WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:23.039 Good morning. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:28.000 And uh hey, it was pretty fun to have the college kickback hang time. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:31.600 And uh we got Santa Zay State, Santa Clara in the house. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:32.560 Welcome, guys. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:34.719 Yeah, good to be with you. 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:38.320 Love seeing the college community and colleges coming back. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:41.840 Uh that's always super fun there. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:49.039 We're in a series, we kicked it off last series last week called uh Gifts of the Holy Spirit. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:53.359 And here's how we began and what we said last week. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:00.240 You have everything you need to be the person God created you to be. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.200 You have everything. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.920 You're not lacking anything. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:20.400 You don't need to be older, wiser, you don't need to be younger, better looking, you don't need to be skinnier or have more muscle, you don't need to make more money, a better job, different circumstances. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:33.519 Right now, in this moment, you have everything you need to be the person God created and designed you to be. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:50.159 In fact, the apostle Peter would say it this way: His divine power has given you everything you need for a godly life through our true knowledge of Him who's called you by His own glory and goodness. 00:01:50.319 --> 00:02:06.959 His power, accessible to you and to me, has given you everything you need right now for this moment and for the next, and for the next and for the next, to be who God made you to be. 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:16.800 And last week we talked about not just the gift of the Holy Spirit, uh the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the gift, the singular, that we have been given the Holy Spirit. 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:26.639 That uh the apostle Paul would say in Romans that the same spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead lives and dwells inside of you. 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:31.599 You have resurrection power accessible to you. 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:43.199 We're talking about how do we live in and out of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:51.919 You know, um on Friday, my family, we went down to Bakersfield, and I know you're jealous. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:03:00.719 Um the reason we went down to Bakersfield was because it was my wife's, it's her stepgrandmother. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:06.479 Uh she's this incredible, amazing, elegant uh lady. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:10.080 It was her 99th birthday. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:11.520 Yeah. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.719 You don't get invited to many of those. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:16.319 And this was phenomenal. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:19.280 So we drive down Friday, go celebrate her. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:20.560 It was really cute. 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:24.800 They threw uh 99 bottles of beer on the wall uh theme party. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:30.879 So there was real beer and beer and all the rest, and so everybody had their bottles, and we started singing the song. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:32.400 That is an annoying song. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:35.919 That song, wow, and long. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:37.599 We only got to 86. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:40.560 We all you know, like wow, good grief. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:43.759 Uh, but I mean, she's this incredible lady. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:44.879 She doesn't know Jesus. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:52.400 In fact, she's Jewish, and yet she's so kind and generous and hospitable, and like what I mean, elegant is one of the words. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:04:00.080 Like when she showed up, and this is the way she always shows up, like her earrings meshed her outfit, hair did, lipstick, everything. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.520 99 people, this is unbelievable. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:06.000 And she's always been that way. 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:13.039 Now, I was like, when do you ever get to just spend time with someone that's lived 10 decades? 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:20.720 And so I got a little bit of time with her, and I said, Grandma, um, would you just tell me a little bit about kind of each decade? 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:23.439 I'd love to have a memory about each decade. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:25.519 She went back to four, by the way. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:28.720 I was like, my earliest memory was four when my brother was born. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.160 I'm like, at 99, you're remembering four. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:33.279 Wow. 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:37.600 We had this cool conversation and hearing her life. 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:41.279 And at the end of it, she left me with this question. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:44.879 And I was like, huh. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:46.800 She said this. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:58.079 She said, you know, Ryan, if you ever figure out or find out why we're still here, let me know. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:05.759 At first I was not like, damn, you have all these amazing people, this is life well lived. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:10.480 Obviously, we would have different answers because of our faith background. 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:12.720 And then she said it again. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:22.240 If you ever really figure out why we're here, let me know. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:36.959 99 years looking back on ten decades of life, still asking one of, if not the most important questions of life. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:39.759 Why am I here? 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:47.439 And how do we make sure that we ask and answer that question well? 