Priests
Series: The Kingdom Of God
Speaker: Chris Jones
Date: 25th February 2012
Passage: Exodus 19:1-25
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 I'm going to lead us in prayer.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 Lord Jesus, as we come to your word now,
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 we pray that you would speak to us by your spirit,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 that you would make us attentive to you,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 that you would grow us in Christ,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 and that we would be men and women who worship you,
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 who give you the glory in every aspect of our life.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 We sell Christianity short
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 when we separate being rescued by Jesus
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 from worshipping Jesus,
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 and what I mean is that we preach,
00:00:33 --> 00:00:37 come to Jesus, receive forgiveness for your every sin and failure.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 We preach the rich generosity of God,
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 but we forget to say, or people don't hear,
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 join us in treasuring Jesus together.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 So people will take a free ticket to heaven.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 They want what Christ gives.
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 They want salvation.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:00 They want salvation.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 They want his free gift.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 And they don't want him.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 God's grace is given so that we can know him
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 and participate in his glory.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:18 And God's goal in saving people is that we would worship him,
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 that we would acknowledge him for who he is,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 that we would give him his worth-ship,
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 that we would delight in him,
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 that we would rejoice to give him glory.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:34 We are saved to worship.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 And so my message to you this morning is,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 come to Jesus,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 be rescued,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:43 start worshipping.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:48 Now you use the word worship,
00:01:48 --> 00:01:49 and it's quite a confused word.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 A lot of people use the word
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 when what they are talking about is singing.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 So for some,
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 singing in church is worship.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 And others talk about the service or the liturgy,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 and they describe that as worship.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:10 And I think I want to say that they are both
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 very narrow uses of the word worship.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 And they may or may not be worshipped
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 depending on what is going on in a person's heart.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 So you can be sitting here this morning,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 and you can be totally disengaged from God,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 and you can be totally disengaged from one another,
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 and if that's the status of where we are,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 then we can hardly claim to be worshipping.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:39 Jesus quotes Isaiah 29 in Matthew 15
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 when he says,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 These people honour me with their lips,
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 but their hearts are far from me.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 So it's possible to make all the right noises,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 and at the same time to have a heart
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 which is far from God.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 And that is a warning to all,
00:03:02 --> 00:03:03 including me.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:10 I want us to think this morning of worship
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 as a whole-of-life activity.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 It's broad.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:17 It's about giving God his due in our life.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 Worship means responding to God on his terms,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:21 not ours.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 True worship will be expressed
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 in loving obedience to Christ.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 True worshippers will not ask,
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 What's in it for me?
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 They know Christ,
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 and so they will ask,
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 What do you want from me?
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 Lord, I so treasure you.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:44 I trust you with every circumstance of my life.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 Lord, take my life
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 and use it to your glory.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:54 Now I'm continuing our Kingdom of God series.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 We're looking at the big picture movement of the Bible.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 We've been working to the theme
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 which Sam's put up in front of us this morning.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:01 There is a king.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 There are subjects of the kingdom,
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 and there is a place where the king reigns.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 There's a place where God reigns.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 And what we're doing is
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 we're considering different places in the Bible,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 and we were looking at the Bible
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 in those places over time,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 and we're asking over time,
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 What does it look like to be God's people
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 in God's place under God's rule?
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 And today we turn our attention to Moses.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 So Exodus 19, it would be great to have it open.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 We'll be going to various places this morning.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 But in Exodus 19, verse 4,
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 God says to the people of Israel,
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 and how I carried you on eagles' wings
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 and brought you to myself.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 It summarises a big story.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 700 years before,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 God revealed the future to Abraham in Genesis 15.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 We read it last week.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 God said to Abraham,
00:05:02 --> 00:05:02 He said,
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 Know for certain that your descendants
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 will be strangers in a country
00:05:07 --> 00:05:08 not their own,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 and they will be enslaved
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 and mistreated for 400 years,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 but in the fourth generation,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 they will come back here.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 So in Exodus 19,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:22 where we are this morning,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 the future that Abraham spoke of
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 is now past.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 And his descendants
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 had grown to be a great number in Egypt.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 And they cried out to the Lord
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 because they were cruelly oppressed
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 by a racist government.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 And God raises up Moses
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 to confront the king of Egypt.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 And in a series of enormous miracles,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 God destroyed the power of the Egyptian king
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 and all his gods.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 And all through the contest
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 with the Egyptian king,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 Moses was asking him
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 to allow Israel to go
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 and worship the Lord.
