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Colossians 1:28-2:3 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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All right, please take your copy of God's Word out and turn to Paul's letter to the Colossians.
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!
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I hope not this morning.
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I will tell you that I struggled this week with finding the bearing of the text.
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Some months ago, I took the time to sit down and break apart the book of Colossians,
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leading up to a little bit of a break that I'm going to be taking here in a couple of weeks,
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and trying to keep us on pace so we can get to that point.
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For those who have volunteered to preach on my behalf and have given them text to deal with,
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I want to keep us moving along well.
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I certainly could make this into mini-sermons, not just one this morning.
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Our text is chapter 1, verse 28, through chapter 2, verse 3.
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And I really, I worked, I mean, I had tons of notes.
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I've worked it and worked it and worked it,
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and I finally saw that it's really a continuation of our look at Paul's ministry.
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And some of this began to coalesce for me this morning at about 4 a.m.
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So this is, it's 11 o'clock now.
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This is like a 1 o'clock in the afternoon sermon for me.
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Hopefully, I'll keep the energy high for you.
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Two weeks ago, we looked in Colossians 1, 21 through 23,
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where Paul states that he has become a minister of the gospel of reconciliation.
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He's now going on to elaborate more on what that ministry looks like.
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Last week, we began to look at the ministry itself, and we had two points.
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Firstly, the aim of Paul's ministry.
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And secondly, the means of Paul's ministry.
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So join me in looking at your text, Colossians 1, and let me read to you 24 through 27,
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before we get to our text today.
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Paul writes,
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Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
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and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's affliction for the sake of His body,
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that is, the church,
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of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you,
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to make the Word of God fully known,
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the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed to His saints.
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To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery,
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which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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And so today will be sort of a part two of this as we continue to look at Paul's ministry
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and give application from his ministry for our daily living.
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Our text for today, Colossians 1, 28 through 23.
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Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
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that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
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For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.
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For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea,
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and for all who have not seen me face to face,
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that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,
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to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding,
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and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,
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in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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This is God's Word to us.
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It was written for our good and His glory.
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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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So I'll give you a bit of the outline for today's sermon.
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As I said last week, we looked at the aim of Paul's ministry.
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Secondly, at the means of Paul's ministry, verses 24 through 27.
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Today I'm going to add points to that.
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So the third point, or first if you prefer,
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would be the work of Paul's ministry.
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Fourthly, or secondly, the strength of Paul's ministry.
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And fifthly, the aim of Paul's ministry further developed.
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An expansion of this idea that we looked back at last week.
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Now I'm going to switch into points 3, 4, and 5 so as not to confuse you back and forth.
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But that's what I'm doing.
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You didn't miss point 1 and 2 unless you were not here last week.
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So point number 3.
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The work of Paul's ministry.
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And we see this in verse 28.
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Him we proclaim.
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Who is the Him?
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It is Jesus Christ.
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It was mentioned just before this in verse 27.
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Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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Him we proclaim.
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Paul's driving desire was to proclaim Him,
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the hope of glory,
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who had done so much on His behalf.
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Who had rescued Him from His apostate Judaism.
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Who had delivered Him from His sin.
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It's Paul's desire to proclaim Him.
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Proclaim means to publicly declare.
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Here in the Greek, it is a general term,
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and it is not restricted to formal preaching.
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Not restricted.
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All preaching is proclamation.
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Not all proclamation is preaching.
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And this will be important in just a moment.
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Remember that all preaching is proclamation.
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Not all proclamation is preaching.
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And Paul says,
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Him we proclaim.
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And presumably, he's referring to himself and Timothy.
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If you recall that the salvation of the Colossians,
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excuse me,
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this letter to the Colossians,
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the salutation,
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darn you autocorrect,
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is addressed from them both.
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Verse 1, he says,
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I, Paul, and Timothy, our brother.
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And this is likely the we he's referring to here.
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And there is two aspects of their proclamation.
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There's one negative and one positive.
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Or stated in the negative,
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the warning that he says here.
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We proclaim warning everyone.
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Some of your translations may say admonishing.
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Warning or admonishing.
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This is encouraging counsel in view of sin and coming punishment.
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This is a warning to flee from the wrath to come,
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stated in the negative.
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In the positive,
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there is teaching happening as well.
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Not this, but this.
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Imparting truth in their ministry.
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So they're warning everyone
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and they're teaching everyone
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with all wisdom.
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Wisdom can be rightly understood
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as a practical discernment.
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Taking those things that we see as true
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and giving them good and practical application
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in our lives.
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I like this little equation
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that my father has taught me across the years.
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That knowledge plus understanding
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equals wisdom.
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It's one thing to know something.
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It's another thing to know
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what to do with that thing
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that is known.
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So you can know
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that a tomato is a fruit,
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but it's really important to know
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that a tomato should not go
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in a fruit salad.
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Knowing the proper application,
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like a BLT,
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would be knowledge plus understanding.
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And then you're wise about the tomato.
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Sometimes my off-the-cuff analogies
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just don't play out.
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Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17,
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All scripture is breathed out by God
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and profitable for teaching,
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for reproof,
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for correction,
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and for training in righteousness,
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that the man of God may be complete,
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equipped for every good work.
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So how is it that we give
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this type of teaching?
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This proclamation that they're giving
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is being done
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by the Scriptures.
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The tool that's granted to us,
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for us to proclaim,
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warning everyone,
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teaching everyone,
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with all wisdom.
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Paul says,
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we proclaim,
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speaking of himself and of Timothy,
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and this certainly,
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what he's referring to here,
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is the job of church leaders.
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There's a work to be done in this way,
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this proclamation,
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warning,
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and teaching.
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We can see both aspects,
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the negative and the positive,
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in the Scriptures.
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To warn in Acts 20, 31,
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Paul describes his ministry at Ephesus.
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He writes,
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Therefore,
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be alert,
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remembering that for three years
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I did not cease,
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night or day,
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to admonish or warn
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everyone with tears.
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The church leaders
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are also supposed to teach.
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Paul writes to Timothy
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in 1 Timothy 3, 2,
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concerning the qualities
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of an elder in a church,
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that an overseer
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must be able to teach.
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So it is certainly
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the job of church leaders,
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but we must be very careful
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at this point
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that we don't exclude ourselves
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from this ministry.
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Because while it's the job
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of church leaders,
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it is also the job
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of every disciple
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of Jesus Christ.
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Remember,
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as I said to you before,
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proclamation is not restricted
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to formal teaching.
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This point's driven by Paul
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later in the letter,
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Colossians 3, 16,
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the first part of it,
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where he says,
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let the word of Christ
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dwell in you richly.
