1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,440 Well, would you open your Bible again at first Timothy in chapter 2 as we continue to look 2 00:00:05,440 –> 00:00:09,540 at the distinguishing marks of a gospel-centered church. 3 00:00:09,540 –> 00:00:14,200 We’re pursuing together gospel faith, which means to be rooted in truth and to be growing 4 00:00:14,200 –> 00:00:15,180 in love. 5 00:00:15,180 –> 00:00:20,219 We want to live in the joy of gospel freedom, which means that we are drawn by grace, not 6 00:00:20,219 –> 00:00:26,200 driven by law, and we’re rejoicing in gospel salvation, which means that we are sinners 7 00:00:26,340 –> 00:00:28,879 who are saved by grace through faith in the Lord 8 00:00:28,879 –> 00:00:30,020 Jesus Christ. 9 00:00:30,020 –> 00:00:35,380 Here is a trustworthy saying, we saw last time, that deserves full acceptance. 10 00:00:35,380 –> 00:00:40,740 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, Paul said, of whom I am the worst. 11 00:00:40,740 –> 00:00:45,840 In other words, when we’ve grasped the gospel, we do not want to be among the self-righteous 12 00:00:45,840 –> 00:00:50,299 who are saying Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners like you. 13 00:00:50,299 –> 00:00:55,959 No, we want to take our place with Paul and with humility before the cross of Christ and 14 00:00:55,959 –> 00:01:01,279 to say Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners like me, sinners like us. 15 00:01:01,279 –> 00:01:07,120 And we want others to know what we have found in Jesus Christ. 16 00:01:07,120 –> 00:01:12,559 Now, that launches us right into First Timothy in chapter two, our passage for today, which 17 00:01:12,559 –> 00:01:18,480 is about gospel ministry in which we share Christ’s passion for the world. 18 00:01:18,480 –> 00:01:23,320 In other words, the gospel did not come to us in order to end with us. 19 00:01:23,320 –> 00:01:28,760 Christ has trusted it to us, to the church, so that we may bring it to others. 20 00:01:28,760 –> 00:01:35,720 Therefore, a gospel-centered church is a missional church, a church that is committed to the 21 00:01:35,720 –> 00:01:42,000 advance of the gospel, a church that shares the heart of Jesus Christ, and has a passion 22 00:01:42,000 –> 00:01:44,480 for all people. 23 00:01:44,480 –> 00:01:49,720 That is why we are committed to glorify God by multiplying God-centered, Christ-exalting, 24 00:01:50,239 –> 00:01:54,879 and world-transforming believers through the gospel in the greater Chicago area and around 25 00:01:54,879 –> 00:01:55,760 the world. 26 00:01:55,760 –> 00:02:01,919 By the way, I spent some time doodling this week on an antithesis to the mission statement. 27 00:02:01,919 –> 00:02:03,080 Would you like to hear it? 28 00:02:03,080 –> 00:02:03,800 Here’s the opposite. 29 00:02:03,800 –> 00:02:06,320 Here is the anti-mission statement. 30 00:02:06,320 –> 00:02:09,199 If you take every phrase and write the opposite. 31 00:02:09,199 –> 00:02:12,839 The anti-mission statement would be something like this. 32 00:02:12,839 –> 00:02:30,600 Folks that is not the mission statement. 33 00:02:30,600 –> 00:02:36,360 We want to glorify God by multiplying believers through the gospel in the greater Chicago 34 00:02:36,360 –> 00:02:38,279 area and around the world. 35 00:02:38,279 –> 00:02:44,220 And I want us to see from First Timothy in chapter two how that directly arises out 36 00:02:44,220 –> 00:02:48,160 of our understanding of the gospel. 37 00:02:48,160 –> 00:02:54,080 Now it would be very easy as you will quickly work out to have four or five sermons from 38 00:02:54,080 –> 00:02:55,479 this chapter. 39 00:02:55,479 –> 00:02:59,800 The danger in doing that I think and the reason why I have planned only one is that there 40 00:02:59,800 –> 00:03:04,279 is always the danger of missing the wood for the trees. 41 00:03:04,279 –> 00:03:08,139 And so I want us to see what holds this chapter together. 42 00:03:08,139 –> 00:03:10,139 Notice what we have here. 43 00:03:10,139 –> 00:03:15,339 It begins with a ministry of prayer in the church for all people. 44 00:03:15,339 –> 00:03:21,100 I urge verse 1 first that prayers into a session on Thanksgiving be made for everyone. 45 00:03:21,100 –> 00:03:26,899 Then you have in verse 7 a ministry of the word which goes to all people, Paul speaks 46 00:03:26,899 –> 00:03:30,860 about his own work as an apostle to the Gentiles. 47 00:03:30,860 –> 00:03:36,160 What glues these two together that is the church’s ministry of prayer and the apostles 48 00:03:36,339 –> 00:03:42,479 ministry of the word is the atoning death of Jesus Christ which was for all people. 49 00:03:53,259 –> 00:03:57,539 Then you have if you follow the flow of the chapter what at first looks like a strange 50 00:03:57,539 –> 00:03:58,940 jump. 51 00:03:58,940 –> 00:04:04,759 Because Paul then speaks particularly to men and then he speaks particularly to women. 52 00:04:04,839 –> 00:04:11,740 What I want you to notice is that he speaks to men in relation to prayer, which takes 53 00:04:11,740 –> 00:04:13,919 us back to where we started. 54 00:04:13,919 –> 00:04:18,899 And then when he comes to speak to women at the end of the chapter, he specifically speaks 55 00:04:18,899 –> 00:04:24,779 about women in relation to the teaching ministry of the church. 56 00:04:24,779 –> 00:04:29,480 So it seems to me that there is a coherent theme that runs all the way through this chapter 57 00:04:29,480 –> 00:04:31,619 and it’s very important to grasp it. 58 00:04:32,500 –> 00:04:39,760 And it is about the global impact of the church’s ministry through the Word and through prayer. 59 00:04:39,760 –> 00:04:45,260 And that’s what I want us to see in the big picture together today, we are called as God’s 60 00:04:45,260 –> 00:04:54,320 people to a ministry of gospel praying and gospel proclaiming to all people. 61 00:04:54,320 –> 00:04:59,140 And that mission, the mission of praying and the mission of proclaiming flows out of the 62 00:04:59,559 –> 00:05:03,100 Jesus Christ which was for all people. 63 00:05:03,100 –> 00:05:09,359 And this is a sacred trust that has been given to us and it must not be hindered by arguing 64 00:05:09,359 –> 00:05:13,179 verse 8 or by disputing. 65 00:05:13,179 –> 00:05:19,420 And that is why I’ve chosen the title here, Gospel Ministry, We Share Christ’s Passion 66 00:05:19,420 –> 00:05:21,299 for All People. 67 00:05:21,299 –> 00:05:23,339 Now let’s dive in to it, there is so much here. 68 00:05:23,339 –> 00:05:27,720 Let’s begin then with a church that is praying for all people. 69 00:05:27,720 –> 00:05:29,100 That is verse 1-3. 