1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,083 2 00:00:01,167 --> 00:00:11,167 [music] 3 00:00:13,167 --> 00:00:16,750 What do you think about the church? 4 00:00:19,958 --> 00:00:22,667 Do you love the church? 5 00:00:30,292 --> 00:00:33,500 Do you serve the church? 6 00:00:40,500 --> 00:00:46,500 When you see the church what do you see? 7 00:00:53,167 --> 00:00:56,500 Jesus loves his church. 8 00:01:14,083 --> 00:01:16,917 Hi, Mars Hill Church, my name is Dave Bruskas, 9 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,417 I'm an executive elder, 10 00:01:18,500 --> 00:01:22,417 and I serve as the Mars Hill Network pastor. 11 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:27,000 If someone were to tell you that the Bible revealed that Jesus 12 00:01:27,083 --> 00:01:31,375 had a favorite sport, you would be right to be skeptical. 13 00:01:31,458 --> 00:01:33,583 And it would remind me of the very first 14 00:01:33,667 --> 00:01:36,167 and the very worst Bible joke I've ever heard, 15 00:01:36,250 --> 00:01:38,583 and that is something like this: 16 00:01:38,667 --> 00:01:41,917 Jesus' favorite sport is baseball according to the Bible 17 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,708 because the Bible begins with the words "in the big inning." 18 00:01:46,792 --> 00:01:51,875 Ridiculous, because all one has to do is look outside the Bible 19 00:01:51,958 --> 00:01:54,792 and it's very obvious that Jesus' favorite sport is, 20 00:01:54,833 --> 00:01:57,208 indeed, football, American style. 21 00:01:57,292 --> 00:02:02,500 And his favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys. 22 00:02:02,542 --> 00:02:07,583 If I were to tell you that Jesus had a favorite color 23 00:02:07,667 --> 00:02:10,208 according to the Bible, again you would be skeptical. 24 00:02:10,292 --> 00:02:13,208 Although there might be a couple of verses we could point to, 25 00:02:13,292 --> 00:02:15,000 not a lot of evidence. 26 00:02:15,042 --> 00:02:17,708 If I told you Jesus had a favorite season, 27 00:02:17,792 --> 00:02:20,417 or even a favorite month, maybe some scant evidence, 28 00:02:20,500 --> 00:02:24,500 but nothing we could draw conclusions from. 29 00:02:24,583 --> 00:02:28,583 But if I told you that Jesus had a favorite number, 30 00:02:28,667 --> 00:02:30,375 and that favorite number was one, 31 00:02:30,458 --> 00:02:35,500 there would be ample biblical evidence to make my case. 32 00:02:35,583 --> 00:02:39,125 Jesus talks all the time about the number one. 33 00:02:39,167 --> 00:02:42,208 As a matter of fact, as he talks about his relationship to 34 00:02:42,292 --> 00:02:46,875 the Father, he loves to say, "I and the Father are one." 35 00:02:46,958 --> 00:02:49,375 As we talk today about Christian unity 36 00:02:49,458 --> 00:02:51,083 and unity within the church, 37 00:02:51,167 --> 00:02:54,833 we are going to see that our unity really has everything 38 00:02:54,875 --> 00:02:59,125 to do with the relationship Jesus has with his Father. 39 00:02:59,167 --> 00:03:01,917 I want to invite you, if you have a Bible today, 40 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000 to turn to John 17. 41 00:03:04,083 --> 00:03:06,792 We're going to look at a very important prayer of Jesus'. 42 00:03:06,833 --> 00:03:10,167 And I want us to get our minds and our hearts around what does 43 00:03:10,250 --> 00:03:14,917 unity look like, and what can we do to participate in the unity 44 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,500 that Jesus wants us to have. 45 00:03:16,583 --> 00:03:20,167 Now, if you're here today and you don't yet know Jesus, 46 00:03:20,250 --> 00:03:23,500 you're not a Christian, you've come at the perfect time because 47 00:03:23,583 --> 00:03:27,875 as we look at this prayer of Jesus' from John 17, 48 00:03:27,958 --> 00:03:30,625 you're going to see that the unity that Jesus wants his 49 00:03:30,667 --> 00:03:34,292 people to have is every bit to prove a point to you. 50 00:03:34,333 --> 00:03:37,625 And my hope, my prayer for you today is that you would see 51 00:03:37,667 --> 00:03:40,333 Jesus as he really is, communicated through the Bible, 52 00:03:40,375 --> 00:03:41,792 that you would meet Jesus, 53 00:03:41,833 --> 00:03:43,625 and your life would forever be changed. 54 00:03:43,667 --> 00:03:46,167 Before we do anything else, let's stop and pray. 55 00:03:46,250 --> 00:03:50,375 Father, you are a good, and loving, and kind, 56 00:03:50,458 --> 00:03:52,000 and gracious Father. 57 00:03:52,042 --> 00:03:55,792 And according to Jesus, you love us with all the love 58 00:03:55,833 --> 00:03:58,375 that you have for Jesus. 59 00:03:58,458 --> 00:04:01,333 Jesus, thank you that you, being eternally God, 60 00:04:01,375 --> 00:04:03,500 you, being without beginning, 61 00:04:03,583 --> 00:04:06,500 you humbled yourself, and you entered into human history. 62 00:04:06,583 --> 00:04:09,000 You came as a missionary. 63 00:04:09,083 --> 00:04:11,333 And you lived the only perfect human life 64 00:04:11,375 --> 00:04:12,833 that's ever been lived. 65 00:04:12,875 --> 00:04:16,000 And Jesus you went to the cross and there you paid the penalty 66 00:04:16,042 --> 00:04:17,500 for our sin. 67 00:04:17,583 --> 00:04:20,833 You died the death that we all deserve to die. 68 00:04:20,875 --> 00:04:23,583 And you've risen from the grave, and in so doing, 69 00:04:23,667 --> 00:04:27,500 Jesus, you conquered sin, and rebellion, and insurrection, 70 00:04:27,583 --> 00:04:31,500 you've defeated death, you've destroyed Satan, 71 00:04:31,583 --> 00:04:35,417 and you are worthy of our worship. 72 00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:38,375 Father and Son, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. 73 00:04:38,458 --> 00:04:43,792 Holy Spirit, we ask you today to move in our hearts. 74 00:04:43,833 --> 00:04:48,125 To help us understand at a heart level the unity 75 00:04:48,167 --> 00:04:50,125 that Jesus wants for his church. 76 00:04:50,167 --> 00:04:52,500 And Holy Spirit I especially pray for those here 77 00:04:52,583 --> 00:04:54,208 who don't yet know Jesus. 78 00:04:54,292 --> 00:04:56,875 That you would breathe new life into their hearts. 79 00:04:56,958 --> 00:04:59,750 That they would be convicted of sin and rebellion 80 00:04:59,833 --> 00:05:01,625 and their separation from God. 81 00:05:01,667 --> 00:05:04,125 And that they would see Jesus as the only answer, 82 00:05:04,167 --> 00:05:06,208 the only remedy to their separation. 83 00:05:06,292 --> 00:05:08,917 That they would meet Jesus and they'd be changed into 84 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,000 worshipers of Jesus. 85 00:05:11,083 --> 00:05:14,917 All this we ask, in Jesus' good name, amen. 86 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:21,000 Turn if you will, to John 17, all of John 17 is a prayer 87 00:05:21,042 --> 00:05:24,333 that Jesus prays right before his death. 88 00:05:24,375 --> 00:05:25,917 It's an important prayer, 89 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,208 and it's subdivided into three categories. 90 00:05:28,292 --> 00:05:32,000 Jesus first prays for himself, that he would bring glory 91 00:05:32,042 --> 00:05:33,833 to God the Father. 92 00:05:33,875 --> 00:05:36,417 Then Jesus prays for the senior leaders 93 00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:38,917 that are going to continue his movement 94 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:40,667 after his ascension into heaven, 95 00:05:40,750 --> 00:05:42,625 and the power of the Holy Spirit. 96 00:05:42,667 --> 00:05:45,500 And believe it or not, 2,000 years before 97 00:05:45,583 --> 00:05:50,500 we even came here today, Jesus prays for us. 98 00:05:50,583 --> 00:05:53,500 And I really want to begin with dispelling 99 00:05:53,583 --> 00:05:55,375 the greatest myth about unity. 100 00:05:55,458 --> 00:05:58,083 Unity isn't something that we achieve. 101 00:05:58,167 --> 00:06:01,208 Unity isn't something that we work hard to earn. 102 00:06:01,292 --> 00:06:03,083 Unity is a gift. 103 00:06:03,167 --> 00:06:07,500 Unity is a gift we receive; it's not a status we achieve. 104 00:06:07,583 --> 00:06:09,583 And let me prove that to you. 105 00:06:09,667 --> 00:06:13,000 John 17:20, let's begin there, 106 00:06:13,042 --> 00:06:16,167 this is Jesus praying to his Father in heaven, 107 00:06:16,250 --> 00:06:18,583 "I do not ask for these only," 108 00:06:18,667 --> 00:06:21,000 these is a reference to the senior leaders 109 00:06:21,083 --> 00:06:23,625 of the movement that Jesus launched, 110 00:06:23,667 --> 00:06:26,417 "but also for those who will believe in me 111 00:06:26,500 --> 00:06:28,375 through their word." 112 00:06:28,458 --> 00:06:30,375 Do you see that? 113 00:06:30,458 --> 00:06:32,333 You see what's going on there? 114 00:06:32,375 --> 00:06:35,417 Jesus prays for us. 115 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:37,708 And right before his death, 116 00:06:37,792 --> 00:06:40,333 and right before the most critical period 117 00:06:40,375 --> 00:06:44,000 in his earthly life, he prays for us. 118 00:06:44,083 --> 00:06:45,625 We are on his heart. 119 00:06:45,667 --> 00:06:48,625 We are the ones who ultimately come to faith as the testimony 120 00:06:48,667 --> 00:06:50,500 of his first disciples. 121 00:06:50,583 --> 00:06:53,875 Their words, the teachings of Jesus are captured in Scripture, 122 00:06:53,958 --> 00:06:56,625 and we came to faith in Jesus through the proclaiming 123 00:06:56,667 --> 00:06:59,500 of his good news, the gospel. 124 00:06:59,583 --> 00:07:02,000 So Jesus prays for us at an important, 125 00:07:02,083 --> 00:07:04,292 critical stage in his earthly life. 126 00:07:04,333 --> 00:07:07,167 We should pay attention then to what he asks for. 127 00:07:07,250 --> 00:07:09,333 This is it, verse 21, 128 00:07:09,375 --> 00:07:12,333 "That they may all be," what? 129 00:07:12,375 --> 00:07:13,708 "One." 130 00:07:13,792 --> 00:07:15,125 There's that number. 131 00:07:15,167 --> 00:07:18,500 "Just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, 132 00:07:18,542 --> 00:07:20,625 "that they may also be in us, 133 00:07:20,667 --> 00:07:25,125 "so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 134 00:07:25,167 --> 00:07:28,333 "The glory that you have given me I have given to them, 135 00:07:28,375 --> 00:07:32,125 "that they may be one even as we are one, 136 00:07:32,167 --> 00:07:36,083 "I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, 137 00:07:36,167 --> 00:07:40,417 "so that the world may know that you have sent me and loved them 138 00:07:40,500 --> 00:07:43,708 even as you loved me." 139 00:07:43,792 --> 00:07:46,375 So much depth. 