1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,875 2 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:09,667 [music] 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,333 How many people in the world of religion take it 4 00:00:17,375 --> 00:00:19,250 too seriously? Is that part of the problem? 5 00:00:19,333 --> 00:00:21,000 I think we should take Jesus seriously, 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:22,500 we should take the Bible seriously, 7 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:24,375 probably shouldn't take ourselves nearly as seriously. 8 00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:25,875 And that's how I approach it. 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,042 Do you think you're a tolerant kind of guy? 10 00:00:28,167 --> 00:00:29,833 I love people very much, and it's-- 11 00:00:29,833 --> 00:00:31,208 That's not the same thing. 12 00:00:31,333 --> 00:00:32,917 Well, it's how do you disagree sometimes 13 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:34,333 with people that you love? 14 00:00:34,375 --> 00:00:36,708 That's a very difficult issue for everybody, 15 00:00:36,833 --> 00:00:38,417 but for a pastor in particular, because-- 16 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:39,917 Because you preach tolerance. 17 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,917 I preach that we should love our neighbor, 18 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,333 that we should accept-- 19 00:00:43,375 --> 00:00:44,708 But tolerance, tolerance in particular. 20 00:00:44,833 --> 00:00:47,208 You keep hammering it, what do you mean by tolerance? 21 00:00:47,333 --> 00:00:49,708 Tolerating people who may have a lifestyle or a belief 22 00:00:49,833 --> 00:00:51,167 that you don't agree with. 23 00:00:51,167 --> 00:00:52,542 Yeah, we have to. 24 00:00:52,667 --> 00:00:55,167 When Jesus says, "Love your neighbor," you know, 25 00:00:55,167 --> 00:00:57,833 he knows you're not going to agree with all your neighbors, 26 00:00:57,875 --> 00:01:00,875 but he wants you to love them, to seek good for them, 27 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:02,333 to care for them. 28 00:01:02,333 --> 00:01:05,042 What do you make of the whole Kirk Cameron scandal, 29 00:01:05,167 --> 00:01:07,750 as it's become, where he, you know, for 15 minutes here, 30 00:01:07,833 --> 00:01:09,583 he sat here espousing what I think 31 00:01:09,667 --> 00:01:12,500 he thought were perfectly normal Christian views. 32 00:01:12,542 --> 00:01:15,875 But he did it in a way that people saw as really very bigoted 33 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,208 toward gays. 34 00:01:17,333 --> 00:01:18,750 What did you think of that? 35 00:01:18,833 --> 00:01:21,500 To be honest with you, I haven't seen the whole thing. 36 00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:22,833 You know what he said. 37 00:01:22,833 --> 00:01:25,000 I saw some of the Twitter, and you know, 38 00:01:25,042 --> 00:01:27,208 some of blogging and stuff, but that's not always 39 00:01:27,333 --> 00:01:29,708 the best snapshot of the full context of the conversation. 40 00:01:29,833 --> 00:01:32,083 So I don't know, to be honest with you. 41 00:01:32,167 --> 00:01:34,333 Okay, do you think that homosexuality is a sin? 42 00:01:34,333 --> 00:01:36,375 The Bible says on six occasions-- 43 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:37,875 What do you think? 44 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,333 I believe that all sex outside of heterosexual marriage, 45 00:01:40,375 --> 00:01:42,708 so me as a teenager having sex before marriage, 46 00:01:42,833 --> 00:01:44,208 that was wrong. 47 00:01:44,333 --> 00:01:45,833 People looking at pornography is wrong. 48 00:01:45,875 --> 00:01:47,542 Single people having sex is wrong. 49 00:01:47,667 --> 00:01:48,917 Homosexuality is wrong. 50 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,167 So there's a long list of things that the Bible says is wrong. 51 00:01:52,167 --> 00:01:54,417 But given eight states in America now have legalized 52 00:01:54,500 --> 00:01:55,833 gay marriage, that's fine, right? 53 00:01:55,875 --> 00:01:57,583 Well no, I mean, it's amazing because 54 00:01:57,667 --> 00:01:59,000 there were anti-sodomy laws 55 00:01:59,042 --> 00:02:00,875 and anti-fornication laws on the books 56 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,083 just a few generations ago. 57 00:02:03,167 --> 00:02:04,583 But no one's taking much account 58 00:02:04,667 --> 00:02:06,000 of the anti-fornication laws. 59 00:02:06,042 --> 00:02:09,000 Yeah, I don't want to be the one to enforce those laws, 60 00:02:09,042 --> 00:02:10,375 or go around-- 61 00:02:10,500 --> 00:02:12,833 But my point is, the Bible is what it is. 62 00:02:12,833 --> 00:02:14,333 It's an extraordinary book-- Right. 63 00:02:14,333 --> 00:02:16,333 Which has governed people's moral and personal behaviors 64 00:02:16,333 --> 00:02:17,708 now for-- 65 00:02:17,833 --> 00:02:19,083 Thousands of years. 66 00:02:19,167 --> 00:02:20,500 However, like everything in life, 67 00:02:20,542 --> 00:02:22,708 shouldn't it be dragged kicking and screaming into each 68 00:02:22,833 --> 00:02:25,917 modern era, and be adapted, like the American Constitution. 69 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,542 Because in my view about this, it's not that I don't respect 70 00:02:29,667 --> 00:02:32,500 Christians, or Catholics, or whoever, 71 00:02:32,542 --> 00:02:36,000 who absolutely swear by every word in here, it's just, 72 00:02:36,042 --> 00:02:39,500 I just don't believe anyone who's genuinely Christian 73 00:02:39,542 --> 00:02:42,833 should be spouting bigoted opinions about sections 74 00:02:42,875 --> 00:02:45,208 of the community for their sexuality. 75 00:02:45,333 --> 00:02:47,917 Well, I think, when it comes to the Bible you've got 76 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,167 three options: take it, "I believe what it says"; 77 00:02:50,167 --> 00:02:52,167 leave it, "I don't believe what it says"; 78 00:02:52,167 --> 00:02:53,542 or change it. 79 00:02:53,667 --> 00:02:55,833 Or adapt the wording for a modern era. 80 00:02:55,875 --> 00:02:57,542 Which would be the changing of it. 81 00:02:57,667 --> 00:02:59,708 That's exactly what, for example, Thomas Jefferson did. 82 00:02:59,833 --> 00:03:01,833 He literally sat down in the White House, 83 00:03:01,833 --> 00:03:03,667 with scissors, and cut the parts out 84 00:03:03,708 --> 00:03:05,708 that he didn't feel should be in there. 85 00:03:06,542 --> 00:03:08,875 Aren't you glad you don't have my job? 86 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,375 How would you answer that question, 87 00:03:10,500 --> 00:03:13,208 "Are you a tolerant person?" 88 00:03:13,333 --> 00:03:14,667 If you're a Christian, 89 00:03:14,667 --> 00:03:16,167 you're probably getting asked that question. 90 00:03:16,208 --> 00:03:18,167 If you're a non-Christian, you're probably the one 91 00:03:18,208 --> 00:03:19,542 asking that question. 92 00:03:19,667 --> 00:03:22,208 What's the answer to that question? 93 00:03:22,333 --> 00:03:24,375 Are you a tolerant person? 94 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:28,083 Is Christianity a tolerant people? 95 00:03:28,167 --> 00:03:30,667 It's tough, isn't it. 96 00:03:30,708 --> 00:03:32,667 How many of you, your first thought is, 97 00:03:32,708 --> 00:03:34,167 "Yes, I'm very tolerant. 98 00:03:34,208 --> 00:03:38,750 "I'm open, diverse, evolved, progressive, 99 00:03:38,833 --> 00:03:42,875 loving, amazing. 100 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,708 Yes." 101 00:03:44,833 --> 00:03:47,875 How many of you say, "No, I believe the Bible. 102 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,542 "I have convictions. 103 00:03:49,667 --> 00:03:51,250 "I don't want to be a compromiser. 104 00:03:51,333 --> 00:03:53,042 "I don't want to be lukewarm. 105 00:03:53,167 --> 00:03:54,875 No, I'm not tolerant." 106 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,375 Some of you are wondering what you would say. 107 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:00,875 "Well, yeah. 108 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,250 "No. 109 00:04:02,333 --> 00:04:04,250 Depends on what you mean." 110 00:04:04,333 --> 00:04:06,375 This is a massive issue in our culture. 111 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:10,500 It's a massive issue for our church. 112 00:04:10,500 --> 00:04:14,500 What's the answer? 113 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:17,167 G. K. Chesterton said, 114 00:04:17,208 --> 00:04:22,500 "Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." 115 00:04:22,542 --> 00:04:25,500 Some would say Christians are intolerant, 116 00:04:25,542 --> 00:04:27,708 and some Christians would say that others 117 00:04:27,833 --> 00:04:30,375 are intolerant of us. 118 00:04:30,500 --> 00:04:33,667 And it fits in the framework of what we'll call 119 00:04:33,708 --> 00:04:35,542 a plausibility structure. 120 00:04:35,667 --> 00:04:37,500 There was a sociologist named Peter Berger. 121 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:41,000 He coined and popularized a term called "plausibility structure," 122 00:04:41,042 --> 00:04:43,375 and it means that there are certain assumptions, 123 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:46,833 presuppositions, presumptions in every culture that are 124 00:04:46,833 --> 00:04:50,208 so widely held that they're unquestioned. 125 00:04:50,333 --> 00:04:53,167 So, for example, if you go into an Asian cultural context, 126 00:04:53,208 --> 00:04:58,000 the thought of saving face and not experiencing shame, 127 00:04:58,042 --> 00:05:01,542 it pervades, permeates everything: 128 00:05:01,667 --> 00:05:04,375 the decisions that are made, the identities that are chosen, 129 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:06,250 the lives that are lived. 130 00:05:06,333 --> 00:05:08,375 In the western world, particularly in Europe, Canada, 131 00:05:08,500 --> 00:05:11,375 and the US, what you're looking at is 132 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:14,667 a plausibility structure of tolerance. 133 00:05:14,708 --> 00:05:18,167 And tolerance is an assumed virtue. 134 00:05:18,208 --> 00:05:22,375 And if you don't hold to an open, tolerant view, 135 00:05:22,500 --> 00:05:25,542 where you agree with, and support, and embrace 136 00:05:25,667 --> 00:05:28,708 everyone and everything, then you're bigoted. 137 00:05:28,833 --> 00:05:30,333 You heard those words. 138 00:05:30,333 --> 00:05:31,833 Narrow minded. 139 00:05:31,833 --> 00:05:33,333 You're discriminatory. 140 00:05:33,333 --> 00:05:34,708 You're prejudiced. 141 00:05:34,833 --> 00:05:36,333 You're outdated. 142 00:05:36,333 --> 00:05:37,708 You're primitive. 143 00:05:37,833 --> 00:05:39,708 You're two guys back on the evolutionary chart, 144 00:05:39,833 --> 00:05:41,083 with a sloped forehead. 145 00:05:41,167 --> 00:05:42,833 That's who you are. 146 00:05:42,833 --> 00:05:46,000 Now, as Christians, it puts us in a tough place. 147 00:05:46,042 --> 00:05:49,083 I mean, that was what I was trying to explain to Piers. 148 00:05:49,167 --> 00:05:51,333 I enjoyed my time with him, I like him, 149 00:05:51,333 --> 00:05:53,083 I didn't feel he was very tolerant, 150 00:05:53,167 --> 00:05:55,667 but that's a whole other sermon. 151 00:05:55,708 --> 00:05:58,542 I gave him a Bible, and I hope that he reads it, 152 00:05:58,667 --> 00:06:00,750 and I hope he learns more about Jesus. 153 00:06:00,833 --> 00:06:02,750 I don't know where he's at with Jesus, 154 00:06:02,833 --> 00:06:04,750 but I pray he'd come to know Jesus. 155 00:06:04,833 --> 00:06:08,250 And that was part of my hope and prayer in giving him a Bible. 156 00:06:08,333 --> 00:06:11,250 But how do we answer that question, and where do we go, 157 00:06:11,333 --> 00:06:12,750 and where do we start? 158 00:06:12,833 --> 00:06:15,000 Interesting, we're going to go today to the Scriptures. 159 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:16,375 How about that? 160 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:18,167 We're going to go to Revelation 2. 161 00:06:18,208 --> 00:06:20,167 We're going to go to verses 18-29. 162 00:06:20,167 --> 00:06:22,667 We're going to look at "Progressive in Thyatira: 163 00:06:22,708 --> 00:06:25,042 A church that was more tolerant than God." 164 00:06:25,167 --> 00:06:30,333 We're going to look at a 2,000ish-year-old letter, 165 00:06:30,333 --> 00:06:35,083 where Jesus writes, through John, a letter to a church. 166 00:06:35,167 --> 00:06:37,542 And this is going to blow your mind, 167 00:06:37,667 --> 00:06:41,750 he rebukes them for being tolerant. 168 00:06:41,833 --> 00:06:45,708 Let's just read it. 169 00:06:45,833 --> 00:06:48,375 "And to the angel," that's the spiritual leader, 170 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:50,833 "of the church at Thyatira write: 171 00:06:50,833 --> 00:06:52,583 'The words of the Son of God,'" 172 00:06:52,667 --> 00:06:54,083 so here's Jesus, 173 00:06:54,167 --> 00:06:56,250 "'who has eyes like a flame of fire, 174 00:06:56,333 --> 00:06:59,583 "'and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 175 00:06:59,667 --> 00:07:01,750 "'I know your works, your love and faith 176 00:07:01,833 --> 00:07:03,542 "'and service and patient endurance, 177 00:07:03,667 --> 00:07:06,542 and that your latter works exceed the first.'" 178 00:07:06,667 --> 00:07:08,000 Here we go. 179 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,667 "But--" didn't take long to get there did it? 180 00:07:10,667 --> 00:07:14,000 Hey, congratulations, but-- 181 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,167 "I have this against you, that you," what? 182 00:07:18,208 --> 00:07:19,875 What's the word? 183 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:21,667 There it is. 184 00:07:21,667 --> 00:07:25,333 I'm not the mail writer, I'm the mail deliverer. 185 00:07:25,333 --> 00:07:29,208 I didn't write this letter, my job is just to deliver it. 186 00:07:29,333 --> 00:07:31,000 The rebuke is, "You tolerate." 187 00:07:31,042 --> 00:07:35,375 Now some of you, your mind just exploded. 