The Mission of God (1 Peter 2:1-12) - The Gathering Sermons

The Church Series: Reminding Everyone of Their Full-Time Ministry We've been going through a series on church and we're coming towards the end of the series now. We've gone through what is the people of God. The people of God is US and we must spend time together. We we should not stop meeting, not neglect to meet each other, to stir each other up in love and good works. Then we talked about what it meant to be the temple of God. That's since the beginning, since the garden, the Garden of Delight, the Garden of Eden, God's been finding a way to for us to access him again. And what do the people of God do? They worship, which is what Gabe expect was a few weeks back as well. And then we carried on to look at what it meant to be a family, a household, members of the household of God. And today we'll finish with talking about what it means to be following the mission I've got. But only just a question just to start, can I just have a show of hands who is currently or has been in full time ministry before? Speaker 2 There we go. Speaker 1 Oh, there we go. The. I think the lawyers know what I'm trying to do here, Queenie and Juji. OK, My goal today, I see you. My goal today is to convince you, or to rather to remind you. What am I trying to remind them? Juji? We are all ministers of God. Wow. Yes. You're going to leave here today and you're going to be reminded that you are in full time ministry and there is one company that you work for and that company is called KOG. It's called the Kingdom of God. And, and in your company you have been seconded to be ACEO, to be a training director, to be a doctor, to be I. I don't know what you do Doctor Alex these days, but to be a long lunch guy. Imagine that. Imagine if you were actually in full time ministry. Imagine that actually that's what your life is about, that everything you do is about working for God. Why does the church exist? Why is it need to exist? It really needs to exist because we're here to to spread the news of Jesus. As Nathan prayed for me at the end, you come back all the way to Genesis one. Let us make man in our image, Let them have dominion over creation. Let them subdue creation to spread my glory so that creation would look like me, would bear my image. That's essentially what we were called to do. Adam and Eve were called to cultivate, to work and keep the garden, to grow the garden so that creation would bear his image. That's really the, the, the, the purpose that has now been passed down to us. You see, when Jesus came and they couldn't find him, in Luke 4, they said, well, actually I must go to the next town because this was the reason I was sent to go. And in John 20, when he's talking to these disciples, these followers, he says, I was sent. And now I send you in Acts 1 where he says you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. There's this idea that we have to keep moving the message along. That's why we gather and then we scatter. That's why we have to keep moving. We have the salt of the other. We have the light of the world. We add flavour to the people around us. We add flavour to the communities around us. We bring light into places that are filled with darkness. You. Speaker 2 Me, but most importantly you are in full time ministry. The Church's Purpose: Growth, Mission, and Historical Mandate Does that make sense to you? Does that terrify you? The church is supposed to be the vehicle for mission. We're supposed to grow. KFCI was started about 10 years ago and as a smaller group, and I remember actually I speak to those who are part of the gathering or KFCI, There was, there was there was almost a sweet spot in the community where it was around 50 people. And actually, sociologists would agree. There's something about 50 people that just everyone's known, everyone's cared for, everyone's familiar with one another. Speaker 2 And often I'll, I'll hear, I miss those days. I miss those days when it's just a small group of people because church was, we just knew each other. We cared for each other. Do you remember those days And then? Speaker 1 The next question that I asked myself is, well, what if that church stayed that exact same way? At the 10 years on, we're still in the same place. Would that church still be a healthy church? The answer is no, because if that church was as good as we remember it to be, then it would have had to grow. In order for an Organism to stay alive, it must grow. And if it doesn't grow, then it starts to become stale. Then it starts to shrink in on itself, and suddenly you don't have a strong, healthy, vibrant, growing church anymore. That's part of what the church should be doing. So my prayer is that we'll continue to grow, to continue to have more people coming in. Why? So that they would become disciples of Jesus, so that they would go from being guests to friends to family, all to be disciples of Jesus. A family expecting guests is what this church is today. We're going to focus on what it means to be a guest pastor. Gabe has a favorite quote. Well, he has a favorite pastor. And his favorite pastor is a guy called John Piper. And he has a favorite quote that he always shares. What's the quote? What's the quote, Gabe? Missions exist because. Speaker 2 Worship doesn't. Missions exist because worship doesn't. Missions exist because worship doesn't. Speaker 1 If the prime call of the church isn't actually a mission, though, that said, Tim Keller would also say every single ministry within a church must have a missional focus. Every single ministry, even a formation ministry that is like discipleship. We're going to focus on you, building you up. Why? What for? To send you up. So even though there is a formation element, there must be a commissioning, there must be a deployment. Almost every ministry that we have, the one that is the deepest Bible study and the one that is feathered out, every single ministry must have a missional focus because that's the point of the church. The point of the church isn't, of course, the ultimate goal is not missions, is what Piper says. The ultimate