WEBVTT

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 Well, first of all, I would like to say thank you to the many who have, with humility,

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 been willing to attempt to recite passages of Scripture. And it's been a blessing to all

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! of us, hasn't it? Haven't you enjoyed listening to different people get up here? And they bring

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 with them, each of them when they come up here, they bring their individual personalities. And

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 you hear just the way God's made is so different. And I have so appreciated the different recitations

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 from month to month to month. And I want you to know we're going to keep on doing that

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 as we work our way through the book of Ephesians. When I started into it, I thought, well, we'll do

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 one round, and we're in our second round, and there's more rounds to come. I have a little

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 idea that we'll probably be in Ephesians perhaps the remainder of the year. And that means that

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 there are many other opportunities for reciting. Isn't that encouraging? I didn't hear anybody.

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 Yes! Yeah, right. I'm going for it. While we're talking about that, chapter 5 of Ephesians is

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 available for anybody that would like to do it coming up. Now, you're asking, so when will that be?

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 Sometime in April, May. Okay? That gives all of us plenty of time, doesn't it? Okay? And you

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 understand there's really no pressure. And what I mean by that is that you can come up here and

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 handle that chapter in whatever fashion you want to do it. We have had some read it. We've had

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 the family idea was a new one, wasn't it? I like that. I remember when Pete mentioned to me the

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 thought that he'd had about doing it, and I said, no, that's a great idea. And I really appreciated

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 hearing, did you notice how the kids had such an easy time? How many of you realize that as we get

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 older, the memory work that we used to do in Awana becomes a little more difficult, right? Okay?

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 So, I am looking for someone at this point to do chapter 5. I have chapter 4 outlined, so please

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 rush me right after the service and let me know. Five or six of you are ready to do...you're doing

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 five? I missed that one. Tish got number 5, and you have number 6, right? Okay, so we're starting on

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 chapter 1 in the third round. Okay? So, if you want to...you're looking at me like, yeah, I'm doing it.

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 I can see it in your eyes, so I'll be catching you afterwards. Good. Okay. Great blessing.

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 I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, and we're going to look at Ephesians chapter 2,

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 beginning there in verse 19. Let me read it to you, and then we'll come to the Lord this morning in

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 prayer.

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 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but your fellow citizens with the saints and members

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 of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself

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 being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in

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 the Lord. In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Let's pray.

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 My gracious Father, for us, prayer is not a habit, but is a glad expression of our confidence and

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 dependence on You. For we are mindful of what it says over there in John chapter 15, verse 5, that

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 without me, You can do nothing. And Lord, there's nothing that we want to take credit for in our own

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 power, that has of any spiritual value or note. And so this morning, I would plead with you that

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 your Spirit would work in me, that I might preach your Word with the enabling of your Spirit. And I

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 also pray that your people would receive your Word with the enabling of the Spirit of God, that as it is

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 taught and as it is apprehended in their lives, that your Spirit would take and tap it firmly home in the

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 hearts of all of us, that we, as we allow the Scriptures to make a difference in our lives, would be governed

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 and controlled and formed by it. We're thankful for the blessing we have in prayer. We're thankful for the

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 blessing we have in the ministry of the Spirit of God that indwells each believer. And this morning, it is our

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 desire that we, as we come to You in dependence, would also find You answer and bless that Christ might be

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 exalted among us. And we ask this in His name. Amen. If you were to ask a number of Bible scholars,

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 what is one of the recurring themes to the book of Ephesians, I think without question, you would have

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 almost any of them that you asked mention the fact that probably one of the recurring themes in the book

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 of Ephesians would be the issue of the doctrine of the local church, the supremacy, the importance of the

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 congregation of believers that are gathered together. And we have a tendency to think about the book of

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 Ephesians as being one of those books that you can go to, particularly when you're talking about

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 marriage. You can go to chapter 5 if it is dealing with relationships with an employer or dealing with

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 the attitudes that children should have towards their parents. We often tend to go to the latter half of

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 the book and focus in on the things that are written there. However, the book of Ephesians begins by

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 building a clear understanding in all of our hearts of the significance and the supremacy of the local

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 church and the fact that we have come to be part of that by the grace and power of God. And on the basis

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 of our relationship with God through faith and our relationship to the body of Christ, the other things that we

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 talk about, namely the marriage issues, the family issues, the relationship issues that we find in

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 chapter 4 and 5, they're all kind of the follow-up to understanding what it means to be part of the

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 body and the bride of Christ. And sadly, we live in a day and age where the supremacy and the significance

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 of the local church is something that is kind of of diminished importance and understanding. Let me

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 illustrate it this way and I'll come back to it. If you were to ask yourself the question,

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 do I go to church or do I belong to church? The answer to that question is very telling of

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 whether or not you understand Bible doctrine about the church. Do I go to a church or do I belong to a

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 church? I want us to track just for a moment here at the very beginning some of the passages in

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 Ephesians that talk about the local church. And so go back, if you would, to Ephesians chapter 1,

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 and we're going to just read, and you follow along with me, Ephesians chapter 1, verse 22 and 23.

