1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,480 Hey, welcome to the City Point Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,280 Thanks for joining us. Every day is an opportunity to 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,280 take hold of. So we hope this message inspires 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,560 you and build your faith that it helps you have more of a God 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,880 perspective for your day. Enjoy. 6 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,840 Always say it's great to come back, good to be invited the 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:23,920 first time, even better to be invited back. 8 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:28,440 So thank you, pastors, for opening the platform to us. 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,160 It's so, so, so good. You know, I drove in the 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:36,760 driveway this morning and Terry mentioned, saw the big sign on 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,840 the, on the, on the, on the banner out there City Point 12 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:47,200 Church where you matter. What a great thought, What a 13 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:48,600 great thought. You know, the world doesn't 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,080 always tell us that we matter, but I just want to speak into 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,400 that a little bit this morning. So thank you for painting that 16 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,000 up there this for me this week just as I drove in where you 17 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,160 matter. How many people you know your 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,600 pastor up here this morning. We use the word transformation 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,160 about a dozen times. I think I was trying to count 20 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:10,960 them. How many know that's the journey 21 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:15,760 that God's got us on when we when we come to know Jesus over 22 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,520 40 years for me and I'm still being transformed. 23 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,280 Anybody graduated from the school of transformation yet? 24 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,760 I mean, God always is doing that next step in our lives, isn't 25 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,400 he? But but you know, I, I, I just 26 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,360 pray this morning you'd stay maybe open to some thoughts that 27 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:39,320 God could transform some thinking in our our lives today. 28 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,720 I, I've read the Bible a lot and I'm amazed that every time I 29 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,160 pick it up, there's something new to learn about what God 30 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:51,880 wants to do in our lives. Hey, how many know that the 31 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:58,240 greatest thing God could ever do for our lives is to reveal Jesus 32 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,640 to us to save us? How many? 33 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,360 Maybe you're in this place today and you don't know Jesus. 34 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,160 I pray that by the end of this service you and Jesus are 35 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,640 connected in a life giving relationship because of what He 36 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:14,640 has done for you. He did that for me. 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,000 He did it 2000 years ago. I experienced it about 40 years 38 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:24,400 ago and I still never cease to be amazed at the magnitude. 39 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,200 If He could save me, He can save you. 40 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,920 How many people are grateful for your salvation? 41 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:36,400 Such a great salvation. Never let it, never let the, 42 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,240 the, the, the impact of that leave you. 43 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:47,840 You know who deserved it, who did anything to earn it. 44 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:51,920 Not one of us. The wonder of God. 45 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:57,160 How many know that if he did nothing else for us, saving us 46 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,120 would have been abundantly more than we ever could have asked 47 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,240 for, ever could have thought for, ever could have deserved. 48 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,480 But this morning I want to share some thoughts with you that will 49 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,960 show you that he did more than just save you. 50 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,480 He did abundantly more than just save you. 51 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:26,400 He called you, he could. You know, I'm not saved just for 52 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,960 heaven. I'm called to make a difference 53 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,320 on the planet here. I'm called he, he, you know I, I 54 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,400 walked in this morning. You know, I'm well, there's a 55 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,680 lot of reasons. I'm in my happy place, but I 56 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,000 walked in this morning. As I walked through the door, I 57 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,400 saw this couple that Dan and Anne O'farrell over there. 58 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:48,720 I don't know if you've met them yet. 59 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,600 We go back a long way. Hey out. 60 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,720 We got the same haircut. I mean, we go back a lot yet. 61 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:02,240 Dan and I served in ministry for a long time together a long time 62 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,440 ago. And here's the thing. 63 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,680 Here's my point about mentioning that the Kingdom of God is so 64 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:15,200 rich because of the people that God has connected us to. 65 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,600 If it wasn't for Jesus, I never would have met then. 66 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,000 And then if it wasn't for Jesus, I never would have met Brian 67 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,440 Mel. If it wasn't for Jesus bringing 68 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:30,000 me not only into his Kingdom, but to be part of his body, that 69 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,760 we would be part, you know that you're not here. 70 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,120 And the reason I started to say this morning that you matter is 71 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,840 you're not here by accident. God didn't only bring you into 72 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:43,360 the Kingdom for heaven, He brought you into the Kingdom 73 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,760 into his body for purpose in this age. 74 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,800 Who's with me this morning? There are things on your life 75 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:56,880 that God has brought you into his body to function in. 76 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,040 And I want to share a little bit about that this morning. 77 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,400 I've got a clip. I'm going to show you a clip, 78 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:03,760 right? I watched too many movies. 