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 In his book titled Un-Christian, author David Kinnaman highlights a number of troubling statistics

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 from an extensive study by the Barna Research Group.

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 They interviewed people who were born between 1965 and 2002, which is most of us.

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 And one of those stats deal with how unbelievers perceive of Christians.

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 And of the non-Christians surveyed, 84% of non-Christians said that they knew at least one committed Christian personally.

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 But just 15% of them said that their lifestyles differed in any appreciable way from that of unbelievers.

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 Many so-called Christians live unchristian lives.

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 That's where he gets the title of his book.

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 And this discredits the proclamation, the church's proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ.

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 But that should not be so, because according to this passage,

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 the saints of God should walk in the light of Christ by being filled with the Spirit.

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 That's the main point, that the saints of God should walk in the light of Christ by being filled with the Spirit.

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 And I'll talk about this in three phases.

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 First, I'll talk about the character of holy living in verses 3 to 4,

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 and the basis for holy living in verses 5 to 14,

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 and the means of holy living in verses 15 to 21.

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 So the character, the basis, and means.

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 And just to warn you before I start, the first part of the sermon is going to be very hard-hitting.

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 So just bear with me and stick with me on the journey,

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 and I'll give you some hope in the middle of the sermon.

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 Okay, so Paul begins in verse 3 with the character of holy living.

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 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you.

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 Now, Paul says later in the same chapter, but verse 31, he cites Genesis 2.24

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 and teaches that the only appropriate context for sex is in an intergendered, monogamous relationship.

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 So sexual immorality then refers to everything outside of that.

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 And the word impurity is related to that.

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 It refers to anything that is vile or impure.

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 It's closely related to the word sexual immorality

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 and often refers to sexual sins as well, even though it's kind of a more general term.

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 And that's why they're joined together by the conjunction and.

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 And so examples of this would include fornication, which is sex before marriage.

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 It would include adultery, which is sex outside of marriage.

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 It would include prostitution, which reduces the holy covenant-making act of sex.

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 It reduces that to a commercial act.

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 It would include anything that falls under a category of dishonorable passions and unnatural relations,

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 described in Romans 1.26-27.

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 That would include homosexual sex, Romans 1.29, which is transgression of the divinely instituted order of the two complementary genders.

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 It would include incest, which violates the divinely appointed familial structure and boundary.

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 It would include pedophilia, right?

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 Zophilia.

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 You can, and anything you could think of that would fall under those kind of categories.

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 And Jesus would include even pornography, right?

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 Because he teaches in Matthew 5.27-30, even looking at another person lustfully is tantamount to adultery.

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 So this is, like I said, this is hard-hitting, but stick with me.

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 So sexual immorality was a big problem during New Testament times.

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 And adulterous relationships, men sleeping with their slave girls, temple prostitution, as well as homosexuality were all part of everyday Greco-Roman life.

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 And not much has changed since then.

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 And certain forms of sexual immorality, however, are being normalized and even glamorized in unprecedented ways today.

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 And, in fact, most instances of sex depicted in our media are illicit sex.

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 I mean, think about it.

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 Can you think of an example of sex in the media that's this intergender monogamous faithful relationship?

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 I could think of very few, right?

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 I mean, most of them are, I mean, they deal with fornication, adultery, polyamory, homosexuality,

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 because our culture deems monogamous heterosexual sex boring, right?

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 And so as Christians, but we don't let the culture define sex for us.

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 We let God define and confine sex because he's the one who created it in the first place, right?

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 There's so much confusion and brokenness about this in our culture.

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 But if we would trust God and his design for creation, we'd be able to enjoy it in a much fuller way within the proper bounds that God has given us.

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 And this is, it becomes apparent when we try to think about sexual ethics, right?

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 Because in a world that does not acknowledge God, there's no vertical accountability to God, so we could only speak of horizontal accountability to one another, right?

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 In such a society, only criterion that's acceptable to everyone for sexual ethics is consent, right?

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 So if it's non-consensual, then that's bad.

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 Well, if it's consensual, then that's fine, right?

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 That's really the only acceptable norm if there's no vertical accountability and only horizontal accountability.

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 And that's a woefully inadequate basis for sexual ethics.

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 And let me give you some examples why.

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 So what if a pubescent girl consents to have sex with a 60-year-old man, okay?

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 Who is to say that's wrong?

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 It's consensual.

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 How can you say that that's wrong, right?

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 Think about it.

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 I mean, what if a young man consents to have sex with his mother?

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 Most of you will agree that that is wrong, but on what basis can you say that that's wrong if it's consensual?

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 Or what if an aspiring young actress has sex with a very powerful film producer?

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 Let's say he didn't do anything to force it, but it happened.

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 It was consensual.

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 There was a clear power imbalance there.

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 Is that ethical, right?

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 I mean, in all of these examples, if consent is the only thing that functions to define our sexual ethics,

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 it's a woefully inadequate basis, right?

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 There's no basis upon which we could say that those things are wrong.

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 Yes, non-Christian sexual ethicists will try to still argue that those things are wrong,

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 but they have no basis for it.

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 If it's consensual, who are you to say that they can't do what they want to do, right?

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 That's why we need this vertical ability to guide us.

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 The fact that we desire illicit sex doesn't mean that we should indulge that desire.

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 The desire for something doesn't prove that it is right to do it.

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 The fact that we feel that, we want to do it, doesn't mean that it is right.

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 So if you're engaged in any form of this, and this is very common,

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 and the population decides there's probably people involved with some versions of this,

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 then I encourage you to renounce it today and to turn from it, repent of it, come to God,

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 and find resources to help you, help in that.

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 Because these are not inconsequential sins.

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 Fornication and pornography cheapen sex and destroy marriages.

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 Adultery destroys families.

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 Homosexuality destroys the image of God in man and woman.

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 And such sexual immorality, he says, must not even be named among you.

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 And then Paul names a third vice that is distinct from sexual immorality and impurity.

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 So he reuses the conjunction or.

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 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you.

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 Right?

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 Covetousness can be described as greed.

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 Right?

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 That jealously longs for the possession of another.

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 Right?

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 A covetous heart is never satisfied.

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 It always wants more.

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 Because it trusts not in God.

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 It loves not God but money.

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 It trusts.

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 The covetous heart trusts in money.

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 And the Christian should not be characterized by covetousness but contentment.

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 Right?

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 Paul describes this in greater detail in 1 Timothy 6, 6-10.

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 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

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 For we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world.

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 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

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 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

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 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils.

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 It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

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 Right?

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 This is a sin that I think Christians often turn a blind eye to because our culture is so consumeristic and materialistic.

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 But scripture warns against this in the sternest terms.

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 Right?

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 It says love of money is the root of all kinds of evils.

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 So don't desire to be rich.

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 Wanting to be rich is not a biblical desire.

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 Don't desire to win a lottery.

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 Why?

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 Why would you seek temptation for yourself?

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 We should flee from temptation.

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 Right?

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 This is such a countercultural value for the Christian.

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 And Jesus himself personified money.

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 Right?

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 As a god.

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 Right?

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 He called it mammon in Matthew 6.24.

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 It said no one can serve two masters.

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 For either he will hate the one and love the other.

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 Or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

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 You cannot serve God and money.

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 And because of that, that's why Paul describes those who are covetous as idolaters.

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 Right?

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 Because if you are, right, I mean, seeking your happiness from money, if you think that money can buy you security, if you think that money can buy you joy, then because of that you hoard money and stash them away in your bank account like, you know, pagan worshipers stash away their little idols in their sanctuaries.

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 Then, yeah, we're serving money.

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 We're thinking of money like an idol, like a god.

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 And then there's more.

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 In verse 4, right, Paul describes more vices that Christians should put away.

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 The ESV that we read from breaks up verses 3 to 4, but they're all under the same main exhortation, which is that they should not be named among you.

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 So these are also vices that should not be named among us.

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 And he says,

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 So the word filthiness refers to anything that's shameful, obscene, or indecent.

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 It's similar to the word impurity, but because in these next set of words, Paul seems to be focusing on sins of speech, it probably refers to filthy speech.

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 And so that's what he mentions, explicitly mentions filthy talk in the parallel passage in Colossians 3.8.

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 And foolish talk would cover any kind of idle talk, right, or worthless chatter.

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 I was trying so hard to come up with examples of this.

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 I've been part of so many of these conversations, but I couldn't come up with a solid example.

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 But it's just, it's idle talk, worthless chatter, any conversation that's pointless.

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 I don't think Paul's referring to small talk, right, because small talk is polite talk that usually is an on-ramp to something more substantial, deeper conversation.

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 I don't think he's saying don't do small talk.

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 He's saying don't do pointless talk, right, like buffoonery, like idle talk, like anything that's unprofitable, idle speculation, right?

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 That's the kind of things he's talking about, foolish talking.

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 Related to this is crude joking, which Paul also mentions.

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 And the word translated here as crude joking is based on a Greek word that means to turn.

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 So it's very similar to the English idiom, a turn of phrase, right?

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 So he's referring to something like a suggestive witticism or an innuendo is what he's referring to here, right?

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 So it's, and Aristotle actually commended this as a virtue.

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 So Paul is taking a very decisive stance against that.

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 No, that's not a virtue.

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 That's not a sign of intellectual sharpness.

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 That's a sign of a debased mind.

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 That's what he's saying, to have this.

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 And in our culture, many people think that, you know, as long as it's a joke, anything is passable, right?

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 It's not.

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 Stop being such a prude, they say.

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 It's a joke, right?

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 I mean, but we, that's why I think comedy nowadays has so much vulgar content.

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 But there are good types of humor.

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 That's not what Paul is talking about.

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 But he's often these double entendres, right?

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 And innuendos, they stray into territories that are risque or profane or caustic and biting, right?

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 And these should have no place in Christian community, right?

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 Avoid all salacious or malicious talk.

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 That's what he's saying.

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 And notice how strong he puts it.

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 He says, don't let these things even be named among you, right?

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 By that, he doesn't mean don't talk about it.

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 I mean, because that's what he meant.

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 That he shouldn't have written about it and I shouldn't be preaching about it.

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 That's not what he means.

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 He means that, you know what, like, if outsiders looked at you, looked at our church from the outside looking in,

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 these things, there should not even be an occasion for these things to be observed or named.

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 That's what he means.

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 Like, to do such things, of course not.

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 Let's not even go there.

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 Don't let them even be named among you.

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 That's how strongly Paul is putting this.

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 And as Paul consistently does, in a more positive note, he enjoins a corresponding virtue to the vices that he prohibits, right?

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 And the virtue that should replace this vice.

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 He says in verse 4, but instead, let there be thanksgiving.

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 Isn't that so interesting?

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 Right?

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 It might seem odd at first to think of thanksgiving, right, as the antidote to sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking, right?

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 And we would expect something more like, instead, let there be chastity, right?

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 Or instead, let there be holiness.

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 But instead, Paul says, instead, let there be thanksgiving, right?

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 This is a key insight because sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking, they're all expressions of a self-centered, unsatisfied appetite, right?

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 While thanksgiving acknowledges God's generosity and is therefore an expression of fullness and satisfaction, right?

