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<v Damein Schitter>Hello everyone.

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<v Damein Schitter>This is Pastor Damian.

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<v Damein Schitter>You're listening to Sermon Audio from New City, orlando.

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<v Damein Schitter>At New City, we believe all of us need all of Jesus for all of life.

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<v Damein Schitter>For more resources, visit our website at newcityorlandocom.

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<v Damein Schitter>Thanks for listening.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>Join me, if you would, in this prayer of elimination.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>Heavenly Father, we bow in your presence.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>Let your word be our rule, your spirit, our teacher and your greater glory our supreme concern Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>Amen, please remain standing, if you're able.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>Our scripture reading this morning comes from Philippians, chapter 1.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always, in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel, from the first day until now, and I'm sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>It's right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you're all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>For God is my witness how I yearn for you all, with the affection of Christ Jesus, and it's my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what's excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>This is God's word.

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<v Rev. Dr. Michael Allen>You may be seated.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Well, good morning, when we were worshiping, my Apple Watch went off and said your environment is too loud, and so I silenced it, because I like my environment loud, especially in this place.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's so good to see all of you this morning and it's only been three months, but in some ways it feels like three years, and I used to get up here every Sunday.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Well, on the Sunday mornings I was up here.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I would say welcome to New City.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>My name's Ryan.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I'm one of the pastoral residents here, and now I get to say my name is Ryan.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I'm the pastor of discipleship at South Point in South Nashville, and I think you guys should know that that is in large part because of you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I get to say that because of you and it's not lost on our family we have a home where we have a home because of you guys.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>You guys poured into us for the last three years with such patience and grace and we are eternally grateful for you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>So thank you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>This iPad was Gray's iPad yesterday, my three-year-old son for 10 hours on the way down, and that means it was 10 hours of Paw Patrol playing on here, and so if the Paw Patrol theme song pops up in the middle of the sermon.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I think we should just pause and sing it together and then we'll take back All right.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Well, a number of years ago, a father was walking through the final stages of raising his two sons, and that final stage for him in that moment was college admissions, walking them through the process of applying to colleges.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That is a stressful time.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Some of you may have experienced that already, some of you may be moving quickly towards that, but that time is filled with essays and deadlines and interviews and college visits.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And while he was walking with them on campus in one of these visits he realized that internally he felt two things.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>One was deep excitement, deep joy for the next journey his sons were about to go on, but also deep sorrow.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And the reason he felt this way was because he realized he had spent the last 18 years pouring his life into people his sons in order that they would learn to live without him.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That father's name was Andrew, or is Andrew Ferguson, and he actually wrote a book about this experience, and this book is titled Crazy you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I think it came out like 15 years ago and one of the most profound insights in that book really has nothing to do with college admissions at all.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>In that book, andrew Ferguson says you fulfill yourself by denying yourself, preparing people you can't live without, to live without you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's talking about what it means to be a parent.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That's what good parents do they love their children and they prepare them to live without them.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He may not have meant it for this, but that's a great definition of what it means to be a disciple and a follower of Jesus.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And it just so happens, as we come to Philippians this morning, we find that that's exactly what Paul has been doing with the Philippians.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's in prison, but the Philippians that was the first church Paul planted.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>These were the first people that he got to pour his heart and soul into, and so he's writing from prison and he's separated from these people that he loves and at this point he doesn't know if he'll ever see them again.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's a possibility that he might, but there's a good chance he might not.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But even though he's separated, paul realizes he's not severed in his relationship with the Philippians.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What Paul discovers, and what the gospel reveals, is that love rooted in Jesus doesn't actually wither with distance.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Somehow it deepens, and I was reflecting on this this past week with Sierra.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's this reality in the Christian life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's these tensions that we experience, where somehow Jesus is able to hold together two things that we don't think belong together.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I preached last week on John 15.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It was in our, I guess our words of assurance this morning.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Verse 10, jesus says the way that we abide in him, he abides in us.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The way that we abide in him is by keeping his commands.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Somehow Jesus holds love and obedience together.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We would normally separate those things.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>First, thessalonians 4, grief and hope.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We grieve as those not without hope.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And as we come to Philippians this morning, again, somehow Jesus is holding together, emptying ourselves and growing affection, separation and deep, deep unity.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so here's what we'll see in Philippians this morning there's a kind of fullness that we will only ever experience in this life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>By giving ourselves away, you fulfill yourself, by denying yourself, preparing people you can't live without, to live without you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And if we're honest with ourselves I just want to land here for a moment this doesn't come naturally and it probably doesn't even sound that appealing.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Come naturally and it probably doesn't even sound that appealing.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We tend to believe the opposite, actually, that by holding tightly to the things that we're most afraid to lose, that's how we can preserve our fullness, that's how we can preserve life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But what Paul is telling us this morning is that the greatest joy you'll ever experience in life, the greatest happiness you'll ever have in life, doesn't come from holding tightly and clutching, but by releasing and loving.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Not from self-protection or preservation, but self-giving.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so we're going to explore this in three parts this morning what Paul does, what Paul knows and what Paul feels.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>If you want to follow along, you can open your Bibles to Philippians 1, 3 to 11, or on your phones and follow along.