WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.000 Acts is a book stylized, similar to Joshua and Judges. 2 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:16.000 Okay? The Gospels set up what Jesus has done, much like the Torah brings down the law. 3 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:24.000 This is what you should do. Acts, Joshua and Judges. This is how the people then did it. 4 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:30.000 It's the action report, it's the feedback that people are having. 5 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:41.000 Acts describes what it is like for the people of God to follow God effectively, to reach people. 6 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:59.000 And as part of this big, big story series, you've heard other people talk about what that's meant in caring, in bringing testimonies, all that sort of thing, in speaking to people in ways they need to be spoken to. 7 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:11.000 However, for this sermon, I'm talking about what it means to unmute. 8 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:37.000 Sometimes when we think about Scripture, when we think about the Bible, we can outsource and hold out our message as far as we can. This is getting heavy and in doing that, we give our message to great organizations like the ones behind me. 9 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:49.000 My read and interpretation of much of Baptist history, this is getting really heavy now is through the 80s and 90s and I'm too weak to keep going. 10 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:59.000 The local churches main role with mission was holding the message of God out. 11 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:11.000 Now I know Summerhill is a little odd in this regard because you guys had the drop in center here through that period where lots of people were coming in, where you were going out and interacting. 12 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:23.000 But in lots of other churches and lots of other ways, people were holding the message of God as far out from themselves with these organizations as possible. 13 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:34.000 And the problem with that is the average person did not learn how to share their faith effectively. 14 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:37.000 They did not learn how to preach. 15 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:44.000 Well, not preach, but reveal Christ to those who are closest to them. 16 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:55.000 And when you do that for too long, you get muted, there's no support and you grow silent. 17 00:02:55.000 --> 00:03:15.000 Acts 2 shows me a framework of how Peter had to take up that weight and go from right out here with this is Jesus Job, I don't do the preaching to right in here. This is my message. God is with me. 18 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:30.000 37, 39 as Lurleen read, When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, brothers, what shall we do? 19 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:41.000 Peter replied, repent. Be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. 20 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:45.000 And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 21 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:57.000 The promise is for you and your children, all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call. 22 00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:04.000 Peter does not start his journey in Acts chapter 2. 23 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:10.000 God does not expect us to start our journey in Acts chapter 2. 24 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:23.000 Peter starts his journey in Luke 5, being Jesus friend and disciple and being called, Come cold, come follow him. 25 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:28.000 If you haven't been walking with Jesus for a while, that's the call. 26 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.000 Come and follow him. 27 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:37.000 Learn about Him. Learn from the people who know him well. 28 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:41.000 If you have been following him for a while. 29 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:50.000 The solution to our mission being outsourced and held far away is to bring this mission close to your heart. 30 00:04:50.000 --> 00:05:00.000 To pick that weight back up and rather than holding out here where it's hard, hold it close where it's easy. 31 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:08.000 If we're choosing to follow Jesus, our mission is to come alongside and pick up Christ's commission. 32 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:16.000 It's for each and every one of us to hear the Holy Spirit and to say that Christ's kingdom is mine. 33 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:23.000 I have been built up in it, I am redeemed by it. 34 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:43.000 This gives us a way forward to take life giving risks and let God speak through our lives and our testimony, to bring it close and then to just share it with those who are close to us as well. 35 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:50.000 When I was far younger, I was quite a cheeky little kid. 36 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:56.000 I had the beautiful blond hair, blue eyes. I could get into any sort of trouble I wanted. 37 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.000 And I did. 38 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:08.000 And when I got older, I managed to get into that sort of trouble even more. 39 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:14.000 I was put in positions where I harmed people and I did wrong by them. 40 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:24.000 And the work of God in that moment was not to go, no, no, that's their fault. It was to pull it in and say, no, no, I've got a burden to bear to carry. 41 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.000 I've hurt people, I've got to make it right. 42 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:31.000 My cheekiness got me into this situation. 43 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:45.000 And in those moments of repenting, as Peter calls it, things changed. Christ redeems what once harmed people. 44 00:06:45.000 --> 00:07:00.000 Instead of getting into trouble now, I try to use my cheekiness as much as possible, break down barriers to actually meet people, to connect with young people, older people. 45 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:05.000 And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. 46 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:14.000 But it didn't happen because I am fantastic. Although of course, I am fantastic. 