Session 2
Series: Partners 2020
Speaker: Chris Jones
Date: 25th November 2011
Passage: Ephesians 4:1-16
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 So Ephesians 4, where we are this morning, the first 16 verses, begins with an exhortation
00:00:04 --> 00:00:09 in the light of who we are as God's church, and again, it's a very big we, it's us as
00:00:09 --> 00:00:14 a body, it's not just take it home individual, this is me, this is us as a body, and for
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 us here, the body of Christ who meet here at St. Paul's.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:24 And it begins with an exhortation to walk in a way which is worthy of what we have received.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:36 So the church is the expression of this brand new humanity created in Christ, and Ephesians
00:00:36 --> 00:00:44 4 begins by exhorting us to be that humanity in the relationships that we have with one
00:00:44 --> 00:00:44 another.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:54 And so the very first words, or verse 2 says, so be completely humble and gentle, be patient,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 bearing with one another in love.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:03 So I'll say it again, be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 in love.
00:01:05 --> 00:01:10 We could spend a lot of time on this and we're not going to, but humility was something which
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 was just a shameful thing in Greek culture.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 We are called to humility because it is something that Christ has modelled for us.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:25 In Mark chapter 10 verse 45, Jesus said, for even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
00:01:25 --> 00:01:29 but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:37 And so when he says humble and gentle and bearing with one another in love, he is calling us to
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 things that Christ himself has modelled for us beforehand.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 I had a delightful time in my small group the other night.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 I've asked for permission to share this.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:51 Cecilia was there and she told us the story of last Sunday at the international service,
00:01:52 --> 00:01:52 11.30am.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:59 And it was a pretty special and important occasion for that congregation because it really was,
00:02:00 --> 00:02:06 I think in Cecilia's words, it was the last meeting of hope in a sense before we go into
00:02:06 --> 00:02:12 our new, you know what I mean, hope as in big H hope, hope, not small H hope.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 And she said it was a bit of a circus.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 I don't think she used that word, but it was a bit of a circus.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:24 Brian was running from Cantonese to international and between the two preaching.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 They were doing things that were out of order.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 They were stopped for a while in the middle with nothing to do while they waited for him
00:02:31 --> 00:02:32 to come back and preach.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 And then at the end, both congregations solved the communion problem.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 Well, I might not have got this in order, but near enough, they solved the communion problem
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 by coming into here, into this building and having communion together.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 And I said, sounds a bit chaotic.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:51 And I asked if people were offended.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 And she said, no, we laughed.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:56 We laughed.
00:02:56 --> 00:03:01 And I actually think that's an example of bearing with one another in love, showing gentleness
00:03:01 --> 00:03:07 and patience with complete humility, being able to laugh at ourselves and laugh at the
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 mistakes that we make sometimes.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 Now, it can save a lot of angst.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:17 You know, you know, it happens something goes wrong, we miss something, we don't do something
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 quite right, and then we've got our knickers in a knot and we're saying it shouldn't be like
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 this and no, no, no, no, no.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 Sometimes it's just good to laugh, to bear with one another in love.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:34 We are called to a particular quality of relationships and our worthiness in Christ will be seen in
00:03:34 --> 00:03:38 the way that we relate to one another in church.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 I had a moment of huge encouragement a few years ago.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 I was down at Lane Cove National Park in the conference centre there.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:50 It was our Western Region Ministry Conference and a man came up behind and put his hands
00:03:50 --> 00:03:54 on my shoulders from behind and he said, how's it going, my friend?
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 And I turned round, it was the Archbishop.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:03 And one of the things I said to him, because it was where I was at at the time, I said to
00:04:03 --> 00:04:09 him, I feel like there are people in our congregation who push me around on the basis of who they
00:04:09 --> 00:04:13 are in their job and their workplace or how they are regarded in wider society.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:20 And I feel like they come into church and because of the significant places and positions they
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 have outside, they bring that sense of who they are into the church.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:30 And sometimes, perhaps without even meaning to, they push me and other people around.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:38 And he said to me, I know exactly how you feel, my friend.
00:04:38 --> 00:04:44 It was a moment of marvellous encouragement for me.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:51 Didn't have to solve the problem, but just to have somebody like that understand what
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 it feels like to stand in the shoes.
