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first Thessalonians 5:

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12-28 we ask you Brothers to respect

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those who labor among you and are over

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you in the Lord and admonish you and to

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esteem them very highly in love because

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of their work be at peace among

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yourselves and we urge you Brothers

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admonish the idol encourage the

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fainthearted help the weak be patient

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with the all see that no one repays

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anyone evil for evil but always seek to

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do good to one another and to everyone

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Rejoice always pray without ceasing give

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thanks in all circumstances for this is

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the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

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do not quench the spirit do not despise

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prophecies but test everything hold fast

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what is good abstain from every form of

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evil now may the God of Peace himself

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sanctify you completely and may your

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whole Spirit soul and body be kept

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blameless at the coming of our Lord

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Jesus Christ he who calls you is

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faithful and he will surely do it

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Brothers pray for us greet all the

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brothers with a holy kiss I put you

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under oath before the Lord to have this

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letter read to all the brothers the

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grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with

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you hey everybody uh welcome great to

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have you thanks for coming um we are in

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the sixth week of our 10we series we're

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calling the church God calls good and

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we're looking at two letters that Paul

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wrote to a little church in a city

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called thessalonica and this first and 2

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Thessalonians and today we're actually

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closing out the first letter so if you

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have your Bibles go ahead and turn to 1

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Thessalonians chapter 5 uh you can look

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it up on your phone uh the words will

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come up on the screen uh eventually and

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then if we going to use one of our

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Bibles in the pews or over in the back

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of East Hall it's on page

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929 page

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929 all right uh so this passage that

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you just had read to you sounds like

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Paul is just taking a scatter gun and

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just listing out uh a bunch of things uh

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he especially in verse 14 he says we

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urge you Brothers admonish the idol

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encourage the fainthearted help the weak

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be patient with them all verse 16

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Rejoice always pray without ceasing give

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thanks in all circumstances it's like

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boom boom boom boom boom uh a bunch of

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unrelated things he's trying to cram in

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before he signs the letter and sends it

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off but I don't think that's what Paul

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is doing I think Paul is actually

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talking about just one thing just one

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thing uh let me start with a story that

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Jesus tells in Matthew chapter 18

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uh in Matthew chapter 18 Peter asks

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Jesus a question it's a good question

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it's a hard question uh Peter asked

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Jesus how many times do I have to

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forgive someone who hurts me how many

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times do I have to forgive someone who

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sins against me in response to that

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question Jesus launches into a story and

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this is a story he says there was a king

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who had servants and one of his servants

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owed him

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10,000 talents now a Talent was a

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measurement of money it was an enormous

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amount of money my Bible actually says

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that 10,000 talents was equivalent to

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200,000 years of

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wages

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200,000 years of wages it's like Jesus

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said this guy owed the king a bazillion

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dollar like he uses just an

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astronomical number and the King calls

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his servant in and says pay me what you

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owe me and the servant says I can't and

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he says please give me mercy and the

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King uh decides to forgive him of his

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debt which is crazy

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amazing it would be amazing if he just

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cut the debt in half or if he if he cut

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it all the way back to just say one

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lifetime of wages or even one year of

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wages but instead he wipes it

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completely out

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and so that servant who came in with an

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insurmountable debt had that debt lifted

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and was going out forgiven it's a great

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story until that servant ruins the story

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by going and finding a fellow servant

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who owed him a hundred days of

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wages and uh he says pay me what you owe

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me and his fellow servant says I can't

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please show me mercy and this servant

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who had been forgiven for so much ends

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up saying no and he has him thrown into

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prison and Jesus point was that that

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first

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servant didn't get the

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gospel and of course this story is about

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forgiveness which means it's a story

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about the gospel because if this servant

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had gotten the gospel it really

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understood it he would have acted

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completely

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differently and and it it's so obvious

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that Jesus doesn't even take the time to

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explain it he just lets the story hang

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there a church that God calls good is a

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church that's filled with people who get

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the

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gospel who understand that we are like

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the the servant who walked into the

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king's presence with an

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insurmountable debt and we walk out

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completely

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forgiven and debt free there's there's

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nothing quite like it I don't know if

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you you've ever seen the show Undercover

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Boss uh few years ago I just binged on

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that show I just I don't know if it's

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still on or not but if you're not

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familiar with the show it's a a boss