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 So that's why these are two opposite things.

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 So according to Romans 121, ingratitude is evidence of an inadequate appreciation of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.

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 So conversely, thanksgiving is evidence of an appropriate appreciation of what God has done for us in His grace toward us.

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 And because of that, when we are full of thanksgiving, when we're remembering God's grace toward us, we give thanks to Him.

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 It fortifies our minds and our hearts against temptation.

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 That's why New Testament so often enjoys thanksgiving upon believers.

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 I mean, this makes sense, right, if you think about it, right?

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 If you think about your workplaces, it's always the underpaid, unsupported, ungrateful employees that are unmotivated at work.

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 Are they not, right?

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 So they underperform in their tasks.

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 They take longer breaks than they should, right?

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 They take all the sick days even though they're not sick, right?

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 Because they're not motivated.

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 They're not supported.

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 They're ungrateful, right?

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 And it's a similar way.

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 It's the Christian who truly recognizes how bountiful and gracious, generous God has been toward him or her that lives willingly in obedience, right?

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 Because we're filled with gratitude.

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 So make this a regular habit, right, with your spouses, with your friends, with your roommates, in your community groups.

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 Make it a regular habit to give thanks to God and remember how good he has been to you.

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 I mean, he's adopted us who are orphans, spiritual orphans into his kingdom and made us heirs with him, right?

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 He took us who are rebels, who are once enemies, and reconciled us to himself so that we could not sit at his table as part of his family.

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 That's what God did.

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 When we remember that, then we're full of thanksgiving.

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 And when we're full of thanksgiving, there's no room for sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking to creep in.

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 That's the character of holy living.

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 And then in verses 5 to 14, Paul teaches us about the basis for holy living.

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 He says in verses 4 to 6,

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 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure or who is covetous, that is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:08.159
 Let no one deceive you with empty words.

00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:13.659
 For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

00:17:14.379 --> 00:17:19.200
 Sons of disobedience, he's not contrasting disobedient sons from obedient sons.

00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:24.920
 The sons of disobedience is an idiomatic way of referring to people who are living in disobedience.

00:17:25.539 --> 00:17:32.580
 And they have no place, no inheritance in the kingdom of God, so they're actually not sons at all, not sons of God.

00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:35.700
 And Paul warns us against false teachers.

00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:43.440
 He says there will be false teachers who will use their eloquence and charisma to deceive you with empty words, he warns us.

00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:47.920
 And there are people who rationalize sins, right?

00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:54.960
 They do some kind of crazy exegetical acrobatics and use unsound theological reasoning to rationalize sin.

00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:56.320
 There's many people who do that.

00:17:56.980 --> 00:18:04.080
 There are many people today who will try to, many Christian teachers today, who will try to justify sexual immorality and all impurity.

00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:09.620
 They say as long as you love each other, no one else can tell you what's right or wrong.

00:18:09.619 --> 00:18:17.039
 They say, oh, the Bible doesn't condemn homosexuality, only condemns homosexual abuses.

00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:22.920
 Oh, no, the Bible doesn't condemn cohabiting.

00:18:23.879 --> 00:18:27.500
 Hey, there's wisdom in testing things out before you get married.

00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:28.920
 Nonsense.

00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:30.079
 That's unbiblical.

00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.359
 Don't be deceived by the teachers who will deceive you with empty words.

00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:40.839
 Similarly, many teachers today, Christian teachers, will try to justify covetousness.

00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:43.399
 They say God wants you to be rich.

00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:48.099
 God wants you to have all the luxuries that the world has to offer.

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:49.359
 Look at Abraham.

00:18:49.639 --> 00:18:50.959
 Look at all the patriarchs.

00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:53.459
 Being rich is a sign of God's blessing.

00:18:54.059 --> 00:18:58.000
 Now, if you give money to my ministry, then God will bless you and make you rich.

00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.039
 Nonsense.

00:18:59.379 --> 00:19:00.220
 That's unbiblical.

00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:05.519
 Many false teachers will try to rationalize sin and deceive you with empty words.

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:09.539
 So Paul warns us, let no one deceive you with empty words.

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:14.680
 For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:17.740
 And note this, guys.

00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:19.259
 This is so important that we note this.

00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.019
 Paul's not threatening us here.

00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:26.299
 That's not the flow, the logical flow of his argument.

00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:29.960
 Because if you don't obey, you're going to be disinherited.

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:31.139
 That's not what Paul is saying.

00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:40.400
 Because he made it very clear in chapter 1, verse 14, that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.

00:19:40.700 --> 00:19:44.600
 So he's not here motivating Christians with fear of losing their status.

00:19:45.020 --> 00:19:50.560
 Rather, Paul is motivating us with the assurance of our new status in Jesus Christ.

00:19:51.520 --> 00:19:54.680
 Paul is saying that people who live in this manner are not heirs of the kingdom.

00:19:55.120 --> 00:19:59.580
 And therefore, because you are heirs of this kingdom, you shouldn't live this way.

00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:00.440
 That's what Paul is saying.

00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:01.779
 That's why look at verse 7.

00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:05.100
 Therefore, do not become partners with them.

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:05.400
 Right?

00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:07.000
 He's not talking to believers.

00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:09.200
 He's saying don't partake with that.

00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:13.580
 Paul used the same word to become partners earlier in chapter 3, verse 6.

00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:19.100
 He said, we have become partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:22.940
 So Paul's saying since we have already become partners with Christ in the gospel,

00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:26.759
 don't become partners with the sons of disobedience.

00:20:27.080 --> 00:20:28.559
 So he's not threatening us.

00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:32.799
 He's motivating us with who we now are in Christ, with our new identity in Christ.

00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:38.579
 And this is why over and over again he uses the language of out of place or improper.

00:20:38.819 --> 00:20:38.940
 Right?

00:20:39.019 --> 00:20:40.980
 So look at verse 3.

00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:43.299
 He says, sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness.

00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:46.819
 Avoid that because that's what is proper among saints.

00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:48.439
 And look at verse 4.

00:20:48.539 --> 00:20:52.319
 He says, filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking are out of place.

00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.279
 Why is that out of place?

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:56.220
 Because we're saints.

00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:59.200
 Saint refers to holy one.

00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:03.940
 And holiness at the root of it, at the base of the meaning, it means to be set apart.

00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:06.940
 We're holy because not because...

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:13.180
 When God calls us saints, he doesn't mean that we're holy intrinsically, that we're holy

00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:17.759
 like in who we are now, but rather that we are called to him in holiness.

00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:22.099
 It's the justifying grace of God that counts us as holy.

00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:27.559
 And it's the sanctifying grace of God that continues to make us holy, call us to holiness.

00:21:27.900 --> 00:21:32.220
 We are people who are set apart for God, for his special purposes.

00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:36.539
 And because of that, we should live in a way that pleases him and honors him.

00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:37.819
 We're consecrated for him.

00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:42.440
 And for such people as that, it is improper to have these vices.

00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:45.140
 It's out of place to practice these things.

00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:49.400
 And Paul elaborates on this new identity in Christ in verses 8 to 10.

00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:54.540
 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

00:21:54.980 --> 00:22:00.640
 Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right

00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:04.020
 and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:09.759
 He uses the imagery, the common imagery of darkness and light to refer to the radical transformation

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:12.200
 that is taken within the believer.

00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:16.759
 And it's notable that Paul doesn't say, you were in darkness.

00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:20.240
 He says, you were darkness.

00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:23.680
 He doesn't say, you are in the light.

00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:25.880
 He says, you are light.

00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:30.640
 This is so insightful because it means when we were living in sin,

00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:36.580
 we weren't just hapless individuals who inadvertently went into the darkness.

00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:39.379
 No, we embodied that darkness.

00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:41.199
 We had sin within us.

00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:43.240
 We were darkness.

00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:48.460
 And it's, but then now we are in Christ.

00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:49.419
 We're children of light.

00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:51.839
 We're not merely in the light, but we are the light.

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.159
 But notice that this light is not intrinsic to us, right?

00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:59.319
 The way Paul describes it, he says, now you are light in the Lord.

00:22:59.659 --> 00:22:59.740
 Right?

00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:06.240
 Where we become light, we have light by virtue of our union with Jesus Christ.

00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:08.359
 It's not our light, right?

00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:11.420
 It's because God is light, 1 John 1, 5 says.

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:12.960
 In him is no darkness at all.

00:23:13.299 --> 00:23:16.859
 Because in John 8, 12, Jesus said, I am the light of the world.

00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:20.339
 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

00:23:20.339 --> 00:23:26.099
 And because of that, when we believe in Jesus, renounce our ways and say that we're going to live for Jesus

00:23:26.099 --> 00:23:30.899
 and hold on to him and we're united to him by faith, that's when we have the light of Christ.

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:33.399
 That's when we become the light of Christ.

00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.139
 It's kind of like the moon, right?

00:23:35.639 --> 00:23:40.119
 That doesn't have light intrinsic to itself, but reflects the light of the sun.

00:23:40.939 --> 00:23:43.259
 We reflect the light of Christ.

00:23:43.639 --> 00:23:47.359
 We get the light of Christ by virtue of our union with him.

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:53.740
 So get this, if you're a believer, the goal of this passage is not to discourage you

00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:56.579
 or to cast doubt on your assurance of salvation.

00:23:57.179 --> 00:23:58.859
 It's rather the opposite, right?

00:23:58.939 --> 00:24:04.279
 It's saying, and if, because look at it, it's at one time you were darkness,

00:24:04.379 --> 00:24:06.079
 but you are now light in the Lord.

00:24:07.099 --> 00:24:09.559
 And this is intended to motivate obedience.

00:24:09.899 --> 00:24:11.899
 A decisive change has taken place.

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:14.279
 I mean, let's think about that imagery a little bit more, right?

00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:18.160
 When you get home late at night and all the lights are off in the house, right,

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:22.059
 you have to kind of walk gingerly so that you don't trip over anything

00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:26.619
 and you have to grope around for the light switch and then you flick on the light switch, right?

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:29.839
 I mean, that's how you live in the darkness because you can't see anything.

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:34.420
 But wouldn't it be out of place, improper,

00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:39.460
 when the light is on and you still walk around like gingerly,

00:24:39.460 --> 00:24:43.579
 like you don't know where you're going and you grope around like you can't see?

00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.279
 That's what Paul is saying.

00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:46.860
 The light is on.

00:24:47.340 --> 00:24:48.799
 You have the light of Christ.

00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:51.860
 Why grope around in sexual immorality?

00:24:52.140 --> 00:24:54.319
 Why live in blindness?

00:24:54.319 --> 00:25:07.960
 And if you are struggling with sin and you wonder why it's so hard for you to overcome certain sins,

00:25:08.179 --> 00:25:10.659
 you can kind of think about it this way, right?

00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:17.079
 The Scripture describes our transformation, our conversion as being given a new heart, right?

00:25:17.419 --> 00:25:18.480
 We are regenerated.

00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:19.500
 We have new hearts.

00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:23.660
 And so you could think of it like a heart transplant, right?

00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:26.779
 When a patient goes through a heart transplant,

00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:31.480
 they don't just immediately start breathing on their own with the new heart.