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>So let's begin first with what Paul does.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What Paul does is he empties himself of the desire for recognition.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Now, some of these points that we're going to walk through here might not be obvious, but I think what we can do is we can look at Paul's words and the way he's speaking to the Philippians, and what I want to do is I want to discern different ways in which Paul is actually emptying himself.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so the first thing we see what Paul does is he empties himself of the desire for recognition.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Verses three to five Paul says I thank my God and all my remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul was a big deal.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Actually, in Philippians 3, paul will call himself a Hebrew of Hebrews.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul was a big deal, but it's interesting that he doesn't begin with that.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He doesn't begin with his own resume.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He actually begins by giving thanks for the Philippians, which is remarkable given that he's in prison.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's not writing to remind them of all that he's done for them.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's not reciting his sacrifices that he's made over the years.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's rejoicing in their partnership and their endurance and the grace that they are now living out in Jesus Christ.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And there's a strange beauty here.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul's joy comes from seeing the gospel take root in someone else's life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The first thing he wants the Philippians to know is that he is so happy that the gospel has taken root in their life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's not look at me, it's thank God for you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And that's not natural for most of us.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's a deep longing in us to be seen, to be praised, to be recognized for all the things that we've done in life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I think it was Tim Keller who said we want someone we think the world of to think the world of us.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And the thing is that's not a supernatural desire or, excuse me, that's not an unnatural desire.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I actually think it is a very natural desire and God-given desire to be recognized.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I think we're actually hardwired for recognition.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The benediction that I'll pronounce over all of you at the end of this sermon is an unbreakable promise that God will fix his eyes on you always.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's promising you will be recognized.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The problem is we tend to look for recognition in all the wrong places, don't we?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>You can take a child, for example.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I have five of them.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Praise God and also ouch, they're all six and under.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Just recently, can we now say we have five, seven and under?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But the soundtrack for a normal day is watch this, look at this.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Did you see that?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Watch me again and let me tell you I've seen some things.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I've seen a lot of things, and when my kids tell me to look at them, I default.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Now it's probably not something I want to see.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Last week, for example, selah I was sitting in our family room, coming around the hallway and I hear Selah from the bedroom.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>She says Daddy, come, look at this.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>She's standing on the top of her bunk bed with her hands touching the ceiling, getting ready to jump off.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That same day, gray who we started potty training like six months ago.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Boys same day, gray who we started potty training like six months ago, boys take a little bit longer.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And he said Daddy, come look.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I wiped and I turn around the corner and he is bent over in the bathroom.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And it wasn't his eyes that I made contact with.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I'll just say that the point is.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The point is the point is we crave recognition.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Did I ruin the point with that illustration?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Just get that out of your mind for a second.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The point is we crave recognition and the reason is we crave recognition.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And the reason is because we live by the rule that our children live by, which is if you're not watching, it doesn't count.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What matters isn't the act itself.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What matters is that it lands on the eyes of someone that we delight in and that we care about, and that doesn't change with age.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It actually gets more sophisticated and it actually gets harder to see.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>You may crave the gaze of your boss or an employer above you who can influence your life's outcome, career-wise.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>You may look for recognition on your social media platforms, even within the church.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We want our good work, our right choices and the sacrifices we make to be noticed.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But Paul isn't watching for any of that.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's secure and he doesn't need the Philippians' applause.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And the reason is because he already has Christ's affection.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Already has Christ's affection.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And there's a freedom of all of this because Paul is not chasing a recognition that actually frees him up to love the Philippians in ways he couldn't otherwise.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so he begins not with look at me, look where I am, look at all I've done, look at how I'm suffering.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He mentions that in roundabout ways.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I want to make sure to name that, but it's never to point back to him.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>So he doesn't begin with look at me.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He begins with thank God for you, and I'm always thinking about you.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Listen, if I'm not secure in how Jesus sees me, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to get anyone to notice me, and that's a really hard place to live.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus wants to free you from that.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>So Paul shows us what gospel-shaped joy looks like.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's not fueled by being recognized, but by others recognizing the goodness of Jesus and rejoicing in that.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so here's the irony.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I just want to mention this before we get to point two.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The irony is that the more we stop trying to be seen, the more clearly we can see others, and Jesus wants that for us.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He wants us to see each other the way he sees us.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Emptying ourselves of the need for recognition is a critical ingredient in community, in unity.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That's what Paul does.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He empties himself of the need to be recognized and he rejoices in the growth of others.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The question is, how does he do that?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>How does he stay joyful even when he's far away from the people he loves?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Because Paul seems rather calm in these opening verses.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's sitting in prison, totally cut off from any control, and what happens next?

