WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:07.040 Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon us with might and power and deep conviction at this time. 00:00:08.019 --> 00:00:16.440 That you would open us at the very deepest levels of who we are to the truth of your word, the glory of the gospel. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:29.859 And just how great and awesome a God that you are, that you would call imperfect, finite, fallen people like us to be your children by adoption and grace. 00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:33.939 Father, grip us with the truths of the gospel. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:41.100 Grip us with Jesus so that we will be disciples of Jesus who are living for your glory. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.500 And this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:46.179 Please be seated. 00:00:50.519 --> 00:00:57.719 In a couple of moments, we'll be looking at Ephesians 4 if you want to sort of grab your Bible and start to try to find that. 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:03.060 One of the things that we're going to be talking about today is the consequences of being a Christian. 00:01:03.659 --> 00:01:10.579 Now, for many people in our culture, as soon as you hear this, that there's consequences to being a Christian, we immediately think of one thing, sex. 00:01:10.579 --> 00:01:18.840 But if you just talk to a group of people in a coffee shop or just anybody, you just went out and said, you know, what do you think the main consequences of being a Christian are? 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:22.700 And probably the very first thing they'd say, well, something to do with sex. 00:01:22.700 --> 00:01:29.900 And probably for most people, they would think that Christians are stupid about it and wrong and mean and hateful and a few other things. 00:01:29.980 --> 00:01:34.760 And it depends on how polite or rude they would be with you in terms of how much they'd express it. 00:01:34.780 --> 00:01:36.500 But that would be going on in their mind. 00:01:36.500 --> 00:01:41.700 One of the things that we're going to be looking at today is... 00:01:41.700 --> 00:01:45.180 So just so you know, here's what's happened. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:47.299 We've been going through the book of Ephesians. 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:53.200 If you're a guest here this morning, it was written by a man named Paul who was in jail in Rome. 00:01:53.620 --> 00:01:57.819 And he's writing it to the second largest city in the Roman Empire, to the churches which are there. 00:01:57.879 --> 00:01:59.240 And he's writing it around the year 60. 00:01:59.340 --> 00:02:00.400 So that's a long time ago. 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:05.540 And what he's done is for the first three chapters, because, of course, he didn't write the book in chapters. 00:02:05.600 --> 00:02:06.580 It was just a letter, right? 00:02:06.880 --> 00:02:10.980 But the first half of the book, basically, he explains the gospel. 00:02:11.180 --> 00:02:14.800 He explains this good news that Jesus came and he died on the cross. 00:02:15.180 --> 00:02:19.060 And as a result of him dying on the cross, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:23.540 God makes you his child by adoption and grace. 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:29.240 And Paul has explained how different ways about how this works and what it means for our lives. 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:33.120 He's talked about bringing home to them in a very powerful way. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:38.320 I mean, I'm explaining it, what he said. 00:02:38.420 --> 00:02:45.960 But in a sense for us, listening to it many years later, he's saying that when somebody listened to St. Patrick in the 400s in Ireland 00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:54.520 and put their faith and trust in Jesus, if somebody earlier today at a church service in Rwanda put their faith in Jesus, 00:02:54.520 --> 00:03:01.219 if somebody even earlier on the day today in Beijing put their faith and trust in Jesus, 00:03:01.380 --> 00:03:07.340 if somebody put their faith and trust in Manhattan, if somebody in London, England, and somebody in Ottawa, 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:10.860 every single one of us enter into the same reality. 00:03:11.020 --> 00:03:13.240 We all become part of the same family. 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:17.780 We all, in a sense, become part of the same reality. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:23.099 And it's the gospel, Jesus' death upon the cross and his resurrection, it's for everybody. 00:03:23.659 --> 00:03:29.479 And that when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, one of the things to understand that what happened at a spiritual level 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:37.479 is that even though Jesus died in history about 20, 27 years before Paul wrote this letter, 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:42.739 even though Jesus died in history in one particular spot, in one particular location, 00:03:42.739 --> 00:03:49.379 because of who he is, because he is the son of God who took on human flesh and became fully human while remaining God, 00:03:49.739 --> 00:03:56.060 when he died in that one time, in that one place in history, it was also something, in a sense, outside of time. 00:03:56.139 --> 00:04:00.659 It was something eternal, which means that whether it's in the fourth century or today, 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:07.000 when you put your faith and trust in Jesus, one of the things to understand is that it's as if Jesus himself comes to you, 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:13.740 and he puts his arms around you and he unites himself to you and you become united to him. 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:21.420 And so that in a true spiritual level, that when Jesus died upon the cross, you died with him. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:22.939 He died for you. 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:26.759 He experiences your death for you. 00:04:27.019 --> 00:04:30.240 And you are made alive in him, in his resurrection. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:33.720 He's the one who's resurrected, not you, but because you're united with him, 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:39.440 you have this spectacular transaction that all of your shame and all of your imperfections 00:04:39.440 --> 00:04:46.240 and all of your wrongdoing, every single aspect of your wrongdoing from the moment you could do something wrong 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:51.060 to the moment of your death, that all somehow became Jesus's. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:56.800 And he became the one who bore all of that and the punishment and the accusations, 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:58.880 everything that could come against you. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:01.319 He took it upon himself. 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:04.819 But in this mystery of grace, this mystery of God, 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:08.800 that since he's completely and utterly united with you, 00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:12.019 when he rises from the dead, you rise from the dead. 00:05:12.159 --> 00:05:17.600 And in a sense that we will only know when we die or when Jesus comes to see us face to face, 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:19.279 we also ascended with him. 00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:22.079 And there's this profound mystery. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:27.800 And Paul spends three chapters explaining how this is all done because God loves you. 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:29.839 He's not weighing your successes. 00:05:30.060 --> 00:05:31.680 He's not looking at your merits. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:33.300 He's not looking at all that. 00:05:33.379 --> 00:05:36.819 He just loves you and does this for you. 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:38.779 Jesus does this for you. 00:05:39.919 --> 00:05:42.500 And the consequences of that, Paul explains. 00:05:42.620 --> 00:05:46.719 He explains how Jesus himself indwells you. 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:49.259 The Holy Spirit himself indwells you. 00:05:49.259 --> 00:05:54.159 God the Father himself indwells you and makes you alive. 00:05:54.259 --> 00:05:56.259 In a sense, he makes you a new type of human. 00:05:56.860 --> 00:05:59.939 Not a new type of human that can be detected by x-rays. 00:06:00.620 --> 00:06:04.259 But from God's perspective, you have become changed. 00:06:05.599 --> 00:06:09.300 And one of the things that comes out of this is that not only does he just dwell in you, 00:06:10.219 --> 00:06:18.500 but that God is making this profound mystery whereby he dwells on earth in his people. 