back to index2020-01-05 Having Shod Our Beautiful Feet
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but I guess things have changed a little bit. 00:00:13.080 |
In the past six weeks, I've been to four weddings. 00:00:27.320 |
So it's been a little bit of a busy season for our church. 00:00:34.840 |
I'll be officiating at one, Pastor Mark at the other. 00:00:38.040 |
So that'll be five weddings in seven weeks for me. 00:00:41.680 |
And so as joyful as it is, I'm a little tired. 00:00:45.740 |
Now in the context of each and every wedding, 00:00:53.840 |
and those are beautiful words in the context of a wedding. 00:00:57.560 |
Yes, they are weighty, but no one views the exchange 00:01:06.800 |
The words covenant and vow, though sacred and holy, 00:01:12.920 |
At a wedding, they're not legalistically perceived, 00:01:15.920 |
nor is the accountability that comes with the covenant 00:01:23.240 |
And ultimately, the desire in making that covenant 00:01:25.880 |
is for the mutual benefit and mutual edification 00:01:31.760 |
Now, why am I beginning this sermon in this way? 00:01:36.160 |
Just before the holidays, we started a sermon series 00:01:40.720 |
reviewing each of the aspects of our church's 00:01:44.680 |
the 10 things our members commit to upon joining our church. 00:01:55.400 |
we decided that it would be good for our church 00:02:02.160 |
So hopefully, as we are going over these church covenants, 00:02:05.480 |
these also you find to be beautiful and holy. 00:02:12.280 |
May they not cause you to feel restricted, but rather free. 00:02:16.960 |
And hopefully, you find our time reviewing the covenants 00:02:25.200 |
we've thus far covered one through five, and then seven. 00:02:32.800 |
but we've just switched up the orders of a few of them 00:02:38.600 |
It's been over a month since we've been in the covenants. 00:02:44.560 |
I would like for us to briefly read the covenants 00:02:48.840 |
Okay, they're gonna be up there on the screen for you. 00:02:57.680 |
Two, I confess that the Bible is an inerrant word of God, 00:03:07.280 |
to pray regularly interceding for the leadership 00:03:37.080 |
Today, we're gonna be jumping ahead a little bit 00:03:40.920 |
We'll be covering covenant six, eight, and 10 00:03:44.600 |
But today, we're gonna be looking at covenant number nine, 00:03:46.960 |
especially as this will be a very important one 00:03:51.800 |
as Hans and Franz has already given you a preview of. 00:04:04.200 |
through sharing the gospel locally and globally. 00:04:08.160 |
So the commitment here is to share the gospel, 00:04:12.760 |
And this is a commitment to simply testifying 00:04:15.720 |
of God's goodness in the mission fields we are already in. 00:04:19.360 |
And Lord willing, getting involved in the mission fields, 00:04:25.840 |
preaching Jesus near and far, both locally, globally, 00:04:30.280 |
and praying for those who are preaching Jesus 00:04:33.200 |
both near and far, both locally and globally. 00:04:36.200 |
So for the about 400 of you who have signed this covenant, 00:04:41.200 |
I believe you agree to this because this falls in line 00:04:48.120 |
Our God loves sinners and we serve a missionary God. 00:05:03.720 |
after he exhorts the church to put on the full armor of God, 00:05:07.560 |
and having shod your feet with the preparation 00:05:12.400 |
I actually did not, I used to teach the SAT verbals, 00:05:24.720 |
'cause I asked Pastor Mark and he didn't know either. 00:05:29.000 |
Basically, Paul is saying to always shoo your feet 00:05:35.080 |
And the imagery is similar to what we see in Isaiah 52.7, 00:05:44.000 |
"who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, 00:05:57.080 |
"through sharing the gospel locally and globally." 00:06:00.640 |
And we're gonna be spending the bulk of today's sermon 00:06:02.840 |
on what will be a very familiar passage to much of you, 00:06:20.040 |
"whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. 00:06:25.040 |
"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. 00:06:31.040 |
"abounding in riches for all who call on him. 00:06:34.840 |
"For whoever will call on the name of the Lord 00:06:43.640 |
"How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? 00:06:50.160 |
"And how will they preach unless they are sent? 00:07:00.560 |
"However, they did not all heed the good news, 00:07:04.560 |
"for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report. 00:07:19.480 |
so that it'll be easier for you to track along. 00:07:34.680 |
Two, there's a dying audience in need of good news, 00:08:13.280 |
So the word evangelism comes from the combination 00:08:40.760 |
worshiping in the rooms behind you and above you. 00:09:01.480 |
And you'd be slightly happy about it, hopefully, 00:09:04.680 |
and then it would not affect you much at all. 00:09:26.080 |
What kind of church is this if they don't keep them safe? 00:09:40.520 |
