Gospel impact on all people
Series: For all People
Speaker: James Barnett
Date: 22nd August 2021
Passage: Acts 19:1-41
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 Some things in life just have a bigger impact on us.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 I've been a keen follower of the cricket for many years,
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 and let me tell you, it has impacted many parts of my life.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:17 Not just watching or going to games, but financial decisions.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 Will I buy merchandise?
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 I teach my kids the love of the game.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:30 And then there's the emotional rollercoaster of the highs of the wins and the joy,
00:00:31 --> 00:00:35 and then the depressing lows of the losses.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:40 Some decisions just have bigger impacts on our life.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:45 Decisions to get married, decisions to have kids, decisions where we live,
00:00:45 --> 00:00:49 who will be our friends, what career, what should I study?
00:00:49 --> 00:00:58 These things impact what we love, what we do with our time, and what we do with our money.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:04 But none of these compare to the impact on our lives of following Jesus.
00:01:05 --> 00:01:13 At least, nothing compares to what the impact of following Jesus should have on our lives.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 Following Jesus should impact the things that I love.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 It should shape what I spend my money on.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 It should wake me up to think about how I think about the world.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 It should impact my ethics.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:32 Following Jesus should impact all of my life.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:37 But I wonder if we can resist or fight God's influence.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:43 Today, we are continuing in the series, For All People.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 Throughout this series, in the book of Acts, the second half of the book of Acts,
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 we've seen how God is for all people.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 He is for the slave and the free, the male and the female.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 He's for the Jew and the Gentile.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:59 God is for people all across the world, for all different types of people.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 And today, we see not just that God is for all people,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 but God is for all of their life.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 God wants to impact all of our lives.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:17 And the challenge for us today will be to see how God needs to continue to impact our lives.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:24 How God will continue to shape our lives so that we are more like him every day.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 Let me pray as we look at Acts 19.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:34 Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love for us, us who are far from you.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:40 And we ask that as we look at your word today, that you would help shape all of our lives.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 We ask this in your Son's name. Amen.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 Today, we're in Acts 19.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 Please have your Bibles open.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:52 You can be using the St. Paul's app with the three points in there today.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 The three points today that we will...
00:02:55 --> 00:03:01 Firstly, we're going to see that the Gospel impacts our belief.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 Before, we see that the Gospel impacts our control.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 And then finally, that the Gospel impacts our worship.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 Have the app open.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 Take some notes.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 Write them down.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:12 Have your Bibles open.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 And so we meet Paul in Ephesus.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 And Paul meets some disciples.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:26 But on closer inspection, it's not clear whose disciples they are.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:34 They had been baptised in the baptism of John, but they haven't heard of the Holy Spirit.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 They haven't heard of Jesus.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:42 I think it's likely that these are people who have been discipled by Apollos.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:49 John had been baptising people in the expectation of Jesus' coming.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 But for some reason, these men haven't heard about him.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 They only have a partial faith.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 They've only gotten part of the story.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 They've heard and loved the first part of the story from John,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:07 that there would be someone that would come, who would save them, who would deal with their sin.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 But they didn't have the sequel.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 They didn't yet have the better part of the story.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 They hadn't heard about Jesus yet.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:18 And so Paul clarifies this good news.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:18 Have a look with me.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 Acts chapter 19, verse 4.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 John's baptism was a baptism of repentance.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:30 He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:34 On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:40 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 Paul carefully and lovingly corrected these disciples.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:45 He taught them about Jesus.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:54 The Holy Spirit has come upon them, and God has used Paul to correct their belief about God,
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 so that they would know him better.
