1 00:00:00,470 --> 00:00:03,540 Once you turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians Chapter 1. 2 00:00:03,850 --> 00:00:06,800 Philippians 1. Paul's letter to the church in 3 00:00:06,810 --> 00:00:11,120 Philippi. If you have seen the movie 4 00:00:11,130 --> 00:00:14,760 Braveheart, a very famous quote Every man dies. 5 00:00:15,170 --> 00:00:21,640 Not every man really lives. Words of William Wallace, who 6 00:00:21,650 --> 00:00:24,880 led the Scottish resistance against King Edward the First to 7 00:00:24,890 --> 00:00:28,760 free Scotland from English rule. This man lived with a purpose. 8 00:00:29,430 --> 00:00:31,960 He sensed that he had a very high calling. 9 00:00:31,970 --> 00:00:35,660 And each one of us, do you realize that we have a high 10 00:00:35,670 --> 00:00:39,270 calling? We have each one of us has a 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,670 high calling. Erwin McManus probably just kind 12 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,810 of an off quote of William Wallace, but he said the real 13 00:00:44,820 --> 00:00:49,190 tragedy is not that we might die young, but that we might live to 14 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:54,280 old age and not truly live. Are you truly living? 15 00:00:55,270 --> 00:00:59,730 Are you living the life that God has intended for us? 16 00:00:59,740 --> 00:01:02,590 How would you define that? How do you how would you define 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,020 hey, this is really living. You know, you see the cake 18 00:01:06,030 --> 00:01:09,750 commercials of people smiling around nice food and everything 19 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,050 is a good good time with friends. 20 00:01:11,060 --> 00:01:13,550 That's a good thing. Maybe it's travel. 21 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,130 I wanna go go around the world, see the world. 22 00:01:15,140 --> 00:01:17,240 I mean that's you know, that's really living. 23 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,710 Skydiving, anybody in skydiving like super massive big 24 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,380 adventure. That's truly living and all 25 00:01:23,390 --> 00:01:26,430 those things part of life. While not probably for everybody 26 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:32,380 skydiving, but what the Bible defines as truly living is 27 00:01:32,390 --> 00:01:36,450 giving ourselves over to a higher purpose, God's higher 28 00:01:36,460 --> 00:01:39,790 purpose for each one of us. And He has a purpose for you. 29 00:01:39,830 --> 00:01:42,790 And there's a reason why you're sitting in the seat today to be 30 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:48,730 hearing a message like this. You and I have been invited into 31 00:01:48,780 --> 00:01:53,870 His church, which is His primary operating arm, for bringing His 32 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:59,100 grace into the world and to multiply His goodness, to spread 33 00:01:59,110 --> 00:02:02,760 His goodness everywhere. That He as the, the, the great, 34 00:02:02,770 --> 00:02:07,920 the holy and righteous, just and merciful kind God would be seen 35 00:02:08,430 --> 00:02:11,740 in us and through us and that others would enter into that 36 00:02:11,750 --> 00:02:14,480 friendship with Him as well. Every single one of us. 37 00:02:14,650 --> 00:02:17,550 We received new members or new ministry partners today. 38 00:02:19,510 --> 00:02:23,340 That is a step forward in saying I want to embrace a higher 39 00:02:23,350 --> 00:02:26,500 purpose. I want to link arms with others 40 00:02:26,510 --> 00:02:29,720 in joining the mission of Jesus in a very intentional way. 41 00:02:29,730 --> 00:02:31,920 And we might say, OK, great. You know, this new ministry 42 00:02:31,930 --> 00:02:34,230 partners, good for them. That's good, good for them. 43 00:02:34,870 --> 00:02:38,620 But we need to realize it's good for us, it's good for everybody 44 00:02:38,630 --> 00:02:41,120 that this happens. And so today I just wanna just 45 00:02:41,130 --> 00:02:44,320 briefly talk about why that is the case. 46 00:02:44,390 --> 00:02:49,560 Why is it so significant and why should we be celebrating an 47 00:02:49,570 --> 00:02:53,130 event like this? So Father, in the name of Jesus, 48 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,770 we come to worship you this morning. 