WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.960 Thank you for being here again one more time 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:06.919 this afternoon as we wrap up the gospel meeting 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:10.220 I Hope and pray that it's been beneficial for 00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:13.720 us to study restoring New Testament Christianity 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:17.039 And for us to be reminded of the importance of 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:19.879 going back to the Bible to find everything we 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:22.179 do in our faith doctrine and practice covered 00:00:22.179 --> 00:00:26.100 a lot of territory and Tonight I want to go back 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:27.899 and revisit something we talked a little bit 00:00:27.899 --> 00:00:30.719 about at the beginning of the meeting and that's 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.679 The unity of God's people we live in a world 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:37.759 that is Divided in religion and we want to consider 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:40.859 the question this this afternoon Though this 00:00:40.859 --> 00:00:43.939 division abounds is unity really achievable among 00:00:43.939 --> 00:00:48.219 Christians today You know, we look at the religious 00:00:48.219 --> 00:00:50.780 world around us. We see a lot of division. However, 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:53.649 we look to the New Testament pattern And we see 00:00:53.649 --> 00:00:56.049 that the churches we read about in the New Testament, 00:00:56.109 --> 00:00:59.210 they were divided only by the distance that was 00:00:59.210 --> 00:01:02.210 between them. And you know, the distances between 00:01:02.210 --> 00:01:05.189 these congregations in the first century was 00:01:05.189 --> 00:01:07.170 a lot longer because they didn't have modern 00:01:07.170 --> 00:01:09.590 means and modes of transportation that we have 00:01:09.590 --> 00:01:13.030 today. And so we're very blessed to be able to 00:01:13.030 --> 00:01:16.109 go and visit other congregations in our area 00:01:16.109 --> 00:01:18.670 because we do have modern means of transportation. 00:01:18.750 --> 00:01:22.060 But you know, in the first century, Those distances 00:01:22.060 --> 00:01:26.079 between these congregations were a lot harder 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:31.480 for them to travel and visit and be together 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:33.859 as God's people as they might have liked to been. 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:36.900 But one of the things we do notice about the 00:01:36.900 --> 00:01:38.840 churches of the New Testament, though they were 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:41.739 divided by distance, they taught the same things. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:45.599 Paul said in Colossians 4 16, when this epistle 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:47.760 is read among you, he told them, cause that it 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:50.060 be read also in the church of the Laodiceans. 00:01:50.349 --> 00:01:54.849 that you likewise read the epistle of from Laodicea 00:01:54.849 --> 00:01:58.109 Paul wrote a letter to the church at Colossae 00:01:58.109 --> 00:02:00.969 also a letter to the church at Laodicea and he's 00:02:00.969 --> 00:02:03.930 telling them to exchange their letters that the 00:02:03.930 --> 00:02:06.629 both letters would be beneficial to both congregations 00:02:06.629 --> 00:02:09.830 because Paul taught the same things Everywhere 00:02:09.830 --> 00:02:11.870 he went in every church and they followed the 00:02:11.870 --> 00:02:14.370 same rule the same guide that being the Bible 00:02:14.370 --> 00:02:18.009 He told the Philippians in Philippians 3 16 nevertheless 00:02:18.379 --> 00:02:20.840 Where to we have already attained? Let us walk 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:23.740 by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing. 00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:26.939 Churches of the New Testament walked by the same 00:02:26.939 --> 00:02:29.860 rule. They were united in one mind and that was 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:33.400 the mind of Christ. But we look around us today 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:37.080 and we see the opposite of this. Sadly, we see 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:40.460 a lot of disagreements in religion today. We 00:02:40.460 --> 00:02:42.580 have denominationalism, which we talked about 00:02:42.580 --> 00:02:45.770 earlier in the meeting. It provides a great degree 00:02:45.770 --> 00:02:48.270 of the division we have in Christianity today. 00:02:48.689 --> 00:02:51.210 And as we've even spoken to during the course 00:02:51.210 --> 00:02:53.729 of this meeting, there's even division among 00:02:53.729 --> 00:02:55.969 churches of Christ. That's a sad realization 00:02:55.969 --> 00:02:59.169 even in churches of Christ today. The division 00:02:59.169 --> 00:03:02.610 abounds. You know, that was one of the problems 00:03:02.610 --> 00:03:04.629 that Paul addressed in the church at Corinth. 00:03:04.789 --> 00:03:07.169 In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, the division among 00:03:07.169 --> 00:03:10.069 the believers. First Corinthians chapter 1 verse 00:03:10.069 --> 00:03:12.430 10, Paul said, Now I beseech you, brethren, by 00:03:12.430 --> 00:03:14.650 the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all 00:03:14.650 --> 00:03:17.490 speak the same thing and that there be no divisions 00:03:17.490 --> 00:03:20.030 among you. He said, but that you be perfectly 00:03:20.030 --> 00:03:23.110 joined together in the same mind and in the same 00:03:23.110 --> 00:03:26.990 judgment. So the religious division that we see 00:03:26.990 --> 00:03:29.389 around us today, unfortunately, it has plagued 00:03:29.389 --> 00:03:32.550 God's people from the earliest days of the church 00:03:32.550 --> 00:03:37.500 as we see in Corinth. But what about unity? division 00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:40.580 is the reality that we face today what about 00:03:40.580 --> 00:03:44.919 unity is unity even achievable when we're talking 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:48.599 about unity here we're talking about a singular 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:52.620 and oneness of faith we're talking about a singularity 00:03:52.620 --> 00:03:57.300 of doctrine a oneness of faith and practice adopting 00:03:57.300 --> 00:03:59.680 the same faith doctrine and practice that we 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:03.259 see in the New Testament and all churches in 00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:07.500 all places following that one and that same faith. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:11.259 Is that even achievable? I believe it is achievable 00:04:11.259 --> 00:04:13.419 because it's something Paul wrote to the Ephesians 00:04:13.419 --> 00:04:17.019 about in Ephesians 4, 4 to 6. It's something 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:19.279 that the first century churches enjoyed. They 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:21.779 enjoyed that unity that we're striving for today. 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:24.600 He told them in Ephesians 4 and 4, there is one 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:26.800 body and one spirit even as you're called and 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:28.839 one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:32.019 one baptism, one God and Father of all who is 00:04:32.019 --> 00:04:36.769 above all and through all. And in you all, it 00:04:36.769 --> 00:04:40.350 is apparent to us that when Paul speaks of this 00:04:40.350 --> 00:04:42.889 unity to the church at Ephesus, this was a unity 00:04:42.889 --> 00:04:46.790 that they enjoyed in the first century. Now today 00:04:46.790 --> 00:04:48.850 we see many different bodies, many different 00:04:48.850 --> 00:04:54.170 faiths, many different baptisms. But what we 00:04:54.170 --> 00:04:56.129 understand that that is not the will of God for 00:04:56.129 --> 00:04:58.069 His church and that's not what Paul wrote about 00:04:58.069 --> 00:05:02.029 in Ephesians chapter 4. So the question remains 00:05:02.029 --> 00:05:04.689 though division abounds is unity even achievable. 00:05:04.689 --> 00:05:09.350 I believe it is I Believe unity is possible and 00:05:09.350 --> 00:05:11.629 here's the primary and the main reason why I 00:05:11.629 --> 00:05:14.470 believe unity is possible among Christians today 00:05:14.470 --> 00:05:19.110 Because it's something that Jesus prayed for 00:05:19.110 --> 00:05:22.230 Jesus prayed for the unity of all believers in 00:05:22.230 --> 00:05:25.970 John 17 20 to 22 Where Jesus says neither pray 00:05:25.970 --> 00:05:28.610 I for these alone. He just prayed for his apostles 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.540 He says I'm not just praying for them. I'm praying 00:05:32.540 --> 00:05:35.660 also for them which shall believe on me through 00:05:35.660 --> 00:05:40.620 their word and I hope that we can see that when 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:43.199 Jesus prays this he's praying it for us because 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.360 we have come to believe in Christ Through the 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:48.740 written record and testimony and word of the 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:52.240 Apostles So Jesus is praying for us here He's 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:54.860 praying for all everyone who's ever called themselves 00:05:54.860 --> 00:05:57.360 a Christian and what does he pray for that they 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:01.410 all may be one? As thou father art in me and 00:06:01.410 --> 00:06:04.490 I and thee that they also may be one in us that 00:06:04.490 --> 00:06:07.589 the world may believe that thou has sent me The 00:06:07.589 --> 00:06:10.149 glory which thou gave us me I have given them 00:06:10.149 --> 00:06:14.769 that they may be one even as we are one So because 00:06:14.769 --> 00:06:17.129 Jesus prayed this prayer for unity, I believe 00:06:17.129 --> 00:06:21.230 that unity is possible I don't think Jesus prayed 00:06:21.230 --> 00:06:24.009 for something that would be completely impossible 00:06:24.009 --> 00:06:28.220 or beyond our our reach beyond our grasp When 00:06:28.220 --> 00:06:31.300 he prayed for unity, he prayed for something 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:35.160 that was indeed possible. Now just because unity 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:37.639 is possible doesn't always mean it's going to 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:42.240 be simple. In fact, sometimes unity might be 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.040 difficult. It might be complicated. Just because 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:47.480 unity is possible doesn't mean it's always going 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:51.579 to be easy. It may be very challenging. It may 00:06:51.579 --> 00:06:54.060 be very difficult. And just because unity is 00:06:54.060 --> 00:06:57.300 possible doesn't mean it's going to come at a 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:01.399 at a low cost or it'll be cheap to us. It may 00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:04.759 come at a high price, and it may be something 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:07.360 that requires a great sacrifice of many people 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.220 to attain unto this unity that Jesus prayed for. 00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:14.839 But you know, though it's not simple, though 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:17.060 it won't be easy, and though it won't come cheap, 00:07:17.579 --> 00:07:20.339 striving for the unity of God's people is worth 00:07:20.339 --> 00:07:23.220 it. It's worth it despite all the challenges, 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:26.060 because in 1 Corinthians 1 .13 Paul said, is 00:07:26.060 --> 00:07:30.410 Christ divided? He shouldn't be. Christ shouldn't 00:07:30.410 --> 00:07:32.870 be divided and neither should his body be divided. 