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 See, this is not a place where we are to push one another around.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:06 We are called to walk in humility and service in the same way that Christ did.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:13 And I think a practical outcome of this is that we can enjoy each other and we can enjoy
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 the relationships that God has given us.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:22 And so I think I want to say at the beginning of chapter 4, it's saying relationships are key
00:05:22 --> 00:05:29 and the qualities with which we relate to each other undergird everything else that is said
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 throughout this passage.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 Pretty easy to summarise Ephesians 4.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 I'll do my glib summary and you can pull me up on details later.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:46 But I think it's saying as we walk worthy of Christ, there is a unity.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:50 There is unity and there is also difference.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 And there's a God-given reason for both.
00:05:56 --> 00:06:02 And in this talk, I particularly want to get to God's reason for them both.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:08 So we'll go through both, reason for unity, reason for difference, but push beyond that
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 for the reason why.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:14 You see unity which is expressed in verses 3 to 6.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:14 It says,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:20 Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:26 There is one body and one spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:37 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:43 And you start to see that when you talk about things like unity, we don't set the boundaries.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 God does.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 He defines it.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:53 And if you pull out the elements of this, it talks about things like one body, verse 4,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:58 one spirit, verse 4, one hope, verse 4, one Lord, verse 5, one faith, verse 5,
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 one baptism, verse 5, one God and Father.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 He is everything, verse 6.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:13 And if you extract a little bit from that, you actually see that our unity is built around who God is, himself.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:21 One spirit, one Lord, one God and Father.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:27 So God is a God of relationship and God is a God who is in relationship.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:35 And our unity, the body of Christ, we are a body created by Christ himself.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:41 We have a common hope and faith which he has brought to us.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:47 So everything is of God in terms of unity.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:51 Who he is and what he has given to us.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:58 And the only thing that we do in terms of a unified response to what God has done is we get baptised.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:05 But even there, the proper understanding of baptism is it's God's work.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:11 He has inwardly brought us into his family through the baptism of the Holy Spirit,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 which is something which has happened inside us.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:19 So our unity is all of God.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 And we don't make the rules for unity, God does.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 Now Christians sometimes seek unity with all sorts of people.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:34 And we could go into a long discourses and we could talk about denominations and other religions and all sorts of things.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 But let me say sometimes we even seek unity, say, with Muslims.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 And that doesn't matter if we want to be bad friends.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 But we seek a unity with them, say on family issues.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 I think there's a family day coming up at the moment.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 Either this weekend or next weekend.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:53 And part of the unity around that day is a unity with Muslims.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:58 And that is because we both have mutual concerns about gay marriage.
00:08:58 --> 00:09:08 So we organise ourselves around the issue or denominational preference or whatever it is.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 That's one of the ways we seek unity.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:27 That sort of unity does not glorify God if it downplays or minimises the exclusive lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:34 And so this passage says that Christian unity is found in God himself.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:41 And that means declaring him for who he is, Father, Lord and Holy Spirit.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 Now there's difference.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 And there's this list of gifts which begins at verse 7.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:51 It says,
00:09:51 --> 00:10:08 What does he ascended mean except that he also descended to lower earthly regions?
00:10:09 --> 00:10:15 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:28 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service, etc., etc.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 We'll come back there.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 So we've got a list of gifts here.
