New Mission
Series: Living in the New World
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 26th July 2020
Passage: Acts 1:1-26
00:00:00 --> 00:00:08 Good morning, everyone. It's great to be with you in person on this as we kick off our new series in the Book of Acts.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:14 And if you've never met me before, either in person or here on the screen, my name is Steve Jeffers.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:15 I'm the senior pastor here at St. Paul's.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:21 And it's great to be regathering again for those who are able to do that.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:28 So if you've got, as Nick had indicated, if you've got a Bible in front of you, if you've got the St. Paul's app, that would be fantastic.
00:00:28 --> 00:00:33 I've got an outline for today's talk there in front of you, and then you help you to follow along.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:43 So let me pray, and then we're going to launch straight into Acts chapter 1 and set the scene for us for this series.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:53 Gracious God, we thank you for every life and for every life that is tuned in now to your word.
00:00:53 --> 00:01:08 We pray as we look at your word in front of us today, but also in the coming weeks, as we look at the Book of Acts, we ask that you would shape our lives.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:14 Help us to get a big vision of what you are doing in your world.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:26 God, the work that you have been doing for centuries and are continuing to do now in all the confusion and the chaos of our world right now,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:32 that you are still working, transforming and changing lives.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 And we pray that you would change our lives.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:43 Align us as individuals, as a church, to your great storyline.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:43 Amen.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:50 So, Lord, we pray that you would mercifully send your spirit and do your work through your word.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:51 Amen.
00:01:53 --> 00:02:05 Edward Lorenz was a physicist working in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1960s on the computer modelling of weather systems.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:15 He devised a program which, once you typed in certain data, it could kind of predict what the weather pattern was going to be.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:22 However, one day in his work, he typed in the wrong data.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:23 He made a mistake.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:24 It wasn't a big mistake.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:35 He meant to type in a six-digit number, 0127, but instead he only typed in a three-digit number, 0.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 It's a very small error, really.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:41 I mean, you know, my calculations with the tape measure, I wouldn't even notice it.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 It's one in one thousandths of a difference, really.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:48 He didn't think it would make that much of a difference to the outcome,
00:02:48 --> 00:02:53 but he decided to test it anyway, what the difference would be.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:55 This is what he went on to describe.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:02 It's as if a tiny atmospheric disturbance in China,
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 no greater than the beat of a butterfly's wing,
00:03:08 --> 00:03:15 a week or so later becoming a Force 12 hurricane in New York.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:17 That's how big the difference was.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:24 And his discovery became known as the butterfly effect.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:33 When something very small, something very minute, minor,
00:03:34 --> 00:03:39 grows and grows and grows in its impact.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:46 Now, what could be depressing for us is that on the most part for us as people,
00:03:47 --> 00:03:58 there's no butterfly effect in our lives magnifying the little contribution that we as individuals make to history.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:09 Most of us have to face the fact that we will drop the little pebbles of our lives into the turbulent oceans of world events,
00:04:09 --> 00:04:16 and in no time at all, it will bear no trace of us ever existing.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:18 It doesn't take long.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 It's kind of depressing, really.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 It's kind of depressing way to start a sermon.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:30 And it's depressing, particularly for two major areas in life or stages in life.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:37 When you are old and you see the end realized, the fact of it ends coming sooner rather than later,
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 and you realize, well, will I be remembered?
00:04:40 --> 00:04:46 But also for a younger generation that have grown up and heard consistently the words said to them,
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 you can make a difference.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:49 You can change the world.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 You can be who you want to be and change the world.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:58 And there's a whole generation of young people growing up with the assumption that they are world changers
00:04:58 --> 00:05:07 until they leave university and sit at a desk and realize that it doesn't happen so fast as they would imagine.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 And so that's for most of us.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:17 There's not a butterfly effect amplifying the contribution that we make in history.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 But not so with Jesus Christ.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:29 He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 He grew up in still another village.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:36 He worked in a carpenter shop in obscurity until he was about 30 years of age.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 Then for three years, he was a traveling preacher.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 Never wrote a book.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 Never held an office.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 Never had a family.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 Never owned a house.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 He never went to university.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:52 Never traveled more than 300 kilometers from the place where he was born.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:58 He never did the things that we associate with greatness.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 And he was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 His friends ran away.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 He was handed over to his enemies.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:12 He was nailed to a cross, crucified, executed between two thieves
00:06:12 --> 00:06:19 because he was regarded as a criminal himself and he was laid in a borrowed grave.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 Wasn't needing it for very long.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:31 2 years later, right across the globe, penetrating all kinds of people, groups and cultures,
00:06:32 --> 00:06:36 this world is still enthralled by him.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:42 All the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that have ever sailed,
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 all the parliaments that have ever sat, all the kings that have ever reigned,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:56 put them all together and they're not even close to the impact on humanity
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 as the one solitary life of Jesus Christ.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:08 The ripples of the life, the death, the resurrection, the ascension of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
00:07:08 --> 00:07:16 have increased in amplitude and expanded in diameter right across the globe
00:07:16 --> 00:07:20 in every culture and people group and nation for centuries.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:25 That is what the book of Acts is about.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 It's where we see it starting to move on.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:34 And that is what makes Acts so relevant to us today.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:46 The point here is that when you plug your one solitary obscure life into God's mission in Jesus Christ,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:54 you plug yourself into eternal life and hope and value and significance and joy,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 increasingly so forever.