and we see the back part of our church collapse, 00:09:53.760 |
It would be exceptionally you, angelion, truly good news. 00:10:02.120 |
If I were to tell every one of you sitting in this room, 00:10:15.800 |
Most of you would not have an emotional reaction 00:10:20.680 |
or like a joy-filled celebration at this news. 00:10:23.560 |
Tears of happiness would likely not fill your eyes. 00:10:28.920 |
But for someone who had been diagnosed with cancer, 00:10:32.240 |
had been going through all kinds of the horrific treatment 00:10:35.160 |
to beat it, who had been told that this cancer was terminal, 00:10:39.480 |
this would in fact be great, life-altering, earth-shattering, 00:10:46.760 |
news that you would shout at the top of every rooftop, 00:10:50.440 |
post on every social medium, tell every friend, 00:11:06.120 |
would be overflowing with joy, inexpressible, 00:11:15.680 |
that everyone in your hearing would celebrate with you. 00:11:23.360 |
is the message that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, 00:11:33.960 |
is this truly, you, Angelion, good news to you? 00:11:45.160 |
we subconsciously believe we deserve to be saved. 00:11:51.960 |
from a family of pastors or even martyrs, perhaps. 00:11:55.840 |
Maybe you're naturally just a nice, sweet person. 00:12:02.240 |
And though you're not perfect, you're better than most. 00:12:10.760 |
of the hatred and the full and unbridled just wrath of God. 00:12:15.240 |
Then the message of the cross won't move you to worship. 00:12:27.400 |
It'll be religious information to which you just say, duh. 00:12:35.560 |
And for some of you who wrestle with doubt and skepticism, 00:12:39.760 |
the gospel of Jesus Christ may be elevated a little bit 00:12:47.160 |
But tragically, perhaps the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:12:50.440 |
to some of you sitting in here may be even a burden 00:12:54.360 |
or even a hindrance to getting the best out of this life. 00:13:17.480 |
Covenant number nine will be cumbersome and oppressive 00:13:22.680 |
if the message of the cross is only information 00:13:44.720 |
but it actually begins in the very beginning, 00:13:46.880 |
in the very first verse of the very first chapter 00:14:10.440 |
the word good used after day one, two, three, four, five, 00:14:39.240 |
but to enjoy all the good that God had created. 00:14:46.040 |
and I've shared this before on multiple sermons, 00:14:50.880 |
to know this good God, to delight in this good God, 00:14:53.760 |
and to enjoy the things created by this good God. 00:15:10.080 |
And before even all of this was created very good 00:15:18.560 |
God had ordained an eternal purpose for your life. 00:15:47.040 |
"This is eternal life that they may know you, 00:15:49.880 |
"the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." 00:15:53.560 |
So what is the purpose of the Christian faith? 00:16:12.520 |
And that's the meta-narrative that begins in Genesis 00:16:16.440 |
and ends with the ultimate glory to the creator God 00:16:28.560 |
that we will spend eternity growing in knowledge of this God 00:16:35.000 |
that we would know him for whom we have been created. 00:16:39.280 |
because there's a difficulty that you and I have, 00:16:43.960 |
an impossibility in submitting to this purpose. 00:16:48.160 |
Because of sin, we are hostile to this purpose. 00:16:52.080 |
even if we've been coming to church all of our lives, 00:16:56.040 |
that remains a little bit offended by this purpose. 00:17:14.920 |
and thoroughly, completely, fully, exhaustively corrupted. 00:17:19.800 |
Ephesians 2, 1 through 3 describes our condition 00:17:23.040 |
and you were dead in your trespasses and sins 00:17:31.680 |
according to the prince of the power of the air, 00:17:41.120 |
all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, 00:17:43.920 |
indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind 00:17:46.080 |
and were by nature children of wrath, even as a rest. 00:18:04.120 |
And an inaccurate definition leads to a misdiagnosis. 00:18:06.760 |
And with a disease, any misdiagnosis is actually fatal. 00:18:10.160 |
So we need to carefully see what sin really is. 00:18:13.960 |
So when we say sin, we naturally think of things 00:18:15.920 |
like murder, theft, alcoholism, sexual immorality, 00:18:24.920 |
but those are symptomatic of far deeper problems. 00:18:34.600 |
We were created by God and for God to love God 00:18:37.800 |
and to serve God, but sin means not doing that. 00:19:05.240 |
cheating, stealing, idolatry, all of these are sins, yes, 00:19:10.520 |
these are outward byproducts of a more corrupted condition. 00:19:14.760 |
So we entered this world hostile for the ways of God. 00:19:30.840 |
"We too, saying that the Jews, the chosen people of God, 00:19:41.400 |
So the Jews too were also the spawn, the children, 00:20:03.720 |
You can be restored to perfect spiritual health. 00:20:20.480 |
