WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:05.280 We're in a series together on the book of Ephesians, and it has been a wonderful, glorious book for us. 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:06.380 We've been studying together. 00:00:06.660 --> 00:00:13.700 If you're just joining us this morning, you're kind of jumping into the middle of this series that we're doing together and the book of Ephesians, just by way 00:00:13.700 --> 00:00:19.150 of reiterating for us as a church family, is it is it is a book that I love. 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:20.660 It's my favorite book in the Bible. 00:00:20.820 --> 00:00:23.520 And the way that this book breaks down is really into two sections. 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:26.410 First, three chapters are all theological. 00:00:26.580 --> 00:00:31.660 The last three chapters are all practical in our lives, with some theology mixed in between there. 00:00:32.040 --> 00:00:35.640 But the point of the book is that God desires for us to live for him. 00:00:36.300 --> 00:00:42.390 But before we begin to live for him, what he calls us to do is begin to understand who he is and knowledge and understanding and in relationship. 00:00:44.020 --> 00:00:49.680 And so the first three chapters of the book, we identify who we are in light of who God is, and we grow in that understanding of who God is. 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:57.860 And through that understanding of our connection to God and our relationship with him, God then carries out this idea for 00:00:57.860 --> 00:01:02.080 us and how we should live our lives, the practicality of who we are in Christ. 00:01:03.540 --> 00:01:10.340 And so the first three books presents to us the first three chapters, excuse me, presents to us the glory and goodness of all that God is. 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:16.660 And I want to say, for us as a church family, this is an important time for us to go through this book together. 00:01:16.660 --> 00:01:21.500 When we first start at Alpine Bible Church a few years ago, we started off in the book of Ephesians. 00:01:22.420 --> 00:01:28.240 And the reason is because it offers for us a great basis for how our church should move forward into the future. 00:01:29.160 --> 00:01:35.140 All of us together went through this book, made commitments to one another, and launched what Alpine Bible Church is today. 00:01:36.220 --> 00:01:40.060 And now we're on to the point of our lives where we've entered into a new stepping stone. 00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:48.060 We just had a team from North Carolina come out to help us in our endeavor to build the first freestanding church in our city, just 00:01:48.060 --> 00:01:49.540 two blocks up the road at the. 00:01:49.940 --> 00:01:51.580 We're turning a bar into a church, right? 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:56.460 That doesn't get old saying that no matter how we're turning a bar into a church, that's cool. 00:01:56.580 --> 00:02:00.700 We're we actually had the first inspection just for you guys that know what's going on. 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:02.120 We had our first inspection on the building. 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:05.960 You have to get three inspections to pass before the interior is okay for us to meet, meet in. 00:02:06.520 --> 00:02:11.160 And we were a little concerned with the first inspection because we didn't have everything exactly the way that we wanted it to. 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:17.320 The inspector came in, he looked at it real quick and just said, I'm glad this place is no longer a bar, but now a church and sign off for us. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:18.010 So that was awesome. 00:02:18.340 --> 00:02:19.140 We enjoyed that. 00:02:19.160 --> 00:02:25.680 So yeah, every inspector that comes down, this used to be a bar, so that was wonderful. 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:26.860 I was worried the night before. 00:02:26.860 --> 00:02:30.080 I just went ahead and scheduled an inspection anyway just so we could start hanging sheetrock. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:34.570 So sheetrock is going up on our walls now and you can start to see the building is beginning to take shape. 00:02:34.640 --> 00:02:38.920 And so we'll open that up in a couple of weeks for you to come in and look at that. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.050 But it's an enjoyable pleasure for us to go through. 00:02:42.440 --> 00:02:45.900 That being said, the book of Ephesians is important for us. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:51.300 Because more important than a building, it's all really about God's people. 00:02:52.740 --> 00:02:54.320 The building just serves the need. 00:02:54.380 --> 00:02:58.050 As we continue to grow, we want to continue to offer bigger facilities for us to expand. 00:02:58.340 --> 00:02:58.440 Right? 00:02:58.780 --> 00:03:01.480 We like that everyone gets friendly when they get here, but we won't be getting too friendly. 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:07.220 You know, we want some some space to move around and to grow as a church family thinking about our future. 00:03:07.900 --> 00:03:12.940 And just as we began this church in the book of Ephesians, we're at a great stepping stone for us to look at this together again. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:18.600 And examine who we are in light of who God is and what God's called us to in this world. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:21.920 And today we're going to start in chapter four. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:29.320 Which chapter four is the application of all that we've learned in the last three chapters, in light of your relationship with God? 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:32.580 This is what God has called us to in this world. 00:03:34.320 --> 00:03:36.940 So this morning, this message is really practical. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:43.200 Paul just really lays it out plainly for us what he desires to see accomplished within the church. 00:03:44.260 --> 00:03:48.760 And so this is the kind of Sunday where you may not hear things that are revolutionary to your life. 00:03:49.720 --> 00:03:56.720 This is the kind of Sunday where God might work in your heart to just become committed in certain areas of your life, or encourage you in your commitment to 00:03:56.720 --> 00:03:57.730 God in this world. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:01.800 So we're going to do is we're going have somebody lock the doors. 00:04:01.820 --> 00:04:01.820 Now just kidding. 00:04:01.820 --> 00:04:01.820 It's not going to happen. 00:04:01.820 --> 00:04:02.750 No one can leave. 00:04:02.880 --> 00:04:03.200 All right. 00:04:03.620 --> 00:04:06.320 You got to sit there for 30 minutes or however long this takes. 00:04:06.660 --> 00:04:06.860 Okay. 00:04:07.300 --> 00:04:11.720 And I just want to see what the Apostle Paul communicates to us now, in light of your relationship with God. 00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:13.740 This is how God desires for us to live. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:15.500 And so he ends chapter three. 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:20.040 This way he ends it talking about the glory and goodness of God. 00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:23.420 He simply says in chapter three and verse 21, talking about the Lord. 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:29.000 To him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. 00:04:30.520 --> 00:04:33.420 Forever and ever God's glory to be examined through us. 00:04:33.420 --> 00:04:38.120 That's pretty simplistic and what his understanding and Paul's packing this idea not of later. 00:04:38.200 --> 00:04:40.260 Everything that you are in your relationship with God. 00:04:40.980 --> 00:04:42.180 God has called you in this world. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:44.600 God has loved you before the foundations of the world. 00:04:44.700 --> 00:04:47.180 God has resurrected you from a dead life. 00:04:47.180 --> 00:04:51.700 It tells us in Ephesians chapter two to a life in him, to those who have placed their faith in him. 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:56.630 God brings the dead to life and he has loved you endlessly. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:00.680 The evidence of that is rested upon in the cross. 00:05:02.140 --> 00:05:07.960 Where you can see the goodness of God and His love for you before you even existed, before you could even do anything to display your love for God. 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:10.620 God has extended his love to you. 00:05:11.960 --> 00:05:15.320 Ephesians says it God has loved you before the foundations of the world. 00:05:17.140 --> 00:05:21.160 When God created this earth, he had you in mind and his love to be lavished upon you. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:25.380 And we talk about our lives in this world. 