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Roman 15:22-33 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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  I'm thankful to see so many visitors, and I know that some of you may be scratching your heads right now why I'm already up here to preach.
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  We've only sung two songs. We do things a little differently here, and
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  !
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  Not that we think that we're any more right than other people. We're just trying to find the best possible way we can magnify Christ in the way we do things and the
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  flow of things. So,
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  we move quickly into preaching and the proclamation of the Word, and we'll sing some more in response
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  to the truth contained therein. We're still in Romans chapter 15. We've been working our way through. We've got
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  three more weeks,
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  I believe, Lord willing, following this Sunday to finish up the book of Romans, and
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  I've got to tell you, honestly, I don't have a clue where we're going after that. So,
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  be in prayer for me and the other leadership of the church, and we will know what will be best for the church as we begin to work through
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  another book of the Bible together. But we have found ourselves in Romans chapter 15, and we're going to look today at verses 22
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  through 33. But before I read that to you, let me just remind you where he's been so far in this letter. And I keep saying this to you
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  constantly, but context is so incredibly important as we study the Bible.
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  So many people want to hone in on a verse,
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  which is good and valuable. We can wring so much
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  truth out of a verse, a phrase,
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  a word even, but we can't forget
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  the context, where he's been,
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  what he's been talking about,
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  that's led us to this point.
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  Paul's letter to the Romans would have
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  taken about an hour to read publicly,
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  and that's how it would have been originally received.
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  Written to the church, and somebody would have stood up and read it.
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  We received a letter from the Apostle Paul.
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  I'm going to read it to you. And it in and of itself would have been
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  a sermon in that way, and we've now broken it up
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  over, oh gosh, I think almost
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  two years. So I don't want you to forget
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  where he's been, and this is
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  an oversimplification, to be sure.
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  But he's essentially said up to this point
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  that salvation comes
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  by grace alone, through faith alone,
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  in Christ alone,
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  forever.
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  It's the simplicity of where we can say
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  where he's been so far.
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  He has proposed to us
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  that we're all sinners,
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  Jew and Gentile alike.
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  All of us have sinned.
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  All of us are enemies of God.
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  Left to our own devices,
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  we have willfully
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  rejected him.
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  We have placed ourselves
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  on the throne,
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  and we have worshipped ourselves.
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  We have become humanistic in that way.
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  And the only way
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  to find redemption,
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  the only way
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  to be in a right standing with God,
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  to live within his will,
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  to have life now
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  and forever,
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  is through faith
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  in his Son,
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  Jesus Christ.
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  And we see that this is
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  wholly a work of God.
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  Left to our own devices,
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  there is no way
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  we would ever freely
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  choose him.
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  But God works
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  a work in our hearts.
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  He causes us
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  to believe.
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  And because of that,
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  we have surety.
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  We can see beyond
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  the troubles of this world
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  to eternal glory.
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  I'm in chapter 8
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  in my mind right now.
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  We can know
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  that nothing can separate us
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  from the love of God
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  because salvation
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  is his work
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  in our lives,
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  in us and through us.
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  And so Paul kind of finishes
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  the formal treatise
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  at the end of chapter 11
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  with the great exaltation
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  to God,
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  a praise of him.
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  And then he moves
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  in chapter 12
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  to work out
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  some of the practical things.
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  Now, in light of these
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  great truths,
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  how then should we live?
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  And he sums it up for us
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  that we ought to
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  then let love be genuine.
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  Right?
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  Abhorring what is evil,
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  holding fast
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  to what is good.
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  And he shows us
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  how this works out
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  in various contexts
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  with various peoples.
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  Even when it's difficult.
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  Even when it means
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  that we have to sacrifice
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  of our own rights
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  and privileges
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  in the gospel.
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  This is how we ought
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  to live.
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  And he finishes
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  then for us
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  in chapter 15
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  verse 13
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  his doctrinal portion
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  of the letter.
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  And he turns then
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  in verse 14
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  of chapter 15
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  to the epilogue.
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  He's starting to
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  wind it back down
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  for us.
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  But there's still
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  so much goodness
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  to be wrung out of it.
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  And we looked
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  over two weeks
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  from verse 15
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  through 21
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  we looked at
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  Paul's satisfaction
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  in the sovereign goodness
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  of God
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  to sanctify his people.
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  Therefore,
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  his boldness
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  and his part
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  in that ministry
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  his humility
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  in response
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  to what God
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  was doing
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  in and through him.
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  His activity
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  the part
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  that he played
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  in bringing about
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  the perfection
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  of the church
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  and then his ambition
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  we saw his desire
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  to be a pioneer
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  to take the gospel
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  to people
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  who had never
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  heard it.
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  And so today
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  I want to show you
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  pretty much
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  the same things
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  summed up
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  in a bit
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  of a different way.
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  And these texts
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  are challenging
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  because there's not
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  an explicit teaching
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  in them.
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  Paul's intention
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  here is not
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  as he's writing
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  this inspired
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  is not to say
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  and I want you
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  to believe
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  this thing
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  let me pin it
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  for you right now.
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  But there are
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  things that are implied
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  things that we can
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  pull out of it
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  which can be
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  difficult sometimes
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  to prepare for
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  and to study
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  but also can be
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  very rich
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  as we look at
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  the example
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  laid for us
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  as he continues
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  to write
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  this epilogue.
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  And so
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  I want to look
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  at three words
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  and I just want
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  to put these
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  in your mind
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  before we read
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  the text together
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  and pray.
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  Those three words
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  are providence
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  planning
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  and participation.
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  I came up
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  with those
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  on my own
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  and I feel
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  like I should
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  get some kind
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  of a merit
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  badge of some
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  sort for having.
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  I don't usually
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  have three points
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  that all start
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  with the same
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  letter
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  but I want you
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  to engage
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  your minds
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  and plant these
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  in there
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  and remember
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  providence
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  planning
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  and participation.
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  And so let's
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  read beginning
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  in verse 22
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  through 33.
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  This is the reason
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  why I have so
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  often been hindered
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  from coming to you
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  but now since I
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  no longer have
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  any room for work
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  in these regions
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  and since I have
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  longed for many
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  years to come to you
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  I hope to see you
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  in passing
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  as I go to Spain
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  and to be helped
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  on my journey
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  there by you
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  once I have
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  enjoyed your company
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  for a while.
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  At present however
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  I am going to Jerusalem
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  bringing aid to the saints
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  for Macedonia
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  and Achaia
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  have been pleased
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  to make some
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  contribution for the poor
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  among the saints
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  at Jerusalem
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  for they were pleased
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  to do it
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  and indeed
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  they owe it to them
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  for the Gentiles
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  have come to share
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  in their spiritual blessings
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  they ought also
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  to be of service
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  to them
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  in material blessings.
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  When therefore
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  I have completed this
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  and have delivered
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  to them
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  what has been collected
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  I will leave for Spain
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  by way of you.
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  I know that when I come
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  to you
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  I will come in the fullness
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  of the blessing of Christ.
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  I appeal to you brothers
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  by the Lord Jesus Christ
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  by the love of the Spirit
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  to strive together with me
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  in your prayers
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  to God on my behalf
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  that I may be delivered
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  from the unbelievers
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  in Judea
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  and that my service
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  for Jerusalem
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  may be acceptable
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  to the saints
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  so that by God's will
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  I may come to you
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  with joy
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  and be refreshed
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  in your company.
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  May the God of peace
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  be with you all.
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  Amen.
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  Let's pray together.
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  Father God
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  I ask your blessing
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  on this time
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  as there may be
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  some in this room
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  that have never
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  first believed
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  in the gospel
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  of Jesus Christ
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  I pray that will
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  cease to be the case
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  this day
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  that they will
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  repent
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  and believe
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  that is the call
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  confess
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  with their mouths
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  believe in their heart
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  and they will be saved.
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  And for those of us
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  who have believed in Christ
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  I just pray that we'll
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  continue to do the same
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  repent
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  turn from our sin
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  get ourselves
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  keep ourselves
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  off the throne
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  of our lives
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  and turn to you
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  ask you to reign
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  and rule
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  in our hearts
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  again this morning.
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  I pray Father
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  as we talk about
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  these practical ways
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  that ministry
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  has carried out
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  in our life
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  Christ will be magnified
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  in it all
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  that we might serve
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  him in word and deed.
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  And we pray this
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  in Christ's name.
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  Amen.
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  So the first word
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  I mentioned to you
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  was providence
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  and before we dive
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  into that
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  I want to say to you
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  there are some things
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  I will not address
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  in this text
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  some things
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  that are worth
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  your study
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  some things
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  that maybe spill over
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  into a sermon again
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  for next week
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  but I just want you
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  to know that I
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  recognize that I may
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  be skipping over
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  some parts
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  of the text
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  but I want you to
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  notice
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  firstly
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  in this text
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  providence.
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  In verse 32
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  there's a little phrase
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  Paul says
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  so that by
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  God's will
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  it was his
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  earnest desire
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  to go and visit
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  the church
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  that was in Rome.
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  He wanted to go there
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  he wanted to be there
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  but more than that
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  subservient to that
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  was his desire
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  to serve God
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  so that he would be
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  taken there
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  by God's will.
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  And in verse 22
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  he says
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  this is the reason
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  why I have often
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  been hindered
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  from coming to you
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  this reason
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  being Paul's
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  God-given ambition
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  to preach the gospel
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  where Christ
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  had not yet been named.
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  So there again
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  God's will
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  was the reason
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  that he had been
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  hindered so far
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  from fulfilling
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  this desire
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  from visiting
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  the church
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  that was in Rome.
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  And we can say
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  of Paul
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  as we should be able
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  to say of all of us
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  that his life
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  was characterized
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  by a devotion
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  to the will of God.
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  He took as his
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  supreme example
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  our Lord
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  Jesus Christ.
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  John 5
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  verse 30
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  Jesus says
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  I seek not
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  my own will
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  but the will
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  of him
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  who sent me.
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  Let's look at
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  another example
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  from Paul's ministry.
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  Turn with me
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  to Acts chapter 16.
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  We're going to
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  begin reading
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  in verse 6.
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  This is after
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  Paul has taken
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  on Timothy.
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  Timothy joins
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  Paul and Silas
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  on their journey.
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  They're traveling
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  from Lystra.
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  Verse 6 says
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  And they went
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  through the region
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  of Phrygia
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  and Galatia
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  having been forbidden
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  by the Holy Spirit
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  to speak the word
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  in Asia.
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  When they come up
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  to Mysia
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  they attempted
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  to go into Bithynia
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  but the spirit
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  of Jesus
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  did not allow them.
