WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.439 We are on a schedule of alternating teachings. 00:00:03.620 --> 00:00:07.320 Josh Christopherson, for those of you who are visiting, he's an elder from Bellicose. 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:11.179 He's kind of our de facto elder now. 00:00:11.419 --> 00:00:12.580 We don't have elders right now. 00:00:12.620 --> 00:00:13.660 We're at the new church plant. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:18.219 And he's alternating his time between teaching at Bellicose and then teaching here. 00:00:18.400 --> 00:00:24.060 So on the off Sundays, some of the men are rotating through teaching through Colossians. 00:00:24.740 --> 00:00:26.699 So this is the second go at that. 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:28.980 Chris taught last time, starting us off. 00:00:28.980 --> 00:00:32.980 He did Colossians chapter 1 up to verse 8. 00:00:33.480 --> 00:00:36.820 And I'm going to teach verse 9 through 14 today. 00:00:38.259 --> 00:00:41.500 So get right into it. 00:00:45.939 --> 00:00:47.840 Okay, so a little bit of context here. 00:00:48.380 --> 00:00:53.960 There is a thanksgiving that Paul was giving on behalf of his team, his apostolic team. 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:58.920 They had heard this good news, this wonderful report from the Colossians about their faith. 00:00:59.419 --> 00:01:02.739 And that that faith had genuine fruit attached to it. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:03.479 There was love. 00:01:03.979 --> 00:01:05.479 You know, this is something you can't fake. 00:01:05.579 --> 00:01:07.840 And so they'd heard this and they said, that's real. 00:01:07.899 --> 00:01:08.759 That's real faith. 00:01:09.340 --> 00:01:13.579 And because of that evidence, it had caused them to do something. 00:01:13.659 --> 00:01:17.879 And we're going to start digging into what that had produced in this apostolic team. 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:20.219 So starting in verse 9. 00:01:20.219 --> 00:01:26.980 And so from the day we heard of this good fruit, this good testimony from the Colossians, 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:33.400 we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:40.200 and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner that is worthy of the Lord, 00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:46.520 fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:52.280 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:56.079 for all endurance and patience with joy, 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:02.219 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in life. 00:02:02.219 --> 00:02:17.780 Okay, so I do have a few points in here. 00:02:18.180 --> 00:02:18.979 I have three points. 00:02:19.379 --> 00:02:22.680 If I forget this, by the time I get to the end, I'm going to tell you what these points are. 00:02:23.860 --> 00:02:28.400 Point number one is that each of us has a responsibility to know God's will. 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:33.599 This is Paul's prayer, that they might be filled with the knowledge of God's will. 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:37.879 And we have a responsibility to own that, you know, on an individual basis. 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:44.240 And the second is that there is a power to endure in patience and joy, 00:02:44.340 --> 00:02:45.420 and that comes from God. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:46.180 It's his power. 00:02:47.099 --> 00:02:47.759 And it's a miracle. 00:02:48.700 --> 00:02:50.900 And the third is that we are beloved in the beloved. 00:02:51.180 --> 00:02:54.240 So those are the three prominent points that jumped out to me. 00:02:54.300 --> 00:02:55.280 There's a whole lot more in there, 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:58.900 but those are the ones that have really kind of hit home in my heart, 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:01.099 and I want to try to give words to today as best as I can. 00:03:01.979 --> 00:03:04.099 So for the first one, I'm just going to read. 00:03:05.139 --> 00:03:07.159 That comes from verses 9 and 10. 00:03:07.860 --> 00:03:10.000 So verse 9, I'll just read that again. 00:03:10.860 --> 00:03:13.699 And so from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.840 asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:20.539 and all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 00:03:20.539 --> 00:03:28.620 So this made me think of this verse in Psalms 32. 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:30.579 Psalm 32, verse 8 through 9 said, 00:03:31.219 --> 00:03:33.759 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. 00:03:34.099 --> 00:03:36.180 I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:41.879 Be not like a horse or a mule that is without understanding, 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:45.699 which must be curbed with bit and bridle, 00:03:46.019 --> 00:03:47.719 or it will not stay near to you. 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:51.359 So I have experienced many times in my life 00:03:51.359 --> 00:03:53.599 where I feel like I'm on a really short leash with God, 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:57.259 and it's actually a comfort to me. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:03:59.360 I've always felt like I'm on a really short leash. 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:02.219 Like I can't get away with things that most people can get away with. 00:04:03.319 --> 00:04:05.340 And it's just, it's always been my experience. 00:04:05.699 --> 00:04:07.099 It's gone very poorly with me 00:04:07.099 --> 00:04:09.759 when I have tried to do things that my friends do. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:12.819 You know, not necessarily like godly friends, 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:14.639 but this has just been the experience of my life. 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:16.000 I feel like this. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.279 And I have always thought, 00:04:18.839 --> 00:04:20.740 thank you, Lord, for keeping me on a short leash. 00:04:21.639 --> 00:04:24.740 This is his love towards me. 00:04:24.819 --> 00:04:27.819 You know, Hebrews 12 says that if we're without discipline, 00:04:27.939 --> 00:04:28.959 we're bastards, not children. 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:32.319 And the clear evidence that we are children of God 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:33.420 is that God disciplines us. 00:04:33.459 --> 00:04:34.160 He intervenes. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:35.019 Okay? 00:04:35.579 --> 00:04:40.459 And if we have an experience of divine non-intervention, 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:41.620 that's a problem. 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:44.699 We ought to cry out to God and say, 00:04:44.780 --> 00:04:47.139 Lord, start intervening in my life. 00:04:47.340 --> 00:04:47.579 Okay? 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:52.459 But when you think of being on a short leash, 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:54.579 you think of like training maybe a dog, 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:59.019 you start off with the animal on a short leash. 