WEBVTT

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 And Brett.

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 Ronald Reagan was my favorite president.

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 Of his many strengths, he was the great communicator.

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 One of my favorite Reagan quotes is this.

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 The most terrifying words of the English language are,

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 I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

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 One of the most needed reminders in election years

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 was Reagan's quote of Thomas Jefferson.

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 Reagan said, Thomas Jefferson said,

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 a government big enough to give you everything you want

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 is strong enough to take everything you have.

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 And that's a socialistic government.

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 One of Reagan's, what I think one of his greatest quotes,

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 one of his most admirable quotes,

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 comes from his farewell address

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 at the end of his eight-year presidency.

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 He said, whatever else history may say about me

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 when I'm gone, I hope it will record

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 that I appealed to your best hopes,

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 not your worst fears,

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 to your confidence rather than your doubts.

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 We're going to look at a passage of Scripture this morning

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 where Paul appeals to our best hopes

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 and our confidence,

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 if we are Christians,

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 united to Jesus Christ by faith.

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 It's found in Colossians chapter 3.

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 If you've been here the last three weeks,

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 you know we've started this new year

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 with a study of Colossians 3, verses 1 through 17.

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 I'm calling it God's goals for you,

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 not just this year,

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 but this hour, this day, this year,

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 and really every year.

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 I want us to look at it again.

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 God's ultimate goal,

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 summarized in one verse.

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 For those whom he foreknew,

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 he also predestined to be conformed

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 to the image of his Son.

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 And what that means is that God is working

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 in the life of every Christian

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 through everything that happens.

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 We did a study in my Sunday school class this morning

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 to point out God is working through your spouse,

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 or put it a different way.

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 God is using you in the life of your spouse

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 to help him or her grow

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 in the development of Christlike character.

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 God uses everything,

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 good and bad,

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 strengths and weaknesses,

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 all kinds of people.

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 But God's goal in your life and mine

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 as his children

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 is to shape and mold us

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 so that we'll be more and more like Jesus

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 in terms of our character.

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 Now Colossians 3 helps us see

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 some of the ways that God works to accomplish this.

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 We're looking at this passage

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 in terms of three goals that God has for us.

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 Number one,

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 be mindful of who you are in Christ.

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 We've got to know who we are

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 by virtue of our faith,

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 our union,

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 our oneness with Jesus,

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 what that means for us.

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 Goal two,

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 don't be who you are

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 apart from Christ.

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 Don't be who you are

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 according to the desires of your sinful nature.

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 We've looked at that for two weeks.

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 Let's start now looking at goal three.

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 Become more like Christ every day.

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 I want us to look this morning

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 just at verses 12 through 14

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 of Colossians 3.

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 Let's read it together.

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 Put on then,

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 as God's chosen ones,

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 holy and beloved,

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 compassionate hearts,

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 kindness,

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 humility,

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 meekness,

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 and patience,

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 bearing with one another,

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 and if one has a complaint against another,

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 forgiving each other,

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 as the Lord has forgiven you,

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 so you must also forgive.

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 And above all these,

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 put on love,

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 which binds everything together

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 in perfect harmony.

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 What we're going to start looking at today

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 is how this passage shows us

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 why we must cooperate with God

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 as He works to make us more like Jesus every day.

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 First, we are God's special people.

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 If we're Christians,

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 and that's a big if,

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 if we're Christians,

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 if we are trusting in Him,

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 united to Him,

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 one with Him,

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 by virtue of our union with Jesus,

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 we are God's special people.

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 Look at how Paul describes it in verse 12.

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 God's chosen ones,

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 holy and beloved.

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 This is the reason why I said this passage appeals to

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 our best hopes

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 and confidence

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 as Christians united to Christ.

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 Paul is telling us who we are in Christ

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 to motivate us

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 to put forth the effort

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 to cooperate with the Spirit of God

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 who indwells us

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 and actually develop Christian character.

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 Let's look at what he's talking about here.

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 We're God's special people.

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 Why?

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 Why would I say that?

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 Well, we're God's chosen people.

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 God's chosen ones in verse 12.

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 It's translated,

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 we have a lot of different translations

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 every time we gather.

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 Some of you have one that'll say,

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 the elect of God.

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 I want to take a quick look

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 at how Paul describes

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 God's gracious work of election

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 throughout his letters.

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 You know, Paul does this a lot.

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 Paul emphasizes how God works in us

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 unilaterally.

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 God chooses us.

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 He regenerates us.

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 He gives us the ability to believe.

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 Faith is a gift from God,

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 Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 tells us.

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 Well, let's think about how

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 God goes about this.

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 First, we were chosen

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 before we were ever born.

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 In Ephesians 1 and verse 4,

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 Paul writes,

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 he chose us in him

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 before the foundation of the world.

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 Before we could ever do anything

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 that might possibly make God

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 want to choose us,

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 he already had.

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 Before the foundation of the world,

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 before he created anything,

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 before we were ever even a possibility,

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 God chose us

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 in Christ

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 to be his children.

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 Charles Spurgeon described

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 what we all know is true.

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 He said,

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 God must have chosen me

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 before I came into the world.

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 He certainly would not

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 have done so afterward.

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 You know,

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 there's some of us

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 probably might reword that

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 and say

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 that

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 our spouse

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 chose me

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 before I actually lived

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 with him or her

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 because if they had to live

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 with me first,

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 they wouldn't have chosen me.

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 We were chosen

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 before we ever did

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 or thought anything

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 before the foundation

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 of the world.

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 Number two,

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 we were chosen

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 according to God's grace

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 and purpose,

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 not because of anything

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 we had

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 or would have done.

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 Why did God choose

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 who he chose?

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 Why did God choose you?

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 Why did he choose me?

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 Within him,

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 according to his

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 gracious

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 choice,

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 according to his

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 love,

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 according to his

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 purpose or his plan.

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 Look at how Paul

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 says this to Timothy

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 in 2 Timothy 1,

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 who saved us

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 and called us

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 to a holy

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 calling,

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 not because of

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 our works,

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 but because of

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 his own

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 purpose

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 and grace,

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 which he gave us

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 in Christ Jesus

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 before the

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 ages

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 began.

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 It's

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 just

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 within God

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 to do this

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 according to his

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 grace and his

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 purpose.

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 Now,

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 third thing I want

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 us to see,

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 we were chosen

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 and called

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 by God

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 to respond

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 to the gospel.

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 Some people

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 have a problem

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 with the

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 doctrine of election,

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 but I heard a great

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 theologian say

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 one time,

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 that

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 if you're a

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 Christian,

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 you believe the

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 Bible is the

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 word of God,

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 you have to

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 believe in election.

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 Rudy Gray

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 said that.

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 I'm serious.

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 And it's

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 true.

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 You can't

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 say,

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 I don't

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 believe anything

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 that the

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 Bible teaches

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 without saying,

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 I reject what

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 the Bible is

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 teaching.

