1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,000 Good afternoon everyone. Not a good start. 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:10,240 Good afternoon everyone. When I was assigned a second 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,600 session, I did not realize that it was going to be the hardest 4 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:19,560 one because everybody is tired and sleepy. 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,360 First day, you're still fresh, ready to go. 6 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:25,680 The last day is a Sunday celebration. 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,840 You go to church and well, the second day you stayed up all 8 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,800 night. The bed is not you're adjusting 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,520 to your new mattresses. Or maybe you're crazy enough to 10 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:41,040 took two hour hike this morning or run around and play 11 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,280 basketball and now it's just tired. 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,840 But so I'm asking for your help. OK, let's, let's, let's focus 13 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,000 and hear what God has for us this afternoon. 14 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,480 If you have your Bibles, you can please turn them to Book of 15 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,720 Ephesians chapter 4. Yesterday we hear about Paul's 16 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,200 prayer to the church from Pastor Daniel. 17 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,160 I'm not going to quiz you on what those prayer points are, 18 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,320 but yesterday we hear about Paul's prayer from the church 19 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:11,920 and today we will look into the next part. 20 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,840 So after Paul prayed for the church, this is the next part. 21 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,720 And this title of the short homily is a charge to the 22 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,880 church. A charge to the church. 23 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,680 Let me sip this last bit of caffeine. 24 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,240 Some of you know this maybe not so much anymore. 25 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,160 But years ago, when we were still living in the United 26 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:42,720 States after right after our first son was born, I picked up 27 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,720 a second job to help support the family. 28 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,480 And out of all the things I could do, I decided to become a 29 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:55,800 wedding photographer. What started as a side job 30 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:58,640 quickly became something I really love. 31 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:00,760 Like I really poured my heart into that. 32 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,640 And there's so many things that I found really exciting about 33 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,160 shooting a wedding, photographing a wedding. 34 00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:12,560 And to me, though, one of the most amazing and it's it's it's 35 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:17,760 what I really enjoyed was really getting to capture these like 36 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,000 unscripted moments throughout the day. 37 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,160 It's not the ones where you get the couple together and say 38 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,920 cheese, but it's the ones that nobody even know what's 39 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:30,880 happening or direct. Like, you know, we we the moment 40 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,720 of father see his daughter in her dress for the first time. 41 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,520 Always beautiful. Made doubly hard once I had 42 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:50,920 Madison grandmother quietly wiping her eyes and many times 43 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:53,480 the couple would told me that that's the last photos they have 44 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:59,760 of their grandmother. The groom expectantly looking 45 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,880 forward to see whether the bride's at the back of the 46 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:04,160 aisle. Those moments. 47 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,760 But my favorite moments to capture every single wedding. 48 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:13,160 It's almost always the moment the bride takes the first step 49 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,800 down the aisle. I actually found one of Meredith 50 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,800 here. Sometimes the bride would pause, 51 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:26,120 takes a breath, close her eyes, compose herself. 52 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,680 Sometimes she's so eager, like Meredith here is, she's almost 53 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:38,360 like so jumpy and can't wait. But that step, that first step 54 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,760 is so heavy with meaning because yes, they're not going to be 55 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,440 official, official until later when the minister proclaims him 56 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:47,840 husband and his wife. But the moment she takes that 57 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,400 first step, the moment she walk down the aisle is when it 58 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,080 becomes real for her. She officially is the bride. 59 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,480 It's not before, not when she puts on makeup, but when it's 60 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,920 like real and watching all the audiences right there seated, 61 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:06,440 all the loved ones watching them. 62 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:11,040 That first step is always so heavy with meaning. 63 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:16,600 It's amazing, brothers and sisters, and put that away now 64 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,839 and thank you. There is something about 65 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:24,880 identity that change how a person walk their their step, 66 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:30,960 their face, their voice, their bearing, all of it changes not 67 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,840 because they're trying to be different, but because something 68 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:41,200 truly has happened to them. And this takes us to our passage 69 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,200 here from Ephesians 4. In the first 3 chapters, 70 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,560 something has happened to you. Something has happened to you. 71 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:56,320 And now in chapter 4, the apostle Paul stands up and says, 72 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:03,800 church, you better walk like it. You better walk like it. 73 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,960 So let's look at our passage, Ephesians 4. 