70 00:05:29,100 –> 00:05:36,619 I urge then first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for 71 00:05:36,619 –> 00:05:38,980 everyone. 72 00:05:38,980 –> 00:05:45,279 Now Paul is speaking very simply about the place of prayer in public worship. 73 00:05:45,279 –> 00:05:50,339 When the congregation gathers together he is saying, here is something very important 74 00:05:50,339 –> 00:05:52,380 that is to happen. 75 00:05:52,480 –> 00:05:58,459 We as God’s people are to bring requests and prayers and intercession and thanksgiving. 76 00:05:58,459 –> 00:06:04,899 And one of the things you need to know is that as a church we are committed to intercessory 77 00:06:04,899 –> 00:06:07,559 prayer in public worship. 78 00:06:07,559 –> 00:06:12,559 And one of the reasons for that is precisely this passage of the scripture. 79 00:06:12,559 –> 00:06:18,600 I have to tell you what you may already know that intercessory prayer in public worship 80 00:06:18,640 –> 00:06:22,459 is going out of fashion in many churches. 81 00:06:22,459 –> 00:06:28,339 But God has given it, right here, as a ministry to the church. 82 00:06:28,339 –> 00:06:34,059 If we as Christians don’t pray for the world, who will? 83 00:06:34,059 –> 00:06:37,220 The world will not pray for itself. 84 00:06:37,220 –> 00:06:41,880 And if we have not found the value of praying for the world when we gather together in the 85 00:06:42,380 –> 00:06:49,260 of God, we are not yet reflecting the heart of God in his passion for the world. 86 00:06:49,260 –> 00:06:54,260 So a Gospel Centre church, in other words, is a church that is not about ourselves. 87 00:06:54,260 –> 00:06:56,399 It is a church that is about the Gospel. 88 00:06:56,399 –> 00:07:00,959 It is a church that has grasped, in verse threeetical God wants all men to be saved 89 00:07:00,959 –> 00:07:07,940 and to come to a knowledge of the truth so that when we gather, our worship is to reflect 90 00:07:07,940 –> 00:07:11,220 God’s heart for the world. 91 00:07:11,299 –> 00:07:13,540 Now, specifically, what does that look like? 92 00:07:13,540 –> 00:07:18,559 Well, Paul says, verse one, that there is to be prayer for everyone. 93 00:07:18,559 –> 00:07:24,500 Clearly, this does not mean that we have to get a directory of the names of 6.8 million 94 00:07:24,500 –> 00:07:28,160 people who inhabit the world and go through them from A to Z in whatever language the 95 00:07:28,160 –> 00:07:30,059 names may be pronounced. 96 00:07:30,059 –> 00:07:32,079 That would be impossible. 97 00:07:32,079 –> 00:07:38,239 When Paul says that we are to pray for all, he means all kinds of people, that we have 98 00:07:38,239 –> 00:07:39,619 to have a global perspective. 99 00:07:39,640 –> 00:07:44,200 He’s not saying we’re to pray for every single person. 100 00:07:44,200 –> 00:07:48,920 Let me quote to you from Philip Rykin who is so helpful here in his description. 101 00:07:48,920 –> 00:07:55,019 He says, the public prayers of the church should have a global perspective. 102 00:07:55,019 –> 00:07:58,859 That should happen when we gather here for any of our services. 103 00:07:58,859 –> 00:08:07,059 They should include the great issues of the day, the vast nations of the world, intercession 104 00:08:07,359 –> 00:08:12,220 be made for the renewal, revival and reformation of the church. 105 00:08:12,220 –> 00:08:17,299 Prayer should be offered for missionaries, evangelists and church planters. 106 00:08:17,299 –> 00:08:22,500 The sufferings of the persecuted church and the desperation of unsaved humanity should 107 00:08:22,500 –> 00:08:26,540 be brought weekly before the throne of grace. 108 00:08:26,540 –> 00:08:38,340 Now, I’ll tell you honestly, when that gets dropped, as is increasingly happening in evangelical 109 00:08:38,340 –> 00:08:43,659 churches in our day, intercessory prayer in public worship, when it gets dropped it’s 110 00:08:43,659 –> 00:08:45,979 for one of two reasons. 111 00:08:45,979 –> 00:08:54,359 Either number one, the pastors have given up, or number two, the people don’t care. 112 00:08:54,359 –> 00:09:01,000 And I want you to know that it is a value that we are utterly committed to sustaining. 113 00:09:01,000 –> 00:09:06,119 Our campus pastors are committed in all of our services at the orchard to the ministry 114 00:09:06,119 –> 00:09:08,200 of intercessory prayer. 115 00:09:08,200 –> 00:09:15,979 And so what I want to do today is to call us as a congregation to an engagement in that. 116 00:09:15,979 –> 00:09:20,599 Because intercessory prayer, the prayer in which a pastor leads in public worship, is 117 00:09:20,599 –> 00:09:22,599 the prayer of all God’s people together. 118 00:09:22,679 –> 00:09:29,719 It involves your engagement, it involves your faith, it involves you being stretched so 119 00:09:29,719 –> 00:09:37,299 that in the very place of worship, here, week by week, your heart is expanded to reflect 120 00:09:37,299 –> 00:09:41,179 more of the heart of God for the world. 121 00:09:41,179 –> 00:09:46,979 That is something that should be happening every week in every place where God’s people 122 00:09:46,979 –> 00:09:49,479 are gathering together for public worship. 123 00:09:49,640 –> 00:09:55,039 And folks, on the basis of 1 Timothy chapter 2, we are committed to it, and I hope that 124 00:09:55,039 –> 00:09:59,039 you therefore are encouraged by it. 125 00:09:59,039 –> 00:10:03,179 Now that’s what Paul says in 1 Timothy 2 verse 1, 126 00:10:10,280 –> 00:10:11,919 Then he goes further. 127 00:10:12,640 –> 00:10:19,640 For kings and for all those in authority. 128 00:10:19,640 –> 00:10:30,039 Now this is very striking because, of course, all of the rulers in Paul’s time were pagans. 129 00:10:30,039 –> 00:10:35,119 There were no Christian rulers in those days. 130 00:10:35,200 –> 00:10:41,679 Yet Paul says that Christians should pray for, and in his time, they were all pagan 131 00:10:41,679 –> 00:10:42,679 rulers. 132 00:10:42,679 –> 00:10:44,880 And, well, you notice something else. 133 00:10:44,880 –> 00:10:48,359 He says that this prayer should be with thanksgiving. 134 00:10:48,359 –> 00:10:52,080 I mean, this kind of stretches the mind. 135 00:10:52,080 –> 00:10:56,500 How in the world do you pray for Nero with thanksgiving? 136 00:10:56,500 –> 00:10:57,799 But that’s what Paul is talking about. 137 00:10:57,799 –> 00:11:02,640 He says, I’m urging Christian people that we pray for our rulers, and whenever we do 138 00:11:03,119 –> 00:11:06,000 sure that the spirit is right. 139 00:11:06,000 –> 00:11:11,880 You must pray for those who are in authority over you in the secular sphere, and you must 140 00:11:11,880 –> 00:11:15,159 do it, Paul says to Timothy, with thanksgiving. 