00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:36.299
 They are kept on ventilators and catheters

00:25:36.299 --> 00:25:41.839
 because it takes time for their body to get used to working with the new heart, right?

00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:44.240
 Let's think about it that way.

00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:46.980
 So like we have new hearts, right?

00:25:46.980 --> 00:25:52.940
 But it takes time for our flesh, which is accustomed to our old ways of living,

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:58.799
 to be weaned off of the ventilators and the old ways of living.

00:25:59.860 --> 00:26:02.299
 But we have the new heart.

00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:04.880
 It doesn't change that fact.

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:08.740
 And the process of sanctification is lifelong.

00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:11.140
 It's that process of being weaned off that

00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:15.740
 so we can live fully in the fullness of the new life that Christ has given us.

00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:17.220
 That is a lifelong process.

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:19.420
 And that means we will sin at times

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:23.680
 and we will falter and fall short of the standard that God has placed in us.

00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:25.680
 But the fact that we have a new heart,

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:27.839
 the fact that this decisive change has taken place

00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:29.579
 means we should never despair.

00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:31.579
 We always have hope

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:35.259
 because there's sufficient resources in Jesus Christ.

00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:38.980
 Everything we need for this lifestyle that Paul enjoins

00:26:38.980 --> 00:26:40.819
 is in Jesus Christ.

00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:42.559
 So we don't despair.

00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:47.980
 So this is supposed to fill you, not with doubt, but with hope, with faith,

00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:51.619
 because you have been made new in Jesus Christ.

00:26:52.339 --> 00:26:54.099
 And if you're not yet a believer,

00:26:54.299 --> 00:26:58.000
 then it's an opportunity for you to repent and turn to him

00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:01.779
 because you can work really hard to find new habits,

00:27:01.879 --> 00:27:04.000
 but you can never get for yourself a new heart.

00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:07.099
 That's something only God can do.

00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:12.940
 This is the reason why we are called to walk as children of light.

00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:15.559
 Paul describes what this looks like in verse 9.

00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:20.819
 For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true.

00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:22.700
 The children of light bear fruit,

00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:26.059
 and that's contrasted with what he said earlier, right,

00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:30.079
 about the unfruitful works of darkness.

00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:33.439
 And all that is good and right and true,

00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:35.359
 they're pointing to attributes of God.

00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:37.439
 Throughout Scripture, they're all attributed to God.

00:27:37.899 --> 00:27:40.439
 Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, right?

00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:41.399
 Many Psalms say that.

00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:43.259
 Deuteronomy 32.4, it says,

00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:47.179
 God is a God of truth without iniquity.

00:27:47.679 --> 00:27:50.399
 Just and right is he, right?

00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:53.319
 So because God is good and right and true,

00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:56.220
 we should bear fruit that is good and right and true

00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:57.519
 because we are his children.

00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:59.279
 We have his light.

00:28:00.679 --> 00:28:02.839
 Children of God should resemble God,

00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:05.559
 reflect the family traits of the family of God.

00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:08.839
 That means goodness, righteousness, and truth.

00:28:08.919 --> 00:28:10.159
 We don't define that for ourselves.

00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.939
 We have to define it according to God's character

00:28:12.939 --> 00:28:15.939
 and God's standards revealed to us in Scripture.

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:19.419
 And that's why discernment is necessary, right?

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.879
 He says, try to discern.

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:24.399
 It says, verse 10,

00:28:24.399 --> 00:28:27.039
 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:31.599
 But this runs contrary to what we normally conceive of

00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:33.279
 when we hear the word discernment, right?

00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:34.859
 When you hear discernment,

00:28:34.899 --> 00:28:37.379
 you think of crucial crossroads in life, right?

00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:40.339
 Okay, do I marry this person or not?

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:42.759
 Do I take this job or not?

00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:45.200
 Do I move out of state, out of country or not?

00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:47.180
 We think of discernment in those categories,

00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:50.660
 but Paul thinks of discernment as a daily activity,

00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:52.100
 regular activity,

00:28:52.360 --> 00:28:55.820
 the daily practice of sifting through our life's experiences

00:28:55.820 --> 00:28:59.320
 and trying to bring all things into conformity

00:28:59.320 --> 00:29:00.860
 with the will of Christ,

00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:03.600
 with what pleases Him.

00:29:04.120 --> 00:29:05.000
 And the word discern,

00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:06.220
 it's to test,

00:29:06.580 --> 00:29:07.279
 it's to approve,

00:29:07.360 --> 00:29:08.340
 it's the word that is used

00:29:08.340 --> 00:29:12.920
 to the refining of silver and gold.

00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:14.100
 You test it,

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:15.400
 prove it,

00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:16.680
 to make sure that it's genuine.

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.920
 That's what we are to do.

00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:21.340
 Because scripture is sufficient for us

00:29:21.340 --> 00:29:24.160
 for equipping all of us for every good work,

00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:26.259
 but it's not exhaustive, right?

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:29.300
 Because God wants us to grow in discernment,

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.560
 to know His will,

00:29:30.620 --> 00:29:32.080
 to be characterized by His will.

00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:37.620
 So when you're thinking about taking a job, right?

00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:38.860
 I mean, the scripture doesn't tell us

00:29:38.860 --> 00:29:40.380
 whether you should take that job or not, right?

00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:42.480
 But it does tell us, right?

00:29:42.920 --> 00:29:44.539
 To pursue honest work.

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.539
 So you can ask yourself,

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:47.480
 is this work honest?

00:29:47.860 --> 00:29:48.740
 Is it good work?

00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:51.140
 It doesn't tell us which job to take,

00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:51.960
 but it does tell us

00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:53.060
 that the greatest commandment

00:29:53.060 --> 00:29:54.000
 is to love God

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.300
 with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength

00:29:55.300 --> 00:29:56.759
 and to love our neighbor as ourself.

00:29:57.060 --> 00:29:58.880
 Does this job help you do that better?

00:29:59.560 --> 00:30:01.680
 Or does it take you away from doing that?

00:30:03.380 --> 00:30:04.880
 In order to make those decisions,

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:06.660
 we need to use discernment.

00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:09.300
 And that's something that Paul prays

00:30:09.300 --> 00:30:10.560
 for believers to grow in

00:30:10.560 --> 00:30:11.920
 in Philippians 1, 9, 11.

00:30:11.920 --> 00:30:13.259
 It is my prayer

00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:15.300
 that your love may abound more and more

00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:17.820
 with knowledge and all discernment

00:30:17.820 --> 00:30:20.180
 so you may approve what is excellent

00:30:20.180 --> 00:30:21.880
 and so be pure and blameless

00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:22.960
 for the day of Christ,

00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:24.759
 filled with the fruit of righteousness

00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:26.140
 that comes through Jesus Christ

00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:27.779
 through glory and praise of God.

00:30:30.100 --> 00:30:31.180
 One of the downsides

00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:33.740
 of the proliferation of social media

00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:35.240
 is you see an abundance

00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:37.460
 of lack of discernment.

00:30:37.460 --> 00:30:40.039
 You see it and you're like,

00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:41.579
 wow, there's no discernment.

00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.400
 That's part of Christian maturity.

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.440
 We need to grow in that.

00:30:45.840 --> 00:30:46.440
 Pray for that.

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:48.279
 The saints of God should walk

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:49.420
 in the light of Christ.

00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:52.980
 And if we discern what is pleasing to the Lord

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:53.920
 and walk in the light,

00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:55.039
 that will also mean,

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:56.700
 it says in verses 11 to 12,

00:30:56.779 --> 00:30:58.360
 that we will take no part

00:30:58.360 --> 00:31:00.860
 in the unfruitful works of darkness,

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:03.959
 but instead expose them.

00:31:05.679 --> 00:31:07.619
 This is similar to John 3.20

00:31:07.619 --> 00:31:09.379
 where everyone who does wicked things

00:31:09.379 --> 00:31:10.199
 hates the light

00:31:10.199 --> 00:31:11.679
 and does not come into the light

00:31:11.679 --> 00:31:13.779
 lest his work should be exposed.

00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.939
 So when Paul teaches this,

00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:18.459
 he's really reflecting Jesus' own teaching

00:31:18.459 --> 00:31:19.939
 in the Sermon on the Mount,

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:20.699
 in the Beatitudes,

00:31:20.939 --> 00:31:22.819
 when he says you are the light of the world,

00:31:22.919 --> 00:31:25.319
 and you don't hide the light under a lamp.

00:31:25.399 --> 00:31:26.500
 Rather, you put it on a stand

00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:28.019
 and let it shine for all to see.

00:31:28.419 --> 00:31:29.439
 So in the same way,

00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:31.279
 Jesus said, let your good works

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.460
 shine before men

00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:34.000
 so that they may see your good deeds

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:35.960
 and give praise to your Father in heaven.

00:31:36.580 --> 00:31:37.799
 So good works.

00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:39.299
 We're supposed to do good works,

00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:41.440
 and that's supposed to shine the light

00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:42.759
 on the darkness of this world.

00:31:42.840 --> 00:31:43.960
 It's supposed to bring conviction

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:45.180
 to the watching world.

00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:47.420
 It's supposed to reprove the watching world

00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:49.680
 through our good works.

00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:53.519
 Now, this doesn't mean, however,

00:31:54.100 --> 00:31:56.620
 that each Christian should act like

00:31:56.620 --> 00:31:59.240
 zealous private investigators

00:31:59.240 --> 00:32:01.400
 in order to point to all kinds of evil

00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:02.220
 and just go,

00:32:02.460 --> 00:32:05.759
 oh, evil, evil, condemned, right?

00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:08.519
 No, that's not what God's calling us to do, right?

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:11.120
 Because the goal of this exposing

00:32:11.120 --> 00:32:13.259
 is not condemnation.

00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:14.859
 It's conversion.

00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:16.920
 It's transformation, right?

00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:19.120
 Look at verses 13 to 14.

00:32:19.380 --> 00:32:22.039
 But when anything is exposed by the light,

00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:23.440
 it becomes visible,

00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:25.579
 for anything that becomes visible

00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:27.179
 is light.

00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:29.119
 Therefore, it says,

00:32:29.399 --> 00:32:30.460
 awake, oh sleeper,

00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:31.500
 and arise from the dead,

00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:33.500
 and Christ will shine on you.

00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:36.839
 Sometimes Christians seem to enjoy

00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:38.159
 confronting unbelievers

00:32:38.159 --> 00:32:40.619
 and proving themselves to be in the right.

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:44.939
 But the motivation for exposing work

00:32:44.939 --> 00:32:46.439
 should be love,

00:32:46.599 --> 00:32:48.419
 not self-righteousness.

00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:51.159
 It should be for the purpose

00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:54.100
 of winning the person over,

00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:55.279
 not winning an argument.

00:32:57.880 --> 00:32:59.400
 The goal is to make them visible,

00:32:59.560 --> 00:33:00.340
 to make them light.

00:33:01.120 --> 00:33:03.320
 And that means the most crucial way

00:33:03.320 --> 00:33:05.320
 in which we expose the darkness

00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:06.320
 with the light of Christ

00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:07.660
 is in verse 14, right?

