1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:04,300 Now I have a soul to that Revelation sort of moment of 2 00:00:04,300 --> 00:00:07,500 self-awareness and one day A lady called Jill Evans. 3 00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:11,100 Had cooked this lovely and ate chicken Phillips. 4 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:15,000 The lovely chicken Phyllis with this creamy mushroom sauce. 5 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:17,400 I think James was there. I was there when he was there. 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,300 There was six of us in total but there was eight chicken Phyllis. 7 00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:23,700 And here we go. We've been preaching away and 8 00:00:23,700 --> 00:00:24,700 I'm tired. I'm hungry. 9 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:27,300 I really wanted a second chicken Philly. 10 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:29,900 So we're all eatin away and then viniq. 11 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:30,900 Has anyone? Who knows? 12 00:00:30,900 --> 00:00:33,500 Vinny Commons? Well knows that the only time he 13 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:37,900 stopped speaking is when he's eating and there he was, he ate 14 00:00:37,900 --> 00:00:39,800 away. And he got, he helped himself to 15 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,600 the second chicken Philip. And then there's just one more 16 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:43,800 left. And here we are. 17 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,200 We've got these big men around. It was thinking and he's gonna 18 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,100 get it. You can almost hear the cowboy 19 00:00:48,100 --> 00:00:53,500 music, you know, du du du du to anyway, Vinny gets this for 20 00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:55,300 sticks. It in this chicken Philly and he 21 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:59,700 says, here Johnny, you have it now, it sounds absolutely 22 00:00:59,700 --> 00:01:01,400 perfect. Pathetic, but in that moment, I 23 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,200 wanted to cry. Honestly, I was so upset. 24 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,700 I was so silky. And as I was I went home to my 25 00:01:07,700 --> 00:01:09,300 wife. I said, it's so unfair. 26 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:10,800 Why did he get that chicken? Put it? 27 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,700 Why didn't I get it? I've worked hard one and I 28 00:01:13,700 --> 00:01:17,100 realized in that moment. Just how selfish I become. 29 00:01:17,300 --> 00:01:20,100 I have this sort of the word would call entitlement. 30 00:01:20,100 --> 00:01:23,300 I thought I deserved it and it sounds stupid, but I had a sort 31 00:01:23,300 --> 00:01:26,800 of moment of Revelation. So as we come to this sermon, 32 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,200 this is going to be a little bit challenging I think. 33 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,100 But just know this Is a preacher. 34 00:01:31,100 --> 00:01:34,100 I'm preaching it to Joker because we're told In this 35 00:01:34,100 --> 00:01:36,500 passage to lay down our lives to the brothers. 36 00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:38,700 Well, how was even prepared to lay down a chicken? 37 00:01:38,700 --> 00:01:41,300 Feel it? Let alone my life. 38 00:01:41,300 --> 00:01:43,900 So, you know, I'm preaching to myself here. 39 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:45,500 Okay. So I've got four head interview 40 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:49,200 today. My first heading is extravagant. 41 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,100 Love. My second. 42 00:01:51,100 --> 00:01:57,400 Heading is share your caviar. My third heading is lamps don't 43 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,000 talk, but they do shine and My fourth and final heading is the 44 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,600 poorest person in the room. So firstly, extravagant love. 45 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,100 Just dip into 2. Verse 16 with me. 46 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:14,900 It says here buying perceive. We the love of God. 47 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,300 And then in chapter 4 verse 8, it says God is love. 48 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,200 So because God is love, because God is showing his look. 49 00:02:22,300 --> 00:02:24,600 He must display you. And I want you now to think 50 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,600 about your own life. Look at the Abundant proofs in 51 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,900 your own life, every loaf of bread, every drop of water. 52 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,000 The whole me live in the help that the Lord has blessed you it 53 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,300 for many years. All of these things are tokens 54 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:41,200 of God's love. And yet, we can be a little bit 55 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,700 ungrateful. Can't we, we moment about the 56 00:02:43,700 --> 00:02:47,200 price of bread, we mon that this Cafe doesn't have gluten-free 57 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,600 bread. We mon that it's raining another 58 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:51,400 day. But, yeah, in Africa, they 59 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,400 Rejoice Lee dance when it rains. Don't, we don't realize that 60 00:02:55,400 --> 00:03:00,500 we're a mass of Mercies. Now, I would ask you a little 61 00:03:00,500 --> 00:03:03,400 question. I don't know what your family 62 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,600 background was. I don't know how you were when 63 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,800 you grew up. But if you had Christian 64 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,600 parents, did you cherish those Christian parents? 65 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,000 When you're growing up? Do you cherish your parents? 