74 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,040 We're going to start in first one. 75 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,600 For the sake of time, we're going to read it in three 76 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,320 different parts, where each part is is Paul's charge to the 77 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,480 church. Let's first read Ephesians 4, 78 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,960 verse one to six. I, therefore, a prisoner for the 79 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:28,240 Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to 80 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,720 which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, 81 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:36,200 with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to 82 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,080 maintain the unity of the Spirit. 83 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:42,080 In the bond of peace. There is one body and one 84 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,280 spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to 85 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:53,320 your call. 1 Lord, 1 faith, one baptism, one God and Father of 86 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,800 all, who is over all and through all and in all. 87 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,280 This is God's word. So number one, you're taking 88 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:03,440 notes. Guard the unity. 89 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:04,800 That's Paul's charts to the church. 90 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,280 Guard the unity verse one to six. 91 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:15,960 So first thing to notice is the first word after I Paul says 92 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,600 what church quiz? What's the first the second word 93 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,240 there in the in the whole thing. So after I therefore notice that 94 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,760 word. Therefore, whenever there's a 95 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,920 word, therefore you got to look before that. 96 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:35,720 What's therefore what right? That's like a hinge of the 97 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:41,760 entire letter, because for three full chapters, Ephesians 123, 98 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,520 Paul's been piling up 1 glorious truth, one glorious reality of 99 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,200 the gospel on top of another, the Father choosing us, the Son 100 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:54,800 redeeming us, the Spirit sealing us, and the prayer that Pastor 101 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,880 Daniel preached about yesterday. 3 chapters. 102 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:03,960 No commands, just glorious realities of the gospel. 103 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:10,920 No commands until now and says here and now. 104 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,640 Therefore Paul gives this charge. 105 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:19,280 So you need to see the weight of chapter 1 to 3 before you can 106 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,720 feel the urgency of chapter 4. That's sometimes when you go 107 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,240 into a passage like this, you start in this, you lose the 108 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:30,520 weight of the entire sentence or entire word there. 109 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:36,440 Therefore, and what is the charge? 110 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,640 I therefore a prisoner by the way of the Lord. 111 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,520 It's not it's not saying this proudly. 112 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:54,800 He says he, I urge you to what? To walk, how to walk in a manner 113 00:07:54,920 --> 00:08:00,400 that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 114 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,920 There's a ton to unpack here. First, if you are in Christ this 115 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:12,400 afternoon, you, each of you, have been called towards 116 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,880 something. There is not a single person in 117 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,520 this room. If you are in Christ, there is 118 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:23,760 not a single person here whom that who had not been called. 119 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:28,760 It is not just for those in the ministry, not just for deacons, 120 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,400 no, each of you. And what is that calling? 121 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:33,720 We'll see at the end of this passage. 122 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,400 So that's number one, to, to, to, to pay, pay notice to #2 123 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:43,600 Secondly, this calling, Paul says, demands a certain way of 124 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,800 walking. The Greek word behind walking 125 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,160 worthy literally carries like weight. 126 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,240 There's a weight to it. It actually means to balance the 127 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,720 scales. Basically it says here your walk 128 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:03,240 church should match the weight of what you have been given. 129 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,880 And church, Paul says, what because of these glorious truth 130 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,600 of the gospel I just preached to you in one to three, you ought 131 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,880 to walk in a way that is worthy of this glorious truth of the 132 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,800 gospel. And how do we do that? 133 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:26,720 How do we do that? He says with humility, with 134 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:33,920 gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love 135 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:39,760 and with eagerness for unity. We don't have time to dive deep 136 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,160 into each one, but let's look briefly at each one of those. 