47 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:19.000 Thanks. Thanks, Michael. Nice. 48 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:25.000 It happened because God redeemed something about me that was good to start with. 49 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:38.000 It happened because something of who God is is reflected in the fact that I enjoy a good joke and a bad joke occasionally too. 50 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:46.000 And in those moments, God is able to speak through me to people, to bring them close. 51 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:52.000 So I'm not holding my mission out here, but it's close to my heart. 52 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:58.000 And then people learn that. 53 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:06.000 The problem with that, of course, is, yes, I may have retaken the Great commission and will have it close to myself. 54 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:15.000 But you can still trip and stumble if you don't know the voice and the word of God. 55 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:24.000 When speaking to God, a God who is out here, we don't have the support to hold up the weight for long. 56 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:35.000 Eventually our spirit gets outsourced alongside it and we don't learn to listen to who God is putting in front of us, what God is saying to us. 57 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:39.000 His spirit is in us. 58 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:43.000 He speaks to us. 59 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:59.000 So what does the voice of God sound like to you when he speaks through your mother, your sister, your brothers, those younger than you, those older than you? 60 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:16.000 What does that sound and feel like in that moment where the spirit of God in you is being called out by the spirit of God in someone else? 61 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:23.000 How does it sound when Peter speaks to the crowd as is behind me? 62 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:46.000 With many other words, he warned them, he pleaded with them, save yourselves from this corrupt generation. Those who accepted his message were baptized and about 3,000 were added to their number that day. 63 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:59.000 Peter warned the crowd that was gathered for one of the Jewish festivals solemnly with strong witness. 64 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:12.000 This is a forceful and direct message that they needed Jesus because he would save them from the corrupt direction that they were going. 65 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:18.000 And this comes to pass in 70 AD with the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. 66 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.000 There is a sense of urgency to our testimony. 67 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:39.000 So when we speak of how God has acted in our lives in the past, we also need to transition to where God is acting in our lives right now and be able to share that fact. 68 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:48.000 What are the consequences of our faith in this life and in the next? 69 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:52.000 What is God doing in our hearts? 70 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:58.000 Where are the fruit of the Spirit, our actions? 71 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:11.000 As Matt led us through communion, where are we forgiving and not holding onto people? 72 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:19.000 God comes to me with strong correction like this from the people I'm closest to. 73 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:25.000 Often it's from Hannah telling me, are you sure you should be doing that? 74 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:31.000 Haven't you met your hours at work this week? 75 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:42.000 Sometimes it's from my friends who say, my non Christian friends saying to me, hey, we actually want to hear about your faith. 76 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:57.000 I believe you guys had Jenna recently, who is my coach, and she often makes me cry with her corrections and her critiques. 77 00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:06.000 These people carry a warm, loving challenge to me, which is get good. God's with you. 78 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.000 And sometimes we need that right? 79 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:15.000 Jesus wants you to hear his voice and his challenge. 80 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:35.000 And Jesus challenge will speak to our best selves, not our worst. He will call us into something great whose voice brings God's challenge to you. 81 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:47.000 Peter pleads the Greek here indicates that he's encouraging people in a very intimate way to draw close to God. 82 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:53.000 Peter invites people into an intimate, heartfelt relationship with Jesus. 83 00:12:53.000 --> 00:13:10.000 Peter is close to the people. He knows why they're at Jerusalem, so he calls them even more. Follow this heart. Come close to God. 84 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:17.000 When to you does God sound close? 85 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:21.000 When does he sound distant? 86 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:36.000 God is safe enough, big enough and loving enough to bring people close to himself without judgment, with love. Overwhelming, but still with that warm critique. 87 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.000 They have to get good. 88 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:46.000 But whilst we were sinners, he loved us first. 89 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.000 Pleading and encouraging. 90 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:55.000 Sometimes I need a challenge and I respond really well to it. 91 00:13:55.000 --> 00:14:02.000 Other times I don't. And it gets my back up and I want to have a fight about it. 92 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:21.000 Sometimes it's in tears that I remember what God has done for me and I am overwhelmed by his love. 93 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:24.000 A minor thing happened yesterday. 94 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:27.000 I apologise. 95 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:42.000 And it's in those moments of intimacy that I feel the call to reach out to God, to be close to God and let myself be overwhelmed. 