1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,120 Thank you. Thank you very much. 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,240 Well, hello everyone. Good morning. 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:11,080 It's it's lovely to be here. I'm Rosie and I'm here with my 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:16,360 husband Nigel and we've come over from Keynsham and we're 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,600 part of City Church, Bristol. And I just want to thank you for 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,840 making this so welcome this morning. 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:25,800 Just tell you a little bit about ourselves. 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,720 So we've been married for 30-4 years and we've got a son and 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,360 two daughters and we've got a A2 lodgers also that live with us. 10 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,600 And actually it's been lovely to see some familiar faces, 11 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,800 William. So William and Nigel and I were 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,200 actually all students together in Manchester a very long time 13 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,160 ago. And actually also it's just 14 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:48,120 lovely to see Sam as well actually in your family. 15 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,680 So as well as some other kind of familiar faces. 16 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,840 So thank you for giving me this time this morning. 17 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:02,600 I, as you've heard, I'm, I'm part of the leadership team of 18 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:06,800 the Reconcile Church group. And I also, and I'm going to 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:08,360 tell you a little bit about that later. 20 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,080 I've recently just finished some study. 21 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:17,000 I did an MA in theology and my dissertation actually was on the 22 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,280 gifts of the Spirit to the church in the UK. 23 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:26,080 And my work with Jubilee Plus, which is another organisation 24 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:28,960 that I've, I'm actually will be finishing with quite soon. 25 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:35,600 They actually work with churches to equip them particularly for 26 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,880 their work among communities on low income and people who are 27 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,040 living in in poverty. And so some work that I've been 28 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:49,040 doing with them is training a new generation of mission and 29 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,040 church leaders who come from a background of low income and 30 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,280 poverty. That's actually part of my own 31 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,080 background, and it kind of feels a bit like I'm passing the baton 32 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,920 on to others in terms of actually what I do with the 33 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,360 reconciled church. We work with churches across the 34 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,960 UK as we learn together about what it means to be disciples 35 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,280 across all cultures and racial backgrounds. 36 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,640 And today what I'm going to do is explore what it means to be 37 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:25,240 knitted together in love and unity, and particularly how we 38 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,240 can't do this without boldness and courage that the Holy Spirit 39 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,280 gives. And in fact, mission and love 40 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,280 are impossible without the Holy Spirit. 41 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,320 That's certainly what I found when leading a beloved. 42 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,560 As the Holy Spirit enabled us to reach out to women working in 43 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,920 the parlours and brothels across the city, I'm going to talk a 44 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:52,440 little bit about how God is calling peoples together across 45 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,600 all kinds of different and unique backgrounds, whether it's 46 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,360 class or economic backgrounds, education backgrounds or ethnic 47 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,480 backgrounds. And my question for you at the 48 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:09,400 start of this is I want you to think about how you are working 49 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:16,160 out Jesus's prayer for unity. And I think that's for us as 50 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,040 individuals, but then together as community. 51 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:25,680 How are we out working His prayer for unity for you here 52 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,360 within Hope Chapel. But actually I would also say 53 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,120 across the churches and across the community of Bristol. 54 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:38,000 So Jesus, this is what he prayed in John 17. 55 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,720 And first of all, he's praying for his disciples that are there 56 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,200 with them. And he says this, they are not 57 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,600 of the world, even as I am not of it. 58 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,320 Sanctify them by the truth. Your Word is truth. 59 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,560 As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 60 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:01,000 For them I sanctify myself that they too may be truly 61 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,960 sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. 62 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,000 I pray also for those who will believe in me through their 63 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:14,240 message back first, that they, that all of them, may be one. 64 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:19,920 Father, just as you are in me and I am in You, may they also 65 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,720 be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 66 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,880 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be 67 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:35,960 one as we are one, I in them and You in Me, so that they may be 68 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:42,440 brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that 69 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,960 you sent me and have loved them even as You have loved me. 70 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:53,600 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I 71 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:58,560 am and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because 72 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,920 you loved me before the creation of the world. 