WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.919 chapter one and so we're going to read all of chapter one this morning. 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:15.580 Our Bible reading on a Sunday is also part of our worship together. 00:00:16.820 --> 00:00:22.420 We value God's word. We want to come under its authority this morning. So it's not 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:29.580 Daniel's authority or the church's and institution's authority, but we come under the authority of 00:00:29.579 --> 00:00:36.439 our King Jesus and we come under the authority of his word in the Bible. So as we read this 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:49.659 morning, it's God's word to us. So let's read and try and follow it as well as we can as 00:00:49.659 --> 00:00:56.000 we read a long section together. And as I said in a while, Daniel will be speaking from Colossians 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:04.460 chapter one. So Colossians one verse one, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of 00:01:04.460 --> 00:01:12.359 God and Timothy, our brother to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae, grace 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:18.219 and peace to you from God, our father. We always thank God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:23.240 when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:27.739 you have for all the saints, the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored 00:01:27.739 --> 00:01:31.939 up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 00:01:31.939 --> 00:01:38.500 that has come to you all over the world. This gospel is bearing fruit and growing just as 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:43.079 it has been doing among you since today you heard it and understood God's grace in all its 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:48.280 truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who was a faithful minister 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:54.460 of Christ on our behalf and who also told us of your love in the spirit. For this reason, 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:59.879 since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill 00:01:59.879 --> 00:02:05.520 you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And 00:02:05.520 --> 00:02:10.759 we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in 00:02:10.759 --> 00:02:16.620 every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened 00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:22.020 with all power according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience 00:02:22.020 --> 00:02:28.140 and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints 00:02:28.140 --> 00:02:34.219 in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the 00:02:34.219 --> 00:02:42.000 kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:49.439 invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, things in heaven and 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:55.479 on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. All things were 00:02:55.479 --> 00:03:03.300 created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the 00:03:03.300 --> 00:03:09.199 head of the body, the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:16.079 everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:22.339 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by 00:03:22.339 --> 00:03:29.759 making peace through his blood shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:35.060 your minds because of your evil behavior, but now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body 00:03:35.060 --> 00:03:41.620 through death to present you wholly in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation, if you 00:03:41.620 --> 00:03:46.879 continue in your faith established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. 00:03:47.699 --> 00:03:52.360 This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, 00:03:52.500 --> 00:03:57.840 and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, 00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:02.039 and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:07.959 for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave 00:04:07.959 --> 00:04:12.639 me to present to you the word of God in its fullness, the mystery that has been kept hidden 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:18.819 for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known 00:04:18.819 --> 00:04:25.639 among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:33.279 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present present, 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:39.479 we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, 00:04:39.719 --> 00:04:47.439 which so powerfully works in me. We trust God will bless the reading of his word to us this morning. 00:04:47.439 --> 00:05:02.000 Before Daniel comes up and speaks to us, we're going to pray together as a church. Just a few things to mention. 00:05:02.579 --> 00:05:07.079 Obviously the effects of what happened in Karagaline during the week are felt within the community, 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:16.779 and by the man who has killed his family, his partner, and people around. So let's pray for God's 00:05:16.779 --> 00:05:22.799 will and purposes, even through things that are very difficult and very hard to be done. 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:29.039 We also want to remember, as I said, the grandfamilies are away on holidays at this time, 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:36.599 that they would relax and enjoy the break and come back refreshed, starting into a new school, 00:05:36.779 --> 00:05:44.259 church, calendar year. We also want to remember Yelena, who she got away this morning. 00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:48.259 That's brilliant. So she's on her way. She's probably in... 00:05:48.980 --> 00:05:50.279 She's in church in Manchester. 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:51.399 She's in church in Manchester. 00:05:52.219 --> 00:05:52.480 Okay. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:55.439 Okay. 00:05:56.719 --> 00:05:57.199 Yeah. 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:01.680 So she's enjoying church in Manchester this morning and flying on to Thailand this evening. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:08.340 So I can certainly remember Yelena and her, the people left behind in the McLennahan household. 00:06:09.819 --> 00:06:13.000 And I said, we just want to remember Ian as well, who's at home resting. 00:06:15.379 --> 00:06:17.699 So let's pray and talk to our God together. 00:06:17.699 --> 00:06:23.339 Our Father, we thank you for your precious word to us. 00:06:23.339 --> 00:06:30.519 We thank you that it shows your wisdom in providing for us through the generations, your church, 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:40.579 giving us a touchstone, a reference point, an authority in our lives that we can know God's word 00:06:40.579 --> 00:06:44.000 and we can read it and study it and listen to it. 00:06:44.259 --> 00:06:50.459 And Father, it's an amazing book, but then it's about an amazing God. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:53.680 And we look through it and we see you. 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:59.419 And Father, move us to worship, move us to glory in you 00:06:59.419 --> 00:07:06.079 and to see a gracious and powerful God slow to anger and abounding in love. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:12.959 Father God, we want to thank you for our life together as a church and as a community in Carrigaline. 00:07:14.479 --> 00:07:21.459 We say thank you as well for Johnny and for his role in shepherding the church as pastor. 00:07:23.539 --> 00:07:29.759 And we really ask that him and his family would enjoy this time together, 00:07:30.259 --> 00:07:33.139 that it would be a break, would be a refreshing, 00:07:33.139 --> 00:07:43.399 would be a time where they can build one another up and encourage one another through holidays and through being away. 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:48.800 Father, do bring them back to us safely and we thank you for them. 00:07:49.339 --> 00:07:54.159 We remember Yelena and ask that all the experiences that she's going to have on this trip 00:07:54.159 --> 00:08:00.539 will shape her in a godly way and mature her and help her to grow in her love for you. 00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:12.780 And Father, her vision of you and of the opportunities that are out there among churches and situations would be expanded, Father. 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:18.600 Give her a bigger view of what you're doing throughout the world and specifically in Thailand 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:23.420 and the other countries that she will be involved with while she's there. 00:08:23.420 --> 00:08:32.820 Father, do help her family as well to know that when we seek to follow you and serve you in whatever way, 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:43.519 that we're in the best place possible, following you under your authority and seeking to bring glory to you. 00:08:43.680 --> 00:08:47.300 And there's no better place to be as a believer. 