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 So that they would know Jesus, who reveals God.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 And God works through their lives.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:09 For all Christians, he gives the Holy Spirit, and we see the outworking of the Holy Spirit in their life.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 This is a wonderful promise.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 A promise that, for Christians, God is with us.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:21 If you're not a Christian, if you're still unsure, this is a wonderful promise.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 That God will give you his Holy Spirit.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:29 That he promises to be with you every single day.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 For Christians today, we have the whole story.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 We're not like these disciples.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 We know the whole story.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 We know of Jesus.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 But I wonder if we can also be like these disciples,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:48 where we need to continue to learn and get to know our God better.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 Imagine thinking that we could fully understand God now.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:57 What a puny, tiny God he'd have to be for me to get my head around him.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 God is massive.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 He is way too amazing.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 His love is beyond us.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 His justice is always right.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 But he is a God who continues to reveal who he is.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:17 We get to know him better as we continue to follow him.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:22 So just like these disciples had an opportunity to hear the gospel
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 and got to know God fully,
00:06:24 --> 00:06:29 we continue to get to know God as we follow him and read his word.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:34 For me personally, I've gotten to know God more and more
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 as I've gone through life and as I've read his word.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:43 As I've been sinned against and worked hard not to hold a grudge,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:47 I've learned how hard it is to forgive other people
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 and how amazing my God is that he would forgive me.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:56 As a father, I learned the hard way about my own lack of patience
00:06:56 --> 00:07:02 and how amazing God's patience is for us, his little children.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:10 My own anger at lockdown rule breakers has reminded me of God's love for us,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:11 his enemies.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:18 The joy of relationship with God is that we get to know him more and more each day
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 as we continue to hear from him and talk to him
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 and journey through life following him.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 So let me encourage you.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:30 Keep letting the gospel impact your belief about God
00:07:30 --> 00:07:34 because we never arrive fully knowing him
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 until we arrive with him.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 That's our first point this morning, fairly short point to start us off.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 God impacts our belief in God.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 We continue to get to know him.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:51 But it also impacts our desire to have control.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 That's our second point today.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 The gospel impacts our control.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 Paul stayed in Ephesus.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 He was there preaching for two years
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 and he moved from the synagogue to a lecture hall.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:09 And Luke expresses the impact of Paul's preaching by saying in verse 10
00:08:09 --> 00:08:13 that all of the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 had heard the word of the Lord.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:22 God worked through Paul to show that God is the one who is in control.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 Everybody is hearing about it
00:08:25 --> 00:08:29 and God does wonderful miracles through Paul to prove it.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:29 Verse 11.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 were taken to the sick
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 and their illnesses were cured
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 and the evil spirits left them.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:47 This is a wonderful picture of both the gospel going out through Paul's preaching
00:08:47 --> 00:08:53 but also God's power working to show that God is really in control.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 And Luke sets up a contrast.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 You've got Paul on the one hand
00:08:58 --> 00:09:02 who is preaching, who knows God, who's doing these amazing miracles
00:09:02 --> 00:09:06 and another group of people who are trying to imitate him.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:11 Luke tells us a story of the seven sons of Sceva
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 who were exorcists.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 They were ghostbusters.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:21 In first century Asia, exorcism could be a lucrative business.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 And the Jews in the ancient world were pretty famous
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 for being able to cast out demons.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 And there were seven sons of a Jewish priest named Sceva
00:09:31 --> 00:09:35 and they were in the business of exorcism.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 And they wanted to get in on this new technique
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 of healing and doing miracles that Paul had.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 You know, it's like they've just been to a conference
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 and they've heard everybody saying that a new way to do business
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 was to use the name of Jesus.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:54 And so, verse 13, they try out this new technique they've heard.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 They would say,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 I command you to come out.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 It's almost like knowing a friend of a friend
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 and saying you actually know them.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:12 Except this grasping for power and control leaves them in trouble.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 I love, I don't love too much about the evil spirits,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 but I really appreciate the response from this evil spirit
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 to these men who are trying to have control.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 Have a look at verse 15.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 Jesus I know.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 And Paul I know about.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 But who are you?