79 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,240 And when I watched this one a little while ago, it just spoke 80 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,160 to me. And there's a, there's a line in 81 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,280 it that I want you to maybe try and pick up on where I might be 82 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:15,560 going this morning. But I'll give you a little bit 83 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,520 of a background to this clip. It's a movie called The Boys in 84 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,000 the Boat. Anybody ever heard of the movie? 85 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,080 None of you. There's not one up the back. 86 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,560 There's heard heard of the movie. 87 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:26,440 No one has ever really heard of the movie. 88 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,800 It didn't didn't make any big box office hits. 89 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,720 But here's the deal. It's the story of a rowing crew 90 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:38,800 of eight prior to the Olympic Games in the 1930's, the Berlin 91 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,600 games. And this crew is post 92 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,640 depression, pre war. And this crew gets thrown 93 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,080 together. Now they weren't grow great 94 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,240 rowers, they were thrown together. 95 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,360 They came together because if they got in the rowing crew, 96 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,480 they got their tuition at university paid right? 97 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,720 So there's no great motive to be great in it. 98 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,480 But they get thrown together and the stories being told by one of 99 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:04,640 the guys in the boat to his grandson who's now learning to 100 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,880 row. Have a look at it Only goes for 101 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,960 a minute and see if you pick up where I might be going this 102 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:16,840 morning. Hey grandpa, you think someday I 103 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:20,600 could row crew? Well, you gotta keep at it. 104 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,480 Did you like rowing 8 men crew? 8. 105 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,880 Yeah. We were never right. 106 00:06:35,600 --> 00:07:23,000 We will walk. To get it. 107 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,080 We were never 8. We were one. 108 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:37,440 What if you're ready to be a bit idealistic with me this morning? 109 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:45,360 What if the Church of Jesus Christ learned that we were 110 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:55,200 never 8, but we are one? What could we achieve if we 111 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:04,680 understood who we really are as the one body of Christ? 112 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,760 I'm going to unpack that a little bit for you this morning 113 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,760 because I don't think we get it. How many people are open to be 114 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,160 transformed in their thinking a little bit this morning in this 115 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:19,480 journey of what it might? You know, I often say this, you 116 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,960 know, you know, if I asked you what's the Lord's Prayer, most 117 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,120 of you would quote Matthew chapter 6, our Father who art in 118 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:27,720 heaven. And I get that. 119 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:29,560 But really, that's not the Lord's Prayer. 120 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,200 That's the Lord teaching us to pray. 121 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:38,360 The Lord's Prayer is really found in John 17, That they may 122 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:44,360 be 1 as you and I, Father, are one, I in them, and you and me, 123 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:51,000 that they may be one in you. Passage of Scripture you've no 124 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,400 doubt heard many times before Romans chapter 12 verses one and 125 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:56,800 two. I beseech you therefore, 126 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,360 brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a 127 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,000 living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your 128 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,760 reasonable service. Who's heard that before? 129 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,840 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the 130 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:15,680 renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and 131 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:18,680 acceptable and perfect will of God. 132 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:22,560 I've already said this morning, this journey with Jesus is a 133 00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:26,080 journey of transformation. How many know we come to Christ 134 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:30,000 with the thinking of the world, We come to Christ with the ways 135 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,480 of the world and the journey in walking with Christ and part of 136 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:38,200 his body is that we would be not conformed to the way the world 137 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,400 does things, but the way God does things. 138 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:42,960 How many? That's a big journey for a lot 139 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,120 of us. Hey, that's why after 40 years, 140 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,560 there's still some thinking I got to get rid of us, still some 141 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:50,640 things that I need transformed in my life. 142 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,080 But here's the deal. Paul sets this up and he says to 143 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,120 the to the people in Rome, to the church in Rome, we need to 144 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,240 be transformed by the renewal viewing of our mind. 145 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,320 And if you look in your Bibles, there is in most of your Bibles, 146 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,400 there will be a gap before between verses 2 and verse 3, 147 00:10:05,560 --> 00:10:10,000 like there's a change of topic. I'm starting to question whether 148 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,280 there is an actual change of topic because I believe Paul 149 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,640 just keeps running through. And if you have a look at verse 150 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:22,240 three and three and onwards with me, the very next, next thing 151 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,880 Paul says after saying be, don't be conformed. 152 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:31,160 He says, For I say, through the grace given to me, humor me, say 153 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,280 grace. I'm going to come back to that 154 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,080 through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, 155 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,920 not to think more highly of himself that he ought to think, 156 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,560 but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of 157 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:48,760 faith. For as we have many members in 158 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:53,400 one body, but all the members don't have the same function. 159 00:10:54,280 --> 00:11:00,160 So we being many, you may have read this 1000 times. 160 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:10,320 We being many are one body in Christ and individually members 161 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:13,560 of one another. You know that's why you matter. 