WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.839 to each other, since you've taken off your old self with its practices, and have put on the new 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:13.980 self, which has been renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator. Here there is neither Gentile 00:00:13.980 --> 00:00:22.980 or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:33.299 in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:44.900 kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another. If any of 00:00:44.899 --> 00:00:55.079 you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, 00:00:55.640 --> 00:01:06.219 put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 00:01:06.219 --> 00:01:15.780 since as members of one body you are called to peace and be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:23.879 among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:31.859 songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word 00:01:31.859 --> 00:01:43.799 or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen. 00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:45.000 Thank you, Alan. 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:58.340 Ralph moved into the pulpit here. He's got everything there. So thank you very much for leading us in 00:01:58.340 --> 00:02:03.299 worship and bringing us to this point, Ralph. A very worshipful morning. Let's pray and then we'll 00:02:03.299 --> 00:02:08.300 get to looking into the text here. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that your word is 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:14.460 truth, that we can sing your word, that we can proclaim your word, we can read your word, we can 00:02:14.460 --> 00:02:21.640 hear your word, and that we know that your word proclaims the truth of Jesus Christ and who he is 00:02:21.640 --> 00:02:27.500 and what he has done. We ask that you would strike us anew with just the majesty of who you are and the 00:02:27.500 --> 00:02:33.539 work you have done on our behalf through Christ in your gospel. In his name we pray. Amen. 00:02:35.460 --> 00:02:41.979 Well, we're at a part of Colossians here where Paul is getting very practical. He's getting very 00:02:41.979 --> 00:02:48.360 moving out of the deeply theological portions of his letter to this church in Colossae and he's 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:54.060 getting very practical and today he's going to say, what do God's people look like? He's going to start 00:02:54.060 --> 00:03:01.520 to answer that question and define what it means to look like a Christian. And I know maybe you have 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:09.180 in your head what an American looks like. I can tell, it's funny, I can see American tourists in 00:03:09.180 --> 00:03:15.620 Ireland now. I couldn't see that before. I still look like one, I'm well aware. But when we drive, 00:03:15.740 --> 00:03:20.900 it's funny because at first the roads were so narrow and we would pull over to the side and then now we're 00:03:20.900 --> 00:03:25.420 driving and someone pulls over and we go, ha, not Irish. And we drive right past them and we could 00:03:25.420 --> 00:03:32.360 tell when someone doesn't look quite like they're Irish or from another country. And that's fine that 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:38.500 God's made us all in his image. But we could start to look at Christians and say, what do Christians 00:03:38.500 --> 00:03:46.819 look like? And this is not a new question. This was a common question in Paul's day. We have to 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:54.039 remember, Christianity was brand new. There was Judaism, which was very old and very accepted by 00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:59.680 the Roman Empire. And people knew what it looked like to be Jewish. And then there was the Greco-Roman 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:05.799 world and their old worship of old deities, pagan deities. And some of those had been modified a 00:04:05.799 --> 00:04:11.840 little by the Romans, but you kind of knew what that looked like. But what did a Christian look like? 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:18.660 And why? There's a very interesting first century letter, maybe early second century letter, where 00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:23.720 where the author is writing to a man named Diognisius. And we looked at it a couple months or a month or so 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:31.740 ago. But the purpose of the letter from a Christian to a non-Christian, he says, is to answer the question 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:39.780 of what Christians look like and why. He says, most excellent Diognisius, I can see that you deeply desire to 00:04:39.779 --> 00:04:47.339 learn why and how Christians worship their God and live the way they do. So it's a common question 00:04:47.339 --> 00:04:54.839 from the non-Christians to the Christians. Who are you and why? The author of this letter says, you have 00:04:54.839 --> 00:05:01.599 so carefully and earnestly asked your questions about them. He says, one, you have asked, what is it about 00:05:01.599 --> 00:05:07.439 the God they believe in and the form of religion they observe that they are able to look down upon the 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:13.379 world and despise death and have something forward to look forward to? And we looked at that last week, 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:18.279 right? Christians can look forward to heaven and the things of this world grow strangely dim. 00:05:19.660 --> 00:05:25.759 He says, you've also asked, why do Christians reject the Greek superstitions and Jewish customs 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:32.360 alike? And we saw that a couple of weeks ago with Jewish tradition and Greek gods and how those have 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:37.480 been rejected and should still be rejected. And he says, and now you want to know about the affection 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:41.639 they have for each other. And that's what we're going to see this week and next week. And I point 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:49.500 that out to tell you that, that this is common in Paul's day. Who are Christians and what do they 00:05:49.500 --> 00:05:57.580 look like and why? And this sort of mindset reflects Paul's language to the Colossians here. And so what 00:05:57.579 --> 00:06:02.879 we're going to do today is we're going to go through this passage and we're going to answer these two 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:07.699 questions as we move through three parts of the passage. Okay. We're going to say, what type of 00:06:07.699 --> 00:06:14.759 people are Christians called to be? What should a Christian look like and why? What should Christians 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:21.680 look like and why? Okay. And first Paul says that Christians are a people who are honest about their 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:29.680 shortcomings, honest about our shortcomings, because we are being renewed in the image of Christ. 00:06:30.860 --> 00:06:35.360 Okay. We're honest about our shortcomings because we're being renewed in the image of Christ. Let's 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:43.100 look at verses nine through 10. Paul simply says, do not lie to each other since you have taken off the 00:06:43.100 --> 00:06:49.879 old self with its practices and you've put on the new self, which is, which is being renewed in knowledge 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:56.519 in the image of its creator. So first we want to note, this is a command. Okay. This is from the 00:06:56.519 --> 00:07:03.300 apostle Paul by the spirit written down in God's word to us. Do not lie to each other. It's a very 00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:10.019 real command. And we maybe want to ask why, why does Paul even need to say that? Isn't that just common 00:07:10.019 --> 00:07:15.579 sense when we just kind of assume we're not supposed to lie to each other? Well, it's, it's interesting to 00:07:15.579 --> 00:07:21.699 note that in, in the first century world, your religion did not necessarily mean you had to be 00:07:21.699 --> 00:07:28.539 a moral person. What I mean by that is you could offer a sacrifice to a Greek God. And that was that, 00:07:28.599 --> 00:07:32.459 and that, that actually didn't have to have anything to do with the way you live life. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:38.759 As long as you went to the temple and you gave some sort of offering or sacrifice, you could go do 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:44.659 whatever you want. And in fact, if you read the Greek literature, you'll see that even the Greek gods 00:07:44.660 --> 00:07:49.580 themselves are constantly lying. They're lying to each other and they're lying to the people. 00:07:50.340 --> 00:07:54.280 And you can read in the, the Iliad and the Odyssey, how Zeus, he plays tricks on people. 00:07:54.900 --> 00:07:59.280 He says, Oh, I'll do this for this person, but really this is what I'm doing. I'm going to trick 00:07:59.280 --> 00:08:05.980 them. I'll lie to them. And so Paul has to say, you can't be like that. Do not lie to each other. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:11.240 And maybe we say, well, that was, that was the Colossians problem. We don't lie anymore today. 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:17.840 Come on. Psychology today says in the States, I'm sure the Irish are more sanctified in the States. 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:23.560 People lie two and a half to three times per day, more than we brush our teeth. One article said, 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:29.180 I found that to be funny. Either we have really bad breath or we lie a lot in the States, but it 00:08:29.180 --> 00:08:33.580 says two to two and a half to three times per day. Half a lie is a whole lie. So we'll say three times 00:08:33.580 --> 00:08:40.620 per day. And so lying was a problem in Colossae back then. And it's a problem still today. 00:08:40.620 --> 00:08:50.220 Well, why do we lie? Psychologists say in general, we lie to obtain protection. We want to protect 00:08:50.220 --> 00:09:00.720 ourselves. We want to protect our interests. Primarily, we want to protect our image. We want others to 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:07.740 think well of us. And yet we all know that we do things, have done things and constantly do things 00:09:07.740 --> 00:09:15.100 that would cause them to think less of us. Therefore, we lie to cover it up in order to 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:21.680 avoid suffering a lack of a loss of respect. We cover up our lives or we lie about things we 00:09:21.680 --> 00:09:27.759 haven't done in order to make ourselves look better. But in general, we're promoting our own image 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:39.039 when we lie. So to sum it up, I would say we lie because of pride and perceived control. Those 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:46.720 would be the root issues, the root reasons why. Pride and perceived control. Now what Christianity 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:57.460 says is when it comes to God, we have nothing to be proud of. And we have no control. We don't 00:09:57.460 --> 00:10:02.540 bring anything to the table, so to speak, when it comes to God. We can't stand up and say, 00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:10.080 God, look how incredible I am. We're not. We are beautiful in His image, but we've distorted 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:20.519 that. And we cannot control God. We can't make Him do what we want. But we can try to control 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:28.919 others. We can try to protect our image, and thus we lie. Scripture says we are born into sin, 00:10:29.319 --> 00:10:36.579 and we perpetuate sin. And we can't tell God what we'll do about it, or even what we think He should 00:10:36.579 --> 00:10:47.559 do about it. So pride and self-control, pride and perceived control are at the root. And so what does 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:53.819 God do about it? Now I would argue, if you look in your scripture here at verse 9, that the text is 00:10:53.819 --> 00:11:01.500 actually more God-centered than the translation gives it credit for. Okay, I would argue the literal 00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:09.179 translation from Greek should say this, your old selves have been disarmed or stripped off you. 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:16.039 Okay, and we'll keep going with that in a little bit here. But your old selves have been stripped 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:24.199 away or disarmed. It's the same word that Paul used in Colossians 2.15, where he says God disarmed 00:11:24.199 --> 00:11:31.699 the rulers and authorities, or stripped away their power. Same word Paul's using. But what he's done is 00:11:31.699 --> 00:11:37.979 he's changed it from an active verb to a passive verb. And we'll keep going with that in a little bit, 00:11:37.980 --> 00:11:42.340 but it should say, I would argue that the literal translation would sound more like, 00:11:42.899 --> 00:11:51.539 do not lie to each other since your old selves have been disarmed and stripped off you. God's work, 00:11:52.220 --> 00:11:58.279 past tense. Okay, so we're going to have to really focus on the acting agent of these verbs 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:05.320 and the time when they occur. And what Paul says is, God's work, past tense, this is your left, 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:14.040 past tense. So here's my timeline, past, present, future. And in the past, God did the acting on the 00:12:14.040 --> 00:12:21.100 object, which is us, that he stripped off our old self. We received his work passively. 00:12:22.160 --> 00:12:30.180 Then he says, and your new selves have been put on. Again, God's work, past tense. 00:12:30.179 --> 00:12:40.539 And then you are being renewed. Still God's work. Present tense. In the image of our creator. 00:12:41.059 --> 00:12:49.779 So we have three verbs, all of which are showing God at work. In the past, he has stripped off our old self. 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:59.000 In the past, he has put on our new self. And now in the present, he is renewing us in his image. 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:03.139 Okay, you tracking with me? I know it's very technical, but I think it's going to be very important. 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:10.240 It's worth the work here. All of the action is being done by God, and we are merely the recipients. 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:16.059 Remember, we said we lie because of pride and perceived control. 00:13:16.059 --> 00:13:20.399 But Christianity says, when it comes to God, you have been made new. 00:13:21.500 --> 00:13:24.500 You have nothing to be proud of. It was his work. 00:13:26.359 --> 00:13:29.419 And you are being renewed. Present tense. 00:13:31.079 --> 00:13:34.319 Christianity says, you are not nearly as in control as you think. 00:13:36.959 --> 00:13:42.319 Therefore, we can just be honest about who we are and what God is doing. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:51.500 We do not need to lie to one another about who we are or what God is doing. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.160 That need was crucified at the cross. 00:13:54.920 --> 00:13:56.280 And now we can be honest. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:58.900 This is what happened in the past. 00:13:59.500 --> 00:14:00.660 My old self was stripped away. 00:14:01.680 --> 00:14:03.700 In the past, a new self was put on me. 00:14:04.280 --> 00:14:06.860 And right here in the present, I am being renewed. 00:14:07.260 --> 00:14:08.320 All of this is God's work. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:10.879 And I can just be honest about that reality. 00:14:12.160 --> 00:14:16.040 I don't need to lie to others about who I am. 00:14:16.900 --> 00:14:23.200 It's interesting to note that biblically, lying is not just considered to be the act of making a false statement. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:29.060 Biblically, lying is to deny the truth as represented by God Himself. 00:14:29.059 --> 00:14:33.739 You can read Romans 1 and 2 and see that. 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:36.299 That lying is to deny the truth. 00:14:37.199 --> 00:14:41.119 Or to deny what God has done and what He is doing. 00:14:42.179 --> 00:14:43.819 To deny those truths is to lie. 00:14:44.079 --> 00:14:46.679 To deny these truths is to lie to one another. 00:14:48.459 --> 00:14:51.339 And so as a Christian, I can boldly proclaim, 00:14:51.579 --> 00:14:52.759 I'm not perfect. 00:14:54.079 --> 00:14:56.879 But I'm getting better. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.600 I'm becoming more Christ-like. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:04.100 Because of what God has done and is doing. 00:15:04.899 --> 00:15:06.460 He stripped off my old self. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:09.240 He put on my new self. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.240 And He's renewing me in His image. 00:15:13.019 --> 00:15:14.960 And He's stripped off your old self. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:16.259 And He's put on your new self. 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:19.879 And He's renewing you in His image, 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.580 day by day, week by week, year by year. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.559 And we can be honest about that reality. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:32.340 And what Paul's doing is he's starting to talk about the difference between justification, 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:35.439 past tense, what legally happened, 00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:40.220 and sanctification, present tense, what is going on. 00:15:40.659 --> 00:15:45.000 Wednesday night, we will dig into that much more deeply than we are today. 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:46.740 Paul's laying the foundation. 00:15:47.179 --> 00:15:49.100 Wednesday night, we'll really sink our teeth into it. 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:51.420 But we've got to start wrestling with these terms. 00:15:51.560 --> 00:15:52.540 They're good terms to know. 00:15:54.300 --> 00:15:56.120 Justification, God did it, past tense. 00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:59.440 Sanctification, ongoing, present work. 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:02.159 So that's the first thing Paul says is, 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:05.420 as Christians, we are people who are honest about our shortcomings. 00:16:05.419 --> 00:16:09.500 Because we are being renewed in the image of Christ. 00:16:09.819 --> 00:16:15.299 Secondly, Paul says we are defined by love and forgiveness. 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:19.439 Because we are loved and forgiven. 00:16:20.079 --> 00:16:22.279 Look with me at verses 11 through 14. 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:25.099 He says in verse 11, 00:16:25.100 --> 00:16:26.980 Here, that is in the church, 00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:32.879 There is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, 00:16:33.700 --> 00:16:36.000 Scythian or barbarian, slave or free. 00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:38.720 But Christ is all and is in all. 00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:43.340 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, 00:16:43.560 --> 00:16:44.480 look at this word now, 00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:45.500 clothe yourselves. 00:16:45.740 --> 00:16:46.540 We'll come back to that. 00:16:47.420 --> 00:16:52.279 Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:54.399 Verse 13, 00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:56.360 Bear with each other and forgive one another. 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:58.980 If any of you has a grievance against someone, 00:16:59.439 --> 00:17:01.259 forgive as the Lord forgave you. 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:03.600 And over all these virtues, 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.200 put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity. 00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.519 I don't know if you caught it, 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:11.160 but Paul did something very clever there. 00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:14.039 In verse 12, he said, 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:15.839 Clothe yourselves. 00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:20.539 He used the exact same word as he used in verse 10. 00:17:20.539 --> 00:17:23.099 And duo is the Greek word. 00:17:24.379 --> 00:17:26.000 Actively, it's to clothe yourself. 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:30.119 Passively, it's to have someone clothe you. 00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:33.359 So verse 10, Paul said, 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:38.299 Past tense, passively, God has clothed us. 00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:40.599 And in verse 12, he says, 00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:44.220 Present tense now, actively, put your clothes on. 00:17:44.399 --> 00:17:45.740 That's very interesting what he did. 00:17:46.139 --> 00:17:46.720 It's very clever. 00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:47.740 It's beautiful Greek. 00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:49.759 Paul is extremely intelligent. 00:17:50.140 --> 00:17:51.720 Hard for me to keep up with sometimes. 00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:54.900 Verse 10, God clothes you. 00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:56.500 Verse 12, put your clothes on. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:59.180 I can see little kids going, 00:17:59.220 --> 00:17:59.900 What are you talking about? 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:03.500 God clothed me, therefore I need to put my clothes on. 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.779 Yes, that's exactly what he says. 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:07.640 So what should I put on then? 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:09.480 Exactly what he clothes you with. 00:18:10.520 --> 00:18:10.880 Compassion. 00:18:11.280 --> 00:18:11.680 Kindness. 00:18:12.380 --> 00:18:12.740 Humility. 00:18:13.780 --> 00:18:14.180 Gentleness. 00:18:14.580 --> 00:18:14.940 Patience. 00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:17.980 Bearing with each other and forgiving one another. 00:18:19.120 --> 00:18:19.820 Put it on. 00:18:20.060 --> 00:18:21.100 I thought God put it on me. 00:18:21.140 --> 00:18:21.540 He did. 00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:22.280 So put it on. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.300 It's exactly what Paul just said. 00:18:25.560 --> 00:18:27.380 You say, what does a Christian look like? 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:29.520 What does a Christian in Ireland look like? 00:18:29.560 --> 00:18:31.600 What does a Christian in Kosovo look like? 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:32.980 Or anywhere else in the world? 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.180 Paul says they look exactly like God made them to look like. 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:38.680 And they look like the clothing that they put on. 00:18:39.820 --> 00:18:40.279 Compassion. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:40.720 Kindness. 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:41.180 Humility. 00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:42.259 Gentleness. 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:42.940 And patience. 00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:45.019 Forgiving each other. 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:47.120 And loving each other. 