WEBVTT 00:00:00.340 --> 00:00:03.720 We're going to study one important concept from the book of Ephesians. 00:00:03.780 --> 00:00:10.480 All I want to do today is get one central idea in our heads as we walk out of this place on Sunday. 00:00:10.940 --> 00:00:11.620 And here's my goal. 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:20.080 I hope that the thought that's going to be expressed this morning is so impactful in our lives that 00:00:20.080 --> 00:00:20.800 we remembered on Monday. 00:00:21.540 --> 00:00:21.660 Okay. 00:00:22.300 --> 00:00:24.540 And if we're remembered on Monday, I consider today a success. 00:00:26.360 --> 00:00:28.390 And here's the desire that we want to get accomplished. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:28.680 Today. 00:00:28.700 --> 00:00:29.560 I'm going to give you the goal right up front. 00:00:29.860 --> 00:00:29.960 Ready. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:38.880 Our goal is to allow the world to encounter Christ by encountering 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:39.320 me. 00:00:41.460 --> 00:00:44.880 We've studied all this in the book of Ephesians together, first three chapters. 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:47.400 Who is God and who am I in light of him? 00:00:48.360 --> 00:00:52.140 And Paul teaches us that premise to the book of Ephesians for the first three chapters. 00:00:52.180 --> 00:00:59.340 With this idea in mind, when you get to know the God that truly loves you and for the reason for which he created you, then the heart's desire that you will express would 00:00:59.400 --> 00:01:01.590 be to demonstrate that Jesus in this world. 00:01:03.420 --> 00:01:07.830 People are going to see me as I've seen Christ, and there's going to be something different about me. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:16.380 And so Paul's goal from the chapter three, end of chapter three on into chapter four and on from there, is that we as people would become 00:01:16.380 --> 00:01:19.680 a group in pursuing Jesus that reflects Jesus in this world. 00:01:20.880 --> 00:01:22.700 The Bible talks about that in all sorts of places. 00:01:22.820 --> 00:01:25.920 That's the word that the idea of what the word disciple is all about. 00:01:26.700 --> 00:01:28.240 You learn from Christ and you reflect Christ. 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:29.700 You're his student. 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:33.840 He is your teacher, and you demonstrate that's what the word Christian means, right? 00:01:34.380 --> 00:01:35.590 It's biblical principle. 00:01:35.800 --> 00:01:42.840 It's like it's like the core of the Christian life here to allow the world to encounter Christ by encountering me, just to make sure 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:44.110 we get that, we're going to say that together. 00:01:44.300 --> 00:01:47.000 Okay, the count of three, we're going to read that sentence. 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:47.200 Ready? 00:01:47.880 --> 00:01:49.880 One, two, three. 00:01:50.320 --> 00:01:54.560 To allow the world to encounter Christ by encountering me. 00:01:55.360 --> 00:01:55.580 Awesome. 00:01:57.820 --> 00:02:00.180 Now here comes the convicting thought with this. 00:02:02.980 --> 00:02:04.840 If you were the primary tool in this world. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:09.250 To display to the world what Jesus looks like. 00:02:10.270 --> 00:02:11.640 And watching you. 00:02:13.300 --> 00:02:15.220 How would people communicate who Christ is? 00:02:17.880 --> 00:02:19.540 we could take that all sorts of ways, right? 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:21.510 We could take that just in physical appearance. 00:02:21.720 --> 00:02:24.070 All of us thinking, oh, man, if I got to display Jesus, I need to look like a hippie. 00:02:24.480 --> 00:02:27.700 So I got to, I got to go to the store and get the long hair, wig or whatever. 00:02:27.700 --> 00:02:31.180 And the peace sign that's most pictures of Jesus are like a hippie looking Jesus. 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:32.560 I don't think that's accurate, but. 00:02:32.780 --> 00:02:33.680 But that's just what we see. 00:02:33.980 --> 00:02:34.740 You know, you've done it. 00:02:34.740 --> 00:02:37.620 You've seen a hippie looking guy walk down the road and you say, oh, look, it's Jesus, right? 00:02:38.620 --> 00:02:40.280 Judgmental people. 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:40.900 Right? 00:02:41.760 --> 00:02:43.900 We're not talking about looks and we're not talking. 00:02:44.020 --> 00:02:45.190 We're not talking about personality. 00:02:45.460 --> 00:02:48.460 Because I can say to us, we want the world to encounter Christ by encounter. 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:49.250 I mean, you're thinking, oh, personality. 00:02:49.880 --> 00:02:51.440 Jesus is a very docile individual. 00:02:51.540 --> 00:02:52.920 And so he was very humble and quiet. 00:02:52.920 --> 00:02:54.400 And he walked like this everywhere he went. 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:55.760 You know, that's not what I'm talking about. 00:02:55.820 --> 00:02:57.160 Some of us have a personality that's quiet. 00:02:57.260 --> 00:02:59.070 Some of us have a personality that's loud and obnoxious. 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:05.020 But what I'm talking about when I talk about Jesus is the content of his character. 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:08.900 And God has called you to represent him in the world. 00:03:09.620 --> 00:03:10.140 A city on a hill. 00:03:11.100 --> 00:03:12.330 A light that is to be displayed. 00:03:13.940 --> 00:03:19.540 And so if you were the primary tool, by the way, the church is the number one method in which God has chosen to represent himself in this world. 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:20.510 But if you were the primary tool. 00:03:22.160 --> 00:03:25.510 For which the world could look at and get an identity of what Jesus is about. 00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:27.520 And they would look at you. 00:03:29.200 --> 00:03:30.280 Who would they say Christ is? 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:36.580 I can tell you as a I just think about that question and turn in my head. 00:03:37.460 --> 00:03:39.910 A lot of thoughts roll in my mind, things that I feel like in my life. 00:03:40.260 --> 00:03:47.580 I do well, and I want to continue to pursue those righteous things and display Christ in 00:03:47.580 --> 00:03:49.760 a manner that I think Christ deserves to be displayed. 00:03:49.780 --> 00:03:52.860 And then I think about things in my life that I fall short in. 00:03:54.900 --> 00:04:01.540 And areas of my life that if someone caught me in those moments and that was their picture of Jesus, what a horrific picture of Jesus that would be. 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:08.270 And there are times I drive down the road with Alpine Bible Church on the back of my car and I think, well, I probably shouldn't have Alpine Bible Church in the back of my car today. 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:18.700 When we talk about our Christian life and we think about questions like that, the thought that we often come to is 00:04:18.700 --> 00:04:19.570 the idea of conviction. 00:04:20.820 --> 00:04:22.560 And we ask questions like that. 00:04:23.400 --> 00:04:27.600 And oftentimes we begin to think about areas in our life that we fall short in displaying Christ that way. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:34.240 And honestly, the last chapter that Paul talks to us about, the way we should display Jesus, he says a lot of things that we should be doing in our lives. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:36.990 And when we look at those things, sometimes they're very convicting. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:39.120 They're reaffirming sometimes and sometimes they're convicting. 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:47.220 And there's a danger in the way that we perceive conviction in our life as Christians, because sometimes we take conviction that God desires 00:04:47.220 --> 00:04:49.220 for us to have, and we treat it more like condemnation. 