Gospel Freedom
Series: NO OTHER GOSPEL
Speaker: Sam Low
Date: 27th August 2017
Passage: Galatians 2:1-10
00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 I want you to think back, if you can, to what it was like walking into church for the very first time.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 Maybe into this church, maybe tonight is your very first time in church.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 Maybe walking into a new church because you'd moved areas or something.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:20 And that moment as you wander through the door and you kind of take in everything that's around you and the things that you notice.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 So you might walk in and think, wow, what a fantastic carpet colour.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 Or you might walk in and think, I really love the height of this.
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 Who put that fan up there?
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 Like just the different things that you begin to perceive.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:40 And then as the service begins, you think, oh, I'm so glad this music is being played properly on an organ with a choir.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 Or, you know, I'm really glad there's a band here and it's not being played wrongly on an organ with a choir.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:52 Or, you know, I'm really glad that the guy up the front understands how church is supposed to be done and is wearing one of those robes.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 And, you know, making sure that we all know that he's clergy and he's official.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 And you notice different things that stick out.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:02 You might think, you know, I'm really glad that the people here understand that church is serious on a Sunday.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:06 You don't just walk into church and like, you know, you're Birkenstocks or something like that.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:07 Not singling anyone out, okay?
00:01:08 --> 00:01:15 Just as an example, as an example, you come in and you notice things that you like or things that you don't like.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 Things that, you know, make you kind of comfortable.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:22 Maybe things that are weird, like why are we facing the wrong direction in the building?
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 You come in and you notice different things.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:29 But the question is, as you notice those things, what do you do with that?
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Do you then think, well, I guess I'm going to have to change?
00:01:33 --> 00:01:42 Or are you already beginning to come up with a plan of how the church can change to get in line with your correct and holy desires of what is good and comfortable?
00:01:42 --> 00:01:49 Or are you already figuring, I know there's another church just a couple of blocks away, so maybe I'll go there and they'll be doing it the right way.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 I mean, the way I like it.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:54 What should change?
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 You or the church?
00:01:57 --> 00:02:02 In Galatians, what we're looking at, there is these two churches, two groups of churches.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 Paul has written to one group of churches.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:09 That's the group of churches that he started, the Galatian churches, which is made up of Gentiles.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 That's basically shorthand for everyone who's not a Jew.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:17 The point is, they were basically a whole bunch of different nationalities.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 They were from different places, different backgrounds.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:24 They were pretty free compared to what was going on in the other churches.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:30 Because the Jerusalem churches, which is the Peter, James and John churches, they were the Jewish churches.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:37 They were the churches that had literally thousands of years of tradition shaping the way that they did church.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:41 When they'd become Christians, they had all these things that they used to do when they met as Jews
00:02:41 --> 00:02:45 that had kind of influenced and carried into the way that they were doing church.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:51 Influences on things like the way that they dress, the way that they ate, the way that they met,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 who was up the front, all that sort of stuff.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:59 If you've got these two very different churches and what's going on is there's this clash.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:05 There's this clash of culture and the question of who has to change.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:09 There's this pressure in both directions of we're more right than you.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 We're more holy than you.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 You should do it like us.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:15 But particularly for the Galatians, the churches that Paul's planted,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:20 there's this pressure coming from the Jerusalem church, the first church, the original church,
00:03:20 --> 00:03:21 the place where the church started.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:26 There's this pressure coming from them to say, you've got to be more like us.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:32 You've got to be more Jewish if you're going to be a genuine Christian.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 So what does the gospel do?
00:03:36 --> 00:03:40 The gospel that Paul's been preaching, the gospel that Paul is fighting for.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 What does the gospel do for these two different groups of churches?
00:03:44 --> 00:03:51 I mean, how does it make it possible for two completely different groups to function as one church?
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 Because that's kind of the point.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 They are the one church.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 They're following the same God.
00:03:57 --> 00:04:01 They're depending on the same grace that God showed them by sending His Son to die on the cross.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 That's the goal when you read through Scripture.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 When you get to the right of the end in the book of Revelation,
00:04:07 --> 00:04:13 the picture we get is a unified church, a church from all over the world,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:19 a church that is incredibly diverse from every tribe, nation and tongue, but that's unified.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:25 That's one as it seeks to worship one God by the same grace.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:31 Even us here at St. Paul's, we have a heart to be that church that God is building,
00:04:31 --> 00:04:35 to be that one diverse church, to be transcultural,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:39 to reflect the rich diversity that surrounds us here in Chatswood,
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 here in Sydney, here in Australia and throughout the world.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:46 We want to be a reflection of that diversity as a testimony
00:04:46 --> 00:04:50 to the power of the gospel to transform us.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 But the question that remains is,
00:04:53 --> 00:05:00 how does the gospel transform us so that we can be that kind of unified diversity?
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 Because it sounds nice.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 Everyone together makes sense.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 Sounds like a great idea.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:10 But how does the gospel actually enable people who like completely different things
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 to be church together?
