diff --git "a/Sunday Worship, April 21, 2024_transcript.txt" "b/Sunday Worship, April 21, 2024_transcript.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/Sunday Worship, April 21, 2024_transcript.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,2425 @@ +[0.00 --> 4.76] He is refining, and in his timing +[4.76 --> 9.18] He's making diamonds out of dust +[9.18 --> 13.00] Making diamonds out of dust +[13.54 --> 16.94] I won't be afraid to shine +[16.94 --> 21.54] I won't be afraid to shine +[21.54 --> 25.28] I won't be afraid to shine +[25.28 --> 29.84] Cause he's making diamonds out of dust +[29.84 --> 34.68] Making diamonds out of dust +[34.68 --> 53.02] I want you as you are, not as you ought to be +[54.28 --> 57.90] Won't you lay down your guard and come to me +[57.90 --> 63.62] The shame that grips you now is crippling +[63.62 --> 68.96] It breaks my heart to see you suffering +[68.96 --> 72.46] Cause I am for you +[72.46 --> 77.68] Good morning +[77.68 --> 81.84] Welcome to worship +[81.84 --> 85.60] A special welcome if you are a guest here this morning +[85.60 --> 91.52] We are really excited to gather together in the name of Jesus and to worship him +[91.52 --> 92.88] My name is Chris +[92.88 --> 95.92] I am one of the pastors here at Emanuel Church +[95.92 --> 100.48] And it's my privilege to lead in our shared worship together this morning +[100.48 --> 103.74] Along with these others on stage who will lead us in song and in prayer +[103.74 --> 110.32] Before we begin, we have a couple announcements to put in front of you and to remind you of +[110.32 --> 113.22] And so, hear these +[113.22 --> 117.70] First of all, this evening, if you're part of our youth program here +[117.70 --> 121.36] You have 2020 at the church at 630 +[121.36 --> 123.76] If you have no idea what that is +[123.76 --> 125.00] Talk to Pastor Kevin +[125.00 --> 128.72] And he will answer your questions and get you involved +[128.72 --> 132.12] But that's for grade 8 through the end of high school +[132.12 --> 136.42] Also, the month of April is treat tag +[136.42 --> 138.26] Oh, good job +[138.26 --> 149.46] And so, we are surprising and giving small little gifts to other members of our church family here +[149.46 --> 151.60] And so, I encourage you +[151.60 --> 154.20] Some of you need to look at your church mailboxes +[154.20 --> 155.64] Because you've been tagged +[155.64 --> 157.64] And you don't normally look at your mailboxes +[157.64 --> 160.70] So, not only do you have a stack of papers and information +[160.70 --> 163.54] But there's a chocolate bar or something in there as well +[163.54 --> 165.08] So, please check that if you haven't +[165.08 --> 166.96] If you don't know what I'm talking about +[166.96 --> 169.56] You can check it out on social media for our church +[169.56 --> 171.32] And that should explain some of that +[171.32 --> 175.58] Additionally, tomorrow evening +[175.58 --> 180.68] Here, there is an event put on by our deacons +[180.68 --> 184.24] Who have asked Anya Adama to come +[184.24 --> 187.32] And to share some stories and practical tips +[187.32 --> 189.98] For navigating financial stress +[189.98 --> 192.54] And so, how do we handle these things? +[192.64 --> 194.00] What are some of the things that we can do? +[194.10 --> 195.22] Some skill sets to have +[195.22 --> 196.78] And stories that can be shared there +[196.78 --> 200.24] So, Anya is going to come and offer that +[200.24 --> 202.42] And also offer herself to you +[202.42 --> 205.06] And so, you can set up a time to meet with her +[205.06 --> 206.02] Or connect with her +[206.02 --> 207.96] If you have any questions about that +[207.96 --> 210.00] Some of the deacons are here to answer +[210.00 --> 211.66] And so, deacons, can you just raise your hands +[211.66 --> 212.48] Where you are? +[214.00 --> 215.78] Two, three, one more at the back +[215.78 --> 217.12] So, if you have any questions +[217.12 --> 218.26] Grab one of them +[218.26 --> 219.86] And they will share that with you +[219.86 --> 220.68] What time does that start? +[222.24 --> 222.60] Seven +[222.60 --> 223.90] Seven o'clock tomorrow night +[223.90 --> 227.36] Next week Sunday +[227.36 --> 229.54] So, April 28th +[229.54 --> 230.68] In the evening +[230.68 --> 232.50] We are hosting here +[232.50 --> 235.36] One of our evening worship sessions +[235.36 --> 237.26] And so, at 6pm +[237.26 --> 238.72] We are going to gather together +[238.72 --> 240.04] For a worship event +[240.04 --> 240.90] That we are calling +[240.90 --> 242.02] Come Holy Spirit +[242.02 --> 243.20] Where we are going to learn +[243.20 --> 244.74] And hear about the work of the Spirit +[244.74 --> 245.38] In our lives +[245.38 --> 246.14] And in our worship +[246.14 --> 248.70] And sing in spirit +[248.70 --> 249.80] And in truth +[249.80 --> 251.44] And so, we invite you to +[251.44 --> 253.02] Book that out in your calendar +[253.02 --> 253.82] And join us +[253.82 --> 255.46] 6pm next week +[255.46 --> 257.28] And then lastly +[257.28 --> 260.34] If you are +[260.34 --> 262.88] If you have been a guest with us +[262.88 --> 264.08] For some time +[264.08 --> 265.38] And you are wondering about membership +[265.38 --> 267.32] Or if you are at this point +[267.32 --> 268.76] In your relationship to God +[268.76 --> 269.24] And Jesus +[269.24 --> 270.32] Where you want to stand +[270.32 --> 271.72] In front of this church family +[271.72 --> 273.14] And profess that truth +[273.14 --> 274.98] And say, yes, this I believe +[274.98 --> 276.66] Or if you haven't been baptized +[276.66 --> 279.32] And would like to receive +[279.32 --> 281.44] That gift of God in grace +[281.44 --> 282.96] I encourage you to find me +[282.96 --> 283.84] After the service +[283.84 --> 285.56] I'll be at the Connect booth +[285.56 --> 287.84] And we can talk about that journey +[287.84 --> 289.32] And what that might look like +[289.32 --> 290.76] Together going forward +[290.76 --> 294.04] I think that's it for our announcements +[294.04 --> 294.98] Before we begin +[294.98 --> 297.50] And so, let's begin our worship together +[297.50 --> 299.88] By receiving the greeting of God +[299.88 --> 301.10] God is in this place +[301.10 --> 303.14] And he welcomes us into his presence +[303.14 --> 303.96] So I invite you +[303.96 --> 305.22] As you're able to stand +[305.22 --> 312.10] When we receive God's greeting +[312.10 --> 313.30] Not only is it +[313.30 --> 314.64] God greeting us +[314.64 --> 316.06] Through my words to you +[316.06 --> 317.86] But it is God greeting you +[317.86 --> 319.30] Through your words to each other +[319.30 --> 320.48] And so following +[320.48 --> 322.62] My speaking of the greeting +[322.62 --> 324.24] I invite you to turn to those around you +[324.24 --> 326.16] And welcome them into worship +[326.16 --> 327.42] Receive the greeting +[327.42 --> 328.44] From God +[328.44 --> 330.24] Grace +[330.24 --> 331.90] Mercy +[331.90 --> 333.46] Peace to you +[333.46 --> 334.94] From God our Father +[334.94 --> 336.40] From the Lord Jesus Christ +[336.40 --> 336.98] His Son +[336.98 --> 338.22] And our Savior +[338.22 --> 339.42] Through the presence +[339.42 --> 340.16] And power +[340.16 --> 341.36] Of the Holy Spirit +[341.36 --> 342.80] Amen +[342.80 --> 346.20] Good morning +[346.20 --> 346.90] Peace of Christ +[346.90 --> 348.08] Peace of Christ +[348.08 --> 348.50] Good morning +[363.46 --> 381.10] We are called to be in this place +[381.10 --> 382.68] And worship our God +[382.68 --> 384.66] With these words from Psalm 108 +[384.66 --> 385.74] My heart +[385.74 --> 386.54] My heart, O God +[386.54 --> 387.90] Is steadfast +[387.90 --> 389.98] I will sing and make music +[389.98 --> 391.32] With all my soul +[391.32 --> 392.54] Awake +[392.54 --> 393.14] Heart +[393.14 --> 394.02] And lyre +[394.02 --> 395.00] I will awaken +[395.00 --> 395.98] The dawn +[395.98 --> 397.64] I will praise you +[397.64 --> 398.08] Lord +[398.08 --> 398.94] Among the nations +[398.94 --> 400.40] I will sing +[400.40 --> 401.26] Of you +[401.26 --> 402.48] Among the peoples +[402.48 --> 403.86] For great +[403.86 --> 404.90] Is your love +[404.90 --> 406.60] Higher than the heavens +[406.60 --> 407.96] Your faithfulness +[407.96 --> 409.50] Reaches to the sky +[409.50 --> 411.10] Be exalted +[411.10 --> 412.08] O God +[412.08 --> 412.94] Above the heavens +[412.94 --> 414.76] Let your glory be +[414.76 --> 416.16] Over all the earth +[416.16 --> 417.30] Let's sing together +[417.30 --> 435.52] Thanks to the Lord +[435.52 --> 437.34] Our God and King +[437.34 --> 440.38] His love endures forever +[440.38 --> 443.28] For His purity +[443.28 --> 445.38] Is above all things +[445.38 --> 448.26] His love endures forever +[448.26 --> 452.90] Sing praise +[452.90 --> 456.50] Sing praise +[456.50 --> 459.28] With a mighty hand +[459.28 --> 461.10] And an outstretched heart +[461.10 --> 463.98] His love endures forever +[463.98 --> 467.00] For the life +[467.00 --> 468.78] That's been reborn +[468.78 --> 471.78] His love endures forever +[471.78 --> 475.36] Sing praise +[475.36 --> 478.12] Take praise +[478.12 --> 479.30] Take praise +[479.30 --> 482.00] Take praise +[482.00 --> 484.18] Take praise +[484.18 --> 487.26] Take praise +[487.26 --> 491.42] Forever God is faithful +[491.42 --> 495.50] Forever God is strong +[495.50 --> 499.28] Forever God is without +[499.28 --> 500.90] Forever +[500.90 --> 501.90] Forever +[501.90 --> 502.90] Forever +[502.90 --> 503.90] Forever +[503.90 --> 504.90] Forever +[504.90 --> 505.90] Forever +[505.90 --> 515.44] Arising to the setting sun +[515.44 --> 518.38] His love endures forever +[518.38 --> 521.42] And by the grace of God +[521.42 --> 523.36] We will carry on +[523.36 --> 526.20] His love endures forever +[526.20 --> 527.90] Sing praise +[527.90 --> 530.66] Sing praise +[530.66 --> 536.44] Sing praise +[536.44 --> 536.58] Sing praise +[536.58 --> 538.86] Sing praise +[538.98 --> 539.72] Sing praise +[539.72 --> 540.90] Sing praise +[541.56 --> 545.74] Ma'an oko'z via hear +[545.74 --> 549.68] Forever God is strong +[549.68 --> 553.90] Forever God is with us +[553.90 --> 555.14] Forever +[555.14 --> 560.98] Forever you are faithful +[560.98 --> 565.20] Forever you are strong +[565.20 --> 569.40] Forever you are with us +[569.40 --> 570.64] Forever +[570.64 --> 574.54] Forever +[575.74 --> 577.74] Forever +[577.74 --> 578.74] Forever +[578.74 --> 579.74] Forever +[579.74 --> 580.74] Forever +[580.74 --> 581.74] Forever +[581.74 --> 583.74] Forever +[583.74 --> 585.74] Forever +[585.74 --> 587.74] Forever +[587.74 --> 589.74] Forever +[589.74 --> 590.74] Forever +[590.74 --> 591.74] Forever +[591.74 --> 593.74] 又 +[593.74 --> 595.74] Happy +[595.74 --> 611.04] I am standing beneath your way +[611.04 --> 617.24] I am resting in your shelter +[617.24 --> 626.74] Your great faithfulness has given us cheer +[626.74 --> 633.24] It makes me want to sing +[633.24 --> 641.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[641.24 --> 648.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[648.24 --> 653.24] I will bless your holy name +[653.24 --> 657.24] For all my days +[657.24 --> 663.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[671.24 --> 685.24] I sing praises to your name, O Lord +[685.24 --> 692.24] For you daily bear my burdens +[692.24 --> 700.24] Your great faithfulness is my reward +[700.24 --> 705.24] And it makes me want to sing +[705.24 --> 712.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[712.24 --> 719.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[719.24 --> 724.24] I will bless your holy name +[724.24 --> 729.24] For all my days +[729.24 --> 734.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[734.24 --> 741.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[741.24 --> 751.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[751.24 --> 755.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[755.24 --> 756.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[756.24 --> 758.24] I will bless your holy name +[758.24 --> 762.24] For all my days +[762.24 --> 764.24] Blessed be the name of the Lord +[764.24 --> 794.00] Lord, thank you for your gift of life and being a God of love. +[794.68 --> 800.84] We have been made in your image, and your word reminds us to love each other as you have loved us. +[801.56 --> 806.78] But as we think over this past week, we know we have failed to follow that command. +[807.94 --> 815.10] Forgive us, Lord, when instead of loving people, we choose to love only those who are like us and are easy to love. +[816.28 --> 820.88] Forgive us when we turn away from people who look different or think differently. +[820.88 --> 824.86] We know that we cannot love others on our own. +[826.06 --> 831.42] You tell us that love lays down its life for others, and you show us that on the cross. +[831.78 --> 833.80] But we are weak and selfish. +[834.86 --> 839.82] We cannot even lay down our own preferences and rights for others, let alone our lives. +[840.60 --> 841.50] Teach us, Lord. +[841.50 --> 849.46] Fill us with your love and compassion for all people, so we have eyes to see those around us in need of love. +[850.22 --> 852.78] Give us hands and feet willing to reach out. +[853.66 --> 857.60] Stir us to invite others to use their gifts for your glory. +[858.16 --> 861.34] As you have loved us, help us to love others. +[861.34 --> 863.28] In your name we pray. +[863.96 --> 864.30] Amen. +[864.30 --> 864.48] Amen. +[891.34 --> 895.58] Change my heart, O God. +[895.58 --> 900.90] May it ever choose. +[903.36 --> 907.72] Change my heart, O God. +[910.12 --> 913.16] May I be like you. +[915.66 --> 919.78] Change my heart, O God. +[919.78 --> 949.76] Make it ever true. +[949.76 --> 979.74] Change my heart, O God. +[979.74 --> 981.74] May I be like you. +[981.74 --> 986.74] May I be like you. +[986.74 --> 993.86] Please stand with us as we read the words of assurance. +[993.86 --> 999.94] From Isaiah chapter 55, verses 6 and 7. +[999.94 --> 1000.10] +[1029.94 --> 1059.92] Thank