WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.759 Hey, welcome to the New North Church podcast. 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:06.160 It's great to have you listening in with us. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:12.720 Our vision at our church is to be an authentic community of Jesus followers who love and serve people. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:16.960 So if we can help you in any way at all, just reach out to us. 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:21.120 The email address is hello at newnorth.church. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:24.480 With that, let's go right to this week's message. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:29.839 Hey, PSA, there is plenty of room at 8 30 at noon, just so you 10 o'clock folks know, okay? 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.920 Just PSA for what it's worth. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:40.479 All right, let's pretend that the Apostle Paul planted New North Church well over 2,000 years ago. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:48.320 And he came to the city of San Francisco, planted our church, was here for a couple months, and then he left. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:52.159 And then he hears about what's going on a little bit, and he sends us a letter. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:53.840 And we get that letter. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.159 And then I stand up and I read that letter. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:02.479 And in that letter, he's gonna share some prayer requests, and he's gonna ask us to pray. 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:05.760 What do you think he would ask us to pray about? 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:09.519 What do you think would be on the Apostle Paul's prayer list? 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:12.400 I would immediately think, you know, maybe for his health. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:14.560 He's traveling all over the ancient world. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:19.680 He talks about in 2 Corinthians, he has this thorn in the flesh, some type of physical ailment. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:23.519 So maybe be like, hey, Rob, pray for me, man, that I would be healed or something like that. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.480 Or maybe he would ask for finances. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:37.200 You know, he was a tent maker, and so he didn't, you know, need support from the church, but he would raise support for the churches that he planted, especially in the poorer areas of Asia Minor. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:42.879 So maybe he would ask us to take an offering up to send to the church, or maybe, I mean, the list goes on and on. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:45.040 And here's what's been so surprising to me. 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:46.959 Again, I've studied the Bible for a long time. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:51.439 Here's what's been not only surprising, but honestly a little humbling. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:57.840 Paul doesn't ask for so many of the typical things that we ask for. 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:02.239 Like his list looks so much different than my list. 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:10.240 And in this short letter, he's gonna ask the church in the city of Thessalonica to pray for something so important. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:24.080 He's gonna ask them to pray for the good news, the life, the message of Jesus Christ to not only spread, but he's gonna ask for us to pray for it to spread rapidly in the city of Corinth. 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:26.240 And let's just step back for a moment, right? 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:32.800 As you think about your life, as you think about your week, as I think about mine, like here's a question I've been thinking about all week. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:42.960 Do we, do I pray like a missionary on a mission field, or are my prayers more like a consumer trying to get something from God? 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:53.360 Like, do I see opportunities, or excuse me, do I see opposition as opportunities for God to work, or do they really stress me out? 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:55.120 Like, and here's why this matters. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:57.919 Like some of you are like, oh man, are we still in the year of prayer? 00:02:58.159 --> 00:02:58.879 Yes, we are. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:00.319 We're almost done. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:22.960 But here's the deal if we want to grow deeper in our relationship with God, if we want to learn how to become not just a person that prays, but become a person of prayer, then this is why we're studying the Apostle Paul and his prayers, because here's what I'm learning is that we're gonna need to learn how to mature not only in prayer, but mature in faith. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:28.000 Here's a truth I've been thinking about all week as I've been studying for this passage. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:38.000 Hey, the church that really changes a city, that really changes a community, is a church that learns how to pray like a missionary and not just like a consumer. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:46.240 Like what if every morning our prayer wasn't, hey Lord, bless me today? 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:59.680 What if every morning when we woke up before we touched our phone, before we got out of bed, our prayer was, hey Lord, would you let your work and your message spread through me today? 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:03.360 Lord, would you use me today? 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:08.479 And what if several hundred people who say they go to New North Church prayed that prayer? 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:09.840 What would we see? 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:11.360 I'll tell you what we'll see. 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:17.040 We would see renewal, revival, awakening, whatever you want to call it in our day and in our time. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:24.720 We could truly become a place that the world looks at and says, oh wow, no, like wow, God's doing something there. 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:26.399 So that's what we're gonna look at this morning. 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:29.759 If you have a Bible, turn with me to 2 Thessalonians. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:31.439 Say that three times fast. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:34.959 Uh chapter 3, short, short letter. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.600 Um, on my Bible, it's page 1053. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:38.959 That may or may not help you. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:40.959 Uh 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:41.680 I thought that was funny. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:42.800 Maybe that was a dad joke. 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:44.639 Okay, chapter 3, thank you. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:49.920 Um, and again, I didn't bring my readers this morning, but I'm going in to take care of that. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:52.560 All right, chapter 3, verse 1. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:57.839 As for the other matters, brothers and sisters, so he's talking to them, he's talking to us. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.319 Paul says, Hey, pray for us. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:08.000 So they're in Corinth, that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:14.399 So not that it would just go out, but people would live by it, just as it was with you in Thessalonica. 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:20.399 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:22.000 Ain't that the truth? 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:27.600 But the Lord is faithful, Paul says, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:36.480 And we have confidence in the Lord that what that you are doing and will con that what you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:37.839 See, I can't even see right now. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:38.639 This is a problem. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:39.040 Dr. 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.279 Kwan, I'll see you this week. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:48.240 May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:50.160 And so if you're taking notes, here's my first point. 00:05:50.319 --> 00:06:01.439 Paul, he's praying, he's asking the church in Thessalonica to pray specifically for him that the message of Jesus Christ will not just spread, he says, would spread like wildfire. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:02.000 Would it? 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.959 That the gospel would get on legs and run. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:10.480 Now, if you didn't grow up in church like me, I didn't come to faith till I was 17 years old. 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:12.160 That's the first time I walked into a church. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:21.040 You may be thinking, like, gosh, like, why are we spending all this time looking about and talking about a guy who lived, I don't know, well over 2,000 years ago. 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.040 Like, why are we studying his prayers? 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:24.319 What's the deal with that? 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:25.519 Here's the deal with that. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:31.920 Let me back up for a moment and explain a little bit about Paul's face story, because it's really interesting. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:39.920 See, there was once this zealous Jewish Pharisee, a brilliant thinker of his day named Paul. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:42.879 And he was discipled by a guy named Gamaliel. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.879 This guy was, it was like the Duke Divinity School of his day. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.519 And Paul hated Christians. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:53.439 He hated the spread of what they called back then the way. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:07:04.240 And so he made it his mission to stop this movement because he really believed that it threatened the long-standing traditions and faith of Israel. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:16.160 And so on his way, traveling on the road to Damascus, traveling to persecute Christians, he's suddenly confronted by the risen Jesus Christ himself. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:24.240 He is blinded, and in that encounter, he hears from Jesus, Saul, Saul, that was his name before God changed his name to Paul. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:28.079 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:40.800 And it was one of those Jesus moments, one of those encounters where Paul realized not only was he hurting Christians, but he was opposing the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:50.240 And that one encounter drastically changed the trajectory of not only his life, but watch this history as we know it. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:56.399 The persecutor, the one that Christians feared, became a disciple of Jesus. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:58.000 And at first people didn't even believe it. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:07:59.040 They're like, Are you sure? 00:07:59.120 --> 00:07:59.920 Are you gonna hurt me? 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:00.959 Or are we gonna pray together? 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:01.839 I'm not sure. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:08.399 The enemy of the church became one of the greatest missionaries the world has ever seen. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:24.079 And then God calls Paul not to start a Bible college, not to even lead a church, but to go throughout the ancient world and plant churches and start churches where no one had heard about the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:27.920 And he did that all over the ancient world. 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:35.200 And one of on one of his missionary journeys, he actually arrives in this thriving city called Corinth. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:41.919 But he arrives there, watch this, you guys, after a really, really, really hard season of ministry. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:46.159 Just earlier, he was beaten and imprisoned in Philippi. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:52.879 Before that, in Thessalonica, the church that he's writing to, he was forced to leave out of town before he wanted to leave. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:57.039 After that, he was chased out of a town called Berea for preaching the gospel. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:02.960 And then on top of all, he went to the great city of Athens and he experienced major, major disappointment. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:04.879 So again, I don't know if this is true. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:05.919 This is just how I think. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:19.840 I think he gets to Corinth, this big city, and he was, man, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually, just exhausted, discouraged, going, God, what have you called me to? 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:20.879 Right? 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:23.200 But God was so good to Paul. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:27.519 And God appears to him at night in a vision to encourage him. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:29.200 Listen to these words from Acts 18. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:32.159 He says, Hey, Paul, do not be afraid. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:34.639 Keep on speaking. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:36.559 Do not be silent. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:37.519 Why? 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:42.799 God says, For I am with you, and a matter of fact, no one's gonna attack or harm you. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:48.000 Listen to what he says, for I have many people in this city, the city of Corinth. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.159 And that's what God does sometimes to us. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:55.840 When we're exhausted, when we're discouraged, we get a word from him, and that's word, that word comes directly to Paul's heart. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:58.559 And God says, Paul, hey, Paul, don't quit, man. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:01.360 Keep preaching, keep going. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.080 Man, I'm gonna be with you, and I have been with you. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:07.279 And by the way, Paul, you're in this huge city, this thriving city. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:08.639 You think no one knows me. 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:13.200 Matter of fact, I have a lot of people in this city that are gonna meet you soon. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:17.919 And I think Paul was encouraged because after this message from God, he ends up staying. 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:23.120 Historians tell us he ends up staying in Corinth for about 18 months, which was a long time for him. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:32.080 And it was right there in Corinth that he teams up with two different men, a guy named Silas, a young pastor named Timothy, so who he disciples, encourages, and sends out. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:38.399 And it was right here in Corinth, where Paul pens not one but two letters to the church in Thessalonica. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:50.480 And as he pens this letter to the churches in Thessalonica, I just want you to notice that Paul, again, he doesn't say, hey guys, pray for me that I'll survive Corinth. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:53.200 This place is going to hell in a handbasket. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:54.159 Oh my gosh. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:55.279 No, no, no. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:01.039 He prays that the people in Corinth would hear all about Jesus. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:13.279 Now, see, sometimes when we look at the Bible and read about these towns, we think they were like little, I don't know, backwoods little towns with, you know, stupid people or what ignorant, whatever. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:14.639 I don't know what comes to your mind. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:24.559 But you gotta understand that Corinth was kind of like San Francisco combined with New York City, combined with Las Vegas all in one. 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:26.320 Some of you are like, oh, that sounds fun. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:31.279 Um yeah, I mean, Corinth was wealthy, it was diverse, it was influential, but watch this. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:34.559 It was a morally wild place to be. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:40.000 It was a spiritually chaotic place to be, especially if you were a Christian. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:46.559 That's why it always blows my mind when people today say, Oh, the world's so crazy today and it's so anti-God. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:50.480 I'm like, do you know then like what happened back in Paul's day in the ancient world? 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:52.399 It was wild and crazy. 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:58.480 And so Paul he steps back and as he looks at Corinth, he doesn't see a hopeless city, no. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:05.200 He saw a harvest of souls ripe for the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:08.480 He saw people that were broken and needing Jesus. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.320 And here's a great question for us today. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:16.960 When you drive around San Francisco, or when you drive around the city that you live in, what do you see? 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.200 Like, you know, like you guys know this, you guys have it too. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:24.399 I have friends and family who literally think I live in Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:27.200 They're like, how in the world, Rob, you could pass or anywhere. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:28.399 Why in San Francisco? 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:29.360 Are you nuts? 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:30.000 Right? 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:32.000 And I talk to people, and so do you. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:35.840 Inside the church, outside the church, that are just cannot wait to move out of here. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:47.600 And I get it in some level, but man, if we can see the city, if we can see your city like Paul, or better yet, like Jesus, man, your perspective will shift on it. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:51.039 You'll begin to have a heart for people that really annoy you. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:52.559 Right? 00:12:52.720 --> 00:13:00.799 You'll begin to see people who are chasing after all the things that this world has to offer, and you say, that's not, man, you'll see beneath their pursuit. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:02.799 And that's why Paul was so affected. 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:03.840 He was effective. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:11.440 He was able to look underneath the surface of all that was going on in Corinth, and he saw something deeper. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:25.759 See, most people saw a spiritually dark city, a place they didn't want to even travel to, but Paul saw people who were actually enslaved by idolatry, people who desperately needed Jesus. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:31.360 Paul also saw the dark and evil spiritual forces at work underneath it all. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:36.399 Paul knew in his theology that people weren't just making bad choices. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:42.080 They were, in his words, spiritually blind, deceived, alienated from God. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:52.240 Paul saw who was truly at work behind the scenes, these evil forces that are keeping people from seeing and trusting and following Jesus. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:57.759 It's no wonder why Paul asked for prayer for the gospel of Jesus Christ to spread rapidly. 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.039 And again, what is the gospel? 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:01.759 Let me be clear. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:11.279 It's the good news that through Jesus' death and resurrection, anyone can be forgiven, anyone can be made new, anyone can be welcomed into the family of God. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:15.279 And so Paul needed resources and power beyond himself. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:24.320 So he asked the church in Thessalonica to pray because a church that wants to change its city is a church that needs to pray like a missionary. 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:26.960 And here's the beautiful thing. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:32.399 On this side of history, we actually know that a lot of Paul's prayers were answered. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:42.639 The church in Corinth, for all of its issues, just read 2 Corinthians, it had a lot of issues, became an incredible church planting success story. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:47.600 So many people said, Oh man, the church will never get a foothold in Corinth, and yet it did. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:51.200 Many people heard about the grace of Jesus Christ. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:15:06.320 They flooded into the church, both Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, slaves and pagans, the sexually broken, all people found hope and healing and a family of faith, and the gospel exploded in Corinth. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:08.480 What does that tell us today? 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:14.320 That tells us that the good news of Jesus Christ really does change people. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:19.600 It happened in Corinth, it's happening at New North, it happens all over the world today. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:23.360 But here's the truth for us: it takes a church that prays for it. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:28.960 Nothing happens in God's kingdom without someone praying for it. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:38.080 And so Paul tells the church, ask the church, please pray that the good news of Jesus would spread like wildfire here in Corinth. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.159 And again, what about you? 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:45.440 What about me as we drive around the Bay Area, as we drive around the city, as we drive around your city? 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:49.200 Like, let's be honest, it's a lot like Corinth, isn't it? 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:56.080 There's wealth and there's success and there's pluralism, and anything goes, and there's sexual confusion and there's skepticism. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:01.519 But here's what I see: I see a deep spiritual hunger for God. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:07.120 I've like, God is moving in ways that I have not seen in decades. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:10.799 And I believe that He's only just getting started. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:18.879 And so, just like He did for Paul, I really believe that God is reminding me, He's reminding us, He's reminding our church of the same thing. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:20.879 He's telling us, hey, don't be afraid. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:29.120 Keep praying, keep preaching, keep loving, because I have many people in this city and church, I am not done. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:31.120 Can we thank God for that today? 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.480 So his first prayer sets up his second prayer. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:44.399 His prayer for the gospel to run sets up his prayer for protection. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:45.519 Look at verse 2 again. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:51.840 He says, and pray that we may be delivered from wicked people and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:57.519 But the Lord, Paul says, He's faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from evil. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:02.480 So his second prayer is for protection because Paul, and all you gotta do is look at wherever he went. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:04.480 Man, this guy went through it. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.559 He was opposed every time he set foot in a city. 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.720 He was never welcomed, ever. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:15.440 And at first glance, it looks like he's praying for his own protection, but he's not. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.079 His prayer for protection had a purpose. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:23.200 He says, Hey, pray for protection so that the gospel will continue to advance. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.319 The life-giving message of Jesus will continue to advance. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:35.519 See, Paul knew, because he's experienced it, that whenever the good news of Jesus and the message of Jesus goes forward, opposition follows. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:40.160 Paul knew that you never take enemy ground without a fight. 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:47.279 But Paul is calling the church not to write their senator, not to get involved in politics, although you can and should. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:48.480 He says, no, no, no. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:51.680 Get on your knees and pray for us. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:56.400 Pray for me, worship with me, serve and love the people of God. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:00.319 I mean, just think about all that Paul has gone through everywhere he went. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.359 I've already said some of it. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.960 In Philippi, that poor guy was beaten and imprisoned. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:12.559 In Thessalonica, he actually wanted to stay longer, but he was forced out of town by a violent mob who ran him out because he was bad for business. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.200 In Berea, he was also chased out of town. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:19.599 And in Corinth, he was dragged right after writing this. 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:21.119 He was dragged before Gallio. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:24.960 He was the Roman governor for prosecution. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.319 This dude went through it. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:31.440 People ask me all the time, oh Rob, is it hard to pastor in the Bay Area in San Francisco? 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.519 I'm like, I haven't been beaten yet. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:35.519 I haven't been imprisoned. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:42.319 I mean, my biggest sometime I my biggest obstacle is, what great coffee shop am I gonna go drink at today? 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:43.839 I mean, you know, I mean, it's hard. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:44.799 Yeah, I get it. 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:50.240 It's not, you know, Houston or whatever, but like, it's awesome to live here. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:52.240 It's awesome to pastor here. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:56.559 You know, I'm not even a fraction of what what what Paul faced, just a fraction. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:58.000 Like someone sends me a bad email. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:02.240 You know, it's like it happens. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:18.559 See, for Paul in the city of Corinth, you gotta see that the gospel um impacted people's livelihood because they sold a lot of idols, and suddenly people were leaving their idol worship, becoming followers of Jesus. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:22.960 See, in the in the cities that Paul preached, it wasn't like people were opposed to Jesus. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:25.200 It wasn't like, oh, we don't like Jesus. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.200 Here's what they were opposed to. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.400 They were saying, hey, you know what? 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:34.559 This Jesus guy is disrupting the things we worship and our way of life. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:37.359 It's still true today, isn't it? 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:44.640 People don't have an issue with Jesus, they have an issue with what he says and how he lived and what he calls us to do. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:52.559 And so Paul's prayer for protection is because, hey, there are evil people and there's the evil one. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:20:05.200 Paul again saw beyond what we see and saw what he wrote to the Ephesians, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers, the authorities, against the principalities in the spiritual realm. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:10.799 Paul wasn't scared about evil, he wasn't paranoid about it, he wasn't obsessed by evil. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:12.960 He says, Hey church, pray for me. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:15.200 Please become more dependent on God. 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:21.279 And that's why he reminds the church, and oh, by the way, unless you forget God is faithful, he's gonna do it. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.720 The good news is gonna go out with or without me. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:34.160 See, even here, as we talk about Jesus, as we talk about the good news, we're not just spreading new ideas. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.039 We're invading enemy territory. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:44.799 We're actually trying to challenge people's thinking and their practices and their traditions. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.759 Okay, let's test this out because I don't think some of you are believing me. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:49.200 Okay, we're gonna do a test. 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:51.519 Church test, pop quiz. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:58.960 Raise your hand if you think there is spiritual opposition to the message of Jesus Christ in the city of San Francisco today. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:00.079 Raise your hand. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.200 Of course. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:02.559 Okay, put your hand out. 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:09.839 Raise your hand if you think we if we are gonna continue to reach people and baptize them, there will be opposition to that. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:11.599 Raise your hand if you think that's true. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:13.200 Absolutely. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:15.839 Like, we shouldn't be surprised. 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:20.160 We should actually be surprised when there is no opposition. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.880 Because that's what we think. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:24.160 This is what happens in our minds. 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:26.559 Because I I know it happens, because it happens in mind. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:34.240 Like, when something goes wrong in my life or when there's opposition, I have this tendency to think, God, why is this happening? 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:37.279 God, I'm tired of praying for this. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:39.279 God, where are you? 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:41.200 Why is this so hard? 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:49.359 But here's the secret when something goes wrong, it might be the very proof of God at work. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.920 Think about it. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.279 Think about it. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:59.759 Like, when God wants to work in your life, it often comes through trials and tribulations. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.960 And opposition and struggle and strife. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:04.319 I wish it wasn't that way. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:04.960 Trust me. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:08.400 I wish I could just become more mature through osmosis. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:09.920 Just, God, just give me to me. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.400 You know? 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:12.079 Doesn't happen that way. 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:15.359 So, hey, church, let's not be surprised by opposition. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.480 Instead, man, let's be worried when there is none. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:22.160 So, Paul prays for the gospel to advance quickly. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:32.480 He prays for protection, but then he realizes, like a good pastor should, that our that that most often the issue is on the inside. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.720 And that's what he prays for in verse 5. 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:43.599 He says, Hey church, may the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:54.880 So Paul is praying now for their hearts, the church, their hearts, I put it this way, that they would be anchored in God's love and anchored in Christ's endurance. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.400 Let me explain this. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:02.960 So everything Paul says in verses 1 through 4 leads us to the climax of his prayer in verse 5. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:06.240 So he's prayed for the gospel to advance for protection. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:08.640 And now he prays, I think, for something deeper. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.680 He points on the inside. 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:15.839 He says, hey, he prays that the Lord would direct our hearts into God's love. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:17.920 Why does he do that? 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:19.839 What does that even look like? 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:22.480 And again, I don't know your heart, I know mine. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:30.319 And so I often imagine, and again, in Hebrew thinking, the heart is not just a beating function that gives you your blood. 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:32.799 It's the center of your will, of your emotions. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:35.039 It's the center of who you are. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:39.039 And I don't know about your heart, but my heart has a lot of clutter. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:42.400 My heart has a lot of competing loyalties. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:53.839 And so Paul is praying that God would remove whatever it is that is keeping their heart, your heart from fully embracing, fully experiencing God's love. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:24:04.799 He's praying for the church in Thessalonica to experience, not just know, but to experience God more deeply, and not just God, the love of God. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.640 See, you know this. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:16.240 Like you can know all about the love of God in your head, but Paul is praying that it would go move from our head and flow deeply into our hearts. 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.480 I think about it this way. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:20.079 Maybe this helps you, maybe it doesn't. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:22.720 But I've been married now for 24 years. 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:24.319 Like, oh, thank you. 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:32.880 You can, it's it's really, it's really, um, my wife is a saint, um, and like I like I know she loves me. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:36.000 Like she's put up with me for 24 years. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:37.359 That's not easy, right? 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:41.440 I I know, like, knowledge-wise that she loves me. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.039 But there have been beautiful moments in our marriage. 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:59.519 Where I experience, where we experience our love for each other in new and fresh ways. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:16.559 Maybe it's on an anniversary trip or through our own heartache and tears, or through those, you know, small, tender moments that no one sees. 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:20.000 Like, I don't need more information that she loves me. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:26.079 What I need, what your marriage needs, are deeper experiences of that love. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:29.680 And I think that's what Paul's praying for. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:37.279 He's praying for us to experience his love, God's love in our relationship with him too. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:40.720 Not just know it, but to truly experience it. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:48.720 He's praying for God to direct their hearts deeper into his love so that they know and experience God's love more deeply. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.839 Why is this so important? 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.799 Here's why. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:26:13.599 Because when you forget about God's love or when you doubt God's love, here's what happens to you: you become more anxious, insecure, defensive, or in my case, controlling or fearful, or you start looking for people's approval or seeking it because you're not confident in God's love for you. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:20.480 But man, when your hearts are anchored in God's love, when you know who you are, when you know whose you are, everything changes. 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:22.000 You can actually rest. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:26.000 You can actually feel secure in your relationship with God. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:28.640 You can trust Him and walk by faith. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:32.559 You more easily forgive because you've been forgiven. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:38.799 You can endure problems and pain and trials because you know that God's not out to get you. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.319 He loves you. 00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:45.599 Because when we know and we are experiencing the love of God, it really does change everything. 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:47.680 And that's what Paul's praise for. 