WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:07.000 Hey, I'm going to invite you to Acts chapter 20 is where we're going to be together today in Acts chapter 20. 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:12.060 And as we get ready to look at this chapter, we're only going to look at the first 16 verses this morning. 00:00:12.680 --> 00:00:18.100 But what I want us to recognize that this is the section of Acts for Paul's on his third missionary journey. 00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:25.780 And as far as the book of Acts records for us, this is sort of the pinnacle of all of Paul's missionary journeys, just kind of 00:00:25.780 --> 00:00:26.670 culminating together. 00:00:27.020 --> 00:00:34.100 He's really learned a rhythm of what it looks like to represent Jesus wherever he goes in this world, recognizing different 00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:36.280 places receive him in different ways. 00:00:36.440 --> 00:00:43.000 But it didn't deter the Apostle Paul from being who God has called him to be as he moved through this world in order to make a difference. 00:00:43.680 --> 00:00:51.140 And so when we look at the book of Acts, I think it's important to remember that while Acts ends for us after Paul's third missionary journey, 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:52.760 Paul's going to come back from this journey. 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:54.130 He's going to be thrown into prison. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:01:00.520 And the book of Acts ends with Paul imprisoned in the book of Rome now, or excuse me? 00:01:00.620 --> 00:01:01.640 In the city of Rome. 00:01:01.800 --> 00:01:02.360 The Book of Rome. 00:01:02.480 --> 00:01:03.460 He wrote the book of Romans. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:04.500 But in the city of Rome. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:04.959 And when? 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:07.880 When Paul, as the book of Acts concludes here. 00:01:07.980 --> 00:01:10.530 I want us to know this wasn't because it was the end of Paul's life. 00:01:10.580 --> 00:01:12.490 In fact, history teaches us. 00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:14.240 Paul was released from prison. 00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:16.880 He later goes back to prison, and that's where he's martyred. 00:01:17.320 --> 00:01:23.360 But Paul was released from prison after the end of the book of Acts, and he continues on his missionary journey. 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:30.700 So when you read books like Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, or even first and second Timothy or Titus, those are 00:01:30.700 --> 00:01:34.430 all letters Paul wrote after the conclusion of the book of Acts. 00:01:35.080 --> 00:01:40.770 So Paul certainly lived on his missionary journey beyond the story that we're reading in Acts. 00:01:40.940 --> 00:01:42.460 And we might ask ourselves, why? 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:44.300 Why did Luke end so early? 00:01:44.300 --> 00:01:46.450 Why did we get all the details of Paul's life? 00:01:46.580 --> 00:01:52.200 And the reason for that is because the point of Acts isn't about giving you all the details of Paul's life. 00:01:52.780 --> 00:01:54.760 It tells us a portion of Paul's life. 00:01:54.880 --> 00:02:00.980 But the bigger story of the book of Acts is how the Spirit of God worked in the people of God to accomplish the will of God. 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:07.720 It's helping us understand how the early church went from Jerusalem to the other most parts of the earth, which is what God called them to do. 00:02:07.740 --> 00:02:14.880 In Acts chapter one, verse eight, which is why after the church starts in Jerusalem, we get to the capital city of the Roman Empire, 00:02:14.940 --> 00:02:16.490 which is the city of Rome. 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:22.680 And this is where Luke chooses to end the story because we're watching the gospel go throughout the world. 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:29.860 Now, having seen how the early church responds in light of who Jesus is, we understand that God calls us on the same 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:35.660 mission today, that we're here as a people of God, representing the Lord in this world. 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:37.970 And God has a purpose for our existence. 00:02:38.340 --> 00:02:43.450 And it's a privilege to not only know him, but also honor him in the way that we live our lives. 00:02:43.880 --> 00:02:49.700 It's why we say as a church, that Alpine Bible Church exists for a purpose greater than itself. 00:02:49.700 --> 00:02:51.290 And so how do we discover that? 00:02:51.300 --> 00:02:58.540 Well, it begins in your own personal faith journey, in recognizing who you are in light of who Jesus is and living beyond that 00:02:58.540 --> 00:03:05.140 because God created His church for a purpose beyond you and me, something that outlasts us. 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:12.840 And so as we look at Acts chapter 20, this first 16 verses, we're going to discover from the Apostle Paul's life what that looks like. 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:19.880 And in terms of looking at his faith journey and then relating that to our own and how God desires for us to live 00:03:19.880 --> 00:03:26.910 in this world, we're going to talk about three marks of a, of missional living or really a purposeful life. 00:03:26.920 --> 00:03:28.340 How do we live that? 00:03:28.340 --> 00:03:32.730 What are some things we can extrapolate from Paul's life in order to discover in our own. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:40.720 And in terms of talking about his third missionary journey, one of the things that I have taken some time to help us see 00:03:40.720 --> 00:03:43.020 is exactly where the Apostle Paul went. 00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:50.620 And as he started in the area of Antioch, Syria, which is on the middle, far right of your map, my left on this side here, 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:59.010 he's leaving from Antioch, Syria, and he travels to the region of Galatia where he ministered in towns like Conium, 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:02.180 like Lystra, Iconium, and Derby. 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:06.240 And then from the region of Galatia, that's where he really culminated his first journey. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:11.830 He then heads west and west of Galatia is where he spent his second missionary journey. 00:04:12.260 --> 00:04:19.560 And he ministered and really the town of Philippi, which is the first time the gospel that we have recorded goes into Europe and 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:21.260 he goes beyond that region. 