you. +[1059.94 --> 1072.86] My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine. +[1072.86 --> 1085.14] For thee all the qualities of sin I resign. +[1085.14 --> 1098.38] My gracious redeemer, my Savior, our God. +[1098.86 --> 1110.14] If ever I love thee, my Jesus is now. +[1110.14 --> 1126.32] I know thee because thou hast first ever been. +[1126.32 --> 1138.32] Then purchase and pardon on Calvary's tree. +[1138.32 --> 1151.74] I love thee, O every black gold on thy crown. +[1151.74 --> 1163.74] Here ever I love thee, my Jesus is now. +[1163.74 --> 1173.54] I love thee in life. +[1173.54 --> 1179.98] I will love thee in death. +[1179.98 --> 1192.98] And praise thee as long as thou mendest me breath. +[1192.98 --> 1206.52] And say when the death do, I scold on my brow. +[1206.52 --> 1218.52] If ever I love thee, my Jesus is now. +[1218.52 --> 1220.96] I love thee, my little boy. +[1220.96 --> 1229.32] And lamentest me lie. +[1229.32 --> 1231.64] Am I on he? +[1231.64 --> 1243.64] I'll never adore Him in heaven so proud. +[1243.64 --> 1256.64] I'll sing with the victory crown of thy crown. +[1256.64 --> 1269.64] Wherever I love thee, my Jesus is now. +[1269.64 --> 1282.64] Wherever I love thee, my Jesus is now. +[1286.64 --> 1292.64] I'll never adore Him in heaven. +[1292.64 --> 1296.64] I'll never adore Him in heaven. +[1296.64 --> 1301.64] I'll never adore Him in heaven. +[1301.64 --> 1305.64] Amen. +[1305.64 --> 1335.64] +[1335.64 --> 1365.64] +[1365.64 --> 1395.64] +[1395.64 --> 1425.64] +[1425.64 --> 1455.64] +[1455.64 --> 1457.64] Amen. +[1457.64 --> 1459.64] Amen. +[1459.64 --> 1461.64] Amen. +[1461.64 --> 1491.64] +[1491.64 --> 1493.64] Amen. +[1493.64 --> 1495.64] Amen. +[1495.64 --> 1497.64] Amen. +[1497.64 --> 1499.64] Amen. +[1499.64 --> 1501.64] Amen. +[1501.64 --> 1503.64] Amen. +[1503.64 --> 1509.64] Amen. +[1509.64 --> 1510.64] Amen. +[1510.64 --> 1512.64] Amen. +[1512.64 --> 1513.64] Amen. +[1513.64 --> 1528.64] Will thou be born, the King of kings, O God, forever we will sing. +[1528.64 --> 1542.64] Behold the Lamb, the story of redemption, waiting on His hands. +[1542.64 --> 1551.64] Jesus, you will report, the glory is yours. +[1551.64 --> 1561.64] Behold the Lamb, the story of redemption, waiting on His hands. +[1561.64 --> 1570.64] Jesus, you will reign forevermore, the victory is yours. +[1570.64 --> 1579.64] We sing your praise, endless hallelujah to your holy name. +[1579.64 --> 1587.64] Jesus, you will reign forevermore, the victory is yours. +[1587.64 --> 1593.64] You reign forevermore, the victory is yours. +[1593.64 --> 1601.64] Jesus, reign forevermore, the victory is yours. +[1601.64 --> 1603.64] Amen. +[1603.64 --> 1605.64] Amen. +[1605.64 --> 1607.64] Amen. +[1607.64 --> 1609.64] Amen. +[1609.64 --> 1611.64] Amen. +[1611.64 --> 1613.64] Amen. +[1613.64 --> 1615.64] Amen. +[1615.64 --> 1617.64] Amen. +[1617.64 --> 1619.64] Amen. +[1619.64 --> 1621.64] Amen. +[1621.64 --> 1623.64] Amen. +[1623.64 --> 1625.64] Amen. +[1625.64 --> 1626.64] Amen. +[1626.64 --> 1627.64] Amen. +[1627.64 --> 1629.64] Amen. +[1629.64 --> 1634.64] Amen. +[1634.64 --> 1635.64] Amen. +[1635.64 --> 1637.64] Yes alright. +[1637.64 --> 1638.64] Amen. +[1638.64 --> 1639.64] Amen. +[1639.64 --> 1640.64] Hello belongs! +[1640.64 --> 1650.64] Yes... +[1650.64 --> 1652.64] that I came in the morning there at 7 the morning there... +[1652.64 --> 1656.06] member or whatever it is. She's got lots of little sort of tips and things to think about. So +[1656.06 --> 1659.56] hopefully we'll see a bunch of us here tomorrow night. And we've invited a bunch of our sister +[1659.56 --> 1663.68] churches and even some of the neighboring churches so we can hopefully facilitate kind of +[1663.68 --> 1669.48] probably a common problem or thing that a lot of us face at different times in life. So anyway, +[1669.70 --> 1675.04] we are also going to take some time in the service now to give of the gifts God has given us +[1675.04 --> 1681.28] financially. And today's offering is for Open Doors Ministry. It's an organization that has 70 years +[1681.28 --> 1687.76] of working all over the world helping persecuted or discriminated against Christians, whether that's +[1687.76 --> 1692.96] getting Bibles through borders or facilitating prayer ministries or small group ministries. +[1693.52 --> 1698.36] It's a powerful organization. So thank you for giving of your gifts this morning. +[1711.28 --> 1731.62] We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. +[1731.62 --> 1738.06] And we pray that all unity may one day be restored. +[1738.06 --> 1747.60] We are one in the Lord. We are one in the Lord. And they'll know we are Christians by our love. By our love. +[1747.60 --> 1753.48] Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love. +[1756.48 --> 1766.56] We will walk with each other. We will walk hand in hand. We will walk with each other. +[1766.56 --> 1777.36] We will walk hand in hand and together we'll spread the news that God is in our land. +[1778.50 --> 1784.96] And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. +[1785.20 --> 1790.18] Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love. +[1790.18 --> 1800.32] We will work with each other, we will work side by side. +[1800.32 --> 1806.36] We will work with each other, we will work side by side. +[1806.54 --> 1812.90] And we'll mourn each man's dignity and sing each man's pride. +[1812.90 --> 1821.58] And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. +[1821.70 --> 1826.88] Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love. +[1830.60 --> 1836.26] A praise to the Father from whom all things come. +[1836.26 --> 1842.30] And a praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son. +[1842.68 --> 1848.68] And a praise to the Spirit who makes us one. +[1851.32 --> 1857.62] And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. +[1857.62 --> 1863.62] Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love. +[1866.26 --> 1877.20] Good morning. +[1877.30 --> 1881.34] I'd like to call the kids up front here, age 3 to grade 4. +[1881.44 --> 1882.22] Please come on up. +[1882.22 --> 1900.04] I'm going to say good morning and then you're going to say good morning back real loud, right? +[1900.64 --> 1901.50] Good morning. +[1901.78 --> 1902.94] Good morning. +[1904.54 --> 1905.22] Nice work. +[1905.22 --> 1905.78] Nice work. +[1906.16 --> 1908.74] Hey, I got a question for you. +[1908.74 --> 1912.50] Does anybody know of anything that's really, really sticky? +[1913.96 --> 1914.46] Yes. +[1915.46 --> 1916.80] Spider webs are sticky. +[1917.18 --> 1917.38] Yeah. +[1918.82 --> 1919.50] What's that? +[1920.32 --> 1921.68] Some slime. +[1922.60 --> 1923.10] How about you? +[1924.22 --> 1925.12] Sticky hands. +[1925.22 --> 1926.76] I saw some of those on the internet. +[1926.94 --> 1928.72] I was thinking of those when we were kids too. +[1928.98 --> 1929.36] Yes. +[1930.26 --> 1930.82] Jelly. +[1930.82 --> 1933.72] Sticky tack. +[1934.18 --> 1939.34] Has anybody here, maybe more of the girls, have you ever gotten any gum stuck in your hair? +[1940.14 --> 1941.56] How hard is that to get out? +[1942.58 --> 1943.30] Really hard. +[1943.40 --> 1946.60] How about gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe? +[1947.30 --> 1948.06] Ever had that? +[1948.40 --> 1950.12] And you're carrying it around with you everywhere? +[1950.80 --> 1953.36] You walk in the house with it and mom's like, I don't think so. +[1953.60 --> 1954.26] You're out of here. +[1954.26 --> 1959.18] Well, we're talking today a little bit about God's love, how sticky it is. +[1959.90 --> 1962.78] How you can't get away from it because he loves you so much. +[1963.78 --> 1967.18] Has anybody had a chance to look at this artwork on the wall behind us? +[1968.10 --> 1969.06] Isn't that pretty cool? +[1970.52 --> 1972.36] Mrs. DeVries put that up for us. +[1972.40 --> 1973.14] It's pretty awesome. +[1973.30 --> 1973.76] What do you think? +[1973.82 --> 1976.12] Anybody got any ideas what that's about up front there? +[1976.38 --> 1977.20] Anybody got an idea? +[1978.30 --> 1978.74] Yeah? +[1981.40 --> 1982.72] Fish sticking together. +[1982.84 --> 1983.34] That's good. +[1983.34 --> 1985.64] That's like Christians all sticking together. +[1985.74 --> 1986.18] That's good. +[1986.26 --> 1986.44] Yeah. +[1987.24 --> 1987.90] Do you know? +[1989.88 --> 1991.64] What do you, do you got an idea what that's about? +[1994.74 --> 1996.22] A whole school of fish. +[1997.10 --> 2003.40] This picture up, this artwork up front here is about God, Jesus died on the cross, and +[2003.40 --> 2007.88] this is us after Jesus died on the cross as Christians, and we're all stuck together by +[2007.88 --> 2012.44] God's love, and we can go out into the world knowing that God loves us so much. +[2012.44 --> 2014.48] So I got a question for you. +[2014.54 --> 2016.14] I got a thing for you guys. +[2016.24 --> 2018.70] I got a whole bunch of sticky candy in the back. +[2019.46 --> 2023.32] If one of you guys after church, if any of you can come after church and come to me and +[2023.32 --> 2027.26] tell me how many fish are on this wall after church, I'll give you a candy. +[2028.22 --> 2028.44] Okay? +[2028.90 --> 2032.32] Do you think we should offer that to the adults too, or should they be paying attention to +[2032.32 --> 2033.44] Pastor Chris this morning? +[2033.44 --> 2034.86] All right. +[2035.54 --> 2036.58] Can you guys stand up? +[2036.60 --> 2037.42] We're going to do the blessing. +[2042.30 --> 2042.66] Ready? +[2042.66 --> 2045.60] Lord, be with you. +[2045.92 --> 2047.50] And also with you. +[2047.50 --> 2048.44] Amen. +[2065.04 --> 2068.72] Nothing like a little bribery to get obedience from children, right? +[2068.72 --> 2068.80] Amen. +[2071.76 --> 2079.84] It's my privilege this morning to lead in prayer, and that's because the elder who is scheduled +[2079.84 --> 2085.48] to pray is at home unwell, and so we will add him to our prayer list this morning. +[2086.30 --> 2094.66] Before we pray, I wanted to maybe situate us in a prayerful context and read to you from +[2094.66 --> 2100.22] Psalm 84, verse 8, which says, Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty. +[2100.78 --> 2103.50] Listen to me, God of Jacob. +[2104.50 --> 2113.00] And then in James, we read that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. +[2114.26 --> 2121.04] And as Christians, we believe that the Lord Jesus has made us each righteous because he's +[2121.04 --> 2122.66] granted us his righteousness. +[2122.66 --> 2128.20] And so our prayers are powerful and effective, not because I've been ordained by the church, +[2128.30 --> 2133.26] not because I'm holier than any of y'all out there, but because we have been clothed +[2133.26 --> 2134.86] with Christ Jesus. +[2135.88 --> 2140.88] And so together we pray powerful and effective prayers. +[2140.88 --> 2149.24] And so as we come in our prayer together, I want us to come both with the attitude that +[2149.24 --> 2156.32] cries out in prayer, but also the confidence that the Lord hears our prayer and he acts in +[2156.32 --> 2160.12] the world according to his grace by our prayers. +[2161.08 --> 2165.74] Before we pray together, just one announcement. +[2165.74 --> 2169.16] This is a sad one that has come to us this morning. +[2169.62 --> 2175.02] In the past while, we have been praying on and off again for Amy Cron, who had been dealing +[2175.02 --> 2175.98] with lung cancer. +[2177.88 --> 2183.10] Up until almost two weeks ago, she seemed to be doing well and then took a very serious and +[2183.10 --> 2183.78] quick turn. +[2183.78 --> 2191.08] And for the last couple of days had been in intense pain and was in a drug-induced coma +[2191.08 --> 2192.42] as a result of that. +[2192.62 --> 2196.52] Well, on Friday evening, she passed away as a result of that. +[2196.60 --> 2202.78] And so we're going to pray for the Cron family, for the kids and for the extended family and +[2202.78 --> 2208.70] for the communities of people that have surrounded Amy in this time, that remember her and mourn for +[2208.70 --> 2209.30] her loss. +[2209.50 --> 2215.96] And so as we come in our prayers, and as I mentioned that, you are aware of why we're +[2215.96 --> 2216.40] praying that. +[2216.96 --> 2223.20] Additionally, this past week, we had the opportunity, a small group of us, to gather on Wednesday +[2223.20 --> 2225.52] night in a prayer service together. +[2227.06 --> 2233.54] And so some of the things that I mention, either explicitly or generally, will be shaped +[2233.54 --> 2235.62] by that time that we spent together. +[2235.62 --> 2243.68] As we prayed for an hour and 15 minutes or so together, and as other people were leading +[2243.68 --> 2250.62] us in those prayers, each time someone prayed for a thing or a person by name, the Lord laid +[2250.62 --> 2256.82] on my heart, you know, three or four or five other people who are in that same situation, +[2257.32 --> 2258.82] who are walking through that same thing. +[2259.44 --> 2264.38] And so there's just a lot of stuff, right, that we can bring to God in prayer together. +[2264.38 --> 2269.56] And so with all of that on our hearts and in our minds, I invite you to join me in our +[2269.56 --> 2270.46] church family prayer. +[2270.62 --> 2271.06] Let's pray. +[2278.80 --> 2282.88] Hear our prayer, O Lord God. +[2284.66 --> 2289.22] Hear our prayer, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. +[2289.22 --> 2296.24] Hear our prayer, God of Samuel, David, and Solomon. +[2299.24 --> 2305.36] Hear our prayer, God of Isaiah, Amos, and Micah. +[2306.98 --> 2313.24] Hear our prayer, God of Peter, Paul, and Mary. +[2313.24 --> 2322.34] Hear our prayer, O God, that we might come into your presence by these words, that you +[2322.34 --> 2328.62] might draw us to yourself, that you might in the power of your spirit be transforming us +[2328.62 --> 2337.02] into the image of your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, so that these