00:04:51.660 --> 00:04:58.580 And what I mean is, if you are a believer in Christ this morning, what God desires for you to have in your life, in pursuing him, is when we mess up. 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:01.300 It's not condemnation, it's just conviction. 00:05:01.520 --> 00:05:04.520 Just to turn back to him and just pursue him because God created you for a relationship. 00:05:06.180 --> 00:05:13.380 And in fact, the Bible actually says that in John chapter 16 and verse eight it says when he it's talking about the Holy Spirit, 00:05:13.520 --> 00:05:15.540 Jesus is teaching about his job in our lives. 00:05:16.080 --> 00:05:16.940 This is when he comes. 00:05:18.140 --> 00:05:21.740 He will convict the world concerning sin and unrighteousness and judgment. 00:05:22.940 --> 00:05:24.250 The Holy Spirit's going to work in our heart. 00:05:24.300 --> 00:05:31.240 When there's things in our lives that doesn't align with Christ, God's going to convict us in a way that would motivate us to pursue Jesus in the way that we live them out. 00:05:32.340 --> 00:05:39.240 So that way, when the world sees us reacting to who we are in light of Christ, it sees a clear picture of who Jesus is. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:41.630 Not a perfect picture, but it can see a picture. 00:05:42.900 --> 00:05:48.660 And Romans actually goes on and says in chapter eight and verse one, rather rather than conviction, it talks about condemnation. 00:05:49.500 --> 00:05:51.420 And a lot of times we like to heap condemnation on ourselves. 00:05:51.420 --> 00:05:57.040 We walk around feeling guilty, like that's going to do us any good in our relationship with the Lord, just feeling bad all the time. 00:05:57.340 --> 00:06:04.140 And it says to this in Romans eight one, there is therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:06:05.580 --> 00:06:08.700 Meaning, if you're in Jesus, God has already paid for your sins. 00:06:09.020 --> 00:06:14.620 The cross bore the sins that you would live in this world, Jesus already paid for all. 00:06:14.620 --> 00:06:16.920 There's no reason to walk in condemnation because of it. 00:06:17.320 --> 00:06:19.440 Because Jesus was the sacrifice for those sins. 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:21.700 There's a there's a false philosophy that comes with this. 00:06:21.880 --> 00:06:22.620 I'll explain in a minute. 00:06:22.840 --> 00:06:25.680 But there is no condemnation to you who are in Christ. 00:06:26.100 --> 00:06:28.540 You understand that God loves you incredibly. 00:06:28.680 --> 00:06:35.860 Ephesians chapter one told us, God has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms, and he has loved you before the foundation of 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:36.160 the earth. 00:06:37.460 --> 00:06:40.560 Now, if God in Christ isn't condemning you, there's no reason for you to condemn yourself. 00:06:42.460 --> 00:06:44.290 But while God desires this to convict you. 00:06:45.780 --> 00:06:48.480 And the reason for that conviction isn't so you walk around this world feeling bad. 00:06:49.660 --> 00:06:53.100 The reason for that conviction is so that you draw near to Christ and enjoy your relationship with him. 00:06:54.700 --> 00:06:59.920 And just to clarify and be clear on the difference between what condemnation and conviction is, there's this little chart. 00:07:01.100 --> 00:07:03.060 I think it's in your notes this morning if you want to look at it. 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:05.680 But this is what I'll show you what condemnation makes us feel like. 00:07:05.740 --> 00:07:09.740 And then we'll talk about what condemnation conviction helps us to accomplish in our lives. 00:07:10.200 --> 00:07:12.400 I want to say, before I read this to you, I stole this, all right? 00:07:12.400 --> 00:07:14.850 This isn't I didn't this come from a brilliant mind? 00:07:15.220 --> 00:07:16.120 This came from. 00:07:16.460 --> 00:07:16.690 I think it was. 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:17.360 I believe it was. 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:19.600 Mark Driscoll wrote this for his congregation. 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:20.200 But. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:22.040 But this is the idea of what condemnation does. 00:07:22.980 --> 00:07:24.000 Condemnations from Satan. 00:07:25.100 --> 00:07:26.180 And it leads to despair. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:30.760 In revelation chapter 12, Satan's actually referred to as the accuser of the brethren. 00:07:31.440 --> 00:07:37.590 More than anything, what Satan likes to do is bring up past mistakes that we've made and thrown it, throw it in our faces if it makes us unworthy to be before the Lord. 00:07:37.880 --> 00:07:37.980 Okay? 00:07:38.820 --> 00:07:42.540 And based on our own self worth, we are unworthy to be before the Lord. 00:07:42.940 --> 00:07:46.120 But because of what Jesus has done, you get to enjoy the presence of the Lord. 00:07:46.140 --> 00:07:47.200 If you accept Christ's sacrifice. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:51.510 And so condemnation makes us feel like we're undeserving. 00:07:51.540 --> 00:07:52.400 It leads to despair. 00:07:52.400 --> 00:07:53.140 It comes from Satan. 00:07:53.200 --> 00:07:56.360 It ends in sorrow because there's no hope for that position. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:01.970 It makes us believe we can't change because all we do is we see ourselves as continued failures. 00:08:03.260 --> 00:08:05.080 It leads to the old identity and sin. 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:11.050 I'm a sinner and all I do is sin, so I might as well just keep doing what I'm doing because I'm good at it. 00:08:11.940 --> 00:08:13.940 It brings a vague uncertainty about sin. 00:08:15.380 --> 00:08:15.700 Yeah. 00:08:15.740 --> 00:08:24.460 When you get trapped in a religious system and you have no hope for getting rid of your sin, apart from anything that you're doing in this world, like good works, all 00:08:24.460 --> 00:08:32.179 you can do in this life is continue to do good works and just hope that eventually you may at some point cross that line where you've done good enough, where God's going to find you acceptable, but 00:08:32.179 --> 00:08:35.559 you never have the certainty of knowing if you've done enough good, where God's going to accept you. 00:08:36.760 --> 00:08:38.240 And so condemnation just heaps. 00:08:38.260 --> 00:08:40.480 This judgment on you and you never know is God am I? 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:41.880 Am I in your graces now or not? 00:08:41.900 --> 00:08:43.159 Do I find mercy now or not? 00:08:43.419 --> 00:08:45.000 And it just puts you in this place of despair. 00:08:45.580 --> 00:08:49.660 By the way, it's not biblical that theology, there's no hope in good works. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:52.880 It brings vague uncertainty about sin. 00:08:52.880 --> 00:08:57.280 It looks to self as the solution to sin, and it's a burden to bear. 00:08:58.320 --> 00:08:59.610 It's a burden that you can't bear. 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:02.040 And if you trust yourself to bear, it will last for eternity. 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:04.060 However. 00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:04.280 Conviction. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:06.700 Conviction is from God. 00:09:08.180 --> 00:09:10.160 It leads to life because it puts our hope in Jesus. 00:09:11.760 --> 00:09:14.240 Conviction ends in joy because it actually has a resolution. 00:09:14.340 --> 00:09:17.660 Jesus paid for your sins so that you can enjoy a relationship with him. 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:18.760 It brings reconciliation. 00:09:21.020 --> 00:09:21.240 Conviction. 00:09:21.540 --> 00:09:25.540 Conviction leads to a new identity in Christ that brings specific awareness of sin. 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:29.340 It looks to Jesus which you can't go wrong and it is a blessing. 00:09:30.940 --> 00:09:33.170 And what we often do when we treat sin like a condemnation. 