1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,100 Today I'm going to talk about a spiritual practice that some of 2 00:00:03,100 --> 00:00:05,500 you might have come across before something called lectio, 3 00:00:05,500 --> 00:00:07,400 Divina. Some of you might be really 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,800 familiar that someone, some of you might have heard it but not 5 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,400 really sure what it is. But before we get to that, I 6 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,100 want to talk through a few things about spiritually growing 7 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:19,700 growing as Christians. I want to put a disclaimer out 8 00:00:19,700 --> 00:00:21,500 as well. Quite a lot of this I've nicked 9 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:23,800 from a couple of guys, Pete, Greg and Tim Makai. 10 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,500 Wonderful people who you can get to know, online, great material, 11 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:30,600 great teaching material, we're so blessed on With the age of 12 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,900 the internet, being able to access teaching from all over 13 00:00:32,900 --> 00:00:36,300 the globe from all sorts of Realms and streams of Christian 14 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:39,000 expression. I'd encourage you to tap into 15 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,500 some of that we are Vineyard are Keen at live out all that Jesus 16 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:45,900 has for us and that's a fair statement, isn't it? 17 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:48,700 We're keen to explore everything that he has in store for us. 18 00:00:48,700 --> 00:00:51,200 We want to live in the good of it all, with even got this 19 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,400 phrase, everyone gets to play. Yes, all of us to get involved. 20 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,300 We all get stuck in. It's not just people up on 21 00:00:57,300 --> 00:00:58,900 stage. It's not just Mark the senior 22 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:01,800 pastor bless him. Holiday today, much needed, 23 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,700 rest, and time away with family. We've all been given a part to 24 00:01:05,700 --> 00:01:08,700 play with advancing. God's kingdom. 25 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,000 The gifts the skills that each of us have play an important 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,100 part to us as the body of Christ. 27 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,800 So, what I want to talk to you today about might be a bit of a 28 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,800 surprise because I want to talk a little bit about practical 29 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,300 Christianity, but we're really good at that, you say, well, 30 00:01:24,300 --> 00:01:27,700 yes, we are, but I want us to think about it a little bit 31 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,600 together. I think we get Get practical 32 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:36,100 Christianity but sometimes we stumble over elements of it. 33 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,200 We make cognitively assert, we might mentally agree that 34 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,400 practical Christianity is what we are called to. 35 00:01:44,900 --> 00:01:46,600 But there might be areas that lack, there might be a 36 00:01:46,608 --> 00:01:51,200 discrepancy between what we understand and what we do as 37 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:52,900 Christians, especially in the west. 38 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,400 We tend to think if we're learning about Christianity, if 39 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,700 we're developing our theological knowledge, if we're coming on a 40 00:01:57,700 --> 00:02:00,200 Sunday morning and hearing sermons at then we're growing as 41 00:02:00,208 --> 00:02:02,700 Christians. And yeah, that's part of it. 42 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,300 But if it stops there, we're doing a disservice for all that 43 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:10,600 God. Round lives when we agree in our 44 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,700 minds and don't put something into action, there's a dangerous 45 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,800 discrepancy and that's odd because we're at church. 46 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,100 Where in Vineyard, it's not like we've got the Practical valve 47 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:24,800 jammed shut like we get it. Don't we even today? 48 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,000 We've got the Care Center tour in between the two Services. 49 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:31,400 We know what it is to practically outwork our faith. 50 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:34,900 But my hope today is that will leave this sermon with our 51 00:02:34,900 --> 00:02:39,100 hearts Desiring to know, God more And our minds choosing to 52 00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:43,300 implement a Biblical and historic habit that has marked 53 00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:46,900 the lives of God's people in a journey of growth and 54 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:50,300 transformation. At let's kick off with scripture 55 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:51,600 because you don't want to hear my thoughts on it. 56 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,600 Want to hear God's word and so we're going to hear a few bits 57 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:55,900 of scripture throughout this morning. 58 00:02:56,100 --> 00:02:58,300 As is always the way we're going to. 59 00:02:58,300 --> 00:03:01,200 Look at a piece of scripture first from Paul's writing, 60 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,700 Paul's writing to Timothy his first letter to Timothy and it 61 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:08,900 says this have nothing to do. To do with Godless myths, and 62 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:13,500 old wives, tales rather, train yourselves to be Godly. 