Culture – Household of God

kind of break from what we were doing and talk about culture and how it applies

to the household of God and this is in continuation to what we ended up talking

about last week so I thought we need to clarify it further and culture anyways

is something that the people of God must possess and we might just focus on the

household of God and then go on to other parts of our lives that the culture of

the King applies to so why do we need to talk about this because there is the

spirit of this age there is the spirit of this age and so are you saying it's a

demonic power or something let's just call it the prevalent nature of how

things are in the world there's a German word zeitgeist which talks about this

idea of the spirit that is prevalent in a place and it begins to affect

everything it does is like have you seen the movie matrix it's like that it's

everywhere and so what happens is the spirit of this age always tries to fit

you fits you into the mold of prevalent culture into the mold of prevalent

culture that's that's one of the things it does Paul talked about it he instead

of calling it the spirit of the age in Colossians he begins to talk about it as

the traditions of men the philosophies of the world and the elemental spirits

of the world he uses the word stoic here which means which scholars are still

debating but basically it is both the things that make up the prevalent

culture and that which is spiritual from the evil side so it tries to fit you

into the mold of prevalent culture now what is one of two things that we can

look at today that is so so easily identifiable in prevalent culture one it

exalts the individual it exalts the individual and two it elevates it

elevates majority opinion over truth and biblical patterns so you've got to be

aware of this a it exalts the individual and it elevates majority opinion over

truth and over biblical patterns and both are diametrically opposed to what

God is building one of the things he did when he took our fragmented lives have

baptized us into the body is to suddenly say to us that yes I created you and I

have given you a personality and individuality that is so unique but I

need you to know that it is no longer primary it is secondary to something

called a new man or the body of Christ and when we still cause the individual

to be exalted be it a pastor or be it someone who's not doesn't matter it goes

against what Christ is building on the earth and two it elevates majority

and biblical patterns well because a group of people say so it becomes say so

not true and this will if this is prevalent culture then know that it will

try to worm its way into the church and when things like this worm their way

into the church someone needs to take a stand and say that's far and no further

and that someone must be you you think that that someone must be a pastor or

someone must be a leader no that someone must be you

it's also a culture the spirit of this age also castrates Kingdom potency it

castrates Kingdom potency it castrates Kingdom potency by valuing by one

valuing facts over truth valuing facts over truth by valuing common sense over

power as in the power of God and valuing restrained free independence

restrained free free independence over dependence and order this then also

should be countered because remember one of the things we are trying to create on

earth is a counterculture and if you're trying to create a cult counterculture

you can't allow this to happen who can't allow this to happen the pastor no

yes the shepherd has a responsibility but so do you the powerful thing about

cultures once culture becomes dominant it becomes very hard to operate outside

of it try going to Saudi Arabia and behaving as you want and see what

happens because the cultures become the dominant culture therefore you have to

begin to either adjust to it or decide that this is in the place and so when it

comes to kingdom culture it castrates kingdom the prevalent spirit of the age

castrates Kingdom potency by valuing facts over truth yeah that might be what

Jesus said but this is the fact and you might say that Jesus does it I haven't

seen it done and this is the fact and so that's it not true it must be opposed

because it's only a matter of time before it'll undermine to common sense

overpower that it would make more sense if he did it this way true but if the

power of God wants to operate then we'll have to obey obedience always

releases power sacrifice always provokes fire Elijah obeyed power showed and then

the last one is restraint free independence versus dependence and

order restraint free independence as in not only do I want to be independent

it's the prevalent nature of the spirit of the world right now I want to be

independent you can't tell me what to do and I have to be restrained free you

cannot impose anything on me versus dependence and order because right from

the beginning God is an hour God of order and remember this we said this

long ago we must be God dependent and body reliant God dependent and body

reliant and when this is when this rises up its ugly head it must be stopped not

chopped it must be stopped because this is the spirit of the age and to allow

this into the bride dressed in blemish this silk white is evil

said

it's a spirit that contaminates make sure that this message if there are

people here who are who aren't here to listen to this tell them to listen to

this because we all need to hear this this will be heard in Bahrain this will

be heard in Australia this will be heard in different parts of the world but we

may need to make sure that people here hear it too so Remy and Hamari are

hearing it anyone else who is missing needs to hear this third it's a spirit

that contaminates it's a spirit that contaminates with this is from Colossians

with the philosophies of men with the traditions of men and with demonic

principles Paul says elemental spirits of the world these are the three

prevalent things from the spirit of the age and they must be countered and we

will fail sometimes our present philosophy might be warped actually what

if what acts 29 presently believes is warped what if some of the things we

practice other traditions of men but if we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit

he will either send people or send the word or will send enough truth to come

out from within the body to say there's something wrong we need to fix it

because what if we are already caught up in this what if some of the things I'm

teaching our traditions of men or the philosophies of the world and if that is

the case then we have to correct it this is not some decree from the top this is

not a pastor trying to tell you to behave but if you want to create a counter

culture these things cannot be allowed and if we allow these things after God

begins to bring up truth if we allow these things then when you don't believe

practice what God has said usually deception follows usually deception

follows it says so in second Thessalonians 2 10 how when truth is

refused deception follows and not only that once deception follows you begin

to circulate falsehoods

if you go to numbers 14 36 in the message numbers 14 36 in the message you'll see

that when people don't believe or do what they're told by God then deception

follows and it's only a matter of time before they start circulating falsehoods

numbers 14 verse 36 from the message

Numbers 14:36

here's what it says so it happened that the men Moses sent to scout the land

returned to circulate false rumors about the land causing the entire community to

grumble against Moses it's only natural these are just natural progressions when

I decide that I am not going to subscribe to listen to or practice the truth of what

