WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.760 I'm going to invite you to second Corinthians Chapter 13. 00:00:02.840 --> 00:00:05.380 Second Corinthians Chapter 13 is where we're going to be today. 00:00:05.940 --> 00:00:08.520 And we're coming into the last section of the Book of Corinthians. 00:00:08.520 --> 00:00:09.430 We've been in this for a while. 00:00:09.860 --> 00:00:13.820 We're going to look at the first half of 13 today, just six verses today. 00:00:13.820 --> 00:00:17.480 We're only going to look at six verses because these verses are heavy slating today. 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:20.420 So I would be a little patient with it and then we'll end next week. 00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:25.100 And then after that, we're going to dive into the book of Romans, which I am pumped about going into Romans. 00:00:25.180 --> 00:00:30.580 I have intentionally not preached on Romans here at our church for well ever. 00:00:30.740 --> 00:00:33.020 And on Sunday we're going to dive into that together. 00:00:33.800 --> 00:00:37.120 And I'm not this Sunday, but the following Sunday we'll start the series of Romans. 00:00:37.460 --> 00:00:38.720 And I'm excited about that. 00:00:38.720 --> 00:00:45.940 This Romans is considered the book of books when it comes to the New Testament, and that's part of the reasons I've been hesitant for it, because getting into 00:00:45.940 --> 00:00:47.360 this book, I didn't want to mess it up. 00:00:47.540 --> 00:00:51.260 I just revere the book of Romans and it's a great book we'll be in together. 00:00:51.760 --> 00:00:53.830 But Second Corinthians Chapter 13 is where we are today. 00:00:54.220 --> 00:00:59.630 And just to dive into this as we get to the conclusion of this book, if you're just now joining us, you're at the grand finale. 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:02.240 I don't know if that's good or bad for you, but welcome. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:04.019 We're glad you're in Second Corinthians. 00:01:04.019 --> 00:01:11.040 If you remember these last few chapters of this book, Paul's been specifically dealing with the false teachers that have corrupted and hurt the Church of 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:11.590 Corinth. 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:19.480 If you remember how this story began or this letter that Paul wrote began, he's writing to a church that has become adverse to 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:19.780 him. 00:01:20.420 --> 00:01:26.550 And the reason it's become adverse to him is because these leaders have crept into the church and they've preached a different message, a different Jesus, a different gospel. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:31.320 They've maligned the Apostle Paul and poison the church's perspective of him. 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:38.160 And Paul has continued to be kind towards them and continue to minister to towards them and refuses to give up on them. 00:01:38.240 --> 00:01:44.350 And finally, in the last few chapters of this book, he dealt with in the beginning his relationship to the church in the last few chapters. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:50.220 Now he turns to the false teachers and he specifically deals with these false teachers. 00:01:50.440 --> 00:01:55.480 And this is where we're engaging this story today and the encouragement you're going to find in second Corinthians 13. 00:01:55.620 --> 00:01:57.840 It carries the idea of a church being ready. 00:01:58.580 --> 00:02:01.320 Paul is giving them a warning to this point. 00:02:01.320 --> 00:02:05.500 He's gotten to the place where he's warning them, which makes this section a little heavier. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:12.960 He's got the place now where he's getting right to the crux of the problem that he's had with the church and the corruption 00:02:12.980 --> 00:02:14.300 that's taking place in there. 00:02:14.700 --> 00:02:15.620 And he's dealing with that. 00:02:15.640 --> 00:02:18.500 And he's writing this letter of warning to them. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:24.690 But he carries a certain attitude that he his desire is for the church to be ready, not just on an individual basis. 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:27.960 If you've picked up the notes this morning, you see the title of today's notes, be ready. 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:35.660 But he means it in the sense of corporately and not just ready for Paul's coming because Paul is going to visit the church, but 00:02:35.660 --> 00:02:39.140 ultimately he wants them ready for how they can live their lives in light of Christ. 00:02:40.220 --> 00:02:44.520 If their hearts are ready to receive the Apostle Paul, then their hearts are going to be ready to walk with Jesus. 00:02:44.940 --> 00:02:52.000 After all, remember, the Apostle Paul is an apostle, and to reject this apostle in the first century is 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:55.200 to reject the mouthpiece of God and to reject Jesus himself. 00:02:55.220 --> 00:03:02.260 And so Paul continued to labor for this church, even though this church rejected them, because he knew how important his relationship to the church 00:03:02.260 --> 00:03:05.860 was, because it directly impacted their relationship with the Lord. 00:03:06.300 --> 00:03:08.960 And so Paul wanted them to be ready. 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:14.200 And so what does it look like for a church to be ready for what God has called us to in this world? 00:03:14.200 --> 00:03:21.220 That's, I think, should be our heart's desire, that God is going to lead us on a path, on a journey as his people, to do 00:03:21.220 --> 00:03:28.280 certain things, to be a light for him in our valley, where God has us, in the relationships where God has placed us, God called you into 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:29.550 this world to make a difference. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:29.940 Right? 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:33.240 I mean, it goes all the way back to the Book of Genesis when God created us in his image. 00:03:33.260 --> 00:03:36.700 He said, Be fruitful, multiply and bless. 00:03:36.720 --> 00:03:43.900 And so God's desire for us was to advance the goodness of His glory in this world and the way that we demonstrated his image and how we lived 00:03:43.900 --> 00:03:45.740 life with those around us. 00:03:45.900 --> 00:03:48.220 And so that's been God's desire for us from the beginning. 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:52.740 And so what does that look like for us as God's people to be mobilized for that purpose? 00:03:52.880 --> 00:03:54.620 How are we to be ready? 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.720 We see that in the first six verses today. 00:03:57.700 --> 00:04:04.900 And point number one in your notes, if you have notes in front of you as this to be patient and persistent with others. 00:04:06.480 --> 00:04:08.540 To be patient and persistent with us. 00:04:08.540 --> 00:04:15.660 When God calls us to do this journey collectively, God creates us as a community to live on purpose for 00:04:15.660 --> 00:04:18.600 his kingdom as a group of his people. 00:04:18.640 --> 00:04:21.959 We have we're not just gathered to gather, to gather today. 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:24.140 We have a mission that God has called us on. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:28.460 There's an intention to God's church, intentionality to God's church. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.780 And we want to live for that in intentionality. 00:04:31.580 --> 00:04:34.680 And it's to be patient and persistent with others in order to accomplish that. 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:41.220 And we see this second Corinthians chapter three, verse one, he says this is the third time I am coming to you. 