63 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:18,700 The physical training is of some value, but godliness has value 64 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:22,900 for all things holding promise, both the present life and the 65 00:03:22,900 --> 00:03:26,200 life to come. This is a trustworthy saying 66 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:31,300 that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive 67 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,900 because we have put our hope in the Living God who is the savior 68 00:03:35,900 --> 00:03:41,500 of all people and especially of those who believe At pulls 69 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:44,700 described in 2, Timothy that growing and transforming as a 70 00:03:44,708 --> 00:03:47,500 Christian isn't just going to happen to you. 71 00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:52,400 We actually need to put some thought intention and effort. 72 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:57,000 He uses the word train at parallel with physical exercise 73 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,300 at. Now just a moment. 74 00:03:58,300 --> 00:04:00,500 We're going to have two images up on the screen. 75 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,600 These two images are of people who are passionate about growing 76 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,000 in their physical strength, trying to build muscle, and 77 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,100 we're just going to have a little look at those two images. 78 00:04:10,100 --> 00:04:12,100 In fact, have a look at them on the screen there. 79 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,899 So so so why there's a difference there isn't there? 80 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:19,899 So why is there a different? There could be a lot of reasons 81 00:04:19,899 --> 00:04:22,800 why there's a difference but I can tell you and I don't do 82 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:24,300 this. Just shame myself. 83 00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:26,700 I can tell you there's a difference there because one 84 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:30,400 person has put in a training plan and eating plan and 85 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,600 exercise plan much like Danny probably doesn't the gym. 86 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,300 Very regular those, you know Janet Danny. 87 00:04:35,300 --> 00:04:40,700 He's a regular gym goer, but the other person myself has a lot of 88 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:45,000 hopeful ambition for bulking up. But in reality doesn't really 89 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,400 translate it into physical action. 90 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,700 Interesting difference there. So, as Christians, thanks for 91 00:04:51,700 --> 00:04:57,300 those images. So, I want to say that becoming 92 00:04:57,300 --> 00:05:00,500 a Christian is a lot more involved than just a mental 93 00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:03,000 activity. It's more than just looking to 94 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,600 Jesus and getting a Jetta get-out-of-jail-free card. 95 00:05:07,100 --> 00:05:09,700 It's so much more it's beautifully more. 96 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,700 And if we stop and limit ourselves, which I think we 97 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:17,200 sometimes, X do at the point of the get-out-of-jail-free card at 98 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,500 we don't get to live in the fullness of what God wants for 99 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:23,000 our lives at. So why stick to the training 100 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:24,900 plan? Why labor, white rain? 101 00:05:24,900 --> 00:05:28,700 Why strive Christ has graced us with freedom? 102 00:05:28,700 --> 00:05:31,700 So why do all those things at? Let's look at the last sentence 103 00:05:31,900 --> 00:05:34,800 at, it's because we've set our Hope on the Living. 104 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:40,400 God, who is our savior It's a response this beautiful 105 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,500 salvation that we have faith in him and then we get to work and 106 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:47,300 we get to work. Not to make the little baby 107 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:51,100 Jesus smile upon us but precisely because the little 108 00:05:51,100 --> 00:05:53,800 baby Jesus Smiles upon us. Your fact far more than that. 109 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,800 He went to the cross for us he died for us. 110 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,600 He rose again for us. So very practical reason why 111 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,900 many of us don't grow is that we don't intend to we don't have an 112 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:09,900 ambition, a holy ambition. Overhauling our lives in the 113 00:06:09,900 --> 00:06:12,900 next few decades so that we experience more of the 114 00:06:12,900 --> 00:06:16,800 empowerment and presence and life of Jesus in our day-to-day 115 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,600 lives. Now at this point is worth me 116 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:21,700 highlighting that I am not an end result. 117 00:06:21,900 --> 00:06:23,500 We are all in process, aren't we? 118 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:27,200 Were all growing in this so I'm teaching myself as I'm teaching 119 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:32,900 on this pulpit, Maybe part of the journey is coping with a 120 00:06:32,908 --> 00:06:35,600 manager at work who talks down to you all the time. 121 00:06:36,300 --> 00:06:39,200 Now you could just decide in that situation that you're going 122 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,500 to start forgiving them and praying for them to very good 123 00:06:41,500 --> 00:06:44,100 things. But sometimes if we just start 124 00:06:44,100 --> 00:06:48,400 to try and put a moral stance into action, we can fall over 125 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:52,200 after a couple of weeks. In fact, the way that Christ is 126 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,500 designed, the way that the holy spirit is designed the way that 127 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:58,900 God the father's designed us to be is through a place of growing 128 00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:01,800 in that intimate space with him. We heard a bit about that last 129 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:06,400 week at through growing in that private personal space with him. 130 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,800 But our actions, our reactions and responses, change and 131 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,800 develop the effort goes into the training at more than the 132 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:21,500 activity that works afterwards. You might say I'm sorry, don't 133 00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:25,000 worry about it. Coming to Jesus at can be 134 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:29,300 something that condenses and aspect of our spiritual 135 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:31,600 maturity. Now, when we come to Christ or 136 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,400 maybe we have a moment of Revival in our lives, maybe we 137 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,500 experience something. Suddenly a miraculous and big 138 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,100 that can jump us on a few notches that can really mature 139 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:44,500 us and put some of our old lives to death and some of the new 140 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:48,200 life comes life with physical training. 