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A Template for a Congregation · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let me direct your minds briefly to Acts chapter 2, where we're going to look at verses 42 to 47.
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At verse 42 of Acts 2,
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Scripture follows in our understanding of the church and our understanding of the way that God provides for his church to the present day, isn't it?
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These verses, these chapters in the book of Acts, following the Lord's ascension to glory and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
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And then the aftermath, the result of that in the church's expansion and reaching out with the gospel to the surrounding nations.
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And in verses 42 to 47, we could say that the word devoted or devoted themselves is really the central controlling feature of these verses.
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They devoted themselves, these disciples, they devoted themselves to the apostles, to the teaching and the fellowship and the breaking of bread and the prayers.
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When it says they devoted themselves, these words originally mean, you could say that the essential meaning of they continued diligently or continued steadfastly.
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They devoted themselves, they continued steadfastly to continue diligently looking or attending to something.
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It's really the essence of the church at that time as they were gathered together.
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This is what they were doing.
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They devoted themselves to these things that are mentioned.
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They continued diligently in these four features that I'm going to mention that come directly from the passage itself.
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Of course, it's important that we always remember that the church, when we speak about the church, as Acts makes clear, the church is the people who confess God as their God, not the buildings in which they gather to worship or anything like that.
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The church is the people, just as it is today.
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The church here is not this building, though we refer to going to church.
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And there's nothing wrong with that, but the church is you people who are gathered here, the visible church of God, who have come together today, as you do regularly, to worship him.
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So what did they continue diligently in?
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First of all, they continued diligently in learning, in being taught, in studying and being taught in the teaching of the apostles.
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They devoted themselves.
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They continued diligently to the apostles' teaching.
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Secondly, they continued diligently in fellowship.
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The apostles' teaching and fellowship.
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We'll see that literally that means the fellowship.
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Thirdly, they continued diligently in worship, because this is what they were doing as they came together, not only in the temple, but also in their homes regularly.
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Regularly, they worshipped God.
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They worshipped Christ.
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And fourthly, they continued diligently in witnessing for God or witnessing to the gospel or to salvation.
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Learning, fellowship, worship, witnessing.
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That's the essence of what the passage is about.
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And they continued diligently.
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Now, these are very important elements at all times for the church and for ourselves as individual Christians, individual believers as well.
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It's something that we would want to do, not only together, but also whenever the opportunity is there for ourselves.
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So they continued, first of all, diligently in the apostles' teaching.
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Now, of course, the apostles' teaching was foundational at that time and continues to be foundational for the church today.
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Never mind the fact that so many, you find still to this day, people adding to what the New Testament contains or presenting what's called new revelations,
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whether it's through charismatic groups or whatever.
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Here is the gospel, and it's actually the gospel contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as our standards put it.
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And that's because the apostles' teaching for the New Testament church was foundational.
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And through the apostles, God was giving direction.
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He was giving teaching.
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He was giving all the things that were necessary at that time to establish the church further in the truth of God.
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Apostolic teaching was foundational.
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And because it's now incorporated into the New Testament, it's foundational for ourselves.
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You could say, in a sense, that God was, while it was carrying on from the Old Testament, of course,
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we don't place any severe gap between the Old and New Testament.
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But God was, in fact, opening what you might say was opening a seminary.
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And when it came to the day of Pentecost, and when it came to the church gathered then,
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God was effectively opening a seminary for the teaching of these disciples,
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for the discipling of his new people in the church.
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And there were 3,000.
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Imagine if Edinburgh Theological Seminary, our own seminary,
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had such an intake on the first day of a new term.
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3,000 people were converted, were brought to know the Lord.
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That's what we read in this passage itself.
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Verse 41.
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Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.
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And, of course, there have been revivals, as we call them,
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down through the centuries from that time onwards.
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But here's the wonderful emphasis there,
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that God was setting this on foot, this New Testament church,
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this continuation of the church into this New Testament age.
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And he was opening a seminary, and that's really such an important part of what you find in the passage,
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but also carrying on through to the epistles of the apostles,
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where you find that the emphasis is not so much on working of miracles, so that's mentioned.
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The emphasis is actually on people coming to be discipled in the ways of God,
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and coming to relish these things for themselves,
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and coming to gather together, as we'll see, for fellowship and worship,
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and for witnessing to God.
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This was the active church, as it must still be the active church of God,
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carrying out these activities.
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And it's important that we see they placed themselves under the apostles' teaching.
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If you go to the likes of Romans, chapter 6 and verse 17,
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Paul there speaks of the form of teaching to which you were committed.