00:08:47.299 --> 00:08:55.399 Father, God, we think of Ian as well and being laid low with such pain 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:59.319 and we ask that he would rest well and be restored. 00:09:00.199 --> 00:09:07.740 And Father, that he wouldn't be disappointed, not being able to be here this morning, 00:09:07.740 --> 00:09:14.980 but he would be encouraged where he is to know that we care for him and are praying that he gets well 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:20.519 and that you are his all in all as he's at home now. 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:29.680 Father God, be gracious to us this morning as we listen to your word explained and preached by Daniel. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:36.239 Bless his heart this morning and Father, bring us under your authority. 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:44.139 And as we listen, help it to sit deeply so that we have no choice as we go out, 00:09:44.199 --> 00:09:48.139 but to respond and to be changed and to live differently by what we hear. 00:09:49.179 --> 00:09:52.159 Be gracious now, Father, we ask for the help of your Holy Spirit. 00:09:52.579 --> 00:09:52.799 Amen. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:52.919 Amen. 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:23.259 Now, can everybody hear me? 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:30.759 I had a little bit of difficulty in Y'all recently where the sound was a little bit funny 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:34.679 and I just want to make sure that I'm being heard okay there. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:35.299 That's fine. 00:10:35.439 --> 00:10:35.700 Okay. 00:10:36.259 --> 00:10:36.960 Well, good morning. 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:39.480 As you've been told several times, I'm Daniel. 00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:45.439 Nice to see new faces and maybe I'll get the chance to talk to some people afterwards 00:10:45.439 --> 00:10:50.659 that I haven't met before, but nice to see some familiar faces that I haven't seen for a while either too. 00:10:50.659 --> 00:10:52.519 So, I'm Daniel. 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:56.439 Clodagh is sitting down there, still smiling at me this morning, 00:10:57.219 --> 00:11:01.240 even though Sunday mornings when we're traveling from our house can be a little bit of a pressure 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:08.299 getting two girls out and having to leave at 20 past or quarter past nine to get somewhere. 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:13.279 But she's gracious and she's smiling and I'm very blessed to have her. 00:11:13.339 --> 00:11:15.199 Our two girls are with us, Evie and Emily. 00:11:15.379 --> 00:11:16.799 They're in junior church at the moment. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:22.839 We go to actually Lee Valley Bible Church, but we live in North Cork. 00:11:24.019 --> 00:11:28.879 And I see the rain is going to now challenge my volume as well. 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:29.939 So, that's good. 00:11:29.940 --> 00:11:33.600 We live in North Cork. 00:11:36.180 --> 00:11:39.820 Circumstances put things that way and people ask us, 00:11:39.900 --> 00:11:43.440 well, you live in North Cork, why don't you go to church somewhere near where you live? 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:47.100 And I said, well, God tells me to go to church near where I live. 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:49.940 I'll go to church near where I live. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:54.620 But God has put us from day one in our Christian walk in Lee Valley Bible Church. 00:11:54.620 --> 00:12:04.019 And we came close to leaving a few years ago, but God put several people in our way through prayer and told us to stay where we are. 00:12:04.259 --> 00:12:12.299 I'm just finished myself first year with the Evangelical Movement of Wales Theological Training Course. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:16.320 So, in two weeks' time, start into second year. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:24.500 So, as you may be going along, and this guy from Balancholic who came to you one Sunday morning might pop into your head, 00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:32.680 I would ask that you would keep myself, Clodagh, and our two girls in prayer as much as you can as we come to your minds. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:36.560 Because without prayer, we get nowhere. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.780 Prayer is the fuel, the engine that keeps us going. 00:12:40.140 --> 00:12:44.900 And we need God's power and God's preservation as we do these things. 00:12:44.899 --> 00:12:50.379 So, I feel very privileged to have been asked to come to share God's word this morning. 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:57.399 And I've been spending quite a bit of time over the last couple of months in Colossians, and that's why we're in Colossians. 00:12:58.939 --> 00:13:08.139 Needless to say, I won't be preaching on the entire chapter one, because I think you'd like to get home for lunch and breakfast tomorrow. 00:13:08.319 --> 00:13:11.519 So, if we did that, it could be a little bit of a 24-hour marathon. 00:13:11.699 --> 00:13:13.000 So, we won't do that. 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:17.679 But I was blessed as I sat this morning. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:28.899 And Ralph read the verses at the very beginning, because they're right in the middle of the section that I will be concentrating a bit on this morning. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.519 So, let's pray together. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:40.759 Father God, it is such a privilege to be here for each one of us. 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.500 We come by the blood, Lord. 00:13:43.939 --> 00:13:46.639 We come because of your love for us. 00:13:47.319 --> 00:13:51.399 We come because of the perfect atoning sacrifice of your Son on the cross. 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:55.220 Each one of us here, Lord, truly born again. 00:13:56.079 --> 00:14:00.959 Each one of us who is truly born again, united in Christ as brothers and sisters. 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:05.179 What a wonderful privilege to be here in that standing, Lord. 00:14:05.179 --> 00:14:13.159 Help us, Lord, to clear from our mind now, whatever clutter may be there from the week, from the journey of getting here. 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:18.000 That our hearts may be opened and fully opened to the working of the Spirit. 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:26.319 So that the things that we read about this morning and the things that we think about and the things that you teach us, Lord, would find rich, fertile ground. 00:14:26.659 --> 00:14:28.879 That they would take over our heart, Lord. 00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:33.059 And that everything that comes out of us would be what you put in. 00:14:33.059 --> 00:14:35.699 Lord, I ask you for myself, Lord. 00:14:36.739 --> 00:14:39.619 That you would bring me to the end of myself again. 00:14:40.479 --> 00:14:44.619 And that the things that I bring this morning are truly from you, Lord. 00:14:45.119 --> 00:14:46.939 And have nothing to do with my own ego. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:51.779 I ask you, Lord, that hearts would pray for this message as we learn. 00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:57.500 And that it would be truly a gift from you to us this morning. 00:14:57.500 --> 00:15:01.860 So that when we leave here, we are stronger. 00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:04.080 We are more focused on you. 00:15:04.580 --> 00:15:08.320 That we are ready to face the world and anything that it might throw at us. 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:11.480 And that we would be what we say we are. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.320 True Christians, Lord. 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:14.720 In your name. 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:17.320 And in your name we pray this, Lord. 00:15:18.059 --> 00:15:18.360 Amen. 00:15:27.500 --> 00:15:32.519 I won't put it next to the projector. 00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:33.879 Give somebody a heart attack. 00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:42.019 So, just so you know, I am going to be preaching from the NIV. 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:43.940 If you don't see me, open my Bible. 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:47.159 It's not that I have memorized the entire thing by heart. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:50.679 But I always reprint the sections I'm working on. 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:56.599 So, I have the entire book of Colossians reprinted here. 00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:59.159 So that I can make my notes as I'm going along. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.219 So, that's what you will actually see me reading from. 00:16:02.479 --> 00:16:02.620 Okay? 