1 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:02,000 Hi there Mars Hill Church 2 00:00:02,083 --> 00:00:05,000 and the extended family of Mars Hill Global. 3 00:00:05,083 --> 00:00:08,333 I'm pastor Sutton Turner here in Dilla, Ethiopia 4 00:00:08,375 --> 00:00:10,292 and I wanted to take a moment and explain 5 00:00:10,333 --> 00:00:14,333 what the extended family of Mars Hill Global is. 6 00:00:14,375 --> 00:00:18,333 I was a podcaster when I was living in the Middle East 7 00:00:18,375 --> 00:00:22,125 and consuming those podcasts every week, 8 00:00:22,167 --> 00:00:26,125 participating, really one way, from Mars Hill Church. 9 00:00:26,167 --> 00:00:27,917 I was really a consumer. 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,500 So what we're doing is setting up 11 00:00:29,542 --> 00:00:33,167 the extended family of Mars Hill Global and saying, 12 00:00:33,250 --> 00:00:39,000 "Come, be a part of what Jesus Christ is doing in and through our church." 13 00:00:39,083 --> 00:00:40,917 So what does Mars Hill Global do? 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:46,125 Well, Mars Hill Global is doing and participating in church planting 15 00:00:46,167 --> 00:00:48,417 here in Ethiopia and also in India. 16 00:00:48,500 --> 00:00:51,375 Also, we're doing church planting in the United States as well. 17 00:00:51,458 --> 00:00:53,583 We're doing all of that because in Mars Hill Church 18 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,417 we believe that Jesus has called us to make disciples and plant churches. 19 00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:02,375 So I want to ask you to be a part. I want to as you to be a part 20 00:01:02,458 --> 00:01:04,208 of the extended family of Mars Hill Global. 21 00:01:04,292 --> 00:01:05,417 Sign up today. 22 00:01:05,500 --> 00:01:08,333 Become a member of the extended family, 23 00:01:08,375 --> 00:01:10,917 start participating online with us, 24 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,500 and let's see what Jesus Christ is going to do, 25 00:01:13,542 --> 00:01:16,500 not only in the United States, but to the ends of the Earth. 26 00:01:17,167 --> 00:01:30,083 [music] 27 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,083 [Laughing] I'm Joshua. 28 00:01:40,167 --> 00:01:41,875 I'm Spencer. Hey, I'm Jonathan. 29 00:01:41,958 --> 00:01:43,708 I'm a lawyer, and I'm a mom. 30 00:01:43,792 --> 00:01:45,417 I'm a colorist in the fashion industry. 31 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:47,125 I don't know how to not smile. 32 00:01:47,167 --> 00:01:48,500 I am a strategist. 33 00:01:48,583 --> 00:01:50,000 I work in commercial real estate. 34 00:01:50,083 --> 00:01:51,708 Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out 35 00:01:51,792 --> 00:01:53,208 how to phrase my work. 36 00:01:53,292 --> 00:01:55,417 People are always coming up to me with, like, 37 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:56,833 creative ideas. 38 00:01:56,875 --> 00:01:59,833 I carry around a baseball that reminds me of my dad. 39 00:01:59,875 --> 00:02:04,458 I lost my home, my car, my retirement. 40 00:02:04,500 --> 00:02:07,333 Most days look pretty, kind of crazy. 41 00:02:09,333 --> 00:02:12,000 Being a wholesaler, we have a big warehouse space. 42 00:02:12,042 --> 00:02:13,667 I like to think through things. 43 00:02:13,708 --> 00:02:15,333 I got a tattoo of a tree. 44 00:02:15,417 --> 00:02:16,750 I love--I love that. 45 00:02:16,833 --> 00:02:19,250 Who do you think-- Who do you think you are? 46 00:02:22,917 --> 00:02:25,667 All right, Mars Hill. This is a Bible, right? 47 00:02:25,708 --> 00:02:27,583 We like the Bible, right? 48 00:02:27,667 --> 00:02:29,875 We believe the Bible, right? 49 00:02:29,958 --> 00:02:31,792 How many of you have read the Bible 50 00:02:31,833 --> 00:02:33,292 and hit certain points, 51 00:02:33,333 --> 00:02:36,292 you're like, "I have no idea what to do with that. 52 00:02:36,333 --> 00:02:39,333 "I know it's true, but my head just exploded. 53 00:02:39,375 --> 00:02:41,625 "I don't know what I'm supposed to do 54 00:02:41,667 --> 00:02:43,208 with that part of the Bible"? 55 00:02:43,292 --> 00:02:46,500 Have you ever had that? You ever had that? 56 00:02:46,583 --> 00:02:49,000 Peter, a guy who was discipled by Jesus and wrote 57 00:02:49,083 --> 00:02:52,000 a couple books of the Bible, he says that parts are, quote, 58 00:02:52,042 --> 00:02:54,167 "hard to understand," OK? 59 00:02:54,250 --> 00:02:58,000 We hit one today; it's on slavery, Ephesians 6:5-9. 60 00:02:58,083 --> 00:03:00,667 We tend to go through books of the Bible. 61 00:03:00,708 --> 00:03:02,500 This is week 16 in our 62 00:03:02,542 --> 00:03:04,375 "Who Do You Think You Are?" series. 63 00:03:04,458 --> 00:03:06,250 We're looking at "I Am Rewarded," 64 00:03:06,333 --> 00:03:08,042 and Paul talks about slavery. 65 00:03:08,125 --> 00:03:09,750 I still remember, as a new Christian, 66 00:03:09,833 --> 00:03:11,292 I was in college, 67 00:03:11,333 --> 00:03:13,667 just met Jesus, just started reading the Bible. 68 00:03:13,750 --> 00:03:16,500 I had a professor who was not a Christian, 69 00:03:16,542 --> 00:03:18,458 but his brother was a Christian missionary, 70 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:20,167 and he studied the Bible a lot 71 00:03:20,208 --> 00:03:22,667 just to outargue and annoy his brother. 72 00:03:22,750 --> 00:03:25,500 Not the most noble motive for Bible study. 73 00:03:25,542 --> 00:03:29,292 And he liked to blow up evangelicals emotionally 74 00:03:29,333 --> 00:03:30,792 in class. 75 00:03:30,833 --> 00:03:32,375 That was his favorite hobby. 76 00:03:32,458 --> 00:03:34,083 So, I didn't know this, 77 00:03:34,167 --> 00:03:36,583 and he would use all of his biblical knowledge 78 00:03:36,667 --> 00:03:39,125 to argue against Christianity and the Bible. 79 00:03:39,167 --> 00:03:40,833 So, I remember sitting in a class, 80 00:03:40,875 --> 00:03:42,833 and he said something to the effect of, 81 00:03:42,875 --> 00:03:44,375 "So, anybody here believe the Bible?" 82 00:03:44,458 --> 00:03:45,875 I'm a brand-new Christian. "Yes!" 83 00:03:45,958 --> 00:03:47,875 State College, "Yeah, yeah, I believe the Bible!" 84 00:03:47,958 --> 00:03:50,500 He's like, "So, you believe in slavery?" 85 00:03:50,542 --> 00:03:53,625 I was like, "Oh, let me get my hand down." 86 00:03:53,667 --> 00:03:57,625 I didn't know this was a two-part question." 87 00:03:57,667 --> 00:04:00,833 He's like, "Because the Bible, it supports slavery." 88 00:04:00,917 --> 00:04:03,000 I was like, "Oh, I just started reading. 89 00:04:03,042 --> 00:04:06,083 "I apparently have not gotten to that part. 90 00:04:06,167 --> 00:04:07,750 I should now go study." 91 00:04:07,833 --> 00:04:10,500 And I didn't know what to do. So I started studying. 92 00:04:10,542 --> 00:04:11,875 "Well, what does-- 93 00:04:11,958 --> 00:04:13,583 "now, the Bible does talk about slavery. 94 00:04:13,667 --> 00:04:15,083 "What does it say about slavery? 95 00:04:15,167 --> 00:04:17,583 "Is God a God who endorses slavery or opposes slavery, 96 00:04:17,667 --> 00:04:20,083 and what do we do with this big issue?" 97 00:04:20,167 --> 00:04:23,083 Well, that's where we find ourselves today. 98 00:04:23,167 --> 00:04:25,667 Paul's writing a letter to a church. 99 00:04:25,750 --> 00:04:27,792 He himself is not a free man. 100 00:04:27,833 --> 00:04:30,667 He's a man who is in prison, and he's writing a letter 101 00:04:30,750 --> 00:04:33,375 to a church that he planted in a city called Ephesus. 102 00:04:33,458 --> 00:04:38,000 And in that church, there were masters and slaves. 103 00:04:38,083 --> 00:04:40,583 Just, you've got to see this. 104 00:04:40,667 --> 00:04:47,000 They're sitting together maybe in the church, 105 00:04:47,083 --> 00:04:49,333 and then they get a letter where Paul says, 106 00:04:49,375 --> 00:04:52,000 "Here's what Christian slaves should do and not do. 107 00:04:52,083 --> 00:04:55,500 Here's what Christian masters should do and not do." 108 00:04:55,583 --> 00:05:00,042 Can you imagine how awkward it was in that service? 109 00:05:00,125 --> 00:05:03,167 It's going to be that awkward today, OK? 110 00:05:03,250 --> 00:05:06,333 Just talking about slavery seems awkward, right? 111 00:05:06,417 --> 00:05:09,083 Is it just me? Do you feel awkward? 112 00:05:09,167 --> 00:05:12,542 I do, and I thank you for joining me in the awkwardness. 113 00:05:12,625 --> 00:05:15,000 So, let us open the Bible. 114 00:05:15,042 --> 00:05:18,000 Let us not have a superficial misunderstanding of it. 115 00:05:18,042 --> 00:05:23,250 Let us have a deep consideration of it to see--to see what God 116 00:05:23,333 --> 00:05:26,458 might mean when he speaks to slaves and masters. 117 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:29,792 So, Ephesians 6:5-9, we'll read it together. 118 00:05:29,833 --> 00:05:33,667 "Bondservants"--some of your translations will say "slaves"-- 119 00:05:33,750 --> 00:05:37,125 "Obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, 120 00:05:37,167 --> 00:05:39,500 "with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 121 00:05:39,583 --> 00:05:42,625 "not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, 122 00:05:42,667 --> 00:05:44,917 "but as bondservants of Christ, 123 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,583 "doing the will of God from the heart, 124 00:05:47,667 --> 00:05:50,917 "rendering service with a good will as to the Lord 125 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,125 "and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, 126 00:05:54,167 --> 00:05:57,292 "this he will receive back from the Lord, 127 00:05:57,333 --> 00:06:00,583 whether he is a bondservant," or slave, or is free. 128 00:06:00,667 --> 00:06:05,083 "Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, 129 00:06:05,167 --> 00:06:08,292 knowing that he" --that is Jesus-- 130 00:06:08,333 --> 00:06:11,292 "who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, 131 00:06:11,333 --> 00:06:14,875 and that there is no partiality with him." 132 00:06:14,958 --> 00:06:20,042 Here we are, dealing with slaves and masters. 133 00:06:20,125 --> 00:06:21,875 And immediately what happens 134 00:06:21,958 --> 00:06:25,375 as soon as we hear that word, "slavery," 135 00:06:25,458 --> 00:06:29,667 we immediately import into it slavery as was practiced 136 00:06:29,750 --> 00:06:32,167 in the United States of America, 137 00:06:32,250 --> 00:06:35,167 but might I remind you, 138 00:06:35,250 --> 00:06:38,208 he's speaking to those who are part of the Roman Empire 139 00:06:38,292 --> 00:06:42,125 roughly 2,000 years--nearly 2,000 years before 140 00:06:42,167 --> 00:06:45,833 the United States of America even became a nation, 141 00:06:45,875 --> 00:06:49,708 and before it became a nation that ever practiced slavery. 142 00:06:49,792 --> 00:06:55,917 And so what we're looking at is perhaps not the same meaning in 143 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:01,375 the Roman Empire as is meant in American history. 144 00:07:01,458 --> 00:07:04,667 So, let me just be clear up front--very clear. 145 00:07:04,750 --> 00:07:07,042 We need to thread the needle on this. 146 00:07:07,125 --> 00:07:10,250 We believe--I believe the Bible teaches, 147 00:07:10,333 --> 00:07:12,667 I'm convinced, that slavery, 148 00:07:12,750 --> 00:07:14,958 as was practiced in the United States of America, 149 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,000 is ungodly; it's unholy, and it's unjust, OK? 150 00:07:19,042 --> 00:07:23,167 And I'll get to my reasons why in a moment. 151 00:07:23,250 --> 00:07:27,792 But, we need to be careful not to take a word and then 152 00:07:27,833 --> 00:07:31,292 pour into it a lot of meaning that they wouldn't have 153 00:07:31,333 --> 00:07:34,042 originally had in their context. 154 00:07:34,125 --> 00:07:36,208 We're separated by cultures. 155 00:07:36,292 --> 00:07:39,833 Now, American slavery--let me explain it to you-- 156 00:07:39,875 --> 00:07:44,125 and these are reasons it is sinful and awful. 157 00:07:44,167 --> 00:07:46,792 Number one, it's almost entirely racial. 158 00:07:46,833 --> 00:07:50,917 American slavery was almost entirely racial. 159 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,000 It was a black-and-white issue; 160 00:07:54,042 --> 00:07:56,667 it was a racial issue. 161 00:07:56,750 --> 00:07:59,375 God made all people in his image and likeness. 162 00:07:59,458 --> 00:08:02,042 We all descend from one man and one woman. 163 00:08:02,125 --> 00:08:05,042 We're all part of the same extended human family. 164 00:08:05,125 --> 00:08:07,375 And according to the teaching of the Bible, 165 00:08:07,458 --> 00:08:10,000 one race ruling over another race 166 00:08:10,042 --> 00:08:12,583 as if they were a favored race-- 167 00:08:12,667 --> 00:08:16,958 well, that's evil, that's unjust, that's racism, 168 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,375 but that's how American slavery was predominately practiced. 169 00:08:20,458 --> 00:08:26,000 Number two, American slavery was a lifetime status for most-- 170 00:08:26,042 --> 00:08:28,250 meaning, once you were a slave, 171 00:08:28,333 --> 00:08:31,000 you were a slave for the rest of your life. 172 00:08:31,042 --> 00:08:34,500 Unless your master decided to emancipate you or you somehow 173 00:08:34,542 --> 00:08:37,708 were able to amass enough wealth to purchase your freedom, 174 00:08:37,792 --> 00:08:43,292 you were in an unchangeable, unending, lifelong state. 175 00:08:43,333 --> 00:08:48,333 The Bible, in no regards, sees this as a good thing-- 176 00:08:48,375 --> 00:08:51,500 that people made in the image and likeness of God 177 00:08:51,542 --> 00:08:56,000 are not to be treated as property and owned as commodity. 178 00:08:56,042 --> 00:08:58,417 And it was a lifelong state. 179 00:08:58,500 --> 00:09:04,458 Number three, the children born into a slave family 180 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:08,792 were also slaves and possession of the master. 181 00:09:08,833 --> 00:09:12,333 So, this is not just that your life is as a slave; 182 00:09:12,417 --> 00:09:15,750 it's that your entire legacy is one of slavery. 183 00:09:15,833 --> 00:09:19,167 So, to use my family as an example, if I were a slave, 184 00:09:19,208 --> 00:09:21,667 all five of my children would be slaves. 