00:05:13 --> 00:05:17 Well, last week we were looking at the second half of chapter one
00:05:17 --> 00:05:22 and Paul was working really hard to show us that his gospel message was separate,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:29 not different, but separate from what was going on with the Jerusalem apostles in Jerusalem.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 His ministry was different.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 He got his revelation direct from Jesus.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:40 And so it's strange that we begin this passage with him heading to Jerusalem
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 to meet with the apostles.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:45 Last week he was really trying to make it clear,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:46 I'm just doing my thing.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 I mean, it's the same gospel, but I'm doing it over here
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 and they're doing it over there and I don't need them.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 And then in this passage, we open up at the beginning there
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 and 14 years later, granted that's a bit of a gap,
00:05:57 --> 00:06:01 but if the lack of approval was a badge of honour in chapter one,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:06 it seems strange to now go up and present the gospel to them
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 as like needing some sort of stamp of approval,
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 some sort of official tick from them.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 So why go now?
00:06:16 --> 00:06:16 Let's have a look.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 Verse one.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 Ash read it out for us.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 Then after 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 This is his second visit.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 This time with Barnabas.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 I took Titus along also.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 I went in response to the revelation
00:06:29 --> 00:06:33 and meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 I wanted to be sure I was not running
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 and had not been running my race in vain.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 So Paul arrives in Jerusalem as a response to a revelation.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 That's really important.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 Paul's not being called into the principal's office here
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 because he's done the wrong thing.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 This is not, you know, like a power move
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 where you've got to come in and justify what you're doing.
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 God's arranged this.
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 God has said, you need to go up there
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 and he's not there to defend himself.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 I remember last week, the big shift for Paul with the gospel
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 is that he's not a people pleaser anymore.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 The tick from these three men, Peter, James and John,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 as important as they are,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 doesn't actually matter for Paul personally.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 So why is he going up?
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 It's right there at the end of verse two.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 I wanted to be sure I was not running
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 and had not been running my race in vain.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 Paul's not concerned that his gospel might be wrong.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 He's already made it clear there is only one gospel
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 and his gospel came from Jesus
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 and the proof of it is in the transformation,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 even in his own life.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 The problem going on for Paul
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 was that as he's traveling around
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 to these different places preaching
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 that Jesus has died
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 and that he offers forgiveness for free,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 that it's only by grace.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 As he moves on to the next town,
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 to the next group of people,
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 there were these groups of Jews
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 that were kind of following him around
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 and they would come in just after Paul had left
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 and go, that message you just heard was fantastic.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 It's changed your life.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 This is what was going on in the Galatian church as well.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 And go, it's great.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 Jesus is great.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 Now all you need to do to be really Christian,
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 to be proper Christians,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 is be Jewish like us
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 because the church started with us.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 So you want to be like us
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 because we're the original ones.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 So just change a little bit.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 Believe in Jesus,
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 but also be circumcised.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 Also have your food laws like we do.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 Also do the things that we like to do.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 So they're preaching a grace plus gospel
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 and claiming that they were sent
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 by the apostles in Jerusalem,
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 claiming that they had their authority.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 And so this little episode
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 that Paul's describing here in chapter two
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 is like this showdown
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 between those false teachers
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 that have been chasing Paul
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 and Paul's gospel.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 And then you've got Peter, James and John
00:08:58 --> 00:09:02 there to basically finally and fully tell us
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 which gospel is legitimate.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 The result of this showdown, verse three.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 Not even Titus who was with me
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 was compelled to be circumcised,
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 even though he was Greek.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 This matter arose
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 because some false believers
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 had infiltrated our ranks
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 and to make us slaves.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 This is why Paul bothers going to Jerusalem.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 He doesn't care what these false teachers think.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:30 He doesn't even care
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 what the real apostles think.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 The issue is that if the gospel is lost,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 it's the difference between freedom and slavery.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 He cares for the church that he planted.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 He cares that they don't lose this gift
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 that God has given them.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 And so he goes up to present the gospel boldly.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 And the result is
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 that not even Titus was compelled to be circumcised.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 Now, Paul's kind of clever in what he does here.