188 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:37,000 "What? 189 00:07:37,042 --> 00:07:41,083 "Jesus doesn't want us to be tolerant? 190 00:07:41,167 --> 00:07:42,417 "How could that be? 191 00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:44,833 And he says, "I have this against you, 192 00:07:44,875 --> 00:07:49,542 "you tolerate that woman Jezebel, 193 00:07:49,667 --> 00:07:51,333 "who calls herself a prophetess 194 00:07:51,375 --> 00:07:54,167 and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice," 195 00:07:54,208 --> 00:07:59,167 not alternative lifestyles, but what? 196 00:07:59,208 --> 00:08:01,167 "Sexual immorality." 197 00:08:01,167 --> 00:08:03,583 Now when Satan and marketers got done with it, 198 00:08:03,667 --> 00:08:07,875 sexual immorality became alternative lifestyle, 199 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,167 because alternative lifestyle sounds like, "Oh, I don't know, 200 00:08:11,167 --> 00:08:14,333 "chicken, ham, fish, I just don't know, 201 00:08:14,375 --> 00:08:15,917 there's so many alternatives." 202 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,667 Sexual immorality has a bit more of a loaded, moral implication. 203 00:08:20,667 --> 00:08:23,042 Amen? 204 00:08:23,167 --> 00:08:26,042 So it goes from being a menu of options, 205 00:08:26,167 --> 00:08:32,583 to obedience and disobedience. 206 00:08:32,667 --> 00:08:35,417 You can see why they killed Jesus, 207 00:08:35,500 --> 00:08:39,708 and were he not in heaven saying this, they'd try again. 208 00:08:39,833 --> 00:08:43,333 "And to eat food sacrificed to idols. 209 00:08:43,333 --> 00:08:46,708 "I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent 210 00:08:46,833 --> 00:08:51,208 "of her sexual immorality. 211 00:08:51,333 --> 00:08:54,708 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed," a hospital bed. 212 00:08:54,833 --> 00:08:56,708 She's been messing around on a regular bed, 213 00:08:56,833 --> 00:08:59,208 going to end up in a hospital bed. 214 00:08:59,333 --> 00:09:00,875 "And those who commit adultery." 215 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,250 "What? 216 00:09:02,333 --> 00:09:05,083 I thought that was yet another alternative, diverse lifestyle." 217 00:09:05,167 --> 00:09:09,250 No, it's adultery. 218 00:09:09,333 --> 00:09:12,000 "With her and I will throw you into a great tribulation, 219 00:09:12,042 --> 00:09:14,833 "unless they repent of their works, 220 00:09:14,833 --> 00:09:18,375 and I will strike her children dead." 221 00:09:18,500 --> 00:09:20,333 Spiritual followers. 222 00:09:20,333 --> 00:09:23,375 "And all the churches will know that I am he who searches 223 00:09:23,500 --> 00:09:26,083 "mind and heart, and I will give to each of you 224 00:09:26,167 --> 00:09:28,833 according to your works." 225 00:09:28,833 --> 00:09:31,708 You get the impression this isn't hugs-and-muffin Jesus, 226 00:09:31,833 --> 00:09:33,542 amen? 227 00:09:33,667 --> 00:09:37,375 Like, he's just not walking around in a dress, hugging people, 228 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:40,708 throwing out Zen-like fortune cookie statements. 229 00:09:40,833 --> 00:09:42,667 You know, riding a unicorn. 230 00:09:42,708 --> 00:09:45,167 He's just not, that's not this guy. 231 00:09:45,208 --> 00:09:47,500 This is resurrected from death, ruling and reigning, 232 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:51,000 living in heaven, judging the living and the dead, 233 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,833 big Jesus. 234 00:09:53,833 --> 00:09:56,167 "But to the rest of you in Thyatira," 235 00:09:56,167 --> 00:09:59,333 the faithful Christians and the unfaithful Christian church, 236 00:09:59,375 --> 00:10:01,333 "who do not hold to this teaching, 237 00:10:01,333 --> 00:10:04,333 "who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, 238 00:10:04,333 --> 00:10:07,500 "to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 239 00:10:07,542 --> 00:10:09,417 Only hold fast to what I," to rather, 240 00:10:09,500 --> 00:10:11,667 "what you have until I come. 241 00:10:11,667 --> 00:10:14,667 "The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, 242 00:10:14,667 --> 00:10:17,167 "to him I will give authority over the nations, 243 00:10:17,167 --> 00:10:19,667 and he will rule them with a rod of iron." 244 00:10:19,667 --> 00:10:23,208 It's strong language, right? 245 00:10:23,333 --> 00:10:25,333 "As when earthen pots are broken in pieces, 246 00:10:25,375 --> 00:10:28,708 "even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 247 00:10:28,833 --> 00:10:30,833 "And I will give him the morning star. 248 00:10:30,833 --> 00:10:33,833 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says 249 00:10:33,833 --> 00:10:35,208 to the churches." 250 00:10:35,333 --> 00:10:36,917 Jesus is talking, and the questions is: 251 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:38,333 Is anyone listening? 252 00:10:38,375 --> 00:10:41,083 The Spirit is speaking through the Scriptures, 253 00:10:41,167 --> 00:10:45,167 the question is: Will we have ears to hear? 254 00:10:45,167 --> 00:10:48,042 We're going to talk about Christ and then his commendation 255 00:10:48,167 --> 00:10:51,167 of the church, and then his correction of the church. 256 00:10:51,167 --> 00:10:52,833 We'll start with Christ. 257 00:10:52,875 --> 00:10:56,542 You always, everything, have to start with Jesus. 258 00:10:56,667 --> 00:10:59,917 If you start talking about morality, politics, culture, 259 00:11:00,042 --> 00:11:03,833 lifestyle, orientation, you're going to get confused. 260 00:11:03,833 --> 00:11:05,917 Start with Jesus Christ. 261 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,708 Who is he and how is it connected to him? 262 00:11:09,833 --> 00:11:12,417 And here he is called the Son of God. 263 00:11:12,500 --> 00:11:14,375 Big title. 264 00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:18,208 The one that the Muslims just trip right over. 265 00:11:18,333 --> 00:11:20,833 Because it's saying that he is God. 266 00:11:20,833 --> 00:11:22,917 That he is equal to God the Father. 267 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,333 That he is the maker of heaven and earth. 268 00:11:25,333 --> 00:11:28,875 That he rules and reigns over all peoples, times, places, 269 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,917 cultures, preferences, and lifestyles. 270 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,833 This is big Jesus. 271 00:11:33,833 --> 00:11:35,917 This is after he died on the cross. 272 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,917 This is after he rose from the dead. 273 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,042 This is after he ascended to his throne. 274 00:11:40,167 --> 00:11:42,375 This is him speaking authoritatively. 275 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:46,708 Here's the point, the church belongs to Jesus. 276 00:11:46,833 --> 00:11:51,375 Jesus is the one who has the right to say whether you and I, 277 00:11:51,500 --> 00:11:53,375 individually and collectively, 278 00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:55,542 are being obedient or disobedient. 279 00:11:55,667 --> 00:11:59,375 Whether our belief is orthodox or it is heretical. 280 00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:03,833 We all give an account to Jesus, and the church belongs to him. 281 00:12:03,833 --> 00:12:05,375 It's Jesus' church. 282 00:12:05,500 --> 00:12:07,833 The church in Thyatira, Jesus' church. 283 00:12:07,875 --> 00:12:11,708 Mars Hill Church and all of our 14 churches, Jesus' church. 284 00:12:11,833 --> 00:12:14,208 Doesn't belong to you, doesn't belong to me, 285 00:12:14,333 --> 00:12:16,917 doesn't belong to us, doesn't matter what we think, 286 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,833 how we feel, or what we vote, it matters what he says. 287 00:12:20,875 --> 00:12:25,167 It's his church and he looks at the church and he says, 288 00:12:25,167 --> 00:12:28,375 "I want to give you commendation and correction." 289 00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:31,375 And Jesus here is typified with bronze feet. 290 00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:33,833 In Thyatira they had a lot of bronze workers. 291 00:12:33,875 --> 00:12:36,833 They would make weapons of war out of bronze. 292 00:12:36,875 --> 00:12:39,583 Showing here, Jesus is immovable, unshakeable, 293 00:12:39,667 --> 00:12:42,833 and faith in him is built on a sure foundation. 294 00:12:42,875 --> 00:12:46,167 And that his eyes are like fire, that he sees and knows all. 295 00:12:46,167 --> 00:12:49,417 Jesus doesn't just have a perspective, an ideology. 296 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:51,833 He does not have his own interpretation. 297 00:12:51,875 --> 00:12:56,667 He sees the truth, he knows the truth, he says the truth. 298 00:12:56,667 --> 00:13:00,708 And from there we proceed to hear about his commendation of, 299 00:13:00,833 --> 00:13:02,708 and correction for, the church. 300 00:13:02,833 --> 00:13:07,417 His commendation of the church is in 2:19. 301 00:13:07,500 --> 00:13:09,083 "I know your works, 302 00:13:09,167 --> 00:13:11,542 "your love and faith and service and patient endurance, 303 00:13:11,667 --> 00:13:14,042 and that your latter works exceed the first." 304 00:13:14,167 --> 00:13:16,667 Jesus says, "First of all, let's start with 305 00:13:16,667 --> 00:13:18,875 "a little encouragement. 306 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,167 "You are loving and serving, better and better, 307 00:13:22,167 --> 00:13:24,042 greater and greater." 308 00:13:24,167 --> 00:13:25,708 See, while he was on the earth, 309 00:13:25,833 --> 00:13:27,208 Jesus fed the hungry, 310 00:13:27,333 --> 00:13:29,917 he healed the sick, he cast demons out of the possessed, 311 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,542 he welcomed into friendship women, children, 312 00:13:32,667 --> 00:13:36,208 those marginalized and ostracized. 313 00:13:36,333 --> 00:13:39,708 And part of being a Christian is living by the power 314 00:13:39,833 --> 00:13:43,917 of the Holy Spirit, the lifestyle of Jesus. 315 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:48,542 We give to those in need, we serve, we love, we care. 316 00:13:48,667 --> 00:13:51,333 Jesus would look and say, "You know, the Redemption Groups, 317 00:13:51,375 --> 00:13:54,167 "for the assault victims, that's great. 318 00:13:54,208 --> 00:13:57,042 "The coat drive around the holidays to help those 319 00:13:57,167 --> 00:13:59,208 "who have nothing, that's great. 320 00:13:59,333 --> 00:14:01,917 "The canned good drive, to help feed those 321 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,833 "and stock the food banks, that's wonderful. 322 00:14:04,833 --> 00:14:07,333 "The Community Groups being unleashed into the community 323 00:14:07,375 --> 00:14:09,667 "to love their neighbors, and serve their neighbors, 324 00:14:09,667 --> 00:14:12,417 "and partner with organizations that aren't even Christian, 325 00:14:12,500 --> 00:14:14,583 "and just love and care for people 326 00:14:14,667 --> 00:14:17,042 "is awesome because people are made in the image 327 00:14:17,167 --> 00:14:18,500 and likeness of God." 328 00:14:18,542 --> 00:14:21,417 That's what Jesus did, he loved, gave, cared, served. 329 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:23,417 And Jesus says, "That's good. 330 00:14:23,500 --> 00:14:26,083 "It's increasing, keep it going, don't be discouraged, 331 00:14:26,167 --> 00:14:28,833 "don't be distracted, don't be dissuaded, 332 00:14:28,833 --> 00:14:31,333 be a giver not a taker." 333 00:14:31,375 --> 00:14:32,917 How's it going for you? 334 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,167 How's it going for us? 335 00:14:35,167 --> 00:14:38,417 Is there a generosity, a love, a humility, 336 00:14:38,500 --> 00:14:43,042 a service, a sacrifice beyond your family, beyond our church, 337 00:14:43,167 --> 00:14:46,208 for the well being of the city? 338 00:14:46,333 --> 00:14:48,333 That's the commendation. 339 00:14:48,375 --> 00:14:50,208 The correction. 340 00:14:50,333 --> 00:14:56,000 And the correction is lengthy, it's extensive, it's painful. 341 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,750 While he commends their actions, 342 00:14:58,833 --> 00:15:03,917 he corrects their doctrines. 343 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:09,417 He says it this way in 2:20-21: "But--" 344 00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:12,167 And a lot of the churches would just simply talk about, 345 00:15:12,167 --> 00:15:14,333 and a lot of Christians would simply talk about, 346 00:15:14,375 --> 00:15:16,333 "Look at all the good things we do. 347 00:15:16,375 --> 00:15:18,042 "Look at all the people we serve. 348 00:15:18,167 --> 00:15:19,833 Look at all the help we provide." 349 00:15:19,833 --> 00:15:21,333 And Jesus would say, "That's great. 350 00:15:21,333 --> 00:15:22,708 "What about your doctrine? 351 00:15:22,833 --> 00:15:24,083 "What about your theology? 352 00:15:24,167 --> 00:15:25,500 What about your beliefs?" 353 00:15:25,542 --> 00:15:26,875 "But--" 354 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,375 "Yeah, but look at all the things that we did." 355 00:15:29,500 --> 00:15:33,542 But it's not just how you behave, it's what you believe. 356 00:15:33,667 --> 00:15:38,500 "But this I have against you, that you," what? 357 00:15:38,542 --> 00:15:40,542 "Tolerate." 358 00:15:40,667 --> 00:15:42,542 So this is the issue. 359 00:15:42,667 --> 00:15:44,875 This is not just a new issue. 360 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,542 This is an ongoing issue. 361 00:15:47,667 --> 00:15:52,042 Because Satan and demons oppose Jesus and Scripture, 362 00:15:52,167 --> 00:15:55,375 and there's always a conflict. 363 00:15:55,500 --> 00:15:59,042 And the church is always being tempted to compromise. 364 00:15:59,167 --> 00:16:02,417 And even though it might be an issue that the culture is still 365 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:06,667 very much discussing, it's an issue that the church 366 00:16:06,667 --> 00:16:09,833 has been discussing, quite frankly, for 2,000 years. 