66 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,900 I hesitate to say this, but we can often look down on 67 00:03:18,900 --> 00:03:21,600 alcoholics. We look down on divorcees on 68 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,300 drug addicts on prostitutes on jailbirds. 69 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:26,900 But imagine if you could smell alcohol in the cars. 70 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:30,100 Imagine if you could hear blasphemy in the kitchen, 71 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,000 imagine if you had Wicked. Horrible, uncle's you see? 72 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:35,600 I meet these people on the streets. 73 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,000 I talk to them. I spend much time with them and 74 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,100 if we walked in their shoes for just one day, we might have 75 00:03:41,100 --> 00:03:43,600 Meyer these people that they aren't worse than they are. 76 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,000 There's a reason why. All the time, but there is often 77 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,600 a reason why there's a drug addict. 78 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:50,900 There's often a reason. Why that man's homeless. 79 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,400 You see? You need to know this about me. 80 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:57,200 My parents were crazy strict. My parents were really strict 81 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,200 Christian parent. I'll tell you a little bit about 82 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,500 them if you want to ask later, but they were really strict. 83 00:04:02,500 --> 00:04:07,400 But today I say hallelujah that I Christian parents that kiss me 84 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,500 on the head. Tuck me into bed every night and 85 00:04:09,500 --> 00:04:12,900 read little ones to God with me. Christian parents are a 86 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:15,600 wonderful thing and I can see that little boys listen to sir. 87 00:04:15,700 --> 00:04:17,899 I'm nervous. And he's got Christian Paris. 88 00:04:18,100 --> 00:04:19,500 Hallelujah. He's cute. 89 00:04:19,700 --> 00:04:21,200 He's gonna make me cry in a minute. 90 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:22,600 He's so sweet. Sorry. 91 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:29,100 And where am I now, I promise you this the clearest Window 92 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:32,800 Seat in, which you can see God's love is the window, which is 93 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,400 facing the cross, you know, there's a story that I don't 94 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,200 even have the preacher Charles Spurgeon. 95 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,600 And he told this story about there was a day when there was 96 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,000 this flood in the village and it was before the time of swimming 97 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,400 lessons. And those this mother and she 98 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,700 had Toddlers. So she did the only thing she 99 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:49,500 could do. She picked up both toddlers in 100 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:53,100 her arms and she climbed up this tree and got straight to the top 101 00:04:53,100 --> 00:04:56,500 of this high tree, as she gets there and into safety. 102 00:04:56,500 --> 00:05:01,200 She sought to take her sigh of relief, but then she hears this 103 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,200 noise. The branch was beginning to 104 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,400 snap. So she did the only thing she 105 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,300 could do she puts her two children, the safest part of the 106 00:05:10,300 --> 00:05:12,500 branch. She climbed onto the edge. 107 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:16,300 She took a deep breath, and she tumbled down into the flood, 108 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:21,200 waters and drown. Now, anyone who was reading that 109 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,300 story. No, one could doubt the love 110 00:05:23,300 --> 00:05:25,100 that, that mother had for a children. 111 00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:27,300 And some of you in this room who are mothers, you would do 112 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:29,200 exactly the same thing, wouldn't you? 113 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,000 No one could doubt it. But let me say this. 114 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,700 Do you ever doubt the love that? Jesus Christ. 115 00:05:34,700 --> 00:05:38,800 And for you when he died on a cross, for your sins, a bit more 116 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,300 recently in the news, remember that, and scuba dark. 117 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:44,500 Not that, that IBS it in Thailand and those football as 118 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:47,100 they got trapped in this cave and and it was terrible. 119 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:50,400 And this British diary went in to save those scoot those, those 120 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,600 Lads and he died in the cave and we read it. 121 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,300 And we admire him and rightly. So what bravery, what, courage, 122 00:05:57,500 --> 00:06:01,200 so much admiration. But the sad thing is, we don't 123 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,300 have much admiration for the Son of God. 124 00:06:03,300 --> 00:06:04,700 This works. World doesn't have much 125 00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:08,200 admiration for the Son of God who laid down his life for us as 126 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,300 sinners. Now, I believe one of the 127 00:06:11,300 --> 00:06:16,300 hardest challenges in the Bible is in verse 16 and it says this 128 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,500 and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 129 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:24,400 I'm going to make a statement now and you tell me if you agree 130 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,000 with this statement. Yes or no. 131 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,700 A person's life is the most prized physical possession. 