00:04:59.019 --> 00:05:00.699 But that's not the end goal. 00:05:00.699 --> 00:05:05.379 The end goal is not for them to perpetually need like two feet of slack in their leash 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:08.379 so that, you know, every time they do something they're not supposed to do, 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:09.000 they get yanked. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:13.979 You know, and they're kept on the narrow way by brute force, 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:16.439 by discipline, by correction, left and right. 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:17.439 That's what God's saying right here. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:21.979 He's saying, don't be like a horse or a mule that does not have understanding. 00:05:22.580 --> 00:05:24.300 They need a short leash. 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:26.660 So praise God for a short leash. 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:28.040 It's from the Lord. 00:05:28.420 --> 00:05:29.180 He loves us. 00:05:29.300 --> 00:05:29.800 He's our father. 00:05:30.700 --> 00:05:34.600 But he's challenging us as his children to not stay there. 00:05:35.540 --> 00:05:37.000 Like, and that's what Paul's saying right here. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.080 He's like, I know you guys are children of God. 00:05:39.400 --> 00:05:40.220 I've heard about it. 00:05:40.400 --> 00:05:41.040 I heard about your faith. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:43.600 I heard about your love, you know, and this is amazing. 00:05:44.020 --> 00:05:46.060 So now I'm going to pray for something else, 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:48.560 for maturity, that you be filled with his will 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.680 and all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:53.560 Ephesians 5. 00:05:53.700 --> 00:05:55.660 So Ephesians is like the parallel passage. 00:05:55.860 --> 00:05:57.939 It's like one gigantic parallel passage to Colossians. 00:05:58.500 --> 00:06:00.460 You can't even almost teach through Colossians 00:06:00.460 --> 00:06:02.860 without simultaneously teaching on Ephesians, I feel. 00:06:03.400 --> 00:06:05.879 So I'll probably have a lot of those parallel passages. 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:08.460 But one of them is Ephesians 5, verse 15 through 17. 00:06:08.980 --> 00:06:13.360 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise. 00:06:13.640 --> 00:06:16.200 So there we have, you know, image of an animal walking on a leash. 00:06:17.660 --> 00:06:20.580 Making the best use of the time because the days are evil. 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:25.899 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:06:26.419 --> 00:06:27.719 He wants us to go on to maturity. 00:06:27.859 --> 00:06:29.419 He wants us to have an understanding. 00:06:29.899 --> 00:06:34.800 You know, a dog that's been well-trained, it understands its master's will. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.839 You see someone walking around with a dog off of their leash, 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:45.399 and the dog, they have a sense of, the owner has a sense of security 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:47.099 because they know the dog is well-trained. 00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:49.639 It can run off there and it'll say, come here. 00:06:50.139 --> 00:06:51.739 And they'll immediately turn around and come back. 00:06:52.359 --> 00:06:53.779 And a lot of times they don't even need to say anything 00:06:53.779 --> 00:06:57.579 because the dog knows it has an understanding of its master's will 00:06:57.579 --> 00:06:58.539 and has been trained by it. 00:06:58.919 --> 00:07:00.959 So in the same way it's saying, don't be unwise, 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:04.680 but learn what it is that the Lord wants. 00:07:05.019 --> 00:07:05.639 You know, we should know. 00:07:06.919 --> 00:07:11.099 So there's a lot on this, understanding the will of God, 00:07:11.139 --> 00:07:13.539 but I want to look at two means in particular. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:18.039 These are God's means for helping us understand his will. 00:07:18.159 --> 00:07:21.620 One is the word of God, and the second is the empowering of the Holy Spirit. 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:28.100 So along the lines of the word of God, 2 Timothy 3, verse 14 through 17 says, 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.899 this is Paul's writing to Timothy, his son in the faith. 00:07:32.019 --> 00:07:35.860 He says, but as for you, continue in what you have learned 00:07:35.860 --> 00:07:40.040 and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.579 and how from childhood you've been acquainted with the sacred writings, 00:07:43.840 --> 00:07:48.459 which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:07:48.459 --> 00:07:53.519 All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, 00:07:53.719 --> 00:07:56.739 for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness 00:07:56.739 --> 00:08:00.439 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 00:08:01.060 --> 00:08:02.180 The Bible is sufficient. 00:08:03.659 --> 00:08:09.539 And there is an ownership that God has put on every Christian. 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:12.099 Like we can't outsource this. 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:16.639 He says, you, you are able to be built up. 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:18.060 It is sufficient. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:23.779 And from a child until you're old, this is able to equip you 00:08:23.779 --> 00:08:25.560 for everything I'm calling you to do. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:27.699 We need to hear that. 00:08:27.740 --> 00:08:30.879 We need to hear that for, we need to hear the word of the Lord for us, 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:34.720 particularly that I have a responsibility for God 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:36.899 to handle this rightly and be a good workman. 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:40.460 And the second means is the empowering of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:43.200 John 16, verses 12 through 14. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.520 Jesus, he's talking to the disciples at the time. 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:48.280 This is before he dies and the sins. 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:49.379 He says, 00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:53.300 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 00:08:54.180 --> 00:08:58.180 When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. 00:08:58.940 --> 00:09:01.740 For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, 00:09:01.820 --> 00:09:04.840 he will speak and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:10.259 He will glorify me for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 00:09:10.259 --> 00:09:14.139 So the word of God isn't enough all by itself. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:15.559 We actually need an interpreter. 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:20.500 We need the spirit of God to open it up and communicate this truth to us. 