WEBVTT 00:00:00.460 --> 00:00:04.100 I'm gonna invite you to Romans chapter 15 and where we are together today. 00:00:04.140 --> 00:00:11.180 Romans Chapter 15, as we get to the tail end of this great work that the Apostle Paul has written for 00:00:11.180 --> 00:00:18.240 really church history in a way that has made a tremendous impact throughout the centuries, a beautiful book that deals with our relationship 00:00:18.240 --> 00:00:19.000 with the Lord. 00:00:19.020 --> 00:00:21.840 And I love the way the Apostle Paul ends this book. 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:26.040 We're looking at the really the epilogue, the closing of how Paul writes this. 00:00:26.040 --> 00:00:32.840 We're in the last half of Chapter 15 today, and we'll look in Chapter 16 over the next couple of weeks as we conclude this book. 00:00:32.980 --> 00:00:37.520 But what we find in the book of Romans is the great treaties of the Christian faith. 00:00:37.860 --> 00:00:44.220 If you don't know anything about Christianity, Book of Romans is a great book to start in, and it deals predominantly in the very beginning. 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:50.820 The first eight chapters of the book deals with your relationship with the Lord, where we are apart from Christ, who we are because of Christ. 00:00:51.020 --> 00:00:57.490 With that great chapter in Chapter eight, calling us, adopting in Him, Abba Father belonging to him, able to connect with the Lord. 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:04.780 It's a great explanation of the Christian faith, but Paul doesn't end there and just explaining to us the Christian faith, his interest also we're 00:01:04.780 --> 00:01:09.340 going to see in this chapter today is relationally connecting as a community. 00:01:09.540 --> 00:01:14.280 Paul is just not simply interested in declaring truth, though truth is foundational for our lives. 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.590 He's also interested in how we live that out with one another. 00:01:17.900 --> 00:01:21.370 And we see the Apostle Paul's heart here in the book of Romans. 00:01:21.720 --> 00:01:24.490 In desiring to connect to the church in Rome. 00:01:24.660 --> 00:01:26.400 He loves the believers in Christ there. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.360 He's never been to this church. 00:01:28.360 --> 00:01:33.220 He didn't plant this church, but he knows Rome is the epicenter for the Roman Empire. 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:40.920 And Paul's ministry was all about getting to the urban areas to influence the urban areas because he knew if he could have influence in the cities, so go 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:45.130 would go the countryside that what happens in the city sort of bleeds out into the countrysides. 00:01:45.660 --> 00:01:52.680 And so Paul wanted to influence the major metropolitan areas for the sake of the gospel, that the gospel would go forth and impact the 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:53.180 countryside. 00:01:53.780 --> 00:01:55.580 And Rome was sort of the pinnacle of that. 00:01:55.580 --> 00:01:59.570 And Paul's heart was to be there and to be with the believers and to encourage them. 00:01:59.660 --> 00:02:06.780 So not only is he giving us this great theological explanation of the Christian faith, he then in Chapter 11 and on he talks about how that looks 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:13.900 in living and he wants to be a part of that because he's not only interested in living with the body of believers and encouraging them in the Lord, He's interested in 00:02:13.900 --> 00:02:15.440 what God wants to do through their life. 00:02:16.760 --> 00:02:24.020 And when you think particularly about the Apostle Paul's life at this point in the story Paul has been following after the Lord for 20 00:02:24.020 --> 00:02:28.270 years now, he's come to know Christ, been walking faithfully with Jesus. 00:02:28.740 --> 00:02:35.920 He writes the epistle to the Romans about 20 years into his ministry, and Paul is likely in his 50s at this point, and 00:02:35.920 --> 00:02:38.080 he's got no indication of slowing down. 00:02:38.100 --> 00:02:39.370 He's not thinking about retirement. 00:02:39.900 --> 00:02:42.760 He's not thinking about hanging up the saddle and being done. 00:02:43.220 --> 00:02:45.820 Apostle Paul's ministry is growing with its impact. 00:02:45.980 --> 00:02:52.420 Paul continues to make a greater difference in the way that the Lord is using him in this world and continues to push forward. 00:02:52.440 --> 00:02:56.050 He's going to be ministering for about another decade before he's finally martyred. 00:02:56.180 --> 00:03:02.420 And even at that point, if the Apostle Paul had not been martyred, his life was just being poured out for Jesus. 00:03:02.820 --> 00:03:09.900 And so when we look at this Chapter 15 today, what we're going to answer or look at is really three steps to make a greater 00:03:09.900 --> 00:03:11.900 impact for Christ in this world. 00:03:12.580 --> 00:03:19.760 And as we look at the Apostle Paul's life and doing ministry over these couple of decades and the way God is using him to make a growing 00:03:19.760 --> 00:03:26.200 impact, the way that Paul viewed his scope of ministry, you see in his communication here, it continues to broaden. 00:03:26.200 --> 00:03:33.710 And the way God is using him as God has equipped him and He's become more knowledgeable and wise in the way that he's done ministry. 00:03:33.780 --> 00:03:40.860 And he's just expanded beyond where he originally began to thinking even further and how God could use him 00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:42.060 in this world. 00:03:42.100 --> 00:03:49.180 And so as you look at his life, as he continues to grow older in years, his desires to continue to make a greater impact 00:03:49.180 --> 00:03:49.960 for the Lord. 00:03:49.980 --> 00:03:57.840 And I think what we're going to see in these verses is that the way that Paul the Apostle Paul is doing this is to having some intentionality 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:05.400 towards towards the way that he is pursuing his life in Christ and how it makes a difference in the lives of others. 00:04:06.040 --> 00:04:08.570 And he's inviting the church in Rome to also participate. 00:04:09.200 --> 00:04:13.920 He's using his life as an example to model for other Christians. 00:04:13.920 --> 00:04:16.910 Now, I want us to know we're all not the Apostle Paul. 00:04:17.060 --> 00:04:24.160 We're not we're all not going to be like the apostle Paul and necessarily the fruit that we produce in life because the way God has gifted us 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:25.740 could just it could be different. 00:04:26.980 --> 00:04:33.110 But you can be as faithful as the apostle Paul and what God has called you to in this world. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:34.600 All right. 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:35.820 So results. 00:04:35.860 --> 00:04:39.980 The results are not up to us and how we do things in this world or what's accomplished. 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:43.370 What God calls us to is really faithfulness. 00:04:44.580 --> 00:04:49.280 And in that faithfulness, what Paul is showing us is three ways to make a greater impact. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.570 Let me just give you point number one in your notes and we'll start off in this passage. 00:04:52.620 --> 00:04:56.860 But point number one is this have a godly dream to achieve. 00:04:58.340 --> 00:05:00.500 Have a godly dream to achieve. 00:05:00.860 --> 00:05:09.060 Meaning you're running for something and you see this idea peppered all over what the apostle Paul says in verse 22 to verse 24. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:09.960 Maybe. 00:05:11.280 --> 00:05:12.000 Now give me a click. 