God has said so that's a prevalent nature of the spirit of the age any

questions before we go on to the culture of God

Jeremy can I share where's Jeremy

Jeremy can I share what you said when you first came to this church about the

question spot yeah she had come to the church and she she was wondering why

people ask questions in the middle of the service so she called a friend of

hers and she said I think it's a Canadian thing sorry you called up your

brother and you said that this is it seems like a Canadian thing they ask

questions in the middle of the service so till someone told you no it's not a

normal thing right yeah and so all to say why do we need to ask questions in

the middle of a service because it is through debate argument discussion and

bringing up counterpoints that the truth can be settled and so to take that away

at any point it's not going to be happening in this church for a long time

because things must be challenged things must be challenged

pardon or clarified things must be challenged or clarified we'll talk about

how it should be challenged and clarified we'll talk about that when I

talk about challenge and clarify you will see in acts 15 how the word used in

acts 15 is and there was a debate but there is a there is an intent and a way

it should be done and we'll be talking about that today

okay if there are no questions on the spirit of the age then let's talk about

the culture of God culture if you want to define it is the collective mindset

is the collective mindset of a people that one governs their conduct and

their conduct and response

two shapes their nature

and purpose

and three births their vision

and future

culture is a collective mindset of a people where people collectively think a

certain way and in thinking that way they begin to it begins to govern their

conduct and their response it begins to shape their nature and their purpose

it begins to shape their nature and their purpose and it begins to birth

their vision and the future that's what culture does and so it's critical every

church must have God culture and then after that have traits that are from God

that are given to them to hold on to

everything okay Derek

any question on this definition

if there is a law of the land then the if it if you're talking about the church

the church has to see if the law of the land contradicts the culture of the

kingdom and if it does then we will know whether culture is just a loosely held

belief or it's a conviction the difference between a belief and a

conviction is that beliefs can change convictions send you to prison

people of God have a culture too people of God have a culture

people of God have a culture and it is a collective way of thinking

a collective way of thinking like God a collective way of thinking like God

that makes God visible

a collective way of thinking like that God that makes God visible

thinking like that, God that makes God visible. How you think will affect how

you function and therefore if a people called the people of God make it their

aim that their culture will be based on how God thinks and how he thinks is

clearly outlined. Paul goes into extremes to send letters to the church

saying this is how households are administrated, this is how fathers and

mothers are, this is how children should be, this is how slaves are. He covers

everything that was societal but he tells them that this is a culture that

applies to your society. You cannot go to the Roman guilds even though you're a

businessman. You cannot bow to Caesar. There are no two gods. You can't bow to

Caesar and to God. You can't slum with the demons one day and then sit at the

Lord's table. He goes out of his way to establish a culture in a society that

was more corrupt, more permeating, more punishing than what we live in. And so if

we begin to think like God it's only then that God is made visible. Your culture

makes whatever you believe in visible. Why is it that I know certain people

come from India, certain people come from China, certain people come from the UK?

Their very culture is made evident. What they eat, how they talk, the way they

dress, the way they react to weather.

This is culture is God's way, culture is God's way, culture is God's way of

claiming, of claiming his people to subscribe to a manner of living, to

subscribe to a manner of living. This is what he was trying to do with the slave

people that he delivered from Egypt. Let me get you out of there. Exodus was only

the beginning. Let me get you out of there. Then let me bring you to Mount

Sinai and in Mount Sinai let me give you a constitution to live by and that

constitution should make, become your culture because that constitution will

make you different from every other nation in the world. And that is when

Israel begins to want to free itself of restraint. Every time you try to free

yourself from the restraints and the order of God you will always end up with

a tyrant. So Israel says we want a king like others. We don't want God as our

ruler. We want a king like every other nation and Samuel is heartbroken. God

says Samuel stop crying. This is what they want. Give it to them but tell them

what will happen when they receive a king and he outlines what will happen

when you get a king but Israel still wants a king. What is the plumb line

then guys? The plumb line is the word of God and the spirit of God and that is

why we need debate and questions because you cannot arrive at a plumb line with

one man holding it and say this is how you should be because then that man

becomes a tyrant. I become the bridegroom then if I'm to hold that

plumb line but in asking questions in arguing you can then arrive at the same

conclusion that they arrived in in Acts 15 where they say it felt good to us and

to the Holy Spirit and then they propose what needs to be proposed but the plumb

line must be derived from the word of God and the spirit of God and it is no

one man's opinion or interpretation and that is why questions must be asked but

we'll talk about how it should be asked. Not how it should be asked. You can ask

any which way but the intent where are we heading with questions what is the

reason we should ask questions? There will always be an attempt guys there

will always be an attempt to subvert culture there will always be an attempt

to subvert culture because it changes because it can change because it can

change the course it can change the course of a people in one generation so

there'll always be an attempt there will always be an attempt. Satan will always

attempt to subvert culture. In one generation you can lose culture. Judges

Judges 2:10

chapter 2 verse 10 and then there came a generation after Joshua who did not know

the gods of their who did not know the God of their fathers. How in a matter of

35 to 40 years do children forget the God who brought them out of Egypt into

the promised land in one generation. Look at Daniel chapter 1 verse 3 or 6

Daniel 1:3

and you see what Nebuchadnezzar did. He gathered to himself about 19,000 or

20,000 young men and women of high quality from Jerusalem and he brought

them to Babylon and he said I will teach them the ways of Babylon and he changed

their names these were Jewish boys and girls and he had them eat at his table

kosher food was abandoned things were served on the table that a Jew does not

eat. Out of 20,000 that were carried to Israel four refused. 19,996 succumbed.