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And you've got the image in mind there is,
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when he says the form of teaching, or the kind of teaching,
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it really means the shape of this teaching,
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and the shape that is brought to a Christian,
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in a Christian development,
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is formed by this teaching.
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The shape of Scripture is really what we take on.
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In its teaching, when we come to follow the Lord,
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when we come to be his disciples,
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you don't step outside of the Word of God,
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you don't step outside of the teaching of Scripture,
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in order to take on or to import something else.
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This is what forms your life.
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This is what shapes your life.
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This is what brings to your life
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that kind of consistency that you need,
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and your life is shaped
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the more you actually come to have it
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under the direction and teaching
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of the Scriptures,
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of God's Word,
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of the Apostles' teaching.
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And you take that with you, of course,
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into every area of the church's life.
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That's why we teach our children,
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as we do from the Bible.
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That's why in our Sunday schools,
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we emphasize the Bible above everything else.
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That's why the teaching we give to them
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is based upon the Scripture itself.
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That's why we teach our children
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how valuable Scripture is,
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for them as well as for older ones.
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All the children here today
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are here receiving Scripture direction,
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Scripture teaching.
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Their lives are hopefully being shaped,
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as they develop spiritually and morally,
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by the Word of God.
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Why are so many people in our society
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misshapen, as far as we take the Word of God
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to form our thinking of what a proper shape is
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for a human life,
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a life that glorifies God,
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a life that brings praise to God,
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a life that has benefits received for themselves.
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What is wrong with our society
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that so many people,
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in terms of the Bible's teaching,
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are misshapen?
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Well, because they're not shaped
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by the Bible's own teaching.
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When you stop being shaped
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by the Bible's teaching,
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you become misshapen.
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Your life becomes twisted.
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Of course, we don't see it that way
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as human beings.
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None of those people today
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who reject the Gospel
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and say that it's completely outdated
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or whatever else,
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they would never say,
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my life's not misshapen.
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I direct my life in a way
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that's true to myself
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and true to what secular society
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sets before me.
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Well, the Bible says,
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this is what shapes your life today.
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Make sure your life
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is based in Scripture,
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rooted in Scripture,
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around the person of Christ,
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around the fatherhood of God,
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under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
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That's what's going to bring
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proper God-honoring shape
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to your life.
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So they continued diligently in learning.
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They continued diligently also in fellowship.
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They devoted themselves
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to the apostles' teaching
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and fellowship.
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And literally, as we said earlier,
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it's actually the fellowship.
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There's a definite article there
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which the translators have missed out,
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but it should be there.
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They devoted themselves
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to the fellowship.
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What is the fellowship?
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Well, the fellowship is
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the church in its life together.
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That's what it is.
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We speak about having fellowship
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one with another, don't we?
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We speak about having fellowship
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at different meetings.
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We speak about meetings
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being fellowship meetings.
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And of course they are.
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There's nothing wrong with that.
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But what this is saying to us is
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the church is the fellowship.
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It is the body of people
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that share together
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and share in and share out.
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That's really what fellowship means.
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It's a word that means to share.
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But it's a sharing in
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and it's a sharing out.
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And the two things go together.
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When you are a fellowship,
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when you are the fellowship
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of the church,
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you're sharing in the life
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that Christ has given
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to his people.
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You're sharing in the things
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that God has provided for us
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in the gospel.
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It's a sharing in salvation
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and life and the benefits
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and morally and spiritually
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that come from what God
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has given us in his revelation.
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It's a sharing in all of these things.
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That's why when you go to
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Ephesians chapter 3 verse 6,
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if I throw a few verses out at you,
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Colossians 1 verse 2,
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Hebrews 3 verse 14,
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2 Corinthians 1 verse 7,
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they all talk about
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partaking of something,
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sharing in something,
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sharing in something
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spiritually together.
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And the togetherness is important.
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The togetherness is important,
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especially in days
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when we find an individuality
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so much emphasized
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in our society.
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I'm the boss of my own life,
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people will say.
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You have no right to tell me
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how to live
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or what my conduct should be
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or what I should think.
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But the church's life
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is life together.
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The church's life
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is the fellowship
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of God's people.
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And as the fellowship
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of God's people,
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they share in things together.
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They don't just share
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in the teachings
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and in the salvation
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that God has given to us
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individually.
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There is that.
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Of course there's that.
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And that's important.
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But you're here together
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to share together
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the things of God.
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You're sharing in them
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as the fellowship,
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as people who in the gospel
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are worshipers of God.