goal of the church is worship, to point people to worship God. But there is outside, and sadly inside there is a lack of worship of God, which is why we were so convicted when Gay preached, because we're not worshiping God enough. We're not loving Him with all our hearts, our mind and strength. So there's a call here to worship and mission exists because worship does not. So we must keep going. We must keep moving since the very beginning, Adam and Eve growing it. What happens in Genesis 12? Abraham, what's he called? Hey, your nation, your family, your people are going to bless the nations. It's not gonna, it's not the Israelites. You guys are gonna have it good. And you're gonna be protected. You gonna rule the world and you're gonna stay amongst your own. No, it's that you will bless and you will move out to the nations and you will bless you. Fast forward to Jeremiah when they're in exile, what's what's he still saying? God is still saying seek the welfare of the city, bless the city, continue to allow this blessing to move through to the rest of the world. You look at Daniel in exile, living in Babylon, What's he doing? He is still being a blessing. He's still living a way that's modelling what it means to be have faith and trust in God. This has since been since the beginning. Are we living as full time ministers to going out and sharing? Speaker 2 That good news of Jesus. Unpacking 1 Peter 2: Our High Calling as Living Stones and Holy Priests With that in mind, we're going to go back to a passage which is in one Peter. So open up your Bibles to One Peter 2. We're going to have, is Janice going to read for us? Janice is going to read for US1. Speaker 3 Peter, Chapter 2. Speaker 1 Verse 1:00 to 11:00. I've also been told that we need a little bit of time. Speaker 2 To get there. Speaker 1 So one Peter 2, Trevor, you're there. What page number is it? Speaker 3 965 though some versions are slightly different, but you could have a go page. 965 Can I invite us to stand for the word of the Lord? Speaker 1 One Peter 21 to 12:00 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk that by it you may grow up with into salvation, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves, like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ for stands in Scripture. Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So the honor is for you who believed. But for those who do not believe, the stone that the build is rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of the offense. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you were a God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable so that when they speak against you as evil doers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. This is the word of Lord. Praise be to God. Please take a seat. Thank you, Janice, thank you. There is so much here. I encourage you to keep this page open, but we will flick through a few other passages as we go from here. That is loaded. Well, we're talking about what it means to be the people of God, to be the temple of God, to be the household of God. You look at this and you see, wow, this is a high calling. I'm not just a teacher or a dentist or a banker or a student. I am part of the chosen race. I'm part of the royal priesthood. I'm part of the holy nation. I'm set apart in a different kind of way. We are all built different. What does it mean here? So it starts with now you are supposed to bless. Now it makes me think that actually Adam and Eve were the first priests. Perhaps they would be described as the first priest kings. They had dominion over creation and they were to subdue it and to rule over it. So they were the first priest kings. And then what happens is we are supposed to basically these priest kings are supposed to create this space, maintain this space, cultivate this land so that people would encounter the holy and living and glorious God. Speaker 3 That was the role of the king. If we have to go back to this, because it's a fascinating passage in Exodus. So if you go back to me to with me to the beginning of the Bible, not Genesis, but to Exodus chapter 19, I want to show you the original call here that God has for his people. And as you, as I read this to you, you'll notice the parallels, the similarities with what he's saying here with what he told us in one Peter 2. So Exodus chapter 19 verse, we'll start from verse 5. We'll say this Exodus chapter 19, verse 5. Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured, treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a Kingdom of priests and the holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. So he's talking to these people and saying, you are going to be a Kingdom of priests. He says to us. Speaker 1 Right now that you are all in full time ministry, you are all part of the Kingdom of priests. That means whatever he's given you, whatever place he's put you in, you're supposed to be a priest in that place. I did not grow up wanting to be a pastor. I grew up wanting to be a teacher, a secondary school PE teacher or, or actually, yes, absolutely a basketball player. That is what I was supposed to be. I well, actually I originally liked football, but then when I got to nine years old, my mum was like, you need to play basketball because you're quite short, you need to grow taller. And of course, I guess we existed in a time where DNA has not been not been invented or discovered yet. So she thought me playing basketball would make me taller. Well, actually, actually, the evidence is unclear. It might have worked. I might have been 5 foot. But why did I get there? Oh, that's why I get there. I did not want to be a pastor. Thank you, Ken, for reminding me. There's a basketball game this afternoon, by the way. But what if, and I don't know whether you've dreamt of being a pastor before, but what if you actually are a pastor? What if you are actually an apostle? What if you are actually a teacher and an evangelist as we see in Ephesians 4? What if you were actually part of the royal priesthood that actually serves a purpose and that God has placed you where you are right now