141 00:07:48,300 --> 00:07:52,800 Dang, it takes physical effort, it takes spiritual strength. 142 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:58,600 It takes Focus row and to mature changes change comes because 143 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:03,000 we're inspired, and then we actually sat in motion a plan, 144 00:08:03,900 --> 00:08:07,000 and it seems to me, like, that's exactly what Paul is talking 145 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,600 about. These verses, we don't just 146 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,900 happen to train ourselves, and that image with a guy far 147 00:08:13,900 --> 00:08:16,700 bulkier than me, didn't just happen. 148 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,300 There were things put him. Place to develop and mature and 149 00:08:21,300 --> 00:08:24,700 grow. And what is the plan? 150 00:08:25,300 --> 00:08:28,600 Like I said, already loving your enemy isn't necessarily the plan 151 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,900 itself. Loving your enemy is something 152 00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:35,100 that comes out as a natural result of these trainings and 153 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:38,100 these habits training, and habits that are different from 154 00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:40,900 the ones before we were a Christian. 155 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:46,100 The moments of responding like Christ word stem from what has 156 00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:51,100 gone on in the hours weeks and months leading up to that 157 00:08:51,100 --> 00:08:52,700 difficult conversation with a boss. 158 00:08:52,700 --> 00:08:55,900 That awkward moment with a family member that moment of 159 00:08:55,900 --> 00:09:02,500 Temptation, the right choices stem from a year, a month, 160 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,100 lifetime of growing to be more like Jesus. 161 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,100 So if you wanna grab your bibles, if you're not already, 162 00:09:08,100 --> 00:09:11,200 we're going to look at Luke chapter 4, all of the Gospels. 163 00:09:11,300 --> 00:09:15,100 Is tell the story of Jesus as we know specifically the last few 164 00:09:15,100 --> 00:09:16,800 years. His entrance to the public 165 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,100 stage, his mission his ministry, his death, his resurrection. 166 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,700 And so we're thinking about some of the stuff in Luke's gospel 167 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:26,400 specifically today. And Luke highlights from 168 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,500 different themes all the gospels highlight different themes. 169 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:33,000 One of the things that Luke highlights is an interesting 170 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:38,200 specific where Jesus goes off into prayer, for Solitude, and 171 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:42,000 it begins here in chapter 4, chapter 4, Comes right after 172 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,800 Jesus baptism where his declared to be the Son of God. 173 00:09:45,300 --> 00:09:47,800 So what's the first thing he does is he moves into this new 174 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,400 exciting Dynamic season. Haven't been announced as the 175 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,500 Son of God, while he goes off Into Obscurity. 176 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,900 It seems for 40 days. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit 177 00:09:58,100 --> 00:10:02,200 left, the Jordan and was led by the spirit Into the Wilderness. 178 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,100 Forty days. He was tempted by the devil, he 179 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:11,100 ate nothing during those days and at the end of them, he was 180 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:13,500 hungry. I'm sure he was very hungry. 181 00:10:13,500 --> 00:10:16,200 Gosh, 40 days in the wilderness that's an extreme amount of 182 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,500 solitude. Flip over to chapter 5, he comes 183 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:21,600 back from the desert and he's bringing God's healing into 184 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:27,500 people's lives and he begins to teach 5:15 the news about him, 185 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:31,300 spread all the more so that crowds of people came to hear 186 00:10:31,300 --> 00:10:36,000 him and be his healed of that Illness, but Jesus often 187 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,000 withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 188 00:10:40,100 --> 00:10:42,300 Crowds flock to come and see Jesus Revival. 189 00:10:42,700 --> 00:10:48,000 But often his response was to go into that secret place and spend 190 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,200 time with his Heavenly Father. It was a regular habit, a couple 191 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:57,200 more versus to see this pattern. Clearly from scripture 6:12, 192 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,300 Jesus went out to a Mountainside to pray and spent the night 193 00:11:00,300 --> 00:11:04,900 praying to God 9:18. When Jesus was praying in 194 00:11:04,900 --> 00:11:08,300 private at this number of verses, we go on at Luke is 195 00:11:08,300 --> 00:11:11,800 helping us to see that. Prayerful Solitude is a 196 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:18,000 crucially important part, the Jesus's life and Mission, and 197 00:11:18,008 --> 00:11:20,700 you might be thinking, well, of course, Jesus prayed a lot is 198 00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:24,400 Jesus, right? Now, look at this from one of 199 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:30,200 the other gospels, he invites us to be people of regular prayer, 200 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:35,700 for Solitude, Matthew 6, verses 5 to 6 and when you pray, do not 201 00:11:35,708 --> 00:11:38,200 be like the Hypocrites for. They love to pray standing in 202 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,100 the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. 