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:33.880 This is what we do. 00:09:34.620 --> 00:09:37.040 I sin and I quit coming to church. 00:09:38.280 --> 00:09:44.420 I run the exact opposite direction of God, as if I'm going to go handle this on my own, fix my life, and then get back in church. 00:09:46.260 --> 00:09:46.760 Condemnation. 00:09:48.020 --> 00:09:49.020 Conviction works this way. 00:09:49.380 --> 00:09:50.060 I look at my sin. 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:51.940 I look at what Jesus has done for my sin. 00:09:51.940 --> 00:09:57.400 And rather than run away from this God who I know hates sin, I can run to him because he is also a God who forgives sin. 00:09:59.040 --> 00:10:03.920 And so, Ensign, I should find myself drawing closer to Jesus than further away from him. 00:10:05.040 --> 00:10:10.070 Because what God ultimately desires is restoration of my relationship to him. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:12.310 God created me for that. 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:20.570 It's healthy for us when we read questions like, if you were the primary tool in the world to display Jesus, what would the world say? 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:24.820 Looking at you as it relates to Jesus are condemnation? 00:10:24.820 --> 00:10:25.080 No. 00:10:26.260 --> 00:10:26.980 It's convicting. 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:32.560 It's a great place for my wife to stop and say, Lord, where is it? 00:10:33.160 --> 00:10:33.700 Where is it? 00:10:34.400 --> 00:10:41.340 Before my wife and my kid and my job and this world and the people I encounter? 00:10:41.520 --> 00:10:41.620 What? 00:10:41.880 --> 00:10:45.090 What is it I need to let go of just to let them see you? 00:10:47.640 --> 00:10:55.660 Paul carries this crazy idea that when we see the value of God's worth in our lives, that we're going to want to display that others could come to know him, and 00:10:55.660 --> 00:10:57.980 we're going to want to enjoy his presence in our lives. 00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:05.440 And so any time that we're convicted, it's about turning to Jesus and allowing the world to encounter Christ by encountering 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:05.540 me. 00:11:08.560 --> 00:11:10.580 God wants us to enjoy life with him. 00:11:10.580 --> 00:11:18.960 And so Paul, on the premise of everything that I just said, basically says that in chapter Ephesians chapter five and verse one, therefore. 00:11:20.260 --> 00:11:21.440 Be imitators of God. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:25.500 Allow the world to encounter Christ by encountering you. 00:11:26.580 --> 00:11:29.120 Imitate Christ in what you do. 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:37.220 I ask the question, do you know what the greatest miracle God ever did was? 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:41.260 What was the greatest miracle God ever performed? 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:42.700 I hope, I hope, I hope you know this answer. 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.720 I hope we're not searching for this, but what is the greatest miracle Jesus has ever performed? 00:11:49.260 --> 00:11:49.980 His death, burial and resurrection. 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:51.540 Right? 00:11:52.160 --> 00:11:57.060 God's death, burial, and resurrection is the greatest miracle he has ever performed. 00:11:57.100 --> 00:12:04.940 But the beauty of that miracle is that God has taken this miracle, that he's performed for the entire world, and he's transcended 00:12:04.940 --> 00:12:07.440 the magnitude of the world. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.820 And he's made it personal in interacting with your own life. 00:12:12.260 --> 00:12:18.120 And so this great miracle of Jesus resurrecting from the dead becomes your own personal miracle as you place your faith in Christ. 00:12:18.860 --> 00:12:25.510 And that miracle that God performed as he as he was resurrected from the dead, he's then given you the promise to those who placed their faith in him. 00:12:25.760 --> 00:12:32.980 You will also be resurrected from this world and God has given you a new life, a new identity, a new hope, a new perspective 00:12:32.980 --> 00:12:33.840 in him. 00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:39.620 And so that wonderful miracle that God worked for this world, God continues to work that miracle within you. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:41.820 And you become a part of the story. 00:12:43.560 --> 00:12:51.360 The greatest miracle that is ever performed continues to be performed as 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:52.260 people trust in Christ. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.910 God transforms you from the inside out. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:00.540 That's what Paul is asking us to do as a body of believers here. 00:13:01.700 --> 00:13:08.740 It's on the backdrop of Ephesians chapter two, knowing that God has brought the dead to life, to those who've trusted in him, he's resurrected us 00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:14.760 from the death in our relationship with him, to enjoying the life of a relationship with him is to imitate and mimic that. 00:13:16.760 --> 00:13:20.590 Show the beauty of Christ in your life. 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:26.280 Allow the world to encounter Christ by encountering you. 00:13:27.880 --> 00:13:33.200 And you have become a part of the great miracle for which Christ has performed. 00:13:35.020 --> 00:13:38.560 And we want this Jesus to look real because he is real. 00:13:40.540 --> 00:13:47.620 And so Paul then begins to explain to us just the detail of what that means for our lives, for the rest of the chapter, what we're going to look at is the specific 00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:48.900 of what he just said there. 00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:52.140 Be imitators of God. 00:13:52.460 --> 00:13:53.160 What does that even mean? 00:13:54.780 --> 00:13:59.330 So he says in the remainder of the chapter, he just reminds you that you are beloved children. 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:00.400 God is. 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:06.500 We're imitating this because God has extended his love in ways that you've never experienced in any other relationship in this world. 00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:12.140 God has given everything that he may bring you life and that you may experience joy with him. 00:14:12.260 --> 00:14:19.780 And so he says in verse two, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us an 00:14:19.780 --> 00:14:23.540 offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:33.180 Paul asks us to walk in this love, and I love what he does in this verse because we have a tendency of defining things our 00:14:33.180 --> 00:14:36.780 own way rather than just speculating what love really looks like. 00:14:36.900 --> 00:14:41.440 He then defines it as Christ gave himself up for us. 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:44.100 An offering and a sacrifice. 00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:46.580 That's a fragrant aroma. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:49.060 You want to know what real love looks like? 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:52.160 And you want to know what this love that I'm talking about and walking in looks like. 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:53.810 Look at Jesus, who gave everything. 00:14:55.040 --> 00:15:00.700 Love is about laying down everything that you are to extend yourself to the one you desire to love. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:02.580 And Jesus did that. 00:15:04.520 --> 00:15:09.160 And Paul is calling us as people is imitating him that we begin to walk in that love. 00:15:10.560 --> 00:15:13.080 I think Paul chooses this example for us. 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:15.700 First of all, to show us what real love is. 00:15:17.760 --> 00:15:18.960 Second is to show you. 00:15:20.560 --> 00:15:21.460 How you're truly loved. 