WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:20.239 Amen. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:21.600 Let's pray together, Church. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:22.399 Lord, thank you. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:24.800 We understand that that we were like the prodigal son. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:29.839 We once were lost, but we've been found and we were dead and we've been brought back to life. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:31.920 And so we never want to get over that, Lord. 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:37.280 I want to preach today from a freed heart, like a man that's not looking for approval, but like one who has it. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:41.600 And Lord, we understand that not only are we in Christ, but Christ is in us. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:43.520 And this is our only hope of glory. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:45.119 So we don't apologize for that. 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:48.399 We don't try to tamp that down where everybody around us feels comfortable. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:51.920 No, we want everyone around us to taste and see that the Lord is good. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:54.320 So we want to walk in everything that is ours. 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:56.560 We want to experience everything you have for us. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:04.239 And this morning, Lord, we need you by your spirit to illuminate to illuminate the word so we can see what kind of a church that you've called us to be. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:05.439 Lord, this is our prayer. 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.840 Make it our experience, we ask in Christ's name. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.319 And everyone said, Amen, amen. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:11.040 You could have a seat. 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.480 If you've got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to Acts chapter 13. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:15.840 Acts chapter 13. 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:18.879 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Acts of the Apostles. 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:23.920 This is the book in the Bible that kind of records how the church kind of was birthed in chapter 2. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:28.000 We've been, if you're visiting today or you're new, just very a couple Sundays, we started in the book of Acts. 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:30.000 We're typically preaching through a book of the Bible. 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:36.079 It's called expository preaching because this is how you nourish the faith of a congregation over the long haul. 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.400 We don't want our Sunday morning service to be the experience for you. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:48.239 We want you to be so equipped, so understand God and His Word and His ways that you are the experience that people have out in the culture. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:50.000 If that makes sense, say amen. 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:51.840 Acts chapter 13. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:53.680 Now let me tell you something random, okay? 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:58.719 In 2008, the Clemson Tigers college football team, they went seven and six. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:03.120 They lost to Nebraska in the Gator Bowl that year by a score of 24 to 21. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:08.960 Six games into the season, after the sixth game, their coach was the son of a famous coach, Bobby Bowden. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:10.159 His name was Tommy Bowden. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.879 He quit or he was invited to quit. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:13.520 Amen? 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:19.199 And they had a losing record, and they had an offensive coordinator, a little shrimpy guy named Dabbo Sweeney. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:29.759 Dabbo Sweeney, they said at the end of the season, they gave him an interview for the head coaching position almost as a courtesy because they needed the big name coach that was going to be a draw. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:33.599 Well, after all the people interviewed, Dabo Sweeney got the job. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:35.599 Here's why Dabo Sweeney got the job. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:42.080 The athletic director who was over the hiring process said, Dabbo, everybody talked about the team who we got coming back, who we recruited. 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:47.280 We got this five-star, we got a couple three-star guys, we got about four four-star athletes. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:49.840 We're going to be great, and we're recruiting out of the junior class. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:51.439 They all talked about the team. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:59.199 Dabbo Sweeney was the only person they interviewed that talked about building a program that produces great teams for years to come. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:03.439 Now, you may be thinking, what's this got to do with the Bible in Acts chapter 13? 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:06.719 Because we're going to read about a church that's located in a city called Antioch. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:08.080 It's modern-day Syria. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:17.759 Now, the church at Antioch was a church that developed a great program that consistently cranked out great teams, that consistently produced people that changed the world. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:21.759 The church at Antioch, let's read about it in Acts chapter 13, starting to verse 1. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:31.599 It says, now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon, who is called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Menea, and a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:35.759 By the way, Herod the Tetrarch was the guy that beheaded John the Baptist. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:37.759 So this cat grew up with him. 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:43.439 So see, your your kids can have some crazy dysfunctional friends and still turn out okay. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:45.680 I'm just trying to help you out, students. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.879 Anyway, he says he grew up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:55.599 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them. 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:59.919 And then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and they sent them off. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:05.520 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down from Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:11.439 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had John to assist them. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:18.560 And when they had gone through the whole island, as far as Pathos, they came on a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bargesus. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:25.600 He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:33.600 But Elabus, the magician, for that's what he's that's the meaning of his name, he opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:47.920 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:54.480 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:05:00.160 And immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:06.560 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:09.120 Let me begin by asking you a real practical question. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:11.680 Could you be trusted with that kind of power? 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:17.920 To where somebody opposed you and you just said, Listen, I'm gonna I'm you're gonna be stricken blind right now. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:18.480 Bam. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:25.120 I took a little random survey of our staff this week, and every one of them laughed and said, No, I don't think I can be trusted with that. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:30.079 Uh absolutely, but see, here's the thing, we'll get to that in in the end. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.319 I want to talk to you today about what makes a great church. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:33.439 What makes a great church? 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:35.519 Let me be clear and lay back cards on the table. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:40.319 I don't, I'm not trying to, I don't have a formula, and this is what we're gonna do, and this, this, this, this. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:50.000 I want us to look in the Bible and see this is a great church that they had a established program, and it wasn't what what what you would think of, how churches in America especially try to become great. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:51.519 What makes a great church? 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:53.040 What makes a church great? 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:54.800 First of all, a variety of giftedness. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:55.920 Verse one says this. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:06:03.839 They were in the church at Antioch, prophets and teachers, and then it began to list them all out, and they're diverse, they're from all different neat uh parts of the country. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:09.120 Okay, some white, some black, some Jew, uh, some they got all kinds of people in this thing. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:14.959 And so a variety of giftedness, what you see mentioned here when he talks about prophets and teachers, this is what I mean by variety. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.639 Prophets and teachers, prophets, inspiration, teachers, information. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:19.680 You need both. 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:23.839 Uh, but those are what I call prophets and teachers of what I call platform gifts. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:27.279 Um, but the church is nourished by what I call foundational gifts. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:28.399 Foundational gifts. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:29.120 What do you mean? 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:34.879 Uh the church in Antioch never was dependent upon the platform gifts, the people that stood up and taught. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:35.839 I mean, think about it. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:40.959 They sent out Barnabas and Saul, whose name was changed, and he later becomes the Apostle Paul. 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:44.079 Talking about, do you think they ever regretted letting that guy go? 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:45.360 See, here's the thing. 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:50.399 Like many of us, Paul or Saul, as he's still called right here, his name doesn't change until verse nine. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:53.199 Uh, he wasn't who he was going to one day become. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:07:03.120 It's kind of like back in last year's NFL draft, uh, the Carolina Panthers had the number one pick, and they picked their quarterback out of Alabama, and they passed on a guy named CJ Stroud. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:04.480 Yes. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:10.560 And yes, they lost yesterday, but I promise you what they're all saying, and the commentators are saying, hey, this is this guy's rookie year. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:11.360 They're gonna be back. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:17.040 They're building a great, they've got a great program mentality, and they're gonna produce great teams for years to come. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:20.959 So get your season tickets now before they go up more, even more in price. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:23.279 There's my little plug for the Houston Texans. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:28.800 Now, they say they sent out Barnabas and Saul to the work that God had called them to do because they had a variety of gifts in it. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.000 They had platform gifts. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:32.959 A church never should become dependent upon platform gifts. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:39.759 You should enjoy them, you should say, yes, they play a role, but the church is nourished and fueled by by what I call foundational gifts. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:40.800 You say, What do you mean? 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:45.839 I I don't know what you mean by foundational gifts. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:47.040 Let me show you in the Bible. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.480 This is in Romans chapter 12. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:08:06.160 There's a couple places in the Bible where the Bible kind of lists off what I call spiritual gifts, which means if you're a Christian, you have a spiritual gift, you have this unique capacity to do things, that to do this, this, this thing that's kind of like, hey, this is this comes naturally for me, even though it's a supernatural gift, it comes naturally to me. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:08.959 The Bible lists them off in Romans chapter 12, verse 4. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:14.399 It says, For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function. 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:24.480 So we, though many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:29.600 Having gifts, we have different gifts according to the grace that's been given to us, but let us use the gift. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:31.759 Don't look at somebody else and go, I wish I had that gift. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:35.679 I wish I was like, I wish I could sing like that, I wish I could lead like that. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:53.360 No, use your gift if prophecy in proportion to our faith, if service in our serving, the one who teaches in his teaching, the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes, that means gives in generosity, the one who leads with zeal, and the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:54.399 And so he lists off. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:55.440 This is not an exhaustive list. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:09:00.240 There's other places like in 1 Corinthians 12, I believe, where it lists some other gifts. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:04.320 But right here, you see the gift of prophecy, you see the gift of service. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:07.360 Every time I read about the gift of service, I think about my experience. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:09.200 Every Monday I pull into the parking lot. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:15.600 And here towards the end of the parking lot down here is parked the Honda that belongs to Ed Sinders, there's a man in our church. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:21.519 Ed Sinders comes every Monday morning and he cleans all the toys and organizes all the rooms in the children's building. 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:23.600 Ed Sinders has the gift of service. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:30.159 There's no fanfare, there's nobody clapping, the staff doesn't line up both sides of the hallway and holds our Bible up and he walks under it. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:31.679 No one's here when he gets here. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:35.279 I think he has the key to the building because he gets in before we even get here. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:36.399 Here's the kicker. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.120 Ed Sinders is 87 years old. 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:42.879 See, when you have the gift of service, you never outlive your gifts. 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.679 You never go, you know what, it's time for this younger generation to take over. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.960 I've done enough. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:48.399 No, no. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:55.679 If service in our servant, the one who teaches and is teaching right now over in the adult building, Tommy Hammer is teaching a Bible study. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:00.960 Tommy Hammer, I think, is in just in this church alone, but I think he's done it for more years than this so long. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:04.960 He has taught a Sunday school class, a Bible study, whatever you want to call it, Bible communities. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.679 I've heard everything for 28 years. 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:09.360 Why? 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:10.320 That's his gift. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:11.360 It's what he does. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:13.279 He understands that. 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:17.200 The one exhorts and exhortation, the one who contributes or gives in generosity. 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:20.240 I have a friend that will tell you his spiritual gift is giving. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:22.879 We were having lunch one day, and I said, Man, what is that like? 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.360 And he said, Well, I want to become a reverse tither. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:27.519 And I was like, What? 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:31.919 And he said, Yeah, I want to get to the point where I live off 10% and I give away 90%. 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.919 And in that moment, I just thought, you know what, that's not my spiritual gift. 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:39.200 I bless that. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.320 Peace out. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:40.879 That's good. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:43.120 And I looked up, he had tears in his eyes. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:47.279 And I was like, wow, you are excited about that. 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:47.919 Yes. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:55.200 Well, see, you you you get an inkin, an inkling, and an inclination about what your gift is because when you get to exercise it, it excites you. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:59.519 The one who leads with zeal, the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:02.159 And see, this is what I mean by foundational gifts. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:09.840 The church should never, and my concern is that the church in America has come to depend upon platform gifts instead of understanding foundational gifts. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:16.960 Here's what I'm saying: we need every one of you to understand your spiritual gift and to be operating for the good of our church out of that gift. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:17.679 Does that make sense? 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:18.720 Say amen. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:21.360 Because it's not just about who's talking and who's preaching. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:25.679 Like someone said to me the other day, oh man, I tell you what, I just love our church. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:26.960 I said, Why do you love our church? 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:28.799 Well, I just love the preaching and the teaching. 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.039 And I said, Do you think that's all there is to our church? 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:34.639 And they looked at me like, oh, this got awkward. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:37.600 Yes, and we don't, I want you to enjoy the preaching and teaching. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.080 When Leo stands up here, I stand up here, Wade stands up here. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:44.240 Whoever stands up here, I want you to enjoy Clyde and Lindsay, whoever's leading, all of that. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:52.080 But understand that we never get to our full potential if you're not exercising your gift to the glory of God and the betterment of your church. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.960 Now you say, I don't understand what my spiritual gift is. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.000 Uh let me give you a simple way to clue into your spiritual gift. 00:11:58.159 --> 00:11:59.279 Three questions to ask yourself. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:02.240 Number one, what comes naturally to you? 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:05.039 What comes naturally to you? 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:08.399 Secondly, what does the church, Capital C, affirm about you? 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:11.360 What does the Christian community around you affirm about you? 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:15.039 I remember I'd been a Christian maybe a month and a guy named Brian Price. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.360 He was an older guy, he was a music minister. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:19.039 Remember when they were called music ministers? 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:21.279 And he stood up there and he did this with his hands. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:25.519 He asked me to lead a Bible study on Wednesday night, and I said, What is a Bible study? 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:29.519 And he said, Well, it's just a part of the Bible that really has kind of set your heart on fire. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:31.919 And I was like, Cool, that happens almost every night in my bedroom. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.039 Are you kidding me? 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:34.480 Absolutely. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.120 And so the next Wednesday night, I shared a Bible study. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:41.840 Afterwards, it came over to me and he put his hand on my shoulder and he said, Son, that was impactful. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:43.360 Students are still talking about that. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.080 Neil, if God's called you into ministry, don't run from it. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:46.799 Submit. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:50.080 I went home, I put my Bible on the dresser, didn't touch it for two weeks. 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:52.000 Scared me to death. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:55.039 I was like, You have lost your ever-loving mind. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:58.559 I do not like to dress up and I don't talk like these people talk. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:02.240 And about two weeks into that, I was laying in bed and I just started crying. 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:04.399 And I was like, What is going on? 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:05.759 And I just missed it. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.480 It was, I looked up at the clock, it was 2 11 in the morning. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:12.240 I got up, turned on my bedroom light, and got my Bible and got on my knees and said, God, I'm so sorry. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:13.519 I don't know what I'm afraid of. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:15.440 And he said, It's okay, that's okay. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:17.600 And I just cracked it open and started reading. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:25.759 That was the moment when Brian Price put his hand on my shoulder and said, If God is calling you, I'd never thought about this before, but after that I couldn't stop thinking about it. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:26.720 Why? 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:35.440 Because I understood that the church that I was a little part of, the little first Baptist church in a small town, was affirming something about me that I didn't see in myself. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.799 Here's the last practical question to help you clue into your spiritual gift. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:42.799 Is there anything you do that is draining and yet you are filled? 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:46.639 Is there anything you do that is draining and yet you are filled? 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:48.080 That's that's an indication. 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:56.480 Like if you up, if you ask Tommy Hammer, hey, don't you get tired of preparing to teach and blah, blah, blah, he will tell you, oh, it just fills me up. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:58.559 And you'll be like, that's your gift. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:13:59.440 Absolutely. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:07.440 See, the first thing I want you to understand is that what makes the church at Antioch great, what makes a great church is a variety of giftedness. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.919 Secondly, is the practice of spiritual disciplines. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.039 It's verse two and three. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:19.519 Look, it says, verse two says, While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them. 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:23.679 Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:26.080 What do I mean by the practice of spiritual disciplines? 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:28.399 It's in the text you see three spiritual disciplines. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.879 You see worship, prayer, and fasting. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:33.679 And by the way, it's always good to pair fasting with something else. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:40.799 Like if you're going to fast, which means abstain from food, then don't just abstain from food because you're just holding your breath till you can eat again. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:51.279 At mealtime, instead of eating, spend some time praying or spend some time reading scripture or make two phone calls and encourage somebody if your spiritual gift is exhortation, whatever. 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:56.159 But but but but but pair it with something else because fasting is not punishment, it's preparation. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:58.320 Now, by the way, this is what's called a corporate fast. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:01.600 When they as a church we're fasting, we do that here at Grand Park Way. 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:02.399 It's not mandatory. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.600 Matter of fact, our next fast day is Tuesday, two days from now. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:09.519 And now you don't have to send me emails and say, oh, Pastor, I can't fast with you on Tuesday. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.799 You don't have to send me emails and say, I can't fast all day, I can just fast some breakfast. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:16.639 You can fast from one meal, two meals, the whole day, whatever, okay? 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:21.039 Because here's the thing: fasting increases our sensitivity to the Lord. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:24.639 It turns down the volume on everything else in our life. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:30.080 It turns up the volume on the Holy Spirit's voice in our life. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.120 Now, Jesus talked a lot about fasting, okay? 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:35.360 Here's probably one of my favorite passages. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:37.440 This is from Matthew 6, verse 16. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:44.559 He says, And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:52.960 I remember when I was in college, our BSU, it was called the Baptist Student Union back then, for World Hunger Day, they would declare a fast, and all of us are supposed to fast. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:55.759 We were some of the most miserable, grumpy people we've ever been around. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.960 We were always just checking the clock, how long till we can eat? 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:00.879 We didn't understand it. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:03.600 For us, it was just, hey, we're just gonna white knuckle this. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:04.960 Look what Jesus says. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:06.240 Contrast that. 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:09.440 A bunch of grumpy college kids kind of keeping score. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:10.960 Hey man, have you eaten anything? 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:12.000 Did you drink something? 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.120 You drank some orange juice. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:14.399 That's regular fast. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:21.120 Bunch of legalists, Jesus says, hey, don't look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:24.720 Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.000 Now hear this. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:38.159 But when you fast, anoint your head, wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your father who's in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:43.279 See, the church at Antioch practice spiritual disciplines corporately. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.600 They worship, they fast, they pray. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.960 Now you may be sitting here thinking, I don't know what a spiritual discipline is. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:50.559 What do you mean by this? 