WEBVTT 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.679 Hey everyone, this is Josh from Encounter Church 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:15.279 Henley and thanks so much for tuning into our 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:19.000 podcast. Our prayer is that through this podcast, 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:20.899 you can have an encounter with Jesus that will 00:00:20.899 --> 00:00:24.379 change your life. And now get ready for an inspiring 00:00:24.379 --> 00:00:29.929 message from our preaching team. reading today 00:00:29.929 --> 00:00:32.030 so there's two passages that I'll be reading. 00:00:32.090 --> 00:00:36.649 The first one is Acts chapter 28 from verse 11. 00:00:38.009 --> 00:00:39.850 It was three months after the shipwreck that 00:00:39.850 --> 00:00:42.009 we set sail on another ship that had wintered 00:00:42.009 --> 00:00:44.969 at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the twin 00:00:44.969 --> 00:00:49.149 gods as its figurehead. Our first stop was Syracuse 00:00:49.149 --> 00:00:51.570 where we stayed three days. From there we sailed 00:00:51.570 --> 00:00:54.850 across the region. A day later a south wind began 00:00:54.850 --> 00:00:56.990 blowing so the following day we sailed up the 00:00:56.990 --> 00:01:00.520 coast to Putioli. There we found some believers 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:02.920 who invited us to spend a week with them and 00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:05.680 so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:08.140 in Rome had heard we were coming and they came 00:01:08.140 --> 00:01:11.280 to meet us at the forum on the Appian Way. Others 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.319 joined us at the three taverns. When Paul saw 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:17.140 them he was encouraged and thanked God. When 00:01:17.140 --> 00:01:19.299 we arrived in Rome Paul was permitted to have 00:01:19.299 --> 00:01:21.620 his own private lodging though he was guarded 00:01:21.620 --> 00:01:26.209 by a soldier. Three days after Paul's arrival, 00:01:26.269 --> 00:01:28.230 he called together the local Jewish leaders. 00:01:28.650 --> 00:01:30.890 He said to them, Brothers, I was arrested in 00:01:30.890 --> 00:01:33.090 Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government, 00:01:33.450 --> 00:01:35.650 even though I had done nothing against our people 00:01:35.650 --> 00:01:38.790 or the customs of our ancestors. The Romans tried 00:01:38.790 --> 00:01:41.010 me and wanted to release me because they found 00:01:41.010 --> 00:01:43.930 no cause for the death sentence. But when the 00:01:43.930 --> 00:01:46.450 Jewish leaders protested the decision, I felt 00:01:46.450 --> 00:01:49.129 it necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though 00:01:49.129 --> 00:01:51.489 I had no desire to press charges against my own 00:01:51.489 --> 00:01:55.060 people. I asked you to come here today so we 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:57.040 could get acquainted and so I could explain to 00:01:57.040 --> 00:01:59.500 you that I am bound with this chain because I 00:01:59.500 --> 00:02:01.599 believe that the hope of Israel, the Messiah, 00:02:01.900 --> 00:02:06.299 has already come. They replied, we have had no 00:02:06.299 --> 00:02:08.500 letters from Judea or reports against you from 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:10.780 anyone who has come here, but we want to hear 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:12.780 what you believe for the only thing we know about 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:14.840 this movement is that it is denounced everywhere. 00:02:16.030 --> 00:02:18.689 So a time was set and on that day a large number 00:02:18.689 --> 00:02:21.330 of people came to Paul's lodging He explained 00:02:21.330 --> 00:02:23.610 and testified about the kingdom of God and tried 00:02:23.610 --> 00:02:26.210 to persuade them about Jesus from the scriptures 00:02:26.210 --> 00:02:28.909 Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets. 00:02:28.909 --> 00:02:33.409 He spoke to them from morning until evening Some 00:02:33.409 --> 00:02:35.669 were persuaded by the things he said but others 00:02:35.669 --> 00:02:38.389 did not believe and after they had argued back 00:02:38.389 --> 00:02:40.370 and forth among themselves They left with this 00:02:40.370 --> 00:02:43.960 final word from Paul The Holy Spirit was right 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:46.000 when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.300 the prophet, go and say to this people, when 00:02:49.300 --> 00:02:52.139 you hear what I say, you will not understand. 00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:54.780 When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. 00:02:55.219 --> 00:02:57.280 For the hearts of these people are hardened and 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:59.860 their ears cannot hear and they have closed their 00:02:59.860 --> 00:03:02.520 eyes so their eyes cannot see and their ears 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:05.199 cannot hear and their hearts cannot understand 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:07.860 and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them. 00:03:09.580 --> 00:03:11.900 So I want you to know that this salvation from 00:03:11.900 --> 00:03:14.120 God has also been offered to the Gentiles and 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:17.159 they will accept it. For the next two years Paul 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:19.740 lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:23.219 all who visited him. Boldly proclaiming the kingdom 00:03:23.219 --> 00:03:25.659 of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ 00:03:25.659 --> 00:03:33.479 and no one tried to stop him. And next reading 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:39.169 is 2 Timothy 4 verses 1 to 8. I solemnly urge 00:03:39.169 --> 00:03:41.110 you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, 00:03:41.569 --> 00:03:43.650 who will someday judge the living and the dead 00:03:43.650 --> 00:03:46.409 when he comes to set up his kingdom, preach the 00:03:46.409 --> 00:03:49.270 word of God, be prepared whether the time is 00:03:49.270 --> 00:03:53.069 favourable or not, patiently correct, rebuke 00:03:53.069 --> 00:03:55.090 and encourage your people with good teaching. 