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 That's the point.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 So to make that point, I've got four points.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:11 And if you've got your app in front of you, you can open it up and follow along with me.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 Four points.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:17 God's mission, power for God's mission, weakness and the advance of God's mission
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 and fourthly, living for God's mission.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 So first of all, God's mission.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 And I'll spend more time on this one than on the others.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 What is God's mission?
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 What is his storyline?
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 What is his view, his worldview, if you like?
00:08:34 --> 00:08:39 And God's worldview, his storyline has four main chapters to it.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 First is creation.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 In Genesis 1, right at the beginning of the Bible,
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 the God who stands outside of all of creation, who always existed,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:55 created all things by speaking them into existence, such is the power of his word.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 He made the first people, Adam and Eve, in his image.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:04 And all people from Adam and Eve are bearers of the image of God,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 which gives us a special dignity.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:15 The great American theologian, Jonathan Edwards, wrote that the only reason that God would have
00:09:15 --> 00:09:19 for creating us, humanity and all that exists,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:28 is not in order for this God, this creator, to get cosmic love and joy and relationship with his creation,
00:09:28 --> 00:09:36 but to impart it to his creation, that we might experience his cosmic love and joy.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:45 And the storyline of the Bible contains the only storyline across every culture throughout all of humanity,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 the history of humanity, the only storyline,
00:09:48 --> 00:09:59 where the divine creator of all that exists creates in order to impart love and joy to his creation,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 not to extract it.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:06 That's chapter one of God's storyline.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 Chapter two is the fall, Genesis three.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:17 The first people decide to reject God's love and rule and do things their way.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:22 And all people have followed suit in living life with no consideration with God whatsoever.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:28 And as a result, all relationships are cosmically fractured.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:35 Our special dignity as image bearers of God means that God holds us rightly so,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:40 especially accountable for our rejection of him, all people.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:47 And in his judgment in the early bits of the Bible in Genesis chapter 11,
00:10:47 --> 00:10:52 is to scatter people from his presence across the earth,
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 confusing their languages and their cultures,
00:10:55 --> 00:11:00 so that we as humanity cannot work together in order to collectively oppose God.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 That's chapter two.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:07 Chapter three is that God has got a plan to reverse all of that.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:16 God's plan of redemption begins with a promise to Abraham in the very next chapter in Genesis chapter 12.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:22 And the promise is that all the peoples of the earth are going to be blessed through Abraham
00:11:22 --> 00:11:27 and through Abraham brought back to God in relationship with him.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 And it's a plan that he's worked out through history.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 So I'm fast forwarding a lot here.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 Still read the Old Testament, fast forwarding a whole lot here.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:47 This is how Galatians 3 in the New Testament puts it.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:53 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
00:11:53 --> 00:12:14 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:21 Your trust in Jesus Christ means that you inherit all of Abraham's plans and purposes,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:28 or God's plans and purposes to bring everything blessing through Abraham.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:34 Jesus is the one who takes the judgment of God for our sin, for rejecting God,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 the punishment that we deserve.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 He dies the death that we should have died,
00:12:38 --> 00:12:42 but he rose victorious over sin.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:51 And everyone who puts their faith in the cosmic Lord Jesus is gathered back into relationship with God.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:56 And what Jesus does from that moment is he forms the new people of God,
00:12:56 --> 00:13:01 forms a new community, a new humanity that lives as it's meant to live
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 under the rule of the cosmic Lord Jesus.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 It's called the church.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:16 The former dividing walls of hostility between people have been broken down.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:23 As a result of his work of reconciling people to God and to each other,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:33 Jesus calls his church to take this good news of reconciliation to the ends of the earth
00:13:33 --> 00:13:39 and to make disciples for the cosmic Lord Jesus from every people group and nationality and culture.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:45 And this is what we're seeing the beginning of here in the book of Acts.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:50 We start to see that plan being unfolded in front of us.