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goes undercover in a company large

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enough so no one would recognize them

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but I love the end of each show and the

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end of each show the boss sits down with

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an employee or several employees one at

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a time and the boss ends up saying

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something like I've I just want to

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surprise you and give you

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something and then the boss says I'm

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going to pay off your house I'm going to

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start a college fund for each one of

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your kids here the keys to your new car

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they're outside and the employee just

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starts to to cry and the the camera

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follows them outside when they call

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their spouse or a family member and

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they're crying they're just saying I

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can't believe it it's unbelievable

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what's happened to me what they don't do

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is go outside and call somebody who owes

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them a hundred bucks and says pay me

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what you owe me right that'd be the

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farthest thing from their

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mind what Paul is telling the Thessalon

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thessalonica church and what he's

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telling our church is that if we're a

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church that's filled with people who

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understand the go gospel we

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know we are like the the employee goes

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outside and calls Anybody Everybody and

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says my life has become

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unbelievably wonderful because of Jesus

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you know whenever you get a group of

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people together there's a name for the

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the vibe that that group of people as a

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whole give off they call that Vibe what

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they call it is the culture of that

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group uh football teams can be described

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as having a winning culture not in

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Cleveland but in other cities right

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businesses have cultures families have

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cultures churches have

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cultures what what Paul is doing here

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and listing out all these things he's

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reminding the

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Thessalonians about their culture he's

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saying if you are a church that's filled

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with people who understand the gospel so

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this is your culture this is what you

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you will ooze to anybody who comes in

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contact with you it's it's unlike any

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place in the whole universe let me read

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the verses again and then I'll give you

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my three points and my three points are

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really just going to be the three

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characteristics of a church whose

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culture is shaped by the gospel this is

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what it says we ask you Brothers to

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respect those who labor among you and

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are over you in the Lord and admonish

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you to esteem them very highly and love

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because of their work be at peace among

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yourselves and we urge you Brothers

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admonish the idol encourage the

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fainthearted help the weak be patient

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with them all see that no one repays

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anyone evil for evil but always seek to

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do good to one another and to everyone

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Rejoice always pray without ceasing give

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thanks in all circum cumstances for this

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is the will of God in Christ Jesus for

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you do not quench the spirit do not

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despise prophecies but test everything

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hold fast what is good abstain from

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every form of evil now may the God of

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Peace himself sanctify you completely

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and may your whole spirit and soul and

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body be kept blameless at the coming of

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our Lord Jesus Christ he who calls you

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as faithful he will surely do it

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okay A a church that is shaped by the

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gospel will do two do three things right

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the first treat your pastor like a coach

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treat each other like a Band of Brothers

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and treat yourself like a lottery winner

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okay those are my three points you know

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I sit in my office and I try to think of

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three points that'll be sticky and

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you'll remember and I wrote These down

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when I got these I was I I made myself

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laugh um treat your pastor like a coach

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treat each other like a band of brothers

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treat yourself like a lottery winner

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okay first treat your pastor like a

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coach this is what it says we ask you

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Brothers to respect those who labor

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among you and are over you in the Lord

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and admonish you to esteem them very

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highly and love because of their work be

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at peace among

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yourselves when Paul says that what he's

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saying right away he's implying there is

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a a government kind of structure in a

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somebody's in charge in a

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church and it it's spelled out more the

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qualifications of leadership in the

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church are spelled out more clearly in

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first Timothy and

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Titus but in this these couple of verses

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he uses some words that are really

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important for a pastor he uses the word

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labor and

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admonish for people in the church he

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uses the words

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esteem and

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respect and love and the result of that

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is

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peace as your pastor my my job is to

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care for you but but more than that my

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job is to develop you into a a follower

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of Jesus into what God created you to be

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and that word admonish has two parts to

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it it means to encourage courage and it

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also means to correct both those

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things and I say treat your pastor like

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a coach I grew up playing basketball in

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high school and in college and my coach

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in college was a man named Paul

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Patterson and Coach Patterson was a he

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was a great coach uh he was a very

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demanding coach he had a bunch of saying

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that he would uh repeat over and over

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again he would drill it into every team

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member and now you know those of us who

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were on a Coach Patterson team like over

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the course of Coach Patterson's career

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of 20 30 years we can all give these

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same sayings and here are some of the

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sayings I actually have on a