00:05:25.580 --> 00:05:29.810 Do you know it is impossible as human beings not to worship, to refuse to worship something? 00:05:30.380 --> 00:05:32.560 You're going to worship something in this world. 00:05:33.640 --> 00:05:35.480 It's impossible not to. 00:05:35.740 --> 00:05:42.780 Whether it be Super Bowl right football or whether it be money or whether it be a false god or whether it be 00:05:42.780 --> 00:05:49.730 beauty, whatever it is, you're going to idolize and worship something, it's impossible not to. 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:57.800 And so Paul presents this argument to us for the first three chapters, or the discussion with us in these first three chapters, that if 00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:03.300 you really want to live for what you're created to do, that worship belongs to God. 00:06:03.520 --> 00:06:07.720 And so he gets to the end of chapter three with the conclusion to him be the glory. 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:14.880 It makes no sense to be worshiping anything else, no, no sense to give her adoration and glory to anything else apart from all that God is. 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:21.200 Because what God desires for us in this world, and the reason for which God created us, is the best that we could achieve in our existence. 00:06:23.220 --> 00:06:26.360 In God we find the best for which we were intended to exist. 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:31.900 God created you for relationship with him as people. 00:06:31.900 --> 00:06:38.860 Knowing that we desire to worship, we look within this world for so many different things to fill with that void within us that craves to know God deeper. 00:06:39.080 --> 00:06:41.660 We fill it with false gods and false idols. 00:06:43.060 --> 00:06:45.100 But the Bible tells us here that it's to be filled with him. 00:06:46.760 --> 00:06:53.860 And in light of that, the reason we bring up chapter three and verse 21, even though I told you we're in chapter four, is because in chapter four, Paul starts 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:55.240 with a very important word. 00:06:55.660 --> 00:07:01.580 Therefore, whenever you see the word therefore in the Bible, you've got to ask the question what is therefore therefore right? 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:03.900 And in chapter four he does it twice. 00:07:04.440 --> 00:07:05.960 Therefore is for a reason. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:10.780 Everything that you've seen in God, because of all that we've explained. 00:07:11.940 --> 00:07:15.860 Now Paul's going to call us to responsibility in our relationship with him. 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:16.870 This is therefore. 00:07:18.180 --> 00:07:25.240 The prisoner of the Lord Jesus implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. 00:07:27.440 --> 00:07:31.680 So in your relationship with God, God has given you a new identity in him. 00:07:32.960 --> 00:07:37.730 A new position and a new place of which formerly you didn't have apart from Christ. 00:07:38.780 --> 00:07:40.020 And God has given you a new name. 00:07:41.620 --> 00:07:45.860 When the Bible talks about name, it means more than just the name that your mama gave you when you came out, right? 00:07:46.520 --> 00:07:47.480 It's an identity. 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:51.440 When you see the name and study the name Jesus Christ. 00:07:51.620 --> 00:07:57.880 It's not just the name, it's an identity literally means the anointed king or the saving king. 00:07:58.060 --> 00:07:58.340 Excuse me. 00:07:59.460 --> 00:08:00.700 Jesus Christ is the saving king. 00:08:00.700 --> 00:08:03.950 His name identified for us the very role for which he came to earth to achieve. 00:08:04.980 --> 00:08:06.170 He is your saving king. 00:08:06.780 --> 00:08:07.310 And guess what? 00:08:07.380 --> 00:08:09.640 You are a representation of that kingdom. 00:08:09.640 --> 00:08:13.810 With a king comes a kingdom, and you belonging to him are now a part of that kingdom. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:18.760 So you are now identified in his name, and in that name it's given you a position to live out. 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:25.050 You know, what I dislike greatly in this world is the case of the mistaken identities. 00:08:26.820 --> 00:08:29.690 you ever gone to Walmart with a blue shirt or target with a red shirt? 00:08:31.610 --> 00:08:33.890 I still look like I'm 16 years old sometimes. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:34.080 So? 00:08:34.280 --> 00:08:39.400 So when I walk to Walmart and a blue shirt, I always get asked for help because I never walk around with the shopping cart. 00:08:39.400 --> 00:08:40.059 I got to keep it in mind. 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:41.559 Blue shirt, get a shopping cart. 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:44.120 No one will talk to you, but I hate it. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:44.510 It's so embarrassing. 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:46.140 Every time someone comes up to me, I got to. 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:49.400 They go through this spiel of what they're looking for, I tell, I don't even work here. 00:08:49.420 --> 00:08:50.100 I don't know why you're talking to me. 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.160 Then they're all embarrassed and I'm all embarrassed when we walk away. 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:54.100 You know I hate mistaken identity. 00:08:56.760 --> 00:09:02.680 But when it comes to your relationship with God, this is one identity that the Bible has called you to carry forth in the way that you live your lives. 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:09.600 I urge you as a prisoner of the Lord, Paul, saying that for this cause he's sacrificed immensely. 00:09:11.140 --> 00:09:16.940 And I am begging you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling, or the name which you have been given in Christ. 00:09:18.640 --> 00:09:19.840 God's given you a new identity. 00:09:21.300 --> 00:09:24.950 And so we can ask ourselves the question, well, what does that look like? 00:09:24.980 --> 00:09:25.160 Right. 00:09:25.760 --> 00:09:31.640 I mean, God's given me this identity, this responsibility that feels so overwhelming, representing the King and his kingdom. 00:09:31.640 --> 00:09:34.040 I mean, does he even give me a clue as to how to do this? 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:36.660 I mean, what kind of position do I have? 00:09:36.660 --> 00:09:39.120 Am I like a manager, a cashier, you know? 00:09:40.540 --> 00:09:43.060 It's interesting when the Bible describes your position in him. 00:09:43.220 --> 00:09:45.960 He doesn't give you a title when he discusses it. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:54.120 When Paul begins to dive into the identity for which we live in Christ, it's not about position, but he begins to identify 00:09:54.160 --> 00:09:56.950 the way that we should live through character. 00:09:58.980 --> 00:10:06.100 When you study any position within Scripture, what you discover as you're studying the position within Scripture that the primary responsibility 00:10:06.100 --> 00:10:10.540 that is listed for an individual as they live out a calling in their lives. 00:10:11.900 --> 00:10:12.460 Is there character? 00:10:14.420 --> 00:10:16.180 We study in First Timothy chapter three. 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:20.880 You see, when the Apostle Paul lists out the qualifications of elders. 00:10:22.300 --> 00:10:24.980 90% of the qualifications that he identifies as character. 00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:31.640 We talk about your calling and reflecting the name of the Lord and his kingdom in this world. 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:34.220 It's not so much interested in title. 00:10:35.880 --> 00:10:37.090 As he is in the content of your character. 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:40.300 And so he says in verse two. 00:10:42.400 --> 00:10:47.800 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, sowing tolerance for one another in love. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:52.920 Being diligent to persevere in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 00:10:55.220 --> 00:10:56.840 You know what God is about in this world. 00:10:58.580 --> 00:11:02.020 As when Christ is working, community is created. 00:11:03.920 --> 00:11:05.520 The sin causes division. 00:11:06.780 --> 00:11:11.400 Sin causes disunity and discord among individuals wherever it works. 00:11:13.260 --> 00:11:17.840 And what Jesus brings into this world is reconciliation, and Jesus brings unity. 00:11:19.420 --> 00:11:26.500 So the opposite of this verse would tell us that what isn't going to work when God calls us to live out for his name and glory is pride. 00:11:28.520 --> 00:11:31.980 What isn't going to work when we look at these verses is selfishness and self-seeking. 