words may be powerful +[2337.02 --> 2343.98] and effective, so that this moment might be a means by which you act in the world. +[2346.76 --> 2353.06] Because, Holy Father, as we look out at the world, we see a world in need. +[2353.06 --> 2361.94] We see nations and communities at war against each other, and so we ask, Lord God, bring +[2361.94 --> 2362.82] peace. +[2362.82 --> 2371.48] We pray, Lord God, for tensions in the Middle East, rising in Iran and Syria and Israel. +[2372.00 --> 2378.76] We pray, Lord God, for these communities that are affected by war, by the decisions of their +[2378.76 --> 2384.90] leaders, by the work of terrorists, and by the responses of nations and armies. +[2385.18 --> 2388.34] And we pray, Lord God, protect the vulnerable. +[2388.34 --> 2395.88] We pray, Lord God, safeguard the children. +[2399.22 --> 2406.80] And we pray, Lord God, convict those who make decisions not to act out of pride or out of +[2406.80 --> 2411.64] fear, but to act humbly and to pursue peace. +[2411.64 --> 2422.84] God, we pray for all involved in these decision processes, not only in places of conflict, but +[2422.84 --> 2431.94] in the countries that bolster or challenge those conflicts, asking as well that you would bring +[2431.94 --> 2433.04] peace. +[2433.04 --> 2445.36] So, Lord God, we join our hearts with Christians around the world, asking that you would protect +[2445.36 --> 2454.84] those most in need, and that you would save those who cry out for your provision. +[2454.84 --> 2465.56] Holy God, as we look around the world and see needs for your action, we look also in our +[2465.56 --> 2469.86] own life and in our own community, and we know that we need you. +[2471.32 --> 2479.16] This morning, we pray for the Kron family, who is simultaneously in this place of mourning, +[2479.16 --> 2486.54] mourning the loss of a wife and of a mother and of a friend, and also thankful that her suffering +[2486.54 --> 2487.10] has ended. +[2489.62 --> 2497.58] And in this strange oscillation of thankfulness and tearfulness, Lord God, we pray that they +[2497.58 --> 2500.94] would experience your presence and your peace. +[2500.94 --> 2510.30] For all those, Lord God, who are dealing with health concerns, who are crying out for healing, +[2510.50 --> 2512.26] we pray for your hand upon them. +[2513.72 --> 2519.24] And whether that healing comes through the ordinary means of medicine or through the miraculous +[2519.24 --> 2526.28] means of moving by your Holy Spirit, we know that all of them are, in fact, brought about +[2526.28 --> 2528.46] by your providential hand. +[2528.46 --> 2539.80] And so we pray that we would rest in the assurance that you are with us and that you are able to +[2539.80 --> 2541.02] bring healing. +[2543.14 --> 2551.10] And so, God, for those who are crying out for wholeness, we ask for your presence. +[2551.76 --> 2558.44] For those who are crying out for restoration, we ask, Lord God, that you would grant us, +[2558.46 --> 2559.70] what they are in need of. +[2564.48 --> 2570.12] And Lord God, for those in those places, for those journeying through health concerns or +[2570.12 --> 2576.76] through dark nights of the soul, for those who are crying out in the agony of mental illness, +[2576.76 --> 2585.64] we pray, Lord God, we pray that if we cannot see you, if we do not see you, that we would see your church. +[2587.58 --> 2594.44] That our brothers and sisters here would surround us and that in their surrounding us, we might know your nearness. +[2594.44 --> 2606.64] We pray, holy God, for those who are in ongoing health treatments and concerns. +[2607.80 --> 2610.64] Restore them and give them peace. +[2610.64 --> 2611.88] We pray for those who are in need of care. +[2611.88 --> 2612.38] We pray for those who are in need of care. +[2612.38 --> 2616.00] We pray for the families who carry the burdens of extra responsibilities +[2616.00 --> 2620.04] and for the children who wonder, will mom ever be well again? +[2622.66 --> 2627.78] We pray, Lord God, that you would move in power. +[2627.78 --> 2638.10] Holy God, we pray as well for the relationships in our midst, the relationships that we are celebrating, +[2638.32 --> 2645.34] be them anniversaries or birthdays, trusting, Lord God, that your hand of goodness is upon them +[2645.34 --> 2649.58] and we thank you for the testimonies of faithfulness to each other. +[2649.58 --> 2658.92] And we pray for those relationships that are strained, that are failing, that have gone past the point of failing and are now broken. +[2659.18 --> 2665.16] We pray, Lord God, for the people involved who have walked away from loved ones. +[2667.04 --> 2677.36] We pray for soft hearts, for gentle words, and for humility to one another. +[2679.58 --> 2687.00] God, we pray that in all of these things, your grace and mercy might abound. +[2688.56 --> 2693.88] That in all of these things, we might lean heavily on your provision and your word. +[2697.02 --> 2703.86] Holy Father, we pray for the process of finding new elders and deacons in this church. +[2704.54 --> 2708.42] We thank you for those who have allowed their name to stand +[2708.42 --> 2713.88] and for the process that is now in place to move forward in that. +[2714.70 --> 2720.06] We pray, Lord God, that you would continue by your spirit to lead and guide us. +[2720.54 --> 2722.94] We thank you for the ways that we have seen that leading +[2722.94 --> 2729.32] and have followed your guidance in these past days and years and decades. +[2729.32 --> 2734.56] And we trust going forward that we would follow after you in the same. +[2737.04 --> 2739.74] Lastly, Lord God, now as we turn to your word, +[2739.90 --> 2745.70] we pray that you would open the eyes of our heart to hear your voice, Lord Jesus. +[2745.70 --> 2752.90] And we pray that you would take these words and plant them deep in our hearts +[2752.90 --> 2759.40] that they might grow and produce a fruit of faithfulness 30, 60, and 100 fold +[2759.40 --> 2761.90] in us and from us today. +[2763.02 --> 2766.20] We pray this, Lord, in your most holy name. +[2767.10 --> 2767.46] Amen. +[2767.46 --> 2767.56] Amen. +[2767.56 --> 2767.60] Amen. +[2767.60 --> 2767.62] Amen. +[2767.62 --> 2767.64] Amen. +[2767.64 --> 2767.66] Amen. +[2775.70 --> 2775.90] Amen. +[2775.90 --> 2776.22] Amen. +[2776.22 --> 2776.50] Amen. +[2788.14 --> 2788.20] Amen. +[2788.20 --> 2798.86] We're going to jump into the book of Romans again, continuing in the book in chapter 14. +[2798.86 --> 2807.74] I'm going to start by reading together from verse 1 through 12 of chapter 14. +[2809.14 --> 2814.52] And this will then ground and direct our discussion for the rest of our time. +[2816.64 --> 2818.92] Hear these words from God. +[2820.54 --> 2827.66] Accept the one whose faith is weak without quarreling over disputable matters. +[2828.86 --> 2836.34] One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another whose faith is weak eats only vegetables. +[2837.78 --> 2842.86] The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, +[2843.12 --> 2849.72] and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. +[2850.98 --> 2854.14] Who are you to judge someone else's servant? +[2854.14 --> 2862.74] To their own master, servants stand or fall, and they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. +[2862.74 --> 2867.12] One person considers one day more sacred than another. +[2867.52 --> 2869.42] Another considers every day alike. +[2869.84 --> 2873.36] Each of them should be fully convinced in their own minds. +[2874.36 --> 2877.84] Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord, +[2878.16 --> 2882.36] and whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God. +[2882.66 --> 2886.70] And whoever abstains does so to the Lord and give thanks to God. +[2886.70 --> 2892.38] For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. +[2892.92 --> 2896.80] If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. +[2897.24 --> 2901.04] So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. +[2902.04 --> 2906.48] For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life, +[2906.62 --> 2911.52] so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. +[2911.52 --> 2917.60] You then, why do you judge your brother or sister, or why do you treat them with contempt? +[2917.90 --> 2920.60] For we all stand before God's judgment seat. +[2920.92 --> 2921.80] As it is written, +[2922.38 --> 2924.52] As surely as I live, says the Lord, +[2924.86 --> 2927.06] every knee will bow before me, +[2927.40 --> 2929.64] every tongue will acknowledge God. +[2930.32 --> 2935.94] So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. +[2936.50 --> 2937.84] This is the word of the Lord. +[2937.84 --> 2937.90] Amen. +[2941.52 --> 2946.40] When I was in seminary, +[2947.40 --> 2952.92] one of the ways that I would sort of supplement our income, +[2953.14 --> 2960.32] providing a little bit of disposable income for Rachel and I to go out on dates or have fun together, +[2960.74 --> 2964.30] would be to preach in different communities and different places. +[2964.30 --> 2968.14] Now, the seminary I went to is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, +[2968.66 --> 2975.48] which is a pretty major urban center in the Midwest, although not a metropolis. +[2977.22 --> 2983.24] But it is one of those places in the Midwest that is immediately surrounded by what you would consider to be +[2983.24 --> 2987.26] stereotypical Midwestern kind of living and culture. +[2987.26 --> 2992.22] So you've got the more urban and maybe progressive area of Grand Rapids, +[2992.28 --> 2998.26] and then the more rural and definitely conservative areas around Grand Rapids. +[2998.26 --> 3002.02] And because those churches were generally smaller, +[3002.28 --> 3005.60] they were the ones who needed pulpit supply and who needed preaching more often. +[3006.52 --> 3009.86] And so, after my first year of seminary, +[3009.96 --> 3011.90] I spent basically the next two years, +[3012.20 --> 3015.44] two or three of the four Sundays of a month, +[3015.84 --> 3017.22] driving somewhere and preaching, +[3017.68 --> 3018.56] if not in the morning, +[3018.70 --> 3021.96] then for sure at these churches in their afternoon services. +[3021.96 --> 3025.94] Now, when I would go to these churches, +[3026.22 --> 3028.12] understanding a little bit about the culture, +[3028.64 --> 3032.30] I would put on my suit and my tie, +[3033.22 --> 3036.44] and I would go and I would show up to preach. +[3036.56 --> 3037.34] And I will never forget, +[3037.46 --> 3043.04] there was one Sunday I showed up at a small little church just outside of Grand Rapids, +[3043.04 --> 3047.50] and this little old Dutch lady came up to me and said, +[3047.50 --> 3052.32] oh, it is so good to see the domine wearing a suit. +[3053.74 --> 3054.88] If you are unaware, +[3055.22 --> 3059.88] domine is the word for minister in Dutch culture, +[3059.88 --> 3061.92] and it's kind of become a bit of a meme. +[3064.74 --> 3065.64] And then she said, +[3066.06 --> 3070.92] so many of you seminary kids come wearing just casual clothes. +[3071.96 --> 3073.68] Now, if she could only see me now. +[3073.68 --> 3078.80] Point is, +[3078.94 --> 3080.34] it mattered for her +[3080.34 --> 3082.56] what the pastor wore. +[3083.36 --> 3086.58] Now, I know that I'm standing on the line for some of you +[3086.58 --> 3088.42] that it matters for you as well +[3088.42 --> 3091.18] what the pastor wears or what you wear to church, +[3091.24 --> 3092.62] and we'll come back to that. +[3093.46 --> 3094.32] But for her, +[3094.72 --> 3095.90] it was a point. +[3096.70 --> 3098.48] And to the point where +[3098.48 --> 3100.68] she required it of the people +[3100.68 --> 3102.78] in front of her in order for her to hear +[3102.78 --> 3104.80] the word of God from that person. +[3106.32 --> 3107.66] Now, I understood that. +[3108.00 --> 3109.52] I also realized, +[3109.66 --> 3110.88] looking back on that moment, +[3111.00 --> 3112.54] that if she had only knew +[3112.54 --> 3114.24] that I had cobbled together this suit, +[3114.28 --> 3115.78] it was the suit I got married in. +[3115.82 --> 3118.04] It was probably a size or three too big. +[3118.60 --> 3120.02] The tie that I was wearing +[3120.02 --> 3122.70] was from the clothing shelter. +[3123.02 --> 3124.86] We were part of a food bank system, +[3125.00 --> 3127.08] and we got ties that other people had donated. +[3127.66 --> 3129.52] Someone probably died in that tie, +[3129.62 --> 3131.20] but no, it was my fancy tie. +[3131.20 --> 3133.12] There I was, doing my best. +[3136.42 --> 3138.06] Here's what happens, right? +[3139.12 --> 3141.22] Churches create cultures +[3141.22 --> 3143.30] about these kinds of things, +[3143.30 --> 3145.82] and then cultures create rules +[3145.82 --> 3148.38] to instantiate those kinds of things, +[3148.50 --> 3150.68] and then rules create boundaries +[3150.68 --> 3152.74] that define whether or not +[3152.74 --> 3154.40] you are in or out +[3154.40 --> 3156.26] or belong to who we are. +[3156.26 --> 3160.80] That's what we're talking about this morning. +[3161.96 --> 3162.86] And so, trigger warning, +[3163.56 --> 3165.72] some of you are going to be like, +[3165.78 --> 3166.86] ah, is he talking about me? +[3167.38 --> 3169.18] And others of you are going to be like, +[3169.34 --> 3170.78] oh yeah, he's talking about them. +[3171.54 --> 3172.34] And if that's you, +[3172.40 --> 3173.46] I want you to invert it. +[3173.94 --> 3175.50] Because if you think I'm talking about someone else, +[3175.56 --> 3176.56] no, I'm actually talking about you. +[3177.42 --> 3178.72] And if you think I'm talking about you, +[3178.78 --> 3180.34] I'm probably talking about someone else. +[3180.34 --> 3182.58] But you need to hear, +[3183.04 --> 3183.94] and you need to discern. +[3185.18 --> 3186.52] Here's what I hope we'll see +[3186.52 --> 3189.90] as we dig into this text for us, +[3190.04 --> 3191.36] from Romans 14. +[3192.34 --> 3194.52] That