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:25.700 Like if I had everything I needed with just the Bible, 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:29.179 God could have in his sovereignty just given us a Bible. 00:09:29.179 --> 00:09:37.279 And it would not have required Jesus to die and to ascend on high and give the Holy Spirit 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:39.199 for me to be filled with God's will. 00:09:39.459 --> 00:09:40.699 But he did. 00:09:41.059 --> 00:09:41.799 He needed to. 00:09:41.859 --> 00:09:43.459 He needed to actually send the Holy Spirit. 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.639 Jesus was in person trying to teach his disciples. 00:09:46.859 --> 00:09:47.219 And he's like, 00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:52.739 there are things I just can't even share with you right now because the Holy Spirit's not here. 00:09:52.740 --> 00:09:56.740 But when he comes, which is, that's the situation we're in right now. 00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:57.560 The Holy Spirit has come. 00:09:58.060 --> 00:09:59.919 He's going to lead you in all the truth. 00:09:59.960 --> 00:10:01.360 And we have that inheritance as believers. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:05.000 We have a Holy Spirit who knows our deepest problems. 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:10.500 He knows how the word applies exactly according to our need. 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:13.419 And he's promised if we're a sheep, he says, 00:10:13.560 --> 00:10:15.200 my sheep hear my voice. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:21.820 And the Holy Spirit has come to take what is from him and communicate it to us in a personal way. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:30.720 And, you know, this is different than listening to a bunch of sermons online. 00:10:31.280 --> 00:10:31.440 Okay. 00:10:32.060 --> 00:10:32.800 Like those are great. 00:10:33.500 --> 00:10:34.420 Podcasts are awesome. 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:35.580 Books are awesome. 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:36.820 Sermons are awesome. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:38.820 The Lord uses these as means. 00:10:38.920 --> 00:10:39.400 They're wonderful. 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:47.600 But it's not a substitute for personal ownership of the responsibility we have before God 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:52.860 to come to him and to search the scriptures and to trust that the spirit, 00:10:52.980 --> 00:10:55.199 I have the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. 00:10:55.340 --> 00:11:00.860 And he's right there doing this work of ministering and opening the word of God to me. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:03.419 And this is, 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:08.419 there's something in us that doesn't really want to come right to God. 00:11:08.659 --> 00:11:09.139 Okay. 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:10.039 We'd much rather, 00:11:10.319 --> 00:11:10.419 like, 00:11:10.439 --> 00:11:11.120 I don't know about you, 00:11:11.199 --> 00:11:13.439 but there's something in my flesh I notice is a pattern. 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:17.840 It's way easier for me to listen to a thing about God or read a book about God 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:21.819 or listen to a podcast about God than it is to actually come to the word of God and, 00:11:21.899 --> 00:11:22.539 and say, 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:22.779 Lord, 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:25.019 I believe that you're my savior. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:25.679 Will you teach me? 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:27.639 There's like this thing, 00:11:27.699 --> 00:11:28.120 there's like this, 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:29.000 this wall, 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:30.019 this kind of barrier. 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:31.399 And it's, 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:34.039 that barrier is not there with all of that content. 00:11:34.659 --> 00:11:34.740 Okay. 00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:39.360 But I find that like just something as simple as getting up and spending time with the 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:39.500 Lord, 00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:40.919 there's like a wall there, 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:41.899 you know, 00:11:41.899 --> 00:11:42.960 and I feel it in my spirit. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:45.899 This is why sometimes like if I'm discouraged, 00:11:46.019 --> 00:11:49.080 morning quiet times are kind of discouraging because I have this sense of like, 00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:50.680 I don't know what that is. 00:11:50.979 --> 00:11:51.120 Well, 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:52.799 it's because the spirit, 00:11:53.979 --> 00:11:54.159 it, 00:11:54.579 --> 00:11:57.859 the spirit is who communicates and opens the word to us. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:11:58.819 You know, 00:11:58.839 --> 00:12:01.259 second Corinthians three talks about this, 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:03.179 this veil that's over the scripture. 00:12:04.019 --> 00:12:04.399 All right. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:05.939 And this is a real thing, 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:07.039 but it says, 00:12:07.199 --> 00:12:08.620 when we turn to the Lord, 00:12:08.719 --> 00:12:11.719 the veil is taken away because the veil is done away in Christ. 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:14.859 That's a spiritual reality that we all experience, 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:18.740 but the Holy spirit has come to open up the word to us in, 00:12:18.800 --> 00:12:19.440 in a living way. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:20.060 So anyway, 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:22.060 just kind of a little bit of an aside, 00:12:22.220 --> 00:12:27.680 but let's not let these good things become a substitute for the main thing. 00:12:30.060 --> 00:12:31.159 In Acts 17, 00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:31.740 verse 11, 00:12:32.379 --> 00:12:32.759 there's a, 00:12:32.820 --> 00:12:36.100 there's a great example of people who didn't allow this to happen. 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:37.580 And it was the Bereans. 00:12:37.580 --> 00:12:38.379 It says, 00:12:38.780 --> 00:12:39.620 now these Jews, 00:12:40.180 --> 00:12:43.580 the Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:46.280 They received the word with all eagerness, 00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:50.200 examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:52.780 So Paul was there communicating a message. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:53.900 He was sharing the gospel. 00:12:54.020 --> 00:12:55.480 The things he was sharing were true, 00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:58.720 but they didn't just take it because it sounded true. 00:12:59.320 --> 00:12:59.940 They just didn't, 00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:01.080 they didn't listen to it and like, 00:13:01.160 --> 00:13:01.460 oh man, 00:13:01.560 --> 00:13:02.360 that was awesome. 