203 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:45,300 Truly, I tell you they have received their reward in full 204 00:11:45,300 --> 00:11:52,500 but when you pray go into your room close the door and Pray to 205 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:58,200 your father, who is unseen. So, Jesus has in mind clearly 206 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,200 that his disciples are going to be people who are retreating 207 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,500 into a place of prayer for Solitude and finding that Spirit 208 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:07,100 empowerment live. Their everyday lives. 209 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:08,900 Yes, he was doing it. Perfect. 210 00:12:08,900 --> 00:12:12,100 And he was doing on our behalf, something unique that we are not 211 00:12:12,100 --> 00:12:13,600 able to do. But that doesn't mean that we 212 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,800 should avoid training ourselves and putting this practice into 213 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,300 our life, a dismissive attitude. Like that would be completely 214 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:26,000 wrong because Paul says train yourselves, And so, what does 215 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,100 that look like? Well, maybe this, he saved us 216 00:12:29,100 --> 00:12:32,500 into a whole new way of living. That's what Jesus seemed to have 217 00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:35,700 envisaged here. Jesus totally expects. 218 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:39,100 His followers are going to engage in this practice of 219 00:12:39,100 --> 00:12:43,700 prayerful Solitude. Sometimes after a youth session, 220 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:46,200 a young person would come up to me and express that. 221 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,100 Maybe they're sensing that. They're not sensing a God's 222 00:12:49,100 --> 00:12:52,500 presence in their life, maybe they're struggling with an issue 223 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,100 as something that's going on for them. 224 00:12:54,500 --> 00:12:57,800 And they might talk to me about kind of how to resolve that or 225 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,000 where to go to find help. And so one of the questions 226 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,000 after our story sensitively, listening to them. 227 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,100 At one of the things I challenge them on really is ask them. 228 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:10,900 Where's your prayer time in your week? 229 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,200 Essentially I'm asking where are those moments of prayerful 230 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,900 Solitude that you're retreating to the find that strength to 231 00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:21,600 draw on Jesus to grow to be strong to face those situations? 232 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,200 You're finding so overwhelming right now. 233 00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:29,400 And if the young person hasn't got an active prayer life, maybe 234 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,200 I'll give them some pointers as to how where when to be praying, 235 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,400 even some advice like that. And this spiritual practice is 236 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:42,800 Central to ask growing, Jesus said that is a crucially 237 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,100 important part that shapes, our character will actually find it 238 00:13:46,100 --> 00:13:47,900 nearly impossible to follow Jesus. 239 00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:51,600 If we don't have some practice or ritual of being alone and 240 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:56,000 focusing on Jesus, he might have caught a word that I said there. 241 00:13:56,500 --> 00:13:59,300 We're at Vineyard, we probably don't like that word ritual, 242 00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:02,400 very much. It's something that we're very 243 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,500 free in our faith to express how we want to express our 244 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:12,200 relationship with Jesus. And that's really important, but 245 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,800 ritual and prayer seems to be one in the same here. 246 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:20,000 The idea of regularly ritually routinely might be more 247 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,100 comfortable word spending time in prayer, is something that 248 00:14:23,100 --> 00:14:26,400 Jesus is calling us to. So, it seems to be that rich. 249 00:14:26,500 --> 00:14:29,900 Rachel is an important part of our Christian faith. 250 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:34,200 Now, it doesn't mean some lifeless activity. 251 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,800 That means nothing to you and doesn't inspire you. 252 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,300 That's clearly not what Jesus is talking about when he's 253 00:14:39,300 --> 00:14:41,100 encouraging us to have a prayer ritual. 254 00:14:42,300 --> 00:14:48,100 Don't worry you me. We all have a bunch of habits in 255 00:14:48,100 --> 00:14:52,300 our lives, and because of these habits, it develops, who we are, 256 00:14:52,700 --> 00:14:56,000 we're not always aware of our habits, because they're things 257 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,100 that we're doing ourselves. Sometimes, externally people, 258 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:01,900 spot them. I know in marriage that could be 259 00:15:01,908 --> 00:15:05,200 a challenge sometimes when you spot each other's routines and 260 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,900 living with one another, when your University students in a 261 00:15:07,908 --> 00:15:11,000 dorm or whose residents, that's also a challenge when people 262 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,700 have Current ways of living. You might not be convinced that 263 00:15:15,700 --> 00:15:18,100 this point or you might mentally agree. 