WEBVTT 00:00:02.089 --> 00:00:05.330 So we continue our sermon series, one of my all 00:00:05.330 --> 00:00:07.009 -time favorite hymns, as you're going to hear 00:00:07.009 --> 00:00:09.349 throughout this sermon series, that we have tied 00:00:09.349 --> 00:00:12.410 where we're going in the book of Acts with a 00:00:12.410 --> 00:00:15.410 lot of those just historical words that we've 00:00:15.410 --> 00:00:19.370 sung for decades, some even centuries. The church 00:00:19.370 --> 00:00:23.149 is one foundation, Jesus Christ our Lord. And 00:00:23.149 --> 00:00:25.910 I think it's a great declarative, right? We love 00:00:25.910 --> 00:00:28.530 to sing that. Our church is one foundation is 00:00:28.530 --> 00:00:31.690 Jesus. Until that church does something, we... 00:00:31.690 --> 00:00:35.770 don't like, right? Until that church makes a 00:00:35.770 --> 00:00:38.770 decision or that church goes through the wars, 00:00:38.950 --> 00:00:41.590 right? Now some of you are like, what kind of 00:00:41.590 --> 00:00:44.390 wars can the church go through? The church should 00:00:44.390 --> 00:00:47.469 never go through a war. Well, as I look back 00:00:47.469 --> 00:00:49.869 on the history of this church, this church did. 00:00:50.090 --> 00:00:56.950 We call it the Pew War. We call this the Worship 00:00:56.950 --> 00:01:02.960 War. We call this the remodel war. All of us 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:06.019 don't probably have opinions on what things should 00:01:06.019 --> 00:01:08.620 be painted or what color carpet should go somewhere 00:01:08.620 --> 00:01:11.900 that's not our home until the church makes a 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:14.280 decision to change it. Because then all of a 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:16.519 sudden our opinions just come to the surface, 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:19.560 right? And we even try to tie it. Oh, we can't 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:22.439 have the red carpeting because that's a sign 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:26.489 of Satan. What? We all come with our own stuff. 00:01:26.890 --> 00:01:31.530 One that I find in this church's history, right, 00:01:31.569 --> 00:01:33.790 seven years now, I can bring this back up, is 00:01:33.790 --> 00:01:38.129 the name change war. How this church, over the 00:01:38.129 --> 00:01:40.750 years, and my son, while he was waiting for his 00:01:40.750 --> 00:01:43.750 flu shot this week in Walgreens, found a history 00:01:43.750 --> 00:01:47.549 of Munster book and was fascinated that this 00:01:47.549 --> 00:01:49.730 church's title at one point, the name of this 00:01:49.730 --> 00:01:53.969 church was the Holland Reform Church. And he 00:01:53.969 --> 00:02:00.730 goes, Dad, our last name is Holland Donor. So 00:02:00.730 --> 00:02:04.469 my son, who's 12, almost 13, still doesn't know 00:02:04.469 --> 00:02:06.989 how to spell our last name because our last name 00:02:06.989 --> 00:02:10.930 has an E, not an A, but he was floored by that. 00:02:11.150 --> 00:02:13.169 And it got me thinking, this church has gone 00:02:13.169 --> 00:02:16.669 through a lot of different names. The war that 00:02:16.669 --> 00:02:19.650 went from First Christian Reformed Church to 00:02:19.650 --> 00:02:23.699 Munster Christian Reformed Church. That was a 00:02:23.699 --> 00:02:26.939 war. Then the war of Munster Christian Reformed 00:02:26.939 --> 00:02:30.360 Church to Munster Church, a ministry of the Christian 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:34.460 Reformed Church. War! I don't think they dealt 00:02:34.460 --> 00:02:37.379 with that in the book of Acts. I don't think 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:40.560 that the church of the way really cared. Now, 00:02:40.580 --> 00:02:43.449 some of you are going, well, I'm offended. Because 00:02:43.449 --> 00:02:48.449 I really was hurt by that decision. I disagreed 00:02:48.449 --> 00:02:50.889 with that decision. Friends, the church is going 00:02:50.889 --> 00:02:53.050 to make decisions that you might disagree with, 00:02:53.250 --> 00:02:56.229 right? But if the church revolved around you, 00:02:56.330 --> 00:02:58.770 then every decision would flow through you. But 00:02:58.770 --> 00:03:01.590 it doesn't. It doesn't even do that for me. A 00:03:01.590 --> 00:03:04.169 church that allows the pastor to make all the 00:03:04.169 --> 00:03:07.509 decisions is not a healthy church. That's coming 00:03:07.509 --> 00:03:09.830 from a pastor. That's why we have a council. 00:03:10.050 --> 00:03:13.430 That's why we have committees. One of the things 00:03:13.430 --> 00:03:16.389 that we look for in elders and deacons and council 00:03:16.389 --> 00:03:18.849 members is that they check their agendas at the 00:03:18.849 --> 00:03:22.509 door. Because one thing, if I ever have someone 00:03:22.509 --> 00:03:25.870 come up to me and go, I cannot wait to be an 00:03:25.870 --> 00:03:29.490 elder because I have so many, I've already fled 00:03:29.490 --> 00:03:32.449 that conversation, right? I've already ran away 00:03:32.449 --> 00:03:35.710 and secretly transferred their papers. And understand 00:03:35.710 --> 00:03:38.629 that no. See, I can't even do that on my own 00:03:38.629 --> 00:03:40.750 unless I forge signatures, which I would never 00:03:40.750 --> 00:03:43.180 do. Ken, I would never do it. But understand, 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:46.199 Ken's our clerk, but understand when we make 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:49.599 the church about ourselves, then we have to sing 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:53.979 that hymn differently. The church's one foundation 00:03:53.979 --> 00:04:00.539 is what Jim Holland Donor wants. Oh, I even got 00:04:00.539 --> 00:04:03.020 an amen. Was that an amen? We'll pray for Nikki. 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:06.500 But understand that when we do that, we've completely 00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:08.879 missed out on it because it's no longer Christ's 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:12.759 church. Because let me ask a question as we start 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:16.160 out. Do you want the weight of the bride of Christ 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:22.439 being all about you? You have to be, I'm not 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:25.420 going to say it that way. There's something wrong 00:04:25.420 --> 00:04:29.600 if that's what you want. And now some of you, 00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:32.639 you might be getting uncomfortable and go, man, 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:36.740 he took some shots. We're not done. But understand 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:42.199 that the church's foundation, As little as I 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:44.519 do know about building a house. So I'm going 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:46.699 to ask Dick Hortenhoven, right? Because you've 00:04:46.699 --> 00:04:49.819 built some homes right in your time. What makes 00:04:49.819 --> 00:04:54.279 a strong foundation to a home? Concrete. Absolutely. 