00:05:58 --> 00:06:02 And the king continually refused.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 God wouldn't be worshipped
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 in his kingdom.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 No way he would allow them
00:06:07 --> 00:06:08 to shoot through
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 and go and worship God.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 Not going to happen.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 It's a huge story.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 And in the end,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 everyone who trusts God's word
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 and protects themselves
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 with the blood of the lamb lives.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 And everyone who ignores God's provision
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 loses their firstborn son.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 And so God forces
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 the Egyptian king's hand.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 The Egyptians beg the Israelites
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 to leave their land.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 They send them away with riches.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 They plunder the Egyptians.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 They escape to the desert.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 And God saves the nation
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 in a stupendous way.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 He drives up the Red Sea.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 The nation passes through.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 And God drowns the armies of Egypt
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 when they try to follow.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 And it's this massive story
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 in the Bible
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 of salvation
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 and of redemption.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 God pulls all the levers
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 to deliver his people.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 The entire nation of Israel,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 all of Abraham's descendants,
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 experience this extraordinary rescue
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 from the most appalling circumstances.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 And we see that God
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 is keeping his promises
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 to Abraham.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 And so when God says
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 in verse 4, Exodus 19,
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 you yourselves have seen
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 what I did to Egypt
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 and how I carried you
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 on eagle's wings
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 and brought you to myself,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:38 it has got a big story behind it.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:42 So Exodus 19 begins
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 with the nation
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 just over eight weeks
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 out of Egypt.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 And they're in the desert
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 in front of the mountain of God,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 Mount Sinai.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 And God reminds them
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 that he is the one
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 who saved them.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 And he addresses
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 his rescued people
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 and he says to them,
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 this is verse 5,
00:07:58 --> 00:08:16 And what God does
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 is he offers these people,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 his people,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 a privileged role
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 in his purposes for the world.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 And God says,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 I will treasure you,
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 you will be set apart
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 for my purposes,
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 you will be
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 my representatives
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 to the world.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 And God names the terms.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:38 He says,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 Obey me fully
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 and keep my covenant.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 And if you do,
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 you will be the nation
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 out of all the nations
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 of the earth
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 who represent me
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 to the world.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 Now I haven't got time
00:08:53 --> 00:08:53 this morning,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 but if we read
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 the next 12 chapters,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:56 you would read
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 the 10 commandments
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 being given
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 and the laws of God
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 and the provisions
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 for priesthood
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 and you would see
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 how God wants
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 to be worshipped
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 and you would see
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 that at the conclusion
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 of God giving
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 all his instructions,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 the people with one voice
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 say,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 everything that the Lord
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 has said,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 we will do.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 That's Exodus 24.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 Everything that the Lord
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 has said,
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 we will do.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 It's a great moment
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 of commitment.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:24 And God invites
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 this nation of Israel
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 into this privileged
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 relationship with him.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:29 They say,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 we will do it
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 and they blow it
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 first base.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 Because you get to
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 Exodus chapter 32
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 and 33
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 and you come across
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 a national disaster.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 Moses is up on the mountain
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 meeting with God.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 The people convince Aaron
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 to make them a golden calf
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 which they begin
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 to party around
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 and worship.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 The holy people of God,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 his treasured possession,
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 stepped away from privilege.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 They went back to being
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 just like everyone else
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 and in a short period of time
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 they just went back
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 into the world.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:10 And Moses and Joshua
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 come back down the mountain
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 to an orgy of worship
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 as the nation
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 dances and prances
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 around this stupid thing
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 that they have made.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 Sometimes we behave
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 as though there's some kind
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 of safety in sin.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:25 You know,
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 we get security
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 if everybody else
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 is doing the same thing
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 it'll be alright.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 We drive like the road
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 rules are for everybody else.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 We watch television shows
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 that a few years ago
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 wouldn't have even got
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 an R classification
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 at the movies.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 We go back into the world
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 we gossip
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 we call it
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 informed conversation.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 Moses says to Aaron
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 what on earth is going on?
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 What have you done?
