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 Uniforms have a purpose, don't they?

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 If you are a Downton Abbey fan, you know what uniforms play, what role they played in the 19th century Victorian manor household,

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 where each person had a particular dress code that related to their station and their role in life.

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 And though we might rejoice in the democratic overthrow of such social constructs,

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 so that we can come to church wearing a suit coat or blue jeans and not worry about it,

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 yet we still, even today, recognize the role that a uniform might play.

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 We see someone walking down the street in dark blue with a gold shield on their chest.

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 And when we see that person in uniform, we expect certain things from them, don't we?

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 We know who they are. That's a policeman.

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 And we expect that they are going to uphold the law, be helpful, be a serve, what is it, to serve and protect the community.

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 This is the role that they've been called to.

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 And even more so as we, or, you know, in other contexts, we see a similar thing.

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 If we see someone in military uniform, or we walk into the hospital and we see a long white coat,

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 we have expectations and we have these roles that we expect, that we, as we see a uniform, we think,

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 oh, now I know who this person is and I know what to expect from them.

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 What kind of uniform ought a Christian to wear?

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 Well, clearly, look around, at least today, it's not a certain kind of clothing, is it?

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 Praise God for that.

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 Right?

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 We have freedom to wear the clothes that we enjoy wearing.

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 But as we think about Christians in this world, there have been times when Christians would be known.

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 They would put on not physical clothing, but certain characteristics that would be known.

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 There's sort of the old saw, right?

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 Christians are people who don't drink or chew or go with girls that do.

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 Right?

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 Some of you are way too old or way too young to recognize that.

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 But in the 1950s, that was kind of a thing.

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 So, it would seem like the Christian clothing, so to speak, would be very simple.

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 Right?

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 To be like Jesus.

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 But isn't it true that that's a fraught concept today?

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 To figure out what it is that Christians ought to wear in our public persona, in our private life.

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 And it's hard.

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 And it's hard.

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 It's fraught today because we live in a time and place where it's challenging to know what does that look like.

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 Certainly, if you asked 10 people on the street in New Haven what the public perception of a Christian is,

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 they would talk about politics.

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 They would talk about hypocrisy.

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 They would talk about intolerance.

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 And they would talk about rigid moralism.

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 This is what our culture today expects.

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 When you say Christian.

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 And though we may protest that, in fact, it ought to be something different,

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 we struggle, even privately, with what is it that we are supposed to put on.

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 We don't want to look like those things.

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 But we know our own hearts.

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 We fear hypocrisy in our own lives.

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 We run from wanting to be known as Christians at times because we know that our past sins

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 and our present failures continue to haunt us.

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 And we wonder, how can we wear anything publicly?

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 I think often, in light of this, we take off our clothing altogether, so to speak.

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 We put off our Christianity and don't wear it at all.

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 We live a highly privatized faith where we don't talk to people about it

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 and we don't really seek to live it out.

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 Or sometimes we think, well, I don't know.

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 I don't know what these people think, but I'm going to try to please them.

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 And so we end up coming up with a different kind of clothing that will be more acceptable in our culture today,

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 but that may be veers from what the Bible actually says.

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 Why am I talking about all this?

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 Well, because as we continue in our series in the book of Colossians,

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 we're talking about clothing today.

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 That's actually the language that the Apostle Paul uses as he's instructing the Colossians in chapter 3

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 about how they are to live out their life in Christ.

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 If you want to turn with me in your Bibles, in the Pew Bibles, it's page 984, I believe.

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 We're going to look at chapter 3, verses 9 through 17.

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 And we're going to be asking ourselves the question,

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 what are the clothes of a Christian?

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 What is it that God has called his people to put on?

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 And how might we do that?

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 So let's first read the passage and ask for God's help.

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 Colossians 3.

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 I'm going to be focusing my message this morning on 12 through 17,

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 but I'm going to back up a little bit and start in verse 5

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 just so you get the context and the flow of the chapter.

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 Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you,

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 sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness,

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 which is idolatry.

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 On account of these, the wrath of God is coming.

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 In these, you too once walked when you were living in them.

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 But now you must put them all away.

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 Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

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 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices

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 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge

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 after the image of its creator.

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 Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised,

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 barbarian, Scythian, slave-free, but Christ is all and in all.

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 Put on, then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,

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 compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

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 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another,

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 forgiving each other.

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 As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

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 And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

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 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

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 to which, indeed, you were called in one body.

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 And be thankful.

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 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,

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 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

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 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

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 giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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 Let's pray.

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 Father, thank you for this word.

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 Lord, thank you for the encouragement and the exhortation it is for us

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 to live as those who bear the name of Christ.

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 Lord, we confess how we need correction and instruction.

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 Lord, how we need encouragement.

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 How we need to remember what it is that you have called us to in Christ.

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 Lord, I ask for your help this morning, that, Lord, as we look at this word,

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 that you would use me and that your word would be clear

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 and that by your spirit you would apply it to our hearts and to our lives for your glory.

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 And we pray this in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 What are the clothes of a Christian?

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 We're going to look at three parts this morning.

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 First, we're going to look at the foundation.

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 Second, we're going to look at the form.

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 And third, we're going to look at the focus of what it is that God has called us to put on in Christ.

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 So first, let's look at the foundation.

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 The foundation of what it is that God has called us to, what we are to live in,

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 is the new reality that Christ brings to our life.

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 We read back, look in your Bibles with me, in verse 10.

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 Right?

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 Verse 9 says that you've put off your old self with its practices.

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 All those things that were listed before says you had an old self that you have put off because of Christ.

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 If you remember back in chapter 2, Paul reminded us that we have died with Christ to this old life.

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 To this life that was controlled by sin and rebellion against God.

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 Verse 10 then says,

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 And we have put on a new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

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 The starting point for what we are to put on is the fact that Christ has made us new.

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 We are being restored to what we were meant to be as women and men made in the image of God.

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 That sin has marred that and ruined it for us.

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 But in Christ now, in the redemption that he is bringing into our lives,

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 he has fundamentally changed us so that we are now made new.

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 What used to be true of us is no longer fundamentally our essence.

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 You are different.

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 Therefore, be so.

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 How do we see some of these things played out?

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 Look with me in verse 12 again.

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 As Paul begins this instruction to live in particular ethical ways,

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 to have a certain kind of character,

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 he starts by calling them God's chosen ones,

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 holy and beloved.

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 And if you listen carefully to the passage we read earlier from Deuteronomy 7,

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 we are reminded that this is a special language that was used by the Jewish people in the Old Testament

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 to describe these are God's special people.

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 These are the ones that he has set his love on.

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 These are the ones that he has made his own.

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 These words remind us that he has chosen them,

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 that it was God's initiative towards them,

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 and that therefore they ought to be not proud,

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 but humble,

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 recognizing that God did so for no good reason,

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 that was in themselves,

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 but only by his good pleasure that he chose them.

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 Now, it also reminds us that God's dispossession towards them

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 is that they are beloved in him.

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 God has not simply coerced a bunch of people to serve in his army,

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 but he has sacrificially laid down his life to make them his own family.

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 And so he sets his love on them.

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 As a husband sets his love on a prospective wife,

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 saying,

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 that didn't come out right.

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 As a man sets his love on a prospective wife,

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 says,

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 I have chosen you to be mine.

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 This is what God has done for his people.

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 And it represents their role and their purpose.

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 This word holy,

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 which we usually hear in ethical, moral terms,

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 is actually a term that means set apart.

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 When you're not in the military,

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 it doesn't matter how you act

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 in relationship to the military standards and expectations.

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 But when you are brought in,

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 you are set apart,

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 and there is now an expectation

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 for you to act in a certain way

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 that is in accord with the new role

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 and the new identity that you have.

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 And God has now set you apart to be his.

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 You are now in my family.

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 Live like it.

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 Yes, it is ethical.

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 It is moral.

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 But fundamentally,

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 it's reflective of the character

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 of the Father God

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 who has made you his own.

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 So the foundation is not only having a new self,

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 not only being given a new identity

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 and a new relationship with God,

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 but verse 13 reminds us

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 that the foundation is based

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 in the very act of our salvation,

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 that in Christ,

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 God has forgiven us our sin.

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 The sin of rebellion against God

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 that has been lived out

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 in so many different ways,

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 listed in the earlier chapter.

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 Go back and listen to Pastor Greg's sermon

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 from last week

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 to think about all the things

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 that we are to put off

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 because they are not of God.

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 Paul reminds us

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 that these things were shackles

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 that bound us.

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 They were a cancer in our spiritual soul.

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 They bear a weight of guilt

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 that crush us.

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 And Christ came to set us free,

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 to set us free to pursue life

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 and holiness.

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 Godliness.

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 And godliness.

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 To set us free to finally be able

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 to do what is right

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 and to rejoice in it.

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 He pulls from what Paul reminded us

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 in chapter 2, verses 11 through 16.

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 That though we in our sin

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 stood before a holy God,

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 guilty of law-breaking

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 and of rebellion.

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 Christ came

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 and by bearing our sins,

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 he took that guilty verdict

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 and he nailed it to the cross.

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 You guys know that great hymn.

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 It's nailed to the cross

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 and I bear it no more.

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 It is no longer ours

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 and we are free from its penalty

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 and from its power.

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 Christ has forgiven us of our sin.

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 And finally, in verse 15,

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 we see that we have been called

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 into the peace of Christ.

