God's Grand Vision: God's grand design (Mission Pledge Combined Service)
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 29th May 2011
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 There is something majestic about the book of Isaiah.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:11 It asks us to imagine the creation and then the recreation of the entire world.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:18 It evokes the historical periods of the 8th century BC and then into the exile and beyond.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:28 It asks us to imagine that the very heavens and earth are taking part in the drama of Israel's history.
00:00:28 --> 00:00:34 It begins in chapter 1 verse 2 with heaven and earth called to bear witness.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 Hear, O heavens, listen, O earth.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:43 And it finishes in verse 22 with a new heaven and a new earth.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:53 As the new heavens and the new earth that I will make endure before me, declares the Lord, so will your name and descendants endure.
00:00:53 --> 00:01:03 And so Isaiah takes us from the beginning of history to the end of all things, from creation to the recreation of God's universe.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:12 It insists that God is doing something for which even the ends of the earth wait.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:21 God has an all-encompassing purpose and it unravels for us page after page in Isaiah.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:34 Of course, in unraveling God's great plans and purpose for his creation of people for all of history,
00:01:34 --> 00:01:38 we naturally get a magnificent vision of God.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:44 God's purposes, his actions reveal God, reveal himself.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:50 And you immediately notice in Isaiah just how great and big this God is.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 His plan is all-pervasive.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 His rule is all-encompassing.
00:01:54 --> 00:02:02 And if those things don't stagger us, then Isaiah clearly reveals the magnificence of God in passages like chapter 6.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:11 I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 With two wings, they covered their faces.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 With two, they covered their feet.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 And with two, they were flying.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:27 And they were calling to one another, holy, holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 The whole earth is filled with his glory.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:40 And in the last chapter, we are given another glimpse of the grandeur of this God.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 This is what the Lord says.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:51 Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:59 It is the only place in the Bible where the earth is described as God's footstool.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 It is almost 6 kilometers straight through.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 It is 40 kilometers if you decide to go around.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:15 It weighs something like 6 tons.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:26 It has a surface area of 510 square kilometers, a volume of around 10 cubic kilometers.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:31 It spins at 1 kilometers an hour.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 And God calls it his footstool.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:46 This is my footstool.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:57 God sits on his throne in the heavens and he rests his feet on the earth.
00:03:57 --> 00:04:06 This is the magnificence of the God that we come to worship this morning.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 The God who calls us to tremble at his word.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:16 Of course, the doctrine of God is given a few more clues as you move on into the next verse.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 Verse 2.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:31 Everything in this footstool that God calls the earth, that we call the earth, is made by the hand of God.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:36 Everything owes his existence to this God.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:44 He is the God who sits on the throne and rests his feet on the earth.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 He is the God who brought all things into being.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 The sun.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 The moon.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 The stars.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 The smallest part.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:55 Mount Everest.
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 The weirdest creature in the depths of the sea.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 Delicate flowers.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:01 Noamble fall.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 The tallest redwood tree.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 The Amazon jungle.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 The Kalahari Desert.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 The most gorgeous supermodel.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 The soaring eagle.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 The brightest mind.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:10 The best preacher.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 The successful entrepreneur.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:15 The most influential church.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 They are just a few of the wonders that he has made.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 The whole earth is full of the glory of God.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 The whole earth is full of the glory of God.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:44 And yet, as wonderful as all these things are, in this thing that God calls his footstool, there is one thing that draws the gaze of God.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 This is the one I esteem.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:54 He who is humble and contrite in the spirit and travels at times.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 Having gaze upon the magnificence of this God.
00:05:56 --> 00:06:05 Having gaze upon the magnificence of this God who sits on his throne with his feet resting on the earth.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:30 They do what Isaiah did in chapter 6.
00:06:30 --> 00:07:00 He says,
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 He says,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 He says,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 He says,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 He says,
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 He says,
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 He says,
00:07:10 --> 00:07:40
00:07:40 --> 00:07:44 flows out of a broken and a contrite heart,
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 a humble heart.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 And this is the one who draws the gaze
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 of the eternal God,
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 whose feet rest on the earth.