00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:03.379 That was the word of God. 00:13:03.520 --> 00:13:03.860 Awesome. 00:13:04.400 --> 00:13:06.200 They took it and they received it like that, 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:10.740 but then they also coupled it with their personal responsibility before God 00:13:10.740 --> 00:13:14.920 to search the scriptures themselves to prove whether it was true. 00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:21.360 That's the same way that we ought to approach messages from God. 00:13:21.940 --> 00:13:22.120 You know, 00:13:22.180 --> 00:13:25.300 whether they're messages here that we hear preached by, 00:13:25.640 --> 00:13:25.840 you know, 00:13:26.100 --> 00:13:30.900 preached at church on Sunday or podcasts we listen to or online sermons, 00:13:31.180 --> 00:13:35.020 we need to fear God and come before him and say, 00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:35.319 Lord, 00:13:35.500 --> 00:13:36.980 I need to be like a Berean. 00:13:37.019 --> 00:13:37.720 I want to be more noble, 00:13:37.939 --> 00:13:38.819 you know, 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:39.939 and I want to, 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:44.299 I want to trust that the same spirit that's in these guys is in me. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:49.179 And you've given me a Bible and I have an authority before God to test these 00:13:49.179 --> 00:13:49.600 things. 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:51.319 I think, 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.600 especially when we're thinking about starting a church and laying good 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:54.079 foundations, 00:13:54.079 --> 00:13:55.240 this is essential. 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:55.320 So, 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:56.259 you know, 00:13:56.560 --> 00:14:00.960 it's so easy to just get caught up with some movement or some fine sounding 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:01.419 arguments. 00:14:01.659 --> 00:14:03.480 Talks about that later on in Colossians two, 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:07.200 to not be led astray by fine sounding arguments. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:08.480 Um, 00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:10.379 this has happened to me so many times, 00:14:10.379 --> 00:14:11.320 you know, 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:14.820 we were locked up in church movements that seemed really good. 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:19.780 And I knew that some of the things that they were teaching weren't quite 00:14:19.780 --> 00:14:21.660 exactly like the Bible taught, 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:23.340 but I ignored it. 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:24.560 I just kind of stuffed that down. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:29.579 And the longterm fruit was like a train wreck for our family. 00:14:30.479 --> 00:14:36.119 And I wish I had owned that responsibility more to hold what's being taught to 00:14:36.119 --> 00:14:36.799 me by these, 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:37.839 uh, 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:41.279 super preachers and test it with the word of God. 00:14:41.459 --> 00:14:43.299 And when we're thinking about starting a new church, 00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:43.879 I think this is, 00:14:44.119 --> 00:14:45.279 this is so essential. 00:14:45.339 --> 00:14:47.139 I think the Lord wants to work this into our culture, 00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:48.939 a culture of being Bereans. 00:14:49.219 --> 00:14:49.699 You know, 00:14:49.699 --> 00:14:50.639 no one gets a pass. 00:14:51.359 --> 00:14:51.679 Um, 00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:52.479 you know, 00:14:52.719 --> 00:14:52.959 uh, 00:14:52.959 --> 00:14:54.379 the apostle Peter didn't get a pass. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:54.959 You know, 00:14:54.979 --> 00:14:55.379 he was in, 00:14:55.459 --> 00:14:55.659 in, 00:14:55.959 --> 00:14:56.179 you know, 00:14:56.239 --> 00:14:57.319 among the Galatians, 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.699 he was led astray, 00:14:58.699 --> 00:14:59.699 uh, 00:14:59.699 --> 00:15:02.599 with the error of the Judaizers and Paul just blasted him. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:03.079 You know, 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:05.539 he didn't let Peter's status in any way, 00:15:05.599 --> 00:15:08.899 dissuade him from his responsibility to hold him account to what the Bible 00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:09.279 said. 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:11.079 And we have the same responsibility. 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:12.059 Well, 00:15:12.679 --> 00:15:13.079 um, 00:15:14.359 --> 00:15:14.619 anyway, 00:15:14.819 --> 00:15:16.519 I think that's that on that. 00:15:16.659 --> 00:15:16.939 Um, 00:15:17.239 --> 00:15:18.739 so why do we need, 00:15:18.739 --> 00:15:20.079 why do we need to know God's will? 00:15:20.619 --> 00:15:21.379 Verse 10, 00:15:21.939 --> 00:15:24.539 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, 00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:26.739 fully pleasing to him, 00:15:27.459 --> 00:15:31.179 bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, 00:15:31.419 --> 00:15:35.159 we must know God's will in order to walk in a manner that pleases him. 00:15:35.159 --> 00:15:35.600 Um, 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:36.980 you know, 00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:40.079 we think of God as being really just all about our intentions. 00:15:40.839 --> 00:15:43.899 And in a lot of ways that there's a precious truth to that. 00:15:43.980 --> 00:15:44.959 We don't want to set that aside. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:46.120 Um, 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.720 but in, 00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:51.500 in terms of living and walking in a way that pleases him, 00:15:51.580 --> 00:15:52.560 good intentions alone, 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:53.139 don't cut it. 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:54.080 Uh, 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:54.519 there's a good, 00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:56.240 there's a example of this. 00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:56.580 Um, 00:15:56.580 --> 00:16:00.120 I'm going to read the story real quick in second Samuel chapter six. 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:00.639 Um, 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:04.039 this is, 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:05.460 uh, 00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.519 the ark of God. 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:08.639 This is during the time of David being King. 00:16:08.700 --> 00:16:12.500 The ark of God had been captured by the Philistines and was stuck at this guy's house. 00:16:12.820 --> 00:16:13.200 And, 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:13.460 uh, 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:15.200 and they wanted to bring it back to Jerusalem. 