You're talking about 20,000 of the finest of Israel of the future

compromised at Nebuchadnezzar's table who completely indoctrinated them in the

ways of Babylon. He even changed the names of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and

Abednego because you really don't know their real names which is Hananiah,

Michelle and Azariah. This has been going on for thousands and thousands of years

and it is going on even now and it will happen to us which is why I'm teaching

this. Sometimes the way it works, Paul put it this way in Acts chapter 20 he

Acts 20 · chapter mention

said after I leave savage wolves will come to ravish you from the outside and

some from within will rise up and cause strife. I'm appointing you as shepherds

of the flock to guard the flock against the ravage. So it can happen from outside

or it can happen from inside. When culture is subverted from within or

without what happens is the church is no longer a place. When culture is

subverted the church is no longer a place. Church is no longer a place of

presence and it is no longer a pillar of truth. It is no longer a pillar of truth

that can combat heresy or the traditions of men. All the traditions of men. If

culture gets subverted the church is no longer a place of presence and isn't

this a condition of thousands and thousands of churches and do you think

anyone begins to build a church with the intent that I want to make sure that I'm

a diluted adulterated contaminated church. Everyone starts with the best of

intentions like us but there are thousands and thousands of churches like

us who at some point get subverted and the church is no longer a place of

presence and it's no longer a pillar of truth that can combat the traditions of

men. Heresy is a little easier. Traditions of men is difficult. Jesus said

it very plainly. There is only one thing that opposes the word that is stronger

than the word. It's the traditions of men. The traditions of men can nullify the

word of God. Crazy eh? That strong.

In 1st Timothy 3.15 we see Paul trying to establish household culture. When I say

household I'm not talking about house churches. Paul used to call every church

a household of God. Whether it would met in the house of Herod, whether it met in

the house of Phoebe, it didn't matter. He called them households. If you go to 1st

Timothy 3.15, 1st Timothy 3.15, reading from the NIV, 1st Timothy 3.15, it says

that although starting at verse 14, although I come I hope to come to you

soon I'm writing you these instructions so that if I am delayed you will know

how people ought to. It's not even how people I suggest should. How people ought

to. There is order. It's not a suggestion. God doesn't make suggestions.

If I'm delayed you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's

household. And then he tells you what God's household is. It is the church of

the living God as in the presence of God. The pillar and the foundation of truth.

And so when you read the preceding passages that Paul writes to Timothy

with regard to how he needs to set up the household you'll find that some of

the things that come with a culture of a household or a church, culture of a

household, Paul defines in four broad categories. One is identity. The second

one is relationships. The third one is authority. The fourth one is responsibility.

Identity, relationships, authority, responsibilities. These are the four

different things that culture affects. Identity, relationship, authority,

responsibility. Culture affects all of this. What is our identity of the church?

How do relationships function and what when relationships break? What when

relationships go wrong? What relationships need to be fixed? Authority,

how should authority be exerted? How is it exerted wrongly? If it is exerted

wrongly what do you do? And if authority is actually immoral or irresponsible

what should you do? And finally responsibilities. What is our

responsibility? All this is affected by culture. You know this is not new. As far

back as numbers or Exodus do you know what was in the ark? Do you know what

what was in the ark? You had the ark. The ark was made of wood. It was covered with

gold. On top was a cover. On the top of the cover was two angels with their wings

held out. It was called the mercy seat and the glory of God will literally

dwell between the two angels and where the mercy seat was. And the ark was

laid with gold. So we know the ark was the presence of God. What else was in the ark?

Tablets. So you had the Ten Commandments, the tablets that were placed inside the

ark. Why were the tablets placed inside the ark? It was to show future

generations that this is the moral excellence or the truth of God. It seemed

like laws that had to be followed and Jesus completely changed it. You may have

heard it said that you should not murder. I say to you that do not even be angry.

You may have heard it said that do not commit adultery. I say to you that you

should not even look with lust at somebody. You may have heard it said

that's an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. I say to you that if your

neighbor slaps you on one cheek, give him the other cheek. He just ups the ante because he wants to show through the Old Testament that there is a moral excellence that I expect because I am your God. The tablets were supposed to display for generations this is who I am. It was the excellence of God. What else was there in the ark?

Mana and Aaron's rod. Aaron's staff. You read about it in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 3 to 5. Paul is talking about the earthly sanctuary and he begins to describe it. Mana. What is mana? Deuteronomy 8.3. Why did he give mana? He said from now on I want you guys to know. Jesus repeated it later on. He said man shall not live by bread alone. You will not sustain your life by self-generated means of sustenance. You will live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not

Hebrews 9:3–5

live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone

You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by

eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You will not live by eating bread alone. You

do not live by eating bread alone. You do not live by eating bread alone. You do not live

today in the congregation of Christ. So this is not something new, this has been going

on for the last four thousand years. Both the human problems and God's solution have

been consistent, unfortunately. Any questions? Any questions?