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 Now,

00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:19.779
 you may have a

00:09:19.779 --> 00:09:20.100
 different kind

00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:20.639
 of way of

00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:21.139
 looking at it,

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 understanding it,

00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:22.600
 interpreting it,

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 but you've got to

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 believe it.

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 But some

00:09:26.180 --> 00:09:26.740
 people can go

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 to seed,

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 go too far

00:09:29.220 --> 00:09:30.860
 in dwelling on

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 God's sovereignty

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 to the neglect

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 of what the

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 Bible says

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 in many other

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 places about

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 we are responsible

00:09:38.460 --> 00:09:39.259
 to repent of

00:09:39.259 --> 00:09:40.340
 our sin and

00:09:40.340 --> 00:09:41.160
 put our faith

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 in Jesus

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 and call upon

00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:44.320
 Him to save

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 us.

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 God's choosing

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 and our

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 believing,

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 they're not

00:09:51.560 --> 00:09:52.440
 opposed to

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 one another.

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 There's a lot

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 of mystery in

00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:56.060
 it, but they

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 go hand in

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 hand.

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 There's no

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 stronger statement

00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:00.500
 in the Bible

00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:01.100
 than Romans

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 chapter 9 on

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 the sovereignty

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 of God,

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 predestination,

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 election,

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 and then the

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 next chapter,

00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:11.960
 Romans 10.

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 There's no

00:10:12.660 --> 00:10:13.580
 stronger statement

00:10:13.580 --> 00:10:14.220
 in the Bible

00:10:14.220 --> 00:10:15.500
 that whoever

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 will call upon

00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:16.660
 the name of

00:10:16.660 --> 00:10:17.000
 the Lord

00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:18.220
 will be saved.

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 And it goes

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 on to say,

00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:20.700
 we have a

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 responsibility to

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 take the gospel

00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:23.320
 to people

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 throughout the

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 world.

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 And if we

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 don't take

00:10:24.940 --> 00:10:25.480
 the gospel,

00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:26.180
 they won't

00:10:26.180 --> 00:10:26.460
 hear.

00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:27.320
 If they don't

00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:27.780
 hear, how

00:10:27.780 --> 00:10:28.100
 can they

00:10:28.100 --> 00:10:28.440
 believe?

00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:28.820
 How can

00:10:28.820 --> 00:10:29.240
 they be

00:10:29.240 --> 00:10:29.720
 saved if

00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:29.980
 they don't

00:10:29.980 --> 00:10:30.220
 hear?

00:10:31.900 --> 00:10:32.580
 So God

00:10:32.580 --> 00:10:33.139
 is sovereign

00:10:33.139 --> 00:10:33.800
 in salvation.

00:10:34.800 --> 00:10:35.460
 Election is

00:10:35.460 --> 00:10:35.759
 true.

00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:37.400
 We are

00:10:37.400 --> 00:10:38.139
 responsible

00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:40.379
 to believe

00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:40.960
 the gospel,

00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:41.600
 to turn

00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:41.960
 from our

00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:42.179
 sin,

00:10:42.259 --> 00:10:42.860
 to trust

00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:43.279
 Jesus,

00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:43.919
 to call

00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:44.379
 upon him

00:10:44.379 --> 00:10:44.860
 to save

00:10:44.860 --> 00:10:45.279
 us.

00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:46.139
 They go

00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:46.519
 together.

00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:49.000
 And what I

00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:49.399
 want to see

00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:49.840
 here, we were

00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:50.340
 chosen and

00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:50.919
 called by God

00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:51.480
 to respond to

00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:51.860
 the gospel.

00:10:52.179 --> 00:10:52.559
 Look at how

00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:53.000
 Paul says

00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:53.419
 this in 1

00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:53.980
 Thessalonians

00:10:53.980 --> 00:10:54.320
 1.

00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:55.299
 For we

00:10:55.299 --> 00:10:55.659
 know,

00:10:55.860 --> 00:10:56.820
 brothers loved

00:10:56.820 --> 00:10:57.620
 by God,

00:10:58.299 --> 00:10:58.899
 that he has

00:10:58.899 --> 00:10:59.779
 chosen you.

00:11:00.439 --> 00:11:00.799
 How do you

00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:01.200
 know that?

00:11:01.539 --> 00:11:01.939
 Here's the

00:11:01.939 --> 00:11:02.480
 answer to it.

00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:03.559
 Because our

00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:04.860
 gospel came to

00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:06.000
 you not only

00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:06.500
 in word,

00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:07.500
 but also in

00:11:07.500 --> 00:11:08.940
 power and in

00:11:08.940 --> 00:11:09.639
 the Holy Spirit

00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:10.480
 with full

00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:11.019
 conviction,

00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:11.879
 they were

00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:12.740
 changed by

00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:13.179
 the word of

00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:13.460
 God.

00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:15.779
 That's how

00:11:15.779 --> 00:11:17.600
 they knew,

00:11:17.699 --> 00:11:18.259
 Paul knew,

00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:19.179
 that they'd

00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:19.699
 been chosen

00:11:19.699 --> 00:11:20.199
 because they

00:11:20.199 --> 00:11:20.659
 believed,

00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:21.439
 they trusted.

00:11:22.299 --> 00:11:22.960
 God did this

00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:23.860
 supernatural work

00:11:23.860 --> 00:11:24.259
 in them and

00:11:24.259 --> 00:11:24.759
 they were never

00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:25.419
 the same.

00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:27.100
 I want you to

00:11:27.100 --> 00:11:27.360
 think,

00:11:28.460 --> 00:11:29.340
 we are God's

00:11:29.340 --> 00:11:30.159
 chosen people

00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:30.559
 if we're

00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:31.019
 Christians.

00:11:33.220 --> 00:11:34.080
 You are one

00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:34.620
 of God's

00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:35.700
 special people.

00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:36.500
 You are right

00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:36.759
 now.

00:11:38.620 --> 00:11:39.500
 God gracious

00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:40.600
 chose you to

00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:41.259
 be his child

00:11:41.259 --> 00:11:41.559
 before the

00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:42.039
 foundation of

00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:42.360
 the world.

00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:44.220
 It had

00:11:44.220 --> 00:11:45.039
 nothing to do

00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:45.779
 with who you

00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:47.019
 are or what

00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:47.820
 you have or

00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:49.100
 ever would do.

00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:51.100
 It was all of

00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:52.259
 God's grace and

00:11:52.259 --> 00:11:53.340
 God's love.

00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:56.039
 But then God

00:11:56.039 --> 00:11:58.059
 worked in the

00:11:58.059 --> 00:11:58.860
 people that he

00:11:58.860 --> 00:11:59.299
 put in your

00:11:59.299 --> 00:11:59.720
 life.