264 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:22,000 At just, that I have many times before mentally agreed with this 265 00:15:22,100 --> 00:15:25,700 but then end up not doing it. Maybe something more precious 266 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,300 like Netflix or social media start to grasp, some of our 267 00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:32,800 attention, maybe something else difficult in our life crowds it 268 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,200 out and we think we can't make time for this. 269 00:15:36,100 --> 00:15:39,900 And so what's the value of developing a habit of prayerful 270 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,300 solitude? And can I suggest two things? 271 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:51,700 Focus and freedom, focus and freedom after a service on a 272 00:15:51,708 --> 00:15:55,600 Sunday morning conversations out in the atrium at can be vast can 273 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,200 be loud and sometimes focusing on the conversation that you're 274 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,200 having with an individual can be difficult humans have a limited 275 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,700 capacity to focus and so in an environment where they're 276 00:16:06,700 --> 00:16:10,800 external stimulus, it can be hard to focus on one point of 277 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,500 reference and that's the case for the Moment by moment. 278 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,300 Moment in our lives. But it's also the case in the 279 00:16:16,308 --> 00:16:19,300 big picture, we could be overwhelmed by multiple 280 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:21,400 commitments, too many things in our life. 281 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:24,700 We are limited. We are finite and that's okay. 282 00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:30,100 As humans, then we should think about how we can build our 283 00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:34,200 spiritual muscle mass. In particular ways, we want to 284 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:39,100 think about how we can focus on particular areas without time 285 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:45,400 without energy. And apparently, as Jesus said, 286 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,100 if we can't make time for that, we comic space, that is going to 287 00:16:49,100 --> 00:16:52,800 be hard for us to grow as his followers. 288 00:16:54,200 --> 00:17:01,600 And we doing for time what? So here's the strange thing, so 289 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,300 by focusing. We're actually saying no to a 290 00:17:04,308 --> 00:17:07,599 whole bunch of things, that's what Focus does and hones in on 291 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:10,500 a specific thing. So by focusing, we're saying no 292 00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:14,700 to a whole bunch of things, but at the same time that honing in 293 00:17:14,700 --> 00:17:18,000 on a specific thing gives an enormous amount of Freedom. 294 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:21,200 Just follow me with this. When you're by yourself, when 295 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,700 you're sitting unadorned, you have no one to impress. 296 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:29,000 Now, a huge amount of what we say, and what we do is, Is about 297 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,300 people who are around us, it's managing people's perceptions of 298 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:35,900 us. This is just how we live our 299 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:39,000 daily lives. I'm constantly managing what you 300 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,000 think of me. So, I might say one thing to 301 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,100 come across intelligent. I might say another thing to 302 00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:45,200 come across like a nice person to be around. 303 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,300 Now, I don't do those things and hopefully we don't do those 304 00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:52,300 things in a manipulative or false way sing Creeps in, let's 305 00:17:52,300 --> 00:17:56,300 be honest, but we strive to put our best foot forward and how we 306 00:17:56,300 --> 00:18:03,900 interact with one another Solitude Ruiz us from that. 307 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:11,000 It's a space in our lives where we actually don't have to be or 308 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:16,100 do anything. We're just with it. 309 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:22,100 I so goal in that moment is to be freed from the noise of 310 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:26,000 whatever is going on in and around our life. 311 00:18:27,700 --> 00:18:33,400 And to focus on Jesus. In a seemingly strange way. 312 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:38,700 We become more human. By stepping away from human 313 00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:44,900 interaction. We become more human by having 314 00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:48,700 moments where we're not interacting with others and now 315 00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:50,300 some of you love to be around people. 316 00:18:50,300 --> 00:18:54,000 Some of you more extroverted here or online, a thinking if 317 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:55,200 you're online you want to be here. 318 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,600 If you're extroverted, you like being around people and that's 319 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:00,400 good. That's right, that's exciting. 320 00:19:00,700 --> 00:19:04,900 But I question you might ask yourself, is why do you need to 321 00:19:04,900 --> 00:19:10,400 be around people all the time? Are you scared to be alone with 322 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:14,200 your own thoughts? And remember when we're alone, 323 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,400 we're not truly alone, we're actually sitting with Jesus. 