Okay. The stronger the permeation of culture, the stronger the permeation of culture through

a people, the stronger the permeation of culture through a people, the easier it is to move

in one-mindedness. The easier it is to move in one-mindedness. This is, once we move in

one-mindedness, Psalm 133 happens. What happens in Psalm 133? Two things begin to flow. The

first thing that begins to flow is anointing, the oil that drips down Aaron's beard onto

his robes. The second thing that begins to flow in verse three is blessing. An entire

congregation or a people begin to experience these two things. This is not something, a

culture is not created through a teaching like this. A culture has to be painstakingly chiseled

because there are things in our culture at Acts 29 that are defective. There are things that I

have taught that need to be reshaped. Culture evolves because God's truth keeps bringing to

light newer things, newer things, newer things. So if we want the permeation of culture to affect

us, we've got to make sure that whatever is permeating is really good stuff. This is why

we need to look at stale stuff and say, out with this, bring in the refreshingly new from the

spirit. It is important. What do you think is happening in the letters to the churches in the

book of Revelation? What do you think is happening? These churches, most of them were established

by Paul. Paul built well. He builds all those churches. In fact, he was responsible for almost

all those churches, Ephesus, Midna. And along comes Christ a few years later and he's sending

letters to all the churches. Why? Because they had gone stale, things had fallen across. Look how

far you have fallen from your first love. Each of those letters is a call back to get it right.

Otherwise, I will come and snuff out your lampstand. What is snuffing out your lampstand? A whole lot

of songs but no presence. Snuffing out of your lampstand is not the end of the church. The church

can continue. The building can last forever but you are partaking of the grace of dead people and

an institution, not of the living Christ. There is a reason Sunday school needs to be retooled. It's

not Barry's fault or Videsha's fault. There is a reason the church needs to be retooled. It's not

Jacob's fault or Derek's fault or Mae's fault. There is a reason house churches need to be retooled.

It's not the leaders fault. Everything must be retooled. Derek must be retooled. Mae must be

retooled. I must be retooled. And so must you. But understand why the contents of the ark were the

contents of the ark. And if it permeates, then look at the beautiful thing that happens and

everybody benefits. God is true. He does not lie. He does not exaggerate. He does not say things

like a tease who makes you jump high and jump higher saying jump a little higher, jump a little

higher. He doesn't do that. When he says something, he plans to deliver. In which case he's saying

that if you begin to operate by the way I think, then here's what I'll do for you. You will be able

to move in one-mindedness. And the moment one-mindedness happens, two things begin to

flow. Anointing, as in the anointing of the spirit and blessings. And who benefits? Everybody.

Therefore, if you come up with something that is true, then I don't have a choice but to have

the humility to match my mind to the truth you have brought up.

The entire letter of Philippians is just about this. There were two women fighting,

Yodia and Synteki. Both were Paul's friends. Paul is not laying the blame on anyone. But he says to

both of them, listen, you need to fix this. You need to be one-minded. Then he goes on to say,

look at Christ. He was equal to God, but he was humble enough to become a slave. Look at me.

I have done whatever it needs to be one-minded. Look at Timothy. He's one-minded. Look at Epaphroditus.

He's one-minded. Now, dear sisters, would you be one-minded too? As we retool, if things are

brought to our attention that, okay, there's a problem with how Sheldon functions. He's the

only one not in the room, right? So we can talk behind his back. So there is a way Sheldon

functions. Then Sheldon does not have a choice but to be humble enough to tell you that he's

a slave to his choice, but to be humble enough to change so that one-mindedness may prevail.

May none of us be caught resisting one-mindedness because of pride or because of an opinion or

because of restraint-free independence or because of a lie, because it will be countered in this

church because it should not be. You are not more important than what Christ wants, though you are

not. Neither am I.

Everything radiates from, everything radiates, everything radiates

from God-crafted,

everything must radiate or everything radiates from God-crafted

biblical ways

of collective thinking.

It must affect our theology, it must affect our practice, it must affect our mission,

it must affect each person

because God is creating a royal priesthood, a royal church, a royal church of the Lord.

Because God is creating a royal priesthood

and a royal priesthood with a peculiar culture

that the world will oppose.

Part of the reason we are not hated by the world and Jesus's words are not true for us is perhaps

because our culture is not completely counter to the world. Jesus said it this way,

if you begin to follow me and my words abide in you and you begin to follow my words, I want you to know

that you will be hated by the world. Probably we are not counter-cultural enough.

And if you resist or if I resist or you resist, isolate or rebel against

God-crafted,

biblical ways of collective thinking you will kick against the goads.

and if you resist or if I resist or you resist, isolate or rebel against

you will kick against the goats.

I know that's not how we talk nowadays.

In fact, NIV and ESV don't even use that word.

So, in India you'll still see it, eh?

You got these buffaloes that plow the field

and the farmer who drives them has a stick

with a very sharp end.

And so, if the buffaloes start misbehaving,

he won't poke them, he'll just hold the stick

near their feet.

So, every time they kick, it begins to come against

the sharp point and they suddenly line up.

This is what happened to Paul.

At one point, Jesus says to Paul when he's on the road

to Damascus, he says, Paul, Paul, why are you persecuting me?

It won't end well for you.

Stop kicking against the goats.

Meaning, if you rebel, if you isolate,

if you resist the truth, it will hurt your feet.

Don't.

Goats, D-O-A-D-S.

Just what I explained.

The thing that pierces them.

Yeah.

Like I said, we don't need to use this language.

They'll think you're calling someone a toad,

so don't go down this road, eh?

Yeah.

King James is even worse.

It says, do not kick against the pricks.

Yeah, so it gets worse.

Like in today's this thing, it would really mess up things.

So, let's, I just used that phrase just to show you

what happens when I resist the truth,

when I rebel against the truth.

What happens is it keeps doing this.

It hurts you.

It hurts you.

That's what God was trying to say to Paul.

Okay.

So now, how do we debate?

How do we discuss?

How do we talk?

There's a culture to that, too.

Culture is not the interpretation of one man.

Culture is not, and should not,

be the interpretation of one man.

