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Romans 15:1-3 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Let's go ahead and pray before we start here.
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Jesus, we just are here to do exactly what the song just said.
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! We're here to worship you. We're here to praise you.
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We're here to make much of you. We're here to understand more of your word
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and thereby be able to glorify you more in our life.
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We just ask for help to do that.
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And we ask for your word to go forth in truth, Lord.
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And you said that you're going to have worshipers that worship you in spirit and in truth.
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Lord, I pray that the songs we sing would just aliven our spirits
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and just get us, Lord, in tune with just the Holy Spirit today
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and just listening and attentive and just able to focus.
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And I pray that, Lord, these words would enable us to worship in truth.
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And, God, we would leave this place truly honoring and glorifying you
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more and more this upcoming week in our life
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and more ready to do that
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and to just take on whatever might be ahead of each of us.
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We love you so very much.
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And I'm so very grateful for this opportunity.
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And I pray this would be done in your name. Amen.
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So, I've always kind of been a fan of the abnormal.
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Abnormal people, for sure.
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And so, a couple years ago, I actually watched this movie called Rain Man.
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Probably some of you guys have seen it.
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It's about this idiot savant who has this amazing ability to basically count.
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And just for mathematics, and he just remembers numbers.
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So, his brother in the movie, Tom Cruise, actually uses him to go count cards in Vegas.
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And that's the non-godly aspect of the movie.
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But it kind of got me interested.
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And so, I actually went and looked up who this movie was based on.
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And there's this guy, a real guy named Kim Peek, who literally is an idiot savant
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and remembers 98% of everything he's ever read or seen.
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So, he could quote to you any verse of the Bible on point.
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He can tell you every single county and every single state, every single area code.
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He memorized the Encyclopedia Britannica at the age of three.
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He, he's just, it's an amazing, amazing mind that this guy has.
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It's fascinating to me.
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There's another idiot savant that I actually looked up.
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And this guy, he has, his skill is kind of in numbers as well, but also in languages.
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And so, for, and he has, he has more of like the ability to communicate.
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Like the, the, the Kim Peek guy can't really, he can't communicate hardly at all.
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But this other guy, he has more of the, more of an ability to communicate.
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So, he actually, in order to raise awareness for autism and for this idiot savant syndrome,
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he memorized the mathematical constant pi, right, 3.14 or whatever.
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He memorized that to the 25,000th place and quoted it back in five and one half hours perfectly.
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I mean, it's just amazing, right?
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I mean, just incredible how the, how the, that kind of a brain works.
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So, how is that relevant, right?
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I'm going to, I'm not going to twist that into the sermon.
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I mean, the Apostle Paul wasn't an idiot savant, but he was abnormally intelligent.
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Okay?
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He was abnormally intelligent as a thinker.
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And his mind worked on a lot of different levels.
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Levels that you and I probably can't really grasp or get to.
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He himself, in fact, in his defense of his apostleship to the Corinthians,
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said, even if I'm unskilled in speech, he's like, I'm not a great orator.
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I can't really speak well.
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Even if I'm unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge.
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He was brilliant, right?
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And God used that brilliance of Paul to write 13 of the deepest, most inexhaustible books of the Bible.
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13 letters, really.
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And Peter, in fact, no doubt, having recently read through the Paul's letter to the Romans,
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which is what we're in today,
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in 2 Peter 3, he says this,
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regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation.
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It's the patience of God that leads us to salvation, he says.
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Just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you.
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As also in all his letters, speaking in them these things.
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And then he says, in which are some things difficult to understand.
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Right?
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So Peter himself is like, I mean, Paul's pretty deep.
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He's like, I've had trouble myself understanding.
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I've had to reread him myself, you know?
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So there's an element of Paul in his writing that we're not supposed to necessarily grasp at first glance.
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And he's doing things with his intelligence in his writing that's meant to really kind of strike us at different levels.
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So why is it important for us to understand why Paul is smart?
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Okay?
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Because smart people who are good teachers, and Paul was a great teacher,
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they tend to possess this one similar trait that I think I found.
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They drive home their points, not by stating and then restating the same thing over and over and over and over and over.
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It just gets repetitious.
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What really intelligent speakers and teachers do is they drive home their point by using synonyms.
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By using different ways of saying the same thing.
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Right?
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That's what they do.
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And so, for instance, let me just give you an example.
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So, John Piper listened to this sermon.
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Actually, it was a radio broadcast a couple years ago.
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And he was kind of answering this secular radio personality's questions about Katrina.
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And she came to the interview with John Piper basically just wanting to ask one question.
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And she asked the same question repetitively throughout the entire time that they're talking.
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It was like 45 minutes.
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And she basically just says, how can bad things happen to good people?
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Right?
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And so, John Piper, the thing that was so cool about it, is that when he responds, he essentially says the same thing every single time, which is, nobody's good but God.
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He essentially says that same basic principle over and over and over, but he says it in like nine different ways.
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And so, at the end of the interview, like the radio personality is like, this was the best interview of all the people that we've talked to from different religions and different sects, whatever it might be.
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Like, you have really kind of communicated the most clearly.
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And again, it was just because he was saying the same thing, very simple truth, just through one or two or three or four or five, in his case, like nine different ways.
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It was brilliant.
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And so, Paul does this all the time.
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He kind of, in a sense, what Piper did, so, was he takes the listener and he kind of convinces you that you're receiving something fresh.
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You're receiving something new.
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But really, it's the same truth, just redressed.
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And that's what Paul is doing in our text today.
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He's taking the same thing he's been saying, that he always says, and as I begin to kind of cross-reference the passage today,
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it's amazing how often you see him communicating the same exact truth.
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But he's just redressing it in a new way, in a fresh way.
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So, that's what we're going to look at this morning.
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And really, this is kind of what I wanted to say.
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Well, let's read our passage first, I guess.
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So, go to Romans 15 for me.
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This is, I was supposed to do one through six, but Nathan does not yet know I'm only doing one through three.
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So, we're not going to make it that far today.
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So, Romans 15, this is verse one through three.
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It says this,
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So, when I first started reading this passage, I really had a difficult time understanding what I was supposed to say,
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or how I was supposed to basically draw to this text something that's really not there, just at face value.
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Because it seems pretty simple to me.
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Just, obviously, submit yourself to other people's consciences, other people's, you know, give preference to them, that kind of thing.
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But really, the main theme that he's trying to basically drive home, through not just this section of Scripture,
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but through the last three chapters, is this idea of unification, of unity in the body of Christ.
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And it is a pervasive theme in Scripture.
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It's all over the Scripture.
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This unity idea.
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And it's literally, and I just want to say this at the beginning,
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I think it's the greatest weapon that we have,
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as a body of Christ,
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trying to bring the kingdom of God to bear on this earth.
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Our unity, our oneness, our togetherness,
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on the things that we do,
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is so strengthening.
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Think about a family, right?
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We have some great families in here that are good examples of this.
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If you have a strong family, right?
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You have a husband and a wife that are together.
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You have children that respect and love their parents.
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You have parents that love and respect and honor and serve their children.