140 00:07:46,458 --> 00:07:50,625 Three short verses but we could spend months full of Sundays 141 00:07:50,667 --> 00:07:54,583 just unpacking the deep, profound truth included 142 00:07:54,667 --> 00:07:56,167 in these three verses. 143 00:07:56,250 --> 00:07:59,500 But I want to focus on two main points as it pertains 144 00:07:59,542 --> 00:08:04,667 to the unity that Jesus wants us to have in the church. 145 00:08:04,750 --> 00:08:08,500 First thing I want you to see is that Jesus models unity 146 00:08:08,542 --> 00:08:11,083 in his relationship with the Father. 147 00:08:11,167 --> 00:08:15,000 The very unity that Jesus wants us to have as his followers is 148 00:08:15,083 --> 00:08:17,500 ultimately modeled in the relationship that Jesus 149 00:08:17,542 --> 00:08:19,792 has with his Father. 150 00:08:19,833 --> 00:08:24,500 The Bible teaches this about God: God is a triune God. 151 00:08:24,583 --> 00:08:30,500 One God, three distinct persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit; 152 00:08:30,583 --> 00:08:32,125 one God. 153 00:08:32,167 --> 00:08:34,125 This means that the Father's not the Son, 154 00:08:34,167 --> 00:08:36,000 and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, 155 00:08:36,083 --> 00:08:37,417 but one essence. 156 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:39,917 By that it means that the Father's in the Son, 157 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,917 the Son is in the Father, the Son is in the Spirit, 158 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,917 the Spirit is in the Son, the Spirit is in the Father. 159 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,667 And what Jesus is saying here is that he wants us 160 00:08:48,750 --> 00:08:51,667 as his followers to live in the very same type of unity 161 00:08:51,750 --> 00:08:53,833 that he experiences with God the Father 162 00:08:53,875 --> 00:08:56,000 and God the Holy Spirit. 163 00:08:56,083 --> 00:08:59,625 Perfect unity, uninterrupted relationship. 164 00:08:59,667 --> 00:09:03,292 A relationship that's defined by love, care, 165 00:09:03,333 --> 00:09:06,083 and respect, and worship. 166 00:09:06,167 --> 00:09:10,125 That we would have that type of relationship with him together. 167 00:09:10,167 --> 00:09:13,833 But not only does Jesus model for us the type of unity 168 00:09:13,875 --> 00:09:16,833 that he wants us, his church, to live in, 169 00:09:16,875 --> 00:09:19,625 he also makes that unity a reality, 170 00:09:19,667 --> 00:09:21,917 because he accomplishes it, according to this prayer, 171 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,000 by being in us. 172 00:09:26,083 --> 00:09:31,292 Jesus in us brings about the unity that he desires. 173 00:09:31,333 --> 00:09:35,625 Jesus in us achieves the answer to this prayer. 174 00:09:35,667 --> 00:09:38,625 And the Bible teaches that all those who turn from sin 175 00:09:38,667 --> 00:09:42,000 and trust in Jesus are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 176 00:09:42,042 --> 00:09:45,833 And Romans 8 makes it very clear that those who belong to Jesus 177 00:09:45,875 --> 00:09:49,000 are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. 178 00:09:49,083 --> 00:09:51,583 So Jesus lives in us. 179 00:09:51,667 --> 00:09:55,292 And the very unity that Jesus is praying for us to have, 180 00:09:55,333 --> 00:09:57,625 he achieves by indwelling us. 181 00:09:57,667 --> 00:10:01,667 It means basically this: the most foundational definition of 182 00:10:01,750 --> 00:10:05,875 a Christian is one who is united or one who is one with Jesus. 183 00:10:05,958 --> 00:10:07,875 And if we are one with Jesus, 184 00:10:07,958 --> 00:10:10,500 Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit. 185 00:10:10,583 --> 00:10:13,000 And if Jesus lives in us in the Holy Spirit, 186 00:10:13,083 --> 00:10:15,917 the Holy Spirit is the basis of the unity that Jesus 187 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,417 wants us to have. 188 00:10:17,500 --> 00:10:22,000 That if we're united with Jesus, we're united together. 189 00:10:22,042 --> 00:10:24,708 We are one. 190 00:10:24,792 --> 00:10:27,500 You see, unity is a gift we receive; 191 00:10:27,583 --> 00:10:29,917 it's not a status we achieve. 192 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,917 It's not so much about our activity, 193 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,208 but it's our identity in Christ. 194 00:10:34,292 --> 00:10:36,208 Jesus has done all the work. 195 00:10:36,292 --> 00:10:40,500 And a way we respond to Jesus' grace, Jesus' work, 196 00:10:40,583 --> 00:10:44,000 Jesus' presence isn't through religious effort, 197 00:10:44,042 --> 00:10:47,208 it isn't by trying harder and doing more; 198 00:10:47,292 --> 00:10:50,708 it's always biblically through repentance. 199 00:10:50,792 --> 00:10:54,500 And repentance is turning away from sin to Jesus, and faith, 200 00:10:54,542 --> 00:10:57,167 trusting in Jesus. 201 00:10:57,250 --> 00:11:00,208 Let me see if I can explain it to you this way: 202 00:11:00,292 --> 00:11:01,792 If the Apostle Paul could say 203 00:11:01,833 --> 00:11:03,792 that he is the chief of all sinners, 204 00:11:03,833 --> 00:11:07,000 I think I can easily say that when it comes to all of 205 00:11:07,042 --> 00:11:10,125 Mars Hill Church, I am the most technically challenged person 206 00:11:10,167 --> 00:11:12,625 that's ever been a part of Mars Hill Church. 207 00:11:12,667 --> 00:11:16,625 It's just who I am, I don't get technology at all, 208 00:11:16,667 --> 00:11:19,792 much to the chagrin of my effective and faithful 209 00:11:19,833 --> 00:11:21,833 executive assistant, Nate Finn. 210 00:11:21,875 --> 00:11:25,167 There have been times where he has to come into my office 211 00:11:25,250 --> 00:11:27,000 and literally turn on my Mac. 212 00:11:27,042 --> 00:11:28,708 Just the way it is. 213 00:11:28,792 --> 00:11:31,333 And so because others convinced me that to grow 214 00:11:31,375 --> 00:11:34,917 in my relationship with Jesus I had to have an iPhone, 215 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,625 I purchased one a couple of years ago. 216 00:11:38,667 --> 00:11:40,625 You'll get there someday, trust me, 217 00:11:40,667 --> 00:11:42,500 we'll be patient in your growth. 218 00:11:42,542 --> 00:11:45,000 And here I was with an iPhone, the guy who's 219 00:11:45,042 --> 00:11:47,000 the most technically challenged guy who's ever lived. 220 00:11:47,042 --> 00:11:49,417 Now, fortunately for me, my wife, Kara, and I, 221 00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:51,583 we have four daughters, and my youngest, Jillian, 222 00:11:51,667 --> 00:11:53,583 is just tech savvy. 223 00:11:53,667 --> 00:11:55,583 You have kids like that in your home? 224 00:11:55,667 --> 00:11:58,083 They just come out of the womb ready to get 225 00:11:58,167 --> 00:11:59,500 involved in technology. 226 00:11:59,542 --> 00:12:03,833 Whether it's the television, or the computer, anything at all, 227 00:12:03,875 --> 00:12:05,208 they just get it. 228 00:12:05,292 --> 00:12:06,625 That's Jillian. 229 00:12:06,667 --> 00:12:10,375 As a matter of fact, she, from the time she was a little girl, 230 00:12:10,458 --> 00:12:12,875 would give us proposals when she had an idea, 231 00:12:12,958 --> 00:12:15,208 and they would be multimedia-type proposals. 232 00:12:15,292 --> 00:12:18,000 I remember one specifically where she decided we should take 233 00:12:18,083 --> 00:12:21,000 a vacation on the beach instead of in the mountains, 234 00:12:21,042 --> 00:12:24,125 and I remember the audio, and the visual, and the PowerPoint, 235 00:12:24,167 --> 00:12:25,792 and everything she put together. 236 00:12:25,833 --> 00:12:27,708 No joke. 237 00:12:27,792 --> 00:12:30,833 I even remember the most persuasive proposal that Jillian 238 00:12:30,875 --> 00:12:34,083 ever wrote was so that we would buy her a hamster. 239 00:12:34,167 --> 00:12:37,500 And we went through this amazing slideshow with video, and music, 240 00:12:37,583 --> 00:12:41,792 and scientific stats, and the last PowerPoint slide 241 00:12:41,833 --> 00:12:43,417 was the closer. 242 00:12:43,500 --> 00:12:46,000 It basically read that scientists have determined 243 00:12:46,083 --> 00:12:49,500 that kids that have a hamster are likely to be 244 00:12:49,583 --> 00:12:52,375 better adjusted adults. 245 00:12:56,792 --> 00:12:59,833 So I have an iPhone 246 00:12:59,917 --> 00:13:02,375 and Jillian is going to be my technological guide 247 00:13:02,458 --> 00:13:05,708 to make sure I enjoy the iPhone to the fullest. 248 00:13:05,792 --> 00:13:07,625 And two days into this experiment, 249 00:13:07,667 --> 00:13:09,833 she can tell by the look on my face, 250 00:13:09,875 --> 00:13:12,833 I'm not a good poker player, I don't hide my emotion well, 251 00:13:12,875 --> 00:13:15,000 that I'm deeply disappointed in my iPhone. 252 00:13:15,083 --> 00:13:19,125 She said, "Dad, what's the problem with the iPhone?" 253 00:13:19,167 --> 00:13:21,583 And I said, "Well, Jillian it's really rather simple, 254 00:13:21,667 --> 00:13:24,208 "I want to be like those cool people who come to 255 00:13:24,292 --> 00:13:27,125 "Mars Hill Church and they can read the Bible 256 00:13:27,167 --> 00:13:29,167 on their iPhone." 257 00:13:29,250 --> 00:13:31,167 And she said, "Okay, well, what's the problem?" 258 00:13:31,250 --> 00:13:33,167 I said, "Honey, I don't have the time 259 00:13:33,250 --> 00:13:35,208 "to take the Bible off the Internet, 260 00:13:35,292 --> 00:13:37,500 "to pay whatever it costs to get the Bible 261 00:13:37,583 --> 00:13:39,500 "off the Internet, download it onto my computer, 262 00:13:39,583 --> 00:13:43,333 then transfer it into my iPhone." 263 00:13:43,375 --> 00:13:46,708 She took the iPhone out of my hand and she said, "Dad, watch." 264 00:13:46,792 --> 00:13:48,208 She went to the app store, 265 00:13:48,292 --> 00:13:50,792 there she found the Crossway Free ESV Bible, 266 00:13:50,833 --> 00:13:55,667 she pushed two buttons, and voila the Bible on my iPhone. 267 00:13:55,750 --> 00:13:57,333 It was there. 