48:44.080 this in some form or the other. 00:48:44.080 --> 00:48:51.200 If I don't change, then as much as like it or not, the way the kingdom works is if the 00:48:51.200 --> 00:48:55.920 leaders don't change, the people don't change, it doesn't make, sorry, God doesn't have leaders 00:48:55.920 --> 00:48:58.920 and followers so that's not what I'm trying to say. 00:48:58.920 --> 00:49:04.960 Things work top down and if you don't change, nothing will change. 00:49:04.960 --> 00:49:11.760 By leaders, I mean anyone who leads anything. 00:49:11.760 --> 00:49:12.920 This has to change. 00:49:12.920 --> 00:49:15.760 No more pretense. 00:49:15.760 --> 00:49:18.600 No more falsehood. 00:49:18.600 --> 00:49:21.320 No more backbiting. 00:49:21.320 --> 00:49:23.720 No more slandering. 00:49:23.720 --> 00:49:25.820 No more rash judging. 00:49:25.820 --> 00:49:28.320 No more falsifying someone's words. 00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:32.600 No more lying. 00:49:32.600 --> 00:49:35.960 Backbiting is, man, did you see Mae? 00:49:35.960 --> 00:49:42.400 She fell asleep halfway through the sermon. 00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:44.240 It's true. 00:49:44.240 --> 00:49:47.840 It did happen once. 00:49:47.840 --> 00:49:51.800 But why go tell someone else? 00:49:51.800 --> 00:49:55.000 See guys, there's another side to this. 00:49:55.000 --> 00:50:00.200 The other side to this is where people do not want to, you've heard that saying, right? 00:50:00.200 --> 00:50:04.560 If you have nothing good to say, don't say nothing at all. 00:50:04.560 --> 00:50:08.160 That's a falsehood too. 00:50:08.880 --> 00:50:17.720 That's as false as lying where you won't say anything because that is so self preserving 00:50:17.720 --> 00:50:22.520 that it's distasteful because for that line that says if you don't have anything good, 00:50:22.520 --> 00:50:27.520 don't say it at all, you've got another line that says evil prospers when good men stay 00:50:27.520 --> 00:50:36.520 silent. 00:50:36.520 --> 00:50:43.320 For this, we have to stop in this church and this I can only stop internally if I love 00:50:43.320 --> 00:50:44.320 you. 00:50:44.320 --> 00:50:47.320 Externally, I can stop it because I'm a Christian. 00:50:47.320 --> 00:50:50.920 Internally, I can stop it because I love you. 00:50:50.920 --> 00:50:52.920 That's the difference guys. 00:50:52.920 --> 00:50:55.560 Externally, this will be easy to stop. 00:50:55.560 --> 00:50:56.560 Don't do it. 00:50:56.560 --> 00:50:57.560 Don't do it. 00:50:57.560 --> 00:50:58.560 Don't do it. 00:50:58.560 --> 00:51:03.360 Internally, it is why would I go and tell someone about what happened with Mae when 00:51:03.360 --> 00:51:07.560 there's absolutely no reason to it except to tear her down, to disparage her. 00:51:14.360 --> 00:51:16.240 So let's start with this. 00:51:16.240 --> 00:51:20.760 We end this in this church over the next many weeks. 00:51:20.760 --> 00:51:22.960 Won't that be brilliant? 00:51:22.960 --> 00:51:26.760 Go ahead, Diana. 00:51:26.760 --> 00:51:28.760 Of what? 00:51:28.760 --> 00:51:29.760 Pretense? 00:51:29.760 --> 00:51:32.160 I'm hurt. 00:51:32.160 --> 00:51:41.160 I don't like what you've said, but I just make it appear that yeah, yeah, yeah, you've 00:51:41.160 --> 00:51:44.160 got a good point. 00:51:44.160 --> 00:51:48.560 Sometimes I may not be able to agree with you, so then I'll have to talk with you about 00:51:48.560 --> 00:51:50.720 it, find out ways to do it. 00:51:50.720 --> 00:51:53.000 We are not called to be peacekeepers. 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:57.560 We are called to be peacemakers. 00:51:57.560 --> 00:52:01.360 Blessed are the peacemakers, not the peacekeepers. 