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 And then the man with the evil spirit beats them.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 And the seven sons of Sceva run out naked.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 Their actions show how foolish it is
00:10:41 --> 00:10:45 to try and name check Jesus for money and power and control.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 Instead of submitting their lives to him,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 following him.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 Many of us can do the same thing.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 Instead of following Jesus,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 instead of submitting to him,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 maybe we just name check him.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 You know, on the census the other week,
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 we just ticked Christian.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 And instead of actually submitting to Jesus
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 as the Lord over our lives,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:12 we try and hold on to power and control.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:18 These men are ultimately shamed in front of everybody else.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 Stripped naked and humiliated.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 Let's not be shamed before God on the final day
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 if we just give him lip service.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 If we just say we know him
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 without actually ever getting to know Jesus.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 This situation with the seven sons of Sceva
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 enhances the reputation of Jesus.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 When the people in Ephesus hear about it,
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 they are afraid of Jesus and hold him in high honour.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 They realise, wow,
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 there is something special about Jesus
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 that we haven't seen from anyone else.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 And these people realise
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 they can't hedge their bets.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 They can't try and hold on to power and control
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 and follow Jesus.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 They can't have it both ways.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 And so we get this wonderful picture
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 of radical discipleship in verse 19.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 Have a look.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 Verse 19.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 A number who had practised sorcery
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 brought their scrolls together
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 and burned them publicly.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 When they calculated the value of the scrolls,
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 the total came to 50 drachmas.
00:12:24 --> 00:12:29 The result of the story of Jesus' power and control
00:12:29 --> 00:12:33 is that people leave their backup plans behind.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 50 drachmas is a lot of money.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 That's 50 days labour.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 This is an incredible amount of money.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 Many people at this time
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 would have had magic scrolls.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:51 It was a way to practice magic
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 and sorcery and witchcraft.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:56 This was how you could have power and control
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 in the first century.
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 This was how you could have
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 some power and control
00:13:01 --> 00:13:05 over death, disease and the devil.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 And at this point in the church
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 it's full of syncretism.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 Mixing of religions.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 Mixing Christianity and witchcraft.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 They hadn't yet fully converted to Christianity.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 They're not wholly trusting in Jesus.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 They're still holding on to their scrolls,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 to their magic spells,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 to their control.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 But when they realise how empty
00:13:30 --> 00:13:34 and meaningless these words on parchment are,
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 they don't even sell them,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 they burn them.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 It's a picture of true radical discipleship.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 People getting rid of their backup plan.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:49 Their attempts at control over death,
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 disease and the devil
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 and instead trusting fully in Jesus.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 In verse 20,
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 in this way,
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 the word of the Lord spread widely
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 and grew in power.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 People chose radical discipleship.
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 They gave up their backup plans,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 their control
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 and trusted in Jesus.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 And it spread the gospel.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 This week,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 I was reading
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 about some Chinese war history.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 And in the later years
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 of the Qing dynasty,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 there was a general called
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 Xiang Yu.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 He was second in command
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 to a leader called Song Yi.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 And they and their armies
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 had been repeatedly defeated
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 by the Qing armies
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 and been forced to retreat.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 And so they retreated
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 to try and wait out their enemy.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 And eventually,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 their army was tired
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 and lethargic,
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 waiting for the enemy
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 to be weakened.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 But Xiang Yu,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 the second in command,
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 realized
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 waiting wasn't going to work.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 They had to do something radical.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 They were going to run out of food.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 The men were going to be weak.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 So Xiang Yu,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 the second in command,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 took charge.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 He killed
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 his commander, Song Yi.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 He took control of the armies
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 and marched across
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 the Yellow River
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 to fight the enemy troops.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 What is most amazing
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 is that he ordered
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 his troops
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 to sink their ships,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 to break their cooking pots,
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 and to only take
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 three days worth of food with them.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 His message was really clear.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 We will win
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 or we will die trying.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 There is no going back.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 Although his troops
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 were outnumbered 10 to 1,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 Xiang Yu's army
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 crushed
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 the Qing troops.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 Xiang Yu gained
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 much fame
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 for his efforts
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 and there is a phrase
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 in Chinese
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 that came from it.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 The phrase is
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 Polful Chen Zhou,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 which literally means
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 break your pots,
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 sink your ships.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 There is no turning back.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 Polful Chen Zhou.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 That's what the seven sons
00:15:58 --> 00:15:58 of Sceva
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 didn't have.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 They didn't have
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 total commitment
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 to Jesus.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 Jesus was just
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 a magic word
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 to them.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 And this is what
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 the people
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 in the Ephesus church
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 realise.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 There can be no
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 backup plan
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 to Jesus.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 Jesus is
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 the only plan.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 Yet I wonder,
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 is it still possible
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 that we hold on
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 to our backup plans?
