WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:25.080 Amen, amen. Children, we are ready for Children's Church at this time. You may make your way to the back. Thank you so much, Praise Team, for leading us so well in worship. We thank you for using your talents, your gifts, but also just the message that we get to proclaim. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood, the difference that a relationship with the Lord makes, and I am so thankful for that today. 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:41.000 Today, we're in week three of our discipleship pathway, and in this pathway, we've seen several different things. The last two weeks, we've talked about Disciples Know. Today, we're going to be talking about Disciples Grow, and that's going to be next week as well. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:55.439 And then we're going to spend two weeks on Disciples Show, and two weeks on Disciples Grow. And I feel like for many of us, this Disciples Know and a little bit of Disciples Grow is where we spend most of our Christian lives. 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:12.719 We understand the fact that we understand the fact that as disciples of Jesus, we understand that there should be a little bit of growth that goes into that, but many times, this is where we stay. This is kind of where we plateau off as believers. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:28.739 But what I hope that we're going to realize is the fact that as disciples of Jesus, we should be growing. This isn't something that should be for a few believers. This isn't something that once you check that box off that you've grown a little bit. 00:01:28.739 --> 00:01:42.500 Once you've completed reading the Bible one time, then you can just check that box off. But no, this is something that we continue to grow in. This is something that we all do. We grow deeper into the gospel. We grow in our understanding of God. 00:01:42.500 --> 00:02:08.780 We grow in our dependence. We grow in our relationship with Christ. So many ways in which as believers, we grow. Well, tonight, as you've already heard, we're going to have a night of prayer and praise. And it is my hope and prayer that it will also be a night in which we grow. Prayer and praise are always a great place to start when it comes to growing in our relationship. 00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:23.920 But tonight's going to be a little different as well. Yes, it is a night of prayer and praise, but it's going to be a little different. What we've recognized is that God has blessed this church and blessed us in many, many ways. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:41.119 And in one of those ways in which he's blessed us, he's blessed us financially. He's blessed us to have the ability to put us in a position to be very close to paying off a large renovation before we even step foot into it. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:52.259 He's blessed us to be able to build our sinking fund, to be able to pay for a major unforeseen expense that a church this old and this size that will have from time to time. 00:02:52.259 --> 00:03:06.500 He's blessed us to be able to build and provide in our general fund, building it to a comfortable level to the point where we were able to set aside two $50,000 commercial papers that have been drawing interest for over a year now. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:16.039 And I firmly believe that God, as God blesses us, his desire, his want for us is to be a blessing to others. 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:20.879 It's not just to keep all of this here for ourselves, but it's to be a blessing to others. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:26.419 In Matthew 6, 19 through 21, Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount says this. 00:03:26.939 --> 00:03:27.240 He says, 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:56.600 As believers, as a church full of believers, we take scripture very seriously and want to invest well. 00:03:56.599 --> 00:04:02.939 Part of investing is making sure that we're able to do the things that God has called us to do right here in these facilities. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.879 And I believe that we are in a great position to be able to do that. 00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:12.639 But also, investing well in God's eyes is investing in the kingdom. 00:04:13.419 --> 00:04:19.040 This passage also tells us how we invest our treasure, where we place our treasure, 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:22.500 will also determine the direction of our heart. 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:26.840 It will determine where we go with our heart for Christ. 00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:31.960 That being said, in a deacons meeting a couple of months ago, 00:04:32.100 --> 00:04:41.520 the deacons unanimously voted to take those two commercial papers and the interest that they have been accruing and give it to missions. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:50.319 50,000 plus some interest will be given to international mission partnerships that we have all over the world. 00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:55.779 And 50,000 plus the interest will be given to North American missions. 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:57.479 This could be a church right down the road. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:04:59.919 This could be a church on the other side of the country. 00:05:00.479 --> 00:05:02.519 It could be any number of things. 00:05:02.620 --> 00:05:05.259 The money is designated for missions. 00:05:05.259 --> 00:05:09.199 But tonight, as a church, we're going to come together and pray. 00:05:09.719 --> 00:05:14.980 We're going to come together and pray and ask the Lord to give us wisdom and guidance and direction 00:05:14.980 --> 00:05:20.500 to best use these gifts in a way that will invest well in the kingdom of God, 00:05:20.579 --> 00:05:26.159 to invest well in missions right here in our community, across this nation, and across the world. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:31.199 And so I want to encourage you to come back tonight, celebrate with us what God has done, 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.579 celebrate and anticipate what God is going to do with these, 00:05:34.579 --> 00:05:37.819 and pray for wisdom, guidance, and direction. 