Of one man trying to promote a doctrine,

trying to promote a doctrine.

The goal in all our discussions and debates

and all that stuff, the goal,

and even with culture, the goal of culture is to

conform the body to the body.

So, the body is the body.

The body is the body.

The body is the body.

To the maturity

or stature of Christ.

That should be the goal.

If that goalpost shifts,

it becomes either ugly or personal or self-promoting

or the self-promotion of a doctrine

or a denomination or a pet theory.

This has to be always central,

that in everything we do to raise up a culture,

why are we creating a culture so that people

can be conformed to or made mature

or conformed to the stature of Christ?

If that is not the end goal, then it's pointless.

What are we trying to do?

To think like Christ so that we become like Christ.

So, if that is not the aim of this teaching,

then this teaching is worth nothing.

And so, this is why, because it can't be

one man's interpretation, because it can't be

the promotion of some particular doctrine,

culture must evolve.

Culture must evolve.

By that I mean, must evolve in the direction

that Christ wants it to go.

Culture must evolve.

It must stand, it must stand the test

of debate, questioning, discussions.

If you go to Acts 15, verse six and seven,

study it, verse five.

Then some of the believers who belong to the party

of the Pharisees stood up and said,

the Gentiles must be circumcised

and required to keep the law of Moses.

The apostles and the elders met to consider this question.

After much discussion, Peter микed up and addressed them.

Brothers, you know that some time ago,

God made a choice among you that the Gentiles

might hear from the lips of the apostles.

It was a very important choice.

They might hear from the lips,

from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

God who knows the heart showed that he accepted them

by giving the Holy Spirit to them.

There was a debate or a discussion.

If you go to the ESV, it says, Acts 15, verse seven,

after, and after there had been much debate,

Peter stood up and said to them,

this was right off the bat, hey?

And so there must be discussion and debate.

Otherwise what happens is, it is possible

for one man's interpretation to rule the roost.

And some of the debates have to be one on one

because you really wanna know what scriptures say.

Some of the debates have to be open

so that others hear and begin to think.

Christians must be thinking people.

And things that may have been important five years ago

may not be important now

because people have caught on to the principle.

So,

forms can change once the principle is caught.

In our debates or discussions or questions

or whatever you wanna call it,

in our debates, this is super important, hey?

In our debates, the intent

is to arrive

at the mind of Christ

through the word

and spirit.

Please, I can't emphasize this enough.

In our questioning, in our discussion,

if this is not your intent,

hold your peace and do not speak.

If this is not your intent,

if your intent is not,

I must arrive at the mind of Christ.

Therefore, I will ask questions

because I must think like Christ.

If that is not your intent,

hold your peace and do not speak.

Because this is not a forum like

the Areopagus in Mars Hill

where Paul turned up to speak to Greeks

who wanted something trendy to talk about.

This is not that kind of a forum.

This must be the intent.

And if you know this is the intent,

then have the confidence to ask questions, discuss,

and debate.

Because that's the way that Jesus used to arrive

at the truth when he used to teach

and when he was 12 years old standing in the temple.

That was the Jewish way of teaching.

I'm not saying we need to go Jewish in anything.

I'm just saying it was not abnormal.

If that is your intent, great.

But if the intent is not that,

and it is any one of these things,

one, brewing dissension.

And if you don't understand any of it,

I will explain brewing dissension.

Two, exalting your experience

exalting your experience

as tragic or as deep as it might be.

Exalting your experience over the word.

Or if it is resisting inconvenient truth,

because you don't like it,

because you know what will happen if you agree to it.

If it is any of these, then do not speak.

This is not a forum for that.

You can speak one on one.

I appreciated the questions that Vivian asked last Sunday.

They came from a place where she wanted to know things.

Questions must be asked,

but the intent should be to arrive at the mind of Christ.

But if the intent is brewing dissension,

or if the intent is exalting my own experience

over the word saying,

no, no, but this is true.

This is what I have experienced.

Well, Jacob, it might be your experience,

but it's anecdotal,

and it does not match up with the word,

or does not confirm with the word,

then Jacob, please hold your experience.

Not important.

And third, resisting inconvenient truths,

where this is the truth,

but it may be the truth, but no.

If it's the truth, then work through the shades of truth

that you need to work through to arrive at white or black.

But we can't resist inconvenient truth

in this forum through questions.

Not done.

This is not Mars Hill, and we are not Greeks.

There is a Greek restaurant close by, though.

Any questions before we move on?

Any questions?

Yep.

Yeah.

Privately, that's exactly what I said.

Come and talk one on one.

Yeah, I mean, that, guys,

there is a lot of people who are not aware

that, guys, there have been times where I know

that I have been discussed over lunch in certain homes.

It's called pastor roast.

That's what people have had for lunch.

Not pot roast.

It happens.

Once in a while, if it happens because I've hurt you,

that's okay, but if it's a regular thing,

do not kick against the goats, guys.

I won't be hurt, sticks and stones,

but your shin will pain.

No, it hurts me, okay?

I'm not impervious to it.

When I hear about things that people say,

yeah, it bothers me.

But it's not so bothersome that it harms me a long time.

Yeah, so conspiratorial whispering,

without bringing it up when it is one of these three things,

is not good.

You will kick against the goats.

We'll talk about how do we deal with then leaders

that are not functioning well.

What if Jacob is being a jerk?

What do we do then?

There's culture for that too.

Kingdom culture has principles that are binding.

Kingdom culture has, that's not Kansas City teeth,

that's just kingdom culture.

Kingdom culture has principles that are binding.