00:11:34.540 --> 00:11:39.520 Because when God calls us to live for Him and His kingdom, it's not about ourself, but about him. 00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:48.660 And so the first thing that the apostle Paul lists as he talks to us about living for his glory and his goodness and all that he is about in this 00:11:48.660 --> 00:11:55.940 world, the first thing that he talks about strips us of all of our pride, strips us of all of our self-seeking and self gratification and 00:11:55.940 --> 00:11:58.040 satisfaction and everything that we desire. 00:11:59.560 --> 00:12:00.240 And so he says. 00:12:01.540 --> 00:12:03.240 To observe this calling with humility. 00:12:05.900 --> 00:12:08.040 God's kingdom is about service. 00:12:10.760 --> 00:12:15.860 Pride is about our glory and what we want, and humility is about someone else. 00:12:17.680 --> 00:12:20.330 Humility is not about proving anything. 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:25.040 We understand that Jesus has already proven it all and so we walk with confidence. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:29.940 Humility is about people who are willing to serve. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:38.960 To look at the needs of this world as Jesus has come and presented himself to you, and help this world understand what it means to have a relationship 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:43.120 with the one who has loved them so deeply and created them for a relationship in him. 00:12:44.680 --> 00:12:47.440 And the way that's communicated in his kingdom is through humility. 00:12:49.380 --> 00:12:50.800 We live to serve. 00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:59.960 I've got to say, when we talk about the word humility in our culture today, we don't really enjoy it or like it because it represents to us something that 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:00.520 is weak. 00:13:02.420 --> 00:13:02.980 We can't tell you. 00:13:02.980 --> 00:13:05.780 When we study in Scripture, we see the word humility together. 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:11.320 It is it is a responsibility of lowering yourself and position before someone else to help out a particular need. 00:13:12.520 --> 00:13:13.700 It's not about self. 00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:16.180 It's about God's glory helping someone else in him. 00:13:16.520 --> 00:13:20.400 But humility carries with it not not a weakness, but really a strength. 00:13:22.260 --> 00:13:29.420 It's a quiet strength because you've recognized in your life everything that you've attempted, everything that you've tried to find 00:13:29.420 --> 00:13:36.780 satisfaction within yourself and meeting your needs and your pride and living sinfully hasn't satisfied 00:13:36.780 --> 00:13:37.620 the soul. 00:13:38.680 --> 00:13:41.980 And you've looked at the glory and goodness of all that God is. 00:13:42.040 --> 00:13:43.000 You've read the end of the Bible. 00:13:43.060 --> 00:13:44.540 You see that he wins, right? 00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:48.600 His hope and his promises will be fulfilled. 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:51.400 And so, rather than living for your kingdom, you submit to his. 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:53.610 And you serve. 00:13:55.400 --> 00:13:55.800 God. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:56.800 It's about your glory. 00:13:58.660 --> 00:14:01.920 When you consider all that God would desire for your life. 00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:08.000 And all that God would desire for your church and in reaching this community. 00:14:09.540 --> 00:14:10.660 To represent that kingdom. 00:14:10.680 --> 00:14:12.200 It starts with a position of humility. 00:14:13.900 --> 00:14:17.980 To surrender all that you are to the greater good of the King that we now represent. 00:14:19.220 --> 00:14:20.280 And he goes on from there. 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:21.420 It's not just about humility. 00:14:22.520 --> 00:14:23.090 I like this. 00:14:23.520 --> 00:14:24.900 It's gentleness with patience. 00:14:26.420 --> 00:14:28.020 Showing tolerance for one another and love. 00:14:29.260 --> 00:14:36.560 Another great part about this is if someone finds you annoying today, they need to come up and just thank you for it, all right? 00:14:36.660 --> 00:14:37.780 This is why let me tell you why. 00:14:38.680 --> 00:14:42.440 Because you can't practice patience unless someone is testing it. 00:14:43.280 --> 00:14:45.680 And so if you find me annoying this morning, you're welcome. 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.110 I'm helping you be godly, right? 00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:51.800 Anyone can be patient with those that are easy to be patient. 00:14:51.800 --> 00:14:54.820 If you're a quiet person, y'all can be patient with you all day, you know? 00:14:55.760 --> 00:15:02.620 But what I'm saying in this chapter is that when we get together in God's kingdom, people aren't always going to be seeking the greater good of everyone. 00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:04.920 We become self-seeking. 00:15:06.060 --> 00:15:11.170 By nature, we bend toward sin and we seek our own glory and goodness rather than forgiveness. 00:15:11.180 --> 00:15:15.460 We want vengeance rather than loving someone else. 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:16.480 I make it about me. 00:15:18.300 --> 00:15:22.200 And so when we gather together, it doesn't always look pretty in God's body. 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:31.260 And so what he's saying to us in this passage, not only are you coming with the ability to serve, and not only do you just do that once for someone, but it's a process 00:15:31.260 --> 00:15:36.410 that's repeated in your life with gentleness and with patience. 00:15:36.880 --> 00:15:39.200 Thank you, God, for the annoying people, right? 00:15:42.460 --> 00:15:50.360 God's will for us is that we surrender ourselves to his call in a way that represents his glory and 00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:50.740 goodness. 00:15:52.580 --> 00:15:56.340 And Paul goes on and says with patience, showing tolerance for one another and love. 00:15:57.620 --> 00:16:02.260 Being diligent to persevere in the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. 00:16:04.820 --> 00:16:10.030 We have this thought in our culture together that we just need to coexist. 00:16:13.420 --> 00:16:21.100 That we that we need to drop apart our differences in the beliefs that we carry and the God that we worship for the purpose of unity. 00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:21.560 Right? 00:16:23.380 --> 00:16:26.000 I mean, after all, it even says in this verse that we need to be united. 00:16:28.040 --> 00:16:31.720 But the interesting thing about this verse is it doesn't just say unite for the sake of uniting. 00:16:31.900 --> 00:16:32.960 It says unite in the spirit. 00:16:33.160 --> 00:16:35.500 So the message of the truth that you proclaim is still important. 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:39.500 Unification that we're having isn't just unifying for the sake of unifying. 00:16:39.640 --> 00:16:42.160 It's unifying for the sake of God as he directs our lives. 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:43.790 So we want to unify in the spirit. 00:16:44.820 --> 00:16:48.380 As a matter of fact, in Ephesians 415, Paul goes on and says, speak the truth and love. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:53.080 And the point that Paul is making for us as people is that the truth is offensive enough. 00:16:54.780 --> 00:17:01.780 And we don't need to add to that offense if we hear something contrary to what we want to believe, or contrary to the way that we want to live our lives, and it 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:07.160 comes from God's Word, and we just need to let God's Word speak to the heart and not what we desire. 00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:09.640 Thus the truth can be offensive. 00:17:11.040 --> 00:17:13.140 The truth can be difficult to hear. 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:18.020 Paul saying that we when we unite, we unite in the spirit. 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:21.720 We unite in one purpose and one cause for God's glory. 00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:25.440 In our culture today, the way that we tend to do this is we. 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:27.920 We put our differences aside and we unite. 00:17:28.560 --> 00:17:33.400 Meaning, we use God as a tool to get together, to unite and unification becomes our God. 00:17:34.540 --> 00:17:41.220 What the Bible rather is calling us to is use unity as the tool to get us to come together, to glorify in God. 00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:43.880 We don't unite for the sake of uniting. 00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:45.400 We unite for the sake of God's glory. 00:17:46.360 --> 00:17:49.720 It's about his glory and about his goodness to us. 00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:56.100 And so Paul then goes on to explain to us the need for uniting intentionally in him. 00:17:56.100 --> 00:17:56.420 He tells us. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.490 He tells us in this verse that the way that we were to do it is to be diligent. 00:18:01.120 --> 00:18:03.510 We persevere in this unity diligently. 00:18:05.600 --> 00:18:07.280 Because what sin does is tears us apart. 00:18:08.620 --> 00:18:15.880 I mean, if you come here today and you're feeling like a rogue Christian, if you're feeling like an individual, but you're not a part of a community, the evidence 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:20.440 that could be within our lives is saying to us somewhere at some point, there was sin that made us feel isolated. 00:18:20.800 --> 00:18:24.430 Whether it was something that we've done or something someone's done against us. 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:26.460 Sin has the tendency to divide. 00:18:28.380 --> 00:18:29.520 And the Apostle Paul knows that. 00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:35.000 And he knows within our nature that will isolate ourselves from certain situations because of sin. 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:39.260 Whether someone's done it to us or we've done it to someone else, well, isolate ourselves. 00:18:39.260 --> 00:18:41.720 And so Paul is saying, this isn't what God's called us to. 00:18:41.760 --> 00:18:42.970 God's called us to unity. 00:18:43.140 --> 00:18:44.560 And so be diligent. 00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:47.560 Be diligent to persevere. 00:18:47.560 --> 00:18:51.940 Do you feel that I mean this should take effort on Sunday when you come to church. 00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:52.710 It's not self-seeking. 00:18:53.580 --> 00:18:58.660 I'm making an effort to be one with his body united in Christ. 00:19:00.520 --> 00:19:00.840 Make an effort. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:03.100 Can I. 00:19:03.340 --> 00:19:03.860 Can I just tell you this? 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:11.940 This isn't a rebuke to us, but this is just a statement of maybe sorrow for the way that church is. 00:19:13.780 --> 00:19:19.900 When you work in ministry and you get the phone calls through people throughout the week. 00:19:20.860 --> 00:19:25.440 I mean, sometimes you get some sad phone calls of a misunderstanding of what God's called us to. 00:19:26.280 --> 00:19:30.120 And I know within the last weeks I've had someone call me that. 00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:31.220 That not from the church. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.100 I'm just telling you this story to help us out, okay? 00:19:34.120 --> 00:19:40.620 That tells me that they've been looking for a church for 20 years in this valley, that meets their criteria. 00:19:41.540 --> 00:19:43.050 And then go on to question me about the criteria. 00:19:44.460 --> 00:19:50.060 To make sure not not necessarily the church's biblical, but that the church just meets their needs exactly what they're looking for. 00:19:52.360 --> 00:19:59.520 My response to that is, I'm going to tell you something and you're going to leave this church like every church that you've left for the last 20 years, because I know 00:19:59.520 --> 00:20:03.620 somewhere in this valley there is a church that you can attend that's a godly, biblical church that's going to encourage you in your relationship with the Lord. 00:20:03.860 --> 00:20:04.900 But I'm going to tell you something. 00:20:06.320 --> 00:20:07.360 And you're not going to like it. 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:10.700 And I know you're not going to come here because you're not going to like it, because apparently that's what you do with your churches. 00:20:12.740 --> 00:20:13.660 The problem isn't the church. 00:20:16.140 --> 00:20:16.720 The problem is you. 00:20:19.980 --> 00:20:20.780 No church is going to be perfect. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:24.140 No church is going to meet your every need. 00:20:25.060 --> 00:20:27.730 I know people that tell me they don't come here because we don't say the Lord's Prayer enough. 00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:30.830 The Lord's Prayer, by the way, isn't even the Lord's Prayer right? 00:20:31.760 --> 00:20:33.360 Lord's Prayer is different. 00:20:33.380 --> 00:20:36.740 He prayed for you later on in John, the Lord's Prayer that that's what we call the Lord's Prayer. 00:20:36.780 --> 00:20:37.650 But he taught us how to pray. 00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:38.460 It's really our prayer. 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.650 God, teach us how to pray. 00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:40.700 And then God taught us how to pray. 00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:41.570 It's not the Lord's Prayer. 00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:44.020 It's our prayer. 00:20:44.020 --> 00:20:46.680 But I mean, that's all the things that God's called us to do. 00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:48.100 Is that the dividing line? 00:20:48.460 --> 00:20:48.720 Really? 00:20:50.120 --> 00:20:53.020 I mean, 20 years looking for a church and you can't find one place to commit to. 00:20:54.840 --> 00:20:56.700 We don't have a picture of what God's called us to. 00:20:56.840 --> 00:20:57.500 So this is what you said. 00:20:57.880 --> 00:21:02.500 When someone tells you you've been looking for 20 years of a church that's going to meet your criteria, the problem, the problem isn't the church. 00:21:04.080 --> 00:21:07.940 I mean, maybe there's a few messed up along the way, but 20 years, you got to find one man. 00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:16.120 And this is what we need to understand that God has called you to be a part of something so much bigger than just yourself and self-seeking. 00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:20.080 He's given you a name and an identity in him. 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:23.760 And it's not about you, and it's not about me. 00:21:25.520 --> 00:21:29.480 It's about letting our self go for his glory and kingdom and goodness. 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:32.180 God's created us for relationship. 00:21:34.020 --> 00:21:36.900 God's created us to lay ourselves down to his greatest cause. 00:21:38.280 --> 00:21:41.080 And if I say that today and that's offended some of you, my apologies to that. 00:21:41.320 --> 00:21:48.500 But let me also ask you and just commit, if it's not us, just find a church that you know that the seeking after the 00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:55.880 Lord and desiring his glory and goodness, that wants to encourage you in your relationship and help you to get to the place where God desires in this world and 00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:56.400 give back. 00:21:56.820 --> 00:21:57.260 Get involved. 00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:02.280 You think about what God has for a bigger building, that's more seats. 00:22:04.060 --> 00:22:06.460 That's got to be people that look at these verses and understand. 00:22:06.840 --> 00:22:08.500 You're right, it's not about me. 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:08.960 And you're right. 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:11.880 When I when I get to church, there's this diligence that I need to have. 00:22:12.020 --> 00:22:14.690 I need to come to know the body that God has called together. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.300 I mean, learn everyone's names. 00:22:18.080 --> 00:22:19.680 Look at someone today that's so important. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:20.420 You don't know their name. 00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:22.780 Their name is just so important to you. 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:24.040 You just want to know that name. 00:22:26.040 --> 00:22:27.800 And pray for him this week so you don't forget it. 00:22:28.620 --> 00:22:32.580 Be diligent to preserve the bond with each other. 00:22:33.580 --> 00:22:35.060 And so Paul gives examples. 00:22:36.860 --> 00:22:39.640 You know, the tendency was within the church at this particular time. 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:41.490 There was a lot of slaves and there were free people. 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:43.580 And so they wanted to divide between the slaves and the free people. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:45.560 There was Jew and there was Gentile. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:49.620 And so let's cause some division within the church again, we'll just make a rainbow of churches. 00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:52.010 And so Paul says, that's not even the way it's supposed to be. 00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:59.460 There is one body and there's one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:03.340 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 00:23:04.280 --> 00:23:05.500 Let God's plan singular. 