00:05:38.039 --> 00:05:44.359 And so it's a night of prayer and praise absolutely all the way around for what God has done 00:05:44.359 --> 00:05:46.039 and what he continues to do. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:52.240 That being said, one of the ways in which we are able to grow and able to follow God 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:58.299 and his leading and his guiding and his directing is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:02.779 This should be something that sets us apart from everyone else. 00:06:02.779 --> 00:06:08.219 That as believers, we have our gaze, we have our eyes fixed on Jesus. 00:06:08.559 --> 00:06:14.119 And as others look to our lives, they're going to see something that is different about us. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:19.539 And about a week from now, Catherine and I, along with a number of other people from this church, 00:06:19.579 --> 00:06:25.699 and then also a church in Alabama, will be traveling to Greece following in the footsteps of Paul. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:29.259 And we're very much looking forward to this and anticipating this. 00:06:29.259 --> 00:06:33.639 But one of the things that always happens to me, and I don't know if this happens to you, 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:39.500 but one of the things that always happens to me when I travel somewhere is inevitably somebody's going to say, 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:40.740 where are you from? 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:42.379 Where are you from? 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:45.719 And usually for me, it happens when I open my mouth. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.959 Because looking at me, I could be from a lot of different places. 00:06:49.039 --> 00:06:50.159 I could be from all over. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:58.180 But usually, when I open my mouth, there's just something about this ever so slight, hardly noticeable southern drawl, 00:06:58.200 --> 00:07:02.380 just a little bit, that shows them he's not from around here. 00:07:02.840 --> 00:07:08.060 And so the next question that they'll inevitably ask is, where are you from? 00:07:08.340 --> 00:07:09.180 Where are you from? 00:07:09.200 --> 00:07:15.100 And as believers, we should be living in a way that other people are going to look at our life 00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:17.980 and say, there's something that's different about you. 00:07:17.980 --> 00:07:21.840 I want to know more about what is different about you. 00:07:22.080 --> 00:07:23.660 It should be obvious. 00:07:24.200 --> 00:07:27.600 And so in our passage today, we're going to read about this. 00:07:27.720 --> 00:07:31.580 Our passage today, as clearly as anywhere in Scripture, 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:35.700 reminds us of the fact that we should be living differently. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.759 And so I want to encourage you, if you have a copy of God's Word, 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:42.080 to open with me to Colossians chapter 3. 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:45.540 And we're going to read the first 17 verses together. 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:51.260 But this is a beautiful picture of what it means to not only have a relationship with the Lord, 00:07:51.379 --> 00:07:56.319 but also what it means in our life as we live out of this relationship. 00:07:56.700 --> 00:07:58.040 So listen to these words. 00:07:58.140 --> 00:07:58.920 It says this. 00:08:00.260 --> 00:08:00.760 It says, 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:30.740 It says, 00:08:30.759 --> 00:09:00.759 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:30.759 00:09:30.759 --> 00:10:00.759 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:14.539 As we begin to look at this, as we see this, 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:22.299 it should be obvious from our passage today that I want us to clearly see the importance of the fact of having a relationship with the Lord 00:10:22.299 --> 00:10:27.259 and what it changes in our life and all the different ways in which it plays out in our life. 00:10:27.339 --> 00:10:33.500 And so from this, I want us to very clearly and up front see something that should be obvious from this text. 00:10:33.500 --> 00:10:35.120 And it is this. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:37.679 Disciples of Jesus grow. 00:10:38.579 --> 00:10:39.639 And it's pretty simple. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:45.019 It's what our whole next part of our discipleship pathway is based on, 00:10:45.079 --> 00:10:46.799 is that disciples grow. 00:10:47.219 --> 00:10:48.959 Disciples of Jesus grow. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:56.700 So previously, in the end of Colossians 2, Paul is stating the futility of trying to live for yourself, 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:02.879 of trying to gain a right standing before God by doing it on your own, by living a certain way. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:09.039 We clearly see that we don't gain a right standing before God based on our works. 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:16.259 But what we also see is that from a right standing before God, from a right standing with God, 00:11:16.539 --> 00:11:18.860 works are going to be a part of who we are. 00:11:18.939 --> 00:11:21.399 They're going to be a part of the Christian life. 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:24.840 And so Paul says here in chapter 3, 00:11:25.340 --> 00:11:30.039 If then you've been raised with Christ, then seek the things that are above. 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:34.459 If you've been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:39.620 I think Paul is trying to communicate a cause and effect relationship here. 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:44.639 If you're a believer, if you are a Christian, if you are a disciple of Jesus, 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:46.860 then you will be growing. 00:11:47.319 --> 00:11:53.039 If you have been raised with Christ, then seek the things that are above. 00:11:53.580 --> 00:11:55.759 What are the things that are above that we're to be seeking? 