185 00:09:21,750 --> 00:09:24,667 Their children, my grandchildren, would be slaves, 186 00:09:24,750 --> 00:09:26,792 and from generation to generation, 187 00:09:26,833 --> 00:09:28,875 as our family grew in number, 188 00:09:28,958 --> 00:09:32,375 we would all be the possession of one master. 189 00:09:32,458 --> 00:09:35,083 We'd all be the possession of one master. 190 00:09:35,167 --> 00:09:38,917 And again, that is unjust, it's ungodly, and it's unbiblical. 191 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,208 The same thing happens to Jacob's family 192 00:09:41,292 --> 00:09:42,833 at the end of Genesis. 193 00:09:42,875 --> 00:09:45,708 God's people, they seek refuge in a time of economic downturn 194 00:09:45,792 --> 00:09:48,500 and famine in the nation called Egypt, and there, 195 00:09:48,583 --> 00:09:51,417 they expand in numbers to the point where they go from 196 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:54,000 a family of perhaps 5 dozen people 197 00:09:54,042 --> 00:09:56,167 to a nation of a few million people, 198 00:09:56,250 --> 00:09:58,333 some 400 plus years later, 199 00:09:58,375 --> 00:10:02,125 and they're all owned by the Pharaoh as slaves. 200 00:10:02,167 --> 00:10:04,667 That's unjust. 201 00:10:04,750 --> 00:10:07,500 God's people didn't appreciate it when it was done to them, 202 00:10:07,583 --> 00:10:09,333 and God's people should oppose it 203 00:10:09,375 --> 00:10:11,375 when it's done to anyone else. 204 00:10:11,458 --> 00:10:13,917 And number four, people were treated as possessions 205 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:15,625 of their master. 206 00:10:15,667 --> 00:10:17,500 They were part of the estate. 207 00:10:17,583 --> 00:10:19,833 And so, in our nation's history, 208 00:10:19,875 --> 00:10:22,708 you could look at even some of the Founding Fathers 209 00:10:22,792 --> 00:10:25,500 and the wills that they would write to pass on 210 00:10:25,583 --> 00:10:28,333 their possessions from one generation to another. 211 00:10:28,375 --> 00:10:33,333 They would say, "I bequeath this land, I bequeath this, 212 00:10:33,375 --> 00:10:37,333 "you know, wealth, I bequeath this livestock, 213 00:10:37,375 --> 00:10:40,167 and I bequeath these slaves." 214 00:10:40,208 --> 00:10:42,708 And the slaves sometimes would be listed alongside of 215 00:10:42,792 --> 00:10:47,042 the livestock as simply part of the economic portfolio for 216 00:10:47,125 --> 00:10:50,333 the family, and then they could be exchanged 217 00:10:50,417 --> 00:10:53,458 from one generation to another. 218 00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:55,042 People are made by God. 219 00:10:55,125 --> 00:10:56,542 People belong to God. 220 00:10:56,625 --> 00:10:58,542 People are made with dignity, value, and worth 221 00:10:58,625 --> 00:11:01,708 in the image and likeness of God. And to treat a person 222 00:11:01,792 --> 00:11:04,708 as you would a piece of property or livestock, 223 00:11:04,792 --> 00:11:09,000 a possession, is to disrespect the image and likeness of God 224 00:11:09,083 --> 00:11:10,875 that they bear. 225 00:11:10,958 --> 00:11:13,875 And that's how American slavery was practiced. 226 00:11:13,958 --> 00:11:18,208 Does the Bible ever expressly condemn that kind of slavery, 227 00:11:18,292 --> 00:11:21,625 also known as slave trading, where one racial group goes 228 00:11:21,667 --> 00:11:24,833 and takes another racial group that was previously free 229 00:11:24,875 --> 00:11:29,167 and then enslaves them and their children as part of the estate, 230 00:11:29,250 --> 00:11:32,125 passed off from generation to generation? 231 00:11:32,167 --> 00:11:34,417 Well, the man who wrote Ephesians also wrote 232 00:11:34,500 --> 00:11:36,917 another book called 1 Timothy, and here's what he says 233 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,625 in 1 Timothy 1:9-10: 234 00:11:39,667 --> 00:11:42,625 "We also know that the law" --so, the truth of God's Word-- 235 00:11:42,667 --> 00:11:45,167 "is made not for the righteous but for"-- 236 00:11:45,250 --> 00:11:49,500 and now look at the imagery and the constellation of wording 237 00:11:49,583 --> 00:11:51,667 that he uses-- 238 00:11:51,750 --> 00:11:55,125 "lawbreakers, the rebels, the ungodly, the sinful, 239 00:11:55,167 --> 00:11:57,833 the unholy, the irreligious." 240 00:11:57,875 --> 00:12:01,667 He's really making his point, right? 241 00:12:01,750 --> 00:12:05,083 I mean, just look--if someone came to you and said, 242 00:12:05,167 --> 00:12:08,583 "You are a lawbreaker, a rebel, ungodly, sinful, 243 00:12:08,667 --> 00:12:10,667 unholy, and irreligious," 244 00:12:10,708 --> 00:12:13,333 you'd say, "I got the point right around 245 00:12:13,417 --> 00:12:17,083 "lawbreaker or rebel that you think that I am 246 00:12:17,167 --> 00:12:21,792 a very diabolical, despicable, deplorable human being." 247 00:12:21,833 --> 00:12:24,958 And then he gives a list of sins, and for our purposes, 248 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:26,333 we'll pull this one out: 249 00:12:26,417 --> 00:12:27,750 "For"--what's the word? 250 00:12:27,833 --> 00:12:29,875 "Slave traders." 251 00:12:29,958 --> 00:12:33,958 Slavery, as was practiced in the United States of America, 252 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,125 is slave trading. 253 00:12:36,167 --> 00:12:38,125 A free people enslave a free people, 254 00:12:38,167 --> 00:12:40,417 treat them as possessions, as well as their children, 255 00:12:40,500 --> 00:12:44,417 and then pass them on as part of the family estate. 256 00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:47,500 And he says that "is contrary to sound doctrine." 257 00:12:47,542 --> 00:12:50,417 The language there is of healthy, life-giving, 258 00:12:50,500 --> 00:12:54,917 society-flourishing doctrine. 259 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,000 So, let me be exceedingly clear: 260 00:12:58,083 --> 00:13:01,958 The Bible absolutely, unequivocally, 261 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,792 clearly says that slave trading, which is slavery as practiced 262 00:13:06,833 --> 00:13:09,000 in the history of the United States of America, 263 00:13:09,042 --> 00:13:11,167 is an evil in the sight of God. 264 00:13:11,250 --> 00:13:13,500 Have I been clear? Have I been clear? 265 00:13:13,542 --> 00:13:15,667 OK, so both of you think I have. 266 00:13:15,708 --> 00:13:18,500 That's great, it's a good start, and I rejoice in that. 267 00:13:18,542 --> 00:13:21,292 Now, the question becomes, 268 00:13:21,333 --> 00:13:25,875 when Paul here speaks of slavery, 269 00:13:25,958 --> 00:13:31,750 why does he not--why does he not altogether reject 270 00:13:31,833 --> 00:13:36,000 the institution? 271 00:13:36,042 --> 00:13:42,125 I believe it is because ancient slavery was different. 272 00:13:42,167 --> 00:13:47,500 Roman slavery was different than American slavery, 273 00:13:47,583 --> 00:13:51,708 and so Paul is not going to outwardly--or outrightly, 274 00:13:51,792 --> 00:13:56,083 I should say--reject the entire system, 275 00:13:56,167 --> 00:14:00,500 but he is going to focus on the believers who are living 276 00:14:00,542 --> 00:14:03,583 within a certain governmental structure, 277 00:14:03,667 --> 00:14:08,500 how to be godly in the midst of even ungodly circumstances. 278 00:14:08,542 --> 00:14:12,583 And his silence on the institution of slavery, 279 00:14:12,667 --> 00:14:16,083 as well as other things, is not to be in any way interpreted as 280 00:14:16,167 --> 00:14:19,583 a tacit approval of those structures. 281 00:14:19,667 --> 00:14:23,083 Similarly, here he is writing a letter to people 282 00:14:23,167 --> 00:14:25,500 who are under a certain governmental authority, 283 00:14:25,542 --> 00:14:27,167 and he's teaching them, 284 00:14:27,250 --> 00:14:30,375 both slaves and masters, how to act in a way that is godly 285 00:14:30,458 --> 00:14:32,000 within those social structures. 286 00:14:32,042 --> 00:14:35,583 Similarly, let's say today I was to write a letter to 287 00:14:35,667 --> 00:14:39,167 Christian leaders who are in a devoutly Muslim country 288 00:14:39,250 --> 00:14:42,500 that was governed by the Quran and Sharia law, 289 00:14:42,583 --> 00:14:45,500 and the whole paradigm of that governmental system 290 00:14:45,542 --> 00:14:47,917 was antithetical to Christian theology. 291 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,417 My writing to the believers to tell them, 292 00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:53,125 "Here's how to conduct yourselves in the midst of 293 00:14:53,167 --> 00:14:55,208 this governmental system," 294 00:14:55,292 --> 00:14:58,000 would not be a tacit approval of the government. 295 00:14:58,042 --> 00:15:00,250 It would be direct instruction, 296 00:15:00,333 --> 00:15:02,750 for those who are under the auspices of the government, 297 00:15:02,833 --> 00:15:04,792 how to conduct themselves in a way 298 00:15:04,833 --> 00:15:07,875 that glorifies God in a system that does not glorify God. 299 00:15:07,958 --> 00:15:10,083 Similarly, let's say I was writing a letter 300 00:15:10,167 --> 00:15:12,792 as a spiritual leader to the underground church 301 00:15:12,833 --> 00:15:17,167 in a place like Communist China which prones toward atheism. 302 00:15:17,208 --> 00:15:21,458 If I were to instruct Christian believers how to conduct 303 00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:25,292 themselves in an atheistic Communistic government, 304 00:15:25,333 --> 00:15:28,792 that doesn't mean that I believe in atheism or Communism, 305 00:15:28,833 --> 00:15:34,167 just as I don't believe in Islam or Sharia law. 306 00:15:34,208 --> 00:15:37,583 But if those are the structures that God's people are under--if 307 00:15:37,667 --> 00:15:40,375 those are the systems that God's people are in, 308 00:15:40,458 --> 00:15:43,208 and they don't seem to be changing anytime soon, 309 00:15:43,292 --> 00:15:47,125 how should we conduct ourselves even in circumstances, 310 00:15:47,167 --> 00:15:51,333 situations that we don't believe are godly 311 00:15:51,375 --> 00:15:53,625 but we're under authority? 312 00:15:53,667 --> 00:15:56,708 That's Paul's focus and emphasis, 313 00:15:56,792 --> 00:16:01,292 and I would say those who do think biblically have been 314 00:16:01,333 --> 00:16:05,167 the ones who oppose slavery historically. 315 00:16:05,250 --> 00:16:07,875 It was William Wilberforce who fought against slavery 316 00:16:07,958 --> 00:16:10,542 because of his biblical convictions. 317 00:16:10,625 --> 00:16:12,083 It was Abraham Lincoln, who, 318 00:16:12,167 --> 00:16:13,750 because of his biblical convictions, 319 00:16:13,833 --> 00:16:15,167 fought against slavery. 320 00:16:15,250 --> 00:16:16,583 And I liked the movie. 321 00:16:16,667 --> 00:16:18,875 I wished they would have included his faith. 322 00:16:18,958 --> 00:16:22,792 We live in a day now when even biographies that make it to 323 00:16:22,833 --> 00:16:26,875 the big screen like Lincoln or Jackie Robinson-- 324 00:16:26,958 --> 00:16:30,000 they edit out their love for Jesus and belief in the Bible 325 00:16:30,042 --> 00:16:33,500 that compelled them to do things like fight against racism, 326 00:16:33,542 --> 00:16:35,833 because we like to make them into the heroes, 327 00:16:35,917 --> 00:16:39,500 and they were trying to make Jesus into the hero. 328 00:16:39,583 --> 00:16:43,208 And to truly tell their story is to say William Wilberforce 329 00:16:43,292 --> 00:16:46,667 was compelled to oppose slavery because he believed the Bible. 330 00:16:46,750 --> 00:16:49,167 Abraham Lincoln was compelled to oppose slavery 331 00:16:49,250 --> 00:16:51,000 because he believed the Bible. 332 00:16:51,083 --> 00:16:52,917 Jackie Robinson, the great baseball player, 333 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,917 was compelled to press against racism because 334 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:57,875 he believed the Bible. 335 00:16:57,958 --> 00:17:00,542 Martin Luther King Jr. was inspired by the teaching of 336 00:17:00,625 --> 00:17:04,083 the Bible and the liberation of God's people as slaves in Egypt, 337 00:17:04,167 --> 00:17:06,750 and that's why so much of his ministry was filled with 338 00:17:06,833 --> 00:17:09,958 biblical imagery. 339 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,250 So, this kind of justice is historically 340 00:17:12,333 --> 00:17:15,583 the domain of God's people, guided by God's Word. 341 00:17:15,667 --> 00:17:17,792 Back to the point. 342 00:17:17,833 --> 00:17:20,875 Slavery, as was practiced in the Roman Empire, 343 00:17:20,958 --> 00:17:24,542 is similar and dissimilar than slavery as was practiced in 344 00:17:24,625 --> 00:17:26,167 the United States of America. 345 00:17:26,250 --> 00:17:28,958 And I know this is going to get a little complicated, 346 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,458 and some of you feel like you're going to college, 347 00:17:31,500 --> 00:17:32,958 and you're hoping to avoid college. 348 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,667 It's just a 1-hour collegiate lecture. 349 00:17:34,750 --> 00:17:36,083 Hang in there. 350 00:17:36,167 --> 00:17:38,625 There were four ways, at least according to my study-- 351 00:17:38,667 --> 00:17:41,167 and I've been to the city of Ephesus three times, 352 00:17:41,250 --> 00:17:42,792 I've been into the archaeological digs, 353 00:17:42,833 --> 00:17:44,292 I've met with certain professors, 354 00:17:44,333 --> 00:17:46,500 I've asked the hard questions, I've looked at 355 00:17:46,583 --> 00:17:48,375 the infrastructure of the city. 356 00:17:48,458 --> 00:17:50,917 I want to be a good Bible teacher for you. 357 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,208 I've been to this place, I've done my homework, 358 00:17:53,292 --> 00:17:55,708 and my understanding is there were at least four ways 359 00:17:55,792 --> 00:17:58,625 that someone became a slave in Roman society. 360 00:17:58,667 --> 00:18:03,167 Two were unjust, and two were arguably just. 361 00:18:03,250 --> 00:18:05,375 The first two, they were unjust. 362 00:18:05,458 --> 00:18:09,250 Number one, you would be paying off a debt. 363 00:18:09,333 --> 00:18:13,333 So, in our day where you have bankruptcy or just escalating 364 00:18:13,417 --> 00:18:19,000 debt, you were able to amass a bit of wealth, 365 00:18:19,042 --> 00:18:22,667 or maybe an exorbitant amount of wealth, and then, what we call, 366 00:18:22,708 --> 00:18:25,083 default, all right? 