00:52:01.360 --> 00:52:07.960 Peace is when you're actually not happy, when you're actually hurt, but to avoid conflict 00:52:07.960 --> 00:52:16.000 and to keep church kumbaya, we won't deal with it. 00:52:16.000 --> 00:52:17.280 This is hard, guys. 00:52:17.280 --> 00:52:18.840 This is not easy. 00:52:18.840 --> 00:52:21.440 I don't expect us to change in a day. 00:52:21.440 --> 00:52:28.280 I really don't because I can't change in a day, but I am planning to go here because 00:52:28.280 --> 00:52:31.640 this oneness will be... 00:52:31.640 --> 00:52:32.640 This is... 00:52:32.640 --> 00:52:33.640 Let me put it this way. 00:52:33.640 --> 00:52:43.680 This is one of the last things God is bringing because I think once we get here, things will 00:52:43.680 --> 00:52:49.040 drastically change in the very structure of this church. 00:52:49.040 --> 00:52:50.680 Mark my words. 00:52:50.680 --> 00:52:55.240 Mark my words just like I remember telling you that a day will come in on St. Martin's. 00:52:55.240 --> 00:52:57.480 We will have a retreat center and churches. 00:52:57.880 --> 00:53:01.120 When I said that, they marked my words and I say to you this again. 00:53:01.120 --> 00:53:02.120 Mark my words. 00:53:02.120 --> 00:53:06.920 The day is coming when the oneness in this church will be so natural and normal that 00:53:06.920 --> 00:53:10.240 God will change the structure of this church. 00:53:10.240 --> 00:53:13.840 This church will be like repotted. 00:53:13.840 --> 00:53:14.840 Repotted. 00:53:14.840 --> 00:53:15.840 Sorry? 00:53:15.840 --> 00:53:35.560 May, look what I started. 00:53:35.560 --> 00:53:43.080 You know, Paul develops the subject of the church as a body, as a physical body. 00:53:43.080 --> 00:53:47.120 Paul develops the subject of the church as a body with different organs. 00:53:47.120 --> 00:53:50.440 A body with different organs or different parts. 00:53:50.440 --> 00:53:55.120 With different organs or parts. 00:53:55.120 --> 00:53:57.520 That's how he talks about the church. 00:53:57.520 --> 00:54:08.200 And so in a healthy body, in a healthy body, the organs work in harmony. 00:54:08.200 --> 00:54:20.320 In an unhealthy body, in a sick body or an unhealthy body, organs work against each other. 00:54:20.320 --> 00:54:23.000 Against each other. 00:54:23.000 --> 00:54:29.280 And so the hand then will have no problems deceiving the mouth. 00:54:29.280 --> 00:54:33.880 Not knowing that if you deceive the mouth, you don't get fed and the hand will eventually 00:54:33.880 --> 00:54:35.640 go limp. 00:54:36.080 --> 00:54:40.360 Or the eyes seek to deceive the ears. 00:54:46.360 --> 00:55:02.960 Stuff like this, the effect of lying and deceit in a congregation is devastating. 00:55:03.280 --> 00:55:12.000 Because it destroys fellowship. 00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:19.880 And it generates division. 00:55:19.880 --> 00:55:41.640 So what happens is we are careful of each other while we practice acts of love. 00:55:41.640 --> 00:55:45.600 And that is not oneness. 00:55:46.320 --> 00:55:51.920 And trust me man, one of the advantages or disadvantages of being a pastor is that you 00:55:51.920 --> 00:55:57.920 hear of the people that are hurt, the people that are not loved, the people that were offended, 00:55:57.920 --> 00:56:01.120 the people, and some of those offenses are real. 00:56:01.120 --> 00:56:04.360 They're not even pretend or not because people are touchy. 00:56:04.360 --> 00:56:13.000 And so this church has a lot of growing to do and look forward to it. 00:56:13.400 --> 00:56:17.400 Go to Acts chapter 5 and we'll end with that. 00:56:17.400 --> 00:56:19.400 Acts chapter 5. 00:56:29.400 --> 00:56:31.400 Acts chapter 5. 00:56:31.400 --> 00:56:38.400 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 00:56:38.800 --> 00:56:44.400 With his wife's full knowledge, he kept part of the money for himself, but brought the 00:56:44.400 --> 00:56:46.400 rest and put it at the apostles' feet. 00:56:46.400 --> 00:56:52.600 Then Peter said, Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied 00:56:52.600 --> 00:56:57.600 to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 00:56:57.600 --> 00:57:02.400 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold and after it was sold wasn't the money at 00:57:02.400 --> 00:57:03.900 your disposal? 00:57:03.900 --> 00:57:06.520 What made you think of doing such a thing? 00:57:06.640 --> 00:57:09.640 You have not lied to men, but to God. 00:57:09.640 --> 00:57:12.640 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. 