WEBVTT 00:00:09.769 --> 00:00:12.589 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking 00:00:12.589 --> 00:00:17.370 out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading 00:00:17.370 --> 00:00:21.329 them about the kingdom of God. But when some 00:00:21.329 --> 00:00:24.890 were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking 00:00:24.890 --> 00:00:28.250 evil of the way before the people, he withdrew 00:00:28.250 --> 00:00:31.609 from them and took away the disciples, reasoning 00:00:31.609 --> 00:00:36.149 daily in the school of Tyrannus. This took place 00:00:36.149 --> 00:00:40.299 for two years. so that all who lived in Asia 00:00:40.299 --> 00:00:44.600 heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 00:00:45.820 --> 00:00:50.320 God was performing extraordinary miracles by 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:54.079 the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:57.200 were even carried from his body to the sick, 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:00.460 and the diseases left them and the evil spirits 00:01:00.460 --> 00:01:04.400 went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists, 00:01:04.420 --> 00:01:09.129 who went from place to place, attempted to name 00:01:09.129 --> 00:01:12.950 over those who had the evil spirits the name 00:01:12.950 --> 00:01:17.170 of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, 00:01:17.469 --> 00:01:22.049 whom Paul preaches. Seven sons of one Sceva, 00:01:22.209 --> 00:01:26.870 a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the 00:01:26.870 --> 00:01:32.430 evil spirit answered and said to them, I recognize 00:01:32.430 --> 00:01:36.489 Jesus and I know about Paul, but who are you? 00:01:37.480 --> 00:01:40.680 and the man in whom the evil spirit leaped on 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:44.500 them and subdued all of them and overpowered 00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:47.040 them so that they fled out of the house, that 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:51.359 house, naked and wounded. This became known to 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:55.640 all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus, 00:01:55.739 --> 00:01:59.819 and fear fell upon all, and the name of the Lord 00:01:59.819 --> 00:02:03.719 Jesus was being magnified. Many also of those 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:08.639 who had believed kept coming, and confessing 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:12.620 and disclosing their practices. And many of those 00:02:12.620 --> 00:02:15.639 who practiced magic brought their books together 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:18.240 and began burning them in the sight of everyone. 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:22.000 And they counted up the price of them and found 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.599 it 50 ,000 pieces of silver. So the word of the 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:33.539 Lord was growing mightily and prevailing. The 00:02:33.539 --> 00:02:37.330 emphasis of... Our exposition today is going 00:02:37.330 --> 00:02:42.870 to be in verse 20. So the word of the Lord was 00:02:42.870 --> 00:02:49.229 growing mightily and prevailing. In this text, 00:02:49.289 --> 00:02:54.830 I want us all to consider Luke's understanding 00:02:54.830 --> 00:03:02.469 of the gospel and its work in Ephesus. I want 00:03:02.469 --> 00:03:07.099 us to consider... Luke's view, his perspective 00:03:07.099 --> 00:03:16.560 of what gospel success really, truly is. I want 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:18.599 us to consider in this text Luke's understanding 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:23.020 of the advancement, of the increase, the multiplication, 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:28.159 the growth, the spreading of the gospel in this 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.699 world. What does it mean that the church is established? 00:03:32.110 --> 00:03:34.530 What does it mean that the kingdom of God come 00:03:34.530 --> 00:03:37.229 forth and break forth into this world? What does 00:03:37.229 --> 00:03:40.050 it mean, brothers and sisters, that God work 00:03:40.050 --> 00:03:46.310 in this world? Luke helps us understand this. 00:03:46.509 --> 00:03:53.669 He shows us clearly what his perspective of true 00:03:53.669 --> 00:04:00.009 gospel progress and true gospel success is in 00:04:00.009 --> 00:04:03.819 verse 1. Now, I think it's important for all 00:04:03.819 --> 00:04:10.580 of us that know Christ, that we see gospel success 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:15.900 and gospel progress and the work of God the same 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:21.939 way that the inspired author sees gospel success. 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:27.759 So, if Luke has a certain perspective regarding 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.920 the Word of God, Regarding God's work in this 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:35.759 world. Then we should view it the same way. If 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:40.439 we want to truly understand how God works in 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:43.439 this world. Now there's several reasons that 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:46.459 this is really important. That we understand 00:04:46.459 --> 00:04:51.339 the nature of gospel progress and gospel success. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:55.819 It's important because we as fallen creatures 00:04:55.819 --> 00:05:04.310 will always. have a tendency to measure and make 00:05:04.310 --> 00:05:06.870 judgments and determine whether something is 00:05:06.870 --> 00:05:10.290 effective or ineffective, successful or unsuccessful, 00:05:10.470 --> 00:05:16.569 based on things which are tangible. Things which 00:05:16.569 --> 00:05:19.589 can be seen and felt. Things which are known 00:05:19.589 --> 00:05:23.730 by our senses. Things which are worldly. Things 00:05:23.730 --> 00:05:28.019 which are quantifiable in a sense. Things which 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:33.300 are carnal. Things which are earthly. We always 00:05:33.300 --> 00:05:38.800 have that tendency as people. Everybody. It's 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.819 part of our nature in living in this world. So 00:05:41.819 --> 00:05:46.439 we need to understand Luke's perspective on this 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:49.879 in particular because of that. But we also need 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:54.240 to understand this because of pragmatism. And 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.860 because... of certain movements in Christianity 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:00.420 throughout the ages and throughout the world 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:04.519 today that are solely based on application and 00:06:04.519 --> 00:06:09.259 doing in the world. Many times these movements 00:06:09.259 --> 00:06:17.860 and these pragmatic movements will say, well, 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:24.060 it doesn't work, therefore our theology must 00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:28.850 be... But here's my question. Here's my question. 