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:54.399 So that when we look back on life, we go, wow, I'm so glad I'm here. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:05.600 I'm so glad that I invested my life in this way for this time, for the limited amount of time that I had on this planet. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:07.920 Wow, I'm so glad. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:25.040 You know why you're here and why you're still around as a follower of Jesus, the gospel says this says that you're actually uniquely gifted. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:32.879 You're uniquely gifted by Christ to bring about a supernatural good. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.160 Think about that for a second. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:39.839 Not the person sitting, yeah. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.800 Well, of course, the person sitting next to you is uniquely gifted too. 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:44.720 I've got to be careful how I say that. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:49.279 But don't think about the person next to you. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:55.360 Because when you read that, it's easy to dismiss that, isn't it? 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.480 When you read that, it's easy to go, no, that's somebody else. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:01.600 That's for special people, that's for like that other person. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:06.319 I I just heard my friend, uh not uh actually not my friend. 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:08.240 I don't even know why I said my friend. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:11.120 A lawyer told me this joke, okay? 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:18.639 Literally, that's how, that's how that's he and he's like, yeah, I was listening to this, you know, comedian, and he shared this joke with us yesterday. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:22.959 He's like, you know, you're not supposed to have favorite kids, you know, but I have one. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.720 And he's like, you know, it's the neighbor's kid. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:28.399 He's great, you know. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:34.319 And we think about like it's somebody else, right? 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:37.920 I couldn't be uniquely gifted. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:40.639 It's somebody else. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:42.319 No, no, no. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:52.480 Right now, I'm looking at uniquely, uniquely, uniquely, uniquely gifted by Christ Himself. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:56.000 Why are you here? 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:58.160 Because you're uniquely gifted. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:03.040 You're needed here to bring about supernatural good. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:05.920 To bring about supernatural good. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:10.000 In fact, the apostle Paul would say it this way in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:13.839 He says, For it's by grace you've been saved. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:15.279 You've been rescued. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:21.199 God's unmerited favor, he saw you, he reached out to you, he saved you. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:25.040 And it's not by works or through faith, and it's not this from yourself. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:26.879 It's not good grief. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:28.639 Let's try that over again. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:34.320 Through faith, and this not from yourself, it is a gift of God. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:41.679 It's his gift, his freely disposed, deposited gift, not by works, so that no one can boast. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.600 You did nothing to earn it, you can't do anything for it. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:52.559 And what's amazing is right now, I love saying this, and I'll continue saying this as long as I'm a pastor. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:58.720 Right now, in this moment, you're the object of his affection. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:00.559 You're deeply loved. 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:08.480 And there's nothing you can do that will cause him to love you any less, and nothing you can do that will cause him to love you anymore. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:10.879 You can't earn it, you're just loved. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:15.919 He rescued you, and then we forget the next sentence. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:23.440 Saved, rescued, grace, no work that you can do to earn it. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:26.159 And then notice what it says for we are God's hand. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:27.519 Say that with me. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:28.639 Handi work. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:35.120 Some of your translations say workmanship, it's the Greek word poema. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:39.919 It's where obviously our English word poem comes from. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:50.480 It's this whole idea that you are God's masterpiece, you're his prized creation. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:55.919 Like he's taken time and thought. 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:07.120 And you're created in Christ Jesus, meaning that anything that's created has a design, has a purpose, has an intent, has meaning. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:14.960 And so there's purpose and design intent behind your life and your design, and your life matters. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.360 You're created in Christ Jesus what? 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:20.080 To do good works. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:22.879 So listen, hang with me here. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:27.360 We are not saved by good works. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:32.240 We are saved for good works. 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:34.080 The order matters. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:38.399 Because as long as you're trying to earn your way, get your way to God, that will never work. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:48.720 The minute you step in and realize, wow, I have a new identity, I'm completely made new in Christ, and because of that new reality, I get to do these things. 