living for the Lord +[3194.52 --> 3198.38] requires us to mature in our faith, +[3198.94 --> 3201.32] and then to come alongside those +[3201.32 --> 3204.28] who are maturing where they are at, +[3204.28 --> 3208.24] so that we might grow in faith together. +[3209.84 --> 3211.10] Now, I'm very mindful +[3211.10 --> 3212.76] in the way that that sentence reads +[3212.76 --> 3215.34] that we haven't decided anything yet +[3215.34 --> 3216.80] about the kind of clothes you wear to church. +[3218.32 --> 3219.22] That's intentional. +[3220.48 --> 3221.32] Follow along. +[3224.00 --> 3227.12] So, in Romans chapter 1 through 11, +[3227.46 --> 3230.04] where we spent over a year together, +[3230.16 --> 3232.64] Paul is explaining for us +[3232.64 --> 3234.60] the majesty and the magnitude +[3234.60 --> 3236.04] of the gospel +[3236.04 --> 3238.06] that is summarized +[3238.06 --> 3239.82] and that we are justified, +[3240.20 --> 3240.96] we are received, +[3241.26 --> 3242.98] we are made right with God +[3242.98 --> 3244.06] by grace alone, +[3244.24 --> 3245.24] through faith alone, +[3245.58 --> 3246.74] in Christ alone. +[3247.80 --> 3250.00] Paul grounds our need +[3250.00 --> 3251.96] for grace and the gospel +[3251.96 --> 3252.92] in the rebellion +[3252.92 --> 3255.38] of our first parents, +[3255.52 --> 3256.24] Adam and Eve, +[3256.34 --> 3256.92] in the garden. +[3257.28 --> 3258.66] They rebelled against God, +[3258.76 --> 3259.76] and in the consequence +[3259.76 --> 3260.82] and the reality +[3260.82 --> 3261.56] that is now +[3261.56 --> 3263.32] sin in the world for us. +[3263.42 --> 3265.26] He clearly spells this out. +[3266.00 --> 3266.76] He shows us +[3266.76 --> 3268.38] how Christ is the only true +[3268.38 --> 3269.42] and better sacrifice +[3269.42 --> 3271.20] who has borne the wrath of God +[3271.20 --> 3272.04] for sin +[3272.04 --> 3273.60] and has set us free +[3273.60 --> 3275.26] from the tyranny of the devil. +[3275.40 --> 3276.08] He talks about +[3276.08 --> 3277.54] how we are loved of God +[3277.54 --> 3278.42] so much so +[3278.42 --> 3279.94] that we can call him Father, +[3280.70 --> 3280.82] right, +[3280.84 --> 3281.60] how there's nothing +[3281.60 --> 3282.84] that can separate us +[3282.84 --> 3283.96] from this love. +[3284.12 --> 3285.24] And then he spends +[3285.24 --> 3286.18] three chapters +[3286.18 --> 3287.94] narrowing that discussion +[3287.94 --> 3288.94] of God's grace +[3288.94 --> 3289.96] and God's sovereignty +[3289.96 --> 3291.34] to the people of Israel +[3291.34 --> 3293.10] and how he relates to them. +[3293.70 --> 3295.06] And then in chapter 12, +[3295.60 --> 3297.64] he starts applying +[3297.64 --> 3299.56] the truth of this gospel, +[3300.36 --> 3301.12] that we are justified +[3301.12 --> 3302.00] by grace alone, +[3302.10 --> 3302.78] through faith alone, +[3302.84 --> 3303.66] in Christ alone, +[3303.78 --> 3305.72] to the lives of those +[3305.72 --> 3307.30] who have been transformed by it. +[3308.12 --> 3309.50] And so he shifts, right? +[3309.54 --> 3309.74] He says, +[3309.82 --> 3311.58] this now is how you should live +[3311.58 --> 3312.74] in response +[3312.74 --> 3313.78] and in gratitude +[3313.78 --> 3315.42] to what God has done. +[3315.42 --> 3316.84] And so here, +[3316.98 --> 3317.60] we talked about +[3317.60 --> 3318.58] being transformed, +[3318.80 --> 3319.88] about offering ourselves +[3319.88 --> 3321.72] as living sacrifices, +[3321.72 --> 3322.96] about worshiping God +[3322.96 --> 3323.62] in the everyday +[3323.62 --> 3325.32] of our lives. +[3325.40 --> 3325.58] Here, +[3325.66 --> 3326.30] we talked about +[3326.30 --> 3327.80] loving our neighbors +[3327.80 --> 3329.00] and blessing those +[3329.00 --> 3330.22] who persecute you, +[3330.58 --> 3331.86] rejoicing with those +[3331.86 --> 3332.44] who rejoice +[3332.44 --> 3333.68] and mourning with those +[3333.68 --> 3334.34] who mourn, +[3334.56 --> 3335.84] about living in harmony +[3335.84 --> 3336.72] with everyone. +[3337.98 --> 3338.78] The application +[3338.78 --> 3340.90] of this gospel truth +[3340.90 --> 3341.78] is seen +[3341.78 --> 3343.20] in the idea +[3343.20 --> 3344.40] of God's sovereignty +[3344.40 --> 3346.22] over all that is +[3346.22 --> 3346.82] in creation, +[3346.96 --> 3347.74] but then also +[3347.74 --> 3348.90] in God placing +[3348.90 --> 3349.92] certain other +[3349.92 --> 3351.32] sovereign authorities +[3351.32 --> 3353.44] in the created order +[3353.44 --> 3354.50] that we are subject to. +[3355.42 --> 3356.02] And then, +[3356.16 --> 3357.88] part of our Christian witness, +[3358.18 --> 3358.40] right, +[3358.46 --> 3359.50] is the manner +[3359.50 --> 3360.98] by which we willingly +[3360.98 --> 3362.08] subject ourselves +[3362.08 --> 3363.52] to these authorities. +[3364.76 --> 3365.06] Paul said, +[3365.26 --> 3365.98] give to everyone +[3365.98 --> 3366.68] what you owe. +[3366.82 --> 3367.44] If taxes, +[3367.58 --> 3368.12] pay taxes. +[3368.28 --> 3368.80] If revenue, +[3368.96 --> 3369.42] then revenue. +[3369.58 --> 3370.08] If respect, +[3370.20 --> 3370.62] then respect. +[3370.80 --> 3371.26] If honor, +[3371.38 --> 3372.12] then honor. +[3372.24 --> 3372.54] And then, +[3372.54 --> 3373.82] this is what it means +[3373.82 --> 3375.68] to love our neighbor. +[3376.88 --> 3377.00] Right, +[3377.06 --> 3378.74] understanding all of this +[3378.74 --> 3379.52] makes sense +[3379.52 --> 3380.90] of the world we live in +[3380.90 --> 3381.80] and how we are +[3381.80 --> 3382.64] to live in the world. +[3383.48 --> 3384.50] We clothe ourselves +[3384.50 --> 3385.38] with Christ, +[3385.60 --> 3386.52] putting on the armor +[3386.52 --> 3387.52] of light. +[3388.16 --> 3388.72] That's what we looked +[3388.72 --> 3389.34] at last week. +[3390.26 --> 3390.94] And now, +[3391.12 --> 3392.28] in chapter 14, +[3393.24 --> 3394.04] it seems +[3394.04 --> 3394.84] that what Paul +[3394.84 --> 3395.48] is doing +[3395.48 --> 3396.62] is applying +[3396.62 --> 3398.34] this gospel truth +[3398.34 --> 3399.86] and applying +[3399.86 --> 3400.94] these general +[3400.94 --> 3401.80] applications +[3401.80 --> 3404.00] to a particular +[3404.00 --> 3404.96] situation +[3404.96 --> 3406.54] in the church +[3406.54 --> 3407.46] at Rome. +[3408.78 --> 3409.50] Right, +[3409.50 --> 3410.08] he's applying +[3410.08 --> 3411.32] these Christ-centered +[3411.32 --> 3412.44] living principles +[3412.44 --> 3415.02] to a very +[3415.02 --> 3416.34] precise +[3416.34 --> 3418.36] circumstance +[3418.36 --> 3420.02] that they're facing. +[3420.82 --> 3421.74] Because you see, +[3422.14 --> 3423.28] the church of Rome +[3423.28 --> 3424.56] is made up +[3424.56 --> 3426.02] of both +[3426.02 --> 3427.50] Jewish converts +[3427.50 --> 3429.78] to Christianity, +[3429.78 --> 3430.78] Christianity, +[3430.78 --> 3431.12] to Jesus, +[3431.12 --> 3432.44] and non-Jewish +[3432.44 --> 3433.36] or Gentile +[3433.36 --> 3434.06] converts +[3434.06 --> 3435.28] to Christianity. +[3436.36 --> 3436.68] And so, +[3436.76 --> 3437.52] part of what that +[3437.52 --> 3438.02] means +[3438.02 --> 3439.02] is you have a +[3439.02 --> 3439.60] strong, +[3439.92 --> 3440.76] committed group +[3440.76 --> 3441.46] of people +[3441.46 --> 3442.34] who have, +[3442.56 --> 3443.58] for their entire +[3443.58 --> 3444.32] history +[3444.32 --> 3445.48] of knowing +[3445.48 --> 3446.44] and believing +[3446.44 --> 3447.26] in God, +[3447.38 --> 3448.16] have also +[3448.16 --> 3448.78] understood +[3448.78 --> 3449.88] that this is +[3449.88 --> 3450.78] what that means. +[3451.46 --> 3452.36] This is how +[3452.36 --> 3453.06] that looks. +[3453.64 --> 3454.48] This is how +[3454.48 --> 3454.94] you're supposed +[3454.94 --> 3455.42] to live +[3455.42 --> 3456.34] that faith out. +[3456.34 --> 3456.62] right. +[3457.58 --> 3457.82] Right, +[3457.88 --> 3458.52] this is what +[3458.52 --> 3459.44] right obedience +[3459.44 --> 3460.20] looks like. +[3460.86 --> 3461.52] And then in the +[3461.52 --> 3462.32] same church, +[3462.34 --> 3463.02] you have a group +[3463.02 --> 3463.66] of people +[3463.66 --> 3464.38] who have come +[3464.38 --> 3464.94] to believe +[3464.94 --> 3465.56] in Jesus +[3465.56 --> 3466.46] and in the gospel +[3466.46 --> 3467.68] who don't have +[3467.68 --> 3468.40] that history, +[3468.66 --> 3469.68] who aren't shaped +[3469.68 --> 3470.90] in that same way, +[3471.06 --> 3472.02] but rather have +[3472.02 --> 3472.92] other histories +[3472.92 --> 3474.02] and other shaping +[3474.02 --> 3474.74] realities. +[3476.24 --> 3476.42] Right, +[3476.46 --> 3476.96] in essence, +[3477.08 --> 3477.98] what's going on +[3477.98 --> 3478.98] is a sort of +[3478.98 --> 3480.34] clash of cultures +[3480.34 --> 3481.62] in this new +[3481.62 --> 3482.92] cultural creation +[3482.92 --> 3483.82] that is the +[3483.82 --> 3485.00] Christian church. +[3485.00 --> 3485.06] church. +[3486.34 --> 3487.38] And for those +[3487.38 --> 3487.94] who are born +[3487.94 --> 3488.62] and raised +[3488.62 --> 3489.24] in the Jewish +[3489.24 --> 3489.84] tradition, +[3490.40 --> 3491.54] who have certain +[3491.54 --> 3492.42] rules about +[3492.42 --> 3493.08] what foods +[3493.08 --> 3493.70] you are allowed +[3493.70 --> 3494.30] to eat or +[3494.30 --> 3494.92] not allowed +[3494.92 --> 3495.38] to eat, +[3495.64 --> 3496.34] certain rules +[3496.34 --> 3497.10] around holy +[3497.10 --> 3498.22] days and festivals +[3498.22 --> 3499.04] and things like +[3499.04 --> 3499.32] that, +[3499.60 --> 3500.70] all of those +[3500.70 --> 3501.38] things have +[3501.38 --> 3502.30] shaped them +[3502.30 --> 3503.32] and are important +[3503.32 --> 3503.88] to them. +[3504.36 --> 3504.46] Right, +[3504.52 --> 3504.96] these things +[3504.96 --> 3505.52] are their +[3505.52 --> 3506.82] expressions of +[3506.82 --> 3507.26] faith. +[3508.18 --> 3508.96] But for the +[3508.96 --> 3509.60] Gentiles who +[3509.60 --> 3510.66] don't have that, +[3510.84 --> 3511.56] who don't have +[3511.56 --> 3512.18] that history, +[3512.64 --> 3513.52] and then who also +[3513.52 --> 3514.46] have no desire +[3514.46 --> 3515.30] to incorporate +[3515.30 --> 3516.04] that history +[3516.04 --> 3516.78] into their +[3516.78 --> 3517.58] expressions of +[3517.58 --> 3517.90] faith, +[3519.28 --> 3520.34] conflicts arise. +[3521.72 --> 3521.98] Right, +[3522.00 --> 3522.46] or to put it +[3522.46 --> 3523.06] in today's +[3523.06 --> 3523.56] language, +[3523.92 --> 3524.98] into the +[3524.98 --> 3525.88] lived experience +[3525.88 --> 3526.50] of these +[3526.50 --> 3527.56] polarities, +[3528.12 --> 3530.46] you have +[3530.46 --> 3531.02] disputes. +[3532.18 --> 3533.00] And Paul +[3533.00 --> 3534.12] applies for us +[3534.12 --> 3534.66] the gospel +[3534.66 --> 3535.84] truths and +[3535.84 --> 3536.68] shows us +[3536.68 --> 3537.62] what transformed +[3537.62 --> 3538.28] lives will +[3538.28 --> 3539.04] look like +[3539.04 --> 3540.30] in a church +[3540.30 --> 3541.40] like Rome. +[3542.52 --> 3542.90] Now, +[3542.96 --> 3543.16] of course, +[3543.16 --> 3543.60] in our own +[3543.60 --> 3543.98] time, +[3544.16 --> 3544.80] we have +[3544.80 --> 3545.60] our own +[3545.60 --> 3546.36] range of +[3546.36 --> 3547.12] polarities. +[3548.14 --> 3548.40] Right, +[3548.44 --> 3548.70] in the +[3548.70 --> 3549.22] contemporary +[3549.22 --> 3550.12] church, +[3550.18 --> 3550.62] we're not +[3550.62 --> 3551.22] immune to +[3551.22 --> 3551.60] this. +[3552.12 --> 3552.68] And even +[3552.68 --> 3553.40] here at +[3553.40 --> 3553.78] Langley +[3553.78 --> 3554.20] Emanuel, +[3554.20 --> 3555.00] we're really +[3555.00 --> 3555.40] good at +[3555.40 --> 3555.82] a lot, +[3555.94 --> 3556.58] we're also +[3556.58 --> 3557.08] not immune +[3557.08 --> 3557.64] to this. +[3558.78 --> 3559.18] And so we +[3559.18 --> 3559.48] can learn +[3559.48 --> 3559.80] from this +[3559.80 --> 3560.12] kind of +[3560.12 --> 3560.44] teaching. +[3562.06 --> 3562.70] I think +[3562.70 --> 3563.28] the line +[3563.28 --> 3563.74] that Paul +[3563.74 --> 3564.38] takes us +[3564.38 --> 3564.74] through +[3564.74 --> 3565.74] is actually +[3565.74 --> 3566.68] pretty linear, +[3567.18 --> 3567.64] and so we're +[3567.64 --> 3568.02] going to move +[3568.02 --> 3568.58] through that +[3568.58 --> 3569.70] in a +[3569.70 --> 3570.22] similar +[3570.22 --> 3571.18] way. +[3571.70 --> 3572.02] And so +[3572.02 --> 3573.60] if you +[3573.60 --> 3573.88] have a +[3573.88 --> 3574.14] Bible, +[3574.34 --> 3574.74] I encourage +[3574.74 --> 3575.00] you to +[3575.00 --> 3575.38] keep that +[3575.38 --> 3575.68] in front +[3575.68 --> 3575.96] of you +[3575.96 --> 3576.74] and open. +[3577.42 --> 3577.76] You can +[3577.76 --> 3578.70] trace the +[3578.70 --> 3579.10] line that +[3579.10 --> 3579.38] we go +[3579.38 --> 3579.66] through. +[3579.86 --> 3580.16] Some of +[3580.16 --> 3580.48] the things +[3580.48 --> 3581.00] will appear +[3581.00 --> 3581.42] on the +[3581.42 --> 3581.66] screen +[3581.66 --> 3582.16] behind me +[3582.16 --> 3582.52] to help +[3582.52 --> 3582.76] you in +[3582.76 --> 3583.18] doing that. +[3584.68 --> 3584.90] Paul +[3584.90 --> 3585.32] begins +[3585.32 --> 3586.52] by saying, +[3586.52 --> 3587.32] accept the +[3587.32 --> 3587.88] one whose +[3587.88 --> 3588.46] faith is +[3588.46 --> 3589.62] weak without +[3589.62 --> 3590.68] quarreling over +[3590.68 --> 3591.42] disputable +[3591.42 --> 3592.40] matters. +[3592.40 --> 3594.20] Now the +[3594.20 --> 3594.72] first thing +[3594.72 --> 3595.22] to wonder +[3595.22 --> 3596.34] is to +[3596.34 --> 3596.92] look at +[3596.92 --> 3597.44] what Paul +[3597.44 --> 3598.88] means when +[3598.88 --> 3599.28] he talks +[3599.28 --> 3599.96] about weak +[3599.96 --> 3600.66] faith. +[3601.68 --> 3602.14] Who is +[3602.14 --> 3602.52] the one +[3602.52 --> 3603.12] with weak +[3603.12 --> 3603.96] faith? +[3604.60 --> 3605.42] Because that +[3605.42 --> 3605.84] doesn't +[3605.84 --> 