WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Recover Tradition Publishing Date: 2017-12-17T05:00:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/recover-tradition/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.400 That's what we'll be doing throughout 2018. 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:10.720 So if you thought you were coming to a really charismatic church, you just realized that 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.300 no, we are as traditional as we come. 00:00:13.300 --> 00:00:16.200 So the theme for next year is Recover Tradition. 00:00:16.200 --> 00:00:20.480 And are there scriptures that bear that out? 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:21.480 Yep. 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:28.260 So if you look at these scriptures, and I'll have most of the stuff today on PowerPoint, 00:00:28.260 --> 00:00:33.300 but don't get too enamored by that, it won't happen too often. 00:00:33.300 --> 00:00:38.580 So here's what it says in 2 Thessalonians 2.15. 00:00:38.580 --> 00:00:46.180 It says, So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions or teachings 00:00:46.180 --> 00:00:50.420 we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:55.140 And then if you look at 1 Corinthians 11, 2, it says, I praise you for remembering me 00:00:55.900 --> 00:00:59.660 and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 00:00:59.660 --> 00:01:05.100 So there is this idea of traditions in the New Testament that isn't negative. 00:01:05.100 --> 00:01:09.380 Jesus talked about traditions often as being negative. 00:01:09.380 --> 00:01:17.260 But there is this place for traditions or teachings or things that are supposed to be 00:01:17.260 --> 00:01:19.700 recovered, are supposed to be passed on. 00:01:19.700 --> 00:01:24.860 As I'm sure you guys will have traditions for Christmas, where your family has a particular 00:01:24.860 --> 00:01:25.860 tradition. 00:01:25.860 --> 00:01:26.860 And it's a good thing. 00:01:26.860 --> 00:01:32.500 I've seen three generations sometimes pass down the same tradition with the same amount 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:36.260 of joy that I saw their grandfathers do. 00:01:36.260 --> 00:01:38.900 So it just shows you how old I am. 00:01:38.900 --> 00:01:42.100 And so these are some scriptures that talk about traditions. 00:01:42.100 --> 00:01:47.620 And so what we are trying to do is see if there are traditions in the Bible that we 00:01:47.620 --> 00:01:54.840 are supposed to recover so that we become the kind of people that God wants in 2018. 00:01:54.840 --> 00:02:00.400 Because at the end of the day, even though we become followers of Jesus individually, 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:05.880 God is always looking for a people amongst whom he may dwell and through whom he may 00:02:05.880 --> 00:02:06.880 work. 00:02:06.880 --> 00:02:07.880 That's his intent. 00:02:07.880 --> 00:02:11.800 And in the Old Testament, you find these two amazing scriptures. 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:12.800 One of them is my favorite. 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:14.760 Go to the next one, Ryan. 00:02:14.760 --> 00:02:17.920 This is in Jeremiah 6, 16. 00:02:17.920 --> 00:02:21.200 It says, this is what the Lord says. 00:02:21.200 --> 00:02:24.120 Stand at the crossroads and look. 00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:26.760 Ask for the ancient paths. 00:02:26.760 --> 00:02:32.320 Ask where the good way is and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls. 00:02:32.320 --> 00:02:33.320 I love it. 00:02:33.320 --> 00:02:35.000 It says ask for the ancient paths. 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:38.400 There are things that God has shown ages ago. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:42.400 Ask for them because whenever God wants to do something, he'll always return you to the 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:43.400 blueprint. 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:46.880 He'll say, hey, look at the map that I have given you in the Bible. 00:02:46.880 --> 00:02:51.680 In that map, you'll find the way into 2018, whatever you need to do. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:55.920 So ask for the ancient paths where the good way is and walk in it. 00:02:55.920 --> 00:02:58.720 But this scripture is one of my favorite scriptures from Isaiah. 00:02:58.720 --> 00:03:00.240 Listen to me. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:03.680 You who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:08.800 Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn. 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:12.360 Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who gave you birth. 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:17.740 When I called him, he was only one man and I blessed him and multiplied him and made 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:18.740 him many. 00:03:18.740 --> 00:03:19.740 And that's what God is doing now. 00:03:19.820 --> 00:03:23.420 There was one man called Jesus Christ who hung on a cross and died. 00:03:23.420 --> 00:03:26.060 And now look at the number of followers he has. 00:03:26.060 --> 00:03:28.500 Out of one man. 00:03:28.500 --> 00:03:34.260 Isaiah 51, beautiful scripture, verses one and two. 00:03:34.260 --> 00:03:40.820 So going back and recovering traditions is going to be a theme throughout the year of 00:03:40.820 --> 00:03:41.820 2018. 00:03:41.820 --> 00:03:44.720 Finding out Jesus, what kind of people do you want us to be? 00:03:44.720 --> 00:03:48.380 What are we supposed to go and look and get out from the Bible? 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:53.100 If you want to look for tradition in the New Testament, one of the best places to start 00:03:53.100 --> 00:03:54.100 is the book of Acts. 00:03:54.100 --> 00:03:55.100 Book of Acts. 00:03:55.100 --> 00:04:00.580 Because in the book of Acts, basically, by the way, if you look at the Bible, there's 00:04:00.580 --> 00:04:04.060 Luke, the book of Luke written by this guy called? 00:04:04.060 --> 00:04:05.060 Sue? 00:04:05.060 --> 00:04:06.060 Written by? 00:04:06.060 --> 00:04:07.060 Luke. 00:04:07.060 --> 00:04:08.060 Yes. 00:04:08.060 --> 00:04:18.060 And so the book of Luke was written by Luke. 00:04:18.740 --> 00:04:24.740 And then he writes a second book and that is the book of Acts. 00:04:24.740 --> 00:04:31.740 And in Luke, Luke says, hey, I wanted to tell you what Jesus did and taught. 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:38.380 And then in the book of Acts, Luke says, hey, now I want to tell you what Jesus continued 00:04:38.380 --> 00:04:42.580 to teach and do by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:04:42.580 --> 00:04:45.740 If you go to Acts chapter one, verse two, you'll see that there. 00:04:45.740 --> 00:04:47.980 Acts one, verse two. 00:04:48.900 --> 00:04:53.900 Hey, do you want to turn off this monitor so that there's no? 00:04:53.900 --> 00:04:54.900 Yeah. 00:04:54.900 --> 00:04:59.900 It's a technical term, Chris. 00:04:59.900 --> 00:05:02.900 Acts chapter one, verse two. 00:05:02.900 --> 00:05:11.900 It says, in my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and 00:05:11.900 --> 00:05:14.900 teach until the day he was taken up to heaven. 00:05:14.900 --> 00:05:16.540 And then look at what it says. 00:05:16.980 --> 00:05:19.980 Jesus continued giving instructions to the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 00:05:19.980 --> 00:05:23.060 So Jesus didn't stop working when he went to heaven. 00:05:23.060 --> 00:05:28.380 He gave instructions to his apostles and so they continued doing what he was supposed 00:05:28.380 --> 00:05:29.380 to do. 00:05:29.380 --> 00:05:33.380 So what did Jesus continue to do and teach? 00:05:33.380 --> 00:05:35.060 Jesus continued what he would promise. 00:05:35.060 --> 00:05:36.460 What did Jesus promise? 00:05:36.460 --> 00:05:45.740 In Matthew 16, 18, Jesus promised that he would build his church and that it would start 00:05:45.740 --> 00:05:49.820 in Jerusalem, then it would go to Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth. 00:05:49.820 --> 00:05:52.260 And Vancouver is certainly the end of the earth. 00:05:52.260 --> 00:05:53.260 After Vancouver, there is nothing. 00:05:53.260 --> 00:05:55.780 There is Victoria, but it doesn't count. 00:05:55.780 --> 00:06:02.780 So Jesus, you heard that, right, Elmer and Anne? 00:06:02.780 --> 00:06:04.780 Okay, just checking. 00:06:04.780 --> 00:06:05.780 Yeah. 00:06:05.780 --> 00:06:06.780 Okay. 00:06:06.780 --> 00:06:09.520 So Jesus continues what he promised. 00:06:09.520 --> 00:06:11.740 What is Jesus continuing to do? 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:12.900 Just think of this, guys. 00:06:12.900 --> 00:06:18.500 We are going back and finding out what Jesus is continuing to do and what is Jesus continuing 00:06:18.500 --> 00:06:19.500 to do? 00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:20.500 Very simple. 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:23.180 He is continuing to build his church. 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:29.740 He started in Jerusalem, it went to Judea, it went to Samaria, and now it's reached Vancouver. 00:06:29.740 --> 00:06:32.020 So here are the points we need to look at. 00:06:32.020 --> 00:06:34.660 And we've been through this over the last four or five months. 00:06:34.660 --> 00:06:39.300 So a lot of what we are going to do today is look at what we've already established 00:06:39.300 --> 00:06:41.500 so that we don't have to go over this again. 00:06:41.500 --> 00:06:43.620 So Jesus is building his church. 00:06:43.620 --> 00:06:47.020 He is not building Christianity. 00:06:47.020 --> 00:06:49.020 Jesus is not building Christianity. 00:06:49.020 --> 00:06:50.700 He is building his church. 00:06:50.700 --> 00:06:52.900 And what does church mean? 00:06:52.900 --> 00:06:54.260 Church means people. 00:06:54.260 --> 00:06:58.700 Church does not mean building. 00:06:58.700 --> 00:07:00.420 This is just a building. 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:01.620 You can call it a church. 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:04.380 Tomorrow, if someone buys it, it can turn into a temple. 00:07:04.380 --> 00:07:08.540 Day after, if someone buys it, it can turn into a nightclub. 00:07:08.540 --> 00:07:10.720 So much for the church building. 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:15.400 But a church is people amongst whom God lives. 00:07:15.400 --> 00:07:17.360 Which is why we heard all those stories. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:18.480 Just think of it, eh? 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:22.440 I think we had 12 people come up today. 00:07:22.440 --> 00:07:28.560 And 12 people had 12 different stories in 12 different circumstances of what Jesus had 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:31.560 done. 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:39.920 And if all of us were forced, we would all have stories of what Jesus had done. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:41.240 Deacons in the US carry guns. 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:42.240 We don't. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:44.240 So it's voluntary here. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:48.240 So imagine, deacons carry guns nowadays. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:49.640 Heidi is packing, by the way. 00:07:49.640 --> 00:07:55.800 Just so you know. 00:07:55.800 --> 00:07:57.640 So Jesus is building his church. 00:07:57.640 --> 00:08:00.960 The one guy we would not give a gun to in this church is Wayne, because he might actually 00:08:00.960 --> 00:08:06.440 use it. 00:08:06.440 --> 00:08:08.320 So Jesus is building his church. 00:08:08.320 --> 00:08:10.200 He's not building Christianity. 00:08:10.200 --> 00:08:11.200 That's point one. 00:08:11.200 --> 00:08:17.400 Point two, Jesus is building his church daily, not on just Sundays. 00:08:17.400 --> 00:08:19.360 We went over this. 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:24.480 Coming to a building on Sunday is just a lot of people gathering together where direction 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:25.600 is set. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:29.480 But this is definitely not what Jesus had in mind. 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:35.520 When he said, I'm going to build my church, he definitely didn't mean two hours on a Sunday. 00:08:35.520 --> 00:08:39.480 That's absurd. 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:43.960 So Jesus is building his church daily, not just on Sundays. 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:50.800 Thirdly, Jesus is building his church in homes, not in sacred places or public places. 00:08:50.800 --> 00:08:52.880 He's building it in homes. 00:08:52.880 --> 00:08:55.060 This is called recovering tradition. 00:08:55.060 --> 00:09:02.800 If you go back to the book of Acts, you'll find that there was no place called the church. 00:09:02.800 --> 00:09:07.880 They would say stuff like the church met at someone's home. 00:09:07.880 --> 00:09:12.520 They never would say, and so they went to church. 00:09:12.520 --> 00:09:20.000 Not once in the Bible will you hear the words, they went to church. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:21.000 And words are important. 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:22.240 We shouldn't even talk like that. 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:23.240 Where are you going? 00:09:23.240 --> 00:09:24.240 I'm going to church. 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:27.740 You can't. 00:09:27.740 --> 00:09:31.860 So Jesus is building his church in homes, and that's one of the things we've been talking 00:09:31.860 --> 00:09:34.140 about for the last little while. 00:09:34.140 --> 00:09:37.700 This is the New Testament pattern, recover traditions. 00:09:37.700 --> 00:09:41.900 These traditions are not always convenient. 00:09:41.900 --> 00:09:45.860 Jesus is building his church in homes, not just in sacred or public places. 00:09:45.860 --> 00:09:47.500 Next one. 00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:53.940 Jesus is building his church numerically, meaning he does add people. 00:09:53.940 --> 00:10:00.820 When Bob Kran came up to speak on the Christmas potluck, the bald guy, for some of us who 00:10:00.820 --> 00:10:05.900 don't know, and he wouldn't mind me saying that, when he came up to speak, I was remembering 00:10:05.900 --> 00:10:08.780 the first Christmas potluck we had. 00:10:08.780 --> 00:10:16.820 It was at Chris and Heidi's place, and there was Chris, Heidi, Bob Kran and his wife, 00:10:16.820 --> 00:10:25.260 Denise, Wayne, Doris, Rob, and a lady called Betty. 00:10:25.260 --> 00:10:26.260 That's it. 00:10:26.260 --> 00:10:33.860 And Chris and Heidi are still around, and Denise and Wayne are around. 00:10:33.860 --> 00:10:37.840 Everybody else has gone different places. 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:46.380 But surely God does grow the church numerically, because I'm seeing a whole lot of new faces. 00:10:46.380 --> 00:10:50.300 The last point is, he's building it numerically of people that are saved. 00:10:50.300 --> 00:10:53.420 He's not building it numerically by people who turn up. 00:10:53.420 --> 00:11:00.180 He's building it numerically by people who are willing to say, Oh God, we just heard 00:11:00.180 --> 00:11:01.540 that your name is Jesus. 00:11:01.540 --> 00:11:04.780 Oh God, we heard that you are a father. 00:11:04.780 --> 00:11:08.660 Oh God, we heard that you are King and Lord. 00:11:08.660 --> 00:11:11.300 And dear Jesus, I would like you in my life. 00:11:11.300 --> 00:11:15.420 I would like to have the same stories that were spoken here happening in my life. 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:18.700 When that happens, Jesus begins to build his church numerically. 00:11:18.700 --> 00:11:23.940 And the last point is, Jesus is building his church, and he has a role for us to play. 00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:24.940 That's a cool thing. 00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:28.580 He just doesn't build it and says, you guys just attend, I'll build. 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:33.700 No, he says, in building this church, you have a role. 00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:34.700 You have a role. 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:42.100 So we're just going over stuff that we've already established in the past. 00:11:42.100 --> 00:11:47.020 So what is our role in building the church? 00:11:47.020 --> 00:11:48.900 What is our role in building the church? 00:11:48.900 --> 00:11:53.740 Ryan, that's your cue, man. 00:11:53.740 --> 00:11:57.380 What is our role in building the church? 00:11:57.380 --> 00:11:59.660 And here is our role. 00:11:59.660 --> 00:12:02.260 I'm defining our roles in building the church. 00:12:02.260 --> 00:12:06.180 Now remember, who are we accompanying in building the church? 00:12:06.180 --> 00:12:08.540 Jesus, the King of the universe. 00:12:09.540 --> 00:12:11.980 I mean, it just boggles me. 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:18.700 There was a guy called Joseph, if you want to look at that wall. 00:12:18.700 --> 00:12:25.940 There was a guy called Joseph who took a woman called Mary on a donkey, and she was pregnant. 00:12:25.940 --> 00:12:36.420 And they go and inside her, God sends his son, conceived in a womb, supernaturally, 00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:43.820 not by human methods, to be born into the world, to grow up, to grow up to 33 years 00:12:43.820 --> 00:12:49.460 old, to die on a cross, to save the entire world, take the world back and introduce them 00:12:49.460 --> 00:12:52.740 back to God. 00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:54.940 He's been doing this since the beginning of time. 00:12:54.940 --> 00:13:01.940 And now he looks at us and he says, hey, you now have the privilege of joining me in making 00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:02.940 this happen. 00:13:03.900 --> 00:13:05.900 Then he says, let me define your role. 00:13:05.900 --> 00:13:07.460 And he begins to define the role. 00:13:07.460 --> 00:13:13.860 And first part of the role is, you've got to be rooted and planted in his teachings, 00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:17.780 and you've got to grow in God's house or God's family. 00:13:17.780 --> 00:13:20.620 Let me just stay on that for a while. 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:24.340 Rooted, rooted means you got to go in deep, man. 00:13:24.340 --> 00:13:26.980 It can't be a superficial understanding. 00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:29.700 Can't be a superficial understanding. 00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:37.540 Paul used to say this to the church in Corinth or when he was writing the book of Hebrews, 00:13:37.540 --> 00:13:44.780 the letter, he says, I wish you would chew meat, but you're still drinking milk. 00:13:44.780 --> 00:13:48.420 So be rooted, be planted in what? 00:13:48.420 --> 00:13:51.740 In his teachings and grow in God's house. 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:53.420 Grow in God's house. 00:13:53.420 --> 00:13:59.500 You cannot be a Christian living an individual life rooted in Christ. 00:14:00.140 --> 00:14:03.300 The growth happens in God's house. 00:14:03.300 --> 00:14:09.180 At some point, plants have to be removed from their pots and planted into something larger, 00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:11.540 I believe. 00:14:11.540 --> 00:14:18.100 The second thing is, manage our family well so we can open our homes and in due time mature 00:14:18.100 --> 00:14:21.020 to become leaders over God's family, the church. 00:14:21.020 --> 00:14:23.200 That's the second thing God wants us to do. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.860 Manage your family well. 00:14:24.860 --> 00:14:26.040 Manage your family well. 00:14:26.040 --> 00:14:27.040 What does that involve? 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:28.540 Manage your marriage well. 00:14:28.540 --> 00:14:30.160 Manage your spouse well. 00:14:30.160 --> 00:14:32.100 Manage your children well. 00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:33.700 Steward your finances well. 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:35.020 Manage your family well. 00:14:35.020 --> 00:14:39.460 Because if God is building the church through your home, then the home better be a place 00:14:39.460 --> 00:14:43.980 that is managed well. 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:46.980 And here's the other thing God is saying. 00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:51.260 Everybody sitting here has the potential to be a leader in the church. 00:14:51.260 --> 00:14:54.940 When it comes to God, there is no distinguishing as she's not a leader, she's not a leader, 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:56.660 he's a leader, she's not a leader. 