00:04:21.339 --> 00:04:28.540 He's ministering all the way down to in the southern parts of Corinth before he comes back on his from his third missionary journey. 00:04:28.960 --> 00:04:35.960 And one of the things I think is important for us to remember as we look at Paul's third missionary journey, is he really doesn't go anywhere new 00:04:35.960 --> 00:04:38.600 from where he went on his first and second missionary journey. 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:40.500 First and second missionary journey. 00:04:40.500 --> 00:04:42.720 All new locations for Paul, his third. 00:04:42.820 --> 00:04:45.870 He's revisiting the places that he had previously been. 00:04:46.840 --> 00:04:50.220 And in so doing, he's teaching us about missional living. 00:04:51.020 --> 00:04:57.180 What does it look like to live that kind of life and light of who the Lord is. 00:04:57.260 --> 00:05:00.650 The truth be told, we're all going somewhere. 00:05:01.460 --> 00:05:06.360 But we're living what we're living for along the way ultimately matters. 00:05:06.540 --> 00:05:08.860 And we're discovering this in Paul's life. 00:05:08.940 --> 00:05:14.650 So what does it look like for us to live that missional life? 00:05:15.440 --> 00:05:22.540 Number one in your notes is this intentional movement, intentional 00:05:22.540 --> 00:05:23.520 movement. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:25.470 Now, let me be honest. 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:30.920 Sometimes I try to put these points in a concise way so that we can remember them a little bit better. 00:05:31.140 --> 00:05:32.490 And you don't have to write a lot of words down. 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:41.180 I don't know anyone that has woken ever awoken in their day and said I'm going to just be unintentional 00:05:41.180 --> 00:05:42.360 all the time, right? 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:46.080 Like we all have a purpose behind why we do what we do. 00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:51.280 We all have, we all would like to think that our movement has intention to it. 00:05:51.880 --> 00:05:57.840 But if we're just being frank, Sometimes that intention is stupid or sometimes that intention. 00:05:57.840 --> 00:05:59.180 We didn't put a lot of thought behind. 00:05:59.280 --> 00:06:05.460 Sometimes we'll do things and we'll look back on it and think, why in the world did I do that right at the moment? 00:06:05.460 --> 00:06:10.940 It might have seemed like the best decision I could have made, but hindsight, that wasn't that wasn't great. 00:06:10.940 --> 00:06:13.280 That wasn't my bright moment in life. 00:06:13.300 --> 00:06:17.280 And so when we do things, we all, we all tend to do that with intention. 00:06:18.700 --> 00:06:24.940 But really it's more about what drives that intention behind why we do what we do. 00:06:26.100 --> 00:06:33.460 I would say it like this some people spend their life, but 00:06:33.460 --> 00:06:40.600 God's people were called to invest our life and some people just simply spend their life. 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:42.860 There's definitely intention behind that. 00:06:43.900 --> 00:06:46.720 But God's people are called to invest our lives. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:53.820 And when we think about investing our lives, we're really asking the question, how do I make the greatest impact for 00:06:53.820 --> 00:06:57.420 who God has created me to be and how I live in this world. 00:06:58.620 --> 00:07:00.520 Lord, how can my life make a ripple? 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:05.280 And even when my days are done that it just outlasts me. 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:08.980 And it doesn't mean that necessarily people have to know who I am. 00:07:09.760 --> 00:07:16.880 But a difference is made in the lives of people around me in such a way that my life ripples for the glory of God to the benefit of 00:07:16.880 --> 00:07:17.260 others. 00:07:17.440 --> 00:07:19.500 Because my life was given over to Jesus. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.200 I didn't just spend it, I invested it. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:30.320 Even this morning when I was on my way to church, I was listening to some some people on a podcast 00:07:30.320 --> 00:07:37.360 that I had talking about a revival that's taking place in generation Z, meaning young people 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:44.860 today are sick of the superficial ways that we live our life, and they're looking for some depth in how they're in 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:46.500 the pursuit of how they're living. 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:54.400 And we're starting to see a change in American culture as Christianity has declined and now 00:07:54.400 --> 00:08:00.840 the younger generations are starting to respond in a way that they want to see their lives matter. 00:08:02.100 --> 00:08:09.100 And for the Apostle Paul, this is certainly what he's doing with some intentional movement as he's going on his third missionary journey. 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:12.740 And in Acts chapter 20, the first few verses starts this way. 00:08:12.960 --> 00:08:14.800 After the uproar ceased. 00:08:14.840 --> 00:08:22.240 And this is, if you remember, at the end of Acts chapter 19, there was some tension that was building in Ephesus to the point that it created 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.060 a riot. 00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:26.060 And Paul is getting ready to move on from the city of Ephesus. 00:08:26.260 --> 00:08:31.680 And so it's telling you now, after after that uproar had passed away, Paul sent for the disciples. 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:36.280 And after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. 00:08:36.880 --> 00:08:42.000 And when he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:44.190 And there he spent three months. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:51.480 And when a plot was made against him by the Jews, as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:52.620 to Macedonia. 00:08:53.680 --> 00:08:54.220 You know, it's interesting. 00:08:54.460 --> 00:08:56.430 We'll talk about this more in a moment. 00:08:56.560 --> 00:09:03.640 But as Paul's traveling around, it continues to be that persecution and tension is developed 00:09:03.640 --> 00:09:05.900 in the cities that he visited. 00:09:05.980 --> 00:09:13.060 And in verse three, it reminds us that there's no difference in that as Paul's moving around, there's a, there's a plot that's made to come against him. 