00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:01.059
 He worked in

00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:02.080
 all the life

00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:04.600
 circumstances to

00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:05.220
 enable you to

00:12:05.220 --> 00:12:06.059
 hear the gospel

00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:08.119
 and then

00:12:08.119 --> 00:12:09.359
 respond to the

00:12:09.359 --> 00:12:11.799
 gospel by

00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:12.599
 being convicted

00:12:12.599 --> 00:12:13.219
 of your sin,

00:12:13.859 --> 00:12:14.479
 changing your

00:12:14.479 --> 00:12:14.959
 mind about how

00:12:14.959 --> 00:12:15.259
 you're living,

00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:15.979
 turning from your

00:12:15.979 --> 00:12:18.459
 sin and trusting

00:12:18.459 --> 00:12:20.459
 Jesus and calling

00:12:20.459 --> 00:12:21.839
 on him to save

00:12:21.839 --> 00:12:22.159
 you.

00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:26.559
 We're God's

00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:28.919
 chosen special

00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:29.799
 people.

00:12:30.219 --> 00:12:30.779
 But that's not

00:12:30.779 --> 00:12:31.439
 all it says.

00:12:31.659 --> 00:12:32.399
 We're also God's

00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:33.039
 holy people.

00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:34.059
 The basic

00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:35.919
 bare bone

00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.659
 definition of

00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:37.860
 holiness is to

00:12:37.860 --> 00:12:38.579
 be set apart.

00:12:39.539 --> 00:12:40.620
 When God chose

00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:41.779
 us, he also set

00:12:41.779 --> 00:12:43.559
 us apart as his

00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:45.500
 special people.

00:12:47.319 --> 00:12:48.500
 You are in the

00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:49.199
 sight of God right

00:12:49.199 --> 00:12:49.459
 now.

00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:51.379
 Not because of

00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:51.939
 who you are or

00:12:51.939 --> 00:12:52.579
 what you've done,

00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:53.740
 but in spite of

00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:54.319
 who you are or

00:12:54.319 --> 00:12:54.919
 what you've done.

00:12:55.839 --> 00:12:57.360
 If you're one

00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.139
 with Jesus and

00:12:59.139 --> 00:12:59.779
 God looks at

00:12:59.779 --> 00:13:01.579
 you, the penalty

00:13:01.579 --> 00:13:03.019
 for your sin all

00:13:03.019 --> 00:13:03.779
 sin, past,

00:13:03.939 --> 00:13:04.259
 present, and

00:13:04.259 --> 00:13:04.720
 future has been

00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:06.279
 paid, Jesus

00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:07.620
 paid the penalty

00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:08.000
 when he died on

00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:08.340
 the cross.

00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:10.340
 When God looks

00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:10.860
 at you, the

00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:11.799
 perfect, righteous

00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:12.860
 life of Jesus is

00:13:12.860 --> 00:13:13.720
 credited to you.

00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:16.360
 You're God's

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:17.539
 special person,

00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:19.299
 chosen by him,

00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:21.699
 set apart by him

00:13:21.699 --> 00:13:22.699
 to be his.

00:13:24.059 --> 00:13:27.100
 But, as we're

00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:27.559
 going to see in a

00:13:27.559 --> 00:13:28.840
 little bit, today

00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:29.740
 and next week,

00:13:29.740 --> 00:13:32.039
 God didn't just

00:13:32.039 --> 00:13:33.039
 set us apart to

00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:34.940
 be his special

00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:35.700
 people.

00:13:37.060 --> 00:13:38.240
 He set us apart

00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:39.560
 to live like,

00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:40.919
 act like,

00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:42.379
 his special

00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:42.919
 people.

00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:44.620
 We'll see that in a

00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:44.860
 moment.

00:13:45.560 --> 00:13:46.299
 Then look at this.

00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:47.519
 We are God's

00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:48.940
 beloved or God's

00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:50.039
 dearly loved people.

00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:52.440
 If you're a

00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:53.000
 Christian, you're the

00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:53.899
 object of God's

00:13:53.899 --> 00:13:55.039
 special love.

00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.639
 Just about every

00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.519
 time Paul talks

00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.399
 about God's

00:13:58.399 --> 00:13:59.819
 choosing or

00:13:59.819 --> 00:14:01.579
 electing us, he

00:14:01.579 --> 00:14:02.360
 attributes it to

00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:03.199
 God's love or

00:14:03.199 --> 00:14:03.980
 God's grace.

00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:06.399
 John, the apostle,

00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:07.860
 says that it's

00:14:07.860 --> 00:14:08.719
 because of God's

00:14:08.719 --> 00:14:09.620
 love that we are

00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:10.459
 children of God.

00:14:10.579 --> 00:14:11.019
 Look at how he

00:14:11.019 --> 00:14:11.959
 said this in 1 John

00:14:11.959 --> 00:14:12.279
 3.

00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:14.539
 See what kind of

00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:15.439
 love the Father

00:14:15.439 --> 00:14:16.620
 has given to us,

00:14:17.319 --> 00:14:18.539
 that we should be

00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:20.439
 called children of

00:14:20.439 --> 00:14:22.879
 God, and so we

00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.120
 are.

00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.259
 It is special.

00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:28.039
 We need to

00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:28.719
 understand this.

00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:30.980
 The God who

00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:31.939
 created all that

00:14:31.939 --> 00:14:34.139
 is, almighty God,

00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:36.399
 chose us, set us

00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:39.000
 apart, loves us.

00:14:41.099 --> 00:14:42.639
 He's made us his

00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.559
 children.

00:14:45.939 --> 00:14:46.939
 But God wants us

00:14:46.939 --> 00:14:48.319
 to do, now we need

00:14:48.319 --> 00:14:49.179
 to think about that

00:14:49.179 --> 00:14:50.019
 and let it sink in

00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:50.860
 and think about the

00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:52.899
 privilege that we

00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:53.279
 have.

00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:57.519
 God wants us to do

00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.139
 more than just sit

00:14:58.139 --> 00:14:59.439
 around and think

00:14:59.439 --> 00:14:59.839
 about it.

00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:01.639
 Don't just sit

00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:02.019
 around and think

00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:02.779
 about how special

00:15:02.779 --> 00:15:03.319
 you are.

00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:04.779
 He wants us to

00:15:04.779 --> 00:15:05.500
 live like his

00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:07.220
 special people every

00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:09.159
 day by becoming

00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:11.039
 more and more like

00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:11.699
 Christ.

00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:12.939
 He wants us to

00:15:12.939 --> 00:15:14.059
 become more and

00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:16.220
 more holy and pure

00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:18.120
 and develop the

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.799
 character qualities

00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:19.220
 we're going to look

00:15:19.220 --> 00:15:19.799
 at in the rest of

00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:20.279
 this passage.

00:15:20.699 --> 00:15:21.179
 The rest of this

00:15:21.179 --> 00:15:21.879
 passage shows us

00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:22.579
 what it looks like

00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:23.240
 to become more

00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:24.020
 like Jesus every

00:15:24.020 --> 00:15:24.280
 day.

00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:25.320
 Number two, we

00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.200
 can live like God's

00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:27.700
 special people.

00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:31.240
 We can, as

00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:32.400
 Christians indwell by

00:15:32.400 --> 00:15:33.400
 the Spirit of God,

00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:34.800
 we can live like

00:15:34.800 --> 00:15:36.280
 God's special people.