00:14:56.980 --> 00:15:02.380 It is everybody can through maturity lead others. 00:15:02.380 --> 00:15:06.320 That's a cool thing. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:10.160 Every child in a house will become mature. 00:15:10.160 --> 00:15:15.460 You can have three children, they'll all grow up and they will mature. 00:15:15.460 --> 00:15:22.020 What else? 00:15:22.020 --> 00:15:28.660 Our role in building a church, identify the unique role you have and engage in fulfilling 00:15:28.660 --> 00:15:30.180 it together. 00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:32.020 Identify the unique role you have. 00:15:32.020 --> 00:15:35.180 This is something that will be recovered in 2018. 00:15:35.180 --> 00:15:37.780 Will be recovered for each person here. 00:15:37.780 --> 00:15:42.900 The six questions I gave you two weeks ago was towards this end. 00:15:42.900 --> 00:15:48.140 Just the beginning of moving towards this place where each person who is willing will 00:15:48.140 --> 00:15:50.540 find their unique role. 00:15:50.540 --> 00:15:52.860 Why am I still on earth? 00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:54.900 What am I supposed to do? 00:15:54.900 --> 00:15:56.940 Why am I this age? 00:15:56.940 --> 00:15:58.860 Why am I in this context? 00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:01.020 How am I to use my resources? 00:16:01.020 --> 00:16:03.380 What is the vision that you have for me? 00:16:03.380 --> 00:16:04.380 What is my calling? 00:16:04.380 --> 00:16:05.380 What is the plan? 00:16:05.380 --> 00:16:08.300 What is the dream you have or God for me? 00:16:08.300 --> 00:16:15.420 Each one identifying the unique role and engaging in fulfilling it together. 00:16:15.420 --> 00:16:17.100 Engaging in fulfilling it together. 00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:19.300 This is my only problem with PowerPoint. 00:16:19.780 --> 00:16:21.980 When you have PowerPoint you look at it and you read off it. 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:25.220 When you don't have PowerPoint you can just talk. 00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:27.460 So I don't like PowerPoint. 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:31.500 If I became the President of the United States I wouldn't use those reader things. 00:16:31.500 --> 00:16:35.580 I'd have to just wing it. 00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:36.580 He doesn't here. 00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:45.380 Yeah, that's gotten him into a lot of trouble. 00:16:45.380 --> 00:16:47.740 So this is something that will be recovered this year. 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:48.740 Look forward to it. 00:16:49.180 --> 00:16:50.180 Look forward to it. 00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:51.180 It doesn't matter how old we are. 00:16:51.180 --> 00:16:53.020 This is something we'll recover. 00:16:53.020 --> 00:16:56.020 And engage in fulfilling it together as a church. 00:16:56.020 --> 00:16:57.900 It's impossible to do it individually. 00:16:57.900 --> 00:16:58.900 Impossible. 00:16:58.900 --> 00:17:01.140 You do it together as a church. 00:17:01.140 --> 00:17:06.380 It's odd that God has us enter the kingdom individually but he's looking for a people 00:17:06.380 --> 00:17:09.300 of God that are united but diverse. 00:17:09.300 --> 00:17:11.660 Just the way he's been doing things. 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:18.820 And the fourth one in this is reflect Christ to the watching world through our lives and 00:17:18.820 --> 00:17:23.500 as a community attracting many to Christ. 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:26.780 Matthew 5.16 says, let your lights so shine before men. 00:17:26.780 --> 00:17:32.820 Ephesians 4.16 says that you are different parts of one body coming together, each part 00:17:32.820 --> 00:17:41.340 supplying joint and ligament so that the entire body works together. 00:17:42.020 --> 00:17:47.220 So reflect Christ to the watching world through our lives and as a community attracting many 00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:48.220 to Christ. 00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:52.980 Guys, I'm going over this so that we don't have to go over this next year. 00:17:52.980 --> 00:17:57.300 In this you have a summation of everything we've been talking about over the last three 00:17:57.300 --> 00:18:02.460 or four months. 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:07.620 What else is our role in building his church? 00:18:07.620 --> 00:18:09.260 This is something we've been talking about. 00:18:10.180 --> 00:18:11.180 Just one second. 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:12.180 Remember who we are. 00:18:12.180 --> 00:18:14.660 It just boggles my mind. 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:25.600 We are partnering with the one who 1st Timothy 6 calls the only sovereign, the only king 00:18:25.600 --> 00:18:27.860 and the only Lord. 00:18:27.860 --> 00:18:30.260 That's what 1st Timothy 6 calls Jesus. 00:18:30.260 --> 00:18:37.200 It says you are the only sovereign as in there is no other ruler besides you Jesus. 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:41.320 That you are the only king as in you're the king of kings. 00:18:41.320 --> 00:18:47.000 That's what it says in 1st Timothy 6 and you are the Lord of Lords and this is who we are 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.600 partnering with. 00:18:48.600 --> 00:18:54.280 There is no other reason for being a Christian. 00:18:54.280 --> 00:19:01.840 Like I've said many sermons ago, if you and I call him Lord, what business do we have 00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:05.700 doing anything else but that which he's engaging in? 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:12.500 You can do it as a carpenter, sailor, pastor, teacher, retired person but what business 00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:18.580 do you have doing anything else? 00:19:18.580 --> 00:19:22.260 Any questions on that? 00:19:22.260 --> 00:19:23.780 Because he's the only sovereign. 00:19:23.780 --> 00:19:24.780 He's the only king. 00:19:24.780 --> 00:19:25.780 He's the only Lord. 00:19:25.780 --> 00:19:27.460 There is nobody else in the universe. 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:30.520 Every other God is false. 00:19:30.520 --> 00:19:32.660 Everything else is not true. 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:33.780 There is only one sovereign. 00:19:33.780 --> 00:19:35.340 There is only one king of kings. 00:19:35.340 --> 00:19:36.620 There is only one Lord of Lords. 00:19:36.620 --> 00:19:37.940 There is no other. 00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:42.460 You can't have two fathers. 00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:45.660 You can't have two kings in one country. 00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:56.820 And if Jesus is king and if this is his mandate and he's saying hey Elmer, hey Rachel, I want 00:19:56.820 --> 00:20:00.100 you to join me in what I'm doing in the world. 00:20:00.100 --> 00:20:01.340 Count it a privilege. 00:20:01.340 --> 00:20:02.340 It's not a task. 00:20:02.340 --> 00:20:03.900 It's not a responsibility. 00:20:03.900 --> 00:20:05.180 It's not a duty. 00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:09.300 It is not a, oh man I didn't know once you get saved you got to join him. 00:20:09.300 --> 00:20:13.100 No this is our privilege man. 00:20:13.100 --> 00:20:16.340 It's our privilege. 00:20:16.340 --> 00:20:18.380 Charges me every morning man. 00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:27.420 Oh God I want to learn how to do this well. 00:20:27.420 --> 00:20:30.180 So one of our roles is go and make disciples. 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:32.220 Go and make disciples. 00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:33.820 How? 00:20:33.860 --> 00:20:34.860 We talked about it. 00:20:34.860 --> 00:20:36.500 I'm just summarizing it. 00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.500 Go and make disciples. 00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.500 How? 00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:39.740 First we seek. 00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:40.740 We seek. 00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:41.820 We look out for. 00:20:41.820 --> 00:20:43.020 We search for. 00:20:43.020 --> 00:20:44.020 We seek. 00:20:44.020 --> 00:20:45.020 We become aware of. 00:20:45.020 --> 00:20:46.980 We pay attention to. 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:51.780 We seek out those that Christ has paid a price for. 00:20:51.780 --> 00:20:58.180 Which means everybody in the world is ours to seek. 00:20:58.180 --> 00:21:00.120 And remember what we said about seeking. 00:21:00.120 --> 00:21:02.680 Seeking is to pay attention to. 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:04.440 Genuine attention to. 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:06.000 We seek. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:09.080 Secondly, every day we do this eh. 00:21:09.080 --> 00:21:11.320 Secondly we build authentic relationships. 00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:13.520 We build authentic relationships. 00:21:13.520 --> 00:21:17.080 It takes time but we build relationships. 00:21:17.080 --> 00:21:19.200 Thirdly we open our homes. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:21.200 So Jacob where did you get all this from? 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:22.200 Go to Acts chapter 2. 00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:23.680 Go to Acts chapter 8. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:25.400 Go to Acts chapter 13. 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:26.960 Go to Acts chapter 9. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:28.480 Go to Acts chapter 28. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:30.480 And go to Acts chapter 28. 00:21:31.280 --> 00:21:34.280 And go to Acts chapter 29. 00:21:34.280 --> 00:21:35.280 Don't. 00:21:35.280 --> 00:21:39.480 Stop at 28. 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:41.100 We open our homes. 00:21:41.100 --> 00:21:43.160 I mean this was recovering tradition. 00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:44.920 This is what recovering tradition is. 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:48.880 Going back to the blueprint and searching and seeing is this what they used to do. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.200 And this is what they used to do. 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.600 We open our homes. 00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:56.840 The next one is we minister and pray. 00:21:56.840 --> 00:21:58.500 Every opportunity you get. 00:21:58.520 --> 00:22:05.060 I believe there is nobody sitting in this church who cannot pray or cannot minister. 00:22:05.060 --> 00:22:06.540 I think everybody here can. 00:22:06.540 --> 00:22:09.840 I was listening to your story that you came up one by one. 00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:14.980 If those stories can happen to you it's because you prayed and because you can minister. 00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:20.820 Minister is to do whatever you can to help another one come out of their circumstances. 00:22:20.820 --> 00:22:28.100 I was thinking of Joel the guy who had a brain operation that Mark and Rhonda know. 00:22:28.100 --> 00:22:32.140 I was praying for him today that father you could take away my tooth pain. 00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:33.980 How is the brain any different from my tooth? 00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:42.020 I mean I know there's a big difference but really for God it's just as easy. 00:22:42.020 --> 00:22:46.060 Removing the swelling on is the same as removing a swelling in your brain. 00:22:46.060 --> 00:22:51.380 For God it's no big deal. 00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:59.060 And to hear of that girl who got healed of what Mark? 00:22:59.060 --> 00:23:00.660 Melanoma. 00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:06.300 Yeah. 00:23:06.300 --> 00:23:08.180 Next we make known the gospel. 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:09.180 We make known the gospel. 00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:10.460 We talked about this yesterday. 00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:12.900 We make known the gospel. 00:23:12.900 --> 00:23:18.100 After that we lead people to faith and baptize them into Christ and the body. 00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:24.900 We lead people to faith and baptize them in Christ and into the body. 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:25.900 Remember that guys. 00:23:25.900 --> 00:23:26.900 We baptize people. 00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:34.700 I pray God that you will be able to baptize someone that you led to faith in 2018. 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:39.300 And then the last one is we model and we teach. 00:23:39.300 --> 00:23:43.460 We model and we teach them to observe Jesus' commands. 00:23:43.460 --> 00:23:48.420 This Jesus said is a reason or the way the church must function. 00:23:48.420 --> 00:23:52.100 Any questions? 00:23:52.100 --> 00:23:55.840 And he didn't say this was a realm of pastors or professional clergy. 00:23:55.840 --> 00:24:00.220 He said this is what you are joining me in. 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.300 I did this. 00:24:01.300 --> 00:24:04.300 You do this. 00:24:04.300 --> 00:24:09.560 Yep. 00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:10.560 Any questions? 00:24:10.560 --> 00:24:11.560 Any thoughts? 00:24:11.560 --> 00:24:12.560 Any arguments? 00:24:12.560 --> 00:24:21.080 Guys, this is not boring. 00:24:21.080 --> 00:24:27.580 This is critical to our existence. 00:24:27.580 --> 00:24:37.960 What is the use of being healed, making some money, having good lives, going to heaven 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:46.260 If we don't join him in the one thing he is doing here on earth, what would be the use? 00:24:46.260 --> 00:24:47.700 I like being healed. 00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:49.780 I like having purpose and destiny. 00:24:49.780 --> 00:24:51.340 I like having money. 00:24:51.340 --> 00:24:58.420 But really what is the use at the end of the day if I have all that? 00:24:58.420 --> 00:25:04.100 If I have all that and then at the end of the day don't have this. 00:25:04.100 --> 00:25:07.000 This is a critical part. 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:11.220 This is why Jesus didn't put such a heavy emphasis on I needed to be healthy and wealthy 00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:12.500 and wise. 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:20.100 It was I needed to be disciple makers. 00:25:20.100 --> 00:25:24.180 If there's anyone who loves healing and prosperity and stuff like that, it's me. 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:29.500 I may not preach it, but I really like it. 00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:35.240 But trust me when I say that that isn't the reason we were saved and made into a people 00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:36.240 of God. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:38.220 That wasn't the reason. 00:25:38.220 --> 00:25:41.860 What was Israel's reason for existence when God called Israel out? 00:25:41.860 --> 00:25:47.820 His reason was can I use you as a nation to show the rest of the world what it looks like 00:25:47.820 --> 00:25:50.540 when God lives amongst the people? 00:25:50.540 --> 00:25:55.500 Oh, by the way, scorpions won't bite you, snakes won't strike you. 00:25:55.500 --> 00:26:00.300 I'll provide manna and water and I'll be a shade over you during night and day. 00:26:00.300 --> 00:26:02.220 But that is not the focus guys. 00:26:02.280 --> 00:26:03.480 I want them. 00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:07.680 I want the nations to know that I live amongst you. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:12.520 Any questions, comments, any thoughts? 00:26:12.520 --> 00:26:16.400 Okay. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:23.000 Go ahead, Ryan. 00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:26.680 The fundamental building blocks of his church. 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:28.600 That's what we need to look at next. 00:26:28.600 --> 00:26:31.200 What are the fundamental building blocks of the church? 00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:34.700 If Jesus were to build a church, what would he use? 00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:35.700 What would he use? 00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:38.020 And these are some of the things he uses. 00:26:38.020 --> 00:26:43.260 In Acts chapter 2 verse 42, and this we should never let go of. 00:26:43.260 --> 00:26:50.060 In all our meetings, be that on Sundays, be that home groups, be that households, be in 00:26:50.060 --> 00:26:52.860 the outposts that we have in different places. 00:26:52.860 --> 00:26:55.020 These are things that cannot be changed. 00:26:55.020 --> 00:26:57.300 Worship happens out of this. 00:26:57.300 --> 00:26:59.900 Singing happens out of this. 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:03.640 Nothing else happens out of this because these were five things that were given to 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:05.480 the New Testament church right at the back. 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:08.200 And the first one was the Apostles teaching. 00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:10.640 Let's simplify the word apostles. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:15.720 Let's just call it the teaching by those that Jesus appointed. 00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:18.120 These are traditions passed down. 00:27:18.120 --> 00:27:19.800 Doesn't change. 00:27:19.800 --> 00:27:23.800 In 2017 and 2018, it still stands the same. 00:27:23.800 --> 00:27:28.040 That one of the critical things in building a church is teaching that has come down the 00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:31.540 Bible, go examine the blueprint. 00:27:31.540 --> 00:27:35.900 Second, fellowship, as in one anothering. 00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:41.620 Fellowship where there's loving one another, spurring one another to good works, admonishing 00:27:41.620 --> 00:27:45.240 one another, encouraging one another, building one another up. 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:49.820 And if you want to do it with coffee and cookies, that's great. 00:27:49.820 --> 00:27:53.460 Third, the breaking of bread. 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:56.040 Every time you meet guys, there's a household break bread. 00:27:56.040 --> 00:27:58.400 Oh, it'll get too common. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:04.440 The people who lose the meaning know it's up to you to keep the meaning. 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:08.580 It's fascinating how when you're in love, you can keep doing the same thing 50 times 00:28:08.580 --> 00:28:12.080 in 30 days and it means something marvelous. 00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:16.500 I mean they celebrate anniversaries like it's been two weeks since we met. 00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.880 This is our third week anniversary. 00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:19.560 And I'm like thinking really? 00:28:19.560 --> 00:28:23.440 So how long does this go on for? 00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:27.620 But it seems like when you're in love, everything has meaning. 00:28:27.620 --> 00:28:34.380 This is our first anniversary after our first fight and then we made up. 00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:36.940 We just want to celebrate it. 00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:39.380 Really? 00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:44.060 So the breaking of bread, practice it every time because every time you break bread and 00:28:44.060 --> 00:28:48.860 partake of the juice, you're declaring that Jesus Christ died for us. 00:28:48.860 --> 00:28:50.180 Jesus Christ put us together. 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:51.540 Jesus Christ healed us. 00:28:51.560 --> 00:28:53.640 Jesus Christ introduced us to his father. 00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:56.520 Jesus Christ has now allowed us to be adopted as sons. 00:28:56.520 --> 00:28:57.520 We are not devotees. 00:28:57.520 --> 00:28:58.800 We are sons of the living God. 00:28:58.800 --> 00:29:00.120 Jesus has taken away fear. 00:29:00.120 --> 00:29:02.600 It goes on and on and on and on. 00:29:02.600 --> 00:29:07.480 Prayers, critical part of who we are as a people. 