274
00:12:42,519 --> 00:12:48,079
bookmarker he says uh respect the

275
00:12:45,399 --> 00:12:51,600
process appreciate the struggle good is

276
00:12:48,079 --> 00:12:54,079
hard hard is good hard work is first a

277
00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:56,480
separator then a unifier you have to get

278
00:12:54,079 --> 00:13:00,680
comfortable being uncomfortable the game

279
00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:04,560
honors toughness I mean you can kind of

280
00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:07,160
catch what kind of a coach he was by

281
00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:10,240
those says let me tell you one quick

282
00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:13,199
story about Coach Patterson that I

283
00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:15,320
remember is uh we were running skeleton

284
00:13:13,199 --> 00:13:18,000
offense skeleton offense in a basketball

285
00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:20,120
team is uh where the offense gets in no

286
00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:22,480
defense so it's it's really for muscle

287
00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,360
memory it's like you to run a play you

288
00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,600
pass pass pass to this guy pass to that

289
00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,199
guy pass it in score the bucket right

290
00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,440
you and then the first team goes out

291
00:13:28,199 --> 00:13:34,639
second team comes in past it's really a

292
00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:38,320
Mindless thing all right so I had been

293
00:13:34,639 --> 00:13:41,639
uh on the floor my group was off I went

294
00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:44,040
to the side kind of away from coach and

295
00:13:41,639 --> 00:13:46,320
then when I rotated back in we went pass

296
00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:48,880
pass pass and I took a shot and the

297
00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,000
whistle blew immediately and Coach

298
00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,759
Patterson said everybody on the

299
00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,320
sidelines 16 Sidelines that was the

300
00:13:51,759 --> 00:13:57,720
worst punishment it was brutal

301
00:13:54,320 --> 00:14:00,000
punishment and I said for what and he

302
00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:02,720
said uh I said no more shots from the

303
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:05,199
corner and I said I didn't hear you and

304
00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:08,160
he said it's your job to hear me and I

305
00:14:05,199 --> 00:14:11,360
was so mad I mean I was just like I

306
00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:13,720
can't believe this now I just told you

307
00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,759
that Coach Patterson was a great coach

308
00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:18,040
what I was convinced of no I I should

309
00:14:15,759 --> 00:14:20,639
tell you too that I never walked off on

310
00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:22,519
the other side of the court again in my

311
00:14:20,639 --> 00:14:26,320
whole career I always went right next to

312
00:14:22,519 --> 00:14:28,880
him because was my job to hear him but I

313
00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:32,920
was really mad at him because I felt

314
00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:36,360
like he had done something that was not

315
00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:38,839
right but I loved Coach Patterson by the

316
00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:42,279
end of my time there and when he passed

317
00:14:38,839 --> 00:14:44,480
away three years ago I cried and I went

318
00:14:42,279 --> 00:14:47,959
to his funeral with all the other

319
00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:49,959
players that he coached because what I

320
00:14:47,959 --> 00:14:53,320
was convinced of with Coach Patterson is

321
00:14:49,959 --> 00:14:56,079
that he wanted me to be the very best

322
00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:59,120
version of me as a player and as a young

323
00:14:56,079 --> 00:15:01,720
man and he worked hard to do that and

324
00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,920
that took encouragement and correction

325
00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:07,519
and sometimes he would make mistakes but

326
00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:10,000
I knew he and I wanted that for me I

327
00:15:07,519 --> 00:15:12,079
wanted to be the best basketball player

328
00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:14,279
I could be I wanted to be the best

329
00:15:12,079 --> 00:15:16,920
person I could

330
00:15:14,279 --> 00:15:20,480
be people who are pastors and I can

331
00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:23,120
speak for every Pastor on our

332
00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:25,160
staff we only do

333
00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:29,720
this for

334
00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:34,120
you we only do this because we really

335
00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:35,199
want you to become what God intended for

336
00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:39,360
you to

337
00:15:35,199 --> 00:15:41,800
become and he uses the word in verse 23

338
00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:45,040
sanctify and I I mentioned that word a

339
00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:47,240
few weeks ago sanctification means

340
00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:51,519
becoming the person God intended you to

341
00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:55,480
become God created you to be radiant to

342
00:15:51,519 --> 00:15:59,079
be glorious to be joyful to be beautiful

343
00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:02,920
and that will take encouragement it'll