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 For he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

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 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. And I would ask as you are reading or

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 following along with me to ask yourself the question, does this passage speak about the church

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 in an individualized sense, or is it something that refers to the church more as a unit, a body,

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 a collection, a group of which I am a part? I individually, in reference here, or part of the

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 larger, namely the body of Christ. Another passage to look at would be Ephesians chapter 2, verse 21 and 22.

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 In whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him also,

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 you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians chapter 3,

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 verse 21. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and

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 ever. Amen. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 1 through 6. And I'm not going to read all of the part to you,

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 but I want to remind you, kind of picking up there in verse 4, it says,

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 there is one body, one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.

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 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

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 By grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Ephesians chapter 5,

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 verse 32. However, this mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

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 Here is Paul in the passage that when we talk about marital issues, we have a tendency to pick up

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 and take that whole section and think of it almost exclusively as being directed towards husband and

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 wife relationship, not understanding that the primary purpose of a wholesome and godly relationship

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 is not for self-benefit, but for the testimony and for the glory of Christ. And he reminds us this passage

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 about man and woman, male and female, husband and wife, it's really something that relates to the glory of

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 Christ. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 18. It says this, praying at all times in the spirit with all prayer

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 and supplication to that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

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 And as you work your way through the book of Ephesians, one of the things that I trust is growing to be a

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 more firm and settled conviction in your mind is that the body of Christ, the local church of which you are a part,

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 is a supremely important factor in your spiritual journey, and it is not something to be taken lightly.

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 I don't want you to miss that fact for several reasons. For one,

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 Christ's purpose in saving us was not just so that you and I would have fire insurance and kind of a place to go

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 when it's all over. Now, it's well and good that when we die, we who know Christ go where?

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 We go to heaven. It's our blessing to have that confidence and certainty. Someone came to me

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 earlier today and said, hey, pastor, I was reading a passage in Philippians where it said, for me to

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 live is Christ and to die is gain. And the individual said, you know what? I began thinking about how that

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 verse relates to what you often say about any better and I'd be dead. I was taking diabetic classes for the

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 last four weeks. And one of the responsibilities of the facilitator was to try to get the people in the class to

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 kind of relate to each other. And so, she'd make a little small talk and chatter. And so, she made the mistake of

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 saying, hey, Tim, how are you doing today? Guess what I said?

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 The whole classroom full of diabetics, you know. And diabetics are people there. I was one of the

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 healthiest diabetics there. I want you to know. I mean, and so, I said, any better than I'd be dead.

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 This kind of Paul came across her face and she thought, I am not equipped to be a counselor this

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 morning to deal with this person here. I said, no. I said, no, no, it's good. It's good. You know,

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 the truth of the matter is, is that we who know Christ, I know how the story ends and it's good.

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 It's a blessing. And it's because the Lord Jesus Christ has delivered me from the kingdom of darkness

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 and put him in his kingdom. And Christ wants us to understand that this business of our salvation

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 is not just about fire insurance, but is for the glory and the supremacy of Christ. And that is

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 linked together and wrapped together into the truth that I am part of something bigger than myself.

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 Namely, I'm part of the purposes of God and I'm part of the body of Christ.

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 There's another reason why I really want you to understand that. And it is this,

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 Satan has a strategy that we ought to be aware of. Whatever God says is good and thinks is valuable,

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 Satan's always in the business of trying to do what with it? He's always trying to undermine it,

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 discredit it, pull it apart, destroy it. Whether it has to do what God ordained sex to be,

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 or whether it has to do with the matter of marriage, whether it has to do with the matter of work.

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 In every place where God has said, this is the way I want it to be, and here's why it's supposed to be

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 that way, Satan turns around and what does he do? He attacks it, doesn't he? He uses his devices and his

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 strategies to take our eyes off of the purposes and the plan and the glory of God and to divert

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 our affections towards things that have nothing to do with eternity and subsequently lead us into

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 the disappointment and ultimate despair that comes with disobedience to his word. And so as we study

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 the scriptures this morning and we're thinking about the body of Christ, I want you to understand that

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 the church is a very, very important thing. And it's clearly presented in the book of Ephesians

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 as its importance is there for us to see. I want to tell you that frankly, Satan has been pretty

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 effective. And it's amazing to find out how many professing believers actually look at their

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 relationship with the church as a place they go rather than a place they belong.

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 Well, I'll go here because the price is right. That's the way you approach Walmart and Meijer,

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 isn't that right? It's not the body of Christ that's to be treated that way.

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 And on the heels of our work through the first two chapters of Ephesians, I want us to recognize

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 that what we have been learning is that God had a purpose in saving us. It is his glory. And now we

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 come down to the matter of the doctrine of the local church and its supremacy in our lives.