162 00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:19,000 We are, we are, we are not, we are, we are many, but we are 163 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,280 one. There are 8 men in the boat, but 164 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,200 there is one crew. There is one goal, all the 165 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,480 people in the boat have a different function, but if they 166 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,720 don't play their role, the one misses out. 167 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:37,560 And the Bible here put how many think. 168 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:44,360 I'm starting to think that maybe this journey of transformation 169 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:50,680 is one of the aspects God is trying to take me on is to go 170 00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:57,880 from a thinking of I to a thinking of we thinking about 171 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,880 how many know the world Actually, if you without Christ, 172 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,840 you better be thinking about you because you don't know who else 173 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,760 is looking after you, but he brings us into a body. 174 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:10,360 He says I'm looking after you now I'm bringing you into my 175 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,160 body. It's time for part of the 176 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:17,240 transformed thinking to go from thinking about me to thinking 177 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:24,000 about we as part of one body, many members. 178 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,960 Well, you matter. Now, how is a caveat here today, 179 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,080 right? Pastor Graham and Mel did not 180 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,360 ask me to come here to get you to do more work. 181 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,280 That might be good, but that's not why I'm here. 182 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:42,240 I'm here to help you understand you matter. 183 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,960 I'm here to help you understand that when you got saved, not 184 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,400 only did you get saved for heaven, you got bought into His 185 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,200 body by Him. You had no choice in that. 186 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,600 You have a choice as to whether you function in that which He's 187 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,240 called you to function in, but you are in. 188 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:02,280 I'm the only one excited about that. 189 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:08,360 You are in. You're not in to take up space. 190 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,040 You're not here to take it to fill a Pew. 191 00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:13,720 You're not here just to give a few bucks. 192 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:21,600 You're in to function where He has called you to function. 193 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,960 Have a listen to 1 Corinthians 12 and we're going to go over 194 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,400 there in a minute. There are two sister passages, 195 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,600 Romans 12/1. Corinthians 12/1 of the verses 196 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:37,840 says by 1 Spirit you are baptized into one body where the 197 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,960 Jews, Greek slaves, free black, white, Gold Coast, Moray field 198 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:43,320 bullshit. Doesn't matter where you're 199 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,960 from, you're in. I had the great privilege about 200 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,680 3 or 4 weeks ago. I went to Malaysia for Inc. 201 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:54,440 We had an all Asia conference. We had people from about 11 202 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:59,960 nations around around Asia where Inc is represented. 203 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,760 And I was the only one that only spoke one language. 204 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,840 You know, we all had everything had to be English because there 205 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,760 was a few of us Aussies that only spoke English and not that 206 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:14,520 very well either. But what a great kaleidoscope of 207 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,200 people. I look across this room, I can't 208 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,680 see you all because it's dark, but I'm imagining all the 209 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,600 kaleidoscope of backgrounds and people and graces and giftings 210 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,480 that God's brought together to be part of 1 And I go, wow, 211 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:36,360 that's a miracle. That is a miracle. 1 spirit all 212 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:43,520 being made to drink of 1 spirit. And he goes on and he says this 213 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,840 you better, you better hurry me up because I could be here all 214 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:47,800 day on this. This is my favorite subject at 215 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,680 the moment. OK, in write in verse 6, having 216 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,160 them gifts, I asked you before to say graces. 217 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,480 Paul says according to I say through the grace given to me. 218 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:05,160 And then he says having them gifts, say gifts differing 219 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:09,800 according to the grace say grace that is that is given to us. 220 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,600 Let us use them of prophecy. Let us prophecy in proportion to 221 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,560 our faith if or ministry. Let us use it in ministering. 222 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,560 Who who teaches in teaching, exhorts in exhortation, who 223 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,000 gives with liberality, who leads with diligence, who his toes 224 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,080 mercy with cheerfulness. And here's my opinion. 225 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,560 I think if Paul was to list all of the gifts that God's put in 226 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:32,160 people, he'd still be writing today. 227 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:35,480 He just wanted to make a point. He just said here all these 228 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,440 things that that God has given. Now, the reason I ask you to say 229 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:43,520 gift and grace is they're the same word in this passage, and 230 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:50,640 they're a word called charism. We get the word charismatic from 231 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,520 it. OK, It's a charism. 