00:07:33.529 --> 00:07:36.230 And this is something he tries to help the Corinthian 00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:38.269 see. If Paul were alive today, writing to us 00:07:38.269 --> 00:07:40.129 today, I think he'd tell us the same thing. Is 00:07:40.129 --> 00:07:42.790 Christ divided? Why are we dividing the body 00:07:42.790 --> 00:07:44.790 of Christ? It should be united. And we should 00:07:44.790 --> 00:07:48.889 be striving to replace that division with togetherness 00:07:48.889 --> 00:07:51.509 and unity. Because this is the fact and this 00:07:51.509 --> 00:07:56.560 is the reality. Division dishonors Jesus. Division 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:59.759 dishonors Christ. And as he mentioned in his 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:02.600 prayer in John 17, it also weakens our witness 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:05.060 to the world. You know Jesus prayed that we would 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:07.899 be one as him and his father would be one that 00:08:07.899 --> 00:08:10.699 the world would believe that God had sent him. 00:08:11.740 --> 00:08:14.199 The world has a hard time believing the witness 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:17.480 of Christianity today because Christianity is 00:08:17.480 --> 00:08:20.959 so divided. And you got a hundred different preachers 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:22.740 telling people a hundred different things. They 00:08:22.740 --> 00:08:25.389 all say they're following the Bible. But they're 00:08:25.389 --> 00:08:27.310 teaching different doctrines, preaching different 00:08:27.310 --> 00:08:30.069 gospels, that division, that confusion. It does 00:08:30.069 --> 00:08:32.570 not honor Christ and it only weakens. It hurts 00:08:32.570 --> 00:08:35.409 our witness to a lost and dying world. That's 00:08:35.409 --> 00:08:37.470 why we've got to replace division with unity 00:08:37.470 --> 00:08:41.950 because unity honors Christ. It honors that bond 00:08:41.950 --> 00:08:45.370 that He and His Father had. He said, as you and 00:08:45.370 --> 00:08:49.110 I, Father, are one, I want them to be one. Unity 00:08:49.110 --> 00:08:53.330 honors Jesus and unity strengthens our witness 00:08:53.330 --> 00:08:57.639 to this world. So we're gonna talk about Some 00:08:57.639 --> 00:09:00.580 of the things pertaining to unity Some of the 00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:03.500 reasons why we believe that unity is indeed possible 00:09:03.500 --> 00:09:06.980 among Christians today Unity is achievable if 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:10.799 first we will highly value it It's got to be 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:13.840 valuable to us. It's got to be important to us 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:16.700 But I think as I mentioned earlier in the meeting 00:09:16.700 --> 00:09:20.379 all too often we get desensitized To the religious 00:09:20.379 --> 00:09:22.909 division we have around us I know that's been 00:09:22.909 --> 00:09:25.750 the case for me. At different times I feel like, 00:09:26.110 --> 00:09:28.669 if I'm to be honest, I've become desensitized 00:09:28.669 --> 00:09:31.769 to all the religious division. It's certainly 00:09:31.769 --> 00:09:34.730 not like it was in the days of the children of 00:09:34.730 --> 00:09:37.330 Israel in Joshua chapter 22. I want to go back 00:09:37.330 --> 00:09:41.129 to Joshua 22 and remind you of some events that 00:09:41.129 --> 00:09:43.950 happened in that chapter. You'll remember in 00:09:43.950 --> 00:09:47.690 Joshua chapter 22, After Israel had successfully 00:09:47.690 --> 00:09:50.570 conquered the promised land and divided the land 00:09:50.570 --> 00:09:53.730 among the twelve tribes, two and a half tribes 00:09:53.730 --> 00:09:57.129 took their inheritance on the east side of the 00:09:57.129 --> 00:09:59.649 Jordan River. That was the tribe of Reuben, the 00:09:59.649 --> 00:10:02.370 tribe of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. 00:10:02.409 --> 00:10:04.590 And it was time for the two and a half tribes 00:10:04.590 --> 00:10:08.070 to go back to their inheritance on the other 00:10:08.070 --> 00:10:10.730 side of the Jordan River. And as they're crossing 00:10:10.730 --> 00:10:12.690 the Jordan River to their inheritance, what did 00:10:12.690 --> 00:10:15.879 they do? They built an altar. down there by the 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:20.259 River Jordan, and this altar was a replica of 00:10:20.259 --> 00:10:23.059 the brass altar for burnt offering there in the 00:10:23.059 --> 00:10:26.240 tabernacle of the Lord. They made this altar 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.659 look just like the one that they offered their 00:10:28.659 --> 00:10:32.019 sacrifices on in the Lord's tabernacle. It was 00:10:32.019 --> 00:10:37.120 a replica. Now the other nine and a half tribes 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:41.049 heard that their brethren were down there by 00:10:41.049 --> 00:10:44.669 the river building some kind of altar for what 00:10:44.669 --> 00:10:47.129 purpose they didn't know, to what God they were 00:10:47.129 --> 00:10:50.190 building it to. They did not know, and so, you 00:10:50.190 --> 00:10:52.289 know, they did a little bit of maybe jumping 00:10:52.289 --> 00:10:55.590 to conclusions, maybe some evil surmising, and 00:10:55.590 --> 00:10:57.850 they initially suspected that their brethren 00:10:57.850 --> 00:11:01.110 were down there committing a great sin of idolatry 00:11:01.110 --> 00:11:04.169 by building this other altar in the land of Israel 00:11:04.169 --> 00:11:07.379 when they already had their altar. They had their 00:11:07.379 --> 00:11:10.320 altar there in the tabernacle for for burnt offerings. 00:11:11.059 --> 00:11:13.740 But now they're down there building another altar, 00:11:13.779 --> 00:11:16.019 a second altar in the land of Israel. They didn't 00:11:16.019 --> 00:11:18.639 like the sound of that. In fact, they prepared 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.559 themselves to go to war with their brethren. 00:11:22.580 --> 00:11:24.519 Because they heard they were building another 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:27.340 altar down by the Jordan River. Now, thankfully, 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:30.039 they didn't go to war. Instead, they sent an 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:33.139 emissary. They sent an ambassador to go and see 00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:36.299 what was going on. His name was Phineas. Phineas 00:11:36.299 --> 00:11:39.039 goes down to the Jordan River and he sees the 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:41.100 altar that they built and if you allow me to 00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:43.919 paraphrase He says what are you doing? What are 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:45.820 you doing building this altar down here? Don't 00:11:45.820 --> 00:11:49.200 you know God's gonna be angry with us? He said 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:51.620 don't you remember all the times we transgressed 00:11:51.620 --> 00:11:53.539 and rebelled against God and the whole nation 00:11:53.539 --> 00:11:56.419 suffered and now you've come down here and you're 00:11:56.419 --> 00:11:58.740 Transgressing and you're rebelling and you you've 00:11:58.740 --> 00:12:01.440 built this other altar and now we're all in trouble 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:05.070 because of your rebellion And that's when the 00:12:05.070 --> 00:12:07.909 two and a half tribes, Reuben Gad and half the 00:12:07.909 --> 00:12:10.809 tribe of Manasseh, they responded to this accusation. 