268 00:13:57,375 --> 00:14:00,167 I didn't need to do anything other than to activate it. 269 00:14:00,250 --> 00:14:02,000 I didn't have to work for it. 270 00:14:02,083 --> 00:14:04,500 I didn't have to pay for it. 271 00:14:04,583 --> 00:14:07,583 That's the essence of the unity that Jesus wants us 272 00:14:07,667 --> 00:14:09,583 to live in and enjoy. 273 00:14:09,667 --> 00:14:13,292 Unity is a gift we receive, it's already been achieved by Jesus. 274 00:14:13,333 --> 00:14:17,417 All that's left for us to do is to believe that we are united, 275 00:14:17,500 --> 00:14:19,125 to live out the reality 276 00:14:19,167 --> 00:14:23,333 that Jesus has already provided for us. 277 00:14:23,375 --> 00:14:27,792 Jesus loves his church. 278 00:14:27,833 --> 00:14:30,000 And because Jesus loves his church, 279 00:14:30,042 --> 00:14:33,333 Jesus gifts his church with oneness, with unity. 280 00:14:33,375 --> 00:14:37,583 That we might together, in some way that's difficult to define, 281 00:14:37,667 --> 00:14:41,167 experience the same type of unity that Jesus enjoys 282 00:14:41,250 --> 00:14:44,417 with God the Father and God the Spirit. 283 00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:46,708 Now, as we look at the relationship that Jesus 284 00:14:46,792 --> 00:14:48,708 has with his Father, 285 00:14:48,792 --> 00:14:51,500 I see at least three different dimensions of unity, 286 00:14:51,583 --> 00:14:53,208 and what unity can look like. 287 00:14:53,292 --> 00:14:55,208 And I want us to work through those. 288 00:14:55,292 --> 00:14:58,208 I want to refer you, though, to chapter 6 in "Vintage Church." 289 00:14:58,292 --> 00:15:01,500 Pastor Mark has written a great book titled "Vintage Church." 290 00:15:01,583 --> 00:15:03,583 In chapter 6, Pastor Mark identifies 291 00:15:03,667 --> 00:15:05,792 five different dimensions of unity. 292 00:15:05,833 --> 00:15:08,500 In lieu of time today, let's just cover three. 293 00:15:08,542 --> 00:15:10,833 But let's look at the relationship that Jesus 294 00:15:10,875 --> 00:15:12,708 has with his Father. 295 00:15:12,792 --> 00:15:15,417 And I want to talk about three categories, three dimensions, 296 00:15:15,500 --> 00:15:18,625 if you will, of unity that I want us to experience 297 00:15:18,667 --> 00:15:21,667 and enjoy together as members of Mars Hill Church. 298 00:15:21,750 --> 00:15:24,333 And if we're not living in the gift, 299 00:15:24,375 --> 00:15:27,000 in the reality of unity that Jesus has made possible, then 300 00:15:27,083 --> 00:15:30,417 let's turn from sin, let's trust in Jesus, 301 00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:33,917 and let's move into the unity that he's achieved for us. 302 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:35,917 Let me show you the first example. 303 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,708 It has to do with what we refer to as doctrinal unity. 304 00:15:39,792 --> 00:15:44,500 John 17:3, same prayer, early part of the prayer 305 00:15:44,583 --> 00:15:49,500 where Jesus is praying for himself, same context. 306 00:15:49,583 --> 00:15:52,708 Jesus says this as he prays to his Father, 307 00:15:52,792 --> 00:15:58,208 "And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true 308 00:15:58,292 --> 00:16:04,417 God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." 309 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:07,417 Do you hear that? 310 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,917 Do you understand that? 311 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,708 Do you see how profound that is? 312 00:16:14,792 --> 00:16:18,833 When you and I tend to think of eternal life, we tend to think 313 00:16:18,875 --> 00:16:20,708 in terms of quantity, right? 314 00:16:20,792 --> 00:16:22,708 It's a life without end. 315 00:16:22,792 --> 00:16:25,208 And although that's true, when Jesus thinks in terms of 316 00:16:25,292 --> 00:16:29,375 eternal life, he defines it as a quality of life. 317 00:16:29,458 --> 00:16:32,833 And that life is defined by knowing God, 318 00:16:32,875 --> 00:16:38,292 the only true God through Jesus Christ, the one he sent. 319 00:16:38,333 --> 00:16:40,500 That's amazing. 320 00:16:40,583 --> 00:16:42,833 That's exciting. 321 00:16:42,875 --> 00:16:45,208 The word "know" doesn't simply mean intellectual knowledge, 322 00:16:45,292 --> 00:16:47,333 knowing facts about God. 323 00:16:47,375 --> 00:16:51,000 It means a deep, personal, experiential knowledge of God. 324 00:16:51,083 --> 00:16:53,833 God, the only true God, he's a personal God. 325 00:16:53,875 --> 00:16:57,500 He knows us and he wants to make himself known to us, 326 00:16:57,583 --> 00:16:59,667 that we might know him. 327 00:16:59,708 --> 00:17:01,875 And we know him through Jesus. 328 00:17:01,958 --> 00:17:04,792 But the fact that he's the only true God means there's 329 00:17:04,833 --> 00:17:07,500 propositional truths that surround his reality 330 00:17:07,583 --> 00:17:10,125 that we need to understand. 331 00:17:10,167 --> 00:17:14,708 Look at verse 6, John 17, Jesus says this, 332 00:17:14,792 --> 00:17:19,208 "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me 333 00:17:19,292 --> 00:17:21,500 "out of the world. 334 00:17:21,583 --> 00:17:24,292 "Yours they were, and you gave them to me, 335 00:17:24,333 --> 00:17:27,000 and they have kept your word." 336 00:17:27,083 --> 00:17:31,417 Think about that for a minute. 337 00:17:31,500 --> 00:17:34,292 What an amazing statement of your worth, 338 00:17:34,333 --> 00:17:38,083 and my worth in the eyes of God. 339 00:17:38,167 --> 00:17:40,333 Do you see what just transpired there? 340 00:17:40,375 --> 00:17:43,667 Jesus, as he's praying, acknowledges that those who come 341 00:17:43,750 --> 00:17:47,417 to him in faith were a gift to him by God the Father. 342 00:17:47,500 --> 00:17:52,875 So you and I are a gift from God the Father to God the Son. 343 00:17:54,500 --> 00:17:57,333 That's amazing. 344 00:17:57,375 --> 00:18:00,375 That's encouraging. 345 00:18:00,458 --> 00:18:02,375 The next time someone stops you and says, 346 00:18:02,458 --> 00:18:04,708 "Do you think you're God's gift to the world?" 347 00:18:04,792 --> 00:18:07,208 Say, "No, not exactly, more technically I'm God's gift 348 00:18:07,292 --> 00:18:10,375 to God because God the Father gave me to the Son." 349 00:18:10,458 --> 00:18:14,875 And then walk away and see what they think of you after that. 350 00:18:14,958 --> 00:18:16,833 Follow the thinking here. 351 00:18:16,875 --> 00:18:21,125 John 17:7, "Now they know that everything that you 352 00:18:21,167 --> 00:18:24,208 "have given me is from you. 353 00:18:24,292 --> 00:18:28,208 "For I have given them the words that you gave me, 354 00:18:28,292 --> 00:18:32,417 "and they have received them and have come to know in truth that 355 00:18:32,500 --> 00:18:37,833 I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me." 356 00:18:37,875 --> 00:18:41,125 See the relationship there? 357 00:18:41,167 --> 00:18:44,000 See the relationship between God the Father and God the Son? 358 00:18:44,083 --> 00:18:47,917 Jesus, in essence, is saying, "My teaching really isn't my 359 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,500 "own words, they come to me from the Father. 360 00:18:50,583 --> 00:18:53,208 And my role in the world is to make him known." 361 00:18:53,292 --> 00:18:56,792 So we have complete doctrinal unity in truth between 362 00:18:56,833 --> 00:18:59,750 Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. 363 00:18:59,833 --> 00:19:03,333 No disagreement, no dissension, no difference of opinion, 364 00:19:03,375 --> 00:19:06,375 complete and perfect unity. 365 00:19:06,458 --> 00:19:10,500 So when Jesus says that he wants us to live in unity, 366 00:19:10,583 --> 00:19:13,208 and he prays for our unity, and he compares the unity 367 00:19:13,292 --> 00:19:15,000 that he wants us to live in 368 00:19:15,042 --> 00:19:17,500 with the relationship that he has with the Father, 369 00:19:17,542 --> 00:19:23,000 doctrinal unity is critically important and foundational. 370 00:19:23,042 --> 00:19:26,083 And I think one of the huge misconceptions we have 371 00:19:26,167 --> 00:19:29,208 in Christianity is that somehow doctrine and unity 372 00:19:29,292 --> 00:19:31,500 are polar opposites, they're antithetical. 373 00:19:31,583 --> 00:19:33,583 Not true. 374 00:19:33,667 --> 00:19:36,667 When I was pastoring in Albuquerque I had an opportunity 375 00:19:36,750 --> 00:19:40,208 to meet a woman who would come to the church 376 00:19:40,292 --> 00:19:43,208 that we had planted just to be refreshed. 377 00:19:43,292 --> 00:19:45,625 She went to another church primarily, 378 00:19:45,667 --> 00:19:49,000 and she also had a ministry where she would go into prisons 379 00:19:49,083 --> 00:19:51,000 and she would work with illiterate prisoners 380 00:19:51,083 --> 00:19:54,000 to teach them how to read. 381 00:19:54,042 --> 00:19:57,500 And one of the things that was really important to me as I was 382 00:19:57,542 --> 00:20:00,208 planting the church was to get to know as many pastors 383 00:20:00,292 --> 00:20:03,417 in the city as I could, and come alongside them, and love them, 384 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:05,125 and pray for them, and serve them. 385 00:20:05,167 --> 00:20:08,333 And so she began to figure out, as she was making her rounds, 386 00:20:08,375 --> 00:20:10,083 working with different churches, serving the prisons, 387 00:20:10,167 --> 00:20:13,000 that other pastors knew me and they felt encouraged by me. 388 00:20:13,042 --> 00:20:16,375 So I remember the night she came forward and she handed me a card 389 00:20:16,458 --> 00:20:18,708 with a big smile on her face, and said, 390 00:20:18,792 --> 00:20:21,125 "I just wanted to thank you. This is for you. 391 00:20:21,167 --> 00:20:23,125 You can read it later in your study." 392 00:20:23,167 --> 00:20:26,500 And I made my way back to my study, and I opened the letter, 393 00:20:26,583 --> 00:20:27,917 and I opened it up. 394 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,667 Now, her intent was so good, and it's really the thought 395 00:20:30,750 --> 00:20:33,667 that counts, but it was one of these Christian Hallmark cards, 396 00:20:33,750 --> 00:20:36,667 and it said simply this, and then she added some kind words 397 00:20:36,750 --> 00:20:39,500 that made it all better, but this is what it said, 398 00:20:39,583 --> 00:20:41,500 the card basically said, "Thank you Pastor, 399 00:20:41,583 --> 00:20:45,167 for putting aside doctrine in order to pursue unity." 