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 The alternative to true worship
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 is put before us there in verse 2.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 Again, let me read to you.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 This is the one I esteem.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 He who is humble and contrite in spirit
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 and trembles at my word,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:12 but whoever sacrifices a bull
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 is like one who kills a man,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 whoever offers a lamb like one who breaks a dog's neck,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:22 whoever makes a grain offering like one who presents pig's blood,
00:08:22 --> 00:08:26 and whoever burns memorial incense like one who worships an idol.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 They have chosen their own ways
00:08:28 --> 00:08:33 and their souls delight in their abominations.
00:08:34 --> 00:08:38 A humble and contrite heart and a trembling
00:08:38 --> 00:08:42 at the word of God has been exchanged for a worship,
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 a false worship,
00:08:44 --> 00:08:48 which is equal to religion and rituals and rites.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:52 This is the people of God
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 that is spoken about here in Isaiah 66.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 Not the pagan nations.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 They didn't listen.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 They didn't tremble at the word of God.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:09 They didn't bow in humble submission to God and his purposes.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 And they went their own way.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:15 They did evil and they chose what displeases God
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 and it was hidden.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:26 Their evil was hidden under the veneer of worship.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:32 Now, of course, Isaiah is not against worship here in these verses.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 He wasn't against sacrifices.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 He wasn't against the temple.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 In fact, the rebuilding of the temple
00:09:39 --> 00:09:43 occupied the people of God for the best part of 20 years.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 And when they slackened off in rebuilding the temple,
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 he sent prophets to tell them,
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 don't slacken off and get going with it.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Yet in these verses,
00:09:54 --> 00:09:58 the temple and their rituals and religion
00:09:58 --> 00:10:02 are spoken of with extreme reserve.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:06 The temple was a good thing.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 But Isaiah was painfully aware,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:16 painfully aware of the capacity of human beings to misuse it,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:20 to focus on the temple and its rituals and its rites
00:10:20 --> 00:10:24 and not the God of the temple.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:31 He was aware of the human tendency to exchange true worship,
00:10:31 --> 00:10:36 true, humble, God-honoring worship within pure worship,
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 a worship that is wrapped up in performing rituals
00:10:40 --> 00:10:45 and minimum effort and minimal reflection.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 Isaiah understood very well
00:10:48 --> 00:10:53 that physical restoration of the temple was not enough.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 Spiritual restoration was what was needed.
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 Spiritual renewal,
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 unless they had spiritual renewal,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:10 the future would just simply rehash the sins of the past.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 Isaiah was not against the temple.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 He was against ecclesiasticism,
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 that ugly distortion of true worship
00:11:22 --> 00:11:38 worship of God does not flow out of the heartfelt contrition before God.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 For God,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 no matter what building it's in,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 no matter what form it takes,
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 what order it takes,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 no matter how seamless the transitions,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 how well it is read,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 no matter how great the singing or accurate the theology
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 or historically sensitive,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:04 it becomes no better than pagan superstition.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 And it angers God
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 and it calls forth
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 His righteous judgment.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 And so there is a warning here
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 in Isaiah 66.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 It is so easy to exchange true worship
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 for false worship.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 On the surface,
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 it may look like the same.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 The warning here is like Israel,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 we can hide our evil
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 and our refusal to listen
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 and obey the word of God
00:12:38 --> 00:12:43 in beautiful worship.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 In beautiful worship.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 In beautiful worship.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 Worship.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 False worship
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 becomes a substitute
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 for listening to God,
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 to faith in God,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 to obedient,
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 trembling at His word
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 and the pursuit of His purposes.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 The warning here is not to box God
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 within the building,
00:13:19 --> 00:13:22 not to box God
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 within a few religious activities,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 potentially good activities,
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 but true worship
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 is all of life
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 at the feet of the one
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 on whose feet
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 He rests on the earth.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 The feet of this God
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 in humble,
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 contrite submission.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 True worship,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 my friends,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 is God's grand design
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 for His universe.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 True worship is what
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 God wants for us.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 God's plan
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 for the world
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 that He's made,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 the world that He calls
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 His footstool,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 is that people would see
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 His glory
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 and gather to Him
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 and bow at His feet
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 who sit on the earth.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 Throughout all history
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 and eternity to come,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 God's design for people
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 is worship.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 The worship of Him
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 in humble submission.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 As it says in verse 22,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 As the new heavens
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 and the new earth
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 that I will make
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 endure before me,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 so will your name
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 and descendants endure.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 From one new moon
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 to another
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 and from one Sabbath
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 to another,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 all mankind
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 will come
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 and bow down
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 before me
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 at my feet.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 in humble submission.
