1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:05,680 Ephesians Chapter 4 is where you can be parked for a little 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,320 while. Apostles Creed This is our our 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,360 10th installment, I believe. So we're in the part of the 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,800 creed where we're looking at 2 lines. 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,000 We're looking at the Holy Catholic Church and the 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,560 Communion of Saints. The Holy Catholic Church and the 7 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,480 Communion of Saints. So up until this part of the 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,950 Creed, of course, you know, we've been describing and 9 00:00:29,950 --> 00:00:33,230 focused exclusively on God himself, which is that's the 10 00:00:33,230 --> 00:00:34,830 important foundation for doctrine, right? 11 00:00:35,230 --> 00:00:37,710 I believe in God the Father. I believe in Jesus Christ. 12 00:00:37,710 --> 00:00:41,070 I believe in the Holy Spirit. We've been emphasizing who they 13 00:00:41,070 --> 00:00:43,830 are and what they do. And now we're saying, I also 14 00:00:43,830 --> 00:00:46,110 believe in the Holy Catholic Church. 15 00:00:46,110 --> 00:00:47,990 I believe in the communion of Saints. 16 00:00:48,230 --> 00:00:49,510 So we're going to start to define that. 17 00:00:49,510 --> 00:00:51,270 We're going to start to understand what it means, what 18 00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:53,070 it looks like, the Holy Catholic Church. 19 00:00:53,070 --> 00:00:54,270 There's been a lot of question there. 20 00:00:54,470 --> 00:00:58,110 We had an asterisk on the word Catholic. 21 00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:00,980 So people are probably going, wait a second, is this, well, 22 00:01:00,980 --> 00:01:02,660 there's an asterisk there, so maybe we'll get to that. 23 00:01:02,660 --> 00:01:04,580 So today we're finally getting to that and we're going to 24 00:01:04,580 --> 00:01:08,100 explain what we mean, what we're saying when we say Catholic 25 00:01:08,100 --> 00:01:10,220 Church. What is the communion of Saints? 26 00:01:11,300 --> 00:01:12,900 Once again? I told you to go to Ephesians 27 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:16,460 and I didn't go with you. OK, Ephesians, chapter 4, we're 28 00:01:16,460 --> 00:01:21,860 going to start reading verse 17. Now this I say and testify in 29 00:01:21,860 --> 00:01:25,420 the Lord that you must no longer walk, as the Gentiles do, in the 30 00:01:25,420 --> 00:01:28,330 futility of their minds. They are darkened in their 31 00:01:28,330 --> 00:01:32,090 understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the 32 00:01:32,090 --> 00:01:35,770 ignorance that is in them. Due to their hardness of heart, 33 00:01:36,930 --> 00:01:39,610 they have become callous and have given themselves up to 34 00:01:39,610 --> 00:01:43,290 sensuality, to greed and practice every kind of impurity. 35 00:01:43,490 --> 00:01:45,850 But that is not the way you learned Christ. 36 00:01:46,090 --> 00:01:48,930 Assuming that you have heard about Him and we're taught to 37 00:01:49,170 --> 00:01:51,930 and we're taught in Him as the truth is in Jesus. 38 00:01:52,410 --> 00:01:55,720 What to put off your old self which belongs to your former 39 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,640 manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires And to 40 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,880 be renewed in the spirit of your minds. 41 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,280 And to put on the new self created after the likeness of 42 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,479 God and true righteousness and holiness. 43 00:02:09,389 --> 00:02:12,070 So as we look at our the the Apostles Creed again, we're 44 00:02:12,070 --> 00:02:15,030 reminded the Apostles Creed is not the Bible, the Apostles 45 00:02:15,030 --> 00:02:17,750 Creed that points to the Bible. It was a simple tool that was 46 00:02:17,750 --> 00:02:20,510 built by the early church fathers to say we want to just 47 00:02:20,510 --> 00:02:22,670 clarify doctrine. We want to explain what is 48 00:02:22,670 --> 00:02:25,350 essential what what is what are the things that all Christians 49 00:02:25,350 --> 00:02:27,670 need to agree on. Are there other freedoms beyond 50 00:02:27,670 --> 00:02:28,950 this? Are there other disagreements we 51 00:02:28,950 --> 00:02:30,470 can have? Absolutely. 52 00:02:30,630 --> 00:02:33,270 But are there some core tenants that we would say everybody 53 00:02:33,430 --> 00:02:35,670 needs to agree on these things. These are foundational. 54 00:02:35,670 --> 00:02:37,910 These are fundamental for the body of Christ. 55 00:02:37,950 --> 00:02:40,150 Absolutely. So this was instructional for 56 00:02:40,150 --> 00:02:43,430 new believers, but it's also a helpful resource for any 57 00:02:43,430 --> 00:02:46,190 believer to share the gospel. You say I don't know what to 58 00:02:46,190 --> 00:02:47,710 tell somebody. You know. 59 00:02:47,750 --> 00:02:49,390 I just know to say like, God loves you. 60 00:02:49,590 --> 00:02:51,350 Well, the Apostles Creed actually gives you a great 61 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:53,910 framework to start to walk through, to start to explain to 62 00:02:53,910 --> 00:02:57,510 somebody, hey, there's God the Father, He's the creator of 63 00:02:57,510 --> 00:03:00,220 heaven and earth. He sent his only Son, Jesus 64 00:03:00,220 --> 00:03:02,820 Christ our Lord. The gospel is laid out and made 65 00:03:02,820 --> 00:03:05,700 plain in the Apostles Creed, so you can you could even instruct 66 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:08,340 someone with it, You could lose it, use it as a loose framework 67 00:03:08,340 --> 00:03:09,980 and you go, I'm not lost anymore. 68 00:03:10,220 --> 00:03:11,940 I have a tool. I have a resource to do that. 69 00:03:12,940 --> 00:03:17,380 But as we continue down, we get into the later line where we say 70 00:03:17,380 --> 00:03:20,260 the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints. 71 00:03:20,260 --> 00:03:23,140 We'll start with the word Holy, the Holy Church. 72 00:03:23,140 --> 00:03:25,900 Before we define what the the Holy Church is, what the Holy 73 00:03:25,900 --> 00:03:28,560 Catholic Church is with the communion of Saints is, let's 74 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,360 understand what a Holy Church looks like. 75 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,600 Holy means set apart and dedicated to God. 76 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:35,600 That's a simple and good definition. 77 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,120 So often times we think holy, we think there's a Halo. 78 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,040 We think this person or this thing is flawless. 79 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,400 It's never done anything wrong. The interesting thing is that 80 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,320 under the blood of Jesus, we are made that way. 81 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,920 God did set us apart, He did dedicate us to himself, and then 82 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,840 we dedicate ourselves to Him as well. 83 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,400 We are made sacred. The Bible calls Christians 84 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,240 Saints. So we're called believers. 85 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,000 We're called Christians, but we're called Saints. 86 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,920 Well I'm no St. you literally are a St. literally sacred. 87 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,840 Literally set apart. Jesus has watched your sins 88 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,160 away. He made you a new creation and 89 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:20,320 because of that you are holy holier than now has often been 90 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:21,519 used as an insult. Right? 91 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:24,920 People would say you're you think you're holier than now but 92 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,800 it is literally true for the people of of God. 93 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,040 Compare in comparison to those who aren't the people of God. 94 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,960 Now obviously that's used whenever someone is probably 95 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,560 being trying to shame someone else and also making it look 96 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,920 like I don't need grace. So it's one thing to to to say 97 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,760 that you know are is a St. holier than a not St. obviously 98 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,920 yes I'm holier. Are you holier than you were 99 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:52,070 before you came to Christ? Yes, of course you are. 100 00:04:52,230 --> 00:04:54,230 You weren't holy. Now you are holy. 101 00:04:54,310 --> 00:04:56,670 So it stands to reason that you're also holier than anyone 102 00:04:56,670 --> 00:04:58,910 else who's a non believer. That's a true statement. 