Participants:
Series Code: PME
Program Code: PME250426S
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00:10 ♪ 12:17 ♪ 12:25 >> ♪ God is our refuge 12:26 and strength ♪ 12:29 ♪ A present help 12:30 in times of trouble ♪ 12:33 ♪ Though the mountains shake 12:35 in the heart of the sea ♪ 12:37 ♪ Though the waters roar and 12:39 foam, we will not fear ♪ 12:43 ♪ 12:51 ♪ Come and behold 12:53 the works of the Lord ♪ 12:55 ♪ The awesome acts of God 12:59 ♪ He is in the midst of 13:02 His people, in all the earth ♪ 13:10 ♪ He's the word, we are His 13:12 hands, He will lead us ♪ 13:16 ♪ He is the air, 13:18 we are His soul ♪ 13:19 ♪ We will celebrate His presence 13:23 all the day long ♪ 13:27 ♪ 13:33 ♪ God is our refuge 13:34 and strength ♪ 13:36 ♪ A present help 13:38 in times of trouble ♪ 13:40 ♪ Though the mountains shake 13:42 in the heart of the sea ♪ 13:44 ♪ Though the waters roar 13:46 and foam, we will not fear ♪ 13:50 ♪ 13:58 ♪ Come and behold 14:00 the work of the Lord ♪ 14:03 ♪ The awesome acts of God 14:05 >> ♪ He is our God 14:07 >> ♪ He is in the midst 14:08 of His people ♪ 14:09 >> ♪ He is our God 14:11 >> ♪ In all the earth 14:17 ♪ He is the rains, 14:18 we are the stones ♪ 14:19 ♪ He will cleanse us 14:23 ♪ He is the air, 14:24 we are His song ♪ 14:26 ♪ We will celebrate His presence 14:30 all the day long ♪ 14:33 ♪ 14:39 ♪ God is our refuge 14:40 and strength ♪ 14:43 ♪ A present help 14:44 in time of trouble ♪ 14:47 ♪ Though the mountains shake 14:49 in the heart of the sea ♪ 14:50 ♪ Though the waters roar 14:52 and foam, we will not fear ♪ 14:58 ♪ We will not fear 15:01 ♪ We will not fear 15:05 ♪ We will not 15:09 ♪ Fear 15:18 >> Have you ever had a craving? 15:26 Well, my daughter did 15:27 about 20 years ago. 15:29 And I'd like to show you 15:30 a little bit about what 15:31 that craving was like. 15:42 [ Laughter ] 15:48 >> [ Chuckles ] 15:53 What'd you get? 15:57 >> [ Chuckles ] 16:02 [ Laughter ] 16:07 >> So that's Ellie 16:08 about 20 years ago, 16:10 and she had a crave. 16:12 I thought it was for the camera 16:14 that I had set on the floor to 16:15 video her there, but it was not. 16:16 It was for that thing 16:17 in her mouth. 16:18 That's a cello rock stop, for 16:19 those of you that don't know. 16:20 It spends a lot 16:20 of time on the floor. 16:21 So this was an immunity-building 16:23 exercise on Ellie's part here. 16:26 Ellie had a crave, 16:28 and by baby standards, 16:29 she she kind of turned over 16:30 heaven and Earth. 16:31 I mean, that's a long ways. 16:32 When you're a toddler, 16:33 you're just getting 16:33 used to moving around. 16:34 She saw what she wanted. 16:36 She had this crave, 16:37 she crossed over heaven and 16:39 Earth, the hallway, 16:40 to satisfy it, and indeed, 16:42 the crave was fulfilled. 16:48 I wonder 16:50 if the church is 16:52 as motivated as she was. 16:58 I wonder if the church is 16:59 as motivated 17:00 for much higher craves 17:02 to be fulfilled as she was 17:03 for this rather 17:04 earthly craving to be fulfilled. 17:06 I wonder if we are as motivated. 17:11 Because, you see, 17:12 there is a crave. 17:13 Not for a rock stop 17:14 in one's mouth. 17:16 A crave for something 17:17 far more important, 17:18 a crave that is -- practically 17:20 runs around the world. 17:21 It is essentially 17:22 global in its nature. 17:23 It is a craving 17:25 that has been inside of us 17:26 literally since creation, 17:30 and the satisfaction 17:32 of this craving 17:34 was one of the main things 17:35 that fueled 17:36 the New Testament church. 17:37 The satisfaction of this craving 17:39 is what fueled early Adventism, 17:41 and I am convinced 17:42 that the satisfaction 17:43 of this craving 17:45 will provide ample fuel 17:46 for the church 17:47 today to finish the work 17:49 of sharing Jesus Christ 17:50 and the three angels' 17:51 messages with the world. 17:53 Would you like to know 17:54 what that craving is? 17:58 Good, because I was afraid we 17:59 were going to have to stop right 18:00 there and have the benediction 18:01 and go to Nikki's and have 18:01 lunch. 18:02 Yes. That's it. 18:03 Turn in your Bibles, 18:04 please, to Genesis 1:26. 18:07 It's on page one 18:09 in your red pew Bible, page one, 18:12 Genesis 1 verses 26 and 27. 18:15 This is, of course, 18:16 the creation story. 18:17 The Bible does 18:18 not posit evolution. 18:20 Instead it says, 18:21 "God spoke and it was." 18:22 God created 18:23 the heavens and the Earth. 18:24 This is the creation week. 18:26 At this point in the story, 18:27 five days of creation 18:28 have been completed. 18:30 God is now going to move on 18:32 to a sixth day and 18:34 have the pinnacle -- at least 18:36 as far as living creatures are 18:37 concerned, the pinnacle 18:38 of creation, 18:39 the creation of humanity, 18:41 and this is how it's described. 18:41 Verse 26. 18:43 "Then God said, 18:44 let us make man," 18:46 and the Hebrew word there 18:47 for "man" means humanity, 18:48 mankind, humanity, humanity, 18:50 "in our image, in our likeness, 18:53 and let them rule over the fish 18:54 of the sea 18:55 and the birds of the air, 18:56 over the livestock, 18:57 over all the Earth, 18:58 and over all the creatures 19:00 that move along the ground. 19:01 So God created man," mankind, 19:04 "in His own image. 19:06 In the image of God, 19:07 He created him. 19:08 Male and female, 19:10 He created them." 19:13 [ Clears throat ] 19:14 Did you see the crave? 19:19 Perhaps not. 19:20 So let me elucidate. 19:24 This word "image" comes from the 19:25 Hebrew word "selem," and image 19:28 is a good translation, means 19:29 image or likeness. 19:30 We're made in the image 19:31 of the likeness of God. 19:33 But what does it mean to be made 19:35 in the image of God? 19:38 Now, I know what some 19:39 of you are thinking. 19:40 Some of you look in the mirror 19:40 and you think, "Ah, 19:41 this must be how God looks." 19:42 Okay, so so you're thinking 19:44 about this physical similarity 19:47 between yourself and the divine. 19:48 I understand. 19:49 I'm not quite as optimistic 19:51 when I look in the mirror, 19:51 but there's 19:52 actually good evidence 19:53 in this text 19:55 that while it could be 19:56 physical resemblance, 19:57 it's actually something 19:58 far deeper 20:01 than mere physical appearance. 