00:11:56.039 --> 00:11:58.939 You know, are we to seek the throne of God? 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:03.759 Is this some kind of heavenly furniture that we're trying to be seeking in this world? 00:12:04.179 --> 00:12:05.240 Obviously not. 00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:06.679 It's not those things. 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:14.259 But what we're going after, the things that we're seeking are His character, His presence, His heavenly joys. 00:12:14.739 --> 00:12:21.819 We're not simply seeking a place or a thing, but rather the one who dwells there. 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:26.979 In addition to this, this is not something that we simply do once and we forget about. 00:12:27.579 --> 00:12:33.379 The verb here, seek, is in the present imperative, which means that it is something that we do, 00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:36.879 but in addition to doing it, it's something that we keep on doing. 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:40.919 And so we're seeking, we seek, and we keep on seeking. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:44.639 If then you've been raised with Christ, you seek the things above, 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:50.559 but you keep on doing this forever and as long as you live, you keep on doing this. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:52.399 You continue to seek. 00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:56.279 This means that we focus on these things. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:58.700 It means we think about them. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:00.860 It means we value them. 00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:03.299 It means we prioritize them in our life. 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:11.240 I don't think there is a believer in the room who would disagree with the fact that we should set our minds on the things that are above. 00:13:11.779 --> 00:13:15.399 There's not a believer who would say, you know what, it's great to know God, 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:18.500 and yeah, you want to think about some of those things, but it's not really that important. 00:13:18.539 --> 00:13:21.740 I don't think anybody would actually say that. 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:28.600 However, I do think that we are all guilty at times of disagreeing with that statement with our actions. 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:32.139 We know that we should be seeking the things that are above. 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:35.299 We know that we should be fixing our minds on these things. 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:41.100 We know that we should value them, prioritize them, but yet with our actions, we don't always do that. 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:43.279 We say we follow Christ. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:50.059 We say we are focused on the things that are above, while our lives and actions beg to differ. 00:13:50.059 --> 00:13:56.679 We say that we have put to death the old self, but secretly, many times we keep it alive and well. 00:13:57.019 --> 00:14:00.719 We keep it alive in our lives, and we don't put it to death. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:09.379 And for many of us, as believers, what this means for us in our life is that we put to death those sins that are visible. 00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:18.920 We put to death those sins that everybody else can see, while we keep alive those secret things that we think nobody else knows about. 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:35.139 And so, as believers, we must understand, if you've been raised with Christ, then our lives, not just part of our lives, not just several compartments of our lives, but all of our lives are focused on the things that are above. 00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:37.460 Think of it like this. 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:46.960 One of the things that I have really enjoyed here lately over the last few years is not only watching Jacob play football, but hearing about practice and all these things. 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:52.319 And I think part of the reason that I enjoy it is because it brings back memories in my mind. 00:14:52.580 --> 00:15:00.340 It brings back those fun times in my mind, you know, those really fun times where it's 95 degrees and as humid as it can possibly be outside. 00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:06.000 And so, as soon as you put your pads on, you walk outside and you immediately start sweating. 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:14.080 And so, it's in the middle of summer and so you're doing all of these things and you make your way to the practice field, which has grass and dirt on it. 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:17.160 Now, they have the field, which is turf and it's great. 00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:21.820 But at that time, you know, it was just grass and a bunch of bare spots where we've really worn it out. 00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:30.480 And so, as soon as you start practicing, this sweat builds up and you just have grass and dirt and mud that just sticks to you everywhere. 00:15:30.900 --> 00:15:39.700 And you just have this shirt on that gets so soaking wet with sweat and the water that people mess around spraying on you and all of those other things. 00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.100 And it's just getting nasty. 00:15:41.260 --> 00:15:44.720 And so, after practice, you have one thing on your mind. 00:15:45.260 --> 00:15:46.240 Go get a shower. 00:15:46.660 --> 00:15:47.560 At least that's what I like. 00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:49.640 I could not wait to go get a shower. 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:52.939 And so, you make your way to the locker room and you peel this shirt off. 00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:55.419 And I say peel because that's the only way to describe it. 00:15:55.460 --> 00:15:56.840 I mean, it's stuck to you everywhere. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:01.699 And you're trying to just peel it off of you and it just plops down when you drop it down on the ground. 