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Listen to the words.
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Teaching and admonishing
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or warning one another
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in all wisdom.
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So if you think that potentially
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the text for today
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is merely talking about
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the responsibility of Paul
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and his ministry to the churches,
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which I could give you that here,
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he certainly broadens
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the scope of the exhortation
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later on in chapter 3,
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verse 16.
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Let the word of Christ dwell in you,
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you believers,
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you Colossian disciples,
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teaching and admonishing
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one another in all wisdom.
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In other places,
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Acts 8, 3-4,
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we get a great example
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of proclamation going forth
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from the early church.
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This is just after
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the stoning of Stephen,
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if you are familiar with that.
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In verse 3 of chapter 8,
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it says,
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But Saul,
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pre-conversion Paul,
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Saul was ravaging the church
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and entering house after house,
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he dragged off men and women
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and committed them to prison.
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So this great persecution arose
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on the early church
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and it caused people
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to be scattered.
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Listen to what verse 4 says.
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Now those who were scattered
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went about preaching the word.
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A very similar,
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not the exact same word here
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used for proclamation,
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but it carries with it
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the idea of gossiping
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the word of God.
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They were going about
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telling people about Jesus
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as they were scattered.
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Saul, even here,
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is used by God
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to advance the church
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across the known world
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of time.
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Again, we see both sides
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of this stated in the negative
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and stated in the positive
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for all believers.
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We are to warn
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or admonish one another.
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Paul read to the Thessalonian believers
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in 2 Thessalonians 3, 14 and 15.
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If anyone does not obey
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what we say in this letter,
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take note of that person
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and have nothing to do with them
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that he may be ashamed.
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Do not regard him as an enemy,
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but warn him as a brother.
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We are meant to work together
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and minister the word of God
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to one another.
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We are meant to bring correction
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to one another.
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Beloved, it is our job
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as a church to hold each other
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accountable to the standard
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of Scripture.
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We need to call a spade a spade.
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We need to say,
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you cannot live in this way
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and let me show you
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by God's holy writ
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why you cannot.
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You must be brought
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into line with this.
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This is the great practice
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of church discipline
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which happens not just
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at a church leadership level,
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but it's happening all the time
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if we're a healthy
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and vibrant church.
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We are to warn
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those who are around us
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who think they're believers
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and may not be.
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Or those who certainly
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are believers,
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but they think that they
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can persist in sin
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and that there will be
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no consequence for said sin.
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It's the loving and right thing
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for us to do with one another.
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We are to warn
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or admonish one another.
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We're also meant to teach.
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Jesus gives to us
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in Matthew 28, 19-20
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what is most commonly called
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the Great Commission
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where He says,
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Go therefore and make disciples
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of all nations,
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baptizing them in the name
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of the Father and the Son
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and the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to observe
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all that I have commanded you.
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This is the mission,
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the commission given to the church.
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Not just church leaders,
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but all of those
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who are part of the family of God.
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We are to be teaching one another.
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I know that many of you
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may feel inadequate for such a task,
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but all of you have something
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to impart to somebody else.
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If you are in fact a Christian,
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you have the Spirit of God within you.
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You are an expression of God's grace.
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I need you.
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I just can't tell you
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how much I need you.
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I am in no way
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on some kind of a platform
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elevated above you figuratively.
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I need you.
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I need your perspective.
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I need to learn
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how God is working in your life.
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I need to see fresh pictures
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of the way that Jesus Christ
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is bringing about redemption
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in your life.
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It is encouraging to me
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wherever you are
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in your walk with Christ
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to see that you're walking.
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We need one another.
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And this activity,
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all of this activity
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of admonishing, warning,
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and teaching,
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and all wisdom
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is in order that
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they and we
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may present everyone
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mature in Christ.
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This is the goal
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of the Christian ministry.
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That the saints
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would be mature
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in their faith.
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That they would
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properly yield fruit
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as a result
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of their maturity.
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A passage that I hope
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is very familiar to you.
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Ephesians 4,
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verses 11-13.
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Listen carefully.
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And He, being Christ,
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gave the apostles,
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the prophets,
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the evangelists,
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the shepherds and teachers
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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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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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And so you'll see
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that Jesus Christ
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gave gifts to the church
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that those leaders
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may work
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to build up the body
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for the work
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of ministry,
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which is the building
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up of the body.
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You see the language here.
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To equip the saints
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for the work of ministry.
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What is that work?
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For the building up
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of the body of Christ.
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All of us play a part
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into this
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until we all attain
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the unity 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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This is the desire
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of Epaphras.
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Epaphras is likely
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the man who established
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the church in Colossae.
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It was not Paul.
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It was Epaphras
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who probably received
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the Gospel in Ephesus
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and carried it back
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to Colossae.
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Look at his desire
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in Colossians 4.12.
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Paul writes,
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Epaphras,
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who is one of you,
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a servant of Christ Jesus,
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greets you,
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always struggling
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on your behalf
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in his prayers
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that you may stand mature
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and fully assured
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in all the will of God.
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His great desire
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for the church
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as he's not with them,
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as he's currently
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with Paul,
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likely in his Roman imprisonment,
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is that the church
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that he loves,
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the place that he's from,
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would be mature
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and fully assured
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in the will of God.
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It's probable
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that a praxis
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actually traveled
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to be with Paul
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because of the heresies
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that are encircling
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and are within this church
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in this time.
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This letter seems to be written
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to address these particular things.
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We don't know the exact nature
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of the heresies,
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but likely Epaphras said,
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I don't know how to address
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these things,
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but Paul will know.
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Maybe I could get him
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to write a letter
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and set some of these things straight.
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So his great desire
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is that they be mature
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in Christ.
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So the work of Paul's ministry
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was to warn and teach everyone
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concerning coming judgment
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and the way of salvation
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in order that those
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he ministered to
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would become mature
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in Christ.
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And this is also
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the work of our ministry.
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You have a part
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to play
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in the sanctification
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of the saints.
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We need you.
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If you're not a part
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of this church,
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someone needs you.
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A fellowship of Christ
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needs you.
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There's limited capacity
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of individuals.
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I don't know how many of you
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know me very well,
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but something that you
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should know about me
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is that I'm extremely introverted.
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I really don't like
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being in the spotlight,
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literally and figuratively.
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It's not really the place
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I enjoy playing.
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If I've ever insulted you
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unintentionally
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because I walked by you
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on a Sunday morning,
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it's because I've recessed
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into my head
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and I've got something
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on my mind
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and I just zip right past you.
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I don't mean to do this thing.