367 00:16:09,833 --> 00:16:12,208 How do we retain biblical conviction 368 00:16:12,333 --> 00:16:14,583 and kingdom commitment in the midst of a culture 369 00:16:14,667 --> 00:16:19,333 that does not love Jesus or believe the Bible? 370 00:16:19,333 --> 00:16:22,500 He says, "But this I have against you, you tolerate." 371 00:16:22,542 --> 00:16:25,833 We're going to unpack that, but what does that mean? 372 00:16:25,875 --> 00:16:29,333 "You tolerate." 373 00:16:29,375 --> 00:16:31,542 "You tolerate that woman Jezebel," he says, 374 00:16:31,667 --> 00:16:33,833 "who calls herself a prophetess." 375 00:16:33,875 --> 00:16:36,083 A spiritual leader that God didn't appoint, 376 00:16:36,167 --> 00:16:38,708 but she appointed herself. 377 00:16:38,833 --> 00:16:42,000 "And is teaching and is seducing my servants 378 00:16:42,042 --> 00:16:44,167 to practice," what? 379 00:16:44,167 --> 00:16:49,375 "Sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 380 00:16:49,500 --> 00:16:52,208 "I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent 381 00:16:52,333 --> 00:16:54,167 of her sexual immorality." 382 00:16:54,208 --> 00:16:55,875 Here's the doctrinal correction. 383 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:57,667 He says, "You tolerate that woman Jezebel." 384 00:16:57,708 --> 00:17:00,042 Now, Jezebel is a type of person, 385 00:17:00,167 --> 00:17:03,042 like a Judas or like a Benedict Arnold. 386 00:17:03,167 --> 00:17:08,042 The actual woman Jezebel lived quite a bit of time prior to 387 00:17:08,167 --> 00:17:11,708 this in the Old Testament, in the days of Elijah. 388 00:17:11,833 --> 00:17:15,333 And she was a very powerful woman. 389 00:17:15,375 --> 00:17:18,167 She had political authority, she had spiritual authority, 390 00:17:18,167 --> 00:17:21,375 she had financial ability. 391 00:17:21,500 --> 00:17:25,333 And what she decided was, "I don't like the real leaders that 392 00:17:25,333 --> 00:17:29,542 "God raised up, so I'm going to persecute, put them to death. 393 00:17:29,667 --> 00:17:34,333 "Instead I have some alternative spirituality, a new religion, 394 00:17:34,375 --> 00:17:36,917 "I'm going to start a cult as an offshoot 395 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,667 "of biblical faithfulness. 396 00:17:38,667 --> 00:17:41,167 "We're going to have a new, involved, evolved, 397 00:17:41,167 --> 00:17:43,333 "enlightened, spiritual ideology. 398 00:17:43,375 --> 00:17:45,500 "It's going to be more tolerant and diverse, 399 00:17:45,542 --> 00:17:48,333 and less historical and biblical." 400 00:17:48,333 --> 00:17:52,042 So she encouraged the worship of a false god named Baal. 401 00:17:52,167 --> 00:17:54,250 So this is demonic idolatry. 402 00:17:54,333 --> 00:17:56,875 And she is powerful, but not everyone who is powerful 403 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,542 and successful is empowered by the Holy Spirit. 404 00:17:59,667 --> 00:18:01,667 You can't just look at somebody and say, 405 00:18:01,667 --> 00:18:03,667 "Look at how rich and powerful they are, 406 00:18:03,667 --> 00:18:05,167 God must be blessing them." 407 00:18:05,167 --> 00:18:08,208 No, or Satan is blessing them, and demons are empowering them 408 00:18:08,333 --> 00:18:09,833 and enabling them. 409 00:18:09,875 --> 00:18:12,208 And that was the case with Jezebel. 410 00:18:12,333 --> 00:18:14,167 So she starts her own religion, 411 00:18:14,167 --> 00:18:16,667 she starts her own Bible college, her own seminary. 412 00:18:16,667 --> 00:18:19,917 It's kind of like biblical faith, but it's kind of not, 413 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,583 and it takes Baal worship and it integrates it 414 00:18:22,667 --> 00:18:25,000 with something called syncretism. 415 00:18:25,042 --> 00:18:29,542 This is biblical belief, plus other religions, ideologies, 416 00:18:29,667 --> 00:18:31,375 and perspectives. 417 00:18:31,500 --> 00:18:33,833 What it is, is it's a compromised faith, 418 00:18:33,833 --> 00:18:36,833 it's a hyphenated faith, it's a syncretized faith, 419 00:18:36,833 --> 00:18:40,042 it's a diluted faith, it's a compromised faith. 420 00:18:40,167 --> 00:18:45,208 It's a "both/and," when Jesus says, "Either/or." 421 00:18:45,333 --> 00:18:48,875 And the result is she becomes very powerful. 422 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,583 Now there's a woman like that in the church at Thyatira 423 00:18:51,667 --> 00:18:53,167 many years later. 424 00:18:53,167 --> 00:18:55,833 We don't know if she started off as an official leader 425 00:18:55,875 --> 00:18:57,583 in the church, we don't know. 426 00:18:57,667 --> 00:18:59,833 What we do know, she's very influential, 427 00:18:59,875 --> 00:19:01,875 she's very powerful. 428 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,000 She is divisive. 429 00:19:05,042 --> 00:19:09,000 And what she's saying is, "Don't listen to the teachers. 430 00:19:09,042 --> 00:19:12,833 "They're not as evolved, they're not as enlightened, 431 00:19:12,833 --> 00:19:15,875 "they're not as advanced as we are. 432 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,375 "We have new insights, we have deep knowledge, 433 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:24,208 "we have new scholars, and new interpretations, and new books, 434 00:19:24,333 --> 00:19:28,500 "and new perspectives, and new experiences because we've 435 00:19:28,500 --> 00:19:32,500 spiritually evolved beyond some of those primitive beliefs." 436 00:19:32,542 --> 00:19:38,333 She's becoming very powerful, very influential. 437 00:19:38,333 --> 00:19:40,375 Couple things I want to say about this. 438 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:45,042 Number one, in the church usually theological problems are 439 00:19:45,167 --> 00:19:48,583 just moral problems in disguise. 440 00:19:48,667 --> 00:19:54,417 Meaning, here Jezebel is teaching things, 441 00:19:54,500 --> 00:19:57,417 but the reason that she's popular is not because her 442 00:19:57,500 --> 00:20:00,208 teaching is so biblical, 443 00:20:00,333 --> 00:20:06,083 but because it allows sexual sin. 444 00:20:06,167 --> 00:20:08,208 So this would be like in our day, 445 00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:10,708 someone becomes very popular because they say, 446 00:20:10,833 --> 00:20:13,042 "You could be a faithful Christian and a homosexual. 447 00:20:13,167 --> 00:20:15,208 "You could be a faithful Christian and an adulterer. 448 00:20:15,333 --> 00:20:17,417 "You could be a faithful Christian and a fornicator. 449 00:20:17,500 --> 00:20:19,917 "You could be a faithful Christian and a porn watcher. 450 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,167 "And you can have both, and God doesn't judge, 451 00:20:22,167 --> 00:20:24,833 "and we shouldn't judge, and we should be tolerant and diverse. 452 00:20:24,875 --> 00:20:26,833 "And Jesus loves you, and we love you. 453 00:20:26,875 --> 00:20:31,167 And who are we to judge?" 454 00:20:31,167 --> 00:20:36,333 Jesus says, "This I have against you, you tolerate that." 455 00:20:36,375 --> 00:20:40,333 Oftentimes, what I have seen pastors, preachers, 456 00:20:40,333 --> 00:20:45,042 start reducing their belief in the authority of Scripture, 457 00:20:45,167 --> 00:20:49,917 the necessity of Jesus alone for salvation, his sinless life, 458 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,750 his substitutionary death, his bodily resurrection, 459 00:20:52,833 --> 00:20:54,750 turning from sin, trusting in him, 460 00:20:54,833 --> 00:20:56,542 when I see that diminishing, 461 00:20:56,667 --> 00:20:58,042 "People aren't really going to hell. 462 00:20:58,167 --> 00:20:59,542 "Maybe we're not that bad. 463 00:20:59,667 --> 00:21:01,417 Other religions aren't that wrong." 464 00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:06,708 Almost invariably behind it is sexual sin. 465 00:21:06,833 --> 00:21:10,542 Here's the big idea: Let's not change the Word of God, 466 00:21:10,667 --> 00:21:13,833 let's allow the Word of God to change us. 467 00:21:13,875 --> 00:21:18,333 That's the difference. 468 00:21:18,333 --> 00:21:21,833 And here, what looks like a theological disagreement 469 00:21:21,875 --> 00:21:25,833 is really a moral disobedience. 470 00:21:25,875 --> 00:21:28,542 Almost invariably, when I have some pastor come up 471 00:21:28,667 --> 00:21:30,375 at a conference and argue with me, 472 00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:31,875 "I don't believe that the Bible 473 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,208 is the authoritative Word of God, dah, dah, dah." 474 00:21:34,333 --> 00:21:36,833 My question is always, "Who are you sleeping with?" 475 00:21:36,875 --> 00:21:39,417 They'll say, "What does that have to do with anything?" 476 00:21:39,500 --> 00:21:42,167 That has everything to do with it because oftentimes the issue 477 00:21:42,167 --> 00:21:45,667 is not an unconvinced mind, it's an unwilling heart. 478 00:21:45,667 --> 00:21:48,667 It's someone that says, "I don't like what it says, 479 00:21:48,667 --> 00:21:51,917 "and it's trying to change me, so I would rather change it, 480 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:56,250 so I can do what I want." 481 00:21:56,333 --> 00:22:01,208 Number two, there is a price to be paid for faithfulness 482 00:22:01,333 --> 00:22:03,167 to the God of the Bible. 483 00:22:03,167 --> 00:22:05,208 There's a price to be paid. 484 00:22:05,333 --> 00:22:08,083 In that day, in Thyatira, most of the commentators agree, 485 00:22:08,167 --> 00:22:11,042 the big issue was something called the guilds. 486 00:22:11,167 --> 00:22:13,333 And the guilds were complicated. 487 00:22:13,375 --> 00:22:16,875 It's like an extended family, like a trade union, 488 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,167 like a fraternity or sorority, like a governmental 489 00:22:20,167 --> 00:22:22,417 social service, welfare net. 490 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:24,083 It's a lot of things together. 491 00:22:24,167 --> 00:22:25,667 Like a cult or religion. 492 00:22:25,667 --> 00:22:27,542 It's all of that together. 493 00:22:27,667 --> 00:22:29,500 So here's how it generally worked, 494 00:22:29,542 --> 00:22:31,708 you would inherit the business of your father. 495 00:22:31,833 --> 00:22:34,208 So if he was a blacksmith, you were a blacksmith. 496 00:22:34,333 --> 00:22:36,875 He's a banker, you're a banker. 497 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,917 And the people who worked in various trades they had guilds, 498 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,833 where they would work together. 499 00:22:41,833 --> 00:22:44,375 So here's your blacksmith guild, and here's your bankers guild, 500 00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:46,167 just as examples. 501 00:22:46,167 --> 00:22:47,833 And you would join it. 502 00:22:47,875 --> 00:22:50,333 Now the government didn't have the social service, welfare, 503 00:22:50,375 --> 00:22:51,708 safety net. 504 00:22:51,833 --> 00:22:54,708 There weren't food stamps or support when you're hungry, 505 00:22:54,833 --> 00:22:57,375 there's not unemployment, there's not disability, 506 00:22:57,500 --> 00:22:59,250 there's not retirement. 507 00:22:59,333 --> 00:23:02,042 What you do is you pay dues into a guild, 508 00:23:02,167 --> 00:23:05,042 and then they take care of you in your time of need, 509 00:23:05,167 --> 00:23:06,542 or take care of your family. 510 00:23:06,667 --> 00:23:08,542 Maybe you have your wedding, your children's wedding 511 00:23:08,667 --> 00:23:09,917 at the guild. 512 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,667 Maybe you die and they have your funeral at the guild. 513 00:23:12,667 --> 00:23:14,375 And because it's a lot of coworkers, 514 00:23:14,500 --> 00:23:16,375 these are people that are friends of yours. 515 00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:19,375 And because many of the people working with you, or for you, 516 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:21,167 are family members, here's your aunts, uncles, 517 00:23:21,167 --> 00:23:24,667 cousins, brothers, big extended community. 518 00:23:24,667 --> 00:23:27,375 And they would get together and they would have 519 00:23:27,500 --> 00:23:29,083 a god or a goddess, 520 00:23:29,167 --> 00:23:31,208 that was representative and worshiped by them. 521 00:23:31,333 --> 00:23:34,375 Some powerful demonic spirit. 522 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:37,708 And they would get together and they would sacrifice food. 523 00:23:37,833 --> 00:23:40,667 Make sacrifices to the idols, and then eat the food 524 00:23:40,667 --> 00:23:43,917 of the animals that were sacrificed. 525 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,583 Now here's the problem. 526 00:23:45,667 --> 00:23:47,833 You become a Christian. 527 00:23:47,833 --> 00:23:51,667 You're in a guild, and all of sudden they say, 528 00:23:51,667 --> 00:23:53,042 "Hey, pay your dues." 529 00:23:53,167 --> 00:23:54,750 And you're like, "But I don't like 530 00:23:54,833 --> 00:23:56,250 where all the money is going." 531 00:23:56,333 --> 00:23:58,500 "Show up to the feast and worship the pagan, 532 00:23:58,500 --> 00:23:59,833 demonic, false god." 533 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,917 "Well, I worship Jesus, I can't do that." 534 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:03,708 "Eat the food sacrificed to the idols." 535 00:24:03,833 --> 00:24:07,208 "I can't do that because it's a worship act." 536 00:24:07,333 --> 00:24:10,042 "Oh, and by the way, after we're done eating and drinking, 537 00:24:10,167 --> 00:24:12,208 "we tend to wife swap, and sleep around, 538 00:24:12,333 --> 00:24:15,833 "and it just turns into crazy, fraternity meets Mardi Gras, 539 00:24:15,875 --> 00:24:17,708 "you know, Romans gone wild. 540 00:24:17,833 --> 00:24:21,208 It goes nuts." 541 00:24:21,333 --> 00:24:23,333 You say, "Well, I'm a Christian now. 542 00:24:23,375 --> 00:24:26,083 "I can't give money to a cause I don't believe in. 543 00:24:26,167 --> 00:24:30,083 "I can't worship a false god. I can't commit adultery. 544 00:24:30,167 --> 00:24:31,708 "What do I do? 545 00:24:31,833 --> 00:24:34,000 "Because if I tell them I'm a Christian, 546 00:24:34,042 --> 00:24:36,333 "they're going to kick me out of the guild. 