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Then you have this unit that really is, I mean, it's almost unbreakable.
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It's so, it's impenetrable in so many ways.
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And so that's exactly kind of the idea that I think Paul,
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and of course God, and through Christ,
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and through the words that God's inspiring Paul to write here,
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is trying to communicate, is we have got to be unified.
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We've got to be unified.
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Okay?
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God is greatly concerned with the unity of His people.
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One author said it this way.
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By salvation, He has effected a real spiritual oneness.
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He has created a commonness based on sharing the same eternal life, right?
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It's common to all of us.
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This reality of conversion should impact the life of the church
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by being the impetus for practical unity.
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It's interesting because I didn't know what the word impetus meant either.
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So I was like, I went and looked it up.
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And the definition of impetus literally in the dictionary says,
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the force or energy with which a body moves.
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That's what it means, right?
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So the conversion, our like-minded conversion, our oneness, right?
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And the idea that we're joined together in Christ
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is really meant to kind of drive us on
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and to energize us in our spiritual life together as a body.
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And I think that's, again, what He's really trying to kind of,
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He's using all these different ways of saying
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and getting to the point of we've got to be unified
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through the last three chapters.
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We're going to try to kind of cover some of that
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and make sense of it here.
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We are together.
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The body of Christ,
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we are propelled forward in life and in our mission
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by a common force.
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That is, by our union with Christ.
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And it's our union with Christ
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that gives us union with one another.
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That's what we have in common.
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It's Christ.
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That's the common denominator.
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And just like, kind of like two siblings, right?
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Who are different in every single way
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and yet they love one another
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because they have the same blood,
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they have the same name,
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they come from the same home, right?
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There's just a certain union and bond
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that comes from being family.
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That's the same exact thing here.
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We've been ushered into the same bloodline as Christ.
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And so therefore we have to begin acting out
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our faith in that same way, together,
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instead of separate.
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This is really, and let me just say this as well,
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this is really an idea
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that a lot of American Christians especially
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don't really identify with
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because there's so much emphasis put
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in our place in our society on individualism,
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on being your own person,
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your own man, your own woman,
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having your own relationship,
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whatever it might be.
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There's not a lot of,
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like in this time,
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like this day and age,
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in the first century,
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there was a ton of emphasis put on family
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because if you didn't have,
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if you weren't working together as a unit,
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as a family,
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you really were,
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I mean, you know,
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probably very poor,
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probably, you know,
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again, not really making ends meet,
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whatever it might be.
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So there was so much emphasis
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put on that familial tie.
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And that's where he, I think,
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is really communicating well
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to these early Christians
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and we need to be mindful of that as well.
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So really, I think,
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the underlying theme throughout Scripture
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as a whole is unity.
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Okay?
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This is the,
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like I know that we're conditioned
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to think it's redemption
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and it is redemption,
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but I think unity kind of is a synonym
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in this case.
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Think about it, right?
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Our first and foremost,
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our unity with God
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through Christ or redemption.
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And then secondly,
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our unity with others,
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which is the second, right,
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and the greatest commandment.
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Loving God with all our heart,
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soul, mind, and strength
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and loving our neighbor as ourself.
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So those are kind of the two unifying themes
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of the entire Scripture.
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It's gigantic.
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So I'm just going to read you guys
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some Scriptures here.
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Take notes if you want.
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I'm just going to read them off.
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These are just some verses
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that kind of identify this for us.
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This is when I began cross-referencing
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and finding all these different places
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that say it.
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So in Jeremiah 32,
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verses 38 and 39,
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God says this,
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They shall be my people
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and I will be their God
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and I will give them one heart
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and one way
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that they may fear me always
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for their own good
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and for the good of their children
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after them.
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In Zephaniah 3, 9,
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God says of both Jews
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and Gentiles alike,
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I will give to the people's
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purified lips
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that all of them may call
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on the name of the Lord
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to serve Him
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shoulder to shoulder.
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Shoulder to shoulder, right?
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Like side by side,
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like brothers or like soldiers.
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So there's this idea of unity.
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I'm going to give them
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this new heart,
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this new idea of who I am,
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this new vision for Christ
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and then by that,
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I'm going to unify them together
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with one heart,
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one mind,
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one soul
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and they're going to become
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this powerful army,
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this powerful brotherhood,
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this powerful family
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that's going to overcome
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the wicked one,
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that's going to overcome
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the power of the devil,
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that's going to escape
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the perversion of this generation.
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But it's together.
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It's all of our forces in one.
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Christ says it differently
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in the New Testament.
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He says in John 10, 16,
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I have other sheep,
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he's speaking of Gentiles,
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which are not of this fold.
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I must bring them also
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and they shall hear my voice
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and they shall become
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one flock
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with one shepherd, right?
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One flock
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with one shepherd,
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united together.
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In other words,
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one author said
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the God's eternal plan
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is that all who believe
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in Him
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will become outwardly
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what they are inwardly,
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unified in Him
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through faith in His Son.
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Another one,
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Jesus,
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before His arrest,
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actually,
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He was speaking to the disciples.
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This is in John 17.
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It's the high priestly prayer.
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It's such a powerful text.
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So this is right before,
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I mean,
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the last thing Jesus
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is basically saying
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to the disciples
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before He goes to the cross.
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He gets up
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and He basically prays this
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in verse 11 of chapter 17
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in the book of John.
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He says,
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I am no more in the world
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and yet they themselves
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are in the world
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and I come to you.
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He's speaking to His Father.
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Holy Father,
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keep them in Your name,
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the name which You have given Me,
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that they may be one
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as we are one.
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Right?
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So what does He pray?
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He prays,
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God,
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make them one,
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make them unified
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as we are unified.
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He's praying for that.
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That's what His purpose is.
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That's what He wants them to hear.
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And the last thing that He says,
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I want you guys
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to be together on this.
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I want you guys
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to focus on the mission,
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that great commission
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that I'm calling you to,
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together.
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It's powerful.
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And then of course,
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we got Paul's examples
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and this is all over the place.
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I started reading
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the cross references
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for Paul himself.
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To the Ephesians,
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he says in chapter 4,
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1-5,
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he says,
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I therefore,
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the prisoner of the Lord,
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entreat you to walk
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in a manner worthy
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of the calling
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with which you have been called.
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With all humility,
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with gentleness,
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with patience,
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showing forbearance
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to one another in love,
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being diligent
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to preserve
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the unity of the Spirit
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in the bond of peace.
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Right?
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So what is he saying?
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I want you guys
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to be humble.
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I want you to be gentle
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towards one another.
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I want you to be patient.
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I want you to show forbearance.
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I want you to be strong
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for the sake,
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right,
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all for the purpose
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of being diligent
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to preserve
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the unity of the Spirit
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in the bond of peace.
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this theme
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is everywhere.
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He says of the Galatians,
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for you are all sons of God
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through faith in Christ Jesus.
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All of you guys
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are sons now.
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For you all who are,
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for all of you,
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wait,
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all of you who were
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baptized into Christ
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have clothed yourselves
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with Christ.
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There is neither Jew
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nor Greek.