00:06:29.829 --> 00:06:33.089 What if our definition of success is wrong and 00:06:33.089 --> 00:06:35.509 we're deducing incorrectly based off of that 00:06:35.509 --> 00:06:40.750 false, wrong definition? That's important that 00:06:40.750 --> 00:06:43.970 we understand the nature of true gospel success. 00:06:44.889 --> 00:06:48.529 We've got to, brothers and sisters. But we also 00:06:48.529 --> 00:06:51.769 need to understand this because if we have a 00:06:51.769 --> 00:06:54.149 wrong definition of what it means for the gospel, 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:58.339 to succeed, and God to work in the world, then 00:06:58.339 --> 00:07:01.379 there's many people who could think, well, God 00:07:01.379 --> 00:07:04.560 is blessing me, God is working, God is using 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:07.680 me, God is present, God is in our midst. But 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:09.759 if they're measuring that based on the wrong 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:14.180 definition of success, then in reality, God very 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:18.079 well may not be in their midst. God very well 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.300 may not be blessing them, and God very well may 00:07:21.300 --> 00:07:26.589 not. Be at work in that place. But you could 00:07:26.589 --> 00:07:30.189 go the other way as well. If we don't understand 00:07:30.189 --> 00:07:33.730 the nature of true gospel success. Then it's 00:07:33.730 --> 00:07:37.589 easy to get discouraged. If we're basing it off 00:07:37.589 --> 00:07:40.930 of the wrong thing. Or we have the wrong idea 00:07:40.930 --> 00:07:44.750 of what it means. Meaning. Well I don't see this. 00:07:44.810 --> 00:07:47.149 I don't understand this. I don't recognize that 00:07:47.149 --> 00:07:51.490 God is doing this. Therefore. God isn't working, 00:07:51.629 --> 00:07:54.009 but brothers and sisters, what if he is in fact 00:07:54.009 --> 00:07:57.310 working, but your understanding of gospel success 00:07:57.310 --> 00:08:02.750 and progress is wrong? It's vitally important 00:08:02.750 --> 00:08:07.670 that we understand Luke's perspective on the 00:08:07.670 --> 00:08:14.389 success of the gospel in Ephesus. And that we 00:08:14.389 --> 00:08:17.930 understand it for ourselves. So that we're not 00:08:17.930 --> 00:08:22.120 disheartened. discouraged and despairing, and 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:26.699 so that we are rightly confident and bold as 00:08:26.699 --> 00:08:29.819 we ought to be as believers in Jesus Christ, 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:36.860 knowing that God is at work. So how does Luke 00:08:36.860 --> 00:08:44.279 view the success of the gospel in Ephesus? First, 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:48.789 he attributes the success of the gospel. to the 00:08:48.789 --> 00:08:53.970 word of the Lord. What does he say? So the word 00:08:53.970 --> 00:09:00.269 of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing. 00:09:01.029 --> 00:09:04.590 What is the word of the Lord? Well, it's the 00:09:04.590 --> 00:09:08.190 gospel message, brothers and sisters. It's the 00:09:08.190 --> 00:09:11.549 gospel message that Paul was proclaiming, that 00:09:11.549 --> 00:09:14.769 Paul was preaching in Ephesus. It's the gospel 00:09:14.769 --> 00:09:20.070 message that... had Christ as its center. The 00:09:20.070 --> 00:09:23.830 message of the kingdom and the Messiah and God's 00:09:23.830 --> 00:09:28.429 work and God's coming and taking on flesh. It's 00:09:28.429 --> 00:09:32.049 the word of God. It's the full counsel of God. 00:09:32.210 --> 00:09:37.909 It's apostolic doctrine as proclaimed in the 00:09:37.909 --> 00:09:43.789 apostles. This terminology of the word of the 00:09:43.789 --> 00:09:49.519 Lord carries with it A couple different emphases. 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:55.320 It carries with it the emphasis of divine authority 00:09:55.320 --> 00:10:04.220 and divine origin and divine agency. So what 00:10:04.220 --> 00:10:09.120 is Luke saying about the nature of gospel success 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:14.240 by attributing the work in Ephesus to the word 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:17.889 of the Lord? Brothers and sisters, here's what 00:10:17.889 --> 00:10:21.730 he's saying. He's saying this work, everything 00:10:21.730 --> 00:10:25.129 we read about in verses 8 through 20, all of 00:10:25.129 --> 00:10:27.690 this work, brothers and sisters, it's of God. 00:10:27.929 --> 00:10:31.250 It's from God. It's because of the Lord. It's 00:10:31.250 --> 00:10:34.750 of divine origin. It has a divine source to it. 00:10:34.950 --> 00:10:38.230 And it has divine authority. It's rooted and 00:10:38.230 --> 00:10:41.210 grounded in divine and authoritative revelation 00:10:41.210 --> 00:10:49.559 of God. It's not. A human work. It's not a man 00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:54.580 -made convention. It's not a man -word work or 00:10:54.580 --> 00:10:57.340 a man -centered work that his breath is about. 00:10:57.460 --> 00:11:00.100 One might be tempted to think that this would 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:04.039 be a summary of Paul's work. One might be tempted 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:05.980 to think that this would be a summary of the 00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:09.159 great apostles' efforts and labors and service 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:14.269 in Ephesus. But it's not. The work is attributed 00:11:14.269 --> 00:11:21.769 to the Lord and His divine word. The gospel success 00:11:21.769 --> 00:11:29.269 has a divine and sovereign source and authority 00:11:29.269 --> 00:11:34.669 to it. It's from God. It's not from man. It's 00:11:34.669 --> 00:11:40.269 God working through the word of God in that place. 00:11:40.809 --> 00:11:45.700 That's what it is. It's God, it's the risen Lord 00:11:45.700 --> 00:11:50.820 Jesus Christ from heaven, working through His 00:11:50.820 --> 00:11:54.379 Word, through the message that's proclaimed by 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:57.899 the Apostle Paul. It's not that it's Paul and 00:11:57.899 --> 00:12:00.179 he's not involved at all. He is. But listen, 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.820 it's Christ from heaven working for His kingdom. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:06.779 It's Christ from heaven working for His church. 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:11.840 It's Christ working. Paul doesn't emphasize man 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:16.340 in this. He attributes it to God so that God 00:12:16.340 --> 00:12:19.980 gets the glory, so that God gets the honor and 00:12:19.980 --> 00:12:27.419 the recognition. God's work is preeminently and 00:12:27.419 --> 00:12:33.639 chiefly through his word. That means that in 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:36.399 this world, God works where, brothers and sisters? 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:40.960 In and through his word. That means that God 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.980 works in this church. Where? In and through His 00:12:43.980 --> 00:12:46.279 Word. That means, brothers and sisters, that 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:48.879 God works in your family. Where? In and through 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:51.299 His Word. That means, brothers and sisters, that 00:12:51.299 --> 00:12:56.019 God works in and through mission. Where? His 00:12:56.019 --> 00:13:00.720 Word. That means that God works in individuals 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:03.879 and people. He works in individual Christians 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:07.240 who know Christ. He works in individuals. who 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:09.559 love Christ, He works in individuals who are 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.860 struggling and have difficulties in life. How 00:13:11.860 --> 00:13:16.620 does He work in their life? In and through the 00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:19.059 Word of God. So if we're not in the Word of God, 00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:24.379 should we expect that God be working in His life 00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:29.000 as He would be if we were in the Word of God? 00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:33.360 We can't say, oh, God's not working in my life. 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:38.539 He's not doing anything in and through me. Well, 00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:43.340 are you meditating on the scriptures? Are you 00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:46.919 thinking about the word of God? Are you asking 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:49.559 God to reveal himself and manifest himself through 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:53.840 the word that he gave to us? Is God speaking 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:58.500 to you through his word regularly so that he 00:13:58.500 --> 00:14:01.820 can work in you and through you because those 00:14:01.820 --> 00:14:04.350 are the appointed means that he has given? to 00:14:04.350 --> 00:14:08.509 do so. Brothers and sisters, God works in and 00:14:08.509 --> 00:14:11.330 through His Word in this world, in the church, 00:14:11.350 --> 00:14:16.470 on mission, and in our lives personally. No wonder 00:14:16.470 --> 00:14:24.610 the devil is always out to supplant, to replace, 00:14:24.990 --> 00:14:28.110 and to do away with the Word of God, to take 00:14:28.110 --> 00:14:30.929 our focus and our mind off the Word of God. to 00:14:30.929 --> 00:14:33.789 get our attention off of it, and anything else. 00:14:35.049 --> 00:14:37.289 Isn't that exactly what he's been doing since 00:14:37.289 --> 00:14:40.769 the beginning? What did he do in the garden? 00:14:41.070 --> 00:14:45.029 He sought to supplant the Word of God. Has God 00:14:45.029 --> 00:14:52.309 really said? The devil doesn't want us in the 00:14:52.309 --> 00:14:55.649 Word of God. The devil doesn't want you in the 00:14:55.649 --> 00:14:58.779 Word of God. He doesn't want God working in you 00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:00.820 through the Word of God. He knows how to hurt 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:04.320 you. He knows how to bring detriment and pain 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:06.460 and suffering into your life. And that's to get 00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:11.399 you out of the Word. Brothers and sisters, we 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:17.820 have to be in the Word of the living God. If 00:15:17.820 --> 00:15:24.980 it's trivial, menial, insignificant, and leftovers 00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:30.600 in your life, Don't expect to be what you ought 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:33.840 to be as a believer in Jesus Christ. If it's 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.879 trivial, menial, and insignificant in the life 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:40.559 of a church, that church should not ought to 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:43.700 expect that they will be full of life and vitality 00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:47.759 and power and blessing of God. But brothers and 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:49.639 sisters, there's another side to it as well. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.470 If a church or a person is... faithfully giving 00:15:54.470 --> 00:15:57.330 themselves to the means that God has given to 00:15:57.330 --> 00:16:03.230 us, then we have to, by faith, believe that He 00:16:03.230 --> 00:16:07.490 is working in and through our lives, regardless 00:16:07.490 --> 00:16:09.950 of whether we see it, whether we recognize it, 00:16:10.029 --> 00:16:13.549 whether we understand it or not. Do you understand 00:16:13.549 --> 00:16:18.169 that? If you are being faithful, and you are 00:16:18.169 --> 00:16:21.039 in the Word of God, and you're actively submitting 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:23.820 your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ through the 00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:26.360 Word of God, you're asking God, God, speak to 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:28.179 me through your Word. I want to know you better 00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:30.220 through your Word. I want to know you more, and 00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:33.200 I want to know you better in greater ways. I 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:35.100 want to know your presence in further and greater 00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:37.340 ways. I want to know your work in my soul in 00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:39.679 further and greater ways in my life. Listen to 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:43.710 me. If you're doing that, then you have every 00:16:43.710 --> 00:16:47.509 reason to expect that God is going to grow you 00:16:47.509 --> 00:16:49.809 in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus 00:16:49.809 --> 00:16:55.009 Christ. Take heart, believer. Be bold. Be confident 00:16:55.009 --> 00:16:57.649 in the Lord if you are giving yourself to the 00:16:57.649 --> 00:17:01.690 means that He has divinely appointed to work 00:17:01.690 --> 00:17:07.630 in this world. He's not left us alone. Listen. 