49 00:02:56,780 --> 00:03:01,110 And Lord, as we open your word, we just recognize that this is a 50 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,950 living word, living and active, sharper than any double edged 51 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,760 sword, even inviting soul and spirit, joints and marrow, 52 00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:12,330 exposing the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. 53 00:03:12,340 --> 00:03:15,310 Lord, we thank you for this glorious, powerful word. 54 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,950 Lord, may it minister to us, comfort us, confront us, hold 55 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:25,380 us, and send us. For the glory of your great name 56 00:03:25,390 --> 00:03:28,850 we pray. Amen Philippians chapter 1. 57 00:03:28,860 --> 00:03:31,530 We're just gonna read the first 6 verses here. 58 00:03:33,530 --> 00:03:37,170 Everybody with me. Here we go, Paul and Timothy, 59 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,690 servants of Christ Jesus to all God's holy people in Christ 60 00:03:41,700 --> 00:03:45,370 Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. 61 00:03:45,620 --> 00:03:49,270 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 62 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,030 Christ. I thank my God every time I 63 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,750 remember you and all my prayers for all of you. 64 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,990 I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the 65 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:03,370 gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this 66 00:04:03,380 --> 00:04:06,870 that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to 67 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,210 completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 68 00:04:12,630 --> 00:04:14,940 Amazing letter. I encourage you to read the rest 69 00:04:14,950 --> 00:04:17,240 of the letter maybe later this afternoon. 70 00:04:17,250 --> 00:04:18,940 But just a few things to point out. 71 00:04:18,990 --> 00:04:23,010 So Paul and Timothy, Paul, Paul is the one that's writing this 72 00:04:23,020 --> 00:04:24,880 letter and we know that as we walk through it. 73 00:04:24,890 --> 00:04:27,850 It's just you know, he is he is referring to himself writing 74 00:04:27,860 --> 00:04:31,180 this letter. Timothy is his obviously his 75 00:04:31,190 --> 00:04:34,690 colleague and ministry, a fellow partner in ministry and he was 76 00:04:34,700 --> 00:04:37,920 actually with him when the Church of Philippi was birthed. 77 00:04:38,150 --> 00:04:41,320 And so the people of Philippi would know Timothy, now 78 00:04:41,330 --> 00:04:49,090 Philippi, the church started in this secular city really with 79 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,850 the, the, the first conversion, which was Lydia, from what we 80 00:04:52,860 --> 00:04:55,750 understand. So Lydia was a, a businesswoman, 81 00:04:56,110 --> 00:05:00,180 a seller of, of purple cloth. And she came to Christ and she 82 00:05:00,190 --> 00:05:02,820 was quite wealthy and she actually had a home big enough 83 00:05:02,830 --> 00:05:05,310 to house many people. So a lot church services were 84 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,550 happening in her house. So she was, she was the first 85 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,570 convert. The Lord opened up her heart. 86 00:05:10,130 --> 00:05:13,190 The second, from what we know, at least what's described in 87 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:18,800 Acts chapter 16, is a fortune teller who was possessed by 88 00:05:18,810 --> 00:05:25,000 demons and Paul cast the demons out of her and she becomes a 89 00:05:25,010 --> 00:05:27,440 believer. And this actually lands Paul and 90 00:05:27,450 --> 00:05:30,870 Silas in jail. And then the next believer, the 91 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,660 next person in Philippi that we understand has come to Christ, 92 00:05:33,750 --> 00:05:39,080 is the jailer who kneels before Paul after seeing an incredible 93 00:05:39,090 --> 00:05:41,640 miracle and just says, what must I do to be saved? 