1 00:00:00,866 --> 00:00:03,866 Hey, so first Timothy, 2 00:00:04,666 --> 00:00:05,166 Chapter two. 3 00:00:05,166 --> 00:00:08,166 Remember that last week? 4 00:00:08,333 --> 00:00:09,333 If you remember last week, I said 5 00:00:09,333 --> 00:00:13,433 I wasn't going to get to the last verse because it's just such a weird verse. 6 00:00:13,833 --> 00:00:16,833 And so I said I would address that this morning. 7 00:00:16,933 --> 00:00:21,266 And so let me just address this, this, this one last verse in chapter two. 8 00:00:21,300 --> 00:00:23,300 Then we'll get into chapter three. 9 00:00:23,300 --> 00:00:25,533 First Timothy two, verse 15. 10 00:00:25,533 --> 00:00:30,033 He's he's been talking about men and women in church and, and all kinds of stuff. 11 00:00:30,033 --> 00:00:31,500 And then he says this. 12 00:00:31,500 --> 00:00:34,066 Yet she, the woman will be saved through childbearing 13 00:00:34,066 --> 00:00:37,066 if they continue in faith and love and holiness and self-control. 14 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,900 What an odd verse. 15 00:00:39,900 --> 00:00:41,966 She'll be saved through childbearing. 16 00:00:41,966 --> 00:00:44,633 What about women who don't have kids? 17 00:00:44,633 --> 00:00:47,233 Right. Like. Isn't that. 18 00:00:47,233 --> 00:00:49,166 I mean, if we're honest in this, a weird verse 19 00:00:51,133 --> 00:00:52,000 to none of you. 20 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,866 This is odd. Wow. 21 00:00:54,866 --> 00:00:57,000 That's like a I think it's an a. 22 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,700 And so let me tell you what it means. 23 00:00:59,700 --> 00:01:01,800 We don't know that. 24 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,133 So I just want to be honest with you. 25 00:01:03,133 --> 00:01:05,866 Like, it can mean a lot of things. 26 00:01:05,866 --> 00:01:08,533 One thing I know, it doesn't mean 27 00:01:08,533 --> 00:01:11,466 when Paul says she'll be saved through childbearing. 28 00:01:11,466 --> 00:01:14,000 It doesn't mean what we call salvific faith. 29 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,100 This is not salvation. Faith. 30 00:01:16,100 --> 00:01:18,666 She's not made right with God because she has a baby. 31 00:01:18,666 --> 00:01:20,700 So it's not talking about salvation. 32 00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:23,100 Let me tell you the things that could mean. 33 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:25,733 There's three different basic ideas, right? 34 00:01:25,733 --> 00:01:30,733 One is Paul could be referring to what God said back in Genesis 315 35 00:01:31,333 --> 00:01:36,200 to Eve that through your seed will come. 36 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:37,733 The Messiah is basically what he said. 37 00:01:37,733 --> 00:01:39,600 And so it could be that he has in view 38 00:01:40,566 --> 00:01:41,700 that the woman will 39 00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:44,700 be saved through bearing the child 40 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,166 like like that's our salvation through bearing the child 41 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:53,866 through the seed of Eve, who will bear the Messiah. 42 00:01:54,566 --> 00:01:56,000 Could be second thing. 43 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,700 It could mean is that you all will be 44 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:02,700 saved in in perpetuating humanity. 45 00:02:02,700 --> 00:02:06,800 Humanity is going to be perpetuated by the role of the woman in the world. 46 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,800 Like there's no perpetuation of humanity without the old one. 47 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,466 And that's what he's going to be. 48 00:02:12,466 --> 00:02:17,733 Third thing is because he's not saying you will be saved in salvation. 49 00:02:18,100 --> 00:02:21,800 That word saved is understood more as holistically. 50 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,966 In other words, you will be fulfilled and saved holistically 51 00:02:27,300 --> 00:02:30,766 when you live the role God has assigned to you. 52 00:02:31,266 --> 00:02:36,900 And typically, the role of birth and child raising is the woman's. 53 00:02:39,133 --> 00:02:40,600 Men can't have babies. 54 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:41,933 I don't care what TikTok said. 55 00:02:41,933 --> 00:02:44,566 Like men can't have babies. 56 00:02:44,566 --> 00:02:47,600 And so so each of us, not just the one, but in this context, 57 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,066 a woman is holistically whole. 58 00:02:51,566 --> 00:02:55,733 When we play the role live, the role that God has assigned to us, each. 59 00:02:56,900 --> 00:02:59,400 Those are things that could mean what it does mean. 60 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:00,466 You get to decide 61 00:03:00,466 --> 00:03:03,466 which of those you want to camp on, if you want to camp on any of them. 62 00:03:03,633 --> 00:03:05,366 It's one of those things, this scripture 63 00:03:05,366 --> 00:03:08,933 that is not foundational nor essential for salvation. 64 00:03:09,266 --> 00:03:11,566 It's a disputable matter. 65 00:03:11,566 --> 00:03:13,766 And so you get to decide what it is. 66 00:03:13,766 --> 00:03:14,633 You clear on that? 67 00:03:14,633 --> 00:03:15,933 Are we clear on that? 68 00:03:15,933 --> 00:03:18,800 And whatever however you you want to come up with you, I don't care. 69 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,633 Like I'm not going to argue with you about it. 70 00:03:20,633 --> 00:03:22,766 I I'm not a fighter, but I'm not going to discuss it anymore. 71 00:03:22,766 --> 00:03:24,366 You get to decide. We're good. 72 00:03:25,366 --> 00:03:26,200 All right. 73 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,200 So chapter three now in chapter three, 74 00:03:30,166 --> 00:03:33,366 Paul's talk about roles and leadership within the church. 75 00:03:33,366 --> 00:03:36,500 And for every Christ follower, every one of us. 76 00:03:37,633 --> 00:03:40,966 He's going to detail 16 qualifications 77 00:03:40,966 --> 00:03:45,566 for being the lead in a church and having leadership in the church. 78 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:48,733 Only one of those 16 has anything 79 00:03:48,733 --> 00:03:51,733 to do with ability or gifting. 80 00:03:51,900 --> 00:03:55,433 All the rest are about the character of the individual 81 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,600 and their life and their family. 82 00:03:58,900 --> 00:04:03,500 So much of today will not be talking about the characteristics, 83 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,033 the qualifications, because most of them are pretty self-explanatory. 84 00:04:08,733 --> 00:04:11,400 What I will spend most of the day on 85 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,400 is talking about these roles, 86 00:04:14,433 --> 00:04:18,200 because Paul is using terms that made sense to them 87 00:04:18,266 --> 00:04:23,333 coming out of the synagogue system and don't necessarily make sense to us. 88 00:04:24,166 --> 00:04:26,000 Let me just ask this question. 89 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,100 Have any of you ever had experience in a church with with what they called elders? 90 00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:31,833 Anybody? 91 00:04:31,833 --> 00:04:32,466 Okay. 92 00:04:32,466 --> 00:04:35,466 How about experience in church with what they call deacons? 93 00:04:35,466 --> 00:04:36,366 Yeah. Okay. 94 00:04:36,366 --> 00:04:41,033 So you probably have a connotation in your mind of what those titles mean. 95 00:04:41,433 --> 00:04:44,133 Paul had something in mind with what they meant 96 00:04:44,133 --> 00:04:45,900 according to the synagogue system. 97 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:48,800 And until we understand what Paul is saying, we're going 98 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,833 to be muted a little bit on what those roles 99 00:04:51,833 --> 00:04:56,100 do in our context because we don't understand his context. 100 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,266 And so the big idea here it is for chapter three. 101 00:05:00,966 --> 00:05:05,366 Titles and roles are not intended to elevate status but to activate service. 102 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:06,766 Okay. 103 00:05:06,766 --> 00:05:09,800 Titles and roles are not intended to elevate status. 104 00:05:09,833 --> 00:05:12,066 I am an elder. 105 00:05:12,066 --> 00:05:12,966 I am a deacon. 106 00:05:12,966 --> 00:05:15,033 I'm a bishop. I'm an overseer. 107 00:05:15,033 --> 00:05:18,533 You know, we don't have big Pope hats with big Pope rings and sit on the Pope 108 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,466 throne like it's not to elevate status is to activate service. 109 00:05:24,533 --> 00:05:27,600 Two sections in first Timothy three are going to deal 110 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,933 with roles of leadership and Christ followers within the church. 111 00:05:31,166 --> 00:05:34,266 One section in, first Timothy three. 112 00:05:34,666 --> 00:05:38,166 Paul is going to just burst out into praise and adulation 113 00:05:38,166 --> 00:05:42,333 about how great God is, and it says this, but Paul talks about all this stuff 114 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,600 and he finally realizes in the end talking about 115 00:05:45,666 --> 00:05:48,700 who God is and and how he's ordained things. 116 00:05:48,766 --> 00:05:52,800 He just burst out in spontaneous praise because he just can't hold it anymore. 