141 00:11:15,159 –> 00:11:19,880 Now what this means for us is very clear. 142 00:11:19,880 –> 00:11:27,280 It means that we must pray, as a congregation, for our president, or senators, our representatives, 143 00:11:27,280 –> 00:11:32,599 we must pray for those who hold public office, whether we voted for them or not. 144 00:11:33,599 –> 00:11:37,719 And we are to do this with thanksgiving. 145 00:11:37,719 –> 00:11:43,320 And will you notice what we are to pray for those in government? 146 00:11:43,320 –> 00:11:45,500 This is a very important question. 147 00:11:45,500 –> 00:11:48,640 What should we be praying for those in government? 148 00:11:48,640 –> 00:11:52,159 It’s answered right here, that we may live, what? 149 00:11:52,159 –> 00:11:56,940 Peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 150 00:11:57,440 –> 00:12:02,979 Now, folks, if we understand that it is telling us something of massive importance. 151 00:12:02,979 –> 00:12:09,460 Our objective is not that politicians will change society. 152 00:12:09,460 –> 00:12:14,940 It is that we should live in peace so that the gospel will change society. 153 00:12:14,940 –> 00:12:18,280 That is always the hope of the New Testament. 154 00:12:18,280 –> 00:12:23,280 The Bible never encourages us to put high hopes in human government. 155 00:12:23,280 –> 00:12:26,400 We do not pray that the government will lead us into godliness. 156 00:12:26,400 –> 00:12:30,719 The New Testament never suggests that, because they cannot do it. 157 00:12:30,719 –> 00:12:35,859 Only the gospel can lead people into godliness, and the gospel is not trusted to the government. 158 00:12:35,859 –> 00:12:37,659 The gospel is trusted to who? 159 00:12:37,659 –> 00:12:40,020 To the Church. 160 00:12:40,020 –> 00:12:44,919 God’s purpose for government, as is quite clearly stated here, is that they have a role 161 00:12:44,919 –> 00:12:50,320 in maintaining stability and peace so that the gospel may go forward and the gospel may 162 00:12:50,320 –> 00:12:52,080 change people’s lives. 163 00:12:52,080 –> 00:12:56,380 It is very important to work that out and be clear about it. 164 00:12:56,440 –> 00:12:57,659 What is the role of the government? 165 00:12:57,659 –> 00:12:59,020 What is the role of the Church? 166 00:12:59,020 –> 00:13:06,200 Confuse them and you end up a long way from the New Testament. 167 00:13:06,200 –> 00:13:12,979 So I thank God from the bottom of my heart for every person in our congregation who serves 168 00:13:12,979 –> 00:13:15,880 in public life. 169 00:13:15,880 –> 00:13:22,299 We need more Christians in politics. 170 00:13:22,859 –> 00:13:32,820 It is a high calling for our most able people, but it is not the calling of the Church. 171 00:13:32,820 –> 00:13:38,479 The Church is not a campaigning organization for social or political change. 172 00:13:38,479 –> 00:13:47,059 Our calling is gospel ministry that changes human lives, not by the imposition of human 173 00:13:47,059 –> 00:13:50,020 laws, but rather by the regeneration of human hearts. 174 00:13:50,140 –> 00:13:54,700 There’s all the difference in the world between these two things. 175 00:13:54,700 –> 00:13:59,099 Politicians can write laws that will restrain evil, but folks, that’s all that laws can 176 00:13:59,099 –> 00:14:00,299 do. 177 00:14:00,299 –> 00:14:01,299 We saw that last time. 178 00:14:01,299 –> 00:14:02,299 What is the law for? 179 00:14:02,299 –> 00:14:03,739 It’s for rebels and sinners. 180 00:14:03,739 –> 00:14:07,700 Laws can restrain evil, but look at what Jesus Christ does. 181 00:14:07,700 –> 00:14:17,340 He pours grace, and love, and faith into empty human hearts bringing transformation of life. 182 00:14:17,619 –> 00:14:24,380 That is what happens through the Gospel, and that is why our hope lies not in human government, 183 00:14:24,380 –> 00:14:29,739 but it lies in the power of Jesus Christ to change a human life in the worst of all circumstances 184 00:14:29,739 –> 00:14:33,940 by the Gospel. 185 00:14:33,940 –> 00:14:36,119 But we are to pray for government. 186 00:14:36,119 –> 00:14:39,260 We are to pray for those in authority over us. 187 00:14:39,260 –> 00:14:44,599 We are to pray, particularly, that God would grant them wisdom in maintaining peace and 188 00:14:44,760 –> 00:14:50,239 stability for the very purpose that the Gospel may advance bringing transformation to human 189 00:14:50,239 –> 00:14:51,320 lives. 190 00:14:51,320 –> 00:14:55,460 Let me quote one more time from Philip Riken here today. 191 00:14:55,460 –> 00:15:01,400 And, again, I found what he said here convicting and helpful. 192 00:15:01,400 –> 00:15:10,440 He said, Christians who do not pray for their political leaders tend to disturb the peace. 193 00:15:10,719 –> 00:15:12,840 That’s what we’re thinking about. 194 00:15:12,840 –> 00:15:17,059 If you do not pray for political leaders you may very well become a fractious person in 195 00:15:17,059 –> 00:15:19,919 society. 196 00:15:19,919 –> 00:15:23,799 Christians who do not pray for their political leaders tend to disturb the peace. 197 00:15:23,799 –> 00:15:28,239 They become cynical about their political opponents and they rejoice when they fall 198 00:15:28,239 –> 00:15:31,020 into disgrace. 199 00:15:31,020 –> 00:15:37,359 Since cynicism about the government is so prevalent in the evangelical church today 200 00:15:37,739 –> 00:15:48,000 we may well conclude that Christians are not always diligent in prayer for people in authority. 201 00:15:48,000 –> 00:15:55,640 In other words, the way that we speak about our political leaders will clearly display 202 00:15:55,640 –> 00:15:59,599 whether we pray for them or not. 203 00:15:59,599 –> 00:16:08,299 And if we speak of those with whom we disagree with a harshness and a cynicism, we betray 204 00:16:08,299 –> 00:16:11,479 the reality that we simply are not praying for them. 205 00:16:11,479 –> 00:16:16,039 And we are not doing what Paul is telling us here in 1 Timothy and chapter 1. 206 00:16:16,039 –> 00:16:18,179 Now this is of huge importance for us. 207 00:16:18,179 –> 00:16:23,419 It is of huge importance for the church to understand this cleary. 208 00:16:23,599 –> 00:16:26,440 Ryken quotes so helpfully the words of John Chrysostom, 209 00:16:33,440 –> 00:16:38,419 So I want to encourage you in this in private as well as our responsibility in public. 210 00:16:38,419 –> 00:16:44,859 If we pray for the leaders of our nation, whether we agree or disagree with particular 211 00:16:44,859 –> 00:16:49,479 courses of action, whether we have voted in one way or another. 