If you confess with your mouth and you believe in your heart 00:20:23.080 |
that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him 00:20:34.920 |
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord 00:20:38.040 |
and believe in your heart that God raised him 00:20:43.720 |
For the scripture says, "Whoever believes in him 00:20:47.760 |
"will not be disappointed, for there is no distinction 00:20:51.160 |
"between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, 00:21:12.760 |
All it takes is faith that God's method of payment 00:21:24.160 |
you will not be disappointed ever in any way, 00:21:26.880 |
shape, or form because he is abounding in riches 00:21:35.600 |
shameful, ugly past, your family's dirty secrets, 00:21:40.600 |
all of that, none of that matters 'cause there's a cure. 00:21:48.160 |
You can be restored to your original purpose. 00:21:53.960 |
Because the creator of the universe has compassion. 00:22:17.800 |
There is a dying audience in need of good news, 00:22:32.800 |
How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? 00:22:52.840 |
Paul goes on to pose five rhetorical questions 00:22:58.480 |
The first question has a word, then, un, attached to it. 00:23:14.840 |
a call out, what a great salvation, what great news. 00:23:31.680 |
toward their purpose still and hopelessly trying to cope. 00:23:35.440 |
Everything disappoints, everything falls short. 00:23:40.800 |
Religious adherence and morality are not enough. 00:23:45.720 |
Religious heritage or ancestry is not enough. 00:23:49.600 |
My grandparents were Christian, but I don't believe this. 00:23:54.720 |
So some, in trying to cope, they turn to pleasure. 00:23:59.720 |
They turn to the promise of luxury, status, wealth, comfort. 00:24:06.200 |
Some, trying to attain holiness, practice asceticism, 00:24:12.680 |
Some put all their eggs in the family basket. 00:24:40.440 |
One of the most common symptoms of the disease of sin 00:24:55.960 |
any kind of lasting happiness, but we're stupid. 00:24:59.280 |
We go from one changed circumstance and disappointment, 00:25:21.800 |
that there is an answer, and that there is only one way, 00:25:28.400 |
because it is a power of salvation for all who believe, 00:25:35.520 |
Even if our message is laughable foolishness, 00:26:01.960 |
and for it's a very popular honeymoon destination 00:26:10.840 |
And this dump site was home to about 200 children. 00:26:47.040 |
but 15 million live in the dump sites all around the world, 00:26:57.600 |
Children die every day in these dump site villages 00:27:00.600 |
from lead poisoning, from drinking polluted water. 00:27:02.840 |
When it rains, no one in this village sleeps really well 00:27:09.440 |
Sometimes if the government wants to use this land 00:27:16.480 |
or they're not willing to go, they'll set fire. 00:27:18.840 |
And oftentimes up to about a third of the people 00:27:22.000 |
living in this community will perish in the fire. 00:27:25.280 |
And you're not gonna hear about this in the news, 00:27:26.960 |
because in the eyes of many national governments, 00:27:39.120 |
is from an all boys high school from Busan, South Korea. 00:27:47.400 |
All the ladies that you see in the back are teachers. 00:27:56.120 |
the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the world, 00:28:06.920 |
These Korean youths are living in one of the richest, 00:28:09.360 |
most technologically innovative countries in the world. 00:28:29.680 |
to sponsor this little boy through compassion. 00:28:41.160 |
He picks up recyclables about three hours a day, every day. 00:28:55.160 |
there are about 64 million people who work in this 00:28:58.600 |
and about 15 million people who are living in this. 00:29:05.520 |
in Johnny Ray's community have a few things in common. 00:29:12.840 |
They are all plagued with the disease of sin and of self. 00:29:21.680 |
and their teachers behind them, their only hope is Christ. 00:29:24.840 |
And there is something interesting that I found 00:29:28.320 |
when the materially rich and the materially poor, 00:29:31.360 |
when they meet together, both end up reflecting 00:29:36.400 |
And they kind of, you could see in their eyes, 00:30:20.000 |
And what is sad is that Korea has so many churches 00:30:27.520 |
and doing humanitarian work in the poorest of the country 00:30:37.080 |
But the Korean generation is losing the generation of youth. 00:30:43.240 |
The physical needs of the poor may look different, 00:30:58.440 |
How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? 00:31:11.040 |
The divine strategy and the delivery of this good news. 00:31:18.320 |
However, they did not all heed the good news, 00:31:21.760 |
for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" 00:31:37.840 |
through the beautiful feet of those who bring good tidings. 00:31:44.360 |
Restoration does not come through fancy gimmicks 00:31:52.360 |