00:10:32 --> 00:10:35 And I think four or five in particular are listed.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 We've got apostles.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 We've got prophets.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 We've got evangelists.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 We've got pastors and teachers.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 Or we've got pastors and teachers.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 I mean pastors and teachers together or pastors and teachers separate.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 It doesn't matter how you count.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 It's not an exhausting list of gifts.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:59 You could go to other passages in the New Testament like Romans chapter 12 or 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and you could see other gifts which are named and which are listed.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:07 So if you take a broad view of scripture, you find that the people of God have many different gifts which are given out by the Spirit of God.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:15 And 1 Peter chapter 11 and 1 Peter chapter 12 and 1 Peter chapter 13 says each one should use whatever gift he has received in the service of others.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:22 So it's not an exhaustive list but it is a focused list.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:27 it's a list of particular gifts
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 which are expressed here
00:11:30 --> 00:11:36 and these gifts are all about the ministry of God's word
00:11:36 --> 00:11:41 there's a wonderful illustration which he throws into the text here
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 he talks about ascending and descending
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 going up and down
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 what's all this mean
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 talking about ascending on high
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 leaving captives in his train
00:11:48 --> 00:11:52 and what he's actually doing is quoting Psalm 68
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 and when he quotes a little bit of it
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 it's fair to presume that he's actually quoting
00:11:57 --> 00:12:01 perhaps the whole sense of what Psalm 68 is about
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 and Psalm 68 is a psalm
00:12:04 --> 00:12:08 which apparently was used for worship by the Jewish people
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 in association with Pentecost
00:12:10 --> 00:12:14 and Pentecost for them is different from Pentecost for us
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 because Pentecost for the Jews
00:12:16 --> 00:12:21 was a time in particular when they would commemorate the giving of the law
00:12:21 --> 00:12:25 so the picture here in Psalm 68
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 is an illustration from the Old Testament
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 the Lord Almighty scatters the kings of the earth
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 in verse 14
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 he wipes everything away
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 and God comes from Sinai to the mountain
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 from which he where he chooses to reign
00:12:38 --> 00:12:42 and there's this enormous display of God's majesty
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 and God's strength
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 and God goes up on his mountain
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 mountain he carries his captives in train
00:12:47 --> 00:12:53 and he begins to distribute the spoils of war to his followers
00:12:53 --> 00:12:57 and God hands out
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 what's he hand out on Mount Sinai to his followers?
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 the law of God
00:13:01 --> 00:13:07 the means by which his people were to live in relationship with him
00:13:07 --> 00:13:12 and so there's now this movement in the New Testament
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 in the way that Paul uses this psalm here
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 to explain what's going on here
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 it's as if
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 it's almost a picture of Jesus now
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 embodied in this image of ascending on high
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 and carrying his captives with him
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 and now passing out
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 distributing the gifts upon his peoples
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 giving us the gift
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 the Holy Spirit into our heart
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 which helps us to understand the law of God
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 in fact I will put my
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 what is it?
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 Jeremiah 30
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 I will put a new heart
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 and I will write my law on their hearts
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 and there's this image of God
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 giving his law in the Old Testament
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 and now Jesus giving his spirit in the New Testament
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 and helping us to embody
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 the law of God in our very being
00:13:54 --> 00:13:58 there's also the pictures there
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 of what we read in Philippians chapter 2
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 and places like that
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 the humiliation of Jesus
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 as the descending and the ascending
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 and being exalted to the right hand of God on high
00:14:07 --> 00:14:12 but I said before
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 that these gifts that Christ has distributed
00:14:15 --> 00:14:20 these ones which are named in particular in Ephesians 4
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 are all about the ministry of God's word
00:14:22 --> 00:14:26 and the people who exercise this ministry
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 so apostles
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 not just sent ones in a wide sense
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 but in a narrow sense
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 they're the eyewitnesses
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 of the risen Lord Jesus Christ
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 and they're the authors of the New Testament
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 and hence apostolic witness
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 prophets
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 I take that to be the forth telling of God's word
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 it's the apt application
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 I think we do
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 prophecy happens in a formal sense
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 I think it often happens in a very informal sense
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 so you're talking to a Christian brother or sister
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 you're bringing the word of God to bear
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 you're referring to something that God's shown you
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 and just in that moment God opens up for them
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 something that you didn't even know about
00:15:02 --> 00:15:07 where the word that you spoke actually bears on them
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 in a way which is really helpful to them
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 in their life and their ministry
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 and their witness in that moment
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 it's like God speaks through that word
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 sometimes in a way that you never even anticipated
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 but it comes from the word of God being shared
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 and expressed between us
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 evangelists bringing the word of God to unbelievers
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 pastors and teachers
00:15:25 --> 00:15:29 certainly shepherds who watch over God's flock
00:15:29 --> 00:15:33 and who feed God's flock in teaching
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 steady nutritional diet
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 versus a memorable meal
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 so you know sometimes we get a bit ho-hum about church
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 and I don't think you should get ho-hum about church
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 but you ask somebody
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 what was the last
00:15:44 --> 00:15:48 what did you have for dinner last Monday night?
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 Can anybody tell me?
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 Can anybody tell me?
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 but I know one thing
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 you did all eat
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 I presume it
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 unless you were fasting
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 okay?
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 so we eat all the time
00:16:06 --> 00:16:06 don't we?