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 The peace of Christ, as we'll see,

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 has both vertical and horizontal elements.

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 But here, the peace that we've been called into,

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 first and foremost,

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 is peace with God.

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 Because our sin has been taken away,

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 because we've been made new,

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 because we've been brought into the family,

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 we now have a relationship with God

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 that is not characterized

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 by fighting and struggle and strife,

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 but by love and peace,

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 by submission.

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 So we see that the foundation

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 of this new life in Christ

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 is a new identity

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 and a new standing in Christ.

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 And this is what it means to be a Christian.

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 And the fundamental framework,

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 and it's not just here in Colossians,

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 it's throughout the New Testament,

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 is that we are to live in a certain way,

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 not to be accepted by God,

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 but because God has made us new in Christ.

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 And the ethical exhortations

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 for us to live in a certain way

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 are to be who God has already made us to be

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 in Christ.

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 You are dead in your sins and trespasses.

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 He has made you alive in Christ.

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 So put off the old that's dead

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 and put on what is new.

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 So that's the foundation.

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 The new life has a uniform

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 that comes with this identity

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 and this standing.

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 What does it look like?

00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:33.440
 What is this new way?

00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:35.620
 Well, friends,

00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:40.799
 there's a rich, rich painting here

00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:44.759
 of what it looks like to put on Christ.

00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:48.100
 Verses 12 through 16 show us what it means,

00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:51.840
 what the form of this life is to look like.

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:53.779
 And it has two parts of it.

00:17:54.620 --> 00:17:56.340
 There's a character to put on

00:17:56.340 --> 00:17:58.759
 and there are patterns to be controlled by.

00:17:58.759 --> 00:18:01.859
 But one of the things that you will notice

00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:03.140
 most clearly,

00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:05.119
 and this is parallel to what we've seen

00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:06.960
 back in the earlier verses

00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:08.240
 in verse 5 and 7,

00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:11.339
 that sin certainly is something that we do.

00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:14.940
 But these actions that we do,

00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:17.039
 these things that come out of our mouth,

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:19.660
 they ultimately spring from our hearts.

00:18:20.740 --> 00:18:23.440
 And that when Christians are commanded

00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:26.640
 to do things or to put on things

00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:28.619
 that are the uniform of the Christian,

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:31.640
 we are meant to put on things

00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:33.700
 first and foremost in our heart

00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:36.960
 that is then expressed in how we live

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:39.180
 and how we relate to others.

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:43.460
 This is in direct opposition

00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:45.940
 to what we saw back at the end of chapter 2

00:18:45.940 --> 00:18:49.359
 where Paul condemns empty,

00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:51.799
 self-made religion with its rules.

00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.839
 Do this, don't that.

00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:54.579
 Don't do this, don't that.

00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:55.400
 Don't do that.

00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:58.160
 It's not this externalism.

00:18:58.759 --> 00:18:59.559
 But in fact,

00:18:59.619 --> 00:19:02.859
 this internal transformation of our hearts.

00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:06.319
 What does it look like?

00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:07.900
 Well, let's walk through these quickly

00:19:07.900 --> 00:19:09.119
 if we can.

00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:11.640
 We could be here for a long time

00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:13.480
 unpacking these wonderful words

00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:14.980
 and the richness of them.

00:19:15.019 --> 00:19:16.099
 But I'm going to try to give you

00:19:16.099 --> 00:19:17.079
 a portrait,

00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:18.079
 a painting of it.

00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:20.259
 What are we to put on in Christ?

00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:21.500
 Look with me in verse 12.

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:24.119
 We're to put on compassionate hearts.

00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:28.039
 The word heart there is actually talking about our,

00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:29.459
 it's easier,

00:19:29.639 --> 00:19:31.899
 more literal translation is our bowels.

00:19:31.899 --> 00:19:35.119
 The very center of our being,

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:37.179
 the very core of who we are

00:19:37.179 --> 00:19:39.759
 is meant to be one of compassion.

00:19:42.139 --> 00:19:45.379
 Compassion is one who seeks to understand

00:19:45.380 --> 00:19:48.060
 rather than simply to judge.

00:19:50.300 --> 00:19:52.080
 Compassion seeks to come alongside

00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:54.440
 rather than to exclude

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:56.000
 or inflict.

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:01.680
 It is this compassion that Paul appeals to

00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:03.100
 in Romans 12.1

00:20:03.100 --> 00:20:04.100
 where he says,

00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:04.440
 therefore,

00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:07.540
 as you have received the mercies of God,

00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:12.140
 offer yourself up as living sacrifices to him.

00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:13.980
 And those mercies of God

00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:15.800
 recount all that he's talked about

00:20:15.800 --> 00:20:17.740
 in Romans 1 through 11

00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:19.440
 about the work of Christ

00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:22.340
 in saving us from our sin.

00:20:23.560 --> 00:20:25.720
 God has been compassionate to us,

00:20:25.820 --> 00:20:28.480
 not treating us as our sins deserve.

00:20:31.580 --> 00:20:33.960
 The second thing that Paul says is kindness.

00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:35.440
 We are to put on kindness.

00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:38.120
 Kindness is a generosity

00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:40.580
 and a consideration towards others.

00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:43.759
 In the Greek version of the Old Testament,

00:20:44.020 --> 00:20:47.160
 it is what is translated in Psalm 34.8

00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:48.900
 that we are to taste and see

00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:50.560
 that the Lord is good.

00:20:52.120 --> 00:20:53.100
 It's the same word here,

00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:54.780
 that the Lord is kind.

00:20:57.320 --> 00:21:00.220
 That the basic approach towards someone

00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:02.280
 is to want to do them good

00:21:02.280 --> 00:21:08.280
 and to have a way of considering who they are.

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:14.019
 The third thing we see in this list

00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:14.879
 is humility.

00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:18.240
 Interestingly enough,

00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:21.460
 humility in the ancient world

00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:23.379
 was almost always a negative term.

00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.960
 It talked about mean

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:31.180
 and base servile types of activities.

00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:34.019
 It often was derided as a negative.

00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:36.700
 And yet in the scriptures,

00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:38.299
 God takes this idea

00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:40.379
 and he redeems it

00:21:40.379 --> 00:21:43.019
 and he fills it with something good.

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:45.259
 Maybe you sit here today

00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:46.379
 and you think of humility

00:21:46.379 --> 00:21:49.759
 as someone who's always getting walked over.

00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:52.500
 Someone who never stands up for themselves.

00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:55.539
 Humility might be thinking poorly of yourself.

00:21:55.660 --> 00:21:56.339
 Like I'm no good,

00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:56.859
 I'm no good,

00:21:56.900 --> 00:21:57.440
 I'm no good.

00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:58.940
 And that that's what humility

00:21:58.940 --> 00:22:00.019
 is meant to look like.

00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:02.339
 But biblical humility

00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:04.759
 is actually not thinking more highly

00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:08.519
 or more lowly of ourselves than we ought.

00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:11.559
 It is actually to think rightly of ourselves.

00:22:11.879 --> 00:22:14.680
 To see ourselves as God sees us.

00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.240
 To recognize it

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:23.220
 as human beings

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:25.759
 created by an infinite creator God.

00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.980
 We are not the center of the universe.

00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:30.220
 We are not the most important thing.

00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:31.799
 We are not the greatest human being

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:33.059
 that ever blessed the earth

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:34.460
 or our family

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.460
 or our discipline

00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:36.400
 or our school

00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.259
 or our workplace

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:38.700
 or wherever else you want.

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:41.079
 That we are not the greatest thing there.

00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.720
 And yet,

00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:46.779
 it does not mean that we are nothing,

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:49.299
 but we are something in God.

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:51.319
 And because of God.

00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:54.339
 This is humility.

00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:54.459
 humility.

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:57.679
 And God loves this.

00:22:58.740 --> 00:23:00.579
 Isaiah 57, 15

00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:02.299
 reminds us that God

00:23:02.299 --> 00:23:04.459
 is high above the heavens

00:23:04.459 --> 00:23:05.639
 and yet he dwells

00:23:05.639 --> 00:23:07.539
 with those who are lowly in heart.

00:23:11.439 --> 00:23:13.399
 So not only compassionate hearts,

00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:14.559
 kindness, humility,

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:16.159
 but also meekness

00:23:16.159 --> 00:23:17.339
 and gentleness.

00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:21.519
 Gentleness has to do

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:23.720
 with a bit of how we carry out

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.759
 what we do.

00:23:25.879 --> 00:23:27.699
 To do it with a softness

00:23:27.699 --> 00:23:28.839
 that does not do,

00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:30.439
 cause undue harm.

00:23:31.159 --> 00:23:32.799
 With a consideration

00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:35.220
 for one another

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:39.639
 that is sensitive

00:23:39.639 --> 00:23:41.419
 rather than insensitive

00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:43.160
 to the needs,

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.140
 fears,

00:23:44.620 --> 00:23:45.279
 concerns,

00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.820
 or vulnerabilities

00:23:46.820 --> 00:23:48.539
 of those around us.

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:51.480
 That's what we see

00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:52.420
 is meekness

00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:53.700
 here in this translation.

00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:57.980
 Finally,

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.680
 the last one is

00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:01.259
 patience.

00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:03.060
 Now we all know

00:24:03.060 --> 00:24:03.960
 we need more patience.