00:16:16.420 --> 00:16:16.780 Uh, 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:18.360 and I'll just read this story real quick. 00:16:18.660 --> 00:16:20.240 This is second Samuel chapter six. 00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:21.519 And we'll read verses one through 10. 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:23.960 David again, 00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:25.440 gathered all the chosen men of Israel, 00:16:25.560 --> 00:16:26.120 30,000. 00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:31.060 And David arose and went with all the people who are with him from Baal Judah to bring up from there, 00:16:31.139 --> 00:16:31.920 the ark of God, 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:33.200 which is, 00:16:33.400 --> 00:16:34.120 excuse me, 00:16:34.860 --> 00:16:38.660 which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the chair of him. 00:16:39.060 --> 00:16:43.240 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of, 00:16:43.460 --> 00:16:44.080 Abinadab, 00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.420 which was on the hill. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:47.900 And Uzzah and Ahio, 00:16:48.259 --> 00:16:50.720 the sons of Abinadab were driving the new cart, 00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:51.660 the ark of God. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:53.860 And Ahio went before the ark. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:17:01.820 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:04.500 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:10.000 Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it for the oxen stumbled. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:13.779 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah. 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:16.420 And God struck him down there because of his error. 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:19.519 And he died there beside the ark of God. 00:17:20.220 --> 00:17:24.359 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:27.839 And that place is called Perez Uzzah to this day. 00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:30.679 And David was afraid of the Lord that day. 00:17:30.719 --> 00:17:31.139 And he said, 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:32.639 How can the ark of the Lord come to me? 00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:36.759 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. 00:17:37.139 --> 00:17:39.979 But David took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom, 00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:40.819 the Gittite. 00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:45.720 So they had good intentions. 00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:53.240 You know, it was wrong for the ark of God to stay over here when it ought to be here in Jerusalem. 00:17:53.639 --> 00:17:55.079 And they wanted to fix that problem. 00:17:55.619 --> 00:17:55.859 Okay. 00:17:56.740 --> 00:18:01.639 And they partly follow God's rules. 00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:04.559 You know, I think they had some Levites there for as best I can understand. 00:18:04.679 --> 00:18:06.879 Uzzah and this other guy were Levites. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:07.680 So they were the right people. 00:18:08.580 --> 00:18:11.940 But they didn't take the time to understand the will of God. 00:18:12.800 --> 00:18:18.740 So in Numbers 4, there's explicit instructions on how you handle the ark of God. 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:20.800 It's got to be carried by Levites. 00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:23.020 It's got to be carried on poles. 00:18:23.100 --> 00:18:23.940 It can't be put in a cart. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.320 You know, there's very explicit instructions. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.060 There was these poles that were going to go through it. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.100 And you can't touch it. 00:18:29.520 --> 00:18:30.520 If you touch it, you die. 00:18:31.300 --> 00:18:34.100 So these guys, they had all the good intentions in the world. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:35.800 They were trying to do the work of God. 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:39.960 They didn't take the time to figure out what God wanted, how he wanted to do it. 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:41.519 And God struck him dead. 00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:46.559 You know, and so, you know, the ark is, this is a picture of the household of God. 00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:50.680 You know, and so we need to be careful how we go about building the house of God. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:55.440 You don't build the house of God on a bunch of good intentions and everybody agreeing. 00:18:55.579 --> 00:18:57.279 You know, I thought I read one commentary on this. 00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:58.000 It was very interesting. 00:18:58.419 --> 00:18:59.559 I didn't go back to fact check this. 00:18:59.639 --> 00:19:00.240 You can fact check. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:06.279 But David said that David had received counsel at this time. 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:10.160 He'd run this idea by a bunch of the leaders in Jerusalem. 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:11.299 And they all agreed. 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:12.160 Yeah, this is a good idea. 00:19:12.639 --> 00:19:12.759 Okay. 00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:17.139 So, like, translate that to us. 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:21.039 We have a high value for the different, you know, gifts in the body of Christ. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.920 For unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:24.420 God working through his different members. 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:28.940 You know, maybe we have a thought that if we can all agree about something, 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:31.139 that's evidence that God wants us to do that. 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:31.220 Does God say it? 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:32.280 No. 00:19:33.820 --> 00:19:35.000 Has God said it? 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:42.080 Does the word of God substantiate and affirm that this is how we ought to do it? 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:43.180 That's what matters. 00:19:44.360 --> 00:19:45.500 I mean, history is full of this. 00:19:45.560 --> 00:19:48.920 A lot of people being totally on board with something that was absolutely not God's will, 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:49.620 and God judges it. 00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:52.360 And the scary thing is, sometimes he lets it last a long time. 00:19:53.380 --> 00:19:55.360 You know, we need to fear God. 00:19:56.280 --> 00:19:58.440 You know, I think about IHOP. 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:04.480 You know, and I know that some of us in this room were in that in different seasons. 