94 00:05:41,870 --> 00:05:45,320 And so these are the very people the of the kind of the founding 95 00:05:45,330 --> 00:05:48,300 members of the church that Paul's writing to in Philippot. 96 00:05:48,310 --> 00:05:51,520 It's kind of the beginning. And so these people mean an 97 00:05:51,590 --> 00:05:55,020 awful lot to Paul. And so he's writing this letter 98 00:05:55,030 --> 00:05:59,020 to them. And, you know, he starts off by 99 00:05:59,030 --> 00:06:02,030 saying verse in verse three, I thank my God every time I 100 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,240 remember you in all my prayers for all of you. 101 00:06:05,250 --> 00:06:08,580 I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the 102 00:06:08,590 --> 00:06:12,320 gospel from the 1st until now. We need to realize, like, we 103 00:06:12,330 --> 00:06:14,350 read these words. Yeah, that that's really nice. 104 00:06:14,450 --> 00:06:17,700 Paul's in prison. He's in chains. 105 00:06:17,830 --> 00:06:21,480 And it's not just these serving a little bit of time like his 106 00:06:21,530 --> 00:06:25,100 he, he realizes his he's likely gonna be executed. 107 00:06:26,450 --> 00:06:30,510 He ain't going home after jail. And what is he doing? 108 00:06:31,230 --> 00:06:34,150 He's not adopting a poor me attitude. 109 00:06:34,350 --> 00:06:37,790 It's not like oht, you know. Why is God doing this to me? 110 00:06:39,130 --> 00:06:41,010 Nothing like that. He hasn't turned inward. 111 00:06:41,020 --> 00:06:43,920 He's not angry, He's not bitter. He is thankful. 112 00:06:44,490 --> 00:06:48,050 I thank my God and he's praying for these people. 113 00:06:48,060 --> 00:06:51,390 He's writing a letter right now. He's ready to face his death, 114 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,610 but he's writing a letter to encourage other believers. 115 00:06:54,660 --> 00:06:59,570 Like seriously, this is amazing to me that that is a sign of the 116 00:06:59,580 --> 00:07:07,300 grace of God in this man. His joy has come to him as a 117 00:07:07,310 --> 00:07:11,740 result of his giving his life over to a higher purpose, the 118 00:07:11,750 --> 00:07:15,640 Gospel, verse 12. He says, no, I want you to know, 119 00:07:15,650 --> 00:07:17,180 brothers. Here he is coming and 120 00:07:17,190 --> 00:07:19,020 encouraging them. Like I want you to know, 121 00:07:19,030 --> 00:07:22,860 brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually 122 00:07:22,870 --> 00:07:27,540 served to advance the gospel. He, he finds himself in jail and 123 00:07:27,550 --> 00:07:31,980 he sees this as an opportunity because he has been redeemed by 124 00:07:31,990 --> 00:07:34,270 grace. He knows the love of God and he 125 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,900 knows that that God is using him as a conduit of his love to, to 126 00:07:38,910 --> 00:07:40,340 to bring the gospel to other people. 127 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,750 And he's thinking this is just part of part of God's plan. 128 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,990 Now we all end up in places, hey, that we would rather not be 129 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,010 from time to time, right? We're in dead end jobs that we 130 00:07:52,020 --> 00:07:54,840 can't stand, right? We we're in schools that we 131 00:07:54,850 --> 00:07:57,300 don't feel like we fit into. You know, we're in families that 132 00:07:57,310 --> 00:07:59,040 we don't feel like we can handle very well. 133 00:07:59,170 --> 00:08:03,040 We're in hospital rooms that for weeks. 134 00:08:03,110 --> 00:08:05,830 And Peter, it is so good to see you here. 135 00:08:06,650 --> 00:08:09,520 You know, seeing Peter in the hospital, who's been there, Like 136 00:08:09,530 --> 00:08:13,790 how many weeks has it been now? Yeah, for I think is that I 137 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:15,340 think it isn't even. Is it for? 138 00:08:17,030 --> 00:08:21,380 Yeah, yeah, OK. Yeah, a lot of time. 139 00:08:21,390 --> 00:08:23,420 And so Peter in the hospital, right? 140 00:08:24,490 --> 00:08:26,700 What do you do in a hospital room all by yourself? 141 00:08:26,710 --> 00:08:29,080 They're all private rooms now in Grimsby Hospital. 