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And that leads to
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sharing out.
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Because the fellowship
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is not just the fellowship
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in taking things in
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and enjoying things together
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and in partaking of things together.
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The fellowship is also active
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in sharing out
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from the things that we share in
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and share together.
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We share out.
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Not just to one another
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but to that world out there.
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Because when you go out
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to evangelize,
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when you go out
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to witness for Christ,
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you're sharing out
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what God has given.
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You're sharing it out to others.
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They may never receive it.
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They may never want to receive it.
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But you have it from God
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not just so that you'll enjoy it
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but so that you'll actually
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share it out to others.
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As if it was,
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and indeed it is,
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spiritual treasure.
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You're giving it out.
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You want others to come to know it.
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You want others to come
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to share in it as well.
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And indeed,
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that's true also
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in a practical sense,
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isn't it?
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Here's this passage itself
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telling us
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in verses 44 to 46 here,
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they had all things in common.
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They were selling their possessions
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and belongings
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and distributing the proceeds
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to all as any had need.
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There's the sharing out
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by those who are sharing in together
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of the things of the gospel.
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They didn't just say,
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well, this is great.
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This is wonderful.
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Having this together.
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Let's just enjoy this time.
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Let's keep this to ourselves.
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No, they want to share out
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amongst each other
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and they want to share out
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as we'll see in a minute
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by reaching out with the gospel
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to the world around them.
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That's what God has given to you
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as a congregation.
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You're sharing in the things
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of the gospel
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but not so as to keep it to yourselves.
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You're sharing in it
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so that you'll share it out.
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So that you'll go to the society
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around you and say,
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this is what shapes human life.
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This is what's foundational.
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This is what brings
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true and lasting happiness.
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This is what brings contentment.
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What brings security.
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What brings a well-founded life together.
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So they continued
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in diligently learning
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from the apostle's teaching.
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They continued diligently
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in fellowship,
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in being the fellowship,
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partaking of things together
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and sharing out.
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They continued
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thoroughly,
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diligently in worship.
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You notice the
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breaking of bread
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and the prayers.
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Now the breaking of bread
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is an interesting phrase.
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I think it involves both
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because it mentions
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what they were doing at home
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as well as in the temple.
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I think it means
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both the Lord's Supper
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or partaking of the Lord's Supper
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but also in the ordinary
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sharing of meals together.
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And very often in those days,
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there's early days,
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that went together.
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They didn't have church buildings
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such as we do now
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apart from the temple itself.
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So when they came to celebrate
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or take part in the Lord's Supper
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it would be in someone's home.
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And very often
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that would include
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an ordinary meal
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which sometimes was called
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a fellowship meal
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and especially a fellowship meal
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when it was the Lord's Supper.
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But however we interpret that,
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it's true that
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that's what the church
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of the time was like.
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They continued diligently
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in the breaking of bread
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and in the prayers,
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in the worship of the church,
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the worship collectively
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of the church.
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Now we're here today
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because the weather is bad.
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All of these empty seats
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are here today
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because of the weather primarily.
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But it is something
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of course important
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that we worship God together,
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that there is a gathered church
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mentality in our minds.
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And while we benefit so much
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from the technology
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that allows us
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to tap into services
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when we cannot be gathered
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with others at church,
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and that benefit
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is undoubtedly there
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when you come to share online
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in the things of
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the gathered church
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at worship,
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it is still not a substitute
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for people actually
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physically coming together
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to worship God together.
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That's the pattern
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that the New Testament
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sets out for us.
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And, well, okay,
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you might say,
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well, they didn't have Zoom
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and they didn't have
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the technology we have today.
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They didn't have online services.
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And people might say,
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well, if they had them,
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surely they would have used them.
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Well, perhaps,
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but that wouldn't have taken away
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from the principle
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of physically gathering together
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as the people of God
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so as to be seen
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as well as to share together
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in the things of the gospel
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and to worship God together.
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Gathered worship
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is so important
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right down through
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the history of the church.
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There are people today
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in Ukraine
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and places like that
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that go through
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really dreadful,
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testing,
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challenging conditions
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in order to get
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to where God's people
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gather together.
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There are churches in Ukraine,
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people will tell us
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from mission agencies there,
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where there are so many people
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that gather
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at some of these church buildings
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there's not enough room for them.
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In Ukraine,
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under bombardment,
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under attack,
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under persecution.
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What's bringing that about?
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It's because
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they realize
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that they need to be together
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as worshippers of God.
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That they need the benefits
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of being the gathered church of God
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where they are,
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whatever the conditions.