00:24:04.460 --> 00:24:05.220
 All you have to do

00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:06.000
 is get in your car

00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:07.000
 and drive in Connecticut.

00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:08.100
 And we know

00:24:08.100 --> 00:24:09.039
 we need more patience.

00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.440
 And if we have to go

00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:11.039
 to DMV,

00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:12.119
 Lord help us,

00:24:12.379 --> 00:24:13.019
 we know

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:14.420
 we need patience.

00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:17.779
 But the patience here

00:24:17.779 --> 00:24:18.779
 is actually even

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:20.039
 greater than that.

00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:22.319
 Because the patience here

00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:24.139
 is a long suffering

00:24:24.139 --> 00:24:25.639
 in the face of sin.

00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:27.899
 It is withholding

00:24:27.899 --> 00:24:30.119
 condemnation and judgment

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:32.519
 in hopes of a better outcome.

00:24:34.619 --> 00:24:36.659
 When after the Israelites

00:24:36.659 --> 00:24:38.180
 had sinned against God

00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:39.580
 by creating an idol

00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:40.640
 and worshiping it

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:42.620
 at the base of Mount Sinai,

00:24:43.340 --> 00:24:45.480
 when Moses demanded

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.860
 that God reveal himself

00:24:46.860 --> 00:24:48.180
 to him again,

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:49.660
 that he would see his face,

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:50.860
 God said,

00:24:51.100 --> 00:24:51.500
 the Lord,

00:24:51.600 --> 00:24:52.200
 the Lord,

00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:54.500
 slow to anger

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:56.440
 and abounding

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:57.560
 in loving kindness.

00:24:58.279 --> 00:25:00.180
 This is the patience of God.

00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.180
 That he sees

00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:02.620
 our weakness

00:25:02.620 --> 00:25:03.660
 and our frailty.

00:25:04.060 --> 00:25:05.480
 He also sees

00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:06.620
 our proud

00:25:06.620 --> 00:25:07.360
 and arrogant

00:25:07.360 --> 00:25:08.059
 rebellion

00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:09.240
 and our willful

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:10.240
 disobedience.

00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:12.059
 And he is patient

00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:12.900
 with us,

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:14.740
 not wishing

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:15.779
 that any would perish,

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:17.059
 but that all would come

00:25:17.059 --> 00:25:18.279
 to salvation.

00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:20.140
 This is why

00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:20.940
 he withholds

00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:21.360
 his judgment

00:25:21.360 --> 00:25:22.299
 on this world.

00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:24.200
 Because he is

00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:24.839
 working

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.620
 to redeem

00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:27.180
 more souls.

00:25:28.860 --> 00:25:30.039
 This is the patience

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:30.680
 of God.

00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:30.720
 God.

00:25:32.779 --> 00:25:33.840
 And this leads us,

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:34.240
 of course,

00:25:34.320 --> 00:25:35.240
 into what we see

00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:36.299
 in verse 13.

00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:38.220
 Bearing with one another.

00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:44.360
 We are not like

00:25:44.360 --> 00:25:45.200
 the football coach

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:45.840
 that says,

00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.140
 here's the standard.

00:25:47.560 --> 00:25:48.700
 If you can't meet it,

00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:49.480
 you're off the team.

00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.080
 Period.

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:52.519
 End of discussion.

00:25:54.080 --> 00:25:55.000
 But we are called

00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:56.460
 to bear with one another

00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:57.799
 and bear up

00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:58.600
 one another

00:25:58.600 --> 00:26:00.019
 towards godliness

00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:00.799
 in this.

00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.400
 And this is not

00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:03.319
 a Pollyanna view.

00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:03.819
 If you see

00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:04.720
 what he goes on,

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:05.019
 he says,

00:26:05.100 --> 00:26:05.340
 look,

00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:06.600
 bearing with one another,

00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:07.579
 if one has a complaint

00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:08.180
 against another,

00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:09.000
 he's saying,

00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:09.460
 of course,

00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.079
 we're going to have

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.519
 conflicts.

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.380
 We're a bunch

00:26:11.380 --> 00:26:12.259
 of fallen people

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:13.180
 living in community

00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:13.660
 together.

00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:14.539
 Of course,

00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:15.140
 we're going to have

00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:16.039
 complaints against

00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:16.640
 one another.

00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:18.480
 It's not a question

00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.539
 of if we will have

00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:20.160
 conflict.

00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:22.180
 It will be a question

00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:23.660
 of how we respond

00:26:23.660 --> 00:26:24.120
 to it.

00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:26.319
 what is it

00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:26.919
 that comes out

00:26:26.919 --> 00:26:27.579
 of our hearts

00:26:27.579 --> 00:26:28.359
 when we feel

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:28.939
 like we've been

00:26:28.939 --> 00:26:30.019
 wronged by someone

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:30.459
 else?

00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:32.359
 What will come

00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:33.439
 out of our hearts

00:26:33.439 --> 00:26:34.859
 when we disagree

00:26:34.859 --> 00:26:35.839
 with the decisions

00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:36.779
 that have been made

00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:37.699
 or when we feel

00:26:37.699 --> 00:26:38.439
 slighted?

00:26:41.719 --> 00:26:42.739
 How are we going

00:26:42.739 --> 00:26:43.419
 to respond

00:26:43.419 --> 00:26:44.359
 to the person

00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:45.879
 who says something

00:26:45.879 --> 00:26:46.519
 that we find

00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:47.559
 offensive or difficult

00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:48.199
 to hear?

00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:57.119
 to bear with

00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:57.719
 one another

00:26:57.719 --> 00:26:59.099
 is to not be

00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:00.079
 overly reactive

00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.239
 to those things

00:27:01.239 --> 00:27:03.679
 and to not fall

00:27:03.679 --> 00:27:04.719
 into black

00:27:04.719 --> 00:27:05.279
 and white

00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:06.019
 thinking

00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:08.000
 about how

00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.579
 we view

00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:10.459
 someone else

00:27:10.459 --> 00:27:12.219
 but to continue

00:27:12.219 --> 00:27:13.679
 to look

00:27:13.679 --> 00:27:14.479
 for the good

00:27:14.479 --> 00:27:16.019
 even as we

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:17.019
 resolve conflict,

00:27:17.179 --> 00:27:18.019
 even as we have

00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:18.819
 to speak the truth

00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:19.279
 in love,

00:27:19.619 --> 00:27:20.339
 even as we have

00:27:20.339 --> 00:27:21.239
 to admonish

00:27:21.239 --> 00:27:21.759
 one another

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.400
 sometimes,

00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:24.559
 we do it

00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:24.940
 in a way

00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:26.059
 that is forbearing.

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:28.900
 And of course

00:27:28.900 --> 00:27:29.579
 this leads us

00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:31.160
 to the next

00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:32.019
 thing as well.

00:27:33.099 --> 00:27:33.599
 Bearing with

00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:34.119
 one another

00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:35.140
 and forgiving

00:27:35.140 --> 00:27:35.920
 one another.

00:27:39.160 --> 00:27:39.720
 Forgiving

00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:40.900
 is one of

00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:41.379
 the most

00:27:41.379 --> 00:27:42.619
 remarkable things

00:27:42.619 --> 00:27:43.359
 that Christians

00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.460
 understand

00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:45.059
 because

00:27:45.059 --> 00:27:46.379
 in Christ

00:27:46.379 --> 00:27:47.059
 we have been

00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:47.400
 forgiven

00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:48.180
 of our sin.

00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:49.839
 Forgiveness

00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:50.519
 means that

00:27:50.519 --> 00:27:51.400
 we do not

00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:52.539
 take the role

00:27:52.539 --> 00:27:53.279
 of judge,

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:53.700
 jury,

00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.720
 and executioner

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:55.259
 in someone

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.180
 else's life.

00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:57.900
 We do not

00:27:57.900 --> 00:27:59.259
 stand in the

00:27:59.259 --> 00:27:59.720
 role of

00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:00.619
 taking vengeance

00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:01.619
 and inflicting

00:28:01.619 --> 00:28:02.740
 punishment on

00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:03.539
 someone else

00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:04.619
 for their sin

00:28:04.619 --> 00:28:05.619
 against us.

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:10.039
 We can live

00:28:10.039 --> 00:28:10.440
 in a world

00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:10.799
 where we

00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:11.319
 misunderstand

00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:12.000
 forgiveness

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.900
 a lot.

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:13.339
 Let me

00:28:13.339 --> 00:28:14.220
 clarify a few

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:14.700
 things.

00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:18.299
 If I go

00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:18.759
 to you

00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:19.700
 because I've

00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.140
 said an

00:28:20.140 --> 00:28:20.840
 unkind word

00:28:20.840 --> 00:28:21.160
 to you

00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:21.539
 and I say

00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.059
 I'm sorry

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:22.620
 I said that

00:28:22.620 --> 00:28:22.880
 will you

00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:23.440
 forgive me?

00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:24.460
 And you say

00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:24.700
 yeah it

00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:25.140
 doesn't matter.

00:28:25.860 --> 00:28:26.480
 You have

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.080
 not forgiven

00:28:27.080 --> 00:28:27.420
 me.

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:29.299
 Maybe you've

00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:29.799
 born with

00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:30.019
 me.

00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:31.019
 Maybe you've

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.420
 overlooked

00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:32.240
 my sin.

