The People of God

Good morning, everyone. We're going to continue this new year just talking about what church is.

! Recognising we, a lot of us have been to church for a long time, have a lot of different experiences with church,

but really, do we really stop and think and force ourselves to go, well, why is it that we gather? What is it really all about?

And you look to the person next to you and go, well, actually, I, that thought there, that actually, in order for you to be a Christian,

you need the person who sat next to you. You can't do it on your own. We have this idea that we can,

that you can become a good Christian on your own if you have the disciplines and you do good deeds.

And the Bible doesn't say that. John Wesley was the one who was famous in saying that the Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.

The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion. And last week, we were trying to start that conversation.

What does it mean? Why are you here? Why are we here together? Sat in this space on a Sunday morning.

What's it all about? And I said last week, another quote was actually, sanctification is a community project.

Sanctification is this process that every believer goes on, which is you become more like Christ as you get closer and closer to meeting him.

And you can't do it on your own. It is a community project. If you are to be a good Christian, you must follow the greatest commandment and the Great Commission.

Right. That's pretty standard. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

And to love your neighbor as yourself. That's the great commandment.

And then to follow the Great Commission, which is to go and make disciples of all nations.

In order to do both of those things, you need people. You cannot do it without people.

So that's what we've been talking about. And what does it actually mean for us to be with people?

And actually, this is not a foreign concept. This isn't one that, let's say, is exclusive to Christians.

Outside, we all know that we need people. Studies are done on what are some of people's greatest fears.

And of course, fear of death is one of them. But if you go into that further, what about how they die?

And the greatest fear, studies will show that actually the greatest fear is when we die, that we are dying alone.

That is the greatest fear that we as humans have.

Or if you've watched the Netflix show, I think it's called Live to 100, talking about the centenarians around the world.

Which places in the world has people that live to 100 years old?

And you look at all the different characteristics that they have to get to 100 years old.

Of course, it's diet. Of course, it's exercise. But what's the key trait?

Community. People.

We need to have people around us. We were made in that way.

We were made from community. In Genesis 1, when the Trinity, the Godhead, says to itself, saying,

Let us make man in our image.

We were made from community, and we were made for community.

Which, again, really is very contradictory and in conflict with the way of the world, which is,

it is all about you.

Can you become an autonomous, independent, individualistic person where you pursue your own goals,

where you are defined by yourself, where everything is about yourself?

If you focus on yourself, you will find true satisfaction.

We are the most narcissistic generation there has been in mankind.

And yet we find that the more we focus on ourselves, the less happy, the less content, the less satisfied we are with ourselves.

One of my favourite TED Talks was one I watched 10 years ago.

I think it was around 10 to 12 years ago.

And it's on the cure to addiction.

It actually has 12 million views.

And of course, maybe aside of the ethical values, what they did was they did research on lab rats who were addicted to heroin.

And they tried to see what were the different ways to help get these rats out, to cure them of addiction.

And they tried different things.

They tried distractions.

They tried putting them into cages that they could have lots of different things to do and just to keep themselves entertained.

Or just to go cold turkey.

Pull the drug away from them.

What would they do then?

And it's interesting.

What it came to it was the solution to addiction wasn't to go cold turkey.

It wasn't abstinence.

But it was connection.

Once they found that they could put these animals together with others, once they had found connection and community, they had a much higher chance of surviving.

Isn't that interesting?

It is about how we be together.

But last week I said, as Christians, it's not just about doing life together.

It's not just about running clubs where we can have people who, some people like board games, so they'll sit on a Friday evening and play board games together.

That isn't what Christians, that's not only what we do.

We've got a group of us who are going to play football later.

It's not just doing football.

Actually, the world does societies and clubs pretty well as well.

There's got to be more in terms of how we actually do it.

Over Christmas we were talking about this concept of loneliness.

The consequences of loneliness.

Or the factors contributing to it.

The effects of loneliness, especially through COVID, are as dire as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, linked to diabetes, cancer, heart disease.

When we talk about being Christians, what we're talking about is how can we be Christians together?

How can we be part of the body together?

The quote from N.T. Wright says this,

The work of Jesus is not simply to save isolated individuals and so perpetuate their isolation, but to create a new people, a kingdom community that lives under his rule.

The Christian faith solves loneliness.

Jesus solves loneliness by drawing us closer to each other and closer to him.

And when we get closer together, two things happen.

One, we feel a sense of belonging and intimacy.

And then the second is we feel a sense of annoyance and frustration.

Because the closer we get to people, the married couples, Flo and Julian, just looking at each other straight away.

Just going, oh, I need you, but I don't like you.

I love you, but living with you is hard.

Right?

So married couples are all just nodding in agreement to that.

And then you think, okay, well, I chose to live with you.

I was actually attracted to you.

But the rest of you here, all these people here staring at each other, that's hard.

So what's the secret to that?

How can, this is the thing.

If you look at the person next to you, whether you know them or not, has it ever occurred to you that you can only be more like Christ if you're sat next to them?

If you're with them.

That it is impossible for you to look more and more like Christ on your own.

As you look across at each other now, you go, wow, in order for me to look like Christ, I must be with you here.

I must sit with you here.

That's an interesting thought.

And actually, so this year I'm trying to do something different.

It's trying to involve some more voices so you don't get sick of mine.

But to really hear from the body, to hear kind of how we're responding to this.

And actually, I was supposed to do it last week, but I kind of overran.

And so he didn't get a chance to do it.

So actually, today we're going to have Sam come up.

