1 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:12,800 Well, good morning, Englewood. Take your Bibles and find the 2 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,160 Book of Ecclesiastes. By the time you find it, I'll 3 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,320 catch up to you. Good to see everybody this 4 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:20,680 morning. If you're a guest this morning, 5 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,000 thank you for being with us. We have a big crowd and discover 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,240 Englewood going on right now in another room. 7 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:28,040 So appreciate that bunch as well. 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,159 And Pastor Jordan sharing that. I hope that you'll notice in 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,600 your worship guide the work day coming up at our church plant in 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,120 Tarboro. And then they'll be another one 11 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,480 on October 11th where we need everybody to do canvassing and 12 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:47,680 some door hangers is they have their launch service on October 13 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,520 19th. So appreciate them, pray for 14 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:52,440 them. Also our worship team. 15 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:53,920 I hope you appreciate our worship team. 16 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:56,760 Our worship team has put out ACD called worship. 17 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:58,480 That's what they want you to do and they're going to lead you to 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:00,520 do that. You can stop by the bookstore 19 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:05,840 and get either the CD and or there's a downloadable QR code 20 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,560 that you can use. I hope you'll go and do that by 21 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,520 about 400 of those. Share them with your closest, 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,080 dearest friends and I know you'll enjoy that worship time 23 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,600 together. What percentage am I looking for 24 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,680 for your participation? So 100%. 25 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,920 That was fantastic. So you bet 100%. 26 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,120 We're hoping to see you in in worship on Sunday morning and 27 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,600 connect group small groups and our midweek service. 28 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,120 Hundreds of people coming out on Wednesday nights right now and 29 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,640 also in service. And if you've been here in the 30 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,440 last few weeks on our Wednesday nights, you know that we've had 31 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,680 started a focused prayer time where we get prayer requests 32 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,160 from our reach ministry, from our connect groups as well as 33 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,320 others. We'll have hundreds and hundreds 34 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:51,760 of prayer requests. We'll spend a few minutes 35 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,320 praying over those Wednesday nights and then having our 36 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,320 lesson together. And so if you've been here, you 37 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:59,240 know, over the last couple Wednesday nights, we've also 38 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:03,800 been praying for Charlie Kirk's family and what's going 39 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,440 happening across our nation. This afternoon, there's a prayer 40 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,600 vigil out in Arizona that many of you would know about. 41 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:10,960 And so I just want to spend a moment, I just want to take a 42 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,720 moment and pray for that prayer vigil that it would be a 43 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:20,200 testimony that this would be a moment that would bring part of 44 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,920 our nation together and at least at least testify about our Lord 45 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:25,640 Jesus Christ. So let me lift that up. 46 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:27,880 Father, we thank you for your grace. 47 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,680 We thank you for the opportunity of being your people. 48 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,080 We thank you for the privilege of intercession and supplication 49 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:37,080 of prayer. I just pray, Father, that you'll 50 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,640 continue to be with the Kirk family, Lord, and just continue 51 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,480 to bless them. I also pray that you'll be with 52 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,600 the accused and the accused family in a special way as well, 53 00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:50,000 that Lord, you would speak to their hearts and draw them to 54 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,760 you. I pray, Father, that today the, 55 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,600 the, the prayer vigil that it will take place will not only be 56 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,280 safe, but Father, it'll be a testimony not simply to one 57 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,960 person's life, but to you. And I pray, Father, that because 58 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,840 of the attention that it will get, that it'll be a testimony 59 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,240 that will touch many, many people. 60 00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:11,280 So Father, we pray for that and pray for what you're going to do 61 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,480 through that. Now, Father, speak to us through 62 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,480 your word. Speak to us this morning as we 63 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,400 talk about being your church and being your disciples in Christ's 64 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,280 name, Amen. Well, here we are discovering 65 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,200 how to join God's mission by living out the biblical vision 66 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,520 of the church. I hope that you'll notice out in 67 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,840 the lobby and in the office some new artwork and some new 68 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,240 biblical vision and mission statements out there. 69 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,360 And so I hope that you'll take a moment, take a look at that 70 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,800 because here at Inglewood, we exist to join God's mission. 71 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,520 And God's mission is to bring glory to himself and for us to 72 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:48,560 join Him in redeeming the nation's. 73 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,720 And redeeming the nation's means across the street. 74 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,040 It also means around the world, like you saw in our video. 75 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,280 So how are we going to do that right here, right now? 76 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,800 I don't know if you have heard what I've been told, but I've 77 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,080 been told by a reliable source that the North Carolina 78 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:07,320 Department of Transportation has shared that they predict 50,000 79 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:11,440 new people moving to the city of Rocky Mount and next 10 years. 80 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,920 That means about 20,000 in the next 5. 81 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,880 And so I've been sharing with you that growth was coming. 82 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,320 I've warned you about that, challenged you about that. 83 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,520 And it's, it's, it's going to take place. 84 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:29,120 And then I've also shared with you about 462 times that 74% of 85 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,840 the people who live within 10 miles of where you're seated 86 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:33,560 right now don't attend any kind of church. 87 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,680 They don't attend any religious gathering whatsoever. 88 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,120 Not just church, but any religious gathering, about 74%. 89 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,560 So you can imagine with this population growth, how many more 90 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,240 people are we going to be talking about here very soon? 91 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:46,800 So what are we going to do about it? 92 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,800 The mission field is right here and it's going to continue to 93 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,920 grow. And we have responsibility. 94 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,760 So what are we going to do? And so by 100% participation in 95 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,480 his vision, he's given us, I believe that we can live out 96 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:03,240 Inglewood's vision, which is to make disciples who love God and 97 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,720 and love people and join his mission. 98 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,800 And so we need to know what that means. 99 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,040 How do we make that kind of disciple? 