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:50.200 You say, well, why? 00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:53.120 Why do Christians look like this? 00:18:54.019 --> 00:18:56.200 Because that's exactly how God has treated us. 00:18:57.019 --> 00:19:03.100 It's exactly what he's done for us and is doing in us. 00:19:04.380 --> 00:19:05.480 Verse 12. 00:19:06.180 --> 00:19:07.039 Don't miss that. 00:19:08.120 --> 00:19:10.240 As God's chosen people. 00:19:11.340 --> 00:19:12.620 Holy and dearly loved. 00:19:13.820 --> 00:19:15.180 How come I can be loving? 00:19:16.080 --> 00:19:17.880 Because I've been dearly loved. 00:19:18.820 --> 00:19:20.060 How can I be holy? 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:21.940 Because I've been made holy. 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:24.920 And then at the end of verse 13. 00:19:25.080 --> 00:19:28.700 Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 00:19:28.700 --> 00:19:37.039 He's saying Christians are defined by love and forgiveness because we are loved and forgiven. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.840 Notice his illustration he uses in verse 11. 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:47.339 In the church there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised. 00:19:48.179 --> 00:19:49.919 Barbarian or Scythian, slave or free. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:54.060 But Christ is in all, is all and is in all. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:56.920 It's important to note that each of those are opposites. 00:19:57.560 --> 00:19:58.519 They're actually enemies. 00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:02.779 Hey, Gentile, Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised. 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:07.440 The Gentiles and the Jewish mind are inhabiting the Jews' land. 00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:11.460 The Jews and the Gentiles' mind can be a bit of a problem. 00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:15.519 They're natural enemies. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:18.900 Brought together in one body. 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:22.940 Barbarian is to be slave. 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:25.500 Scythian is to be Roman. 00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:28.079 Again, they're natural enemies. 00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:30.500 At the Colossae, we're at the edge of the Roman borders. 00:20:32.579 --> 00:20:38.240 And so to be in a church with natural enemies would be normal for these people. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.859 Paul says all that stuff's gone now. 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:43.500 Remember verse 9? 00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:44.579 It's been stripped off. 00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:46.279 It's not who you are. 00:20:46.919 --> 00:20:47.699 You're Christians. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:51.980 You're all now equally one people in Christ. 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:56.619 Chosen, holy, dearly loved, and forgiven. 00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:00.059 That's why we have to understand that as Christians, 00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:02.079 love and forgiveness, 00:21:02.939 --> 00:21:07.039 love and forgiveness are our greatest apologetic. 00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:09.079 You can know theology. 00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:10.740 You can know scientific facts. 00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:13.240 You can have all kinds of words to say. 00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:15.720 But if we cannot love and forgive other people, 00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:20.079 we cannot show people what it looks like to be a Christian. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:23.059 Does Jesus say in John 13, 35? 00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:23.460 He says, 00:21:23.899 --> 00:21:26.759 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, 00:21:27.179 --> 00:21:29.240 if you love one another. 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:31.960 If you love one another. 00:21:32.819 --> 00:21:35.720 He doesn't say because you can make great arguments. 00:21:35.879 --> 00:21:37.679 He doesn't say because of anything else, 00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:39.579 but because you can love one another. 00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:41.419 And you say, 00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:42.439 Well, how could I love this way? 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:43.819 Because that's how we've been loved. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.019 How can I forgive? 00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.500 Because we've been forgiven. 00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:51.119 For what does Jesus say as they nail Him to the cross? 00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:53.519 Father, forgive them. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.980 They know not what they do. 00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:58.319 See, Christianity, 00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:02.039 it teaches that Christ entered into our suffering 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:05.039 and He suffered on a greater scale 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:06.059 than we could ever imagine. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.480 And yet in the midst of that suffering, 00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:11.240 in the fallen world, 00:22:12.419 --> 00:22:13.939 He loved us and forgave us. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:16.759 See, only in Christianity 00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:19.339 does this God enter into our suffering 00:22:19.339 --> 00:22:21.919 and love us and forgive us 00:22:21.919 --> 00:22:23.319 in ways that we never deserved 00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:25.639 or could ever imagine. 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:31.759 This is why Christians look different 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.440 than other people. 00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:35.860 Because we are different than other people. 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:38.160 We have been loved. 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:40.440 We have been forgiven. 00:22:41.860 --> 00:22:43.460 Which is why Paul can say 00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.800 that a group of people 00:22:44.800 --> 00:22:47.320 who were once naturally enemies 00:22:47.320 --> 00:22:50.380 can now be compassionate, 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:51.440 kind, humble, 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:53.180 gentle, patient, 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.620 loving and forgiving with each other. 00:22:55.640 --> 00:23:00.440 D.A. Carson says it very well. 00:23:00.540 --> 00:23:00.780 He says, 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:02.460 The church itself is not made up 00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.600 of natural friends. 00:23:05.040 --> 00:23:06.360 But the church is made up 00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:08.240 of natural enemies. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.100 And we see that in verse 11, don't we? 00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.480 He says, 00:23:11.540 --> 00:23:12.680 What binds the church together 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:14.040 is not common education. 00:23:15.120 --> 00:23:16.480 It's not common race. 00:23:16.560 --> 00:23:18.000 It's not common income levels. 00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:19.580 It's not common politics. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.320 It's not common nationality. 00:23:22.040 --> 00:23:23.520 It's not common accents. 00:23:23.800 --> 00:23:24.960 It's not common jobs. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.100 It's nothing of the sort. 00:23:27.819 --> 00:23:29.779 What binds the church together 00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:32.500 is that we have been saved 00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:33.799 by Jesus Christ. 00:23:34.680 --> 00:23:36.620 And we owe Him a common allegiance. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.079 And in this light, 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:41.140 the church is a band of natural enemies 00:23:41.140 --> 00:23:43.960 who love and forgive one another 00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:45.940 for Jesus' sake. 00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:49.019 Everything we do 00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:52.039 is because of what has been done 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:53.700 on our behalf. 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:57.220 We are people who can be honest 00:23:57.220 --> 00:23:58.140 about our shortcomings 00:23:58.140 --> 00:24:01.920 because God has done work on us 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:02.900 and is doing work in us. 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.840 He's renewing us. 00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:06.100 We are people who are defined 00:24:06.100 --> 00:24:07.000 by love and forgiveness 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:10.380 because we are loved and forgiven. 00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:12.460 And then third, 00:24:12.560 --> 00:24:13.180 Paul says, 00:24:13.280 --> 00:24:14.320 Christians are a people 00:24:14.320 --> 00:24:16.360 who are responsive 00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.340 to God's Word 00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:19.120 in worship 00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:22.320 because we are at peace 00:24:22.320 --> 00:24:23.860 with God through Christ. 00:24:25.320 --> 00:24:25.980 And in this part, 00:24:26.040 --> 00:24:27.360 we're going to round out 00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:28.260 this sermon with this part 00:24:28.260 --> 00:24:28.900 and then we'll bring it 00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:29.780 into next week as well. 00:24:29.840 --> 00:24:30.860 But we are responsive 00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:32.120 to God's Word in worship 00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:34.960 because we are at peace 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:36.120 with God through Christ. 00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:37.859 Look, if you will, 00:24:37.919 --> 00:24:39.539 with me at verses 15-17. 00:24:41.719 --> 00:24:43.479 Let the peace of Christ 00:24:43.479 --> 00:24:44.459 rule in your hearts 00:24:44.459 --> 00:24:47.199 since as members of one body 00:24:47.199 --> 00:24:48.139 you were called to peace 00:24:48.139 --> 00:24:49.000 and be thankful. 00:24:49.959 --> 00:24:51.539 Let the message of Christ 00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.979 dwell among you richly 00:24:52.979 --> 00:24:55.039 as you teach and admonish 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:57.039 one another with all wisdom 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:58.979 through psalms, hymns, 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.019 and songs from the Spirit 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:01.139 singing to God 00:25:01.139 --> 00:25:02.479 with gratitude in your hearts. 00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:04.699 And whatever you do, 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:05.879 whether in word or deed, 00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:06.700 do it all 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:08.640 in the name of the Lord Jesus, 00:25:08.780 --> 00:25:10.300 giving thanks to God the Father 00:25:10.300 --> 00:25:11.780 through Him. 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:14.040 Paul says Christians 00:25:14.040 --> 00:25:16.240 are a people who are responsive 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:17.480 to God's Word in worship 00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:19.520 because we are at peace 00:25:19.520 --> 00:25:20.720 with God through Christ. 00:25:22.020 --> 00:25:22.880 Now it's interesting to note 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:24.740 what Paul says is worship 00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:28.980 can be deed, word, and or song. 00:25:29.580 --> 00:25:30.660 All three can be worship. 00:25:30.780 --> 00:25:31.920 They're forms of worship. 00:25:33.280 --> 00:25:34.500 And I would say worship 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.780 properly defined is this. 00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:37.960 Worship is our response 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:39.260 to having obtained 00:25:39.260 --> 00:25:41.280 to some degree 00:25:41.280 --> 00:25:44.000 something that we deeply desire. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.900 Worship is our response 00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:47.900 to having obtained 00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:49.380 to some degree 00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:51.540 something we deeply desire. 00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:52.880 And that response 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:53.620 can be done 00:25:53.620 --> 00:25:55.100 via word, 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:56.320 deed, 00:25:56.860 --> 00:25:57.580 or song. 00:25:57.579 --> 00:25:59.720 So if you want to think 00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.720 of an illustration, 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:02.299 you can think of men 00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:03.899 at a sporting event. 00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:05.799 And you can all go home today 00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:07.000 and turn on any telly. 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:07.359 Telly? 00:26:07.439 --> 00:26:08.079 Did I say it right? 00:26:08.439 --> 00:26:09.299 We would say TV. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.119 I don't know why. 00:26:10.399 --> 00:26:10.759 Telly. 00:26:11.659 --> 00:26:12.939 And you can watch men 00:26:12.939 --> 00:26:14.179 and women worship today. 00:26:14.379 --> 00:26:15.159 I guarantee you, 00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:16.159 find a sporting event 00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:17.259 and you will see worship. 00:26:17.899 --> 00:26:19.179 I watched the rugby. 00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:20.240 I'm just learning rugby. 00:26:20.899 --> 00:26:22.259 And I'm sorry, Rob. 00:26:22.460 --> 00:26:23.039 I'll have to tell you. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:23.180 Yep. 00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.779 But Rob told me 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.579 watch Australia 00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:26.440 versus New Zealand. 00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.259 Apparently it's some sort 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:28.819 of little rivalry. 00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:31.359 And I saw people 00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:32.359 worship yesterday. 00:26:33.159 --> 00:26:33.700 A lot of them 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:34.359 were Australian. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.460 New Zealanders 00:26:36.460 --> 00:26:37.619 worshiped at times. 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.019 But I saw a lot 00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:40.980 of Australians worship. 