00:16:01.699 --> 00:16:03.759 I know this is gross, but bear with me, okay? 00:16:04.059 --> 00:16:05.740 And it just plops down. 00:16:06.179 --> 00:16:15.819 And so, you make your way to the shower and you're there and you just stand there until you see the stream of grass and dirt and mud stop flowing to the drain. 00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:17.799 And then you start soaping up. 00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:22.219 And then you see more grass and mud and dirt just flowing to the drain. 00:16:22.359 --> 00:16:24.859 And finally, all of that stops and you make your way out. 00:16:25.079 --> 00:16:33.699 And can you imagine at this point, you go back to your locker and you pick up that nasty shirt that you just peeled off. 00:16:34.099 --> 00:16:37.519 And you get your buddy to help you put it on because you can't put it on anymore because it's so sticky. 00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:38.719 And you get them to help you. 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:40.299 But that would be gross, right? 00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:42.659 That's something that none of us would do. 00:16:42.779 --> 00:16:54.079 Yet, many of us as believers often clothe ourselves with sinful behavior that does not fit with our purified identity in Christ. 00:16:54.339 --> 00:16:56.799 We say we have put off our old self. 00:16:57.059 --> 00:16:59.979 We say that we've put it to death and we're putting on the new self. 00:16:59.980 --> 00:17:03.139 And so we must understand what this means. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:09.660 By God's grace, our sin has been cleansed through the atoning work of Christ. 00:17:09.900 --> 00:17:15.599 Not our actions, not anything that we have done, but by the atoning work of Christ. 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:22.380 And we've been called to put on or to clothe ourselves with the things of God. 00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:26.820 And so this morning, I hope we see the importance of growing. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.740 The importance of growing in that relationship with God. 00:17:29.820 --> 00:17:35.660 If we've been cleansed, then we begin to spend our lives putting on the things of God. 00:17:36.080 --> 00:17:45.200 What Paul begins to show us is that following Christ and growing in that relationship means that there are things we are to stop doing. 00:17:45.500 --> 00:17:49.300 But at the same time, there are the things that we are to start doing. 00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:53.859 In other words, there are things that we put off and things that we put on. 00:17:54.399 --> 00:18:03.460 And so the next thing that I want us to be able to see clearly from this passage is that disciples of Jesus grow by putting off sin. 00:18:04.419 --> 00:18:08.639 Disciples of Jesus grow by putting off sin. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:12.319 Colossians 3, 5 through 11 says, 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:42.119 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self. 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:45.459 With its practices and have put on the new self. 00:18:45.459 --> 00:18:49.539 Which is being renewed in the knowledge and after the image of its creator. 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:53.939 Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised. 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:57.239 Barbarian, Scythian, slave and free. 00:18:57.659 --> 00:19:00.699 But Christ is all and in all. 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:07.000 Now we obviously don't have time to look at every single sin that is being talked about in this passage. 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:13.859 We don't have to go through and list out exactly what Paul means when he says these things. 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:16.680 I think that we can understand most of it ourselves. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:19.519 And it's not intended to be an all-inclusive list here. 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:23.420 But it's helping us see what we should be putting to death. 00:19:24.140 --> 00:19:25.920 And so Paul is clear here. 00:19:25.980 --> 00:19:32.019 While not intending to give us every single sin that has ever been committed by a believer. 00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:35.240 He does want us to be mindful of some dangers. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:41.220 And one of those dangers that he wants us to be very mindful of here we see is sexual sin. 00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:47.180 The term sexual immorality typically refers to any type of sexual sin. 00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:54.240 And these first five things that he lists all have to do with sexual sin. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:58.680 And so this is something that we typically don't talk about a lot. 00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:00.160 And we try to ignore. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:07.299 But clearly it was a problem for this church and for the people that Paul was writing to. 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:16.960 And statistically and all of the research shows that it is still a problem today in churches all over the world. 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:21.220 Sexual sin, especially when it comes to things like pornography, 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:26.220 It's easy to convince ourselves, well it doesn't affect anybody else. 00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:32.460 It's easy to try to communicate and tell ourselves that, well this is really only bothering me. 00:20:32.660 --> 00:20:35.039 This is really only something that I'm dealing with. 00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:37.000 But here's the truth of the matter. 00:20:37.259 --> 00:20:39.600 Sin always affects others. 00:20:40.360 --> 00:20:45.339 It may start in our personal lives where nobody else is aware of it. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:47.600 But it never stays there. 00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:49.360 It never stays there. 