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  So passing by Mysia
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  they went down
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  to Troas
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  and a vision
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  appeared to Paul
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  in the night.
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  A man of Macedonia
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  was standing there
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  urging him
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  and saying
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  come over to Macedonia
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  and help us.
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  And when Paul
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  had seen the vision
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  immediately we sought
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  to go into Macedonia
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  concluding
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  that God had called us
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  to preach the gospel
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  to them.
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  So notice here
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  the providence
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  of God working
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  as Paul
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  and his companions
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  have a desire
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  to go into
• 10:39
  these various regions
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  they're prevented.
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  And we don't know how
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  he says
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  they're forbidden
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  by the Holy Spirit
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  in verse 6
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  and I'm losing my spot
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  and in verse 7
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  but the spirit
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  of Jesus
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  did not
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  allow them.
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  So we don't really know
• 10:53
  how exactly
• 10:54
  that took place
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  but God intervened.
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  They intended
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  to go someplace
• 10:59
  and yet
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  the providence
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  of God
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  the controlling
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  will of God
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  in this world
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  moved them
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  prevented them
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  to go there
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  and took them
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  instead
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  someplace else
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  to Macedonia
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  a new place
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  for the gospel
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  to be advanced.
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  So God
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  providentially
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  rules the world.
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  Hebrews chapter 1
• 11:21
  verse 3
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  says of Jesus Christ
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  that he upholds
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  the universe
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  by the word
• 11:25
  of his power.
• 11:27
  This is where we get
• 11:27
  this idea
• 11:28
  of providence
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  that all things
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  are held in sway
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  by the power
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  and word
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  of God.
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  That nothing
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  happens
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  apart from him.
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  The universe
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  finds this very tilt.
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  The planets
• 11:42
  find their axis
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  and their spin
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  by the power
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  of his word.
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  This is a reality
• 11:48
  that's true
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  in all of our lives.
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  There's a big picture
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  there.
• 11:51
  The universe
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  Jeremiah 10 23
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  says
• 11:54
  I know
• 11:54
  O Lord
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  that the way
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  of man
• 11:56
  is not
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  in himself
• 11:57
  that it is
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  not in man
• 11:59
  who walks
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  to direct
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  his steps.
• 12:03
  We see here
• 12:04
  the spirit
• 12:05
  of God
• 12:05
  changing
• 12:06
  the scene
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  making sure
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  that they don't
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  go one place
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  and that they
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  do go
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  another
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  and God
• 12:13
  providentially
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  rules all things
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  and he does it
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  one of two ways.
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  He does it
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  through acting
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  supernaturally
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  superseding
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  the very laws
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  of nature.
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  We can see
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  that to be the case
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  in a number
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  of Old Testament
• 12:26
  stories.
• 12:26
  Take for example
• 12:27
  the story
• 12:27
  of Jonah.
• 12:29
  God caused
• 12:30
  a storm
• 12:31
  to arise
• 12:32
  and they threw
• 12:32
  Jonah overboard
• 12:33
  and he caused
• 12:34
  a big fish
• 12:35
  to swallow
• 12:36
  Jonah.
• 12:36
  And I would
• 12:37
  presume that
• 12:37
  normally
• 12:39
  you would die
• 12:39
  in the belly
• 12:40
  of a big fish.
• 12:41
  But Jonah
• 12:41
  was preserved
• 12:42
  for three days.
• 12:43
  He acted
• 12:44
  supernaturally.
• 12:45
  During the Exodus
• 12:46
  as he leads
• 12:47
  the Israelites
• 12:48
  out of
• 12:49
  Egypt
• 12:50
  they're led
• 12:51
  to a tight
• 12:52
  place where
• 12:52
  they can't go
• 12:53
  any further
• 12:53
  and there's
• 12:53
  a sea
• 12:54
  in front
• 12:54
  of them
• 12:54
  and there's
• 12:55
  an army
• 12:55
  bearing down
• 12:55
  behind them.
• 12:56
  What does God
• 12:57
  do?
• 12:57
  He acts
• 12:57
  supernaturally.
• 12:58
  He parts
• 12:59
  the Red Sea
• 12:59
  and he leads
• 13:00
  them through
• 13:00
  the path
• 13:01
  he intended
• 13:02
  them to go.
• 13:03
  God acts
• 13:05
  providentially
• 13:05
  supernaturally.
• 13:08
  He also acts
• 13:09
  providentially
• 13:09
  by orchestrating
• 13:11
  everyday circumstances
• 13:12
  and I think this is
• 13:13
  the more common
• 13:14
  realization
• 13:15
  of this.
• 13:17
  That things in
• 13:17
  our lives are
• 13:18
  working whether
• 13:19
  we recognize
• 13:20
  it or not.
• 13:22
  I warned you
• 13:22
  a couple of
• 13:23
  weeks ago
• 13:23
  to not define
• 13:25
  God by
• 13:26
  your experience.
• 13:28
  Just because
• 13:28
  you experience
• 13:29
  something to be
• 13:29
  true doesn't
• 13:30
  necessarily
• 13:31
  make it true.
• 13:33
  Here the word
• 13:33
  of God
• 13:33
  speaks to us.
• 13:35
  God orchestrates
• 13:36
  our everyday
• 13:37
  circumstances.
• 13:39
  I use
• 13:39
  meeting my
• 13:40
  lovely wife
• 13:41
  Sam as an
• 13:42
  example of that.
• 13:42
  I did not go
• 13:44
  searching the
• 13:44
  world for a
• 13:46
  five foot three
• 13:46
  cute brunette
• 13:48
  named Sam.
• 13:49
  That was not
• 13:50
  my aim in life.
• 13:51
  I didn't have
• 13:52
  a plotted course
• 13:53
  and I was
• 13:53
  searching and
• 13:54
  scouring for
• 13:55
  Sam.
• 13:57
  But God
• 13:58
  orchestrated the
• 13:59
  details.
• 14:00
  My sister and
• 14:01
  brother-in-law
• 14:01
  happened to begin
• 14:02
  attending the
• 14:02
  church that Sam
• 14:03
  was at.
• 14:04
  Her father was
• 14:04
  the associate
• 14:04
  pastor there.
• 14:06
  They were
• 14:06
  asked to teach
• 14:07
  the Sunday
• 14:07
  school class
• 14:08
  for college
• 14:09
  and career
• 14:09
  for young
• 14:10
  people and
• 14:11
  Sam just
• 14:12
  happened to
• 14:13
  be in that
• 14:14
  class.
• 14:15
  Jamie and
• 14:17
  Chris thought
• 14:17
  she would be
• 14:18
  very good for
• 14:18
  me and they
• 14:20
  providentially
• 14:21
  encouraged me to
• 14:22
  come to that
• 14:22
  class and spend
• 14:25
  time with them
• 14:25
  and meet Sam.
• 14:27
  And I can look
• 14:28
  back on that and
• 14:28
  I can say without
• 14:29
  a doubt that God
• 14:30
  providentially brought
• 14:32
  us together as
• 14:33
  he does all
• 14:35
  things.
• 14:36
  By my experience
• 14:38
  I could say it
• 14:39
  was a coincidence.
• 14:40
  I just happened
• 14:40
  to visit with
• 14:41
  them.
• 14:41
  They asked me
• 14:41
  to come.
• 14:42
  I visited and
• 14:43
  we bumped into
• 14:43
  each other and
• 14:44
  that was all
• 14:44
  good.
• 14:44
  And fine.
• 14:45
  I do not
• 14:46
  believe in
• 14:47
  luck or
• 14:48
  coincidence.
• 14:49
  But as a
• 14:49
  believer in
• 14:50
  Christ I do
• 14:51
  believe in
• 14:52
  providence.
• 14:55
  Now to
• 14:56
  just demystify
• 14:58
  the will of
• 14:58
  God for you
• 14:59
  a little bit.
• 14:59
  We hear a lot
• 15:00
  these days about
• 15:01
  the will of
• 15:02
  God and that's
• 15:02
  a great desire
• 15:03
  for all of us.
• 15:04
  We really want
• 15:04
  to know what
• 15:05
  is God's will
• 15:06
  for my life.
• 15:07
  And what we
• 15:07
  fail to realize
• 15:08
  is that he
• 15:08
  has revealed
• 15:09
  in large part
• 15:11
  his will
• 15:12
  for your life.
• 15:13
  That in the
• 15:14
  scriptures we
• 15:15
  find the
• 15:15
  rule for
• 15:16
  godly living.
• 15:17
  And if we're
• 15:17
  not doing
• 15:18
  this first
• 15:19
  and foremost
• 15:19
  how can we
• 15:20
  ever expect
• 15:21
  to discover
• 15:21
  the hidden
• 15:22
  will?
• 15:23
  Those little
• 15:23
  things.
• 15:24
  Where should
• 15:24
  I live?
• 15:24
  What job
• 15:25
  should I
• 15:25
  take?
• 15:25
  Who should
• 15:26
  I marry?
• 15:26
  We don't
• 15:27
  look at the
• 15:27
  revealed will
• 15:29
  of God.
• 15:30
  And remember
• 15:30
  context.
• 15:32
  Context.
• 15:32
  Where have
• 15:33
  we been?
• 15:33
  Romans chapter
• 15:34
  12 verse 1.
• 15:35
  Look there
• 15:36
  with me.
• 15:36
  Romans chapter
• 15:37
  12 verse 1
• 15:38
  and 2.
• 15:40
  Remember Paul
• 15:41
  just finished
• 15:41
  his doctrinal
• 15:42
  treatise.
• 15:43
  He says
• 15:44
  verse 1
• 15:45
  I appeal to
• 15:45
  you therefore
• 15:46
  in light of
• 15:46
  all these
• 15:46
  truths,
• 15:47
  all these
• 15:47
  things we've
• 15:47
  said,
• 15:47
  therefore
• 15:48
  brothers,
• 15:49
  by the
• 15:49
  mercies of
• 15:50
  God,
• 15:50
  he sums
• 15:50
  it all up
• 15:51
  that way,
• 15:52
  right?
• 15:53
  Salvation by
• 15:54
  grace alone,
• 15:54
  through faith
• 15:54
  alone,
• 15:55
  in Christ
• 15:55
  alone,
• 15:55
  forever,
• 15:55
  by the
• 15:56
  mercies of
• 15:56
  God,
• 15:56
  to present
• 15:57
  your bodies
• 15:57
  as a living
• 15:58
  sacrifice,
• 15:58
  holy and
• 15:59
  acceptable
• 15:59
  to God,
• 16:00
  which is
• 16:00
  your spiritual
• 16:01
  worship.
