1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,080 Welcome to Common Ground One book. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:04,720 We are so glad you've joined us for today's message. 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,760 Whether you're tuning in from home or catching up on another 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,360 go, we pray that this word encourages you, strengthens your 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,320 faith, and draws you closer to God. 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,079 If you'd like to learn more about our church, connect with 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,080 us or get involved, you will find all the details in the 8 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:21,760 description. Now let's dive into today's 9 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,040 message. I want to say that I've had the 10 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:30,480 privilege of walking alongside this team and they have been 11 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:35,760 amazing in what was a sudden, it was a sudden announcement. 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,200 It was quick, it was, it was dramatic. 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:43,240 It was heart hurting to to to have loved ones going somewhere 14 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,000 else and lots of questions. Oh my goodness, what does this 15 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,000 mean for this and for that? But this team have kept their 16 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,800 eyes on Jesus. And I want to say it's been a 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,120 great privilege to walk alongside of you guys. 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,880 So well done and please tell your wives, those whose wives 19 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:01,760 are not in the room, so proud of you. 20 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,040 Well done. I want to also, we're going to 21 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,520 spend a lot of time on Eric and Zukiswa later on, but I also 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,000 want to honor Eric and Zukiswa right at the start. 23 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:18,240 I want to you remember the day I phoned you Eric, I phoned Eric 24 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,120 and I said, I don't know how your day's been going and I 25 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,840 don't want to ruin your life, but I'm about to ask you a big 26 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,760 question. And, and I just loved how right 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:32,080 from the start you guys said, well, we'll ask Jesus. 28 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,520 And I remember speaking to you a few days later and I know you 29 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,160 guys had been praying and this wasn't just an easy thing. 30 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,200 This was Oh my goodness, this was not what we were expecting, 31 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:49,760 but you sought the Lord and you gave your yes to him and then 32 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,560 you gave your yes to leave a very precious people fellowship 33 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,920 Bible church and they gave their yes to release this couple. 34 00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:03,760 And I, I have big respect for fetish of Bible church. 35 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,320 I went through with Nadine a recent transition like this. 36 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,520 But I want to say well done guys for giving your yes to Jesus. 37 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,680 Keep giving your yes to Jesus for the rest of your lives and 38 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,440 inspire us all to keep doing the same. 39 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,440 That's why we're here today. Amazing. 40 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,040 Hey, I want to also just send my particular greetings from my 41 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,400 wife Nadine. She was desperately disappointed 42 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:28,520 that she couldn't be here today because she's serving Common 43 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,960 Ground Rondebosch on their women's retreat. 44 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,120 So that's why she's not here with me this morning. 45 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,920 If you got your Bible, I'm going to be preaching from Haggai 46 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:42,120 chapter 2, just 5 verses. Haggai chapter 2, verses one to 47 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,800 five. And I believe that in these 48 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:50,800 verses there is a message for this moment for us as a church. 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,800 And after preaching, we will then pivot into an ordination 50 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:00,080 moment where we'll add Eric to the eldership team and add them 51 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,200 as a leadership couple in this church. 52 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,280 So let's turn to Haggai Chapter 2. 53 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,360 But before we get to the passage that I want to read, I want to 54 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,880 tell you the story behind the story. 55 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,320 Can I tell you the back story to this moment? 56 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,080 Because if you don't know the back story, you won't know 57 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,160 what's going on. So the back story to Haggard 58 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,320 chapter 2 is that you need to go all the way back really, to the 59 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:29,640 period of the kings of Israel. It's a period in your Bible, 60 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,280 mostly in One and Two Kings and One and Two Chronicles, where 61 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:39,320 God's people have been in a repeated cycle of compromise, 62 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,440 sin and idolatry, a period of about 400 years. 63 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,960 And God in his patience, kindness, always speaks to his 64 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,680 people. And so when God sends a prophet, 65 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,440 it's actually his love as he reaches out to his people and he 66 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,760 calls them to come back to him again and again and again. 67 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:06,520 But if you know the Bible story, eventually God stopped sending 68 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:11,640 prophets to warn his people. And God eventually sends an 69 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:17,800 invading army, the Babylonian army, to overthrow Jerusalem, to 70 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:22,720 destroy the temple of God in Jerusalem, the place of worship 71 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,200 and forgiveness and sacrifice, the place of God's presence. 72 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,680 And he sent his people off into exile. 73 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:35,680 But even in sending them off, he spoke as a loving father through 74 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,600 the prophet Jeremiah. And he said, I will bring you 75 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,960 back to this place in 70 years time. 76 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,280 And God did what God always does. 77 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,480 If God has spoken, you can take that to the bank that that 78 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,440 promise is secure forever. And so if God says I'll bring 79 00:04:55,440 --> 00:05:00,120 you back in 70 years, he did exactly what he said. 80 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,880 Just tell your neighbor. If God speaks, he will do what 81 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,040 he said. Just tell them like you believe 82 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,880 it. If God speaks, He will do what 83 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,960 He said. And So what God did was He moved 84 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,680 the heart of an unbelieving foreign king. 85 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:21,320 King Cyrus of Persia and King Cyrus of Persia allowed the 86 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:27,080 people of God to go back to Jerusalem to recover and restore 87 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:31,080 normal life in Jerusalem. They came to restore a city. 88 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,760 You can read that in Israel and Nehemiah, and they came to 89 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,440 restore the rhythms of worship around the temple. 