367 00:18:25,167 --> 00:18:28,000 Just go into bankruptcy, walk away. 368 00:18:28,042 --> 00:18:32,667 The result is that people have incredible personal debt 369 00:18:32,750 --> 00:18:35,500 and we have crippling national debt. 370 00:18:35,542 --> 00:18:38,125 It's not working, all right? 371 00:18:38,167 --> 00:18:40,208 The Bible says that the borrower is slave 372 00:18:40,292 --> 00:18:42,167 to the lender. 373 00:18:42,250 --> 00:18:43,792 A lot of people aren't slaves, 374 00:18:43,833 --> 00:18:45,500 but every time they get their bills, 375 00:18:45,583 --> 00:18:47,208 they feel like slaves, amen?, 376 00:18:47,292 --> 00:18:51,125 like somebody else is in charge of your life. 377 00:18:51,167 --> 00:18:55,417 In that day, they didn't have these legal parameters. 378 00:18:55,500 --> 00:18:58,375 You would, instead--let's say you wanted to obtain a piece of 379 00:18:58,458 --> 00:19:01,167 property, you wanted to buy a piece of livestock, 380 00:19:01,250 --> 00:19:05,167 you wanted to take out a loan to start a new business or to cover 381 00:19:05,250 --> 00:19:09,292 some debt, as part of your contract, you would say, 382 00:19:09,333 --> 00:19:13,250 "And if I cannot repay this, I will become a slave of yours. 383 00:19:13,333 --> 00:19:16,292 "I will work for you for free for X number of years 384 00:19:16,333 --> 00:19:18,667 to pay off my debt." 385 00:19:18,708 --> 00:19:22,375 That would change credit cards a lot, wouldn't it? 386 00:19:22,458 --> 00:19:25,292 Let's say you got your credit card application and you read 387 00:19:25,333 --> 00:19:28,167 the fine print, and it was, "And if you fail to repay, 388 00:19:28,250 --> 00:19:31,167 "you have to come work for the company for 5 years with 389 00:19:31,208 --> 00:19:33,333 no income to pay us back." 390 00:19:33,417 --> 00:19:36,708 How many of you would not have a credit card, OK? 391 00:19:36,792 --> 00:19:42,208 So, that is one way to have some sort of guarantee 392 00:19:42,292 --> 00:19:44,625 against the loan. 393 00:19:44,667 --> 00:19:49,000 "I will work to pay off the debt if I am unable to pay you back." 394 00:19:49,083 --> 00:19:51,708 Is that just or unjust? 395 00:19:51,792 --> 00:19:54,000 Well, that's just. 396 00:19:54,083 --> 00:19:56,500 Otherwise, what you're encouraging people to do is 397 00:19:56,542 --> 00:20:00,292 take out large loans and debts 398 00:20:00,333 --> 00:20:03,375 and then you're encouraging them to default 399 00:20:03,458 --> 00:20:06,500 and then to bankrupt those who are borrowers. 400 00:20:06,542 --> 00:20:09,000 That's not just. 401 00:20:09,083 --> 00:20:13,083 Number two, the second way that people became slaves, 402 00:20:13,167 --> 00:20:16,000 they would--of their own volitional choice-- 403 00:20:16,042 --> 00:20:18,667 they would place themselves in a position of slavery. 404 00:20:18,750 --> 00:20:21,500 Let's say you came from a very poor family. 405 00:20:21,542 --> 00:20:24,000 Let's say that there was an injury in your family. 406 00:20:24,083 --> 00:20:25,875 Let's say that there was a famine 407 00:20:25,958 --> 00:20:27,708 or a massive economic downturn. 408 00:20:27,792 --> 00:20:31,667 Or let's say that you had tried to work the family farm, 409 00:20:31,750 --> 00:20:33,708 you had tried to work the family business, 410 00:20:33,792 --> 00:20:35,958 whatever that might have been passed on to you, 411 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,833 and you just couldn't make it go. 412 00:20:37,875 --> 00:20:40,333 It just--your thing wasn't working. 413 00:20:40,375 --> 00:20:43,417 And your family is hungry, and you can't make ends meet, 414 00:20:43,500 --> 00:20:45,333 and you don't know what to do. 415 00:20:45,417 --> 00:20:48,458 What you could do is you could find someone who is affluent, 416 00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:50,667 and you could approach them and negotiate a deal. 417 00:20:50,708 --> 00:20:53,833 You could say, "I would like to be part of your estate. 418 00:20:53,917 --> 00:20:56,958 "I would like to be part of your extended household, 419 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,875 "and in exchange for me coming to work hard for you, 420 00:21:00,958 --> 00:21:03,500 "you're going to provide my family a home, 421 00:21:03,583 --> 00:21:06,208 "you're going to provide my family an income, 422 00:21:06,292 --> 00:21:10,000 you're going to provide my family food." 423 00:21:10,083 --> 00:21:12,667 And see, today, people go from job to job to job. 424 00:21:12,750 --> 00:21:14,500 People have no loyalty to their employer, 425 00:21:14,583 --> 00:21:16,208 and their employer oftentimes 426 00:21:16,292 --> 00:21:18,000 has little to no loyalty to them. 427 00:21:18,083 --> 00:21:19,917 This would be a commitment. 428 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,083 "I'm going to be a great worker, and you're going to be 429 00:21:23,167 --> 00:21:26,125 "a generous provider, and if we could agree to that, 430 00:21:26,167 --> 00:21:28,375 "then I will join your household, 431 00:21:28,458 --> 00:21:30,417 and you will take care of my family." 432 00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:32,333 Is that just or unjust? 433 00:21:32,375 --> 00:21:34,125 Well, that's just. 434 00:21:34,167 --> 00:21:36,417 That actually could help some people from starvation have 435 00:21:36,500 --> 00:21:38,292 a viable, better life. 436 00:21:38,333 --> 00:21:40,167 That's not a bad thing. 437 00:21:40,250 --> 00:21:43,292 The two other conditions, they're unjust. 438 00:21:43,333 --> 00:21:48,917 One is that people were taken as 439 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,208 prisoners of war. 440 00:21:51,292 --> 00:21:53,000 So, two nations would go into war, 441 00:21:53,083 --> 00:21:57,000 and the conquering nation would enslave the conquered nation. 442 00:21:57,042 --> 00:22:00,583 And oftentimes, what this was was you could have 443 00:22:00,667 --> 00:22:05,000 a foolish king, you could have a falsely ambitious king, 444 00:22:05,042 --> 00:22:08,333 and he would go declare war, and then your nation would fall, 445 00:22:08,417 --> 00:22:11,000 and all those who were poor peasants who didn't have 446 00:22:11,042 --> 00:22:15,833 the wherewithal to flee, they would be taken as slaves simply 447 00:22:15,917 --> 00:22:20,250 because they had a king who lost or a king who was foolish. 448 00:22:20,333 --> 00:22:22,542 Is that just or unjust? 449 00:22:22,625 --> 00:22:24,250 That's unjust. 450 00:22:24,333 --> 00:22:27,750 These are people who didn't do anything. 451 00:22:27,833 --> 00:22:32,542 These are people who didn't deserve anything. 452 00:22:32,625 --> 00:22:35,667 That's unjust--to conquer a people and then enslave 453 00:22:35,750 --> 00:22:38,833 a people, to take away all of their rights and dignity as 454 00:22:38,875 --> 00:22:41,292 God's image-bearers. 455 00:22:41,333 --> 00:22:44,208 Lastly, category number four, 456 00:22:44,292 --> 00:22:48,708 sometimes slaves were previously abandoned infants. 457 00:22:48,792 --> 00:22:52,833 In that day, infanticide was practiced. 458 00:22:52,875 --> 00:22:56,917 They had some forms of abortion, but it was very primitive, 459 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,083 and so the child would be born. 460 00:23:00,167 --> 00:23:02,833 Let's say it was a child with any sort of disability 461 00:23:02,917 --> 00:23:05,000 or physical deformity. 462 00:23:05,042 --> 00:23:08,042 Let's say it was a girl and they really wanted a boy 463 00:23:08,125 --> 00:23:11,083 to be the family heir to carry on the family line. 464 00:23:11,167 --> 00:23:13,167 Let's say the family had an economic downturn, 465 00:23:13,250 --> 00:23:14,833 they didn't want another kid. 466 00:23:14,917 --> 00:23:18,083 Let's say there was an adultery and this was an out-of-wedlock, 467 00:23:18,167 --> 00:23:20,000 illegitimate child. 468 00:23:20,042 --> 00:23:23,375 What they would do, according to ancient reports, 469 00:23:23,458 --> 00:23:25,792 they would practice infanticide. 470 00:23:25,833 --> 00:23:28,042 They would just leave the child to die. 471 00:23:28,125 --> 00:23:30,250 Sometimes they would literally place the child 472 00:23:30,333 --> 00:23:32,167 out with the trash. 473 00:23:32,250 --> 00:23:36,125 So, the garbage goes out, and there's the baby. 474 00:23:36,167 --> 00:23:39,667 Immediately, some of you are going to say, "That's horrific." 475 00:23:39,750 --> 00:23:42,792 Let us just say we have no moral high ground 476 00:23:42,833 --> 00:23:46,333 on how we treat babies, amen? 477 00:23:46,375 --> 00:23:49,917 We have no moral high ground for how we treat babies. 478 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,583 We've got a trial going on right now with a man, by all accounts, 479 00:23:53,667 --> 00:23:56,792 who seems to be a murderer under the guise of a doctor, 480 00:23:56,833 --> 00:23:59,500 and the media doesn't even want to cover the story 481 00:23:59,583 --> 00:24:01,333 because it's so horrific. 482 00:24:01,417 --> 00:24:03,667 It's like once a baby's in a mom's womb 483 00:24:03,750 --> 00:24:06,875 or out of a mom's womb, one is murder, the other is not, 484 00:24:06,958 --> 00:24:08,583 and sometimes that's a matter of minutes. 485 00:24:08,667 --> 00:24:10,583 It's because we're a bunch of murderous hypocrites, 486 00:24:10,667 --> 00:24:12,000 that's why. 487 00:24:12,042 --> 00:24:15,458 So, let's not look back and say, "Boy, they were primitive. 488 00:24:15,500 --> 00:24:18,000 That's really, really, really awful conduct." 489 00:24:18,042 --> 00:24:21,958 Let's say people never change, and we're as evil as they are, 490 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,250 OK? 491 00:24:24,333 --> 00:24:26,958 And if you've had an abortion, Jesus loves you, 492 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,833 he can forgive you, there is hope for you, 493 00:24:29,917 --> 00:24:34,500 but the taking of a child's life is a very serious thing. 494 00:24:34,542 --> 00:24:36,792 Nonetheless, they would put the children 495 00:24:36,833 --> 00:24:38,208 out with the trash. 496 00:24:38,292 --> 00:24:41,125 Many of the children would die, but sometimes then the children 497 00:24:41,167 --> 00:24:46,667 would be taken, forced to be gladiators, soldiers, 498 00:24:46,750 --> 00:24:49,167 and slaves--that was the boys. 499 00:24:49,250 --> 00:24:53,917 The girls would become servants and prostitutes. 500 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,500 Is that just or unjust? 501 00:24:56,583 --> 00:24:59,000 That's unjust. 502 00:24:59,083 --> 00:25:03,000 Now, by way of encouragement, some of the Christians in 503 00:25:03,042 --> 00:25:06,083 the early church started taking these kids in as well, 504 00:25:06,167 --> 00:25:09,167 and Christians were known for adoption. 505 00:25:09,208 --> 00:25:12,583 They realize, "God's our Father, he adopts us into his family, 506 00:25:12,667 --> 00:25:16,583 he gives us full family rights, we have an inheritance." 507 00:25:16,667 --> 00:25:19,333 All of this is the language of Ephesians, by the way. 508 00:25:19,417 --> 00:25:22,542 If you've read Ephesians, all of this is the language of 509 00:25:22,625 --> 00:25:25,292 Ephesians--that we're fathered, we're adopted, we're blessed, 510 00:25:25,333 --> 00:25:27,583 we have an inheritance. 511 00:25:27,667 --> 00:25:30,083 And they realize, "If this is how God treats us, 512 00:25:30,167 --> 00:25:32,500 then this is how we need to treat children." 513 00:25:32,542 --> 00:25:35,375 In fact, it was the Lord Jesus himself that did not have 514 00:25:35,458 --> 00:25:39,167 an earthly father but had an adoptive father in Joseph. 515 00:25:39,250 --> 00:25:41,625 And so Christians started adopting kids, 516 00:25:41,667 --> 00:25:44,000 not to make them prostitutes and gladiators but sons 517 00:25:44,083 --> 00:25:47,208 and daughters, and to write them into the family estate 518 00:25:47,292 --> 00:25:50,917 and to give them part of the inheritance. 519 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,917 All that to say, slavery, as was practiced in the ancient world, 520 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,125 it was complicated; it was diverse. 521 00:25:57,167 --> 00:26:00,750 Some was unjust, and some was just. And so you can't say, 522 00:26:00,833 --> 00:26:02,750 "All slavery's wrong." 523 00:26:02,833 --> 00:26:05,000 Well, if a guy signed a contract and said, 524 00:26:05,042 --> 00:26:07,542 "Lend me $100,000, and if I don't pay you back, 525 00:26:07,625 --> 00:26:10,583 I'll work for you for 4 years to pay off my debt," 526 00:26:10,667 --> 00:26:13,750 that's not unjust. 527 00:26:13,833 --> 00:26:16,958 But if some guy goes out and picks up an abandoned child 528 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,083 and forces it to be a prostitute, that is unjust. 529 00:26:20,167 --> 00:26:22,292 And so the situation is complicated, 530 00:26:22,333 --> 00:26:27,375 and what this requires is deep study and consideration. 531 00:26:27,458 --> 00:26:31,083 And the way it worked in the church was slaves 532 00:26:31,167 --> 00:26:33,667 and masters would worship together because they were 533 00:26:33,708 --> 00:26:36,375 brothers and sisters in Christ. 534 00:26:36,458 --> 00:26:40,208 And you could have masters that, in the church, 535 00:26:40,292 --> 00:26:43,583 had their slaves as pastors. 536 00:26:43,667 --> 00:26:45,917 You can see where this gets very complicated. 537 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,500 They're out in the field during the day; 538 00:26:49,583 --> 00:26:52,917 the slave is calling the boss, "Master." 539 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:54,625 They walk into the church, 540 00:26:54,667 --> 00:26:57,208 and the master is calling the slave, "Pastor." 541 00:26:57,292 --> 00:27:00,583 Because you could be a spiritual leader in the church, 542 00:27:00,667 --> 00:27:02,292 slave or free. 543 00:27:02,333 --> 00:27:05,167 That's what Paul says in Galatians 3:28, I think it is-- 544 00:27:05,208 --> 00:27:07,292 there's neither slave nor free that in Christ. 545 00:27:07,333 --> 00:27:09,458 We're talking about your integrity, your doctrine, 546 00:27:09,500 --> 00:27:12,667 your character, not about your status in the society-- 547 00:27:12,708 --> 00:27:14,542 and that is so important. 