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 And he gives this
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 idiotic explanation.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 Oh don't be angry
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 we threw all the
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 jewellery into the fire
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 and look what popped out.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 It's a miracle.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 Heard the story recently
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 a 50 something
00:11:18 --> 00:11:18 year old man
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 somebody my age
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 left his wife
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 went overseas
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 sleeping with a 25
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 year old woman
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 to do mission
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 in an orphanage.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 And he justified
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 himself by calling it
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 ministry.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 We are blind fools
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 when it comes
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 to sin.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 Moses saw the people
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 running wild.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 He's horrified
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 that the nation
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 has turned away
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 from God
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 in worship
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 and he takes
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 the most drastic
00:11:51 --> 00:11:51 action.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 He gets the Levites
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 to strap the sword
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 in and on
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 and go in amongst
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 the people
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 and bring it to a halt
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 and they slaughtered
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 3 of their own
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 people that day
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 and then God
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 topped it off
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 with a plague
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 that killed
00:12:03 --> 00:12:03 a whole lot more.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 And Moses
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 goes to the Lord
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 and he appeals
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 for mercy
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 and forgiveness
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 for the people
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 and he places
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 himself between
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 them and God
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 he acts
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 as a priestly
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 mediator
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 and he says
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 if you won't
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 forgive their sin
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 then blot me
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 out of your book.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:31 And God
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 replies very firmly
00:12:33 --> 00:12:33 whoever sinned
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 against me
00:12:34 --> 00:12:34 I will blot
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 out of my book.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 And again
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 it's a long story
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 but this is
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 opportunity lost
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 because Israel
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 has blown it
00:12:48 --> 00:12:48 on the starting
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 blocks.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 Right at the
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 beginning
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 they lose
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 the opportunity
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 to be the
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 privileged nation.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 They will never
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 now be
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 the kingdom
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 of priests
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 and the holy
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 nation
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 the treasured
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 possession.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 And in judgment
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 God says
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 go to the land
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 but I will not
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 go with you
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 because you
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 are a stiff
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 necked people
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 and I might
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 destroy you
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 on the way.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 I was blown
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 away by this
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 God does not
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 change his mind.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 they lose
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 an immense
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 opportunity
00:13:27 --> 00:13:30 but God
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 still
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 shows grace
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 to the
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 nation
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 in allowing
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 Moses to
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 mediate
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 on their
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 behalf.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 And so
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 Moses rather
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 than the
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 nation
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 becomes the
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 priest
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 or the
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 mediator
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 who stands
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 between God
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 and people.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 He is the
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 man who
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 turns God's
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 anger away
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 from the
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 nation.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 He is the
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 man to
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 whom God
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 says I
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 am pleased
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 with you
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 and I
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 know you
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 by name.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 Exodus 33.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:58 He is the
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 man who
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 knows and
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 sees the
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 glory of
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 God.
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 No one
00:14:05 --> 00:14:05 else in
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 the nation
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 is privileged
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 to know
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 God in the
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 way that
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 Moses does.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 God is
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 still king
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 and God's
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 people are
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 still invited
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 to God's
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 place.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 That's for
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 next week
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 for Sam's
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 sake.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 God is
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 king
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 but now
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 God rules
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 them through
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 a particular
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 mediator.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 A priest
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 who stands
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 between God
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 and people
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 and they
00:14:32 --> 00:14:32 are no
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 longer a
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 nation of
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 priests
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 mediating
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 God to
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 the world.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 And what
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 is lost
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 is not
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 recaptured
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 in great
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 glory
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 until you
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 get to the
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 pages of
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 the New
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 Testament.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 covenant.
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 So in
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 Hebrews
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 chapter 9
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 verse 15
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 it says
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 for Christ
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 is the
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 mediator
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 of a
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 new
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 covenant
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 that
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 those
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 who are
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 called
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 may
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 receive
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 the
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 promised
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 eternal
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 inheritance
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 now that
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 he has
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 died as a
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 ransom to
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 set them
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 free from
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 the sins
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 committed
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 under the
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 first
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 covenant.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 Or in
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 Hebrews
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 chapter 14
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 verse 4
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 we have a
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 priest who
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 has gone
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 through the
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 heavens.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 And so
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 the glory
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 of God
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 is seen
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 in the
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 Lord Jesus
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 in a
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 fuller way
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 than was
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 ever revealed
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 through
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 Moses.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 Christ
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 is the
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 mediator
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 the priest
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 who dies
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 for the
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 sin of
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 God's
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 people.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 He is a
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 propitiation
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 for our
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 sin.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 He turns
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 God's
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 anger
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 away from
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 us.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 He is
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 in heaven
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 he knows
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 God's
00:15:39 --> 00:15:39 glory and
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 when Jesus
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 was here
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 God his
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 father declared
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 this is my
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 son whom
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 I love
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 listen to
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 him.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 And it
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 gets even
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 better because
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 Jesus restores
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 what was lost
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 when God's
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 people faltered
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 at first
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 base and
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 worshipped the
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 golden calf.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:07 Peter has
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 a clear
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 understanding
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 of what
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 Jesus has
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 restored
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 when he
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 writes
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 1 Peter.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 He
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 effectively
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 writes to
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 us sitting
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 here this
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 morning and
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 he says to
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 us but you
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 are a chosen
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 people a
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 royal priesthood
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 a holy
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 nation a
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 people belonging
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 to God that
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 you may declare
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 the praises of
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 him who called
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 you out of
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 darkness into
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 his wonderful
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 light.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 Once you
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 were not a
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 people but
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 now you are
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 the people of
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 God.