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:09.659 I like to just say that because I wouldn't like anybody to even think for a second. 00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:13.179 Is he making this up himself as he's going along? 00:16:13.179 --> 00:16:16.939 Because everything we do, everything we say, needs to be brought back. 00:16:17.419 --> 00:16:17.779 Always. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:19.259 Always. 00:16:19.479 --> 00:16:20.519 To the word of God. 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:26.759 So, Paul wrote the letter to Colossians. 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:30.419 I'm sure a lot of people are familiar with it, but just a little bit of background. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:31.919 Why did he write the letter? 00:16:32.339 --> 00:16:35.179 Why did Paul write this letter at this time? 00:16:36.179 --> 00:16:37.559 He was imprisoned in Rome. 00:16:38.539 --> 00:16:40.719 And Epaphras came to visit him. 00:16:41.219 --> 00:16:45.579 And Epaphras had been the one who had brought the gospel to the church. 00:16:45.939 --> 00:16:48.819 And was instrumental in preaching the gospel and teaching the gospel. 00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:51.020 And this church grew up at Colossae. 00:16:51.300 --> 00:16:52.740 So, why was Paul writing? 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:58.680 Well, Epaphras came to him and it was very obvious that he was concerned with some of the things that were happening in the church. 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:01.699 The truth had been taken. 00:17:01.699 --> 00:17:03.979 And the truth was being altered. 00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:07.539 Now, I could spend quite a bit of time talking on that. 00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:14.619 But I just want to emphasize that one of the main reasons that Paul was writing this letter to the Colossians at all in the first place. 00:17:14.619 --> 00:17:18.319 was to deal with truth under attack. 00:17:18.939 --> 00:17:26.439 The fact that the truth of who Jesus was, the truth of the gospel, the truth of the message that brings us all together, was being changed and altered. 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:27.879 And they were bringing something in. 00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:34.479 Now, from Judaism, they were bringing in rituals, holy days, special feasts and fasting. 00:17:34.699 --> 00:17:38.199 From their pagan culture, they were bringing pagan things in. 00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:42.200 And there's a lovely word that sums it all up, syncreticism. 00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:44.080 Lovely sounding word. 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:49.279 But basically, they were bringing things from their old life and bringing them into their Christianity. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:53.759 And they were altering the picture, the true picture of who Jesus was. 00:17:54.039 --> 00:18:00.120 Now, in the book, Paul doesn't take these errors one by one and say, this is what you're doing. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.360 Correct it. 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:05.900 He begins by focusing entirely on the truth. 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:17.580 And as he works his way through the letter, he focuses on the truth of who Jesus is, what true worship is, what true spirituality is, and what the true Christian life is. 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:19.920 Truth. 00:18:20.380 --> 00:18:22.680 He keeps giving them truth. 00:18:24.580 --> 00:18:28.440 Before I go any further, I want to talk about truth a little bit this morning. 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:32.920 Because we actually live in an age where truth is a problem. 00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:39.580 Hands up if you know the term post-modern era. 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:46.660 Do you know that you are living in what has been called the post-modern era? 00:18:47.060 --> 00:18:47.460 Hands up. 00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.200 Okay. 00:18:51.900 --> 00:18:52.880 Some people do. 00:18:53.300 --> 00:18:53.960 That's good. 00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:57.039 You're going to be busy later explaining to everybody else. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:01.819 But I'm going to talk a little bit about it again to put the picture in. 00:19:01.819 --> 00:19:11.859 Because whether we realize it or not, the way you think, the way you reason, the way you approach everything in your life, 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:17.059 the way it's taught to you in school, the way media gives you information, 00:19:18.139 --> 00:19:23.460 is all built on the philosophy of the post-modern era. 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:33.140 Now, if you want to go back to the 17th century, 400 years ago, you're going to get a brief, very brief lesson on philosophy. 00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:39.500 Any philosophers here can take me out to the woodshed after and beat me up for maybe any slight errors I make. 00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:43.920 But what I'm going to tell you is a very, very snapshot picture. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:49.700 17th century, 400 years ago or so, René Descartes, 00:19:50.320 --> 00:19:59.200 Cogito ergo sum, I think, therefore I am, called by modern philosophers, the father of philosophy, by many modern philosophers. 00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:01.100 It was the age of reason. 00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:07.200 It was an age where reason was paramount, where the philosophy was. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:16.120 Truth could be reasoned out and that, therefore, by reason, you could come to a solid affirmation of the truth. 00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:20.880 Now, René Descartes, and modern philosophers don't like this one, believed in God. 00:20:22.180 --> 00:20:30.480 And he believed that his philosophy and his reason and his ability to think and perceive were actually given to him, 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:35.759 by not just by a God, but by a loving, caring, benevolent God. 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.059 So that's where we were. 00:20:37.379 --> 00:20:40.319 There were other people involved around that time, but we're moving on. 00:20:41.140 --> 00:20:46.960 As you come up into the 18th century, things start to change, but you come into the age of enlightenment, 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:51.339 where this solidity of truth begins to be challenged, 00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:56.660 where the position of the church is challenged, where the position of the state is challenged, 00:20:57.180 --> 00:21:00.779 where truth starts to come under general attack. 00:21:00.779 --> 00:21:06.440 Not just the truth of the scriptures, but general truth starts to come under attack, 00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:12.700 where there is this idea that people start thinking, well, you know, that may not necessarily be so, 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:18.819 and reason starts to take a lesser position, and they start thinking about things like, 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:21.480 well, we can build a perfect society. 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:26.779 And if we just educate people enough and give people enough information, 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:33.240 they're essentially good, and over time, they will build a perfect society. 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:38.059 I'm going to use a Dr. Phil quote. 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:42.640 I wonder now if we could ask them, how's that working for you? 00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:49.819 I mean, can anybody tell me where there's a perfect society built since the 18th century anywhere? 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:50.059 No. 00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:51.819 No. 00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:55.659 It started to build on the falsehood. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:59.299 So it took a truth, a scriptural truth. 00:21:59.579 --> 00:22:04.019 There's none good but God, and it changed it to everybody's essentially good, 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:07.059 and if we can just give them enough information, everything's going to be fine. 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:10.779 So then we move on from that, and we're starting to head into the 19th century, 00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:14.720 late 19th century, early 20th century, the modern period. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:19.940 And the modern period came along, and it said, age of reason, goodbye. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:27.640 It took whatever lingering certainty there was from the age of enlightenment, and it shredded it. 00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:32.079 It said, no church, no God, no scripture, nothing. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:38.940 It started to say the thing that we hear so often today. 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:44.559 It started to say, we can define truth for ourselves. 00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:50.059 And that exploded after World War I and the modern period. 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:53.900 We know that whole theory of thought exploded. 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:58.160 And we come up to the day, and we live in a postmodern era that has grown out of that, 00:22:58.500 --> 00:23:04.240 and the catch cry of it is, what's true for me is not necessarily true for you. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:07.579 I can define truth for me, you can define truth for you. 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:14.839 You could sum up the postmodern era in maybe a simple phrase of, anything goes. 00:23:16.019 --> 00:23:20.620 Now, it's important for us to realize that, because when we come to looking at things, 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:26.380 we so often fall into the trap of going, well, you know, that's true for you. 00:23:27.940 --> 00:23:29.839 But that's not necessarily true for me. 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:31.819 We'll just have to agree to disagree. 00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:34.659 Rot. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:39.279 Especially when we come to the Word of God, it is rot. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:43.099 Truth is absolutely definable in everything. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:47.939 We have lost this grip on truth. 00:23:48.419 --> 00:23:50.099 Everything is definable. 00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:53.579 The postmodern era, just because it's talked about and taught, 00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:55.700 and there's lectures, doesn't mean it's right. 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:59.319 I'm sorry. 00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:02.180 I'm going to pick on you. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:04.120 What color is this phone? 00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:05.940 Sorry? 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:06.420 Out loud. 00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:08.779 You say it's black. 00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.279 It's white. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.680 What color is it? 00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:17.160 Sorry? 00:24:18.340 --> 00:24:19.340 It's black and silver. 00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:21.100 No, it's all white. 00:24:21.099 --> 00:24:26.059 I know that seems like a slightly preposterous example, 00:24:26.459 --> 00:24:28.139 but the simple fact of the matter is, 00:24:28.459 --> 00:24:32.019 if he says one thing and I say another, we can't both be right. 00:24:32.399 --> 00:24:34.819 We cannot agree to disagree on this. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:36.859 I can talk about the weather. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:38.559 Okay? 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:41.079 I had a conversation with somebody three or four days ago. 00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:42.459 He said, oh, the weather's terrible. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:43.259 I said, what are you talking about? 00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:43.859 The weather's lovely. 00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:47.480 I said, no, no, it's terrible. 00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:48.799 I said, no, no, no, it's lovely. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:49.940 But the sun's not shining. 00:24:50.059 --> 00:24:51.899 I said, I don't like it when the sun shines all the time. 00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:52.740 It's too hot. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:53.419 I don't like it. 00:24:54.639 --> 00:24:55.599 It's an opinion. 00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:56.599 They have an opinion. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:57.259 I have an opinion. 00:24:57.399 --> 00:25:00.299 But what's true about the weather is quantifiable. 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:02.339 I can go out. 00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:03.460 I can measure the wind speed. 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.539 I can measure the humidity. 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:05.859 I can measure the temperature. 00:25:06.399 --> 00:25:08.299 I can measure the height of the cloud cover. 00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:09.839 I can measure air pressure. 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:12.980 What's true about it is absolutely quantifiable. 00:25:13.419 --> 00:25:16.599 And that is what is at the heart of Scripture. 00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:18.159 What's true about it. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:21.180 It's absolutely quantifiable. 00:25:21.579 --> 00:25:23.139 And that is what Paul is doing. 00:25:23.379 --> 00:25:24.619 And that's what we have to remember. 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:29.379 Every time we come to it, the truth of who God is, the truth of who Jesus is. 00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:33.559 John 14, 6 says, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:36.419 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:25:36.419 --> 00:25:39.639 That truth is being challenged everywhere we go in our lives today. 00:25:40.119 --> 00:25:41.639 It is coming into churches. 00:25:42.379 --> 00:25:46.000 It is being taught by people who are respected and who have a following. 00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.700 There's a book out at the moment. 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:48.340 And guess what? 00:25:48.900 --> 00:25:49.940 Don't worry about it. 00:25:51.380 --> 00:25:52.480 Nobody's going to hell. 00:25:55.620 --> 00:25:57.920 That book is actually out at the moment. 00:25:58.380 --> 00:25:59.799 Some of you probably know who it is. 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:01.460 I'm not going to tell you. 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:07.440 And I'm not going to tell you the name of the book because I don't even, anyone getting the slightest temptation to go looking for it. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:12.340 But the person who has published this book has a huge following. 00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:14.640 A so-called Christian. 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:20.900 Now, may God forgive me if I'm wrong, but he is teaching people that nobody is going to hell. 00:26:20.900 --> 00:26:23.820 That's the truth that we're talking about. 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:26.580 Now, he says he has the truth. 00:26:26.820 --> 00:26:30.759 But if that's his truth, he's making himself out to be a liar. 00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:33.200 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the light. 00:26:34.040 --> 00:26:35.460 Paul is telling them that. 00:26:36.080 --> 00:26:40.040 He's telling them who they are in Jesus. 00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:43.399 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17. 00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:46.000 If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. 00:26:46.139 --> 00:26:46.940 The old is gone. 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:47.879 The new has come. 00:26:48.139 --> 00:26:50.240 That's one of the truths he's trying to get across to them. 00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:51.480 The old is gone. 00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:52.240 The new has come. 00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:54.460 And he's saying to them, you're in Christ. 00:26:54.899 --> 00:26:56.559 That's who you're in. 00:26:56.659 --> 00:26:57.599 That's your identity. 00:26:58.259 --> 00:27:00.740 These old things of your own life, stop bringing them in. 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:05.099 And then he moves on through the book. 00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:11.539 And he deals about the truth of what it means to be truly Christian. 00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:15.880 And if you go to Colossians chapter 3 and you read the first four verses, 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:18.839 it gives you a picture of that. 00:27:20.359 --> 00:27:22.759 Since then, you have been raised with Christ. 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:25.039 Set your heart on things above. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:27.299 Set your mind on heavenly things. 00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:28.380 Where you are seated. 00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.740 Where Christ is seated. 