548 00:27:14,625 --> 00:27:17,292 In that day, if you were educated, if you owned land, 549 00:27:17,333 --> 00:27:20,292 if you were wealthy, you were a ruler. 550 00:27:20,333 --> 00:27:22,667 In the church of God, it depends on your doctrine, 551 00:27:22,750 --> 00:27:25,583 your integrity, and your character, not your race, 552 00:27:25,667 --> 00:27:27,833 not your income, not your education level, 553 00:27:27,917 --> 00:27:30,958 not your socioeconomic background. 554 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,375 And so as this is being read, this causes a lot of confusion 555 00:27:34,458 --> 00:27:36,125 in the church. 556 00:27:36,167 --> 00:27:38,500 And some would say that the early church, 557 00:27:38,583 --> 00:27:41,875 as it grew in the Roman Empire, a large percentage-- 558 00:27:41,958 --> 00:27:43,917 perhaps even the majority-- 559 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:45,917 of those who were Christian converts in 560 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,375 the early church, they were slaves and/or former slaves. 561 00:27:49,458 --> 00:27:51,167 So this is not a minor issue. 562 00:27:51,250 --> 00:27:53,167 This is a major issue. 563 00:27:53,250 --> 00:27:55,917 So the church is together, and maybe the majority of people 564 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,208 are slaves or have been slaves. 565 00:27:58,292 --> 00:28:01,542 The questions is, what does God have to say about 566 00:28:01,625 --> 00:28:06,500 this institution, about these relationships? 567 00:28:06,542 --> 00:28:09,583 See, God doesn't just care about what happens when we die; 568 00:28:09,667 --> 00:28:12,583 he cares about what happens while we're alive here. 569 00:28:12,667 --> 00:28:15,167 He doesn't care just about what happens in the church; 570 00:28:15,250 --> 00:28:19,667 he cares about what happens outside of the church. 571 00:28:19,750 --> 00:28:23,958 And he has exhortations for those who are in authority-- 572 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,792 the masters--and those who are under authority-- 573 00:28:27,833 --> 00:28:30,542 the bondservants or the slaves. 574 00:28:30,625 --> 00:28:36,667 That being said, as we examine this--and I like teaching here. 575 00:28:38,750 --> 00:28:40,792 What we don't believe in is a superficial, 576 00:28:40,833 --> 00:28:42,708 simplistic reading of the Bible. 577 00:28:42,792 --> 00:28:45,333 We want to look at what the author said to 578 00:28:45,375 --> 00:28:48,417 the original recipients, how it fit in their context, 579 00:28:48,500 --> 00:28:50,708 and then pull the principles forward 580 00:28:50,792 --> 00:28:53,333 2,000 years later to the world in which we live. 581 00:28:53,375 --> 00:28:56,625 What we don't want to do is take our culture and then read 582 00:28:56,667 --> 00:28:59,208 everything that was said 2,000 years ago and import 583 00:28:59,292 --> 00:29:01,792 all of what we understand into that context. 584 00:29:01,833 --> 00:29:04,167 So, we're looking at the timeless Word of God 585 00:29:04,250 --> 00:29:06,667 and its timely application 2,000 years ago, 586 00:29:06,708 --> 00:29:10,167 and what I want to do now is I want to extricate the principles 587 00:29:10,208 --> 00:29:12,750 that would have direct application to how we conduct 588 00:29:12,833 --> 00:29:14,542 ourselves today. 589 00:29:14,625 --> 00:29:17,000 In so doing, there is not a direct correlation 590 00:29:17,042 --> 00:29:19,542 between slavery and employment. 591 00:29:19,625 --> 00:29:23,958 The closest thing that we have is an employer and an employee; 592 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,458 someone who is in authority, someone who is under authority; 593 00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:29,875 someone who contractually is obligated to work 594 00:29:29,958 --> 00:29:31,500 for someone else, 595 00:29:31,542 --> 00:29:33,750 and that person who is then contractually obligated 596 00:29:33,833 --> 00:29:37,417 to pay and provide for those goods/services rendered, 597 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:39,708 whatever the case may be. 598 00:29:39,792 --> 00:29:41,833 Does God care about your job? 599 00:29:41,875 --> 00:29:44,833 That's the big question. 600 00:29:44,875 --> 00:29:48,917 We worship the Lord Jesus, who himself worked a job. 601 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,000 Our God becomes a man. 602 00:29:51,042 --> 00:29:53,125 Our God lives without sin. 603 00:29:53,167 --> 00:29:55,875 Our God, for the first roughly 30 years of his life, 604 00:29:55,958 --> 00:29:58,167 he's working with his dad as a carpenter, 605 00:29:58,250 --> 00:30:00,708 swinging a hammer, doing a job. 606 00:30:00,792 --> 00:30:04,000 Jesus' worship didn't begin the day he started preaching, 607 00:30:04,042 --> 00:30:06,125 teaching, and healing. 608 00:30:06,167 --> 00:30:10,708 Jesus worshiped the day he began obeying--as a child, 609 00:30:10,792 --> 00:30:12,833 obeying his mother and father, 610 00:30:12,875 --> 00:30:15,833 as an employee, working under his father. 611 00:30:15,875 --> 00:30:18,833 I want you to see that the problem in America is, 612 00:30:18,875 --> 00:30:20,500 some people worship their work. 613 00:30:20,542 --> 00:30:22,500 As Christians, we do not worship our work. 614 00:30:22,583 --> 00:30:25,917 We worship Jesus, and our work for us is an opportunity 615 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,000 to worship Jesus. 616 00:30:28,083 --> 00:30:31,583 We want to do a good job in authority and under authority, 617 00:30:31,667 --> 00:30:34,875 as Jesus was perfectly under authority 618 00:30:34,958 --> 00:30:38,167 and now rules in authority. 619 00:30:38,208 --> 00:30:40,667 And Paul told us earlier in Ephesians 2:8-9, 620 00:30:40,708 --> 00:30:43,042 "We're saved by grace through faith in Christ alone." 621 00:30:43,125 --> 00:30:44,750 And then in Ephesians 2:10, he said, 622 00:30:44,833 --> 00:30:47,500 "to do the good works that God has prepared in advance 623 00:30:47,583 --> 00:30:49,458 for us to do." 624 00:30:49,500 --> 00:30:51,167 Are you a barista? 625 00:30:51,208 --> 00:30:53,333 Those are the good works he's prepared in advance 626 00:30:53,375 --> 00:30:54,833 for you to do. 627 00:30:54,875 --> 00:30:56,542 Are you a stay-at-home mom? 628 00:30:56,625 --> 00:30:59,042 Then those are the good works he's prepared in advance 629 00:30:59,125 --> 00:31:00,500 for you to do. 630 00:31:00,583 --> 00:31:03,083 Are you a construction worker who has boots, a truck, 631 00:31:03,167 --> 00:31:04,625 a lunchbox, and a tool belt? 632 00:31:04,667 --> 00:31:06,333 Well, then you're like the Lord Jesus, 633 00:31:06,375 --> 00:31:08,833 and that--minus the truck-- and that is the good work 634 00:31:08,875 --> 00:31:11,417 he's prepared in advance for you to do, right? 635 00:31:11,500 --> 00:31:12,875 Are you a banker? 636 00:31:12,958 --> 00:31:14,375 Are you a CEO? 637 00:31:14,458 --> 00:31:15,875 Are you a student? 638 00:31:15,958 --> 00:31:17,375 Are you a Community Group leader? 639 00:31:17,458 --> 00:31:18,875 Are you a Redemption Group leader? 640 00:31:18,958 --> 00:31:20,917 Are you an elder? Are you a deacon? 641 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,292 Are you a big brother who has certain chores? 642 00:31:23,333 --> 00:31:25,833 Those are the good works that God prepared in advance 643 00:31:25,875 --> 00:31:27,417 for you to do. 644 00:31:27,500 --> 00:31:30,792 So, relationship with Jesus leads to good works like Jesus. 645 00:31:30,833 --> 00:31:33,917 I'd like to say it this way: we're not saved by our works; 646 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,875 we're saved to our works by Jesus' works. 647 00:31:36,958 --> 00:31:40,125 So, how does this apply to your work? 648 00:31:40,167 --> 00:31:43,833 And let me say that your work will include those things that 649 00:31:43,875 --> 00:31:46,708 you're paid for and those things that you're not paid for-- 650 00:31:46,792 --> 00:31:50,000 right, Mom? 651 00:31:50,083 --> 00:31:54,417 How many moms--at 3 o'clock, kid throws up and yells. 652 00:31:54,500 --> 00:31:56,500 Mom doesn't say, "Double time! 653 00:31:56,583 --> 00:32:00,500 "I get paid double because the child threw up, 654 00:32:00,542 --> 00:32:04,292 "not between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 655 00:32:04,333 --> 00:32:06,500 "the child threw up at 3 a.m. on Thursday. 656 00:32:06,542 --> 00:32:07,875 "That's double time. 657 00:32:07,958 --> 00:32:10,083 "Oh, he threw up at 3 a.m. on Saturday? 658 00:32:10,167 --> 00:32:11,500 "Well, that's triple time. 659 00:32:11,542 --> 00:32:14,500 I get triple the income-- which is zero." 660 00:32:14,542 --> 00:32:19,750 Mom just does what's right, OK? 661 00:32:19,833 --> 00:32:22,333 So, whether it's a kid who's doing their chores, 662 00:32:22,417 --> 00:32:24,833 whether it's a parent that's just loving their child, 663 00:32:24,917 --> 00:32:27,000 whether it's a Community Group leader or volunteer 664 00:32:27,042 --> 00:32:29,292 in the church that's serving the Lord--whatever it is, 665 00:32:29,333 --> 00:32:31,292 that's your work. 666 00:32:31,333 --> 00:32:34,667 That's your work, and your work is a way that we worship God 667 00:32:34,750 --> 00:32:36,208 as Christians. 668 00:32:36,292 --> 00:32:38,917 And so he's going to give directives to those who are 669 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,000 under authority and those who are in authority. 670 00:32:41,083 --> 00:32:43,000 And he starts with directives for those 671 00:32:43,083 --> 00:32:45,083 who are under authority. 672 00:32:45,167 --> 00:32:47,125 Here, we'll call them employees, but whatever authority 673 00:32:47,167 --> 00:32:48,667 you're under. 674 00:32:48,750 --> 00:32:50,167 So, what authority are you under? 675 00:32:50,250 --> 00:32:52,000 Are you an athlete with a coach? 676 00:32:52,042 --> 00:32:53,833 Are you a student with a teacher? 677 00:32:53,875 --> 00:32:55,708 Are you an employee with an employer? 678 00:32:55,792 --> 00:32:58,833 Are you a church member under a church leader? 679 00:32:58,875 --> 00:33:01,167 Are you a child under a parent? 680 00:33:01,208 --> 00:33:04,042 What's your overarching authority? 681 00:33:04,125 --> 00:33:07,167 And some of you say, "I have no authority over me." 682 00:33:07,208 --> 00:33:08,833 Then you're in danger. 683 00:33:08,917 --> 00:33:12,292 Even Jesus Christ is under authority. 684 00:33:12,333 --> 00:33:14,167 He's under the Father's authority. 685 00:33:14,250 --> 00:33:16,083 He's under his mother and father's authority 686 00:33:16,167 --> 00:33:18,667 as he's growing up as a young man. 687 00:33:18,750 --> 00:33:22,000 We all must be under authority. 688 00:33:22,042 --> 00:33:24,292 We all must be under authority. 689 00:33:24,333 --> 00:33:26,542 We're sinners by nature and choice. 690 00:33:26,625 --> 00:33:28,542 We need to be under authority. 691 00:33:28,625 --> 00:33:31,292 Some of you say, "I choose what authority I'm under." 692 00:33:31,333 --> 00:33:33,500 Here's the truth: you're a person who is either 693 00:33:33,542 --> 00:33:35,167 under authority or not under authority. 694 00:33:35,208 --> 00:33:37,625 And if you're a person who is not under authority, 695 00:33:37,667 --> 00:33:40,000 that will involve your relationship with God because 696 00:33:40,083 --> 00:33:42,833 you will not be under God's authority or the authority of 697 00:33:42,875 --> 00:33:46,667 God's Word--and that puts you in a dangerous place. 698 00:33:46,750 --> 00:33:50,625 Here's his word for us at how we conduct ourselves 699 00:33:50,667 --> 00:33:53,667 under authority, and I want to make a specific application 700 00:33:53,750 --> 00:33:56,208 to those of you who are going to get up 701 00:33:56,292 --> 00:33:58,333 and go to work today or this week, 702 00:33:58,375 --> 00:34:00,167 your job paid or unpaid: 703 00:34:00,250 --> 00:34:02,167 "Bondservants, obey your earthly masters." 704 00:34:02,208 --> 00:34:05,792 OK, first thing, obey. You love that word, don't you? 705 00:34:05,833 --> 00:34:07,375 You've got this word, you're like, 706 00:34:07,458 --> 00:34:09,375 "Oh, I'd love to hear about obedience! 707 00:34:09,458 --> 00:34:10,792 "I love obedience! 708 00:34:10,833 --> 00:34:12,167 "My favorite word is 'obey'! 709 00:34:12,250 --> 00:34:14,167 "I love to be told what to do 710 00:34:14,250 --> 00:34:16,250 because I love to do what I'm told." 711 00:34:16,333 --> 00:34:18,083 No, you don't. No, you don't. 712 00:34:18,167 --> 00:34:20,292 No, you don't. 713 00:34:20,333 --> 00:34:22,167 We are all rebels. 714 00:34:22,208 --> 00:34:23,792 We're all sinners by nature. 715 00:34:23,833 --> 00:34:25,292 We all buck authority. 716 00:34:25,333 --> 00:34:28,375 We don't want anybody to tell us what to do. 717 00:34:28,458 --> 00:34:32,667 And it's worse in Seattle, 718 00:34:32,750 --> 00:34:38,167 and it might even be worse than that in Portland. 719 00:34:38,250 --> 00:34:42,792 There are certain cultures that think that rebellion and anarchy 720 00:34:42,833 --> 00:34:46,208 are spiritual gifts, OK? 721 00:34:46,292 --> 00:34:48,833 In Seattle and Portland in particular, 722 00:34:48,875 --> 00:34:52,208 as we get a lot of young people that come to Mars Hill, 723 00:34:52,292 --> 00:34:54,333 people in their 20s, college-educated singles, 724 00:34:54,375 --> 00:34:56,000 they tend to gravitate, statistically, 725 00:34:56,083 --> 00:34:59,667 toward contractor jobs and consulting jobs, which means, 726 00:34:59,750 --> 00:35:02,458 "I don't have a boss. I don't work for a company. 727 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:03,958 "I don't get a performance review. 728 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,000 "Nobody gets to tell me what to do. 729 00:35:06,042 --> 00:35:08,583 "I work whenever I want, at home, in my underwear, 730 00:35:08,667 --> 00:35:11,458 doing whatever I please," right? 731 00:35:11,500 --> 00:35:17,292 And that tends to be--that tends to be Seattle and Portland. 732 00:35:17,333 --> 00:35:20,875 So, 'obey'. You're like, "That's a cute word, old Book." 733 00:35:20,958 --> 00:35:22,875 Right? 