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But there seems to be a peace about him, and I think it has to do with what Paul knows.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And that's our next point.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Look again at verse 6.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul's not wondering if things are going to turn out okay.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's not hoping that things will be all right with him and the Philippians.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's not hedging his bets.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul is absolutely sure that everything's going to be fine, because Paul knows something that we often forget, which is God always finishes what he starts.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That's a massive relief if you're anything like me and my guess is you probably are, because, if you're anything like me, some days don't feel like progress.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Sometimes, some days feel more like relapse, some days feel like a huge step backwards and some days it's hard to tell if you're making any progress at all in the spiritual life.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And, if we're honest with ourselves, the Christian life can often feel strangely underwhelming.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But that's exactly where this promise meets us.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>God doesn't start something in us or with us because he sees something in us or with us because he sees something in us promising that we're likely to finish what he starts, not because he sees how sincere we are.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>God always moves towards us and starts something in our hearts because he's sincere and because he's faithful.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And I also want to say this God will never get tired of working on you, he'll never get bored with you and he's not going to abandon you halfway through.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>God loves us as we are, but he's not content in leaving us as we are.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's committed, and that's how grace works, and that's why Paul can stay calm Since moving to Nashville.

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<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>As you might imagine, when you buy a new home especially if you're not buying something new, something a bit older there's work to be done, and so we've had a number of projects that we've had our eye on since we got to Nashville, and I don't wait for projects, I do them right away.

00:17:38.247 --> 00:17:44.144
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And it's terrible for our family, causes Sierra a lot of stress, hurting rods, touch-ups, all that.

00:17:44.144 --> 00:17:45.816
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We have a deck in our backyard.

00:17:45.816 --> 00:17:50.738
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That was a big selling point for our house and we thought we had to just replace a board or two and then repaint.

00:17:50.738 --> 00:17:57.490
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We lifted up the boards and it turns out all the joists underneath were completely rotted and so we had to replace every single one of them.

00:17:57.490 --> 00:18:00.343
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>A lot of extra money, a lot of extra time.

00:18:00.343 --> 00:18:05.886
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But we always think when it comes to these projects, we'll get to them this weekend, we'll do them this weekend.

00:18:07.955 --> 00:18:13.188
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And if you're married with children, don't ever assume you'll ever finish anything with the time that you've allotted to finish it.

00:18:13.188 --> 00:18:28.056
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Well, a few weeks ago I needed to paint the brick behind our house and I thought, no problem, I'm going to keep the kids busy, I'm going to give them some popsicles, I'll sit them on the couch, I'll put a movie on, and that should give me enough time to finish this.

00:18:28.056 --> 00:18:29.778
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I'm not kidding you.

00:18:29.778 --> 00:18:38.030
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Five minutes later, gray is butt naked in our front yard on his little bicycle, running down the street licking his lollipop.

00:18:38.030 --> 00:18:41.824
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Thayla comes around the corner and says Dad, you should come out front.

00:18:41.824 --> 00:18:47.325
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And, needless to say, a lot of projects in our house go unfinished.

00:18:50.895 --> 00:19:03.537
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But I wonder, I wonder, how often we imagine that God works that way, like he only has time for us occasionally, like we're too much for him to handle at the moment so he just has to pack it up and call it quits for the day.

00:19:03.537 --> 00:19:12.258
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>How often do we assume we've become a side project for Jesus, that he'll get to us when he has time?

00:19:12.258 --> 00:19:16.346
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul is telling us something different.