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:20.380 And Paul has some concern for what's taking place to the point that he transitions in the way he intended to travel because 00:09:20.380 --> 00:09:21.280 of that. 00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:28.740 And I'll dive a little bit more in this, but I want us to recognize in verse three life that God calls us to have a life that 00:09:28.740 --> 00:09:29.890 perseveres through opposition. 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:34.600 That opposition is normal. 00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:36.640 It's not exceptional. 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:44.840 And so therefore, as God's people knowing that we're going to face challenges in this world, the depth of who we are in Christ must 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:52.120 be deeper than the temporal struggles of what life must represent or what life will represent 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:52.840 to us or. 00:09:53.080 --> 00:09:55.020 Or bring in our pathway. 00:09:55.140 --> 00:10:01.440 And so the Apostle Paul has found something that endures beyond the circumstance for which he finds himself. 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:05.380 And so he's got this intentional movement. 00:10:05.660 --> 00:10:10.880 And we think about what does it look like in my life to live this kind of way. 00:10:11.700 --> 00:10:15.380 Living on mission is about recognizing not only where we are. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:18.140 Paul's obviously going to places. 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:28.260 But also who I'm going to be, not allowing my circumstance to dictate my steps, but 00:10:28.260 --> 00:10:32.840 rather my steps have already been determined and the identity that I have discovered in the Lord. 00:10:33.940 --> 00:10:36.850 And so as Paul is moving forward, yes, there are challenges. 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:43.160 And yes, sometimes he's got some detours, but it never he never loses focus. 00:10:43.940 --> 00:10:49.000 And living this missional life and having this intentional movement. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:56.360 And so when we look at Paul's life and we think to ourselves, okay, Paul, what in order to do that, in order to live that kind of life, what is it you did? 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:57.840 What kind of who were you? 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:02.480 What kind of person were you in displaying your life for God's glory in this world? 00:11:02.540 --> 00:11:09.560 And it tells you in verse two, his focus was to be an encourager. 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.840 You want to use your life for the glory of the Lord. 00:11:14.880 --> 00:11:21.040 The Bible tells you must lose your life in Jesus, completely surrendered to him. 00:11:21.300 --> 00:11:28.660 And when you're surrendered to him, you understand why the heart of God is passionate about and what the heart of God is passionate about is 00:11:28.660 --> 00:11:32.770 the lost souls in this world, that they may come to know him and grow in him. 00:11:33.060 --> 00:11:39.300 And if you want to join God on that mission, it requires you to be an encouragement to the people around you. 00:11:41.300 --> 00:11:42.960 And this is exactly what Paul is doing. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:51.320 Yes, he was going to different places, but the primary focus wasn't about the places, it was about the people that 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:52.460 were represented there. 00:11:54.220 --> 00:12:01.120 Paul knew the greatest mission wasn't about where he was going, but who he was meeting on the journey and how he was representing the Lord along that way. 00:12:02.420 --> 00:12:09.640 And for some of us, it might be true that God calls us to different places for his glory and 00:12:09.640 --> 00:12:13.220 for others, it might just be opening our eyes to what's around us. 00:12:14.060 --> 00:12:21.320 I mean, even when we consider the Apostle Paul's calling on this map as Paul went on these journeys, his first, second and third missionary 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:28.320 journey, I mean, Paul's journey started in the Church of Antioch, Syria, and he was there for ten years and administering there, the 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:33.630 church saw his giftedness, and they commissioned both Paul and Barnabas to go on these missionary journeys. 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:41.320 As he was faithfully serving the Lord, the church affirmed that giftedness on Paul, to be able to go out into this world and make a 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:41.620 difference. 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:43.880 And it's the same for us. 00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:51.580 We think about the way that God has placed us in this world, that the best place to discover how you're gifted in serving the Lord is as you're 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:53.300 an encouragement to those around you. 00:12:54.420 --> 00:13:01.840 And in doing that, the body of Christ can participate and encouraging you to faithfully following after the Lord 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.290 in this world. 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:07.020 And sometimes it calls us to send some people. 00:13:07.180 --> 00:13:14.390 And sometimes people stay behind to be that support base for what the Lord wants to do and among that local community. 00:13:15.560 --> 00:13:22.980 But either way, it's recognizing that God has us in a place to do something for his glory in this world and being intentional 00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:23.780 in that movement. 00:13:24.340 --> 00:13:31.400 And so Paul, he sees his position as one being an encourager to the churches as he's traveling around, 00:13:31.400 --> 00:13:36.320 he's going to the churches that were established in his first and second missionary journey to encourage them. 00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:41.400 If I if I gave a comparative to how Paul is living his life here, it's like a coach on a sports team. 00:13:42.160 --> 00:13:46.920 You know, this today is March Madness and my favorite team plays at 1245. 00:13:46.940 --> 00:13:48.930 So I got to close services up here soon. 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:50.780 So I get out and watch that. 00:13:50.780 --> 00:13:57.940 But when you think about the role of a coach on a sports team, he's not actually going to enter onto the field to play, 00:13:58.800 --> 00:14:06.080 but he recognizes the uniqueness of each person on the team and the way that they're gifted, especially in terms of, 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:13.380 when you think about what makes sports teams so good, it's like, certainly you're going to have a talented people in particular 00:14:13.380 --> 00:14:16.720 areas, but not everyone has the same function. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:20.240 And if you did, your team would be a terrible team. 00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:22.600 I mean, could you imagine a football team? 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:23.330 And I don't mean soccer. 00:14:23.580 --> 00:14:24.570 I mean real football. 00:14:24.780 --> 00:14:31.900 Could you imagine a real football team with if everyone was in the shape of a lineman, like you would do a lot of great 00:14:31.900 --> 00:14:34.230 blocking, but you're never going to get down that field. 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:37.400 And the reason is because you're too dang slow, right? 00:14:37.400 --> 00:14:40.440 But you definitely want someone like that protecting the quarterback. 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:44.560 And so there's different ways that God has gifted all of us. 00:14:44.560 --> 00:14:46.640 And Paul's recognizing that. 00:14:46.640 --> 00:14:53.780 And he he's encouraging one another in order to make an impact greater than himself for the glory of God as Jesus has impacted his own 00:14:53.780 --> 00:14:54.200 life. 00:14:56.400 --> 00:15:00.680 So how do I make that kind of difference in this world? 00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:10.020 It's understanding where God has you in order to be an encourager to those around you, whether it's in your home, your 00:15:10.020 --> 00:15:12.780 church, work, wherever God's got you. 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:16.020 It's a place to make a difference for his glory. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:18.580 And it tells us, as Paul's doing, that. 00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:23.190 It gives us a couple places here in Macedonia and Greece, and you should think about Macedonia. 00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:27.060 This is where the gospel first goes into to Europe. 00:15:27.060 --> 00:15:31.130 This is the town of Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea that we read about. 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.640 And then Greece is the province of Achaea. 00:15:34.880 --> 00:15:37.380 This is when Paul went down to Athens and Corinth. 00:15:38.460 --> 00:15:43.100 I mean, wherever Paul was going, he was thinking, as a coach like God, how can I. 00:15:43.260 --> 00:15:45.180 How can I just be an encouragement to where they are? 00:15:45.180 --> 00:15:45.460 Are they discouraged? 00:15:46.280 --> 00:15:46.500 What? 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:47.040 What is it? 00:15:47.040 --> 00:15:52.940 What is it they need in order to continue to move forward in the Lord, even in our own lives? 00:15:52.940 --> 00:16:00.360 You think about the tendency for us as human beings is that we don't often run into the path of encouragement, but 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:03.500 we tend to sometimes gravitate towards discouragement. 00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:08.300 We tend to highlight our failures rather than our successes. 00:16:09.040 --> 00:16:12.630 And as believers, our successes are really marked in Christ. 00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:16.650 Meaning how do I find my identity in the gospel? 00:16:17.380 --> 00:16:19.850 Because of Jesus, I get to let go of my past. 00:16:20.260 --> 00:16:24.600 I've been forgiven in Christ, my guilt, my shame, my sin no more. 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:28.130 And I get to press forward in the upper calling for which I have in Christ Jesus. 00:16:28.380 --> 00:16:35.400 Because of what he's done for me, I get to put the past in the past and look to the brightness of the future because of Christ and therefore living 00:16:35.400 --> 00:16:42.420 for his glory in this world, knowing that God has me in a place in order to see a difference made that my life 00:16:42.420 --> 00:16:47.260 would be lived in his hands as a ripple effect for God's glory to the benefit of others. 00:16:49.420 --> 00:16:50.680 Intentional movement. 00:16:52.060 --> 00:16:59.140 So that as we think about ourselves in terms of encouragement, we could we could focus on number two in your notes, which is this deep 00:16:59.140 --> 00:17:06.660 relationships, missional living is marked by intentional movement and deep relationships. 00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:11.869 No doubt, as Paul is being an encourager to those around him, that it is deepening relationships. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:20.240 But you see this in verse four as Paul goes on these missionary journeys, you start to recognize when you read the New Testament, that the number 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:23.829 of people traveling with the Apostle Paul continues to grow. 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:30.280 And verse four, the Bereans, son of Pyrrhus accompanied him, and. 00:17:30.280 --> 00:17:37.540 And of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus and Gaius of Derby, and Timothy, and Asian and the Asians, Tychicus 00:17:37.540 --> 00:17:38.620 and Trophimus. 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:41.550 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:47.420 You can trust my proper pronunciation of those names coming from public school in West Virginia. 00:17:47.540 --> 00:17:48.770 I nailed it, I know I did. 00:17:49.060 --> 00:17:56.100 So verse six, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them 00:17:56.100 --> 00:17:59.620 at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. 00:18:00.320 --> 00:18:03.180 Now, the idea of unleavened bread here is significant. 00:18:03.300 --> 00:18:10.340 But I want us to recognize as Paul is sharing these names with us, one of the things that I think is worth highlighting is 00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:17.560 that all these people, they're coming from different places, different world experiences, different cultures, different 00:18:17.560 --> 00:18:19.440 religious upbringings. 00:18:20.860 --> 00:18:27.120 But there's one thing uniting them all, and that's the identity that they have in Jesus. 00:18:28.100 --> 00:18:30.980 The truthfulness of who Christ is as they walk with him. 00:18:32.060 --> 00:18:39.240 Because that's one of the unique things I think about living in Utah is you know, there are some people that are from here, 00:18:39.300 --> 00:18:39.920 and that's great. 00:18:41.420 --> 00:18:45.100 And there are some people that are not from here, and I'm thankful you're here. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.960 If you could do me a favor and stop telling people Utah is great. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:51.000 We could control our roads better, right? 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:56.920 So if someone asked me like, hey, it's all right, don't tell them right where you live in a beautiful place. 00:18:57.280 --> 00:18:58.210 This is being recorded. 00:18:58.300 --> 00:18:59.120 I should have thought about that. 00:18:59.520 --> 00:19:06.740 But when you think about the way we come together as God's people, all of us from different experiences 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.720 and backgrounds. 00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:15.260 But, one of the things I love about living here is that the presence of biblical Christianity is a small 00:19:15.260 --> 00:19:16.160 percentage. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:24.780 And every day that I wake up, I get to think about the opportunity it is to represent Jesus in this state, I 00:19:24.780 --> 00:19:25.440 love that. 00:19:26.800 --> 00:19:34.020 And then when I think, and you know, sometimes God, when we live in a place like Utah, Utah is rapidly growing, which means you got a lot of people 00:19:34.020 --> 00:19:36.760 coming from a lot of different places with a lot of different ideas. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:44.340 And that can be fantastic, but it also can be divisive because we have different methods, different ways of thinking, 00:19:44.760 --> 00:19:46.760 different things that might be important to us. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:56.060 But one of the things that I really love about living here is that all of those things take a back seat to the greater thing as God's people, is 00:19:56.060 --> 00:20:03.080 that God has created us to know him and to live for his glory and the mission that we get 00:20:03.080 --> 00:20:08.640 to live, wake up, and live for in light of who Jesus is matters more than anything. 00:20:09.660 --> 00:20:11.740 And that's what unites us as his people. 00:20:12.560 --> 00:20:19.800 That we can lay aside secondary ideas for the greater purpose which God has called us to in him and move in 00:20:19.800 --> 00:20:20.740 mission together. 00:20:21.100 --> 00:20:28.090 And when you do that, you start to realize, man, God has gifted us in different ways so that we can be a blessing to each other. 00:20:28.760 --> 00:20:35.900 And just like the first century church, when you realize they're coming from different places, different upbringings, different traditions. 00:20:36.040 --> 00:20:42.380 And yet, here they are as a people, cooperating together for what God has called them to as a community. 00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:50.540 And the depth of who we are in Jesus brings a depth to the quality of our relationship that nothing else 00:20:50.540 --> 00:20:52.820 in this world can even compare to it. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:21:00.000 I mean, sometimes we even think about it if we didn't have Jesus, we as people often wouldn't even be friends because 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.780 we come from such different backgrounds. 00:21:02.780 --> 00:21:09.860 But what we have in Jesus is so much greater, so much deeper, so much more important than anything in this life could 00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:15.640 have to offer that it's worth pursuing our identity collectively as a community in that than anything else. 00:21:17.760 --> 00:21:21.840 The depth of relationships is what Paul discovers here. 00:21:21.840 --> 00:21:26.980 And he and he's recognizing to us that this is happening during the time of Unleavened Bread. 00:21:27.280 --> 00:21:32.410 Now, I think there's a reason that Luke tells us that it's during the time of Unleavened Bread and. 00:21:33.580 --> 00:21:34.690 And I'll tell you that reason. 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:36.760 And there's also just some further thought. 00:21:36.760 --> 00:21:44.380 I want to add to that I'm going to be honest and tell you, I don't think it's Luke's intention here, but I do think it's worthy of recognizing when Luke 00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:51.540 is telling us about an unleavened bread, he's wanting us to understand the timeline that the apostle Paul has put in his mind, 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:58.940 because Paul is trying to get to a certain destination by a certain time period, and Luke wants us to recognize just how pressed Paul 00:21:58.940 --> 00:22:04.020 feels by telling us it's during the time of Unleavened Bread, Unleavened bread. 00:22:04.040 --> 00:22:06.090 This would have been during a late March April. 00:22:06.380 --> 00:22:09.120 This is about the time that this holiday is celebrated. 00:22:09.360 --> 00:22:14.060 This is celebrated for a week long just after Passover. 00:22:14.080 --> 00:22:20.620 So if you remember in Israel's history, Passover was the time when they were slaves in Egypt. 00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:23.770 God came to Moses, said, say to Pharaoh, let my people go. 00:22:23.840 --> 00:22:24.900 Pharaoh wouldn't forever. 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:27.890 Finally, God brings the last curse, which is the death of the firstborn. 00:22:28.560 --> 00:22:30.930 And he tells Israel, the death angel is coming. 00:22:31.600 --> 00:22:38.600 But you celebrate this Passover, Meaning if you take an innocent lamb, you sacrifice it and you place its blood over your 00:22:38.600 --> 00:22:41.280 doorposts that the Passover lamb will. 00:22:41.280 --> 00:22:43.740 Or excuse me, the death angel will pass over you. 00:22:44.540 --> 00:22:46.040 And so the children of Israel did. 00:22:46.040 --> 00:22:51.280 And what they discover is this path to freedom from slavery to this new identity. 00:22:51.280 --> 00:22:53.020 And the Lord, because of what God's done. 00:22:53.180 --> 00:22:59.040 But that Passover celebration was ultimately a picture of what Jesus would do for you and for me. 00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:06.780 This is why John, when John the Baptist, when he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah, when Jesus finally appeared, he said, Behold the 00:23:06.780 --> 00:23:08.640 Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 00:23:08.800 --> 00:23:10.390 He was the true Passover Lamb. 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:18.520 Now, when Israel celebrated the first Passover, the very next day, they began the celebration of the of the unleavened bread 00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.220 for a week. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:25.440 And this was to recognize that they didn't have enough time to even really prepare for this departure out of Egypt. 00:23:25.760 --> 00:23:28.920 They didn't have enough time for even the yeast to raise the dough. 00:23:29.060 --> 00:23:29.180 They. 