00:17:08.769 --> 00:17:13.650 He's not left us empty -handed. He has given 00:17:13.650 --> 00:17:16.970 us the Word of God. And He will work in and through 00:17:16.970 --> 00:17:20.910 the Word of God. Believe those promises. Appropriate 00:17:20.910 --> 00:17:24.269 those specific promises by faith to your very 00:17:24.269 --> 00:17:32.890 soul. So we see that Luke attributes the success 00:17:32.890 --> 00:17:40.690 of the Gospel to the Word of God. So we see that... 00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:45.700 Luke attributes the success of the Gospel to 00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:49.460 the Word of God. It's not of man, it's not from 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:52.559 man, it's of God, and it's through His Word that 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:56.559 God works. That was true in Ephesus, and that's 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:00.619 true of us today, brothers and sisters. We have 00:18:00.619 --> 00:18:04.240 to believe the promises regarding the Word, but 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:07.839 we have to also understand that if we're not 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:10.829 in the Word, and we're not giving ourselves to 00:18:10.829 --> 00:18:13.289 the Word as we ought, then we shouldn't expect 00:18:13.289 --> 00:18:16.049 that God is working in our lives as He would 00:18:16.049 --> 00:18:23.569 be if we were in that Word. Secondly, we see 00:18:23.569 --> 00:18:32.309 that Luke sees it as the Word growing mightily. 00:18:32.789 --> 00:18:38.599 He says in verse 20, The word of the Lord was 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:44.680 growing mightily. Now, that's an interesting 00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:49.660 way of putting it. How does the word of the Lord 00:18:49.660 --> 00:18:54.960 grow mightily? How does it, we could say, blossom 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:59.599 in the world, in a place, in a people, in a person? 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:05.000 How does maturation come to the word of God progressively? 00:19:06.829 --> 00:19:09.690 How is it strengthened and advanced? How is it 00:19:09.690 --> 00:19:15.109 grown and spread in this world? I think Luke 00:19:15.109 --> 00:19:18.470 helps us with this. I think that we can answer 00:19:18.470 --> 00:19:23.089 that question in the following ways. The Word 00:19:23.089 --> 00:19:28.210 grows mightily in Ephesus because the ministry 00:19:28.210 --> 00:19:33.589 of the Word continued and increased in Ephesus. 00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:36.559 Do you remember Paul went from being in the synagogue? 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:41.299 He was preaching and teaching. He was persuading. 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:44.420 And then he had to leave the synagogue. And where 00:19:44.420 --> 00:19:46.980 did he go? The school of Tyrannus. And it was 00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:49.319 at the school of Tyrannus that he gave himself 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:53.339 more extensively to the preaching of God's Word, 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:56.480 to the exhortation and the teaching of the people 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:59.559 in Ephesus, to seeking the conversion of sinners 00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:04.099 in Ephesus. So we see that the ministry of the 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:07.920 Word itself grew. That the ministry of the Word 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:12.880 itself expanded and increased in Ephesus. We 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:23.019 could look at Acts chapter 12, verse 24, and 00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:27.220 Luke alludes to this. He says in Acts chapter 00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:30.640 12, verse 24, in another summary statement, He 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:33.380 says, but the word of the Lord continued to grow 00:20:33.380 --> 00:20:38.299 and to be multiplied. Now, what is this text 00:20:38.299 --> 00:20:42.119 summarizing? It's summarizing the reality that 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:44.619 the word of God continued to be promulgated, 00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:48.299 that the word of God continued to go forth, that 00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:50.940 the word of God continued to be proclaimed, that 00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:54.259 it couldn't be stopped, but that it proceeded 00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:59.059 forth in power by the apostle Peter in that. 00:20:59.349 --> 00:21:04.029 specific instance. So the word in Ephesus was 00:21:04.029 --> 00:21:08.829 continuing, but it was also increasing in that 00:21:08.829 --> 00:21:12.529 place. We can also answer the question of how 00:21:12.529 --> 00:21:15.529 did it grow in this way? True knowledge of the 00:21:15.529 --> 00:21:21.589 word spread far and wide. If we look in Acts 00:21:21.589 --> 00:21:27.690 chapter 19, verse 10, we read this took place. 00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:32.200 for two years, so that all who lived in Asia 00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:37.480 heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:41.900 What's it talking about? Knowledge of the Gospel 00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:48.440 was spreading like wildfire. Knowledge concerning 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:51.859 the Lord Jesus Christ was spreading everywhere. 00:21:52.059 --> 00:21:54.279 And people were... hearing it, and they were 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:57.000 being exposed to it, and some of them were understanding 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:59.420 it, and some of them were being converted by 00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:02.440 it. They were coming to a greater and a better 00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:05.240 knowledge of who Christ was and what he did. 00:22:05.339 --> 00:22:10.980 Jew and Gentile all over Asia Minor. It was spreading 00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:19.660 like wildfire in that area. We see also that 00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:25.849 it grew because those... Saved by the word. Were 00:22:25.849 --> 00:22:30.009 multiplied greatly. We read in Acts chapter 6. 