117 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:53,700 Is like the like. 118 00:05:53,700 --> 00:05:56,300 And then God did this and then watch this, and God did this and watch it. 119 00:05:56,300 --> 00:05:57,433 And he is so good. 120 00:05:57,433 --> 00:05:59,266 He's so good. He's so merciful and so great. 121 00:05:59,266 --> 00:06:03,266 So he just burst out in praise and he does it over and over and over again. 122 00:06:03,433 --> 00:06:06,433 And he's going to do it again at the end of chapter three. 123 00:06:06,466 --> 00:06:10,100 And one of the things that I'm learning, as I see in Paul, 124 00:06:10,333 --> 00:06:14,900 that if it's hard for me to praise and thank God, I don't know God very well for. 125 00:06:17,266 --> 00:06:17,933 If it's hard 126 00:06:17,933 --> 00:06:20,933 for me to thank God because I don't know him very well, 127 00:06:21,033 --> 00:06:24,033 if it's hard for me to praise God just because I don't know him very well. 128 00:06:25,033 --> 00:06:26,900 Paul's like he is so good. He's so. 129 00:06:26,900 --> 00:06:29,900 And then he just bursts out in praise 130 00:06:30,700 --> 00:06:33,600 regarding this section of church leadership 131 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,600 and these roles and qualifications, if you will. 132 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:40,333 As well as those who lead in the church. 133 00:06:40,333 --> 00:06:41,733 I want you to understand something. 134 00:06:41,733 --> 00:06:45,333 The flip side that we do not get caught up with the roles 135 00:06:45,333 --> 00:06:48,333 and titles, 136 00:06:48,933 --> 00:06:50,366 titles 137 00:06:50,366 --> 00:06:54,500 are intended to represent roles and indicate responsibilities. 138 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:57,500 And the two titles that Paul uses in first 139 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,433 Timothy three are the role of elder and the role of deacon. 140 00:07:03,666 --> 00:07:06,500 According to Paul, according to Scripture, elders, 141 00:07:07,533 --> 00:07:10,533 are roles that some men play in the church, 142 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,033 and deacons are roles that men and women play in the church. 143 00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:19,700 The point is not to focus on the title, 144 00:07:20,166 --> 00:07:23,166 because if you desire a title, you're not worthy of it. 145 00:07:26,166 --> 00:07:28,500 The focus 146 00:07:28,500 --> 00:07:31,500 is on the role you're serving, not the title you're holding. 147 00:07:32,933 --> 00:07:34,666 You understand that? 148 00:07:34,666 --> 00:07:37,200 That's the point of this whole thing. 149 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,200 So Paul is coming out of Judaism. 150 00:07:41,433 --> 00:07:43,200 And in order to stand, 151 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:47,066 understand these, these, these titles and roles that he's going to talk about, 152 00:07:47,066 --> 00:07:50,133 we have to understand the system that he has in mind. 153 00:07:50,133 --> 00:07:51,700 And talking about them now. 154 00:07:51,700 --> 00:07:55,733 In Judaism, there was this system called the synagogue system. 155 00:07:55,733 --> 00:07:58,033 Everybody say synagogue. 156 00:07:58,033 --> 00:08:01,900 The synagogue system were these the small gatherings, 157 00:08:01,900 --> 00:08:04,900 local gatherings in local neighborhoods 158 00:08:05,100 --> 00:08:10,133 of like people, usually centered on either 159 00:08:10,466 --> 00:08:15,133 like ethnicity or like jobs, life experience. 160 00:08:15,900 --> 00:08:21,166 To hear a teacher talk about and explain God's commands. 161 00:08:21,366 --> 00:08:24,966 And they came about during the Babylonian captivity. 162 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:29,366 The temple was in Jerusalem, the Babylon's. 163 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,100 The Babylonians came down from the north 164 00:08:31,100 --> 00:08:35,433 and invaded the land and took captive the nation. 165 00:08:35,466 --> 00:08:37,766 The two remaining tribes at this point 166 00:08:37,766 --> 00:08:40,766 and took them back into Babylonian captivity. 167 00:08:40,933 --> 00:08:42,200 And because in Babylon 168 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,566 they didn't have the temple where they were supposed to their worship. 169 00:08:44,566 --> 00:08:49,833 They established these synagogues where they could practice their faith 170 00:08:50,300 --> 00:08:53,666 in these neighborhood, little gatherings of like people 171 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:57,466 where a teacher would expound on God's laws. 172 00:08:58,433 --> 00:09:00,266 It went so well in 173 00:09:00,266 --> 00:09:04,066 in Babylon when they came back into their country, 174 00:09:04,733 --> 00:09:07,733 they continued this synagogue system. 175 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:12,166 And we often see in Jesus himself would go to the synagogues 176 00:09:12,766 --> 00:09:16,700 and explain more fully the laws of God. 177 00:09:18,033 --> 00:09:20,533 And then we see the same thing in Peter, the same thing. 178 00:09:20,533 --> 00:09:22,800 And Paul go to these local synagogues. 179 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,900 And so that that's what they're that's 180 00:09:24,900 --> 00:09:26,766 why he's coming out of talking about the rules. 181 00:09:26,766 --> 00:09:29,166 Now for the church. 182 00:09:29,166 --> 00:09:32,300 The synagogue was a very systemized, 183 00:09:32,866 --> 00:09:37,866 system with titles and role roll roles and hierarchies. 184 00:09:38,233 --> 00:09:41,500 And so the natural question that the first church had to deal with 185 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:46,033 is this we understand how the synagogue is structured, structured, 186 00:09:46,166 --> 00:09:49,166 but if we're different, how are we structured? 187 00:09:50,166 --> 00:09:53,466 So Paul uses some titles that they were accustomed to. 188 00:09:54,066 --> 00:09:57,133 And then he changes some titles to drive home 189 00:09:57,133 --> 00:10:01,300 the point of the responsibility not to highlight the position. 190 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:05,033 And so in the synagogue, 191 00:10:05,033 --> 00:10:07,433 these two leaders were elders. 192 00:10:07,433 --> 00:10:08,700 And the thing called hazan. 193 00:10:08,700 --> 00:10:11,700 Everybody say, who's on the left? 194 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:13,800 You're going to learn a lot of Greek today 195 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,800 in the synagogue, the synagogue elders, 196 00:10:18,033 --> 00:10:19,433 they're they're responsible. 197 00:10:19,433 --> 00:10:23,566 And function was much the same as elders in the church and the New Testament church 198 00:10:24,466 --> 00:10:27,066 hasn't had much the same roles 199 00:10:27,066 --> 00:10:30,333 and responsibilities as deacons in the New Testament church. 200 00:10:30,433 --> 00:10:34,866 But Paul doesn't use the word he's on because the New Testament 201 00:10:34,866 --> 00:10:38,200 church isn't focused on titles and hierarchy. 202 00:10:38,700 --> 00:10:41,400 He uses the word deacon because he wants to drive home 203 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,866 the point that this is not about hierarchy and rules. 204 00:10:44,866 --> 00:10:46,800 This is about responsibilities. 205 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,200 And so he uses the word deacon come from the root word. 206 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,600 Thou can never say that. 207 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:54,766 I couldn't hear, which literally means servant. 208 00:10:55,633 --> 00:10:58,300 So he says there are some who have some oversight, responsibility, 209 00:10:58,300 --> 00:11:02,400 teaching responsibility, and there are others who have this servant role. 210 00:11:02,500 --> 00:11:04,266 Elders and deacons. 211 00:11:05,333 --> 00:11:07,800 Now, I want you to remember part of Paul's 212 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,100 his own growth when he started this whole. 213 00:11:11,333 --> 00:11:13,766 Responding to God's call on his life. 214 00:11:13,766 --> 00:11:17,933 He says of himself, I am a Pharisee of Pharisees. 215 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,933 Pretty lofty title. 216 00:11:20,933 --> 00:11:24,733 Pharisees were the top echelon of the religious ruling class. 217 00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:25,800 He says, I, 218 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,066 of all the religious people, I'm the most religious of all the religious. 219 00:11:29,933 --> 00:11:32,366 He was trained under the one of the most 220 00:11:32,366 --> 00:11:35,366 brilliant minds in Judaism at the time, Gamaliel. 221 00:11:35,466 --> 00:11:38,400 And he says of the Pharisees, I'm the top. 222 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,200 That's a pretty hefty title. 223 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,400 And then he grows and he matures, and then he doesn't say that anymore. 224 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,400 Now he says, I am the least of the apostles. 225 00:11:48,733 --> 00:11:52,233 And when he uses the word apostle, he's talking about the 12 226 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:56,133 that were specifically called personally by God to be 227 00:11:56,133 --> 00:12:00,566 not just his disciples, which he had hundreds, but his apostles. 