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 In the new heavens
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 and the new earth,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 the redeemed
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 of the entire
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 human race
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 will offer
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 unending worship
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 at the feet
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 of their Creator.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 It's the place
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 we call heaven.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:10 Isaiah leaves us
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 in no doubt
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 at all
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 that the key
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 to God's purpose
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 is God's perfect King,
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 the Lord Jesus Christ
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 and how eloquently
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 and simply
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 the Apostle John
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 puts it
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 in John chapter 12,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 Isaiah saw
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 Jesus' glory
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 and spoke
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 about Him.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 You see,
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 the invincible
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 purpose of God
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 is that the gospel
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 of the glory
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 of Christ
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 spread to all
00:15:39 --> 00:15:39 the peoples
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 of the world
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 so that they might
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 come and bow
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 in worship,
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 in humble submission
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 to this God.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 It's everywhere
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 in the Bible.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 It's the promise
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 of Philippians 2
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 who being in very
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 nature God,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 speaking about Jesus here,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 being in very
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 nature God,
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 did not consider
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 equality with God
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 something to be grasped
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 but made himself
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 nothing,
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 taking the very
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 nature of a servant,
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 being made in human
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 likeness and being
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 found in appearance
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 as a man.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 He humbled himself
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 and became obedient
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 to death,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 even death on a cross
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 and therefore God
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 exalted him
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 to the highest place,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 put him on a throne
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 that is,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 and gave him the name
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 that is above every name
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 that at the name
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 of Jesus
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 every knee should bow
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 and every tongue
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 confess
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 confess
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 that Jesus
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 Christ
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 is Lord
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 to the glory
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 of God the Father.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 It was the promise
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 of the Old Testament,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 Psalm 22,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 all the ends
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 of the earth
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 will remember
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 and turn to the Lord
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 and the families
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 of the nations
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 will bow down
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 before him
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 for dominion
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 belongs to the Lord
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 and he rules
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 over all the nations.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 It was the promise
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 of Jesus
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 to his disciples
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 in Matthew 24
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 and this gospel
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 of the kingdom
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 will be preached
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 in the whole world
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 as a testimony
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 to all nations
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 and the end
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 will come.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 It was the design
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 of the cross
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 according to Revelation 5
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 and they sang
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 a new song,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 you are worthy
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 to take the scroll
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 and to open its seal
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 because you were slain
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 and with your blood
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 you purchased men
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 for God
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 from every tribe
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 and language
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 and people
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 and nation.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 It was the final command
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 of the risen
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 all authority
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 of Christ
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 according to Matthew 28.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 Then Jesus came to them
00:17:24 --> 00:17:24 and said
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 all authority
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 in heaven
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 and on earth
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 has been given to me
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 therefore go
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 and make disciples
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 of all nations
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 baptizing them
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 in the name
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 of the Father
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 and the Son
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 and the Holy Spirit
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 and teaching them
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 to obey everything
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 I have commanded you
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 and surely
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 I am with you always
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 to the very ends
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 of the age.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 It was the design
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 sorry
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 it was the divine purpose
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 of the sending
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 and filling
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 of the Holy Spirit
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 according to Acts 1
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 but you will receive power
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 when the Holy Spirit
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 comes on you
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 and you will be
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 my witnesses
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 in Jerusalem
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 in all Judea
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 and Samaria
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 to the ends
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 of the earth.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 The invincible
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 purpose of God
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 is that the gospel
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 of the glory
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 of Christ
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 spread to the peoples
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 of this world
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 that they might come
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 and they might see
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 the glory of Christ
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 and bow at his feet
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 in humble contrition.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 This is God's
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 grand design
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 for his world.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:35 It always has been
00:18:35 --> 00:18:39 and it always will be
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 and the task
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 is not yet done.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 2 years
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 after Jesus
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 gave his great commission
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 to his disciples
00:18:49 --> 00:18:53 6
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 of the world's
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 16
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 people groups
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 are either
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 barely reached
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 or not reached
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 at all.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 that equates
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 to
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 approximately
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 40.1%
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 of this world
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 which equates
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 to 2.84
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 billion people
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 who have either
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 never heard of Jesus
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 or the witness
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 of Christ
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 is even barely
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 there at all.