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:46.640 Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 00:04:46.640 --> 00:04:48.560 Let me let me deal with this first verse, Paul. 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:49.460 Paul is saying this. 00:04:49.860 --> 00:04:51.480 This is the third time I'm coming to you. 00:04:51.540 --> 00:04:56.020 So we're seeing in the Apostle Paul the consistency of not giving up on these people. 00:04:57.080 --> 00:04:57.900 They have rejected him. 00:04:58.200 --> 00:05:00.740 They have maligned him, they have attacked him. 00:05:01.460 --> 00:05:05.410 And Paul has continued to be patient and loving and gracious. 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:09.940 And that's so important in the life of the believers to be patient with persistence. 00:05:09.960 --> 00:05:14.210 And when we talk about persistence, I don't mean to be pushy because we're not each other's Holy Spirit. 00:05:14.340 --> 00:05:15.800 There's one Holy Spirit. 00:05:16.020 --> 00:05:18.570 He's great at his job, and we should let him do that. 00:05:19.140 --> 00:05:25.880 But we want to care about each other enough to continue to encourage one another to what God has called us to do collectively. 00:05:27.280 --> 00:05:31.500 And I say from time to time as a church mission drifts and vision fades. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:36.660 After a while, you just kind of get used to the way things are and you lose sight of what God has called you to do. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:44.200 But Paul wants to keep his eyes on the purpose for what God has created his church to accomplish. 00:05:44.960 --> 00:05:47.730 And to do that, he is patient and persistent. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:55.520 This is the third time, Paul says, that he's coming to them, patiently meeting with the church wherever 00:05:55.520 --> 00:05:59.810 they are, and helping them take their next step with the Lord. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:01.380 And patience. 00:06:02.080 --> 00:06:05.770 Patience is a good indicator of where your trust lies. 00:06:06.880 --> 00:06:14.320 Patience with persistence is a little bit difficult because it's a reminder of, okay, here's the goal, here's where we are, and we want to gently 00:06:14.320 --> 00:06:20.380 be encouraging towards one another to progress in our and our growth in Jesus. 00:06:20.760 --> 00:06:28.040 It's often said that direction determines destination and on all of us are in different places in our relationship with the Lord and 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:34.800 where someone might be, having walked with Jesus for 20 years, might look a little different with a new believer in Christ. 00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:42.040 And we shouldn't put the same expectations on a brand new believer in Jesus as someone that's been walking with Jesus for several decades, 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:46.580 it's meeting us where we are and helping us take our next step in Christ. 00:06:46.660 --> 00:06:53.900 And this is where Paul has been in this just patient, not pushy, but persistent and wanting to see them continue to grow in 00:06:53.900 --> 00:06:54.680 the Lord. 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:57.000 And so Paul has not given up on them. 00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:04.120 And patience is that good indicator of where your trust lies and not seeing it as your job to be someone else's savior. 00:07:05.340 --> 00:07:12.460 And your job to be their Holy Spirit's and continue to guilt them and pressure them until 00:07:12.460 --> 00:07:14.480 they conform to whatever it is that you want. 00:07:15.820 --> 00:07:17.360 That's not what God's called us to do. 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.180 But to be an encouragement towards one another. 00:07:23.700 --> 00:07:26.180 Because we know who is ultimately in control. 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:33.580 And we trust in him because he is Savior and Lord and not us. 00:07:34.580 --> 00:07:41.720 And then he goes on and he says this In the next part of verse one, every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses, which 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.760 is kind of a bizarre statement Paul just randomly makes here. 00:07:44.780 --> 00:07:44.840 Why? 00:07:45.140 --> 00:07:47.800 Why would Paul why would Paul say such a thing? 00:07:47.840 --> 00:07:51.670 Everything must be established on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:53.340 Well, Paul's making this for a few reasons. 00:07:53.380 --> 00:07:54.500 One, it's biblical. 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:55.900 It's biblical. 00:07:55.900 --> 00:08:03.040 This idea of having witnesses dates back to Deuteronomy, chapter 19, verse 15, and it's repeated again and 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:08.060 the Gospels and Matthew, chapter 18 versus 15 to 18. 00:08:08.260 --> 00:08:15.360 If you're ever dealing with someone that's adverse to Jesus, someone in the church that's creating conflict with what the identity of the church is 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:22.540 about, and they're maliciously doing that that's laid out in these passages on how to approach someone that says, first, 00:08:22.540 --> 00:08:29.540 go to them in Matthew 18, it says, go to them personally because the interest is in the concern for their soul and the toxicity coming 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:31.600 out of it and just talk to them. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:32.679 Right? 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:35.140 And if they don't listen to that, bring someone else along. 00:08:35.880 --> 00:08:37.289 It's good accountability. 00:08:37.419 --> 00:08:37.520 Right. 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:40.500 And Paul knows that because this church has been attacking him. 00:08:40.520 --> 00:08:43.880 And so he doesn't want to just be hidden in some corner and dealing with him anymore. 00:08:43.880 --> 00:08:45.000 He's trying to work with that. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:52.340 So now he's going to bring some other godly people around for the purpose of helping them understand where they've gone off course and encouraging them on that path. 00:08:52.580 --> 00:08:56.600 And the goal of this the goal of this is not to beat someone down. 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:57.420 The goal of this is not to malign someone. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:01.510 The goal of this is to see people healthy in Jesus. 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:06.060 And so Paul's intentions here aren't to attack someone else. 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:09.640 But Paul uses these witnesses because he's wise. 00:09:09.660 --> 00:09:14.410 And the purpose in this, the ultimate purpose in this, is dealing with the word discipline. 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:22.520 Now, when we say discipline, I know many of us can get heart palpitations or something like that. 00:09:22.680 --> 00:09:23.020 Right. 00:09:23.140 --> 00:09:28.860 You can talk about the church and you use the word discipline and well, there's never been a part of my life that I have liked that word. 00:09:28.900 --> 00:09:32.220 That is not a that is not a fun word to have a discussion of. 00:09:32.260 --> 00:09:36.900 And I would say this is why I were to the point where Paul is saying, look, I've come now three times. 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:38.420 I've written several letters. 00:09:38.420 --> 00:09:40.580 Paul's written four letters to the Church of Corinth. 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:43.040 He's been persistent and patient with them. 00:09:43.100 --> 00:09:48.420 But none of this has helped remove the false teachers from the church that are doing harm to the church. 