3606.44] necessarily +[3606.44 --> 3607.26] mean what +[3607.26 --> 3607.62] you might +[3607.62 --> 3608.02] think it +[3608.02 --> 3608.30] does. +[3609.50 --> 3610.02] So weak +[3610.02 --> 3610.76] faith in +[3610.76 --> 3611.90] chapter 14, +[3612.36 --> 3612.98] for instance, +[3613.08 --> 3613.90] is not the +[3613.90 --> 3614.66] same thing +[3614.66 --> 3615.42] as what you +[3615.42 --> 3615.82] might call +[3615.82 --> 3616.30] feeble +[3616.30 --> 3616.74] faith. +[3617.96 --> 3618.76] In chapter +[3618.76 --> 3620.10] 4, +[3620.24 --> 3621.08] verse 19, +[3621.28 --> 3621.96] Paul talks +[3621.96 --> 3622.30] about +[3622.30 --> 3623.12] Abraham, +[3623.44 --> 3623.68] and he +[3623.68 --> 3624.02] says, +[3624.14 --> 3624.66] Abraham, +[3625.04 --> 3625.92] not +[3625.92 --> 3626.80] weakening +[3626.80 --> 3627.68] his faith. +[3629.00 --> 3629.40] And the +[3629.40 --> 3629.78] point there +[3629.78 --> 3630.04] is that +[3630.04 --> 3630.36] Abraham +[3630.36 --> 3630.86] didn't +[3630.86 --> 3631.28] lose +[3631.28 --> 3631.88] trust. +[3632.28 --> 3632.50] He +[3632.50 --> 3632.82] didn't +[3632.82 --> 3633.30] lose +[3633.30 --> 3633.92] faith. +[3634.50 --> 3634.80] A +[3634.80 --> 3635.10] weak +[3635.10 --> 3635.56] faith, +[3635.60 --> 3635.90] or a +[3635.90 --> 3636.24] weakened +[3636.24 --> 3636.80] faith, +[3636.94 --> 3637.48] in chapter +[3637.48 --> 3638.02] 4, +[3638.34 --> 3639.44] is losing +[3639.44 --> 3640.00] trust. +[3640.34 --> 3640.68] But that's +[3640.68 --> 3641.18] not what +[3641.18 --> 3641.54] we're talking +[3641.54 --> 3642.04] about here. +[3642.68 --> 3643.14] That's not +[3643.14 --> 3643.48] the same +[3643.48 --> 3643.84] thing. +[3644.36 --> 3645.18] The person +[3645.18 --> 3645.56] with a +[3645.56 --> 3645.80] weak +[3645.80 --> 3646.30] faith in +[3646.30 --> 3647.18] chapter 14 +[3647.18 --> 3649.08] is something +[3649.08 --> 3649.60] else. +[3651.08 --> 3651.82] And I +[3651.82 --> 3652.46] think that +[3652.46 --> 3653.78] when Paul's +[3653.78 --> 3654.38] talking about +[3654.38 --> 3655.06] a weak +[3655.06 --> 3656.02] faith in +[3656.02 --> 3657.00] chapter 14, +[3657.20 --> 3657.70] what he +[3657.70 --> 3658.94] means is +[3658.94 --> 3659.32] that it's +[3659.32 --> 3659.86] a faith +[3659.86 --> 3660.72] that hasn't +[3660.72 --> 3661.68] worked its +[3661.68 --> 3662.48] way into +[3662.48 --> 3663.10] the corners +[3663.10 --> 3663.98] of all our +[3663.98 --> 3664.50] being and +[3664.50 --> 3665.10] understanding +[3665.10 --> 3665.44] yet. +[3666.24 --> 3666.90] This person +[3666.90 --> 3667.52] hasn't come +[3667.52 --> 3668.70] to a full +[3668.70 --> 3669.14] orbed +[3669.14 --> 3669.92] understanding +[3669.92 --> 3671.14] that since +[3671.14 --> 3671.86] justification +[3671.86 --> 3673.12] is by grace +[3673.12 --> 3673.44] alone, +[3673.52 --> 3674.02] through faith +[3674.02 --> 3674.36] alone, +[3674.42 --> 3674.92] in Christ +[3674.92 --> 3675.32] alone, +[3675.70 --> 3676.20] the use +[3676.20 --> 3676.74] of meat +[3676.74 --> 3677.60] or wine +[3677.60 --> 3678.54] or of this +[3678.54 --> 3679.00] festival +[3679.00 --> 3679.64] or that +[3679.64 --> 3680.18] festival +[3680.18 --> 3681.02] becomes +[3681.02 --> 3681.48] irrelevant. +[3683.18 --> 3683.82] Since you're +[3683.82 --> 3685.06] saved by +[3685.06 --> 3685.92] grace alone, +[3686.18 --> 3686.68] there's no +[3686.68 --> 3687.14] need to +[3687.14 --> 3687.96] feel that +[3687.96 --> 3689.52] somehow you +[3689.52 --> 3689.88] have to +[3689.88 --> 3690.70] keep God's +[3690.70 --> 3691.08] favor, +[3691.36 --> 3691.68] you have to +[3691.68 --> 3692.36] keep God's +[3692.36 --> 3693.02] salvation by +[3693.02 --> 3693.90] following these +[3693.90 --> 3694.78] rules or +[3694.78 --> 3695.54] these regulations. +[3697.98 --> 3698.20] Now, +[3698.64 --> 3700.04] before I go +[3700.04 --> 3700.40] too much +[3700.40 --> 3700.78] further, +[3702.08 --> 3702.46] and in +[3702.46 --> 3703.10] honor of +[3703.10 --> 3704.34] that little +[3704.34 --> 3704.96] old lady +[3704.96 --> 3705.84] in the +[3705.84 --> 3706.12] neighborhood +[3706.12 --> 3706.74] outside of +[3706.74 --> 3707.54] Grand Rapids, +[3707.54 --> 3708.82] it's important +[3708.82 --> 3709.38] to note +[3709.38 --> 3712.46] that these +[3712.46 --> 3713.52] kinds of +[3713.52 --> 3714.56] rules and +[3714.56 --> 3715.38] regulations +[3715.38 --> 3717.70] are held +[3717.70 --> 3718.64] by people +[3718.64 --> 3719.64] as an +[3719.64 --> 3720.28] expression +[3720.28 --> 3721.20] of their +[3721.20 --> 3722.50] faith to +[3722.50 --> 3723.90] ensure that +[3723.90 --> 3724.70] they remain +[3724.70 --> 3725.34] faithful. +[3726.78 --> 3726.86] Right? +[3726.92 --> 3727.32] And so this +[3727.32 --> 3728.10] isn't about, +[3728.20 --> 3728.70] like we said, +[3728.96 --> 3729.66] a lack of +[3729.66 --> 3730.30] trust or a +[3730.30 --> 3730.90] feeble faith. +[3730.98 --> 3731.64] They're trying +[3731.64 --> 3732.34] to be +[3732.34 --> 3733.64] obedient and +[3733.64 --> 3734.28] to ensure +[3734.28 --> 3735.40] their obedience. +[3735.72 --> 3736.90] They're raising +[3736.90 --> 3737.54] the fences +[3737.54 --> 3738.22] a little bit +[3738.22 --> 3738.78] higher, +[3739.18 --> 3739.74] they're moving +[3739.74 --> 3740.36] the boundaries +[3740.36 --> 3740.98] a little bit +[3740.98 --> 3741.52] closer, +[3741.94 --> 3743.06] further away +[3743.06 --> 3743.56] from the +[3743.56 --> 3744.12] edge of +[3744.12 --> 3744.74] what becomes +[3744.74 --> 3746.02] not permissible +[3746.02 --> 3746.56] for us, +[3746.64 --> 3747.62] in order to +[3747.62 --> 3748.22] ensure that +[3748.22 --> 3748.46] they don't +[3748.46 --> 3749.06] fall off. +[3750.06 --> 3750.28] Right? +[3750.30 --> 3750.70] In order to +[3750.70 --> 3751.08] ensure that +[3751.08 --> 3751.40] they don't +[3751.40 --> 3752.00] transgress. +[3755.20 --> 3756.10] An illustration, +[3756.24 --> 3756.86] a personal one +[3756.86 --> 3757.92] from my own +[3757.92 --> 3758.18] life. +[3758.76 --> 3759.22] Some of you +[3759.22 --> 3760.00] know my story +[3760.00 --> 3761.06] and parts of it +[3761.06 --> 3762.18] more detailed +[3762.18 --> 3762.62] than others, +[3762.74 --> 3764.02] but there was +[3764.02 --> 3764.68] a period in my +[3764.68 --> 3767.04] life where I +[3767.04 --> 3767.60] did a lot +[3767.60 --> 3768.94] of what we'll +[3768.94 --> 3770.20] call recreational +[3770.20 --> 3770.96] drug use. +[3772.14 --> 3772.82] And when the +[3772.82 --> 3773.28] Lord got a +[3773.28 --> 3773.84] hold of me +[3773.84 --> 3774.30] and started +[3774.30 --> 3775.10] changing my +[3775.10 --> 3777.66] life, I had +[3777.66 --> 3778.26] to stop +[3778.26 --> 3779.00] hanging out +[3779.00 --> 3779.46] with certain +[3779.46 --> 3779.88] people. +[3781.60 --> 3782.58] I had to +[3782.58 --> 3783.34] build big +[3783.34 --> 3785.34] fences around +[3785.34 --> 3786.62] my life in +[3786.62 --> 3787.42] order to stop +[3787.42 --> 3788.00] that kind of +[3788.00 --> 3788.62] activity from +[3788.62 --> 3789.18] happening, in +[3789.18 --> 3789.64] order to get +[3789.64 --> 3790.68] that temptation +[3790.68 --> 3791.42] away. +[3791.48 --> 3791.78] I had to +[3791.78 --> 3792.38] change my +[3792.38 --> 3793.10] friend group +[3793.10 --> 3794.28] because it +[3794.28 --> 3795.38] was too +[3795.38 --> 3796.26] easy, if I +[3796.26 --> 3796.64] was hanging +[3796.64 --> 3797.00] out with +[3797.00 --> 3797.66] them, to +[3797.66 --> 3798.08] give in. +[3799.18 --> 3799.70] And for a +[3799.70 --> 3800.18] really long +[3800.18 --> 3801.52] time, I +[3801.52 --> 3801.90] couldn't be +[3801.90 --> 3802.88] around people +[3802.88 --> 3804.72] who were, for +[3804.72 --> 3805.86] instance, smoking +[3805.86 --> 3806.82] marijuana because +[3806.82 --> 3808.42] I would smell +[3808.42 --> 3809.22] it and go, oh +[3809.22 --> 3809.68] yeah, I could +[3809.68 --> 3810.40] probably do it. +[3811.14 --> 3811.58] It would be +[3811.58 --> 3811.88] okay. +[3812.92 --> 3813.42] And so I had +[3813.42 --> 3813.98] to create these +[3813.98 --> 3814.70] fences, I had +[3814.70 --> 3815.18] to create these +[3815.18 --> 3815.52] walls. +[3815.86 --> 3816.82] In my fervor, +[3817.16 --> 3817.72] though, what +[3817.72 --> 3818.82] happened is I +[3818.82 --> 3819.76] began prescribing +[3819.76 --> 3820.76] the same approach +[3820.76 --> 3821.64] for everyone +[3821.64 --> 3822.06] else. +[3823.10 --> 3824.40] I began to +[3824.40 --> 3825.02] say things like, +[3825.10 --> 3825.66] well, nobody +[3825.66 --> 3826.28] can hang out +[3826.28 --> 3826.62] with those +[3826.62 --> 3827.26] people because +[3827.26 --> 3828.20] everybody's going +[3828.20 --> 3828.72] to fall into +[3828.72 --> 3829.24] that sin. +[3830.54 --> 3831.26] You see the +[3831.26 --> 3831.66] shift that +[3831.66 --> 3832.24] happens there? +[3833.26 --> 3833.44] Right? +[3833.60 --> 3834.22] What is good +[3834.22 --> 3834.98] for me and +[3834.98 --> 3835.86] wise for me +[3835.86 --> 3836.70] became a +[3836.70 --> 3838.08] prescription for +[3838.08 --> 3838.50] everyone. +[3839.76 --> 3840.50] And it's not +[3840.50 --> 3840.96] that I didn't +[3840.96 --> 3841.68] trust God for +[3841.68 --> 3842.36] my salvation, +[3843.08 --> 3843.30] right? +[3843.30 --> 3843.66] It's that I +[3843.66 --> 3844.46] was learning to +[3844.46 --> 3845.08] trust him for +[3845.08 --> 3845.72] my obedience. +[3847.22 --> 3847.90] And that's +[3847.90 --> 3848.54] what's going on +[3848.54 --> 3848.68] here. +[3848.74 --> 3849.38] That's why people +[3849.38 --> 3849.96] create these +[3849.96 --> 3851.08] fences and build +[3851.08 --> 3851.56] these walls. +[3851.56 --> 3852.32] And to the +[3852.32 --> 3853.24] church at Rome, +[3853.30 --> 3854.12] Paul says, +[3854.56 --> 3855.50] except the one +[3855.50 --> 3856.38] whose faith is +[3856.38 --> 3856.96] weak, that is +[3856.96 --> 3857.58] the one who is +[3857.58 --> 3859.08] learning how to +[3859.08 --> 3860.80] fully embrace +[3860.80 --> 3861.54] their justification +[3861.54 --> 3862.72] by grace alone, +[3862.98 --> 3864.40] through faith alone, +[3864.48 --> 3865.32] in Christ alone, +[3865.64 --> 3866.36] except them +[3866.36 --> 3868.16] without quarreling +[3868.16 --> 3870.06] over disputable +[3870.06 --> 3870.94] matters. +[3872.82 --> 3873.68] Now the next +[3873.68 --> 3874.64] question is sort +[3874.64 --> 3875.10] of the hinge +[3875.10 --> 3875.64] of it all. +[3875.98 --> 3876.76] Because what are +[3876.76 --> 3877.70] these disputable +[3877.70 --> 3878.02] matters? +[3878.02 --> 3880.40] What does that +[3880.40 --> 3880.64] mean? +[3881.92 --> 3882.60] Now the two +[3882.60 --> 3883.22] words that are +[3883.22 --> 3883.98] used here in +[3883.98 --> 3885.76] Greek, the first +[3885.76 --> 3886.70] one means judging +[3886.70 --> 3888.28] or discerning, and +[3888.28 --> 3889.12] the second one +[3889.12 --> 3890.70] means thoughts +[3890.70 --> 3892.58] or disputations. +[3893.54 --> 3894.28] And so, for +[3894.28 --> 3895.12] instance, if you +[3895.12 --> 3896.08] read a different +[3896.08 --> 3897.00] translation than +[3897.00 --> 3897.52] the one we've +[3897.52 --> 3898.10] read here, which +[3898.10 --> 3899.58] is the NIV, if +[3899.58 --> 3900.16] you read the +[3900.16 --> 3901.06] ESV, the +[3901.06 --> 3901.78] English Standard +[3901.78 --> 3902.48] Version, it +[3902.48 --> 3903.22] might say, do +[3903.22 --> 3904.30] not quarrel over +[3904.30 --> 3905.00] opinions. +[3905.00 --> 3906.92] Or the New +[3906.92 --> 3907.80] Living Translation +[3907.80 --> 3908.50] says, do not +[3908.50 --> 3909.34] argue with them +[3909.34 --> 3910.12] about what they +[3910.12 --> 3910.90] think is right +[3910.90 --> 3911.26] or wrong. +[3912.12 --> 3912.88] If you like +[3912.88 --> 3913.96] older translations, +[3914.94 --> 3915.96] the King James +[3915.96 --> 3917.52] Version says, do +[3917.52 --> 3918.80] not quarrel over +[3918.80 --> 3919.42] doubtful +[3919.42 --> 3920.48] disputations. +[3922.04 --> 3922.80] Now to sum it +[3922.80 --> 3924.14] up, I think +[3924.14 --> 3926.28] Paul's point is +[3926.28 --> 3927.78] to encourage us +[3927.78 --> 3928.92] to not waste +[3928.92 --> 3931.02] time arguing +[3931.02 --> 3932.08] over things +[3932.08 --> 3933.86] about which there +[3933.86 --> 3935.48] can be reasonable +[3935.48 --> 3936.48] differences of +[3936.48 --> 3936.86] opinion. +[3937.84 --> 3938.66] Now I'm beginning +[3938.66 --> 3939.40] to expand that +[3939.40 --> 3940.50] definition for us, +[3941.78 --> 3943.40] but I also think +[3943.40 --> 3944.40] that as you read +[3944.40 --> 3945.16] the rest of the +[3945.16 --> 3945.98] text, especially +[3945.98 --> 3946.70] as we get into +[3946.70 --> 3947.92] the second part +[3947.92 --> 3948.50] of the argument +[3948.50 --> 3949.10] and in chapter +[3949.10 --> 3950.58] 15, where he +[3950.58 --> 3951.86] finally uses the +[3951.86 --> 3952.94] word strong, so +[3952.94 --> 3953.82] he's contrasting +[3953.82 --> 3954.44] those who are +[3954.44 --> 3955.02] weak, who are +[3955.02 --> 3955.84] yet to understand +[3955.84 --> 3956.82] the full scope, +[3956.90 --> 3957.48] and those who +[3957.48 --> 3959.24] are strong, that +[3959.24 --> 3960.50] there is a call +[3960.50 --> 3961.58] for movement, +[3961.84 --> 3962.54] there is a call +[3962.54 --> 3964.32] for maturing in +[3964.32 --> 3965.64] faith, right? +[3965.68 --> 3966.36] And that maturing +[3966.36 --> 3967.06] comes from +[3967.06 --> 3968.26] understanding and +[3968.26 --> 3969.44] applying the scope +[3969.44 --> 3970.46] of the gospel. +[3971.28 --> 3972.56] And so the truth +[3972.56 --> 3973.70] behind and through +[3973.70 --> 3975.02] this is that the +[3975.02 --> 3976.48] so-called weaker +[3976.48 --> 3977.54] brother or sister +[3977.54 --> 3978.58] should want to +[3978.58 --> 3980.16] become the stronger +[3980.16 --> 3981.72] brother or sister +[3981.72 --> 3982.50] in the faith. +[3982.70 --> 