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 Why?
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 After 20
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 centuries
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 is the task
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 not
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 finished?
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 It's not because
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 of the lack
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 of money.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 I want to say
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 it's because
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 we've got too much.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:51 The comforts
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 of the West
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 have made us
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 soft
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 and cautious
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 and fearful
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 and indulgent
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 and self-protecting
00:20:01 --> 00:20:04 instead of tough
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 and risk-taking
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 and bold
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 and self-controlled
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 and self-sacrificing.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 You see
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 many of these
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 least reached
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 6
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 peoples
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 are religiously
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 unsympathetic
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 to Christian
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 missions.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 That means
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 that we need
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 to go to
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 these people
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 with the gospel
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 and it will
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 be dangerous
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 and it will
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 be costly
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 to finish
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 this task
00:20:35 --> 00:20:38 some of us
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 and some
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 of our children
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 need to be
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 killed.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:47 but we
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 are so
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 infatuated
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 with our
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 comforts
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 and our
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 securities
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 that we
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 have exchanged
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 true worship
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 and God's
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 agenda for
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 false worship
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 and we
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 hide our
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 sinfulness
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 by a
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 veneer
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 of temple
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 worship.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:10 that is
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 what Israel
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 did
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 and they
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 were judged
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 for it.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 They had
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 their temple
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 and their
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 rituals
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 and they
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 didn't care
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 a rip
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 about the
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 nations.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:26 and so
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 let us
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 not forget
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 the somber
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 word of
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 Jesus
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 in John
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 chapter 12.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 I tell you
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 the truth
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 unless a
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 kernel of
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 wheat falls
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 to the
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 ground
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 and dies
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 it remains
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 only a
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 single
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 seed
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 but if
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 it dies
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 it produces
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 many seeds
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 the man
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 who loves
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 his life
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 will lose
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 it
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 while the
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 man who
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 hates his
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 life in
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 this world
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 will keep
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 it for
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 eternal
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 life.
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 In other
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 words
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 a fruitful
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 life
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 and an
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 eternal
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 life
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 come
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 from
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 this
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 dying
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 like a
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 grain
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 of
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 wheat
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 and
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 hating
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 your
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 life
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 in
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 this
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 world.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 More
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 and more
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 I am
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 persuaded
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 by the
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 scriptures
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 that God's
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 design for
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 the completion
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 of his
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 global
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 plan
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 and the
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 consummation
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 of his
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 purposes
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 includes
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 the suffering
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 of his
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 people.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 To put it
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 more plainly
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 and specifically
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 God's
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 plan
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 is that
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 his purpose
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 triumph
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 through the
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 suffering
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 of his
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 people.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 I don't
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 just mean
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 that the
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 suffering
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 is a
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 consequence
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 of being
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 obedient to
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 God's
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 mission.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 I mean
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 that suffering
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 is one of
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 Christ's
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 strategies
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 for the
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 success
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 of his
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 mission.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 Jesus
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 said to
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 his
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 disciples
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 as he
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 sent
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 them
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 out
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 in
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 Matthew
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 10
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 I am
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 sending
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 you
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 out
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 like
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 sheep
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 amongst
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 wolves.
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 There is
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 no doubt
00:22:59 --> 00:23:01 what happens
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 to sheep
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 in the
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 midst
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 of wolves
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 and Paul
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 confirmed
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 the reality
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 for us
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 in Romans
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 8
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 as it is
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 written
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 for your
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 sake
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 we face
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 death
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 all day
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 long.
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 We are
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 considered
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 as sheep
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 to be
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 slaughtered.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 And Jesus
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 continues
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 in Matthew
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 chapter 10
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 be on
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 your guard
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 against
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 men
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 they will
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 hand you
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 over to
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 the local
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 councils
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 and flog
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 you in
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 their
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 synagogues.