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:52.740 And Paul knows that he's finally gotten to a place where he's like, look, we've got we've got to deal with this. 00:09:52.780 --> 00:09:57.380 And so we're going to bring some witnesses here and not for the purpose of beating people down. 00:09:59.400 --> 00:10:01.670 But helping us understand who we're called to be in Jesus. 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:09.380 And when people use the word discipline, I know we want to oftentimes run from that, because one of two reasons I've seen 00:10:09.380 --> 00:10:16.740 in churches this has happened among people is one, churches have used a passage like this for bully moving. 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:19.690 They want to they want to guilt people. 00:10:19.860 --> 00:10:21.960 They want to manipulate people. 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:22.920 They want to shame people. 00:10:23.880 --> 00:10:27.560 And so the word discipline has been morphed into something different than what God intended. 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.880 And that is that is toxic, that is not helpful, that is not healthy. 00:10:33.020 --> 00:10:40.500 And the other the other swing of the pendulum, like the other extreme that you'll see people take with this is to do nothing at all, 00:10:40.680 --> 00:10:41.380 become a coward. 00:10:43.700 --> 00:10:48.460 And let let the church stand really for absolutely nothing because they're afraid to stand for anything. 00:10:50.660 --> 00:10:56.440 And discipline is understood in a healthy way as that place of saying, look, God, God wants to do a work in me. 00:10:58.160 --> 00:10:58.280 And. 00:10:58.780 --> 00:11:01.520 And sometimes that work can stretch me. 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:08.520 But God's intentions and that are not to destroy me, but let the goodness of his life flow from me. 00:11:08.540 --> 00:11:13.700 As Jesus said, rivers of living water, that is that is God's desire for our lives. 00:11:13.800 --> 00:11:16.700 And so when you think in Hebrews 12, it describes it like this. 00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:19.420 This passage makes me think of like spring training in football. 00:11:19.420 --> 00:11:24.140 I remember when I would do spring training or any type of training before the season would start. 00:11:24.260 --> 00:11:30.510 I remember I would go train early because I didn't want to be the guy that showed up to practice and ended up puking because. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:33.880 Because, if you've ever played football, you know what that's like. 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:41.320 You show up and then there's someone that didn't do their there strength training, endurance, endurance, preparation, and they get there and they just 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:44.800 hold on to the trashcan the entire couple of weeks while they're preparing for football. 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:48.060 And discipline in that moment does not feel good. 00:11:49.420 --> 00:11:55.720 But when you get to the game and your team was trained well, your team becomes successful. 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:59.020 And the joy of winning is fun, right? 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:07.020 And Hebrews Chapter 12, that's what it's saying is, look, God, God wants to be preparing you a warrior to accomplish great things in this world, 00:12:07.160 --> 00:12:10.500 not to not to war against people, not to not to destroy people. 00:12:10.520 --> 00:12:16.080 The Bible tells us we battle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and power spiritually, internally. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.860 God wants you strong in your identity in Him because God wants to do great things in your life. 00:12:20.160 --> 00:12:21.890 And that doesn't just magically happen. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:25.800 Or you don't just wake up tomorrow morning and you're super Christian. 00:12:27.140 --> 00:12:30.200 There's a journey that we go on to grow in him. 00:12:30.260 --> 00:12:31.700 And Paul understands that. 00:12:31.820 --> 00:12:37.580 And Hebrews Chapter 12, it says this For our earthly fathers discipline us for a few years doing the best. 00:12:37.640 --> 00:12:38.750 They knew how to love that. 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:39.120 Right? 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:46.740 Because sometimes when you think about discipline and you hear that connected to God, it's like Paul saying, look, when you've experienced discipline, let's be honest, 00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:48.260 your parents weren't always great at it, right? 00:12:48.640 --> 00:12:49.260 They tried. 00:12:49.620 --> 00:12:50.260 They tried. 00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:55.200 And he's saying that in verse ten, the earthly fathers doing the best they knew how. 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:59.800 But God's discipline is always good for us so that we might share in His Holiness. 00:13:00.520 --> 00:13:03.600 No, discipline is enjoyable while it is happening, it's painful. 00:13:04.540 --> 00:13:11.660 But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this 00:13:11.660 --> 00:13:12.700 way. 00:13:14.640 --> 00:13:16.980 Godly discipline is not a tool to destroy you. 00:13:18.140 --> 00:13:22.540 So sometimes when we use the word discipline, we attach it to the word punishment. 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:25.570 And that's not that's not a biblical picture of discipline. 00:13:26.180 --> 00:13:28.540 Punishment is intended to push you down. 00:13:29.660 --> 00:13:30.940 But discipline has a goal in mind. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:37.060 That's why when you study scripture, the word the word discipline is directly connected to the word disciple. 00:13:38.460 --> 00:13:45.550 A disciple is one who exercises certain disciplines in their life, that their life could be conformed better to the image of Christ. 00:13:45.660 --> 00:13:48.780 They understand who Jesus is and they want to grow in that. 00:13:48.780 --> 00:13:55.860 And so they exercise certain practices in their life to better connect with God and to learn about Him and to live for him in this world. 00:13:57.620 --> 00:13:57.960 Prayer. 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:01.020 Reading Scripture. 00:14:02.520 --> 00:14:03.000 Serving. 00:14:04.600 --> 00:14:10.780 Meditation, scripture, memory, all those things intended to get God's word in your life. 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:16.380 God's character communicated to you that your life may reflect Him in this world. 00:14:18.160 --> 00:14:21.180 Paul's not doing this in the story because he hates the church. 00:14:22.640 --> 00:14:29.860 But he's demonstrated by his patient persistence that his desire is love for the church, and he wants God's best 00:14:29.860 --> 00:14:30.520 for them. 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:33.380 Paul's not excited about. 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:34.930 Well, let's get two or three together. 00:14:35.040 --> 00:14:37.660 This is my favorite part among God's people, right? 00:14:37.780 --> 00:14:38.580 Put them in their place. 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:39.680 That's not as hard at all. 00:14:41.020 --> 00:14:44.540 His heart is for their success to the point that he has continued to lay his life down. 00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:51.880 We saw that in second Corinthians Chapter 11 at the latter half of Chapter 11, all the things that Paul describes for us that he did for the sake of the body. 00:14:52.140 --> 00:14:58.680 In fact, in verse two of Chapter 11, it says this I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband. 00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:03.030 So that to Christ, I might present you a pure virgin. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:07.180 So here's the question for you. 00:15:09.500 --> 00:15:10.680 Where is God challenging you? 00:15:14.540 --> 00:15:20.080 Where are you not taking the next step that God has called you on in your journey with Him? 00:15:22.940 --> 00:15:23.820 Focus on verse two. 00:15:25.500 --> 00:15:28.100 I warn those who send before. 00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:30.380 And all the others. 00:15:31.160 --> 00:15:38.160 And I warn them now, while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again, I will not 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:38.860 spare them. 00:15:41.050 --> 00:15:48.400 Paul's saying in this passage, we need to remove the false teachers who are harming the church. 00:15:50.160 --> 00:15:52.540 Look, not everybody's intentions are always good. 00:15:53.920 --> 00:16:00.120 And I think more than any place a church needs to be a place of grace where people can come in and say, you know what? 00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:00.640 I don't. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:03.880 I don't know who Jesus is. 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:05.600 I don't know what truth is. 00:16:05.660 --> 00:16:10.700 I don't know how much I should listen to what you're saying this morning and let that be my conviction. 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:13.400 Like, how do I even provide that kind of basis in my life? 00:16:13.400 --> 00:16:15.600 That's important to have that kind of space. 00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:18.240 I hope people feel comfortable to ask questions here. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:19.880 That's if you're curious. 00:16:19.880 --> 00:16:21.380 That's the way we learn as human beings. 00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:26.310 When you're when you're a child, just the world is your playground and you just kind of learn as you become an adult. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:28.280 You learn on a need to know basis. 00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:30.760 You understand time is precious. 00:16:30.760 --> 00:16:31.860 You only got so much of it. 00:16:32.020 --> 00:16:37.180 And so if you become curious about certain things, being able to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, very important. 00:16:37.680 --> 00:16:39.180 But that's not who these people are. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:39.780 These people. 00:16:39.780 --> 00:16:43.320 Their intentions are poisonous and toxic to the church. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:48.380 And they've been talked to and they've been they've been it's been brought to their attention. 00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:55.600 And Paul's even told us in second Corinthians, chapter 11, the first four verses, that these false teachers are coming in and 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:00.580 they disguise themselves in verse 14 as messengers of an angel of light. 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:02.200 But the angel of light is really Satan. 00:17:02.280 --> 00:17:06.260 And they're teaching a different Jesus and they're teaching a different gospel. 00:17:06.339 --> 00:17:07.420 And you tolerate it well enough. 00:17:07.520 --> 00:17:08.240 That's what Paul says. 00:17:10.280 --> 00:17:16.540 And now he's saying, look, we've laid this out and we've given them a place to understand the biblical Jesus, and they just don't want it. 00:17:17.760 --> 00:17:24.880 And to give them a platform to say things to you that are contrary to what Jesus is about is not only harmful for them, it's 00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:25.740 harmful for you. 00:17:26.760 --> 00:17:29.610 And if they want to live for that, they can go somewhere else and live for that. 00:17:30.420 --> 00:17:33.120 But there's a purpose for which we stand as God's people. 00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:35.770 And we ought not lose that message. 00:17:37.120 --> 00:17:40.360 It doesn't mean we be mean to other people to stand for that message. 00:17:41.520 --> 00:17:44.170 But there is an identity for which we were created in Christ. 00:17:45.600 --> 00:17:52.410 And it's important that we stand for that, because if we were to lose that, we lose who we are and we shouldn't exist. 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:55.620 And Paul. 00:17:55.820 --> 00:17:56.580 He comes into this. 00:17:56.780 --> 00:17:59.340 This time for that purpose. 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:06.380 And he's told us in second Corinthians chapter ten, verse one, that his heart is meekness and gentleness. 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:12.140 And he even communicated that the false teachers are understanding that as weakness. 00:18:12.520 --> 00:18:14.780 And he's not weak meekness is not weakness. 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:18.640 Remember, we talked about the idea of meekness and scripture being the word is prowess. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:20.740 And that's the way the Greeks would refer to their warhorses. 00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:29.160 They would they would stamp on them when they were prepared for battle prowess, which meant they were disciplined properly, where they would charge into battle, in 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.220 into arrows and into swords and into spears. 00:18:32.420 --> 00:18:36.220 And at the same time, with the slightest kick of a rider, they could stop on a dime. 00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:39.380 That's not weakness. 00:18:41.380 --> 00:18:42.090 That's incredible discipline. 00:18:42.600 --> 00:18:46.640 And that only comes by understanding who you are in light of who God is. 00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:51.590 And that's who Paul is when he's stepping into this moment. 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:58.800 He's saying I warned them while I was absent, but I'm coming this time and the authority of who I am will be carried 00:18:58.800 --> 00:18:59.160 out. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:06.420 In fact, Paul wrote to the church multiple times, like with Titus and Titus, chapter three, verse ten Reject a factious man after a first and second 00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:11.420 warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self condemned. 00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:13.780 Second Thessalonians three six. 00:19:13.800 --> 00:19:20.880 Now we commend your brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.900 which you have received. 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:28.900 Patience and persistence towards what God has called us to. 00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:30.920 Point number two then. 00:19:32.620 --> 00:19:35.780 A healthy reverence for God. 00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:37.340 A healthy reverence for God. 00:19:37.340 --> 00:19:40.380 And the people that are living on mission, that are ready for what God wants to do. 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:41.860 They have a healthy reverence for him. 00:19:41.860 --> 00:19:49.120 Verse three Since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me, He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful 00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:50.160 among you. 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:56.780 For he was crucified in weakness, but live but lives by the power of God. 00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:58.740 For we also are weaken him. 00:19:59.060 --> 00:20:04.400 But in dealing with you, we will live with him by the power of God. 