547 00:24:36,375 --> 00:24:38,417 "I lose my job. I lose my income. 548 00:24:38,500 --> 00:24:41,333 "I lose my health benefits. I lose my retirement. 549 00:24:41,375 --> 00:24:43,708 "My family turns their back on me. 550 00:24:43,833 --> 00:24:46,333 "My friends reject me. 551 00:24:46,333 --> 00:24:52,500 I'm destitute, poor, and I'm cast out and exiled." 552 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:58,167 So this woman comes along and says, "You can have both. 553 00:24:58,167 --> 00:25:00,417 "You don't need to pick and choose between 554 00:25:00,500 --> 00:25:04,042 "faithfulness to Jesus, and comfort and convenience. 555 00:25:04,167 --> 00:25:09,042 You can have comfort and convenience and Christ." 556 00:25:09,167 --> 00:25:11,542 And a lot of people raise their hand and say, 557 00:25:11,667 --> 00:25:13,875 "That sounds great. 558 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,333 "So I'll worship Jesus and false demon gods. 559 00:25:16,375 --> 00:25:20,167 "I'll give money to the guild and the church. 560 00:25:20,167 --> 00:25:23,667 "I'll go to church and hear about sexual purity, 561 00:25:23,667 --> 00:25:26,667 "but then if the guild has a crazy event, you know, 562 00:25:26,667 --> 00:25:30,042 "nobody's perfect, and I might fornicate or commit adultery, 563 00:25:30,167 --> 00:25:35,083 "or at least if those who do commit adultery notify me, 564 00:25:35,167 --> 00:25:36,875 "I'm not going to tell their spouse. 565 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:41,833 Because after all, who am I to judge?" 566 00:25:41,875 --> 00:25:44,917 Dear student, your grade point average probably will go down 567 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,542 if you raise your hand for Jesus on campus. 568 00:25:48,667 --> 00:25:51,917 Dear middle manager, you may not get promoted if you 569 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,667 raise your hand for Jesus in your place of work. 570 00:25:55,708 --> 00:25:58,750 Dear senior executive, you may lose a lot of money, status, 571 00:25:58,833 --> 00:26:01,708 and power if you raise your hand for Jesus at work. 572 00:26:01,833 --> 00:26:05,167 And it doesn't mean that we are to impose our faith on others, 573 00:26:05,167 --> 00:26:07,833 but that we should propose our faith to others. 574 00:26:07,833 --> 00:26:10,917 And as we do, they will ask us, "Can't you bless this? 575 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:12,917 "Can't you participate in this? 576 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:14,417 "Can't you ignore this? 577 00:26:14,500 --> 00:26:16,917 "Can't you just cover your eyes and pretend like you 578 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:18,333 don't see this?" 579 00:26:18,375 --> 00:26:21,333 And if this answer is, "I love Jesus and I love you, 580 00:26:21,375 --> 00:26:23,333 "but the truth is I love Jesus more, 581 00:26:23,375 --> 00:26:24,833 and I need to be faithful," 582 00:26:24,875 --> 00:26:26,333 it's going to cost you money. 583 00:26:26,375 --> 00:26:28,333 It's going to cost you power, and prestige, 584 00:26:28,375 --> 00:26:29,833 and prominence, and position. 585 00:26:29,875 --> 00:26:34,333 It might cost you family members or friends. 586 00:26:34,375 --> 00:26:39,000 Number three, time doesn't heal all wounds. 587 00:26:39,042 --> 00:26:42,000 Some of you say, "Yeah, I'm in a hard place like that. 588 00:26:42,042 --> 00:26:44,333 "I understand, but I'm just waiting it out. 589 00:26:44,375 --> 00:26:46,833 I'm sure in time it's all going to get better." 590 00:26:46,875 --> 00:26:48,917 Not necessarily. 591 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,417 He says, Jesus does, "I gave her time to repent, 592 00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:55,417 but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality." 593 00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:58,542 Sometimes you can wait a long time. 594 00:26:58,667 --> 00:27:01,167 It's not going to get better. 595 00:27:01,167 --> 00:27:04,167 Your family still may not love the fact that you love Jesus. 596 00:27:04,167 --> 00:27:06,875 Your boss may not love the fact that you love Jesus. 597 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,667 Your professor may not love the fact that you love Jesus. 598 00:27:09,667 --> 00:27:12,167 The culture we live in, the city you live in, 599 00:27:12,167 --> 00:27:17,042 it may not be excited that you're excited about Jesus. 600 00:27:17,167 --> 00:27:19,667 You need to accept that. You need to own that. 601 00:27:19,667 --> 00:27:23,833 We worship a guy who got crucified. 602 00:27:23,833 --> 00:27:27,667 And those who loved and served him most faithfully, 603 00:27:27,667 --> 00:27:30,542 they followed in his footsteps. 604 00:27:30,667 --> 00:27:32,833 And I'm not saying that we want to suffer, 605 00:27:32,875 --> 00:27:35,333 we want to be opposed, we want to be persecuted, 606 00:27:35,375 --> 00:27:38,208 but I'm saying that if we're not it may be 607 00:27:38,333 --> 00:27:40,042 because number one, 608 00:27:40,167 --> 00:27:43,083 we don't talk about Jesus, or number two, we talk about him 609 00:27:43,167 --> 00:27:47,333 but we don't tell the truth. 610 00:27:49,500 --> 00:27:52,500 Number four, it's a sin for Christians to be more tolerant 611 00:27:52,500 --> 00:27:55,667 than Christ. 612 00:27:55,708 --> 00:28:00,042 He says, "But this I have against you, you tolerate." 613 00:28:00,167 --> 00:28:05,333 Some of you, some of you are more tolerant than Jesus. 614 00:28:05,333 --> 00:28:09,333 Hey, bottom line, not everybody is going to heaven. 615 00:28:09,375 --> 00:28:13,833 Bottom line, not all religions lead to the same path. 616 00:28:13,875 --> 00:28:17,333 Bottom line, not all saviors can save. 617 00:28:17,375 --> 00:28:20,083 Bottom line, not all sacred books say the same thing 618 00:28:20,167 --> 00:28:25,417 or tell the truth. 619 00:28:25,500 --> 00:28:28,667 It's hard, isn't it? 620 00:28:28,667 --> 00:28:31,333 It's really hard. 621 00:28:31,375 --> 00:28:34,375 And initially those of you who are Christians will hear, "Yes!" 622 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:36,208 And then you'll say, "Ohhh," then you'll, 623 00:28:36,333 --> 00:28:39,167 "but this is going to cost me a lot." 624 00:28:39,167 --> 00:28:45,000 And that was the exact tension that they were feeling. 625 00:28:45,042 --> 00:28:47,417 So let's talk about Christian tolerance. 626 00:28:47,500 --> 00:28:51,083 What is it? What is it not? 627 00:28:51,167 --> 00:28:52,667 Christian tolerance. 628 00:28:52,667 --> 00:28:54,333 How about legal tolerance in culture? 629 00:28:54,375 --> 00:28:57,333 Should we practice legal tolerance in culture? 630 00:28:57,333 --> 00:29:01,833 Meaning, we believe Muslims have the right to worship, 631 00:29:01,833 --> 00:29:06,000 Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Buddhists, Baha'is, atheists, 632 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,000 agnostics, they're welcome to their belief, Scientology, 633 00:29:09,042 --> 00:29:13,167 as goofy as it is, you know, it's okay. 634 00:29:13,208 --> 00:29:18,875 It's not that we agree with it, but that we'll tolerate it. 635 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,333 Should we have legal tolerance of other views, other religions, 636 00:29:22,333 --> 00:29:24,875 other ideologies, other perspectives? 637 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:26,667 Yes. 638 00:29:26,708 --> 00:29:29,500 Yes, we should, because Christianity is not a religion, 639 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:32,000 not a belief system that is imposed. 640 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,667 It's about loving Jesus Christ. 641 00:29:34,708 --> 00:29:40,833 You can't simply pass a law that says everybody love Jesus. 642 00:29:40,833 --> 00:29:43,667 It doesn't work like that. 643 00:29:43,708 --> 00:29:45,500 So we don't impose Christian faith, 644 00:29:45,542 --> 00:29:48,333 but we propose Christian faith. 645 00:29:48,333 --> 00:29:50,333 "We'd like to talk to you about Jesus. 646 00:29:50,333 --> 00:29:51,750 "He loves you. 647 00:29:51,833 --> 00:29:53,667 We want you to love him." 648 00:29:53,667 --> 00:29:58,083 So we don't think that we can in any way impose faith by making 649 00:29:58,167 --> 00:30:00,417 Christianity the legal religion, 650 00:30:00,500 --> 00:30:03,417 and then making other beliefs illegal. 651 00:30:03,500 --> 00:30:05,000 So if somebody comes along saying, 652 00:30:05,042 --> 00:30:06,333 "Do you tolerate other religions?" 653 00:30:06,375 --> 00:30:08,333 Say, "I defend the right of religions, 654 00:30:08,333 --> 00:30:10,500 "ideologies, spiritualities, and perspectives 655 00:30:10,542 --> 00:30:12,167 "that I disagree with because 656 00:30:12,167 --> 00:30:14,375 "I believe in a marketplace of ideas, 657 00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:16,083 "you throw Christianity in the mix, 658 00:30:16,167 --> 00:30:17,833 "and the truth always wins, 659 00:30:17,875 --> 00:30:20,167 "and it is the one that will prevail. 660 00:30:20,167 --> 00:30:22,542 "But I'm not afraid of other beliefs. 661 00:30:22,667 --> 00:30:28,542 And I'm not going to make illegal other beliefs." 662 00:30:28,667 --> 00:30:31,833 So yes, we will tolerate, and we do tolerate. 663 00:30:31,833 --> 00:30:34,000 Number two, how about social tolerance in community, 664 00:30:34,042 --> 00:30:37,000 meaning you have a family member that disagrees with you, 665 00:30:37,042 --> 00:30:39,042 you have a friend that disagrees with you, 666 00:30:39,167 --> 00:30:41,000 you have a coworker or a neighbor 667 00:30:41,042 --> 00:30:42,708 that disagrees with you. 668 00:30:42,833 --> 00:30:45,333 They hold to another religion, spirituality, ideology. 669 00:30:45,375 --> 00:30:47,042 They're an atheist, they're an agnostic, 670 00:30:47,167 --> 00:30:49,083 they're something else. 671 00:30:49,167 --> 00:30:52,333 Should we tolerate them socially and personally? 672 00:30:52,375 --> 00:30:54,167 Totally. 673 00:30:54,167 --> 00:30:56,167 That's what I was getting into with Piers. 674 00:30:56,167 --> 00:30:57,917 Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. 675 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,375 He doesn't say agree with them. 676 00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:02,708 They don't agree with us. 677 00:31:02,833 --> 00:31:08,708 They're very intolerant of our intolerance. 678 00:31:08,833 --> 00:31:14,208 But yes, you should love, serve, be good friends with, 679 00:31:14,333 --> 00:31:17,542 neighbors to people of other beliefs, and ideologies, 680 00:31:17,667 --> 00:31:19,708 and religions, and perspectives. 681 00:31:19,833 --> 00:31:21,833 Absolutely, because Jesus says, "Love your neighbor." 682 00:31:21,833 --> 00:31:23,917 The Bible says, "God loves the whole world. 683 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:26,333 People are made in his image and likeness." 684 00:31:26,333 --> 00:31:28,542 And we want to love people and serve people. 685 00:31:28,667 --> 00:31:30,833 So yes, we should practice social tolerance 686 00:31:30,875 --> 00:31:32,375 in our community. 687 00:31:32,500 --> 00:31:34,333 Number three, how about theological tolerance 688 00:31:34,375 --> 00:31:35,833 in the church. 689 00:31:35,875 --> 00:31:38,042 And I'm talking here, within the bookends of orthodoxy. 690 00:31:38,167 --> 00:31:39,417 Yeah. 691 00:31:39,500 --> 00:31:42,667 So in Mars Hill Church there are some who believe in the rapture 692 00:31:42,667 --> 00:31:44,042 and some who don't. 693 00:31:44,167 --> 00:31:45,417 Speak in tongues and don't. 694 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:46,917 And, you know, some who homeschool, 695 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:49,417 and some who private school, and some who public school. 696 00:31:49,500 --> 00:31:52,208 And, you know, there's all kinds of secondary issues, that, yeah, 697 00:31:52,333 --> 00:31:53,667 we just tolerate a little difference. 698 00:31:53,708 --> 00:31:55,042 We could talk about it, 699 00:31:55,167 --> 00:31:57,250 but we're not going to declare war over it. 700 00:31:57,333 --> 00:31:59,750 These are distinctions, they're not divisions. 701 00:31:59,833 --> 00:32:02,167 Get the difference? 702 00:32:02,167 --> 00:32:05,542 And so, yeah, they're members of our family, our church family. 703 00:32:05,667 --> 00:32:07,708 You say, "Well, I disagree. Let's talk about that." 704 00:32:07,833 --> 00:32:10,333 But ultimately, we're not going to file for relational, 705 00:32:10,333 --> 00:32:13,375 friendship divorce over this issue. 706 00:32:13,500 --> 00:32:15,208 You tolerate me, I'll tolerate you. 707 00:32:15,333 --> 00:32:18,667 We disagree on a couple things, but we agree that we love Jesus, 708 00:32:18,667 --> 00:32:20,667 and we're family. 709 00:32:20,667 --> 00:32:22,667 There has to be that in the church, 710 00:32:22,667 --> 00:32:27,417 otherwise the church becomes a very, a very narrow group. 711 00:32:27,500 --> 00:32:30,208 We want to invite all of God's people to come in. 712 00:32:30,333 --> 00:32:32,208 And you're all coming in from different places 713 00:32:32,333 --> 00:32:33,583 and perspectives. 714 00:32:33,667 --> 00:32:35,333 Even those of you who are Christians, 715 00:32:35,375 --> 00:32:37,833 you're going to study, and learn, and change, and grow. 716 00:32:37,875 --> 00:32:39,542 And Lord knows I have and am. 717 00:32:39,667 --> 00:32:42,042 We need to be that kind of community that loves, 718 00:32:42,167 --> 00:32:44,500 and serves, and tolerates, and brings along fellow brothers 719 00:32:44,542 --> 00:32:47,167 and sisters, and reconsiders ideas, 720 00:32:47,167 --> 00:32:50,208 and learns to live together peaceably. 721 00:32:50,333 --> 00:32:52,375 Absolutely. 722 00:32:52,500 --> 00:32:54,375 How about beyond our local church 723 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:57,042 partnering with other churches? 724 00:32:57,167 --> 00:32:58,875 Should we tolerate other churches? 725 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:00,708 Yeah. 726 00:33:00,833 --> 00:33:04,042 They may disagree with us on certain secondary issues. 