00:04:54.500 --> 00:04:57.240 What doesn't make a strong foundation of a home? 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:01.220 No concrete. Thank you, Dick. Right? That's as 00:05:01.220 --> 00:05:04.899 easy as it is in my head. That a firm foundation 00:05:04.899 --> 00:05:07.720 is concrete. That's why how many of you have 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:09.550 ever had to get your... I think they're called 00:05:09.550 --> 00:05:11.910 footings worked on in your home because you've 00:05:11.910 --> 00:05:13.350 had some kind of day. That's a thing, right? 00:05:13.649 --> 00:05:16.629 Footings to, okay, thank you. How many of you? 00:05:17.430 --> 00:05:20.870 Marilyn, was that cheap to get that done? No, 00:05:20.910 --> 00:05:24.529 because it's foundational to the home. How many 00:05:24.529 --> 00:05:28.170 of you have ever painted a room? Right? Yeah. 00:05:28.329 --> 00:05:31.560 Was that expensive? Well, it depends on. the 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:33.759 paint your wife picks out, I'm sure, but understand 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:37.699 that that is much cheaper because it is not foundational 00:05:37.699 --> 00:05:40.920 to the home. How do I know that? We bought a 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:45.519 house that had hot pink kitchens, right? Pink 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:50.980 tile bathrooms and a bright yellow bathroom. 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:55.899 My one, the only opinion I ever had about buying 00:05:55.899 --> 00:05:59.019 a house was that we would not have a pink or 00:05:59.019 --> 00:06:03.769 yellow in the home. And my wife bamboozled me 00:06:03.769 --> 00:06:07.350 into buying this house in Munster that had three 00:06:07.350 --> 00:06:10.529 different shades of those colors, yet within 00:06:10.529 --> 00:06:13.329 a couple years we changed it. Actually, the first 00:06:13.329 --> 00:06:15.509 week we changed two of them, so that was fine. 00:06:15.629 --> 00:06:18.250 Because paint isn't foundational to the home. 00:06:19.110 --> 00:06:21.750 Just like the foundation of church needs to be 00:06:21.750 --> 00:06:25.870 something that can withstand the weathers and 00:06:25.870 --> 00:06:29.620 wars of church. And guess what? The only person 00:06:29.620 --> 00:06:33.180 is Jesus Christ, our Lord. How firm a foundation, 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:35.800 right? And so one of the things that we talk 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:39.139 about is Jesus being the foundation. And what 00:06:39.139 --> 00:06:41.379 we're going to see today is the foundation of 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:44.120 the church not only is Christ, the bride of Christ, 00:06:44.220 --> 00:06:47.139 it is the word of God through the power of the 00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:49.779 Holy Spirit. Not your words, not my words, not 00:06:49.779 --> 00:06:52.379 your translation, not my translation, but the 00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:57.019 Holy Spirit and the word of God. There is no 00:06:57.019 --> 00:07:00.439 firmer foundation for the church than that. And 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.100 friends, we can take a 10 ,000 step back and 00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:05.279 look at the history of the church. Not all good. 00:07:05.459 --> 00:07:08.639 Not all great. A lot of times it's very cringy 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:10.920 when we look at how the church has functioned 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:13.519 over the years, in and out of the politics, in 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.819 the different decades and eras of the church. 00:07:15.939 --> 00:07:17.779 Yet we're all a part of it because we're all 00:07:17.779 --> 00:07:19.980 here today. Those online, you're here online. 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:22.920 That's a change to the church. Was the church 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:25.259 virtual a thing in the first century? Not at 00:07:25.259 --> 00:07:28.629 all. It was church via letters, right, communications 00:07:28.629 --> 00:07:30.730 being written, but never the church virtual. 00:07:31.269 --> 00:07:33.569 But that's exactly where we find the disciples. 00:07:34.230 --> 00:07:37.129 Acts chapter 1, Jesus had ascended. Their teacher, 00:07:37.269 --> 00:07:39.970 their friend, their leader was no longer standing 00:07:39.970 --> 00:07:42.790 in front of them. One of their own, Judas, had 00:07:42.790 --> 00:07:45.670 betrayed them. So the church had been betrayed. 00:07:46.069 --> 00:07:49.230 Not the first time, won't be the last. The church 00:07:49.230 --> 00:07:53.949 was betrayed. It was a time of uncertainty. They 00:07:53.949 --> 00:07:56.579 were asking who would lead. And as we saw last 00:07:56.579 --> 00:08:01.379 week, they have a direction to wait. Be in prayer. 00:08:01.819 --> 00:08:07.060 Trust in God's providence. And now we see it 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:10.199 start to work, right? The church begins with 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:14.920 prayer. Interesting. It didn't begin with the 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:17.870 finest whatever program ever. It didn't begin 00:08:17.870 --> 00:08:21.550 with the grandest music style ever. It didn't 00:08:21.550 --> 00:08:24.449 begin with the flashiest preacher ever. It didn't 00:08:24.449 --> 00:08:29.050 begin with a building. The church begins with 00:08:29.050 --> 00:08:31.750 prayer. So let's dive in. We're going to be in 00:08:31.750 --> 00:08:33.970 Acts, still in chapter 1, starting with verse 00:08:33.970 --> 00:08:37.700 12. So chapter 1, verse 12. Then they were turned 00:08:37.700 --> 00:08:41.620 to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which 00:08:41.620 --> 00:08:44.220 is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:47.080 And when they had entered, they went up to the 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:50.600 upper room where they were staying. Peter and 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:52.779 John and James and Andrew and Philip and Thomas, 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:55.799 Bartholomew and Matthew, and James, son of Alphaeus, 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:58.740 and Simon the Zealot, and Judas, the son of James, 00:08:58.820 --> 00:09:11.320 all these. So they ascend to the upper room and 