00:15:36.460 --> 00:15:36.980
 It's a growing

00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:38.320
 process, but we

00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:38.720
 can.

00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:39.940
 Paul describes what

00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:40.600
 it means to live

00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:41.220
 like God's special

00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:41.520
 people.

00:15:41.920 --> 00:15:42.520
 And the rest of

00:15:42.520 --> 00:15:43.100
 this chapter,

00:15:43.259 --> 00:15:44.000
 really, and in on

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:44.800
 the chapter four,

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:46.120
 we'll look at

00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:47.780
 verses 12 through

00:15:47.780 --> 00:15:49.240
 14 now under this

00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:49.500
 heading.

00:15:49.500 --> 00:15:51.320
 Here's the heading.

00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:53.019
 Let the love of

00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:54.480
 Christ fill you.

00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:55.960
 We can live like

00:15:55.960 --> 00:15:56.820
 God's special people

00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:57.519
 in the first way.

00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:58.419
 We need to let the

00:15:58.419 --> 00:15:59.820
 love of Christ fill

00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:00.019
 us.

00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:00.860
 Look at verse 14.

00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:03.740
 And above all these,

00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:06.659
 all the things he's

00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:07.340
 been talking about,

00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:09.080
 in verse 12,

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.000
 compassionate hearts,

00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:13.279
 kindness, humility,

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.539
 meekness, and patience,

00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:15.659
 bearing with one

00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:16.740
 another, forgiving one

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.039
 another.

00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:19.980
 And above all this,

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:22.060
 put on love, which

00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:23.220
 binds everything

00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:24.360
 together in perfect

00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:24.779
 harmony.

00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:26.100
 All of these

00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:27.440
 character qualities,

00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.680
 these virtues that I

00:16:28.680 --> 00:16:29.620
 just read, verses 12

00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:32.100
 and 13, they are

00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:34.060
 demonstrations of love.

00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:36.919
 You really will think,

00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:39.820
 say, that you love

00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:40.580
 your spouse, your

00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:41.680
 child, your friend.

00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:45.039
 You'll be compassionate.

00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.620
 You'll bear with them

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:49.980
 in good times and bad.

00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:51.679
 You'll forgive.

00:16:53.839 --> 00:16:57.639
 Love is what holds

00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:58.399
 them all together.

00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:00.379
 Paul says that love

00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:01.679
 binds them together in

00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:03.319
 perfect harmony.

00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:04.920
 They all go together.

00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:07.039
 You can't pick and

00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:07.759
 choose.

00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:10.299
 It's like when Paul

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:11.440
 talks along this same

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.680
 line in his letter to

00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:14.059
 the Galatians, he

00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:14.879
 describes Christian

00:17:14.879 --> 00:17:15.899
 character in terms of

00:17:15.899 --> 00:17:16.859
 the fruit of the

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:17.159
 Spirit.

00:17:17.659 --> 00:17:18.879
 Well, fruit of the

00:17:18.879 --> 00:17:19.759
 Spirit is singular.

00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:21.839
 But he says the fruit

00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:22.779
 of the Spirit is love,

00:17:22.899 --> 00:17:23.879
 joy, peace, patience,

00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:24.779
 kindness, goodness,

00:17:25.139 --> 00:17:25.919
 faithfulness, gentleness,

00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:26.599
 and self-control.

00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:27.639
 They all go together.

00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:29.200
 You can't pick and choose

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:32.099
 which one you'll focus

00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:33.399
 on, try to develop to

00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:34.759
 the neglect of the

00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:35.039
 other.

00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:36.179
 Let me give you an

00:17:36.179 --> 00:17:36.539
 example.

00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:39.559
 If Lisa is sick or

00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:42.980
 when she's sick, I do

00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:44.579
 show her compassion.

00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:46.899
 And I brought that out

00:17:46.899 --> 00:17:47.680
 in the first service when

00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.319
 she was sitting right

00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.379
 there and I asked her,

00:17:49.899 --> 00:17:51.200
 am I not compassionate

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:52.519
 when you are sick?

00:17:52.940 --> 00:17:53.960
 She said I was.

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.680
 If she's sick enough to

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:57.019
 be in the bed, I'll get

00:17:57.019 --> 00:17:57.639
 whatever she needs to

00:17:57.639 --> 00:17:59.279
 drink, medicine, put it

00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:00.680
 on the nightstand there.

00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:02.519
 If you need anything, let

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:05.500
 me know I am

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.220
 compassionate.

00:18:09.619 --> 00:18:10.940
 But after a day or two,

00:18:11.460 --> 00:18:14.960
 I'm not very patient.

00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:19.059
 And what started off being

00:18:19.059 --> 00:18:22.200
 very kind, when are you

00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:23.220
 going to do it yourself?

00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:24.519
 You know, you got to get

00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:25.900
 stronger, you know, suck it

00:18:25.900 --> 00:18:26.980
 up, it's time, you know.

00:18:28.879 --> 00:18:31.279
 You see, honestly, you're

00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:32.899
 everybody here is like me

00:18:32.899 --> 00:18:33.779
 in your own way.

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:37.740
 Honestly, there are times

00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:39.019
 I can pat myself on the

00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:42.220
 back about one quality,

00:18:43.139 --> 00:18:45.859
 two, some situations,

00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:54.559
 but not really care that

00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:57.079
 I'm not all that kind in

00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:57.839
 another situation.

00:18:58.779 --> 00:19:00.519
 Or not really be concerned

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:03.799
 and work on developing

00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:05.139
 more patience.

00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:08.160
 And what Paul wants us to

00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:09.519
 understand is that is not

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.200
 acceptable.

00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:13.400
 You can't be a godly person

00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:14.980
 on one hand and a jerk on

00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:15.400
 the other.

00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:19.379
 We're supposed, as Christians,

00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:20.700
 indwelled by the Spirit of

00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:25.720
 God, develop, work on,

00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:30.640
 becoming like Jesus in all of

00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:31.839
 these qualities that he

00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:34.559
 perfectly embodies, that we

00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:37.920
 see him demonstrating in his

00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:40.079
 earthly life in the Gospels.

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.079
 I want us to start looking at

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.519
 what it looks like for the love

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:45.759
 of Christ to fill us.

00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:46.640
 We're not going to finish it

00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:48.579
 today, but we're talking about

00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:49.740
 we can live like God's special

00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:50.039
 people.

00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:52.119
 The first thing, we need to

00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:54.519
 let the love of Christ fill us,

00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:57.259
 which means it will control us

00:19:57.259 --> 00:19:58.659
 and have an effect in a lot of

00:19:58.659 --> 00:19:59.180
 different ways.

00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:00.579
 Here's how it's going to have an

00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:01.399
 effect in the first way.

00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:04.220
 Love will unite us with all our

00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:05.759
 brothers and sisters in Christ.

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.059
 Now look at verse 11.

00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:10.599
 If you've been very careful to

00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.519
 follow along in this whole section

00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:13.720
 of Colossians, you've thought to

00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:15.240
 yourself, he skipped verse 11.