90 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:46,720 However, 16 years after coming back, Haggai chapter 1 tells us 91 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,400 that there was already a problem. 92 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,520 Although God had brought these people back to Jerusalem to 93 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,560 restore life and to restore the Temple of God, the center of 94 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,600 worship, what they had given themselves to in those first 16 95 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:09,000 years was not God's temple, but making their lives comfortable 96 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,440 again and getting themselves sorted out. 97 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,400 They'd been so focused on rebuilding their lives that 98 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:21,280 they'd actually omitted or forgotten to rebuild God's 99 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:23,960 house. It was like they'd got their 100 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,280 priorities all in the wrong place. 101 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,240 They'd gotten focused on upgrading their lives, but 102 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,520 they'd forgotten the state of the Temple of God in the centre 103 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,360 of the city. And so God in his infinite 104 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,880 kindness sends a prophet again to them. 105 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,440 It's the prophet Haggai to God's people. 106 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,400 And he speaks a prophetic word that you can read in Haggai 107 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:51,160 chapter 1 in your own time. And through it, God in his great 108 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:55,120 love, rebukes his people and says you've got your priorities 109 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,920 all in the wrong place. And then God actually tells them 110 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:03,080 that it's actually been me that's been causing your crops 111 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,960 to fail and your money to fall out your pockets. 112 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:10,000 It's actually been me because I'm trying to get your attention 113 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,600 that there's something you should have given yourself to. 114 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,000 And he calls his people to repent and to turn back to him 115 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:22,760 so that he they can get onto his plan for their lives. 116 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:28,040 And the amazing thing is, if you read the the story, after 16 117 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,480 years of being stuck and being on their own plan for their 118 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:35,200 lives, not on God's plan for their life, God's people in a 119 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:39,000 moment responds to this prophetic word and they get 120 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:43,000 unstuck. They get wonderfully restored to 121 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,920 a place where they want to obey God. 122 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:49,280 They obey with reverential fear. And just before I carry on, I 123 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,080 want to just say I don't know where you are right now. 124 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,480 I don't know what your life looks like right now. 125 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,520 I don't know whether God is the center of your life and your 126 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,080 priority or not. I don't even know whether you 127 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,920 don't even believe in God yet. And someone said come to church 128 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,520 and then you can come to Mars for lunch. 129 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,840 And you thought lunch sounded good, so you might as well come 130 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,280 to church. I don't know how you are this 131 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:14,160 morning, but I want to say that God loves you so much that He 132 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,720 will speak and maybe he's even speaking to you right now. 133 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:24,360 And when God speaks, if we will just open our ears and return to 134 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,960 him and listen to Him and repent, the grace of God 135 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,800 suddenly flows in our life. God loves us that much. 136 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,960 And maybe God will speak to you this morning. 137 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,840 So let's read our passage, Haggai chapter 2. 138 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:45,320 All of that was just an introduction, verses 123. 139 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,800 Let's read it in the seventh month. 140 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:53,120 On the 21st day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the 141 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:58,040 hand of Haggai the prophet. Speak now to Zerubbabel the son 142 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,600 of Shield Till, governor of Judah. 143 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,360 So speak to the leaders, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak the 144 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,360 high priest. So speak to the governor and 145 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:11,160 speak to the spiritual leader and to all the remnant of the 146 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:16,680 people and say, who is left among you that saw this house, 147 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:21,840 this temple in its former glory? How do you see it now? 148 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:26,600 Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 149 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:31,480 So he's basically saying, who's you guys saw the temple before 150 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,920 the Babylonians destroyed it? And look at it now. 151 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:39,280 Is it like nothing in your eyes? What's going on here? 152 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:45,640 Well, remember I said in Haggai chapter 1, God's people after 16 153 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,400 years of coming back, they'd gotten stuck and they hadn't 154 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:53,720 prioritized God's, God's house. Well, just one month after God 155 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:56,560 had spoken to them and they'd gotten unstuck and they'd 156 00:09:56,560 --> 00:09:58,760 actually said, yes, let's rebuild the temple. 157 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:03,520 After just one month of building the temple, they got stuck 158 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:08,600 again. 16 years, didn't build the temple. 159 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:14,080 God speaks built for one month, got stuck again. 160 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,200 This time they didn't get sidetracked with wrong 161 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:25,800 priorities. This time they got stopped by 162 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:30,600 discouragement. They felt discouraged. 163 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,360 Maybe there were some really old people who saw them building the 164 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,000 temple and said, you guys, this is a joke. 165 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,880 I know what this looked like and what are you guys building? 166 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,960 Maybe there were some people who were discouraging in their 167 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,120 midst. Maybe there were those who were 168 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,560 putting 1 brick on another and thought how long is this going 169 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:56,360 to take? Or putting 1 brick on top of 170 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,120 another and thinking this feels so small and insignificant. 171 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,840 They'd fallen into comparing one thing to another thing. 