3983.88] The problem is, +[3984.38 --> 3985.08] who's going to be +[3985.08 --> 3985.96] the first person to +[3985.96 --> 3986.68] raise their hand +[3986.68 --> 3987.30] and say, you know +[3987.30 --> 3987.92] what, in this +[3987.92 --> 3989.34] arrangement, I'm the +[3989.34 --> 3989.94] weaker one. +[3992.16 --> 3993.26] Very few of us +[3993.26 --> 3993.92] are self-aware +[3993.92 --> 3994.82] enough to realize +[3994.82 --> 3996.46] that we are the +[3996.46 --> 3997.56] weaker ones in the +[3997.56 --> 3998.40] relationships of +[3998.40 --> 3999.96] faith and maturation, +[4000.78 --> 4000.92] right? +[4000.98 --> 4002.68] Because, especially +[4002.68 --> 4003.76] because the kind +[4003.76 --> 4005.20] of weakness that +[4005.20 --> 4006.22] Paul is talking +[4006.22 --> 4008.28] about here comes +[4008.28 --> 4009.40] often with a lot +[4009.40 --> 4010.16] of fervor, +[4011.62 --> 4011.86] right? +[4012.00 --> 4013.50] Not unlike the +[4013.50 --> 4014.88] Pharisees of Jesus' +[4015.12 --> 4016.88] day, those people +[4016.88 --> 4017.94] with the sort of +[4017.94 --> 4020.40] legalistic rule-following +[4020.40 --> 4022.58] impulses have a +[4022.58 --> 4024.22] tendency in systems +[4024.22 --> 4025.24] not unlike our +[4025.24 --> 4026.78] own to emerge as +[4026.78 --> 4028.66] leaders, right? +[4028.68 --> 4029.24] Or to be able to +[4029.24 --> 4031.46] exercise influence. +[4032.80 --> 4033.88] And sometimes that's +[4033.88 --> 4035.16] because they are +[4035.16 --> 4035.62] loud. +[4036.40 --> 4037.48] Other times it's +[4037.48 --> 4038.58] because we interpret +[4038.58 --> 4040.98] their passion as a +[4040.98 --> 4041.76] commitment and a +[4041.76 --> 4042.68] pursuit of holiness +[4042.68 --> 4043.40] and we say, yeah, +[4043.44 --> 4044.10] we want to be like +[4044.10 --> 4044.40] that. +[4045.02 --> 4045.98] Because passion +[4045.98 --> 4047.66] conveys truth +[4047.66 --> 4048.60] for some of us. +[4051.06 --> 4052.26] Now, I think then +[4052.26 --> 4053.70] it's helpful +[4053.70 --> 4055.42] as we are asking +[4055.42 --> 4056.34] these questions +[4056.34 --> 4057.62] to look at the +[4057.62 --> 4058.86] kinds of things +[4058.86 --> 4060.62] that Paul identifies +[4060.62 --> 4062.00] as disputable +[4062.00 --> 4063.40] matters and then +[4063.40 --> 4064.12] to see +[4064.12 --> 4066.06] on which side +[4066.06 --> 4067.06] of these issues +[4067.06 --> 4068.22] the weak and +[4068.22 --> 4069.22] strong Christian +[4069.22 --> 4070.00] might fall +[4070.00 --> 4070.98] and then +[4070.98 --> 4072.00] we can ask, +[4072.40 --> 4072.88] where do I +[4072.88 --> 4073.36] stand? +[4074.06 --> 4074.64] Or where do we +[4074.64 --> 4074.96] stand? +[4074.96 --> 4077.96] Now, in +[4077.96 --> 4078.60] preparing for +[4078.60 --> 4080.42] this, I was +[4080.42 --> 4081.64] able to +[4081.64 --> 4082.98] identify +[4082.98 --> 4084.64] what I will +[4084.64 --> 4085.36] call six +[4085.36 --> 4086.62] clear examples. +[4087.48 --> 4088.16] There are a +[4088.16 --> 4088.84] couple other +[4088.84 --> 4089.82] examples that +[4089.82 --> 4090.36] may be less +[4090.36 --> 4092.36] clear, but +[4092.36 --> 4092.76] we're not going +[4092.76 --> 4093.70] to bother +[4093.70 --> 4094.40] ourselves with +[4094.40 --> 4095.68] those for this +[4095.68 --> 4096.08] point, although +[4096.08 --> 4096.76] I suspect we'll +[4096.76 --> 4097.30] talk about them +[4097.30 --> 4097.82] in the podcast +[4097.82 --> 4099.00] on Tuesday, and +[4099.00 --> 4099.64] so there's a +[4099.64 --> 4100.22] plug if you want +[4100.22 --> 4100.58] to see what +[4100.58 --> 4101.20] those ones are. +[4102.64 --> 4103.54] Six examples +[4103.54 --> 4104.28] of these +[4104.28 --> 4105.00] disputable +[4105.00 --> 4106.22] matters in +[4106.22 --> 4106.46] the New +[4106.46 --> 4106.82] Testament. +[4107.36 --> 4108.16] Three are +[4108.16 --> 4108.70] from our +[4108.70 --> 4109.58] text, and +[4109.58 --> 4109.98] three are +[4109.98 --> 4110.38] from other +[4110.38 --> 4110.80] texts. +[4111.56 --> 4112.08] The first +[4112.08 --> 4112.88] one is +[4112.88 --> 4113.38] verse 2, +[4113.90 --> 4114.08] right? +[4114.52 --> 4115.54] One person's +[4115.54 --> 4116.40] faith allows +[4116.40 --> 4117.00] them to eat +[4117.00 --> 4118.32] anything, but +[4118.32 --> 4119.10] another, whose +[4119.10 --> 4119.78] faith is weak, +[4120.20 --> 4120.78] eats only +[4120.78 --> 4121.32] vegetables. +[4123.04 --> 4123.66] And so here +[4123.66 --> 4124.58] you can see +[4124.58 --> 4125.20] that there's a +[4125.20 --> 4126.44] connection back +[4126.44 --> 4127.34] to the Jewish +[4127.34 --> 4128.58] dietary laws +[4128.58 --> 4129.96] and restrictions +[4129.96 --> 4131.26] which forbade +[4131.26 --> 4132.06] the eating of +[4132.06 --> 4132.74] certain kinds +[4132.74 --> 4133.32] of foods. +[4134.34 --> 4135.36] Now this is a +[4135.36 --> 4136.56] disputable matter +[4136.56 --> 4138.08] because in +[4138.08 --> 4140.00] Mark 7, Jesus +[4140.00 --> 4142.00] says, don't +[4142.00 --> 4142.72] you see that +[4142.72 --> 4143.26] nothing that +[4143.26 --> 4144.08] enters a person +[4144.08 --> 4144.90] from outside +[4144.90 --> 4145.72] can defile +[4145.72 --> 4146.00] them? +[4146.48 --> 4147.06] For it doesn't +[4147.06 --> 4147.66] go into their +[4147.66 --> 4148.68] heart, but into +[4148.68 --> 4149.82] their stomach, and +[4149.82 --> 4150.30] then out of the +[4150.30 --> 4150.58] body. +[4150.66 --> 4151.16] And then Mark +[4151.16 --> 4151.80] adds this +[4151.80 --> 4152.46] comment, which +[4152.46 --> 4153.18] is why it's in +[4153.18 --> 4154.58] parentheses there. +[4154.66 --> 4155.14] He says, in +[4155.14 --> 4156.52] saying this, Jesus +[4156.52 --> 4158.22] declared all foods +[4158.22 --> 4158.88] clean. +[4158.88 --> 4161.40] And then again, +[4161.52 --> 4163.04] in Acts 10, verse +[4163.04 --> 4164.04] 9 and following, +[4164.56 --> 4165.46] you read the +[4165.46 --> 4166.26] story of Peter +[4166.26 --> 4167.00] who has a +[4167.00 --> 4168.06] vision, and in +[4168.06 --> 4169.46] his vision, a +[4169.46 --> 4170.58] blanket descends +[4170.58 --> 4171.64] from heaven, and +[4171.64 --> 4172.42] on it are all +[4172.42 --> 4173.42] kinds of animals, +[4173.64 --> 4174.24] four-hooved +[4174.24 --> 4175.70] animals, split-hooved +[4175.70 --> 4177.50] animals, reptiles +[4177.50 --> 4178.96] and birds, and +[4178.96 --> 4180.12] God tells Peter, the +[4180.12 --> 4180.72] voice from heaven +[4180.72 --> 4181.84] tells Peter, eat. +[4182.46 --> 4183.54] And Peter says, +[4183.96 --> 4184.52] remembering his +[4184.52 --> 4185.30] upbringing as a +[4185.30 --> 4186.32] good Jew, I've +[4186.32 --> 4187.58] never eaten unclean +[4187.58 --> 4188.06] foods. +[4188.88 --> 4189.66] I've never had +[4189.66 --> 4190.78] anything impure. +[4191.50 --> 4192.06] And then the +[4192.06 --> 4192.80] voice says to +[4192.80 --> 4193.52] Peter in Acts +[4193.52 --> 4195.14] 10, 15, do not +[4195.14 --> 4195.98] call anything +[4195.98 --> 4197.42] impure what God +[4197.42 --> 4198.84] has made clean. +[4201.20 --> 4203.10] And so, in +[4203.10 --> 4204.56] verse 14 of our +[4204.56 --> 4205.58] text, in Romans +[4205.58 --> 4206.90] 14, so again, if +[4206.90 --> 4207.20] you have your +[4207.20 --> 4208.78] Bible, Paul then +[4208.78 --> 4209.80] takes this and +[4209.80 --> 4210.48] says, I am +[4210.48 --> 4211.50] convinced, being +[4211.50 --> 4212.72] fully persuaded in +[4212.72 --> 4213.78] the Lord Jesus, that +[4213.78 --> 4215.76] nothing is unclean +[4215.76 --> 4217.72] in itself. +[4218.88 --> 4220.40] But then he goes +[4220.40 --> 4222.72] on to say, but if +[4222.72 --> 4223.88] anyone regards +[4223.88 --> 4224.78] something as +[4224.78 --> 4226.92] unclean, then for +[4226.92 --> 4229.20] that person, it is +[4229.20 --> 4229.86] unclean. +[4231.16 --> 4232.46] That's why this is a +[4232.46 --> 4233.30] disputable matter. +[4235.00 --> 4235.66] Right? +[4235.74 --> 4236.58] The second example +[4236.58 --> 4237.42] coming from the +[4237.42 --> 4239.32] text is of one day +[4239.32 --> 4240.36] being more sacred +[4240.36 --> 4241.70] than another, or +[4241.70 --> 4243.22] every day being +[4243.22 --> 4243.62] alike. +[4243.72 --> 4244.24] This is verse +[4244.24 --> 4244.60] five. +[4244.60 --> 4246.34] And here again, +[4246.64 --> 4247.50] right, is a tie +[4247.50 --> 4248.60] back to the Jewish +[4248.60 --> 4249.78] instructions around +[4249.78 --> 4251.32] Sabbath and around +[4251.32 --> 4252.64] holy day festivals. +[4253.82 --> 4254.80] Instructions that +[4254.80 --> 4256.16] the people in the +[4256.16 --> 4257.30] law are required +[4257.30 --> 4257.94] to keep. +[4259.28 --> 4259.54] Right? +[4260.02 --> 4261.00] Remember the +[4261.00 --> 4262.06] Sabbath day and +[4262.06 --> 4263.08] keep it holy. +[4265.08 --> 4266.10] On it you shall +[4266.10 --> 4267.22] not do any work, +[4267.92 --> 4268.66] neither your son +[4268.66 --> 4269.46] nor daughter, your +[4269.46 --> 4270.18] manservant nor +[4270.18 --> 4271.50] maidservant, neither +[4271.50 --> 4273.02] the alien within your +[4273.02 --> 4273.88] gates or any of your +[4273.88 --> 4274.32] animals. +[4276.46 --> 4278.04] But again, in +[4278.04 --> 4279.50] Mark 2, Jesus +[4279.50 --> 4280.76] says, the +[4280.76 --> 4281.80] Sabbath was made +[4281.80 --> 4282.90] for man, not +[4282.90 --> 4283.58] man for the +[4283.58 --> 4283.84] Sabbath. +[4284.20 --> 4285.12] So the son of +[4285.12 --> 4286.58] man is Lord even +[4286.58 --> 4287.60] of the Sabbath. +[4288.96 --> 4289.52] And then Paul +[4289.52 --> 4290.20] writes in +[4290.20 --> 4291.46] Colossians 2, +[4292.18 --> 4293.08] it says, therefore, +[4293.30 --> 4294.40] do not let anyone +[4294.40 --> 4295.40] judge you by what +[4295.40 --> 4296.48] you eat or drink or +[4296.48 --> 4297.36] with regard to a +[4297.36 --> 4298.80] religious festival, a +[4298.80 --> 4299.88] new moon celebration, +[4299.88 --> 4301.28] or a Sabbath day. +[4301.76 --> 4302.80] These are shadows +[4302.80 --> 4303.66] of the things that +[4303.66 --> 4304.30] were to come. +[4304.42 --> 4305.12] The reality, +[4305.40 --> 4306.76] however, is found +[4306.76 --> 4308.14] in Christ. +[4311.02 --> 4311.40] Right? +[4311.44 --> 4312.72] In Hebrews 4, you +[4312.72 --> 4314.00] can read how Jesus +[4314.00 --> 4315.38] is the eternal +[4315.38 --> 4316.66] Sabbath rest that we +[4316.66 --> 4317.82] are to enter into. +[4318.38 --> 4319.24] And so everything +[4319.24 --> 4320.82] that was the Old +[4320.82 --> 4321.70] Testament Sabbath +[4321.70 --> 4323.14] laws pointed to is +[4323.14 --> 4324.24] fulfilled in Jesus +[4324.24 --> 4325.94] and applies every day, +[4326.10 --> 4327.26] not just one day a +[4327.26 --> 4327.48] week. +[4329.42 --> 4330.92] Now, don't hear what +[4330.92 --> 4331.52] I'm not saying. +[4331.52 --> 4332.04] Right? +[4332.04 --> 4332.12] Right? +[4332.38 --> 4333.76] This does mean +[4333.76 --> 4334.70] Christians shouldn't +[4334.70 --> 4335.92] gather together on the +[4335.92 --> 4336.96] day dedicated to the +[4336.96 --> 4339.24] Lord, but it does beg +[4339.24 --> 4340.50] the question about the +[4340.50 --> 4341.50] rules and the boundaries +[4341.50 --> 4342.38] we put around it. +[4344.38 --> 4346.00] Now, the next example +[4346.00 --> 4349.40] is from chapter 14, +[4349.50 --> 4350.28] and it's found in verse +[4350.28 --> 4352.70] 21, where Paul includes +[4352.70 --> 4354.34] drinking wine alongside +[4354.34 --> 4356.20] of the argument against +[4356.20 --> 4356.84] eating meat. +[4356.84 --> 4359.94] And so it seems that +[4359.94 --> 4361.96] this, too, was a +[4361.96 --> 4363.34] disputed matter in the +[4363.34 --> 4365.20] Church of Rome, that +[4365.20 --> 4366.26] people put a prescription +[4366.26 --> 4367.54] on drinking wine. +[4368.68 --> 4369.70] Now, again, this might +[4369.70 --> 4371.52] be an indication of +[4371.52 --> 4372.16] what I talked about +[4372.16 --> 4373.46] earlier about higher +[4373.46 --> 4375.00] fences or moving the +[4375.00 --> 4376.38] boundaries closer in +[4376.38 --> 4377.54] order to protect people +[4377.54 --> 4378.82] from the sin of +[4378.82 --> 4379.52] drunkenness. +[4380.18 --> 4380.72] Right? +[4380.74 --> 4381.92] It's not that wine is +[4381.92 --> 4383.24] bad in and of itself, +[4383.80 --> 4385.54] but there is bad wine. +[4385.60 --> 4386.20] Am I right, Paul? +[4386.84 --> 4389.70] But if you are +[4389.70 --> 4391.12] untempered in your +[4391.12 --> 4393.82] consumption of wine, +[4393.88 --> 4394.52] then you need higher +[4394.52 --> 4396.26] boundaries to protect +[4396.26 --> 4397.22] yourself from the sin +[4397.22 --> 4398.60] that might come about. +[4400.24 --> 4401.16] Now, there are other +[4401.16 --> 4402.14] examples in the New +[4402.14 --> 4403.36] Testament of these kinds +[4403.36 --> 4404.84] of disputable matters, +[4404.90 --> 4405.72] and I'll quickly point +[4405.72 --> 4406.50] them out to you because +[4406.50 --> 4407.86] it's pertinent to see +[4407.86 --> 4409.10] the contrast through. +[4409.86 --> 4413.46] In Galatians 2, 3 and 5, +[4413.94 --> 4415.80] Paul talks about refusing +[4415.80 --> 4418.82] to circumcise Titus because +[4418.82 --> 4420.74] Titus is a Greek who +[4420.74 --> 4422.84] became a Christian, and +[4422.84 --> 4423.86] therefore the rules of +[4423.86 --> 4425.90] circumcision don't apply to +[4425.90 --> 4426.12] him. +[4426.46 --> 4429.98] And yet, in Acts 16, verse 3, +[4430.38 --> 4431.56] you read that Paul +[4431.56 --> 4434.96] circumcised Timothy because +[4434.96 --> 4437.28] Timothy was raised Jewish, +[4438.06 --> 4439.30] as his mother was Jewish, +[4439.42 --> 4440.32] his grandmother was Jewish, +[4440.32 --> 4441.82] and his father was a Greek, +[4441.82 --> 4443.40] and because Timothy would +[4443.40 --> 4445.06] be with Paul a missionary +[4445.06 --> 4446.60] to Jewish people. +[4448.38 --> 4449.06] Right? +[4449.12 --> 4450.88] This isn't a