00:15:23.140 --> 00:15:30.530 And third, I think this because when we understand and we can see how much we're loved in our lives, it really fills our cup. 00:15:32.540 --> 00:15:36.400 You think about the goodness and the love that God perpetually extends towards you. 00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:37.560 It fills your life up. 00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:46.720 And when you're in a place of your life that feels like despair and hopelessness, the reaction of your life isn't like bubbly and joyful, right? 00:15:47.300 --> 00:15:48.740 It's despair and helplessness. 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:57.960 And so Paul reminds us as people that when he asks us to imitate the goodness of God, he's saying in the context, because you are a beloved child 00:15:57.960 --> 00:16:02.560 of God, God has filled your cup up with all of his goodness before you. 00:16:02.560 --> 00:16:06.140 He says in Ephesians one, every spiritual blessing Jesus has extended your way. 00:16:06.460 --> 00:16:10.680 Fill yourself up with that and allow that cup to overflow in your lives. 00:16:12.880 --> 00:16:13.330 It's as goodness. 00:16:17.400 --> 00:16:18.440 Walk in love, he says. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:27.660 Walking in love for us just reminds us that we are, as people, to live in such a way that you desire to experience a loving 00:16:27.660 --> 00:16:30.700 relationship with him. 00:16:31.140 --> 00:16:38.020 Can I tell you that the most miserable people, I think, on the planet are Christians who have no passion to pursue Jesus? 00:16:39.900 --> 00:16:45.800 You put one fence in Christ and one fence in the world, and you try to get the best of the both worlds and you really get the joy of nothing. 00:16:47.800 --> 00:16:48.720 Sin is fun for the season. 00:16:49.540 --> 00:16:54.840 And so if you want to have fun and you don't want Jesus, then choose sin because you're going to have a lot more fun than just half heartedly following Christ. 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:01.800 But we know God has a far more joy than what sin presents, because sin is only fun for a season. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:08.140 But when you put your straddle the fence and you put your life in both areas of the world, there is no joy in that. 00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:10.069 The Bible calls that lukewarm Christianity. 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:12.460 It's unpleasing to the God. 00:17:12.540 --> 00:17:15.609 God has created you to pursue him alone. 00:17:15.800 --> 00:17:19.880 And in that find joy and walking in love. 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.260 It's saying to us that we experience a loving relationship with him. 00:17:23.260 --> 00:17:29.320 You could you could think of it like this way as a parent, you are always going to love your child, right, regardless of what your child does. 00:17:31.780 --> 00:17:35.640 But you as a parent with your child aren't always going to be able to experience that love together. 00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:35.840 Why? 00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:36.480 Well. 00:17:37.700 --> 00:17:40.960 Kids are stubborn sometimes, right? 00:17:41.600 --> 00:17:42.700 And sometimes they disobey. 00:17:43.620 --> 00:17:45.680 And sometimes they do things contrary to what your will is. 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:49.360 And so rather than experience the joy of that relationship, there exists tension. 00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:53.440 Because it's going contrary to what the relationship is intended to be. 00:17:54.780 --> 00:18:00.180 And so when the Bible talks about us needing to walk in love, or we should walk in love, our pursuits become God's desire. 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:01.720 Lord, I see how much you love me. 00:18:01.760 --> 00:18:03.060 God, I want to love you back. 00:18:03.060 --> 00:18:05.320 In the same way I want to experience life with you. 00:18:05.620 --> 00:18:07.950 Anytime you get a new friend, you know what makes great friendships? 00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:09.280 Enjoying the same things together. 00:18:10.780 --> 00:18:12.420 We got these bonds over particular things. 00:18:12.840 --> 00:18:16.520 You unite with people easier when you have common interests with them. 00:18:17.040 --> 00:18:24.240 And he's saying in this passage of Scripture that we're walking in love when our pursuit becomes what God's interest is, we have these common interests together, and we're pursuing these 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:24.860 things together. 00:18:24.860 --> 00:18:27.860 And so we're experiencing that relationship with one another. 00:18:27.860 --> 00:18:29.580 We're walking in love. 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.100 Anything contrary to that is really sin. 00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:42.780 When we walk in sin, we're walking contrary to the nature of God, and we're not experiencing the love and that relationship for what God's created us 00:18:42.780 --> 00:18:43.680 to experience it in. 00:18:45.060 --> 00:18:52.200 And so rather than walk in the love of that relationship, we're walking away from his presence being perceived 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:52.800 in our lives. 00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:58.750 And Paul describes for us as believers in order to imitate him. 00:18:59.220 --> 00:19:02.500 It begins with learning to walk with him and in him. 00:19:03.860 --> 00:19:09.800 And as we walk in him, we begin to display to this world what a walk in Christ looks like. 00:19:11.560 --> 00:19:18.600 And so Paul asks us in this passage of Scripture to imitate him and to walk in him and to consider how much he's loved you, because it's the inspiration 00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:20.740 to us to also respond to him in love. 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:27.400 And so, as Paul tells us, the beginning picture for us is allowed the world to encounter Christ by encountering us. 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:30.520 He then describes for us the next portion of this text. 00:19:30.840 --> 00:19:34.220 It starts in verse three and it goes, I think to verse two, verse 15. 00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:36.700 He describes for us what it looks like to not do that. 00:19:38.340 --> 00:19:44.140 And the last half of the verse, he describes for us what it looks like for us as believers if that is your desire. 00:19:45.840 --> 00:19:52.880 And so he says this beginning in verse, in verse three says, but immorality or any impurity or greed must not even 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:56.440 be named among you, as is proper among saints. 00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:04.720 And thus there must be no filthiness and silly talk or coarse jesting which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks for this. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:11.860 You know with certainty that no immoral or impure person, or covetous man who is an idolater, has an inheritance 00:20:11.860 --> 00:20:13.440 in the kingdom of Christ and God. 00:20:14.600 --> 00:20:16.280 Let no one deceive you with empty words. 00:20:17.120 --> 00:20:23.680 For because of these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience. 00:20:28.100 --> 00:20:29.600 Convicting. 00:20:29.900 --> 00:20:30.700 Or condemning. 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:36.880 Paul begins to describe for us a life that's apart from Christ. 00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:38.140 And here's the reason I think he's doing that. 00:20:40.060 --> 00:20:44.820 It's because the believers in the church of Ephesus became lethargic in their relationship with Jesus. 