103 00:04:58,910 --> 00:05:01,510 But we're not emphasizing that from a point of pride. 104 00:05:02,150 --> 00:05:05,270 That truth, that revelation, actually brings us to humility. 105 00:05:05,470 --> 00:05:08,550 It brings us to gratitude, and it brings us to joyfully share 106 00:05:08,550 --> 00:05:11,230 the good news to go God can make you holy. 107 00:05:11,350 --> 00:05:15,110 You think you're holier than me? Well, well, technically, yes, 108 00:05:15,110 --> 00:05:18,320 but that's not the point. Like, I I couldn't care about me 109 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,880 being holier than you. It's that the Father has rescued 110 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,160 me and he also wants to rescue you. 111 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:24,920 I was lost. I was doomed. 112 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:26,520 I was ashamed. I was burdened. 113 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,560 I was in sin. Are you saying I'm all that? 114 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,520 Well, yeah. God says that. 115 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:32,760 And this is the good news. You don't have to say that. 116 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,560 So the gospel cuts through all that. 117 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,280 So the important clarifiers that we didn't wash our own sins 118 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:40,080 away, we didn't earn what we have. 119 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,120 We don't deserve the status that we enjoy. 120 00:05:42,500 --> 00:05:45,620 But to be clear and honest, it is most definitely and certainly 121 00:05:45,620 --> 00:05:47,100 different from where we used to be. 122 00:05:47,340 --> 00:05:50,300 We're holier than we were and consequently holier than those 123 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:52,900 who don't believe in Christ. But like I said, that fills us 124 00:05:52,900 --> 00:05:55,900 with humility, that fills us with gratitude instead of pride. 125 00:05:56,340 --> 00:05:59,980 There's no haughtiness. There's no, not at all. 126 00:05:59,980 --> 00:06:03,340 Instead, we go. It's the glory goes up, it goes 127 00:06:03,340 --> 00:06:04,820 to him. Or are you? 128 00:06:04,860 --> 00:06:06,660 Am I thankful for my high position? 129 00:06:06,660 --> 00:06:08,300 Yeah, But I didn't give it to myself. 130 00:06:08,620 --> 00:06:10,660 I didn't climb to it. I didn't achieve it. 131 00:06:10,740 --> 00:06:12,980 I didn't get here, I said. I believe. 132 00:06:12,980 --> 00:06:15,380 And he goes, You're seated with me in heavenly places. 133 00:06:15,380 --> 00:06:17,740 I'm going, Wow. What do you call this? 134 00:06:17,740 --> 00:06:19,940 Grace. Love. 135 00:06:20,420 --> 00:06:22,220 Mercy. The kind. 136 00:06:22,220 --> 00:06:26,140 The eternal kindness of God. Now what should you do, my 137 00:06:26,140 --> 00:06:28,340 child? Well, I spread the word. 138 00:06:28,780 --> 00:06:30,380 I mean, everybody should be here. 139 00:06:30,380 --> 00:06:31,980 This is, this is what we were built for. 140 00:06:31,980 --> 00:06:33,660 This is what we were made for. This place. 141 00:06:33,780 --> 00:06:35,540 Seated with him in heavenly places. 142 00:06:35,780 --> 00:06:37,940 This is what he intended for all humanity. 143 00:06:39,050 --> 00:06:41,490 So believing that we are holy, believing that we're sacred, 144 00:06:41,490 --> 00:06:45,130 believing that we're set apart. It causes us to act differently, 145 00:06:45,370 --> 00:06:48,010 causes us to live differently. I don't just think about 146 00:06:48,010 --> 00:06:50,970 holiness, I realize, I I believe that I'm holy. 147 00:06:51,290 --> 00:06:53,970 So believing that we are holy makes us want to act in 148 00:06:53,970 --> 00:06:56,530 accordance with this truth. And this is what we see laid out 149 00:06:56,530 --> 00:07:00,170 here in Ephesians where he's reminding holy Christians set 150 00:07:00,170 --> 00:07:04,090 apart sacred people. Hey, put off the old man and put 151 00:07:04,090 --> 00:07:06,850 on the new man. Put off the old man and put on 152 00:07:06,850 --> 00:07:09,170 the new man. We we gave the analogy before we 153 00:07:09,170 --> 00:07:12,130 said it says though the Lord is the one who washes us and scrubs 154 00:07:12,130 --> 00:07:14,890 us and cleans us. And now here we are sparkling 155 00:07:14,890 --> 00:07:17,130 clean. All the mud is washed off and 156 00:07:17,130 --> 00:07:19,490 yet we have two sets of clothes still to pick from. 157 00:07:20,050 --> 00:07:22,090 I could still put on my filthy old clothes. 158 00:07:22,530 --> 00:07:24,370 And this is oftentimes what we as Christians do. 159 00:07:24,370 --> 00:07:26,450 I put on my old clothes and go, this is what I'm used to. 160 00:07:26,890 --> 00:07:28,730 The Lord's going to put take off the old clothes. 161 00:07:28,810 --> 00:07:31,130 You are new. That is the miracle of the Holy 162 00:07:31,130 --> 00:07:33,450 Spirit, the gift of God, through the blood of Jesus. 163 00:07:33,450 --> 00:07:37,020 That's done and established. Put Now act accordingly. 164 00:07:37,540 --> 00:07:40,380 Act accordingly. You You're acting outside of the 165 00:07:40,380 --> 00:07:42,300 character and the nature and character of God. 166 00:07:42,580 --> 00:07:45,540 This is why we sometimes get confused in our immaturity and 167 00:07:45,540 --> 00:07:47,660 our thing. We go, wait, I just sinned. 168 00:07:47,700 --> 00:07:50,380 Am I a Sinner? Well, in the strictest sense, 169 00:07:50,380 --> 00:07:52,860 technically, sure that you know. What do you call a person who 170 00:07:52,860 --> 00:07:53,540 sins? A Sinner. 171 00:07:53,540 --> 00:07:54,820 What do you call a person who lies? 172 00:07:55,060 --> 00:07:56,260 A liar. What do you call a person who 173 00:07:56,260 --> 00:07:57,260 murders people? A murderer. 174 00:07:57,580 --> 00:08:01,020 And yet that is not who you are. That is actually something that 175 00:08:01,020 --> 00:08:03,130 you did before you came to Christ. 176 00:08:03,330 --> 00:08:06,770 You are a Sinner. Identity is That's who you are. 177 00:08:06,770 --> 00:08:10,370 Dead is who you are When you come into Christ, and now you 178 00:08:10,370 --> 00:08:13,410 commit sin, you're not instantly A Sinner again. 179 00:08:15,210 --> 00:08:18,490 You you committed a sin that has been washed and paid for by the 180 00:08:18,490 --> 00:08:20,170 blood of Jesus. We would still want to walk in 181 00:08:20,170 --> 00:08:22,090 repentance. We would still want to crucify 182 00:08:22,090 --> 00:08:24,010 the flesh. We still would want to reject 183 00:08:24,010 --> 00:08:27,250 our sin. But holiness, being holy makes 184 00:08:27,250 --> 00:08:31,520 us want to be more holy Being holy, instead of pardon God, we 185 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:33,840 want to set ourselves apart, even to a greater degree. 186 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,640 Why? Well, because the closer your 187 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,240 fellowship with the Lord gets, the closer you want your 188 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,039 fellowship with the Lord to get. You can't get closer to the Lord 189 00:08:42,039 --> 00:08:44,400 and be like, you know what? I'm not comfortable here. 190 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:46,480 You know, this is actually something that I'm not. 191 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,960 I'm not enjoying this. No, There's pleasures at his 192 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:52,000 right hand forevermore. So to be close with him, to be 193 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,560 in fellowship with him, it doesn't get sweeter. 194 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:56,800 It doesn't get better. Unless, of course, I continue to 195 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,550 throw off every weight, every hindrance, even things that 196 00:08:59,550 --> 00:09:02,350 might not be issues of sin. But is it slowing me down? 197 00:09:02,830 --> 00:09:06,190 Is it holding me back? I want to get closer to him, so 198 00:09:06,270 --> 00:09:09,470 I want to take off the old clothes and I want to put on the 199 00:09:09,470 --> 00:09:12,150 new. We are a holy church made holy 200 00:09:12,310 --> 00:09:15,430 by the blood of Jesus. Now, Catholic Church. 201 00:09:15,630 --> 00:09:17,310 The question I've gotten this one multiple times. 202 00:09:17,310 --> 00:09:19,470 It's a good question. I asked my grandfather this when 203 00:09:19,470 --> 00:09:23,110 I was a kid, so Pop was a Methodist pastor for many years. 204 00:09:23,870 --> 00:09:26,830 Methodist Church back in the day was not as it is today. 205 00:09:27,150 --> 00:09:29,630 Just always have to make that distinction and clarity. 206 00:09:29,750 --> 00:09:31,790 And certainly Pop was not so anyway. 207 00:09:32,070 --> 00:09:34,190 Now that I've got that disclaimer out of the way, I 208 00:09:34,190 --> 00:09:35,270 asked him one time when I was little. 209 00:09:35,270 --> 00:09:37,430 I said Pop, why do we say Catholic? 210 00:09:37,910 --> 00:09:39,390 Why do we say the Catholic Church? 211 00:09:39,390 --> 00:09:41,110 And he laughed. He said it's not the Catholic, 212 00:09:41,190 --> 00:09:42,790 it's not the Roman Catholic Church. 213 00:09:43,270 --> 00:09:46,070 It means the universal church. It means the whole body of 214 00:09:46,070 --> 00:09:48,270 Christ. It means the church all around 215 00:09:48,270 --> 00:09:49,590 the world. And that's the truth. 