00:12:11.789 --> 00:12:15.289 They said, God forbid that we would build another 00:12:15.289 --> 00:12:17.950 altar for burnt offering other than the one we 00:12:17.950 --> 00:12:21.110 have in the Lord's Tabernacle. And then they 00:12:21.110 --> 00:12:23.190 explain themselves. They say, you know what? 00:12:23.429 --> 00:12:26.649 We have not built this altar by the river for 00:12:26.649 --> 00:12:29.990 to offer burnt offerings on or to make sacrifices. 00:12:30.049 --> 00:12:33.330 That is not the purpose of this altar. And they 00:12:33.330 --> 00:12:36.250 explained that we built this altar to be a witness 00:12:36.250 --> 00:12:38.889 to your children and to our children and to many 00:12:38.889 --> 00:12:43.009 generations to come. That though this river divides 00:12:43.009 --> 00:12:46.769 us as a nation, we still serve the same God. 00:12:46.950 --> 00:12:50.490 And we didn't want your children in the days 00:12:50.490 --> 00:12:52.590 to come to tell our children that they didn't 00:12:52.590 --> 00:12:54.750 have any part in the Lord and in His tabernacle 00:12:54.750 --> 00:12:56.830 because they lived on the other side of the river. 00:12:57.830 --> 00:13:00.029 We thought you know what if your children tied 00:13:00.029 --> 00:13:02.730 try to tell our children that our children will 00:13:02.730 --> 00:13:05.429 just point to this altar as a memorial a reminder 00:13:05.429 --> 00:13:09.769 that we all serve the same God and So the very 00:13:09.769 --> 00:13:12.409 thing that they built that their brethren thought 00:13:12.409 --> 00:13:15.710 was an act of rebellion and division guess what 00:13:15.710 --> 00:13:19.070 it was They were actually trying to be proactive 00:13:19.070 --> 00:13:22.899 and maintain the unity of all of God's people. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.440 They were trying to protect against religious 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:29.039 division that might happen in generations to 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:32.179 come. I want to read that part of this from Joshua 00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:36.139 20, 22, 12. As I mentioned, the children of Israel 00:13:36.139 --> 00:13:39.179 were ready to go to war over that second altar. 00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:42.120 They said they built an altar. We got to go down 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.080 there. We're going to go to war with our brethren. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.980 But then in verse 29, that's where they explained 00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:50.340 God forbid that we would build another altar 00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:54.279 to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices and they 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:58.759 explained that This was the final result of what 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.960 happened when Phineas heard the purpose behind 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:04.700 that altar The thing pleased the children of 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:06.740 Israel and the children of Israel blessed God 00:14:06.740 --> 00:14:08.879 and they did not intend to go up against them 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.500 in battle To destroy the land, you know, they 00:14:12.500 --> 00:14:17.690 narrowly escaped A civil war. All because of 00:14:17.690 --> 00:14:21.990 what? One altar. Isn't it amazing to you in this 00:14:21.990 --> 00:14:24.830 story that two altars in the land of Israel was 00:14:24.830 --> 00:14:30.690 one too many? Two altars in the land of Israel 00:14:30.690 --> 00:14:36.830 was one too many. And yet we look around us and 00:14:36.830 --> 00:14:39.350 we see dozens and dozens of different churches. 00:14:40.580 --> 00:14:43.539 all divided, all teaching different things, preaching 00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:47.139 different Gospels. It's a far cry, isn't it? 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:50.879 From the way they felt about the unity of God's 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.440 people back in the days of Joshua. And I'll tell 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:56.159 you something else we see in their example that 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:59.320 I think is worth emulating today. To them, their 00:14:59.320 --> 00:15:02.279 unity was worth fighting for. Now the fighting 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:04.460 here I'm talking about is not, you know, getting 00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:08.059 physical and getting into a fist fight. I don't 00:15:08.059 --> 00:15:09.960 think that's the way we get to unity at all. 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:14.620 But do you notice and do you see in this story 00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:16.960 how they were they were willing to fight for 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:19.059 the unity of God's people They just weren't going 00:15:19.059 --> 00:15:24.580 to sit back and just say well, oh well Guess 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:26.500 what? I guess we'll be divided. I guess we'll 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:29.220 have two altars No, they took action because 00:15:29.220 --> 00:15:32.820 unity was valuable to them It meant something 00:15:32.820 --> 00:15:35.600 that they worship the same God that they practice 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.580 the same way that it meant something to them 00:15:39.270 --> 00:15:44.169 That they guard and safe and keep safe this religious 00:15:44.169 --> 00:15:46.769 unity that God had blessed them with and we've 00:15:46.769 --> 00:15:49.070 got to do the same We got a highly value unity 00:15:49.070 --> 00:15:52.009 like they did if we want to achieve it in religion 00:15:52.009 --> 00:15:55.250 today We also have to make sacrifices to attain 00:15:55.250 --> 00:15:58.950 unity We're gonna have to make sacrifices if 00:15:58.950 --> 00:16:02.289 we want unity everybody will I believe Now I 00:16:02.289 --> 00:16:04.509 want you to think about this in terms of the 00:16:04.509 --> 00:16:06.730 church being a family the church is the family 00:16:06.730 --> 00:16:10.379 of God That's taught in the book of first Timothy 00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:14.620 chapter 3 verse 15 Paul tells Timothy if he tarries 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:17.879 long He's writing this so that Timothy may know 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:20.159 how he ought to behave himself in the house of 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:23.059 God Which is the church of God the the the pillar 00:16:23.059 --> 00:16:25.360 and ground of the truth that goes on to say to 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:27.779 say Church is the house of God the word house 00:16:27.779 --> 00:16:30.639 here means family The church of the Living God 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.559 is the house it is the family of God and we understand 00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:36.879 what that means because in God's in God's church 00:16:37.289 --> 00:16:41.590 In the family of God, we cherish bonds of fellowship 00:16:41.590 --> 00:16:44.230 and love. We love one another like brothers, 00:16:44.350 --> 00:16:46.909 like sisters, like fathers, like mothers. That's 00:16:46.909 --> 00:16:49.110 what Paul explained to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5, 00:16:49.110 --> 00:16:53.409 1 to 2. We need to rebuke not an elder, Paul 00:16:53.409 --> 00:16:55.830 tells Timothy, but entreat him as a father, younger 00:16:55.830 --> 00:16:58.750 men as brethren, elder women as mothers, younger 00:16:58.750 --> 00:17:01.769 women as sisters with all purity. We cherish 00:17:01.769 --> 00:17:04.549 the strongest of family bonds in the family of 00:17:04.549 --> 00:17:09.049 God. And you know how it works in a family? In 00:17:09.049 --> 00:17:11.490 our families, everybody has to work together 00:17:11.490 --> 00:17:13.869 and make sacrifices for the betterment of the 00:17:13.869 --> 00:17:17.769 family. And I think it's the same way in the 00:17:17.769 --> 00:17:20.750 church. If we want unity, there may be sacrifices 00:17:20.750 --> 00:17:23.430 that we have to make. Now, I'm not saying that 00:17:23.430 --> 00:17:26.009 we should ever sacrifice or compromise what we 00:17:26.009 --> 00:17:31.650 know the Word of God to teach is true. As Brother 00:17:31.650 --> 00:17:33.930 Daniel mentioned to us so well in the opening, 00:17:34.349 --> 00:17:37.259 you know, Compromising the truth of God's Word 00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:41.759 is no way to gain unity. What do you unite with 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:43.940 if you compromise the Word of God? You're not 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:46.559 uniting with truth. You're uniting with error. 00:17:46.660 --> 00:17:49.019 And we can't unite with error. That's like taking 00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:52.059 one step forward and then another step back to 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:55.079 unite with error. The basis of our unity has 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:58.339 to be the truth, has to be the Word of God. But 00:17:58.339 --> 00:18:01.220 you know, there may be areas where we don't have 00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:04.609 to compromise. our faith, our doctrine, our practices, 00:18:05.349 --> 00:18:08.450 areas where we can be flexible, areas where we 00:18:08.450 --> 00:18:12.230 can sacrifice for the betterment of the entire 00:18:12.230 --> 00:18:14.369 family. We have to do that in our own flesh and 00:18:14.369 --> 00:18:16.250 blood families and we might have to do that in 00:18:16.250 --> 00:18:19.569 the church. Sometimes there's problems in families. 00:18:20.170 --> 00:18:22.490 Every family has problems. The church has problems 00:18:22.490 --> 00:18:25.369 just like every other family. Sometimes in the 00:18:25.369 --> 00:18:27.569 family we suffer with disagreements leading to 00:18:27.569 --> 00:18:29.490 anger, leading to hurt, leading to bitterness, 00:18:29.950 --> 00:18:32.490 and then division in the family in the end. That's 00:18:32.490 --> 00:18:34.329 a terrible thing when families are going through 00:18:34.329 --> 00:18:37.269 this. Churches have went through a lot of this 00:18:37.269 --> 00:18:40.390 same thing. Due to disagreements, there's been 00:18:40.390 --> 00:18:43.049 anger. Due to anger, there's been hurt. There's 00:18:43.049 --> 00:18:47.150 bitterness and division in far too many churches 00:18:47.150 --> 00:18:51.230 today. But how should we treat one another in 00:18:51.230 --> 00:18:54.589 the family of God? Bible tells us how to treat 00:18:54.589 --> 00:18:56.549 one another in the family of God and this is 00:18:56.549 --> 00:18:59.509 the sacrifice we need to be willing to make We 00:18:59.509 --> 00:19:02.369 need to do with Ephesians 4 31 and 32 tells us 00:19:02.369 --> 00:19:04.789 let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor 00:19:04.789 --> 00:19:07.890 That's angry outbursts and evil speaking be put 00:19:07.890 --> 00:19:10.190 away from you with all malice. That's hatred 00:19:10.190 --> 00:19:14.910 Now look at verse 32. Here's here's the key ingredients 00:19:14.910 --> 00:19:20.869 Be be kind one to another tender -hearted forgiving 00:19:20.869 --> 00:19:25.849 one another even as God, for Christ's sake, hath 00:19:25.849 --> 00:19:29.069 forgiven you. At the end of the day, this is 00:19:29.069 --> 00:19:31.049 how we need to treat one another in the family 00:19:31.049 --> 00:19:34.910 of God. And you know, I believe when families 00:19:34.910 --> 00:19:37.329 have problems, when families have difficulties, 00:19:38.390 --> 00:19:40.410 I like to sit down with families when they're 00:19:40.410 --> 00:19:43.829 having problems and we work through those problems. 00:19:44.410 --> 00:19:47.630 And we've got tools at our disposal given to 00:19:47.630 --> 00:19:50.430 us in the Word of God to overcome hurt anger 00:19:50.430 --> 00:19:53.730 pride bitterness resentment strife division in 00:19:53.730 --> 00:19:56.650 the family and here are some of the tools James 00:19:56.650 --> 00:19:59.150 5 16 teaches some as though some of those tools 00:19:59.150 --> 00:20:01.230 confess your faults one to another and pray for 00:20:01.230 --> 00:20:03.970 one another that you might be healed The healing 00:20:03.970 --> 00:20:05.970 here is not physical healing. The healing here 00:20:05.970 --> 00:20:09.049 is the healing of relationships that are hurt 00:20:09.049 --> 00:20:12.940 due to faults and offenses due to problems bitterness 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:17.759 and anger in the family. When our families are 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:19.480 having problems, what do we need to do? We need 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.440 to humble ourselves. We need to be honest. We 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.400 need to confess our faults. We need to pray. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:25.700 We need to forgive. And when we'll do that, we'll 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:29.440 turn those problems around, won't we? And it's 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:31.259 the same way in the church. If we want unity, 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.819 we're going to have to be humble. We're going 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:34.680 to have to be honest. We're going to have to 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:36.539 confess fault. We're going to have to pray. We're 00:20:36.539 --> 00:20:38.160 going to have to forgive others. Those are very 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:40.980 powerful tools in bringing families together 00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:43.099 where there's division. These will be powerful 00:20:43.099 --> 00:20:46.660 tools for us in our churches to reach a greater 00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:49.240 degree of unity. Here's something else we got 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:52.000 to realize. In our family, sometimes we have 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:55.480 problems. We'd like to fix everybody else in 00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:58.710 the family, right? Sometimes I sit down with 00:20:58.710 --> 00:21:00.710 families having problems. We go around the room 00:21:00.710 --> 00:21:02.869 I let the husband talk and you know what he blames 00:21:02.869 --> 00:21:05.369 it on everybody else in the family But him now 00:21:05.369 --> 00:21:07.349 let the wife talk guess what she does blames 00:21:07.349 --> 00:21:09.670 it on everybody else in the family But her now 00:21:09.670 --> 00:21:11.690 let the kids talk they blame it on everybody 00:21:11.690 --> 00:21:20.210 else in the family, but them Here's the reality 00:21:20.210 --> 00:21:22.329 if we've got a problem in the family or in the 00:21:22.329 --> 00:21:25.910 church really the only person we can fix is ourselves 00:21:26.529 --> 00:21:28.650 Sometimes the husband says, if everybody else 00:21:28.650 --> 00:21:30.650 would just straighten up, we wouldn't have a 00:21:30.650 --> 00:21:32.750 problem. Wife says, if everybody else would just 00:21:32.750 --> 00:21:35.210 straighten up, we wouldn't have a problem. Well, 00:21:35.230 --> 00:21:37.269 reality is we need to stop pointing the finger 00:21:37.269 --> 00:21:39.750 at everybody else and look at ourselves and we 00:21:39.750 --> 00:21:43.450 need to do what we can do. Because we are the 00:21:43.450 --> 00:21:46.130 only person really that we can fix. We can encourage 00:21:46.130 --> 00:21:49.069 people to fix themselves. We can encourage people 00:21:49.069 --> 00:21:52.799 to change. We can try to... motivate them in 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:54.599 different ways to do that, but at the end of 00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:57.140 the day, you can't fix anybody but yourself, 00:21:57.200 --> 00:22:01.259 and it needs to start there. We need to truly 00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:04.180 examine ourselves, and if we find ways that we 00:22:04.180 --> 00:22:06.980 need to make correction to gain a greater degree 00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:09.240 of unity in our congregations, that's what we 00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:11.799 need to do. We need to be willing to confess 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:13.980 those faults and make those corrections, make 00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:17.119 those sacrifices. They are worth it to achieve 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:21.420 unity. Unity is achievable for us today if we 00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:23.839 highly value it, if we sacrifice to attain it, 00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:27.660 and if we will patiently pursue it. The book 00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:30.440 of Ephesians, Ephesians 4 talks about two types 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:34.039 of unity. In Ephesians 4 verse 11 to 13, we're 00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:36.420 going to read about the unity of the faith. And 00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:39.900 the unity of the faith is realized the more and 00:22:39.900 --> 00:22:42.640 the more that we equip and serve and grow together 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:46.119 in Christ. So this needs to be part of our focus 00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:49.480 in maintaining unity. Serving one another, equipping 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:51.660 one another, growing together in Jesus. That 00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:54.940 strengthens and increases the unity of the faith. 00:22:55.859 --> 00:22:59.000 Ephesians 4 11, he gave some apostles, some prophets, 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.839 some evangelist pastors and teachers for the 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:03.680 perfecting of the saints, for the work of the 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:05.799 ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 00:23:05.900 --> 00:23:08.960 Verse 13, till we all come in the unity of the 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:13.940 faith. He gave these offices in the church to 00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:17.380 build up, strengthen, and help the body grow. 00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:20.960 And that's a process that is ongoing till we 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:24.380 all come in the unity of the faith and of the 00:23:24.380 --> 00:23:26.940 knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, 00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:28.960 unto the measure and the fullness of the stature 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:31.920 of Christ. So the unity of the faith is something 