172 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,680 Do you know that comparison is always bad because you either 173 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:14,840 get depressed or proud. So just tell your neighbor, 174 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,200 neighbor, this is what I've just come from Ghana. 175 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,560 This is what you do in Ghana. You say neighbor, tell your 176 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:22,040 neighbor, neighbor, don't compare. 177 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:27,800 There we go. I want to ask you a question. 178 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:34,080 Do you see yourselves as common ground, Weinberg in this 179 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:40,240 passage, we are so easily discouraged. 180 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,720 Are you easily discouraged? Don't put your hand up. 181 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:50,080 You see, just three weeks before this, in this book, there are 182 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,080 very specific dates. Just three weeks before this, 183 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,920 they had been energized because God had spoken and they said, 184 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,280 yes, we're going to do it. And the three weeks later 185 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,920 though, they feel like giving up already. 186 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,560 I want to ask you, what's your faith journey being like? 187 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,240 Can you identify with these guys? 188 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,320 I can. Sunday, Hallelujah, Jesus 189 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,800 reigns. Monday, Oh my goodness, are you 190 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:23,480 like me? Has common ground Weinberg 191 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:26,280 always been plain sailing and easy? 192 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:33,640 The projector always works. Has your last year been the 193 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:42,560 easiest year of church life? Has it always been easy going 194 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,160 all forward, all momentum, all growth? 195 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,160 We need the school to make a mezzanine because we need more 196 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,880 space. Has it always been like that? 197 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:57,800 Isn't the story of any church and isn't the story of any 198 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:02,440 individual believer's life One of some mountain top moments 199 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:08,320 followed by some valleys and some very deep dark valleys. 200 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:15,640 Brothers and sisters, this Old Testament book is very, very 201 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:20,800 true to our human experience as we keep trying to follow God and 202 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:25,440 walk after him. It's very true to our human 203 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,680 experience, but it's also very true to, I believe, many 204 00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:32,080 churches experience, but particularly this churches 205 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:37,880 experience, Friends, we have got wayward hearts and eyes that are 206 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:42,560 prone to get off our eternal Father and onto the troubles of 207 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:46,080 the present life. We are prone to get discouraged 208 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,560 even after God's done something wonderful. 209 00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:50,760 We get discouraged very easily just after. 210 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,080 But my Third Point is that the good news is that our God is 211 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:57,960 patient and kind. Can I hear it? 212 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:02,760 Hallelujah. You see, our Father knows that 213 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,800 our hearts are prone to wonder. Our Father knows that we are 214 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:11,080 easily discouraged. And so he speaks again. 215 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,280 Every time when God speaks, it's the love of God. 216 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,720 He comes to them again and he urges them to get back onto his 217 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:24,040 plan for their lives, for their city at this time, in the 218 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:30,320 purposes of God. Maybe for you, the much love and 219 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:35,560 tumbways leaving was a big blow. We're going to hear from Andre 220 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,360 and Sabrina later. They've written to you. 221 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,320 I'm sure it had a huge effect on many. 222 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:48,560 I'm sure for some of you it really discouraged you if you 223 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,280 are honest. For some of you, there might be 224 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,320 empty chairs here and people got so discouraged they left. 225 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:57,640 Maybe you need to invite them back. 226 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,840 For some people you lost hope. For some people you might have 227 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,320 had questions that you didn't get answers to. 228 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,320 Maybe you felt disappointed and dejected. 229 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:11,760 I want to say to you, God loves you. 230 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:18,320 God loves this church and God is wanting to stir fresh faith. 231 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,880 And I believe that's why I honoured your elders and wives 232 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,720 because they they have stood in a difficult season. 233 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,280 God wants to serve fresh faith for his plan for your lives and 234 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,920 for this church and for this city. 235 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,800 You guys have got a contribution to make in this city and in our 236 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,320 family of churches. And so in Haggai's day, because 237 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,520 of the kindness of God, God speaks to his people through 238 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,800 Haggai for the third time in one month. 239 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,240 Brothers and sisters, God is so patient with us and kind to us 240 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,520 that he'll speaks again and again and again to us to bring 241 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,480 us to the place that we serve his purposes. 242 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,520 We give our yes to Jesus, just like God spoke to them and 243 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,760 wanted their yes. And So what was God's 244 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,000 encouragement to them? And how can that be an 245 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,880 encouragement to you? Common ground, Weinberg today 246 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:18,360 together and as individuals. It's in verse four and five, and 247 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,840 it's the big thing that I feel God wants to say to you this 248 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:25,080 morning. Let's read verses four and five. 249 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,480 This is what God said then, but I believe he's saying it now to 250 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,960 you. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel. 251 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,800 They remember they had just been discouraged from comparison. 252 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,320 And he says, Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord, 253 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:45,960 Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, Be 254 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,440 strong. All you people of the land, 255 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:54,640 declares the Lord. And here's the phrase Work for I 256 00:16:54,800 --> 00:17:00,080 am with you, declares the Lord of hosts. 257 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:08,280 Work for I am with you, declares the Lord of Hosts, according to 258 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,680 the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. 259 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:19,440 My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not, friends. 