1 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:03,866 The word gospel 2 00:00:03,866 --> 00:00:06,866 translates to news that brings joy. 3 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:09,366 But this isn't just any news. 4 00:00:09,366 --> 00:00:12,433 A gospel is news that changes a life forever. 5 00:00:13,233 --> 00:00:16,200 After being invaded and enslaved by Persia, 6 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,366 Greece won two decisive battles at marathon and Soldiers. 7 00:00:21,033 --> 00:00:24,200 The Greeks sent out heralds, also called evangelists, 8 00:00:24,333 --> 00:00:26,733 to proclaim the good news to the cities. 9 00:00:26,733 --> 00:00:29,200 We have fought for you. We have won. 10 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,500 And now you're no longer slaves. 11 00:00:31,500 --> 00:00:33,566 You're free. 12 00:00:33,566 --> 00:00:36,300 The reality is that we are all slaves. 13 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:39,300 Slaves to sin and slaves to death. 14 00:00:39,333 --> 00:00:42,333 We are slaves in need of good news. 15 00:00:43,300 --> 00:00:46,200 Enter Jesus, God's son. 16 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,566 Fully God, fully man. 17 00:00:48,566 --> 00:00:51,566 Bringing news that would change our lives forever. 18 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,500 His news was this. 19 00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:54,633 I am the divine. 20 00:00:54,633 --> 00:00:57,666 Come to you to do what you could not do for yourself. 21 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,800 I will take what you deserve so you can have what I describe. 22 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,166 You have no idea how much it will cost me. 23 00:01:05,166 --> 00:01:08,766 But you also cannot imagine the depths of my love for you. 24 00:01:09,333 --> 00:01:11,633 It is a gift that I give freely. 25 00:01:11,633 --> 00:01:13,000 So intent. 26 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Repent from all the ways you run for me and follow me. 27 00:01:16,433 --> 00:01:19,433 Follow me because I am the only way to eternal life. 28 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:20,800 Follow me. 29 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,566 Because I'm the savior you've been looking for. 30 00:01:23,566 --> 00:01:26,566 Follow me because I have authority over everything. 31 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,100 Yet I have humbled myself for you. 32 00:01:29,100 --> 00:01:29,700 Follow me. 33 00:01:29,700 --> 00:01:32,300 Because I died on a cross for you. 34 00:01:32,300 --> 00:01:34,966 Because I'm your true love and your true life. 35 00:01:37,533 --> 00:01:39,933 This is my good news for you. 36 00:01:39,933 --> 00:01:41,700 This is my gospel. 37 00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:45,566 That you have been saved by grace and that you are slaves. 38 00:01:45,900 --> 00:01:49,366 No more. You. 39 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:01,600 That is the book of Romans. 40 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,600 The good news of the Gospel of Jesus. 41 00:02:05,466 --> 00:02:08,966 That he came and lived and died for our salvation. 42 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,633 That is the good news of the gospel, and that is the book of Romans. 43 00:02:14,766 --> 00:02:16,166 I'm going to I'm going to 44 00:02:16,166 --> 00:02:19,166 just take some liberty and diverge to what I had planned 45 00:02:20,066 --> 00:02:23,733 on what I did in first service, because I need to address this. 46 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:26,733 That is the truth. 47 00:02:26,733 --> 00:02:29,566 As the good news. 48 00:02:29,566 --> 00:02:31,500 But sometimes it's very difficult 49 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:35,300 to hold on to the good news when there's nothing but bad news 50 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:37,833 to understand. 51 00:02:37,833 --> 00:02:39,466 Yeah. 52 00:02:39,466 --> 00:02:42,333 And for a family in our church, that is their reality. 53 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:43,966 Some of 54 00:02:43,966 --> 00:02:46,966 you have heard, most of you have heard of the young man, 55 00:02:46,966 --> 00:02:49,966 Caleb Quick, who was shot outside McDonald's. 56 00:02:50,766 --> 00:02:52,500 Well, his family is in our church. 57 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:54,266 I don't know if you knew that. 58 00:02:54,266 --> 00:02:56,533 Grandma and grandpa and uncle and aunt 59 00:02:56,533 --> 00:02:59,533 and the quick family is part of our body. 60 00:03:00,566 --> 00:03:02,766 And, I wanted to make sure 61 00:03:02,766 --> 00:03:05,766 that I had permission, 62 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,766 to acknowledge them and that for all of us. 63 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,300 And, though the gospel is good news, 64 00:03:19,433 --> 00:03:21,833 sometimes 65 00:03:21,833 --> 00:03:23,966 the realization of that is very difficult 66 00:03:23,966 --> 00:03:26,966 in the midst of bad news. 67 00:03:26,966 --> 00:03:29,633 And so I'm just going to ask 68 00:03:29,633 --> 00:03:32,633 I'm going to ask you a couple of things about us. One, 69 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:36,000 that we're very careful about how we talk, 70 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,466 what we believe, 71 00:03:39,466 --> 00:03:41,600 what we see on social media stuff, 72 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,766 especially surrounding this tragedy, this injustice. 73 00:03:46,133 --> 00:03:49,333 And that we do what we can do, 74 00:03:49,966 --> 00:03:52,966 according to Scripture, that we mourn with those who mourn here. 75 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:56,500 And lift this family up in prayer. 76 00:03:56,900 --> 00:04:00,400 And just in some real honesty, authenticity. 77 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,900 I have no idea 78 00:04:02,900 --> 00:04:06,733 what mercy and grace means. 79 00:04:10,166 --> 00:04:12,300 For the perpetrators, 80 00:04:12,300 --> 00:04:14,900 I have no idea, 81 00:04:14,900 --> 00:04:17,900 what God's justice looks like. 82 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,600 And I have no idea, 83 00:04:22,733 --> 00:04:24,000 how it. 84 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,000 This changes a little bit 85 00:04:27,166 --> 00:04:30,166 of your understanding of God's sovereignty. 86 00:04:30,933 --> 00:04:33,933 And in the absence of knowledge, 87 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,600 my faith steps in, 88 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,300 and in where there is doubt, 89 00:04:40,300 --> 00:04:43,300 my confidence has to remain. 90 00:04:43,833 --> 00:04:47,466 And to that end, my prayers are extended, 91 00:04:47,466 --> 00:04:50,466 as are ours as a church. 92 00:04:50,700 --> 00:04:53,700 And so, church, pray with me. 93 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,833 Father, I thank you 94 00:04:55,833 --> 00:05:00,100 that Caleb knew you and knows you. 95 00:05:01,433 --> 00:05:05,433 And even more than that, that you know him 96 00:05:06,433 --> 00:05:09,433 and have received him to yourself. 97 00:05:09,533 --> 00:05:13,566 That's the the the only things that we can hold on to. 98 00:05:13,566 --> 00:05:16,566 And in this time, over the, over this family. 99 00:05:17,466 --> 00:05:19,766 And so on their behalf. 100 00:05:19,766 --> 00:05:22,633 We rejoice in salvation. 101 00:05:22,633 --> 00:05:25,600 We rejoice in your faithfulness. 102 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,700 And we acknowledge in our humanity that we have no clue 103 00:05:30,500 --> 00:05:34,566 what justice, what mercy, what grace looks like. 104 00:05:35,766 --> 00:05:38,433 From your perspective. 105 00:05:38,433 --> 00:05:41,433 And so, father, I pray that you would help us not 106 00:05:41,633 --> 00:05:46,000 to allow our perspective to interfere with your perspective. 107 00:05:46,033 --> 00:05:48,566 You're a sovereign, and we have to trust that. 108 00:05:48,566 --> 00:05:51,766 I don't know what that means, but but I, I have to acknowledge it. 109 00:05:52,966 --> 00:05:54,000 You're providential. 110 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,466 I I'm not sure what that means in this sinner, but I have to acknowledge it, 111 00:05:58,500 --> 00:05:59,600 because that's who you are. 112 00:06:00,733 --> 00:06:01,066 And we 113 00:06:01,066 --> 00:06:04,066 collectively, as a church, please pray over the quick family 114 00:06:05,166 --> 00:06:09,033 peace where there is turmoil, comfort 115 00:06:09,033 --> 00:06:13,100 where there is distress, joy in eternity, where there's grief. 116 00:06:13,633 --> 00:06:17,733 Yes, I pray that you allow them grief, but grief with hope. 117 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:20,933 And on a human level, I pray for wisdom 118 00:06:20,933 --> 00:06:23,933 and discernment and breakthrough for the authorities 119 00:06:24,233 --> 00:06:27,233 that they would do their job and do their job well. 120 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:30,633 But even more than that. 121 00:06:30,633 --> 00:06:33,600 And alongside that, I pray over this family. 122 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:34,466 Draw close to them. 123 00:06:34,466 --> 00:06:36,200 God, draw close to them 124 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,200 through your people, through your church, and through your spirit. 125 00:06:39,233 --> 00:06:42,233 Let us know how to walk well alongside them. 126 00:06:42,700 --> 00:06:44,700 Thank you for Caleb's faith. 127 00:06:44,700 --> 00:06:47,200 Thank you for his reliance upon you. 128 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,433 And thank you that that young man heard what we all desire to hear. 129 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:51,633 Well done, 130 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:55,200 my good and faithful servant. 131 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,500 So we commit this family to you, father, and this process. 132 00:06:58,500 --> 00:07:01,500 In your name I pray. Amen. 133 00:07:02,033 --> 00:07:04,100 Thank you. 134 00:07:04,100 --> 00:07:05,333 And to the family. 135 00:07:05,333 --> 00:07:06,500 We're praying, man. 136 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:09,500 We're praying. 137 00:07:11,566 --> 00:07:13,066 I had to acknowledge that I had, 138 00:07:13,066 --> 00:07:16,666 thank you for walking through that, with me and with us. 139 00:07:17,700 --> 00:07:20,100 Tough transition into, 140 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:22,733 the celebratory nature of the book of Romans. 141 00:07:22,733 --> 00:07:25,166 But this is what family does, right? 142 00:07:25,166 --> 00:07:27,400 This is what family does. 143 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,466 We acknowledge the hurting and we acknowledge the the joyful stuff, 144 00:07:31,466 --> 00:07:34,900 and we just get to live it together, right? 145 00:07:35,233 --> 00:07:37,400 Right. That is what we do. 146 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,933 And so welcome to flip flop family. 147 00:07:39,933 --> 00:07:42,133 This is what we do. 148 00:07:42,133 --> 00:07:45,133 And and in juxtaposition of, of that, 149 00:07:46,133 --> 00:07:48,700 I need to let you know that this was a really fun week at flip side. 150 00:07:49,933 --> 00:07:51,433 It was a really good week. 151 00:07:51,433 --> 00:07:53,700 And Wednesday night we had pregnancy care center here 152 00:07:53,700 --> 00:07:55,300 with the junior high and high school kids talking about 153 00:07:55,300 --> 00:07:58,700 intimacy and sexual intimacy, which was really crazy for them. 154 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:02,133 But so much better than what 155 00:08:02,133 --> 00:08:05,133 they learn on social media. 