232 00:15:53,960 --> 00:16:02,640 Paul is saying that God has handed out charisms, gifts to 233 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,000 his body. I'm starting to actually believe 234 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,520 I got some gifts. Paul said this, but the the 235 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,920 first verse he says according to the grace given to me, I'm 236 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:14,680 writing to you. In other words, what he's 237 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,720 literally saying is I've been given the charism, the gifting, 238 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,600 the calling of an apostle. I'm using it to write to you. 239 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,120 It's different to Peters, to James's, to John's, to everybody 240 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,000 else. It's mine because God gave it to 241 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,800 me for you. And I'm using it to write this 242 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,320 to you in the office that God's given me. 243 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,760 So it makes sense. And he says God has given 244 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:41,440 different charisms. The word charism is a Greek word 245 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,640 used in the New Testament for favor or gratuitous gift. 246 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:52,440 Charisms, or spiritual gifts are special abilities given to all 247 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:57,080 Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them power both to 248 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,440 represent Christ and to be a channel of God's goodness for 249 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,120 people. How many? 250 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,440 If this morning you're going to leave this place, then I'm 251 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:08,920 charism. You didn't even know what the 252 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:10,760 word meant when you came in here this morning. 253 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,960 You're going to go and you're going to say I am charismed, I 254 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,720 am gifted. Now, now, now a gift. 255 00:17:17,839 --> 00:17:20,000 If you receive a gift, it's got nothing to do with you. 256 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,720 It was given to you. What you do with it is the all 257 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,920 important flame. And Paul goes on to say why God, 258 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:32,480 why Jesus, why God has charismed each and every one of us. 259 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,840 He says it's because of the love he has for his people. 260 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,480 He says let love be without hypocrisy, a bored of what is 261 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:42,640 evil? Cling to what is good, be kindly 262 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,400 affectionate to one another with brother, holy love in honour, 263 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,080 giving preference to one another. 264 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,200 Do you get a sense of Paul talking about 1 here? 265 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:57,240 We are not. We were never meant to be 8. 266 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:03,520 We are meant to be one. We are never meant to be 267 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,800 hundreds. We are meant to be one. 268 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:13,320 We are never meant to be all of the different millions in the 269 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,960 world. We're meant to be 1 What if we 270 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:19,880 understood? I just got this. 271 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,760 What this thought? It's a it's a mystery. 272 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,440 The poet Paul says in the book of Ephesians that the church is 273 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,160 a mystery. You know what's mysterious about 274 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:29,920 it? You're here. 275 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:35,880 Somehow God has somehow God has got you here. 276 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:42,480 Somehow God has graced you. This is a blowout. 277 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:46,520 This is one of the things we've got to be conformed from the old 278 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,520 way of thinking. God has graced you with things. 279 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:58,120 He has charismed you for function so that his body works. 280 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,720 The guy in the front of the boat has a different job to the guy 281 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,680 in the back of the boat, but their function is to make the 282 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,080 boat work. And you know what? 283 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,760 I'm starting to believe? Starting to believe that my 284 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:20,080 function and your function is to make the body work. 285 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:29,200 We were never 8. Oh God, forgive us for not 286 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:39,360 seeing ourselves as this. If we're meant to be 1, if we're 287 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:45,360 graced. I labour this because my 288 00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:50,240 experience tells me that many, many people struggle to believe 289 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,560 that God's actually put something special on them. 290 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:59,280 The world has beaten them up. The world has lied to them. 291 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,920 The world has treated them as less than valuable. 292 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,200 I looked at that sign that Terry pointed to me this morning. 293 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,800 You matter because God has graced you. 294 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:11,040 You're not only matter for heaven. 295 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,520 God is God is gift. I look at these people up here 296 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,720 this morning singing. These little fellas and girls, 297 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,880 aren't they wonderful? I got to tell you something. 298 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,560 You need to thank God that it wasn't me up there this morning. 299 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,640 Yeah, that would not be graced. All right. 300 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:37,520 That would be painful. But here I see people expressing 301 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:42,160 to gift things on their life. Let's perhaps pretend for a 302 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:43,880 minute that this is somewhat true. 303 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,920 What are we to do with it? I've got three things that I 304 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:50,760 want us to maybe take home today, maybe wrestle with today. 305 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:55,040 First is the thought of this is that is that we're one. 306 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,720 We're one. The world the Western world 307 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,840 struggles to think is 1. We're one. 308 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,960 And let's suppose the Word of God is true. 309 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,920 Well, my interpretation of it is true, and you matter that you've 310 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:14,520 got to function. What then are we to do with what 311 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,000 God has placed on our lives? I want to flip over to that 312 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,960 sister passage in one Corinthians 12 this morning. 313 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,960 And some of them, some of us are a little bit confusing, but I'm 314 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,800 going to unpack it for you. Here's the first thought I've 315 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:34,520 got today. If God has gifted me grace to me 316 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:41,200 with something, I've got to take responsibility for it. 317 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:47,080 He gave it to me. You know in Matthew 25, the 318 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,280 parable, the talents, when God, Jesus tells the parable, when 319 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,160 God hands things out, he's looking for a return. 320 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,760 If he's put something on your life, He wants us to take 321 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,520 responsibility for it. Have a listen to verses 12 322 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:06,560 through to 16. For us, the body is 1. 