WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:04.240 We have a very short sermon text this morning. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.800 All of two verses, Proverbs chapter 11, verses 10 to 11. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:11.359 You'll find the text printed in your bulletin also. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:22.239 Before I read the text, as we say farewell to loved ones who will be leaving us, we welcome many of you. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:27.440 We're so thankful how many new people God is sending to APC. 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:34.640 You may be ready or interested for the inquirer's class two weekends from now. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:50.079 We invite you to come on a Friday night for dinner and Saturday, lunch included, just to hear more about what this church is about, not only what we do, but why we do the things that we do in ministry. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:53.840 Please do sign up if you can be part of that. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:01:00.799 We are in a sermon series, serving our city and our world in the name of Christ. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:12.400 This is our dismissal every week, yes, but it's also this sermon series, and right now we're focusing on what does it mean to serve our city in the name of Christ. 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:14.400 Hear the word of God. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:20.079 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:24.480 And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of gladness. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:32.560 By the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:38.159 This is the passage that God has laid on my heart. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:40.959 Would you join me in prayer? 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:51.519 Father, as we just sang, speak, O Lord, till your church is built and the earth is filled with your glory. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:54.000 This is our prayer, Lord. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:58.079 Plant your word deep within each of us. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:03.280 Lord, penetrate whatever is in the way. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:05.519 Bore through. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:11.599 May we see your glory. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.639 May we receive you, Spirit. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:17.599 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:25.199 Serving our city and our world in the name of Christ. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:29.840 We're going to start with just a little bit of review from two weeks ago. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:36.000 The church empowered, we see in the second chapter of the book of Acts. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:43.919 On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down in power, unlike any time before in the history of the world. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:51.439 The Holy Spirit came down and filled not only the apostles, but filled many believers. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.639 Some 3,000 people came to Christ that day. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:03:02.639 And it wasn't so much that Peter was such a powerful preacher as it was that the Holy Spirit was present and working. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:04.719 And he still does today. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:14.560 And so we're not ready to go and serve anybody until we have been empowered by God Himself. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.840 We need fresh power and supplies of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:21.919 You do, I do. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:24.080 That's just the way it is. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:30.879 And we're not going to serve anyone very well if we don't understand that, if we don't seek Him. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:34.240 And so it begins with empowering. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:37.520 Otherwise, it's just church. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.039 Otherwise, it's just ministry. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:45.360 Otherwise, it's just about programs in a church. 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:48.479 And that's not what this is about. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:52.719 Jesus has so much more in mind for his church. 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:54.560 And he wants to use you. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:58.800 And he wants to use me in building his church. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:03.199 And then the church gathers, as we saw in the book of Acts, in Acts chapter 2. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:13.360 After these people were filled with the Holy Spirit, empty of self, they gather together and they love to gather together. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:31.439 They got together daily in the temple to praise God, to worship God, to be filled, to be blessed by God. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:33.360 And then what did they do? 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:34.959 They scattered. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:37.199 They scattered. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.120 They went back to their homes. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:40.560 They went back to their neighborhoods. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:43.600 They went back to their work, places of employment. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:48.079 Wherever they went, they went with Jesus. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:50.399 They went for Jesus. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.120 And Jesus used them in a great way. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:59.120 Kingdom impact, kingdom service begins with Holy Spirit filling. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:01.759 And don't say, of course it does. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:04.399 No, there's no of course about this. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:11.600 Do you know that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit today? 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.800 Regardless of where you are. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:20.319 You can have the Spirit come into your life for the first time in your life today. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:23.839 If you see Jesus. 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:38.399 Why? 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.399 Because we forget it. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.240 And sometimes it becomes dull to our spiritual senses. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.600 And we need to be awakened, and we need to be reawakened. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:49.439 And that's what the spirit does. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:57.680 But if you're a Christian and you've been a Christian for a long time, you need to be filled too. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:09.600 We need to be refilled because we are people who can easily stiff arm the spirit and resist the spirit and grieve the spirit, can't we? 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:23.040 But this is such an exciting journey that we're on to see the vision that Jesus has for his people to be renewed by the gospel. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:27.600 I love walking by that sign every day, multiple times. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:30.879 Unchanging truth, changing lives. 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:32.240 That's what this is about. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:35.839 God's unchanging truth, changing lives. 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:45.759 There's a slide that you're going to see, the hub of this ministry of the gathering on Sunday, and some of you might remember it from we've used it in years past. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:48.720 We gather on Sunday, the gospel hub. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:50.560 This is the gospel hub. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:58.399 We come together to worship, to retell the story of the gospel to ourselves and to others. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:00.480 And then we scatter. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:04.639 Where are you on that math? 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:07.279 Well, we are the church. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:14.879 If you live right across the street like Sharon and I do, we take the gospel to Crest Street. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:17.120 Where are you? 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:20.959 Where are you going to take the gospel tomorrow morning when you go back to work? 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:23.199 When you go back to your neighborhood. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:26.639 And by the way, to our own houses. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:32.800 It's not like we don't need Jesus in our own homes, in our own families. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:40.399 We need him very much in our own families and neighborhoods and beyond. 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:48.480 Pastor Josh has already mentioned briefly the Covenant Fellowship Group ministry, the meet and greet downstairs afterward. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:08:02.000 If you're not currently in a small group walking alongside other Christians, learning together, growing together, praying together, oh, I would ask you to prayerfully consider. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:08.720 Is there a group, is there a small family that you can join for that purpose? 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:14.720 The gathering on Sunday for key worship, like now, key community afterward. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:21.439 Don't you look forward to the conversations before and after? 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:26.720 Yes, to see friends, but it's more than that. 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:31.360 Words of encouragement to meet new friends. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.679 And then there's key equipping. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:36.159 That happened Sunday nights. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.360 Oh man, how I was so encouraged. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:42.159 And we kicked off two weeks ago. 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:44.480 There were a lot of cars in that parking lot. 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:46.559 There were a lot of people in this church building. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:48.159 Well over 200. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:53.600 Adults who want to be equipped to be disciples of Jesus. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:55.919 Teenagers who want to be equipped. 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:57.120 Children. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.600 Little ones in the nursery. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.080 I think I heard there were 33 kids in the nursery that Sunday night. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:05.440 Praise God. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.039 The little ones are learning about Jesus. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:12.799 The older ones are learning about Jesus. 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:14.639 That's what it's about. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:19.440 The church gathered, the church scatters. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:21.039 We are the church. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:22.799 It's not this building. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:26.559 As beautiful as this building is, it's not this building. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:32.320 It's the real builder of this builder, King Jesus. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:36.240 He's more beautiful than this building by a long shot. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:38.480 Have you seen his beauty? 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.559 Are you seeing his beauty? 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:46.879 The presence of the kingdom is at work wherever spirit-filled people are present. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.000 We take the gospel with us. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:53.360 I love that slide Pastor Josh put together. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:55.279 I love it. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:59.519 It's not up there now, but where does it start? 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:01.440 Renewing me. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:05.679 That's where it starts. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:08.320 I need to be renewed. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:10.159 You need to be renewed. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:18.159 Renewing me, renewing our church, renewing our city, renewing our world. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.080 This is the gospel. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:25.279 The whole church, the whole gospel, the whole city. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:26.320 Let's break it down. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:27.120 The whole church. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:28.240 Let's start there. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.679 The Proverbs says, when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.120 Boy. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:38.559 That's an amazing statement. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:40.480 I mean, take that in. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:49.039 When it goes well with the righteous, the city of Alexandria rejoices. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:52.159 The city of Washington, D.C. 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:54.080 rejoices. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:10:57.360 How can the Bible say that? 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.240 Have you ever thought about that before? 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:04.639 Well, two weeks ago when we looked at the book of Acts, we see a clear example of that. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:12.799 Do you remember that phrase as God's people gathered together in the temple to worship God, and then they scattered into their homes. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.480 They went back to their neighborhoods. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:22.480 They met in homes, encouraging each other, studying God's word together, serving each other. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:25.600 What happened? 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:28.799 They got the attention of the whole city of Jerusalem. 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:30.639 Remember what that verse said? 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:34.799 And they enjoyed the favor of all the people. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:37.360 Is that even possible? 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:50.480 Can a church today, like then, enjoy the favor, not every single person in the city, but many in the city? 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:52.559 Can we say this? 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:57.039 And it's more than saying it, it's praying it, I believe. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:05.360 Can we pray that the city of Alexandria, the city of Washington, D.C., will be glad that APC is here. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:10.879 And not just APC, any gospel church. 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:13.840 Can we pray that? 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:15.840 Why would they say that? 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:17.440 Why would they feel that way? 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:25.279 It said in the book of Acts that awe came upon every soul in their midst and all who were together. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:30.080 But it says, Proverbs says, when it goes well with the righteous. 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:33.679 So we have to ask ourselves, who's he referring to? 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:35.360 Who are the righteous? 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:38.480 Let's start off understanding who it's not. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.440 It's not the perfect ones. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.320 It's not the religious ones. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:52.639 You see, Alexandrians and Washingtonians, they're very they're very wise. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:55.600 They know that we mess up. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:58.559 They do. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:00.799 They know that we struggle. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:03.200 They know that we're not perfect. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:06.240 You know what might get their attention? 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.440 Is when you blow it, own it. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:12.879 That's different. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:15.600 That's different from the world. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:18.480 When you mess up, be honest. 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:23.200 Ask people for their for your forgiveness. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:26.320 Ask people, just say, I'm sorry. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:28.320 I mean, that is the gospel in action. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:31.600 That's just one example, but it's a powerful one. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:37.519 I think far too many churches don't take that seriously. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:44.399 Just take the gospel wherever we go. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:56.639 The righteous is not referring to the perfect ones, to the religious ones, but to all who have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, who are trusting alone in the righteousness of Christ. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.440 Those are the righteous. 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:04.240 The first point is the whole church. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.480 By the way, I got this years ago. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:08.240 I love this phrase from Ray Bakte. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:11.120 I read 25 years ago, I think. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.960 He came up with that phrase, at least for the first time I read it. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:16.799 The whole church. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:23.200 Obviously, that means not just the staff of APC, not just the ministers of APC. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:26.159 The whole church is the whole body of Christ. 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:31.200 That includes you, if you're a Christian. 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:41.840 I want to give you an example I haven't shared in a long, long time, but it's a powerful one that the Lord brought to my mind as I was thinking about this sermon. 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:50.480 The first African refugee that we received in this church that God sent to us was from Burundi in Africa. 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:54.639 His name was Guy, spoke French. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:58.879 And some of you were here when Guy came to APC. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:20.480 And he had been, they had attempted to assassinate him in his home country of Burundi because his father was a prominent journalist, and he was on the other side of the political sphere's political power at that time in Burundi. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:24.159 His father was a target, which made him a target. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:28.080 He literally just escaped with his life. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:34.159 God protected him, God brought him, God put him on an airplane, he landed in Dulles Airport. 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:39.120 There was a connection between our church and Ghee. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:44.320 He was arrested because he didn't have proper documentation when he arrived in Dulles. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:50.720 And they put him in a jail in Farmville, Virginia, a couple hours south of here. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:53.919 And what was God up to? 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:57.200 What was God going to do using the whole church? 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:03.600 Well, many people just became available and helpful to Guy. 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:06.399 He was a young man, maybe 20 or so. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:07.759 Young man. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:13.200 And there was a young attorney named Kurt who was in our church at the time. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:16.000 I mean, young, in his 20s. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:19.600 And he was working at a law firm in Georgetown. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:26.159 And he spent over 200 hours working pro bono for Gee's asylum case. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:32.000 A lot of time away from his family. 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:39.279 We also had a young serviceman in our church at that time named Paul. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:44.080 In God's providence, Paul grew up in West Africa with his missionary parents. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.960 Paul spoke fluent French. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:49.440 This is all God's plan. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:51.200 This is all God's doing. 00:16:51.759 --> 00:17:05.759 Many, many weekends, Kurt and Paul drove down to Farmville, Virginia to help Guy prepare his case for asylum, political asylum. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:14.319 And when the time finally came, many months later, many sacrifices made by the whole church in some ways. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:30.720 The court case came, and I remember Kurt told me, he said, you know, the partner in my law firm, one of the partners in my law firm, said, There's a very, very small chance, or at least not a great chance, that you're going to win this case. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:41.200 He said, you know, Kurt, I'm really grateful and I'm encouraged by how hard you've worked in preparing the case, but don't get your hopes too high here. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.079 Well, the Lord gave success. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:50.319 Gee received his political asylum that day. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:56.799 But listen to what the immigration judge in Arlington, Virginia, said. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:22.720 Arlington, Virginia, immigration judge, I would like to commend your church for its commitment to this young man and for your faithfulness to the gospel message. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:27.440 You don't hear that every day in our civil courts. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:29.680 That was the power of the gospel. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:40.880 That was people who were gathering at the hub being renewed by the power of God who were going out and serving and taking the gospel with them. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:44.240 It didn't stop when Ghee was released. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.599 I'm just looking around to see who's here. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:51.200 And uh I don't think, I think they're in the second service. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:19:02.880 The Poole family, Christian and KC Poole, just opened up their uh apartment in Crystal City with their four kids. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.680 And they just took Ghee in. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:08.720 Where they went, Ghee went. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:20.000 I mean, Guy was just learning what it means to be accepted into a family in the United States when he no longer had his family here. 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:29.440 You see, it takes it takes a lot of people who really want to serve Jesus, working together. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:33.839 And God does beautiful things when we do that. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:37.279 In the name of Christ, serving our city. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:40.960 I uh I'm gonna read this. 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:52.319 This is uh a letter that I received from Guy's father, who at the time, Guy's father, was not a Christian, as you'll get from this. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.079 I'm not gonna read it all. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:20:01.119 He said, My son, Guy, has been constantly harassed by his persecutors over the last three years. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:03.359 Thank you for your valuable help. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.799 Allow me to tell you my profound gratitude for what you've done for my son. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.480 And then he addresses the whole church of APC. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.720 And I'll never forget how he addressed it. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:34.160 Even though he wasn't a Christian, he was familiar with biblical format, he said to the church at Alexandria, he said, May you show my son Gee the best way to strengthen this Christian faith that he has. 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:43.119 He says, I live in a country that has been torn apart over the last four decades by wars and violence on a horrifying scale. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:48.799 I belong to what I am used to calling a lost generation. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:58.799 I am part of a lost generation that has witnessed nothing else than genocides, bloodshed, and ethnic hatred. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:07.359 The unspeakable atrocities that I have witnessed have pushed me to draw the conclusion that God has left our planet Earth. 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:23.039 And He's no longer mindful of our individual and collective plight, leaving Satan and evil in charge, filling up the vacuum, raining, and spoiling everything. 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:28.960 I reached the conclusion that man has become a wolf. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:32.240 He was paraphrasing Thomas Hobbes. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:39.119 This was Guy's father's understanding of this broken world. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:58.880 Ladies and gentlemen, members of Alexandria Presbyterian Church, you have proved me otherwise, and with my hand on my heart, I confess that I have been mistaken, and that my pessimistic conclusion has been pretty hasty. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:08.559 Definitely, God is still very much around and is overseeing human beings at Alexandria Presbyterian Church. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:12.799 And it's a visible sign of his presence in the world. 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:16.400 Many thanks once again, ladies and gentlemen. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:20.319 May the Almighty God bless all of you. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:26.799 This is what we're talking about tonight. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:28.079 This morning. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:35.839 Let me finish the story just a little bit. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:41.519 Guy's dad became a Christian after that. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:48.960 He came to see that as strong as evil is in this world, there's a power that's stronger than the evil. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.920 And that power is God's goodness. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:58.880 And when we can see God's goodness, especially in the midst of the evil, we're not naive. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:11.759 We understand that there is evil in this world, that Satan is out to wreck our souls, but God is greater. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:18.640 The power of the gospel is greater than the tactics of Satan. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:21.200 And you can believe that. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:26.160 And you can receive the king of power and look to him. 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:28.799 The whole church. 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:31.119 What can you do? 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:35.920 What is God calling you to do? 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:41.359 The whole church acting together, serving together, Jesus. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.680 Secondly, the whole gospel. 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:49.599 Luke tells us that Jesus was a prophet, mighty in word and deed. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:59.039 I'm going to read just briefly from James chapter 2 to illustrate this, what this is supposed to look like in the local church. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:05.599 James chapter 2, I'm going to begin reading at verse 14. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:10.400 What good is it, my brothers, if somebody says he has faith but does not have works? 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:12.400 Can that faith save him? 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:26.319 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things that they need for the body, what good is that? 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:32.000 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:35.440 But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:41.680 Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:44.799 You believe that God is one, you do well. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:48.319 Even the demons believe that, and they shudder. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:53.839 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:57.440 Was not Abraham or father justified by works? 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:59.519 Are y'all paying attention? 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:02.000 The Bible said that. 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:07.680 Was not Abraham or father justified by works? 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:10.960 Are the alarms going off? 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:23.039 When he offered up his son Isaac on the altar, you see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:30.240 And the scripture was fulfilled that says Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:34.799 So you see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:36.160 Are you confused? 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.599 No, you understand. 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:50.160 Real faith in Jesus Christ, supplied by Jesus Christ, is alive. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.000 It's not dead. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:55.519 It moves us. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:05.039 Abraham was justified by his works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:09.359 We're not going to do a seminary lecture here, but hang in there. 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:13.039 The Bible uses the word justified in different ways. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:18.880 The one that most of us are probably most used to is it means to be declared righteous. 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:21.279 It's a forensic statement. 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:24.079 It's a statement of the court. 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:28.160 You've been brought before God, and the blood of Jesus Christ has covered you. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:31.519 The Father sees the blood of Christ covering you. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:34.400 And the Father says, not guilty. 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:37.039 You're no longer guilty. 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:39.119 You're righteous. 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:42.559 Jesus gave you his righteousness. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:46.160 He gives you his righteousness when you come to him by faith. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:51.200 That's the sense of justified that most of us are more used to. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:56.640 But the Bible also uses the word justified not to declare, but to demonstrate. 00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:00.400 It uses that word. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:03.920 Just like in the example of James chapter 2. 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:10.000 In other words, when we have real saving faith, it's alive. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:14.160 It's love in action. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:17.359 It's faith in action. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:23.759 James begins with a view of sanctification from Genesis 22. 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:28.559 His faith took him to actually offer his son as a sacrifice. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:32.559 He didn't because God said, don't do it, but he was willing to do it. 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:38.799 The Apostle Paul is usually concerned with the ground of justification. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:42.240 James here is concerned with the nature of saving faith. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.720 This is what saving faith looks like. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:46.400 The whole gospel. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:49.359 In word and in deed. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:53.599 So let's take James's admonition to heart. 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:58.480 We're not going to tell people we're not interested in your physical, material, financial needs. 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:00.559 We're just here to preach. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:03.279 No, that's not the gospel. 00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:10.640 We're here to show and to teach people that the word of God is true. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:16.640 That God offers reconciliation, as we read, to all who come. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:21.839 But we're here also to say God cares about your body. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:24.559 God cares about your needs. 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:28.480 And we want to help as much as we can with that as well. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:32.160 The last point in closing, the whole city. 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:35.039 Now this might be new to some of us. 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:37.440 A theology of the city. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:42.000 Remember what was going on in Jerusalem? 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:44.960 Praising God and having favor with all the people. 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:48.079 God loves cities. 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:53.519 There is a theology of the city in the Bible. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:56.400 Revelation chapter 21. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:58.160 I'm not going to turn to read it. 00:28:58.400 --> 00:28:59.359 You know what's going to happen. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.240 You know, you're going to live in a city one day. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:03.839 Some of you don't like cities. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:06.079 You're here for a while because you have to be here. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:06.880 Okay. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:11.440 I actually love cities. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:15.519 But we're all going to end up in a city. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:23.279 When the city of God comes down, the new Jerusalem, get used to it. 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:25.839 Start building. 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:28.240 Join God's building program. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:36.000 Because when the city, when the righteous flourish, the city rejoices. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:41.359 Building God's kingdom in the place that God puts us. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:51.279 Does God care only about people, or does he also care about places like cities, like Alexandria, like Washington? 00:29:52.480 --> 00:30:05.440 Ray Bakke said, if cities are important beyond the fact that they are collections of individuals, then our ministry in cities must be both public and private, personal and corporate. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:07.680 We're going to talk about that more next week. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:15.119 We're going to do a deeper dive of your ministry and your place, your calling, building God's kingdom. 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:16.720 Next week. 00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:19.839 We are in the city, yes. 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:23.599 But are we for the city? 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:29.359 Do we want to be a blessing to the people who don't come here? 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:32.640 Do we want to be a blessing? 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:36.640 Can we be kind enough? 00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:38.640 Can we be humble enough? 00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:41.279 Can we be loving enough? 00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:43.039 Not argumentative. 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.720 Not proud. 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:48.000 That's not going to get their attention. 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:55.279 But humility and kindness and love will. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:57.680 We've seen it. 00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:02.640 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:08.640 When the righteous live righteously, not living for our personal comfort. 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:11.680 And we need the Holy Spirit's help to get over that. 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:12.720 Don't we? 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:16.000 How easy it is to live for comfort. 00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:19.119 How easy it is to live for our own personal affluence. 00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:22.720 How easy it is to live not wanting to be stretched. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:32.720 When the righteous live righteously, not living for personal comfort, not living with the fortress mentality, just protect me, God. 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:34.559 I don't really care what's going on out there. 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:37.359 I don't really care what's going on in my neighborhood, my city. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:39.200 Just take care of me and my family. 00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:39.839 No. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:42.319 That is not the gospel. 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:47.839 He said, I want you to be salt. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:50.160 I want you to be light. 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:52.640 Don't hide your light. 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:54.160 Don't put it under a bushel. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:56.079 Don't cover it up. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:04.480 Let your light shine for Jesus so that the city will rejoice that you're here. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:09.759