20:03 That's what it means to be made 20:04 in the image of God. 20:06 There is something 20:07 even more basic to it. 20:09 There is something 20:09 which explains 20:10 a substantial portion 20:12 of the essence of who God is. 20:16 And because we're made in 20:17 His image, by extension, 20:18 who we are, 20:21 it's found in the very opening 20:22 lines of verse 26 20:23 where it says, 20:24 "Let us make man in our image." 20:30 It's plural, right? 20:33 And if you didn't know any 20:34 better, if this was your first 20:34 time in the Bible, 20:36 you might expect it to say, 20:36 well, "Let 20:38 me make man in my image," 20:40 but it doesn't say that. 20:41 It's very clear. 20:42 In the original language, 20:43 it is very clear. 20:44 "Let us make man in our image." 20:47 In other words, 20:48 God has community 20:49 in himself by definition. 20:54 And note further verse 27, "Male 20:57 and female, He created them." 20:59 In other words, 21:00 in order for the image of God 21:02 to be complete in humanity, 21:04 one was not enough. 21:08 It instead took two. 21:11 No wonder, therefore, 21:12 if we were to keep reading 21:13 in 2:18, it says there, 21:15 after all kinds 21:16 of good things have happened, 21:17 God says, "This is good. 21:18 And behold, it was good, 21:19 and behold, it was good, 21:19 and behold, it was good." 21:21 Then He comes, and He says, 21:22 "It is not good 21:24 for the man to be alone," 21:26 as many a seminarian has said 21:28 since then, right? 21:28 Okay. 21:29 It is not good 21:30 for man to be alone. 21:31 This idea of community. 21:32 Now, let's be clear here. 21:33 The Bible here is not saying 21:36 that it is a sin to be single. 21:38 Jesus was single. 21:40 Paul was single. 21:41 Et cetera, et cetera. 21:42 But the Bible is saying 21:44 that to be in community, 21:46 whether with one's spouse 21:48 or with other Christians, 21:49 is a profound part 21:50 of what it means to be made 21:52 in the image of God. 21:53 Do you see the math here? 21:54 We are made in His image. 21:56 He, by definition, 21:57 is in community. 21:58 It takes an "us" to define Him. 22:01 Therefore, to be made 22:02 in His image 22:03 is to also recognize 22:04 that we were made for community 22:06 as well, and consequently, 22:09 to crave fellowship with others 22:12 is not a sign of weakness 22:13 or a lack of maturity 22:14 or any such thing. 22:15 Instead, this hardwired craving 22:17 of the human heart, a craving 22:19 that God Himself put within us, 22:22 it is to be 22:23 in genuine community, 22:24 with others, with God, yes, 22:26 and with other people. 22:28 And notice carefully 22:29 what this means is to place 22:32 ourselves in genuine community 22:33 with others is, 22:35 in a very real sense, 22:36 to fulfill what 22:38 we were created for. 22:43 Small wonder, then, 22:45 that after sin enters the world, 22:46 Genesis 3, 22:47 and repeatedly shatters 22:49 community for generation after 22:51 generation after generation. 22:52 When Jesus does come, 22:53 He has His ministry, 22:54 He dies on the cross, 22:55 He's raised from the grave, 22:56 the church is established when 22:58 we read in the book of Acts. 22:59 One of the most shocking 23:00 characteristics of the church 23:02 is that it had 23:03 genuine community. 23:06 What was lost 23:07 at Eden is now beginning 23:09 to be restored in the church. 23:13 Let me show you. 23:15 Again, Acts 2, verse 42 to 47. 23:16 If the word is yellow 23:18 in the screen, would 23:19 you please say it out loud? 23:21 "They devoted themselves --" 23:22 This is the new Christians in 23:24 that first Christian church. 23:25 "They devoted themselves 23:26 to the apostles' teaching 23:27 and to the..." 23:28 >> Fellowship. 23:29 >> "...to the breaking 23:30 of bread and to prayer. 23:31 Everyone was filled with awe, 23:32 and many wonders 23:33 and miraculous signs 23:34 were done by the apostles. 23:35 All the believers were..." 23:37 >> Together. 23:38 >> "...and had everything in 23:38 common. 23:39 Selling their possessions and 23:40 goods, they gave 23:41 to anyone as he had need. 23:42 Every day they continued 23:43 to meet..." 23:44 >> Together. 23:45 >> "...in the temple courts. 23:46 They broke bread in their homes 23:47 and ate..." 23:47 >> Together. 23:49 >> "...with glad and sincere 23:49 hearts, praising God 23:51 and enjoying the favor 23:52 of all the people. 23:52 And the Lord added to 23:54 their number daily those 23:55 who were being saved." 23:58 Isn't it interesting 23:59 that last phrase, 24:00 "And the Lord added to 24:01 their number daily"? 24:01 It comes right 24:03 after he describes -- 24:04 that Luke describes in the book 24:06 of Acts here, this tremendous 24:08 community that they had. 24:11 Ladies and gentlemen, 24:11 this was astonishing. 24:13 Sometimes I think we forget 24:14 this. 24:15 By the standards of that day, 24:16 and even by the standards of 24:18 today, this was astonishing, 24:19 because here were people 24:20 from all over the world 24:21 in this Christian church. 24:22 Remember, 3,000 people had 24:23 just been baptized. 24:24 I mean, talk about jump-starting 24:25 your church plant. 24:26 There's a ton of people here, 24:28 and they are from all over 24:29 the world because they all 24:30 came up for the festival. 24:31 And even if, back home, 24:33 they might have been at 24:33 each other's throats 24:34 or disagreeing about this, 24:35 that, or the other, 24:36 in the Christian church, 24:38 all of that is gone. 24:40 There is this deep 24:41 and profound sense of community, 24:44 and in fact, 24:45 genuine Christian community 24:47 became one of the most powerful 24:48 calling cards of the church had. 24:50 It was astonishing evidence 24:52 that something, that someone, 24:55 something, and someone new 24:57 and radical and transformative 24:58 had landed on planet Earth, 25:00 the likes of which 25:01 the world had never seen. 25:04 All of which 25:06 makes me want to ask you 25:07 some questions. 25:09 Just in the quietness 25:10 of your own cranium, 25:11 you can answer this. 25:14 Is this your experience? 25:20 Have you experienced 25:21 genuine Christian community? 