00:20:44.820 --> 00:20:48.920 They didn't see the significance of living in light of who Christ was and walking in that love. 00:20:50.020 --> 00:20:55.920 A matter of fact, I think there was a false philosophy that developed early on in Christianity, and Paul addressed it a few times, and the belief goes like this. 00:20:56.820 --> 00:20:59.420 This is this is not a this is not accurate theology, okay? 00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:02.960 Belief goes like this Jesus already died for all of my sins. 00:21:04.300 --> 00:21:08.240 And so since I have Jesus and he already died for every sin I'm going to do anyway, I might as well live like hell. 00:21:08.760 --> 00:21:11.120 All right, because Christ already paid for it all. 00:21:12.580 --> 00:21:14.860 Jesus paid for my sins so I can just keep on sinning. 00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:16.560 Yippee, right? 00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:16.860 I'm. 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:20.520 Jesus is my get out of hell free card and so I can do whatever I want. 00:21:21.540 --> 00:21:27.740 And Paul looks at that particular type of thinking and theology that developed, and he says, listen, this should not even be named among you. 00:21:27.780 --> 00:21:31.680 As a matter of fact, if you read Romans chapter six, he contradicts that philosophy. 00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:32.860 It's all Romans six is about. 00:21:33.060 --> 00:21:35.240 Shall we go on sinning, that grace may abound? 00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:36.480 May it never be. 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:37.360 Why? 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.800 Because Jesus has given everything to know you. 00:21:43.600 --> 00:21:45.040 And he wants you to know him. 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:47.760 And rather than walk in sin. 00:21:49.360 --> 00:21:52.000 To know him means to walk in his love. 00:21:54.100 --> 00:21:58.710 Live a life in favor of him, rather than a life that opposes him. 00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:07.960 When you truly see when Paul writes this letter expressing to the believers, when you truly see the love of Christ that's going that's been extended to 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:10.590 you, you're going to want to love Jesus in return. 00:22:13.080 --> 00:22:15.640 As far as eternity relates, you had no hope. 00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:17.500 You were dead. 00:22:18.520 --> 00:22:20.860 There was no relationship with God to be had. 00:22:21.540 --> 00:22:23.380 You were separated him from him forever. 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:32.200 And because of Christ's great love for you, he has extended every thing that you may experience the joy of the Lord for all eternity. 00:22:34.040 --> 00:22:37.480 Why not respond to that in a way that says, Jesus, I love you too. 00:22:40.020 --> 00:22:45.220 Bible talks about in this verse six, a very pressing theology for us. 00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:51.480 He says to the believers who are being adopted into this philosophy that they can live however they want. 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:53.220 Let no one deceive you with empty words. 00:22:54.520 --> 00:22:54.660 For. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:59.420 Because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:09.640 I want to just be honest this morning and say this God judges sin. 00:23:12.560 --> 00:23:16.360 You think as a as a as a pastor, you consider the wrath of God. 00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:25.680 If I were to come here this morning and to just talk about hell, I'm going to talk about hell for just a minute, because we're talking about the wrath of God. 00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:27.600 If I were to come here and teach you about hell. 00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:30.140 And hell isn't a real place. 00:23:32.260 --> 00:23:35.230 How horrible for me to talk about a place like that. 00:23:37.340 --> 00:23:41.840 And people have a genuine fear, rightly so, of what hell represents. 00:23:42.100 --> 00:23:48.160 How horrific would it be just to flash hell over our lives, to manipulate people, to do whatever it is that you want them to do? 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:48.920 Right. 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:49.900 That's not loving at all. 00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:53.200 But if hell is real. 00:23:54.540 --> 00:23:55.960 And I don't talk about it. 00:23:56.980 --> 00:24:04.100 How unloving would that be to not share about what hell is and what it represents and everything that hell is supposed to 00:24:04.100 --> 00:24:05.660 be as it communicates to us in Scripture. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.270 And so I'm sort of in a, in a false dilemma. 00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:16.100 And so I want to I want to or false a dilemma in explaining that I want to tread lightly in talking about hell, I want to tread soberly, I want to tread respectfully, but 00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:18.220 I want to tread in the way that Scripture talks about Jesus. 00:24:19.520 --> 00:24:24.140 It talks about the wrath of God and coming upon people who are the sons of disobedience. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:33.200 I would just say this today in our in our theological thinking, there was a popular book, even written 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:35.920 last year about just hell's not real. 00:24:37.060 --> 00:24:40.280 God just loves us because he just should look at us, right? 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:42.440 And so there's no such thing as hell. 00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:43.240 Just. 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.580 I'm lovable. 00:24:45.580 --> 00:24:46.920 God, right? 00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:53.400 If hell doesn't exist, why in the world would Jesus die on the cross? 00:24:56.120 --> 00:24:57.440 I mean, that was the sickest joke. 00:25:00.060 --> 00:25:07.340 What is it so horrific about the eternity to come apart from God, that Jesus saw the necessity to come and sacrifice his life in such a horrific way? 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:13.380 That says to me that eternity is something to take serious. 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:20.620 You think about what allows us to escape the idea of what hell is about? 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.680 Because I'm just lovely, right? 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.480 If God's wrath. 00:25:30.300 --> 00:25:31.200 It's poured out on Jesus. 00:25:33.280 --> 00:25:35.000 What makes me more special than him. 00:25:38.620 --> 00:25:40.050 Well, look at the teachings of Christ. 00:25:41.280 --> 00:25:45.380 You realize Jesus taught about hell twice as much as he taught about heaven. 00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:53.640 There is something significant about your relationship with Christ. 00:25:55.840 --> 00:25:59.080 There's something significant about what Jesus sought to accomplish on the cross. 00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:06.200 In addition to the escape of hell, it's also about enjoying a relationship with him. 00:26:06.260 --> 00:26:10.880 And here's the dilemma of why people challenge themselves over whether or not the doctrine of hell is real or isn't real. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:16.460 It's because they wrestle with this question how can a loving God exist and hell exists? 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:25.280 I mean, how can I look at that question and think, I just read in verse one and verse two, God's talking about walking in love, and we just cheerfully skip, or rather 00:26:25.280 --> 00:26:26.360 love and love. 00:26:26.360 --> 00:26:27.800 And he's going to let us love and love. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:30.860 And then you get to verse six and you're thinking, and now the wrath of God is there. 00:26:31.820 --> 00:26:38.840 How in the world can I take verse one, talking about a love of God, and unite it with verse six, talking about the wrath of God, and expect to believe that there is a loving God 00:26:38.840 --> 00:26:39.320 who exists. 