00:19:16.346 --> 00:19:22.962
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>You are not Jesus's weekend project, you are his life's purpose.

00:19:22.962 --> 00:19:28.816
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He doesn't clock out, he doesn't take days off, he doesn't get distracted.

00:19:28.816 --> 00:19:50.428
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus always finishes what he starts, and so when the progress you desire to see in your life seems invisible, or the spiritual growth is taking longer and it's much slower than expected, if you belong to Jesus, your unfinishedness if that's a word, unfinishedness is not a threat to him.

00:19:50.428 --> 00:19:54.384
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's more like a blank canvas to an artist.

00:19:54.384 --> 00:20:01.883
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus likes unfinished people and that should be really freeing for us.

00:20:01.883 --> 00:20:11.685
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We can't stop trying, or we can stop trying to carry the burden of our spiritual lives as if God is just supervising.

00:20:11.685 --> 00:20:14.821
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We're not the project manager, we are the project.

00:20:14.821 --> 00:20:28.721
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so that's what Paul knows and that's why, even from a prison cell, he has peace, because he knows that Jesus will finish what he started.

00:20:28.721 --> 00:20:34.838
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And I also just want to say this Joy doesn't come I think you and I both know, we all know that joy doesn't come from seeing progress every day.

00:20:35.840 --> 00:20:36.602
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We think it does.

00:20:36.602 --> 00:20:45.766
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We think that if we see spiritual progress or whatever progress in whatever area of life we want to see that in, we think if we see more of it we'll be happier.

00:20:45.766 --> 00:20:47.859
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The more progress the better.

00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:51.078
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The further up and to the right, the better.

00:20:51.078 --> 00:20:54.030
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But at the end of the day we'll still want more, we'll never be satisfied.

00:20:54.030 --> 00:20:55.095
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But at the end of the day we'll still want more.

00:20:55.095 --> 00:20:58.580
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We'll never be satisfied.

00:20:58.601 --> 00:21:10.804
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Joy comes from knowing that Jesus always has time for you and he always finishes what he starts.

00:21:10.804 --> 00:21:12.488
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>So we've seen what Paul does Excuse me.

00:21:12.488 --> 00:21:16.400
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We've seen what Paul does he empties himself of the desire for recognition.

00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:22.130
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We've seen what Paul knows that Jesus always finishes what he starts.

00:21:22.130 --> 00:21:26.102
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And now we turn to what Paul feels.

00:21:26.102 --> 00:21:38.696
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What we find here is, unsurprisingly, paul emptying himself yet again of something else, and that is the desire for self-protection.

00:21:38.696 --> 00:21:39.819
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Let me explain what I mean by that.

00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:50.106
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Excuse me, it's one thing to love people and it's almost entirely another thing to let them see that you love them.

00:21:50.106 --> 00:21:54.660
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's another thing altogether to let them know it.

00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:57.787
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That's where many of us hesitate.

00:21:57.787 --> 00:22:07.765
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We might serve people, we might pray for others, we might be willing to even suffer for somebody else, but to open our hearts to them is a completely different story.

00:22:07.765 --> 00:22:11.521
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I'm just now thanking my dad.

00:22:11.521 --> 00:22:19.240
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Whenever I say thank you for something, I love you, he says okay, sierra, and I laugh about that you can laugh about that.

00:22:19.280 --> 00:22:20.965
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's not like a pain point for me or anything.

00:22:25.056 --> 00:22:26.519
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Look at what Paul says in verse 7 to 8.

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:38.950
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for God is my witness how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

00:22:38.950 --> 00:22:40.356
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's no mask here.

00:22:40.356 --> 00:22:44.144
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul's not writing.

00:22:44.144 --> 00:22:46.107
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He may have met the Philippians as an apostle.

00:22:46.107 --> 00:22:47.499
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's now writing to them as a friend.

00:22:47.499 --> 00:22:50.930
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's nothing between him and the Philippians.

00:22:50.930 --> 00:22:54.019
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's nothing cautious here in Paul's words.

00:22:54.019 --> 00:23:06.509
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>There's nothing but vulnerability, gospel vulnerability and if we're honest with ourselves, we are uncomfortable with this kind of talk with one another.

00:23:06.509 --> 00:23:09.364
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We're uncomfortable with these kinds of interactions.

00:23:09.364 --> 00:23:14.105
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul's words here, if you read through it on your own, may even feel a bit cringy.