216 00:09:49,590 --> 00:09:51,030 And you say, why do we use the word Catholic? 217 00:09:51,030 --> 00:09:52,550 Well because it was what was in the Creed. 218 00:09:52,550 --> 00:09:56,910 OK some churches have modified it just for for clarification, 219 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,280 just like some churches have modified when they said he 220 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,840 descended into hell. But I wanted to take an older 221 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:02,920 one and then teach you through it. 222 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,520 As we use the Creed in the in the future we we might we might 223 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,160 recite the Creed more regularly than we have in the past which 224 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,240 is never until this series. But we might begin to do it more 225 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,240 and I'll probably make some some modifications to a couple of 226 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,320 words in there so we can clarify and not think he descended into 227 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:20,640 hell. And then anyone who hasn't heard 228 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,480 it taught knows was Jesus burning and suffering in flames. 229 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:27,800 No, the place of the dead or the we Roman Catholic. 230 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,120 What does Catholic mean? Well, Catholic means universal 231 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,560 church, so that's what that word Catholic means. 232 00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:35,280 It just means the Christians all over the world. 233 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,760 So don't think Pope, think people. 234 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:39,840 That's what we're thinking about. 235 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,520 The Body of Christ is made-up of all people who believe in Jesus 236 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,220 for salvation from the day of Pentecost up until this very 237 00:10:47,220 --> 00:10:49,340 moment. No matter your denomination, if 238 00:10:49,340 --> 00:10:53,220 you believe in Jesus and you're born again, you are in the Holy 239 00:10:53,220 --> 00:10:56,980 Catholic Church, the Global Church, the Universal Church. 240 00:10:57,100 --> 00:11:01,050 God has His people everywhere. Not all denominations believe 241 00:11:01,050 --> 00:11:02,930 that. But I'm telling you, God has his 242 00:11:02,930 --> 00:11:04,330 people. In every denomination. 243 00:11:04,530 --> 00:11:06,650 God has his people everywhere. There's Saints all over the 244 00:11:06,650 --> 00:11:08,850 place. In every denomination and every 245 00:11:08,850 --> 00:11:11,370 local church, you can find people who really love God and 246 00:11:11,370 --> 00:11:13,850 really believe in Jesus. And in every denomination and 247 00:11:13,850 --> 00:11:16,810 every local church, you can find people who do not love God and 248 00:11:16,810 --> 00:11:20,660 do not believe in Jesus. On any given church, any given 249 00:11:20,660 --> 00:11:22,900 Sunday morning, that's a likely scenario. 250 00:11:23,060 --> 00:11:26,340 You likely have a majority that that believe in God and love 251 00:11:26,340 --> 00:11:28,620 him. And you likely have a minority 252 00:11:28,620 --> 00:11:29,900 Who for? Maybe they're maybe they're 253 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:30,900 listening, but they're interested. 254 00:11:30,900 --> 00:11:32,660 Maybe they're learning. Maybe you got someone who's been 255 00:11:32,660 --> 00:11:35,180 there for decades with a hard heart and who still hasn't 256 00:11:35,180 --> 00:11:36,660 responded by faith to the gospel. 257 00:11:37,140 --> 00:11:38,540 But you got all kinds of scenarios. 258 00:11:38,540 --> 00:11:41,620 But the universal church is filled with people who have 259 00:11:41,620 --> 00:11:44,540 genuine unity with God because they have, who have genuine 260 00:11:44,540 --> 00:11:47,220 unity with one another because they have genuine unity with 261 00:11:47,220 --> 00:11:50,530 God. All genuine believers, past and 262 00:11:50,530 --> 00:11:54,890 present, you are alive in Christ with them through him. 263 00:11:55,210 --> 00:11:58,970 First Corinthians 12/13 says, for we were all baptized by 1 264 00:11:58,970 --> 00:12:02,930 spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, 265 00:12:03,010 --> 00:12:05,090 we were all given one spirit to drink. 266 00:12:05,730 --> 00:12:08,290 So the Holy Spirit did not separate us as he was saving us. 267 00:12:08,290 --> 00:12:13,010 OK, Christian, but you know there's different camps of 268 00:12:13,010 --> 00:12:14,250 Christian. The Holy Spirit didn't do it 269 00:12:14,250 --> 00:12:15,770 that way. There's one baptism. 270 00:12:16,130 --> 00:12:18,970 He didn't separate us when he baptized us into Christ. 271 00:12:18,970 --> 00:12:21,810 He didn't sift out Americans and then Southerners and then 272 00:12:21,810 --> 00:12:25,850 Pentecostals or Methodists or Roman Catholics or whites or 273 00:12:25,850 --> 00:12:29,810 blacks or Hispanics or Asians. We were brought into one body 274 00:12:29,810 --> 00:12:32,490 with Christ as the head. And now we're all members. 275 00:12:32,490 --> 00:12:35,610 We're all parts of Jesus's body in the earth. 276 00:12:35,690 --> 00:12:38,210 This is a glorious truth. It's an important truth to 277 00:12:38,210 --> 00:12:39,570 recognize. Why? 278 00:12:39,570 --> 00:12:41,330 Why would why would this have been put in the creed? 279 00:12:41,610 --> 00:12:43,690 To point out what the Scripture points out? 280 00:12:43,690 --> 00:12:45,690 What point do they want to lift out from the word of God? 281 00:12:45,850 --> 00:12:47,890 They were. We're unified in Christ that we 282 00:12:47,890 --> 00:12:50,130 really are one. That we're really not divided. 283 00:12:50,290 --> 00:12:51,450 Why? Because the Church had 284 00:12:51,450 --> 00:12:53,090 temptation to divide from day one. 285 00:12:53,490 --> 00:12:54,930 You're oh who? Who? 286 00:12:54,930 --> 00:12:56,730 Who are you? Baptized Paul baptized me. 287 00:12:57,130 --> 00:12:59,290 Apollo's baptized me. Who baptized you? 288 00:12:59,690 --> 00:13:01,770 They were already starting to get into the cliques and into 289 00:13:01,770 --> 00:13:04,010 the camps. Instead of Jesus is king. 290 00:13:04,650 --> 00:13:06,810 The Holy Spirit baptized us into him. 291 00:13:07,170 --> 00:13:09,610 That's who we're in. Well, we believe this. 292 00:13:09,690 --> 00:13:13,250 OK, Those are secondary issues. Those are tertiary issues. 293 00:13:13,530 --> 00:13:17,030 Those are for sheary issues. I don't know what the word is 294 00:13:17,030 --> 00:13:20,030 for the four she airy one, but it seems appropriate. 295 00:13:20,590 --> 00:13:22,790 So what do we have as primary though? 296 00:13:22,950 --> 00:13:27,150 Primary is we are all part of the holy Universal Church. 297 00:13:29,270 --> 00:13:33,270 Members of the Universal Church should seek fellowship in the 298 00:13:33,270 --> 00:13:35,430 local church. So let's get more specific now 299 00:13:35,710 --> 00:13:38,510 because it's one thing to believe I'm a part of the of the 300 00:13:38,510 --> 00:13:40,430 entire body of Christ, which is true. 301 00:13:40,550 --> 00:13:42,150 But here's where people make a mistake. 302 00:13:42,710 --> 00:13:46,040 People think because I am a Christian, because I am a part 303 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:50,560 of the global body of Christ, I am the church alone. 304 00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:53,720 Because I'm a part of the church, I'm the church. 305 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:57,640 Well, that's true, yes. But the Creed actually takes a 306 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,400 little bit of liberty here. Whenever it's saying we're part 307 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,000 of the the holy Catholic Church, it's a reminder that all 308 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,800 believers are united. But it is not a minimization of 309 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:08,960 what Scripture makes very plain. And that is what the church is. 310 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,360 The church is the gathered body of believers. 311 00:14:13,020 --> 00:14:14,900 The word church literally means assembly. 312 00:14:15,460 --> 00:14:19,220 It literally means congregation. So while I'm the church all by 313 00:14:19,220 --> 00:14:23,020 myself, no you're not. Well, I feel like I am and still 314 00:14:23,020 --> 00:14:25,460 it isn't true, no matter what you would say about it. 315 00:14:25,460 --> 00:14:28,100 The Word makes it very clear throughout the scriptures. 316 00:14:28,900 --> 00:14:31,820 So members of the Universal Church will always and should 317 00:14:31,820 --> 00:14:34,940 always seek fellowship in the local church. 318 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:39,300 Church, the gathered people of God, the assembly or the called 319 00:14:39,500 --> 00:14:42,500 out ones. We have multiple examples 320 00:14:42,500 --> 00:14:45,540 throughout the New Testament where the word church is used 321 00:14:45,740 --> 00:14:48,260 and reference in particular. I'll give you an example. 322 00:14:48,260 --> 00:14:51,380 In Roman 16, verse 5, Paul is closing his letter. 