100 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,880 What is that kind of disciple? And so I've started this new 101 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,760 sermon series called Come Live, the Church's vision, the Seven 102 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,840 Essentials of Discipleship. And so this is so we'll all be 103 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,640 on the same page concerning how to make healthy disciples to 104 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,280 live out that vision. And so if you've missed any of 105 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:30,360 these sermons, it's important to go back and listen to them 106 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,120 because the seven essentials tie together. 107 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,520 You don't just do one or the other, that you're looking at a 108 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,880 whole package here. And they're going to guide you 109 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,880 to join him on his mission. It'll guide us as a church to be 110 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,840 in One Direction. 1 heart, one mind, 1 spirit. 111 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:48,320 So they each also have an aspect of being, knowing, and doing. 112 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,080 And we're going to be talking about each of those aspects. 113 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:52,160 So they're going to help lead you. 114 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:53,640 They're going to help lead your family. 115 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,240 Here's my next step. Here's our next step of 116 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:58,200 discipleship. Here's the area where we need to 117 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,560 grow. And so it'll be important for 118 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:05,320 you to be here each Sunday. Last time I shared that a 119 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,360 disciple of Jesus engages the Bible with a humble and 120 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:12,400 teachable spirit. So now I need to add that a 121 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:17,280 disciple of Jesus also unites in fellowship through hospitality 122 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:19,960 and authenticity. And it's always interesting to 123 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,360 me because when we talk about spiritual disciplines and you 124 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,720 talk about what's the most important thing you teach a new 125 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,120 believer, We talk about studying the Bible and we talk about 126 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,240 prayer and, and we might talk about sharing your faith and 127 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,520 then which is great. Those are all very important and 128 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:33,960 we're going to talk about all those things. 129 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,040 But it's interesting how fellowship doesn't seem to rank 130 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,040 as high sometimes. And we need to, we need to alter 131 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,680 that, especially in our world today, because this is 132 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,040 incredibly important in a cultural context that we now 133 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:50,920 live in that can be so inhospitable, so artificial, so 134 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:55,120 impersonal, frankly so divided and Even so angry. 135 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,680 This essential is a radical counter cultural idea that we 136 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,920 need to promote and to live as a church. 137 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,600 And so we live in a very individualized, self driven 138 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,040 world where many people believe they can communicate without 139 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,000 community, They can expect with no investment, they can demand 140 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,080 with no sacrifice, and frankly they can complain with no 141 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,440 repercussion. And so we live in a world where 142 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,000 people are often more skilled at competition than they are at 143 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,480 community. And so we need to talk about 144 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,360 what this really means, because many in our world today create 145 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,200 virtual, often even vitriolic facades. 146 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:38,520 Rather than engage in personal intimacy or accountability, they 147 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,960 prefer to communicate at a distance through devices and 148 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,000 screens. And, and, or often they are 149 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,840 engaged in talking about people instead of talking to people, 150 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,640 which means that communication actually doesn't happen very 151 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,080 often. And so people think that that's 152 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,640 communication, but it's not. And so they seek to get rather 153 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,880 than to give. They seek to promote self rather 154 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:02,680 than to lift one another up. And not often. 155 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:03,880 That's the world in which we live. 156 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,080 So this morning I have to ask an important question to the 157 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,040 believers here and the members of this church. 158 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,320 Are you willing to risk it? Are you actually willing to risk 159 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:18,480 loving others and allowing others to love you even though 160 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:23,840 you might get hurt by them? Will you risk allowing others to 161 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,680 get close to you? Will you sacrifice self for the 162 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:32,159 benefit of others? You know the old, old story. 163 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:36,120 It's older than I am. So it's an old story about the 164 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,000 two boys who were exploring one day and they go into The Cave 165 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,080 and suddenly a a, a mean, angry grizzly bear comes popping out 166 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,760 from behind the rock and starts to chase them out of The Cave. 167 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:48,760 And as they're running out, one of the boys drops to his knees 168 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,200 and takes off his hiking boots and starts to put on his tennis 169 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:52,960 shoes. And the other boy shouts back, 170 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,520 says, you don't have time for that. 171 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,840 You're never going to outrun the bear that way. 172 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,320 And he says, I don't have to outrun the bear. 173 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:06,440 I just have to outrun you. Ever feel like bear bait? 174 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,320 Sometimes this world make you feel that way, doesn't it? 175 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,800 I mean, seriously, that's what this fallen creation does. 176 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,320 It's just how it thinks. This is how it prioritizes me 177 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,360 first, me first, me first. Mine, mine, mine. 178 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:22,960 And sometimes we may fall prey to feeling that way in our 179 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,640 relationships with one another. So I pray that we don't 180 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,240 experience that in this church. I pray, I pray that we love each 181 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,120 other authentically. I pray that we're nice and 182 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:35,960 hospitable to each other and to those new friends that we're 183 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,240 going to meet and are going to be visiting with us and we need 184 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,680 to make. I pray that we will love others 185 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,240 through these intentional relationships for encouragement, 186 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,120 for accountability. I pray we develop a regular 187 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,200 habit of meeting together like that with our other believers 188 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,320 for the purpose of mutual spiritual growth. 189 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,400 People are going to join churches for a lot of reasons, 190 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,200 but they stay at church primarily for relationships. 191 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,160 That's a that's a statistical truth. 192 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:06,560 They remain because people love them and they feel loved. 193 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:09,760 Authentic relationships found in community. 194 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,800 So Christ establishes his church for specific purposes. 195 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,960 And one of those was fellowship. And we may not think that's as 196 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,920 important as others, but we need to pay attention to this because 197 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,720 He knew we would need this to be the disciples to that He 198 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,720 intended for us to be so that we could love Him and love others. 199 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,760 Even from the beginning, man created in the image of God. 200 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,240 One of those aspects is our need for relationship. 201 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,480 And so from the very beginning, God knew we needed to do this. 202 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,800 We need to have community with him and with others. 