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:34.759 that comes more and more and more in verse 13 00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:38.740 as we put into practice verse 12, equip the saints 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:41.619 to do the work of serving and building one another 00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:45.099 up. That's the unity of the faith. But there's 00:23:45.099 --> 00:23:47.519 another unity that Ephesians 4 speaks of and 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:51.160 that's the unity of the Spirit. The unity of 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:53.740 the Spirit. We need to patiently pursue a greater 00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:56.420 degree of that unity of the faith and we need 00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:59.900 to endeavor to keep, to guard the unity of the 00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:03.420 Spirit that God has given us. God calls us and 00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:05.279 we're going to read it in a moment in Ephesians 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:08.039 chapter 4, 1 to 3. He calls us to endeavor to 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:10.400 keep. That word keep means diligently guard and 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:13.710 protect. the unity of the Spirit. When I think 00:24:13.710 --> 00:24:15.569 about guarding something, protecting something, 00:24:15.650 --> 00:24:18.690 I think about putting it in a bank vault, right? 00:24:19.690 --> 00:24:22.170 If I've been given something of great value, 00:24:22.970 --> 00:24:26.609 I want to keep it and guard it, protect it. I 00:24:26.609 --> 00:24:28.650 would put it in a vault, seal it up, make sure 00:24:28.650 --> 00:24:32.069 it was safe, make sure it couldn't be compromised 00:24:32.069 --> 00:24:34.890 in any way. And God has given us something truly 00:24:34.890 --> 00:24:37.390 valuable and amazing and wonderful when He gave 00:24:37.390 --> 00:24:40.869 us the unity of the Spirit, the unity of the 00:24:40.869 --> 00:24:43.170 Spirit. It's the second kind of unity that's 00:24:43.170 --> 00:24:46.430 mentioned in Ephesians four. Paul says, I therefore, 00:24:46.490 --> 00:24:48.470 the prisoner of the Lord beseech you, I beg you 00:24:48.470 --> 00:24:50.609 that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith 00:24:50.609 --> 00:24:53.009 you're called with all lowliness and meekness 00:24:53.009 --> 00:24:55.250 and longsuffering, forbearing one another in 00:24:55.250 --> 00:24:57.829 love. Here's what he tells us to do. Endeavoring 00:24:57.829 --> 00:25:02.490 to keep to guard to preserve what the unity of 00:25:02.490 --> 00:25:07.910 the spirit in the bond of peace. We must diligently. 00:25:08.630 --> 00:25:11.609 Work to guard and maintain this unity of the 00:25:11.609 --> 00:25:14.089 spirit. Now. This is a type of unity this unity 00:25:14.089 --> 00:25:16.490 of the spirit It's a type of unity that God makes 00:25:16.490 --> 00:25:19.009 and God gives us. We don't make this kind of 00:25:19.009 --> 00:25:22.690 unity God gave us this unity when we when we 00:25:22.690 --> 00:25:25.549 were baptized into Christ 1st Corinthians 12 00:25:25.549 --> 00:25:28.589 13 for as many of you as have been baptized or 00:25:28.589 --> 00:25:32.450 escalations 3 sorry for 1st Corinthians 12 13 00:25:32.450 --> 00:25:35.289 for by one spirit are we all baptized into one 00:25:35.289 --> 00:25:39.339 body For by one spirit are we all baptized into 00:25:39.339 --> 00:25:42.119 one body I believe that's the unity of the spirit 00:25:42.119 --> 00:25:44.559 that the Bible speaking of here in Ephesians 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:47.319 chapter 4 when we came into the family of God 00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:50.079 through Baptism God united us with our brothers 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:53.339 and sisters in the church We didn't make that 00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:56.480 happen. The Lord added us to the church. He gave 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:59.039 us brothers and sisters It was a gift from him 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:02.440 to put us into the family of God That's the unity 00:26:02.440 --> 00:26:04.880 of the Spirit that God makes and God gives us. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:07.640 He gives it to us and He tells us, look, this 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:10.720 is a precious gift. You've got to guard it and 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:12.960 protect it and do everything you can to keep 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:16.700 and maintain it. And that's what we do with the 00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:20.039 unity of the Spirit. And then we go forward from 00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:23.259 there striving for a greater degree of the unity 00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:26.460 of the faith as we grow in knowledge, grow in 00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:29.660 understanding. We work patiently together, becoming 00:26:29.660 --> 00:26:32.359 more like Jesus. That's how we acquire a greater 00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:35.859 degree of the unity of the faith. So for all 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:38.720 of these reasons that we've talked about from 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:40.660 the Word of God this afternoon, yes, I believe 00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:46.079 unity of all believers is possible. I believe 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:51.119 it's possible. To achieve it, we're going to 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:55.339 have to surrender our individual will to the 00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:58.380 Word of God. Again, I don't want you to go away 00:26:58.380 --> 00:27:03.700 from here thinking that compromise, that it's 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:06.420 worth it to compromise the Word of God in order 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:13.319 to gain unity, okay? Compromising the Word of 00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:16.640 God is not the right way to achieve unity. But 00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:19.880 in every area that we possibly can, surrender 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:22.500 our will to the will of God as it's revealed 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:25.789 in the Word. That's a sacrifice and a surrender. 