323 00:14:51,380 --> 00:14:52,780 He's given different greetings to everyone. 324 00:14:52,780 --> 00:14:55,620 He says greet also the church who meets in their house. 325 00:14:55,940 --> 00:14:58,180 So he says say hey to Priscilla and Aquila for me. 326 00:14:58,340 --> 00:15:01,780 Greet the church that meets in their house, the church that 327 00:15:01,780 --> 00:15:05,220 meets in their house. The church is the congregation. 328 00:15:05,980 --> 00:15:08,340 This is why you can't do church on your own. 329 00:15:08,580 --> 00:15:11,260 Oh, I go to church online. You don't. 330 00:15:11,900 --> 00:15:13,780 Well, my pastor said so during the pandemic. 331 00:15:13,820 --> 00:15:16,700 I know he did. I know there's lots of things 332 00:15:16,700 --> 00:15:18,380 that were said during the pandemic that a lot of people 333 00:15:18,380 --> 00:15:21,420 wish they could take back. But, well, here we are now, here 334 00:15:21,420 --> 00:15:23,620 we are today. You don't go to church online. 335 00:15:23,620 --> 00:15:25,620 The church is the gathered body of believers. 336 00:15:26,180 --> 00:15:27,420 Or you saying there's something wrong with that? 337 00:15:27,420 --> 00:15:28,660 Well, then no. If you're on vacation, you will 338 00:15:28,660 --> 00:15:30,180 listen to a sermon. Like enjoy. 339 00:15:30,540 --> 00:15:32,580 However, don't. That word. 340 00:15:32,580 --> 00:15:33,940 I don't think it means what you think it means. 341 00:15:34,060 --> 00:15:35,900 You need to understand what you're saying when you're 342 00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:38,340 talking about things. We need to know what the church 343 00:15:38,340 --> 00:15:42,880 is and what the church isn't. So you mean, will you say I'm 344 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,160 the church all by myself? Oh, you mean you read God's word 345 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,800 and you pray on your own? Well, of course, that's good. 346 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,520 But that's not the church, and that's not a replacement for the 347 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,160 church. To say I do church at home is 348 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,360 like saying I play football alone. 349 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,240 That's not how football works. So yes, some pastors were the 350 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,080 worst offenders when Caesar ordered the lockdowns. 351 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,520 But language matters and it has consequences and it bears fruit. 352 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,080 And we're going to do church online. 353 00:16:09,570 --> 00:16:11,610 Words matter. There's consequences for that. 354 00:16:11,610 --> 00:16:13,730 A lot of churches are still experiencing the consequences. 355 00:16:13,930 --> 00:16:16,890 They did such a great job with the online church that we don't 356 00:16:16,890 --> 00:16:19,530 even go anymore. We just TuneIn online. 357 00:16:19,690 --> 00:16:21,610 You're tuning in online? Yeah. 358 00:16:21,610 --> 00:16:23,850 Like, just like everything else in America, I'm getting even 359 00:16:23,850 --> 00:16:27,170 more individualistic. Make my church all about me. 360 00:16:27,650 --> 00:16:29,210 How can the church serve me more? 361 00:16:29,610 --> 00:16:31,050 Oh, it's supposed to serve Jesus, right? 362 00:16:31,050 --> 00:16:33,490 I keep forgetting that, but they did. 363 00:16:33,490 --> 00:16:36,650 My church just just does such a good job of of making me 364 00:16:36,650 --> 00:16:38,490 comfortable. Just like I pull into my garage, 365 00:16:38,490 --> 00:16:40,130 I shut the garage door and I don't have to speak to a 366 00:16:40,130 --> 00:16:41,970 neighbor. I can do the same thing with the 367 00:16:41,970 --> 00:16:43,570 church, right? It's because the church is 368 00:16:43,570 --> 00:16:45,130 nothing more than Pastor Bob sermon. 369 00:16:45,770 --> 00:16:47,250 You know, our worship team's awesome. 370 00:16:47,450 --> 00:16:50,090 They're awesome. And Pastor Bob is awesome. 371 00:16:50,490 --> 00:16:52,970 That's church. I had church. 372 00:16:53,250 --> 00:16:55,970 And you know what? For me, church is even different 373 00:16:55,970 --> 00:16:58,210 than that. There's a song I hate. 374 00:16:58,650 --> 00:17:00,010 I like. I hate a lot of songs. 375 00:17:00,010 --> 00:17:03,320 But I love music. I love country music, but I hate 376 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,119 what I call country music, Christianity. 377 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:10,160 So it's these songs where they'll reference life, you 378 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:12,640 know, life that I like, life that I enjoy, but then they'll 379 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:14,680 somehow, like, connect it to the Lord. 380 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:17,599 So I forget this girl's name. But it was a song years back. 381 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:21,000 She said that's my church. And I forget the example she 382 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,319 gave. But she was driving down the 383 00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:26,520 road and in her car listening to country radio, she goes, yeah, 384 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:30,130 that's my church. Like, oh, OK, so you got the guy 385 00:17:30,130 --> 00:17:32,330 who's like, yeah, fishing on the dock, thinking about the Lord. 386 00:17:32,330 --> 00:17:34,170 That's my church. No, it's not. 387 00:17:34,970 --> 00:17:36,690 You might be fellowshipping with the Lord while you're fishing, 388 00:17:36,690 --> 00:17:38,290 and I encourage it. Do it. 389 00:17:38,770 --> 00:17:41,450 But that's not your church. It's not. 390 00:17:41,570 --> 00:17:44,850 It can't be. Well, to me, it feels spiritual. 391 00:17:44,850 --> 00:17:46,450 It feels like fellowship of the Lord, good brother. 392 00:17:46,450 --> 00:17:48,530 But it's not church. It's not the same thing. 393 00:17:48,850 --> 00:17:51,210 You're you're not submitted under a pastor. 394 00:17:51,290 --> 00:17:52,850 You're not accountable to a body. 395 00:17:52,930 --> 00:17:55,490 Nobody knows you. You don't care for anybody else. 396 00:17:55,490 --> 00:17:57,290 You're not sacrificially laying down your life. 397 00:17:57,450 --> 00:17:59,570 But yeah, but that's my church. Well, it's not, though. 398 00:18:00,090 --> 00:18:01,770 It's not. You sound American. 399 00:18:01,770 --> 00:18:03,650 It's gross. You don't sound biblical. 400 00:18:06,250 --> 00:18:08,330 So language matters. It has consequences, and it 401 00:18:08,330 --> 00:18:11,410 bears fruit. We aren't a We weren't a house 402 00:18:11,410 --> 00:18:14,980 church before. We're not a YMCA church now. 403 00:18:14,980 --> 00:18:18,100 And when we build a beautiful structure of our own, we won't 404 00:18:18,100 --> 00:18:21,420 be a building church then we are the church. 405 00:18:21,420 --> 00:18:22,020 What? Why? 406 00:18:22,180 --> 00:18:25,980 Because we are a gathered body who identify as a church under 407 00:18:25,980 --> 00:18:27,420 the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 408 00:18:30,340 --> 00:18:33,340 We are the gathered people of God and that makes us the 409 00:18:33,340 --> 00:18:34,860 church. We are the called out ones. 410 00:18:34,860 --> 00:18:36,980 We are the assembly. We are the congregation. 411 00:18:37,140 --> 00:18:40,220 We are the body of Christ. This common misunderstanding 412 00:18:40,220 --> 00:18:43,590 does not serve the church. It feeds into the problem of 413 00:18:43,590 --> 00:18:47,350 believers not identifying with Christ and his people, because 414 00:18:47,350 --> 00:18:50,510 church has just become something that I do or somewhere that I go 415 00:18:50,670 --> 00:18:55,750 instead of it being who I am. So when when we say we we're 416 00:18:55,750 --> 00:18:58,390 part of the the Holy Catholic Church, that phrase is 417 00:18:58,390 --> 00:19:00,910 referencing the global body. We're part of all of that 418 00:19:00,910 --> 00:19:03,750 everywhere. However, the Communion of Saints 419 00:19:03,750 --> 00:19:07,180 line actually does a better job clarifying what we mean when we 420 00:19:07,180 --> 00:19:09,620 talk about the local expression of the Body of Christ, which 421 00:19:09,660 --> 00:19:11,700 every St. should seek to be a part of. 422 00:19:11,980 --> 00:19:17,180 A St. outside of a body of Christ should feel a strong urge 423 00:19:17,180 --> 00:19:20,020 and should feel a strong desire. I feel separated from the body. 424 00:19:20,260 --> 00:19:22,580 I feel detached. It's an arm that's not 425 00:19:22,580 --> 00:19:24,780 connected. It's You're still an arm, 426 00:19:24,780 --> 00:19:25,740 though. Cheer up. 427 00:19:25,740 --> 00:19:27,740 No. An arm is meant for a body. 428 00:19:28,180 --> 00:19:29,500 An arm isn't meant to be all alone. 429 00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:33,420 If an arm's off of a body, something is very, very wrong. 430 00:19:34,130 --> 00:19:36,610 Something bad has happened. This is not how this was 431 00:19:36,610 --> 00:19:43,010 designed. Go to 1st Corinthians chapter 432 00:19:43,010 --> 00:20:01,620 12, First Corinthians chapter 12, 433 00:20:01,780 --> 00:20:06,300 verse 12. We'll go through verse 27 for 434 00:20:06,300 --> 00:20:10,380 just as the body is 1 and has many members, so this is the 435 00:20:10,380 --> 00:20:12,700 analogy that the Holy Spirit chose to use. 436 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:15,880 When he's talking about the body of Christ, like we use that 437 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,240 phrase all the time, the body of Christ, we've we've totally 438 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:19,560 absorbed the analogy at this point. 