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:06.280 Why can't ours be? 00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:15.060 God's got one calling, and if we work together, we can see so much more of this taking place in the world if we just unite 00:23:15.060 --> 00:23:16.260 to that cause. 00:23:18.340 --> 00:23:21.740 And says, Paul says this in verse seven. 00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:28.280 But to each one of you, grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:23:30.760 --> 00:23:33.900 What Paul is saying is that you don't have different amounts of grace for salvation. 00:23:33.980 --> 00:23:36.100 God extends his grace to everyone for salvation. 00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:42.880 But what he's what he's saying to us in this passage is that God has graciously extended himself to us and gifted us in different ways. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:49.340 Some of us think differently and serve in different ways in this world. 00:23:50.520 --> 00:23:54.060 God's given us different talents and different abilities through which his kingdom can be proclaimed. 00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:55.960 We're not all we don't all have the same gifts. 00:23:57.540 --> 00:24:00.540 And so God has graciously gifted this church in such a unique way. 00:24:00.540 --> 00:24:04.880 This is what I believe this is crazy to think about, but God knew where you were going to live before you lived here. 00:24:06.220 --> 00:24:09.780 God knew what it would take to reach a place for his kingdom before you even got here. 00:24:11.260 --> 00:24:18.460 And God, knowing where you would live and what he would call you to in this world, has given gifted you in particular ways to serve a church to meet those needs, 00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:20.240 to watch the glory of his kingdom be proclaimed. 00:24:21.320 --> 00:24:24.020 You think about that before you ever existed. 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:26.050 God knew the gifts that he would give to you. 00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:27.320 For what? 00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:32.480 His church and his glory and his name being represented. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:36.780 And so whenever we don't exercise the gifts that God has given us. 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:39.060 The body hurts. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:44.320 It aches for the need that it has to see its needs met. 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:49.720 And so God has gifted us some particular ways for the service of his kingdom. 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:52.280 And then Paul does something crazy here. 00:24:52.900 --> 00:24:54.480 He says the word therefore again, right. 00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:56.820 We've got to ask why therefore is there for once again. 00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:04.180 But let me just read this theological statement because we're talking about God's goodness, God's glory, and us serving that and living not for 00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:08.590 self, but for him, and seeking after his calling in our lives in this world. 00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:12.040 And then Paul just says something that sounds crazy to the context of this. 00:25:12.040 --> 00:25:14.650 He says, therefore it says, clean the filter. 00:25:18.050 --> 00:25:22.640 Let me read it out of the out of my Bible right here. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:28.040 It says in verse eight, therefore it says, when he ascended on high, it's talking about Christ. 00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:32.640 He led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. 00:25:33.420 --> 00:25:36.020 And verse nine, now this expression, he ascended. 00:25:36.280 --> 00:25:36.400 What? 00:25:36.540 --> 00:25:40.260 What does it mean except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 00:25:40.580 --> 00:25:46.700 He who descended is himself also he who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things. 00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:51.440 Rather, what does that have to do with serving? 00:25:52.780 --> 00:25:54.220 Jesus ascended and he descended. 00:25:54.600 --> 00:25:55.280 And I don't get it. 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:58.920 And Paul's making this as a conclusive statement to us. 00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:04.440 The context of what he's saying is really found in verse nine or verse eight. 00:26:04.600 --> 00:26:04.760 Excuse me. 00:26:05.660 --> 00:26:06.530 He ascended on high. 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:09.820 He led captives, a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. 00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:18.820 There's a theology out there that says, When Jesus died on the cross, he went to hell, and he preached in hell, 00:26:18.820 --> 00:26:21.480 and he and he was resurrected. 00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:25.000 And eventually we saw him on earth, and he went to heaven, right? 00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:26.880 And that theology isn't found anywhere in the Bible. 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:28.870 It's a theology that developed later in Christianity. 00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:32.960 But the thought is this if you study Luke chapter 16, there's this place. 00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:34.020 Don't write that down. 00:26:34.080 --> 00:26:34.570 That's not biblical. 00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:35.520 I just said, okay. 00:26:35.540 --> 00:26:39.300 In Luke chapter 16, there's a place called Abraham's bosom. 00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:47.280 You can read the story there about the rich man and Lazarus, and it tells us that Abraham's bosom was divided in half, and one 00:26:47.280 --> 00:26:52.880 side is Hades, and the other side is where the Old Testament saints lived or believed, that believed in Jesus. 00:26:53.300 --> 00:26:55.660 That's where they were held in Abraham's bosom. 00:26:56.560 --> 00:27:01.340 And the reason they weren't immediately resurrected and taken to heaven when they died is because Jesus's sacrifice hadn't been made yet. 00:27:02.080 --> 00:27:05.300 There was no atoning for anyone because Jesus hadn't died. 00:27:05.620 --> 00:27:10.380 And so the Old Testament people placed their faith in a messiah who would come and be the sacrifice for them. 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:13.140 And those who place their faith in him went to Abraham's bosom. 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:21.700 And it tells us in verse eight that what happened after Jesus's death is he went down to Abraham's bosom, and he led the captives, those who were a part of Abraham's 00:27:21.700 --> 00:27:22.960 bosom, who had placed their faith in them. 00:27:23.060 --> 00:27:23.820 He set them free. 00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:32.720 He from on high descended down to the lower parts of the earth, set Abraham's bosom free, and ascended back into heaven with 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.420 his glory. 00:27:35.280 --> 00:27:36.480 Well, here's a point for us. 00:27:38.100 --> 00:27:40.020 He's also telling us that while he sets us free. 00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:42.580 That he gave gifts to men. 00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:49.320 First thing I think Paul wants us to recognize in this is that God is what I call the home run king. 00:27:50.780 --> 00:27:58.040 What I mean is, you remember the story where Babe Ruth steps up to the plate and he points out a shot and 00:27:58.040 --> 00:27:59.400 he lets everyone know where the ball is going. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:04.240 And then he swings and it goes over the fence exactly where Babe Ruth had called it, you know. 00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:09.900 That's exactly what Jesus has done in this passage in Psalm 68 and verse 18. 00:28:11.060 --> 00:28:13.720 He prophetically told us what he would do when he came to this earth. 00:28:14.760 --> 00:28:15.500 He called a shot. 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.170 So that we can see us people. 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:22.200 We talk about serving this God and trusting in him with humility. 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:25.480 We have to have a confidence that he's going to fulfill the promises that he gives us. 00:28:27.080 --> 00:28:33.680 And so Paul is saying to us, yes, this king, this king fulfills his promises to you. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:34.200 He will not disappoint. 00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:40.230 What Paul is also saying to us in this verse is that he gave gifts to men. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:48.680 Whenever a king would go into battle when he was victorious in battle and he would return back to his homeland, he 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:51.360 would bring the spoils of his victory back to his town. 00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:52.830 The people would gather in the streets. 00:28:53.040 --> 00:29:00.000 They would celebrate the presence of the king, and the king would give out gifts to his kingdom, to all those who were a part of it, and they celebrated together in the victory. 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:07.360 And what God is saying to you about the gifts that he has given you in this world is that they are gifts of victory. 00:29:08.820 --> 00:29:13.780 And so God hasn't called you into this world to admit defeat, but God fulfills his promises. 00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:18.280 There's no reason to have any lack and confidence in everything that Jesus has told us he will do. 00:29:19.120 --> 00:29:25.980 And he has given you these gifts that when you gather together, we as a church can celebrate in victory what God has done. 00:29:27.880 --> 00:29:28.460 They are victorious gifts. 00:29:30.780 --> 00:29:32.250 Of a kingdom that will stand forever. 00:29:35.540 --> 00:29:36.740 Be diligent to this. 00:29:38.340 --> 00:29:45.800 Be committed to this with patience, seeking what God desires for 00:29:45.800 --> 00:29:46.780 us. 00:29:47.780 --> 00:29:55.440 You know the sad truth of our country today is America started as a Christian nation, people seeking religious 00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:57.710 freedom to pursue their relationship in Christ. 00:29:59.760 --> 00:30:03.540 Today, America, based on our population, is the fifth largest mission field. 00:30:03.540 --> 00:30:03.840 Excuse me. 00:30:03.840 --> 00:30:06.200 In the top five largest mission fields in the world. 00:30:07.320 --> 00:30:11.780 Meaning based on our population size, we have that many people who don't claim to follow after the Lord. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:18.840 We've gone from a Christian nation to one that is one of the largest mission fields in the world. 00:30:18.840 --> 00:30:24.600 And to today, over some, some, like 3000 churches a week, closed down something ridiculous like that. 00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:27.160 And the average attendance on church on Sunday is about 80 people. 00:30:29.760 --> 00:30:31.340 You think about our town? 00:30:32.560 --> 00:30:36.520 I mean, what do we have here to gather, to worship as far as mainstream Christian churches go? 00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:38.680 Almost 50,000 people. 00:30:39.560 --> 00:30:41.160 If all we ever aspired to is 80 people. 00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:48.800 They did a study as to why churches don't plateau or grow above that 80. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:51.040 They plateau and don't grow above the 80% mark. 00:30:51.340 --> 00:30:58.460 Why the average attendance is what they found out is on average, the average pastor can handle about 80 00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:58.740 people. 00:31:00.280 --> 00:31:07.300 Which it's saying when people gather to church, they look at and this isn't us, but they look at the pastor as the person who does all the 00:31:07.300 --> 00:31:08.680 ministry, and they just gather together. 00:31:10.440 --> 00:31:11.560 And it's his job to do everything. 00:31:11.840 --> 00:31:12.420 And we just come. 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:19.740 And the Apostle Paul then begins to explain to us, and that's not God's intentions, and I don't think we do that here at Alpine Bible Church. 00:31:19.780 --> 00:31:23.880 I think we do a great job in taking the talents that God has given us and just serving. 00:31:25.320 --> 00:31:32.580 And Paul then begins to say, and yeah, he gave some as apostles, and he gave some as prophets, and he gave some as evangelists and some as pastors and 00:31:32.580 --> 00:31:32.840 teachers. 00:31:33.660 --> 00:31:36.750 We've talked about these positions a few times together. 00:31:37.100 --> 00:31:39.420 I want to just talk about this in a little bit different way. 00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:47.240 Some people look at this passage and I don't have a stand on this, but some people look at this passage and say, when he's talking about apostles and prophets, he's not actually talking about 00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:48.080 the office. 00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:52.360 If you ask me today, does the does the office of an apostle and prophet exist? 00:31:52.360 --> 00:31:52.900 I'm going to tell you no. 00:31:53.580 --> 00:31:53.680 Okay. 00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:57.460 I'm going to tell you the ability to serve in that capacity or serve. 00:31:58.020 --> 00:31:59.130 I'll tell you why in a minute. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.820 But the ability to serve in these ways still exists. 00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:02.140 But the office does not exist. 00:32:02.140 --> 00:32:02.920 If you want some references. 00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:07.860 Acts chapter one talks about the qualifications of an apostle having to see the resurrected Lord. 00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:09.120 No one's done that. 00:32:09.260 --> 00:32:10.380 No one can see Jesus today. 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.340 He's not running around. 00:32:11.800 --> 00:32:16.000 And so that was the qualification in acts chapter one to hold the office of an apostle. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:16.180 People. 00:32:16.300 --> 00:32:17.290 People cannot do that today. 00:32:17.980 --> 00:32:22.140 Hebrews chapter one talks about the office of prophet as something that's in the past. 00:32:22.140 --> 00:32:23.580 Today we follow after Jesus. 00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:24.830 And so you can look at both of those passages. 00:32:26.020 --> 00:32:29.370 So the conflict today is people look at this and say this could be talking about office. 00:32:29.760 --> 00:32:31.600 This could be talking about just serving in this capacity. 00:32:32.260 --> 00:32:38.920 Some people divide the line on as to what it's talking about, because the context of the Greek language gives the suggestion that it's not talking about an office. 00:32:39.800 --> 00:32:46.940 Ephesians chapter two and verse 20 is definitely talking about the office of an apostle and prophet, Hebrews or Ephesians chapter four and verse 11th May 00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:47.660 or may not be. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:49.360 Here's what I say. 00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:53.630 The difference of the office of an apostle and just the position of an apostle is. 00:32:54.900 --> 00:32:56.360 The word apostle means one sent forth. 00:32:57.360 --> 00:33:04.460 And so when you read in the Bible based on the context, you can discover that the word apostles either referring to the office of an apostle based 00:33:04.460 --> 00:33:07.740 on the context, or someone being sent forth as an apostle. 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:09.040 Proclaim the name of God. 00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:14.260 Today we use the word apostle, but we've redefined what we use that word as. 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:16.150 We actually use that word today, and we say the word missionary. 00:33:18.020 --> 00:33:19.280 We send missionaries out into this world. 00:33:19.300 --> 00:33:20.920 It's the same thing one sent forth. 00:33:21.560 --> 00:33:23.280 We send apostles into this world, one sent forth. 00:33:23.560 --> 00:33:25.200 We send missionaries in this world, one sent forth. 00:33:25.620 --> 00:33:26.070 They are necessary. 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:31.260 And the reason is because there are places in this world that don't have a church. 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:34.220 There are places in this world where God's name needs proclaim. 00:33:34.620 --> 00:33:40.300 There are people with particular gifts that can go into areas of this world and see churches established for God's glory. 00:33:41.020 --> 00:33:42.040 We use the term missionaries. 00:33:42.280 --> 00:33:44.900 So if that makes you uncomfortable saying apostle, then don't say it. 00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:45.330 Just say missionary. 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:48.880 Okay, one sent forth, we send people with gifts sent forth. 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.520 Stacy and I came to Lehi. 00:33:50.800 --> 00:33:52.900 As one sent forth, we saw a church established here. 00:33:54.540 --> 00:33:55.440 prophets can also mean. 00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:57.300 It can mean one who predicts the future in Scripture. 00:33:57.320 --> 00:34:01.920 It can also be one who proclaims truth based on the context that it's used. 00:34:03.160 --> 00:34:05.240 And so we talk about one proclaiming the truth. 