00:06:19.259 --> 00:06:24.599 And it's described, Paul describes that there's not just an individual indwelling, 00:06:24.899 --> 00:06:31.599 but that in this profound sense of mystery, God is making a temple that he dwells in. 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:35.519 And it's not that he's waiting until it's complete that he dwells. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:36.699 He dwells in it right now. 00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:42.120 But every person who becomes a Christian becomes a living stone 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:47.019 that God is using to build this temple that he dwells in. 00:06:47.019 --> 00:06:53.060 And this temple that he dwells in is of people of every culture, 00:06:53.599 --> 00:06:59.839 of every ethnicity, of every race, of every sexual orientation, 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:05.180 of every language, and of every time. 00:07:05.180 --> 00:07:12.340 There's just this one temple that he dwells in here on earth. 00:07:13.340 --> 00:07:20.000 And that is made up of this remarkable thing of the Irish in the fifth century 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.180 and all over the world. 00:07:22.620 --> 00:07:25.280 No respecter of color or anything like that. 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:27.160 He takes you as his own. 00:07:28.620 --> 00:07:31.720 And so Paul has done that for three chapters explaining the gospel. 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.620 So then the question is, how shall we then live? 00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:36.820 Like, what does that mean? 00:07:36.900 --> 00:07:41.260 What is the implication of that for human beings in terms of how to live? 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.960 Now, just so you know, as I said, most Canadians would say, 00:07:45.060 --> 00:07:47.040 well, the main implication has to do with sex. 00:07:47.880 --> 00:07:52.020 Well, he does talk about sex, by the way. 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:53.700 And we're going to look at it. 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:54.960 But he doesn't talk about it first. 00:07:55.080 --> 00:07:56.280 He doesn't even talk about it second. 00:07:56.760 --> 00:07:57.740 I think he talks about it third. 00:07:57.780 --> 00:07:58.660 He's going to talk about marriage. 00:07:58.740 --> 00:08:00.800 He's going to talk about children and parents. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:05.180 He's going to talk about slaves and masters, employees and employers. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:06.840 He's going to talk about music. 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:09.980 He's going to talk about church life. 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:11.800 He's going to talk about how to be good neighbors. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:13.240 He's going to talk about demons. 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:15.040 He's going to talk about a whole range of things. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:18.759 There's a whole pile of implications that come from the gospel being true. 00:08:18.819 --> 00:08:19.860 And he's going to talk about all of them. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.220 And we're going to look at the beginning of them right now. 00:08:22.340 --> 00:08:24.600 But here's the most important thing. 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:28.180 I'm going to put the scripture up on the screen so you can see it. 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:30.040 Here's the most important thing. 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.159 You notice right there it says, I therefore. 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:36.259 We're looking at Ephesians chapter 4 verse 1. 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:37.180 I therefore. 00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:38.740 There's a therefore. 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:43.659 One of the things which makes Christianity different than every other way, 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:45.120 it doesn't matter if it's a philosophy. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:46.800 It doesn't matter if it's a spirituality. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.440 It doesn't matter if it's one of the great religions. 00:08:49.659 --> 00:08:55.060 It doesn't matter if it's a spirituality that you've cobbled together yourself from different sources of wisdom. 00:08:55.059 --> 00:09:01.519 One of the things which is completely different about the Christian way than all other way is that it begins with redemption. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:07.860 It begins with God doing all that has to be done to make you completely and utterly right with himself. 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:13.560 And Paul here isn't making up something new. 00:09:13.779 --> 00:09:15.220 This is what the Old Testament said. 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:17.139 Go back and read the Ten Commandments. 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:20.639 And if you look at the Exodus and the Deuteronomy version, both of them begin. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:25.000 I am the Lord who redeemed you out of the bondage and slavery. 00:09:26.179 --> 00:09:27.179 Therefore, this. 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:29.360 First, there's redemption. 00:09:30.319 --> 00:09:31.980 And then there's how you shall live. 00:09:32.580 --> 00:09:33.379 And it's the same here. 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:39.939 So Paul is for three chapters explained that you're saved by grace alone, by God's grace alone, 00:09:40.139 --> 00:09:47.039 through faith alone, in Christ alone, as God's word has told us, as Jesus said that it would be. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.960 That is how God has made you right. 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:53.980 Right. And if God has made you right in such a way, how is it going to be that you're going to now start to live? 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:55.879 And now Paul starts to unfold it. 00:09:56.680 --> 00:09:58.500 It always begins with redemption. 00:09:58.500 --> 00:10:06.240 It doesn't begin with if you start to get your life together and then if you take on some spiritual exercises, 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:09.600 then maybe God will sort of accept you in some way. 00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:12.720 That's how all spirituality, all religion works. 00:10:12.920 --> 00:10:14.920 And the Bible goes in the opposite direction. 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:25.019 I have redeemed you out of slavery, by my mighty power, out of love for you, for your good and for my glory. 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:26.679 I have done it all. 00:10:27.219 --> 00:10:28.240 How shall you then live? 00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:30.779 How shall we then live? 00:10:31.659 --> 00:10:34.299 And Paul begins to unpack it now over three chapters. 00:10:34.439 --> 00:10:38.679 So over the next weeks, over the next six times that we get together to look at this, 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:41.959 we're going to look at it and look how it begins in chapter four, verse one. 00:10:42.359 --> 00:10:44.759 Looking on the screen is verses one to three. 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:54.899 I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 00:10:55.459 --> 00:11:01.359 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 00:11:01.899 --> 00:11:06.359 eager to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace. 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:09.019 Now, just sort of what's going on here. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:14.180 First of all, this idea here, I mean, you know, Jonathan mentioned, 00:11:14.360 --> 00:11:19.000 if you haven't given your life to Jesus, this is a perfect Sunday for you to call out to him. 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:23.960 But what we understand is that nobody calls out to Jesus unless he first called you. 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:27.879 And if you are here today and you feel any type of stirrings within you, 00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:30.340 what that is is Jesus is calling you to be his own. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:31.639 He's doing it right now. 00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:32.340 He still does it. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.860 He does it in postmodern Ottawa. 00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:36.399 He does it all over the world. 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.659 He's still calling people to be his child. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:41.980 So he says here, I'm a prisoner of the Lord. 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:46.000 I urge you to walk, verse one again, in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called. 