00:03:57.250 --> 00:03:59.229 For a time is coming when people will no longer 00:03:59.229 --> 00:04:01.889 listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They 00:04:01.889 --> 00:04:03.930 will follow their own desires and will look for 00:04:03.930 --> 00:04:05.949 teachers who will tell them whatever their itching 00:04:05.949 --> 00:04:08.879 ears want to hear. They will reject the truth 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:13.300 and chase after myths. But you should keep a 00:04:13.300 --> 00:04:15.919 clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:18.399 of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:20.439 the good news and fully carry out the ministry 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:24.500 God has given you. As for me, my life has already 00:04:24.500 --> 00:04:27.060 been poured out as an offering to God. The time 00:04:27.060 --> 00:04:29.819 of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:31.860 I have finished the race and I have remained 00:04:31.860 --> 00:04:35.939 faithful. And now the prize awaits me, the crown 00:04:35.939 --> 00:04:37.959 of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:40.000 judge, will give me on the day of his return. 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:42.879 And the prize is not just for me, but for all 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:45.579 who eagerly look forward to his appearing. This 00:04:45.579 --> 00:04:55.220 is the word of the Lord. Hi everyone. Hi. I work 00:04:55.220 --> 00:04:58.800 with kids, so I love a good introduction. Hi 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.740 everyone, my name is Emma. And I'm part of the 00:05:01.740 --> 00:05:04.500 team here. I help coordinate the kids ministry, 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:09.040 but I dabble in other things. Before we get started, 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.899 I just wanted to bring to your attention that 00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:14.759 our church really values prayer. And so if you 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:16.759 need prayer at any time during this service, 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:20.519 we have two designated people that are here to 00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:23.839 pray for you. And we have Steph and Sam Upton. 00:05:23.860 --> 00:05:26.300 They're going to give you a wave for any point 00:05:26.300 --> 00:05:31.139 in any part of our... session today if you need 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:34.120 prayer they are here and available. Please don't 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:38.319 leave this place without prayer. Before we start 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:40.899 I'd just love to pray so if we could bow our 00:05:40.899 --> 00:05:45.569 heads and close our eyes. Dear God, we thank 00:05:45.569 --> 00:05:48.629 you for bringing us together this afternoon. 00:05:49.009 --> 00:05:51.910 We come with different weeks behind us, some 00:05:51.910 --> 00:05:56.870 full of joy, some full of weariness, but we all 00:05:56.870 --> 00:06:00.529 need your presence. As we gather, please help 00:06:00.529 --> 00:06:04.110 us to quiet our thoughts, open our hearts, and 00:06:04.110 --> 00:06:07.689 help us to be attentive to your word. Remind 00:06:07.689 --> 00:06:11.009 us that you are here, that you are faithful and 00:06:11.009 --> 00:06:16.810 that you desire to meet with us. Let us trust 00:06:16.810 --> 00:06:20.389 you deeper today and prepare us to receive whatever 00:06:20.389 --> 00:06:24.529 you want to speak to us. In Jesus' name, amen. 00:06:25.970 --> 00:06:29.730 Today I wanted to talk to you about the theme 00:06:29.730 --> 00:06:35.269 for today is commit to the long haul. And I was 00:06:35.269 --> 00:06:38.990 starting this series with something in mind that 00:06:38.990 --> 00:06:42.529 I do. So to start with, have you ever started 00:06:42.529 --> 00:06:46.430 something with more energy than sense? Convinced 00:06:46.430 --> 00:06:50.550 that it would be a quick, easy or fun? For me 00:06:50.550 --> 00:06:52.680 it was I'll just go for a quick run. and then 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:57.019 400 metres later I'm drafting my last will. Or, 00:06:57.019 --> 00:07:00.100 this happens to me, maybe you've reorganised 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:02.699 your bedroom only to end up three hours later 00:07:02.699 --> 00:07:05.060 surrounded by clothes and forgotten treasures, 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:07.379 sitting on your floor wondering if it's easy 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:10.839 just to burn everything or sit on the floor. 00:07:12.220 --> 00:07:15.360 Now I've had my fair share of these moments and 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:17.959 it's funny to recognize for myself how often 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:22.180 I overestimate my energy and underestimate the 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:25.540 endurance required to get through a task. So 00:07:25.540 --> 00:07:27.879 I'm just going to give you a little look into 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:30.759 a window that in my world of something that demands 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:33.699 all of my energy and patience and that is Highland 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:37.800 dancing. I'm a Scottish dancer. I have been amongst 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:40.600 the kilts, the bagpipes and swords since I was 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:44.060 a wee lass. four years old. From the outside 00:07:44.060 --> 00:07:48.339 it looks light and elegant and effortless. So 00:07:48.339 --> 00:07:50.199 the Highland Fling, for example, is just six 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:53.439 steps. It's a dance that's two minutes long and 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:58.939 it seems simple, right? Wrong! What looks easy 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:02.860 on stage hides hours of gruelling training. In 00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:07.379 those two minutes a dancer will jump 192 times, 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:10.620 often on the same leg. The equivalent of running 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:14.220 a mile on one foot while on the tiptoes with 00:08:14.220 --> 00:08:16.759 your arms raised up high wrapped in three to 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:21.019 four kilos of wool, all while smiling. Two minutes 00:08:21.019 --> 00:08:23.540 seems like a sprint for the audience, but it 00:08:23.540 --> 00:08:26.600 represents months or even years of disciplined, 00:08:27.079 --> 00:08:30.300 painful and relentless training. Behind the performance 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:33.320 are plyometric drills that make your legs burn, 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:36.639 stamina routines that leave your lungs crying. 