132 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:33,300 They owned. Do you agree with that 133 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:36,100 statement? It's true. 134 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:39,100 I think I think it's true because once someone loses their 135 00:06:39,100 --> 00:06:41,600 life, it's gone. There's a finality to death. 136 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,700 It's the most prized possession. That's why if you lay down your 137 00:06:44,700 --> 00:06:47,400 life for someone in the church, if you like lay down your life 138 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,500 for another brother. It's the greatest expression of 139 00:06:50,500 --> 00:06:54,200 love. So, what am I going to water-ski 140 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,500 next? Would you do it? 141 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:01,800 Would you die for the person who did the flowers this week, for 142 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,400 the person who makes the coffee for the person three rows behind 143 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,400 you for the person you bumped into in the toilets for this man 144 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,800 here. Would you die for the people in 145 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,400 this church, you know, there's a story. 146 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,100 It didn't happen in the time of polycarp. 147 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:18,600 It didn't happen in the Axiom. Apostles. 148 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,200 This happened about 10 years ago. 149 00:07:20,300 --> 00:07:23,700 You might have heard it before, but there was this 23, South 150 00:07:23,700 --> 00:07:26,800 Korean guys, and they are missionaries and they Really, 151 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,600 really wanted to get the gospel out. 152 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,800 So, you know, where they went sit on a missionary Venture went 153 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,700 to Afghanistan. And as you can, imagine they all 154 00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:39,200 got abducted by the Taliban and you are the SAT in a room, 155 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,100 probably similar size to this and they're all sort of chained 156 00:07:42,100 --> 00:07:44,400 up a little bit. And one of the girls, this is 157 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,800 what's amazing. One of the girls had had a new 158 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,500 testament in a pocket and she ripped it up into 23, different 159 00:07:50,500 --> 00:07:52,500 pieces and gave them all at a piece. 160 00:07:52,500 --> 00:07:55,900 So when they got separated, they all have portion of God's word. 161 00:07:55,900 --> 00:07:59,300 They all I'll have the most important thing with them and 162 00:07:59,300 --> 00:08:02,500 then the Taliban took each of them, one out one by the other 163 00:08:02,500 --> 00:08:06,000 to interrogate them. And one of the men walked in and 164 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,400 he said, it's bad. News is the worst news. 165 00:08:10,900 --> 00:08:14,900 They are going to kill us. But I told them, I said, if 166 00:08:14,900 --> 00:08:17,900 they're going to kill anyone first, I want them to kill me 167 00:08:17,900 --> 00:08:22,000 first because I am a pastor. I die first. 168 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,800 And that this point, another man stood up and he said, no, no, 169 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:27,900 no, no. No, that's wrong. 170 00:08:27,900 --> 00:08:31,900 That's wrong. I too am a pastor but I am older 171 00:08:31,900 --> 00:08:33,400 than you. I'm your Elder. 172 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:38,200 So, I will die first. And then this other guy, stood 173 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,100 up the third man, and he stood up police. 174 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,200 He said, sit down the pair of you. 175 00:08:42,299 --> 00:08:44,700 I am ordained. You are not. 176 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,000 I will die first. It's a challenge, isn't it? 177 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,500 But they were fighting on now. If it was me person, I'd be 178 00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:53,700 like, yeah, let the pastor's go first. 179 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,400 I don't want to die. I'll be thinking normally, I 180 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,200 wouldn't really but it's a challenge isn't imagine if the 181 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,900 Taliban, if they broke into this room now, and they said just 182 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:07,300 three of you were going to kill just three of you, but you Would 183 00:09:07,300 --> 00:09:09,500 you volunteer? Would you put your hands up 184 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:11,700 first? That's what were called to do in 185 00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:17,800 this passage is a big challenge. Secondly, share your caviar. 186 00:09:17,900 --> 00:09:23,700 Look at verse 17 with me, but whosoever have the world's goods 187 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:28,000 and see if his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of 188 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,400 compassion on to him. How dwelleth the love of God in 189 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,700 him. Matthew Henry says that God 190 00:09:34,700 --> 00:09:39,300 allows some Christians to be rich so they can exercise Grace. 191 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:41,800 What do you like to exercise Grace? 192 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,700 Will it be a good thing for you yourself to exercise? 