00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:09.220
 Awake, oh sleeper,

00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:10.480
 and arise from the dead,

00:33:11.060 --> 00:33:12.960
 and Christ will shine on you.

00:33:13.660 --> 00:33:14.759
 The light that will shine,

00:33:14.820 --> 00:33:15.680
 the most important way

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.759
 in which we expose the darkness

00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:19.319
 is with the light of the gospel

00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:20.559
 of Jesus Christ.

00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:21.920
 Right?

00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:24.279
 This quotation is probably

00:33:24.279 --> 00:33:25.539
 an early Christian hymn,

00:33:25.819 --> 00:33:27.319
 which was itself taken

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:29.059
 from various passages in Isaiah.

00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:32.839
 And it speaks of Christ

00:33:32.839 --> 00:33:33.619
 shining on them.

00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:34.839
 And Paul uses that expression

00:33:34.839 --> 00:33:35.740
 in other epistles.

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:37.420
 2 Corinthians 4, 46,

00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:38.500
 he speaks of the light

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:39.440
 of the gospel

00:33:39.440 --> 00:33:40.480
 of the glory of Christ.

00:33:40.839 --> 00:33:42.099
 He says that God has shown

00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:42.879
 in our hearts

00:33:42.879 --> 00:33:43.980
 to give the light

00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:44.640
 of the knowledge

00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:45.720
 of the glory of God

00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:48.559
 in the face of Jesus Christ.

00:33:48.740 --> 00:33:50.779
 So we are to walk in the light

00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:51.900
 and expose the darkness.

00:33:52.039 --> 00:33:52.460
 And we do that

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:54.360
 not merely by doing good works

00:33:54.360 --> 00:33:56.000
 that serves as a contrast

00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:57.059
 to the works of the world.

00:33:57.319 --> 00:33:58.660
 We also need to proclaim

00:33:58.660 --> 00:34:01.220
 the good news of Jesus Christ.

00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:03.480
 It's not enough to do good works.

00:34:03.559 --> 00:34:04.140
 We need to proclaim

00:34:04.140 --> 00:34:05.519
 the good news of Jesus Christ

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.759
 because God's light,

00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:07.400
 the light of Christ,

00:34:07.500 --> 00:34:08.659
 shines most brilliantly

00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:10.280
 in the person and work

00:34:10.280 --> 00:34:11.059
 of Jesus Christ.

00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:12.880
 Because when you see the cross,

00:34:13.240 --> 00:34:14.059
 when you look at the light

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:15.559
 that shines forth from the cross,

00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:16.839
 where our sins,

00:34:16.959 --> 00:34:17.559
 our evil,

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:18.379
 our wickedness,

00:34:18.459 --> 00:34:19.819
 it's so heinous

00:34:19.819 --> 00:34:22.399
 that the Son of God

00:34:22.399 --> 00:34:23.259
 has to die

00:34:23.259 --> 00:34:24.319
 and be crushed

00:34:24.319 --> 00:34:25.319
 under the weight of it.

00:34:27.239 --> 00:34:28.279
 And that cross

00:34:28.279 --> 00:34:29.079
 also shows,

00:34:29.179 --> 00:34:29.980
 on the other hand,

00:34:30.379 --> 00:34:31.159
 the deep,

00:34:31.359 --> 00:34:32.199
 abiding,

00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:33.579
 persisting

00:34:33.579 --> 00:34:34.779
 love of God

00:34:34.779 --> 00:34:35.899
 that God is willing

00:34:35.899 --> 00:34:37.259
 to go to such lengths

00:34:37.259 --> 00:34:38.519
 to save us.

00:34:39.739 --> 00:34:40.779
 The cross of Christ

00:34:40.779 --> 00:34:42.179
 shows both of those things.

00:34:42.459 --> 00:34:43.139
 In doing that,

00:34:43.139 --> 00:34:43.920
 it displays

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.960
 the light

00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:46.359
 of the glory of Christ

00:34:46.359 --> 00:34:49.139
 in the best possible way.

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:52.039
 So we're to shine that.

00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:52.900
 And if you're not

00:34:52.900 --> 00:34:53.539
 a believer

00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:54.879
 in Christ today,

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.799
 then I urge,

00:34:55.879 --> 00:34:56.639
 I plead with you today

00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:57.199
 to walk

00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:58.400
 in that light.

00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.559
 Come to the light.

00:35:01.779 --> 00:35:02.879
 And if you are already

00:35:02.879 --> 00:35:03.559
 a follower of Christ,

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.559
 then that light

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:06.019
 that we are now

00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:06.639
 in Christ

00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:07.839
 is the basis

00:35:07.839 --> 00:35:09.239
 for holy living.

00:35:09.819 --> 00:35:11.279
 The saints of God

00:35:11.279 --> 00:35:12.039
 should walk

00:35:12.039 --> 00:35:13.179
 in the light of Christ.

00:35:14.339 --> 00:35:15.479
 So Paul's told us

00:35:15.479 --> 00:35:16.239
 about the character

00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:16.879
 of holy living

00:35:16.879 --> 00:35:17.879
 and he has told us

00:35:17.879 --> 00:35:18.959
 about the basis

00:35:18.959 --> 00:35:19.619
 for holy living.

00:35:20.099 --> 00:35:20.679
 And then in verses

00:35:20.679 --> 00:35:21.339
 15 to 21,

00:35:21.419 --> 00:35:21.959
 he tells us

00:35:21.959 --> 00:35:23.059
 about the means

00:35:23.059 --> 00:35:24.179
 of holy living,

00:35:24.299 --> 00:35:24.939
 how we can actually

00:35:24.939 --> 00:35:26.019
 live like this.

00:35:26.819 --> 00:35:27.439
 He says in verses

00:35:27.439 --> 00:35:28.459
 15 to 16,

00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:29.399
 look carefully

00:35:29.399 --> 00:35:30.279
 then how you walk,

00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:32.259
 not as unwise,

00:35:32.379 --> 00:35:33.179
 but as wise,

00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:35.059
 making the best use

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:35.639
 of the time

00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:36.500
 because the days

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.379
 are evil.

00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:39.680
 Paul returns

00:35:39.680 --> 00:35:40.240
 once again

00:35:40.240 --> 00:35:40.740
 to the metaphor

00:35:40.740 --> 00:35:41.500
 of walking

00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:42.559
 and tells us

00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:44.200
 to look carefully

00:35:44.200 --> 00:35:45.039
 how we walk.

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:47.000
 We need to carefully

00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:48.300
 examine our lives

00:35:48.300 --> 00:35:49.700
 to make sure

00:35:49.700 --> 00:35:50.460
 that we are not

00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:51.700
 living unprofitably.

00:35:52.720 --> 00:35:53.880
 And the expression,

00:35:54.059 --> 00:35:54.880
 the word that's translated

00:35:54.880 --> 00:35:56.079
 make the best use

00:35:56.079 --> 00:35:56.700
 of the time,

00:35:57.240 --> 00:35:58.460
 it can be more literally

00:35:58.460 --> 00:35:58.860
 rendered,

00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:00.059
 redeem the time,

00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:01.400
 purchase the time.

00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.000
 You may have seen

00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:02.579
 that expression

00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:03.360
 or heard that expression

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:04.380
 somewhere, right?

00:36:04.619 --> 00:36:05.559
 It's the language

00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:06.220
 of commerce

00:36:06.220 --> 00:36:07.019
 and transaction.

00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:07.820
 So it's similar

00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:09.440
 to the proverb

00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:10.219
 that we have, right?

00:36:10.280 --> 00:36:11.960
 It's time is money, right?

00:36:12.619 --> 00:36:14.019
 Yeah, time is money, right?

00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:15.840
 If we waste time,

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:17.239
 we're wasting money, right?

00:36:17.699 --> 00:36:18.860
 But that's a true statement.

00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:20.259
 But this is much more

00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:21.340
 profound than that, right?

00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:23.019
 Because time is not

00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:24.300
 just money, right?

00:36:24.380 --> 00:36:26.300
 Time is eternal currency.

00:36:27.880 --> 00:36:28.940
 It's currency

00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:30.019
 that pertains

00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:31.619
 to fruit of righteousness

00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:34.059
 that has eternal consequences.

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:36.179
 Right?

00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:38.480
 We often think of time

00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:39.759
 as an imperishable commodity

00:36:39.759 --> 00:36:41.519
 that constantly replenishes itself,

00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:42.579
 but it's just not true.

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:47.920
 It's eternal currency.

00:36:48.920 --> 00:36:50.440
 And when we fritter away time,

00:36:50.659 --> 00:36:50.860
 right,

00:36:51.179 --> 00:36:52.039
 when we dilly-dally,

00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:54.480
 we doodle away time,

00:36:54.480 --> 00:37:00.780
 we are not living as if the days are evil.

00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:02.539
 Every day,

00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:03.900
 with every place,

00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:06.280
 teems with possibilities for evil,

00:37:06.539 --> 00:37:07.880
 as Paul makes clear here

00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:09.519
 in the following chapter,

00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:11.280
 that Christians live in a state

00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:13.559
 of perpetual spiritual warfare

00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:14.699
 with the evil forces,

00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:16.159
 of spiritual forces of evil.

00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:17.559
 The days are evil,

00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:19.659
 the bullets are flying overhead,

00:37:19.799 --> 00:37:20.960
 and bombs are dropping

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:21.880
 by our size,

00:37:22.019 --> 00:37:24.000
 and then we doodle away our time.

00:37:25.759 --> 00:37:26.500
 No, remember,

00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:28.019
 the days are evil.

00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:31.019
 Redeem the time.

00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:32.340
 Purchase the time.

00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:35.320
 Saints of God

00:37:35.320 --> 00:37:36.739
 should walk in the light of Christ.

00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:39.019
 And he continues in verse 17,

00:37:39.019 --> 00:37:39.920
 Don't be foolish,

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.719
 but understand

00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:42.259
 what the will of the Lord is.

00:37:42.980 --> 00:37:44.239
 Commit not to be foolish

00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:45.400
 and understand

00:37:45.400 --> 00:37:46.099
 what the will of the Lord is,

00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:47.239
 similar to the earlier expression,

00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:49.639
 discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:50.219
 Right?

00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:52.059
 So Christianity is not about

00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:53.500
 blind passion

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:55.239
 and doing what feels right.

00:37:55.500 --> 00:37:56.920
 We need to think carefully

00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:58.300
 and understand

00:37:58.300 --> 00:38:00.219
 what the will of the Lord is.

00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:02.880
 And then in verse 18,

00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:04.320
 because Paul knows

00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:05.280
 that we can't do

00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:06.440
 any of these things

00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:07.739
 without the power

00:38:07.739 --> 00:38:08.460
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:09.059
 he says,

00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:11.740
 And do not get drunk with wine,

00:38:11.980 --> 00:38:13.280
 for that is debauchery,

00:38:13.400 --> 00:38:16.320
 but be filled with the Spirit.

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:18.760
 Wow, that's a powerful image.

00:38:18.900 --> 00:38:20.019
 That's a powerful contrast.

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:20.679
 Right?