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 Now, so I want to follow along with this on the heels of our careful study of God's work in saving

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 us. The Spirit then explains salvation and how it relates to the believer in the church. And we're

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 going to pick up this morning in verses 19, 20, 21, and we're going to mark three particular

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 characteristics that Paul wants us to understand about the local church. Ephesians chapter 2,

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 verse 19 through 21. And the first thing that we see there in verse 19 is that we're part of his

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 kingdom. Look at what it says there. It says, so then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

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 but you are fellow citizens with the saints. It's important for us to remember that earlier in

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 Ephesians chapter 2, and you kind of think back over the things that we've seen, that Paul has taken a

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 great deal of time repeatedly in Ephesians chapter 2 to remind us of where we once were.

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 How was the condition that you were in prior to your conversion? The Scriptures say you were dead,

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 right? You were a slave to sin. You were abiding under the wrath of God. You were in a miserable

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 place. In fact, one of the passages in Ephesians chapter 2 says that we were without hope. There's

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 no wonder that the world is a pretty desperate and unhappy place when you stop and realize that looming

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 over the horizon for the unbeliever is the absolute certainty that when everything is over, it's not

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 going to be good. How is it going to be for us? It is going to be better. It's going to be blessing.

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 And as we think about this early part of Ephesians, Paul wants us to understand that we came from a

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 place of despair and uncertainty, and there was a time when we were strangers and aliens. That's the term

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 that he uses in verse 19 to kind of summarize the earlier parts of the passage. He says, now, prior to

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 that, you were in this messy situation. Now, he says, the believer is now a fellow citizen in the kingdom

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 of heaven, the kingdom of God. We're a fellow citizen in the kingdom of God. I know that some of you,

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 as part of your business, have to travel quite a lot. I don't think anybody has more miles than

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 John Jennings. Are you in here, John, this morning? Oh, there you are. John Jennings travels all over

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 the world. My brother, Mark, is here, and I think, John, he's got you beat. He is worse than you or

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 travels more than you. How's that? Let's go with that one. But I can tell you in the traveling I've

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 done that being a citizen of the United States has some benefits. When I go through customs and I have

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 that little old passport that says, I'm a citizen of the United States of America, there's something

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 going with that little document that says, hey, this is a citizen of a great country, and the country

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 stands behind its citizens. And in this passage, Paul is making the statement, you used to be aliens

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 and strangers. You had no place, no connection, no bond, no privilege associated with. Now, you are a

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 fellow citizen in the kingdom of God. And I want us to recognize that that is a tremendous blessing.

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 Turn over, if you will, to Philippians chapter 3, verse 20. Philippians chapter 3, verse 20.

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 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 I mean, we live here in America, and we enjoy the blessings and the benefits of this country.

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 There are many, many of them. But the truth of the matter is, is that as the songwriter said,

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 this world is not my home, I'm what? I'm just a passing through. And beloved, the day is coming

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 when you and I will enjoy the blessing of being citizens in the eternal city and having Christ as

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 our Lord and Savior and enjoy His presence forevermore. And as we think about it, it's important

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 for us to remember that while we are temporal citizens here, the best is yet to come. And I want

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 you to recognize that in that eternal state that you and I are going to enjoy, there will be no more

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 disputes over injustice. You will not turn on the news and determine by the channel junk that you're

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 listening to, which side of the aisle they support. You will not hear the crass, manipulative

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 arguments over one side or the other. It will be under the reign and lordship of Christ, and all

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 things will be in complete balance and perfect, and there will be no injustice, no crime, no suffering,

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 no heartache. Furthermore, on the day of His appearing, our status will be something that is outstanding.

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 And I want you to look, if you will, turn now, if you will, to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2,

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 verse 9 and 10. Interesting that 1 Peter talks about what we are presently, but understand that

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 these things are going to be fully realized in the day to come. It says, you are a chosen race,

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 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the

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 excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. What is the blessing

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 that I have in salvation? It is that I am His child, and I have been appointed a position and an

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 authority and a responsibility that is unique in blessing. And here it just reminds us, listen,

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 you're not who you think you are. You're more important than that. You are a royal priesthood,

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 a chosen race, a holy nation, a people for His own possession. And the Scriptures remind us when

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 we sit there kind of thinking with a sour spirit, so what is this all about, and who am I, and why

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 are things going as they are? Hold it. It's much better than you actually think. And I would encourage

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 you, if you find yourself sitting here today, or through this last week you found yourself overwhelmed

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 by the prospect of the life that you're enduring at the moment, remind yourself of what you really are.

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 You are part of the plan of God, and you are chosen and blessed and incredibly

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 gifted by virtue of His kindness. Now, there's a second picture that I want us to see,

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 going back to the passage in Ephesians. It says, first of all, that we are citizens,

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 but then it also goes on and says this, that we're part of His family. Look at what it says there

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 in verse 19, we are members of the household of God. Members of the household of God. Now,

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 when it uses that word household, it's not talking about just the structure, the building,

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 you know, that lot that your house is sitting on. It's actually talking about a group that are

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 gathered around one person who is the Father and the one who is in charge of that group.