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 and it nourishes our body
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 and we don't necessarily
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 remember one moment from another
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 in a bigger or more astounding way
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 but we're doing something
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 that keeps us alive
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 and so it is in Christ
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 with the word of God
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 occasionally we have a moment of great clarity in Revelation
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 where we go
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 wow
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 look what God's just taught me
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 but the more important thing is
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 that we be being fed constantly
00:16:32 --> 00:16:35 that we be taking a nutritional diet
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 from the word of God
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 and being fed
00:16:38 --> 00:16:45 we've just named some pretty significant gifts
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 in terms of God's church
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 and we've named them
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 because it's what's named in this passage
00:16:49 --> 00:16:53 and it's easy sometimes
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 to look at gifts like that
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 and to stop
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 and to glory
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 in the gifted one
00:16:57 --> 00:17:01 and that would be a huge mistake
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 because you get wrapped up
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 in your own celebrity
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 or the celebrity gifted one
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 that our church happens to have
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 or whoever we are
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 rather than being focused
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 on the work
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 that the gifts produce
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19 one of the things
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 I find I have to do
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 for myself in preaching
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 is that I won't be overly worried
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 about my performance
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 and sometimes I do
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 and I pray
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 and ask that God
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 would help me
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 to focus on him
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 and on his word
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 producing
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 what he wants to bring about
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 in people's hearts
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 including the heart of me
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 the preacher
00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 see the gifts listed
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 in Ephesians 4
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 about equipping
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 all of God's people
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 for ministry
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 not everybody's got
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 the particular gifts
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 I think there's a particular
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 centering around
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 the leadership at church
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 but it's not exclusive
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 to the elders
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 some of us have
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 these gifts formally
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 others have them informally
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 some are recognised
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 some aren't
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 they're recognised
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 through things
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 like ordination
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 but whichever way
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 we've got them
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 they're not given
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 to us to glory in
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 they are given
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 to equip the people
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 of God
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 to do ministry
00:18:16 --> 00:18:19 and that brings us
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 to the purpose
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 of the difference
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 and it really is
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 just about a memory verse
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 it's verse 11
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 through to 13
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 it was he
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 who gave
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 some to be apostles
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 some to be prophets
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 some to be evangelists
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 and some to be pastors
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 and teachers
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 to prepare God's people
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 for works of service
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 so that the body
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 of Christ
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 may be built up
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 until we all reach
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 unity in the faith
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 and in the knowledge
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 of the son of God
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 and become mature
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 attaining to the whole
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 measure of the fullness
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 of Christ
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 I don't know if you can see it
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 I think standing
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 in the shoes
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 of an ordained minister
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 which is what I am
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 I think I have felt
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 the pressure
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 over many years
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 to be everything
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 to everybody
00:19:03 --> 00:19:07 to be the all conquering
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 super gifted one
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 and it's a distortion
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 of what the passage
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 is teaching
00:19:13 --> 00:19:17 we don't have to excel
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 in things that God
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 hasn't gifted us in
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 we don't employ people
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 to do the work
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 of ministry
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 on behalf of the congregation
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 we work with one another
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 in Christ
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 I felt the tension
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 sometimes between
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 doing and equipping
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 there are certain things
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 I think I know
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 for myself
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 that I do well
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 I think I know
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 there is a strength
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 for me
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 in terms of
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 visiting people
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 and particularly
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 people in crisis
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 it's something
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 I have experience
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 in
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 something I'm gifted in
00:19:49 --> 00:19:53 but if I just
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 leave it as
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 me the person
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 who goes out
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 and visits everybody
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 and holds hands
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 and meets people
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 in crisis
00:19:58 --> 00:20:01 the ministry
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 will stop
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 when I stop
00:20:02 --> 00:20:06 so one of the things
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 that I have to learn
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 and I want to learn
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 and I want you to pray
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 for me in this
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 is I want to learn
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 how to multiply
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 myself
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 with some of the things