00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:32.500 The truth of who you are as a Christian. 00:27:33.120 --> 00:27:37.140 And in telling the Colossians these things, he's telling us. 00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:42.539 And one of the biggest problems we have in truth across the church, across the world, 00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:46.299 is this picture of who Jesus really is. 00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:52.680 We have to have an accurate picture of who Jesus really is. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:54.200 The world is full. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:58.380 Full of images of who Jesus is. 00:27:58.380 --> 00:28:00.760 You can get cartoon images. 00:28:01.060 --> 00:28:04.300 You can go to galleries and get wonderful paintings. 00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:14.220 You can turn on your television and you get the most ridiculous portrayals of the character of Jesus. 00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:19.640 And we can get comfortable and start thinking, well, that's the world, you know. 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:21.140 They've got it wrong. 00:28:21.140 --> 00:28:25.020 But we can get it wrong. 00:28:25.020 --> 00:28:30.460 We so often, we build a picture for ourselves of who Jesus is. 00:28:31.020 --> 00:28:35.280 We get an idea in our own heads of who Jesus is. 00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:37.440 And we build things around that. 00:28:37.700 --> 00:28:43.320 Instead of looking at who he really is, and building our lives on that. 00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:50.039 Jesus talked in the Gospels about the man, the wise man builds his house on the rock. 00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:53.480 When we come to Christ, we're to build our house on the rock. 00:28:54.159 --> 00:28:58.220 Do we remember, do we realize how easy it is to actually build that house on the rock? 00:28:58.220 --> 00:29:04.620 And then through carelessness, lack of application, lack of prayer, lack of a willingness to submit to Jesus, 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:12.180 to start chipping away at that foundation until our house capsizes, turns over, crumbles in on top of us. 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:14.559 You know, I'm into photography. 00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:20.980 Photography, I love taking photographs of landscapes. 00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:24.339 I love taking photographs of newborn babies, actually. 00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:32.899 Just the picture of that perfect little baby right there with all this hope and everything. 00:29:33.059 --> 00:29:34.220 I just love it. 00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:41.940 But we live in Photoshop world, where with the click of a mouse, everything can be changed. 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:45.420 Somebody's trying to sell me a piece of sulfur at the moment. 00:29:46.660 --> 00:29:47.740 Portrait professional. 00:29:48.820 --> 00:29:55.279 And with two clicks of a mouse, I can take any picture of anybody, 00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:58.400 and I can remove every blemish from their skin with one click. 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:03.100 And then I can straighten their nose, make their eyes symmetrical, 00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:07.059 tighten their jaw, lift their chin with another click. 00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:14.259 So you take a picture of a person, and suddenly you have maybe a Brad Pitt lookalike two clicks later. 00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:16.659 The picture's not real. 00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:19.559 The picture's not real. 00:30:20.019 --> 00:30:22.059 You get family members maybe coming in going, 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:23.879 Hey, who's the movie star up on your wall? 00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:25.599 And you go, Oh, that's me. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:31.299 We can Photoshop Jesus. 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:38.699 We can take who Jesus really is and put him into our software, 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:41.539 into our mind, into our heart. 00:30:42.059 --> 00:30:47.659 And we can do our own personal mouse clicking and change him from who he really is. 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:55.640 We have to ensure that the picture we build is not a self-deluding false image. 00:30:56.680 --> 00:31:00.420 Now, I didn't start with scripture this morning because we read those verses straight away, 00:31:00.540 --> 00:31:01.620 and we read the whole chapter. 00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:08.420 But I want to give you a quote before I do come and remind us of what the verses say of who Jesus is. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:13.600 This is from A.W. Tozer. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:16.040 It's a reasonably long quote. 00:31:17.660 --> 00:31:24.800 John Owen, the old Puritan, warned people in his day, 00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:30.640 You have an imaginary Christ, and if you are satisfied with an imaginary Christ, 00:31:30.820 --> 00:31:33.660 you must be satisfied with an imaginary salvation. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:39.220 There is only one Christ, and the truly saved man has an attachment to Christ 00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:44.860 that is intellectual in that he knows who Christ is theologically. 00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:50.240 For you know there is the romantic Christ of the female novelist, 00:31:50.699 --> 00:31:54.539 and there is the sentimental Christ of the half-converted cowboy, 00:31:55.159 --> 00:31:59.339 and there is the philosophical Christ of the academic egghead, 00:31:59.919 --> 00:32:03.319 and there is the cozy Christ of the effeminate poet, 00:32:03.659 --> 00:32:08.099 and there is the muscular Christ of the all-American halfback. 00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:15.159 But there is only one true Christ, and God has said that he is his son. 00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:25.440 We are under constant temptation these days to substitute another Christ for the Christ of the New Testament. 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:34.660 We have to be sure that the picture we have of Christ is the absolute and accurate picture. 00:32:34.900 --> 00:32:41.799 If you will turn in chapter 1, and we will read back down through those verses of this picture we have of who Jesus is, 00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:45.059 and who we are in him, and what he has done for us. 00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:48.799 From verse 13, we are going to read down to verse 20. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:52.639 Just to recap, to refresh what we have already read this morning. 00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:56.960 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness, 00:32:57.099 --> 00:32:59.619 and brought us into the kingdom of the Son Helos, 00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:03.220 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 00:33:03.539 --> 00:33:06.779 He is the image of the invisible God, 00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:10.799 the firstborn over all creation. 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:13.440 For by him all things were created, 00:33:13.659 --> 00:33:15.879 things in heaven and on earth, 00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:17.859 visible and invisible, 00:33:18.279 --> 00:33:21.839 whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:27.259 all things were created by him and for him. 00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:29.879 He is before all things, 00:33:30.059 --> 00:33:32.440 and in him all things hold together. 00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:37.759 And he is the head of the body, the church. 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:42.220 He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, 00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:47.720 so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 00:33:48.900 --> 00:33:52.420 For God was pleased to have all his fullness, 00:33:53.019 --> 00:33:55.920 all his fullness dwell in him, 00:33:56.200 --> 00:33:59.160 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, 00:33:59.420 --> 00:34:01.559 whether things on earth or things in heaven, 00:34:01.960 --> 00:34:06.819 by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. 00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:09.400 What a picture. 00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:12.659 What an image. 00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.819 It needs no correction. 00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:17.259 It needs nothing else added to it. 00:34:17.639 --> 00:34:19.759 We don't need to do anything to it. 00:34:20.219 --> 00:34:21.840 It shows us who Jesus is. 00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:23.559 Jesus is entirely God, 00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:25.599 the fullness of God dwelling in him. 00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:28.059 He is the creator there at the beginning. 