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We have it relatively easy,
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friends, don't we?
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And so our focus should be
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and our relish should be
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in the things
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that are to do with meeting together,
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as you are today, of course.
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But it's something
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that we need to focus on
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and keep maintaining
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in our lives
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and be like the church
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of the apostles.
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They continued
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diligently in worship.
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And you see,
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there's one thing mentioned
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there that's really
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important for us as well.
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As well as meeting together,
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they praised the Lord
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and had favor
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with all the people.
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And as you go through
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the book of Acts
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and other passages
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that speak about
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their gatherings together,
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you can see
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how much joy
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filled their hearts.
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They bore witness
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to God
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joyfully.
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They were in awe.
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That's what the passage says.
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Awe came upon every soul.
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They had all things in common.
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They met together
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and they had this reverence,
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this awe.
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But awe is not
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an enemy of joy.
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Awe is not something
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that causes you
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to hide the joy
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that you have
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in Christ,
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that you have
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as a saved individual.
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The two things
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are friends,
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awe and joy.
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They go together.
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They're twins
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in Christian experience.
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That's the balance
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the Bible gives us.
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If our Christian life,
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if our Christian witness,
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if our Christian confession
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is dreary,
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drab,
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boring,
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that's not awe.
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Whatever else it is,
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it's not awe.
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Because nowhere in the Bible
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do you find reverence
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and awe
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being at odds
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with joy.
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Being at odds
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with truly
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being in your heart
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joyful
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and upbeat
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about the things
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of God.
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And we are to show that.
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We are to show that
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to the world.
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Not in a false way.
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Not in a way
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that goes out
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really just
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as it were
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just
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making a main point
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of showing that
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we have joy
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in the Lord.
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Sometimes it's very difficult
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to show that
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we have joy
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in the Lord.
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And sometimes
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it's actually
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our sadness
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that conveys more
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than our conveying
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of joy.
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But that doesn't mean
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that we don't
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deliberately set out
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to show
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that we are
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joyful in Christ.
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That we have
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something in the Lord
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that no one else
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can add
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to human life.
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And isn't that
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the case for you today?
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Let me say this
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to the young ones
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as well.
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you want to be
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happy don't you?
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You want to have
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a joyful life.
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Of course you do.
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So do we all.
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Well here's the Bible
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telling us
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how do I have
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a truly joyful life?
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How do I have
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the kind of joy
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that the world
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the devil
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that no other power
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can actually
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take away from me?
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Well you have it
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because you have Jesus.
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And when you have Jesus
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then he's your joy.
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And when Jesus
22:02
is your joy
22:03
that's what you show
22:05
to the world.
22:06
And if people ask you
22:07
why are you
22:08
always joyful?
22:10
Why do you seem
22:11
to have such happiness
22:12
in your life?
22:14
You can say
22:15
well it's because
22:16
I know the Lord.
22:19
It's because
22:19
I know Christ.
22:21
And because I love him.
22:23
And he loves me.
22:25
That's what adds joy
22:26
to my life.
22:28
And so they continued
22:30
diligently
22:31
in worship.
22:34
In learning
22:35
in fellowship
22:36
the fellowship
22:37
and in worship.
22:39
And finally
22:39
they continued
22:40
diligently
22:42
in witnessing.
22:45
Now it doesn't
22:45
say that
22:46
explicitly
22:47
in the passage
22:48
but it says
22:49
that they had
22:49
all things common
22:50
and they actually
22:52
had a favor
22:53
having favor
22:54
with all the people.
22:56
they were publicly
22:57
praising God
22:58
and had favor
23:00
with all the people.
23:03
Because you see
23:04
all the things
23:06
we've mentioned
23:06
previously
23:07
are kind of
23:08
inwardly looking
23:09
if you like
23:10
into the church
23:10
or a congregation.
23:13
The learning
23:14
the fellowship
23:14
the worship
23:16
in a sense
23:17
that's more
23:18
inward looking
23:19
than it is
23:19
outward looking
23:20
but they have
23:20
their outward
23:21
dimensions to them.
23:22
we don't come
23:24
together to
23:24
worship God
23:25
without being
23:26
noticed.
23:27
Fair enough
23:27
people won't
23:28
bother to notice
23:29
today whether
23:30
you go to church
23:30
or not
23:31
in Stornway
23:32
or wherever else
23:33
we are
23:33
but quite a lot
23:34
of people will.
23:36
And some people
23:36
might be even
23:37
asking questions
23:37
why do they do
23:39
that every week?
