1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:03,520 The pastor was visiting a church. 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,400 It's a small church up in North Dakota. 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:13,760 And as he went into the small foyer there entryway, there were some greeters there and he was 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:19,400 shaking some hands and there was a big man that was there, maybe 6'4 or so. 5 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,160 He uh uh had a bushy mustache. 6 00:00:22,940 --> 00:00:37,660 and the pastor went to reach for his hand, to shake his hand, and the man kinda pushed his arm down and grabbed hold of him right around the the torso here, and kinda picked him up off the ground. 7 00:00:39,379 --> 00:00:44,100 And that was bad enough, but it got worse. 8 00:00:44,100 --> 00:00:52,260 Because then the man kissed him right on the lips so that even his nose could feel the mustache. 9 00:00:53,680 --> 00:01:01,039 And then he set him down and he says, That is the way we greet one another from my home country. 10 00:01:02,780 --> 00:01:11,660 The pastor's wife, seeing what had happened, took a step backwards, stuck out her hand. 11 00:01:11,980 --> 00:01:18,380 And shook his hand and said, That's the way we greet one another in the United States. 12 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:34,600 Have you ever taken time to look through the Bible and look at the the yeah the the one another text in the Bible? 13 00:01:34,820 --> 00:01:42,340 There are a lot of texts that tell us that we are supposed to have relationships with one another. 14 00:01:42,340 --> 00:01:45,140 One of those texts is yes, greet one another with 15 00:01:46,259 --> 00:01:49,860 We'll get to that later in the series. 16 00:01:49,860 --> 00:01:55,700 Uh but uh yes, the how do we relate? 17 00:01:55,439 --> 00:01:56,640 to one another. 18 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:06,399 This one another or one anothering, as if you look in the bulletin, how I titled it, one anothering, I know that's not a word, but when I first saw it, I said, I like that word. 19 00:02:06,700 --> 00:02:13,340 one another in is used over one hundred times in the New Testament, ninety-four verses. 20 00:02:13,340 --> 00:02:19,340 Paul uses it, forty-seven of those top verses, instructing the church 21 00:02:21,060 --> 00:02:26,020 about how to live together with each other. 22 00:02:26,020 --> 00:02:29,140 It's fascinating to me the things that it says. 23 00:02:29,140 --> 00:02:30,980 If you have your Bible there, open it up. 24 00:02:30,980 --> 00:02:32,420 Well I guess I have it on the screen. 25 00:02:32,420 --> 00:02:33,300 Galatians 26 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:35,960 Yeah, do I have it on the screen? 27 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,440 Yeah, Galatians 5, 17. 28 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,840 Prime example of where it uses one anothering. 29 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:49,400 It says, for our sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit. 30 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,560 And the spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. 31 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,319 They are in conflict with 32 00:02:56,459 --> 00:02:57,900 One another. 33 00:02:57,900 --> 00:03:00,700 Are you ever in conflict with one another? 34 00:03:00,700 --> 00:03:05,739 Or maybe you're in conflict with yourself, as the text seems to describe there. 35 00:03:05,739 --> 00:03:07,819 That sinful nature 36 00:03:08,220 --> 00:03:15,500 There are some versions read the carnal nature and the nature that is spirit-filled. 37 00:03:15,500 --> 00:03:17,900 Paul describes it in Romans chapter 7. 38 00:03:17,900 --> 00:03:19,099 He says, I. 39 00:03:19,099 --> 00:03:19,420 . 40 00:03:19,220 --> 00:03:26,019 Do those things that I don't want to do, and I don't do those things that I desire to do. 41 00:03:26,019 --> 00:03:31,060 It's interesting as you read Romans 7 how he he writes that right in the midst of 42 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:38,680 between uh Romans six and Romans eight, because Romans six is a powerful chapter for overcoming sin in your life. 43 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,480 And Romans eight is even more powerful. 44 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,280 for overcoming sin in your life. 45 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:50,080 And right in the middle, Paul says, but I do those things I don't want to do, and I don't do those things that I want to do. 46 00:03:51,439 --> 00:03:52,480 Makes you study. 47 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,000 Well wanna study what's going on and that's time for another series. 48 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,640 We'll go back to one anothering. 49 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,920 It continues there in Galatians, verse 19. 50 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,920 It says, Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery. 51 00:04:07,620 --> 00:04:16,500 Fornication, uncleanness, new lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfishness, ambitions, dissensions 52 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:29,600 heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, the like of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in the time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God 53 00:04:30,380 --> 00:04:33,660 Paul here is is talking about relationally. 