00:11:46.139 --> 00:11:49.100 And then Paul outlines four Christian virtues. 00:11:49.300 --> 00:11:50.960 They're not the only Christian virtues. 00:11:51.620 --> 00:11:54.399 He's going to talk about others later on in this. 00:11:54.460 --> 00:11:56.019 And there's others in other parts of the Bible. 00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:57.920 But he tells you four really important ones. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:05.979 He talks about humility, gentleness, patience, and a type of love for another person that bears with them. 00:12:07.319 --> 00:12:10.159 And these are four important Christian virtues. 00:12:11.079 --> 00:12:14.740 And the first one, I think three of them are pretty easy to understand. 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:16.459 Hard to do. 00:12:16.460 --> 00:12:21.259 It's hard to be patient with somebody that is just really frustrating. 00:12:21.420 --> 00:12:29.060 It's hard to be gentle with somebody when you really just would like to just let them have it. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:31.900 And it's hard sometimes to bear with one another in love. 00:12:33.420 --> 00:12:36.820 You know, sometimes it's hard in marriage. 00:12:37.340 --> 00:12:38.860 Sometimes it's hard with your kids. 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:40.960 Kids, sometimes it's really hard with your parents. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:45.759 And there's this important virtue of just being able to bear with one another. 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:50.440 But humility is a harder one, especially in our culture, because it's not understood. 00:12:50.560 --> 00:13:00.420 Usually when people in our culture think of humility, they mean that I'm supposed to say that I'm stupid, I'm ugly, I'm untalented. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.600 Please kick me. 00:13:02.660 --> 00:13:06.639 Like I should have a t-shirt that says, please kick me, both in the front and the back. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:10.559 Or if not, maybe in the front it can say, please kick me the back. 00:13:10.620 --> 00:13:12.100 It can say, walk all over me. 00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:13.519 And that's how we think of humility. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.519 But that's not what the Bible means by humility. 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:19.500 It's a very, very powerful and important virtue. 00:13:20.220 --> 00:13:22.639 It's one which is characterized by Jesus. 00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:26.899 And you can begin to get a bit of a sense of it if you just think of this illustration. 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:30.500 Imagine, it looks like it's going to be a really nice day today. 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:37.480 And imagine, maybe after church, you grab a couple of people, you go for a walk in the Gatineaus, go see the colors, have a nice hike. 00:13:38.299 --> 00:13:43.320 Afterwards, you go have, I don't know, a pumpkin spice latte with pumpkin scone. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.779 Pumpkin scones, I wish they weren't like 500 calories. 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:47.899 They are so delicious. 00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:57.620 I actually lived with a guy once who was a good enough marathon runner that whenever they had a marathon, he was invited to be at the front, not making it up. 00:13:57.620 --> 00:13:59.600 But he signed up for a marathon. 00:13:59.779 --> 00:14:01.179 They'd say, oh, Mike, you're here. 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:02.419 I'll say his name. 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:06.039 Nothing embarrassing about being the guy who gets invited to stand at the front. 00:14:07.139 --> 00:14:10.080 And he literally, he ran like 100 miles a week. 00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:15.879 He could just go and eat like a couple of cream pies and still just be skinny. 00:14:15.980 --> 00:14:16.100 Why? 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:17.500 Because he's running 100 miles a week. 00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:23.779 I wish I ran 100 miles a week so I could eat as many pumpkin scones as I would desire. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:25.080 And I can desire a lot. 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:28.100 Anyway, so imagine, I got off the story. 00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:38.139 So imagine you've had the day, you know, you've gone for a, you've had church, gone up to the Gatineaus, had a beautiful walk, you know, some scones and stuff like that. 00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:39.660 And just a great time. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:44.740 And then, you know, you come back to wherever you're living and you're just looking out in the sunset, just beautiful sunset. 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:49.860 And you say to yourself, gosh, that's such a beautiful sunset. 00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:55.860 And the person that maybe you've come back home to or whatever, they're beside you. 00:14:56.180 --> 00:15:00.539 Or maybe they were with you that whole day and had all the wonderful things, the hike and everything. 00:15:00.700 --> 00:15:03.080 But you're standing there thinking, such a nice day. 00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:04.419 Whoa, is it ever beautiful? 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.560 And all they say is, do you hear what he said to me? 00:15:10.060 --> 00:15:11.340 Did you hear what he said to me? 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:13.460 They're not looking at the sunset. 00:15:13.460 --> 00:15:17.740 All they are is preoccupied with a slight. 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:23.840 Humility is when, you see, and this is why the gospel is so important. 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:27.300 You see, the gospel says Jesus dies on the cross. 00:15:27.340 --> 00:15:37.259 And when he dies on the cross for George, Jesus knew every single wrong thing I ever did from the first wrong thing I ever did until my death. 00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:41.920 Which, unless Jesus comes, I'm hoping is another 30 years or more away. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:44.299 And every single wrong. 00:15:44.379 --> 00:15:45.219 He knew everything. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:48.179 He knew everything about me when he died on the cross for me. 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:51.659 And still he loved me and bore it in himself. 00:15:53.079 --> 00:16:02.799 And so as the gospel grips you, there begins to be the possibility of a type of self-possession that means you can be self-forgetful. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.240 Right? 00:16:05.339 --> 00:16:11.779 Because in that illustration, the one person, you've had such a spectacular day, it's as if you forget about yourself. 00:16:11.779 --> 00:16:16.319 Because you're just overwhelmed with the beauty of the sunset and the goodness of the day. 00:16:17.319 --> 00:16:19.240 That, in a sense, is a picture of humility. 00:16:19.419 --> 00:16:26.579 And the opposite of humility is the person who had the scones, the walk, the sunset, and all they can think about. 00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:28.500 Did you hear what he said to me? 00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:32.040 It's just rankling away at you. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:35.700 You can't get away from that thing that's going on inside of you. 00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:45.480 And so the virtue of humility is that the gospel can start to grip us in such a way that we can be, in a sense, so secure. 00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:48.360 It doesn't mean we don't repent of sin. 00:16:48.680 --> 00:16:49.240 We do. 00:16:49.340 --> 00:16:51.240 We have the humility to actually say, you know what? 00:16:51.420 --> 00:16:52.259 That was wrong. 00:16:52.340 --> 00:16:53.160 I shouldn't have done that. 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:56.779 You know, yes, there's this thing in my past which is deeply shameful. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.179 I have to walk towards that. 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:00.419 I have to walk towards it with Jesus. 00:17:00.579 --> 00:17:02.019 I know he knew about it when he died. 00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:19.599 And the gospel can so grip you in such a way that you can be self-possessed without being arrogant and self-forgetful without being a doormat and open and present to the beauty and glory of others, what's going on in the world. 00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:21.440 And that's humility. 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:25.820 That's humility, according to the Bible. 