And as he was listening to the message yesterday, and we're kind of going, this is, if you look at last week and this week, it's kind of like part one and part two.

It's kind of the same theme.

So I'm actually going to invite Sam up now just to share a few reflections of him.

And as you look at him, two things.

First is, what is he saying and how is he responding to the message?

One.

And two is, oh, maybe I could do something like that too.

So it's something that actually I would love for us to be able to hear from each other.

So give him a round of applause just to encourage him.

Sam, you had some thoughts from the message last week and that kind of ties into this week.

Would you mind just ministering to us and sharing with us what the Lord spoke to you about?

Sure.

One thing I noticed about James is he really uses a lot of quotes and a lot from C.S. Lewis, right?

So I sat there in the back thinking last week and something from C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves came to me.

And that's when C.S. Lewis was writing about his friends.

If you know the life of C.S. Lewis, he had some really amazing friends like J.R.L. Tolkien, the writer of The Lord of the Rings, who brings him to Christ.

But in The Four Loves, he writes about two other friends of his, Ronald and Charles.

And they're a tight-knit group of friends.

And when Charles passed away, he thinks to himself and he writes, I think my relationship with Ronald is just going to be so much more deeper.

And he completely finds the opposite to be true.

When his friend passes, there's a part of Ronald, a part of himself he realizes that dies along with this friend.

That hits home.

My wife makes fun of me.

Like, when you're with your friends, there's a completely different side of you that comes out.

And that is a side of me.

That's a side that is brought out.

And similarly, that must be true for all of us, that the community around us brings out who we are.

And sometimes, who we need to really address.

The parts of ourselves that, you know what, that's not Christ-like.

That's why I need you.

Please speak the truth and love to me.

So where does this lead us?

For me, it brings me to Isaiah.

Isaiah chapter 6.

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

And this is where Isaiah is having a vision.

And he sees the throne of God.

Isaiah 6, 3.

And it's describing the seraphim, the angels.

And one called to another and said,

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of his glory.

Just now we're singing, holy, holy, right?

There is no one like you.

Scripture here says that the angels are calling out to each other.

And one called to another.

They're at the throne.

They're worshiping God.

But yet they're talking with one another.

They're conversing with another.

There's something about knowing the Lord that requires us not to just look at him one dimensionally in our own understanding, with our own lens, our own experiences.

But it's through someone else.

And that's a challenge.

Why do we come to church?

Why do we get ourselves into what sometimes feel like a really uncomfortable situation?

It's because I cannot know God unless I see him through the way you experience him.

One more scripture comes to mind.

Jesus is praying.

In Luke 10, he says,

I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

We send the kids upstairs.

I send my kids upstairs.

And then there's also something beautiful about the way they are learning.

They're worshiping.

That the way they're understanding God is something I should be taking in.

It's not just to be puffed up with knowledge.

But I guess our hope is that as we come in week in, week out, it might sound like this was the worst week.

I'm in the wilderness.

I'm in the desert.

And someone speaks and says, God's with you in the desert.

It's not in vain.

Those mercies, they're new every day.

And you're like, I don't feel it.

And someone says, nope, that's true.

I'm with you.

God's there.

Jesus was tested.

And we need to hear that truth.

And on those best weeks, we come back in and we come in with joy.

And we share that joy with others, too.

For me, that's the picture here.

That we need to see the Lord as the angels do.

Worshiping at the throne and also encouraging one another.

Thank you.

And it is such a great quote when C.S. Lewis says that, right?

When you meet someone.

And that's why I love meeting people and then meeting their families and meeting their relatives.

Because you see something in them that's just different.

You see a different side to them.

And so, I mean, you'll see this with me.

I had the privilege of having breakfast with Jay this morning.

And every time I talk to him, there's this hunger and yearning to how do I become more like a follower of Christ?

How do I choose faith over fear?

And what does that look like?

And as I find myself counseling him, I'm reminded of the journeys that I've been on.

And actually, even right now, the challenges that I face.

And so he brings that out in me.

If you hung out with me and Gabs, you would see the British Nigerian side come out in me.

That's always been there.

When you see me hang out with my friend Joe Lou over there, just the heart of discipleship comes out.

And you'll see that side of me more.

If you see me hang out with Wes, you'll just see my stupidity kind of just rise up to the surface.

And same when I hang out with Matthew.

Just the bad jokes that just keep coming when I see Matthew.

And so every time you hang out with me with someone different, you'll see a different side of me.

Isn't that just part of what we're supposed to do?

And that's the danger.

When you live in isolation spiritually, then you're just kind of listening to your own voice.

And it becomes your own chamber.

And actually, there is no growing.

And of course, the problem here is when you hang out with other people, you do hear other voices.

And sometimes those voices you don't like hearing.

Sometimes they're right.

And sometimes they're wrong.

But I would say that if sanctification truly is a community project,

and I think it's God's chosen favored project on how he molds us.

Maybe his top, top one is suffering.

He allows suffering to happen to us, to wake us up, to help us see clearly, to become sober-minded.

But the second one has to be community.

Just when he puts people around you, that's how you are molded.

You become, I mean, there's a quote that I've often liked, which is,

you are an average of the five people you spend the most time with.

For some of you, that is a very terrifying concept.

As you think about the five, let's just remove family from this.

Of course, family has a huge, huge effect on who we are.

But let's just talk about your five friends that you hang out with now.

Those five people, you are an average of them.

That's terrifying.

Sometimes.

For some of you.

Have a think about that.

So it just shows you how much we are in need and affected by community.

I want to put some other leaders on the spot now.