54 00:04:33,660 --> 00:04:37,259 He's talking about what happens in in in relationships. 55 00:04:37,259 --> 00:04:44,860 It's regarding our personal attitudes or our actions, how we re relate to one another, how we manifest our actions. 56 00:04:45,020 --> 00:04:53,740 to each other the sinful nature versus the fruit of the Spirit 57 00:04:57,020 --> 00:05:07,660 Paul and James both give us examples as you read through the New Testament of this sinful nature. 58 00:05:08,580 --> 00:05:13,220 The negative aspects of the sinful nature. 59 00:05:13,220 --> 00:05:16,419 It tells us they're having lusting for one another. 60 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:24,640 judging one another, depriving one another, biting one another, devouring one another, destroying one another. 61 00:05:24,420 --> 00:05:34,420 provoking one another, envying one another, lying to one another, hating one another, slandering one another, grumbling against one another. 62 00:05:34,420 --> 00:05:37,780 Does that sound like a fun church to worship with? 63 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,280 Does it make you want to be there? 64 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:57,040 Galatians 5, as Paul is writing there in Galatians, he also shares with us the positive aspect of things. 65 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:01,759 He turns there in Galatians 5, verse 22. 66 00:06:01,759 --> 00:06:05,919 Some of you may have this memorized, or some of you may know how to sing it. 67 00:06:06,599 --> 00:06:16,680 says but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering kindness goodness 68 00:06:17,180 --> 00:06:21,740 Faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 69 00:06:21,740 --> 00:06:25,100 Against such things there is no 70 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:27,840 Law. 71 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:34,000 And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with his passions and desires. 72 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:38,360 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 73 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:45,240 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. 74 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:51,320 We have this contrast here that Paul gives us here in Galatians chapter 5. 75 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:57,800 He tells us this is the negative aspect of things and the positive aspects of things. 76 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:12,199 But Paul, James, Peter, and John, I don't know if they were going off this list of the fruit of the Spirit, but they have imperative statements that they give to us as a church. 77 00:07:13,180 --> 00:07:21,820 The positive way to live with each other, members of one another. 78 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:35,360 Devoted to one another, honoring one another, being of the same mind toward one another, love one another 79 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:45,760 Edify one another, accepting one another, instructing one another 80 00:07:46,180 --> 00:07:59,220 Greeting one another, waiting for one another, caring for one another, serving one another, carrying one another's burdens 81 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:12,000 Bearing with one another, being kind to one another, submitting to one another, esteeming one another, encouraging one another 82 00:08:12,020 --> 00:08:26,500 Another confessing sins to one another, praying for one another, offering hospitality to one another, fellowshipping with one another. 83 00:08:26,919 --> 00:08:29,240 One thing is pretty clear. 84 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,399 There's one group that you would rather be with than the other group, isn't there? 85 00:08:33,940 --> 00:08:39,620 Now some of you are thinking, you read through those things so fast, I didn't have time to write them down, I didn't have time to make it. 86 00:08:39,620 --> 00:08:40,180 That's okay. 87 00:08:40,180 --> 00:08:46,580 You can just go to the the the the Bible app that you use or the Bible on the computer that you use or the concordance that you use. 88 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:50,080 if you're still using the concordance and look up one another. 89 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:54,880 And you can get a list of the one anothering texts. 90 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,320 And you can look this up and you can do the research for yourself. 91 00:08:58,320 --> 00:08:58,640 Or 92 00:09:00,140 --> 00:09:02,220 Yeah, you may have guessed by now. 93 00:09:02,220 --> 00:09:04,700 We have a series that's starting. 94 00:09:04,860 --> 00:09:07,980 We're going to talk a little bit about one anothering. 95 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:14,560 Because one anothering is important. 96 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:19,440 How we relate to one another is important. 97 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:32,400 We can either have that the fruit of the Spirit that is evident in our church, or we can have the carnal nature evident in our church 98 00:09:34,340 --> 00:09:38,100 And when I say evident, it is in each of us. 99 00:09:38,100 --> 00:09:45,780 Each of us has the potential to have the carnal nature, or each of us has the potential to have the fruit of the Spirit. 