WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.240 I have a very, very important announcement at the start and that is that there is a black car outside whose battery is being tested. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:21.600 ! The car is ALX9350 and I have a question to go with this. How many of you actually know your license plate? 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:29.600 Okay, that means that there's a fair share of you that are wondering if the black car belongs to you. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:35.600 Our usher would be very glad to take care of that for you if you wish. 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:42.600 If not, afterwards we have jumper cables. Choices are up to you, you know. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:01:03.600 My humor has gotten me in trouble many, many times. I trust my sister is not unduly troubled by that. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:09.599 Okay. I love when you sing. 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:14.599 But I love to be able to say, open the Bible. 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:21.599 Because were it not for the Bible, our singing would not be well informed. Isn't that right? 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:37.599 And apart from the glory of the revelation of the Word of God, encouraged and nurtured by the Spirit of God in the life of the child of God, 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:47.599 our singing wouldn't amount to much of eternal significance. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:55.599 I hardly think there's a Sunday that I don't ask you to pray for me. 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:00.599 But I gotta tell you, this is a very special Sunday. 00:02:00.599 --> 00:02:04.599 And the reason for that is this is a very special text. 00:02:04.599 --> 00:02:06.599 It really is. 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:20.599 We are coming to the core of perhaps one of the passages that I would plead with you to memorize for your own soul's edification. 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:25.599 Let me read it to you. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:33.599 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father. 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:35.599 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father. 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:38.599 From whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:47.599 That according to the riches of his glory, he may grant to you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:51.599 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:58.599 And that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints, 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:01.599 what is the breadth and length and height and depth. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:11.599 And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:20.599 I gotta tell you, I would be troubled if a believer didn't know John 3.16. 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:21.599 Would you agree with me? 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:23.599 Well, how's it start? 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:26.599 For God so loved the world, right? 00:03:26.599 --> 00:03:33.599 And I'm not as troubled that you don't have this passage memorized, but I gotta tell you, it's a keeper. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:39.599 It should be one of those go-to texts that you hold and cherish. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:45.599 And when you find your life unhinged and troubled by the uncertainties and the problems of life, 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:53.599 this passage should be one of those that comes forward to comfort and encourage and sustain you in the flood. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:55.599 And that's what life is like. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:58.599 I would plead with you. 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:02.599 You go ahead and say, God being my helper, I'm gonna memorize this passage. 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:07.599 By the way, I would encourage you to go on notice with other people. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.599 Do you know what I mean by notice with other people? 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:15.599 You go to other people and say, pray for me because two weeks from now, Lord willing, I'm gonna have verse 14 done. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:16.600 And then 15, whatever. 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:23.600 You plan it out and you knock it out so that the Word of God is there in your heart as the resource 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.600 when your day and your life is challenged, and it will be. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:36.600 The title of the sermon this morning is How His Love Settles the Believer. 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:41.600 And so I'm going to ask that you join me in praying. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:46.600 I am going to pray for God's help in preaching, 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:50.600 and that I'm a faithful messenger of His precious Word. 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:56.600 And I'm going to ask that you would pray that you would attend to the Word of God with the enabling of the Spirit, 00:04:56.600 --> 00:05:01.600 and that you pray for this person who is standing before you to deliver the Word, 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:08.600 that it be done in a fashion that pleases Christ and makes you different. 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:16.600 Father God, we are reminded of what it says in 2 Corinthians, 00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:21.600 that we have this treasure in earthen vessels, and we are painfully aware of that. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:28.600 Father God, you know our frailty better than we do. 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:37.600 You know the struggles and the inconsistency, the lack of certainty in our affections for you, 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:40.600 and you are so merciful to us. 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:43.600 Your love never gives up. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:49.600 And this morning we come and we hold this Word that you have given to us that's a prize. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:50.600 It's a gift. 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:56.600 And we hold this Word with confidence, knowing that in addition to having the Word of God, 00:05:56.600 --> 00:06:05.600 those who are the children of God have the indwelling Spirit that is actively engaged in helping us learn and grow to know more of Jesus. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:08.600 And we want your help this morning. 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:15.600 We're so thankful that not only have you granted to your children salvation and eternal life, 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:22.600 but you are also at work today helping us change so that we're not the way we were yesterday. 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:24.600 We want to grow. 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:32.600 And we ask that your Word would do its work that would have free course and not be hindered. 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:36.600 And we pray it in Jesus' name and for His glory. 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:37.600 Amen. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:45.600 Well, I want you to look with me at this passage and pick up there in the latter part of verse 17. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:48.600 It says that you, being rooted and grounded in love. 