• 16:01
  Some
• 16:01
  translations
• 16:02
  render that,
• 16:03
  which is
• 16:03
  your reasonable
• 16:04
  worship,
• 16:04
  the obvious
• 16:06
  reasonable
• 16:06
  response to
• 16:07
  what God
• 16:08
  has now done
• 16:11
  your whole
• 16:11
  being to
• 16:12
  God.
• 16:14
  Verse 2
• 16:15
  Do not be
• 16:16
  conformed to
• 16:16
  this world,
• 16:17
  but be
• 16:18
  transformed by
• 16:19
  the renewal
• 16:20
  of your mind,
• 16:21
  that by testing
• 16:22
  you may discern
• 16:22
  what is the
• 16:23
  will of God,
• 16:25
  what is good
• 16:26
  and acceptable
• 16:27
  and perfect.
• 16:29
  Now most of us
• 16:29
  are fairly familiar
• 16:30
  with this,
• 16:31
  right?
• 16:31
  And certainly
• 16:32
  this has a
• 16:33
  broader meaning.
• 16:34
  If we're not
• 16:35
  being conformed
• 16:36
  to the world,
• 16:36
  being transformed
• 16:37
  by the renewal
• 16:37
  of our mind,
• 16:38
  if we're offering
• 16:39
  ourselves wholly
• 16:40
  to God,
• 16:41
  we'll be able
• 16:41
  to sort out
• 16:42
  those little
• 16:42
  details.
• 16:43
  Who should I
• 16:43
  marry?
• 16:44
  Where should I
• 16:44
  live?
• 16:45
  Types of
• 16:45
  things.
• 16:45
  But most
• 16:46
  people sit
• 16:46
  around waiting
• 16:47
  for this
• 16:47
  grand revelation
• 16:48
  for that.
• 16:50
  You say,
• 16:51
  God, I'm
• 16:51
  transforming a
• 16:52
  mind.
• 16:53
  I'm offering
• 16:53
  myself as a
• 16:54
  sacrifice to
• 16:54
  you.
• 16:55
  Why won't
• 16:55
  you speak to
• 16:56
  me and tell
• 16:56
  me exactly
• 16:57
  what it is
• 16:57
  you would
• 16:58
  have me do?
• 16:59
  But I
• 16:59
  think we
• 16:59
  missed the
• 16:59
  point.
• 17:00
  And what
• 17:00
  Paul's really
• 17:00
  doing is
• 17:01
  he's setting
• 17:01
  us up to
• 17:02
  hear everything
• 17:03
  else he's
• 17:03
  about to
• 17:04
  say.
• 17:05
  Right?
• 17:07
  Do not
• 17:07
  be conformed.
• 17:08
  Be
• 17:08
  transformed.
• 17:09
  Let me show
• 17:10
  you what the
• 17:10
  transformed
• 17:11
  Christian life
• 17:11
  looks like.
• 17:12
  He's about
• 17:12
  to tell us
• 17:13
  all about
• 17:13
  that through
• 17:14
  chapter 15
• 17:15
  verse 13.
• 17:16
  He goes to
• 17:17
  that.
• 17:18
  He talks about
• 17:18
  there being a
• 17:19
  genuine love
• 17:20
  for the
• 17:20
  saints,
• 17:21
  chapter 12
• 17:21
  verse 10
• 17:22
  through 13,
• 17:23
  for all
• 17:23
  people,
• 17:24
  chapter 12
• 17:24
  verse 14
• 17:25
  through 16,
• 17:25
  for your
• 17:26
  enemies,
• 17:27
  chapter 12
• 17:27
  verse 17
• 17:28
  through 21,
• 17:29
  and then on
• 17:30
  through 15,
• 17:31
  even when it's
• 17:31
  difficult or
• 17:32
  causes sacrifice
• 17:33
  on your part.
• 17:36
  This is the
• 17:37
  good,
• 17:38
  acceptable
• 17:38
  will of
• 17:40
  God.
• 17:44
  We can
• 17:45
  all live
• 17:46
  every day
• 17:47
  confident
• 17:49
  that we're
• 17:49
  living in the
• 17:50
  will of
• 17:50
  God.
• 17:51
  We do
• 17:52
  this.
• 17:53
  We wake
• 17:54
  up in the
• 17:54
  morning and
• 17:54
  we say to
• 17:55
  God,
• 17:55
  God,
• 17:56
  I'm unworthy
• 17:57
  of your
• 17:57
  salvation.
• 17:58
  Left to
• 17:59
  my own
• 17:59
  devices,
• 18:00
  I'm a
• 18:00
  wretched,
• 18:01
  wretched
• 18:01
  sinner,
• 18:02
  but because
• 18:03
  you have
• 18:03
  come and
• 18:03
  you have
• 18:04
  dwelt in
• 18:04
  me,
• 18:04
  you have
• 18:05
  changed my
• 18:05
  heart,
• 18:06
  I want to
• 18:06
  die to
• 18:07
  myself this
• 18:07
  day.
• 18:08
  It is my
• 18:08
  reasonable
• 18:09
  service to
• 18:10
  offer myself
• 18:11
  as a
• 18:11
  sacrifice to
• 18:12
  you.
• 18:13
  Work in
• 18:14
  me,
• 18:14
  genuine love
• 18:15
  for people.
• 18:16
  Help me to
• 18:16
  know how
• 18:17
  it is I
• 18:18
  ought to
• 18:18
  respond
• 18:19
  appropriately
• 18:19
  to the
• 18:20
  gospel in
• 18:21
  this day,
• 18:22
  and then
• 18:23
  walk it
• 18:23
  out.
• 18:24
  Get obedient
• 18:25
  to what God
• 18:26
  puts before
• 18:27
  you in
• 18:27
  that day.
• 18:29
  So God
• 18:29
  is providential
• 18:30
  in everything
• 18:31
  that's happening
• 18:32
  in our lives.
• 18:34
  As I said
• 18:34
  to you,
• 18:35
  we still play
• 18:35
  a part,
• 18:36
  we still have
• 18:36
  a means
• 18:36
  to his
• 18:37
  ends.
• 18:37
  How does
• 18:37
  that exactly
• 18:38
  work out?
• 18:38
  I don't
• 18:39
  know.
• 18:41
  But yet
• 18:42
  the scriptures
• 18:42
  speak.
• 18:44
  Second
• 18:44
  word,
• 18:46
  planning.
• 18:47
  So we
• 18:48
  see that
• 18:48
  God is
• 18:49
  providential
• 18:50
  at work,
• 18:51
  working out
• 18:52
  his perfect
• 18:53
  will in
• 18:53
  this world,
• 18:54
  and yet
• 18:54
  we see
• 18:56
  Paul here
• 18:56
  making plans,
• 18:57
  and we're
• 18:58
  to do the
• 18:58
  same.
• 18:58
  Verse 24,
• 18:59
  he says,
• 19:00
  I hope
• 19:00
  to see
• 19:00
  you in
• 19:01
  passing
• 19:01
  as I
• 19:01
  go to
• 19:01
  Spain,
• 19:02
  and be
• 19:02
  helped
• 19:02
  on my
• 19:03
  journey
• 19:03
  there by
• 19:03
  you,
• 19:04
  once I
• 19:04
  have
• 19:04
  enjoyed
• 19:05
  your
• 19:05
  company
• 19:05
  for a
• 19:05
  while.
• 19:06
  He had
• 19:06
  a plan
• 19:06
  to go
• 19:07
  to Spain,
• 19:07
  to take
• 19:08
  the gospel
• 19:08
  there,
• 19:09
  go beyond
• 19:10
  the borders
• 19:10
  of Rome
• 19:12
  itself,
• 19:12
  go on
• 19:13
  to Spain,
• 19:14
  to the
• 19:14
  eastern
• 19:14
  part of
• 19:15
  the empire.
• 19:17
  He had
• 19:17
  planned that
• 19:18
  they would
• 19:18
  help him
• 19:18
  along the
• 19:19
  way,
• 19:19
  and that
• 19:19
  he was
• 19:19
  going to
• 19:19
  stick around
• 19:20
  for a little
• 19:20
  while,
• 19:20
  enjoy their
• 19:21
  company.
• 19:22
  Verse 28,
• 19:23
  when therefore
• 19:24
  I've
• 19:24
  completed this,
• 19:25
  talking about
• 19:30
  bringing,
• 19:31
  and have
• 19:31
  delivered to
• 19:32
  them what
• 19:32
  has been
• 19:32
  collected,
• 19:32
  I will
• 19:33
  leave for
• 19:33
  Spain,
• 19:34
  by way
• 19:34
  of you.
• 19:36
  Remember at
• 19:36
  the very
• 19:37
  beginning of
• 19:37
  the letter,
• 19:38
  Romans 1,
• 19:39
  verse 11-13,
• 19:41
  we see,
• 19:41
  for I long
• 19:42
  to see you,
• 19:43
  that I may
• 19:43
  impart to you
• 19:43
  some spiritual
• 19:44
  gift to
• 19:44
  strengthen you,
• 19:45
  that is what
• 19:46
  may be mutually
• 19:46
  encouraged by
• 19:47
  each other's
• 19:47
  faith,
• 19:47
  both yours
• 19:48
  and mine.
• 19:49
  I do not
• 19:49
  want you to
• 19:50
  be unaware,
• 19:50
  brothers,
• 19:50
  that I have
• 19:51
  often intended
• 19:51
  to come to
• 19:52
  you,
• 19:52
  but thus far
• 19:53
  have been
• 19:53
  prevented,
• 19:54
  in order that
• 19:54
  I may reap
• 19:55
  some harvest
• 19:56
  among you,
• 19:56
  as well as
• 19:57
  among the
• 19:58
  rest of
• 19:58
  the Gentiles.
• 20:01
  1 Thessalonians
• 20:02
  chapter 2,
• 20:03
  verse 17-18,
• 20:04
  he says,
• 20:05
  but since we
• 20:05
  were torn
• 20:06
  away from
• 20:06
  you,
• 20:06
  brothers,
• 20:07
  for a short
• 20:07
  time in
• 20:08
  person,
• 20:09
  not in
• 20:09
  heart,
• 20:10
  we endeavored
• 20:11
  the more
• 20:11
  eagerly and
• 20:12
  with great
• 20:12
  desire to
• 20:13
  see you
• 20:13
  face to
• 20:13
  face,
• 20:14
  because we
• 20:14
  wanted to
• 20:15
  come to
• 20:15
  you,
• 20:16
  I,
• 20:16
  Paul,
• 20:16
  again and
• 20:17
  again,
• 20:18
  but Satan
• 20:18
  hindered us.