00:22:31.210 --> 00:22:37.670 Verse 4. In the life of the early church. Earlier 00:22:37.670 --> 00:22:41.549 than where we're at now. I'm sorry in verse 7. 00:22:41.650 --> 00:22:45.829 Acts chapter 6 verse 7. Listen to what this says. 00:22:46.029 --> 00:22:51.140 The word of God kept on spreading. And the number 00:22:51.140 --> 00:22:55.160 of disciples continued to increase greatly in 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:59.240 Jerusalem. And a great many of the priests were 00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:03.319 becoming obedient to the faith. So how did the 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:05.240 word grow in that area, brothers and sisters? 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:09.039 How did the word grow in Ephesus? Listen, more 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:11.299 and more and more and more people were being 00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:14.200 converted by the very word that was being spread. 00:23:15.150 --> 00:23:17.690 The Gospel is being proclaimed. The Gospel is 00:23:17.690 --> 00:23:19.970 going forth. And men and women were being converted 00:23:19.970 --> 00:23:22.089 by that Gospel. They were coming to know the 00:23:22.089 --> 00:23:25.690 Gospel. Their lives were being transformed and 00:23:25.690 --> 00:23:31.069 changed by the Gospel. Those disciples were being 00:23:31.069 --> 00:23:36.160 strengthened and edified and built up. So it's 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:38.680 not just that the word was being sounded forth 00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:40.920 and people were hearing it with their ears, but 00:23:40.920 --> 00:23:42.960 brothers and sisters, it's a reality that the 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:45.559 gospel is going forth in power by the apostle 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:48.619 and that men and women were being converted because 00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:50.819 they were hearing it in their hearts and they 00:23:50.819 --> 00:23:54.579 were being changed. They were becoming converts 00:23:54.579 --> 00:23:57.200 to Christianity. The word of God caused them 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:00.160 to be born again to a living hope and made them 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:04.660 new creatures in Christ. And those disciples 00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:09.640 weren't just growing in their head knowledge, 00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:13.519 but they were growing deep and strong roots as 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:17.519 disciples in the Lord Jesus Christ. So the Word 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:25.099 of God was spreading. It was growing. The disciples' 00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:29.259 knowledge of the Word was strengthened. The effects 00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:34.140 and the power of the Word was going forth, being 00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:38.400 enjoyed and experienced by many, many people 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:49.000 in that time and in that place. This is really 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:56.579 what we want. We want the Word to grow. This 00:24:56.579 --> 00:24:58.940 is what you want in your life, and this is what 00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:01.900 I want in my life. This is what we want in the 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:05.019 life of this church. This is what we want in 00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:07.619 this place, in this area. This is what we want 00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:09.980 in this people. And that's what we want in our 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:14.240 families, brothers and sisters. We don't want 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:17.579 mommy's opinion or daddy's opinion to grow. We 00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:20.660 don't want the pastor's opinion to grow. We don't 00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:23.440 want people's perspectives to grow. What do we 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:26.299 want to grow and to multiply and increase? The 00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:29.670 word of the living God. That which is divine 00:25:29.670 --> 00:25:33.549 and authoritative and powerful and life -changing. 00:25:34.170 --> 00:25:37.369 That's what we want to increase and to spread 00:25:37.369 --> 00:25:42.130 far and wide all over. But it's also what we 00:25:42.130 --> 00:25:45.210 want to strengthen us and make us deep and strong 00:25:45.210 --> 00:25:48.049 and rooted and grounded in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:48.589 --> 00:25:53.089 Causing us to know Him and love Him better. Is 00:25:53.089 --> 00:25:57.859 the Word of God growing in your life? Ask yourself 00:25:57.859 --> 00:26:02.319 that question. Is the Word of God increasing 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:07.359 in your life? Is the Word of God multiplying? 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:14.640 Is it flourishing in your life? Can you tell 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:19.039 consciously that the Word is bubbling? That the 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:21.599 Word is trying to come up and trying to come 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:24.900 out? Can you tell that it's affecting and changing 00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:27.150 you, brothers and sisters? Or is it just a little 00:26:27.150 --> 00:26:29.509 teeny tiny voice in the bottom that you suppress 00:26:29.509 --> 00:26:33.450 and you don't listen to and you don't want to 00:26:33.450 --> 00:26:35.329 hear because it's hard and it's painful and it's 00:26:35.329 --> 00:26:38.849 discomfort? Brothers and sisters, the design 00:26:38.849 --> 00:26:42.210 of the Word of God and the design of Christ for 00:26:42.210 --> 00:26:44.809 His people is that the Word of the living God 00:26:44.809 --> 00:26:51.250 flourish and thrive and grow in your soul. Don't 00:26:51.250 --> 00:26:54.599 tell me. That the Word is growing in your life 00:26:54.599 --> 00:26:59.299 if you spend five minutes in there a week. Don't 00:26:59.299 --> 00:27:01.339 tell me that the Word of God is growing in your 00:27:01.339 --> 00:27:03.539 life if you can't remember the last thing you 00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:07.900 