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.920 You know, my parents were very early on in things. 00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:10.779 And it's good to ask yourself the question. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.380 With all the stuff that came up recently, with all the leaders being exposed as being sexual 00:20:15.380 --> 00:20:18.180 immorality and all that stuff, what if that hadn't happened? 00:20:19.580 --> 00:20:24.039 You know, what if they just kept continuing doing the thing that they were doing? 00:20:25.100 --> 00:20:27.840 Is there anything about their ministry that would be concerning? 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:37.380 Is there anything about what they were teaching that is evidence that there's something wrong 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:37.920 going on? 00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:46.080 You know, do we really need leaders to be exposed as having been living in sin for us to be like, 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:49.200 no, that's not in accordance with the word of God? 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:52.700 You know, and this is the same with me. 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:54.240 I'm not throwing stones at IHOP. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.299 This is just a good example. 00:20:55.299 --> 00:21:02.480 Like, there were teachers that my family and I followed for years, and there hasn't been 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:04.039 any major exposure of sin. 00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:09.240 They were still teaching things that were contrary to the word of God and it destroyed lives, though. 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:18.259 And for so long, I felt unempowered to hold them to account to what the Bible says. 00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:19.740 And we need to. 00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:20.980 And we need to. 00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:23.059 Things like this happen. 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:26.720 Ultimately, God will judge his church. 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:31.099 The Bible says that the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. 00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:35.720 You know, and if we barely escape, what's going to happen to the ungodly and sinners? 00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:38.960 You know, so he's zealous for his house. 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:49.160 And part of that zeal is expressed in the individual members taking responsibility to hold what we do and how we build to account to what the Bible says. 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:53.640 You know, if there had just been one leader at that time who'd raise his hand, be like, you know what? 00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:58.759 You know, I was digging in the law the other day and there were some really clear instructions about how we should do this. 00:21:58.860 --> 00:22:00.480 I think that's a bad idea to put it on a cart. 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:03.480 You know, because it says if you touch it, you'll die. 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:05.980 It's like, whoa, wow, I didn't even know that, you know. 00:22:06.360 --> 00:22:09.120 So like, we have a responsibility to do that. 00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:14.099 You know, the body works together and builds itself up in love as each member does its part. 00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:18.140 So anyway, I'm digressing a little bit on this. 00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:22.680 Let's see here. 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:27.440 I'm going to skip a little bit. 00:22:28.339 --> 00:22:32.880 One point, a sub-point of this, you know, this verse also speaks of bearing fruit in every good work. 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:35.279 And increasing in the knowledge of God. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:39.480 You know, body ministry is not a replacement for knowing God personally. 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:40.420 Okay. 00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:43.019 It's a fruit, knowing God personally. 00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:46.660 We can't outsource this responsibility to others. 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:49.059 There's not two mediators between God and man. 00:22:49.140 --> 00:22:51.120 There's one, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:23:03.500 And we experience this body ministry, this bearing fruit in knowing the Lord, when we are personally in a living way connected with the head. 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:06.119 It says in Ephesians 4.16. 00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:08.720 I like how the Berean study Bible put this. 00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:11.799 From him, Jesus, the whole body. 00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:23.519 From him, the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:28.859 We, together, are built up in a living way. 00:23:28.980 --> 00:23:36.500 And we experience the giftings of each other when we are personally responsible to maintain that connection to the head. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:39.079 When we're going on to know him in a living way. 00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:43.819 And anyway, this is an outflow. 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:49.980 This is part of the goal of us being filled with the knowledge of his will is so that we can bear fruit in this walk. 00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:53.680 Okay, moving on. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:54.279 Verse 11. 00:23:55.259 --> 00:24:00.180 Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy. 00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:10.779 The thing that jumped out to me on this is that the strength for this endurance, this pleasing, this knowing, this fruit bearing comes from God's glorious might. 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:15.620 This is not a quality we dredge up in ourselves. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:16.980 It comes from him. 00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:20.039 Romans 8, verses 10 through 11 said, 00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:28.319 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. 00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:39.599 If the spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you. 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:46.599 So this being strengthened with all power, there's a corollary to Christ being raised from the dead. 00:24:47.139 --> 00:24:47.700 It's a miracle. 00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:48.000 Okay. 00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:55.799 This is like less of kind of maybe, I don't know, a counter analogy. 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:57.000 It's a miracle. 