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 He knows he's going up for a bit of a meeting
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 and he doesn't go by himself.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 He takes two people with him.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 They're there in verse one.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 First, he takes Barnabas.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 So Barnabas is another Jew.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 So as soon as Barnabas walks into the room in Jerusalem,
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 everyone's like, oh yeah, he's a Jew.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 Tick, he's one of us.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:12 Fantastic.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 And Barnabas can tell them
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 that he's witnessed the power
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 of what Paul has been doing in Paul's ministry.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 But then as well as Barnabas,
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 he takes Titus.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 Now, Titus is a Greek.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 He's very not Jewish.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 He hasn't been raised with Jewish traditions.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 He doesn't understand how Jews do life,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 let alone Jewish Christians do following Jesus.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 For Titus, he just heard the gospel,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 heard what Jesus has done
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 and accepted the grace of God.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 That's it.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 That's his Christian story.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 He doesn't have all these extra Jewish rules.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:55 And for him to stand in front of this group of Jews
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 means what they're talking about
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 isn't just an abstract issue out there anymore.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 We can't just talk about whether or not
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 some people have to do these extra things
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 to be proper Christians.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 We have to look Titus in the eyes and say,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 if you want to be a Christian,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 you have to be circumcised.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:16 See, suddenly this becomes a concrete human issue.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:20 The gospel is not about some vague points of doctrine.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 It's not bullet points.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 The gospel saves people.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:30 And Paul wants the apostles to look Titus in the eyes
00:11:30 --> 00:11:35 and say once and for all what the true gospel is.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 Now, a quick side point that I want to just make for us,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 stepping out of this for a sec.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 This is a really important and helpful way for us
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 to engage with the issues that we engage with in the world.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 As Christians, as we engage with things
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 and we argue for truth
00:11:52 --> 00:11:57 and we speak into our culture about what God wants,
00:11:57 --> 00:12:01 it's really important for us to engage with the people
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 who embody those issues.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 When we just engage an issue,
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 it's really easy to slip into being harsh.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 It's really easy to slip into being unloving.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 It's really easy to forget
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 that this actually has emotional force
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 and weight as we speak about things.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 But when there is a person,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 a face attached to the issue that we're engaging,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 people we know are created in the image of God.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 People we know receive compassion
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 when they encounter Jesus.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 And we know as Christians,
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 we are called to show compassion to people.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 Not at the expense of truth,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 but truth spoken in love.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 Now, I'm just going to leave that there.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 That's just a little side point.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 That probably speaks into a whole bunch of stuff.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 That you might be engaging,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 but we're just going to park that for a second
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 as just a little helpful model that Paul gave to us.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 But we're back in here.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 In the presence of these Jewish apostles,
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 remember these are about as impressive
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 and intimidating as it can get
00:13:01 --> 00:13:05 to be in a room with James, Peter and John.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 And in their presence,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 Titus listens to these arguments
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 from the false teachers
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 about what he has to do to be a Christian.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 He weighs it against the gospel
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 that he has heard proclaimed,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 the gospel that has powerfully transformed
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 him and Paul
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 and all the people in the churches in Galatians.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 And he is not compelled.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 That's a really important word in this passage
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 and in the life of any Christian.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 He is not compelled.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 In light of the fact that he knows
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 Jesus has died for him.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 He knows that he can only be in God's family
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 because of God's grace and mercy.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 Because of that,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 Titus knows he is free
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 from any extra requirement.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 He knows there is no extra hurdles.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 And so he chooses
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 to not be circumcised.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 Chooses not to jump through this hoop
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 that's being put in front of him.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 What the gospel has done for him
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 and for us,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 if we're Christians,
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 is draw a line,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 create a distinction between
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 what is cultural,
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 that is,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 what is the way we see things,
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 the way we do things,
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 the way we think about things,
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 and what is gospel.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 That is unchangeable truth.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 A line has been drawn
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 between what we must do,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 the non-negotiables,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 and what we have freedom to choose.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:36 It's kind of like,
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 if you think about the beginning
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 when you walk into church,
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 it's the difference between
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 walking in and deciding,
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 you know what,
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 I don't like the music
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 or I don't want to praise God at all.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 Now, because of who God is,
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 he demands praise.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 That's not up for negotiation.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 That's not up for grabs.
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 If you're following him,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 the one who created the world
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 in his mercy,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 chose to send his son
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 to take your punishment,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 he is praiseworthy.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 That's what Christians are.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 They're praise givers.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 That's a gospel thing.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 That's not up for grabs.
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 If we were to take a vote,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 you know,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 who wants to praise God
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 when we gather?