read. Don't tell me the Word of God is growing 00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:10.660 in your life if you don't think about it at all 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:14.740 during the day. Brothers and sisters, it's in 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:18.779 the Word that the Spirit of God bears witness 00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:22.960 to the risen Jesus Christ. If we want to know 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:26.119 Christ by faith more, we have to know His Word 00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:33.299 in greater ways. Is it growing in you? What's 00:27:33.299 --> 00:27:38.720 the Word of God doing in your life? How is it 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:44.319 challenging you? How is it confronting you? How 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:47.940 is it affecting you? How is it convicting you? 00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:51.190 Is it revealing the presumptuous? hidden faults 00:27:51.190 --> 00:27:55.549 of your hearts that not even you see? Is it showing 00:27:55.549 --> 00:27:58.809 you the errors of your way? Is it showing you 00:27:58.809 --> 00:28:01.109 the arrogance and the pride in your heart? Is 00:28:01.109 --> 00:28:03.430 it showing you the immorality and the perversion 00:28:03.430 --> 00:28:05.690 that lies deep down in your heart that not even 00:28:05.690 --> 00:28:09.390 you knows about? Brothers and sisters, that's 00:28:09.390 --> 00:28:11.769 what the Word of God does. And that's why it 00:28:11.769 --> 00:28:15.049 needs to grow and increase and flourish and multiply 00:28:15.049 --> 00:28:19.349 in your very soul. That's the design of our risen 00:28:19.349 --> 00:28:22.930 Lord, to be sanctified and holy and godly in 00:28:22.930 --> 00:28:28.309 our lives. That His Word dwell deeply within 00:28:28.309 --> 00:28:32.670 us and dwell richly within us. That we hide it 00:28:32.670 --> 00:28:35.049 in our hearts that we might not sin against Him. 00:28:36.650 --> 00:28:44.730 Is the Word increasing in your soul? Not your 00:28:44.730 --> 00:28:48.680 neighbor's soul. Not your brother or your sister's 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:52.039 soul. Not your mom or your dad's soul. Not the 00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:54.640 person sitting next to you. Not the person sitting 00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:56.680 on the other side of you. But is it growing in 00:28:56.680 --> 00:29:02.880 your own soul? That's the question we each have 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:07.099 to wrestle with. Every single one of us. That's 00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:09.440 the question we have to wrestle with every single 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:14.019 day as we think about the Word of the Living 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:20.799 God. What's it doing in your life? Because that's 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:24.000 the way God works in our life. That's the way 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:29.599 God strengthens us and encourages us. Now, amazingly 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:34.460 enough, in this text, we think about the word 00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:40.660 growing and flourishing. But in this text, Luke 00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:43.519 understands that the word isn't just growing. 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:47.339 That it's not just increasing, but what does 00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:52.140 he say? He says that it's growing mightily. That 00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:55.500 it's increasing and spreading mightily. That 00:29:55.500 --> 00:30:00.819 word carries this idea of according to power. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:08.559 So the word in Ephesus is growing according to 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:15.450 power. But whose power is the word? growing from. 00:30:16.269 --> 00:30:22.589 What's divine power? It's the power of God that 00:30:22.589 --> 00:30:28.690 works in and through the words of God. Maybe 00:30:28.690 --> 00:30:33.529 it's alluding to the miraculous things that accompanied 00:30:33.529 --> 00:30:37.769 Paul's preaching in Ephesus. Maybe that's why 00:30:37.769 --> 00:30:42.009 he says that it's growing mightily. Maybe Luke 00:30:42.009 --> 00:30:44.869 is alluding to the fact that There was visible 00:30:44.869 --> 00:30:48.470 demonstrations and visible signs and wonders 00:30:48.470 --> 00:30:50.849 and miracles that accompanied and associated 00:30:50.849 --> 00:30:55.549 the message that Paul proclaimed. Or maybe, most 00:30:55.549 --> 00:30:59.369 likely, I think what he's alluding to is the 00:30:59.369 --> 00:31:02.450 fact that when the Word of God is effective and 00:31:02.450 --> 00:31:07.230 powerful in any way, it's because the divine 00:31:07.230 --> 00:31:10.809 and sovereign power of God is accompanying that 00:31:10.809 --> 00:31:20.599 Word, the Spirit. Of God. The need. Today. Is 00:31:20.599 --> 00:31:26.079 the same as it was. Then. The need. Is for the 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:29.319 word of God. But it's also brothers and sisters. 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:36.480 For the spirit. Of God. The word. By itself. 00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:42.140 Is not enough. The Word by itself, when it's 00:31:42.140 --> 00:31:44.539 spoken, and the Spirit of God does not bless 00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:46.279 it, and the Spirit of God is not accompanying 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:49.619 it, and the Spirit of God is not with it, blessing 00:31:49.619 --> 00:31:53.099 it, working in and through it. Brothers and sisters, 00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:59.119 even the Word is vain. It must be the Word and 00:31:59.119 --> 00:32:03.599 the power, the Spirit, at work with the Word. 00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:08.440 I love this text, and I love this section of 00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:14.450 Scripture. Because it reminds us that God worked 00:32:14.450 --> 00:32:17.589 in a certain way in Ephesus. Through His Word 00:32:17.589 --> 00:32:20.990 and by His Spirit. But brothers and sisters, 00:32:21.089 --> 00:32:23.529 it also reminds us, and this is why it's so encouraging, 00:32:23.789 --> 00:32:29.170 that that's still the way that God works. God 00:32:29.170 --> 00:32:32.529 still works through His Word and by His Spirit. 