100 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:54,200 But when it's evident in a church like that, what does it look like? 101 00:09:54,519 --> 00:09:57,000 How does it manifest itself? 102 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,040 Paul tells us 103 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:18,040 If we happen to have that to that that church that is not so good, I would call that the Corinthian church. 104 00:10:19,540 --> 00:10:23,779 If you're following along in your Bible, you can turn there, but I'm going to have it on the screen for you here. 105 00:10:23,779 --> 00:10:26,420 First Corinthians chapter three. 106 00:10:28,260 --> 00:10:31,220 Verses 1 through 4. 107 00:10:31,220 --> 00:10:35,779 It reads, And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people. 108 00:10:41,380 --> 00:10:46,420 I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to 109 00:10:46,860 --> 00:10:52,220 Receive it, and even now you are still not able. 110 00:10:52,220 --> 00:10:58,140 For you are still carnal, for where there is envy, strife, divisions among you 111 00:10:58,420 --> 00:11:03,940 You are not carnal and behaving are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 112 00:11:03,940 --> 00:11:10,180 For when one says, I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollos, are you not carnal? 113 00:11:10,779 --> 00:11:16,300 Now, if you want to look at a carnal church, you can study the book of 1 Corinthians. 114 00:11:16,300 --> 00:11:20,060 It describes a church that has 115 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:23,760 What do we say here? 116 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,080 I'll just say lots of problems. 117 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,320 It describes a church that is dysfunctional 118 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:40,560 It describes a church that is battling with all kinds of controversies within the church. 119 00:11:41,319 --> 00:11:47,000 It doesn't sound like it is a fun church 120 00:11:50,460 --> 00:11:53,260 I was thinking about this. 121 00:11:53,260 --> 00:11:59,660 I was thinking, you know, the reality is what difference does this even make? 122 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,200 Is our eternal salvation based upon this? 123 00:12:13,259 --> 00:12:22,060 I told this story a couple of times in the I think in a midweek service and and once in one of the groups that I was with, but I'm going to tell it again for the rest of you. 124 00:12:22,680 --> 00:12:27,080 When I was in seminary, oh, I had a lot of fun in seminary. 125 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,440 I thought the greatest thing in the world was being a student. 126 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,920 I told Cheryl at that time I'm just gonna be a professional student. 127 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:35,920 I want to study all the time. 128 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,000 I loved school. 129 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,080 It was fun. 130 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:47,160 The most fun about it was not going to classes. 131 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:52,120 The most fun about it was not the learning that was taking place. 132 00:12:52,380 --> 00:12:57,820 The most fun about it, I got to play ball. 133 00:12:57,820 --> 00:12:59,740 I got to interact with people. 134 00:12:59,740 --> 00:13:00,700 I got to be with 135 00:13:00,940 --> 00:13:03,900 people that I enjoyed interacting with all the time. 136 00:13:03,900 --> 00:13:07,100 My youth pastor there at the church when I was in seminary. 137 00:13:07,100 --> 00:13:12,060 He took me sometimes and we played racquetball together and I loved playing racquetball with him. 138 00:13:12,060 --> 00:13:15,660 It was a blast if I could beat the pastor. 139 00:13:15,660 --> 00:13:17,420 That meant something to me. 140 00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:21,740 One day after we finished playing racquetball, we got out of the the court there. 141 00:13:21,740 --> 00:13:25,420 I was changing my my racquetb out of my racquetball shoes and 142 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:36,240 And getting ready to to go home and he he put his hand on me and he said, Dale, how's your relationship with the Lord? 143 00:13:39,779 --> 00:13:46,260 You know, I grew up in the church. 144 00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:49,860 I'd been around church people my whole life. 145 00:13:53,380 --> 00:13:55,940 We don't ask those kind of questions. 146 00:14:00,780 --> 00:14:04,620 We ask questions like, how are you today? 147 00:14:04,860 --> 00:14:11,820 We ask questions that we think are relatively safe, or that opens up the opportunity for someone to share with us. 148 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,800 If they are so inclined to share. 149 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:15,080 How was your week today? 150 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,720 I mean, how was your week this past week? 151 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,800 But if they're not inclined to share, then 152 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,320 They don't have to share. 153 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:29,120 But he had just blurted out the words. 154 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,600 How's your walk with the Lord going? 