00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.759
 But if I've

00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.299
 done something

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:36.700
 but if I've

00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.480
 actually sinned

00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:38.080
 against you

00:28:38.080 --> 00:28:38.779
 forgiveness

00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.480
 means that I

00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:39.980
 look you in

00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:40.299
 the eye

00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:40.779
 and I say

00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:42.380
 yeah that

00:28:42.380 --> 00:28:43.019
 was wrong

00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:43.740
 and it

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.019
 hurt.

00:28:47.539 --> 00:28:48.539
 You deserve

00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.079
 judgment

00:28:49.079 --> 00:28:50.519
 for it

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:53.200
 but because

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.660
 of Christ

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.200
 I am not

00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:54.799
 going to do

00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:55.099
 that.

00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:56.480
 I will not

00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:57.019
 take it out

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.400
 on you.

00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:01.139
 That's what

00:29:01.139 --> 00:29:01.579
 forgiveness

00:29:01.579 --> 00:29:02.180
 means.

00:29:02.859 --> 00:29:03.720
 It doesn't

00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:04.379
 mean ignoring

00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:04.900
 wrong.

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:05.539
 It doesn't

00:29:05.539 --> 00:29:06.960
 mean absolving

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:07.900
 someone of any

00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:08.920
 consequences for

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:09.460
 their sin.

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.440
 It doesn't

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:11.019
 mean

00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:14.859
 that we

00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:15.519
 don't stand

00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:16.079
 up and

00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:16.799
 protect one

00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:17.799
 another when

00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:18.299
 wrongs are

00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:18.980
 being done

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:21.259
 but it does

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:21.900
 mean that we

00:29:21.900 --> 00:29:22.920
 do not stand

00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:23.639
 in judgment

00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:25.400
 and bring

00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:26.240
 condemnation

00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:27.200
 to others

00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:29.700
 and the only

00:29:29.700 --> 00:29:30.619
 reason

00:29:30.619 --> 00:29:32.339
 why we can

00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:33.220
 let go of

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:33.579
 that

00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:36.099
 is because of

00:29:36.099 --> 00:29:36.700
 what God has

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.299
 done in

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:37.740
 Christ.

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:42.480
 to forgive

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.099
 one another

00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:43.880
 is to say

00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:44.799
 yes you did

00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.359
 sin against

00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:45.900
 me but I

00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:46.539
 am not going

00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:47.220
 to hold that

00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:47.859
 against you

00:29:47.859 --> 00:29:48.539
 and in

00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:49.359
 hopeful

00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:51.579
 trust that

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.299
 God is at

00:29:52.299 --> 00:29:53.180
 work and

00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:53.700
 that he can

00:29:53.700 --> 00:29:54.740
 rebuild this

00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.740
 relationship and

00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:56.980
 restore trust

00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:58.559
 I'm going to

00:29:58.559 --> 00:29:59.319
 engage with

00:29:59.319 --> 00:29:59.660
 you.

00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:05.059
 Why?

00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:06.859
 because that's

00:30:06.859 --> 00:30:07.279
 what God

00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:07.980
 does with

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.399
 us.

00:30:12.399 --> 00:30:13.339
 Think about

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:13.779
 this my

00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:14.139
 friends.

00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:16.559
 How offensive

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:17.359
 has your sin

00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:17.799
 been to

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:18.179
 God?

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.480
 Has he

00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:21.179
 brought final

00:30:21.179 --> 00:30:21.960
 judgment against

00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:22.279
 you?

00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:24.220
 Has he brought

00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:24.879
 the rightful

00:30:24.879 --> 00:30:25.659
 punishment that

00:30:25.659 --> 00:30:26.339
 you deserve

00:30:26.339 --> 00:30:27.419
 for your

00:30:27.419 --> 00:30:28.519
 rebellion against

00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:28.779
 him?

00:30:28.899 --> 00:30:29.179
 For your

00:30:29.179 --> 00:30:30.220
 disregarding

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:30.419
 him?

00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:31.079
 For you're

00:30:31.079 --> 00:30:31.619
 not treating

00:30:31.619 --> 00:30:32.279
 him as the

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:32.879
 God of the

00:30:32.879 --> 00:30:34.359
 universe who

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:35.079
 deserves our

00:30:35.079 --> 00:30:35.619
 worship and

00:30:35.619 --> 00:30:36.299
 our praise and

00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:37.219
 our adoration and

00:30:37.219 --> 00:30:38.079
 everything that we

00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:38.759
 have because

00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:39.359
 everything we

00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:39.959
 have has come

00:30:39.959 --> 00:30:40.419
 from him in

00:30:40.419 --> 00:30:41.139
 the first place?

00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:43.899
 Has God

00:30:43.899 --> 00:30:44.679
 treated you like

00:30:44.679 --> 00:30:45.059
 that?

00:30:46.199 --> 00:30:47.139
 In fact he

00:30:47.139 --> 00:30:47.659
 hasn't.

00:30:48.299 --> 00:30:49.199
 He's done the

00:30:49.199 --> 00:30:49.979
 very opposite.

00:30:50.699 --> 00:30:51.379
 He sent his

00:30:51.379 --> 00:30:52.539
 very own son

00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:55.000
 to take the

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.799
 very punishment

00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:56.599
 that you

00:30:56.599 --> 00:30:58.179
 deserve upon

00:30:58.179 --> 00:30:59.939
 himself in

00:30:59.939 --> 00:31:03.139
 love so

00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:03.700
 so that you

00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:04.200
 might be

00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:04.900
 forgiven of

00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:05.700
 your sin.

00:31:07.100 --> 00:31:08.080
 This is why

00:31:08.080 --> 00:31:08.920
 Jesus tells

00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:10.900
 us that we

00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:11.500
 are to forgive

00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:12.820
 70 times 7

00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:13.960
 for one

00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:14.300
 another.

00:31:14.860 --> 00:31:15.740
 And why even

00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:17.100
 when we go to

00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:17.920
 one another to

00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:19.759
 confront sin we

00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.860
 must go first

00:31:20.860 --> 00:31:22.360
 taking the log

00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:24.259
 in our own

00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:24.620
 eye.

00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.660
 A recognition

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:26.580
 of our own

00:31:26.580 --> 00:31:27.900
 sinfulness and

00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:28.900
 our own desert

00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:29.640
 of punishment.

00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:31.100
 judgment and

00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:31.520
 the way that

00:31:31.520 --> 00:31:32.180
 God has so

00:31:32.180 --> 00:31:33.060
 graciously and

00:31:33.060 --> 00:31:33.720
 mercifully dealt

00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:35.480
 with us so

00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:36.000
 that we can

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:36.420
 deal with

00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:36.900
 others.

00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.500
 This is the

00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:39.240
 meaning of the

00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:40.100
 parable of the

00:31:40.100 --> 00:31:41.100
 unforgiving servant

00:31:41.100 --> 00:31:42.060
 who is forgiven a

00:31:42.060 --> 00:31:42.780
 great debt and

00:31:42.780 --> 00:31:43.640
 then turns around

00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:44.840
 and refuses to

00:31:44.840 --> 00:31:45.420
 forgive the

00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:47.440
 small debt of

00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:48.120
 one who owed

00:31:48.120 --> 00:31:48.480
 him.

00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:48.539
 love.

00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.720
 And friends of

00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:56.620
 course this is

00:31:56.620 --> 00:31:58.200
 the greatest

00:31:58.200 --> 00:31:59.200
 expression of

00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:02.019
 love that we

00:32:02.019 --> 00:32:02.420
 have.

00:32:04.019 --> 00:32:04.720
 This is the

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.480
 final thing that

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:06.819
 Paul tells us to

00:32:06.819 --> 00:32:07.559
 put on in verse

00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:09.079
 15 or in

00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:09.799
 verse 14.

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:11.240
 Above all these

00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:12.480
 put on love

00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:14.200
 seeking one

00:32:14.200 --> 00:32:15.160
 another's good

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:16.460
 as God defines

00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.380
 it is what love

00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:17.800
 is.

00:32:18.100 --> 00:32:19.000
 It is not a

00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:19.740
 warm feeling.

00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:22.780
 It is not a

00:32:22.780 --> 00:32:24.620
 romantic episode.

00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:27.120
 It is seeking

00:32:27.120 --> 00:32:27.780
 the good of

00:32:27.780 --> 00:32:28.920
 others above

00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:29.860
 your own.

00:32:31.520 --> 00:32:32.460
 And seeking

00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:33.520
 that good not

00:32:33.520 --> 00:32:34.340
 as you define

00:32:34.340 --> 00:32:35.260
 it nor as

00:32:35.260 --> 00:32:36.240
 they define it

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:37.180
 but as God

00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:37.900
 defines it.

00:32:40.880 --> 00:32:41.940
 This is Jesus

00:32:41.940 --> 00:32:43.240
 love for us.

00:32:44.840 --> 00:32:45.680
 Laying down

00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.700
 his life for

00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:47.120
 sinners.

00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:49.360
 A physician

00:32:49.360 --> 00:32:50.140
 coming for the

00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:50.440
 sick.

00:32:50.540 --> 00:32:50.900
 A lover

00:32:50.900 --> 00:32:51.420
 coming to

00:32:51.420 --> 00:32:52.600
 reclaim a

00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:53.480
 wayward spouse.

00:32:53.600 --> 00:32:54.060
 A shepherd

00:32:54.060 --> 00:32:55.320
 finding a

00:32:55.320 --> 00:32:56.040
 lost sheep.

