The church Tim from CMS
Series: Mission Month
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 22nd May 2016
Passage: 1 Kings 10:1-13
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Well, I want to thank you for this opportunity to come and visit you.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:04 How about we pray?
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 Our Father in heaven, we pray that you would give us insight,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 understanding and conviction as we read your word
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 and pray that you would open up this to our hearts.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:24 We recently came to Australia again about three months ago
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 and we went through passport control at the airport,
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 but it's no longer called passport control.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 That department is now called border force
00:00:34 --> 00:00:38 and only those who are allowed were permitted to enter.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 And there's a great emphasis on borders and securing borders.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:48 It's not just Australia that is keen on securing borders,
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 but where we are in the Middle East,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:55 refugees flow through in their thousands and tens of thousands.
00:00:55 --> 00:01:01 Governments are scared of these immigrants
00:01:01 --> 00:01:06 and sometimes they start up more checkpoints and more borders and more barriers.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 But it's not just governments either.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:13 I think we too in our families and in our lives are also interested in barriers.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:20 We bought a new desk for our youngest two boys, aged four and seven.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:24 And the first thing our four-year-old did was to get a piece of masking tape
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 straight down the middle of the desk and said,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 this is my side and this is your side.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:36 If you're familiar with the storyline of the Bible,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:41 you'll know that borders are also a fair amount,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 there's also a fair amount of them in the Old Testament.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:50 What is it, for example, that made Samson, you know, the strong guy,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 such a celebrated leader?
00:01:53 --> 00:01:59 Or what was it about Deborah or Joshua or King David?
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 What made them such great celebrated leaders?
00:02:03 --> 00:02:07 It was because they defended the borders of Israel
00:02:07 --> 00:02:11 and killed the enemies of God's people.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:18 You see, borders define privilege.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:24 Now, although we see a lot of that in the Old Testament,
00:02:24 --> 00:02:29 especially with the Israelites as they enter the promised land
00:02:29 --> 00:02:34 and secure its borders from the Philistines and others, you may recall,
00:02:35 --> 00:02:39 we also get hints throughout the Old Testament,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:44 made clearer in the New, about another way of thinking of borders,
00:02:44 --> 00:02:50 where the borders do not function to keep people out,
00:02:50 --> 00:02:54 but instead attract people in.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 You might recall, for example,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 Abram, later named Abraham.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 And he was promised by God,
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 not only that he would be blessed,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 but that as he was blessed,
00:03:10 --> 00:03:14 he would bring blessing to many other peoples and nations.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 Again, this privilege would not be something that he would keep to himself,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 but would flow out in blessing to others.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 There are many other hints of this in the Old Testament,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 but I'm going to focus a little bit on the Queen of Sheba,
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 whom we read about earlier.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 My son just asked me,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 what does Almogwood mean?
00:03:36 --> 00:03:36 And I have no idea.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:37 Sorry.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 But apparently there was a lot of it that Queen of Sheba brought.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 Anyway, she comes to Solomon,
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 and as something of the first for the kings of Israel,
00:03:46 --> 00:03:47 he doesn't try to kill her.
00:03:47 --> 00:03:52 Instead, Solomon welcomes her,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 invites her into his kingdom
00:03:55 --> 00:03:59 to see all of the things that God has given him.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 It's as if he were to say,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 come and share in the greatness that God has given to us.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:12 And so the borders of Israel are no longer threatening borders,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 like electric fences,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:21 but instead they broadcast a welcome to foreigners.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 Come and see what God has done,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 how he has blessed us.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:30 And this episode with the Queen of Sheba
00:04:30 --> 00:04:35 was just a hint of what was later to come.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 Because when Jesus came
00:04:39 --> 00:04:44 and fulfilled all of these hints in the Old Testament,
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 we see that through his death,
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 he offered forgiveness to all people.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 All people were offered new life.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 The Holy Spirit.