323 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:10,320 It has many members. Over and over Paul talks about 324 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,480 this. All the members of that one body 325 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:14,480 being many, are one body. So is Christ. 326 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,280 For by 1 Spirit we're baptized into one body. 327 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,880 Jews, Greek, slaves, free. We've all been made to drink 328 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:25,080 into the one Spirit. For in fact, the body is not one 329 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:31,600 member, but many. Paul's drawing the illustration 330 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,240 of our physical body. It says, for in fact, the body 331 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,880 is not one member, but many. If the foot should say because 332 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,680 I'm not a hand, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the 333 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,640 body? And if the ears should say, 334 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,840 because I'm not an eye, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not 335 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,160 of the body? It seems a little bit confusing, 336 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:54,960 but what Paul is trying to, to, to, to establish here is that 337 00:22:55,160 --> 00:23:01,360 everybody has something to offer when it comes to functioning in 338 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,840 the body of Christ. And the first thing he says 339 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,640 here, he says if, if, if, if you're afoot. 340 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,680 Just because you're not a hand doesn't mean you're not 341 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,720 important. I read something once and said 342 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,320 this, The fastest way to kill something is to compare it to 343 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:26,600 something else. We're all so very special, but 344 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:30,080 we're special in what God's called us to do, not to compare 345 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:33,720 ourselves to somebody else. I want to declare over your life 346 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:38,120 today that God has caused you to have certain functions and 347 00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:42,240 giftings in the body of Christ. So stop comparing yourself to 348 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,080 someone else. You matter. 349 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:49,040 You matter to function in your charism. 350 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:56,280 You can't say I'm not like Grey. I don't deliver messages like 351 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,520 him. I mustn't be important. 352 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:04,200 I'm not part of the body or I'm not like the singers up here. 353 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:06,160 I could have got a complex this morning. 354 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:09,680 I Can't Sing like them. I'm not important. 355 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,680 No, I'm not important as a singer, but I'm sure important 356 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,680 in what I'm gifted and graced and charism to do in the hands 357 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:19,800 of God. That's my life. 358 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,200 The second thing I think Paul wants to point out here is if 359 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:35,280 you're a foot, be the foot because the body needs you. 360 00:24:40,950 --> 00:24:43,030 The foot can't say I'm not a hands. 361 00:24:43,030 --> 00:24:48,270 I don't count. Be the foot. 362 00:24:50,230 --> 00:24:53,750 I've got a very I've got a real life illustration for you right 363 00:24:53,750 --> 00:24:57,800 now. I I was practicing for running 364 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,880 marathons last week and I've strained my calf. 365 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:02,960 That first bit's a lie, all right? 366 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,640 The second bit, I did strain my calf last week. 367 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,040 It was not practicing. And I'm not telling you how I 368 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,080 did it because it's embarrassing, all right? 369 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,480 It's just embarrassing. But it was not. 370 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:21,840 Anyway, I got a sore calf. It's not working. 371 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:25,240 So you know what else is happening? 372 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:30,520 I now got a sore knee because my calf's not doing its job. 373 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:32,520 It's putting pressure on my knee. 374 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:40,480 And now because I'm my age, I've got a sore back because I'm 375 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,320 limping on my leg and it's throwing my back out. 376 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,960 If the foot doesn't do what the foot supposed to do, the whole 377 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,200 body doesn't work. Amen. 378 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:55,680 I'll take it a step further. My wife now has a pain in the 379 00:25:55,680 --> 00:26:00,560 neck because I'm whinging about my back and my knee and my foot. 380 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,440 Everything's connected. There's a song about that. 381 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,920 No, I won't go into that. Do you get what I'm saying? 382 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,680 If the if the foot doesn't do what the foot's supposed to do, 383 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,080 if the grace on you, I've got another verse for you. 384 00:26:15,120 --> 00:26:18,000 I better hurry up. I'll be here on Midday One Peter 385 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,240 410. I love this. 386 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,680 I love this. You've got to see this one, 387 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,040 Peter 410 four is each one. Now let me just let me just 388 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:30,520 unpack this for as each one. Anybody here not included in 389 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,320 that right. Each one. 390 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:37,160 OK, each one has received a charisma. 391 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,400 Thank you, Jesus, for the charisma of my life. 392 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:44,040 Just go and go and just thank him for what he's given you have 393 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:47,560 a listen to what Paul says. Minister it. 394 00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:51,080 What are you supposed to do with the gift on your life? 395 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:58,760 Minister it to one another. I often say this Your gift will 396 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:05,000 fulfill you, but it's not for you, it's for other people. 397 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:16,520 Minister it as listen. Good stewards, good stewards of 398 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,640 the manifold grace of God, the word manifold. 399 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:23,280 This will blow your brain if you catch it. 400 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,840 The world manifold means many faces. 401 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,440 How many know God's grace has many faces? 402 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:39,640 Could you be one of them? Could you be a face of God's 403 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:44,840 grace to other people as you minister? 