137 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,080 Humility, right? In the Greco Roman world, this 138 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:50,320 word actually was an insult. You believe that when, when, 139 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,880 when you use these words, this, this very word, it's reserved 140 00:09:53,880 --> 00:10:00,760 for slaves. But Christianity, rehab, change, 141 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,240 transform the meaning of the word because the Lord of glory 142 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:10,200 took the form of a servant. CS Lewis says humility is not 143 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,720 thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. 144 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,400 Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of 145 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,200 yourself less. It is the freedom. 146 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:27,360 You ever thought about that? Humility is the freedom to 147 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,880 consider other people's interests as more important than 148 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:34,000 yours. Humility, gentleness. 149 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,400 This is often translated as meekness. 150 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,400 Meekness. Aristotle defined it as the 151 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:44,360 golden mean between excessive anger and ability and inability 152 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,800 to feel anger. That it's, it's like a train 153 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,080 horse. You're just as strong as before, 154 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,320 but you are completely under control. 155 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,720 Strength under control. Gentleness is not weakness. 156 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:02,400 It takes more, takes more power to be gentle many times. 157 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:08,080 And gentleness show up visibly in how we speak right and how we 158 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,280 respond when we're provoked. Gentle person can be firm 159 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,000 without being harsh. Gentle person can be honest 160 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,560 without being brutal, can be strong without being abrasive. 161 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:24,120 It's warm, not scalding. Patience literally mean long 162 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:29,120 tempered, a long fuse. Patience here specifically means 163 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:30,920 patience with people, not circumstances. 164 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:35,640 There's the patience that bears with somebody's slowness, 165 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:42,840 immaturity, repeated failures, irritating habits, maybe 166 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:47,280 theological wonkiness. It is Love's tolerance of time, 167 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:52,560 the willingness to give people the time and the room to grow. 168 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,400 Bearing with one another in love means what to hold up to put up, 169 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:02,000 to endure. There's there is there is quiet. 170 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,480 Paul basically just says, yeah, other Christians, that they're 171 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,680 hard to bear. Do you realize, church, that 172 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:12,000 you're more difficult to deal with than you think it is true? 173 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,440 My wife tells me that all the time. 174 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:15,680 Just kidding. She does not. 175 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,440 We often think that it is everyone else that's the 176 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:23,680 problem, but the truth is, as fallen sinful people, we are the 177 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:26,960 difficult one. We are the difficult one. 178 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:32,760 And this kind of bearing we are called to do is not the kind 179 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,000 where we simply tolerate each other's existence and move on. 180 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:41,240 The phrase in love here is the medium, not just the manner. 181 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,120 Because without love, if you put up with someone, it's just going 182 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:46,680 to resent that person. You just put up with it. 183 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,080 But in love means you have the willingness to to absorb, to 184 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,120 cover, to endure what others do to you or say to you without 185 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:59,040 retaliating or holding it against them or making it a 186 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,920 public matter first. Peter 48 says love covers a 187 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:09,320 multitude of sins. Forbearance is Love's choice to 188 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:17,960 not keep records of wrongs. In my project right now, you 189 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,480 know, you know, we're building a house. 190 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:24,040 The neighbors. The neighbor has this wall that 191 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,080 as we were digging the foundation starting to lean in 192 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:31,680 into our property. And the first thing that our 193 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:41,160 Tukang Armando did was put up these columns to bear the weight 194 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,680 of these sinking walls that are coming towards us. 195 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:50,920 And and these columns with like and and and and as these columns 196 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:54,320 are erected up, we can see that these these these these walls 197 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,360 starting to now straighten up. And I was as I was watching that 198 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,520 happen. It reminds me of what this 199 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,880 bearing one another really looks like, right. 200 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,200 You're the the, the the stick doesn't have to think about 201 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,000 whether it's not is right that this wall is falling over them. 202 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:15,120 The same thing with us in the church as we bear one another's. 203 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:20,400 And finally, the eagerness to maintain the unity of the Spirit 204 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,040 in the bond of peace. This is the main reason for our 205 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,360 manner of walking church. We are to guard the unity of the 206 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,040 church with the way we carry ourselves. 