00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:58.600 It's being raised from the dead. 00:24:58.779 --> 00:25:01.180 Our body is as good as dead because of sin. 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:02.299 And we experience that. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:04.759 Like my body is not good for doing God's will. 00:25:05.340 --> 00:25:06.480 It doesn't have endurance. 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:07.660 It doesn't have patience. 00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:09.500 It doesn't have joy for sure. 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:10.519 In any event. 00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.079 Okay. 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:15.339 That's why I need the life of another Christ. 00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:22.819 If the spirit of Christ lives in you, the same power that was at work raising Jesus from the dead, that's a miracle. 00:25:22.819 --> 00:25:30.919 Will work in me raising me from the dead on a day-to-day basis to do God's will with joy and peace. 00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:32.200 You know, it's a miracle. 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:39.259 So God's not looking for us to have an experience that's any less miraculous than Jesus raising from the dead. 00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:45.680 And so there's a very real sense in which we can acknowledge, man, I am not cut out for this naturally at all. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:48.560 But praise God, his spirit lives in me. 00:25:48.620 --> 00:25:49.740 I know he lives in me. 00:25:50.320 --> 00:25:55.320 And the same power that's at work in raising Jesus from the dead is going to give life to my mortal body, 00:25:55.539 --> 00:26:02.060 is going to give me a strength with all power according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:05.960 Anyway, not a whole lot on that one, but did want to point that one out. 00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:08.320 Moving on to verse 12. 00:26:09.360 --> 00:26:14.220 Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:20.880 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son, 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:25.400 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:31.620 There's a lot in there, but there are two phrases that I wanted to key in on. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:37.539 And they are his beloved son and in whom. 00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:42.940 I find that this is personally true. 00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:48.339 I think this is true for more than just me, but I know this is true personally. 00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:54.960 Often our insecurity and lack of worth stems from a lack of understanding of how God has qualified us. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:59.799 He doesn't just say, I chose some people to be saved, 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:03.000 and you'll know that you're one of these people based on the fruit you bear. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:05.240 Though there is a sense in which that's true. 00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:05.960 Okay? 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:08.220 Jesus says, you'll know a tree by its fruit. 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:09.000 Okay? 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:13.720 He chose us in the beloved son. 00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:17.079 And thus receives us as he received Christ. 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:21.819 And in union with Jesus, we do bear fruit. 00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:22.340 Okay? 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.340 It's impossible not to. 00:27:23.640 --> 00:27:26.539 You can't be connected to the son and not bear fruit. 00:27:26.539 --> 00:27:33.279 So, you know, this is very easy for me to think that Jesus is beloved. 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:34.720 It's not hard for me to think that at all. 00:27:35.379 --> 00:27:36.039 God says it. 00:27:36.639 --> 00:27:38.139 He's worthy of being loved. 00:27:38.619 --> 00:27:43.159 You know, God says in Matthew 3, 17, he said to Jesus after he's baptized, he said, 00:27:43.379 --> 00:27:45.859 this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. 00:27:45.859 --> 00:27:49.199 It's a lot harder for me to think that I'm beloved, though. 00:27:49.979 --> 00:27:54.879 I got to do a lot more, you know, a lot more number crunching to try to get there. 00:27:55.079 --> 00:27:59.979 You know, especially if I'm, you know, maybe not, maybe my sanctification has not been so hot that week. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:00.659 You know, this week. 00:28:00.719 --> 00:28:02.199 I'm a little bit worried. 00:28:02.659 --> 00:28:05.219 You know, maybe, you know, God says I'm very pleased in my son. 00:28:05.459 --> 00:28:07.659 But Seth, I don't know. 00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:15.659 Well, that's because I'm thinking of my relationship with God the Father, my sonship, apart from Christ. 00:28:16.399 --> 00:28:16.559 Okay. 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.559 He didn't just choose me. 00:28:19.179 --> 00:28:22.699 He chose me in the beloved son. 00:28:23.399 --> 00:28:23.719 Okay. 00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:28.939 So we need to remember that we have a mediated relationship with God. 00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:30.079 Okay. 00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:35.719 First Timothy 2, 5 says there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men. 00:28:35.899 --> 00:28:37.979 The man, Christ, Jesus. 00:28:39.079 --> 00:28:40.519 I have to have a mediator. 00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:41.639 Okay. 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:47.720 And if I receive this, it's life and joy and peace and rest. 00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:52.020 Because Jesus is beloved, I am beloved. 00:28:52.280 --> 00:28:54.759 Because he put me into Jesus. 00:28:55.380 --> 00:28:59.960 And the same relationship that Jesus enjoys with the Father, I enjoy. 00:29:00.420 --> 00:29:02.780 Not by works, but by faith. 00:29:03.340 --> 00:29:03.480 Okay. 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:08.319 First Corinthians 1, verse 30 through 31 said, 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:26.799 And because of him, God the Father, you are in Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:30.139 My boast is in Christ when he is my righteousness. 00:29:31.399 --> 00:29:36.460 And this doesn't in any way detract from my personal sonship with the Father. 00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:39.639 It's sonship through the Son. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:43.720 This is what it means to be, we are beloved. 00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:47.180 I can be totally confident that I'm beloved because the Son is beloved. 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:54.360 And like, when this truth really lands, when it goes from our head to our heart, the fruit is, we're free to just suck. 00:29:54.759 --> 00:29:54.980 Okay. 00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:57.779 We're free to be Christians who have nothing to prove. 