00:34:28.219 --> 00:34:29.639 In the beginning was the word. 00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:32.079 He is there from the beginning, 00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:33.059 before time, 00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:37.239 before the concept of what people spend so much time arguing about, 00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:38.340 big bang or not. 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:40.059 Jesus is, 00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:40.639 was, 00:34:40.819 --> 00:34:41.380 is today, 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.619 and will be forever. 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:43.779 Redeemer, 00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:44.840 master, 00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:46.039 Lord of all. 00:34:46.279 --> 00:34:46.799 Look at it. 00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:48.519 Overall creation. 00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:50.860 Everything by him and for him. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:52.539 He is the head. 00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:54.360 He has the supremacy. 00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:59.400 He is the firstborn over all creation. 00:35:00.160 --> 00:35:02.900 Everything is beneath him. 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:04.660 Everything is at his feet. 00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:06.340 And God made that so. 00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:09.460 And whether the world recognizes it or not, 00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:11.099 and whether we lose sight of it, 00:35:11.320 --> 00:35:13.120 he is Lord over all. 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:15.140 Thrones are powers. 00:35:15.660 --> 00:35:16.820 Rulers are authorities. 00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:20.860 Gaddafi in Libya. 00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:25.620 North Korea. 00:35:29.660 --> 00:35:30.220 Ireland. 00:35:32.100 --> 00:35:34.220 The royal family in the UK. 00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:36.059 David Cameron. 00:35:36.960 --> 00:35:39.240 They are the rulers in this world today. 00:35:39.580 --> 00:35:42.820 They are there by the permission of the sovereign God. 00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:45.180 Whether we can grasp that or not, 00:35:45.179 --> 00:35:46.919 and whether the world likes it or not, 00:35:47.339 --> 00:35:49.099 he is Lord over everything. 00:35:49.319 --> 00:35:53.719 Whether the world bows its knee in adoration to Jesus or not, 00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:56.259 Jesus is still Lord over all. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:35:58.859 But for us, 00:35:59.759 --> 00:36:01.099 we are meant to know it. 00:36:01.639 --> 00:36:04.699 We are supposed to willingly submit to Jesus. 00:36:05.339 --> 00:36:06.259 The Colossians, 00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:11.799 they supplanted something else for Jesus. 00:36:12.319 --> 00:36:14.919 They started bringing in their own things. 00:36:15.179 --> 00:36:17.139 They brought in their own form of worship. 00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:21.879 They brought in their own form of observing their Christian life. 00:36:23.099 --> 00:36:24.019 In a way, 00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:26.279 they made their own fig leaves 00:36:26.279 --> 00:36:28.779 to cover their unrighteousness 00:36:28.779 --> 00:36:31.879 and forgot that their unrighteousness had already been dealt with. 00:36:32.679 --> 00:36:34.299 If Christ is our head, 00:36:34.419 --> 00:36:36.399 then our life should reflect that. 00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:39.059 Jesus says in John chapter 8, 00:36:39.139 --> 00:36:40.619 verses 31 and 32, 00:36:40.780 --> 00:36:42.900 if you hold to my teachings, 00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:46.099 you are truly my disciples, 00:36:46.500 --> 00:36:48.400 and I am the truth, 00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:50.880 and I will set you free. 00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:55.340 In the verses we have looked at this morning, 00:36:55.579 --> 00:36:56.360 verse 13, 00:36:56.800 --> 00:36:57.160 it says, 00:36:57.320 --> 00:37:00.000 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:02.599 and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:04.700 If that is true, 00:37:05.579 --> 00:37:07.160 as Paul was saying to the Colossians, 00:37:07.260 --> 00:37:07.860 he is saying to us, 00:37:07.900 --> 00:37:08.480 if that is true, 00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:11.420 everything we are is in Jesus. 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:14.640 Everything we do should reflect that. 00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:18.659 Our entire attitude to Jesus should reflect that. 00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:23.299 Our entire attitude to our lives should reflect that. 00:37:23.679 --> 00:37:25.699 We have gone from the kingdom of darkness. 00:37:26.199 --> 00:37:27.420 We have gone from that kingdom, 00:37:27.699 --> 00:37:29.599 and we have gone into the kingdom of light. 00:37:30.879 --> 00:37:33.379 If Jesus is truly our Savior, 00:37:33.659 --> 00:37:34.639 if he is our Lord, 00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:35.879 we sang it this morning, 00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:37.079 that our God reigns. 00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:39.719 Jesus is our God. 00:37:40.259 --> 00:37:41.480 If that is true, 00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:44.860 how are we living it out? 00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:48.119 Do we truly recognize 00:37:48.119 --> 00:37:51.300 that we have gone from that kingdom of darkness, 00:37:51.699 --> 00:37:54.780 and that we have entered into the kingdom of light, 00:37:54.960 --> 00:37:56.699 and that things of our old life 00:37:56.699 --> 00:38:00.340 have nothing to do with our new life? 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:05.079 Can you picture 00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:10.119 a supporter of Manchester City 00:38:10.119 --> 00:38:12.960 a Man City supporter 00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:16.099 putting on a Man United jersey 00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:20.319 and then going to a Man City game 00:38:20.319 --> 00:38:22.259 and sitting in the middle 00:38:22.259 --> 00:38:25.139 of all the Man City supporters 00:38:25.139 --> 00:38:27.980 wearing his Man United jersey? 00:38:29.759 --> 00:38:32.139 It's a completely alien concept. 00:38:33.539 --> 00:38:34.400 Or what about 00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:37.159 if somebody who transfers from, 00:38:37.339 --> 00:38:39.000 and I'm sorry I'm harping on the soccer one, 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:40.159 this is the way it came to me, 00:38:41.079 --> 00:38:42.840 Real Madrid to Barcelona. 00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:45.380 So this player has gone from Real Madrid, 00:38:45.480 --> 00:38:46.340 he's gone to Barcelona, 00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:47.739 and when he gets to Barcelona, 00:38:47.880 --> 00:38:48.400 the coach says, 00:38:48.579 --> 00:38:50.920 no, no, this is the way we did it in Real Madrid. 00:38:51.280 --> 00:38:52.019 You're in Barcelona. 00:38:54.699 --> 00:38:55.599 Well, spiritually, 00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:58.460 we're gone from one camp to another camp, 00:38:58.519 --> 00:39:00.920 and we should not still have anything to do 00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:03.079 with the ways of the old camp. 00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:06.619 The things of that old camp 00:39:06.619 --> 00:39:08.019 are alien to Christ. 00:39:09.259 --> 00:39:11.659 They have nothing to do with Christ. 00:39:11.960 --> 00:39:13.139 If they're alien to Christ, 00:39:13.219 --> 00:39:14.619 they have to be alien to us. 00:39:15.039 --> 00:39:17.039 And one of the things of that old camp 00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:19.940 is that we did not recognize Jesus as Lord. 00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:26.500 We couldn't possibly have recognized Jesus as Lord. 00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:28.420 And if we are in the new camp, 00:39:29.079 --> 00:39:30.699 not the stadium, 00:39:31.900 --> 00:39:33.579 our new camp spirituality, 00:39:34.619 --> 00:39:36.659 our walk with Christ, 00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:40.500 we're going to sing about it in a minute. 