73 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:08,200 I think that's an amazing prayer for from Jesus and and we 74 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,280 receive it today. Here Lord, come and do what you 75 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:14,160 will among us. Amen. 76 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:20,000 Jesus's words are of huge importance to his followers. 77 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,800 And he prayed this shortly before he was arrested and tried 78 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,160 and crucified by the Roman authorities. 79 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,040 And he paid the ultimate price so that people could be 80 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:35,920 reconciled and united with God. And in the preceding chapters of 81 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,280 John, he had promised them a coming Helper, the Holy Spirit, 82 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:46,080 who guides us into the truth. And what happens when the Holy 83 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:51,600 Spirit falls and fills us? And with the first disciples of 84 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:56,560 Jesus, we saw many things happen at Pentecost after Jesus has 85 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,560 ascended to God the Father in heaven, the disciples though 86 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,960 waiting in Jerusalem for the helper who was promised and the 87 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:08,040 Holy Spirit, he, he falls on 120 believers who've been praying 88 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,920 together in the upper room. And then this is what happens. 89 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:17,040 They were given courage to proclaim the absences of God as 90 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,400 they announced his good news of the gospel in multiple 91 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,000 languages. They loved each other in a way 92 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,560 that was distinctive and puzzling. 93 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:32,080 They were united in love across economic background and status 94 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,040 and across culture, whether they were free or slave, whether they 95 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,160 were Gentile or Jew or Roman citizen or foreigners. 96 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,760 And light the way that they loved and the courage that 97 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:48,320 demonstrated that they had been brought. 98 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:53,000 They'd been brought out of darkness into Jesus's marvellous 99 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,520 light. And light spilled out of them 100 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,720 shining. As Jesus said, he is the light 101 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,680 of the world. And he'd said to his disciples, 102 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,560 you are the light of the world. And I believe that there is a 103 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:10,520 call on the church today and an encouragement for you here today 104 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:15,880 at Hope Chapel to be bold and courageous in how we love across 105 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:22,080 cultures and divides and be knitted or united together in 106 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,760 love and then shine the light of Jesus through our love. 107 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,640 Now God's bringing peoples together leads to a diverse 108 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,320 church and one that is called to mission. 109 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,880 And writing to the church in Colosi, Paul writes this. 110 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,360 My goal is that they may be encouraged in hearts and in 111 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:48,520 united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete 112 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,080 understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of 113 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:58,400 God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of 114 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,400 wisdom and knowledge. And it continues here from 115 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,960 Colossians 2 verse a onwards. It says this. 116 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,520 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and 117 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,960 deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and 118 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,800 the elemental spiritual forces of this world, rather than on 119 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,960 Christ. For in Christ all the fullness 120 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:24,680 of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have 121 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:29,760 been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power 122 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,120 and authority. Having cancelled the charge of 123 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,280 our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned 124 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:41,559 us, He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 125 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:46,000 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a 126 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,720 public spectacle of them, triumphant over them by the 127 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,640 cross. And I rejoice that there are 128 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:58,480 many vanquished debts and sins and failings and cowardice that 129 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:03,040 have tried to disqualify the people of God from fully 130 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:07,320 following his charge to share the gospel and continue our 131 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,440 lives in Christ. And now the enemy we know is 132 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:16,200 doing all he can to destroy unity, to kill love and steal 133 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,640 peace. And he might use fine sounding 134 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:23,640 arguments or hollow deceptive philosophy that depend on human 135 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:28,280 traditions. But we see Jesus who prayed for 136 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,680 his followers, including us here today. 