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I don't mean to insult you,
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but it's the way
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that God has made me.
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I have to work hard.
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I have to rely deeply
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on his grace
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to be open
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and be with you
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and to impart myself to you.
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It's a difficult thing for me.
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Very small capacity,
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I think,
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for relationship.
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Some of you have more capacity.
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For relationship.
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Some of you
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are incredibly extroverted.
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You absolutely exhaust me
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with your extroversion.
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It's astounding to me.
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Absolutely astounding to me.
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But what a beautiful picture
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of the way in which
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God brings us together
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and gives us varying gifting.
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But whether you're extremely introverted
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or extremely extroverted,
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we all have some capacity
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for deep relationship
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because we have
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only so much time
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in our days.
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In deep relationship,
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meaningful relationship
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takes time.
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It's a necessity of it.
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We have to work at it.
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In an article published
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in Psychology Today,
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this is a secular article,
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British anthropologist
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Robin Dunbar
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wrote a book called
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How Many Friends
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Does One Person Need?
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And in it,
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he argues that
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you can only keep friendships
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with about 150 people
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at any given time
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because,
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quote,
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Don't ask me to explain
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what that means.
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And,
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this in turn
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limits group size
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where stable
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interpersonal relationships
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can be maintained,
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end quote.
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Dunbar says
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his number of 150,
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quote,
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refers to those people
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with whom you have
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a personalized relationship,
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one that is reciprocal
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and based around
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general obligations
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of trust
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and reciprocity,
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end quote.
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There's just only so much
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we can handle.
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Social media is making
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this more difficult for us
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because now we have
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so many friends.
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We're not really,
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by this definition,
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friends with any of them.
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We're very wide
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and not very deep
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with our relationships
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these days.
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It makes it very difficult
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to be devoted to people
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when you feel like
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so many people
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expect so much of you.
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It seems that you just
20:21
can't make anybody
20:23
happy.
20:25
And what I'm positing to you
20:26
is that our problem
20:27
is that we're extending
20:28
ourselves way too far
20:30
because some people
20:33
don't extend themselves
20:34
at all.
20:36
There are too few people
20:37
in many churches,
20:38
including ours,
20:39
that do a lot of work.
20:42
And it's difficult to do well
20:43
because of the limit of time.
20:45
But if we would all be involved
20:46
and engaged in these processes,
20:49
we could easily
20:50
manage the load.
20:53
This article goes on to say,
20:55
our theoretical circle of 150
20:57
is not a homogenous social group.
20:59
That is to say that it's not 150
21:01
and they all interact
21:01
just with each other.
21:03
Right?
21:03
There's a lot of overlapping
21:04
in our spheres of influence.
21:06
Dunbar explains,
21:07
but rather consists of four layers
21:10
or, quote,
21:10
circles of acquaintanceship,
21:12
end quote,
21:13
which scale relative to each other
21:15
by a factor of three.
21:16
I don't know what that means.
21:17
An inner core of five intimates
21:19
and then successive layers
21:22
of 15, 50,
21:23
and 150.
21:24
Oh, now I know what it means.
21:25
With each successive circle,
21:28
the number of people included
21:29
increases,
21:29
but the emotional intimacy
21:31
decreases.
21:31
You get what he's saying.
21:32
You can only be so close
21:33
to so few
21:34
and you can know these people
21:35
on some degree
21:36
and you can know the names
21:38
of people out here
21:38
or recognize their faces.
21:40
Right?
21:41
But there's a reality to this.
21:42
The way that we're designed,
21:44
the way that we're geared,
21:45
is that we can only do
21:47
so much
21:48
with so many.
21:51
We have to get this.
21:52
I can't minister personally
21:54
to each and every one of you.
21:56
It's an impossibility.
21:57
My wife
21:58
can't minister individually
22:00
to each and every one
22:01
of the women
22:01
in this church.
22:03
It's an absolute impossibility.
22:05
And if we try,
22:06
we will most certainly
22:07
die.
22:12
I didn't mean to rhyme that,
22:13
but that's the word
22:13
that popped into my head.
22:14
It's just too,
22:15
it's too much.
22:16
We get spread too thin.
22:18
And there's a great deal
22:19
of challenge,
22:19
and Sam and I talk about
22:20
this much,
22:21
that we really feel like
22:22
we don't do anybody
22:23
any real service
22:24
because we're spread too thin.
22:27
We can't really devote
22:28
ourselves to anybody.
22:29
And what that means
22:30
for this church
22:31
and any church
22:32
that you may be a part of,
22:35
whether you're a guest here today
22:36
or just across your life,
22:39
that you need to invest yourself
22:41
in people.
22:44
So this is the work
22:45
of Paul's ministry.
22:47
And it's our work
22:48
as well.
22:50
Let's look fourthly
22:51
at the strength
22:52
of Paul's ministry.
22:55
Verse 29.
22:56
For this I toil,
23:00
struggling with all
23:01
his energy
23:02
that he powerfully works
23:03
within me.
23:04
For this,
23:05
the things that were
23:06
aforementioned
23:07
in the text,
23:08
right?
23:08
Him we proclaim,
23:09
warning everyone
23:10
and teaching everyone
23:10
with all wisdom
23:12
that we may present
23:12
everyone mature in Christ.
23:14
To this end,
23:15
I toil.
23:16
The word toil
23:17
means to work
23:19
to the point
23:19
of exhaustion.
23:22
Struggling.
23:22
This word here,
23:23
we get our English word
23:24
for agonized,
23:25
derived from the Greek word
23:26
for struggling here.
23:29
To work
23:29
and to struggle
23:30
to this end.
23:33
What I would say to you
23:34
is that no one
23:34
can faithfully serve
23:36
Jesus Christ
23:37
without working hard.
23:41
And there's a great deal
23:42
of apathy in the church.
23:44
A great deal of laziness
23:45
in the church.
23:47
Christians should be
23:48
the busiest people
23:50
on the planet
23:51
because we work
23:52
in weighty matters.
23:55
Now,
23:55
don't hear me saying to you
23:56
that it's not okay
23:57
to rest at times.
23:58
It is.
23:58
It's good and important.
24:00
To work hard,
24:01
you have to rest
24:02
or else you'll run yourself
24:03
into the ground.
24:05
But we should be
24:06
the busiest people
24:07
because the things
24:08
that we're to be about
24:09
have great eternal weight.
24:11
They matter
24:12
in eternity.
24:13
We're not simply
24:14
building businesses
24:15
and making money.
24:17
We're not simply
24:18
storing things away.
24:20
Stuff that's all
24:21
turning to dust.