00:26:40.540 --> 00:26:41.250 There is no help. 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:44.190 That's where the premise comes from. 00:26:47.120 --> 00:26:48.780 Let me give you an illustration to see if this helps. 00:26:51.280 --> 00:26:53.620 You walk into a courtroom. 00:26:55.540 --> 00:26:56.520 And there's a man on trial. 00:26:58.620 --> 00:27:05.700 And as you're sitting there for the man that's on trial, the reason you're in that courtroom today is because you're the one who's been violated against. 00:27:09.280 --> 00:27:10.180 Say something horrific happened. 00:27:12.360 --> 00:27:19.420 Your child was brutally beaten, raped and murdered by the individual who was in this courtroom. 00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:22.980 And your heart is broken. 00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:26.740 And all you want is justice for what's been done. 00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.820 And the judge walks in. 00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:33.700 And he simply steps up and says, you know what? 00:27:33.800 --> 00:27:34.400 You're guilty. 00:27:35.820 --> 00:27:36.340 But you're free. 00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:37.640 Go. 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:38.100 Enjoy your life. 00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:43.230 How would you, as a parent, react in that courtroom? 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:47.460 I mean, your kid just lost your life, and. 00:27:47.560 --> 00:27:52.060 And the judge said he loves that individual, but where's the love for you? 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:55.620 Where's the appreciation for what's been done against you? 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:58.800 Where is the mercy and the grace and the justice? 00:27:59.180 --> 00:28:00.340 Where is it? 00:28:04.380 --> 00:28:04.960 Look at Jesus. 00:28:07.800 --> 00:28:08.160 Dying on the cross. 00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.480 God's. 00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:13.000 Son. 00:28:14.780 --> 00:28:16.160 God created this world. 00:28:17.580 --> 00:28:19.860 For a sacrifice for God. 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:20.340 Excuse me? 00:28:20.340 --> 00:28:23.060 God created this world for a relationship with him. 00:28:24.820 --> 00:28:27.560 And the world responds and hate to him. 00:28:29.260 --> 00:28:32.060 We reject our creator, we become our own gods. 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:37.420 We enjoy sin rather than we enjoy his presence. 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:39.340 We take His Son and he is crucified. 00:28:39.840 --> 00:28:45.810 The world crucifies Jesus and God cries out for justice. 00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:51.510 Unless God brings his justice, there is no love. 00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:55.440 God not only loves us, God loves himself. 00:28:56.180 --> 00:28:56.980 God is love. 00:28:57.620 --> 00:29:01.040 God lives in community with both father, son and spirit. 00:29:02.560 --> 00:29:09.000 Loving one another and God in that love desires justice for what's been done even against himself. 00:29:09.840 --> 00:29:11.980 Because God loves himself. 00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:17.810 And he brings justice because God judges sin. 00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:20.340 And the beauty of it all. 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:23.880 As the Bible also describes his justice. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:31.240 This way you go before the courtroom and now, this time, rather than you being sinned against, you're the one who sinned against your creator, and you're 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:32.100 coming for your judgment. 00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:37.720 And God pronounces his judgment upon you are guilty. 00:29:37.760 --> 00:29:44.800 But Jesus steps in and he pays the penalty for your sins, that you may experience a relationship with him and 00:29:44.800 --> 00:29:46.680 at the cross of Christ. 00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:53.820 Not only do you see the justice of God being displayed for us as people, but also the love of God being declared to us as people, that God 00:29:53.820 --> 00:29:55.940 is just and God is love. 00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:59.020 And God desires to have that relationship with you. 00:30:02.850 --> 00:30:05.250 The justice of God is a loving thing. 00:30:07.540 --> 00:30:09.060 And we all have a choice. 00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:14.920 To go into eternity telling God, God, I will pay for my own penalty. 00:30:17.360 --> 00:30:18.680 And the weight of that is for eternity. 00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:23.290 Or God, I accept what you've done for me. 00:30:25.800 --> 00:30:26.420 And when you consider. 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:28.180 That love. 00:30:30.560 --> 00:30:36.900 The hopelessness that we have, but now the relationship that we enjoy in Jesus forever. 00:30:38.800 --> 00:30:43.360 Paul looks at this passage as a scripture, and he's saying these things that are in your life. 00:30:43.800 --> 00:30:48.860 Let them have no presence, but rather be the imprint of Christ in this world. 00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:50.340 Display him. 00:30:50.340 --> 00:30:52.890 When the world looks at you, let them see Jesus. 00:30:59.040 --> 00:31:00.920 Paul then goes on and describes this way. 00:31:02.120 --> 00:31:02.870 He says in verse seven. 00:31:04.340 --> 00:31:04.700 Therefore. 00:31:06.320 --> 00:31:07.780 To not be partakers with them. 00:31:09.620 --> 00:31:10.670 For you were formerly darkness. 00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:14.160 But now you are light in the Lord. 00:31:15.620 --> 00:31:17.380 And so walk as children of light. 00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:22.820 But the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. 00:31:24.340 --> 00:31:28.020 Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:38.200 Verse ten just says to us as people, when we walk out of the world and into Christ, we're learning what that looks 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:38.700 like. 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:41.200 We're not going to do that perfectly. 00:31:43.320 --> 00:31:44.010 We're going to make mistakes. 00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:47.910 But what we're in the process of doing is we're not about avoiding sin. 00:31:48.100 --> 00:31:50.360 Our perspective isn't how can I avoid sin? 00:31:50.360 --> 00:31:51.090 How can I avoid sin? 00:31:52.120 --> 00:31:54.510 Our perspective is how can I walk with Christ? 00:31:55.880 --> 00:31:56.390 And in so doing. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:59.460 My life walks away from sin. 00:32:01.060 --> 00:32:04.470 Jesus, how can I draw to you more and display your goodness more? 00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:08.100 God, I'm learning what it means to walk in your will. 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:15.660 And so he goes on in verse 11 and he says this, do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead expose them. 00:32:17.100 --> 00:32:20.580 For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:25.080 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 00:32:25.080 --> 00:32:32.230 For this reason it says, awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 00:32:33.090 --> 00:32:36.130 He's talking about the light of who you are in Christ. 00:32:37.760 --> 00:32:42.360 Sometimes we get to places in our lives where the circumstances around us seem so dark that we just get hopeless. 00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:48.490 I always remind myself of a quote by Winston Churchill that says, these are not dark days. 00:32:48.600 --> 00:32:49.210 These are great days. 00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:56.460 For no matter how dark the day may be, the greater your light is in Christ, the darker the moment, the greater the light of Christ pierces 00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:59.820 into that darkness and shines forth his light into this world. 