137 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,840 He prayed for us to be brought to complete unity and he nailed 138 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:42,320 every indebtedness to the cross. Now Paul took up Jesus message 139 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,160 of being united in love. And in the ESV version of 140 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:50,160 Colossians 2 verse 3, it expresses Paul's message to his 141 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:54,040 hearers that their hearts be may be encouraged being knit 142 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:59,200 together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of 143 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:03,000 understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is 144 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,680 Christ, in whom I had done all the treasures of wisdom and 145 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:11,480 knowledge. And I believe like the Colossian 146 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:15,480 disciples, we don't need to be swayed by these false arguments 147 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:19,680 and hollow philosophies. We have the treasures of wisdom 148 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,640 and knowledge in Christ. And there is an assurance as we 149 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,480 look on him, he who destroyed these dividing walls between 150 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,480 peoples when they are called out of darkness and into his 151 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,960 glorious light. We have the assurance from Jesus 152 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:42,840 prayer that we will all be one in him and in the Father, and 153 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,200 the Father and the Son will be in US. 154 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,240 And it's a mystery of language, but what comes through is 155 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,440 communion and togetherness and closeness. 156 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,840 And now I can imagine maybe some of the first hearers of Paul's 157 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,920 letter to the Colossians. Maybe they had been grappling 158 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:07,160 with some all sorts, maybe of worthless treasures and 159 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,480 philosophies. But his call was to let them go, 160 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,240 to drop them and come into God's glorious light. 161 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:20,720 And maybe some came blinking, maybe even feeling blinded by 162 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,640 the light. But God is the one who gives 163 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:28,920 sight back to the blind, and he has no desire that his followers 164 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,600 are blinded or tripped by false promises of power or idolised 165 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,360 identity or strength of an empire. 166 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,840 Now the Gospel is not just an individual response. 167 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,680 It impacts people as groups. So when we see division between 168 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:49,120 groups and hostility between peoples, it matters. 169 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,480 And it was urgent in the Colossian Church and the Church 170 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,280 in Rome. And this is where what happens 171 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,560 in churches with regard to being united in love, where it really 172 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:05,080 matters to God and to all of us through the ages. 173 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,560 And I was thinking about, well, what about us today? 174 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,680 Unity in love is part of our gospel witness. 175 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,040 And in the UK and in Bristol, I don't think there's been a more 176 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:23,960 important time and a more urgent time for this sincere and deep 177 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:28,120 and courageous love to be proven and on display. 178 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,760 Romans 322 to 24, it says there is no difference between Jew and 179 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,760 Gentile, for all has sinned and for short of the glory of God, 180 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:44,040 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption 181 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:49,120 that came by Christ Jesus. Now I think when Paul was 182 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:53,400 writing to the church in Rome about this wonderful redemption 183 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,640 because of Jesus, he was pressing the point that God gave 184 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:02,560 them a new identity and a Kingdom to be part of because 185 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:07,200 they were now citizens of heaven and one year humanity. 186 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,160 And similarly with the Colossian church, the disciples there were 187 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:15,000 urged to have these hearts knitted together in love. 188 00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:18,120 Now Jews and Gentiles at the time, there were these two 189 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,920 desperate or these disparate groups with hundreds of years of 190 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:27,600 enmity now being made into one new community. 191 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,080 And remember, God's purpose was to create in himself one new 192 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:38,440 humanity out of the two, neither Jew nor Greek. 193 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:42,680 And that message for the believers in Roman Colosi is 194 00:13:42,680 --> 00:13:46,960 just the same for us today in Bristol and across the region 195 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:51,520 and the church in the UK. And I imagine if Paul were 196 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:56,200 writing a letter to the church in Bristol today, that's the 197 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,640 message that he would be urging us to understand, be knitted 198 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:06,800 together in love. Now, I don't know that it was 199 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:12,920 Paul's intention to his hearers of the letter to Rome, you know, 200 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,680 it might have sounded to them like a real challenge. 201 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,320 And why? Well, that's because they were 202 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,440 in, effectively, they were in the belly of the beast, the 203 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:26,600 capital Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire, which stretched 204 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:32,000 from Britain in the north down to northern parts of Africa into 205 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,760 Arabia and Mesopotamia. And it was a vast empire. 