207 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,960 We are called to be humble, gentle, patient, bear with one 208 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:36,320 another because the church is full of people, different 209 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,960 backgrounds, personalities, histories, characters, and each 210 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,080 of us are called to love one another. 211 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:47,880 And God in his manifold wisdom, precisely designed the church to 212 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:49,520 be this way. You ever thought like man? 213 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:51,960 Church would be so much easier if everybody thinks like me. 214 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,200 But that is not how God designed it. 215 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,880 He designed the church full of people who are different than 216 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:05,040 you and it is by acting this way that you can be the beautiful 217 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,640 display from our retreat. Call back to our retreat a few 218 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,040 years ago, a living, gathered, imperfect community that 219 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:15,920 reflects God's perfect character and love to the word. 220 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,480 Notice the person's precise wording. 221 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,680 Paul does not say create the unity of the Spirit. 222 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,040 The Spirit has created it. You don't. 223 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,520 We don't have any role in creating the Spirit created the 224 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:26,920 unity. We maintain it. 225 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,200 He does not say be willing to maintain. 226 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,920 He says be eager. The word eager. 227 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,080 There is a sense of urgency, diligence, zealous. 228 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:40,600 This is act of unity keeping. It does not wait until conflict 229 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,400 begins. He is already pursuing peace 230 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:50,920 before peace is even in danger. And this bond of peace, peace is 231 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:55,760 the binding agent that holds the unity together. 232 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,360 Why are we called the guard to unity? 233 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:04,160 We'll see that in verses 4 to 6. We are guarding the unity 234 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:11,320 because of what we share. Paul gave us 7 ones reasons on 235 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:16,040 why 7 realities that binds us together as one church. 236 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:22,320 There is one body, he says, 1 Spirit, 1 Hope of Our Calling in 237 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:28,520 Christ, 1 Lord, 1 faith, one baptism, one God and Father of 238 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,960 all, who is over all and through all and in all. 239 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:36,280 Seven of these ones here. Everyone of them comes to us 240 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,480 through Christ, through His flesh. 241 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,160 Ephesians says the dividing wall of hostility came down through 242 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,560 his ascension. The Spirit poured out through 243 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:48,440 his blood. We have access to the Father. 244 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:52,760 Christ is the one through whom this unity become ours. 245 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,840 Now this is heart. We never say this is easy. 246 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,720 Remember though, who this letter was even written to to begin 247 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,680 with. This was a church full of 248 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:09,240 Gentiles and Jews mixing together two people groups who 249 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,880 apart from Christ would never even sit in the same table to 250 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,520 eat dinner together, let alone worship. 251 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:22,640 To the Jew, the Gentile was unclean, Not just annoying, 252 00:17:22,839 --> 00:17:26,880 unclean. To a Gentile, they can't even 253 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,040 comprehend all the things that the Jew is doing. 254 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:33,880 Centuries of prejudice, separation, dietary laws, 255 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:38,680 cultural enmity, And yet here they are, in the same room, 256 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,520 singing the same songs, praying to the same Father, breaking the 257 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,600 same breath. And what happened? 258 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:49,480 Christ did. He was the one breaking down the 259 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:54,880 dividing wall by his own flesh. He has made the two one. 260 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,400 And to that Church of all churches, Paul writes, eager to 261 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:04,320 maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 262 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,960 But notice something, brothers and sisters, Christ does not 263 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:13,360 only secure the unity, he's actually the one that embodies 264 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:18,840 this unity. Because Christ was humble, he 265 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:22,520 took the form of a servant. Christ was gentle, he said 266 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,680 himself, I am gentle and lowly in heart. 267 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,160 He was patient. Paul says Christ displays 268 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,760 perfect patience toward him as an example for us. 269 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,880 He bore with us in love. There's no one that bears our 270 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:39,000 weaknesses more than Christ. Did he absorb what we deserve? 271 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,720 He was eager to be our peace, that he died for it. 272 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:48,080 Christ was the one that purchased our oneness, and 273 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:53,000 Christ is the example of these virtues that keeps our oneness. 