439 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:20,880 We don't even think about it anymore. 440 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:22,840 But he describes us as a human body. 441 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,520 So people go, but the first time, reader, the first time 442 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,920 here is going, OK, that's OK that's how the Lord wants me to 443 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:30,000 see this. We're connected. 444 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,200 For just as the body is 1 and has many members, and all the 445 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:37,360 members of the body, though many are one body, so it is with 446 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:39,500 Christ. So he's saying, you know how the 447 00:20:39,500 --> 00:20:41,860 body works and everybody's going, yeah, we're familiar with 448 00:20:41,860 --> 00:20:43,660 our bodies. He goes, well that's how it is 449 00:20:43,660 --> 00:20:46,620 with Christ. For in one spirit we were all 450 00:20:46,620 --> 00:20:50,380 baptized into one body. Jews or Greeks slaves are free 451 00:20:50,660 --> 00:20:53,180 and we were all made to drink of 1 Spirit. 452 00:20:53,460 --> 00:20:57,620 For the body does not consist of 1 member or of 1 body part, but 453 00:20:57,620 --> 00:21:00,180 many. If the foot should say, because 454 00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:03,460 I'm not a hand, I don't belong to the body, that would not make 455 00:21:03,460 --> 00:21:06,460 it any less part of the body. And if the ears should say 456 00:21:06,460 --> 00:21:08,900 because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body, that would 457 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:10,340 not make it any less part of the body. 458 00:21:10,580 --> 00:21:14,420 Notice how even if it says that about itself, well this is my 459 00:21:14,420 --> 00:21:15,660 church. That doesn't make it true. 460 00:21:16,220 --> 00:21:18,020 So Paul's Paul's siding with me here. 461 00:21:18,140 --> 00:21:20,140 Or rather I'm siding with Paul and the Holy Spirit. 462 00:21:20,700 --> 00:21:22,540 That would that would not make it any less part of the body. 463 00:21:22,540 --> 00:21:25,020 Verse 17. If the whole body were an eye, 464 00:21:25,420 --> 00:21:26,860 where would the sense of hearing be? 465 00:21:27,180 --> 00:21:30,020 If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of 466 00:21:30,020 --> 00:21:32,820 smell? But as it is, God arranged the 467 00:21:32,820 --> 00:21:36,970 members in the body, each one of them as he chose. 468 00:21:37,170 --> 00:21:40,250 If all were a single member, where would the body be as it 469 00:21:40,250 --> 00:21:43,010 is, there are many parts, yet one body, the eye cannot say to 470 00:21:43,010 --> 00:21:45,810 the hand I have no need of you, nor, again the head to the feet, 471 00:21:45,810 --> 00:21:48,850 I have no need of you. On the contrary, the parts of 472 00:21:48,850 --> 00:21:53,610 the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, And on those 473 00:21:53,610 --> 00:21:56,690 parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the 474 00:21:56,690 --> 00:22:00,970 greater honor, and our unrepresentable parts are 475 00:22:00,970 --> 00:22:04,430 treated with greater modesty, which are more presentable parts 476 00:22:04,430 --> 00:22:07,230 do not require. But God has so composed the 477 00:22:07,230 --> 00:22:11,030 body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that 478 00:22:11,030 --> 00:22:14,590 there may be no division in the body, but that the members may 479 00:22:14,590 --> 00:22:16,230 have the same care for one another. 480 00:22:16,630 --> 00:22:19,350 I'll read that again, verse 25, That there be mean that there 481 00:22:19,350 --> 00:22:24,310 may be no division in the body, but that the members may have 482 00:22:24,310 --> 00:22:28,690 the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all 483 00:22:28,770 --> 00:22:32,370 suffer together. If one member is honored, all 484 00:22:32,450 --> 00:22:36,530 rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ 485 00:22:36,650 --> 00:22:42,250 and individually members of it. To come to Christ is to join 486 00:22:42,250 --> 00:22:45,010 into the body of Christ. Well, I want Jesus. 487 00:22:45,010 --> 00:22:47,730 I just don't want his church. That's not a thing. 488 00:22:48,250 --> 00:22:50,090 That's not a thing. Jesus can't relate to that. 489 00:22:50,810 --> 00:22:53,570 Jesus connects himself explicitly to his body. 490 00:22:53,810 --> 00:22:57,300 When Jesus confronts Paul, Paul's been murdering 491 00:22:57,300 --> 00:22:59,060 Christians, he says. Saul. 492 00:22:59,060 --> 00:23:03,220 Saul, why are you persecuting me now? 493 00:23:03,220 --> 00:23:05,420 Why are you persecuting the people who follow me? 494 00:23:05,740 --> 00:23:08,420 Why are you persecuting me? Because that's what it is. 495 00:23:08,420 --> 00:23:11,540 To come against Jesus's bride is to come against Jesus. 496 00:23:11,540 --> 00:23:13,940 To make yourself an enemy of Jesus's church. 497 00:23:14,140 --> 00:23:16,260 You can't be an enemy of Natalie and be best friends with John 498 00:23:16,260 --> 00:23:18,300 Michael. There's not a universe where 499 00:23:18,300 --> 00:23:19,660 that scenario is ever going to happen. 500 00:23:19,660 --> 00:23:21,300 Yeah, I hate your wife, dude, but you a miracle. 501 00:23:21,300 --> 00:23:24,580 Like we're not, actually. I have news for you. 502 00:23:24,580 --> 00:23:28,250 We're no longer in fact. Cool And and we cannot be cool 503 00:23:28,650 --> 00:23:31,690 until you're cool with Natalie. Well, never will be then you've 504 00:23:31,730 --> 00:23:35,130 your fate is decided with me as well you you can't have one 505 00:23:35,130 --> 00:23:37,490 without the other. And Jesus loves his bride much 506 00:23:37,490 --> 00:23:41,330 more than I love mine and he so he comes to Paul in that same 507 00:23:41,330 --> 00:23:42,570 way. He is connected. 508 00:23:42,570 --> 00:23:45,210 He says I'm the head. And I'm connected too. 509 00:23:45,210 --> 00:23:52,180 And I'm with my body. All of the parts of the body 510 00:23:52,260 --> 00:23:53,820 have different roles. And here in, in First 511 00:23:53,820 --> 00:23:57,340 Corinthians 12, the context that this was written in was in 512 00:23:57,340 --> 00:23:59,220 description and teaching on the spiritual gifts. 513 00:23:59,340 --> 00:24:02,140 So there was, you know, so and so's got this gift of prophecy 514 00:24:02,140 --> 00:24:04,100 or so and so's got this gift of healing. 515 00:24:04,100 --> 00:24:07,780 So there was some potentially competition and jealousy going 516 00:24:07,780 --> 00:24:09,900 on. Man, I wish I was that man, you 517 00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:11,580 know, so. And so's always got a tongue and 518 00:24:11,580 --> 00:24:13,700 an interpretation or so. And so's got this gift of 519 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:16,660 leadership or so and so's got this gift of encouragement or 520 00:24:16,780 --> 00:24:19,140 whatever it may be. And he's going, Hey, hey, you've 521 00:24:19,140 --> 00:24:20,820 got your gift. And that's your gift. 522 00:24:20,940 --> 00:24:22,380 The body. We receive it with joy. 523 00:24:22,580 --> 00:24:25,220 I wish I could hear better. Yeah, but you see so clearly, 524 00:24:25,540 --> 00:24:27,780 man, I wish I could grab stuff. Yeah, but you're the foot that 525 00:24:27,780 --> 00:24:30,260 we stand on. Well, I feel like I'm this. 526 00:24:30,260 --> 00:24:31,700 I feel like I'm that. And he's just clarifying. 527 00:24:31,700 --> 00:24:35,100 The Lord is built and designed. Now, can we grow in our strength 528 00:24:35,100 --> 00:24:36,260 of whatever He's called us to be? 529 00:24:36,260 --> 00:24:38,820 Absolutely. I describe gifts from God as a 530 00:24:38,820 --> 00:24:41,180 sword. He gives you this sword and now 531 00:24:41,180 --> 00:24:43,620 he says, now I want you to sharpen it and I want you to 532 00:24:43,620 --> 00:24:45,980 train with it. So God gives you this gifts. 533 00:24:45,980 --> 00:24:47,020 He says, Now be faithful with it. 534 00:24:47,020 --> 00:24:49,100 It's the talent. I'll leave you with one talent. 535 00:24:49,430 --> 00:24:50,630 Can you? Will you multiply it? 536 00:24:50,870 --> 00:24:53,150 Will you be faithful? This is his calling, This is his 537 00:24:53,150 --> 00:24:55,110 expectation. But when it comes to the body of 538 00:24:55,110 --> 00:25:00,470 Christ, when it comes to the communion of Saints, we must see 539 00:25:00,470 --> 00:25:03,030 ourselves the way God sees us. This is the revelation I'm 540 00:25:03,030 --> 00:25:05,950 praying for, for you and for me, that we would actually see the 541 00:25:05,950 --> 00:25:08,190 body of Christ is not somebody I can just leave when I have a 542 00:25:08,190 --> 00:25:10,030 problem with. Because we shouldn't do that 543 00:25:10,030 --> 00:25:12,750 with our siblings, right? We don't do that with our 544 00:25:12,750 --> 00:25:14,710 siblings in most cases. Most of the time the bond 545 00:25:14,710 --> 00:25:18,300 between siblings is deep. And and and we take it for 546 00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:19,860 granted. We hold that truth to be 547 00:25:19,860 --> 00:25:22,420 self-evident. That if my brother calls me, my 548 00:25:22,420 --> 00:25:26,500 actual brother would have called me on some mission trip to some 549 00:25:26,500 --> 00:25:28,700 obscure Christian aiding country in the world. 