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:12.040 A people that don't pray are as good as atheists. 00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:17.560 A people of God who don't pray actually don't approach God. 00:29:17.580 --> 00:29:21.940 That's why when we pray, make a record of it so that when he answers, you can come here 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:22.940 and testify. 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:25.300 And then the last one is giving. 00:29:25.300 --> 00:29:29.820 These were five fundamental building blocks that Jesus Christ introduces in the book of 00:29:29.820 --> 00:29:33.820 Acts right off the bat in Acts chapter 2 verses 42 to 47. 00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:38.940 And I say to the leaders here, the leaders of house groups, the leaders in the church, 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:41.020 keep this precious. 00:29:41.020 --> 00:29:42.260 Do not abandon this. 00:29:42.260 --> 00:29:46.620 Do not allow me to abandon it either. 00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:48.680 These are building blocks of the church. 00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:55.560 Guys, I'm telling you, we are rich in learning this, being taught here, memorizing it. 00:29:55.560 --> 00:29:56.560 You are rich. 00:29:56.560 --> 00:30:07.080 This is not even taught in Bible schools and high funder conferences. 00:30:07.080 --> 00:30:12.280 Embrace it, wrestle with it, marinate in it, practice it. 00:30:12.280 --> 00:30:16.000 And I can't even claim this to be mine because I got it from someone who got it from someone 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:18.140 who got it from someone. 00:30:18.140 --> 00:30:20.140 But now it's yours. 00:30:20.140 --> 00:30:27.580 We have no idea how rich we are in terms of the teaching that has come into this church. 00:30:27.580 --> 00:30:30.620 And I'm not really giving myself credit. 00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:35.540 I'm just telling you about the teaching, not the teacher. 00:30:35.540 --> 00:30:38.540 Next one. 00:30:38.540 --> 00:30:40.420 Here's the intent of the church. 00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:46.840 And it was established over and over again by Luke, by Matthew, by Mark, three of the 00:30:46.840 --> 00:30:52.080 guys who hung around either with Jesus or with Peter. 00:30:52.080 --> 00:30:53.600 This is the intent of the church. 00:30:53.600 --> 00:30:58.100 There is no other intent in the church. 00:30:58.100 --> 00:30:59.920 This is the intent of the church. 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:04.120 Again and again and again, Jesus kept repeating it, kept repeating it, kept repeating it. 00:31:04.120 --> 00:31:06.240 Why am I going on saying this? 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:08.840 Because it does me no harm and it does you good. 00:31:08.860 --> 00:31:13.860 You must and I must understand that this is the reason we exist. 00:31:13.860 --> 00:31:15.820 Every other thing is secondary. 00:31:15.820 --> 00:31:18.260 This is the reason Jesus says we exist. 00:31:18.260 --> 00:31:25.500 He says in Luke 24 verse 47, the last chapter of Luke, he says, repentance, here is why 00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:28.900 I'm putting you together as a people. 00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:34.820 Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in my name to all nations beginning 00:31:34.820 --> 00:31:35.820 in Jerusalem. 00:31:35.840 --> 00:31:39.720 And then he turns around to all of you and he says, by the way, you, you, you, you are 00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.720 my witnesses. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:42.000 This is going to happen through you. 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:44.320 That is why I'm putting you together as a people. 00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:51.120 When you are rooted and founded in me, when you have discovered your unique roles, when 00:31:51.120 --> 00:31:58.800 you decide that those are the two points, then you'll be able to be my witnesses very 00:31:58.800 --> 00:32:00.760 easy. 00:32:00.760 --> 00:32:02.560 And so that's Luke's recording. 00:32:02.560 --> 00:32:04.840 You go to Mark and it's the same thing again. 00:32:04.860 --> 00:32:11.020 Mark says in Mark 16 15, hey, by the way, now that I put you together, go into all the 00:32:11.020 --> 00:32:12.020 world. 00:32:12.020 --> 00:32:13.340 Who is he saying this to? 00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:17.380 There is a tendency to believe that he was only saying this to the 12 apostles. 00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:18.700 Really? 00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:22.180 What about the 72? 00:32:22.180 --> 00:32:23.740 What about the 120? 00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:32.820 Why did the Holy Spirit fall on 120 people so that 12 could go and 108 could stay behind? 00:32:35.820 --> 00:32:38.820 I need an anointing in math. 00:32:38.820 --> 00:32:43.820 Yeah, 108 could stay behind and 12 could go? 00:32:43.820 --> 00:32:44.820 No. 00:32:44.820 --> 00:32:46.260 What about the 500 that he appeared to? 00:32:46.260 --> 00:32:49.060 He appeared to 500 others. 00:32:49.060 --> 00:32:50.060 Why? 00:32:50.060 --> 00:32:56.020 Because he wanted all of them to understand the reason they exist as a people now. 00:32:56.020 --> 00:33:00.620 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation, all creation. 00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:02.100 There's enough guys. 00:33:02.100 --> 00:33:03.780 We won't have to fight about this. 00:33:03.800 --> 00:33:07.120 No, no, that's my no, no, no, there's plenty of go around. 00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:10.160 And then he says the same thing in Matthew 28, 19 and 20. 00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:14.720 Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:16.440 Baptizing them into what? 00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:19.620 Baptizing them into the body of Christ as in the church. 00:33:19.620 --> 00:33:22.200 Baptizing them into the church. 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:24.240 Teaching them to observe all I've commanded. 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:26.120 This is the intent of the church. 00:33:26.120 --> 00:33:31.800 Would you please, would I please never question again the intent of the church and why Acts 00:33:31.800 --> 00:33:32.800 29 exists? 00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:37.320 This should be settled once and for all. 00:33:37.320 --> 00:33:38.320 Who said this? 00:33:38.320 --> 00:33:39.320 Jacob? 00:33:39.320 --> 00:33:40.320 No. 00:33:40.320 --> 00:33:41.320 Bob Kron? 00:33:41.320 --> 00:33:42.320 No. 00:33:44.320 --> 00:33:45.320 Jesus. 00:33:45.320 --> 00:34:03.900 That's the fundamental intent of the church. 00:34:03.900 --> 00:34:09.980 But see, if you want to do this, there's a cost. 00:34:09.980 --> 00:34:11.540 It was all good till now. 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:13.960 It was all good till now. 00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:16.120 That ah, this is the intent of the church. 00:34:16.120 --> 00:34:20.600 But now if you want to go around doing this and following Jesus, there's a cost. 00:34:20.600 --> 00:34:24.500 There's a cost to following Jesus. 00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:30.640 If you want to leave, leave now. 00:34:30.640 --> 00:34:33.280 Because you had a dinner or something. 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:34.280 That's true. 00:34:34.280 --> 00:34:36.400 Chris, Chris was quoting scripture. 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:38.280 Where shall we go Lord? 00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:43.060 So you have the words of eternal life. 00:34:43.060 --> 00:34:50.980 To follow Christ, the cost of following Jesus, to follow Christ is to obey his commands, 00:34:50.980 --> 00:34:53.940 obey his command to go and make disciples. 00:34:53.940 --> 00:35:00.220 To follow Christ is to obey his command to go and make disciples. 00:35:00.220 --> 00:35:05.020 So how are you doing in that area? 00:35:05.020 --> 00:35:09.680 Don't answer because I'm asking myself too. 00:35:09.680 --> 00:35:14.480 The cost of following Jesus, to follow Christ is to obey his command to go. 00:35:14.480 --> 00:35:17.580 You cannot follow if you don't go. 00:35:17.580 --> 00:35:21.100 Could Abraham have followed God if he didn't go? 00:35:21.100 --> 00:35:24.000 Could David have followed God if he didn't go? 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.740 Could Paul have followed God if he didn't go? 00:35:26.740 --> 00:35:29.380 Could Noah have followed God if he didn't go? 00:35:29.380 --> 00:35:32.220 Could Gideon have followed God if he didn't go? 00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:38.360 Could Peter have walked on water if he didn't go? 00:35:38.360 --> 00:35:40.540 To follow God is to go. 00:35:40.540 --> 00:35:45.420 But Jacob, that's the job of pastors and stuff like that. 00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:47.380 Who said so? 00:35:47.380 --> 00:35:48.380 Not Jesus. 00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:53.540 But Jacob, I am now 75. 00:35:53.540 --> 00:35:54.940 So there was no age limit. 00:36:02.220 --> 00:36:06.820 That scripture is from Luke 9, 59, 60. 00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:08.220 He said to another man, follow me. 00:36:08.220 --> 00:36:11.380 But he replied, Lord, first let me go and bury my father. 00:36:11.380 --> 00:36:15.140 Jesus said to him, let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom 00:36:15.140 --> 00:36:16.140 of God. 00:36:16.140 --> 00:36:17.840 Sounds cruel, huh? 00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:22.180 What is really happening there is this man comes and says, hey, Jesus, I'll follow you 00:36:22.180 --> 00:36:26.020 once my dad has died and I bury him. 00:36:26.020 --> 00:36:28.340 That could take 20 years or that could take two days. 00:36:29.340 --> 00:36:36.980 And Jesus is saying, if that's your idea of following me, it won't work. 00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:40.400 Because at the end of the day, we always postpone stuff, right? 