When skirted or compromised,

when skirted or compromised,

when skirted or compromised,

we lose our distinctiveness.

We lose our distinctiveness

and we become like movements in the world.

We become like organizations or movements in the world.

So these are binding principles.

These are not just about the world.

These are binding principles.

These are not suggestions.

These are not things that we can skirt around.

I've seen people better than me,

pastors that are more popular, more prominent,

more powerful, more truthful than me

skirt these principles to their demise.

One of the things that happens

when you skirt these principles is like David,

you will have war follow your house till the day you die.

You will live.

You will write Psalm 51.

You will write Psalm 139.

You will write 40 other good Psalms.

People will sing it,

but the sword will never leave your house.

That's what happened to David

because of what he did to Uriah.

These are binding.

I pray God that I don't break them.

The other thing is guys,

when I teach this, it is very easy to think,

but what about this?

What about that?

What about this?

The reason we are teaching is so that

the this and the that and the that

that you're thinking about can be addressed.

So instead of thinking, what about that guy?

What about this guy?

What about that that happened?

What about this that happened?

Stop!

The very reason we are teaching it

is so that we can correct ourselves.

So correct your heart first.

You think after teaching this,

if I don't do this,

you think I won't be judged?

I'll be judged harsher than you, men.

James chapter three, verse one.

Think of yourself first

before you think of an incident

or think of something else.

This is why anyone missing today

needs to hear this message

because this is for the entire Acts 29.

Okay, so here are the principles

that we need to apply.

Apply these principles.

What when a brother sins against you?

Should a brother sin against you?

Should a brother or a sister sin against you?

What do we do?

Let's go to math first.

Let's think of a brother.

Let's think of a sister.

What do we do?

What does a brother do?

What do courting do?

What does a sister do?

What do we do?

What do we do when a brother sins against you?

Let's go to Matthew 18, 15 to 17.

Matthew 18, 15 to 17.

If your brother sins against you,

go and tell him it's fault

between you and him alone.

If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

But if he doesn't listen to you,

take one or two others along with you.

That every charge may be established

by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

If he refuses to listen to them,

tell it to the church.

And if he refuses to listen even to the church,

let him to be to you,

in our language it would be,

let him be to you as a Maple Leaf fan

or a Vegas Golden Knights fan.

Yeah?

So that's how it would translate.

Meaning, let him be like pariahs to you.

So, should a brother sin against you,

the first thing is, and sometimes it is hard

when the person is a person in authority.

So let's assume that James has a problem with me,

and he finds me overbearing and too intimidating.

So for him it might be difficult to come to me

and say, I see this fault in you.

If that is the case, then James must try and see

if he can convey that message to me

through someone else who he knows,

has my ear and can tell me

that James has been done harm by me.

But if that is not the situation,

there is no fear of being overbearing or intimidating,

then James, the first thing is James comes to me

and talks to me about it.

If that doesn't work, then he takes Nick and Matt with him,

because Nick and Matt were there when the incident happened.

And it must be established by two or three witnesses.

And when that doesn't work,

then you come and tell the church

or some of the leaders of the church.

And then if that doesn't work,

then you should begin to treat Jacob

as you would a Maple Leaf fan.

What does that look like?

Next Sunday when I turn up in church, nobody turns up.

Please come.

Let's look at another principle.

What if a leader sins?

What if a leader sins?

What if a leader sins?

Let's go to 1 Timothy 5.

1 Timothy 5, 19.

1 Timothy 5, 19 to 21.

So the first step in the whole if a leader sins

is do not entertain an accusation against an elder

or a leader in our case,

unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.

As in, just because one person says it is not enough.

Have others experienced it?

Okay, so nobody was there when this leader did what was wrong.

Well then, let's look at another principle.

Have you noticed the same thing happening with say,

I did harm to Mark,

and Mark is just by himself.

There was no one around him when I did harm to him.

So now what does he do?

It cannot be entertained.

So he finds out that Jagan went through the same experience

and that Nick went through the same experience.

Now something can be established by two or three witnesses.

But Jacob has this consistent pattern of doing this.

So that's the first step.

And if you don't like this, it is binding.

It has nothing to do with Acts 29.

So do not entertain an accusation against an elder

unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.

But those elders who are sinning,

you are to reprove before everyone.

As in, call them out publicly.

This is what most churches avoid.

They send you off to Dubai or to China for six months,

and nobody knows what you really did here.

Reprove them publicly.

So what does this mean?

It means that you have to be reprote.

So that others may take warning.

And then Paul puts in an extra line

so that you don't escape the severity of it.

And he says, I charge you in the sight of God

and Christ Jesus and the elect angels

to keep these instructions without partiality

and to do nothing out of favoritism.

That is what is expected of me.

If you bring a charge against a leader,

he will not be able to do anything.

If you bring a charge against a leader here,

and it is proven, and it's a habit,

this is what is asked of.

And the same applies to me.

These are binding.

This is part of culture.

Let's look at another.

How about if wholesome, straightforward teaching

is contradicted?

What if wholesome, straightforward teaching,

as in there's no Greek and Hebrew necessary,

straightforward teaching,

what if it's being taught and it's being contradicted?

What happens then?

What happens if it's being taught

and it's being contradicted?

It's being contradicted.

What happens then?

Let's go to 1 Timothy 3,

1 Timothy 3,

3 to 6.

No, not 1 Timothy 3.

Yeah, 1 Timothy 3.

Where am I?

This is what if people don't listen

to wholesome teaching,

they want to contradict wholesome teaching.

Okay, I'll have to find the scripture.

I thought it was 1 Timothy 3, 3 to 6, but it's not.