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There is neither slave
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nor free man.
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There is neither male
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nor female.
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You are all one
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in Christ Jesus.
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Jesus.
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It is pervasive.
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The last thing I will say
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to again drive home
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this point,
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Philippians 1.27,
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only conduct yourselves
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in a manner worthy
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of the gospel of Christ
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so that whether I come
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to see you
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or remain absent from you,
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I may hear
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that you are standing firm
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in one spirit
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with one mind,
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striving together
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for the faith
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of one gospel.
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Right?
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It is amazing.
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It is all over the place.
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So why is it so vital
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for us to be unified?
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That was my next question.
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Why is it so important
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for us to be together
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on this stuff?
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What does it mean for us?
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Why does God care?
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There is three,
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I think,
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simple reasons.
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The first reason
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is because the devil
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is a wolf.
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Okay?
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He is a wolf
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who strategically feeds
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on the sheep
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who stray
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from the fold.
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That is the way
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the Bible paints
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a picture of him.
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He is like a wolf,
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right?
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He is deceptive.
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So,
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I lived with Clay Naylor
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for about a year,
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okay?
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During which time,
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I watched
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more nature shows
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than I have ever watched
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in my entire life.
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And I promise you,
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this is kind of
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how it always goes,
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okay?
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Like when the one,
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you know,
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you or the one,
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you know,
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lamb,
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whatever it might be,
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the one straggler
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kind of gets separated
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from the flock,
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that's when the wolf
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or whatever,
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whatever the predator is,
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pounces.
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It happens every time.
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Right?
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Every single time.
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And so that's the same idea.
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Like there's strength
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in numbers, right?
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Even dumb animals
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understand instinctually
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that I'm going to pray
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on the guy
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that's by himself.
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Satan is like this,
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right?
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He prays on the people
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that are by themselves.
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So the first reason
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why we have to be unified
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together is because
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of your safety.
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As believers,
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we need to be protected
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by one another,
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which is one of the reasons
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why I think,
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you know,
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missionaries that are
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doing mission elsewhere
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overseas in dangerous places
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where fellowship like this
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is scarce,
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they come together
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in very unique ways.
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I mean,
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like when you're under
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persecution,
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like the church
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of the scriptures was,
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right?
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Like when that initial
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first century church,
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they came together,
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they were so strong
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because they had to be unified
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because they knew
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they couldn't survive
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the elements themselves.
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They had to be together.
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Okay?
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The more the devil
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can separate us,
18:50
the greater his chances
18:51
are of devouring us.
18:54
Number two,
18:55
second reason why
18:55
it's vital for the church
18:56
to be unified.
18:58
Apart from outright sin,
19:00
okay,
19:01
adultery,
19:03
murder,
19:03
whatever it might be,
19:04
apart from outright sin,
19:05
nothing shatters
19:06
the fellowship,
19:09
stunts the growth,
19:10
and ruins the witness
19:11
of the congregation
19:12
of Christ
19:12
so much
19:14
as disunity
19:14
or disharmony
19:16
among its members.
19:18
Nothing
19:19
has greater potential
19:20
to really ruin
19:21
our witness
19:22
as a church body
19:23
than disharmony
19:25
and disunity.
19:27
I hate it when I hear
19:27
churches have divided.
19:29
You know?
19:30
I mean,
19:30
I've heard that churches
19:31
have divided over
19:31
the color of the carpet.
19:32
I mean,
19:32
it's insane what happens
19:34
in some of these churches
19:34
these days.
19:35
Satan has got them
19:36
so twisted
19:37
to think that these things
19:38
are so important.
19:40
I mean,
19:40
like maybe,
19:40
of course it's not
19:41
the color of the carpet
19:42
for us,
19:42
but I mean,
19:43
there's things
19:44
within certain congregations
19:45
very nearby
19:46
that have tons
19:47
of disunity
19:48
as a result
19:48
of peripheral doctrine.
19:51
Right?
19:52
They're so hard-lined
19:53
on certain things
19:54
that they're not willing
19:55
to even have fellowship with
19:56
and enjoy a pleasant
19:57
conversation with
19:59
and encouraging Christ
20:00
somebody that is
20:00
of a different
20:01
belief system
20:02
on perhaps,
20:04
I don't know,
20:05
baptism or eschatology,
20:06
whatever it might be.
20:08
And that just shouldn't
20:08
be the case.
20:09
It just shouldn't be
20:10
the case.
20:11
You know?
20:12
So, I mean,
20:13
Satan is very clever
20:14
in how he does this
20:14
and so getting us disunified
20:16
is another vital reason
20:17
why we have to be unified
20:19
because Satan will
20:19
definitely take advantage
20:21
of that.
20:21
Satan doesn't care
20:22
about you and me.
20:23
He doesn't care
20:24
at all about you and me.
20:24
He cares about
20:25
shaming Christ
20:26
through you
20:27
and through me.
20:29
Okay?
20:29
So he doesn't care
20:30
what it takes
20:31
but he lays the temptations
20:34
at our feet, right?
20:35
He tempts us,
20:36
he tries to ensnare us
20:37
in pride or greed
20:38
or lust or envy
20:39
so that he might strike
20:42
a blow against Christ.
20:44
Okay?
20:44
Think about it this way.
20:46
The greatest way
20:46
to enrage a man,
20:48
the greatest way
20:49
to really enrage a man
20:51
is to go after his family,
20:53
right?
20:55
So he's not going to
20:56
necessarily attack
20:57
just Christ.
20:57
He wants to attack you,
20:58
the people that Christ loves.
21:00
He wants to attack his family
21:01
because that's going to
21:03
strike the greatest blow
21:04
against him.
21:06
Third reason why
21:06
we have got to be unified
21:08
as a body
21:08
is because nothing
21:10
strengthens the fellowship,
21:13
stimulates growth,
21:14
and purifies the witness
21:16
of the congregation
21:16
so much as unity
21:18
among its members.
21:20
Okay?
21:21
Just turn it on its side.
21:22
It's the same exact thing
21:22
as the last thing,
21:23
it's just the opposite.
21:25
The thing that the early church
21:26
had going for them
21:27
was a unique level
21:28
of unity
21:29
and all togetherness,
21:31
right,
21:31
that rose kind of above
21:32
this persecution
21:33
of the day.
21:34
Nero was, I mean,
21:35
coming down on these Christians
21:36
as hard as he possibly could.
21:38
He was lighting up
21:39
his garden parties
21:40
with, you know,
21:41
burning bodies
21:42
of Christians
21:42
being crucified.
21:44
It was an extreme time.
21:46
Extreme time.
21:48
Right?
21:48
And so,
21:48
in the midst of all of that,
21:50
the church,
21:51
in that they kept,
21:52
not only, you know,
21:54
kept alive,
21:55
I mean,
21:55
they were alive for sure,
21:56
but they were actually vibrant.
21:58
They were actually growing.
21:59
They were powerful.
22:01
They were becoming a force
22:02
to be reckoned with.
22:03
And even torture
22:04
and that kind of stuff,
22:05
extreme measures,
22:06
couldn't even dissuade them
22:07
from following Jesus.