00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:32.980 And we can see, you know, imagine if that was actually something that could begin to grow within you. 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:39.420 I know it's very, very counter to the culture's solution. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:44.839 But I think it's a beautiful solution. 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:49.420 And I think because Christianity is true, it is the real solution. 00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:54.460 The deeper solution to what we need. 00:17:54.460 --> 00:17:57.000 So just look at this quote again. 00:17:57.079 --> 00:18:00.079 We're spending a bit of time here with it, but it's an important beginning. 00:18:01.180 --> 00:18:01.900 Look at it again. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:02.340 Verse 1. 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:06.220 For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles. 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:07.620 Sorry, the wrong text there. 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:08.460 This is the right one. 00:18:08.460 --> 00:18:23.200 I, therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:25.180 You see, here's the other thing which is about this. 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:27.720 Remember, these are the implications of the gospel. 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:34.900 Part of how we assess a person's moral life, so to speak, is not just how they live, but where they're headed. 00:18:36.080 --> 00:18:36.420 Right? 00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:37.700 We do it all the time with kids. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:40.880 We might say, are you going to be doing well in school? 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.960 Yeah, I'm going to do really well in school. 00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:48.180 And then you sort of think to yourself, well, how come you're just watching TV the whole time? 00:18:48.180 --> 00:18:55.519 Like, watching TV all the time and doing well in school like they don't work. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.820 They're not going in the same direction. 00:18:57.900 --> 00:19:03.600 One of the things we worry about maybe if our kids or our husband or our wife or our best friend is where are they headed? 00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:07.019 Where are they going morally and emotionally? 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.039 Where are they headed? 00:19:08.820 --> 00:19:16.900 And so here we see in this that the gospel is saying, as the gospel grips you, as the truths of the gospel grips you, as Jesus dwells within you, 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:24.160 as the Holy Spirit becomes real in your life, it's going to move you, it's going to ground you and propel you and draw you in a certain direction. 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:31.140 It's going to draw you to be so mindful of the gospel and who Jesus is and what he did for you on the cross that it will move you towards humility. 00:19:31.280 --> 00:19:32.720 It will move you towards gentleness. 00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:34.800 It will move you towards patience. 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:35.800 It will move you. 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:36.680 It should move you. 00:19:36.800 --> 00:19:37.720 Hopefully it will move you. 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:43.320 If it's not, then it's something you need to repent of and call out to the Lord of, towards love that bears with each other. 00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:53.339 And it's not just that you have these virtues, but that these virtues work so that you have a heart to maintain the unity that the Holy Spirit creates. 00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.960 That's what the gospel does. 00:19:56.679 --> 00:19:57.679 That's the implication. 00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:05.679 It draws you to that. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:10.140 Now, some of you might say very correctly, George, that's very, very interesting. 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:16.860 But gosh, there's so many angry Christians who just get so mad at other Christians over the tiniest little thing. 00:20:16.859 --> 00:20:26.159 You know, I was just a couple of weeks ago at a meeting of other pastors in Montreal, the east, east, east end of Montreal. 00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:31.639 And we were just talking about some issues that were going on in the church, trying to help each other think them through. 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:39.139 And one of them was just some unbelievable vitriol that had gone on around an author, Sam Albury. 00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:49.460 And this whole tribe of Christians just attacking him for the most minute little nuance in his argument. 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:53.220 And the vitriol is just something. 00:20:53.320 --> 00:20:54.259 I mean, we all know about it. 00:20:54.280 --> 00:20:55.020 It's not just Christians. 00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:56.460 It's a human problem right now. 00:20:56.540 --> 00:20:56.740 Don't you? 00:20:56.780 --> 00:20:59.180 If you look at some of the feeds of things, I don't look at them. 00:20:59.300 --> 00:21:02.900 Life is happier if you don't look at responses on social media. 00:21:03.020 --> 00:21:03.820 Get off of Twitter. 00:21:03.940 --> 00:21:04.960 Get off of all those things. 00:21:05.020 --> 00:21:08.860 You'll actually have a happier life if you just get rid of most of that stuff. 00:21:09.420 --> 00:21:11.920 But, you know, the vitriol, people will just attack you. 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:17.400 And that's not counting all the ugly divisions in the church and the anger and what's going on with all of that. 00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:29.480 And all I can say is I have nothing to say other than pray that it not characterize us because it's wrong. 00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:35.000 In fact, look what Paul does immediately after this to try to help to bring home how important the unity is. 00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:39.200 He talks about seven great things which Christians have in common. 00:21:40.140 --> 00:21:40.299 Right? 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:41.720 Verse 4. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:43.119 Chapter 4, verse 4. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.119 There is one body. 00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:48.660 By that he's meaning that at the end of the day there can be many, many visible churches. 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:51.079 But there's only one invisible church. 00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:53.960 That temple that I described that he was building. 00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:56.039 He also used the word body earlier on. 00:21:56.039 --> 00:22:10.180 And that is made up of people who come to faith in South Africa and Rwanda and Uganda and China and Canada and, you know, the far north and all over. 00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:11.159 There's just one body. 00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:14.559 There's only ultimately, you're either in Jesus or you're not. 00:22:14.619 --> 00:22:15.579 There's only one body. 00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:17.000 And there's only one Holy Spirit. 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:21.720 If you're being filled with the Holy Spirit, there's only one Holy Spirit. 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:24.200 You're not being filled with 17 different Holy Spirits. 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:24.960 There's just one. 00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:29.240 And you were called to one hope that belongs to your call. 00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:31.339 That's the hope that Jesus is our Savior. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:33.160 That heaven is our final destiny. 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:35.420 That we will dwell in the new heaven and the new earth. 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:36.960 We all have one hope. 00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:38.319 There's only one Lord. 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:39.019 That's Jesus. 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:42.180 There's only one content of truth, which is the faith. 00:22:42.180 --> 00:22:53.519 There's only one immersion in Jesus, which is what baptism is referring to, which is why generally you don't want to have people baptized five, six, 10, 15 times or even two. 00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:53.960 Why? 00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:56.480 Because there's only one immersion in Jesus. 