00:38:21.159 --> 00:38:21.400
 He says,

00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:22.179
 In the ancient world,

00:38:22.240 --> 00:38:23.720
 the fermentation of grape juice

00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:25.360
 was quite the natural process.

00:38:25.480 --> 00:38:25.659
 Right?

00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:26.740
 It kind of happened

00:38:26.740 --> 00:38:28.059
 because they don't have refrigeration.

00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:29.199
 They don't have hermetic sealing.

00:38:29.480 --> 00:38:30.639
 So if you have grape juice,

00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:31.679
 I mean, in a matter of days,

00:38:31.699 --> 00:38:32.360
 it'll be fermented

00:38:32.360 --> 00:38:33.119
 and you have wine.

00:38:33.240 --> 00:38:33.440
 Right?

00:38:34.099 --> 00:38:35.559
 And in fact,

00:38:35.559 --> 00:38:37.320
 we've had that happen to us

00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:37.579
 before.

00:38:37.579 --> 00:38:38.319
 We use grape juice

00:38:38.319 --> 00:38:38.840
 in our communion

00:38:38.840 --> 00:38:39.519
 and one week,

00:38:39.619 --> 00:38:40.199
 people drank it.

00:38:40.279 --> 00:38:40.420
 They're like,

00:38:40.460 --> 00:38:41.599
 Oh, it kind of tastes like wine.

00:38:41.940 --> 00:38:42.400
 Ooh, sorry,

00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:43.360
 that's just old grape juice.

00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:44.539
 So it's like,

00:38:44.579 --> 00:38:44.699
 I mean,

00:38:44.719 --> 00:38:45.299
 that's what happened

00:38:45.299 --> 00:38:46.440
 to a lot of people

00:38:46.440 --> 00:38:47.779
 back in the day.

00:38:47.860 --> 00:38:48.340
 But nowadays,

00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:50.340
 we have this artificial process

00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:51.179
 of distillation.

00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:52.579
 So the alcoholic content

00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:53.480
 for all the beers

00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:54.739
 and wines that we have today

00:38:54.739 --> 00:38:56.000
 is so much higher

00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:57.079
 than any drinks

00:38:57.079 --> 00:38:57.599
 that they had

00:38:57.599 --> 00:38:58.360
 in the ancient days.

00:38:58.699 --> 00:39:00.199
 And so if they have to worry

00:39:00.199 --> 00:39:00.980
 about drunkenness,

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:02.880
 we have some problems.

00:39:03.299 --> 00:39:04.819
 We have to be really vigilant

00:39:04.820 --> 00:39:06.340
 about drunkenness.

00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:09.180
 And drunkenness is described

00:39:09.180 --> 00:39:10.100
 as debauchery.

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:10.380
 Like,

00:39:10.559 --> 00:39:12.600
 the word refers to waste.

00:39:13.080 --> 00:39:13.900
 It's excessive.

00:39:14.080 --> 00:39:15.800
 It's a senseless waste.

00:39:16.200 --> 00:39:17.120
 It's the opposite

00:39:17.120 --> 00:39:18.400
 of making the best use

00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:18.960
 of our time.

00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:20.960
 And isn't it so fascinating

00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:21.880
 that he contrasts

00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:23.039
 being drunk with wine

00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:24.740
 with being filled

00:39:24.740 --> 00:39:25.340
 with the Spirit?

00:39:25.600 --> 00:39:25.760
 Right?

00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:28.080
 Because a lot of linguists

00:39:28.080 --> 00:39:28.980
 speculate

00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:31.160
 that the word alcohol

00:39:31.160 --> 00:39:32.400
 originated from

00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:33.380
 or was derived

00:39:33.380 --> 00:39:34.640
 from the Arabic word

00:39:34.640 --> 00:39:35.720
 for al-gal,

00:39:36.140 --> 00:39:36.340
 right?

00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:37.800
 Which means spirit.

00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:38.520
 Right?

00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:40.580
 A lot of Arabic speakers

00:39:40.580 --> 00:39:41.280
 back then believed

00:39:41.280 --> 00:39:43.380
 that intoxication,

00:39:43.540 --> 00:39:44.160
 drunkenness,

00:39:44.400 --> 00:39:45.840
 occurred from a spirit

00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:46.960
 taking possession of them.

00:39:47.240 --> 00:39:47.380
 Right?

00:39:48.420 --> 00:39:49.600
 And so whether that's true

00:39:49.600 --> 00:39:50.060
 or not,

00:39:50.200 --> 00:39:51.740
 the etymology highlights

00:39:51.740 --> 00:39:53.040
 the useful contrast

00:39:53.040 --> 00:39:54.160
 between being filled

00:39:54.159 --> 00:39:55.759
 and controlled by wine

00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:57.019
 with being filled

00:39:57.019 --> 00:39:57.679
 and controlled

00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:58.539
 by the Spirit.

00:39:58.960 --> 00:40:00.299
 In both cases,

00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:01.579
 you are ceding

00:40:01.579 --> 00:40:02.960
 your lordship,

00:40:03.319 --> 00:40:04.759
 your possession of yourself

00:40:04.759 --> 00:40:06.940
 to something else.

00:40:09.980 --> 00:40:10.940
 I met a homeless man

00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:11.319
 this week

00:40:11.319 --> 00:40:12.299
 at Dunkin' Donuts

00:40:12.299 --> 00:40:12.699
 and had a chance

00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:13.359
 to hear his story.

00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:14.159
 And even though

00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:15.119
 his breath smelled

00:40:15.119 --> 00:40:15.639
 of alcohol,

00:40:15.799 --> 00:40:16.819
 he was actually very sober

00:40:16.819 --> 00:40:17.500
 in his assessment

00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:18.239
 of his situation.

00:40:18.559 --> 00:40:19.139
 He told me,

00:40:19.659 --> 00:40:21.359
 alcohol controls me.

00:40:22.699 --> 00:40:23.500
 That's what happened.

00:40:24.159 --> 00:40:28.639
 You cannot be drunk

00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:29.420
 with alcohol.

00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:30.359
 We cannot be drunk

00:40:30.359 --> 00:40:31.519
 because if you are

00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:33.079
 controlled by alcohol,

00:40:33.219 --> 00:40:34.440
 you will not be controlled

00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:35.759
 by the Spirit of God.

00:40:36.799 --> 00:40:38.420
 And if you have trouble

00:40:38.420 --> 00:40:39.719
 with moderation,

00:40:40.019 --> 00:40:40.799
 drinking moderation,

00:40:41.559 --> 00:40:43.480
 then there's good reason

00:40:43.480 --> 00:40:43.980
 and wisdom

00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:45.279
 for abstinence altogether.

00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:51.500
 But what does Paul mean

00:40:51.500 --> 00:40:52.040
 that believers

00:40:52.040 --> 00:40:53.620
 who already have the Spirit

00:40:53.620 --> 00:40:54.660
 should be filled

00:40:54.660 --> 00:40:55.200
 with the Spirit?

00:40:56.240 --> 00:40:57.000
 I mentioned to you

00:40:57.000 --> 00:40:57.720
 a few weeks ago

00:40:57.720 --> 00:40:58.960
 that while the New Testament

00:40:58.960 --> 00:41:00.680
 speaks of every believer

00:41:00.680 --> 00:41:01.480
 as being indwelled

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:02.220
 by the Holy Spirit,

00:41:02.300 --> 00:41:03.340
 that it does not speak

00:41:03.340 --> 00:41:04.060
 of every believer

00:41:04.060 --> 00:41:05.380
 as being full

00:41:05.380 --> 00:41:06.140
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:41:06.760 --> 00:41:08.260
 That's why in Acts 6.3,

00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:09.680
 believers who are full

00:41:09.680 --> 00:41:10.620
 of the Holy Spirit

00:41:10.620 --> 00:41:11.780
 are singled out

00:41:11.780 --> 00:41:12.760
 for a particular ministry

00:41:12.760 --> 00:41:14.960
 because of necessity,

00:41:15.080 --> 00:41:15.540
 by definition,

00:41:15.640 --> 00:41:16.340
 not everybody

00:41:16.340 --> 00:41:17.480
 is full of the Holy Spirit.

00:41:18.220 --> 00:41:19.300
 And so this exhortation

00:41:19.300 --> 00:41:20.680
 is quite similar

00:41:20.680 --> 00:41:21.320
 to the exhortation

00:41:21.320 --> 00:41:22.500
 to walk in the light, right?

00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:23.820
 It's people who have been

00:41:23.820 --> 00:41:24.960
 made light in the Lord

00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:26.200
 that should walk in the light

00:41:26.200 --> 00:41:27.060
 and it's people

00:41:27.060 --> 00:41:27.860
 who are indwelled

00:41:27.860 --> 00:41:28.480
 by the Spirit

00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:29.460
 that should increasingly

00:41:29.460 --> 00:41:30.540
 and continually

00:41:30.540 --> 00:41:31.840
 be filled

00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:32.800
 and controlled

00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:35.040
 by the Spirit of God.

00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:36.500
 And this is the most

00:41:36.500 --> 00:41:37.519
 important exhortation

00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:38.360
 of the second half

00:41:38.360 --> 00:41:38.960
 of this passage

00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:40.639
 because it's this exhortation

00:41:40.639 --> 00:41:42.079
 that it's the force

00:41:42.079 --> 00:41:42.659
 of this exhortation

00:41:42.659 --> 00:41:43.219
 to carry through

00:41:43.219 --> 00:41:44.119
 the rest of the book

00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:45.579
 about the exhortation

00:41:45.579 --> 00:41:46.800
 about the various relationships

00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:47.440
 and how we have

00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:48.259
 to relate to each other.

00:41:48.360 --> 00:41:49.460
 It's all based on this

00:41:49.460 --> 00:41:51.960
 be filled with the Holy Spirit.

00:41:53.259 --> 00:41:54.719
 But it's kind of abstract,

00:41:54.880 --> 00:41:55.159
 isn't it?

00:41:55.219 --> 00:41:56.079
 So, I mean,

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:57.820
 like you can go

00:41:57.820 --> 00:42:00.019
 to a sink, right,

00:42:00.079 --> 00:42:01.980
 to fill your jar

00:42:01.980 --> 00:42:02.880
 or cup with water.

00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:04.019
 I mean, where do you go

00:42:04.019 --> 00:42:04.460
 to be filled

00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:05.760
 with the Holy Spirit, right?

00:42:06.079 --> 00:42:07.380
 How can you get filled

00:42:07.380 --> 00:42:08.019
 with the Holy Spirit?

00:42:08.099 --> 00:42:09.640
 It seems so abstract to us

00:42:09.640 --> 00:42:11.400
 but wonderfully

00:42:11.400 --> 00:42:12.740
 and to our great relief,

00:42:12.900 --> 00:42:14.360
 Paul actually tells us

00:42:14.360 --> 00:42:15.920
 in verses 19 to 21

00:42:15.920 --> 00:42:17.180
 how we get filled

00:42:17.180 --> 00:42:17.920
 with the Holy Spirit.