00:13:50 --> 00:14:00 Chapter 4 of God's storyline is not the end of the story.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 It's the beginning of a chapter that has no ending.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 It's a chapter where God reigns forever.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 There's no longer any carnage or evil and sin.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:15 Revelation chapter 5, we get a glimpse of how God brings history to its ultimate goal.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:25 It was God's design in the death of Jesus Christ to ransom from every kind of race and language and people and nation
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 to make a people for himself.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 And these people would have one king.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:39 That is that they would live with Jesus as their supreme treasure and Lord.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 Jesus is the one who unites all people.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:53 God's big plan for all of time and eternity and space is for people to come under the authority of Jesus
00:14:53 --> 00:14:59 and turn to him in faith and repentance and enjoy his cosmic love.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 Forever, increasingly so.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:16 And the book of Acts is saying, conform your life to that storyline.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 Live for that storyline.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:23 Be involved in the work that God is doing in this world.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:28 The only work that will last forever.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:38 So as we open up the beginning of Acts, we're in chapter 3 of God's storyline.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 Chapter 4 is yet to come.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:48 We're still in chapter 3 ever since Jesus was here and until he comes back again.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:53 And did you notice there, as Nick read it out to us, in chapter 1, verse 1, it says,
00:15:53 --> 00:16:03 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:14 The word began there is the key word in understanding the relevance of this book for us right now, today.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:26 What Luke stresses here is that what Jesus did on earth 2 years ago was the beginning of his doing and his teaching.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:34 And the clear implication is that now, now that Jesus has ascended, as we are told here in Acts 1,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:41 and sits at the right hand of the Father, ruling all that is, he's not done.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 His work is not finished.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 He's not dead.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 He's not absent.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 He's alive in his presence.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:58 Jesus is continuing to build his church by drawing people into his cosmic love and joy as his family.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:05 Wherever people come under the authority of his name and receive his forgiveness of sins,
00:17:05 --> 00:17:13 trust in his power, they get their obscure lives plugged into his eternal spirit.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 He's not a story line.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:30 You see, the fact that Jesus is alive, the fact that he's ascended and he's seated and ruling all things,
00:17:31 --> 00:17:35 gives purpose to our solitary lives.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:47 He is the one changing the world one life at a time forever and he includes us in that.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 He invites us to be part of it.
00:17:49 --> 00:18:02 So I think that Luke's desire here is for the unfolding message of Acts to have a transforming impact on our lives.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:12 He wants us to be part of what God is doing in the universe now as what he's always been doing in the universe.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:20 You see, Acts is a two-part book, if you like.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 It's part of a two-part book.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 It's a second part of a two-volume work.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:30 It's part of a two-part book, written by Luke, a first-century doctor.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:39 The Gospel of Luke and this book of Acts go together as one work, one piece of literature,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:44 and they are both addressed to a man named Theophilus.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:57 Theophilus is most likely a Roman aristocrat because Luke addresses him as your excellency at the beginning of his gospel.
00:18:58 --> 00:19:06 And so Luke could well be writing both Luke and Acts to inform an educated Gentile
00:19:06 --> 00:19:11 of the extraordinary spread of the Christian faith across the Roman Empire
00:19:11 --> 00:19:17 and to convince this man of its extraordinary truth
00:19:17 --> 00:19:21 so that this man is drawn into it
00:19:21 --> 00:19:29 and despite his aristocracy and the important part he might play in the Roman Empire
00:19:29 --> 00:19:34 to show him there is something greater for his life to be included in,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:38 something much more significant for him to give himself to.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:48 something much more important.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:54 See, Luke goes to enormous lengths in his gospel
00:19:54 --> 00:20:03 to show us that Jesus Christ rose from the dead in bodily form.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:10 Not just an idea, not just a concept, but physically rose from the dead.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 It says in Acts 1 verse 3,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:16 after his suffering, that is his trial and his death,
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 he showed himself to these men, his disciples,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 and gave many convincing proves,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:26 many convincing proves that he is alive.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 He appeared to them over a period of 40 days
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 and spoke about the kingdom of God.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:42 You see, we are called here in the book of Acts to be witnesses to the gospel,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:20:45 --> 00:20:52 and you cannot be an authentic instrument in the hands of the living and the reigning Jesus Christ
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 if you don't think he's alive.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 If you just think he's a great idea,
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 you cannot be an effective witness.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:06 You must know that he is alive and he is reigning right now over everything,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 even the things we don't understand.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:17 Reigning as Lord of the universe of all time and space is in his hands.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:21 I mean, you need to be profoundly persuaded
00:21:21 --> 00:21:26 that Jesus has broken the power of death
00:21:26 --> 00:21:30 and that he is alive and alive with indestructible life.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 He will never die again.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 He hasn't been resuscitated.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 He's been resurrected.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 Never to be defeated.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:43 And his kingdom is unstoppable.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:46 His storyline will advance.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:51 You need to be profoundly, profoundly convicted of that.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:57 It's so important to constantly come back again and again and again
00:21:57 --> 00:22:00 to the death and resurrection of Jesus,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 to God's mission in this world
00:22:03 --> 00:22:09 so that our lives are constantly realigned with him and his work.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:14 Because we get so easily distracted by our own storylines
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 and our own missions and agendas.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 The disciples are no different.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 The apostles are confused.