727 00:33:04,167 --> 00:33:05,417 Our church has male pastors, 728 00:33:05,500 --> 00:33:07,333 their church may have women pastors. 729 00:33:07,375 --> 00:33:09,708 But they really do love Jesus, believe the Bible, 730 00:33:09,833 --> 00:33:12,708 they are family, we'll be with them in the kingdom of God. 731 00:33:12,833 --> 00:33:15,875 So, yeah, we need to be friendly and, for the sake of evangelism, 732 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:17,375 partner that people might meet Jesus. 733 00:33:17,500 --> 00:33:19,875 And lovingly have a discussion about some of the things 734 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:21,708 we disagree about. 735 00:33:21,833 --> 00:33:24,208 But that's not war. 736 00:33:24,333 --> 00:33:28,708 This is just dialogue between brothers and sisters. 737 00:33:28,833 --> 00:33:32,208 Number four, how about heretical tolerance in the church? 738 00:33:32,333 --> 00:33:34,208 See, there are certain beliefs that are 739 00:33:34,333 --> 00:33:36,583 national borders, others that are state borders. 740 00:33:36,667 --> 00:33:38,333 The Bible is God's Word. 741 00:33:38,375 --> 00:33:40,417 Jesus is God's Son. 742 00:33:40,500 --> 00:33:43,333 Jesus lived without sin, died on the cross in our place, 743 00:33:43,375 --> 00:33:45,833 rose as our Savior. 744 00:33:45,833 --> 00:33:48,333 The Bible is the Word of God, right? 745 00:33:48,375 --> 00:33:51,042 Those kinds of things, national boundary. 746 00:33:51,167 --> 00:33:54,375 State boundaries, you Baptist, you Lutheran, you Presbyterian, 747 00:33:54,500 --> 00:33:56,542 you Assemblies of God, you Four Square, 748 00:33:56,667 --> 00:33:59,667 you Reformed, you Arminian? Where you at? 749 00:33:59,708 --> 00:34:02,333 State borders. 750 00:34:02,375 --> 00:34:04,833 State borders. 751 00:34:04,833 --> 00:34:07,833 We should get along across the state borders, 752 00:34:07,875 --> 00:34:11,042 but we still have to protect the national borders. 753 00:34:11,167 --> 00:34:15,333 So somebody comes along, and they're teaching heresy. 754 00:34:15,333 --> 00:34:16,917 They're claiming to be a Christian, 755 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:18,417 we're not talking about Christians, 756 00:34:18,500 --> 00:34:19,917 they're claiming to be Christians, 757 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:21,917 and they're doing what this woman is doing. 758 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,333 Teaching false doctrine, encouraging false thinking 759 00:34:25,333 --> 00:34:27,042 and behaving. 760 00:34:27,167 --> 00:34:28,667 Say, "No, we don't tolerate that." 761 00:34:28,667 --> 00:34:30,167 Because here's what the Bible says, 762 00:34:30,167 --> 00:34:32,583 "Sheep, shepherds, wolves." 763 00:34:32,667 --> 00:34:34,667 The people are like sheep. 764 00:34:34,667 --> 00:34:36,708 The pastors are to be shepherds. 765 00:34:36,833 --> 00:34:39,083 Jesus is the chief shepherd. 766 00:34:39,167 --> 00:34:41,917 And Satan sends in wolves. 767 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:46,417 Spiritual leaders, powerful, influential, 768 00:34:46,500 --> 00:34:52,375 winsome, and evil. 769 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:55,667 And so, in the name of tolerance, 770 00:34:55,708 --> 00:34:59,542 it would be very unloving, see this is my heart for you 771 00:34:59,667 --> 00:35:06,000 as your pastor, I love, I love this church. 772 00:35:06,042 --> 00:35:09,667 Given 15 years of my life to this church. 773 00:35:09,667 --> 00:35:12,375 And some will say, "Boy, man, he gets a little frustrated 774 00:35:12,500 --> 00:35:13,833 right there." 775 00:35:13,833 --> 00:35:17,542 Yeah, shepherds tend to get fired up with wolves. 776 00:35:17,667 --> 00:35:23,708 Right, when there's wolves, shepherds, they wake up, 777 00:35:23,833 --> 00:35:29,208 they stand up, they step up, because they love the sheep. 778 00:35:29,333 --> 00:35:30,708 "No, you can't teach that here. 779 00:35:30,833 --> 00:35:32,542 "You can't promote that. That's not biblical. 780 00:35:32,667 --> 00:35:34,875 "That's not right. You can't just use these people. 781 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:39,708 You can't just lead them astray. They answer is no." 782 00:35:39,833 --> 00:35:43,208 Do we allow wolves? 783 00:35:43,333 --> 00:35:45,208 No. 784 00:35:45,333 --> 00:35:46,708 Again, non-Christians aren't wolves. 785 00:35:46,833 --> 00:35:49,208 What we're talking about is those who say they're Christians, 786 00:35:49,333 --> 00:35:52,500 and then lead people away from Christianity. 787 00:35:52,500 --> 00:35:55,667 That's exactly what's going on at Thyatira. 788 00:35:55,708 --> 00:35:58,208 He says, "But this I hold against you. 789 00:35:58,333 --> 00:36:00,208 "Not only are you good at hugging, 790 00:36:00,333 --> 00:36:05,333 "but you're good at hugging wolves. 791 00:36:05,333 --> 00:36:09,042 Keep hugging, but stop hugging wolves." 792 00:36:09,167 --> 00:36:11,417 Anytime a shepherd allows wolves, 793 00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:15,042 they really don't love the sheep. 794 00:36:15,167 --> 00:36:18,583 They really don't love the sheep. 795 00:36:18,667 --> 00:36:21,667 So, yes, there are doctrinal distinctives at Mars Hill. 796 00:36:21,667 --> 00:36:24,208 Yes, we have a full doctrine membership class. 797 00:36:24,333 --> 00:36:26,333 Yes, I wrote a systematic theology. 798 00:36:26,375 --> 00:36:28,208 Yes, we teach the Bible. 799 00:36:28,333 --> 00:36:30,083 We're not ashamed of the gospel. 800 00:36:30,167 --> 00:36:31,917 We're not ashamed of what we believe. 801 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:33,917 We're not going to hide anything from you. 802 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:37,083 We just put it all out there because we're not trying to lie 803 00:36:37,167 --> 00:36:39,083 to you, or bait-and-switch you, or con you. 804 00:36:39,167 --> 00:36:42,333 We just want to tell the truth and let the Holy Spirit do 805 00:36:42,333 --> 00:36:44,042 a work in your heart and mind, 806 00:36:44,167 --> 00:36:46,542 to see if you would come to agree with us 807 00:36:46,667 --> 00:36:47,917 on what the Bible says. 808 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,167 And if you love Jesus, and disagree with us, 809 00:36:50,167 --> 00:36:52,167 maybe you could even teach us some things, 810 00:36:52,167 --> 00:36:53,667 so we could be more faithful. 811 00:36:53,667 --> 00:36:56,667 But at the end of the day, yes, we believe what Christians 812 00:36:56,667 --> 00:36:58,042 have believed for 2,000 years. 813 00:36:58,167 --> 00:36:59,833 We believe what the Bible has written 814 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:01,708 from the beginning to the end. 815 00:37:01,833 --> 00:37:04,000 We do love Jesus. 816 00:37:04,042 --> 00:37:06,375 We have deep convictions. 817 00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:09,917 Among them are to love our neighbors, to love our enemies, 818 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,208 to love our brothers and sisters, 819 00:37:12,333 --> 00:37:17,542 but above all else to love Jesus and to be faithful to him. 820 00:37:17,667 --> 00:37:19,917 And though people might be offended, 821 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:24,667 our primary hope is not to offend him. 822 00:37:24,667 --> 00:37:30,667 Number five, how about immoral tolerance in the church? 823 00:37:30,667 --> 00:37:32,042 That's the issue here. 824 00:37:32,167 --> 00:37:33,833 He says, "This I have against you, 825 00:37:33,833 --> 00:37:38,375 you tolerate sexual immorality." 826 00:37:38,500 --> 00:37:41,333 Should we as a church tolerate, from those who are professing 827 00:37:41,333 --> 00:37:46,375 Christians, immorality? 828 00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:49,708 I'm not talking about non-Christians. 829 00:37:49,833 --> 00:37:53,000 The problems in the church, the divisions in the church, 830 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,750 is not because of the non-Christians, 831 00:37:55,833 --> 00:37:58,208 it's because of those who say they're Christians. 832 00:37:58,333 --> 00:38:01,708 They profess a faith that they do not practice, 833 00:38:01,833 --> 00:38:06,333 and may not possess. 834 00:38:06,333 --> 00:38:12,417 Some of you'd come in and say, "Why do we have to talk about sin? 835 00:38:12,500 --> 00:38:15,208 "Why, if somebody lives a life of habitual, unrepentant sin, 836 00:38:15,333 --> 00:38:16,708 "and they say they're a Christian, 837 00:38:16,833 --> 00:38:19,708 "why is there this thing I heard about called church discipline, 838 00:38:19,833 --> 00:38:23,417 where you try and get them to change?" 839 00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:27,833 Because Jesus says, "This I have against you, 840 00:38:27,833 --> 00:38:31,708 you tolerate things I don't tolerate." 841 00:38:31,833 --> 00:38:37,583 Now, let me say this, Christianity begins with 842 00:38:37,667 --> 00:38:40,833 tolerance and moves to repentance. 843 00:38:40,875 --> 00:38:43,542 Meaning, it doesn't matter who you are, where you are, 844 00:38:43,667 --> 00:38:45,083 what you've done, 845 00:38:45,167 --> 00:38:47,833 come to Jesus just like you are. 846 00:38:47,833 --> 00:38:51,417 And he's going to change you. 847 00:38:51,500 --> 00:38:55,000 So it begins with tolerance and it moves to repentance. 848 00:38:55,042 --> 00:38:56,833 Do you see that? 849 00:38:56,875 --> 00:38:58,542 Jesus says, "Come to me. 850 00:38:58,667 --> 00:39:00,875 And you're going to change." 851 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,083 So the issue is, can we welcome people? 852 00:39:03,167 --> 00:39:07,667 Absolutely, we welcome them to change. 853 00:39:07,708 --> 00:39:12,000 This was, this was something that was impressed upon me 854 00:39:12,042 --> 00:39:14,875 some years ago, I've used this analogy previously. 855 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,583 I had the great honor of meeting someone that I respect 856 00:39:17,667 --> 00:39:19,750 very much, Dr. J. I. Packer. 857 00:39:19,833 --> 00:39:23,208 Well noted scholar, theologian, Bible teacher, super faithful. 858 00:39:23,333 --> 00:39:26,000 He's an older man now, he's like John writing this letter. 859 00:39:26,042 --> 00:39:27,833 He's an older man. 860 00:39:27,833 --> 00:39:29,500 He's lived a long, faithful life. 861 00:39:29,542 --> 00:39:31,583 He carries a lot of spiritual authority. 862 00:39:31,667 --> 00:39:34,000 And I had an opportunity to meet with him. 863 00:39:34,042 --> 00:39:36,375 And he'd been pastoring in Canada for many years, 864 00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:38,875 and his denomination kicked him out. 865 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:40,833 They kicked out J. I. Packer. 866 00:39:40,833 --> 00:39:44,375 That's just unbelievable. 867 00:39:44,500 --> 00:39:46,083 They kicked out J. I. Packer. 868 00:39:46,167 --> 00:39:49,000 If he doesn't fit, you're all wrong. 869 00:39:49,042 --> 00:39:52,083 That's kind of my view of the thing, you know? 870 00:39:52,167 --> 00:39:53,833 So I meet with J. I. Packer, 871 00:39:53,875 --> 00:39:56,042 and I said, "What happened?" 872 00:39:56,167 --> 00:39:58,333 He basically says, here's my summary of our conversation, 873 00:39:58,375 --> 00:40:04,542 he said, "My denomination has become heretical, apostate." 874 00:40:04,667 --> 00:40:05,917 That's a big word. 875 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,208 I've said this before, if a blogger uses it, 876 00:40:08,333 --> 00:40:12,417 doesn't even count, right? Doesn't even count. 877 00:40:12,500 --> 00:40:15,500 But when J. I. Packer says it, that counts. 878 00:40:15,542 --> 00:40:17,833 That's a big deal. 879 00:40:17,833 --> 00:40:19,833 So I said, "Okay, explain that." 880 00:40:19,833 --> 00:40:24,667 He said, "Christianity is about repentance and anytime 881 00:40:24,667 --> 00:40:27,667 "we don't practice repentance of our sin, 882 00:40:27,667 --> 00:40:33,333 "and preach repentance for other's sin, we're heretics. 883 00:40:33,375 --> 00:40:37,417 Because Christianity is about repentance." 884 00:40:37,500 --> 00:40:40,167 That's right. 885 00:40:40,167 --> 00:40:44,375 That's right. 886 00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:49,042 Christianity presumes we're wrong, 887 00:40:49,167 --> 00:40:51,708 we need to change our mind. 888 00:40:51,833 --> 00:40:54,667 It presumes that what we're doing is wrong, 889 00:40:54,708 --> 00:40:58,208 and our behavior needs to change. 890 00:40:58,333 --> 00:41:05,208 And so, Christianity starts with tolerance, come as you are, 891 00:41:05,333 --> 00:41:08,667 and then Jesus, "I'm going to change you." 892 00:41:08,667 --> 00:41:11,833 And if we never call people to repentance, if we never say, 893 00:41:11,833 --> 00:41:14,042 "The way you're thinking is wrong, 894 00:41:14,167 --> 00:41:18,208 "the way you're acting is wrong, the lifestyle you've chosen, 895 00:41:18,333 --> 00:41:21,583 "the identity you've embraced, the actions that you celebrate 896 00:41:21,667 --> 00:41:24,708 are ones you should be mourning," 897 00:41:24,833 --> 00:41:27,333 then we're no longer Christians. 898 00:41:27,375 --> 00:41:30,833 We're no longer faithful. 899 00:41:30,833 --> 00:41:35,083 We're cult leaders, we're heretics, we're apostate. 900 00:41:35,167 --> 00:41:38,208 Meanwhile, those in culture will cheer us, 901 00:41:38,333 --> 00:41:41,042 and Jesus would rebuke us. 902 00:41:41,167 --> 00:41:46,500 And say, "But this I have against you, you tolerate." 903 00:41:50,167 --> 00:41:53,833 Christ, commendation, 904 00:41:53,875 --> 00:41:59,917 correction, and consequence. 905 00:42:00,042 --> 00:42:03,333 Chapter 2:22-29, here's Jesus. 906 00:42:03,375 --> 00:42:06,500 Let me just say this to you, I just feel impressed of 907 00:42:06,542 --> 00:42:09,708 the Holy Spirit to just say this before I proceed forward. 908 00:42:09,833 --> 00:42:14,875 Categorically, for some of you, this makes sense, 909 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:17,208 but emotionally it gets tested 910 00:42:17,333 --> 00:42:21,083 when someone you love goes astray. 911 00:42:21,167 --> 00:42:23,333 Right? 912 00:42:23,375 --> 00:42:26,167 So you can hear me preach with conviction in my voice, 913 00:42:26,167 --> 00:42:28,917 and a Bible in my hand, and say, "That sounds right. 