22:08
And that's because
22:09
they had this unique union.
22:11
I mean,
22:11
you can read about that.
22:12
In fact,
22:12
let's go ahead and do that.
22:13
Let's go to Acts 2.
22:14
Let me just show you guys
22:15
exactly what I'm talking about here.
22:17
Because,
22:18
let's just,
22:19
you know,
22:20
like,
22:20
I mean,
22:20
they were obviously
22:21
a great example
22:22
of what it meant
22:22
to be unified,
22:23
so what characterized them?
22:26
What characterized
22:27
these first century Christians
22:29
that we need to emulate
22:31
if we can?
22:32
This is Acts 2,
22:33
beginning in verse 42.
22:36
And it says this,
22:39
And they were continually
22:40
devoting themselves
22:41
to the apostles' teaching
22:43
and to fellowship,
22:44
to the breaking of bread,
22:46
and to prayer.
22:46
So they were always together.
22:47
And everyone kept feeling
22:48
a sense of awe.
22:49
Many wonders and signs
22:50
were taking place
22:51
through the apostles.
22:52
And all those who had believed
22:54
were together.
22:55
And they had all things
22:56
in common, right?
22:58
And it just keeps on going
22:59
and describing more and more
23:00
of that.
23:00
Go over to chapter 4.
23:02
Let me show you something else.
23:03
I want to read verse 32
23:06
and 33.
23:10
It says,
23:11
And the congregation
23:11
of those who believed
23:13
were of one heart and soul,
23:15
and not one of them
23:16
claimed that anything
23:17
belonging to Him
23:18
was His own.
23:19
But all things were
23:19
common property to them,
23:21
and with great power
23:22
the apostles were giving
23:23
witness to the resurrection
23:24
of the Lord Jesus,
23:25
and abundant grace
23:26
was upon them all.
23:28
Right?
23:28
So there was this sense
23:29
in which they just,
23:29
they didn't consider
23:30
their possessions
23:31
to be that,
23:31
you know,
23:33
like they weren't,
23:35
it's not like
23:35
I have this one thing
23:36
that there's nobody
23:37
in the world that can touch.
23:38
I mean,
23:38
like if somebody needs
23:40
this more than I do,
23:41
money or my time,
23:42
or, you know,
23:43
if they need my service,
23:44
if they need me to,
23:45
you know,
23:46
wash them or bathe,
23:47
whatever it might be,
23:47
like they were willing
23:48
to go out of their way
23:50
in that early century
23:50
because there was
23:51
such an example of this
23:52
in the apostles, right?
23:53
I mean,
23:53
they had great leadership.
23:55
They saw the apostles
23:56
laying down their life,
23:57
being beaten in the synagogues,
23:59
you know,
23:59
or being in the courts.
24:01
So they were seeing,
24:02
you know,
24:02
them dedicate their time,
24:04
their energy
24:04
to praying for the people.
24:05
They were so focused
24:07
on just setting that example
24:08
for, you know,
24:09
the way in which
24:10
we follow Christ.
24:10
And so everybody
24:11
was following in like manner.
24:13
It was beautiful.
24:15
You know,
24:15
so we've got to begin
24:16
to set the example
24:17
for our families,
24:18
but also the example
24:19
for our younger brothers
24:20
and sisters in Christ,
24:21
and also the example
24:22
just for, you know,
24:23
people that are coming up
24:24
in the ranks.
24:24
I mean,
24:25
just, you know,
24:25
young people that are being saved,
24:27
youth that, you know,
24:28
we want to set a good example
24:29
for how we should follow Christ
24:31
and how we should really consider
24:32
our possessions
24:32
to not be that valuable
24:34
as long as we can give glory
24:35
to Christ
24:36
if He requires us
24:37
to give them
24:38
or our time,
24:38
whatever it might be.
24:40
We don't all have money.
24:41
Some of us have just,
24:42
you know,
24:43
a listening ear,
24:44
whatever it might be
24:44
that you have to offer
24:45
to the Lord.
24:48
So this is what made them
24:49
inseparable.
24:50
It was just this unity
24:51
with Christ.
24:52
It was beautiful.
24:53
So anyway,
24:54
that's just kind of an intro
24:54
into the verses.
24:56
I think that's kind of
24:56
the foundation here, right?
24:59
I'm not going to take up
25:00
too much more time,
25:01
but, you know,
25:02
so that's essentially
25:03
what Paul has been up to,
25:05
okay?
25:05
In the first three chapters,
25:07
or in the last three chapters,
25:08
I should say,
25:08
12, 13, and 14,
25:10
he has been basically
25:11
getting at this idea of,
25:13
hey,
25:13
let's just read the first part.
25:15
Go to Romans 12
25:16
for just a second.
25:18
Let's just,
25:18
I just want you to see
25:19
where I saw this.
25:24
So he says,
25:29
in verse 1 of 12,
25:30
I urge you therefore,
25:31
brethren,
25:32
by the mercies of God.
25:33
So he's like,
25:33
hey,
25:33
in light of your salvation,
25:35
present your bodies
25:36
as a living
25:37
and a holy sacrifice
25:38
acceptable to God,
25:40
which is your spiritual
25:41
service of worship.
25:42
Do not be conformed
25:43
to this world,
25:44
but be transformed
25:45
by the renewing
25:46
of your mind
25:47
that you may prove
25:48
what God's will is,
25:49
that which is good,
25:50
that which is acceptable,
25:51
that which is perfect.
25:52
Keep on going.
25:53
For through the grace
25:56
given to me,
25:57
I say to every man
25:57
among you,
25:58
not to think more highly
25:59
of himself
26:00
than he ought to think,
26:01
but to think so as
26:02
to have sound judgment,
26:03
as God has allotted
26:04
each measure of faith.
26:05
Then he says this,
26:06
For just as we have
26:07
many members
26:08
in one body,
26:10
and all the members
26:12
do not have the same function,
26:14
so we who are many
26:15
are one body in Christ
26:17
and individually members of it.
26:20
Okay?
26:21
So he goes immediately
26:22
from this idea of,
26:23
Hey,
26:24
you have been saved
26:25
by grace.
26:27
You have been washed
26:29
by the blood of Christ.
26:31
You have been transformed
26:32
by that.
26:33
You have been set apart
26:34
by that.
26:34
You have now inherited
26:35
your joint heir
26:36
with Christ.
26:37
You get heaven.
26:38
You get forgiveness
26:39
for sins.
26:40
You get separation
26:41
from hell
26:41
and separation from God
26:43
is no longer
26:43
a reality for you,
26:44
right?
26:44
In light of these
26:45
amazing truths,
26:47
I want you to set apart
26:48
your body
26:49
as unto the Lord.
26:50
Whatever it requires,
26:51
whatever cost that means
26:52
for you,
26:53
I want you to give yourself
26:54
wholeheartedly to Christ.
26:56
Then he says,
26:56
Hey, I want to remind you
26:57
though,
26:57
you've got this body.
26:59
And the way to really
27:00
do this effectively
27:01
is to be together
27:02
and like-minded
27:03
and to be one
27:04
and to really enjoy
27:06
each and everybody
27:07
else's gifts,
27:09
right?