24:21
We're dealing with
24:22
eternal things.
24:25
We must work hard.
24:28
There's a mandate
24:29
placed upon us
24:30
as Christian people
24:31
to do so.
24:33
But we must do so
24:35
by the strength
24:36
that God works in us.
24:38
The power of Paul's ministry
24:39
was not in his education,
24:42
a brilliant man,
24:43
or his cultural heritage,
24:45
in his preaching prowess,
24:47
or in his charisma.
24:48
ministries built
24:51
on these types of things
24:52
are absolutely doomed
24:53
to fail
24:54
or meet some measure
24:56
of success
24:57
that's not a measure
24:58
that God would use.
25:00
Paul relied on
25:02
God's energy
25:03
that he powerfully
25:04
worked within.
25:05
And he kind of stacks
25:06
these descriptors up.
25:08
God's energy
25:08
that he powerfully
25:10
works within me.
25:11
And this doesn't mean
25:12
in proportion with.
25:15
I work and I labor
25:16
in proportion with
25:17
the energy
25:18
that God gives me.
25:20
Paul's not talking
25:21
about measures of grace
25:22
given in gifting
25:23
to the church.
25:25
He rather means
25:25
I work with
25:27
or by means of
25:28
in reliance upon
25:30
God's power.
25:32
The things that I'm doing
25:33
don't happen
25:34
apart from
25:35
God's work
25:36
in me.
25:38
1 Corinthians 15.10
25:40
Paul writes,
25:41
But by the grace of God
25:42
I am what I am
25:44
and his grace towards me
25:45
was not in vain.
25:47
On the contrary
25:48
I worked harder
25:49
than any of them
25:50
though it was not I
25:51
but the grace of God
25:53
that is with me.
25:55
Philippians 2.12-13
25:56
I love these types of texts
25:58
that so
25:59
he so carefully
26:00
weaves together
26:01
our responsibility
26:02
and God's sovereign strength
26:04
in our lives.
26:05
Philippians 2.12-13
26:06
Therefore my beloved
26:08
as you have always obeyed
26:10
so now
26:10
not only in my presence
26:12
but much more
26:13
in my absence
26:13
work out your own salvation
26:15
with fear
26:16
and trembling
26:17
for it is God
26:19
who works in you
26:20
both to will
26:21
and to work
26:22
for his good pleasure.
26:25
Sam Storms
26:25
in the Hope of Glory
26:26
said it like this
26:27
Apart from the
26:29
conscience
26:29
consistent
26:31
concentrated reliance
26:33
on the power of God
26:35
burnout
26:35
is a sure
26:37
thing.
26:39
You try to
26:39
operate
26:40
under your own strength
26:42
for all of this
26:43
ministry
26:43
that we are
26:44
we are meant
26:45
to be doing
26:46
this call
26:47
that's laid upon
26:48
our lives
26:49
as a body
26:50
of Christ
26:51
burnout
26:52
is a
26:52
sure
26:53
thing.
26:56
So
26:56
how do we
26:57
consciously
26:58
consistently
26:58
and
26:59
concentratedly
27:00
rely
27:00
on the power
27:01
of God?
27:02
How do we do
27:02
this thing
27:03
that Sam Storms
27:04
is suggesting
27:05
that we do?
27:07
Paul gives us
27:07
a clue
27:09
to that
27:09
chapter 3
27:10
verse 16
27:10
this letter
27:11
to the
27:11
Colossians
27:12
I mentioned
27:12
it previously
27:13
let the word
27:14
of Christ
27:15
dwell
27:16
in you
27:17
richly
27:18
let the word
27:20
of Christ
27:20
dwell
27:21
in you
27:21
richly
27:22
fam
27:22
we need
27:22
to be
27:23
studying
27:23
this book
27:24
and knowing
27:25
it
27:25
I fear
27:27
that too
27:27
often
27:27
this book
27:28
is just
27:28
a book
27:29
amongst
27:29
a knot
27:30
of other
27:30
books
27:30
I've got
27:32
a whole
27:32
study
27:32
downstairs
27:33
just full
27:33
of books
27:34
too many
27:34
books
27:35
to even
27:35
handle
27:35
my father
27:36
gifted me
27:36
his library
27:37
I've got
27:37
books in
27:38
boxes
27:38
I don't
27:38
even know
27:39
what they
27:39
are
27:40
there's
27:40
so many
27:40
of them
27:41
and the
27:41
great danger
27:42
is that we
27:42
put the
27:43
Bible up
27:43
on that
27:43
shelf
27:44
with all
27:44
of the
27:44
others
27:44
and we
27:45
hold it
27:45
in the
27:45
same
27:46
regard
27:46
this is
27:47
God's
27:48
word
27:48
to us
27:49
and beyond
27:50
that
27:50
the spirit
27:50
of God
27:51
uses the
27:52
word of
27:53
God
27:53
to affect
27:54
us
27:54
this is
27:55
the tool
27:56
that he
27:56
uses
27:57
as Wes
27:58
mentioned
27:58
previously
27:59
the sword
28:00
sharper
28:01
than a
28:02
two-edged
28:02
sword
28:03
this is the
28:04
way in
28:05
which the
28:05
spirit
28:05
affects us
28:06
not through
28:07
our
28:07
feelings
28:08
right
28:09
but through
28:10
the word
28:11
of God
28:12
knowing
28:13
his word
28:14
J.I.