400 00:20:47,958 --> 00:20:50,125 You see how wrong that is? 401 00:20:50,167 --> 00:20:52,417 You see how misinformed that is? 402 00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:54,292 You see how confused that is? 403 00:20:54,333 --> 00:20:55,667 How opposite it is? 404 00:20:55,750 --> 00:20:57,625 That would be like your physician, after getting 405 00:20:57,667 --> 00:21:00,833 a good, clean bill of health, saying to you, "Patient, 406 00:21:00,875 --> 00:21:04,292 "thank you so much for choosing to put aside good nutrition 407 00:21:04,333 --> 00:21:06,625 so that you could have good health," all right? 408 00:21:06,667 --> 00:21:11,708 Doesn't make sense, one leads to the other. 409 00:21:11,792 --> 00:21:15,917 And if you and I are going to experience the unity in a way 410 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,875 that's good for us, and gives us joy, 411 00:21:18,958 --> 00:21:21,208 and brings Jesus honor and glory, 412 00:21:21,292 --> 00:21:23,292 unity that Jesus achieved, 413 00:21:23,333 --> 00:21:25,708 then we have to live in doctrinal unity. 414 00:21:25,792 --> 00:21:28,500 And doctrinal unity is found in the pages of the Bible. 415 00:21:28,542 --> 00:21:32,125 Because according to Jesus, the words that he speaks 416 00:21:32,167 --> 00:21:36,167 are from the Father, and there's no disagreement there. 417 00:21:38,958 --> 00:21:41,917 Two categories of religious folks, 418 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,417 at least in the time that Jesus walked the Earth, 419 00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:47,667 that threatened doctrinal unity. 420 00:21:47,750 --> 00:21:51,208 Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 15 421 00:21:51,292 --> 00:21:54,833 to beware of the leaven, or the teaching of two groups, 422 00:21:54,875 --> 00:21:56,792 the Pharisees and Sadducees. 423 00:21:56,833 --> 00:22:00,583 And I think, in many ways, these two groups are still among us 424 00:22:00,667 --> 00:22:02,792 in different formats, in different categories, 425 00:22:02,833 --> 00:22:06,167 in different personalities today. 426 00:22:06,250 --> 00:22:09,208 The first group, the Sadducees, their problem was they were 427 00:22:09,292 --> 00:22:14,000 "Bible minus" types of people. 428 00:22:14,083 --> 00:22:17,125 They were Bible light; they were less than the Bible. 429 00:22:17,167 --> 00:22:21,125 They denied the whole Bible, at least as Jesus saw it, 430 00:22:21,167 --> 00:22:22,792 and as Jesus taught it. 431 00:22:22,833 --> 00:22:25,792 And they held to really the first five books of the Bible, 432 00:22:25,833 --> 00:22:27,292 the Torah. 433 00:22:27,333 --> 00:22:29,875 They denied a lot of the supernatural things 434 00:22:29,958 --> 00:22:31,917 that happened within the Bible. 435 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,500 They specifically didn't believe that the dead 436 00:22:34,583 --> 00:22:37,125 could be resurrected, so this life was all you had. 437 00:22:37,167 --> 00:22:42,708 And they were very politically involved and influential. 438 00:22:42,792 --> 00:22:44,875 And when they pose a question to Jesus, 439 00:22:44,958 --> 00:22:48,417 Jesus just flat out confronts them. 440 00:22:48,500 --> 00:22:52,417 He says to them, "You don't know the Scriptures and you don't 441 00:22:52,500 --> 00:22:56,000 know the power of God." 442 00:22:56,083 --> 00:22:58,500 Some of us need to repent. 443 00:22:58,583 --> 00:23:01,833 Some of us are threatening the unity that Jesus wants us 444 00:23:01,875 --> 00:23:05,500 to have together by stopping short of the Bible, 445 00:23:05,583 --> 00:23:07,792 by denying the basic truths of the Bible, 446 00:23:07,833 --> 00:23:09,917 by not embracing and understanding the Bible 447 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,792 in its fullness. 448 00:23:12,833 --> 00:23:15,833 I'll give you an example. 449 00:23:15,875 --> 00:23:20,625 A kind woman who attends one of our Mars Hill churches 450 00:23:20,667 --> 00:23:24,417 approached me just recently, and she was troubled by some of 451 00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:26,417 the things that she read on the Internet. 452 00:23:26,500 --> 00:23:29,125 I don't have to tell you that everything on the Internet 453 00:23:29,167 --> 00:23:30,500 isn't true, right? 454 00:23:30,583 --> 00:23:33,208 We know that's the case, so we look at the Internet 455 00:23:33,292 --> 00:23:35,000 with some skepticism. Right? You with me? 456 00:23:35,083 --> 00:23:38,958 And as we look at the Internet, she saw a problem, specifically, 457 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,250 and begins to be concerned about the concept of church discipline 458 00:23:43,333 --> 00:23:45,292 at Mars Hill. 459 00:23:45,333 --> 00:23:48,292 And very specifically she said, I said, "What bothers you most? 460 00:23:48,333 --> 00:23:51,250 "What is it that's concerning you? 461 00:23:51,333 --> 00:23:53,000 What doesn't feel right?" 462 00:23:53,042 --> 00:23:58,000 She says, "I don't know if it's ever right for church leaders 463 00:23:58,083 --> 00:24:02,792 "to tell church members to disassociate from each other. 464 00:24:02,833 --> 00:24:05,667 "I don't get that. 465 00:24:05,750 --> 00:24:08,000 Seems like overstepping some boundary." 466 00:24:08,042 --> 00:24:10,500 And I said to her, I said, "You know what, 467 00:24:10,542 --> 00:24:13,875 "if it was just church leaders telling church members to not 468 00:24:13,958 --> 00:24:16,583 "associate with each other that would be a big problem. 469 00:24:16,667 --> 00:24:22,583 "If it just resided, and the authority resided in the leaders 470 00:24:22,667 --> 00:24:24,000 of the church." 471 00:24:24,042 --> 00:24:28,042 But I said, "The issue is the Bible tells us to do that. 472 00:24:28,125 --> 00:24:31,042 "Paul in 1 Corinthians 5 makes it very clear that if anyone 473 00:24:31,125 --> 00:24:34,250 "is living as a believer, as a follower of Jesus, 474 00:24:34,333 --> 00:24:39,042 "in sexual immorality, and that person isn't repentant, 475 00:24:39,125 --> 00:24:43,375 "doesn't want to change, and isn't open to the grace of Jesus 476 00:24:43,458 --> 00:24:46,375 "to change his or her life, that we are not to associate, 477 00:24:46,458 --> 00:24:49,000 we're not even to sit down for a meal." 478 00:24:49,042 --> 00:24:52,375 And she looked at me and said, "Oh, okay, good, I get it now. 479 00:24:52,458 --> 00:24:53,875 I'm for it." 480 00:24:53,958 --> 00:24:56,250 You could see the potential disunity that would happen 481 00:24:56,333 --> 00:24:59,000 in the body if we don't agree upon the objective truth 482 00:24:59,042 --> 00:25:00,667 of the Bible. 483 00:25:00,708 --> 00:25:04,042 And we live in a world in which many people who claim to be 484 00:25:04,125 --> 00:25:06,375 Christians, they deny, much like the Sadducees, 485 00:25:06,458 --> 00:25:07,792 much of the Bible. 486 00:25:07,833 --> 00:25:10,292 They stop short of the full meaning of the Bible. 487 00:25:10,333 --> 00:25:11,667 They are "Bible minus" people. 488 00:25:11,750 --> 00:25:15,167 They are Bible light people. 489 00:25:15,208 --> 00:25:17,458 But it's interesting that Jesus' greatest conflict really wasn't 490 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:23,667 with the Sadducees, it was with the Pharisees. 491 00:25:23,708 --> 00:25:26,875 And the Pharisees didn't stop short of the Bible; 492 00:25:26,958 --> 00:25:31,458 they actually went way beyond the Bible. 493 00:25:31,500 --> 00:25:35,167 They accepted the Bible that Jesus accepted as truth, 494 00:25:35,250 --> 00:25:38,042 but they had their own traditions, 495 00:25:38,125 --> 00:25:40,250 and they had created their own regulations, 496 00:25:40,333 --> 00:25:43,083 and they added rules to the Bible. 497 00:25:43,167 --> 00:25:47,292 And Jesus referred to them as hypocrites. 498 00:25:47,333 --> 00:25:52,000 "You hypocrites," Jesus said, "You teach as doctrine 499 00:25:52,042 --> 00:25:53,833 "the traditions of men. 500 00:25:53,917 --> 00:25:56,083 "You take your own teachings, your own traditions, 501 00:25:56,167 --> 00:25:58,417 "and you make them on par with the Bible. 502 00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:00,500 "And you create rules and regulations that go 503 00:26:00,542 --> 00:26:04,375 way beyond the Bible." 504 00:26:04,458 --> 00:26:10,667 And if we do the same today then we challenge the very unity 505 00:26:10,750 --> 00:26:14,292 that Jesus wants us to have, and wants us to live in. 506 00:26:14,333 --> 00:26:18,375 There are people, maybe some of you here today, 507 00:26:18,458 --> 00:26:20,750 who have your own inner Pharisee. 508 00:26:20,833 --> 00:26:23,167 Your tendency is to go beyond the Bible, 509 00:26:23,250 --> 00:26:25,750 and in so doing you create rules and standards. 510 00:26:25,833 --> 00:26:29,000 And then you separate yourself, you're segregated from those 511 00:26:29,042 --> 00:26:31,333 who don't keep your rules and your regulations 512 00:26:31,417 --> 00:26:33,167 that go beyond the Bible. 513 00:26:33,208 --> 00:26:35,333 And disunity follows. 514 00:26:35,417 --> 00:26:38,375 And disunity is a tragic result. 515 00:26:38,458 --> 00:26:42,958 There are entire churches who do this. 516 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,083 There was one in Albuquerque, and I would drive by it 517 00:26:46,167 --> 00:26:48,083 every day on my way to work. 518 00:26:48,167 --> 00:26:50,583 And they would engage in church marquee wars. 519 00:26:50,667 --> 00:26:52,292 Have you ever seen those? 520 00:26:52,333 --> 00:26:54,292 Where one church will war against another church 521 00:26:54,333 --> 00:26:56,292 by putting a message up on their marquee. 522 00:26:56,333 --> 00:26:58,292 If you haven't seen it yet, it's really, 523 00:26:58,333 --> 00:27:01,083 it's funny but it's also shameful. 524 00:27:01,167 --> 00:27:04,792 And as I drove by this church I was always amazed at what they 525 00:27:04,833 --> 00:27:07,792 would put out on their marquee. 526 00:27:07,833 --> 00:27:10,375 So for a month it was they were against anything 527 00:27:10,458 --> 00:27:13,333 that was contemporary, musically, in worship. 