260 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:26,680 God wanted the work on His house on the temple, to start again. 261 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:31,760 He wanted it to be complete. God's plans and His purposes. 262 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,200 If He decided that the temple would be rebuilt, then even your 263 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,560 discouragement can't stop it being built. 264 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,600 He will get it built because it's His plan and purpose. 265 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,280 God will glorify himself through His people. 266 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,160 As we sang today. He will be glorified in His 267 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:51,600 house. That's hangout chapter one, 268 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,360 verse 8. But God did not want to carry on 269 00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:59,880 without them. He wanted to do it with them. 270 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,160 And it's the same for you today as common Ground Weinberg. 271 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,680 God could glorify himself all by himself, but he's decided he 272 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,240 wants you to live for his glory, so he'll be glorified. 273 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,120 He wants you to be a church that's put put on display the 274 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:22,680 goodness of Jesus to the town that you live in and the 275 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,120 communities that you live in. He's decided that he wants to do 276 00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:29,440 it with you. And so God moves to encourage 277 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,440 his people. And firstly, God says be strong. 278 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,720 And sometimes you, you know, have you ever been upset and 279 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,360 someone says, you know, just don't be upset. 280 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,880 Has that ever helped? You know, these people are 281 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,440 feeling discouraged. And God says, and he says be 282 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,320 strong. He says it to the leader, he 283 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,280 says it to the priest, he says it to all the people. 284 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,440 And then he says, work for I am with you. 285 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,920 And I love this because God is so gracious. 286 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,440 He knew that they felt discouraged and powerless and 287 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,040 insignificant because of their comparison. 288 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,640 He knows you and me. He knows the questions that you 289 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,000 had last year and the questions you've had this year. 290 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:15,480 And he says, guys, work, build this church because I am with 291 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,920 you. And so God encourages these 292 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,760 people who had stopped working. And he says, I want you to work. 293 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,480 I want you to give yourself to this. 294 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,440 I want you to build, but you're not doing it alone. 295 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,640 The Lord of Heaven's armies is with you. 296 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:35,440 He actually covenanted himself. He said, I'm the God of covenant 297 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,000 and I am still sticking to my covenant promises. 298 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,760 So work because the covenant keeping God is with you. 299 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:48,600 For the people in Haggai's time, when he told them to work, it 300 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:50,360 was clear what they needed to do. 301 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,840 They needed to build a physical building, a temple. 302 00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:00,920 But what does it mean for you to take this exhortation from God 303 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:02,600 to work? For I am with you. 304 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,840 What does that look like in your life and in my life? 305 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,040 Well, I'm so glad you asked that question because then I can 306 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,560 answer it. I believe that God wants 307 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,480 everyone who calls common ground Weinberg. 308 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,560 And if you hear today and you don't call it your home, I want 309 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,800 to say, you nuts, do not call it your home. 310 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,200 I believe God. Wants to call everyone in Common 311 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,200 Ground Weinberg to ask this question of themself. 312 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:34,640 How am I working to strengthen and to build God's church here? 313 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,680 Not. Am I coming to church on Sunday? 314 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:42,200 Yes, you coming to? Church, you don't have to ask 315 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,640 that question. You need to ask the question, 316 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:48,520 what am I doing? How am I giving myself to build 317 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,320 the community that is this local church for the glory of God? 318 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:57,000 And so today is the. Start of a new chapter in the 319 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:01,000 life of your precious church, and I believe that God wants you 320 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,360 in this moment. As the chapter opens, the new 321 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:08,600 chapter, God is calling all of you to hear His exhortation. 322 00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:15,040 Brothers and sisters, work. Build this church, for I am with 323 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,080 you. I want to encourage you, Give 324 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:24,080 yourself, invest your time, your energy, and your effort. 325 00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:28,200 Give your finances, activate your gifts, your passions, and 326 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,680 your talents. Give your time, give your 327 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:35,320 houses, give your cause for the purpose of building the Church 328 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,560 of Jesus Christ here in this church. 329 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,080 I want to encourage you do it together. 330 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,480 I love how God spoke to the leader, how God spoke to the 331 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,760 priest, and God spoke to the whole people. 332 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,000 He addressed each one of them. I want to encourage you to put 333 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:54,040 all your effort in. You should know the. 334 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:58,000 Sentence to know Christ and to make him known. 335 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,120 Give all your. Effort work. 336 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:05,600 To know. Christ and to make Him known. 337 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:11,000 To be missional disciples who are word and gospel filled, Who 338 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,440 are prayerful and spiritually dependent, spirit dependent. 339 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:18,920 Who serve in the body of Christ. Who give to the cause of Christ. 340 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,280 Who are determined to integrate their faith and their work. 341 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:26,000 Who will respond to the vulnerable of society and who 342 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,440 will reach out in friendship, conversation and invitation to 343 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,080 lead others to Christ. Who will go to the fiver side 344 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,320 soccer so that people can come to know Jesus. 345 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,480 Amen. And so today as. 346 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:41,320 We ordain Eric as an elder to lead this team of elders. 