228 00:12:01,033 --> 00:12:05,366 Paul wasn't one of those 12, but on the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared 229 00:12:05,366 --> 00:12:08,933 to him, knocked him off his donkey, and said, why are you fighting against me? 230 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,233 And so Paul had this personal encounter with the risen Jesus. 231 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:18,233 So Paul claims the title apostle, but he says, hey, but I'm the least of all. 232 00:12:19,033 --> 00:12:23,100 Still a pretty good title because there's no more of those apostles. 233 00:12:24,933 --> 00:12:25,633 Then at the 234 00:12:25,633 --> 00:12:28,633 end of the story is beheaded by a by Caesar Nero. 235 00:12:29,533 --> 00:12:30,900 He's not the Pharisee, a Pharisee. 236 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:32,033 He's not the leader of the apostles. 237 00:12:32,033 --> 00:12:34,766 He said, I am the worst of all sinners. 238 00:12:34,766 --> 00:12:37,733 All his titles have dropped. 239 00:12:37,733 --> 00:12:40,366 You understand? 240 00:12:40,366 --> 00:12:42,533 To understand as. 241 00:12:42,533 --> 00:12:45,766 And that's why we're not focused on titles. 242 00:12:48,966 --> 00:12:51,966 Some elders are pastors. 243 00:12:52,466 --> 00:12:54,800 Some are not. 244 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,766 And some elders are teachers and preachers, 245 00:12:57,766 --> 00:13:00,766 and some are not. 246 00:13:01,433 --> 00:13:03,166 There is no deacon 247 00:13:03,166 --> 00:13:05,966 who is a pastor in the Bible. 248 00:13:05,966 --> 00:13:09,900 And so these are important distinction for us to understand our roles 249 00:13:10,266 --> 00:13:13,266 and how the church is to function. 250 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,966 Some elders are pastors, teachers, some aren't. 251 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,233 But there's no deacon who's a teacher, pastor. 252 00:13:24,166 --> 00:13:26,900 When you start a church, 253 00:13:26,900 --> 00:13:31,933 the little guy, the lead person is the 254 00:13:32,533 --> 00:13:35,300 the teacher and a preacher. 255 00:13:35,300 --> 00:13:38,300 The lead person is also the lead elder. 256 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,400 The lead person is also the lead pastor, 257 00:13:41,700 --> 00:13:45,233 and the lead person is also the deacon 258 00:13:46,100 --> 00:13:49,800 who does everything because there's nobody else there. 259 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:53,100 Do you understand that? 260 00:13:53,100 --> 00:13:56,100 And that works for a little while, 261 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,200 but after a while it gets really unhealthy for the church. 262 00:14:00,166 --> 00:14:03,166 Some continue in that idea 263 00:14:03,300 --> 00:14:05,900 that the lead guy, the lead person, 264 00:14:05,900 --> 00:14:09,900 is the one who initiates and does most things 265 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,300 because that person has such great capacity. 266 00:14:14,300 --> 00:14:16,100 He can do it. 267 00:14:16,100 --> 00:14:18,766 And the church gets used to him doing it. 268 00:14:18,766 --> 00:14:22,800 And the result is the church becomes passive 269 00:14:23,166 --> 00:14:28,433 because after all, it's getting done by someone other than me or get just lazy. 270 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:29,200 I want to do that. 271 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:33,100 I got too much other stuff going on or just get too apathetic. 272 00:14:33,933 --> 00:14:36,800 Whatever happens, happens. 273 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,400 And for a church, 274 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,400 it starts to get neglectful, 275 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:44,633 especially if they continue to let 276 00:14:44,633 --> 00:14:49,033 and expect their pastor to continue doing it. 277 00:14:50,233 --> 00:14:53,233 You understand? 278 00:14:53,633 --> 00:14:56,166 Yes. In. 279 00:14:56,166 --> 00:14:58,400 I am very thankful 280 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,933 for you in this church who serve you. 281 00:15:02,233 --> 00:15:04,800 I'm very thankful for. 282 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,333 We have a lot of people in this church who serve 283 00:15:09,333 --> 00:15:11,166 and who do the work of the ministry. 284 00:15:11,166 --> 00:15:14,166 Hear me when I say this, please. Thank you. 285 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,733 Thank you that Sunday mornings happen 286 00:15:17,866 --> 00:15:20,866 not because of me, Jeff, Heather and Michael and Trish. 287 00:15:21,566 --> 00:15:24,900 They happen because David Morcerf shows up at Zero 288 00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:27,900 Dark 30, as do a lot of other people. 289 00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:29,766 Miracle does. Joe does. 290 00:15:29,766 --> 00:15:32,133 I mean, there's all who show up and get everything right. 291 00:15:32,133 --> 00:15:33,333 Thank you. 292 00:15:33,333 --> 00:15:35,166 There's a lot of people who serve. 293 00:15:35,166 --> 00:15:38,166 The Mexico thing happened not because of me. 294 00:15:38,666 --> 00:15:42,000 One of our trustees slash elders slash 295 00:15:42,166 --> 00:15:45,033 Ryan, led the whole thing. 296 00:15:45,033 --> 00:15:47,866 And so I want you to hear me say thank you. 297 00:15:48,900 --> 00:15:51,100 Especially to those who lead, 298 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:54,200 because serving and leading are two profoundly different things. 299 00:15:56,666 --> 00:15:57,866 And what we have to 300 00:15:57,866 --> 00:16:01,266 understand as leaders are not born in seats. 301 00:16:01,266 --> 00:16:04,266 They're built in service. 302 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,500 I watch a lot of what goes on here, 303 00:16:10,933 --> 00:16:13,933 and especially after a Sunday morning. 304 00:16:14,166 --> 00:16:17,233 I work a lot alongside all the other people who are serving, 305 00:16:17,833 --> 00:16:21,000 but I watch, what happens out there. 306 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:25,400 And what I see are some men and women who just jump in. 307 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,366 What can I do? How can I help? 308 00:16:28,366 --> 00:16:31,500 And there are a lot of men and women who just watch. 309 00:16:32,666 --> 00:16:35,666 And what that tells me is there are some 310 00:16:35,866 --> 00:16:38,866 who are wired to become leaders, 311 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,200 and there are some who, for whatever reason, 312 00:16:43,466 --> 00:16:45,600 have just decided a more passive approach. 313 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,133 And so 314 00:16:49,133 --> 00:16:53,433 few are called and aspire to be elders and pastors. 315 00:16:54,066 --> 00:16:58,333 Many serve as deacons and servants, most without realizing it. 316 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:02,533 But listen, we don't get caught up in titles 317 00:17:03,266 --> 00:17:06,866 because ministry begins where ego ends. 318 00:17:09,433 --> 00:17:11,766 I've been in the church world my entire life. 319 00:17:11,766 --> 00:17:14,766 I started going to church six months before I was born. 320 00:17:15,366 --> 00:17:16,566 Through high school. 321 00:17:16,566 --> 00:17:18,566 I had a drug problem. 322 00:17:18,566 --> 00:17:20,533 I was drug to church every single week. 323 00:17:20,533 --> 00:17:22,600 I'm sorry. It's a it's a pastor joke. 324 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,966 I've been in this that my whole my whole my whole life I've been a pastor. 325 00:17:27,566 --> 00:17:30,566 I've been a pastor for 35 years. 326 00:17:31,066 --> 00:17:34,000 And so I have seen elders 327 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,500 and deacons, and deaconess is get puffed up 328 00:17:37,733 --> 00:17:41,966 because of their title and lose the emphasis on service 329 00:17:41,966 --> 00:17:44,266 and mercy and grace, 330 00:17:44,266 --> 00:17:47,800 and they become arrogant and prideful and think their role 331 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,066 because they have a title and so other people. What to do? 332 00:17:50,066 --> 00:17:54,733 And Paul calls it in first Timothy three, the sin of the devil. 333 00:17:56,033 --> 00:17:59,333 And so at flip side, please understand this about our church. 334 00:17:59,366 --> 00:18:02,900 We will focus on role and fruit and not on title. 335 00:18:04,633 --> 00:18:06,500 The New Testament titles 336 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:11,166 for New Testament leaders as elder, elder, 337 00:18:11,166 --> 00:18:14,233 our teachers and elders are preachers and some elders are both. 338 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:18,200 The title is Bishop and Overseer. 339 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,633 The titles are Shepherd and pastors. 340 00:18:20,633 --> 00:18:24,200 All of those different titles have the same function in mind. 341 00:18:25,266 --> 00:18:29,066 Some elders are overseer, some elders are preacher teachers. 342 00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:31,500 Some elders are both. 343 00:18:31,500 --> 00:18:34,500 And then the other title that's used is deacon, 344 00:18:34,533 --> 00:18:37,533 which means servant. 345 00:18:37,766 --> 00:18:41,900 So in in, in outlining these things, these qualifications, 346 00:18:41,933 --> 00:18:45,733 Paul has to set some standards around these titles 347 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,600 because coming out of the system, it was a really it was not a good culture. 