00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:14.440 they pray. We already know there was tension 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.179 there. So that's an easy sermon. When you have 00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:19.440 tension in life about anything, take it to the 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:23.039 Lord in prayer. After Jesus ascends, the disciples 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:26.940 don't scatter in despair. They've already learned 00:09:26.940 --> 00:09:29.879 something. Because what happened when Jesus was 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:35.379 arrested? They scatter. Right? Guys, an ear gets 00:09:35.379 --> 00:09:38.159 cut off. There's a denial. They scatter all over 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:41.879 the place. They gather in the upper room with 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:44.480 Mary, the women, and his brothers. Luke says 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:48.200 they were of one accord. A beautiful word in 00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:51.139 the Greek that I cannot pronounce. One heart. 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:55.320 One mind. The first action of the church was 00:09:55.320 --> 00:10:01.279 not to strategize. but simply to pray. That's 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:03.620 why I hope there'll be a lot of you coming on 00:10:03.620 --> 00:10:08.360 Tuesday. That room four will be packed next Sunday 00:10:08.360 --> 00:10:11.059 at 8 .30, or it's kind of open house style, so 00:10:11.059 --> 00:10:13.240 you can come up until the start of the service. 00:10:13.340 --> 00:10:15.039 And if you feel called to pray down there during 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.059 the service, we're not going to put you under 00:10:17.059 --> 00:10:18.379 church discipline for that. That's a beautiful 00:10:18.379 --> 00:10:22.899 thing. Pray. That's fine. The first action of 00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:26.059 the church was to pray. This is the picture of 00:10:26.059 --> 00:10:30.039 the unity of the church, right? When chaos floods 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:33.039 our world, floods our lives, floods our street, 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.220 floods our rows, what should we do? We should 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:40.259 come together to pray. That's why every committee 00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:42.379 meeting, every council meeting, every elders 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:45.779 meeting starts and ends with prayer. If you're 00:10:45.779 --> 00:10:47.519 sitting on one of those committees and go, oh, 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:50.679 we don't do that, then start. Start and end with 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:54.879 prayer. The Belgic Confession Article 27 reminds 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:58.340 us, this one isn't on the screen, this church 00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:01.820 has existed from the beginning of the world and 00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:05.220 will last until the end of the world. Think about 00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:08.279 that. That's an amazing thing to think about, 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:12.059 that the gates of hell cannot conquer the church. 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:14.440 The church will be the church, whether huge or 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:19.139 tiny, until the end, as it appears from the testimony 00:11:19.139 --> 00:11:22.529 given by the Holy Scriptures. So the church begins 00:11:22.529 --> 00:11:25.190 with prayer. And what does the word do? The word 00:11:25.190 --> 00:11:29.320 directs their steps. The Word of God directs 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.460 their steps, not the latest church trend, not 00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:36.019 some book that was written by some successful 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:38.399 church leader or, more importantly, failed church 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.980 leaders. A lot of them like to write books, right? 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:42.940 That's why my book would be more like Michael 00:11:42.940 --> 00:11:44.980 Scott's Somehow I Manage. It's just going to 00:11:44.980 --> 00:11:47.480 be stories of all of you, not using your names 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:50.659 probably, called Somehow I Pastored, right? However 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:52.159 long that's going to be, it's just going to be 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.340 me up there on the cover. It's a book written 00:11:55.340 --> 00:11:57.779 in my head. Don't worry about it. but understand 00:11:57.779 --> 00:12:01.480 that the church, the word, is directing their 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:04.820 steps. And so we're going to continue in verse 00:12:04.820 --> 00:12:08.899 15. In those days, Peter stood up among the brothers. 00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:11.820 The company of persons was about 120 and said, 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:15.100 Brothers, the scriptures had to be fulfilled, 00:12:15.340 --> 00:12:30.980 which the Holy Spirit... Now this man acquired 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:34.019 a field with the reward from his wickedness, 00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:37.659 and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:40.679 and all his bowels gushed out, and it became 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.559 known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:46.100 that the field was called in their own language, 00:12:46.059 --> 00:12:49.639 language, al -Qamdana, that is, the field of 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:52.360 blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:56.059 may his camp become desolate, and let there be 00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:59.440 no one dwell in it, and let another take his 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:05.039 office. So we see kind of a look back to what 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.820 happened to Judas. But Peter interprets Judas' 00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:10.519 betrayal through the Psalms. He quotes Psalm 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:13.980 69 and Psalm 109. He shows us that Scripture 00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:17.340 is not an ancient book gathering dust, but a 00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:21.179 living word that speaks into the church's present. 