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 Verse 6.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 Verse 6.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 Their vision is so small.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 Lord,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:30 are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 Like, that's it.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:36 They're thinking of their homes and their villages and stuff.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:39 And Jesus' mission is global.
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 You see, they, you know,
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 don't entirely blame these guys, right?
00:22:43 --> 00:22:46 I mean, they're as narrow-minded as we are.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 They knew that the Old Testament promise
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 of the outpouring of God's spirit
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 was a promise for the last days
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 when God would establish his kingdom on earth
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 and restore his people.
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 And so their question is,
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 Jesus, is this it now?
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 You know, is that time come?
00:23:01 --> 00:23:04 Will Jesus bring down the final curtain of history,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 beat up the Roman Empire,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 re-establish the kingdom as it used to be,
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 take Israel to its glory days
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 and reign over all creation
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 with Israel at the top of the pile?
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 And Jesus corrects their thinking in verse 7
00:23:17 --> 00:23:21 and then instructs them to basically,
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 guys, lift your eyes.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:26 Lift your eyes to a much bigger storyline,
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 a much bigger plan.
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 He's saying your primary concern
00:23:32 --> 00:23:35 is not the restoration of national Israel,
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 but your primary concern
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 is to receive the Holy Spirit,
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 God dwelling in you,
00:23:42 --> 00:23:46 that you might fulfill the task
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 that I have given you,
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50 my plan for all things.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 Have a look at verse 8.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 But you receive power
00:23:55 --> 00:23:58 when the Holy Spirit comes on you
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 and you will be my witnesses.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:05 This is the reason why you get the Holy Spirit.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 You will be my witnesses
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 in Jerusalem,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 Judea and Samaria,
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 the earth.
00:24:14 --> 00:24:16 Isaiah 49 verse 6,
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 God promised that salvation would be
00:24:18 --> 00:24:20 proclaimed to the ends of the earth
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 and Jesus confirms
00:24:22 --> 00:24:25 that this promise here
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 with these disciples.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 That's the promise.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:32 Salvation must be proclaimed
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 to the ends of the earth
00:24:33 --> 00:24:36 and these are his last words
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 to his disciples.
00:24:38 --> 00:24:41 Jesus' last words to his disciples
00:24:41 --> 00:24:44 are to be their primary concern,
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 their first concern.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:50 There is more work to be done
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 in God's mission
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 before chapter 4 comes
00:24:52 --> 00:24:55 and chapter 4 has not arrived yet.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 That's what he's saying
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 to his disciples.
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 First for the apostles,
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 then for all who are called
00:25:02 --> 00:25:05 to faith in Jesus Christ
00:25:05 --> 00:25:07 through their witness
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 are tasked with advancing
00:25:09 --> 00:25:12 God's mission to the ends of the earth
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 as our primary first concern.
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 It's a huge task.
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 And the encouraging thing is
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 what we see here
00:25:25 --> 00:25:27 from verse 8
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 is that we have power
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 for God's mission
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 to accomplish his task.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35 See, this is not merely human work.
00:25:35 --> 00:25:38 It is spirit-empowered witness.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 Jesus is calling them
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 to a supernatural activity.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 They will no longer be mere advocates,
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 not just mere advocates
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 who can prove,
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 like a good lawyer,
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 argue really well
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 that Jesus is risen from the dead.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 Under the influence
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 of the Holy Spirit,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 they will speak
00:25:58 --> 00:26:01 with an unwavering assurance
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 of one who has tasted
00:26:03 --> 00:26:06 and knows in their heart
00:26:06 --> 00:26:09 the reality so immediately
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 that all doubt
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 about the resurrection of Jesus
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 is gone.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 Under the power
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15 of the Spirit of God,
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 you move from being
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 an advocate of Christianity
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 to being a witness
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21 of the living Christ
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 in your own life.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24 You move from simply deducing
00:26:24 --> 00:26:27 Christian truths
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 from valid premises
00:26:28 --> 00:26:31 to proclaiming them
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 as boldly
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 as someone
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 who's experienced
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 the realities
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 in their own life.
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 This is the power
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 and the witness
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 that will take Christ
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 to the ends of the earth.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:43 Not just mere facts,
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 but facts,
00:26:45 --> 00:26:47 truths lived out
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 and shaping our lives.
00:26:49 --> 00:26:53 And so the church
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 is not merely
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 a human institution.