274 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,440 So this piece that binds the church together is not your 275 00:18:58,440 --> 00:18:59,880 invention. It's not just church's 276 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:04,480 invention. It already costs God the Father, 277 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:08,360 his only Son. That's why we must guard it. 278 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,720 That's our church. So #1 Paul charges to guard the 279 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:17,960 unity #2 receive the equipping. Receive the equipping for 7:00 280 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,280 to 12:00. But grace was given, let's reach 281 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:25,160 7 to 12, but its grace was given to each one of us according to 282 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,680 the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, when He 283 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:32,480 ascended on high, He led a host of captives, and he gave gifts 284 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,880 to men. In saying He ascended, what does 285 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,000 it mean but that He had also descended into the lower 286 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,000 regions, the earth. He who descended is the one who 287 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:45,640 also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all 288 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,040 things. And he gave the apostles, the 289 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,320 prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and the teachers to 290 00:19:51,360 --> 00:19:55,200 equip the Saints for the work of ministry, for building up the 291 00:19:55,200 --> 00:20:00,080 body of Christ. So at first glance, when I was 292 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,080 reading this quickly to prepare for this message, this 7 to 12 293 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:07,680 felt to me like kind of a detour because Paul here just charge 294 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,760 us, walk worthy, guard the unity. 295 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:15,440 And now he's quoting a passage from the Old Testament. 296 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,120 It's talking about Christ's ascension. 297 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:23,200 It's talking about pastors, teachers, why and, and, and when 298 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,440 you dig deeper, this is not a detour. 299 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:30,200 This is actually the foundation that in which this entire 300 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,560 passage rests. This is the engine, the unity of 301 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:38,480 verses one to six and then later we'll see the maturity in 13 to 302 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,640 16. They're not produced by sheer 303 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:46,560 effort, they're produced by Christ from His throne above 304 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:52,240 through His word. Because after giving the charge 305 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,360 of unity among what seemingly impossible people to unite. 306 00:20:55,720 --> 00:21:00,360 I love though that the 1st 2 words of verse 7 says, can we 307 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:02,960 read this together? The 1st 2 words of verse 7 says, 308 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:11,280 but grace, but grace. Aren't you glad for those two 309 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:20,080 words? We are unable but grace that is 310 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,000 how our Christian walk is supposed to be marked with at 311 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,000 the end of your life when you're when you look back into the 312 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:30,400 things that God has allowed you to do or allowed to happen in 313 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,400 your life. When your grandchildren sit 314 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,720 around the table and ask your grandpa, grandma, how did you do 315 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:38,560 it? I hope the answer for each one 316 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:44,880 of us is but grace not because I did this or I was able to 317 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,400 accomplish that, or I was smart or talented or I overcame a lot 318 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:56,080 of because grace is given to each one of us according to the 319 00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:00,800 measure of Christ gift. And the only way we'll ever 320 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:06,320 achieve this unity in the body of Christ is because of grace. 321 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:11,280 The Old Testament passage that Paul quotes in Psalm 68, it's an 322 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:15,240 interesting Psalm, is actually a victory Psalm that pictures a 323 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:22,600 conquering king returning from battle, distributing the spoils 324 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:28,240 of war to his people. Now the king is is Jesus Christ, 325 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:30,320 it says. Paul even says so. 326 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:36,000 He says he descended low because God descends to a Manger, to a 327 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,240 cross, to the grave. And then he says he ascended 328 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,800 high to the right hand of the Father. 329 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,680 So that what? So that he might fill all 330 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:47,600 things. And from his throne this 331 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,720 victorious king is now distributing the spoils of his 332 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,280 own conquest. And what are we? 333 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,480 What are the spoils? It's easier. 334 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:03,760 Pastors, teachers, the ministry of the teaching of the Word in 335 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,200 the church. It says here in verse 11 He gave 336 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,680 the apostle prophets, evangelists, shepherds and 337 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,000 teachers. All those people do what? 338 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,360 Proclaim the truth of the gospel. 339 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,120 Very specific purpose though verse 12 it says what the 340 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:27,600 purpose is to equip the Saints for the work of ministry and for 341 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:36,040 the building up of the body of Christ. 1st it's important that 342 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:40,560 we recognise this imagery that Paul deliberately choose to use. 343 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:45,000 He states the fact that the ascended Christ is giving all 344 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,440 these gifts from a position of victory. 