So if you're a leader in the gathering who leads a life group,

I like to just have you prepare.

When I think about spiritual community,

when I ask you what spiritual community is to you, what comes to mind?

You guys who are committed to investing and being with people on a week-to-week basis,

what comes to mind for you when you're thinking about why you do it?

What are some of the benefits of it?

Or what are some of the real pain points of it?

Wes, why don't we start with you?

When you think about spiritual community, what comes to mind for you?

What are some of the things that you do?

Challenging each other.

When you know each other well enough and you go,

hey, I know you and you're better than this.

You need to do this.

You need to stop doing this.

That's got to be something that is part of it.

That's how we're going to grow together, right?

That's how we're going to grow.

Kelly, what about you?

Growing together.

When you're challenging each other, then you're growing.

And then hopefully after one year, actually you're a different person.

And that's with people who you love.

And that's also with people that you find hard.

It's both.

And so we need those people around us to actually help us to actually grow in that way.

Gaps, what about you?

A place of safety and vulnerability.

A place of safety and vulnerability.

Which is so hard to find.

Because we're so afraid that when we share something about us,

people will look at us different and go, wait, really?

Oh, that's just, you're on your own.

Right.

But actually we find nearly always that's not the case.

That actually when we are willing to step out and go, hey, I'm struggling with this.

You're like, oh, I'm actually not alone.

Again, that's the other C.S. Lewis quote.

Quote, friendship is when you look at someone else and you go, what, you two?

You're the same as me?

That's when friendship is born.

And when we look at scripture, we talk about, okay, I keep talking about this.

It's the name of the church.

Let's choose to gather.

Let's choose to be an ecclesia, an assembly, which is what that word means,

where we just choose to gather, where we choose to use our time together,

to spend time worshipping God together.

When you think about scripture, are there any passages that come out that kind of like,

well, that's what it talks about.

Maybe the top one that I hear a lot is Hebrews 10, where it says,

don't stop meeting with one another.

Consider how to stir each other up in love and good works,

encouraging each other as the day draws near.

That's kind of the ones that come to mind, right?

That's why we keep meeting together, keep gathering.

But then as I was praying this week, what do we share from that passage?

I realized actually there's a whole ton of context there

that maybe we would be good to really look into,

to find out actually not only how we gather and what we do when we gather,

but actually why we do it in the first place.

And of course we have the mission statements that help us somewhat.

But really, I realized Hebrews 10, we pick that little bit in the middle,

24 to 25, and talk about, hey, don't stop meeting each other.

But then actually we maybe neglect to think why.

What's the point of this?

Why did we need to do this?

So today I'm going to invite us to stand for the word of the Lord

as Jasper's going to minister to us with the word.

And he's going to read to us from Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19 to 25.

Hebrews 10:19–25

Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19 to 25.

Hebrews 10:19–25

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain,

that is, through his flesh.

And since we have a great priest over the house of God,

let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith,

with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast to confession of our hope without wavering.

For he who promises faithful.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.

Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,

but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

This is the word of the Lord.

Praise be to God.

Thank you, Jasper.

Please take a seat.

So that's it.

Don't stop meeting with one another.

Consider how to stir each other up in love and good works,

and encourage each other as the day draws near.

Okay, that's what we're supposed to do.

So we keep meeting.

So we keep spending time together.

And we've all been there where you're like,

oh, I could do with just staying at home today,

but I'm going to choose to drag myself out.

And the moment you drag yourself out,

you're like, oh, I'm so glad that I'm here.

Okay, this happens, again, not just in spiritual communities.

It happens in my Saturday 7 a.m. basketball runs.

I'm like, I don't want to get out of bed.

But the moment I drag myself out, once I'm there,

I'm like, actually, I really enjoy playing basketball

with other people around rather than just me.

The concept is actually the same.

But we look at this,

and I almost see this as a starter pack for community.

Okay, so if last week Acts 2, 42 to 47,

is kind of like the blueprint of what a community should look like.

It devotes itself to teaching fellowship, breaking bread, prayers.

They're filled with reverence and awe.

They are glad and generous in their hearts,

and they're praising, and they have favor with all people.

That's like, wow, that's the perfect church

that didn't last more than two, three chapters.

But that's what we're aiming for.

That's the blueprint.

This, I would say, is the starter pack.

It's the basic requirement of what it means

to actually be a people who are actually gathering together.

Because something else has happened,

likely in at least half of the group here,

is that you've spent some time

in some kind of Christian community before,

and then you have struggled because there has been problems,

because there is a lack of commitment,

or there is just a lack of interest,

or priorities, or distractions, or actually conflict.

There are all these things that have happened

that have caused you to, you know what?

I'm just going to stop meeting people.

I think I can do this Christian life on my own.

And John Wesley would disagree with you

because there is no such thing as a solitary religion.

Of course, there is solitude, and we need that.

Jesus showed us that.

But every time after solitude,

he goes back to being with the people.

Can you imagine those conversations

that Jesus would have had with God

when he was praying on his own?

He's like, hey, God, it's time.

It's been good with you.

But I've got to go back to those idiots

because I love those idiots.

And I need to spend time with those people.

It's the same kind of thing here.

So we have to keep doing that.

But I would say, okay, so if we look,

open up your Bibles if you've got that there.

And of course, I was joking with Florence this week

about just the fact that Bible apps

are just not the way or the truth or the life,

and they're just fake.

But I'll tell you the reason why.

The reason why is when you look on your screen,

and don't worry, I'm not going to judge you that much

as I see you scrolling on your screen, Caleb,

with your pink bag.