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:24.539 Friends, that's why we spend time in the Old 00:13:24.539 --> 00:13:27.240 Testament. There are churches among us that don't. 00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:31.039 Wow, we're a New Testament church. I don't know 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:34.200 what that means. Because the Word of God is all 00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:37.620 66 books. It is the Old Testament and the New 00:13:37.620 --> 00:13:40.539 Testament, and we get to do that kind of interpretive 00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:43.240 dance in and through them because the Lord is 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:46.559 not done speaking. Guess what? He will be one 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:49.159 day, and we'll all be with him, those of us in 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:52.820 Christ. The Belgian Confession, Article 7. We 00:13:52.820 --> 00:13:55.240 believe that this Holy Scripture contains the 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:59.340 will of God completely. The disciples don't guess 00:13:59.340 --> 00:14:03.679 their way forward. They search the word. So when 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:06.250 we're in meetings, And someone gives an idea, 00:14:06.350 --> 00:14:10.750 a thought, and we can't kind of back it. And 00:14:10.750 --> 00:14:12.830 I know this can get really, really tough because 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:15.830 there's no, we don't see the word projectors 00:14:15.830 --> 00:14:19.289 in here, right? We don't see what color carpeting 00:14:19.289 --> 00:14:21.590 to put in the church. We don't see what kind 00:14:21.590 --> 00:14:23.309 of building projects we should or should not 00:14:23.309 --> 00:14:28.149 do in here. Yet we can look at the word. We can 00:14:28.149 --> 00:14:31.090 discern the word because God gives. That's why 00:14:31.090 --> 00:14:33.429 a church isn't run by one person. God gives a 00:14:33.429 --> 00:14:36.299 counsel. God gives elders and deacons to come 00:14:36.299 --> 00:14:39.159 together. That's where there has to be trust. 00:14:39.620 --> 00:14:42.779 And I know for some of you, you don't. Or if 00:14:42.779 --> 00:14:45.399 you do, it's not a lot. Because of church hurt. 00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:48.740 And for that, I am sorry on behalf of the church 00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:52.200 that may have hurt you. And to be fair, it might 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:55.000 be legit hurt, or it might be because you didn't 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.779 get your way, so therefore you're hurt. And in 00:14:57.779 --> 00:14:59.559 that, I say with all love and compassion, that's 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:01.360 a you issue, not necessarily a church issue. 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:04.159 Yet we like to conflate the two. and we like 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:07.480 to hold on to that. Oh, I like Munster Church, 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:10.440 but I can't stand Munster Church. That's a tension 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:12.840 you have to live with. I hope is you can give 00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:14.779 that up, and you can give that to the Lord, because 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:16.779 in the book of Acts, we don't necessarily see 00:15:16.779 --> 00:15:20.519 that. We see it in order. We see that God is 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.340 moving something forward. For us, when we ask, 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:26.259 what should Munster Church do? The first place 00:15:26.259 --> 00:15:28.559 we look is the scriptures, not cultural trends. 00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:32.870 We go to prayer. We go to discern. That if we're 00:15:32.870 --> 00:15:36.529 a divided room about a decision, right, that 00:15:36.529 --> 00:15:38.570 maybe it means we don't make that decision or 00:15:38.570 --> 00:15:41.269 we have to just continue to go to God's word 00:15:41.269 --> 00:15:45.309 and to pray, excuse me, to prayer more. But what 00:15:45.309 --> 00:15:48.450 we're seeing is God instructing the leadership. 00:15:49.669 --> 00:15:52.070 Friends, there's always been leaders in the church. 00:15:52.909 --> 00:15:56.049 The disciples were the first ones. There was 00:15:56.049 --> 00:15:59.860 always leaders. And I guarantee you, the leaders, 00:15:59.940 --> 00:16:02.299 they were not called by popularity. They were 00:16:02.299 --> 00:16:06.899 called by God to their giftings. And this, ooh, 00:16:07.340 --> 00:16:10.879 this can be a black eye in our CRC churches at 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:15.539 times. That this easy sentence, leadership by 00:16:15.539 --> 00:16:19.059 calling, not by popularity, really challenges 00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:23.220 that status quo. I've been in the church all 00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:26.019 my life. Therefore, I am called to be an elder. 00:16:26.429 --> 00:16:30.769 Show me where that is in here. I am really good 00:16:30.769 --> 00:16:33.309 with money, so therefore I ought to be a deacon. 00:16:33.509 --> 00:16:37.230 That's only part of it. Well, all deacons need 00:16:37.230 --> 00:16:40.389 to be young guys because they need to grow up 00:16:40.389 --> 00:16:43.049 and then have more life experience to be an elder. 00:16:43.590 --> 00:16:47.570 Not all the time. Deacons are junior elders. 00:16:47.809 --> 00:16:53.210 That is unbiblical. This lays out for us how 00:16:53.210 --> 00:16:56.440 we do what we do. And why we do what we do. Yet 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:59.919 in our cultures, in our many churches, and I'm 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:02.580 just going to use the Ileana area, many churches 00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:05.859 in our seven mile radius sometimes fall into 00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:09.440 the popularity. Or what is the last name? Or 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:11.299 what does that last name mean? Or what kind of 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:14.740 jobs do they do? And therefore, that makes a 00:17:14.740 --> 00:17:18.200 good council. No, the Holy Spirit has to come 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:22.890 first. The way they run their house. The way 00:17:22.890 --> 00:17:26.890 they live their life. That is part of the calling 00:17:26.890 --> 00:17:30.670 of the