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:31.160 They had to eat unleavened bread. 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:34.600 They had to cook it immediately and then go on the run and get out of Egypt. 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:37.920 And they were going to this place of promise that God was given to them. 00:23:38.020 --> 00:23:45.040 And so Israel continued to celebrate this week long tradition of unleavened bread, recognizing how God took him to 00:23:45.040 --> 00:23:47.900 this from this place of slavery to this place of freedom. 00:23:48.080 --> 00:23:49.150 And it happens immediately. 00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:58.320 You guys can I just tell you, and this is more than what I think Luke wants from this passage, but it's important to understand what this Unleavened Bread holiday represents, 00:23:58.680 --> 00:23:59.870 especially in terms of Jesus. 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:03.020 That he was he's more than enough. 00:24:03.020 --> 00:24:04.600 He's sufficient for your life. 00:24:04.600 --> 00:24:07.410 His life was given for you as that Passover lamb. 00:24:07.820 --> 00:24:14.860 And as soon as you come to know Christ, he calls you into something new, something different, something that you get to immediately leave 00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:21.880 who you were before, to walk in light of who you are now because of Christ and Paul, he's certainly 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:23.920 living out his life this way. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:30.510 And for us, this phrase of unleavened bread should even be an encouragement to our own soul to think about man. 00:24:30.560 --> 00:24:33.730 Do I have any hesitation in what it means for me to follow Jesus? 00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.830 Do I have any reluctance? 00:24:35.340 --> 00:24:42.400 Am I, am I holding on to things in my past and not grabbing a hold of who I really am, in light of who Christ is and everything that he's 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:43.050 accomplished? 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:47.200 For me, there's a there's a term in Scripture that we use. 00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:50.700 It's often we refer to it as ransomed or redeemed. 00:24:50.760 --> 00:24:51.260 And it's this. 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:54.720 This word literally means bought from a slave market. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:59.810 And when Jesus talks about your life in Christ, this is what he's saying about you. 00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:05.780 He ransomed you from this place of imprisonment, and he's given you a future and a hope in him. 00:25:05.780 --> 00:25:12.980 This is not a place to just pander to sit, to sit in opposition or defiance or even 00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:14.040 just contemplate. 00:25:14.120 --> 00:25:16.000 This is saying no in Jesus. 00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:17.080 Move forward. 00:25:17.080 --> 00:25:20.940 Let go of who you were and embrace who you are in Christ. 00:25:22.520 --> 00:25:29.040 And it's the depth of that relationship in Jesus that gives us depth in our relationship with one another. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:30.900 He. 00:25:31.120 --> 00:25:35.060 He calls us to intentional movement in Christ. 00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:39.940 He calls us in the depth of relationship in him. 00:25:41.340 --> 00:25:45.000 So that number three, we can have unwavering purpose. 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:49.570 That you and I would walk in unwavering purpose. 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:54.640 And verse seven, as Paul continues on, it says on the first day of the week. 00:25:54.800 --> 00:26:01.880 And by the way, this is one of the first verses in Scripture that helps us begin to see that the early church started worshiping on Sunday 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:02.960 rather than on Saturday. 00:26:04.800 --> 00:26:08.960 Old Testament, the Jews, they worship on the Sabbath, right Saturday. 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:11.820 But the early church begins to worship on Sunday. 00:26:11.820 --> 00:26:13.380 The day of resurrection. 00:26:13.380 --> 00:26:20.560 And on the first day of the week when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with him, intending to 00:26:20.560 --> 00:26:24.560 depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:32.120 There's ever there's ever a verse that should make you thankful for me, I've got 11 minutes to wrap everything up 00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:32.770 today. 00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:34.390 I am not going to keep you here that long. 00:26:35.080 --> 00:26:42.150 But in verse eight, there were there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered, and a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, 00:26:42.540 --> 00:26:43.660 sank into a deep sleep. 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:51.200 As Paul talked still longer, and being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third storey and was taken up dead. 00:26:51.260 --> 00:26:52.890 Can you believe he fell asleep in church? 00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.080 But when. 00:26:55.120 --> 00:27:01.540 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, do not be alarmed, for his life is in him. 00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:09.050 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while until daybreak, and so departed. 00:27:09.340 --> 00:27:14.460 And they took the youth away alive, and were a little comforted, or were not a little comforted. 00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:18.280 When you read a story like that. 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:26.500 I would tend to think that the main point of this passage is to tell us a guy came back to life that 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:28.080 was dead, right? 00:27:28.080 --> 00:27:28.880 Eutychus. 00:27:29.040 --> 00:27:34.360 But when you actually read this passage, you realize that's just an interruption to the main point. 00:27:34.520 --> 00:27:37.920 Like somebody's got their priorities wrong here, right? 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:41.220 I gotta think like, how could you tell a story like that and not think? 00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:43.880 The main point is there was a dead guy that came back to life. 00:27:43.960 --> 00:27:45.980 That is that is wild to me. 00:27:46.040 --> 00:27:48.480 I can't think of anybody that might think this is important. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:52.160 Probably Eutychus mom really appreciates that part of the story, right? 00:27:52.180 --> 00:27:52.780 But here it is. 00:27:52.780 --> 00:27:54.900 A young guy that dies and but he's not dead. 00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:55.880 He comes back to life. 00:27:56.080 --> 00:27:57.510 And that's not even the main point. 00:27:57.840 --> 00:28:01.000 That's just the caveat to the bigger point of the story. 00:28:01.020 --> 00:28:02.260 And what's the bigger point of the story? 00:28:04.340 --> 00:28:05.320 God's word in worship. 00:28:08.340 --> 00:28:14.510 The point of what they're telling us in this passage, even though this young man, he fell, he died and was resurrected. 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:17.590 The point of the story is not about him. 00:28:17.840 --> 00:28:20.850 The point of the story is about the Word of God in worship. 00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:30.100 This unwavering purpose, because you know, this three points that I'm giving you, I'm just giving to you as it comes in order of these verses. 00:28:30.580 --> 00:28:33.880 But if I had to tell you what is the most important point I would say to you? 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:41.240 It's certainly number three, because what determines who we are and what we're about is discovered in 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:44.100 the Word of God, which teaches us about the Lord himself. 00:28:45.100 --> 00:28:52.100 And this is critical for us because determining who he is, knowing God helps us understand who we are and 00:28:52.100 --> 00:28:54.010 therefore how we live our life. 00:28:54.600 --> 00:28:56.900 And more than just that, the intimacy of your own. 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:59.740 Walk with the Lord to know, can I trust him? 00:29:00.840 --> 00:29:07.980 You know, a couple of things that I remind us of that are important as it relates to your own relationship with the Lord, is that one, you need to know God is sovereign, 00:29:08.360 --> 00:29:09.180 that he is in control. 00:29:10.560 --> 00:29:13.220 And also you need to know that he's good, that he cares about you. 00:29:14.460 --> 00:29:16.640 Both of those things are critical to your well-being. 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:25.280 And when you understand the sovereignty of God above all things and is careful, gracious, care for your life, it then invites 00:29:25.280 --> 00:29:27.840 you to entrust yourself to him because you. 00:29:28.060 --> 00:29:33.000 You discover that what God has planned for you is far better than anything you can concoct on your own. 00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:38.640 And discovering who he is helps you understand who you are and therefore how you should live in light of that. 00:29:39.580 --> 00:29:46.020 The Word of God is foundational to everything that we do, and resting in that word is paramount for us. 00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:48.090 This is what makes Sunday morning so important. 00:29:48.560 --> 00:29:50.850 This is the catalyst for the rest of our week. 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:53.790 Now, this is not saying this is the only time you should spend with the Lord. 00:29:53.900 --> 00:30:00.920 I hope this is not the only time you spend with the Lord, but I hope on a morning like today, you see the importance of what Jesus is doing in 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:05.460 all of us, and it inspires and compels your life to live for his glory. 00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:11.300 As you leave this place and continue to meet with Jesus, knowing that it's Christ that lays the foundation for us. 00:30:11.380 --> 00:30:13.260 Because here's what happens over time. 00:30:13.320 --> 00:30:18.740 Sometimes the idea of mission drifts from our hearts and we start to fade. 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:23.450 But reminding and renewing ourselves again and again the goodness of who God is. 00:30:24.100 --> 00:30:29.570 Every news and stokes our passion for God in this world as we live for his glory to the benefit of others. 00:30:30.760 --> 00:30:38.300 That unwavering purpose, no matter where Paul went, he rooted his journey in the word and 00:30:38.300 --> 00:30:41.400 worship as it should be the same for you Lord. 00:30:42.940 --> 00:30:50.200 As I wake up each day, let me root myself in the identity for which I have in you, and walk in that discovery as I seek 00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:52.620 you in your word and as I worship. 00:30:53.780 --> 00:30:57.320 Because as you learn in verse 13, there's going to be challenges, right? 00:30:57.320 --> 00:31:04.580 It says, but going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard aboard there for so 00:31:04.580 --> 00:31:07.830 he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:08.760 And when he. 00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:13.670 He met us at Assos, we took him on board, and went to. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:15.040 My. 00:31:15.040 --> 00:31:16.680 Oh, shoot! 00:31:16.680 --> 00:31:21.840 The word is Milena. 00:31:21.920 --> 00:31:22.280 Milena, there we go. 00:31:22.280 --> 00:31:24.500 Milena or Milena? 00:31:24.560 --> 00:31:25.050 There we go. 00:31:25.320 --> 00:31:25.760 Milena. 00:31:25.780 --> 00:31:26.900 And when Paul is traveling. 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.840 I don't know why that left my mind. 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:30.810 When Paul is traveling there. 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:33.030 I want you to see a couple of things. 00:31:33.120 --> 00:31:40.500 Like he wasn't necessarily intending the way that he went originally, but there was a detour to 00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:41.320 his trip. 00:31:42.600 --> 00:31:44.890 And sometimes when we live our lives for the Lord. 00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:52.280 Look, the mission doesn't change, but sometimes the means along the route needs to be altered. 00:31:54.760 --> 00:31:58.560 As God's people, there are things that we hold to with a closed fist. 00:31:58.560 --> 00:32:01.180 Knowing to change this is to change who we are. 00:32:02.300 --> 00:32:05.760 Like our identity in Christ, the significance of who Christ is. 00:32:05.760 --> 00:32:08.080 Salvation by grace through faith alone. 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:09.800 The inerrancy of Scripture. 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:12.680 These things are paramount to our faith. 00:32:13.620 --> 00:32:13.900 These aren't. 00:32:13.940 --> 00:32:15.360 These aren't debated issues. 00:32:15.360 --> 00:32:16.200 This is our identity. 