It's simply through the hearing of the words of Christ. 00:32:02.240 |
You and I can pressure people to conform, sure, 00:32:10.520 |
You and I cannot strategize for someone to come to faith. 00:32:38.240 |
I am discovering both a powerful and a liberating truth. 00:32:48.520 |
I can scatter the seed, I can plant, I can water, 00:32:55.960 |
But you know what's interesting and mind-boggling? 00:33:19.120 |
You guys got to that part yet in your Bible reading plans? 00:33:41.480 |
apologetics, tactics, that is not the primary means 00:33:45.480 |
through which he equips his people for evangelism, 00:33:48.040 |
there is a mission field very uniquely appointed for you. 00:33:54.760 |
There are people in your lives, at your schools, 00:34:01.800 |
that only you can humanly reach with the gospel. 00:34:18.880 |
who are trying to cope with this problem of sin 00:34:26.240 |
They're watching to see how hopeful you really are. 00:34:49.440 |
He gives us a megaphone and a platform to share 00:34:55.680 |
In fact, you know, trial, sufferings, and persecutions 00:35:08.400 |
The early church, as they were being persecuted 00:35:11.200 |
and being scattered, they evangelized the world. 00:35:18.200 |
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing 00:35:22.360 |
"to be blameless and innocent children of God 00:35:26.040 |
"and perverse generation among whom you appear 00:35:31.440 |
Because that is a natural flesh-driven response 00:35:37.520 |
"I believe in a God who's created everything perfect. 00:35:42.320 |
"And even if he were to ordain something difficult 00:35:45.080 |
"in my life, I will give him the worship that he is due." 00:35:48.680 |
And as that attitude starts to exude itself in your life, 00:35:58.680 |
to kind of direct them where to go in the Mediterranean. 00:36:02.480 |
The unbelieving world watches your lack of faith 00:36:16.400 |
Trial, suffering, and persecution actually does much 00:36:19.920 |
to clarify our thinking, to sharpen our resolve, 00:36:43.800 |
God will use your life as an example of trust, 00:36:57.440 |
He will not use your luxury and your comfort. 00:37:06.360 |
as effectively as he will use discomfort and pain. 00:37:27.840 |
"If you've met Christ, you are already well-equipped 00:37:52.720 |
Now, they observed the confidence of Peter and John 00:37:55.080 |
and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men. 00:38:09.880 |
"they commanded them not to speak or teach at all 00:38:12.880 |
"But Peter and John answered and said to them, 00:38:19.040 |
"'you be the judge, for we cannot stop speaking 00:38:24.240 |
So what's the application here for covenant number nine? 00:38:31.200 |
we wanna try to make these covenants very real 00:38:33.440 |
and very practical in our lives, but nine is hard. 00:38:49.720 |
It's like a salesman trying to sell you something 00:39:00.360 |
So though we should always feel a bit burdened 00:39:03.600 |
and uncomfortable when we are around non-believers 00:39:06.320 |
whom we love, what compels us has to be the love of Christ 00:39:18.800 |
that we need to use to reach the non-believing world. 00:39:22.560 |
So the only application I could really give you is this. 00:39:35.560 |
into signing up for things like the Gospel Night. 00:39:42.240 |
the good news is not gonna be good news to you, 00:40:01.120 |
It's like anything else we deem truly amazing in our lives, 00:40:15.760 |
my cousin scored two tickets to a Laker game. 00:40:26.040 |
because he got us tickets 12 rows behind the Laker bench. 00:40:31.000 |
12 rows behind the Laker bench affords you this. 00:40:58.160 |
I like to believe that I looked at Kobe in the eye, 00:41:09.360 |
and at that time, he had only scored 50 points in a game 00:41:38.480 |
We were just, and I could not wait to tell everyone 00:41:55.080 |
I even show people half of the streamer that I got, 00:42:07.040 |
and me, this news is uncontrollable and uncontainable. 00:42:34.240 |
Well, we had to wait until the second trimester, 00:42:47.160 |
you don't need training to talk about that stuff. 00:42:57.720 |
The problem is the gospel is often just news. 00:43:02.720 |
That's what we need to fix before we commit to anything. 00:43:53.320 |
is the good news of Jesus Christ information, 00:44:05.720 |
So I'm gonna give you two applications, though, 00:44:15.720 |
pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching. 00:44:20.240 |
NIV says watch your life and doctrine closely. 00:44:56.880 |
Are you being holy as he has called you to be holy, 00:45:10.040 |
Live like you believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:45:12.960 |
is good news in front of those you want to be saved. 00:45:16.520 |
But like I shared with you, I have no salvific power. 00:45:22.400 |
I could do nothing to change someone's heart, 00:45:28.240 |
And we're gonna look at one last passage before I close.