193 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,400 Grace Jesus. Our lord said it is better to 194 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,900 give than to receive. Now for honest, very few of us 195 00:09:52,900 --> 00:09:55,500 are going to find up. It might happen, who knows? 196 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,300 Only the Lord knows but it's very unlikely that any of us are 197 00:09:58,300 --> 00:10:01,300 going to find ourselves in in that position of those South 198 00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:04,200 Koreans where we're going to have to physically lay down our 199 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,500 lives. But every single one of us in 200 00:10:06,500 --> 00:10:10,600 this room must deny ourselves. We must take up her a 201 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,600 christ-like sort of humility where we were. 202 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,500 We're prepared to give all and to lay down everything. 203 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:22,100 So the only question I need to ask you now is this How's the 204 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:25,100 Lord blessed you with the world's Goods? 205 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,900 Have you got a good salary? A decent, pension. 206 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:33,100 A nice house. A bit of spare money. 207 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:37,900 Are you prepared to share those things with the world? 208 00:10:38,100 --> 00:10:40,300 Or do you want to hold on to them yourself? 209 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:43,800 Are you giving to God, what is, right? 210 00:10:43,900 --> 00:10:48,000 Or what is left? I don't know if when you were 211 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,600 kids. Did you used to play at that 212 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,000 game called, Hot Potato? I wonder if you now the kids 213 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,100 these days. They don't know what hot potato 214 00:10:55,100 --> 00:10:58,200 is because they don't have an app for These days, they don't 215 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:59,600 play it. But for those who don't know, a 216 00:10:59,608 --> 00:11:01,600 hot potato is basically it's that game. 217 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,500 When you've got a ball and you throwing this ball around, and 218 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:06,600 just let me go hot jacket, potatoes out of the oven. 219 00:11:06,700 --> 00:11:09,700 It's too hot to hold on to it. And then there's another guy and 220 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:13,500 they shout out 10 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. 221 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,700 And if you have the ball in your hand, at the end of the game, 222 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,600 you're out, you lose. And that's kind of how we should 223 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,300 treat our resources, isn't it? It's sort of like we've got this 224 00:11:22,300 --> 00:11:25,200 book, all of our resources, this big ball and we're getting away 225 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,500 from me. Pass it on, pass it on. 226 00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:29,500 Give it to someone else. I don't want to add up and then 227 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:34,600 it's like there is literally someone counting 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 228 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,700 5, 4, 3, 2 1 and then that's it. We stand before the almighty 229 00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:43,700 Creator and the Bible says, all of us will stand before the 230 00:11:43,700 --> 00:11:47,200 Judgment seat of Christ. Do any of us want to stand that 231 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,800 they would with big bars where we've kept all of these 232 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,900 possessions for ourselves or do we want to have given away as 233 00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:56,000 much as we can. It was a great man called John. 234 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,000 Leslie. And John Wesley said this. 235 00:11:58,000 --> 00:11:59,900 Now, this is probably the most challenging thing. 236 00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:02,100 I want to say in the whole message, but it came from, 237 00:12:02,100 --> 00:12:06,000 Wellesley, not me, but he said, if I die, and I'm found with 238 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,400 more than 10 pounds to my name. The whole world will know that 239 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,600 I'm a live, my life as a thief and a robber. 240 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,000 Now, when I was 10 pounds is probably a bit more back then 241 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,000 but you get the idea you wanted to give everything away and 242 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,600 leave the message. He preached. 243 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:25,000 Now, this next bit is a little bit important in verse 17. 244 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:30,100 It says If anyone see it, his brother, if anyone sees. 245 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:34,100 So, you've got to notice, you can't be so wrapped up in 246 00:12:34,100 --> 00:12:37,400 thinking about me, me me. I, I'm the center of the wall. 247 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:40,500 What about my needs? You've got to sort of noticed. 248 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:45,100 Another person who's in need, who needs help and Jesus. 249 00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:49,700 Our lord was the master at this. Jesus, he's walking through town 250 00:12:49,700 --> 00:12:54,700 and he sees this little man puppetry who wasn't Zacchaeus. 251 00:12:54,700 --> 00:12:57,400 Now, tell me how often do you look up truth. 252 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:01,000 Very often, but our lord, Jesus was observing. 