203 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,840 And so even back in Genesis 2, God said that. 204 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,240 Then the Lord said it is not good that the man should be 205 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,800 alone. I will make him a helper fit for 206 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,240 him. Now the context obviously is the 207 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,240 creation of Eve, his closest companion, his wife. 208 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:57,600 But the principle extends without authentic hospitable 209 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:02,400 community, everything suffers and healthy growth, healthy, 210 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,000 healthy life's going to be stunted. 211 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,720 Remember, solitary confinement is considered severe punishment 212 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:11,880 because it starves somebody of this, it robs them of it. 213 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:15,920 And you may many of you would remember this well, maybe it was 214 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:17,720 you. Some folks did not deal well 215 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:22,080 with the isolation of COVID. Remember, you remember that some 216 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,000 people still aren't dealing well with that. 217 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,240 It still has an impact when you do community studies like we did 218 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,040 here, one of the number ones felt needs, one of the number 219 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,000 one felt fears of community still today impact of COVID. 220 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,520 So fellowship has an incredibly important characteristic, 221 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,520 incredibly important goal for a biblically healthy church and a 222 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,920 church member. So in this extremely 223 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:51,280 individualistic, autonomous culture, authentic fellowship is 224 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,080 a is a much greater challenge than we may be aware. 225 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,600 Even inside the church sometimes, especially in a 226 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:01,440 larger church where people can come and just hide, many would 227 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,920 hold people at arm's lengths and and not allow spiritual intimacy 228 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:06,600 in their lives. They just don't let it happen 229 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,120 because there's actually a fear base in our culture now that 230 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:14,200 results in not feeling safe and not feeling safe enough anyway 231 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:15,920 to be authentic with somebody else. 232 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,200 It's hard to trust, it's hard to believe in others, it's 233 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:23,000 sometimes even hard to believe in ourselves. 234 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,960 So, so poor or inaccurate motive, attribution or 235 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,920 questioning that ask or predict what what are they really after, 236 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:36,320 what do they really want or why they really being nice to me are 237 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,040 common. People have felt so victimized 238 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,120 that they just know it's going to happen to me again. 239 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,000 If I do this, I know it's going to happen to me again. 240 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,040 So we've been burned enough at times to grow cynical, to grow 241 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:51,680 skeptical and to go wary. Often people in our world see 242 00:12:51,680 --> 00:12:54,280 everything with a yeah right kind of roll your eyes 243 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,600 mentality. And they think it's just going 244 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,640 to be that way all the time. Teresa and I once served in a 245 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,720 small town in Oklahoma right on I-40 and the only reason we had 246 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,120 anything in that town is because we were right on I-40 and, and 247 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:10,800 we had a, we had a Hardee's. And I'm not, I'm not trying to 248 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,720 be mean to the, the franchise. I've been to many, many Hardee's 249 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,480 that are just wonderful places to eat the finest, most healthy 250 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,760 food in the world at Hardee's. So with that disclaimer, this 251 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,440 particular Hardee's in Sallisaw, OK was at the time, I'm sure 252 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,320 it's the fine. I'm sure it's a fine eating 253 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,640 establishment today. So I remember all those lawsuits 254 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,640 disclaimers go to see taylor@inglewoodbaptist.com. 255 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,360 But, but when we were there, you go through the drive through at 256 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,200 Hardee's and, and everybody knew, everybody knew, everybody 257 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,920 in town knew you stopped and you looked at every single thing in 258 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,280 your bag before you moved on because you knew something was 259 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,640 going to be wrong. And so there was this constant, 260 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:52,240 you would watch them, the the bags would go back and forth and 261 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,920 then and then you'd get your bag and then or you'd make the 262 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:56,920 mistake and you just have to drive around and get in line 263 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,640 again. And they knew they were this 264 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:01,240 bad. So they had a stock of chocolate 265 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,240 because if they got it wrong, they gave you a chocolate cake. 266 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:04,640 They had a stack of chocolate cakes. 267 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:05,960 You could see them when you go through the drive. 268 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,160 There's all the chocolate cakes because they know they're going 269 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,640 to get it wrong. You got a free chocolate cake. 270 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:15,560 So people sometimes were hoping, I want a cake. 271 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,000 Healthy discipleship has to expect something different. 272 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:22,840 Christ expects us to be different. 273 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,400 Christ makes the difference. So we need to be different. 274 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:26,800 Inglewood, we need to be different. 275 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,200 So remember Acts chapter 2, We studied this for a reason. 276 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,960 In verse 42 it says and they devoted themselves to the 277 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,360 apostles teaching and the fellowship. 278 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,000 Don't miss that definite article, the fellowship to the 279 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:39,520 breaking of bread and the prayers. 280 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,320 So next to engaging the Bible, think about this. 281 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,440 Next to engaging the Bible with a humble and teachable spirit, 282 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,800 there was this single minded continuous devotion to the 283 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,240 fellowship. It was that important. 284 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:53,000 Koinonia. Many of you would know that 285 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,400 Greek word. It's the idea of sharing. 286 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,080 It's the idea of holding things in common with one another. 287 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,200 It could actually be used in secular terms for business 288 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,000 partners as well. But the idea behind the root of 289 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,680 the word is that I, we're entering into one another's 290 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,080 life. So we get to enter into one 291 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,640 another's life in some authentic way. 292 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,960 And they were devoted to this. They were actively engaged in 293 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,120 this. They had a single minded focus 294 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,640 and passion for this, about partnering with one another and 295 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:23,440 about entering into one another's lives. 296 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,280 Now, friends, that's the church, or supposed to be. 297 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,200 So loving others through hospitable, authentic church 298 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,840 relationships requires real, focused action. 299 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,840 It requires intentionality. It's not just going to happen 300 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:39,680 accidentally. There was something special 301 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:41,240 here. It was the fellowship. 302 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,520 This wasn't just a fellowship. It wasn't just any fellowship. 303 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,480 There's something special about what they were doing together. 304 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:48,400 They were meeting and eating together. 305 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:50,080 They were sharing and caring together. 