344
00:15:59,079 --> 00:16:05,880
take correction at times and we'll make

345
00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:08,600
mistakes at times but what Paul says if

346
00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:11,880
you have pastors that that want that for

347
00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:15,440
you that will do that for you then

348
00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:20,680
esteem them respect them love them

349
00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:23,360
because that's hard work it's hard to do

350
00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:28,279
listen I need to tell you this too long

351
00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:29,959
before there was a portal for athletes

352
00:16:28,279 --> 00:16:31,920
where they could jump into the portal

353
00:16:29,959 --> 00:16:33,639
and transfer to another school the

354
00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,800
minute they didn't like something their

355
00:16:33,639 --> 00:16:39,360
coach did or said there's been a church

356
00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:42,440
portal where people can jump in and go

357
00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:44,639
to another church don't do that so

358
00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:47,319
quickly I don't know if if there had

359
00:16:44,639 --> 00:16:49,000
been a church or a portal back when I

360
00:16:47,319 --> 00:16:50,759
was playing for Coach Patterson I don't

361
00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,160
know I might have jumped in it a couple

362
00:16:50,759 --> 00:16:57,639
of times because I was hurt or

363
00:16:55,160 --> 00:17:01,480
frustrated or thought he made a

364
00:16:57,639 --> 00:17:04,439
mistake and now some 40 years later I'm

365
00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:08,559
so glad I didn't because I'm a better

366
00:17:04,439 --> 00:17:11,120
man today because of staying there so

367
00:17:08,559 --> 00:17:13,640
that's the first thing that Paul says in

368
00:17:11,120 --> 00:17:16,199
a church that's shaped by the

369
00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:18,360
gospel treat your pastor like a coach

370
00:17:16,199 --> 00:17:21,600
the second thing is treat each other

371
00:17:18,360 --> 00:17:25,520
like a Band of Brothers this is what he

372
00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:28,160
says in verse uh 14 and 15 and we urge

373
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,760
you Brothers admonish the idol encourage

374
00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,120
the fainthearted help the week be

375
00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:34,840
patient with them all see that no one

376
00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:38,360
repays anyone evil for evil but always

377
00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:42,440
seeks to do good to one another and to

378
00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:44,520
everyone in uh 2001 HBO came out with a

379
00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:47,840
miniseries called Band of Brothers it's

380
00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:51,480
my alltime favorite miniseries I think

381
00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:54,520
it it Chronicles the the true story of

382
00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:57,679
uh easy company in World War II of the

383
00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:59,440
the 506 parachute regimen of the 101st

384
00:17:57,679 --> 00:18:02,440
Airborne Division

385
00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:04,600
and it Chronicles their whole experience

386
00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:07,600
from training camp all the way to the

387
00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:10,200
end of the war and each episode begins

388
00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:12,760
with the the soldiers themselves they're

389
00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:15,559
old men now and they are

390
00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:17,840
recounting uh their experiences and

391
00:18:15,559 --> 00:18:20,480
they're they're even though they're old

392
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:25,880
men their memories are still fresh and

393
00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:28,840
the bond that they formed uh was amazing

394
00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:31,559
as they went through the experiences now

395
00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:33,960
as soon as I read these words uh that

396
00:18:31,559 --> 00:18:36,120
Paul wrote I went I started thinking

397
00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:38,240
about Band of Brothers because if you

398
00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:40,480
remember the reason that Paul is writing

399
00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,520
these letters is because he started this

400
00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:44,159
church in thessalonica almost

401
00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,159
immediately after he started the church

402
00:18:44,159 --> 00:18:48,799
persecution arose that was so Fierce

403
00:18:46,159 --> 00:18:51,240
that Paul had to run for his life and he

404
00:18:48,799 --> 00:18:53,480
knew that the church was involved in

405
00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:55,880
persecution so he sent Timothy back to

406
00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,840
find out how they were doing and this is

407
00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:01,039
a response these letters are a response

408
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:02,960
to the report that Timothy brought back

409
00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:05,559
and the reason my mind went to Band of

410
00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:07,880
Brothers is because in many ways being a

411
00:19:05,559 --> 00:19:10,559
Christian is like being in a battle

412
00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:13,000
thessalonica was a hostile place our

413
00:19:10,559 --> 00:19:15,960
country is becoming more and more of a

414
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:19,200
hostile place for