27:09
Because that's going
27:09
to strengthen you
27:10
in your sacrifice
27:11
of your own self
27:12
to Jesus.
27:13
It's going to help
27:14
educate you as to
27:15
how to do it better
27:16
because you can see
27:16
other people in your
27:17
community doing
27:18
the same thing,
27:19
right?
27:20
He begins to paint
27:21
this picture
27:21
so he goes into
27:22
eventually,
27:23
he goes immediately
27:24
into this idea
27:24
of like,
27:25
you know,
27:25
some people have
27:25
these gifts
27:26
and you know,
27:27
they need to be
27:27
serving in these ways.
27:29
Then he goes into
27:29
some more general stuff
27:30
and he says,
27:31
you know,
27:31
hey,
27:31
all of you guys
27:31
should be devoted
27:32
to one another
27:33
in brotherly love.
27:34
You should give
27:34
preference to one another
27:35
in honor.
27:36
You should,
27:37
you know,
27:37
be always diligent
27:38
to do so.
27:39
What else does he say?
27:42
He says in 16
27:43
of chapter 12,
27:44
be of the same mind
27:45
toward one another.
27:46
Do not be haughty
27:47
in mind
27:47
but associate
27:48
with the lowly.
27:49
Accommodate the lowly.
27:51
Do not be wise
27:51
in your own estimation
27:52
but in the estimation
27:53
of Christ,
27:54
right?
27:54
So he just,
27:55
I mean,
27:55
he's literally,
27:56
he's saying the same thing.
27:57
You can see that
27:57
intelligence of him,
27:58
right?
27:59
He's communicating
28:00
the same truths
28:01
but he's just doing
28:02
it different ways
28:03
so that we see it
28:04
from different angles.
28:06
And he's helping
28:06
to drive home
28:07
the same point,
28:07
be together,
28:08
be unified,
28:09
be with Christ
28:10
and the people of Christ.
28:13
So he just goes
28:14
on and on and on
28:14
and then eventually
28:15
he brings us to 15.
28:16
So here we are again
28:17
at 15.
28:17
Let's just reread it
28:18
and we'll dive into
28:19
the particulars
28:20
of this passage.
28:22
Now we who were strong
28:23
ought to bear the weakness
28:25
of those without strength
28:26
and not just please ourselves.
28:29
Let each,
28:29
let each of us
28:30
please his neighbor
28:31
for his good
28:31
to his edification.
28:33
For even Christ
28:34
did not please himself
28:36
but as it is written,
28:37
the reproaches of those
28:38
who approached you
28:40
fell upon me.
28:41
Okay?
28:43
So in verses 1-3
28:45
Paul calls believers,
28:48
calls all of us
28:49
to please one another.
28:51
Okay?
28:52
To be about
28:53
pleasing one another.
28:54
To give preference
28:55
to one another.
28:56
To accommodate
28:57
one another.
28:58
Right?
28:58
To give you
28:59
the number one spot
29:00
and not myself.
29:01
By following
29:02
the example of Christ.
29:04
That's all he's
29:04
trying to communicate.
29:05
Please one another
29:06
by following
29:07
Christ's example.
29:07
So let's read
29:09
verse 1 yet again.
29:10
Now we who were strong
29:11
ought to bear the weakness
29:13
of those who are
29:14
without strength
29:15
and not just please ourselves.
29:19
Those who are strong
29:20
are those who are
29:21
more mature
29:22
in their faith.
29:23
Okay?
29:23
That's exactly
29:24
what that phrase
29:25
essentially means.
29:26
It's who because
29:27
of the practice
29:27
and experience
29:28
in their life
29:29
with Christ
29:30
have had their senses
29:31
trained to discern
29:32
good and evil.
29:34
That's what
29:35
characterizes the strong.
29:37
They know right from wrong.
29:38
They know the important
29:40
things from the
29:40
unimportant things.
29:41
Right?
29:42
They've been able to
29:43
they've been learned
29:43
how to detect that.
29:44
They understand
29:45
that they have
29:45
liberty in Christ.
29:47
Okay?
29:47
The strong do.
29:48
They have liberty in Christ.
29:49
You have freedom in Christ.
29:50
Freedom from the old covenant.
29:53
You know,
29:53
freedom from the dietary
29:54
system in their case.
29:55
Freedom from the strict
29:56
commandments of the
29:56
Old Testament
29:57
that were specific
29:58
to sacrifices
29:59
and days and festivals
30:00
and all these kind of things.
30:02
But what they don't have
30:04
and what you who are in here
30:05
who are mature Christians
30:06
do not have
30:07
okay?
30:08
What none of us have
30:09
that are mature
30:10
is the right to express
30:12
those freedoms
30:12
without regard
30:14
for those without strength.
30:18
Okay?
30:19
Without regard
30:19
for the weak.
30:22
Okay?
30:22
In Christ
30:23
you have a lot of freedom.
30:24
I mean I've heard
30:25
John MacArthur
30:26
painted as simple as
30:26
literally
30:27
abide in Christ
30:28
and do whatever you want to do.
30:30
That's as simple
30:31
as following the will of God is.
30:32
Like abide in Christ
30:32
do whatever you want.
30:33
You have so much freedom.
30:35
You can choose
30:36
what you want to do
30:36
how you want to do it.
30:38
But of course
30:38
within limits
30:39
it's not sin
30:40
but all righteous things.
30:43
But the reality is
30:44
there may be some things
30:45
that we have liberty to
30:45
that not everybody
30:48
in Christ
30:49
feels a liberty for.
30:51
Right?
30:51
They don't understand
30:52
that liberty yet.
30:54
And so we
30:54
what he's saying is
30:55
those that are strong
30:56
do not have a right
30:58
to express
30:59
those liberties
31:00
without any regard
31:02
for the weaker brother.
31:03
right?
31:05
There's certain things
31:06
that are unacceptable
31:07
because so and so
31:09
is in the room
31:09
or because so and so
31:12
looks up to you
31:12
or because you have
31:13
such and such a position
31:14
in the church
31:16
or whatever it might be.
31:17
Right?
31:18
Like I know
31:19
for instance
31:19
I know that Nathan
31:20
has zero problem
31:22
with alcohol.
31:23
Right?
31:24
I mean
31:24
it's not a sin to drink.
31:26
Okay?
31:26
But he has said
31:27
you know what
31:27
because I know
31:28
that that tends to have
31:29
a bad you know
31:32
I don't know
31:33
what's the word?
31:36
Stigma.
31:37
Yes.
31:37
Whatever.
31:37
A bad stigma
31:38
with people.
31:39
Therefore
31:40
right?
31:40
I'm not going to do that.
31:42
And he has submitted himself
31:43
he's submitted that liberty
31:44
in a sense
31:45
to us
31:45
in saying
31:46
I want to lead by example.
31:47
I want to submit that
31:48
to you guys
31:49
and say
31:49
I don't want to do this
31:50
for the sake of my brothers
31:51
in Christ.
31:51
I don't want to lead
31:52
anybody to stumble.