528 00:27:13,417 --> 00:27:16,333 Kind of like, "You can have your new, filthy streams of water; 529 00:27:16,417 --> 00:27:18,833 we go back to the deep pools of old hymns." 530 00:27:18,917 --> 00:27:20,583 It was that kind of a thing. 531 00:27:20,667 --> 00:27:22,000 Okay. 532 00:27:22,042 --> 00:27:24,500 They were very much against any sort of casual attire 533 00:27:24,542 --> 00:27:27,167 in the church coming together. 534 00:27:27,250 --> 00:27:29,500 And they made a point, much more creatively than 535 00:27:29,542 --> 00:27:32,000 I'm communicating it, but they made a point about it 536 00:27:32,042 --> 00:27:33,375 in their marquee. 537 00:27:33,458 --> 00:27:35,583 They had one translation that they felt was authoritative, 538 00:27:35,667 --> 00:27:37,083 and every other English translation wasn't, 539 00:27:37,167 --> 00:27:39,458 and they championed that cause. 540 00:27:39,500 --> 00:27:43,083 And I got to tell you, I began to anticipate every week, 541 00:27:43,167 --> 00:27:45,292 "Okay, what are they going to do this week? 542 00:27:45,333 --> 00:27:48,042 "What rules do they have that go way beyond the Bible 543 00:27:48,125 --> 00:27:50,250 "that are going to segregate them, and alienate them, 544 00:27:50,333 --> 00:27:51,667 from the rest of Christianity?" 545 00:27:51,708 --> 00:27:54,375 As a matter of fact, I was so intrigued by this, 546 00:27:54,458 --> 00:27:55,875 I went online to Google them. 547 00:27:55,958 --> 00:27:57,375 Guess what? 548 00:27:57,458 --> 00:27:59,375 They don't have a website, right, 549 00:27:59,458 --> 00:28:04,333 because the computer is evil, the computer is wrong. 550 00:28:04,417 --> 00:28:07,167 It's what some of us are doing. 551 00:28:07,250 --> 00:28:10,167 Some of us live by rules and regulations 552 00:28:10,250 --> 00:28:12,667 that go way beyond the Bible. 553 00:28:12,750 --> 00:28:15,042 And we're judgmental towards others who don't have our 554 00:28:15,125 --> 00:28:21,292 same convictions, and we're separate, and we're divisive. 555 00:28:21,333 --> 00:28:23,583 Listen to me, Mars Hill Church, 556 00:28:23,667 --> 00:28:25,875 we love the Bible here. 557 00:28:25,958 --> 00:28:28,375 We want you to love the Bible. 558 00:28:28,458 --> 00:28:30,167 We want you to study the Bible. 559 00:28:30,208 --> 00:28:33,667 We've got amazing opportunities for you to study the Bible. 560 00:28:33,750 --> 00:28:37,667 In just a few months we're hosting our first ever 561 00:28:37,750 --> 00:28:41,667 National Resurgence Conference, in October, 562 00:28:41,750 --> 00:28:44,667 in a wonderful place, Irvine, California. 563 00:28:44,750 --> 00:28:50,375 And the simple theme is because Jesus lives, we live for Jesus. 564 00:28:50,458 --> 00:28:52,333 We want to train you in the Bible. 565 00:28:52,417 --> 00:28:54,083 We want you to know the Bible. 566 00:28:54,167 --> 00:28:56,667 And this is applicable to you whether you're a pastor 567 00:28:56,750 --> 00:29:00,167 at a Mars Hill church, or you are a stay-at-home mom. 568 00:29:00,208 --> 00:29:03,167 We want you to come and we want you to be trained. 569 00:29:03,208 --> 00:29:05,875 We're going to be rolling out in the next few months, 570 00:29:05,958 --> 00:29:07,292 Mars Hill training days. 571 00:29:07,333 --> 00:29:09,000 We want to teach you the Bible. 572 00:29:09,042 --> 00:29:11,333 We want you to be hungry for the Bible. 573 00:29:11,417 --> 00:29:14,542 We don't ever want to stop short of the Bible like the Sadducees. 574 00:29:14,625 --> 00:29:17,042 And we don't ever want to go beyond the Bible 575 00:29:17,125 --> 00:29:18,458 like the Pharisees. 576 00:29:18,500 --> 00:29:21,167 Because we want to live in the doctrinal unity that Jesus 577 00:29:21,250 --> 00:29:24,375 has with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. 578 00:29:24,458 --> 00:29:26,250 We need to be Bible people. 579 00:29:26,333 --> 00:29:28,458 Let me show you another dimension of the relationship 580 00:29:28,500 --> 00:29:30,500 that they shared that's critically important for us 581 00:29:30,542 --> 00:29:33,000 if we're going to live in the unity that Jesus 582 00:29:33,042 --> 00:29:34,583 has given us. 583 00:29:34,667 --> 00:29:37,042 It's what I refer to as missional unity. 584 00:29:37,125 --> 00:29:40,583 Back to John 17:15, 585 00:29:40,667 --> 00:29:43,958 Jesus praying for his immediate disciples, 586 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,000 for those that would lead his mission 587 00:29:46,042 --> 00:29:48,583 all over the world, he says this to the Father, 588 00:29:48,667 --> 00:29:51,958 "I do not ask that you take them out of the world," 589 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,458 when Jesus speaks of the world this way it's the systems 590 00:29:55,500 --> 00:30:00,250 that are influenced by Satan against God and all the world. 591 00:30:02,917 --> 00:30:05,792 "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, 592 00:30:05,833 --> 00:30:08,083 "but that you keep them from the evil one. 593 00:30:08,167 --> 00:30:11,500 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 594 00:30:11,542 --> 00:30:12,875 "Sanctify them," 595 00:30:12,958 --> 00:30:14,875 that means set them apart, make them holy, 596 00:30:14,958 --> 00:30:16,375 make them set apart for good. 597 00:30:16,458 --> 00:30:19,667 "Sanctify them in truth; your word is truth." 598 00:30:19,750 --> 00:30:21,667 Look at verse 18. 599 00:30:21,750 --> 00:30:24,250 "As you have sent me into the world, 600 00:30:24,333 --> 00:30:29,208 so I have sent them into the world." 601 00:30:31,750 --> 00:30:35,292 Jesus is a missionary God. 602 00:30:35,333 --> 00:30:37,000 He goes out of his way, 603 00:30:37,042 --> 00:30:38,875 especially in the Gospel of John, 604 00:30:38,958 --> 00:30:41,667 to say over and over, "I've been sent by the Father. 605 00:30:41,750 --> 00:30:43,292 "I've been sent by the Father. 606 00:30:43,333 --> 00:30:45,375 I've been sent by the Father." 607 00:30:45,458 --> 00:30:49,333 Jesus enters into human history as a missionary. 608 00:30:49,417 --> 00:30:51,000 He takes on human form. 609 00:30:51,042 --> 00:30:53,750 He's human in every way, except one significant way, 610 00:30:53,833 --> 00:30:56,000 he's without sin. 611 00:30:56,042 --> 00:30:58,583 He walks our soil. 612 00:30:58,667 --> 00:31:00,167 He breathes our air. 613 00:31:00,250 --> 00:31:02,083 He speaks our language. 614 00:31:02,167 --> 00:31:04,000 He lives in our cultural context. 615 00:31:04,042 --> 00:31:06,875 He hangs out and pursues relationships with people 616 00:31:06,958 --> 00:31:09,083 who are far away from God. 617 00:31:09,167 --> 00:31:11,000 All for the purpose, according to Jesus, 618 00:31:11,042 --> 00:31:15,792 to seek and save those who are lost. 619 00:31:15,833 --> 00:31:20,667 And then Jesus makes it very clear as he prays this prayer, 620 00:31:20,750 --> 00:31:23,375 and he may even say it more definitively a couple chapters 621 00:31:23,458 --> 00:31:27,667 over in John 20:21, he says, "Just as the Father has sent me 622 00:31:27,708 --> 00:31:32,292 into the world, I send you into the world." 623 00:31:32,333 --> 00:31:36,333 The church is about one mission, 624 00:31:36,417 --> 00:31:39,000 and it's a mission that God the Father, 625 00:31:39,042 --> 00:31:41,667 and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit 626 00:31:41,750 --> 00:31:45,583 live out in unity. 627 00:31:45,667 --> 00:31:47,833 It's a rescue mission. 628 00:31:47,917 --> 00:31:50,833 It's a mission were Jesus is coming to pursue people who 629 00:31:50,917 --> 00:31:54,875 are alienated from God, to save them, and to transform them, 630 00:31:54,958 --> 00:31:57,583 and to convert them into people in rebellion against God, 631 00:31:57,667 --> 00:32:02,750 to people who worship God, through Jesus. 632 00:32:06,833 --> 00:32:10,292 I have some pressure points as a pastor. 633 00:32:10,333 --> 00:32:13,500 And one of them is, if you want to frustrate me— 634 00:32:13,542 --> 00:32:16,500 and I ask that you not, that's not really good for me, 635 00:32:16,542 --> 00:32:18,667 I'm trying to grow in that a little bit, 636 00:32:18,750 --> 00:32:20,542 and it's certainly not good for you— 637 00:32:20,625 --> 00:32:23,542 but if you did, hypothetically, I have a pastor who's a friend, 638 00:32:23,625 --> 00:32:27,542 if you really wanted to make him angry, put these two words 639 00:32:27,625 --> 00:32:33,250 together: the word "my" and the word "ministry". 640 00:32:33,333 --> 00:32:38,167 Talk a lot about "my ministry." 641 00:32:38,250 --> 00:32:42,500 Because I don't see it in the Bible. 642 00:32:42,542 --> 00:32:46,042 That there's one mission, 643 00:32:46,125 --> 00:32:48,583 there's just one mission, 644 00:32:48,667 --> 00:32:50,583 and it's the mission that God the Father, 645 00:32:50,667 --> 00:32:54,583 God the Son, and God the Spirit are on. 646 00:32:54,667 --> 00:32:57,167 To redeem a lost world. 647 00:32:57,208 --> 00:32:59,625 To save sinners. 648 00:32:59,667 --> 00:33:02,583 To transform sinners into saints, 649 00:33:02,667 --> 00:33:07,167 those are set apart for God, those who worship God. 650 00:33:07,250 --> 00:33:10,583 You and I may have different roles to play, 651 00:33:10,667 --> 00:33:16,958 but it's his mission; not our mission. 652 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,375 The mission belongs to him. 653 00:33:19,458 --> 00:33:21,500 There's one mission at Mars Hill Church. 654 00:33:21,542 --> 00:33:26,167 Jesus says this most clearly to his disciples in Matthew 28. 655 00:33:26,208 --> 00:33:29,167 He says, "As you go into the world, go into the world, 656 00:33:29,208 --> 00:33:32,583 "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of 657 00:33:32,667 --> 00:33:35,167 "the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 658 00:33:35,250 --> 00:33:36,583 "And teaching them to obey 659 00:33:36,667 --> 00:33:39,792 everything that I've taught you." 660 00:33:39,833 --> 00:33:42,583 So at Mars Hill Church we have one mission, 661 00:33:42,667 --> 00:33:44,875 it's quite honestly the same mission that every church 662 00:33:44,958 --> 00:33:47,083 that follows Jesus has. 663 00:33:47,167 --> 00:33:50,083 And that is to make disciples, so we want to make disciples 664 00:33:50,167 --> 00:33:52,292 because that's what Jesus told us to do. 665 00:33:52,333 --> 00:33:54,667 And we want to start new communities of disciples 666 00:33:54,750 --> 00:33:56,083 that we call churches. 