25:26 This borderline miracle, 25:28 this joyful exclamation point 25:29 of the Kingdom of God? 25:30 Have you experienced this 25:31 yourself? 25:34 As I asked you 25:35 a couple of weeks ago. 25:36 Acts 2:42 to 47, 25:38 it says they, the new believers, 25:40 the church, devoted themselves 25:41 to the apostles' teaching 25:42 and to the what? 25:44 To the fellowship. 25:44 That's right. 25:45 In other words, 25:46 they're given equal billing. 25:48 Are you as devoted 25:49 to the fellowship of believers 25:50 as you are to correct doctrine? 25:54 And perhaps most importantly, 25:56 are you experiencing 25:57 genuine Christian community 26:00 right now, today? 26:07 You know, 26:08 as good as revival and 26:10 reformation are personally, 26:11 and they are good, 26:13 there's still -- I can still say 26:14 this weeks later. 26:15 There's incredible things 26:16 happening in our midst here. 26:17 People are are renewed 26:19 in their love of the Lord 26:20 and ministry for Him. 26:20 There's great things 26:21 that are happening here. 26:22 And as good as that is, 26:24 it's even better in the context 26:26 of genuine Christian community. 26:28 I mean, the New Testament 26:29 church had this community. 26:31 Contrary to what some believe, 26:32 early Adventism had it, as well. 26:34 We need it today, and God 26:36 knows we need it so badly He 26:37 actually commands us to form it. 26:41 So let's get to it by answering 26:44 at least two questions. 26:45 Number one, 26:46 what is genuine 26:47 Christian community? 26:50 What sets it apart 26:51 from other communities? 26:51 There's all kinds of communities 26:52 in the world out there. 26:53 What sets genuine Christian 26:54 community apart from the others? 26:56 And question number two 26:57 how do we get it? 26:58 How do we get it? 27:01 So let's get started. 27:03 Biblically speaking, 27:06 there are at least four 27:07 characteristics 27:08 of genuine Christian community. 27:11 Let me put the first one up here 27:12 on the screen for you. 27:13 "Genuine Christian community has 27:15 Christ as its center." 27:18 "Genuine Christian community has 27:20 Christ as its center." 27:22 Not a human being, 27:23 not a polished speaker, 27:25 a great leader, 27:26 a great idea or great cause 27:27 or, you know, 27:28 whatever it might be. 27:29 Jesus Christ is the center 27:31 of genuine Christian community. 27:35 And it may surprise you 27:36 how this developed 27:37 in salvation history. 27:38 If you've never heard this 27:39 before, this is 27:40 an amazing thing that Jesus did. 27:43 I want to refer you to 27:44 to something called the Mishnah. 27:45 Now, some of you 27:46 know what the Mishnah is. 27:47 We're in an academic setting. 27:48 I'm sure some 27:48 of you know about this. 27:49 For those of you that don't, 27:51 the Mishnah was collected, oh, 27:52 probably about A.D. 200. 27:55 So after the time of Christ. 27:56 But what it collected 27:58 actually dated back well before 28:00 the ministry of Christ. 28:02 You see, there was an oral 28:02 tradition, you know, 28:03 teachings of the religious 28:04 leaders amongst the Jews, 28:05 and the Jews became concerned 28:07 that this oral tradition 28:08 would be forgotten. 28:09 So they wrote it down 28:10 in something called the Mishnah. 28:12 And in that Mishnah, 28:13 again, the same -- predates 28:14 the ministry of Jesus. 28:16 This is what it says 28:17 here in the Mishnah. 28:18 "But when two sit together 28:21 and there are words of Torah 28:23 spoken," so words of the law, 28:24 first five books of the Bible, 28:25 "words of Torah spoken 28:26 between them, the 28:27 Shechinah abides among them." 28:31 Does that sound 28:32 familiar to anybody? 28:34 We'll get back to 28:34 that just a moment. 28:35 "But when two sit together 28:37 and there are words of Torah 28:38 spoken between them, the 28:39 Shechinah abides among them." 28:42 Now, although the word is 28:44 not used in the Old Testament, 28:46 Jewish rabbis for millennia 28:47 referred to the special 28:48 presence of God among His people 28:50 as being the Shechinah, 28:52 the Shechinah glory. 28:53 Sometimes it's referred to. 28:54 For instance, 28:55 the Book of Exodus has 28:56 a number of occurrences 28:57 of this -- the burning bush, 28:58 Exodus 3. 29:00 That was the Shechinah 29:01 presence of God, 29:02 the presence of God 29:03 in the pillar of fire -- 29:04 Exodus 13. 29:05 The Ark of the Covenant. 29:06 You know, there -- the glory 29:07 of the Lord 29:08 is hovering over the Ark 29:09 of the Covenant there. 29:10 That's referred to as 29:11 the Shechinah glory. 29:12 God showing Himself to Moses -- 29:13 Exodus 34. 29:15 All of these were considered 29:16 to be examples 29:17 of the special appearing 29:19 of God's presence to His people. 29:22 But then get this. Get this. 29:24 Jesus shows up. 29:25 He's born, He grows, 29:26 He begins His public ministry. 29:28 And this is what Jesus says. 29:29 Matthew 18, 29:30 verses 19 and 20, "Again, 29:32 truly I tell you," 29:33 Jesus says, "that if two of you 29:35 on Earth agree about anything 29:36 they ask for, 29:37 it will be done for them 29:38 by my Father in heaven. 29:39 For where two or 29:40 three gather in my name, 29:42 there I am with them." 29:46 Jesus is the new Shechinah. 29:48 He is the embodiment 29:50 of the pillar of fire 29:51 out in the desert 29:52 and the glory hovering 29:53 over the Ark of the Covenant 29:53 in the sanctuary, 29:54 this blessed appearance 29:55 to Abraham, I mean all of these. 29:57 Jesus is now the encapsulation 29:59 of these things. 30:01 And did you notice? 30:03 This Shechinah glory 30:05 happens explicitly 30:07 in the context of community. 30:11 Jesus is with us 30:13 all by ourselves. 30:13 Amen? Amen? 30:15 We've talked about this. 30:16 The Holy Spirit can fill us 30:17 as individuals, 30:18 no question about that. 30:19 Not taking away 30:19 from that at all. 30:21 And yet there is 30:22 still something more. 30:23 There is something special 30:25 when people gather in the name 30:26 of Jesus Christ 30:28 And He says that when "two 30:29 or three gather in my name," 30:31 when the church gathers, 30:33 "there I am." 30:36 Jesus Christ is the center 30:39 of genuine Christian community, 30:41 and He is the only 30:42 one that will do. 30:44 Only Jesus is a glue strong 30:46 enough to keep our community 30:47 together in Jesus. 