00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:17.799
 We're coming to it now.

00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:19.279
 Verse 11.

00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:22.120
 Here there is not Greek and Jew,

00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:24.759
 circumcised and uncircumcised,

00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:29.140
 barbarian, Scythian, a lowly,

00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:35.099
 despised, godless people, slave

00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:40.539
 free, but Christ is all and in all.

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:44.400
 The groups mentioned here, here's

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:44.780
 the point.

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:48.860
 They were different in race, in

00:20:48.860 --> 00:20:51.660
 class, social class, and in

00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:55.240
 culture, in nationality, in

00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:55.740
 religion.

00:20:57.860 --> 00:21:00.040
 We understand such differences,

00:21:00.040 --> 00:21:00.519
 don't we?

00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:04.480
 We live in a very diverse world,

00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:06.100
 country, community even.

00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:10.320
 All kinds of different people we

00:21:10.320 --> 00:21:12.259
 rub shoulders with, work with,

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:14.839
 live near all the time.

00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:21.140
 There's much racial tension in

00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:21.980
 this country today.

00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:24.480
 We're aware of it.

00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:27.740
 I sometimes think, and others do,

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:29.400
 who comment on this kind of stuff,

00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:31.140
 that there's even more tension

00:21:31.140 --> 00:21:34.599
 between social classes in this

00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:34.920
 country.

00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:39.039
 Now, during election years,

00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:41.980
 many politicians seem to try to

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:45.240
 make these tensions worse by

00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:48.019
 focusing on every single thing that

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:53.300
 divides us to the neglect of any

00:21:53.300 --> 00:21:55.259
 good thing that unites us.

00:21:55.259 --> 00:22:01.460
 But among God's people, we are called to

00:22:01.460 --> 00:22:09.420
 focus on, major on things that unite us

00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:13.259
 with the different kinds of races,

00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:15.500
 cultures, and social classes of people

00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:16.500
 that are around us.

00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:20.980
 We as Christians, we have two major points

00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:23.220
 of unity that we need to understand,

00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:26.200
 be aware of, and then live out.

00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.720
 Number one, we are really all members of

00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.480
 one race, the human race.

00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:36.740
 We are all people, red, yellow, black, and

00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:36.980
 white.

00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:40.380
 We are all created in the image of God.

00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:43.880
 And we are all descendants of the

00:22:43.880 --> 00:22:46.680
 original couple, Adam and Eve.

00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:52.660
 That makes us not so different in the

00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:54.799
 big scheme of things.

00:22:56.420 --> 00:22:57.819
 And then that's just general.

00:22:58.339 --> 00:22:59.920
 That's just living life in this world.

00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:04.839
 Everybody you see, we're a part of one

00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:06.579
 big race, the human race.

00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:10.339
 We are all, every one, created in the

00:23:10.339 --> 00:23:12.440
 image of God, which makes us of all

00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:14.599
 equal worth and value and so forth.

00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:17.319
 We all descend from the same original

00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:18.559
 couple, Adam and Eve.

00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:25.339
 There is a basic human unifying factor

00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:29.059
 that we ought to understand, embrace, and

00:23:29.059 --> 00:23:31.819
 make as much of as we can in the world

00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:32.339
 in general.

00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:35.360
 But in the church, among God's people,

00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:38.779
 as Christians, we're all members of one

00:23:38.779 --> 00:23:41.199
 family, God's family.

00:23:41.679 --> 00:23:44.559
 Through faith in Jesus Christ, we, with

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:46.539
 every other Christian, we became brothers

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:49.019
 and sisters, spiritually speaking.

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.479
 God is our Father.

00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:55.659
 We are His children.

00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:58.779
 All Christians in this world.

00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:04.480
 Now, let's try to think about a unifying factor or force.

00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:08.500
 One of the most unifying forces in this world today

00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:10.240
 is sports.

00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:17.240
 I am amazed at the power of sports teams,

00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:22.920
 what it does to bring diverse people together.

00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:30.039
 I often read about college football, my favorite sport to watch and read about and know something

00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:30.360
 about.

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:36.820
 I read a lot of things, articles and so forth that talks about the inner workings of teams,

00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:39.840
 not just Clemson.

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.820
 We'll talk about Clemson.

00:24:41.819 --> 00:24:47.619
 What amazes me is all that different group of guys,

00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:51.960
 different races, different socioeconomic backgrounds,

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:57.039
 different cultural stuff they bring.

00:24:58.139 --> 00:25:00.819
 But when they come to that team and they become one,

00:25:00.919 --> 00:25:02.099
 they become a Clemson Tiger,

00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:06.200
 everything that you read and observe,

00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:11.179
 they talk about being brothers.

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:18.379
 These grown, athletic men talk about loving one another.

00:25:20.379 --> 00:25:23.939
 They talk about having one another's back.

00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:28.279
 If you look at that whole team,

00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:31.179
 they're just so different.

00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:34.359
 They look, think, different.

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.939
 They come from different backgrounds.

00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:42.000
 But they are a great example,

00:25:42.820 --> 00:25:45.940
 models of unity in diversity.

00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:46.580
 diversity.

00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:53.600
 If that could happen in a sport,

00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:54.900
 on a team,

00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:59.600
 shouldn't we as Christians in the church,

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:04.460
 shouldn't we be able to do better

00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:07.860
 with the Spirit of God indwelling all of us?

00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:11.859
 The church should be the greatest model

00:26:12.619 --> 00:26:15.500
 of unity and diversity in the world,

00:26:15.819 --> 00:26:16.519
 in the country.

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.939
 But it is not.

00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:20.639
 And there's a lot of differences,

00:26:21.219 --> 00:26:22.339
 a lot of reasons why,

00:26:22.419 --> 00:26:23.500
 not all of them bad.

00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:28.259
 But we're not.

00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:31.980
 Let's just look at who we are right now.

00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:35.079
 If you look around this room,

00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:37.359
 just this particular room,

00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:40.180
 we're very different.

00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:45.259
 Education, wealth, job type,

00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:49.000
 personal interests, family backgrounds.

00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:51.799
 We're different.

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:57.400
 But our common commitment to Christ,

00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:00.039
 our common faith in Him,

00:27:01.099 --> 00:27:03.480
 should bring us together as

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:05.980
 brothers and sisters

00:27:05.980 --> 00:27:10.259
 who embrace one another as brothers and sisters.

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:13.619
 Now, I don't want you to think

00:27:13.619 --> 00:27:15.299
 I'm talking about some kind of

00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:16.680
 pie in the sky type stuff.

00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:20.380
 Paul understood that this list of people,

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.720
 they were very different.

00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:24.200
 And as in the church, as Christians,

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.720
 they embraced one another.

00:27:25.880 --> 00:27:27.120
 They loved one another.

00:27:27.360 --> 00:27:28.680
 They were united.

00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:31.140
 He's talking about it in Christ.

00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:32.299
 But they were still different.

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:34.960
 Even in your family.

00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:37.620
 If you've got more than one sibling,

00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:40.680
 you are probably closer to one

00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:42.620
 than the other.