00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:08.200 And so the idea behind this text is that you don't lose hope in the midst of darkness, when everything else seems to not be going your way, and people are disagreeing with you and they can't 00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:15.280 figure out what in the world it is you're doing with this Jesus, your Jesus that you're choosing to impact this world with, is shining so beautifully into that 00:33:15.280 --> 00:33:22.440 darkness that you just consider the joy of Christ that's coming forth in your life that others may see. 00:33:24.450 --> 00:33:30.680 May the Lord, the world, look at us and see Christ the way that we're choosing to live. 00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:37.550 And so Paul does this for us in the last portion of this text that we're going to talk about together. 00:33:38.120 --> 00:33:45.220 If your heart's desire is to be a display of Christ for this world, that they may see you and see 00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:45.600 Jesus. 00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:54.360 Paul takes the last few verses of this text, and he describes for us if that's your desire, here are some things in your life 00:33:54.360 --> 00:33:57.780 that could help you show the beauty of Christ as you live in this world. 00:33:59.320 --> 00:33:59.780 He says this. 00:34:01.220 --> 00:34:05.660 Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men. 00:34:06.900 --> 00:34:07.420 But as wise. 00:34:09.040 --> 00:34:12.340 Make the most of your time because the days are evil. 00:34:14.580 --> 00:34:16.580 The Greek text gives this idea. 00:34:16.600 --> 00:34:23.699 It's talking about time in the Greek text, but it gives this idea that we as people take a step back and we look at our life and we realize our life has a beginning, 00:34:23.699 --> 00:34:25.960 and our life very soon will have an ending. 00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:32.460 And we only have so much time in this world as we consider just the shortness of our life in light of eternity. 00:34:32.820 --> 00:34:40.239 We make the conscious decision that with what we're going to do in this world, is just allow our lives to display 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:41.290 the beauty of Christ. 00:34:42.780 --> 00:34:44.100 You've only got so much time. 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:46.560 Use it for what counts. 00:34:47.639 --> 00:34:49.000 Use it for what matters. 00:34:49.280 --> 00:34:50.739 Making a difference in this world. 00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:58.880 And so Paul goes on and says in verse 17, if you take the desire to imitate Christ in this world, you understand you've only got so much 00:34:59.040 --> 00:35:03.520 time to display that and only so much time that you can make an impact for Christ in this world. 00:35:03.540 --> 00:35:07.040 In verse 17 begins to explain the needs of the things that we can do. 00:35:07.040 --> 00:35:14.180 He says, so then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not get drunk with wine, 00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:15.920 for this is dissipation. 00:35:17.160 --> 00:35:24.200 But be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with 00:35:24.200 --> 00:35:26.600 your heart to the Lord. 00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:33.420 And so Paul says to us in these passages of Scripture, it's important that we become learners of what God's will is. 00:35:33.480 --> 00:35:38.220 If you're interested in loving Jesus the way Jesus desires to be loved, learn about him. 00:35:38.260 --> 00:35:38.860 And here's how you do it. 00:35:39.220 --> 00:35:41.160 Be controlled by the spirit. 00:35:41.180 --> 00:35:44.360 Being spirit filled literally means being spirit controlled. 00:35:44.440 --> 00:35:46.050 It's saying to us, we surrender. 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:51.340 It's looking at our lives and saying, God, I could live for all of this, and I'm looking at you. 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:58.620 And when I consider the things that my life could be impacted for in this world as I live it out, I surrender to you. 00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:00.840 God have your way in me. 00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:03.640 Spirit control me. 00:36:05.940 --> 00:36:13.200 And if your desires to walk in the way of the Lord, not only do you allow the spirit to have control by surrendering to God's will in your life, he 00:36:13.200 --> 00:36:18.260 says that we speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:36:19.780 --> 00:36:23.110 You know, we're communicating and teaching the Word of God to each other as we sing songs. 00:36:25.060 --> 00:36:26.360 You had all the books in the Bible? 00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:28.740 Do you know the most quoted book from the Bible? 00:36:29.540 --> 00:36:30.240 It's the Book of Psalms. 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:34.970 The most quoted book in the New Testament is the Book of Psalms. 00:36:35.200 --> 00:36:36.970 The Book of Psalms is a book of songs. 00:36:37.380 --> 00:36:44.190 When you study early Hebrew tradition, when the Hebrew children, the Jewish people, when they wanted to learn scripture, do you know what they did? 00:36:45.080 --> 00:36:46.550 They put it to songs. 00:36:47.600 --> 00:36:49.240 We learn better from Psalms. 00:36:50.020 --> 00:36:51.620 We memorize things better from you did it. 00:36:51.970 --> 00:36:56.280 If you went to school and had a major test, all these definitions, you got to learn, right? 00:36:56.420 --> 00:36:59.400 We even did it with our ABCs and A, B, C, d, E, F, g. 00:36:59.580 --> 00:37:01.250 This is how I learn these letters, right? 00:37:03.040 --> 00:37:06.640 The songs do it and Paul sang to us. 00:37:06.640 --> 00:37:09.260 If you want to learn God's word, just sing it man. 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:10.300 Sing the Word of God. 00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:12.940 Do you know some of the best theologians out there today? 00:37:12.940 --> 00:37:15.660 I hate to say this, but it's rappers, man. 00:37:15.680 --> 00:37:21.640 If you like rap, the theologians that are coming out in just the idea of Christian rap, it's amazing. 00:37:21.680 --> 00:37:24.220 They put so much more than my sermon can even possess. 00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:26.240 They say it so fast, it's amazing. 00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:28.680 I mean, you got young kids. 00:37:28.680 --> 00:37:34.330 If you want your young kids to learn what it means to pursue the Lord in their lives, do you know the best way you could do that as a parent? 00:37:34.380 --> 00:37:41.640 When they get in the car, turn on K-Love, turn on a Christian song, help them to learn the songs you know, they're probably not 00:37:41.640 --> 00:37:42.700 going to know the theology. 00:37:42.860 --> 00:37:47.340 Now, explain to me how the theology of love I don't know, I don't know, I just know God loves me. 00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:47.860 Okay? 00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:54.860 But as your kids sings that song when they get older, they're going to keep singing those songs because they're going to remember, there were times in my life where I was, 00:37:55.200 --> 00:37:59.450 I was riding in the car with Mom and dad, and we sang this song, and all of a sudden it's just coming to my mind. 00:37:59.520 --> 00:38:01.820 Now that I'm older, I'm thinking about these words. 00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:07.820 And man, if I just thought about this as I was growing up, those that those words and that song, they're powerful. 