155 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,440 Now, I had a walk with the Lord. 156 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,680 I had daily devotions. 157 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:45,600 The Lord and I were doing good, but this was an invasive question to ask. 158 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,040 I mean, it kind of took me back. 159 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:52,360 I was startled by the question. 160 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:57,480 But I answered it. 161 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:01,000 Told him about my devotional life, told him about my walk with the Lord. 162 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:06,519 I wasn't wasn't shy about it, but I've thought about that many, many 163 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,160 Many times since that time. 164 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:19,880 As a pastor, he was worried about me and my salvation. 165 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:27,840 He had the the you know how much nerve it takes to ask a question like that 166 00:15:29,399 --> 00:15:32,279 I mean, you try it sometime. 167 00:15:32,279 --> 00:15:35,959 You ask your your best friend, how's your walk with the Lord going? 168 00:15:35,959 --> 00:15:39,000 You ask your spouse, how's your walk with the Lord going? 169 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,519 You ask somebody that you you you kind of look up to, how's your walk with? 170 00:15:42,519 --> 00:15:46,440 And you see the kind of reaction that you get. 171 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,279 I'm going to tell you, most people 172 00:15:53,660 --> 00:15:57,500 What did you just ask? 173 00:15:57,500 --> 00:15:59,580 Is that your business? 174 00:16:01,180 --> 00:16:02,700 That's a personal 175 00:16:05,199 --> 00:16:13,680 Why would a person even ask that question? 176 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:14,160 Because 177 00:16:14,339 --> 00:16:21,459 they're worried about you because they want you in heaven with them 178 00:16:22,700 --> 00:16:25,820 They're not asking you that question so that they can judge you. 179 00:16:25,820 --> 00:16:30,380 They're not asking you that question so that they can go tell other people about your relationship with the Lord. 180 00:16:30,380 --> 00:16:36,060 They're asking that question because they love you. 181 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:44,240 And more than anything, they want you to grow in your walk with the Lord. 182 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,960 When I when I look at this one-anothering texts, 183 00:16:49,360 --> 00:17:01,279 These one anothering texts, they are encouraging one another, uplifting one another, desiring the other person to grow in their relationship with the Lord 184 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:09,800 Uh, that's still a hard question to ask. 185 00:17:11,780 --> 00:17:23,140 Maybe the pastor could get away with asking that, or maybe the the the Sabbath school teacher could get away with asking, or maybe the head elder can get away with asking that, but you're thinking, I don't know if I Okay. 186 00:17:23,140 --> 00:17:24,500 Ask your grandchildren. 187 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:28,519 Ask your children. 188 00:17:28,519 --> 00:17:35,080 Somebody that you have a safe relationship with and and try it out and see if you can encourage 189 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:39,560 Someone in their growth with the Lord. 190 00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:56,039 Galatians five 191 00:17:58,559 --> 00:18:08,080 25 says, since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit. 192 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:09,679 Let us do what? 193 00:18:11,420 --> 00:18:14,060 Keep in step with the Spirit. 194 00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:19,500 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. 195 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:22,720 Paul is is using the words there. 196 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:34,000 He's using the the plural pronouns in this thing, so showing that there's a relationship going on, and he wants us to to build up the body of Christ, to encourage the body of Christ. 197 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:39,039 In verse twenty-six there, he realizes that the other words are going to tear down the body of Christ. 198 00:18:39,039 --> 00:18:45,120 And he's seeking for us to not tear down, but to strengthen and to encourage. 199 00:18:47,180 --> 00:18:49,260 These are our exhortations. 200 00:18:49,260 --> 00:18:52,620 These are do we want to use the word commands 201 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,080 This is this admonition. 202 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:03,080 Paul isn't just, oh, let's see what I can think of to fill up space as I write this letter. 203 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,559 These are exhortations. 204 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:12,400 We are supposed to obey God's word, aren't we? 205 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:19,360 When you read these exhortations, you will find that it doesn't say if you feel like it. 206 00:19:19,940 --> 00:19:22,820 It doesn't say if it is convenient. 207 00:19:22,820 --> 00:19:26,340 It doesn't say if it fits your personality. 