306 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,120 They were loving one another and taking care of one another. 307 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:57,360 And our world desperately needs to see His church loving each 308 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,040 other this way, especially right now. 309 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:07,280 Our world often thinks of what we are against how how they turn 310 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,640 Christianity into something hateful and and we need to show 311 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:15,960 them what we're for and who we're for and how we love one 312 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,880 another and love them. So in Ecclesiastes, King Solomon 313 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:19,920 told you. I finally get there. 314 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:23,240 How many looking in table of contents? 315 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,600 I'm kidding. You don't have to confess, but 316 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:26,840 thank you. Thank you all very much. 317 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,000 I see those hands. Your buses will wait. 318 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:35,120 In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon was searching for meaning, and 319 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,120 we are too. Why do I exist? 320 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,720 Who am I supposed to be amid this cultural chaos, among this, 321 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:48,040 among this cultural vanity? What shall I do and how? 322 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,640 So he shares a proverb with us in verse 12. 323 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,400 Excuse me, verse 9. Start in verse 9, we'll end up 324 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:59,120 12 later. Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 9, 325 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:07,480 2 are better than one because they have a good reward for 326 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,520 their toil. I want you to hear the basic 327 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,280 truth. We're Better Together. 328 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,240 Pretty complicated isn't it? We're we're Better Together. 329 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,480 Alone is not better. Together is better. 330 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:24,880 So isolation does not produce what togetherness might produce 331 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,440 together. Self effort will not create more 332 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,760 than teamwork. Team works better. 333 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,160 SO2 can work together better than one, and they'll have a 334 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:34,800 greater reward for their efforts. 335 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:38,560 And So what we see here is once again from our seven essentials 336 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,560 of discipleship. A disciple of Jesus unites in 337 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:44,360 fellowship. And there's the verb. 338 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,720 We unite in fellowship through hospitality and authenticity. 339 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:51,600 This is who we must be. We must be authentic with one 340 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,200 another. In fact, Paul talks about 341 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,200 teamwork like this in First Corinthians Chapter 9 verse 23. 342 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,520 He says I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I may share 343 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,440 with them. Talk about his team and the ones 344 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,560 the partakers of the gospel that he worked with in churches in 345 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,600 its blessings. The first thing I want us to see 346 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,280 is that authentic church fellowship leads to serving with 347 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,680 one another. We serve with one another. 348 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:17,960 He worked with a team. He shared with him in the 349 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:21,560 blessings of his service. God knew we would need a team to 350 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,000 do these greater things. So we continuously, devotedly, 351 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:30,200 with a passionate focus, seek to enter into one another's lives. 352 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:34,440 Seek to enter into, join an authentic fellowship to serve 353 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,360 Him and to serve one another in the best ways. 354 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:42,920 So He saved us, He gifted us, He equipped us, He called us to use 355 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:47,160 that salvation, to use that giftedness to call to serve with 356 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,440 this group of people called Inglewood Baptist Church. 357 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,800 That's where we are right now. We're in this together. 358 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,120 So let's be hospitable. Let's be authentic with one 359 00:18:56,120 --> 00:18:57,240 another. And with those we're going to 360 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,120 meet, there could be 20,000 of them that we're going to meet. 361 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,120 Think about that. Think about finding a parking 362 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:10,080 spot then the Jewish philosopher follow once said this he said be 363 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,240 kind to one another. You're all sharing the same 364 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,840 battle talking about life. So we receive a greater reward. 365 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,280 We receive a higher production we we bear more fruit when we 366 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,480 work well together right We love God, we love others in a greater 367 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:25,920 sense we're going to be able to do that better and so the so the 368 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,200 pastors have been discussing the best ways to equip and empower 369 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,640 you to serve well in our various ministries. 370 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,400 So don't just come study, don't just come study with one 371 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,400 another, come and serve with one another. 372 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,600 And the easiest team to join is a connect group. 373 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,320 You thought I was going to get through a message without saying 374 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,680 those two words, but the but, but the easiest team to join is 375 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,360 a connect group. You don't even have to be a 376 00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:49,080 church member to join one of those, right? 377 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,160 And you're going to in these smaller communities, you're 378 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,280 going to study, you're going to pray, you're going to encourage 379 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,280 one another, and you're going to serve one another. 380 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:01,280 I got an e-mail this week. I won't share the names in order 381 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,440 to protect the glorious, because it's a good thing, not a bad 382 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:07,760 thing. But it just says this. 383 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,800 Pastor John, my husband and I were not present at our Connect 384 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,240 group last Sunday morning. I've been attending church slash 385 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:18,280 Sunday school for some 60 years and have never seen such an 386 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,400 outpouring of love and friendship from a group of 387 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,440 people that we barely know. Welcoming, welcoming us back and 388 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,000 missing us. The reach thing seems to be 389 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,280 working. We will be there this coming 390 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,480 Sunday. I thank God for leading us here. 391 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,920 What a testimony. After the first service, I had a 392 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,480 lady come out and talk to me and she, she just wanted to share 393 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,320 this with me. She says, you know, every time I 394 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,640 ask what percentage do I want and everybody says 100%, she 395 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:50,480 goes, I was saying 99.9. She said, I've, I've been a part 396 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,200 of this, been around the church for a long time, but I haven't 397 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,320 been in a small group in many, many, many, many years. 398 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:57,880 And she said, and I want you to know one of your small groups 399 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,360 reached out to me and said, we really want you there. 400 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:04,880 And she said, so I'm going right now to that small group. 401 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,680 And I said, and here she said, here's what made the difference. 402 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:11,040 It made all the difference in the world to believe that 403 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:15,520 somebody wanted me, that somebody cared about me, that 404 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:20,160 somebody really authentically wanted me to be with them in 405 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,440 that small group. Isn't that beautiful? 406 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,720 Y'all say Amen or something? Yeah. 407 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,200 Fall on your face. Do something. 