30:48 Communities that are centered 30:49 on common interests or 30:51 geography or race or occupation 30:53 or culture all have their place. 30:55 But only Jesus is strong enough 30:58 to keep our community strong 31:00 enough to weather 31:01 the end time headwinds 31:03 that are coming our way faster 31:04 and furiouser as we get closer 31:05 to the second coming of Jesus. 31:07 So make sure 31:11 that Jesus is the center 31:14 of your fellowship 31:15 with other believers. 31:17 You may do other activities 31:18 and other things, 31:19 other important and good things, 31:20 et cetera, et cetera, 31:22 but make sure that the center, 31:25 the glue is Jesus. 31:29 Because He's the great center, 31:30 the reason and power 31:32 and adhesion for our fellowship. 31:35 Nothing and no one else will do. 31:38 That's the first characteristic 31:40 of genuine Christian community. 31:43 There's a second. 31:45 "Genuine Christian community is 31:47 where members sacrificially 31:49 care for one another." 31:51 "Genuine Christian community is 31:53 where members sacrificially 31:54 care for one another." 31:57 Now, there's literally dozens 31:58 of texts in the Bible, 31:58 the New Testament 31:59 that talk about this. 32:00 Let's look at 32:00 just a handful here. 32:01 Acts 2:45 again, 32:03 and then 4:34 and 35. 32:05 "Selling their possessions 32:06 and goods, they gave 32:07 to anyone as he had need." 32:09 That sounds like sacrificial, 32:10 doesn't it? 32:11 They give to others there. 32:13 "There were 32:14 no needy persons among them." 32:16 How many needy persons were 32:17 among them? 32:18 Not a bit. Zero. Zilch. Nada. 32:20 Nothing. That's astonishing. 32:21 I mean, 32:22 can you think of another 32:23 fellowship like that today? 32:26 This is amazing. 32:27 There were 32:27 no needy persons among them. 32:29 "For from time to time 32:31 those who owned lands or houses 32:32 sold them, 32:33 brought the money from the sales 32:34 and put it at the apostles feet, 32:35 and it was distributed 32:36 to anyone as he had need." 32:38 There was sacrificial 32:39 care for one another. 32:41 How about this? 32:42 Galatians 5:13 and 6:2. 32:44 "Serve one another in love," 32:45 speaking to those 32:46 inside the church. 32:47 "Carry each other's burdens, 32:49 and in this way you will fulfill 32:50 the law of Christ." 32:52 Carry each other's burdens. 32:52 Serve one another. 32:55 Ephesians 4:29, 31, and 32 32:57 takes this to another level. 32:59 "Do not let any unwholesome talk 33:00 come out of your mouths, 33:01 but only what is helpful 33:03 for building others up according 33:04 to their needs, 33:05 that it may benefit 33:06 those who listen... 33:07 Get rid of all bitterness, 33:08 rage and anger, 33:09 brawling and slander 33:10 along with every form of malice. 33:12 Be kind and compassionate 33:13 to one another, 33:14 forgiving each other," 33:15 and then notice 33:16 this last line, "just as 33:18 in Christ God forgave you." 33:21 In other words, 33:21 this is what makes 33:23 the Christian church different. 33:24 It's supposed to make 33:25 it different, 33:26 at least because our standard is 33:27 not a human standard. 33:29 Our standard is 33:30 how Jesus has served us. 33:33 That's how we are to serve 33:34 others inside of the church. 33:37 Now, this is so pivotal 33:40 that it's actually addressed 33:41 a number of times 33:41 in the New Testament. 33:42 Look at this. 33:43 Philippians 2:5 to 7 33:45 says, "In your relationship 33:46 with one another," 33:46 so this is within 33:47 the church now, "have 33:49 the same mindset as," here 33:50 it is again, "Christ Jesus: 33:52 Who, being in very nature God, 33:53 did not consider equality 33:54 with God something 33:56 to be used to His own advantage. 33:57 Rather, He made himself nothing 33:59 by taking the very nature 34:01 of a servant being made 34:04 in human likeness." 34:05 There it is again. 34:06 This is the secret 34:07 to the church's success 34:08 when it comes 34:09 to this idea of community. 34:10 Jesus is our standard. 34:12 We serve others 34:13 as He has served us. 34:15 Colossians 3:13 -- "Bear 34:17 with each other and forgive 34:18 whatever grievances you may have 34:19 against one another. 34:20 Forgive as the Lord 34:21 forgave you." 34:22 Forgiveness in the church 34:23 is one of the greatest ways 34:24 you can serve somebody else. 34:25 How can you claim 34:26 that you're sacrificially 34:27 serving somebody else 34:28 if you hate their guts? 34:30 That's pretty tough to do, 34:31 isn't it? 34:32 So forgiveness here. 34:33 This is part of service -- 34:34 of the service that we are 34:35 to do to one another, 34:36 just as Christ Jesus forgave us. 34:39 And how about this? 34:40 This takes it to the pinnacle. 34:41 John 15:13 -- Jesus says, 34:43 "Greater love has no one 34:44 than this, 34:45 that He lay down 34:46 His life for His friends." 34:49 Now, obviously, Jesus here 34:51 is foreshadowing the cross, 34:52 which at this point is just 34:53 a little ways away in His story. 34:55 And the odds of you 34:56 or I being asked 34:59 to lay down our life physically, 35:01 to die for somebody else, 35:02 probably are relatively low. 35:06 But if the opportunity were 35:08 to come to us, 35:11 it would be completely 35:12 in keeping 35:14 with the sacrificial service 35:16 that Jesus did for us. 35:22 Ladies and gentlemen, 35:25 the rest of the world will 35:28 sometimes sacrificially serve 35:30 those that are closest to them. 35:31 You know, maybe a close family 35:32 or close friend or something. 35:33 They may do that. 35:35 But Christians, 35:36 we are called to care for 35:37 one another, 35:38 whether we are close friends 35:40 with that Christian or not. 35:42 Christians serve one another 35:44 because of the common bond 35:45 that they have in Christ. 35:47 And this kind of care 35:48 still to this day 35:49 can astonish the outside world. 35:51 And here 35:52 we must admit a reality. 35:53 This is a miracle. 