so that you would be a priest? What is a priest? Priest is someone who creates and maintains a space for people to encounter God. What if that was the definition of priest? And if that is the definition, then what if we all have that duty and responsibility and heart and passion to create these spaces where people will encounter God? That is what you're supposed to do. You are all in full time ministry. You are all priests. That sounds a little bit intimidating. That sounds a little bit overwhelming. We feel a little bit distant. But in Exodus 19, you see the whole of the Israelites were to be a Kingdom of priests to point people to the one God. What happens though, chapter 19? If you Fast forward to later into chapter 3233, they do point people to a God. But what's the God? It's a golden calf. It's a statue. And so you see, that's where the problem comes. We were supposed to be like Adam and Eve, cultivating, pointing people to the glory of God. Yeah, we decide we we know better. We're going to do our own way. We're going to choose our own way. We're going to point to a another way. And the Israelites fall into the same trap. We were supposed to point people to God, but instead we point people to other gods, the small gods. And So what does God have to do? Speaker 2 I. Speaker 1 Wanted you to be the priests, OK, But you can't. So then he appoints new priests. He appoints Aaron and his sons to be the priests. But even to for them to be the priests, they have to go through this whole whole process of consecration to get themselves ready to mediate, to maintain the space for the other people to encounter God. And that's where you get all the laws. That's where you get all the rules. That's where you get the Tabernacle. That's where you get the temple. That's where you get all these things with priests assigned to try and maintain, to work and keep the temple, to handle the sacrifices, to handle the animals, all to do what to get people to this place where they would encounter this holy, holy God. Let's flip back to one Peter. Now we look at that. Speaker 3 Passage and it's it's calling us to live in a different way. So at the beginning of chapter 2 it says put away all malice and odyssey and all hypocrisy and envy and all slander like newborn infants long for the spiritual. Speaker 1 Milk that it. Speaker 3 By it you may grow up into salvation, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good as you come to Him. A living stone rejected by men you yourselves like. Living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Speaker 1 We are supposed to be a living stone. So, well, first thing jumps out to me is that we're supposed to be living. We're supposed to be alive. When someone walks in here and they don't know God, they're supposed to feel life. They're supposed to see it. How many of us have walked into a church and we have not felt life? We have walked into a beautiful church building, a cathedral, but there is, it feels more like a cemetery, often surrounded by a cemetery in England. But we're supposed to be living. We're supposed to be moving. Keller talks about the church needing to be an Organism as well as an organization. But so often we get to a point where we're growing, where we were filled with life, but eventually we have to organize that life. And before you know it, we have paperwork and we have bureaucracy and we had red tape and suddenly we become an organization and we lose the life part. Speaker 3 But an Organism is supposed to grow, an Organism is supposed to give life is supposed to be connected to life. We are supposed to be living stones. And interestingly, it says here verse 5, you yourselves, like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Speaker 1 We kind of know about sacrifices. They definitely knew about sacrifices, about the animals. Speaker 3 But then you. Speaker 1 Must also say, if you know Scripture well enough, wait, hold on a second, Peter, what are we talking about? Sacrifices. I thought Jesus already sacrificed once and for all. I thought he was all that we needed. Well, that's the thing. It says spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. What is acceptable through Jesus Christ? Well, it is recognizing that Jesus has done whatever it is that needed to be done. We could never do it by ourselves, but there is still a way to live in response to that. There is still a holiness that we must pursue. We know that we will all fall short, but we are all justified by His grace freely as a gift, and that should compel us to live in a certain way. So in Romans 12 it says this. Therefore, in view of God's mercy, offer yourselves up as what? Living sacrifices? And what does it say after that? Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And by doing so, you'll know what the good and perfect will of God is. How many of us are wondering what is God wanting us to do in our lives? What's the purpose? What's the mission? Well, therefore, in God's view of God's mercy, you look at what Jesus did first. You start with going, I'm not going to conform to the patterns of this world. I'm not going to ask the same questions that the world asks. I'm not going to pursue the same goals that the world pursues. Speaker 2 I'm going to be transformed. I'm going to swim against the current. What else is a sacrifice? I think about Psalm 51. What is a sacrifice that's acceptable and pleasing to God? A broken heart, A contrite spirit. Speaker 1 So that's the sacrifice we're talking about. We're not talking about you must do better to become a better Christian so you can access God. No, no, no. Jesus has already done that once and for all. Hebrews 10 We talked about this, but what he's saying is the sacrifice he needs from us now, the sacrifice that pleases him. Speaker 2 It's just one of a broken heart, a broken spirit, a contrite heart. God, I need you, is all he needs to hear, and through Jesus I can now access you. Speaker 1 That's the most. Speaker 2 Important thing, That's the part that he needs. We as priests, how many of us have met priests or pastors? Who are you? Like, I don't know if you have a broken heart. I