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 And I want you to understand that by virtue of your salvation as a believer, you are part of the

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 family of God, and you have God as your Father. It's important to recognize that. The idea is not

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 about the place we live, but the idea is about the person that we belong to and the person we're

00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:43.200
 connected to. Now, a workman, a serviceman may come into your home, and he may do some work for you.

00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:49.340
 He may even sit down. You can invite him. He's going to stay over and try to work on the washing

00:21:49.340 --> 00:21:54.240
 machine or whatever else, and lunchtime is a, hey, have a sandwich with us. He may even use your

00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:58.340
 facilities, get a glass of water from your refrigerator, but when it's all over, what does

00:21:58.339 --> 00:22:05.799
 he do? He goes home. He's not part of the family. And here in the passage, it reminds us that because

00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:13.299
 of our salvation and because of the Lord Jesus Christ, you and I are part of the family of God.

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:19.459
 Now, the bonds of family are something that are special. They're lasting, and being a family member

00:22:19.459 --> 00:22:23.919
 brings blessing and privilege, doesn't it? Because you're part of the family, you're accepted.

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:29.200
 Now, does the family recognize that you might be a little different than the rest of them? And the

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:36.740
 answer is what? Oh, yes. I will never forget. I was over speaking with the youth group, and I won't

00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:41.279
 mention who it was that said it, but the individual commented, well, we're going to be having a family

00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:50.080
 reunion and pray for me because there are some weird people in our family. I'm not looking over in the

00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:54.159
 direction of where the person is at this point because I really, I just got the biggest chuckle

00:22:54.159 --> 00:22:58.960
 out of that. And after it was my turn, I said, hey, you know what? I don't know of any family that

00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:02.099
 doesn't have a lot of weird people in it. And the truth of the matter is, is we're all weird, aren't we?

00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:12.720
 But we're family. We're family. And because we're family, you accept one another. Not only that you're

00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:17.779
 accepted, but you're also included in the things that are part of the family. When you have a family

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:24.220
 dinner, guess who gets invited? Family. Now, individuals may not show up because of their job

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:30.079
 or some certain pre-scheduled appointment, but because you're family, you're invited to be part

00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:35.059
 of it. Because you're family, you're also expected to help and be involved in what's going on.

00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:42.119
 And being family doesn't grant you the right of being self-indulged and irresponsible. It calls you

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:49.500
 to be part of what that group is doing and to engage in that business. I want you to understand

00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:53.779
 that because we're part of God's family, we have some incredible blessings that are worth marking.

00:23:54.839 --> 00:24:00.919
 For one, because we're part of God's family, God hears our prayers. I love that privilege.

00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:08.580
 How does the example prayer begin? How does it start? Our Father who art in heaven.

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:16.480
 Does a child have a right to ask dad for things that a stranger and an alien don't have a right to

00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:22.600
 ask? Absolutely. And remember when Jesus was talking about prayer, he said, listen, your father,

00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:27.480
 if you were to go to him and ask for bread, he wouldn't give you a stone. And you ask for fish,

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:31.960
 he wouldn't give you a snake. He said, listen, if your earthly father is going to take care of your

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:38.819
 needs that way, won't your heavenly father go one better? Absolutely. And because God is our father,

00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:44.700
 you and I have the right of asking for the needs that we have. Now, by the way, does that mean that

00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:51.360
 he answers every time we ask? No. And I'm very thankful in retrospect that he did not grant me

00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:58.539
 many of the things that at one time I thought I wanted. He has granted, according to his wisdom,

00:24:58.939 --> 00:25:05.059
 everything that I need for life and godliness, and he has brought into my life those things that have

00:25:05.059 --> 00:25:09.799
 helped me grow, even on occasion when I didn't think at all that's what I needed or wanted.

00:25:11.339 --> 00:25:19.139
 Secondly, the father takes care of our needs. When we come to him, we come with confidence that he

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:24.560
 will meet the needs that we have. Turn over just for a second to 1 Peter 5, verse 7.

00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:29.759
 The father cares for our needs, 1 Peter 5, verse 7.

00:25:32.080 --> 00:25:37.300
 Take a look at it yourself so you can mark this. Make a note in your Bible because there'll probably

00:25:37.300 --> 00:25:41.900
 come a time where you find yourself uncertain, concerned with while things are going to go,

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:49.020
 and will you have your needs met? 1 Peter 5, verse 7. Casting all your anxieties upon him,

00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:58.660
 because what? He cares for you. By the way, does he know what you're going through? He does. Can I tell

00:25:58.660 --> 00:26:03.840
 you that he knows what you're going to go through before you know what you're going to go through?

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:10.840
 And he already has ordained the outcome of it. Isn't that true? Romans chapter 8, what's it say?