• 20:20
  You see that
• 20:21
  he made
• 20:21
  plans,
• 20:22
  he wanted
• 20:23
  to go
• 20:23
  places,
• 20:24
  right?
• 20:25
  He desired
• 20:26
  to do
• 20:26
  things,
• 20:27
  and for
• 20:27
  Paul,
• 20:28
  all these
• 20:28
  things were
• 20:29
  bound up
• 20:30
  in the
• 20:30
  overarching
• 20:31
  will of
• 20:32
  God for
• 20:32
  his life
• 20:32
  that he
• 20:32
  present the
• 20:33
  gospel to
• 20:34
  the Gentiles,
• 20:35
  right?
• 20:35
  But yet,
• 20:35
  God,
• 20:36
  in his
• 20:36
  providence,
• 20:37
  shaped his
• 20:38
  plans.
• 20:40
  We can
• 20:41
  continue my
• 20:41
  analogy of
• 20:42
  Sam,
• 20:43
  right?
• 20:43
  Once I
• 20:44
  met Sam,
• 20:45
  I made
• 20:46
  plans to
• 20:48
  be around
• 20:48
  her.
• 20:50
  I
• 20:50
  intentionally
• 20:51
  tried to
• 20:53
  be involved
• 20:54
  in things
• 20:54
  that she
• 20:55
  was being
• 20:55
  involved in.
• 20:57
  In fact,
• 20:58
  I actually
• 20:58
  took a
• 20:59
  job,
• 20:59
  moved in
• 20:59
  with my
• 21:00
  sister and
• 21:00
  brother-in-law
• 21:01
  for six
• 21:01
  months so
• 21:01
  that I
• 21:02
  could be
• 21:02
  close to
• 21:03
  where Sam
• 21:04
  lived,
• 21:04
  so that I
• 21:05
  could get
• 21:05
  to know
• 21:06
  her.
• 21:07
  Our
• 21:07
  plans are
• 21:07
  important.
• 21:08
  They
• 21:08
  matter in
• 21:10
  these
• 21:10
  things.
• 21:12
  And as
• 21:13
  such,
• 21:13
  we should
• 21:14
  be making
• 21:14
  strategies to
• 21:16
  reach our
• 21:16
  classmates,
• 21:18
  our
• 21:18
  coworkers,
• 21:19
  our
• 21:19
  neighbors,
• 21:20
  etc.
• 21:21
  We ought
• 21:22
  to be coming
• 21:22
  up with
• 21:22
  ways,
• 21:23
  intentional
• 21:24
  ways,
• 21:24
  to reach
• 21:25
  them with
• 21:26
  the gospel
• 21:26
  of Christ.
• 21:27
  If we
• 21:28
  are
• 21:28
  disciple-making
• 21:29
  disciples,
• 21:30
  that is the
• 21:30
  overarching
• 21:31
  definition of
• 21:32
  who we
• 21:33
  are,
• 21:33
  and it
• 21:34
  should be,
• 21:35
  it's the
• 21:35
  reasonable
• 21:35
  thing,
• 21:36
  in light of
• 21:36
  what Christ
• 21:37
  has done
• 21:37
  for us,
• 21:38
  then we
• 21:39
  should be
• 21:40
  planning how
• 21:41
  it is we
• 21:42
  should advance
• 21:42
  the gospel
• 21:43
  in the world.
• 21:44
  Keeping in
• 21:45
  mind,
• 21:45
  all along,
• 21:46
  God is
• 21:46
  providential.
• 21:47
  He's going
• 21:48
  to shape
• 21:48
  those plans.
• 21:49
  He's going
• 21:49
  to shake
• 21:50
  them up on
• 21:51
  you at
• 21:51
  times.
• 21:52
  And at
• 21:52
  times,
• 21:52
  he's going
• 21:53
  to carry
• 21:53
  them out
• 21:53
  exactly the
• 21:54
  way you
• 21:55
  plan for
• 21:55
  them to
• 21:55
  be.
• 21:56
  Third word,
• 21:58
  participation.
• 22:00
  It's not
• 22:00
  just enough
• 22:01
  to plan
• 22:01
  it,
• 22:02
  we actually
• 22:02
  have to
• 22:03
  start doing
• 22:04
  it,
• 22:04
  right?
• 22:04
  You can't
• 22:05
  just make
• 22:05
  a plan,
• 22:06
  say,
• 22:07
  God's in
• 22:07
  control,
• 22:08
  God's
• 22:09
  providential.
• 22:10
  There's an
• 22:10
  old little
• 22:12
  saying which
• 22:12
  has some
• 22:13
  bearing of
• 22:14
  truth,
• 22:14
  but is
• 22:15
  often taken
• 22:15
  too far
• 22:16
  for somebody
• 22:16
  to say,
• 22:17
  just let
• 22:18
  go and
• 22:18
  let God.
• 22:20
  There's some
• 22:20
  truth in
• 22:21
  that.
• 22:21
  Yeah,
• 22:21
  sometimes we
• 22:22
  get too
• 22:22
  overbearing,
• 22:23
  we want
• 22:23
  to control
• 22:24
  everything,
• 22:24
  we want
• 22:25
  to do
• 22:25
  everything
• 22:25
  under our
• 22:26
  own
• 22:26
  might and
• 22:26
  power.
• 22:27
  And the
• 22:27
  point I
• 22:27
  think of
• 22:27
  that is
• 22:28
  to say,
• 22:28
  you really
• 22:29
  can't
• 22:29
  accomplish
• 22:29
  it all
• 22:30
  on your
• 22:30
  own,
• 22:31
  so let
• 22:31
  go of
• 22:31
  it,
• 22:32
  let God
• 22:32
  work in
• 22:32
  and through
• 22:33
  you to
• 22:33
  accomplish
• 22:33
  things,
• 22:34
  but it
• 22:35
  doesn't
• 22:35
  mean sit
• 22:36
  on your
• 22:36
  hands and
• 22:36
  just hope
• 22:38
  things work
• 22:39
  out.
• 22:41
  Counsel people
• 22:42
  who have a
• 22:42
  desire,
• 22:42
  they want to
• 22:43
  be in the
• 22:43
  word of
• 22:43
  God more,
• 22:44
  they want
• 22:44
  to see a
• 22:45
  hunger in
• 22:46
  their life
• 22:46
  for that,
• 22:47
  say to
• 22:48
  them,
• 22:48
  you already
• 22:48
  have it,
• 22:50
  right?
• 22:50
  You have a
• 22:51
  desire to be
• 22:51
  in the
• 22:51
  word of
• 22:52
  God.
• 22:52
  Pray in
• 22:52
  the morning
• 22:53
  that God
• 22:53
  gives it
• 22:53
  to you
• 22:53
  once again,
• 22:54
  that he
• 22:54
  renews it
• 22:55
  in you
• 22:55
  afresh,
• 22:56
  and recognize
• 22:56
  that your
• 22:57
  very prayers
• 22:57
  are evidence
• 22:59
  of your
• 22:59
  desire to
• 23:00
  do so.
• 23:01
  So don't
• 23:01
  sit around
• 23:02
  after your
• 23:02
  prayer and
• 23:02
  hope that
• 23:03
  suddenly your
• 23:04
  hand is
• 23:04
  moved to
• 23:05
  pick up the
• 23:06
  Bible,
• 23:06
  and you
• 23:07
  open it
• 23:07
  up and
• 23:07
  you begin
• 23:08
  to read,
• 23:08
  just respond.
• 23:10
  God,
• 23:10
  I pray
• 23:11
  that you
• 23:11
  would give
• 23:12
  me a
• 23:12
  desire for
• 23:12
  your word.
• 23:13
  I have a
• 23:14
  desire for
• 23:14
  your word.
• 23:14
  Open it
• 23:15
  up and
• 23:18
  in the
• 23:19
  process.
• 23:20
  Again,
• 23:20
  we are the
• 23:21
  means to
• 23:23
  God's end.
• 23:24
  And I want
• 23:25
  to show you
• 23:25
  in this text
• 23:26
  three ways
• 23:27
  in which
• 23:27
  we participate.
• 23:31
  Now,
• 23:31
  recognize Paul
• 23:32
  here is talking
• 23:32
  about his
• 23:33
  particular
• 23:34
  mission,
• 23:35
  right?
• 23:35
  The very
• 23:35
  thing that
• 23:36
  he was
• 23:36
  aiming to
• 23:37
  do.
• 23:37
  He was
• 23:38
  aiming to
• 23:38
  go from
• 23:39
  the eastern
• 23:39
  part of
• 23:40
  the Roman
• 23:40
  Empire,
• 23:41
  where he
• 23:41
  has said
• 23:41
  previously,
• 23:42
  he's
• 23:43
  accomplished
• 23:43
  the work
• 23:43
  that God
• 23:44
  had put
• 23:44
  before him.
• 23:44
  He had
• 23:44
  fully
• 23:45
  preached
• 23:45
  the gospel.
• 23:46
  Now he's
• 23:46
  wanting to
• 23:47
  go to the
• 23:47
  western part
• 23:48
  of the
• 23:48
  empire,
• 23:49
  passing
• 23:49
  through
• 23:50
  Rome
• 23:51
  to
• 23:51
  Spain.
• 23:52
  We don't
• 23:52
  know for
• 23:53
  sure if
• 23:54
  he ever
• 23:54
  made it.
• 23:54
  I found
• 23:55
  some
• 23:55
  evidences
• 23:56
  last week
• 23:57
  I told you
• 23:57
  that it
• 23:57
  seemed like
• 23:58
  maybe he
• 23:58
  did,
• 23:58
  and then
• 23:59
  he went
• 23:59
  on from
• 23:59
  there to
• 24:00
  Britain.
• 24:00
  I,
• 24:01
  this week,
• 24:01
  found some
• 24:01
  evidences
• 24:02
  that he
• 24:02
  didn't.
• 24:03
  It would
• 24:03
  seem that
• 24:03
  the Christian
• 24:04
  faith didn't
• 24:05
  reach Spain
• 24:06
  until 200
• 24:07
  years after
• 24:08
  Paul.
• 24:09
  So,
• 24:09
  I don't
• 24:10
  really know
• 24:10
  if he
• 24:10
  ever made
• 24:10
  it or
• 24:11
  not.
• 24:11
  That's
• 24:11
  the point
• 24:12
  of what
• 24:12
  I'm
• 24:12
  saying to
• 24:13
  you.
• 24:13
  But,
• 24:13
  this is
• 24:14
  centering
• 24:18
  out.
• 24:19
  Something
• 24:19
  we ought
• 24:19
  to be
• 24:20
  doing,
• 24:20
  and this
• 24:20
  is how
• 24:21
  we should
• 24:21
  be doing
• 24:22
  it together.
• 24:23
  So,
• 24:23
  we should
• 24:24
  be participating
• 24:24
  together in
• 24:26
  God's mission
• 24:26
  in the world
• 24:27
  and the
• 24:28
  particular ways
• 24:28
  he's given
• 24:29
  it to us.
• 24:30
  The first
• 24:30
  way is
• 24:32
  financial.
• 24:32
  Our
• 24:32
  participation
• 24:33
  should be
• 24:34
  financial.
• 24:36
  In verse
• 24:36
  24,
• 24:36
  he says
• 24:37
  that he
• 24:37
  hopes to
• 24:38
  be helped
• 24:38
  on my
• 24:39
  journey
• 24:39
  there by
• 24:40
  you.
• 24:42
  Which
• 24:42
  includes
• 24:43
  financial
• 24:44
  help.
• 24:44
  It actually
• 24:44
  goes a
• 24:45
  little bit
• 24:45
  beyond that,
• 24:46
  in fact.
• 24:46
  The idea
• 24:47
  here of
• 24:48
  being helped
• 24:48
  is the
• 24:48
  idea of
• 24:49
  being
• 24:49
  escorted,
• 24:50
  being shown
• 24:51
  the way.
• 24:51
  Paul fully
• 24:52
  expected that
• 24:52
  when he
• 24:52
  got to
• 24:53
  Rome,
• 24:53
  that some
• 24:53
  of the
• 24:54
  believers
• 24:54
  from Rome
• 24:55
  would give
• 24:55
  him supply
• 24:56
  to travel
• 24:56
  to Spain,
• 24:57
  as well
• 24:58
  as take
• 24:58
  him there.
• 24:59
  Somebody
• 24:59
  who knew
• 24:59
  the road
• 25:00
  from Rome
• 25:01
  to Spain,
• 25:02
  wherever he
• 25:02
  was going
• 25:03
  in Spain,
• 25:03
  would actually
• 25:04
  take him
• 25:04
  along the
• 25:05
  way,
• 25:05
  would give
• 25:06
  of themselves
• 25:07
  to help
• 25:08
  him fulfill
• 25:08
  his task
• 25:09
  in the will
• 25:10
  of God.
• 25:12
  We also
• 25:13
  see Paul
• 25:13
  delivering a
• 25:13
  financial gift
• 25:14
  to Jerusalem
• 25:14
  on behalf
• 25:15
  of the Gentiles
• 25:16
  in verses
• 25:16
  25 to
• 25:18
  27.
• 25:18
  We're not
• 25:19
  going to
• 25:19
  look at
• 25:19
  that much.
• 25:20
  But you
• 25:21
  see that
• 25:21
  there's this
• 25:22
  giving of
• 25:23
  oneself
• 25:23
  movement
• 25:25
  happening.
• 25:26
  Turn with
• 25:26
  me to
• 25:26
  2 Corinthians
• 25:27
  chapter 8.
• 25:29
  Another great
• 25:30
  example of
• 25:33
  this type of
• 25:33
  sacrificial giving
• 25:34
  to support
• 25:35
  the ministry
• 25:36
  of God.
• 25:45
  2 Corinthians
• 25:45
  chapter 8
• 25:46
  verses 1
• 25:46
  through 8.
• 25:47
  We want
• 25:48
  you to know
• 25:48
  brothers about
• 25:49
  the grace
• 25:49
  of God
• 25:50
  that has
• 25:50
  been given
• 25:50
  among the
• 25:50
  churches
• 25:51
  of Macedonia.
• 25:52
  For in a
• 25:52
  severe test
• 25:52
  of affliction
• 25:53
  their abundance
• 25:53
  of joy
• 25:54
  and their
• 25:54
  extreme
• 25:54
  poverty
• 25:55
  have overflowed
• 25:56
  in a wealth
• 25:57
  of generosity
• 25:57
  on their
• 25:58
  part.
• 25:58
  For they
• 25:59
  gave according
• 25:59
  to their
• 26:00
  means,
• 26:00
  as I can
• 26:01
  testify,
• 26:01
  and beyond
• 26:02
  their means
• 26:02
  of their
• 26:03
  own accord
• 26:03
  begging us
• 26:04
  earnestly
• 26:05
  for the
• 26:05
  favor of
• 26:05
  taking part
• 26:06
  in the
• 26:06
  relief of
• 26:07
  the saints.
• 26:07
  And this
• 26:08
  not as we
• 26:08
  expected,
• 26:09
  but they
• 26:09
  gave themselves
• 26:10
  first to
• 26:10
  the Lord
• 26:11
  and then
• 26:12
  by the
• 26:12
  will of
• 26:12
  God
• 26:13
  to us.
• 26:15
  This
• 26:16
  great
• 26:16
  outpouring
• 26:17
  of the
• 26:18
  generosity
• 26:18
  of the
• 26:18
  churches
• 26:19
  of Macedonia
• 26:19
  because they
• 26:20
  wanted to
• 26:20
  be involved
• 26:21
  in the
• 26:21
  work of
• 26:22
  God
• 26:22
  and
• 26:22
  relieving
• 26:22
  the
• 26:23
  suffering
• 26:23
  amongst
• 26:24
  the
• 26:24
  saints.
• 26:25
  So our
• 26:25
  participation
• 26:26
  needs to
• 26:27
  be
• 26:27
  financial.
• 26:29
  There's
• 26:29
  lots of
• 26:30
  opportunities
• 26:31
  to do
• 26:31
  that
• 26:31
  where we
• 26:32
  live.
• 26:33
  This
• 26:33
  church
• 26:34
  needs
• 26:34
  that
• 26:35
  kind
• 26:35
  of
• 26:35
  participation.
• 26:37
  All of
• 26:37
  these
• 26:37
  people
• 26:38
  going
• 26:38
  all
• 26:39
  over
• 26:39
  the
• 26:39
  world.
• 26:39
  I
• 26:39
  can't
• 26:39
  even
• 26:40
  begin
• 26:40
  to
• 26:40
  tell
• 26:40
  you
• 26:40
  all
• 26:41
  the
• 26:41
  places
• 26:41
  that
• 26:42
  people
• 26:42
  are
• 26:42
  headed
• 26:42
  out
• 26:43
  this
• 26:43
  summer.
• 26:43
  We
• 26:44
  have
• 26:44
  an
• 26:44
  immense
• 26:45
  number
• 26:45
  of
• 26:45
  people
• 26:46
  for as
• 26:46
  small
• 26:47
  as
• 26:47
  we
• 26:47
  are
• 26:47
  going
• 26:48
  all
• 26:48
  over
• 26:48
  the
• 26:48
  place
• 26:49
  and
• 26:49
  every
• 26:49
  single
• 26:50
  one
• 26:50
  of
• 26:50
  them
• 26:50
  need
• 26:50
  financial
• 26:51
  assistance.
• 26:52
  God
• 26:53
  uses
• 26:53
  money
• 26:54
  to
• 26:54
  get
• 26:54
  things
• 26:55
  accomplished.
• 26:55
  Again,
• 26:56
  means
• 26:56
  to an
• 26:57
  end.
• 26:59
  We
• 26:59
  see the
• 26:59
  parable
• 27:00
  in
• 27:00
  Luke
• 27:00
  chapter
• 27:00
  12.
• 27:01
  We
• 27:01
  studied
• 27:02
  this
• 27:02
  in
• 27:02
  our
• 27:02
  community
• 27:03
  group
• 27:03
  this
• 27:03
  past
• 27:03
  week,
• 27:04
  week
• 27:04
  before
• 27:05
  last.
• 27:06
  The
• 27:06
  parable
• 27:06
  of
• 27:06
  the
• 27:06
  rich
• 27:06
  young
• 27:07
  fool.
• 27:08
  This
• 27:08
  parable
• 27:09
  of
• 27:09
  this
• 27:09
  man
• 27:10
  who
• 27:10
  profits
• 27:11
  well.
• 27:12
  He
• 27:12
  didn't
• 27:12
  do
• 27:12
  anything
• 27:13
  wrong
• 27:13
  to
• 27:13
  profit.
• 27:13
  The
• 27:14
  parable
• 27:14
  doesn't
• 27:14
  record
• 27:14
  it
• 27:15
  that
• 27:15
  way.
• 27:15
  He
• 27:16
  was
• 27:16
  profitable.
• 27:18
  And
• 27:18
  what
• 27:18
  he
• 27:18
  did
• 27:18
  with
• 27:18
  it
• 27:18
  is
• 27:19
  he
• 27:19
  built
• 27:19
  more
• 27:19
  barns
• 27:19
  and
• 27:20
  he
• 27:20
  said
• 27:20
  to
• 27:20
  his
• 27:20
  soul,
• 27:20
  soul,
• 27:21
  relax,
• 27:22
  eat,
• 27:22
  drink,
• 27:23
  be merry.
• 27:24
  He
• 27:24
  stored
• 27:24
  it
• 27:24
  up
• 27:24
  for
• 27:24
  himself.
• 27:25
  He
• 27:25
  spent
• 27:25
  it
• 27:25
  on
• 27:26
  himself.
• 27:28
  And
• 27:28
  God
• 27:28
  calls
• 27:29
  him
• 27:29
  a
• 27:29
  fool.
• 27:31
  And
• 27:31
  then
• 27:31
  it's
• 27:31
  recorded,
• 27:32
  so
• 27:32
  is
• 27:32
  the
• 27:32
  one
• 27:33
  who
• 27:33
  lays
• 27:33
  up
• 27:33
  treasure
• 27:33
  for
• 27:34
  himself
• 27:34
  and
• 27:34
  is
• 27:35
  not
• 27:35
  rich
• 27:36
  toward
• 27:36
  God.
• 27:39
  I
• 27:39
  think
• 27:39
  the
• 27:39
  real
• 27:39
  question
• 27:40
  is
• 27:40
  not
• 27:41
  how
• 27:42
  much
• 27:43
  would
• 27:43
  God
• 27:43
  have
• 27:43
  me
• 27:43
  give?
• 27:44
  Lord,
• 27:45
  how
• 27:45
  much
• 27:45
  would
• 27:45
  you
• 27:45
  have
• 27:45
  me
• 27:46
  give
• 27:46
  to
• 27:46
  your
• 27:46
  purposes?
• 27:47
  !
• 27:47
  But
• 27:50
  how
• 27:51
  much
• 27:51
  of
• 27:51
  what
• 27:51
  you've
• 27:52
  granted
• 27:52
  me
• 27:53
  is
• 27:53
  for
• 27:53
  me,
• 27:54
  for
• 27:54
  my
• 27:54
  temporal
• 27:55
  blessing?
• 27:56
  And
• 27:56
  how
• 27:56
  much
• 27:56
  of
• 27:57
  it
• 27:57
  is
• 27:57
  for
• 27:58
  the
• 27:58
  kingdom?
• 27:58
  How
• 27:58
  much
• 27:59
  of
• 27:59
  it
• 27:59
  ultimately
• 28:00
  and
• 28:00
  finally
• 28:00
  belongs
• 28:01
  to
• 28:01
  you?
• 28:02
  I
• 28:02
  think
• 28:02
  we
• 28:02
  ask
• 28:02
  that
• 28:03
  question
• 28:03
  wrongly
• 28:04
  so
• 28:05
  often.
• 28:06
  I
• 28:07
  really
• 28:07
  hope
• 28:08
  that
• 28:08
  of
• 28:08
  all
• 28:09
  of
• 28:09
  you
• 28:09
  in
• 28:09
  this
• 28:09
  room
• 28:09
  it
• 28:10
  won't
• 28:11
  be
• 28:11
  said
• 28:11
  of
• 28:11
  you
• 28:11
  fool.
• 28:13
  You
• 28:13
  spent
• 28:13
  your
• 28:13
  money
• 28:13
  on
• 28:14
  yourself.
• 28:14
  What
• 28:15
  a
• 28:15
  stupid
• 28:16
  !
• 28:16
  stupid
• 28:17
  thing
• 28:17
  to
• 28:17
  do.
• 28:18
  Be
• 28:19
  rich
• 28:19
  towards
• 28:19
  God.
• 28:21
  Lay
• 28:22
  up
• 28:22
  treasure
• 28:22
  for
• 28:22
  yourself
• 28:23
  in
• 28:23
  heaven.
• 28:24
  So
• 28:24
  our
• 28:25
  participation
• 28:25
  is
• 28:26
  going
• 28:27
  to
• 28:27
  be
• 28:27
  financial.
• 28:29
  Our
• 28:29
  participation
• 28:30
  ought
• 28:30
  to
• 28:30
  be
• 28:31
  prayerful
• 28:31
  both
• 28:32
  in
• 28:33
  our
• 28:33
  lives
• 28:33
  and
• 28:33
  others.
• 28:34
  Verse
• 28:34
  30
• 28:34
  says
• 28:35
  strive
• 28:36
  together
• 28:36
  with
• 28:36
  me
• 28:37
  in
• 28:37
  your
• 28:37
  prayers
• 28:37
  to
• 28:37
  God
• 28:38
  on
• 28:39
  my
• 28:39
  behalf
• 28:39
  as a
• 28:40
  request
• 28:41
  of
• 28:41
  Paul
• 28:41
  that
• 28:41
  they
• 28:42
  strive
• 28:43
  together
• 28:43
  in
• 28:44
  prayers
• 28:44
  for
• 28:45
  his
• 28:45
  work
• 28:46
  the
• 28:47
  word
• 28:47
  that
• 28:47
  we
• 28:47
  get
• 28:47
  strive
• 28:48
  from
• 28:48
  here
• 28:48
  in
• 28:48
  the
• 28:49
  Greek
• 28:49
  means
• 28:50
  to
• 28:50
  fight
• 28:50
  or
• 28:51
  to
• 28:51
  struggle.
• 28:52
  It's
• 28:52
  where
• 28:53
  we
• 28:53
  get
• 28:53
  the
• 28:53
  English
• 28:53
  word
• 28:54
  agonize
• 28:55
  from.
• 28:56
  We
• 28:57
  must
• 28:57
  fight
• 28:58
  to
• 28:59
  pray.
• 29:00
  The
• 29:01
  enemy
• 29:01
  does
• 29:01
  not
• 29:02
  want
• 29:02
  us
• 29:03
  to
• 29:03
  pray.
• 29:04
  God
• 29:05
  as
• 29:05
  we've
• 29:05
  said
• 29:05
  before
• 29:06
  is
• 29:06
  providential.
• 29:07
  God
• 29:07
  is
• 29:07
  accomplishing
• 29:08
  what
• 29:08
  he
• 29:08
  will
• 29:08
  accomplish
• 29:09
  with
• 29:09
  or
• 29:10
  without
• 29:10
  us.
• 29:11
  But
• 29:11
  he
• 29:11
  is
• 29:11
  using
• 29:11
  us
• 29:12
  as
• 29:12
  the
• 29:12
  means
• 29:12
  to
• 29:12
  his
• 29:12
  end.
• 29:13
  He
• 29:13
  has
• 29:13
  included
• 29:14
  us
• 29:14
  in
• 29:15
  his
• 29:15
  purposes
• 29:15
  and
• 29:16
  a
• 29:16
  way
• 29:16
  he
• 29:16
  does
• 29:16
  that
• 29:17
  is
• 29:17
  he
• 29:17
  gives
• 29:17
  us
• 29:17
  prayer.
• 29:18
  He
• 29:19
  uses
• 29:19
  the
• 29:19
  prayers
• 29:20
  of
• 29:20
  his
• 29:20
  people
• 29:21
  to
• 29:21
  accomplish
• 29:21
  his
• 29:22
  will.
• 29:22
  He
• 29:22
  moves
• 29:23
  us
• 29:23
  to
• 29:23
  pray
• 29:24
  that
• 29:24
  we
• 29:24
  might
• 29:24
  be
• 29:24
  involved.
• 29:25
  How
• 29:25
  can
• 29:25
  we
• 29:25
  possibly
• 29:26
  be
• 29:26
  involved
• 29:26
  in
• 29:27
  the
• 29:27
  global
• 29:27
  purposes
• 29:27
  of
• 29:28
  God
• 29:28
  here
• 29:28
  in
• 29:28
  Dahlonega,
• 29:29
  Georgia?
• 29:29
  The
• 29:30
  simplest
• 29:30
  way?
• 29:31
  We
• 29:31
  can
• 29:31
  pray.
• 29:33
  We
• 29:33
  can
• 29:33
  pray
• 29:34
  That
• 29:34
  God
• 29:34
  will
• 29:34
  advance
• 29:34
  his
• 29:35
  kingdom
• 29:35
  across
• 29:35
  the
• 29:35
  world
• 29:36
  and
• 29:36
  we
• 29:36
  can
• 29:36
  rejoice
• 29:37
  as
• 29:37
  it's
• 29:37
  being
• 29:38
  done
• 29:38
  because
• 29:38
  he
• 29:38
  uses
• 29:39
  the
• 29:39
  prayer
• 29:39
  of
• 29:40
  his
• 29:40
  people.
• 29:41
  Our
• 29:41
  flesh
• 29:42
  works
• 29:42
  against
• 29:42
  us
• 29:43
  to
• 29:43
  this.
• 29:44
  Have
• 29:44
  you
• 29:44
  ever
• 29:44
  had
• 29:44
  those
• 29:45
  times
• 29:45
  where
• 29:45
  you
• 29:45
  set
• 29:46
  the
• 29:46
  time
• 29:46
  apart
• 29:46
  to
• 29:47
  pray
• 29:47
  and
• 29:48
  no
• 29:48
  matter
• 29:48
  what
• 29:48
  you're
• 29:49
  so
• 29:49
  distracted
• 29:50
  your
• 29:51
  mind
• 29:51
  goes
• 29:51
  a
• 29:52
  thousand
• 29:52
  different
• 29:53
  directions.
• 29:54
  Like
• 29:54
  thoughts
• 29:55
  you're
• 29:55
  like
• 29:55
  why
• 29:55
  am
• 29:55
  I
• 29:55
  thinking
• 29:56
  about
• 29:56
  this?
• 29:56
  This
• 29:56
  makes
• 29:57
  no
• 29:57
  sense.
• 29:58
  Right?
• 29:59
  Seems
• 29:59
  like
• 30:05
  Colossians
• 30:06
  chapter 4
• 30:07
  verse 12
• 30:07
  records
• 30:08
  Epaphras
• 30:09
  who is
• 30:10
  one of
• 30:10
  you
• 30:10
  a servant
• 30:11
  of
• 30:11
  Christ
• 30:11
  Jesus
• 30:11
  greets
• 30:12
  you
• 30:12
  always
• 30:13
  struggling
• 30:13
  the same
• 30:14
  word
• 30:14
  always
• 30:14
  struggling
• 30:15
  on your
• 30:15
  behalf
• 30:16
  in his
• 30:16
  prayers
• 30:17
  that you
• 30:17
  may
• 30:17
  stand
• 30:18
  mature
• 30:18
  and
• 30:18
  fully
• 30:19
  assured
• 30:19
  in
• 30:20
  all
• 30:20
  the
• 30:20
  will
• 30:21
  of
• 30:21
  God.
• 30:22
  Ephesians
• 30:23
  chapter 6
• 30:23
  verse 18
• 30:24
  and 19
• 30:24
  We're
• 30:26
  instructed to
• 30:26
  pray at
• 30:27
  all times
• 30:27
  in the
• 30:27
  spirit
• 30:27
  with
• 30:28
  all
• 30:28
  prayer
• 30:28
  and
• 30:29
  supplication
• 30:29
  to
• 30:30
  that
• 30:30
  end
• 30:31
  keep
• 30:31
  alert
• 30:32
  with
• 30:32
  all
• 30:33
  !
• 30:35
  prayer
• 30:35
  is a
• 30:40
  work
• 30:41
  and it
• 30:42
  ought to
• 30:43
  be carried
• 30:43
  out.
• 30:44
  The
• 30:44
  Christian
• 30:45
  life
• 30:45
  really
• 30:46
  ultimately
• 30:46
  is fairly
• 30:47
  simple.
• 30:48
  It's not
• 30:49
  a complex
• 30:50
  thing for
• 30:50
  us to
• 30:50
  unravel.
• 30:51
  It's
• 30:51
  fairly
• 30:51
  simple
• 30:52
  but it
• 30:52
  is not
• 30:53
  easy.
• 30:55
  We
• 30:55
  must
• 30:56
  strain
• 30:57
  and
• 30:57
  strive
• 30:58
  and pray
• 30:59
  for the
• 30:59
  grace
• 30:59
  to pull
• 31:00
  these
• 31:00
  things
• 31:00
  off.
• 31:01
  As I
• 31:01
  said to
• 31:01
  you
• 31:01
  before
• 31:02
  work
• 31:02
  as if
• 31:02
  it
• 31:03
  all
• 31:03
  depended
• 31:03
  on
• 31:03
  you
• 31:03
  and
• 31:03
  praise
• 31:04
  God
• 31:04
  when it
• 31:04
  happens
• 31:05
  because
• 31:05
  it
• 31:05
  was
• 31:05
  his
• 31:05
  work
• 31:05
  in
• 31:06
  you
• 31:06
  to
• 31:07
  accomplish
• 31:07
  it.
• 31:09
  So
• 31:09
  what
• 31:09
  must
• 31:10
  we
• 31:10
  pray
• 31:10
  for?
• 31:10
  What
• 31:11
  are
• 31:11
  godly
• 31:11
  prayers?
• 31:12
  What
• 31:12
  are
• 31:12
  prayers
• 31:12
  offered
• 31:13
  up
• 31:13
  within
• 31:14
  God's
• 31:15
  will?
• 31:16
  And
• 31:17
  we
• 31:17
  can
• 31:17
  look
• 31:17
  here
• 31:17
  at
• 31:17
  what
• 31:17
  Paul
• 31:18
  asked
• 31:18
  them
• 31:18
  to
• 31:18
  pray
• 31:19
  for
• 31:19
  him.
• 31:19
  Three
• 31:20
  things.
• 31:20
  And
• 31:20
  I
• 31:20
  think
• 31:20
  these
• 31:21
  are
• 31:21
  good
• 31:21
  general
• 31:22
  guide
• 31:22
  as
• 31:22
  we
• 31:22
  begin
• 31:23
  to
• 31:23
  think
• 31:23
  about
• 31:23
  our
• 31:24
  mission
• 31:24
  in
• 31:24
  the
• 31:24
  world.
• 31:24
  How
• 31:25
  it
• 31:25
  is
• 31:25
  that
• 31:25
  we
• 31:25
  ought
• 31:25
  to
• 31:25
  be
• 31:35
  success
• 31:35
  and
• 31:37
  he
• 31:37
  asks
• 31:37
  for
• 31:37
  satisfaction.
• 31:39
  Beginning
• 31:40
  in
• 31:40
  verse
• 31:40
  31
• 31:41
  he
• 31:41
  says
• 31:41
  that
• 31:42
  I
• 31:42
  may
• 31:42
  be
• 31:42
  delivered
• 31:43
  from
• 31:43
  the
• 31:43
  unbelievers
• 31:43
  in
• 31:43
  Judea
• 31:44
  safety
• 31:44
  and
• 31:45
  that
• 31:45
  my
• 31:46
  service
• 31:46
  for
• 31:46
  Jerusalem
• 31:46
  may
• 31:47
  be
• 31:47
  acceptable
• 31:47
  to
• 31:48
  the
• 31:48
  saints
• 31:49
  success.
• 31:50
  He
• 31:50
  was
• 31:50
  going
• 31:50
  to
• 31:50
  deliver
• 31:51
  the
• 31:51
  financial
• 31:52
  means
• 31:53
  that
• 31:53
  he
• 31:53
  wanted
• 31:54
  them
• 31:54
  to
• 31:54
  see
• 31:54
  it
• 31:54
  as
• 31:55
  acceptable
• 31:55
  so
• 31:57
  that
• 31:57
  God's
• 31:58
  will
• 31:58
  may
• 31:58
  come
• 31:59
  to
• 31:59
  you
• 31:59
  with
• 31:59
  joy
• 32:00
  and
• 32:00
  be
• 32:00
  refreshed
• 32:00
  in
• 32:01
  your
• 32:01
  company.
• 32:02
  So
• 32:03
  he's
• 32:03
  asking
• 32:03
  them
• 32:03
  to
• 32:04
  pray
• 32:04
  for
• 32:04
  safety
• 32:04
  for
• 32:05
  success
• 32:06
  and
• 32:06
  for
• 32:07
  satisfaction.
• 32:08
  Those
• 32:09
  are
• 32:09
  God
• 32:09
  honoring
• 32:09
  prayers
• 32:10
  that
• 32:10
  as
• 32:10
  we
• 32:10
  travel
• 32:11
  as
• 32:11
  we
• 32:11
  go
• 32:12
  as
• 32:12
  we
• 32:12
  leave
• 32:12
  this
• 32:12
  place
• 32:13
  and
• 32:13
  go
• 32:13
  to
• 32:13
  our
• 32:13
  homes
• 32:13
  visit
• 32:14
  with
• 32:14
  our
• 32:14
  neighbors
• 32:15
  go
• 32:15
  to
• 32:15
  work
• 32:15
  tomorrow
• 32:16
  do
• 32:16
  all
• 32:16
  those
• 32:17
  things
• 32:17
  that
• 32:17
  we
• 32:17
  might
• 32:18
  have
• 32:18
  safety
• 32:19
  that
• 32:19
  we
• 32:19
  might
• 32:19
  have
• 32:19
  success
• 32:20
  in
• 32:20
  our
• 32:20
  ministry
• 32:21
  to
• 32:21
  others
• 32:21
  and
• 32:22
  that
• 32:22
  we'll
• 32:22
  be
• 32:23
  satisfied
• 32:23
  in
• 32:23
  whatever
• 32:24
  the
• 32:24
  outcome
• 32:25
  of
• 32:25
  these
• 32:25
  things
• 32:26
  are.
• 32:33
  That's
• 32:35
  kind of
• 32:36
  a weird
• 32:36
  way of
• 32:36
  saying
• 32:36
  it
• 32:36
  but
• 32:36
  I
• 32:37
  wanted
• 32:37
  to
• 32:37
  keep
• 32:37
  the
• 32:37
  sound
• 32:38
  of
• 32:38
  those
• 32:38
  words
• 32:38
  the
• 32:38
  same
• 32:39
  so
• 32:39
  financial
• 32:40
  prayerful
• 32:40
  and
• 32:40
  communal
• 32:41
  verse 24
• 32:42
  he says
• 32:43
  once I
• 32:43
  have
• 32:43
  enjoyed
• 32:44
  your
• 32:44
  company
• 32:45
  for a
• 32:45
  while
• 32:45
  speaking
• 32:46
  of
• 32:46
  when
• 32:47
  he's
• 32:47
  going
• 32:47
  to
• 32:47
  go
• 32:47
  on
• 32:48
  to
• 32:48
  Spain
• 32:48
  he
• 32:48
  wants
• 32:48
  to
• 32:49
  come
• 32:49
  and
• 32:49
  enjoy
• 32:50
  their
• 32:50
  company
• 32:51
  for
• 32:51
  a
• 32:51
  while
• 32:51
  in
• 32:51
  verse
• 32:52
  32
• 32:52
  he
• 32:52
  wants
• 32:53
  to
• 32:53
  be
• 32:53
  refreshed
• 32:54
  in
• 32:55
  their
• 32:55
  company
• 32:55
  remember
• 32:56
  again
• 32:57
  Romans
• 32:57
  chapter
• 32:57
  1
• 32:58
  verse
• 32:58
  11
• 32:58
  and
• 32:59
  12
• 32:59
  Paul
• 33:10
  longed
• 33:11
  to
• 33:11
  be
• 33:11
  with
• 33:11
  these
• 33:12
  Roman
• 33:12
  believers
• 33:13
  whose
• 33:13
  faith
• 33:13
  was
• 33:13
  being
• 33:13
  told
• 33:14
  of
• 33:14
  around
• 33:14
  the
• 33:14
  known
• 33:15
  world
• 33:15
  he
• 33:15
  had
• 33:15
  heard
• 33:16
  of
• 33:16
  the
• 33:16
  faith
• 33:16
  of
• 33:17
  the
• 33:17
  Roman
• 33:17
  believers
• 33:17
  and
• 33:18
  he
• 33:18
  longed
• 33:18
  to
• 33:18
  be
• 33:18
  with
• 33:19
  them
• 33:19
  that
• 33:19
  his
• 33:20
  faith
• 33:21
  would
• 33:21
  be
• 33:21
  encouraged
• 33:22
  that
• 33:23
  he
• 33:23
  might
• 33:24
  be
• 33:24
  built
• 33:24
  up
• 33:25
  to
• 33:25
  go
• 33:25
  on
• 33:26
  in
• 33:26
  this
• 33:26
  journey
• 33:27
  that
• 33:27
  was
• 33:27
  ahead
• 33:27
  of
• 33:27
  him
• 33:28
  in
• 33:29
  church
• 33:29
  that's
• 33:30
  what
• 33:30
  we're
• 33:30
  called
• 33:30
  to
• 33:31
  as
• 33:31
  well
• 33:31
  why
• 33:32
  do
• 33:32
  we
• 33:33
  do
• 33:33
  this
• 33:33
  like
• 33:33
  why
• 33:33
  do
• 33:34
  we
• 33:34
  get
• 33:34
  together
• 33:34
  on
• 33:34
  Sunday
• 33:35
  morning
• 33:35
  is it
• 33:36
  just
• 33:37
  simply
• 33:37
  a
• 33:37
  command
• 33:38
  given
• 33:38
  to
• 33:38
  us
• 33:38
  we
• 33:39
  know
• 33:39
  we
• 33:39
  should
• 33:40
  Hebrews
• 33:40
  chapter
• 33:41
  10
• 33:41
  verse
• 33:41
  24
• 33:42
  let us
• 33:42
  consider
• 33:43
  how to
• 33:43
  stir up
• 33:43
  one
• 33:43
  another
• 33:44
  to
• 33:44
  love
• 33:44
  and
• 33:44
  good
• 33:44
  works
• 33:44
  not
• 33:45
  neglecting
• 33:45
  to
• 33:45
  meet
• 33:45
  together
• 33:46
  as
• 33:47
  the
• 33:47
  habit
• 33:47
  of
• 33:47
  some
• 33:47
  but
• 33:47
  encouraging
• 33:48
  !
• 33:58
  ritual
• 33:58
  rite
• 33:59
  that
• 33:59
  you
• 33:59
  gain
• 33:59
  by
• 33:59
  coming
• 34:00
  together
• 34:00
  with
• 34:00
  the
• 34:01
  church
• 34:01
  on
• 34:01
  Sunday
• 34:01
  why
• 34:02
  do we
• 34:02
  meet
• 34:03
  together?