408 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,840 All right, so the easiest way to do that, So Solomon goes on. 409 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,080 Look at verse 10. It says for if they fall, one 410 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,320 will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he 411 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,720 falls and has not another to lift him up. 412 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:46,360 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep 413 00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:48,840 warm alone? So second thing we need to see 414 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,520 is authentic church fellowship also leads to supporting one 415 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,240 another. I looked up the word hospitable, 416 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,760 Webster's definition of hospitable it it means a 417 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,640 generous and cordial reception of guests. 418 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,280 It can also mean offering a pleasant or sustaining 419 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,920 environment or readily receptive or open. 420 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,080 So how can we provide here at Inglewood the best, the most 421 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:19,480 generous, cordial, pleasant, sustaining environment and 422 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,960 reception for one another and for our new friends who join us 423 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:27,760 as guests as we reach out. So if you're not in in close 424 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,520 fellowship with others, if no one has the right or the 425 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,520 opportunity to intentionally enter into your life, how is 426 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,680 anybody going to really be able to help you? 427 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,880 I know some hide, I know some withdraw so they can 428 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,440 intentionally avoid such closeness in their lives. 429 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:45,920 I know that maybe that's some of you. 430 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:48,840 They find it too personal. They find it too uncomfortable, 431 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,120 especially in the beginning. They don't want to be in that 432 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:53,800 smaller group because they don't really want to be that well 433 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,360 known by others in such a way. They don't really want that 434 00:22:57,360 --> 00:23:00,120 level of accountability either. And so the, the result is it 435 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:04,280 makes it very difficult for them to receive the support they need 436 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,440 in life. Now, I know this is going to 437 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:07,920 shock you. I'm really glad you are all 438 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:09,360 sitting down. If you're sitting at home 439 00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:11,480 watching this, sit down right now, wherever you are, make 440 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:13,600 sure, because I don't know if you know this or not, but 441 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:15,480 sometimes in church, people complain. 442 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,280 I know, I know, hard to believe in it. 443 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,440 And over the years, over the years, I've actually had people, 444 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:28,080 this is, I'm not making this up. People complain that their 445 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,040 church didn't support them well enough in their time of need. 446 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:33,680 Well, I want to visit with those people. 447 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,480 I, I want to talk to them. Not about them. 448 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:38,280 I want to talk to them. So I sit down. 449 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,520 I said, were you in a small group? 450 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:45,440 Well, no. Well, did you participate 100% 451 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,120 in everything that you could? Well, no. 452 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,720 Were you in an accountability relationship with someone 453 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,480 walking through discipleship with you? 454 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:59,200 Well, no. So I'm not real sure how you 455 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,120 honestly expect something to magically occur in your life 456 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:04,600 when you've done nothing to put yourself in the place to be well 457 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:09,720 supported. I mean, to simply be a part of a 458 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,760 crowd of almost 1000 people, which is how many people will be 459 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:17,280 here around today, that's total on a Sunday's a great start. 460 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,080 And we're certainly overjoyed that you are here. 461 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,360 But it'll, it will not be enough to become all that you're 462 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:25,560 supposed to become and to receive all that you're supposed 463 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,680 to receive. Listen to what God wants. 464 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,440 Paul had to deal with this in a church in Corinth because they 465 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:34,120 had such trouble with their fellowship. 466 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,280 He says in First Corinthians 12. He says, But as it is, God 467 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,680 arranged the members in the body, each one of them as he 468 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,080 chose. If all were a single member, 469 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,920 where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, 470 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:49,000 yet one body the I cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, 471 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,680 nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you. 472 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:54,640 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker 473 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,200 are indispensable, And on those parts of the body that we would 474 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,760 think less honorable or bestow, the greater honor, and our and, 475 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,840 and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 476 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:06,280 which are more presentable parts do not require. 477 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,520 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to 478 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,600 the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the 479 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,680 body, but that the member may have the same care for one 480 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:17,760 another. If one member suffers, all 481 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,000 suffer together. If one member is honored, all 482 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:24,000 rejoice together. Now some of you have heard parts 483 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,360 of my testimony, and some of you don't need to hear parts of my 484 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:29,040 testimony. But over the years I've broken 485 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:35,600 most of the bones in both of my hands for various escapades, and 486 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,560 I've broken my little fingers a few times. 487 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:39,520 My little fingers are crooked. They don't get any straighter 488 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,440 than that. And you know when you break your 489 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,880 little finger, you know what? It hurts. 490 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,000 And you can't pretend like you don't have a broken little 491 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,200 finger. It bothers you. 492 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:52,880 You have to tape it to the other finger. 493 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,800 You have to sit there and try to hold on to things in weird ways. 494 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,640 A little bit of finger matter. How many of you broken a toe? 495 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:03,720 You don't ignore a broken toe. So you might think I'm just a 496 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,360 little old finger. I'm just a little low toe. 497 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:06,800 I don't matter. Nobody's going to miss me. 498 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:07,920 It doesn't matter what happens to me. 499 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:09,760 That's just not true at all. The whole body suffers. 500 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:14,240 Don't be the missing train car. You all matter. 501 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,080 Each part of the body needs the other. 502 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,840 We're called to be 1 body. We're not just several body 503 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:20,880 parts laying around a room. That's gross. 504 00:26:22,360 --> 00:26:25,280 So don't commit some kind of spiritual or relational 505 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,880 amputation and try to isolate yourself that way. 506 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,560 In true community, we're here for one another. 507 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:31,720 We're accountable to one another. 508 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,880 It's impossible for one part of the body to be in pain and the 509 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,560 remainder of the body to be in peace. 