00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:19.240
 All things work together for good. He is in the business of doing what is best for you, and yet,

00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:24.519
 he says, when you find yourself anxious and you find yourself worried and concerned about how things

00:26:24.519 --> 00:26:30.699
 are going to turn out, bring it to him. Let him know that you care and that you're concerned. And he

00:26:30.699 --> 00:26:36.199
 says, casting all those anxieties on him, put them over on him because he cares for you. He loves you

00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:42.360
 with an unconditional and unchanging love. Furthermore, I want you to understand that our

00:26:42.360 --> 00:26:50.360
 Father deals with our weaknesses and corrects us for our good. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12.

00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:59.220
 Earlier this week, I was kind of meditating upon some of the issues of life, and I was stopping to think

00:26:59.220 --> 00:27:07.860
 of over 64 years, the number of different times that I found myself in situations where, at the

00:27:07.860 --> 00:27:14.759
 moment, I thought things were pretty bad and pretty hard. And I began to think, you know what, Lord? It

00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:21.839
 seems, now I couldn't say with absolute authority, but it seems that most of the valuable lessons I've

00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:30.359
 learned I've learned in hardship. And then I thought to myself, that abstract mind thinking the way it

00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:38.299
 does, I thought, so most hardships have been good in the outcome, so why haven't I picked up on that

00:27:38.299 --> 00:27:43.859
 earlier in the process? Because usually, when hardships come, guess how Tim Kenoyer tends to react?

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:51.000
 Oh, Lord, why are you doing this to me? What did you, what did I do? You know what I mean? How many of you

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:55.819
 are like that? You know, it's like the hardship comes, and the first thing you think is, so how do I get out of

00:27:55.819 --> 00:28:03.880
 this? Lord, why are you doing this to me? And I began to remind myself, hold it, God is doing this for my good.

00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:18.200
 Hebrews chapter 12, verse 7, it is for discipline that you have to endure. Now, let me read that again

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:29.420
 slowly. It is for discipline that you have to endure. Can we choose to not endure for a short

00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:33.660
 period of time? Everybody smile at me because I'm going to tell you something you already know. Look up.

00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:40.539
 You can choose to walk away at the moment from the discipline you're enduring.

00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:54.079
 Is that a wise idea? Listen, you can walk away, but he'll find you again. And so here it says,

00:28:54.259 --> 00:29:03.720
 it's for discipline that you stay with it because God is doing something good. And if you decide you're

00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:12.539
 going to take a, how is it in college, you could withdraw from the class, right? Withdraw from the

00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:18.620
 class didn't mean you didn't have to take it later, did it? If you wanted to graduate, what did you have

00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:26.000
 to do? You had to take it again somewhere else. And I would encourage you that it's better to stay

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:30.940
 in the class and say, all right, Lord, help me suck it up and get it done and learn the lessons you

00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:36.860
 have for me. It says here, for discipline that you have to endure, God is treating you as sons.

00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:41.840
 For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Play forward a little bit to verse 10.

00:29:42.860 --> 00:29:46.759
 And I would encourage you, this is one to underline. It's a good one. For they disciplined

00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:52.120
 us, talking about our fathers, our earthly fathers, for a short time as it seemed best to them.

00:29:52.119 --> 00:30:02.459
 And short time is true. Most of us probably were under our fathers or are under and will be under

00:30:02.459 --> 00:30:10.659
 our fathers' direct authority until we're about what? About 18, you go off to college and, you know,

00:30:10.739 --> 00:30:15.679
 you're more or less on your own, right? It says here, they will discipline us for a short time,

00:30:15.879 --> 00:30:22.059
 as seemed best. But look at what it says now. But he's, talking about God, disciplines us for

00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:28.399
 our good that we may be, that we may share in his holiness. I like the way it reads in another

00:30:28.399 --> 00:30:33.879
 translation, that we may be partakers of his holiness. So why is God putting heat on you as a

00:30:33.879 --> 00:30:44.019
 believer? So that you may grow in holiness, that you may grow to have the character and heart of God

00:30:44.019 --> 00:30:51.500
 in that particular situation. Having holiness or godliness means that I am in that situation acting

00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:59.599
 and behaving and thinking in a fashion that's like God. How do I get there? How do I develop that

00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:06.119
 mindset and that heart? It is by going through the adversity and the challenge that I begin to develop

00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:12.140
 the character of God and I begin to learn in the circumstances. And so I want you to understand,

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:18.400
 as you look here and you think about the blessing of being part of a family, recognize that God is your

00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:24.220
 father and it's an incredible blessing to be part of the family of God. Now that brings me to one more

00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:31.300
 image that I want you to recognize in Ephesians chapter 2. There in verse 21 it says,

00:31:31.400 --> 00:31:40.000
 in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple. We are part of his kingdom,

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:52.160
 we are part of his family, and we are part of his temple. Do you follow the growing intensity or theological

00:31:52.160 --> 00:32:01.799
 significance of those three units? You're a citizen, you're a family member, you're a place of worship.