don't know if you have a contrite spirit. There's a pride in you that makes me uncomfortable, right? But if we're to be priesthoods, so. So imagine you feel that about your pastor. Imagine how people feel about us. Well, how people feel about you. How do your colleagues feel about you? Oh, I'm a Christian. Oh, that means you're stuck up. That means you're a hypocrite. That means you have these high standards for everyone. What if we walked in and people would go, well, that person is filled with grace, but also truth. They're not afraid to speak the truth, but somehow it's always wrapped in love and grace. How do they do it? Speaker 1 How do they rebuke me? But somehow I feel lifted up. That's what we are striving for. That's what we are hoping to do. So that's verse 5. It says we have to live in a way where we offer spiritual sacrifices. And then later it says that you were a chosen raised royal priesthood. Speaker 3 And from this, what are you supposed to do, verse 9, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you. What's that saying? That's calling people to worship. That's saying, hey, there's only one who is good. Speaker 1 It's not me, it's not you, it's not this, it's not that. It's God. I'm calling you. I'm proclaiming to you His excellencies, and I'm going to call you to worship Him. That is all. So part of being this living stone is 1, Living in a way that is a living sacrifice, holy and set apart. Sharing God's Goodness: How to Live a 'Weird' and Attractive Life But the second is to actually point people to worship, which is where the John Piper comes in. People are worshipping all kinds of things. Outside, we are prone to worshipping all kinds of things, and yet we as a church, the mission that we have is to proclaim His excellencies. How do we do that? We do that in just basically sharing the goodness of God in our lives. Speaker 2 When we have something good, you can't help but share it. You just can't. When was the last thing that you had that was really good that you thought I must share this. I have a good friend of mine, Abraham Chan. We have a shared love for Matcha Latte. Speaker 1 Because we're quite weak, so we don't do coffee very well. So there's a time and timing. And he says I must take you to this place. And actually I've taken a few of you to this place, which is my Charlie, which is just PP 30, the best matcha latte. And I, I can't help anyone who says they want, they like, they like matcha along with me. I'll tell them about. Speaker 2 This place, because it's just it's it's the matcha is just good. And if you're extra manly like me, you will go for the the strawberry matcha latte. Speaker 1 It's just, I mean, sometimes when I take fellow guys, I say it quietly. Yeah, the strawberry, love the strawberry. But when you have good stuff, you just can't help but share it. When we found out, when Paul and Kelly and I found out that one parking receipt at Pacific Place can do can be shared amongst 3 cars, we started a WhatsApp group to talk about it and then we would share who's got the receipt today. When Agnes bought her new electric car, she couldn't help tell me how good that electric car is building Yahweh's dreams. Speaker 2 Is what we're doing OK? Take some time. Take some time. You you'll get there. Guys. When you have something good, you can't help but share it. Imagine what that looks like for you. OK, you're in full time ministry now, right this second you're in full time ministry. Shane, you're Damien, Hank, Uday, Bernard, you're in full time ministry. You go into your assigned workplace. How do you share that Good news? How do you share it? What? Speaker 1 Does it look like, and what is the good news, that we were out in darkness, but we were called out of darkness into His marvellous light? In the verse 12, it says this, keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable so that when they speak against you as evil doers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. So when people who don't know God look at us, they should look at us different. That's what Peter, that's what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5 in the sermon. He's saying, people, you're the soul of the earth, you're the light of the world. When people see your good words, they'll give glory to the Father in heaven. Acts chapter 2, when that church is getting together and they're devoted to teaching fellowship, breaking bread and prayers, what happens? They are glad and generous. They are filled with reverence and awe and then everyone sees and they have favor amongst all people. When was the last time a non Christian looked at you and thought you are just different and I like you there is something different about you. Speaker 2 Or how about we we make it our goal for non believers to look at it and go you are weird, you're just weird. The way you don't gossip when we gossip, that's just weird. Speaker 1 The way you're not fighting for that promotion is just weird. The way you are not anxious when we are really anxious, that's just weird. Let's talk about this at the really practical level of how we live our lives out as full time ministers of the Kingdom of God. Often it's just the small things. I won't put him on the spot, but there's an introvert in my life group who's a Doctor Who. When we were talking about this and saying how does that look? And he said, well, I just stopped gossiping. I just stop taking part in those kinds of things. At the beginning of chapter 2, it says malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander. I just stop myself and I don't talk about those things. I don't join in. That itself is already weird enough. That already shocks the people enough. What if we were to grow up to be mature followers of Christ and that we were just weird? When Christina and I met, she was a university student who lived a different life. She is not the same CMOS that she is now. And there was a time where actually One Peter 4 remains to be her life passage and I'll read it to you. So if you're already One Peter 2, then. Speaker 3 It's it's easy for you. It says that