212 00:16:49,539 –> 00:16:56,380 When we pray, we pray for God’s blessing to be upon those who have been placed in office 213 00:16:56,380 –> 00:17:01,960 the New Testament makes clear under the sovereign hand of God and we will rejoice in any success 214 00:17:01,960 –> 00:17:04,420 that God gives to them. 215 00:17:04,420 –> 00:17:10,640 You can disagree with the people for whom you pray, but if you pray for them, you will 216 00:17:10,640 –> 00:17:19,099 not be cynical, you will not be harsh, and you will not be unkind towards them. 217 00:17:19,119 –> 00:17:28,839 Now this kind of praying, Paul says, is good, verse three, and it pleases God our Saviour. 218 00:17:28,839 –> 00:17:32,800 Now that’s the first thing, and it’s a huge thing right here. 219 00:17:32,800 –> 00:17:38,160 He’s calling Timothy as the leader and calling the congregation to him, he writes, that a 220 00:17:38,160 –> 00:17:44,780 Gospel-centred church should be a praying church for all people. 221 00:17:44,939 –> 00:17:51,780 A Gospel-centred church here will not only be praying for all people but it will be a 222 00:17:52,140 –> 00:17:56,099 church concerned that the Gospel should be proclaimed to all people. 223 00:17:56,099 –> 00:18:02,119 Look at verse seven, for this purpose I was appointed a herald, an apostle, I am telling 224 00:18:02,119 –> 00:18:03,119 the truth. 225 00:18:03,119 –> 00:18:07,839 I am not lying, Paul says, and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 226 00:18:07,839 –> 00:18:09,859 Now that’s the big phrase, folks. 227 00:18:09,859 –> 00:18:11,920 To the Gentiles. 228 00:18:11,920 –> 00:18:18,300 And you could almost put a triple exclamation mark against the word Gentiles. 229 00:18:18,300 –> 00:18:23,000 Whenever you see the word Gentiles in the New Testament, I’ve found it helpful simply 230 00:18:23,000 –> 00:18:26,540 to replace that with the word All Nations. 231 00:18:26,540 –> 00:18:28,400 Because that is really what it means. 232 00:18:28,400 –> 00:18:33,619 The word Gentiles, of course, is a reference to all nations outside the Jewish nation, 233 00:18:33,619 –> 00:18:36,180 outside of Israel. 234 00:18:36,180 –> 00:18:44,020 It is incredibly hard for us to grasp just how radical this Gentile mission was in the 235 00:18:44,020 –> 00:18:45,439 early church. 236 00:18:45,439 –> 00:18:49,599 Remember, God had made a covenant in the Old Testament with who? 237 00:18:49,599 –> 00:18:51,560 With Israel. 238 00:18:51,560 –> 00:18:54,959 To many people, therefore, their mentality was, oh, the God of the Old Testament? 239 00:18:54,959 –> 00:18:58,380 Yes, He’s the God of Israel. 240 00:18:58,380 –> 00:19:04,939 So when Paul says, I was appointed as an apostle to the Gentiles, that is such a stunning 241 00:19:04,979 –> 00:19:09,760 thing that—do you notice in here, he actually has to say, I’m telling the truth. 242 00:19:09,760 –> 00:19:11,920 I’m not lying. 243 00:19:11,920 –> 00:19:17,319 Because, you know, it was just so staggering to get the idea that the God who had made 244 00:19:17,319 –> 00:19:21,939 a covenant with Israel in the Old Testament was actually bringing in Jesus Christ the 245 00:19:21,939 –> 00:19:25,319 Gospel that was for every culture in the world. 246 00:19:25,319 –> 00:19:32,439 Now, folks, it is still difficult for people to grasp that today. 247 00:19:32,839 –> 00:19:37,560 Of course, the dynamics have changed. 248 00:19:37,560 –> 00:19:43,680 What happens today is that millions of people would say that Christianity is the religion, 249 00:19:43,680 –> 00:19:45,699 not of the Jews, but they would put it this way. 250 00:19:45,699 –> 00:19:49,099 They’d say, Christianity is the religion of what? 251 00:19:49,099 –> 00:19:50,739 The West. 252 00:19:50,739 –> 00:19:52,719 The West. 253 00:19:52,719 –> 00:19:57,619 And it’s not right for Western religion to be imposed on other parts of the world. 254 00:19:57,619 –> 00:20:00,619 That’s a huge debate today. 255 00:20:01,380 –> 00:20:02,859 And where are we in it? 256 00:20:02,859 –> 00:20:05,500 Well, here’s where we are. 257 00:20:05,500 –> 00:20:10,099 We want to take as a gospel church our stand with the apostle Paul and say exactly what 258 00:20:10,099 –> 00:20:17,680 he said, that the gospel is the good news for all nations and our calling distinctively 259 00:20:17,680 –> 00:20:23,420 from Christ is to herald the true faith to all peoples. 260 00:20:23,420 –> 00:20:27,920 And we want to say we’re telling the truth, we’re not lying. 261 00:20:27,920 –> 00:20:31,060 That is the commission that is given to the church of Jesus Christ. 262 00:20:31,060 –> 00:20:33,959 Now, notice Paul’s missionary strategy right here. 263 00:20:33,959 –> 00:20:36,500 Do you notice he describes himself in three ways? 264 00:20:36,500 –> 00:20:41,500 He says, I’m a herald, that is, wherever he went he proclaimed the gospel. 265 00:20:41,500 –> 00:20:46,000 He’s an apostle, in other words he’s a pioneer, particularly sent out to plant churches where 266 00:20:46,000 –> 00:20:48,020 they did not exist. 267 00:20:48,020 –> 00:20:50,300 And third, he’s a teacher of the true faith. 268 00:20:50,300 –> 00:20:54,920 He established the church by teaching the truth and refuting error and now he’s telling 269 00:20:54,920 –> 00:20:57,579 Timothy to do the same. 270 00:20:57,579 –> 00:20:59,760 So folks, what have we got here? 271 00:20:59,760 –> 00:21:06,839 A church that is praying for all people, a church that is proclaiming the gospel to all 272 00:21:06,839 –> 00:21:09,199 people. 273 00:21:09,199 –> 00:21:11,319 Does that sound familiar? 274 00:21:11,319 –> 00:21:14,680 The ministry of the word and the ministry of prayer? 275 00:21:14,680 –> 00:21:20,540 See, aren’t these exactly the priorities that the twelve apostles established way back in 276 00:21:20,540 –> 00:21:21,760 Acts chapter 6? 277 00:21:21,760 –> 00:21:25,479 You know, let’s appoint deacons to do the administration in the church. 278 00:21:25,479 –> 00:21:27,780 We the apostles, must give ourselves to what? 279 00:21:27,780 –> 00:21:30,660 The ministry of the word and the ministry of prayer. 280 00:21:30,660 –> 00:21:35,939 And while Paul is saying to Timothy, the same priorities are the priorities for you. 281 00:21:35,939 –> 00:21:38,319 The gospel advances around the globe. 282 00:21:38,319 –> 00:21:39,660 How? 283 00:21:39,660 –> 00:21:43,060 Through the ministry of prayer and through the ministry of the word. 284 00:21:43,060 –> 00:21:53,420 And a gospel-centered church is a church that has this global mission in its very DNA. 285 00:21:53,459 –> 00:21:58,020 And now I want you to see that right in this passage of scripture. 286 00:21:58,020 –> 00:22:00,180 We’ve done the bookends, as it were. 287 00:22:00,180 –> 00:22:06,540 A church that prays for the world, a church that is engaged in the proclamation of the 288 00:22:06,540 –> 00:22:09,579 gospel around the world. 