00:08:37.400 --> 00:08:40.720 Stretchers that feel like medieval torture devices 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:44.299 and technique work that makes you question whether 00:08:44.299 --> 00:08:47.700 your joints are made to even move that way. And 00:08:47.700 --> 00:08:51.960 the cost. Physio and podiatry bills. I'm talking 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:55.000 enough to plant another church. I wish I were 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:57.879 joking, but I'm not. Amen. Come to me. That's 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:02.389 where all the money is. It's actually in the 00:09:02.389 --> 00:09:05.070 podiatrist and the physio. I own shares now. 00:09:06.649 --> 00:09:10.029 And here's the truth. Dancing is not always fun. 00:09:10.149 --> 00:09:12.909 People imagine dance as joy and smiles, but the 00:09:12.909 --> 00:09:15.909 truth is that two minutes on the stage is built 00:09:15.909 --> 00:09:19.769 on hours of endurance and pain. The essence, 00:09:20.029 --> 00:09:23.629 this is the essence of a long obedience, a long, 00:09:24.169 --> 00:09:27.009 the patient, unglamorous work that makes the 00:09:27.009 --> 00:09:30.480 visible victory possible. Just as a dancer must 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.259 push through hidden hours of training, the same 00:09:33.259 --> 00:09:36.340 is true for our faith. We need to learn how to 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:39.240 persist when the initial excitement of spiritual 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:42.340 beginnings fades. Starting something with enthusiasm 00:09:42.340 --> 00:09:45.620 is easy, but keeping at it when it's hard, that's 00:09:45.620 --> 00:09:48.820 where endurance shows its worth. We are often 00:09:48.820 --> 00:09:52.139 excited about new prayer plans or church projects. 00:09:52.299 --> 00:09:56.340 Yoo -hoo, coffee van! Yet when the reality of 00:09:56.340 --> 00:10:00.269 long -term commitment hits, When hardships, misunderstandings, 00:10:00.629 --> 00:10:04.009 or the mundane routine appears, our energy falters. 00:10:04.750 --> 00:10:08.049 But here's the good news. Step -by -step, God 00:10:08.049 --> 00:10:10.990 shapes this type of obedience into something 00:10:10.990 --> 00:10:16.009 eternal. Faith, like a Highland dancer or a quick 00:10:16.009 --> 00:10:19.710 400 -metre sprint, is a long obedience in the 00:10:19.710 --> 00:10:23.259 same direction. This phrase was made famous by 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:26.279 Eugene Peterson and it's a powerful summary of 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.960 discipleship. It's not about a single moment 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:32.980 of conversion or a flash of spiritual excitement, 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:36.720 but a life lived with constant, consistent forward 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:39.620 -moving faithfulness. It's the commitment to 00:10:39.620 --> 00:10:42.200 endure through seasons of life without giving 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:46.519 up. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Always moving 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:50.860 in the same direction. It's hard. Highland dances 00:10:50.860 --> 00:10:54.519 taught me on stage is really the fruit of months, 00:10:54.779 --> 00:10:57.200 sometimes years of the hidden training. There 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.259 are no shortcuts, there's no quick fixes and 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:04.360 trust me, no patience and persistent food results 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:08.419 efficiently. We want shortcuts and fast solutions 00:11:08.419 --> 00:11:11.100 and we apply the same logic to our spiritual 00:11:11.100 --> 00:11:15.059 lives. Patience feels like failure and the idea 00:11:15.059 --> 00:11:18.360 of a long sustained journey, it feels almost 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:21.960 foreign. But discipleship is not a sprint, it 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:25.860 is training for endurance. And just like in dance, 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:29.399 the visible two minutes on stage are built on 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:34.080 unseen hours of discipline. The spiritual life 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:36.620 is exactly the same. The beauty people notice, 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:39.799 the peace, the love, the joy, it all flows from 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:42.559 hidden rhythms of prayer, scripture reading, 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:46.370 Sabbath and fellowship. This cultural moment 00:11:46.370 --> 00:11:50.330 right now is creating a powerful, personal tension 00:11:50.330 --> 00:11:53.970 within all of us. And John Mark Omer captures 00:11:53.970 --> 00:11:57.889 this perfectly. He says, both sin and busyness 00:11:57.889 --> 00:12:01.029 have the exact same effect. They cut off your 00:12:01.029 --> 00:12:03.850 connection to God, to other people, and to even 00:12:03.850 --> 00:12:08.490 your own soul. Technology today trains us to 00:12:08.490 --> 00:12:12.519 expect speed. consistent pings, endless scrolls, 00:12:12.620 --> 00:12:14.659 the instant validation that comes from seeing 00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:16.820 that little red heart at the bottom of your picture. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:21.279 We are wired for the quick sprint, for the quick 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:24.580 burst of energy. We feel the pressure to always 00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:27.879 be on and productive, and our spiritual lives 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:30.820 can be just another item on the to -do list. 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:34.120 Rush through a 10 -minute devotional or a speedy 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:38.149 quick prayer. But true spiritual growth doesn't 00:12:38.149 --> 00:12:41.389 happen on this type of timetable. God's kingdom 00:12:41.389 --> 00:12:44.990 operates on a different type of clock. The kingdom 00:12:44.990 --> 00:12:47.409 of God works more like a highland dance training 00:12:47.409 --> 00:12:52.090 session. Slow, repetitive and often unseen. Growth 00:12:52.090 --> 00:12:57.029 takes time and strength builds gradually. Intimacy 00:12:57.029 --> 00:13:01.149 with God deepens through consistency, not convenience. 