00:34:05.280 --> 00:34:08.360 There are certain people who have the giftedness to take God's Word share. 00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:11.190 God's word penetrates the heart, convicts us in our lives, and we change. 00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:14.580 Those are profits. 00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:17.820 Stating God's truth to us. 00:34:18.520 --> 00:34:25.600 Paul says says, not only do we send people forth to establish churches, not only do we have people who have the ability to share God's truth that penetrates our hearts, we have evangelists, people that 00:34:25.600 --> 00:34:26.060 go out. 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:30.320 They share the gospel with individuals and they come to a knowledge of Christ. 00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.699 They trust in Jesus. 00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:32.929 They give their lives over to him. 00:34:33.060 --> 00:34:34.000 They evangelize. 00:34:34.940 --> 00:34:36.380 These are the kind of people that hate the office. 00:34:37.020 --> 00:34:39.739 They find any excuse to get out in this world and just associate with people. 00:34:39.739 --> 00:34:40.760 And they can't help. 00:34:40.780 --> 00:34:42.360 Every conversation leads to Jesus. 00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:44.159 I don't know if you've ever been with those people. 00:34:44.219 --> 00:34:45.040 You go out to eat with them. 00:34:45.040 --> 00:34:49.179 You sit down at a at a restaurant, and they're always trying to witness to the waiter or something. 00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:51.940 They just they just love Jesus and want to share them with the world. 00:34:52.040 --> 00:34:55.760 They don't like being cooped up, but they just want to get out there and talk about what Christ has done. 00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:59.160 He's also given some as pastors and teachers. 00:34:59.160 --> 00:35:05.840 But for you theologians, just if you'd like to study the Greek text, there's a disagreement as to whether or not the word pastor teacher is one word or two. 00:35:06.740 --> 00:35:08.160 For most of us, it's not going to make a big difference. 00:35:08.900 --> 00:35:12.030 But the people debate over this is this is this one word or two. 00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.580 Pastor literally means shepherd. 00:35:14.600 --> 00:35:16.310 It's one who cares for the needs of individuals. 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:24.740 The teacher is the one who gets down, looks at the original Greek language, deciphers what God's says and the original language to the people that it was originally written to, 00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:26.290 so we can come to understand it today. 00:35:26.600 --> 00:35:27.580 They teach God's Word. 00:35:27.600 --> 00:35:32.500 They're diligent to preserve exactly the context of what God's Word communicated to us when it was first written. 00:35:33.720 --> 00:35:38.620 And Paul says, God has gifted all of these people or these people to equip the body. 00:35:38.620 --> 00:35:45.340 Here it comes in verse 12, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the service to the building up of the body of Christ. 00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:48.920 What he's saying in this verse. 00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.400 As the pastor doesn't exist to do all the ministry. 00:35:55.020 --> 00:35:58.200 The Apostle doesn't exist, and the prophet and the evangelist and the teacher. 00:35:58.300 --> 00:35:59.800 They don't exist to do all the ministry. 00:36:01.820 --> 00:36:08.450 They exist to help all of us become equipped and going out into serving God's world together. 00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:15.880 God has called us all to the responsibility of sharing in his kingdom and his work and his glory. 00:36:18.080 --> 00:36:19.980 It's not just about one person. 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:21.520 It's about all of us. 00:36:23.680 --> 00:36:27.000 And God has called certain individuals to lead in particular ways. 00:36:27.100 --> 00:36:31.140 But God has called all of us to be a part of what he desires to do in this world. 00:36:32.900 --> 00:36:34.460 You think about this for just a moment. 00:36:35.640 --> 00:36:42.130 When we read the word evangelist, I would expect that the job then of the evangelist would be to go out and evangelize. 00:36:43.560 --> 00:36:44.520 Which I'm sure he will. 00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:50.040 But based on the context of the passage of Scripture here, the job of the evangelist isn't to go out and evangelize. 00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:54.620 The job of the evangelist is to teach other people how to evangelize. 00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:59.080 So that we can all go out and share God's Word together. 00:37:00.980 --> 00:37:06.180 Now, let me just tell you that this passage doesn't give me an excuse to be a lazy pastor, okay? 00:37:07.300 --> 00:37:09.160 I still put in my hours every week. 00:37:10.600 --> 00:37:15.220 But the point of Paul's passage is that we understand that we are all part of God's bigger picture together. 00:37:16.820 --> 00:37:17.850 We're all part of his church. 00:37:18.300 --> 00:37:19.400 We're all part of his work. 00:37:20.720 --> 00:37:21.880 And so there are no free passes. 00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:27.250 God's brought you into his kingdom for a purpose and a responsibility. 00:37:29.160 --> 00:37:31.220 It's not self-seeking, but it's for his glory. 00:37:33.140 --> 00:37:40.800 And so Paul goes on and says in verse 13, the goal is until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to 00:37:40.800 --> 00:37:45.930 a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 00:37:48.040 --> 00:37:50.320 God's desire for all of us is that we grow close to him. 00:37:52.240 --> 00:37:55.940 It's not about an individual, but it's about individuals becoming one. 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:01.120 And so that we can be prepared to go into this world and make an impact. 00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:06.520 You think about all that's required in a week here at Alpine Bible Church? 00:38:07.780 --> 00:38:10.180 We can afford to pay everyone for the service that they do. 00:38:10.380 --> 00:38:12.960 We can afford to pay anyone for the service that they do. 00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:20.000 We got two buildings right now, so it requires us to take our time and our gifts and our talents for the ability 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:20.780 to serve. 00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:22.360 To this week. 00:38:22.360 --> 00:38:29.820 I was just listing all of the work that's been going on with the building project, and the hundreds of hours that have already been into that, or music ministry, 00:38:29.880 --> 00:38:37.280 to the people who come Wednesday night and stay late and Sunday morning and early, the outreach ministries, ushers, greeters, kids ministries, 00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:44.270 web ministries, hosting ministries, hospitality, ladies ministries, men, men's groups, youth groups, our sound booth, people in the back. 00:38:44.340 --> 00:38:47.420 They also are here every time the music people are here. 00:38:48.580 --> 00:38:53.020 Think about all the hours of ministry that we pour in together as a church family. 00:38:54.800 --> 00:39:01.920 What it requires is for us as people to understand the need and the call which God has placed upon our lives about giving ourselves away and seeking the 00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:06.260 greater good for our family and for our friends and for our community. 00:39:07.780 --> 00:39:11.320 It's not about belonging to a church for me, it's about belonging to a church for us. 00:39:14.240 --> 00:39:18.200 And then Paul tells us at the end of this passage is very simplistic and everything that he presents. 00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:21.840 But he says in verse 14, you know what the results are. 00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:23.520 I like it. 00:39:23.600 --> 00:39:28.410 He says, therefore do all this, and therefore do all this, and here's the results that we're seeking after it can't get any plainer. 00:39:29.700 --> 00:39:30.320 And as a result. 00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:39.420 We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by the waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by 00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:41.850 the craftiness and deceitful scheming. 00:39:42.900 --> 00:39:44.420 Paul saying, we're not uniting just to unite. 00:39:45.740 --> 00:39:46.420 It's not about us. 00:39:46.560 --> 00:39:47.320 It's about his glory. 00:39:48.580 --> 00:39:55.260 And so we need to understand who he is so we can understand who we are in light of him and how we are to live in this world because of his goodness to us. 00:39:56.380 --> 00:39:59.750 And so he tells us in verse 15, listen, truth is offensive. 