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:53.840 I've been saved and redeemed, and I have a good work to put my life to. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:55.919 And it's even better than that. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:11:04.000 God said, I know you, I know your design, I know how you're made, and I've actually prepared in advance things for you to do. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:10.320 Think about the intents of the God of the universe over you. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:18.480 And here's what happens, here's what I we all get caught up into this. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:31.919 We get caught up into the hustle, getting through, moving up the, you know, the corporate ladder, whatever your version of the successful life is. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.200 And we just kind of eke it out, don't we? 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:40.799 Why am I here? 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:51.519 Well, you are uniquely gifted by Christ to bring about a supernatural good. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.600 Well, let's look at how do we go about doing that? 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:57.200 How do we go about discovering it? 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:01.519 And to do that, I actually want to look at God's design for the church. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:05.759 And the church is us, the church is a people, not a place. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:15.600 The church is the spirit-filled people of God, and the supernatural good has to do with the community of the believers and how we function and go about life. 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:30.480 That you've been called out, the way the Apostle Paul, out of darkness into the kingdom of the Son, He loves, into the kingdom of light, and there's a new way of living and being for all of us that brings about good and flourishing around us. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:34.000 And so if you got your Bibles, would you open up to Ephesians chapter 4? 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:41.600 Ephesians chapter 4, as we look at the good that God has for us, the unique gifting. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:45.360 What is it that He has for you? 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:55.840 Now, the very first thing the Apostle Paul's gonna say is that every follower of Jesus has a calling to fulfill. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:58.960 You have a calling to fulfill. 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:13.519 Like you have a calling. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:16.080 God has placed a call on your life. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:21.279 He has a calling for you to step in, to live out, and fulfill. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:23.919 Notice what the apostle Paul says, Ephesians 4, 1. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:37.360 As a prisoner of the Lord, and that's not just like uh, you know, hey, uh metaphor, he was literally a prisoner of the Lord, then I urge you to walk or to live in a manner worthy of the calling. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:41.279 It's literally to live in a manner that corresponds with your identity. 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:43.039 Now here's what's happening, okay? 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:45.840 So Ephesians is broken up into two parts. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.080 Chapters one, two, and three is what theologians call the indicative. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:51.360 Can you say indicative? 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:53.120 Very good. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:56.000 Indicative just simply it was a force. 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:56.320 Very good. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:56.639 I get that. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:58.320 You'll get imperative, we'll get it there. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:03.360 Indicative simply means this: indicating what's true of you. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:11.200 It is the him taking three chapters to say, this is your new identity in Christ. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:16.159 Chapter one talks all about that um you have been chosen, you have been adopted. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:20.159 Every spiritual blessing is yours in Christ. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.559 You have been forgiven, redeemed, beloved. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.679 It's the indicative, it's your identity in Christ. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:31.120 And out of that reality then comes what theologians call the imperative. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:35.600 How do we then live out our new identity? 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:40.480 It says, live a life worthy of the calling. 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:48.559 This is who you are, this is your standing, this is your reality, and this is how then you live this life out. 00:14:48.879 --> 00:15:01.279 I remember years ago, um a pastor told this story of they had um they had adopted this kid from uh it was somewhere overseas, I'm not exactly sure. 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:10.000 And they were saying the first few months they would find that this child would hide food in their uh bedroom. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:13.039 And they're like, Oh, you don't have to do that. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:16.000 You don't have to do that, but they kept doing it. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:27.200 Well, they find out that this child, as a little young kid, the way the parents would punish him was to lock the fridge. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:34.000 They'd literally chained the fridge, and for a like a weekend or so, they wouldn't have any access to food. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:41.840 So this child had this reality that to in order to survive, I have to get food and I have to stockpile it to keep mine. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:53.200 And now this child is brought into a new reality with adopted family and parents who love them, and they're like, hey, by the way, the fridge will never have a door on it or a lock on it. 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:56.320 A door, it needs a door, it needs a door. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:08.000 See, what happens in the Christian life, by the way, friends, is we take our old reality into our new identity. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.279 And we're living out of here. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:16.399 And he says, No, your new identity, adopted, loved, uh, forgiven, redeemed. 