00:27:25.930 --> 00:27:28.329 We need to be willing to make to achieve unity 00:27:28.329 --> 00:27:31.150 and Here's something else to consider as we wrap 00:27:31.150 --> 00:27:32.990 up, but you know, I believe that unity within 00:27:32.990 --> 00:27:38.630 the body It's not it's not optional It's not 00:27:38.630 --> 00:27:42.230 optional it's something that is Required the 00:27:42.230 --> 00:27:44.809 Lord requires it the Lord demands it the Lord 00:27:44.809 --> 00:27:48.490 wants it There's several ingredients that are 00:27:48.490 --> 00:27:50.630 going to be necessary for us to realize it and 00:27:50.630 --> 00:27:52.890 we read them a moment ago. I'll revisit them 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:58.000 in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 to 2. We'll achieve 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:01.720 this unity if we'll pursue it with all loneliness 00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:06.980 and meekness, with long suffering, that's patient 00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:12.140 endurance, forbearing one another, forbearing 00:28:12.140 --> 00:28:17.500 one another in love. If we'll cultivate these 00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:19.559 things in our hearts, I believe that will put 00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:23.519 us in a position Where we are ready we are willing 00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:27.180 and we are able to do our part We can only do 00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:29.619 our part right? We can't do everybody else's 00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:32.079 part, but we this will put us in a position to 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:36.900 be able to do our part To be part of the solution 00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:39.619 that unity is rather than being part of the problem 00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:44.200 that division has created among us So as I close 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:46.220 this afternoon, I think it would be appropriate 00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:49.759 for us as we consider these things to pray to 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:53.619 God, you know, we need God's help. We can't do 00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:57.819 this on our own. It seems like a daunting task 00:28:57.819 --> 00:29:00.539 to overcome so much religious division that we 00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:04.240 see around us. But we serve a God for which nothing 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:06.740 is impossible for Him. All things are possible 00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:12.660 with God and we need His help in regaining the 00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:14.880 unity that God wants among His people. So let's 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:16.619 have a prayer right now, a prayer for the unity 00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:21.769 of God's people. Would you pray with me? Father 00:29:21.769 --> 00:29:25.630 in heaven we come humbly and boldly before you 00:29:25.630 --> 00:29:28.369 this afternoon acknowledging you as the only 00:29:28.369 --> 00:29:31.690 true and living God Father we're thankful that 00:29:31.690 --> 00:29:35.950 we can come to you and We can find strength we 00:29:35.950 --> 00:29:39.529 can find motivation We can find the ability father 00:29:39.529 --> 00:29:42.009 to do things that seem hard that seem difficult 00:29:42.009 --> 00:29:45.029 that seem impossible to us But we trust that 00:29:45.029 --> 00:29:48.069 nothing is impossible with you father. We pray 00:29:48.069 --> 00:29:52.180 for the unity of all of God's people We pray 00:29:52.180 --> 00:29:54.599 that you will help us father to cultivate hearts 00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:58.740 and minds that are ready willing and able to 00:29:58.740 --> 00:30:04.960 seek for to strive for and to achieve and and 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:07.559 realize a greater degree of unity in our homes 00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:10.579 and our families and our congregations Throughout 00:30:10.579 --> 00:30:12.980 the church at large with the other congregations 00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:16.240 in our area We we pray that for all people who 00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:18.640 call themselves Christians that they would come 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:21.809 together around your word We would sacrifice 00:30:21.809 --> 00:30:24.609 our will, Father, to pick up and embrace your 00:30:24.609 --> 00:30:27.789 will as it's revealed in your word. Help us to 00:30:27.789 --> 00:30:32.069 not lean on our own understanding, not to prioritize 00:30:32.069 --> 00:30:34.529 our own thoughts, our own feelings, our own opinions, 00:30:34.690 --> 00:30:37.369 our own preferences, but to sacrifice it all 00:30:37.369 --> 00:30:40.470 at the altar, Father, so that we can have this 00:30:40.470 --> 00:30:43.990 unity that we know you want us to have. Thank 00:30:43.990 --> 00:30:47.420 you for helping us do our part. To be a part 00:30:47.420 --> 00:30:49.200 of the solution and not a part of the problem 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:52.119 of division Continue to bless this congregation 00:30:52.119 --> 00:30:56.119 as they continue to serve you to look to you 00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:59.920 To practice the teachings of your word and to 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:03.039 do so with a sincere heart Thank you Lord for 00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:05.000 all your love your mercy and your grace help 00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:08.240 us to show that love in that mercy to others 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:10.240 We love you so much. Thank you for your love 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:16.690 for us. We pray in Jesus name. Amen Thank you 00:31:16.690 --> 00:31:18.690 for your attention this afternoon. Thank you 00:31:18.690 --> 00:31:20.450 for your participation throughout the course 00:31:20.450 --> 00:31:22.609 of this meeting. May God richly bless each and 00:31:22.609 --> 00:31:23.349 every one of you