leadership of the church. Men and women 00:17:30.670 --> 00:17:33.730 called to different aspects and understandings 00:17:33.730 --> 00:17:39.769 of how to run and how to lead churches. We have 00:17:39.769 --> 00:17:42.309 our denominations that make the decisions. And 00:17:42.309 --> 00:17:44.549 we are a denominational church. And if the denomination 00:17:44.549 --> 00:17:47.049 continues to set their decisions scripturally, 00:17:47.190 --> 00:17:50.349 we follow those. Just like submitting to the 00:17:50.349 --> 00:17:52.640 government. We are to submit to the government 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.539 that is put above us as if the Lord is the one 00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:58.640 that put them there. Oh, and I know a bunch of 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.359 you don't like that. But that is what the Word 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.119 says. That doesn't mean you always have to like 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:05.720 it. That doesn't mean you have to champion it. 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:09.740 But until we are called to actively sin, we are 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:13.259 called to submit. Oh, but we don't like that. 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:15.039 We don't like to submit because we're the center 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:19.259 of our own universe. But leadership is by calling, 00:18:19.299 --> 00:18:24.819 not by popularity. Let's go to verse 21. So some 00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:28.160 of the men who have accompanied us during all 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.640 the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:33.140 among us, beginning from the baptism of John 00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:36.539 until the day that he was taken up from us, one 00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:40.900 of these men must become... One of these men 00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:44.460 must become with us a witness to his resurrection. 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:48.180 And they put forward two. Joseph called, oh, 00:18:48.180 --> 00:18:52.200 I can never say this. Barsabbas, thank you, who 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:55.740 was also called Justice, and Matthias. So right 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:58.640 away, we have a hole in our leadership. We've 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:00.559 got to fill the leadership. And we see lots, 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:03.279 right, being cast. We see an understanding of 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.500 we're putting names up, and one's going to get 00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:07.680 pulled. It's one of the reasons why Munster Church 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:10.329 does lots. Because at the end of the day, nothing, 00:19:10.509 --> 00:19:13.049 and I say this every summer, every time we do 00:19:13.049 --> 00:19:15.589 this, no name's written on flypaper, no name's 00:19:15.589 --> 00:19:17.509 written on different sized paper than the others, 00:19:17.630 --> 00:19:20.309 and we believe that the Holy Spirit is the one 00:19:20.309 --> 00:19:23.089 that is going to do the pulling. The apostles 00:19:23.089 --> 00:19:25.569 knew they needed a 12th witness. Why? Because 00:19:25.569 --> 00:19:29.009 that's what Jesus had set up. But they set qualifications. 00:19:29.730 --> 00:19:32.210 What were the qualifications? They have a degree 00:19:32.210 --> 00:19:35.569 in it. No. They have a lot of experience in it. 00:19:35.950 --> 00:19:38.720 No. The church wasn't a thing yet, so no one, 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:40.759 you know, oh, we've got to pick a rabbi. No. 00:19:40.859 --> 00:19:42.960 We've got to pick a Sadducee. No. We've got to 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:46.420 pick a Pharisee. No. There were two qualifications. 00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:50.019 Someone who had walked with Jesus and could testify 00:19:50.019 --> 00:19:55.000 to the resurrection. Man, as a pastor, I look 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:57.240 to that and go, that would be a lot easier for 00:19:57.240 --> 00:19:59.640 due nominations if those were the two things 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:02.779 that we got to go by. But it's 2025, and we can't 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:05.309 do that. And so we go then, why do you think 00:20:05.309 --> 00:20:07.589 Paul writes to Timothy about those qualifications? 00:20:07.910 --> 00:20:09.950 Because they get to a point where all of those 00:20:09.950 --> 00:20:12.210 people that walked physically with Jesus, that 00:20:12.210 --> 00:20:14.490 physically saw him die, that physically saw him 00:20:14.490 --> 00:20:17.710 raised, they're all dead. And those generations 00:20:17.710 --> 00:20:20.750 have to continue. You see, leadership is not 00:20:20.750 --> 00:20:23.710 about talent, wealth, or personality. It's about 00:20:23.710 --> 00:20:27.210 faithful witness. So what does that look like 00:20:27.210 --> 00:20:32.490 in 2025? Can you see the way of the Lord in this 00:20:32.490 --> 00:20:35.819 individual? First and foremost. And we can go 00:20:35.819 --> 00:20:39.799 to Timothy. We can go to Jude. We can go to Peter 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:42.240 to see what those qualifications are. We don't 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:44.460 have to come up with them ourselves. For this 00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:48.140 upcoming year, I kind of put a 2025 version of 00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:51.140 what Timothy and Jude and Peter are trying to 00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:53.200 say. And the council is going to look to that. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.950 Right? Because some of it is churchy language. 00:20:57.009 --> 00:20:59.450 What does that look like in 2025 language? It's 00:20:59.450 --> 00:21:01.769 the same, but it helps us understand to be able 00:21:01.769 --> 00:21:05.529 to see faithful witness in people. Pause there. 