253 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,000 And he saw this man back here. Soon. 254 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:04,900 The world didn't think much of any sense. 255 00:13:04,900 --> 00:13:07,300 That key is calm down or I'm coming to your house for tea. 256 00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:10,700 And then we've got Martha and Mary there in this house with 257 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:13,000 these two ladies and he's sitting down. 258 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,200 And and he says, Martha Martha, you're anxious. 259 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:19,400 You're careful about many different things. 260 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,500 He noticed that woman who was anxious and then he said, come 261 00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:26,200 on, worship me just like Mary has chosen that, which is 262 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,100 better. The only things needful is to 263 00:13:28,100 --> 00:13:30,900 worship me. My favorite example, is this 264 00:13:30,900 --> 00:13:34,900 one, the blind man, at the pool of Siloam and it says the 265 00:13:34,900 --> 00:13:41,300 walking by, and Jesus notices, he sees this blind, man, and 266 00:13:41,300 --> 00:13:43,300 then it's the disciples get wind of it. 267 00:13:43,300 --> 00:13:46,800 And they also seem as well. And they look at this, man. 268 00:13:47,300 --> 00:13:49,300 And they start asking him some questions. 269 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:51,200 Would you lie like that? Particularly? 270 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:56,000 How many times do we walk past homeless people on the streets? 271 00:13:56,300 --> 00:13:59,600 Thousands, thousands of people walk past the homeless, man. 272 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,200 And yet, I wonder how many thousands of people walk past 273 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:08,500 that blind, man, and Salon, but Jesus Took time bent down and 274 00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:13,000 made that blind, man. See, he mattered to Jesus people 275 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,900 matter to Jesus. So they matter to us. 276 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,100 So in church, We've got to have an, I have an eye for the young 277 00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:22,100 person. The old person who might be 278 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:24,900 lonely, spend the whole week on their own and they're excited 279 00:14:24,900 --> 00:14:28,200 about talking to people, make sure they don't go home without 280 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,000 someone saying hello and telling them, they matter. 281 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:33,800 The old church, the socially awkward the disabled. 282 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,300 All of us in this room. We all need a little bit of TLC 283 00:14:36,300 --> 00:14:40,900 every now and then, don't we? Let's pray that God would give 284 00:14:40,900 --> 00:14:43,900 us an eye for people especially the church. 285 00:14:44,300 --> 00:14:48,000 Now, you see, I love a good him sandwich as much as the next 286 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:52,200 guy, but church is so much more than him sandwiches. 287 00:14:52,300 --> 00:14:55,500 You see, we should be prepared to give the shirt off our back 288 00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:57,700 for another brother or sister in Christ. 289 00:14:57,700 --> 00:15:01,100 We should be prepared to carry a brother or sister on our back. 290 00:15:01,100 --> 00:15:04,400 Even If the roll away for 10 miles because of the, the body 291 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,900 of Christ. We should be prepared to give up 292 00:15:06,900 --> 00:15:09,200 our bed for a night and let a brother and sister. 293 00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:11,100 Sleep in that bed. Why? 294 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:14,900 Because it's the Bride of God is the Church of Christ and then 295 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:18,700 suppose, a non-believer supposed non-believer walks into Birkdale 296 00:15:18,700 --> 00:15:21,100 Christian Fellowship. Imagine they were walking to 297 00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:26,100 this church and they say no way, no way the way you love that 298 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:28,400 lady there. It's as if she's your own sister 299 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:30,900 the way you love this man here. It's like he's your own brother 300 00:15:30,900 --> 00:15:34,600 you re I've seen love before but you really really love each 301 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,200 other. So so much. 302 00:15:36,900 --> 00:15:39,000 So, come on. Let's be the Talk of the Town. 303 00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:42,100 Not because of are falling out. Not because of our wonderful 304 00:15:42,100 --> 00:15:44,900 singing, our great building, our great Children's Program. 305 00:15:45,100 --> 00:15:48,100 Let's Be The Talk of the Town because we love one. 306 00:15:48,100 --> 00:15:51,500 Another, wouldn't that be a lovely thing to be known for 307 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:56,800 thirdly lamps? Don't talk, but they do shine 308 00:15:57,700 --> 00:16:01,400 Verse. 18 says, my little children. 309 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:05,800 Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in 310 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,000 truth. Spurgeon said I would not give 311 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:13,100 much for your religion unless it can be seen lamps, don't talk, 312 00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:17,100 but they do shine. And what John saying here is he 313 00:16:17,108 --> 00:16:19,200 said it's time for you to roll up your sleeves. 314 00:16:19,700 --> 00:16:21,700 It's time for you to get your hands dirty. 315 00:16:21,700 --> 00:16:23,700 This isn't a time for Pleasant chitchat. 316 00:16:23,700 --> 00:16:27,100 You need to do something to put something in action. 