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 Once you had
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 not received
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 mercy but
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 now you have
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 received mercy.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 mercy.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 And so Peter
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 takes up the
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 language of
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 Exodus to
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 explain the
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 mission of
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 Christian believers
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 to the world
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 and it is
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 absolutely
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 glorious.
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 The privilege
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 and the
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 opportunity offered
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 in Exodus and
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 lost has been
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 recaptured.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 Believers are
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 addressed as a
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 chosen people,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 a royal
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 priesthood, a
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 holy nation, a
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 people who
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 belong to
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 God.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 And we
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 are called
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 those things
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 because of the
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 work of
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 Christ.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 So in 1
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 Peter chapter
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 1 Peter
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 says,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 Praise be to
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 the God and
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 Father of our
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 Lord Jesus
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 Christ.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 In his
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 great mercy he
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 has given us
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 new birth into
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 a living hope
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 through the
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 resurrection of
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 Jesus Christ
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 from the dead.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 So salvation
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 has led to
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 the opportunity
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 for privileged
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 service of the
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 king.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:41 and we are
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 able to enter
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 into a life of
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 worship.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 And we are
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 now able to
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 do God's
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 works which he
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 prepared in
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 advance for us
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 to do.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 And 1
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 Peter says that
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 we have been
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 called to a
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 very specific
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 role.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 To declare
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 the praises of
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 him who called
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 you out of
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 darkness into
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 his wonderful
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 light.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 1 Peter chapter
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 2 verse 9.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 God has
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 saved us for
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 a purpose.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 To declare
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 the praises,
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 to declare
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 his praises.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 God has.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 And Peter says
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 that to a
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 bunch of
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 believers who
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 don't seem
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 very significant
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 in terms of
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 power and
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 worldly influence.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 He calls them
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 strangers in the
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 world, he says
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 they're scattered,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 and yet he says
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 to them even
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 though everybody
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 might despise you
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 for what you
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 think and for
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 what you believe,
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 you go and live
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 such good lives
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 among the pagans
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 that though they
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 accuse you of
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 doing wrong,
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 they may see
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 your good deeds
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 on the day of
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 Christ Jesus.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 Who we are
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 in the world
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 is not what
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 makes us
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 significant in
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 God's economy.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 On the day of
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 Christ Jesus,
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 your ATAR,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 your position in
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 the business
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 world, the
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 properties and
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 wealth that you
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 possess,
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 representing
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 Australia at
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 sport or
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 whatever it is,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 will not matter.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 God has saved
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 us to give
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 him the glory
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 and not to
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 take his glory
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 to ourselves.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 We are saved
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 to worship.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 And if you are
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 a Christian believer,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 you have a story
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 to tell about God
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 who brought you
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 from darkness
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 to light.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 And the journey
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 for all of us
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 might be a little
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 bit different.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 Some of us have
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 been nurtured in
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 the faith in
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 Christian families
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 and maybe,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 maybe not,
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 there have been
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 places along the
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 way where our
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 family's faith has
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 become our own.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:44 And others of
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 us know very
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 clear moments of
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 conversion, a
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 moment in time
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 when you understood
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 Christ and trusted
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 him for the first
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 time.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 You've got a story
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 to tell.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 And even if you
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 aren't sure what
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 your story is,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 we have his story.
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 We have the
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 gospel.