00:05:12.320 --> 00:05:13.800 Area 22. 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.680 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 00:05:18.400 --> 00:05:20.480 But now we're going to talk about what hindered him in a moment. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:27.560 He's an indication of the verses previous to this, but he says, But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:34.580 I have long for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain and to be helped 00:05:34.580 --> 00:05:36.760 on my journey there by you once. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:39.130 I have enjoyed your company for a while. 00:05:40.280 --> 00:05:44.340 So you see this idea of a of a dream being painted in the Apostle Paul's speech here. 00:05:44.340 --> 00:05:51.740 He's talking about what he's longed for and what he's hoped for, giving this indication that Paul's eyes are not finished, 00:05:51.740 --> 00:05:59.000 that he continues to look forward and what God desires to do, that Paul has a dream in how the Lord 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:03.520 can use him to proclaim the gospel in this world and what God desires to do. 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:10.760 So when we talk in terms of a dream, we're not talking about any particular dream that you might have, but a Christ centric, gospel driven dream 00:06:10.760 --> 00:06:14.380 of what you desire the Lord to do in your life and through your life. 00:06:15.260 --> 00:06:20.520 And this is where the Apostle Paul is in his relationship with the Lord, is that he's dreaming this way. 00:06:20.540 --> 00:06:23.200 And he's really this idea of this dream. 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:26.200 He's indicating his built previous to verse 22. 00:06:26.200 --> 00:06:29.820 He's saying that he's been hindered from fulfilling this. 00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:30.680 Right. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:34.420 He's been hindered from going to Rome where he's writing this epistle. 00:06:34.420 --> 00:06:34.540 Right. 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:38.400 He wants to come to them and not just stop in Rome. 00:06:38.740 --> 00:06:45.760 But he sees the church in Rome not only as a place to fellowship and encourage, but a place to then be sent from in order to get 00:06:45.760 --> 00:06:48.900 to Spain to head further west for the sake of the gospel. 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:56.840 So he wants to join the believers in Rome, but see what God could do within that church to send the Apostle Paul on further mission to unreached people groups around the 00:06:56.840 --> 00:06:57.140 world. 00:06:57.780 --> 00:06:59.750 And so Paul has his sights on Spain. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:07.200 But the thing that's hindered the apostle Paul to this point is exactly what's also calling the apostle Paul to go further in 00:07:07.200 --> 00:07:14.640 his life, which is the gospel, the apostle Paul, his life radically changed by the Lord. 00:07:14.820 --> 00:07:20.290 He then uses that as an opportunity to go around the world wherever God leads him to preach the gospel. 00:07:21.020 --> 00:07:28.020 And in verse 16 of this chapter, it's not on the screen that Paul identifies his life as one God has particularly called 00:07:28.020 --> 00:07:30.640 to reach the Gentiles to the ends of the earth. 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:37.960 He even says in verse 21 that God's heart's desire is to see the Gentiles come to know Christ. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:45.880 And so he's saying because of that goal that God has given him, because of that dream that God has written on his heart, that 00:07:45.880 --> 00:07:52.960 he's been hindered to go any further because he still finds in the region in which he's called places where he needs to reach out to. 00:07:53.980 --> 00:08:01.140 And so in obedience to that, the Apostle Paul continues to minister in those regions before he then begins to 00:08:01.140 --> 00:08:05.520 think beyond those boundaries towards Rome and to Spain. 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:12.580 And so when Paul is talking about being hindered here, his he's got a this hindrance gives an indication that the apostle 00:08:12.580 --> 00:08:19.820 Paul has a has a dream of deep conviction something that something that's going to drive 00:08:19.820 --> 00:08:27.280 him even in adversity that this has been on his heart and on his mind how far the Lord could lead him to go to proclaim God's 00:08:27.280 --> 00:08:28.850 word to the ends of the earth. 00:08:29.620 --> 00:08:34.520 And this idea of this hindrance is one of a it's a military term for a trench. 00:08:34.580 --> 00:08:42.000 Anytime that a soldiers would go into a battle against another group if they wanted to oppose their enemy by preventing 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:49.000 them from advancing, they would they would dig deep trenches in order to prohibit their advancement against them. 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:56.160 And so the apostle Paul is saying as he's moving forward, he's come to this hindrance, this trench, and it's not God's time at this moment to cross 00:08:56.160 --> 00:08:56.640 this over. 00:08:56.640 --> 00:09:00.630 So he's recognizing that God has more work for him to do. 00:09:01.400 --> 00:09:08.360 And the point of this dream that Paul is sharing with us is to recognize it's really it's not about him being famous or promoting himself. 00:09:08.400 --> 00:09:14.140 It's about it's really about not not even him being a hero at all, but rather pointing to the great hero that is Christ. 00:09:15.520 --> 00:09:22.780 And so, Paul, dreaming and seeing God made known in this world and to 00:09:22.780 --> 00:09:26.540 be faithful to the Lord while he's doing it. 00:09:26.540 --> 00:09:32.190 I love how he's painting this story while he's thinking about Rome and he's thinking about Spain. 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:36.760 He also recognizes God's given him a responsibility where he's at. 00:09:38.100 --> 00:09:42.980 He needs to be faithful first to the call God has given him before he grows beyond that. 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:51.560 And for us as we think in terms of what God desires of our lives and any dreams that we have in him, a 00:09:51.560 --> 00:09:58.560 godly dream for tomorrow is always built on the faithfulness of 00:09:58.560 --> 00:09:59.060 today. 00:10:00.560 --> 00:10:08.240 And Paul knows this, which is why, even as he thinks about this hindrance, prohibiting him from advancing forward, he's 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:15.620 reflecting on the fact that he wants to be faithful to the calling God has given him so that he could be free then 00:10:15.620 --> 00:10:19.120 to continue to expand beyond where God has him. 00:10:20.820 --> 00:10:28.160 And when you think, as the Apostle Paul is sharing this dream of expanding on to Spain for the sake of the gospel, 00:10:28.340 --> 00:10:35.340 what's interesting in church history during this time that the Rome had actually really about this point in history, conquered all the way over 00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:36.180 to Spain. 00:10:36.920 --> 00:10:38.340 And so this is a new region, new territory. 00:10:38.880 --> 00:10:41.440 And Rome was said to have conquered really the known world. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:44.040 So by the apostle Paul saying he wants to advance to Spain. 00:10:44.260 --> 00:10:49.720 He's saying he's going to this new territory, really unchartered for Rome just beginning these places. 00:10:49.800 --> 00:10:55.680 But he wanted to go to the ends of the earth as far as the known world was at the time for the for the sake of the gospel. 