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:06.260 And there you see Paul saying again. 00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:08.220 Don't mistake. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:12.770 Don't mistake this Paul's coming saying, look, it looks like weakness. 00:20:13.780 --> 00:20:16.370 Jesus was crucified and it looked like weakness. 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:18.540 But the power of God was made known. 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:23.300 And you look at my life and the accusation against the Apostle Paul. 00:20:23.300 --> 00:20:23.970 He had been beaten. 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:25.800 He lived homeless. 00:20:25.800 --> 00:20:26.230 He'd been shipwrecked. 00:20:26.840 --> 00:20:27.850 He'd been thrown in jail. 00:20:28.300 --> 00:20:29.010 He was mocked. 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:30.680 He was made fun of it. 00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:31.120 Looked weak. 00:20:33.540 --> 00:20:35.550 But in the power of God, he was strong. 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:44.780 And it's interesting when the Jews rejected Jesus in the first century that the accusation against Christ 00:20:44.780 --> 00:20:47.160 was made as they saw his weakness. 00:20:47.180 --> 00:20:49.680 Remember when Jesus was going into Jerusalem? 00:20:50.060 --> 00:20:50.540 They would. 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:54.500 They chanted and shouted, blessed as he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:55.400 Hosanna! 00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:55.940 Save us. 00:20:55.940 --> 00:20:57.420 Now here's our King. 00:20:57.420 --> 00:20:59.000 And then Jesus goes to the cross. 00:20:59.020 --> 00:20:59.590 And what do they do? 00:20:59.840 --> 00:21:00.160 They. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:00.650 They curse him. 00:21:00.660 --> 00:21:01.760 They mock him, right? 00:21:01.760 --> 00:21:03.180 He says, Father, forgive me. 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:04.480 They all turn their back on him. 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:04.780 Why? 00:21:04.780 --> 00:21:07.360 They see Jesus being crucified and weakness. 00:21:07.360 --> 00:21:08.580 And then that weakness, they rejected him. 00:21:10.020 --> 00:21:17.240 In fact, prophetically stated in Isaiah 53, it said this, that he was a man of sorrows acquainted 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:17.960 with grief. 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:24.160 But then it goes on and says, But by his wounds, we are healed. 00:21:26.040 --> 00:21:28.120 And in his weakness strengths. 00:21:30.600 --> 00:21:37.600 The Christ could become the healing power in those who trust in him ultimately demonstrated in his 00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:38.620 resurrection. 00:21:38.620 --> 00:21:38.720 And Paul. 00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:46.660 Paul is saying to us that this weakness is not to be mistakes, but rather we find 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:54.060 a reverence for the truth of who God is, because we have had demonstrated to us the power of God, made known through His 00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:54.910 resurrection. 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:01.040 And therefore for us as a church. 00:22:05.300 --> 00:22:06.820 The world we have talked about. 00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:11.240 It tends to pressure God's people. 00:22:13.040 --> 00:22:14.960 To conform to something different. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:24.480 But second, Timothy, chapter two, verse 15 says A true mark of a godly individual is one who accurately handles 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:26.160 the word of God. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:35.720 We carry a reverence for what we believe out of a reverence for the one that we live for. 00:22:37.360 --> 00:22:43.100 And our lives are not tailored to align or conform with the things or standards of this world. 00:22:44.840 --> 00:22:45.540 But with the Lord. 00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:54.420 We live our lives to please an audience of one because we find our identity, our worth and our value, our meaning or 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:56.780 purpose, not in what the world says about us. 00:22:59.340 --> 00:23:01.520 But for the reason for which God has created us. 00:23:02.620 --> 00:23:07.480 And through him we're gifted intrinsic value and in Christ who gave his life for us. 00:23:08.860 --> 00:23:11.480 Like Jesus just didn't die for any reason. 00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:14.160 Like Jesus didn't should say, come to Earth for any reason. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:19.150 The disciples of Jesus didn't go to the ends of the earth and give their lives just for some random reason. 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:24.100 They had a truth that they held to and they wanted to honor God with that truth who gave his life for them. 00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:31.140 And so there was this deep reverence for God, not just in their Creator, but also in being their savior and Lord who came to rescue them. 00:23:36.310 --> 00:23:37.350 Even for us as a church. 00:23:37.490 --> 00:23:40.240 When I read a passage like this, it reminds me. 00:23:42.770 --> 00:23:45.360 As long as I get to be pastor here. 00:23:47.450 --> 00:23:48.700 We don't want to be a bully church. 00:23:50.770 --> 00:23:51.810 And we don't want to be a coward. 00:23:52.530 --> 00:23:52.630 Church. 00:23:54.830 --> 00:23:58.280 We want to be a church that has a deep conviction. 00:23:59.270 --> 00:23:59.860 For the truth. 00:24:01.610 --> 00:24:04.350 And a deep capacity for love towards fellow man. 00:24:05.950 --> 00:24:12.250 Love and truth rich in our theology, deep in our love and how we walk in this world. 00:24:12.250 --> 00:24:19.810 Because the truth is what transforms life and a reverence for God is what guides us into that 00:24:19.810 --> 00:24:23.670 conviction to continue to want to honor him and live for him in this world. 00:24:23.830 --> 00:24:25.380 Our concern is not popularity. 00:24:28.610 --> 00:24:33.210 Our concern is not the number of rear ends we can get in a chair if you're here, though. 00:24:33.210 --> 00:24:33.530 Welcome. 00:24:33.550 --> 00:24:34.190 We're glad you're here. 00:24:36.690 --> 00:24:40.300 Our desire is to honor Christ and live for the purpose for which He created us as his community. 00:24:42.390 --> 00:24:49.610 That only happens by a conviction in the truth and holding on to that, and it's demonstrated in the way that we love one 00:24:49.610 --> 00:24:50.050 another. 00:24:51.350 --> 00:24:52.170 The point number three then. 00:24:56.290 --> 00:24:59.950 We have a vigilant watch over our hearts. 00:25:01.370 --> 00:25:04.610 We keep a vigilant watch over your heart. 00:25:06.070 --> 00:25:08.670 A church that's going to be ready to make a difference in the world. 00:25:09.270 --> 00:25:10.170 It's that kind of church. 00:25:10.210 --> 00:25:12.470 And he says this in verse five. 00:25:12.470 --> 00:25:14.550 He says, Examine yourselves. 00:25:15.570 --> 00:25:18.810 To see whether you are in the faith test yourselves. 00:25:19.870 --> 00:25:26.890 This is this is this is why this morning I'm only doing six verses, just so you know, because first section, we're talking about discipline and now we're talking 00:25:26.890 --> 00:25:27.190 about tests. 00:25:28.470 --> 00:25:29.550 And those things are both hard. 00:25:30.270 --> 00:25:34.330 You didn't know this morning you were going to have to take a test, but it plainly says it in this verse. 00:25:34.410 --> 00:25:35.230 And what can I tell you? 00:25:35.410 --> 00:25:37.170 You are you even ready to take this test? 00:25:37.170 --> 00:25:40.430 Let's for some of you, I know you read that you're already stressed by the word test. 00:25:40.550 --> 00:25:42.390 You're happy to be out of school. 