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 I don't care what you vote
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 because the Bible says we do it.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 How we do it,
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 if we were to vote on that,
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 you know,
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 like whether we use an organ,
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 whether we have no instruments,
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 whether we insist on drums only,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 whether we sing loud or soft,
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 whether we do the same line
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 over and over and over again,
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 whether we have a different song
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 every week,
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 whether we only do songs
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 that are written by certain people
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 whose names start with
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 some certain letter
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 or whatever it is,
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 those are cultural things.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 They're not bad,
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 but they're issues about
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 how we like it,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 how we're used to it,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 what we're familiar with,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 what's comfortable for us.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 And what the gospel has done
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 has made sure
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 that those two things
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 stay separate.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 Now,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 that doesn't mean it's bad
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 to have an opinion
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 about how you like
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 to do praising God.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 That doesn't mean
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 it's wrong to say,
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 I prefer
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 when we do it
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 a certain way.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 But what it does
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 is stop us
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 from taking that preference,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 that comfort,
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 that thing that we like
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 and dragging it over here
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 and making it an issue
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 that we can't be together over,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 an issue that we expect
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 other people to meet,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 a requirement
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 that people have to fit
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 if we're going to consider them
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 brothers and sisters in Christ.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 See,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 for the Galatians,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 circumcision
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 is a culturally Jewish thing.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 It's what Jews do.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 It's not what non-Jews do.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 It's not a bad thing.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 It's not an unchristian thing.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 But it's just not a gospel thing.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 And so,
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 basically,
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 the point is,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 Titus can get circumcised
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 if he wants to,
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 but he just doesn't have to.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 It makes no difference
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 to whether or not
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 he's a Christian.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 Now,
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 the interesting thing is,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 if you go to Acts 16
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 and do this in your community group
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 during the week,
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 Paul is in another situation
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 where this circumcision issue
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 comes up,
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 but he's travelling with a guy
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 called Timothy,
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 another one of his ministry partners.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 And in that instance,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 he decides to circumcise Timothy
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 for the sake of fellowship
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 with the people
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 that they're trying to minister to.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 So you've got the same issue
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 and on two different occasions,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 Paul makes two different choices
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 because he understands
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 that he's free to do that.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 It's not a gospel issue.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 He's choosing to do it.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 And the point here
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 is that Christian freedom
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 is not freedom
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 for you to do whatever you want.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 Christian freedom
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 is not a get out of jail free card
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 that means you can just be like,
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 no one can tell me what to do.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 I'm going to do it my way.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 The gospel
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 is the good news
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 that God has accepted you
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 on no basis of your own,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 but because of his mercy
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 and because of Jesus' death.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 And the result is
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 that you are now free
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 to choose.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 free to choose
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 what parts of
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 your own culture
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 and the cultures around you
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 you will embrace
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 and which bits you won't.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 But the question now is
00:18:20 --> 00:18:24 not do I have to.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 I mean,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 when our cultures clash
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 and I'm using culture
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 in a really broad sense here,
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 I'm not just saying
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 that the ethnicity
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 or the country you're from,
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 if you live on the North Shore,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 you're part of a culture.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 If you're uni-educated,
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 you're part of a culture.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 If you're into a particular sport,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 you're part of a culture.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 The things that shape
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 the way we think,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 what we value,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 that's what I mean by culture.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 And the gospel is saying
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 you're now free to choose
00:18:47 --> 00:18:50 which bits of the cultural shapers
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 in your life
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 you're going to hold on to
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 as non-negotiables
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 and which bits
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 you're going to choose
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 to either embrace in others
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 or deny in yourself.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 But the question is,
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 how do we choose?
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 How does Paul choose?
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 It's there in verse 5.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 How does he make the decision
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 here with Titus?
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 It says,
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 we did not give in to them
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 for a moment.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 Why?
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 So that the truth of the gospel
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 might be preserved for you.
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 The truth of the gospel,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 that's what's driving him here.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 Will exercising freedom
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 in this occasion
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 preserve the truth
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 that God accepts people by grace
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 or will it confuse it?
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 Will it make it muddy
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 for other people?
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 See, for Paul and Titus,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 this isn't just a fight
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 for Titus to not be circumcised.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 They're not just trying
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 to win the day
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 or win the moment.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 This is a landmark fight
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 for the freedom
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 of all of the Christians
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 in Galatia,
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 for us as Christians now
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 to make it clear
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 that you do not need
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 to fit Jewish cultural requirements
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 if you're going to follow Jesus.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 You just need to trust Jesus.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:05 gospel freedom,
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 Christian freedom
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 is freedom from compulsion.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 It's the removal of things
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 that you have to do,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 which means not just
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 the external things
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 that other people tell you
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 you have to do,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 but also the things
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 that you think
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 you have to do.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 One of my favourite things
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 about our church
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 is the cultural diversity
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 that we have in our church.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 You don't have to look far
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 to see people
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 who have had
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 different background,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 different upbringing,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 different experience
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 of childhood.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 But one of the issues
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 when we talk about culture
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 like this
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 and we talk about gospel
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 is that we primarily
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 think of culture
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 out there.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 We primarily think
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 you have a culture,
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 I'm normal.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 So the way you do things,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 that's your cultural stuff.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 The way I do things
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 is the way everybody
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 should do things
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 if they knew as much
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 as I do.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 We don't recognise
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 that we have cultural
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 things that shape us.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 It just doesn't feel
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 like culture
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 when it's the way
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 we've always done it.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 And that's especially true
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 if you're the majority.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 And so the risk is
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 we don't take our culture
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 and hold it up
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 to the gospel.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 We don't take our culture
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 and look through
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 the lens of the gospel
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 and decide
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 what we need to keep
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 and what we need to let go.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 And instead,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 we take our preferences
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 and we elevate them
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 over into the gospel
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 issue category.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 And so you need
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 to love Jesus
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 but you need to love him
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 the way that I love him
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 with a full band
00:21:37 --> 00:21:40 or in a church
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 that faces sideways
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 or dressed a certain way.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 The best example
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 I could think of
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 with this
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 and I'm no expert on them
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 but the Amish.