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 On my
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 account
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 you will
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 be brought
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 before governors
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 and kings
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 as witnesses
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 to them
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 and to the
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 Gentiles.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 Did you
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 notice there
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 that the
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 witness before
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 the governors
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 and kings
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 is not
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 merely a
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 result or
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 a consequence
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 it is a
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 design.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:42 you will
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 be brought
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 before governors
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 and kings
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 as
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 a witness
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 to them.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 Suffering
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 was not
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 just a
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 consequence
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 of our
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 Lord's
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 obedience
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 and his
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 mission
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 it was
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 the central
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 strategy
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 of his
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 mission.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 Jesus
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 calls us
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 to join
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 him on
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 the Calvary
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 road
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 to take
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 up our
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 cross
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 to hate
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 our lives
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 in this
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 world
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 to fall
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 to the
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 ground
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 like a
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 seed
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 and die
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 that others
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 might
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 live.
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 We are
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 not above
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 our
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 master.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 To be
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 sure our
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 suffering
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 does not
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 atone for
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 anyone's
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 sins
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 but it
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 is a
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 deeper
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 way of
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 doing
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 mission
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 than we
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 realize.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 And unless
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 we think
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 this way
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 of saying
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 it aligns
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 it,
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 the suffering
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 work of
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 God's
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 people too
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 closely,
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 to the
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 suffering
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 of our
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 Savior,
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 listen to
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 the decisive
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 word on
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 this from
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 Paul,
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 Colossians
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 chapter 1,
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 now I
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 rejoice in
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 what was
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 suffered for
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 you and
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 I fill up
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 in my
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 flesh what
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 is still
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 lacking in
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 regard to
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 Christ's
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 afflictions for
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 the sake of
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 his body
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 which is the
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 church.
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 In his
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 sufferings,
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 Paul is
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 filling up
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 what is
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 lacking in
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 Christ's
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 afflictions for
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 the church.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 Not that
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 Paul's
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 suffering
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 atones for
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 sin or
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 propitiates
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 wrath,
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 or vindicates
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 divine justice
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 in passing
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 over sins
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 as Jesus'
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 death did,
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 but they
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 show the
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 unreached
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 peoples of
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 the world
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 the sufferings
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 of Christ.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 Paul's
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 missionary
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 suffering is
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 God's
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 design to
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 complete the
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 sufferings of
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 Christ by
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 making them
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 more visible
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 and personal
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 and precious
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 to those to
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 whom he
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 died.
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33 God, what
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 I'm saying
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 is this,
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 that when
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 a prosperity
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 preacher flies
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 his private
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 jet into a
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 poverty-stricken
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 country to
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 preach the
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 gospel and
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 promise the
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 poor that if
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 they believe in
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 Jesus, they
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 will be rich.
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 They are not
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 just getting a
00:25:51 --> 00:25:53 few things
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 wrong, they
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 are destroying
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 the very
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 foundations of
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 the gospel.
00:25:56 --> 00:26:03 And so I
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 say this very
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 sober word
00:26:05 --> 00:26:08 to myself,
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 to you,
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 some of my
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 brothers and
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 sisters,
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 some Pauls,
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 who love
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 their comforts
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 and their
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 securities
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 and are
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 consistently
00:26:24 --> 00:26:26 tempted with
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 them,
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 God's plan
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 is that his
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 gospel-spreading
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 purpose triumph
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33 through the
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 suffering of
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 his people.
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 At the
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 heart of
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 true biblical
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 missions,
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 both for
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 those who
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 go and
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 those who
00:26:42 --> 00:26:45 stay, is
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 an eagerness
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 to live
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 simply and
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 to give
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 lavishly and
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 to suffer in
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 doing it.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 At the
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 heart of
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 true biblical
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 missions is
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 suffering, not
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 merely as a
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 result of
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 proclamation, but
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 as the
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 means of
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 proclamation.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 Unless a
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 grain of
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 wheat falls
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 to the
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 ground and
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 dies, it
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 remains only
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 a single
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 seed, but
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 if it
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11 dies, it
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 produces
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 many seeds.
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 things.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 On
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 holidays,
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 recently I
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 read a
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 biography on
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 the life of
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 Adoniram
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 Judson.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 I'm very
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 pleased to
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 know that
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 Nick and
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 Sam have
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 named
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 little
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 Judson
00:27:27 --> 00:27:30 after this
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 man.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 When
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 Judson,
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 not this
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 one,
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 Adoniram
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 Judson,
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 entered
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 Burma in
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 July 1813,
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 it was
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 hostile and
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 utterly
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 unreached
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 place.