00:26:56 --> 00:26:59 In all that the church does,
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 it is to do it
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 in the power
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 of the Holy Spirit.
00:27:03 --> 00:27:05 And the promise here
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 of the Spirit
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 in verse 8
00:27:06 --> 00:27:08 is valid
00:27:08 --> 00:27:10 until the Great Commission
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 is complete
00:27:11 --> 00:27:13 and the witness of Christ
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 is planted
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 around the world.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 In other words,
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 it is a promise
00:27:18 --> 00:27:20 until chapter 4 comes.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 We are told in verse 9
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 that after Jesus
00:27:24 --> 00:27:26 said these things,
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 he was taken up
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 before their very eyes
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 and a cloud
00:27:28 --> 00:27:30 hid them from their sight,
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 hid him from their sight.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 At the end of his
00:27:35 --> 00:27:37 earthly ministry,
00:27:37 --> 00:27:39 Jesus is restored
00:27:39 --> 00:27:41 to his rightful place.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 And his rightful place
00:27:44 --> 00:27:47 is the seated ruler
00:27:47 --> 00:27:49 of all time
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 and eternity.
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 The one who has
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 the power of all things,
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 control of all things
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 in his hand.
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 He now rules,
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 occupying the highest place
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 as Lord of all,
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 and from there
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 he exercises
00:28:02 --> 00:28:04 his universal reign
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 that goes forever
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 and ever
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 and guarantees
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 the success
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 of his mission.
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 It will not fail.
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 His storyline
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 cannot be altered.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 It will not fail.
00:28:13 --> 00:28:21 It's really important
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 that we grapple with that
00:28:22 --> 00:28:25 because what you see
00:28:25 --> 00:28:28 in the rest of Acts
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 from verse 10 onwards
00:28:29 --> 00:28:31 is
00:28:31 --> 00:28:34 weakness.
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 Weakness
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39 at the very beginning
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 of God's mission.
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 Having been commissioned
00:28:42 --> 00:28:44 to go
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 to the ends
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 of the earth,
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 we see
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 in verse 10
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 a rebuke.
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 Men of Galilee,
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 why do you stand here
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 looking into the sky?
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 Like you
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 bunch of
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 stargazers,
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 you've been given
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 a mission
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 and you
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 stand,
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 you've been told
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 the Spirit will come,
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 get on down to Jerusalem.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 Why are you
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 standing here?
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 Get on
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 with the mission.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 It seems
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 like this is
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 fundamentally
00:29:13 --> 00:29:15 inconsistent.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 And so
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 one has to ask,
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 why
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 does Luke
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 include
00:29:24 --> 00:29:26 the second half
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 of chapter 1
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 of Acts?
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 You know,
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 he's on this
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 role
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 of,
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 you know,
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 Jesus ascended
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 on high,
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 going to get
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 the Holy Spirit,
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 going to take
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 this message
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 to the end
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 of the earth.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 I mean,
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 it's like
00:29:38 --> 00:29:40 gusto,
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 you know,
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 like,
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 whoa,
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 we've got
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 purpose in our lives.
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 Why doesn't he
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 just jump
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 straight from there
00:29:48 --> 00:29:50 to Acts chapter 2
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 and the day
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 of Pentecost
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 and thousands
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 of people
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 coming to Christ?
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 You know,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 there's a logical
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 connection
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 between those
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 two things.
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 Instead,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 what we have
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 is the details
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 around Judas'
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 betrayal,
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 Matthias'
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 selection,
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 why include
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 the lying,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 the mistrust,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 the betrayal,
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 the death?
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 It's not like,
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 you know,
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 he's a great
00:30:15 --> 00:30:17 story writer here
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 and he's wanting
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 to build up
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 Matthias and
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 let's,
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 you know,
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 this guy's going
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 to play a key
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 role,
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 you know,
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 in chapter 15
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 of Acts,
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 so we need to
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 introduce his
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 character now.
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 So let's get
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 Matthias in on
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 the scene now
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 rather than
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 drop him in
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 from,
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 Matthias doesn't
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 even get
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 mentioned again
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36 in the rest
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 of Acts.
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 So why
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 this diversion?
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 Now on one
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 important level,
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 we could say
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 that the
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 appointment of
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 Matthias
00:30:48 --> 00:30:50 shows us
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 that the
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 pursuit of
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 the Spirit's
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 power
00:30:53 --> 00:30:55 is not
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 disconnected
00:30:56 --> 00:30:58 from the
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 pursuit
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 towards the
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 teaching and
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 the work of
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 the historical
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 Jesus.
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 Let me just
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 simplify that.
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 It was
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 absolutely
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 important
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 that the
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 replacement
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 for Judas
00:31:10 --> 00:31:12 was himself
00:31:12 --> 00:31:14 an eyewitness
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 to the life,
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 the teaching
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 and the deeds
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 of Jesus
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 Christ.