317 00:16:27,100 --> 00:16:28,700 Now. Now please don't misunderstand 318 00:16:28,700 --> 00:16:31,600 me there. Definitely is still a place for 319 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,600 kind words. We're told in the Bible to build 320 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,700 one another up to encourage one another. 321 00:16:36,708 --> 00:16:39,500 Another were told sir to care for one another in Proverbs. 322 00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:42,400 It talks about having a sweetness of speech. 323 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,900 The Evangelist David Shepherd said, I can go for a month on a 324 00:16:46,900 --> 00:16:50,500 compliment and in Ministry. I know exactly what that's like. 325 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:53,300 Sometimes someone will just give you a word in season and it 326 00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:55,200 blesses you. It's like a balm of Gilead on 327 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,600 your hand. So, let me gently challenge you 328 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,200 now. I preached this a few churches 329 00:17:02,300 --> 00:17:04,400 and I'm challenging all the churches that preach at this 330 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,400 same thing. When was the last time, you told 331 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:16,000 your pastor that you love them? You see how it's a full-time? 332 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,099 Christian were. Do you say I love you there? 333 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,500 Well, he's, he's applying the message went to full-time 334 00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:26,700 Christian. Work in January 2016. 335 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,200 And there's one thing that's been more apparent than anything 336 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,900 at all. And it's that Satan really hates 337 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:35,000 pastors. He hates them more than anyone. 338 00:17:36,500 --> 00:17:39,300 And if it's not in the, in the home where he's dividing 339 00:17:39,300 --> 00:17:42,200 families, which we've had a problem with our pastor is had a 340 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,600 hard time in the hole. Eco since the church. 341 00:17:45,700 --> 00:17:49,000 I spoke with a pastor once very recently actually. 342 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:52,400 And with tears in his eyes. He sent this to me said before 343 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,800 he went into the ministry and all the Pastor said to him, when 344 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,100 you go into the ministry, you will be blessed upon blessing 345 00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:01,900 upon blessing, but it will break your heart. 346 00:18:03,100 --> 00:18:05,800 And if it's not church members that break your heart, there's 347 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,000 always these different things. Comment. 348 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,200 And I know the devil is trying to tempt all of us, but it seems 349 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,000 to me that seems to be a particular Target, which is on 350 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,700 the back of a pastor and he just throwing dagger after dagger 351 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,300 fiery Dart day after day trying to bring down the pastor. 352 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:23,000 But why does he go for the pasta? 353 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,700 Why is that? Well, let me tell you. 354 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:27,800 It's this, the devil knows the scriptures better than any of us 355 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:29,400 in this room together, doesn't it? 356 00:18:29,500 --> 00:18:32,700 And there's a scripture which says this strike the shepherd. 357 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,200 And the Sheep will scatter. So he knows that if he goes for 358 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,200 the main man, if he takes out the shepherd and that's it, the 359 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:40,600 church we broke and it will divide. 360 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:42,700 It will break up and the church will be left. 361 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:45,400 Empty and some of you you've been in this game for a long 362 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:46,300 time. Haven't you? 363 00:18:46,300 --> 00:18:49,500 You sent churches the 30 40 years ago. 364 00:18:49,500 --> 00:18:52,400 The pasta was taken out and those churches are still a mess 365 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:54,600 today. There's still broken today. 366 00:18:54,900 --> 00:19:00,400 So now together in 2019, more than ever we as the Sheep need 367 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,500 to love and protect our Shepherds. 368 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:12,200 Now more than ever. So over to you now, how can we 369 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,200 look indeed? How can we do that? 370 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,000 How can we look the members of this church, indeed? 371 00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:22,300 What do you think? Maybe you could bring a meal 372 00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:26,400 over to someone perhaps the someone who's not like we're in 373 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,700 South Portland. I'm working now, but maybe 374 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:30,800 there's someone is struggling for cash possibly. 375 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,400 You could give them a bit of money. 376 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,900 Maybe you could open the home up, visit someone we always need 377 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:37,900 to be thinking. How can we help people? 378 00:19:37,900 --> 00:19:40,500 How can we see them? Who was the, there's a reformed 379 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:42,600 Pastor in America called Paul Washer. 