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:17.440 This is who you are. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:21.840 And so walk in a manner worthy or corresponding to that reality. 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:26.159 The fridge never has a lock on it in the kingdom of God. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:29.759 He says, Well, you have a calling that you have received. 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.600 Well, how do we do this? 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:36.559 And what I love is he doesn't give us a list of uh to-dos. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:47.039 Well, you need to do this, you need to do this, you need to do this, need to read your Bible, need to go to church, need to give. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.120 I don't know why I got that voice. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:54.720 But what he does is he gives us of to-bees. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:01.039 Who you're becoming is principally what you offer to God. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:05.759 Be completely humble. 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:08.880 How do you live out your calling? 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:12.799 Here's how humble. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:15.039 You want to live that out? 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:19.680 Because you can, by the way, you can live that out anywhere doing anything with anyone. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:20.960 Humble. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:29.039 Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's actually thinking accurately of yourself in light of who God is. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:38.880 Pride isn't just thinking like boastfully of yourself, it's also when you just kind of go, I'm no good at this, I'm no this. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.799 Like, that's not humility. 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:42.079 Stop it. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:50.880 Humility is this is how God has made me, and I'm gonna lean into this and I'm gonna glorify him with what he's given me. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:18:02.480 And God didn't give me this, and I'm not gonna do that because there's a reason I don't oversee the finances at awakening because I'm not gifted at it. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:07.279 God did not give me that, but he's given me the gift of teaching, that's the reason I'm here. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:12.720 Be completely humble, thinking accurately of yourself, and then he says, and gentle. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:15.119 Gentle. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:16.960 In fact, the word is meek. 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:18.559 Jesus would call himself meek. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:23.279 We don't think of meekness uh a lot uh or identify with it. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:26.160 It's this incredible uh attribute. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:29.039 It's actually the attribute of the strong. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.799 Because when we think of meekness, it's meek equals weak. 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:39.039 In fact, the picture is is um it's a physical picture of like a bit in a horse's mouth. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:45.839 And so that uh it's all that strength, all that power, it's under control and it's directed. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:49.279 Um, it is this strength under control. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.880 It's one whose emotions are under control. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.559 They never let loose or get out of control. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:10.240 In fact, in Hellenistic Greek, uh meek had this connotation it was the merciful execution of justice on behalf of those who have no voice by those in a position of authority. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:11.680 That's meekness. 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:17.920 It's leveraging your strength for those who have no strength. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:20.240 It says, How do you live out your calling? 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.279 Humble. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:23.359 How do you live out your calling? 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:27.200 Gentle, how do you live out your calling to be patient? 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:32.720 Another, maybe older way to say it is long suffering. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:37.680 Because that's what patience is, it suffers long. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:44.480 The spirit that bears insult and injury without bitterness and without complaint. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.559 I just preached to myself, that hurt. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:58.559 It's the spirit that can suffer unpleasant people with graciousness and fools without complaint. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:00.559 Yes, even online. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:07.279 Bearing with one another in love. 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:12.720 Why did the apostle Paul have to say bearing with one another? 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.319 Because some people are just a bear to live with. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:40.720 Isn't that compelling? 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:44.000 Like, wouldn't you want to be around people that are like that? 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:56.400 Don't you want friends that are like that, that don't easily take offense, that think the best, that keep every effort to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace? 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.200 Guess what? 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:58.480 We may differ politically. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.039 Guess what? 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:01.039 We may differ in some theological areas. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:01.599 Guess what? 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:11.119 We may differ just in so many things, but we have this in common the unity of the presence of the Spirit of God in us. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:14.559 And so we're going to preserve that. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.559 Don't you want to be a part of a community like that? 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:26.400 See, our calling, our calling begins with who we're becoming. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:32.079 And who we're becoming will then inform what we're doing. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:34.559 And we flip it. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:41.519 And we want to get to the doing, and God's going, like, no, no, no, I want to shape a new community. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:45.039 Every follower of Jesus has a calling to fulfill. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:47.759 And here's why the importance of unity. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:59.759 There's one body, one spirit, uh, just as you're called to one hope, uh, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father over all, who's over uh through all and in all. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.920 Oh community's a big deal to God. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:13.039 Every follower of Jesus has a calling to fulfill. 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:15.599 I like how Philip Yancey said it. 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:20.559 Our confused society badly needs a community of contrast. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:28.319 A counterculture of ordinary pilgrims who insist on living a different way. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.480 That's your calling. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:31.680 Why are you here? 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:34.240 What is the good that God has prepared? 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:37.680 Well, this in part is the good that He's prepared for us. 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:40.160 Oh, that we would be that church. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:42.960 That we would return to that view. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:57.440 That we we wouldn't settle for like turf wars and my fighting and all the things that we just go down into, but that we'd be completely humble and gentle and patient. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:00.400 Every follower has a calling to fulfill. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:02.319 This is God's design for the church. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:07.839 Every follower of Jesus then has been given a spiritual gift to steward. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:12.559 You have been given a gift by Jesus to Steward. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.920 Here's what he goes on to say. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:19.519 But each one of us, grace has been given as Christ has apportioned it. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.200 Grace has been poured out. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:23.920 Now notice this isn't salvific grace. 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:31.519 This isn't the moment you received Jesus as your savior and you experienced his unmerited favor and you stepped into relationship with him. 00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:37.680 Your old life was buried and died, and you were brought to new life by the power of the Spirit of God. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:39.359 That is saving grace. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:45.039 Here he's talking about just a specific grace that he's poured out in the gifting of God. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:54.000 In fact, uh the word for grace is charis in the Bible, and spiritual gift, the word for spiritual gift is charismata or charismata. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.240 It's grace gift. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:23:59.119 You've been given a grace gift. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:02.400 You've done nothing to earn it or deserve it. 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:08.559 He just poured it out lavishly on you as Christ has apportioned it. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:12.240 And then he uses this word picture, and I just got to give you a heads up. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:15.440 I'm gonna read it, but it won't make sense. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:16.960 You ever do that with the Bible? 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:19.759 You're like, yeah, did not get that. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.960 So I'll make it make sense after I read it. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:23.279 Okay? 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.079 You with me? 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:25.440 All right, here we go. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:34.640 This grace gift, as Christ has apportioned it to us, he says, that is why it says, when he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.480 What does he ascended mean? 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:39.279 Except that he also descended to the lower earthly regions. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:45.200 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.160 Clear? 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:47.359 We good? 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:49.039 All right. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:58.480 The Apostle Paul is quoting Psalm 68, verse 18, and he's actually referencing this picture that was common in their day. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:06.720 They didn't have the news cycle, they didn't have Twitter to know what was going on in their world that got them this instantaneous information. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:12.640 In fact, you couldn't have, you didn't have the video capture to prove that it actually happened. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:24.160 And so when a conquering king went off to battle and was victorious, as he would return back into a city, the whole city would come out to set up this kind of welcome and procession. 00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:29.680 The king often would be on a white horse at the front, his army behind him, and then captives. 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:33.680 These were noble people and people that they would bring from the land. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:45.759 And as they were coming into the city, what the king would do and the different soldiers is they would share the spoils of victor, declaring they have indeed won and proving it. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:57.759 And giving gifts to the people as they cheer, uh as they cheer for their conquering king to come in. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:10.319 And this is the picture that when Jesus came and he descended, meaning that he died, that he took on yours and mine greatest enemy, that is death itself. 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:15.680 He took on sin, he took on Satan, and he descended, but he also ascended. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:27.359 He was not defeated by death, no, he defeated death itself, and as a result, a sign of his victory is like the conquering king. 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:29.519 I'm giving out gifts. 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:34.160 I indeed did win the war. 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.400 I indeed came back conquering death. 00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:39.599 Where is your victory? 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.960 Where is your sting? 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:49.039 But thanks be to God, the sting of death is gone because of Jesus Christ. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:56.960 And so, every spiritual, every believer has at least one spiritual gift. 00:26:57.119 --> 00:27:01.200 We're going to talk more specifically about spiritual gifts next week. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:06.319 They're not the same as your natural ability, it's not the same as the fruit of the spirit. 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:07.680 We talked about that last week. 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:13.680 It is a gift that God gives for effective service and edification of the body. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:15.599 You did nothing to earn it. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:18.160 It's a grace gift, it's charismata. 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:22.960 And so it's not a status symbol that makes you a somebody. 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:25.519 Oh, I have this gift or I have this gift. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:32.400 Spiritual gifts are simply a sign of Christ's victory over sin, death, and Satan. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:35.279 And how do we discover our spiritual gifts? 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:41.119 Well, in we discover them in uh they're discovered and developed in community. 00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:49.920 In fact, one of the ways that we often read the New Testament, especially, is we read all the U's as you singular, right? 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:54.079 Because we're a hyper-individualistic society. 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:58.240 And so then anytime you see a U, they're like, it must be just talking about me. 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:00.400 It's gotta be me. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:08.720 All the Us in the book of Ephesians, many throughout the letters are you plural. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:10.559 In Texas, you know how we'd say it? 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:13.119 I was born in Texas, y'all. 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:14.880 Can you say that? 00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:16.079 Y'all. 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:18.079 Y'all. 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:20.799 That's you all for some who didn't understand. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:21.599 I had to translate. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:22.559 I get it. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:25.680 But here's the reality. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:35.279 We think we can do the Christian life on our own outside a community and have your own private relationship with God. 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:41.839 You can have your own personal relationship with God, but it will not work outside the context of the church. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:29:02.240 The church is the community, the body, the family that you've been called out of into, and this is the place upon which he's building a new way of being a human, and the way we interact and grow, and the greatest refinement for you is another person. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:05.359 Isn't that true? 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:15.440 Like for those who have been married, you realize uh like uh Jen and I said this when we were first married, we're like uh it just revealed how very selfish we were. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:21.759 And then we had kids, and it just revealed how very selfish we are. 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:34.000 God uses the one another's to refine and to grow us, and he uses them to show us who we are in Christ. 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:40.480 Isn't it true too that man, somebody else sees in you that you don't see in yourself? 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:42.640 Right? 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:55.039 Because we dismiss the good, we dismiss what comes natural, we dismiss, oh, I'm just I love, you know, um making an environment and helping people just feel really welcome to love. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:59.279 And like, yeah, I I whipped up all that stuff and baked it, it's amazing. 00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:02.319 Like, no, you have the gift of hospitality. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:05.279 No, no, no, it was nothing. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:09.759 No, trust me, I've been to places that don't have the gift of hospitality. 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:30.559 It's something, and it brings you joy, because that's how the gifts work, and it produces supernatural good to those around you, because that's how the gifts work. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:32.319 So, what is the good? 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:36.880 Well, every follower has a calling to fulfill. 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:41.680 You've been given a spiritual gift to steward. 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:44.160 We'll dive more into that next week. 00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:49.519 Every follower Jesus has an integral role in the body of Christ. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:54.559 You matter. 00:30:54.880 --> 00:31:00.960 Remember, we started off you are uniquely gifted. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:11.119 If you don't show up with what God's gifted and given you, we miss out. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:20.799 You matter, you have an integral, important role to play in the body of Christ. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:22.559 Here's how the apostle Paul would say it. 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:32.319 He says, So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastor teachers. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:36.480 He's now talking about the structure of this new community, and he's saying, there's some leaders. 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:38.799 We're going to need some organizational leadership here. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:44.880 And there's four gifts that I've given to be the organizational leaders for this new community. 00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:49.279 Apostles, prophets, uh, evangelists, and pastor teachers. 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:54.079 Well, let me go over those real quick because we may not know what those are, and that's way okay. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:57.680 Well, you're like apostles, aren't those the first 12 disciples? 00:31:57.839 --> 00:32:02.319 Well, yes, there's the office of apostleship, then there's the gifting of apostleship. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:07.359 Apostleship is the divine enablement to start churches and oversee their development. 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:10.720 It's the ability to minister cross-culturally. 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:15.920 It's those that are missionaries, those who are starting up parachurch organizations, church planters. 00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:18.160 I think of Whitney Fayek and her family. 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:22.720 They started a ministry to reach collegiate athletes in this area. 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:24.880 They have the gift of apostleship. 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:30.400 Prophecy, and we often think about prophecy as forthelling and telling someone's future. 00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:31.599 There are parts of that. 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:36.400 90% of it is proclaiming forth the word of God in a timely way. 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:46.559 It is the ability to proclaim God's truth with power and clarity in a timely and culturally sensitive fashion for correction, repentance, and edification. 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:51.839 In fact, many of the best worship leaders that I know have the gift of prophecy as well. 00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:52.559 And it's fun. 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:54.960 Yes, Robbie does have the gift of prophecy. 00:32:55.039 --> 00:33:03.920 And when they use that combined with their gifting of worship and music, it just creates this powerful moment where we're drawn into the presence of God. 00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:10.240 Evangelism is the ability to be an unusually effective instrument of leading unbelievers to a saving knowledge of Christ. 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:13.920 Some of that's personal evangelism, some of that's group evangelism. 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.960 You might have that. 00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:16.559 You might have the gift of evangelism. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:20.160 You realize, man, I'm always hosting my neighbors, I'm always reaching out. 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:24.480 And God's just allowing, you know, all these God conversations popping up. 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:25.839 I don't even really know why. 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:28.880 And you didn't realize I have the gift of evangelism. 00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:32.240 Or pastor-teacher, that's actually one singular gift. 00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:34.000 Uh, the way it's constructed in the Greek. 00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:41.599 It's a person with this spiritual gift that has the ability to lead, nourish, protect, and to personally care for the needs of the flock of believers. 00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:48.319 Now, when we hear pastor-teacher, we just simply think about our role in our Western churches of pastor. 00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:53.279 Some people who hold that role have the gifting of pastor as here. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:34:00.000 And you don't have to be a quote, pastor on a staff to have the gifting of pastor teacher. 00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:04.319 In fact, Saye, who's in our church, he's a part of our leadership council. 00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:06.559 Um, he's leads a small group. 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:10.400 Uh, he and Shadi, they have the gift of pastor teacher. 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:11.360 They're amazing. 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:14.960 If you're in, if you've been in their small group, you're like, absolutely they do. 00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:19.039 And they just ooze it out of everything they do. 00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:22.639 Every follower Jesus has an intricate role in the body of Christ. 00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:24.320 He's got leaders. 00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:25.599 Why? 00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:29.840 So that you can go, whoa, you're awesome. 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:31.840 Yay. 00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:33.599 Right? 00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:34.800 I mean, that's kind of what we think. 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:38.800 Like leaders are supposed to be like, woo, you do it. 00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:40.480 We'll watch. 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:43.440 Go for it. 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:45.119 I'm behind you. 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:47.440 Way behind you. 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.400 Whatever. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:54.320 No, to equip his people for works of service. 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:57.920 Here's the paradigm for us. 00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:02.960 Leaders, these leadership gifts are equippers. 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:10.559 Our role and our job, my role as a pastor here on staff is not to be the star player. 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:20.000 My role is how can I equip you to live out the good God made you for? 00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:25.519 See, my role isn't to be like, hey, I look at me and all these things. 00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:30.320 I know we platform the speaker and then we can make them into something that they're not. 00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:33.360 I'm, you know, like as a pastor, what is it like? 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:35.039 I'm pretty ordinary. 00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:38.800 I don't spend 15 hours a day praying every day. 