96 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:53.000 After the assembly yesterday, I'd spent the day focused on doing tech stuff, which is its own joy. 97 00:14:53.000 --> 00:15:06.000 And after it, we were packing stuff up at Riverlands. And so I sat down on the stage and I looked to the side where there is a table we have for the kids. 98 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:20.000 And I was overwhelmed that we only have one table off to the side, we don't have a table in the middle where we can see and love these kids well. 99 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:37.000 And I was convicted in this moment of intimacy, do we love the children around us half as much as God loves them? 100 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:47.000 And I don't know the answer to that, but in that moment of intimacy, I can hear God calling to my spirit. 101 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:53.000 And I would suggest it's different to you. Maybe it's in 60,000 references in your new Bible. 102 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:55.000 I don't know. 103 00:15:55.000 --> 00:16:05.000 Whatever it is, God is calling to change us in intimacy and in challenge. 104 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:13.000 And you can probably tell I am far more drawn to intimacy than I am to the challenge. 105 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:18.000 And yet God calls to both. 106 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:28.000 And that came to pass when I received the challenge. Am I sharing God with my friends enough? 107 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:32.000 How do I get them to hear this? 108 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:39.000 And so I offered to play a game. 109 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:49.000 One of my hobbies is running tabletop games. Sit down with mates and we play the game. 110 00:16:49.000 --> 00:17:10.000 I get to decide the story that they are playing through and through playing this game, they got to practice and learn what it means to forgive someone and how hard that is. 111 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:19.000 They got to learn this central tenet of Christian faith, that it's not up to us, it's up to God. 112 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:28.000 They got to practice it and play it out. Over a year and a half, we were playing this one game. 113 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:37.000 Through that medium that I'm good at, I got to share my faith. 114 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:50.000 What sort of medium do you have that allows you to share your faith with your friends who are not yet Christian or may never be Christian? 115 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:55.000 Do you have friends that aren't Christians? 116 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:59.000 If you don't, I recommend getting some. They're great fun. 117 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:16.000 And because of that one game, I offered to pray for my friends who were part of instilled in me a courage to say to those who weren't, hey, you're having a hard time. May I pray for you? 118 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:19.000 When I was a kid, I was bullied for that. 119 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:24.000 Now these guys go, look, anything's better than nothing. 120 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:27.000 Something, please. 121 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:38.000 I've asked spiritual questions and had my own spirituality challenged healthily behind these people. 122 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:57.000 And this has led me to one conclusion, that when we speak of God, well, not if it's fluffy or too harsh, if it's naff or just brutal. If we speak of God, well. Well, people love it. 123 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:00.000 What is the message we have of God's? 124 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:07.000 God loves you. He wants to be with you. He will remove every barrier to do that. 125 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:10.000 Come and follow him. 126 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.000 That's it. 127 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:14.000 It's the message of the gospel. 128 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:21.000 Yes, there's other stuff. There's sin and stuff. I get that central message. God loves you, he wants to be with you. 129 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:29.000 He will do anything to make sure that he is. 130 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:38.000 To hear Jesus as the voice of loving, challenge and blessed intimacy is great. 131 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:44.000 But some days it is 7am the bed is very, very warm. 132 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.000 I do not want to get out of bed. 133 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:55.000 The cat is scratching at something and I just don't wanna. 134 00:19:55.000 --> 00:20:00.000 Spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, whatever way you want to phrase that. 135 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:14.000 Have you ever heard or many parents, I'm sure have been around when kids love to emphasise their autonomy and say, no, I don't want to. 136 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:18.000 And it's often from a place of discomfort, sometimes stubbornness. 137 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:27.000 I get to help out at a playgroup that operates out of Riverlands, and I get to hear this a lot. 138 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:35.000 Normally it's either when the kids are coming in, they say, no, I don't want to go in the room where this tall bearded man is. Fair enough. 139 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:45.000 Or it's after the two hours where they're going, no, the toys are here. I don't want to leave. 140 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:59.000 And for us as adults, our toys may be different, but it's still the same issue. I don't wanna. 141 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:22.000 However, for the apostles that apparently didn't factor in. I'm sure it was there, but what we read in verse 42 and 43 is they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 142 00:21:22.000 --> 00:22:00.000 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles over the years. Being up here in the north, I've run a young adults group out of our house doing Bible reading, talking to the youth of Riverlands and Naomi when she rocks up, we'd get together, we'd have food, and often at around 2:30 to 3:00 clock, I was filled with the great desire of oh God, not tonight, please let them cancel. 143 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:02.000 I just don't want to. 144 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:13.000 I'm tired, I'd like to watch a movie and it's okay to feel that way. It's perfectly normal and human. 