31:53
Because that may be
31:53
a serious no-no
31:54
for a lot of us
31:56
that have had problems
31:57
with drinking.
31:58
Right?
31:59
Whatever it might be.
32:00
So we've got to be
32:01
very sensitive here.
32:03
Those who are strong
32:04
then he says
32:05
ought
32:05
to bear the weaknesses
32:07
of those
32:07
without strength.
32:08
The word ought
32:09
there is really
32:09
interesting.
32:11
It's
32:11
literally in the Greek
32:13
it has the basic meaning
32:14
of owing a debt.
32:16
Okay?
32:16
So when he's saying
32:17
you ought to
32:18
he's saying
32:18
you owe the debt
32:19
to your brothers
32:20
in Christ
32:21
to do it this way.
32:23
Another
32:23
it kind of
32:24
communicates
32:25
owing a debt
32:25
or having a strong obligation.
32:26
Listen to where
32:27
the same word is used.
32:29
The same word
32:30
is used
32:30
in Hebrews 5.3
32:32
to describe
32:33
the high priest's
32:34
responsibility
32:35
to offer sacrifices
32:37
for the sins
32:38
of the people.
32:40
That's how serious
32:41
an obligation
32:42
this is.
32:43
Right?
32:44
You guys
32:45
not giving offense
32:46
to a brother.
32:47
You guys
32:47
giving preference
32:48
to a brother
32:48
or a sister
32:49
in Christ.
32:50
It's got the same
32:51
weight to it
32:52
that the obligation
32:53
on a high priest
32:55
had
32:55
to actually
32:56
offering sacrifices
32:57
daily
32:57
for the sins
32:58
of the people.
32:59
That is serious.
33:01
That's very serious.
33:03
Okay?
33:04
So the question
33:05
again that we really
33:06
have to come with here
33:06
is how do we bear
33:07
one another's weaknesses?
33:08
How do we bear
33:09
one another's burdens?
33:12
And there's just
33:12
really three things
33:13
I'm going to say
33:13
quickly here.
33:14
The first way
33:15
that we actually
33:16
bear one another's burdens
33:17
!
33:17
Is by not pleasing
33:18
ourselves.
33:20
Okay?
33:20
Not just pleasing
33:21
ourselves.
33:23
Look at the end
33:23
of verse 1.
33:24
He says
33:25
and not just
33:28
please
33:28
let me read
33:29
the whole thing.
33:29
So now we
33:30
who are strong
33:31
ought to bear
33:31
the weaknesses
33:31
of those
33:32
without strength
33:32
and not just
33:33
please
33:34
ourselves.
33:34
Listen to this
33:35
quote.
33:37
We have learned
33:38
to deny ourselves.
33:40
This was our
33:41
first lesson.
33:43
None of us
33:43
lives to himself.
33:44
This is a thing
33:45
in which all the
33:47
people of God
33:47
are one.
33:48
They're unified
33:48
in this idea
33:49
he says.
33:50
However they differ
33:51
in other ideas
33:53
and other things
33:53
though some are weak
33:55
and others are strong
33:56
yet both agree
33:56
in this
33:57
not to live
33:58
to themselves.
34:00
Not one
34:00
that has given up
34:01
his name to Christ
34:02
is allowedly
34:03
a self-seeker.
34:05
It is contrary
34:06
to the very
34:07
foundation
34:07
of true Christianity.
34:10
We neither
34:11
live to ourselves
34:12
nor die to ourselves.
34:13
We are not
34:14
our own masters
34:15
nor our own proprietors.
34:17
We are not
34:18
at our own disposal.
34:20
Matthew Henry.
34:21
Okay?
34:23
Powerful statement.
34:25
Right?
34:26
When you become
34:27
a Christian
34:27
I hope the first
34:28
thing that you did
34:29
was say
34:29
I'm done
34:30
with me.
34:34
I'm no longer
34:35
living for myself.
34:37
Right?
34:37
The first thing
34:37
that we learn
34:38
first thing
34:39
that Jesus says
34:39
to do
34:39
Matthew or Mark
34:40
8
34:40
deny yourself.
34:43
Right?
34:44
Deny yourself.
34:44
What does that mean?
34:45
What does that mean?
34:47
It essentially means
34:48
to give preference
34:49
no longer
34:50
to your own
34:50
desires and ambitions
34:51
but rather
34:52
to Christ's
34:54
desires
34:55
and ambitions.
34:57
We give preference
34:58
now to Christ's
34:59
desires
34:59
and Christ's
35:00
ambitions
35:01
and Christ's
35:02
likes and dislikes.
35:05
Right?
35:05
So what is
35:06
Christ's desire?
35:07
Christ desires
35:08
oneness
35:09
like he has
35:10
with the Trinity.
35:11
Right?
35:11
He has this oneness.
35:12
Right?
35:12
So he wants to
35:13
save people
35:14
and bring them
35:14
into himself
35:15
for the sake
35:16
of making them
35:17
one.
35:17
Entering them
35:18
into a oneness
35:19
relationship
35:19
with them.
35:21
That's what he
35:21
desires more
35:22
than anything.
35:22
That's why he
35:23
came to die
35:23
was to bring us
35:24
together.
35:25
To reconcile us
35:26
back to God
35:26
into fellowship
35:28
yet again.
35:28
Right?
35:29
It's that oneness
35:30
that God cares
35:30
about.
35:31
That unity
35:31
that God cares
35:32
about.
35:34
And what Christ
35:34
is ambitious
35:35
for
35:35
is more.
35:39
Right?
35:41
More unity
35:41
enjoyed by more
35:42
people from
35:43
more nations
35:44
and more tribes
35:45
and more tongues
35:45
and more peoples.
35:47
He's really
35:48
about one thing.
35:51
Relationship.
35:52
Unity.
35:54
Togetherness
35:54
with God.
35:55
Right?
35:56
He prays that.
35:56
Go read
35:57
John 17.
35:59
And he's ambitious
36:00
for more.
36:02
Until he takes
36:02
us away.
36:03
Right?
36:04
He said,
36:05
I want you to
36:05
keep doing this.
36:06
I want you to
36:06
go and as you
36:07
go wherever you
36:08
are, I want you
36:08
to make disciples.
36:10
I want more
36:11
fellowship.
36:12
That's what he's
36:13
about.
36:16
Secondly,
36:16
we bear one
36:19
another's burdens
36:19
not only by
36:21
not pleasing
36:23
ourselves
36:24
or not living
36:25
for ourselves,
36:26
I could better
36:26
say that,
36:27
but by pleasing
36:28
our neighbor
36:28
for his good
36:29
to his edification.
36:31
That's what
36:32
verse 2 says,
36:32
right?
36:32
Let each of us
36:34
please his neighbor
36:34
for his good
36:35
to his edification.
36:37
Very straightforward
36:38
there.
36:40
So many new
36:41
believers,
36:42
a lot of new
36:42
believers,
36:43
have very,
36:43
very sensitive
36:44
consciences,
36:45
very sensitive
36:47
consciences.
36:48
And this is by
36:49
God's grace,
36:49
right?