00:32:02.700 --> 00:32:09.480
 When it says that we are being developed to be the temple, I want you to recognize that for the Old

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:17.759
 Testament saint, the temple was the very center of their thinking and their moral and cultural

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:24.120
 universe. It was the place that God chose to dwell among His people and to reveal Himself and manifest

00:32:24.120 --> 00:32:30.240
 His glory on the earth. And the Old Testament temple was a particular place. It was in Jerusalem,

00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:37.799
 wasn't it? That's where the Old Testament temple was. The New Testament temple is a people rather than a

00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:43.039
 place. And when you hear me say something like that, one of the things that I trust is going through

00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:48.859
 your mind is, yeah, where is that? Turn in your Bible, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 3,

00:32:49.000 --> 00:33:00.200
 verse 16. 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 16. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's

00:33:00.200 --> 00:33:09.519
 spirit dwells in you? Now, there are two different ways this temple imagery is used here in chapter 3 and

00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:15.559
 again in chapter 6. And chapter 6 is talking more about our body personally being the temple of the

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:21.299
 Holy Ghost. And it's talking about the reason that we ought not to engage in immorality is because our

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:27.660
 body belongs to Him and it's a place of His worship. In this passage in 1 Corinthians 3, it is talking

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:32.940
 about the congregation being the temple of God and it is talking again about the seriousness of which

00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:39.220
 we ought to view that reality. Look, if you would, again, at 1 Corinthians chapter 6.

00:33:41.100 --> 00:33:48.240
 And just make reference to that so you can make the connection. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 16,

00:33:50.320 --> 00:33:50.980
 it says,

00:33:50.980 --> 00:34:20.480
 We as believers are the temple of God. We are the place where God is worshiped.

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:27.780
 And, beloved, the body of Christ, the local congregation, is the place where He is worshiped.

00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:32.980
 And when do we worship God? How do we do that? One of the things that is obvious is when we gather

00:34:32.980 --> 00:34:39.699
 together for corporate worship. And when we sing together and we express our thanksgiving and praise

00:34:39.699 --> 00:34:46.679
 to God, we're worshiping Him. Isn't that right? But where else do we worship Him? We worship Him when

00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:55.000
 we're at work, don't we? And when you are engaged in doing your work responsibly and joyfully, not as a

00:34:55.000 --> 00:35:02.259
 grump, but as someone who is gainfully employed by Christ for His glory. You're not working where you

00:35:02.259 --> 00:35:10.639
 are to get a check. You're working where you are to make Jesus look good. Right? And when we engage in

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:18.719
 working in such a fashion, we worship God and other people look at us and say, whoa, what's going on with

00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:27.819
 you? I am a worshiper of the Lord God Almighty, and the way I worship should be evident to everyone.

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:34.219
 When you're at home and you're a mother folding laundry, can that be worship? What's the answer?

00:35:34.219 --> 00:35:42.279
 The third basket in particular. You know, and you're doing, it seems like, and the more you have,

00:35:42.339 --> 00:35:46.919
 the more laundry you have. How many of you understand that? Remember the good old days? I tell you what,

00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:57.299
 empty nesters is a fun place to be. But you know, folding laundry, cooking supper, getting up at night

00:35:57.299 --> 00:36:02.559
 with the baby, these are all acts that glorify God when they're done with the right heart and for His glory.

00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:07.960
 Now, I want you to understand that the foundation of the church rests upon the Word of God. Look at

00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:14.179
 what it says going back to that passage in Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 2, and it's important

00:36:14.179 --> 00:36:22.340
 for us to recognize this. It says, the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself

00:36:22.340 --> 00:36:28.679
 being the cornerstone. And what is being said in that passage is that the thing that adds or that

00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:37.659
 brings stability and clarity to the structure or to the body of Christ is not just a bunch of people

00:36:37.659 --> 00:36:43.659
 gathered together, having a good old time, kind of feeling good about each other. The thing that

00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:49.219
 gives us structure and stability is the Word of God that is our foundation. When it talks about the

00:36:49.219 --> 00:36:54.559
 apostles and the prophets, it is referring to the fact that those were the individuals to whom

00:36:54.559 --> 00:37:01.380
 the authoritative Word of God was given. Over in Acts chapter 2, verse 42, it says that they gathered

00:37:01.380 --> 00:37:07.880
 daily for the apostles' doctrine. It's talking about the teaching that the doctrine that Christ gave to

00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:12.960
 the apostles and the apostles passed on to the early church. And so, the thing that is our structure

00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:17.799
 is not, hey, we just happen to like each other. Our structure is the Word of God itself.