00:04:57 --> 00:04:58 It was a new kingdom.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 And it wasn't one that killed people
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 to protect its privileges.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 But it was more like Solomon's kingdom.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:14 One which attracted foreigners in
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 by the greatness that God had given it.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 And its borders were not defensive,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 but they were more like a welcome doormat.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 Please wipe your souls and come in.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Frequently in advertising,
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 we hear the word exclusive.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 And it's supposed to attract us.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 You know, this is exclusively for you.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 This is exclusive membership.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 Maybe a house in an exclusive suburb.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 Just a couple of weeks ago,
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 when I was reading the newspaper on the weekend,
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54 there was an exclusive offer just for me.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 But then I realised, of course,
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 that most of Australians
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 would be receiving this same exclusive offer
00:06:01 --> 00:06:05 that was printed and delivered to almost every home.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:10 We like the idea of exclusivity.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:15 I want you now to turn to Ephesians,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 if you have it open.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 Because in verse 6,
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 Paul says three words together,
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 which he just completely makes up,
00:06:25 --> 00:06:30 that refer to the exact opposite of exclusivity.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 He says that foreigners,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 or the Gentiles,
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 are now no longer separated from God's people
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 without those privileges,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 but now they are,
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 and he has three words here,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 co-heirs,
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 co-sharers,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 and co-members
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 of this new kingdom.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:55 So there's no exclusivity left at all.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 There is only co-membership,
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 co-sharing,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 co-inheritance.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 And Paul emphasises that
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 because of Jesus' death,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 our forgiveness comes by grace,
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 and it's granted to everyone,
00:07:16 --> 00:07:16 Jews,
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 Greeks,
00:07:18 --> 00:07:18 Romans,
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 Americans,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:19 Australians,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:21 Arabs,
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 all kinds.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 We're all reconciled to God
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 on that same basis.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:29 And therefore,
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 as we're all friends with God now,
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 reconciled by Jesus' death,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 there is nothing more
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 that separates us from each other.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 You can no longer say,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 like you could in the olden days,
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 in the times of Israel,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 they are God's blessed people,
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 and we are on the outside.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 They are higher than us.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:47 Paul says,
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 no,
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 there is only now
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 co-membership,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 co-sharing,
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 co-inheritance.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 Both groups,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 Jews,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 and the rest of the world,
00:07:57 --> 00:07:57 are saved,
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 so that they can be saved together.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:02 In fact,
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 you're either saved together,
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 or you can't be saved at all.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 Now,
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 this is,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 according to Paul,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 a great secret
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 that God has only revealed
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 in his preaching
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 and since the time of Jesus.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 It was not made known
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 to widely in the Old Testament.
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 As I said,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 there were hints about it,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:21 but it wasn't,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 if you like,
00:08:22 --> 00:08:22 the norm.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 And even in Paul's time,
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 it wasn't as if this idea
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 was common.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 The Jews,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 up until the time of Jesus,
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 never expected
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 that God
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 would invite
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 everybody in
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 to share their privileges.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 No,
00:08:41 --> 00:08:41 they expected
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 that God
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 would raise them up
00:08:45 --> 00:08:45 victorious
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 over the Romans
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 and other filthy foreigners.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 But that's not
00:08:52 --> 00:08:52 what God did.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 If you would have asked
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 the Romans
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 what they thought
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 their gods would do,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 well,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 they thought
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 that these strange Jews
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 who regarded themselves
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 so highly
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 would simply perish away
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 and fade.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 But that didn't happen either.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 You see,
00:09:16 --> 00:09:16 with Jesus,
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 God's secret plan
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 only hinted at before,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 but since the time
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 of Jesus made clear,
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 a new thing happened.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 A church
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 was established,
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 a new community
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 where Jews
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 were saved,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 foreigners were saved,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 and both came together
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 as a result.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 They would be
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 co-heirs,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 co-members,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 co-sharers
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 in all of these privileges.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 There would be
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 no exclusivity.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:48 And the church
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 was a big surprise
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 and no one
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 expected it.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:57 I want you now
00:09:57 --> 00:09:57 to have a look
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 at verse 10.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 Paul says
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 that God's intent
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 was that now,
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 through the church,
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 the mighty wisdom
00:10:07 --> 00:10:07 of God
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 should be made
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 known
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 to the rulers
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 and authorities
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 in the heavenly realms.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 Now,
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 Paul
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 and his readers
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 knew that there
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 was evil
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 in this world.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 They didn't know
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 much about it
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 in details
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 and they spoke
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 of it as belonging
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 to the heavenly realm
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 behind the scenes.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 It's not something
00:10:30 --> 00:10:30 you could
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 put in front of you
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 or see with a
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 magnifying glass.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 It was their way
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 of speaking about
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 those things
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 that we cannot see,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 the spirits
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 of evil.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 If you would
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 have asked them,
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 what is it
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 that caused
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 nation
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 to go to war
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 against nation?
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 What causes
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 families
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 to struggle
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 and relationships
00:10:54 --> 00:10:54 to break?
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 What causes
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 diseases
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 and grief?