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 that God has given me
00:20:19 --> 00:20:22 I want to learn
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 how to teach
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 and equip
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 other people of God
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 with some of the things
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 that God has taught me
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 and the end result
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 I hope will be
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 a whole body of people
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 who can do it
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 better than me
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 and who discover
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 the gifts that God
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 has given them
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 in the process
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 so I want to train
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 a team of people
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 who are able
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 to represent
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 Christ
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 in situations
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 of great human need
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 I'd like to feel
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 like our community
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 group pastors
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 are equipped like that
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 that whether they do
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 all the work or not
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 that's another question
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 but that they lead a body
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 in terms of their
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 community group
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 who really does care
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 for one another
00:21:00 --> 00:21:04 and in crisis moments
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 in life
00:21:05 --> 00:21:08 but not just holding hands
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 and saying how sorry
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 I am
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 and emphasising
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 which is all part of it
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 but it's also about
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 bringing the word of God
00:21:16 --> 00:21:19 to people's life situations
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 so for me
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 when I go and see
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 somebody in hospital
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 or go and visit
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 somebody who's just died
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 or not the person
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 who's died
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 but the family
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 of the person
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 who's just died
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 I thought I'd better
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 be clear about that
00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 I don't do resurrections
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 by the way
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 but when I go
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 and see somebody
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 like that
00:21:36 --> 00:21:39 without forcing myself
00:21:39 --> 00:21:42 I am always looking
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 for the opportunity
00:21:43 --> 00:21:46 to pray with the person
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 and also
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 to read
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 the word of God
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 or try to read
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 an appropriate passage
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 from the word of God
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 so I'm bringing
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 the tools
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 that Christ
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 has given us
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 to the situation
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 as I seek
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 to represent him
00:22:00 --> 00:22:02 so I want us
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 to be better
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 than just nice visitors
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 I want us
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 to be people
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 who are able
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 to bring the word
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 of God
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 to one another
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 in a way
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 that grows us
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 in Christ
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 and helps us
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 to understand
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 what God's purposes
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 are for us
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 in different situations
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 pray for me
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 but see it
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 me doing it
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 one by one
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 or a wide body
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 of people
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 multiplying
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 the work of Christ
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 in our church family
00:22:25 --> 00:22:30 I think another thing
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 that we have
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 on our plate
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 and that is offered
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 to us
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 let me read the verse again
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 I think as you go
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 through that verse
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 you see that it's
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 to prepare God's people
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 for works of service
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 the purpose of that
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 is that the whole body
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 will be built up
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 I think there's the notion
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 of qualitative growth
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 we've said that
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 at the beginning
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 quality matters here
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 how we relate
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 to one another matters
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 it's really really clear
00:22:51 --> 00:22:53 but I think you also
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 ought to see
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 that there's the idea
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 of quantitative growth
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 as well
00:22:57 --> 00:23:00 the New Testament church
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 was growing numerically
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 it was growing
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 in the word
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 it was growing
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 in number
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 it was growing
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 under the blessing
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 of God
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 and so this notion
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 of the whole church
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 being built up
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 by a whole body
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 of people
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 who are equipped
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 and their gifts
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 being exercised
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 to grow the church
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 and multiply the church
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 I think carries with it
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 the notion
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 of quantity
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 as well as quality
00:23:22 --> 00:23:25 the quality
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 seen in that
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 there's a maturity
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 which is being sought here
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 and attaining
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 to the whole measure
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 of the fullness of Christ
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 and you ask
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 well what does maturity
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 look like
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 and he tells us
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 in the passage
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 it's so that we're able
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 to stand firm
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 we're not blown around
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 here and there
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 by every wind of doctrine
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 every craftiness
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 of people scheming