156 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,266 And, or in the schools. 157 00:08:07,266 --> 00:08:10,400 So, that was that was good. It was good. 158 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,666 And then we followed that up, with a women's conference 159 00:08:14,700 --> 00:08:17,666 Saturday night and all day early in the morning 160 00:08:17,666 --> 00:08:20,833 and afternoon on, this weekend, which was just amazing. 161 00:08:20,833 --> 00:08:23,900 You ladies did a great job putting that whole thing together. 162 00:08:23,900 --> 00:08:25,533 And and planning that. 163 00:08:25,533 --> 00:08:28,533 And it was just so, so, so good. 164 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,633 And then Friday or Saturday morning, 165 00:08:31,633 --> 00:08:34,766 I met with, like, my, my 40 guys that were going through discipleship 166 00:08:34,766 --> 00:08:38,366 together, which was just such a good time for us to be together as well. 167 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,266 And then we got church now and then baptism afterwards. 168 00:08:42,266 --> 00:08:44,200 And it's just a good weekend, man. 169 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,233 Thank you, church, for doing what you do and being who you are. 170 00:08:48,300 --> 00:08:50,600 It's a good family. It's a good family. 171 00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:53,800 But today we're going to wrap up. 172 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,200 Best I can get this. 173 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,233 Romans, 15 and 16. 174 00:08:59,733 --> 00:09:02,533 And so I'm going to do my best to get through two chapters so we can wrap 175 00:09:02,533 --> 00:09:03,833 this up. 176 00:09:03,833 --> 00:09:07,933 Last week I dealt with the first part of chapter 15. 177 00:09:07,933 --> 00:09:09,000 I'm going to wrap it up today. 178 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,700 I'm going to go back and recap it a little bit. 179 00:09:10,700 --> 00:09:14,700 But let me just say this as we get into to to the last two chapters 180 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,966 of the book of Romans that Paul had always planned 181 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,300 on going to Rome, it was always his desire to go to Rome. 182 00:09:22,633 --> 00:09:25,633 But he'd been prevented from going there. 183 00:09:25,700 --> 00:09:29,866 And so he write, he wrote this letter in advance of his trip, 184 00:09:30,366 --> 00:09:34,433 and three years after this letter, he would he would get to Rome. 185 00:09:34,433 --> 00:09:38,400 Now, he planned on going to Rome as a as a as an apostle, as a missionary, 186 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,266 as an emissary, for the Lord Jesus, the resurrected Savior. 187 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:44,866 And that was his plan. 188 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:47,366 And he got there, 189 00:09:47,366 --> 00:09:50,366 but not as that he got there as a prisoner. 190 00:09:51,300 --> 00:09:54,300 That would set the stage for his beheading. 191 00:09:54,300 --> 00:09:57,833 How many of us understand this idea that we have our plans? 192 00:09:57,833 --> 00:09:59,933 But God has his plans, 193 00:09:59,933 --> 00:10:02,633 and our plans and God's plans. 194 00:10:02,633 --> 00:10:05,633 When they conflict, one of us wins. 195 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:08,233 And it's not usually us. 196 00:10:08,233 --> 00:10:09,633 Right. And so. 197 00:10:09,633 --> 00:10:13,033 So all of this happened in Paul's life according to the plan and the will. 198 00:10:13,033 --> 00:10:15,333 The father somehow. 199 00:10:15,333 --> 00:10:16,600 And what I love about the book. 200 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:18,633 For what things I love about the book of Romans. 201 00:10:18,633 --> 00:10:22,000 It starts with the proclamation of the power of God, 202 00:10:22,633 --> 00:10:25,700 and it ends with a proclamation of the power of God 203 00:10:26,566 --> 00:10:29,400 and everything in the middle, between the beginning 204 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:34,100 and the end of the book of Romans is a manifestation of the power of God. 205 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:39,900 And what we see in the book of Romans is that it is the power of God that saves us. 206 00:10:39,900 --> 00:10:42,866 It's the power of God that sanctifies us, makes us holy, 207 00:10:42,866 --> 00:10:45,866 and it's a power of God that stabilizes us. 208 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:49,366 Our faith in a very unshaken world, a very shaken world. 209 00:10:49,366 --> 00:10:50,733 And so it's the power of God 210 00:10:50,733 --> 00:10:53,733 that that saves us, that sanctifies is that stabilizer, stabilizer. 211 00:10:53,933 --> 00:10:55,700 And it's all through the book of Romans. 212 00:10:55,700 --> 00:10:58,700 And it's going to culminate in chapter 16 today. 213 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:00,733 And it's the power of God, the power of God, 214 00:11:00,733 --> 00:11:02,300 that I need, the power of God that you need. 215 00:11:02,300 --> 00:11:04,333 And if you've been living without your life, 216 00:11:04,333 --> 00:11:08,600 without the power of God, it is available for you that's available today for you. 217 00:11:09,633 --> 00:11:12,166 And so let me just recap 218 00:11:12,166 --> 00:11:15,433 the first few verses of chapter 15, because I talked about it last week 219 00:11:15,433 --> 00:11:15,766 a little bit. 220 00:11:15,766 --> 00:11:17,966 Let me just do a little bit of recap here. 221 00:11:17,966 --> 00:11:20,966 Chapter 15, verses one and two. 222 00:11:21,100 --> 00:11:24,900 Paul says this we who are strong, have an obligation to bear 223 00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:26,366 with the failings of the weak 224 00:11:26,366 --> 00:11:29,833 and not to please ourselves, but each of us pleases neighbor, for he good. 225 00:11:30,366 --> 00:11:31,600 To build him up. 226 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,600 But let me let me help you understand something. 227 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,866 I made a choice this morning 228 00:11:37,866 --> 00:11:42,600 to not put the Bible verses on the screen, and they're not on our app. 229 00:11:43,166 --> 00:11:45,966 You can go to our app and go to the Bible app to get them. 230 00:11:45,966 --> 00:11:48,400 But I made the choice not to put the verses up there. 231 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:49,066 And here's why. 232 00:11:53,166 --> 00:11:55,666 Because I feel like, 233 00:11:55,666 --> 00:11:58,666 I, I've been allowing 234 00:11:58,866 --> 00:12:02,000 a little bit of laziness 235 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,033 to take root in our church. 236 00:12:05,033 --> 00:12:05,600 Here's what I mean. 237 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:07,233 And please take this with grace. 238 00:12:07,233 --> 00:12:10,233 But here's what I mean. 239 00:12:10,466 --> 00:12:12,766 I've conditioned you 240 00:12:12,766 --> 00:12:16,766 to show up without a Bible and to show up without resources 241 00:12:16,966 --> 00:12:19,966 and to sit like you're watching a television. 242 00:12:21,966 --> 00:12:23,966 Right. 243 00:12:23,966 --> 00:12:25,500 Right. Yeah. Know. 244 00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:28,266 And so I don't know that I'm making this hard, fast rule. 245 00:12:28,266 --> 00:12:31,266 From now on, I will not put a Bible, 246 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:33,833 but I'm going to try it today. 247 00:12:33,833 --> 00:12:34,800 And so here's the thing. 248 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,800 If you brought a Bible, open up to Romans 615. 249 00:12:37,966 --> 00:12:40,900 If you didn't break a paper Bible, get out your smartphone, 250 00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:44,466 because I know y'all got one, and get out your Bible app on there. 251 00:12:44,466 --> 00:12:47,433 And if they haven't downloaded the Bible app, you're exposed. 252 00:12:47,433 --> 00:12:48,500 So open up. 253 00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:53,666 And if this is really uncomfortable 254 00:12:53,666 --> 00:12:56,666 for us, I'll probably keep doing it. 255 00:12:57,933 --> 00:12:58,400 Okay. 256 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,833 So I'm going to read from the English Standard version. 257 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,733 Whatever version you have, the revised standard perversion 258 00:13:05,733 --> 00:13:08,833 or the nearly inspirational version, or the King Jimmy 259 00:13:08,833 --> 00:13:11,866 or whatever it is, you just follow along. 260 00:13:11,866 --> 00:13:12,600 But, but, 261 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,600 but if you're looking for those to be up there, they're not going to be up there. 262 00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:20,700 So he says in verse one and two, 263 00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:24,833 the strong have an obligation for the weak and their failings, not to please 264 00:13:24,833 --> 00:13:28,233 ourselves, to please this neighbor for his good, to build them up. 265 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,066 We talked last week about the strong. 266 00:13:31,066 --> 00:13:35,666 The strong are those who live with a great deal of freedom in the grace of God, 267 00:13:36,066 --> 00:13:38,966 not to have a bunch of parameters and rules around their lives. 268 00:13:38,966 --> 00:13:40,533 We listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 269 00:13:40,533 --> 00:13:44,900 We follow the grace of God, and God has given us great, incredible liberty, 270 00:13:45,066 --> 00:13:48,066 and we just live in that and experience the fun of it. 271 00:13:48,166 --> 00:13:51,633 Other people the week, Paul says, have a lot of rules around their lives 272 00:13:51,633 --> 00:13:54,266 and regulations. Don't do this, don't do this, don't do this, don't do this. 273 00:13:55,333 --> 00:13:57,333 Paul put those two in. 274 00:13:57,333 --> 00:14:01,266 In contrast with the strong, lived by liberty and the weak in faith. 275 00:14:01,266 --> 00:14:02,400 Live by rules. 276 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,433 And he says, the the strong in faith, who just live by the freedoms 277 00:14:06,433 --> 00:14:10,400 given us in Christ, have an obligation to the ones who are the, 278 00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:14,100 you know, the the rule keepers, and the virtue signal is like, just relax, 279 00:14:14,300 --> 00:14:20,066 just do what's best for them, not what's best for yourself here. 280 00:14:20,166 --> 00:14:23,166 Here's what else that is so hard for us to do. 281 00:14:23,300 --> 00:14:25,700 It's so hard for us to live 282 00:14:25,700 --> 00:14:28,700 according to what's best for someone else. 283 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:29,900 Because we're real. 284 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:32,133 We all. Here's what I learned a long time ago. 285 00:14:32,133 --> 00:14:36,466 We all listen to the same radio station, WITF, FM. 286 00:14:37,433 --> 00:14:40,433 What's in it for me? 287 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,333 We all listen to that station, 288 00:14:42,333 --> 00:14:45,333 and we view the world through the lens of what? 289 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:46,333 What's in this? 290 00:14:46,333 --> 00:14:50,266 For me, I was watching an NFL draft last week, not a one of those young men. 291 00:14:50,266 --> 00:14:51,900 I understand the celebration of it making it, 292 00:14:51,900 --> 00:14:53,333 but not a one of those young men 293 00:14:53,333 --> 00:14:57,500 walked across the stage and thought, oh, finally, I can do so much good. 294 00:14:57,500 --> 00:14:59,100 I got a platform for the world, 295 00:15:00,566 --> 00:15:02,233 everyone of them. 296 00:15:02,233 --> 00:15:04,433 How much can I get out of this? 297 00:15:04,433 --> 00:15:05,433 Right? 