415
00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:23,159
Christianity and what Paul is saying is

416
00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:26,159
that a church with the whose culture is

417
00:19:23,159 --> 00:19:28,960
shaped by the gospel will do certain

418
00:19:26,159 --> 00:19:31,280
things where we will help each other in

419
00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:34,120
the fight and there are five things that

420
00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:37,760
he lists out the first thing he says is

421
00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:41,120
admonish the idol what I realize in Band

422
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:45,720
of Brothers is that uh no one was

423
00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:48,280
allowed to do nothing everyone had a job

424
00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:52,840
no one could just be Idol and every job

425
00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:54,520
was important and my point is that if if

426
00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,720
Christianity if being a Christian really

427
00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:58,400
is going to get harder and harder then

428
00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,919
we're going to need each other and

429
00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,760
they're going to be times in your life

430
00:19:59,919 --> 00:20:04,720
for going to you're going to feel like

431
00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:06,440
becoming Idol uh spiritually that you're

432
00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:09,400
going to begin to stagnate you're going

433
00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:10,919
to want to stop coming or stop serving

434
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:13,280
or stop giving and you're going to need

435
00:20:10,919 --> 00:20:18,440
somebody to call you up and say no don't

436
00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:20,400
drop out come on we need you we need you

437
00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:23,480
and there are people that you know that

438
00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:27,159
are not here and that are dropping out

439
00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:29,039
that you need to call this week to just

440
00:20:27,159 --> 00:20:32,880
say

441
00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:37,280
don't he says admonish the idol the

442
00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:39,600
second thing he says is uh encourage the

443
00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:41,280
fainthearted there's a scene in Band of

444
00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:44,480
Brothers where there's a private named

445
00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:47,039
private blle and uh in a firefight he's

446
00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:49,640
in a foxhole and he's just Frozen with

447
00:20:47,039 --> 00:20:53,159
fear and there's a man named Lieutenant

448
00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:56,159
Winters who's standing uh over him like

449
00:20:53,159 --> 00:20:59,240
in the line of fire and he's shouting at

450
00:20:56,159 --> 00:21:02,080
private ble saying get up ble

451
00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:05,960
you can do it you can do it he is taking

452
00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:08,640
his me away from the battle to like lend

453
00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,400
courage to ble and ble finally stands up

454
00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,200
and

455
00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:16,520
engages listen our culture is going to

456
00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,960
become more and more hostile which means

457
00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,520
there going to be times where you're

458
00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:22,000
going to need to encourage people to

459
00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:25,080
lend your courage to people you're going

460
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,960
to need courage and to be a Christian in

461
00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:31,480
the midst of your family or your

462
00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:35,240
schoolmates or your work environment or

463
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:38,120
your neighborhood where we will have to

464
00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:40,919
encourage each other uh when we're

465
00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:44,679
tempted to shy away and

466
00:21:40,919 --> 00:21:47,480
disengage or we're Frozen with fear the

467
00:21:44,679 --> 00:21:51,320
next thing he says is

468
00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:52,720
uh help the weak you that word weak

469
00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:56,200
actually can mean several different

470
00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:58,080
things in this context it can mean uh

471
00:21:56,200 --> 00:22:01,480
that where you are weak because of

472
00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:05,919
sadness because of Doubt uh because of

473
00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:09,039
anxiety and fear or because of sin and

474
00:22:05,919 --> 00:22:11,200
what Paul is saying is listen you need

475
00:22:09,039 --> 00:22:13,799
to help them the way we that you help a

476
00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:15,320
wounded soldier you go to them you you

477
00:22:13,799 --> 00:22:19,480
throw them on your shoulder you take

478
00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:22,200
them you patch them up you care for them

479
00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:27,120
in a church that is defined by the

480
00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:29,200
gospel we do not shoot our wounded no

481
00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:32,440
matter how you are

482
00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:35,000
wounded right then the fourth thing he

483
00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:36,960
says is be patient with them all one of

484
00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,360
the things I noticed you know be patient

485
00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,679
is also the word for longsuffering but

486
00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:43,000
one of the things I noticed in banded

487
00:22:40,679 --> 00:22:45,200
Brothers is that uh there was the least

488
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,960
amount of friction among them when

489
00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:50,440
between them when they're actually in

490
00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,520
battle it was when they were not on