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:53.600 And you may think to yourself, well, pastor is taking a rather small part of this text. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.600 And I confess that. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:01.600 But on good record, I want you to know that there are others that have taken many more sermons 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:06.600 to get through just a couple verses in this core part of Ephesians chapter 3. 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:13.600 And so I want you to listen with me and follow along in the passage as we look at this very, very essential truth 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:20.600 of just how foundational and how critical understanding, comprehending, appreciating the love of Christ is in the believer. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:27.600 But let me kind of set some background for you because when you see those words and just look at them on the face of it, 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:33.600 it says, oh, okay, rooted and grounded, big deal, let's move on. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:38.600 The words don't mean anything unless we really stop and think, so how important is it to be rooted and grounded? 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:44.600 So I want to establish that for you, first of all, by reminding you of the profound weight of human existence. 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:51.600 How easy is it being you and how comfortable are you on occasion with just the heartache of human life? 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:58.600 The scriptures really are abundant in explaining to us that life is tough. 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:02.600 Now listen to a couple different passages, if I may here recite. 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:09.600 In Job chapter 5 verse 7 it says, as a man is born to trouble, as sparks fly upward. 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:14.600 How many of you have been out camping and noticed that the sparks do what? 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:20.600 Judith and I were camping last fall and I had pitched the tent, it's all my fault, 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:24.600 I pitched the tent a little too close to where the fire pit was. 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:34.600 And later on I noticed that my lovely tent that I bought on eBay had little holes in it. 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:37.600 Do you know what the little holes were from? 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.600 As sparks fly up, so are troubles to a man. 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:42.600 And there it was, I had burned little holes. 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:45.600 Thankfully it was in the outer layer, blah, blah, blah. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:49.600 But here's the point, sparks do go up and you better plan for it, it's part of life. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:55.600 Job chapter 14 verse 1 puts it this way, man is born to trouble as the sparks fly up. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:56.600 You got that? 00:08:56.600 --> 00:09:03.600 And then again in Job it says, a man who is born of woman is few of days and full of trouble. 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:06.600 Few of days and full of trouble. 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:08.600 I want you to look at another passage in relationship to this. 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:11.600 Turn back in your Bible if you will to Ecclesiastes. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:14.600 And we're going to pick up in Ecclesiastes chapter 2. 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:19.600 Ecclesiastes chapter 2 verse 22 and 23. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:26.600 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.600 For all his days are full of sorrow and his work is a vexation. 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:33.600 Even in the night his heart does not rest. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.600 This is also vanity. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:40.600 And as I come to you this morning I know that I don't tell you anything new. 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:47.600 For you that are seasoned in your life you'd have to admit that life is filled with challenge and uncertainty. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:52.600 And to put it in cryptic or poetic terms rather, you'd have to say that life is all uphill. 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:54.600 It is marked by groanings. 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:56.600 It's marked by our tears. 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:05.600 It's marked by deep frustrations and disappointments that all of you will carry to a certain degree until the day you go home. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:15.600 We may find ourselves occasionally thinking that life would undeniably get better if certain things happen to us. 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:17.600 You ever catch yourself thinking that way? 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:19.600 I mean, what's the Powerball at right now? 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:20.600 Does anybody know? 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:23.600 Raise your hand and wave at me if you know what Powerball is. 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:24.600 There are no suckers in the crowd. 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:26.600 Okay, I got that. 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.600 I thought it was like $600 million. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.600 Now, I have never bought a lottery ticket. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:43.600 But I have found myself thinking on occasion that if I had $600 million, life would have to be better. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:47.600 Now, I admit, I admit that's very carnal and very childish. 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:54.600 But I suspicion that looking at some of the smiles on your faces, there are a couple of you that have thought somewhat like that. 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:59.600 You know, if you had a better job, if you had different people to work with. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:04.600 I mean, after all, you know, it's hard to fly like an eagle when you work with... 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:07.600 See, you guys have read those signs in people's offices, right? 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:16.600 Okay, and so we've all caught ourselves thinking that we would be happier if our circumstances were somewhat different. 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:20.600 But I want you to understand that our problems are significantly deeper than that. 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:27.600 The root causes of human instability and turmoil really lie in other places. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:31.600 And I want you to recognize two foundational truths in relationship to that. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:34.600 For one, we live in a broken world. 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:43.600 Why is it that in this passage where Paul says that you would be rooted and grounded in love, why do those words mean anything to us? 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:47.600 It's because you and I live in a broken world. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:54.600 You think back to the passage in Genesis chapter 3, and I'm not going to have you turn there because I think you're fairly familiar with the text. 