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 The resurrected
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 Jesus,
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 absolutely
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 essential
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 that he
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 himself
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 was an
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 eyewitness
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 to the
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 resurrection
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 of Jesus.
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 It is
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 very clear
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 here that
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 the Holy
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 Spirit has
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34 an unwavering
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 zeal for
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 the glory
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 of the
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 crucified,
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 risen and
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 ascended
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 Jesus Christ.
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 They're not
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 disconnected.
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 There's not
00:31:43 --> 00:31:46 Bible-believing,
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 gospel-centered
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 Jesus people
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 Christians and
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 the Holy Spirit-filled
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 Jesus Christian
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 people.
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 They're not
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 separated.
00:31:53 --> 00:31:55 God's
00:31:55 --> 00:31:57 God's
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 God's
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 God's
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 God's
00:31:59 --> 00:32:02 God's
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 God's
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 God's
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 God's
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 approach.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:07 He does
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 not
00:32:07 --> 00:32:09 idolize
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 it at
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 all as
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 it
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 pursues
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 God's
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 mission in
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 the world.
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 Luke
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 reveals a
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 church of
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 weakness,
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 of frailty
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 and failure,
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 even though it
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 has this
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 astonishing
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 power in
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 the Holy
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 Spirit,
00:32:19 --> 00:32:21 even as
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 they
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 supernaturally
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 empowered to
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 pursue God's
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 mission in
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 the world of
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 redemption across
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 the globe,
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 through cultures
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 to every people
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 group,
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 we are still
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 weak.
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 The power is
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 not us.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 He records the
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 apostasy of
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 Judas, the
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 casting of lots
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 for his
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 replacement,
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 effectively the
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 gambling to
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 see who's
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 going to come
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 out the top
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 dog, the
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 hypocrisy of
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 Ananias and
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 Sapphira in
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 chapter 5,
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 the bickering
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 widows in
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 chapter 6,
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 Peter's
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 reluctance to
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 heed Christ's
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 call in
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 chapter 10,
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 and even
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 Paul's dispute
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 with John
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 Mark in
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 chapter 15.
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 Luke is
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 at least
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 making the
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 point that
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 even though
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 we have
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 this astonishing
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 power of the
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 Holy Spirit,
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 we need to
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 acknowledge our
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 sin, our
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 failure, our
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 frailty.
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 We need to
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 deal with the
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 sins and the
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 failures and
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 recognise our
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 frailty and
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 recognise our
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 total, total
00:33:21 --> 00:33:23 dependence upon
00:33:23 --> 00:33:25 the Holy Spirit
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 for the task at
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 hand.
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 And so the
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 pattern of the
00:33:30 --> 00:33:33 church is
00:33:33 --> 00:33:36 weakness and
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 dependence,
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 prayerful dependence
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 upon God.
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 That's why I love
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 verse 14.
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 They all join
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 together
00:33:44 --> 00:33:47 constantly in
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 prayer.
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 Constantly in
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 prayer.
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 That's why I
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 love the fact
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 that we're
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 pushing the
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 one plus one
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 plus one,
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 that the work
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 of God to
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 supernaturally
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 change someone's
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 storyline so
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 that they embrace
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 Jesus and get
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 included in God's
00:34:04 --> 00:34:06 eternal work is
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 a work of God in
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 the heart,
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 nothing less than
00:34:08 --> 00:34:10 that, nothing
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 less.
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 And Acts is
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 written to us
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 to give us
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 certainty that
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 God's plans for
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 his church are
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 always fulfilled
00:34:21 --> 00:34:23 because of his
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 great power,
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 despite our
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 frailty and
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 our failure.
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 And so do you
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 have confidence?
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 Do you have
00:34:30 --> 00:34:32 confidence in
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 this as we move
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 together from this
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 point as a church,
00:34:35 --> 00:34:37 as we look in
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 this season of
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 COVID-19 and
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 our frailty and
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 our weakness is
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 evident amongst
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 us, as we look
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 beyond 2020 for
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 the next stage of
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 vision for us as a
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 church here at
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 St. Paul's,
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 where is your
00:34:48 --> 00:34:48 confidence?
00:34:48 --> 00:34:50 Is it in strategic
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 planning?
00:34:50 --> 00:34:52 Is it in, I
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 don't know what it
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 is in, your
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 ability to
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 communicate truth
00:34:56 --> 00:34:58 or is it in
00:34:58 --> 00:35:00 God's spirit to
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 bring transformation
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 in people's lives?
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 And will that
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 confidence lead
00:35:05 --> 00:35:07 you to vitally,
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 vitally,
00:35:08 --> 00:35:10 radically align
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 yourself with
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 God's work in
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 the world?