667 00:33:56,167 --> 00:33:58,500 So we want to make disciples and plant churches. 668 00:33:58,583 --> 00:34:00,792 And you have no ministry, nor do I, 669 00:34:00,833 --> 00:34:02,542 apart from the mission of Jesus. 670 00:34:02,625 --> 00:34:04,292 If we are going to live out 671 00:34:04,333 --> 00:34:06,375 the unity that Jesus wants us to have, 672 00:34:06,458 --> 00:34:11,375 then all of us, all of us, all of us without exception 673 00:34:11,458 --> 00:34:14,667 are missionaries on mission with Jesus. 674 00:34:14,708 --> 00:34:18,958 And there's one mission. 675 00:34:21,542 --> 00:34:27,500 At Mars Hill Albuquerque we had a couple come and they came 676 00:34:27,542 --> 00:34:30,042 through the door, and their first Sunday went really well. 677 00:34:30,125 --> 00:34:32,667 They were appreciative, and communicative, and said, 678 00:34:32,750 --> 00:34:34,083 "We'll be back." 679 00:34:34,167 --> 00:34:35,875 And they came back again. 680 00:34:35,958 --> 00:34:39,042 But as they came back, there began a pattern of every time 681 00:34:39,125 --> 00:34:42,000 they came, whatever they came to, I would get an e-mail 682 00:34:42,042 --> 00:34:43,375 of constructive criticism. 683 00:34:43,458 --> 00:34:45,333 Now, constructive criticism is helpful. 684 00:34:45,417 --> 00:34:48,792 We always want to be open to the things that we can do better. 685 00:34:48,833 --> 00:34:51,375 But this couple would come to a worship service 686 00:34:51,458 --> 00:34:55,042 and there would be constructive criticism pertaining to 687 00:34:55,125 --> 00:34:56,833 how we could adjust sound volumes, 688 00:34:56,917 --> 00:34:58,500 how we could do seating better, 689 00:34:58,542 --> 00:35:00,083 how announcements could flow better. 690 00:35:00,167 --> 00:35:01,583 I mean, just every little detail. 691 00:35:01,667 --> 00:35:04,333 Then as they began to get involved in a Community Group 692 00:35:04,417 --> 00:35:06,833 I would receive, "Here's all the things that are wrong 693 00:35:06,917 --> 00:35:08,250 "with our Community Group. 694 00:35:08,333 --> 00:35:11,250 "Here's what you need to do in the realm of Community Group 695 00:35:11,333 --> 00:35:12,667 "ministry to make it better. 696 00:35:12,708 --> 00:35:14,375 "And here's what's really wrong with our 697 00:35:14,458 --> 00:35:15,792 Community Group leader." 698 00:35:15,833 --> 00:35:17,167 "Okay." 699 00:35:17,250 --> 00:35:19,167 Then they began to pray about being involved 700 00:35:19,250 --> 00:35:20,583 in the Redemption ministry, 701 00:35:20,667 --> 00:35:22,292 and they went to an informational session, 702 00:35:22,333 --> 00:35:24,792 and they began to tell us everything that was wrong 703 00:35:24,833 --> 00:35:26,292 in our Redemption concepts. 704 00:35:26,333 --> 00:35:28,292 What we were doing that was too much, 705 00:35:28,333 --> 00:35:30,500 and what we were doing that was too little. 706 00:35:30,542 --> 00:35:32,667 So about that time, I'm slow, I realize that, 707 00:35:32,750 --> 00:35:34,667 I began to notice a pattern, a trend. 708 00:35:34,750 --> 00:35:36,667 So I asked to meet with this couple. 709 00:35:36,750 --> 00:35:38,667 I said, "Come on, let's talk about this. 710 00:35:38,750 --> 00:35:40,875 "It seems like you're just not real happy here. 711 00:35:40,958 --> 00:35:42,667 "Let's talk about how things are going. 712 00:35:42,708 --> 00:35:44,167 "You're welcome to be constructive, 713 00:35:44,208 --> 00:35:46,333 "you're welcome to offer criticism as long as you're 714 00:35:46,417 --> 00:35:48,542 "deeply invested and you're willing to be an answer 715 00:35:48,625 --> 00:35:49,958 to the problem." 716 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,667 And the husband looked me in the eye and he said, 717 00:35:52,750 --> 00:35:54,167 "You don't understand my ministry." 718 00:35:54,250 --> 00:35:55,875 And I thought, "Uh-oh, here we go." 719 00:35:55,958 --> 00:35:57,292 Blood begins to boil. 720 00:35:57,333 --> 00:35:58,833 "Really, tell me about your ministry." 721 00:35:58,875 --> 00:36:00,333 I didn't say it like that. 722 00:36:00,417 --> 00:36:03,542 He said, "Jesus has called me and my wife to go to all 723 00:36:03,625 --> 00:36:05,875 "the different churches here in our city, 724 00:36:05,958 --> 00:36:08,000 "to be in different aspects of their ministry, 725 00:36:08,042 --> 00:36:11,292 "and to help them figure out the things they're doing wrong 726 00:36:11,333 --> 00:36:13,292 so that they might correct them." 727 00:36:13,333 --> 00:36:16,583 "Wow. Really? 728 00:36:16,667 --> 00:36:19,875 "Because when I look at my Bible I don't see any sort of 729 00:36:19,958 --> 00:36:25,167 "church quality control ministry there as a gift. 730 00:36:25,208 --> 00:36:28,292 "And as I look through the pages of Scripture 731 00:36:28,333 --> 00:36:30,167 "I don't see anywhere were there's 732 00:36:30,208 --> 00:36:32,167 "Spirit-filled secret shoppers 733 00:36:32,250 --> 00:36:38,750 that go and they try the products." 734 00:36:38,833 --> 00:36:41,667 And I invited them to stop that, 735 00:36:41,750 --> 00:36:44,542 to consider that it's not from Jesus, 736 00:36:44,625 --> 00:36:47,042 and I could assure them that that wasn't from Jesus. 737 00:36:47,125 --> 00:36:51,667 And as to be expected they left a week later. 738 00:36:51,750 --> 00:36:56,167 Some of you today are missing out on the gift of unity that 739 00:36:56,250 --> 00:37:01,500 Jesus wants us to enjoy together because you're not on mission. 740 00:37:01,542 --> 00:37:04,500 You're pursuing your own individual agenda. 741 00:37:04,542 --> 00:37:08,375 You're about your ministry and your ministry has nothing to do, 742 00:37:08,458 --> 00:37:10,667 ultimately, with the mission of Jesus. 743 00:37:10,708 --> 00:37:15,167 It's his mission, and it's our mission collectively. 744 00:37:17,333 --> 00:37:20,250 And I want you to turn from that sin because that's exactly 745 00:37:20,333 --> 00:37:21,667 what it is. 746 00:37:21,708 --> 00:37:23,167 It's a selfish sin. 747 00:37:23,208 --> 00:37:26,542 I want you to turn from that sin, and I want you to come, 748 00:37:26,625 --> 00:37:29,542 and I want you to be involved. 749 00:37:29,625 --> 00:37:32,375 Be a member. 750 00:37:32,458 --> 00:37:34,667 Commit to being a member of Mars Hill Church 751 00:37:34,750 --> 00:37:37,375 if you know Jesus and you're in a Community Group, 752 00:37:37,458 --> 00:37:39,750 commit to being a member of Mars Hill Church. 753 00:37:39,833 --> 00:37:42,083 Because you know what, you know who members are 754 00:37:42,167 --> 00:37:43,875 at Mars Hill Church? 755 00:37:43,958 --> 00:37:46,167 They're missionaries. 756 00:37:46,250 --> 00:37:48,500 And when you look at community, and community is important 757 00:37:48,542 --> 00:37:49,875 in the Bible, 758 00:37:49,958 --> 00:37:51,792 the purpose of community is mission. 759 00:37:51,833 --> 00:37:55,500 And as we look at mission as a strategy, we do mission 760 00:37:55,542 --> 00:37:57,375 in community. 761 00:37:57,458 --> 00:37:59,917 So get involved, you can jump right in. 762 00:38:00,042 --> 00:38:01,875 There are opportunities regularly for you 763 00:38:01,958 --> 00:38:03,292 to become a member. 764 00:38:03,333 --> 00:38:06,500 Talk to anybody you want to today. 765 00:38:06,542 --> 00:38:09,167 I don't want you just to feel guilty. 766 00:38:09,208 --> 00:38:12,333 I want you to turn from that, but Jesus has forgiven your sin, 767 00:38:12,417 --> 00:38:14,250 but turn to Jesus and be involved. 768 00:38:14,333 --> 00:38:16,375 Become a member of Mars Hill Church 769 00:38:16,458 --> 00:38:18,458 because our members are missionaries. 770 00:38:18,500 --> 00:38:21,292 And we're experiencing together the most incredible adventure 771 00:38:21,333 --> 00:38:23,583 anyone can ever experience. 772 00:38:23,667 --> 00:38:25,833 Jesus is showing up in a big way, 773 00:38:25,917 --> 00:38:30,167 and we are afforded a front row seat to see lives transformed in 774 00:38:30,250 --> 00:38:33,667 our homes, in our work places, in our weekly gatherings. 775 00:38:33,708 --> 00:38:36,833 Jesus is changing lives and he invites you to join in. 776 00:38:36,917 --> 00:38:41,958 And we want you to join in as well because there's great joy, 777 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,667 there's great excitement about being on mission 778 00:38:44,750 --> 00:38:46,292 together with Jesus. 779 00:38:46,333 --> 00:38:50,292 Jesus had a perfect relationship with the Father, 780 00:38:50,333 --> 00:38:53,458 there was missional unity, Jesus was aligned with the Father, 781 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:55,167 who is aligned with the Holy Spirit, 782 00:38:55,250 --> 00:38:56,583 and they still are today. 783 00:38:56,667 --> 00:38:58,583 And they invite you in to their unity, 784 00:38:58,667 --> 00:39:00,167 to be on mission with Jesus. 785 00:39:00,208 --> 00:39:02,750 Will you? 786 00:39:02,833 --> 00:39:05,250 Jesus loves his church. 787 00:39:05,333 --> 00:39:09,542 And Jesus gifts his church with unity and we experience unity 788 00:39:09,625 --> 00:39:11,375 on a doctrinal basis. 789 00:39:11,458 --> 00:39:15,292 We experience unity as Jesus would have us do so, 790 00:39:15,333 --> 00:39:18,292 on a missional basis. 791 00:39:18,333 --> 00:39:22,250 I want to show you one more dimension here. 792 00:39:22,333 --> 00:39:25,167 There's a relational aspect to the unity that Jesus enjoys 793 00:39:25,250 --> 00:39:26,667 with the Father. 794 00:39:26,708 --> 00:39:32,833 John 17:24, "Father, I desire that they also, 795 00:39:32,917 --> 00:39:37,792 whom you have given me," circle this phrase, 796 00:39:37,833 --> 00:39:40,958 or highlight it if you got your funky iPhone Bible, 797 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,958 "may be with me where I am." 798 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:45,375 Let me say that again. 799 00:39:45,458 --> 00:39:47,458 "May be with me where I am, 800 00:39:47,500 --> 00:39:50,583 "to see my glory that you have given me because 801 00:39:50,667 --> 00:39:54,167 "you loved me before the foundation of the world. 