345 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:54,400 Why does that matter? I I sat on that for a while when 346 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:59,520 I was working on this passage. The answer is because a defeated 347 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:06,040 king have no gifts to give. In the ancient world, when a 348 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:09,560 king returned from battle, the entire economic life of his 349 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:12,320 people depended on whether or not he had won. 350 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,160 Victorious king would come home leading captives, dragging 351 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:21,160 spoils of gold and weapons, livestock, and distribute them 352 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:25,120 to his people. The gifts were the evidence that 353 00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:29,400 the war had been won. Defeated king came home with 354 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,600 nothing. So when Paul here deliberately 355 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:38,080 invokes this Psalm, a triumph Psalm, he's making a claim about 356 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,440 these gifts in verse 11. The very existence that there's 357 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,880 churches with preaching and teaching of God's word of the 358 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,760 gospel is proof that Christ had won. 359 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,800 If Christ was still on trial, still in the grave, never 360 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,880 resurrected, still struggling against principalities and 361 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,200 powers, there would be no gifts. There will be no church. 362 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,800 The church pulpit and the faithful proclamation of the 363 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:08,440 gospel is one of the loudest declaration that Jesus Christ 364 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:13,240 has won. And here's when it comes to us, 365 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:18,560 because this whole thing is about the Saints. 366 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,800 Who is the Saints? Who are the Saints? 367 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,280 That's you. That's all of us. 368 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:28,920 None of you are excluded here. You are all equipped through the 369 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,400 preaching and the teaching of the Word every week so that you, 370 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:37,800 we all can do the work of ministry that God has called us 371 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,920 to do. The work of ministry does not 372 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,160 belong merely to the elders and deacons of this church. 373 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:51,040 It is for all of us. That's exactly how God has 374 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,000 designed this church to be built up. 375 00:25:54,400 --> 00:26:01,120 So receive the equipping and if you're a brother in our church, 376 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:07,840 may I urge you to consider if maybe God has called you to 377 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:14,000 teach the Word, to proclaim the gospel in the pulpit of our 378 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,880 church. It's a calling that everyone 379 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:22,840 has. So it is this crucial to the 380 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:28,840 building up of the church. So second, we receive the 381 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,360 equipping. First, we guard the unity. 382 00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:31,560 Second, we receive the equipping. 383 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:35,640 And lastly, we are to grow up into Christ. 384 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:38,640 Let's read the last four verses together. 385 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,040 Until we all maintain to the unity of the faith and of the 386 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:46,480 knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the measure of 387 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,400 the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer 388 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:54,680 be children tossed to and fro by the waves, and carry about by 389 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:59,120 every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and 390 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:04,240 deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking truth in love, 391 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:10,320 we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head into 392 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:15,400 Christ, from whom the whole body join, held together by every 393 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,560 joint with which it was equipped. 394 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:22,560 When each part is working properly makes the body grow so 395 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,400 that it builds itself up in love. 396 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,880 All right, so here Paul continues his charge again that 397 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:31,640 he starts all the way back in verse one. 398 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,800 And the reason, the goal for us to guard the unity for the 399 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,600 church to be equipped with the teaching of God's word is this 400 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,520 right here. So that the whole body, the 401 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:46,400 church, all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge 402 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:52,040 of the Son of God so that the church can be united in knowing 403 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:56,480 Jesus more and more. That is the destination. 404 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:01,800 That's what it means to grow up into Christ, to measure to the 405 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,320 stature of the fullness of Christ. 406 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,440 Just like Pastor Daniel preached yesterday about this prayer in 407 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:12,520 Ephesians 319, so that you would be filled with all the fullness 408 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:16,600 of God. That prayer is where Paul says 409 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:20,320 we're heading here. As we do that, you will leave 410 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:25,080 childish things behind. You'll stop being confused and 411 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,200 tossed by every wind of doctrine. 