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:51.459 It always tries to find a way out. 00:20:51.459 --> 00:20:56.219 We must proactively put sexual sin to death. 00:20:56.659 --> 00:20:59.799 But Paul goes on to share all kinds of other sin as well. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.219 He says anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk. 00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:12.339 We must continually be focused on things above and continually be putting these things to death. 00:21:12.339 --> 00:21:21.759 And so while we see there are many things that the believers must be putting off, must be taking off, must be putting to death in their life. 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:28.179 What we also see next is that disciples of Jesus grow by putting on love. 00:21:28.879 --> 00:21:35.480 Disciples of Jesus grow by putting off sin, but they also grow by putting on love. 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:37.120 They grow by putting on love. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:42.799 It says, put on them as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved. 00:21:43.860 --> 00:21:45.299 Put on compassionate hearts. 00:21:46.180 --> 00:21:50.720 Kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another. 00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:55.980 And if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:58.279 So also you must forgive. 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:05.259 And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:12.359 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you are called in one body. 00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:14.500 And be thankful. 00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:19.799 Based on what God has declared you to be, we are to live accordingly. 00:22:20.460 --> 00:22:25.619 You see, as believers, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and receive this atoning sacrifice, 00:22:25.619 --> 00:22:27.700 we are declared to be righteous. 00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:34.360 God sees you not as your sinful self, but he sees you as his righteous and perfect child. 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:36.940 You've been clothed with Christ's righteousness. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.960 You've been declared to be righteous. 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:44.500 Now our lives are to become what God has declared us to be. 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:48.860 And as God's children, we see right here that we are to be compassionate. 00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:56.759 We should have a heartfelt mercy toward others that reflects Jesus' concern for people who are hurting. 00:22:56.759 --> 00:23:01.940 We open our eyes and we open our hearts to needs that are around us. 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:06.460 We begin to look around and see how we can step in and meet needs. 00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:10.460 It becomes so easy to be focused on ourselves. 00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:15.559 And I think this is part of what it means to put to death the old self and put on the new self. 00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:21.779 Part of compassionate hearts is putting to death this need that we think everything is about us. 00:23:21.779 --> 00:23:26.099 And we put on these compassionate hearts where we open our eyes. 00:23:26.099 --> 00:23:31.660 We open our hearts to needs that are around us in our community and around the world. 00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:36.819 But we also see that as children, we are to be kind. 00:23:37.660 --> 00:23:44.440 We should be thoughtful and considerate of others, even when there is no hope of being repaid for our kindness. 00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:46.900 Scott Paye says it like this. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:47.279 He says, 00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:58.259 As those who have been rescued by God's undeserved kindness toward us in Christ, we should adorn ourselves with the same caring posture. 00:23:59.059 --> 00:24:02.160 As God's children, we should be humble, it tells us. 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:07.779 We should clearly see who we are and count others as more significant than ourselves. 00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:14.319 As believers, we should be humble and clearly see who we are, the sin that we have been forgiven, 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:20.440 and then show humility to others and put others' needs above our own needs. 00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.759 As children, we are to be meek. 00:24:22.859 --> 00:24:23.879 We are to be teachable. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:27.200 We are to be obedient to what God has called us to do. 00:24:27.619 --> 00:24:30.839 As children, as God's children, we are to be patient. 00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:32.980 This is the easiest one of all, right? 00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:35.000 Patience is easy. 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:39.500 I've hit a stage in parenting where patience just comes naturally to me. 00:24:39.799 --> 00:24:41.180 I mean, we started school back. 00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:46.259 They love getting up in the mornings, love teaching Jacob to drive, love doing all of these things. 00:24:46.619 --> 00:24:49.140 Patience just flows out of me right now. 00:24:49.339 --> 00:24:50.779 It's something that's easy. 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:52.619 No, of course not. 00:24:52.660 --> 00:24:53.920 This is hard for us. 00:24:54.859 --> 00:25:00.940 But may we clearly see the patience that our heavenly Father has for us, 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:04.480 and then show others that same kind of patience. 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:08.420 At the heart of all of this is love. 00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:11.619 Love is always the center of our Christian walk. 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:13.680 Love is the evidence of our salvation. 00:25:14.339 --> 00:25:17.259 It is the testimony of the gospel in our lives. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:22.279 It expresses our love for God and our understanding of his love for us in a powerful way. 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:24.599 We fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:27.639 And I don't just mean a quick glance. 00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:30.799 I don't mean that we just, all right, I'll glance over there from time to time. 00:25:31.259 --> 00:25:32.759 No, we fix our eyes. 00:25:32.879 --> 00:25:34.019 We fix our gaze. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:35.299 We fix our attention. 00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:37.599 We truly set our gaze on him. 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:45.619 And his love for us becomes so apparent and real that it spills over into our testimony to others. 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:47.180 It just becomes who we are. 00:25:47.180 --> 00:25:48.200 It oozes out of us. 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:50.559 It becomes who we are in Christ. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:57.259 One of the best examples that I've read of just kind of this example of keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus 00:25:57.259 --> 00:26:01.279 and how the love just comes out for us is the story of Dawson Trotman. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:02.659 Anybody ever heard of Dawson Trotman? 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:05.240 Okay, we're going to learn something today. 00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:07.980 Dawson Trotman, he was the founder of the Navigators. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:13.339 And he lived, before coming to Christ, he lived a pretty rough life. 00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:16.179 In fact, he rarely ever went to church. 00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:25.319 He was a bootlegger during Prohibition and was making and selling alcohol all over and always trying to steal things 00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:28.799 and just really got in a bad way with his life. 00:26:28.899 --> 00:26:35.639 But once he began a relationship with Jesus and saw Jesus as his greatest treasure, 00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:40.300 once he fixed his eyes on Jesus, then everything changed. 00:26:41.040 --> 00:26:44.259 His life was committed to telling others about Jesus. 00:26:45.040 --> 00:26:52.180 He founded the Navigators and part of the heart and soul behind the Navigators was to come alongside new believers 00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:55.560 and to help them grow in their relationship with the Lord. 00:26:55.780 --> 00:26:58.520 It's not just about making converts. 00:26:58.519 --> 00:27:01.740 The Great Commission doesn't say, go and make converts. 00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:03.139 It says, go and make disciples. 00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:09.400 And so he understood the importance of investing in people's lives and helping them grow in this. 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:11.379 And he gave his life to this. 00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:17.799 And in fact, all the remaining time he had on this earth, up until he was 50 years old, 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:21.059 he gave his life to making much of Jesus. 00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:29.079 And in fact, when his life was cut short, it's a tragic story, but a beautiful story at the same time. 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:31.859 He was actually speaking at a youth conference. 00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:36.960 And in between sessions, he and a young girl who was attending the youth conference 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:40.500 got thrown out of a ski boat as they were out on a lake. 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:44.559 And from the time it took the ski boat to turn around and come back to get them, 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:48.460 Dawson was holding this girl up out of the water so that she could breathe. 00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:52.360 By the time that the boat got to them, they were just able to grab the girl, 00:27:52.680 --> 00:27:55.180 and he drowned in the process. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:01.860 And it was a beautiful story because one of the things that Billy Graham said at Dawson's funeral, 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:06.819 he says, Dawson died the way he lived, holding others up. 00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:11.220 You see, he gave his life to making much of Jesus. 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:16.759 The only way that this is possible is by keeping our eyes fixed on him, 00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:20.819 by focusing on the things of him, by putting on the righteousness, 00:28:21.059 --> 00:28:23.460 by putting on what God has called us to do. 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:29.599 You see, disciples grow by putting off, but also by putting on the things of God. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:34.819 All of this is possible by keeping our eyes and our gaze fixed on him. 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:40.240 If we set our gaze on Jesus, then our focus becomes the things that he focuses on. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:42.579 Our gaze becomes what he gazed on. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:44.839 Our love becomes what he loves. 00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:49.679 You know, sometimes people will say, you know, if you focus so much on these things, 00:28:49.679 --> 00:28:53.539 if you get so heavenly minded, you'll do no earthly good. 00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:56.720 And I guess I get where they're coming from in a sense. 