00:32:16.500 --> 00:32:18.460 To change that is to change us. 00:32:19.360 --> 00:32:21.120 So there are certain things in our foundation. 00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:22.660 We hold on to. 00:32:23.580 --> 00:32:30.640 However, as we're holding on to those things, as we're honoring God and blessing others in this world, sometimes there is a change to our 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:32.700 methodology and how we employ. 00:32:32.760 --> 00:32:39.760 It doesn't change who we are, doesn't change our mission, doesn't change our purpose, but we adapt in order to make an impact. 00:32:39.800 --> 00:32:41.280 And this is what Paul's doing on his journey. 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:46.360 He wanted to just sell straight home to Jerusalem, but he was unable to do that. 00:32:46.380 --> 00:32:50.480 And so he had to go around a secondary way in order to get there. 00:32:51.080 --> 00:32:57.560 It's the same as we think about representing God in this world, and sometimes people around us aren't ready to receive where we are. 00:32:57.640 --> 00:33:04.640 So we just kind of adapt the method in which we're employing in order to be more effective for the sake of the gospel, to honor Jesus, where 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:05.200 we're at. 00:33:06.040 --> 00:33:08.510 And as Paul's traveling goes on, I need to get to the end of this. 00:33:08.580 --> 00:33:13.100 And verse 15 and sailing from there, he came to the following day opposite chaos. 00:33:13.940 --> 00:33:17.320 The next day went and touched at Samos. 00:33:17.340 --> 00:33:24.600 And the day after they that he went to Miletus, and for Paul had decided to sell past Ephesus so 00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:31.570 that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. 00:33:33.080 --> 00:33:35.860 So by not wanting to stop in Asia, what is saying is he doesn't want to go back through Ephesus. 00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:36.920 He loved Ephesus. 00:33:37.080 --> 00:33:38.960 He's like, if I stop there, I'll be there for a long time. 00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:41.350 But he's trying to get back to Jerusalem for Pentecost. 00:33:41.520 --> 00:33:42.790 We could ask the question, why? 00:33:43.440 --> 00:33:44.080 Why, Paul? 00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:44.960 Why Pentecost? 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:46.820 Like, just want to celebrate your holidays. 00:33:47.900 --> 00:33:51.660 Why is Paul so bent on getting to Pentecost? 00:33:51.660 --> 00:33:58.880 And this is why Luke wanted us to recognize that it was during the time of Unleavened Bread in previous verses, because the time span from Unleavened 00:33:58.880 --> 00:34:00.640 Bread to Pentecost is only 50 days. 00:34:01.020 --> 00:34:03.680 And Paul's got in his mind, he needs to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost. 00:34:03.820 --> 00:34:06.960 Why does he feel it's so important to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost? 00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:10.340 I think the answer is because people. 00:34:11.699 --> 00:34:13.900 It's not because he was thinking about a holiday at the beach. 00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:19.900 He knew during this particular holiday there would be thousands upon thousands flocking to Jerusalem. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:26.469 And Paul knew that if he got there during this time, his life could be used to make an impact. 00:34:27.420 --> 00:34:30.960 So Paul is longing to be in Jerusalem on Pentecost. 00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:40.179 And guys, when you think about where the Lord has you, how critical this just highlights for us the significance of relationships as 00:34:40.179 --> 00:34:44.260 we find our lives rooted in the word and worship. 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:52.679 And along those journeys, to realize, as Paul does, that there are obstacles, but we don't confuse the obstacles with the absence of God's presence. 00:34:53.060 --> 00:34:58.560 Sometimes faithfulness means changing plans, but not abandoning our purpose. 00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:07.420 And so Paul is doing what he can, even diverting his route for the beauty of ministering to the hearts of 00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:10.940 people because he knows God's interested in hearts. 00:35:12.300 --> 00:35:20.220 Sometimes there's hardships along the journey, but what we do in Jesus matters, which 00:35:20.220 --> 00:35:23.560 let me let me just end by with this little story. 00:35:23.560 --> 00:35:29.130 There's a famous missionary in American history in the 1700s named David Brainerd. 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:33.860 One of the things that's unique about David Brainerd is he actually died when he was 29 years old. 00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:36.680 He had significant health battles throughout his life. 00:35:36.680 --> 00:35:39.960 He died from tuberculosis at the age of 29. 00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:46.640 Sometimes we might look at a life cut short and we might think, how could God use that? 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:49.980 Or how could God even end a life so early? 00:35:50.140 --> 00:35:51.660 Why would God allow that to happen? 00:35:52.560 --> 00:35:59.720 But what's amazing with David Brainerd is his life burns so passionately for the Lord that even though he only lived 00:35:59.720 --> 00:36:02.340 29 years, he had 29 years. 00:36:02.840 --> 00:36:10.160 His life made a tremendous impact in such a way that generations after him, even though they may not know him, 00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:12.370 were impacted by the life of David Brainerd. 00:36:13.640 --> 00:36:20.860 In fact, missionaries like William Carey, who's known as the father of modern missions, or even more recently, people like Jim Elliot. 00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:29.280 If you asked him what person was most influential in encouraging you to live on mission for the Lord in this world, they 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.570 would have told you it was David Brainerd. 00:36:32.040 --> 00:36:39.060 His love for Jesus surpassed everything else in his life, and he burned so brightly for Christ that it impacted the 00:36:39.060 --> 00:36:41.720 hearts of people around him to the point that he said this. 00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:49.020 Let me not let me forget the world and be swallowed up in desire to glorify God. 00:36:50.640 --> 00:36:52.180 You want to live a missional life. 00:36:53.560 --> 00:37:00.980 It's a life with that kind of passion, an unwavering purpose, an intentional movement through 00:37:00.980 --> 00:37:02.660 deep relationships in the Lord.