since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. For whoever has suffered in the flesh has seized from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will. Speaker 1 Of God and then verse 4 it says this with respect to this. They are surprised when you do not join them. They are surprised when you do not join them. And I remember when she had left that life behind, we got, we had people reaching out to her saying why are you not around? Why don't you go to the same things that we do anymore. And actually, it wasn't that just from judgement, it was from. Speaker 2 How did you get out? Help me get out. I want to choose a different life. I want to choose a different way. When people look at us and they see that they're weird, see that we're weird, can they be also surprised that we are just different? Matthew 28: Jesus' Mandate to Make Disciples of All Nations Right. Question Time when we're. So this is a passage that we've been looking at and it shows us that we are supposed to be priests. We are we are the royal priesthood. But there's another passage in the Bible that we should all at least know when it comes to what it means to live a life of Christ. It's we are commissioned out clue and we are supposed to go out to be missionaries. What is that passage? Where are we looking? I'm going to give you 10 more seconds before I point out I'm going to pick on Gabs or Paul. You got it. Speaker 1 Matthew 28. Matthew 28. Matthew 28. What is Matthew 28? Gabs, why are you going to read it to? Yeah, the Great Commission. Go there for Let's turn that. Let's go there for to Matthew 28. When we are talking about us being disciples of Jesus, we must go. We must remember again, it's the thing that Jesus says. I forget everything else. There's the great commandment and there's the Great Commission. There's the great Commandment and there's the Great Commission. It's Matthew 22 for the great commandment. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. And then Matthew 28 Now go therefore and make disciples of all nations. This is the, this is the passage that should thrust as intermission. It should cause us to live if we are to be serious about being disciples of Jesus, by the way, which is what we talked about last week, that you are following the way of Jesus, the discipline of Jesus. Then you must know this passage. The go therefore, to make disciples of all nations. So let's have a little look at that. Speaker 3 So it says this, Go therefore see Matthew chapter 28 verse 18. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, and go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing. Speaker 1 Them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Last week we talked about what a disciple is. Someone who abides in his word, John 8. Someone who loves other people, John 13 and bears fruit in John 15. My own metric, and I shared this with a group of our fellowship a couple weeks ago. My own metric, when I know that I am making a disciple and when I am successfully discipling you is the moment you turn around and you start making your own disciple. That moment when when your disciples make disciples is when you realize that you've just made a disciple. That's it. It's two Timothy 22 when Paul says, hey, what I've taught you, can you then pass on to someone else who will then pass on to someone else? There's 4 generations in one snapshot. That's discipleship. When we are poured into and we pour out basically immediately go therefore and make disciples of all nations. And of course it says go therefore. And if you've been in church long enough, you will have heard the pastor say when there is a therefore in a passage, you have to ask what is there for? And go therefore and make disciples of all nations. What's the line just before it? It's all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. But then I then asked the next question, Well, why? How? How does He have all this authority? Then you have to go further back, and you look at your paper Bible and you'll see the passage just before that is the resurrection that He has defeated, the thing that we are most afraid of, death itself. He has shown us there is something beyond the grave, but there is something beyond what we see in this world. And He's shown us. He went there and he came back and He's told us about it. And that's why He has all authority in heaven and on earth, and that's why He now holds the keys. That's why we don't have to be scared of death. That's why we can grieve when we lose a loved one, but we still have hope. Speaker 2 Because he's defeated everything that we've ever been afraid of, and because of that he has now has all authority. And because of that, we must go. Because of that, we must go and make disciples of all nations. Conquering Obstacles to Mission: God's Authority, Presence, and Spirit The question is, why don't we? What stops us? Question Time? What stops us from following this making disciples of all nations? Sam, what thoughts do you have? What do you think stops us as a body from? Speaker 1 Following this Great Commission. Yeah, that is so true. What Sam just said was the picture is all authority and heaven on earth has been given to Jesus and we think Jesus, that's all well and good. You have the authority. We do not. If I go and live out my life, my faith in my workplace, I don't have that same authority. I could lose my job, I could lose my friendships. That's definitely something that we hold on. Speaker 2 To that we are afraid of Caleb. Why else do we think we we struggle with following this. I was just. Speaker 1 Looking at the previous verse where it says when they saw him they worshipped him but some still doubt it which like her sounds. Speaker 2 Crazy. Speaker 1 We still have our doubts and we put our worship. Speaker 2 In something else, yeah, there's a there's a fear that we now have the authority and then it's just the doubts that we all have. We're actually did do I do I actually do I know enough about the faith is one question that we have. Speaker 1 Do I actually believe enough of what this is? Either? There's just constant doubts and I'll and I'll be the first one