289 00:22:09,579 –> 00:22:11,660 What glues these things together? 290 00:22:11,660 –> 00:22:18,099 A Christ who dies for all people in verse five and verse six. 291 00:22:18,099 –> 00:22:23,300 Do you notice that this is a wonderful, wonderful statement of God’s redeeming purpose in Jesus 292 00:22:23,359 –> 00:22:24,859 Christ? 293 00:22:24,859 –> 00:22:30,099 This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a 294 00:22:30,099 –> 00:22:38,219 knowledge of the truth, for there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 295 00:22:38,219 –> 00:22:40,060 He gave Himself as what? 296 00:22:40,060 –> 00:22:43,800 A ransom for all men. 297 00:22:43,800 –> 00:22:47,780 The testimony given at the proper time. 298 00:22:47,780 –> 00:22:52,739 And let’s look at what this means and then how it applies. 299 00:22:53,579 –> 00:22:59,800 There’s a very important discussion about what Paul means when he says that God wants 300 00:22:59,800 –> 00:23:06,939 all men to be saved, and when he says that Christ gave Himself as a ransom, that is, 301 00:23:06,939 –> 00:23:11,520 one who pays the price for all men. 302 00:23:11,520 –> 00:23:17,699 When he says all, does he mean every single person? 303 00:23:18,060 –> 00:23:23,099 Or does he mean all kinds of people? 304 00:23:23,099 –> 00:23:26,760 Now, people come to different conclusions about this, 305 00:23:26,760 –> 00:23:33,000 but I am convinced that the all here means all kinds of people and I want to show you 306 00:23:33,000 –> 00:23:36,339 its wonderful application in just a moment. 307 00:23:36,339 –> 00:23:39,119 But I believe this for three reasons. 308 00:23:39,119 –> 00:23:43,140 First, that is what all means in verse 1 and 2. 309 00:23:43,140 –> 00:23:49,660 When we’re called to pray for all, it’s everyone in the NIV, but it’s the same word, God is 310 00:23:49,660 –> 00:23:53,780 not expecting us to pray for every single person in the world. 311 00:23:53,780 –> 00:23:57,180 God is calling us to pray for all kinds of people in the world. 312 00:23:57,180 –> 00:24:00,979 That’s what all means in verse 1, therefore it seems reasonable that it’s what it means 313 00:24:00,979 –> 00:24:03,160 later in the passage. 314 00:24:03,160 –> 00:24:12,540 Second, the Bible never suggests that every single person will be saved, but it clearly 315 00:24:12,540 –> 00:24:18,180 proclaims that all kinds of people will be saved and that on the last day there will 316 00:24:18,180 –> 00:24:23,260 be people from every tribe and every language and every nation group gathered before the 317 00:24:23,260 –> 00:24:25,699 throne of grace. 318 00:24:25,699 –> 00:24:34,300 Third, the word ransom in verse 6 means the payment of a price. 319 00:24:34,540 –> 00:24:42,560 If Christ paid the price for every single person, would that not mean, then, that hell 320 00:24:42,560 –> 00:24:48,479 was filled with people for whom the price of their sins had already been paid? 321 00:24:48,479 –> 00:24:54,219 Now clearly that is impossible and that is a third reason why I believe that when Paul 322 00:24:54,219 –> 00:25:01,099 says, “‘all here’, he means all kinds of people and not every single person. 323 00:25:01,099 –> 00:25:03,880 And that leads to this wonderful application. 324 00:25:04,819 –> 00:25:13,119 God wants all kinds of people to be saved. 325 00:25:13,140 –> 00:25:22,760 More than that, Jesus Christ gave his life to ransom all kinds of people from every background 326 00:25:22,760 –> 00:25:27,520 imaginable in this service right now. 327 00:25:27,520 –> 00:25:30,540 God wants to save people like you! 328 00:25:31,420 –> 00:25:36,239 Listen, in heaven there will be people with the highest degrees and the most brilliant 329 00:25:36,239 –> 00:25:41,319 minds and there will be people who never learn to read or write. 330 00:25:41,319 –> 00:25:46,420 There will be in heaven people who have earned and spent millions of dollars. 331 00:25:46,420 –> 00:25:51,739 There will be people who all their lives have scratched a living only in poverty. 332 00:25:51,739 –> 00:25:57,540 In heaven there will be people from stable families and there will be folks from the 333 00:25:57,540 –> 00:26:00,719 most dysfunctional families. 334 00:26:00,719 –> 00:26:04,780 The salvation of Jesus Christ does not belong to a particular type. 335 00:26:04,780 –> 00:26:10,079 He has come into the world to redeem all kinds of people and it is the purpose of God to 336 00:26:10,079 –> 00:26:13,079 redeem from across the swathe of humanity. 337 00:26:13,079 –> 00:26:18,319 Folks, there will be people in heaven of your personality type. 338 00:26:18,319 –> 00:26:20,420 So why not you? 339 00:26:20,420 –> 00:26:25,800 There will be people in heaven from your language group, your ethnic background, so why not 340 00:26:25,800 –> 00:26:26,800 you? 341 00:26:26,819 –> 00:26:30,920 And there will be people who were once caught in the sins that have enslaved you, but have 342 00:26:30,920 –> 00:26:32,479 been redeemed by Christ. 343 00:26:32,479 –> 00:26:35,239 So why should that not also include you? 344 00:26:35,239 –> 00:26:41,239 There is one God, there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, and that 345 00:26:41,239 –> 00:26:45,439 means that he is the mediator for you. 346 00:26:45,439 –> 00:26:48,640 And that God wants people like you to be saved. 347 00:26:48,640 –> 00:26:52,619 And Christ gave his life as ransom for people like you. 348 00:26:52,699 –> 00:26:57,319 So why would you not come to Jesus Christ, and why would you not trust him when others 349 00:26:57,319 –> 00:27:01,439 like you, others in the same position as you, are doing so? 350 00:27:01,439 –> 00:27:08,199 For if you will come to him, you have this promise, he will never, never, turn you away!” 351 00:27:08,199 –> 00:27:10,020 That is good news. 352 00:27:10,020 –> 00:27:13,859 That is good news. 353 00:27:13,859 –> 00:27:26,900 The church is called to a ministry of this word and prayer on a global scale because 354 00:27:26,900 –> 00:27:31,219 Jesus Christ died for all. 355 00:27:31,219 –> 00:27:34,699 That’s what Paul is teaching us here. 356 00:27:34,699 –> 00:27:42,680 Folks, that’s what it means to be a Gospel-centred church, grasping the one mediator Jesus Christ 357 00:27:42,880 –> 00:27:49,060 and the glory of what He has accomplished in His cross, driving a global vision and 358 00:27:49,060 –> 00:27:54,780 a passion that the Gospel will not end with us, but that we will become conduits of it 359 00:27:54,780 –> 00:28:02,079 wherever He places us for the advance of the Gospel around the world. 