00:42:19.940 --> 00:42:20.180
 It says,

00:42:21.940 --> 00:42:23.760
 addressing one another

00:42:23.760 --> 00:42:25.640
 in psalms and hymns

00:42:25.640 --> 00:42:26.579
 and spiritual songs

00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:28.559
 and singing and making melody

00:42:28.559 --> 00:42:29.820
 to the Lord with your heart,

00:42:30.099 --> 00:42:31.260
 giving thanks always

00:42:31.260 --> 00:42:32.500
 and for everything to God

00:42:32.500 --> 00:42:32.940
 the Father

00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:33.679
 in the name of our Lord

00:42:33.679 --> 00:42:34.380
 Jesus Christ,

00:42:34.760 --> 00:42:35.940
 submitting to one another

00:42:35.940 --> 00:42:37.460
 out of reverence for Christ.

00:42:37.719 --> 00:42:39.460
 That's four different means

00:42:39.460 --> 00:42:40.719
 that Paul specifies

00:42:40.719 --> 00:42:42.360
 by which we are filled

00:42:42.360 --> 00:42:43.860
 with the Spirit.

00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:45.860
 First, we are filled

00:42:45.860 --> 00:42:46.420
 with the Spirit

00:42:46.420 --> 00:42:47.900
 by addressing one another

00:42:47.900 --> 00:42:48.960
 in psalms and hymns

00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:50.079
 and spiritual songs.

00:42:50.619 --> 00:42:51.199
 So, of course,

00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:52.039
 when we are worshiping

00:42:52.039 --> 00:42:52.739
 in song together

00:42:52.739 --> 00:42:53.340
 as a church,

00:42:53.380 --> 00:42:54.440
 we're addressing God

00:42:54.440 --> 00:42:55.840
 because we're worshiping Him.

00:42:56.219 --> 00:42:57.019
 But there's also

00:42:57.019 --> 00:42:58.360
 a horizontal aspect

00:42:58.360 --> 00:42:59.880
 of our time of singing.

00:43:00.260 --> 00:43:00.800
 He's saying that

00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:01.720
 we're addressing

00:43:01.720 --> 00:43:02.740
 one another.

00:43:02.840 --> 00:43:03.480
 It's the same word

00:43:03.480 --> 00:43:04.200
 that he used earlier

00:43:04.200 --> 00:43:04.580
 to say,

00:43:04.700 --> 00:43:05.519
 speak the truth

00:43:05.519 --> 00:43:05.980
 to one another.

00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:06.580
 He says,

00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:07.840
 speak to one another

00:43:07.840 --> 00:43:08.440
 in song.

00:43:08.980 --> 00:43:09.360
 So, he's saying,

00:43:09.539 --> 00:43:12.039
 so it might be odd

00:43:12.039 --> 00:43:12.840
 to think of singing

00:43:12.840 --> 00:43:13.840
 in that way for us,

00:43:14.080 --> 00:43:16.019
 but when we're singing,

00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:17.580
 we are rehearsing

00:43:17.580 --> 00:43:18.519
 important truths

00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:19.680
 about God

00:43:19.680 --> 00:43:20.580
 and about our lives

00:43:20.580 --> 00:43:21.300
 and about ourselves.

00:43:21.720 --> 00:43:23.060
 And we are addressing

00:43:23.060 --> 00:43:23.800
 one another.

00:43:24.240 --> 00:43:25.360
 We're making these truths

00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:26.940
 to bear on our lives,

00:43:27.019 --> 00:43:27.860
 on each other's lives.

00:43:27.860 --> 00:43:29.039
 And that's why

00:43:29.039 --> 00:43:30.220
 the songs that we sing

00:43:30.220 --> 00:43:31.539
 are selected carefully,

00:43:31.680 --> 00:43:33.039
 not just for their melody

00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:34.240
 and singability,

00:43:34.480 --> 00:43:35.700
 but for their lyrics.

00:43:36.780 --> 00:43:37.900
 Because the time of singing

00:43:37.900 --> 00:43:38.500
 is not merely

00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:39.300
 about the emotions,

00:43:39.539 --> 00:43:40.059
 but it's also

00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:40.980
 about our thoughts.

00:43:41.620 --> 00:43:43.180
 We need to use our minds

00:43:43.180 --> 00:43:43.680
 when we sing.

00:43:45.360 --> 00:43:46.599
 And Paul seems to have

00:43:46.599 --> 00:43:47.559
 diverse genres

00:43:47.559 --> 00:43:48.480
 of songs in mind

00:43:48.480 --> 00:43:49.220
 because he mentions

00:43:49.220 --> 00:43:50.539
 psalms and hymns

00:43:50.539 --> 00:43:51.980
 and spiritual songs, right?

00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:53.079
 So the psalms

00:43:53.079 --> 00:43:53.860
 likely refer to

00:43:53.860 --> 00:43:55.019
 the Old Testament psalm,

00:43:55.079 --> 00:43:55.579
 the Psalter.

00:43:55.579 --> 00:43:57.319
 Hymns likely refer to

00:43:57.319 --> 00:43:59.319
 kind of the early church hymns,

00:43:59.500 --> 00:44:00.119
 kind of like the one

00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:01.279
 that he quoted earlier.

00:44:01.699 --> 00:44:02.920
 And then the spiritual songs

00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:03.719
 is probably a more

00:44:03.719 --> 00:44:04.579
 generic reference

00:44:04.579 --> 00:44:05.900
 to all kinds of songs

00:44:05.900 --> 00:44:07.159
 of a spiritual nature,

00:44:07.440 --> 00:44:08.619
 of a Christian character.

00:44:09.759 --> 00:44:11.059
 And not only do we address

00:44:11.059 --> 00:44:12.259
 one another in song,

00:44:12.380 --> 00:44:12.599
 he says,

00:44:12.719 --> 00:44:13.340
 we are to be filled

00:44:13.340 --> 00:44:13.880
 with the Spirit

00:44:13.880 --> 00:44:14.900
 by singing

00:44:14.900 --> 00:44:16.159
 and making melody

00:44:16.159 --> 00:44:17.079
 to the Lord

00:44:17.079 --> 00:44:17.960
 with our heart.

00:44:18.460 --> 00:44:19.179
 And he adds

00:44:19.179 --> 00:44:20.420
 an important qualifier,

00:44:20.639 --> 00:44:22.179
 with your heart.

00:44:22.179 --> 00:44:25.299
 Ronald Allen,

00:44:25.460 --> 00:44:26.299
 he's a Christian author,

00:44:26.359 --> 00:44:27.119
 he makes an important

00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:27.639
 distinction

00:44:27.639 --> 00:44:28.259
 in his book

00:44:28.259 --> 00:44:28.859
 on worship.

00:44:29.059 --> 00:44:29.359
 He says,

00:44:29.759 --> 00:44:30.919
 worship is a state

00:44:30.919 --> 00:44:31.659
 of heart.

00:44:32.500 --> 00:44:33.299
 Musical sound

00:44:33.299 --> 00:44:34.259
 is state of art.

00:44:35.960 --> 00:44:36.899
 I'm so grateful

00:44:36.899 --> 00:44:37.399
 to God

00:44:37.399 --> 00:44:38.139
 for people

00:44:38.139 --> 00:44:38.599
 who serve

00:44:38.599 --> 00:44:39.619
 on the music ministry team

00:44:39.619 --> 00:44:40.199
 and the use

00:44:40.199 --> 00:44:40.839
 of their gifts.

00:44:42.839 --> 00:44:43.960
 But I'm even more

00:44:43.960 --> 00:44:44.319
 grateful

00:44:44.319 --> 00:44:45.879
 that so many of us

00:44:45.879 --> 00:44:47.279
 I see every week

00:44:47.279 --> 00:44:48.899
 sing with their hearts.

00:44:48.900 --> 00:44:51.260
 not all of us

00:44:51.260 --> 00:44:52.579
 sing in tune,

00:44:53.059 --> 00:44:53.559
 let's be honest

00:44:53.559 --> 00:44:54.039
 with ourselves.

00:44:54.400 --> 00:44:55.400
 Not all of us

00:44:55.400 --> 00:44:56.340
 sing in beat

00:44:56.340 --> 00:44:57.180
 or rhythm,

00:44:57.579 --> 00:44:59.579
 but many of us

00:44:59.579 --> 00:45:00.980
 sing with our hearts

00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:01.960
 and that matters

00:45:01.960 --> 00:45:02.420
 to God.

00:45:02.900 --> 00:45:03.860
 He desires that.

00:45:07.400 --> 00:45:08.740
 And that's a means

00:45:08.740 --> 00:45:09.579
 by which we

00:45:09.579 --> 00:45:10.660
 are filled

00:45:10.660 --> 00:45:11.160
 with the Spirit.

00:45:11.220 --> 00:45:11.700
 And you have

00:45:11.700 --> 00:45:12.920
 probably experienced

00:45:12.920 --> 00:45:13.579
 this, right,

00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:14.480
 if you've been to church

00:45:14.480 --> 00:45:16.380
 for any appreciable

00:45:16.380 --> 00:45:16.920
 number of times.

00:45:17.059 --> 00:45:17.320
 Like if,

00:45:17.740 --> 00:45:18.500
 when you're singing,

00:45:18.500 --> 00:45:18.860
 right,

00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:19.420
 the truths

00:45:19.420 --> 00:45:20.039
 that seemed

00:45:20.039 --> 00:45:21.039
 once distant

00:45:21.039 --> 00:45:22.159
 and theoretical

00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:24.340
 just becomes

00:45:24.340 --> 00:45:25.119
 immediate

00:45:25.119 --> 00:45:26.679
 and present

00:45:26.679 --> 00:45:27.239
 and real.

00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:28.619
 You're being

00:45:28.619 --> 00:45:29.679
 filled with the Spirit.

00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:34.500
 And Paul's making

00:45:34.500 --> 00:45:35.719
 a remarkable claim

00:45:35.719 --> 00:45:36.480
 when he says this

00:45:36.480 --> 00:45:37.800
 because he's saying

00:45:37.800 --> 00:45:39.019
 that our regular

00:45:39.019 --> 00:45:40.059
 act of gathering

00:45:40.059 --> 00:45:40.800
 together in

00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:41.699
 corporate worship

00:45:41.699 --> 00:45:42.619
 is one of the

00:45:42.619 --> 00:45:43.780
 divinely appointed

00:45:43.780 --> 00:45:45.139
 means by which

00:45:45.139 --> 00:45:45.920
 we are filled

00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:46.659
 with the very

00:45:46.659 --> 00:45:47.699
 Spirit of God.

00:45:49.500 --> 00:45:50.260
 Like this was the

00:45:50.260 --> 00:45:51.099
 case in the Old

00:45:51.099 --> 00:45:51.699
 Testament, right?

00:45:51.780 --> 00:45:53.300
 Remember 2 Chronicles

00:45:53.300 --> 00:45:54.260
 5, 13 to 14,

00:45:54.340 --> 00:45:54.840
 it describes

00:45:54.840 --> 00:45:55.260
 the worship

00:45:55.260 --> 00:45:55.820
 in the temple.