348 00:18:50,966 --> 00:18:53,133 They knew the words, but they didn't understand 349 00:18:53,133 --> 00:18:55,533 the rules really, for the New Testament church, for instance, 350 00:18:56,833 --> 00:18:58,600 in Rome, 351 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,366 men who may have been part of the synagogue system 352 00:19:03,533 --> 00:19:06,533 were allowed three women in their lives, or 353 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,033 I candy woman 354 00:19:10,033 --> 00:19:13,266 for important meetings and social events, make them look good 355 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,866 wife woman to bear kids and raise children, 356 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,800 and the mistress woman for. 357 00:19:23,433 --> 00:19:25,433 So so there were they were allowed. 358 00:19:25,433 --> 00:19:29,433 And so Paul's coming into this and saying, look, you might understand the words 359 00:19:29,433 --> 00:19:33,100 that I'm using, but you don't understand the rules and the qualifications. 360 00:19:33,166 --> 00:19:36,166 So there has to be some standards that I laid down, 361 00:19:36,966 --> 00:19:39,566 because the context and culture of the church 362 00:19:39,566 --> 00:19:41,000 are they be different than the context 363 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,300 and culture of the world, even of the religious system of the world? 364 00:19:44,333 --> 00:19:47,300 You follow me. And so that's why he gives us these. 365 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:50,266 And so 366 00:19:50,266 --> 00:19:53,266 I'm finally at verse one. 367 00:19:54,433 --> 00:19:57,433 Chapter three, verse one. 368 00:19:58,766 --> 00:20:00,066 The saint is trustworthy. 369 00:20:00,066 --> 00:20:04,066 If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 370 00:20:04,533 --> 00:20:07,833 He said, look, if you aspire that word aspire, 371 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,000 it means literally to be eager for, to desire for, to reach out. For. 372 00:20:12,133 --> 00:20:15,333 If you're eager for you, you either want to reach out for this role. 373 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,033 That is a good desire. 374 00:20:17,033 --> 00:20:21,133 He's saying you want to be an elder, a pastor, a bishop, an overseer. 375 00:20:21,133 --> 00:20:24,800 The same thing that is a that is a that is a valuable role to reach out for 376 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:27,900 if you're called to it. 377 00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:31,100 It used to be the role of the pastor or the elder, the overseer. 378 00:20:31,266 --> 00:20:33,733 It used to be the role that was an honor roll. 379 00:20:33,733 --> 00:20:35,366 It was a respected role. 380 00:20:35,366 --> 00:20:39,766 It was also a role that you knew that once you reached out 381 00:20:39,766 --> 00:20:43,133 for that, it involved a great deal of suffering to come. 382 00:20:45,233 --> 00:20:48,900 It was not a role, that sort of platform. 383 00:20:49,633 --> 00:20:52,633 It was not a role. 384 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,433 That that sort of podcast. 385 00:20:55,433 --> 00:20:58,200 It wasn't a role that sought followers and likes. 386 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,400 It wasn't a role to build a kingdom. 387 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,366 It wasn't a role to build a brand. 388 00:21:02,366 --> 00:21:04,800 It wasn't a role where you get your own parking spot. 389 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:06,500 There wasn't a role where someone carries 390 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:08,566 your Bible for you and get your coffee for you. 391 00:21:08,566 --> 00:21:11,566 That's not it. 392 00:21:16,766 --> 00:21:19,733 I was read, I was praying over this, and on Thursday, 393 00:21:19,733 --> 00:21:22,200 God gave me this thing for myself and I wanted to share it with you. 394 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,666 Here's what it is. 395 00:21:24,666 --> 00:21:27,266 It's not a role to build a campus. 396 00:21:27,266 --> 00:21:30,266 It's a calling to propel his kingdom. 397 00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:32,466 That's what we're talking about. 398 00:21:32,466 --> 00:21:34,833 Pastors, leaders. 399 00:21:34,833 --> 00:21:37,400 It's not a role to build a campus. 400 00:21:39,300 --> 00:21:40,800 That's the American system 401 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,800 that we've bastardized it to be. 402 00:21:44,566 --> 00:21:47,566 It's a calling to propel his kingdom. 403 00:21:49,900 --> 00:21:52,900 And so this I had this elder bishop pastor. 404 00:21:52,900 --> 00:21:55,800 It's a different word, but it's a mainly the same functions 405 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,666 throughout this elder pastor that he uses here. 406 00:22:00,633 --> 00:22:04,200 If you aspire to this, this to be an overseer. 407 00:22:04,266 --> 00:22:06,633 That's the Greek word episcopacy. 408 00:22:06,633 --> 00:22:08,666 Everybody say episcopacy. 409 00:22:08,666 --> 00:22:10,966 Look at how much Greek you're learning. 410 00:22:10,966 --> 00:22:13,566 Two Greek words. Epi. Scopus. 411 00:22:13,566 --> 00:22:18,800 You know, microscope to look, telescope to look, epi over, to overlook, to oversee. 412 00:22:18,833 --> 00:22:20,700 This is an overseer. 413 00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:22,566 That's what that word means. 414 00:22:22,566 --> 00:22:24,900 The same words are used in this role. 415 00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:27,500 Paul, use the word press. Bureaus. 416 00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:29,300 That's the presbytery. 417 00:22:29,300 --> 00:22:32,300 So, episcopacy, the Episcopalian church 418 00:22:32,866 --> 00:22:36,300 is kind of function over this, this overseer bishop idea. 419 00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:40,300 The Presbyterian church is function over this 420 00:22:40,333 --> 00:22:44,466 presbytery idea, where they have kind of control over the local body. 421 00:22:44,933 --> 00:22:48,000 Paul also uses the idea that with the word poem in 422 00:22:48,166 --> 00:22:51,633 which learning is pastor or shepherd, it's the same 423 00:22:51,633 --> 00:22:54,633 I unroll just a different word. 424 00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:59,333 You can call me any of those things because they're biblical titles. 425 00:22:59,466 --> 00:23:02,466 For my role as pastor Shepherd. 426 00:23:03,133 --> 00:23:08,933 Just don't refer to someone as a reverend because Reverend is not in the Bible. 427 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,866 Bishop, overseer, pastor, shepherd servant. 428 00:23:12,866 --> 00:23:13,733 That's all in the Bible. 429 00:23:13,733 --> 00:23:14,466 Reverend is it? 430 00:23:14,466 --> 00:23:17,466 Now, let me just say this. 431 00:23:20,033 --> 00:23:21,200 I have a master's 432 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,200 degree, and I am an ordained reverend. 433 00:23:25,133 --> 00:23:27,866 Don't ever call me a reverend 434 00:23:27,866 --> 00:23:30,300 because it's not in the Bible. 435 00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:32,566 Through the last 20 years of this church. 436 00:23:32,566 --> 00:23:35,733 There have been a few who are interested in my credentials. 437 00:23:36,633 --> 00:23:38,733 I have them, 438 00:23:38,733 --> 00:23:41,866 but I hope my credentials are not contained 439 00:23:41,866 --> 00:23:44,866 in the initials after my name, but rather in the fruit 440 00:23:44,866 --> 00:23:47,866 of my ministry. 441 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:50,500 See titles. 442 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:51,800 And this is a problem with religion. 443 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:52,333 Titles. 444 00:23:52,333 --> 00:23:56,100 Put emphasis on people and take focus off of their position in the kingdom 445 00:23:56,500 --> 00:23:57,866 and their position in the kingdom. 446 00:23:57,866 --> 00:24:01,300 Biblically is servant, slave and apprentice. 447 00:24:03,266 --> 00:24:06,266 That's our position. 448 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:07,900 I'm a servant of you. 449 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:11,233 I'm a slave of Christ, and I'm an apprentice of Jesus. 450 00:24:14,433 --> 00:24:15,833 So in 451 00:24:15,833 --> 00:24:18,833 this church, we don't use the word bishop. 452 00:24:18,966 --> 00:24:21,500 There's too much loaded baggage with that word. 453 00:24:21,500 --> 00:24:22,766 In our culture. 454 00:24:22,766 --> 00:24:24,666 We don't use the word elder. 455 00:24:24,666 --> 00:24:26,900 There's a lot of connotations with that. 456 00:24:26,900 --> 00:24:29,900 Personally, I like pastor slash coach. 457 00:24:30,766 --> 00:24:33,633 Now, as I said, Reverend isn't the Bible. 458 00:24:33,633 --> 00:24:35,366 Coach isn't in the Bible. 459 00:24:35,366 --> 00:24:38,033 But I like that one. 460 00:24:38,033 --> 00:24:40,333 And here's why. 461 00:24:40,333 --> 00:24:43,100 Coach indicates function. 462 00:24:43,100 --> 00:24:46,100 Reverend indicates education 463 00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:47,533 and God's. 464 00:24:47,533 --> 00:24:50,200 Call me to a function, 465 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,400 a coach and some of your coaches. 466 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:54,500 This is what we do. 467 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:57,466 A coach comes along someone else 468 00:24:57,466 --> 00:25:01,400 to help them discover a better way to move forward. 