298 00:15:05,433 --> 00:15:08,100 Because we all listen to it like, what's in it for me and Paul 299 00:15:08,100 --> 00:15:11,100 saying, we gotta push against that 300 00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:15,466 and not look to what's best for me, but what's best for you. 301 00:15:15,466 --> 00:15:19,600 And he reiterates it in our Scripture, 302 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,600 reiterates in in Philippians one, 303 00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:24,933 sorry, Philippians two, verses three and four, 304 00:15:24,933 --> 00:15:28,666 and it says this do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, 305 00:15:28,766 --> 00:15:32,133 but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 306 00:15:32,266 --> 00:15:33,166 Let each of you 307 00:15:33,166 --> 00:15:36,966 look not only to his own interests, but also the interests of others. 308 00:15:36,966 --> 00:15:41,966 What he's saying is that we emulate Christ, who didn't look out 309 00:15:41,966 --> 00:15:47,633 for his own interests but looked out for ours, humbled himself, and served. 310 00:15:47,766 --> 00:15:49,733 He said, that's our model. 311 00:15:49,733 --> 00:15:51,600 That's what we do. 312 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,800 You understand, he says, you have to rage against the selfishness 313 00:15:56,233 --> 00:15:59,233 and rage for the benefit of someone else. 314 00:15:59,566 --> 00:16:02,600 It's been said that the man who gets wrapped up in himself 315 00:16:03,033 --> 00:16:04,600 has a pretty small package. 316 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:06,766 You understand? 317 00:16:06,766 --> 00:16:09,733 Like you're just a small person when it's all about me. 318 00:16:09,733 --> 00:16:12,366 And so Paul's pushing back here 319 00:16:12,366 --> 00:16:15,700 and he's saying, let's put other people, let's honor them. 320 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:18,500 Verse three, for Christ didn't please himself. 321 00:16:18,500 --> 00:16:21,500 That's our model, Jesus as our model. 322 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,200 But as it is written, the reproaches of those who were pushed, you fell on me. 323 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:26,900 It's written about Jesus. 324 00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:28,633 For whatever was written in former days 325 00:16:28,633 --> 00:16:31,633 was written for our instruction, that through the endurance 326 00:16:31,666 --> 00:16:34,666 and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. 327 00:16:35,700 --> 00:16:38,800 You're saying Jesus is our example of someone who didn't 328 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,566 live to please themselves, but lived to for the benefit of someone else? 329 00:16:42,733 --> 00:16:43,766 He's our model. 330 00:16:43,766 --> 00:16:44,900 He's our hope. 331 00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:47,100 He's the one we measure ourselves against. 332 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:48,500 You don't measure yourself against me. 333 00:16:48,500 --> 00:16:49,766 I don't measure myself against you. 334 00:16:49,766 --> 00:16:51,533 That's not a very good measurement. 335 00:16:52,833 --> 00:16:54,833 Christ is our measurement. 336 00:16:54,833 --> 00:17:01,466 And as Jesus said, lay down his authority to serve us. 337 00:17:01,466 --> 00:17:04,733 So now we lay down ours to serve others. 338 00:17:04,733 --> 00:17:07,000 You follow, you follow. 339 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,800 Okay. 340 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,300 Let's just keep pressing as five, six and seven. 341 00:17:12,300 --> 00:17:13,033 Verse five. 342 00:17:13,033 --> 00:17:16,833 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony 343 00:17:16,833 --> 00:17:21,533 with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may 344 00:17:21,533 --> 00:17:25,233 with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 345 00:17:25,366 --> 00:17:28,333 Therefore welcome one another, as 346 00:17:28,333 --> 00:17:31,400 Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. 347 00:17:32,266 --> 00:17:33,033 Here's what he's saying. 348 00:17:33,033 --> 00:17:36,366 He writes this desire as a prayer for them. 349 00:17:36,900 --> 00:17:38,033 He writes it as a prayer. 350 00:17:38,033 --> 00:17:40,866 And basically he's he said, this is my prayer for you. 351 00:17:40,866 --> 00:17:43,433 My prayer is almost speaking as a prayer over him. 352 00:17:43,433 --> 00:17:46,266 May the God of endurance and encouragement grants you 353 00:17:46,266 --> 00:17:50,266 to live in such harmony with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus. 354 00:17:50,266 --> 00:17:54,300 That together in your harmony with each other, you would glorify God 355 00:17:55,366 --> 00:17:56,033 through Jesus Christ. 356 00:17:56,033 --> 00:18:00,133 He said, this is my perfect and this is why he says it as a prayer. 357 00:18:00,700 --> 00:18:03,633 Because living in view 358 00:18:03,633 --> 00:18:06,633 of the benefit of another is not natural to us. 359 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,866 So it has to be a supernatural work within us. 360 00:18:11,733 --> 00:18:14,733 And so he's praying it as a prayer over us. 361 00:18:15,366 --> 00:18:19,533 The ability to live like Paul is telling these people to live like, 362 00:18:19,666 --> 00:18:23,266 put someone else ahead to emulate the attitude of Christ 363 00:18:23,733 --> 00:18:26,733 is not natural for us, right? 364 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,033 And so he's speaking it as a prayer because he knows it's 365 00:18:30,033 --> 00:18:35,666 only accomplished in us by the Holy Spirit's presence within us. 366 00:18:36,433 --> 00:18:37,700 As God gives us grace. 367 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:41,800 Now in verses eight, I'm going to blaze through some of this. 368 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,700 I'm going to blaze through some of this, okay, 369 00:18:44,700 --> 00:18:46,200 because we're going to get somewhere. 370 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:47,166 But I need I need to 371 00:18:47,166 --> 00:18:50,666 we don't have the time for me to dive down into every little, every little word. 372 00:18:50,666 --> 00:18:53,566 So in, in, in verses eight through 12, 373 00:18:54,666 --> 00:18:56,466 Paul. 374 00:18:56,466 --> 00:19:00,000 References second Samuel 22. 375 00:19:00,733 --> 00:19:04,100 Psalm 18, Deuteronomy 32, 376 00:19:04,333 --> 00:19:07,800 Psalm 117, and Isaiah 11 five. 377 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:08,833 Old Testament. 378 00:19:08,833 --> 00:19:12,766 But prophets poetry to drive home the point. 379 00:19:13,433 --> 00:19:14,400 And here's his point. 380 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:15,800 I'm just going to read verse 381 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,533 eight and nine, for I tell you that Christ became a servant. 382 00:19:19,533 --> 00:19:23,966 There it is to the uncircumcised, or sorry, to the circumcised. 383 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,833 That's God's people. 384 00:19:25,833 --> 00:19:29,900 To show God's truthfulness in order to confirm the promises 385 00:19:29,900 --> 00:19:34,866 given to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and in order 386 00:19:34,866 --> 00:19:40,533 that the Gentiles, as non-Jews, might glorify God for his mercy. 387 00:19:41,066 --> 00:19:44,066 And his mercy was expressed in the fact 388 00:19:44,266 --> 00:19:47,266 that God sought us out, 389 00:19:47,633 --> 00:19:50,633 not being a part of his chosen peace. He, 390 00:19:51,066 --> 00:19:54,033 the Jews, thought they were special because they were 391 00:19:54,033 --> 00:19:56,600 the chosen people of God. 392 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:57,066 And they said, 393 00:19:57,066 --> 00:20:01,266 because we're the chosen people of God, and you non-Jews are not chosen by him. 394 00:20:01,266 --> 00:20:03,000 You're not special. 395 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,500 God revealed himself to us, not to you. 396 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:08,333 And what Paul saying here 397 00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:11,866 is that Jesus became the servant 398 00:20:13,033 --> 00:20:13,566 so that 399 00:20:13,566 --> 00:20:16,566 he could reach us, because that was always God's plan from the beginning. 400 00:20:16,566 --> 00:20:19,000 And then these five Old Testament books, 401 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,533 it talks about this idea that the Gentiles, 402 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:27,966 the non-Jews, will sing praises to God, will glorify God, will worship God, 403 00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:32,333 because we too have been invited into God's family. 404 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,833 In other words, what Paul is saying is, look, Jews, you are special 405 00:20:36,866 --> 00:20:38,100 because God started with you. 406 00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:41,100 But you're not the only special. 407 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:42,633 This invitation 408 00:20:42,633 --> 00:20:45,633 into my family goes out to everybody. 409 00:20:45,633 --> 00:20:48,700 And so for you and for me, today remains 410 00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:52,200 the invitation of God to be adopted into his family. 411 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,933 This was always his plan, and he was telling this plan to the world. 412 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,000 From the very beginnings of the first patriarchs of the faith. 413 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,600 I want you all in my family. 414 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,800 None of you are born into it. 415 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,966 I want to adopt you into it. 416 00:21:08,966 --> 00:21:09,900 Right? 417 00:21:09,900 --> 00:21:10,866 Was that Romans five? 418 00:21:10,866 --> 00:21:13,866 Like, I want to adopt you into this. 419 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:16,866 And so he quotes all these Old Testament. 420 00:21:16,866 --> 00:21:19,366 I'm like I said, I don't have time to get into all of this, 421 00:21:19,366 --> 00:21:22,566 but I just want you to know that what Paul saying is God's eternal 422 00:21:22,566 --> 00:21:25,566 plan has always been for you to be a part of his family. 423 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,600 It's always been a part of his plan. 424 00:21:28,833 --> 00:21:32,800 Now watch this verse 13th May the God of hope fill you 425 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:34,633 with all joy and peace in believing, 426 00:21:34,633 --> 00:21:37,633 so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 427 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,433 Let these words sink in. 428 00:21:40,866 --> 00:21:43,133 May the God of what 429 00:21:43,133 --> 00:21:48,400 hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the 430 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:54,066 what power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in what you know. 431 00:21:54,533 --> 00:21:57,533 Please understand. 