360 00:28:02,079 –> 00:28:11,619 Now, if that’s our distinct calling, if that’s our ministry, an obvious question is what 361 00:28:11,619 –> 00:28:15,760 might stop that from happening? 362 00:28:15,760 –> 00:28:25,040 Or if we’re to put it more positively, how are we to advance the Gospel? 363 00:28:25,040 –> 00:28:28,500 And it seems to me that in the second part of the chapter that is precisely what Paul 364 00:28:28,500 –> 00:28:30,239 is still engaged with. 365 00:28:30,239 –> 00:28:37,979 He’s looking at the advance of Gospel ministry through prayer and he’s looking at the advance 366 00:28:38,119 –> 00:28:45,140 gospel ministry through the preaching of the Word which is the calling that we share as 367 00:28:45,140 –> 00:28:48,459 the body of Christ. 368 00:28:48,459 –> 00:28:53,099 So let’s look at these two particular applications in these remaining moments. 369 00:28:53,099 –> 00:28:55,260 First how we advance the Gospel through prayer. 370 00:28:55,579 –> 00:29:10,660 says, I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing. 371 00:29:10,660 –> 00:29:16,660 Now obviously in the New Testament the ministry of prayer is given to both men and women. 372 00:29:16,660 –> 00:29:24,939 But Paul is calling distinctively on men to take the lead here. 373 00:29:24,939 –> 00:29:26,760 This is very practical for us. 374 00:29:26,760 –> 00:29:35,339 How often are women folk to their great credit have taken the lead and have excelled in this 375 00:29:35,339 –> 00:29:38,260 ministry of prayer? 376 00:29:38,260 –> 00:29:40,380 And I suspect it was the same in the early church. 377 00:29:40,380 –> 00:29:46,520 And Paul is saying to the men, now look, don’t you be passive here. 378 00:29:46,520 –> 00:29:49,719 Why is your wife praying more than you are? 379 00:29:49,719 –> 00:29:53,680 Why is it that she has developed the ability to lead others in prayer in her small group 380 00:29:53,880 –> 00:29:56,420 and you’re sitting there silent? 381 00:29:56,420 –> 00:30:03,420 I want men to step up in the local church to this ministry of prayer that Paul has already 382 00:30:03,420 –> 00:30:06,619 established is critical to the advance of the gospel in the world. 383 00:30:06,619 –> 00:30:10,699 I want the men to take the lead here, he says, not to the exclusion of the women, I’m sure 384 00:30:10,699 –> 00:30:15,140 he’s saying you guys have got to step up and get alongside the women. 385 00:30:15,140 –> 00:30:18,900 And I think there’s the need for that call today. 386 00:30:18,900 –> 00:30:22,140 And he says, I want you to lift up holy hands. 387 00:30:23,040 –> 00:30:27,339 Now the emphasis here whatever our posture, and there are many different postures in the 388 00:30:27,339 –> 00:30:28,640 Bible for prayer. 389 00:30:28,640 –> 00:30:35,520 This is clearly one of them, but the emphasis here is on holy hands, holy hands. 390 00:30:35,520 –> 00:30:42,479 Because, remember the Bible says that the prayer of a righteous man is what? 391 00:30:42,479 –> 00:30:45,000 Powerful and effective. 392 00:30:45,000 –> 00:30:46,760 And Paul is saying something similar here. 393 00:30:46,760 –> 00:30:51,839 He’s saying look remember guys, you can’t pray effectively as long as you are holding 394 00:30:51,859 –> 00:30:56,199 on to a sin or a grudge that you refuse to give up. 395 00:30:56,199 –> 00:31:01,180 The only way for you to pray, the only way for us to pray, the only way for me to pray 396 00:31:01,180 –> 00:31:06,380 is that we come before God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the name of 397 00:31:06,380 –> 00:31:08,319 Christ alone. 398 00:31:08,319 –> 00:31:14,400 He alone has clean hands and a pure heart, but because he is at the right hand of the 399 00:31:14,400 –> 00:31:21,180 father, when we come repentantly and believingly before him we can pray because of him. 400 00:31:21,760 –> 00:31:26,040 And Paul is saying I want the men to step up to this. 401 00:31:26,040 –> 00:31:31,540 I want to hear the men in the local church praying when the church is gathered for prayer. 402 00:31:31,540 –> 00:31:34,079 Not only the men, but I want to hear the men. 403 00:31:34,079 –> 00:31:37,079 I really do. 404 00:31:37,079 –> 00:31:38,180 Notice he says something else. 405 00:31:38,180 –> 00:31:42,060 He says I want that praying to be without anger. 406 00:31:42,060 –> 00:31:46,640 In other words, he’s reminding us of what’s everywhere in the New Testament. 407 00:31:46,979 –> 00:31:51,020 Lord Peter says husbands you treat your wives with gentleness and respect. 408 00:31:51,020 –> 00:31:52,020 Why? 409 00:31:52,020 –> 00:31:56,500 So that nothing will hinder your prayers. 410 00:31:56,500 –> 00:32:01,979 You being a bear at home, don’t think that your public prayers are going to count for 411 00:32:01,979 –> 00:32:03,280 very much in the church. 412 00:32:03,280 –> 00:32:05,500 That’s what he’s saying. 413 00:32:05,500 –> 00:32:09,900 Same as the Lord Jesus said, do you remember, if you’re coming to worship and you remember 414 00:32:09,900 –> 00:32:15,900 that there’s something between you and your brother, go away, sort that out first, and 415 00:32:15,900 –> 00:32:19,780 then come back, and there’ll be reality here. 416 00:32:19,780 –> 00:32:21,420 And then pray with faith. 417 00:32:21,420 –> 00:32:28,780 I think that’s the meaning of without disputing, the word is dialogismos from which of course 418 00:32:28,780 –> 00:32:34,619 we get our word dialog which is two voices, and you can see where the meaning of that 419 00:32:34,619 –> 00:32:6,420 then goes. 420 00:32:36,420 –> 00:32:37,760 Don’t pray with another voice. 421 00:32:37,760 –> 00:32:39,140 Don’t pray with two voices. 422 00:32:39,140 –> 00:32:42,459 In other words don’t pray saying one thing to God but another thing at the back of your 423 00:32:42,699 –> 00:32:46,300 mind that’s saying I don’t really believe this anyway, I’m not really sure I can trust 424 00:32:46,300 –> 00:32:47,300 Him. 425 00:32:47,300 –> 00:32:48,300 No, you pray with faith. 426 00:32:48,300 –> 00:32:50,859 Not with two voices, with one voice. 427 00:32:50,859 –> 00:32:57,000 Then this is what Paul says I’m calling you to in the church. 428 00:32:57,000 –> 00:33:05,540 I want you to step up to the ministry of prayer privately, publicly, out of hands cleansed 429 00:33:05,599 –> 00:33:14,140 by the blood of Christ, out of relationships that to the best of your ability are healthy, 430 00:33:14,140 –> 00:33:20,199 and with faith, not with a load of second guessing in the back of your mind. 431 00:33:20,199 –> 00:33:24,839 Because advancing the gospel around the world is dependent on the ministry of prayer. 