35:55 You cannot, 35:56 I cannot, we cannot of ourselves 35:59 have this kind of sacrificial 36:00 service for one another. 36:01 We are too selfish. 36:02 We are too far down the scale. 36:04 It is only by the renewing power 36:06 of Jesus Christ in the heart 36:07 that this is possible. 36:09 So if you're sitting there 36:09 trying to white knuckle 36:10 your way, "I'm 36:11 going to sacrificially serve 36:12 this jerk next to me. 36:13 I'm going to sacrifi--" 36:14 No, no, no, just stop. 36:16 Let Jesus come in. 36:18 Have Him take away the heart 36:18 of stone 36:19 and give you a heart of flesh. 36:21 The new life in Jesus Christ 36:22 makes this possible. 36:23 This is why the rest 36:24 of the world, 36:25 when they see this inside 36:26 of the church, 36:27 so many of them look 36:28 and they are astonished, 36:28 they're amazed, 36:29 and they study it because 36:30 you cannot find this kind of 36:32 sacrificial love in a community 36:33 outside of Jesus Christ. 36:35 It's a miracle of God. 36:40 "Genuine Christian community is 36:42 where members sacrificially 36:43 care for one another." 36:47 So I need to ask you, and, 36:48 again, just in the quietness 36:50 of your own mind, 36:50 you can answer, 36:52 is this your reality? 36:55 Are there people in the church 36:56 right now that 36:59 you resent, 37:01 you have not forgiven, 37:03 and it's stopping 37:04 any service from happening? 37:07 Are you willing 37:08 to sacrificially serve those 37:09 that are that are inside 37:10 of the fellowship of believers? 37:14 If the answer is no, 37:16 don't let another day go by. 37:18 Jesus specializes 37:19 in heart surgery. 37:20 He knows 37:21 how to give us a new mind, 37:22 a new heart, a new spirit. 37:25 And I tell you what, 37:25 ladies and gentlemen, 37:26 when this becomes the norm 37:30 in the church, 37:31 when this kind of 37:32 sacrificial care for one 37:33 another becomes the norm, 37:34 great things will happen. 37:36 Great things will happen. 37:37 We will be that close 37:38 to the work being finished 37:39 because at last the groundwork 37:41 will have been laid. 37:43 Jesus will see himself 37:44 being reflected in His people. 37:46 Great things will happen. 37:51 A third characteristic 37:52 of genuine Christian community 37:54 is this. 37:56 "Genuine Christian community is 37:58 where disciples thrive through 38:00 appropriate accountability." 38:03 It's "where disciples 38:04 thrive through 38:05 appropriate accountability." 38:07 Now, if I were in the South 38:08 preaching this, as I spent 38:09 many years down there, 38:10 some people might say to me 38:12 that I have gone just now 38:13 from preaching to meddling. 38:15 [ Laughter ] 38:16 Okay? Yeah. 38:17 "Jesus as the center. 38:18 We're okay with that. 38:20 You know, serving one another. 38:21 We're okay with that. 38:22 Ah, but this idea 38:23 of accountability, 38:24 you know, I was with you 38:25 until then, right?" 38:28 Isn't accountability taking 38:29 things just a shade too far? 38:32 Well, let's see what 38:33 the Bible has to say. 38:35 Ephesians 5:21 -- 38:36 "Submit to one another 38:37 out of reverence for Christ." 38:39 Hm. 38:40 That's kind of sounds like 38:41 accountability, doesn't it, 38:42 right? 38:43 And by the way, some of you that 38:44 are familiar with Ephesians, 38:45 particularly chapter five, 38:46 this is just before the council 38:48 with the husbands and wives. 38:50 So in other words, 38:51 this verse, verse 21, 38:52 this is to everybody, 38:53 married or not. 38:54 This is to all the people that 38:55 are part of the church there, 38:56 the church plant in Ephesus. 38:58 "Submit to one another 38:59 out of reverence for Christ." 39:01 Wow. 39:02 I mean, 39:03 that sounds like 39:04 some accountability there. 39:05 Your agenda, my agenda, 39:06 we are submitting 39:08 that to one another. 39:10 Hm. 39:12 Colossians 3:16. 39:13 "Let the word of Christ 39:14 dwell in you richly as 39:16 you teach and admonish one 39:18 another with all wisdom." 39:19 What does admonish mean? 39:22 What's that word mean? 39:24 To kind of urge somebody 39:26 to do the right thing. 39:27 Isn't that fair to say? 39:28 It has some connotation 39:30 of correction, right? 39:31 Okay. 39:32 It may be even some moderate 39:33 rebuke is implied in that term 39:35 "admonish," right? 39:37 And it's not to be admonishing 39:38 what I want or what you want. 39:39 It's very clear about that. 39:40 "Let the word 39:41 of Christ dwell in you," 39:43 So the word of God here, 39:45 "dwell in you richly 39:46 as you teach and admonish." 39:47 So it's God's agenda, not ours, 39:49 that we are to admonish one 39:50 another about 39:51 and to do it with all wisdom, 39:52 not willy-nilly, not hackneyed, 39:54 not being cruel or anything, 39:55 but with all wisdom. 39:57 Admonish one another. 39:58 That sounds 39:58 like accountability to me. 40:02 How about this -- Galatians 6:1. 40:03 "Brothers, if someone is caught 40:05 in a sin," oh, here we go, 40:06 "you who are spiritual," 40:07 that's you that are 40:08 in the church, 40:09 "should restore him gently." 40:12 And if we had time, 40:13 we could read Matthew 18:15 40:14 to 17, 1 Corinthians 5, 40:16 and there's other places, 40:17 too, that make it very clear 40:18 that in the Christian church 40:19 there is to be 40:20 appropriate accountability 40:22 if it is to be 40:23 a genuine community of Christ. 40:27 Now it is very true. I get it. 40:30 I understand we live 40:31 in a day and age 40:32 where accountability is 40:33 not real popular. 40:34 It's not something a lot 40:35 of people are clamoring to have. 40:37 Sometimes I get it. 40:38 Sometimes I get 40:39 why people don't like 40:39 accountability 40:40 because they have seen 40:41 accountability abused. 40:42 Okay, I understand that. 40:43 But far more often, 40:45 in my experience, 40:45 the reason 40:46 why people don't like 40:47 accountability is 40:48 because apart from Jesus Christ, 40:50 we humans are selfish, stubborn, 40:51 and bullheaded, 40:52 and we don't want anyone 40:53 telling us what to do. 40:55 I mean, that's kind of 40:56 the bottom line, isn't it? 40:57 And yet done appropriately, 41:01 the Bible is clear 41:02 that accountability is one 41:03 of the most fruitful attributes 41:05 of genuine Christian community, 41:07 because it's in the context 41:09 of appropriate 41:09 biblical accountability 41:11 that we learn to see 41:12 beyond ourselves. 