00:21:06.369 --> 00:21:09.269 The church continues because of the faithful 00:21:09.269 --> 00:21:13.009 witness of its people. In 2025, it's not just 00:21:13.009 --> 00:21:17.299 our elders and deacons, it's all of you. Faithful 00:21:17.299 --> 00:21:20.559 witness. Belgian Confession, Article 31. Ministers 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:23.960 of the Word, elders, and deacons ought to be 00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:26.480 chosen to their offices with election, prayer, 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:31.500 and in good order. That's why it's not a popularity 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:33.920 contest. It's not why we just put a bunch of 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:37.180 names on a sheet of paper and we throw darts 00:21:37.180 --> 00:21:40.220 at it. We do it through prayer. It is a four 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:45.099 -month prayer process. And then when those individuals 00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:47.079 are asked, they have to go through a time of 00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:50.160 prayer on their own. I've said this before. I 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.660 always love, especially those that get the very 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:55.700 first call. Hey, so -and -so, it's Pastor Jim. 00:21:56.180 --> 00:22:02.160 Hi. So your name came up, and we prayed through 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:04.059 it, and we would like you to keep your name up 00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:07.980 for the office of either elder or deacon. Hello? 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:12.720 Hello? It's usually really quiet. Like, press 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.940 two if you're still there. You understand? Because 00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:17.619 it's a wait. Instantly, they know a wait. Now, 00:22:17.660 --> 00:22:19.799 there are some that go, absolutely, yes, I'll 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:22.259 do it. I go, whoa, tiger. Like, talk to your 00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:25.180 spouse. Pray about it. Like, I appreciate that 00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:27.839 you are excited. No one for the call of elder 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:32.200 has ever said, this is my destiny. If I ever 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:35.019 got that call, hey, so -and -so, your call to 00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:37.619 keep your name up is elder. This is my destiny, 00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:41.980 pastor. Click. That would scare me. But understand, 00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:44.380 it's not about talent, wealth, or personality. 00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:47.039 It's about being a faithful witness. The leaders 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:50.099 at Munster Church aren't CEOs and we're not politicians. 00:22:50.859 --> 00:22:53.759 We're shepherds called by Christ, affirmed by 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:58.619 his people, rooted in God's word. Do we make 00:22:58.619 --> 00:23:01.440 a mess of it? Friends, we do. We don't always 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:04.240 get it right. But any leadership team that I'm 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:07.079 going to be a part of, we also have to be humble 00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:10.680 enough to say, wow, we messed that up. Wow, we 00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:13.880 didn't get that right. We're sorry. A leadership 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:16.599 that can apologize has humbled themselves, not 00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:19.920 exalted themselves for their people. Because 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:21.660 one of the things we're asking for everybody 00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:25.519 is to trust one major thing, and that's God's 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:29.039 sovereignty. The church enacts the church today 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:33.190 should trust God's sovereignty. Verse 24. And 00:23:33.190 --> 00:23:35.690 they prayed and said, You, Lord, who know the 00:23:35.690 --> 00:23:38.670 hearts of all, show which ones of these two you 00:23:38.670 --> 00:23:41.410 have chosen to take the place in this ministry 00:23:41.410 --> 00:23:43.890 and the apostleship from which Judas turned aside 00:23:43.890 --> 00:23:47.910 to go to his own place. And they cast lots for 00:23:47.910 --> 00:23:50.789 them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was 00:23:50.789 --> 00:23:54.890 numbered with the eleven apostles. The disciples 00:23:54.890 --> 00:23:59.609 prayed, Lord, you know everyone's hearts. Show 00:23:59.609 --> 00:24:03.059 us whom you have chosen. That's why the casting 00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:07.099 of lots process to me is so, it's so weirdly 00:24:07.099 --> 00:24:10.019 wonderful. Because if you remember, there's one 00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:12.880 key piece here that we do here, not all churches 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:15.000 that do lots do, but I'm so thankful we do that, 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:18.380 is because after a four -month process, what 00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:22.460 do we do? We offer the names to you, the body 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:25.720 of Christ at Munster Church. And I call it kind 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:28.299 of those weeks of accountability that if for 00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:33.619 some reason one of you have legit biblical concerns 00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:36.900 or issues or disqualifications that in a private, 00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:40.740 confidential meeting, not anonymous email, anything 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:43.539 you write to us anonymous, it tends to just go 00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:45.700 in the shredder because your yes is yes, your 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:47.819 no is no, put your name on it. But understand 00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:50.920 that during those times, if someone comes and 00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:54.000 has that, now there might be concerns. Okay, 00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:56.900 we'll talk about those, right? But there needs 00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:59.759 to be biblical disqualifications for those individuals. 00:25:01.390 --> 00:25:04.009 And if that happens, right, then we have as a 00:25:04.009 --> 00:25:06.430 council, that would be the elders, would come 00:25:06.430 --> 00:25:10.029 together to make decisions about that. That person 00:25:10.029 --> 00:25:13.329 would get asked. But you see, the apostles cast 00:25:13.329 --> 00:25:16.710 lots, not as superstition, but as an act of surrender. 