206 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:40,160 And it's interesting that the church, when it began to spread, 207 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,320 reached into all of these areas as well. 208 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:49,600 Now the Roman Empire, it, it conferred on people the status 209 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,560 of Roman citizenship across these vast tracts of the globe 210 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,160 that Roman conquered. Now you could be a Roman citizen 211 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,600 like Paul, or you could purchase your citizenship like the Roman 212 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,560 commander that he spoke with in Jerusalem. 213 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:08,160 And that's in Acts 22, verse 28. And for Roman citizens there 214 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,720 already was a form of unity enforced through Patrimana, 215 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:20,680 Roman peace, a governed peace, a subjugated, militarily enforced 216 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:26,800 peace through the unity of Rome. But the peace and unity of the 217 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:31,760 Church in Rome came from beyond empire and from a different 218 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:35,880 throne room. And all because God's love for 219 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:40,400 the world that he gave His only Son so that all might be saved 220 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,520 from sin and death and given hope and life for now and into 221 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:49,000 eternity. Jesus, the Son of God came not 222 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,120 as a conqueror, but as a suffering servant. 223 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:56,040 God with us. I know we're going to be singing 224 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,080 lots of songs over the coming weeks as we approach Christmas. 225 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:07,520 Emmanuel came as a little baby. He didn't come in force, but 226 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:11,160 through a willingness to lay down his life for the lost. 227 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:16,000 But he made himself nothing, taking the nature of a servant 228 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,800 and not considering his equality with God. 229 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,760 That was something to be used for his own advantage. 230 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,880 Philippians 27HE used it for our advantage. 231 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,840 So Jesus the Messiah, he came to the world showing the way of 232 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:37,840 love and obedience and humility. And Paul, writing to the 233 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:42,920 Ephesians, tells us that we had been now brought near because of 234 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:46,520 Christ's blood that's been shed. You know, we've just shared 235 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:52,760 communion, and we've remembered that because He is our peace, He 236 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,840 has made US1 and he has broken down the dividing wall of 237 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:00,040 hostility. It's not Pax Romana, but it's 238 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,640 Shalom, deep peace through the Prince of Peace. 239 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,680 And so for us as followers of Jesus, we've been taken out of 240 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,280 the dominion of darkness where sin and death rule. 241 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:18,200 We've been saved from that for something glorious and eternal 242 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:23,280 and filled with peace and hope. That's our hope for today. 243 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,920 And we also have our eternal destination, and that's because 244 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,800 of Jesus. So the divides have fallen away. 245 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,200 They're gone, and they are dismissed and demolished by 246 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:41,320 Jesus's final work on the cross. He is cancelled every day and 247 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,360 every charge against his followers, every sin and failure 248 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:49,000 has been nailed to the cross. And sometimes we need reminding 249 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:55,200 of that. All of mine, all of yours, those 250 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,360 of our neighbours and even those that we consider our enemies 251 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:05,080 gone. Jesus has disarmed the powers 252 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,040 and the authorities. I love that language that he 253 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,880 made a public spectacle of them, that he triumphed over them by 254 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,880 the cross. And so when it comes to being a 255 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:19,600 community of church or even various church expressions, I 256 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:24,200 think across Bristol we get to join in with displaying the 257 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:30,120 results of Jesus's triumph. Division has been disarmed by 258 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:33,760 Jesus. Our obedience and allegiance to 259 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,040 him displays the power of the cross. 260 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,840 And as Paul was writing to the church in Colesi and he spoke of 261 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,800 them being knitted together, this love for Jesus and each 262 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,600 other, it displays the outworking of the gospel. 263 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:55,400 So every time as community, you are choosing intentionally to 264 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:59,040 love one another and to love your neighbours. 265 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,280 You are at working the gospel, you are displaying the gospel, 266 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,960 and you are displaying the light of Christ. 