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:59.600 But you'll remember that immediately after sin entered the garden, God came to Adam and Eve and said, 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:04.600 Let me tell you what the consequences of your disobedience and your sin are going to be. 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:09.600 And life became profoundly hard as a result of sin. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:10.600 And it still is. 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:21.600 Now, it is not as bad life as it will someday be, where, as we read in the book of Revelation, 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:35.600 God is going to remove some of the restraining ministry of the Spirit of God and expose unregenerate men in particular to the dual burdens of His wrath and the unchecked nature of sin. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:40.600 But the truth of the matter is that the world is still a hard place. 00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:44.600 I think back to the passage in Romans chapter 8, verse 22, where it says this. 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:45.600 It says, 00:12:45.600 --> 00:13:12.600 I want you to think with me just for a moment this morning of what Kermit Gosnell was doing there in that abortion clinic. 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:17.600 As day after day, He was sacrificing the lives of little unborn children. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:26.600 And those who had managed to escape the terror of that performance eventually had a pair of scissors used to snip their neck and destroy their life right there. 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:28.600 And that's not just one place. 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:29.600 That's going on all over. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:30.600 All over. 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:40.600 You recognize that we live today in a country that is progressively declining in its moral clarity. 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:46.600 And the things that are happening around us, they remind us that we live in a troubled world. 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:53.600 And I want you to recognize that as you look at this condition going on all around us, you recognize it is a broken world. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:54.600 It's a troubled world. 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:56.600 And we live in the middle of it. 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:01.600 And it's understandable why Paul would then write that you could be rooted and grounded. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:07.600 There's another thing that makes life hard and unstable. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:12.600 We struggle with a shrunken world view. 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:16.600 We struggle with a shrunken world view. 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:17.600 Now, what do I mean by that? 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.600 Let me put it this way. 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:28.600 Instead of being overwhelmed with the right view of God, men and women shuffle to the mirror every day and ask them that little cryptic question from Disney, 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.600 mirror, mirror on the wall, what? 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.600 Who's the fairest of them all? 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.600 You know what we're really asking? 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:39.600 We're asking the mirror, hey, am I really the most significant? 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:51.600 And the truth of the matter is, is whether we ask the question or not, you can discover how easily you are connected to that concern by how you respond when things don't go your way. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:58.600 We live in a day and age where men and women are consumed with themselves. 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:03.600 And in our culture, it's a justifiable and understandable behavior. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:14.600 Now, we do attach psychological terms to this, but in the court of heaven and in Scripture, this is nothing more than false worship and a fawning trust in man. 00:15:14.600 --> 00:15:20.600 I want you to turn in your Bible to look at another passage that I think is very significant in relationship to this question. 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:24.600 Turn over in your Bible, if you would, to Jeremiah chapter 17. 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:37.600 One of the things that goes with pastoral ministry, and I think back over 30 years of ministry and the countless opportunities I've had of encouraging people who are struggling deeply with the challenges of life, 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:43.600 I'm reminded that there are forces at play. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:50.600 Individuals either trusting in the significance and supremacy of God or getting wrapped up and consumed with themselves. 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:54.600 Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 5 and 6, let me read it to you. 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:55.600 Here's what it says. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:56.600 It says, 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:58.600 Thus says the Lord, 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:04.600 Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:08.600 He is like a shrub in the desert and shall not see any good come. 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:13.600 He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness in an inhabited salt land. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.600 Now, stop and think with me. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:25.600 When we are trusting in man and we're trusting in ourself, undeniably, invariably, our lives are very troubled and uncertain and reasonably so. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:26.600 Why is that? 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:31.600 Because we are not trustworthy individuals in the end. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:37.600 And it's appropriate for us to recognize that there's a reason. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:39.600 We are thinking the way we are. 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:41.600 It's because we have a shrunken worldview. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:48.600 You want to know people who are overwhelmed and anxious, who are greatly troubled by their existence and the problems they face? 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:57.600 You are looking at an individual who has that mindset, who fundamentally is struggling with an uncertainty in the God they say they trust in. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:10.599 And when our lives are turned away from resting on the foundation of the character and Word of God, we end up in anxiety and trouble. 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:21.599 Insecurity and instability are the unintended fruit of self-worship and self-consumption. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:25.599 I want to say that carefully because I think it's important to recognize. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:37.599 Insecurity and instability are the unintended fruit of self-worship and self-consumption. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:49.599 Let's think now, having recognized the problem of what the Scriptures tell us over in Ephesians 3. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:58.599 And I want you to turn to that passage and just follow along with me as we pick through the lesson that God has here for us. 00:17:58.599 --> 00:18:05.599 Ephesians 3, verse 17, it says that you might be rooted and grounded. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:10.599 And I want you to recognize that these two words are not Paul's poetic effect. 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:12.599 Now, what do we mean by poetic effect? 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:23.599 How many of you recognize that sometimes you, or maybe others, say more than needs to be said because you're hoping that in the volume of words there's going to be something good happen? 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:28.599 You just kind of rattle on and you stick one thing after another and there's no really meaning to it. 00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:31.599 You're just trying to fill in the gaps. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:32.599 That's not what Paul is doing. 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:40.599 And the reason we know this is because the Spirit of God never wastes energy and never spouts off just to hear himself spout. 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:43.599 The words are important. 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:59.599 The word rooted comes to us from the agricultural world and it refers to the way in which a plant is transplanted and then eventually begins to spread its roots into the soil and begins to take from the soil the nutrients that it needs around. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:12.599 Over the years I have planted a number of different trees and I recognize that if you don't do a good job, one of the things that can happen two or three years later, you can come there and grab that tree and kind of shake it and guess what you can do? 00:19:12.599 --> 00:19:18.599 I've had a couple of bushes that I've planted that I was able to pull out with my own hand. 00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:19.599 Why is that? 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:23.599 Because it had not taken root in the soil around. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:35.599 And Paul uses this word that communicates to us the idea of working the tentacles of those little roots into the ground and finding the stability that they need. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:39.599 Being rooted is a reference to our relationship with Christ. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:50.599 If you are established and rooted, it really has bearing on your being related to Christ and being attentive to that relationship. 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:55.599 Look over in your Bible if you would to John chapter 15 verse 4 and 5. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:20:00.599 John chapter 15 verse 4 and 5. 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:28.599 So you can kind of look at your life this morning and ask yourself the question, 00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:32.599 If I know the Lord Jesus, am I abiding in Him? 00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:36.599 And as a result of that abiding, do I have this established, settled certainty? 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:47.599 And is there a rooted relationship that nurtures me and strengthens me and gives to me stability in the uncertainty of the world that I live in? 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:57.599 I want you to recognize the second word that Paul uses there in Ephesians, grounded, is a word that comes to us from the building trade. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:04.599 I visit people periodically up at Riverside Hospital. 00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:13.599 And some of you who drive by there or work in that proximity know that they're in the process of building this great big structure, neuroscience. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:17.599 And you know, it's the first place to go if you have a stroke or whatever. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:20.599 It's a place to take care of people that are sick. 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:25.599 Do you understand that before you go up, you better go down? 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:30.599 And here is Paul saying to the believer, listen, listen. 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:32.599 You need to be rooted. 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:39.599 You need to have a network that establishes your relationship and nurtures that relationship with Christ. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:44.599 And you have to get your strength and your nutrition from the person and the character of Christ. 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:47.599 Secondly, you need to be grounded. 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:50.599 You need to be grounded. 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:54.599 I think just for a moment of a passage over in Luke chapter 6. 00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:55.599 And let's turn there if you would. 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:58.599 Luke chapter 6, verse 47 and 48. 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:02.599 Luke chapter 6. 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:06.599 We could sing a song together on this one, but you don't want me to do special music. 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:08.599 I can tell you that. 00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:09.599 47. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.599 Here we are. 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:19.599 I'm sorry. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:20.599 Ah, there it is. 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:25.599 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:30.599 He is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid foundations on the rock. 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:39.599 And when a flood rose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it because it had been, what? 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:41.599 Well built. 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:44.599 Hey, listen to me. 00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:47.599 I don't know your life. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:48.599 But here's what I know. 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:57.599 Every single one of you, from what it told us in Job and Ecclesiastes, is going to have storms happen in your life. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:58.599 Do you understand that? 00:22:58.599 --> 00:22:59.599 You're going to have heartbreak. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:01.599 You're going to have disappointments. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:03.599 Things aren't going to go your way. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:08.599 You're going to have things that you were counting on suddenly come to nothing and plans that you had fall apart. 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:20.599 And in the midst of that, if you are not grounded in the work and the word of Christ, you are going to be a very fragile and uncertain person. 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:28.599 What Jesus is saying in this passage is that the man that hears the word of Christ and lives by them is a stable man. 00:23:28.599 --> 00:23:30.599 He's a stable man. 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:42.599 Not because the man himself is stable by his own nature, but because he is stabilized because he is resting on the word of God and the character of God. 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:51.599 That's one of the reasons why I care so deeply about your growing affection for the word of God and your ability to hold on to it. 