802 00:39:54,250 --> 00:39:56,292 "O righteous Father," verse 25, 803 00:39:56,333 --> 00:39:59,667 "even though the world does not know you, 804 00:39:59,750 --> 00:40:04,000 "I know you, and these know you that you have sent me. 805 00:40:04,042 --> 00:40:06,042 "I made known to them your name, 806 00:40:06,125 --> 00:40:08,250 "and I will continue to make it known, 807 00:40:08,333 --> 00:40:11,083 "that the love with which you have loved me may be 808 00:40:11,167 --> 00:40:14,167 in them, and I in them." 809 00:40:14,250 --> 00:40:17,333 Wow. 810 00:40:17,417 --> 00:40:19,667 Do you get what Jesus is saying there? 811 00:40:19,708 --> 00:40:22,167 I'm not sure you do. 812 00:40:22,208 --> 00:40:25,167 I don't know that you could still be sitting in your seats 813 00:40:25,208 --> 00:40:29,458 if you really understood what Jesus was saying there. 814 00:40:29,500 --> 00:40:31,375 What Jesus is saying is, "Father, 815 00:40:31,458 --> 00:40:35,042 "there's never been a time when you haven't loved me. 816 00:40:35,125 --> 00:40:39,667 "You've loved me forever, and ever, and ever. 817 00:40:39,750 --> 00:40:43,083 "And Father, the love that we share with each other, 818 00:40:43,167 --> 00:40:45,083 "I want that to be in my followers. 819 00:40:45,167 --> 00:40:48,083 "As I indwell them through the Holy Spirit, 820 00:40:48,167 --> 00:40:50,792 "I want them to experience that same kind of love. 821 00:40:50,833 --> 00:40:54,583 "I want the love that the Father has for me to flow through 822 00:40:54,667 --> 00:40:57,792 "the Holy Spirit like a conduit into the lives of my followers. 823 00:40:57,833 --> 00:40:59,792 And I want them to love each other." 824 00:40:59,833 --> 00:41:03,167 Namely, what Jesus is praying there is that you and I 825 00:41:03,208 --> 00:41:05,542 and everyone who loves Jesus, who belongs to Jesus, 826 00:41:05,625 --> 00:41:08,833 would be with him forever. 827 00:41:08,917 --> 00:41:11,333 And as we're with him, the ultimate experience we would 828 00:41:11,417 --> 00:41:15,708 have together is seeing the glory of Jesus manifested. 829 00:41:19,958 --> 00:41:23,667 Jesus has had a perfect relationship throughout 830 00:41:23,708 --> 00:41:27,000 all eternity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 831 00:41:27,042 --> 00:41:28,792 They love each other. 832 00:41:28,833 --> 00:41:31,167 They enjoy each other. 833 00:41:31,250 --> 00:41:33,583 They serve each other. 834 00:41:33,667 --> 00:41:35,292 They respect each other. 835 00:41:35,333 --> 00:41:39,083 And Jesus wants the same for us. 836 00:41:39,167 --> 00:41:41,583 And when you and I come together and there's something 837 00:41:41,667 --> 00:41:44,750 very important about us getting together weekly, 838 00:41:44,833 --> 00:41:47,375 because what we're really doing is we're previewing, 839 00:41:47,458 --> 00:41:50,458 and we're partially fulfilling the answer to the prayer 840 00:41:50,500 --> 00:41:51,833 that Jesus just prayed. 841 00:41:51,917 --> 00:41:53,250 Do you see that? 842 00:41:53,333 --> 00:41:55,167 When we all come together, and we're together, 843 00:41:55,250 --> 00:41:57,792 and we proclaim Jesus, what we're really saying is, 844 00:41:57,833 --> 00:42:01,667 "We are previewing the kingdom of God in all its fullness." 845 00:42:01,750 --> 00:42:04,500 There will come a day when this prayer will be answered. 846 00:42:04,542 --> 00:42:07,542 When we're all together with Jesus, 847 00:42:07,625 --> 00:42:10,792 in perfect relationship with Jesus. 848 00:42:10,833 --> 00:42:17,000 And Jesus' glory is made known, and we will worship him. 849 00:42:17,042 --> 00:42:19,500 And there's a relational unity that exists between 850 00:42:19,542 --> 00:42:21,542 the Father and the Son. 851 00:42:21,625 --> 00:42:24,042 And the only time it was ever interrupted was briefly, 852 00:42:24,125 --> 00:42:26,875 on the cross, when Jesus cries out these words, 853 00:42:26,958 --> 00:42:31,042 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 854 00:42:31,125 --> 00:42:33,542 When Jesus took the sin of the world upon himself, 855 00:42:33,625 --> 00:42:36,042 that's what sin does. 856 00:42:36,125 --> 00:42:39,250 It separates us from God, and it separates us from each other. 857 00:42:39,333 --> 00:42:43,458 But Jesus on that same cross said, "It is finished." 858 00:42:43,500 --> 00:42:46,000 The work is done and we belong to Jesus. 859 00:42:46,042 --> 00:42:47,875 We are reconciled with God, 860 00:42:47,958 --> 00:42:50,000 and we are reconciled with each other. 861 00:42:50,042 --> 00:42:53,292 And there is great value in us coming together and experiencing 862 00:42:53,333 --> 00:42:59,667 the love that Jesus has for God the Father and God the Spirit. 863 00:43:02,167 --> 00:43:05,333 And very few of you would ever walk into a local church 864 00:43:05,417 --> 00:43:08,333 and say, "You know what, I'm going to be as divisive 865 00:43:08,417 --> 00:43:10,292 "as I possibly can. 866 00:43:10,333 --> 00:43:12,083 "I'm just going to wreak havoc here. 867 00:43:12,167 --> 00:43:14,833 "I'm going to get in and I'm going to tear up relationships, 868 00:43:14,917 --> 00:43:16,250 I'm going to twist doctrine." 869 00:43:16,333 --> 00:43:19,792 Very few people, infinitesimal number of people do that. 870 00:43:19,833 --> 00:43:23,875 But here's what a lot of us do, we don't actively 871 00:43:23,958 --> 00:43:28,292 and aggressively create disunity, we do it passively. 872 00:43:28,333 --> 00:43:30,333 And we don't do it when we're present; 873 00:43:30,417 --> 00:43:35,417 we do it by our absence. 874 00:43:37,750 --> 00:43:42,000 We experience the relationship that Jesus has with his Father 875 00:43:42,042 --> 00:43:44,250 when we're together. 876 00:43:44,333 --> 00:43:45,667 When we're together in worship. 877 00:43:45,708 --> 00:43:47,542 We see it in the early church. 878 00:43:47,625 --> 00:43:50,875 Acts 2 tells us they met daily in the temple courts. 879 00:43:50,958 --> 00:43:53,083 They were taught, and they worshiped Jesus, 880 00:43:53,167 --> 00:43:54,958 and they would disperse to their homes, 881 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:58,000 and they would take meals together. 882 00:43:58,042 --> 00:44:03,042 And some of you unknowingly and passively are bringing disunity 883 00:44:03,125 --> 00:44:07,167 to Mars Hill Church by not regularly participating 884 00:44:07,208 --> 00:44:09,000 in worship. 885 00:44:09,042 --> 00:44:11,292 By not being together at our services, 886 00:44:11,333 --> 00:44:14,583 not being in a Community Group. 887 00:44:14,667 --> 00:44:18,875 I have an opportunity to coach a lot of church planters. 888 00:44:18,958 --> 00:44:21,292 And the first 3 years of church planting 889 00:44:21,333 --> 00:44:24,958 are really difficult and defining. 890 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:27,792 And I spoke with one of our planters the other day 891 00:44:27,833 --> 00:44:29,292 who's had a rough year. 892 00:44:29,333 --> 00:44:31,292 He's just now coming on his 3rd year. 893 00:44:31,333 --> 00:44:33,000 I said, "Tell me about your year." 894 00:44:33,042 --> 00:44:34,375 He said, "It's been tough." 895 00:44:34,458 --> 00:44:36,083 I said, "What's tough about it?" 896 00:44:36,167 --> 00:44:37,583 He said, "We can't get momentum." 897 00:44:37,667 --> 00:44:41,375 So I asked him, I said, "Are people resisting what you're 898 00:44:41,458 --> 00:44:43,792 teaching, and preaching, and who Jesus is?" 899 00:44:43,833 --> 00:44:46,375 He says, "Not so much." 900 00:44:46,458 --> 00:44:50,375 He said, "They're just not consistent in coming together." 901 00:44:50,458 --> 00:44:53,083 He said, "There are people who will come a couple weeks, 902 00:44:53,167 --> 00:44:54,792 "then they'll disappear for 5 weeks, 903 00:44:54,833 --> 00:44:57,792 "then they'll come back. 904 00:44:57,833 --> 00:44:59,500 "Some of the more consistent people, 905 00:44:59,542 --> 00:45:01,750 consistent means they show up every other week." 906 00:45:01,833 --> 00:45:04,375 Now hear me out Mars Hill, I'm not being legalistic. 907 00:45:04,458 --> 00:45:07,083 I understand there's things like vacation, and sickness, 908 00:45:07,167 --> 00:45:09,583 and other things that keep you from being here. 909 00:45:09,667 --> 00:45:14,583 But what I'm saying is some of you, some of you are being disunifying 910 00:45:14,667 --> 00:45:17,583 because you're not joining in, you're not together with us, 911 00:45:17,667 --> 00:45:23,000 you're not physically present, your heart is not in it. 912 00:45:23,042 --> 00:45:27,250 And we invite you to activate the gift of unity that Jesus 913 00:45:27,333 --> 00:45:28,833 has already given you by repenting. 914 00:45:28,917 --> 00:45:31,000 Repent from your selfishness, turn to Jesus, 915 00:45:31,042 --> 00:45:33,000 come be a part of what's going on. 916 00:45:33,042 --> 00:45:34,583 It's amazing. 917 00:45:34,667 --> 00:45:36,875 It's a preview of what heaven will be like. 918 00:45:36,958 --> 00:45:39,167 Not perfectly yet, but we're progressing towards that. 919 00:45:39,208 --> 00:45:41,667 But that's the essence of what Jesus prayed for. 920 00:45:41,750 --> 00:45:44,000 And you, in the power of the Holy Spirit, 921 00:45:44,042 --> 00:45:47,083 have an opportunity to fulfill the prayer of Jesus. 922 00:45:47,167 --> 00:45:49,667 How cool is that? 923 00:45:49,750 --> 00:45:55,167 Now, non-Christians, this message is really for you today. 924 00:45:55,250 --> 00:45:57,917 Some of you are looking at it and saying, "You know, 925 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:00,375 there's a lot of messiness in the Christian church." 926 00:46:00,458 --> 00:46:04,792 You're right, but there's purpose and unity, 927 00:46:04,833 --> 00:46:07,000 and Jesus alludes to it. 928 00:46:07,042 --> 00:46:09,167 Let me show you something from the first verses 929 00:46:09,250 --> 00:46:10,667 that we looked at today. 930 00:46:10,750 --> 00:46:14,000 Always pay attention to small words when you study the Bible. 931 00:46:14,042 --> 00:46:16,000 And whenever you see these two words together, 932 00:46:16,042 --> 00:46:18,750 the word "so" combined with the word "that," that gives you 933 00:46:18,833 --> 00:46:20,167 an indication of purpose. 934 00:46:20,208 --> 00:46:23,958 I want you to see why unity is so important to Jesus. 935 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:25,583 He says it a couple times. 936 00:46:25,667 --> 00:46:28,792 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will 937 00:46:28,833 --> 00:46:31,792 "believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, 938 00:46:31,833 --> 00:46:34,542 "just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, 939 00:46:34,625 --> 00:46:37,167 that they may also be in us," 940 00:46:37,208 --> 00:46:38,792 "so that—" 941 00:46:38,833 --> 00:46:41,250 Purpose statement. Here's why. 942 00:46:41,333 --> 00:46:42,958 Here's the purpose according to Jesus' heart. 