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:03.820 And the water baptism should represent the spiritual reality that God has done when he immerses you in Jesus. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:07.960 There's only one immersion in Jesus and a saving faith. 00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:13.340 And there's only one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 00:23:14.340 --> 00:23:25.660 So one of the things you can pray about for us as a church is that when it comes to other true Christians, that we will pray that the bonds of affection for churches and Christians will grow. 00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:35.620 It's one of the things if you come to the church prayer staff, you're always welcome to come to some of the staff prayer meetings or come to the other prayer meeting that Shirley organizes on Tuesdays, I think it is. 00:23:35.619 --> 00:23:43.000 One of the things I pray for regularly, we pray for regularly is that the bonds of affection of the Christians organizations that share the office space that it grows. 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:47.019 The bonds of affection amongst true Christians pray it grows. 00:23:48.739 --> 00:24:01.099 Pray that we will be known as a church that prays and desires to be at peace with other true Christians as much as we possibly can. 00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:05.639 But the Bible then goes on and reminds us of something. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:12.579 I've already told you about how there's one spirit and all of that, but it wants to remind us far more deeply about what it means to have Jesus as our Savior. 00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:18.740 Because it's not just that Jesus came and saved us and now he's up in heaven and who knows what he's doing. 00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:19.219 I don't know. 00:24:19.299 --> 00:24:20.539 Maybe he's playing Fortnite. 00:24:21.379 --> 00:24:26.039 Maybe he's just having, I don't know, playing ping pong with the Father. 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:30.539 No, he's just up there doing whatever it is he does and he's not caring about anything that goes on here. 00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:41.099 No, Paul goes on and reminds us of what happens in the whole act of redemption and how Jesus continues to have this power and minister within the churches. 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:44.599 It comes up in the next few verses, beginning at verse 7. 00:24:45.659 --> 00:24:47.619 And by the way, I don't know if you're going to notice it. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:50.940 I've read this text hundreds of times. 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:53.240 I never noticed it until I was preparing this sermon. 00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:59.960 I'm just going to give you a teaser in advance, but there's something really cool about this text. 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:02.180 I'll come back and point it out. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:02.980 Verse 7. 00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:12.099 So we had all the ones, but grace was given to each one of us. 00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:14.700 God gives grace to each one of us. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:18.920 He doesn't treat us all as, okay, these are the Canadians, you get the Canadian thing, 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:23.860 or these are all white people or all black people or all old guys or all young people. 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:24.160 No, no. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.660 George Sinclair uniquely gets grace. 00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:31.300 Laurier uniquely gets grace. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:33.100 Victor uniquely gets grace. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:36.279 Louise uniquely gets grace. 00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:41.700 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:49.440 And what that just means is if I was to give you gifts, if you saw my bank balance, I'd run out of giving you gifts pretty quick. 00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:54.660 But the measure of Christ's ability to give gifts, it never comes to an end. 00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:56.960 That's the wonderful thing about that. 00:25:57.220 --> 00:25:59.279 He doesn't run out of grace. 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.799 He never runs out of it. 00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:04.660 He never runs out of the ability to give. 00:26:05.080 --> 00:26:05.920 Never, ever, ever. 00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:08.180 Read that again. 00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:11.160 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:26:11.360 --> 00:26:16.680 Therefore, it says, and he's quoting here and paraphrasing from Psalm 68, 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:21.880 when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men and women. 00:26:23.140 --> 00:26:28.660 In saying he ascended, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth. 00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:42.040 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all things, but all, sorry, ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things. 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:43.340 Now, here's the cool thing. 00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:45.140 And you might not have noticed it. 00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:47.840 What Paul says here at the beginning is this. 00:26:48.800 --> 00:26:51.060 The therefore comes in the wrong spot. 00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:58.039 He should say, we would say, here's the Bible text, therefore this. 00:26:59.220 --> 00:27:06.559 But what it says is, this is what Jesus did, therefore something written a thousand years earlier says this. 00:27:07.159 --> 00:27:08.740 That's what's so cool about it. 00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:17.120 What Paul is saying, and what goes on here is that Paul is summarizing Psalm 68. 00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:21.500 He quotes from a bit of it, but fundamentally he's summarizing Psalm 68. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:23.420 And he's making this remarkable claim. 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:29.740 He's saying, a thousand years before, God put this in the Bible. 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:34.559 And he put this in the Bible because he knew that he was going to send Jesus. 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:41.579 Jesus, and Jesus was going to leave heaven, and he was going to come and take into himself our human nature. 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:47.960 He was actually going to become a zygote, I don't know if I'm pronouncing that correctly, in the womb of Mary by an act of creation. 00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:51.579 And he's going to become a zygote in the womb of Mary. 00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:54.539 And he's going to live a life on earth. 00:27:54.659 --> 00:27:57.960 And then he's going to die on a cross bearing all of our sin and shame. 00:27:58.059 --> 00:28:00.139 He's going to taste everything there is to taste of death. 00:28:00.140 --> 00:28:10.940 And then he's going to rise from the dead, and he's going to ascend into heaven after he's proved to many people that he really had defeated death and sin by resurrection. 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:15.420 And God knew that he was going to do it, so he had this written. 00:28:15.880 --> 00:28:16.640 That's what it's saying. 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:23.240 See, that's why Christ, Jesus Christ crucified, is the key to understand anything in the Bible. 00:28:24.560 --> 00:28:28.300 If you don't understand that, you won't understand anything in the Bible. 00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:29.720 It'll just sound like moralism. 00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:31.039 It'll just sound like rules. 00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:38.460 But that's this remarkable claim that Paul is making just as an aside. 00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:40.000 He doesn't even make a big thing. 00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.680 He just says it. 00:28:40.740 --> 00:28:43.220 It's just the normal way that he would think. 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:46.759 It's a huge, huge, huge claim. 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:53.559 And one of the things about this, and it's not recognized as much as it should be, 00:28:53.899 --> 00:28:56.299 and we Christians should take great comfort in it. 00:28:56.299 --> 00:28:59.319 I love using the phrase inconvenient truth. 