00:23:14.105 --> 00:23:21.140
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Maybe you hear Paul say I yearn for you and part of you thinks Paul turn the dial down just a little bit.

00:23:21.140 --> 00:23:24.086
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's not that big of a deal, everything's going to be fine.

00:23:24.086 --> 00:23:38.076
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But if you feel that way, if you feel a tension between Paul's words and him saying something like I yearn for you and you feel like that's too much, that's self-protection and self-preservation rising up within you.

00:23:41.383 --> 00:23:45.596
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>For any number of reasons we've been discipled to believe that strong faith is stoic faith.

00:23:45.596 --> 00:23:50.144
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We could have real suffering in our lives that warrants that.

00:23:50.144 --> 00:23:52.469
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It could just be.

00:23:52.469 --> 00:24:04.144
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We've been culturally discipled to believe that that strong faith is stoic faith, that affection is weakness, that showing your heart means losing your grip.

00:24:04.144 --> 00:24:09.106
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But Paul doesn't believe that, and Paul does not want us to believe that either.

00:24:09.106 --> 00:24:15.186
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>In fact, he's doing the exact opposite of what we're tempted to do so often.

00:24:15.186 --> 00:24:19.807
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's emptying himself of the desire to protect his emotional reputation.

00:24:19.807 --> 00:24:23.683
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's not worried about sounding too sentimental.

00:24:23.683 --> 00:24:26.064
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's not worried that he'll think he'll sound needy.

00:24:26.064 --> 00:24:28.282
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>None of that is on his mind.

00:24:28.282 --> 00:24:35.203
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He just wants the Philippians to know that he yearns for them, that he loves them, that he misses them.

00:24:35.203 --> 00:24:41.641
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Whatever that looks like, paul's okay with.

00:24:41.641 --> 00:24:45.228
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He's simply showing them what Christ's love looks like when it gets into a person.

00:24:50.202 --> 00:24:52.775
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And here's something that we need to wrestle with on this topic.

00:24:52.775 --> 00:24:58.898
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Many of us want to be near Jesus, but still in charge, and that includes being in charge of our image and our reputation and the way that we look.

00:24:58.898 --> 00:25:02.276
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We want to follow Jesus, but we don't want to come off to other people as too much.

00:25:02.276 --> 00:25:10.457
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We want to be the cool Jesus followers, but Jesus doesn't call us first to agree with him.

00:25:10.457 --> 00:25:20.721
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He calls us to follow him to give ourselves away, and that always, that includes every part of us, even our emotional lives, the things we can't see, the things we feel.

00:25:24.007 --> 00:25:28.201
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And, strangely, what we find on the other side of that kind of vulnerability isn't humiliation.

00:25:28.201 --> 00:25:33.801
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We find what Paul has found, which is deep, deep, deep joy.

00:25:33.801 --> 00:25:41.722
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's a promise of vulnerability, and so, as I mentioned in the beginning, we see this paradox that exists here.

00:25:41.722 --> 00:26:01.921
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Somehow Jesus can take two things that we don't think belong together and put them together and make sense of them Emptying, which sometimes looks like separation, and deepening affection and he brings them together and in Christ, in himself, in his death and resurrection, he makes them inseparable.

00:26:01.921 --> 00:26:14.665
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We assume vulnerability weakens love and we assume distance does the same, but in Christ, somehow it deepens.

00:26:14.665 --> 00:26:25.948
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so maybe the question that we need to ask ourselves this morning isn't just do I love people, but do I let them see it?

00:26:25.948 --> 00:26:32.846
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Because it's possible to hide your heart and still call that humility.

00:26:32.846 --> 00:26:44.320
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Friends you don't want to live there, be vulnerable, trust that Jesus will do something amazing with it.

00:26:44.320 --> 00:26:57.150
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Tim Keller used to say that one of the loneliest places in the world is to be loved and not fully known, and Paul shows us that real humility doesn't hide, it lives out in the open for all to see.

00:26:57.150 --> 00:26:58.531
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We don't have to be ashamed of that.

00:26:58.531 --> 00:27:04.318
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And real discipleship isn't about controlling how much of yourself people get to see.

00:27:04.318 --> 00:27:10.826
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>It's about giving people the real you, because Jesus has given you the real him.

00:27:16.912 --> 00:27:18.116
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Let's take a step back for a moment.

00:27:18.116 --> 00:27:20.414
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Notice where we've been.