00:40:00.220 --> 00:40:01.160 So say it in love. 00:40:01.540 --> 00:40:02.700 Speak the truth in love. 00:40:02.700 --> 00:40:06.870 Remember in the first couple of verses he tells us to do it with patience and gentleness. 00:40:08.100 --> 00:40:12.440 You struggle in one area of your life, and it may not be the same area of my life that I struggle in. 00:40:12.740 --> 00:40:18.680 And so, because I'm tempted in different ways than you are, your tendency may be to look down upon me as I'm faltering in my pursuit with Christ. 00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:21.760 But Paul is saying, listen, God is doing a work in all of us. 00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:24.720 Be patient, be loving, be gentle. 00:40:24.720 --> 00:40:29.640 We share the truth when we're in error, but we do it in love because the truth is offensive enough. 00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:33.060 We're to grow up in all aspects into him. 00:40:33.060 --> 00:40:33.780 Who is the head? 00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:34.660 It's all about him. 00:40:35.820 --> 00:40:42.820 For whom the whole body being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to 00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:49.920 the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself 00:40:50.680 --> 00:40:51.120 in love. 00:40:56.180 --> 00:40:57.150 Maybe we get to the end of this. 00:40:58.960 --> 00:40:59.760 Section today. 00:41:02.300 --> 00:41:03.840 And we can end like this. 00:41:05.620 --> 00:41:06.400 If you come to church. 00:41:09.240 --> 00:41:10.780 And you're carrying resentment. 00:41:12.800 --> 00:41:14.420 And you're carrying anger. 00:41:15.680 --> 00:41:16.960 And you're carrying individuality. 00:41:19.560 --> 00:41:20.360 It hurts God's body. 00:41:22.600 --> 00:41:24.980 And I'm not saying there doesn't need to be reconciliation given. 00:41:25.560 --> 00:41:27.030 There doesn't need to be confession given. 00:41:27.040 --> 00:41:28.340 But what I'm saying, if that sustains. 00:41:30.260 --> 00:41:31.120 It hurts God's body. 00:41:33.860 --> 00:41:35.280 We don't serve well wounded. 00:41:37.020 --> 00:41:38.770 We don't serve well self-seeking. 00:41:40.860 --> 00:41:46.240 We serve when we're thinking of God's greater goodness and the need to be patient and gracious and loving to each other. 00:41:49.440 --> 00:41:52.990 Now I know what's going to happen when I step out into our church family and we do ministry together. 00:41:53.780 --> 00:41:59.510 Somewhere along the way, when I'm doing ministry with some someone else, something's going to happen to me where I might get offended. 00:42:00.820 --> 00:42:02.640 And I might get upset and I might get my little heart broken. 00:42:05.380 --> 00:42:06.230 This is what I keep in mind. 00:42:07.800 --> 00:42:14.860 God's doing a work in us, collectively and honestly, giving you the opportunity to speak about whatever might have offended me. 00:42:16.300 --> 00:42:18.640 You probably feel sorry for it if you knew it offended me. 00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:21.260 You probably didn't want me to feel that way. 00:42:23.220 --> 00:42:26.790 And so within myself I feel the opportunity to just be patient. 00:42:28.800 --> 00:42:30.120 To understand my pain. 00:42:30.120 --> 00:42:36.920 I can get so isolated even in that and so self-seeking in that I just forget to keep looking outward to what God desires to accomplish. 00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:39.770 I just want to let it go. 00:42:42.660 --> 00:42:44.790 I want to let go of all that I hold on to. 00:42:45.000 --> 00:42:48.460 That stops me from seeing all that God has called me to in this world. 00:42:50.980 --> 00:42:52.430 I just want to say right here, right now. 00:42:52.560 --> 00:42:52.720 God. 00:42:54.200 --> 00:42:54.420 Take it. 00:42:56.600 --> 00:43:00.680 Because what I'm interested in today is what you want to do with us tomorrow. 00:43:02.860 --> 00:43:04.080 Where is it you've called us to? 00:43:05.900 --> 00:43:08.000 And God, what is it you've called me to? 00:43:09.040 --> 00:43:12.760 God, how can I display the glory and the love that you've shown me? 00:43:15.500 --> 00:43:19.520 And Paul says when that becomes the heart's desire of the church. 00:43:21.580 --> 00:43:24.720 The church accomplishes glorious and beautiful things for him and love. 00:43:27.380 --> 00:43:31.840 It's the growth of the body for the building up of itself and love. 00:43:33.480 --> 00:43:34.760 And I want to grow with you guys. 00:43:37.020 --> 00:43:44.040 And I sometimes maybe I could say this as a partial fear of mine, but I hear of churches that are as young as ours, that have as many people as 00:43:44.040 --> 00:43:46.560 ours, and then within a week it just folds and it's gone. 00:43:47.760 --> 00:43:50.040 And what happens within that church to allow that to happen? 00:43:51.720 --> 00:43:54.020 What takes place within the people's hearts for that twofold. 00:43:54.040 --> 00:44:00.080 We had a missionary just move out here to start a church in northern Utah, in a city that doesn't have a church. 00:44:01.320 --> 00:44:05.260 And they just sent us a letter yesterday saying this church is one of the largest donors. 00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:08.540 They're given 20% support to what is going to take to start this church. 00:44:09.000 --> 00:44:16.060 These people just got out here to start the church in northern in Salt Lake County, and they just got a phone call to say, this enormous church 00:44:16.060 --> 00:44:17.460 is just closed. 00:44:18.380 --> 00:44:18.860 It's gone. 00:44:20.100 --> 00:44:23.580 And now the support that they were depending on when they came across to start this church is gone. 00:44:23.680 --> 00:44:25.480 And so this church that was supposed to start now isn't. 00:44:27.660 --> 00:44:30.440 Because the body of Christ doesn't understand the importance of this passage. 00:44:34.640 --> 00:44:35.600 It's not about me. 00:44:37.820 --> 00:44:38.620 It's about his glory. 00:44:40.620 --> 00:44:48.220 And when I let that get in the way, when I let self and selfishness and sin get in the way of what God's called us to, the 00:44:48.220 --> 00:44:50.540 effects and the ripple of that can be huge. 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:57.160 And so any time in my life, I know sin's going to come and I know adversity is going to be there. 00:44:57.180 --> 00:45:04.320 But any time it starts to rear its head and anytime it presents itself in my life and I start to feel isolated, man, I just want to come to the Lord and God. 00:45:04.320 --> 00:45:05.100 I just want to let it go. 00:45:05.720 --> 00:45:08.130 I want to let it go, and I want to be a part of your body. 00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:10.670 And I want to live for what you've called me to in this world. 00:45:10.760 --> 00:45:16.080 God, I want to see your kingdom, because that goodness is far better than anything this world has to offer. 00:45:18.560 --> 00:45:19.420 It's not for me. 00:45:20.140 --> 00:45:21.080 It's for you. 00:45:22.950 --> 00:45:25.880 And so Paul says these thoughts. 00:45:25.880 --> 00:45:27.240 Let me just leave you with these ideas from this passage. 00:45:29.940 --> 00:45:31.440 See yourself as a bigger part. 00:45:32.780 --> 00:45:33.540 Of the bigger picture. 00:45:35.360 --> 00:45:39.880 Lay yourself down for the community and the cause for which Jesus has called you. 00:45:42.000 --> 00:45:45.040 Let's not be misled over stupid differences. 00:45:46.600 --> 00:45:49.780 But what our pursuit be the truth of who Jesus is in our lives. 00:45:50.840 --> 00:45:52.660 Let's allow that to be made known. 00:45:54.660 --> 00:46:00.420 And so the important part in all of this is to understand that God has gifted you in ways that he hasn't gifted everyone else. 00:46:00.520 --> 00:46:01.720 He knew where you would live. 00:46:02.040 --> 00:46:03.940 He knew the community you would be a part of. 00:46:04.400 --> 00:46:09.640 He gave you the talents that he gave you for a particular purpose of serving his kingdom. 00:46:10.900 --> 00:46:13.320 And this king has given these out as gifts of victory. 00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:17.420 We're not going out proclaiming this, hoping we win. 00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:24.000 In the end, we're going out proclaim this because he is already won and we're asking people to come and celebrate with us. 00:46:26.320 --> 00:46:28.100 Wherever you are in your relationship with the Lord. 00:46:29.600 --> 00:46:30.300 Can I just tell you? 00:46:31.780 --> 00:46:32.580 Get committed. 00:46:33.980 --> 00:46:36.270 Find a church body and just invest. 00:46:37.660 --> 00:46:41.750 And can I encourage you as a church family to and just say, I think we do this beautifully. 00:46:43.100 --> 00:46:46.920 I think as a as a whole, as people, we're looking for places to serve. 00:46:47.800 --> 00:46:54.860 And when I say that I'm not just I'm not talking about just these four walls on a Sunday morning, I'm talking about everywhere we go together to our families, to our friends, to 00:46:54.860 --> 00:46:55.140 our community. 00:46:55.800 --> 00:46:57.440 It's about his glory and his goodness.