00:25:16.890 --> 00:25:19.630 Lord, here are our names. Right? You remember 00:25:19.630 --> 00:25:22.410 when we had to do that? You had Dan Blum, Dan 00:25:22.410 --> 00:25:24.369 Arnsma, I had to get on a stool, right, and hold 00:25:24.369 --> 00:25:28.829 that bowl up so they can pick those names. That 00:25:28.829 --> 00:25:32.029 we had to... Offer that up as a surrender. The 00:25:32.029 --> 00:25:34.470 outcome is always in God's hands. Why? Because 00:25:34.470 --> 00:25:37.150 God is ultimate providence. Belgian Confession, 00:25:37.170 --> 00:25:40.049 Article 13, reminds us, nothing happens in the 00:25:40.049 --> 00:25:42.430 world without his orderly arrangement. Lord's 00:25:42.430 --> 00:25:44.890 Day 1, not a hair can fall from my head without 00:25:44.890 --> 00:25:47.650 the will of my Father, right? God's hand was 00:25:47.650 --> 00:25:51.450 guiding then. Guess what? His hand is guiding 00:25:51.450 --> 00:25:54.930 now. For us, when the future seems uncertain, 00:25:55.289 --> 00:25:58.880 leadership, family life, work, We can say, Lord, 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:03.000 you know us. Lead us. In the coming weeks and 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:04.579 months, we are going to be sitting back in here 00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:07.319 talking about a potential new building. And the 00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:11.319 Lord's going to be, Lord, you lead us. Not, well, 00:26:11.380 --> 00:26:14.500 I have an opinion because of this. I think the 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:16.380 rooms need to be this. That's all well and good, 00:26:16.440 --> 00:26:18.700 and that can be brought. And we can discern that. 00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:21.359 But as the body of Christ, it's funny. It's why 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:24.619 the CRC church is different than like your Presbyterian 00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:27.220 churches. where the session has ultimate control. 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:30.859 There are four different reasons why the council 00:26:30.859 --> 00:26:34.839 makes recommendations to the congregation in 00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:38.259 the CRC church, because our polity is that. It's 00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:42.000 the body. It's when you call a pastor. I didn't 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:44.279 just show up and start being your pastor. Y 'all 00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:48.779 voted on me, so it's on you. Understand the calling 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:51.880 of the pastor, approving those for elder and 00:26:51.880 --> 00:26:56.990 deacon, the annual budget. and any building projects. 00:26:57.269 --> 00:26:59.730 That is in our church order, building projects. 00:27:00.450 --> 00:27:03.049 Because the body needs to come together. Because 00:27:03.049 --> 00:27:05.750 what could easily happen if it was just the 5, 00:27:05.789 --> 00:27:08.589 8, 10, 15 elders or council that we have up on 00:27:08.589 --> 00:27:12.230 our stoops not having a relationship? It could 00:27:12.230 --> 00:27:13.609 go to their heads. It could go to our heads. 00:27:13.809 --> 00:27:16.170 We could say, we have ultimate control. I don't 00:27:16.170 --> 00:27:17.609 know why anyone would want that in a church. 00:27:17.890 --> 00:27:21.549 That's way too awkward, weird, and hard. But 00:27:21.549 --> 00:27:24.019 we have to trust in God's sovereignty. So when 00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:26.180 the future feels uncertain, whether in church 00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:29.720 leadership, family life, or work, we get to put 00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:32.339 it to the Lord and say, Lord, lead us. Lead us 00:27:32.339 --> 00:27:34.859 not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:37.000 It's part of the prayer God gave us, that Christ 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:41.200 gave us to connect with God. Because once you 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:43.579 understand God's sovereignty, you understand 00:27:43.579 --> 00:27:51.759 Christ as cornerstone. Dick, what is the cornerstone 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:55.099 of a house? I mean, I know we don't really use 00:27:55.099 --> 00:27:56.720 that term a whole lot anymore, but back then, 00:27:56.779 --> 00:28:07.640 just help me out. What would that be? Okay, so 00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:10.799 what we're doing in 2025, the cornerstone is 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:13.720 what kind of makes the house a house. Our buildings 00:28:13.720 --> 00:28:15.579 aren't really built like that anymore. I believe 00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:17.859 our cornerstone is in the front stoop on the 00:28:17.859 --> 00:28:20.809 north side. You see it. It has the date. The 00:28:20.809 --> 00:28:22.869 cornerstone, what back then is, there was kind 00:28:22.869 --> 00:28:25.390 of one stone that was set and the rest of the 00:28:25.390 --> 00:28:28.250 house off of it. That Christ is the cornerstone. 00:28:28.650 --> 00:28:31.369 He's the one that is setting the rest of the 00:28:31.369 --> 00:28:35.910 foundation. Notice how it's not me. You can look. 00:28:35.950 --> 00:28:37.349 There's been a bunch of pastors here. None of 00:28:37.349 --> 00:28:39.430 them were the cornerstones. Not the one that 00:28:39.430 --> 00:28:41.369 stayed a year. Not the one that stayed 29 and 00:28:41.369 --> 00:28:45.099 a half years. It's always been Christ. Christ 00:28:45.099 --> 00:28:47.680 is the cornerstone. And if it's not the pastors, 00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:50.119 if it's not the elders, if it's not the deacons, 00:28:50.140 --> 00:28:54.380 I love you all. It's not you. It's not. It never 00:28:54.380 --> 00:28:57.920 has been. And that's a good thing. Matthias was 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:00.900 chosen. Luke moves right on. The point isn't 00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:03.759 how impressive Matthias was. The point is that 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:06.480 Christ is building on his church. He provides 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:09.450 the leaders it needs. The Belgian Confession, 00:29:09.470 --> 00:29:12.750 Article 27, again, this holy church is preserved 00:29:12.750 --> 00:29:17.750 by God against the rage of the whole world. Christ 00:29:17.750 --> 00:29:20.829 is the firm foundation that will never fail. 00:29:21.609 --> 00:29:25.029 Our confidence is not in who stands in the pulpit 00:29:25.029 --> 00:29:27.890 or sits at the council table, but in the risen 00:29:27.890 --> 00:29:34.329 Christ who reigns over the church. All right, 00:29:34.390 --> 00:29:37.269 let's land the plane. So what does that mean 00:29:37.269 --> 00:29:40.759 for us? What does that mean for Munster Church? 