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:54.599 When we sing our songs, what would I like you to do? 00:23:54.599 --> 00:23:56.599 What's the consistent appeal? 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:04.599 I was debating as I was sitting up here this morning listening to Jeff as he was leading us and kind of cross-checking off different Bible verses in my own mind. 00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:08.599 I was wondering maybe I ought to get up here this morning and say, all right, how many of you are doing that? 00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:12.599 And two or three of you raised your hands, so I'll wait until next week because ten of you will raise your hands. 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:13.599 That's what I'm waiting for. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:16.599 I want you to have the word where? 00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:18.599 In your life. 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:20.599 Let me tell you something. 00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:23.599 A test of growth. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:27.599 Listen to me carefully. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:33.599 Here's how you know whether you are making spiritual progress and you're growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:35.599 Follow with me. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:40.599 Psalm 119, verse 24. 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:41.599 Go there. 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:43.599 Psalm 119, verse 24. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:47.599 Let me just recite it to you and I think it's another one worth memorizing. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.599 Your testimonies are my delight. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:52.599 They are my... 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:54.599 What? 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:56.599 You're not there yet. 00:24:56.599 --> 00:25:00.599 Some of you who know it by heart don't want to recite it, but let's do it together, okay? 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:02.599 Your testimonies are my delight. 00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:05.599 They are my counselors. 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:08.599 Now, let's come to the test. 00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:22.599 A test of your spiritual growth and maturity is how quickly the word of God comes to mind when you're thinking what you shouldn't be thinking. 00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:25.599 How many of you struggle with thinking things you shouldn't think? 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:31.599 One, two, three or four. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:35.599 Okay, the rest of you just got brains that are just hyper spiritual. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:36.599 Now, here's the deal. 00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:37.599 Just talk a little bit about me. 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:45.599 Earlier this week, last week, some things happened to people, to me, and I found myself getting bent out of shape. 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:47.599 You know what bent out of shape looks like in a pastor's mind? 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:49.599 It looks just like it does in yours. 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:57.599 I was beginning...here's how far it went. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:06.599 I was even beginning to search the scriptures so I could pull up Bible verses that would serve me. 00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:11.599 And the Spirit of God got a hold of my life. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:14.599 I am so thankful. 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:22.599 And one passage after another began correcting my deviant thinking. 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:26.599 And I was rescued. 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:30.599 Psalm 119, verse 24. 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:35.599 The scriptures are my counselor. 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:52.599 And if you are growing in spiritual maturity, the break between those dumb, ignorant, foolish, wicked, arrogant thoughts you have and the scriptures is narrowed. 00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:54.599 Isn't that good? 00:26:54.599 --> 00:26:56.599 So how are you doing? 00:26:56.599 --> 00:27:15.599 I want you to understand that if we are going to grow in this matter of being rooted and established, we need to recognize that growing to be settled in the word takes time. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:17.599 Can I say that slowly? 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:22.599 Growing to be settled in the word takes time. 00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:24.599 Don't you wish it happened sooner? 00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:25.599 Yeah. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.599 Yeah. 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:27.599 Yeah. 00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:28.599 Yeah. 00:27:28.599 --> 00:27:47.599 But you can tell how you're doing at this growth process by how quickly the word of God rescues your stupid, wicked, arrogant, stubborn, belligerent thinking. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:52.599 Well, let's go on because we're not at the core of the verse. 00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:54.599 There's more to come. 00:27:54.599 --> 00:28:02.599 It says here that you being rooted and grounded in what? 00:28:02.599 --> 00:28:03.599 In love. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:05.599 Now, stop and think with me just for a moment. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:10.599 And I do want you to know next week we're going to talk about this issue of love in greater detail. 00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:16.599 But I want you to recognize that Paul begins his prayer over there in verse 14. 00:28:16.599 --> 00:28:17.599 He says, 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:20.599 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father. 00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:22.599 This is what I'm praying for. 00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:34.599 I'm asking that you would have prosperity and that you would have a better job and that you would have a new car and that you'd have a nice house so everybody would think you're blessed spiritually. 00:28:34.599 --> 00:28:35.599 Is that what he's praying for? 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.599 No. 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:38.599 He's not praying for that at all. 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:41.599 He says, Here's what I want. 00:28:41.599 --> 00:29:00.599 I want you to have the power of the Spirit of God working in your inner man that Christ may dwell in you and that you would be rooted and grounded in his love. 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:03.599 What is the stability of his love? 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:11.599 It's really stunning to stop and consider the simplicity of Paul's remedy for the profound challenges that we face in life. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:15.599 Do you know what most people do when they face challenges today? 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:16.599 Honestly? 00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:20.599 Just ask yourself what you've done. 00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:33.599 The most common way of facing challenges is not to do what scripture tells us, but what the world tells us. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.599 That's the way it is. 