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 Our control,
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 particularly over death,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 disease,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 and the devil.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 In this season of COVID,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 are you holding on
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 to other backup plans
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 and not trusting God
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 fully?
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 Now,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 some of us
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 might mix
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 Christianity
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 with superstition.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 Mixing Christianity
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 with
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 superstitious practices
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 and modern-day
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 witchcraft,
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 like Ouija boards,
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 tarot cards,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 astrology,
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 horoscopes,
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 fortune tellers,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 most of these
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 are fake.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 But when we trust
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 in them
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 to give us
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 some control,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 to give us
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 some idea
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 of where we are
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 to go in the future,
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 we are making
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 an idol to worship
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 and we are not
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 trusting in God
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 fully.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 Now,
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 it might not be,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 for most of us,
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 magic scrolls
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 and sorcery
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 or even modern-day
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 witchcraft.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 But we have
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 many other issues,
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 many other ways
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 of trying to hold
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 on to control
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 in the world
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 around us.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 It might be
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 trying to have
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 a certain amount
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 of money,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 a certain amount
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 of money in my life
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 and then I'll be
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 okay,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 then I'll be safe.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 If I've got
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 a certain amount
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 of money,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 it doesn't matter
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 if I get sick,
00:17:39 --> 00:17:39 I'll be able
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 to live on that.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 The Ephesian church
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 tried to mix
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 their Christianity
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 with other things
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 and they ended up
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 burning them
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 because they realized
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 that those other things
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 didn't compare
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 at all to Jesus.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 Following God
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 without a backup plan
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 is what true
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 discipleship looks like.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 Without another option.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 It's that phrase,
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 powerful change
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 to burn the other
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 options
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 to fully
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 follow Jesus.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 That is what
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 the gospel
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 calls us to do.
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 It impacts
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 all of our life
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 and not just
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 the church
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 we tune into
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 on Sunday,
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 not just what we
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 tick on the census.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 Has God been
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 speaking to you
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 about a certain
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 aspect of your life?
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 Where is he
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 putting his finger
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 on you and saying
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 don't trust this?
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 Don't trust in your money.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 Give your control
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 over to me.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 Don't trust
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 in your selfishness.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 Don't trust in
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 that everything
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 will be in fine.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 Don't trust
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 that you've got this.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 Don't trust
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 in your pride.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 Trust in me.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 We've seen today
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 that the gospel
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 is not just something
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 we tick on a census
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 but it impacts
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 all of our lives.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 from what we believe
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 about God
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 to what we try
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 and control.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 Finally,
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 today,
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 our third point,
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 we'll see God's
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 impact on our worship
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 and specifically
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 money.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 The gospel
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 has spread so much
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 through Ephesus
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 that Luke notes
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 in verse 23
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 that there was
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 a disturbance
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 about the way.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 There was a disturbance
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 for Christians.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 There was a
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 silversmith
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 by the name
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 of Demetrius
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 and he was
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 greatly angered
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 at the progress
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 of Christianity
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 and the disruption
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 that Christians
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 brought to him.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 He was a silversmith
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 and silver
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 was what fueled
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 the Gentile economy
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 and it was heavily
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 used in idol making.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 Demetrius
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 made shrines
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 and idols
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 of Artemis
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 also known
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 as Aphrodite
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 the goddess
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 of love.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 Artemis
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 had a temple
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 in Ephesus
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 and this was
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 one of the
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 seven wonders
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 of the ancient world.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 This was the
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 biggest building
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 that existed
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 at the time.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 So you can imagine
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 how this city
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 would have had
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 pride
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 in this
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 temple
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 and in this
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 God.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 It's like when
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 people come to
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 Sydney,
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 back in those years
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 when people
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 could be tourists,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 people come to
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 Sydney and it's like
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 have you visited
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 the Opera House?