lesson about +[4450.88 --> 4451.52] contradiction. +[4452.12 --> 4453.88] This is a lesson about the +[4453.88 --> 4456.42] missional context being +[4456.42 --> 4458.32] important for discerning what +[4458.32 --> 4460.18] is a disputable matter. +[4461.34 --> 4463.50] Another example is food +[4463.50 --> 4464.90] sacrificed to idols. +[4465.90 --> 4467.42] So in Acts 15, you have the +[4467.42 --> 4468.28] story of the Jerusalem +[4468.28 --> 4469.40] council meeting, that is, +[4469.46 --> 4470.80] early Christians, many of them +[4470.80 --> 4472.78] Jewish meeting to decide how +[4472.78 --> 4474.88] are we going to incorporate +[4474.88 --> 4476.80] these non-Jewish people into +[4476.80 --> 4478.40] what is becoming the +[4478.40 --> 4479.58] Christian church. +[4480.46 --> 4481.88] And they write a letter +[4481.88 --> 4484.42] saying that you don't have to +[4484.42 --> 4486.20] be circumcised, but you should +[4486.20 --> 4487.82] avoid eating food sacrificed +[4488.66 --> 4489.88] to idols, eating meat +[4489.88 --> 4491.46] sacrificed to idols. +[4491.68 --> 4494.10] But then, in 1 Corinthians 8, +[4494.30 --> 4496.04] Paul says that that is in fact +[4496.04 --> 4498.04] no thing, that is, the idol +[4498.04 --> 4499.38] isn't real, so it doesn't +[4499.38 --> 4501.00] matter if you eat this meat +[4501.00 --> 4501.56] or not. +[4502.02 --> 4502.12] Right? +[4502.16 --> 4504.18] He says, food does not bring +[4504.18 --> 4506.24] us near to God, for we are +[4506.24 --> 4507.62] no worse if we do not eat, +[4507.70 --> 4508.72] and no better if we do. +[4510.28 --> 4510.48] Right? +[4510.88 --> 4512.56] But then Paul goes on to say +[4512.56 --> 4513.68] that we shouldn't put a +[4513.68 --> 4515.30] stumbling block in front of +[4515.30 --> 4515.80] other people. +[4516.04 --> 4516.24] Right? +[4516.26 --> 4518.14] He says that if what I eat +[4518.14 --> 4519.46] causes my brother or sister +[4519.46 --> 4521.58] to fall into sin, I will +[4521.58 --> 4523.30] never eat meat again, so as to +[4523.30 --> 4525.10] not cause them to fall. +[4527.02 --> 4528.96] You can see, right, Paul is +[4528.96 --> 4530.72] effectively making the same +[4530.72 --> 4532.98] case over again. +[4533.90 --> 4535.06] And then the last example, +[4535.88 --> 4537.20] at least the explicit one to +[4537.20 --> 4538.62] be found, is that of marriage +[4538.62 --> 4540.06] and celibacy. +[4541.00 --> 4543.28] In the same chapter, 1 Corinthians +[4543.28 --> 4546.12] 7, Paul says that celibacy is +[4546.12 --> 4547.92] good, and in some cases it is to +[4547.92 --> 4549.18] be preferred for all people. +[4549.94 --> 4551.82] And Paul says that marriage is +[4551.82 --> 4553.18] good, and in some cases it is +[4553.18 --> 4554.54] to be preferred for all +[4554.54 --> 4554.84] people. +[4555.94 --> 4558.30] It's a matter of discernment and +[4558.30 --> 4561.14] of context, of limiting sin. +[4561.28 --> 4562.78] Point is, it's a disputable +[4562.78 --> 4564.22] matter, and you can have +[4564.22 --> 4565.64] differences of opinion about +[4565.64 --> 4568.08] these things, and to chapter +[4568.08 --> 4569.94] 14's point, having those +[4569.94 --> 4571.98] differences of opinions may not +[4571.98 --> 4573.52] be worth fighting about. +[4574.04 --> 4575.12] That is, they may not be worth +[4575.12 --> 4577.24] splitting a church over, or +[4577.24 --> 4579.32] breaking a relationship over. +[4581.82 --> 4585.56] The weak Christians in this +[4585.56 --> 4589.96] text's language are those who, +[4590.20 --> 4591.72] for one reason or another, +[4591.90 --> 4593.28] sometimes perfectly legitimate +[4593.28 --> 4595.54] reasons, other times reasons we +[4595.54 --> 4597.00] need to challenge for their +[4597.00 --> 4598.66] growing and maturing in faith, +[4599.18 --> 4601.42] who promote non-essential, +[4601.98 --> 4605.02] cultural, ceremonial cautions +[4605.02 --> 4609.10] as being necessary for Christian +[4609.10 --> 4611.18] maturity, and for effectiveness. +[4612.32 --> 4614.68] It's making what could be a +[4614.68 --> 4616.20] matter of personal preference +[4616.20 --> 4619.32] and personal piety prescriptive +[4619.32 --> 4622.08] for everyone when the +[4622.08 --> 4623.40] scriptures don't do that. +[4624.90 --> 4626.04] Let me give you an example, for +[4626.04 --> 4627.50] an example of this. +[4628.24 --> 4629.62] And this was a few generations +[4629.62 --> 4631.32] ago, nothing like this happens in +[4631.32 --> 4633.70] our church anymore, but some +[4633.70 --> 4635.80] people, you know, used to get very +[4635.80 --> 4638.02] upset about contemporary music +[4638.02 --> 4639.04] styles in church. +[4639.76 --> 4640.80] It doesn't happen anymore. +[4643.30 --> 4645.96] Now, these people likely would +[4645.96 --> 4648.56] never deny that someone who wants +[4648.56 --> 4651.26] drums in worship is a Christian, +[4651.76 --> 4654.70] but they might say something like, +[4655.24 --> 4658.00] that music isn't reverent. +[4659.36 --> 4660.86] And I've heard it this way, too, +[4661.04 --> 4663.36] that music offends the Lord. +[4663.36 --> 4666.78] Now, what they mean, of course, is +[4666.78 --> 4669.06] that it offends them, and then +[4669.06 --> 4670.22] they've put themselves in the place +[4670.22 --> 4671.20] of God, and then have made it +[4671.20 --> 4672.48] prescriptive for everyone else. +[4673.48 --> 4675.48] Now, if that illustration doesn't +[4675.48 --> 4677.30] land for you, because we all love +[4677.30 --> 4679.60] drums around here, replace drums +[4679.60 --> 4680.32] with hip-hop. +[4682.18 --> 4684.40] Or, gag, replace it with country +[4684.40 --> 4684.80] music. +[4687.96 --> 4690.20] Or replace it with a full 70-piece +[4690.20 --> 4690.70] orchestra. +[4692.76 --> 4693.16] Right? +[4693.24 --> 4695.04] Point is, for any one of those, +[4695.28 --> 4697.30] as soon as you say, that's not +[4697.30 --> 4699.42] worship, we can't do that, +[4699.58 --> 4700.72] you're in the realm of a +[4700.72 --> 4702.08] disputable matter, and you're +[4702.08 --> 4703.60] elevating personal preference and +[4703.60 --> 4705.68] personal piety to prescription. +[4706.84 --> 4708.16] And so it may be true that you +[4708.16 --> 4709.48] can't worship through that, +[4710.86 --> 4711.88] but that doesn't mean I can't. +[4714.16 --> 4716.92] And look, it may even be true that +[4716.92 --> 4718.32] it's not wise for you. +[4720.08 --> 4720.30] Right? +[4720.34 --> 4722.16] Because if, what Paul gets into +[4722.16 --> 4723.60] here, right, is that if that +[4723.60 --> 4726.82] pricks your conscience, if it is +[4726.82 --> 4730.14] sinful for you, because it becomes +[4730.14 --> 4731.50] sinful for you because you're going +[4731.50 --> 4732.90] against your conscience. +[4733.00 --> 4734.24] And I think this is the sum of +[4734.24 --> 4736.16] Paul's point in verse 5, right? +[4736.18 --> 4738.28] He says, each of them should be +[4738.28 --> 4741.12] fully convinced in their own mind. +[4741.76 --> 4743.48] And so if you are convinced of it, +[4743.76 --> 4744.56] follow through. +[4744.56 --> 4747.36] Because if you don't, you're +[4747.36 --> 4748.06] compromising. +[4749.64 --> 4751.38] And as people, we compromise for +[4751.38 --> 4753.06] all sorts of reasons, right? +[4753.10 --> 4754.76] Sometimes we compromise in order to +[4754.76 --> 4756.60] keep the peace, but when we keep +[4756.60 --> 4757.96] the peace, what we're doing inside +[4757.96 --> 4759.90] is judging those other people, or +[4759.90 --> 4760.88] we're judging ourselves. +[4762.20 --> 4762.32] Right? +[4762.38 --> 4764.04] Sometimes we compromise because we +[4764.04 --> 4765.24] go, yeah, you know what, I really +[4765.24 --> 4767.64] do actually want to do that, and +[4767.64 --> 4768.98] that would feel good in the moment, +[4769.10 --> 4770.12] so I'm just going to go ahead and +[4770.12 --> 4770.50] do it. +[4770.50 --> 4773.12] But if it pricks your conscience, +[4773.42 --> 4775.12] then don't do it. +[4776.40 --> 4780.24] Instead, I think that in this, there +[4780.24 --> 4782.92] is a sort of controlling principle +[4782.92 --> 4785.36] that speaks over top of all of it, +[4785.40 --> 4786.76] and you can see it in verse 8. +[4788.26 --> 4791.52] Verse 8 says, if we live, we live for +[4791.52 --> 4793.72] the Lord, and if we die, we die for +[4793.72 --> 4794.04] the Lord. +[4794.12 --> 4796.20] So whether we live or die, we belong +[4796.20 --> 4798.38] to the Lord. +[4799.80 --> 4801.30] Now, not only is this a great +[4801.30 --> 4803.36] comfort, that I belong to the Lord +[4803.36 --> 4805.82] in life and in death, right? +[4805.84 --> 4808.60] But this is also an operating +[4808.60 --> 4809.16] principle. +[4810.00 --> 4812.42] This is an operating purpose, right? +[4812.48 --> 4814.92] It is the context of our mission to +[4814.92 --> 4817.70] live for the Lord, and if it be our +[4817.70 --> 4819.00] lot, to die for Him. +[4822.04 --> 4824.20] Now, here's an important word for +[4824.20 --> 4827.02] for those of us who may be on the +[4827.02 --> 4830.26] strong side of this polarity, +[4832.04 --> 4832.30] right? +[4832.74 --> 4836.36] If you suspect that any of these +[4836.36 --> 4838.66] kinds of disputable matters may be +[4838.66 --> 4842.08] true for a brother or sister, you also +[4842.08 --> 4843.22] cannot do it. +[4845.18 --> 4845.38] Okay? +[4845.40 --> 4846.74] That's what it means to live in +[4846.74 --> 4847.14] community. +[4847.32 --> 4849.02] That's what it means to mature in +[4849.02 --> 4849.46] community. +[4849.46 --> 4853.48] That you, as strong in faith, even +[4853.48 --> 4855.68] though you fully understand Galatians +[4855.68 --> 4857.42] 5, that says, it is for freedom that +[4857.42 --> 4859.92] Christ has set me free, you willingly +[4859.92 --> 4862.50] give up that freedom. +[4862.86 --> 4865.00] You willingly offer it as a living +[4865.00 --> 4867.90] sacrifice for your brother or sister +[4867.90 --> 4869.26] in the assembly. +[4869.46 --> 4871.52] You give up your freedom for their +[4871.52 --> 4872.88] faith and obedience. +[4873.10 --> 4874.64] That's what it means to be strong. +[4875.78 --> 4878.22] This is the gospel redefining strength +[4878.22 --> 4880.12] in the mix right now. +[4880.88 --> 4883.18] To give up your rights and freedoms +[4883.18 --> 4885.86] for the faith security of a brother +[4885.86 --> 4886.64] or sister. +[4887.86 --> 4889.58] And like we said, Galatians 5 is still +[4889.58 --> 4889.90] true. +[4890.04 --> 4891.54] It is for freedom that Christ has set +[4891.54 --> 4892.72] us free, right? +[4892.96 --> 4896.78] The new reality of the gospel for +[4896.78 --> 4899.56] Christians is freedom, and that freedom +[4899.56 --> 4901.94] opens up a whole world of possibilities +[4901.94 --> 4904.36] in life and in faithfulness, even +[4904.36 --> 4905.56] dressing like this when you're +[4905.56 --> 4905.92] preaching. +[4905.92 --> 4908.48] But if it's a problem for the little +[4908.48 --> 4911.48] old lady, then I should willingly put +[4911.48 --> 4912.12] my tie on. +[4913.34 --> 4916.40] As long as the reasons why it's a +[4916.40 --> 4918.40] problem for her, we can still discuss. +[4920.44 --> 4920.88] Right? +[4921.00 --> 4922.46] Freedom opens us up. +[4922.56 --> 4924.74] But later in Galatians and in this +[4924.74 --> 4926.62] text, I think this is the point, Paul +[4926.62 --> 4928.82] says that you, my brothers and sisters, +[4928.88 --> 4930.98] were called to be free, but do not use +[4930.98 --> 4933.42] your freedom to indulge the flesh. +[4933.42 --> 4936.44] Rather, serve one another humbly in love. +[4937.28 --> 4937.62] Right? +[4937.64 --> 4938.72] You see, we've been working on this +[4938.72 --> 4940.74] conversation, this through line from +[4940.74 --> 4941.26] the beginning. +[4941.62 --> 4941.74] Right? +[4941.84 --> 4944.02] Part of serving one another humbly in +[4944.02 --> 4947.06] love is giving up our freedoms for +[4947.06 --> 4947.74] their faith. +[4949.82 --> 4952.70] And so, for example, if you are having +[4952.70 --> 4954.70] lunch with what I will call a moral +[4954.70 --> 4957.20] vegan, that is someone who believes it's +[4957.20 --> 4959.64] sinful to eat meat, you don't sit across +[4959.64 --> 4961.80] from them and order a 12-ounce prime rib. +[4964.20 --> 4964.64] Right? +[4964.70 --> 4966.94] Or if you don't want hip-hop to show up +[4966.94 --> 4969.14] in our worship, or if you do, rather, +[4969.24 --> 4970.74] want hip-hop to show up in our worship, +[4970.98 --> 4974.24] but you know that old Mrs. Ethel believes +[4974.24 --> 4976.14] that we shouldn't worship in that way, +[4976.30 --> 4977.94] then you shouldn't push that here. +[4978.80 --> 4980.66] Even if you're a worship leader who has +[4980.66 --> 4982.32] the power and the influence to pick that +[4982.32 --> 4982.88] kind of thing. +[4983.20 --> 4985.60] In fact, especially because you are a +[4985.60 --> 4986.92] worship leader who has the power and +[4986.92 --> 4988.30] the influence to pick that kind of thing, +[4988.30 --> 4990.04] you shouldn't do it because you know +[4990.04 --> 4991.14] whom you are leading. +[4992.46 --> 4995.82] Now again, let's tread softly here, +[4996.16 --> 4998.98] and very intentionally, because you also +[4998.98 --> 5001.88] need to hear a person's opposition to +[5001.88 --> 5004.16] eating meat and therefore being vegan, +[5004.38 --> 5007.04] or your opposition to hip-hop in +[5007.04 --> 5009.38] worship needs to be connected to what +[5009.38 --> 5011.72] you believe to be biblical ideas and +[5011.72 --> 5014.14] teachings for these disputed matters, +[5014.32 --> 5017.06] if you would require us to make +[5017.06 --> 5019.26] exceptions, or if we are going to limit +[5019.26 --> 5021.42] our own freedoms in order to mature +[5021.42 --> 5022.02] your faith. +[5024.06 --> 5026.40] And that means, then, right, that your +[5026.40 --> 5028.38] reason to tell others or to require +[5028.38 --> 5030.96] others to be vegan must be based