734 00:35:22,958 --> 00:35:25,083 So, you don't want to work for a company, 735 00:35:25,167 --> 00:35:26,833 you don't want to have a boss, 736 00:35:26,917 --> 00:35:29,042 you don't want to be told what to do. 737 00:35:29,125 --> 00:35:31,250 The Bible says, "If somebody's in authority over you, 738 00:35:31,333 --> 00:35:32,667 obey them." 739 00:35:32,708 --> 00:35:35,250 Now, he's also saying here that over them is Jesus, 740 00:35:35,333 --> 00:35:38,583 so if your person in authority over you is telling you to do 741 00:35:38,667 --> 00:35:41,333 something that is sinful, the answer is you need to obey 742 00:35:41,375 --> 00:35:43,917 your highest authority, which is Jesus, and not sin. 743 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:46,333 But the truth is, most of the time, 744 00:35:46,375 --> 00:35:48,292 we're lazy, we're selfish, 745 00:35:48,333 --> 00:35:50,375 we're self-righteous, we're proud, we're defiant, 746 00:35:50,458 --> 00:35:52,333 we're stubborn, we're hardhearted. 747 00:35:52,375 --> 00:35:55,000 I know, not you but that other person you're thinking about-- 748 00:35:55,042 --> 00:35:58,500 they're totally like that. And we just don't like 749 00:35:58,583 --> 00:36:01,167 anybody to tell us what to do, right? 750 00:36:01,250 --> 00:36:03,875 We don't. 751 00:36:03,958 --> 00:36:05,875 It says, "Obey." 752 00:36:05,958 --> 00:36:07,667 You know what that means? 753 00:36:07,708 --> 00:36:09,667 That means that somebody in authority over you, 754 00:36:09,750 --> 00:36:12,375 let's say a boss, they have a right to give you 755 00:36:12,458 --> 00:36:14,583 a job description and tell you what to do, 756 00:36:14,667 --> 00:36:16,000 and you should do it. 757 00:36:16,042 --> 00:36:17,375 Obey. Obey. 758 00:36:17,458 --> 00:36:19,500 Now, imagine a world in which children 759 00:36:19,542 --> 00:36:21,250 didn't obey their parents, 760 00:36:21,333 --> 00:36:23,333 and wives didn't respect and honor their husbands, 761 00:36:23,417 --> 00:36:26,167 and employees didn't obey their employers, 762 00:36:26,208 --> 00:36:29,083 and citizens didn't honor their government. 763 00:36:29,167 --> 00:36:31,875 We don't need to pretend to conceive of what that world 764 00:36:31,958 --> 00:36:35,667 would be like because that's the world we live in. 765 00:36:35,750 --> 00:36:40,333 It's rebellion, folly, sin, and disaster. 766 00:36:40,375 --> 00:36:42,833 It's not working. 767 00:36:42,875 --> 00:36:44,667 It's not working. 768 00:36:44,750 --> 00:36:47,208 And some of you say, "I'm smarter than my boss." 769 00:36:47,292 --> 00:36:50,708 OK, number one, maybe not. Maybe not. 770 00:36:50,792 --> 00:36:53,333 Number two, even if you are, they're still in authority 771 00:36:53,375 --> 00:36:56,792 over you, and if nothing else, salute the uniform. 772 00:36:56,833 --> 00:37:00,833 You'll hear military personnel say this: "Even if I don't think 773 00:37:00,917 --> 00:37:02,958 "that that's the greatest leader in the world, 774 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,458 "I will salute the uniform, and I'll honor the office 775 00:37:05,500 --> 00:37:08,167 "and submit to authority, because if I'm ever going to effect 776 00:37:08,250 --> 00:37:10,583 "any change or become a leader myself, 777 00:37:10,667 --> 00:37:13,167 "it starts with being one who is humble and submissive 778 00:37:13,208 --> 00:37:15,667 "under authority before I have any right to influence 779 00:37:15,750 --> 00:37:19,000 or come into a place of authority." 780 00:37:19,042 --> 00:37:22,167 Obey. Obey. 781 00:37:22,250 --> 00:37:25,875 Obey. 782 00:37:25,958 --> 00:37:27,500 "With fear and trembling." 783 00:37:27,542 --> 00:37:29,667 This is respect. 784 00:37:29,750 --> 00:37:34,792 This is with respect-- a bit of honor, all right? 785 00:37:34,833 --> 00:37:36,625 We don't live in an honor culture. 786 00:37:36,667 --> 00:37:38,667 We don't. We don't. We don't. 787 00:37:38,750 --> 00:37:41,292 You go to an Eastern culture, or an Asian culture, 788 00:37:41,333 --> 00:37:43,208 it's more of an honor culture. 789 00:37:43,292 --> 00:37:46,333 You honor those in authority; you honor those who are older. 790 00:37:46,375 --> 00:37:48,083 Not in the U.S. 791 00:37:48,167 --> 00:37:51,875 We're not an honor culture; we're a rebellion culture. 792 00:37:51,958 --> 00:37:54,917 And so it's even become fashionable, right? 793 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:58,125 Even so many of our cultural narratives, the films we love, 794 00:37:58,167 --> 00:38:02,167 the heroes we have, the music we enjoy--it just instigates 795 00:38:02,250 --> 00:38:09,000 constant rebellion, not obeying with fear and trembling. 796 00:38:09,042 --> 00:38:11,875 This is respect. 797 00:38:11,958 --> 00:38:14,958 Do you respect those in authority over you? 798 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:18,333 He goes on to say, "With a sincere heart." 799 00:38:18,417 --> 00:38:20,583 It's a heart issue, right? 800 00:38:20,667 --> 00:38:23,583 You know whether or not your heart's in it. 801 00:38:23,667 --> 00:38:25,750 OK, employers, true or false? 802 00:38:25,833 --> 00:38:27,583 Leaders, true or false? 803 00:38:27,667 --> 00:38:30,333 You can tell when somebody's heart's in it or not? 804 00:38:30,417 --> 00:38:32,500 You can tell. 805 00:38:32,542 --> 00:38:37,000 Somebody whose heart is in it, they're in the mission; 806 00:38:37,083 --> 00:38:40,333 they come self-motivated. 807 00:38:40,375 --> 00:38:42,417 Those whose heart is not in it, 808 00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:45,333 you need to continually motivate them. 809 00:38:45,375 --> 00:38:48,167 You know your heart. 810 00:38:48,250 --> 00:38:50,417 You know your heart. 811 00:38:50,500 --> 00:38:52,875 Some of you say, "I don't love my role. 812 00:38:52,958 --> 00:38:54,875 I don't want to be in it." 813 00:38:54,958 --> 00:38:56,625 You know what? 814 00:38:56,667 --> 00:39:00,333 It may be until you learn that lesson, God will keep you there. 815 00:39:00,417 --> 00:39:03,500 And so if you're waiting to have a new attitude once you get 816 00:39:03,542 --> 00:39:06,792 a new position, the truth is you may not get a new position 817 00:39:06,833 --> 00:39:08,792 until after you've gotten a new attitude, 818 00:39:08,833 --> 00:39:11,583 because God's working on you. 819 00:39:11,667 --> 00:39:15,583 If you want to change your heart, pray. 820 00:39:15,667 --> 00:39:18,667 Do you pray for your boss-- 821 00:39:18,750 --> 00:39:23,083 not imprecatory prayers from the Psalms, right? 822 00:39:23,167 --> 00:39:26,500 "Lord, kill them," OK? 823 00:39:29,333 --> 00:39:31,667 But do you pray for them? 824 00:39:31,708 --> 00:39:33,042 Do you know what? 825 00:39:33,125 --> 00:39:34,792 Do you know what'll change your attitude, 826 00:39:34,833 --> 00:39:36,208 particularly if you're under authority, 827 00:39:36,292 --> 00:39:38,917 you're not super excited, you want to have a heart change? 828 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,333 Start praying for those who are in authority over you. 829 00:39:41,375 --> 00:39:44,500 True or false, the Bible tells us to pray for those who are 830 00:39:44,583 --> 00:39:45,917 in authority over us? 831 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:48,500 The Bible tells us to lead peaceable and quiet lives 832 00:39:48,542 --> 00:39:51,208 and to pray for those who are in authority over us. 833 00:39:51,292 --> 00:39:53,208 That's what the Bible says. 834 00:39:53,292 --> 00:39:55,417 Pray for those who are in authority over you. 835 00:39:55,500 --> 00:39:58,583 That will help to change your heart. 836 00:39:58,667 --> 00:40:00,333 "As you would Christ." 837 00:40:00,375 --> 00:40:03,083 Here's the big idea: 838 00:40:03,167 --> 00:40:05,500 Above your boss is another Boss, capital-b Boss, 839 00:40:05,583 --> 00:40:07,417 the Boss of bosses. 840 00:40:07,500 --> 00:40:09,833 His name is Jesus Christ. 841 00:40:09,875 --> 00:40:14,500 So ultimately, ultimately, you work for Jesus. 842 00:40:14,542 --> 00:40:17,500 Ultimately, you work for Jesus. 843 00:40:17,542 --> 00:40:20,917 If Jesus was your boss, would you work differently? 844 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:24,000 We'd all say yes, right? 845 00:40:24,083 --> 00:40:29,167 You'd say, "Yeah, no, if Jesus did my performance review, yeah. 846 00:40:29,250 --> 00:40:31,708 "I couldn't get away with anything, 847 00:40:31,792 --> 00:40:34,292 "that'd be the first thing. 848 00:40:34,333 --> 00:40:38,333 "And if I argued with him, I'd be wrong. So yeah, I would. 849 00:40:38,417 --> 00:40:40,417 Well, that's your opinion, Jesus." 850 00:40:40,500 --> 00:40:43,958 Oh, really? 851 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:48,500 So, over your boss is Jesus. And ultimately, 852 00:40:48,583 --> 00:40:51,125 we work for Jesus. 853 00:40:51,167 --> 00:40:52,833 Ultimately, we work for Jesus. 854 00:40:52,917 --> 00:40:54,458 Do you believe that? 855 00:40:54,500 --> 00:40:55,958 This is where Christians and non-Christians, 856 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,208 we respond to authority, and our roles, 857 00:40:58,292 --> 00:41:00,125 and our works differently. 858 00:41:00,167 --> 00:41:03,000 Some of you say, "I'm not going to do a good job; 859 00:41:03,083 --> 00:41:04,417 I have a horrible boss." 860 00:41:04,500 --> 00:41:05,833 Say, "You know what? 861 00:41:05,875 --> 00:41:08,500 "I'm going to do a good job because my boss' Boss 862 00:41:08,583 --> 00:41:10,708 is a great Boss, and this is for Jesus." 863 00:41:10,792 --> 00:41:12,833 Yeah, you want your company, your organization, 864 00:41:12,875 --> 00:41:15,417 your ministry to flourish, but ultimately you want to honor 865 00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:17,208 and glorify Jesus. 866 00:41:17,292 --> 00:41:19,917 And if you do, part of what your work becomes, then, 867 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:21,583 is your witness. 868 00:41:21,667 --> 00:41:24,125 Much of our life is spent at our job. 869 00:41:24,167 --> 00:41:26,792 And the truth is that if people know we're Christians, 870 00:41:26,833 --> 00:41:30,917 how we conduct ourselves speaks good or ill of our faith. 871 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:34,417 And it would be great to get to the point where when there was 872 00:41:34,500 --> 00:41:37,333 an opening at a company, they called the church and they said, 873 00:41:37,375 --> 00:41:40,625 "We need more Christians because they work differently than 874 00:41:40,667 --> 00:41:42,375 "the non-Christians. 875 00:41:42,458 --> 00:41:44,667 "They work like Jesus is their boss. 876 00:41:44,750 --> 00:41:50,167 They work on their heart, and they produce results." 877 00:41:50,250 --> 00:41:52,917 "Not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers." 878 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:55,917 Are you one of those people that, when the boss is looking, 879 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:57,917 you're performing; when the boss is not looking, 880 00:41:58,000 --> 00:41:59,500 you're not performing? 881 00:41:59,542 --> 00:42:01,958 How much time do you steal from your boss, 882 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:05,500 billing hours for things you didn't do, surfing the Internet, 883 00:42:05,542 --> 00:42:07,875 social media sites, reading my blog? 884 00:42:07,958 --> 00:42:10,375 Don't do it on company time. 885 00:42:10,458 --> 00:42:11,875 Listening to my sermon. 886 00:42:11,958 --> 00:42:13,875 Sometimes I'll have people come up, "Pastor Mark, 887 00:42:13,958 --> 00:42:16,083 I listen to five of your sermons a day." 888 00:42:16,167 --> 00:42:18,083 What do you do? "I have a job." 889 00:42:18,167 --> 00:42:20,833 Your job is not to listen to my sermon all day, 890 00:42:20,917 --> 00:42:23,583 unless you have a job like driving a truck where you 891 00:42:23,667 --> 00:42:26,292 get to listen to a sermon all day, and that's OK. 892 00:42:26,333 --> 00:42:29,042 Don't just put your headphones in and then bill your boss 893 00:42:29,125 --> 00:42:30,583 to hear my long sermons, OK? 894 00:42:30,667 --> 00:42:32,458 Don't steal time from your company. 895 00:42:32,500 --> 00:42:34,833 Do you steal money from your company? 896 00:42:34,917 --> 00:42:36,333 Do you bill for things? 897 00:42:36,375 --> 00:42:38,000 Do you charge things? 898 00:42:38,042 --> 00:42:39,500 Do you misuse corporate accounts? 899 00:42:39,583 --> 00:42:42,000 Do you misuse receipting and reimbursements? 900 00:42:42,083 --> 00:42:45,000 Are you someone who steals items from your boss, 901 00:42:45,083 --> 00:42:46,792 from your business? 902 00:42:46,833 --> 00:42:49,833 One of the great problems for most businesses 903 00:42:49,875 --> 00:42:54,333 is not just theft but it's employee theft. 904 00:42:54,375 --> 00:42:57,500 You'd say, "I'd never do that if my boss was looking." 905 00:42:57,542 --> 00:43:00,292 Well, your Boss is who? 906 00:43:00,333 --> 00:43:05,875 Jesus. And he's always looking, so keep your hand out of 907 00:43:05,958 --> 00:43:07,667 the company cookie jar. 908 00:43:07,750 --> 00:43:10,292 Don't be like Judas. 909 00:43:10,333 --> 00:43:14,292 Don't be like Judas; be like Jesus. 910 00:43:14,333 --> 00:43:16,958 Don't start taking what belongs to the organization, 911 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:18,667 doesn't belong to you. 912 00:43:18,750 --> 00:43:22,292 That includes a sense of entitlement and thievery. 913 00:43:22,333 --> 00:43:25,500 You get what you get, and you don't take more than 914 00:43:25,542 --> 00:43:28,792 you're supposed to have. 915 00:43:28,833 --> 00:43:30,333 And people behave differently. 916 00:43:30,417 --> 00:43:33,333 How many of you, you work with that person--or you are that 917 00:43:33,417 --> 00:43:35,833 person, that's why you work with them--but when the boss 918 00:43:35,917 --> 00:43:37,333 is looking, boy they are so-- 919 00:43:37,375 --> 00:43:38,708 "Oh yeah, I'm just really--" 920 00:43:38,792 --> 00:43:40,583 and then when the boss isn't looking, 921 00:43:40,667 --> 00:43:42,333 it's like an episode of "The Office." 922 00:43:42,375 --> 00:43:44,708 It's just goofing around, messing around. 923 00:43:44,792 --> 00:43:47,167 He says, "That's not it." 924 00:43:47,250 --> 00:43:49,500 It shouldn't just be when the boss is looking, 925 00:43:49,542 --> 00:43:51,625 because the ultimate Boss is always looking. 