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 The Amish
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 are a particular
00:21:52 --> 00:21:54 strand of religious group
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 that have kind of
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 identified themselves
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 culturally.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 They dress a certain way
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 and they all dress
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 the same way.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 They've decided
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 to reject certain things
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 like various technologies.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 They don't shave
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 some of them.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 There's all these
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 really specific
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 cultural distinctions
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13 and those cultural markers
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 are what mark you
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 as in with them
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 or out.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 If you don't tick
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 those boxes,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 you're not in.
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 And these people claim
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 to be following Jesus.
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 And look,
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 some of them
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 might be trying
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 but the issue is
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 they've missed
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 this gift of freedom
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 in the gospel
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 that God has provided.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 The gospel has set us
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 free from the compulsion
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 and instead
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 replaced what you have to do
00:22:36 --> 00:22:39 with the choice.
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 That's what freedom is about.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 He's given us the choice
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 to forego,
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 to give up
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 our own cultural entitlements,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 to give up the things
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 the way we like them,
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 the way that makes it
00:22:51 --> 00:22:53 most comfortable for us
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 and to accommodate
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 and embrace
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 the cultures around us
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 for the purpose
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 of preserving
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 the gospel truth
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 and proclaiming
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 the gospel truth.
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 It's not even about
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 how comfortable
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 it is for us.
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 The reason
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 we choose
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 to sometimes
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 let go of what we like,
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 to be uncomfortable,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 is so that the gospel
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 truth might be clear.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 Clear for the people
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 around us
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 who maybe get something
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 the way that they like
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 for a change.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 Clear for us
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 because we can begin
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 to realise
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 that the way we like it
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 isn't necessarily
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 the best thing.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 Jesus is.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 Jesus anyway
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 is a good thing.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 This is what
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 transcultural looks like.
00:23:41 --> 00:23:44 We all bring
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 our cultural background
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 with us
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 and then we let
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 the gospel dictate
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 which bits stay
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 part of who we are
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 as a community
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 and which bits
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 we need to get rid of
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 and which bits
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 we choose.
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 That's the key word.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 Which bits
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 we choose
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 to get rid of
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 for the sake
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 of being unified
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 in the gospel
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 of grace.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 Which bits
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 will I let go
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 so that grace
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 might be obvious?
00:24:09 --> 00:24:13 The gospel
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 set the Gentile
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 Christians
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 free from the
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 requirement
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 of becoming
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 culturally Jewish.
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 It basically said
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 you don't have to.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 There's no compulsion
00:24:22 --> 00:24:24 and therefore
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 what it did
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 was set them free
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 to choose to.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 So someone like
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 Timothy can choose
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 to out of love
00:24:29 --> 00:24:32 not just based
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 on what was convenient
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 but based on
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 what would preserve
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 the truth of the gospel.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 What would declare
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 to the people around
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 what would best
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 show the security
00:24:40 --> 00:24:42 he had in Jesus?
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 What would best
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 show that Jesus
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 is completely
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 satisfying?
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 And the answer
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 was giving up
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 what was his right.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 The gospel
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 sets us free
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 so that our
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 diversity
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 might be an
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 opportunity.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 The gospel
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 sets us free
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 so that when
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 our cultures
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 do clash
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 when we have
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 different ideas
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 about how things
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 should be done
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 how people relate
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 how we do church
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 whatever it is
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 we have an
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 opportunity
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 to choose
00:25:13 --> 00:25:15 sacrificial love
00:25:15 --> 00:25:20 and in sharing
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 discomfort
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 preserving the
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 truth of the gospel.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 First thing
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 the gospel does
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 is set us free
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 from compulsion
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 the second thing
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 is it prioritizes
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 grace.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 What the gospel
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 doesn't do
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 is remove
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 difference.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 The gospel
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 is not
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 this big
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 steamroller
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 that just
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 gets rid
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 of any
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 difference
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 of opinion
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 and turns
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 us into
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 like you
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 know
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 vanilla
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 flavoured
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 church
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 community
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 where we
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 all like
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 the same
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 thing
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 like it
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 the same
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 way.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 The parts
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 of you
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 that are
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 unique
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 and different
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 are an
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 expression
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 of God's
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 creativity
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 they matter
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 to him
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 but what
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 the gospel
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 does
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 is when
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 we find
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 these areas
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 of difference
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 it enables
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 us to focus
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 on what
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 matters most
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 what's most
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 important.
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 So remember
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 in this story
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 Paul is
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 visiting Jerusalem
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 to get the
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 gospel that
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 he's been
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 preaching
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 vindicated
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 against the
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 false teachers
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 he's there
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 to ensure
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 that his
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 churches
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 won't be
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 dragged away
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 from this
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 one good
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 news message
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 and he's
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 there to
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 connect
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 with the
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 Jerusalem
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 apostles
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 with Peter
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 James and
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 John.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:25 Now on
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 what basis
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 does Paul
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 connect
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 with those
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 three guys?