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 And God has
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 provided a perfect
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 mediator, a perfect
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 priest.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 He has stood in
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 our place.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 He has died for
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 our sins.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 And we have God's
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 great news about
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 the Lord Jesus
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 Christ.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 We have a
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 message that God
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 wants us to
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 declare to his
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 world.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 And it's a
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 message which
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 people need even
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 if they don't
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 think they do.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 What you see
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 here is that God
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 speaks to the
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 world through
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 chosen mediators,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 his people.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 people.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 He does it through
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 the church.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 And I don't
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 mean the church
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 as an institution.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 I mean the
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 people of God
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 scattered throughout
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 the world who
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 meet in many
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 different places
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 and circumstances
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 around the word
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 of God.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 The community
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 groups that I'm
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 in at the
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 moment are
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 reading a book
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 called A
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 Meal with
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 Jesus.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 I've mentioned
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 it a few
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 times over the
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 last few
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 weeks.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 It's a
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 delightful little
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 book that
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 looks at the
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 significance of
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 food and meals
00:21:04 --> 00:21:07 in Luke's
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 gospel.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 And it
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 describes Jesus
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 in a very
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 ordinary way as
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 the son of
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 man who came
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 eating and
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 drinking.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 And the
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 religious people
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 called him a
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 drunkard and a
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 glutton.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:25 But it's in
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 Luke's gospel,
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 it's during
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 meals that
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 Jesus does
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 some of his
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 most significant
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 teaching,
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 sometimes
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 offending,
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 sometimes
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 comforting.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 But he does
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 it in the
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 ordinary.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 And I think
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 much of
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 ministry happens
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 in the
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 ordinary moments
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 of life.
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 Opportunities
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 to declare
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 God's praise
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 come in very
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 ordinary settings
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 around a
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 meal.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 At the
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 school gate,
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 while we're
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 watching our
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 kids play
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 sport, over
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 lunch in the
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 workplace, one
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 of you told me
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 a lovely story
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 the other day
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 of wanting to
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 be a friend
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 and to hold
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 out a helping
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 hand.
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 And it led
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 to a conversation
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 where the
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 person expressed
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 interest in
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 coming to
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 church.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 Brian
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 Tung did
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 some great
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 things at the
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 end of last
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 year with the
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 NTE mission.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 The whole
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 team surveyed
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 people down
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 at the
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 Mandarin
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 Centre down
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 in Chatswood
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 and their
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 purpose wasn't
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 to do a
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 dump and
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 declare every
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 purpose of
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 God in
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 every conversation.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 I think
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 Brian described
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 it as a
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 date, a
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 point of
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 contact and
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 hoping maybe
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 to create an
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 opportunity for
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 a second
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 date and a
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 second opportunity.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:49 I have a
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 friend who
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 describes these
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 sort of
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 conversations like
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 fishing.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 He said you
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 need a well
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 presented bait
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 and you need
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 patience while
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 you wait for
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 the fish
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 themselves to
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 show interest
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 in what you've
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 got to offer.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 I like to
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 talk about
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 having winsome
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 conversations with
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 people, not
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 being too
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 pushy, listening
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 well, sharing
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 yourself, being
00:23:13 --> 00:23:15 real, not
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 looking to
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 dump your
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 truck on
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 top of
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 people.
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 Romans 12
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 1 says
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 therefore in
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 view of
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 God's mercy
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 present your
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 bodies as a
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 living sacrifice
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 to God
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 which is your
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 spiritual act
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 of worship.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 Salvation
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 leads to
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 worship
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 and worship
00:23:40 --> 00:23:43 is whole of
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 life service
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 of the Lord
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 Jesus Christ.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 In
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 Exodus God
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 moved his
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 mighty arm to
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 save his
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 people in a
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 marvellous way.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 They were
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 called to
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 worship him.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 They blew it
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 at first base.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 They lost the
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 privilege opportunity
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 to be God's
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 priests, God's
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 mediators to
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 the world.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 And in
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 Jesus Christ we
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 have been offered
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 privilege again.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 1 Peter
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 chapter 2 says
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 you are a
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 chosen people,
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 a royal
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 priesthood,
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 a holy
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 nation, a
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 people belonging
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 to God
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 that you may
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 declare the
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 praises of
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 him who
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 called you
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 out of
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 darkness
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 into his
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 wonderful
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 light.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 So go into
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 the ordinary
00:24:32 --> 00:24:35 and be the
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 extraordinary
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 people that we
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 have become in
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 Christ.
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 Christ.
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 So my
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 message to you
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 this morning,
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 come to
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 Jesus, be
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 rescued, start
00:24:46 --> 00:24:49 worshipping, open
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 our mouths, use
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 our resources, open
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 our homes, open
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 our hearts to
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 people living in
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 darkness that we
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 might declare the
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 praises of him who
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 called us out of
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 darkness into his
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 wonderful light.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 Amen.