432 00:21:57,533 --> 00:22:01,733 There was no hope, no lasting certain 433 00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:05,400 firm, strong, foundational hope 434 00:22:05,766 --> 00:22:09,966 apart from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and 435 00:22:11,366 --> 00:22:11,966 hope. 436 00:22:11,966 --> 00:22:15,000 This type of hope, this unshakable, 437 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,600 this foundational hope, not this Pollyanna view. 438 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,600 I hope it works out the certainty 439 00:22:23,466 --> 00:22:27,366 is only by the supernatural power and presence of the Holy Spirit. 440 00:22:27,433 --> 00:22:31,733 We don't come by it naturally in our own human nature. 441 00:22:31,733 --> 00:22:34,733 We are not by nature hopeful people 442 00:22:34,766 --> 00:22:37,766 with a hope that is not shaken. 443 00:22:38,066 --> 00:22:41,600 It's only by them, by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, 444 00:22:41,733 --> 00:22:46,200 that we have a hope, because that hope is built in God, 445 00:22:46,533 --> 00:22:49,200 in first Corinthians 1313, 446 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:53,933 Paul says, these three continue to remain faith, 447 00:22:55,233 --> 00:22:58,233 hope, and love. 448 00:22:58,566 --> 00:23:02,600 Hope does not remain apart from the indwelling 449 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:06,600 of the Holy Spirit in relationship with the father. 450 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,600 Through faith in the son, 451 00:23:09,766 --> 00:23:11,866 we have to understand this. 452 00:23:11,866 --> 00:23:15,333 We don't come by it naturally of our own nature. 453 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,400 We have to understand this, that, 454 00:23:20,900 --> 00:23:21,566 where am I? 455 00:23:21,566 --> 00:23:23,833 I got a slide here, don't I? Yeah. 456 00:23:23,833 --> 00:23:25,566 Why is that up there? 457 00:23:25,566 --> 00:23:27,000 Hope isn't a mindset. 458 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,166 It's a miracle. 459 00:23:29,166 --> 00:23:30,233 Do you understand that? 460 00:23:30,233 --> 00:23:32,033 That's what Paul saying. 461 00:23:32,033 --> 00:23:34,700 You don't you don't talk yourself into being hopeful. 462 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:36,966 You don't you don't work yourself up into positivity. 463 00:23:36,966 --> 00:23:39,466 That doesn't last. 464 00:23:39,466 --> 00:23:43,100 Matter of fact, the Bible will say that we talked about today. 465 00:23:43,566 --> 00:23:45,900 We will grieve, 466 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:49,433 but we grieve as those with hope 467 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,200 because hope doesn't disappoint. 468 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,500 And that's only possible us by the end. 469 00:23:55,500 --> 00:23:59,166 One spirit because it's a supernatural word to be people of hope, 470 00:24:00,966 --> 00:24:03,566 to understand. 471 00:24:03,566 --> 00:24:06,566 And this is what so many people in this world are looking for. 472 00:24:07,366 --> 00:24:10,366 Not just hope, but the God of hope. 473 00:24:11,366 --> 00:24:14,366 Where hope resides. 474 00:24:16,500 --> 00:24:18,733 Look at verse 14 475 00:24:18,733 --> 00:24:21,900 1415 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, 476 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,233 that you, your soul selves, are full of goodness, 477 00:24:25,233 --> 00:24:28,300 filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 478 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,400 But on some points I have written you very boldly 479 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,233 by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God. 480 00:24:35,266 --> 00:24:36,566 Here's what he saying. 481 00:24:36,566 --> 00:24:39,133 He said, look, you all know this. 482 00:24:39,133 --> 00:24:41,133 If you he's saying that you've been with me 483 00:24:41,133 --> 00:24:43,233 long enough, I would say the same thing you've been with me on, 484 00:24:43,233 --> 00:24:44,633 you know, this stuff. 485 00:24:44,633 --> 00:24:49,766 But sometimes because life happens, we gotta be reminded of it, right? 486 00:24:50,333 --> 00:24:53,400 Like, you know, this, this isn't new information for a lot of you. 487 00:24:54,533 --> 00:24:57,266 And for those of you with this new information, something resonates 488 00:24:57,266 --> 00:24:58,933 inside anyway. 489 00:24:58,933 --> 00:25:02,400 And it looks I just sometimes I just gotta remind you of that. 490 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,400 Let's just remember that's why it's good for us to be together, 491 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,400 why it's good for us to open up the Bible to remind ourselves. 492 00:25:08,700 --> 00:25:11,700 And what he's saying here is you have look at what he says. 493 00:25:12,333 --> 00:25:14,800 You're filled with all the knowledge and able to instruct 494 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,800 one another like you have. 495 00:25:18,566 --> 00:25:20,700 If you're walking with Jesus, 496 00:25:20,700 --> 00:25:24,133 you have within you because the Holy Spirit is there. 497 00:25:24,333 --> 00:25:29,033 What you need to instruct each other in these issues of hope, 498 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,033 in these issues of instruction for counsel and encouragement. 499 00:25:34,300 --> 00:25:35,566 Do you understand? 500 00:25:35,566 --> 00:25:39,166 There's no reason for the church to go outside the church 501 00:25:39,433 --> 00:25:42,600 for counsel and guidance and instruction. 502 00:25:43,466 --> 00:25:45,233 He's saying you have it. 503 00:25:45,233 --> 00:25:47,000 Just remember what you have. 504 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,066 Do you understand? 505 00:25:51,066 --> 00:25:52,266 He would say the same thing to us. 506 00:25:52,266 --> 00:25:54,500 Let's say you got 507 00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:56,400 you have this. 508 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,400 You have this for each other. 509 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,600 Just remember what it is you possess. 510 00:26:05,333 --> 00:26:06,366 Look at verse 17 and 18. 511 00:26:06,366 --> 00:26:07,033 I'm going to jump around. 512 00:26:07,033 --> 00:26:09,600 Well I got two chapters to get through 513 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,500 verse 17, in Christ Jesus. 514 00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:15,400 Then I have reason to be proud of my work for God, 515 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:19,500 for I will not venture to speak of anything except Christ has accomplished 516 00:26:19,500 --> 00:26:23,266 through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed. 517 00:26:24,100 --> 00:26:27,233 I love what he's pressing into. 518 00:26:28,500 --> 00:26:34,200 What he says is, I am only going to speak about what God has done through me. 519 00:26:34,300 --> 00:26:36,366 I'm not going to talk about what I've done. 520 00:26:36,366 --> 00:26:38,866 I'm not going to talk about what we're up, whatever. 521 00:26:38,866 --> 00:26:42,266 I'm only going to talk about what God has done through me. 522 00:26:42,333 --> 00:26:45,400 In other words, what he's saying is I'm not going to try to build my brand. 523 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,266 Do you understand me? 524 00:26:49,266 --> 00:26:52,500 I'm not in this to build a following for me. 525 00:26:52,566 --> 00:26:55,400 I'm not in this to build likes. 526 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:59,166 I'm not in this to build a crowd. 527 00:26:59,233 --> 00:27:02,133 I'm in. I will do what God has asked me to do. 528 00:27:02,133 --> 00:27:04,800 And then I'll brag about what God has done. 529 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,800 And I will only talk about his work, 530 00:27:08,066 --> 00:27:11,066 and I will only glory in what Jesus has done. 531 00:27:11,766 --> 00:27:13,566 I'm not here to attract followers. 532 00:27:13,566 --> 00:27:15,466 I'm not here to attract applause. 533 00:27:15,466 --> 00:27:17,066 I'm not here to attract a crowd. 534 00:27:17,066 --> 00:27:20,066 I don't need a spotlight. 535 00:27:20,066 --> 00:27:23,066 I'll take an altar over a stage any day. 536 00:27:23,866 --> 00:27:24,600 You understand? 537 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,600 And I get really concerned. 538 00:27:28,066 --> 00:27:31,633 Well, what he's saying is he's driving home the point. 539 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:34,800 He must be greater than I. 540 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:39,266 Is John three three. 541 00:27:39,266 --> 00:27:41,100 He must increase. I must decrease 542 00:27:42,533 --> 00:27:44,633 John 330. 543 00:27:44,633 --> 00:27:47,633 And I get really concerned. It's 544 00:27:48,066 --> 00:27:51,166 with people who are supposed to be apprentices of Jesus, 545 00:27:51,166 --> 00:27:55,033 especially people who are supposed to be apprentices of Jesus with the title pastor 546 00:27:56,566 --> 00:27:59,900 seem to be so much more focused and concentrating 547 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:02,433 on their brand and their hashtag. 548 00:28:02,433 --> 00:28:04,933 More than 549 00:28:04,933 --> 00:28:07,933 simply bragging about Jesus. 550 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:10,933 Didn't sin. 551 00:28:10,933 --> 00:28:13,933 They got to be real careful. 552 00:28:14,066 --> 00:28:17,033 We gotta be real careful with this. 553 00:28:17,033 --> 00:28:20,033 I'll speak only word and then look at verse 19. 554 00:28:21,533 --> 00:28:24,900 By the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. 555 00:28:24,900 --> 00:28:27,566 So that from Jerusalem all the way around the whole world, there 556 00:28:27,566 --> 00:28:30,366 I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ. 557 00:28:30,366 --> 00:28:34,200 I love that look at verse 20, and thus I make it my ambition 558 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:35,266 to preach the gospel, 559 00:28:35,266 --> 00:28:39,233 not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation. 560 00:28:39,300 --> 00:28:41,100 A love. When he sent her, he saying, look, 561 00:28:42,266 --> 00:28:42,800 I have 562 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,300 fulfilled the ministry of the God like God. 563 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,500 I did all that God asked me to do. 564 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:52,500 I've left nothing undone. 565 00:28:52,500 --> 00:28:55,500 I didn't leave the field in the middle of the game. 566 00:28:56,266 --> 00:29:00,400 I kept what I kept pressing in until the day I died. 567 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,266 This is going to be my. 568 00:29:02,266 --> 00:29:04,400 This is going to be what I do. I'm going to keep press. 569 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:05,400 I'm going to keep working. 570 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,400 I'm going to fulfill everything 571 00:29:08,733 --> 00:29:10,200 that God has given me to do. 572 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:11,400 Here's what he's saying. 573 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,866 Don't stop until everything is done. 574 00:29:14,900 --> 00:29:17,900 My friends. 575 00:29:19,633 --> 00:29:22,633 We don't get a tap out. 576 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:25,700 We don't get a walk off the field. 577 00:29:25,766 --> 00:29:29,533 I want to be able to say, like Paul, I have fulfilled the ministry. 578 00:29:29,633 --> 00:29:33,600 Everything that God's asked me to do, I fulfilled it and complete it. 579 00:29:33,766 --> 00:29:35,800 I've run the good race of faith, 580 00:29:36,833 --> 00:29:38,033 right? 581 00:29:38,033 --> 00:29:41,033 I've crossed the finish line. 582 00:29:41,100 --> 00:29:43,166 Here's my concern. 