00:10:55.940 --> 00:10:58.420 And some may ask the question, well, did Paul ever make it? 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:03.660 Is there any indication in scripture that Paul made it to from Rome and on to Spain? 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:09.720 We know Paul made it to Rome because his martyrdom is communicated us in church history as having happened in Rome. 00:11:10.880 --> 00:11:18.060 But you have to go really beyond scripture to find out if Paul ever made it to Spain, because no biblical indication other than Paul's heart shared 00:11:18.060 --> 00:11:19.720 here that he desired to go to Spain. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:27.100 But what you find in church history is that early church fathers recorded journeys of the Apostle Paul that led 00:11:27.100 --> 00:11:28.260 him to Spain. 00:11:29.300 --> 00:11:32.920 And so Paul eventually, according to church history, got there. 00:11:32.920 --> 00:11:40.320 In fact, Clement of Rome, who was church leader in Rome, and he was alive during the apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul's 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.300 days. 00:11:41.680 --> 00:11:48.780 20 years after Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans and ten years after Paul's martyrdom, he writes in his 00:11:48.780 --> 00:11:51.900 own letters about the apostle Paul making it to Rome. 00:11:51.900 --> 00:11:59.360 He says this Paul, by his example, pointed out the way to the prize for patient endurance after 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:06.360 he had been seven times in chains and had been driven into exile, had been stoned and had preached in the east and 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:07.040 in the west. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:09.580 And by the way, let me just acknowledge a couple of things here. 00:12:09.580 --> 00:12:12.520 One, he's talking about the patient endurance of Paul in this dream. 00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:19.940 He wants to fulfill this dream that God's put on his heart, but he also wants to be faithful to the call of God's given him in that moment, not to 00:12:19.940 --> 00:12:24.660 just abandon, because future dreams are built on the faithfulness of today, who you want to be. 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:26.560 Tomorrow you start implementing now. 00:12:27.180 --> 00:12:31.110 And to the extent that even this dream is not wrecked by adversity. 00:12:32.040 --> 00:12:39.120 Right, Because real dreams of deep conviction are willing to pay the cost to endure through the adversity 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.460 because the reward is worth it. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.230 And that's the apostle Paul in this story. 00:12:43.640 --> 00:12:43.880 Right. 00:12:43.880 --> 00:12:45.400 He reached in the east and in the west. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:53.000 He won the genuine glory for his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world and having reached the farthest limits of 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:53.640 the West. 00:12:54.520 --> 00:12:58.540 Now, some church leaders specifically name Spain. 00:12:58.540 --> 00:13:05.140 But what Clement is acknowledging is as far as Rome went west, that's as far as Paul went. 00:13:05.160 --> 00:13:08.760 And during this time period was the area of Spain. 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:11.880 Paul's dream. 00:13:13.380 --> 00:13:14.500 Included Rome. 00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:18.060 It included Spain. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:25.020 But can I tell you, it's only because his dream was deeper than just a location. 00:13:28.060 --> 00:13:34.620 Paul's dream was to go to the ends of the earth with the gospel in order to invite people to Jesus. 00:13:36.820 --> 00:13:43.120 It wasn't about where he was going as much as it was about being obedient to share what God had called him to share. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:51.480 The result of that is it led him to places to be faithful in Christ because the Apostle Paul had a special gifting and 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:52.520 a special calling. 00:13:53.760 --> 00:13:56.000 To go to reach the Gentiles with the gospel. 00:13:56.060 --> 00:13:58.100 He was the apostle to the Gentiles. 00:13:58.520 --> 00:14:04.830 Now, that doesn't mean that eliminates us from the calling of sharing what God has done in our lives with others. 00:14:05.820 --> 00:14:10.020 But it is recognizing the uniqueness of the Apostle Paul's life. 00:14:10.160 --> 00:14:12.540 So let me just ask you in relation to this. 00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:15.180 Do you have a godly dream? 00:14:18.260 --> 00:14:19.470 What is it you desire? 00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:21.960 God to do in your life. 00:14:24.880 --> 00:14:32.180 Can I as you think about godly dreams and you see the Apostle Paul's example in this passage, can I can I just encourage you 00:14:32.180 --> 00:14:39.600 in terms of godly dreams, sometimes when we think about what it is God desires to do in our life, we think about people because ministry 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.680 is about people. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:44.240 It's about reaching people and impacting people. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:49.720 And maybe, maybe to start off in that godly dream that people that you want to impact is your own heart. 00:14:50.760 --> 00:14:54.760 What Christ should be to me and how do I know him and walk with him. 00:14:54.820 --> 00:15:00.960 But as you come to know Jesus and you start walking with Jesus, then you start thinking about beyond you how God can use you. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:05.430 That what happened in you can now be lived through you and you start thinking about the hearts of others. 00:15:06.380 --> 00:15:10.040 I think it's great to have godly dreams to influence your family. 00:15:10.040 --> 00:15:14.430 I think that's your first ministry that God calls you to in this world is to impact the home. 00:15:14.640 --> 00:15:18.750 Because as you impact the home, God expands your opportunity to impact the world. 00:15:19.300 --> 00:15:19.440 Right? 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:21.180 So it should start in the home. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:23.840 But then you think about other relationships beyond that. 00:15:24.540 --> 00:15:31.700 And while your heart may be for those relationships, God doesn't call you to necessarily well, he doesn't call 00:15:31.700 --> 00:15:32.680 you to manipulate hearts. 00:15:33.900 --> 00:15:36.520 He doesn't call you to force people to embrace what you believe. 00:15:37.760 --> 00:15:37.860 Right. 00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:45.100 It's a great goal to want to be a godly influence in the lives of people around you, but it doesn't necessitate that they're always going 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.220 to come to know the Lord. 00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:54.000 Rather, what our heart should be in those situations is just to be faithful, to be faithful where God has put us 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:59.740 to make a difference in the lives of people, regardless of what they do or don't do to honor him. 00:16:00.020 --> 00:16:06.160 I think even as the apostle Paul, when he's thinking about Rome and Spain, he has no idea what Rome and Spain are going to be like. 00:16:07.640 --> 00:16:07.640 But. 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:12.460 But he knows the God he follows and he knows his desires to honor God wherever he goes. 00:16:13.040 --> 00:16:16.100 And the results, the results are up to him. 