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:50.880 See, a church needs more than good doctrine. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:54.880 A church needs more than good polity, how they function, how they are led. 00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:00.480 A church needs hearts that are saturated in the love of God. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.440 Why? 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:05.920 Because a church that's anchored in God's love, they can't withstand anything. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:12.960 But a church that's disconnected from the love of God, trust me, will be defeated by anything. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:15.519 So that's what Paul prays for. 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:20.400 And he prays for perseverance, not just any perseverance, for the perseverance of Christ. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:23.200 He's basically, this is my translation. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:31.839 He's praying something like this: Hey Lord, would you anchor New North Church and their hearts deeply in the love that you have for them? 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:41.680 And Lord, would you help them to share in the endurance of Jesus as they surrender more and more to the power and person of the Holy Spirit? 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:56.640 See, people who know they are loved by their Heavenly Father, people who are experiencing more the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul says, you can and will get through anything that life throws at you. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:59.519 But people who forget they are loved. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.599 Often give up. 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:07.519 Often give up. 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:10.000 Alright, here's my challenge for us today. 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:11.759 Just one simple thing, one challenge. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:14.240 And then I want to lead us in a time of prayer. 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:30.799 Could we be a church every day this week that shifts from praying, Lord, bless me today, to Lord, would you allow your message to spread through me today? 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:43.599 Man, before you get out of bed, before you dare touch that phone, before, or in my case, you go to the bathroom, would you just pray, Lord, would you use me today? 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:47.680 Would you allow your message to spread through me today? 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:57.359 I don't know everything, Lord, but would today be the day where I can share my faith with someone, where I can pray for someone, where I could see someone the way you see them. 00:28:57.599 --> 00:29:02.319 Imagine a church that wakes up every day and prays like that. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:07.920 Imagine what God could do with a church that prays like that. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:19.519 Because honestly, if we truly want to change the city or the Bay Area, it's a church that learns how to pray like a missionary and not just as a consumer. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:21.440 Can anyone say amen to that? 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.279 Alright, so here's what I want us to do. 00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:26.240 Let's stand together, and the worship team's gonna come back up. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:34.319 And what we've been learning in this series is you can come to church for months and years and actually never pray for yourself in church, which is crazy, right? 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.559 Because you're watching all the professionals pray. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:38.559 So we're putting that back on you. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:39.759 Let's pray together. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:42.880 I'm just gonna give you some prayer prompts. 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:46.160 And as we close, I just want you to pray for a couple different things. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:47.680 Let's pray together. 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:57.200 Would you pray right now that the good news of Jesus Christ would spread rapidly through the Bay Area today and this week? 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:04.400 Pray for San Francisco or the city that you live in. 00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:13.119 Pray for your workplace or your community or your school that the message of Jesus Christ would spread like wildfire. 00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:27.039 And then pray for God to protect our church, our people from evil people and the evil one. 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:32.160 Let's pray that over our church and the church of the Bay Area. 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:46.319 And let's pray for the Lord to direct our hearts deeper into his love. 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:53.440 Pray for yourself that you would experience more of God's love in your heart of hearts today and this week. 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:00.400 And then I'm gonna pray. 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:03.359 Every Sunday, we're praying for a different church in the Bay Area. 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:06.400 Most of these folks are my friends, so I'm praying for them. 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:10.079 But I want to pray for uh Milbray Bible Church in the city of Milbray. 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:11.920 Pastor Dalen, great guy. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:19.680 Father, I just pray for Millbray Bible Church for Pastor Dalen and his team, and thank you for what you're doing in and through them in the city of Milbray. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:24.720 God, would they today, even as we pray, experience more of your love today? 00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:29.039 So, Father, thank you for what you want to do this morning, God. 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:37.759 Thank you, God, that you've gathered us from all over the Bay Area, all over San Francisco to worship you, to hear from you. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.400 And so, God, would you continue to speak? 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:42.559 Would you continue to lead? 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:48.640 God, would you help us to become people who don't just pray but become people of prayer? 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:53.759