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 I mean
00:26:32 --> 00:26:34 let's just
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 think about
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 how much
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 they would
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 have had
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 in common.
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 They're
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 four Jewish
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 men
00:26:38 --> 00:26:40 all in the
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 ballpark
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 of the same
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 age
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 all with
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 Jewish
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 upbringings
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 all probably
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 living in
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 roughly the
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 same area
00:26:48 --> 00:26:50 trained in
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 Jewish
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 tradition
00:26:50 --> 00:26:52 eating the
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 same foods
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 familiar with
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 kosher diets
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 certain holy
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 days to be
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 observed
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 and so
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 what basis
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 of their
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 commonality
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 does Paul
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 use to
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 establish
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 this
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 connection
00:27:04 --> 00:27:07 with all
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 those to
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 choose from?
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 Grace.
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 Have a look
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 at verse 6
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 as for those
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 who are held
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 in high esteem
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 whatever they
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 were makes
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 no difference
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 to me
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 God does not
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 show favoritism
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 they added
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 nothing to
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 my message.
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 Now it
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 sounds a bit
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 like Paul's
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 having a
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 crack at
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 them there
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 but really
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 what he's
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 doing is
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 he's saying
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 unlike the
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 false teachers
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 who take
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 all their
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 authority from
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 these three
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 guys what
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 matters for
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 him is
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 the message
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 of the
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 grace in
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 the gospel
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 the message
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 of grace
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 in the
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 gospel.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 On the
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 contrary
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 verse 7
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 they
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 recognized
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 they
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 had been
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 entrusted
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 to the
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 uncircumcised
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 just as
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 Peter had
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 been to
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 the
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 circumcised
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 for God
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 who was at
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 work in
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 Peter as
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 an apostle
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 to the
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 circumcised
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 was also
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 at work
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 in me
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 as an
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 apostle
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 to the
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 Gentiles
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 James
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 Cephas
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 and John
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 those
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 esteemed
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 as pillars
00:28:03 --> 00:28:05 gave me
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 and Barnabas
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 the right
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 hand of
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 fellowship
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 when they
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 recognized
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 the grace
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 given to
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 me.
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 They agreed
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 we should
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 go to the
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 Gentiles
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 and they
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 to the
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 circumcised
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 the gospel
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 of grace
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 they didn't
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 add to
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 his message
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 the message
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 of forgiveness
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 offered by
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 Jesus to
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 people who
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 don't deserve
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 it that's
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 what mattered
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 most and
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 therefore
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 keep it
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 verse 9
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 James
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 Cephas
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 and John
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 those esteemed
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 as pillars
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 gave me
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 and Barnabas
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 the right
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 hand of
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 fellowship
00:28:36 --> 00:28:38 when they
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 recognized
00:28:39 --> 00:28:41 the grace
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 given to
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 me.
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 The official
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 warm embrace
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 because they
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 recognized
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 the grace
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 of God
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 in Paul
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 in his
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 ministry
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 they could
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 see God
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 at work
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 their ministries
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 were completely
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 different
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 one group
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 is trying
00:28:57 --> 00:28:59 to unreligion
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 Jewish people
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 so that they
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 can discover
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 Jesus
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 Paul's walking
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 into people
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 who have no
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 idea about
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 who God
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 is and how
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 that works
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 and introducing
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 them to
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 Jesus
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 you've got
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 the quite
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 religious
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 church
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 over here
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 you've got
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 the kind
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 of free
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 church
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 who's trying
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 to figure
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 out what
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 they're supposed
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 to do
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 and how
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 they're supposed
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 to do it
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 there was so
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 much that was
00:29:16 --> 00:29:18 different about
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 it but their
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 unity was
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 established on
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 what mattered
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 most
00:29:22 --> 00:29:24 they both
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 received God's
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 grace
00:29:25 --> 00:29:27 God was at
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 work in both
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 of them
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 personally
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 and in their
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 ministry
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 and so they
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 could see
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 in Paul
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 in his
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 life
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 transformed
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 and in the
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 fruit of his
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 ministry
00:29:36 --> 00:29:38 that he
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 was a
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 brother
00:29:39 --> 00:29:41 now
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 that's not
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 to say
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 that Christians
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 don't and
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 can't have
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 other things
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 in common
00:29:47 --> 00:29:50 you know
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 these guys
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 had a whole
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 lot in
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 common
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 but what
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 came first
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 was grace
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 what the
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 gospel does
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 is prioritize
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 the most
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 important bit
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 grace
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 what the
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 gospel does