28:16
Packer said
28:16
well the
28:17
holy spirit's
28:18
ordinary way
28:18
of working
28:19
in us
28:19
is through
28:21
the working
28:21
of our
28:22
own minds
28:23
and wills
28:24
he moves
28:25
us to act
28:26
by causing
28:26
us to see
28:27
reasons for
28:28
moving
28:28
ourselves
28:28
to act
28:29
read that
28:30
last sentence
28:31
to you
28:31
again
28:31
he moves
28:32
us to
28:33
act
28:33
by causing
28:34
us to
28:35
see reasons
28:35
for moving
28:36
ourselves
28:36
to act
28:38
that we
28:38
know the
28:39
scriptures
28:40
that we
28:40
have an
28:41
eternal
28:41
perspective
28:42
that we
28:42
see things
28:43
from where
28:43
God
28:44
stands
28:45
that we
28:46
recognize
28:46
who he
28:47
is and
28:47
how he's
28:48
working
28:48
in the
28:48
world
28:49
we have
28:50
this
28:50
biblical
28:50
world view
28:51
not one
28:52
that's caught
28:52
up in the
28:52
momentary
28:53
pleasures
28:53
but in the
28:54
long lasting
28:55
in the
28:55
eternal
28:55
things
28:56
it makes
28:57
it easy
28:57
for us
28:58
to make
28:58
decisions
28:58
about
28:59
our money
28:59
as an
29:00
example
29:00
I want to
29:01
store it for
29:01
myself
29:02
Trevor
29:02
in heaven
29:03
if I
29:03
know this
29:04
to be
29:04
true
29:04
the
29:04
spirit
29:05
works
29:05
it in
29:05
me
29:05
he
29:06
changes
29:06
my
29:06
desires
29:07
to
29:07
desire
29:08
the
29:08
things
29:08
that
29:09
God
29:09
desires
29:10
he wants
29:12
me to
29:13
gain more
29:13
of him
29:14
to know
29:15
him
29:15
more
29:16
that one
29:17
day I'll
29:17
know him
29:18
forever
29:19
we gotta
29:21
know
29:22
the
29:22
scripture
29:23
we have
29:24
to make
29:24
ourselves
29:24
available
29:25
for the
29:25
application
29:26
of the
29:27
scripture
29:27
in our
29:28
lives
29:28
and I'll
29:28
talk a
29:29
bit more
29:29
about our
29:29
minds
29:29
and hearts
29:30
in the
29:31
next point
29:32
to further
29:33
drive the
29:33
point of
29:34
Paul's
29:34
labor
29:34
chapter 2
29:35
verse 1
29:36
he writes
29:37
for I want
29:37
you to know
29:37
how great a
29:38
struggle I
29:38
have for you
29:39
that word
29:40
struggle again
29:41
and for
29:41
those at
29:42
Laodicea
29:43
and for
29:44
all who
29:44
have not
29:44
seen me
29:45
face to
29:45
face
29:46
again
29:46
Paul had
29:47
never
29:47
visited
29:47
the
29:48
Colossian
29:48
church
29:49
he also
29:49
had not
29:50
the
29:50
Laodicean
29:51
church
29:52
and there
29:53
were others
29:53
right
29:54
the gospel
29:54
was having
29:55
its effect
29:55
apart from
29:56
Paul
29:56
God was
29:57
moving and
29:57
working in
29:58
the known
29:59
world
29:59
apart from
30:00
Paul's
30:01
ministry
30:02
but he
30:03
finds himself
30:04
having a
30:04
struggle for
30:05
them as
30:05
well
30:06
right
30:06
having a
30:07
great and
30:08
deep concern
30:09
for the
30:10
church
30:11
I want to
30:12
show you a
30:12
wonderful
30:13
scriptural
30:14
example of
30:14
this
30:14
if you
30:15
will turn
30:15
with me
30:15
to 2nd
30:16
Corinthians
30:16
chapter 11
30:17
I'll
30:35
begin reading
30:35
in verse
30:35
23
30:36
are they
30:38
servants of
30:38
Christ
30:39
I am a
30:41
better one
30:41
he says I
30:42
am talking
30:43
like a
30:43
madman
30:43
he is
30:44
making
30:46
tongue
30:46
in
30:46
cheek
30:46
comparison
30:47
I'm
30:48
talking
30:48
like a
30:48
madman
30:49
with far
30:49
greater
30:50
labels
30:50
far more
30:51
imprisonments
30:52
with countless
30:53
beatings and
30:54
often near
30:55
death
30:55
Paul lays
30:57
out for us
30:57
the suffering
30:58
of his
30:58
ministry
30:59
verse 24
30:59
five times
31:01
I received
31:01
at the hands
31:02
of the Jews
31:02
the forty
31:03
lashes
31:03
less one
31:04
three times
31:05
I was
31:05
beaten
31:06
with rods
31:06
once
31:07
I was
31:08
stoned
31:08
three times
31:09
I was
31:09
shipwrecked
31:10
a night
31:10
and a day
31:11
I was
31:11
adrift
31:11
at sea
31:12
on frequent
31:13
journeys
31:13
in danger
31:14
from rivers
31:15
danger
31:15
from robbers
31:16
danger
31:17
from my
31:17
own
31:17
people
31:18
danger
31:18
from
31:19
gentiles
31:19
danger
31:20
in the
31:20
city
31:20
danger
31:21
in the
31:21
wilderness
31:21
danger
31:22
at sea
31:22
danger
31:23
from
31:23
false
31:24
brothers
31:24
in toil
31:25
and hardship
31:26
through many
31:27
a sleepless
31:27
night
31:28
in hunger
31:28
and thirst
31:29
often without
31:30
food
31:30
in cold
31:31
and exposure
31:33
and then here's
31:33
what I'm leading
31:34
us to
31:34
verse 28
31:35
and apart
31:37
from other
31:37
things
31:38
there's the
31:39
daily pressure
31:40
on me
31:40
of my
31:41
anxiety
31:42
for all
31:43
the churches
31:44
you see the way
31:46
in which he
31:47
toiled
31:48
and struggled
31:49
Paul was
31:49
spending himself
31:51
for the sake
31:52
of others
31:53
we see at the
31:54
beginning of
31:55
Romans chapter 9
31:56
that Paul wishes
31:56
that he himself
31:57
would be accursed
31:58
cut off from the
31:59
blessing of Christ
31:59
that his
32:00
brothers
32:01
the Jewish
32:02
people
32:03
would know
32:04
the glory of God
32:05
in the face of
32:06
Jesus Christ
32:06
this deep
32:07
yearning
32:08
longing
32:09
desire
32:10
for the good
32:11
of others
32:12
in the church
32:13
and those
32:13
who are yet
32:14
to be counted
32:14
in the church
32:15
do we
32:17
yearn
32:18
in this
32:19
way
32:19
Paul worked
32:21
hard by the