914 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:31,708 "We need to hold the line. The truth is the truth. 915 00:42:31,833 --> 00:42:33,917 "Jesus is Lord. People need to repent. 916 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:36,000 "That starts with me. I'm not perfect. 917 00:42:36,042 --> 00:42:37,583 "I need him first. 918 00:42:37,667 --> 00:42:39,833 "And then I can humbly proclaim him to others. 919 00:42:39,833 --> 00:42:41,208 That makes sense to me." 920 00:42:41,333 --> 00:42:44,542 And then your child comes home 921 00:42:44,667 --> 00:42:48,375 and says they want to explore their sexuality. 922 00:42:48,500 --> 00:42:51,375 Your grandchild comes home and says they want to choose 923 00:42:51,500 --> 00:42:56,542 to explore an alternate sexual identity. 924 00:42:56,667 --> 00:43:00,833 Your mom, your dad, decides they want to try a new form 925 00:43:00,833 --> 00:43:06,417 of spirituality that's kind of Christian, kind of not. 926 00:43:06,500 --> 00:43:09,208 Your spouse decides they want to start going to a church 927 00:43:09,333 --> 00:43:13,208 that doesn't talk about sin, repentance, and Jesus, 928 00:43:13,333 --> 00:43:16,708 but maybe everything and anything but that. 929 00:43:16,833 --> 00:43:18,667 The person in your Community Group 930 00:43:18,667 --> 00:43:21,208 that you really care for, and maybe they've loved you, 931 00:43:21,333 --> 00:43:26,167 or served you, or helped you, they go astray. 932 00:43:26,167 --> 00:43:28,500 What they're believing is not biblical. 933 00:43:28,542 --> 00:43:32,667 How they're behaving is not ethical. 934 00:43:32,667 --> 00:43:37,833 And all of sudden what moves from a mental conviction, 935 00:43:37,875 --> 00:43:43,042 becomes an emotional confliction. 936 00:43:43,167 --> 00:43:47,667 You're like, "Oh, man. Are they not a Christian? 937 00:43:47,667 --> 00:43:52,542 "Are they going to hell? Are they wrong? 938 00:43:52,667 --> 00:43:54,750 "When I talk to them about it they smile, 939 00:43:54,833 --> 00:43:57,500 "they say they're happier than they've ever been. 940 00:43:57,500 --> 00:44:00,333 "They say they love me and it's working. 941 00:44:00,375 --> 00:44:06,667 Maybe they even say they feel closer to Jesus than ever." 942 00:44:09,333 --> 00:44:13,917 This is where we need to humbly hold the line. 943 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,333 Humbly tell the truth. 944 00:44:16,375 --> 00:44:21,000 Humbly love and serve well. 945 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:27,708 "Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed." 946 00:44:27,833 --> 00:44:33,542 Again, behind much theological conflict is often sexual sin. 947 00:44:33,667 --> 00:44:35,542 So they've been messing around in the bed, 948 00:44:35,667 --> 00:44:38,833 and now they're going to go to a hospital bed. 949 00:44:38,875 --> 00:44:40,833 "Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, 950 00:44:40,875 --> 00:44:42,542 and those who commit adultery with her." 951 00:44:42,667 --> 00:44:45,667 This may be physical and spiritual adultery. 952 00:44:45,667 --> 00:44:48,208 It's sexual immorality, which is behind a lot of 953 00:44:48,333 --> 00:44:50,417 demonic teaching, and false leaders, 954 00:44:50,500 --> 00:44:54,667 and cults, and errant doctrine, 955 00:44:54,708 --> 00:44:57,375 but it's also spiritual adultery. 956 00:44:57,500 --> 00:44:59,708 That the church is to be like a bride, 957 00:44:59,833 --> 00:45:02,667 and Jesus is like a groom, and if a church starts 958 00:45:02,667 --> 00:45:06,042 whoring around with demons and other religions, 959 00:45:06,167 --> 00:45:09,542 and being disobedient, it's spiritual adultery. 960 00:45:09,667 --> 00:45:13,208 This is a massive theme in the Old Testament. 961 00:45:13,333 --> 00:45:17,708 "I will throw her into great tribulation, unless they," what? 962 00:45:17,833 --> 00:45:22,417 What's the word, Mars Hill? "Repent." 963 00:45:22,500 --> 00:45:28,875 Christianity, Jesus Christ, is about repentance. 964 00:45:29,875 --> 00:45:33,917 This means we don't change God, God changes us. 965 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:37,833 We don't change God, God changes us. 966 00:45:37,833 --> 00:45:39,708 We don't look at God and say, 967 00:45:39,833 --> 00:45:41,708 "You're old-fashioned and outdated." 968 00:45:41,833 --> 00:45:43,208 Because he would say, 969 00:45:43,333 --> 00:45:44,708 "I'm eternal without beginning or end. 970 00:45:44,833 --> 00:45:46,708 "You're the one who sinned. 971 00:45:46,833 --> 00:45:49,000 "You're the one who's aging. 972 00:45:49,042 --> 00:45:53,167 "You're the one who's dying. 973 00:45:53,208 --> 00:45:55,000 "I'm perfect, you're not. 974 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:58,000 "I don't need to change, you do. 975 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:01,833 "I don't have any defects, you do. 976 00:46:01,833 --> 00:46:05,208 "I don't have any shortcomings, you do. 977 00:46:05,333 --> 00:46:08,708 I've not said or done wrong, you have." 978 00:46:08,833 --> 00:46:11,333 See, if there's a problem between us and God, 979 00:46:11,375 --> 00:46:13,208 the problem's with us. 980 00:46:13,333 --> 00:46:15,542 And we're not God. 981 00:46:15,667 --> 00:46:18,708 This really comes down to the root issue of authority. 982 00:46:18,833 --> 00:46:23,417 Who is going to be God? 983 00:46:23,500 --> 00:46:26,333 And Jesus says, "Repent." 984 00:46:26,375 --> 00:46:27,833 That's a change of mind. 985 00:46:27,875 --> 00:46:29,500 "I'm thinking wrong about this. 986 00:46:29,542 --> 00:46:32,417 "I don't care if I went to Bible college, and seminary, 987 00:46:32,500 --> 00:46:35,208 "read books from a guy with more degrees than Fahrenheit, 988 00:46:35,333 --> 00:46:37,333 "educated beyond his intelligence, 989 00:46:37,333 --> 00:46:40,208 "and we took a vote, and everybody on my Facebook page 990 00:46:40,333 --> 00:46:41,667 "said they liked it. 991 00:46:41,667 --> 00:46:43,667 "It's wrong. 992 00:46:43,667 --> 00:46:46,417 "And I need to repent because what I'm thinking is wrong. 993 00:46:46,500 --> 00:46:48,333 "And the way I'm feeling is wrong. 994 00:46:48,375 --> 00:46:50,208 "And the way I'm acting is wrong. 995 00:46:50,333 --> 00:46:52,083 And the way I'm reacting is wrong." 996 00:46:52,167 --> 00:46:53,875 And that's repentance. 997 00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:56,375 It begins with the assumption, if I disagree with God, 998 00:46:56,500 --> 00:46:58,500 I'm the one who needs to change. 999 00:46:58,500 --> 00:47:01,375 And then it becomes less about changing the Word of God, 1000 00:47:01,500 --> 00:47:06,333 and more about obeying the Word of God. 1001 00:47:06,375 --> 00:47:10,333 See, this is why the prophets always get killed. 1002 00:47:10,375 --> 00:47:14,083 They come out preaching, "Repent, repent, repent." 1003 00:47:14,167 --> 00:47:16,542 And some people say, "Yes, we will. 1004 00:47:16,667 --> 00:47:19,000 "And thank you God, and we need grace and mercy, 1005 00:47:19,042 --> 00:47:20,375 and we're born again." 1006 00:47:20,500 --> 00:47:23,417 And others say, "If you won't shut up, we will kill you." 1007 00:47:23,500 --> 00:47:25,375 And they do. 1008 00:47:25,500 --> 00:47:28,333 And they do. 1009 00:47:28,375 --> 00:47:34,042 "And I will strike her children," the followers, "dead. 1010 00:47:34,167 --> 00:47:35,708 "And all the churches will know--" 1011 00:47:35,833 --> 00:47:37,208 You know what? 1012 00:47:37,333 --> 00:47:39,875 Jesus cares about all the churches. 1013 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:41,833 And some churches serve as negative examples 1014 00:47:41,875 --> 00:47:44,208 for other churches. 1015 00:47:44,333 --> 00:47:46,042 And sometimes Jesus judges a church, 1016 00:47:46,167 --> 00:47:48,708 and sometimes he shuts down a church 1017 00:47:48,833 --> 00:47:52,208 because it's not faithful to him, 1018 00:47:52,333 --> 00:47:54,542 and it's a bad witness to the world. 1019 00:47:54,667 --> 00:47:56,500 Mars Hill, I pray we're not that church, 1020 00:47:56,500 --> 00:47:58,167 I pray we don't become that church. 1021 00:47:58,208 --> 00:48:03,083 And I know, apart from the grace of God, anything is possible. 1022 00:48:03,167 --> 00:48:07,417 Anything is possible. 1023 00:48:07,500 --> 00:48:13,333 He goes on to say, "And all the churches will know that I am 1024 00:48:13,333 --> 00:48:16,000 he who searches heart and mind," Jesus knows it all, 1025 00:48:16,042 --> 00:48:18,917 "and I will give to each of you according to your works. 1026 00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:21,208 "But to the rest of you in Thyatira, 1027 00:48:21,333 --> 00:48:26,167 "who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some 1028 00:48:26,167 --> 00:48:29,542 "call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, 1029 00:48:29,667 --> 00:48:32,208 "I do not lay any other burden on you. 1030 00:48:32,333 --> 00:48:35,417 "Only hold fast what you have until I come. 1031 00:48:35,500 --> 00:48:38,167 "The one who conquers and keeps my works until the end, 1032 00:48:38,167 --> 00:48:40,333 "to him I will give authority over the nations, 1033 00:48:40,333 --> 00:48:42,708 "and he will rule them with a rod of iron, 1034 00:48:42,833 --> 00:48:45,375 "as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, 1035 00:48:45,500 --> 00:48:48,167 "even as I myself have received from my Father. 1036 00:48:48,167 --> 00:48:50,167 "And I will give him the morning star. 1037 00:48:50,167 --> 00:48:53,167 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says 1038 00:48:53,167 --> 00:48:54,542 to the churches." 1039 00:48:54,667 --> 00:48:56,333 Jesus says, "If you're hearing this, 1040 00:48:56,333 --> 00:48:58,667 have an ear to hear, listen to this." 1041 00:48:58,667 --> 00:49:04,875 Number one, you can repent, and if you do you'll be rewarded. 1042 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:06,833 It's not too late. 1043 00:49:06,833 --> 00:49:08,375 You can say, "Yeah, I'm wrong. 1044 00:49:08,500 --> 00:49:10,083 "I got to change. Jesus help me. 1045 00:49:10,167 --> 00:49:11,750 "Forgive my sin. 1046 00:49:11,833 --> 00:49:15,375 "Make me a Christian, or if I am a Christian, make me 1047 00:49:15,500 --> 00:49:16,833 not a hypocrite." 1048 00:49:16,833 --> 00:49:18,208 And then there's rewards, 1049 00:49:18,333 --> 00:49:19,875 because there are degrees of rewards 1050 00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:21,250 for Christians in heaven, 1051 00:49:21,333 --> 00:49:22,750 as there are degrees of punishment 1052 00:49:22,833 --> 00:49:25,000 for non-Christians in hell. 1053 00:49:25,042 --> 00:49:27,500 God's justice and his reward is always perfect. 1054 00:49:27,542 --> 00:49:29,708 He says here, "I'll reward you." 1055 00:49:29,833 --> 00:49:32,208 Friends, this life seems very long, 1056 00:49:32,333 --> 00:49:36,083 until you get into the life to come. 1057 00:49:36,167 --> 00:49:40,875 And in 50; 100,000; 200,000; 200 million years from now, 1058 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:43,000 when you're in the presence of Jesus, 1059 00:49:43,042 --> 00:49:49,000 this life will seem like a very short while. 1060 00:49:49,042 --> 00:49:53,208 And some of you will not receive much of a reward in this life, 1061 00:49:53,333 --> 00:49:55,708 but you're storing up for yourself, Jesus says, 1062 00:49:55,833 --> 00:49:57,417 treasures in heaven. 1063 00:49:57,500 --> 00:49:59,917 We don't know what they are, we know they're great. 1064 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:01,917 We're not competing over scarce resources. 1065 00:50:02,000 --> 00:50:03,708 Jesus has no limitation. 1066 00:50:03,833 --> 00:50:07,208 He can faithfully bless all of his people and reward us all 1067 00:50:07,333 --> 00:50:11,542 for the life we've lived in this body, on this earth. 1068 00:50:11,667 --> 00:50:14,208 So, option number one, you can repent right now. 1069 00:50:14,333 --> 00:50:16,542 You could say, "I'm a sinner. I need Jesus. 1070 00:50:16,667 --> 00:50:19,333 "What I'm thinking is wrong. Who I'm listening to is wrong. 1071 00:50:19,333 --> 00:50:20,833 "The books I'm reading are wrong. 1072 00:50:20,833 --> 00:50:22,333 "The arguments I have are wrong. 1073 00:50:22,375 --> 00:50:23,833 "Because my heart is wrong. 1074 00:50:23,875 --> 00:50:26,333 "Because I want to do whatever I want to do. 1075 00:50:26,375 --> 00:50:30,417 And Jesus loves me enough to tell me to stop." 1076 00:50:30,500 --> 00:50:36,375 Or number two, there could be justice in judgment. 1077 00:50:36,500 --> 00:50:39,000 He talks about this. 1078 00:50:39,042 --> 00:50:43,667 He talks about sexual sin leads to sickness, a hospital bed. 1079 00:50:43,667 --> 00:50:46,917 Spiritual adultery leads to death and war with God. 1080 00:50:47,000 --> 00:50:48,667 That's the language and imagery. 1081 00:50:48,667 --> 00:50:51,500 In that day it was customary, when two nations would go 1082 00:50:51,542 --> 00:50:54,833 to war, the king would assemble his people, 1083 00:50:54,875 --> 00:51:01,542 he'd take a vase or a jar made out of, let's say, clay. 1084 00:51:01,667 --> 00:51:04,833 He would write the name of the opposing king and kingdom on it, 1085 00:51:04,833 --> 00:51:08,667 and as an act, publicly, of a declaration of war, 1086 00:51:08,667 --> 00:51:11,333 he would slam it on the ground and it would shatter 1087 00:51:11,333 --> 00:51:13,083 into a million pieces. 1088 00:51:13,167 --> 00:51:15,833 And that meant, we're off to war. 1089 00:51:15,833 --> 00:51:19,667 Sin is declaring war on God. 1090 00:51:19,667 --> 00:51:22,208 And here Jesus is saying, "If you don't repent, 1091 00:51:22,333 --> 00:51:28,417 I'm writing your name, and we're going to war." 1092 00:51:28,500 --> 00:51:32,333 This is very serious. 1093 00:51:32,375 --> 00:51:35,708 It's very serious. 1094 00:51:35,833 --> 00:51:38,708 And this is where immediately, I know some of you will say, 1095 00:51:38,833 --> 00:51:41,000 "Yeah, but I'm not sure I believe in hell." 1096 00:51:41,042 --> 00:51:44,375 Wow. 1097 00:51:44,500 --> 00:51:48,167 Satan is already whispering in your ear. 1098 00:51:48,167 --> 00:51:51,042 "Well, I'm not, I'm not sure that I agree with all 1099 00:51:51,167 --> 00:51:54,000 the theological interpretation." 