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 It
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 probably
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 would have
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 been
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 considered a
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 closed
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 country
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 today.
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 All the
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 previous
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 missionaries
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 had died
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 or had
00:27:51 --> 00:27:53 left, but
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 Judson went
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 there with
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 his 23-year-old
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 wife of 17
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 months.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 He was
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 24 years
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 old and he
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 worked there
00:28:01 --> 00:28:03 for 38
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 years with
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 only one
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 trip home
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 after he'd
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 been there
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 for 33
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 years.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 He never
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 saw his
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 parents or
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 his brothers
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 again.
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 And the
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 price he
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 paid in
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 that 38
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 years was
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 immense.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 His
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 suffering
00:28:21 --> 00:28:23 was
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 immense.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 He was a
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 grain of
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 wheat that
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 fell to
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 the ground
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 and died
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 and oh
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 how often
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 he died.
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 He died
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 to the
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 prestige of
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 being offered
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 the best
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 pulpit in
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 Boston.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 He died
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 to his
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 personal
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 like of
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 cleanliness
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 and hygiene.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 He died
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 to good
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 food,
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 clean water
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 and a
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 comfortable
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 environment.
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 He died
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 to the
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 prospects of
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 wealth and
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 the trappings
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 of wealth.
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 He allowed
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 his two
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 wives and
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 his six
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 children to
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 die.
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 He was
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 in prison
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 for nearly
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 two years
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 with his
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 feet hanging
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 in the sky
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 and having
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 rats eat
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 his head
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 at night.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:04 and after
00:29:04 --> 00:29:06 38 years
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 of church
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 planning,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 of translating
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 the Bible
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 for the
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 Burmese
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 church and
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 writing an
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 English Burmese
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 dictionary for
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 future
00:29:14 --> 00:29:16 missions and
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 his many,
00:29:17 --> 00:29:19 many deaths
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 day in,
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 day out,
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 at 15 minutes
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 after 4 on
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 Friday afternoon,
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 April 12,
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 1815,
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 he finally
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 died one
00:29:29 --> 00:29:31 last time.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 At sea,
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 away from
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 his family,
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 all alone,
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 on a ship
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 full of
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 godless sailors
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 and away
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 from his
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 Burmese
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 church.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 That evening,
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 the ship
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 pulled up,
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 the crew
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 assembled
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 quietly,
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 there were
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 no prayers,
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 no Bible
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 readings,
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 the captain
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 gave the
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 order,
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 the door
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 was opened,
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 his coffin
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 was slid
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 into the
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 sea,
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 latitude
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 13 degrees
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 north,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 longitude
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 90 degrees
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 south,
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 a few
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 hundred
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 miles away
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 from Burma
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 and the
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 ship sailed
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 on.
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 An end
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 of a life.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 And I
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 read that
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 and I
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 said,
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 it can't
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 be.
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 But God's
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 purpose was
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 done.
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 The Bible
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 was translated,
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 the dictionary
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 was done,
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 hundreds of
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 converts
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 were now
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 leading the
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 church in
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 Burma
00:30:27 --> 00:30:29 and estimates
00:30:29 --> 00:30:31 today are
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 that Myanmar's
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 Baptist
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 Convention
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 to have
00:30:34 --> 00:30:38 4
00:30:38 --> 00:30:40 congregations
00:30:40 --> 00:30:42 with 1.14
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 million members
00:30:43 --> 00:30:45 and 1.72
00:30:45 --> 00:30:48 million affiliates.
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 The fruit
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 of one
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 dead
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 seed.
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 What a
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 life.
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 Unless a
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 seed of
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 grain falls
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 to the ground
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 and dies,
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 it remains
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 only a
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 single seed.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 But if it
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 dies, it
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 produces many
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 seeds.
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 And so,
00:31:14 --> 00:31:16 my brothers and
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 sisters, the
00:31:16 --> 00:31:18 question is not
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 whether you
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 will die,
00:31:21 --> 00:31:23 but whether
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 you will die
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 in a way
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 that bears
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 much fruit.
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 Life is
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 fleeting.
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 Life is
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 fleeting.
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 And God
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 calls us to
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 give up the
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 comforts of
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 this world.