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 every novelty
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 that somebody brings along
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 they're doing this
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 down the road
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 at that church
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 we ought to be like that too
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50 no it's able to stand firm
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 and feel like
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 what we're doing
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 is substantial
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 and Christ honouring
00:23:54 --> 00:23:56 without being taken
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 off track
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 at every point
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 with every person
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 who's got another new
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 good idea
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 even though it might
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 be a good idea
00:24:01 --> 00:24:04 and it also says
00:24:04 --> 00:24:06 speaking truth
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 in love
00:24:07 --> 00:24:10 speaking truth
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 in love
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 and I think I just
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 want to say to that
00:24:12 --> 00:24:15 I think what that is
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 I think it's being able
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 to speak
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 directly
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 to one another
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 but with
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 regard
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 to the other
00:24:23 --> 00:24:26 so being able
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 to speak
00:24:26 --> 00:24:28 very directly
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31 but with real regard
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 for the person
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 that we're speaking
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 to
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 I think one of the
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 things that we do
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 here and we do it
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 in other places
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 as well
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 is that we use
00:24:40 --> 00:24:42 subtle messages
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 don't use subtle
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 messages with me
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 because I just don't
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 get the subtlety
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 sometimes
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 and you'll be
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 disappointed
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 or we use
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 a bleak talk
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 we don't talk
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 directly about
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 what's really going
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 on for us
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 we shift
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 and we move
00:24:58 --> 00:25:01 I think the truth
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 in love
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 is a great word
00:25:03 --> 00:25:06 there is directness
00:25:06 --> 00:25:08 but there is also
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 love
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 had a friend
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12 sort of got a friend
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 but a few years ago
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 I was mentoring
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 him
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 and he was
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 theologically trained
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 and he was involved
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 in the ministry
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 with his church
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 and other places
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 and Kerry said
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 to me one day
00:25:25 --> 00:25:27 in a really
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 kind way
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 do you think
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 he realises
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 that that bit
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 of skin
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 that hangs
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 off his nose
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 is actually
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 really distracting
00:25:34 --> 00:25:38 nothing he had
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 control over
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 and it was said
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 by her
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 with real concern
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 for him
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 because it did
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 you'd be talking
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 to him face to face
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 and it looked
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 like a bit of boogie
00:25:46 --> 00:25:50 it's sort of hard
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 to eyeball one another
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 when you've got it
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 coming off the Indian nose
00:25:52 --> 00:25:57 so how do you
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 raise that
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 with a person
00:25:58 --> 00:26:01 well I did get
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 the opportunity
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 one day
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 because we had
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 a one to one
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 relationship
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 we love one another
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 in Christ
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 I didn't
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 dob my wife in
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 sorry I did
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 this morning
00:26:09 --> 00:26:16 but just one to one
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 in the context
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 of relationship
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 there wasn't
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 an opportunity
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 one day
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 to say
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 I don't know
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 if you realise
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 that that bit
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 of skin
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 sitting there
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 is a bit
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 of a distraction
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 sometimes
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 and I'm wondering
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 is that something
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 that you can
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 dealt with
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 and the person
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 said straight off
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 actually I'm going
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 to see the doctor
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 about it next week
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 he's going to
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 snip it off
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 and deal with it
00:26:34 --> 00:26:39 that's a silly
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 illustration
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 in a way
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 but it's quite
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 hard to speak
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 directly to one
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 another
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 sometimes about
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 things that matter
00:26:45 --> 00:26:47 and the qualification
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 which is here
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 in this passage
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 is that when
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 we do
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 this is not
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 where we put
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 our boots on
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 and march in
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 and thump
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 one another
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 it's done
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 with a great
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 deal of love
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 it is done
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 with regard
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 to the other
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 person
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 there's a couple
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 of other places
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 I'd like to go
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 I'll go there
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 very quickly
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 I think Acts
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 of Service