347 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,760 I believe that what God is saying to all of us from this 348 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,880 passage is clear. Brothers and sisters, the strong 349 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,480 encouragement is give yourselves. 350 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:58,800 Decide today again I am going to respond to God's Word and I will 351 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:02,080 build this church in all the ways I can build it. 352 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,280 May you do this? Together, may you commit to 353 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,760 working at all these things, because you know who has 354 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,720 promised. To be with you who? 355 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:19,960 Has covenanted himself to you. Now if you're. 356 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:24,320 Theologically astute, and I know you all are, you might be a bit 357 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,640 uncomfortable with this idea of work because I thought good 358 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,880 works were bad. Just not just say yes. 359 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:35,360 I was wondering about that. I want to tell you that in the 360 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:38,720 New Testament. We work. 361 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,200 Not for our salvation, but we work from it. 362 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:45,000 We. Don't work. 363 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,840 For our salvation we work from it. 364 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:52,280 If you know your Bible, Jesus was once asked what is the work 365 00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:55,920 that the Father wants us to do? And Jesus reply was this 366 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:01,680 believe, believe in me, that's the work, believe in me and I 367 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:05,040 will do it all. And he said on the cross it is 368 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:08,640 finished and we trust in his finished work. 369 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:15,480 So we know that. Salvation is by grace alone, 370 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,680 through faith alone in Christ alone. 371 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:21,360 But I love Philippians chapter 2. 372 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:24,920 That then exhorts us, those who've been saved by grace. 373 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:30,320 Philippians chapter 2 says work out your salvation. 374 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,080 You work it. Out you are to work out your 375 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:38,600 salvation for this God, who is working inside of you to both 376 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,600 will and to act according to his good purpose. 377 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:44,520 So let me just close the loop there. 378 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,360 You are saved by Grace alone, not by good works, but by his 379 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:51,000 finished work. Can I hear an Amen? 380 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:54,920 But having been. Saved by his good works. 381 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:59,120 You 2 work out what it means to be saved. 382 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:05,960 There was a day 30 years ago that Nadine put this ring on my 383 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,280 finger. I'm ahead of me. 384 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,160 It's only in December that it's 30 years, but I'll claim it. 385 00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:17,200 There was a moment. In 1995, wasn't married. 386 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:21,800 Wasn't married married? It happened like this. 387 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:26,120 Bah. And I walked out. 388 00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:28,840 That actually just down the road, Christchurch, Kenilworth, 389 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,840 I walked out those doors and I was a married guy. 390 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:37,160 Everything had changed and it's taken 30 years to work it out, 391 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,000 but I'm not trying to be married. 392 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:45,280 I'm working out. What it means to be married. 393 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,640 You see the difference? There was a day God put his ring 394 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,160 on your finger, you put your faith in Jesus and you were 395 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,400 changed forever. And you spend the rest of your 396 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,840 life working it out. Can you see that? 397 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,960 And one of the things that we have to work out. 398 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:07,800 Is that? We've been saved not by our good 399 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:13,600 works, but Ephesians 2, eight to 10 says we are saved 4 good 400 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,960 works. God saved 4 good works that he 401 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:21,960 planned in advance for us to do. So me saying to you, work for 402 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,640 God's with you is not against the gospel of grace. 403 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,840 It's the response to the gospel of grace. 404 00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:32,200 Paul actually said to the Corinthians, he actually said 405 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:37,000 that he died for two Corinthians 514 and 15. 406 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:40,520 Jesus died for all that those who live might no longer live 407 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:45,360 for themselves, but live for him who died for them. 408 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:52,240 So having believed in Jesus who died for you, you die and you 409 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:54,880 live for him with the rest of your life. 410 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,840 You work for he is with you. So brothers and sisters, if 411 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:04,440 you've truly seen who Jesus, what was, is and what he's done 412 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:08,080 for you, you'll live the rest of your life working for God, 413 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:12,160 serving his purposes, building his church. 414 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,040 Amen. And so in this exciting moment 415 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,920 as we woke up, Eric onto eldership, I hope you don't 416 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,760 think, oh, great, he's going to do it. 417 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:27,680 Aren't you so relieved, Eric? We've got a new guy to do it. 418 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,800 No, no, no, you don't have a new guy to do it. 419 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:32,600 How's it, Alistair? Great to see you. 420 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:36,760 We are going to. Work to serve the purposes of 421 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:37,960 God. Can I hear an Amen? 422 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,000 We will work to serve the purposes of God. 423 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:46,200 And so lastly, I want us to note this morning that in both Haggai 424 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:52,760 chapter 1 and two, God spoke courage and he poured out his 425 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:58,880 spirit not just on the leaders, but on the people as well. 426 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:04,040 In fact, in this passage, there is a very clear positive view of 427 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,400 leadership. Our world hates leadership, but 428 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,080 God loves it. It's his idea in a moment like 429 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,920 this this morning, to consider the interdependence that God has 430 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:18,360 designed into his people, an interdependence between leaders 431 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,560 and the congregation that God has called them to serve and the 432 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,160 congregation and the leaders that God has called them to 433 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:27,640 follow as we appoint an elder, Eric. 434 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,400 Today. Together we recognize God's hand 435 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:36,800 on you, even though most of the people here don't yet know you 436 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,160 well. We recognize. 