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:44.900 When I'm retired, when I've made enough money, when my work is over, when my vacation comes, 00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:45.900 then I will go. 00:36:45.900 --> 00:36:46.900 You go when God tells you to. 00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:48.580 Not when Jacob tells you to. 00:36:48.580 --> 00:36:49.580 When God tells you to. 00:36:53.580 --> 00:36:57.980 And if he isn't telling you anything for 20 years, then I would suggest there's something 00:36:57.980 --> 00:36:58.980 wrong. 00:37:02.980 --> 00:37:03.980 Next one, Brian. 00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:07.980 The cost of following Jesus. 00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:13.980 Here's another cost which really grates us in the Western hemisphere particularly. 00:37:13.980 --> 00:37:23.220 You cannot follow, you cannot serve, you cannot be part of Jesus Christ without serving or 00:37:23.220 --> 00:37:26.980 being part of the body of Christ which is the church. 00:37:27.980 --> 00:37:36.260 You cannot follow, cannot serve, cannot be part of Jesus Christ without being a part 00:37:36.260 --> 00:37:37.980 of the body of Christ, the church. 00:37:39.980 --> 00:37:40.980 That's the first part. 00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:48.340 The second part, which is even stronger, is if, is you cannot be a disciple of Christ 00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:55.980 if family, work, money and possessions take precedence over Christ and the body. 00:37:56.980 --> 00:38:01.980 This is why I loved what Azza said that she and Ouk decided as a family. 00:38:03.980 --> 00:38:04.980 And Nagi. 00:38:04.980 --> 00:38:06.980 I mean, I forgot that she's part of the family. 00:38:08.980 --> 00:38:14.980 And so they decided that they will not bend to work or to money. 00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:19.980 That money and work will not take precedence in their life, but God will. 00:38:20.980 --> 00:38:23.980 That's part of the cost you pay to be a disciple of Christ. 00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:28.980 You cannot be a disciple of Christ if family, work, money or possessions take precedence 00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:31.980 over Christ and His body, and His body. 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:35.980 Like I said, you cannot follow Christ without following His body. 00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:39.980 This is, I know we've talked about it many times, but it's worth drumming again and again. 00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:43.980 Jesus Christ is invisible, His body, the church is visible. 00:38:43.980 --> 00:38:46.980 You cannot be part of following Christ without being part of His body. 00:38:46.980 --> 00:38:47.980 Impossible. 00:38:48.980 --> 00:38:49.980 It is unbiblical. 00:38:50.980 --> 00:38:51.980 We are recovering traditions. 00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:54.980 Next one, Ryan. 00:38:57.980 --> 00:38:58.980 I took this from the message. 00:38:58.980 --> 00:39:01.980 Look at how starkly it's put. 00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:11.980 Anyone who comes to me, but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters, 00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:16.980 yes, even one's own self, can't be my disciple. 00:39:16.980 --> 00:39:17.980 Very plainly put. 00:39:17.980 --> 00:39:18.980 Or listen to the next one. 00:39:18.980 --> 00:39:24.980 Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, by the plans of people, 00:39:24.980 --> 00:39:27.980 and kiss it goodbye, you can't be my disciple. 00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:33.980 He's not even saying, then you'll be half a disciple or we'll have to work on it. 00:39:33.980 --> 00:39:35.980 No, he's saying, you can't be my disciple. 00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:39.980 Any arguments with that? 00:39:41.980 --> 00:39:44.980 The solution is, you can't be my disciple. 00:39:44.980 --> 00:39:45.980 What? 00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:49.980 Just remember you're not arguing with me. 00:39:53.980 --> 00:39:54.980 Any thoughts? 00:39:56.980 --> 00:39:58.980 Come on, guys, talk back. 00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:32.980 Yeah, he's saying you can't have both on the throne. 00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:33.980 You have to choose. 00:40:33.980 --> 00:40:37.980 Meaning, he's saying, love your wife as much as you can. 00:40:37.980 --> 00:40:43.980 But if it came to a choice between doing what is right and doing what your wife says, choose what is. 00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:44.980 Choose what is? 00:40:44.980 --> 00:40:45.980 Right. 00:40:45.980 --> 00:40:47.980 Love your work because I gave you the work. 00:40:47.980 --> 00:40:54.980 But if it is a question of choosing me or choosing work, you choose what God has to say. 00:40:54.980 --> 00:40:56.980 So he has to take precedence. 00:40:56.980 --> 00:40:57.980 That's what it's saying. 00:40:57.980 --> 00:41:00.980 It is not saying you've got to dismiss the other. 00:41:00.980 --> 00:41:01.980 That would be irresponsible. 00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:07.980 Jesus took care of his mothers and his brothers and his sisters for almost 20 years. 00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:13.980 He didn't do much ministry then, or if he did, it wasn't worth writing down. 00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:25.980 So it's not doing what many pastors in some countries do where they treat their wives as if they're not married to them. 00:41:25.980 --> 00:41:29.980 And the church has to take care of them because the husband says, I'm married. 00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:30.980 I'm not. 00:41:30.980 --> 00:41:36.980 I'm literally like one who's not married when he actually is because his wife gets pregnant. 00:41:36.980 --> 00:41:41.980 His wife gets pregnant every now and then. 00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:44.980 That happens, eh? 00:41:44.980 --> 00:41:46.980 But they don't take care of their wives. 00:41:46.980 --> 00:41:47.980 So God, we're not talking about that. 00:41:47.980 --> 00:41:49.980 God is not that kind of a God. 00:41:49.980 --> 00:41:53.980 But he's saying, man, there has to be no, there shouldn't be a contest. 00:41:53.980 --> 00:42:01.980 Jacob, when it comes to things in your life, there should never be a contest between obeying me or obeying your mom when it comes to certain things. 00:42:01.980 --> 00:42:06.980 Your obligation to Acts 29 should never overpower your obligation to me. 00:42:11.980 --> 00:42:12.980 That's why the first one puts it so well. 00:42:12.980 --> 00:42:17.980 Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go. 00:42:17.980 --> 00:42:19.980 Let go. 00:42:22.980 --> 00:42:24.980 The cost of following Jesus. 00:42:24.980 --> 00:42:26.980 Let's look at another one. 00:42:26.980 --> 00:42:28.980 Because this is the cost. 00:42:28.980 --> 00:42:30.980 Next one. 00:42:30.980 --> 00:42:46.980 Therefore, in 2018, rally, as in gather the troops, gather your strength, unite your heart, raise as in come on now, raise up a banner towards us, commit, as in dive fully in. 00:42:46.980 --> 00:42:53.980 Rally, raise, commit your family, your work, your money and your possessions to serve Christ in the body. 00:42:53.980 --> 00:42:54.980 And let me say this to you. 00:42:54.980 --> 00:43:01.980 To the extent that you do, you will find God doing a mystical, mysterious, miraculous thing in your life. 00:43:01.980 --> 00:43:06.980 Where 2018 will be a year that I have never seen before. 00:43:06.980 --> 00:43:09.980 My intent is, oh God, oh God, oh God. 00:43:09.980 --> 00:43:13.980 Even today when I was saying, raise your prayer requests to God, my request was simply this. 00:43:13.980 --> 00:43:18.980 And I'm not trying to present myself as the model example because you know better than that. 00:43:18.980 --> 00:43:32.980 But my request is, oh Father, give me a 2018 where everything I have in terms of possessions, work, wealth, family, reputation, dignity, everything is laid on a plate and presented to you. 00:43:32.980 --> 00:43:38.980 So that you mystically, mysteriously, miraculously work such a work in my life. 00:43:38.980 --> 00:43:42.980 To your glory, your kingdom, your power, your glory. 00:43:42.980 --> 00:43:44.980 Let me experience it, taste it. 00:43:44.980 --> 00:43:46.980 Let it be evidence through my life. 00:43:46.980 --> 00:43:50.980 Not for my sake, but for the sake of those that you're sending us out for. 00:43:54.980 --> 00:43:57.980 Rally, commit, raise yourself to this. 00:43:57.980 --> 00:44:00.980 So what if your past experience sucks? 00:44:00.980 --> 00:44:02.980 How long are you going to stay there? 00:44:02.980 --> 00:44:07.980 So the last church that you were in who demanded this of you, let you down and you got burned. 00:44:07.980 --> 00:44:09.980 Well, this church ain't your last church. 00:44:16.980 --> 00:44:23.980 You've been given honorary vice-presidentship now, Wayne. 00:44:23.980 --> 00:44:26.980 Thanks, Wayne. 00:44:26.980 --> 00:44:35.980 For these are the very things that have diluted, compromised or blocked out the life of Christ in and through the church in the last century. 00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:38.980 These are the very things. 00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:45.980 Guys, I'm so grateful that I can preach this here and you are not rebelling against it. 00:44:45.980 --> 00:44:47.980 At least your faces don't show it. 00:44:51.980 --> 00:44:55.980 Because it is very difficult to preach this in churches. 00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:04.980 It is and thank God it's coming from Jesus. 00:45:04.980 --> 00:45:06.980 How can you argue with him? 00:45:06.980 --> 00:45:08.980 I mean, how can you argue with him and win? 00:45:15.980 --> 00:45:17.980 You think he doesn't know how difficult it is? 00:45:17.980 --> 00:45:18.980 He does. 00:45:18.980 --> 00:45:20.980 But there's a cost to following him. 00:45:20.980 --> 00:45:26.980 It's a, it's a, and after you pay it, you have to go and say, but we have only done that which is reasonable. 00:45:26.980 --> 00:45:28.980 We are still unprofitable servants. 00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:30.980 So what do you want us to do next, people? 00:45:32.980 --> 00:45:34.980 Because there's this tendency in our head. 00:45:34.980 --> 00:45:36.980 If we do this, what's my reward? 00:45:36.980 --> 00:45:37.980 What's in it for me? 00:45:37.980 --> 00:45:39.980 Really nothing. All you get is Jesus. 