00:57:12.640 --> 00:57:15.640 And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 00:57:15.640 --> 00:57:20.640 Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 00:57:20.640 --> 00:57:24.640 About three hours later, his wife came in not knowing what had happened. 00:57:24.640 --> 00:57:28.640 Peter asked her, tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land? 00:57:28.640 --> 00:57:30.640 Yes, she said, that is the price. 00:57:30.640 --> 00:57:34.640 Peter said to her, how could you agree to test the spirit of the Lord? 00:57:34.760 --> 00:57:39.760 Look, the feet of the men who buried her husband, your husband, are at the door and they will 00:57:39.760 --> 00:57:40.760 carry you out. 00:57:40.880 --> 00:57:55.880 So what's happening here is that a man tried to deceive the believing community. 00:57:55.880 --> 00:58:21.000 A man tried to deceive the believing community, but was really trying to deceive the Holy Spirit. 00:58:26.000 --> 00:58:35.000 Whose life-giving power created that community. 00:58:42.000 --> 00:58:44.000 It's very odd, eh, this story. 00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:52.000 Ananias is lying to Peter, and he's bringing money to the church to give it, and he's trying 00:58:52.000 --> 00:58:55.000 to deceive Peter and the church. 00:58:55.120 --> 00:59:02.120 But in trying to deceive Peter and the believing community, he's actually deceiving the Holy 00:59:02.120 --> 00:59:07.120 Spirit, whose life-giving power created the community. 00:59:08.120 --> 00:59:14.120 This is the same thing that happens with Saul when he is on the road to Damascus, and the 00:59:14.120 --> 00:59:19.120 voice he hears says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:59:19.240 --> 00:59:26.240 This idea of Christ in the body is so intrinsic, so intimate, so intense when it comes to how 00:59:26.240 --> 00:59:33.240 God thinks that Saul persecuting believers is taken as Saul persecuting Christ. 00:59:34.240 --> 00:59:36.240 Why are you persecuting me? 00:59:37.240 --> 00:59:41.240 And the same thing now applies to lying or deceiving the body. 00:59:41.240 --> 00:59:47.240 When I deceive the body, when I lie to the body, even though I might only be lying to 00:59:47.360 --> 00:59:54.360 Derek, I'm deceiving the Holy Spirit whose life-giving power created this community. 00:59:55.360 --> 00:59:58.360 We don't think like this. 01:00:00.360 --> 01:00:07.360 Part of the reason we don't think like this is because for guys like Peter and Paul, the 01:00:07.480 --> 01:00:14.480 presence and the authority of the Spirit in the church was very real. 01:00:14.600 --> 01:00:21.600 So to deceive the Holy Spirit is to, is an affront to God. 01:00:21.720 --> 01:00:28.720 And then later on his wife comes in and she does, tries the same thing. 01:00:28.720 --> 01:00:35.720 And that time, Paul says that in his, if I would rephrase it, deliberate deceit. 01:00:37.720 --> 01:00:42.720 And Paul says that in his, in his life, he was deceived by God. 01:00:43.720 --> 01:00:46.720 And he was deceived by God. 01:00:46.840 --> 01:00:53.840 And so to rephrase it, deliberate deceit tests the Holy Spirit. 01:01:00.840 --> 01:01:03.840 Because he's very forbearing, he has great patience. 01:01:04.840 --> 01:01:08.840 But when I deliberately plan deceit, it tests the Holy Spirit. 01:01:08.960 --> 01:01:15.960 And that aside, it gives Satan a breach to enter through. 01:01:17.960 --> 01:01:24.960 Because if you look at Acts chapter 5 verse 3, you're talking about Ananias who is a believer 01:01:24.960 --> 01:01:33.960 and he says, why has Satan, I think it says, Acts 5 3, Ananias, how is it said that Satan 01:01:34.960 --> 01:01:37.960 has so filled your heart? 01:01:38.080 --> 01:01:45.080 Makes sense because Jesus said, your father, the devil has been a liar since the beginning. 01:01:47.080 --> 01:01:54.080 So as we break bread and share in communion, can we decide that we are going to work towards 01:01:54.080 --> 01:01:55.080 this oneness? 01:01:55.080 --> 01:02:05.080 One of the things we'll put an end to is lies, backbiting, slander, deceit, falsehoods, and 01:02:05.200 --> 01:02:08.200 falsifying or changing someone else's words. 