23:40
Why do they do
23:41
that so regularly?
23:43
What is it that
23:44
brings them
23:44
to that church?
23:46
You don't know
23:46
that maybe people
23:48
are actually asking
23:49
that today
23:49
why in such
23:50
wild weather
23:51
would people
23:53
actually bother
23:54
to gather
23:54
together
23:55
to be
23:56
in a church
23:57
building
23:57
to worship
23:59
at a worship
24:00
service?
24:01
Some people
24:02
might say
24:02
they're absolute
24:03
idiots going out
24:04
in this weather.
24:05
Fair enough.
24:07
But others
24:07
might be asking
24:08
yeah but
24:09
what is it
24:09
that drives them
24:10
in such
24:11
conditions as
24:12
these
24:13
to want to
24:14
be together
24:14
to worship?
24:16
Think about
24:17
that.
24:18
And the answer
24:19
to that of course
24:20
if you get
24:21
the opportunity
24:21
is that
24:22
you want
24:23
to continue
24:24
in worshipping
24:25
God
24:26
because
24:26
that's
24:27
one of the
24:28
main features
24:28
of your life
24:29
as a Christian
24:30
to worship
24:30
God together
24:31
with other
24:32
people.
24:33
And that
24:34
public witness
24:35
that public
24:35
gathering
24:36
that public
24:37
emphasis
24:38
to the church
24:38
at the time
24:39
and this passage
24:40
doesn't say it
24:40
but the whole
24:41
of Acts
24:42
afterwards
24:42
really is about
24:43
this isn't it?
24:44
It's about the
24:45
church going out
24:45
in its witness
24:46
to God
24:47
with the gospel
24:48
going out to the
24:49
world around them
24:50
and it's one
24:51
of the
24:51
most amazing
24:53
things of the
24:54
book of Acts
24:54
is the preservation
24:55
of the church
24:56
in such difficult
24:57
circumstances
24:58
but not just
24:59
its preservation
25:00
it's actually
25:02
its mission
25:02
to the world.
25:05
It's an amazing
25:06
thing
25:06
to actually see
25:08
in the book of Acts
25:09
the development
25:09
of the Lord's
25:11
cause
25:11
as the Lord
25:12
adds to his church
25:13
as the gospel
25:15
goes out to the
25:16
Gentile world
25:17
to the pagan
25:17
world
25:18
to the Greek
25:19
world
25:19
to the Roman
25:20
world
25:20
as the gospel
25:22
goes out
25:22
and seeing
25:23
the establishing
25:24
of churches
25:25
in pagan
25:26
places like
25:27
Corinth
25:27
and Athens
25:28
and Thessalonica
25:29
where there
25:31
wasn't a church
25:32
previously
25:33
how has it
25:35
come about?
25:36
Well it's
25:37
because the
25:38
Lord blessed
25:39
the witness
25:39
of his people
25:40
their witness
25:41
in the gospel
25:42
their witness
25:43
as a gathered
25:44
people of God
25:44
regularly
25:45
worshipping
25:46
the Lord
25:46
and you see
25:49
it says here
25:50
something very
25:50
important as well
25:51
and the Lord
25:54
added daily
25:55
to their number
25:57
those who were
25:59
being saved
26:00
why is that
26:02
important?