00:37:17.800 --> 00:37:24.600
 It goes on and says that the church is built up by His Spirit. Look at the passage. It says,

00:37:24.720 --> 00:37:30.780
 in whom the whole structure being together, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

00:37:31.100 --> 00:37:36.880
 And it says, in Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

00:37:37.080 --> 00:37:43.940
 How is it, ultimately, that people are added to the church and become an organic, connected part

00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:50.000
 of the body of Christ? It is through the Spirit of God. He is the one who brings them to salvation.

00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:56.519
 He is the one that knits them together to be part of the congregation and to be there for the sake of

00:37:56.519 --> 00:38:02.559
 the glory of Christ. Mark one other thing. It says there that the church is the dwelling place of God.

00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:10.380
 The dwelling place of God. It says, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, built together into a dwelling

00:38:10.380 --> 00:38:22.140
 place of God. So who is the dwelling place of God? Are you listening? It is us together. That's who it is.

00:38:23.900 --> 00:38:29.320
 That is a pretty hard concept to grasp when you stop and think about it in the reality of who you see

00:38:29.320 --> 00:38:38.180
 in the mirror. Isn't that right? But it is a Bible truth whether you accept it or not.

00:38:38.179 --> 00:38:49.539
 And by the way, it's a smart thing to act according to Bible truth rather than the way I feel.

00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:55.839
 How many of you have learned that your feelings are pretty suspect?

00:38:59.019 --> 00:39:03.879
 I think it was almond joy. Sometimes I feel like a nut. Sometimes I don't. You know what I mean?

00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:10.160
 My point is, is that our feelings are pretty vulnerable, are they not?

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:14.700
 Sometimes I feel really warm and fuzzy about all of you guys.

00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:18.380
 Sometimes I don't.

00:39:20.700 --> 00:39:21.519
 Hey, look at me.

00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:30.019
 My feelings come through a very imperfect and fragile heart.

00:39:31.420 --> 00:39:33.639
 And it's the Word of God that tells me.

00:39:36.340 --> 00:39:42.199
 God the Father saved me for His glory.

00:39:42.199 --> 00:39:43.199
 God the Father.

00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:50.659
 And knit me together with another group of people to be part of a team that makes Him look good.

00:39:55.099 --> 00:40:00.139
 And I come together to worship Christ with you.

00:40:01.819 --> 00:40:08.059
 Recognizing your frailty and accepting the humanity that we are together,

00:40:08.059 --> 00:40:16.159
 realizing that He is at work in us for the glory and the goodness of the supremacy of Christ.

00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:26.420
 So let me close with some practical truths applied.

00:40:26.420 --> 00:40:36.119
 If the church, the local body, is this important to Christ,

00:40:37.460 --> 00:40:41.880
 is the local church that important in your thinking?

00:40:48.360 --> 00:40:53.220
 Remember I said there's an enemy that is doing his level best

00:40:53.219 --> 00:40:58.739
 to rob us of the beauty and the wisdom of every word of God.

00:40:59.939 --> 00:41:07.480
 He has destroyed men and women through his lies about what moral purity involves.

00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:12.919
 He has destroyed men and women in his lies about what marriage is.

00:41:13.279 --> 00:41:16.879
 And he is destroying people who are professing believers

00:41:16.879 --> 00:41:22.559
 with his profoundly effective lies about what the local church is.

00:41:23.219 --> 00:41:27.719
 Is the word of God

00:41:27.719 --> 00:41:32.719
 of first and foremost importance

00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:36.099
 in your relationship with the bride of Christ?

00:41:40.199 --> 00:41:42.339
 And so when you find yourself at odds,

00:41:43.439 --> 00:41:46.480
 and can I tell you, if you're around God's people long enough,

00:41:46.539 --> 00:41:47.839
 you're going to find yourself at odds.

00:41:48.019 --> 00:41:49.119
 How many of you got that figured out?

00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:52.099
 When you find yourself at odds,

00:41:52.139 --> 00:41:53.500
 are you going to play it through

00:41:53.500 --> 00:41:55.139
 according to the word of God,

00:41:55.239 --> 00:41:58.739
 or are you going to carry on like you are part of Walmart's program?

00:42:01.219 --> 00:42:05.119
 I'll go when there's a smiley face around a certain corner,

00:42:05.119 --> 00:42:07.679
 and it all depends on what I'm getting out of it.

00:42:09.619 --> 00:42:10.059
 Third,

00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:13.719
 is the church somewhere you go

00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:16.639
 or somewhere you belong?

00:42:19.559 --> 00:42:20.079
 Fourth,

00:42:21.079 --> 00:42:22.360
 is the church

00:42:22.360 --> 00:42:27.920
 a relationship that you're engaged in

00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:29.340
 because of what you're getting

00:42:29.340 --> 00:42:33.559
 or the place in which you invest

00:42:33.559 --> 00:42:35.820
 for the glory of Christ?

00:42:35.820 --> 00:42:39.660
 Let me read the passage

00:42:39.660 --> 00:42:41.400
 and close.