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 Have you seen
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 the Harbour Bridge?
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 People going to
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 Ephesus,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 they would be
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 asked,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 have you seen
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 our great
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 temple to
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 Artemis?
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 The gospel
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 spreads in
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 this city.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 The gospel
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 which says
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 idols
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 are nothing.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 These gods
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 are not real.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 This gospel
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 was critical
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 of the pagan
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 culture.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 Demetrius
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 would have been
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 losing business,
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 losing silver
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 hand over fist
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 and he would
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 have felt
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 the loss
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 of prestige
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 for himself
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 and his city
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 and for the
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 God that he
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 worshipped.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 The gospel
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 invades
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 every aspect
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 of life
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 and it's
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 impacting
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 business for
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 these tradies.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 It's impacting
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 their economy.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 It's changing
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 what people are
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 spending their
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 money on
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 and their
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 time on
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 and the gospel
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 confronts
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 both the
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 sinfulness
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 in our
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 hearts,
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 the gospel
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 also confronts
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 the sin
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 of the
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 city
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 and when
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 it does
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 it causes
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 friction.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 Have a look
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 with me at
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 verse 25
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 of chapter 19
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 and see how
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 the gospel
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 is impacting
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 Demetrius.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 Demetrius is
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 speaking here
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 and he read
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 you know my
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 friends
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 that we
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 receive a
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 good income
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 from this
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 business
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 and you
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 see and
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 hear how
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 this fellow
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 Paul has
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 convinced
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 and led
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 astray
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 large numbers
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 of people
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 here in
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 Ephesus
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 and in
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 practically
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 the whole
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 province
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 of Asia
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 what a
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 wonderful
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 report
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 about the
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 gospel
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 going
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 out.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 He says
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 that gods
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 made by
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 human hands
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 are no
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 gods at
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 all.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 There is
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 danger
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 not only
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 that our
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 trade will
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 lose its
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 good name
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 but also
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 that the
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 temple of
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 the great
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 goddess
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 Artemis
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 will be
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 discredited
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 and the
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 goddess
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 herself
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 who is
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 worshipped
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 throughout
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 the province
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 of Asia
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 and the
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 world
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 will be
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 robbed
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 of her
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 divine
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 majesty.
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 Demetrius
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 he's worried
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 about his
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 income
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 he's worried
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 about the
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 large amount
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 of people
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 becoming
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 Christians
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 he's worried
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 about society
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 changing around
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 him.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 Much like for
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 Christians today
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 who see society
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 changing around
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 them and go
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 it's not like how
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 it was when I
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 grew up.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 That's Demetrius.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 He's seeing people
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 become Christians
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 and he's going
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 it's not how it
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 should be.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 It's not like the
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 old days.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 He's worried
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 about people in
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 his trade
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 are going to
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 continue to make
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 money to make
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 gods.
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 He's worried
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 about the
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 God he
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 worships.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 Demetrius
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 hasn't seen
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 the Christians
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 come in and
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 said you
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 Christians are
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 fine you
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 stay over
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 there I'll
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 believe what
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 I believe you
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 believe what
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 you believe and
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 we can
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 coexist.