142 00:08:29,090 --> 00:08:33,450 Beautiful hospital, but he's praying for the hospital staff 143 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,760 and he's sharing the gospel with people that come into his room, 144 00:08:37,380 --> 00:08:41,090 seeing that as an opportunity. OK, I would rather not be on my 145 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:45,880 back in a hospital room. But now that I am, and I have a 146 00:08:45,890 --> 00:08:50,500 great God who has carried me thus far, I'm gonna share him 147 00:08:50,510 --> 00:08:52,030 with other people. He sees an opportunity. 148 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,700 This is this is the apostle Paul in this letter. 149 00:08:54,770 --> 00:08:57,950 This is this is gonna I'm gonna take this opportunity to bring 150 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:03,020 the gospel to other people. Recognises the sovereign God is 151 00:09:03,030 --> 00:09:06,550 in charge of all of this stuff. His joy. 152 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:12,290 It's like he's writing this letter and saying, hey, guys, I 153 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:15,940 love you and I so appreciate you. 154 00:09:16,190 --> 00:09:19,730 And it is a privilege to serve alongside of you like that. 155 00:09:19,740 --> 00:09:24,170 You could see that these, they weren't just, you know, these 156 00:09:24,180 --> 00:09:27,210 were friends in Jesus Christ. And that's what the church is 157 00:09:27,220 --> 00:09:32,650 meant, meant to be. And that joy he describes comes 158 00:09:32,660 --> 00:09:36,450 out of the partnership that they have in the gospel. 159 00:09:37,170 --> 00:09:41,930 I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the 160 00:09:41,940 --> 00:09:45,850 gospel, that word partnership. It's a business term, right? 161 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,030 Partners will, will, will, will come together and and form a 162 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:53,790 business and do business. But that word partnership it 163 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,910 it's the translation of the word Koinonia. 164 00:09:56,980 --> 00:09:59,710 And so if you've been in church circles for some time, you know 165 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,050 that word coin ania is typically translated fellowship, right? 166 00:10:03,060 --> 00:10:07,090 We think of fellowship, but fellowship is has become a 167 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:10,030 little bit more of a kind of kind of an empty term today. 168 00:10:10,180 --> 00:10:12,360 Because what Paul's talking about is, you know, sometimes we 169 00:10:12,370 --> 00:10:15,010 think of fellowship as, you know, the warm fuzzy feeling 170 00:10:15,020 --> 00:10:17,250 that we get when we're all kind of all, you know, kind of 171 00:10:17,260 --> 00:10:19,650 enjoying one another's company and enjoying one of those 172 00:10:19,660 --> 00:10:21,610 company in church. That's that's a pretty big deal. 173 00:10:21,620 --> 00:10:24,600 It's important that we doing that, but it's far more than 174 00:10:24,610 --> 00:10:26,310 that. There's a joy that comes when we 175 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:30,510 know that we're linking arms and doing something of great 176 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:34,210 significance. And Paul? 177 00:10:34,950 --> 00:10:39,620 Paul knows that participating together to make the gospel 178 00:10:39,630 --> 00:10:43,430 known, New international version translates, Koinonia 179 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:48,650 partnership, ESV partnership, even the living translation. 180 00:10:48,940 --> 00:10:54,540 New Living Translation Was it safe that we're partners in 181 00:10:54,550 --> 00:11:01,660 spreading the good news about about Christ, the high purpose, 182 00:11:01,990 --> 00:11:06,600 getting the gospel out and when we think about the gospel and 183 00:11:06,610 --> 00:11:08,860 that word is sometimes a buzzword for people, right? 