Okay, on the other hand, guys,

since we are talking about leaders

and talking about brothers or offenders,

what about following Hebrews 13, 17?

And this is a, if you're not leading a house church

or something in this church,

is this your attitude?

Hebrews 13, Hebrews 13,

Hebrews 13:17

verse 17, Hebrews 13, verse 17,

Hebrews 13:17

is this how you are?

Have confidence in your leaders

and submit to their authority

because they keep watch over you

as those who must give an account.

Do this so that their work will be a joy,

not a burden,

for that would be of no benefit to you.

Let me read it from the message.

Ask yourself that question.

Do you make it harder?

Do you bring them joy?

Because as much as the leaders are responsible,

our responsibility is also there.

Or how about the other scripture,

which we all know, 1 Timothy 5, 17,

1 Timothy 5, 17,

1 Timothy 5, 17,

1 Timothy 5, 17,

reading from the NIV.

The leaders or elders who direct the affairs of the church well

are worthy of double honor,

especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

So if your leader, the one in your house church or this leader,

is doing his work well,

then he is worthy of double honor.

I'm not even talking about money,

talking about the respect and the honor that must be given.

Worthy of double honor,

especially those who work in preaching and teaching.

It requires humility from both sides, eh?

And is that your heart condition?

Is that my heart condition?

And you thought the kingdom of God had no culture,

my God, he's got a constitution full of how households must be administrated.

And then if there are those that are floundering,

go to Jude, and we'll end with that and go to something else.

Jude, Jude 1, 17.

Jude 1, 17.

Jude 1, 17.

But remember, dear friends, reading from the message,

that the apostles of our master Jesus Christ told us this would happen.

In the last days there will be people who don't take these things seriously anymore.

They'll treat them like a joke and make a religion of their own whims and lusts.

These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves.

There's nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in the most holy faith

by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love,

keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our master Jesus Christ.

This is the unending life, the real life.

Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith.

Go after those who take the wrong way.

Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin.

The sin itself stinks to high heaven.

Thank you.

Hopefully I'll be back next Sunday to continue with this.

But two of the things I wanted to talk about is what must we expect of shepherds,

and why do we need shepherds?

What must we expect of shepherds, and why do we need shepherds?

I wanted to read a certain passage.

Go to Numbers 11.

Numbers 11.

Why do we need shepherds?

Numbers 11.

This is what Moses is expected to do,

but because people were being difficult, he started whining about it.

The process of shepherding is not easy.

As wonderful as this church is, and I know I've said that many, many, many times,

and I mean it, and sometimes thinking of it makes me weep, especially during Christmas,

and it's coming soon, but here's what is expected of a shepherd,

and you can read Ezekiel 34 and it'll say it again,

but Moses started whining because it was getting really difficult for him.

Let me read it from the NIV.

Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents.

The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.

Moses asked the Lord,

Why have you brought this trouble on your servant?

What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?

Did I conceive all these people?

Did I give them birth?

Why do you tell them to carry me in my arms as a nurse carries an infant

to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?

Where can I get meat for all these people?

They keep wailing to me, give us meat to eat.

I cannot carry all these people by myself.

The burden is too heavy for me.

If this is how you're going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me

if I have found favor in your eyes.

Do not let me face my own ruin.

That's when he's whining.

Now let's turn it to the positive.

Okay, this is what a shepherd beat in a house church with two people

or in a church with 50 people is supposed to do.

Here's what they're supposed to do.

I conceived these people.

I gave them birth.

I will carry them in my arms as a nurse carries an infant

to the land that you have promised them.

I will find meat to feed all these people.

When they wail, I'll find meat.

I will carry these people by myself.

The burden may be heavy, but I will continue going through it.

Give me life so that I may continue with this.

This is what you do with your children.

Moses was whining because it got difficult.

My hope is that every person in this church at some point will become a shepherd.

Why do we need shepherds?

Because if there aren't enough shepherds, there won't be enough sheep.

Go to Matthew.

Go to Matthew 9.35-38.

Matthew 9.35-38.

Matthew 9.35-38.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages,

teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom,

healing every disease and sickness.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them

because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples,

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,

to send out workers into his harvest field.

What was he praying?

We think he was praying for missionaries.

He was not praying for missionaries.

He saw people and he saw that they were sheep without a shepherd.

So he said, Ask for more.

Ask for more what?

Shepherds. Why?

So that the sheep may not be shepherdess.

So what does that mean?

That means that at some point,

Matt Dirtz and Vignesh and Vidisha and Sharon and Josh and Jonathan and James

and anybody here should be able at one point to say,

Aha, I have learnt enough.

I can now begin to shepherd.

But there are binding rules, there is order,

and without it, it doesn't happen.

That is what the harvest is requiring.

But we'll talk about all that next week.

In Ezekiel 34,

it says, Shepherds bind the injured.

Shepherds,

Shepherds

bind

the injured.

Shepherds carry the young.

Shepherds feed.

Shepherds search for strays.

Shepherds lay down their lives.

One of the things I want to do during our break from house churches

is to gather the shepherds that lead house churches right now

and say to them, These are the areas that you need to be better in.

These are the areas that you need to pull up your socks in

so that everybody has an experience next year

of more of the Father through you

than less of the Father through you.

That's the intent.

But these are some of the things shepherds do.

The strange thing is,

this is not advertised.

Nobody is going around,

Jane is not going around,

or I'm not going around saying, This is what I did.

So let me be foolish like Paul said.