Oh, he's got a Bible as well.

Don't worry.

Caleb's got a Bible.

When you look on, when you look,

the reason why I'm hating is because

when you look on your phone,

you can see one passage, correct?

You can see this.

So Hebrews 10, you can just see this.

And that's all you see.

But the beauty of Scripture,

the beauty of paper, ladies and gentlemen,

is you get to see the context.

You get to see all of the chapter.

You get to see why it's there.

Because when you look on the,

I'd be like, okay, therefore, brothers,

verse 19, since we have confidence,

wait, wait, wait, wait.

And of course, it's a little bit cheesy,

but hey, whenever you see the word therefore,

you have to ask, what's it there for?

Okay?

Because why else is he saying therefore?

So then suddenly you've got to go,

wait, I want to look at the bigger picture.

This passage that I'm just about to print out

and turn into a fridge magnet,

I now have to look in the whole context

and go, what's this actually about?

It's telling me to not stop meeting.

But why?

How?

Because I've met groups before

and eventually I've been tempted to stop

because it's just too hard.

Here's my suggestion to you.

If we understand the whole of chapter 10,

we'll have a better idea of how we should meet.

And so I'm just going to do a quick,

very quick, even though we didn't read it,

I'm going to do a very quick summary

of verses 1 to 18 of Hebrews chapter 10,

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

because this will give us the primary reason

and the context and the impetus

on the motivation on why we should meet.

Okay?

So verse 1, it says this,

the prime reason and context,

it says,

Okay, so here's the thing.

Before Jesus came,

we couldn't approach God by ourselves.

For the longest time,

the Israelites had this mosaic law,

which is, hey, you need to do all these things

and you need to follow all these things,

but the problem is you will always keep failing,

which is why we need sacrifices,

because you guys have chosen the way of sin.

And the only way for you to enter

into the presence of God,

sadly, actually, let me stop there.

Only one of you can enter the presence of God.

Okay?

And that's the high priest.

And oh, by the way,

he can't enter any time, any day either.

He can only enter one day a year,

the day of atonement, Yom Kippur.

That's the only time he can enter.

And he has to do a whole ton of things

and a whole ton of rituals

and animals have to be sacrificed.

But the problem here is this,

the animals being sacrificed,

their blood almost offers

like a temporary covering of our sin,

but it's only temporary,

is what it's saying.

So before Jesus, that is what we had.

Those sacrifices that were in the law

basically prescribed the sacrifice of Christ.

All this time,

these animals that were being sacrificed

would simply just be a temporary,

imperfect way to cover our sin.

And so how do we know that?

Because every year,

you would have to make and do the same thing.

Okay?

It's like the health checks that we have

or the things that we have to do with our bodies

or even just our homes or our cars

or whatever it is,

we need to do constant checks,

constant maintenance

because it isn't once and for all.

Okay?

So that's what it's saying here.

We have to do this every year.

And verse three, it says this,

but in these sacrifices,

there is a reminder of sins every year.

So every time you gather,

you realize that you still have guilt.

People are reminded of their sin.

And in some ways, that's what we do here.

Because if you operate in isolation,

it's very easy to become your own God.

You will justify everything that you do.

No one will pick you up on anything

and you will just become your own God.

Basically, you are the center of your own universe.

When you choose to gather,

even in the olden days,

it would be, hey, man, I fall short.

Man, I am filled with sin.

And that's what it's saying here.

And verse four says,

the animal sacrifices offered away,

but it is impossible to completely cover our sin

for it is impossible for the blood of the bulls and goats

to take away sins.

And I'll add permanently there.

And then he moves in and he quotes Psalm 40 there

in verses five to seven,

which is basically saying,

actually sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body you have prepared for me

in burnt offerings and sin offerings,

you have taken no pleasure.

What he's saying here is,

for too long,

you guys have basically been focused

on empty compliance and not true obedience.

You think being a Christian

is simply complying to God's laws

and just ticking off the box

and being a decent person and that's enough.

And Jesus comes and says,

that was,

did you realize that those rules were there?

And rules are good.

Rules are good to help us

become the people that we want to be.

But sometimes on the outside,

we're like, oh, Christianity,

so many rules,

so many things that I can't do.

But as you start to grow and mature,

just not even in your faith,

just in life,

you're like,

actually,

rules are actually good things

to keep us.

I mean,

anyone who's visited Vietnam

and tried to cross a road,

you'll be like,

oh, actually,

rules are good.

When there's a traffic light

and it has red on,

it's good for you to stop,

but then you'll get to go soon.

But when we don't follow the rules,

that's when chaos happens.

But Jesus is saying,

hey,

you're focusing so much on the rules,

but it's empty compliance.

What I actually want,

what I desire,

is true obedience.

Every parent has been there

where you ask your children

to do something

and they don't want to do it.

And then you force them to do it

and they do do it,

but no one is happy.

But when you see a willingness

that comes out,

a trust that comes out

from the child,

okay,

I do know that this is good,

dad.

I do understand

why we cannot have McDonald's

every day.

Oh,

it's for my good.

It's for my health.

And then you start to understand

and that's what Jesus

is really going for here.

Verse nine,

it says this,

then he added,

behold,

I have come to do your will.

He does that way

with the first

in order to establish

the second.

And Jesus says,

hey,

I've come

not to abolish the law,

but I'm telling you

that actually I've fulfilled

it because actually

you could never do it.

All those laws,

all those ways to get to God,

you failed every year

and that's why we needed

all these sacrifices every year.