550 00:25:28,900 --> 00:25:31,260 And I get a phone call at 3:00 AM and he says, hey, I need you 551 00:25:31,260 --> 00:25:33,500 to come. Then I'm kissing Natalie and the 552 00:25:33,500 --> 00:25:35,660 boys goodbye and I'm on the next flight out. 553 00:25:36,180 --> 00:25:37,500 That's it. Why? 554 00:25:37,660 --> 00:25:39,340 Because he's my brother. You don't know what's going on. 555 00:25:39,460 --> 00:25:42,260 He's my brother. Like there's a bond there. 556 00:25:42,260 --> 00:25:43,620 That's just I don't have to explain anything. 557 00:25:43,620 --> 00:25:44,620 I don't have to justify anything. 558 00:25:44,620 --> 00:25:46,380 I don't have to prove anything. He's my brother. 559 00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:48,380 He's my brother. What do you think I'm going to 560 00:25:48,380 --> 00:25:49,580 do? Like I'm going to go. 561 00:25:49,580 --> 00:25:52,900 What if you go die with him? I'll do it joyfully because he's 562 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,140 my brother. We have the same father. 563 00:25:55,140 --> 00:25:58,460 We have the same mother. Like, it's it seems so obvious. 564 00:25:58,460 --> 00:25:59,980 You shouldn't be impressed by this. 565 00:26:00,340 --> 00:26:03,220 This is the kind of thing that I would hope most people feel that 566 00:26:03,220 --> 00:26:05,220 natural affection for their loved ones. 567 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:07,500 That's a good God. God built in thing. 568 00:26:07,660 --> 00:26:10,700 That's a good thing. However, we see the same thing 569 00:26:10,700 --> 00:26:13,700 happen in the body of Christ. When we're baptized into one 570 00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:16,660 body, we we now become responsible for one another. 571 00:26:16,900 --> 00:26:19,580 Our fellowship is much deeper than fried chicken. 572 00:26:19,580 --> 00:26:22,900 Once a month. Yeah, we've cheapened our words, 573 00:26:22,900 --> 00:26:26,020 and again, that has consequence. Well, see you at the fellowship 574 00:26:26,020 --> 00:26:26,820 hall. I'll see you here. 575 00:26:26,820 --> 00:26:28,660 I'll see you there. Rather than to understand the 576 00:26:28,940 --> 00:26:32,980 the coinonia, the rich bond that the Lord has built for us to 577 00:26:32,980 --> 00:26:36,460 actually care for one another. Communion, the communion of the 578 00:26:36,460 --> 00:26:40,140 Saints, is the common union. We have a common union that 579 00:26:40,140 --> 00:26:44,040 sends us to all kinds of things, like we say with our finances 580 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:45,600 all the time. Like the scripture says, that's 581 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,640 the lowest thing. Of course you should tithe step 582 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,400 one like, duh, of course you. What are you? 583 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,440 Are you going to be the kind of Christian I would pour out my 584 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:56,160 life? I would. 585 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,160 I'll give my I'll give my head. I'll. 586 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:02,360 I'll be crucified for Christ. But No 10% of my income. 587 00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:05,280 That's too far. I value my income above my life. 588 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,220 Nobody does. So this is a a small way to 589 00:27:08,220 --> 00:27:10,860 reveal a greater thing, something that's even more 590 00:27:10,860 --> 00:27:15,700 important to us. This is why I I can never 591 00:27:15,700 --> 00:27:19,380 accept, and you can never accept and never believe the myth that 592 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:21,940 I can be separated from the body of Christ to be happy about it. 593 00:27:22,700 --> 00:27:25,060 That would never make sense. There's no scenario like if 594 00:27:25,060 --> 00:27:27,940 you're on a hiking trail and you see a human hand laying on the 595 00:27:27,940 --> 00:27:30,620 side of the trail, you're not going to think, oh, there's a 596 00:27:30,620 --> 00:27:32,540 person, hi. You're not going to think he's 597 00:27:32,540 --> 00:27:34,180 waving to you. You're going to go. 598 00:27:34,180 --> 00:27:36,060 Something terribly wrong has happened here. 599 00:27:36,870 --> 00:27:38,790 Something terrible has taken place. 600 00:27:39,030 --> 00:27:40,230 Why? Because that's not what hands 601 00:27:40,230 --> 00:27:41,590 are. Hands aren't supposed to be like 602 00:27:41,590 --> 00:27:44,110 that. Hands are are connected to a 603 00:27:44,110 --> 00:27:47,430 body in the same way the Saint who separate. 604 00:27:47,550 --> 00:27:49,030 Oh, you know, I tried the church stuff. 605 00:27:49,230 --> 00:27:50,990 And what? You might try to talk to the 606 00:27:50,990 --> 00:27:51,670 head. What happened? 607 00:27:51,670 --> 00:27:54,710 Well, I got slammed into the body, Slammed me in the corridor 608 00:27:54,710 --> 00:27:56,070 years ago. And I've never forgiven the 609 00:27:56,070 --> 00:27:57,430 body. So I just went off to do my own 610 00:27:57,430 --> 00:27:59,750 thing. Like how many Christians do 611 00:27:59,750 --> 00:28:02,190 that? Though one time the body hurt 612 00:28:02,190 --> 00:28:04,110 me. Man, I'm sorry. 613 00:28:04,810 --> 00:28:06,370 We look. Yeah, and I still I lost that 614 00:28:06,370 --> 00:28:08,210 fingernail because of it too. I'm sorry. 615 00:28:08,210 --> 00:28:10,850 And that's not OK. And still you belong with the 616 00:28:10,850 --> 00:28:13,090 body. Still you got to walk in 617 00:28:13,090 --> 00:28:16,330 forgiveness with the body. Or if we've got some extreme 618 00:28:16,330 --> 00:28:19,130 weirdo scenario like our pastors, if you then of course 619 00:28:19,130 --> 00:28:20,970 reject and leave that kind of nonsense. 620 00:28:21,450 --> 00:28:23,890 But that would be non Christian behavior anyway. 621 00:28:24,210 --> 00:28:28,410 But if we're talking about Christians who sin, then welcome 622 00:28:28,410 --> 00:28:30,850 to the whole body of Christ. We want to walk in more 623 00:28:30,850 --> 00:28:33,210 holiness, but we need you to be a part of that. 624 00:28:34,190 --> 00:28:36,550 So we need to point out that there's a difference before I 625 00:28:36,550 --> 00:28:38,630 make it sound like just church attendance, and before you get 626 00:28:38,630 --> 00:28:41,110 the wrong idea that church attendance is all we're talking 627 00:28:41,110 --> 00:28:43,350 about, there's a difference between just showing up and 628 00:28:43,350 --> 00:28:51,030 being connected to the body. Go to 1st John, Chapter 3. 629 00:28:52,390 --> 00:28:57,150 I'm sorry, First John chapter one, verse 3, towards the back 630 00:28:57,150 --> 00:28:59,550 of your Bible going to be after first and second Peter. 631 00:29:18,500 --> 00:29:23,860 First John chapter one, verse three, that which we have seen 632 00:29:23,860 --> 00:29:27,740 and heard we proclaim to you so that you too may have fellowship 633 00:29:27,860 --> 00:29:30,740 with us. How they're going to fellowship 634 00:29:30,740 --> 00:29:32,620 with them? They're writing letters to one 635 00:29:32,620 --> 00:29:35,620 another from great distances. What kind of fellowship is John 636 00:29:35,620 --> 00:29:37,460 looking for? For the person that he's writing 637 00:29:37,460 --> 00:29:40,020 this letter to? He's not just saying we're going 638 00:29:40,100 --> 00:29:46,770 to have fried chicken fellowship with us, and indeed our 639 00:29:46,770 --> 00:29:50,650 fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 640 00:29:51,090 --> 00:29:53,850 And we're writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 641 00:29:54,450 --> 00:29:57,010 This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaimed to 642 00:29:57,010 --> 00:30:01,330 you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 643 00:30:01,970 --> 00:30:04,450 If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in 644 00:30:04,450 --> 00:30:06,930 darkness, we lie and we do not practice the truth. 645 00:30:07,090 --> 00:30:09,810 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have 646 00:30:09,810 --> 00:30:13,770 fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus cleanses 647 00:30:13,770 --> 00:30:16,130 us from all sin. I love first John because he 648 00:30:16,130 --> 00:30:18,290 constantly goes back and forth. He's like Christians don't sin, 649 00:30:18,290 --> 00:30:21,450 He's like, but when you sin, we have an advocate with the Father 650 00:30:21,930 --> 00:30:23,370 Jesus Christ. I'm like, because I start, I 651 00:30:23,370 --> 00:30:25,410 read first time. I'm like, Oh no, I am in bit. 652 00:30:25,690 --> 00:30:29,130 Oh right, I confess my sin. I'm forgiven through the blood 653 00:30:29,130 --> 00:30:31,290 of Jesus. And over and over, I write these 654 00:30:31,290 --> 00:30:32,810 things to you so so that you don't sin. 655 00:30:33,410 --> 00:30:35,210 But when you sin, here's what to do. 656 00:30:36,250 --> 00:30:37,730 So what do we see? He's talking about the 657 00:30:37,730 --> 00:30:39,250 fellowship. How do we have fellowship with 658 00:30:39,250 --> 00:30:41,610 one another? Because we have fellowship with 659 00:30:41,770 --> 00:30:43,890 the Father. We actually care for one another 660 00:30:43,890 --> 00:30:45,330 as siblings. And that's the point I started 661 00:30:45,330 --> 00:30:46,450 to make earlier about my brother. 