In 2 Corinthians 12,

there are people in this church who WhatsApp Heidi and me

at any time in the night,

3 o'clock, 4 o'clock,

it doesn't matter which country I am or Heidi is,

2 o'clock,

and either she or I will get up then and pray for that person.

And this is not just one.

I'm talking about this church,

I'm not even talking about Bahrain or some other place.

So when you sometimes hear stories of,

Oh, doesn't look like this person is being taken care of,

doesn't look like that person is being taken care of,

don't believe everything.

The ones you have in this church are better than me or Heidi.

And they will be better coming January 2024.

So don't believe everything.

And they will be better coming January 2024.

They'll pull themselves out even more

because we want to create a culture that is counter to the world,

counter to the best organizations in the world.

The strange thing is some of you are already shepherds

who can function really well.

But if you are restrained free independent shepherds,

you ain't a real shepherd.

You're a hireling.

Any questions?

What's the difference between a hireling and a shepherd?

Very simple.

They come in through the gate.

And the gate is the Spirit of God and Christ.

And they come into the body.

That's the difference between a hireling and a shepherd.

Both can shepherd well, but one is a hireling, one is a shepherd.

How do we know the difference?

Jesus said it this way.

The true shepherd is coming through the gate.

That is how you distinguish between skilled shepherds,

but one is a hireling, one is real.

How do you know you're ready to be a shepherd?

Are some of these things what you're already doing?

Are you binding up the injured?

Are you carrying the young?

Are you feeding those that are hungry?

Are you searching for strays?

Are you laying down your life?

But how would you know what to feed them if you haven't been fed?

How would you know how to bind the injured if you haven't been taught?

If I bind an injury and Rhonda or Heidi bind an injury,

one will make it more septic, one will heal.

Because I'll tear off a strip from my shirt, it won't help you.

How does carrying the young look?

So unless I learn it, how am I going to teach it?

These are the things that are required.

And the Spirit of God can teach us.

And let there be no argument about this.

The Spirit of God can teach us directly, but he reuses people to teach us.

I've been through this argument so many times, I'm tired of it.

Yes, the anointing is here to teach us,

but the anointing is upon people to equip us to do exactly what the Spirit of God wants.

It is not either or.

So let's not go through that argument.

Some things, like Paul says, let's not visit it over and over again.

These are fundamental things that have been spoken about so many times,

let's not waste time visiting it.

Lying on our hands, whether the Spirit uses people, whether it does not.

These have been spoken for the last seventeen years, let's move on.

But that's the way we do it.

And so, one should begin doing that anyways.

One should have a desire to do it.

Why? Because we want to be like our great shepherd.

And then, when you learn to do this, and you show you're so faithful,

first with one or two sheep, and then with fifty, and then with a hundred,

and when you begin to lay down your life to go after that one sheep that has strayed,

oh my God, you look like Christ.

And during this process, guys, you will find a lot of defects and faults with the shepherds in this church.

But I pray that every six months, you will see them getting better.

That every six months, they will get better.

And if they don't get better, then there's a problem.

But then the same requirement is off you, right?

If you're not a shepherd today, then the same requirement is off you.

You must get better too.

Let's pray.

Jesus loved teaching on culture.

You are a straight God.

I love your straightness.

You're not a God who suggests things.

You are trying to create a kingdom.

Kingdoms on earth? My God!

They know how to make things work.

Their kings are tyrants. You are benevolent.

And yet the word Lord actually comes from a Greek word, Kyrios,

which means absolute sovereign and almost tyrannical.

Yet you are not.

So we move from the idea of king to Lord right now,

because we are not too used to kings.

We don't know how that works.

But we know masters.

We know bosses that lay down a line saying, this is how this company works.

We look at what you have spoken, what the word says.

And you're laying down lines saying, I am a king.

And you're laying down lines saying, I am wanting to create a counterculture with you.

These are the things that I have established for that walk in them.

It is not a suggestion, Jacob.

You cannot mess around with this.

So I take it to heart of God.

I pray, Father, that I might not compromise your word to save someone's backside

or to save mine own.

That even after teaching like this with this kind of strength that I'm teaching with,

that I will also have the humility to say, yeah, you're right, I'm wrong.

Only you can do that, Father, because we as humans, sometimes our hearts are deceptive and proud.

But Father, give us a new boldness in this church.

Give a newness to the leaders in this church, the present shepherds.

Give a desire to others in this church to say, I want to be this. I want to be this.

Is there anyone here who was created a follower and not a leader, oh God?

Do you create people like that?

You only create sons and servants.

You don't create leaders and followers.

You want more shepherds.

You said pray, ask the Holy Spirit to send more laborers.

I pray, oh God, send more laborers.

Raise from this church more shepherds.

If there aren't enough shepherds, there can't be more sheep.

And Father, to the ones that have the ability of shepherds but are not entering through the gate,

Father, show them that they are hirelings and they will never qualify for shepherding

unless they enter through the gate.

If not in this church, then in some other church.

Father, I thank you for the fire that you're putting in our belly

to establish a culture that measures up to the plumb line of Christ.

Nothing less.

You deserve this, oh God.

This is your bride.

We cannot costume her in anything but what you have prescribed.

She's too pure. You're waiting for her to be blemishless.

Oh God, we come saying, please make us better.

By January, let my heart be more compassionate, more shepherd-like.

Let the hearts of the leaders here become hearts that pour out and do what Ezekiel 34 asks.

This is my cry about for this church, for your sake, for the sake of the people here, for the sake of the leaders.

Granted, Father, we thank you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Cool guys, if you need prayer, as usual, people will pray with you.

And God is here and as usual, God will answer.

Yeah, I'll see you next week. I hope to make it back by Sunday.