208 00:19:26,340 --> 00:19:29,860 Now, those are excuses that we use sometimes for not doing it. 209 00:19:29,860 --> 00:19:33,140 It doesn't really fit my personality to do it that way. 210 00:19:34,660 --> 00:19:35,940 It's okay. 211 00:19:36,180 --> 00:19:39,380 Scripture says, greet one another with a holy kiss. 212 00:19:42,780 --> 00:19:44,700 If it's convenient. 213 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:46,300 I don't have time for it. 214 00:19:46,300 --> 00:19:47,340 I'm a busy person. 215 00:19:47,820 --> 00:19:49,980 I can't do that. 216 00:19:49,980 --> 00:19:51,900 If you feel like it. 217 00:19:51,820 --> 00:19:59,100 Some of these things we may not feel like, but they are, I know what you're thinking. 218 00:19:59,100 --> 00:20:01,740 It's not part of the Ten Commandments, Pastor. 219 00:20:01,740 --> 00:20:03,580 I don't have to do it. 220 00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:08,780 And my response is, that's okay. 221 00:20:08,780 --> 00:20:16,140 It's in the Bible, and this is part of love one another. 222 00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:19,600 As I have loved you. 223 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:27,280 This is the desire that is on the heart of God. 224 00:20:27,260 --> 00:20:29,980 That's why it's that's why it's put here in the Bible. 225 00:20:29,980 --> 00:20:32,700 That's why it's it's written down. 226 00:20:33,419 --> 00:20:34,539 We're to obey this. 227 00:20:34,539 --> 00:20:34,779 And 228 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:44,040 We're we're to to to do the things that it says to do and avoid the ones it says don't do to one another. 229 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,840 The essence of these things is love. 230 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:55,080 Now I get to the place where I have to ask myself, can I really do this 231 00:20:55,460 --> 00:21:01,860 I mean when yet when I go back and I look at those two lists and I say, can we do this? 232 00:21:01,860 --> 00:21:06,980 My answer is No. 233 00:21:09,799 --> 00:21:15,880 I'm I I I don't know how to how to say it any better. 234 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,519 Hello, my name's Dale and I'm a sinner. 235 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,680 I have a carnal nature. 236 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:26,960 And it is at war with the spirit. 237 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,800 And when I look at these lists and I say, can I do this? 238 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,760 I have to say, no, I can't. 239 00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:41,700 I cannot do it, but Jesus can. 240 00:21:44,020 --> 00:21:52,980 The only way it's going to happen in me, the only way it's going to happen in us is if we have Jesus in our hearts. 241 00:21:53,340 --> 00:22:03,740 If we have invited him to be in our life, if we have uh have surrendered our will to him so that he can accomplish what he desires 242 00:22:04,220 --> 00:22:05,100 In our life. 243 00:22:05,100 --> 00:22:07,820 Notice what it says in John. 244 00:22:07,820 --> 00:22:10,060 Oh, I already went past that one. 245 00:22:10,060 --> 00:22:13,580 John 17, 20 and 21. 246 00:22:13,580 --> 00:22:15,500 Jesus praying here. 247 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:24,960 He says, I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. 248 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:33,440 So he's just finished praying for the disciples, and then he says, I'm praying for those also that will believe in me through their word. 249 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:34,640 Who is that? 250 00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:36,160 Us. 251 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:38,560 Jesus prayed. 252 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,720 Isn't that a great feeling? 253 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,880 I just love that thought that Jesus prayed for me 254 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,040 He prayed for us. 255 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:55,040 And he says, who believe in me through their word, that they all may be one as you 256 00:22:55,519 --> 00:23:04,480 Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me 257 00:23:06,820 --> 00:23:11,139 What is Jesus' prayer? 258 00:23:12,100 --> 00:23:13,860 That we would be one 259 00:23:15,140 --> 00:23:17,700 That means we're not bickering with one another. 260 00:23:17,700 --> 00:23:19,460 That means we're not biting one another. 261 00:23:19,460 --> 00:23:21,300 That means we're not devouring one another. 262 00:23:21,300 --> 00:23:23,460 That means we're not offending each other. 263 00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:25,460 That means that we are encouraging each other. 264 00:23:25,460 --> 00:23:27,140 That means we are strengthening each other. 265 00:23:27,140 --> 00:23:28,820 That means we are uplifting each other. 266 00:23:28,820 --> 00:23:29,460 Do I say it? 267 00:23:29,460 --> 00:23:31,860 That means we are greeting one another with a holy kiss. 268 00:23:31,860 --> 00:23:33,060 That means that we are 269 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,560 This is why Paul prayed for the church of Ephesus. 270 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:43,000 Ephesians 3 271 00:23:43,620 --> 00:23:49,860 16 through 19, we have a beautiful prayer there, Paul praying for the Church of Ephesus. 