01:02:09.200 --> 01:02:12.200 And we'll now begin this process of being renewed in this. 01:02:13.200 --> 01:02:14.200 Why? 01:02:14.200 --> 01:02:19.200 Not because it's an external requirement, but because I love me. 01:02:20.200 --> 01:02:26.200 Because I love me, I will not backbite, I will not slander, I will not falsify her word, 01:02:26.200 --> 01:02:31.200 I will not disparage her for my own whatever. 01:02:31.320 --> 01:02:38.320 That I will not lie to her for the rest of my life and the rest of her life. 01:02:38.320 --> 01:02:39.320 Just imagine that. 01:02:39.320 --> 01:02:44.320 And I'm not doing it because it's an external requirement for a senior pastor or for a leader. 01:02:45.320 --> 01:02:50.320 I must do it because I love her enough and know that we have a oneness that Christ wants 01:02:50.320 --> 01:02:55.320 to bring so that when people see the relationship that I have with me, they will know that this 01:02:56.320 --> 01:02:59.320 is otherworldly and Christ must have been sent by God. 01:03:01.320 --> 01:03:04.320 Make sense? 01:03:05.320 --> 01:03:07.320 Okay, so let's start there. 01:03:07.320 --> 01:03:10.320 Can you turn to 1 Corinthians 10? 01:03:11.320 --> 01:03:14.320 I just want to look at some verses before we break bread. 01:03:15.320 --> 01:03:20.320 And then we'll just transact things with God silently, yeah? 01:03:21.320 --> 01:03:23.320 And then at some point we'll eat together. 01:03:24.320 --> 01:03:27.320 After the meeting is done, please, this is important. 01:03:27.440 --> 01:03:32.440 There are people amongst us that have worked day and night for the Neighbor Fest. 01:03:33.440 --> 01:03:36.440 And if it's possible, I know that some of us have to go home. 01:03:37.440 --> 01:03:41.440 But if it is possible and you don't really have to get home in 20 minutes, 01:03:42.440 --> 01:03:45.440 please stay so that they can share what they need to about tomorrow, yeah? 01:03:46.440 --> 01:03:49.440 It'll be something that we can honor them with in terms of our time. 01:03:50.440 --> 01:03:53.440 1 Corinthians 10? 01:03:53.560 --> 01:04:00.560 Okay, go to 1 Corinthians 10.17. 01:04:01.560 --> 01:04:10.560 Thanks, Andy. 01:04:11.560 --> 01:04:16.560 1 Corinthians 10.17, and here's what it says. 01:04:16.680 --> 01:04:22.680 Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, 01:04:23.680 --> 01:04:25.680 for we all partake of the one loaf. 01:04:26.680 --> 01:04:30.680 That one loaf meaning Christ, he was broken so that we are put back together. 01:04:31.680 --> 01:04:36.680 Next, go to 1 Corinthians 5.8. 01:04:36.800 --> 01:04:39.800 1 Corinthians 5.8. 01:04:42.800 --> 01:04:45.800 1 Corinthians 5.8. 01:04:46.800 --> 01:04:49.800 For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. 01:04:50.800 --> 01:04:52.800 This is kind of what we're doing. I'll start at verse 7. 01:04:53.800 --> 01:04:57.800 Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch without yeast. 01:04:58.800 --> 01:05:00.800 In our case, that yeast is lying. 01:05:01.800 --> 01:05:05.800 Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch without yeast as you really are. 01:05:06.800 --> 01:05:08.800 For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. 01:05:09.800 --> 01:05:12.800 Therefore, let us keep the festival not with old yeast, 01:05:13.800 --> 01:05:16.800 the yeast of malice and wickedness, and because we are addressing lying, 01:05:17.800 --> 01:05:20.800 I'll throw in lying, but with bread without yeast, 01:05:21.800 --> 01:05:23.800 the bread of sincerity and truth. 01:05:24.800 --> 01:05:26.800 Okay, and now go to 1 Corinthians 11. 01:05:27.800 --> 01:05:30.800 1 Corinthians 11. 01:05:31.800 --> 01:05:34.800 17. 1 Corinthians 11.17. 01:05:36.800 --> 01:05:39.800 1 Corinthians 11.17. 01:05:40.800 --> 01:05:43.800 Thanks. 01:05:44.800 --> 01:05:47.800 Yeah, thank you. 01:05:48.800 --> 01:05:51.800 Follow me as I read 1 Corinthians 11.17. 01:05:52.800 --> 01:05:55.800 Onwards. 