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 you know what
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 Acts of Service
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 is it's a sheet
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 that we've distributed
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 in recent weeks
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11 and with the
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 congregational
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 reconfiguration
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 it's a place
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 where we're able
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 to indicate
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 some of the places
00:27:15 --> 00:27:17 where we might
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 serve one another
00:27:17 --> 00:27:19 the whole notion
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 of the Acts
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 of Service
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 sheet
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 it's weighted
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 towards building
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 others up
00:27:22 --> 00:27:24 it's carrying
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 the load
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 in terms of
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 our church
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 family
00:27:25 --> 00:27:27 now you come
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 to a sheet
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 like that
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 and it's really
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 easy to ask
00:27:29 --> 00:27:33 what do I want
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 to do
00:27:33 --> 00:27:36 I wonder how
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 I can be used
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 in this church
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 family
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 moving more
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 broadly into
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 gifts at the
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 moment
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 but a better
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 question would
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 be
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 what can I
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 do that
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 this church
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 needs
00:27:46 --> 00:27:49 what are
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 the holes
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 where is
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 a hole
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 that I
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 might be
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 able to
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 fill
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55 and exercise
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 ministry
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 for the
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 benefit
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 of everyone
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 you know
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 when you get
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 a church
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 and five
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 concert pianists
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 we haven't
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 got five
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 concert pianists
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 but we do
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 have one
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 if we had
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 five concert
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 pianists
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 we got a
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 problem
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 haven't we
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 who gets
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 to play
00:28:06 --> 00:28:08 how do you
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 work that
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 out
00:28:08 --> 00:28:11 well you've
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 got the
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 other sort
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 of person
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 and I've
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 had to
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 engage this
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 in ministry
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 many times
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 and I'm
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 thinking of
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 other places
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 but a
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 person who
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 is very
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 confident
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 about their
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 own gifts
00:28:19 --> 00:28:21 and they're
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 not necessarily
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 confirmed by
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 others
00:28:23 --> 00:28:25 and they
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 bring themselves
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 forward and
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 they say
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 why don't you
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 use me
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 this is my
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 giftedness
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 and because
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 I'm a gatekeeper
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 I guess in
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 terms of my
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 role and my
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 responsibilities
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 within God's
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 family I have
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 to make a
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 call on it
00:28:36 --> 00:28:40 what do you
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 do with
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 that
00:28:40 --> 00:28:43 great stress
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 in sorting
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 that out
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 sometimes
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 why aren't
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 you using
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 me
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 I can
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 remember
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 one parish
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 I went
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 to a
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 woman was
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 on my
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 doorstep
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 in the
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 first two
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 weeks she
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 wanted an
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 appointment
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 with me she
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 wanted me to
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 know that she
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 was the
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 parish evangelist
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 she was very
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 gifted and I
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 needed to use
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 her and then
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 she was on my
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 door six weeks
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 later saying she
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 was leaving the
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 parish because
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 she wasn't
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 using her
00:29:06 --> 00:29:08 let me tell you
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 in that case it
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 was probably a
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 blessed departure
00:29:11 --> 00:29:13 but it's not
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 easy to deal
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 with
00:29:14 --> 00:29:18 the other
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 place I wanted
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 to go is
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 right at the
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 end and it's
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 coming back into
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 our 2020
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 booklet and that
00:29:23 --> 00:29:25 is the whole
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 notion of core
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 membership do you
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 understand what
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 that means when
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 we talk about
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 core membership in
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 this church family
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32 give us a hand if
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 you've got some
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 idea of what that
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 means
00:29:34 --> 00:29:36 all right
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 staff have got an
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 idea because we've