412 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,400 Spiritual immaturity is dangerous to the unity of the 413 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,560 church. It leaves you vulnerable to 414 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:39,840 false teaching, to deceit. And then Paul gives a super 415 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:44,160 practical application for us to do here, which is found in the 416 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,400 next verse. And he he clearly indicates 417 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,480 this, that this is what he meant because he says another word 418 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,320 rather right in the first word he says. 419 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:58,560 Therefore now he says rather, Oh, rather, what do you mean 420 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:00,520 rather? So before that he says, don't be 421 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:02,520 like this. Don't be like children. 422 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,760 Don't be confused by all the, the, the, the, the, the, the 423 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:12,120 false teaching and every win of doctrine rather speaking the 424 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:18,520 truth in love, right? It can be weird to read that at 425 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,200 first because you're like, what do you mean? 426 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:24,960 Like I, I shouldn't be I shouldn't be confused by every 427 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,480 win of doctrine. Rather I need to speak the truth 428 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,360 in love. This is why it's important when 429 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,360 you read scripture to read by its proper context, because 430 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:39,000 without that proceeding first you read like a verse like this. 431 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,480 You think Oh I need to speak up my mind simply means I need to 432 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:48,600 speak up hard things politely. Maybe it can mean that as well 433 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,560 for sure. But if you follow his strain of 434 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:56,840 thought, he just says what? Again, Church guard the unity by 435 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,000 receiving the equipping that are done by the church leaders so 436 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,440 that you might know Jesus more and more and not be dragged by 437 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:09,920 false teaching and rather speak the truth in love. 438 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,320 What truth? It's not my truth. 439 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:21,680 The truth in verse 15 is the very same truth that's being 440 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:25,440 preached in verse 11 is the gospel truth. 441 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:29,800 It's not my personal opinion. The verb appears plural. 442 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,840 The charge is for all of us in the church, not just the elders 443 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:36,360 and deacons. All of us are now to speak the 444 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:40,360 truth of the gospel into each other's lives. 445 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:45,120 And this is also the work of the ministry that's being referred 446 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:50,080 to in verse 12. We, all of us, not just elders 447 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:52,600 or people with both personalities and outgoing 448 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:58,360 personalities, we are to speak the truth of the gospel into one 449 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:02,960 another's lives. That is the work of ministry. 450 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:04,840 Yes, there are practical ministry work. 451 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,800 You look at this retreat, Can you imagine the amount of work 452 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,160 that has taken so many people to step up to pull this event 453 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:13,640 together? When you look at our Sunday 454 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:16,800 celebration from from from all the different elements that 455 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,400 needs to happen for the Sunday celebration to run, there are 456 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:25,560 there are there are there are there are many, many important, 457 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:30,840 commendable ministries that you can join and sign up for. 458 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,560 But if that's all that you think of, practical ministry, you miss 459 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,680 the point of this chapter, because Paul's not telling the 460 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,520 church sign up to different church communities. 461 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:45,480 Paul's telling the church speak the truth of the gospel in love 462 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,640 to one another. That's your charge. 463 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,680 It always says about the gospel, the proclamation of the gospel 464 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,320 of Jesus Christ from the pulpit, equipping the Saints who then 465 00:31:56,320 --> 00:32:01,520 proclaims it to one another so that the church, the whole 466 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:06,680 church will grow up. You want to look at a church and 467 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,040 and and know what makes the church a mature church is when 468 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:14,520 members in the church from all ages can sit across each other 469 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:22,560 and proclaim the gospel truth to one another into him who is the 470 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:27,040 head into Christ. In light of that, here are some 471 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,720 practical applications for us. I want to give you 4 forms of 472 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:38,280 gospel speech, 4 forms of gospel speech that every one of us can 473 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,040 do with one another. And in fact, I do encourage you 474 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,080 to do that and we will do that later. 475 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:45,480 After this, at the end of the session and throughout the 476 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:51,080 retreat and after the retreat, encourage one another speaking 477 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,000 gospel truth to a struggling brother and sister. 478 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:59,800 Tell them Christ is for you. The cross is enough. 