00:32:56.540 --> 00:32:57.500
 A friend to

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.500
 walk with us.

00:33:00.020 --> 00:33:00.660
 Jesus

00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:01.680
 confronting the

00:33:01.680 --> 00:33:02.240
 rich young

00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:03.540
 ruler in his

00:33:03.540 --> 00:33:04.120
 misunderstanding.

00:33:04.540 --> 00:33:05.020
 Jesus

00:33:05.020 --> 00:33:07.280
 bringing hope

00:33:07.280 --> 00:33:07.920
 to the woman

00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:09.280
 caught in

00:33:09.280 --> 00:33:10.080
 what feels like

00:33:10.080 --> 00:33:10.560
 terminal

00:33:10.560 --> 00:33:12.060
 uncleanness.

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:14.019
 Jesus bringing

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.819
 hope and

00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:17.099
 clarification to

00:33:17.099 --> 00:33:18.099
 Samaritan woman

00:33:18.099 --> 00:33:19.700
 who has wandered

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:20.740
 far from God.

00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:22.339
 Jesus speaking

00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:22.960
 to Peter

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:24.720
 after the

00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:25.259
 resurrection.

00:33:25.940 --> 00:33:26.740
 After Peter's

00:33:26.740 --> 00:33:27.539
 betrayal of

00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:29.379
 him and

00:33:29.379 --> 00:33:30.259
 restoring him

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:30.639
 gently.

00:33:31.639 --> 00:33:32.720
 This is love

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:36.379
 not that we

00:33:36.379 --> 00:33:37.079
 love God but

00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:37.679
 that he loved

00:33:37.679 --> 00:33:38.339
 us and sent

00:33:38.339 --> 00:33:40.419
 his son as

00:33:40.420 --> 00:33:40.880
 Greg read

00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:41.380
 earlier.

00:33:42.060 --> 00:33:42.740
 Friends what

00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:43.200
 would it look

00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:44.039
 like if the

00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:44.500
 church was

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:45.440
 characterized by

00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.259
 these things?

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:48.039
 What would it

00:33:48.039 --> 00:33:48.640
 look like if

00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:49.360
 Christians were

00:33:49.360 --> 00:33:50.120
 known to be

00:33:50.120 --> 00:33:51.019
 people like

00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:52.860
 this in the

00:33:52.860 --> 00:33:53.300
 world?

00:33:53.299 --> 00:33:57.859
 what a

00:33:57.859 --> 00:33:58.480
 beautiful thing

00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:59.079
 it would be

00:33:59.079 --> 00:34:00.639
 if this were

00:34:00.639 --> 00:34:01.200
 the uniform

00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:01.700
 that we

00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:02.460
 actually wore.

00:34:03.899 --> 00:34:04.759
 And we know

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:05.279
 that the world

00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:05.879
 will not always

00:34:05.879 --> 00:34:06.419
 be impressed

00:34:06.419 --> 00:34:07.039
 by that.

00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:12.139
 But still

00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:13.480
 we know it

00:34:13.480 --> 00:34:13.920
 would be a

00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:14.659
 beautiful thing.

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:17.980
 So not only

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:18.400
 are we to put

00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:18.679
 on these

00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:19.559
 character qualities

00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:20.179
 but we're also

00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:20.800
 to put on

00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:21.920
 controlling patterns.

00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:23.139
 verse 15

00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:23.940
 and 16.

00:34:26.700 --> 00:34:27.599
 Verse 15

00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:28.240
 talks about

00:34:28.240 --> 00:34:28.740
 the peace

00:34:28.740 --> 00:34:29.420
 of Christ.

00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:30.460
 The peace

00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:30.880
 of Christ

00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:31.240
 is this

00:34:31.240 --> 00:34:32.039
 standing before

00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:32.720
 God that we

00:34:32.720 --> 00:34:33.139
 have but

00:34:33.139 --> 00:34:33.960
 Paul says

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.460
 it is to

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:35.340
 rule in

00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:36.059
 our hearts

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:37.780
 and he

00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:38.659
 applies it

00:34:38.659 --> 00:34:39.400
 in our

00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:39.960
 community

00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:40.539
 to which

00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:41.119
 indeed you

00:34:41.119 --> 00:34:41.680
 were called

00:34:41.680 --> 00:34:42.400
 in one

00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:42.920
 body.

00:34:44.740 --> 00:34:45.519
 Pastor Greg

00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:46.220
 covered a

00:34:46.220 --> 00:34:47.900
 good bit of

00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:48.420
 this last

00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:49.000
 week in his

00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:49.300
 sermon.

00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:51.200
 That as

00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:51.599
 Paul is

00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:52.019
 giving these

00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:52.659
 exhortations

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:53.079
 they're not

00:34:53.079 --> 00:34:53.919
 merely

00:34:53.919 --> 00:34:55.799
 individual

00:34:55.799 --> 00:34:56.639
 but they're

00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:57.579
 also and

00:34:57.579 --> 00:34:58.259
 maybe even

00:34:58.259 --> 00:34:58.980
 primarily

00:34:58.980 --> 00:34:59.879
 corporate

00:34:59.879 --> 00:35:01.159
 exhortations.

00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:02.019
 That we're

00:35:02.019 --> 00:35:02.519
 to do this

00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:02.879
 not as

00:35:02.879 --> 00:35:03.339
 individual

00:35:03.339 --> 00:35:04.179
 people but

00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:04.500
 as a

00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:05.039
 community

00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:05.619
 of people

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:05.980
 that we're

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.679
 to express

00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:07.099
 these

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:08.219
 characteristics

00:35:08.219 --> 00:35:08.879
 to one

00:35:08.879 --> 00:35:09.259
 another.

00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:09.320
 together.

00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:13.800
 That we

00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:14.280
 would gather

00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:14.940
 together as

00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:15.480
 people who

00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:16.860
 humanly would

00:35:16.860 --> 00:35:17.520
 have nothing

00:35:17.520 --> 00:35:18.140
 in common

00:35:18.140 --> 00:35:19.060
 and who

00:35:19.060 --> 00:35:19.380
 would have

00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:20.140
 conflict with

00:35:20.140 --> 00:35:20.720
 one another

00:35:20.720 --> 00:35:22.980
 and not

00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:23.700
 just to come

00:35:23.700 --> 00:35:24.220
 together and

00:35:24.220 --> 00:35:24.860
 to tolerate

00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:25.580
 one another

00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:26.680
 or to have

00:35:26.680 --> 00:35:27.380
 a cold

00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:28.200
 frigid

00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:29.560
 distance

00:35:29.560 --> 00:35:31.580
 but to

00:35:31.580 --> 00:35:32.220
 actually have

00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:32.880
 an embrace

00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:34.560
 to embrace

00:35:34.560 --> 00:35:35.320
 one another

00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:35.980
 in the peace

00:35:35.980 --> 00:35:36.600
 of Christ.

00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:37.719
 To look at

00:35:37.719 --> 00:35:38.420
 someone with

00:35:38.420 --> 00:35:39.460
 whom humanly

00:35:39.460 --> 00:35:40.039
 I don't know

00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:41.019
 anything except

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:41.739
 for the image

00:35:41.739 --> 00:35:42.699
 of God and

00:35:42.699 --> 00:35:43.299
 the redeemed

00:35:43.299 --> 00:35:43.799
 image of

00:35:43.799 --> 00:35:44.400
 Christ in

00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:44.960
 that person

00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:45.819
 and to look

00:35:45.819 --> 00:35:46.279
 at them and

00:35:46.279 --> 00:35:48.500
 to say we

00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:49.059
 are together

00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:49.980
 in one body.

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:52.599
 Do you guys

00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:53.119
 know the movie

00:35:53.119 --> 00:35:53.699
 Remember the

00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:53.980
 Titans?

00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.699
 I know it's

00:35:54.699 --> 00:35:55.059
 old.

00:35:55.299 --> 00:35:55.839
 If you haven't

00:35:55.839 --> 00:35:56.279
 seen it you

00:35:56.279 --> 00:35:56.960
 young people go

00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:57.319
 see it.

00:35:57.360 --> 00:35:57.759
 It's a great

00:35:57.759 --> 00:35:58.079
 movie.

00:35:58.380 --> 00:35:59.139
 It's about an

00:35:59.139 --> 00:36:00.000
 integration of a

00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:00.699
 football team.

00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.679
 Black and white

00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:02.380
 football team.

00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:04.539
 And it's

00:36:04.539 --> 00:36:06.139
 particularly focusing

00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:06.719
 on two of

00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:07.279
 the characters

00:36:07.279 --> 00:36:08.400
 lead football

00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:08.920
 players on

00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.319
 each team

00:36:09.319 --> 00:36:09.779
 one white

00:36:09.779 --> 00:36:10.299
 one black

00:36:10.299 --> 00:36:10.759
 and how they

00:36:10.759 --> 00:36:11.480
 develop a

00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:12.480
 friendship even

00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:12.799
 though they

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:14.599
 have no prior

00:36:14.599 --> 00:36:15.659
 opportunity to

00:36:15.659 --> 00:36:16.000
 do this.