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 And partly,
00:10:59 --> 00:10:59 they would say,
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 it is these
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 spiritual forces
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 in the heavenly realms,
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 these darker powers
00:11:05 --> 00:11:05 that work
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 against God.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 And Paul says
00:11:08 --> 00:11:08 of them
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 that they
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 are the ones
00:11:11 --> 00:11:11 who need to hear
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 this message
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 about the church.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 That through the church,
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 this mighty new wisdom
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 of God
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 of bringing people
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 together
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 should first of all
00:11:20 --> 00:11:20 be announced
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 to those guys
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 out there
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 in the heavenly realms.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 It's as if
00:11:28 --> 00:11:28 God is playing
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 a mighty game
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 of cards
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 and
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 nobody knows
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 what he's doing
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 and he's surrounded
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 by these other
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 evil forces.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 But in the end,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 God lays down
00:11:41 --> 00:11:41 his last card
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 which makes
00:11:42 --> 00:11:42 clear
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 his strategy
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 from all along
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 and his wisdom
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 is now
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 apparent
00:11:48 --> 00:11:48 for everybody
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 to see.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 And God says,
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 I will not vindicate
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 the Jews
00:11:53 --> 00:11:53 against the Romans
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 or vice versa.
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 I will make
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 the two
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 one.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 Forgiveness
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 for all
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 and therefore
00:12:04 --> 00:12:04 creating
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 a new community,
00:12:06 --> 00:12:06 a church.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 and so
00:12:08 --> 00:12:08 as Jew
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 meets Roman
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 or as Australian
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 meets Arab
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 or as Australian
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 meets Australian,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 they both
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 receive grace
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 in Christ
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 and this is
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 something that
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 those heavenly
00:12:20 --> 00:12:20 powers
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 would never
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 have wanted
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 and never
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 have guessed.
00:12:24 --> 00:12:24 Christ.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 You see,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 as we meet
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 in church
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 every week,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 we recognise
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 in each other
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 that we are
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 receivers of grace.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 We are not
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 privileged
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 more than
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 some other race
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 but we are
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 co-sharers,
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 recipients
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 of grace.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 There is so
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 much in the
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 news,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 you know,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 that goads
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 us to
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 the old
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 ways of
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 hatred
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 from person
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 to person
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 and people
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 group to
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 people group.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 So much
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 in the history
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 that we read
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 goads us
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 to despise
00:13:02 --> 00:13:02 or to fear,
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 for example,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:04 people in the
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 Middle East.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 But
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 Christians
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 in Australia
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 are on the
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 same par
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 with Christians
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 in the Middle East.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 We are all
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 part of the
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 same church,
00:13:15 --> 00:13:15 recipients of
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 grace.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 And this
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 is God's
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 masterstroke
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 and the
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 very fact
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 that he
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 wants those
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 rulers in
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 the heavenly
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 realms to
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 sit up and
00:13:25 --> 00:13:25 take notice.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 You see,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 as we recognise
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 in each
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 other another
00:13:32 --> 00:13:32 sharer of
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 God's grace,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 another member
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 of God's
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 kingdom,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 you know,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 even if we
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 come from
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 very different
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 cultural
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 backgrounds,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 even if we
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 are very
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 different ages
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 to each
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 other,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 it's then
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 that God's
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 purposes in
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 the church
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 are made
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 clear.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 We could,
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 for example,
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 have, you
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 know, one
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 church for
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 this racial
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 minority group
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 and another
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 church for
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 this age
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 group, you
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 know, perhaps
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 47 to 50
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 year olds,
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 and another
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 church for
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 this other
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 group with
00:14:02 --> 00:14:02 people with
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 blonde hair.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 people with
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 love.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 But you see,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 that wouldn't
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 be the
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 people come
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 together,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 that they
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 are co-sharers,
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 co-members,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 and co-inheritors
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 of these great
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 privileges and
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 forgiveness from
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 God.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 It's either a
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 co-church or it's
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 not a church at
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 all.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 See, God is
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 interested in
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 the church
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 because it
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 shows what he
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 has been
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 planning all
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 along.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 It is his
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 greatest master
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 stroke.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 See, where do
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 you see the
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 wisdom of
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 God?
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 Well, you
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 could see it
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 in the birds
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 and clouds
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 and in the
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 universe.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 But what is
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 God most
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 proud of?
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 What is it
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 that he wants
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 to put on
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 display, even
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 to those
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 heavenly rulers?
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 Well, it's
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 the thing that
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 he kept hidden
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 until the time
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 of Jesus, until
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 that last
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 moment.