145 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:29.000 But the thing that started pulling me out of it was this question, where has God been in your week? 146 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:40.000 When I asked myself that question, it made me go, oh yeah, I've actually got something to say to these guys. I better make potatoes, I better get to cooking. 147 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:46.000 And they'd come in and when I'd remember, this would be the question I would ask. 148 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:50.000 Where has God been in your week? 149 00:22:50.000 --> 00:23:00.000 It cut through almost all of their nah, I don't wannas. Normally they just went, I don't know. Where has God been in my week? 150 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:05.000 Where has something good happened? 151 00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:09.000 Where have you been better than you were last week? 152 00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:17.000 Where have you been more loving in these moments? 153 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:28.000 The gospel is not held out here far away, but it's pulled into their lives, it's pulled close to their hearts. 154 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:34.000 They actually have to think and work through the answers. 155 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:42.000 The Gospels contain the teachings of the apostles, which are the teachings of Jesus. 156 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:52.000 Within that there is the call for us to testify, to share and unmute our message. 157 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:58.000 Where have we been devoted to the things of scripture? 158 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:05.000 Whether it be generosity, sharing, whatever? Where have we shown that devotion? 159 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:13.000 Where has God lifted our eyes up and we've seen him in action in our lives? 160 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:22.000 And if you don't know God well enough to answer that or are just learning about him, where did this good and loving thing happen in your week? 161 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.000 Maybe you expected it, maybe you didn't. 162 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:32.000 And then who can I share that good news with? 163 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:38.000 Who can I lift up with how God has shown up for me this week? 164 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:45.000 Who are these moments of small intimacy and challenge around you? 165 00:24:45.000 --> 00:25:09.000 Acts 2 does not give us a full paradigm for how to share the gospel, but it gives us a framework to See how important sharing our voices about this kingdom of life actually is about reflecting the shard of heaven in our hearts back to people, so they can hear it in their language. 166 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:20.000 The kingdom of God is for us to share clearly and lovingly with challenge and invitation. 167 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:28.000 But there are three problems that exist in unmuting ourselves. 168 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:33.000 We aren't taught how to share our stories well. 169 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:35.000 Our voice is outsourced. 170 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:42.000 The solution is to take up Christ's call and actually just give it a shot. 171 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:47.000 You might be surprised. 172 00:25:47.000 --> 00:26:01.000 This doesn't mean standing up on a soapbox and yelling at people, but simple, honest, revealing the Holy Spirit to yourself and others. 173 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:05.000 We may not have been taught to hear God well. 174 00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:07.000 The solution? 175 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:10.000 Learn from those near you. 176 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:14.000 Read the Bible, practice, pray. 177 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:24.000 And then accept the challenge and the invitation to share something good in your life. 178 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:28.000 And we may just not want to share it. 179 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:30.000 Cool. 180 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:38.000 Don't lose yourself in guilt and shame and fear of, oh, I'm a terrible Christian. That's not helpful. 181 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:42.000 Cool. Just ask why. 182 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:50.000 Just be loving and curious. Why don't you want to do this? 183 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:54.000 Then ask, where has God been in your week? 184 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:59.000 And who can I share that with? 185 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:05.000 Unmuting is not attention seeking. It is sharing the kingdom of life. 186 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:09.000 And God wants more people in that kingdom. 187 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:11.000 Always has. 188 00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:18.000 Where can you bring people close to that kingdom in your ways? 189 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:20.000 I have mine. 190 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:23.000 Sometimes they work. 191 00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:44.000 You'll have yours. And I pray that they will be better than mine. For those that you meet, those that you love, and those that you talk to, I'm going to wrap up with a prayer from St Patrick's Breastplate. It's a Celtic prayer because I love the Celtic Christian expression. 192 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:47.000 So let's pray. 193 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:52.000 Christ with us. 194 00:27:52.000 --> 00:28:02.000 Christ before us, Christ behind us, Christ in us, Christ beneath us, Christ above us. 195 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:05.000 Christ on our right, Christ on our left. 196 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:14.000 Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. 197 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:23.000 Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of these people. O God. 198 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:42.000 Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of Summerhill. O God, Christ in every eye that sees us, Christ in every ear that hears us. 199 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:44.000 In his name. 200 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:47.000 Amen.