583 00:29:43,166 --> 00:29:45,166 And this is what I love about the Apostle Paul 584 00:29:45,166 --> 00:29:48,033 and those he will name in chapter 16. 585 00:29:48,033 --> 00:29:50,100 He didn't stop short. 586 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:52,166 He didn't leave plays in the playbook. 587 00:29:52,166 --> 00:29:52,966 He didn't call. 588 00:29:52,966 --> 00:29:55,966 He didn't leave money on the table. 589 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,300 He didn't say I worked my tail off in the first few decades. 590 00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:02,700 Now I get to watch people do it. 591 00:30:02,700 --> 00:30:04,966 That wasn't what he did. 592 00:30:04,966 --> 00:30:08,933 Did you one did you know this, that sociologically, 593 00:30:08,933 --> 00:30:11,933 in our culture, the most? 594 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,066 The decades of where 595 00:30:14,066 --> 00:30:17,066 you have the most impact and the most influence 596 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,700 in your 70s, 597 00:30:19,700 --> 00:30:22,733 in your 60s and then in your 80s, did you know that 598 00:30:23,700 --> 00:30:26,900 it's not in your 20s, in your 30s, in your 40s, in your 50s, 599 00:30:27,700 --> 00:30:30,733 when we as individuals have the most influence 600 00:30:30,733 --> 00:30:36,233 and the most impact is when we're in our 70s, our 60s and then our 80s. 601 00:30:39,166 --> 00:30:39,933 And so for 602 00:30:39,933 --> 00:30:43,166 those of us who are there or approaching there, 603 00:30:44,033 --> 00:30:47,033 and we look back over decades and think, man, 604 00:30:47,133 --> 00:30:50,433 I served well, it's someone else's time to take the mantle. 605 00:30:50,566 --> 00:30:54,700 Oh my gracious, are you wrong? 606 00:30:56,166 --> 00:30:58,400 That's not the example of Scripture. 607 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,266 That's not the model of Paul. 608 00:31:00,266 --> 00:31:03,800 And you're working against your own influence and impact. 609 00:31:05,300 --> 00:31:08,100 Those are the decades that you present. 610 00:31:08,100 --> 00:31:10,966 Those are the decades that you get more excited. 611 00:31:10,966 --> 00:31:13,233 Those are the decades that you apply yourself. 612 00:31:13,233 --> 00:31:16,233 Even the panel goes down even further. 613 00:31:17,466 --> 00:31:20,466 I'm not going to leave anything left undone. 614 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,600 You understand? 615 00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:31,766 And I love the fact he says, 616 00:31:31,766 --> 00:31:34,500 I don't want to work where a foundation has already been 617 00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:37,500 laid. Am. 618 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,400 This is why we plant churches. 619 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,566 I want to go plant churches where there aren't any churches. 620 00:31:44,566 --> 00:31:46,200 I don't want to go planning a little one on these. 621 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:47,566 My gracious, what old 622 00:31:48,766 --> 00:31:51,766 waste. 623 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:58,800 Like Chowchilla, they need churches. 624 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:01,800 I don't know. 625 00:32:06,433 --> 00:32:08,033 Listen, please understand what I'm saying. 626 00:32:08,033 --> 00:32:11,400 If you're in your 20s and 30s and 40s, don't wait till you're old. 627 00:32:13,133 --> 00:32:13,966 You jump in. 628 00:32:13,966 --> 00:32:18,000 Now, I've never heard anybody on their deathbed say, you know what? 629 00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:21,300 I wish I just would have waited longer to follow Jesus 630 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,333 and just started serving him too early in my life. 631 00:32:24,333 --> 00:32:27,333 I've never heard that. 632 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,533 So you jump in 633 00:32:30,533 --> 00:32:32,800 and you get around people 634 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,333 that have been doing it for decades 635 00:32:35,333 --> 00:32:38,333 and still have a hope that will not bend 636 00:32:38,433 --> 00:32:41,766 and will not fade because the Holy Spirit is in them. 637 00:32:42,700 --> 00:32:45,566 Get infected by that. 638 00:32:45,566 --> 00:32:48,200 Don't get inoculated. 639 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,200 Get infected. 640 00:32:56,100 --> 00:32:59,100 Let me jump down to verse 26 641 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:02,700 for Macedonia and a.k.a these places where we're the 642 00:33:02,733 --> 00:33:04,366 where the church has been planted, 643 00:33:04,366 --> 00:33:07,000 have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor 644 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:08,233 among the saints in Jerusalem, 645 00:33:08,233 --> 00:33:11,833 for they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. 646 00:33:12,066 --> 00:33:15,433 For the Gentiles had come to share in the spiritual blessings. 647 00:33:15,433 --> 00:33:18,866 They ought to also be of service to them and the material blessings. 648 00:33:18,866 --> 00:33:19,700 Here's what you're saying. 649 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:23,866 These churches in Macedonia and Achaea benefited 650 00:33:24,833 --> 00:33:25,633 from this. 651 00:33:25,633 --> 00:33:28,966 The spiritual heritage of the believers in Jerusalem. 652 00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:34,833 Like like they they benefited from the church in Jerusalem, 653 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:38,866 kind of imparted to these churches their spiritual heritage in the faith. 654 00:33:39,300 --> 00:33:43,166 And what Paul's saying is now those churches who had been blessed 655 00:33:43,166 --> 00:33:46,366 spiritually owe it to that church 656 00:33:46,366 --> 00:33:49,366 to share with them materially. 657 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:51,633 That's what he's saying, 658 00:33:51,633 --> 00:33:55,666 that those who receive spiritual blessing are indebted. 659 00:33:55,666 --> 00:33:56,233 That's what Paul. 660 00:33:56,233 --> 00:33:56,700 That's a word. 661 00:33:56,700 --> 00:34:00,233 Paul, you, as you owe it, are indebted to share materially. 662 00:34:01,033 --> 00:34:05,133 There's a transaction that happens and it's biblical. 663 00:34:05,533 --> 00:34:08,766 And not only is there an in Dennis, there's a joy in it. 664 00:34:09,866 --> 00:34:11,900 Like they were happy 665 00:34:11,900 --> 00:34:14,733 after what they received spiritually. 666 00:34:14,733 --> 00:34:17,766 They were happy to share because because they understood 667 00:34:18,633 --> 00:34:21,466 that the spiritual blessing they've received 668 00:34:21,466 --> 00:34:24,966 is a far greater value than the material stuff that's going to fade. 669 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,800 So why not trade the lesser for the greater 670 00:34:31,033 --> 00:34:32,866 the you understand what he's saying? 671 00:34:32,866 --> 00:34:35,833 It's a biblical principle. 672 00:34:35,833 --> 00:34:37,866 And so let's just go through this. 673 00:34:37,866 --> 00:34:41,733 We jump to verse 30 and 31 right at the end of chapter 15. 674 00:34:41,900 --> 00:34:44,166 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ 675 00:34:44,166 --> 00:34:48,066 and by the love of the spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God 676 00:34:48,066 --> 00:34:52,366 on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, 677 00:34:52,966 --> 00:34:55,500 and that my service in Jerusalem will be acceptable to the saints. 678 00:34:55,500 --> 00:34:56,366 Verse 32. 679 00:34:56,366 --> 00:34:57,466 So that by God's 680 00:34:57,466 --> 00:35:00,400 will I may come to you with joy, and be refreshed in your company. 681 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,366 Well, he would come to them, but it wouldn't be with great joy. 682 00:35:02,366 --> 00:35:03,300 He's going to be a prisoner. 683 00:35:04,266 --> 00:35:06,500 May the God of peace be with you all. 684 00:35:06,500 --> 00:35:08,200 Here's what he's saying. 685 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,000 What he's saying is this I appeal to you by our Lord 686 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,266 Jesus Christ and the love of the spirit to strive together with me. 687 00:35:15,300 --> 00:35:18,300 It Paul understood this that we don't do ministry alone, 688 00:35:19,633 --> 00:35:22,633 that we don't do ministry alone. 689 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,066 What he's saying is, I need your prayers. 690 00:35:25,066 --> 00:35:28,066 I need your partnership in this. 691 00:35:28,366 --> 00:35:32,033 He's saying, don't make me do this work by myself. 692 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:36,166 We're partners in this together. 693 00:35:36,166 --> 00:35:39,833 And one of the ways he says, you partner with me is by praying for me. 694 00:35:40,266 --> 00:35:44,500 All that, like, don't make me be the prayer here. 695 00:35:45,733 --> 00:35:47,700 Don't make me be the one who does 696 00:35:47,700 --> 00:35:50,700 the work here. 697 00:35:51,233 --> 00:35:53,566 Ministry is a team sport and you got. 698 00:36:01,566 --> 00:36:04,566 You understand? 699 00:36:09,700 --> 00:36:09,900 This. 700 00:36:09,900 --> 00:36:12,900 And I need you to toil with me. 701 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,800 See, here's what I. 702 00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:20,833 We don't do ministry alone. 703 00:36:20,833 --> 00:36:23,233 And you're invited into this with us. 704 00:36:23,233 --> 00:36:25,166 With me. 705 00:36:25,166 --> 00:36:28,166 And I implore you by the name of Jesus 706 00:36:28,333 --> 00:36:31,300 to jump in. 707 00:36:31,300 --> 00:36:33,233 And then we're given examples of those 708 00:36:33,233 --> 00:36:37,233 who jumped in as examples to us in chapter 16. 709 00:36:37,533 --> 00:36:41,266 Now, to set up chapter 16, I need to let you know this, 710 00:36:42,133 --> 00:36:46,800 that Paul certainly did not do Ministry alone had a vast network of people, 711 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:51,466 men and women, who served alongside him and led alongside him. 712 00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:55,500 And I love the fact that his network of people 713 00:36:55,766 --> 00:36:59,133 didn't allow nor expect him to do it alone. 714 00:37:00,900 --> 00:37:03,900 They didn't allow him, nor did they expect him to. 715 00:37:05,100 --> 00:37:06,900 And these names that we're going to read 716 00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:10,200 through these names mean nothing to us. 717 00:37:11,100 --> 00:37:12,766 They're hard to pronounce. 718 00:37:12,766 --> 00:37:16,066 You've probably not spent much time at all reading these names and studying 719 00:37:16,066 --> 00:37:16,533 these names, 720 00:37:17,700 --> 00:37:18,300 but they meant 721 00:37:18,300 --> 00:37:21,300 something to Paul, and they mean something to God. 722 00:37:22,066 --> 00:37:25,200 And God kept a record of them and their service. 723 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:30,100 Because God sees what we do for the kingdom that no one else knows. 724 00:37:31,766 --> 00:37:34,166 They're important. 725 00:37:34,166 --> 00:37:36,566 And though they're important, 726 00:37:36,566 --> 00:37:39,566 they were people without a title or a position. 727 00:37:40,233 --> 00:37:43,233 They were just uncommon people 728 00:37:43,466 --> 00:37:46,800 doing uncommon work or common people doing uncommon work. 729 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,800 They were just normal people doing incredible things. 730 00:37:50,533 --> 00:37:55,000 And so with that said, let me say this, that 731 00:37:56,633 --> 00:37:59,300 these people were listed here, 732 00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:02,300 worked their tails off. 733 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,600 And on what I love about leadership. 