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 He hasn't
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 even just
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 said keep
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 it away from
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 me good for
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 you I don't
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 want to hear
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 it.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 Demetrius
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 sees the
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 massive impact
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 of Christianity
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 in life.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 He sees its
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 impact on
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 the economy.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 It probably
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 would have
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 been easier
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 for him if
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 he could
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 transition his
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 work to
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 making new
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 gods to
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 making whoever
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 this new
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 God is but
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 the God
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 that we
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 worship can't
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 be made by
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 human hands.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 Paul himself
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 he's not afraid
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 of this pagan
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 worldview.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 Instead he
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 confronts them
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 and he has
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 seen the impact
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 of the gospel.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 It's easy to
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 dismiss Demetrius'
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 concerns because
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 we don't live
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 like that.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 I don't know
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 anybody who
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 makes their
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 living carving
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 out idols of
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 gods.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 And yet for
00:23:56 --> 00:23:58 us we often
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 worship more
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 intangible things.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 Ideas,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 ambition,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 the amount of
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 zeros in our
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 bank account,
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 maybe physical
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 things like
00:24:08 --> 00:24:10 house or beauty.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 We take
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 something good
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 from God
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 that he has
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 created and
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 we worship it
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 as the
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 creator.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 Or we can
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 run the risk
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 of syncretism
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 which is what
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 the Ephesian
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 church was
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 doing when
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 they were
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 mixing their
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 religion where
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 we worship
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 multiple gods.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 For an hour
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 or so on a
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 Sunday morning
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 we'll worship
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 the God of
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 the Bible but
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 Monday to
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 Friday I'll
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 worship the
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 pride and
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 glory of
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 myself at
00:24:35 --> 00:24:37 work or
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 at school.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 I'll
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 worship the
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 pride of a
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 sporting
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 accomplishment.
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 Then it
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 gets to the
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 weekend Friday
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 afternoon and
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 I'm going to
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 worship pleasure.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 And maybe if I
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 meet with others
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 socially distanced
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 down at the
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 park I'm going
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 to worship my
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 kids and my
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 family by telling
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 them how great I
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 am and how
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 great my kids
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 are.
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 Demetrius could
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 see where the
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 gospel was
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 impacting all of
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 life.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 He did not
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 like it.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 Is it
00:25:06 --> 00:25:09 possible that
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 we can become
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 too content
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 and the
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 gospel isn't
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 radically changing
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 our lives
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 anymore?
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 Is it
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 possible that
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 we've gotten
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 inoculated
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 against the
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 gospel and
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 it's not
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 impacting us?
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 When I was
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 younger I
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 didn't eat a
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 whole lot of
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 spicy food but
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 now I really
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 love the stuff.
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 I really like
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 two in
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 particular.
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33 one spicy
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 sauce is
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 called
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 laogama.
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 It's a
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 Chinese one.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 And this
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 one,
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 sriracha,
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 I've been
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 putting a lot
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 of this on
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 food recently.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 I really
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 like it.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 And I've
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 gotten used
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 to it.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 When we
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 have dinner
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 and it's
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 got a bit
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 of a spice,
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 Alyssa and
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 I, we're
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 totally fine,
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 don't even
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 notice it.
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 And then we
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 look over at
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 the kids and
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 they're sweating,
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 they're drinking
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 litres of water,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 they're just,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 I can't eat
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 this.
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 I've gotten
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 so used to
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 it, it
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 doesn't affect
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 me anymore.
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 I've gotten
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 comfortable with
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 it.
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 Until, of
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 course, I
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 accidentally put
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 too much
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 in.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 I remember
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 one time I
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 was at a
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 movie and
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 it was all
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 dark and I
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 put a little
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 bit of
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 wasabi or
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 what I
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 thought was
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 a little
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 bit of
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 wasabi on
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 my sushi,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 but it was
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 a huge
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 amount and
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 it cleared
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 out everything.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 A spicy
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 sauce doesn't
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 impact me until
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 I accidentally
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 put too
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 much of it
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 in.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 And then
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 I notice
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 it.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 The gospel
00:26:33 --> 00:26:36 is intrusive.
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 The gospel
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 is something
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 that should
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 impact all
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 of our
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 lives.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 And yet
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 we can
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 get used
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 to it.
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 We can
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 get comfortable
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 with it
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 and complacent.