184 00:11:08,870 --> 00:11:11,280 What do we mean by gospel? It's not just like a body of 185 00:11:11,290 --> 00:11:13,680 teaching. It's not like there's certain 186 00:11:13,690 --> 00:11:16,770 style of music. It's a person and his name is 187 00:11:16,780 --> 00:11:22,840 Jesus Christ and he has come in order that we as enemies of God 188 00:11:22,850 --> 00:11:28,380 just by nature are now now can become friends that we in our 189 00:11:28,390 --> 00:11:32,260 rebellion and our pride and our resistance toward God almost 190 00:11:32,270 --> 00:11:35,520 every minute of the day, ignoring him, forgetting him, 191 00:11:35,530 --> 00:11:40,490 doing our own thing. He comes to us with love and 192 00:11:40,500 --> 00:11:46,350 compassion and embraces us and he takes these nails in his 193 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,950 hands and becomes the substitute in our place for what we deserve 194 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:55,950 for us in and then dies that incredibly awful death and is 195 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,970 raised to life so that you and I can have life that no 196 00:11:58,980 --> 00:12:02,300 condemnation would ever be placed on us again. 197 00:12:03,330 --> 00:12:07,000 All of our sins forgiven, completely washed clean, and we 198 00:12:07,010 --> 00:12:11,680 can now walk in friendship with the living God all the days. 199 00:12:11,690 --> 00:12:14,100 I mean, it's incredible. And now empowered by His Holy 200 00:12:14,110 --> 00:12:17,920 Spirit, Pentecost Sunday, powered by His Holy Spirit to go 201 00:12:17,930 --> 00:12:21,760 out and just spread this good news, this proclamation of how 202 00:12:21,770 --> 00:12:26,660 good, incredibly good God is. That is the gospel to proclaim. 203 00:12:27,150 --> 00:12:32,410 And this is what life is about, you know, Jesus said in in 204 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,370 Matthew chapter 8. He said For whoever wants to 205 00:12:35,380 --> 00:12:40,790 save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for 206 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,190 me and for the gospel will save it. 207 00:12:45,610 --> 00:12:51,300 We are meant to make sacrifices to get the gospel out, to enjoy 208 00:12:51,310 --> 00:12:54,060 it ourselves, but not just to hold it in ourselves, but to get 209 00:12:54,070 --> 00:12:59,270 it to everybody that we know. And we come together on a Sunday 210 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,860 morning just to remind ourselves of this incredible good news, to 211 00:13:02,870 --> 00:13:08,530 remind ourselves why we're here, what life is about, and to, to, 212 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:14,500 to, to be reminded about how we can fully live, as William 213 00:13:14,510 --> 00:13:22,090 Wallace might put it. And part of the amazing 214 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:26,090 privilege that we have together is to spur one another on in the 215 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:28,800 gospel, to speak the gospel to one another. 216 00:13:28,810 --> 00:13:30,520 I need to hear the gospel every day. 217 00:13:30,830 --> 00:13:32,640 It's not just the day that I was, I was saved. 218 00:13:32,650 --> 00:13:35,320 I need to hear it every day. The love that God has for me 219 00:13:35,330 --> 00:13:37,300 when I blow it and I blow it off. 220 00:13:37,310 --> 00:13:41,870 And just to know, John, you're loved, you're forgiven. 221 00:13:42,340 --> 00:13:44,680 There is no longer any condemnation on you. 222 00:13:45,650 --> 00:13:47,760 And in fact, you've got the righteousness of I need. 223 00:13:47,770 --> 00:13:49,400 I need to hear that. We need to hear that. 224 00:13:49,410 --> 00:13:52,510 We need to speak the truth of the gospel to one another, to 225 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,550 encourage one another. And not just to fellow 226 00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:01,410 believers, but also to coworkers and neighbors and schoolmates 227 00:14:01,420 --> 00:14:05,210 and the people that we come in contact with rub shoulders with 228 00:14:05,420 --> 00:14:09,630 every day, getting the gospel into us and getting the gospel 229 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:15,020 out to the world. And that is how verse 6 happens, 230 00:14:17,010 --> 00:14:20,140 that you know, he says that confident of this, that he who 231 00:14:20,150 --> 00:14:23,200 began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until 232 00:14:23,210 --> 00:14:25,640 the day of Christ Jesus. It is a work of God. 233 