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:03.659 Didn't think much of the movie, but I like the phrase, an inconvenient truth. 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:07.319 And this, you see, one of the inconvenient truths is this. 00:29:08.839 --> 00:29:14.599 People can say, why is it that people thought that Muhammad said everything, 00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:17.579 that everything Muhammad said ultimately came from God? 00:29:17.639 --> 00:29:22.159 And you can have different curious wonder about why that happened. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:26.240 But what's going on in the gospel is something very, very different. 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:32.200 It's a claim about a fact of history. 00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:38.019 About seven or eight years after Paul writes this, 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:41.400 he will die a horrible, painful death 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:44.759 because he will maintain right up until his death 00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:50.460 that Jesus died on a cross outside the walls of Jerusalem on a Friday. 00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:54.500 And on Sunday around sunrise, 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:56.960 he was raised from the dead. 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:59.299 The body was gone. 00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:00.819 He had been resurrected. 00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:04.559 And Paul will go to his death. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:08.400 He would have gotten out of death if he just said, 00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:12.000 no, no, no, it was just a metaphor, just a story, just an illustration. 00:30:13.180 --> 00:30:15.220 And the inconvenient truth is this. 00:30:16.660 --> 00:30:20.920 Paul writing this letter bears witness to the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead. 00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:25.180 All of the different letters, which all start out in this book, 00:30:25.840 --> 00:30:28.560 and they look fancy because they're in the Bible 00:30:28.560 --> 00:30:30.860 because we now have come to see that they're very precious, 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:33.480 but every single one of them were originally letters, 00:30:33.860 --> 00:30:38.240 all going back in some cases to only 15 years 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:40.519 after the death and resurrection of Jesus, 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:41.960 maybe even earlier with the gospel 00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:43.800 because we don't know when the gospels were written. 00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:49.559 And in every single one, time and time and time and time again, 00:30:49.659 --> 00:30:54.680 we see the writer bearing witness that Jesus had risen from the dead. 00:30:55.159 --> 00:30:59.159 Paul is an eyewitness and recording other eyewitnesses. 00:30:59.619 --> 00:31:01.279 And the body was never found. 00:31:02.419 --> 00:31:03.599 Was never found. 00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:06.460 Was never found. 00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:11.579 And it couldn't be because he'd risen. 00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:16.919 I need to start to draw this to a bit of a close, 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:18.659 and there's still some more implications. 00:31:19.659 --> 00:31:21.940 Why did Paul go ahead and say all of this, 00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:23.460 just reminding people he'd gone, 00:31:23.539 --> 00:31:24.539 remember he'd gone from, 00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:28.159 you know, if the gospel is true, 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:29.700 how are you going to live? 00:31:29.799 --> 00:31:31.039 Well, one of the things that's going to happen 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:33.399 is the gospel will propel you into these virtues. 00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:36.960 It'll propel you into having this desire to have unity. 00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:38.539 And just so you remember, 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:40.819 there's all these huge things 00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:42.279 which Christians have in common, 00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:43.980 and so you should be pursuing unity. 00:31:44.579 --> 00:31:45.139 And by the way, 00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:45.480 you're not, 00:31:45.619 --> 00:31:47.480 just remember who Jesus is and what he happened, 00:31:47.639 --> 00:31:49.379 and then he goes on as to what happened. 00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:50.920 What are the gifts that Jesus gives? 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:52.539 Well, Paul will describe it, 00:31:52.579 --> 00:31:54.440 and we'll try to get into it very quickly now. 00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:54.960 Look at that. 00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:57.759 It begins at verse 11. 00:31:58.639 --> 00:31:59.299 And by the way, 00:31:59.819 --> 00:32:02.319 many, many, many, many trees have been killed 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:07.339 for scholars and people to write about these next five things. 00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:09.599 I'm just going to say a very simple thing. 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:11.500 There's all these different ways to interpret it. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:13.539 I'm just going to talk about it in two very, very simple ways. 00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:15.079 There's other ways to talk about it, 00:32:15.099 --> 00:32:15.819 but let's just look. 00:32:16.299 --> 00:32:16.859 So what happens? 00:32:16.959 --> 00:32:17.740 He gives gifts. 00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:19.099 And what are the gifts? 00:32:19.439 --> 00:32:20.039 Verse 11. 00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:21.379 And he gave the apostles, 00:32:21.679 --> 00:32:22.199 the prophets, 00:32:22.399 --> 00:32:23.139 the evangelists, 00:32:23.220 --> 00:32:23.799 the shepherds, 00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.419 and the teachers. 00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:25.179 Just pause. 00:32:27.139 --> 00:32:29.299 What I think Paul means here, 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:33.500 the Bible does not support cessationism. 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:37.019 I don't think you can read the Bible properly 00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:40.319 and come to a belief in cessationism. 00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:42.019 The Holy Spirit gives gifts, 00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:45.200 and one of those gifts will be the gift of prophecy. 00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:49.579 But in the book of Ephesians itself, 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:52.059 there's three times in the book of Ephesians 00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:54.099 where apostles and prophets are put together. 00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:56.359 And I think just in this case, 00:32:56.359 --> 00:32:59.480 the way to understand it is that Paul is saying 00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:02.180 that what will ultimately turn into the New Testament 00:33:02.180 --> 00:33:05.500 is a result of this one-time outpouring 00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:08.700 of prophets and prophetesses and apostles 00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:10.799 that will cause the Bible to be written 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:12.440 and recognized as the Word of God. 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:16.080 That's not saying that there's not prophets 00:33:16.080 --> 00:33:19.000 that's taught in other places in the New Testament. 00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:20.460 Just I think in this case, 00:33:21.080 --> 00:33:22.720 you can disagree with me, that's fine. 00:33:23.820 --> 00:33:24.720 But what he's saying, 00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.980 look at it again, verse 11. 00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:27.860 And he gave the apostles the prophets, 00:33:28.060 --> 00:33:30.460 and then these three ongoing offices 00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:32.220 are the gifts. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:35.319 They're offices and those who hold the offices. 