26:03
Well it's
26:04
important for
26:04
two reasons
26:05
first of all
26:05
it's the Lord
26:07
who adds
26:07
to the church
26:08
it's wonderful
26:10
to see new
26:11
people coming
26:12
to attend
26:12
church services
26:13
and since I
26:14
was here
26:15
as a minister
26:15
I can see
26:16
the times
26:17
I've been back
26:17
there are new
26:18
faces
26:18
there are people
26:19
I don't know
26:19
and it's thrilling
26:20
it's great to see it
26:21
long may it continue
26:22
long may others
26:24
be encouraged
26:24
to come as well
26:25
but to be added
26:27
to the church
26:27
to be added
26:28
to the number
26:29
of the saved
26:30
is what it means
26:30
essentially
26:31
that's the Lord's
26:32
work
26:33
not the minister's
26:34
work
26:35
it's not the
26:36
Kirk Session's
26:36
work
26:36
yes the Kirk
26:37
Session
26:37
puts people
26:38
on a role
26:39
of communicants
26:40
perhaps
26:40
or a
26:41
congregational
26:42
role of
26:43
all the people
26:43
that actually
26:44
regularly come
26:45
to church
26:45
but to be added
26:46
to the church
26:47
savingly
26:48
that's the
26:49
Lord's work
26:50
now you know
26:51
that already
26:51
but it's all
26:52
too easy
26:53
to forget it
26:54
and it's easy
26:55
to become
26:56
a bit despondent
26:57
perhaps at times
26:58
such as
26:59
a vacancy
27:00
like you're
27:00
going through
27:00
yourselves
27:01
the Lord
27:03
adds to his
27:04
church
27:05
and he added
27:05
to church
27:06
here daily
27:06
those that
27:08
were being
27:08
saved
27:09
and here's
27:09
the other
27:09
thing
27:10
as well
27:10
as the
27:11
Lord
27:11
adding
27:11
to the
27:12
church
27:12
he's
27:13
adding
27:13
to the
27:13
church
27:14
those
27:14
that
27:14
were
27:14
being
27:14
saved
27:15
because
27:16
you
27:16
cannot
27:17
be
27:18
saved
27:19
really
27:20
without
27:21
having a
27:21
desire
27:22
to be
27:22
part
27:23
of this
27:23
church
27:24
of
27:24
Christ
27:24
something
27:26
wrong
27:26
with an
27:26
individual
27:27
he says
27:27
well I'm
27:29
saved
27:30
I'm a
27:31
Christian
27:31
I believe
27:32
in Jesus
27:33
but I don't
27:33
need to go
27:33
to church
27:34
I don't
27:35
need to
27:36
gather
27:36
with other
27:36
people
27:37
such as
27:38
they do
27:38
that's fine
27:39
for them
27:39
if they
27:39
want to
27:40
do that
27:40
that's
27:40
entirely
27:41
up to
27:41
them
27:42
well that's
27:42
not what
27:43
the Bible
27:43
is encouraging
27:44
me to
27:44
think at
27:44
all is
27:45
it
27:45
where do
27:46
you find
27:46
anywhere
27:47
in the
27:48
Bible
27:48
somebody
27:48
saying
27:48
I'm a
27:49
Christian
27:49
but I
27:50
don't
27:50
need to
27:50
meet
27:50
with other
27:50
Christians
27:51
I don't
27:53
need to
27:53
actually
27:53
go together
27:54
with other
27:55
people to
27:55
worship
27:55
this Christ
27:56
I can do
27:56
that at
27:57
home
27:57
yes you
27:58
can do
27:59
it at
27:59
home
27:59
if you're
28:00
not able
28:00
physically
28:01
to come
28:01
together
28:02
with other
28:02
people
28:03
that's
28:03
where we
28:03
have the
28:03
technology
28:04
but without
28:06
that
28:09
of mind
28:09
and body
28:10
to come
28:10
together
28:11
well that's
28:12
what we
28:12
do
28:12
because the
28:13
Lord adds
28:14
daily to
28:15
the church
28:16
in these
28:17
days of
28:18
the apostles
28:19
those who
28:20
are being
28:21
saved
28:21
there should
28:24
be no
28:25
room in
28:26
our own
28:26
thoughts
28:27
as
28:28
Christians
28:28
or in
28:30
our own
28:30
thoughts as
28:31
congregations
28:32
for
28:34
individualism
28:35
individualism
28:37
is destructive
28:38
of the
28:40
church's
28:40
life
28:41
because what
28:42
it means
28:43
is you're
28:44
going to
28:44
focus on
28:44
each
28:45
individual
28:45
rather than
28:46
on the
28:46
whole body
28:47
of Christ
28:47
and if we
28:49
just say
28:50
individually