00:26:41.099 --> 00:26:41.799 And in the States 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:42.200 right now, 00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:42.839 they're gearing up 00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:44.220 for American football, 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:45.279 which I learned yesterday. 00:26:45.399 --> 00:26:46.359 We just stole rugby 00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:47.000 and made a couple 00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:48.180 of odd changes. 00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:49.339 But if you go 00:26:49.339 --> 00:26:50.819 to an American football stadium 00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:51.899 or if you watch 00:26:51.899 --> 00:26:52.680 a rugby match 00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.680 or hurling 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:54.200 or football, 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:55.500 you will see 00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:56.900 a group of people 00:26:56.900 --> 00:26:58.640 obtain to some degree 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:00.700 something they deeply desire. 00:27:01.420 --> 00:27:02.660 Yesterday it was the, 00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:04.039 correct me if I say it, 00:27:04.060 --> 00:27:04.720 the Aussies. 00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:06.360 Is that right? 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:08.160 The Aussies were obtaining 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.700 something they deeply desired, 00:27:09.820 --> 00:27:11.279 which was to beat New Zealand. 00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:12.920 And every time 00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:13.640 they obtained 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:14.759 to some degree 00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:15.940 that thing 00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:16.799 that they desired, 00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:18.200 you saw a response 00:27:18.840 --> 00:27:19.740 in word, 00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:20.200 deed, 00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:20.920 and singing. 00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:22.000 You can see it 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:22.759 all over the screen. 00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:24.279 And I've been 00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:25.140 in those stadiums 00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.480 and I've had my team 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:26.980 that I wanted 00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:27.700 to obtain 00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:28.740 that victory. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.799 And when they do, 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:31.180 boy, 00:27:31.299 --> 00:27:32.579 guys who are so quiet 00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.279 during the singing 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:33.759 at church 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:35.299 are chest bumping 00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:36.960 and just high-fiving 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.480 and knocking 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:38.279 each other over 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:39.319 and drinks 00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:40.140 are raised in the air 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:40.819 and they're singing 00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:42.180 and there's words 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:43.740 and there's a celebration. 00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:46.200 Because something 00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:47.640 that was deeply desired 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:49.420 was obtained 00:27:49.420 --> 00:27:50.360 to some degree 00:27:50.360 --> 00:27:52.780 and the response 00:27:52.780 --> 00:27:53.400 was worship. 00:27:55.280 --> 00:27:56.640 So as Christians, 00:27:57.840 --> 00:27:59.560 our lives 00:27:59.560 --> 00:28:01.980 are a response 00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:02.880 to what we have 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:04.660 obtained. 00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:06.700 Through Christ, 00:28:06.780 --> 00:28:07.320 we have obtained 00:28:07.320 --> 00:28:08.320 something that we 00:28:08.320 --> 00:28:09.240 instinctively, 00:28:09.540 --> 00:28:10.400 deeply desire 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:11.440 and that is to be 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.740 at peace with God. 00:28:14.060 --> 00:28:15.540 And because we see 00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:16.980 in God's Word 00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:18.159 which proclaims 00:28:18.159 --> 00:28:19.039 the message 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:19.819 of salvation 00:28:19.819 --> 00:28:20.940 which proclaims 00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:21.599 that we have been 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:22.240 put back 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:23.399 into a relationship 00:28:23.399 --> 00:28:24.819 of peace with God. 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.480 As we see that 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.399 and we hear that 00:28:27.399 --> 00:28:28.779 and that sinks in, 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:30.319 that need for that 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:31.359 to have been obtained 00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:33.259 results in worship, 00:28:34.139 --> 00:28:35.539 in lives of worship, 00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.480 in word, 00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:38.619 deed, 00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:40.200 and song. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:44.019 Christians are 00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:45.339 more responsive 00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:46.200 to God's Word 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:46.660 and worship. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.420 Because in God's Word 00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:50.379 we see that we are 00:28:50.379 --> 00:28:51.079 at peace 00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:52.480 with God 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:54.639 through Christ Jesus. 00:28:56.379 --> 00:28:57.400 So what does a Christian 00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:58.039 look like? 00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:58.339 Why? 00:28:58.859 --> 00:28:59.500 And why? 00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:00.019 What does a Christian 00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:00.660 look like and why? 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:00.940 Well, 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:02.480 it looks like someone 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.079 who's honest 00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:04.059 about their shortcomings. 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:06.440 There's nothing 00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:07.279 quite like having 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.079 a Christian just be 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:08.779 completely honest 00:29:08.779 --> 00:29:09.700 about who they are. 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:11.639 It's striking. 