432 00:33:24,839 –> 00:33:27,420 You see the call that he’s making here. 433 00:33:27,420 –> 00:33:33,660 Second, advancing the ministry of the gospel through the word. 434 00:33:34,280 –> 00:33:41,859 Now here we have in a section that is often discussed and debated both an affirmation 435 00:33:41,859 –> 00:33:44,959 and a prohibition. 436 00:33:44,959 –> 00:33:47,500 Notice first the affirmation in verse eleven. 437 00:33:47,500 –> 00:33:53,060 Paul says, a woman should learn. 438 00:33:53,060 –> 00:33:56,180 And folks, this is wonderful. 439 00:33:56,339 –> 00:34:04,760 Remember that Paul was writing in a culture where education was designed exclusively for 440 00:34:04,760 –> 00:34:07,599 men. 441 00:34:07,599 –> 00:34:13,179 It was thought in the early world barely to be worth educating women. 442 00:34:13,179 –> 00:34:19,060 Thank God for the change that the gospel in significant part has brought to that. 443 00:34:19,060 –> 00:34:24,540 So when Paul says in the early world, a woman should learn, he is making erratically, wonderfully 444 00:34:24,620 –> 00:34:27,139 countercultural statement. 445 00:34:27,139 –> 00:34:33,659 Christian woman in the early church became students of the Bible, alongside the men. 446 00:34:33,659 –> 00:34:40,020 And Paul affirms it here, it is wonderfully liberating, don’t miss that. 447 00:34:40,020 –> 00:34:46,340 And then he says, he speaks about learning in quietness and submission, that’s very clear, 448 00:34:46,340 –> 00:34:49,520 it’s not unique to women of course, that’s the only way to learn. 449 00:34:49,520 –> 00:34:51,280 If someone’s put it. 450 00:34:51,659 –> 00:34:56,479 I do not learn a single thing while I am speaking, I only learn when I am listening. 451 00:34:56,479 –> 00:35:00,340 Because when I’m speaking, I’m really producing what I’ve already learned. 452 00:35:00,340 –> 00:35:03,959 So if I’m to learn, I have to listen. 453 00:35:03,959 –> 00:35:12,459 And learning the life of the gospel involves a quietness of spirit that is undistracted, 454 00:35:12,459 –> 00:35:16,580 a humility that is ready to receive, a teachable spirit. 455 00:35:16,580 –> 00:35:19,620 It’s important for every one of us. 456 00:35:19,739 –> 00:35:25,040 So here’s this wonderful affirmation, and it’s for men and for women, but particularly 457 00:35:25,040 –> 00:35:32,820 it was glorious as a statement with regards to women, learning, brothers and sisters together 458 00:35:32,820 –> 00:35:37,580 in humility before the word of God. 459 00:35:37,580 –> 00:35:40,620 Then there’s a prohibition in verse 12. 460 00:35:40,620 –> 00:35:47,979 Notice Paul says there, I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a 461 00:35:47,979 –> 00:35:48,979 man. 462 00:35:49,000 –> 00:35:54,300 So clearly Paul is prohibiting something here, and the question is what is it that Paul does 463 00:35:54,300 –> 00:35:56,459 not permit. 464 00:35:56,459 –> 00:36:00,100 Let me make three observations and then a conclusion. 465 00:36:00,100 –> 00:36:04,860 Number one, Paul is talking about the Church. 466 00:36:04,860 –> 00:36:12,020 In other words his words here about teaching do not apply in education, they do not apply 467 00:36:12,020 –> 00:36:18,040 in a school or in a seminary or even in pioneer evangelism, they are specifically words that 468 00:36:18,100 –> 00:36:21,719 are spoken to the particular order that God has in the Church. 469 00:36:21,719 –> 00:36:24,159 That’s the first observation. 470 00:36:24,159 –> 00:36:29,959 Second observation, Paul is talking here about the Church gathered for worship, that is the 471 00:36:29,959 –> 00:36:35,040 context, he’s been talking about public prayer and worship, and now he is speaking still 472 00:36:35,040 –> 00:36:38,820 about the context of public gathered worship. 473 00:36:38,820 –> 00:36:43,719 So it seems to me that his words do not apply, for example, to a small group or to a Sunday 474 00:36:43,820 –> 00:36:48,879 school class or to one of many other settings that we may think about that are not the gathered 475 00:36:48,879 –> 00:36:51,399 worship of the Church. 476 00:36:51,399 –> 00:36:56,159 The context here is as always key. 477 00:36:56,159 –> 00:37:02,879 In chapter 2, Paul is talking about instructions for the public worship of the Church, public 478 00:37:02,879 –> 00:37:04,879 worship of the Church, chapter 2. 479 00:37:04,879 –> 00:37:10,739 In chapter 3, as God willing we’ll see next week, he goes on to speak about the qualifications 480 00:37:10,820 –> 00:37:14,580 of elders to lead the Church. 481 00:37:14,580 –> 00:37:19,080 Now putting these two things together, the context I think gives us clarity about what 482 00:37:19,080 –> 00:37:25,540 Paul is saying that the prohibition that is quite clearly here in this 12th verse relates 483 00:37:25,540 –> 00:37:32,020 to the teaching of the Word to the congregation gathered for public worship and the authority 484 00:37:32,020 –> 00:37:36,979 of elders over the spiritual life of the Church. 485 00:37:37,260 –> 00:37:42,199 And if you have wondered that is how our Church understands this teaching, that is why our 486 00:37:42,199 –> 00:37:45,719 elders are chosen from among godly men. 487 00:37:45,719 –> 00:37:50,360 That is why the preaching of the Word in our gathered worship and our public services is 488 00:37:50,360 –> 00:37:54,080 trusted to pastors who are men. 489 00:37:54,080 –> 00:37:58,979 And I just want you to notice one more thing here, that the reason Paul gives for this 490 00:37:58,979 –> 00:38:02,360 is not that men do a better job. 491 00:38:02,360 –> 00:38:04,280 That’s not the debate he’s engaging in. 492 00:38:04,280 –> 00:38:06,159 He never says that. 493 00:38:06,520 –> 00:38:07,520 He doesn’t even go there. 494 00:38:07,520 –> 00:38:09,979 It’s not a question of ability. 495 00:38:09,979 –> 00:38:14,800 He simply says it is God’s order in relation to creation. 496 00:38:14,800 –> 00:38:17,399 That’s what he says. 497 00:38:17,399 –> 00:38:25,520 So two particular applications of the advance of the ministry of the Word and the advance 498 00:38:25,520 –> 00:38:27,760 of the ministry of prayer. 499 00:38:27,760 –> 00:38:33,120 Folks, I wonder why did the Holy Spirit move Paul particularly in this place to write these 500 00:38:33,120 –> 00:38:35,000 things? 501 00:38:35,040 –> 00:38:40,120 Why is it that men need to be called to prayer? 502 00:38:40,120 –> 00:38:50,840 Why is it that so much of world mission historically has been carried by godly women? 503 00:38:50,840 –> 00:39:01,899 We need to hear again the calling of God that a Gospel-centered church is given a ministry 504 00:39:02,060 –> 00:39:12,840 of the Word and prayer on a global scale because Jesus Christ died…for all. 505 00:39:12,840 –> 00:39:15,820 One more thing and then we’re through. 