28:51
that's fine
28:52
for me
28:53
the rest
28:53
can do
28:54
what they
28:54
like
28:54
that's not
28:55
being a
28:56
Christian
28:56
that's not
28:58
what the
28:58
Bible encourages
28:59
us to
28:59
think or
29:00
to do
29:00
here is a
29:03
church
29:03
who are
29:04
shunning
29:06
individualism
29:07
who are
29:08
saying what
29:09
we have
29:09
belongs to
29:10
all of us
29:11
together
29:11
what we
29:12
share in
29:13
is ours
29:14
together
29:15
to save
29:15
to save
29:17
to share
29:17
what we
29:19
are in
29:20
terms of
29:20
our salvation
29:21
yes there's
29:22
an individual
29:22
aspect to it
29:23
but it
29:23
doesn't make
29:24
us
29:24
individualistic
29:25
we share
29:27
that as
29:28
well in
29:29
the fellowship
29:29
and in
29:31
the things
29:32
that we
29:33
share in
29:33
the Lord's
29:34
supper
29:34
and so
29:34
on
29:35
that's
29:36
why Paul
29:37
goes on
29:37
to use
29:38
the imagery
29:39
of the
29:39
body
29:40
in his
29:41
epistles
29:41
when he
29:42
deals with
29:43
the church
29:43
you can't
29:45
think of
29:45
your physical
29:46
body
29:46
as if
29:48
the arms
29:49
the legs
29:50
the head
29:50
other parts
29:51
of it just
29:52
function on
29:52
their own
29:53
it wouldn't
29:53
function
29:53
and God
29:56
is through
29:57
that teaching
29:58
us as Paul
29:59
writes in his
30:00
epistles
30:00
that the
30:02
eye cannot
30:03
say I have
30:03
no need
30:04
of the
30:04
hands
30:04
or the
30:05
hands
30:05
say I
30:06
have no
30:06
need
30:06
of the
30:07
feet
30:07
they all
30:09
exist
30:09
together
30:10
to be
30:11
together
30:11
to function
30:12
together
30:12
to each
30:14
contribute
30:14
their own
30:15
part but
30:15
to act
30:16
together
30:16
collectively
30:17
as the
30:18
body of
30:18
Christ
30:19
they
30:21
continued
30:22
diligently
30:23
in witnessing
30:24
as God's
30:25
people in
30:26
the world
30:27
four things
30:29
four things
30:31
that are a
30:32
crucial aspect
30:33
of the
30:33
church's
30:34
life
30:34
it's
30:37
learning
30:38
of God's
30:39
truth
30:39
it's
30:43
being the
30:43
fellowship
30:44
together
30:44
of God's
30:45
people
30:46
it's
30:49
worship of
30:49
God
30:50
publicly
30:50
and privately
30:51
it's
30:53
witness
30:54
to God
30:56
to Christ
30:57
as Savior
30:57
and they're
31:00
as applicable
31:00
to you
31:01
today
31:01
as a
31:03
vacant
31:03
congregation
31:04
as at
31:05
any other
31:05
time
31:05
these things
31:07
don't stop
31:08
when a
31:10
vacancy occurs
31:10
in a
31:11
congregation
31:11
I know you
31:12
know that
31:12
already
31:13
I'm just
31:13
setting out
31:15
for you
31:15
what the
31:15
Bible is
31:16
clearly
31:17
teaching us
31:17
we need
31:18
to focus
31:18
our minds
31:19
on
31:19
so as
31:20
you go
31:21
on
31:21
with the
31:22
vacancy
31:22
however
31:23
short
31:24
or long
31:25
it might
31:25
be
31:25
and
31:27
I know
31:28
in a
31:29
sense
31:29
I've
31:29
caused it
31:29
by retiring
31:30
although I
31:30
had to
31:31
do that
31:31
nevertheless
31:32
it's a
31:33
vacancy
31:34
all the
31:34
same
31:34
and it's
31:35
important
31:36
for you
31:36
as a
31:37
congregation
31:38
that I
31:39
love and
31:39
often preach
31:40
to
31:40
that you
31:41
continue
31:41
learning
31:43
from the
31:44
teaching of
31:44
Scripture
31:45
together
31:46
that you
31:47
continue
31:47
in being
31:49
the
31:49
fellowship
31:49
of God's
31:50
people
31:50
in the
31:51
world
31:51
partaking
31:52
of
31:52
sharing
31:52
in
31:53
and
31:53
sharing
31:53
out
31:54
it's
31:54
important
31:55
for you
31:55
that you
31:55
continue
31:56
to
31:57
diligently
31:57
publicly
31:58
come to
31:59
worship
31:59
the Lord
32:00
it's
32:01
important
32:02
for you
32:02
that
32:02
you
32:03
continue
32:04
to
32:04
witness
32:05
to
32:06
witness
32:06
to
32:07
the
32:08
Savior
32:08
to
32:09
God
32:09
the
32:11
Father