00:38:10.080 --> 00:38:17.180 I mean, Paul, we could say we could take it loosely and say, Paul's saying to sing these spiritual songs to us, but really his focus is the word 00:38:17.180 --> 00:38:20.040 of God that we would come to know him. 00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:26.820 And can I tell you those first two passages just to surrender ourselves in the spirit and to saturate ourselves in the Word of God? 00:38:27.080 --> 00:38:27.720 It's easy to do. 00:38:27.780 --> 00:38:28.090 You know what he's saying? 00:38:28.680 --> 00:38:29.020 Pray. 00:38:30.640 --> 00:38:32.220 Surrender to God in prayer. 00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:33.760 You do that in prayer. 00:38:34.080 --> 00:38:36.720 Just stop and pray and give your life to God and surrender to him. 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:38.540 And take some time to read your word. 00:38:38.620 --> 00:38:40.540 Saturate yourself in God's Word. 00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:44.780 Determine and understand and grow what the will and the will of the Lord together. 00:38:47.340 --> 00:38:49.270 If it's your desire to imitate Christ. 00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:51.520 And so he says in verse 20. 00:38:53.580 --> 00:38:58.740 Always give thanks for the things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the father. 00:39:00.300 --> 00:39:02.340 And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 00:39:05.160 --> 00:39:10.240 It's hard to live life and perspective of my relationship to Christ. 00:39:12.220 --> 00:39:14.660 It's hard to live it contrary to him if I'm not thankful. 00:39:16.620 --> 00:39:20.880 I determine in my heart that I'm going to carry an attitude of thankfulness for what Jesus has done for me. 00:39:22.040 --> 00:39:29.180 It puts me in a position where I'm recognizing him in my life everywhere I go, carrying an attitude of thankfulness 00:39:29.180 --> 00:39:30.420 for what Christ has done. 00:39:30.840 --> 00:39:33.600 Saturate yourself and understanding that his love that's been extended to you. 00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:36.560 Fill yourself up with His word and surrender to His Spirit. 00:39:36.840 --> 00:39:38.620 Take some time and just pray before the Lord. 00:39:38.720 --> 00:39:41.880 And he says in verse 21, and be subject to one another in fear of Christ. 00:39:44.400 --> 00:39:51.440 So say next week we're going to start just a couple of weeks in talking about being a godly spouse 00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:58.440 and being a godly parent, I can tell you the greatest mission field you have is as parents and as a 00:39:58.640 --> 00:40:02.780 spouse is to be what Christ desires for you to be before your spouse and before your children. 00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:05.000 And so it's important to talk about. 00:40:05.040 --> 00:40:08.960 And I think Paul immediately jumps into all these things that we're supposed to do in our lives. 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:13.660 And he specifically brings it down to the family because of the purpose for which God created the family. 00:40:14.700 --> 00:40:21.860 And on the backdrop of talking about marriage, Paul says this in verse 21, just before he talks about the husband and wife, he says, be subject 00:40:21.860 --> 00:40:23.510 to one another in fear of Christ. 00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:25.960 Can I tell you? 00:40:26.120 --> 00:40:26.990 We're not good at that. 00:40:28.240 --> 00:40:28.780 Culturally. 00:40:30.640 --> 00:40:33.520 we don't like to do things unless there's something in it for us. 00:40:35.300 --> 00:40:35.960 Now I'll do that. 00:40:36.040 --> 00:40:36.500 But what do I get? 00:40:36.860 --> 00:40:36.960 Right? 00:40:37.540 --> 00:40:38.040 You're a little kid. 00:40:38.080 --> 00:40:38.420 Take out the trash. 00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:39.120 I'll do it. 00:40:39.120 --> 00:40:39.690 But give me a dollar. 00:40:40.710 --> 00:40:41.700 What's in it for me? 00:40:43.080 --> 00:40:47.320 We've learned such an individualistic approach to our society that we're all about what's in it for us. 00:40:49.120 --> 00:40:52.580 And we are last in thinking about what it means for the community. 00:40:53.980 --> 00:40:59.800 And when you flip it for the sake of Christ your first, and thinking about what it is as it relates to community and last thinking about self. 00:41:02.020 --> 00:41:06.820 And so when Paul is saying this in verse 21, he's saying, be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 00:41:07.660 --> 00:41:09.350 And he's about to talk in the context of the family. 00:41:09.540 --> 00:41:10.630 But we could talk in any relationship. 00:41:12.140 --> 00:41:15.020 Do not love people because of what they're going to do for you. 00:41:16.320 --> 00:41:19.420 Do you not do things for people because it might pay off for you in the end? 00:41:21.020 --> 00:41:25.330 Do things for people because you love Jesus regardless of what they do. 00:41:26.520 --> 00:41:27.860 I can even say it in the context of marriage. 00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:29.960 I don't want to preach a whole sermon on this, but. 00:41:30.680 --> 00:41:36.200 But sometimes in our marriage we get selfish and we choose not to love our spouse because our spouse isn't loving us the way that we want to be loved. 00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:38.740 And that's not the way God called you at all. 00:41:40.460 --> 00:41:46.310 When you made a commitment to your spouse, God calls you to extend your love to them regardless of the way that they love you. 00:41:47.620 --> 00:41:49.190 That's the vow we make. 00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:52.440 Love is not about what you do. 00:41:52.440 --> 00:41:54.220 For me to deserve the love that I'm giving you. 00:41:54.380 --> 00:41:55.890 Love is about giving itself anyway. 00:41:57.400 --> 00:42:04.680 And when it says in this passage, be subject to one another, it's saying, regardless of the way other people are reacting around 00:42:04.680 --> 00:42:10.920 you, God has called you to be his light in this world, not because of them, but because of Jesus. 00:42:13.220 --> 00:42:16.620 Jesus is worth it. 00:42:16.920 --> 00:42:20.330 You think about if Jesus took that approach to our relationship with him? 00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:24.620 God, you're going to love me because I'm lovable, right? 00:42:26.060 --> 00:42:26.780 God will never love you. 00:42:28.440 --> 00:42:34.020 The standard of perfection that he has for us is so unachievable that there is nothing you can do to earn his love. 00:42:34.920 --> 00:42:37.840 Matter of fact, there's nothing that you can give God that he can't do himself. 00:42:40.140 --> 00:42:41.360 But he chooses to love you anyway. 00:42:41.420 --> 00:42:42.260 And here's the miracle of that. 00:42:43.440 --> 00:42:46.660 When you choose to love someone despite the way they respond to you. 00:42:47.660 --> 00:42:49.340 It gives them the opportunity to change. 00:42:51.700 --> 00:42:52.440 It gives them the freedom. 00:42:54.820 --> 00:42:57.930 We love him because he first loved us. 00:42:58.800 --> 00:43:03.720 And in doing that and extending that love and subjecting his self for us. 00:43:05.940 --> 00:43:11.420 We experience that relationship with him holistically and beautifully. 00:43:12.620 --> 00:43:14.100 Be imitators of Christ. 00:43:14.280 --> 00:43:14.900 Let me leave you with this thought. 00:43:16.820 --> 00:43:17.480 If you were the tool. 00:43:18.620 --> 00:43:19.500 To display Christ. 00:43:21.100 --> 00:43:22.520 What would the world say about Jesus? 00:43:24.680 --> 00:43:30.220 If your desire is to imitate him in this world, walk in that love. 00:43:31.900 --> 00:43:33.600 Walk, experiencing him. 00:43:34.840 --> 00:43:36.620 It's not about what you're doing wrong. 00:43:36.620 --> 00:43:38.920 It's just about pursuing Christ in this world. 00:43:40.300 --> 00:43:44.900 Let go of the sin and understand that you are beloved in Christ. 00:43:46.500 --> 00:43:53.820 And allow the spirit to have control and learn about him as you open up His word and sing those songs of praises as you see the beauty of 00:43:53.880 --> 00:44:00.420 who Christ is and subject yourself to one another not because of what they're doing, but because of who Christ is and man. 00:44:00.420 --> 00:44:05.330 When the world looks out and sees you and sees this church, they see Jesus.