272 00:23:54,320 --> 00:24:04,160 He's praying, he says he's praying that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner 273 00:24:04,780 --> 00:24:12,780 Man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith 274 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:24,679 That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, the length, the depth, and the height 275 00:24:24,919 --> 00:24:33,480 and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God 276 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:40,400 Oh, isn't that a beautiful scripture? 277 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,640 I mean that scripture is it is 278 00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:47,120 That's the prayer of Paul for the Church of Ephesus. 279 00:24:47,120 --> 00:24:51,520 And I believe that's the the prayer of Paul for for for you and for me. 280 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:58,840 that we may know the love of Christ which passes us passes all knowledge. 281 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:04,440 We cannot even comprehend the the the the width, the length, the depth, the height 282 00:25:05,540 --> 00:25:09,300 And that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. 283 00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:11,860 Would you like to be filled with the fullness of God? 284 00:25:12,180 --> 00:25:16,900 I mean, wouldn't that be something if we were filled with the fullness of God? 285 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:24,200 Oh, what would that look like? 286 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:33,159 Love, joy, peace, patience, yeah. 287 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:43,559 Ephesians 3 here, Paul continues on after 288 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:54,320 that's this this nice prayer he has a beautiful doxology 20 and 21 he says now to him who is able 289 00:25:54,540 --> 00:26:03,100 to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. 290 00:26:03,180 --> 00:26:04,860 Wait a second. 291 00:26:07,940 --> 00:26:11,059 What are we needing the God to do? 292 00:26:12,899 --> 00:26:14,980 We just read it to know the love of Christ. 293 00:26:15,419 --> 00:26:19,820 Surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 294 00:26:19,820 --> 00:26:23,340 Is it possible for us to be filled with the fullness of God? 295 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:25,260 Notice what it says. 296 00:26:25,260 --> 00:26:36,700 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us. 297 00:26:36,919 --> 00:26:38,520 Can God do it? 298 00:26:39,799 --> 00:26:42,039 Now I asked you before, can I do it? 299 00:26:42,039 --> 00:26:43,400 Can we do it? 300 00:26:44,039 --> 00:26:46,039 Not by ourselves. 301 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:57,800 But if we let God into our life, it says that he wants to come into us and he wants to to to use his power and he wants to work in us what we think is impossible 302 00:26:59,180 --> 00:27:07,020 He wants to work in us to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. 303 00:27:07,020 --> 00:27:07,980 Amen. 304 00:27:08,380 --> 00:27:16,540 I mean, this is a beautiful doxology that Paul is writing here of what his desire is for the church of Ephesus. 305 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:29,120 What his desire is for the Christian church at large, what his desire is for our church, how we relate to one another. 306 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:32,720 In the love of God. 307 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,960 Now Ephesians 3 is a fantastic chapter. 308 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:38,720 Go back and read it, look at it. 309 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,919 But Ephesians 4, we've looked at that a couple of months ago. 310 00:27:41,919 --> 00:27:44,400 Anyone remember what Ephesians 4 is about? 311 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:48,200 Some of you are turning in your Bible because you didn't read it on the screen. 312 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:53,159 Ephesians 4 is that Paul is talking about spiritual gifts. 313 00:27:53,159 --> 00:27:55,639 You remember when we talked about spiritual? 314 00:27:55,639 --> 00:27:58,120 That was a long time ago, wasn't it? 315 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:04,280 We talked about spiritual gifts back in January. 316 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:05,720 Yeah. 317 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:06,040 And 318 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:15,760 Paul talks about spiritual gifts there in chapter four, and then he moves on from there in chapter five, and he 319 00:28:18,159 --> 00:28:24,880 I want you to go to chapter 5 if you're looking it up there, or you can look at the screen, verse 18. 320 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,279 He tells them, Do not be drunk with wine. 321 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:36,520 And which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit 322 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,080 Notice the contrast there that Paul's talking about. 323 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:47,920 He says, don't be drunk with wine. 324 00:28:48,340 --> 00:28:51,380 but be filled with the Spirit. 325 00:28:51,380 --> 00:28:55,380 What do people act like when they're drunk with wine? 326 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,560 Okay, so some of you know some people that have been drunk with wine. 327 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:05,080 Maybe you've even been drunk with wine and you know what you act like. 328 00:29:05,940 --> 00:29:10,420 You you you're I am told people are not themselves. 