41:14 We learn best 41:15 from the experience 41:16 of other Christians, 41:17 and we find additional strength 41:19 to keep the course that 41:20 Jesus has called us to keep. 41:21 And by the way, this brings up 41:22 a very important point. 41:23 I don't know where 41:25 this phrase originated, 41:26 so if I'm -- I don't know who to 41:28 give attribution for. 41:29 I heard it once 41:30 and, man, is it true. 41:31 I've seen it to be so true 41:32 on so many occasions. 41:33 It's this. 41:34 "90% of accountability 41:35 is encouragement." 41:38 90% of accountability 41:40 is encouragement. 41:41 You know, it's true. 41:42 There's 10%, 41:44 you know, that is messy. 41:45 There are sometimes churches 41:46 that have to do discipline. 41:48 You know, the community, 41:48 sometimes there's gross, 41:50 high-handed sin in its midst, 41:51 and things have to 41:52 be taken care of. 41:53 It's not fun, 41:53 but the Bible says 41:54 it has to be done. 41:55 The vast majority of the time, 41:57 accountability is not that. 41:59 It's encouragement. 42:01 It's encouraging one another. 42:04 The Bible speaks directly about 42:05 this -- 1 Thessalonians 5:14. 42:07 "And we urge you, brothers, 42:08 warn those who are idle, 42:09 encourage the timid, 42:11 help the weak, be patient with," 42:12 how many people? 42:13 Everyone. 42:14 Okay, so encourage one another. 42:16 Have this environment of 42:16 patient, we're lifting one 42:17 another up. 42:18 A few verses earlier, 42:19 verse 11. 42:20 "Therefore encourage one another 42:22 and build each other up, 42:24 just as in fact you are doing." 42:28 I could tell you dozens 42:29 of stories about this. 42:30 Let me just tell you 42:31 two very briefly. 42:31 I know a man 42:33 who joined a men's group 42:34 at a church to overcome 42:36 an addiction to pornography. 42:37 It was very difficult, 42:38 but by the power 42:39 of the Holy Spirit 42:40 and through some sweat and 42:41 tears, he did it in large part 42:43 because of the men there 42:45 that neither condoned 42:46 His behavior 42:47 nor condemned him for it. 42:48 They didn't condone 42:50 and they didn't condemn, 42:51 but rather they encouraged him. 42:53 And that encouragement is 42:54 what kept him accountable 42:56 and coming back to the group, 42:57 enabling him to find victory in 42:58 Christ that lasts to this day. 43:02 I know a woman once who was 43:03 struggling with angry outbursts 43:05 towards her children. 43:06 She was single. 43:07 It was a difficult situation. 43:09 She knew this was a problem. 43:10 She joined a Bible study 43:11 comprised of women 43:12 who encouraged her 43:13 even when she messed up. 43:15 She was able to become 43:16 a better mom 43:17 and a better person, 43:18 and her children greatly 43:19 benefited from it 43:20 because of that appropriate 43:21 accountability, 43:22 because of the encouragement 43:24 her sisters in Christ gave her. 43:26 You know, 43:27 there's only been a handful 43:29 of years in my adult life 43:30 where I have not been 43:31 in an accountability 43:32 relationship, 43:33 either with another man 43:34 or with a group of men. 43:36 There's only been a handful 43:37 of years, 43:38 mostly because 43:39 the biggest gap was when one 43:40 of my accountability partners 43:42 passed away, and it took a while 43:43 to find somebody else. 43:45 And the reason 43:46 why is because I know 43:47 that when I look in the mirror, 43:48 I don't necessarily see myself 43:50 as I should be seen. 43:51 I don't grasp what's 43:53 actually going on in my life. 43:54 So I need somebody outside of me 43:56 that is looking at me, 43:57 that loves Jesus 43:58 and that cares about me, 44:00 that can help me to become 44:01 a better person in Christ 44:03 through that observation, 44:04 through that viewpoint, 44:06 you see something happens. 44:08 Something happens 44:09 when we and the Body of Christ 44:11 encourage one another. 44:12 You know, 44:13 if somebody comes 44:14 to Sabbath school class 44:15 and they share that, "Oh, 44:16 man, you know, 44:17 this happened this week 44:17 and I said something 44:18 I shouldn't have said. 44:18 Now there's 44:19 a broken relationship." 44:20 When the Sabbath school class 44:22 gathers around and says, 44:22 "You know what? 44:23 We've been there, too. 44:23 We've been there. 44:25 And the Lord will 44:27 help you to do better. 44:28 We're going to pray 44:29 for you right now. 44:29 We're going to be praying 44:30 for you over this next week. 44:31 We want to encourage you 44:32 to follow after, 44:34 to become the person that 44:35 Christ has called you to be." 44:36 When you do that, 44:38 there is a bond that is created, 44:40 and in that encouragement, 44:41 accountability springs up. 44:44 You want to come back 44:45 to that kind of encouragement. 44:47 90% of accountability 44:50 is encouragement. 44:53 Churches that have appropriate 44:55 biblical accountability, 44:56 in my experience, 44:57 are the ones 44:58 where members really, 44:58 really grow in Christ. 45:01 These churches, 45:01 they're not nitpicking. 45:02 They're not on witch hunts, 45:03 but they do hold 45:04 one another accountable 45:05 in Biblically appropriate ways. 45:07 And it works. It really does. 45:09 By the power of 45:10 the indwelling Christ, 45:11 it creates a night-and-day 45:12 difference compared 45:13 to those churches that have poor 45:14 or no accountability. 45:16 We really do need one 45:18 another in Christ. 45:20 No one gets all the pieces 45:21 of the puzzle in their box. 45:22 We need each other, 45:24 and it's in this environment 45:26 of Christ-centered encouragement 45:27 that we spur one 45:28 another on to greater heights 45:29 of love and of power 45:30 and of mercy and of holiness. 45:32 That is why 45:33 genuine Christian community 45:34 is where disciples thrive 45:36 through appropriate 45:36 accountability to one another. 45:41 Which brings us 45:42 to characteristic number four. 45:45 "Genuine Christian 45:46 community is home -- 45:49 a taste of Heaven." 