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:23.680 So we think in terms of a godly dream, I think it's great to have goals in mind or a dream in mind that might include the hearts of people that you want 00:16:23.680 --> 00:16:27.810 to reach or a particular people group or a place and the way in which you want to live. 00:16:28.260 --> 00:16:33.220 But regardless of how they respond or don't respond, our dream is to always honor God first. 00:16:34.380 --> 00:16:36.660 To live faithful in relationship with him. 00:16:37.380 --> 00:16:40.770 I would say for us here at Alpine Bible Church, do we have a dream? 00:16:40.820 --> 00:16:41.420 Yes. 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:45.820 I mean, that dream is included seeing a church built here in our community. 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:46.880 Right. 00:16:46.880 --> 00:16:52.430 But our dream has always been bigger than ourselves because we know the gospel is not just simply given to you. 00:16:52.540 --> 00:16:52.780 Right. 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:57.640 But the gospel is a gift to you to be used through you, not only in you, but through you. 00:16:57.640 --> 00:16:59.020 It's intended to be given away. 00:16:59.160 --> 00:17:01.860 And one of the most unhealthy things that you can be as a Christian is stagnant. 00:17:03.040 --> 00:17:08.359 If you want to know what stagnation produces, you have to do, and especially this time of year, is go down to the Great Salt Lake. 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:09.240 Right? 00:17:09.260 --> 00:17:12.920 Because if you know you've been to the Great Salt Lake this time of year, this is the time the bugs hatch. 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:13.490 And it sucks. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:13.839 Right? 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:18.680 Like, I'm sorry to say that, but you get near that shore and they just they just bombard you. 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:19.700 It's not good. 00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:20.280 Right. 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:26.300 And the reason the Great Salt Lake is like that is because all the water flows to it and nothing flows out of it. 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:28.300 It's stagnant. 00:17:30.260 --> 00:17:33.630 And when things get stagnant, it gets gross. 00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:42.700 And the same is true in the life of the believer that God not only wants to do a work in you, but He desires to do a work through you. 00:17:42.800 --> 00:17:48.120 And so for our church, even while we have a place here to gather and to proclaim God's name. 00:17:48.120 --> 00:17:49.380 Beautiful, beautiful. 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:53.160 But more than that, because we understand that God wants to do a work through us. 00:17:53.280 --> 00:17:59.960 And so our desire may be a bit ambitious, but we want to be a part of seeing a healthy church in every town in Utah. 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:08.440 We want to see a non-denominational, healthy, evangelical based right church living in light 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:12.700 of Christ biblically, holding to the truths of God's word that have been proclaimed throughout the centuries. 00:18:13.060 --> 00:18:14.980 We want to be driven in that way. 00:18:15.040 --> 00:18:16.660 We want to see a healthy church in every town. 00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:25.840 And part of our dream to see that for a church we've been working to create leadership training and 00:18:25.840 --> 00:18:33.080 conference for pastors and vision trips we're inviting we'll have several missions teams here next week being 00:18:33.080 --> 00:18:34.960 taught about Utah and vision trips. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:37.960 We're inviting people to learn about the needs and the ministry here. 00:18:38.120 --> 00:18:45.420 And we even have plans this fall for a seminary to train church planters in Utah, fully accredited seminary, to be able to start 00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:52.460 to support church planting, which this week you guys, we sent as a church $4,000 to a 00:18:52.460 --> 00:19:00.200 church in Spanish Fork that's about to start just to help them in their initial launch as a church in that community church 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:01.380 revitalization. 00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:08.660 We helped a church this past year in Brigham City that was not looking healthy at the moment just to revitalize 00:19:08.660 --> 00:19:10.700 itself and to get strengthened. 00:19:10.760 --> 00:19:12.120 We're not about us. 00:19:12.280 --> 00:19:15.550 We're about God's kingdom and what He wants to do through us. 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:18.660 But can I tell you, behind all of those dreams. 00:19:20.040 --> 00:19:21.560 We know that none of it is possible. 00:19:23.140 --> 00:19:24.030 None of it is possible. 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:29.280 Unless God's people are surrendered to him. 00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:37.300 Unless we as God's people, are driven to know Him and to glorify him with our lives. 00:19:38.940 --> 00:19:42.100 And that's really the secret to Paul's dreams. 00:19:44.100 --> 00:19:47.080 To be faithful to the Lord wherever God led his life. 00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:55.240 And he recognized that as his hope was to Spain, that he needed to honor God also where he was because God hadn't 00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:57.470 opened the door for him to go there yet. 00:19:59.080 --> 00:19:59.240 Point. 00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:02.660 Point number two, then having a godly dream to achieve. 00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:05.540 Point number two is make a biblical plan to follow. 00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:08.340 Make a biblical plan to follow. 00:20:08.360 --> 00:20:11.200 It's been said this way from several different people. 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:12.060 Here's a quote for you. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.060 Vision without action is just a dream. 00:20:16.140 --> 00:20:19.900 Action without vision just passes the time. 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:22.400 But vision with action can change the world. 00:20:23.360 --> 00:20:28.640 And in verse 25, you start to see how Paul wants to implement this dream in his life. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:30.420 He starts to lay out an action plan. 00:20:30.520 --> 00:20:36.680 This is this is the process that I'm going to go go through in order to get where I feel like God is leading my heart, though it may not be right now. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:45.060 And in verse 25, at present, however, I'm going to Jerusalem, bringing aid to the Saints for Macedonia and Achaia 00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:52.880 have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem, by the way, Macedonia and Ikea, the region of Macedonia is where Philippi 00:20:52.880 --> 00:21:00.000 and Thessalonica are, which are two epistles in your book where churches were planted and Achaia is where Corinth is, 00:21:00.040 --> 00:21:05.080 where the Book of Corinthians was written, Athens, where Mars Hill, the great message of Mars Hill was given. 