00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:36.980 And it's the evangelists, 00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:39.880 which is not just what we would think of evangelists, 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:41.880 would also be something like church planters 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:43.299 in its original context. 00:33:44.019 --> 00:33:45.039 Shepherds, a better word, 00:33:45.100 --> 00:33:47.180 would be pastors and teachers. 00:33:47.860 --> 00:33:49.240 So he gives these three, 00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:52.779 two that are so important for the New Testament 00:33:52.779 --> 00:33:55.200 to be written and recognized, 00:33:55.200 --> 00:33:57.440 and then these three ongoing ones, 00:33:57.880 --> 00:34:01.059 which are described as evangelists, 00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:03.200 pastors, and teachers. 00:34:03.400 --> 00:34:04.440 And why does he give them? 00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:06.460 He gives them, verse 12, 00:34:06.580 --> 00:34:08.260 to equip the saints, 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:09.920 and the word saints means a Christian, 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:14.780 to equip Christians for the work of ministry, 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:17.400 for the building up of the body of Christ. 00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:18.519 Why? 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:19.940 Verse 13, 00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:22.280 until we all attain together 00:34:22.280 --> 00:34:24.099 the unity of the faith 00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:26.380 and the knowledge of the Son of God 00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:29.619 to mature manhood or womanhood 00:34:29.619 --> 00:34:32.039 to the measure of the stature 00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:33.599 of the fullness of Christ 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:36.159 so that we may no longer be, 00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:38.619 and a more accurate way of translating children 00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:39.460 would be toddler, 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:43.019 so that we may no longer be toddlers, 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:45.880 tossed true and fro by the waves 00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:48.200 and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:49.299 by human cunning, 00:34:49.779 --> 00:34:52.779 by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 00:34:53.719 --> 00:34:56.819 So God, Jesus, is Emmanuel. 00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:57.919 He's God with us. 00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:59.259 And one of the ways that he is with us 00:34:59.259 --> 00:35:00.939 is the gifting of certain people 00:35:00.939 --> 00:35:03.859 to teach the Bible, 00:35:04.399 --> 00:35:05.619 to proclaim the Bible, 00:35:05.759 --> 00:35:06.699 to share the Bible. 00:35:07.259 --> 00:35:08.759 In our church, it would mean, 00:35:08.859 --> 00:35:09.879 in terms of the pastors, 00:35:10.019 --> 00:35:10.719 it means Sean, 00:35:10.839 --> 00:35:11.719 it means Jonathan, 00:35:11.879 --> 00:35:13.000 it means Daniel. 00:35:13.439 --> 00:35:14.559 I'm trying to find him, Daniel. 00:35:14.659 --> 00:35:15.279 It means me. 00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:16.780 In terms of teachers, 00:35:17.019 --> 00:35:19.140 it means the Sunday school teachers 00:35:19.140 --> 00:35:20.340 who are going on right now. 00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:22.920 It means those who lead small groups 00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:24.820 and teach the Bible in small groups. 00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:26.460 It means church on Wednesday. 00:35:26.660 --> 00:35:27.540 It means the interns. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:28.660 It means the youth group. 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:30.420 It means the women's ministry, 00:35:30.560 --> 00:35:32.400 and Shirley and others in the women's ministry 00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:33.800 who teach the Bible. 00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:36.780 It means every single parent 00:35:36.780 --> 00:35:39.060 who reads the Bible stories to their kids 00:35:39.060 --> 00:35:41.060 and tells their children about Jesus. 00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:43.500 That's all included in this word of teachers 00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:45.480 that God gives us, 00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:46.679 propels, 00:35:46.799 --> 00:35:49.380 the gospel creates these roles 00:35:49.380 --> 00:35:50.460 to teach the Bible. 00:35:50.779 --> 00:35:51.279 Why? 00:35:51.699 --> 00:35:52.820 So we'll know Jesus. 00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:54.259 Not just truth about Jesus, 00:35:54.400 --> 00:35:55.619 but know Jesus. 00:35:56.659 --> 00:35:57.099 Both. 00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:59.279 Truth about him and know him. 00:35:59.799 --> 00:36:00.139 Why? 00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:02.059 So we aren't like toddlers 00:36:02.619 --> 00:36:03.759 that will believe anything, 00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:06.019 but that we will just know the truth 00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:06.940 and love the truth 00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:07.820 and love Jesus 00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:09.960 and live mature lives 00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:12.720 that can handle the ups and downs of life 00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:16.260 wisely and well to the glory of God. 00:36:18.559 --> 00:36:19.880 And then he concludes 00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:21.620 verses 15 and 16. 00:36:23.140 --> 00:36:25.140 And this is how we're always to teach. 00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:27.100 It's how we're to preach. 00:36:27.700 --> 00:36:29.539 It's how we're to teach our children. 00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:31.380 It's how we're to teach in Sunday school 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:32.460 and in small groups. 00:36:32.539 --> 00:36:34.039 It's how we teach one-on-one 00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:35.660 when we share the Bible with a neighbor. 00:36:35.659 --> 00:36:38.699 We're rather speaking the truth in love. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:43.179 In the original language, 00:36:43.279 --> 00:36:44.579 it's a very powerful thing. 00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:45.039 In a sense, 00:36:45.139 --> 00:36:46.139 we're to love in the truth 00:36:46.139 --> 00:36:49.739 and we're to know the truth in love. 00:36:49.879 --> 00:36:51.719 And we're to be the type of people, 00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:54.099 it's actually a character word 00:36:54.099 --> 00:36:55.239 trying to get across here, 00:36:55.299 --> 00:36:57.000 that we are to be people of love 00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:58.059 and people of truth, 00:36:58.159 --> 00:36:59.319 that we seek the truth, 00:36:59.819 --> 00:37:01.359 desire to know the truth, 00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:03.519 desire to know the truth, 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.139 the whole truth, 00:37:04.139 --> 00:37:05.159 and nothing but the truth, 00:37:05.219 --> 00:37:06.219 to be truth speakers, 00:37:06.359 --> 00:37:07.420 but not truth in a way 00:37:07.420 --> 00:37:09.379 that it wounds and belittles 00:37:09.379 --> 00:37:10.519 and derides, 00:37:10.859 --> 00:37:12.440 but that all of our knowledge 00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:15.059 and all of our understanding of truth 00:37:15.059 --> 00:37:17.099 is to always be permeated 00:37:17.099 --> 00:37:17.900 and saturated 00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:19.759 with a love of God, 00:37:19.839 --> 00:37:20.759 a love of Jesus, 00:37:21.359 --> 00:37:23.599 a love that comes from the Holy Spirit, 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:25.699 and a love for the other person. 00:37:25.699 --> 00:37:29.199 And then we are to grow up 00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:31.039 in every way into Him 00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:32.139 who is the head, 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:33.000 into Christ, 00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:34.719 from whom the whole body, 00:37:34.879 --> 00:37:36.379 joined and held together 00:37:36.379 --> 00:37:38.500 by every joint with which it is equipped, 00:37:38.799 --> 00:37:40.799 when each part is working properly, 00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:42.299 makes the body grow 00:37:42.299 --> 00:37:45.079 so that it builds itself up in love. 00:37:46.059 --> 00:37:46.619 In love. 00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:48.980 So the implications of the gospel. 