926 00:43:51,667 --> 00:43:54,000 "But as bondservants of Christ"--we work for Jesus-- 927 00:43:54,083 --> 00:43:55,792 "doing the will of God." 928 00:43:55,833 --> 00:43:58,833 God wants your work to be an act of worship, 929 00:43:58,875 --> 00:44:00,333 to do it well, 930 00:44:00,417 --> 00:44:03,583 to do it wholeheartedly, to do it lovingly, to do it fairly, 931 00:44:03,667 --> 00:44:06,750 to do it honestly, to do it with integrity. 932 00:44:06,833 --> 00:44:09,000 And it doesn't matter if you're paid or unpaid; 933 00:44:09,042 --> 00:44:11,083 it's under the Lord. 934 00:44:11,167 --> 00:44:13,750 "Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord, 935 00:44:13,833 --> 00:44:16,083 not to man." 936 00:44:16,167 --> 00:44:18,667 That ultimately, we're going to stand before Jesus and give 937 00:44:18,750 --> 00:44:21,792 an account for our whole life, including our work. 938 00:44:21,833 --> 00:44:23,583 How's it going? 939 00:44:23,667 --> 00:44:25,042 How's it going? 940 00:44:25,125 --> 00:44:27,375 How's it going? 941 00:44:27,458 --> 00:44:31,833 That's his word to those who are under authority. 942 00:44:31,917 --> 00:44:34,250 Now, let me say this: Pastor Dave Bruskas, 943 00:44:34,333 --> 00:44:36,292 along with Pastor Sutton Turner, 944 00:44:36,333 --> 00:44:38,292 they're the other two executive elders 945 00:44:38,333 --> 00:44:40,000 that work with me at Mars Hill, 946 00:44:40,042 --> 00:44:43,167 and a lot of what I'm sharing with you I've learned from them. 947 00:44:43,250 --> 00:44:46,167 But Pastor Dave said something this week, and I would give it 948 00:44:46,250 --> 00:44:48,375 to those of you who are under authority, you're employees. 949 00:44:48,458 --> 00:44:50,833 When you're not succeeding at your job, your role, 950 00:44:50,875 --> 00:44:53,333 your responsibility, it's one of the three things. 951 00:44:53,375 --> 00:44:55,708 You don't understand the role; 952 00:44:55,792 --> 00:44:58,917 you don't know exactly what you're supposed to be doing. 953 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:01,542 Here's what you should do: humbly go to your employer 954 00:45:01,625 --> 00:45:03,667 and say, "I want to do a great job. 955 00:45:03,750 --> 00:45:05,292 I want to execute well." 956 00:45:05,333 --> 00:45:07,083 This could be paid or unpaid. 957 00:45:07,167 --> 00:45:10,167 "I'm not clear as to exactly what your expectations are. 958 00:45:10,250 --> 00:45:12,292 "I've got a pen, tell me. 959 00:45:12,333 --> 00:45:14,000 "I want to do a good job. 960 00:45:14,042 --> 00:45:16,667 Can you tell me so I can do a good job?" 961 00:45:16,750 --> 00:45:18,083 Sometimes it's--you don't know 962 00:45:18,167 --> 00:45:19,583 what you're supposed to be doing. 963 00:45:19,667 --> 00:45:21,000 You ever had that job? 964 00:45:21,042 --> 00:45:22,375 You're sitting there like, 965 00:45:22,458 --> 00:45:24,375 "I don't know what I'm supposed to do." 966 00:45:24,458 --> 00:45:26,083 It's like Home Alone. You're that kid. 967 00:45:26,167 --> 00:45:28,083 You're like, "I don't know what to do. 968 00:45:28,167 --> 00:45:29,583 I don't know what to do." 969 00:45:29,667 --> 00:45:32,792 You need to go ask humbly, "What do you need me to do?" 970 00:45:32,833 --> 00:45:36,000 The second place where people fail is they can't do the job. 971 00:45:36,083 --> 00:45:38,792 You've got a role; you're like, "I can't do the job." 972 00:45:38,833 --> 00:45:40,333 Then, one of two things happens. 973 00:45:40,375 --> 00:45:43,500 You either need to get new skills so you can do the job, 974 00:45:43,583 --> 00:45:45,667 or you need to get a new job. 975 00:45:45,750 --> 00:45:48,292 So, that's even being honest, and going to your employer, 976 00:45:48,333 --> 00:45:51,917 and saying, "I don't want to just take your money. 977 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:54,917 "I either need some help or training 978 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:58,417 "or you need to tell me what I need to do to figure out 979 00:45:58,500 --> 00:45:59,833 how to do this," 980 00:45:59,875 --> 00:46:02,083 or "I just don't think I can do this, 981 00:46:02,167 --> 00:46:04,083 "and I want to be honest about that. 982 00:46:04,167 --> 00:46:06,292 "And I'm not negative, and I'm not blaming you, 983 00:46:06,333 --> 00:46:07,667 "and I'm not declaring war. 984 00:46:07,750 --> 00:46:09,667 "I'm just telling you I can't do that. 985 00:46:09,750 --> 00:46:11,083 "I'm not that person. 986 00:46:11,167 --> 00:46:13,083 That's not--I'm not the best person for that." 987 00:46:13,167 --> 00:46:14,667 There's humility and integrity in that. 988 00:46:14,708 --> 00:46:17,083 Sometimes it requires more training, and you can do it. 989 00:46:17,167 --> 00:46:19,500 Sometimes you realize it's just not going to happen. 990 00:46:19,542 --> 00:46:22,667 Like, if you gave me an accounting job, 991 00:46:22,708 --> 00:46:25,333 there would be a better chance of me getting pregnant 992 00:46:25,417 --> 00:46:29,250 than figuring out the accounting job, all right? 993 00:46:29,333 --> 00:46:31,875 Me and numbers--it's like cats and water, 994 00:46:31,958 --> 00:46:33,667 and Superman and kryptonite. 995 00:46:33,750 --> 00:46:35,375 It's not going to go well. 996 00:46:35,458 --> 00:46:37,083 I am not an accountant. 997 00:46:37,167 --> 00:46:39,000 You can say, "Go to accounting school." 998 00:46:39,042 --> 00:46:40,792 "Oh yeah, and fly like Peter Pan." 999 00:46:40,833 --> 00:46:42,917 Just a list of things that I should do. 1000 00:46:43,000 --> 00:46:44,917 Not going to happen. 1001 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:48,333 The third category is, you won't do the job. 1002 00:46:48,375 --> 00:46:50,333 OK, this is back to the obedience; 1003 00:46:50,375 --> 00:46:51,833 this is the defiance. 1004 00:46:51,875 --> 00:46:53,625 You're like, "No, I won't do it." 1005 00:46:53,667 --> 00:46:55,000 Is it a sin? 1006 00:46:55,083 --> 00:46:58,000 "No, it's not a sin; I just don't want to do it. 1007 00:46:58,083 --> 00:47:00,583 "I don't like it, it's not something I believe in, 1008 00:47:00,667 --> 00:47:02,083 "it's not something I'm interested in. 1009 00:47:02,167 --> 00:47:04,083 "I've got something else I want to do, 1010 00:47:04,167 --> 00:47:05,833 something else that's more important to me." 1011 00:47:05,917 --> 00:47:09,042 Then you need to either get a new attitude or a new job, 1012 00:47:09,125 --> 00:47:11,042 but you can't take money from your employer 1013 00:47:11,125 --> 00:47:12,667 and then not do your job. 1014 00:47:12,708 --> 00:47:14,583 That's stealing. 1015 00:47:14,667 --> 00:47:16,958 That's stealing. 1016 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:19,750 So, if your struggling is that you don't understand the job, 1017 00:47:19,833 --> 00:47:22,667 you can't do the job, or you won't do the job, 1018 00:47:22,708 --> 00:47:24,792 you've got to be honest about that. 1019 00:47:24,833 --> 00:47:27,083 You've got to be honest about that. 1020 00:47:27,167 --> 00:47:30,083 What does he have to say for those who are not just 1021 00:47:30,167 --> 00:47:33,000 under authority but those who are in authority? 1022 00:47:33,042 --> 00:47:36,708 "Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, 1023 00:47:36,792 --> 00:47:39,583 "knowing that he who is both their Master and yours 1024 00:47:39,667 --> 00:47:41,833 is in heaven, there is no partiality with him." 1025 00:47:41,875 --> 00:47:44,583 So, here's what he's saying: every boss who is a Christian 1026 00:47:44,667 --> 00:47:47,708 has a Boss named Jesus. 1027 00:47:47,792 --> 00:47:50,708 So, what he's saying is, "If Jesus is your Boss, 1028 00:47:50,792 --> 00:47:54,125 "he's in authority over you, then you treat others 1029 00:47:54,167 --> 00:47:57,000 under your authority as he treats you." 1030 00:47:57,042 --> 00:47:59,208 And he gives us three ways to do that. 1031 00:47:59,292 --> 00:48:00,833 Number one, he's basically saying, 1032 00:48:00,917 --> 00:48:02,875 "Care for your employees." 1033 00:48:02,958 --> 00:48:05,375 Care for those under your leadership. 1034 00:48:05,458 --> 00:48:07,292 Who's under your authority? 1035 00:48:07,333 --> 00:48:09,167 Are you gracious and generous and kind? 1036 00:48:09,208 --> 00:48:11,458 I'm not talking about giving away the farm 1037 00:48:11,500 --> 00:48:13,583 and being a bad steward and bankrupting the organization 1038 00:48:13,667 --> 00:48:15,875 or being absolutely out of control. 1039 00:48:15,958 --> 00:48:18,875 But what I am saying is, do your employees know--those of us 1040 00:48:18,958 --> 00:48:20,875 who have the opportunity to be in leadership 1041 00:48:20,958 --> 00:48:24,000 in an organization--do they know that we love them, 1042 00:48:24,042 --> 00:48:26,000 do they know that we appreciate them, 1043 00:48:26,042 --> 00:48:28,458 and are we reasonably generous towards them? 1044 00:48:28,500 --> 00:48:31,375 This is things like a fair salary, 1045 00:48:31,458 --> 00:48:36,375 a decent benefits package. A decent benefits package. 1046 00:48:36,458 --> 00:48:39,708 Let's just be honest and say that, for an employer, 1047 00:48:39,792 --> 00:48:43,583 one of the great expenses is healthcare costs. 1048 00:48:43,667 --> 00:48:46,708 So, for us as a church, as we sat down looking at healthcare, 1049 00:48:46,792 --> 00:48:48,500 even for Mars Hill's, it was like, 1050 00:48:48,583 --> 00:48:50,375 "OK, here's all the plans. 1051 00:48:50,458 --> 00:48:55,208 "Well, this one's cheaper, but this one would be more loving. 1052 00:48:55,292 --> 00:48:58,125 "Because this pushes a lot of the burden to the employees, 1053 00:48:58,167 --> 00:49:00,750 this pushes some of the burden to the church." 1054 00:49:00,833 --> 00:49:03,750 And especially in a church like ours where there's a lot of 1055 00:49:03,833 --> 00:49:06,375 young couples on staff and a lot of people having babies, 1056 00:49:06,458 --> 00:49:09,333 if you don't read the fine point on the maternity aspect 1057 00:49:09,417 --> 00:49:13,500 of the compensation plan, the benefits package, 1058 00:49:13,542 --> 00:49:16,333 you could really hurt a lot of families, right? 1059 00:49:16,417 --> 00:49:18,667 So, we carefully, by God's grace, 1060 00:49:18,708 --> 00:49:21,292 we go through those things, we look at those things, 1061 00:49:21,333 --> 00:49:24,375 try to figure out how can we be fair in our compensation, 1062 00:49:24,458 --> 00:49:26,667 how can we be generous with our benefits, 1063 00:49:26,750 --> 00:49:28,875 how can we lovingly provide for the whole family 1064 00:49:28,958 --> 00:49:33,083 medical, dental, retirement, even a death benefit, 1065 00:49:33,167 --> 00:49:35,500 so that if something tragically happens, 1066 00:49:35,542 --> 00:49:37,625 and let's say there's a widow and kids left, 1067 00:49:37,667 --> 00:49:39,708 that there is something from the employment of 1068 00:49:39,792 --> 00:49:43,083 the church to be helpful--these kinds of considerations. 1069 00:49:43,167 --> 00:49:45,125 Now, for those of you who are employers, 1070 00:49:45,167 --> 00:49:49,083 this can seem onerous because we live in a day where people 1071 00:49:49,167 --> 00:49:52,208 use their company and leave their company. 1072 00:49:52,292 --> 00:49:55,000 But if your heart is loving and generous and kind 1073 00:49:55,042 --> 00:49:57,500 and compassionate, you're at least doing the right thing, 1074 00:49:57,583 --> 00:50:00,583 and some will appreciate it, and it could reduce those 1075 00:50:00,667 --> 00:50:03,292 who want to leave, because they are loved in a way 1076 00:50:03,333 --> 00:50:05,375 that is unique and unusual. 1077 00:50:05,458 --> 00:50:07,208 Maybe, maybe not. 1078 00:50:07,292 --> 00:50:09,000 Maybe, maybe not. 1079 00:50:09,083 --> 00:50:12,333 And he says as well, "Stop threatening." 1080 00:50:12,375 --> 00:50:16,625 This is when an employee is obstinate, they're rebellious, 1081 00:50:16,667 --> 00:50:18,333 they're defiant. 1082 00:50:18,375 --> 00:50:20,333 It's not that they can't do the job; 1083 00:50:20,375 --> 00:50:22,125 it's that they won't do the job, 1084 00:50:22,167 --> 00:50:24,500 but they still want the paycheck. 1085 00:50:24,583 --> 00:50:27,417 And what happens, then, is the employer can get angry. 1086 00:50:27,500 --> 00:50:29,500 So, those of you who are employees, 1087 00:50:29,583 --> 00:50:31,417 here's the reasons that employers 1088 00:50:31,500 --> 00:50:33,208 can sometimes get angry. 1089 00:50:33,292 --> 00:50:37,667 Sometimes it's office politics; it's the collection of people 1090 00:50:37,708 --> 00:50:41,042 who are against the leader. Sometimes it's the sabotage, 1091 00:50:41,125 --> 00:50:43,208 the thievery. 1092 00:50:43,292 --> 00:50:47,500 There are some times when someone just quits. 1093 00:50:47,583 --> 00:50:51,125 Stuff doesn't roll downhill; it rolls uphill, 1094 00:50:51,167 --> 00:50:53,750 which means, if you have a lot of responsibilities and you 1095 00:50:53,833 --> 00:50:57,125 don't take care of them, or you just walk away and leave them, 1096 00:50:57,167 --> 00:50:59,750 then they come up to the leader and then the leader's 1097 00:50:59,833 --> 00:51:01,708 very frustrated, because now everyone else's work 1098 00:51:01,792 --> 00:51:04,083 is collapsing into their life, and they're overwhelmed. 1099 00:51:04,167 --> 00:51:06,208 Those of you who are leaders understand what 1100 00:51:06,292 --> 00:51:07,708 I'm saying right? 1101 00:51:07,792 --> 00:51:10,375 Stuff doesn't roll downhill; it rolls uphill to the leader. 1102 00:51:10,458 --> 00:51:12,333 The leader, then, can get frustrated. 1103 00:51:12,375 --> 00:51:14,875 He says, "Don't threaten." And in that context, 1104 00:51:14,958 --> 00:51:17,917 it was probably threatening to kill them, 1105 00:51:18,000 --> 00:51:19,667 which is kind of a big threat. 1106 00:51:19,750 --> 00:51:22,417 In our day, if your boss looks at you and says, 1107 00:51:22,500 --> 00:51:25,833 "You need to do a better job, or I've got to let you go," 1108 00:51:25,875 --> 00:51:28,208 that's not threatening; that's prophesying, OK? 1109 00:51:28,292 --> 00:51:30,583 They are just predicting the inevitable future 1110 00:51:30,667 --> 00:51:33,167 that is forthcoming for you, OK? 1111 00:51:33,250 --> 00:51:36,208 If they're paying you, and they're telling you 1112 00:51:36,292 --> 00:51:38,833 that you're at risk of losing your job, 1113 00:51:38,875 --> 00:51:40,667 that's not threatening you, 1114 00:51:40,750 --> 00:51:43,500 that's actually being honest with you. 1115 00:51:43,542 --> 00:51:45,500 But what he says is, employers, you know, 1116 00:51:45,583 --> 00:51:48,000 watch how you use your authority for those who are 1117 00:51:48,083 --> 00:51:50,292 under your authority. 