00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:42.780 We have to recognize that we're recipients 00:39:42.780 --> 00:39:45.519 of a love that is so amazing, 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:46.400 so divine, 00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:48.219 that it demands our life, 00:39:49.239 --> 00:39:50.000 our soul, 00:39:50.360 --> 00:39:51.159 our all. 00:39:52.539 --> 00:39:53.440 Another hymn says, 00:39:53.519 --> 00:39:54.300 wounded for me, 00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:55.639 wounded for me, 00:39:55.639 --> 00:39:57.000 there on the cross, 00:39:57.319 --> 00:39:58.619 he was wounded for me. 00:39:59.339 --> 00:40:01.119 Gone are my transgressions, 00:40:01.420 --> 00:40:03.000 and now I am free. 00:40:03.460 --> 00:40:08.239 All because Jesus was wounded for me. 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:10.259 The love of the Father 00:40:10.259 --> 00:40:13.699 expressed through the perfect sacrifice of his Son. 00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:15.379 How do we know that God loves us? 00:40:15.879 --> 00:40:18.359 I see this taught to young kids all the time. 00:40:19.659 --> 00:40:21.239 We know that he loves us. 00:40:21.739 --> 00:40:23.239 When we were still sinners, 00:40:23.239 --> 00:40:25.959 Christ died for us. 00:40:26.859 --> 00:40:28.339 Romans 6 tells us that 00:40:28.339 --> 00:40:30.759 if the old man is gone, 00:40:30.979 --> 00:40:32.179 and the new man is here, 00:40:32.259 --> 00:40:34.839 and we are to be no longer slaves 00:40:34.839 --> 00:40:36.019 to that old life, 00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:37.979 we are slaves to righteousness. 00:40:39.659 --> 00:40:42.199 A slave has no right to hold anything back 00:40:42.199 --> 00:40:43.719 from his master. 00:40:43.979 --> 00:40:45.859 Jesus is our Lord. 00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:49.559 Whether we recognize it or not, 00:40:49.559 --> 00:40:50.500 he is. 00:40:50.500 --> 00:40:53.019 And every aspect of our life 00:40:53.019 --> 00:40:55.699 has to be lived according to that. 00:40:56.159 --> 00:40:57.579 We need to focus 00:40:57.579 --> 00:41:00.420 on the real and accurate picture 00:41:00.420 --> 00:41:01.739 of who Jesus is. 00:41:01.940 --> 00:41:03.440 And everything we do 00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:05.340 must come 00:41:05.340 --> 00:41:07.360 under that picture. 00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:09.759 Now so often I see this little image 00:41:09.759 --> 00:41:10.619 on screens, 00:41:11.019 --> 00:41:12.259 the outline of a person. 00:41:13.219 --> 00:41:15.299 And there's a little space here, 00:41:15.300 --> 00:41:17.120 and the image moves in 00:41:17.120 --> 00:41:18.560 and something symbolizing 00:41:18.560 --> 00:41:19.440 maybe the cross 00:41:19.440 --> 00:41:20.460 or a light 00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:21.460 moves in 00:41:21.460 --> 00:41:22.019 and they say, 00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:23.980 you've come into Christ 00:41:23.980 --> 00:41:25.440 and Christ has come into you 00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:26.680 and Christ is in you 00:41:26.680 --> 00:41:27.300 and Christ is in us. 00:41:27.460 --> 00:41:27.940 Yes, 00:41:28.100 --> 00:41:29.340 Christ is in us. 00:41:30.080 --> 00:41:31.080 But as a Christian, 00:41:31.240 --> 00:41:33.180 I think there's another little part 00:41:33.180 --> 00:41:34.539 that we need to remember. 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:36.800 That then that person 00:41:36.800 --> 00:41:37.860 has around them, 00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:39.460 if you want to picture, 00:41:40.039 --> 00:41:41.580 a huge circle. 00:41:41.579 --> 00:41:45.279 because they are in Christ. 00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:46.559 And if you can picture 00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:48.340 that Christ is that circle, 00:41:49.340 --> 00:41:50.420 what are you going to bring 00:41:50.420 --> 00:41:51.380 into that circle? 00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:54.079 What are you going to bring in? 00:41:54.340 --> 00:41:55.679 Because sometimes we can fall 00:41:55.679 --> 00:41:56.779 into the trap of picturing, 00:41:56.920 --> 00:41:58.000 I have Christ in here. 00:41:58.559 --> 00:41:59.619 And we bring things in 00:41:59.619 --> 00:42:00.519 a little bit close 00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:01.500 that we shouldn't. 00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:02.980 Things that are alien to Christ, 00:42:03.079 --> 00:42:03.840 we bring them in. 00:42:04.340 --> 00:42:06.039 Paul says in Romans chapter 7, 00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:07.079 I want to do, 00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:08.400 when I want to do good, 00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:09.559 evil is there with me, 00:42:09.659 --> 00:42:10.000 struggling. 00:42:10.559 --> 00:42:11.760 It's still in my members. 00:42:12.280 --> 00:42:13.719 We have to be conscious 00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:14.739 of that struggle 00:42:14.739 --> 00:42:16.539 and the things that are around us 00:42:16.539 --> 00:42:17.659 and the things we are bringing 00:42:17.659 --> 00:42:18.800 close to us. 00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:20.800 If they're alien to Christ, 00:42:21.420 --> 00:42:22.760 they should be alien to us. 00:42:23.039 --> 00:42:23.719 And in submitting 00:42:23.719 --> 00:42:26.099 to the true picture of Christ, 00:42:26.340 --> 00:42:27.579 the true picture of who He is 00:42:27.579 --> 00:42:29.260 in everything we do in our lives, 00:42:29.500 --> 00:42:31.139 what do we bring close to us? 00:42:31.880 --> 00:42:33.260 What do we bring close to us? 00:42:33.260 --> 00:42:34.480 What do we allow 00:42:34.480 --> 00:42:35.559 come into that kingdom? 00:42:36.599 --> 00:42:38.019 Because in Christ, 00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:39.139 this is the kingdom. 00:42:39.139 --> 00:42:40.259 Picture it, if you will, 00:42:40.440 --> 00:42:41.159 this room. 00:42:42.199 --> 00:42:43.159 What will we allow 00:42:43.159 --> 00:42:44.239 come into this room 00:42:44.239 --> 00:42:46.219 that will be alien to Christ? 00:42:47.099 --> 00:42:48.019 What do we allow 00:42:48.019 --> 00:42:49.079 come into our homes 00:42:49.079 --> 00:42:50.960 that will be alien to Christ? 00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:52.400 What do we allow 00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:53.500 come into our workplace 00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:54.940 as we interact 00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:56.019 with the rest of the world 00:42:56.019 --> 00:42:57.739 that will be alien to Christ? 00:42:58.179 --> 00:42:59.639 To submit to Jesus, 00:42:59.859 --> 00:43:01.299 we have to be careful 00:43:01.299 --> 00:43:02.699 about what we're bringing in. 00:43:02.699 --> 00:43:07.319 we have a wonderful gift 00:43:07.319 --> 00:43:08.799 for He has rescued us 00:43:08.799 --> 00:43:10.000 from the dominion of darkness 00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:11.159 and He has brought us 00:43:11.159 --> 00:43:11.859 into the kingdom 00:43:11.859 --> 00:43:12.960 of the Son He loves. 00:43:13.079 --> 00:43:14.299 God has done that for us. 00:43:14.379 --> 00:43:15.559 We didn't do it ourselves. 00:43:16.219 --> 00:43:17.419 We are not so clever 00:43:17.419 --> 00:43:18.559 and intelligent 00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:20.559 that we work this all out. 00:43:22.399 --> 00:43:23.819 2 Corinthians tells us 00:43:23.819 --> 00:43:25.599 that these things 00:43:25.599 --> 00:43:26.960 are spiritually discerned. 00:43:28.159 --> 00:43:29.500 Those who do not have the Spirit 00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:30.439 cannot understand them. 00:43:30.440 --> 00:43:31.579 their foolishness to them. 00:43:32.280 --> 00:43:33.940 God gave us the ability 00:43:33.940 --> 00:43:35.099 to understand who He is, 00:43:35.179 --> 00:43:35.920 who will not understand 00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:36.659 who His Son is 00:43:36.659 --> 00:43:38.240 and we have to really 00:43:38.240 --> 00:43:39.559 acknowledge in that 00:43:39.559 --> 00:43:41.079 that Jesus is Lord. 00:43:41.619 --> 00:43:43.960 He is head over all. 00:43:45.539 --> 00:43:47.220 And it needs to be clear 00:43:47.220 --> 00:43:48.519 in everything we do. 00:43:50.679 --> 00:43:52.440 As Paul goes through this book, 00:43:53.059 --> 00:43:55.380 he focuses on heavenly pursuits. 00:43:56.539 --> 00:43:57.800 Keeping our minds 00:43:57.800 --> 00:43:58.900 and our hearts focused 00:43:58.900 --> 00:44:00.660 on heavenly pursuits. 00:44:02.579 --> 00:44:04.260 Submitting to Jesus 00:44:04.260 --> 00:44:05.700 is not a partial thing. 00:44:06.260 --> 00:44:09.500 It is a wholehearted life thing. 00:44:10.559 --> 00:44:13.800 It should not feel like a burden. 00:44:16.420 --> 00:44:16.780 You know, 00:44:17.119 --> 00:44:19.800 I can't even remember how long now. 00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:21.160 I wake up in the morning 00:44:21.159 --> 00:44:24.460 and there is a song in my heart, 00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:26.059 a song of praise. 00:44:26.699 --> 00:44:28.359 I asked for this song this morning 00:44:28.359 --> 00:44:29.139 because this is one 00:44:29.139 --> 00:44:29.799 I've been singing 00:44:29.799 --> 00:44:31.139 in the mornings for weeks. 00:44:32.579 --> 00:44:34.739 Sometimes it's a different song. 00:44:35.019 --> 00:44:36.519 But it's a song of praise. 