45:53 It's home. 45:54 It's our spiritual home 45:56 and a foretaste 45:57 of what is to come in 45:58 the kingdom of heaven. 46:00 It's not just me that says this. 46:01 Would you turn in 46:02 your Bibles here? 46:02 A final text for you 46:03 this morning. 46:04 1 Thessalonians 2:17. 46:05 So on page 795, 46:07 in your red pew Bible, page 795, 46:09 1 Thessalonians 2:17, 46:12 then we're going to also skip 46:13 down to chapter three 46:13 for some reading there. 46:15 Uh, Paul here is speaking to the 46:16 church plant at Thessalonica. 46:17 He wrote 46:18 at least three letters to them. 46:19 We have two that are extant. 46:21 In 1 Thessalonians 2:17, 46:24 Paul makes a profound statement 46:25 about genuine 46:26 Christian community. 46:27 Here's what he says. 46:29 It says, "But, brothers, when 46:30 we were torn away from you --" 46:32 quite the verb there, isn't it? 46:33 "We were torn away 46:34 from you for a short time 46:36 in person, not in thought, 46:37 out of our intense longing, 46:38 we made every effort to see you, 46:41 for we wanted to come to you. 46:42 Certainly I, Paul, 46:42 did again and again. 46:43 But Satan stopped us. 46:45 For what is our hope, our joy, 46:48 or the crown 46:49 in which we will glory 46:50 in the presence of 46:51 our Lord Jesus when He comes?" 46:52 So looking forward to 46:54 the heaven that is to come, 46:55 thinking of that kingdom. 46:56 who does He put there? 46:57 Or His hope? His joy? His glory? 46:59 "Is it not you," 47:01 the fellowship in the church. 47:02 "Indeed, you are 47:03 our glory and joy." 47:05 3:6. 47:07 "But Timothy has just now come 47:08 to us from you 47:09 and has brought good news 47:10 about your faith and love. 47:11 He has told us 47:12 that you always have 47:13 pleasant memories of us, 47:14 and that you long to see us, 47:15 just as we also long to see you. 47:17 Therefore, brothers, 47:18 in all our distress and 47:19 persecution, 47:20 we were encouraged about you 47:21 because of your faith. 47:23 For now we really live. 47:25 Since you are standing 47:26 firm in the Lord, 47:27 how can we thank God enough 47:29 for you 47:30 in return for all the joy 47:31 we have in the presence of 47:33 our God because of you? 47:34 Night and day 47:35 we pray most earnestly 47:36 that we may see you again 47:38 and supply what 47:39 is lacking in your faith." 47:42 I mean, that's amazing. 47:44 In other words, Paul 47:44 is saying, "You are the ones 47:46 we want to come back to. 47:47 You are our spiritual home. 47:49 The fellowship is so sweet," 47:51 he says, "it's a foretaste of 47:52 when Jesus comes of heaven." 47:56 And lest we think this is 47:56 just kind of a flourish 47:58 of the Apostle Paul, 48:00 I invite you to keep your Bibles 48:01 closed and to listen 48:01 as I read to you from 48:02 Matthew 12:46. 48:05 "While Jesus was still talking 48:07 to the crowd, 48:08 His mother and brothers stood 48:09 outside wanting to speak to Him. 48:10 Someone told Him, 48:11 'Your mother and brothers 48:12 are standing outside 48:13 wanting to speak to you.' 48:14 He replied to Him, 48:16 'Who is my mother 48:18 and who are my brothers?' 48:21 Then, pointing to His disciples, 48:22 the church, He said, 48:24 'Here are 48:25 my mother and my brothers. 48:27 For whoever does the will 48:28 of my Father 48:29 in heaven is my brother and 48:31 sister and mother.'" 48:33 [ Chuckles ] 48:35 That's amazing. That is amazing. 48:38 I mean, 48:39 this is phenomenal stuff. 48:39 Can you see the revolutionary 48:41 nature of what Jesus 48:42 is describing here? 48:43 Jesus here 48:44 places faith-based family 48:46 on an actually higher plane 48:48 than blood-based family. 48:50 Now, He's 48:51 not dissing blood family. 48:52 I mean, there's lots 48:53 of other stuff in the Bible -- 48:53 talks about 48:54 how we're supposed 48:55 to respect and take care 48:55 of our blood family. 48:56 No doubt about that. 48:57 But according to Jesus, 48:59 faith is thicker than blood. 49:02 Jesus and our fellowship 49:03 in the church 49:04 is our spiritual home. 49:06 It is to be our spiritual home. 49:07 It is to be a taste of heaven. 49:13 All of which leads us 49:13 to an important conclusion. 49:16 "Genuine Christian community is 49:19 essential if genuine, 49:21 mature disciples of Christ 49:22 are to be made." 49:25 "Genuine Christian community is 49:26 essential if genuine, mature 49:28 disciples of Christ 49:29 are to be made." 49:29 Some churches think 49:31 they can skip this. 49:33 Some churches think, "Well, 49:33 if we just preach 49:34 the right stuff, 49:36 then even though we can't stand 49:37 each other at church, 49:38 everything's going to be okay." 49:40 This is not so. 49:41 How do I know? 49:42 Because genuine 49:44 Christian community has some 49:45 very important characteristics. 49:47 "Genuine Christian community is 49:48 where Christ's presence is 49:49 most fully revealed." 49:51 The Shechinah glory -- Jesus 49:52 now dwells 49:53 in this special revelation 49:54 from God 49:55 in the presence of His church, 49:57 where two or three 49:58 are gathered in His name. 49:59 "Genuine Christian community is 50:00 how evangelism happens best." 50:02 How do I know? 50:03 Jesus sent His disciples 50:04 out two by two, not one by one. 50:06 Nearly all of the apostles 50:07 traveled in groups 50:08 of other believers. 50:10 2,000 years of Christian history 50:12 make it clear evangelism happens 50:13 best when based in the company 50:15 of fellow believers. 50:17 And number three, 50:19 "Genuine Christian community is 50:20 where maturity in Christ 50:21 is developed best." 50:23 Follow me carefully here 50:25 in Ephesians 4:11 to 13, 50:27 revisiting this verse again, 50:28 "So Christ himself 50:29 gave the apostles, the prophets, 50:30 the evangelists, 50:31 the pastors and teachers 50:33 to equip His people for works 50:34 of service 50:35 so that the Body of Christ 50:37 may be built up until we all 50:40 reach unity in the faith 50:41 and in the knowledge of the Son 50:42 of God and become," 50:43 here's that word again, "mature, 50:45 attaining to the whole measure 50:47 of the fullness of Christ." 50:49 This metaphor of the Body 50:51 is very, very important. 50:53 What more intimate connection 50:54 could He show for the church? 