00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:12.620 And so those are those are the regions that are making a contribution for the poor among the Saints at Jerusalem, verse 27, for they were pleased 00:21:12.620 --> 00:21:20.020 to do it and indeed, they owe it to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessing, they 00:21:20.020 --> 00:21:23.370 ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:31.600 The Apostle Paul, in this moment, he's telling us at present where he is meaning, okay, so this is my goal, this is the dream. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:36.820 But here's the reality at the present, and here comes my plan. 00:21:36.820 --> 00:21:38.240 This is how it's going to work. 00:21:38.320 --> 00:21:45.380 And when Paul starts to articulate his plan of how he's going to get to Spain, what's interesting in the story is he starts to describe how he's going 00:21:45.380 --> 00:21:50.500 to get to Spain by going the opposite direction rather than head west. 00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:51.640 Excuse me. 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:53.960 He heads west rather than head west. 00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:54.890 He heads east. 00:21:55.220 --> 00:21:55.780 There you go. 00:21:56.700 --> 00:22:01.240 And so the apostle Paul, before he can begin to move forward, he's taken a step back. 00:22:02.540 --> 00:22:09.580 He's taken a step in really another direction to minister in a in a completely 00:22:09.580 --> 00:22:14.000 different area than where he feels God in the long term might be leading him. 00:22:15.360 --> 00:22:21.610 And what he's really teaching us is that a long term dream may take time to formulate and fulfill meaning. 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:30.180 When the Apostle Paul started his ministry, the apostle Paul, he was came to know Jesus and he was 00:22:30.180 --> 00:22:37.460 ten years serving the Lord before he ever went on his first missionary journey, ten years serving in local churches 00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:44.760 in Tarsus and Antioch before the church in Antioch, which is just north of Jerusalem, had commissioned him to go on his first missionary 00:22:44.760 --> 00:22:49.250 journey, and before that church had commissioned him to go on his first missionary journey. 00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:55.780 I doubt the apostle Paul the minute he came to know Christ instantly thought, I got to go to Spain, right? 00:22:55.940 --> 00:23:02.650 I doubt he thought at his first missionary journey when he was called, okay, we're going to go on this journey, but ultimately we're going to go to Spain. 00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:09.000 I think what the Apostle Paul learned on the journey is how God's hand was faithful to him every step of the way. 00:23:10.080 --> 00:23:17.320 And it was along that journey that God built confidence in the Apostle Paul and everything that God had promised 00:23:17.320 --> 00:23:20.000 him and who He was, right? 00:23:20.040 --> 00:23:27.080 The Apostle Paul, as he's going on this journey, he met a God, though he faced adversity, was more than sufficient to supply what he needed to carry 00:23:27.080 --> 00:23:28.220 out what God had called him to. 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:36.410 And as he watched God be faithful every step of the way, I think it expanded the Apostle Paul's ability to dream of what God could do. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:44.880 And so before he could get to the place of even talking about Spain, Paul needed to see the Lord be faithful on his first missionary journey, on 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:51.900 his second missionary journey, on his third missionary journey before he got to his fourth, and who knows how many he went on because church history does not 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:53.140 record that for us. 00:23:54.360 --> 00:23:59.620 But the Apostle Paul, in order to get to that place, he took a step back. 00:24:01.120 --> 00:24:06.280 I mean, when you look at Paul's life, in order to get to the point that he has in ministry to write these kind of things. 00:24:07.760 --> 00:24:07.860 He. 00:24:09.080 --> 00:24:13.080 He followed and read scripture as a Jewish man dedicated to it. 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:21.120 Then when he came to know Christ, he got further into God's word from now, being a Christian for 00:24:21.120 --> 00:24:23.820 the next three years, studying God's word, really in isolation. 00:24:25.260 --> 00:24:28.040 Before he went on to Tarsus and eventually Antioch. 00:24:28.440 --> 00:24:30.790 And he's faithfully serving the Lord in the church. 00:24:31.280 --> 00:24:36.390 And then when God calls him on to his first missionary journey, he doesn't make that decision individually. 00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:42.960 But the church is confirming that giftedness in him in Barnabas before they even send them out. 00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:47.500 And the apostle Paul now has been faithfully in all sorts of adversity. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:55.300 Following after after Christ to make him known around the world before he even gets to a place to talk about 00:24:55.300 --> 00:24:55.800 Spain. 00:24:58.320 --> 00:25:04.830 And in order to do that, Paul is also teaching us in this passage that he's not forsaking his foundation. 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:09.840 He's not saying, look, I'm just looking ahead and forget what lies behind me, though, in Christ. 00:25:09.840 --> 00:25:12.310 I think we do that when Jesus gives us right. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:16.930 We're able to lay that behind the sins of the past in order to run in Jesus. 00:25:17.320 --> 00:25:23.660 But Paul also wants to honor the past, where we're where God has made himself known and the foundation He's established. 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:28.840 As he thinks about the future, He's remembering where he's been in Christ and where he's going in the Lord. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:36.040 And so Paul wants to go back and honor the foundation, which is why he's going to Jerusalem, where the church, the cradle of 00:25:36.040 --> 00:25:39.800 Christianity began, because he knows the brothers in Christ are suffering there. 00:25:39.820 --> 00:25:42.600 And the church, God's community wants to support that. 00:25:42.600 --> 00:25:49.040 And so he's not forsaking his foundation, but rather what the apostle Paul is doing is including God's community in it. 00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:58.480 He understands that this dream isn't just his dream being made known, but Christ's dream being made known through his people, that 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:02.500 there's a place for God's people to participate in what God wants to do in this world. 00:26:03.060 --> 00:26:09.880 And so He's not just traveling to Spain at the exclusion of the church, but Paul is moving in these relationships to include the church. 00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:16.980 In this dream, he's going back to Jerusalem to communicate to this church and from Ephesus and Antioch and 00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:24.020 Philippi and Thessalonica, he wants God's community seeing how all of them can be a part of what God desires to do as he prepares to then 00:26:24.020 --> 00:26:25.700 go to Rome and on to Spain. 00:26:28.580 --> 00:26:32.290 How God works in unity to achieve his plan. 00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:40.320 God is a God that delights in the partnership of his people for the sake of the gospel around this world. 00:26:42.180 --> 00:26:45.370 And Paul, we learn, is even willing to do that to the extent of sacrifice. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:52.350 If you know how the Apostle Paul's story lays out in Scripture, you know that when he leaves, he's writing. 