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 It's an important
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 question.
00:35:18 --> 00:35:21 Is your life
00:35:21 --> 00:35:23 living for God's
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 storyline, his
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 mission in the
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 world?
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 Or is it
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 something that you
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 hold out to one
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 side, you dip in
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 and out of?
00:35:31 --> 00:35:33 You see, what
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 we're going to
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 realize is,
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 there's another
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 story that has
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 arisen in the
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 last 100 years,
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 another storyline,
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 another grand
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 narrative, another
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 vision, worldview,
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 if you like.
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 It's become the
00:35:44 --> 00:35:46 purpose of life for
00:35:46 --> 00:35:48 most people in the
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 Western world,
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 particularly in the
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 last 60 to 70
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 years.
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 It has captivated
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 the Western world.
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 The technical term
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 for this particular
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 storyline is
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 philosophical
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 naturalism.
00:35:59 --> 00:36:01 It's the fancy
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 way of describing
00:36:02 --> 00:36:04 materialism as a
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 worldview.
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 And it's worth
00:36:07 --> 00:36:09 comparing this
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 worldview, which
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 dominates the
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 West, it
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 dominates the
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 culture here at
00:36:13 --> 00:36:15 Chatswood, to
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 God's storyline.
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 Philosophical
00:36:19 --> 00:36:20 naturalism,
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 materialism, is a
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 three-chapter
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 story.
00:36:24 --> 00:36:26 First, the big
00:36:26 --> 00:36:26 bang.
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 Secondly,
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 evolution.
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 thirdly, the
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 end.
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 In the big bang,
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 there's no
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 supernatural or
00:36:32 --> 00:36:34 spiritual power that
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 rules the physical
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 universe.
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 It says that
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 everything that can
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 be measured,
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 which is the only
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 thing worthy,
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 by the way,
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 it's the only valid
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 things, the things
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 that can be
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 measured,
00:36:47 --> 00:36:49 is a result of
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 an explosion that
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 appeared out of
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 nothing billions of
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 years ago.
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 Freak
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 accident.
00:36:54 --> 00:36:57 chapter 2 of
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 the storyline is
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 that on the back
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 of that freak
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 accident, against
00:37:01 --> 00:37:03 all odds, humanity
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 has evolved from
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 prehistoric soup
00:37:05 --> 00:37:08 to become,
00:37:08 --> 00:37:10 today, the
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 dominant species
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 on the earth.
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 Today.
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 One day, maybe
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 overtaken by
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 something else.
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 And despite what
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 people might feel
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 inside them,
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 there is no
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 such thing as
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 absolute truth
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 no such thing
00:37:25 --> 00:37:25 as absolute
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 right, no such
00:37:26 --> 00:37:27 thing as absolute
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 wrong.
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 Because everything
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 is an accident
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 and random,
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 then life,
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 therefore, has
00:37:34 --> 00:37:36 no absolute
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 purpose,
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 and so,
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 therefore, every
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 individual is
00:37:40 --> 00:37:42 free to make
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 of it as they
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 see fit.
00:37:44 --> 00:37:47 and the goal
00:37:47 --> 00:37:49 of life in
00:37:49 --> 00:37:49 philosophical
00:37:49 --> 00:37:51 naturalism is
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 therefore to
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 consume as
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 much as
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 possible of
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 the material
00:37:56 --> 00:37:58 world for
00:37:58 --> 00:37:59 your own
00:37:59 --> 00:37:59 experiences.
00:38:00 --> 00:38:02 Whatever it is
00:38:02 --> 00:38:03 that makes
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 this moment in
00:38:04 --> 00:38:06 your storyline
00:38:06 --> 00:38:08 as happy and
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 as agreeable as
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 it possibly can.
00:38:10 --> 00:38:12 that's
00:38:12 --> 00:38:12 philosophical
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 naturalism.
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 And you
00:38:15 --> 00:38:15 need to
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 pursue your
00:38:16 --> 00:38:16 personal
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 happiness
00:38:17 --> 00:38:19 because
00:38:19 --> 00:38:21 chapter 3
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 is coming
00:38:22 --> 00:38:24 at any
00:38:24 --> 00:38:24 time.
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 And chapter
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 3 is
00:38:26 --> 00:38:27 the end.
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 Humanity
00:38:30 --> 00:38:30 will become
00:38:30 --> 00:38:31 extinct.
00:38:32 --> 00:38:32 There's no
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 form of
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 afterlife.
00:38:34 --> 00:38:35 This life
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 is it.
00:38:35 --> 00:38:37 that's it.