510 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,160 Not the way it works. We all have a significant role 511 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,240 to play. So instead, love others through 512 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,760 these intentional relationships. For encouragement, for 513 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,320 accountability, holiness. Do that both corporately and 514 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,640 individually. I mean, there's a reason why 515 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,120 mountain climbers tie themselves together. 516 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:58,640 They, they, they, they tie ropes to one another so that if one 517 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,800 guy falls, the other ones can brace themselves and that person 518 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,440 doesn't fall to their death. He gets caught and they'll hold 519 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,360 on to him until he can regain his footing again. 520 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,720 There's a reason for that. Church fellowship has to be that 521 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,320 way. When a member slips and we slip, 522 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,040 we stumble. The others need to be right 523 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,400 there to catch him and to hold him up until he regains his 524 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,960 footing. I mean, there are new believers 525 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,720 in the Lord who who God's going to continue to save. 526 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,200 I know 2 married couples right now waiting for baptism, at 527 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,040 least 2. They're they're ready and ready. 528 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,160 We're raring to go. They're in Discover Inglewood 529 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,760 right now, I think. But but as the Lord continues to 530 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:39,800 save people, they need someone to walk alongside of them unless 531 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:41,920 they stumble. And we can't let members just 532 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,080 wander off. Those inactive people who've 533 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,320 already wandered need to be loved and guided back. 534 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,800 So thank you for reaching them in your connect groups. 535 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,080 That's part of what this is all about. 536 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,720 We all need authentic accountability. 537 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,520 We're roped together, bound together by the Holy Spirit. 538 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,920 Now look at verse 11 again. Again, if two lie together, they 539 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:06,360 keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 540 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:07,920 Now the image here is not sexual. 541 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:11,680 This isn't husband and wife. This is the practical image of 542 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,840 two travellers travelling in the desert and they need to stay 543 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,920 close to one another in the cold desert night in order to make it 544 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,600 through it, right? So it's a metaphor for the 545 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:24,160 supporting of one another, being close to one another against the 546 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:27,360 world's coldness. We need each other. 547 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,560 So involvement in a community can't be done if you hold people 548 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,720 that emotional and relational distance. 549 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:39,200 Healthy fellowship requires hospitable authenticity. 550 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,040 And so across all our ministries, including our 551 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,560 connect groups, there's going to be a consistency of purpose 552 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:50,440 based upon these discipleship essential essentials as well as 553 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:52,880 opportunities for you to apply them in your life. 554 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,080 That's, that's what's going to determine our schedule, our 555 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,040 programs. It's interesting how the world 556 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,400 will see this. The unbelieving Greek writer 557 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:05,280 Lucian, he was not a believer. In fact, at times he wrote kind 558 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,920 of satirical and, and mean things about Christianity. 559 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,960 He lived around 1:20 to 200 AD, so very early in the movement. 560 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,720 And he's he's observing Christianity as it grows and 561 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:20,640 spreads in those early years. And so he observed the 562 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,640 fellowship of Christians. And this is what he wrote. 563 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,600 He says it's incredible to see the fervor with which the people 564 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,040 of that religion help each other in their wants. 565 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,960 They spare nothing. Their first legislator, Jesus, 566 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,360 has put it into their heads. They are brethren. 567 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,560 Now he's astounded by this. This is countercultural. 568 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,520 In his day. It was not normative in the 569 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:45,360 Roman world or the Greek world to treat one another the same 570 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:48,400 way. So remember back in Acts, the 571 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,200 the Bible says that they were together. 572 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:53,200 The Greek word homothymodon, it means of 1 accord. 573 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:57,240 They're all one, and compared to their old legalistic religion, 574 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,440 this was actually revolutionary. They were devoted to entering 575 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,040 into one another's lives in a new way. 576 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,080 They were joyful, they were united, they loved each other. 577 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:09,120 And in our pre Christian post post modern culture today, it is 578 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:14,600 starving for this authentic fellowship out of their fiercely 579 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:18,840 independent autonomy and the desire to define their own 580 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,720 personal truths. They are actually seeking others 581 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,200 with whom they can can join in what are called peer communities 582 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,760 of truth. And these peer communities give 583 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,480 them a sense of comfort. They give them a sense of 584 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:34,080 assurance against that fear base that's permanently now part of 585 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,440 our culture, which is one of the reasons why we're so obnoxious 586 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:39,480 to one another in our culture today at times. 587 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:44,680 Because part of this is a post 911, post COVID anger and fear 588 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:46,080 that is now a part of our culture. 589 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,160 So we need to be the experts. The church ought to be the 590 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,280 experts in peer communities of truth. 591 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,920 Englewood Baptist Church has exactly what 50,000 people 592 00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:05,440 moving to this area are starving to death for if we'll share it 593 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:08,880 with them. But I'm afraid that because of 594 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:13,680 so many poor examples of churches that don't have real 595 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:18,280 Koinonia, many don't even know what authentic church fellowship 596 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,240 should look like. So, gang, we got to show them. 597 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,760 Are you with me in this? We got to show them. 598 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,360 Listen, fellowship is going to lead us to serve with and 599 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:30,320 support one another. Now we're at verse 12. 600 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,560 I was just ready to get to the end of the beginning, you know, 601 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:36,200 trying to save you all the time. Verse 12 says, And though a man 602 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:39,760 might prevail against one who is alone, 2 will withstand him. 603 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,120 A threefold cord is not quickly broken. 604 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:46,040 So the third thing we simply want to see is authentic church 605 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,240 fellowship leads to strengthening one another. 606 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,800 In true Koinonia, we defend, we protect, we strengthen each 607 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:58,120 other spiritually and otherwise. So individualism and division 608 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:01,320 are going to make us weak. Unity and harmony are going to 609 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:04,600 make us incredibly strong. We need to have that first. 610 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:08,560 Peter 58 reminds us of this enemy who seeks the opposite. 