1100 00:51:54,000 --> 00:52:00,542 Bottom line: people repent and are rewarded, 1101 00:52:00,667 --> 00:52:03,708 or they receive justice in judgment. 1102 00:52:03,833 --> 00:52:05,708 That's it. 1103 00:52:05,833 --> 00:52:10,000 Some final thoughts, maybe. 1104 00:52:10,000 --> 00:52:12,375 On Mars Hill and our mission. 1105 00:52:12,500 --> 00:52:15,208 So "Closing Thoughts on Mission & Mars Hill." 1106 00:52:15,333 --> 00:52:19,083 Two thousand years later, same issue, same pressure. 1107 00:52:19,167 --> 00:52:21,833 Number one, every culture must practice both tolerance 1108 00:52:21,833 --> 00:52:24,167 and intolerance. 1109 00:52:24,208 --> 00:52:26,375 So, when somebody asks you, "Are you tolerant?" 1110 00:52:26,500 --> 00:52:27,875 Or they say, "That's not tolerant." 1111 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:30,833 You've got to unpack it. You've got to think about it. 1112 00:52:30,833 --> 00:52:32,375 You've got to talk about it. 1113 00:52:32,500 --> 00:52:34,375 Every culture must practice both tolerance and intolerance. 1114 00:52:34,500 --> 00:52:37,208 Not just Christianity. Let me prove it to you. 1115 00:52:37,333 --> 00:52:40,708 How many of you have had a cigarette in a hospital? 1116 00:52:40,833 --> 00:52:42,708 They're very intolerant of that. 1117 00:52:42,833 --> 00:52:46,667 In fact, they discriminate. 1118 00:52:46,667 --> 00:52:50,500 Because of a deeply held prejudice. 1119 00:52:50,542 --> 00:52:53,208 They're impinging upon personal freedom of choice 1120 00:52:53,333 --> 00:52:55,500 and public expression of that choice. 1121 00:52:55,542 --> 00:52:58,042 You can't smoke in a hospital. 1122 00:52:58,167 --> 00:53:03,000 You can't get drunk and drive a school bus. 1123 00:53:03,042 --> 00:53:04,583 You can't be a convicted pedophile 1124 00:53:04,667 --> 00:53:07,500 and teach kindergarten. 1125 00:53:07,542 --> 00:53:10,000 I feel like the National Organization for Women 1126 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:15,833 isn't really for me. 1127 00:53:15,833 --> 00:53:18,250 I feel sort of left out. 1128 00:53:18,333 --> 00:53:20,667 Discriminated against. 1129 00:53:20,708 --> 00:53:27,208 There's a deeply held prejudice. 1130 00:53:27,333 --> 00:53:30,333 It's true, right? 1131 00:53:30,333 --> 00:53:35,000 You ever seen an illiterate college English prof? 1132 00:53:35,042 --> 00:53:40,917 You may have, but, but as a general rule, 1133 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:43,208 they discriminate against illiterate people 1134 00:53:43,333 --> 00:53:47,667 in professor roles. 1135 00:53:47,667 --> 00:53:50,833 Have you ever tried to buy groceries 1136 00:53:50,875 --> 00:53:54,167 without bringing a bag? 1137 00:53:54,167 --> 00:53:59,833 That's where the Pharisees are, they're at the grocery store. 1138 00:53:59,875 --> 00:54:02,083 I had this experience. 1139 00:54:02,167 --> 00:54:04,083 I go to the grocery store. 1140 00:54:04,167 --> 00:54:05,667 I bought some things. 1141 00:54:05,708 --> 00:54:08,083 It doesn't happen very often. 1142 00:54:08,167 --> 00:54:10,833 And the lady looked at me, she said, "Where's your bag?" 1143 00:54:10,833 --> 00:54:13,875 I said, "It's right there in that stack of bags 1144 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:16,542 "behind your counter. 1145 00:54:16,667 --> 00:54:20,375 "You have a huge stack of bags, and I think mine's on top. 1146 00:54:20,500 --> 00:54:23,875 That's where my bag is." 1147 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:28,333 And she says, "Well, you should bring your own bag." 1148 00:54:28,333 --> 00:54:32,167 I said, "Why, you have so many bags?" 1149 00:54:32,208 --> 00:54:34,542 It's very confusing. 1150 00:54:34,667 --> 00:54:38,250 Like, I don't bring sandwiches to the sandwich shop, 1151 00:54:38,333 --> 00:54:40,250 because they have so many sandwiches, 1152 00:54:40,333 --> 00:54:43,833 I feel like I should liberate one. 1153 00:54:43,833 --> 00:54:50,167 So, I mean, she looks at me like I'm the antichrist, 1154 00:54:50,167 --> 00:54:51,542 okay? 1155 00:54:51,667 --> 00:54:54,542 I didn't even tell her, "I'm going to go put this bag 1156 00:54:54,667 --> 00:54:56,042 in my SUV and drive home." 1157 00:54:56,167 --> 00:54:58,542 I didn't even tell her that. You know? 1158 00:54:58,667 --> 00:55:01,375 So then a little while later I decide, "You know what? 1159 00:55:01,500 --> 00:55:04,875 "I'm trying to be a missionary to the bagites 1160 00:55:05,000 --> 00:55:07,083 "and I don't want to offend the bagites 1161 00:55:07,167 --> 00:55:10,333 "and their bagitanity, and so what I'm going to do, 1162 00:55:10,333 --> 00:55:12,083 I'm going to bring a bag." 1163 00:55:12,167 --> 00:55:13,708 So I brought a bag. 1164 00:55:13,833 --> 00:55:15,333 I brought a bag. 1165 00:55:15,333 --> 00:55:16,875 Okay, to get some stuff. 1166 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:20,375 And I heard, quote, "That bag's not biodegradable." 1167 00:55:20,500 --> 00:55:23,500 "I brought the wrong bag?" 1168 00:55:23,500 --> 00:55:28,708 I brought the wrong bag. 1169 00:55:28,833 --> 00:55:31,083 Because it's not just enough to bring a bag, 1170 00:55:31,167 --> 00:55:34,042 you got to bring the right bag, and if you don't bring 1171 00:55:34,167 --> 00:55:36,583 the right bag, then we need to talk about it, 1172 00:55:36,667 --> 00:55:38,000 and convene a little meeting. 1173 00:55:38,042 --> 00:55:41,000 And then everybody in line has to snicker, "Well, look at that. 1174 00:55:41,042 --> 00:55:43,250 That is the wrong bag. That is not biodegradable." 1175 00:55:43,333 --> 00:55:46,250 All of a sudden I'm feeling shamed, marginalized, 1176 00:55:46,333 --> 00:55:50,500 ostracized, discriminated against. 1177 00:55:50,542 --> 00:55:53,833 Deeply held prejudice by the bagites. 1178 00:55:53,833 --> 00:55:57,583 Number two, the new tolerance is hypocritically intolerant 1179 00:55:57,667 --> 00:55:59,500 of Christianity. 1180 00:55:59,542 --> 00:56:02,167 Christianity remains, and I know it sounds like I'm whining, 1181 00:56:02,167 --> 00:56:05,542 but I am, so when you have minority groups you're not 1182 00:56:05,667 --> 00:56:08,167 allowed to pick on them or make fun of them 1183 00:56:08,167 --> 00:56:10,250 unless they're Christians. 1184 00:56:10,333 --> 00:56:13,667 And in most major cities Christians are a minority group. 1185 00:56:13,667 --> 00:56:17,167 Yet, you can make fun of them in sitcoms, movies, say outlandish, 1186 00:56:17,208 --> 00:56:21,667 atrocious things, broad-brush, all of that. 1187 00:56:21,708 --> 00:56:24,667 See, that's been some of my experience, it's like, "Hey, you know, 1188 00:56:24,667 --> 00:56:26,042 I believe the Bible." 1189 00:56:26,167 --> 00:56:27,417 "Oh, you're intolerant." 1190 00:56:27,500 --> 00:56:29,375 "Well, are you intolerant of those who us 1191 00:56:29,500 --> 00:56:31,000 "who are intolerant of you? 1192 00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:32,708 "It seems like we're both hypocrites. 1193 00:56:32,833 --> 00:56:34,542 "You may as well convert to Christianity. 1194 00:56:34,667 --> 00:56:37,042 If you're going to be a hypocrite, at least be a hypocrite that's not kindling." 1195 00:56:37,167 --> 00:56:39,542 You know? 1196 00:56:39,667 --> 00:56:43,708 Okay, point number three, before I have to fire myself, 1197 00:56:43,833 --> 00:56:48,000 I, we will be maligned, misrepresented, and mistreated. 1198 00:56:48,042 --> 00:56:53,167 Now let me say this, because I'm a pastor and because of 1199 00:56:53,208 --> 00:56:56,208 social media and my place in it, 1200 00:56:56,333 --> 00:56:58,167 people are going to talk about me, 1201 00:56:58,208 --> 00:57:00,667 and say things, and misrepresent me because I represent 1202 00:57:00,708 --> 00:57:03,042 Christianity, or anything that's done at Mars Hill, 1203 00:57:03,167 --> 00:57:05,167 or sometimes things that I say. 1204 00:57:05,167 --> 00:57:07,500 And here's the truth, not everybody's going to understand 1205 00:57:07,500 --> 00:57:08,917 what we believe as Christians. 1206 00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:11,667 And even if they do, they're not going to articulate it 1207 00:57:11,708 --> 00:57:13,042 most truthfully. 1208 00:57:13,167 --> 00:57:15,250 "Oh, yeah, they hate women." 1209 00:57:15,333 --> 00:57:19,208 How many women would say, "Um, we're here too"? 1210 00:57:19,333 --> 00:57:24,500 You know, like, there's women here, you got to factor that in. 1211 00:57:24,500 --> 00:57:27,750 You know, they're going to misrepresent what we believe. 1212 00:57:27,833 --> 00:57:30,833 Or they're going to malign what we believe. 1213 00:57:30,875 --> 00:57:34,250 And let me say this, in the past I've said some things I regret. 1214 00:57:34,333 --> 00:57:36,708 In the past, meaning like a couple of minutes ago. 1215 00:57:36,833 --> 00:57:42,167 And I just, I'm going to get myself in trouble, 1216 00:57:42,208 --> 00:57:44,875 and by the grace of God, I want to be sanctified. 1217 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:47,083 Pray for me, I want to do it better, 1218 00:57:47,167 --> 00:57:49,375 especially when it's in the media and everybody's looking. 1219 00:57:49,500 --> 00:57:52,375 I'm trying to thread the needle, and trying to get it right. 1220 00:57:52,500 --> 00:57:55,583 And by the grace of God, I want to do a better job. 1221 00:57:55,667 --> 00:57:58,583 But the truth is, we're not all going to get it right 1222 00:57:58,667 --> 00:58:01,875 all the time, and even if we do, they may not say it 1223 00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:03,250 the way we said it. 1224 00:58:03,333 --> 00:58:05,750 You just need to learn to assume that that's part 1225 00:58:05,833 --> 00:58:07,167 of the Christian life. 1226 00:58:07,208 --> 00:58:10,375 'Cause like a soldier goes to war, and he gets off the boat, 1227 00:58:10,500 --> 00:58:12,542 and bullets are flying, and he doesn't freak out. 1228 00:58:12,667 --> 00:58:15,000 'Cause he realizes, "Oh, we didn't come to the beach 1229 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:16,375 "for vacation. 1230 00:58:16,500 --> 00:58:18,208 "That's why we're not wearing flip-flops. 1231 00:58:18,333 --> 00:58:20,375 "You know, we're in enemy territory, 1232 00:58:20,500 --> 00:58:22,542 "trying to set captives free, 1233 00:58:22,667 --> 00:58:24,542 and there's going to be some bullets coming." 1234 00:58:24,667 --> 00:58:26,375 That's us. 1235 00:58:26,500 --> 00:58:28,375 Okay, we're not on vacation, we're at war. 1236 00:58:28,500 --> 00:58:30,000 And our war isn't against people, 1237 00:58:30,000 --> 00:58:32,708 it's against Satan and demons who have blinded people's eyes, 1238 00:58:32,833 --> 00:58:36,042 and hardened people's hearts, and distorted their direction, 1239 00:58:36,167 --> 00:58:39,000 and we want to introduce them to Jesus. 1240 00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:41,208 Just accept, though, that this is part of it. 1241 00:58:41,333 --> 00:58:44,208 And I'm not saying it's fun, and I'll tell you the truth, 1242 00:58:44,333 --> 00:58:45,708 sometimes I get really depressed, 1243 00:58:45,833 --> 00:58:48,208 and I get into a deep funk, and I just, 1244 00:58:48,333 --> 00:58:51,000 I wonder if I can make it for 40 more years. 1245 00:58:51,000 --> 00:58:52,708 And I have some hard, dark days. 1246 00:58:52,833 --> 00:58:54,875 And I'm not saying it's any easier for you. 1247 00:58:55,000 --> 00:58:57,583 But I'm saying, we just need to say, "Jesus, you said, 1248 00:58:57,667 --> 00:59:00,500 'Woe to you when all men speak well of you.'" 1249 00:59:00,500 --> 00:59:03,042 So, if all we ever get is a thumbs up, 1250 00:59:03,167 --> 00:59:05,333 then Jesus gives us a thumbs down. 1251 00:59:05,375 --> 00:59:07,417 And that's part of the Christian's call, 1252 00:59:07,500 --> 00:59:11,500 is to walk in the path of Jesus, who was also hated on occasion. 1253 00:59:11,500 --> 00:59:14,875 Number four, we want to love and serve well. 1254 00:59:15,000 --> 00:59:16,875 You know what the best thing is? 1255 00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:19,042 To love and serve well. 1256 00:59:19,167 --> 00:59:21,042 To love is, you know, we're generous. 1257 00:59:21,167 --> 00:59:24,042 We want to feed, we want to help, we want to love, 1258 00:59:24,167 --> 00:59:26,042 we want to serve, we want to care. 1259 00:59:26,167 --> 00:59:28,375 We love the whole city, not just our people. 1260 00:59:28,500 --> 00:59:29,750 Jesus commends them. 1261 00:59:29,833 --> 00:59:33,000 That's the best thing, is to say, "You may not agree with us, 1262 00:59:33,000 --> 00:59:36,000 "but we love you, we're trying to help, we're trying to serve, 1263 00:59:36,000 --> 00:59:37,375 we're here to do good." 1264 00:59:37,500 --> 00:59:40,875 Number five, we should not be offensive, but we should offend. 1265 00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:43,875 Meaning, the goal is not just to infuriate everybody. 1266 00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:45,750 I'm learning that the hard way. 1267 00:59:45,833 --> 00:59:48,083 But it means, if you do tell the truth, 1268 00:59:48,167 --> 00:59:49,500 somebody's going to be offended. 1269 00:59:49,542 --> 00:59:52,500 Like I had a guy come up to me recently, he's like, 1270 00:59:52,542 --> 00:59:54,208 "Do you think I'm going to hell?" 1271 00:59:54,333 --> 00:59:55,708 Looks at me, I said, "Yes." 1272 00:59:55,833 --> 00:59:57,708 He says, "Well, that's very offensive." 1273 00:59:57,833 --> 01:00:01,042 "And true because you just told me that you hate Jesus. 1274 01:00:01,167 --> 01:00:04,708 "So, you know, I'm trying to say this lovingly, nicely. 1275 01:00:04,833 --> 01:00:07,500 "I'll buy you a cup of coffee, we can sit down 1276 01:00:07,500 --> 01:00:08,875 "and talk about your feelings. 1277 01:00:09,000 --> 01:00:10,875 "You know, I'm fine with all of that. 1278 01:00:11,000 --> 01:00:14,042 "But at the end of the day I'm trying not to offend you, 1279 01:00:14,167 --> 01:00:16,833 "but the truth is, if I just tell you the truth, 1280 01:00:16,833 --> 01:00:18,208 you're going to be offended." 1281 01:00:18,333 --> 01:00:20,708 How many of you were offended before you were converted? 1282 01:00:20,833 --> 01:00:22,083 Okay. 1283 01:00:22,167 --> 01:00:23,833 Be willing to have people offended, 1284 01:00:23,833 --> 01:00:25,750 that they might be converted. 