00:45:56.260 --> 00:45:56.980
 It was the duty

00:45:56.980 --> 00:45:57.780
 of the trumpeters

00:45:57.780 --> 00:45:58.519
 and singers

00:45:58.519 --> 00:45:59.300
 to make themselves

00:45:59.300 --> 00:46:00.099
 heard in unison

00:46:00.099 --> 00:46:01.000
 in praise

00:46:01.000 --> 00:46:01.840
 and thanksgiving

00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:02.780
 to the Lord.

00:46:03.179 --> 00:46:03.900
 And when the song

00:46:03.900 --> 00:46:04.760
 was raised

00:46:04.760 --> 00:46:07.699
 and with trumpets

00:46:07.699 --> 00:46:08.139
 and cymbals

00:46:08.139 --> 00:46:08.739
 and other musical

00:46:08.739 --> 00:46:09.159
 instruments

00:46:09.159 --> 00:46:10.019
 in praise of the Lord,

00:46:10.119 --> 00:46:11.219
 the house of the Lord

00:46:11.219 --> 00:46:12.280
 was filled

00:46:12.280 --> 00:46:13.840
 with a cloud

00:46:13.840 --> 00:46:15.400
 so that the priests

00:46:15.400 --> 00:46:16.680
 could not stand

00:46:16.680 --> 00:46:17.240
 to minister

00:46:17.240 --> 00:46:18.360
 because of the cloud

00:46:18.360 --> 00:46:19.500
 for the glory

00:46:19.500 --> 00:46:20.500
 of the Lord

00:46:20.500 --> 00:46:22.140
 filled the house

00:46:22.140 --> 00:46:22.720
 of God.

00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:25.500
 That's the background

00:46:25.500 --> 00:46:26.300
 that lies behind

00:46:26.300 --> 00:46:26.920
 this passage.

00:46:27.240 --> 00:46:27.800
 God's glory

00:46:27.800 --> 00:46:28.920
 filled the temple

00:46:28.920 --> 00:46:30.019
 when his people

00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:31.100
 praised him,

00:46:31.440 --> 00:46:31.980
 worshipped him

00:46:31.980 --> 00:46:32.440
 in song

00:46:32.440 --> 00:46:33.220
 and gave thanks

00:46:33.220 --> 00:46:33.640
 to him.

00:46:33.960 --> 00:46:34.280
 Likewise,

00:46:34.500 --> 00:46:35.579
 we, the church,

00:46:35.800 --> 00:46:36.500
 we are now

00:46:36.500 --> 00:46:37.100
 the temple

00:46:37.100 --> 00:46:38.420
 of the Holy Spirit

00:46:38.420 --> 00:46:39.300
 as the Bible says

00:46:39.300 --> 00:46:40.240
 in many different places

00:46:40.239 --> 00:46:41.639
 and when we worship

00:46:41.639 --> 00:46:43.119
 and lift God's praises

00:46:43.119 --> 00:46:44.079
 in songs,

00:46:44.219 --> 00:46:45.500
 we become filled

00:46:45.500 --> 00:46:46.939
 with the Spirit.

00:46:48.059 --> 00:46:48.959
 Yeah, our Sunday

00:46:48.959 --> 00:46:49.699
 worship service

00:46:49.699 --> 00:46:51.199
 looks very ordinary.

00:46:52.579 --> 00:46:53.859
 And our time

00:46:53.859 --> 00:46:54.579
 of singing

00:46:54.579 --> 00:46:55.839
 might look humdrum

00:46:55.839 --> 00:46:57.699
 to some outside onlookers,

00:46:58.079 --> 00:46:59.099
 but there's something

00:46:59.099 --> 00:46:59.939
 extraordinary

00:46:59.939 --> 00:47:01.419
 and supernatural

00:47:01.419 --> 00:47:02.379
 happening

00:47:02.379 --> 00:47:04.019
 in this weekly gathering

00:47:04.019 --> 00:47:05.119
 of corporate worship

00:47:05.119 --> 00:47:06.479
 where the people of God

00:47:06.479 --> 00:47:07.179
 are being filled

00:47:07.179 --> 00:47:08.459
 with the very Spirit of God,

00:47:08.659 --> 00:47:09.659
 where there's an exchange

00:47:09.659 --> 00:47:10.759
 of the Holy Spirit

00:47:10.759 --> 00:47:12.079
 with our spirits.

00:47:12.579 --> 00:47:13.559
 We commune with him.

00:47:13.679 --> 00:47:14.899
 This is amazing.

00:47:17.739 --> 00:47:18.799
 So as the days

00:47:18.799 --> 00:47:19.480
 get colder

00:47:19.480 --> 00:47:20.759
 in the winter months,

00:47:21.819 --> 00:47:23.859
 resist the urge

00:47:23.859 --> 00:47:25.299
 to sleep in,

00:47:25.699 --> 00:47:26.339
 stay cozy

00:47:26.339 --> 00:47:27.039
 under the blankets

00:47:27.039 --> 00:47:27.859
 on Sunday mornings.

00:47:30.440 --> 00:47:31.460
 Oh, I don't want

00:47:31.460 --> 00:47:32.379
 to get up today.

00:47:32.460 --> 00:47:33.279
 I'll just stay home.

00:47:33.639 --> 00:47:35.219
 Guys, this is not a chore.

00:47:36.019 --> 00:47:37.279
 This is not a chore.

00:47:37.839 --> 00:47:39.000
 This is a privilege.

00:47:39.659 --> 00:47:42.539
 This is a joy.

00:47:44.440 --> 00:47:45.319
 Sunday is my favorite

00:47:45.319 --> 00:47:45.980
 day of the week.

00:47:46.579 --> 00:47:46.960
 And I mean that

00:47:46.960 --> 00:47:47.739
 with all my heart

00:47:47.739 --> 00:47:49.139
 because this is a privilege

00:47:49.139 --> 00:47:50.159
 if we're filled

00:47:50.159 --> 00:47:51.179
 with the Spirit of God.

00:47:54.679 --> 00:47:55.539
 The third way

00:47:55.539 --> 00:47:56.319
 in which we are filled

00:47:56.319 --> 00:47:56.719
 with the Spirit

00:47:56.719 --> 00:47:57.920
 is by giving thanks

00:47:57.920 --> 00:47:59.019
 always and for everything

00:47:59.019 --> 00:48:00.000
 to God the Father

00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:00.920
 in the name of our Lord

00:48:00.920 --> 00:48:01.639
 Jesus Christ.

00:48:02.940 --> 00:48:04.000
 We talked earlier

00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:04.739
 about the importance

00:48:04.739 --> 00:48:05.279
 of thanksgiving,

00:48:05.359 --> 00:48:06.199
 how it fortifies

00:48:06.199 --> 00:48:07.179
 our minds and hearts

00:48:07.179 --> 00:48:08.819
 against temptations.

00:48:08.960 --> 00:48:09.559
 Paul calls us

00:48:09.559 --> 00:48:10.299
 to give thanks

00:48:10.299 --> 00:48:10.899
 here again.

00:48:11.219 --> 00:48:12.379
 Not sometimes,

00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:13.719
 but he says always.

00:48:14.319 --> 00:48:15.879
 And not for some things,

00:48:16.019 --> 00:48:17.599
 but for everything.

00:48:18.119 --> 00:48:19.279
 That means we acknowledge

00:48:19.279 --> 00:48:20.619
 God's gracious

00:48:20.619 --> 00:48:22.000
 and sovereign hand

00:48:22.000 --> 00:48:23.399
 in things that we like

00:48:23.399 --> 00:48:24.659
 and things we don't like

00:48:24.659 --> 00:48:26.000
 and in things that are great

00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:27.480
 and things that are small.

00:48:27.779 --> 00:48:29.059
 And so in all things

00:48:29.059 --> 00:48:30.059
 and all times,

00:48:30.219 --> 00:48:31.579
 we thank God.

00:48:31.579 --> 00:48:33.759
 And when we do,

00:48:33.819 --> 00:48:34.319
 we are filled

00:48:34.319 --> 00:48:34.900
 with the Spirit.

00:48:37.000 --> 00:48:38.219
 The fourth means,

00:48:38.360 --> 00:48:39.579
 and it's so important,

00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:40.900
 by which we can be filled

00:48:40.900 --> 00:48:41.440
 with the Spirit

00:48:41.440 --> 00:48:42.400
 is by submitting

00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:43.340
 to one another

00:48:43.340 --> 00:48:44.159
 out of reverence

00:48:44.159 --> 00:48:44.719
 for Christ.

00:48:45.920 --> 00:48:47.119
 As verse 21 says,

00:48:47.699 --> 00:48:48.819
 let me first tell you

00:48:48.819 --> 00:48:50.000
 what this doesn't mean

00:48:50.000 --> 00:48:51.199
 and then I'm going to tell you

00:48:51.199 --> 00:48:51.900
 what it does mean.

00:48:52.860 --> 00:48:53.900
 It doesn't mean

00:48:53.900 --> 00:48:55.179
 that since we're all called

00:48:55.179 --> 00:48:56.920
 to submit to one another

00:48:56.920 --> 00:48:58.119
 that no one

00:48:58.119 --> 00:48:58.799
 should be invested

00:48:58.799 --> 00:49:00.099
 with any sense of authority

00:49:00.099 --> 00:49:01.360
 to lead in the church.

00:49:02.460 --> 00:49:03.539
 Paul says very clearly

00:49:03.539 --> 00:49:04.420
 in other parts,

00:49:04.759 --> 00:49:06.860
 where Hebrews 13, 17 says,

00:49:06.980 --> 00:49:07.900
 instructs church members,

00:49:08.179 --> 00:49:09.059
 obey your leaders

00:49:09.059 --> 00:49:10.279
 and submit to them,

00:49:10.380 --> 00:49:10.860
 same word,

00:49:11.139 --> 00:49:12.319
 for they are keeping watch

00:49:12.319 --> 00:49:13.139
 over your souls

00:49:13.139 --> 00:49:14.699
 as those who will have

00:49:14.699 --> 00:49:16.179
 to give an account.

00:49:17.139 --> 00:49:18.279
 So while every Christian

00:49:18.279 --> 00:49:19.639
 is to submit to one another,

00:49:19.980 --> 00:49:21.360
 there is a particular way

00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:22.559
 in which we are called

00:49:22.559 --> 00:49:23.480
 to submit to the leaders

00:49:23.480 --> 00:49:24.099
 of the church.

00:49:25.019 --> 00:49:25.500
 Similarly,

00:49:25.659 --> 00:49:26.840
 even though husbands and wives

00:49:26.840 --> 00:49:27.900
 are called to submit

00:49:27.900 --> 00:49:28.579
 to one another

00:49:28.579 --> 00:49:29.719
 in the context of the church,

00:49:30.139 --> 00:49:30.699
 as we'll see

00:49:30.699 --> 00:49:31.440
 in the next passage

00:49:31.440 --> 00:49:31.980
 for next week,

00:49:32.159 --> 00:49:33.440
 there's a peculiar call

00:49:33.440 --> 00:49:33.940
 to the wife

00:49:33.940 --> 00:49:35.059
 to submit to the husband.

00:49:36.059 --> 00:49:37.059
 So this call

00:49:37.059 --> 00:49:37.820
 to submit to one another

00:49:37.820 --> 00:49:40.200
 does not abrogate authority,

00:49:40.539 --> 00:49:41.900
 doesn't nullify authority.