380 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,500 Just anyone heard of Paul Washer. 381 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:47,500 I don't know if you have but Porsche said there's some people 382 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:49,800 and they're a bit like theology machines. 383 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,000 Touch them in one place and theology. 384 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,400 Pours out, you touch them in another place and their deep 385 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,700 doctrines pour out. And it's like they've got these 386 00:19:56,700 --> 00:20:00,500 big big brains. But then shrunk and hearts is 387 00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:03,300 that you is that me, we've got these big brains full of 388 00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:06,000 theology, full of all these doctrines, but they're very 389 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,700 little hearts. Now. 390 00:20:07,700 --> 00:20:10,500 Some of us are doubly blessed. We've got small hearts and small 391 00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:14,800 brains, but that's another sermon altogether, but let's not 392 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,700 be there with all these things in our minds. 393 00:20:16,700 --> 00:20:19,800 Let's ask that God would carve out a Channel of love that we 394 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,700 would See, people and care for people and let all of these 395 00:20:22,700 --> 00:20:24,900 great things. These great books that we read 396 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,600 and then let them flow out into a heart that we love people. 397 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,000 Augustine said, give to all, that's the one you pass over. 398 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,900 Should be Christ himself. Okay, fourthly. 399 00:20:35,900 --> 00:20:41,800 And finally verse 23, and this is his Commandment that we 400 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:43,900 should believe on the name of his son. 401 00:20:43,900 --> 00:20:47,900 Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us that 402 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:51,200 Commandments. Now if you haven't already 403 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,700 believed in that commandment, if you haven't already abeid that 404 00:20:53,700 --> 00:20:57,100 commandment and put your trust in Jesus Christ, you could have 405 00:20:57,100 --> 00:21:00,500 a six-figure salary. You can have a mansion in 406 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:03,300 Formby. You could have to Jags on the 407 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,200 drive, but it doesn't matter. You're the poorest person in 408 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,700 this room and likewise. You might not have a lot of 409 00:21:09,700 --> 00:21:11,500 money. You might not know where your 410 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:14,000 next meal is coming from. You might not even as they say 411 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,900 have two pennies to rub together. 412 00:21:16,100 --> 00:21:18,900 But today you could walk out of this building and out. 413 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,900 Of spiritual riches in Christ for all of eternity and it's all 414 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:27,600 it is, is you come to the Cross rich or poor, believe on the 415 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,600 name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The one who became poor so that 416 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,900 you might become spiritually, rich, and more my words. 417 00:21:34,900 --> 00:21:38,500 He really did become poor. He preached my borrowed bowls. 418 00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:41,100 He wrote a Jerusalem on a borrowed, donkey. 419 00:21:41,300 --> 00:21:44,900 He was even buried in a borrowed tomb, one day when he wanted to 420 00:21:44,900 --> 00:21:46,800 illustrate a point. He said, excuse me. 421 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:48,900 Could someone lend me a coin? He comes. 422 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:52,100 Reach into his own pocket and pull out a coin, he had to ask 423 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:55,200 to borrow one. He really did become poor, so 424 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,500 that you might become rich. He was hungry. 425 00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:02,300 He went without food for 40 days and 40 nights, so that you might 426 00:22:02,300 --> 00:22:05,100 Feast on the bread of life. He was thirsty. 427 00:22:05,100 --> 00:22:07,600 He cried. I thirst on the cross, so that 428 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,700 you might drink of the Water of Life. 429 00:22:10,300 --> 00:22:13,500 He became nothing so that you might gain everything. 430 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:18,300 See, him there the righteous Son of God, bleed in there on a 431 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:20,500 cross. And so you could be forgiven, 432 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:24,600 cleanse purified made, right? In his eyes come to him. 433 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,500 Today. He loves you repent. 434 00:22:26,500 --> 00:22:29,400 Turn of your sins and put your trust in here in the one who 435 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,800 rose from the dead and can give you eternal life. 436 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:34,900 I don't know if you've heard of the Evangelist, Roger, Carswell. 437 00:22:34,900 --> 00:22:38,500 Well, he's a very Gifted Man and I heard a story from an 438 00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:41,400 illustration. I'll close with this and it's my 439 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,600 favorite illustration. I've heard yet today. 