479 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,640 I know you're struggling with His sin, but your sin is not 480 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:08,880 bigger than His grace. Remind each other who they are 481 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,560 in Christ. When life makes us forget, 482 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:18,920 exhort one another. Stir each other up to to love 483 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:22,040 and good works. Ground in what? 484 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:23,600 Grounded in what Christ has done. 485 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:28,680 You're not nagging another. You're not You're not trying to 486 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:33,360 bring some moralism, but it's, it's gospel fuel exhortation, 487 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:40,040 guys, let's do this correct one another. 488 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,760 That's the harder side. But notice it's the gospel 489 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:49,200 truth, not personal opinion. And when you do that in love by 490 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:53,720 people who knew they need correction too, because when you 491 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,600 correct without the gospel, that's condemning. 492 00:33:56,320 --> 00:34:03,840 When you correct with the gospel, that's restoring parents 493 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:05,920 and children here. That's one of the hardest 494 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,920 relationships dynamics of the relationship of parent and 495 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:11,800 child. When you receive gospel 496 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:18,320 correction from your parents, it's hard, but in Christ you can 497 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:21,239 understand it for what it is. It is for your maturing into the 498 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:25,920 fullness of Christ. And lastly, pray the gospel 499 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:30,280 truth to one another, praying the truth of the gospel into 500 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:33,719 each other's lives and situations, praying Scripture, 501 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:37,639 praying God's promises, praying that Christ will be revealed for 502 00:34:37,639 --> 00:34:43,360 one another. Brothers and sisters, what I 503 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:46,239 just told you or charged you with these 4 examples, all of 504 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:49,400 these things that it's not just theoretical things that we 505 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,280 should do. It is the charge. 506 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:56,199 It is what Christ has been doing in His Church for over 2000 507 00:34:56,199 --> 00:35:00,320 years now. He still unites former enemies. 508 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:02,160 He still equips the Saints through His Word. 509 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:06,040 He still grows children into mature speakers of the Gospel. 510 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:17,040 In 1962, Don Richardson moved with his wife and baby into the 511 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:25,200 swamps of what is now W Papua to live among the Saowy people. 512 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,760 The Saowy is a tribe of headhunters whose highest 513 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:34,520 cultural value was treachery. They idealize fattening with 514 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,000 friendship before you slaughter them. 515 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:42,560 They would befriend an enemy for months, then murdering him at 516 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:47,160 his most trusting moment. When this when when when when 517 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,840 Don first preached the gospel to them, the Saowy people cheered 518 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,880 when you talk about Judas, because to them Judas was the 519 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,920 hero who had perfectly fattened Jesus with friendship for three 520 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:02,720 years before betraying him with a kiss. 521 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:07,320 But Richardson noticed something. 522 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,880 Because there is a way for the Saudi people to ever had peace 523 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:16,920 between these warring villages and it is to through what they 524 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:22,640 called the Terra. Tim translated the peace child, 525 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:28,440 which is a crazy concept because a father from one tribe would 526 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:34,120 carry his own son across the battle line and place his son 527 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:39,720 into the arms of the enemy. And as long as that child live, 528 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:46,320 there was peace in the villages. When, when Richardson realized 529 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:50,720 this, he he gathered them and says, you know there is a Father 530 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:54,120 who gave his only son into our arms. 531 00:36:55,520 --> 00:37:01,800 Jesus is our peace child. He lives forever. 532 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:10,440 Therefore there is peace. Already the Saudi people wept, 533 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,400 the tribes that murder each other for generations. 534 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,680 They lay down their weapons, they ate together at the Lord's 535 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:21,680 table. What they saw in their custom, 536 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:26,760 God has already given in His Son in 2012. 537 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:31,040 Fifty years later after that, these missionaries actually came 538 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:37,200 back to visit the Savi people. And it says that over 2002 to 539 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:44,040 3000 Savi people welcomed them. And till this day that tribe is 540 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:48,440 the tribe that continued to spread the gospel of Christ, the 541 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,640 peace that binds the church to others around them. 542 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:57,560 Look at what Christ did there. He took a tribe of headhunters 543 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:01,840 and he made them one body with the global church. 1 Spirit, 1 544 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:05,320 Lord, 1 baptism. He guard the unity he purchased, 545 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:09,600 and then Jesus send them. What an evangelist one of the 546 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,680 gifts of the ascended Christ from verse 11 who preached the 547 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:15,560 word among them for years and years until they finally were 548 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:19,040 equipped. He gave them the word and 50 549 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,600 years later they saw we they're no longer children cheering for 550 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:24,880 Judas. They they matured now that.