00:38:39 --> 00:38:39 Now, where
00:38:39 --> 00:38:41 materialism says
00:38:41 --> 00:38:42 everything is
00:38:42 --> 00:38:42 random and
00:38:42 --> 00:38:44 therefore, there's
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 no good, there's
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 no evil, nothing
00:38:46 --> 00:38:47 to ever hope
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 for, the
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 biblical story
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 says that we
00:38:50 --> 00:38:51 have a loving
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 creator, a
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 loving creator
00:38:53 --> 00:38:55 who has triumphed
00:38:55 --> 00:38:57 over evil at
00:38:57 --> 00:38:58 great cost to
00:38:58 --> 00:38:59 himself in
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 order to love
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 his creatures
00:39:01 --> 00:39:02 dearly.
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 And as we
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 look forward to
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 a day where
00:39:05 --> 00:39:06 when everything
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 wrong will be
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 made right
00:39:08 --> 00:39:10 and we
00:39:10 --> 00:39:10 will live
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 with him
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 in blissful
00:39:12 --> 00:39:14 joy for
00:39:14 --> 00:39:14 all of
00:39:14 --> 00:39:15 eternity,
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 increasing
00:39:16 --> 00:39:17 joy for
00:39:17 --> 00:39:18 all of
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 eternity as
00:39:19 --> 00:39:20 he embraces
00:39:20 --> 00:39:22 us with
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 his cosmic
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 love and
00:39:24 --> 00:39:25 joy.
00:39:26 --> 00:39:28 He imparts
00:39:28 --> 00:39:29 it to us
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 forever.
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 forever.
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 There's a
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 difference between
00:39:36 --> 00:39:37 two storylines.
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 Know this,
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 whatever
00:39:42 --> 00:39:44 storyline you
00:39:44 --> 00:39:45 hold to,
00:39:46 --> 00:39:46 philosophical
00:39:46 --> 00:39:48 naturalism, the
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 Bible storyline
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 with Jesus as
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 centre or any
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 other storyline
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 that you
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 particularly want
00:39:52 --> 00:39:52 to grasp hold
00:39:52 --> 00:39:54 of, every
00:39:54 --> 00:39:56 single storyline
00:39:56 --> 00:39:58 requires you to
00:39:58 --> 00:39:59 surrender for
00:39:59 --> 00:39:59 it.
00:39:59 --> 00:40:00 Every single
00:40:00 --> 00:40:02 storyline requires
00:40:02 --> 00:40:03 your time, your
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 talents, your
00:40:04 --> 00:40:05 treasures.
00:40:05 --> 00:40:06 It requires
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 everything from
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 you, your
00:40:07 --> 00:40:08 storyline.
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 And what we
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 proclaim here as
00:40:13 --> 00:40:15 a church again
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 and again and
00:40:15 --> 00:40:16 again and again
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 and again and
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 again and we
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 will do so right
00:40:19 --> 00:40:20 through the book
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 of Acts, the
00:40:21 --> 00:40:22 biblical storyline
00:40:22 --> 00:40:23 is compelling.
00:40:24 --> 00:40:24 It is
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 convincing.
00:40:26 --> 00:40:27 Not just
00:40:27 --> 00:40:28 convincingly
00:40:28 --> 00:40:29 truth-wise but
00:40:29 --> 00:40:29 it's also
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 compelling from
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 the heart.
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 It draws you
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 in to God's
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 cosmic love and
00:40:34 --> 00:40:34 joy.
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 It's also
00:40:39 --> 00:40:41 more true and
00:40:41 --> 00:40:43 reasonable than
00:40:43 --> 00:40:44 all the grand
00:40:44 --> 00:40:45 storylines of
00:40:45 --> 00:40:45 this world.
00:40:47 --> 00:40:48 And so right
00:40:48 --> 00:40:49 now and
00:40:49 --> 00:40:50 throughout the
00:40:50 --> 00:40:50 book of Acts
00:40:50 --> 00:40:51 as we go
00:40:51 --> 00:40:51 through in the
00:40:51 --> 00:40:52 coming weeks,
00:40:53 --> 00:40:54 like Theophilus,
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 I invite you,
00:40:56 --> 00:40:57 as Luke did
00:40:57 --> 00:40:58 to Theophilus,
00:40:58 --> 00:40:59 I invite you
00:40:59 --> 00:41:01 to jump on
00:41:01 --> 00:41:03 board with
00:41:03 --> 00:41:04 God's work in
00:41:04 --> 00:41:04 this world, in
00:41:04 --> 00:41:05 the Lord Jesus.
00:41:06 --> 00:41:07 Start investigating
00:41:07 --> 00:41:08 the claims and
00:41:08 --> 00:41:10 align your life
00:41:10 --> 00:41:11 with Jesus and
00:41:11 --> 00:41:12 his grand plan
00:41:12 --> 00:41:14 for all of
00:41:14 --> 00:41:14 humanity.
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 Amen.