00:32:32.630 --> 00:32:35.470 And if He worked like that in Ephesus then and 00:32:35.470 --> 00:32:37.609 there at that time, do you know what that means 00:32:37.609 --> 00:32:41.000 for us today? Do you know what that means for 00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:42.940 you today? Do you know what that means for the 00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:44.619 life of our church? Do you know what that means 00:32:44.619 --> 00:32:47.079 for Christianity and the world today? That means, 00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:50.019 brothers and sisters, that God can do mighty 00:32:50.019 --> 00:32:52.680 and powerful things just like He did in Ephesus. 00:32:53.339 --> 00:32:56.119 He can do this very thing and ring the heavens 00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:59.059 and pour down His Spirit. And He can convert 00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:01.619 sinners. And He doesn't have to do it in small 00:33:01.619 --> 00:33:05.309 groups. He can do it in big ways. He can do it 00:33:05.309 --> 00:33:07.529 in one, two, three, hundreds or even thousands 00:33:07.529 --> 00:33:10.829 of people. This is the nature of true revival 00:33:10.829 --> 00:33:15.430 in the world. And history bears witness to it. 00:33:16.809 --> 00:33:21.109 Brothers and sisters, I fear sometimes that our 00:33:21.109 --> 00:33:25.690 understanding of the Word of God as the ordinary 00:33:25.690 --> 00:33:32.170 means of grace has caused us to forget. The extraordinary 00:33:32.170 --> 00:33:35.829 and supernatural power at work in and through 00:33:35.829 --> 00:33:39.930 the Word to do extraordinary things in the life 00:33:39.930 --> 00:33:46.529 of the church. There's nothing ordinary about 00:33:46.529 --> 00:33:48.609 the Spirit of God and the power of the Spirit 00:33:48.609 --> 00:33:51.569 that accompanies the Word of the living God. 00:33:52.890 --> 00:33:56.480 He did it then. He can do it now. He can work 00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:59.099 in such a way then, and He can work in such a 00:33:59.099 --> 00:34:02.180 way now, and He has worked in such ways throughout 00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:06.279 history. Do you long for God to move, for God 00:34:06.279 --> 00:34:09.199 to work in mightier and bigger and greater ways 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:12.760 in your life, in the life of your church, in 00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:14.559 the life of your family, in the life of your 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:17.980 town, in the life of your world? Brothers and 00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:21.300 sisters, do you long for that? Do you hunger 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:27.360 and thirst for God to act? Do you hunger and 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:30.320 thirst and look for and pray for and long for 00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:35.099 God to move in mighty ways to such a degree that 00:34:35.099 --> 00:34:37.519 men and women look upon it and they say, that 00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:45.880 must be of God. That's what we need. We need 00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:50.280 God to act like He acted in Ephesus. That's what 00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:54.250 we need in our lives, personally. And that's 00:34:54.250 --> 00:34:56.409 what we need in our church. And that's what we 00:34:56.409 --> 00:35:02.170 need in our world. God to act. God to move. God 00:35:02.170 --> 00:35:07.829 to save sinners through His Word. To extend His 00:35:07.829 --> 00:35:12.809 sovereign power in this world in mighty, mighty 00:35:12.809 --> 00:35:18.389 ways. So Luke understands that the work in Ephesus 00:35:18.389 --> 00:35:24.210 is of the Lord. And the success of the Gospel 00:35:24.210 --> 00:35:30.469 is according to the Word of God. But he also 00:35:30.469 --> 00:35:35.030 sees it as the Word growing mightily. Or the 00:35:35.030 --> 00:35:37.510 Word growing and increasing, spreading, multiplying, 00:35:37.989 --> 00:35:41.909 and flourishing according to the power of God. 00:35:42.570 --> 00:35:45.309 But we also see that he understands the Word 00:35:45.309 --> 00:35:52.059 to be prevailing. He says in verse 20, Also at 00:35:52.059 --> 00:35:54.400 the end of the verse. So the word of the Lord 00:35:54.400 --> 00:36:01.179 was growing mightily and prevailing. Luke now 00:36:01.179 --> 00:36:06.659 portrays the word or the gospel in terms of its 00:36:06.659 --> 00:36:14.440 impact in Ephesus and in the life of sinners. 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:19.000 When we think about the gospel impacting people, 00:36:19.260 --> 00:36:23.539 we could think. Or the gospel being impactful 00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:29.739 and effective and working and changing and transforming 00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:35.119 things. We could think about all the miraculous 00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:38.079 healings that took place in Ephesus. We don't 00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:40.519 know how many there were, but we know that they 00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:43.619 were present. We could think about the lives 00:36:43.619 --> 00:36:46.300 that were changed as a result of those miraculous 00:36:46.300 --> 00:36:49.360 healings. We could say the gospel is prevailing. 00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:52.320 We could think about... The demons, the evil 00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:55.360 spirits that were cast out. They were driven 00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:58.619 out by the power of the living God. We could 00:36:58.619 --> 00:37:03.820 think about that. We can say the word was prevailing. 00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:07.219 And surely it was. We could think about the seven 00:37:07.219 --> 00:37:11.840 sons of one Sceva. And that whole situation and 00:37:11.840 --> 00:37:14.539 the true knowledge of God spreading far and wide 00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:17.000 in Ephesus. and this fear, this reverence coming 00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:20.039 over the city, and Christ's name being magnified 00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:25.420 and exalted and revered among men. We could say 00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:29.340 that the word was prevailing. But we have to 00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:33.679 remember the word so. The very first word in 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:38.559 verse 20. So the word of the Lord was growing 00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:42.239 mightily and prevailing. What comes directly 00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:49.250 prior to... this summary statement. What happened? 