36:50
They're new to it
36:51
all, right?
36:51
So they're uncertain
36:52
of how to act
36:53
and how to think,
36:54
of how to carry
36:54
themselves.
36:55
And the last
36:56
thing that you
36:56
want to do,
36:58
the very last
36:59
thing you want
36:59
to do,
37:00
okay,
37:00
as an older
37:01
believer,
37:02
as a more
37:02
mature believer,
37:03
the most ruinous
37:04
thing that you
37:05
could possibly
37:05
do to a new
37:07
convert is to
37:07
teach them
37:08
to ignore
37:09
their conscience.
37:10
okay,
37:12
it's a defense
37:13
mechanism that
37:14
God has given
37:15
to each and
37:15
every person
37:16
in here,
37:17
okay,
37:18
for the sake
37:18
of helping
37:19
you to be
37:20
protected from
37:20
things that
37:21
would for you
37:21
be ruinous,
37:23
okay?
37:23
And here's the
37:23
beautiful thing
37:24
about the
37:24
conscience.
37:25
The conscience
37:25
is what gives
37:26
each and every
37:26
Christian in here
37:27
variety.
37:29
The conscience
37:30
is really unique
37:30
because what it
37:31
does is it
37:32
basically adds
37:33
variety to
37:34
Christianity.
37:35
So for instance,
37:36
what may be
37:36
permissible for me,
37:37
what may be
37:37
right for me,
37:38
may not be for
37:39
you.
37:40
What may be
37:41
right for you,
37:41
may not be for
37:42
me.
37:43
Right?
37:43
There's certain
37:44
things that may
37:44
be just fine in
37:46
the kingdom of
37:46
God for you,
37:46
but not so for
37:48
me.
37:49
And so what
37:49
Satan loves to
37:50
do is he
37:51
loves to say,
37:53
this is the
37:53
one way that
37:54
you must go.
37:55
And there's no
37:55
sense of variety
37:56
in that,
37:56
no sense of
37:57
being led by
37:58
the Holy Spirit
37:58
in that,
37:58
it's just a
37:59
sense of
37:59
following,
38:00
it's going
38:01
back to that
38:01
old way of
38:02
just basically
38:04
following the
38:04
leader and
38:04
getting caught
38:05
up in a lot
38:05
of righteous
38:06
doing and not
38:06
a lot of
38:07
righteous living.
38:09
Okay?
38:09
So we need to
38:10
stop judging
38:10
each other
38:10
based on this
38:11
idea of the
38:12
conscience.
38:12
It's a very
38:15
freeing thing to
38:16
be able to
38:16
listen to the
38:16
Holy Spirit as
38:17
a new Christian
38:18
or even as a
38:18
mature Christian
38:19
and say,
38:19
the Lord would
38:20
have me not
38:20
do this today.
38:21
You know?
38:22
I feel like I
38:22
need to really,
38:23
I need to,
38:23
for me,
38:24
like this past,
38:24
this morning,
38:25
I'll be honest,
38:26
like,
38:26
I was like,
38:27
I need to wake
38:27
up early.
38:29
I need to pray,
38:30
I need to be with
38:30
the Lord,
38:30
I need to read
38:31
the word,
38:31
I need to prepare
38:32
this, you know,
38:32
sermon further.
38:34
Right?
38:34
Now,
38:34
it's a
38:34
conscience thing.
38:35
It wasn't like
38:36
I have,
38:36
the Bible doesn't
38:37
say,
38:37
wake up early
38:38
when you preach
38:38
sermons,
38:39
but for me,
38:41
it was,
38:41
I needed to
38:41
listen to my
38:41
conscience,
38:42
right?
38:42
Other people,
38:43
it's,
38:43
you know,
38:43
different things.
38:44
So the worst
38:45
thing we can
38:45
possibly do early
38:46
on is teach a
38:48
young believer
38:48
to not hear the
38:49
Lord,
38:50
to not listen to
38:51
Christ,
38:51
to not listen to
38:52
God.
38:53
That is so
38:54
ruining,
38:57
so ruining.
38:57
Okay?
39:02
Let me just
39:03
kind of paint a
39:04
little illustration
39:04
of how Satan
39:05
works.
39:08
He loves to
39:09
disharmonize the
39:10
church,
39:10
and by doing
39:12
that,
39:12
what I mean is
39:13
he likes to
39:13
weaken the
39:13
conscience of
39:14
the church as
39:15
a whole.
39:16
His best work
39:17
isn't really done
39:18
in forcing us
39:18
to make a
39:19
sharp left
39:20
or right turn,
39:21
but gradually
39:22
veering us off
39:23
our course
39:24
until we just
39:25
crash ourselves.
39:26
He isn't doing
39:28
this.
39:28
He's not putting
39:29
things in your
39:29
way so that
39:30
you're going this
39:31
way,
39:32
then of course
39:32
you have to
39:32
turn that way.
39:33
It's more like
39:33
he just kind of
39:34
gets you off a
39:34
little bit,
39:35
and eventually
39:35
you find yourself
39:36
in a place that
39:36
you never thought
39:37
was possible.
39:38
You find yourself
39:39
not reading the
39:40
word for a
39:40
month.
39:41
You find yourself
39:42
not praying at
39:43
all because
39:43
you're too busy.
39:44
You find yourself
39:45
never witnessing
39:46
again.
39:47
You know,
39:47
it's like,
39:48
how did I,
39:48
I mean,
39:48
you look back a
39:49
year and you're
39:49
like,
39:50
how did I get
39:50
here?
39:51
What happened?
39:52
How did I,
39:52
you know,
39:52
it's just,
39:53
and that's
39:53
that gradual
39:53
just ignoring
39:54
the conscience
39:55
and getting
39:56
veered off
39:56
course.
39:57
It's exactly
39:58
what the devil
39:59
does.
40:00
Okay?
40:01
He tries to be
40:02
very silent in
40:03
the way that he
40:03
tempts,
40:04
not overt.
40:04
so the question
40:09
just to kind of
40:10
put it back on
40:10
us,
40:11
right?
40:11
How many of
40:11
us are
40:12
backslidden?
40:13
How many of
40:14
us are ignoring
40:14
our conscience?
40:16
Know the right
40:16
thing to do
40:17
and don't do
40:17
it,
40:18
right?
40:21
I mean,
40:21
look at what
40:22
the very end
40:23
of chapter 14
40:24
says here,
40:25
22 and 23.
40:26
The faith which
40:27
you have,
40:28
have as your
40:28
own conviction
40:29
before,
40:30
have as,
40:30
I love this,
40:30
have as your
40:31
own conviction
40:31
before God.
40:32
Happy is he
40:35
who does not
40:35
condemn himself
40:36
in what he
40:36
approves,
40:37
but he who
40:38
doubts is
40:38
condemned if
40:39
he eats because
40:39
his eating is
40:40
not from faith.
40:41
Whatever is not
40:42
from faith is
40:43
sin.
40:44
It's not about
40:45
just doing
40:45
something,
40:46
it's about
40:46
actually believing
40:47
and listening to
40:48
Christ and doing
40:48
what he calls
40:49
us to do.