469 00:25:02,466 --> 00:25:05,466 We don't get people to perform better for us. 470 00:25:05,900 --> 00:25:09,500 Coaches help them be their own best according 471 00:25:09,500 --> 00:25:13,466 to the goals and the agenda of the entity they're a part of. 472 00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:17,033 In our context, the Kingdom of God in the local church. 473 00:25:17,666 --> 00:25:21,066 So the role of the pastor coach is to come along somebody 474 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,500 to help them be their best so they can function best to move forward 475 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,066 according to the goals and the agenda of the entity 476 00:25:28,066 --> 00:25:30,966 that we are a part of the Kingdom of God through the church. 477 00:25:31,966 --> 00:25:33,300 You get it. 478 00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:35,100 This is the role of the pastor. 479 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:38,100 So role of deacons are different 480 00:25:39,033 --> 00:25:41,400 Diakite deacons. 481 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,266 Many people in this church could be called deacons, men and women, 482 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,800 because those are the ones who lead and serve the ministries of the church. 483 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,966 Few are called elders. 484 00:25:52,966 --> 00:25:54,933 Some are called pastors. 485 00:25:54,933 --> 00:26:00,200 Many people could be called deacons, but we don't get wrapped up in titles. 486 00:26:00,666 --> 00:26:02,200 You understand? 487 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:04,933 You understand. 488 00:26:04,933 --> 00:26:07,266 We call people who are Christ 489 00:26:07,266 --> 00:26:11,500 followers, apprentices of Jesus who serve and lead. 490 00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:14,466 In other words, servants. 491 00:26:14,466 --> 00:26:16,900 That's who we are. 492 00:26:16,900 --> 00:26:20,400 Some of us are lead servants, and some of us serve. 493 00:26:21,166 --> 00:26:23,700 But we're servants of God 494 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:27,600 who are known by our ministries and our service, not by titles. 495 00:26:28,500 --> 00:26:31,766 We could call plenty of people here 496 00:26:33,133 --> 00:26:33,700 elders. 497 00:26:34,833 --> 00:26:35,933 Matter of fact, 498 00:26:35,933 --> 00:26:38,933 we have three that the IRS calls trustees. 499 00:26:40,066 --> 00:26:43,066 Our elders, pastor Jeff, could be called an elder. 500 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,800 There are some who could be called elders. 501 00:26:47,533 --> 00:26:49,766 Some of those elders are pastors, teachers. 502 00:26:49,766 --> 00:26:52,766 Some are overseers. 503 00:26:53,033 --> 00:26:54,766 We have, many here 504 00:26:54,766 --> 00:26:57,766 who could be called deacons and deacons. 505 00:26:58,266 --> 00:27:01,266 But again, we don't get caught up in those titles. 506 00:27:01,500 --> 00:27:04,500 Here's what I know about leadership. 507 00:27:05,066 --> 00:27:07,200 Most leaders don't want a title, 508 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,200 and the ones who do shouldn't be leading. 509 00:27:11,933 --> 00:27:14,933 Understand their. 510 00:27:15,633 --> 00:27:17,066 Yeah, I think this is one thing 511 00:27:17,066 --> 00:27:20,066 that y'all like about flip side. 512 00:27:21,566 --> 00:27:21,833 Do you 513 00:27:21,833 --> 00:27:24,833 do you see this church as a church of hierarchy? 514 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:28,333 Not the least. 515 00:27:28,333 --> 00:27:28,900 You know why? 516 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:31,900 Because the Bible says whoever should be first will be will be last. 517 00:27:33,866 --> 00:27:37,900 And so the the greatest, fastest way ahead is to be last. 518 00:27:39,900 --> 00:27:42,366 And we understand that. 519 00:27:42,366 --> 00:27:44,666 And I think that's one of the things about our church. 520 00:27:44,666 --> 00:27:47,666 Like with what? 521 00:27:47,733 --> 00:27:49,566 We're all slaves of Christ. 522 00:27:49,566 --> 00:27:52,566 If we claim him as our master. 523 00:27:55,333 --> 00:27:56,100 So in first 524 00:27:56,100 --> 00:28:00,533 Timothy, second Timothy and Titus, though Paul deals with these, 525 00:28:01,133 --> 00:28:04,833 these leaders, it's not about church structure. 526 00:28:04,833 --> 00:28:07,833 It's about the character of the person leading. 527 00:28:08,266 --> 00:28:11,266 In other words, it's about our function, not about our organization. 528 00:28:12,700 --> 00:28:15,900 Some elders are called in gift 529 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:18,900 and gifted to teaching and preaching. 530 00:28:19,033 --> 00:28:20,933 Other elders are called and gifted 531 00:28:20,933 --> 00:28:23,933 in administration and oversight, and some are both. 532 00:28:24,566 --> 00:28:27,566 And so now we're through verse one. 533 00:28:28,633 --> 00:28:31,033 Let me go through verses two through seven, 534 00:28:31,033 --> 00:28:34,266 because this is the qualifications for the elder pastor. 535 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:36,166 Teachers. 536 00:28:36,166 --> 00:28:37,066 Let me just read it. 537 00:28:37,066 --> 00:28:38,966 Most of it's going to be really self-explanatory. 538 00:28:38,966 --> 00:28:42,066 Some of it I'm going to I'm going to just explain a little bit. 539 00:28:42,066 --> 00:28:43,466 Verse two therefore. 540 00:28:43,466 --> 00:28:47,766 And overseer, Bishop, episcopacy, the leader, must be above reproach. 541 00:28:47,766 --> 00:28:49,800 The husband of one wife. 542 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:51,733 Sober minded, self-controlled, respectable. 543 00:28:51,733 --> 00:28:53,600 Hospitable. Able to preach. Not a drunkard. 544 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:55,433 Not violent, but gentle. 545 00:28:55,433 --> 00:28:57,166 Not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 546 00:28:57,166 --> 00:29:00,433 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity, 547 00:29:00,433 --> 00:29:02,100 keeping his children submissive. 548 00:29:02,100 --> 00:29:03,533 For if someone does not know 549 00:29:03,533 --> 00:29:06,800 how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 550 00:29:07,333 --> 00:29:09,033 He must not be a recent convert. 551 00:29:09,033 --> 00:29:13,166 Or maybe he may become puffed up with conceit and fall 552 00:29:13,166 --> 00:29:15,300 into the condemnation of the devil. 553 00:29:15,300 --> 00:29:18,100 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, 554 00:29:18,100 --> 00:29:22,833 so that he may not fall into disgrace into this, snare of the devil. 555 00:29:23,633 --> 00:29:24,733 Here's what he's saying. 556 00:29:24,733 --> 00:29:27,566 Some of this is pretty self-explanatory. 557 00:29:27,566 --> 00:29:28,166 Some of it. 558 00:29:28,166 --> 00:29:29,366 Let me explain. 559 00:29:29,366 --> 00:29:31,500 When it says the husband of one wife. 560 00:29:34,733 --> 00:29:36,966 We know what that means, right? 561 00:29:36,966 --> 00:29:38,900 Yeah. One wife. 562 00:29:38,900 --> 00:29:41,300 Now, one of the things I love about Paul. 563 00:29:41,300 --> 00:29:45,500 He doesn't go into every little detail of in this, this and that 564 00:29:46,933 --> 00:29:51,200 and so and so he leaves some of it up to our wisdom and our discretion. 565 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:53,633 Some people will say that 566 00:29:53,633 --> 00:29:56,533 because he had to be a husband of one wife, he has to be a married man. 567 00:29:56,533 --> 00:29:59,100 That that's not necessarily what it means, but that's all some people mean. 568 00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:00,133 Whatever. 569 00:30:00,133 --> 00:30:01,200 Some people say 570 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,066 that he can only be married once and his wife dies against divorce. 571 00:30:04,066 --> 00:30:05,133 You're done. 572 00:30:05,133 --> 00:30:06,000 That's that. 573 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,266 That's up to them if they want to feel that way. 574 00:30:08,266 --> 00:30:10,833 Most scholars believe 575 00:30:10,833 --> 00:30:13,833 it means one wife at a time, 576 00:30:14,333 --> 00:30:16,166 which means not this. 577 00:30:16,166 --> 00:30:20,100 While most calmly, if your spouse has died, you now have another spouse. 578 00:30:20,700 --> 00:30:22,966 If there's been divorce, you can. 579 00:30:22,966 --> 00:30:24,900 You know, there's biblical parameters around that. 580 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:28,066 You can get married again and and still be okay. 581 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,900 So it leaves some room for the church to say, 582 00:30:31,900 --> 00:30:34,133 this is what it's going to mean for us. 583 00:30:34,133 --> 00:30:35,766 When it says not be a drunkard. 584 00:30:38,700 --> 00:30:40,500 Do you understand what that means? 585 00:30:40,500 --> 00:30:44,400 Yeah, but the interesting thing is there are some churches say, you know what? 586 00:30:44,500 --> 00:30:46,200 No alcohol at all. 587 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,200 You better be careful with old grapes. 588 00:30:49,566 --> 00:30:51,366 Like really strict. 589 00:30:51,366 --> 00:30:52,500 Others say, you know what? It's. 590 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:54,533 It's not like, 591 00:30:54,533 --> 00:30:57,633 don't be one of those who has such close proximity to wine 592 00:30:57,633 --> 00:30:58,866 where it's always with you. 593 00:30:58,866 --> 00:31:01,200 That's literally what the words mean. 594 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:02,900 So just be careful. 