00:37:49.329 --> 00:37:52.889 What was transformed? What was so effective? 00:37:53.889 --> 00:37:56.769 What was made to be so drastically different? 00:37:57.829 --> 00:38:03.110 These people, these individuals who are converted 00:38:03.110 --> 00:38:07.710 by the gospel, who used to be practitioners of 00:38:07.710 --> 00:38:10.389 these evil arts, and now they've come to the 00:38:10.389 --> 00:38:12.769 church and they confess their sins and their 00:38:12.769 --> 00:38:16.460 participation, and... They burn their books. 00:38:17.460 --> 00:38:20.780 So what is it that's been transformed and so 00:38:20.780 --> 00:38:24.500 changed that Luke would say the gospel is prevailing 00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:28.619 in Ephesus? It's the fact that sinners are being 00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:31.300 converted to Christ and the church of Jesus Christ 00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:36.900 is being established in the world. The gospel 00:38:36.900 --> 00:38:41.960 prevails in the many converts, in the establishment 00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:47.139 of the church. in Ephesus. You cannot tell me 00:38:47.139 --> 00:38:51.420 that that is not what Luke is summarizing here. 00:38:52.980 --> 00:38:57.360 He's summarizing the work of the gospel in the 00:38:57.360 --> 00:39:01.280 life of people and the transforming, effective 00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:07.079 power it brings. It changes dead men to be living 00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:10.360 men. It brings men out of darkness into life 00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:14.179 and it rewires everything. It makes them new 00:39:14.179 --> 00:39:20.719 creatures in Christ. And this has certain effects 00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:24.639 with it. And we see that take place in Ephesus. 00:39:25.400 --> 00:39:30.760 When men and women are changed. When men and 00:39:30.760 --> 00:39:34.820 women are transformed and really, really changed 00:39:34.820 --> 00:39:38.239 by the Gospel. Meaning God takes out their old 00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:40.440 dead heart and gives them a new heart and makes 00:39:40.440 --> 00:39:43.539 them live according and in His precepts and in 00:39:43.539 --> 00:39:46.780 His law. Because of Christ and the work of Christ 00:39:46.780 --> 00:39:51.260 in the Gospel. When that happens, there are effects. 00:39:52.059 --> 00:39:55.500 But those effects are indirect with regards to 00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:59.000 the Gospel. They're indirect effects, we could 00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:02.559 say, with regards to the Gospel and the purpose 00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:09.059 of the Gospel. So we see, That Luke understands 00:40:09.059 --> 00:40:13.480 the gospel to be successful in Ephesus. Why? 00:40:14.539 --> 00:40:19.059 Because men are being converted. Because men 00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:22.820 are coming to Christ. Men are coming to love 00:40:22.820 --> 00:40:25.920 the Lord Jesus when they used to hate Him and 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:31.280 there was enmity between Him and Christ. He's 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:36.929 bringing men to Himself. and changing them individually 00:40:36.929 --> 00:40:41.710 and personally, and establishing His church in 00:40:41.710 --> 00:40:48.889 this place. That's the epitome of gospel success. 00:40:50.550 --> 00:40:54.869 That's the essence of what it means for Christ's 00:40:54.869 --> 00:40:58.789 kingdom to come in this life and this world now, 00:40:58.929 --> 00:41:01.670 brothers and sisters, until the coming day of 00:41:01.670 --> 00:41:05.530 Christ's return and is visible, tangible. Kingdom 00:41:05.530 --> 00:41:09.170 is established. That's why we pray the way we 00:41:09.170 --> 00:41:13.809 do in the catechism. That men would believe and 00:41:13.809 --> 00:41:18.650 obey the gospel. Because Christ's kingdom comes 00:41:18.650 --> 00:41:22.530 into this world by coming into men's hearts and 00:41:22.530 --> 00:41:27.590 changing them and transforming them. So what's 00:41:27.590 --> 00:41:32.449 the business of the church? What's the business 00:41:32.449 --> 00:41:36.250 of the believer, brothers and sisters? What's 00:41:36.250 --> 00:41:42.690 our mission? Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel 00:41:42.690 --> 00:41:47.090 and to see men and women come to Christ. That 00:41:47.090 --> 00:41:49.289 men and women would be converted to the Lord 00:41:49.289 --> 00:41:51.130 Jesus Christ. That they would be born again. 00:41:52.570 --> 00:41:55.309 That's what the church is about. That's what 00:41:55.309 --> 00:41:57.449 the Gospel does. And there are certain indirect 00:41:57.449 --> 00:42:00.210 effects that come as a result of that. We see 00:42:00.210 --> 00:42:02.289 that later in the book of Ephesus. And we'll 00:42:02.289 --> 00:42:05.630 talk about that later. That when men are changed, 00:42:05.969 --> 00:42:10.730 the culture and society and the world are affected 00:42:10.730 --> 00:42:16.429 and they are changed. It is impacted by the gospel 00:42:16.429 --> 00:42:19.150 and the transformation of sinners, brothers and 00:42:19.150 --> 00:42:24.110 sisters. But we don't start there. We don't start 00:42:24.110 --> 00:42:27.309 there and work our way back, do we? What's the 00:42:27.309 --> 00:42:29.619 mission of the church? Conversion of sinners 00:42:29.619 --> 00:42:32.739 and the strengthening of disciples. The establishment 00:42:32.739 --> 00:42:37.599 of the church. And the effects come as they will. 00:42:38.219 --> 00:42:42.599 Brothers and sisters, history bears witness and 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:47.760 testifies to the reality that when revival comes, 00:42:48.480 --> 00:42:57.010 reformation follows. Not permanently. but for 00:42:57.010 --> 00:43:02.289 an indefinite period. But reformation doesn't 00:43:02.289 --> 00:43:08.670 come until what? Revival comes. Life change doesn't 00:43:08.670 --> 00:43:13.250 come until regeneration comes. Transformation 00:43:13.250 --> 00:43:16.210 in our own life doesn't come until the Word is 00:43:16.210 --> 00:43:19.289 implanted and we are converted. Brothers and 00:43:19.289 --> 00:43:24.449 sisters, reformation comes following true, genuine 00:43:24.449 --> 00:43:29.090 revival. That's the job, that's the business 00:43:29.090 --> 00:43:33.630 of the church of Jesus Christ. To preach and 00:43:33.630 --> 00:43:37.170 proclaim repentance of sins and justification 00:43:37.170 --> 00:43:41.170 by faith alone that men can come to know the 00:43:41.170 --> 00:43:45.750 Lord Jesus Christ by faith and repentance. That's 00:43:45.750 --> 00:43:48.889 the function of the church and that's what Luke 00:43:48.889 --> 00:43:53.110 sees the gospel as being successful.