329 00:29:10,420 --> 00:29:16,580 I'm not y I I don't frequently make a habit of being around those individuals and I have not tried it myself. 330 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:25,840 So I'm just going by what people have told me is that individuals are not themselves, they're not thinking straight, they're they they kind of 331 00:29:27,659 --> 00:29:32,539 Have lost their inhibitions. 332 00:29:32,539 --> 00:29:35,659 Don't process things with their frontal lobe. 333 00:29:35,659 --> 00:29:39,500 They are just going with their bodily instincts. 334 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,600 Opposed to being filled with the spirit. 335 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,960 Now my question is, okay, what happened here? 336 00:29:50,820 --> 00:29:54,100 My questi Yeah, did I lose this? 337 00:29:54,100 --> 00:29:56,419 All of a sudden the sound disappeared? 338 00:29:56,419 --> 00:29:57,940 Can you hear me? 339 00:29:58,740 --> 00:30:00,020 My question is 340 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:06,000 Can you tell the difference between somebody that is drunk and somebody that is filled with the Spirit? 341 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,880 Don't answer that out loud just yet. 342 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:18,559 Because in Acts, when the Spirit came down upon the disciples, they were accused of being 343 00:30:22,500 --> 00:30:23,940 Ponder that just a little bit. 344 00:30:24,020 --> 00:30:28,260 You can go home and think about that this afternoon because I wasn't going to talk about it anymore. 345 00:30:28,260 --> 00:30:32,740 I just when I saw that, do not be drunk with wine. 346 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:42,840 In which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 347 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:55,280 singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another 348 00:30:55,419 --> 00:30:59,500 In the fear of God. 349 00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:02,460 Paul's desire is to to 350 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:05,980 Boost up the church. 351 00:31:05,980 --> 00:31:07,500 Encourage the church. 352 00:31:07,500 --> 00:31:10,460 He is talking about corporate concepts here. 353 00:31:10,460 --> 00:31:15,980 And and we we think about sometimes we think about these things and all that doesn't have to do with my 354 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:21,760 Salvation, that's not a salvation issue. 355 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,520 But it does have to do with our salvation. 356 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:31,560 It has to do with with our salvation. 357 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:39,400 Moses was leading a bunch of people from Egypt to Canaan. 358 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:45,880 And when you go back and you read Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. 359 00:31:46,380 --> 00:31:49,100 I don't know how Moses did it. 360 00:31:49,100 --> 00:31:55,340 I mean, it seemed like the people all the time, what were they doing? 361 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:04,120 Complaining, bickering, fighting, and always bringing the problems to Moses. 362 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:14,360 Finally, they had caused such a problem, big problem. 363 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:18,279 God says, I'm gonna destroy these people 364 00:32:20,020 --> 00:32:25,060 And I'm going to start over with you, Moses. 365 00:32:27,380 --> 00:32:31,780 If you had been Moses, what would you say? 366 00:32:34,100 --> 00:32:35,940 Yeah, go for it, God. 367 00:32:35,940 --> 00:32:37,860 I'm here behind ya. 368 00:32:37,860 --> 00:32:39,860 I saw what you did to the Egyptians. 369 00:32:39,860 --> 00:32:45,780 I know you can do it to these this this stiff-necked people. 370 00:32:46,500 --> 00:32:56,580 Moses pleaded with God and said, God, if you're going to destroy these people, blot my name out of the book also. 371 00:33:00,740 --> 00:33:06,179 Moses was identifying with these individuals. 372 00:33:06,179 --> 00:33:09,780 And Moses knew that if God acted like that 373 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:19,279 That's not the kind of God that Moses loved. 374 00:33:19,279 --> 00:33:21,760 That Moses trusted. 375 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,720 That Moses had come to believe in. 376 00:33:29,540 --> 00:33:37,860 And Moses knew that it was possible for God to do something greater with that group of people. 377 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:45,720 What is our desire for our church? 378 00:33:47,860 --> 00:33:52,980 I mean we have, you know, we're kinda not not very far back, but we're kinda spread out. 379 00:33:52,980 --> 00:34:01,140 I mean, do these people over on this side even like these people on this side or do we sit w where we sit because of our 380 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:13,080 political preferences or do we are we I mean what is our desire for our church family 381 00:34:15,179 --> 00:34:23,419 I mean I look at this Alice gave me this wonderful thing called the the church directory app. 382 00:34:23,419 --> 00:34:25,179 Is that what it's called? 