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.599 And here's what Paul says. 00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:40.599 He says, Listen, I'm praying that you would be rooted and grounded in love. 00:29:40.599 --> 00:29:49.599 And so I look at this passage and I'm reminded that at the end of the day the thing that is most significant is the love that he has for us. 00:29:49.599 --> 00:30:06.599 Last Wednesday, I was out there in the lobby and I picked up one of our bulletins that had the stories of two different individuals who are suffering for their faith, one in Pakistan and the other in Iran. 00:30:06.599 --> 00:30:14.599 And I found myself praying for them and my first prayer was, Lord, would you protect them and would you release them? 00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:17.599 Yeah, appropriate. 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:26.599 But as I continued to pray, I found myself also praying, and Lord, would you please let them know where they are in prison, that they're loved by you. 00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:29.599 That your love hasn't changed. 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:37.599 That your love is actively at work in their lives in prison, just as it is in my life. 00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:43.599 And as I said that, I reminded myself of a couple different passages, one in Romans where it says, Guess what? 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:48.599 All things work together for good. 00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:57.599 You know, Paul says that I want you, I want you to understand that you are rooted and grounded in his love. 00:30:57.599 --> 00:31:00.599 And so let's kind of break that down into two different pieces. 00:31:00.599 --> 00:31:05.599 Let's talk about the fact that his love is unfailing whether we feel it or not. 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:08.599 It's true. 00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:12.599 Because of the work of Christ and the character of Christ. 00:31:12.599 --> 00:31:17.599 His love is unfailing whether we feel it or not. 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:20.599 I've said this repeatedly. 00:31:20.599 --> 00:31:29.599 That on numerous occasions in the process of counseling and ministering to individuals, I wish, because in our current culture, 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:33.599 everything we hope for really comes in the form of a pill. 00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:34.599 Do you realize that? 00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:35.599 Give me a pill. 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:37.599 That's got to help. 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:45.599 And I've often thought to myself, I wish I had little pills that were actually the distilled love of Christ. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:47.599 And I could take one of these every day. 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:49.599 You'll feel better. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:56.599 And Paul says, I want you to be rooted and grounded in love. 00:31:56.599 --> 00:32:00.599 And his love is unfailing whether we feel it or not. 00:32:00.599 --> 00:32:01.599 It's true. 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:08.599 Because of who Christ is and because of what he's done for us, the work of Christ points to his atonement and his intercession. 00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:09.599 And he's praying for you. 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:12.599 And he's praying for you. 00:32:12.599 --> 00:32:15.599 He doesn't get better than that. 00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:23.599 The character of Christ refers to the fact that he is the Son of God and he cannot lie and he doesn't change his mind. 00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:28.599 He will not go back on his covenant and he will do all that is necessary to get the job done. 00:32:28.599 --> 00:32:32.599 That's encouraging, isn't it? 00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:37.599 But I can also tell you that sometimes it can be a little sobering. 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:41.599 Judith and I are in the process of raising another little puppy. 00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:47.599 The last dog was going to be our own, our last one until this last one died and then we have a new one. 00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:48.599 You know how that goes. 00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:55.599 And this little puppy, when she goes on a walk with me, strangely enough, I'm in charge. 00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:56.599 She isn't. 00:32:56.599 --> 00:33:02.599 And if she doesn't come when I want her to come, guess what happens to the leash? 00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:04.599 I just keep on walking. 00:33:04.599 --> 00:33:07.599 And I'm putting 195 pounds to the process. 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:09.599 She weighs six. 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:16.599 And it's a process for this little puppy to learn. 00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:18.599 You know, she's out there. 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:23.599 I'm saying, come on. 00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:25.599 Come on. 00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:29.599 And that's the way some of you are, right? 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:31.599 You're all over the thing. 00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:32.599 And he's just, what's he doing? 00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:34.599 He's pulling you along, isn't he? 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:36.599 How much fun is it to be pulled along? 00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:38.599 It's not fun. 00:33:38.599 --> 00:33:45.599 You see, Jesus loves us whether we realize it or not. 00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:47.599 And he's not going to change. 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:49.599 But there's a second thing I want you to see in this. 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:52.599 Paul says there in Ephesians, rooted and grounded in love. 00:33:52.599 --> 00:34:03.599 I want you to understand that there is the objective part of his love, but then there is the second part, which is the kind of the discovery part or the experiential part. 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:09.599 We will grow to feel more secure as we grow in knowing the depth of his love for us. 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:17.599 That's one of the reasons why, actually, hear me out here, being an older believer is better than being a younger believer. 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.599 Why is that? 00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:25.599 It's because the older you grow in the faith, the more experience you have behind you that he is good. 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.599 Isn't that right? 00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:30.599 Now, I like being young. 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:35.599 And there's part of me that would like to be young again, at least physiologically. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:42.599 You know, getting out of bed in the morning and having a lot of things talk to me about how they didn't feel like it when I was 30. 00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:44.599 You know, it's like, live it with it. 00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:45.599 But here's the deal. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:50.599 The more you grow in grace, the more you appreciate the certainty of his love. 00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:57.599 Let me have you look with me just for a moment to a passage in 136, Psalm 136. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:35:06.599 If you want to understand how important understanding the love of God is in the life of the believer, 00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:12.599 recognize the value of repetition as an indicator. 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:14.599 Psalm 136. 00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:20.599 And by the way, things we say over and over again generally are things we want to be certain, 00:35:20.599 --> 00:35:27.599 that our hearers understand clearly, right? 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:29.599 Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:31.599 What's the next part? 00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:34.599 For his steadfast love endures forever. 00:35:34.599 --> 00:35:38.599 Give thanks to the God of gods for his steadfast love endures forever. 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:42.599 Give thanks to the Lord of lords for his steadfast love endures forever. 00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:45.599 That's kind of the starting point to this passage. 00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:51.599 Then in verse 4, for he alone who does great wonders for his steadfast love endures forever. 00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:53.599 And on for 26 verses. 00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:57.599 There is one part that is repeated 26 times. 00:35:57.599 --> 00:36:00.599 Is that repetition or not? 00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:01.599 What's the answer? 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.599 Yes. 00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:06.599 Can anybody think of any other passage that has this much repetition on any other theme? 00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:08.599 I don't think of one. 00:36:08.599 --> 00:36:11.599 What's that tell us? 00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:20.599 The Spirit of God believes it's profoundly important for you to understand that his steadfast love endures forever. 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:25.599 I was thinking about that song. 00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:29.599 And I'm not very good with words to songs. 00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:30.599 But there's something about... 00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:32.599 Come on, help me out here. 00:36:32.599 --> 00:36:36.599 You know which song I'm thinking about, don't you? 00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:37.599 Okay. 00:36:37.599 --> 00:36:40.599 His love never gives up. 00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:42.599 Something blah, blah, blah. 00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:43.599 Help me out, Tim. 00:36:43.599 --> 00:36:47.599 Say it again loudly. 00:36:47.599 --> 00:36:48.599 Stand up, please. 00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:50.599 He's a youth leader. 00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:52.599 Timothy, help me out. 00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:53.599 Say it loud. 00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:54.599 I like this song. 00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:58.599 Your love never fails and never gives up and never unwell. 00:36:58.599 --> 00:36:59.599 Is that good? 00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:00.599 Amen. 00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:01.599 Thank you, Tim. 00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:03.599 That's what comes with being a youth leader. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:06.599 You get called on moment's notice, you know? 00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:14.599 I gotta tell you, God never changes. 00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:18.599 Christ's love is absolutely certain. 00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:27.599 And the spirit of God wants you as a believer to be overwhelmed with that. 00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:31.599 Let's talk about how we make progress in it. 00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:37.599 How do we grow in appreciating experientially the love of Christ? 00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:45.599 Now remember, objectively in the court of heaven, whether we feel like we're loved or not, God hasn't changed and he loves us anyway. 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.599 We've got that part, don't we? 00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:50.599 But we want to talk about how do we feel a little bit more loved on a regular basis? 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:52.599 Because we do need to feel that. 00:37:52.599 --> 00:37:54.599 Here's a way. 00:37:54.599 --> 00:38:02.599 First of all, daily time in his word and prayer will help you grow in understanding his love. 00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:19.599 Often in my office when I'm talking with people whose lives are unhinged a little bit, and I'm sympathetic, one of the standard questions I ask is, 00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:21.599 talk to me about your devotional life. 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:22.599 Huh. 00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:24.599 I haven't read the Bible in months. 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:28.599 I haven't prayed in months. 00:38:28.599 --> 00:38:32.599 Oh, you feel like he doesn't love you? 00:38:32.599 --> 00:38:33.599 Surprise. 00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:37.599 It's not his problem. 00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:39.599 You've created this. 00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:48.599 And I've got to tell you, if you want to grow in appreciating his love and you're sitting there kind of wondering, can I get a pill or can I do it the other way? 00:38:48.599 --> 00:38:51.599 I want to tell you, get in the word. 00:38:51.599 --> 00:39:09.599 Secondly, I want to encourage you to recognize that it's wise to meditate and put every thought about the cross and our salvation in focus because that will strengthen your sense of his love. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:11.599 Listen to me. 00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:17.599 You can't control some of the thoughts that you think for the moment that you think them. 00:39:17.599 --> 00:39:19.599 Would you agree with that statement? 00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:24.599 But you can control what you choose to think about repeatedly. 00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:30.599 And the scriptures encourage us. 00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:37.599 Make every thought of the cross and your salvation the thing that strengthens your sense of his love. 00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:40.599 Third, here we go. 00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:44.599 Choose to obey his loving directions. 00:39:44.599 --> 00:39:46.599 Remember what Jesus said in the scriptures? 00:39:46.599 --> 00:39:47.599 If you love me, what? 00:39:47.599 --> 00:39:48.599 What? 00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:50.599 Let me say it again. 00:39:50.599 --> 00:39:53.599 If you love me, keep my commandments. 00:39:53.599 --> 00:39:58.599 Now, by the way, why does he give us his commandments? 00:39:58.599 --> 00:39:59.599 Does anybody have any idea? 00:39:59.599 --> 00:40:03.599 Secret. 00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:10.599 Because his commandments are a reflection of his absolute perfection and wisdom, for one thing. 