404 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:51,920 Are these people up here singing away looks like they like what 405 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:56,560 they're doing that's OK, but you know what they're doing using 406 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:04,680 the grace on their life is to minister to us is we worship 407 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:08,360 God. You don't want me doing that you 408 00:28:08,360 --> 00:28:12,200 want them doing that Amen. Now I don't want to make a big 409 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,720 deal of platform because that's one little bit of what goes on. 410 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:20,560 But I'm here to say to you today, God's placed faces of his 411 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:26,920 grace in you that he wants other people to experience through you 412 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:33,400 because you matter. Guy by the name of David Benner 413 00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:37,600 wrote lots of books. My favorite is called The Gift 414 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:41,320 of Being Yourself. And he says this being yourself 415 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,000 would make would not make any spiritual sense if your 416 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,800 uniqueness were not of immense value to God. 417 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:56,240 But each person is exactly that of inestimable value to God. 418 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:06,800 You matter because God's placed something on your life that He 419 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:11,720 wants you to steward for the good of His body. 420 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:17,120 I don't know if that's blown your minds yet, but that's just 421 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:21,240 .1. It's 1023, number two. 422 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,520 Number two, this is probably the biggest challenge for me. 423 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,240 This one I've got, I've just called it accepting limitation. 424 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:30,920 It goes on in verse 17, the whole, but if the whole body 425 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:32,520 were an eye, where would be the hearing? 426 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:34,680 If the whole birdie were here for the whole we're hearing, 427 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,880 where would be the smelling? Now God has set the members, 428 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,160 each one of them in the body. Listen to this next bit. 429 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:44,520 Just as He pleased, He pleased to put you with the gift of God 430 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:49,240 on your life into His body. If they were all one member, 431 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:51,440 where would the body be? But now, indeed, there are many 432 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:54,680 members, yet one body. You I cannot say to the hand. 433 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:57,280 I have no need of you. The first lot of with the foot 434 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:01,120 can't say because I'm not a hand, I'm not of the body. 435 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:06,640 Now he says the I can't say to the hand I have no need of you 436 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:10,200 nor again the head to the feet. I have no need of you know much 437 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,680 rather than those members of the body which seem to be weaker are 438 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:14,320 necessary. Here's the deal. 439 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,960 The first point was you've got something on your life. 440 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:19,840 It's special to you. God wants you to steward it. 441 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,600 The second thing is get over it. Some of you people, you haven't 442 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:34,840 got everything. God wants us to learn to need 443 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:42,480 one another, to lean on others, to be interdependent with other 444 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,160 people. I can't say because I'm an oh, I 445 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:46,640 don't have a need of anybody else. 446 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:49,080 I'm learning. I have need of everybody. 447 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:53,080 One of the most humble things you can do is to understand what 448 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,680 you do have, but what you don't have and learn to rely on other 449 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:01,200 people who have what you don't bring into the body. 450 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,360 Hey, man, this is really big for me because because I've been 451 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:10,600 around a long time now, I'm not going to say how long you know 452 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:15,080 as you, as you're around for a long time, you can actually get 453 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:20,920 into the place where you can do lots of things, but they aren't 454 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,760 necessarily the things God's graced you to do. 455 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,480 And part of the challenge for me at the moment is learning to 456 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:34,320 say, I think someone else is more graced for that than I am. 457 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:40,400 I'm graced for this at this season in my life. 458 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,280 Do you get the bit of the transformation? 459 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,440 Picture God's saying, I want you to understand you got something, 460 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:49,520 but I want you to understand you don't have everything. 461 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:52,880 Don't think more highly of yourself than you ought. 462 00:31:53,680 --> 00:32:01,880 We need to rely on each other. I've alluded to the fact that 463 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:09,280 the creative world is probably not my charism, but I needed to 464 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:13,360 come up with an illustration, so I did my best. 465 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:16,960 There's a there's an illustration up on the screen 466 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:23,080 now that's the best I could do. I come in here this morning and 467 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,000 I see all the splashy City Point paraphernalia and all the 468 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:28,400 screens. I got the biggest screens in the 469 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,600 world in these churches, you know, and I'm thinking all I can 470 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:38,200 do is a wall. And I'll tell you the truth, I 471 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:45,920 stole that from the Internet. But let's just say it's a good 472 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:52,680 illustration. Let's say the wall is what's 473 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,200 around is the body of Christ is what's around your world right 474 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,480 now. And did you see how I really was 475 00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:59,600 clever and put a different colour brick in the middle? 476 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,400 I just excelled. I something you create them. 477 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,320 Guys, you're thinking, what is this going on about up here? 478 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:07,800 Anyway? I want you to do something for 479 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,320 me. I want to reflect for one 480 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,920 minute. Let's say you're the brick in 481 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:19,480 the middle. Think about your life in Christ 482 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:27,040 up till this point. Can you think of bricks that God 483 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:32,720 placed around your life to get you where you are today? 