to share with you. Sometimes, especially when my daughter asks me questions about the faith, I'm like, I don't know the answer to that. I don't know. I'm speaking to a pastor's kid this last week and every time I meet a pastor's kid, I I'm just all over them and I want to ask them questions about just how they live and everything. Why? Because of course, I've got kids growing up in my house and I just have so many questions for them. And then one of the pastors kids just said, well, I'd ask my dad a lot of questions and he'd be, he'd be open to answering them. But if he didn't know the answer, he'd always say, hey, actually, I don't quite know how to explain this to you right now, but let me get back to you. And he always did. It's OK to have doubts. It's OK to say I actually don't know the answer to that question. It's OK when you meet someone in your family, on your friendship circles in your workplace who asks you a question. You're like, that's such a good question. Can I get back to you about that? And then what you, what you mean is then you're going to come and you're going to find Pastor Gabe and you're going to ask him these questions and you're going to ask him, hey, what's that? Or you go on to where everyone goes on to these days to find the answers that you need to find. And often you'll find AI gives good good framework, good outlines for some of these answers. Speaker 2 Of course you have to. Speaker 1 Double check them afterwards, but there are ways. But the the main point is this. It's OK to have those doubts, and it's OK to say you don't know. And then it's OK to still continue because even though there are things you don't know, there are a few things that you do know. And I love that this passage follows the resurrection because there's one thing that you can hang your hat on, and that is the resurrection of Jesus. So I don't know how that works. Speaker 2 I don't know how he created this in six days and did this, but I'll tell you what. And I don't know why there was a big fish and that somehow it could eat someone and then three days later spit them out. And that person says there are some things that I need, I need, I need to go and look into. But actually, if the resurrection is real. Speaker 1 Then all of those answers can be solved. You go back to the resurrection of Jesus, how there was a Jewish man 2000 years ago and somehow he said that he would die and then rise again. And then it actually happened where he was killed by the people who were the most expert at killing people by then. And somehow the tomb is empty, and despite all the conspiracy theories, despite all the different ways, somehow no one can explain away that there is no body and that there were 500 witnesses to this and that lives are transformed. The people who are cowards and traitors beforehand now turned around and were willing to die for this. Something happened and somehow 12 Jewish men led to faith just spreading around the world. One man, this man, whether you believe him or not. Speaker 2 He died and then he rose again and he split time in half and we are in 2026 because it's 2026 years since he was born. You can hang your hat on those things. So you can admit that there are things that you don't know, but then you hold on to the things that you do. And there's the big picture, there's the resurrection of Jesus, but then there's just all our picture. Oh, I was in ducks. But he then brought me out of this darkness into his marvellous life. I can't tell. I can't answer those questions that you're asking just yet, but I can tell you what he's done in my life, and that's all that matters. Fear, doubt. How can we overcome all of them to be part of this Kingdom of priests? How can we follow Adam and Eve and then Abraham and then Jeremiah, and then Moses and Joseph and then Peter, Paul, and then Billy Graham and Pastor Johnny and every single person in this room? How can we be? Speaker 1 Part of that. Speaker 2 What's it going to take for me to convince you that you are actually in full time ministry? That just as Nathan prayed at the beginning, that you cannot take your job away with you into heaven? Whatever role that God has assigned you right now, that is temporary. And we live in a day and age where actually people don't stay in their one career that long anyway. What if it doesn't matter what career we're actually in? What if you've been placed exactly where you are right now to be a priest? Speaker 1 To others, just to finish a little bit on this, Matthew 28 So go therefore the preceding is all authority, the preceding that is the resurrection. But we also miss the final bit because we say go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach them what I've commanded you. And then we're like, OK, And by then we're freaking out because we're like, actually, we're not doing any of those things. We're not actually making disciples. We're not actually living in a way that is that is overcoming our doubts and fears and actually sharing the good news of Jesus. And then we kind of just stop there and we kind of just meddle in this place where I'm not making disciples. I've been told to do this. Speaker 2 But I'm not really doing it because I can't, because I'm not good enough, because I'm not smart enough, because I'm not devoted enough. I think it's also because we missed the final passage. The final part of this passage and the very end of this passage says this. Teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you and behold, I'm with you always to the end of the age. What if you were a full time minister? What if you were part of the royal priesthood, going to where you're supposed to go, but you don't go alone? What if you remembered and truly believed the final part of that which is Behold, I am with you to the end of the. Speaker 1 Age. Speaker 2 That when you go into your field to work and keep whatever he has called you to do, that he is right there with you. The reason you have the authority is because there's a lion behind you. What if that was the case? Would that change your perspective and when you're going? My favorite Disney film of all