00:26:52.780 --> 00:26:58.480 He's writing the letter of the Romans in the city of Corinth, and he's about to journey east. 00:26:59.040 --> 00:27:06.800 He's going to go to the town of Miletus, which is just south of Ephesus, and meet with the Ephesians Ephesian elders south and just 00:27:06.800 --> 00:27:09.150 south of Ephesus and then go on to Jerusalem. 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:12.650 And when he gets to Jerusalem, he's going to face persecution. 00:27:14.060 --> 00:27:15.600 The Apostle Paul knows that. 00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:17.940 But he's willing to do it. 00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:24.980 In fact, in Acts Chapter 20, I think one of the most powerful passages in the Book of Acts, the apostle Paul 00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:30.120 meets with the Ephesian elders and tells us in these in these moments, he's weeping with them because he loves them. 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:32.410 He spent a number of years in Ephesus. 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:34.430 He's built a deep relationship with his church. 00:27:34.820 --> 00:27:36.420 He cares about this church. 00:27:36.560 --> 00:27:40.980 And he also knows this is the last time he's probably going to be with this church because of the persecution ahead of him. 00:27:42.280 --> 00:27:48.100 And it says in Acts 20 and now behold, I'm going to Jerusalem, constrained by the spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there. 00:27:49.100 --> 00:27:54.360 Except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, the imprisonment and afflictions that await me. 00:27:56.280 --> 00:27:58.620 You hear in the story the apostle Paul has just written. 00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.740 His dream is to go to Spain. 00:28:01.400 --> 00:28:02.700 He acts 20. 00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:04.820 He doesn't even know if he's ever going to fulfill that dream. 00:28:06.260 --> 00:28:08.400 We got is written that on his heart for the sake of people. 00:28:09.800 --> 00:28:13.660 Except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and affliction await me. 00:28:14.580 --> 00:28:18.360 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself. 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:23.920 If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the Gospel of the Grace of God. 00:28:25.080 --> 00:28:32.160 And now behold, I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:33.300 face again. 00:28:36.280 --> 00:28:37.760 The apostle Paul goes through. 00:28:39.280 --> 00:28:45.560 This sacrifice for the sake of the people in Spain to know Jesus. 00:28:47.800 --> 00:28:49.070 And it's not about his glory. 00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:51.980 It's about Christ's glory. 00:28:53.540 --> 00:29:00.640 Paul is completely willing to make the sacrifice because he has found in life all he needs in order to be content is in Jesus. 00:29:02.020 --> 00:29:07.560 All his hopes and dreams that this world may offer are nothing in comparison to what he has in Jesus. 00:29:07.560 --> 00:29:09.300 I love this about Christianity. 00:29:10.580 --> 00:29:14.020 It's the distinguishment really, of Christianity from every other religion in this world. 00:29:15.520 --> 00:29:16.980 Every other religion in this world. 00:29:16.980 --> 00:29:19.890 Your performance is about receiving your own exaltation. 00:29:20.820 --> 00:29:25.500 You do good in order to make God in your debt so that God has to owe you something. 00:29:26.780 --> 00:29:29.410 God has to exalt you because of your performance. 00:29:30.580 --> 00:29:31.490 And that is not Christianity. 00:29:33.260 --> 00:29:34.000 Christianity. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:38.350 What compels God's people is not trying to prove to God our worthiness. 00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:41.320 What compels God's people is Christ's worthiness over us. 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:50.360 The God would love us and meet us in our brokenness and in our sin and give his identity on us that we can be renewed in Jesus forgiven, restored, 00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:56.690 redeemed in Christ, and have a future promise in Jesus so that no matter what happens in this world, what we have in Christ lasts. 00:29:58.280 --> 00:30:03.890 And Paul, because his life was so radically transformed by this gospel, he's willing to go to the ends of the earth to share it with others. 00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:06.980 And then in verse 28, it goes on and says this. 00:30:07.120 --> 00:30:11.740 It says, When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected. 00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:14.980 Talking about those in Jerusalem, I will leave for Spain. 00:30:15.020 --> 00:30:17.460 By way of you talking to the church in Rome. 00:30:17.460 --> 00:30:19.620 I will get to Spain by your help. 00:30:19.860 --> 00:30:24.580 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. 00:30:26.440 --> 00:30:33.800 What the Apostle Paul is saying in this passage is that his life from beginning to end was simply just being faithful 00:30:33.800 --> 00:30:34.520 to Jesus. 00:30:34.520 --> 00:30:42.000 That God has given his heart's desire to see the Gentile world come to know Christ, and He's going to able to do this well 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:47.460 with the church in Rome, because he knows that no matter the expense, he he's going to follow Jesus faithfully. 00:30:48.900 --> 00:30:54.410 Because his heart has always been about not his own personal gain, but Christ made known to the lost. 00:30:54.500 --> 00:31:01.640 In fact, in the book of Philippians, Paul told us in his own life, he discovered that contentment in Jesus and Philippians, the letter 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:08.570 written from jail, he says, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus, in Christ Jesus. 00:31:08.840 --> 00:31:13.820 I know, he says in verse 12, How to get along with little and also know how to live in prosperity. 00:31:14.080 --> 00:31:15.580 And in any and every circumstance. 00:31:15.760 --> 00:31:23.020 I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering in need in verse 19 and my God will supply all 00:31:23.020 --> 00:31:25.690 your needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. 00:31:27.540 --> 00:31:34.600 The Apostle Paul has discovered, I think, in his own journeys with the Lord, that as God called him into this Gentile world, the faithfulness of God, no 00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:40.460 matter the circumstance he was in, which gave him the ability to dream bigger to the ends of the earth. 00:31:45.060 --> 00:31:45.760 And what about you? 00:31:48.760 --> 00:31:51.120 Having a godly dream in Christ. 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:54.120 What's your action plan? 00:31:56.360 --> 00:31:57.180 A vision. 00:31:58.260 --> 00:31:58.780 Without. 00:31:58.940 --> 00:31:59.820 Without a plan. 00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:01.600 It's just a dream. 00:32:03.100 --> 00:32:05.440 But with a plan, it can change the world. 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:08.400 What is it? 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:15.460 God desires for you in your life right now to strengthen you as a believer in order to carry on what God has called you 00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.240 to in this world. 00:32:17.540 --> 00:32:20.460 Or maybe like in the Apostle Paul, what is God called you to? 00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:25.180 To be faithful to him. 