662 00:30:46,970 --> 00:30:48,930 This is the way that the church has treated each other 663 00:30:48,930 --> 00:30:51,090 throughout history. This is the way that the early 664 00:30:51,090 --> 00:30:53,730 church treated one another. What I have is yours. 665 00:30:54,170 --> 00:30:55,850 Of course I'm going to give you my money. 666 00:30:58,330 --> 00:31:00,690 I claim that I'll pour out my last drop of blood. 667 00:31:01,810 --> 00:31:05,110 That's the claim that I make for you, Of course. 668 00:31:05,310 --> 00:31:06,590 Yeah. I'll give you my last drop of 669 00:31:06,590 --> 00:31:10,230 blood, but I won't give you the $50 in my wallet when you need 670 00:31:10,230 --> 00:31:12,030 it. Well, you know, I'm trying to, 671 00:31:12,070 --> 00:31:14,750 you know, I got to make sure. That's nonsense. 672 00:31:14,950 --> 00:31:18,070 The communion of Saints is a deep and rich bond that has no 673 00:31:18,070 --> 00:31:19,670 limitation. It has no end. 674 00:31:19,790 --> 00:31:22,630 How far does that go? It doesn't end just like my bond 675 00:31:22,630 --> 00:31:24,870 with my brother doesn't end. It's not because my brother and 676 00:31:24,870 --> 00:31:27,550 I are even best friends and we're talking constantly. 677 00:31:27,550 --> 00:31:30,230 Me and him just went like 2 1/2 months before we talked just 678 00:31:30,230 --> 00:31:31,830 because we both been busy. And we talked the other night 679 00:31:31,830 --> 00:31:33,660 and caught up. And it was good to hear his 680 00:31:33,660 --> 00:31:35,540 voice. But it doesn't matter how much 681 00:31:35,540 --> 00:31:37,980 time goes by. It doesn't matter if there's 682 00:31:37,980 --> 00:31:40,220 conflict between us. You think me and my brother have 683 00:31:40,220 --> 00:31:42,500 ever gotten in a fight. I just You get one guess. 684 00:31:43,020 --> 00:31:44,780 Only one guess. You think we've ever fought? 685 00:31:45,260 --> 00:31:46,820 We didn't. We were perfect angels. 686 00:31:46,820 --> 00:31:49,660 We got along wonderfully. Mom's not here, to tell you the 687 00:31:49,660 --> 00:31:53,300 truth. No, we fought savagely, like we 688 00:31:53,300 --> 00:31:56,260 weren't close enough in age to to be buddies. 689 00:31:56,380 --> 00:31:58,540 We were just on the brink where we had different friend groups, 690 00:31:58,540 --> 00:32:01,060 different toys. So like, we just went to war all 691 00:32:01,060 --> 00:32:04,120 the time. He's 3 1/2 years older than me, 692 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:07,320 four years older than me. So, you know, we fought all the 693 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,000 time. I beat him up every single day. 694 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:14,520 But he forgives me. Sometimes he would get me, 695 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:19,840 sometimes I'll get him. But it's not because we get 696 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:21,800 along. This is the misunderstanding 697 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:23,240 that people have, too. Like, all right, yeah. 698 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:24,920 I like these people in the church. 699 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:26,240 Therefore, I'll do more stuff for them. 700 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:26,560 No. No. 701 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:28,080 It has nothing to do with how much I like you. 702 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,320 It has everything to do with like, you're my brother. 703 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:33,060 You are my sister, so my life is your life. 704 00:32:33,660 --> 00:32:36,340 This is what we saw with the Saints when they're sacrificing 705 00:32:36,340 --> 00:32:39,540 their lives for one another, when people would insert 706 00:32:39,540 --> 00:32:42,740 themselves to protect another St. from from being, from 707 00:32:42,740 --> 00:32:44,620 suffering persecution. This is what we see. 708 00:32:44,620 --> 00:32:46,540 Even when Saints would join others. 709 00:32:46,540 --> 00:32:48,900 And not just the Roman Colosseum, but in other places 710 00:32:48,900 --> 00:32:51,060 too, where Saints are being fed to the lions. 711 00:32:51,260 --> 00:32:53,540 And other Christians would say, I'm not going to let this young 712 00:32:53,540 --> 00:32:55,620 man go die alone. I'm not going to let go, let 713 00:32:55,620 --> 00:32:58,580 this young woman die alone. And other Christians go, go down 714 00:32:58,580 --> 00:33:01,460 and join them, climb out of the stands to go be with others. 715 00:33:01,860 --> 00:33:03,620 Why would you do that? You've never even met them. 716 00:33:03,980 --> 00:33:06,420 Because we have the same father. That's my brother. 717 00:33:06,420 --> 00:33:07,860 That's my sister. Doesn't matter if we've ever 718 00:33:07,860 --> 00:33:09,980 met. Like I I know there's a common 719 00:33:09,980 --> 00:33:11,540 union. There's such a deep bond. 720 00:33:12,060 --> 00:33:15,620 And you see the same thing with siblings who never met, even 721 00:33:15,660 --> 00:33:17,780 with the natural affection, siblings who never met. 722 00:33:17,780 --> 00:33:20,820 And they meet late in adulthood. It's like now, like you're mine 723 00:33:20,820 --> 00:33:23,260 and I'm yours. You know, to the end, like we. 724 00:33:23,380 --> 00:33:25,060 That bond is established. Even though they don't have a 725 00:33:25,060 --> 00:33:27,900 history of growing up and stories and fighting, they don't 726 00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:30,020 have to have the history. It's like we're brothers. 727 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,680 Well, that's all I need to know. This is the same thing for the 728 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:36,280 body of Christ, except to a greater degree, where we would 729 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,400 say we have the same father. Like, I'm yours, you're mine. 730 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:43,440 My life is yours now. That's why you can experience 731 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:45,240 rich fellowship. You ever met a believer out in 732 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,120 the wild, and your spirits are just, like, unified? 733 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,960 And you're not even like, wait, what denomination now? 734 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,970 OK, OK, never mind. You know, maybe maybe once you 735 00:33:54,970 --> 00:33:57,010 get right, maybe once you repent, No. 736 00:33:57,010 --> 00:34:00,690 I mean, you can meet a believer in the Atlanta airport during a 737 00:34:00,690 --> 00:34:03,370 layover and you're like, you can have an awesome two hours and 738 00:34:03,370 --> 00:34:05,570 you're just like, I love you. God bless you. 739 00:34:05,570 --> 00:34:08,130 You can pray together. You can encourage one another. 740 00:34:08,409 --> 00:34:10,730 Why? Because we belong to each other 741 00:34:11,530 --> 00:34:14,650 for real, actually, truly and deeply. 742 00:34:17,130 --> 00:34:20,630 Our common union doesn't end. There's no limitation to it. 743 00:34:20,630 --> 00:34:22,750 In Acts, we see the believers bringing their money. 744 00:34:22,909 --> 00:34:24,150 Of course I'll give you my stuff. 745 00:34:24,150 --> 00:34:26,230 Of course I'll give you my money, because I'll give you my 746 00:34:26,230 --> 00:34:27,909 life. And it's not because we get 747 00:34:27,909 --> 00:34:29,750 along. It's not because we don't annoy 748 00:34:29,750 --> 00:34:31,350 each other. It's not because we're best 749 00:34:31,350 --> 00:34:33,030 friends. It's because we have common 750 00:34:33,030 --> 00:34:33,670 union. Now. 751 00:34:34,230 --> 00:34:36,949 You are my brother. God is our father. 752 00:34:37,989 --> 00:34:40,670 The Saints who did that in Acts, when they did it, they didn't 753 00:34:40,670 --> 00:34:43,870 even feel sacrificial. They didn't feel like, look at 754 00:34:43,870 --> 00:34:46,110 what I'm giving up. It says they sold their property 755 00:34:46,110 --> 00:34:48,150 in possessions with joy, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 756 00:34:48,150 --> 00:34:51,550 Hey, whoever, whatever needs it. Well, guys, thank you so much. 757 00:34:51,550 --> 00:34:55,190 It's so I mean, you ever, you ever seen a hero do something 758 00:34:55,190 --> 00:34:56,310 great? And they, they interview the 759 00:34:56,310 --> 00:34:58,670 firefighter later, they interview the soldier later. 760 00:34:58,750 --> 00:35:00,150 They interview the Good Samaritan later. 761 00:35:00,150 --> 00:35:02,790 Like, you're such a hero. And it's like I was just, I was 762 00:35:02,790 --> 00:35:05,430 just doing what was obvious I was doing. 763 00:35:05,430 --> 00:35:07,950 I heard gunshots and I knew there was kids in there. 764 00:35:07,950 --> 00:35:10,990 You're not a hero. And the rest of us are like you 765 00:35:10,990 --> 00:35:13,170 are, though. Heroes never feel like a hero. 766 00:35:13,330 --> 00:35:15,730 It's just obvious. It's obvious. 767 00:35:15,730 --> 00:35:17,690 I don't feel like a hero. If my brother needs me and I go 768 00:35:17,690 --> 00:35:20,610 to meet his knee and I'll go. I am the best brother, Mike. 769 00:35:20,610 --> 00:35:22,610 I'm a brother. What do you think a brother 770 00:35:22,610 --> 00:35:24,690 does? Brother is made for adversity. 