267 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,680 Now, I don't know if you've ever walked into a room, a new room 268 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,680 or an event and looked around and you've marvelled at who was 269 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:20,120 there together, not just getting along, but actually enjoying 270 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,360 fellowship with one another. And they're displaying love and 271 00:19:24,360 --> 00:19:28,440 gratitude. I have time and again been in 272 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,280 places a fellowship. And each time it's been at a 273 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:35,560 gathering of the church. The fact that I can walk into a 274 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:41,760 community that is new to me and be greeted with warmth, a smile, 275 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,360 a hug or a handshake never gets old. 276 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,200 And I think, you know, maybe for people who pass by, people who 277 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:53,160 aren't followers of Jesus, who come through your doors, they 278 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:57,600 don't know Jesus yet, that welcome and that warmth, it 279 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,720 displays something of the gospel. 280 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,960 Now, the first time I came into a community like that, that I 281 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,000 really recall that was impressed on me. 282 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,800 It was before I became a follower of Jesus and I found 283 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,720 such a grace filled warmth and open hearted welcome. 284 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:21,200 I found it very disarming and to my suspicious mind, a bit weird. 285 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,720 And actually it was, it was actually at the church that 286 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,320 Nigel. And William and I were part of 287 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:29,920 or that I eventually became part of. 288 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,840 Now, back then, I was 19 and Nigel had invited me to church. 289 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,720 And I, I actually stomped out after 10 minutes. 290 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,960 I thought, oh, load of weirdos, I'm not going back. 291 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:41,440 I'm never going back. That's what I said. 292 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,400 Don't have to be again. And there were famous last 293 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,600 words, as you can tell, because I did go back and I started to 294 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,440 read books, and then eventually I started to read the Gospels. 295 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,640 And a few months later I'd surrendered, albeit somewhat 296 00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:03,320 reluctantly, my life to God, CS Lewis said in the Trinity term 297 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,040 of 1929. I gave in and admitted that God 298 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:12,560 was God and knelt and prayed. Perhaps that night the most 299 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:17,800 ejected and reluctant convert in All England and I had to come to 300 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,320 a point of admitting that God was God. 301 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,880 But I knew my life as it was back then was coming off the 302 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:29,840 rails and the only one who could lead me back to life was God. 303 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:32,480 And he did. And he filled my heart and my 304 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,800 soul with joy and he utterly transformed me. 305 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,560 And I couldn't stop singing. I was actually maybe a bit of an 306 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:45,160 annoying, happy new convert, but He filled my heart with life and 307 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,640 light and He gave me a future. And I found out the truth of 308 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:53,480 this beautiful exchange as described in Isaiah 61, and I'm 309 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:58,800 so glad to hear it referred to earlier, Isaiah 61, verse three. 310 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,640 God gave me the oil of joy instead of mourning and a 311 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,160 garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. 312 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:14,280 You know, when I think of how many young people are in despair 313 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:19,520 right now because I don't know Him and they don't know His 314 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:25,320 light and his love. So take this gospel message out 315 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:30,360 to the young people around you. Encourage your own young people 316 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:34,080 that they carry a light, but they probably have no idea. 317 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:40,360 But other people see it. I came to find out in a very 318 00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:44,840 real and personal way that what happened with Jesus on the cross 319 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:49,800 is central to the gospel. And I was now part of a global 320 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,120 family of disciples because of what he did. 321 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:57,800 One family united. And Auntie Wright puts it this 322 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:01,560 way. If you deny that and you deny 323 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:07,200 the central Gospel message today, we are going to have to 324 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:12,280 stand and resist and fight for the truth that we are a global 325 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:17,640 and united family of God. We are to use our delegated 326 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:22,320 authority from Jesus to challenge sin, particularly in 327 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:24,880 our own lives and in our own walk, and to speak against 328 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:31,320 division or classism or elitism or sectarianism or pride or 329 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:36,280 supremacy or racism and the way that people have been ignored or 330 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,920 rejected and belittled. God has given us the Holy Spirit 331 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:45,080 and he gives us the courage we need at this time. 332 00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:49,600 God's building his Kingdom that crosses all distinctiveness and 333 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,040 boundaries that can sometimes get in the way. 334 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:56,440 Now, Marvin Marvin Reese said that Bristol needs to work 335 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:02,760 across class and culture and race and in our current climate 336 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:08,240 in the nation and in our city, there is hope in the church. 