00:42:44.200 --> 00:42:45.280
 So then,

00:42:46.280 --> 00:42:46.800
 you

00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:50.000
 are no longer strangers and aliens,

00:42:50.160 --> 00:42:51.559
 but you are fellow citizens

00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:56.740
 with the saints

00:42:56.740 --> 00:42:58.780
 and members

00:42:58.780 --> 00:43:01.140
 of the household of God.

00:43:01.139 --> 00:43:04.259
 built on the foundation

00:43:04.259 --> 00:43:06.139
 of the apostles and prophets,

00:43:07.239 --> 00:43:08.579
 Jesus Christ himself

00:43:08.579 --> 00:43:09.960
 being the cornerstone

00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:12.400
 in whom the whole structure

00:43:12.400 --> 00:43:13.659
 being joined together

00:43:13.659 --> 00:43:16.339
 grows into a holy temple to God.

00:43:18.339 --> 00:43:20.639
 In him also,

00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:23.719
 you are being built together

00:43:23.719 --> 00:43:25.819
 into a dwelling place for God

00:43:25.819 --> 00:43:27.819
 by the Spirit.

00:43:27.820 --> 00:43:31.059
 Let's close in prayer.

00:43:34.120 --> 00:43:34.820
 Our Father,

00:43:35.059 --> 00:43:36.880
 as we've studied the Scriptures together,

00:43:37.019 --> 00:43:38.640
 I'm reminded of the very true statement

00:43:38.640 --> 00:43:39.860
 that the purpose of preaching

00:43:39.860 --> 00:43:42.440
 is really not to entertain,

00:43:43.780 --> 00:43:45.220
 but to bring people

00:43:45.220 --> 00:43:47.240
 to a point of saying yes or no

00:43:47.240 --> 00:43:49.200
 to God.

00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:52.240
 And this morning,

00:43:52.340 --> 00:43:53.120
 I know for a fact

00:43:53.120 --> 00:43:54.240
 that there are some here today

00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:57.959
 that have a marginal relationship

00:43:57.959 --> 00:43:59.359
 with the body of Christ.

00:44:01.599 --> 00:44:02.659
 There are some today

00:44:02.659 --> 00:44:03.500
 that have allowed

00:44:03.500 --> 00:44:04.639
 circumstances

00:44:04.639 --> 00:44:06.439
 and situations

00:44:06.439 --> 00:44:07.719
 to discolor

00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:09.359
 their affection

00:44:09.359 --> 00:44:10.859
 for what you died for

00:44:10.859 --> 00:44:12.000
 and rose again.

00:44:14.379 --> 00:44:15.419
 There are some here

00:44:15.419 --> 00:44:16.639
 that do not know Christ,

00:44:17.639 --> 00:44:19.159
 and presently,

00:44:19.259 --> 00:44:19.959
 their pride

00:44:19.959 --> 00:44:21.239
 interferes

00:44:21.239 --> 00:44:24.019
 with their humility

00:44:24.019 --> 00:44:25.000
 that would declare,

00:44:25.239 --> 00:44:26.339
 I stand condemned

00:44:26.339 --> 00:44:27.459
 before a holy God,

00:44:27.599 --> 00:44:29.359
 and I need Jesus Christ

00:44:29.359 --> 00:44:30.279
 as my Savior.

00:44:33.319 --> 00:44:34.039
 And Father,

00:44:34.139 --> 00:44:34.739
 I would ask

00:44:34.739 --> 00:44:35.659
 that you would work

00:44:35.659 --> 00:44:36.319
 in the lives

00:44:36.319 --> 00:44:37.000
 of your people

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:38.439
 that Christ Jesus

00:44:38.439 --> 00:44:39.539
 might be exalted

00:44:39.539 --> 00:44:40.479
 by obedience

00:44:40.479 --> 00:44:42.819
 and willing submission

00:44:42.819 --> 00:44:43.519
 on the part

00:44:43.519 --> 00:44:44.059
 of those

00:44:44.059 --> 00:44:45.239
 who are genuine converts

00:44:45.239 --> 00:44:49.639
 and by conversion

00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:51.859
 and brokenness

00:44:51.859 --> 00:44:52.459
 in the lives

00:44:52.459 --> 00:44:52.879
 of those

00:44:52.879 --> 00:44:54.039
 who do not know Christ

00:44:54.039 --> 00:44:55.819
 as their personal Savior.

00:44:56.000 --> 00:44:56.439
 Do this,

00:44:56.500 --> 00:44:56.959
 that Christ

00:44:56.959 --> 00:44:58.199
 might be glorified,

00:44:58.279 --> 00:44:58.979
 and that's our prayer.

00:44:59.359 --> 00:44:59.619
 Amen.

00:45:00.459 --> 00:45:01.379
 Let's stand together

00:45:01.379 --> 00:45:03.119
 as John leads us in singing.

00:45:03.219 --> 00:45:03.639
 Let's stand.

00:45:03.759 --> 00:45:04.079
 If we would please