00:14:25,650 --> 00:14:30,580 As we let the gospel marinate in our souls, God is completing 234 00:14:30,650 --> 00:14:37,430 that work, good work in us that he began his beautiful Philemon 235 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:40,300 6 super small letters, the smallest letter in the New 236 00:14:40,310 --> 00:14:44,610 Testament, powerful verse, verse 6, it says, I pray this is Paul 237 00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:48,470 saying, I pray that your partnership with us in the faith 238 00:14:48,540 --> 00:14:51,410 may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good 239 00:14:51,420 --> 00:14:53,640 thing we share for the sake of Christ. 240 00:14:54,450 --> 00:14:59,640 As we partner in the faith partnership of the gospel, as we 241 00:14:59,650 --> 00:15:03,540 take that seriously, we're gonna understand more fully every good 242 00:15:03,550 --> 00:15:06,490 thing that we have in Christ. It's a beautiful thing. 243 00:15:06,700 --> 00:15:11,540 It's a beautiful thing that happens and that's why we no 244 00:15:11,550 --> 00:15:13,680 longer will. I shouldn't say we no longer, 245 00:15:13,730 --> 00:15:18,400 but we tend to not use the word membership as much anymore 246 00:15:18,450 --> 00:15:21,440 because there, even though it's a bit, actually it's a biblical 247 00:15:21,450 --> 00:15:22,960 term. It came from Scripture 248 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:25,990 membership to us today. Because you can be a member of 249 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,180 the fitness club, you can be a member of, you know, whatever it 250 00:15:28,190 --> 00:15:30,970 might be, it's kind of lost its bite. 251 00:15:32,490 --> 00:15:36,460 Membership in the body of Christ means that you're a vital part. 252 00:15:36,650 --> 00:15:38,680 It is. You're a critical piece in this 253 00:15:38,690 --> 00:15:41,160 family. And but partnership with 254 00:15:41,170 --> 00:15:43,180 partnership communicate is something that we all know. 255 00:15:43,230 --> 00:15:47,750 Yeah, we're we're joining together in a venture in order 256 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,050 to bring about something that God is doing. 257 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,300 And there's an engagement aspect. 258 00:15:53,310 --> 00:15:54,990 Member is a little bit more static. 259 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,150 It's a little bit OK, sit back and remember everything's 260 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,000 alright. Partnership is know there's 261 00:15:59,010 --> 00:16:01,930 something that needs to be done and we're called to do this 262 00:16:02,700 --> 00:16:05,810 together. So we are certainly members, but 263 00:16:06,180 --> 00:16:08,320 we like to call it ministry partners. 264 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:13,050 And when we get that idea in our mind that we are partnering with 265 00:16:13,060 --> 00:16:17,170 the living God in our lives, that's when life gets exciting, 266 00:16:17,220 --> 00:16:19,700 right? Because it's not all up to me. 267 00:16:19,710 --> 00:16:21,550 God's up to something in this world. 268 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:26,780 And when we when we understand that and walk with Him and hear 269 00:16:26,790 --> 00:16:29,700 the voice of the Holy Spirit and, and, and respond to his 270 00:16:29,710 --> 00:16:33,960 prompting, we can be used of Him to do world changing things. 271 00:16:35,070 --> 00:16:38,560 That's when life gets excited. So receiving new ministry 272 00:16:38,570 --> 00:16:41,540 partners, it's a big deal. It is a super big deal. 273 00:16:41,550 --> 00:16:44,880 It's not just a liturgy. It's not like a denominational 274 00:16:44,890 --> 00:16:48,010 or ecclesiastical, you know, format or procedure that we're 275 00:16:48,020 --> 00:16:51,370 doing. It is a celebration that a shift 276 00:16:51,380 --> 00:16:55,920 is taking place in these people, that there's been movement in 277 00:16:55,930 --> 00:16:58,780 their life. Like to talk about it in this 278 00:16:58,790 --> 00:17:02,170 way. All of us start as consumers. 279 00:17:03,030 --> 00:17:05,319 All of us are there. It's kind of like I'm coming to 280 00:17:05,329 --> 00:17:07,900 church to get something out of church. 