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:13.579 It grabs your attention. 00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:15.420 Why can they be so 00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:16.000 honest about 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:16.859 their shortcomings? 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:17.859 Because they recognize 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:19.259 they are being renewed. 00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:21.579 They are being renewed 00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:22.039 in the image 00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:22.639 of their Creator. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:24.819 A Christian looks like 00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:25.339 someone who is 00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:27.339 loving and forgiving. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:27.700 Why? 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.940 Why can they be so loving? 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:29.660 Why can they be so 00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:30.859 forgiving with each other? 00:29:31.900 --> 00:29:32.779 Oh, because we've been 00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:33.599 so deeply loved 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:34.059 and forgiven. 00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:37.259 A Christian looks like 00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:39.059 someone celebrating 00:29:39.059 --> 00:29:40.119 with all of life. 00:29:40.119 --> 00:29:43.239 living a life of worship 00:29:43.239 --> 00:29:43.879 in word, 00:29:44.379 --> 00:29:45.099 deed, and song 00:29:45.099 --> 00:29:47.019 because they're at peace 00:29:47.019 --> 00:29:47.679 with God 00:29:47.679 --> 00:29:48.419 through Christ. 00:29:50.419 --> 00:29:51.399 So to apply that 00:29:51.399 --> 00:29:52.299 to our lives now, 00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:56.019 I would just simply ask, 00:29:56.099 --> 00:29:56.839 is this your desire? 00:29:58.939 --> 00:29:59.919 Is your desire 00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:00.839 to look like this? 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:01.659 And if so, why? 00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:06.600 Do I want these things 00:30:06.600 --> 00:30:07.779 to describe my life? 00:30:07.860 --> 00:30:08.900 Do you want these things 00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:10.380 to describe your life? 00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:11.279 If someone were to say, 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:12.440 what does, 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:13.120 and they were to say 00:30:13.120 --> 00:30:13.860 your name, 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:15.220 what does this person 00:30:15.220 --> 00:30:16.380 look like? 00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:17.220 Would you want 00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:18.620 these things 00:30:18.620 --> 00:30:19.759 to be how you're described? 00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:21.220 And why? 00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:23.740 So if you don't want 00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.380 these things 00:30:24.380 --> 00:30:25.500 to describe your life, 00:30:25.660 --> 00:30:26.519 I think it's worth 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:26.880 asking, 00:30:27.040 --> 00:30:27.820 why wouldn't you want 00:30:27.820 --> 00:30:28.700 that to describe you? 00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:29.640 And going to the other 00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:30.340 end of the extreme 00:30:30.340 --> 00:30:30.660 and saying, 00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:31.340 what's the opposite? 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:33.880 The opposite would be 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:35.460 someone who is deceitful, 00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:38.279 who hates others, 00:30:38.580 --> 00:30:39.420 holds grudges, 00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:41.880 and falsely worships 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:42.539 false gods. 00:30:44.220 --> 00:30:45.059 And I'd be willing 00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:46.360 to bet that most of us, 00:30:46.600 --> 00:30:47.680 we don't want that 00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:48.720 to describe our lives. 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:50.840 You wouldn't want 00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:51.220 someone to say, 00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:51.960 hey, what's Alan like? 00:30:52.019 --> 00:30:53.340 Oh, he's this horrible, 00:30:53.539 --> 00:30:55.180 deceitful person. 00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:56.100 He hates people. 00:30:56.600 --> 00:30:57.480 He holds a grudge. 00:30:57.480 --> 00:30:58.319 And he's always 00:30:58.319 --> 00:30:59.539 just falsely worshiping 00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:00.240 false gods 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:01.779 like rugby teams. 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:04.140 No, we don't want 00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:05.180 that to define us. 00:31:06.120 --> 00:31:07.220 Most people don't. 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:10.680 But why? 00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:13.519 Why would we want 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.700 these things to define us? 00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:15.360 Why would we want 00:31:15.360 --> 00:31:15.839 someone to say, 00:31:15.980 --> 00:31:17.000 this person looks 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:17.839 like this? 00:31:19.480 --> 00:31:20.299 And I would say 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.500 it's one of two things, 00:31:21.559 --> 00:31:23.019 either self-righteousness 00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:25.660 or righteous response. 00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:29.279 See, self-righteousness says, 00:31:29.900 --> 00:31:31.059 I want to look this way 00:31:31.059 --> 00:31:31.779 so that, 00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:33.279 and it starts in the present, 00:31:33.980 --> 00:31:34.860 and it goes towards 00:31:34.860 --> 00:31:35.440 the future. 00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:38.400 I want to look this way 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:40.839 so that God will accept me 00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:42.200 in the future. 00:31:43.680 --> 00:31:46.120 I want to be an honest, 00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:47.660 loving, forgiving, 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:49.500 worshipful person 00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:50.940 so that when I die, 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:52.720 God will accept me. 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:54.000 That's self-righteousness. 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:54.700 That won't get you 00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:55.420 anywhere with God. 