324 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,400 And so, if something about that scares, you maybe there's 325 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:25,500 something to process there. Other than others of us are 326 00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:29,200 introverted at we love having time alone, whatever that might 327 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:34,300 look, like, just the way from people, if that's us and this 328 00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:40,600 gives Focus purpose, meaning to those alone, times, prayerful 329 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,800 solitude. Hey, we good. 330 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,800 Yeah, awesome. So if we are to create a space 331 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,400 that freeze ourselves from the noise and interference of 332 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,500 others, and the world around us, and what our emotions might be 333 00:19:56,500 --> 00:20:00,200 telling us, because we want to just focus on Jesus where we 334 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,700 don't have to be anything to. Anybody just simply with Jesus 335 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,400 at what are we doing in this time? 336 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,100 What was Jesus doing in these times? 337 00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:11,300 Where he retreated in solitude what was going on there? 338 00:20:11,900 --> 00:20:15,000 And we can A know what Jesus was doing in this time actually 339 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,400 become a very good idea of what Jesus was doing in this time, 340 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,600 because he would have been doing what Jews traditionally did 341 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,200 regularly. It was a form of prayer for 342 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,800 meditation on the scriptures themselves at. 343 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,700 This wasn't reading the Bible per se and it wasn't just 344 00:20:29,700 --> 00:20:33,100 spraying your heart. So to speak, it was somewhere in 345 00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:36,900 the middle where they merge and scriptures washing over your 346 00:20:36,900 --> 00:20:39,700 heart and mind, and it's coming out verbally and it's sitting in 347 00:20:39,700 --> 00:20:43,700 your heart and in your mind and we can Know this because the 348 00:20:43,700 --> 00:20:47,600 Jewish Handbook of prayer also called The Book of Psalms, as we 349 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,500 know, it shows us what that looks like. 350 00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:54,000 And so someone which you might have in front of you, I'm sure 351 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,300 we've got up on the screen that gives us an idea of what this 352 00:20:57,300 --> 00:20:59,800 looks like. And it says this blessed is the 353 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:04,100 one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the 354 00:21:04,100 --> 00:21:08,900 way of Sinners or sit in the company of mockers. 355 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:14,600 But his Delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on 356 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:20,000 his law day and night. That person is like a tree 357 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:24,800 planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season 358 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:30,000 and whose Leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers. 359 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,800 Someone is talking about this blessed one. 360 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:35,700 I want to be a blessed one. I don't know about. 361 00:21:35,700 --> 00:21:38,200 You looks like an exciting person to be. 362 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,700 They've made every effort to reject walking with the wicked 363 00:21:41,700 --> 00:21:44,200 sitting with mockers generally, avoiding sin. 364 00:21:44,900 --> 00:21:48,500 But how is it that, I've been empowered to do that where it 365 00:21:48,508 --> 00:21:52,600 says in the verses that follow through delighting in the law of 366 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:59,200 the Lord, and meditating on it. Look at the beautiful imagery 367 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,400 used as a result as well. That person is like a tree 368 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:07,100 planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season 369 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:12,000 and whose Leaf does not wither whatever they do prospered. 370 00:22:13,100 --> 00:22:15,400 So, delighting in the law of the Lord, and meditating on, it 371 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,500 seems to be key to a blessed life, but meditating isn't a 372 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:23,300 clear word in English, it's one that's used for many spiritual 373 00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:26,500 practices across many religions and non religions. 374 00:22:26,900 --> 00:22:29,600 So what does it mean? Biblical tradition in the Jewish 375 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,900 and Christian tradition. That's where we get our Old 376 00:22:31,900 --> 00:22:35,200 Testament from. Isn't that the Hebrew word used 377 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,300 bear with me? We've got some Latin, Greek and 378 00:22:37,300 --> 00:22:41,800 Hebrew today. The Hebrew word hegar means to 379 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,900 groan moan or growl. Yeah, there's something verbal 380 00:22:45,900 --> 00:22:49,900 about what it is to meditate. The meditate on God's word is 381 00:22:49,900 --> 00:22:52,000 something along the lines of to slowly. 382 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:57,500 Prayerfully carefully even verbally Read God's word. 383 00:22:59,700 --> 00:23:03,000 When we try to pray, we can so easily. 384 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,300 I don't know about you. We can so easily get lost in our 385 00:23:05,300 --> 00:23:08,000 own thought. I will through different things 386 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,700 that we want to talk to God about and it can whirl around in 387 00:23:10,700 --> 00:23:16,100 our minds at times. But to focus on to utter words 388 00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:21,000 of scripture is a centuries-old tradition and a way that we can 389 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,800 engage in prayer instead of spiraling in our own thoughts. 