337 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:13,560 We have incredible opportunities to display how God is doing this 338 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,480 in our day and I know he is doing it. 339 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,920 When I think of the Pentecost gathering earlier this year of 340 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,880 various inter church prayer gatherings, I think of the 25th 341 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,520 anniversary gathering that I came to here and just witnessed 342 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:33,680 the the legacy of prayer that's come out of Hope Chapel. 343 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:37,960 And it's really exciting to see as churches from unique 344 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:43,160 backgrounds and ethnic heritage partner and pray together, and 345 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,440 as our unity is knitted together in love, it spills out of the 346 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,720 church. It impacts the city and our 347 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:52,040 wider communities. But I believe that there is more 348 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,240 to come. This is just the start. 349 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,920 I imagine actually if middle class and working class churches 350 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:02,960 partnered together in ever increasing ways for the sake of 351 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:07,520 the gospel, for mission, to tell our neighbours about the Kingdom 352 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:11,120 of God and his invitation to come and follow Jesus. 353 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:16,000 And met a new friend through Jubilee Plus who came to tell us 354 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,080 about his experiences of living on a low income and being part 355 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:24,000 of a church. And this is what Mark told me. 356 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:29,040 He said there's a lot more like me coming and that's God's 357 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:31,800 heart. He wants his church full. 358 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:36,120 And he was bringing a challenge in his own way that the church 359 00:25:36,120 --> 00:25:39,440 is going to start to look different as more and more 360 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:43,280 people from the background of low income are saved and become 361 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,280 disciples of Jesus and reconciled to God. 362 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,400 And it's a wonderful statement. And, and my prayer is that 363 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,960 actually we see Mark's words come to pass. 364 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,720 The church that God is building is bringing forth leaders and 365 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,120 workers and evangelists and teachers and helpers and more 366 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,920 from all walks of life. And when I think say of working 367 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:08,920 class believers, these are the ones that are actually already 368 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,240 living in the community. They are the ones that will 369 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,440 reach their neighbours in ways that will outstrip the way that 370 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:20,840 middle class believers can reach them because they bring a story 371 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:24,920 and a testimony. And they will leapfrog, I 372 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:30,040 believe, because they know there will be something about the way 373 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,640 that they have lived their lives and then the way that God has 374 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,560 transformed them and put new life into them. 375 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:41,720 When I was around 1516, there was this massive revival that 376 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,840 ripped around the area that I used to live in in when I was 377 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,880 living in Leeds. And one of the most amazing 378 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:53,320 things was, was actually where we saw one person who was a 379 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:57,960 friend of my brother's. And back then, you know, he had 380 00:26:57,960 --> 00:26:59,760 a real reputation of being a womaniser. 381 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:04,360 OK, well I'll tell you what, God got hold of him and changed this 382 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:08,280 man's heart. I'd never seen anything like it. 383 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,320 Now, of course, people need discipling and, you know, kind 384 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:16,360 of need other believers around them and teaching them about 385 00:27:16,360 --> 00:27:19,680 God's mercy and grace. But we saw that something had 386 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,600 really happened in this young man's life and you know, he 387 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,840 became zealous for the Lord. People like him and new 388 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:32,680 believers will need discipling by other leaders and workers to 389 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:34,840 explain the gospel of grace as well. 390 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:39,640 And The thing is, this is not just a an economic issue or rich 391 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,720 versus poor or black or white issue, white British or black 392 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,560 British or brown British or people from many heritages. 393 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,360 Because unity in the church involves people of all ethnic 394 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,480 backgrounds and class and economic backgrounds. 395 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,280 And that's the English and the Welsh and the Scottish and the 396 00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:04,480 Irish too. OK, every barrier, every 397 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:09,760 distinctiveness, we can and must face this, this, this division 398 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:14,680 together, courageously. Name it, walk through it and 399 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,880 agree with Christ. We agree that He is building 1 400 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,160 new humanity. And where we need to lament, we 401 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:26,160 lament and we pray and we forgive and we repent and we let 402 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:30,040 go of sin and failures. And with courage, we repair and 403 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,800 we acknowledge and we restore and we rebuild together. 