00:25:42.390 --> 00:25:43.700 You don't ever want to go back to school. 00:25:43.730 --> 00:25:46.290 You didn't want to know that there was even the word test in the Bible. 00:25:46.350 --> 00:25:49.280 And I've brought you to this verse, and now it's talking about test yourselves. 00:25:50.370 --> 00:25:54.030 And previously Paul had been asked to prove himself in these passages. 00:25:54.030 --> 00:26:00.760 You remember, they were they were contesting whether the Apostle Paul was a true apostle, and he was he was told to prove himself. 00:26:01.170 --> 00:26:05.960 And now Paul is turning the tables and saying, okay, church, now it's time to test yourselves. 00:26:06.170 --> 00:26:08.260 And so we're going to test ourselves this morning. 00:26:08.570 --> 00:26:11.600 And the reason we want to do that is self deception. 00:26:14.550 --> 00:26:17.670 Self-deception can be a problem. 00:26:18.910 --> 00:26:20.170 Self-deception is real. 00:26:20.470 --> 00:26:26.850 We as people, we can put blinders on and not even realize the things that we have deceived ourselves into believing. 00:26:28.430 --> 00:26:34.630 And so Paul is coming to this passage, realizing that what these false teachers have taught, there are still people within the church that have embraced that. 00:26:36.370 --> 00:26:42.650 And so Paul is encouraging the church then to test themselves, whether you are in the faith. 00:26:43.390 --> 00:26:50.350 And this word faith here is important to see how it's written, because there's different ways the faith is talked about in scripture. 00:26:50.510 --> 00:26:51.870 I'll give you the two most popular. 00:26:52.390 --> 00:26:53.750 One is your faith. 00:26:54.230 --> 00:26:54.490 Right. 00:26:54.510 --> 00:26:55.730 And it's very personal. 00:26:55.910 --> 00:26:58.250 It's how you've put belief or trust in something. 00:26:58.290 --> 00:27:05.370 So when we often we typically when we talk about faith in our culture, we usually mean how you've expressed your faith, your trust 00:27:05.370 --> 00:27:06.490 or belief in something. 00:27:06.910 --> 00:27:14.010 But that's not what's being said in this versus the other way in which there's a popular talk about faith is not your faith, but the faith 00:27:14.010 --> 00:27:16.710 regardless of what you do or do not believe. 00:27:17.550 --> 00:27:23.570 Christianity has a faith to it, and it's an important that your life align with that faith. 00:27:23.570 --> 00:27:28.700 Because if your faith doesn't trust in that faith, then whatever you believe in, you may call it Christian, but it isn't. 00:27:30.150 --> 00:27:31.690 Christianity has deep faith. 00:27:31.850 --> 00:27:39.390 And one of the things I find surprising and probably needs to be done a little bit better in the church is the ignorance, if 00:27:39.390 --> 00:27:46.530 I could just say that and I don't mean this about you, the ignorance broadly church people can have about the 00:27:46.530 --> 00:27:49.210 history of the faith. 00:27:50.430 --> 00:27:57.510 Sometimes I think people just sort of believe that Christianity started by Jesus and then it just kind of was just sort of there, but mysteriously there, 00:27:57.530 --> 00:27:58.990 and it kind of morphed into where we are today. 00:27:59.650 --> 00:28:02.490 And there's just this been all this corruption that's come along. 00:28:02.490 --> 00:28:05.870 And who knows if what you believe is the right thing anymore because of that. 00:28:05.870 --> 00:28:13.250 And I want you to know that is a very poor and ignorant understanding of church history. 00:28:13.810 --> 00:28:21.810 In fact, if you just go back into the first century of church history, you know that we have writings in 00:28:21.810 --> 00:28:27.190 the first century of church leaders who were disciple directly by the disciples. 00:28:27.890 --> 00:28:31.150 They communicated what they believed and continued to write letters. 00:28:31.410 --> 00:28:32.170 You can look them up. 00:28:32.170 --> 00:28:32.790 It's incredible. 00:28:32.790 --> 00:28:39.510 You can go read letters written by the next generation of disciples that were trained directly by Jesus's disciples. 00:28:40.050 --> 00:28:47.290 And they expressed the faith that people like Clement of Rome or Ignatius or Irenaeus 00:28:47.290 --> 00:28:53.290 or Polycarp or Tertullian or Papias, I mean, it just goes on and on. 00:28:53.390 --> 00:28:58.070 Jerome Of adjusting the martyr, things that you can learn from church history. 00:28:58.350 --> 00:29:04.750 And not only not only did they write about the faith and continue to declare the faith, they also wrote creedal statements. 00:29:05.830 --> 00:29:07.370 I mean, you can look at what they believe. 00:29:07.370 --> 00:29:14.710 They wrote things like the old Jerusalem creed and the Roman creed, which morphed into the apostle creed, which eventually became the Nicene Creed. 00:29:14.710 --> 00:29:16.190 And it went on from there. 00:29:18.630 --> 00:29:20.510 The faith. 00:29:23.170 --> 00:29:30.270 We're not here this century just randomly believing something that was sort of passed to us and hopefully correct by some chain of one 00:29:30.270 --> 00:29:32.310 person whispering it in the ear of another person. 00:29:32.350 --> 00:29:34.090 We hope at the end they just whispered it correctly. 00:29:36.890 --> 00:29:40.370 You can go back and see the richness of church history. 00:29:42.070 --> 00:29:49.210 And one of the things that makes it so beautiful is that these individuals that I just named to you, many of them were persecuted and 00:29:49.210 --> 00:29:56.030 killed because of their faith and not just their faith, but for the faith. 00:29:56.150 --> 00:30:03.270 And the reason they were willing to do that is because they found it so important that they wanted you to be able to possess the purity of what 00:30:03.270 --> 00:30:04.400 it was. 00:30:06.690 --> 00:30:07.510 Because it's the truth. 00:30:08.690 --> 00:30:09.530 That sets you free. 00:30:11.830 --> 00:30:17.050 Which becomes important for us then to keep a vigilant watch over our own heart. 00:30:18.950 --> 00:30:20.460 It's expressed over and over in Scripture. 00:30:20.850 --> 00:30:26.870 That man could come along and their faith could become a false faith because they don't believe in the faith. 00:30:28.750 --> 00:30:29.250 Jobe. 00:30:29.610 --> 00:30:33.790 Jobe, 13, make known to me my rebellion and my sin. 00:30:35.170 --> 00:30:41.350 Psalm 17, verse three, David declared, You have tried my heart, you have tested me, and you found nothing. 00:30:41.350 --> 00:30:47.330 In Psalm 26, David again says in verse two, Examine me, oh, Lord, and try me. 00:30:47.730 --> 00:30:52.620 And Psalm 139, verse 23, Search me, oh, God, and know my heart. 00:30:52.630 --> 00:31:00.070 Try me and know my anxious thoughts and see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the way ever lasting. 00:31:01.330 --> 00:31:01.900 Can I tell you one of the reasons? 00:31:03.950 --> 00:31:05.970 One of the reasons I find that people. 00:31:08.030 --> 00:31:09.030 Will reject the faith. 00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:15.730 It's because the gospel by nature, is offensive. 00:31:18.130 --> 00:31:20.810 The only way you really come to Christ. 00:31:22.070 --> 00:31:24.790 Is by acknowledging you're a sinner and you need a savior. 00:31:27.250 --> 00:31:28.450 People don't like to be told they're wrong. 00:31:31.210 --> 00:31:32.060 You've done wrong things. 00:31:32.250 --> 00:31:36.650 I mean, do you know right off the bat the purpose of the gospel is to offend everyone? 00:31:38.430 --> 00:31:43.430 And I know that doesn't go over well in our culture because we lack resilience today. 00:31:44.790 --> 00:31:51.370 But honestly, the goal of the gospel is to offend everyone because before a holy God. 00:31:52.790 --> 00:31:53.390 There's Roth. 00:31:55.070 --> 00:32:00.710 And if we don't take serious our sin before a holy God, we will never we will never bow before him. 00:32:03.190 --> 00:32:10.210 And so we say as a church like the gospel is an offense, but we want to work hard to make it difficult for people 00:32:10.230 --> 00:32:13.210 to hate us and make the gospel the only thing people stumble over. 00:32:14.570 --> 00:32:20.350 But the reality is the gospel confronts us and the darkness of our own heart. 