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 It's the
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 church.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 all of us
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 being saved
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 by the
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 same grace.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 So this
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 idea that
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 God, being
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 motivated by
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 such kindness
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 to all and
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 refusing to
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 vindicate one
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 above the
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 other, especially
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 as both are
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 sinners, but
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 instead urging
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 them to come
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 together in
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 forgiveness in
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 Christ to
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 himself and
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 to each other,
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 this is God's
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 plan.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 And this is the
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 basic reason why
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 our family is in
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 the Middle East.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 You see, the
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 church in the
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 Middle East lacks
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 trainers and
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 people with good
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 education in
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 theology at the
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 moment.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:39 A hundred years
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 ago it was
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 different.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 A hundred years
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 from now it
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 might be the
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 other way
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 around.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 Who knows?
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 And recently
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 the church in the
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 Middle East has
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 found new
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 opportunities to
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 respond to
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 questions from
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 Muslims.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 Muslims.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 And the
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 church has
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 faced new
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 challenges as
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 its own
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 members have
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 been alerted
00:16:02 --> 00:16:02 to new
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 questions about
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 the Christian
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 faith from
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 the internet
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 and so on.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 So of course
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 the church which
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 has rich resources
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 in this area,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 being co-members
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 and co-sharers
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 with the church
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 in the Middle
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 East, of course
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 will share with
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 them and by
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 doing so show
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 those heavenly
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 rulers God's
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 great plan of
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 forgiveness for
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 all and joining
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 disparate groups
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 who were once
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 enemies of each
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 other.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 So once we
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 understand God's
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 plan and what
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 he's most proud
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 of, then sending
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 people to the
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 Middle East is a
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 natural and an
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 obvious thing to
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 do because we
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 realise what the
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 church is.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 So my challenge
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 to you this
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 morning is just
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 to continue to
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 you being that
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 kind of church.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 Not just the
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 church in
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 Kilara made up
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 of people who
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 are a certain
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 age group with
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 a certain
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 hairstyle or
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 lack of hair,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 but the church
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 that Paul speaks
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 of, a church
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 where all are
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 co-members, all
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 are co-sharers
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 and co-inheritors
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 of these great
00:17:11 --> 00:17:14 privileges, God's
00:17:14 --> 00:17:17 masterpiece built
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 on grace.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:21 A few verses
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 later in
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 Ephesians, not
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 in the part that
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 we read earlier,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 but around verse
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 17, Paul says
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 this, and you
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 might remember
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 this quotation,
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 and I pray that
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 you, being
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 rooted and
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 established in
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 love, may
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 have power
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 together with
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 all the Lord's
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 holy people
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 to grasp how
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 wide and how
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 long and high
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 and deep is
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 the love of
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 Christ.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 And I don't
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 think Paul is
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 speaking here about
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 God's love for
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 us at an
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 individual level,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 although that's
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 true, he does
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 love us individually,
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 widely and deeply
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 and so on.
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 But he's speaking
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 about how wide
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 God's love is
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 across nations,
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 across Jews and
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 Gentiles originally,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 but now across all
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 nations, across all
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 different types of
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 people that are
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 sitting here this
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 morning.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 Do you realise how
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 wide God's love is
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 that that person
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 next to you is
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 also a co-sharer of
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 those same privileges
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 that you have?
00:18:22 --> 00:18:26 When Christ died,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 he died for all.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 And Christ died so
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 that all may come
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 together with him
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 through the Father.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 He's not interested,
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 God is not interested
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 in lots of little
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 relationships of this
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 person with God and
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 that person with God.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 God's finishing
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 masterpiece is the
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 church where those
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 who are once
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 estranged come
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 now together
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 and serve each
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 other and show
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 the heavenly
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 rulers out there
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 just what the
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 power of God
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 and the love of
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 God is.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 Let's pray.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 Our Father,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 we thank you for
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 this great love
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 that you have
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 shown us
00:19:17 --> 00:19:20 and this grace.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 Father,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 we pray that you
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 would remind us
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 always how we
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 are co-sharers,
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 co-members and
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 co-inheritors.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 And these things
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 that we have from
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 you, we have not
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 exclusively,
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 but we have them
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 through love and
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 grace and we share
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 them with each other
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 through the church.
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 And we pray that
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 through our
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 demonstration of that
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 love and things
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 we do each day
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 and the way we
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 do church together
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 that might bring
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 glory to you
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 as others see
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 just how you
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 bring people
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 together to you
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 and to each other.
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 And we ask this
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 in Jesus' name.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 Amen.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 Amen.