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 is create
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 the opportunity
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 for someone
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 like me
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 to have a
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 deeper
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 connection
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 with an
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 80 year old
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 retired woman
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 who was never
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 married
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 born in Africa
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 spent time
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 as a slave
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 never graduated
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 high school
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 but has been
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 transformed
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 by grace
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 the gospel
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 creates the
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 potential for
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 a deep
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 eternal
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 connection
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 with that
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 person
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 more so
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 than the
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 35 year old
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 father of two
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 who lives
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 next door to me
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 goes for the
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 giants
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 but doesn't
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 know Jesus
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26 because
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 the gospel
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 is the
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 most important
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 bit
00:30:29 --> 00:30:31 it doesn't
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 delete the
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 fact that
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 we're
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 completely
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 different
00:30:33 --> 00:30:35 but it
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 prioritizes
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 grace
00:30:36 --> 00:30:40 it brings
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 grace to
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 the front
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 and draws
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 unlike people
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 together in
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 the joy
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 and freedom
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 of being
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 forgiven
00:30:46 --> 00:30:49 the gospel
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 frees us
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 from needing
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 things to be
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 the way we
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 like them
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 because Jesus
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 is enough
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 and so I
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 can delight
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 in singing
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 a song
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 that I've
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 never heard
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 of in a
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 weird tune
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 that makes
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 no sense
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 to me
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 with my
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 brothers and
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 sisters in
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 Christ
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 because it's
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 about Jesus
00:31:03 --> 00:31:06 I can delight
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 in sitting
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 in a funny
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 direction
00:31:07 --> 00:31:10 I can delight
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 in going and
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 talking to
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 somebody who
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 is nothing
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 like me
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 but who
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 shares the
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 same grace
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 of God
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 to be
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 forgiven
00:31:17 --> 00:31:19 the gospel
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 frees us
00:31:20 --> 00:31:22 to be able
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 to choose
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 to endure
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 discomfort
00:31:24 --> 00:31:26 out of love
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 for God
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 and love
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 for our
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 brothers and
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 sisters
00:31:29 --> 00:31:31 it sets
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 us free
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 from
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 compulsion
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34 it
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 prioritizes
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 grace
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 so that
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 in our
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 diversity
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 the truth
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 of the
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 gospel
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 might be
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 preserved
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 and
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 proclaimed
00:31:40 --> 00:31:44 I've
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 shared
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 with you
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 before
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 about an
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 older man
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 that I
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 was in
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 church
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 with once
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 he'd
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 been part
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 of that
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 church
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 for a
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 long
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 long
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 time
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 decades
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 and
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 decades
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 he'd
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 been an
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 elder
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 or a
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 leader
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 in the
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 church
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 for pretty
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 much
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 that
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 whole
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 duration
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 and he'd
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 been there
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 in the
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 days when
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 the church
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 was bursting
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 at the
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 seams
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 you couldn't
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 get a seat
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 and he was
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 around long
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 enough to see
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 the church
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 nearly closed
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 down because
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 it didn't have
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 enough people
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08 the reason I met
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 this man and we
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 crossed paths
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 was because I was
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 part of a team
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 that got sent
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 into this church
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 to try and
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 revitalize it
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 and get it
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 going again
00:32:15 --> 00:32:17 I was 25
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 and he was
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 about 75
00:32:18 --> 00:32:20 spiritually
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 there was not
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 a lot of overlap
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 in our experiences
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 of following Jesus
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 and being fed
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 as Christians
00:32:25 --> 00:32:27 except of course
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 the grace
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 that we both
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 discovered
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 when we heard
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 the gospel
00:32:30 --> 00:32:32 he was a suit
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 and tie man
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 in church
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 I was a
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 jeans and
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 thongs
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 he preferred
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 hymns
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 on an organ
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 I prefer
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 newer songs
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 with guitars
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 and bands
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 we were more
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 different than
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 the same
00:32:43 --> 00:32:46 but I learned
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 a lot about
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 grace through
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 being at church
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 with that man
00:32:49 --> 00:32:51 I watched
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 as week in
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 and week out
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 he chose
00:32:53 --> 00:32:55 remember
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 he was one
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 of the leaders
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 who invited
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 this random
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 group of young
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 Christians
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 to come and
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 change things
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 up
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 he chose
00:33:00 --> 00:33:02 to forego
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 things that
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 had been part
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 of his
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 spiritual journey
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 things that
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 he'd loved
00:33:06 --> 00:33:08 ways that
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 he was used
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 to doing
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 things
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 he chose
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 to give
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 up
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 comfort
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 in the way
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 church happened
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 every Sunday
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 to sacrifice
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 things that
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 he liked
00:33:16 --> 00:33:18 so that
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 the truth
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 of the gospel
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 might be preserved
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 for people