390 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,100 We're not meant to read through passages quickly just to get to 391 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:30,800 the end of our Bible reading each day. 392 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,800 That would be a ritual that we're not called to do. 393 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:38,200 We're called to think to meditate just slowly go through 394 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,700 to even. Read out loud. 395 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,800 Scripture hegar biblical, meditation, teaches us to open 396 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,200 our minds to God, Work God's word and our mouths. 397 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,800 Utter it. This is what Jesus was doing at 398 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:54,700 those times of prayer for soil, shoot. 399 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,600 Likewise, we are also good. Bray to read the Bible. 400 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,400 The h'ghar. Now in the connect group, I 401 00:24:03,408 --> 00:24:05,100 said, I mentioned the connect group, right? 402 00:24:05,100 --> 00:24:08,000 If you're not involved in one, please do the connect group that 403 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,200 I'm a part of. We recently went through lectio 404 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,400 Divina, five, week course, that P Kraig. 405 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,300 And the guys at 24/7 prayer have put together is brilliant worth 406 00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:19,900 doing in a connect group. On your own any sort of context 407 00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:24,400 lectio Divina is this historic Christian practice that I want 408 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,500 to talk about which is essentially what we've started 409 00:24:27,500 --> 00:24:32,000 to describe is the practice of prayerful meditation on. 410 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:36,500 God's word on the course. Pete reminds followers of Jesus. 411 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,300 That is good and right to desire. 412 00:24:39,300 --> 00:24:48,000 Hearing Jesus is voice it man. John 10:27 says this my sheep 413 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,300 here, sorry my sheep listen to my voice. 414 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:57,100 I know them and they follow me a priori Mark of discipleship. 415 00:24:57,100 --> 00:24:59,900 According To Jesus In this passage is listening. 416 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:04,300 Followers of Jesus a marked out, by the way, they listen, by the 417 00:25:04,300 --> 00:25:08,800 way, we listen and obey, this doesn't mean reading. 418 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,800 And knowing a lot of Bible verses, this is where the Greek 419 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:15,500 word comes in because the Greek word used here is acoustic ass. 420 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,100 Where we get the word Acoustics from acoustic. 421 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,400 Jesus saying that his true followers, are those who 422 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:29,600 recognize the Acoustics, the new ones, the intimate tone of his 423 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:30,400 voice. Yes. 424 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:36,500 Our a true story helps give imagery to this in the 9th in 425 00:25:36,500 --> 00:25:40,800 the 1890s at there was a painter called Francis barreled who 426 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,200 lived in London. His brother Mark sadly died. 427 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:48,400 But France, France has inherited three things and we can have 428 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,700 them up on the screed an old wind-up gramophone player a 429 00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:58,100 record of his brothers voice and Nipper is Brothers Jack, Russell 430 00:25:58,100 --> 00:26:01,200 Terrier. Whenever Francis played the 431 00:26:01,208 --> 00:26:05,500 recording of his brothers voice, Nipper would pick up his ears 432 00:26:05,500 --> 00:26:09,800 and sit transfix staring at the gramophone, some of you might 433 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,600 know where this is going deeply moved by this Frances, painted 434 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:17,700 the scene, and the entitled, it his master's voice, but a 435 00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:23,000 painting of that behind us now. A local record company. 436 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:27,100 Love this picture so much, they decided to make Nipper their 437 00:26:27,100 --> 00:26:29,300 logo. They even changed the name of 438 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:35,000 the company from the gramophone company, to his master's voice. 439 00:26:36,100 --> 00:26:39,700 By the end of the last century, this company had the biggest 440 00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:43,200 story in the world record store in the world in London and they 441 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:47,300 had the biggest American Store in New York City and you might 442 00:26:47,300 --> 00:26:50,500 have already guessed the short name for his master's voice. 443 00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:57,700 This record company was called H&M be Nipple loved and longed 444 00:26:57,700 --> 00:27:00,300 for his master's voice is beautiful that idea of just 445 00:27:00,300 --> 00:27:04,800 longing and looking into that sad with the fact that his owner 446 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:09,100 is dead but we don't look for a voice that is dead. 447 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,500 We don't listen to a secondhand recording. 