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 In a very
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 short time,
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 we will all
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 give an
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 account before
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 Jesus Christ
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 to how
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 well we
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 have obeyed
00:31:49 --> 00:31:51 the command
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 to make
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 disciples of
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 all nations,
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 amongst other
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 things.
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 The very
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 last verse
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 of Isaiah
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 is meant to
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 serve as a
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 sober warning
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 to the people
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 of God,
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 in fact.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 Anyone who
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 wants to
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 reject God
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 and his
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 purposes,
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 and they
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 will go
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 out and
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 look upon
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 the dead
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 bodies of
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 those who
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 rebelled
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 against me,
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 their worm
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 will not
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 die,
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 nor will
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 their fire
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 be quenched,
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 and they
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 will be
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 loathsome
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 to all
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 mankind.
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 And so
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 we sit
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 here in
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 2011,
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 and many
00:32:24 --> 00:32:26 of the
00:32:26 --> 00:32:26 peoples of
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 this world
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 are without
00:32:27 --> 00:32:29 any indigenous
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 Christian
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 movement.
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 Christ is
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 not enthroned
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 there.
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 His grace
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 is not
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 known there.
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 And people
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 are perishing
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 with no
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 access to
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 the gospel.
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 people.
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 And most
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 of those
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 hopeless
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 people do
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 not want
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 you to
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 come.
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 At least
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 they don't
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 think they
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 do.
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 They are
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 hostile to
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 Christian
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 missions.
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 And the
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 word of
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 our Lord
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 still stands.
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 I am
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 sending you
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 out like
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 sheep amongst
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 wolves.
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 believers.
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 And so I am
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 asking you
00:33:09 --> 00:33:11 today not
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 to love
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 what this
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 world loves
00:33:12 --> 00:33:15 and to
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 suffer by
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 either going
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 to those
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 people, and I
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 pray that there
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 will be many
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 of us who
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 will, go,
00:33:21 --> 00:33:24 or by
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 suffering
00:33:25 --> 00:33:28 in staying
00:33:28 --> 00:33:30 and giving
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 up your
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 securities
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 for the
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 sake of
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 God's
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 grand design
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 for his
00:33:35 --> 00:33:37 people, that
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 people from
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 every tribe,
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 language and
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 nation come
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 at his feet
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 and bow
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 before this
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 great king.
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 We've set a
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 mission target
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 of $125
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 this year.
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 Is it
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 big?
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 Well, it's
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 bigger than
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 last year.
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 And the
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 only reason we
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 won't reach
00:33:56 --> 00:33:58 it is not
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 because of
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 lack of
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 money.
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 It's because
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 our hearts
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 are not
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 aligned with
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 God's
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 heart.
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 That's the
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 only reason
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 we won't
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 reach it.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 And so I've
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 asked you to
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 be prayerful.
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 You've heard
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 the word of
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 God.
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 And now I
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 encourage you
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 to tremble
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 before the
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 word of God
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 and to fill
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 out your
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 pledge card.
00:34:19 --> 00:34:21 Nick is
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 going to
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 come up
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 and he's
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 going to
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 play some
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 music while
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 we do
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 this.
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 If you
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 haven't got a
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 pledge card,
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 wave your
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 hand and the
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 ushers will
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 come and give
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 you a pledge
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 card.
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 So stick your
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 hand up and
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 they'll give you
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 a pledge card.
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 Nick's going to
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 play.
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 I'm going to
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 ask you to
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 fill out the
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 card.
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 Then the
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 ushers are
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 going to come
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 and collect
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 the cards
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 and then
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 I'm going
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 to pray.
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 Amen.
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 Stop
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 doing
00:35:13 --> 00:35:15 more
00:35:15 --> 00:35:15 and
00:35:15 --> 00:35:17 back into
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 your
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 hearts
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 or
00:35:19 --> 00:35:21 go
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 and
00:35:21 --> 00:35:25 out
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 close
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 Kansas
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 and
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 hear
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 each
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 oher
00:35:30 --> 00:35:33 and
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 hear
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 through
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 his
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 and
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 hear
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 the
00:35:36 --> 00:35:38 é “
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 of
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 hope
00:35:39 --> 00:36:09 Thank you.
00:36:09 --> 00:36:18 We declare your name above all names.
00:36:20 --> 00:36:29 Oh, the gospel, he became our sin.