00:36:16.099 --> 00:36:17.199
 Now they do

00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:17.679
 this over

00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:19.000
 football right

00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:22.079
 but near the

00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:23.059
 end spoiler alert

00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:23.539
 I'm just going

00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:23.940
 to tell you

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:25.019
 near the end

00:36:25.019 --> 00:36:26.900
 the white

00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:27.819
 defensive captain

00:36:27.819 --> 00:36:28.659
 is in a car

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:30.659
 accident and he

00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:31.059
 goes in the

00:36:31.059 --> 00:36:33.819
 hospital and his

00:36:33.820 --> 00:36:37.019
 friend his

00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:37.640
 friend Julius

00:36:37.640 --> 00:36:38.860
 comes in to

00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:39.760
 visit Jerry

00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:42.360
 and Julius is

00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:43.740
 black and he

00:36:43.740 --> 00:36:44.360
 walks into the

00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:45.140
 hospital and

00:36:45.140 --> 00:36:46.160
 walks into the

00:36:46.160 --> 00:36:46.580
 room and the

00:36:46.580 --> 00:36:47.180
 nurse says oh

00:36:47.180 --> 00:36:47.660
 no you're not

00:36:47.660 --> 00:36:48.160
 allowed in there

00:36:48.160 --> 00:36:48.920
 only Ken's

00:36:48.920 --> 00:36:49.720
 allowed to go in

00:36:49.720 --> 00:36:49.980
 there.

00:36:51.720 --> 00:36:52.320
 And they

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:53.180
 developed such a

00:36:53.180 --> 00:36:54.720
 friendship and

00:36:54.720 --> 00:36:55.680
 such a recognition

00:36:55.680 --> 00:36:57.539
 of the humanity

00:36:57.539 --> 00:36:58.340
 in each other

00:36:58.340 --> 00:37:00.280
 that Jerry looks

00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:01.120
 out and says to

00:37:01.120 --> 00:37:01.840
 the nurse Alice

00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:02.860
 aren't you blind

00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:04.280
 don't you see

00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:04.900
 the family

00:37:04.900 --> 00:37:05.720
 resemblance

00:37:05.720 --> 00:37:07.420
 that's my

00:37:07.420 --> 00:37:07.860
 brother.

00:37:12.539 --> 00:37:13.480
 Friends that's

00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.100
 what the church

00:37:14.100 --> 00:37:14.940
 is meant to be.

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:16.940
 We look at each

00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:17.440
 other and we

00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:18.140
 say you are my

00:37:18.140 --> 00:37:19.539
 brother and my

00:37:19.539 --> 00:37:22.079
 sister and I

00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:23.200
 embrace you as

00:37:23.200 --> 00:37:23.579
 such.

00:37:27.780 --> 00:37:28.660
 This is what it

00:37:28.660 --> 00:37:29.220
 looks like when

00:37:29.220 --> 00:37:30.120
 the peace of

00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:32.440
 Christ rules in

00:37:32.440 --> 00:37:33.119
 our community.

00:37:35.779 --> 00:37:36.719
 Not only is the

00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:37.339
 peace of Christ

00:37:37.339 --> 00:37:38.239
 to rule in us

00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:39.619
 but the word of

00:37:39.619 --> 00:37:40.440
 Christ is to

00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:41.339
 dwell in us

00:37:41.339 --> 00:37:41.920
 richly.

00:37:44.420 --> 00:37:45.559
 Paul says that

00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:46.539
 if there is to

00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:47.539
 be a controlling

00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:49.219
 rule an

00:37:49.219 --> 00:37:50.380
 authority greater

00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:51.259
 than ourselves

00:37:51.259 --> 00:37:52.799
 that binds us

00:37:52.799 --> 00:37:54.880
 together it is

00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:55.519
 the word of

00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:56.000
 Christ.

00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:56.079
 Christ.

00:37:57.280 --> 00:37:58.059
 And that

00:37:58.059 --> 00:37:58.800
 certainly meant

00:37:58.800 --> 00:37:59.559
 in Paul's

00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:00.940
 time the

00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:01.840
 declaration of

00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:02.460
 what God had

00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:03.099
 done for us

00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:03.880
 in Christ.

00:38:05.800 --> 00:38:07.000
 I think today

00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:07.980
 we see that it

00:38:07.980 --> 00:38:09.699
 means this as

00:38:09.699 --> 00:38:10.960
 that declaration

00:38:10.960 --> 00:38:12.199
 has been recorded

00:38:12.199 --> 00:38:13.840
 and codified and

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:15.139
 preserved in God's

00:38:15.139 --> 00:38:15.699
 word in the

00:38:15.699 --> 00:38:16.019
 Bible.

00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:18.719
 It is to dwell in

00:38:18.719 --> 00:38:19.699
 us richly.

00:38:19.900 --> 00:38:20.860
 It is to be the

00:38:20.860 --> 00:38:22.320
 center of our

00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:24.679
 feasts and our

00:38:24.679 --> 00:38:25.480
 conversations.

00:38:26.039 --> 00:38:27.119
 It is to be the

00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:27.839
 thing that we

00:38:27.839 --> 00:38:29.199
 meditate upon and

00:38:29.199 --> 00:38:30.099
 what fills our

00:38:30.099 --> 00:38:30.539
 mind.

00:38:30.879 --> 00:38:31.719
 It is to be the

00:38:31.719 --> 00:38:33.879
 thing that comes

00:38:33.879 --> 00:38:35.000
 up regularly in

00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:35.899
 our conversations

00:38:35.899 --> 00:38:36.980
 with one another.

00:38:38.779 --> 00:38:39.779
 Paul says we are

00:38:39.779 --> 00:38:41.239
 to let it dwell

00:38:41.239 --> 00:38:42.019
 richly in us

00:38:42.019 --> 00:38:42.679
 teaching and

00:38:42.679 --> 00:38:43.559
 admonishing one

00:38:43.559 --> 00:38:43.960
 another.

00:38:44.219 --> 00:38:45.399
 That is reminding

00:38:45.399 --> 00:38:46.099
 one another,

00:38:46.319 --> 00:38:47.179
 informing one

00:38:47.179 --> 00:38:47.779
 another of the

00:38:47.779 --> 00:38:48.799
 content of God's

00:38:48.799 --> 00:38:49.839
 word, sharing

00:38:49.839 --> 00:38:50.559
 with one another

00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:51.219
 what it is that

00:38:51.219 --> 00:38:52.019
 we are learning

00:38:52.019 --> 00:38:53.039
 about God from

00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:54.679
 God's word and

00:38:54.679 --> 00:38:55.519
 then encouraging

00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:56.360
 one another to

00:38:56.360 --> 00:38:59.039
 continue to know

00:38:59.039 --> 00:39:00.079
 God more in the

00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:00.719
 midst of it.

00:39:02.840 --> 00:39:03.759
 And though we

00:39:03.759 --> 00:39:04.900
 live in a fairly

00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:05.940
 academic community

00:39:05.940 --> 00:39:06.779
 and many of us

00:39:06.779 --> 00:39:07.579
 think about deep

00:39:07.579 --> 00:39:09.000
 theology and that's

00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:09.920
 wonderful, it's

00:39:09.920 --> 00:39:11.719
 great, but recognize

00:39:11.719 --> 00:39:12.619
 that he says

00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:13.159
 teaching and

00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:13.920
 admonishing one

00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:15.619
 another and how

00:39:15.619 --> 00:39:16.440
 else do we do it?

00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:17.279
 By singing.

00:39:17.960 --> 00:39:18.920
 What a wonderful

00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.500
 thing.

00:39:19.500 --> 00:39:20.739
 This is not

00:39:20.739 --> 00:39:21.400
 ours in the

00:39:21.400 --> 00:39:22.760
 library, but this

00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:23.719
 is singing the

00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:24.840
 songs and the

00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:25.800
 psalms and the

00:39:25.800 --> 00:39:26.219
 hymns.

00:39:26.920 --> 00:39:27.460
 And don't get

00:39:27.460 --> 00:39:28.199
 hung up on those

00:39:28.199 --> 00:39:28.519
 words.

00:39:28.639 --> 00:39:29.000
 They're not

00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:29.900
 technical words.

00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:31.219
 It's meant to be

00:39:31.219 --> 00:39:32.480
 a collective word

00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:33.860
 to say all the

00:39:33.860 --> 00:39:34.780
 words, all the

00:39:34.780 --> 00:39:35.480
 ways that we can

00:39:35.480 --> 00:39:36.840
 sing the truth

00:39:36.840 --> 00:39:37.579
 about who God

00:39:37.579 --> 00:39:37.940
 is.

00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.219
 It's why we sing.

00:39:39.300 --> 00:39:39.579
 Have you ever

00:39:39.579 --> 00:39:40.219
 thought how weird

00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:40.699
 it is that

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:41.460
 Christians sing?

00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:42.599
 But we do.

00:39:42.739 --> 00:39:43.599
 We sing because

00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:44.619
 it reminds us.

00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:46.000
 It's a gift from

00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:47.460
 God in a different

00:39:47.460 --> 00:39:48.239
 way for us to

00:39:48.239 --> 00:39:49.099
 learn and to

00:39:49.099 --> 00:39:49.899
 speak God's

00:39:49.899 --> 00:39:50.519
 word to one

00:39:50.519 --> 00:39:51.479
 another about

00:39:51.479 --> 00:39:52.419
 who God is,

00:39:52.839 --> 00:39:53.500
 about how we

00:39:53.500 --> 00:39:54.159
 are to live,

00:39:54.599 --> 00:39:55.099
 about how we

00:39:55.099 --> 00:39:56.000
 respond to him.