00:37:48.980 --> 00:37:53.179 Please stand. 00:38:02.059 --> 00:38:03.420 Remember at the beginning I said, 00:38:03.579 --> 00:38:04.679 if you are here 00:38:04.679 --> 00:38:05.880 and you don't know really 00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:07.079 where you are with Jesus, 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:08.860 maybe at one time 00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:09.880 you had lots of faith 00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:10.820 and you've wandered away 00:38:10.820 --> 00:38:11.679 and you're not really sure 00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:12.460 where you are, 00:38:12.980 --> 00:38:13.340 listen, 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:14.539 don't worry about 00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:17.199 the spiritual realities 00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:18.139 in the moment of your, 00:38:18.279 --> 00:38:18.739 don't worry, 00:38:18.839 --> 00:38:19.019 just, 00:38:19.579 --> 00:38:21.279 if you feel any pressure 00:38:21.279 --> 00:38:22.259 on you at all now, 00:38:22.399 --> 00:38:24.000 that is Jesus calling you 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:24.619 to be His. 00:38:24.719 --> 00:38:25.699 And I invite you 00:38:25.699 --> 00:38:26.659 just even now, 00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:28.219 stop listening to me, 00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:29.539 speak to Jesus 00:38:29.539 --> 00:38:30.079 and say, 00:38:30.179 --> 00:38:30.519 Jesus, 00:38:30.759 --> 00:38:31.839 I open the door 00:38:31.839 --> 00:38:32.939 to my heart and my life. 00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:33.699 Please come in, 00:38:33.759 --> 00:38:34.739 be my Lord and Savior. 00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:36.419 Thank you for dying for me. 00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:38.799 Make me yours forever. 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:39.799 Make me your child 00:38:39.799 --> 00:38:40.879 by adoption and grace. 00:38:40.939 --> 00:38:41.839 And there's no better time 00:38:41.839 --> 00:38:42.379 than right now 00:38:42.379 --> 00:38:43.359 to just call out to Him 00:38:43.359 --> 00:38:43.879 and do it. 00:38:45.179 --> 00:38:46.659 And for all of us 00:38:46.659 --> 00:38:47.659 who are here, 00:38:48.839 --> 00:38:50.779 we each know 00:38:50.779 --> 00:38:51.699 how hard it is, 00:38:51.759 --> 00:38:52.699 those aspects 00:38:52.699 --> 00:38:53.980 of self-possession 00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:55.379 and self-forgetfulness 00:38:55.379 --> 00:38:56.539 based in the gospel 00:38:56.539 --> 00:38:57.699 which are really hard 00:38:57.699 --> 00:38:59.159 and those aspects 00:38:59.159 --> 00:38:59.940 of pride 00:38:59.940 --> 00:39:00.599 and arrogance 00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:01.460 and vanity 00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:03.420 which so powerfully 00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:04.399 rule within us 00:39:04.399 --> 00:39:04.899 and we know 00:39:04.899 --> 00:39:06.000 our impatience, 00:39:07.219 --> 00:39:07.799 we know whether 00:39:07.799 --> 00:39:08.559 we're impatient 00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:10.059 around a particular person 00:39:10.059 --> 00:39:11.239 or a particular group, 00:39:11.379 --> 00:39:12.279 we know when we 00:39:12.279 --> 00:39:13.179 might be able 00:39:13.179 --> 00:39:13.739 to be gentle 00:39:13.739 --> 00:39:14.539 with our kids 00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:15.299 and harsh 00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:16.680 with somebody else. 00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:18.780 Just take a moment 00:39:18.780 --> 00:39:19.580 and we're going to ask 00:39:19.580 --> 00:39:20.400 the Holy Spirit 00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:21.840 to do a wonderful work 00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:22.440 in our midst 00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:23.080 to grip us 00:39:23.080 --> 00:39:23.900 with the gospel 00:39:23.900 --> 00:39:26.140 so that these 00:39:26.140 --> 00:39:27.260 implications 00:39:27.260 --> 00:39:28.100 of the gospel 00:39:28.100 --> 00:39:28.720 become 00:39:28.720 --> 00:39:30.519 more of who we are. 00:39:31.060 --> 00:39:31.740 So let's pray. 00:39:35.480 --> 00:39:36.539 Blessed Savior, 00:39:37.580 --> 00:39:38.480 Heavenly Father, 00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:40.920 we ask that you would 00:39:40.920 --> 00:39:41.900 pour the Holy Spirit 00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:43.180 deep within your children. 00:39:43.179 --> 00:39:45.819 if there is any here, 00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:46.199 Father, 00:39:46.299 --> 00:39:47.839 who has called out to you 00:39:47.839 --> 00:39:49.139 that Jesus would be 00:39:49.139 --> 00:39:50.139 his Savior and Lord 00:39:50.139 --> 00:39:51.239 or her Savior and Lord 00:39:51.239 --> 00:39:51.500 today, 00:39:51.619 --> 00:39:51.839 Father, 00:39:51.919 --> 00:39:52.719 may the Holy Spirit 00:39:52.719 --> 00:39:53.960 flood them at this time, 00:39:54.099 --> 00:39:54.639 flood them 00:39:54.639 --> 00:39:56.719 and help them to know 00:39:56.719 --> 00:39:58.859 that you have 00:39:58.859 --> 00:40:00.099 made them your child 00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:01.219 by adoption and grace. 00:40:02.279 --> 00:40:02.579 Father, 00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:03.319 for the rest of us, 00:40:03.399 --> 00:40:04.579 you know those things 00:40:04.579 --> 00:40:05.279 within us. 00:40:05.480 --> 00:40:06.359 You know the idols 00:40:06.359 --> 00:40:07.179 of our hearts. 00:40:07.379 --> 00:40:08.179 You know our impatiences. 00:40:09.079 --> 00:40:10.659 You know those things 00:40:10.659 --> 00:40:11.779 of which we are ashamed. 00:40:11.780 --> 00:40:13.100 You know those things 00:40:13.100 --> 00:40:14.980 which preoccupy our mind. 00:40:15.160 --> 00:40:16.900 And you know the different ways 00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:17.480 that the gospel 00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:18.760 is not real to our heart. 00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:19.840 And so, 00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:20.080 Father, 00:40:20.140 --> 00:40:21.960 we ask that the Holy Spirit 00:40:21.960 --> 00:40:22.900 would make the gospel 00:40:22.900 --> 00:40:24.380 more and more real to us 00:40:24.380 --> 00:40:25.180 at the very depths 00:40:25.180 --> 00:40:25.760 of who we are, 00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:27.180 at the level of our affections, 00:40:27.260 --> 00:40:28.140 at the level of the 00:40:28.140 --> 00:40:29.620 command center of our lives. 00:40:29.780 --> 00:40:29.960 Father, 00:40:30.040 --> 00:40:30.960 may the Holy Spirit 00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:31.780 make the gospel 00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:33.200 more and more real to us, 00:40:33.680 --> 00:40:35.160 that we live 00:40:35.160 --> 00:40:36.019 out of the gospel, 00:40:36.180 --> 00:40:36.780 that we are propelled 00:40:37.340 --> 00:40:38.220 out of the gospel 00:40:38.220 --> 00:40:40.019 to become more humble, 00:40:40.360 --> 00:40:41.480 to become more patient, 00:40:41.480 --> 00:40:43.780 to become more gentle, 00:40:44.240 --> 00:40:45.719 to bear with one another 00:40:45.719 --> 00:40:47.079 in love far better, 00:40:47.699 --> 00:40:49.519 all for the good of others 00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:50.940 and your great glory, 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:52.679 knowing that since 00:40:52.679 --> 00:40:54.059 we are yours 00:40:54.059 --> 00:40:55.800 in Christ, 00:40:58.659 --> 00:40:59.480 we will never, 00:41:00.119 --> 00:41:00.300 you, 00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:01.800 that your love, 00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:02.219 Father, 00:41:02.340 --> 00:41:03.960 is the ultimate word 00:41:03.960 --> 00:41:04.579 about us, 00:41:04.659 --> 00:41:06.079 that the end of the day, 00:41:06.659 --> 00:41:07.760 when we see you 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:08.519 face to face, 00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:09.579 it will be just 00:41:09.579 --> 00:41:10.239 to dwell 00:41:10.239 --> 00:41:11.840 in your presence 00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:13.340 and partake of your glory 00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:15.059 and drink of your love 00:41:15.059 --> 00:41:15.820 for all eternity. 00:41:17.139 --> 00:41:17.360 So, 00:41:17.460 --> 00:41:17.559 Father, 00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:18.480 we ask that you would 00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:19.699 do this work in our midst 00:41:19.699 --> 00:41:21.239 and all God's people said, 00:41:21.960 --> 00:41:22.239 Amen.