1118 00:51:50,333 --> 00:51:54,500 And then thirdly, people work for you, 1119 00:51:54,583 --> 00:51:57,917 but you work for who? 1120 00:51:58,000 --> 00:51:59,833 Jesus. 1121 00:51:59,875 --> 00:52:01,750 OK, I'll give you an example. 1122 00:52:01,833 --> 00:52:03,750 When we started Mars Hill Church, 1123 00:52:03,833 --> 00:52:05,875 I was an unpaid volunteer the first 3 years. 1124 00:52:05,958 --> 00:52:08,750 None of my salary came to me from the church, 1125 00:52:08,833 --> 00:52:11,042 so I worked another job on the side. 1126 00:52:11,125 --> 00:52:16,542 We started broke and young, and some of you know the story. 1127 00:52:16,625 --> 00:52:19,833 I didn't have a boss, all right? 1128 00:52:19,917 --> 00:52:24,292 I was the only person working at the church. 1129 00:52:24,333 --> 00:52:29,375 What I did with my time was really flexible. 1130 00:52:29,458 --> 00:52:34,083 Do you think I work hard? 1131 00:52:34,167 --> 00:52:36,083 OK, we started with nothing. 1132 00:52:36,167 --> 00:52:38,000 By God's grace, we have something. 1133 00:52:38,083 --> 00:52:40,208 I'll be honest with you, I work really hard. 1134 00:52:40,292 --> 00:52:41,833 Nobody has to motivate me. 1135 00:52:41,875 --> 00:52:44,792 Jesus is my Boss; that's my motivation. 1136 00:52:44,833 --> 00:52:46,333 Let me say this, OK? 1137 00:52:46,375 --> 00:52:48,083 You're saying, "I just don't feel motivated." 1138 00:52:48,167 --> 00:52:49,875 Then you forgot who your Boss is. 1139 00:52:49,958 --> 00:52:51,792 If Jesus doesn't motivate you, 1140 00:52:51,833 --> 00:52:53,917 then the company's mission statement, 1141 00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:56,375 some sort of carrot- on-the-end-of-a-stick 1142 00:52:56,458 --> 00:53:01,667 financial reward--if Jesus doesn't motivate you, 1143 00:53:01,750 --> 00:53:04,292 nothing will motivate you. 1144 00:53:04,333 --> 00:53:07,500 For me, I work for Jesus, OK? 1145 00:53:07,542 --> 00:53:09,500 I work for Jesus. 1146 00:53:09,542 --> 00:53:12,083 As a pastor, that's a little clearer than the janitor 1147 00:53:12,167 --> 00:53:15,500 or the barista or the truck driver or the accountant. 1148 00:53:15,542 --> 00:53:17,750 But ultimately, if we're Christians, our mind is, 1149 00:53:17,833 --> 00:53:20,250 "I ultimately work for Jesus." 1150 00:53:20,333 --> 00:53:23,542 So, my practice has been, for 17 years at Mars Hill, 1151 00:53:23,625 --> 00:53:26,958 I work 6 plus days a week. 1152 00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:30,458 The Bible says to take a day off; I take a day off. 1153 00:53:30,500 --> 00:53:33,500 I work very, very hard. 1154 00:53:33,542 --> 00:53:35,917 I don't want to just put in my hours; 1155 00:53:36,000 --> 00:53:40,000 I want to produce results by the empowering grace of God. 1156 00:53:40,083 --> 00:53:42,833 The goal is never to do as little as you can 1157 00:53:42,875 --> 00:53:45,000 to earn as much as you can. 1158 00:53:45,042 --> 00:53:47,417 The goal is never even to just retire 1159 00:53:47,500 --> 00:53:50,417 but, even if you're not paid, to still be fruitful 1160 00:53:50,500 --> 00:53:52,875 and to serve Jesus, to make your life count, 1161 00:53:52,958 --> 00:53:56,375 to do something that matters. 1162 00:53:56,458 --> 00:54:00,250 And here, he's saying that Jesus is their Master-- 1163 00:54:00,333 --> 00:54:02,167 those who are under authority-- 1164 00:54:02,250 --> 00:54:04,375 and your Master--those who are in authority-- 1165 00:54:04,458 --> 00:54:06,292 and he has no partiality. 1166 00:54:06,333 --> 00:54:08,667 He doesn't look and say, "Well, if you're the leader, 1167 00:54:08,750 --> 00:54:11,250 you get to do less," or "If you're the follower, 1168 00:54:11,333 --> 00:54:12,667 you get to do less." 1169 00:54:12,708 --> 00:54:15,833 He says, "Hey, you're all my people, and I know what it's like 1170 00:54:15,917 --> 00:54:18,833 "to swing a hammer and go to work and make ends meet, 1171 00:54:18,917 --> 00:54:21,583 "and I want you, whether you're in authority or under authority, 1172 00:54:21,667 --> 00:54:23,792 "to conduct yourself in a way that is godly. 1173 00:54:23,833 --> 00:54:26,542 To do your good work is an act of worship." 1174 00:54:26,625 --> 00:54:32,292 Now, some of you are immediately unmotivated, 1175 00:54:32,333 --> 00:54:34,500 because you say, "It doesn't matter. 1176 00:54:34,542 --> 00:54:37,000 "I won't get the raise, I won't get the promotion, 1177 00:54:37,083 --> 00:54:40,583 I won't get compensated, I won't get thanked." 1178 00:54:40,667 --> 00:54:42,500 God knows. 1179 00:54:42,583 --> 00:54:45,083 God knows exactly your objection, 1180 00:54:45,167 --> 00:54:47,583 so here's what he says in Ephesians 6:8-- 1181 00:54:47,667 --> 00:54:50,375 that Jesus rewards you. 1182 00:54:50,458 --> 00:54:52,917 "Whatever good anyone does" --those in authority, 1183 00:54:53,000 --> 00:54:57,417 those under authority, those with a PhD, those with a G.E.D; 1184 00:54:57,500 --> 00:55:00,167 it doesn't matter-- 1185 00:55:00,250 --> 00:55:02,292 "Whatever good anyone does, 1186 00:55:02,333 --> 00:55:05,083 this he will receive back from"--whom? 1187 00:55:05,167 --> 00:55:06,792 "The Lord." 1188 00:55:06,833 --> 00:55:08,833 It doesn't say that you'll get the promotion, 1189 00:55:08,917 --> 00:55:10,875 it doesn't say that you'll get the raise, 1190 00:55:10,958 --> 00:55:13,000 it doesn't say that you'll get the accolade; 1191 00:55:13,042 --> 00:55:16,375 It does say that eventually, your boss' Boss, the Lord Jesus, 1192 00:55:16,458 --> 00:55:19,500 he is keeping account, and he will reward you. 1193 00:55:19,542 --> 00:55:21,792 Do you believe that? 1194 00:55:21,833 --> 00:55:26,042 See, the Bible teaches that we live by faith, not by sight, 1195 00:55:26,125 --> 00:55:29,083 and a lot of us like to negotiate our deal up front. 1196 00:55:29,167 --> 00:55:30,833 And I'm not against negotiating a deal, 1197 00:55:30,917 --> 00:55:34,375 but the truth is, sometimes we just need to do what's right, 1198 00:55:34,458 --> 00:55:39,208 trusting by faith that Jesus will provide whatever reward 1199 00:55:39,292 --> 00:55:43,250 is coming to us. 1200 00:55:44,833 --> 00:55:46,708 Some of you who are employers, you say, 1201 00:55:46,792 --> 00:55:49,208 "What happens to my bottom line if I go ahead 1202 00:55:49,292 --> 00:55:51,417 and make this adjustment to care for my employees?" 1203 00:55:51,500 --> 00:55:53,417 That's--don't be foolish; be a good steward. 1204 00:55:53,500 --> 00:55:56,333 But it might be an act of faith that you're saying, "Jesus, 1205 00:55:56,375 --> 00:55:58,833 "I want to do what's right, and I'm trusting you 1206 00:55:58,875 --> 00:56:00,375 to help me do what's right." 1207 00:56:00,458 --> 00:56:02,875 For those of you who are employees and you're saying, 1208 00:56:02,958 --> 00:56:04,292 "You know what? 1209 00:56:04,333 --> 00:56:06,292 "I actually could do a lot better job, 1210 00:56:06,333 --> 00:56:09,000 "but I'm not sure my boss is going to thank me, 1211 00:56:09,042 --> 00:56:11,458 "I'm not sure my boss is going to compensate me, 1212 00:56:11,500 --> 00:56:13,958 I'm not sure my boss is going to promote me." 1213 00:56:14,000 --> 00:56:16,958 Don't worry about it; do what's right, and Jesus will reward you. 1214 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:18,500 Now, Jesus' reward is three-fold. 1215 00:56:18,542 --> 00:56:20,500 Sometimes it's internal. 1216 00:56:20,542 --> 00:56:22,583 How many of you, after working wholeheartedly, 1217 00:56:22,667 --> 00:56:25,667 honestly unto the Lord, you have a clear conscience 1218 00:56:25,708 --> 00:56:27,500 and an internal sense of joy 1219 00:56:27,542 --> 00:56:29,583 because you just did what was right? 1220 00:56:29,667 --> 00:56:32,292 That's--you know what a clear conscience is worth? 1221 00:56:32,333 --> 00:56:35,083 It's priceless. 1222 00:56:35,167 --> 00:56:36,917 Sometimes it's internal. 1223 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:38,833 You're like, "Hey, we did something great. 1224 00:56:38,875 --> 00:56:41,500 "I did my best. Jesus was glorified. 1225 00:56:41,542 --> 00:56:45,000 "My coworkers saw me reflecting the love of God to them. 1226 00:56:45,083 --> 00:56:47,208 Yay, that makes me happy." 1227 00:56:47,292 --> 00:56:49,500 That's an internal reward. 1228 00:56:49,583 --> 00:56:52,417 "I grew in character, I learned, I matured." 1229 00:56:52,500 --> 00:56:54,500 That's an internal reward. 1230 00:56:54,583 --> 00:56:56,708 Sometimes it's an external reward. 1231 00:56:56,792 --> 00:56:59,000 "We're going to promote you. 1232 00:56:59,042 --> 00:57:00,875 "We're going to give you a raise. 1233 00:57:00,958 --> 00:57:02,583 "We're going to give you a bonus. 1234 00:57:02,667 --> 00:57:04,667 "We're going to acknowledge what you've done. 1235 00:57:04,750 --> 00:57:07,792 "You were a great member of the Community Group, 1236 00:57:07,833 --> 00:57:10,458 "now we want you to be a Community Group leader. 1237 00:57:10,500 --> 00:57:13,000 Now we want you to be a Community Group coach," 1238 00:57:13,042 --> 00:57:15,833 or "We're seeing in you godliness and faithfulness, 1239 00:57:15,917 --> 00:57:19,542 and we're wanting to honor that by the grace of God." 1240 00:57:19,625 --> 00:57:24,458 That's external, and it's ultimately eternal. 1241 00:57:24,500 --> 00:57:28,792 Guys, we're going to live forever, OK? 1242 00:57:28,833 --> 00:57:32,667 The Bible says that this life is, quote, "A little while." 1243 00:57:32,708 --> 00:57:34,750 Now it feels like a long while. 1244 00:57:34,833 --> 00:57:37,000 In a million years, with Jesus in heaven, 1245 00:57:37,083 --> 00:57:39,583 here's how you'll refer to this life: "a little while." 1246 00:57:39,667 --> 00:57:43,167 "A little while." 1247 00:57:43,250 --> 00:57:47,417 So, you're moving your rewards to eternity. 1248 00:57:47,500 --> 00:57:51,125 You're not losing your rewards; you're moving your rewards. 1249 00:57:51,167 --> 00:57:53,625 And the good news with Jesus is this: 1250 00:57:53,667 --> 00:57:56,500 he doesn't have limited resources. 1251 00:57:56,583 --> 00:57:59,333 It's not like a company that only makes so much money 1252 00:57:59,375 --> 00:58:03,000 and we've all got to fight over what slice of the pie we get. 1253 00:58:03,042 --> 00:58:05,167 Our God is the Creator of heaven and earth. 1254 00:58:05,250 --> 00:58:06,792 Our God lacks nothing. 1255 00:58:06,833 --> 00:58:09,083 Our God gives generously. 1256 00:58:09,167 --> 00:58:11,958 And so ultimately, if you have the long view of things, 1257 00:58:12,000 --> 00:58:13,875 you say--like, if I asked you right now, 1258 00:58:13,958 --> 00:58:16,583 "Do you want it today, or do you want it forever?" 1259 00:58:16,667 --> 00:58:20,375 Anyone with any sort of business mind would say, 1260 00:58:20,458 --> 00:58:23,167 "I'll take the ever return on investment." 1261 00:58:23,208 --> 00:58:26,042 Forever return on investment is, true or false, 1262 00:58:26,125 --> 00:58:28,375 good return on investment? 1263 00:58:28,458 --> 00:58:30,667 It's good return on investment. 1264 00:58:30,708 --> 00:58:32,500 So, you're not losing your rewards; 1265 00:58:32,542 --> 00:58:35,042 you're moving them to the kingdom of God and Jesus, 1266 00:58:35,125 --> 00:58:40,708 who is our great Boss. He sees and knows, and he rewards all. 1267 00:58:40,792 --> 00:58:43,000 And so Mars Hill, when we come together, 1268 00:58:43,083 --> 00:58:45,292 it all starts with Jesus' work, right? 1269 00:58:45,333 --> 00:58:48,083 True or false, Jesus does good work? 1270 00:58:48,167 --> 00:58:50,625 He lives without sin, he takes a humble job, 1271 00:58:50,667 --> 00:58:53,583 he honors his mother and father, he's good under authority, 1272 00:58:53,667 --> 00:58:55,708 he says what the Father says to say, 1273 00:58:55,792 --> 00:58:57,792 he does what the Father says to do. 1274 00:58:57,833 --> 00:58:59,833 He goes to the cross, he substitutes himself, 1275 00:58:59,875 --> 00:59:03,750 he dies in our place for our sins as our Savior. 1276 00:59:03,833 --> 00:59:05,375 He says, "It is finished." 1277 00:59:05,458 --> 00:59:07,583 He's taken care of all of his responsibilities, 1278 00:59:07,667 --> 00:59:10,458 he's finished his work, he's atoned for sin, 1279 00:59:10,500 --> 00:59:12,375 he's reconciled people. 1280 00:59:12,458 --> 00:59:15,292 He then raises from death, he ascends into heaven, 1281 00:59:15,333 --> 00:59:18,292 and he's coming again to judge the living and the dead, 1282 00:59:18,333 --> 00:59:22,083 and his work is great, and then our life is to be fruitful, 1283 00:59:22,167 --> 00:59:24,667 good works in light of his work, 1284 00:59:24,750 --> 00:59:26,750 and then we will stand before him, 1285 00:59:26,833 --> 00:59:29,458 and then he will reward us based upon how we invested 1286 00:59:29,500 --> 00:59:32,833 our life and how we worshiped through our work. 1287 00:59:32,917 --> 00:59:34,667 True or false? 1288 00:59:34,750 --> 00:59:38,333 All true. All true. 1289 00:59:40,583 --> 00:59:42,792 So, let me do a little bit of transition. 1290 00:59:42,833 --> 00:59:45,500 Now, what we're talking about is stewardship 1291 00:59:45,542 --> 00:59:48,000 and organizational health and people in authority, 1292 00:59:48,083 --> 00:59:50,917 and people under authority, and is Jesus glorified, 1293 00:59:51,000 --> 00:59:53,667 and is there any rewards that are happening, 1294 00:59:53,750 --> 00:59:57,000 and what is our part to play in the job we have 1295 00:59:57,042 --> 00:59:59,500 and the church we serve. 1296 00:59:59,542 --> 01:00:02,000 And I would just call you and compel you today 1297 01:00:02,042 --> 01:00:04,625 to search your heart and say, "Is there sin there? 1298 01:00:04,667 --> 01:00:07,208 "Do I need to apologize? Do I need to repent? 1299 01:00:07,292 --> 01:00:09,208 "Do I--where should I be serving? 1300 01:00:09,292 --> 01:00:11,083 "How could I be a better employee? 1301 01:00:11,167 --> 01:00:12,917 How could I be a better volunteer?" 1302 01:00:13,000 --> 01:00:14,833 Even in the church, "What's my role? 1303 01:00:14,875 --> 01:00:16,583 "What's my place? What's my thing? 1304 01:00:16,667 --> 01:00:18,208 "How am I responding to authority? 