But now I've come

and I'm going to do away

with the first

and there's going to be

a new way to access God.

And it won't be through

your own work.

It won't be through

you being a good person.

It will be through

the only good person

and that person

is me.

And then he carries on

and he contrasts

himself

with the priests of the day

or even with someone like me.

And he says,

and every priest

stands daily at his service,

offering repeatedly

the same sacrifices

which can never take away sins.

But when Christ had offered

for all time

a single sacrifice for sins,

he sat down

at the right hand of God,

waiting from that time

until his enemies

should be made a footstool

for his feet.

So what he's saying here

is this,

the priests that are

looking after you,

they're just toiling away

every single year,

standing,

helping you

to help basically

provide sacrifices

to cover your sins

and then next year

you're going to come back

and do the same.

And as a pastor,

I completely relate.

I walk with people,

I help them,

I encourage them,

lift them out of a place

and I know that

at some point

next year

or maybe even next month

they will fall back

into the same place

and here we go again.

And I'm not just saying

that about you,

I'm saying that about me.

Isn't that just human nature?

Isn't that why

we have New Year's resolutions

every year?

Why else would we need

New Year's resolutions

every year

were it not for the fact

that we keep breaking them

by January 5th

and then we start again.

But what Jesus is saying here

is hey,

you've got priests

who are standing,

working all the time

but guess what I'm doing?

I did it once

and now I'm sat down.

It's done.

Just mull over that

for a second

what he's saying here.

He's giving a mic drop.

He's saying

the people who are

caring for you

having to do this constantly

but I've done it once

and that's enough

and now I'm just chilling.

Sitting at the right hand

of God

and waiting.

Can you imagine

the power,

the assurance

of what that actually means

for those people

who are like

every year we have to do

the same thing

but you're telling me

that right now

someone's already done it once

and that's it?

That's what he's saying.

So verse 14

is the single offering

that he's given

for by a single offering

he has perfected

for all time

those who are being sanctified.

He's saying

I have done it.

I have dropped the mic

and that is it

and we go there

and that's where

or verse 18

for where there is

forgiveness of these

there is no longer

any offering for sin.

So he's saying

hey guys

you all

bar none

as long as you believe

as long as you repent

you can have access

to God

through me.

That's it.

Therefore.

Therefore.

And that's why

that therefore

is there.

Because what he's saying

is actually

if there's going to be

a community

that gathers together

first must understand

the work of Jesus.

That's how it works.

How many of times

have we been in a group

and names are popping

into your head

faces are popping

into your mind

right now

people who you're like

actually I don't know

if they truly get

the fact that Jesus

loves them

and died for them

and has risen again.

They haven't truly

understood and grasped

the gospel.

And then we start seeing

some of these problems

that are occurring.

Pride.

Ego.

The things of the flesh.

And you're like

oh I think I see.

This the starter pack

the base requirement

for any group

is a true understanding

of what the gospel is.

A true understanding

of what Jesus did.

If you get that

that will pave the way

to the community

that we're trying

to go for.

Therefore

so remember

it is all about

because if you don't

remember that

if you're going

to a group right now

and you're resting

on the fact

that it's your work

and not his

that's where the problem comes.

So even for the leaders

if you're walking

into your group

going oh that group

just won't change

there's nothing

that I can do

that can help

that group change

well then

we've got it wrong

because that means

you've forgotten

the first part

of chapter 10.

You think that

it's your work

you think you're

the priest

that has to stand

daily,

weekly,

yearly

to help these people

get close to him

but no

there's only one

and that person

is sat down now

because he's done it

and it's his Holy Spirit

that works

so that should free you

so when you are

going from work

to your life group

you're like okay

it might be frustrating

it might be hard

but the saving grace

of Jesus

has already covered

whatever I'm going to do there.