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:42.639 It wouldn't be a bad thing, I just don't. 00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:46.079 Leaders are equippers. 00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:55.440 That word equip, it literally means to prepare, to mend, to restore people to their proper use. 00:35:56.639 --> 00:36:03.519 If you're a leader, your role is to prepare, is to mend and to restore. 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:07.280 To see someone and how can I prepare you? 00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.719 Do you need some mending? 00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:09.760 Do you need some restoring? 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:16.960 Because to be at your proper use, to step into the good that you're made for. 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:38.639 You know, we put on this in a picture that, oh, pastors, you're the star players, and everybody is like supportive fans, and yet the reality is the way God designed the church is simply this. 00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:42.320 Leaders are simply the bee coaches. 00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:49.679 And every member, every person, a part of the body of Christ are the star players. 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:56.159 I drove in this morning and I saw a man by the name of Brad Nystrom. 00:36:57.920 --> 00:36:59.679 And he was setting out a sign. 00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:07.440 Brad Nystrom's been in our church for years and years and years. 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:09.360 He faithfully serves. 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:11.119 He's what we call a space captain. 00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:12.480 I know that's a funny name. 00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:22.719 Um, but he called a space captain because he's a captain on our space team that sets up the space and shows up with a group of people and he put the sign out. 00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:42.000 So if you're new and you didn't know where to go, all those signs, there's a team that came in here and they set up every single chair on Saturday night, and all of these curtains and this sound system and our cafe team that that showed up early to make sure that you would be awake during this sermon, which praise God, you are all awake. 00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:43.679 No, I'm just kidding. 00:37:49.519 --> 00:37:52.079 Running sound and slides. 00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:55.679 Everybody plays an intricate role. 00:37:55.920 --> 00:37:56.400 Why? 00:37:57.679 --> 00:38:02.719 To create a space for you and for us, me, to have a life-changing encounter with God. 00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:08.159 And every role matters significantly. 00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:10.559 And it's unbelievable. 00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:14.079 Here's what's amazing about that Brad Nystrom. 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.840 You know what he's doing right now? 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:17.760 He's not in this room. 00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:20.239 So I'm bragging on him behind his back. 00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:22.800 We should do that a lot more, by the way. 00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:29.440 He's meeting with our team for our birthday, and there's a team that is building stuff. 00:38:29.679 --> 00:38:31.920 I I don't really know what it is, that's why I said stuff. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:34.800 It's like set design, different things for our birthday. 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:43.440 Like there's a whole team working diligently and constructing things, and they're using their gifts and abilities to build. 00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:52.320 What happens here, and when I hear people go, oh, I love the community here, oh, I love this, oh, I love that, it takes all of us. 00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:55.119 And we need all of us. 00:38:57.440 --> 00:39:06.400 And when one of us is missing, we miss out. 00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:09.280 We miss out. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:15.440 In fact, as Christina was talking about the leadership advance, I want to invite you personally to join us. 00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:17.039 Would you join us? 00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:18.320 I'm not a leader. 00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:19.840 That's okay. 00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:23.840 We'll change the name next time. 00:39:24.719 --> 00:39:26.000 The church advance. 00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:28.960 The people advance. 00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:29.920 I don't know. 00:39:31.039 --> 00:39:32.639 We're not gonna workshop it now, okay? 00:39:32.719 --> 00:39:34.239 We'll get a better name. 00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:50.159 And where you begin to discover and develop your gift in community, experiencing joy because you're operating out of your gift and and other people are experiencing the good. 00:39:52.559 --> 00:40:04.000 You are uniquely gifted by Christ to bring about supernatural good. 00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:09.039 God, thank you for this time. 00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:10.800 Thank you for this moment. 00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:13.519 Thank you for my friends here. 00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:28.000 Who are designed and created in Christ Jesus, whom you've given spiritual gifts deposited in them. 00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:34.719 God, would you make us a church that lives out the good? 00:40:35.920 --> 00:40:45.920 That doesn't just hear a sermon, maybe moved or think, oh, that's interesting, but that we would take that step to live out the good that you've already placed in front of us. 00:40:47.519 --> 00:40:58.719 Oh, that we would be a community that looks counterculture in all the best ways, humble and gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love. 00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:07.760 That watching the world say, I don't necessarily believe what you believe, but wow, I want to be a part of you because that's amazing. 00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:10.239 Make us that kind of church. 00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:12.000 In Jesus' name. 00:41:12.400 --> 00:41:13.039 Amen. 00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:16.559 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:41:16.719 --> 00:41:21.199 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:23.440 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:29.360 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.