484 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:39,160 I can think of heaps of them, people that sometimes I didn't 485 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,760 think I needed them. Sometimes I think they were a 486 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:45,000 menace to my life because I was trying to correct my life or 487 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:50,400 instruct my life. But God in His grace put bricks. 488 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,440 You know, Peter tells us that we are living stones being made-up 489 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:58,960 into a living house for the glory of God. 490 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:05,600 Why don't you just spend 10 seconds thanking God for the 491 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,520 bricks that he put around your life? 492 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:11,639 We take it for granted sometimes. 493 00:34:12,639 --> 00:34:15,199 And every time I think about this, I think, wow, in that 494 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:19,920 season you put those bricks. Here's the next thought. 495 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:28,360 Who have you called to be one of the bricks around people's 496 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:34,960 worlds to help them get to where God wants them to be, to take up 497 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:38,239 their role in the body of Christ? 498 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:42,280 Point number one, I've got special things. 499 00:34:43,679 --> 00:34:45,440 Point #2 I don't have everything. 500 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:48,639 I've got to ask myself 3 questions. 501 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:55,520 One is, and this sounds arrogant, where am I powerful? 502 00:34:57,360 --> 00:34:59,440 In other words, where does God use me? 503 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:05,920 We'll address that at the end #2 where am I weak? 504 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:14,240 What don't I have #3 who do I need? 505 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:19,240 Third Point, I'm going to go really quick, I hope. 506 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,600 What's the first one? Take responsibility. 507 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:29,000 What was the second one? Accept limitation. 508 00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:38,360 And the third one, we need to celebrate diversity, but we need 509 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:44,520 to guard unity. Verse 24 but the presentable 510 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,000 parts have no need for God compose the body, having given 511 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,400 greater honor to the parts which which lacks it. 512 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:58,680 Have a listen to the next That there should be no schism, that 513 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,360 there should be no breaking downs, that there should be no 514 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:08,560 tearing down, that there should be no schism in the body, but 515 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,240 that the members should be, should have the same care for 516 00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:14,080 one another. If one member suffers, all 517 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:17,880 suffer with it. If one is honoured, all rejoice 518 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,920 with it. Now you are the body of Christ 519 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:26,640 and members individually. What's Paul trying to say? 520 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:36,760 He's trying to say you're not supposed to be 8. 521 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:45,200 Protect the one. We've all got different graces 522 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:48,680 and functions and gifts, you know. 523 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:53,760 I know we make mistakes. I walk people through hurt in 524 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,320 the body of Christ. I understand. 525 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:59,360 You know what? You know why I believe that hurt 526 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,880 and pain and schisms and division in the body of Christ 527 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,640 is more painful than just about anywhere else. 528 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,360 There's a concept where God, Jesus is talking about marriage 529 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:13,320 and divorce and he says this, let no man separate that which 530 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:17,320 God has joined, who joined the body. 531 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:22,360 He did. He put us together. 532 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,680 And I don't make excuses for the pain. 533 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:29,760 I don't underestimate the significance of the pain. 534 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:33,480 But church, we've got to learn to get through that and become 535 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:39,160 one because that is what God has called his body to be. 536 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:45,240 And I got to say this, God, help me that as much as depends on 537 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:51,280 me, help me not separate that which you have joined. 538 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:56,000 Help me celebrate what everybody else has. 539 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:01,200 I'm not an eye, I'm a foot, I'm not an ear, I'm an eye. 540 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:05,960 I'm not whatever, not a singer, I'm a trainer. 541 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:11,880 Celebrate the diversity that God has handed out these wonderful 542 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:13,760 charisms to us. Celebrate it. 543 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,720 I'm so glad we are not all like me. 544 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:27,440 I'm glad you're not all like me, but God, the oneness of the 545 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:32,480 crew, because that's where we win in Jesus name. 546 00:38:34,240 --> 00:38:38,760 You know, I'm learning that even with these graces, there are 547 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:42,760 seasons in my life. I just I I I've Gray asked me 548 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:48,040 how long I've been in eye and sea longer than most of these 549 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:49,880 people are alive. I can tell you that much. 550 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:53,640 But I'm learning that, you know, there was a season back there 551 00:38:53,640 --> 00:39:00,240 where God used me this way. Now he's using me this way and 552 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:02,360 then and tomorrow he might use me another one. 553 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:06,480 He might, he might take the, the, the, the, the blend of what 554 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:10,920 he's placed in my life, but and then choose how to use it in 555 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:14,880 different seasons of my life. I see people in the body of 556 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:16,880 Christ that have been around a long time and they think they're 557 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:19,920 all good, that they think they're in their use by date. 558 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:25,080 No one's in a use by date. God still wants to use you 559 00:39:25,720 --> 00:39:29,600 because he's gifted you. There are young people I'm I'm 560 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:35,000 watching the young people's and I'm thinking my God 12/13/11 I 561 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:39,080 don't know what graces I was blessed. 562 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:42,440 Have a listen to this. I was blessed by watching a 563 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:45,840 young boy here today worship God with all his heart. 