383 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:30,639 Anyway, it it's got the whole membership on on here. 384 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:33,200 I I like this thing. 385 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:40,159 The problem is I look through here and half the people half the n pictures are missing. 386 00:34:39,940 --> 00:34:42,820 That's problem one. 387 00:34:42,820 --> 00:34:47,940 Problem two is the ones that are there 388 00:34:50,460 --> 00:34:53,420 I haven't seen a lot of them. 389 00:34:55,260 --> 00:34:57,020 Do you know where they are? 390 00:34:58,060 --> 00:35:01,180 And then I was in Alice's office last week and 391 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:07,960 She hit something on her screen and a whole bunch of things popped into view. 392 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:10,920 And I said, I don't have those people in my directory. 393 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:12,760 She says, No, they're hidden. 394 00:35:13,839 --> 00:35:15,280 And I'm like, hidden. 395 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:18,079 She says, yeah, we haven't seen them in a long time. 396 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:24,560 And I'm thinking, well, where are they? 397 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:29,000 Have they died? 398 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,559 Well, we haven't gotten notice of it yet. 399 00:35:31,559 --> 00:35:32,599 Are they tired? 400 00:35:32,599 --> 00:35:33,480 Are they discouraged? 401 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:34,359 Are they traveling? 402 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,960 Are they not here because they're working on Sabbath? 403 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:48,120 Are they not here because they have a substance abuse and they're they're they're not satisfied or discouraged to come to church and and face fellow members? 404 00:35:48,140 --> 00:35:51,020 Are they going through relationship problems? 405 00:35:51,020 --> 00:35:53,740 Do we even know what's going on in their lives? 406 00:35:53,740 --> 00:36:00,059 And for me, I didn't even know they existed as part of our membership. 407 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,640 What do we want for our church? 408 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:11,640 Now when I looked out over the congregation today, 409 00:36:11,859 --> 00:36:16,900 Uh I kinda looked and I said, we have a lot of people missing. 410 00:36:16,900 --> 00:36:21,380 Some of our winter members have escaped. 411 00:36:21,380 --> 00:36:24,180 Back to cooler 412 00:36:26,839 --> 00:36:30,839 Country. 413 00:36:30,839 --> 00:36:34,200 I mean that that's I know it's sad for us. 414 00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:38,599 We don't like our winter members to exca and if you're watching, we want you back. 415 00:36:39,060 --> 00:36:46,740 But I'm going to tell you, those of you that are here, this gives us a good opportunity to fill up the steeds with other people. 416 00:36:46,740 --> 00:36:51,460 I mean, wouldn't it be cool if when the winter members came back they didn't have a place to sit? 417 00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:55,060 Yeah, standing room only around here? 418 00:36:55,060 --> 00:37:02,820 I mean that'd be uh we had 'em sit in the lobby and we had to have a TV in the lobby for overflow or uh the TV in the fellowship hall for overflow. 419 00:37:02,820 --> 00:37:04,500 I mean that would be a great problem. 420 00:37:04,500 --> 00:37:06,500 What is it we want? 421 00:37:06,380 --> 00:37:10,460 For our church family. 422 00:37:10,460 --> 00:37:15,020 Are we willing to go and seek those individuals that we are missing? 423 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,160 Do we want one another to to leave or to depart? 424 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:28,559 Are we are we biting one another, devouring each other, and causing people to to escape? 425 00:37:29,700 --> 00:37:33,700 Are we trying to encourage and uplift and support one another? 426 00:37:40,100 --> 00:37:43,300 I know last week the slides weren't working right. 427 00:37:43,300 --> 00:37:46,260 This was last week's slide. 428 00:37:46,260 --> 00:37:49,300 Where I finished last week with my slides. 429 00:37:50,039 --> 00:37:55,000 But you remember the sermon when Jesus was talking with Peter. 430 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,720 And he asked Peter, Do you love me? 431 00:37:58,380 --> 00:38:03,579 And Peter said, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 432 00:38:03,900 --> 00:38:07,579 Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. 433 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:13,040 Who are your sheep? 434 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:18,880 You can start with your family, you can start with your friends, you can start with your co-workers. 435 00:38:18,540 --> 00:38:24,620 You can also start with your fellow people, your fellow members in our congregation. 436 00:38:24,620 --> 00:38:28,940 The way we treat one another, the way we handle one another. 437 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:38,520 The way we encourage each other, the way we we love one another, the way we greet one another are all very important. 438 00:38:39,900 --> 00:38:42,700 In our relationship with Jesus Christ 439 00:38:50,940 --> 00:38:54,940 I want to encourage you. 440 00:38:54,940 --> 00:38:58,700 Feed the sheep that God has given you.