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 like me
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 who were
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 nothing like
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 him
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 and for
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 people who
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 were all
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 around that
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 church
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 but had
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 never heard
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 of Jesus
00:33:26 --> 00:33:29 he just
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 longed to
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 see them
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 walk in
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 the door
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 and encounter
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 Jesus
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 encounter the
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 grace that
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 he had
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 discovered
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 the gospel
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 set him
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 free
00:33:36 --> 00:33:38 from having
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 to do
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 things a
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 certain way
00:33:39 --> 00:33:43 and it
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 prioritized
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 grace
00:33:44 --> 00:33:46 we are
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 a diverse
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 church
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 full of
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 cultures
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 and sub
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 cultures
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 and that
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 could be a
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 source of
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 tension for
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 us
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 that could
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 be a
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 source of
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 difficulty
00:33:56 --> 00:33:58 in fact
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 if we're
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 honest
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 sometimes
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 that is
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 a source
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 of tension
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 for us
00:34:02 --> 00:34:04 we want
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 things done
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 differently
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 we want
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 them done
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 more our
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 way
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 even if
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 we don't
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 use those
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 words
00:34:09 --> 00:34:11 but our
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 diversity
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 could be a
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 gift from
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 God
00:34:13 --> 00:34:16 because what
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 it does
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 is it
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 forces us
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 to be
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 transformed
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 by the
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 gospel
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 in how
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 we love
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 and serve
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 one another
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 what it
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 does is
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 force us
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 to recognize
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 hey I've
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 got a
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 culture that
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 I'm bringing
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 here
00:34:28 --> 00:34:30 I've got
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 my way
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 of doing
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 things and
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 I need to
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 hold it up
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 to the
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 gospel
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 and until
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 somebody
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 challenged
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 me and
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 goes I
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 don't like
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 it like
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 that
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 I'll just
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 assume it's
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 the right
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 way
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 that's
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 why it
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 is a
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 gift from
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 God that
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 we are
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 surrounded by
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 people who
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 are nothing
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 like us
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 so that
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 maybe just
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 maybe we
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 might discover
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 that there
00:34:48 --> 00:34:48 are things
00:34:48 --> 00:34:48 that we
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 do and
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 think and
00:34:50 --> 00:34:52 say that
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 are non
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 gospel
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 things
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 cultural
00:34:55 --> 00:34:57 issues that
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 we have
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 elevated and
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 now we
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 expect of
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 one another
00:34:59 --> 00:35:03 our diversity
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 is God's
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 gift
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 gift
00:35:04 --> 00:35:06 because
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 against
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 this
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 varied
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 backdrop
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 of
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 people
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 this
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 one as
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 well
00:35:10 --> 00:35:12 we
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 might
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 see the
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 grace of
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 God more
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 clearly
00:35:14 --> 00:35:18 and then
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 because we
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 see it
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 get to
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 live in
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 the joy
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 and freedom
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 that can
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 only be
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 found in
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 that grace
00:35:24 --> 00:35:27 let me
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 pray for
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 us
00:35:28 --> 00:35:32 Father God
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 we want
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 to acknowledge
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 that it's
00:35:35 --> 00:35:37 easier when
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 we're all
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 the same
00:35:38 --> 00:35:40 it's easier
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 when we
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 get it the
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 way that we
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 like it
00:35:42 --> 00:35:45 it's easier
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 when people
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 want to do
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 things the
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 way we're
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 used to
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 having them
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 done
00:35:47 --> 00:35:50 it's easier
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 to fall
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 into the
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 trap of
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 thinking the
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 way that
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 we've done
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 it is the
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 right way
00:35:54 --> 00:35:57 God please
00:35:57 --> 00:35:59 use the
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 diversity that
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 is in this
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 room and in
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 our church
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 to help us
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 to see
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 ourselves
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 through a
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 gospel lens
00:36:04 --> 00:36:06 help us
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 to recognize
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 that grace
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 matters
00:36:08 --> 00:36:10 help us
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 to see one
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 another with
00:36:11 --> 00:36:13 grace first
00:36:13 --> 00:36:15 help us to
00:36:15 --> 00:36:15 not look for
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 hobbies to
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 connect over
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 but to begin
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 with the
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 truth that we
00:36:19 --> 00:36:19 have been
00:36:19 --> 00:36:21 forgiven by
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 the blood
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 of Jesus
00:36:22 --> 00:36:27 God we
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 thank you
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 for setting
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 us free
00:36:28 --> 00:36:31 for removing
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 compulsion
00:36:31 --> 00:36:34 for giving
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 us the deep
00:36:35 --> 00:36:35 security of
00:36:35 --> 00:36:36 knowing that
00:36:36 --> 00:36:36 we are
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 irreversibly
00:36:37 --> 00:36:37 loved
00:36:37 --> 00:36:39 God we
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 pray that
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 as people
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 encounter
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 our church
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 community
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 that the
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 truth of
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 the gospel
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 will be
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 loud and
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 clear
00:36:46 --> 00:36:47 because of
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 the way
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 we choose
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 to sacrifice
00:36:49 --> 00:36:49 out of
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 love for
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 one another
00:36:50 --> 00:36:53 thank you
00:36:53 --> 00:36:53 for Jesus
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 thank you
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 that he's
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 better than
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 any particular
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 way of doing
00:36:56 --> 00:36:56 things better
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 than any
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 comfort or
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 familiarity
00:36:58 --> 00:37:00 God help us
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 to hold on to
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 him to let
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 go of everything
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 else and to be
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 more satisfied
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 than we've ever
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 been
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 amen