281 00:17:07,970 --> 00:17:13,220 I'm a consumer and but we're not meant to stay there. 282 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,950 There's a movement when we become moved from a consumer to 283 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,530 a contributor and a contributor saying I'm gonna actually give 284 00:17:22,540 --> 00:17:26,410 something of myself to this cause usually there's some 285 00:17:26,420 --> 00:17:29,930 extreme limits on what I give, but I'm gonna give something. 286 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,270 But then there's a movement to that requires a bit more 287 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,450 sacrifice, and that's what I would call a collaborator, which 288 00:17:38,460 --> 00:17:42,700 is what a ministry partner really is, is that I am now 289 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,610 joining with others in moving this mission forward. 290 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:48,950 And I'm willing to make some sacrifices for this. 291 00:17:50,820 --> 00:17:53,060 We're gonna work together toward a common goal. 292 00:17:53,100 --> 00:17:57,890 I'm gonna be an active part in shaping this ministry and as 293 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:00,090 well, moving this ministry forward. 294 00:18:00,260 --> 00:18:03,850 So it's not so much, hey, good for them, but it's good for all 295 00:18:03,860 --> 00:18:08,030 of us that we have people that are committed to seeing a local 296 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,310 church thrive. That's what partnership in 297 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:14,300 ministry is really all about. So, yeah, there's sacrifices to 298 00:18:14,310 --> 00:18:17,900 becoming a ministry partner. There is, but man, when you look 299 00:18:17,910 --> 00:18:21,620 at the words of Jesus, I mean what, what did he say? 300 00:18:21,630 --> 00:18:24,220 I mean, I, I quoted from Mark 8. Let's just read the verse just 301 00:18:24,230 --> 00:18:28,040 before that, Mark 834. Whoever wants to be my disciple 302 00:18:28,410 --> 00:18:32,600 must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 303 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,830 So in other words, the calling is not to be comfortable. 304 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,810 We're invited to fit our lives into his mission. 305 00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:43,330 Not OK, Jesus, I'm gonna somehow fit you into my life. 306 00:18:43,340 --> 00:18:47,490 But no, your life is everything, and I'm gonna fit my life into 307 00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:50,600 yours. For whoever wants to save their 308 00:18:50,610 --> 00:18:54,740 life, that is hold on to conserve their life, will lose 309 00:18:54,750 --> 00:18:57,630 it. But whoever loses their life for 310 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,900 me and for the gospel, we'll save it. 311 00:19:01,950 --> 00:19:08,580 The Church of Jesus Christ is calling the world with this 312 00:19:08,590 --> 00:19:13,410 invitation of Jesus. Come follow me, come follow me. 313 00:19:13,660 --> 00:19:17,650 Let's change the world together. Let's bring the good news to 314 00:19:17,660 --> 00:19:26,590 every part of this planet. So what does that look like? 315 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,350 We call it just refer to it as abiding, loving and bearing 316 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:32,560 fruit. You know, there there's there's 317 00:19:32,570 --> 00:19:34,880 a there's a basic commitment to growing. 318 00:19:34,890 --> 00:19:38,360 I wanna grow in my love for God. I wanna grow in my love for 319 00:19:38,370 --> 00:19:42,140 people and I wanna grow in being a better disciple maker. 320 00:19:42,570 --> 00:19:44,960 That commitment. There's it's not a standard in 321 00:19:44,970 --> 00:19:47,880 that you have to meet. It's just saying, my heart is 322 00:19:47,890 --> 00:19:50,160 such that I want to get better at this. 323 00:19:50,940 --> 00:19:54,160 I wanna love God more deeply. I wanna love people better. 324 00:19:54,170 --> 00:19:57,650 I wanna, I wanna learn how to serve better other people, and I 325 00:19:57,660 --> 00:20:01,790 wanna get better at multiplying disciples on this earth. 