595 00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:04,466 Others are like, you know what the Bible says? 596 00:31:04,466 --> 00:31:06,300 Drink, but don't get drunk, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. 597 00:31:06,300 --> 00:31:10,466 So there's some there's some massaging in there that the local church gets to do. 598 00:31:10,466 --> 00:31:13,766 And it's up to the discretion of the spirit leading that church. 599 00:31:14,966 --> 00:31:17,966 When it says not a lover of money, 600 00:31:17,966 --> 00:31:21,366 it's that look, you don't go into the ministry to make money, 601 00:31:21,366 --> 00:31:23,266 not because it doesn't pay you well, because all you got to do 602 00:31:23,266 --> 00:31:26,000 is be a televangelist, have a podcast, and make a ton of money. 603 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,300 But that's not the point. 604 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,400 You understand? 605 00:31:33,733 --> 00:31:34,066 And then it 606 00:31:34,066 --> 00:31:37,366 says you have to manage your own household and their children must submit. 607 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,400 Let me say this right up front about parenting. 608 00:31:43,866 --> 00:31:44,733 If your kids 609 00:31:44,733 --> 00:31:48,700 if our kids are walking with the Lord in through adulthood, 610 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:52,333 it's a result of God's grace, 611 00:31:52,333 --> 00:31:55,333 not great parenting. 612 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,166 Let's not be so arrogant, 613 00:31:59,166 --> 00:32:03,000 so prideful, so full of hubris, and so full of ourselves. 614 00:32:03,133 --> 00:32:06,366 To think that anyone has done such a good job parenting 615 00:32:06,466 --> 00:32:10,100 their kids have never strayed from law that is so abhorrent 616 00:32:10,500 --> 00:32:12,600 to the mercy and grace of God. 617 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,566 Now there is a response to ability that parents 618 00:32:15,566 --> 00:32:19,833 have to do biblically the job of raising kids. 619 00:32:19,966 --> 00:32:24,133 But it is by the grace of God that those kids walk with Christ. 620 00:32:24,433 --> 00:32:25,533 Not parenting. 621 00:32:25,533 --> 00:32:30,866 There are incredible parents whose kids in adulthood are not walking with the Lord. 622 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:32,766 And so 623 00:32:32,766 --> 00:32:36,533 I want to be very careful that for those who are, it's not a result. 624 00:32:36,533 --> 00:32:39,300 That one did one right and one did it wrong. 625 00:32:39,300 --> 00:32:42,033 It's by the grace of God alone. 626 00:32:42,033 --> 00:32:45,033 Do you understand me? You understand me. 627 00:32:45,066 --> 00:32:48,600 So don't bear more guilt than what's necessary. 628 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,600 And don't bear more. 629 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:56,100 Credit than what is yours to. 630 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,166 However, it does say 631 00:33:00,166 --> 00:33:01,133 you're going to play this role. 632 00:33:01,133 --> 00:33:04,200 Your kids have to submit to you while they're under your roof. 633 00:33:04,233 --> 00:33:05,500 You don't have control over mouse over. 634 00:33:05,500 --> 00:33:07,333 But while they're underneath, they better. 635 00:33:07,333 --> 00:33:10,066 They better love Jesus. And they bet you better submit to you. 636 00:33:10,066 --> 00:33:12,966 There's there's no bones about what it says. 637 00:33:12,966 --> 00:33:15,000 In other words, we're saying you can't leave the church 638 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,933 if your kids don't love the bride of Christ while they're under your roof. 639 00:33:20,633 --> 00:33:23,633 But what if the standard for looking for a church 640 00:33:24,066 --> 00:33:29,100 was not a big church with a big pastor, but was a pastor with kids 641 00:33:29,100 --> 00:33:33,000 who submit to God and love Jesus and love the Bride of Jesus 642 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,000 their whole life. 643 00:33:38,700 --> 00:33:39,200 Rather 644 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,433 than sitting in the pews of a big campus 645 00:33:42,966 --> 00:33:45,966 with a pastor whose kids are not walking with the Lord, 646 00:33:46,466 --> 00:33:48,966 why don't we sit under a pastor of a church 647 00:33:48,966 --> 00:33:52,700 whose kids are loving the Lord and the Lord's bride? 648 00:33:53,433 --> 00:33:55,533 That's what he's saying. 649 00:33:55,533 --> 00:33:57,666 And if you can't lead the one, you gotta question. 650 00:33:57,666 --> 00:34:00,900 Just just like, let's make sure that we're keeping the main things. 651 00:34:00,900 --> 00:34:02,966 The main thing 652 00:34:02,966 --> 00:34:05,333 I want you to notice two, 653 00:34:05,333 --> 00:34:07,233 that you got to be careful about putting people 654 00:34:07,233 --> 00:34:10,233 in these positions because they'll fall into the snare of the devil. 655 00:34:10,266 --> 00:34:13,866 This is the only position, this vocation. 656 00:34:14,300 --> 00:34:18,500 This is the only vocation, this vocation of pastor, teacher, preacher. 657 00:34:18,533 --> 00:34:21,900 This is the only vocation in all of Scripture where the devil 658 00:34:21,900 --> 00:34:25,566 specifically attacks the vocation, not just the person. 659 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,166 The devil doesn't care if you are rich or poor. 660 00:34:30,166 --> 00:34:33,233 The devil doesn't care if we're doctors or ditch diggers. 661 00:34:33,266 --> 00:34:36,733 The devil doesn't care if we're teachers or police officers. 662 00:34:36,866 --> 00:34:41,400 The devil does care if we aspire to be a pastor leader. 663 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:46,600 This is the only vocation in all of the world 664 00:34:46,666 --> 00:34:49,900 that the devil attacks the person and the vocation. 665 00:34:52,500 --> 00:34:55,500 We have to understand that. 666 00:34:56,033 --> 00:34:57,600 So let me go on to deacons. 667 00:34:57,600 --> 00:34:59,066 I know what time it is. 668 00:34:59,066 --> 00:34:59,733 Verse 18. 669 00:34:59,733 --> 00:35:04,200 Deacons likewise, must be dignified, not double tongued, not addicted to much wine. 670 00:35:04,866 --> 00:35:07,300 I did too much wine. 671 00:35:07,300 --> 00:35:08,700 Too much on how you read it, right? 672 00:35:08,700 --> 00:35:11,166 Not greedy for dishonest gain. 673 00:35:11,166 --> 00:35:14,100 They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, 674 00:35:14,100 --> 00:35:17,033 and let them also be tested. First. 675 00:35:17,033 --> 00:35:20,433 Then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 676 00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:22,600 Their wives, likewise, must be dignified, 677 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:24,966 not slanders, not sober minded, faithful in all things. 678 00:35:24,966 --> 00:35:26,700 Let deacons be, 679 00:35:26,700 --> 00:35:30,300 each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their households. 680 00:35:30,300 --> 00:35:34,133 Well, for those who serve well as deacons, gain a good understanding for themselves 681 00:35:34,266 --> 00:35:37,400 and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 682 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:38,333 Here's what he's saying. 683 00:35:38,333 --> 00:35:42,400 These deacon qualifications are very similar to the elder qualifications. 684 00:35:42,533 --> 00:35:44,300 There's a couple of caveats. 685 00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:49,566 In verse 11, he says their wives, the literal translation is women. 686 00:35:50,033 --> 00:35:52,333 Women must likewise. 687 00:35:52,333 --> 00:35:55,766 And so this is why we know also from acts 16 688 00:35:55,866 --> 00:35:58,866 that deacons are men and women. 689 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:03,233 Let them be dignified, not slanders, but sober minded. 690 00:36:03,433 --> 00:36:04,866 He talks about them. 691 00:36:04,866 --> 00:36:08,100 He says not double tongued, not slanders. 692 00:36:08,100 --> 00:36:11,066 Not. You know what that means. It means you can't be gossips. 693 00:36:11,066 --> 00:36:14,066 You can't be a gossip and lead. 694 00:36:14,100 --> 00:36:15,800 You can't be two faced. 695 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:18,100 Whatever you say here, you got to say there are. 696 00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:19,666 Just don't say it. 697 00:36:19,666 --> 00:36:22,100 And so he gives some parameters there. 698 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:25,433 And he says, you got to prove yourself in the church first before you lead. 699 00:36:25,433 --> 00:36:26,166 You got to serve. 700 00:36:27,233 --> 00:36:30,233 That's why I watch all the time, 701 00:36:31,366 --> 00:36:33,266 because the ones who are leading 702 00:36:33,266 --> 00:36:36,266 can step in, are the ones who are serving, can step in the leading, 703 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:40,000 but nobody is going to leapfrog serving and jump into leading. 704 00:36:40,433 --> 00:36:43,433 You're not going to do it. I won't allow it. 705 00:36:43,666 --> 00:36:46,133 Does it make sense? You understand? Yeah. 706 00:36:46,133 --> 00:36:49,000 Some of you are incredible leaders in the business field and your place 707 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,766 of incredible leaders, great leadership ability here. 708 00:36:54,166 --> 00:36:56,400 You're a servant. 