771 00:35:25,410 --> 00:35:28,130 Saints were made for adversity. And there's a friend who sticks 772 00:35:28,130 --> 00:35:33,250 closer than a brother. Jesus himself and his people and 773 00:35:33,250 --> 00:35:35,330 his Saints. As a parent, do you feel 774 00:35:35,330 --> 00:35:37,370 sacrificial when you provide for your kids? 775 00:35:38,050 --> 00:35:40,730 Do you feel amazing? Like, you know, when I feed my 776 00:35:40,730 --> 00:35:44,050 boys every day, I'm like boys. I just want you to know this 777 00:35:44,050 --> 00:35:47,770 costs me a lot, that that food that you're eating, that I'm not 778 00:35:47,770 --> 00:35:50,370 tallying it all up and I'm going, I do. 779 00:35:50,370 --> 00:35:52,890 I want gratitude from my sons. Of course I want them to be 780 00:35:52,890 --> 00:35:57,530 grateful, not entitled brats. But I don't feel, I don't feel 781 00:35:57,530 --> 00:36:00,810 special. I feel like, duh, this is normal 782 00:36:00,810 --> 00:36:03,690 parent stuff. When I love my brother, I don't 783 00:36:03,690 --> 00:36:05,130 feel like I'm an amazing brother. 784 00:36:05,130 --> 00:36:06,490 I feel like that's brother stuff. 785 00:36:07,210 --> 00:36:10,210 When the church loves the church deeply and sacrificially, the 786 00:36:10,210 --> 00:36:12,210 church doesn't feel sacrificial about it. 787 00:36:12,210 --> 00:36:14,210 They go, duh, that's church stuff. 788 00:36:14,890 --> 00:36:19,090 This is Body of Christ stuff. The hand serves the mouth. 789 00:36:19,850 --> 00:36:22,610 The eye serves the whole body. Everything is connected. 790 00:36:22,890 --> 00:36:24,970 There's no part of my body that I want to lose. 791 00:36:25,250 --> 00:36:28,010 Not my left pinky, even not my left pinky toe. 792 00:36:28,170 --> 00:36:31,970 I'd like to keep him. The whole body is useful. 793 00:36:32,290 --> 00:36:36,250 The whole body is important and the body is committed to serving 794 00:36:36,250 --> 00:36:39,890 and caring for one another. Our common union makes us say my 795 00:36:39,890 --> 00:36:42,690 life for yours. Like Jesus, we lay down our 796 00:36:42,690 --> 00:36:44,090 lives to the death for one another. 797 00:36:44,530 --> 00:36:47,610 This is the stock that we've come from, Jesus said in John 798 00:36:47,610 --> 00:36:50,170 1513. Greater love has no one than 799 00:36:50,170 --> 00:36:51,970 this. Then someone would lay down his 800 00:36:51,970 --> 00:36:55,730 life for his friends. Jesus did it for us, but we 801 00:36:55,730 --> 00:36:59,170 weren't his friends. Greater love has no one than 802 00:36:59,170 --> 00:37:00,170 this. He says that someone lay down 803 00:37:00,170 --> 00:37:01,770 his life for his friends. And what do you call somebody 804 00:37:01,770 --> 00:37:03,090 who lays down their life for their enemies? 805 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:09,160 Because that's what Jesus did. You call him king, You call him 806 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,080 Lord, You call him good, you call him loving. 807 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:15,920 It's a vision. It's it's part of the vision of 808 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:19,640 Salt Church that we really would be, that we really would walk in 809 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:21,080 the fullness of what we see in the Scriptures. 810 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:23,160 This is part of what we said when we talk about we want to 811 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:24,720 walk in New Testament Christianity. 812 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:26,560 What do you mean by that? What we mean a lot. 813 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:28,360 You mean the gifts of spirit? Absolutely. 814 00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:30,580 You mean the devotion that the Saints had to one another? 815 00:37:30,580 --> 00:37:32,580 Absolutely. You mean the hunger that the 816 00:37:32,580 --> 00:37:34,500 Saints had to actually make disciples in their own life? 817 00:37:34,540 --> 00:37:36,140 Absolutely. All of it. 818 00:37:36,140 --> 00:37:38,780 New Testament Christianity, 1st century Christianity. 819 00:37:39,020 --> 00:37:41,260 That's our target. But this is 1 big piece of it, 820 00:37:41,820 --> 00:37:45,740 and this is 1 area that we have to continue to contend for. 821 00:37:46,220 --> 00:37:50,620 If you're not growing, if you're if you're not maturing in this 822 00:37:50,620 --> 00:37:52,660 area, then this is a priority for you. 823 00:37:52,780 --> 00:37:54,460 Why? Because it's priority for your 824 00:37:54,460 --> 00:37:55,260 church. Why? 825 00:37:55,620 --> 00:37:57,460 Because it's an obvious priority from Scripture. 826 00:37:58,180 --> 00:37:59,820 I'm not shoehorning any of this in here. 827 00:38:00,300 --> 00:38:03,940 The devotion among the Saints, the connection, the loyalty, the 828 00:38:03,940 --> 00:38:05,780 love for the body of Christ to the body of Christ. 829 00:38:06,100 --> 00:38:08,900 Don't think this is a new idea. That's the temptation, man. 830 00:38:08,900 --> 00:38:10,820 We're kind of like a like an extreme church. 831 00:38:10,980 --> 00:38:12,580 We're not. We're not. 832 00:38:12,980 --> 00:38:15,660 So don't compare us to maybe something that you might 833 00:38:15,660 --> 00:38:17,420 perceive to be lesser. Maybe something that you've 834 00:38:17,420 --> 00:38:19,940 experienced that was lesser. Continue to look at the word of 835 00:38:19,940 --> 00:38:21,900 God. Search the scriptures. 836 00:38:22,220 --> 00:38:25,180 See if what I'm saying is is it true and accurate? 837 00:38:25,660 --> 00:38:29,180 See if I'm overstating the case. You'll find that I'm not. 838 00:38:29,180 --> 00:38:31,380 You'll find that I haven't even come close to to doing it 839 00:38:31,380 --> 00:38:33,060 justice, Actually, You'll go to Michael. 840 00:38:33,060 --> 00:38:35,340 You don't go far enough on that. To which I say you're probably 841 00:38:35,340 --> 00:38:38,380 right. But let's keep pursuing it in 842 00:38:38,380 --> 00:38:39,500 life. So what does it look like? 843 00:38:39,500 --> 00:38:42,340 Well, the Holy Spirit will show you, but that's the point. 844 00:38:42,340 --> 00:38:44,740 He will show you your obedience. And that next step is what 845 00:38:44,740 --> 00:38:47,180 matters most. God, bring us revelation. 846 00:38:47,180 --> 00:38:48,500 Bring us life. Bring us light. 847 00:38:48,940 --> 00:38:51,420 Help us to see how to lay down our lives more for one another. 848 00:38:52,380 --> 00:38:57,010 Not to needlessly martyr ourselves, but to be our 849 00:38:57,010 --> 00:39:00,250 brother's keeper. To care for one another with 850 00:39:00,250 --> 00:39:05,130 devotion to not just see that our pantry is full, but to see 851 00:39:05,130 --> 00:39:06,930 that our hearts are full, that our minds are full. 852 00:39:08,970 --> 00:39:11,690 Show each of us as individuals the gifts that you have put in 853 00:39:11,690 --> 00:39:16,890 us, that we are responsible and required to give generously to 854 00:39:16,890 --> 00:39:20,730 the rest of this body. If it's in us, then there's 855 00:39:20,730 --> 00:39:22,530 someone else who needs it outside of us. 856 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:27,760 And you made no mistakes when you designed your church. 857 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:30,600 When you designed your people, you've made no mistakes as 858 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:36,160 you've assembled Salt Church. Every St. every believer who 859 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:39,360 calls on the name of Jesus. They are part of the universal 860 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:45,760 global Catholic body of Christ, and in this local church they 861 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:48,160 are part of the communion of the Saints. 862 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:50,280 God take us deeper in our communion. 863 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:54,400 Make it deeper than than than than fellowship halls and and 864 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:58,530 meals. Make it my life for your life. 865 00:40:00,330 --> 00:40:03,490 Not because we want to look heroic, but because there's 866 00:40:03,490 --> 00:40:05,970 something in us that tells us how good and true and right it 867 00:40:05,970 --> 00:40:10,290 is. It's a challenge to the flesh. 868 00:40:11,290 --> 00:40:14,890 You promised that it would be to help us, to crucify the flesh 869 00:40:15,010 --> 00:40:20,450 for the joy set before us. The joy of living the life that 870 00:40:20,450 --> 00:40:23,410 is truly life. The joy of taking up our cross. 871 00:40:23,410 --> 00:40:26,160 The joy of knowing you more. The fellowship of your 872 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:31,240 sufferings, tasting them, knowing them, and looking and 873 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:38,920 walking more like Jesus. Build your church in Jesus name. 874 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,320 And now the Lord bless you and keep you. 875 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:46,120 The Lord make his face shine down upon you and be gracious to 876 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:48,440 you. The Lord lift up his countenance 877 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,800 upon you and give you great peace in Jesus name. 878 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:52,800 Amen.