32:22
strength of
32:22
God
32:23
and we
32:24
also
32:24
should work
32:25
hard
32:26
to warn
32:26
and teach
32:27
everyone
32:27
concerning
32:28
coming judgment
32:29
and the way
32:29
of salvation
32:30
in order
32:31
that those
32:32
who we
32:32
minister to
32:33
will become
32:34
mature in
32:34
Christ
32:35
and we
32:36
should most
32:36
certainly do
32:37
so by
32:37
meditating
32:38
on the
32:38
strength
32:39
that God
32:39
graciously
32:40
supplies
32:42
fifthly
32:44
the aim
32:47
of Paul's
32:48
ministry
32:48
further developed
32:50
last week's
32:52
point one
32:52
verse 25
32:55
chapter one
32:56
Paul says
32:57
to make
32:57
the word
32:58
of God
32:59
fully
33:00
known
33:01
and I
33:03
posited to you
33:04
that the purpose
33:04
of God
33:04
in history
33:05
and Paul's
33:06
aim in ministry
33:07
rightly so
33:08
is that the
33:09
gospel of
33:10
reconciliation
33:10
spread to
33:12
all the
33:12
peoples of
33:13
the world
33:13
in order to
33:14
yield
33:14
God centered
33:15
Christ
33:16
exalting
33:17
churches
33:18
to make
33:19
the word
33:19
of God
33:20
fully
33:21
known
33:22
verse 2
33:23
and 3
33:23
are an
33:24
expansion
33:24
of this
33:25
that their
33:25
hearts
33:26
may be
33:26
encouraged
33:27
being knit
33:28
together in
33:29
love to
33:29
reach all
33:29
the riches
33:30
of full
33:31
assurance
33:31
of understanding
33:32
and the
33:32
knowledge
33:33
of God's
33:33
mystery
33:33
which is
33:34
Christ
33:35
in whom
33:35
are hidden
33:36
all the
33:37
treasures
33:37
of wisdom
33:38
and knowledge
33:39
there's a
33:40
phenomenal amount
33:42
to be said
33:42
about those
33:43
two verses
33:44
and I'm
33:44
going to
33:44
pick up
33:45
some of
33:45
that in
33:46
next week's
33:47
sermon
33:47
to lead us
33:48
into our
33:49
next text
33:50
but briefly
33:51
concerning
33:51
these two
33:52
verses
33:52
this morning
33:53
Paul has
33:55
this desire
33:55
this aim
33:56
of his
33:56
ministry
33:57
that their
33:57
hearts
33:58
may be
33:59
encouraged
34:00
the heart
34:01
is the
34:02
inner person
34:03
the very
34:03
center
34:04
of our
34:04
lives
34:06
and how
34:07
does this
34:07
relate to
34:08
what has
34:08
been
34:08
previously
34:09
stated
34:10
verse 28
34:10
him we
34:11
proclaim
34:12
warning
34:12
everyone
34:12
and teaching
34:13
everyone
34:14
with all
34:14
wisdom
34:15
that we
34:15
represent
34:15
everyone
34:16
mature
34:17
in Christ
34:18
it's
34:19
connected
34:19
to
34:20
this
34:21
proclamation
34:22
the warning
34:23
and the
34:24
teaching
34:24
which are
34:25
things that
34:26
come into
34:27
our
34:28
minds
34:29
and affect
34:30
who we
34:31
are
34:32
the mind
34:33
and the
34:34
heart
34:34
are never
34:36
divorced
34:36
from each
34:37
other
34:37
you need to
34:39
get this
34:40
straight
34:40
the mind
34:41
and the
34:41
heart
34:41
are never
34:42
divorced
34:43
from each
34:44
other
34:44
the proper
34:45
view of
34:45
man
34:46
is a
34:46
dichotomous
34:47
view
34:48
we have
34:49
the external
34:49
and the
34:50
internal
34:51
beloved
34:51
please don't
34:52
understand it
34:52
any other
34:53
way
34:53
right
34:54
too often
34:55
Christians try
34:56
to separate
34:57
the mind
34:57
and the
34:58
heart
34:58
there are
34:59
whole
34:59
denominations
35:00
that
35:00
very
35:01
largely
35:02
worship
35:03
feeling
35:04
experience
35:06
both
35:08
should be
35:08
true
35:08
both
35:09
should
35:09
be
35:09
at
35:09
play
35:10
but
35:10
the
35:10
two
35:10
should
35:10
never
35:11
be
35:11
divorced
35:11
from one
35:12
another
35:12
let me
35:12
give you
35:12
a couple
35:13
of
35:13
examples
35:13
from the
35:14
scriptures
35:14
proverbs
35:15
4
35:15
23
35:16
says
35:16
keep
35:16
your
35:17
heart
35:17
with
35:18
all
35:18
vigilance
35:19
for
35:19
from
35:19
it
35:20
flows
35:20
the
35:20
springs
35:20
of
35:21
life
35:21
some
35:21
translations
35:22
say
35:22
guard
35:23
your
35:23
heart
35:23
with
35:24
all
35:24
vigilance
35:25
how
35:25
do
35:25
you
35:25
do
35:25
this
35:25
type
35:26
of
35:26
thing
35:26
with
35:26
your
35:27
mind
35:28
psalm 26
35:29
2
35:29
prove
35:29
me
35:30
oh
35:30
lord
35:30
and
35:31
try
35:31
me
35:31
test
35:32
my
35:32
heart
35:33
and
35:33
my
35:34
mind
35:34
god
35:36
used
35:36
paul
35:37
for
35:37
the
35:37
strengthening
35:38
of
35:39
the
35:40
church
35:40
the
35:41
encouragement
35:42
of
35:43
their
35:43
hearts
35:44
the
35:44
strengthening
35:45
of
35:45
their
35:45
hearts
35:46
acts
35:47
18
35:48
23
35:48
luke
35:49
records
35:49
after
35:49
spending
35:50
some
35:50
time
35:50
there
35:51
referring
35:51
to
35:51
antioch
35:52
paul
35:53
departed
35:53
and
35:54
went
35:54
from
35:54
one
35:54
place
35:55
to
35:55
the
35:55
next
35:55
through
35:55
the
35:55
region
35:56
of
35:56
!
35:56
Galatia
35:56
and
35:57
Phrygia
35:57
strengthening
35:59
all
36:00
the
36:01
disciples
36:01
and
36:02
God
36:03
uses
36:03
us
36:03
for
36:03
the
36:03
very
36:04
same
36:04
purpose
36:05
with
36:05
all
36:06
the
36:06
things
36:06
that
36:06
we've
36:06
said
36:06
before
36:07
this
36:07
proclamation
36:07
this
36:08
warning
36:08
and
36:08
this
36:09
teaching
36:09
in order
36:09
that
36:09
we
36:09
may
36:09
present
36:10
one
36:10
another
36:11
mature
36:11
in
36:12
Christ
36:13
our
36:13
hearts
36:14
are
36:14
encouraged
36:15
our
36:16
hearts
36:16
and
36:16
minds
36:16
!
36:16
strengthened!