00:32:21.230 --> 00:32:25.170 But the beauty is Jesus cared enough about you not to leave you there. 00:32:26.550 --> 00:32:34.270 God loves you so much that while you were a sinner, before a Holy God, Jesus still pursued you and 00:32:34.270 --> 00:32:39.390 gave His life for you because He knew His life would bring new life in you. 00:32:40.170 --> 00:32:44.970 If you, by faith, would turn from your sin and give your life to him. 00:32:45.010 --> 00:32:52.210 So let me get to the next part of this verse here in verse five, he goes on and says this or do you not realize that about yourself 00:32:52.210 --> 00:32:59.770 that Jesus Christ is in you talking about this test unless indeed you fail to meet the test, I 00:32:59.770 --> 00:33:05.170 hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 00:33:06.630 --> 00:33:10.270 So again, he's talking about this test and some of us start to panic. 00:33:10.410 --> 00:33:11.000 How do we know? 00:33:11.370 --> 00:33:12.920 How do we know we pass this test? 00:33:13.070 --> 00:33:13.250 Right. 00:33:13.790 --> 00:33:20.870 What are people to look for when we examine ourselves to see whether or not we pass this test we're 00:33:20.870 --> 00:33:21.550 going to test? 00:33:21.550 --> 00:33:23.210 Is God going to give me. 00:33:23.210 --> 00:33:24.660 What are what are the marks? 00:33:25.570 --> 00:33:26.060 We could ask. 00:33:27.170 --> 00:33:27.950 Of genuine faith. 00:33:30.230 --> 00:33:31.140 What should we look for? 00:33:33.130 --> 00:33:40.190 If we're not careful in that moment when we talk about this test, if we try to create our own questions here, we might come 00:33:40.190 --> 00:33:44.390 up with a test that has an outward conformity religious space. 00:33:45.070 --> 00:33:46.290 How do I know I'm really in the faith? 00:33:46.290 --> 00:33:53.290 And someone would say something like this, Well, if you pray and if you read God's word, right, or you 00:33:53.290 --> 00:34:00.490 had some kind of emotional experience or you were baptized or you attended church or you led a moral life, or you felt 00:34:00.490 --> 00:34:03.470 guilty at some point, or, facts about Jesus, right? 00:34:03.870 --> 00:34:05.450 Or you know the truth about Jesus even. 00:34:06.850 --> 00:34:10.290 Then you've passed the test of being in the faith. 00:34:11.389 --> 00:34:13.810 But let me just remind you of a few things. 00:34:14.610 --> 00:34:18.900 And this is maybe a little bit scary for a minute, but I want to talk about demons. 00:34:20.429 --> 00:34:25.230 James, chapter two tells us in verse 19, even demons believe. 00:34:27.210 --> 00:34:31.510 James tells us a matthew chapter eight, verse 29, that demons were terrified of God's judgment. 00:34:33.130 --> 00:34:34.330 Genesis Chapter three. 00:34:34.330 --> 00:34:39.110 We even know that the spirits of darkness, like Satan knows the truth. 00:34:40.610 --> 00:34:47.530 And Deuteronomy 32 417, first Corinthians ten, verse 20 and 21, that demons are deeply involved in religious activities in the world. 00:34:48.409 --> 00:34:54.570 They even acknowledge and mark chapter one, verse 21 or 24, the superiority of Jesus's authority. 00:34:56.389 --> 00:34:57.390 But yet they're completely lost. 00:35:00.510 --> 00:35:01.410 So how? 00:35:02.610 --> 00:35:04.210 How do you really know if you you're in the. 00:35:06.230 --> 00:35:10.280 I would certainly say that we need to start with, do you know what the faith is? 00:35:12.150 --> 00:35:14.150 Do you know who Jesus really is? 00:35:15.510 --> 00:35:17.710 Do you know what Jesus has really done for you? 00:35:18.850 --> 00:35:21.150 Do you know the extent of what the gospel is about? 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:25.390 For by grace, you are saved through faith, not of yourselves. 00:35:25.450 --> 00:35:28.070 It's a gift of God, not of works less. 00:35:28.070 --> 00:35:29.610 Anyone should boast Ephesians 289. 00:35:31.190 --> 00:35:31.930 Do you know the faith? 00:35:33.730 --> 00:35:39.590 And how do you know the faith, then, is not just this outward performance that you're doing, but your heart. 00:35:40.750 --> 00:35:41.730 Your heart really belongs. 00:35:42.770 --> 00:35:46.330 Can I just give you just three answers quickly this morning of things in your notes? 00:35:46.370 --> 00:35:48.410 I think it's written down the bottom of your notes that you can write these. 00:35:48.430 --> 00:35:49.250 Number one is this. 00:35:50.770 --> 00:35:52.410 Sincere repentance. 00:35:54.530 --> 00:35:55.810 Sincere repentance. 00:35:55.850 --> 00:35:58.760 And let me remind you, by repentance, I don't mean penance. 00:36:00.170 --> 00:36:04.530 I don't mean you walk around guilty long enough and eventually God forgives you. 00:36:05.110 --> 00:36:12.090 I don't mean you have to do enough good deeds till eventually God is satisfied with the amount of good deeds that you've done over bad deeds. 00:36:12.290 --> 00:36:13.830 That's not what we mean by repentance. 00:36:15.130 --> 00:36:21.770 Repentance comes with the understanding that I have sinned against the Holy God, and I can't do anything to make up for it. 00:36:22.910 --> 00:36:26.390 But Jesus hung on the cross and said It is finished. 00:36:26.970 --> 00:36:29.830 And John, chapter 19, verse 30, which means paid in full. 00:36:31.690 --> 00:36:34.430 And I lay down everything in this world that I could stand for. 00:36:36.470 --> 00:36:39.670 And I turned to the king who came to rescue me and paid for it all. 00:36:40.450 --> 00:36:43.090 My life is about him and his glory. 00:36:44.250 --> 00:36:45.120 Not my glory. 00:36:45.330 --> 00:36:46.330 Not the glory of this world. 00:36:47.450 --> 00:36:51.630 But now it's this turning repentance is this turning of my heart and surrendering it to Christ. 00:36:52.950 --> 00:37:00.130 And first, John, chapter one, verse seven, it says this If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another in the blood of Jesus Christ 00:37:00.130 --> 00:37:01.470 cleanses us from all sins. 00:37:02.050 --> 00:37:05.790 But if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 00:37:06.170 --> 00:37:11.050 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:37:12.290 --> 00:37:16.440 Can I tell you that one of the most important things I think you can learn in this in this Christian walk. 00:37:17.610 --> 00:37:18.950 God doesn't want you to walk around. 00:37:18.950 --> 00:37:19.470 And guilt and shame. 00:37:21.950 --> 00:37:25.150 To do that is to completely undermine what Jesus did for you. 00:37:26.830 --> 00:37:31.350 Did you know Jesus took your guilt and shame on him so that you could be free in Christ. 00:37:33.330 --> 00:37:36.590 And the idea of repentance as that place of understanding that Jesus did that. 00:37:37.690 --> 00:37:39.230 Jesus did that for me. 00:37:40.350 --> 00:37:47.690 And so we come to God, we come with this sincere repentance, knowing God gives us this wonderful place to be open about our failures and 00:37:47.690 --> 00:37:50.010 be completely made new in Christ. 00:37:50.930 --> 00:37:53.690 And so we come with a sincere repentance, laying it all down to Him. 00:37:53.990 --> 00:37:55.870 Number two is a desire for righteousness. 00:37:56.370 --> 00:38:00.400 In other words, for that could be holiness, but it's this desire for righteousness. 00:38:00.610 --> 00:38:07.730 When you understand the extent for what Jesus has done for you want to then dedicate your life and response and love for 00:38:07.730 --> 00:38:08.030 that. 00:38:08.030 --> 00:38:10.250 We don't we don't do good things for God so that we're loved. 00:38:10.250 --> 00:38:11.990 We do good things for God because we are loved. 00:38:13.050 --> 00:38:15.940 And that's what this we have this sincere desire for righteousness. 00:38:16.270 --> 00:38:18.250 Now, is this church we live on a mission. 