437 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:44,120 That God has moved you here, and not just alone, but with Zukiswa 438 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:48,120 and your whole family, we see the evidence that God has LED 439 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:51,520 you here. God's church is. 440 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:56,440 Not just like a family, it is a family and Jesus gifts his 441 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:01,880 church men who are elders, who will father and who will 442 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,560 shepherd his people. Jesus is the. 443 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:09,680 Head of his church, but he gives the responsibility of leadership 444 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:14,320 to men he has chosen. And today, Eric, we add you to a 445 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:19,560 team that have been called to serve, to care, to God, to guide 446 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:24,200 and to govern God's church. And so today, we're recognizing 447 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,840 what God's already done in your life in moving you here, and we 448 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:33,480 recognize the gifts and the role that God's entrusted to you so 449 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:36,920 that you can serve along with the team of elders here in 450 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,640 leading this church. And so, Eric, we. 451 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,440 Recognize that God brought you to lead with these fellow 452 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,960 elders. And so it's appropriate for you 453 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:50,640 and Zukiswa for us to make some serious promises to you, and 454 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,880 it's appropriate for them to make promises to you as a 455 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,240 congregation. And so we're going to switch 456 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,280 into a bit of like a marriage mode. 457 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,120 I'm going to ask. Eric and Zukiswa to make some 458 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,800 promises to you as a congregation, and then I'm going 459 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,040 to ask you to make some promises back to them as well. 460 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,920 I'm very aware that. On a Sunday like this, 461 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,960 especially on a day where they're visitors, you might not 462 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,520 all be members of Common Ground Weinberg. 463 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:25,240 But I want to encourage you that when we stand up, when I ask you 464 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,840 to make vows to Eric and Tsukiswa, if you can agree with 465 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:31,200 this moment or you came to support this moment, then please 466 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:35,640 join us and stand as well. But before we get to. 467 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:39,920 Those vows, I want you to just look at verse 9 because common 468 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,760 ground, Weinberg, I believe the best is yet to come. 469 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,160 Look at the. Promise God made then, because I 470 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:51,520 believe God also wants to say it to this church today. 471 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:54,280 Verse 9 says. This. 472 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:59,080 Remember these were these. Discouraged people who said this 473 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,160 is such a rubbish thing we're doing and I got all discouraged 474 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:05,280 and God spoke again and said work for I'm with you and then 475 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:07,760 he says the. Latter. 476 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:13,640 Glory of this House shall be greater than the former in. 477 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:16,800 Other words what I'm about. To do through you is going to be 478 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,760 greater than what those guys remembered. 479 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:25,240 And who said it? The Lord of hosts, and in this 480 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:33,440 place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts, we 481 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:38,040 were praying for you. We were actually at Ryan and 482 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:41,600 Shelley's place the other day with other common ground leaders 483 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,840 and wives, and the whole room was praying for common ground 484 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,280 Weinberg. And suddenly prophetic words 485 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:50,760 started coming and Ryan wrote a couple of them down. 486 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:53,680 You can ask him about the other ones, but one really caught my 487 00:31:53,680 --> 00:32:01,880 attention and it was it was a picture of a lawn, a grass lawn. 488 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,880 And I'll just read what it said, but I want you to connect it 489 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:09,000 with the promise in verse 9, Common ground. 490 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:14,160 Weinberg is experiencing A replanting, but not in the sense 491 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:18,720 of a totally new instant lawn or an Astroturf being laid. 492 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:23,720 So sometimes in Stellenbosch, actually, we've been so bad at 493 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:27,840 looking after the verges in our roads that I saw they just 494 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,200 ripped it all up the other day and just put artificial grass 495 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:34,280 everywhere because we'll never have to cut it and we'll never 496 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,000 have to weed it. And so the picture is that God's 497 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,720 not doing a replanting where he's just ripping up and he's 498 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:42,880 just bought a whole lot of grass and just laying it like a nice 499 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,400 lawn. He's not making a a new thing 500 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:49,120 like that. This is what it said, but rather 501 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:53,720 it is a regrowing from whatever is already there. 502 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,320 There are lots of bare patches. There's like patches where there 503 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,600 hasn't been grass. But it's more like. 504 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:04,560 Kuku grass runners that are in place with deep roots and 505 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,760 they're going to receive sunlight and rain and the bare 506 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,720 patches and the gaps are going to start to fill. 507 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:14,560 And so there's this lawn, a beautiful new picture. 508 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:17,840 And I want to encourage you, I want to say well done for being 509 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:20,480 here today. Well done for going through 510 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:25,760 what's been a difficult season. God is doing a new thing today 511 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:30,440 and I want to say be in faith and be encouraged that the best 512 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:35,440 is yet to come according to, I think, this prophetic picture, 513 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,720 but also verse 9. Before I call you guys up, I 514 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,480 wanted to read you something that Andre and Sabrina wrote 515 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,120 yesterday and sent to me last night. 516 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:47,000 Can I read it? I'll send it to your elders so 517 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,760 that you can get it if you want to keep it. 518 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:53,360 I'll try and read it in. Andres voice. 