00:36:29 --> 00:36:41 Oh, bring worship made acceptable in him.
00:36:41 --> 00:36:47 The treasures on earth will fall.
00:36:48 --> 00:36:52 Put Christ above them all.
00:36:52 --> 00:37:03 We treasure you, Jesus, above all things.
00:37:03 --> 00:37:15 We treasure you, Jesus, above all things.
00:37:15 --> 00:37:27 We do, we do treasure you.
00:37:27 --> 00:37:44 We're daily taking up the cross of Christ.
00:37:44 --> 00:37:55 We're fully free to live and sacrifice.
00:37:55 --> 00:38:04 Glory, glory to the risen King.
00:38:04 --> 00:38:14 Holy, holy earth and heaven will bow to him.
00:38:14 --> 00:38:19 The treasures on earth will fall.
00:38:20 --> 00:38:25 Put Christ above them all.
00:38:25 --> 00:38:36 We treasure you, Jesus, above all things.
00:38:36 --> 00:38:47 We treasure you, Jesus, above all things.
00:38:47 --> 00:38:59 We depend on Jesus for everything.
00:38:59 --> 00:39:10 We treasure you.
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 We treasure you.
00:39:11 --> 00:39:23 Yeah, we do, we do treasure you.
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 That's it.
00:39:24 --> 00:39:24 Thank you.
00:39:24 --> 00:39:25 Thank you.
00:39:29 --> 00:39:31 Let's bow our heads.
00:39:32 --> 00:39:33 I'm going to pray.
00:39:35 --> 00:39:39 If you're still filling out your pledge card, you can bring it in after the service.
00:39:39 --> 00:39:41 These boxes will be here.
00:39:41 --> 00:39:46 and I'm going to use a prayer of David from 1 Chronicles 29.
00:39:46 --> 00:39:46 Let's pray.
00:39:51 --> 00:39:55 Praise be to you, O Lord God of our Father Israel,
00:39:55 --> 00:39:57 from everlasting to everlasting.
00:39:58 --> 00:40:02 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory
00:40:02 --> 00:40:04 and the majesty and the splendor.
00:40:05 --> 00:40:07 For everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
00:40:08 --> 00:40:09 Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom.
00:40:09 --> 00:40:12 You are exalted as head over all.
00:40:12 --> 00:40:14 Wealth and honor come from you.
00:40:14 --> 00:40:16 You are the ruler of all things.
00:40:17 --> 00:40:21 In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
00:40:22 --> 00:40:23 Now, O Lord, give thanks.
00:40:24 --> 00:40:27 We give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 But who am I?
00:40:32 --> 00:40:38 And who are these people that we should be able to give like this?
00:40:38 --> 00:40:43 Father, everything comes from you and we have only given you what comes from your hand.
00:40:43 --> 00:40:46 We are aliens and strangers in your sight.
00:40:46 --> 00:40:51 Our life is fleeting as we're all of our forefathers.
00:40:52 --> 00:40:55 Our days on earth are like a shadow without hope.
00:40:55 --> 00:41:01 O Lord, our God, for all this abundance that we have provided,
00:41:01 --> 00:41:04 that your name might go to the ends of the earth.
00:41:04 --> 00:41:07 It has only come from your hand and it belongs to you.
00:41:09 --> 00:41:13 I know, Father, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.
00:41:13 --> 00:41:19 And all these things that we have willingly given with honest intent.
00:41:19 --> 00:41:24 And now, Lord, may it be a great joy amongst your people.
00:41:24 --> 00:41:31 There might be an ongoing willingness amongst your people to continue to pursue your purpose.
00:41:33 --> 00:41:40 Keep the desire in our hearts, Father, for the unreached peoples of this world,
00:41:41 --> 00:41:42 for those who are lost.
00:41:42 --> 00:41:47 Help us to continue to have your purpose and that we might be loyal to your purpose consistently.
00:41:47 --> 00:41:50 They might be in front of us all of our days.
00:41:50 --> 00:41:58 Give us a wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, your requirements and your decrees
00:41:58 --> 00:42:04 and that we would do everything within our power, Father, to finish the Great Commission.
00:42:04 --> 00:42:06 And we ask it for your glory.
00:42:06 --> 00:42:07 Amen.