1305 01:00:18,292 --> 01:00:19,625 How am I exercising authority?" 1306 01:00:19,667 --> 01:00:21,625 And now's an opportunity for you to respond. 1307 01:00:21,667 --> 01:00:23,375 And here's what I want to do 1308 01:00:23,458 --> 01:00:25,125 as we collect our tithes and offerings. 1309 01:00:25,167 --> 01:00:28,792 I want an opportunity to share with you some of the reward, 1310 01:00:28,833 --> 01:00:33,125 some of the external reward, that we're enjoying as a church 1311 01:00:33,167 --> 01:00:37,708 because of the faithful service of those who are under authority 1312 01:00:37,792 --> 01:00:39,167 and in authority. 1313 01:00:39,208 --> 01:00:41,833 So, as the financial stewards go ahead and collect our tithes 1314 01:00:41,917 --> 01:00:46,833 and offerings, I want you to participate in the work of Jesus 1315 01:00:46,875 --> 01:00:51,667 and to have this be a church family that you are committed to 1316 01:00:51,708 --> 01:00:53,833 and participating in. 1317 01:00:53,917 --> 01:00:56,333 And as we collect our tithes and offerings as well, 1318 01:00:56,417 --> 01:00:58,833 I want to thank those of you who are generous 1319 01:00:58,875 --> 01:01:00,917 and to help Mars Hill be Mars Hill. 1320 01:01:01,000 --> 01:01:02,333 And if you're a visitor, 1321 01:01:02,375 --> 01:01:04,333 you're welcome to fill out that visitor card. 1322 01:01:04,375 --> 01:01:08,125 Let us know who you are so we can get to know you and find 1323 01:01:08,167 --> 01:01:11,500 a place for you to be actively involved in the family of God. 1324 01:01:11,583 --> 01:01:14,625 That being said, those of you who are business-minded, 1325 01:01:14,667 --> 01:01:17,000 those of you who are good stewards, 1326 01:01:17,083 --> 01:01:20,583 those of you who this sermon makes a lot of sense to you, and 1327 01:01:20,667 --> 01:01:24,083 you're like, "Yes, I want to be one who makes good investments 1328 01:01:24,167 --> 01:01:27,000 "for Jesus with my time, my talent, my treasure, 1329 01:01:27,083 --> 01:01:30,000 and I want to see a good return on investment." 1330 01:01:30,042 --> 01:01:32,667 I want to share with you some of the rewards, 1331 01:01:32,750 --> 01:01:34,708 some of the blessings, some of the fruit 1332 01:01:34,792 --> 01:01:36,500 that's happened recently. 1333 01:01:36,542 --> 01:01:38,917 For us, our biggest day of the year is what? 1334 01:01:39,000 --> 01:01:40,833 It's Easter. 1335 01:01:40,875 --> 01:01:43,625 We prayed for 20,000; we got 21,000 on Easter. 1336 01:01:43,667 --> 01:01:47,292 For Good Friday, we prayed for 5,000; we got 7,000. 1337 01:01:47,333 --> 01:01:49,917 And here's what I want you to see. 1338 01:01:50,000 --> 01:01:52,958 I want you to see some of the reward. 1339 01:01:54,542 --> 01:01:57,000 ♪ Hallelujah ♪ 1340 01:01:57,083 --> 01:02:00,500 ♪ Hallelujah ♪ 1341 01:02:00,542 --> 01:02:06,667 ♪ Hallelujah ♪ 1342 01:02:18,167 --> 01:02:24,667 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1343 01:02:24,708 --> 01:02:31,500 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1344 01:02:31,542 --> 01:02:38,500 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1345 01:02:39,250 --> 01:02:45,000 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1346 01:02:45,083 --> 01:02:51,583 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1347 01:02:52,292 --> 01:02:59,125 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1348 01:02:59,167 --> 01:03:06,167 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1349 01:03:06,667 --> 01:03:13,250 ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ 1350 01:03:14,333 --> 01:03:16,958 ♪ Hallelujah ♪ 1351 01:03:17,000 --> 01:03:22,333 ♪ Hallelujah ♪♪ 1352 01:03:38,167 --> 01:03:41,208 Seventeen years, that never gets old, amen? 1353 01:03:41,292 --> 01:03:45,542 Oh, look, more changed lives-- it's always the same thing. 1354 01:03:45,625 --> 01:03:49,750 Oh, changed life after changed life--I'm so sick of it. 1355 01:03:49,833 --> 01:03:54,667 Never, never, never, never tired of seeing Jesus change lives. 1356 01:03:54,708 --> 01:03:57,500 On Easter, there was more 420 people baptized. 1357 01:03:57,583 --> 01:03:59,750 In the last year at Mars Hill Church, 1358 01:03:59,833 --> 01:04:05,333 over 1,000 people baptized, amen. 1359 01:04:05,375 --> 01:04:07,792 Let me share with you kind of what's coming up. 1360 01:04:07,833 --> 01:04:09,417 So, here's the church family update-- 1361 01:04:09,500 --> 01:04:11,417 a couple things to be in prayer for. 1362 01:04:11,500 --> 01:04:12,833 Giving toward Mars Hill Tacoma, 1363 01:04:12,875 --> 01:04:14,208 Mars Hill Everett. 1364 01:04:14,292 --> 01:04:17,000 We have great new buildings for those growing churches, 1365 01:04:17,042 --> 01:04:18,875 and we are raising the money 1366 01:04:18,958 --> 01:04:22,208 for the repairs of the buildings, frankly. 1367 01:04:22,292 --> 01:04:25,375 We got very, very, very inexpensive, cool, great, 1368 01:04:25,458 --> 01:04:29,625 well-located, epic facilities, but they need some upgrading. 1369 01:04:29,667 --> 01:04:32,417 Get the kid space ready, get the bathrooms ready so that 1370 01:04:32,500 --> 01:04:34,708 our church family can be there. 1371 01:04:34,792 --> 01:04:37,917 Total is about a million dollars above and beyond normal tithes 1372 01:04:38,000 --> 01:04:41,583 and offerings to get these two anchor churches set up 1373 01:04:41,667 --> 01:04:44,833 to serve north of Seattle and south of Seattle. 1374 01:04:44,917 --> 01:04:47,958 And so do give generously and pray fervently 1375 01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:49,958 for those two churches. 1376 01:04:50,000 --> 01:04:52,042 Here's what's coming up as well. 1377 01:04:52,125 --> 01:04:54,458 The sermon series that will begin after we conclude 1378 01:04:54,500 --> 01:04:56,417 the book of Ephesians-- 1379 01:04:56,500 --> 01:04:58,125 we've got one sermon left-- 1380 01:04:58,167 --> 01:05:00,375 we're going to start into the book of Acts. 1381 01:05:00,458 --> 01:05:03,125 We're going to spend some time in the book of Acts, 1382 01:05:03,167 --> 01:05:05,833 so go ahead and grab your Bible and start reading ahead. 1383 01:05:05,875 --> 01:05:08,292 Next fall, we're going to do Ten Commandments as well. 1384 01:05:08,333 --> 01:05:11,208 In the middle, this summer, we've got something really cool. 1385 01:05:11,292 --> 01:05:13,500 I'm bringing in some friends, and I told them, 1386 01:05:13,542 --> 01:05:16,667 "Hey, find your best, most interesting, helpful, important, 1387 01:05:16,750 --> 01:05:20,292 significant, whatever-you-want sermon ever, and come preach it 1388 01:05:20,333 --> 01:05:22,083 at Mars Hill." 1389 01:05:22,167 --> 01:05:24,292 And so we're bringing in some friends this summer. 1390 01:05:24,333 --> 01:05:26,500 We've got Paul Tripp and his mustache. 1391 01:05:26,542 --> 01:05:28,583 They'll both be joining us. 1392 01:05:28,667 --> 01:05:31,792 He's a great Bible teacher, biblical counselor. 1393 01:05:31,833 --> 01:05:34,792 He's been a great friend of ours and professor at ReTrain. 1394 01:05:34,833 --> 01:05:37,625 Dr. Bruce Ware, one of the leading theologians 1395 01:05:37,667 --> 01:05:39,500 and New Testament scholars alive today. 1396 01:05:39,583 --> 01:05:41,750 He does a lot of writing, preaching, teaching. 1397 01:05:41,833 --> 01:05:44,750 He's a regular at things like John Piper's Desiring God 1398 01:05:44,833 --> 01:05:46,708 events and a great man. 1399 01:05:46,792 --> 01:05:48,458 In the middle is Dr. Wayne Grudem, 1400 01:05:48,500 --> 01:05:50,708 a friend and a great guy, who, I think, 1401 01:05:50,792 --> 01:05:52,542 has written the best systematic theology 1402 01:05:52,625 --> 01:05:54,250 in the history of the world. 1403 01:05:54,333 --> 01:05:56,625 Dr.--or excuse me, Pastor Larry Osborne is next. 1404 01:05:56,667 --> 01:05:59,750 He's been a friend of ours, helping us for many, many years, 1405 01:05:59,833 --> 01:06:02,708 and he's the one who basically invented and created multi-site. 1406 01:06:02,792 --> 01:06:05,833 The reason we have a church in multiple locations and we do 1407 01:06:05,875 --> 01:06:08,292 sermon-based small groups is largely because of 1408 01:06:08,333 --> 01:06:11,000 his friendship with me and him talking to me 1409 01:06:11,083 --> 01:06:13,375 and me learning from him. 1410 01:06:13,458 --> 01:06:17,125 And then, lastly, is Eric Mason, a friend of mine for many years. 1411 01:06:17,167 --> 01:06:20,417 He and his wife, Evette, are close with Grace and I, and you, 1412 01:06:20,500 --> 01:06:23,000 Mars Hill, have funded their church plant in urban Philly 1413 01:06:23,083 --> 01:06:25,417 over the years, and we love him very much. 1414 01:06:25,500 --> 01:06:27,792 And he's actually Dr. Eric Mason. 1415 01:06:27,833 --> 01:06:30,792 And so I wanted to get one person with a bigger neck 1416 01:06:30,833 --> 01:06:33,792 than me, so we invited Eric, and I'm glad to have him. 1417 01:06:33,833 --> 01:06:35,292 So, that's the lineup this summer. 1418 01:06:35,333 --> 01:06:38,375 Does that sound fun? Sounds fun, huh? 1419 01:06:38,458 --> 01:06:40,875 So, that'll be on Sundays. 1420 01:06:40,958 --> 01:06:43,042 The last couple things. Here's kind of where we're at-- 1421 01:06:43,125 --> 01:06:44,458 a little family update. 1422 01:06:44,500 --> 01:06:47,208 Once a month, we sit on the couch and see how 1423 01:06:47,292 --> 01:06:48,625 the family's doing. 1424 01:06:48,667 --> 01:06:51,125 Average weekly adults is about 11,600. 1425 01:06:51,167 --> 01:06:54,208 Average weekly kids--look at that--2,420 kids. 1426 01:06:54,292 --> 01:06:57,042 That's ages 10 and under, OK? 1427 01:06:57,125 --> 01:06:59,042 So, pray for student ministry. 1428 01:06:59,125 --> 01:07:01,000 The tsunami is on the horizon, OK? 1429 01:07:01,083 --> 01:07:02,833 It's coming. A lot of kids. 1430 01:07:02,875 --> 01:07:06,000 And then about 29% of adults are giving financially. 1431 01:07:06,083 --> 01:07:09,208 For those of you who are Christian and Mars Hill is your 1432 01:07:09,292 --> 01:07:12,083 home, part of your work is your generosity and your stewardship, 1433 01:07:12,167 --> 01:07:14,000 and we appreciate those who are faithful. 1434 01:07:14,083 --> 01:07:16,583 We'd encourage more to join us in giving. 1435 01:07:16,667 --> 01:07:19,000 And here is where we're at in the last month. 1436 01:07:19,083 --> 01:07:21,417 Our giving and our costs are about even, 1437 01:07:21,500 --> 01:07:23,125 so we're not overspending. 1438 01:07:23,167 --> 01:07:25,833 Our giving is a little low, but our spending is constrained, 1439 01:07:25,875 --> 01:07:27,833 so we're basically even. 1440 01:07:27,875 --> 01:07:30,500 To open the new churches, to continue to grow and expand, 1441 01:07:30,583 --> 01:07:33,000 and reach more people, we're going to need more generous 1442 01:07:33,083 --> 01:07:34,417 participants in giving. 1443 01:07:34,500 --> 01:07:37,833 And the way you can do that is send it into the office 1444 01:07:37,875 --> 01:07:40,083 in the mail, our Sunday offering of course. 1445 01:07:40,167 --> 01:07:43,042 Probably the easiest is go to marshill.com/give. 1446 01:07:43,125 --> 01:07:45,208 You can give by your local church there 1447 01:07:45,292 --> 01:07:47,250 or to a specific project. 1448 01:07:47,333 --> 01:07:50,333 And you can go to marshill.com, and we can set you up 1449 01:07:50,417 --> 01:07:52,708 for recurring giving as well. 1450 01:07:52,792 --> 01:07:54,750 Mars Hill, I'll tell you what. 1451 01:07:54,833 --> 01:07:56,708 If you have additional questions, 1452 01:07:56,792 --> 01:07:58,833 just take the stewardship letter with you from our 1453 01:07:58,917 --> 01:08:00,833 executive pastor and our CFO. 1454 01:08:00,875 --> 01:08:02,917 We're part of the Evangelical Council for 1455 01:08:03,000 --> 01:08:04,667 Financial Accountability. 1456 01:08:04,750 --> 01:08:07,292 We have a lot of outside accountability for how we 1457 01:08:07,333 --> 01:08:09,583 steward our resources, and we take that very seriously. 1458 01:08:09,667 --> 01:08:12,000 And for those of you who have more questions, 1459 01:08:12,083 --> 01:08:15,333 this is the way to answer them, and we're glad to make that 1460 01:08:15,375 --> 01:08:17,083 available to you. 1461 01:08:17,167 --> 01:08:20,375 Well, now we're going to respond to Jesus and we're going to sing 1462 01:08:20,458 --> 01:08:22,208 because he does good work, right? 1463 01:08:22,292 --> 01:08:24,417 And we're going to take Communion, where we remember 1464 01:08:24,500 --> 01:08:26,125 his work, his broken body, shed blood 1465 01:08:26,167 --> 01:08:28,083 in our place for our sins. 1466 01:08:28,167 --> 01:08:31,000 Lord Jesus, we thank you that you came to the earth 1467 01:08:31,083 --> 01:08:33,167 and you worked a job. 1468 01:08:33,250 --> 01:08:38,000 God, we confess, if we were you, we would not have worked a job, 1469 01:08:38,083 --> 01:08:40,833 and we certainly would have not worked a blue-collar 1470 01:08:40,875 --> 01:08:45,042 construction job where we had to get up early every day, 1471 01:08:45,125 --> 01:08:48,042 we had to work really hard to live a simple, 1472 01:08:48,125 --> 01:08:50,833 humble, poor lifestyle. 1473 01:08:50,875 --> 01:08:55,958 Jesus, you have done an amazing thing by not only working 1474 01:08:56,000 --> 01:09:00,167 but working to take away our sin and to take away the hell that 1475 01:09:00,250 --> 01:09:05,625 awaits us and to give to us this amazing gift of salvation 1476 01:09:05,667 --> 01:09:08,292 that you have earned for us. 1477 01:09:08,333 --> 01:09:12,292 So Lord Jesus, I pray that we would take our work and use it 1478 01:09:12,333 --> 01:09:15,125 as an opportunity to worship as you did, 1479 01:09:15,167 --> 01:09:18,917 and we ask for this grace, whether it's paid or unpaid, 1480 01:09:19,000 --> 01:09:21,917 that it would all be unto the Lord Jesus, 1481 01:09:22,000 --> 01:09:24,375 in whose name we pray. Amen. 1482 01:09:26,917 --> 01:09:29,833 Each year, over 10 million Mars Hill church sermons 1483 01:09:29,917 --> 01:09:32,958 are downloaded worldwide for free. 1484 01:09:33,000 --> 01:09:35,542 This ministry is generously supported 1485 01:09:35,625 --> 01:09:38,167 by Mars Hill church members and listeners like you. 1486 01:09:38,250 --> 01:09:41,750 If you'd like to support our efforts to preach Jesus to the world, 1487 01:09:41,833 --> 01:09:44,750 Please consider making a tax-deductible donation 1488 01:09:44,833 --> 01:09:47,667 by visiting marshill.com/give.