611 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,720 Peter writes about the devil. He says be sober minded, be 612 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,360 watchful. Your adversary, the devil 613 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:18,600 prowls, knows that word, prowls around like a roaring lion 614 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:25,560 seeking someone to devour. Satan is a roaring lion who 615 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:30,080 seeks to divide, seeks to isolate the weak, seeks to 616 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,560 isolate the elderly so that he can prey upon them. 617 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,400 You've seen enough movies to where you know that's how lions 618 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,960 work. You know that I've worked in 619 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:42,560 Africa many places many times and been out on the safari and 620 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,200 seen the animals and whatnot. And it's always interesting to 621 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:46,680 him. The safari wagon will drive 622 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,560 right by a lion. But then the the guide would 623 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,000 stop on the Masai Mara and he would say, you see those dots on 624 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:55,640 the hill over there? And I say, yeah, he says, those 625 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:57,360 are Cape Buffalo. This is as close as we're 626 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,440 getting. And I said that mean he goes, 627 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,600 oh, they turn us over and stomp us to death. 628 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:05,360 And I said, you know what Cape Buffalo do? 629 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,360 When the lions come, you know, the lions are going to try to 630 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:09,360 isolate a little bit. You know, the babies, they're 631 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,480 going to try to get the baby or the sick one or the old one, and 632 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,000 they're going to try to isolate him from the herd so they can 633 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,600 attack that one. What the Cape Buffalo will do is 634 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:19,680 they'll form a circle and they'll put the young and the 635 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,800 weak and the ill in the middle of the circle. 636 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:24,600 And then you got nothing but a bunch of bull buffaloes 637 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,320 surrounding and it's nothing but a circle of horns. 638 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,320 They'll kill a lion to death. I mean, they'll smash him to 639 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:39,280 pieces, flip him in the air. We need strong strands tightly 640 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,280 circled together to not be overpowered. 641 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,520 Hand in hand, heart and heart, life and life, spirit and 642 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:48,880 spirit, fellowship, relationships and community. 643 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:51,240 So Koinoni, is this real miracle of grace? 644 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:53,360 You got to think about this in the early church, men there were 645 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,200 coming from Jewish backgrounds, Gentile backgrounds, Pagan 646 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,400 backgrounds. You got slavery. 647 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,880 You've got free people coming together, poor and rich, male, 648 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,720 female, all coming together to form this new weird family 649 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:06,840 called the church. And they're there to strengthen 650 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:10,159 one another and to serve with one another and to support one 651 00:34:10,159 --> 00:34:12,960 another in a, in a climate of great persecution and trial. 652 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:15,280 And God knew they could make it alone. 653 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:20,639 So Koinonia removes barriers of ego and pride and prejudice. 654 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:23,040 Again, remember the study in Acts? 655 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,560 It was on purpose. It fed into this more than you 656 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:27,679 know. The Gospel by the power of the 657 00:34:27,679 --> 00:34:30,800 Holy Spirit went broke down barrier after barrier after 658 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,400 barrier after barrier, confronting and defeating the 659 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,280 enemy and making sure the gospel would spread. 660 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,920 So the early church needed community for survival. 661 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,360 And God knew that individually we would not be able to stand. 662 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:46,400 So he gave us the church that together we could be strong, 663 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:48,800 strong in love for others, strong in love for ourselves, 664 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:51,880 encouraging and helping one another to put on the whole 665 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:55,080 armor of God so that we might be able to stand against the 666 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,000 schemes, the Methodia. So it's a military ambush. 667 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:01,200 Word against the devil. In fact, this past week, Pastor 668 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:04,240 Jean and Pastor Jordan and I recorded a podcast in our 669 00:35:04,240 --> 00:35:07,000 Walking in Prayer series that you can use while you're walking 670 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,080 or when you're in a quiet time, a prayer guide on spiritual 671 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,200 warfare. How do I put on the armor of God 672 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,720 in my life? We need to be able to stand 673 00:35:15,720 --> 00:35:20,000 together, move forward stronger than other Together we are 674 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:23,400 continuously single mindedly devoted to entering one 675 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:27,240 another's lives with love. Again, Paul wrote that troubled 676 00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:30,920 church in Corinth in First Corinthians 1412. 677 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:34,000 It says so with yourself since your eager for manifestations of 678 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,080 the Spirit, strive to excel and building up the church. 679 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:39,960 See, they were having a spiritual gift competition in 680 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:41,280 Corinth. I talked about that on a 681 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,320 Wednesday night a few weeks ago. You can look that up on line as 682 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:47,360 well. Who was better? 683 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:49,440 Who was more important? Who had the greater gift? 684 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,440 But Paul says, instead of working for yourself, I want to 685 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:57,160 challenge you to strive to work toward, to give great energy at 686 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,920 your very best level, to excel at building up others in the 687 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:05,880 entire body of Christ. For what are you striving to 688 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:09,920 excel? You strive and excel to 689 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:15,120 strengthen and help that new or struggling believer, to protect 690 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:19,200 that weaker brother or sister who's in a tough spot, to love a 691 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:24,760 a hurting lost community around you, to develop meaningful 692 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:28,560 relationships for for others and to care for them within the 693 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:31,720 church. See, a disciple of Jesus must 694 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:37,000 unite in fellowship through hospitality and authenticity. 695 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:40,600 There's certain things that we must be that we must be 696 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:42,480 hospitable. We must be authentic in order to 697 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:43,600 do this. There are also certain things we 698 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:45,760 need to know. There's certain knowledge we 699 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:48,320 need. We need to know we need to unite 700 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:50,840 in fellowship because we need to know the significance of church 701 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:52,160 membership. We need to understand that 702 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:54,400 actually belonging to the body matters. 703 00:36:55,720 --> 00:36:58,080 We need to understand the biblical way to deal with sin. 704 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:02,120 Along with that, we need to understand how to forgive. 705 00:37:03,720 --> 00:37:06,520 It's often a challenge for people. 706 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:11,000 We need to see the biblical examples of hospitality and how 707 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,640 to care well for each other. And we're going to be talking 708 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:16,400 about these and showing you these things and in our various 709 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,440 ministries, giving you opportunities to do these 710 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:19,960 things. But we we don't just need to 711 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:21,880 know this stuff. We got to put it into action. 712 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:25,000 So there's a doing part of this. So part of that doing is in 713 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:27,680 presence, just the ministry of presence. 