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:04.700 And this is the tension of our current cultural 00:13:04.700 --> 00:13:08.179 moment, is to resist the pressure of urgency, 00:13:08.539 --> 00:13:11.700 hurry, and the quick fixes in our lives. It is 00:13:11.700 --> 00:13:14.399 a call to a long obedience in the same direction, 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:17.679 a life that prioritizes presence over performance 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:21.940 and rhythm over rush. It's about choosing to 00:13:21.940 --> 00:13:24.539 sit in the stillness when your phone is buzzing, 00:13:25.019 --> 00:13:27.519 to read a chapter of the Bible slowly when your 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.559 mind is racing, and to trust that God is working 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.480 in the quiet moments of your life even when you 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:37.000 can't see the immediate fruit. Paul's journey 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.860 in Acts 28 shows us that God's work is not limited 00:13:40.860 --> 00:13:44.519 by our pace or comfort. Chained and roamed and 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:48.440 slowed by legal trials, Paul's life has seemed 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:51.889 stalled. but the gospel moved forward unhindered. 00:13:52.090 --> 00:13:56.110 His mission didn't pause, it deepened. What appeared 00:13:56.110 --> 00:14:01.110 as a restriction became a season of patient teaching, 00:14:01.330 --> 00:14:04.610 formation, and faithful witness. Paul modeled 00:14:04.610 --> 00:14:07.750 a life on God's timing, showing that the kingdom 00:14:07.750 --> 00:14:10.470 advances not through human speed, but through 00:14:10.470 --> 00:14:13.970 steady enduring faithfulness. Our own commitment 00:14:13.970 --> 00:14:17.029 to a long obedience of faith lived patiently. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:20.919 day by day speaks powerfully to the world desperate 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:24.100 for slowing down. It points to a different way 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:27.580 of living, a life that finds peace not in instant 00:14:27.580 --> 00:14:31.139 gratification but in the slow steady and often 00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:33.899 unglamorous work of trusting a faithful God. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:37.240 If Paul could live faithfully in the midst of 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.759 chains and delays then the real question for 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:43.000 us is how do we train for a marathon of faith 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:47.590 in a world obsessed with a quick sprint? In the 00:14:47.590 --> 00:14:50.049 teaching text today, we arrive at a powerful 00:14:50.049 --> 00:14:53.250 moment in the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul's 00:14:53.250 --> 00:14:56.649 arrival in Rome. Through every shipwreck and 00:14:56.649 --> 00:14:59.610 every snake bite, every trial that was recorded, 00:14:59.809 --> 00:15:03.090 not for drama, but it's to show us there's a 00:15:03.090 --> 00:15:05.909 bigger story at work, a story that cannot be 00:15:05.909 --> 00:15:08.909 stopped. To understand the weight of this moment, 00:15:09.070 --> 00:15:13.409 we first need to grasp the context. Paul arrives 00:15:13.409 --> 00:15:15.960 in Rome not as a celibate, braided missionary 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:19.720 or a spiritual celebrity but as a prisoner awaiting 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:24.440 trial before Caesar. He is under a form of house 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:27.440 arrest and chained to a Roman guard at all times. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:32.220 Acts 28 then of limitation and of uncertainty. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:35.559 28 verses 30 to 31 he says, for two whole years 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:39.240 Paul stayed there in his own rented house and 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:41.919 welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:44.080 the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:47.500 Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:51.820 And we notice the details here. Paul lived there 00:15:51.820 --> 00:15:55.679 at his own expense. He could have seen Rome as 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:58.779 the end of the line, a place of forced idleness, 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:02.679 but instead he invests. His endurance is not 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:05.840 passive, it's active, it's intentional and it's 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:11.340 costly. Then Luke says Paul welcomed all. Hospitality 00:16:11.340 --> 00:16:15.559 becomes his front line strategy. The chains don't 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:18.480 close the door to opportunities, they create 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:21.360 a doorway for which the gospel can go out of. 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:25.679 Every conversation, every visitor is an opportunity 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:29.799 that Paul takes to advance God's kingdom. And 00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:32.259 finally, Luke anchors Paul's ministry in two 00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:38.139 verbs, proclaims and teaches. One is a bold declaration, 00:16:38.299 --> 00:16:41.340 urgent and fearless, and the other is patient 00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:45.519 instruction, unhurried formation. Together they 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:49.779 give us the rhythm of a long obedience. Speaking 00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:53.820 the truth, of Jesus boldly and then shaping lives 00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:57.860 in the slow work of teaching. Now think about 00:16:57.860 --> 00:17:01.120 this for a moment. Paul is hindered by chains, 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:06.140 by trials, by confinement, but the gospel? The 00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:10.019 gospel is unhindered. This is the core message 00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:12.559 of the text. God's mission is not reliant on 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:16.819 our speed, our comfort, or our freedom. Paul's 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:19.339 forced rest became a time for him to welcome 00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:22.839 people, one by one, to teach them deeply and 00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:26.519 to write letters to churches. His two -year -long, 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:29.160 unhurried ministry in Rome was a testament to 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:32.599 God's patient work, proving that God's power 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:36.480 is made perfect in our weakness. Paul's chains 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.680 may have limited his movement and pace, but they 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:43.660 amplified the reach of the gospel. Paul's chains 00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:48.730 became his platform. Now we reach the end of 00:17:48.730 --> 00:17:52.210 the entire Book of Acts, which ends on one carefully 00:17:52.210 --> 00:17:56.190 chosen word. Luke closes the story with the Greek 00:17:56.190 --> 00:18:01.130 term, I'm gonna really butcher this, acolstos. 