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:56.080 Probably the best definition I've ever heard about a spiritual discipline was given by a man named Dallas Willard. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:57.519 Uh Dallas Willard said this. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:01.679 He said, A discipline, a spiritual discipline is an activity within our power. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:03.840 We have the capacity to do this. 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:10.559 Something we can do, which brings us to a point where we can do what we at present cannot do by direct effort. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:13.920 You may be thinking, man, there's no way I could do these things. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:22.720 Then you need to engage in a spiritual discipline that gives you the capacity to do what you cannot do right now just through direct effort, just through trying harder. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:24.720 Now, there's a couple of different categories. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.079 I want to show you these categories. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:34.640 I'm only going to talk about one of these things, but I want you to understand there's what's called disciplines, spiritual disciplines of abstinence, which means I abstain, I don't do things. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:38.079 They help me not to do things, and then disciplines of engagement. 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:39.599 And I'll I'll just tick off the list. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:45.039 Disciplines of abstinence, solitude, silence, fasting, frugality. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:46.480 What is frugality? 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:49.680 I have a friend that 10 days a month, he will not spend one penny. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:57.359 Yes, somebody over here got oh, he won't buy a coke, he won't pay a bill, nothing. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.480 And he's fabulously wealthy. 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:03.279 And he has been since shortly after college. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:10.319 He said, I just understood the frugality, and I just said that for 10 days out of the month, I'm not gonna eat, out, I'm not gonna spend a penny. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:16.720 That's frugality, chastity, secrecy, sacrifice, watchfulness. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:19.200 Now, disciplines of engagement are study. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:27.039 These are things you do: worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, communion, submission. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:31.039 Now, again, disciplines of abstinence and discipline of engagement. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.319 I just want to look at that list. 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:33.359 Don't try to rattle those down. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.319 You can just take a picture. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:39.440 I want to draw your attention to the one that that's made the biggest difference in my life. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:44.559 Uh, and sometimes it's positive and sometimes it's negative because I see myself as I really am. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.039 Okay. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:49.599 Uh remember last week I talked about being in Walmart, and some of you texted me and emailed me. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:51.759 You're like, oh, I say I didn't. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:19:03.039 Uh here's the one that people consider the whetstone of all the spiritual disciplines because, hey, it this is the one practice that keeps the other spiritual discipline sharp. 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:07.200 And it's in that disciplines of abstinence, at the very bottom, watchfulness. 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.799 Watchfulness. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:14.960 Now, if this is the first time you've heard that word and you're like, I have no idea what that is, say amen. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:18.720 Yes, yes, it it's not something we talk about much in the church. 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:24.240 Matter of fact, I think it's in Matthew 26, Jesus says, watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:28.559 This is kind of the foundation for the spiritual discipline of watchfulness, okay? 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.440 Watchfulness is basically you don't watch other people. 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:35.920 Like you ever go to a restaurant or to the mall, whoo, prime people watching right there. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:39.519 You ever get in public settings and you find yourself watching everybody else? 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:40.559 Say amen. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:54.160 Yes, watchfulness means that you turn that gaze upon yourself and it increases your self-awareness, not for the sake of increasing your self-hatred, it increases your self-awareness for the sake of integration or you living out your faith. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:20:00.720 Do you ever you ever watch yourself and just kind of realize, oh my gosh, I do not like that about myself? 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:05.119 Oh my gosh, why do I feel like every social setting I'm in, I've got to control everything. 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:09.039 Why can nobody do this as good as I could do it if I was doing their job? 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.400 That's watchfulness. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:13.440 And it's not for the sake of self-hatred, it's so you won't sin. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:27.039 Like, let me read you a long quote about watchfulness that this is like, oh, this is why every one of us in this room should walk out of here and go, you know what, I want to practice a discipline of watchfulness, just becoming aware. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:31.839 Your spouse should not have to point things out to you, men, all the time. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:38.480 You should, because of watchfulness, you should be saying to your wife, hey, can I can I share something I became aware of about myself this week? 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.160 Because your wife will be like, Oh, yes, please do tell. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:43.920 I want to write this down. 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:49.200 This is uh this for me kind of uh highlights the need for watchfulness. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.799 A man named Brian Hedges said this. 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:55.200 He said, the discipline of watchfulness includes both negative and positive aspects. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:21:01.599 Negatively, we're to ruthlessly guard our hearts from sin and temptation, making no provision for the flesh. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:09.359 This requires a cultivation of self-examination, where we take regular inventory of our personal tendencies towards particular sins. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:13.359 What the Puritan Isaac Ambrose called Delilah sins. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.880 Listen carefully, beloved. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.319 Delilah sins. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:28.319 Delilah sins like Samson's Philistine mistress, like to sit on our laps and whisper sweet nothings in our ears, but they will betray us to our foes in a heartbeat and cut off our moral strength. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:36.720 These are the specific sin patterns we've cultivated through willful and habitual sin, like deep ruts that furrow a muddy road. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:44.559 These vices are etched into our lives through daily routines, self justifying rationalization, and continual repetition. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:51.279 See what I mean by watchfulness? 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:53.359 Now, the Puritans, you say, Who are the Puritans? 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.440 Puritans are people that a long time ago they took very, very seriously everything the Bible said. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.319 And they were very, they were known for the practice of spiritual disciplines. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:07.920 I just want to draw your attention to that little phrase, Delilah sins. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:17.759 The ones that like to sit on your lap and whisper sweet nothings in your ear, but they will betray you to your foes in a heartbeat and cut off your moral strength. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:23.119 These are the specific sin patterns you've cultivated through willful and habitual sin. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:25.519 Watchfulness. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:26.480 Watchfulness. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.559 If you look at, we put that list back up there. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.200 The church at Antioch, they practice spiritual disciplines. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:36.000 Just look at the disciplines of abstinence and the disciplines of engagement and just pick out one of those. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:40.079 And maybe just ask yourself, hey, which one of those do I want to experience this week? 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:43.359 Which one of those do I just want to start practicing this week? 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.640 It could be, it doesn't have to be watchful, it could be anything. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:47.839 It could be secrecy. 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:49.279 Secrecy, what does that mean? 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:50.880 They're under the disciplines of abstinence. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:53.359 That means that not everybody knows everything you do. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:56.480 Not everybody has to know when you do something good. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:01.519 Like I was walking down the hall the other day carrying something for somebody else, and I said, Hey, I'm serving. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:04.480 Come out and notice because otherwise it doesn't mean as much. 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:06.400 Yes. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.359 Yes. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:09.359 Watchfulness makes me very aware of that. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:13.200 Now later on, one of the monks that works here says, Hey, were you being serious? 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:13.839 Kinda. 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:17.759 Now I don't want you to notice, but don't kid yourself. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:22.960 If you don't know that it means more when people notice, you just kind of preen like, thank you. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:26.079 You don't know, you've never took watch over yourself. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:29.759 They said, but you say that a lot. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:33.599 Yeah, because I need a lot of help remembering it. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:35.680 No, I don't want you to notice. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:40.960 But I want all of us as a team here on staff to just practice secrecy. 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.799 No us know everything we do. 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:44.480 So just pick out any one of those. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.359 Solitude. 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:46.240 Solitude. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:48.640 We call this at my house fasting from people. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.920 Some of you women are like tomorrow. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:55.359 Yeah. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:57.920 Yeah, I just sometimes I just have to fast from people. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:24:00.319 I just it's just it's just solitude. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:04.559 Learning to be alone with yourself, which sounds great. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:09.920 But let me just warn you, when you get in real solitude, you see yourself more clearly than you ever had before. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:12.400 And you got to ask yourself, do I really want that? 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:14.720 Do I really want that? 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:19.119 Here's the third thing what makes a church great, and what makes a great church? 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:21.119 It produces consequential people. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.960 It produces consequential people. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:24.799 Let me just read, starting verse four. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:29.039 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, by the way, the church sent them out. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:33.279 And the church was so in tune with the Holy Spirit that it's just it's one and the same. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:38.880 Because verse three says, hey, after uh then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.000 Look at verse four. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:42.319 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:45.440 The church exists to be in sync with the Holy Spirit. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:47.200 Being sent out by the Holy Spirit. 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.160 They went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:55.839 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues and the Jews, and they had John to assist them. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:58.559 They'd gone through the whole island as far as Pathos. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:02.880 They came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar Jesus. 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:11.839 He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, Paulus, a man of intelligence who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:20.400 But Elamus, the magician, for this is the meaning of his name, opposed them, seeking to turn them, turn the proconsul away from the faith. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:34.079 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, Now, by the way, sometimes you need to speak like this, but if you're not full of the Spirit, this just sounds like anger, not prophetic utterance. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:42.640 He looked intently at him and said, You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, you're full of all deceit and villainy. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:45.839 Will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:47.759