709 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,300 Until you prove yourself, 710 00:36:59,300 --> 00:37:01,266 then you can lead. 711 00:37:01,266 --> 00:37:04,266 That's what he's saying. 712 00:37:04,766 --> 00:37:07,066 Let me jump to this. 713 00:37:07,066 --> 00:37:09,600 This is how the church should function. 714 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:10,966 Should. 715 00:37:10,966 --> 00:37:13,633 And these are the roles that that should be filled by the church. 716 00:37:13,633 --> 00:37:14,866 People. 717 00:37:14,866 --> 00:37:17,366 And so let me tell you, here's where the rubber hits the road. 718 00:37:18,433 --> 00:37:20,400 There's a place for you 719 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,700 to serve and to lead a flip side. 720 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,000 If you have a relationship with Jesus, 721 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,000 this is your next step 722 00:37:30,566 --> 00:37:33,566 to serve and to lead. 723 00:37:35,666 --> 00:37:37,966 I asked you to consider 724 00:37:37,966 --> 00:37:41,533 that there's no pastor teacher who also serves as a deacon 725 00:37:43,500 --> 00:37:45,000 leading all the ministries. 726 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,633 That's the role of the church. 727 00:37:47,633 --> 00:37:50,466 I ask you to consider what is your expectation 728 00:37:50,466 --> 00:37:53,466 of me? 729 00:38:03,566 --> 00:38:06,166 For your pleasure. 730 00:38:06,166 --> 00:38:08,800 I have developed 731 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:11,800 eight short job descriptions 732 00:38:12,333 --> 00:38:15,200 of ministries in this church 733 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,666 that you should lead 734 00:38:17,666 --> 00:38:18,933 that for the most part. 735 00:38:18,933 --> 00:38:21,733 I have been leading 736 00:38:21,733 --> 00:38:24,300 for 20 years. 737 00:38:24,300 --> 00:38:25,866 Some of them I haven't. 738 00:38:25,866 --> 00:38:27,466 One of them is a women's ministry lead. 739 00:38:27,466 --> 00:38:30,466 I don't feel like that's appropriate. 740 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:34,766 And it would kill all the women's spiritual lives in our church. 741 00:38:34,766 --> 00:38:36,266 So I haven't been doing that one. 742 00:38:37,366 --> 00:38:40,266 Many of them I have. 743 00:38:40,266 --> 00:38:43,266 And and it, And so what I've done 744 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:46,466 as I prepared for you eight areas 745 00:38:47,300 --> 00:38:50,933 that you can dis discern real briefly 746 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:54,433 and they're all developed for full time working people. 747 00:38:55,266 --> 00:38:58,466 So it's not like a full step in like leading. 748 00:38:58,466 --> 00:39:02,666 And you're covered in eight different areas for you 749 00:39:03,900 --> 00:39:06,300 to serve and to lead. 750 00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:10,833 And I invite you there in the welcome Center that'll have sheets go out. 751 00:39:10,833 --> 00:39:14,666 After you go to Welcome Center, look through those eight areas 752 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:18,700 and decide will you will become a deacon or a deaconess. 753 00:39:20,666 --> 00:39:21,933 Prayer ministry. 754 00:39:21,933 --> 00:39:23,233 Men's ministry. 755 00:39:23,233 --> 00:39:24,400 Women's ministry. 756 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,433 Pastoral care. Ministry. Baptism. 757 00:39:27,433 --> 00:39:28,600 Call tech. 758 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:31,600 Tech and video leads. Marriage leads. 759 00:39:31,700 --> 00:39:36,200 All of those are the responsibilities of the deacons and deacons is in the church. 760 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:39,866 Your job, 761 00:39:39,866 --> 00:39:42,866 not mine. 762 00:39:43,500 --> 00:39:44,966 Honestly. 763 00:39:44,966 --> 00:39:47,966 I'm a pretty high capacity guy. 764 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,400 I don't want to have to be responsible for. 765 00:39:55,333 --> 00:39:58,333 The job of the church. 766 00:40:01,533 --> 00:40:03,600 Understand 767 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:06,600 Christianity is not a Netflix subscription. 768 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:08,100 We don't get it. 769 00:40:08,100 --> 00:40:10,000 Turn it on and watch what we want. 770 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:13,000 And then turn it off and walk away. 771 00:40:13,066 --> 00:40:16,066 That's not what church is. 772 00:40:16,466 --> 00:40:19,466 The church doesn't need more note takers. 773 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:30,366 Growth without service 774 00:40:30,366 --> 00:40:34,200 and leading leads to pride and spiritual obesity. 775 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:37,200 And we got enough obese people in our culture. 776 00:40:42,466 --> 00:40:44,700 This is what God is inviting you into. 777 00:40:44,700 --> 00:40:48,466 And this is your responsibility because it's his expectation. 778 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,800 And then 14 or 15. 779 00:40:56,366 --> 00:40:58,500 I hope to come to you soon, but I'm writing these things to you 780 00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:01,833 so that if I delay, you may know how you ought to behave in the household of God, 781 00:41:01,933 --> 00:41:04,933 which is the church of the living God, a pillar, a buttress of truth. 782 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:05,633 He said, look, 783 00:41:07,033 --> 00:41:08,033 even if I'm not there, I 784 00:41:08,033 --> 00:41:11,033 want to leave you in church about how this is supposed to go down. 785 00:41:11,233 --> 00:41:13,266 And so, dear friends, a flip side. 786 00:41:13,266 --> 00:41:16,266 This is how it's supposed to go down. 787 00:41:16,533 --> 00:41:18,800 Do you understand? 788 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:20,533 You understand? 789 00:41:20,533 --> 00:41:23,600 Do you think you you start attaching your life 790 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:27,933 to the purposes of God, and all of a sudden, life opens up. 791 00:41:28,133 --> 00:41:31,266 Purpose opens up. Significance opens up. 792 00:41:31,433 --> 00:41:32,800 It's bigger than me. 793 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:34,066 It's bigger than you. 794 00:41:34,066 --> 00:41:36,600 And you're invited into it with me. 795 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:39,700 And then Paul, he wraps up it like he's so excited 796 00:41:39,700 --> 00:41:41,633 about what God has called his people to do. 797 00:41:41,633 --> 00:41:44,633 Listen, don't be threatened by these qualifications. 798 00:41:45,233 --> 00:41:47,100 Don't be scared by them. 799 00:41:47,100 --> 00:41:49,266 Because after all 800 00:41:49,266 --> 00:41:52,766 this is these conferences are how every Christ 801 00:41:52,766 --> 00:41:55,800 Christ follower should aspire to live anyway. 802 00:41:55,866 --> 00:41:58,033 Which of these qualifications do we think? 803 00:41:58,033 --> 00:41:59,333 Yeah, that's not really. 804 00:42:02,333 --> 00:42:03,900 Like all these qualifications 805 00:42:03,900 --> 00:42:06,900 is what a Christ follower should aspire to live anyway. 806 00:42:07,700 --> 00:42:10,700 Which one would you take out? 807 00:42:10,700 --> 00:42:13,700 Just in general in life. 808 00:42:14,966 --> 00:42:16,433 What would you take out? 809 00:42:16,433 --> 00:42:18,166 Take out the wine one. I like being a drunk. 810 00:42:18,166 --> 00:42:20,800 It's really 811 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:22,166 take out the managing household. One. 812 00:42:22,166 --> 00:42:23,633 I like my kids being out of control. 813 00:42:23,633 --> 00:42:26,733 Seriously? Like, what would you do? Okay. 814 00:42:26,733 --> 00:42:28,600 Take out the two wife. One, because that's one factor. 815 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:31,600 No, no, that's that's just problems. 816 00:42:31,633 --> 00:42:34,200 Like, what would you take out? 817 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:36,500 So these are like, the highest of life. 818 00:42:36,500 --> 00:42:38,700 This is like every Christ follower. 819 00:42:38,700 --> 00:42:40,733 This should be the aspiration. 820 00:42:40,733 --> 00:42:42,933 So don't be threatened by them. 821 00:42:42,933 --> 00:42:45,066 Oftentimes this is how we think. 822 00:42:45,066 --> 00:42:48,733 How much do I not need to do and still be okay with God? 823 00:42:52,733 --> 00:42:54,300 Right. 824 00:42:54,300 --> 00:42:55,866 Right. 825 00:42:55,866 --> 00:42:58,866 And so after all of this, Paul goes. 826 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:02,933 Paul says, great indeed, 827 00:43:02,933 --> 00:43:05,866 we confess, is the mystery of godliness. 828 00:43:05,866 --> 00:43:10,266 He, Jesus, was manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, seen by angels, 829 00:43:10,266 --> 00:43:14,700 proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up into glory. 830 00:43:14,766 --> 00:43:15,966 He just burst out. 831 00:43:15,966 --> 00:43:19,700 This was the first worship song written by the first church, 832 00:43:20,733 --> 00:43:21,766 and this was the song. 833 00:43:21,766 --> 00:43:24,500 And he's quoting these lyrics. He's like, he got it. 834 00:43:24,500 --> 00:43:25,800 Jesus is so good. 835 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:27,433 It was manifest in the flesh. 836 00:43:27,433 --> 00:43:32,233 Jesus was God in heaven that took on human flesh. 