00:18:01.410 --> 00:18:04.410 No, so close. Yeah, so close. No one knows. Don't 00:18:04.410 --> 00:18:07.470 go look it up. Just believe me and keep it in 00:18:07.470 --> 00:18:11.390 your mind. Which we know translates, because 00:18:11.390 --> 00:18:16.130 it's at the end of the reading, to without hindrance. 00:18:16.299 --> 00:18:19.920 or unbound. Now this is no accident. Paul may 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:23.519 be in chains but the gospel is free. The mission 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:26.960 does not depend on perfect circumstances or human 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:30.579 speed or convenience. It moves forward by the 00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:34.220 unstoppable power of God. Then comes something 00:18:34.220 --> 00:18:36.559 really strange for people that like nice neat 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:40.160 endings. You don't get one today. Luke leaves 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:43.059 the story unfinished. There's no neat ending 00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:46.930 tied up with a bow. We don't read the outcome 00:18:46.930 --> 00:18:50.349 of Paul's trial and we don't read about his death. 00:18:50.730 --> 00:18:53.609 Instead, Luke wants us to see what truly matters, 00:18:53.990 --> 00:18:57.130 that even in the midst of Paul's long and difficult 00:18:57.130 --> 00:19:00.450 journey, the gospel keeps moving forward. His 00:19:00.450 --> 00:19:03.789 story is left unresolved, almost suspended in 00:19:03.789 --> 00:19:07.009 time. So our attention is not how his life ended, 00:19:07.309 --> 00:19:10.740 but on how the message continued. God's mission 00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:13.980 advances through patient endurance, steadfast 00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:17.480 faithfulness and bold action even when our lives 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:22.359 feel slow, messy or pause. Luke holds Paul's 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:25.480 struggle with an endurance intention with the 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:28.339 larger reality. The success of God's mission 00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:31.200 doesn't depend on Paul's freedom or speed but 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:34.440 God's sovereignty. The gospel moves unhindered 00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:39.160 because it's God's work not ours, not Paul's. 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:41.859 This is what a long obedience in the same direction 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:44.859 looks like even in the face of immense challenge. 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:49.099 It's not about being a spiritual superstar or 00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:53.519 about being faithful right where you are. Sorry, 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:56.259 it is about being faithful right where you are. 00:19:57.630 --> 00:19:59.930 Trying to trick you there. Keep keeping you on 00:19:59.930 --> 00:20:03.890 the edge of your seats. Faithfulness isn't measured 00:20:03.890 --> 00:20:07.049 by visible results or by the absence of hardship. 00:20:07.369 --> 00:20:09.789 It's measured by whether we keep reclaiming the 00:20:09.789 --> 00:20:12.309 kingdom of God and teaching about Jesus Christ 00:20:12.309 --> 00:20:15.849 with boldness, without hindrance, whatever our 00:20:15.849 --> 00:20:19.950 circumstances. Even when we feel stuck, constrained 00:20:19.950 --> 00:20:22.509 or powerless, Acts reminds us of this truth that 00:20:22.509 --> 00:20:25.869 God is still at work. The gospel is never bound. 00:20:26.509 --> 00:20:29.670 And the same is true for our lives today. Even 00:20:29.670 --> 00:20:32.329 when we don't see immediate results, when we 00:20:32.329 --> 00:20:35.329 feel like nothing's changing or facing struggles 00:20:35.329 --> 00:20:38.650 that seem to slow us down, God is still at work 00:20:38.650 --> 00:20:42.210 in and through us. When we feel like we aren't 00:20:42.210 --> 00:20:44.990 seeing growth in ourselves, when our prayers 00:20:44.990 --> 00:20:48.670 feel dry, our patience feels thin, or the habits 00:20:48.670 --> 00:20:51.779 we're trying to build seem to go nowhere. When 00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:54.660 we serve faithfully but no one seems to notice 00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:57.380 or we face setbacks, rejection or disappointment, 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.759 it's easy to feel stuck. It can feel like all 00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:03.599 of our effort is wasted, like nothing is changing. 00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:06.960 But faithfulness isn't measured by what we can 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.220 see. It's measured by whether we keep taking 00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:12.440 the next step, whether we keep obeying, we keep 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:14.900 loving, we keep learning and keep trusting God 00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:17.880 day by day. And this is what it means to commit 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:21.990 to the long haul, showing up, step by step, even 00:21:21.990 --> 00:21:24.509 when the results aren't visible, and trusting 00:21:24.509 --> 00:21:28.950 God to do the work that we cannot see. Now, I 00:21:28.950 --> 00:21:32.049 want to introduce you to a very famous Scottish 00:21:32.049 --> 00:21:34.230 song, because we're on the Scottish theme today. 00:21:34.630 --> 00:21:38.549 It is a song called Lach Loman. And on the surface 00:21:38.549 --> 00:21:40.569 it sounds like a beautiful haunting folk tune 00:21:40.569 --> 00:21:43.430 but underneath the lyrics tell a deeper story 00:21:43.430 --> 00:21:45.569 about two very different roads home. It talks 00:21:45.569 --> 00:21:48.490 about a soldier who has unfortunately died in 00:21:48.490 --> 00:21:52.569 the war and his low road. He talks about the 00:21:52.569 --> 00:21:55.329 low road that he takes in death to meet his loved 00:21:55.329 --> 00:21:58.509 one back in Scotland who has taken the high road. 00:22:00.710 --> 00:22:04.640 So... The low road is the path of ultimate cost. 00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:07.920 It's of suffering, sacrifice, and even death. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.720 It's the road of surrender like the captured 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:13.740 soldier in this song, which always looks like 00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:16.240 loss, but it actually leads to the deepest kind 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:20.160 of freedom. The high road is the path of sustained 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.740 endurance, like the soldier's lover walking steadily 00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:27.859 towards home. This imagery points to a profound 00:22:27.859 --> 00:22:31.599 truth. Surrender often proceeds and empowers 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:35.259 endurance. And this is the road that Jesus walked, 00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:39.680 the ultimate low road of the cross. Jesus' low 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:42.480 road was staggering in its intensity, but it 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:45.779 was never a shortcut. It was the culmination 00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:48.839 of a life of long obedience in the same direction. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.460 His ministry wasn't a sprint, but it was rather 00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:56.099 a marathon. Thirty years of quiet faithfulness 00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:58.640 in Nazareth, followed by three years of patient, 00:22:58.940 --> 00:23:01.599 unhurried discipleship. He didn't just perform 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:04.480 miracles, he walked dusty roads with his disciples, 00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:07.859 he shared meals and patiently explained the mysteries 00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:11.609 of the kingdom. He invested in life -on -life 00:23:11.609 --> 00:23:14.990 transformation. His teaching, often through parables, 00:23:15.349 --> 00:23:18.250 invited reflection and resisted the pull of instant 00:23:18.250 --> 00:23:22.490 results and instant answers. It was a slow, intentional 00:23:22.490 --> 00:23:26.230 life -on -life form of discipleship, a deep investment 00:23:26.230 --> 00:23:29.130 in forming hearts and shaping character over 00:23:29.130 --> 00:23:32.900 time. He lived a rhythm of prayer and dependence 00:23:32.900 --> 00:23:36.599 on the Father, modeling the long, patient, unhurried 00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:39.400 life of the Kingdom. And that's what made his 00:23:39.400 --> 00:23:42.119 ultimate sacrifice on the Cross so powerful. 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:44.799 His journey to the Cross was the very essence 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:48.019 of his existence, a low road of self -emptying 00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:51.519 and surrender. What looked like a final crushing 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:55.000 defeat became the very tool of our salvation. 00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:58.819 Paul's journey mirrors this pattern on a different 00:23:58.819 --> 00:24:02.200 scale. The chains that held him in Rome weren't 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:05.720 just physical, they were a participation in Christ's 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:08.240 suffering. As he writes in Philippians 1 verse 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:13.039 13, he was literally in chains for Christ. Yet 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:15.700 in that house Paul welcomed every visitor, taught 00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:18.460 day after day and allowed the gospel to take 00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:22.059 root unhindered by his limitations. The two years 00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:24.460 he spent in Rome chained and limited weren't 00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:29.140 wasted. His high road of patient, active faithfulness 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:31.700 was empowered by Christ's ultimate low road. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:34.759 Paul's obedience wasn't dependent on comfort 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:38.119 or freedom. It was sustained by his commitment 00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:41.619 to participate in God's mission. For us this 00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:44.200 shows that walking the long haul, committing 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:47.539 to the long haul requires a blend of both the 00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:51.140 high and the low road. The low road comes in 00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:54.200 the daily unseen acts of surrender, forgiving 00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:57.140 someone who has wronged us again, resisting the 00:24:57.140 --> 00:25:00.119 urge to take a shortcut and patiently trusting 00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:03.839 God when we can't see the way forward. The high 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:06.539 road is the faithful endurance, the sustained 00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:09.900 active faith that follows, showing up for your 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:12.740 weekly slot in the prayer room, joining up for 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:16.599 wear week and committing to the whole week, serving 00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:18.920 faithfully on your ministry team, that's speaking 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:23.980 to me too guys, and simply daily obedience to 00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:28.390 God. We don't endure alone. We endure in Christ 00:25:28.390 --> 00:25:31.390 and we also endure with Christ. When we walk 00:25:31.390 --> 00:25:34.750 these roads we walk with Christ by our side with 00:25:34.750 --> 00:25:37.869 his ultimate low road empowering our high road 00:25:37.869 --> 00:25:41.589 of faithfulness. Our long obedience is made possible 00:25:41.589 --> 00:25:45.730 by his ultimate sacrifice. We are not called 00:25:45.730 --> 00:25:48.369 to endure alone but to walk in the footsteps 00:25:48.369 --> 00:25:51.210 of the one who has already finished the race 00:25:51.210 --> 00:25:55.500 for us. This is what Paul models for us as his 