00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:39.500 A song of praise to the Father. 00:44:39.719 --> 00:44:40.980 A song of praise to Jesus 00:44:40.980 --> 00:44:43.199 for the joy that I have. 00:44:43.319 --> 00:44:44.879 And it doesn't stop in my heart. 00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:47.220 It comes out of my lips. 00:44:50.240 --> 00:44:53.380 Because of what Jesus 00:44:53.380 --> 00:44:55.559 has done for us. 00:44:56.519 --> 00:44:57.700 Being a Christian 00:44:57.700 --> 00:45:00.079 has cost. 00:45:01.360 --> 00:45:03.420 But wanting to submit to Jesus 00:45:03.420 --> 00:45:04.680 should not be a burden. 00:45:04.820 --> 00:45:06.559 It should be the joy of our life 00:45:06.559 --> 00:45:08.980 to look to do that every day. 00:45:08.980 --> 00:45:11.579 And it should reflect in our lives 00:45:11.579 --> 00:45:13.440 how we spend our time. 00:45:14.320 --> 00:45:16.019 Are we grudging with our time 00:45:16.019 --> 00:45:16.639 for the Lord? 00:45:17.500 --> 00:45:19.039 How we spend our money. 00:45:20.059 --> 00:45:21.500 How we spend our money 00:45:21.500 --> 00:45:23.260 shows where we have Jesus. 00:45:24.119 --> 00:45:25.719 Do we really have Jesus 00:45:25.719 --> 00:45:26.940 up where he belongs? 00:45:27.320 --> 00:45:29.159 Do we really have an accurate picture 00:45:29.159 --> 00:45:32.380 if we are not spending our money 00:45:32.380 --> 00:45:34.280 in light of that? 00:45:35.179 --> 00:45:37.579 What we put first in our lives 00:45:37.579 --> 00:45:40.219 tells us what we put first 00:45:40.219 --> 00:45:40.900 in our hearts. 00:45:42.639 --> 00:45:43.860 We are servants. 00:45:44.980 --> 00:45:46.539 The word that's used so often 00:45:46.539 --> 00:45:47.659 in the Greek is doulos. 00:45:49.259 --> 00:45:51.259 It means bond servant or slave. 00:45:53.019 --> 00:45:54.980 A bond servant belongs. 00:45:55.400 --> 00:45:56.319 A slave belongs. 00:45:56.440 --> 00:45:58.219 And what servant says to the master 00:45:58.219 --> 00:46:00.599 I can't do that now. 00:46:00.920 --> 00:46:02.940 I'm busy doing something else. 00:46:03.759 --> 00:46:05.599 What slave says to his master 00:46:05.599 --> 00:46:07.460 I won't do your bidding now 00:46:07.460 --> 00:46:08.599 it doesn't suit me 00:46:08.599 --> 00:46:10.340 or I just couldn't be bothered. 00:46:12.179 --> 00:46:15.420 If Jesus is really our Lord and Master 00:46:15.420 --> 00:46:17.780 then we have to strive 00:46:17.780 --> 00:46:20.599 to make even our every thought 00:46:20.599 --> 00:46:22.139 captive to him 00:46:22.139 --> 00:46:24.220 and our every action 00:46:24.220 --> 00:46:25.539 subject to his will 00:46:25.539 --> 00:46:26.740 and the will of the Father. 00:46:27.460 --> 00:46:29.780 We serve the master to do his will 00:46:29.780 --> 00:46:32.679 not ours 00:46:32.679 --> 00:46:36.039 but to serve the master properly 00:46:36.039 --> 00:46:38.919 we have to build 00:46:38.919 --> 00:46:40.819 on the rock 00:46:40.819 --> 00:46:43.599 of an accurate picture 00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:44.779 in our minds 00:46:44.779 --> 00:46:45.639 and in our hearts 00:46:45.639 --> 00:46:48.000 of who Jesus is. 00:46:49.399 --> 00:46:52.159 Test everything that comes to you. 00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:54.679 Question everything. 00:46:54.679 --> 00:46:59.119 There's no Christianity 00:46:59.119 --> 00:47:00.179 that says 00:47:00.179 --> 00:47:01.659 leave your brain at the door. 00:47:04.139 --> 00:47:05.279 Question everything 00:47:05.279 --> 00:47:06.679 I've said to you this morning 00:47:06.679 --> 00:47:07.599 when you go home. 00:47:09.079 --> 00:47:10.379 How much time 00:47:10.379 --> 00:47:11.599 do you spend every day 00:47:11.599 --> 00:47:12.239 with Jesus 00:47:12.239 --> 00:47:14.119 finding out who he really is? 00:47:14.119 --> 00:47:16.839 the servant 00:47:16.839 --> 00:47:18.019 and the slave's 00:47:18.019 --> 00:47:19.299 time is not their own 00:47:19.299 --> 00:47:20.239 it's the time 00:47:20.239 --> 00:47:20.960 of the masters 00:47:20.960 --> 00:47:22.440 and we need to spend it with them 00:47:22.440 --> 00:47:23.460 but the best thing 00:47:23.460 --> 00:47:24.880 of the master we serve 00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:28.339 his father calls us 00:47:28.339 --> 00:47:28.880 child 00:47:28.880 --> 00:47:31.059 and the Lord Jesus 00:47:31.059 --> 00:47:32.079 calls us brother 00:47:32.079 --> 00:47:32.759 or sister. 00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:35.460 The spirit itself 00:47:35.460 --> 00:47:37.279 testifies with our spirit 00:47:37.279 --> 00:47:38.779 that we are called 00:47:38.779 --> 00:47:40.199 children of God. 00:47:40.199 --> 00:47:42.579 we're going to 00:47:42.579 --> 00:47:44.939 call in the music group 00:47:44.939 --> 00:47:45.539 to come up 00:47:45.539 --> 00:47:46.679 now 00:47:46.679 --> 00:47:47.819 in a second 00:47:47.819 --> 00:47:48.599 and we're going to sing 00:47:48.599 --> 00:47:50.159 when I survey 00:47:50.159 --> 00:47:51.259 the wondrous cross. 00:47:51.500 --> 00:47:52.579 Everything we have 00:47:52.579 --> 00:47:55.259 the peace we have 00:47:55.259 --> 00:47:55.779 with God 00:47:55.779 --> 00:47:56.500 comes because 00:47:56.500 --> 00:47:57.239 of the shed blood 00:47:57.239 --> 00:47:57.839 of Christ. 00:47:58.719 --> 00:47:59.539 What right have we 00:47:59.539 --> 00:48:00.960 to hold anything back 00:48:00.960 --> 00:48:01.500 from him 00:48:01.500 --> 00:48:02.699 who's given us everything? 00:48:04.059 --> 00:48:05.139 He is the image 00:48:05.139 --> 00:48:06.519 of the invisible God 00:48:06.519 --> 00:48:08.960 and we should never forget it 00:48:08.960 --> 00:48:09.500 that those 00:48:09.500 --> 00:48:10.239 who know Jesus 00:48:10.239 --> 00:48:10.920 know God. 00:48:11.440 --> 00:48:12.360 He's the firstborn 00:48:12.360 --> 00:48:13.619 over all creation 00:48:13.619 --> 00:48:15.199 for by him 00:48:15.199 --> 00:48:16.539 all things were created 00:48:16.539 --> 00:48:17.539 things in heaven 00:48:17.539 --> 00:48:18.780 and things on earth 00:48:18.780 --> 00:48:20.119 visible and invisible 00:48:20.119 --> 00:48:21.019 whether thrones 00:48:21.019 --> 00:48:21.579 or powers 00:48:21.579 --> 00:48:22.159 or rulers 00:48:22.159 --> 00:48:22.940 or authorities 00:48:22.940 --> 00:48:24.679 all things were created 00:48:24.679 --> 00:48:25.420 by him 00:48:25.420 --> 00:48:26.699 and for him. 00:48:27.119 --> 00:48:28.699 He is before all things 00:48:28.699 --> 00:48:29.840 and in him 00:48:29.840 --> 00:48:31.559 all things hold together 00:48:31.559 --> 00:48:34.239 and he is the head 00:48:34.239 --> 00:48:35.260 of the body 00:48:35.260 --> 00:48:36.599 the church. 00:48:37.619 --> 00:48:38.239 He is the beginning 00:48:38.239 --> 00:48:39.159 and the firstborn 00:48:39.159 --> 00:48:40.459 from among the dead 00:48:40.459 --> 00:48:42.619 so that in everything 00:48:42.619 --> 00:48:44.319 he might have supremacy. 00:48:45.279 --> 00:48:46.039 He is the head 00:48:46.039 --> 00:48:46.739 of the church. 00:48:47.379 --> 00:48:47.979 Let's pray 00:48:47.979 --> 00:48:49.819 that not just here 00:48:49.819 --> 00:48:51.059 but every church 00:48:51.059 --> 00:48:53.379 doesn't say that 00:48:53.379 --> 00:48:54.719 in some token 00:48:54.719 --> 00:48:55.639 kind of regard 00:48:55.639 --> 00:48:57.000 but that our churches 00:48:57.000 --> 00:48:58.319 really are built 00:48:58.319 --> 00:49:01.939 on the premise 00:49:01.939 --> 00:49:03.439 that Jesus is 00:49:03.439 --> 00:49:05.279 the Lord 00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:06.740 that he is the head 00:49:06.740 --> 00:49:07.540 and that he does 00:49:07.540 --> 00:49:08.300 have supremacy. 00:49:10.860 --> 00:49:12.220 I'd like us to stand 00:49:12.220 --> 00:49:13.040 with the group 00:49:13.040 --> 00:49:14.540 and to sing this 00:49:14.540 --> 00:49:17.140 and to think about 00:49:17.140 --> 00:49:17.960 what the cross 00:49:17.960 --> 00:49:18.800 means to us 00:49:18.800 --> 00:49:20.600 and that this love 00:49:20.600 --> 00:49:21.240 that has been 00:49:21.240 --> 00:49:22.220 poured out of us 00:49:22.220 --> 00:49:24.000 does demand 00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:25.620 everything of us. 00:49:25.619 --> 00:49:28.119 and that's 00:49:28.119 --> 00:49:29.759 for the to whom 00:49:29.759 --> 00:49:30.599 that do. 00:49:31.319 --> 00:49:32.119 So 00:49:32.480 --> 00:49:33.920 I'm here 00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:34.099 to only 00:49:34.099 --> 00:49:34.599 and I'll 00:49:34.599 --> 00:49:35.099 hear therans 00:49:35.099 --> 00:49:35.799 in the cheeks 00:49:35.799 --> 00:49:36.039 there 00:49:36.039 --> 00:49:36.219 because what 00:49:36.219 --> 00:49:37.579 heardNow 00:49:37.579 --> 00:49:38.880 does it 00:49:38.880 --> 00:49:39.659 talk about 00:49:39.659 --> 00:49:40.619 different exactly 00:49:40.619 --> 00:49:40.859 and to say 00:49:40.859 --> 00:49:42.380 because going 00:49:42.380 --> 00:49:42.400 a little bit 00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:43.279 dramatic 00:49:43.279 --> 00:49:43.579 and it just 00:49:43.579 --> 00:49:44.339 does it 00:49:44.339 --> 00:49:44.920 have to be 00:49:44.920 --> 00:49:45.359 available and 00:49:45.359 --> 00:49:46.079 haven't 00:49:46.079 --> 00:49:48.239 it the 싫 00:49:48.239 --> 00:49:49.139 and it 00:49:49.139 --> 00:49:50.500 will never 00:49:50.500 --> 00:49:51.219 happen and 00:49:51.219 --> 00:49:51.699 you 00:49:51.699 --> 00:49:52.179 know 00:49:52.179 --> 00:49:52.659 sure