00:40:10.599 --> 00:40:14.599 They're also the means of his bringing blessing to us. 00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:17.599 I mean, you understand this? 00:40:17.599 --> 00:40:25.599 God poured manna out on the ground and he said, din din time, but you have to get up before sun's up. 00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:28.599 Because if you didn't, what were you doing? 00:40:28.599 --> 00:40:32.599 You were on a Weight Watchers program long before it was invented. 00:40:32.599 --> 00:40:33.599 Okay? 00:40:33.599 --> 00:40:37.599 And God said, and by the way, the Sabbath is a real big thing to me. 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:43.599 So, when Friday night comes, you can gather two loads, you know, for two days in a row. 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:46.599 But if you do it on any other day, what's going to happen to leftovers? 00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:48.599 This was before refrigeration too. 00:40:48.599 --> 00:40:50.599 What's going to happen? 00:40:50.599 --> 00:40:55.599 You are going to be sorry. 00:40:55.599 --> 00:40:56.599 Here's what it says in 1 John. 00:40:56.599 --> 00:41:00.599 It says, and his commandments are not burdensome. 00:41:00.599 --> 00:41:11.599 There is not a single thing that he has ever instructed his children to do that has not been for their benefit. 00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:19.599 Fourth, deliberately choosing to engage in loving his people and his mission. 00:41:19.599 --> 00:41:24.599 Will increase your sense of relationship and security. 00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:26.599 I got to tell you. 00:41:26.599 --> 00:41:31.599 I went home last night absolutely pumped. 00:41:31.599 --> 00:41:34.599 I was fired up. 00:41:34.599 --> 00:41:40.599 And I just love watching, what did I call them, Kevin, the ants at work? 00:41:40.599 --> 00:41:41.599 Remember that? 00:41:41.599 --> 00:41:47.599 Kevin laughing and Christy have been working all this food for all day and whatever, weeks or whatever. 00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:52.599 And towards the end of the evening, it was about 8.30, he was sitting out there in a chair, finally taking a break. 00:41:52.599 --> 00:41:54.599 And I said, now the ants go to work. 00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:56.599 That was when all the ladies have cleared out. 00:41:56.599 --> 00:41:58.599 And then the men descended. 00:41:58.599 --> 00:42:00.599 It was just, I was just eating it up. 00:42:00.599 --> 00:42:02.599 I love it. 00:42:02.599 --> 00:42:09.599 I got to feeling inside like I'm involved in something bigger than Tim Knoyer. 00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:10.599 Huh? 00:42:13.599 --> 00:42:17.599 There's some of you that, I'm not going to get involved. 00:42:17.599 --> 00:42:19.599 I don't have time for that. 00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:23.599 Yeah, I got, you know, and you kind of, so what's wrong? 00:42:23.599 --> 00:42:30.599 So the critical question is this, this morning. 00:42:30.599 --> 00:42:38.599 Do you have the stability and security that Paul says is found in the love of Christ? 00:42:38.599 --> 00:42:39.599 That's a question. 00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:40.599 Paul's praying. 00:42:40.599 --> 00:42:42.599 He says, listen, I want you to enjoy this. 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:46.599 I want you to understand being rooted and grounded in love. 00:42:46.599 --> 00:42:47.599 Do you have it? 00:42:47.599 --> 00:42:54.599 I got to tell you, if you're drinking from the stream of living water, you got it. 00:42:54.599 --> 00:42:57.599 The storms of life will batter you. 00:42:57.599 --> 00:42:59.599 They're coming. 00:42:59.599 --> 00:43:01.599 They're there already. 00:43:01.599 --> 00:43:03.599 But you know what? 00:43:03.599 --> 00:43:10.599 I'd like to recite the poem against Tim, but you know, his love never gives up. 00:43:10.599 --> 00:43:13.599 He never gives up. 00:43:13.599 --> 00:43:17.599 And so, here's my appeal to you. 00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:22.599 Number one, I want you to ask yourself this question objectively and honestly. 00:43:22.599 --> 00:43:28.599 Do I know Christ as my personal savior? 00:43:28.599 --> 00:43:32.599 I'm not talking about you know the history. 00:43:32.599 --> 00:43:37.599 I'm talking about the fact that in order to know Christ as our personal savior, we have 00:43:37.599 --> 00:43:43.599 to be willing to hear the words of Christ that tell us that all men stand justly condemned 00:43:43.599 --> 00:43:48.599 before a holy God and judgment is what we deserve. 00:43:48.599 --> 00:43:53.599 And yet, God sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the sacrifice for our sins and 00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:59.599 he died on the cross to pay the penalty for my despicable and wicked heart. 00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:06.599 And I came to Christ by confessing I am a sinner and I stand condemned and I believe Jesus died 00:44:06.599 --> 00:44:10.599 for me and I want what he has done for me applied to my life. 00:44:10.599 --> 00:44:14.599 So, are you here today and know Christ as your savior? 00:44:14.599 --> 00:44:19.599 Or are you one of those individuals who's so full of yourself at this point and the spirit 00:44:19.599 --> 00:44:23.599 of God's tapping on your heart and saying, man, the reason you're so anxious and uncertain 00:44:23.599 --> 00:44:29.599 and terrified of the prospect of your eternity is because you do not know Christ as your savior. 00:44:29.599 --> 00:44:34.599 And this morning is the day to trust in him. 00:44:34.599 --> 00:44:41.599 And if you're here this morning and know Christ as your savior, let me tell you something. 00:44:41.599 --> 00:44:49.599 The spirit of God wants you to be happy and settled in the love of Christ. 00:44:49.599 --> 00:44:53.599 I love that passage in Galatians where it says we are the circumcision. 00:44:53.599 --> 00:44:54.599 I know I've cited it before. 00:44:54.599 --> 00:44:56.599 But it says we're the circumcision that what? 00:44:56.599 --> 00:45:03.599 Worship God in spirit, rejoice in the Lord Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 00:45:03.599 --> 00:45:10.599 So, are you going through life kind of skipping along and thankful that he is your savior 00:45:10.599 --> 00:45:14.599 and that he loves you and you're looking forward to the day that you see him? 00:45:14.599 --> 00:45:19.599 Or are you kind of slogging along, along with the rest of the lemmings in life, 00:45:19.599 --> 00:45:22.599 just uncertain of where it all ends up, unhappy? 00:45:22.599 --> 00:45:24.599 No, no, no. 00:45:24.599 --> 00:45:26.599 Here's what it says. 00:45:26.599 --> 00:45:31.599 Keep yourself in the love of God. 00:45:31.599 --> 00:45:33.599 Let's close in prayer. 00:45:33.599 --> 00:45:41.599 Precious Father, this morning as we think together of what your word tells us, 00:45:41.599 --> 00:45:47.599 we recognize that the purpose of opening the scriptures is to put us on the spot of saying yes or no to God. 00:45:47.599 --> 00:45:52.599 There are some here today that need Christ as their personal savior. 00:45:52.599 --> 00:45:59.599 It is my plea and the plea of every believer here this morning that today would be the hour of salvation 00:45:59.599 --> 00:46:05.599 and that the heart that has been resistant to the sweetness of the hope of eternity 00:46:05.599 --> 00:46:10.599 and the Lord Jesus Christ would confess and believe and be saved. 00:46:10.599 --> 00:46:19.599 There are believers here today, Lord, that have bought into the world's line and lies. 00:46:19.599 --> 00:46:29.599 Their lives are consumed by anxiety, obsessed with things that have no eternal significance. 00:46:29.599 --> 00:46:34.599 And the remedy is the love of Christ. 00:46:34.599 --> 00:46:42.599 But, Lord, to get that, such an individual would have to humble themselves before you 00:46:42.599 --> 00:46:46.599 and ask for forgiveness for drifting away into idolatry 00:46:46.599 --> 00:46:51.599 and ask you to change their life no matter what the cost. 00:46:51.599 --> 00:46:54.599 We ask that you do these things that you might be glorified. 00:46:54.599 --> 00:46:56.599 In your precious name, amen. 00:46:56.599 --> 00:46:56.599