01:05:56.800 --> 01:05:59.800 In the following directives, I have no praise for you, 01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:02.800 for your meetings do more harm than good. 01:06:02.920 --> 01:06:05.920 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, 01:06:06.920 --> 01:06:08.920 there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 01:06:09.920 --> 01:06:13.920 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 01:06:14.920 --> 01:06:17.920 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper you eat, 01:06:18.920 --> 01:06:22.920 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. 01:06:23.920 --> 01:06:25.920 One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 01:06:26.920 --> 01:06:28.920 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? 01:06:29.920 --> 01:06:31.920 Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? 01:06:32.920 --> 01:06:34.920 I have no praise for you. Shall I praise you for this? 01:06:35.920 --> 01:06:36.920 Certainly not. 01:06:37.920 --> 01:06:39.920 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you. 01:06:40.920 --> 01:06:42.920 The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 01:06:43.920 --> 01:06:45.920 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and he said, 01:06:46.920 --> 01:06:48.920 this is my body which is for you, do this in remembrance of me. 01:06:49.920 --> 01:06:51.920 In the same way, after supper, he took the cup, saying, 01:06:52.920 --> 01:06:54.920 this cup is a new covenant in my blood. 01:06:55.920 --> 01:06:57.920 Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. 01:06:58.920 --> 01:07:00.920 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, 01:07:01.040 --> 01:07:03.040 you will not be judged until he comes. 01:07:04.040 --> 01:07:06.040 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord 01:07:07.040 --> 01:07:09.040 in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 01:07:10.040 --> 01:07:13.040 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 01:07:14.040 --> 01:07:17.040 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord 01:07:18.040 --> 01:07:20.040 eats and drinks judgment on himself. 01:07:21.040 --> 01:07:23.040 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 01:07:24.040 --> 01:07:27.040 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 01:07:28.040 --> 01:07:30.040 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined 01:07:31.040 --> 01:07:33.040 and condemned to the world. 01:07:34.040 --> 01:07:36.040 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other, 01:07:37.040 --> 01:07:39.040 if anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, 01:07:40.040 --> 01:07:42.040 so that when you meet together, it may not result in judgment. 01:07:43.040 --> 01:07:45.040 And when I come, I'll give you further directions. 01:07:46.040 --> 01:07:48.040 Why read that passage? 01:07:49.040 --> 01:07:51.040 Today we are dealing with the idea or the thought that 01:07:52.040 --> 01:07:54.040 this church will learn not to lie to each other. 01:07:55.040 --> 01:07:57.040 That we will learn how not to lie to each other because we love each other. 01:07:58.040 --> 01:08:00.040 And that we will love each other by the power of the love of God 01:08:01.040 --> 01:08:03.040 in us. 01:08:04.040 --> 01:08:06.040 We will love each other just the way Jesus loves us. 01:08:07.040 --> 01:08:09.040 He never lies to us. 01:08:10.040 --> 01:08:12.040 When you pray to him, you rarely lie to him. 01:08:13.040 --> 01:08:15.040 You are starkly honest with him. 01:08:16.040 --> 01:08:18.040 We learn how to do this. 01:08:19.040 --> 01:08:21.040 God is about to do something marvelous, miraculous, 01:08:22.040 --> 01:08:24.040 just brilliant in our midst. 01:08:25.040 --> 01:08:27.040 So there will not be anything saying, eat or drink. 01:08:28.040 --> 01:08:30.040 At some point, tell the Lord, Father, today, I as a part of your church, 01:08:31.040 --> 01:08:33.040 I am going to change in this. 01:08:34.040 --> 01:08:36.040 Because we love, we will not lie. 01:08:37.040 --> 01:08:41.040 For the organs of the body do not deceive or harm each other. 01:08:42.040 --> 01:08:43.040 Yeah? 01:08:44.040 --> 01:08:46.040 So at some point, whenever you want, you can eat.