00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.440 You have nothing to prove. 00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.840 I'm done. 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:02.539 I don't need to try to please God anymore. 00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:04.420 Because Jesus pleases God for me. 00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:08.340 This is not a, this is not a license to sin. 00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:09.940 The Holy Spirit's got that. 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:12.000 So like, don't worry about that one. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:20.440 Just stay as long as you need to on the reality that when Jesus is my righteousness, I don't have any righteousness. 00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:21.599 Okay. 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:25.680 Paul talks about this wonderful freedom in Philippians 3. 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:28.779 I don't have time to turn there, but he said, everything that was gained to me. 00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:31.319 And he wasn't talking about worldly accomplishments. 00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:36.559 He's talking about what he'd gained in his pursuit of having a righteousness of his own. 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:37.680 He tried real hard. 00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:39.319 He tried harder than everybody. 00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:45.539 He said, whatever was gained to me in that pursuit, I count as loss for the sake of knowing him. 00:30:46.419 --> 00:30:51.859 That I might be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, which is what? 00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:52.859 By the law. 00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:56.059 When am I confident? 00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:57.179 When I'm keeping all the commands. 00:30:57.639 --> 00:30:58.399 When am I not confident? 00:30:58.619 --> 00:30:59.119 When I'm not. 00:30:59.460 --> 00:30:59.960 Guess what? 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:00.659 You're not. 00:31:01.179 --> 00:31:02.220 So you can never be confident. 00:31:02.919 --> 00:31:03.079 Okay. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:08.460 So the Bible says the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did by which 00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:09.200 we draw an eye to God. 00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:14.159 The better hope is there is a beloved son who does and did keep all the commandments and 00:31:14.159 --> 00:31:15.079 God put me into him. 00:31:15.139 --> 00:31:18.919 That's why Paul says, I have left that behind. 00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:22.220 I no longer have a righteousness, which is of my own. 00:31:23.079 --> 00:31:24.419 It's not Paul's righteousness anymore. 00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:26.480 It's righteousness of another man. 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:30.859 The alien, Martin Luther called it the alien righteousness of Jesus Christ. 00:31:30.980 --> 00:31:33.099 It's the righteousness of another person. 00:31:33.099 --> 00:31:36.159 And this is life and joy and peace. 00:31:36.779 --> 00:31:43.959 And so in short, we are beloved in the beloved son. 00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:50.500 We partake of Christ's relationship with the father because we are in him. 00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:52.920 And this is a wonderful thing. 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:59.960 And this is the, so much of the theme of Colossians is, this is a preview of it, but it feeds up 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:02.539 into this, the preeminence of Christ, the headship of Christ. 00:32:02.539 --> 00:32:08.940 Um, God did a work in his son that is a capital W. 00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:16.799 And this is why we as sinners can be totally confident at rest in him. 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:24.500 And we're free to just, you know, this is a silly, this is a stupid saying, but let go and let God. 00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.579 Like it really is. 00:32:25.639 --> 00:32:26.099 It's like that. 00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:30.779 Now people, people, uh, take that and they, they use it as a license for sin. 00:32:31.139 --> 00:32:33.419 That's not what I'm, that's not what I'm advocating. 00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:40.919 But in a very real way, you're letting, you're giving God the authority and responsibility 00:32:40.919 --> 00:32:42.659 to produce fruit in our life. 00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:49.120 And we're free to do that because another man is standing before God on my behalf. 00:32:50.519 --> 00:32:55.740 So in closing, um, I'm going to, I'm going to review these three points real quick. 00:32:55.840 --> 00:32:56.759 Just one more time. 00:32:56.759 --> 00:33:01.900 One is each of us has a responsibility to know God's will so that we can collectively, 00:33:02.100 --> 00:33:07.500 we individually have responsibility to know God's will so that collectively we can walk in a way that 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:08.120 pleases him. 00:33:08.540 --> 00:33:08.940 Okay. 00:33:09.460 --> 00:33:10.660 This can't be outsourced. 00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:11.940 We have a personal responsibility. 00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:19.060 And the fruit is evidenced in collective, uh, outworking of body gifts. 00:33:20.620 --> 00:33:25.080 The power to, the second point is the power to endure in patience and joy is God's and it's a 00:33:25.080 --> 00:33:25.340 miracle. 00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:29.820 It's, it's in accordance with the same power that work in raising Jesus from the dead. 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:32.660 And the third is that we are beloved in the beloved. 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:34.360 This is, this is the foundation. 00:33:34.360 --> 00:33:38.320 This is what allows us to have a reset button every single day. 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:43.500 Um, I want to close with Ephesians, the passage from Ephesians chapter one, verse three through 00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:43.879 seven. 00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:49.659 Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual 00:33:49.659 --> 00:33:52.559 blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. 00:33:52.559 --> 00:34:00.940 According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and 00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:10.219 without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to 00:34:10.219 --> 00:34:10.739 himself. 00:34:10.739 --> 00:34:13.099 See, it's over and over again. 00:34:13.459 --> 00:34:18.859 It's by the means of his son, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise and the glory of 00:34:18.859 --> 00:34:23.219 his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved.