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Authority: Congregation · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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I would love yet to say good morning to you. Good morning. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in Ephesians chapter 4.
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We're going to continue this morning, week three of four, on a series on authority.
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And as I've done the last two weeks, and probably will do every time we teach something topical, I just want to warn you to be extra discerning as we open up the Bible in this way.
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It's good. It's really valuable for us to take up topics from time to time and think about broadly what the Bible has to say about a particular thing.
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But we must be cautious as we do it. We want to be so careful that we don't read into the text what we want it to say, but rather that the Bible itself communicates to us about a topic.
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So, we've been working on this issue of authority, and I told you before that we're doing this largely because the congregation, a number of you were asking for us to teach more about congregationalism.
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For us to help you wrap your minds around what the Bible has to say about such a thing.
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I worry about sermons like this. I've been thankful that some of you have expressed encouragement across the past two weeks.
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But it can feel a little bit just like the mechanics of things.
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Like, why does this matter for us?
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But this one perhaps matters most readily as we think about the responsibility of the church, the authority the church has, and more specifically, the congregation.
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So, what does it mean to be a congregationalist?
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We are a congregationalist congregation.
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What are the responsibilities held by the congregation, and therefore, what authority does the congregation have?
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These are important questions for us to ask and answer if we're going to be a healthy church.
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So, I hope that our time together this morning will help us all have clear answers to those questions in our minds.
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Now, before we delve into congregationalism and look at Ephesians chapter 4,
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I need to remind you that I have made eight overarching biblical assertions in our study so far.
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And so, you'll do well to listen to the previous recordings of the sermons if you weren't with us.
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But I quickly want to give them to you because they're important as framework, especially if you haven't been with us so far.
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So, number one, God's authority is innate.
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That means it belongs to him, and nobody gave it to him, right?
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He is the ultimate authority figure because he is God.
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And that authority is final because he is God.
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He is the highest of authority.
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And if he wasn't, he wouldn't be God.
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Secondly, God's authority is necessarily good, whether we recognize it or experience it to be good.
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It's necessarily good because he is good, right?
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He's 100% good all the time.
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And so, his authority is necessarily good.
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Thirdly, humankind has an authority problem.
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We just generally don't seem to like it.
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We've experienced a lot of misplaced and misspent authority.
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We have good reason to be suspect of authority.
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But at our very core, our sinful nature wants to reject authority, authority of God's making.
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So, humankind has an authority problem, and we do well to remember that as we come to the issue and think about authority.
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Number four, we are delegated authority.
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Part of the way God works his authority in the world is through delegated authority.
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And that delegated authority always has limits and is always subservient to the one who delegated it.
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It's been given parameters, that authority, and therefore, it is subservient to the higher authority of the one who granted it, which is God.
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Number five, when a person or institution takes up a responsibility not granted to them,
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or exercise an authority granted to them in a way not granted to them,
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it is, at best, ineffective.
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It is, at worst, abusive.
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Right?
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So, we want to be clear on our categories.
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What authorities have been given to whom, and how should that authority be exercised?
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Sixth, the aim of exercising authority, and this is, I stole this from Jonathan Lehman's book on authority.
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This is his subtitle.
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In submission to God's good authority, it's for the sake of protecting the vulnerable,
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strengthening our communities, and promoting human flourishing.
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Right?
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So, it has good purpose in mind.
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Godly authority exercised properly is for the good of people.
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Number seven, God delegates his authority through three institutions and six positions.
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Because I've talked about these now for two weeks, I'm going to breeze through them fairly quickly.
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But we see in the Bible three institutions.
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We see the family, we see the church, and we see the government.
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Okay?
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The family, the church, and the government.
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And within those institutions, there are positions.
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So, in the family, we have the role of husband and the role of parent.
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So, both have granted authority.
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In the church, we see the role of elder, the position of elder, and the position of congregation.
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So, all of us as a whole, together, has an authority.
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In the government, we have various offices, kings, governors, judges, citizens, etc.
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And then an extra institutional, unless you are employed by the church or government, we have the position of employer, boss, manager, etc.
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There are commands and authorities given there as well.
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Within, number eight, within these three institutions and six positions, there is granted two types of authority.
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Number one, there is the authority of command or coercion, which is the power to make someone do something by force.
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It possesses the right of corrective discipline.
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And I have spoken to you about how those institutions we see in the Scripture, a tool is given to each one of them.
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For the family, it is the rod.
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For the church, it is the keys.
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And for the government, it is the sword.
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And that's this authority of command or coercion.
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And so we want to think about that authority and how it applies to each of those institutions.
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Today, to the church and the congregation.
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Secondly, we see the authority of counsel or persuasion.
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The power to convince someone to do something.
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Now, we can only call this authority or power if it has some measure of bearing on you.
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Unlike the advice you might receive from a friend, the authority of counsel has weight.
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There's actually an authority behind it.
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And an example which we considered at length last week is the authority of counsel that an elder holds.
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We argue that an elder does not have the power of coercion or command, but rather the authority of counsel or persuasion.
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But there is an authority there because the author of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 17,
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this is just the beginning of that verse, says,
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Obey your leaders and submit to them.
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For they are keeping watch over your souls as those who have to give an account.
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And so, last week I asked the question,
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To what extent is the author of Hebrews expecting his hearers to obey and submit to their leaders?
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Certainly not outside the bounds of the Bible, but if he only intends to have them obey and submit to the Bible,
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why not just say that?
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As they exercise this authority of counsel,
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why not just say,
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When they teach you the Bible, in the way you want the Bible taught, then you should listen to them.
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He doesn't say that.
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He says you should obey and submit to them.
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And the reason I presented to you is because there are matters of application of the Bible,
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gray areas that require careful navigation and decisions that must be made.
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So, I suggested to you that elders of a church possess authority in matters of prudence,
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careful, wise application of the Bible in a particular circumstance,
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and in matters of preference.
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All the particulars, the so many things that need to be decided in the life of a church.
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And my example was what time a meeting begins.
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While we might care, we do, about your input and want to receive feedback,
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we still just have to make a decision at some point about what we think is the best time.
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Beloved, you don't want pure democracy in the life of our church.
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There is not enough time in your day for us to have the number of meetings we would have to have.
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You likely have no idea all of the details that have to be decided
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and all of the counsel that needs to be given.
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And you may think, well, I don't want to help decide everything.
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I just want to help decide the significant things.
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But what constitutes significant?
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And who decides what or when something is significant?
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If we were to operate this way, the whole matter would be just a mess.
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Recall the assertion I made previously,
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when a person or institution takes up a responsibility not granted to them
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or exercise an authority granted to them in a way not granted to them,
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it is at best ineffective.
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It is at worst abusive.
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And I know that none of us want to be abusive.
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Certainly we don't want to be ineffective.
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But I think that's where we find ourselves
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if we're not clear about how the church should function.
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So, our church believes that the most biblically faithful form of polity or governance
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is what is often called elder-led congregationalism.
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That's the term that we pick up and use.
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Elder-led congregationalism.
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And we can see both of these authoritative roles
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in our starting text for today's study.
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So join me in Ephesians chapter 4.
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And we'll begin in verse 11 and read through verse 16.
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And he, being Christ, gave the apostles, the prophets,
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the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers
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to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
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for building up the body of Christ,
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until we all attain to the unity of the faith
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and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
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to mature manhood,
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to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
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so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves
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and carried about by every wind of doctrine,
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by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
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Rather, speaking the truth in love,
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we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head,
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into Christ,
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from whom the whole body,
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joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped,
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when each part is working properly,
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makes the body grow
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so that it builds itself up
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in love.
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This is a really important text.
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It's a paramount text
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for us to understand
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how it is that the church
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is meant to function.
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In fact, I just wanted to show you,
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you may note that in my Bible,
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if you can see this,
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this is the page that is most likely to fall out first
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in this particular copy
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because I go to this text quite often.
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This text begins with Jesus Christ
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giving gifts to the church.
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You see this in verse 11.
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We see the apostles,
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the prophets,
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the evangelists,
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the shepherds,
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and teachers.
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Now, first I want to say,
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there's a lot of debate
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about what these gifts are
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and how they functioned
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and or function now.
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So I just want to give you a brief aside
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as I don't intend for this
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to be an exhaustive exposition
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of this passage.
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Remember, we're really talking about
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elder-led congregationalism.
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That's the focus.
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But I think it's helpful for us
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to see this just for a moment.
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I believe that the apostles and prophets
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that Paul is referring to
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were modern apostles and prophets
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of his day,
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not today,
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but of his day,
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who were in the process
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of writing the New Testament
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and the Old Testament prophets
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as the books of the Old Testament
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were often referred to
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as the prophets.
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Additionally,
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if you look back a bit
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at Ephesians chapter 2,
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verse 19 and 20,
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there Paul says this,
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So then you are no longer
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strangers and aliens,
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but you are fellow citizens
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with the saints
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and members
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of the household of God,
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built on the foundation
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of the apostles and prophets,
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Christ Jesus himself
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being the cornerstone.
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So, in their day,
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he's writing to the Ephesian Christians.
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I think he's saying,
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he's referring back to the prophets,
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the books you already have,
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as well as this new teaching
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that's being brought to you
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by the apostles, right?
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So, we have today
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the very same foundation
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for the church,
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the apostles and the prophets.
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I think what he's referring to
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in chapter 4 and verse 11,
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for us,
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are the Old and New Testaments.
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I think that's what he's talking about
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when he says the apostles
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and the prophets.
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We have the scripture.
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And we should not belittle that, right?
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That's not a light thing to have, right?
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But as I believe Paul is doing,
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we should magnify it
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as a gift to the church.
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So, Christ gave to us
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the scriptures
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and the evangelists
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and the shepherds and teachers.
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Many of you are using
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the same translation that I do
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to preach from the ESV.
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And you may note
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that each of these roles
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are separated
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by a comma.
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But not shepherds
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or you could think
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pastors here
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and teachers.
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Not pastors
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or shepherds and teachers.
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We know that ancient Greek
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did not have equivalent punctuation
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to our English,
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so this was a
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translative decision.
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The translators decided
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where they wanted
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to place those commas.
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And I am happy to say
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that the ESV translators
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are not anti-Oxford comma.
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If you are anti-Oxford comma,
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I would like to have
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a conversation with you later.
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I think they liked
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the Oxford comma
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and they left it out
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intentionally
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because the Greek word
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translated and
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can also be translated
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that is
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or in particular.
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So it could read
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shepherds,
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that is teachers,
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or shepherds
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in particular teachers,
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which is a little clunky
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in the English,
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but does give us
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a better idea
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of who these men are.
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So they merely
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leave it out.
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Shepherds
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and teachers.
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Many simply say
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that this could
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have been translated
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shepherd teachers
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or pastor teachers
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and we also understand
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these men
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to be elders.
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We have further evidence
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that this is Paul's meaning
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when he writes to Timothy
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in 1 Timothy chapter 5
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and verse 17.
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There he says,
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let the elders
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who rule well
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be considered worthy
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of double honor,
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especially those
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who labor
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in preaching
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and teaching.
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He ties those activities
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together
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to the elder,
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the overseer.
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So evangelists
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and elders
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are gifts given
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to the church.
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They employ the Bible,
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but for what reason?
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And verse 12 tells us
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to equip the saints
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for the work of ministry,
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for building up
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the body of Christ.
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Now, once again,
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we have a translative
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decision being made
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because there are
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some commas
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placed in verse 12.
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In the translation
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I'm using,
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there's a comma
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right after the word
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ministry
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and there's a comma
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right after Christ.
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Some, though,
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have translated this
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and put a comma
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after the word
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saints.
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So,
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to equip the saints,
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comma,
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for the work of ministry,
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comma,
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for building up
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the body of Christ.
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And if you could just think,
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put on some grammar minds
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for just a moment
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and think behind saints.
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who is doing
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the work of ministry
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if we put a comma
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behind saints?
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It's evangelists
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and shepherd teachers.
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However,
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if you exclude it,
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the job of those evangelists
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and shepherd teachers
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is to equip the saints
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for the work of ministry
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and what follows
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at the end of the verse
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for building up
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the body of Christ
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is the point
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of that very ministry.
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It's modifying
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that idea.
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What is the work of ministry?
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It is the building up
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of the body
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of Christ.
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And so you would think,
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well then,
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how do we know?
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How are we to know?
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Well, the text gives us
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some really great clues.
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I think contextually,
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it's responsible
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to leave out
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that comma
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after saints.
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So let me read it again
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quickly to you
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and just point those things
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out to you.
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How do we know
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that the evangelist
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and the shepherd teacher
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employing the scripture
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is meant
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to train the church
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for the work of ministry,
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for this building up.
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Right?
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We see it starting
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in verse 13.
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Until,
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we're being built up,
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until we all attain
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to the unity of the faith
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and of the knowledge
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of the Son of God
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to mature manhood
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to the measure
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of the stature
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of the fullness
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of Christ
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so that we may
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no longer be children
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tossed to and fro
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by the waves
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and carried about
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by every wind of doctrine,
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by human cunning,
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by craftiness
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and deceitful schemes.
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Okay?
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So we don't want
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to be these
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immature Christians.
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We want to be
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mature Christians
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able to stand up
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to the counter-truth.
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Rather,
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speaking the truth
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in love,
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we are to grow up
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in every way
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into Him
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who is the head,
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into Christ.
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All of us
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speaking the truth
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in love,
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all of us
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growing.
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And if you're not
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with me yet,
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verse 16 says,
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from whom
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the whole body,
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Christ being the head,
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joined and held together
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by every joint
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with which it is equipped,
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when each part
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is working properly,
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makes the body grow
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so that it builds
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itself up
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in love.
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Right?
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That's the work
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of ministry
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that all of us
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together
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are ministering
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the gospel
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to all of us
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together
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so that all of us
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together
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grow into this maturity.
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I hope you can
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see that.
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Right?
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To equip the saints
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for the work
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of ministry,
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for building up
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the body
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of Christ.
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So as a
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member of this church,
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you have a role
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in this church.
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You're not
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a consumer.
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You don't just come
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and get served.
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You are meant
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to also
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serve others
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to this
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great end.
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So elders
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lead by
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teaching
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in word
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and in deed,
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giving theological
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foundation
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and exampled
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application
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so that the church
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as a whole
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does this
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work of ministry,
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this building up
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of the body
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of Christ.
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It also bears
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saying that the
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evangelists
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share the gospel,
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that the church
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would increase
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through conversions,
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and that the church
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as a whole
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would share the gospel
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for that same
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end.
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Now I said,
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we can see both
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of these authoritative
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roles in our
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starting text
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for today's study.
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I hope that I've
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sufficiently shown you
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the authority
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of counsel
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that an elder holds
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in such a way
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that you can see
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the same authority
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here,
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this persuasive
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authority.
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But what about
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the congregation?
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What about the congregation?
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The congregation
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or the church
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as a whole
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is doing
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two things
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in this text.
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We see them
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firstly,
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teaching the truth.
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They're teaching.
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They're teaching
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one another
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the truth.
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Verse 13 and 14,
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until we all
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attain the unity
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of the faith
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and the knowledge
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of the Son of God
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to mature manhood
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to the measure
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of the stature
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of the fullness
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of Christ
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so that we're
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no longer children
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tossed to and fro
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by the waves
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and carried about
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by every wind
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of doctrine,
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by human cunning,
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by craftiness
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and deceitful schemes.
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And beloved,
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there is so much
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out there
22:40
pressing at our
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thinking from
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every single direction,
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maybe more
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than in any other
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generation
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because we have
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the internet.
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If you ask me
22:50
if there's one thing
22:51
I could do
22:52
to bring about
22:52
maturity in my church,
22:54
I think I would say
22:55
let's destroy
22:56
the internet.
22:57
I don't think
22:57
it's been a net
22:59
positive for
23:00
the life of the church.
23:02
And you perhaps
23:04
yourself have felt that
23:05
and maybe you've seen
23:06
others tossed around.
23:08
They hear a thing
23:09
and it sounds good
23:10
until they hear
23:11
another thing
23:11
that sounds good
23:12
and those two things
23:13
may run in direct
23:14
contradiction
23:14
to each other
23:16
and we should be people
23:17
who are so founded
23:18
in God's word
23:19
that we can discern
23:20
all of that stuff
23:22
that comes at us
23:23
in the world around us.
23:24
The enemy
23:26
is seeking
23:27
to erode
23:28
the foundation
23:29
of our faith.
23:32
Human cunning,
23:34
craftiness
23:35
in deceitful schemes.
23:38
And so
23:38
we have to speak
23:40
the truth
23:41
to one another.
23:43
And while
23:43
the preaching
23:44
of God's word
23:45
on the Lord's day
23:46
is extremely important
23:48
to the life
23:49
of a church,
23:50
it's of major importance.
23:51
It is the broadest
23:53
discipling
23:53
that we can do
23:54
as a church.
23:55
All of the little
23:56
day-to-day stuff
23:57
also matters.
24:00
It all needs
24:01
to be happening
24:01
all the time
24:03
if we're to stand
24:04
against these waves
24:06
that will come
24:07
our way.
24:08
So we see
24:09
the congregation
24:10
having been equipped
24:12
to do it,
24:13
turning around
24:13
and doing
24:14
that very same thing,
24:16
teaching the truth.
24:18
We also see
24:19
them applying
24:20
the truth.
24:22
Verse 15 to 16,
24:23
speaking the truth
24:24
in love.
24:25
We're to grow up
24:26
in every way
24:28
into him
24:28
who is the head.
24:31
We're to learn
24:32
what it means
24:33
to be a follower
24:34
of Jesus Christ.
24:35
Right?
24:35
Not just in the gray matter
24:37
between our ears,
24:38
but in everything
24:39
that we do.
24:42
From whom
24:43
the whole body
24:44
joined and held together
24:45
by every joint
24:47
with which
24:47
it is equipped.
24:49
He's talking about
24:50
you and me there.
24:51
Every joint
24:52
with which
24:52
it is equipped.
24:53
The whole body
24:53
held together
24:54
when each part
24:55
is working
24:56
properly
24:58
makes the body
24:59
grow
24:59
so it builds
25:00
itself up
25:01
in love.
25:02
I mean,
25:02
there's just
25:03
limitless activity
25:05
packed within
25:06
verse 16.
25:07
All of the varied
25:08
ways that God
25:09
calls us
25:10
to love
25:11
and serve
25:12
one another.
25:13
So there's a teaching
25:14
of the truth
25:15
and there is
25:16
an implying
25:17
of the truth.
25:19
the congregation,
25:20
the church
25:21
as a whole,
25:22
is responsible
25:22
for discipling
25:24
and they are
25:25
responsible
25:25
for doctrine.
25:27
This is that
25:28
work of ministry,
25:30
building up
25:30
the body of Christ.
25:32
I have told you
25:33
that the congregation
25:33
has the authority
25:34
of command
25:36
or coercion
25:37
and I have told you
25:38
that God delegates
25:39
authority
25:40
and that it always
25:40
has limits
25:41
and is always
25:42
subservient
25:43
to the one
25:43
who delegated it.
25:45
So I want to
25:46
take you
25:47
to some other
25:48
text to show
25:48
you that the
25:50
two areas
25:50
that the congregation
25:51
holds authority
25:52
in are discipline
25:54
and doctrine.
25:55
Let's think a bit
25:56
together about
25:56
those two
25:57
and specifically
25:58
how we're meant
26:00
to carry them
26:01
out.
26:02
Now,
26:04
if you've ever
26:04
heard me talk
26:05
about ecclesiology
26:05
at all,
26:06
you've heard me
26:06
say this stuff,
26:07
but nonetheless,
26:08
let's be reminded
26:09
together.
26:10
So that first
26:11
responsibility
26:11
of discipling,
26:13
turn with me
26:14
to the book
26:14
of Matthew.
26:15
Let's start
26:15
in chapter 28
26:16
and verse 18.
26:22
Three verses
26:23
you may be
26:23
familiar with.
26:25
Make the point
26:26
clear for us.
26:27
And Jesus came
26:27
and said to them,
26:28
and I like that
26:29
the word authority
26:29
is here,
26:30
all authority
26:31
in heaven and on earth
26:32
has been given
26:33
to me.
26:34
Go therefore,
26:35
and he doesn't say
26:36
I'm granting you
26:36
authority to go,
26:37
but he is in fact
26:38
sending us
26:40
and we find
26:40
elsewhere that
26:41
there's an authority
26:42
that goes with us.
26:43
Go therefore
26:44
and make disciples
26:46
of all nations.
26:48
In all of your going,
26:50
be about this work
26:51
of teaching people
26:52
how they're to
26:53
follow me.
26:55
Baptizing them,
26:56
there we see the church
26:57
at work in the ordinance
26:57
of baptism in the name
26:59
of the Father
27:00
and of the Son
27:01
and of the Holy Spirit.
27:03
Teaching them
27:04
to observe
27:05
all that I have
27:06
commanded you,
27:07
to know it
27:08
and to live it
27:09
and behold,
27:11
I'm with you
27:12
always
27:12
to the end
27:13
of the age.
27:15
So at the very outset
27:16
we can see
27:17
that the authority
27:18
that we have
27:19
has been granted
27:19
to us
27:20
and it
27:21
accompanies
27:22
us.
27:24
Jesus' power
27:25
goes with
27:26
us
27:26
when we go about
27:27
this work
27:28
of discipling.
27:29
But there's a way
27:30
that we are to go
27:31
about this
27:32
work.
27:34
There's a process
27:35
by which we are
27:36
to teach people
27:37
how to follow
27:39
Christ.
27:40
And I will say
27:40
to you
27:40
that this happens
27:41
most readily
27:42
in the life
27:43
of a local
27:44
congregation.
27:46
I got in a
27:48
friendly conversation
27:49
with one of our
27:51
campus ministry
27:52
directors
27:53
and what I was
27:55
trying to say
27:56
to him
27:56
was he was
27:57
stepping out of bounds
28:00
for what a campus
28:00
minister can really
28:02
accomplish.
28:03
And I was saying
28:03
this as a kindness
28:04
to him.
28:04
He was overwhelmed
28:05
with the work
28:06
that he had
28:06
on his plate.
28:07
He had way
28:08
too much
28:09
going on.
28:10
So I was trying
28:11
to get him
28:12
to dial back
28:13
how much
28:14
he felt like
28:15
he needed
28:15
to disciple
28:16
college students.
28:18
And I was making
28:18
the case to him
28:19
you need to help
28:20
them be involved
28:21
in a local church.
28:22
This would be
28:22
the best thing
28:23
for those young
28:25
people.
28:27
And he just
28:27
didn't seem
28:28
to quite get it.
28:30
And so I made
28:30
the case to him
28:31
I said I'm not
28:31
saying that I
28:32
personally
28:33
can be a more
28:34
effective minister
28:35
of the gospel
28:36
than you can be
28:37
a minister
28:37
of the gospel.
28:39
In fact this
28:39
man had much
28:40
more training
28:41
than I do.
28:44
But I said
28:45
there's no
28:47
authority given
28:48
to the campus
28:50
ministry
28:50
to disciple
28:51
young people.
28:53
The church
28:54
has that
28:54
authority
28:55
to correct
28:57
the sin
28:57
in young people's
28:59
lives.
29:00
and his
29:02
response to me
29:02
which was
29:03
just heartbreaking
29:03
a Southern
29:07
Baptist
29:07
Seminary
29:08
educated
29:08
young man
29:10
said well
29:11
you're going
29:12
to tend
29:12
to disciple
29:13
with discipline.
29:16
Yep
29:16
those words
29:17
are the same.
29:19
He said
29:20
we're going
29:20
to tend
29:21
to disciple
29:21
with grace.
29:24
And it was
29:24
such a shocking
29:25
statement to me
29:26
that I just
29:26
kind of crumbled
29:27
inside.
29:27
I didn't even
29:27
know really
29:28
how to unpack
29:29
such a
29:30
statement.
29:31
And it was
29:31
just so clear
29:32
that he
29:33
misunderstood
29:33
who has
29:35
been granted
29:36
the authority
29:37
to teach
29:38
all that I've
29:40
commanded.
29:41
To help
29:41
these people
29:42
to observe
29:43
all of those
29:44
things.
29:46
So let me
29:46
show you this
29:47
further.
29:47
Back up a few
29:48
pages to
29:48
Matthew chapter
29:49
16.
29:51
I'll begin
29:51
reading in
29:51
verse 13.
29:58
Here we see
29:58
Jesus ask
29:59
a question.
30:00
Verse 13
30:00
says when
30:01
Jesus came
30:01
into the
30:01
district of
30:02
Caesarea
30:03
Philippi he
30:04
asked his
30:04
disciples who
30:06
do people
30:06
say that
30:07
the son of
30:08
man is?
30:10
And they
30:10
said some
30:11
say John
30:11
the Baptist
30:12
others say
30:12
Elijah and
30:13
others Jeremiah
30:14
or one of
30:14
the prophets.
30:15
He said to
30:15
them but who
30:16
do you say
30:17
that I am?
30:20
Simon Peter
30:20
replied you
30:22
are the
30:22
Christ the
30:23
son of the
30:24
living God.
30:25
Jesus answered
30:26
him blessed
30:26
are you Simon
30:27
Barjona for
30:28
flesh and
30:28
blood has
30:29
not revealed
30:29
this to
30:30
you but
30:30
my father
30:30
who is in
30:32
heaven.
30:32
And I tell
30:33
you you are
30:33
Peter and
30:34
on this rock
30:35
he's playing
30:35
with the
30:36
meaning of
30:36
the word
30:37
Peter but
30:37
I think he's
30:37
referring to
30:38
the thing
30:38
that Peter
30:39
has proclaimed
30:40
that he's
30:40
the Christ.
30:42
I will
30:42
build my
30:43
church and
30:44
the gates
30:44
of hell
30:45
shall not
30:46
prevail against
30:47
it.
30:48
You're probably
30:48
familiar with
30:49
that text but
30:50
what does
30:50
verse 19
30:51
say?
30:51
Something
30:52
curious.
30:53
He says I
30:54
will give
30:54
you the keys
30:55
of the kingdom
30:56
of heaven
30:57
and whatever
30:58
you bind on
30:58
earth shall
30:58
be bound
30:59
in heaven
30:59
and whatever
31:00
you loose
31:00
on earth
31:01
shall be
31:01
loosed in
31:02
heaven.
31:02
So there's
31:03
that tool
31:03
that I
31:03
mentioned
31:04
previously
31:04
that's given
31:05
to the
31:05
church and
31:06
I'm arguing
31:07
that that's
31:07
the church
31:08
as a whole
31:08
as a
31:09
congregation
31:09
is given
31:10
these keys
31:12
and we're
31:12
meant to be
31:13
doing a
31:13
work of
31:14
binding and
31:15
a work of
31:16
loosing.
31:19
But it
31:19
doesn't seem
31:20
to explain
31:20
what that is
31:21
in Matthew
31:22
chapter 16.
31:23
And because
31:25
we often
31:25
read the
31:25
Bible far
31:26
too piecemeal
31:27
we are just
31:28
left shrugging
31:28
our shoulders.
31:29
What in the
31:29
world is he
31:29
talking about?
31:30
Keys?
31:31
Binding?
31:31
Loosing?
31:32
What?
31:33
Well, a few
31:34
short chapters
31:35
later in
31:36
Matthew
31:36
chapter 18
31:37
we learn
31:37
exactly what
31:38
he's talking
31:39
about.
31:39
So turn
31:40
there.
31:40
Matthew
31:40
18.
31:41
I'll begin
31:41
reading in
31:42
verse 15.
31:43
Before I
31:49
read this I
31:49
want to say
31:50
this is a
31:51
picture of
31:51
discipling work
31:52
in the
31:53
church.
31:53
I sometimes
31:54
get tired of
31:56
people using
31:57
this just to
31:57
refer to what
31:58
they would say
31:59
church discipline
31:59
and that is to
32:00
put somebody out
32:01
of the church.
32:02
This is more
32:02
than that.
32:03
So hear it
32:04
with me.
32:06
Beginning
32:06
verse 15.
32:06
If your
32:07
brother sins
32:07
against you
32:08
go and tell
32:09
him it's
32:10
fault between
32:10
you and him
32:11
alone.
32:11
If he
32:11
listens to
32:12
you you have
32:13
gained your
32:14
brother.
32:15
He's saying
32:16
if somebody
32:17
who professes
32:17
to be a
32:18
Christian is
32:19
acting in a
32:20
way that is
32:20
contrary to
32:22
that confession
32:23
go and tell
32:24
them.
32:25
Help them to
32:26
see it.
32:27
And if he
32:28
hears you if
32:29
he heeds what
32:29
you're saying
32:30
which would
32:30
lead to
32:31
repentance and
32:32
faith you
32:34
have gained
32:34
your brother.
32:35
We have seen
32:36
that his
32:37
confession is
32:38
true.
32:39
That kind
32:40
of discipling
32:41
work happens
32:42
all the
32:44
time in
32:44
the life
32:45
of a
32:45
healthy
32:45
church.
32:46
It's
32:46
happening
32:47
constantly.
32:49
Verse 16.
32:52
But if he
32:52
does not
32:52
listen take
32:54
one or two
32:55
others along
32:55
with you that
32:56
every charge
32:57
may be
32:57
established by
32:58
the evidence
32:59
of two or
33:00
three witnesses.
33:02
You're taking
33:02
some further
33:03
opinion along.
33:05
We all see
33:06
this the very
33:07
same way.
33:08
Look at the
33:09
text.
33:09
It's very
33:10
clear that
33:11
you're living
33:12
in contradiction
33:13
to this
33:13
command.
33:15
You pile up
33:17
on him for
33:18
his good.
33:21
Verse 17.
33:22
If he refuses
33:22
to listen to
33:24
them tell it
33:26
to the church.
33:27
Here it is.
33:28
The congregation.
33:29
Those gathered.
33:30
And if he
33:30
refuses to
33:31
listen even
33:32
to the
33:33
church let
33:34
him be to
33:35
you as a
33:36
Gentile and
33:37
a tax collector.
33:38
an outsider.
33:39
So there's
33:40
four steps
33:40
going on here.
33:42
Repentance and
33:42
faith.
33:43
A possibility
33:43
at every step.
33:45
And cut up the
33:45
final one where
33:47
you say we
33:47
once thought you
33:48
were in Christ
33:49
but now as
33:49
far as we can
33:50
tell you no
33:51
longer are.
33:51
Your life does
33:52
not line up to
33:53
the profession
33:53
that you
33:55
make.
33:57
Now.
33:58
Verse 18.
34:00
Look at the
34:01
phrasing.
34:02
Truly I say
34:04
to you
34:04
whatever you
34:06
bind on earth
34:06
shall be bound
34:07
in heaven.
34:08
And whatever
34:09
you loose
34:09
on earth
34:10
shall be
34:11
loosed
34:12
in heaven.
34:14
So the
34:15
keys
34:16
to the
34:16
kingdom
34:17
are this
34:18
very careful
34:19
work we
34:19
do of
34:20
bringing people
34:21
into the
34:22
life of the
34:22
church.
34:23
The ordinance
34:23
that accompanies
34:24
that is
34:24
baptism.
34:26
Doing the
34:27
work of
34:27
correcting sin
34:28
in their
34:28
life that
34:29
their confession
34:30
and their
34:31
life lines
34:32
up together
34:32
in ever
34:33
increasing
34:33
ways.
34:35
things.
34:36
And in
34:36
some
34:36
tragic
34:37
cases
34:37
for the
34:38
good of
34:39
that
34:39
person
34:39
and the
34:40
witness
34:40
of the
34:40
church
34:41
seeing
34:42
them
34:42
out
34:42
of the
34:43
life
34:43
of the
34:43
church.
34:43
That
34:44
is the
34:44
keys
34:44
to the
34:46
kingdom.
34:47
This is the
34:47
discipling
34:48
work that
34:49
belongs to
34:50
the congregation
34:51
as a whole.
34:53
thing.
34:54
So when
34:55
somebody asks
34:55
me what I
34:55
say when
34:56
I mean
34:56
I'm a
34:56
congregationalist
34:57
pure
34:58
democracy
34:58
is not
34:58
what pops
34:59
into my
34:59
head.
35:00
Voting
35:00
on every
35:00
single
35:01
thing that
35:01
we are
35:01
going to
35:02
do as
35:02
a church.
35:03
This is
35:04
what I'm
35:04
thinking
35:04
about.
35:05
This
35:05
really
35:05
important
35:06
work of
35:08
helping
35:08
people
35:09
mature
35:09
in
35:10
Christ.
35:11
Making
35:11
sure that
35:12
their
35:12
confession
35:13
is a
35:13
true
35:14
confession.
35:14
That
35:14
they
35:14
would
35:15
be
35:15
preserved
35:16
to
35:17
the
35:17
end.
35:18
What
35:18
a
35:19
task.
35:21
I
35:21
began
35:22
talking
35:22
about
35:22
this
35:23
with
35:23
the
35:23
great
35:24
commission
35:24
because
35:24
I
35:25
wanted
35:25
you
35:25
to
35:25
be
35:25
reminded
35:26
that
35:26
Jesus
35:26
says
35:27
that
35:27
all
35:27
authority
35:27
belongs
35:28
to
35:28
him
35:28
and
35:28
he
35:29
is
35:29
with
35:29
us
35:29
because
35:30
this
35:30
is
35:31
a
35:31
big
35:32
task.
35:35
Join
35:35
me if
35:35
they're
35:36
like
35:36
I'm
35:36
going to
35:36
move
35:36
really
35:37
fast
35:37
so you
35:37
may
35:37
not
35:38
care
35:38
to
35:38
but
35:38
he
35:39
says
35:40
there
35:40
and
35:40
there's
35:40
been
35:41
some
35:42
rather
35:42
horrific
35:42
sexual
35:43
things
35:43
going
35:43
on
35:43
in
35:44
the
35:44
life
35:44
of
35:45
this
35:45
church
35:45
and
35:45
there
35:46
he
35:46
says
35:46
beginning
35:46
in
35:46
verse
35:47
three
35:47
for
35:47
though
35:47
absent
35:48
in
35:48
body
35:48
I
35:48
am
35:48
present
35:49
in
35:49
spirit
35:49
and
35:49
as
35:50
if
35:50
present
35:50
I
35:51
have
35:51
already
35:51
pronounced
35:52
judgment
35:52
on the
35:52
one
35:53
who
35:53
did
35:53
such
35:54
a
35:54
thing
35:54
when
35:55
you
35:55
are
35:55
assembled
35:56
in
35:56
the
35:56
name
35:56
of
35:56
the
35:56
Lord
35:56
Jesus
35:57
and
35:57
my
35:57
spirit
35:57
is
35:58
present
35:58
with
35:58
the
35:58
power
35:59
of
35:59
the
35:59
Lord
35:59
Jesus
35:59
you
36:00
are
36:00
to
36:00
deliver
36:01
this
36:01
man
36:01
to
36:01
Satan
36:02
for
36:02
the
36:02
destruction
36:02
of
36:03
the
36:03
flesh
36:04
so
36:04
that
36:04
his
36:05
spirit
36:05
may
36:05
be
36:05
saved
36:06
in
36:06
the
36:06
day
36:07
of
36:07
the
36:07
Lord
36:08
what
36:08
he's
36:08
communicating
36:09
is
36:09
that
36:09
you're
36:09
supposed
36:09
to
36:10
take
36:10
sin
36:10
so
36:10
seriously
36:11
that
36:11
when
36:11
a
36:12
person
36:12
lives
36:13
in
36:13
contradiction
36:13
to
36:13
their
36:13
confession
36:14
you
36:14
put
36:15
them
36:15
out
36:15
of
36:15
the
36:15
church
36:16
that
36:17
they
36:18
would
36:18
see
36:18
the
36:19
seriousness
36:19
of
36:20
their
36:20
sin
36:21
there's
36:21
the
36:21
hope
36:22
that
36:22
they
36:22
see
36:22
!
36:29
I
36:59
I
36:59
think
37:00
was
37:00
a
37:00
familial
37:01
thing
37:01
so
37:02
perhaps
37:03
you're
37:04
not
37:04
even
37:04
going
37:05
to
37:05
have
37:05
a
37:05
meal
37:05
with
37:06
this
37:06
person
37:06
because
37:06
you
37:07
want
37:07
to
37:07
be
37:07
so
37:07
clear
37:08
about
37:09
their
37:10
status
37:11
with
37:12
the
37:12
Lord
37:12
he
37:13
says
37:14
for
37:14
what
37:14
have
37:14
I
37:14
to
37:14
do
37:14
with
37:15
judging
37:15
outsiders
37:16
is it
37:16
not
37:16
those
37:16
inside
37:17
the
37:17
church
37:18
whom
37:18
you
37:19
are
37:19
to
37:20
judge
37:21
God
37:21
judges
37:22
those
37:22
outside
37:22
purge
37:23
the
37:24
evil
37:24
person
37:25
from
37:26
among
37:26
you
37:26
so
37:27
this
37:28
work
37:28
is
37:28
an
37:28
incredibly
37:29
important
37:30
work
37:31
for the
37:31
good
37:31
of the
37:32
individual
37:32
for the
37:33
witness
37:34
of the
37:34
church
37:34
and it
37:35
is a
37:35
responsibility
37:36
and an
37:37
authority
37:37
that belongs
37:38
to the
37:39
entire
37:39
congregation
37:41
so
37:42
what
37:43
happens
37:43
in my
37:43
previous
37:44
example
37:44
of a
37:45
college
37:46
student
37:46
who's
37:46
only
37:47
getting
37:47
any
37:48
spiritual
37:48
direction
37:49
from a
37:50
college
37:50
ministry
37:51
which
37:51
college
37:51
ministries
37:51
have
37:52
their
37:52
place
37:52
don't
37:52
hear me
37:53
say
37:53
they
37:53
don't
37:53
but
37:54
if
37:54
that's
37:54
the
37:54
only
37:54
place
37:55
it's
37:55
coming
37:55
from
37:55
everything
37:56
is
37:57
great
37:57
until
37:57
he
37:57
doesn't
37:58
like
37:58
something
37:58
that
37:59
he's
37:59
told
37:59
hey
38:00
man
38:01
you
38:01
can't
38:01
be
38:02
doing
38:02
that
38:02
with
38:02
your
38:03
girlfriend
38:03
and he
38:05
goes
38:05
I'll do
38:07
what I
38:07
want
38:07
there's
38:09
no
38:09
authority
38:10
granted
38:10
to
38:11
that
38:12
organization
38:12
to do
38:13
anything
38:13
to follow
38:15
up
38:15
but the
38:17
church
38:17
has
38:18
a response
38:19
to
38:20
unrepentant
38:21
sin
38:22
and this
38:22
is very
38:23
very good
38:24
for people
38:25
if
38:25
you
38:26
are
38:26
a
38:26
Christ
38:26
follower
38:26
you
38:27
ought
38:27
to
38:27
want
38:28
to
38:28
submit
38:28
yourself
38:29
to
38:29
that
38:29
kind
38:30
of
38:30
authority
38:30
I
38:31
need
38:32
it
38:32
in
38:32
my
38:32
life
38:33
I
38:33
am
38:33
blind
38:33
to
38:33
my
38:34
sin
38:34
sometimes
38:34
and I
38:35
need
38:35
to be
38:35
shown
38:35
it
38:36
and
38:37
I
38:37
hope
38:38
that I'm
38:38
a
38:39
first
38:39
step
38:39
discipline
38:40
kind
38:40
of
38:40
guy
38:41
I
38:41
want
38:41
to
38:41
just
38:41
live
38:42
in
38:42
verse
38:42
15
38:43
I
38:43
don't
38:43
want
38:43
to
38:43
go
38:43
any
38:44
place
38:44
else
38:44
beyond
38:44
that
38:45
when
38:46
I'm
38:46
the
38:46
person
38:46
being
38:47
corrected
38:47
I
38:55
in
38:55
the
38:55
life
38:55
of
38:56
our
38:57
church
38:57
but
38:59
if
38:59
I'm
38:59
not
38:59
willing
38:59
to
39:00
repent
39:00
oh
39:01
I
39:01
hope
39:01
because
39:02
sin
39:03
is
39:03
serious
39:03
and
39:04
I
39:04
want
39:04
to
39:04
persevere
39:05
to
39:06
the
39:06
end
39:06
I
39:06
want
39:07
this
39:07
good
39:08
authority
39:08
of the
39:09
congregation
39:09
for
39:11
me
39:11
so
39:12
back
39:13
in our
39:13
text
39:14
draw
39:14
your
39:14
mind
39:15
to
39:15
it
39:15
Ephesians
39:16
4
39:17
all
39:18
of
39:18
this
39:18
language
39:19
about
39:19
us
39:19
attaining
39:20
the
39:21
unity
39:21
of
39:21
the
39:21
faith
39:21
the
39:21
knowledge
39:22
of
39:22
the
39:22
mature
39:23
manhood
39:24
the
39:24
measure
39:24
of
39:25
the
39:25
stature
39:25
of
39:25
the
39:25
fullness
39:26
of
39:26
Christ
39:26
so
39:27
we're
39:27
no
39:27
longer
39:27
children
39:28
tossed
39:28
to
39:28
and
39:28
fro
39:29
by
39:29
every
39:29
wind
39:29
of
39:29
doctrine
39:30
by
39:30
every
39:30
human
39:31
cunning
39:31
and
39:31
deceitful
39:32
scheme
39:32
all of
39:33
this
39:33
stuff
39:33
this
39:33
is
39:33
that
39:34
careful
39:34
work
39:34
that
39:35
we're
39:35
doing
39:35
in
39:36
the
39:36
life
39:36
of
39:37
the
39:37
church
39:37
right
39:38
and
39:38
this
39:39
has
39:39
been
39:39
given
39:39
to
39:39
us
39:39
this
39:40
authority
39:40
because
39:42
God
39:43
loves
39:44
us
39:45
and
39:45
he
39:46
loves
39:46
the
39:47
purity
39:47
of
39:48
his
39:48
church
39:48
on
39:50
the
39:50
back
39:51
of
39:51
your
39:51
bulletin
39:51
is
39:51
a
39:51
quote
39:52
from
39:52
William
39:52
Gurnall
39:53
I'll
39:53
encourage
39:54
you to
39:55
look
39:55
him
39:55
up
39:55
he
39:57
said
39:57
God
39:57
would
39:57
not
39:57
rub
39:58
so
39:58
hard
39:58
if
39:58
it
39:59
were
39:59
not
39:59
to
39:59
fetch
40:00
out
40:00
the
40:00
dirt
40:01
that
40:01
is
40:01
ingrained
40:02
in
40:02
our
40:02
natures
40:03
God
40:04
loves
40:04
purity
40:04
so
40:05
well
40:05
that
40:06
he
40:06
would
40:06
rather
40:06
see
40:06
a
40:07
hole
40:07
than
40:08
a
40:08
spot
40:08
in
40:09
his
40:09
child's
40:10
garments
40:10
it's
40:11
not
40:12
always
40:12
easy
40:12
to
40:13
exercise
40:14
this
40:14
authority
40:14
or
40:14
to
40:15
submit
40:16
to
40:16
this
40:16
type
40:16
of
40:17
authority
40:18
but
40:18
if
40:18
it's
40:19
being
40:19
properly
40:20
exercised
40:21
it is
40:22
for
40:23
our
40:23
eternal
40:24
good
40:25
so
40:27
authority
40:28
what
40:29
follows
40:29
authority
40:30
for
40:30
discipline
40:30
what
40:31
follows
40:31
from
40:31
that
40:32
is
40:32
doctrine
40:33
right
40:34
if
40:34
we're
40:34
to
40:34
teach
40:35
people
40:35
all
40:35
that
40:36
Jesus
40:36
has
40:36
commanded
40:36
what
40:37
are
40:37
we
40:38
supposed
40:38
to
40:38
be
40:39
teaching
40:40
Galatians
40:41
chapter 1
40:42
verse 8
40:42
and 9
40:43
Paul said
40:43
this
40:43
but
40:44
even
40:44
if
40:44
we
40:44
or
40:45
an
40:45
angel
40:45
from
40:46
heaven
40:46
should
40:46
preach
40:47
to
40:47
you
40:47
a
40:47
gospel
40:48
contrary
40:48
to
40:49
the
40:49
one
40:49
we
40:49
preach
40:49
to
40:50
you
40:50
let
40:51
him
40:51
be
40:51
accursed
40:52
as
40:53
we
40:53
have
40:53
said
40:54
before
40:54
now
40:54
I
40:55
say
40:55
again
40:55
if
40:55
anyone
40:56
is
40:56
preaching
40:56
to
40:56
you
40:56
a
40:56
gospel
40:57
contrary
40:57
to
40:57
the
41:07
one
41:09
you
41:09
teaching
41:09
the
41:10
wrong
41:10
doctrine
41:11
needs
41:13
to
41:13
be
41:13
corrected
41:14
the
41:15
truth
41:15
must
41:16
be
41:16
preserved
41:17
and
41:18
it
41:18
must
41:18
be
41:19
defended
41:20
David
41:21
Gibson
41:22
in an
41:22
article
41:22
entitled
41:23
assumed
41:24
evangelicalism
41:25
some
41:26
reflections
41:27
in route
41:28
to denying
41:28
the
41:29
gospel
41:29
he
41:30
said
41:30
this
41:30
you
41:31
may
41:32
have
41:32
heard
41:32
the
41:32
story
41:32
of
41:33
the
41:33
Mennonite
41:33
brethren
41:33
movement
41:34
one
41:35
particular
41:35
analysis
41:36
goes
41:36
like
41:37
this
41:37
the
41:38
first
41:38
generation
41:39
believed
41:40
and
41:40
proclaimed
41:41
the
41:41
gospel
41:41
and
41:43
thought
41:43
that
41:43
they
41:43
were
41:44
certain
41:46
social
41:47
entailments
41:48
conclusions
41:50
the
41:51
next
41:51
generation
41:51
assumed
41:52
the
41:52
gospel
41:52
and
41:53
advocated
41:54
the
41:54
entailments
41:55
the
41:56
third
41:56
generation
41:57
denied
41:58
the
41:58
gospel
41:58
and
41:59
all
41:59
that
41:59
were
42:00
left
42:00
were
42:01
the
42:01
entailments
42:02
so
42:03
preached
42:04
it
42:05
assumed
42:06
it
42:06
forgot
42:08
it
42:08
we
42:10
have
42:10
to be
42:10
so
42:10
careful
42:11
not
42:11
to
42:12
do
42:12
this
42:13
very
42:13
thing
42:14
and
42:15
this
42:15
is
42:15
a
42:15
congregational
42:17
responsibility
42:18
this
42:19
includes
42:20
elders
42:20
giving
42:21
leadership
42:21
to
42:21
it
42:21
but
42:22
it
42:22
also
42:22
includes
42:23
you
42:24
it
42:25
it
42:25
it
42:26
is
42:26
always
42:26
a
42:26
shuddering
42:27
thing
42:27
to
42:28
read
42:28
Acts
42:29
chapter
42:29
20
42:29
verse
42:29
28
42:30
through
42:30
30
42:30
where
42:30
Paul
42:31
saying
42:31
his
42:31
farewell
42:32
to
42:33
the
42:33
Ephesian
42:34
elders
42:34
and
42:35
he
42:35
says
42:35
pay
42:36
careful
42:36
attention
42:36
to
42:37
yourselves
42:37
and
42:38
to
42:39
all
42:39
the
42:39
flock
42:39
in
42:39
which
42:39
the
42:40
Holy
42:40
Spirit
42:40
has
42:40
made
42:40
you
42:41
overseers
42:41
to
42:41
care
42:42
for
42:42
the
42:42
church
42:42
of
42:42
God
42:43
which
42:43
he
42:43
obtained
42:44
!
42:44
with
42:45
his
42:45
own
42:45
blood
42:45
I
42:45
read
42:46
that
42:46
text
42:46
to
42:46
you
42:46
last
42:47
week
42:48
and
42:48
he
42:48
says
42:48
this
42:49
I
42:49
know
42:50
that
42:50
after
42:50
my
42:50
departure
42:51
fierce
42:51
wolves
42:52
will
42:52
come
42:52
in
42:52
among
42:53
you
42:53
not
42:53
sparing
42:55
the
42:55
flock
42:56
so
42:56
there's
42:56
a
42:56
there's
42:56
a
42:56
defense
42:57
thing
42:57
happening
42:57
that
42:58
that
42:58
that
42:58
untrue
43:00
things
43:00
are
43:00
going
43:00
to
43:00
come
43:00
in
43:01
from
43:01
the
43:01
outside
43:01
and
43:02
then
43:02
he
43:02
says
43:02
in
43:02
verse
43:02
30
43:03
and
43:03
for
43:03
among
43:04
your
43:04
own
43:05
selves
43:06
will
43:06
rise
43:07
men
43:07
speaking
43:08
twisted
43:09
things
43:09
to
43:09
draw
43:10
away
43:10
the
43:11
disciples
43:12
after
43:13
them
43:13
so
43:14
all
43:14
of
43:14
us
43:14
every
43:15
one
43:15
of
43:15
us
43:16
needs
43:16
to
43:16
be
43:16
vigilant
43:17
in
43:18
protecting
43:19
doctrine
43:20
Jude
43:22
writes
43:22
in
43:22
verse
43:23
3
43:23
and
43:23
4
43:24
of
43:24
his
43:24
lever
43:24
beloved
43:25
although
43:25
I
43:25
was
43:25
very
43:25
eager
43:26
to
43:26
write
43:26
to
43:26
you
43:26
about
43:26
our
43:26
common
43:27
salvation
43:27
I
43:27
found
43:28
it
43:28
necessary
43:28
to
43:29
write
43:29
appealing
43:29
to
43:29
you
43:30
to
43:30
contend
43:31
for
43:31
the
43:31
faith
43:32
that
43:32
was
43:32
once
43:33
for
43:33
all
43:33
delivered
43:34
to
43:34
the
43:34
saints
43:35
for
43:36
certain
43:36
people
43:37
have
43:37
crept
43:37
in
43:37
unnoticed
43:38
who
43:38
long
43:39
ago
43:39
were
43:39
designated
43:40
for
43:40
this
43:40
condemnation
43:41
ungodly
43:42
people
43:42
who
43:43
pervert
43:43
the grace
43:44
of our
43:44
God
43:44
into
43:45
sensuality
43:45
and deny
43:46
our only
43:47
master
43:48
and Lord
43:48
Jesus
43:49
Christ
43:50
so you
43:52
see
43:52
people
43:53
coming in
43:53
not
43:54
living
43:54
consistent
43:56
with their
43:57
confession
43:57
and
43:58
changing
43:59
that
44:00
confession
44:00
all
44:01
together
44:02
so we
44:03
are to
44:04
protect
44:05
preserve
44:06
defend
44:07
the truth
44:08
all of
44:09
us
44:09
to do
44:10
this
44:11
work
44:11
in
44:13
what
44:13
measure
44:13
what
44:14
doctrines
44:15
must
44:15
we
44:15
defend
44:16
what
44:16
convictions
44:17
do
44:18
we
44:18
contend
44:19
for
44:19
we
44:20
certainly
44:20
don't
44:20
want
44:20
to
44:21
come
44:21
together
44:21
and
44:21
do
44:21
this
44:21
work
44:22
and
44:22
try
44:22
to
44:22
work
44:23
out
44:23
every
44:23
little
44:24
tiny
44:24
particular
44:25
oh
44:26
what a
44:27
mess
44:27
that
44:28
might
44:28
be
44:29
and
44:30
here's
44:30
where
44:30
and I'll
44:31
spare you
44:31
today
44:31
because I'm
44:32
noticing
44:32
the time
44:32
present to
44:33
you the
44:34
idea of
44:34
theological
44:35
triage
44:35
if you've
44:35
been
44:36
around
44:36
you've
44:36
heard me
44:37
talk
44:37
about
44:37
this
44:37
before
44:38
if you've
44:39
not
44:40
I've
44:40
got
44:41
time
44:41
after
44:42
we're
44:42
done
44:42
I'd
44:42
be
44:42
happy
44:42
to
44:43
share
44:43
it
44:43
with
44:44
you
44:44
but
44:45
what
44:45
I
44:45
think
44:46
we
44:47
need
44:47
to
44:47
be
44:48
applying
44:48
from
44:48
this
44:48
idea
44:49
of
44:49
theological
44:49
triage
44:50
is
44:50
really
44:51
defending
44:51
those
44:52
doctrines
44:52
that are
44:52
necessary
44:53
for
44:53
salvation
44:54
an example
44:55
justification
44:56
by grace
44:57
alone
44:57
through
44:57
faith
44:57
alone
44:58
in
44:58
Christ
44:58
alone
44:59
pride
45:00
out
45:00
of
45:00
my
45:00
dead
45:00
hands
45:01
this
45:01
is
45:01
the
45:01
hill
45:02
that
45:02
I
45:02
will
45:02
die
45:03
on
45:03
as
45:03
a
45:03
congregation
45:04
we
45:04
need
45:04
to
45:04
stand
45:04
on
45:05
that
45:05
hill
45:05
together
45:06
and
45:07
that
45:07
is
45:07
a
45:07
doctrine
45:08
that's
45:08
being
45:08
destroyed
45:09
around
45:09
us
45:09
this
45:09
morning
45:10
all over
45:11
the place
45:11
this morning
45:12
in churches
45:12
it's being
45:13
destroyed
45:13
justification
45:14
by grace
45:15
alone
45:15
through
45:16
faith
45:16
alone
45:16
in
45:17
Christ
45:18
alone
45:18
that
45:18
people
45:19
would
45:19
be
45:19
saved
45:21
as
45:21
an
45:22
example
45:22
also
45:24
secondary
45:24
doctrines
45:25
those
45:25
things
45:25
that we
45:25
believe
45:26
that we
45:26
should
45:26
agree
45:27
upon
45:27
to
45:27
fellowship
45:28
as a
45:29
local
45:29
congregation
45:30
what
45:30
will
45:31
we
45:31
call
45:32
sin
45:33
and
45:33
not
45:34
call
45:35
sin
45:35
and
45:35
there's
45:36
a
45:36
number
45:36
of
45:36
complicated
45:37
matters
45:37
to
45:37
think
45:38
about
45:38
the
45:39
simplest
45:39
example
45:40
is
45:40
baptism
45:41
how do
45:41
we
45:41
practice
45:42
such a
45:43
thing
45:43
more
45:44
complicated
45:44
ones
45:45
what do
45:45
we
45:45
think
45:46
about
45:46
divorce
45:47
and
45:48
remarriage
45:49
And we
45:50
have to
45:50
be careful
45:50
about that
45:51
right?
45:51
Because
45:51
we
45:52
collectively
45:53
may have
45:54
to approach
45:55
somebody
45:55
that we
45:55
think
45:55
is
45:56
sinning
45:57
and we
45:57
don't
45:57
want to
45:57
be
45:57
split
45:58
down
45:58
the
45:58
middle
45:59
about
46:00
what we
46:00
think
46:00
about
46:00
this
46:01
what a
46:01
difficult
46:01
thing
46:02
to disciple
46:03
somebody
46:03
if we're
46:04
all on
46:04
a
46:04
different
46:05
page
46:05
on such
46:07
an
46:07
issue
46:07
So those
46:08
types
46:09
of things
46:10
are
46:10
gathered
46:11
into
46:12
what are
46:12
most often
46:13
called
46:14
confessions
46:15
statements
46:16
of faith
46:16
creeds
46:17
etc
46:18
We
46:19
are
46:19
confessional
46:20
people
46:22
Now
46:22
if somebody
46:22
ever asks
46:23
you if
46:23
your church
46:23
is confessional
46:24
you should
46:25
ask them
46:25
what they
46:25
mean
46:25
by that
46:26
But
46:27
we are
46:28
in fact
46:28
confessional
46:29
because we
46:30
believe
46:30
that it is
46:31
important to
46:32
make truth
46:32
claims
46:33
concerning
46:34
what the
46:34
Bible
46:35
teaches
46:35
on any
46:36
particular
46:37
topic
46:38
You have
46:39
to make
46:39
truth
46:40
claims
46:40
Some
46:41
people will
46:42
say
46:42
things like
46:43
no creed
46:44
but Christ
46:45
which I
46:46
think is
46:46
funny
46:47
because that
46:47
itself
46:47
is a
46:48
creed
46:48
That's a
46:50
statement
46:51
of truth
46:51
We think
46:53
it's
46:53
important
46:53
to say
46:53
what does
46:54
the Bible
46:54
teach
46:55
on
46:55
particular
46:56
things
46:57
Our
46:58
congregational
46:59
recitations
47:00
on Sunday
47:00
morning
47:00
are an
47:01
expression
47:01
of
47:02
this
47:03
belief
47:03
We
47:04
call
47:05
and
47:05
respond
47:05
through
47:05
historic
47:06
confessions
47:07
and
47:07
catechisms
47:07
that we
47:08
are in
47:09
agreement
47:09
with
47:09
and
47:10
currently
47:11
we're
47:11
reciting
47:12
our
47:12
own
47:13
current
47:13
statement
47:14
of
47:15
faith
47:15
Wonderful
47:16
thing
47:17
What
47:17
do we
47:18
believe
47:18
about
47:19
such
47:20
and
47:20
such
47:20
Now
47:21
some
47:22
of
47:22
you
47:22
know
47:22
and
47:22
many
47:23
of
47:23
you
47:23
don't
47:23
right
47:24
now
47:24
your
47:24
elders
47:25
are
47:25
working
47:25
on
47:25
a
47:26
more
47:26
robust
47:27
statement
47:27
of
47:28
faith
47:28
because
47:28
we
47:28
think
47:29
it's
47:29
going
47:29
to
47:29
be
47:29
important
47:29
for
47:30
us
47:30
to
47:30
more
47:31
clearly
47:31
define
47:32
what
47:32
we
47:32
think
47:32
the
47:32
Bible
47:33
teaches
47:33
on
47:34
a
47:34
number
47:34
of
47:35
topics
47:36
as
47:37
this
47:38
age
47:38
continues
47:39
to
47:39
get
47:39
harder
47:40
And
47:40
harder!
47:41
And
47:41
guess
47:41
what?
47:42
You
47:43
get
47:43
to
47:43
be
47:43
involved
47:44
in
47:44
that
47:44
whole
47:44
process
47:45
But
47:46
in
47:46
our
47:47
elder
47:47
led
47:47
congregationalism
47:48
we're
47:49
giving
47:49
leadership
47:50
to it
47:50
We're
47:51
working
47:51
hard
47:52
to
47:52
start
47:52
with
47:53
a
47:53
historic
47:53
document
47:53
we're
47:54
working
47:54
hard
47:54
to
47:55
make
47:55
what
47:55
we
47:55
believe
47:55
are
47:55
appropriate
47:56
changes
47:56
to that
47:56
document
47:57
We're
47:58
going
47:58
to
47:58
bring
47:58
it
47:59
to
47:59
you
48:00
and
48:00
ask
48:00
you
48:00
to
48:01
pour
48:01
over
48:01
it
48:01
and
48:01
ask
48:02
questions
48:02
and
48:02
come
48:03
back
48:03
and
48:03
it
48:05
could
48:05
be
48:05
terrible
48:05
but
48:07
I
48:07
also
48:07
want
48:07
to
48:07
suggest
48:07
it
48:07
could
48:08
be
48:08
a
48:08
joy
48:08
that
48:09
we
48:09
would
48:09
open
48:09
the
48:09
word
48:10
together
48:10
and
48:10
see
48:11
what
48:11
God
48:12
has
48:12
!
48:12
So
48:14
these
48:14
two
48:14
areas
48:15
are
48:22
together
48:22
is
48:23
for
48:24
discipling
48:25
and
48:26
for
48:26
doctrine
48:27
So
48:28
what does
48:29
that look
48:29
like
48:29
in action?
48:31
You see
48:32
it all
48:32
the time
48:32
Sermons
48:34
preached
48:34
classes
48:35
taught
48:35
Discipling
48:37
relationships
48:37
where the
48:38
Bible
48:38
is read
48:38
and studied
48:39
and applied
48:40
Earnest
48:41
prayer
48:42
for one
48:42
another
48:43
Burdens
48:44
born
48:45
Weeping
48:46
together
48:47
Rejoicing
48:47
together
48:49
Food
48:50
provided
48:51
Sin
48:52
confronted
48:53
and
48:53
corrected
48:53
Discipline
48:55
processes
48:56
carried
48:56
out
48:56
and
48:57
sadly
48:57
from
48:58
time
48:58
to
48:58
time
48:58
to
48:59
their
48:59
very
49:00
end
49:00
Evangelism
49:02
and
49:02
missions
49:03
Welcoming
49:04
new
49:05
members
49:05
through
49:05
the
49:06
ordinance
49:06
of
49:06
baptism
49:07
Celebrating
49:07
the
49:08
Lord's
49:08
Supper
49:08
together
49:09
each
49:10
Lord's
49:11
Day
49:11
Confessionalism
49:13
and all
49:13
that it
49:13
entails
49:14
doing
49:14
the
49:14
exercise
49:14
of
49:15
careful
49:16
theological
49:16
triage
49:17
in the
49:17
life
49:18
of our
49:19
church
49:19
I
49:19
could
49:19
go
49:20
on
49:21
but
49:21
note
49:22
that
49:23
you
49:23
the
49:24
congregation
49:24
the
49:24
church
49:25
as a
49:25
whole
49:26
have a
49:27
profound
49:28
and
49:28
precious
49:29
responsibility
49:30
and what
49:31
I want
49:31
you to
49:32
hear
49:32
is
49:33
be
49:34
freed
49:34
to do
49:35
this
49:36
this
49:37
most
49:38
important
49:38
work
49:38
for the
49:39
good
49:39
of our
49:39
people
49:39
and for
49:40
the
49:40
witness
49:40
of the
49:41
gospel
49:42
to the
49:42
glory
49:42
of our
49:44
great
49:44
God
49:45
don't
49:45
get
49:46
distracted
49:47
by the
49:48
minutia
49:48
it's
49:49
not
49:49
the
49:50
most
49:50
important
49:50
thing
49:51
we
49:52
as
49:52
your
49:53
elders
49:53
want
49:53
to
49:54
lead
49:54
you
49:54
by
49:54
equipping
49:55
you
49:55
for
49:55
the
49:55
work
49:56
of
49:57
ministry
49:57
the
49:57
building
49:58
up
49:58
the
49:58
body
49:59
of
49:59
Christ
50:00
and
50:00
we
50:00
want
50:00
to
50:00
free
50:01
you
50:01
to
50:02
do
50:02
that
50:02
and
50:03
to
50:03
do
50:03
it
50:04
well
50:04
to
50:05
the
50:05
glory
50:05
of
50:05
our
50:05
God
50:05
let's
50:06
pray
50:06
together