564 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:50,760 I got I got I caught something from him because of what he was 565 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:52,720 doing with the grace upon his life. 566 00:39:53,320 --> 00:40:00,080 Amen. Never, never reduce what God's 567 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:04,360 placed on you to a place where you think it's insignificant. 568 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:08,920 You're always ministering to other people. 569 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:22,700 We were never hate. Is it a mystery? 570 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,200 I got older people looking at me thinking, Gary, I was going to 571 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:27,720 have a rest. Now you want me to do stuff? 572 00:40:27,720 --> 00:40:30,560 No, I don't want you to do anything other than take what 573 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:34,760 God's given you and ask him how he wants you to minister. 574 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:39,960 That, you know, I know that some people, I watch them, I'll sit 575 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:43,880 down in a coffee shop, they'll have a coffee cup of coffee with 576 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:49,840 someone and they'll just be encouraging them the grace of 577 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,680 God over their life. And the person they're 578 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:56,040 ministering to walks out a different person. 579 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:03,040 I mean, my wife, she's got scared because whenever I 580 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:04,760 mention her name, she gets scared. 581 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:11,040 What's she going to say? Now she's got the gift of the 582 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:14,640 prophetic on her life. I watch her when she uses that 583 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:18,640 gift, not just from platforms, when she uses that gift, speaks 584 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:21,360 over people's lives. Something's draught, something 585 00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:26,160 in their spirit comes alive and God's able to breathe on them. 586 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:34,600 How does He use you? Don't you stand with me this 587 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:35,960 morning. If you don't, we'll be here till 588 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:42,880 1:00. Seriously, City Point, thank you 589 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:46,200 for having us. Thank you for allowing to bring 590 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:48,760 a charism that God's placed on us and share it with you. 591 00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:52,000 Mean that with all my heart. This is a journey I'm on. 592 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,560 I see too many people in the body of Christ, number one, 593 00:41:56,560 --> 00:41:59,680 believe they don't have anything to bring because the world has 594 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:03,560 told them that they're not valuable. 595 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:08,440 They don't matter. I see other people thinking, 596 00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:10,600 man, there's not not enough people doing work around here. 597 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:14,360 I've got to do everything because no one else is is is 598 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:20,480 doing what they should be doing. I want to release you today not 599 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:24,560 to stop doing, but to understand that you're not called to be 600 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:27,080 everything to the body of Christ. 601 00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:34,560 You're supposed to be your thing and please church, never 602 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:45,440 separate that which God has baptized you into. 603 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:52,760 Gary, how do I know what I'm called to do? 604 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:55,160 Lots of ways we can. I'll tell you what good way is 605 00:42:55,160 --> 00:43:00,000 internship and they didn't pay me to say that, but you'll find 606 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:04,200 out who you are. Another way is we've got 607 00:43:04,200 --> 00:43:06,320 profiling and we can, you know, we can help you with that. 608 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:07,960 But he's, I just want to ask you 3 questions. 609 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:09,480 I want you to close your eyes with me today. 610 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:13,960 I want you to think about your brick. 611 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:23,600 I want you to think some of you thinking when I say this, you'll 612 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:25,360 think, oh, that'll be pride. No, it's not pride. 613 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:28,480 It's not pride to know where God's using you. 614 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:35,080 So a couple of questions. Where do you, where do you see 615 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:44,280 God use you most powerfully? You know, for some of us, it's 616 00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:48,040 it's speaking on platforms. For some of us, it's the person 617 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:51,160 in the coffee shop. For some of us, it's gifts of 618 00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:52,960 healing. For some of us, it's just you 619 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:55,560 know that God's help. God is using you when you're 620 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:57,840 just getting around people and helping them out. 621 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:01,120 Some of you is creative. It doesn't matter what it is. 622 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:04,720 None is greater than the other. Think about your life. 623 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:06,920 Where does God use you powerfully? 624 00:44:11,720 --> 00:44:14,080 That's the key. Come on. 625 00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:17,120 In the name of Jesus, Father God, I release people. 626 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:20,480 I give them permission to recognize where you use them 627 00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:23,680 powerfully. It may not be publicly, but 628 00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:25,360 where do you use them powerfully? 629 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:28,800 Where do they know that the supernatural power of God is 630 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:34,080 using them? Secondly, where do you, where do 631 00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:37,360 you see fruit? See, I might think God uses me 632 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:39,160 powerfully to sing, but you will leave. 633 00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:42,920 There's no fruit. Where do you see fruit? 634 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:45,360 And here's the last thing you could ask yourself in all 635 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:48,840 seriousness, what brings you most joy? 636 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:57,880 If I can, if I can help you discern where God uses you 637 00:44:57,880 --> 00:45:03,440 powerfully, fruitfully, and joyfully, that is a key to the 638 00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:07,880 charism on your life. And this is what I'm doing right 639 00:45:07,880 --> 00:45:10,880 now. I'm giving you permission to 640 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:14,520 start to explore and walk in what that for some of you, it's 641 00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:17,280 again for some of you you've laid it aside. 642 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:20,120 For some of you, for whatever reason, some legitimate, you put 643 00:45:20,120 --> 00:45:21,160 it aside. I want to. 644 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:24,440 I'm giving you permission this morning to walk in the grace 645 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:28,440 that God's given you because the body of Christ is missing out if 646 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:35,240 you're not doing what God has called you to do in Jesus name.