943 00:46:43,000 --> 00:46:45,167 "The world may believe that you have sent me." 944 00:46:45,208 --> 00:46:46,667 Let me show you another example. 945 00:46:46,708 --> 00:46:48,375 Let's go on to the next slide. 946 00:46:48,458 --> 00:46:51,292 "The glory that you have given me I have given to them, 947 00:46:51,333 --> 00:46:53,750 "that they may be one even as we are one, 948 00:46:53,833 --> 00:46:56,875 "I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, 949 00:46:56,958 --> 00:47:00,250 so that," it's the purpose, here's the motive, 950 00:47:00,333 --> 00:47:04,042 "the world may know that you sent me and loved them 951 00:47:04,125 --> 00:47:10,167 even as you loved me." 952 00:47:10,250 --> 00:47:14,167 Non-Christian, listen to me. 953 00:47:14,250 --> 00:47:17,167 My hope is when you look at the church, 954 00:47:17,250 --> 00:47:20,083 and it's far from perfect, but my hope is that you would 955 00:47:20,167 --> 00:47:23,750 at least see present the unity that Jesus has gifted 956 00:47:23,833 --> 00:47:25,875 his church with. 957 00:47:25,958 --> 00:47:28,542 And that you would draw the conclusion that Jesus wants you 958 00:47:28,625 --> 00:47:30,375 to when you look upon his church. 959 00:47:30,458 --> 00:47:32,375 You would look at this thing called church, 960 00:47:32,458 --> 00:47:35,583 and you would say, "I don't know entirely what to make of it, 961 00:47:35,667 --> 00:47:37,875 "but this much I know, there's a missionary God 962 00:47:37,958 --> 00:47:39,292 "and his name is Jesus. 963 00:47:39,333 --> 00:47:41,792 "He was sent into the world on a rescue mission 964 00:47:41,833 --> 00:47:43,333 "and he has rescued some people. 965 00:47:43,417 --> 00:47:45,000 "And those people that he rescued, 966 00:47:45,042 --> 00:47:46,375 "he loves them really well. 967 00:47:46,458 --> 00:47:48,167 "Because I've watched the way they interact, 968 00:47:48,208 --> 00:47:51,792 "and as they do so, they communicate in word and in deed 969 00:47:51,833 --> 00:47:56,500 that Jesus has come into the world." 970 00:47:56,542 --> 00:48:02,875 Saw a great example of it just this past week. 971 00:48:02,958 --> 00:48:05,875 Earlier this summer we had our first ever church-wide 972 00:48:05,958 --> 00:48:09,042 Mars Hill Youth Camp in Malibu, Canada. 973 00:48:09,125 --> 00:48:12,500 And a lot of our churches sent their students on the trip, 974 00:48:12,542 --> 00:48:14,500 particularly those in the Puget Sound area here 975 00:48:14,542 --> 00:48:15,958 in the Northwest. 976 00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:17,542 A great week of camp. 977 00:48:17,625 --> 00:48:20,042 I believe over 240 kids attended. 978 00:48:20,125 --> 00:48:23,667 And out of those 243, about 83, 84 met Jesus. 979 00:48:23,750 --> 00:48:27,000 So one out of three of the youth that went on this trip 980 00:48:27,042 --> 00:48:29,375 had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. 981 00:48:29,458 --> 00:48:32,000 It's exciting, isn't it? 982 00:48:32,042 --> 00:48:37,292 [applauding] 983 00:48:37,333 --> 00:48:41,458 And every good camp has to have a really killer reunion service, 984 00:48:41,500 --> 00:48:42,875 right? 985 00:48:42,958 --> 00:48:45,083 Everybody gets together, it's been a week since they've 986 00:48:45,167 --> 00:48:47,083 seen each other, everybody brings family and friends, 987 00:48:47,167 --> 00:48:48,500 and people all come together. 988 00:48:48,542 --> 00:48:50,750 Well, that's exactly what happened this past week. 989 00:48:50,833 --> 00:48:54,250 And I'll never forget the feeling as I walked in the room, 990 00:48:54,333 --> 00:48:57,667 I came in a little bit late, and I saw what was going on. 991 00:48:57,708 --> 00:48:59,625 It was the most diverse gathering of youth 992 00:48:59,667 --> 00:49:01,667 I've ever seen in my life. 993 00:49:01,750 --> 00:49:03,792 You had kids from very urban context; 994 00:49:03,833 --> 00:49:07,042 you had kids from very suburban, almost rural context. 995 00:49:07,125 --> 00:49:09,333 There were kids of all different races, 996 00:49:09,417 --> 00:49:11,833 all different ethnic backgrounds, 997 00:49:11,917 --> 00:49:16,375 even different languages I heard being spoken. 998 00:49:16,458 --> 00:49:18,750 Kids from different socioeconomic statuses, 999 00:49:18,833 --> 00:49:21,583 very wealthy kids, and prosperous kids; 1000 00:49:21,667 --> 00:49:23,167 and very poor kids. 1001 00:49:23,250 --> 00:49:25,042 Kids that came here with intact families, 1002 00:49:25,125 --> 00:49:29,042 kids that came here without any family at all. 1003 00:49:29,125 --> 00:49:31,833 And what was amazing was watching the evening transpire, 1004 00:49:31,917 --> 00:49:33,792 because two things were going on. 1005 00:49:33,833 --> 00:49:36,750 One, they were loving and worshiping Jesus. 1006 00:49:36,833 --> 00:49:38,542 They were praising Jesus. 1007 00:49:38,625 --> 00:49:40,875 They were singing songs loud, they were clapping hard, 1008 00:49:40,958 --> 00:49:42,542 they were raising their hands high. 1009 00:49:42,625 --> 00:49:44,292 They were worshiping Jesus. 1010 00:49:44,333 --> 00:49:47,042 And these kids that in any other context would never come 1011 00:49:47,125 --> 00:49:48,833 together, young women and young men, 1012 00:49:48,917 --> 00:49:52,667 who wouldn't cross paths in any other context, were loving, 1013 00:49:52,750 --> 00:49:57,583 and caring, and serving people. 1014 00:49:57,667 --> 00:50:00,000 It was an absolutely sociological myth buster. 1015 00:50:00,042 --> 00:50:03,167 It was that type of night. 1016 00:50:03,250 --> 00:50:06,542 And as I watched that transpire with this text 1017 00:50:06,625 --> 00:50:08,875 in the back of my mind, I thought, 1018 00:50:08,958 --> 00:50:11,000 "This is what Jesus prayed for. 1019 00:50:11,042 --> 00:50:12,667 "Jesus, your prayer is answered. 1020 00:50:12,750 --> 00:50:14,167 This is what's happening." 1021 00:50:14,250 --> 00:50:17,250 And I began to pray that in through the doors would walk 1022 00:50:17,333 --> 00:50:18,875 the most hardened person against Jesus, 1023 00:50:18,958 --> 00:50:20,875 or the most indifferent person towards Jesus, 1024 00:50:20,958 --> 00:50:23,875 and that they would look at this room of people that don't 1025 00:50:23,958 --> 00:50:25,583 really belong together in any way whatsoever, 1026 00:50:25,667 --> 00:50:28,292 that they don't come together in any other context in all 1027 00:50:28,333 --> 00:50:31,000 society, would come together and they would make the observation 1028 00:50:31,042 --> 00:50:32,667 that Jesus would have them make. 1029 00:50:32,750 --> 00:50:36,250 Namely, that Jesus has come into the world to save sinners. 1030 00:50:36,333 --> 00:50:41,958 And he loves those he saves very well. 1031 00:50:43,542 --> 00:50:46,667 Non-Christian, do you see that? 1032 00:50:46,750 --> 00:50:49,167 Not perfect, I get it. 1033 00:50:49,208 --> 00:50:52,167 But do you see present the unity that Jesus 1034 00:50:52,250 --> 00:50:54,375 gifted the church with? 1035 00:50:54,458 --> 00:50:57,083 If you do, then you have a decision to make. 1036 00:50:57,167 --> 00:51:00,500 Either you're going to receive Jesus, 1037 00:51:00,542 --> 00:51:04,458 and receive the forgiveness that he offers you for free. 1038 00:51:04,500 --> 00:51:06,583 You'll receive the forgiveness that's yours. 1039 00:51:06,667 --> 00:51:08,542 That Jesus has done all the work, 1040 00:51:08,625 --> 00:51:10,083 and you'll turn from your rebellion, 1041 00:51:10,167 --> 00:51:11,667 and you'll turn from your independence, 1042 00:51:11,750 --> 00:51:13,500 and you'll trust entirely in Jesus, 1043 00:51:13,542 --> 00:51:16,500 that he's willing and he's able to forgive you and free you, 1044 00:51:16,542 --> 00:51:18,542 that you might become a worshiper of Jesus. 1045 00:51:18,625 --> 00:51:21,667 Would you do that now? 1046 00:51:21,708 --> 00:51:25,458 Would you do that now? 1047 00:51:25,500 --> 00:51:29,167 Church, do you see how important our unity is? 1048 00:51:29,250 --> 00:51:31,375 Do you see the amazing gift that it is? 1049 00:51:31,458 --> 00:51:34,083 Do you see the purpose in it? 1050 00:51:34,167 --> 00:51:37,042 That when we experience the unity that Jesus gives his church, 1051 00:51:37,125 --> 00:51:39,792 we make a statement to the world that's looking on. 1052 00:51:39,833 --> 00:51:42,667 You see, Jesus loves his church. 1053 00:51:42,750 --> 00:51:45,875 Jesus unifies his church. 1054 00:51:45,958 --> 00:51:48,292 Church, how are we going to respond? 1055 00:51:48,333 --> 00:51:50,167 Let's pray. 1056 00:51:50,250 --> 00:51:53,667 Jesus, thank you that you've come into the world to seek 1057 00:51:53,750 --> 00:51:55,583 and save those who are lost. 1058 00:51:55,667 --> 00:51:58,333 Thank you that you've come into the world to make God 1059 00:51:58,375 --> 00:52:02,875 known to us. 1060 00:52:02,958 --> 00:52:06,792 Jesus, I pray that we would turn from the sin that keeps us 1061 00:52:06,833 --> 00:52:09,583 from enjoying the unity that you've gifted us with. 1062 00:52:09,667 --> 00:52:13,000 And we would trust in you to not only forgive us of that sin, 1063 00:52:13,042 --> 00:52:16,500 but to free us to live in unity. 1064 00:52:16,542 --> 00:52:18,542 I pray that people wouldn't leave here today 1065 00:52:18,625 --> 00:52:20,083 with false guilt, 1066 00:52:20,167 --> 00:52:22,583 but instead that they would experience the forgiveness 1067 00:52:22,667 --> 00:52:24,958 and they would boldly step actively into the church 1068 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:28,375 that you love and be members. 1069 00:52:28,458 --> 00:52:31,167 Holy Spirit, I pray that you would work on the hearts 1070 00:52:31,208 --> 00:52:32,542 that don't yet know Jesus. 1071 00:52:32,625 --> 00:52:36,542 That they would see in the pages of Scripture, 1072 00:52:36,625 --> 00:52:39,000 and that they would see in the lives of those 1073 00:52:39,042 --> 00:52:41,458 around them, that Jesus indeed is a missionary God 1074 00:52:41,500 --> 00:52:43,792 who's come into the world to save sinners, 1075 00:52:43,833 --> 00:52:45,667 and he loves those sinners deeply. 1076 00:52:45,750 --> 00:52:50,125 All this we pray in Jesus' good name, amen.