00:27:20.414 --> 00:27:22.451
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul shows us.

00:27:22.451 --> 00:27:39.397
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What Paul shows us is that he's preparing a people that he loves, that he can't live without, to live without him.

00:27:39.397 --> 00:27:50.230
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul empties himself of the need for recognition, he empties himself of the need for control and he empties himself of the need for self-protection.

00:27:50.230 --> 00:27:52.095
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He risks vulnerability for the sake of love.

00:27:52.095 --> 00:27:58.573
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And all of that flows into what Paul longs for most, which is in the last couple verses here, and we'll conclude here, verses 9 to 11.

00:27:58.573 --> 00:28:10.201
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul's emptying of himself in all those ways leads to his desire and what he longs for most, which is that the Philippians wouldn't just survive, but that they would bear fruit.

00:28:11.931 --> 00:28:13.413
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Look at verse 9 to 11.

00:28:13.413 --> 00:28:14.557
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>I'll read just a portion of it.

00:28:14.557 --> 00:28:21.999
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>His greatest concern is that their love would abound more and more, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.

00:28:21.999 --> 00:28:24.083
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>With the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.

00:28:24.083 --> 00:28:29.980
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>The one thing Paul wants is their fruitfulness.

00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:36.239
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But here's the thing Fruitfulness always comes at a cost.

00:28:39.132 --> 00:28:39.755
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>John 15.

00:28:39.755 --> 00:28:44.692
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus says that those who abide in him will bear much fruit.

00:28:44.692 --> 00:28:45.873
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That's a promise.

00:28:45.873 --> 00:28:48.096
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Those in Christ.

00:28:48.096 --> 00:28:49.637
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus says that those who abide in him will bear much fruit.

00:28:49.637 --> 00:28:50.038
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That's a promise.

00:28:50.038 --> 00:28:51.221
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Those in Christ will bear much fruit.

00:28:51.221 --> 00:28:52.742
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus calls himself the vine.

00:28:52.742 --> 00:28:53.884
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He calls us the branches.

00:28:53.884 --> 00:28:54.705
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We are attached to him.

00:28:54.705 --> 00:29:00.809
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>That is where life is found.

00:29:01.589 --> 00:29:08.960
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>But not long after Jesus says these words, three chapters after actually he's arrested, one chapter after he's crucified.

00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:24.611
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>And so we have to know this if we're going to follow Jesus, we have to know this Our fruitfulness will never cost us more than it cost Jesus.

00:29:24.611 --> 00:29:37.558
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Our fruitfulness will never cost us more than it costs Jesus the fruitful life that he promised, the fruitful life that Paul desires for the Philippians, the fruitful life that Jesus desires for us, will never cost us more than it costs Jesus.

00:29:37.558 --> 00:29:47.318
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus, as the vine was cut off, he was burned so that we could be brought in.

00:29:47.318 --> 00:29:48.281
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>He was emptied.

00:29:48.281 --> 00:29:50.357
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Paul will unpack this in Philippians 2.

00:29:50.357 --> 00:29:52.597
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>If you have time today, go home and read Philippians 2.

00:29:52.597 --> 00:29:56.898
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus emptied himself so that we might be filled.

00:29:56.898 --> 00:30:06.479
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Now fruitfulness will cost us something Real fruitfulness will ask something of you.

00:30:06.690 --> 00:30:13.997
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Jesus asked a lot of Paul, but he will never ask you to give more than he was willing to give.

00:30:13.997 --> 00:30:30.038
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>What he began in you, he will complete, and one day you and I will stand before Jesus together, not unfinished but complete, and not because we held it together, but because Jesus did.

00:30:30.038 --> 00:30:37.471
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Let's pray, father.

00:30:37.471 --> 00:30:43.017
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We thank you for the work that you've began in us, the work that you begin and that you finish.

00:30:43.017 --> 00:30:45.346
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We thank you that our growth, our us, the work that you begin and that you finish.

00:30:45.346 --> 00:30:51.182
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We thank you that our growth, our joy, our fruitfulness, none of it depends on our strength but on your faithfulness.

00:30:51.182 --> 00:31:00.174
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>Help us to let go of recognition, of control, self-protection, to trust the one who gave everything for us, jesus.

00:31:00.174 --> 00:31:11.522
<v Rev. Ryan Gawrych>We ask that our love would abound more and more, that we would be ready for the day of Christ, not because we held on tightly, but because you never let go of us, and it's in your name we pray Amen.