00:28:56.899 --> 00:29:00.759 If we get so heavenly minded, if we're so focused on the things of God, 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:03.699 that we begin to remove ourselves from this world, 00:29:03.699 --> 00:29:08.240 and we begin to just live like monks where we don't have any interaction with anybody else, 00:29:08.599 --> 00:29:10.319 and where we're only focused on these things, 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:14.299 then yes, I guess that we could remove ourselves from this world enough to not do good. 00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:18.259 But I don't think that any of us are in real danger of doing that. 00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:21.799 I believe that we are to fix our gaze on him. 00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:23.899 C.S. Lewis said this, he says, 00:29:23.900 --> 00:29:31.820 This continual looking forward to the eternal world is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking. 00:29:32.360 --> 00:29:36.320 But one of the things a Christian is meant to do. 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:40.380 It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. 00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:46.900 If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world 00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:50.060 were those who thought the most of the next. 00:29:50.620 --> 00:29:56.500 The apostles themselves, who set out on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire. 00:29:56.940 --> 00:30:00.019 The great men who built up the Middle Ages. 00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:03.740 The English evangelicals who abolished the slave trade. 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:10.960 All left their mark on earth precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. 00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:19.059 What we clearly see from this passage is that we are to live a life where we are stopping things and we are starting things. 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:25.400 We put to death, that is earthly, and we set our gaze on the things of God. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:30.420 Last week, Ken mentioned on Sunday night in our time, 00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:37.220 he mentioned the fact that he challenged me in college to memorize Colossians chapter 3. 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.279 And at the time, I did. 00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:42.880 I thought he was going to get me up here and try to say it for everybody on the spot. 00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:44.240 I'm glad he didn't. 00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:49.940 But one of the things that he said, he mentioned the fact that this was something that I memorized during college. 00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:56.980 But also during that time, I was challenged by a campus minister to come up with a purpose statement for my life. 00:30:57.579 --> 00:31:01.740 And this is what I came up with, and it still remains a purpose statement for my life today. 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:06.180 And I think you'll see the impact that Colossians 3 had on it. 00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:07.720 I said this, I said, 00:31:07.840 --> 00:31:15.620 I want to live a life where I am daily dying to this world and constantly living in light of what Christ has done for me. 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:24.279 By foremost leading my family closer to God and then discipling friends that God has placed in my life. 00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:29.980 So others who don't know Christ will see him through me. 00:31:30.860 --> 00:31:31.940 Sounds great. 00:31:32.820 --> 00:31:35.299 But it is a daily struggle to live that out. 00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:42.299 It's far easier to come up with that than it is to actually live that out. 00:31:43.099 --> 00:31:45.700 But what we see is it's worth it. 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:50.399 What we see is following God is worth it, and he gives us the tools that we need. 00:31:50.759 --> 00:31:53.019 Very quickly, just looking at these last two verses, 00:31:53.019 --> 00:32:00.940 Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing one another in wisdom, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:05.379 You see, we see growth take place by spiritual disciplines. 00:32:06.119 --> 00:32:12.519 We see growth take place like this by focusing on the things of God, and he gives us tools to do this. 00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:14.759 From this, we see that we're to be thankful. 00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:23.839 A lot of times you don't think of thankfulness as a spiritual discipline, but as we grow into the relationship with God, then thankfulness will be a part of that. 00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:26.599 We also see that we're to dwell in the word. 00:32:26.879 --> 00:32:28.460 We're to live in the word. 00:32:28.539 --> 00:32:29.180 We're to read it. 00:32:29.299 --> 00:32:31.960 It's living and active, and it's sharper than any two-edged sword. 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:36.839 Reading God's word and dwelling, and it should be a part of our Christian growth. 00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:45.559 We see the importance of accountability in this passage, and holding each other accountable, where it says teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. 00:32:46.159 --> 00:32:52.539 We see the need that we have for people to love us enough to hold us accountable. 00:32:53.419 --> 00:32:58.319 We also see the importance of worship in this, singing songs and hymns and spiritual things. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:08.679 And then also, we clearly see from this passage that growing in our walk with Christ is important, that we are to whatever we do in word or deed, do in the name of the Lord. 00:33:09.139 --> 00:33:11.419 And so this is a two-fold process. 00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:22.019 When I think about this gospel change, the passage that immediately comes to mind is in Ephesians chapter 4, where it talks about our new life in Christ. 00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:28.339 And in this new life in Christ, Paul tells us, he says, he gives us an example of what this looks like. 00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:37.039 He says, let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor doing honest work, so that he'll have something to give to those who are in need. 00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:45.779 And so what we see here is that the Christian life, this growth, is a two-fold process where we're stopping things, but we're starting things. 