36:18
He
36:18
goes
36:18
on to
36:19
say
36:19
that
36:19
they
36:20
would
36:20
be
36:20
knit
36:20
together
36:21
in
36:21
love
36:22
or
36:22
united
36:23
together
36:24
in
36:24
love
36:25
and this
36:26
aorist
36:27
verb
36:28
helps
36:28
explain
36:29
the
36:29
main
36:29
verb
36:30
of the
36:30
sentence
36:30
which is
36:31
that they
36:31
may be
36:32
encouraged
36:33
the
36:34
strengthened
36:34
heart
36:35
and mind
36:37
is one
36:38
filled
36:39
with love
36:40
the
36:41
properly
36:41
encouraged
36:42
heart
36:43
is one
36:43
filled
36:44
with
36:45
love
36:45
in
36:45
fact
36:45
love
36:46
is the
36:46
necessary
36:46
balance
36:47
of a
36:48
strong
36:48
mind
36:49
many
36:50
of us
36:50
know
36:51
those
36:51
people
36:52
who
36:52
get
36:53
their
36:53
knowledge
36:54
before
36:54
their
36:55
maturity
36:56
love
36:57
seems
36:57
to come
36:58
with
36:58
the
36:58
maturing
36:59
process
36:59
and
37:00
they
37:00
go
37:01
picking
37:01
fights
37:02
about
37:02
unnecessary
37:02
things
37:04
many
37:05
of us
37:06
are like
37:06
babies
37:07
learning
37:08
to walk
37:08
because our
37:09
heads
37:09
are just
37:09
so big
37:10
and heavy
37:11
Wes
37:13
mentioned
37:14
Graham
37:15
earlier
37:15
it's a good
37:15
example
37:16
not walking
37:18
quite so well
37:18
sometimes
37:19
because his
37:19
head
37:19
causes him
37:20
to fall
37:21
over
37:21
John
37:23
MacArthur
37:24
said
37:24
Christianity
37:24
is not
37:25
mindless
37:26
enthusiasm
37:27
but neither
37:28
is it
37:29
lifeless
37:29
intellectual
37:30
orthodoxy
37:32
there's a
37:32
healthy balance
37:33
to be found
37:33
in this
37:34
and Paul's
37:35
desire for
37:35
them
37:36
is that
37:36
they would
37:37
have
37:37
hearts
37:38
encouraged
37:38
minds
37:39
strengthened
37:39
and they
37:40
would be
37:40
knit
37:40
together
37:41
in love
37:43
in the
37:44
high priestly
37:44
prayer
37:45
Jesus
37:45
prayed
37:46
for
37:47
Christian
37:47
unity
37:48
these
37:49
hearts
37:50
knit
37:51
together
37:51
John
37:51
17
37:53
verses
37:53
20
37:53
through
37:54
23
37:54
let me
37:54
invite you
37:55
to turn
37:55
there
37:55
with me
37:56
this is
37:57
enough
37:57
text
37:58
for you
37:58
to see
37:58
it
37:58
for
37:59
yourself
37:59
I would
38:08
always
38:08
invite you
38:08
to turn
38:09
with me
38:09
anywhere
38:09
I go
38:10
but for
38:11
the sake
38:12
of time
38:12
I try
38:12
to roll
38:13
through
38:13
some
38:13
things
38:13
John
38:14
17
38:14
beginning
38:14
of
38:14
verse
38:15
20
38:15
I do
38:16
not ask
38:16
for
38:16
these
38:17
only
38:17
he's
38:17
just
38:17
been
38:18
praying
38:18
for
38:18
the
38:18
disciples
38:18
but also
38:19
for those
38:20
who will
38:20
believe in
38:20
me
38:20
through their
38:21
word
38:21
all of
38:22
us
38:22
that they
38:24
may
38:24
all be
38:25
one
38:25
just as
38:26
you
38:27
father
38:27
are in
38:28
me
38:28
and I
38:28
in you
38:29
that they
38:30
also may
38:30
be in
38:31
us
38:31
so that
38:31
the world
38:32
may
38:32
believe
38:32
that you
38:33
have
38:33
sent
38:34
me
38:34
the glory
38:35
that you
38:36
have given
38:36
me
38:36
I have
38:36
given
38:36
to them
38:37
that they
38:37
may be
38:37
one
38:38
even
38:38
as
38:38
we
38:39
are
38:39
one
38:39
I
38:40
in
38:40
them
38:41
and
38:41
you
38:41
in
38:41
me
38:41
that
38:42
they
38:42
may
38:42
become
38:42
perfectly
38:43
one
38:43
so that
38:44
the world
38:44
may
38:44
know
38:44
that you
38:45
sent
38:45
me
38:45
and
38:46
love
38:46
them
38:46
even
38:47
as
38:47
you
38:48
loved
38:48
me
38:49
I guess
38:49
prayer for
38:50
them is that the
38:50
Christian church
38:51
we bound
38:52
together in order to
38:53
give this
38:53
expression of
38:55
the way in
38:55
which the
38:56
father and
38:57
Christ are
38:58
one that
38:58
the father
38:59
sent
38:59
Christ
39:00
into the
39:00
world
39:01
it's
39:02
astounding
39:02
!
39:09
final
39:10
apologetic
39:11
the
39:13
final
39:13
proof
39:14
of the
39:16
gospel of
39:16
glory
39:17
he went on
39:18
to write
39:18
in John
39:19
13
39:20
the point
39:21
was that
39:21
if an
39:22
individual
39:22
Christian
39:23
does not
39:23
show love
39:24
toward other
39:24
true
39:24
Christians
39:25
the world
39:26
has the
39:26
right to
39:26
judge
39:27
that he
39:27
is not
39:27
a
39:27
Christian
39:28
here in
39:29
John
39:29
17
39:29
the text
39:30
I just
39:31
read to
39:31
you
39:31
Jesus
39:32
is stating
39:33
something
39:33
else
39:34
which is
39:34
much
39:34
more
39:35
cutting
39:35
much
39:36
more
39:36
profound
39:37
we
39:38
cannot
39:39
expect
39:39
the world
39:40
to
39:40
believe
39:40
that
39:41
the
39:41
father
39:41
sent
39:41
the
39:42
son
39:42
that
39:42
Jesus
39:43
claims
39:43
are
39:44
true
39:44
and
39:44
that
39:44
Christianity
39:45
is
39:45
true
39:46
unless
39:47
the
39:47
world
39:47
sees
39:48
some
39:48
reality
39:49
of
39:49
oneness
39:50
of
39:50
true
39:50
Christians
39:51
now
39:52
that is
39:53
frightening
39:53
should we
39:55
not feel
39:55
some
39:56
emotion
39:56
at this
39:57
point
39:58
end
39:59
quote
39:59
the
40:01
way
40:02
in
40:02
which
40:02
one
40:04
of the
40:04
primary
40:04
ways
40:05
in
40:05
which
40:05
God
40:06
intended
40:06
for the
40:07
gospel
40:07
to be
40:07
believed
40:08
is that
40:09
Christian
40:10
people
40:10
are
40:10
united
40:11
together
40:11
in
40:12
love
40:13
this
40:14
takes
40:15
a
40:15
great
40:15
deal
40:16
of
40:16
work
40:16
we've
40:18
been
40:18
talking
40:18
about
40:18
toiling
40:19
and
40:19
struggling
40:19
to this
40:20
great
40:21
end
40:21
that we
40:21
work
40:22
to
40:22
maintain
40:22
the
40:23
unity
40:23
of the
40:23
spirit
40:24
the
40:24
spirit
40:24
has
40:25
unified
40:25
us
40:25
already
40:26
we
40:27
just
40:27
have
40:27
to
40:27
work
40:27
at
40:28
maintaining
40:28
said
40:29
unity
40:30
this
40:31
means
40:31
that
40:31
you
40:31
don't
40:32
dip
40:32
when
40:32
things
40:32
get
40:32
a
40:33
little
40:33
bit
40:33
rough
40:33
you
40:34
get
40:34
slightly
40:34
offended
40:35
!