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:32.200 To see how God desires to move you in this world, to make a difference for his glory. 00:32:34.600 --> 00:32:36.020 Point number three in your notes. 00:32:38.260 --> 00:32:40.900 Maintain constant prayer on the journey. 00:32:42.760 --> 00:32:44.480 Maintain constant prayer on the journey. 00:32:44.560 --> 00:32:51.660 Not only does Paul show us the importance of a dream in Christ and the importance of making a plan in 00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:58.760 Christ to see that dream fulfilled, but He also encourages us to maintain constant prayer for the journey that we have in 00:32:58.760 --> 00:32:59.020 him. 00:33:00.020 --> 00:33:07.040 And I think this is important for really all of us as believers to understand the significance of prayer, because we often we often see prayer as 00:33:07.040 --> 00:33:14.260 a as a magic wand to tell God how to join me on my journey in order to make me more comfortable in this world. 00:33:14.540 --> 00:33:16.150 That's really how we use prayer. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:23.390 Prayer is just this tool God's given me as this magic wand to tell him what I'm doing so he can join me in that to make my life more comfortable. 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:31.480 Our prayers tend to focus on things that will make life easy because our goal really isn't always about glorifying God, 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.490 but about being comfortable. 00:33:33.360 --> 00:33:38.780 And let me just say, it's not wrong to tell God the struggles you're facing in life. 00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:46.660 It's not wrong to want God to change those struggles, but to make that the ultimate goal in itself is to neglect the whole 00:33:46.660 --> 00:33:48.380 beauty of what prayer is about. 00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:51.040 God certainly cares about the struggles in your life. 00:33:51.060 --> 00:33:53.500 God certainly cares about the problems that you face. 00:33:53.620 --> 00:34:01.020 But rather prayer is not about asking God to join us, but rather recognizing our privilege 00:34:01.020 --> 00:34:02.260 to join him. 00:34:03.560 --> 00:34:05.820 Prayer is a way to seek him. 00:34:05.820 --> 00:34:13.120 So he transforms our life and empowers us to fulfill his plan in this world, because we can easily, as 00:34:13.120 --> 00:34:16.440 people, get distracted and get discouraged. 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:20.300 And when we get to that place, it leads us to this place of despair. 00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:22.580 And so in verse 30, this is what Paul says to the church. 00:34:22.580 --> 00:34:29.620 I appeal to you, brothers by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your 00:34:29.620 --> 00:34:36.940 prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may 00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:38.760 be acceptable to the Saints. 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:47.540 God knows, Paul knows there is tension between the Gentiles and the Jews within the 00:34:47.540 --> 00:34:48.380 body of Christ. 00:34:50.659 --> 00:34:55.500 Paul knows how important it is that the Gentiles have given this gift to give to the church in Jerusalem. 00:34:56.940 --> 00:35:04.000 That God can do a reconciling and healing work, that as they see the Gentile group sacrificing and love for Jewish 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:10.620 brothers and sisters in Christ, Though there be tension in the church between the two that God can bring great healing in that. 00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:11.980 And. 00:35:13.100 --> 00:35:14.860 When you have conflict in relationship. 00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:19.740 Can I can I tell you the first step in finding healing in that conflict in relationship? 00:35:20.780 --> 00:35:21.360 It's humility. 00:35:23.160 --> 00:35:23.740 It's humility. 00:35:25.320 --> 00:35:26.100 Proud people fight. 00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:28.220 Humble people do not. 00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:32.900 Now it takes two in that relationship to see full reconciliation. 00:35:34.020 --> 00:35:35.460 But humility is where it starts. 00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:42.000 And Paul knows that God's desire is to work through his church united to accomplish God's will in this world. 00:35:43.020 --> 00:35:50.020 And so Paul, I think, considers this a sacred privilege to go back to Jerusalem and the Gentiles, having sacrificed for their brothers sisters in Christ, where 00:35:50.020 --> 00:35:51.420 Christianity began the cradle. 00:35:52.140 --> 00:35:59.540 They're looking past the conflict in order to love the believer because they love what God has done in their life, even though there may be tension. 00:36:00.640 --> 00:36:04.290 And so Paul goes back to Jerusalem to love on the people. 00:36:04.420 --> 00:36:06.300 But Paul also knows it's not going to be easy. 00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:12.560 And the way that the Apostle Paul encourages the church to participate with him in this is to pray. 00:36:14.080 --> 00:36:15.720 Church pray. 00:36:17.200 --> 00:36:19.730 And when he talks about praying, he doesn't just say take. 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:22.880 Take two seconds out of your time and just toss up something randomly to God. 00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:26.540 He uses the word strive and strive. 00:36:27.020 --> 00:36:28.560 It's an athletic term. 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:33.840 This word strive is the same word that they would use for striving when two wrestlers would. 00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:37.140 During the Greco-Roman games would wrestle together. 00:36:37.160 --> 00:36:40.200 They would strive with one another or two boxers. 00:36:40.200 --> 00:36:41.320 When they get in the ring, they would strive. 00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:44.060 They're working it out right in prayer. 00:36:44.060 --> 00:36:45.550 And so Paul is carrying the same attitude. 00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:46.820 Strive with me. 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:54.700 Strive with me here because he's recognizing in verse 31, one of the most difficult things about ministry is also one of the most beautiful things about ministry as 00:36:54.700 --> 00:36:55.180 people. 00:36:56.240 --> 00:36:57.440 People, right? 00:36:57.480 --> 00:37:04.960 Paul So Paul going to Jerusalem because you think can could you imagine the reconciliation beauty God could create as a Gentiles, give to the Jews in Jerusalem the beauty 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:11.980 that communicates about unity and God's people, though there may be a tension at some point in the church that they still love and they still care, and they're walking with 00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:14.360 this humility, beautiful the way God can work in that. 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:15.660 But. 00:37:16.600 --> 00:37:17.530 Without humility. 00:37:18.420 --> 00:37:19.860 Could you imagine how nasty it could get? 00:37:21.060 --> 00:37:27.070 The people in Judea and the church in Jerusalem and how they were to receive him. 00:37:28.240 --> 00:37:33.980 And so, Paul, relationally, he's acknowledging that things can get difficult when you serve the Lord. 00:37:34.100 --> 00:37:39.740 The great blessing of ministry is people and sometimes something that makes it difficult. 00:37:40.040 --> 00:37:41.400 It's people. 