734 00:38:06,933 --> 00:38:09,900 And we see this in Romans 16, what I love about good 735 00:38:09,900 --> 00:38:12,000 leadership is as a leader does not expect 736 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:15,900 anyone to do more than they, but they do expect one to do as they 737 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:18,133 when a 738 00:38:18,133 --> 00:38:21,133 leader expects their people to do more than they. 739 00:38:21,266 --> 00:38:23,333 That's abuse. 740 00:38:23,333 --> 00:38:28,266 But when a leader doesn't expect their people to do as they say, that's neglect. 741 00:38:28,266 --> 00:38:30,266 It's not leadership. 742 00:38:30,266 --> 00:38:33,266 And so a leader doesn't expect anyone to do more than they, 743 00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:36,700 but they do expect them to do as they. 744 00:38:36,700 --> 00:38:41,200 And this list of people here are those who did as Paul did there. 745 00:38:41,233 --> 00:38:42,933 Follow in his lead. 746 00:38:42,933 --> 00:38:45,466 It's important, point of leadership. 747 00:38:45,466 --> 00:38:48,866 The other thing I want us to understand that none of these people had a title. 748 00:38:49,933 --> 00:38:53,100 And we have to be very careful because. 749 00:38:53,633 --> 00:38:57,666 Because often if we're not careful, we get wired a little differently. 750 00:38:58,466 --> 00:39:01,466 If we're not careful, we want a title without the toil. 751 00:39:02,700 --> 00:39:04,900 If we're not careful, we allow ourselves to want a title. 752 00:39:04,900 --> 00:39:06,600 What? That's a toil. Let me prove it to you. 753 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:09,166 We want the title of Christian 754 00:39:09,166 --> 00:39:12,166 without the toil of apprenticing. 755 00:39:13,133 --> 00:39:15,533 We want the title of being faithful 756 00:39:15,533 --> 00:39:18,533 without the toil of serving. 757 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:21,166 We want the title of being a leader 758 00:39:21,166 --> 00:39:24,166 without the toil of leading. 759 00:39:24,766 --> 00:39:26,566 We want the title of being generous 760 00:39:26,566 --> 00:39:29,566 about the toil of giving. 761 00:39:30,433 --> 00:39:33,233 Gimson. 762 00:39:33,233 --> 00:39:34,200 So we got to be careful. 763 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,200 And so, Paul, this all these people, 764 00:39:37,300 --> 00:39:40,900 none of them had a title, but all of them toiled 765 00:39:41,866 --> 00:39:45,500 beautifully, magnificently and fall appallingly. 766 00:39:45,566 --> 00:39:48,166 Let me just walk through this list real quick, 767 00:39:48,166 --> 00:39:48,900 I say real quick. 768 00:39:48,900 --> 00:39:51,500 You know that's not the truth. 769 00:39:51,500 --> 00:39:53,300 I'm not going to go through all these names, but a few of them 770 00:39:53,300 --> 00:39:54,200 I need to point out. 771 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:57,933 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the Lord, a century, 772 00:39:58,300 --> 00:40:02,033 that you, may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints. 773 00:40:02,033 --> 00:40:03,300 And help her. In what? 774 00:40:03,300 --> 00:40:05,033 In whatever she may need from you. 775 00:40:05,033 --> 00:40:10,266 For she's been a person, of a patron of many and of myself as well. 776 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:12,966 I love the fact that he starts with Phoebe. Why? 777 00:40:12,966 --> 00:40:14,500 Because Phoebe is a woman. 778 00:40:14,500 --> 00:40:18,900 And it was so uncommon to list women in the list like this. 779 00:40:18,900 --> 00:40:21,766 Especially in the Greco-Roman world. Here's why. 780 00:40:21,766 --> 00:40:23,266 Because in the Greco-Roman 781 00:40:23,266 --> 00:40:26,966 world, women had no standard as standing and no authority. 782 00:40:27,100 --> 00:40:30,766 Matter of fact, in the Greco-Roman world, a husband could divorce his wife 783 00:40:30,766 --> 00:40:32,733 for no reason whatsoever. I don't to give a reason. 784 00:40:32,733 --> 00:40:33,433 Just get out. 785 00:40:33,433 --> 00:40:36,433 A woman had no authority to do a thing in response. 786 00:40:36,733 --> 00:40:40,466 Matter of fact, in the Greco-Roman world, when women would be pregnant, 787 00:40:40,466 --> 00:40:42,300 they prayed for a boy and not a girl. 788 00:40:42,300 --> 00:40:45,300 Because boys were seen as assets, girls were seen as liabilities. 789 00:40:45,566 --> 00:40:49,600 So much so that as a woman gave birth, this little baby girl, 790 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:51,666 if the family didn't want her because she was all of a sudden 791 00:40:51,666 --> 00:40:55,500 a liability that they couldn't afford, they would toss her out into the street 792 00:40:55,500 --> 00:40:59,400 and let her die with not a thought from the community. 793 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:00,300 Sound familiar? 794 00:41:00,300 --> 00:41:02,033 And if anybody passing by 795 00:41:02,033 --> 00:41:05,033 wanted to rescue this little baby, they were welcome to her. 796 00:41:05,333 --> 00:41:06,800 But they would usually 797 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:10,533 rescue that baby for two reasons either to be a slave or a prostitute. 798 00:41:12,233 --> 00:41:13,133 That was the 799 00:41:13,133 --> 00:41:16,133 station of women in the first century. 800 00:41:17,100 --> 00:41:19,166 And so the fact that Paul lists 801 00:41:19,166 --> 00:41:22,166 a woman first is transformative and revolutionary. 802 00:41:22,233 --> 00:41:26,600 And I get really frustrated with people who are ignorant in culture and world 803 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:28,133 culture and biblical history 804 00:41:28,133 --> 00:41:31,200 that say that the Bible is chauvinist against oppressors women. 805 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:33,533 They don't know anything what they're talking about. 806 00:41:33,533 --> 00:41:36,600 It's through the Bible and through the Gospels and Jesus himself. 807 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:39,600 In the first years that elevated women. 808 00:41:40,766 --> 00:41:44,300 And Paul says, and I'm going to start with a woman of all the ones 809 00:41:44,300 --> 00:41:49,566 I want to champion, Phoebe, the servant, she has this this role. 810 00:41:49,566 --> 00:41:51,800 It's not a title. It's a role of servant. 811 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:55,433 That word servant means literally in the Greek 812 00:41:55,533 --> 00:41:58,766 diaconate, a literal translation, a servant. 813 00:41:58,766 --> 00:42:01,633 But we get our English word deacon out of this. 814 00:42:01,633 --> 00:42:03,400 She was a deacon in the church. 815 00:42:05,266 --> 00:42:06,166 I mean, she was a servant. 816 00:42:06,166 --> 00:42:09,166 It's the exact same word used in acts six 817 00:42:09,433 --> 00:42:11,333 when the apostles got together and said, we 818 00:42:11,333 --> 00:42:13,166 we can't take care of the needs of the church. 819 00:42:13,166 --> 00:42:16,633 We need to focus on praying and studying and preaching. 820 00:42:16,666 --> 00:42:19,366 So we need deacons to serve the church. 821 00:42:19,366 --> 00:42:22,800 It's the exact same word used of those deacons that were chosen. 822 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:26,633 And Steve in of whom it is said, is of good reputation, 823 00:42:26,633 --> 00:42:28,200 full of spirit and wisdom. 824 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:30,800 That's Phoebe. 825 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:33,800 She has a good reputation, is full of wisdom, and full of the Spirit of God. 826 00:42:34,166 --> 00:42:36,933 And she served as a deaconess in the church. 827 00:42:36,933 --> 00:42:41,466 Now please note she served as a deacon, is not a pastor, 828 00:42:42,700 --> 00:42:45,700 and the role of a deacon was not oversight 829 00:42:45,766 --> 00:42:49,966 and authority over it was serving of literally. 830 00:42:50,233 --> 00:42:56,300 It was to guard and set the needs of the others using their own resources. 831 00:42:56,333 --> 00:42:57,766 That's what they did. 832 00:42:57,766 --> 00:43:00,233 And this was this lady, Phoebe, 833 00:43:00,233 --> 00:43:03,233 incredible woman, incredible leader in the church. 834 00:43:03,233 --> 00:43:05,933 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ. 835 00:43:07,566 --> 00:43:09,266 These two Priscilla and a cooler. 836 00:43:09,266 --> 00:43:10,933 Again, really interesting. 837 00:43:10,933 --> 00:43:13,933 Priscilla and Akula are mentioned six times. 838 00:43:14,500 --> 00:43:16,333 In in church history, 839 00:43:16,333 --> 00:43:19,200 four of the six Priscilla is mentioned before Aquila. 840 00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:20,333 Why is it significant? 841 00:43:20,333 --> 00:43:23,233 Because Priscilla is the wife. 842 00:43:23,233 --> 00:43:25,500 Four of the six times the wife is named first, 843 00:43:25,500 --> 00:43:27,466 which was unheard of in the culture. 844 00:43:27,466 --> 00:43:29,833 You didn't list the woman first. 845 00:43:29,833 --> 00:43:31,166 It was always the husband. 846 00:43:31,166 --> 00:43:35,166 But apparently Priscilla was a better leader than her husband, 847 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:38,200 which is no surprise. 848 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:39,800 We tell our church planners all the time 849 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:41,533 when they when they're getting rid of planning a church is a look. 850 00:43:41,533 --> 00:43:44,366 Some of you men, you think you married a cheerleader. 851 00:43:44,366 --> 00:43:44,733 You didn't. 852 00:43:44,733 --> 00:43:45,833 You didn't marry a cheerleader. 853 00:43:45,833 --> 00:43:48,066 You married a leader. 854 00:43:48,066 --> 00:43:50,333 Let them lead. 855 00:43:50,333 --> 00:43:52,133 You understand? 856 00:43:52,133 --> 00:43:53,833 Says these are my coworkers. 857 00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:58,766 And they risked their necks for my life. 858 00:43:58,766 --> 00:44:01,766 Like, they they pressed in. 859 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:05,766 Look at verse five. 860 00:44:05,766 --> 00:44:10,400 I greet my beloved Aeneas, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 861 00:44:10,466 --> 00:44:13,500 I love the fact that Paul led someone to Jesus and he's still with them. 862 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:17,666 It is incredible when those who start with you, finish with you. 863 00:44:19,466 --> 00:44:22,300 We are so blessed in this church. 864 00:44:22,300 --> 00:44:25,066 We're coming up on our 20th birthday 865 00:44:25,066 --> 00:44:25,666 and we got about. 866 00:44:25,666 --> 00:44:28,666 I got a list of about 30 people, not counting the kids, 867 00:44:29,300 --> 00:44:32,300 but 30 people that started with us that are still with us. 868 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:35,200 It's just a blessing. 869 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:37,100 This church is so good. 870 00:44:37,100 --> 00:44:39,933 God, some incredible things. Look at this. 871 00:44:39,933 --> 00:44:41,333 Verse six. 872 00:44:41,333 --> 00:44:44,000 Great Mary who has worked hard for you. 873 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:46,633 When Paul says, this woman, Mary worked hard, 874 00:44:46,633 --> 00:44:49,466 it means literally work to the point of exhaustion. 875 00:44:49,466 --> 00:44:52,533 And it doesn't mean she worked hard. 876 00:44:52,533 --> 00:44:54,433 When the kids weren't playing ball, she worked hard 877 00:44:54,433 --> 00:44:57,566 after where she worked hard and you know, in the way it meant, it means that 878 00:44:57,566 --> 00:45:01,466 she worked her tail off to the point of exhaustion. 