506 00:39:15,820 –> 00:39:23,500 Almost exactly 100 years ago, there was a massive conference of world missions that 507 00:39:23,500 –> 00:39:31,620 was held in my home city of Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Conference 1910. 508 00:39:31,620 –> 00:39:36,500 It was an unprecedented gathering of missions leaders from all over the globe and it was 509 00:39:36,500 –> 00:39:41,780 thought as this great massive organization was put together that this would lead to the 510 00:39:41,780 –> 00:39:47,300 evangelization of the world as the early years of the 20th Century were dawning. 511 00:39:47,300 –> 00:39:54,260 Folks if you want to know what came of it, visit the archives of Union Theological 512 00:39:54,260 –> 00:39:58,739 Seminary in New York, where you can find all the papers. 513 00:39:58,820 –> 00:40:01,820 It’ll take you a long time to read. 514 00:40:01,820 –> 00:40:10,580 There are 33 boxes and they occupy 15.5 linear feet of shelve space. 515 00:40:10,580 –> 00:40:12,219 I remember studying this as a student. 516 00:40:12,219 –> 00:40:16,760 I had a particular interest because I came from Edinburgh. 517 00:40:16,760 –> 00:40:21,239 Throughout the history of the world there have been massive efforts to galvanize the 518 00:40:21,239 –> 00:40:25,959 church for world mission. 519 00:40:26,020 –> 00:40:33,860 The question is, what really moves God’s people to have a heart for the world? 520 00:40:33,860 –> 00:40:37,219 Because I can tell you this for sure, it’s not putting together some massive worldwide 521 00:40:37,219 –> 00:40:40,000 organization or some massive structured program. 522 00:40:40,000 –> 00:40:41,659 That will not do it. 523 00:40:41,659 –> 00:40:47,520 When I was studying the Edinburgh Conference 1910 in my own devotional reading I happened 524 00:40:47,520 –> 00:40:52,719 to be going through a book of sermons by one of my heroes of the faith, a man by the name 525 00:40:52,719 –> 00:40:54,840 of James Denny. 526 00:40:54,840 –> 00:41:00,719 James Denny lived at the same time as the Edinburgh Conference and the following year, 527 00:41:00,719 –> 00:41:08,159 1911, he was asked to be the speaker in Edinburgh, Scotland for the annual meetings of the Baptist 528 00:41:08,159 –> 00:41:10,320 Missionary society. 529 00:41:10,320 –> 00:41:15,320 And I want you to imagine that after this worldwide extravaganza has taken place setting 530 00:41:15,320 –> 00:41:20,280 up all these world committees, massive expense and all the rest of it, one year later after 531 00:41:20,360 –> 00:41:25,120 all the talk that has been about galvanising world mission, here is Denny and he gets up 532 00:41:25,120 –> 00:41:31,580 to speak in the same city the next year at the annual conference of the Baptist missionary 533 00:41:31,580 –> 00:41:33,000 society. 534 00:41:33,000 –> 00:41:37,760 And let me read to you from what he said. 535 00:41:37,760 –> 00:41:43,840 He said, within the last 12 months, foreign missions have been more talked about in the 536 00:41:43,840 –> 00:41:48,899 church than at anytime I can remember in my life. 537 00:41:48,939 –> 00:41:53,219 He described the appeals – the urgency of the need, the vastness of the need. 538 00:41:53,219 –> 00:41:56,580 He said, and what has been the result? 539 00:41:56,580 –> 00:42:00,780 Standing there on the platform he said, as far as I can see it is neither here nor there. 540 00:42:00,780 –> 00:42:05,179 An immense proportion of people in our churches care very little about the matter. 541 00:42:05,179 –> 00:42:09,419 There is no sensible increase either of contributions or of gifted men. 542 00:42:09,419 –> 00:42:13,100 And at the end of all this, how much more money is being given? 543 00:42:13,100 –> 00:42:16,219 At the end of all this, how many more people are laying down their lives and going to the 544 00:42:16,219 –> 00:42:17,959 ends of the Earth for the advance of the Gospel? 545 00:42:17,959 –> 00:42:19,780 What difference has it actually made? 546 00:42:19,780 –> 00:42:22,120 Then he gets to his point. 547 00:42:22,120 –> 00:42:25,959 He says, it is not interest in missions that we want in our churches at this moment. 548 00:42:25,959 –> 00:42:29,620 He said, but it is interest in the Gospel. 549 00:42:29,620 –> 00:42:35,000 Apart from an interest in the Gospel, he says, I believe we will look in vain for a response 550 00:42:35,000 –> 00:42:37,000 to missionary appeals. 551 00:42:37,000 –> 00:42:44,320 But there is something in the Gospel itself which immediately creates missionary interest 552 00:42:44,699 –> 00:42:52,500 because there is no proper corollative to the Gospel but the universe. 553 00:42:52,500 –> 00:42:54,719 You see what he grasped? 554 00:42:54,719 –> 00:43:01,739 If there is one Mediator, and only one, and that has grasped the passion of our hearts 555 00:43:01,739 –> 00:43:04,780 and it’s firing our prayers. 556 00:43:04,780 –> 00:43:11,719 If we have really grasped there is one Mediator for all, that has got to fire lives devoted 557 00:43:11,840 –> 00:43:14,020 to global impact around the world. 558 00:43:14,020 –> 00:43:17,639 Dollars given to global impact around the world. 559 00:43:17,639 –> 00:43:19,760 It’s the Gospel that does it. 560 00:43:19,760 –> 00:43:21,800 It’s exactly here. 561 00:43:21,800 –> 00:43:29,280 So folks, the cry of my heart in this message today is we’re trying to define what is critical 562 00:43:29,280 –> 00:43:30,379 for the life of the church. 563 00:43:30,379 –> 00:43:36,899 is that God by His Spirit would breath upon us, such a conviction of the Gospel of Jesus 564 00:43:37,419 –> 00:43:39,639 Who died for all men. 565 00:43:39,639 –> 00:43:46,459 That we would be renewed in the ministry of prayer, reinvigorated in every opportunity 566 00:43:46,459 –> 00:43:47,719 for proclamation. 567 00:43:47,719 –> 00:43:55,020 And that we would see with joy that God has give us the immense privilege of global ministry 568 00:43:55,020 –> 00:44:00,659 for the sake of Jesus Christ, the one mediator who died for all. 569 00:44:00,659 –> 00:44:03,639 let’s pray together shall we. 570 00:44:03,639 –> 00:44:11,919 Father renew within us a passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ. 571 00:44:11,919 –> 00:44:21,260 That will rebirth our prayer lives that will invigorate our passion to proclaim your word 572 00:44:21,260 –> 00:44:26,520 wherever you place us. 573 00:44:26,820 –> 00:44:33,459 A passion that will cause us to be truly a gospel church with a global mission. 574 00:44:33,459 –> 00:44:36,620 Through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and our Lord. 575 00:44:36,620 –> 00:44:39,360 And everyone together said, Amen.