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:44.140
 You love them both.

00:27:45.060 --> 00:27:46.360
 If you've got a whole bunch of them,

00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:48.139
 you probably don't even like one of them.

00:27:49.619 --> 00:27:50.740
 I mean, you think about it.

00:27:51.139 --> 00:27:52.439
 When you get together at Christmas,

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.000
 Thanksgiving, you've got a bunch of people there,

00:27:54.379 --> 00:27:55.899
 you know, aunts, uncles, all these cousins.

00:27:56.419 --> 00:27:57.859
 And you really do love one another.

00:27:57.939 --> 00:27:59.299
 You go to war with one another.

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:01.599
 But there's some of them you really love.

00:28:01.679 --> 00:28:03.859
 And there's some of them you like.

00:28:03.979 --> 00:28:04.699
 And there's some of them,

00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:06.139
 I don't care if I ever see them.

00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:08.919
 In this church,

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:11.920
 being who we're supposed to be,

00:28:13.140 --> 00:28:14.820
 there's going to be some people,

00:28:15.160 --> 00:28:16.279
 your brother and sister,

00:28:16.380 --> 00:28:17.060
 that you love,

00:28:17.120 --> 00:28:18.240
 you're super close to.

00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:20.800
 There's going to be some

00:28:20.800 --> 00:28:22.680
 that you like to see and speak to

00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.480
 and, you know,

00:28:23.560 --> 00:28:24.360
 talk a little bit to.

00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:26.360
 There's some,

00:28:27.360 --> 00:28:30.039
 if your path never crossed,

00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:31.900
 no big deal.

00:28:31.900 --> 00:28:36.080
 That's the reality of being different.

00:28:38.300 --> 00:28:40.519
 But as Christians in the church,

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:41.940
 in the kingdom of God,

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:44.460
 while we're not as close to everybody,

00:28:45.620 --> 00:28:46.280
 you can't be.

00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:48.740
 While we do recognize differences

00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:50.080
 and we do some things differently,

00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:53.380
 there should be this common bond

00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:55.060
 of love,

00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:56.960
 of common faith in Christ

00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:00.600
 that enables us to truly look at one another

00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:02.859
 and love,

00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:03.459
 care,

00:29:03.959 --> 00:29:04.279
 hope,

00:29:05.099 --> 00:29:06.199
 seek the best for.

00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:11.039
 Embrace one another.

00:29:11.459 --> 00:29:12.740
 Look out for one another.

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:15.539
 Now,

00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:17.980
 is that true for you?

00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:20.679
 For some people,

00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:21.619
 it certainly is.

00:29:22.619 --> 00:29:23.459
 For some people,

00:29:24.459 --> 00:29:26.419
 your church family

00:29:26.419 --> 00:29:27.619
 is truly

00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:29.459
 your Christian,

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:31.100
 spiritual family,

00:29:32.100 --> 00:29:32.819
 and you look around

00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:34.120
 and these are my brothers and sisters.

00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:34.960
 I know some of them better

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.840
 than I know others,

00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:36.079
 but

00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.259
 I'm here

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:40.120
 and I'm a part of it.

00:29:43.259 --> 00:29:44.340
 But everybody's not.

00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.759
 I want to ask you,

00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:49.960
 do you have the kind of love

00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:51.400
 that allows you to look beyond

00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:53.319
 the differences you see in this room

00:29:53.319 --> 00:29:59.639
 and truly embrace

00:29:59.639 --> 00:30:02.359
 everybody you see

00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:04.700
 as a brother or sister?

00:30:07.079 --> 00:30:07.559
 Or,

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:09.500
 do you look around

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:10.599
 and see all the differences

00:30:10.599 --> 00:30:13.919
 and you really only embrace

00:30:13.919 --> 00:30:14.720
 those who

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:16.039
 think

00:30:16.039 --> 00:30:17.399
 and look

00:30:17.399 --> 00:30:18.939
 like you?

00:30:18.940 --> 00:30:24.120
 the love of Christ.

00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:28.660
 When He

00:30:28.660 --> 00:30:30.500
 fills us,

00:30:31.880 --> 00:30:32.880
 He will help us

00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:33.840
 to work on

00:30:33.840 --> 00:30:35.000
 truly

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.840
 being

00:30:35.840 --> 00:30:36.820
 a family

00:30:36.820 --> 00:30:38.720
 with our

00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:39.620
 Christian

00:30:39.620 --> 00:30:41.080
 brothers and sisters.

00:30:41.080 --> 00:30:44.580
 But let's think about

00:30:44.580 --> 00:30:45.539
 outside the church

00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:46.160
 for a moment.

00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:48.880
 Do you really believe

00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:49.519
 that people

00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.640
 of different races,

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.680
 classes,

00:30:51.900 --> 00:30:52.620
 and cultures

00:30:52.620 --> 00:30:54.279
 are created

00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:55.380
 in the image of God

00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:57.640
 just like you?

00:31:00.040 --> 00:31:01.480
 Do you ask God,

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:04.220
 at least ask Him,

00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:06.160
 to help you to treat

00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:07.160
 all the different kinds

00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:08.360
 of people in your life

00:31:08.360 --> 00:31:10.160
 with worth,

00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:13.019
 with value,

00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:15.579
 with a certain amount

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:16.339
 of dignity

00:31:16.339 --> 00:31:17.259
 because they are

00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:18.639
 a fellow human being,

00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:20.519
 your equal

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.680
 human being?

00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:25.579
 Let's go one step further.

00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:27.339
 You look at these

00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:28.119
 different type of people

00:31:28.119 --> 00:31:28.700
 around you

00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:29.720
 in this community.

00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:33.779
 It's not only being

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:34.559
 created in the image

00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:34.839
 of God,

00:31:34.879 --> 00:31:35.579
 but being loved

00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:36.160
 by God.

00:31:38.259 --> 00:31:38.779
 Do you ever even

00:31:38.779 --> 00:31:39.379
 think about

00:31:39.379 --> 00:31:40.619
 some of these people

00:31:40.619 --> 00:31:42.199
 as someone

00:31:42.199 --> 00:31:42.979
 for whom

00:31:42.979 --> 00:31:43.719
 Christ

00:31:43.719 --> 00:31:44.899
 died?

00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:48.559
 And

00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:50.659
 do you ever think

00:31:50.659 --> 00:31:51.339
 that some of the people

00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:52.819
 who are different,

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.339
 who are odd,

00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:55.739
 who are difficult,

00:31:57.099 --> 00:31:58.199
 but they're in your life,

00:31:58.439 --> 00:31:58.779
 they're

00:31:58.779 --> 00:32:01.859
 in some of your worlds,

00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:03.959
 do you ever think

00:32:03.959 --> 00:32:05.199
 maybe God put them there

00:32:05.199 --> 00:32:07.019
 for you

00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:09.799
 to embrace

00:32:09.799 --> 00:32:12.259
 and share the gospel

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:12.680
 with

00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:14.480
 and show them

00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:15.160
 love?