879 00:45:02,366 --> 00:45:04,800 She pressed in and kept pressing in 880 00:45:05,900 --> 00:45:08,833 like she kept toiling. 881 00:45:08,833 --> 00:45:10,066 Why would she do that? 882 00:45:10,066 --> 00:45:13,066 Why would all these people work like this? 883 00:45:13,766 --> 00:45:15,900 Let's go on. 884 00:45:15,900 --> 00:45:17,233 Verse seven. 885 00:45:17,233 --> 00:45:20,666 Great Andronicus and Julia, my kinsman and my fellow prisoners, 886 00:45:21,666 --> 00:45:24,266 these two are women again. 887 00:45:24,266 --> 00:45:26,066 And they were juniors. 888 00:45:26,066 --> 00:45:27,466 She was a prisoner with Paul. 889 00:45:27,466 --> 00:45:28,700 Can you imagine? 890 00:45:28,700 --> 00:45:32,733 Like they just kept pressing in and pressing in and pressing in. 891 00:45:32,966 --> 00:45:35,966 Incredible people. 892 00:45:36,933 --> 00:45:37,800 Look, look at, 893 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:41,066 look, look at verse nine and greet urbanist, my fellow worker. 894 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:43,633 The only thing I want to point out is just because it's funny. 895 00:45:43,633 --> 00:45:46,633 Urbanist literally means city boy. 896 00:45:47,366 --> 00:45:49,466 He's like an urban guy. 897 00:45:49,466 --> 00:45:52,466 He probably lives it to sorrow. 898 00:45:54,033 --> 00:45:55,400 You know it. 899 00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:57,833 He's got a little puppy, carries in a little carrier with them 900 00:45:57,833 --> 00:46:00,866 and takes some of the groomer and blows him dry and 901 00:46:02,266 --> 00:46:02,666 since it 902 00:46:02,666 --> 00:46:05,666 acts as and has a glass of wine, you know it. 903 00:46:05,733 --> 00:46:06,900 I'm joking. 904 00:46:06,900 --> 00:46:10,000 Maybe I just like the fact. 905 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:11,133 Like there's everybody. 906 00:46:11,133 --> 00:46:12,533 There's a guy here named Rufus. 907 00:46:12,533 --> 00:46:13,700 Rufus doesn't live. 908 00:46:13,700 --> 00:46:16,133 Luke Rufus lives in Chowchilla or Madera. 909 00:46:16,133 --> 00:46:17,800 Like, know what I'm saying? 910 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:20,800 Like, is Rufus. 911 00:46:21,933 --> 00:46:25,066 Verses 1011 Greta Pelosi was a prude. 912 00:46:25,066 --> 00:46:26,466 And Christ wreath those who belong. 913 00:46:26,466 --> 00:46:29,600 The family of Aristobulus greet my kinsman Herod. 914 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:32,300 Herodian. The family of Herod, of all people. Great. 915 00:46:32,300 --> 00:46:35,700 Those in the, in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 916 00:46:35,900 --> 00:46:38,366 Here's what I love about that. 917 00:46:38,366 --> 00:46:41,933 Apparently the man of the house didn't believe in Jesus, 918 00:46:42,100 --> 00:46:44,966 but the mom of the house led the kids in the house 919 00:46:44,966 --> 00:46:47,966 to Jesus. 920 00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:50,100 What an incredible 921 00:46:50,100 --> 00:46:52,800 heritage of a godly woman. 922 00:46:54,966 --> 00:46:57,966 Just amazing. 923 00:47:00,233 --> 00:47:03,233 Look at verse 12. 924 00:47:03,266 --> 00:47:04,666 Greet those workers in the Lord. 925 00:47:04,666 --> 00:47:06,133 Try Fena and Triforce. 926 00:47:06,133 --> 00:47:08,100 Aren't those great names? 927 00:47:08,100 --> 00:47:10,500 Try and draw false. 928 00:47:10,500 --> 00:47:12,900 I want to give me a scholarship. 929 00:47:12,900 --> 00:47:15,100 Those are just awesome names. 930 00:47:15,100 --> 00:47:18,300 Two women again who worked hard. 931 00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:22,100 Again, same words as Mary worked 932 00:47:22,100 --> 00:47:25,100 to the point of exhaustion. 933 00:47:26,433 --> 00:47:29,100 Who worked and worked? Why? 934 00:47:29,100 --> 00:47:31,200 Why would they work themselves to the bone? 935 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:33,333 Why would they realign their schedules? 936 00:47:33,333 --> 00:47:35,433 Why would they realign their priorities? 937 00:47:35,433 --> 00:47:37,133 Why were they realign their finances? 938 00:47:37,133 --> 00:47:40,366 Why would they realign their lives to precedence? Why? 939 00:47:45,133 --> 00:47:45,300 Yeah. 940 00:47:45,300 --> 00:47:47,700 Let me tell you this. 941 00:47:47,700 --> 00:47:50,700 All common people, no title, 942 00:47:51,033 --> 00:47:54,033 no position. 943 00:47:54,833 --> 00:47:55,100 Books. 944 00:47:55,100 --> 00:47:57,200 They understood, 945 00:47:57,200 --> 00:47:59,966 if I can put it bluntly, 946 00:47:59,966 --> 00:48:02,866 it was better to be God's dog 947 00:48:02,866 --> 00:48:05,866 than the devil's darling. 948 00:48:09,033 --> 00:48:10,800 They didn't make excuses for why they couldn't. 949 00:48:12,133 --> 00:48:14,866 They didn't make excuses why they're too busy. 950 00:48:14,866 --> 00:48:18,133 It didn't make excuses why they didn't have the you know what it took. 951 00:48:19,966 --> 00:48:22,966 They worked their selves 952 00:48:23,433 --> 00:48:25,533 to the point of exhaustion. 953 00:48:25,533 --> 00:48:28,433 Incredible list of people. 954 00:48:28,433 --> 00:48:31,433 It's interesting to me that nine of the 26 are women. 955 00:48:33,066 --> 00:48:35,166 One third of those listed are women. 956 00:48:35,166 --> 00:48:37,733 That's amazing to me for two reasons. 957 00:48:37,733 --> 00:48:42,433 One, that a third of them listed in the ancient scripture are women. 958 00:48:43,066 --> 00:48:45,466 What an elevation! 959 00:48:45,466 --> 00:48:48,166 But it also amazes me that two thirds of the workers 960 00:48:48,166 --> 00:48:51,166 were men. 961 00:48:52,433 --> 00:48:54,333 A full two thirds were guys 962 00:48:54,333 --> 00:48:57,333 working in the church. 963 00:48:59,233 --> 00:49:01,766 That amazes me 964 00:49:01,766 --> 00:49:04,766 that that many guys 965 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:07,800 were serving regularly, 966 00:49:07,966 --> 00:49:09,000 you know. 967 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:11,300 Yeah. 968 00:49:11,300 --> 00:49:13,133 You know, who are the first to sign up to ministry are 969 00:49:13,133 --> 00:49:15,300 whenever we ask for help for something, you know who it is. 970 00:49:16,233 --> 00:49:18,600 Women. 971 00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:21,600 You know who does all the teaching of the kids in our church? 972 00:49:22,033 --> 00:49:23,000 Well, not all of. 973 00:49:23,000 --> 00:49:23,800 But most of them. 974 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:24,833 Yeah. 975 00:49:24,833 --> 00:49:27,833 Women. 976 00:49:28,500 --> 00:49:30,966 Why is it 977 00:49:30,966 --> 00:49:32,666 that men in church 978 00:49:32,666 --> 00:49:35,666 have a tendency to passivity? 979 00:49:36,333 --> 00:49:38,666 Come. 980 00:49:38,666 --> 00:49:41,666 Why is it? 981 00:49:45,233 --> 00:49:46,666 It amazes me that nine 982 00:49:46,666 --> 00:49:50,800 out of 27 were women, and that the other two thirds were men. 983 00:49:51,133 --> 00:49:55,466 Why is it in our culture we've inverted 984 00:49:55,466 --> 00:49:58,466 that? 985 00:50:01,666 --> 00:50:04,666 We men, we're not called to passivity. 986 00:50:05,900 --> 00:50:08,900 We're all called to be spectators. 987 00:50:09,866 --> 00:50:11,433 We were first given charge 988 00:50:11,433 --> 00:50:14,433 and dominion to work, 989 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:17,333 and so many 990 00:50:17,333 --> 00:50:20,266 when it comes to spiritual things, 991 00:50:20,266 --> 00:50:23,266 have slipped back into passivity. 992 00:50:25,466 --> 00:50:26,666 Anyone go down there with the church? 993 00:50:26,666 --> 00:50:27,066 That's fine. 994 00:50:27,066 --> 00:50:30,066 I'm a. 995 00:50:35,433 --> 00:50:38,500 In the absence in the American family 996 00:50:39,266 --> 00:50:42,266 of solid men 997 00:50:42,300 --> 00:50:45,300 in a family. 998 00:50:46,900 --> 00:50:48,200 Kids at church 999 00:50:49,200 --> 00:50:50,800 need your role models, 1000 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:53,800 guys, more than ever before. 1001 00:50:55,500 --> 00:50:58,500 Ever before. 1002 00:50:58,833 --> 00:51:01,833 From holding babies 1003 00:51:01,833 --> 00:51:03,600 to Wednesday night with the high school 1004 00:51:03,600 --> 00:51:06,600 kids. 1005 00:51:12,766 --> 00:51:14,300 I'm going to move on because Jeff's thinking. 1006 00:51:14,300 --> 00:51:17,300 Carl, I still got to sing a song and 1007 00:51:18,566 --> 00:51:20,800 then wrap up with this. 1008 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:23,500 Verse 17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause 1009 00:51:23,500 --> 00:51:26,500 divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught. 1010 00:51:26,600 --> 00:51:28,166 Avoid them, he says, look out. 1011 00:51:28,166 --> 00:51:30,300 There's going to be people in the church that are going to do nothing 1012 00:51:30,300 --> 00:51:35,200 but cause divisions and cause grief and put obstacles and argue, he says. 1013 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:37,733 Literally, he says, avoid them. That means ignore them. 1014 00:51:37,733 --> 00:51:40,500 You know how the best way to shut somebody up is? Quit talking to them? 1015 00:51:40,500 --> 00:51:41,933 Yeah, don't respond. 1016 00:51:43,366 --> 00:51:46,566 This follows really well with the instruction to Titus and Titus 310. 1017 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:50,400 Warn a divisive person once, warn them twice, and then out counsel 1018 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:51,233 them out of your church. 1019 00:51:51,233 --> 00:51:54,233 So it says, listen, 1020 00:51:54,900 --> 00:51:57,900 I have out counseled a lot of people from this church. 1021 00:51:59,700 --> 00:52:00,700 You want to argue about stuff. 1022 00:52:00,700 --> 00:52:01,566 This isn't a place for you. 1023 00:52:01,566 --> 00:52:02,800 I'm going to recommend a couple of churches 1024 00:52:02,800 --> 00:52:05,800 where you can go mess up, but don't mess up a church. 1025 00:52:05,866 --> 00:52:08,866 You're welcome. 1026 00:52:12,900 --> 00:52:15,033 For such persons don't serve our Lord. 1027 00:52:15,033 --> 00:52:17,666 They serve their own appetites by smooth talk and flattery. 1028 00:52:17,666 --> 00:52:19,100 They deceive hearts that are naive. 1029 00:52:19,100 --> 00:52:22,033 Basically, they fool people 1030 00:52:22,033 --> 00:52:23,200 because so many people. 1031 00:52:23,200 --> 00:52:25,333 And I understand that's why we're here. That's why I'm here. 1032 00:52:25,333 --> 00:52:28,300 We don't know doctrine and theology and like, well, I don't know enough. 1033 00:52:28,300 --> 00:52:30,066 But what they're saying sounds good, so I guess so. 1034 00:52:30,066 --> 00:52:31,500 And they just kind of go along with it and. 1035 00:52:34,500 --> 00:52:37,500 And the gospel and good doctrine gets lost. 1036 00:52:38,633 --> 00:52:41,633 Well sounds good. 1037 00:52:43,066 --> 00:52:45,400 And then he presses in, 1038 00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:48,600 I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent to what is evil. 1039 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:52,200 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. 1040 00:52:52,800 --> 00:52:55,466 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 1041 00:52:55,466 --> 00:52:58,400 He's saying, I want you to make sure that you are 1042 00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:01,400 guarding truth and guiding people. 1043 00:53:02,600 --> 00:53:04,166 I want you to be wise in this stuff. 1044 00:53:04,166 --> 00:53:06,300 You be wise and I want you to guard truth. 1045 00:53:06,300 --> 00:53:10,200 I want you to guard doctrine, and I want you to guide people, guard and guide. 1046 00:53:10,200 --> 00:53:12,033 That's what he's saying. 