404 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,880 We have gratitude for one another and gratitude to the 405 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,200 Lord's redeeming and reconciling love. 406 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,520 I have gratitude that I can walk in here and see friends from 40 407 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:51,560 years ago or 30 years ago or 20 years ago, because wherever God 408 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:55,360 has us, we're still family and we are still on mission 409 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,320 together. And it sounds so hopeful, 410 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,160 doesn't it? And I believe that prayer is our 411 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,880 weapon in this fight. This is spiritual warfare. 412 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:09,800 We go into this with our eyes open and our spiritual armour 413 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:13,360 on. Has anyone noticed the discourse 414 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:16,600 or language around people who are coming to the UK as 415 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,240 immigrants? It's changed in recent years. 416 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,280 And actually even the language around rich and poor, how that 417 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:26,680 has changed in recent years as well. 418 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,960 We've got to be shrewd to what is happening that the enemy 419 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:35,560 comes to steal and to kill and destroy because he wants to 420 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:39,240 destroy communities and kill friendships and steal peace. 421 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,080 So I'll just ask him kind of kind of come towards an end now. 422 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:49,800 But I I want to ask you, what does your prayer look like 423 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:54,400 around this issue? I know you might decide to do 5 424 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:56,400 days of prayer or 40 days of prayer. 425 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,280 Or you might invite others to join you to ask God to shift 426 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:05,920 something in our thinking and in our circumstances maybe, and in 427 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:09,840 our actions. But we also remember what Jesus 428 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:14,840 did on the cross, what he defeated and what he disarmed, 429 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:19,320 and his prayer from John 17. We don't pray alone. 430 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,320 If you want some help with issues around racial 431 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:27,000 reconciliation and the theology of reconciliation, then please 432 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,000 do kind of come and ask. We've got loads of resources 433 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,320 from the Reconciled Church as well as this two day retreat. 434 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,840 We're holding another one next year, next June. 435 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,520 And at the Reconciled Church, we've actually been partnering 436 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,640 with churches over five years and have seen God move in 437 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:47,320 phenomenal ways, knitting people together and equipping the 438 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,200 Saints. And actually one of the most 439 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:53,880 remarkable times I remember is because we we do days of 440 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,920 ministry and theology in different parts of the UK. 441 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,560 And I remember we were in one city and actually one of the 442 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:07,120 most powerful things that we saw was with a guy who was Irish. 443 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:14,960 And he came and we talked and we prayed as God lifted shame of 444 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,160 him. Like I said, this is not just a 445 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:23,560 white and a black issue. This is about our identity in 446 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:30,520 Christ and whose we are and the fact that Christ claims us as 447 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:37,640 his daughters and as his sons. Finally, I want to leave 3 448 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,440 practical things we can do together as we build. 449 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:46,040 We can be brave and courageous in how we love across cultures 450 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:50,040 and divides. Ask God to show you who you 451 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:51,600 could meet from another background. 452 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,440 Who are you going to meet for tea or a coffee? 453 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,120 Being knitted together and united in love. 454 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:05,000 Who after this service can you ask? 455 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:13,400 How can you pray for them? Shine the light of Jesus, tell 456 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,240 the testimonies of God's bringing people together, of his 457 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,120 faithfulness. And now the Holy Spirit is 458 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:25,000 building a new community in Bristol because this builds 459 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,800 faith in the hearers and it glorifies God. 460 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:35,320 So take one practical step today into being knitted to another 461 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:40,040 person. I'd love us to kind of like make 462 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:45,920 some time together now to pray. Chris, I just a final 463 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,280 encouragement. Let's not miss out on what God 464 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:52,440 is building in our midst. We are here to bring ourselves 465 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:56,040 into agreement with him and all that Christ has done on the 466 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,240 cross. Let our love of Christ compel us 467 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:02,920 to love one another, to be knitted together, be filled with 468 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,640 courage. You know, when I was leading 469 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:10,080 beloved, I had to pray. Lord, make me brave, make me 470 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:11,840 brave. And he did. 471 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,840 And let's pray together for the Lord to do more of that and to 472 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:19,960 pour out his Spirit afresh on us now. 473 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:24,560 Thank you. Let's let's pray together and 474 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,440 see what God will do Thank you.