00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:19.279
 When the love of God

00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:20.480
 is active in our lives,

00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:24.079
 we will be able,

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:25.420
 it may be hard,

00:32:26.019 --> 00:32:26.579
 but we'll be able

00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:27.920
 to find common ground

00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.460
 with people

00:32:28.460 --> 00:32:29.259
 who are different

00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:30.139
 from us,

00:32:30.940 --> 00:32:32.599
 especially

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:34.379
 when they are our

00:32:34.379 --> 00:32:35.240
 brothers and sisters

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:35.900
 in Christ.

00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:37.920
 We won't let

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:39.460
 racial and cultural

00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:41.600
 and class

00:32:41.600 --> 00:32:43.300
 differences

00:32:43.300 --> 00:32:45.360
 be barriers

00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:47.900
 to our

00:32:47.900 --> 00:32:49.400
 developing relationships

00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:50.400
 with them.

00:32:52.040 --> 00:32:52.780
 Now next week

00:32:52.780 --> 00:32:53.500
 we're going to

00:32:53.500 --> 00:32:54.300
 look at how

00:32:54.300 --> 00:32:55.180
 Christian love

00:32:55.180 --> 00:32:55.820
 will enable us

00:32:55.820 --> 00:32:56.320
 to live like

00:32:56.320 --> 00:32:56.880
 God's people

00:32:56.880 --> 00:32:57.960
 with those

00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:58.700
 who are closer

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.680
 to us,

00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.380
 how love

00:33:01.380 --> 00:33:01.940
 will enable us

00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:02.440
 to bear

00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:03.019
 with our brothers

00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:03.440
 and sisters

00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:04.080
 in Christ,

00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:06.220
 be compassionate,

00:33:06.399 --> 00:33:07.059
 show kindness,

00:33:07.199 --> 00:33:07.980
 these kind of things.

00:33:08.699 --> 00:33:09.000
 And we're going to

00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:09.759
 also look how

00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:11.240
 Christian love

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:12.019
 will enable us

00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:13.539
 to forgive people,

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:15.480
 not to hold grudges,

00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:17.419
 not to be bitter,

00:33:18.099 --> 00:33:19.359
 but to forgive people

00:33:19.359 --> 00:33:20.259
 just as

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:22.039
 God has forgiven us.

00:33:22.699 --> 00:33:23.439
 But I want to conclude

00:33:23.439 --> 00:33:23.879
 this morning

00:33:23.879 --> 00:33:24.480
 by looking at the

00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.159
 first phrase

00:33:25.159 --> 00:33:26.119
 of verse 12.

00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:27.679
 He says,

00:33:27.859 --> 00:33:28.279
 put on.

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.220
 Verse 12,

00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:30.980
 put on then

00:33:30.980 --> 00:33:32.480
 as God's chosen

00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:33.180
 and so forth

00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:33.599
 and so on.

00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:35.019
 Put on.

00:33:35.160 --> 00:33:35.920
 Some translations

00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:37.740
 say clothe yourselves.

00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:39.500
 What he wants to see

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:40.339
 is this is a present

00:33:40.339 --> 00:33:41.180
 tense command.

00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:42.819
 It means to put on

00:33:42.819 --> 00:33:43.680
 and keep on

00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:44.380
 putting on

00:33:44.380 --> 00:33:45.319
 these character

00:33:45.319 --> 00:33:45.980
 qualities.

00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:49.319
 Our developing

00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:49.819
 humility

00:33:49.819 --> 00:33:50.740
 and kindness

00:33:50.740 --> 00:33:52.759
 is something

00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:53.200
 we're supposed

00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:54.019
 to work at

00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:56.420
 every day

00:33:56.420 --> 00:33:58.880
 in just an

00:33:58.880 --> 00:34:00.059
 ongoing effort.

00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:00.139
 spirit.

00:34:00.740 --> 00:34:01.159
 It's not,

00:34:01.299 --> 00:34:02.200
 it's a mindset.

00:34:02.899 --> 00:34:03.940
 It's a lifestyle.

00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:06.139
 And we can live

00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:06.879
 and love people

00:34:06.879 --> 00:34:07.319
 this way

00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:08.340
 because we are

00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:09.099
 God's chosen,

00:34:09.259 --> 00:34:09.400
 holy,

00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:10.199
 and beloved people.

00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:11.440
 God has put

00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:12.019
 his spirit

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:12.759
 in us

00:34:12.759 --> 00:34:13.380
 to give us

00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:14.000
 the desire

00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:14.860
 and the ability

00:34:14.860 --> 00:34:16.079
 to live like

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:16.440
 his people.

00:34:17.380 --> 00:34:17.759
 So here's how

00:34:17.759 --> 00:34:18.360
 I want to end it.

00:34:19.279 --> 00:34:19.880
 Do you see

00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:20.679
 signs

00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:22.460
 that God

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:22.920
 is working

00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:23.440
 in you

00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:24.480
 this way?

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:28.299
 Do you see

00:34:28.299 --> 00:34:28.920
 signs

00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:32.039
 that the love

00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:32.559
 of God

00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.680
 is at work

00:34:33.680 --> 00:34:34.280
 in you

00:34:34.280 --> 00:34:36.740
 toward people

00:34:36.740 --> 00:34:37.019
 as we're

00:34:37.019 --> 00:34:37.500
 talking about?

00:34:38.820 --> 00:34:39.559
 If we're

00:34:39.559 --> 00:34:40.340
 truly Christians

00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:41.900
 we should

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:42.840
 see some

00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:43.579
 signs.

00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:44.760
 If you don't

00:34:44.760 --> 00:34:45.320
 see any,

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:47.900
 if you basically

00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:49.220
 just do not

00:34:49.220 --> 00:34:50.360
 care about

00:34:50.360 --> 00:34:51.119
 anybody that's

00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:51.599
 different from

00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:51.740
 you,

00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:52.380
 you can't be

00:34:52.380 --> 00:34:52.820
 a Christian.

00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:54.139
 You can't have

00:34:54.139 --> 00:34:54.659
 the spirit

00:34:54.659 --> 00:34:55.159
 of God

00:34:55.159 --> 00:34:55.619
 in you,

00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:56.360
 the spirit

00:34:56.360 --> 00:34:57.059
 of love,

00:34:57.180 --> 00:34:57.420
 joy,

00:34:57.579 --> 00:34:57.780
 peace,

00:34:57.880 --> 00:34:58.099
 patience,

00:34:58.099 --> 00:34:58.420
 kindness,

00:34:58.779 --> 00:34:59.139
 you can't

00:34:59.139 --> 00:34:59.599
 have his

00:34:59.599 --> 00:34:59.880
 spirit

00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.259
 dwell in

00:35:00.259 --> 00:35:00.759
 you and

00:35:00.759 --> 00:35:01.420
 just not

00:35:01.420 --> 00:35:02.099
 care about

00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:02.719
 anybody who

00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:03.019
 looks,

00:35:03.159 --> 00:35:03.279
 thinks,

00:35:03.380 --> 00:35:03.599
 or acts

00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:03.839
 different

00:35:03.839 --> 00:35:04.139
 than you

00:35:04.139 --> 00:35:04.319
 do.