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 been working with it
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 for a while and
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 hopefully leaders are
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 picking it up and
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 owning it over
00:29:41 --> 00:29:43 time but but core
00:29:43 --> 00:29:45 membership the idea
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 of core membership
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 links into service
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 and service means
00:29:48 --> 00:29:50 using our gifts and
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 being the person of
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 God within our
00:29:51 --> 00:29:53 church family it's
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 pretty simple it's
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 just saying to us
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 all that we want the
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 church family to be
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 living a life of
00:29:58 --> 00:30:00 personal devotion we
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 want you to be reading
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 the scriptures we want
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 you to be praying we
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 want you to be
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 nurturing your own
00:30:05 --> 00:30:08 soul in Christ it's
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 why we've got things
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 like the life journal
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 and we've been
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 encouraging to use it
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 this year if you're
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 not using one you
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 haven't got one I'd
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 be really happy for
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 you to take one free
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 from the foyer I think
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 you're supposed to pay
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 a few dollars but if
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 you take it and use it
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 that would be a great
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 consequence
00:30:21 --> 00:30:25 the second thing that
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 is a church family in
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 terms of core
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 membership we live in
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 community Steve said
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 it last night what he
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 asked of us last night
00:30:31 --> 00:30:33 he asked us to not
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 just think it's only
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36 church but to be
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 devoted to it to come
00:30:38 --> 00:30:40 regularly and to also
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 be part of a community
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 group because we know
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 that you can't do
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 everything on Sunday
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 that we might do in a
00:30:45 --> 00:30:47 smaller group in terms
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 of relationship with one
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 another through the week
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 we're calling people to
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 servant heartedness which
00:30:53 --> 00:30:55 is taking responsibility
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 for a ministry I'm going
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 to use the words out of
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 here living a life of
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 servant heartedness
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 being personally involved
00:31:01 --> 00:31:03 in one ongoing ministry
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05 towards unbelievers
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 according to one's
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 gifts
00:31:06 --> 00:31:10 using the gifts that
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 God has poured out on
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13 you within this church
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 family
00:31:14 --> 00:31:19 personally involved in
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 ongoing ministry to
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 unbelievers so number
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 four is living a life of
00:31:22 --> 00:31:24 local and global impact
00:31:24 --> 00:31:26 by personally being
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 involved in one ongoing
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 ministry towards
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 unbelievers
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 unbelievers
00:31:30 --> 00:31:33 and the last one is a
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 life of generosity
00:31:34 --> 00:31:36 and one of the measures
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 of that within our
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 church family is by
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 personally pledging to
00:31:39 --> 00:31:41 ministry here at St
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 Paul's
00:31:42 --> 00:31:49 putting our money where
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 our mouth is
00:31:50 --> 00:31:53 encouraging each other in
00:31:53 --> 00:31:55 Christ by being committed
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 to the work that is done
00:31:56 --> 00:31:58 here which costs a lot of
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 money
00:31:58 --> 00:32:04 now we could be legalists
00:32:04 --> 00:32:07 in any of those and we
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 could go through that and
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 just tick the box yeah
00:32:08 --> 00:32:10 had my quiet time been to
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 church attended small
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 group did my thing for
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 kids church gave my money
00:32:13 --> 00:32:16 boom I'm a core member
00:32:16 --> 00:32:18 and I think I'm
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 I grappled with it this
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 week for myself because
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22 parish council and staff
00:32:22 --> 00:32:25 pledged for 2012 at a
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 meeting last Monday night
00:32:26 --> 00:32:29 and last year when I did it
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 for the first time it was
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 sort of like it was a joy
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 and it was a delight and
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 it was an expression of
00:32:33 --> 00:32:35 commitment to St Paul's and
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 it was part of the thing
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 that we do corporately
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39 joining together with one
00:32:39 --> 00:32:41 another in terms of the
00:32:41 --> 00:32:43 ministry that we plan to do
00:32:43 --> 00:32:45 from here and I think I'd
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 confess to you that the
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 other day I had to look at
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 my own heart and think when
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 I first came at it was more
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 like ticking the box
00:32:50 --> 00:32:54 doing my duty doing my job
00:32:54 --> 00:32:57 and I think in a sense had
00:32:57 --> 00:33:00 slipped back into legalism so
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 there's a whole lot of
00:33:00 --> 00:33:02 things here which are really
00:33:02 --> 00:33:04 good things in terms of
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 membership at St Paul's
00:33:06 --> 00:33:08 serving one another exercising
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 the ministries that God has
00:33:09 --> 00:33:12 given to us but it's an
00:33:12 --> 00:33:14 ongoing challenge and to be
00:33:14 --> 00:33:16 transformed looking at our own
00:33:16 --> 00:33:19 hearts are we just ticking the
00:33:19 --> 00:33:22 box or are we doing are we
00:33:22 --> 00:33:25 delighting to treasure the
00:33:25 --> 00:33:31 Lord Jesus together I think I
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 just want to come to a finish
00:33:32 --> 00:33:35 by saying taking us back to the
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 verse and I'm wanting you to
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 think about our ministry team
00:33:37 --> 00:33:41 it was he who gave some to be
00:33:41 --> 00:33:43 apostles some to be prophets
00:33:43 --> 00:33:45 some to be evangelists some to be
00:33:45 --> 00:33:47 pastors and teachers to prepare
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 God's people for works of
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51 service so that the body of
00:33:51 --> 00:33:53 Christ may be built up until we
00:33:53 --> 00:33:55 all reach unity in the faith and
00:33:55 --> 00:33:57 in the knowledge of the Son of
00:33:57 --> 00:34:00 God and become mature attaining to
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 the whole measure of the fullness
00:34:01 --> 00:34:04 of Christ I think I just want to
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 say to you please pray for us
00:34:05 --> 00:34:09 pray that if we are gifted with
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 some of the gifts that God has
00:34:10 --> 00:34:12 given in particular for building
00:34:12 --> 00:34:14 his church as expressed here in
00:34:14 --> 00:34:18 Ephesians chapter 4 pray that we
00:34:18 --> 00:34:20 would use them to his glory pray
00:34:21 --> 00:34:23 that we wouldn't get cluttered by
00:34:23 --> 00:34:25 expectations of a wide lot of
00:34:25 --> 00:34:27 other things that people often bring
00:34:27 --> 00:34:29 to us not so that those things
00:34:29 --> 00:34:32 aren't done but so that we be
00:34:32 --> 00:34:34 properly preparing the people of
00:34:34 --> 00:34:37 God so that the wide base would be
00:34:37 --> 00:34:40 covered with the exceedingly wide
00:34:40 --> 00:34:42 list of gifts which God has
00:34:42 --> 00:34:44 distributed to all these people
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 Amen