519 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:58,080 I don't. Think I've got a deep enough 520 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,640 voice? Dear. 521 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:05,560 Eric and Zuki, this is from Andra and Sabrina, beloved 522 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:10,280 brothers and sisters of Common Ground Weinberg, grace and peace 523 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:14,080 to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 524 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:21,480 Sabrina and I are profoundly grateful to God for you, Eric 525 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,840 and Zuki. You're a gift from His gracious 526 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,239 hand to Common ground. Wineburg. 527 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:33,440 What we witnessed today is no accident, but is the very plan 528 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:36,400 of God established before the foundations of the earth. 529 00:34:37,159 --> 00:34:42,480 The Lord in His wisdom called us to lay a foundation, but now He 530 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,120 has appointed you to build on it. 531 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:49,000 And I would add with the whole team of elders, as the apostle 532 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,800 declared, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the 533 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,960 increase. So neither he who plants is 534 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,840 anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 535 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:01,600 I would connect the prophetic word of the grass. 536 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:06,440 There it is God who gives growth, God who raises up 537 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,520 leaders. And God deserves all the glory. 538 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,280 Amen. As. 539 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:14,800 Mentioned to you in our Zoom conversation. 540 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,760 And I say it again with holy jealousy. 541 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:21,960 Common ground. Weinberg is a treasure, a family 542 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:26,200 of men and women who are resilient, sacrificial, and full 543 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:30,200 of faith. They are godly people, always 544 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,760 ready to serve the purposes of the Kingdom. 545 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:39,200 They sound proud of you guys, Eric and Zuki. 546 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,480 We rejoice that God has entrusted you to shepherd them. 547 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,880 Truly, you are among the Lord's faithful servants, and this 548 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,120 church is blessed to receive you. 549 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:55,440 To the beloved Weinberg family, receive Eric and Zukiswa with 550 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:59,080 joy. Yours is the calling to follow. 551 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,680 Theirs is the calling to lead you. 552 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,640 As Scripture says, when leaders lead in Israel and when people 553 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:09,520 willingly offer themselves to the Lord, bless the Lord. 554 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:14,560 Judges 5/2 Just as you honored and follow us, so now honour and 555 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:19,840 follow them, for they watch over your souls as those who must 556 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:23,320 give an account, and in doing so you'll bring joy to them and 557 00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:26,280 blessing to yourselves. All glory to the Lord. 558 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:31,400 They had a lot to say. Erek and Zukiswa, our prayer for 559 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:35,240 you is that you'd find strength daily in Jesus the Chief 560 00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:38,240 Shepherd. May your marriage and ministry 561 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:42,000 be a testimony of His grace. May you lead with humility and 562 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:45,640 courage and wisdom from above, knowing that God who calls you 563 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:50,800 is faithful, and He will do it. Though the distance separates us 564 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:54,880 today, our hearts are bound to you. 565 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:58,600 We are cheering you on before the throne of our Lord Jesus, 566 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,360 who is seated above every power and authority. 567 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:05,040 And As for common ground, Weinberg, you will forever 568 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:08,600 remain our friends in this life and in eternity. 569 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:11,480 Our love for you will never cease. 570 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:16,360 We believe with confidence that God has many good surprises in 571 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,560 store for you through the leadership of Eric and Zuki. 572 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:23,320 May His name be glorified in all things, and may His Kingdom come 573 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:27,160 in power among you. Our children send their love to 574 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:31,200 you with sincere, loving Christ, Andre and Sabrina. 575 00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:35,080 Amen. I'll send that to you guys. 576 00:37:42,240 --> 00:37:47,480 So we are going to recognize Eric and Zukiswa as gifts from 577 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:51,040 God right now, and we're going to lay hands on Eric to ordain 578 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:54,840 him as an elder in this church. And so I want to create an 579 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:58,680 opportunity where you can receive him and you can give him 580 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:02,520 your heart as one of your elders in this community. 581 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:05,960 And then we also going to acknowledge the vital role that 582 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:10,680 Zukiswa plays in helping lead alongside Eric and bringing her 583 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:14,720 own gifts and talents to this church and spiritual house as a 584 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:18,040 mother in this house. Common ground, Weinberg, this is 585 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:20,920 a big deal. This isn't something that we 586 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:22,800 take lightly. And so we're going to go into a 587 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,880 time where we going to actually ask them to make some vows to 588 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:30,680 you and then you reply as well. So Eric and Zukiso, won't you 589 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:34,160 come up? I gave them these promises so 590 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:37,360 that they can be happy to say them. 591 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:41,200 The response to most of them is I do just like a marriage. 592 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:46,680 OK, Are you ready? Feels like we should have some 593 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:48,360 like, wedding music or something, eh? 594 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:55,280 Eric, do you believe that you meet the biblical qualifications 595 00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:58,680 to be an elder? And do you sense the call of God 596 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,120 to be an elder in this church? And do you believe that you're 597 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:06,120 fit to be recognized for the office of eldership in this 598 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:08,000 church? I do. 599 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:15,640 Hallelujah, right? On Sir and the Scriptures, The 600 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:20,320 scriptures speak that an elder should actually want to desire 601 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:24,960 to be an elder. Do you desire to shepherd these 602 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:28,000 sheep? Do you desire to be a father of 603 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:33,080 this family of faith, a guardian of doctrine, direction, 604 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:37,640 discipleship and discipline, and all things about this local 605 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:40,640 church? Do you desire to feed, lead, 606 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:43,880 protect and care for this spiritual family? 