• 34:04
  we meet
• 34:05
  together
• 34:05
  that we
• 34:05
  might be
• 34:06
  encouraged
• 34:06
  that we
• 34:06
  might be
• 34:07
  built up
• 34:07
  we might
• 34:08
  have the
• 34:08
  truth
• 34:08
  replanted
• 34:10
  in our
• 34:10
  hearts
• 34:10
  so that
• 34:11
  we'll get
• 34:11
  back out
• 34:11
  there
• 34:12
  and fight
• 34:12
  the good
• 34:12
  fight
• 34:13
  living
• 34:15
  the
• 34:15
  Christian
• 34:15
  life
• 34:15
  actually
• 34:16
  living
• 34:16
  the
• 34:17
  Christian
• 34:17
  life
• 34:17
  and I
• 34:17
  hate
• 34:17
  that we
• 34:18
  even
• 34:18
  have to
• 34:18
  put
• 34:18
  a
• 34:19
  qualifier
• 34:20
  on that
• 34:20
  but
• 34:21
  genuine
• 34:21
  faith
• 34:22
  carried
• 34:22
  out
• 34:22
  in the
• 34:22
  world
• 34:23
  is not
• 34:23
  going
• 34:23
  to be
• 34:24
  easy
• 34:24
  it's
• 34:25
  going
• 34:25
  to be
• 34:25
  a
• 34:25
  fight
• 34:25
  it's
• 34:26
  going
• 34:26
  to be
• 34:26
  a
• 34:26
  struggle
• 34:26
  it's
• 34:27
  a
• 34:27
  war
• 34:28
  out
• 34:28
  there
• 34:28
  this
• 34:30
  is
• 34:30
  base
• 34:30
  camp
• 34:30
  we
• 34:31
  all
• 34:32
  come
• 34:32
  back
• 34:32
  together
• 34:32
  we
• 34:33
  remind
• 34:33
  ourselves
• 34:34
  why
• 34:34
  we're
• 34:34
  fighting
• 34:35
  right
• 34:35
  this
• 34:36
  is
• 34:36
  a
• 34:36
  good
• 34:37
  war
• 34:37
  this
• 34:38
  is
• 34:38
  !
• 34:38
  a
• 34:38
  war
• 34:38
  worth
• 34:39
  fighting
• 34:39
  right
• 34:40
  we
• 34:40
  have
• 34:40
  a
• 34:41
  great
• 34:41
  king
• 34:41
  he's
• 34:42
  going
• 34:42
  to
• 34:42
  accomplish
• 34:43
  it
• 34:43
  we
• 34:43
  need
• 34:43
  to
• 34:44
  get
• 34:44
  back
• 34:44
  out
• 34:44
  there
• 34:44
  and
• 34:44
  fight
• 34:45
  we
• 34:46
  let
• 34:46
  the
• 34:46
  word
• 34:47
  minister
• 34:47
  to
• 34:47
  us
• 34:47
  and
• 34:48
  heal
• 34:49
  our
• 34:49
  wounds
• 34:50
  from
• 34:50
  that
• 34:50
  week
• 34:51
  we
• 34:52
  were
• 34:53
  made
• 34:53
  for
• 34:54
  Christian
• 34:54
  community
• 34:54
  and I
• 34:56
  would
• 34:56
  say
• 34:56
  to
• 34:56
  you
• 34:56
  that
• 34:56
  Christian
• 34:57
  ministry
• 34:58
  doesn't
• 34:58
  happen
• 34:59
  apart
• 34:59
  from
• 35:00
  the
• 35:00
  context
• 35:00
  of
• 35:01
  the
• 35:01
  church
• 35:01
  that
• 35:02
  the
• 35:02
  things
• 35:02
  that
• 35:03
  you
• 35:03
  do
• 35:03
  are
• 35:03
  directly
• 35:04
  an
• 35:04
  extension
• 35:05
  of
• 35:05
  the
• 35:05
  body
• 35:08
  church
• 35:10
  those
• 35:10
  that
• 35:10
  you
• 35:10
  gather
• 35:11
  with
• 35:11
  on a
• 35:11
  weekly
• 35:12
  basis
• 35:12
  and so
• 35:12
  therefore
• 35:13
  we ought
• 35:14
  to meet
• 35:14
  together
• 35:15
  right
• 35:15
  in
• 35:15
  Hebrews
• 35:15
  chapter
• 35:15
  10
• 35:16
  we
• 35:16
  just
• 35:16
  read
• 35:16
  to
• 35:17
  you
• 35:17
  let
• 35:17
  us
• 35:17
  consider
• 35:18
  how
• 35:18
  to
• 35:18
  stir
• 35:18
  up
• 35:19
  one
• 35:19
  another
• 35:19
  to
• 35:19
  love
• 35:20
  and
• 35:20
  to
• 35:20
  good
• 35:21
  works
• 35:21
  as
• 35:22
  our
• 35:22
  flesh
• 35:23
  bears
• 35:23
  down
• 35:23
  on
• 35:23
  us
• 35:24
  as
• 35:24
  we
• 35:24
  have
• 35:24
  this
• 35:24
  battle
• 35:25
  within
• 35:25
  us
• 35:25
  between
• 35:26
  our
• 35:27
  spirit
• 35:27
  and
• 35:28
  between
• 35:28
  our
• 35:28
  flesh
• 35:29
  We
• 35:29
  need
• 35:29
  one
• 35:29
  another
• 35:30
  we
• 35:30
  need
• 35:30
  !
• 35:30
  to
• 35:30
  encourage
• 35:31
  one
• 35:32
  another
• 35:32
  and
• 35:32
  that's
• 35:33
  for
• 35:33
  all
• 35:33
  of
• 35:34
  us
• 35:34
  it
• 35:35
  includes
• 35:35
  me
• 35:35
  most
• 35:36
  certainly
• 35:36
  I
• 35:37
  need
• 35:38
  your
• 35:38
  encouragement
• 35:38
  and
• 35:39
  you
• 35:39
  guys
• 35:39
  have
• 35:39
  no
• 35:40
  idea
• 35:40
  how
• 35:41
  much
• 35:41
  you
• 35:41
  encourage
• 35:41
  me
• 35:41
  I
• 35:42
  know
• 35:42
  that
• 35:42
  most
• 35:43
  maybe
• 35:44
  none
• 35:44
  of
• 35:44
  you
• 35:45
  have
• 35:45
  walked
• 35:45
  up to
• 35:46
  me
• 35:46
  this
• 35:46
  week
• 35:46
  and
• 35:46
  said
• 35:46
  Nathan
• 35:47
  I
• 35:47
  just
• 35:47
  want
• 35:48
  to
• 35:48
  encourage
• 35:48
  you
• 35:48
  with
• 35:48
  told
• 35:49
  me
• 35:49
  something
• 35:49
  but
• 35:50
  I
• 35:50
  love
• 35:51
  to
• 35:51
  see
• 35:51
  the
• 35:51
  way
• 35:51
  you
• 35:51
  serve
• 35:52
  each
• 35:52
  other
• 35:52
  the
• 35:53
  way
• 35:53
  you
• 35:53
  !
• 35:53
  each
• 35:53
  other
• 35:53
  to
• 35:53
  hear
• 35:54
  the
• 35:54
  stories
• 35:54
  of
• 35:54
  how
• 35:54
  you
• 35:54
  are
• 35:55
  sharing
• 35:55
  your
• 35:55
  faith
• 35:55
  on
• 35:56
  campus
• 35:56
  and
• 35:57
  at
• 35:57
  work
• 35:57
  that
• 35:58
  is
• 35:58
  such
• 35:59
  an
• 36:00
  encouragement
• 36:00
  to
• 36:00
  me
• 36:00
  it
• 36:01
  prods
• 36:02
  me
• 36:02
  on
• 36:02
  spurs
• 36:03
  me
• 36:04
  to
• 36:04
  continue
• 36:04
  to
• 36:04
  press
• 36:05
  on
• 36:05
  in
• 36:06
  the
• 36:06
  faith
• 36:06
  we
• 36:06
  need
• 36:07
  one
• 36:08
  another
• 36:08
  so
• 36:11
  our
• 36:11
  participation
• 36:12
  should
• 36:12
  be
• 36:13
  prayerful
• 36:14
  it
• 36:14
  should
• 36:14
  be
• 36:14
  financial
• 36:15
  and
• 36:16
  it
• 36:16
  should
• 36:16
  be
• 36:16
  communal
• 36:17
  and
• 36:17
  I
• 36:17
  absolutely
• 36:18
  love
• 36:18
  the way
• 36:19
  he
• 36:19
  ends
• 36:19
  this
• 36:19
  little
• 36:20
  part
• 36:20
  of
• 36:21
  his
• 36:21
  letter
• 36:22
  verse
• 36:22
  33
• 36:22
  says
• 36:23
  may
• 36:23
  the
• 36:23
  God
• 36:23
  of
• 36:23
  peace
• 36:24
  be
• 36:24
  with
• 36:24
  you
• 36:24
  all
• 36:25
  amen
• 36:26
  and
• 36:27
  his
• 36:27
  desire
• 36:28
  here
• 36:28
  is
• 36:28
  that
• 36:28
  that
• 36:29
  this
• 36:29
  little
• 36:30
  wish
• 36:31
  for
• 36:31
  them
• 36:31
  is
• 36:31
  that
• 36:32
  the
• 36:32
  God
• 36:32
  of
• 36:32
  peace
• 36:32
  will
• 36:33
  reign
• 36:33
  in
• 36:33
  their
• 36:33
  hearts
• 36:33
  that
• 36:34
  even
• 36:34
  though
• 36:35
  he's
• 36:35
  got
• 36:35
  these
• 36:35
  plans
• 36:35
  he's
• 36:36
  planning
• 36:36
  to
• 36:36
  come
• 36:36
  he wants
• 36:37
  these
• 36:37
  prayers
• 36:37
  for
• 36:37
  these
• 36:37
  various
• 36:38
  things
• 36:38
  that
• 36:40
  God
• 36:40
  is
• 36:40
  ultimately
• 36:41
  the
• 36:41
  God
• 36:41
  of
• 36:41
  peace
• 36:41
  and
• 36:41
  he
• 36:41
  doesn't
• 36:42
  mean
• 36:42
  here
• 36:42
  that
• 36:42
  God
• 36:42
  is
• 36:42
  a
• 36:42
  God
• 36:43
  that
• 36:43
  comes
• 36:43
  and
• 36:43
  brings
• 36:43
  peace
• 36:44
  peace