He's sat down

I just need to go

and sit down next to him

and watch him work

that's how it changes you

and if you're walking

into a place

and go okay

can I be in this community

that will help me

become more like Jesus

maybe the people around me

and I just said

we need people around me

but it's not just

the people that are going

to do it

it's Christ working

through the people

and so if you sit down

and go hey

I want to join this group

and this group's going

to change me

and help me feel better

and become a better Christian

well then you're wrong again

because that group

cannot do it

but Jesus can do it

through that group

so you walk into that group

with a different mindset

and go okay

I'm here

to become more like Jesus

through my interactions

with you

and he's going to help me

can you see

it just changes

the way you even approach

what that group looks like

on a Thursday evening

when you understand

Christ's sacrifice

is once and for all

and so we're finally now

in the therefore

and he gives

basically two

since we's

two since we's

and then three

three

let us

okay

so that's where

we're going to go through

so he says

therefore brothers

since we have confidence

to enter the holy places

by the blood of Jesus

what he's saying

he's just talked about

the mosaic law

he said hey

you know that

for the longest time

it's been one person

one day a year

and only that person

can go in

and if that person

hasn't done their job properly

they actually will die

and you have to drag

their body out

okay

that's how terrifying

the presence of God was

and he's saying

that's done now

therefore

since we have confidence

brothers

that we know

that Jesus has done everything

and he's now just sat down

chilling

and everything is assured

we

we

can then access

into that holy place

ourselves

that curtain

is torn

we can actually walk in

ourselves

rather the person

who was behind that curtain

is now walking towards us

that's what the therefore

is there for

that's what the since we

is there for

verse 20

by the new and living way

that he opened for us

through the curtain

that is

through

his flesh

and also

since we

have a great priest

over the house of God

a pastor that is way better

than any pastor

that you'll ever encounter

this pastor who sympathizes

with every single weakness

and has been tempted

in every single way

and yet was without sin

he's the person

who did it all

who paid all the debt

I can't pay for your debt

I'm afraid

ladies and gentlemen

because I have debt myself

okay

I am not the one

that can do it for you

I am not the one

that's going to help you

become more like Jesus

only Jesus will help you

become more like him

only Jesus will help you

get access to the father

and he's saying

since we

have access to this place now

and actually you have

a great priest over you

therefore

therefore we can move on

to what it actually looks like

in a new community

so this is where we jump into

the three

let us's

and remember

it's let us

it tells us one thing

that access to God

is personal

but the command

is plural

okay

we can access God

individually

each

of us

go to God

ourselves

but then it says

let us

the command is plural

we must do this together

and what does it say

the first one

let us draw near

with a true heart

actually other versions

will say let us draw near

to God

this is the first thing

when you gather him

this is why it's our

first mission statement

that we would

we're a simple gathering

in a complex time

and we are getting close

to Jesus

walking in the ways

of Jesus

that we would know him

and enjoy him forever

that's the Westminster

catechism

that we would know him

and enjoy him

and glorify him forever

draw near to God

how many of you

are here

for God

thank you for putting

your hand up

let's go Chris

let's go

through that door

there we go

off you go

so here's the problem

I'm not saying

that you

I mean

you're just Chinese

so you don't want to

raise your hands

and get picked on

but if we ask ourselves

why do we come to church

sometimes

it's for a girl

whoa whoa whoa

sometimes

it's for friends

sometimes

it's because

you've signed up

to play in the football

team later

and you don't want

to be asked

why you weren't at church

so you're at church today

hey John C

we come to church

for different reasons

is what I'm saying

and I've said this

we are literally

the most convenient

building in the whole

of Hong Kong

we're above the most

busy McDonald's

in the whole world

this is a good place

to come

but it says

let us draw near

to God

here's the problem

when you come to church

for any other reason

other than God

you will be

you will be underwhelmed

you will be frustrated

you will be disappointed

absolutely

if it's not today

then it will be next week

if it's not next week

it will be next year

can we be in a place

where we as a community

we can look at each other

and go hey

you're actually never

going to satisfy me

you're actually never

going to be the person

that I need you to be

but that's okay

because God's going

to work through that

to help me become

more like him

through your imperfections

and likewise

mine to yours

in fact that's what

that's what every

married couple

needs to say to each other

Emily needs to say to Jay

Jay

you will never

satisfy me completely

in every way

she has no problems

nodding to that

in fact she's been saying

that since the beginning

of their relationship

Jay needs to kindly

and lovingly

gently say

something similar

without getting into trouble

it never works

but every married couple

needs to say that

every dating couple

needs to say that

every friendship

needs to go like

hey you can't be

my everything

you can't be my all

I'm coming to church

because I'm here

to draw near

to one personality

and that person

is God

the access is personal

but the command is plural

and that's why

when the disciples

they're looking at Jesus

praying and he's like

well he prays different

he can pray for hours

in the middle of the night

and not fall asleep

and so they go to him

and go hey Jesus

can you teach us

how to pray like you

and he says okay fine

let me show you the template

let me show you the blueprint

and how does he start

what are the first two words

our father

what he's saying here

is that it can't be

my father

it can't be you do it

on your own

it has to be together

with other people

I'll tell you

my prayer life

my prayer life

has improved drastically

since September

why

because there was

a group of people

who committed to the fellowship

with us

where we pray together

every single day

weekday

just from September

all the way to June

is what we're going to do

and there's a group

that wakes up at 7.30

in the morning

we jump on a call

and we pray

and if we're lucky

Wes will even put his clothes on

if we're not lucky

it's terrible

and then we spend

the rest of the day

recovering

from what we saw

there's a 7.30 group

there's an 8.30 group

and then there's

a 10pm group

and I've been praying

three times a day

with these people

and I have loved it

because I'll be honest

if I didn't have those people

I won't be praying

in those spots

but we need people

around us

to be able to pray

we need people

around us

to put the structures

in place for us

that form us

that's what we need

we need to do it together

and so what do you need

let us draw near

what with a true heart

pure motives

this is the second thing

and I keep talking about

this syncretism that we have

is that we go to God

why?

we go to God

because we want blessings

we want health

we want the job that we want

we want the lifestyle

that we want

but when we come to God

with a true heart

we're just saying

none of the other things

in this performance culture

in this culture

that is filled with

imposters

and hypocrisy

God I'm coming to you

only for you

I'm not even just coming to you

so I can have peace

I'm not coming to you

so I can feel fulfilled

and be happy

I'm coming to you

because I want you

that's the difference

coming with a true heart

just like a child

when they see the parent

running towards them

all they want

is nothing else

but just the parent

do we have that kind of true heart

as we draw near

to God together?

Keller says this

we do not come to the holy place

because we are strong and good

we come because we are weak

and needy

and we come not alone

but with our brothers and sisters

holding one another's hands

speaking words of encouragement

helping each other

up to the steep path

to the throne of grace

so we need a few things here

actually it says in this passage

first thing that we need

is when we draw near to God

one we need a true heart

which is honesty

and sincerity

God I only want you

even if that means

I don't get what I want

I only want you

that's the true heart

he's talking about

second is the full assurance of faith

who has doubts here

in their faith?

you can put your hand up

I won't pick on you here

who has doubts?