50:57 You know, the body has 50:57 many parts. 50:58 Listen, if your body is lying 51:00 in 50 pieces on the floor 51:01 somewhere, you're in bad shape. 51:02 You're having a bad day. 51:03 Okay? That shouldn't be. 51:04 That's abnormal. Okay? 51:05 We don't refer to 51:06 that even as a body. 51:07 Jesus said, "This is my body," 51:09 and His body is unified 51:10 together. 51:11 There may be different parts, 51:12 and they look different. 51:12 They have different functions, 51:13 et cetera. 51:14 but they are all 51:14 part of one body. 51:16 And it's in the context 51:18 of that Christian community 51:19 that the Body of Christ 51:20 is to be built up. 51:23 That's discipleship. 51:25 "Genuine Christian community is 51:27 essential if 51:28 genuine, mature disciples 51:29 of Christ are to be made." 51:32 And get this. 51:34 Early Adventism -- 51:36 you were wondering 51:37 what I was going to get back to 51:37 this, didn't you? 51:38 Early Adventism found 51:40 a way to have this. 51:44 Early Adventism found a way 51:46 to have genuine 51:46 Christian community 51:48 that is where Christ's 51:49 presence is most fully revealed, 51:51 that is where evangelism happens 51:52 best, and that where maturity 51:53 in Christ is developed. 51:55 They found a way to do it 51:56 and it was a crucial factor, 51:58 this method, in making us 52:00 the fastest-growing 52:01 Protestant movement 52:02 that the world had ever seen. 52:04 In fact, do 52:05 you remember the question 52:06 that I left you with last time? 52:07 The question was this. 52:08 In the absence 52:09 of settled pastors, 52:10 how did local Adventist 52:11 churches manage to not only 52:13 survive but thrive? 52:15 The answer is simple. 52:18 They learned 52:19 how to have a genuine 52:21 Christian community 52:23 where this existed. 52:25 They learned how to do it. 52:26 And you say, "Well, how? 52:27 How did they do that?" 52:29 Well, do you remember 52:31 characteristics here? 52:32 They said, 52:33 "We're going to have a community 52:33 that has Christ at its center. 52:35 We're going to have 52:35 a community that's 52:36 where members sacrificially 52:37 care for one another." 52:38 They're going to have a 52:39 community where members thrive 52:40 through appropriate 52:41 accountability, 52:42 and that was spiritual home. 52:43 It was to be a taste of heaven. 52:45 They did all 52:46 of this so successfully. 52:47 Do you want to know 52:48 how they did it? 52:52 [ Clicks tongue ] 52:53 [ Sighs ] 52:54 I'm sorry. 52:55 You're going to have to come 52:56 back two weeks from now... 52:57 [ Laughter ] 52:58 ...for part six 52:59 of "ChurchWorks." 53:01 And I'm not going to leave you 53:02 hanging on a cliff at that time. 53:03 I'm going to tell you what 53:03 it is. 53:04 The simple method 53:05 that they used 53:07 was -- it was 53:08 phenomenally effective. 53:10 And I'm going to say 53:11 for this one 53:12 what I said a couple of weeks 53:13 ago, because it's just as true. 53:14 If you had your socks 53:15 knocked off, 53:16 what you heard about 53:17 settled pastors, come back 53:17 for this one, 53:18 because what early Adventist 53:19 congregations did, 53:20 it was so simple 53:21 and it worked so well. 53:23 It is one of the main factors 53:25 that the Holy Spirit used, 53:26 again, to make us one 53:28 of the -- the fastest growing 53:30 Protestant movement 53:31 that the world had ever seen. 53:33 So I hope that you can be 53:33 here for part six. 53:35 Those of you 53:36 that are graduating now, 53:37 there's this thing 53:38 called the internet. 53:39 It works well, right? 53:40 Al Gore created it so that 53:41 you can watch part six, okay? 53:43 So please tune in for that. 53:44 You don't want to miss it. 53:45 Until then, a simple question. 53:49 You can answer this one out loud 53:50 if you would prefer, 53:51 wouldn't you like 53:52 to be part of a genuine 53:53 Christian community 53:54 that was a foretaste of heaven? 53:55 >> Yes. 53:56 >> Yeah. Amen. Amen. 53:58 Of course, 53:59 we crave that far more 54:00 than any baby crawling 54:02 vast distances to satisfy 54:04 a very temporary craving. 54:06 We crave to fulfill a purpose 54:08 for which we were created. 54:11 And may we not stop. 54:13 May we be every bit as motivated 54:15 as little baby 54:16 Ellie coming across 54:17 to fulfill her craving. 54:18 May we not stop 54:19 until this craving is satisfied. 54:22 May God's Holy Spirit guide us 54:24 as we find out 54:25 how to make genuine 54:26 Christian community a reality 54:27 as we seek 54:28 this God-given taste of heaven. 54:33 Amen. 56:25 >> Jesus, what a day that will 56:26 be. 56:27 And Lord indeed, may this -- 56:29 may this song be our reality 56:31 when we all get to heaven. 56:33 Lord, this is our great desire. 56:35 Lord, teach us 56:36 to build a community 56:37 that is suitable for that task. 56:39 Help us, Lord, 56:40 to overcome the barriers 56:41 and the boundaries, Lord. 56:42 Help us to be 56:43 able to be one in you. 56:46 This is our prayer, 56:48 and we ask it in your name. 56:49 Amen. 56:53 >> I'm Shane Anderson, 56:54 the lead pastor here 56:55 at Pioneer Memorial Church. 56:57 At Pioneer Media, 56:58 we have been blessed 56:59 by the financial support 57:01 that comes from our viewers 57:02 like you that enable us 57:04 to continue this ministry. 57:06 We've made a conscious decision 57:08 not to continually appeal to you 57:09 for that support. 57:11 However, keeping this ministry 57:12 going takes money 57:13 to support our staff and 57:15 technology needs. 57:16 If God has blessed you 57:18 and you would like to further 57:19 the work of this ministry, 57:20 we invite you 57:21 to partner with us. 57:23 You can donate on 57:24 our website, pmchurch.org, 57:27 then click "giving" at the top, 57:29 then select "media ministry" 57:32 or call the number 877-HIS-WILL. 57:36 Again, that number is 57:37 877, the two words, HIS-WILL. 57:41 My prayer is that the God 57:43 who has blessed 57:44 you will continue to pour 57:45 into your life the gifts 57:46 of His joy and His hope. 57:49 Thank you, and 57:50 I'm looking forward to seeing 57:51 you right here again next time. 58:00 ♪ 58:08 ♪ 58:18 ♪ |
Revised 2025-05-20