00:45:40.980 --> 00:45:42.980 Ain't he enough? 00:45:49.980 --> 00:45:51.980 So displace all elseguys. 00:45:51.980 --> 00:45:55.980 On the New Year's service, if there's anything we'll do. 00:45:55.980 --> 00:46:03.980 Diana, since you asked for it, it is that we will lay down our work, our possessions, our family, our money and ourselves. 00:46:04.980 --> 00:46:12.980 Saying Jesus, as we enter this New Year, have more of us so that you can be more through us. 00:46:12.980 --> 00:46:16.980 Have more of us so you can be more through us. 00:46:16.980 --> 00:46:24.980 Not for our sake, but for the sake of those that you want us to be witnesses to. 00:46:25.980 --> 00:46:27.980 This is where we're going. 00:46:27.980 --> 00:46:30.980 Have more of us so that you can be more through us. 00:46:32.980 --> 00:46:35.980 Have more of us so you can be more through us. 00:46:36.980 --> 00:46:38.980 Displace all else. 00:46:38.980 --> 00:46:41.980 Restore Christ and the body to the center. 00:46:45.980 --> 00:46:46.980 I want you to look at these pictures. 00:46:46.980 --> 00:46:50.980 I know I've drawn this before and Chad had drawn this long ago for some of us. 00:46:51.980 --> 00:46:54.980 Guys, this is the picture of the New Year. 00:46:54.980 --> 00:46:58.980 I can't use a mic stand to hold it because my hand may hurt. 00:47:01.980 --> 00:47:03.980 Marcus, I'm using a drumstick. 00:47:05.980 --> 00:47:07.980 But I'll still be too short. 00:47:08.980 --> 00:47:09.980 Okay. 00:47:11.980 --> 00:47:22.980 Yeah, this is a life centered around the 00:47:22.980 --> 00:47:24.980 We're talking about Christians now. 00:47:24.980 --> 00:47:27.980 This is a life centered around ourselves. 00:47:27.980 --> 00:47:31.980 So this is how one-fourth of the church lives. 00:47:31.980 --> 00:47:33.980 Or maybe a higher percentage. 00:47:33.980 --> 00:47:35.980 You have, yeah, much higher percentage I think. 00:47:35.980 --> 00:47:38.980 You have you and your family at the center. 00:47:39.980 --> 00:47:43.980 And life is very nicely compartmentalized. 00:47:46.980 --> 00:47:49.980 You do go to Christ and the church. 00:47:49.980 --> 00:47:50.980 You have your work cut out. 00:47:50.980 --> 00:47:51.980 There's a time for that. 00:47:51.980 --> 00:47:53.980 You have time for making money. 00:47:53.980 --> 00:47:56.980 You have your possessions and you have you and the family at the center. 00:47:56.980 --> 00:47:58.980 This is how most Christianity is lived. 00:48:00.980 --> 00:48:02.980 And the church encourages this. 00:48:02.980 --> 00:48:07.980 As long as you divide your time so that church also gets some time, work gets some time. 00:48:07.980 --> 00:48:09.980 It's nicely compartmentalized. 00:48:11.980 --> 00:48:16.980 May I suggest to you that what is true of churches outside is also true for Acts 29? 00:48:16.980 --> 00:48:18.980 It's not like this isn't happening with us. 00:48:20.980 --> 00:48:21.980 Next one. 00:48:23.980 --> 00:48:25.980 This is this is so subtle. 00:48:25.980 --> 00:48:29.980 This is so Acts 29 in the past. 00:48:31.980 --> 00:48:32.980 See how this one works. 00:48:32.980 --> 00:48:34.980 It's still centered around themselves. 00:48:34.980 --> 00:48:37.980 But now there's a nice little godly twist to it. 00:48:38.980 --> 00:48:43.980 Me and my family now put the church in the middle of the world. 00:48:43.980 --> 00:48:47.980 Me and my family now put Christ and his church first. 00:48:49.980 --> 00:48:54.980 When we put Christ and his church first, we expect him to bless our work. 00:48:55.980 --> 00:49:01.980 Because that scripture, seek first his kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you is no longer about God. 00:49:01.980 --> 00:49:07.980 It is about, okay, if I seek church and the if I seek Jesus and the church first, then Jesus will bless me. 00:49:07.980 --> 00:49:11.980 And so he blesses your work. 00:49:11.980 --> 00:49:15.980 When he blesses your work, you will have more money. 00:49:15.980 --> 00:49:18.980 When you have more money, you will have more possessions. 00:49:18.980 --> 00:49:22.980 And your possessions then enrich you and your family. 00:49:22.980 --> 00:49:24.980 And so you give more tithes now. 00:49:26.980 --> 00:49:30.980 This is the prosperity gospel subtly wrapped up in godly garments. 00:49:34.980 --> 00:49:35.980 I've preached this. 00:49:37.980 --> 00:49:38.980 So I know. 00:49:41.980 --> 00:49:43.980 Is there something wrong with this? Yes. 00:49:45.980 --> 00:49:46.980 It's still me at the center. 00:49:48.980 --> 00:49:49.980 That's what's wrong with it. 00:49:49.980 --> 00:49:51.980 There's nothing wrong with God blessing your work. 00:49:51.980 --> 00:49:52.980 May he bless your work. 00:49:52.980 --> 00:49:54.980 Deuteronomy says that. 00:49:54.980 --> 00:49:55.980 There's nothing wrong with you making money. 00:49:55.980 --> 00:49:57.980 May you make tons and tons of money. 00:49:58.980 --> 00:50:00.980 There's nothing wrong with having a few cars. 00:50:00.980 --> 00:50:02.980 And if may you have many cars. 00:50:02.980 --> 00:50:03.980 Derek has two. 00:50:03.980 --> 00:50:11.980 And then may you increase in your tithing. 00:50:11.980 --> 00:50:13.980 But it's still about you at the center. 00:50:13.980 --> 00:50:15.980 So let's go to the next picture. 00:50:15.980 --> 00:50:21.980 This is now beginning to work itself towards recovering tradition. 00:50:21.980 --> 00:50:24.980 It's beginning to work itself towards recovering tradition. 00:50:24.980 --> 00:50:29.980 Now Christ is at the center and your family wants to serve Christ. 00:50:29.980 --> 00:50:33.980 Your work, you use it to serve Christ. 00:50:33.980 --> 00:50:35.980 Your money is to serve Christ. 00:50:35.980 --> 00:50:37.980 Your possessions are to serve Christ. 00:50:37.980 --> 00:50:40.980 But the thing wrong with this. 00:50:40.980 --> 00:50:44.980 And we've, Axe 29's lived here too and I've taught this. 00:50:44.980 --> 00:50:47.980 What's wrong with this is, this is individualistic. 00:50:48.980 --> 00:50:50.980 It is me and Christ. 00:50:50.980 --> 00:50:51.980 My family and Christ. 00:50:51.980 --> 00:50:52.980 My work and Christ. 00:50:52.980 --> 00:50:53.980 My possessions and Christ. 00:50:53.980 --> 00:50:54.980 My money and Christ. 00:50:54.980 --> 00:50:56.980 It is Christ centered. 00:50:56.980 --> 00:50:58.980 But it's still ain't the complete picture. 00:50:58.980 --> 00:51:00.980 Because we've got to recover tradition. 00:51:00.980 --> 00:51:01.980 And now the last one. 00:51:03.980 --> 00:51:04.980 This is the real one. 00:51:06.980 --> 00:51:12.980 I rally, build, commit my family to serve Christ and the church. 00:51:14.980 --> 00:51:17.980 Because it is easy to serve an invisible God. 00:51:17.980 --> 00:51:21.980 It's easy to say to an invisible God, here is my work, my money, my possessions. 00:51:21.980 --> 00:51:25.980 Because you know, an invisible hand won't come down and take anything. 00:51:28.980 --> 00:51:32.980 Now you rally your family to serve Christ and the church. 00:51:32.980 --> 00:51:34.980 You rally your work. 00:51:34.980 --> 00:51:40.980 As in you commit even your work saying, Jesus, I take my work and I lay it before you. 00:51:40.980 --> 00:51:48.980 For the sake of you and for whatever the body would require from my work, I lay it before you. 00:51:49.980 --> 00:51:52.980 My money, it's no longer 10%. 00:51:52.980 --> 00:51:55.980 All my money is for you and the church. 00:51:55.980 --> 00:51:56.980 And yet the church won't legislate it. 00:51:56.980 --> 00:51:58.980 The church won't say bring all your money. 00:51:58.980 --> 00:52:05.980 It's you are saying to God, all of it, not 10%, not 20%, all of it is at your disposal. 00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:09.980 Whenever you want to God, when you direct me, I will. 00:52:09.980 --> 00:52:11.980 I won't hold any back. 00:52:11.980 --> 00:52:13.980 And finally possessions. 00:52:13.980 --> 00:52:15.980 Yes, Father, you've blessed me with possessions. 00:52:15.980 --> 00:52:19.980 But having had all these possessions, I want you to know that they are at your disposal. 00:52:21.980 --> 00:52:22.980 At your disposal. 00:52:23.980 --> 00:52:24.980 At your disposal. 00:52:25.980 --> 00:52:26.980 Guys, I'll tell you one thing. 00:52:26.980 --> 00:52:30.980 When it comes to this, I don't have any possessions, so I can't talk about that. 00:52:30.980 --> 00:52:40.980 When it comes to this, every couple of months I'll go tell the Lord, Father, all of it is at your disposal. 00:52:42.980 --> 00:52:43.980 All of it. 00:52:44.980 --> 00:52:45.980 And it is. 00:52:48.980 --> 00:52:50.980 Otherwise I would not be able to do what I'm doing. 00:52:50.980 --> 00:52:51.980 It is at his disposal. 00:52:52.980 --> 00:52:53.980 So what when you turn 65? 00:52:54.980 --> 00:52:55.980 That's still far away. 00:52:56.980 --> 00:52:57.980 And you guys will take care of me anyways. 00:52:59.980 --> 00:53:00.980 That's why I'm getting you all into the same building. 00:53:08.980 --> 00:53:09.980 I already have three families in the building. 00:53:09.980 --> 00:53:13.980 I'm hoping that you take out three meals and then we'll work. 00:53:13.980 --> 00:53:14.980 No, I'm just kidding. 00:53:14.980 --> 00:53:16.980 Like Chris is reminding me. 00:53:16.980 --> 00:53:17.980 The Lord takes care of you, right? 00:53:17.980 --> 00:53:18.980 Okay. 00:53:18.980 --> 00:53:20.980 Any questions on these four pictures before we move on? 00:53:20.980 --> 00:53:24.980 Man, this jacket is anointed, but it's also warm. 00:53:26.980 --> 00:53:27.980 I'm just kidding. 00:53:29.980 --> 00:53:30.980 Okay. 00:53:30.980 --> 00:53:31.980 Any questions, Sats? 00:53:34.980 --> 00:53:35.980 Arguments. 00:53:35.980 --> 00:53:36.980 Come on, guys. 00:53:37.980 --> 00:53:39.980 You're taking this too easily as truth. 00:53:40.980 --> 00:53:42.980 It is true, but. 00:53:47.980 --> 00:53:48.980 Sorry. 00:53:51.980 --> 00:53:52.980 Yeah. 00:53:52.980 --> 00:53:53.980 Yeah. 00:53:53.980 --> 00:53:57.980 I'm wondering, do we own, like, how do we enrich the church with position money, work, 00:53:57.980 --> 00:53:58.980 and family? 00:53:58.980 --> 00:54:03.980 Do we do that like just on our own accord or would they ask for? 00:54:03.980 --> 00:54:06.980 Mark, how do you want to answer that? 00:54:07.980 --> 00:54:08.980 Okay. 00:54:08.980 --> 00:54:21.980 So, regarding work, my response is that you're always asking God, okay, what am I doing today, 00:54:21.980 --> 00:54:22.980 God? 00:54:22.980 --> 00:54:23.980 Where am I going? 00:54:23.980 --> 00:54:24.980 How am I doing this? 00:54:24.980 --> 00:54:29.980 And that you, you're always asking God, okay, what am I doing today, God? 00:54:29.980 --> 00:54:30.980 Where am I going? 