837 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:33,266 It was matter. 838 00:43:33,266 --> 00:43:34,566 He's always been. 839 00:43:34,566 --> 00:43:37,166 And he showed up in our world in a body. 840 00:43:37,166 --> 00:43:38,866 And he was vindicated by the spirit. 841 00:43:38,866 --> 00:43:41,866 The Holy Spirit of God approved of his life and his ministry. 842 00:43:41,933 --> 00:43:43,200 He was seen by angels. 843 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:47,633 The angels of heaven authenticated who he was and walked with him. 844 00:43:47,700 --> 00:43:49,500 He was proclaimed him by the nations. 845 00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:51,733 The world has said that. Yes. 846 00:43:51,733 --> 00:43:53,900 There's something different about this. Jesus. 847 00:43:53,900 --> 00:43:55,566 It was believed on in the world. 848 00:43:55,566 --> 00:43:59,100 Not just acknowledgment of who is, but a belief in who he is. 849 00:43:59,266 --> 00:44:03,000 And he was taken up into glory because though he died, he is alive 850 00:44:03,100 --> 00:44:07,000 and he's in heaven, and there's no other religion, no other faith 851 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:10,166 on this planet that can claim the same thing of their founder. 852 00:44:11,366 --> 00:44:13,266 You understand, 853 00:44:13,266 --> 00:44:16,100 like Buddha dead, Muhammad 854 00:44:16,100 --> 00:44:20,333 dead, Joseph Smith dead, every one of them dead. 855 00:44:20,466 --> 00:44:23,466 Jesus died and is alive. 856 00:44:24,033 --> 00:44:28,400 And because of that, he deserves me. 857 00:44:32,633 --> 00:44:34,733 Not my description 858 00:44:34,733 --> 00:44:37,733 and not my note taking. 859 00:44:39,366 --> 00:44:41,766 He deserves me. 860 00:44:41,766 --> 00:44:44,766 And this is his expectation. 861 00:44:45,666 --> 00:44:48,100 And so now, my friends, 862 00:44:48,100 --> 00:44:50,300 for your pleasure. 863 00:44:50,300 --> 00:44:53,300 Not only have I provided you opportunities 864 00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:56,800 to look through what it would be to serve and to lead. 865 00:44:58,200 --> 00:45:00,633 I'm also providing you with the opportunity 866 00:45:00,633 --> 00:45:03,633 to respond. 867 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:07,800 To take up the mantle. 868 00:45:08,166 --> 00:45:11,033 Because of the expectation of God. 869 00:45:11,033 --> 00:45:13,766 Because of who he is. 870 00:45:13,766 --> 00:45:16,000 And if he calls you to it, 871 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:19,000 he'll provide for you to do it. 872 00:45:19,100 --> 00:45:21,400 You have to respond. 873 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:24,366 The only person that invitation is not for is for any of you 874 00:45:24,366 --> 00:45:27,366 who have not yet accepted Jesus as the leader of your life. 875 00:45:27,900 --> 00:45:29,133 Your invitation 876 00:45:30,233 --> 00:45:32,700 is to establish a relationship with God 877 00:45:32,700 --> 00:45:36,800 the Father through the son, because of what he did on the cross. 878 00:45:37,966 --> 00:45:40,500 That's your invitation. 879 00:45:40,500 --> 00:45:43,666 You might know a lot about religion, but you might not know personally. 880 00:45:43,666 --> 00:45:45,500 Jesus. 881 00:45:45,500 --> 00:45:48,566 And so I'm going to invite you and pray into those two invitations. 882 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:52,700 And I trust that the Holy Spirit will tell you 883 00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:55,500 which of those invitations he's giving you, 884 00:45:55,500 --> 00:45:58,433 and trust that you 885 00:45:58,433 --> 00:46:00,600 will respond. 886 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:02,366 Father, thank you. 887 00:46:02,366 --> 00:46:04,533 Thank you that you love us. 888 00:46:04,533 --> 00:46:08,633 Thank you that you have created us to not just be a part of your kingdom, 889 00:46:08,633 --> 00:46:11,633 your world, but to actually serve and get that lead in it. 890 00:46:12,133 --> 00:46:14,266 You have created us for this. 891 00:46:14,266 --> 00:46:17,766 We find our being in you in this, 892 00:46:18,600 --> 00:46:21,600 and it's powerful and beautiful and purposeful. 893 00:46:21,933 --> 00:46:22,233 Yeah. 894 00:46:23,333 --> 00:46:25,133 And so, father, in this moment, 895 00:46:25,133 --> 00:46:29,133 I just ask that those here who don't know you yet as their savior. 896 00:46:30,166 --> 00:46:31,133 Friends, this is for you. 897 00:46:31,133 --> 00:46:34,133 If you've never accepted Jesus as your Savior, 898 00:46:34,166 --> 00:46:36,900 there's no such thing as a magical mystery. 899 00:46:36,900 --> 00:46:39,933 Jesus prayer is is just this 900 00:46:39,933 --> 00:46:42,933 acknowledgment and confessing this to God. 901 00:46:43,500 --> 00:46:47,666 I admit I'm a sinner and I've lived outside 902 00:46:47,666 --> 00:46:50,666 of your laws and your standard forgiveness. 903 00:46:51,866 --> 00:46:54,633 I believe, Jesus, that you died on the cross 904 00:46:54,633 --> 00:46:57,833 for my forgiveness, and I accept that 905 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:00,900 Jesus, help me follow you. 906 00:47:00,900 --> 00:47:03,900 Now as a Jesus follower, 907 00:47:05,233 --> 00:47:08,233 I give myself to. 908 00:47:08,833 --> 00:47:10,466 You just keep your eyes over me. 909 00:47:10,466 --> 00:47:13,500 I just I didn't do this in person. 910 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:18,166 I just want to know if any of you prayed that prayer like today. 911 00:47:18,366 --> 00:47:19,733 Is that been your prayer? 912 00:47:19,733 --> 00:47:21,700 If any of you responded with you, 913 00:47:21,700 --> 00:47:24,333 you know, you know, it's a commitment you need to make. 914 00:47:25,633 --> 00:47:28,233 You know, you need to give your life to the Lord. 915 00:47:28,233 --> 00:47:31,166 You know you need him to forgive your sin. 916 00:47:31,166 --> 00:47:34,700 Would you just slip your hand up just real quick, just so I would like. 917 00:47:34,700 --> 00:47:37,366 I want to pray. Want to bring. 918 00:47:37,366 --> 00:47:38,266 I want to pray for you. 919 00:47:38,266 --> 00:47:40,400 Thank you. Good. Good to you. 920 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:42,366 Good for you. 921 00:47:42,366 --> 00:47:44,200 Good, good. Very good. 922 00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:45,300 Thank you. 923 00:47:45,300 --> 00:47:46,800 Praise God. 924 00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:49,233 And that's awesome. 925 00:47:49,233 --> 00:47:51,033 Anybody else? Just real quick. 926 00:47:51,033 --> 00:47:53,533 Thank you for this 927 00:47:53,533 --> 00:47:54,900 great 928 00:47:54,900 --> 00:47:55,200 father. 929 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:58,200 For these who are making that step right now. 930 00:47:58,833 --> 00:48:01,433 We all know that we've tried to do right in the past. 931 00:48:01,433 --> 00:48:03,566 We just always fail. 932 00:48:03,566 --> 00:48:06,400 Thank you for mercy that you have on us to keep pursuing us. 933 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:08,166 And thank you for your grace. 934 00:48:08,166 --> 00:48:10,833 That doesn't ask us to be perfect. 935 00:48:10,833 --> 00:48:14,466 It just asks us to keep following and you make up the difference 936 00:48:14,466 --> 00:48:17,566 for thank you for these who have given their lives to you. 937 00:48:18,766 --> 00:48:20,666 God, I pray that you would encourage them 938 00:48:20,666 --> 00:48:24,066 and empower them to learn what it is to walk in obedience, 939 00:48:25,100 --> 00:48:28,100 that you would set their course ahead of them. 940 00:48:28,133 --> 00:48:31,200 That would be purposeful and powerful and victorious. 941 00:48:31,833 --> 00:48:34,833 That they would learn what it is to submit to you continually 942 00:48:35,233 --> 00:48:38,233 and follow you with their lives in. 943 00:48:40,300 --> 00:48:41,566 Father, I pray for these others here 944 00:48:41,566 --> 00:48:44,566 who who are, or on the verge of responding 945 00:48:44,866 --> 00:48:48,766 to serving and leading the which are not. 946 00:48:48,766 --> 00:48:51,766 Let us walk out of here without responding. 947 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:54,733 You deserve us. 948 00:48:54,733 --> 00:48:56,900 You are so good. 949 00:48:56,900 --> 00:48:58,833 We thank you. 950 00:48:58,833 --> 00:49:00,766 Your name for in their. 951 00:49:00,766 --> 00:49:01,800 Listen. 952 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:03,766 For those of you who made some decision. 953 00:49:03,766 --> 00:49:06,266 If it's to lead and serve, stop by the start here. But. 954 00:49:06,266 --> 00:49:08,133 Or just stop and look at those sheets. 955 00:49:08,133 --> 00:49:09,366 Just consider. 956 00:49:09,366 --> 00:49:11,833 But if you made a decision to follow Jesus through life. And I saw your hand. 957 00:49:11,833 --> 00:49:15,700 So I want you to either talk to me afterwards or fill out that card 958 00:49:16,066 --> 00:49:19,066 so that we can follow up with you and give you some resources. 959 00:49:19,333 --> 00:49:20,966 Stop by in the Welcome Center. 960 00:49:20,966 --> 00:49:23,700 There's a little book I wrote called Foundation that'll help you understand 961 00:49:23,700 --> 00:49:27,966 the foundations of your faith now, and what it means to understand. 962 00:49:28,900 --> 00:49:31,566 Listen, I love you. 963 00:49:31,566 --> 00:49:33,600 It's been a big day. 964 00:49:33,600 --> 00:49:35,133 It's been a good day. 965 00:49:35,133 --> 00:49:36,533 Let's finish it out. 966 00:49:36,533 --> 00:49:38,266 Because he deserves me. 967 00:49:38,266 --> 00:49:40,033 So let's see, like you does. Let's go. Come on.