00:49:42.000 --> 00:49:42.380
 However,

00:49:42.740 --> 00:49:44.200
 it does prevent

00:49:44.200 --> 00:49:46.320
 and preclude authoritarianism

00:49:46.320 --> 00:49:48.679
 because everyone

00:49:48.679 --> 00:49:50.019
 is called to submit.

00:49:50.079 --> 00:49:50.740
 Every Christian

00:49:50.740 --> 00:49:51.420
 is called to submit

00:49:51.420 --> 00:49:51.840
 to one another.

00:49:51.840 --> 00:49:52.760
 It tempers,

00:49:53.480 --> 00:49:54.780
 constrains our authority.

00:49:55.619 --> 00:49:56.800
 There's no room

00:49:56.800 --> 00:49:57.720
 in the church

00:49:57.720 --> 00:50:00.380
 for overbearing leadership,

00:50:01.420 --> 00:50:02.500
 authoritarianism.

00:50:03.820 --> 00:50:05.080
 Because every single one

00:50:05.080 --> 00:50:05.260
 of us

00:50:05.260 --> 00:50:06.340
 is called to mutual submission.

00:50:07.100 --> 00:50:08.140
 And so what does it mean?

00:50:08.240 --> 00:50:08.800
 I'm talking about

00:50:08.800 --> 00:50:09.260
 the submission

00:50:09.260 --> 00:50:10.500
 gets a bad rap nowadays,

00:50:10.500 --> 00:50:11.660
 but it's an eminently

00:50:11.660 --> 00:50:12.760
 Christian virtue

00:50:12.760 --> 00:50:13.920
 because it's what

00:50:13.920 --> 00:50:14.400
 Jesus,

00:50:14.560 --> 00:50:15.140
 our Savior,

00:50:15.380 --> 00:50:16.320
 modeled for us, right?

00:50:16.620 --> 00:50:17.420
 Philippians 2,

00:50:17.539 --> 00:50:18.039
 3 to 8.

00:50:18.360 --> 00:50:18.980
 Do nothing

00:50:18.980 --> 00:50:20.300
 from selfish ambition

00:50:20.300 --> 00:50:20.920
 or conceit,

00:50:20.960 --> 00:50:21.600
 but in humility

00:50:21.600 --> 00:50:22.340
 count others

00:50:22.340 --> 00:50:23.140
 more significant

00:50:23.140 --> 00:50:23.860
 than yourselves.

00:50:24.680 --> 00:50:25.420
 Let each of you

00:50:25.420 --> 00:50:26.100
 look not only

00:50:26.100 --> 00:50:27.059
 to his own interests

00:50:27.059 --> 00:50:28.260
 but also to the interests

00:50:28.260 --> 00:50:28.800
 of others.

00:50:29.300 --> 00:50:30.180
 Have this mind

00:50:30.180 --> 00:50:30.900
 among yourselves

00:50:30.900 --> 00:50:32.260
 which is yours

00:50:32.260 --> 00:50:33.160
 in Christ Jesus

00:50:33.160 --> 00:50:34.480
 who though he was

00:50:34.480 --> 00:50:36.039
 in the form of God,

00:50:36.220 --> 00:50:36.900
 another translation,

00:50:37.059 --> 00:50:38.579
 the very nature of God,

00:50:39.240 --> 00:50:40.840
 did not count equality

00:50:40.840 --> 00:50:41.480
 with God

00:50:41.480 --> 00:50:43.039
 a thing to be grasped

00:50:43.039 --> 00:50:44.579
 but emptied himself

00:50:44.579 --> 00:50:46.640
 by taking the form

00:50:46.640 --> 00:50:47.160
 of a servant

00:50:47.160 --> 00:50:48.340
 and being born

00:50:48.340 --> 00:50:50.059
 in the likeness of man

00:50:50.059 --> 00:50:51.160
 and being found

00:50:51.160 --> 00:50:52.300
 in human form

00:50:52.300 --> 00:50:53.660
 he humbled himself

00:50:53.660 --> 00:50:54.660
 by becoming obedient

00:50:54.660 --> 00:50:56.480
 to the point of death,

00:50:56.880 --> 00:50:59.800
 even death on a cross.

00:51:01.300 --> 00:51:03.760
 Jesus was equal

00:51:03.760 --> 00:51:04.580
 to the Father

00:51:04.580 --> 00:51:06.380
 in all authority,

00:51:07.240 --> 00:51:07.560
 deity,

00:51:08.500 --> 00:51:08.880
 attribute.

00:51:10.960 --> 00:51:13.320
 He was fully God

00:51:13.320 --> 00:51:18.180
 yet for reason unknown to us

00:51:18.180 --> 00:51:19.539
 simply by virtue

00:51:19.539 --> 00:51:20.300
 of his position

00:51:20.300 --> 00:51:21.060
 as the Son

00:51:21.059 --> 00:51:23.599
 he submitted

00:51:23.599 --> 00:51:24.940
 to the Father.

00:51:27.039 --> 00:51:28.179
 And it's because

00:51:28.179 --> 00:51:29.360
 he did that,

00:51:29.699 --> 00:51:30.299
 it's because

00:51:30.299 --> 00:51:31.340
 he emptied himself,

00:51:31.639 --> 00:51:32.259
 it's because

00:51:32.259 --> 00:51:33.460
 he humbled himself,

00:51:33.679 --> 00:51:34.579
 now we become

00:51:34.579 --> 00:51:35.159
 beneficiaries

00:51:35.159 --> 00:51:37.059
 of eternal salvation

00:51:37.059 --> 00:51:38.219
 and relationship

00:51:38.219 --> 00:51:39.219
 with our loving

00:51:39.219 --> 00:51:40.000
 Father.

00:51:41.639 --> 00:51:43.340
 In a similar way,

00:51:43.739 --> 00:51:44.440
 when we

00:51:44.440 --> 00:51:46.279
 yield to one another,

00:51:47.460 --> 00:51:48.500
 submit to one another,

00:51:48.500 --> 00:51:50.000
 when we sacrifice

00:51:50.000 --> 00:51:50.940
 for one another,

00:51:50.940 --> 00:51:52.199
 when we humble ourselves

00:51:52.199 --> 00:51:53.400
 and consider others'

00:51:53.539 --> 00:51:54.539
 interests before ours,

00:51:54.659 --> 00:51:55.440
 when we do that

00:51:55.440 --> 00:51:57.059
 in the daily living together

00:51:57.059 --> 00:51:58.079
 as a church community,

00:51:58.079 --> 00:52:00.159
 that opens the doors

00:52:00.159 --> 00:52:00.860
 for the filling

00:52:01.579 --> 00:52:03.260
 of the Spirit of God.

00:52:03.260 --> 00:52:13.800
 that's really the crux,

00:52:13.900 --> 00:52:15.120
 that's really all there is to it,

00:52:15.300 --> 00:52:16.280
 that's the Christian life.

00:52:17.940 --> 00:52:20.700
 God doesn't want anything less

00:52:20.700 --> 00:52:22.980
 than to fill us with himself,

00:52:23.260 --> 00:52:25.540
 to unite us to himself,

00:52:25.760 --> 00:52:28.360
 so saints who have the privilege

00:52:28.360 --> 00:52:29.740
 of being set apart for God,

00:52:30.200 --> 00:52:32.660
 let's all walk in the light of Christ,

00:52:32.659 --> 00:52:33.899
 and be filled

00:52:33.899 --> 00:52:35.319
 with the Spirit of God.

00:52:35.920 --> 00:52:36.539
 Let's pray together.

00:52:50.159 --> 00:52:52.219
 God, we ask you

00:52:52.219 --> 00:52:53.739
 to capture us

00:52:53.739 --> 00:52:55.159
 with a beautiful vision

00:52:55.159 --> 00:52:57.719
 of your sacrificial love,

00:52:57.899 --> 00:52:58.059
 Lord.

00:52:58.059 --> 00:52:59.900
 we want our church

00:52:59.900 --> 00:53:00.960
 to showcase

00:53:00.960 --> 00:53:04.099
 both the Father's

00:53:04.099 --> 00:53:05.279
 benevolent,

00:53:05.820 --> 00:53:06.360
 gracious,

00:53:07.099 --> 00:53:08.679
 humble leadership

00:53:08.679 --> 00:53:09.779
 and authority

00:53:09.779 --> 00:53:11.299
 and convey

00:53:11.299 --> 00:53:12.299
 and portray

00:53:12.299 --> 00:53:14.299
 the Son's

00:53:15.179 --> 00:53:15.719
 humble,

00:53:16.519 --> 00:53:18.179
 sacrificial submission

00:53:18.179 --> 00:53:20.199
 because it's beautiful

00:53:20.199 --> 00:53:21.500
 to behold.

00:53:21.500 --> 00:53:25.119
 the triune love of God.

00:53:25.239 --> 00:53:25.880
 Lord, please

00:53:25.880 --> 00:53:27.119
 fill us

00:53:27.119 --> 00:53:28.280
 with an increasing measure

00:53:28.280 --> 00:53:28.900
 of your Spirit

00:53:28.900 --> 00:53:29.420
 this morning.

00:53:30.079 --> 00:53:30.800
 Help us to walk

00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:31.559
 in the light of Christ

00:53:31.559 --> 00:53:32.420
 in every area

00:53:32.420 --> 00:53:33.260
 of our lives

00:53:33.260 --> 00:53:34.840
 so that we can be witnesses

00:53:34.840 --> 00:53:36.300
 to the watching world

00:53:36.300 --> 00:53:38.619
 of your goodness,

00:53:39.119 --> 00:53:40.000
 of your truth,

00:53:40.400 --> 00:53:41.219
 of your righteousness.

00:53:41.900 --> 00:53:42.880
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:53:43.239 --> 00:53:43.420
 Amen.

00:53:43.420 --> 00:53:43.519
 Amen.

00:53:43.519 --> 00:53:43.559
 Amen.

00:53:43.559 --> 00:53:43.619
 Amen.

00:53:43.619 --> 00:53:43.679
 Amen.

00:53:43.679 --> 00:53:43.760
 Amen.

00:53:43.760 --> 00:53:43.780
 Amen.

00:53:43.780 --> 00:53:43.800
 Amen.

00:53:43.800 --> 00:53:43.820
 Amen.

00:53:43.820 --> 00:53:43.880
 Amen.

00:53:43.880 --> 00:53:43.900
 Amen.

00:53:43.900 --> 00:53:43.960
 Amen.

00:53:43.960 --> 00:53:44.380
 Amen.

00:53:44.380 --> 00:53:44.440
 Amen.

00:53:44.440 --> 00:53:45.519
 Amen.

00:53:45.519 --> 00:53:45.579
 Amen.

00:53:45.579 --> 00:53:45.599
 Amen.

00:53:45.599 --> 00:53:47.519
 Amen.

00:53:47.519 --> 00:53:47.579
 Amen.

00:53:47.579 --> 00:53:47.619
 Amen.

00:53:47.619 --> 00:53:47.639
 Amen.

00:53:47.639 --> 00:53:51.480
 Amen.