00:54:30.980 --> 00:54:31.980 How am I doing this? 00:54:32.980 --> 00:54:43.980 And that you offer up your day to God first thing and be surprised by how smoothly things 00:54:43.980 --> 00:54:44.980 flow. 00:54:44.980 --> 00:54:50.980 Not only that, but once you have a smoothly flowing day that you have time to talk with 00:54:50.980 --> 00:54:55.980 your coworkers, you have time to interact with others, that suddenly you have a life 00:54:56.980 --> 00:55:05.980 that people look at and say that when things go smoothly that other people want to know 00:55:05.980 --> 00:55:09.980 what you're doing and how you are able to know about these things. 00:55:12.980 --> 00:55:14.980 Lots of praying. 00:55:20.980 --> 00:55:21.980 Oh. 00:55:22.980 --> 00:55:24.980 I'm not sure what. 00:55:25.980 --> 00:55:32.980 So, at one point Mark decided that, okay, if this is true, then the rate at which he 00:55:32.980 --> 00:55:38.980 and Rhonda were working was so excessive that there was absolutely no time for anything 00:55:38.980 --> 00:55:39.980 else. 00:55:39.980 --> 00:55:43.980 So Mark went up to his boss and he said to his boss, okay, so I don't want to work a 00:55:43.980 --> 00:55:46.980 five-day week anymore. 00:55:46.980 --> 00:55:50.980 And I'd like to scale back so that I can set time aside for the other things that I'm called 00:55:50.980 --> 00:55:52.980 to do and the reason I came to Vancouver. 00:55:54.980 --> 00:55:59.980 And so the question was now, is he going to lose his job or is he going to keep it? 00:55:59.980 --> 00:56:04.980 And his boss said, you're the kind of worker who in three days does what most others take 00:56:04.980 --> 00:56:05.980 five days to do. 00:56:05.980 --> 00:56:06.980 So go ahead. 00:56:09.980 --> 00:56:11.980 Which is a radical step to take. 00:56:11.980 --> 00:56:13.980 Or here's another example. 00:56:13.980 --> 00:56:21.980 So, when Derek knew that his job was, his life at present was tied to Vancouver, then 00:56:21.980 --> 00:56:26.980 despite having six months of no job, when he gets a job in Toronto, he decides not 00:56:26.980 --> 00:56:28.980 to go. 00:56:29.980 --> 00:56:36.980 Or Heidi, where many times she can make a lot more money if she takes a few shifts and 00:56:36.980 --> 00:56:41.980 she decides not to because of the role she plays at present at Acts 29. 00:56:41.980 --> 00:56:46.980 And so change her schedules and let's go off her work, suffering financial loss in terms 00:56:46.980 --> 00:56:48.980 of work, but not really. 00:56:49.980 --> 00:56:55.980 This is how the work-God contest is sorted out. 00:56:58.980 --> 00:57:03.980 And you might think that is so scary, that will bring a loss to me. 00:57:03.980 --> 00:57:06.980 I don't know how it doesn't work out that way. 00:57:06.980 --> 00:57:11.980 Mathematically, you should be at a loss, but that's not how it works out. 00:57:11.980 --> 00:57:15.980 I'm sure there are stories around this room where you chose not to do something or chose 00:57:15.980 --> 00:57:21.980 to do something because you knew that there was a demand that was greater than work and 00:57:21.980 --> 00:57:23.980 money. 00:57:29.980 --> 00:57:34.980 All the way Prashant went around approaching his bosses saying, I must go to Kenya. 00:57:38.980 --> 00:57:40.980 But initially he was told not to. 00:57:45.980 --> 00:57:52.980 This is the radicalization of the church. 00:57:52.980 --> 00:57:58.980 Whether three or four things that the world and the church has told you is super important 00:57:58.980 --> 00:58:01.980 now becomes less important. 00:58:01.980 --> 00:58:02.980 Why? 00:58:02.980 --> 00:58:04.980 Because it's not the church that has become more important. 00:58:04.980 --> 00:58:07.980 Christ has become more important. 00:58:07.980 --> 00:58:08.980 He takes on precedence. 00:58:08.980 --> 00:58:10.980 And there is no contest. 00:58:10.980 --> 00:58:11.980 There is no contest. 00:58:11.980 --> 00:58:14.980 It's not a struggle because it's settled in your heart forever. 00:58:21.980 --> 00:58:22.980 Let's go to the next one. 00:58:22.980 --> 00:58:23.980 I'll conclude. 00:58:25.980 --> 00:58:26.980 The cost of following Jesus. 00:58:26.980 --> 00:58:27.980 These are Jesus's words. 00:58:27.980 --> 00:58:32.980 Guys, every time you think that what Jacob is saying or what is being taught here just 00:58:32.980 --> 00:58:33.980 goes against common sense. 00:58:33.980 --> 00:58:35.980 You are absolutely right. 00:58:35.980 --> 00:58:37.980 It does go against common sense. 00:58:37.980 --> 00:58:40.980 But then listen to Jesus as the financial advisor. 00:58:42.980 --> 00:58:46.980 His financial advice was look at the birds of the air and the flowers on the fields. 00:58:50.980 --> 00:58:52.980 That's what is his financial advice. 00:58:52.980 --> 00:58:55.980 I don't think it will fly with any Christian counseling today. 00:58:56.980 --> 00:59:00.980 But look at what Jesus says in Mark 10, verse 29 and 30. 00:59:00.980 --> 00:59:07.980 Truly, I tell you, Jesus replied, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother 00:59:07.980 --> 00:59:15.980 or father or children or fields or throw in homes, work for me and the gospel will fail 00:59:15.980 --> 00:59:18.980 to receive a hundred times as much in this present age. 00:59:18.980 --> 00:59:25.980 Homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, along with persecutions and in the 00:59:25.980 --> 00:59:27.980 age to come eternal life. 00:59:27.980 --> 00:59:32.980 And this is the context of that last line. 00:59:32.980 --> 00:59:35.980 Many who are first will be last and the last refers. 00:59:35.980 --> 00:59:36.980 What does it mean? 00:59:36.980 --> 00:59:42.980 It means that many here, many here, even at acts 29, will spend hours invested in work, 00:59:42.980 --> 00:59:47.980 in possessions, in money and will be first here on earth. 00:59:47.980 --> 00:59:52.980 Will even preach, will do well and find out that at the end of the day, that was not what 00:59:52.980 --> 00:59:55.980 mattered, that you have very little to show in life. 00:59:56.980 --> 01:00:01.980 All those things that he's asking us to lay down are the very things that moth and rust eat. 01:00:01.980 --> 01:00:06.980 And it is in this context that Jesus says many who are first will be last and many who 01:00:06.980 --> 01:00:17.980 are last and who were stupid and who were in, who seemed to lack common sense, who laid 01:00:17.980 --> 01:00:22.980 down these things for the sake of Christ, the gospel and the church are the ones who 01:00:22.980 --> 01:00:23.980 are first. 01:00:24.980 --> 01:00:26.980 At the end of the day, think of this guys. 01:00:26.980 --> 01:00:30.980 What is 70 years in the span of a billion years? 01:00:30.980 --> 01:00:35.980 70, 80, 90, 94 years you spend here on earth. 01:00:37.980 --> 01:00:42.980 What is that against a billion years? 01:00:42.980 --> 01:00:45.980 And after that billion, there's another billion waiting. 01:00:48.980 --> 01:00:49.980 What is it? 01:00:51.980 --> 01:00:55.980 My God, take you to the next level. 01:00:56.980 --> 01:00:57.980 Take your eyes off the fields. 01:00:57.980 --> 01:00:59.980 Take your eyes off the work. 01:00:59.980 --> 01:01:00.980 Take your eyes off possessions. 01:01:00.980 --> 01:01:01.980 Take your eyes off. 01:01:01.980 --> 01:01:02.980 I've got me and my family. 01:01:02.980 --> 01:01:07.980 Take your eyes off that because we got an eternity where there will be no marriage, 01:01:07.980 --> 01:01:13.980 no this taking care of babies like Anton has to do or Matt has to do. 01:01:14.980 --> 01:01:16.980 I'm sure Rachel and Yuri are involved too. 01:01:16.980 --> 01:01:27.980 There is an eternity waiting for which we must prepare ourselves and prepare the world. 01:01:32.980 --> 01:01:35.980 I am glad you guys are not going to Victoria for another year. 01:01:35.980 --> 01:01:39.980 I am glad you're not going to Victoria for another year. 01:01:40.980 --> 01:01:41.980 I just needed to say that publicly. 01:01:41.980 --> 01:01:42.980 Next one. 01:01:42.980 --> 01:01:43.980 I'm ending. 01:01:43.980 --> 01:01:45.980 It's not a prophetic word. 01:01:45.980 --> 01:01:46.980 It's just gladness. 01:01:46.980 --> 01:01:47.980 Yeah. 01:01:49.980 --> 01:01:51.980 So how do we do this guys? 01:01:51.980 --> 01:01:53.980 Jesus is making such a demand on us. 01:01:53.980 --> 01:01:55.980 He's saying, hey, you got to be disciple makers. 01:01:56.980 --> 01:01:58.980 He says, go therefore make disciples of all nations. 01:01:58.980 --> 01:01:59.980 Go preach repentance. 01:01:59.980 --> 01:02:01.980 Go preach the forgiveness of sins in my name. 01:02:01.980 --> 01:02:02.980 Begin Jerusalem. 01:02:02.980 --> 01:02:03.980 How? 01:02:03.980 --> 01:02:04.980 How? 01:02:04.980 --> 01:02:10.980 And that's when he says, I'm going to be a disciple maker. 01:02:10.980 --> 01:02:19.980 That's when he says to the guys in Acts chapter 1, 8, he says, let me tell you how. 01:02:19.980 --> 01:02:25.980 And then he tells them that all this is accomplished through one simple thing, man, the Holy Spirit. 01:02:25.980 --> 01:02:27.980 Go to the last slide. 01:02:27.980 --> 01:02:29.980 What you shall receive? 01:02:29.980 --> 01:02:31.980 Power. 01:02:31.980 --> 01:02:37.980 You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. 01:02:37.980 --> 01:02:47.980 And once that happens, you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 01:02:47.980 --> 01:02:57.980 So next week, having established these truths that we've been talking about for the last four weeks, next week we'll talk about, OK, so how does it look? 01:02:57.980 --> 01:02:59.980 What does it look like? 01:02:59.980 --> 01:03:02.980 What happens when I receive power? 01:03:02.980 --> 01:03:05.980 When the Holy Spirit comes upon me? 01:03:05.980 --> 01:03:11.980 What's this whole idea of witnessing to Jerusalem, Samaria, Judea, and the end of the earth? 01:03:11.980 --> 01:03:12.980 What happens? 01:03:12.980 --> 01:03:13.980 We'll talk about that next week. 01:03:13.980 --> 01:03:20.980 Because at the end of the day, it's the Holy Spirit who ignites this passion of disciple making. 01:03:20.980 --> 01:03:23.980 He's also the one who sustains it. 01:03:23.980 --> 01:03:25.980 It's all by him. 01:03:25.980 --> 01:03:27.980 And so you can have all these points together. 01:03:27.980 --> 01:03:38.980 But if you have not tasted or received, or it's been a while since the power of the Holy Spirit came upon you, the next week is the week to begin to look at that. 01:03:38.980 --> 01:03:41.980 Because that's what ignites and sustains this whole thing. 01:03:41.980 --> 01:03:42.980 Any questions? 01:03:42.980 --> 01:03:44.980 Any thoughts? 01:03:57.980 --> 01:04:19.980 OK.