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:44.599 Well, here's five things. Make prayer our starting 00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:48.839 place. Before we plan youth group nights, what 00:29:48.839 --> 00:29:50.859 classes we're going to teach, our budgets, our 00:29:50.859 --> 00:29:53.460 building projects, let's pray with one accord, 00:29:53.660 --> 00:29:58.140 seeking God's leadership. And that's not a prayer 00:29:58.140 --> 00:30:00.480 of, Lord, you know I'm against this, this, and 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:03.759 this, so please bless what I am against. That 00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:07.029 is not a prayer to God. A prayer is emptying 00:30:07.029 --> 00:30:09.589 yourself and saying, God, your will be done. 00:30:09.829 --> 00:30:12.289 How can I say that with such confidence? Our 00:30:12.289 --> 00:30:15.730 Lord did it in the Garden of Gethsemane. That, 00:30:15.910 --> 00:30:18.769 to me, is much higher than what color the carpet 00:30:18.769 --> 00:30:22.269 should be in a room. And we need to put it in 00:30:22.269 --> 00:30:25.089 priority. Second, let scripture be our guide. 00:30:25.289 --> 00:30:28.289 Article 7 of the Belgic reminds us that we all 00:30:28.289 --> 00:30:31.869 need God's word. Are we aligning our ministry 00:30:31.869 --> 00:30:36.120 with the gospel or with cultural trends? Third, 00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:40.359 trust God with leadership. When we nominate elders 00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:43.380 and deacons, it's not about who's popular. It's 00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:46.940 about who shows Christ's faithfulness. This protects 00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:50.220 us from building shifting ground and shifting 00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:54.359 sand. We need to rest in God's providence. We 00:30:54.359 --> 00:30:58.220 may not know the future of our church, the future 00:30:58.220 --> 00:31:01.819 of our families, or even our health, but we know 00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:05.440 the one who directs all things. And then finally, 00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:09.500 we build on Christ, not ourselves. Let me say 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:12.579 that again. We build on Christ, not ourselves, 00:31:12.740 --> 00:31:16.200 not our desires, not our wants, not our Christmas 00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:19.740 lists of what our church should be for us. But 00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:22.900 as we move forward in vision, our confidence 00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:26.180 is not in what we can do, but it's the one who 00:31:26.180 --> 00:31:30.539 said, I will build my church, and the gates of 00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:36.130 hell shall not prevail against it. So as we do 00:31:36.130 --> 00:31:39.509 this, and April, we're not going to go to that 00:31:39.509 --> 00:31:40.730 next one. We're just going to go to the closing 00:31:40.730 --> 00:31:43.069 prayer. We'll save that other part for next week. 00:31:43.650 --> 00:31:48.029 But as we go forward as a church, as you start 00:31:48.029 --> 00:31:52.710 hearing talk about vision, understand that it's 00:31:52.710 --> 00:31:56.619 not just one person. This church for 155 years 00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:59.559 has never been about one person. When this church 00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:02.180 saw its heyday, right, whatever that looks like 00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:04.960 in what we read in the history during World War 00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:08.200 II under Johann Monsma or during the 70s, 80s, 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:11.940 90s of Reverend Buzine, it was never about them. 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:15.039 And to be fair, it was never about you or for 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:17.000 some of you, your grandparents, your great -grandparents, 00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:19.779 your great -great -grandparents. Though I love 00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:22.400 that that heritage and that lineage is in this 00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:25.829 church. The church has never been about a last 00:32:25.829 --> 00:32:28.690 name. It's been about one name, and that is our 00:32:28.690 --> 00:32:31.630 Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So let's lean 00:32:31.630 --> 00:32:35.690 into that. Where we disagree, let's have conversations, 00:32:36.089 --> 00:32:38.890 right? Where there is tension, let us go to the 00:32:38.890 --> 00:32:43.269 Lord in prayer. Because when we come together, 00:32:43.430 --> 00:32:47.710 good things happen. The church, for what it is 00:32:47.710 --> 00:32:50.730 for, not what it is against, is much stronger 00:32:50.730 --> 00:32:53.710 in the world today. When Christ is our vision 00:32:53.710 --> 00:32:56.970 and our foundation, friends, the church can weather 00:32:56.970 --> 00:33:01.130 every storm. And we don't measure by the number 00:33:01.130 --> 00:33:03.170 of seats on a Sunday morning or the number of 00:33:03.170 --> 00:33:06.109 views online. Is that data we can use? Sure. 00:33:07.569 --> 00:33:10.390 But if Christ is our vision and our foundation, 00:33:10.690 --> 00:33:13.869 the church can weather every storm. Leaders may 00:33:13.869 --> 00:33:17.069 come and go, as Acts tells us, but the foundation 00:33:17.069 --> 00:33:20.309 is unshakable and the cornerstone stands firm. 00:33:20.430 --> 00:33:23.380 Please stand if you are able. And let's close 00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:26.799 in unison reading our closing prayer together. 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:31.359 Lord Jesus Christ, you are our vision and our 00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:35.339 foundation. Gather us in your love. Guide us 00:33:35.339 --> 00:33:39.519 by your word. Grow us by your spirit. And send 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:43.619 us to go in your name. Keep Munster Church firmly 00:33:43.619 --> 00:33:47.359 rooted in you so that through every season we 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:50.480 may bear faithful witness to your resurrection 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:54.750 and reign. Be our wisdom, our strength, and our 00:33:54.750 --> 00:33:57.829 song. In your name we pray. Amen.