326 00:20:01,980 --> 00:20:04,530 None of us are pros at this. Even those of us are getting 327 00:20:04,540 --> 00:20:06,270 paid for it. We're not. 328 00:20:06,460 --> 00:20:08,650 We're all learners, right? That's what a disciple is, a 329 00:20:08,660 --> 00:20:11,830 learner. It's all about moving forward, 330 00:20:12,380 --> 00:20:15,230 moving forward, moving forward. So I want to invite everybody to 331 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:20,170 stand if you, if you would, as we close this series off 332 00:20:20,180 --> 00:20:26,040 multiplication series, it's I think it's important for us just 333 00:20:26,050 --> 00:20:28,350 to recognize the sovereignty of God in all things. 334 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:32,130 This is Pentecost Sunday. This is this is this, you know, 335 00:20:32,140 --> 00:20:36,960 50 days after Easter and and it's a it's the moment that the 336 00:20:37,070 --> 00:20:41,860 the Jesus sends his Holy Spirit, his Holy Spirit is poured out 337 00:20:42,630 --> 00:20:47,570 onto the church and the church receives these tongues of fire, 338 00:20:47,580 --> 00:20:51,280 which enables them to communicate the gospel in every 339 00:20:51,290 --> 00:20:54,240 language that was represented in the city at that time. 340 00:20:56,070 --> 00:21:02,500 And I would just wanna pray for us that the, the, the Holy 341 00:21:02,510 --> 00:21:07,450 Spirit would be poured on, on, on us so, so beautifully, so 342 00:21:07,460 --> 00:21:11,810 powerfully that we'll, we'll have a new fresh boldness and a 343 00:21:11,820 --> 00:21:16,230 capacity to, to clearly share the, the good news with the 344 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:18,610 people that were that we, that we love. 345 00:21:18,660 --> 00:21:22,650 And sometimes we feel that we can't, we can't just say the 346 00:21:22,660 --> 00:21:26,300 name Jesus, right? And to do it in a natural way, 347 00:21:26,350 --> 00:21:29,300 not a religious way, but as as an act of love. 348 00:21:29,310 --> 00:21:32,240 And so if you would just you don't have to close your eyes, 349 00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:36,770 but if you could feel free to close your eyes with me and, 350 00:21:36,940 --> 00:21:39,630 and, and pray this prayer. I just just one verse Acts 351 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:43,630 chapter 4 and of Acts chapter 4. After they prayed, the place 352 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,530 where they were meeting was shaken and they were all filled 353 00:21:47,540 --> 00:21:51,060 with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 354 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:56,300 Lord, we thank you that you are the same God who did that in 355 00:21:56,310 --> 00:22:00,070 that 1st century church is the God that we're worshipping now. 356 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,330 And we turn to you, Lord, the close of this series. 357 00:22:03,340 --> 00:22:05,800 And thank you for the things that we've learned. 358 00:22:05,860 --> 00:22:09,150 Thank you for the great things that you have done and the great 359 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:13,450 things that you promised to do. And we open ourselves up to you, 360 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,710 nothing else but you, more of you in our life. 361 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,810 Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray, pour out your Holy 362 00:22:21,820 --> 00:22:23,550 Spirit. Holy Spirit, you are most 363 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:27,780 welcome here. Lord, enter in power. 364 00:22:27,790 --> 00:22:32,340 Every open heart this morning fill us that we could reflect 365 00:22:32,350 --> 00:22:36,090 Jesus better. Lord, as individuals and as a 366 00:22:36,100 --> 00:22:42,190 church family, help us enable us to communicate Your Word with 367 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:47,150 clarity and with boldness, and we ask that many would come to 368 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,610 faith as a result of it. Thank you for hearing our 369 00:22:50,620 --> 00:22:55,410 prayer, Lord, for we all pray it in the name of Jesus Christ and 370 00:22:55,420 --> 00:22:57,440 all God's people say Amen.