607 00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:46,440 I do. Wholeheartedly Hallelujah. 608 00:39:51,770 --> 00:39:54,730 One Peter. Chapter 5 says that elders 609 00:39:54,730 --> 00:39:58,810 should give their best efforts to the local church from a right 610 00:39:58,810 --> 00:40:02,370 heart, being an example of what it looks like to serve God. 611 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:07,000 Will you give your best efforts to love and serve these people 612 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:11,640 and fulfilling the role of elder in this local church in this 613 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:14,240 manner with God's help? I will. 614 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:22,130 Amen. This might sound. 615 00:40:22,130 --> 00:40:26,970 Like overkill, but I'm recording this if I have to phone him and 616 00:40:26,970 --> 00:40:32,410 say you said OK. Paul into Timothy 4 charges 617 00:40:32,410 --> 00:40:36,720 Timothy, a fellow elder, to preach the word, to be ready in 618 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:41,720 season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke and exhort with 619 00:40:41,720 --> 00:40:47,120 complete patience and teaching, to always be sober minded, to 620 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:50,760 endure suffering and to do the work of an evangelist so that 621 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:56,080 you fulfil your ministry. Eric, will you call these people 622 00:40:56,200 --> 00:41:00,960 to do the same? And will you work hard to fulfil 623 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:03,560 the courageous role of leadership in these people's 624 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:05,840 lives? With God's help, I will. 625 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:14,000 Hallelujah. And lastly, Eric, do you vow to 626 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:18,520 join Jesus, the head of this local church, in laying down 627 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:23,640 your life for the service of these people to represent the 628 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:28,320 truth of who He is and the life He has called us to live and the 629 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:31,160 mission he's called us to participate in? 630 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:33,920 With God's help, I. Will Hallelujah you. 631 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:39,640 Can stay there. It's such a. 632 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:43,600 Privilege to have people making huge promises like this to us, 633 00:41:43,600 --> 00:41:50,040 isn't it? Zukiswa, I believe you already 634 00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:53,120 are. You have been in Fellowship 635 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,800 Bible Church and you will continue to be a forceful good 636 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:58,800 in this church. I believe that. 637 00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:02,640 Zukiswa. I believe God's given you many 638 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:05,440 gifts. And I believe that. 639 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:08,920 You will be a spiritual mother in this house to many. 640 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:12,240 And I can see that. Your life and your leadership is 641 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:14,480 going to be a blessing to this church. 642 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:20,520 Today Eric is stepping into the office of Elder, but what an 643 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:25,480 incredible benefit to have you teeming alongside of him in 644 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:31,080 marriage, in family, and in leading and loving and serving 645 00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:35,800 God's church. So, zu Kiswa, will you willingly 646 00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:42,000 serve these people? Just look at them alongside your 647 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:48,360 husband to enable him to fulfill the role God has entrusted him 648 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:51,280 in this local church. I will. 649 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:58,600 Hallelujah. And SU Kiswa, will you 650 00:42:58,600 --> 00:43:03,360 courageously exercise the gifts God's given you and add your 651 00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:08,840 voice and wisdom as a mother to the flourishing of this family 652 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:11,520 of faith? With God's help, I will. 653 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,880 And lastly, will you pray for these people? 654 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:21,080 Will you love them, care for them? 655 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:24,720 Will you be for them to the best of your ability and strength? 656 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:27,720 With God's help, I will. Yes. 657 00:43:27,720 --> 00:43:28,880 Just give it a round of applause. 658 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:35,200 Common ground. Weinberg, this is your moment. 659 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:37,720 Would you mind standing if you want to participate? 660 00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:46,320 Hebrews 13, verse 7. Andre and I didn't swap notes, 661 00:43:46,320 --> 00:43:50,080 but he quoted this already. It says remember your leaders, 662 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:54,120 those who spoke the word of God to you, consider the outcome of 663 00:43:54,120 --> 00:43:56,960 their way of life and imitate their faith. 664 00:43:57,280 --> 00:44:01,520 And then verse 17 says obey your leaders and submit to them, for 665 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:04,880 they are keeping a watch over your souls. 666 00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:08,880 As those who will give an account, let it. 667 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,840 Let them do this with joy and not groaning because that would 668 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:17,200 not be an advantage to you. Pray for us for we are sure we 669 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:21,280 have a clear conscience desiring to be act honorably in all 670 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:23,640 things. And so church, I want to ask you 671 00:44:23,640 --> 00:44:28,800 the question, do you receive Eric as a shepherd in this 672 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:32,040 community and in your lives? I wasn't sure. 673 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:35,680 Should we try again? Do you receive Eric as a 674 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:37,840 shepherd in this community and in your lives? 675 00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:42,640 Oh, there we go there. We go Do you receive Him as a 676 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:46,520 gift given by God for your maturity, well-being, 677 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:52,360 strengthening and protection? Will you lovingly submit to His 678 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:56,480 leadership and will you aim to make His service as an elder a 679 00:44:56,480 --> 00:45:00,680 joy? Because the. 680 00:45:00,680 --> 00:45:04,000 Scriptures instruct you to pray for your leaders. 681 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:08,240 Will you commit to praying regularly for Him and for them 682 00:45:08,240 --> 00:45:11,880 as a couple and a family so that they will receive the grace 683 00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:16,680 needed to serve you? Hallelujah. 684 00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:18,480 Give yourselves a round of applause. 685 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:25,280 We can stay. Standing because we're going to 686 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:28,600 pray for them now. This is such a. 687 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:32,400 Countercultural moment what we've just done and yet it's 688 00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:36,800 such a healthy 1 because God says he blesses his people when 689 00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:42,360 leaders lead and when followers follow willingly and so I want 690 00:45:42,360 --> 00:45:46,560 to ask the existing the present team elders and wives, won't you 691 00:45:46,560 --> 00:45:49,080 come around. We want to pray for these guys 692 00:45:49,080 --> 00:45:51,240 coming to. Today's message We hope you are 693 00:45:51,240 --> 00:45:53,280 encouraged and challenged in your faith. 694 00:45:53,360 --> 00:45:55,920 If you're in the southern suburbs, we'd love to welcome 695 00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:58,000 you in person at one of ourselves. 696 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:01,200 Don't forget to subscribe, share this message with a friend and 697 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:04,440 stay connected with us on social media for more inspiration 698 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:07,120 throughout the week. Until next time, stay please and 699 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:08,560 keep shining your light.