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:59.480 journey comes to an end. We're going to fast 00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:04.259 forward now from Paul's two years in Rome to 00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:09.079 his very last words to his protege Timothy. He 00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:12.140 reflects on his life not in the terms of grand 00:26:12.140 --> 00:26:16.460 moments but in the quiet cumulative power of 00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:19.670 a life lived for Christ. It's here at the end 00:26:19.670 --> 00:26:21.890 of the journey that he gives us the ultimate 00:26:21.890 --> 00:26:25.740 picture of what obedience looks like. It says 00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:51.359 here in verse 6, Paul's reflection reminds us 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:54.440 that time doesn't diminish our efforts but actually 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:58.660 magnifies them. One single act of kindness is 00:26:58.660 --> 00:27:03.000 good, but a lifetime of kindness is profound. 00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:07.220 A single moment of prayer is powerful, but a 00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:10.799 lifetime of prayer changes the world. A two -minute 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:13.640 Highland Fling is beautiful for a performance, 00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:17.779 but a lifetime of disciple training is the character 00:27:17.779 --> 00:27:20.440 -forming work that makes it possible. And they're 00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:24.500 really nice carbs. Paul breaks down what a long 00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:28.140 faithful life looks like in three essential components. 00:27:29.299 --> 00:27:33.150 The first is I have fought the good fight. Here 00:27:33.150 --> 00:27:35.869 he speaks to the daily struggle against temptation 00:27:35.869 --> 00:27:41.230 and spiritual laziness, dare I say. I have finished 00:27:41.230 --> 00:27:45.150 the race is all about endurance, about not giving 00:27:45.150 --> 00:27:48.170 up when the journey gets tough. And I have kept 00:27:48.170 --> 00:27:50.710 the faith is about staying true to the gospel, 00:27:51.109 --> 00:27:53.210 remaining loyal to the message that Paul was 00:27:53.210 --> 00:27:56.190 called to share. Paul shows us that it's the 00:27:56.190 --> 00:27:58.809 slow, patient process that leads to the ultimate 00:27:58.809 --> 00:28:02.710 crown. It's the endurance that magnifies the 00:28:02.710 --> 00:28:06.509 start of the journey. Now my invitation to you 00:28:06.509 --> 00:28:10.569 is clear. Commit to the long call, walk the high 00:28:10.569 --> 00:28:13.769 road faithfully, endure the low road patiently 00:28:13.769 --> 00:28:17.970 and trust that every step matters in God's unstoppable 00:28:17.970 --> 00:28:21.779 plan. Now we have walked through the world of 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:24.619 Highland dancing. You've all had a mini tutorial 00:28:24.619 --> 00:28:28.559 on what it is. We have felt the discipline it 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:31.920 demands and we have traced Paul's journey that 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:34.660 was not a sprint, but a marathon of shipwrecks, 00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:37.799 persecution and steadfast faith. And above it 00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:41.099 all, we've seen the ultimate long obedience was 00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:52.960 modeled by Jesus himself. So how do we actually 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:56.380 do this? What does it look like for us to stop 00:28:56.380 --> 00:28:59.579 sprinting and start living a long obedience in 00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:03.039 the same direction? How do we commit to the long 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:06.880 haul of life with Jesus? As Eugene Peterson puts 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:10.180 it, there is a great market for religious experience 00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:13.500 in our world. There is little enthusiasm for 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:17.180 the patient acquisition of virtue. Just think 00:29:17.180 --> 00:29:20.480 about that for a moment. Our culture is drawn 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:24.140 to excitement, to the immediate thrill, to visible 00:29:24.140 --> 00:29:27.680 results. We want spiritual experiences that feel 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:31.160 impressive or fast, but we often shy away from 00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:33.960 the slow, steady, disciplined work that actually 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:37.839 shapes character. Peterson is reminding us that 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:40.539 the life of God, the life that God calls us to 00:29:40.539 --> 00:29:43.880 isn't measured by dramatic successes or the absence 00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:47.140 of hardship. It's measured by whether we consistently 00:29:47.140 --> 00:29:50.440 choose faithfulness in the small ordinary moments. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.519 Reading a verse when you'd rather scroll, praying 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:56.140 when your mind is distracted, forgiving someone 00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:59.740 who doesn't deserve it yet again. That's a long 00:29:59.740 --> 00:30:03.140 obedience. That's the road Paul walked and the 00:30:03.140 --> 00:30:06.680 rhythm that Jesus modeled. So here is my challenge 00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:09.859 for you today. It's simple and yet it actually 00:30:09.859 --> 00:30:13.359 might feel hard. I'm not asking for a life -altering 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:17.440 commitment. I'm asking you to embrace one single 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:21.220 unhurried spiritual rhythm for the week. This 00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:24.660 might look like one hour in the prayer room every 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:27.720 day this week. Or I might be joining a Bible 00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:31.420 plan on the YouVersion app for a week. to ensure 00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:34.200 that you're in the word every day. Or maybe it's 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:36.740 just simply putting aside an hour a day to Sabbath. 