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:58.600 That's to completely miss 00:31:58.600 --> 00:31:59.700 how holy and righteous 00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:00.259 He is. 00:32:02.560 --> 00:32:04.400 But a righteous response 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:05.740 says, 00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:07.240 I want to look this way 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:08.300 because that's what 00:32:08.300 --> 00:32:09.380 my Savior looks like. 00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:11.360 I want to look this way 00:32:11.360 --> 00:32:12.720 because that's how 00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.880 God has dressed me. 00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:16.300 I want to look this way 00:32:16.300 --> 00:32:17.560 because of what 00:32:17.560 --> 00:32:18.880 He has done 00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:20.120 for me, 00:32:20.460 --> 00:32:21.360 in me, 00:32:21.420 --> 00:32:22.120 and through me. 00:32:22.119 --> 00:32:24.500 And that's what makes 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:25.399 Christianity different 00:32:25.399 --> 00:32:27.239 from every other religion 00:32:27.239 --> 00:32:27.779 out there. 00:32:29.479 --> 00:32:30.459 The Grindys talked about 00:32:30.459 --> 00:32:32.279 the number of Muslims 00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:33.459 that they have to minister to, 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:35.719 and that's every other religion 00:32:35.719 --> 00:32:37.219 that has got that same idea. 00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:39.299 I'm going to get better 00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:40.059 here in the present 00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:42.139 so that in the future 00:32:42.139 --> 00:32:42.899 I can be accepted. 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:43.519 And Christianity 00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:45.019 is the only religion 00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:45.379 that says, 00:32:45.899 --> 00:32:48.019 you've been made new. 00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:51.039 Your old self's been stripped off. 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:53.720 A new you's been put on. 00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:56.000 God is renewing you. 00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:56.500 Therefore, 00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:59.339 respond in righteousness. 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:01.720 Respond 00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:03.720 as who you are 00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:04.299 because of 00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:05.720 the work God has done 00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:06.599 through Christ Jesus. 00:33:07.779 --> 00:33:08.579 And because of what 00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:09.420 God has done, 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.680 we can say 00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:11.500 whatever we do, 00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.460 whether in word 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.039 or deed, 00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:14.980 we can do it all 00:33:14.980 --> 00:33:16.039 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:18.819 giving thanks to God the Father 00:33:18.819 --> 00:33:19.299 through Him. 00:33:19.399 --> 00:33:21.180 Whatever we do, 00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:23.119 and we'll look more 00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:23.759 at that next week, 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.559 whatever we do, 00:33:25.879 --> 00:33:27.319 whether it's here in Karagline 00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:28.480 or it's overseas, 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:29.859 whether it's at work 00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:30.460 or at home, 00:33:32.639 --> 00:33:33.879 whether it's with children 00:33:33.879 --> 00:33:34.539 or adults, 00:33:35.779 --> 00:33:37.759 whatever we do, 00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:39.659 we can do it all 00:33:39.659 --> 00:33:40.740 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:33:41.899 --> 00:33:43.359 Giving thanks to God the Father 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:43.839 through Him. 00:33:44.879 --> 00:33:45.539 Let's pray. 00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:47.299 Father, 00:33:52.359 --> 00:33:53.240 we thank You so much 00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:54.420 for the work You have done. 00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:56.420 Lord, 00:33:56.460 --> 00:33:57.420 we often take for granted 00:33:57.420 --> 00:33:58.480 all that You have done. 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:01.539 We recognize 00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:02.200 that at times 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:02.839 we are guilty 00:34:02.839 --> 00:34:04.059 of thinking 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.480 that You haven't done enough 00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:06.659 and maybe we need to add 00:34:06.659 --> 00:34:07.539 to what You've done. 00:34:10.259 --> 00:34:11.480 Would You remind us 00:34:11.480 --> 00:34:13.000 over and over again 00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:14.159 today and this week 00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:15.400 and this month, 00:34:15.400 --> 00:34:15.700 Lord, 00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:17.340 of all that You have done 00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:18.180 in the past 00:34:18.180 --> 00:34:20.440 and all that You are doing 00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:21.180 even today. 00:34:22.660 --> 00:34:23.200 And yet, 00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:23.940 with that in mind, 00:34:24.019 --> 00:34:24.160 Lord, 00:34:24.220 --> 00:34:25.079 would You cause us 00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:26.559 to respond in righteousness? 00:34:26.840 --> 00:34:28.019 Would You remind us 00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:29.559 that You have made us new? 00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:30.980 You have put new clothes on us 00:34:30.980 --> 00:34:32.360 and would You remind us 00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:32.880 that now we need 00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:33.940 to put on our clothes? 00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:34.220 would You have done us? 00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:38.340 Would You deeply stir 00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:38.920 in our hearts 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:39.559 the desire 00:34:39.559 --> 00:34:40.920 to respond 00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:43.720 to what You have done 00:34:43.720 --> 00:34:45.320 and what You are doing? 00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:46.800 Lord, 00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:47.900 would You continue 00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:48.619 to renew us 00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.700 so that all of our lives 00:34:49.700 --> 00:34:50.760 would look like worship 00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:52.260 in word 00:34:52.260 --> 00:34:52.740 and deed 00:34:52.740 --> 00:34:53.300 and song? 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:55.119 Would we rejoice 00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:56.200 in who You are? 00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:57.599 Would we rejoice 00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:58.400 in what You've done? 00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:59.860 Would we call others 00:34:59.860 --> 00:35:01.260 to come and taste 00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:01.960 and see 00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:03.900 everything that has been done 00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:05.559 through Jesus Christ? 00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:08.120 Would You lead us 00:35:08.120 --> 00:35:09.120 into lives of worship 00:35:09.120 --> 00:35:11.660 for Your glory 00:35:11.660 --> 00:35:13.579 and for Jesus' sake. 00:35:14.240 --> 00:35:14.579 Amen.