1047 00:53:12,033 --> 00:53:13,366 He said, you're with me on this. 1048 00:53:13,366 --> 00:53:15,866 You've been with me on this day, with me on this, 1049 00:53:15,866 --> 00:53:19,400 and pressed into this, guarded and got guard truth, 1050 00:53:19,466 --> 00:53:23,500 guard, doctrine, guard the scriptures and guide people into it. 1051 00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:25,133 And then he mentions this one 1052 00:53:25,133 --> 00:53:29,300 young man, Timothy, my fellow worker, greet you and so delicious. 1053 00:53:29,300 --> 00:53:32,233 And Jason, here's why this is so important. 1054 00:53:32,233 --> 00:53:35,100 He says, Timothy greet you, guard and guide. 1055 00:53:35,100 --> 00:53:38,700 Timothy greet you because he's going to write two letters to Timothy. 1056 00:53:38,700 --> 00:53:41,966 They're called first Timothy and second Timothy, and they're all about 1057 00:53:41,966 --> 00:53:46,266 guarding the truth and guarding doctrine and guiding people into it. 1058 00:53:46,366 --> 00:53:49,800 And starting next week, we're going to study those two letters 1059 00:53:49,900 --> 00:53:52,966 because it has to do with guarding the truth and guarding 1060 00:53:52,966 --> 00:53:55,966 doctrine and guiding people into the truth. 1061 00:53:56,433 --> 00:53:56,900 Amen. 1062 00:53:57,866 --> 00:53:59,333 That's what we do. 1063 00:53:59,333 --> 00:54:01,433 Okay, 1064 00:54:01,433 --> 00:54:04,666 now, I love the fact that he mentions this cat Jason in here. 1065 00:54:05,633 --> 00:54:08,633 If you're not careful, you're going to miss who this is. 1066 00:54:08,666 --> 00:54:10,533 Jason. 1067 00:54:10,533 --> 00:54:12,400 You'll go back to acts 17 six. 1068 00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:15,366 That's where we get our name. Flip side. 1069 00:54:15,366 --> 00:54:18,700 The Jews were all hot and bothered about what the church was doing, 1070 00:54:18,700 --> 00:54:20,066 and they want to talk to the apostles. 1071 00:54:20,066 --> 00:54:22,466 They want to talk to Peter. They want to talk to John. 1072 00:54:22,466 --> 00:54:24,400 And they're off doing ministry stuff. 1073 00:54:24,400 --> 00:54:28,566 And the only one left of the followers of Jesus to talk to is this old guy, 1074 00:54:28,666 --> 00:54:30,266 this young guy named Jason. 1075 00:54:30,266 --> 00:54:34,000 And they say to Jason, this church has turned 1076 00:54:34,000 --> 00:54:37,000 the world upside down. 1077 00:54:37,133 --> 00:54:40,133 And now they're here messing up our city. 1078 00:54:40,400 --> 00:54:41,866 It's the flip side, 1079 00:54:42,933 --> 00:54:45,666 and what we want to do is turn the world upside 1080 00:54:45,666 --> 00:54:50,966 and mess up the ranchos and mess up Riverstone and mess up Tesoro. 1081 00:54:51,066 --> 00:54:54,800 And maybe God, God's will eventually get to Madera and Chowchilla 1082 00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:57,800 because that needs to be messed up. Two 1083 00:54:57,833 --> 00:54:59,466 that's why we're messing up Cuba. 1084 00:54:59,466 --> 00:55:01,433 That's why we're messing up Guatemala. 1085 00:55:01,433 --> 00:55:03,300 That's why we're messing up Mexico. 1086 00:55:03,300 --> 00:55:04,800 Because this is what we do. 1087 00:55:04,800 --> 00:55:07,566 That's why you find churches all over the United States, 1088 00:55:07,566 --> 00:55:09,433 because we're messing stuff up. 1089 00:55:09,433 --> 00:55:12,533 And this cat, Jason, was there at the beginning. 1090 00:55:12,533 --> 00:55:17,400 And I love the fact that those who started with them are still with them. Why? 1091 00:55:20,366 --> 00:55:23,366 Because they understand. 1092 00:55:23,700 --> 00:55:26,700 And they've been infused with the power of God, 1093 00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:31,066 and they have a hope that is abiding, and they're not tapping out. 1094 00:55:32,033 --> 00:55:33,833 And just as a side note, 1095 00:55:33,833 --> 00:55:38,733 verse 23, Gaius, who was, host to me, to the whole church, greet you. 1096 00:55:38,833 --> 00:55:41,766 Gaius was one of the two people that Paul baptized 1097 00:55:41,766 --> 00:55:44,766 Paul and baptized two people that he can remember. 1098 00:55:44,966 --> 00:55:48,000 And I love the fact that early in Paul's ministry baptizes this guy 1099 00:55:48,600 --> 00:55:51,600 and this guy still with them. 1100 00:55:53,666 --> 00:55:54,233 Verse 25, 1101 00:55:54,233 --> 00:55:56,600 now to him was able to strengthen you according to my gospel 1102 00:55:56,600 --> 00:55:59,533 and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery 1103 00:55:59,533 --> 00:56:03,000 that was kept secret from a long ages, but has now been disclosed. 1104 00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:05,700 And through the prophetic Christ has been made known to all nations 1105 00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:07,466 according to the command of the eternal God, 1106 00:56:07,466 --> 00:56:11,566 to bring about the obedience of faith to the only wise God, be glory 1107 00:56:11,566 --> 00:56:12,933 forever through Jesus Christ. 1108 00:56:12,933 --> 00:56:13,266 Amen. 1109 00:56:13,266 --> 00:56:16,866 Here's what he's saying Paul starts, and he ends with the power of God. 1110 00:56:18,166 --> 00:56:20,100 In Romans 116 says, I am not 1111 00:56:20,100 --> 00:56:24,033 ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for is the power of God unto salvation. 1112 00:56:24,200 --> 00:56:26,000 When Paul uses the word power 1113 00:56:26,000 --> 00:56:29,700 in the God in Romans, here it's the Greek word dunamis. 1114 00:56:29,700 --> 00:56:32,700 Guess what English word we get from doing a miss? 1115 00:56:33,300 --> 00:56:35,300 Dynamite. 1116 00:56:35,300 --> 00:56:38,700 Dynamite is you old ones. 1117 00:56:38,700 --> 00:56:41,933 Remember that dynamite? It's the. 1118 00:56:41,933 --> 00:56:43,800 I am not his. What is his? What? Paul saying? 1119 00:56:43,800 --> 00:56:45,933 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. 1120 00:56:45,933 --> 00:56:48,933 For it is the dynamite power of God to bring salvation. 1121 00:56:49,033 --> 00:56:53,200 And then at the very end of Romans he says, Now to him who, 1122 00:56:53,200 --> 00:56:56,933 according to the dynamite power of God, will strengthen you. 1123 00:56:58,200 --> 00:57:01,200 The dynamite power God bookends 1124 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:03,900 Romans from the beginning to end. 1125 00:57:03,900 --> 00:57:06,500 It's by the dynamite power of God 1126 00:57:06,500 --> 00:57:09,766 that though we deserve the wrath of God, we're given the grace of God. 1127 00:57:09,766 --> 00:57:11,666 It's by the dynamite power of God 1128 00:57:13,133 --> 00:57:16,133 that he lays out. 1129 00:57:16,900 --> 00:57:20,200 The plan of God and the way of God throughout Romans. 1130 00:57:20,366 --> 00:57:25,833 And it's these people in Romans 16 that have understood this power for God, 1131 00:57:25,966 --> 00:57:29,266 this dynamite power of God that is resident within them, 1132 00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:32,600 that live with this eternal hope that can never be shaken. 1133 00:57:32,900 --> 00:57:35,700 They've come in contact with this dynamite power of God 1134 00:57:35,700 --> 00:57:38,600 through the preaching of the gospel, and they've given themselves. 1135 00:57:38,600 --> 00:57:40,933 How could they not work themselves to exhaustion? 1136 00:57:40,933 --> 00:57:44,633 It's the only logical response that because of who you are 1137 00:57:44,766 --> 00:57:49,200 and what you've done and the power of you, that is now in me. 1138 00:57:49,333 --> 00:57:53,333 The only logical response that I have to respond to you 1139 00:57:53,400 --> 00:57:57,400 is by praising you, because you are the great and mighty God, 1140 00:57:57,566 --> 00:58:01,833 and to sacrifice for you because of what you sacrificed for me in your son. 1141 00:58:02,200 --> 00:58:03,633 Amen. Do you understand? 1142 00:58:04,800 --> 00:58:07,633 That's why they work to exhaustion. 1143 00:58:07,633 --> 00:58:10,066 That's why they're willing to go to prison. 1144 00:58:10,066 --> 00:58:12,200 That's why they're still with them. 1145 00:58:12,200 --> 00:58:14,033 That's why they're not tapping out. 1146 00:58:14,033 --> 00:58:17,133 And that's why this verse church turned 1147 00:58:17,133 --> 00:58:20,133 the world upside down. 1148 00:58:21,933 --> 00:58:24,933 And that is our invitation. 1149 00:58:26,800 --> 00:58:29,800 Because of who God is. 1150 00:58:30,266 --> 00:58:31,233 And so I tell you again, 1151 00:58:31,233 --> 00:58:34,633 my friends, God has the power to save you. 1152 00:58:34,666 --> 00:58:37,500 God has the power to sanctify you and make you holy. 1153 00:58:37,500 --> 00:58:41,966 God has the power to stabilize you by the grace of God, as revealed in Jesus. 1154 00:58:43,800 --> 00:58:46,800 And the only natural response 1155 00:58:47,033 --> 00:58:51,866 when you understand this is to praise the God who is the great God, 1156 00:58:52,466 --> 00:58:55,366 and to serve the God who is the great God, 1157 00:58:55,366 --> 00:58:58,600 who will give you his very dynamite power within you, 1158 00:58:58,766 --> 00:59:02,700 that you will not be shaken and you will not be overcome. 1159 00:59:02,800 --> 00:59:07,600 A hope that transcends all the ups and downs and the evils of this world. 1160 00:59:07,800 --> 00:59:09,800 I hope that cannot be shaken. 1161 00:59:12,033 --> 00:59:15,033 That's the invitation. 1162 00:59:15,666 --> 00:59:18,666 For anyone who would respond, 1163 00:59:19,600 --> 00:59:22,600 a living hope from a living God. 1164 00:59:24,300 --> 00:59:26,500 He is the great one. 1165 00:59:26,500 --> 00:59:27,866 And he must increase. 1166 00:59:27,866 --> 00:59:31,200 And I must decrease because he is the Great One, 1167 00:59:31,900 --> 00:59:34,233 and he doesn't invite us into this great 1168 00:59:34,233 --> 00:59:37,233 kingdom. 1169 00:59:37,733 --> 00:59:39,966 God, thank you. 1170 00:59:39,966 --> 00:59:42,000 Thank you that you love us. 1171 00:59:42,000 --> 00:59:44,000 Thank you that you've invited us. 1172 00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:45,766 Thank you that you've called us. 1173 00:59:45,766 --> 00:59:49,600 Thank you for examples in your word of people who will understand 1174 00:59:49,700 --> 00:59:55,866 and who've been infused with the power of you, the dynamite power to save them, 1175 00:59:55,866 --> 01:00:00,300 the dynamite power to sanctify them, that dynamite power to stabilize them. 1176 01:00:00,300 --> 01:00:01,600 Thank you. 1177 01:00:01,600 --> 01:00:06,133 You are a great God, and you deserve to be greatly praised. 1178 01:00:06,600 --> 01:00:09,800 And you are a great God, and you deserve to be greatly served 1179 01:00:10,100 --> 01:00:12,666 with every fiber of our being. 1180 01:00:12,666 --> 01:00:14,133 There is none higher than you. 1181 01:00:14,133 --> 01:00:15,900 There is none greater than you. 1182 01:00:15,900 --> 01:00:20,166 There's no lover, greater lover of me and of your people than you. 1183 01:00:20,533 --> 01:00:23,533 There's no greater God with any greater plan than you. 1184 01:00:24,200 --> 01:00:26,266 You sit alone. 1185 01:00:26,266 --> 01:00:28,566 You are uncontested. 1186 01:00:28,566 --> 01:00:30,700 You are unchallenged. 1187 01:00:30,700 --> 01:00:32,700 You deserve to be praised. 1188 01:00:32,700 --> 01:00:35,800 And I pray in this moment that you would infuse your people 1189 01:00:35,800 --> 01:00:39,666 who want to be infused by you with the presence 1190 01:00:39,666 --> 01:00:43,366 and the power of your Holy Spirit, the dynamite power 1191 01:00:43,833 --> 01:00:48,100 that is powerful for salvation, that is powerful for endurance, 1192 01:00:48,933 --> 01:00:52,800 that gives a hope, that is unshakable, that gives us security, 1193 01:00:52,900 --> 01:00:57,233 that is untouchable, that gives an eternity, that is secured. 1194 01:00:58,500 --> 01:00:59,700 God, that we in this 1195 01:00:59,700 --> 01:01:02,900 place would turn the world upside down. 1196 01:01:03,900 --> 01:01:07,533 You are a great God and greatly to be praised. 1197 01:01:07,966 --> 01:01:10,833 Amen. Stand up. Let's sing.