00:38:18.470 --> 00:38:23.190 We should gather this morning and sing an anthem of celebration in what Jesus has done. 00:38:23.290 --> 00:38:26.410 That's why I think that's really what we do when we gather and we sing these songs, right? 00:38:26.450 --> 00:38:29.500 It's this anthem, anthem of celebration, knowing it is finished in Christ. 00:38:29.690 --> 00:38:36.890 And we as people have nothing but hope before us in the Lord and in that and we want to align with that kingdom that will not end. 00:38:37.070 --> 00:38:41.390 It endures forever, and that we have a relationship with God that will go for all of eternity. 00:38:41.530 --> 00:38:48.870 And we can live for that purpose, that longing of righteousness in our heart, that desire for that righteousness, that holiness. 00:38:48.870 --> 00:38:51.220 In fact, Jesus said this in Matthew five or six. 00:38:51.710 --> 00:38:57.220 Jesus said that those who he's blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. 00:38:58.690 --> 00:39:05.930 What's interesting, if you read the rest of Matthew five, Jesus then turns to the religious way of thinking and they think they live these rules 00:39:05.930 --> 00:39:06.820 and these laws. 00:39:06.910 --> 00:39:12.230 And he says, you who have not committed adultery, if you've lusted in your heart, you're wrong. 00:39:12.250 --> 00:39:14.210 You have not killed someone. 00:39:14.230 --> 00:39:15.270 I mean, great job, I guess. 00:39:15.270 --> 00:39:18.250 But if you had an anger in your heart, it's wrong. 00:39:18.250 --> 00:39:19.150 You have not stolen. 00:39:19.150 --> 00:39:20.870 If you've coveted it in your heart, it's wrong. 00:39:21.050 --> 00:39:23.510 He raises the idea of law. 00:39:23.550 --> 00:39:26.650 So for us to understand that the brokenness isn't in our behavior. 00:39:26.650 --> 00:39:27.830 The brokenness is in our heart. 00:39:30.790 --> 00:39:32.150 And the only thing that transforms that. 00:39:34.070 --> 00:39:34.290 This. 00:39:34.610 --> 00:39:34.930 Jesus. 00:39:36.390 --> 00:39:40.970 When you realize the depth of where your heart goes, it's also why we become so gracious towards one another. 00:39:43.110 --> 00:39:43.950 We all need the Lord. 00:39:45.230 --> 00:39:45.610 My point. 00:39:45.610 --> 00:39:45.970 Number three. 00:39:49.290 --> 00:39:50.580 An eager servant. 00:39:52.330 --> 00:39:55.650 You become an eager servant, you could put even there an obedient servant. 00:39:56.710 --> 00:40:01.590 But Paul says it like this For me to live as Christ and to die is gain. 00:40:01.710 --> 00:40:02.690 Philippians 121. 00:40:04.430 --> 00:40:08.650 His life was marked by a submission to a greater king. 00:40:09.930 --> 00:40:11.050 Better than himself. 00:40:11.470 --> 00:40:11.570 Paul. 00:40:12.070 --> 00:40:19.310 Paul desired to live for a greater glory that would not end in his own self made glory, but rather in the 00:40:19.310 --> 00:40:19.670 Lord. 00:40:21.570 --> 00:40:23.850 Paul's heart became about the heart of God. 00:40:25.090 --> 00:40:29.390 And wanting to live for that because he knew to live for that would matter into eternity. 00:40:31.170 --> 00:40:33.230 There's no greater purpose you can live for in life. 00:40:34.330 --> 00:40:36.370 Then what Christ calls you to in him. 00:40:37.910 --> 00:40:40.130 Because that endures forever. 00:40:42.210 --> 00:40:43.720 And so you see a willing servant. 00:40:43.930 --> 00:40:50.930 So when you think about this test, it's important to understand this is not a test of mark simply by outward conformity to some 00:40:50.930 --> 00:40:51.650 religion. 00:40:53.250 --> 00:40:57.650 But to really understand what is the depth of your heart and the desire of your heart. 00:40:58.190 --> 00:41:00.110 Want to be about your glory. 00:41:01.510 --> 00:41:01.710 Or. 00:41:02.210 --> 00:41:02.710 Or his glory. 00:41:04.490 --> 00:41:09.110 And Paul's story in here reminds us it is not it is not always easy. 00:41:10.630 --> 00:41:12.310 There can be adversity in it. 00:41:13.410 --> 00:41:20.450 But you have promised with you hope and joy in Christ, which is what let me let me end with just these 00:41:20.690 --> 00:41:21.320 couple of stories. 00:41:22.110 --> 00:41:29.270 There was a story by Winston Churchill, and he knew during World War Two. 00:41:30.570 --> 00:41:33.930 That they needed energy independence in order to be able to survive. 00:41:35.310 --> 00:41:39.180 And so he went and met with labourers and specifically coal miners. 00:41:39.230 --> 00:41:46.430 And he and he gave a pitch for them to continue to labor, but to labor more diligently to produce more coal, 00:41:46.530 --> 00:41:48.980 that they could be successful in this war. 00:41:49.490 --> 00:41:53.810 And he and he got to the end of his pitch and he said, I want you guys to imagine something. 00:41:55.230 --> 00:42:00.860 Imagine we're at Piccadilly Circus, which is like Times Square in New York for England. 00:42:01.190 --> 00:42:01.330 Right. 00:42:01.410 --> 00:42:04.650 They have this area that's just famous and well known. 00:42:05.190 --> 00:42:07.890 And he said, imagine when this war is over, there is going to be a parade. 00:42:10.090 --> 00:42:15.110 And first in the parade will be the sailors who guarded our waters during the war. 00:42:16.190 --> 00:42:20.890 And then we'll become the soldiers who fought on the land at places like Dunkirk. 00:42:22.390 --> 00:42:26.630 And then after that, we'll follow the pilots who flew in the sky to protect our air. 00:42:28.190 --> 00:42:35.430 And then followed behind them will become sweat stains, soot face, coal miners marching in this parade 00:42:35.430 --> 00:42:37.770 down Piccadilly Circus. 00:42:38.790 --> 00:42:39.930 And people may cry. 00:42:39.990 --> 00:42:43.310 They'll say, Where were you in the depth of this battle? 00:42:43.590 --> 00:42:45.350 Why could we not depend on you? 00:42:45.350 --> 00:42:46.310 Where were you? 00:42:46.330 --> 00:42:50.030 In our hour of need and from the throats of 10,000 men will come. 00:42:51.030 --> 00:42:56.530 The resounding sound that we were deep in the belly of the earth with our face towards the coal. 00:42:58.490 --> 00:42:59.270 Let me say this. 00:43:01.610 --> 00:43:02.110 William Booth. 00:43:02.630 --> 00:43:04.280 I'll tell you how this ties together in a minute. 00:43:05.450 --> 00:43:07.350 William Booth started the Salvation Army. 00:43:08.950 --> 00:43:12.510 And he served in that in that all the days of his life. 00:43:13.390 --> 00:43:16.090 And at the end of his life, he lost his eyesight. 00:43:16.090 --> 00:43:17.600 And his hope was that it was just temporary. 00:43:19.110 --> 00:43:26.150 But they appointed his son to go into William Booth and say, you need to tell your dad he's actually not going to regain a sight. 00:43:27.090 --> 00:43:28.010 No one wanted to do this. 00:43:28.130 --> 00:43:33.290 But finally, the son, reluctantly, he went in and he told him, he said, Dad, you're going to be blind the rest of your life. 00:43:34.590 --> 00:43:37.030 And William Booth's response was. 00:43:38.330 --> 00:43:42.430 I have served God as faithfully as I could when I had my son. 00:43:43.950 --> 00:43:48.130 And I'm going to serve God as faithfully as I can without my side. 00:43:49.970 --> 00:43:52.010 When we think about following the Lord. 00:43:54.250 --> 00:43:57.690 Some jobs aren't always as glamorous as others. 00:43:59.510 --> 00:44:03.570 But like the coal miners, it gives us a place to contribute to the kingdom. 00:44:04.730 --> 00:44:06.490 To His glory and his mission. 00:44:06.490 --> 00:44:10.570 And sometimes in life, we're not dealt the cards that we always want. 00:44:12.110 --> 00:44:15.190 But even if things like blindness strike us. 00:44:16.430 --> 00:44:23.090 There still an opportunity to stand for your king and his glory and represent him in this world? 00:44:23.730 --> 00:44:26.130 It's not about the amount of things you accomplish. 00:44:27.330 --> 00:44:30.270 But by the heart of faithfulness that brings glory to him. 00:44:31.350 --> 00:44:38.430 Wherever you're at and whatever you've got going on in your life, just taking your next step on that journey 00:44:38.430 --> 00:44:39.490 with Jesus. 00:44:39.950 --> 00:44:41.330 That's what He calls us to.