32:12
to God
32:12
the Holy
32:12
Spirit
32:13
to
32:14
Jesus
32:14
and
32:16
that
32:17
you
32:18
continue
32:18
to be
32:19
a
32:19
people
32:19
as I'm
32:20
sure
32:21
you
32:21
will
32:21
be
32:21
who
32:22
will
32:23
have
32:23
these
32:23
four
32:23
features
32:24
as
32:25
prominent
32:26
aspects
32:27
together
32:27
of your
32:28
life
32:29
as a
32:30
congregation
32:30
let's
32:31
pray
32:31
Lord
32:33
our
32:33
God
32:33
we
32:34
again
32:34
give
32:34
thanks
32:35
that
32:35
these
32:36
aspects
32:37
of
32:37
your
32:37
word
32:37
and
32:37
its
32:37
teaching
32:38
are
32:38
applicable
32:38
to
32:39
us
32:39
at
32:40
all
32:40
times
32:40
in
32:41
the
32:41
history
32:41
of
32:41
your
32:41
church
32:42
and
32:43
we
32:43
thank
32:43
you
32:43
that
32:44
they
32:44
are
32:44
relevant
32:44
and
32:44
applicable
32:45
to
32:45
us
32:45
today
32:46
whatever
32:46
our
32:47
circumstances
32:47
Lord
32:48
may
32:48
be
32:48
continue
32:49
to
32:50
bless
32:50
this
32:50
congregation
32:51
of your
32:51
people
32:51
we pray
32:52
provide for
32:53
them at
32:54
this time
32:54
bless those
32:55
who have
32:56
positions and
32:58
functions of
32:59
of
33:00
leadership at
33:01
this time
33:02
the elders in
33:03
the session
33:03
remember also
33:05
Calumurdo as he
33:06
continues to
33:07
minister the
33:07
gospel here
33:08
and remember
33:09
Calum McLeod as he
33:11
heads them in
33:12
being an
33:13
intermoderator
33:14
we pray
33:14
Lord for
33:15
all of
33:15
those
33:15
individuals
33:16
and for
33:17
them
33:17
collectively
33:18
to
33:18
continue to
33:20
guide and
33:20
steer the
33:21
congregation at
33:21
this time
33:22
above all we
33:23
pray for your
33:24
Holy Spirit to
33:25
guide them
33:25
we pray for
33:26
souls to be
33:27
saved
33:27
we pray for
33:28
others to be
33:28
added to
33:29
the number of
33:30
the saved
33:30
and we pray
33:31
for the glory
33:32
of your name
33:33
to be more and
33:34
more manifest
33:35
throughout your
33:35
people here
33:36
we pray in
33:37
Jesus name
33:38
Amen
33:38
We're going
33:42
to conclude
33:43
our service
33:43
today singing
33:44
in Psalm
33:44
133
33:45
well known
33:46
words of
33:46
Psalm 133
33:48
in the
33:50
Scottish
33:50
Psalter
33:50
version
33:51
Behold how
33:52
good a thing
33:53
it is and
33:53
how becoming
33:54
well together
33:55
such as
33:56
brethren are
33:57
in unity
33:57
to dwell
33:58
like precious
33:59
ointment on
34:00
the head
34:00
that down
34:00
the beard
34:01
did flow
34:01
even Aaron's
34:03
beard and to
34:03
the skirts
34:04
did of his
34:04
garments go
34:05
as Herman's
34:07
Jew the
34:07
Jew that
34:08
doth on
34:08
Zion hills
34:09
descend for
34:10
there the
34:11
blessing God
34:12
commands life
34:13
that shall
34:14
never end
34:15
Psalm 133
34:16
to God's
34:17
praise
34:17
behold how good
34:25
a thing
34:26
it is
34:30
and how
34:32
becoming
34:34
well
34:37
together
34:39
such
34:42
as
34:43
brethren
34:45
are in
34:47
in unity
34:50
to dwell
34:52
like
34:55
precious
34:57
ointment
35:00
on the
35:02
head
35:03
that
35:05
earned
35:06
the beard
35:08
did flow
35:10
flow
35:11
he
35:12
he
35:13
on
35:15
beard
35:16
and to
35:18
the
35:19
skirts
35:20
did
35:22
off
35:23
his
35:24
garments
35:25
go
35:26
as
35:28
her
35:31
most
35:32
Jew
35:33
the
35:35
Jew
35:36
that
35:37
doth
35:38
on
35:40
Zion
35:41
hills
35:43
!
35:44
there
35:45
the
35:46
blessing
35:47
God
35:49
that
35:50
shall
35:51
end
35:53
God
35:54
commands
35:55
life
35:57
that
35:58
shall
35:59
ever
36:00
end
36:01
!
36:03
Amen!
36:33
them
36:35
all
36:36
will
36:37
get
36:38
now
36:39
this
36:40
here
36:41
is
36:42
not
36:43
all
36:44
he
36:45
one
36:46
will
36:47
there
36:48
so
36:49
he
36:50
who
36:51
will
36:52
see
36:53
if
36:54
he
36:55
here
36:56
he
36:57
by
36:58
car
36:59
week
37:00
Thank you.
37:30
Thank you.