00:39:58.699 --> 00:39:59.599
 So God's

00:39:59.599 --> 00:40:00.639
 word dwells in

00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:02.519
 us richly in

00:40:02.519 --> 00:40:03.299
 our community.

00:40:06.879 --> 00:40:07.779
 It dwells in

00:40:07.779 --> 00:40:08.619
 us individually

00:40:08.619 --> 00:40:09.839
 as we read and

00:40:09.839 --> 00:40:10.679
 memorize and

00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:11.959
 meditate, as we

00:40:11.959 --> 00:40:12.719
 follow reading

00:40:12.719 --> 00:40:13.339
 plans.

00:40:13.839 --> 00:40:15.459
 It dwells in

00:40:15.459 --> 00:40:16.539
 us richly as we

00:40:16.539 --> 00:40:17.439
 pursue this in

00:40:17.439 --> 00:40:18.219
 small groups,

00:40:18.239 --> 00:40:19.219
 together, whether

00:40:19.219 --> 00:40:19.979
 it be formal

00:40:19.979 --> 00:40:20.599
 weekly or

00:40:20.599 --> 00:40:21.379
 bi-weekly groups,

00:40:21.439 --> 00:40:21.899
 or whether it

00:40:21.899 --> 00:40:22.719
 be the informal

00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:23.419
 meetings over

00:40:23.419 --> 00:40:24.479
 coffee and

00:40:24.479 --> 00:40:25.259
 meals and in

00:40:25.259 --> 00:40:26.919
 our homes, where

00:40:26.919 --> 00:40:27.679
 we get to talk

00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:29.039
 about the

00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:29.359
 richness.

00:40:29.839 --> 00:40:30.279
 And not only

00:40:30.279 --> 00:40:31.119
 that, but we

00:40:31.119 --> 00:40:31.959
 get to sing.

00:40:32.659 --> 00:40:33.679
 We get to sing.

00:40:33.799 --> 00:40:34.379
 I don't know, in

00:40:34.379 --> 00:40:35.179
 my family, we

00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:36.199
 started, a couple

00:40:36.199 --> 00:40:36.779
 years ago, we

00:40:36.779 --> 00:40:37.519
 started singing

00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:38.959
 grace as we

00:40:38.959 --> 00:40:39.719
 ate meals.

00:40:40.859 --> 00:40:41.519
 Praise God

00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.139
 from whom all

00:40:42.139 --> 00:40:43.059
 blessings flow.

00:40:44.439 --> 00:40:45.079
 Our God, our

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:46.099
 Father, once

00:40:46.099 --> 00:40:47.500
 again, thank you

00:40:47.500 --> 00:40:47.900
 for our

00:40:47.900 --> 00:40:48.360
 blessings.

00:40:48.820 --> 00:40:49.599
 Thank you for

00:40:49.599 --> 00:40:50.179
 our blessings.

00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:50.900
 Amen.

00:40:51.699 --> 00:40:52.639
 We sing these

00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:54.239
 songs together, and

00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:55.360
 they root themselves

00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:56.739
 in our heart, and

00:40:56.739 --> 00:40:57.659
 they shape us.

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.579
 And this is what's

00:41:00.579 --> 00:41:01.280
 to rule.

00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:03.360
 Because, remember,

00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:04.679
 it is God's word

00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:05.579
 that tells us who

00:41:05.579 --> 00:41:06.860
 God is, and what

00:41:06.860 --> 00:41:07.780
 it means for us to

00:41:07.780 --> 00:41:08.739
 be in Christ.

00:41:08.739 --> 00:41:08.879
 Christ.

00:41:13.559 --> 00:41:15.179
 So, friends, if

00:41:15.179 --> 00:41:15.959
 this is true, then

00:41:15.959 --> 00:41:16.679
 how do we put it

00:41:16.679 --> 00:41:16.919
 on?

00:41:18.439 --> 00:41:19.599
 How is it that we

00:41:19.599 --> 00:41:20.679
 put on these

00:41:20.679 --> 00:41:21.819
 character qualities

00:41:21.819 --> 00:41:23.019
 and these patterns

00:41:23.019 --> 00:41:24.619
 in our lives?

00:41:27.799 --> 00:41:28.819
 Well, we're to do

00:41:28.819 --> 00:41:30.939
 everything, whether

00:41:30.939 --> 00:41:32.179
 in word or deed, in

00:41:32.179 --> 00:41:34.379
 the name of Jesus

00:41:34.380 --> 00:41:34.960
 Christ.

00:41:36.480 --> 00:41:37.860
 Remember, then, what

00:41:37.860 --> 00:41:38.780
 uniforms are meant

00:41:38.780 --> 00:41:39.140
 to do.

00:41:39.220 --> 00:41:39.780
 They give us an

00:41:39.780 --> 00:41:40.720
 identity, we know

00:41:40.720 --> 00:41:41.940
 who we are, and

00:41:41.940 --> 00:41:42.900
 they give us a role

00:41:42.900 --> 00:41:44.220
 or responsibility, who

00:41:44.220 --> 00:41:45.059
 we represent.

00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:48.220
 And that's what the

00:41:48.220 --> 00:41:49.340
 name tells us.

00:41:50.640 --> 00:41:51.720
 To do something in

00:41:51.720 --> 00:41:52.380
 the name of the

00:41:52.380 --> 00:41:53.380
 Lord Jesus Christ is

00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:54.380
 to say, I'm with

00:41:54.380 --> 00:41:56.820
 him, or he's with

00:41:56.820 --> 00:41:58.039
 me, but however you

00:41:58.039 --> 00:41:59.340
 phrase it, I'm with

00:41:59.340 --> 00:41:59.640
 him.

00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:01.900
 I'm identified with

00:42:01.900 --> 00:42:02.720
 his family.

00:42:02.719 --> 00:42:05.119
 I represent him, and

00:42:05.119 --> 00:42:05.980
 that's to whom I

00:42:05.980 --> 00:42:06.559
 belong.

00:42:12.359 --> 00:42:13.239
 How do we do

00:42:13.239 --> 00:42:13.559
 this?

00:42:13.679 --> 00:42:14.379
 How do we put it

00:42:14.379 --> 00:42:14.599
 on?

00:42:15.239 --> 00:42:15.939
 Well, friends, we

00:42:15.939 --> 00:42:17.299
 have to wrap this up

00:42:17.299 --> 00:42:18.019
 by looking at the

00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:20.339
 whole chapter, right?

00:42:21.319 --> 00:42:22.259
 Because putting this

00:42:22.259 --> 00:42:23.259
 on doesn't mean to

00:42:23.259 --> 00:42:24.459
 try harder to be a

00:42:24.459 --> 00:42:25.199
 little more patient

00:42:25.199 --> 00:42:25.819
 this week.

00:42:26.779 --> 00:42:27.879
 To put this on

00:42:27.879 --> 00:42:28.879
 doesn't mean to

00:42:28.879 --> 00:42:30.339
 try harder to be a

00:42:30.339 --> 00:42:31.339
 little more gentle

00:42:31.339 --> 00:42:32.639
 with one another.

00:42:33.379 --> 00:42:34.099
 It's not that we

00:42:34.099 --> 00:42:34.859
 shouldn't try to do

00:42:34.859 --> 00:42:35.579
 that, but that's not

00:42:35.579 --> 00:42:36.119
 going to get us

00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:36.419
 there.

00:42:36.739 --> 00:42:37.439
 It's not going to

00:42:37.439 --> 00:42:38.639
 get us there at all

00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:39.659
 by far.

00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:41.839
 No, we first have to

00:42:41.839 --> 00:42:42.599
 go back to the

00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:44.699
 foundation that we

00:42:44.699 --> 00:42:45.799
 now have in Christ

00:42:45.799 --> 00:42:46.959
 and to remember that

00:42:46.959 --> 00:42:47.559
 foundation.

00:42:47.980 --> 00:42:48.899
 And then we go all

00:42:48.899 --> 00:42:49.539
 the way back to

00:42:49.539 --> 00:42:50.959
 chapter 3, verses 1

00:42:50.959 --> 00:42:52.079
 and 2, and the

00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:52.759
 sermon that Pastor

00:42:52.759 --> 00:42:53.739
 Nick preached two

00:42:53.739 --> 00:42:54.339
 weeks ago.

00:42:54.619 --> 00:42:55.459
 This really should

00:42:55.459 --> 00:42:56.419
 have been one really

00:42:56.419 --> 00:42:57.219
 long three-hour

00:42:57.219 --> 00:42:58.699
 sermon that all wraps

00:42:58.699 --> 00:42:59.359
 it up together.

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:00.359
 We didn't do that to

00:43:00.359 --> 00:43:00.480
 you.

00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:02.400
 But how do we do

00:43:02.400 --> 00:43:02.760
 this?

00:43:02.860 --> 00:43:03.900
 If then you've been

00:43:03.900 --> 00:43:05.240
 raised with Christ, you

00:43:05.240 --> 00:43:06.079
 now have this new

00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:07.599
 foundation, how do we

00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:07.980
 live?

00:43:08.460 --> 00:43:10.159
 We fix our minds.

00:43:10.699 --> 00:43:13.059
 We set our eyes on

00:43:13.059 --> 00:43:14.199
 things above where

00:43:14.199 --> 00:43:15.400
 Christ is seated.