00:30:37.289 --> 00:30:40.789 The key isn't the size or the flashiness of the 00:30:40.789 --> 00:30:43.710 act. It's a commitment to show up consistently, 00:30:44.089 --> 00:30:47.390 one step at a time in the same direction as Jesus. 00:30:48.049 --> 00:30:50.849 This single rhythm repeated day after day trains 00:30:50.849 --> 00:30:54.450 your spiritual muscles for endurance, helping 00:30:54.450 --> 00:30:57.490 you to participate in the same long obedience 00:30:57.490 --> 00:31:00.490 that shaped Paul and was perfected in Jesus. 00:31:01.130 --> 00:31:04.130 For each of us this looks like a commitment to 00:31:04.130 --> 00:31:07.390 a discipleship of personal endurance. It's the 00:31:07.390 --> 00:31:10.190 decision to show up for your own spiritual journey 00:31:10.190 --> 00:31:13.150 even when the motivation is low and the road 00:31:13.150 --> 00:31:18.509 feels long. It means leaning into a slow, unhurried 00:31:18.509 --> 00:31:22.509 God in the midst of a fast paced world. This 00:31:22.509 --> 00:31:25.930 is the kind of faithfulness that doesn't produce 00:31:25.930 --> 00:31:28.890 quick results, but it builds a deep foundation 00:31:28.890 --> 00:31:32.269 of spiritual resilience. It develops your muscle 00:31:32.269 --> 00:31:36.150 memory for your soul, training you to keep moving 00:31:36.150 --> 00:31:39.190 forward through life's inevitable marathons. 00:31:39.769 --> 00:31:42.210 True transformation isn't a lightning strike, 00:31:42.650 --> 00:31:45.349 it's the quiet steady work of a heart choosing 00:31:45.349 --> 00:31:49.690 to trust and obey day after day. So ask yourself 00:31:49.690 --> 00:31:52.690 this, what is one step that you can take this 00:31:52.690 --> 00:31:56.589 week? What simple, unhurried rhythm will you 00:31:56.589 --> 00:31:59.769 commit to as a small act of resistance against 00:31:59.769 --> 00:32:03.250 the culture of the sprint? A way to keep moving 00:32:03.250 --> 00:32:07.990 steadily in the direction of Jesus. Now, we're 00:32:07.990 --> 00:32:11.049 just gonna step back and imagine what could be. 00:32:11.809 --> 00:32:15.750 What if we, as a church community, really took 00:32:15.750 --> 00:32:19.769 this challenge seriously? What if each one of 00:32:19.769 --> 00:32:23.329 us committed to one single unhurried act of obedience 00:32:23.329 --> 00:32:26.789 this week? What if for a whole month we chose 00:32:26.789 --> 00:32:30.029 patience and presence over busyness and distraction? 00:32:31.410 --> 00:32:33.769 Imagine the ripple effect that this could have. 00:32:34.410 --> 00:32:37.089 Imagine a church where our spiritual lives aren't 00:32:37.089 --> 00:32:41.869 a series of frantic sprints but a steady faithful 00:32:41.869 --> 00:32:47.619 march. This church would become a living witness 00:32:47.619 --> 00:32:51.059 to the world. We live in a society obsessed with 00:32:51.059 --> 00:32:53.900 instant results and self -sufficiency but what 00:32:53.900 --> 00:32:57.000 if we live differently? What if we showed that 00:32:57.000 --> 00:33:00.059 faith is not a solo journey but a shared path? 00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:04.700 Our collective endurance demonstrates to a watching 00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:07.700 world that our faith is not just a belief system 00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:11.809 but a living connected body. As Eugene Peterson 00:33:11.809 --> 00:33:14.509 reminds, a scripture knows nothing of a solitary 00:33:14.509 --> 00:33:17.410 Christian. People of faith are always members 00:33:17.410 --> 00:33:22.450 of a community. So why do we, the church, need 00:33:22.450 --> 00:33:27.210 to commit to this long haul? First, this is because 00:33:27.210 --> 00:33:30.329 this is how God forms character. Quick bursts 00:33:30.329 --> 00:33:33.250 of faith might feel good in the moment, but only 00:33:33.250 --> 00:33:37.279 long obedience produces lasting virtue. Second, 00:33:37.500 --> 00:33:40.259 because our patient, persistent faith is a witness 00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:43.859 to a world obsessed with speed. This is a powerful 00:33:43.859 --> 00:33:46.200 demonstration of commitment to the long haul. 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:49.720 It is a defined act in a culture that craves 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:52.160 the instant, and it shows the world that there 00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:54.660 is something more valuable than convenience. 00:33:55.599 --> 00:33:58.420 It proves that character is forged in the fire 00:33:58.420 --> 00:34:02.039 of time, not in the quick fix. When a marriage 00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:05.839 endures decades of hardship, when a parent patiently 00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:08.559 serves their child day after day, we know the 00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:12.400 struggle. When a believer quietly and consistently 00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:15.599 gives of their time and resources without the 00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:19.500 fanfare, this is the beautiful unglamorous work 00:34:19.500 --> 00:34:23.059 of God's kingdom. A church that embodies this 00:34:23.059 --> 00:34:25.860 long obedience is like a team of highland dancers, 00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:29.019 each one putting in the disciplined work so that 00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:32.099 together our collective performance is beautiful, 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:35.639 powerful witness to the world. Let us not get 00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:38.119 sidetracked by the siren song of the sprint. 00:34:38.679 --> 00:34:41.860 Let's commit to the marathon together. Step by 00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:44.679 step, day by day, let's fight the good fight. 00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:48.280 finish the race and keep the faith. Because in 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:51.219 the end it's not about how we started, but how 00:34:51.219 --> 00:34:55.199 we finish. And our finish is always a testament 00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:58.119 to the one who's already finished the race for 00:34:58.119 --> 00:35:03.980 us. Thanks so much for tuning into this week's 00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:07.239 message. If you felt challenged or need prayer, 00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:10.519 we'd love to hear from you on Instagram at encounterhemley. 00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:13.440 Or if you're interested in how you can support 00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:17.539 this ministry, please go to our website encounteradelaide 00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:21.579 .com .au. Thanks again for listening. God bless 00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:21.960 you.