00:37:41.460 --> 00:37:48.820 And when we go through that kind of experience in life, we really when we face that kind of adversity in relationships as human beings, we tend to respond one 00:37:48.820 --> 00:37:49.600 of two ways. 00:37:50.060 --> 00:37:52.080 We either blow up or we close up. 00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:56.240 We either respond in anger or we act passive. 00:37:56.940 --> 00:37:59.180 And can I tell you, God wants neither of those for your life. 00:38:00.660 --> 00:38:02.720 Rather what God desires to do in your life. 00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:07.480 Is for you to walk truthfully and graciously. 00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:12.960 To speak biblical truth in love. 00:38:14.720 --> 00:38:17.600 It's not about picking sides right now in our culture, man. 00:38:17.620 --> 00:38:21.500 It seems like that is we're just ripping our country apart by picking sides. 00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:22.420 Everyone pick a side. 00:38:22.420 --> 00:38:22.910 Who are you for? 00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:25.250 Can I tell you I don't want to be for any side. 00:38:26.080 --> 00:38:26.740 I want to be for Jesus. 00:38:28.280 --> 00:38:29.600 I know sometimes that. 00:38:30.260 --> 00:38:33.520 Yes, Biblically speaking, there may be a one more right than the other. 00:38:33.780 --> 00:38:33.780 But. 00:38:34.100 --> 00:38:34.100 But. 00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:34.460 But. 00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:34.640 But. 00:38:34.640 --> 00:38:37.660 But I really more than someone else's kingdom. 00:38:37.680 --> 00:38:38.480 I want to live for his. 00:38:40.140 --> 00:38:42.060 And I think this is the Apostle Paul stepping in this moment. 00:38:42.340 --> 00:38:45.160 And he comes in that tension that tends to be how we react as people. 00:38:45.160 --> 00:38:48.300 We just want to pick sides and cast stones to the other side. 00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:48.980 Right. 00:38:49.020 --> 00:38:55.520 And rather than reach a heart through the gospel that changes lives, we'd rather make enemies out of people than to walk in grace and truth. 00:38:57.700 --> 00:38:58.920 God does not want us to blow up. 00:39:00.520 --> 00:39:02.080 God doesn't want us to be passive either. 00:39:03.620 --> 00:39:09.180 God wants us to share His truth graciously with others because we understand that's how God changed my life. 00:39:10.180 --> 00:39:11.460 And that's how God changed your life. 00:39:12.500 --> 00:39:13.520 While we were yet sinners. 00:39:13.840 --> 00:39:15.780 Christ meets us in our deepest of needs. 00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:19.900 Give us a place to confess our sins and find reconciliation in him. 00:39:20.700 --> 00:39:27.760 This is why Paul says in Colossians four six, Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to 00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:28.760 answer each person. 00:39:30.380 --> 00:39:31.870 Can I tell you what kind of response that is? 00:39:33.200 --> 00:39:38.710 That's a supernatural response because our tendency as people is not to respond that way. 00:39:39.300 --> 00:39:43.360 It's either anger or just completely clam up and move on. 00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:43.920 Ignore it. 00:39:44.760 --> 00:39:46.520 That's not who God calls us to be. 00:39:47.600 --> 00:39:54.720 And in order to be the kind of person God calls us to be, it takes a supernatural work of the Lord in our lives to lay our life down in Him in order 00:39:54.720 --> 00:39:57.220 for the benefit of the others that they may know Christ as well. 00:39:58.100 --> 00:40:01.120 That may they have the opportunity to follow after Him. 00:40:01.300 --> 00:40:03.340 The only way this happens is by Christ. 00:40:03.360 --> 00:40:10.400 And this is exactly why the Apostle Paul is saying, Strive with me in prayer, because I know my flesh and 00:40:10.400 --> 00:40:12.580 my flesh either wants to run away or knock him out. 00:40:13.780 --> 00:40:15.280 But there's what Jesus wants to do. 00:40:16.080 --> 00:40:19.720 And what Jesus wants to do is far better than anything I'm going to produce in me. 00:40:20.640 --> 00:40:24.300 Strive in me as I'm stepping into this, because this is not going to be easy. 00:40:25.320 --> 00:40:32.500 The same is true for you when you think about a godly dream and you think about a plan you should expect in your life, if it's if it's biblical, 00:40:33.060 --> 00:40:36.720 it will meet some opposition because the world stands contrary to Christ. 00:40:37.600 --> 00:40:44.700 But you, rather than anger rather than just ignore, walk faithfully to demonstrate the good hand 00:40:44.700 --> 00:40:47.660 of Christ as you by grace, speak his truth in this world. 00:40:48.740 --> 00:40:53.550 And Paul says this then so that by God's will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 00:40:53.780 --> 00:40:55.340 May the God of peace be with you all. 00:40:55.640 --> 00:40:55.740 Amen. 00:40:56.640 --> 00:41:00.120 Here's what he's saying, because Church in Rome when I get to you. 00:41:01.100 --> 00:41:05.020 I just want to rejoice over a life of faithfulness in Jesus. 00:41:06.020 --> 00:41:13.260 I want to spend time with you and not sulking in the past or regretting what's happened, but really being thankful for 00:41:13.260 --> 00:41:16.580 how God's hand has led me as I walk faithfully with him. 00:41:17.500 --> 00:41:19.140 And the same is true with you. 00:41:19.980 --> 00:41:25.280 Do you think about the dream God can shape in your heart and the plan in your life and where God calls you to in this moment? 00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:25.620 Look. 00:41:25.750 --> 00:41:32.760 Yesterday you may have not done that to the best of what God has called you to, but I just want us to think about today, right now, what 00:41:32.760 --> 00:41:34.660 God desires for your life. 00:41:35.540 --> 00:41:37.360 You cannot change yesterday. 00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:39.760 And thank God his grace is big enough to cover it. 00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:42.340 But it's about demonstrating the gracious hand of God as you walk. 00:41:42.500 --> 00:41:45.470 In truth, today, what is it God desires for your life? 00:41:46.280 --> 00:41:47.940 Hudson Taylor I'll end with this one. 00:41:47.940 --> 00:41:50.860 Hudson Taylor was a missionary to China. 00:41:52.540 --> 00:41:55.830 Went in the 1850s when he first went to China. 00:41:56.980 --> 00:42:00.760 There was just a maybe a dozen or so that went on these missionary journeys. 00:42:02.380 --> 00:42:06.660 After 50 years of ministry, over 50 years of ministry in China at the end of his life. 00:42:07.880 --> 00:42:13.320 There were thousands of volunteers who were signed up to do ministry in China. 00:42:15.500 --> 00:42:17.160 The mark of Hudson Taylor's life. 00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:22.500 Was one of faithfulness, a dream that followed. 00:42:22.500 --> 00:42:24.900 A plan built on prayer. 00:42:26.120 --> 00:42:27.400 Faithfully pursuing the Lord. 00:42:28.780 --> 00:42:29.080 Hudson. 00:42:29.120 --> 00:42:30.140 Taylor said it like this. 00:42:30.140 --> 00:42:32.440 He said, God isn't looking for people of great faith. 00:42:33.940 --> 00:42:36.040 But for individuals ready to follow him. 00:42:37.220 --> 00:42:39.860 There are three stages to every great work of God. 00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:40.960 First. 00:42:41.560 --> 00:42:41.980 It is impossible. 00:42:43.200 --> 00:42:44.280 Then it is difficult. 00:42:45.180 --> 00:42:46.880 Finally it is done. 00:42:48.720 --> 00:42:56.080 And one of the beautiful things of stepping out for the Lord, taking a risk, is seeing the faithful hand of God not just working 00:42:56.080 --> 00:43:03.660 in the lives of others, but building your own confidence in him and how he produces what he promises not 00:43:03.660 --> 00:43:06.290 only in you, but through your life.