I'm putting my hand up

because I have doubts

what he's saying here is

when you get together

that is basically

the antidote to doubts

the full assurance of faith

that you have

that you cannot have on your own

you can have

when you're with other people

when you bring your doubts

together to the people

and there are people in the body

who are much smarter than we are

who can help answer

the questions that we have

who actually sometimes

we know

some things to be true

we're just so struggling

with our own internal turmoil

that we actually just need someone

who knows us

and loves us

and cares for us

just to speak into that

and say hey

you know what God is

you know what God has done

the sacrifice that he's paid

you know you don't have to be worried

you know you can choose faith

over fear

hasn't he been with you all along?

why do you think

that he's actually going to fail you now?

we need those people around us

to give us that confidence

in him

and again

it's not confidence

that full assurance of faith

is not something

that you can muster up yourself

you need

him to give it to you

it's his Holy Spirit

giving it to you

and it's the people around you

that remind you of it

so true heart

that's the sincerity

and then it's the full assurance

which is the certainty

and the humility to go

hey it's not me

the reason I'm confident

is not because I think

I can pull through

do you know when we say this

when we have exams

that we're trying to pray for each other

we say you got this

can we be a people that say

hey you don't got this

but God's got you

that's the difference

because when we say

you got this

then actually

we're putting it back to ourselves

we're back to that priest

that's standing

year on year out

doing the thing that we're doing

but if we say

no you've not got this

but God's got you

and he's sat down now

which means it's done

doesn't that fill you with faith

don't you need people around you

to remind you of that

and then it says

heart sprinkled

and body's washed

what he's saying here

there is a baptism

on the outside

and on the inside

that means your inside

is now clean

we know we all

the heart above all things

is deceitful

we make choices

that even we don't want

even Paul says that

in Romans 7

he says

there's things that

I want to do

that I know I shouldn't do

and there's things I shouldn't do

that I don't want to do

I have that internal battle in me

that's what Paul is saying

so find comfort

if you have that internal wrestling

so did Paul

so do I

but what we see here

is when we come together

then our hearts are sprinkled clean

with an evil conscience

and our bodies are now washed

internally and externally

both in the heart

and both in our behavior

our lives will change

and we get together

with those things in mind

there is a new covenant

not the one with laws

but the one where a savior

a priest is now sat

saying just welcome

just come in

and come in together

that's the first one

let us draw near to God

the second is

let us hold fast the confession

again that's really the same thing

without wavering

so often we waver on our own

but when we have people around us

we're like hey

you know what you believe here

it's okay to have those doubts

but let's have those doubts together

let's not go off the rails here

we need each other

we all have these daily temptations

that we have

daily thoughts that we have

what's the biggest thought

work is the most important thing

if I don't have this job

I won't put food on the table

and I won't be able to provide for myself

isn't that one of the daily temptations

that we have

if I don't do this

I won't get this

and we need people around us

just to keep us going

hold formation together

if you have a belief

then you need to hold formation together

to go through

one of my strongest beliefs

is that when you go to a theme park

and you walk through the gift shop

at the end

that gift shop is not to buy things

as a Chinese dad

I firmly believe

we do not buy anything

in those gift shops

so I tell my family

hold formation

let's walk through this valley

of the shadow of death together

hold hands

Ruben grab your mother

oh she's off

she's gone

and Christina's parents here

so they'll know this

every time she walks through a shop

she's gone

like five steps

and you don't know where she is

so I tell my kids

hold on to your mother

hold on to your sister

we can only get through

this gift shop together

and so we do

so my kids believe

those shops are museums

they're not shops

they're museums

we just go in and look

don't touch

and then we leave

if you have a conviction

you need to stick together

is what I'm saying

communal affirmation

is what makes us strong

why do we gather together

we profess faith to each other

we sing songs to each other

why is that song

the blessing

such a powerful song

especially during COVID times

is because we were in isolation

we were on our own

and we finally got a place

got a song

where we could look at someone else

and go

Jackie the Lord bless you

and keep you

may his face shine upon you

do you remember those

probably all of us

at some point in the church context

have been in this context

where we sang that song

to each other

and we were in tears

right

because we were just moved

by the spirit going

I love that person

I'm just blessing that person

there was power

in the interaction

between people

there's a reason

why that song

became the anthem

of the Christian world

during COVID

because in the midst

of isolation

you had a song

where Christians

could look at one another

and bless each other

with words that came

straight from the heart of God

can you see

how much we need

people

we echo God's faithfulness

to each other

it's our collective voices

that anchor our hearts

in God

that's why we meet together

that's why we spend

that time together

when we are in isolation

we start believing the lies

when we are in isolation

we know this

if you haven't been to a church

for a few weeks

and a few months

you know that you've drifted

into a different place

right

we need people

around us

to be able to do it

the church is also

acting like a gymnasium

for the soul

I personally do not go

to the gym anymore

contrary to how I look

but I have

I have trusted sources

Gavs why are you

looking at me like that

just the pride

I see in you

just looking

and Chris you too

I've been told

that people who go to the gym

they do like to go together

and why

because you need each other

because you need

that motivation

it's a little bit easier

in Hong Kong

because it's warm

but in England

when it's just

cold dark day

in November

in Stoke

and all you want to do

is just cuddle up

and just stay at home

you need people

to get you out of bed

you need people

to take you

there with you

that's why we have church

it's a gymnasium

for the soul

finally

third let us

let us

here we go

consider

how to stir up

one another

to love