time is arguably Lion King, followed closely by Brother Bear. Really cute film. There's this moment in the elephant graveyard in Lion King, right where Simba's messing around and just being an idiot. And then the hyenas come and then he tries to roar and it's just, and it doesn't work and they laugh at him because hyenas laugh. And then he tries it again, but this time Daddy's behind him. This time, Wolfasa is behind him and they tremble. What if you've been going into your graveyard acting like Simba, fighting alone? What if you've forgotten this final part of this Great Commission? And what if you remembered there's actually a lion behind you? There is actually the King of Kings behind you. There is actually, you are a priest, but there is a great High Priest behind you, a great high priest that sympathizes with your weaknesses, that has been tempted in every way just as you are, and yet was without sin. And that actually he's the one who is going to work through you. He's the one who's going to give you the words. He's the one that's going to give you the perfect case study. And what is the perfect case study? One Corinthians talks about this. Speaker 1 Paul says it's not going to be your words. It's not going to be how you explain necessarily. Speaker 2 Everything about Jesus to your colleagues do your words, but it's the power of the cross. So it's not lofty speech or wisdom. It's not being a great speaker, but it's simply you going to people and saying Jesus died for our sins and he rose again. And the power of that cross, that good news, that gospel changes everything. That's the line that's behind me. That's the mufasa that's behind me. What if we operated from that point of view? What if we did that? Then I think we'd stand a better chance to be the Kingdom of priests that he calls us to, to be the royal priest royal. You're a child of God. You're a Co heir with Christ. You're not doing this alone. God help you if you're doing it alone. It doesn't work. But if his Holy Spirit is in you. So I always go back to John 16/8. When? Speaker 1 We are going to someone to share with them the good news. What we're hoping is that they will be convicted of sin and righteousness, but through our words, which are necessary. By the way, you cannot spread the gospel without using words. You must use words. You must show them how to live how you live, and then you should use your words to explain to them why you live in the way. Speaker 2 That you why you are weird. But then Jesus says, I'll send my helper to be with you, my Holy Spirit. Speaker 1 He is the. Speaker 2 One who's going to convict them of sin and righteousness? Speaker 1 I can't tell you the amount of times where I come up here or I go into any kind of setting, give a great talk, give a great speech, have a great conversation with someone and I think that I've compelled them to to be a follower of Christ and it just. Speaker 2 Falls on deaf ears and I thought it was a great talk and they didn't and it's OK, but I can. I can also tell you there's so many times where I come away again. I don't know if I answered that right at all. I don't know if I actually gave that sermon was not good. Speaker 1 And I walk away. And then it's those moments where someone comes up. Speaker 2 To me and says I was so touched by what you just said. Us really. I wasn't what? Says Jen. And then they would share. Oh, oh, it wasn't me. I'm only Simba. It's Mufasa who's doing the actual work. I just have to be there. I just have to be that chosen instrument. He's going to play it. What if I could convince you that we are all actually in full time ministry? I'll tell you a final story before I wrap up. Finding Comfort in Jesus' Presence and Reaching the 'Other Boats' There's a story in Mark 4 where Jesus is hanging out with his disciples. Actually, I'll turn to it and Mark chapter 4, verse 35 is where I'm going if you wanted to follow. And Jesus, again, as we have established, not only is he sovereign, not only is he Lord, not only is that the light of the world, he is also a troll. He is a troll because he goes to his people on that day when evening had come, He says, let us go across to the other side, which is fine because he's surrounded by a bunch of experts who can navigate the waters well. But they didn't know the storm that was coming at them. And leaving the crowd, they took with them, with him and them. And just as he was and other boats are there. And a great windstorm arose in the ways of breaking into the boat so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. Speaker 1 He was being a troll and they woke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? And he woke, and we rebuked the wind and sea, and said to peace be still. And the wind ceased, And there was a great calm. And he said to them, Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with great fear, and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey him? If you have been in nature, if you have been on the waters, you will know how. Speaker 2 Great. The power that is, that comes from creation. You can just, I mean, you watch a movie and you can see storms and it terrifies me. And yet in that moment, Jesus is asleep. In fact, he was the one that took them back. Speaker 1 Because it was his idea, they didn't have to. So clearly he was showing them something. And and of course, the teaching there is always Jesus is in your boat. I don't know what you're going through right now at your workplace, in your homes, Whatever it is that Jesus is in your boat with you, He's in it with us here. I remember preaching on this passage and meditating on this passage during COVID when things were not going great for our city. Speaker 2 And I was like, it's OK. Speaker 1 There is a storm, but Jesus is in the boat with us. We're good, Have faith, do not have fear. And then there was someone actually on my Young Life staff and I said, Gab, you definitely would have heard of this, who actually shared something in this passage to me that I'll say, oh, I had not seen that. Speaker 2 Before. Speaker 1 See, we as Christians, we as those who are followers of Christ, we