40:51
That's the idea.
40:53
One other verse
40:54
I wanted to
40:54
quickly read you
40:55
guys,
40:56
and I promise
40:56
you we're
40:56
almost finished
40:57
here.
41:01
Well,
41:01
just take the
41:02
note down.
41:02
for 1 Corinthians
41:03
9,
41:04
19-22.
41:05
It's the one
41:05
that says,
41:06
you know,
41:07
he says basically
41:08
for the sake of
41:09
Jews I became
41:09
like a Jew,
41:10
for the sake of
41:10
those that are
41:11
under the law
41:11
I became like
41:12
those that are
41:12
under the law.
41:12
He just kind of
41:13
goes back and
41:13
forth and says
41:14
that I do
41:15
whatever it
41:15
takes to
41:15
basically submit
41:16
myself to
41:18
the consciences
41:19
and the
41:21
weaknesses of
41:23
my brothers in
41:23
Christ and
41:24
sisters in
41:24
Christ for the
41:25
sake of winning
41:26
them.
41:26
He has this
41:27
end goal in
41:27
mind which is
41:28
to win them
41:28
over to
41:29
Christ,
41:30
to convince
41:30
them,
41:31
to persuade
41:31
them by
41:32
his behavior,
41:32
by his life,
41:33
by his words,
41:34
that Christ is
41:35
beautiful and
41:36
worth their
41:36
time.
41:37
And he's
41:39
willing to
41:39
sacrifice anything.
41:40
And he even
41:40
says at one
41:41
point that if
41:41
meat causes a
41:42
brother of mine
41:43
to sin,
41:43
I'm never
41:43
going to eat
41:44
meat again.
41:45
Like, I mean,
41:45
I don't care what
41:45
it takes.
41:46
Like, I'm just
41:46
going to be
41:47
about the work
41:48
of my Lord.
41:49
God, I'm just
41:50
going to be
41:51
prepared.
41:50
Then thirdly,
41:51
this is the
41:51
last thing I'll
41:52
say briefly.
41:53
We bear one
41:54
another's weaknesses
41:55
and burdens by
41:56
considering Christ.
41:58
This is the
41:59
greatest way, by
42:01
considering Christ.
42:01
This is kind of
42:02
our motivation.
42:02
This is what
42:03
fuels us.
42:04
Listen to this
42:05
again by Matthew
42:05
Henry.
42:06
He says,
42:07
Even Christ
42:08
didn't please
42:09
himself.
42:10
He did not
42:10
consult his own
42:11
worldly credit,
42:13
ease, safety,
42:14
nor pleasure.
42:15
He had nowhere
42:15
to lay his head.
42:16
He lived upon
42:17
alms, would not
42:18
be made a king,
42:19
detested no
42:20
proposal with
42:21
greater abhorrence
42:22
than that of
42:22
master, spare
42:24
thyself, did not
42:25
seek his own
42:26
will, washed his
42:27
disciples' feet,
42:28
endured the
42:29
contradiction of
42:30
sinners against
42:30
himself, troubled
42:31
himself, did not
42:32
consult his own
42:33
honor, and in a
42:34
word, emptied
42:35
himself, and made
42:36
himself of no
42:37
reputation.
42:39
And all this for
42:40
our sakes, to
42:40
bring in a
42:41
righteousness for
42:41
us, and to set
42:42
us an example.
42:44
His whole life was
42:45
a self-denying,
42:46
self-displeasing
42:47
life.
42:48
He bore the
42:49
infirmities of
42:50
the weak.
42:52
That's the example
42:53
of Christ, right?
42:54
To us.
42:55
He did this
42:56
repetitively, laying
42:57
down his life one
42:59
day after the next
42:59
for the sake of
43:00
people.
43:00
Paul says, I die
43:01
daily, getting
43:02
the same point
43:04
home.
43:04
That's what I do.
43:05
So of all the
43:07
people that could
43:07
have chosen to
43:08
please themselves,
43:08
it was obviously
43:09
Christ, right?
43:10
He had, of course,
43:11
before even eternity
43:12
passed, he had
43:13
fellowship that was
43:14
full, and that was
43:15
completely happy in the
43:16
Father, and the Son,
43:16
and the Holy Spirit.
43:18
He needed nothing.
43:19
He lacked nothing.
43:20
But he set all that
43:20
aside, and he humbled
43:22
himself, and he bore
43:23
every possible burden,
43:24
and every possible
43:25
infirmity, and every
43:26
possible weakness of
43:27
sinful man upon
43:28
himself.
43:29
And he bore all of
43:30
our sin, and our
43:31
shame, and our
43:32
weakness, that we
43:33
might live to God.
43:35
Right?
43:36
That we might live
43:36
to God.
43:39
What does that
43:39
mean, though?
43:42
What does living to
43:43
God actually mean?
43:45
It's doing as Christ
43:46
did for you to
43:48
others.
43:50
Living to God is
43:51
exactly the same
43:52
thing as Christ,
43:53
it's exactly the
43:54
same, it looks
43:54
exactly the same
43:55
way that Christ
43:56
lived.
43:58
It's doing exactly
43:59
what Christ did for
44:00
you to others.
44:02
That's what he's
44:02
called us to.
44:03
This is the action
44:04
of the gospel.
44:05
This is what we
44:06
do.
44:09
This is the narrow
44:10
and the hard way,
44:11
it's the path that's
44:12
less taken, but we
44:14
must take it.
44:14
If we don't, then
44:16
we're going to die in
44:16
our sins, and our
44:17
selfish life that we
44:19
so loved here will
44:20
tear us apart for all
44:22
eternity in hell.
44:23
There's nothing more
44:24
empty than a life of
44:25
selfishness, and
44:27
there's nothing more
44:27
full than a life of
44:29
selflessness.
44:29
Christ came that we
44:33
might have life and
44:33
have it abundantly, it
44:35
comes at a price, which
44:36
is your selfishness and
44:38
nothing less.
44:40
That's what he asks of
44:41
you, it's for your
44:41
selfishness.
44:43
That's what it is.
44:45
As a church body, we're
44:46
going to thrive and we're
44:47
going to flourish together
44:48
in unity only when we
44:49
learn to be selfless
44:51
toward one another,
44:52
seeking to outdo one
44:53
another and showing
44:53
honor, right?
44:54
Truly and willingly
44:56
bearing one another's
44:56
burdens, be it
44:57
monetary, be it
44:59
emotional, spiritual,
45:00
physical, or mental.
45:02
So, let's just follow
45:04
all in the words of
45:05
Christ.
45:06
In Galatians 6.2, this
45:08
is through Paul, he
45:10
says, bear one another's
45:10
burdens and thus
45:11
fulfill the law of
45:12
Christ.
45:13
It's that simple.
45:14
It's that simple.
45:16
So, I'm just going to
45:17
pray for us and we'll
45:17
be done.
45:18
Took up more time than
45:19
I was hoping, but I
45:20
told you it's only three
45:21
verses, so there's no way
45:22
I could have covered six.
45:24
Let's just pray.