448 00:27:13,100 --> 00:27:17,200 Now we get first-hand audio with the King of Kings and the Lord 449 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,200 of lords. So how do we actually do it? 450 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:25,000 How do we learn to recognize the Acoustics of God's voice in the 451 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:31,300 way that Jesus described? Lectio Divina is helpful for 452 00:27:31,300 --> 00:27:36,500 this is more about the head than the heart, more about the heart 453 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:38,000 than the head. Let me get that the right way 454 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:42,800 around, but both are certainly involve less about study and 455 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:47,400 more about a conversation with god at the four aspects in 456 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:49,000 Latin. This is our third and final 457 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:54,100 language for today lectio, meditate 0, or a t0 and Quantum 458 00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:56,900 plateau. And those mean read meditate, 459 00:27:56,900 --> 00:28:01,100 pray and Plate. I've been using a Bible study 460 00:28:01,100 --> 00:28:05,000 app, I don't know how all of you engage with God's word. 461 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:08,200 There's a number of ways that I do that but I use a bi, a Bible 462 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,300 study app, which is kind of like a fullback for me. 463 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:16,400 It sends a Bible verse through to me every day and so in 464 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,200 Seasons where I'm particularly busy either through poor 465 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,700 planning or intensities that have come at me, I get a verse 466 00:28:22,700 --> 00:28:25,600 coming at me. Every day that I know that I can 467 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:31,000 pause read reflect. T', meditate on and that's just 468 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,100 useful for me. I've been doing that for 10 469 00:28:33,100 --> 00:28:35,100 years now. I think it is and not perfectly, 470 00:28:35,100 --> 00:28:39,800 not every day but that routine that ritual has been a massive 471 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:41,800 help in my relationship with God. 472 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:45,900 So lectio reading the text slowly. 473 00:28:46,300 --> 00:28:48,500 It could be as simple as a single verse. 474 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:53,000 Secondly, medet, RTO meditate on it. 475 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:56,400 This could look like allowing your mind to explore. 476 00:28:56,400 --> 00:29:00,300 Its meaning. What is God revealing a fresh to 477 00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:03,000 you? He is speaking. 478 00:29:04,300 --> 00:29:07,300 If your heart and mind, I am to here. 479 00:29:08,900 --> 00:29:14,100 And thirdly or atio Ray the text at turn, your thoughts into 480 00:29:14,100 --> 00:29:17,400 prayers, is there something to thank God for from the text? 481 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,700 Is there something to ask God or from the text? 482 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:26,500 And finally, con-tem-plat-- EO contemplate. 483 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,800 The Lord at move, your focus away from the text and unto 484 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,700 Christ himself his character, something about him that you can 485 00:29:33,700 --> 00:29:37,600 reflect on and contemplate on and appreciate these. 486 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,400 Four aspects are more like fluid dance. 487 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,300 Moves Pete, on the course explains it like this rather 488 00:29:43,300 --> 00:29:46,400 than rungs on a ladder. It's not step-by-step and boom. 489 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:47,600 There you go. That's your dialogue. 490 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,800 With God. Their fluid dance moves, and you 491 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,800 might move around. All of these four. 10, 15, 20, 492 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:57,600 30 minutes depending on how much time you have as you seek to 493 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:03,100 hear God's voice. I want to welcome the band up to 494 00:30:03,100 --> 00:30:05,400 the stage because we are coming to a close. 495 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:10,500 Now, coming in to land, we're not in solitude at the moment 496 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:14,300 but you've heard some Bible verses today but what I'd love 497 00:30:14,300 --> 00:30:16,200 us to do maybe just for a moment. 498 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:22,300 Now as the band come up, it's just to ponder just briefly Or 499 00:30:22,300 --> 00:30:25,200 maybe one of those verses I think we've got a slide with a 500 00:30:25,208 --> 00:30:28,800 couple of verses as examples and also that gives us some of those 501 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:30,800 steps. I think we're just about okay 502 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,100 with text size there, I put a lot on it. 503 00:30:34,500 --> 00:30:38,500 Well, I'd love you to do is just while we finish up, it's just to 504 00:30:38,500 --> 00:30:43,600 spend a moment just thinking on each of those steps thinking on 505 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,600 one of those steps maybe and maybe just one of those verses 506 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,100 one of those passages, maybe just two of the words that are 507 00:30:51,108 --> 00:30:54,500 on the screen. God is speaking to us. 508 00:30:54,500 --> 00:30:57,600 So loudly, so constantly, so Philly. 509 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:00,400 We just see two balls to hear him. 510 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:06,200 I just want to pray holy spirit that you'll be here. 511 00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:10,300 Thank you for each and every mind and heart, who is here. 512 00:31:10,300 --> 00:31:11,800 On-site. Thank you for those who are 513 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,700 joining us online, currently or watching this, in the future. 514 00:31:17,900 --> 00:31:22,600 No, just bless us as we reflect on these verses just bless us as 515 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,500 we think about how we could put this practice into our lives. 516 00:31:27,700 --> 00:31:30,700 Lord, if there's been a challenge today about having a 517 00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:36,700 training routine, a ritual, then Inspire us and strengthen us to 518 00:31:36,700 --> 00:31:40,600 do that. Thank you, holy spirit that you 519 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,600 meet us at when we all out to you. 520 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:47,500 And so in our prayer of need come and meet us, we want to 521 00:31:47,500 --> 00:31:51,300 experience so much more who you are and what you've got for our 522 00:31:51,300 --> 00:31:54,600 lives. And we know that that prayer for 523 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:59,400 Solitude at time with you, is such a key aspect. 524 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,500 So grow us, we pray. And your son's precious name.