00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:47.599 He says, let the thief no longer steal. 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:51.779 The thief has a heart of greed where he wants to take and take and take. 00:33:52.019 --> 00:33:53.920 But he says, you know what? 00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:56.980 He needs to do honest work so he'll have something to give. 00:33:57.460 --> 00:34:04.119 And so the change you see taking place is a change of heart, where it's a change of heart of greed to a heart of generosity. 00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:11.019 And so this is what it means to have this gospel change in our life, to grow in our relationship with the Lord. 00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:17.800 And so as you think about your own life, I want you to first ask the question, am I a believer? 00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:20.280 This passage is clearly for believers. 00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:25.800 If then you've been raised with Christ, if you are a believer, then seek the things that are above. 00:34:26.260 --> 00:34:33.820 Maybe your first step in growing your relationship with Christ today is to begin a relationship. 00:34:34.580 --> 00:34:39.120 If that's you, then I encourage you to not leave here today without getting that right. 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:45.900 However, if you are a believer, then I want to genuinely ask you to ask this question of yourself. 00:34:47.299 --> 00:34:49.179 What in my life needs to die? 00:34:50.139 --> 00:34:55.139 What sin in my life needs to be actively put to death? 00:34:55.359 --> 00:34:56.500 Not just ignored. 00:34:57.019 --> 00:35:00.519 Not just where we put it off and then try to ignore and pretend and hope that it'll go away. 00:35:00.519 --> 00:35:05.500 But what sin in my life needs to actively die? 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:07.739 Do I need to actively be putting to death? 00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:11.099 What sin needs to be dealt with in my life? 00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:13.800 But also, let's don't stop there. 00:35:14.139 --> 00:35:16.980 Then ask yourself, what do I need to put on? 00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.759 What do I need to take off? 00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:20.800 But also, what do I need to put on? 00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:22.980 Who do I need to love more? 00:35:23.159 --> 00:35:25.340 Who do I need to be more patient with? 00:35:25.480 --> 00:35:26.840 Who do I need to be kind to? 00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:30.099 Where do I need to show more humility in my life? 00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:30.860 How can I be more? 00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:34.880 How can I set my mind on the things that are above? 00:35:35.699 --> 00:35:39.799 And so I want you to ask those things today as we move into a time of responding. 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:43.219 And as always, the front is always open. 00:35:43.279 --> 00:35:44.900 You're welcome to come here in the front. 00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:47.639 Maybe that's your way of taking this seriously. 00:35:47.759 --> 00:35:48.400 Saying, you know what? 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:51.099 I'm going to actively be putting this sin to death. 00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:54.500 I'm going to go down and pray and turn this over to God because ultimately, 00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:56.000 He's the only one that can save. 00:35:56.279 --> 00:35:57.860 He's the only one that can deal with this. 00:35:58.139 --> 00:35:59.139 I can't do this. 00:35:59.139 --> 00:36:00.159 I need God's help. 00:36:00.879 --> 00:36:01.759 Front's always open. 00:36:01.819 --> 00:36:02.900 I'm always available to help. 00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:05.319 And maybe you just need to respond where you are. 00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:09.539 But what I want to encourage you today, this morning, 00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:13.699 is to respond in a way that is obedient to God's leading. 00:36:14.359 --> 00:36:17.480 Father, thank you so very much for your word. 00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:22.920 Thank you for passages like Colossians 3 that remind us of who you are, 00:36:23.139 --> 00:36:30.940 that remind us of our relationship with you and our need to grow in that of not only putting things to death, 00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:33.159 but also putting things on. 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:37.559 And so, Lord, I pray that for each and every one of us today, 00:36:38.019 --> 00:36:42.000 you would reveal those areas where we need to be putting sin to death, 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:46.219 those sin that just seems to linger, that just seems to stay there. 00:36:46.219 --> 00:36:52.400 Lord, we give these things over to you and trust that you will be the one who can deal with them. 00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:56.460 Trust that you will be the one who can ultimately put those things to death. 00:36:56.460 --> 00:36:59.619 And we see the importance of not only putting that to death, 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:04.579 but turning our gaze, turning our fix, turning our eyes to you. 00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:08.880 So, Lord, help us to put off sin and help us to put on love. 00:37:09.480 --> 00:37:11.740 We ask all of this in Jesus' name. 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:12.420 Amen. 00:37:13.179 --> 00:37:14.220 I want to invite you to stand. 00:37:14.300 --> 00:37:15.740 We're going to sing a song of invitation. 00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:18.559 If the Lord is speaking to you this morning, won't you respond? 00:37:18.820 --> 00:37:20.199 So we stand together and sing.