491
00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:55,279
Mission that they began to get on each

492
00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,679
other's nerves so one of the things I

493
00:22:55,279 --> 00:22:59,159
want to encourage if there are people

494
00:22:56,679 --> 00:23:00,760
around you that are sitting around you

495
00:22:59,159 --> 00:23:04,799
right now that are getting on your

496
00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:08,200
nerves it may be that you need to get in

497
00:23:04,799 --> 00:23:10,760
Mission get back on Mission but what

498
00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:14,000
Paul says is that if the gospel really

499
00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:15,480
permeates this place if we really

500
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,480
understand and get the gospel that we

501
00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,919
are forgiven we can be patient with each

502
00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:22,720
other because God has been patient with

503
00:23:19,919 --> 00:23:25,000
us and finally he says do not repay evil

504
00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,279
for evil and what that means is don't

505
00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:29,400
fight among

506
00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:32,240
yourselves you there's enough to fight

507
00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:34,600
against if the gospel permeates this

508
00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:37,240
culture we we don't escalate things we

509
00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:40,640
don't have feuds that are ongoing feuds

510
00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:44,080
we we talk good about each other we do

511
00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:46,520
good for each other and the reason that

512
00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:49,279
we can treat each other like a Band of

513
00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:51,880
Brothers is because of my third point

514
00:23:49,279 --> 00:23:55,440
which is treat yourself like a lottery

515
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:58,240
winner it's what he says at the at the

516
00:23:55,440 --> 00:24:00,159
end Rejoice always pray without ceasing

517
00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:03,120
give thanks in all circumstances for

518
00:24:00,159 --> 00:24:04,480
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus

519
00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:08,320
for

520
00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:11,880
you okay there's this this vibe that

521
00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:14,600
comes with a group of people uh the

522
00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:17,080
culture of a group of people oozes out

523
00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:19,559
of them so that when people come into

524
00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:23,760
this place they're going to catch that

525
00:24:19,559 --> 00:24:26,679
Vibe and Paul describes that Vibe with

526
00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:29,480
three things that there is

527
00:24:26,679 --> 00:24:31,039
Joy there is prayer

528
00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:33,240
and there is

529
00:24:31,039 --> 00:24:36,480
Thanksgiving and one of the things with

530
00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:39,559
joy is that we don't want ever go very

531
00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:41,960
long here without reminding ourselves of

532
00:24:39,559 --> 00:24:45,080
the Gospel that's one of the reasons we

533
00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:48,600
take communion every week is to remind

534
00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:51,760
ourselves that we are the servants that

535
00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:54,320
walked into the presence of the king

536
00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:57,000
with a debt that was

537
00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:59,399
insurmountable and we walked out like

538
00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:03,679
the employee and under cover boss to

539
00:24:59,399 --> 00:25:08,200
call anybody to call everybody and tell

540
00:25:03,679 --> 00:25:10,760
them how our life has become absolutely

541
00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:14,600
wonderful because of

542
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:18,000
Jesus if we remind ourselves of that all

543
00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,760
the time we will be characterized by a

544
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:23,919
deep and

545
00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:27,039
abiding Joy the second thing is

546
00:25:23,919 --> 00:25:30,159
prayer you know every time what I

547
00:25:27,039 --> 00:25:32,440
realize is that the less I pray uh if

548
00:25:30,159 --> 00:25:34,679
I'm not looking up then I'm looking down

549
00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:38,640
and the less I pray the less clearly I

550
00:25:34,679 --> 00:25:41,520
see what is true and what is right you

551
00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:44,399
know uh Pastor Zach has a podcast called

552
00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:46,640
wake up look up uh it's every day it's

553
00:25:44,399 --> 00:25:49,039
five days a week it's it's really good

554
00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:51,799
if you haven't tuned in to that probably

555
00:25:49,039 --> 00:25:55,919
should he he says it's to connect

556
00:25:51,799 --> 00:25:58,000
everyday events to the Gospel of Jesus I

557
00:25:55,919 --> 00:26:01,399
like it because of the content but I I

558
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:03,039
like it even more because of the title

559
00:26:01,399 --> 00:26:06,159
because what he's saying is wake up look

560
00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:09,679
up for me every time I look up it helps