and good works

do you know what

that word means

consider

it means

I look at

Micah and go

okay

and I do this

how can I help him

grow

what does he need

what do him

and Cindy need

what do his kids need

I'm going

what is it that

actually they need

to be able to grow

that's what it's saying here

would you consider

how to stir up

one another

in love

and good works

I look at Ken

Wes and Francis

this morning

at breakfast

I'm looking at them

I'm like how much

love I have

for these three men

I'm going

what's it going to take

to help them to grow

look at the person

next to you

or just look across

the room

and look at

just engage

in awkward eye contact

with someone

and go

when was the last time

I looked at you

and said

oh

how can I help you grow

that's what it's saying here

consider

that means calculate

think about

how can I

honestly

the fellowship

that we're running

I think my first inspiration

was looking at Nathan

and going

man

this guy needs help

and then going

what can I do

to help him

how can I love him

how can I pour into him

so he has enough

to pour out

I'm only joking

I do love you

and I think

the world of you

but I'm like

how do I

what do I need to do

and what's it going

to cost me

oh it's going to cost me

three calls a day

and reading the bible

together every day

with a group of people

and trying to call them higher

and hold them to that spot

okay sure

I'm down

I'm in

why

because I love him

and I'm going to consider

how to stir him up

in love

and good works

that's the thing

that's what we're trying to do

that's stir up

do you know what that means

it means provoke

how do I

how do I get under your skin

and actually get you to the point

you know what it's actually saying here

we live in a place

where there are filled with people

who basically are apathetic

or fearful

and how do I get under your skin

and stir you up

and provoke you to the point

where you can have this passion

for God

and that's what the church does

when you get

the stones together

the living rocks that we are

that Peter calls us

when you

when we rub against each other

and cause the fire to come out

that's what we're trying to do

let us consider

how to stir up one another

in love and good works

that means in order for us

to have spiritual vigor

and to be on fire

we need those around us

I need to look at Matthew

and go okay

you're in my group Matthew

how can I help you

stir you up

so you will love

Ja more

and love the people that work more

and then to stir you up

to do good works more

that is my job

but it's not just my job

it's actually Emily's job

for her group

for the people

that she's got around her

it's every single one of us going

how can I help each other

and that's why the life groups are there

okay

okay we've spent enough time now

we've talked about the things

that you're going through

how can we help

encourage one another

and challenge one another

when was the last time we did that

the primary engine for growth

is communal provocation

where we provoke one another

stir up one another

in love and good works

and it's going to cost us

and a group

I know a group

went with Sam's group yesterday

to St. Barnabas

and what is that

that is just saying

hey we're not going to be able

to do this on our own

but if there's a group of people going

I'll go too

that's what it really looks like

how do we do that

Martin Lloyd-Jones says this

Christians are like the stones

of a temple

each one touches the other

resting upon it

and are helping to hold

the building together

we are meant to provoke

to irritate

to stimulate one another

into love

and a solitary Christian

is a contradiction in terms

a solitary Christian

is a contradiction

in terms

you can

last week I said

you can show up at church

for a whole year

and no one needs to know

who you are

because Chinese people

look the same

so you can literally

just blend in

leave

and that'll be it

and no one will notice you

and you can be gone

for a whole year

and no one will remember you

correct

that is very possible

we know we can do that

there's another danger

is where you do attend

and you do spend time

with people

and you do hang out

with people

and you find people

who are just as cool as you

who play Magic the Gathering

just like you do

and then you spend time together

but you still don't consider

how to stir each other up

in love and good works

when you come to church

you should be going

if you're on fire for Jesus

you're like

who can I provoke today

who can I poke today

so that they will be stirred up

in love and good works

who can I do that to today

out of love for myself

who can I grab

to do things with me today

that's the mindset

we should be having

that's what we should be

doing here

and it says

something interesting here

which is the final verse

not neglecting to meet together

as is the habit of some

why did they stop meeting

there were some people

who were filled with the Holy Spirit

maybe even met the apostles

and Jesus himself

but why did they stop meeting

well I don't know

maybe their lives got busy

maybe they suddenly had to

engage in some kind of study

or maybe it's for work reasons

maybe it's just

they started to lose interest

maybe it's for all the same reasons

why we stopped going to church

and we stopped gathering

and we stopped considering

how to stir each other

up in love

and good works

there's a quote that says

beware of the barrenness

of a busy life

beware of the barrenness

of a busy life

we in Hong Kong

are guilty of being busy

but we are at risk

of just living barren lives

where we are busy

for no reason

at all

and maybe that's the reason

why they start meeting

can you turn

this community

to be your big rock

we know

we all have big rocks

in our lives

whether you're like

yeah

this happens even

with the most well-intentioned

of us

what do you care about

the most

family and friends

and God

what do you spend

most of your time on

work and

individual pleasures

and pursuits

it's

all of us

but if

this is truly

is a big rock

then how do I plan

my whole life around it

how do I tell my boss

hey I'm going to work

so hard for you

for the rest of the week

but on my Thursday evenings

are untouchable

I'm really sorry

hey I

I love my job

and I will

do so much

for the good of the company

but it can't touch this

do we have the courage

to say those kinds of things

to the people around us

I think that's what it means

when he says

don't conform to the patterns

of this world

but be transformed

by the renewing of your mind

so you don't have fear

so you are actually

loving in the way

you share

why you have the hope

that you have

and why you live

the way that you do

why

because the high priest

is now sat down

and he has done it

and there is an urgency

and all the more

as you see the day

drawing near

in this society

where we are just

surrounded by cultural decay

where we're just surrounded