00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:19.000
 Great English Puritan

00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:20.260
 Thomas Chalmers wrote

00:43:20.260 --> 00:43:21.400
 this book that you all

00:43:21.400 --> 00:43:22.380
 need to read, The

00:43:22.380 --> 00:43:24.300
 Expulsive Power of a

00:43:24.300 --> 00:43:25.139
 New Affection.

00:43:25.139 --> 00:43:26.739
 How is it that we are

00:43:26.739 --> 00:43:28.339
 transformed and changed?

00:43:28.619 --> 00:43:30.539
 Not by trying harder to

00:43:30.539 --> 00:43:31.980
 do better, but by

00:43:31.980 --> 00:43:33.699
 loving something more

00:43:33.699 --> 00:43:34.719
 than the thing we

00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:35.940
 loved before that led

00:43:35.940 --> 00:43:36.960
 to the patterns that we

00:43:36.960 --> 00:43:37.500
 lived in.

00:43:38.139 --> 00:43:39.659
 We love our sin because

00:43:39.659 --> 00:43:40.639
 in the short term it

00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:41.579
 gives us something that

00:43:41.579 --> 00:43:43.500
 we want, but in the end

00:43:43.500 --> 00:43:44.259
 it's death.

00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:47.759
 And what Christ gives us

00:43:47.759 --> 00:43:49.139
 is something greater for

00:43:49.139 --> 00:43:50.139
 us to set our affections

00:43:50.659 --> 00:43:51.099
 on.

00:43:51.099 --> 00:43:54.259
 And as we see him, he

00:43:54.259 --> 00:43:55.799
 will root out our love

00:43:55.799 --> 00:43:57.719
 of sin and he will bring

00:43:57.719 --> 00:44:00.460
 instead his life to us as

00:44:00.460 --> 00:44:02.539
 we meditate on who he is.

00:44:04.440 --> 00:44:06.119
 So let us close briefly by

00:44:06.119 --> 00:44:07.860
 meditating and thinking

00:44:07.860 --> 00:44:09.219
 about Christ for a minute.

00:44:11.299 --> 00:44:12.960
 That we might arouse our

00:44:12.960 --> 00:44:14.900
 affections for him, that we

00:44:14.900 --> 00:44:18.079
 would be blown away again at

00:44:18.079 --> 00:44:19.480
 what a savior we have.

00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:21.940
 Think of Christ in his

00:44:21.940 --> 00:44:24.320
 humility who left all the

00:44:24.320 --> 00:44:26.780
 privilege and power of

00:44:26.780 --> 00:44:28.679
 heaven and humbled himself

00:44:28.679 --> 00:44:30.800
 and took on the form of a

00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:32.179
 man and made himself a

00:44:32.179 --> 00:44:33.940
 servant and suffered and

00:44:33.940 --> 00:44:35.539
 died for us.

00:44:37.300 --> 00:44:38.940
 Think about Christ in his

00:44:38.940 --> 00:44:41.800
 gentleness as he walked

00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:43.740
 this earth the way that he

00:44:43.740 --> 00:44:46.179
 dealt with the broken, the

00:44:46.179 --> 00:44:48.559
 outcast, the grieving.

00:44:48.559 --> 00:44:53.639
 How he was only rough with

00:44:53.639 --> 00:44:55.500
 those who were arrogant and

00:44:56.619 --> 00:44:57.259
 proud.

00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:02.579
 Think about his patience with

00:45:02.579 --> 00:45:03.019
 us.

00:45:04.840 --> 00:45:07.619
 That he continues to allow a

00:45:07.619 --> 00:45:10.139
 fallen world to exist so that

00:45:10.139 --> 00:45:13.279
 he might redeem fallen people

00:45:13.279 --> 00:45:14.400
 like you and me.

00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:18.539
 Think about Christ and his

00:45:18.539 --> 00:45:19.380
 forbearance.

00:45:21.639 --> 00:45:23.780
 He does not blow up at us at

00:45:23.780 --> 00:45:26.139
 the end of the day when we

00:45:26.139 --> 00:45:28.940
 fail again to put our dishes in

00:45:28.940 --> 00:45:29.360
 the sink.

00:45:31.820 --> 00:45:35.639
 He does not blow up at us again

00:45:35.639 --> 00:45:38.880
 when we allow the car to run out

00:45:38.880 --> 00:45:43.460
 of gas again and have to be

00:45:43.460 --> 00:45:43.940
 rescued.

00:45:45.420 --> 00:45:47.519
 His forbearance does not give in

00:45:47.519 --> 00:45:48.380
 to frustration.

00:45:51.960 --> 00:45:53.720
 And his forgiveness, he does not

00:45:53.720 --> 00:45:55.900
 treat us as our sins deserve.

00:45:58.700 --> 00:46:00.599
 He does not say continue in our

00:46:00.599 --> 00:46:03.099
 sin, but he says in your sin I

00:46:03.099 --> 00:46:05.579
 will bear the weight and I will set

00:46:05.579 --> 00:46:06.519
 you free from it.

00:46:08.179 --> 00:46:10.400
 He does not use our past sins

00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:12.179
 against us as a weapon.

00:46:13.759 --> 00:46:15.719
 But he says as far as the east is

00:46:15.719 --> 00:46:17.900
 from the west, so far I have

00:46:17.900 --> 00:46:19.960
 removed your sins from you because

00:46:19.960 --> 00:46:21.360
 Christ has borne it away.

00:46:21.360 --> 00:46:28.980
 And his love for us, how he loves

00:46:28.980 --> 00:46:33.240
 us, how he delights in us, how he

00:46:33.240 --> 00:46:35.840
 sings over us, how he speaks truth

00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:38.260
 to us, how he doesn't allow us to

00:46:38.260 --> 00:46:40.860
 get away with sloppy, careless,

00:46:41.500 --> 00:46:45.099
 selfish living, but how he confronts

00:46:45.099 --> 00:46:47.240
 us to save us from those things.

00:46:47.239 --> 00:46:50.859
 And how in his confrontation, he

00:46:50.859 --> 00:46:54.359
 lovingly woos us and walks with us

00:46:54.359 --> 00:46:55.479
 and enables us.

00:46:57.419 --> 00:46:59.119
 Do you know the power of being

00:46:59.119 --> 00:47:01.219
 loved by someone who really believes

00:47:01.219 --> 00:47:02.899
 that you can be something better than

00:47:02.899 --> 00:47:03.559
 what you were?

00:47:07.239 --> 00:47:10.419
 Christ is the greatest one who knows

00:47:10.419 --> 00:47:12.399
 what he has called you to be, what

00:47:12.399 --> 00:47:15.139
 he's redeemed you to be for all who

00:47:15.139 --> 00:47:15.919
 are in Christ.

00:47:17.239 --> 00:47:22.019
 And friends, when we sit and behold

00:47:22.019 --> 00:47:25.139
 Christ, when we look at these things,

00:47:25.599 --> 00:47:28.099
 we can treat one another with the

00:47:28.099 --> 00:47:31.259
 character and the patterns that we

00:47:31.259 --> 00:47:32.359
 see in this passage.

00:47:32.559 --> 00:47:35.379
 I can be different towards one

00:47:35.379 --> 00:47:38.879
 another, but towards others because I

00:47:38.879 --> 00:47:41.799
 look at Christ, because I remember how

00:47:41.799 --> 00:47:45.599
 he has dealt with me in my sin, and

00:47:45.599 --> 00:47:47.239
 because I remember that if he's dealt

00:47:47.239 --> 00:47:49.199
 with me in my sin like that, that's

00:47:49.199 --> 00:47:51.519
 how he's dealing with John in his sin

00:47:51.519 --> 00:47:52.199
 like that.

00:47:52.559 --> 00:47:54.980
 And if God is being gracious to John,

00:47:55.079 --> 00:47:58.279
 who am I to be condemning and hate-filled,

00:47:58.779 --> 00:48:01.380
 to be frustrated and despairing,

00:48:01.380 --> 00:48:11.720
 rather than being compassionate, kind, humble, gentle,

00:48:13.599 --> 00:48:17.920
 patient, bearing with and forgiving one another

00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:25.280
 out of love, that my brother might know the life in

00:48:25.280 --> 00:48:28.100
 Christ that God has given him.

00:48:29.980 --> 00:48:31.440
 Friends, can we put this on?

00:48:32.660 --> 00:48:38.880
 Can we put on these clothes and be known for who we are in

00:48:38.880 --> 00:48:39.260
 Christ?

00:48:39.360 --> 00:48:39.840
 Let's pray.

00:48:41.060 --> 00:48:42.680
 Lord, thank you for this word.

00:48:42.679 --> 00:48:50.759
 Lord, we do pray, Lord, that you would help us to obey this

00:48:50.759 --> 00:48:55.940
 command to put on Christ in all of his manifestations,

00:48:56.779 --> 00:48:59.099
 in all of his character and patterns.

00:49:01.000 --> 00:49:02.159
 Lord, help us.

00:49:02.859 --> 00:49:07.179
 We pray for we so easily look to other things,

00:49:08.000 --> 00:49:12.500
 cling to other things, want to try to do this in other ways,

00:49:12.679 --> 00:49:17.139
 Lord, help us to put on Christ for your glory.

00:49:18.219 --> 00:49:19.839
 For your name's sake, we pray.

00:49:20.559 --> 00:49:21.839
 In Jesus' name, amen.