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 If you're
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 still not
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 sure about
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 who Jesus
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 is,
00:26:51 --> 00:26:53 maybe you've
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 heard the
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 news about
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 Jesus dying
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 on the
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 cross,
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 rising to
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 life so
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 that you
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 too can
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 have
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 life.
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 Maybe
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 you've
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 heard this
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 message so
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 many times
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 you've
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 just gotten
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 used to
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 it.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 Take a
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 moment and
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 consider how
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 amazing it
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 is that
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 the God
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 of the
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 universe
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 would die
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 for you
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 because he
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 loves you.
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 Pour a
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 bit extra
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 sauce onto
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 the reality
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 that God
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 himself would
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 die for
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 you so
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 that you
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 can be
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 impacted by
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 the gospel
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 today.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:25 It might
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 be the
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 same for
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 those
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 following
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 Jesus.
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 The gospel
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 has impacted
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 so many
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 different parts
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 of my
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 life but
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 I've
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 gotten
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 used to
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 it just
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 like eating
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 spicy food.
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 We can't
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 keep doing
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 the same
00:27:37 --> 00:27:39 things expecting
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 different
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 results.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 Do you
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 want God
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 to impact
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 your life?
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 Do you
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 want to
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 have a
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 closer walk
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 with him?
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 Do you
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 need help
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 handing over
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 control to
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 God?
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 I want to
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 encourage you
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 to do
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 something
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 different.
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 Effectively
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 pour a bit
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 more chili
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 sauce on
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 it so
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 that you
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 see God's
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 impact in
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 your life.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 I want to
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 challenge you.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 I want to
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 challenge you
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 this week.
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 I want to
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 challenge everybody
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 watching.
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 I want to
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 challenge you
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 for the next
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 seven days
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 to spend
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 five minutes
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 reading the
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 Bible and
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 five minutes
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 praying.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 Challenge for
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 the next
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 seven days
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 five minutes
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 reading the
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 Bible,
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 five minutes
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 praying.
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 Let me
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 encourage you
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 send me a
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 message.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 If we're
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 friends on
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 Facebook you
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 can send
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 me a
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 message.
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 If we're
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 not yet
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 friends on
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 Facebook send
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 me an
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 email.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 James.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 Barnett
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 at
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 stpauls.org.au
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 Let me
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 know you're
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 doing this
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 challenge so
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 that we can
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 do this
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 together.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 Let's
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 read the
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 Bible for
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 five minutes
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 and pray
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 for five
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 minutes each
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 day for the
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 next seven
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 days.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 Let's do
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 something
00:28:49 --> 00:28:52 different so
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 that we can
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 see God's
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 impact on
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 our life.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 We are at
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 the start of
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 a season
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 celebrating what
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 God is doing
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 across the
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 world in our
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 mission month.
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 life.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 But let's
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 first ask God
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 to change
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 our hearts
00:29:07 --> 00:29:10 so that we
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 can know
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 him and
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 trust him
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 and worship
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 him more
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 and more.
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 Let me
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 pray.
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 Heavenly
00:29:17 --> 00:29:19 Father we
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 thank you
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 for your
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 love for
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 us.
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 Thank you
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 that your
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 gospel has
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 gone out and
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 it has come
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 to us here
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 far from
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 Ephesus.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 But Lord we
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 thank you for
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 how you are
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 impacting our
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 lives.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 Father we
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 thank you
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 that Jesus
00:29:36 --> 00:29:38 has died
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 and been
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 raised so
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 that we
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 can know
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 you,
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 that we
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 can have
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 relationship
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 with you
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 forever.
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 Heavenly
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 Father we
00:29:46 --> 00:29:48 ask this
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 week over
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 the next
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 seven days
00:29:49 --> 00:29:51 that you
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 would work
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 on our
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 hearts,
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 that we
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 would know
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 you,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 that we
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 would trust
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 you and
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 we would
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 worship you
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 more and
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 more each
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 day.
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 Amen.