561
00:26:06,159 --> 00:26:12,039
me to keep things in perspective to

562
00:26:09,679 --> 00:26:14,600
understand things more clearly there's a

563
00:26:12,039 --> 00:26:17,520
reason why here at this church we wanted

564
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:21,480
to put something in your hands we called

565
00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:24,679
it lean in 24 days of prayer looking

566
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:27,799
toward the 24 election so that we could

567
00:26:24,679 --> 00:26:30,279
keep our minds kind of stable in the

568
00:26:27,799 --> 00:26:33,600
midst of this of all that's going to go

569
00:26:30,279 --> 00:26:36,559
on in the next couple of weeks all right

570
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:39,240
keep doing that because prayer is one of

571
00:26:36,559 --> 00:26:41,640
those things that Paul says as part of a

572
00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,399
culture uh where the go where people

573
00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,559
understand the gospel and finally he

574
00:26:43,399 --> 00:26:48,840
says Thanksgiving give thanks in all

575
00:26:45,559 --> 00:26:52,320
things you know Studies have shown over

576
00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:54,480
and over again that happiness is

577
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,799
connected to gratitude the most grateful

578
00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,760
people are the happiest people the

579
00:26:55,799 --> 00:26:58,880
happiest people are the most grateful

580
00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:01,640
people

581
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:03,919
show me a church that is

582
00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:05,760
overflowing with gratitude and I'll show

583
00:27:03,919 --> 00:27:09,840
you a church that you want to be a part

584
00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:12,640
of listen every church has a culture

585
00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:15,840
this church has a

586
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:19,279
culture we want to have a culture that

587
00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:22,640
is permeated with the gospel and if we

588
00:27:19,279 --> 00:27:25,120
are a culture that is defined by the

589
00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:28,320
gospel uh and the understanding of what

590
00:27:25,120 --> 00:27:31,679
Jesus has done for us

591
00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:35,240
the way we do that is for you to treat

592
00:27:31,679 --> 00:27:38,360
your pastor pastors like like

593
00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:40,559
coaches treat each other like a Band of

594
00:27:38,360 --> 00:27:43,720
Brothers in the midst of a battle

595
00:27:40,559 --> 00:27:47,080
because if we're not in one now we will

596
00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:50,279
be and then treat yourself like a

597
00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:52,600
lottery winner because you are the

598
00:27:50,279 --> 00:27:55,360
servant who walked into the presence of

599
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:59,240
the king with an insurmountable debt and

600
00:27:55,360 --> 00:28:01,279
walked out completely and absolutely

601
00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:03,600
forgiven because of

602
00:28:01,279 --> 00:28:06,960
Jesus let's be a

603
00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:09,720
church with a culture permeated with the

604
00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:13,480
gospel so we can be a church that God

605
00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:16,600
calls good all right pray with

606
00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:18,919
me Father in heaven we come to you and

607
00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:21,840
uh I am so uh

608
00:28:18,919 --> 00:28:24,080
grateful uh I'm grateful for uh all that

609
00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,919
you tell us in your word but I'm

610
00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:28,799
grateful that we can have a culture that

611
00:28:25,919 --> 00:28:30,440
is shaped by the gospel because you have

612
00:28:28,799 --> 00:28:33,399
given us

613
00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:35,000
Jesus I pray that you would remind us uh

614
00:28:33,399 --> 00:28:37,159
even

615
00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,279
today uh

616
00:28:37,159 --> 00:28:43,919
that we have been

617
00:28:39,279 --> 00:28:46,480
forgiven of a debt we can hardly even

618
00:28:43,919 --> 00:28:52,240
comprehend and because of

619
00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:54,600
that uh we can be free we can be alive

620
00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:58,399
we can be loving we can be forgiving of

621
00:28:54,600 --> 00:29:01,519
each other I pray that you equip us as a

622
00:28:58,399 --> 00:29:03,880
group to treat each other in such a way

623
00:29:01,519 --> 00:29:07,039
that we will be able to uh be in the

624
00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:08,919
midst of a hostile environment and show

625
00:29:07,039 --> 00:29:12,600
your love and your

626
00:29:08,919 --> 00:29:15,960
grace thanks for every person here uh

627
00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:17,399
thanks for giving us uh this your church

628
00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,760
and I pray that you'll make us into a

629
00:29:17,399 --> 00:29:24,559
church that you call good we pray this

630
00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:24,559
in Jesus name amen