1285 01:00:25,833 --> 01:00:29,375 So we shouldn't seek to be offensive, you know, mistreating 1286 01:00:29,500 --> 01:00:33,042 and maligning people, but we should know that we will offend 1287 01:00:33,167 --> 01:00:36,500 just by answering the questions, and telling the truth. 1288 01:00:36,542 --> 01:00:39,000 Number six, our faith is not solely a private matter, 1289 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:40,375 it's also public. 1290 01:00:40,500 --> 01:00:43,708 If you say, "Jesus works for me, but I'm, I don't know about you. 1291 01:00:43,833 --> 01:00:46,208 "I like the Bible, but maybe that's not your thing. 1292 01:00:46,333 --> 01:00:49,208 "Or, this is what I believe, but I'm not trying to get 1293 01:00:49,333 --> 01:00:50,667 anybody else to sign up." 1294 01:00:50,667 --> 01:00:52,375 Nobody gets offended because they don't think 1295 01:00:52,500 --> 01:00:53,833 you really believe it. 1296 01:00:53,833 --> 01:00:56,167 Our faith is private and public. 1297 01:00:56,167 --> 01:01:00,333 It's for us, and for us to share with others. 1298 01:01:00,333 --> 01:01:03,000 And number seven, the gospel requires us to disagree with 1299 01:01:03,042 --> 01:01:05,000 someone to evangelize them. 1300 01:01:05,042 --> 01:01:06,542 "Are you tolerant? Are you tolerant? 1301 01:01:06,667 --> 01:01:08,000 Are you tolerant?" 1302 01:01:08,000 --> 01:01:09,375 "I disagree with people." 1303 01:01:09,500 --> 01:01:10,750 "Well, you should accept them." 1304 01:01:10,833 --> 01:01:13,083 "I love them and I disagree with them, 1305 01:01:13,167 --> 01:01:17,333 "and I want to talk to them so that they can meet Jesus. 1306 01:01:17,333 --> 01:01:19,042 "And before you ever become a Christian, 1307 01:01:19,167 --> 01:01:22,208 "you disagree with Christianity, so we start there. 1308 01:01:22,333 --> 01:01:23,667 "It doesn't mean it'll end there, 1309 01:01:23,708 --> 01:01:25,375 "it doesn't mean I don't love you. 1310 01:01:25,500 --> 01:01:27,875 "It doesn't mean I don't want good for you. 1311 01:01:28,000 --> 01:01:29,750 It doesn't mean I'm done with you." 1312 01:01:29,833 --> 01:01:34,667 How many of you, truly, you started off with disagreement, 1313 01:01:34,708 --> 01:01:37,167 and somebody loved you enough to say, "I love you. 1314 01:01:37,208 --> 01:01:39,542 "I know you disagree. Let's talk about. 1315 01:01:39,667 --> 01:01:41,333 Let's keep working on it." 1316 01:01:41,375 --> 01:01:43,708 And eventually, in the grace of God, your heart, 1317 01:01:43,833 --> 01:01:45,375 your mind opened. 1318 01:01:45,500 --> 01:01:47,875 Jesus says, "He who has an ear let him hear 1319 01:01:48,000 --> 01:01:49,333 what the Spirit says." 1320 01:01:49,333 --> 01:01:52,042 And the Holy Spirit opened your ears and you're like, 1321 01:01:52,167 --> 01:01:55,708 "Ahh. That's it. 1322 01:01:55,833 --> 01:01:57,917 "Jesus is right, I'm wrong. 1323 01:01:58,000 --> 01:02:00,375 "I need to change, not him. 1324 01:02:00,500 --> 01:02:02,500 "He loves me and he's good. 1325 01:02:02,542 --> 01:02:07,583 But sometimes I'm foolish and don't see that." 1326 01:02:07,667 --> 01:02:12,375 That's the update on the church at Thyatira. 1327 01:02:12,500 --> 01:02:15,500 Give me a few minutes, I'll give you the update at the church 1328 01:02:15,542 --> 01:02:18,000 called Mars Hill. 1329 01:02:18,042 --> 01:02:21,000 This is something we're doing as we go through the Scriptures 1330 01:02:21,000 --> 01:02:23,000 and we see an update for the church. 1331 01:02:23,000 --> 01:02:25,000 So here's how Mars Hill Church is doing. 1332 01:02:25,042 --> 01:02:27,708 Evidences of God's grace, April and May, the last few months, 1333 01:02:27,833 --> 01:02:30,083 202 babies and kids dedicated on Mother's Day. 1334 01:02:30,167 --> 01:02:31,833 Good news, right? 1335 01:02:31,833 --> 01:02:35,208 Amen. 1336 01:02:35,333 --> 01:02:38,708 Over 1,000 women attended our Women's Training Day, 1337 01:02:38,833 --> 01:02:41,333 which was awesome. 1338 01:02:41,375 --> 01:02:43,667 We've got our first summer retreat coming up, 1339 01:02:43,667 --> 01:02:46,417 where we've got a lot of students that are signing up 1340 01:02:46,500 --> 01:02:49,042 to go, and donors that are willing to sponsor them. 1341 01:02:49,167 --> 01:02:52,208 And what's really cool is, we're seeing a lot of the kids from 1342 01:02:52,333 --> 01:02:55,208 our Rainier Valley campus, that have no dad, and are poor, 1343 01:02:55,333 --> 01:02:57,917 and broke, and can't afford it, some of them even living 1344 01:02:58,000 --> 01:03:00,583 at the Mission, signing up to go on the retreat. 1345 01:03:00,667 --> 01:03:03,208 And other families sponsoring them and paying for it, 1346 01:03:03,333 --> 01:03:05,875 which is awesome and we rejoice in that. 1347 01:03:06,000 --> 01:03:08,583 We got a lot of bands and musicians, 1348 01:03:08,667 --> 01:03:12,167 so we're starting a record label, Mars Hill Music. 1349 01:03:12,208 --> 01:03:15,542 And we threw out an EP that we did for a couple hundred bucks, 1350 01:03:15,667 --> 01:03:18,333 for the band Citizens, and it just shot right up, 1351 01:03:18,333 --> 01:03:20,083 number three on iTunes. 1352 01:03:20,167 --> 01:03:22,000 So things are going really good there. 1353 01:03:22,042 --> 01:03:24,333 We praise God for that. 1354 01:03:24,333 --> 01:03:26,000 How to pray? 1355 01:03:26,042 --> 01:03:28,708 Here's some things that I'd give you to pray for individually, 1356 01:03:28,833 --> 01:03:30,208 in your family, and Community Group: 1357 01:03:30,333 --> 01:03:31,583 Pray for Mars Hill Olympia, 1358 01:03:31,667 --> 01:03:33,833 they're moving into a new building, which is awesome. 1359 01:03:33,833 --> 01:03:36,833 You can also pray, I'll just throw a few more on there, 1360 01:03:36,833 --> 01:03:39,542 Federal Way has outgrown their building, looking for a new one. 1361 01:03:39,667 --> 01:03:41,708 Everett has outgrown theirs, looking for a new one. 1362 01:03:41,833 --> 01:03:43,708 Downtown's outgrown theirs, looking for a new one. 1363 01:03:43,833 --> 01:03:45,208 In addition, Mars Hill Orange County 1364 01:03:45,333 --> 01:03:47,708 is going to be homeless, like Jesus, here very shortly. 1365 01:03:47,833 --> 01:03:49,917 So, we have to find them a new building. 1366 01:03:50,000 --> 01:03:52,708 So, you know, just for those of you with the gift 1367 01:03:52,833 --> 01:03:54,208 of real estate, please do intercede. 1368 01:03:54,333 --> 01:03:56,542 Dr. Justin Holcomb is the new lead pastor at 1369 01:03:56,667 --> 01:03:58,208 Mars Hill University District, 1370 01:03:58,333 --> 01:04:00,208 and we're very glad to have him there. 1371 01:04:00,333 --> 01:04:03,583 He is a former professor at the University of Virginia 1372 01:04:03,667 --> 01:04:06,583 in the sociology and women's studies departments. 1373 01:04:06,667 --> 01:04:09,375 And so he might even end up being a professor at 1374 01:04:09,500 --> 01:04:11,875 the University of Washington, while a pastor at Mars Hill, 1375 01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:13,750 which would be hilarious. 1376 01:04:13,833 --> 01:04:18,042 Additionally, we need leaders, especially volunteer elders, 1377 01:04:18,167 --> 01:04:20,833 so if you're feeling called in that direction let us know. 1378 01:04:20,833 --> 01:04:22,500 And our fiscal year ends June 30, 1379 01:04:22,542 --> 01:04:24,000 so pray that we end strong. 1380 01:04:24,042 --> 01:04:25,750 Give you a little update on that. 1381 01:04:25,833 --> 01:04:27,208 Here's March and April. 1382 01:04:27,333 --> 01:04:30,875 March: 41% of adults gave. April: 42% gave anything. 1383 01:04:31,000 --> 01:04:33,875 In March the average was almost $33, 1384 01:04:34,000 --> 01:04:36,333 in April it went down to under $30. 1385 01:04:36,333 --> 01:04:39,333 And I'm just asking you guys to be generous and faithful, 1386 01:04:39,333 --> 01:04:42,500 we can do a little better than that, in the grace of God. 1387 01:04:42,542 --> 01:04:46,417 In March, households who gave, 4,800. 1388 01:04:46,500 --> 01:04:49,208 In April it was up to about 5,500. 1389 01:04:49,333 --> 01:04:50,708 And look at our weekly attendance. 1390 01:04:50,833 --> 01:04:53,667 In March our average weekly attendance was 13,000, 1391 01:04:53,667 --> 01:04:55,708 in April it was 14,000. 1392 01:04:55,833 --> 01:04:58,583 We grew by 1,000 people in a month. 1393 01:04:58,667 --> 01:05:05,500 In the middle of Revelation, during the spring. 1394 01:05:05,542 --> 01:05:08,500 And so the church is growing, and a lot of these people, 1395 01:05:08,542 --> 01:05:11,250 a lot of you are non-Christians, they're new Christians. 1396 01:05:11,333 --> 01:05:13,333 So, for those of you who are Christians, 1397 01:05:13,333 --> 01:05:15,583 we're asking you to pray, to serve, to give, 1398 01:05:15,667 --> 01:05:17,542 'cause we got a ton of new Christians, 1399 01:05:17,667 --> 01:05:20,500 and a ton of new people, and a ton of non-Christians. 1400 01:05:20,542 --> 01:05:23,833 And so, all Christians need to do their part, 'cause truth is, 1401 01:05:23,833 --> 01:05:25,375 we're bursting at the seams. 1402 01:05:25,500 --> 01:05:27,208 How to give. 1403 01:05:27,333 --> 01:05:28,875 There's a give envelope in your seat. 1404 01:05:29,000 --> 01:05:31,250 You can fill that out and send that in, 1405 01:05:31,333 --> 01:05:33,250 or hand it in the offering basket today. 1406 01:05:33,333 --> 01:05:36,250 Cash, check, you can also go online and give via credit card. 1407 01:05:36,333 --> 01:05:38,083 You can set up a recurring payment, 1408 01:05:38,167 --> 01:05:39,667 like you would for other bills. 1409 01:05:39,708 --> 01:05:43,167 Tithing is not bill paying, but you can set it up in that way, 1410 01:05:43,208 --> 01:05:44,875 through recurring ACH online. 1411 01:05:45,000 --> 01:05:46,542 You can give by mail. 1412 01:05:46,667 --> 01:05:48,500 Take that envelope, put a check in there, 1413 01:05:48,542 --> 01:05:49,875 don't put cash in there. 1414 01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:51,708 You can give online at MarsHill.com/give. 1415 01:05:51,833 --> 01:05:53,875 And if you have any other questions about stocks, 1416 01:05:54,000 --> 01:05:58,583 real estate, whatever it might be, giving@MarsHill.com. 1417 01:05:58,667 --> 01:06:00,708 So, we're going to collect our offering, 1418 01:06:00,833 --> 01:06:03,167 this is where we give to the cause of Jesus, 1419 01:06:03,208 --> 01:06:05,250 for the well being of our church. 1420 01:06:05,333 --> 01:06:07,667 And then we're going to partake of Communion. 1421 01:06:07,708 --> 01:06:11,042 And as we take of our offering, it's an act of repentance, 1422 01:06:11,167 --> 01:06:14,750 "Jesus, I want to give to you, and your cause, 1423 01:06:14,833 --> 01:06:16,750 and your people." 1424 01:06:16,833 --> 01:06:19,167 And Communion is for us an act of repentance. 1425 01:06:19,167 --> 01:06:22,000 Jesus died for my sin, and he rose as my Savior, 1426 01:06:22,000 --> 01:06:23,875 and he's alive and well today. 1427 01:06:24,000 --> 01:06:26,542 And my life and our church ultimately is under his 1428 01:06:26,667 --> 01:06:28,000 jurisdiction and judgment. 1429 01:06:28,000 --> 01:06:30,042 Is there anything you need to repent of? 1430 01:06:30,167 --> 01:06:32,542 Is there anybody you've been cowardly and not talking to? 1431 01:06:32,667 --> 01:06:35,542 Are there ways that you have been ashamed of the gospel? 1432 01:06:35,667 --> 01:06:39,042 This is our opportunity to come to a moment of reflection 1433 01:06:39,167 --> 01:06:40,750 and repentance. 1434 01:06:40,833 --> 01:06:42,750 For those of you who are not Christians, 1435 01:06:42,833 --> 01:06:44,250 this is your moment of redemption, 1436 01:06:44,333 --> 01:06:46,750 where you give your sin and your life to Jesus. 1437 01:06:46,833 --> 01:06:49,500 So, Lord Jesus, I thank you, as we collect our offering, 1438 01:06:49,542 --> 01:06:52,875 that I have an opportunity to teach the Bible at Mars Hill. 1439 01:06:53,000 --> 01:06:57,333 God, I pray for us as a people, that we would, 1440 01:06:57,333 --> 01:07:01,375 that we would love and serve well, 1441 01:07:01,500 --> 01:07:05,833 without compromising the truth of the Bible. 1442 01:07:05,875 --> 01:07:08,875 That we would love people, but not tolerate all beliefs 1443 01:07:09,000 --> 01:07:13,042 and behaviors from those who profess to be Christians. 1444 01:07:13,167 --> 01:07:17,500 God, I pray for Mars Hill Ballard, as 5 weeks in a row, 1445 01:07:17,500 --> 01:07:20,167 they have been tagged, vandalized, 1446 01:07:20,208 --> 01:07:22,417 and windows broken out. 1447 01:07:22,500 --> 01:07:26,417 I pray for Mars Hill Portland, as a group of those who are 1448 01:07:26,500 --> 01:07:31,250 opposed to the gospel showed up to the roughly 100-year-old 1449 01:07:31,333 --> 01:07:34,542 church building, and threw rocks through the stained glass, 1450 01:07:34,667 --> 01:07:37,250 declaring war on our facility. 1451 01:07:37,333 --> 01:07:40,375 I pray, Lord God, for our enemies, and our critics, 1452 01:07:40,500 --> 01:07:42,208 and our opponents. 1453 01:07:42,333 --> 01:07:45,042 I pray that we would love and serve well. 1454 01:07:45,167 --> 01:07:47,875 And I pray, Lord God, against the enemy, his servants, 1455 01:07:48,000 --> 01:07:50,000 their works and effects. 1456 01:07:50,042 --> 01:07:52,125 I pray that we'd be humble and courageous, 1457 01:07:52,167 --> 01:07:55,167 that we would practice repentance of sin, 1458 01:07:55,208 --> 01:07:58,917 and that we would proclaim repentance of sin to others. 1459 01:07:59,000 --> 01:08:04,208 And Lord Jesus, I pray that you would help us to have ears 1460 01:08:04,333 --> 01:08:06,875 to hear what the Spirit says to the churches, 1461 01:08:07,000 --> 01:08:09,833 that we might live lives and believe truths that are pleasing 1462 01:08:09,875 --> 01:08:14,708 to you so that when we see you, we could be rewarded. 1463 01:08:14,833 --> 01:08:17,333 And Lord God, I pray for us as a church, 1464 01:08:17,375 --> 01:08:21,708 as we face constant criticism, opposition, 1465 01:08:21,833 --> 01:08:25,167 I pray, Lord God, that we would love well, 1466 01:08:25,167 --> 01:08:27,333 that we would serve well, 1467 01:08:27,375 --> 01:08:30,583 but that we would love and serve you well first. 1468 01:08:30,667 --> 01:08:32,167 In Jesus' good name, amen.