40:35
by
40:35
somebody
40:36
you
40:36
work
40:37
out
40:37
these
40:37
types
40:38
of
40:39
things
40:39
church
40:41
is not
40:41
a thing
40:41
that we
40:42
come
40:42
and consume
40:43
it is a
40:43
people
40:44
called out
40:45
by
40:45
God
40:47
I think
40:47
one of our
40:48
major problems
40:48
is that we
40:49
too often
40:49
think of
40:50
the church
40:50
as something
40:50
outside
40:51
of us
40:52
right
40:52
Walmart
40:53
is a
40:54
store
40:54
I have
40:54
no
40:55
allegiance
40:55
to
40:55
Walmart
40:56
it's
40:57
where I
40:57
occasionally
40:58
go get
40:58
things
40:58
because
40:59
it's
40:59
convenient
40:59
they'll
41:00
likely
41:00
have
41:01
what
41:01
I'm
41:01
looking
41:01
for
41:02
that's
41:03
not
41:04
what the
41:04
church
41:04
is
41:04
the
41:05
church
41:05
is
41:05
the
41:05
people
41:06
the
41:06
church
41:06
is
41:06
not
41:07
this
41:07
property
41:07
in
41:08
this
41:08
building
41:08
it's
41:09
us
41:09
commit
41:11
yourself
41:11
to a
41:12
group
41:12
to a
41:12
fellowship
41:13
of
41:13
believers
41:13
whether
41:14
it's
41:14
here
41:14
or
41:15
someplace
41:15
else
41:15
commit
41:16
yourself
41:17
to
41:17
the
41:17
people
41:18
not
41:19
the
41:19
programs
41:20
that
41:20
exist
41:21
work
41:21
through
41:22
the
41:22
hard
41:22
things
41:23
that
41:23
we
41:23
have
41:23
to
41:23
work
41:23
through
41:23
together
41:24
as
41:24
a
41:24
church
41:24
progress
41:25
in
41:26
truth
41:26
together
41:27
I'm
41:27
not
41:28
always
41:28
going
41:28
to
41:28
get
41:28
it
41:28
right
41:29
and
41:29
I
41:29
need
41:29
you
41:29
I
41:30
need
41:30
you
41:30
to
41:30
partner
41:30
with
41:31
me
41:31
you
41:31
may
41:31
have
41:32
noticed
41:32
twice
41:32
this
41:32
morning
41:33
I've
41:33
called
41:33
you
41:33
fam
41:34
I'm
41:34
going
41:34
start
41:34
doing
41:34
that
41:34
a lot
41:34
more
41:35
often
41:35
right
41:36
you don't
41:37
just
41:37
dip
41:38
out
41:38
on
41:38
your
41:38
family
41:39
it
41:39
may
41:40
be
41:40
hard
41:40
sometimes
41:40
to
41:41
be
41:41
with
41:41
your
41:41
family
41:41
they
41:42
invite
41:42
you
41:43
on
41:43
a
41:43
vacation
41:43
and
41:43
you
41:43
go
41:44
right
41:44
you
41:45
spend
41:45
time
41:45
with
41:45
them
41:46
you
41:46
invest
41:46
in
41:46
them
41:47
we
41:48
should
41:48
do
41:48
the
41:48
same
41:49
thing
41:49
with
41:50
our
41:50
faith
41:51
family
41:52
it's
41:53
important
41:54
that we
41:54
get
41:54
this
41:54
the
41:55
church
41:55
is
41:55
not
41:55
something
41:55
outside
41:56
of
41:56
us
41:56
the
41:56
church
41:57
is
41:58
us
41:59
he
42:02
expands
42:03
upon
42:03
this
42:03
and
42:04
like
42:04
I
42:04
said
42:04
I'm
42:04
going
42:04
to
42:05
get
42:05
into
42:05
it
42:05
next
42:05
week
42:06
for
42:06
the
42:06
sake
42:06
of
42:06
time
42:06
he
42:09
wants
42:09
them
42:09
to
42:09
have
42:09
full
42:10
assurance
42:10
of
42:11
understanding
42:11
and
42:12
the
42:13
knowledge
42:13
of
42:13
God's
42:14
mystery
42:14
which
42:15
is
42:16
Christ
42:17
confident
42:18
knowledge
42:19
of
42:19
Christ
42:19
and
42:20
lives
42:20
that
42:20
act
42:21
according
42:22
to
42:22
said
42:23
knowledge
42:24
this
42:24
is
42:24
the
42:25
aim
42:25
of
42:25
his
42:26
ministry
42:26
and
42:27
ours
42:27
Paul
42:28
desired
42:29
that
42:29
the
42:29
Colossian
42:30
believers
42:30
hearts
42:30
and
42:31
minds
42:31
would
42:31
be
42:31
strengthened
42:32
and
42:32
that
42:33
they
42:33
would
42:33
be
42:33
united
42:33
in
42:34
love
42:34
and
42:35
we
42:35
should
42:35
desire
42:35
the
42:36
exact
42:36
same
42:37
thing
42:38
if
42:39
you
42:39
don't
42:39
you
42:39
have
42:39
to
42:39
ask
42:39
yourself
42:40
why
42:40
we
42:41
should
42:42
labor
42:42
to
42:42
see
42:42
this
42:42
become
42:43
a
42:43
reality
42:43
amongst
42:44
us
42:44
to
42:45
the
42:45
glory
42:45
of
42:46
God
42:46
let's
42:47
pray
42:47
!