440 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,900 There was a fair going on in Colchester, sort of sir. 441 00:22:49,700 --> 00:22:52,000 I'm is really everything was going quite well, and there was 442 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,300 this sort of aristocratic gentlemen, a man called Sir 443 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:59,600 Roger Bolter and Sriracha bolts. He's enjoying himself seeing the 444 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:03,000 jugular see in the Clowns enjoying all of that's going on 445 00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:06,000 and as he's in the middle of Colchester, he hears the town 446 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,600 clock, go off at and it Chimes a little bit like a little child 447 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,000 would do. He starts to count because one, 448 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:20,100 two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 1112. 449 00:23:22,100 --> 00:23:24,700 13. This he's looking around 450 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:26,100 thinking. I'm going crazy. 451 00:23:26,100 --> 00:23:28,600 Did I just hear that too? It was another matter. 452 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:30,800 Really cool man. A bit like Zacchaeus. 453 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:34,000 I imagine really sure Connie. He looked at his, did you hear 454 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,000 that too? Yeah. 455 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,000 I heard it. It turns 13 times. 456 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,400 I thought I was going crazy, but obviously not he didn't think 457 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,800 much of it, but he wrote it down in his diary, he went away and 458 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,400 he went back home. Anyway, two months later. 459 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,900 He was he was asleep now. So, Roger bolt. 460 00:23:49,900 --> 00:23:51,700 So he wasn't a man who was given to dreams. 461 00:23:51,900 --> 00:23:55,200 Hearing voices in the night, but he woke up with a cold sweats. 462 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,900 And you heard this voice. Go to York. 463 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,900 Go to York. This is ridiculous. 464 00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:04,600 Anyway, that morning is eating his breakfast. 465 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,700 He heard that voice ringing over his mind, go to York. 466 00:24:07,700 --> 00:24:10,500 Go to your. So he said, to his servants, 467 00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:12,200 must be nice, having servants, reset. 468 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,300 Okay. Well, we better go to your get 469 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:16,400 the horses ready. So we went over it took about 470 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,600 two or three days to get there. Anyways, he arrives in your 471 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,200 PC's. This big crowd in the town 472 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,000 center and he says to him and he said, excuse me, what's going 473 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,200 on? Oh, haven't you heard the news? 474 00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:30,400 Oh, it's a murder trial. It's the last day of the trial 475 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,100 and we all want to know. The outcome is, so Sriracha 476 00:24:34,100 --> 00:24:35,400 bolts. We followed everyone into the 477 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,500 courtroom and he couldn't quite see over the crowd. 478 00:24:38,500 --> 00:24:42,100 But he heard this voice. Do you have anything to say 479 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:43,100 before? I pronounce? 480 00:24:43,100 --> 00:24:47,000 You guilty, your honor? I am not guilty. 481 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,500 I was more than 400 miles from this place. 482 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:51,700 I was there, I stood and there was a town clock. 483 00:24:51,900 --> 00:24:54,600 Right, 13 times. If only there was a man there, 484 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,000 he heard it too. If he was here, he could prove 485 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,100 my innocence. And so Roger bolts are stood up 486 00:25:00,100 --> 00:25:03,700 and said I am that man. Now I know I was supposed to 487 00:25:03,700 --> 00:25:06,000 come to your, I was there, I heard it to here. 488 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,400 It's in my diary and he walked down and he showed the judge the 489 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,900 diary in. There's a bit of commotion a bit 490 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:17,700 and then the judge went very well innocence and Sriracha 491 00:25:17,700 --> 00:25:21,000 Bolter and that little man, they walked out of the court case 492 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,500 together. and that little man looked so put Sriracha bowls and 493 00:25:24,500 --> 00:25:29,700 he said, you know, there's not a man in all the world who could 494 00:25:29,700 --> 00:25:36,300 save me, but you there's not a man in all the world who could 495 00:25:36,300 --> 00:25:42,900 save me, but you Friends, there is only one who can save you 496 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:47,400 from sin and the consequences of it who can give you eternal 497 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,800 life. Don't resist. 498 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:51,200 Don't put him off. The day. 499 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:55,600 Longer can't believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and he 500 00:25:55,600 --> 00:26:00,300 receives all, who come to him. How close by reading the verse 501 00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:03,300 23. Once more, and this is his 502 00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:06,500 Commandment that we should believe on the name of his son. 503 00:26:06,500 --> 00:26:09,100 Jesus Christ and love one another. 504 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,300 As he gave us this commandment. Oh, man.