as those who are the people of God, who are the temple of God and the members of the household of God. We have Jesus in our boat with us, and our goal is to trust him. Our goal is to say, I want to have faith, Lord, I believe help my unbelief. You will get me through this storm. And we have many people here who I know God has taken us through different storms who has been on our boat and we find great comfort in that. And that's why we trust him. That's why we follow him. That's why we worship him. But then my my stuff at the time showed me this and I thought was fascinating in Mark chapter 4 verse 36. Speaker 3 So Jesus says in verse 35, let us cross over to the other side, and so they go. Speaker 2 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was, and other boats were with him and other boats were with them. I was like these guys had Jesus in their boat and they were terrified. But spare a thought for those who were in the other boats. Spare a thought for those who out of desperation and hunger, wanted to keep following Jesus. So they will follow something, just cling on to some kind of hope. And so they went on to the waters with them. But they didn't have the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords with them. They must have been even more terrified. Sometimes we as the church, we focus so much on our own boat. Jesus, are you with me? Are you with me You're going to get me through this. You're going to help me get the job that I want. You can help me get the partner that I want. You're going to help me get better again. Jesus, can you come and look after me and Jesus steady, calm I'm in your boat. What you've forgotten is that there are other boats on the lake. And if you spend in, this is what you're an average of the five people that you spend the most time with. And I hope those five people are good influences on you who will pull you to be more like Christ. But I also hope that you spend time with people who are not followers of Christ. Because if you spend enough time and you are curious enough and you ask enough, you will see that it is dark out there. It is hopeless out there. There is despair out there. There is pain out there. Can you just take your gaze off your own boat for a second? Because Jesus is in your boat. Jesus is in our boat. But there are those out there who are on the lake in the storm without him there. Can we spare a thought for them? That is why we need to go on mission. Some of you will be like Hudson Taylor and go to a foreign land and share the good news to a completely new nation and watch the Kingdom of God spread. Some of you will be like Jackie Pullinger who get on a boat in England not knowing where the Lord's going to take her and eventually ends up in the Kowloon Walled City and spreads the gospel there. Some of you will be called to Pacific Place, to your chambers, and that is where you work as a full time minister, a priest of the Most High God. Some of you will be called to your university campus in TKO, and that will be it. John Piper's Insight: Missions Exist Because Worship Doesn't That will be your job. This mission, should you choose to accept, is filled with ups and downs. Speaker 1 But he says, behold, I will be with you till the end of the age. Let us commit to being missionaries that point people to worship. Speaker 2 I want to finish with a quote just off the back of the Piper quote where mission exists because worship does not. Piper carries on and says this. Speaker 3 When this age is over. Speaker 2 And the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God. Missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity, but worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and the goal of missions. It's the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white heart enjoyment of God's glory. The the goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. We Fast forward to the end, brothers and sisters, in Revelation Chapter 7, you'll see every tribe and tongue, every nation worshipping him. Our goal is to play a part in that. God doesn't need us to do it, but he invites us to do it because He knows how it will fill us up. It will mould us to be more like Him. But that's where we are heading. Would we join that journey now? Would we join that party now? So go, therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptize the name in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them all that I have commanded you. Behold, I will be with you to the end of the age. We are the people of God who act as the temple of God, members of the household of God, inviting the presence of God to call people to the worship of God. That is the church that I hope, I pray is what we are about. A Final Call to Surrender, Obey, and Live as God's Ambassadors This is where I'll stop. And before we respond in song, I want to ask you, what's the Lord speaking to you about? What is the fear or what is the doubt? What are the distractions? What are the little gods that you've been chasing after? What's the anxiety that you've been feeling in this storm? Would you submit yourself to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Would you trust him? Would you follow him? Would you obey him? Would you call the nations to worship him and him alone? Spend a moment of quiet before we respond in song. Speaker 1 It's a lot. We re surrender every day we re surrender. We count the. Speaker 2 Cost take up our cross and we follow you. Holy Spirit, would you guide us? We are your children, we are your people, we are your temple, and we commit to following your mission, which is to seek and save the lost. So you use us, Lord, we accept your invitation, your mission, your Commission to us as we finish gathering here and as we scatter back to the places that you called us to remind us, Lord, this week that we are in full time ministry. Speaker 3 Ambassadors of Heaven. Speaker 2 The chosen race, Royal priesthood, the holy Nation proclaiming Your Excellencies, living stones pointing to the cornerstone. You are the one and only. Speaker 1 And we worship. Speaker 2 You, in your name, we pray. Amen.