00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:07.460
 So if

00:35:07.460 --> 00:35:07.759
 that's the

00:35:07.759 --> 00:35:07.960
 case,

00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:08.319
 what you

00:35:08.319 --> 00:35:08.559
 need to

00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:08.839
 do this

00:35:08.839 --> 00:35:09.099
 morning

00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:10.739
 is admit

00:35:10.739 --> 00:35:12.199
 that and

00:35:12.199 --> 00:35:12.420
 if it

00:35:12.420 --> 00:35:13.139
 bothers you,

00:35:13.699 --> 00:35:14.099
 turn to

00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:14.679
 Christ in

00:35:14.679 --> 00:35:15.420
 real faith

00:35:15.420 --> 00:35:15.920
 and commitment.

00:35:17.239 --> 00:35:17.719
 But it

00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:18.219
 could be that

00:35:18.219 --> 00:35:18.679
 you are a

00:35:18.679 --> 00:35:19.000
 Christian.

00:35:20.279 --> 00:35:20.699
 It could be

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.039
 that you know

00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:21.480
 very well

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:21.699
 what I'm

00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:22.179
 talking about,

00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:22.559
 how the

00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:22.920
 spirit of

00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:23.360
 God gives

00:35:23.360 --> 00:35:23.619
 you the

00:35:23.619 --> 00:35:24.279
 desire and

00:35:24.279 --> 00:35:24.779
 the ability

00:35:24.779 --> 00:35:26.500
 to show

00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:26.839
 this kind

00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:27.380
 love but

00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:29.320
 you've just

00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:29.660
 not been

00:35:29.660 --> 00:35:30.000
 doing it

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:30.260
 lately.

00:35:31.640 --> 00:35:32.079
 Maybe you

00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:32.940
 have quenched

00:35:32.940 --> 00:35:33.860
 the spirit

00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:34.460
 of God.

00:35:36.460 --> 00:35:37.200
 Maybe you've

00:35:37.200 --> 00:35:37.840
 developed a

00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:38.480
 hard heart

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:39.100
 towards certain

00:35:39.100 --> 00:35:39.860
 kinds of

00:35:39.860 --> 00:35:40.660
 people or

00:35:40.660 --> 00:35:41.100
 certain

00:35:41.100 --> 00:35:41.740
 individuals.

00:35:44.420 --> 00:35:45.059
 If that's

00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:45.600
 the case,

00:35:46.700 --> 00:35:47.079
 I want to

00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:47.420
 encourage you

00:35:47.420 --> 00:35:47.740
 to do some

00:35:47.740 --> 00:35:48.760
 serious soul

00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:49.300
 searching.

00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:51.039
 That's not

00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:51.640
 who you are

00:35:51.640 --> 00:35:52.220
 in Christ.

00:35:52.780 --> 00:35:53.200
 That's not

00:35:53.200 --> 00:35:53.620
 how God

00:35:53.620 --> 00:35:54.200
 calls you

00:35:54.199 --> 00:35:54.679
 to be.

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:56.779
 And it

00:35:56.779 --> 00:35:57.039
 may be

00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:57.379
 there needs

00:35:57.379 --> 00:35:57.559
 to be

00:35:57.559 --> 00:35:57.719
 some

00:35:57.719 --> 00:35:58.259
 confession

00:35:58.259 --> 00:35:59.039
 made,

00:35:59.939 --> 00:36:00.359
 changing

00:36:00.359 --> 00:36:01.559
 minds,

00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:03.139
 turning from

00:36:03.139 --> 00:36:03.599
 sin,

00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:05.439
 coming back

00:36:05.439 --> 00:36:05.819
 to the Lord

00:36:05.819 --> 00:36:06.259
 in a new

00:36:06.259 --> 00:36:06.839
 commitment,

00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:08.139
 asking him

00:36:08.139 --> 00:36:08.759
 to help

00:36:08.759 --> 00:36:10.480
 you to

00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:10.960
 love this

00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:11.299
 way.

00:36:13.439 --> 00:36:14.159
 And you

00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:14.759
 can do

00:36:14.759 --> 00:36:16.519
 it if

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.059
 you're united

00:36:17.059 --> 00:36:17.719
 to Christ,

00:36:18.379 --> 00:36:18.779
 filled with

00:36:18.779 --> 00:36:19.239
 the spirit

00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:19.819
 of Christ.

00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:21.359
 That's just

00:36:21.359 --> 00:36:22.119
 who we are

00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:22.699
 as Christians.

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.739
 let's pray

00:36:23.739 --> 00:36:24.079
 together.

00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:25.519
 Father,

00:36:26.659 --> 00:36:28.739
 show each

00:36:28.739 --> 00:36:29.539
 one of us

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:31.099
 just where

00:36:31.099 --> 00:36:31.879
 we are

00:36:31.879 --> 00:36:32.779
 in our

00:36:32.779 --> 00:36:33.179
 relationship

00:36:33.179 --> 00:36:33.719
 with you

00:36:33.719 --> 00:36:37.019
 and help

00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:37.480
 us to

00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:39.039
 draw

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:39.619
 closer.

00:36:41.099 --> 00:36:41.759
 Give us

00:36:41.759 --> 00:36:42.500
 the desire

00:36:42.500 --> 00:36:44.079
 to put

00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:44.579
 forth the

00:36:44.579 --> 00:36:44.859
 effort

00:36:44.859 --> 00:36:46.879
 to put

00:36:46.879 --> 00:36:47.559
 on

00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:49.159
 the love

00:36:49.159 --> 00:36:49.819
 of Christ

00:36:49.820 --> 00:36:51.420
 in these

00:36:51.420 --> 00:36:51.840
 specific

00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:52.200
 ways

00:36:52.200 --> 00:36:52.519
 that we've

00:36:52.519 --> 00:36:52.960
 seen

00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:55.820
 and do

00:36:55.820 --> 00:36:56.280
 it in our

00:36:56.280 --> 00:36:56.940
 relationships

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.940
 with all

00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:58.820
 kinds of

00:36:58.820 --> 00:36:59.240
 people.

00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.440
 Let's just

00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:02.960
 now listen

00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:03.300
 to the Lord

00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:03.800
 and respond

00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:04.200
 to him.

00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:05.100
 I'd be

00:37:05.100 --> 00:37:05.440
 happy to

00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:06.380
 pray with

00:37:06.380 --> 00:37:06.760
 you here

00:37:06.760 --> 00:37:06.980
 at the

00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:07.300
 front

00:37:07.300 --> 00:37:07.760
 during this

00:37:07.760 --> 00:37:08.120
 time.

00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:09.740
 Just

00:37:09.740 --> 00:37:11.000
 the main

00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:11.400
 thing is to

00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:11.780
 obey the

00:37:11.780 --> 00:37:12.000
 Lord.

00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:30.300
 What a

00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:31.400
 man