on +[5030.96 --> 5033.32] what you read in the Bible, not because +[5033.32 --> 5035.32] Ariana Grande has put a compelling tweet +[5035.32 --> 5035.58] out. +[5036.92 --> 5039.48] Similarly, if your opposition to hip-hop in +[5039.48 --> 5042.12] the church is actually an outworking of +[5042.12 --> 5044.88] racist or prejudiced ideas, we need to +[5044.88 --> 5048.28] call you out on that, because that can't +[5048.28 --> 5048.58] fly. +[5052.30 --> 5056.10] We will not passively permit to +[5056.10 --> 5061.24] continue your sin by compromising our +[5061.24 --> 5062.66] freedoms in that regard. +[5064.66 --> 5065.94] Now, here's the last point. +[5065.94 --> 5071.96] Because sometimes people will hear this +[5071.96 --> 5075.46] and they will go, oh, if I can make a +[5075.46 --> 5077.02] compelling case for anything, then that's +[5077.02 --> 5077.78] the way we need to go. +[5077.84 --> 5079.08] And then they just have to give up on +[5079.08 --> 5081.26] their deeply held values because they're +[5081.26 --> 5083.58] called to be strong and I'll allow myself +[5083.58 --> 5085.46] to be called weak if that means I get what +[5085.46 --> 5085.88] I want. +[5087.82 --> 5088.04] Right? +[5088.10 --> 5090.38] Sometimes this idea of disputable matters +[5090.38 --> 5093.66] has been abused in the past or taken +[5093.66 --> 5095.20] advantage of in the past. +[5095.58 --> 5095.70] Right? +[5095.76 --> 5097.48] Allowing for people to have differences +[5097.48 --> 5099.42] of opinions on things where the +[5099.42 --> 5102.34] scriptures don't actually present a +[5102.34 --> 5103.22] difference of opinion. +[5104.92 --> 5107.26] And so I hope you saw very clearly when +[5107.26 --> 5109.20] we outlined what scripture calls these +[5109.20 --> 5111.28] disputable matters, it's because there's +[5111.28 --> 5113.58] a history of this practice and then +[5113.58 --> 5115.32] Jesus and a New Testament author comes +[5115.32 --> 5117.80] along and says, we've redefined history +[5117.80 --> 5118.98] on that practice. +[5118.98 --> 5123.58] If the Bible doesn't redefine history on +[5123.58 --> 5126.84] a particular practice, then the commands +[5126.84 --> 5127.58] of God continue. +[5128.68 --> 5131.52] What obedience looks like continues. +[5133.40 --> 5133.94] Right? +[5134.00 --> 5136.10] And so sometimes people will use a text +[5136.10 --> 5140.54] like this to create a gray area to allow +[5140.54 --> 5143.60] for what the Bible calls sin to not be +[5143.60 --> 5145.10] treated as sin by the church. +[5145.10 --> 5147.52] That also can't happen. +[5148.70 --> 5151.32] That's also an abuse of this particular +[5151.32 --> 5152.38] text. +[5153.84 --> 5156.22] John Calvin puts it really explicitly. +[5156.46 --> 5159.64] He says, we must not, but for the sake +[5159.64 --> 5162.78] of our neighbors, we are not at liberty +[5162.78 --> 5165.56] to deviate one nail's breath from the +[5165.56 --> 5169.62] command of God that unknown pretext is +[5169.62 --> 5172.84] lawful to attempt anything but what he +[5172.84 --> 5173.66] permits. +[5175.72 --> 5176.28] Right? +[5176.36 --> 5178.76] This is not license to do whatever you +[5178.76 --> 5179.18] want. +[5179.82 --> 5182.36] This is license to use your freedom +[5182.36 --> 5185.58] to grow in the grace and knowledge of +[5185.58 --> 5187.20] our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. +[5187.84 --> 5190.58] This is license to use your freedom to +[5190.58 --> 5193.08] grow in your capacities to be obedient +[5193.08 --> 5196.56] to him and to recognize that his ways are +[5196.56 --> 5198.24] better than our ways. +[5198.94 --> 5201.46] That his design and purpose is where +[5201.46 --> 5202.82] flourishing is found. +[5204.22 --> 5206.02] And so, yes, absolutely, there are places +[5206.02 --> 5207.92] where we can have discussions and we can +[5207.92 --> 5208.76] make compromises. +[5209.14 --> 5210.72] There are places where we can say, not +[5210.72 --> 5211.74] my will, but yours. +[5212.72 --> 5214.60] But then there are also places where we +[5214.60 --> 5217.78] say, no, this is clear. +[5219.78 --> 5222.78] Living for the Lord requires us to +[5222.78 --> 5224.68] mature in our faith. +[5224.94 --> 5227.06] And for those of us who are more mature, +[5227.20 --> 5229.50] to come alongside of people right where +[5229.50 --> 5233.42] they are at and with gentleness and +[5233.42 --> 5236.26] respect walk alongside them with +[5236.26 --> 5240.14] humility and grace entering into life +[5240.14 --> 5243.32] with them and calling them towards +[5243.32 --> 5243.82] maturity. +[5245.44 --> 5249.50] That we might grow in faith together. +[5250.24 --> 5253.82] This is the task of discipleship, to +[5253.82 --> 5256.08] grow in faith together. +[5256.08 --> 5260.52] And so, have hard conversations and be +[5260.52 --> 5263.06] willing to give up deeply held values for +[5263.06 --> 5264.16] the sake of one another. +[5265.30 --> 5269.80] But do not, do not overstretch the +[5269.80 --> 5272.32] definition of disputable matters to +[5272.32 --> 5274.72] things that the Bible will not allow you +[5274.72 --> 5274.92] to. +[5275.62 --> 5277.72] Because then we are just leading one +[5277.72 --> 5282.14] another in the way, not of Jesus, but in +[5282.14 --> 5282.76] the way of the world. +[5282.76 --> 5285.68] And that's not our calling together. +[5286.90 --> 5291.36] If we are able to live this and model +[5291.36 --> 5295.22] this, we will become, and increasingly +[5295.22 --> 5299.28] so, a community that is compelling to +[5299.28 --> 5300.32] so many people. +[5300.78 --> 5303.00] Because we can enter into these difficult +[5303.00 --> 5303.64] conversations. +[5303.88 --> 5306.66] We can enter into these disputable matters +[5306.66 --> 5311.72] with grace and with mercy and with a +[5311.72 --> 5315.52] sense of calm and a presence that is not +[5315.52 --> 5318.06] anxious in and around us. +[5318.84 --> 5322.90] Instead, we can bring Christ to bear on +[5322.90 --> 5324.58] what we do and on how we be. +[5325.28 --> 5328.32] And it seems to me that that is our +[5328.32 --> 5328.78] purpose. +[5329.06 --> 5331.98] That is the call of discipleship. +[5331.98 --> 5336.62] To bring Christ to bear on these kinds of +[5336.62 --> 5338.10] disputable matters. +[5338.48 --> 5338.70] Amen? +[5338.70 --> 5340.58] Let's pray together. +[5346.02 --> 5348.16] Lord our God. +[5352.58 --> 5355.64] Lord our God, it is possible that as we +[5355.64 --> 5360.64] sit here now, our minds have moved over +[5360.64 --> 5361.24] to judgment. +[5361.24 --> 5365.64] It is possible that as we sit here now, we +[5365.64 --> 5369.82] are thinking of one or another who has +[5369.82 --> 5372.42] compromised on this or that disputable +[5372.96 --> 5376.70] matter and we are holding them to account +[5376.70 --> 5378.66] in manners that you do not. +[5378.66 --> 5379.66] Lord our God. +[5379.66 --> 5380.66] Lord our God. +[5380.66 --> 5382.98] And so I pray that you would forgive us for that. +[5384.34 --> 5386.56] Especially for those of us who lead. +[5387.94 --> 5390.80] I pray that you would open us up to these kinds of +[5390.80 --> 5392.56] relationships and realities. +[5394.70 --> 5398.12] And God, it is also possible that we sit here now +[5398.12 --> 5400.52] having heard only in part. +[5400.52 --> 5406.28] And so we think, I can do whatever I want as long as I can +[5406.28 --> 5409.74] justify it to myself and then I will justify it to you, +[5409.98 --> 5410.34] the Lord. +[5412.40 --> 5417.66] And yet, may we also recognize that you are calling us to +[5417.66 --> 5418.52] obedience. +[5419.64 --> 5423.68] That you are calling us from one degree of glory to another. +[5423.68 --> 5426.54] Father, that you are calling us to be holy. +[5430.42 --> 5433.32] And so send us out in the power of your holiness, +[5433.84 --> 5436.72] the power of your spirit to be transformed. +[5438.66 --> 5440.10] In Christ Jesus we pray. +[5440.80 --> 5441.16] Amen. +[5453.68 --> 5463.98] We live for you. +[5464.08 --> 5467.76] Worthy of every song we could ever sing +[5467.76 --> 5475.18] Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring +[5475.18 --> 5482.26] Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe +[5482.26 --> 5485.26] we live for you +[5485.26 --> 5496.98] Jesus the name above every other day +[5496.98 --> 5504.38] Jesus the only one who could ever see +[5504.38 --> 5511.26] worthy in every breath we could ever breathe +[5511.26 --> 5513.26] we live for you +[5513.26 --> 5517.26] we live for you +[5517.26 --> 5525.26] holy there is no one like you +[5525.26 --> 5528.26] there is none beside you +[5528.26 --> 5533.26] open up my eyes with wonder +[5533.26 --> 5539.26] show me who you are and fill me +[5539.26 --> 5543.26] with your heart and lead me +[5543.26 --> 5549.26] in your love to those around me +[5549.26 --> 5557.26] Jesus the name above every other day +[5557.26 --> 5563.26] Jesus the only one who could ever see +[5563.26 --> 5573.26] Jesus the name above every other day +[5573.26 --> 5577.26] Jesus the only one who could ever see +[5577.26 --> 5585.26] worthy of every breath we could ever be +[5585.26 --> 5587.26] we live for you +[5587.26 --> 5589.26] we live for you +[5589.26 --> 5591.26] we live for you +[5591.26 --> 5593.26] we live for you +[5593.26 --> 5597.26] holy there is no one like you +[5597.26 --> 5601.26] there is none beside you +[5601.26 --> 5607.26] open up my eyes with wonder +[5607.26 --> 5613.26] show me who you are and fill me +[5613.26 --> 5617.26] with your heart and lead me +[5617.26 --> 5623.26] give your love to those around me +[5623.26 --> 5625.26] you +[5625.26 --> 5629.26] you +[5629.26 --> 5631.26] you +[5631.26 --> 5633.26] you +[5633.26 --> 5635.26] you +[5635.26 --> 5637.26] you +[5637.26 --> 5639.26] you +[5639.26 --> 5653.26] you +[5653.26 --> 5655.26] you +[5655.26 --> 5657.26] you +[5657.26 --> 5659.26] you +[5659.26 --> 5661.26] you +[5661.26 --> 5663.26] you +[5663.26 --> 5673.26] you +[5673.26 --> 5677.26] you +[5677.26 --> 5679.26] you +[5679.26 --> 5681.26] you +[5681.26 --> 5683.26] you +[5683.26 --> 5685.26] you +[5685.26 --> 5687.26] you +[5687.26 --> 5689.26] you +[5689.26 --> 5709.26] you +[5709.26 --> 5711.26] you +[5711.26 --> 5713.26] you +[5713.26 --> 5715.26] you +[5715.26 --> 5717.26] you +[5717.26 --> 5719.26] you +[5719.26 --> 5737.26] you +[5737.26 --> 5739.26] you +[5739.26 --> 5741.26] you +[5741.26 --> 5743.26] you +[5743.26 --> 5745.26] you +[5745.26 --> 5751.26] you +[5751.26 --> 5753.26] standing +[5753.26 --> 5755.26] you +[5755.26 --> 5757.26] you +[5757.26 --> 5759.26] you +[5759.26 --> 5765.26] you +[5765.26 --> 5767.26] you +[5767.26 --> 5769.26] you +[5769.26 --> 5771.26] you +[5771.26 --> 5773.26] you +[5773.26 --> 5781.14] of God for the journey of faith ahead. God, go before you to lead you. God, go behind you to +[5781.14 --> 5788.70] protect you. God, go beneath you to support you. And God, go beside you to befriend you. Do not +[5788.70 --> 5796.72] be afraid. Let the blessing of God come upon you today. Do not be afraid, but go in peace to love +[5796.72 --> 5800.28] and serve the Lord. Amen. +[5803.26 --> 5805.26] Amen. +[5833.26 --> 5835.26] Amen. +[5835.26 --> 5837.26] Amen. +[5837.26 --> 5839.26] Amen. +[5839.26 --> 5841.26] Amen. +[5841.26 --> 5843.26] Amen. +[5843.26 --> 5845.26] Amen. +[5845.26 --> 5847.26] Amen. +[5847.26 --> 5849.26] Amen. +[5849.26 --> 5850.26] Amen. +[5850.26 --> 5851.26] Amen. +[5851.26 --> 5852.26] Amen. +[5852.26 --> 5874.26] 答 +[5877.26 --> 5889.26] has +[5892.06 --> 5897.26] all things serve together for my salvation +[5907.26 --> 5921.26] oh +[5937.26 --> 5951.26] always by your holy spirit you assure me +[5951.26 --> 5957.26] of eternal life and make me willing and ready +[5957.26 --> 5965.26] even when i can't see my way through +[5965.26 --> 5973.26] from now on to always live for you +[5973.26 --> 5977.26] i am not my own +[5977.26 --> 5981.26] but belong +[5981.26 --> 5985.26] body and soul +[5985.26 --> 5989.26] in my life and in death +[5989.26 --> 5993.26] to you lord +[5993.26 --> 5995.26] christ my lord +[5995.26 --> 6001.26] i am not my own +[6001.26 --> 6003.26] but belong +[6003.26 --> 6007.26] body and soul +[6007.26 --> 6013.26] in my life and in death +[6013.26 --> 6015.26] to you lord +[6015.26 --> 6017.26] christ my lord +[6017.26 --> 6025.26] i am not my own +[6025.26 --> 6027.26] but belong +[6027.26 --> 6029.26] body and soul +[6029.26 --> 6033.26] in my life and in death +[6033.26 --> 6037.26] in my life and in death +[6037.26 --> 6039.26] to you lord +[6039.26 --> 6041.26] to you lord +[6041.26 --> 6045.26] christ my lord +[6045.26 --> 6047.26] and +[6047.26 --> 6049.26] and +[6049.26 --> 6051.26] and +[6051.26 --> 6053.26] and +[6053.26 --> 6055.26] and +[6055.26 --> 6057.26] and +[6057.26 --> 6059.26] and +[6059.26 --> 6061.26] and +[6061.26 --> 6063.26] and +[6063.26 --> 6065.26] and +[6065.26 --> 6067.26] and +[6067.26 --> 6069.26] and +[6069.26 --> 6071.26] and +[6071.26 --> 6073.26] and +[6073.26 --> 6087.26] and +[6087.26 --> 6089.26] and +[6089.26 --> 6091.26] and +[6091.26 --> 6105.26] and +[6105.26 --> 6107.26] and +[6107.26 --> 6109.26] and +[6109.26 --> 6123.26] and +[6123.26 --> 6125.26] and +[6125.26 --> 6127.26] and +[6127.26 --> 6129.26] and +[6129.26 --> 6143.26] and +[6143.26 --> 6145.26] and +[6145.26 --> 6147.26] and +[6147.26 --> 6149.26] and +[6149.26 --> 6151.26] and +[6151.26 --> 6153.26] and +[6153.26 --> 6155.26] and +[6155.26 --> 6167.26] and +[6167.26 --> 6169.26] and +[6169.26 --> 6171.26] and +[6171.26 --> 6173.26] and +[6173.26 --> 6175.26] and +[6175.26 --> 6177.26] and +[6177.26 --> 6179.26] and +[6179.26 --> 6209.24] Thank you. +[6209.26 --> 6239.24] Thank you. +[6239.26 --> 6269.24] Thank you. +[6269.26 --> 6299.24] Thank you. +[6299.26 --> 6329.24] Thank you. +[6329.26 --> 6359.24] Thank you. +[6359.26 --> 6389.24] Thank you. +[6389.26 --> 6419.24] Thank you. +[6419.26 --> 6449.24] Thank you. +[6449.26 --> 6479.24] Thank you.