714 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,920 Listen, share meals together. It needs to be barbecue and Taco 715 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:33,200 time. You understand what I'm saying? 716 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,040 That's what they were doing. They were meeting or and eating 717 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:40,640 around the table together, sharing fellowship with each 718 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,760 other. We also need to be there for one 719 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,640 another in hard times, sometimes just your presence. 720 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:51,200 But then there's this participatory part of it, this 721 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:53,800 participation. Become a member, get involved. 722 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:55,560 Make sure you're here for Sunday worship. 723 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:57,960 Make sure that you're here for Connect group. 724 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:02,680 Be make sure you're here for midweek, be a part of this, of 725 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:05,560 what's going on here. All these things tie together. 726 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:07,560 If you're not here for one, you might not think I'm paying 727 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:09,680 attention to something or I'm not doing something because 728 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:13,640 you're not here for everything. And then we also need to see the 729 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,840 peacemaking actions. We need to be able to confess 730 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:20,480 sins to one another. We need to forgive one another. 731 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,680 We need mutual accountability and love. 732 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:27,080 Now you need to ask yourself, what's my next step? 733 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:31,120 What's my needed next step in discipleship, in fellowship? 734 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,000 What do I need to do to improve my Koinonia? 735 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:38,040 How can I be more hospitable? How can I be more authentic? 736 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:43,000 We're going to continue to teach you and give the opportunities 737 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:50,120 to live this out in 1968. This is a true historic story. 738 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:55,920 The N Koreans captured the USS Pueblo and there were 82 crew 739 00:38:55,920 --> 00:39:01,160 members who were incarcerated in pretty horrific conditions and 740 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:05,640 and in one instance, 13 of them were forced to sit around a hard 741 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:10,800 table at attention for hours. And after several hours, the 742 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,520 door would fly open and a North Korean guard would come in and 743 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:17,400 brutally beat the man in the first chair with the butt of his 744 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,800 rifle. The next day, each man came and 745 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:23,720 said in their assigned seat. Same thing. 746 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:26,840 Hours and hours and hours. They never knew when the door 747 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:28,520 would open. And then the door would suddenly 748 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,040 bust open and the North Korean guard once again beats the first 749 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:35,000 man in the first chair. Same thing happens the third 750 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,840 day. Well, on the 4th day, the men 751 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:42,240 know that that man won't survive another beating, it'll kill him. 752 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:46,000 And So what happens that day is, without the guards seeing it, 753 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:49,200 one of the a young sailor slips into the first seat, changes 754 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,520 seats with him. After several hours the door 755 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:54,920 busts open, the guard comes in and doesn't pay any attention, 756 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:56,880 just beats whoever sitting in the first chair. 757 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:02,480 For weeks they would rotate and a different man would sit in the 758 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:04,920 first chair, knowing exactly what was going to happen. 759 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:09,280 And for weeks the guards would come in and beat whoever was in 760 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,120 the first chair. And after a while they gave up. 761 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,040 Because they couldn't break them because of that kind of 762 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:20,400 sacrifice, that kind of unity, that kind of love for one 763 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:23,680 another. The gates of hell shall not 764 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:28,200 overcome the love, the strength, the true fellowship of this 765 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:32,680 church when we're strapped together in one accord. 766 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:37,760 So I challenge you to come live this vision together. 767 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:43,840 Join us, Join us today. There's a whole room of people 768 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:47,720 working through that today. Join us in authentic fellowship. 769 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:51,360 Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the challenge of 770 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:53,400 your word. Father, sometimes things might 771 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,440 seem more important to us than other things. 772 00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:57,800 But Father, we need to be careful because we need to pay 773 00:40:57,800 --> 00:40:59,320 attention to what's important to you. 774 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:06,040 And Father, you emphasize the significance of true fellowship 775 00:41:06,040 --> 00:41:07,720 over and over again in your word. 776 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,960 This idea of Koinonia is not just some passing 1 passage kind 777 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,520 of thing. It's there over and over and 778 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:19,160 over again. Our strength is found together. 779 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:22,440 Our strength is found in you and with one another. 780 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:26,320 Father, for some here the very first step. 781 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,560 And I was just thankful in the first service during the 782 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:34,000 invitation, how someone came to just shared with me what a 783 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:36,120 blessing this was for their life. 784 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:40,960 Something you've done in their life or these recent days, just 785 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:45,960 talking about salvation. Father, the first step of 786 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:47,320 fellowship is fellowship with you. 787 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:52,000 So Father, I pray if there's someone here who has never truly 788 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:56,440 been saved, they have never authentically asked Jesus Christ 789 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:59,360 to be their Lord and Savior right now, wherever they're 790 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:01,200 seated. Father, I just pray that you'll 791 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:04,680 help them to understand how real this is, that you, you are 792 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:08,760 indeed authentic, and that Father, the only way for them to 793 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:13,040 know true fellowship with you is by trusting in Christ. 794 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:17,440 Others who have been visiting, others who have been searching 795 00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:21,760 and praying, it's time for them to join us at Inglewood. 796 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:24,320 Some need to talk about church membership. 797 00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:27,040 Maybe somebody needs to talk about biblical baptism. 798 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,280 Others need to come and pray. Maybe there's an issue with 799 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:35,920 fellowship with others in their life or with themselves and they 800 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:39,720 just want to pray. So Father, let let us use this 801 00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:45,880 time to commune with you and let you, Father, have free reign for 802 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:48,680 us to respond the way you want us to. 803 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:52,520 We thank you, Father, in Christ's name, Amen. 804 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:55,280 I'm going to ask you to stand. Our worship team is going to 805 00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:57,760 lead us. There'll be pastors here to 806 00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:00,360 visit with you, but you don't have to visit with us. 807 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:02,880 There's a room right over here called the Next Steps Room. 808 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:04,320 You can go straight to that room. 809 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:06,960 There are people in there who would love to have a private, 810 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:09,520 discreet conversation with you, to pray with you. 811 00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:13,360 You can just come and pray at these steps, or you can come and 812 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,600 talk to one of us. Whatever you need to do, you do 813 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:18,840 it right now as we worship.